Human Resource Management

Assignment On:
Human Resource Management Practices
In a Transition Economy
31st January, 2018

Submitted to:
Jayendra Rimal

Submitted by:
Yuva Nyaupane
Term III
1. What questions/issues is the author trying to address? How important are they? Why?

The study conducted by John O. Okpara and Pamela Wynn has been conducted in Nigeria with a
sole purpose of various Human Resource Practices conducted in the country and the challenges and
prospects of these practices. As per the authors this area Nigeria, a sub-Saharan African country has
been neglected for research and since this economy is heading towards globalization a need to do a
Human Resource Management study has been arising to know whether the same human resource
management theories are being employed or a new or different theory are being used in place of the
traditional practices in the Western Economy. In order to find the result combination of quantitative and
qualitative research method is being employed to gather information. Specifically, data were collected
from 253 managers in selected firms. Data analysis is presented with respect to the use and execution of
HRM practices such as recruitment, selection, performance appraisal and training and development. In
addition, information was collected and analyzed with regard to the challenges and prospects of HRM.
Nigeria is a developing or transition economy from developing to developed economy but as per
the president of Nigeria Obasanjo, he said that the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE’s) were doing better
that the private sector of the country but the SOE’s wereunable to live to the expectation of the people
and were not able to produce the desired good and services required or demanded by the country. And
hence Nigeria has opened its borders to international business, making it imperative for scholars and
practitioners to understand Human Resource Management practices and challenges in Nigeria. The era
of mixed economy system has ended in Nigeria and since they have opened the gates to the
international business and enter the phase of privatization and globalization, it has become essential to
determine whether Human Resource Management practices and policies developed in the West also
hold in a non-Western country. Which is required because due to the end of State-Owned Enterprises or
Public Corporation reduction in labor force have occurred as the public sector organizations are
associated with over staffing, which was one of the core reason to the downfall of State-Owned
Enterprises.to understand how the various Human Resource Practices conducted in the country and the
challenges and prospects of these practices is the major study area of author.
In addition to that, there have not been many studies in the sector of Human Resource
Management in Nigeria so a need to study the how the Human Resource Management arises in the
country. Once how the Human Resource Management functions has been studied developing the
effectiveness and sustainability of the same in context to the management studies in Nigeria is required.
The authors also focus on the academic perspective and states that this study might help to understand
the practices and challenged faced by the Human Resource Management and can also be a big
contribution in the field of Human Resource Management for future development.
2. What basic assumptions/arguments does the author make? What facts/opinions does hepresent?
How valid are these assumptions/arguments/facts/opinions in the light oftheoretical development
in the thematic field?

As presented it seems that the authors have started their study without any prior information in
the human resourcemanagement theories or practice in the Nigeria. Instead, they have made their
assumption fromthe Human Resource Management studies that have been conducted in the
developingcountries.In order to find the result combination of quantitative and qualitative research
method is being employed to gather information. Specifically, data were collected from 253 managers
in selected firms. Based upon which five different sector of industry namely Banks, Construction,
Manufacturing, Oil andTransportation with 365 HR Professionals have been interviewed in order to
complete theresearch.
There are four assumption presented inthe study, which can be great contributor to management
research. Firstly, with the globalization of the world economy there is increasing recognition that the
efficacy and generalization of HRM interventions in a non-Western context need to be investigated.
Second, the economy of Nigeria is growing rapidly, and Nigeria has opened its borders to international
business, making it imperative for scholars and practitioners to understand HRM practices and
challenges in Nigeria. Third, it is essential to determine whether HRM practices and policies developed
in the West also hold in a non-Western country.Fourth, from a practical perspective, the study draws
management attention to the fact that there is a need to develop HRM practices that can enhance the
effectiveness and sustainability of businesses in Nigeria. Finally, from an academic perspective, this
study also provides additional insight into the HRM practices and challenges that will contributeto the
future development.
As per the research author has presented significant current information on HRM knowledge and
practices in Nigeria. The findings reveal that HRM practices, such as training, recruitment,
compensation, performance appraisal and reward systems, are still in place. However, issues of
tribalism, AIDS, training and development and corruption are some of the challenges identified that
need to be addressed.
3. What are the significant empirical/conceptual contributions of or gaps in this article?

The whole survey was conducted with 365 human resource professionals and line managers in12
organizations which were located in 10 cities which are the biggest industrial hub of thecountry. The
study was limited to 12 companies in ten cities. A broader geographic sampling would better reflect the
national profile. Another limitation could stem from the procedure used in data collection method
This limited the study within those big organizations only which created a gap by whichthe study could
not represent the whole country.The sample size was small compared to the population size,
statistically the mean, standard deviation does not show the real result and create more false results
which is a problem in this study.
Another limitation is that the authors have started their study without any prior information in
the human resource management theories or practice in the Nigeria. with the study was at the beginning
of the study, that no human resource survey or study has been conducted or executed in Nigeria or any
other African countries. When there is no study in the beginning it becomes tough for the authors for
knowing where to start their study and how to conduct it. Moreover, it creates difficulty to measure the
accuracy of outcome as there is no set of predetermined standard. And that made the authors to use the
study that have been conducted in different developingcountries and conclude accordingly, but such a
conclusion does not show the real aspect in thecountry. Because the human resource system, planning,
evaluation differ from country tocountry and sometime company to company.Thus
concludingaccording to the study of Human Resource made in other countries does not help in creating
adecision in other country. Future research may be strengthened by using a more diverse set of
businesses including government agencies. Another approach could be to conduct a longitudinal
nation-wide study to identify HRM practices, challenges and prospects. Further research should collect
data on a longitudinal basis to help draw causal inferences and validate the findings of this study.
Further research would also benefit from a large-scale quantitative study survey that would add
statistical generalizations and strengthen the validity of the results.

4. What conclusions does the author draw? Are these conclusions justified in the light of
theempirical/theoretical evidence by the author? How important are these conclusions?

The study has presented significant current information on HRM knowledge and practices in
Nigeria. The findings reveal that HRM practices, such as training, recruitment, compensation,
performance appraisal and reward systems, are still in place. However, issues of tribalism, AIDS,
training and development and corruption are some of the challenges identified that need to be
addressed. Challenges like AIDS, Tribalism, Bribery, and Corruption are some of the issues that
 needed to be addressed in the Human Resource Management techniques in the Nigerian Economy. As
per the authors there are no policies in the Human Resource in place for the above challenges, for e.g.:
people with HIV AIDS are discriminated in the organization and organization should make policies to
protect the right and values of the person with such problem. Prospects in the Human Resource
Management policies are needed to be look through. Prospects like Health Care Issues, Sexual
Harassment Issues, Leadership Development, Globalization etc. Motivation is required to make the
employee work for the organization and as globalization increases more trained and experienced human
resource managers will be required in the organization.
The findingshaveseveral implications as well
aimportance.First,resultsrevealthatrecruitmentandselection,andtraininganddevelopmentarethemostcom
monHRfunctions.We suggest that managers should give attention to other HR activities such as
compensationandbenefits,staffwelfareservices,
healthandsafetyissues,incentiveandmeritpolicies.WiththeAIDS/HIVepidemicinAfrica,HRMprofessional
sanddecisionmakersshouldbecognizantofthisdiseaseandmakeemployees’healthandwelfareissuesatopprio
rity.Withregardtorecruitmentandselection,themajorityrelyonwordof mouth and othermethodsadvertising
jobs whenselectingnewemployees.HRprofessionalsshouldproperlyidentifythosecandidateswhofitthe
needsofthejob,thework-teamandtheorganization;thismethodwouldenhance
performance.Overall,inordertoachieveimprovedandsustainedorganizationalperformance,HRMactivitiess
houldbeimplementedinanenvironmentofemployeeinvolvement.Thus,organizations simultaneous
usemanyHRMpracticesmayenhance‘‘operationaleffectiveness’’butinordertoachieve‘‘strategicpositionin
g’’theyhavetocombineHRMpracticesinawaythatproducesasynergisticeffect.

5. How could this work be further extended or refined?

This is the first kind of the research conducted in the country and hence it has created a small
picture as to how and what are the different policies of Human Resource Management that are been
practiced in the country. The data table also shows the various practices, challenges faced and prospects
in the different companies in Nigeria. Since it is an exploratory study to identify HRM practices and
challenges in Nigeria. The sample is not a representation of all businesses in Nigeria because it is
limited to 12 firms; therefore, the results cannot begeneralized to businesses that were not part of this
study. The research is limited to tencities. A broadergeographic sampling would better able to reflect the
national profile.Future research may be strengthened by using a more diverse set of businessesincluding
government agencies. Another approach could be to conduct a longitudinalnation-wide study to identify
HRM practices, challenges and prospects. Further researchshould collect data on a longitudinal basis to
help draw causal inferences and validate thefindings of this study. Future research
would also benefit from a large-scale quantitativestudy survey that would add statistical generalizations
and strengthen the validity of theresults. In addition, as Nigeria has already entered the globalization
phase, and along with some of the finding of post research process as review the further research can be
conducted. For example, is Nigeria a presidentialdemocracy? Should globalization lead to convergence
or divergence? Or whether thefirms surveyed history of personnel management? All these are important
questions andare areas of future research that can provide the bigger picture analysis of the country as
whole.