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International Journal of EconomicsMANAGEMENT

JOURNALS

and managementjournals.org

Management SciencesVol. 1, No. 4, 2011, pp. 01-11

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA UNDER A

GLOBALISED ECONOMY

Francis C. Anyim Ph.D! Cyri" Os#"$%a I%#m#&'na

( an) Sam'#" E. M*ah

+

1 FCIPM, FNIM, FABS, FCAI; Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management,

Facult of Business Administration, !ni"ersit of #ago$ %&mail' c(uc)sanim*++-a(oo$com

* Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Facult of Business Administration,!ni"ersit of #ago$

%&mail' ci)em&unilag-a(oo$co$u) . Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Facult of Business Administration,

!ni"ersit of #agos$ %&

mail' m/asam0o11-a(oo$com

ABSTRACT

(e pace of glo/ali0ation is increasing continuousl in terms of mar)ets for goods and ser"ices, in"estmentopportunities across /orders amongst ot(ers$ %nterprises face competition from all fronts$ 2uman resource

management is not left out in t(is transformation crusade as it (as o/ligation to mo"e along 3it( t(e c(angingdemands of t(e glo/ali0ation process$ 4ne of t(e o/5ecti"es of t(is paper is to s(o3 t(at effecti"e managers

s(ould constantl /e a3are of t(e c(anges ta)ing place in domestic 6(ome countr7 en"ironment, as 3ell asaround t(e glo/e 6international and foreign en"ironments7 on 2R issues and de"elopments$ B so doing, t(ecan scan t(eir en"ironment on an ongoing /asis, and 3(en t(e detect opportunities and8or t(reats, t(e cantransform t(eir organi0ation to sei0e t(e opportunities and8or com/at or neutrali0e t(e t(reats as t(e case ma/e$ In t(is presentation, pro/lems, issues and trends in 2RM practice in Nigeria in t(e current period 3erere"ie3ed$ (e factors affecting 2RM and its practice in a glo/al conte9t and 3(at s(ould /e t(e direction of t(e

profession and its practice in Nigeria constitute t(e main focus of t(is paper$

INTRODUCTION

Human resources are the life blood of an organization. espite the application of technolog! in modern business

management, human resources are still rele"ant and most adapti"e resources of the organization. #he strategic"alues of H$ stem from the fact that apart from other resources emplo!ed in the course of production %land,capital, technolog! etc& 'hich are passi"e, human resources are endo'ed 'ith discretionar! decision-ma(ing po'er and thus ha"e competiti"e ad"antage o"er the other resources. )esides, H$ combines other resources inthe right mi* to formulate appropriate strategies for the accomplishment of the desired objecti"es of theenterprise. #his essential attribute of H$ assist the enterprise to ma(e rightful decisions and respond effecti"el!to the threats and opportunities 'ithin the en"ironment of the organization. #hus the enterprise depends highl!on its H$ for success and sur"i"al. #his dependence continuousl! is increasing considering the comple* andturbulent nature of the business en"ironment of this centur!.

#he management of H$ is comple* and problematic because the indi"iduals as 'or(ers hardl! adapt or"oluntaril! embrace the objecti"es of the organization. +s indi"iduals, the emplo!ees ha"e needs, aspirations,moti"ations, desires and interests 'hich influence their beha"iour at 'or( but unfortunatel! these objecti"es are

sometimes in conflict 'ith the corporate objecti"es of the enterprise. n reconciling this conflicting interestsHuman $esources anagement and lanning are useful tools emplo!ed in harmonizing the needs of theemplo!ees 'ith the goals and objecti"es of the organization on a continuous basis.

TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

n a nutshell, the primar! tas( of H$ is to ensure that the organization H$ are utilized and managedeffecti"el!. H$ practitioners are saddled 'ith the responsibilit! of designing and implementing policies and

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International :ournal of %conomics and Management Sciences ol$ 1, No$ , *+11, pp$ +1&11

programmes that 'ill enhance human abilitiesstudies ha"e sho'n that poor human relations at

'or(, neglect of staff 'elfare programmes and lac(of moti"ation are often the factors that cause

industrial strife and declining producti"it! in the

'or( setting. #he modern da! entrepreneurs

recognize that the H$ are "ital element in theorganization and concomitantl! ac(no'ledge the

role the H$ practitioners pla! in de"eloping these"aluable resources. #o ac/uire and retain H$ in the

organization, the H$ practitioners in brief performfour critical roles

1. reate and implement policies, 'hichshould be in 'riting andcommunicated to all emplo!eesthrough circulars or the emplo!eehandboo(.

2. ffer ad"ice and counsel theemplo!ees on matters bordering on producti"it!, safet! at 'or(, career path or management, morale, honest!and integrit!, human relations etc.

3. ro"ision of ser"ices that assist ineanagers in performing their jobs orser"ing the organizational units e.grecruitment, selection and placement,compensation management, trainingand de"elopment, staff 'elfare programmes, industrial and labourrelations, research and planning.

4. ontrol of H$ programmes and laid

do'n procedures i.e. to monitor andensure that H$ policies andguidelines are implementedreligiousl! or to the letters e.g.grie"ance handling and disciplinar! procedures, 5ederal haracter principles or 6uota s!stem, fairnessof appraisal e*ercise, granting ofloans etc.

7ach of the abo"e functions is a comple* flo' ofacti"ities and it underscores H$ managementfunctions as integral part of the o"erall corporate plans of the enterprise. t follo's therefore, that H$management function is a joint responsibilit! for allmanagers 'ithin the enterprise.

LITERATURE RE,IE-

8orld'ide, the H$ profession had to respond toincreased competition for globall! mobile talents,changes in both 'or(force attitudes andcomposition, shifts in the emplo!er9'or(errelationship and rapid ad"ances in H$ technolog!. Ne' (inds of technical (no'ledge, s(ills andabilities 'ould re/uire H$ practitioners in future'ho are fle*ible and 'illing to deal 'ith the e"eraccelerating pace and often unpredictable changesin the global 'or(place %a!rhofer and )re'ster,

200:&. #he H$ profession needs to e"aluate the

implications of a mo"ement into an era ofdecentralization, 'hich if used properl!, can lead toemancipation. #he era 'ill re/uire a ne' (ind oforganization, based on a different paradigm thatcan bring together the contributions of autonomousindi"iduals in a sociall! sustainable 'a!. t is thusclear that a ne' 'a! to manage H$ as a paradigmis emerging, as 'ell as ne' H$ managers should

manage themsel"es %imeric( et al, 2002&. #hemain focus for managers of this centur! is theurgenc! to manage change speedil! and efficientl!in a H$ conte*t 'ith appropriate competencies.ssues li(e international H$, di"ersit!,emplo!ment e/uit!, generation ;, reputationmanagement and corporate ethics amongst othersmust be factored regarding future identification ofH$ professionals<roleandcapabilities.

Various authors %=ane, 200>? )urton, 2003?@'anepol et al, 2002 and Nel et al, 200:& ha"eidentified factors 'hich act as barriers to effecti"eH$. @ome of the pertinent issues are topmanagement has a lo' priorit!, and offer a short-term "ie' of 'hat the real issues in H$ and the profession are according to "arious researchers%armenter, 2002? )urton, 2003&, H$ practitioners are percei"ed to lac( sufficient(no'ledge and s(ills necessar! to implementeffecti"e H$ practices at "arious le"els in theirorganization %Aa!ne, 2002? )urton, 2003&. H$ professionals ha"e not been asserti"e enough to be present in the boardroom to guide H$ programmesto achie"e long-term impacts on H$ initiati"es.#his probabl! points to a lac( of ade/uate dri"e andcommunication to appl! strategic human resources

management %@H$& full! %=ane, 2001? )irchfield, 2003? u lessis, 2004&.

#o function effecti"el! in the future, H$ professionals should find ans'ers to the follo'ingissues first, ho' can H$ add "alueB 8hat can beoutsourced, ta(en on b! line managers or simpl!stoppedB Ho' can these s(ills be de"elopedB#hirdl!, from a structural perspecti"e, ho' can H$managers de"elop organizations capable of(no'ledge dissemination and inno"ationB 5ourthl!,ho' can H$ managers ensure emplo!ees remainengaged and committed during times of turbulenceBt is therefore, clear that the 'ho does 'hat debateregarding the roles and function of H$ professionals and line management has not beenade/uatel! resol"ed %arsen and )re'ster, 2003&.#he foregoing also acts as a barrier to the effecti"ee*ecution of the role of H$ professionals.

a'son %2003& clearl! states that the forces ofglobal change are at 'or( in organizations and are bound to significantl! influence the future of theH$ profession. Aa!ne %2002& and son and )arton%2003& obser"e that there are dri"es to'ardsachie"ing a 'in-'in focus 'ith a gro'th surge incoaching and mentoring, team

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building, leadership de"elopment, up s(illing and personal de"elopment. #hese along 'ith technolog! ad"ancesand increased outsourcing are encroaching on the traditional H$ roles such as recruiting, administration, pa!roll, performance assessment and training. t is therefore clear that a range of H$ functions probabl! needs a'ide s'eeping re"ie' and possible re-tooling to ma(e it effecti"e to ser"e the business 'orld and practice of theH$ profession of the future.

H$ professionals should displa! a high le"el of sensiti"it! 'ith regards to performance management and thede"elopment of leadership in particular, as these are (e! dri"ers for an organizations future objecti"eachie"ement. erformance management also impacts significantl! on leadership and culture 'hich areinterdependent but crucial components to e*ecute the H$ professional<srole effecti"el! %)irchfield, 2003&. H$leadership entails organizations being able to manage interactions bet'een indi"iduals and groups to achie"e thedesired outcomes %@mith and )irchfield, 2001? Hamilton, 2003&. @!(es %2003& also points out that H$leadership b! practitioners needs to be "isible in the 'or(place at all le"els of an! organization to be successful.n the abo"e conte*t, three major roles challenges face H$ professionals in organization to pro"ide ma*imumcontributions to the leadership and bottom line in the future %)urton, 2003&. #hese are first? the H$ managersneed to become more "ocal and influential in the boardroom alongside the financial and mar(eting directors.@econdl!, /uantitati"e s(ills such as the measurement of human 'orth and the understanding of organizationalstructure and d!namics need to be increased for H$ professionals to pro"ide effecti"e ser"ice in organizations.#hirdl!, H$ professionals need to de"elop a ne' set of s(ills and competencies around "isioning, s!stems

thin(ing, and organizational de"elopment and change management.

rganization<s effecti"eness could be significantl!beabletoenhance impro" corporate culture %Craetz et al, 2002&. t is a common(no'ledge that leadership, performance management and

culture are interrelated, but must be managed in an integrated and inno"ati"e manner b! H$ professionals ascore elements of their role and capabilities in organizations in future. )irchfield %2003& also states thatmanagement sometimes onl! focus on ho' indi"iduals e*ecute their jobs, and do not decide if the tas(s is

actuall! contributing to other'ise. organisation<snthisregard,hestatesthatH$ greater professionals must in their role as leaderscontinuall! and inno"ati"el! facilitate the effecti"e management of emplo!ees to enable the function to "isibl! add "alu

GLOBALIATION AND HRM IN NIGERIA

n the present da!, business is conducted on international scale and

this in"ol"es the transfer of goods and ser"ices, technolog!,managerial (no'ledge and capital to other countries or acrossnational boundaries. Clobalization has made the 'orld smallerthrough fast communication net'or(. #he economies of the 'orldha"e become increasingl! integrated %)hag'atti, 2004&. )esides,'e are no' in a 'orld 'here /ualit!, efficienc! and competi"enesscount most.

#he progress and sur"i"al of the business enterprise of this centur!can be measured in this se/uence information, (no'ledge and theirapplication through science, engineering and technolog!. n other'ords, (no'ledge sharing impacts on global enterprises as the!e*port their management philosophies and techni/ues, as 'ell astheir technologies, products and ser"ices around the 'orld

%=uru"illa et al, 2003&. #he internet has made communicationnet'or( to be "er! eas! and also for mar(eting to ta(e place'ithout necessaril! mo"ing from !our des(. ;ou can e"en see 'hatthe product is li(e and be ad"ised b! the seller. 5or !ou to participate in the global mar(et, !ou must produce aninternationall! acceptable product. ;our product must satisf! themar(et !ou are targeting. ;ou must add "alue to the product.

8ith the rapid e*pansion of global mar(ets coupled 'ith the "ie'that the 'hole 'orld in one mar(et, it has no' become imperati"efor the Human resource practitioners to adapt to international needs b! mo"ing people, ideas, products and information around the'orld to meet local needs. n addition to these factors, the

geographic dispersion, multiculturalism, different legal and socials!stem and cross-border mo"ement of capital, goods, ser"ices and people that the international firm faces adds a need for competenc!and sensiti"it! that is not found in the domestic firm %Vance andai(, 200>&. #herefore, anagers of this centur! must stri"e to

balance the demand to thin( globall! and act locall!.Ho'e"er, some en"ironment factors ma! constitute a problem and affect the rate of adaptation frominternational to local en"ironment for the underlistedreasons

1. 7conomic s!stem %capitalism? mi*edeconom!, ar*ist& and le"el of economicde"elopment %e"eloped, e"eloping andunderde"eloped&

2. egal s!stem9en"ironment and constraints

%la's, regulations and administration of justice&

3. olitical en"ironment %po'er, ideologies,

go"ernment polices and regulations&

4. 7ducational s!stem and language "ar! from

one countr! to the other?

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:. @ocio-cultural97thical en"ironment %"alues, social organizations9s!stems, re'ard s!stem etc&

#he foregoing constraints ha"e high potentials for conflicts hence anagers must de"elop social anddiplomatic s(ills to forestall emergent conflict%s&

FIGURE / FACTORS AFFECTING HRM IN INTERNATIONAL MAR0ETS

7conomic

egal

s!stem olitical

s!stem s!stem

Humanresourcemanagement

7ducation

s!stem

S$'rc# A'1h$r Jan'ary! (2.

#he underlisted /uestions 'ill be "er! rele"antand pertinent to H$ practitioners onglobalization trends

%1& Ho' thorough is the training andde"elopment of the staffB 8e shoulde*pect less from the staff if the! arenot properl! trained

%2& Ho' competiti"e is the pa! structureB

%3& +re the staff carried along in the

decision ma(ing process of theorganisationB

%4& s there team'or( in place toenhance capacit! buildingB#eam'or( must be encouraged as ahouse di"ided amongst itself cannotsur"i"e in an! business en"ironment.

iplomac! is an important matter in labouradministration and this is conducted on behalf ofthe go"ernment of Nigeria b! the 5ederal inistr!abour and roducti"it!. #he most prominent ofthe organization the inistr! interacts 'ith is thenternational abour rganization %& 'hich isa specialised agenc! of the Dnited Nations %DN&. 'as set up in 1E1E to ensure that social justiceand better 'or(ing conditions pre"ail for theachie"ement of uni"ersal lasting peace all o"er the'orld or globall!.

#he go"ernment in Nigeria has ratified a good

number of the con"entions adopted b! in a bid to strengthen her diplomatic relations. n orderto build, maintain and de"elop their corporateidentit!, multinational organizations need to stri"efor consistenc! in their 'a!s of managing peopleon a 'orld'ide basis. ;et, in order to be effecti"elocall!, the! also need to adapt these 'a!s to the

specific cultural re/uirements of differentsocieties. 8hile the global nature of the businessma! call for increased confidenc!, the "ariet! ofcultural en"ironments ma! be calling fordifferentiation %aurent, 1EF>&.

+ countr!<s economic s!stem.influencesnsocialisteconomics!stems,H$thereinare ample opportunities for de"eloping humancapital because the education s!stem is free. ncapitalist s!stems, the opposite situation e*ists.#here is less opportunit! to de"elop human capital'ithout higher costs. Ho'e"er, those 'ho do in"est

in human capital especiall! through education areable to reap monetar! re'ard through 'ageincrease for each additional !ear of schooling. #hedifferences in economies ha"e a profound impacton pa! s!stems particularl! among globalcompanies see(ing to de"elop an internationalcompensation and re'ard s!stem that maintainscost controls and allo's local operations tocompete and hunt for talents. 5or compensationmanagers to design these s!stems, the! loo( at anumber of factors including the global firmstrateg!, the local regulator!9political conte*t,institutions and sta(eholders, local mar(ets, and

national culture. #he! also learn from the best practices that e*ist globall! and balance theapproaches 'ith the constraints imposed b! thelocal en"ironment %)loom et al, 2000&.


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#he regulations imposed b! a countr!<s legal s!stem the culture in 'hich it e*ists and it also reflect societal norms about 'hatconstitutes legitimate beha"iour. 7"er!

firm that operates in the global econom! must contend 'ith the "ar!ing emplo!ment la's in e"er! countr! in'hich it operates, as 'ell as abiding b! 'hate"er international standards also e*ist%)lanpain et al,200G&. 5orinstance, in Nigeria, there is regulations that dictate the process of negotiation bet'een unions and management.5urthermore, the political-legal s!stem states the re/uirements for certain H$ practices such as training,

compensation, hiring, firing, and la!offs.

#he potential to find and maintain a /ualified 'or(force is an important consideration for a firm mo"ing into a foreign mar(et.#he countr!<s human capitalterms ofresourc (no'ledge, s(ills and e*perience that ha"e economic "alue is "er! germane toH$. ountries 'ith lo' human

capital attract facilities that re/uire lo' s(ills and lo' 'age le"el 'hile countries 'ith high human capital areattracti"e sites for direct foreign in"estment that creates high-s(ill jobs. t is in order to promote human capitalresource in Nigeria that most state go"ernments ha"e adopted free education. +t the national le"el, the federalgo"ernment has been in"esting hea"il! on the education sector and the sector had enjo!ed rapid e*pansion 'iththe proliferation of tertiar! institutions.

ulture ha"e an important impact on approaches to managing people. ultures differ strongl! on issues such asho' subordinates e*pect leaders to lead and 'hat moti"ates indi"iduals. #he e*tent to 'hich culture promotesan indi"idualistic "ersus a collecti"ist orientation 'ill impact on H$ s!stems. n Nigeria, e*posure to 'esterneducational "alues ha"e tended to promote the culture of indi"idualism in people 'ith disastrous conse/uencesfor the famil! as an institution and the 'ea( indi"iduals.

#hus the moral and cultural fabric of the societ! had largel! been destro!ed 'ith serious conse/uence for trustand confence t'o basic elements re/uired for business to thri"e. #oda!, 'e ha"e cases of fraud, embezzlementand 41E<on the increase threatening the basis for business relationship. #o the e*tent that possession of the positi"e traits of trust'orthiness and reliabilit! cannot be readil! read on the faces of job applicants or theircertificates. #he problem poses a gra"e challenge for human resource practitioners.

PROBLEMS! ISSUES AND TRENDS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA

#raditionall!, the responsibilit! of the H$ has been centred primaril! on recruitment, selection, orientation,training, job anal!sis and e"aluation, labour relations, appraisal e*ercise etc but in the modern time, some problems and issues ha"e created a ne' da'n for the H$ practitioners and professionals. @ome of these issues

are discussed belo'

%1& Pr$)'c1i3i1y Im4r$3#m#n1

oor producti"it! is li(el! to create unemplo!ment and inflation, decline in standard of li"ing of the masses,hence all hands must be on dec( in search of 'a!s to impro"e producti"it! and thus strengthen the econom! forthe betterment of all parties in emplo!ment relations. odern da! H$ practice has led to greater output andimpro"ed /ualit! of products and thus the trend has encouraged H$ practitioners in ta(ing acti"e roles on matterimpinging on producti"it! impro"ement.

%2& 5'a"i1y $& -$r% Li&# 65-L7

#his term refers to the e*tent to 'hich emplo!ees< perso impro"es as one<s 'or( meets more and more personal

68 'ill affect the performance of the organisation fa"ourabl!. #he H$ professionals are (no'n to be ta(ing(een interest on issues that relates to job satisfaction and commitment in their bid to promote 6ualit! of 8or(ife %68&.

%3& H#a"1h an) Sa&#1y a1 -$r%

#he focus is on creating of a 'or( en"ironment 'hich minimisesthe li(elihood of an accident or injur!. +(in to this, is job stress'hich can be as hazardous as an unsafe 'or( place. #he modernmanagers ha"e recognised the dangers of potential personal andorganisational job stress and ha"e ta(en interest on 'a!s to reducethe problem through medical attention.

%4& 5'$1a Sys1#m in Em4"$ym#n1

#his is "er! common in public organisation 'here emplo!ment ingo"ernment establishments is e*pected to reflect the 5ederal

character principle. #he H$ practitioners ha"e herculean tas( inensuring that emplo!ment is carried out in line 'ith the abo"e principle 'ithout compromising merits and standards.


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%:& La*$'r an) S$cia" L#8is"a1i$ns

5rom the G0<s to date, the abo"e legislationsrmsofsecurit!of ha"e emplo!ment and entitlements 'hich 'ere percei"ed as meree*pectations in the !ester!ears. #hese rights and

entitlements %"arious fringe benefits, medical care for emplo!ees and famil!, ension. Cratuit! @chemes, National Housing 5und, $etrenchment benefits etc& ha"e added additional strain and costs 'hich the emplo!ersmust bear in hiring, maintaining and disposing emplo!ees.

%>& La*$'r Dissa1is&ac1i$n a1 -$r%

#his has to do 'ith issues li(e gro'ing rate of unionisation of emplo!ees, lo' morale and alienation from 'or(.thers include labour turno"er, brain drain, poor 'or( habits9attitudes, industrial conflicts and stri(es 'hich areine"itable phenomena in the 'or(place.

%G& Chan8in8 ,a"'#s $& 1h# Em4"$y##s

n the past decades, 'or( ethics 'as tenaciousl! follo'ed b! the emplo!ees in terms of punctualit!, honest!,diligence etc but in the modern da!, there is gro'ing e"idence of serious decline in 'or( ethics. #he s!ndromeis such that some of the enterprises do not pro"ide the basic guidelines for li"ing rather the indi"iduals areresponsible for e*ploring and determining for themsel"es 'hat the! 'ant to do and become in life. 8ith this philosoph!, one need not to 'onder 'h! 'or( has become one alternati"e among man! to the 'or(ers 'ho'ant to sur"i"e in a turbulent and harsh en"ironment of the modern da!. #he trend led to erosion of "alues as

briber!, corruption, lac( of transparenc!, indiscipline, 'asteful spendings etc became rampant.

Chan8in8 D#man)s $& 1h# Em4"$y#rs

ue to competiti"e pressures, the organization must embar( on changes in its internal en"ironment as 'ell astechnological inno"ations. #he foregoing factors no doubt ha"e serious effect or repercussion for H$management and planning in the organization as manpo'er contraction or e*pansion becomes imminent.

%F& Chan8in8 R$"# $& G$3#rnm#n1 $r S1a1# in In)'s1ria" R#"a1i$ns

ue to the ci"il 'ar in Nigeria, the go"ernment shifted its non-interference posture for more positi"e roles in

industrial relations practice. #his is e"idenced b! its Inter"entionist olic!J in coined as ICuided emocrac!J in abourmaters. #he industrial situations ma! 'arrant and implements labour standards appro"ed b! . #he H$ practitioner need

to (eep himself abreast of labour legislations on continous basis.

%E& Th# C"#an -a8# O41i$n

#his is the consolidation of the basic pa! 'ith all allo'ances orfringe benefits. n other 'ords, it is the pa!ment of total pac(age assalar! 'ithout segmentation or distinction bet'een the salar! andthe fringe benefits components. #his is currentl! being practiced b!man! countries in the #hird 'orld including Chana 'hich adoptedthe option in 1EFF. n Nigeria, the option 'as adopted b! some oilcompanies including obil roducing Nigeria in 1EEG. #he optionhas implications 'hich are mi* grill for both the emplo!ees and theemplo!ers. 5or the emplo!ees, the option 'ill attract high elementof ta*ation because onl! basic salar! 'hich is e/ui"alent to thetotal pac(age or clean 'age 'ill be ta*able 'hile the total

emolument 'ill increase the terminal benefits and holds more prospects for the retirees. n the other hand, it 'ill translate intohigher contributions b! the 7mplo!er to @taff ension and Cratuit!@chemes as calculation 'ill be based on the clean 'age option.

%10& S$cia" R#s4$nsi*i"i1y *y 1h# Em4"$y#rs

@ince the enterprises operating 'ithin some communities ha"emade life unbearable for the populace through 'ater pollution anddestruction of other natural resources, the enterprises thus ha"esocial responsibilit! in terms of ma(ing contributions to the 'ell- being and de"elopment of these communities. e.g il companies in Nigeria pro"ide social amenities to the host communities to a"ertcrises. ther companies sponsor sporting acti"ities, gi"e

scholarships to brilliant and need! students, sponsor or hosteducational acti"ities etc as contributions to the need! sectors ofthe econom!.

%11& Ec$n$mic R#c#ssi$n

#his phenomenon 'hich is caused b! decline ineconomic acti"ites brings dramatic changes 'ith declinein industrial production and output coupled 'ithcorresponding rise in the rate of unemplo!ment. #histrend affects industrial relations institutions andconstitutes the main en"ironmental factor affectingcollecti"e bargaining process. t also creates room forspate of industrial actions due to manpo'er contractioncaused b! capacit! under-utilization in industries. #he H$managers must modif! their responses b! aligning 'iththe unions to


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face these challenges realisticall! all in a bid to (eep the enterprise afloat rather than adopting ad"ersarialapproach to labour9management relations.

%12& P'*"ic S#r3ic# R#&$rm *y G$3#rnm#n1

n Nigeria, the main thrust of public ser"ice reform is to sho' that go"ernment business can be carried outopenl!, economicall! and transparentl! de"oid of fa"ouratism and corruptible tendencies. #he reform focuses on

reformining go"ernment institution, implementing social charter, "alue re-orientation, moral rectitude, respectand due process to guarantee effecti"e and transparent s!stem of economic and financial management ofgo"ernment resources. #he foregoing underscores the need to launder the image and future of the public ser"ice.H$ managers in the public sector should act as "anguard in bringing bac( the ser"ice to the good old da!s or past decades 'hen it enjo!ed recognition and respect.

%13& Cas'a"i9a1i$n $& La*$'r

#his is a nonstandard 'or( arrangements caused b! the affects of globalization and trade liberalization. #hisshift from standard to nonstandard 'or( arrangements is as a result of emplo!ers orientation to a"oid costsassociated 'ith the application of the pro"isions of the labour la's 'hich are designed to protect permanentemplo!ees in standard and pensionable emplo!ment and also for the purpose of fle*ibilit!. #he practice gi"es

emplo!ers the freedom to hire< and fire< casual em conflict bet'een unions and emplo!ers. No legislation in Nigeria issupporti"e of this practice hence H$

managers should be bold enough to guide and ad"ise management accordingl!.

%14& O'1s$'rcin8 $& S#r3ic#s

#he practice in"ol"es emplo!ers contracting out some of their non-core or anciliar! ser"ices. +(in tocasualization, this is done to cut costs as it denies emplo!ees the right to organise or belong to trade unions. +se*perience had sho'n, permanent emplo!ees 'ho ha"e sta(e in the organization sho' more commitment totheir jobs than the contract emplo!ees supplied b! "endors. H$ managers should e*amine the cost-benefitimplications of outsourcing certain ser"ices "is-K-"is engaging emplo!ees on permenent basis.

5rom the foregoing, it is thus ob"ious that the en"ironment of H$ has continuosl! "aried and becoming morecomple*. #he trends ha"e made it more imperati"e for ne' approach to be e"ol"ed in H$ planning andmanagement. #he approach should integrate H$ policies 'ith the strategic objecti"es of the enterprise in pursuance of its corporate goals.

THE CHALLENGES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN A GLOBALISED ECONOMY

#he competiti"e pressures faced b! the modern da! enterprise for sur"i"al and success due to globalization andliberalization 'ill continue to create room for future demand for organisational e*cellence. #he ne', global,comple*, and often chaotic 'orld of the ulti- national 7nterprises re/uires a ne' strategic focus and ne'capabilities from H$ just as it does from other management functions %)riscoe et al, 200E&.

5or the H$ practitioner to thri"e and be rele"ant in the global conte*t, ne' roles and agenda for the professionshould not focus on traditional H$ acti"ities such as staffing and compensation, but on its outcomes.5urthermore, H$ should not be defined b! 'hat it does but 'hat it deli"ers i.e results that enrich the

organization<s "alue to customers, in"estors and emp

5or the H$ practitioners to contribute their /uota to the enterprise in

achie"ing e*cellence, the! need to adopt the follo'ing

%1& HR C$""a*$ra1i$n -i1h Lin# Mana8#rs

H$ function is a joint responsibilit! for all managers 'ithin theenterprise i.e both H$ or staff and line managers must be in"ol"ed.H$ professionals should become a partner 'ith senior and linemanagers in strateg! e*ecution, helping to mo"e planning from theconference room to the mar(et place% Dlrich, 1EEF&. #he H$department in the e*ecution of the corporate plans should gi"eguidance on the 'a!s to carr! out the plans b! pla!ing the role of an+rchitect. )! so doing, H$ department 'ill come up 'ill acomprehensi"e set of blue prints sho'ing "arious units or parts andtheir 'or(ing9operational relationship.

n the same "ein, organisational or H$ audit 'ill be underta(en andsame related to the blue prints. #he outcome of the comparison ore*ercise ma! sho' areas that re/uire addition or reduction inmanning le"el as the case ma! be. t can identif! components that

need to be changed to facilitate the achie"ement ofgoal%s&. #he architectural frame 'or( ma! be defined interms of 'or( related "ariables such as leadership culture,


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go"ernance, management st!le, competence, moti"ation, human relations, discipline etc. Ha"ing identified thefault! parts, the ne*t step is to embar( on replacement of the parts.

%2& HR E:hi*i1i$n $& E:4#r1is# in 1h# Or8anisa1i$n $& -$r%

+s trained administrators, the H$ professionals 'ill ha"e to e*plore and design means of carr!ing out H$functions in a better, faster and cheaper 'a!s to reduce costs. )eside cost reduction, efficienc! and /ualit! ha"e

to be maintained in ser"ice deli"er!. H$ professionals should become e*perts in the 'a! 'or( is organised ande*ecuted, deli"ering administrati"e efficienc! to ensure that costs are reduced 'hile /ualit! is maintained

%Dlrich 1EEF&. n a nutshell, the H$ professionals could streamline the organisation<s s!stems and p and deli"er fla'lessadministrati"e ser"ices to become a rec(onable part! in the e*ecution of corporate plans.

%3& HR As ,an8'ar) $& Em4"$y##s; -#"&ar#

#he H$ professionals 'ill be held accountable for ensuring that emplo!ees sho' commitment and add "alue tothe business of the organization irrespecti"e of attending lto their social needs. #his goes to underscore therele"ance and importance of H$ approach 'hich holds that organisational goals and human needs should bemutual and compatible and that one set need not to be gained at the e*pense of the other. +ccording to Dlrich%1EEF& H$ professionals 'ould become champion of emplo!ees, "igorousl! representing their concerns to

senior management and to toincreasetheorganization andemplo!ees<theirabilit!todeli"er! commitm results.

5urthermore, H$ managers must ta(e responsibilit! for orientating and training line managers on theimportance of building high morale for their emplo!ees and to achie"e same. n similar "ein, the H$ managersshall assume the role of spo(esmen for personal and professional gro'th? and pro"ide resources to helpemplo!ees meet the global and challenging demands put on them b! the job.

%4& HR As An Inn$3a1i3# A8#n1

#he H$ professionals must 'or( to'ards initiating change that are focussed on creating high performing teams,

reduce c!cle time for inno"ation or implementing ne' broad "ision statements get transformed into specific beha"iours tailoredto'ards ma(ing the "ision a realit!. +s

Dlrich %1EEF& puts it, H$ should become an agent of continuous transformation, shaping processes and a culturethat together impro"e an organization<scapacit! for change.

hange can generate resistance in some cases hence the H$ managers as an agent of transformation and

tactician can b! ps!chological means replace resistance 'ith e*citement through the application of changemodels. #he model must identif! the (e! strengthssuccessand fact 'ea(nesses regarding each factor.

%:& U48ra)in8 1h# S%i""s $& HR Pr$&#ssi$na"

#o be able to cope 'ith the global challenges and be rele"ant in the current centur!, the /ualit! of H$ staff needto be impro"ed. #he enterprise need people 'ho (no' the business, understand the theor! and practice of H$.#hose 'ho can manage people effecti"el! and ma(e change happen and ha"e personal credibilit! and integrit!.@ometimes such indi"iduals or talents ma! alread! e*ist 'ithin the organisation but the! must be identified andgi"en additional /ualitati"e training to sharpen their s(ills. n sum, the H$ professionals cannot e*pand theirrole in the organisation 'ithout the re/uisite e*pertise considering the current (no'ledge-dri"en operatingen"ironment. =no'ledge is part of learning process. t is the accumulated e*perience and actionableinformation that e*ists 'ithin an organization. t is information or the capacit! to ta(e action %Nona(a and

#eece, 2001&.

5or H$ professionals to be effecti"e partners in e*ecuting corporate plans, the! must ha"e (no'ledge aboutstrateg!, business polic!, mar(ets and the operation of the econom! both locall! and globall!. #he! must also becon"ersant and update themsel"es continuousl! on legal and regulator! norms of their home countr!.63i

7 HR Cr#a1in8 ,a"'# in 1h# Or8ani9a1i$n(t tp 88'333$manag ement5

ournal s$or g

#o meet the increased e*pectations of the organisation, the H$ professionals must articulate their role in termsof creating "alue. #he! must measure their effecti"eness in terms of business competiti"eness and success rather than emplo!ee comfort or satisfaction. #he! must lead cultural transformation rather than consolidate same inorder to turn the enterprise around. n support of the foregoing, )re'ster %200:& asserts that in increasingfle*ibilit!, firms also 'ant to change the nature of emplo!ee identification and their sense of in"ol"ement, and

this change identit! (no's fe' national borders.

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%G& B'sin#ss Cha""#n8#s An) G"$*a"isa1i$n

ue to globalisation, enterprise no' face business challenges 'hich re/uire the organisation to build ne'capabilities. #his inno"ation has created opportunit! for the H$ professionals to pla! leadership role in assistingthe organisation to meet the competiti"e challenges. 8ith the rapid e*pansion of the global mar(ets as earlierstated, the H$ professionals must thin( globall! and transform same to meet local needs. #he! must be moreliterate in the 'a!s international customers are handling commerce and competition than e"er before.

Clobalization and nternationalization has gi"en rising concern for processes and competencies, more emphasison customer9client satisfaction, increased education and enlightenment of 'or(ers amongst others.

%F& Th# E&&#c1 $& In&$rma1i$n T#chn$"$8y In -$r%4"ac#s

nformation technolog! has made the 'orld smaller and faster through internet. deas and large amount ofinformation no' mo"e freel! and constantl!. #he challenge for the H$ anagers is to ma(e good use of 'hatinformation technolog! offers and to ma(e it to be a "iable producti"e part of 'or( setting and tool. Ne'information technolog! has opened up possibilit! of greater strategic control in companies. #he possitilities fromsuch technological inno"ations 'ill pro"ide continued strategic opportunities for companies %!nch, 200>&.

%E& Th# Cha""#n8# $& Pri3a1isa1i$n an) Li*#ra"i9a1i$n

#he pri"atization of go"ernment companies in"ol"es the di"estment of public holdings in these enterprises forthe benefit of single or multiple pri"ate shareholders or o'ners. #he e*ercise 'ill usher in a lot of changes'ithin the pri"atized organization and the H$ professionals must brace up to the challenges posed b! thee*ercise as it relates to H$ planning and management.

+(in to the foregoing, it is an incontestable fact that deregulation or liberalization encourages the use ofautomation all in support of globalization. abour unions must realize that the current transformation process'ill ob"iousl! change the economics and politics of organizations. #herefore, education, training and retrainingof its ran( and file members in the organization should be seen as an important "ehicle and gi"en priorit! in building the re/uired human capital. #he unions must stri"e to build capacit! 'ith /ualitati"e technical(no'ledge and competence to match the sophistication on the management<sside %+n!im, 2011&. #he H$ professionals must assist the union to elicit management support for capacit! building as enlightened 'or(forcehelps in reducing conflict in labour9management relations.

%10& HR an) P$"i1ica" Pr$c#ss

8ith the democratic changes occurring all the 'orld o"er, the populace in 'hich the 'or( communit! isinclusi"e must internalize democrac! and discharge their ci"ic duties to the countr!. #he H$ professional mustthrough the process of socialization assist the political authorit! or the go"ernment in promoting democraticideals to enhance stabilit! and progress of the nation. t is ob"ious that a countr! in crisis 'ill face a decline ineconomic acti"ities and this 'ould in turn affect the operations of corporate entities. #he H$ professionals o'eit a dut! to contribute to'ards political stabilit! due to its fa"ourable conse/uences for organizational progressand prosperit!.

%11& M'"1i<S%i""in8 Pr$c#ss/

#he pace of change in the H$ en"ironment in this era of globalization 'ill re/uire the H$ professionals to bemulti-s(illed. #he! must de"ote more attention to core strategic issues in H$ management and be facilitator orchange initiators and internal consultant to the organization. #he process of multi-s(illing endo's the H$ professionals to function in other capacities and also affords them the opportunit! to appreciate the job schedule

of line anagers.

%12& Di3#rsi1y $& -$r%&$rc#/

#he concept focuses on the attachment of "alue to indi"idual differences in the 'or(place 'hich is made up ofheterogeneous groups. #he H$ practitioner must ensure that no group of members has ad"antage ordisad"antage o"er the other in the 'or(place. )esides he9she must also ensure that the producti"it!, creati"it!and commitment of the 'or(force are ma*imized 'hile meeting the needs of their di"erse interests.

%13& Th# Em#r8#nc# $& G#n#ra1i$n Y in -$r%4"ac#/

Ceneration ; are !oung emplo!ees born after 1EF0 entering the 'or(force, necessitating changes b!management and H$ ali(e %+llen, 2003&. )ased on research, Ceneration ; appears different from pre"iousgenerations, because the! are self-confident, generall! independent and often pursue multi-career paths 'hichre/uire them being managed differentl!. Ceneration ; is also generall! at ease 'ith the re/uirements of

technolog! and uncertaint! 'hich is characteristics of the !ounger emplo!ees in the 'or(force. #he! also


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demand responsibilities earl! in their careers and are unafraid of challenging their emplo!ers policies and procedures. Heathfield %2004& states that these 'or(ers 'ill become more li(e independent contractors, 'hichare t!pical of generation ;. #he! 'ill also mo"e from 'or(place to 'or(place 'ithout an! hesitation, and area(in to free agents 'ho 'ill decide 'here and 'h! the! should 'or(. #he emergence of this ne' breed of'or(force 'ill create additional responsibilit! for H$ practitioners 'ho ha"e to pro"ide a 'ide range of

ser"ices in a different configuration in a bid to ca

%14& HR! R#4'1a1i$n Mana8#m#n1 an) C$r4$ra1# E1hics/

$eputation management relatestheimpression the!tohold sta(eholders<abouttheoperationalconduct "ie' or integrit! of anorganization. #op management and the H$ practitioners currentl! pa! high-le"el attention to

reputation management and ethics %@chultz, et al., 2003&. ue to cases of corruption scandals and other "ices inorganizations, the H$ practitioners should ta(e the responsibilit! of facilitating the training of emplo!ees in

sustaining and protecting their organization<s reputation. )es and ethics in the organization and this 'ould assist management toassess its reputation management efforts.

%1:& HR an) 0n$="#)8#>Ta"#n1 Mana8#m#n1/

=no'ledge management focuses on identification of emplo!ees 'ith intellects and e*pertise and ho' tochannel same to'ards organizational effecti"eness. n the information age, (no'ledge rather than ph!sicalassets or financial resources is the (e! to competiti"eness. +s pointed out b! ec(lenberg et al %1EEE&

(no'ledge management allo's companies to capture, ap and e*pertise. onse/uentl! the role of the H$ practitioners is to ensurethat the organization has the intellectual

capital it needs in the right proportion and at the appropriate time. rogrammes must be created to enhance (no'ledgemanagement initiati"es and also to elicit means to ensure that "alued and talented emplo!ees 'ho can contribute to (no'ledgecreation and sharing areattracted and retained.

CONCLUSION

5ollo'ing the challenges posed b! globalization, it is hoped that the H$ professionals 'ill not onl! destro! thestereot!pe routine methods of doing job but 'ould launch H$ full potentials for more positi"e contributions toemplo!ees< 'ell being and organization building.

REFERENCES

+llen, -.;ou %2003&shouldare<,; 7mplo!ment $e"ie', +ustralia, 1%1 +n!im, 5.. %200E&-orientationIeadershipintheublic$e and ri"ate @ecto

#raining and e"elopment in Nigeria ublic and ri"ate 7nterprises, held at Laranda Hotel, )auchi,Aul! 2F

th to 31

st.

+n!im, 5.. %2011& Ianagement of onar!#rade 7conom!J,Dnionsin presented at >th

+frican $egional congress of the 7$+ held atthe Dni"ersit! of agos, 24

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Aanuar!.)hag'atti, A. %2004& n efense of Clobalization, N.;, *ford Dni". ress.

)lanpain, $., )isom-$app, @., orb'ell, 8.$., Aosephs, H.==. and @immer .A. %200G& #he Clobal8or(place nternational and omparati"e 7mplo!ment, a's, N.;.? ambridge Dni"ersit! ress.

)riscoe, .$? @chuler, $.@ and laus, %200E& nternational Human $esource management olicies andractices for ulti-national 7nterprises %3ed.& N.;, $outhedge.

)urton, . %2003&,eopleI#he!namicsNe*t21%2&. )ig #hingJ

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a!rhofer, 8. and )re'ster,uman$esource anagement.%200:&$esearchingI7uropeane"elopments H

o"er #imeJ, #he nternational $e"ie' of anagemen

ec(lenberg, @., eering, +. and @harp, . %1EEE& I=no'ledgesecret 7ngineanagementoforporate +

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rd ed.& ape #o'n Auta.th

@!(es, . ice%2003&a(esIracterfectJ ctoberNe'. Lealand Herald, 1: Dlrich, . %1EEF& I+ Ne' andater"ard)usiness$e"ie'forG>%1&Human. $esourcesJ

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