CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The organization structure is the basic framework within which the executive decision making behavior occurs. The quality and the nature of the decisions made are influenced by the nature of the structure. Organization as an element of management is concerned with the grouping of activities in such manner that enterprise objectives are attained.

The choice of the topic of this project: The  organizational structure and its effects on workers performance was motivated by the interest of the researchers to known the structure of the Kaduna North Local Government and the performance of the workers.

Organization may be seen as a new phenomenon that is particular to modern society; they existed even in the pre-industrial societies. Many authors have given many definitions of organization. It then lies in one to consider which is more appropriate to suit the meaning of organization.

The definition most suited is the one outlined by edge (1979). He was of the opinion that individual alone is unable to fulfill its need and wishes, particularly in modern societies, that are lacking either ability, strength, time or endurance to fulfill their basic need for food, shelter and safety. As severely of this people coordinate effort, however they find that together they can do more than any of them could have singularly. The large organization will do better than individuals will, for all members to fulfill needs, and basic concepts of organization in the idea of cooperation of effort in the service of mutual help in needed.

In order to achieve coordination of effort there must be existence of some goals to be achieved and some agreements concerning these goals. The second idea underlining the concept of organization is the idea of achieving some common goals or purpose through coordination of activities.

Formal organization, is seen by Bernard (1969) as when the activities of two or more persons have consciously coordinated towards a given objective. This is when people are asked to communicate, willing to act and share a purpose.

Informal organization, is personal activity without consciously joint purpose, even though contributing to joint result. The formal organization can be people that walk down the street, group of people in a boat etc. in this research we are concentrate on formal organization in government set-up in Kaduna North Local Government Area.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research work believes that organizational structure is the main roof of effective workflow in any organization. Hence the researcher’s concern is that organizations can be frustrated or sabotaged by the problem of improper definition of duties for top management and their subordinates most especially the local government workers in Nigeria. Also poor relationship between superior and subordinate were identified as an impediment to effective work performance.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

i.        To determine the kind of organizational structure that exist among the staff of Kaduna North Local Government.

ii.       To determine the level of activities of various sections within the Local Government

iii.      To find out how organizational structure affects staff performance in the Kaduna North Local Government.

iv.      To determine the extent of formal relationship among employees of the Kaduna North Local Government.

v.       To suggest or recommend ways through which the performance of Kaduna North Local Government can be improve.

vi.      To clearly spell out span of authority, since no superior should have more than the required number of subordinates reporting to him/her interlock.

In assisting the policy makers to make appropriate and prompt action in improving the workers performance interms of their skills and their strength in Kaduna North Local government, the study will be of benefit also to other Local Government Areas in the state and the country at large.

The result of this findings will be a great benefit to management in determining the adequacy or otherwise of the standard of the staff in line with policy existing in Kaduna North Local government.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.        What are the kind of organizational structure that exist among the staff of Kaduna North Local Government Area

ii.       How does organizational structure affects staff performance in the Kaduna North Local Government?

iii.              What is the extent of formal relationship among employees of the Kaduna North Local Government?

iv.              What are  the ways that can improve the performance of Kaduna North Local Government.

v.                 Are there any problems encountered by the organizational structure regard their operation not achieve their objective?

vi.              Are there any problems encountered by the organizational structure regard their operation to achieve their objective?

vii.            Are the superior officers not over staff themselves since they should not have more than the required number of subordinate

1.5     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is concerned with the impact of organizational structure and staff performance in Kaduna North Local Government Area. This study will cover from 2005-2011.

1.6     HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY OF KADUNA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This is the first and oldest Local Government in Kaduna state. The history of the Local Government could be traced back in precolonial era during which the area was under Makera District head, the Iyan Abdullahi. At that time, the Hausa people were living at Mekera, Kawo, and Barnawa while Gabassawa part of Doka, outskirts of Makera and kawo had gbagyi (Gwari) inhabitants.

This means the indigenous tribe of Hausa was largely Hausa, Fulani and Gbagyi (Gwari). When Iya Abdullahi, the Iyu Zazzau was direct head of Makera, Maakera was under Zazzau emirate under the reign of Aliyu Dan Sidi, the ground Son of Mal. Musa, the flag bearer of Shehu Usman Dan  Fodio.

In 1914, Lord Laggard, the representative of the colonial masters amalgamated Northern and Southern Nigeria and moved the headquarters to Northern Province from Zungew to Kaduna. He came along with people from Sierra Leone, Ghana (Gold cost) Dahomay (Benin) and Niger to settle in Kaduna.

The northern house of chiefs passed and approved Kaduna as the capital territory of Northern Nigeria on March 1ST 1956 with an administrator and Magajin Garri, Mal. Sambo the district head as the assistant Administrator.

The Kaduna native authority existed until after the 1966 coup when state were created and Kaduna lost the capital territory status of northern Nigeria.

The Federal Government in 1876 introduced local Government aciform in which native authorities were abolished and replaced with Local Government authorities throughout the Federation. Kaduna which had its local government status since 1974 had for the first time an elected chairman instead of an appointed one. This was late Alhaji Yusuf Dantsoho a politician from the Sardauna era.

With the new local government area in 1990, former Kaduna North Local Government Area that is (Kaduna North Local Government Area and Kaduna South Local Government Area) with their head quarters at Doka and Makera respectively.

Kaduna north is found between longitudes 100 - 350 north and 100 - 00 south and longitudes 70 – 360 east, it is sundered in the north and east by Igabi Local Government area. South and west by Kaduna south Local Government Area. The local government area is found within the guinea Savannah region of the country with an annual rainfall of 50 centimeters with terrain type coverage of 80sq km and total population of 454.764 by the 2000 projection using growth rate of 2:8:3 percent per annum from 1991 census figures. The Local Government Area has three (3) districts, namely, Dokka, Gabassawa and Kawo with the following traditional rulers, Alhaji Jibril Muhammad (Dankaden Zazzau) and Alhaji Sanimagaji (Danmakwayon Zazzau) respectively.  

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