Training and Development Plan for Improving productivity in Dangote Group, Nigeria Plc - Iloka Benneth Chiemelie, Ehumadu Chika, Escalus Okafor, Njoku Stanley, Olajide Ifeanyi
https://ilokabenneth.blogspot.com/2013/12/training-and-development-plan-for.html
0.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As companies continue to internationalize in the bid to increase profit through global market share acquisition and new customer attraction, the importance of teamwork have to the spotlight. This is because, teamwork is the formidable force through which organisations can catapult their productivity, increase new market attraction and retention, fasten processes and improve services.
In other for organisations to ensure constant flow of productivity, a strategic designed team is needed. In organisations where employees share ideas, improve mistakes and become innovative through team efforts, these organisations have a constant flow of innovation and knowledge due to an open atmosphere that is designed to help improve employees' abilities. Therefore, it can easily be seen that productivity is achievable through team building in organization.
Dangote group, an African conglomerate born in Nigerian a good example of an international organisation that achieves success through teamwork as will be discussed later in this study. This brings us to the main purpose of this research paper which is to "develop effective training and development plan for Dangote Group". The training and development plan is designed to improve productivity in Dangote Group.
This research paper is basically designed into 2 bold sections which are sub-divided into appropriate subsections. The first section is a general overview on the company; highlight the company's background, business models, achievements, past and current training programs adopted and the needed for a new training and development program. The second section develops the new training a development program based on accepted standards and derived theories from training and development researchers.
1.0 DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSES
Information in this research paper are based on both primary and secondary data analysis and these data where gather and discussed below.
1.1 PRIMARY DATA
Primary data contained in this research study are based on in-depth information of contents in Dangote Gropu's official website (www.dangote-group.com) and the company's press releases.
1.2 SECONDARY DATA
Secondary data are based on intensive and extensive research paper, journals, articles, and newspaper and e-book studies. Critical analysis and adoption of already tried and tested training and development theories adopted by other multi-national organisations across the globe in other to develop reliable paper work.
2.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This training and development plan is developed using Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) framework as illustrated below.
Figure (1): ADDIE design for training and development program in Dangote Group (Download pdf below for figures)
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can Dangote Group incorporate teambuilding into their training and development plan, and what are the most effective teambuilding exercises for the company?
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research paper is to develop effective training and development plan for improving productivity through team building and teamwork in Dangote Group, through in-depth analysis and support for all analysed contents.
IMPORTANCE OF THIS STUDY
To the company: this study is essential to the company, because it analyses effective ways the company can improve their productivity level through effective and efficient teambuilding program. The study was developed through an in-depth and critical analysis of all elements imminent in a teambuilding exercise, thus it is expected that all contents in this study have certain elements of contributiveness towards building an effective team in the organisation.
To the lecturer: since this exercise is part of the general curriculum requirement, it will guide the lecturer towards determining the performance level of the group that developed this study through a glance look at their strengths and weaknesses based on the content of this study.
To the employee: this study is beneficial to the employees too, as they can use it to enhance their productivity level by adopting or more of the theoretical framework discussed in this study.
To the student: as part of the expected study outcome after undertaking the Human Resource Management course, this study is expected to be a guide towards developing and enhancing the overall student's knowledge and skills based on the analytical contents they had to undertake before producing this research paper.
To the general audience: this study is also beneficial to the general public as they can use this study as a guide towards developing their own teambuilding training and development programs, both for individual and corporate use.
3.0 BACKGROUND ANALYSIS
3.1 BRIEF HISTORY
Established in 1981 as a trading company with cement as their core business, the group went on diversify into conglomerate trading cement, sugar, flour, salt and fish over the years. By early 1990s, Dangote group had grown into one of the biggest trading industry in Nigeria. By 1999 with the transition from military rule to civil rule, and a visit to Brazil to study the emerging manufacturing sector; the group focused its mean operation into the manufacturing industry (Dangote Group, 2011). In a country where importation constitutes majority of consumed products, being able to manufacture these products would set a huge gap between them and their competitors.
Taking all these into consideration, the group embarked into a huge construction and manufacturing programme. By 2000, Dangote group acquired the Benue cement industry from the government of Nigeria, and by 2003 commissioned the largest cement plant in sub-Saharan Africa (Obajana Cement plant). Now one of the largest manufacturing and Construction Company in Africa, Dangote group continues its expansion into their core business sectors and acquiring of new companies across Africa as they aim to become the biggest conglomerate in Africa (Dangote Group, 2011).
3.2 COMPANY OVERVIEW
Dangote group is one of the most successful and diversified business conglomerates in Africa, with a strong reputation for excellence business and quality services. It is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa. Dangote Group businesses and industries includes as listed below:
Table 1: Dangote Group's business and industry lines
Manufacturing
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Refining
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Milling
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Port management and haulage
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Other
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3.3 MANAGEMENT TEAM
Tabke 2: Dangote Group's main management team
Name
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Position
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Aliko Dangote
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President/ CEO
He is the founder of Dangote group and BA in Business Administration holder from Al-Azahar University, Cairo Egypt.
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Sani Dangote
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Vice President
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Kunt Ulvmoen
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Group Executive Director
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Olakunle Alake
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Chief Operating Office
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Kuzhyii Ravindran
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Chief Financial Officer
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Paramjit Pabby
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Chief Human Resource Officer
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3.4 COMPANY VISION
To be world-class enterprise that is passionate about the standard of living of the general populace and high returns to stakeholders.
3.5 COMPANY MISSION
Touch the lives of people by providing their basic need
3.6 CORE VALUES
3.6.1 Customer service: being a world-class organisation, Dangote group understands that they exist to serve and satisfy their customers. Indeed, their customer orientation reflects intimacy, learning and integrity.
3.6.2 Entrepreneurship: another core value of the group is entrepreneurship, and this is behind their constant development of new business ventures, while deploying innovative strategies to maintain their market leaderships.
3.6.3 Excellence: as a big group working together to satisfy their customers and return high values on investment, Dangote group demonstrates teamwork, respect and meritocracy as their third core value.
3.6.4 Leadership: as Dangote group thrives to being leaders in their business, markets and customers, another focus is on continuous improvement, partnership and professionalism which have made the Group a credible leader.
3.7 RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
- Best African initial Public Offer for 2007 as awarded by African investors' index series.
- Presidential merit award for the best quoted company in the Food and Beverage sector 2007 as awarded by the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
- Presidential merit award for the best quoted company in the Food and Beverage sector 2008 as awarded by the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
- International quality award in mining sector 2009, as awarded by renowned Business Initiative Directions – Madrid, Spain.
4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
4.1 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
4.1.1 STRENGTHS OF DANGOTE GROUP
4.1.1.1 Strong brand identity: over the years, Dangote group have emerged as the power hose of consumer goods industries in sub-Saharan Africa and this have accorded them a strong brand identity. They encompass widely known, trusted and used household and industrial brands.
4.1.1.2 Full automation and efficient modern technology: Dangote group production plants are constantly being replaced and maintained with up-to-date technologies from all over the world to ensure maximum production at a lower production cost. This is strength as they can handle customer orders with their fully automated machineries.
4.1.1.3 Proximity to key raw materials: being situated in sub-Saharan African as well as headquartered in Nigerian, Dangote group have less worried with importation of raw material for their production. Nigeria is a country highly blessed with both renewable and non-renewable resources. Their neighbours are not lacking in this sector either and over 90 percent raw materials used for production in Dangote group are gathered in Nigerian and neighbouring countries.
4.1.2 WEAKNESSES OF DANGOTE GROUP
4.1.2.1 One man risk: being founded and owned by Aliko Dangote, the group runs on a one man risk, as anything death to the founder could result in failure of the whole group. All major decisions are made by the president / CEO (Aliko Dangote), without major interference from sub-ordinates.
4.1.2.2 Corporate structure: Dangote group lacks major departments needed in running modern day business such as innovation and creativity department. This is a weaknesses as their competitors could easily win over their customer by innovating new products to offer more value for price.
EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
4.2.1 OPPORTUNITIES FOR DANGOTE GROUP
4.2.1.1 Easier access to financing: with towering sales and ramping returns on investment, Dangote group have easier access to finance new business either from their own pocket from by loaning from any financial institution in Nigeria.
4.2.1.2 Prospect for revenue growth: being headquartered in the most populated Black Country in the world, Dangote group has access to huge markets. Considering that Nigerian is a developing country, they products are high demanded in both the household and construction markets. The increasing infrastructural development, exportation and economies of scale offers huge prospect for Dangote group to increase their market shares year-in and year-out.
4.2.2 THREATS FACED BY DANGOTE GROUP
4.2.2.1 Disruption in gas supply and hikes in fuel price: with their operations mainly situated in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, the high unavailability of electricity means that Dangote group operates mainly on gasses and petrol. Disruption in gas or hike in fuel prices is a big threat as it could limit their production capacity and/or increase their production costs.
4.2.2.2 Restive action from labour unions and villages: Nigeria is a country with 130 ethnic groups, and this means that constant ethnic crises are common in this country. Nigerian is currently battling the "Boko Haram" (An islamist group against western education), and is a sign of slim fate of peace. Actions like this can be disastrous if it happens in villages where Dangote group has operations, as it can lead to loss or damage of assets which will in turn twat production rate.
4.2.2.3 Competitors getting bigger and wiser: with over 140 million people living in Nigeria, the country is being overwhelmed with high rising industries; both locals and internationals that are dominating minor sectors in virtually all businesses. This means that, although Dangote group might have started the race; there is no room for any slips or their competitors will catch-up with them and/or possibly over-run them in the race for market leadership.
5.0 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT STRATEGIES
5.1 CURRENT BUSINESS STRATEGIES
5.1.1 DIVERSIFICATION AND EXPANSIONS
Over the years, researchers have studied the relationship between product diversification, international expansion and performance separately (Contractor et al., 2003; Kim et al., 2004; Palich et al., 2004). Nevertheless, recent studies have tackled the effect of both strategies on firm's performance (Geringer et al., 2000; Hitt et al., 1994; Sambharya, 1995). Given the similarities between analyses of these two strategies, the combined effect of new product line entry and new geographical areas is expected to have some influence on the organisation's performance too; independent of the individual impacts (Geringer et al., 2000; Tallman and Li, 1996).
Diversification and expansion means totally different things. In the business scene, diversification is related to products and services, while expansion is related to the organisation. But, both are under the same business strategy because it involves either offering more than the company was offering before, or offering it at areas where the company has not been offering before. The latter is known as expansion.
This has been a core business strategy adapted by the Dangote conglomerate and they still use this business strategy up-to-date. Founded with cement production as the only business operation, Dangote have diversified over the years to products - fish and fisheries, flour, food and beverage, and services – logistics, real estate and construction. This diversification process in turn is the main reason behind their constant expansion across the African continent as they look to distribute their goods and services to as many markets as possible as illustrated in Appendix (1).
This product diversification and expansion strategy is justifiable as common business norms assume that the more products and services you can offer, the more markets you can reach which will in-return increase your market shares. This figure (2) below illustrates, Dangote group have a huge market potential considering that their core products such as cement are more expensive in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan nations in comparison to rest of the world.
Figure 2: Nigeria vs Rest of the World – Cement Price (US$ per ton)
Source as adapted from: Dangote group (2011)
5.1.2 COST ADVANTAGE
Strategic cost management is an accounting discipline that aim to use cost information (Shank and Govindarajan, 1989; 1993), provided from several and often heterogeneous sources to establish a competitive advantage. Under strategic cost management, it has been argued that cost analysis and cost management must be approached with high focus on firm's strategic positioning, overall value chain, and full set of cost driver. This makes the key issues for cost advantage to be firm's position in the market, their value chain and activities that must be performed for their business to keep running.
Dangote group understands this strategy to the climax, and they currently deploy this strategy as a means of waving off new potential entrants and maintaining their market leadership. With high-tech machineries and advanced operational and management teams, the group deploys basically every strategy possible to lower their production and overhead cost, as well as increasing their product turnover to ensure that they constantly offer more value for price compared to other competitors. All their plants are built a high proximity to the needed raw materials and markets, to ensure un-interrupted flow of raw materials to the company and finished goods to the market. This is one of the business strategy that is keep them as market leader and winning more market shares for the company.
5.1.3 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The ability to develop and introduce new products within a timely manner can offer firms competitive advantage within a specific market. Timelines in developing new products and introducing them to the target market enables firms to quickly penetrate the most profitable markets (Wong, 2002). Timeliness, in this case, is referred to as the time required for completing a project relative to its anticipated time frame (Cooper and Kleinschmidt, 1994; Olson et al., 1995).
There is no arguing this idea, as they are many successful companies (Microsoft, Apple, etc.), that are good examples to prove that realistic nature of the statement above. If a firm that offer products that other firms can't offer, either by satisfying customer's wants or creating a new want for customers, they will have a competitive edge over other competitors as the pioneer. When there are secret trademarks rooted into the products (E.g. Coca-Cola, BMW, etc.), their competitive edge can last over decades and possibly centuries
This business strategy is currently in the core of Dangote group's business plans and strategies, both for present and future business plans. From a cement company to a multi-national and multi-million dollar conglomerate, there is no denying of the fact that new product development is a core principle strategy for the organisation. TheAppendix (2) below, lists all brands under Dangote groups. By developing new products, in a market where importation constitutes of FMCGs, Household brands, and consumer goods, Dangote will be able and so far has been able to conquer huge market shares. This wills in-return ensure leadership stability and high returns on investment.
5.2 HUMAN RESOURCE AND TRAINING STRATEGIES
Human capital can be referred to as the knowledge, skills, and abilities of an employee (Hayton, 2005), while human resource management (HRM) includes all activities related to the management of an employee's relationship with the firm (Lin et al., 2008). It has been high conceived that strategic human resource management provides firms with the internal capacity to adapt and adjust to their competitive environments by deploying HRM policies and practices ((De Saa´ Pe´rez and Garcı´a Falco´n, 2004; Kidwell and Fish, 2007).
Some examples of these policies are recruitment and selections, training and development, and performance appraisal (Leingnick-Hall and Leingnick-Hall, 1988; Delery and Doty, 1996; Svelik and Starrov-Costea, 2007; Petrescu and Simmons, 2008; Verano-Tacoronte and Melia´n-Gonza´lez, 2008). Management researchers have also proved that a firm's ability to align HRM practices and policies with business strategies can offer sustainable competitive advantage (Dyer and Reeves, 1995; Huselid et al., 1997; Barrett and Mayson, 2007; Andonova and Zuleta, 2007).
Dangote group deploys a number of human resource management practices and policies that are designed to better position the company as the leading brand in Africa, as well as establishing competitive advantage over their numerous competitors within the African continent. These policies and practices are as illustrated and discussed below.
Figure 3: Dangote Group's overall human resource management and training strategies
5.2.1 CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Morris and Jones (1993) argued that entrepreneurship orientation is critical for organisational survival and growth in today's business environment. This is linked to the idea that ability of a firm to compete increasingly depends on the management of the relational bases of each members in the organisation. Cultures, attitudes, values and commitment of employees are now more important to firm's success than ever before (Snell et al., 2002).
Being a multi-national conglomerate, Dangote group understands the importance of corporate entrepreneurship in relationship to maintaining their market leadership and general survival of the company. Recent invents have shown that the size of an organisation is not linked to success and that there is no such thing as too big to fail – some of these examples are GM motors and AIG in recent years. For Dangote to continue their dominance on the African soul, they must constantly innovate existing products or create new products to better satisfy customer. This will offer them high customer retention abilities and increased market share.
The success of the company has been linked to investments on corporate entrepreneurship over the years. From the founder himself (Aliko Dangote), who founded the company as a mare entrepreneurship business – with just cement production; which is now transformed into multi-brands with operations in various businesses. The company promotes entrepreneurship by offering annual trainings of new business management to their staffs. All members of the company are also urged to spend certain time in the organisation developing new ideas and business. Success stories such as the "ZIZA MILK" are a product of corporate entrepreneurship in Dangote group.
5.2.2 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
There has been a long valid belief that investment in employee training and development is beneficial for both the organisation and its workforce (Salas and Cannon-Bowers, 2001; Sloman, 2003). This is most critical in the current business environment shift as the changing work environment has made cynical training necessary ((Buckley and Caple, 2007) from traditional training activities to future-oriented development activities (Maurer et al., 2003). These issues highlights the importance of companies keeping their workforce fully updated with new business strategies through training and development programs.
Dangote group currently offer various forms of training which includes motivational and self-esteem training programs – designed to keep employees motivate, business and risk management programs designed to ensure high returns on investment funds and innovation and creativity programs. These approaches as adapted by the company serve as essential tool for creating competitive advantage and maintaining their leadership in the market. There is no doubting the fact that productivity if highly linked to employee's motivation, and strategic risk management will bring out better business security, while innovation and creativity is the driving key behind new product development. From these phase, it can be seen as well as argued that the training and developing programs offered by Dangote group will help the company in creating sustainable competitive advantage and gaining more market shares.
5.2.3 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
Both practitioners and scholars have argued that properly conducted performance appraisal can provide various positive organisational results (Pettijohn et al., 2001). Goal-setting and feedbacks serves as the key performance appraisal activities in organisations (Earley et al., 1990; Fletcher, 2001; Neubert, 1998), with their main purpose being to improve employee's performance. On a psychological perspective, it is believed that when people's efforts are well appreciated, they are motivated to give in more efforts. Nevertheless, money has been argued to be the most motivating tool in business.
Keeping product innovation and creativity as their main focus strategy, Dangote group understands the importance of also keeping employees motivated at all times so they can always deliver at their best. The group makes employee performance appraisal an integral part of their human resource department, as they seek to get the best out of every employee. Some of the appraisal programs offered by the company include making developers of new products the managers of the new product line. This is a great strategic approach to keep other employees motivated to do their best so they can be rewarded with managerial positions if their ideas become reality within the group.
Through performance appraisal, team members can be motivated to improve their productivity level as they have the psychological believe that their contributions to the company will be reward. Thus, this is essential for teambuilding as it offer unification – by encouraging the team members to work together and improve their productivity level in other to be rewarded as a team. Through this aspect, every member of the team will be committed and motivated to contribute their individual best, which will later on yield an improved group output.
6.0 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT TRAINING PRACTICES IN DANGOTE GROUP
In today's culturally linked societies and globalized world economy, organisations are no longer emerging under the confines of a particular national setting. They must operate a more interconnected context ((Savvas et al., 2001). This can be seen by the intensification of international exchange and the opening of global markets (Shenkar and Luo, 2004), transfer of business management practices (Turbin, 2001) and workplace flexibility (Francis, 1995).
Have fallen under British colonization, Nigerian companied adapt some of the same business models as their colonial masters. This is also the case in Dangote group, where most of all their business models can easily be linked back to British business model, including their training and development practices. The group currently prioritizes cognitive learning as their primary training option because they are expanding across the African continent, thus is necessary to be equipped with the management systems in these countries. This is the main reason for their adaptation of a formal and structured aspect of training system; which requires that individuals rely on explicit knowledge and real experiments.
A sample practices is the "inculcating entrepreneurship skills" conducted in Lagos state of Nigeria on March 2011. The objective was to train all staffs on how to build entrepreneurship skills as part of their management and operation skills. This was a two days training course, which included presented tutorials and practical exercises after each tutorial. The target was all executives and supervisors in Dangote group. This form of formal training ensures that all participants dully understand the theoretical aspects of what they are meant to learn, before practising these newly acquired skills in the practical section.
From the above sample, it can be seen that Dangote training practices can be traced to their colonial ancestor's business model. Unlike the French, the British adapt a double process formula, that ensure participants of a particular program are lectured on the background of the program and put through the practical process with assignments and projects to ensure that they fully understand what they are being taught. This training practice, ensure that the executives and supervisors can transfer their learned skills back to their subordinates, as the group pushes to maintain their market leadership in the sub-Saharan African market and push further expansions into other African markets with their ever expanding product and services lines. It could be termed effectives, because just training their executive and letting them transfer the knowledge reduces cost of training all staffs.
DEMERITS OF THE BRITISH COGNITIVE LEARNING STYLE IN DANGOTE GROUP
DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING PREFERENCES
Learning preferences can be seen as an individual's ability to choose or express certain form of preference of a particular teaching or learning technique or combination of techniques over another teaching or learning technique (Sadler-Smith, 1996). From the works of Reichmann and Grasha, (1974) and Renzulli and Smith (1978) it is possible to group learning preferences into three forms:
- Dependence preference group: this set of individuals prefers teacher-directed, highly structured programmes with explicit assignments set and assessed by the tutor.
- Collaboration preference group: this group of individuals are discussion-oriented and group projects, collaborative assignments and social interaction are their favourites.
- Independence preference group: this group prefer exercising an influence on the content and structure of learning programmes within which the teacher or instructor is a resource (Sadler-Smith and Riding, 1999).
From the above analysis, it can easily come to pictures that cognitive learning is possibly not the most efficient learning style Dangote group should adopt. They have been numerous researches on cognitive learning and all these researches are of the general assumption that cognitive learning style is more concerned with the form of learning style adopted rather than the content of information processing, thus, it is value differentiated (i.e. styles describe "different" rather than "better" thinking processes) (Sadler-Smith and Badger, 1998).
Messick (1984, p. 5) is of the view that cognitive learning style exhibits consistent individual preferences in ways of organising and processing information and experience. Sternberg and Grigorenko described it as representing a bridge between what might seem to be two fairly distinct areas of psychological investigation: cognition and personality (Sternberg and Grigorenko, 1997, p. 701). From the above argument, it can be seen that cognitive form of learning is not sufficient enough as individual differences can influence learning style, thus limiting the possibility of successful training and development program. On the other hand, cognitive learning is bipolar because it focuses on teaching and experiment, thus, not offering individuals the chance to develop their own learning style and effectively incorporate this style into their teambuilding streams. All these are the limitations of cognitive style.
TEAMBUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS
TEAM COMPETENCIES AND WORK PERFORMANCE
It is essential that for Dangote Group to continue their market dominance in sub-Saharan Africa and excel in their future market penetrations, a competent and reliable team is needed as the pillar for their business model. Team competency is critical determinant of team performance as competency involves teams believes in their potentials. But, competency is primary an individual element as different people view it differences and every individual exhibits different competency level.
Competency management can be seen as the integration of human resource activities aimed at optimizing the development and utilization of employee competencies in order to increase their effectiveness level, and, subsequently increase organisational effectiveness (Athey and Orth, 1999; Paulsson et al., 2005). When competency management is successfully implemented in an organisation, it can yield numerous positive results for the organisation (Becker and Huselid, 1999). For instances, it can provide clear behavioural guidelines and performance standards for which in turn, can enhance communication between employees (team / groups) and their employers (organisation) (Heinsman et al., 2005).
From the above argument, it can be seen that for teams to successfully improve their productivity level, they will need to developed individual competency, which will in turn improve their contributions and communications with the team and eventually yield improve teamwork. Nevertheless, judging from the limitations on Dangote group's current training and development program which adopts the British cognitive learning style, it can be seen that this bipolar method does not fully allow individuals the ability to develop their competency level, as they are by "force" required to adapt to the organisation's training style.
Therefore, there is a need for a new teambuilding training and development program in Dangote Group that allow each individual to improve their competency level and incorporate these ability into their team. The preceding justifications will lay more lights on the discussed concept, but it can be concluded that for Dangote Group to efficiently and effectively improve teamwork, then they will have to replace their current training style with a style that allow individuals to improve their potentials through open system and competency building techniques.
TRAINING NEED IDENTIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE
In other to justify the hypotheses discussed above on the importance of competency building and adopting of "free style" training and learning format, the questionnaire as illustrated below will be distributed to the staffs. A 70% grade and above measured through SPSS statistical data analysis will deem the need appropriate and necessary, 55% to 69% will deem the need considerable, while any score less than 55% from the general population will deem the hypothesis and justification void – meaning there is no need to revoke Dangote's current training and development style.
Table 3: training need identification questionnaire for Dangote Group
We are currently reviewing our training and development style as well look for the best ways to continually improve both your individual and group potentials in Dangote Group, thus, every staffs is expected to answer the following questions in order of preferences.
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Question
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Yes
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No
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Maybe
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7.0 TRAINING DESIGN
71. JUSTIFICATION OF TRAINING NEEDS
They have been widespread perception that training does not have significant impact on the trainees, as it either fails to transfer or is lost with time ((Broad and Newstrom, 1992; Foxon, 1993; Georges, 1988; Grabrowski, 1983; Kelly, 1982). Supporting this argument, it has been also cited that only 10 percent of training is linked with job performance (Cheng and Ho, 2001; Brinkerhoff and Gill, 1994; Elangovan and Karakowsky, 1999; Kupritz, 2002). Although there Is no empirical evidence to support this arguments, they seem to be enough evidence to show that transfer of training is generally slow, and managers agree that despite quality training, transfer outcomes amongst employees are variable (Marx, 1982).
Nevertheless, it is still undeniable that training and development is an essential tool in every organisation, as it tends to offer them competitive advantage (Batt and Moynihan, 2002; Wood et al., 2006). This is true in business context, because training and development keeps the workforce update with best skills to increase their productivity, and also ensure that they are more efficient with their day-to-day business running. Thus, this make the idea of training and development programs justifiable in Dangote groups as it is essential because:
It will keep the company is updated with the skills needed to maintain their market leadership – since Dangote is the market leader in most of the markets they exist in, training and development in staffs is needed to ensure that they constantly meet customer's requirements and a foot better their competitors through quality products and service offerings.
It will inculcate creativity and innovation – training programs designed to help the workforce improve their innovation and creativity skills, will help the company in staying ahead in-terms of product innovation and creativity to add more values to customer's money and this will give them a competitive advantage over their competitors.
Increase employee's motivation and inculcate quality team leadership and improved overall productivity – through training and development, an employee will fell to be part of the organisation, because he starts to develop a psychological felling that he is valued in the company. This will increase his motivational level, and quality training programs will also improves productivity and teamwork in Dangote group.
8.0 TEAMBUILDING COURSE PARAMETERS
8.1 COURSE TITLE
Team building and training programs designed to improve productivity in Dangote Group through improved individual competency level that is expected to yield positive group outcomes, as each individual will be equipped with the skills necessary to enhance their productivity level as a team or group.
Figure 4: course title outline
The figure (4), illustrates the course title outline in a detailed form of how teambuilding will be achieved at the end of the training and what measures will be used to achieve this teambuilding efforts as a means of increasing productivity in Dangote Group.
8.2 TARGET AUDIENCE
The target audience for this course are – Production managers and supervisors, Marketing staffs and managers, and sales representatives. This target audience are selected based on the main purpose of the training course, which is improving productivity in Dangote group through quality team.
8.3 TEAMBUILDING TRAINING OBJECTIVES
The objectives of these training are:
TO IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCY LEVEL
This will be achieved by adopting an experimental training and development program that allows every individual to come up with their best training methods, and each group will be based on individuals with the same or similar training preferences. As discussed in the training justification, it is expected that improved individual competency will result to improved group competency as these individuals will be part of the group.
TO BUILD TRAM TRUST AND MOTIVATION
This will be achieved by adopting Belbin's group role model. Belbim, a UK academic and consultant in organisational development, is generally regarded as the father of team role theory (Belbin, 1981; 1993). His people-oriented role theory groups teams' members into:
- Co-ordinators – team leaders who monitor team members to ensure that every member is undertaking all designated tasks given to him/her.
- Team workers – there are the members of the team who must pay respect to the co0ordinator by undertaking each task given to them with the stipulated time frame and use of specified work formats only.
- Resource investigators – they are specially assigned with the task of ensuring that all members is treated equally, and that the team leader does not abuse his or her power by deploying any form of workplace bullying act.
TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY IN DANGOTE GROUP, THROUGH IMPROVED INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCY LEVEL AND TEAM TRUST
The results of the first and second objectives are expected to influence the third object. Once each individual have developed certain form of competency among themselves, and found ways to trust each member in the group, it will lead to more confidence output through knowledge sharing and interpersonal relationship in the group. This is an only expected assumption, but this assumption is based on the justification that motivated group of individuals in a team is equivalent to motivated team as these individuals are part of the team.
8.4 EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM THE TEAMBUILDING TRAINING
- Marketing manager will be able to identify less motivated staffs in the team, and apply the required skills to keep them and the whole team motivated towards their jobs. This will ensure continued success in the marketing department
- Staffs from the production department are expected to understand the potentials of team success and value it above individual success as they push towards ensuring that they constantly turnover finished products up to customer's requirement.
- This training is expected to increase the sales representatives' abilities to work in a team, and equip them with the necessary skills to be more productive as a thing, through easy conflict handling and problem solving abilities.
8.5 TOTAL TIME AND DAYS REQUIRED FOR COMPLETING THE TRAINING
2 days (8 hours) training divided into 2 (2 hours per section) sections of 4hours per day.
8.6 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS PER SECTION
All members of participating department will be divided into different 4 groups with each group containing between 10 – 20 participants. They are divided into groups because they will be tested against each other at the end of the training to evaluate their acquired skills from the training programs. The figure below illustrates this grouping method as described above.
8.7 TRAINING SITES AND SETTINGS
Since this training is divided into two sections of tutorials and practical, the training site is also divided into two sections, with settings meant to ensure fast learning and understanding of the whole training course. The site and setting is a discussed below.
Table 4: training schedule
DAY 1
|
DAY 2
| |
TASK
|
TIME
|
TIME
|
|
8 am
|
8 am
|
|
8:30 am
|
8:30 am
|
|
9 am
|
9 am
|
|
9:10 am
|
9:10 am
|
|
9:35 am
|
9:20 am
|
|
11:35 am
|
11:20 am
|
|
12:05 pm
|
11:50 am
|
|
12 :35 pm
|
12:20 pm
|
SECTION TWO
| ||
|
1:00 pm
|
12:50 pm
|
|
1:20 pm
|
1:10 pm
|
|
2:30 pm
|
2:20 pm
|
|
3:00 pm
|
2: 50pm
|
8.8 PREREQUISITES
- The tutorial section must be completed before the participants will move to the practical section.
- All tools needed to complete the practical section, such as production machines or computers for information and data processing (e.g., calculators), must be made available before the beginning of the practical section.
- Participants who missed the tutorial section are not allowed to participate in the practical section to make training evaluation more reliable and easier.
8.9 TEAMBUILDING TRAINING CONTENTS AND DETAILED LESSON PLANS
8.9.1 Lesson objectives – the overall objective is to ensure that participants fully understand the curse they are being thought and learn how to utilize all acquired skills from the course.
8.9.2 Length of training – this is 2days training with 4hours per day. The 4hours section is divided into two sections of 2hours per section and respective break interval before the next two hours section.
8.9.3 Activities – day one will be all about learning through tutorial, and question and answer section, while day two will be the practical section to evaluate how the participants can utilize acquired skills.
8.9.4 delivering method – the training will be delivered in a classroom format with presentations through an LCD screen in the auditorium, to ensure that all participants clearly see and understand the course. The trainers will also use amplified microphones to ensure that they can be heard, no matter participant's position in the auditorium.
8.9.5 Material and equipment needed – participant will be provided with sheets of papers and pen at the auditorium entrance. They will use this to note down all relevant issues during the training course.
8.9.6 Timing – the first two hours will be from 10am – 12pm followed by 2hours break, and the second section will be from 2pm – 4pm
8.9.7 Assessment criteria – participants will be assessed through question and answer section where the trainer will try to understand how much knowledge they have gained throughout the entire course period.
9.0 DETAILED OUTLINE OF AREAS TO BE LEARNED FROM TEAMBUILDING TRAINING
As the figure (5) above illustrates, the three areas to be learned from this training and development program are: (1), how to improve creativity and innovation in a group, (2) knowledge and information sharing among teams, and (3) staff's motivation through team performance. As Dangote group continues to internationalize, an efficient and effective teams can possibly be the best solution to ensure productivity and sustainability in the organisation. Justification on why this team building exercise is important and how to achieve such a massive task is explained below.
9.1 JUSTIFICATIONS ON THE NEEDS FOR TEAMBUILDING TRAINING
9.1.1 GROUP INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
Capitalizing on employees' ability to innovate is one of the ways for an organisation to remain innovative. As Katz (1964, p. 132) put it: "an organisation that relies only on its blueprints of prescribed behaviour is a very fragile system". Organisational duties have become more knowledge-based and flexibly defined. Thus, employees can help in improving corporate performance by generating ideas and using these ideas to build new block, better products and services, and more efficient work process. Numerous practitioners and academicians have moved to support this idea that employees' innovation and creativity helps attain organisation success (Van de Ven, 1986; Amabile, 1988; Axtell et al., 2000; Smith, 2002; Unsworth and Parker, 2003).
From this argument, it can be stated that in other for Dangote group to attain a constant flow of innovation, they must be willing to tap into their employees' ability to innovate, and incorporate team innovation and creativity into some of their management principles (McLoughlin and Harris, 1997; Ehigie and Akpan, 2004). Through team innovation, individuals can combine their simple ideas to create a better and sophisticated ideas that will ensure improve product and service values as well as customer satisfaction. Through this means, Dangote can maintain their market dominance and penetrate new markets through new product innovation. Thus, this makes this team building exercise viable and beneficial to organisation as increased innovation will ensure productivity through enhanced production process.
9.1.2 SHARING OF IDEAS AMONG TEAMS (BETWEEN DANGOTE'S STAFFS)
In investigating the effectiveness of productivity through knowledge sharing among teams, this research paper considers the role of organizational knowledge in dictating the perception of organisational effectiveness. Organisational knowledge both on the explicit and tacit levels (Grant, 1996; Nonaka, 1994) include the shared, accumulated knowledge of individuals in any given organisation. Such knowledge are transferred in work processes and results in product and service evolutions over time, which are developed from incorporated lessons learned over time (Gregory, 1999). Basically this is trying to highlight that organisational knowledge is developed based on past experiences, and employees who are familiar with these knowledge can improve organisational process by sharing these knowledge among other employees.
A simple illustration on the importance of knowledge sharing training in Dangote group and how this training can benefit the organisation has been drawn in the figure (6) above. This illustration thus, points of some sort of credibility that training on organisational knowledge sharing among teams is essential for Dangote group to improve productivity and sustainability in their business processes and profit levels.
9.1.3 MOTIVATION THROUGH TEAM PERFORMANCE
Motivation has been viewed to represent those psychological processes that results in arousal, direction, and persistence of goal oriented voluntary activities (Mitchell, 1982). Bartol and Martin (1998) defined motivation to be the force that energizes behaviour, direct behaviour and highlights the tendency to persist. These points recognizes that to achieve organisational set goals, employees must be willing to work according to these goals, be dedicated and committed, and persistence no matter what obstacles they might face.
Employees in Dangote group can be motivated based on their team performance and this will directly improve productivity rate of these individual employees and the organisation in general. For instance, when a team successful achieve success through commitment and dedication to their duties, members of these teams will directly or indirectly be motivated to be committed and dedicated to their duties in other to attain certain level of individual success, which will lead to increase in their productivity level.
10.0 CHOSEN TEAM BUILDING EXERCISES
10.1 ICE-BREAKING EXERCISE
Modern organisational life, notwithstanding its cultural contexts, is made of essential and heavy team activity (Cohen et al., 1996; Osterman, 1994; Waterson et al., 1999). At present, teamwork represents the best way to carryout organisational activities as they help in creating shared meaning, yield innovation and collaboration across multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder business settings (Neena and Anil, 2011). In any experimental learning process, it is important that participants exhibit certain functional rapport with each other (Neena and Anil, 2011). Thus, this the main reason behind the development of an ice-breaking exercise discusses below.
10.1.1 Four Facts Exercise – each member of the team will write down four facts about themselves with one of these facts being a lie. Then each member of the team will lead out these facts and other members will be required to identify the lie. After the identification process, the members read it again and tell other members which one is lie. This is meant to aid members of a group in learning things about each member quickly and finding what they have in common.
The main goal of this is to ensure that each member can easily identify each other characteristics and thus find ways to associate themselves with other members of the team. Through this means, a certain level of trust which is part of the training and development objectives will be established among team members.
10.1.2 Team brainstorming – of a team will be asked to list down the products and services offered by Dangote group, some of the excuses for coming to work late, and what they like to do with their break time. This will be combined on a rating scale to see how many members of the group have the same answer. There is high possibility that all members of the group will have a common answer. This is designed to make all members of the group fell equal based on the idea that they share common ideas.
This exercise is meant to establish high competency level among team members as there is the possibility of all the team members or majority of the team members having the same. By seeing that each member have similar answer, it will inculcate the spirit of believe among team members as they will tend to understand each other of being competent enough to work in the team.
10.2 MOTIVATION AND SELF-BELIEF EXERCISE
10.2.1 Blindfolded exercise – members of a group will blindfolded and they will have to develop their own non-verbal communication style, and navigate through a densely populated wooden area while maintaining magnetic bearing and lead by a sighted leader. This exercise is meant to improve communication (knowledge sharing as highlighted above), and enable members to find ways to adapt to any given situation (team innovation also highlighted above).
This is also another trust building exercise. A closer look at all the exercises adopted for the teambuilding training and development program will illustrate that all these exercises are based on the achieving the set objectives. This exercise is meant to inculcate the spirit of trust and believe on the team leader and each member's ability to lead the group towards perfection and enhanced productivity.
10.2.2 Common-goal tasks – each group member will be made to reach an allocated location in the training site at a given time, bypassing set obstacles and battling the elements set by other groups in other to successfully complete the task and avoid being forfeited by the whole group. This exercise is meant to encourage teamwork (motivation through team performance), taking responsibility and working to deadline.
11.0 TEAMBUILDING TRAINING COST
Tabke 2: Projected training cost
COST FACTORS
|
VALUE ( Nigerian Naira)
|
START-UP COST
| |
Development cost
|
200,000.00
|
Consultant to prepare the lesson plan
|
50.000.00
|
Marketing costs to get participants interested
|
50,000.00
|
Education equipment (USBs, laptops etc.)
|
1,300,000.00
|
Tools and equipment for class demonstration
|
80,500.00
|
Material for display
|
35,000.00
|
ON-GOING COST
| |
Overhead cost to organise and coordinate training effort
|
150,000.00
|
Instructors fees
|
100,000.00
143,000.00
|
Ancillary costs
|
44,000.00
15,000.00
6,000.00
25,000.00
|
TOTAL AMOUNT:
|
Naira (NGN): 2,198,500.00
Ringgit (MYR): 42,377.18
Dollar (USD): 14,203.99
|
12.0 TEAMBUILDING TRAINING EVALUATION DESIGN AND CRITERIA
Figure 7: Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model
Source as: Adapted from Kirkpatrick (1994).
The evaluation process and design will be based on Kirkpatrick's four model design for evaluating training programs as illustrated in the figure (5) below. This evaluation will cover the four criteria a discussed below before being termed as successful. Reaction and learning measures are used to accessed the internal validity of the training, while the performance and result measure are used to accessed the general transfer of acquired skills from training to jobs and in the organisation (Berry, 1998)
12.1 Reactions to the training – participants will be asked if they have enjoyed the training and if they have learned from it. This is meant to understand their perception about the training, as this can easily illustrates possible impacts the training will have on trainee's overall performance based on skills learned from the training. Positive reaction means the trainees have probably learned from the training program.
12.2 Learning measure – a test question will be presented on the first date of the course to test what trainees have learned from the training, with questions based on the overall tutorial and theoretical section of the first date. Answers with 60 grades above will be marked as a success, while those with less than 60 will be considered a failure. This is because, understanding the tutorial section is essential to build up trainee's skills before putting them through the practical section.
12.3 Performance measure – clearly, it can been seen that Kirkpatrick's model was taken into deep consideration from the very beginning of this training program, considering the enormous amount of money needed to conduct a training program, and the debate on its impact on employee's performance. The performance measure, will measure each trainee's ability to transfer acquired skills into their workplace performance. This will be tested on the second day of the training program, and it is the mean reason why it will be done with real-life scenario, to put employees on the same position they will be in real life.
12.4 Result – On long-term bases, each team will be monitored to see how they are able to implement the learned skills in the team. This will be based on comparison with previous team's abilities and productivity level, with their abilities and productivity level after the training. Such of these result determining context will be how they value and respect team leaders, ease teamwork completion based on pre-dateline and on-dateline performances, and the overall change in the productivity level of the team based on their return on investments and total generated revenue after the training.
TRAINING EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE MEASURE
In order to determine the impact of the training and possible acquired skills from the training, each trainee will be evaluated with the performance measuring form illustrated below to determine the possible acquired skills and possibility of transferring these skills into their work and among staffs.
Gender: M (), Female (). Department: Sales and Marketing (), Production ()
Please fill this form in the other of preference
Table 5: performance measuring form after the training program
QUESTIONS
|
ANSWERS
| |
YES
|
NO
| |
Was the lecturing section easy to understand?
| ||
Do you think the trainer was clear and loud enough?
| ||
Was the training fun and interesting enough
| ||
Did you learn any new skills?
| ||
If yes, what skill did you learn? Please list below
| ||
If no, why didn't you learn any skill? Please list below
| ||
Do you think this training will influence your productivity level?
| ||
Where your group member helping and approachable?
| ||
Do you think you will be able to teach other based on what you have learnt today?
| ||
Was the time sufficient enough?
| ||
Did the setting provide good atmosphere for easy learning?
| ||
If no, what kind of setting do you suggest?
| ||
13.0 CRITICAL FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DELIVERING THE TRAINING PROGRAM
13.1 Department of staffs – because three different departments are involved, it must be considered that their mode of operation is totally different from each other (e.g. production department compared with marketing department), thus, different training practices will be designed for each department and it is crucial to make sure that each staff is training with the right department.
13.2 Level of education – since different staffs have different qualifications and work experiences, the training will be designed in an easy-to-understand way, making use of visualizations and simple English. This will ensure that all participating staffs fully understand all that is being lectured and practiced within the training course.
13.3 Timing – it is essential that all expected staffs are available at the time of the training course, thus, their working time will be evaluated to better fix the training on a date when all of the participants are expected to be present, and replacement classes for any of them who happens to be absent for un-circumstantial reasons such as illness etc.
13.4 Learning atmosphere – different individual have different learning style, and if unsuitable learning formats are used, it could affect their ability to learn from the course cause training wastages in terms of money and time spent. Therefore, a calm atmosphere will be installed in the auditorium to ensure that participants are focused and easily grab the skills being lectured.
13.5 Curriculum - The entire training program must be based on the developed plan in the curriculum given to the trainers. This is to ensure that the required skills are being learned, and increased participant's focus on the training program instead of bombarding them with irrelevant issues that are not contained in the training plan.
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