CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE SUBJECT MATTER:
The use of the committee system of reaching decision is not new in the public and private sector organization inNigeria. A study of Nigerian establishments shows that 78% of the organizations studies reported the existence of one committee or the other. We are familiar with such term as executive, advisory, legislative standing and adhoc committee that exist in most public and private sector of organizations as tools for decision making. Although, most decision in organizations are made after consultation with those member of that organisation who have the special knowledge or experience relating to the problem at hand or after consultation with those whose advice is considered valuable, the highly specialized managerial skills to arrive at the best solution to complex and sensitive organizational problems. But there have been some negative controversies as to the justification of the use of those specialized managerial skills which can only be provided by committees. Many people see committee especially in government owned establishment.
(a) Time consuming
(b) Very expensive
(c) Usually composed by unqualified personnel.
(d) A group of people whose decision is most often a compromise.
(e) A means through which executives hide their inefficiency.
On the other hand, opponents of this view state that the committee system has the advantage of producing excellent judgment through combined ideas that the development of personnel sense of judgment creating the chance of greater acceptance of ideas etc. Thus there is a need for a balanced to be struck between the demerits and merits of employing the committee system as tool for reaching decisions in order to effectively develop and utilize them in future for optimum results. Because of the extensive use of committee system by the government parastatals.
1.1 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER:
The committee have some disadvantages and problems, those include the time spent to arrive at a generally acceptable decision. Committee is most often not consumerate to the benefits derivable from their use. It is a fact that it will cost an organization more to maintain several people working on the same problem than if it were one person. Another problem is on the educational and technical qualification of the members of the committee especially in public sector enterprises in criticized on grounds of poor qualifications of members.
Moreover, critics that most committees decision are compromise decision. This is collaborated by a study of the public service which showed that 55% of the respondents were of the view that committees were guarantee doubts for making decisions. All these generate doubts as to the effectiveness of the committee system of decision making.
1.2 PROBLEMS THAT THE STUDY WILL BE CONCERNED WITH:
This is empirical research work which has the purpose of investigating into the use of committee in decision making. As a result of the effectiveness and limitations of its use, it can be determined and suggestions made on how best to use the system for making decision. Specifically the study has the following objectives:
To ascertain policy towards the use of committees, and to identify problems inherent in committee system of the organization. To examine the method used in appointing members into committees at a company. To find out how staff of a company perceive the committee system of that organization. To offer suggestions on how the company’s committee system could be improved to properly function as an effective tool for achieving better decision.
1.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE AREA:
This empirical research will be useful to the management of all organizations especially those that use committee for making decisions.
It would also be of most significance to the government owned companies which make extensive use of committees.
Finally, the study would serve as a background for further studies and a resource for scholars and other researchers who might be interested in the subject area.
Once the purpose for which this committee automatically stands dissolved, standing committees is formed and established by some organizations and to which duties are assigned from time to time, some companies or organizations established standing committees in different facts of operation.
1.4 DEFINITIONS OF IMPORTANT TERMS
COMMITTEE: Body appointed to discharge special function by body including representatives of separate appointing bodies, sitting of member of the whole house, house of parliament sitting to discuss details of committed bill or can be defined as also person whom charge of lunatic is committed.
EXECUTIVE: Concerned with execution especially of laws and sentence and also a branch of government.
DECISION: Act of deciding, settlement of an issue, conclusion come to or resolve made, decisiveness of mind or deciding an issue or contribution to a battle or superiority.
LEGISLATIVE: Executive specially or describing of about the people that make law.
ORGANISATION: Organised body or system of society
CONSULTATION: Take counsel or seeking information or advice from person or book.
CHAPTER REFERENCE
Nwachukwu Celestine C. (1998) Management of Theory and Practice,
Onitsha, Africana – Feb Publisher Ltd p. 58.
Jennings, E. C. (1971) Success Chess Management of Personnel Quarterly.
Carol, B. Gilmore et al (1983) The Dual Career Couples. A Challenge
to Personnel on the eighties. Business Horizon 25
pg. 36-41.
.