ABSTRACT

Time management is a highly important issue in every organization. Therefore, this study focused on the performance evaluation of time management and its effect on employee performance at Dangote Cement Company, Obajana, Kogi State. The study sought to examine the nature of time management, determine the extent to which time management influences employee performance, and identify measures that could be adopted to improve time management practices. A quantitative research approach was employed because it provides an opportunity to describe the personal characteristics, opinions, attitudes, perceptions, and preferences of respondents. The major source of data was a structured questionnaire administered to staff of Dangote Cement Company. The study involved a total of 80 respondents selected from a population of 150 personnel. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20, and the results were presented using tables and figures. The findings revealed that effective time management enables the organization under study to remain competitive and attract more business opportunities. The study concluded that there is a significant and positive relationship between time management practices and employee performance. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that Dangote Cement Company should strictly adhere to effective time management practices in order to deliver quality services to its customers, gain competitive advantage, and achieve organizational success.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The historical development of time management can be traced to the period of the Industrial Revolution (Nayab, 2011). The concept of time management has gradually developed and undergone significant transformation, moving from the classical understanding of managing time to the modern concept, which emphasizes an individual's ability to exercise control over daily activities and successfully accomplish assigned tasks. Subsequent developments and the Industrial Revolution enabled people to exercise greater control over nature and utilize it for their benefit. The introduction of large machines and industrial facilities reduced dependence on weather conditions, while artificial lighting and the invention of electricity made the traditional concept of daylight hours less relevant to work activities.

Before the mid-eighteenth century, farmers, artisans such as seamstresses and carpenters, and fishermen generally lived relatively simple lives. Their work output depended considerably on natural forces such as the sun and wind, while the sun and moon played important roles in determining time. During this period, time management was largely influenced by natural conditions, including weather, tides, and seasons. For instance, holidays could be observed during stormy seasons, daylight determined the length of working hours, and productivity and job performance were strongly influenced by changes in the growing season (Nayab, 2011).

In discussing the historical development of time management, Nayab (2011) noted that greater attention was given to the concept of time during the nineteenth century for several reasons. First, the progress of the Industrial Revolution transformed the economy from one that was primarily agricultural into one based on industrial trade. This transformation created a greater need for effective time management because the timely production and trading of goods became a major requirement for achieving success in the emerging economic environment. In addition, developments in communication, improvements in postal services, and the subsequent expansion of railway systems required accurate timekeeping. These developments consequently increased the importance of time management and highlighted its relationship with job performance and organizational effectiveness (Arnold & Pulich, 2004).

Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson are credited with contributing to the development and recognition of the benefits of time management. Thomas Jefferson introduced a clock with a dial containing three hands that represented seconds, minutes, and hours, which could be used in planning personal activities (Nayab, 2011). According to Nayab (2011), Benjamin Franklin's famous perspective on time, expressed in 1748, included the statements, “Time is Money” and “Time is the stuffs of which life is made.” Inspired by the ideas and contributions of these influential figures, society has increasingly come to associate punctuality and timeliness with maturity and responsibility. Even the practice of children wearing watches has sometimes been associated with signs of maturity. Workers in the nineteenth century generally had less flexible work schedules, while business owners were more comfortable with managing their time. Apart from approximately three hours devoted to business responsibilities, much of the remaining part of the day was spent attending to social commitments (Sowa, 2002).

During the twentieth century, the development of time management occurred alongside the evolution of management science (Taylor, 1910). Frederick W. Taylor's scientific management approach included shop management and emphasized the importance of establishing standards for time management. Taylor attributed some causes of employee inefficiency and poor performance to inadequate incentives, which he believed contributed to employees performing their duties poorly. He therefore introduced a system in which workers were paid based on the completion of established goals or tasks and specific work targets were set for employees. Many contemporary approaches to time management have been influenced by Taylor's principles of scientific management (Nayab, 2011).

According to Azablet and Almaz (2015), the concept of time management has become an important variable associated with the success of businesses in the modern world. Time management provides a useful means of ensuring that managerial decisions and organizational actions are appropriate and directed toward improving productivity. Over time, time management has developed into an important form of investment within organizations because it helps optimize available resources and ensure their effective utilization. Effective time management can consequently generate greater returns and create additional value for organizations (Azablet & Almaz, 2015). Philpot (2011) described time management as a tool that assists individuals in planning their activities and obtaining greater benefits from the time available to them. The concept of time management originated from the Industrial Revolution and has remained an important concern for job performance because it helps organizations optimize resources toward accomplishing established tasks, objectives, and priorities.

The activities associated with an individual's responsibilities must be properly organized and controlled in relation to the time available, making self-control over time both necessary and essential. Interruptions can place greater pressure on occupations that require regular interaction with other people than on jobs involving solitary activities. Similarly, newly employed workers and employees who have recently been assigned new responsibilities are more likely to experience the negative effects of unpredictable events and competing priorities than workers occupying established positions where consistency and routine are already common. Employees' ability to identify and establish priorities among their various job responsibilities is therefore an important concern (Njagi & Malel, 2012).

Effective time management represents a major challenge currently being addressed by supervisors across the world because of the large number of responsibilities they are expected to accomplish within limited periods (Azablet & Almaz, 2015). Time is one of the most important resources required by employees, managers, and organizations to accomplish their established goals, objectives, and targets (Adeojo, 2012). Numerous books, seminars, and workshops have been developed to provide organizations and individuals with opportunities to learn about time management and improve productivity and performance, particularly when activities are appropriately identified as urgent and important (Ojokuku & Obasan, 2011). Time management enables employees to prioritize their responsibilities according to their importance to the organization while identifying the time and additional resources required to complete tasks within established deadlines.

1.2 Problem Statement

Time is essential to every organization that seeks to achieve its goals and objectives. The satisfactory achievement of desired organizational objectives represents a significant challenge and concern for organizations (Adeojo, 2012). One of the most valuable skills an individual can acquire is the ability to manage time effectively and efficiently. When time is not properly managed, achieving established workplace goals and personal objectives becomes extremely difficult. Individuals may make some progress, but such progress can remain limited without appropriate time management (Alan, 2009).

Nevertheless, effective time management can become a difficult undertaking when individuals fail to dedicate sufficient attention and effort to managing their available time. People who consistently waste the limited time available to them understand how difficult it can become to accomplish even relatively simple or poorly arranged objectives. Time remains one of the greatest equalizers in everyday life. Regardless of a person's personality, income, age, race, gender, or religion, every individual has the same amount of time available each day. Wealth does not increase the amount of time a person possesses (Steven, 2009). The issue is therefore not necessarily how much time an individual has, but rather how effectively that time is managed.

This situation has become a major concern for directors and chief executive officers who seek to accomplish established organizational objectives and tasks. In the corporate environment, time is often regarded as money, and organizations that successfully cultivate effective time-management habits among their employees tend to achieve improved performance (Njagi & Malel, 2012). However, some organizations do not give sufficient attention to time management. This can negatively influence the work output of employees, which, over time, can affect the overall productivity of the organization and ultimately contribute to broader productivity challenges within the nation.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to determine the effect of time management on employee performance at Dangote Cement Company.

In order to achieve the general objective of the study, the following specific objectives are addressed:

i. To examine the nature of time management at Dangote Cement Company.

ii. To determine the extent to which time management affects employee performance at Dangote Cement Company.

iii. To examine the measures for improving the nature of time management at Dangote Cement Company.

1.4 Research Questions

In order to obtain reliable findings and achieve the objectives established for the study, the following research questions were formulated:

i. What is the nature of time management at Dangote Cement Company?

ii. What is the effect of time management on employee performance at Dangote Cement Company?

iii. What measures are used to improve the nature of time management at Dangote Cement Company?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will help in determining the causes, importance, and effects of time management on employee performance. Furthermore, the study is significant because it will educate Dangote Cement Company, as well as other organizations, on the importance of effective time management among employees.

The study will also contribute to the existing body of knowledge by providing findings that can complement previous studies conducted in this area. Such information can enable individuals working in different organizations and other parts of the country to develop a better understanding of the issue of time management and benefit from the findings of the research.

In addition, the study will provide recommendations on ways employees can improve their time-management abilities in order to enhance their performance and minimize the negative effects associated with poor time management. Effective application of the recommendations is expected to contribute to improved employee efficiency and productivity.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The organization selected for the study is Dangote Cement Company. The study is specifically designed to limit the scope of the research to the Head Office of Dangote Cement Company, Obajana, Kogi State, where the data for the study will be collected.

1.7 Organization of the Study

The study is divided into five chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction and discusses the background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, and limitations of the study.

Chapter Two reviews relevant literature relating to the performance evaluation of time management and employee performance. It also examines the significance of the research topic and other important concepts and ideas associated with the proposed study.

Chapter Three focuses on the methodology adopted for the research. It discusses the research design, population of the study, sample size, sampling design and procedures, data collection instruments, schedule and methods of data collection, data processing procedures, and methods and procedures used for data analysis.

Chapter Four concentrates on the analysis of the data collected and presentation of the findings in relation to the literature reviewed. In this chapter, the data obtained from the respondents are analyzed and the results derived from the analysis are presented and interpreted.

Chapter Five presents the summary of the study, conclusions drawn from the findings, and recommendations on strategies that can be adopted to improve employee time management and consequently enhance employee performance.