CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Before the independence of Nigeria, there was little or no manufacturing taking place. The role envisaged for the colonies by our colonial masters was that of producers of raw materials and consumers of finished products. Planned industrial development did not really commence until after Nigeria gained her sovereignty, there was change in economic activity due to the power shift from the colonial masters to the Nigerians (Indigenisation Policy of 1972).

In order to consolidate her political positions, Nigeria government started to encourage individuals to establish industries mainly for import substitutions. Manufacturing firms were set –up by private individuals for production of goods and services such as food processing, agro-allied industry, chemical, pharmaceutical industry, based industry & petrochemical industry etc.

Owing to the government encouragement on indigenization programmes in 1972 more business were established (as mentioned above). Also because of the vital roles business play in the economy, more manufacturing / multinational companies were established so as to stimulate economic activities and as a means to develop the economy as a whole. Although, ever before the independence, most manufacturing sector that were operating in Nigerian economy were largely owned by foreigners and due to the indigenization programme that encouraged private owned businesses, Nigeria took interest in the operation and establishment. Most of the business owners or manufacturers were profit conscious instead of the consumer protection.

In fact, almost everybody wants to make it fast, and become a millionaire overnight. This ambition is what made most manufacturers to be producing low standard products which are detrimental to the health of the general public. Most products are below standard and do not at times achieving the objectives of their production.

(Nnenna B. Ani, 1999: 9) Because of the values average Nigerians   attached to money (wealth), no matter how the wealth is a acquired, they don’t care to know. This is why people go into swindling (419) where they dupe unsuspected business men or innocent members of the public.

Instead of causing more harm to the Nigeria economy, they should have gone into goods and services productions in other to will improve on the economy. (Nnenna B. Ani, 1999:2) Thus conserving our dwindling foreign exchange earnings and generating employment opportunities for our school leavers and university graduates and earns some foreign exchange for the economy just as there was a tendency that manufacturing system / multinational companies will be of great help to the whole economy.

(Ojemba  G. Agbo. 1999:67) They are a few things a developing country needs as much as multinational companies. These are few contributions from which it can benefit so much as from the multinational corporation can make. In the economy of developing or less developed countries in which Nigerian is one, the impact of Multinational Corporation may be described as follows; Health, employment, education, creation of industries, skills development, social responsibility etc. So the companies like UAC foods plc. Gumess, Smith Laline Beedan, M&B etc., have through these provisions really created a great development to our economy.

On the other hand, many harm have been done to the development of the Nigerian economy, there are loops holes on the total development. They have not been performing as expected. Sunrise flour mills and UAC foods Plc. in Enugu state have not found to be different in the case of ignorance and mismanagement of resource.

Because of the damages caused by most business to the economy as a developing one, government therefore embark on regulation and control of business to enhance this level of productivity and also to make positive impact on the economy.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The performance of business organization in Enugu State is major source of concern and worry to all well meaningful citizen of the state, even the state government Most of the business organization in Enugu State are equipped with numerous men, materials and other resources to manage.

In spite of government regulation and control aimed at setting these businesses on a sound footing, the management of these business organizations have proved to be inefficient, ineffective and non-result oriented. Even the government owned industry performed woefully.

Looking intently at this statement, we can deduce that Nigeria is endowed with many natural resources, numerous to mention, in spite of the level of natural resources that Nigeria has, mismanagement, lack of direction and misappropriation among others are the factors that are militating against the development of the Nigeria economy.

The researcher will however go further to add other factors as government regulation and control imposed on these business organization which have proved to be impediment to the profitability of these business. These regulation and control include appointment to this business of unskilled/or untrained staff.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The broad purpose of the research is to study government’s regulation and control of business in a developing economy. The specific purposes are to find out,

(i)                The reason why government regulates and controls business organization in a developing economy.

(ii)             The tools used by government for effective and efficient regulation and control.

(iii)            And how government regulates sunrise mills ltd and UAC foods plc.

1.4       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research topic spans over businesses in Nigeria developing economy, but the researcher covers only two business organizations in Enugu State, sunrise flour mills Ltd and UAC foods Plc.

Normally, the nature of the study requires a random drawn from a large population to validate the initial postulations that most of these business organizations in Nigeria perform below expectation.

The research does not ignore this important research requirement, but sees the concentration in Enugu State as not neglecting the validation of the generalization because it has become an accepted fact that most business organization perform badly, for this reasons, the researcher believes that what obtains in the rats village is also, obtainable in the rabbits village.

Therefore, our findings in these business organizations would be applicable to other business organizations in Nigeria economy.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.     Does any factor constitute the major projective of the business organization?

2.     What are the factors responsible for the poor performance of the business organization?

3.      Does the organization have performance rating?

1.6       RESEACH HYPOTHESIS

H01:      Government regulation is contrary to the private objective of the business

H02:      Government law affects the business operations adversely.

1.7       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is worthy to note that today is a review of yesterday and the basis for future plans of action. That Nigeria economy is in stage of development today is evidence that, the economy will develop and appreciate to the benefit of all. This research study is therefore relevant first to various sectors of the economy. It is equally relevant to policy making bodies of government as tasks participation in some business in the economy as concerned.

It is hoped that this study will benefits top management of these business organizations’ whole operations, and  providing a kind of check-up list for efficient business management for the academic and Nigeria society. The research study will serve the purpose of arising deeper and genuine interest on the subject matter for further research aimed at eliminating these terrible situations from our system. It is by deliberate action that the intention of this study is to contribute towards improving the quality of business administration and management in Nigeria and in the particular case in Enugu State.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Government:  This refers to the body of persons governing a state.

Business: This is an economic activity in production of goods and services for the satisfaction of mankind.

Capacity Building: Ability of an entity to perform through the strengthening of institutions, systems and procedures, and through an extensive system of training for planning, coordination and utilization of resource.

Commercial Bank: Privately owned banks receiving deposits and making loans through a large number of branches. In Nigeria, the commercial banks are concerned mainly with receiving deposits and making short-term loans to private individuals, companies and other organization etc.

Commercialization: The reorganization of government owned firms such that they would be operating as profit making commercial ventures, like privately owned firms, without getting subvention from government. It means that such firms will now charge fees for their services even though they are still owned by the government in Nigeria.

Delegation of Authority: The assignment of the right to use power and responsibility to another person for the carrying out of specific activities in organizations.

Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, Industry and other professional activities for which government rules were established and bureaucracies created to administer. That is the idea behind privatization of business organizations owned by the state.

Development: Growth and increase in the productive capacity of the society. It is a rapid and sustained rise in the real output per head and corresponding advances in the technological, economic and demographic characteristics of the society. This is also known as economic development.

Development Banks: Banks that encourage capital, investment for the reconstruction and development of communities either by channelling the necessary funds or by making loans from their own resources.

Economic Growth: The steady process of increasing productive capacity of the economy and hence of increasing national income.

Infrastructural Facilities: The wider lying capital of a society embodied in roads and other transportation and communications systems, as well as water supplies, electric power, and overhead capital, the term is also often widened to include the health, skills, education and other qualities of the population.

Privatization: The transfer of government owned share-holding in some selected companies to private share-holders, who might be individuals or corporate bodies.

Regulations: The most detailed form of economic plan for a country as well as the rule-making process of those administrative agencies changed with the official interpretation of a statute.

Small and Medium Enterprises: Enterprises which have been classified by size and having the value of fixed assets ranging from a minimum of N400, 000 to a maximum of 20million. Enterprises whose fixed assets exceed N10 million are considered to be large-scale enterprises.

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