Problems of managing public sectors in the Southwest region: Case study CDC

ABSTRACT

It is a fact that there are some factors that are responsible for the poor performance of public sector in the Southwest region. Public sector plays a vital role in the Southwest region in economy and also in the social and political lives of the people. Public sector an organization that is motivated by a number of factors in government, the State is to utilize input like raw-materials, land and man-power in the production of physical or tangible products for their consumer satisfaction. The primary objective of carryout this study, is to critically examine the factors responsible for the poor performance of public sector in the Southwest region, the various functions, achievements, etc. contributes to individuals as well as the sectors of the economy. This study examines the evolution of public sector from inception to date, to lay more emphasis on the importance and gains of public sector in the rural area and take a look at the problems and suggestions to solve these problems. Theory X and theory Y have been used here to show the contrasting models of workforce motivation applied by managers in human resources management, organizational behavior, organizational communication and organizational development. Theory X explains the importance of heightened supervision, external rewards and penalties, while theory Y highlights the motivating role of job satisfaction and encourages workers to approach tasks without direct supervision. A fieldwork was carryout at the CDC Tiko branch and workers camp, the hypothesis tested by the chi-square method and the conclusions also proved all necessary conclusion of how best these problems can be solved, especially regarding the case study here, CDC. It can be clearly seen from the findings and analysis that the Problem of managing public sector   is a threat to the industry. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The CDC (Cameroon Development Cooperation) is one of the numerous public parastatals set up by the government of Cameroon in partnership with other private companies, it primary objective is to provide utility to the public, especially employment and development. CDC is an agro-industrial organization, located in the South West Region of Cameroon, formed in 1947 with the aim of developing tropical crop plantations for export and the national market. It runs banana, rubber and oil palm plantations. The Cameroon Development Corporation is the central African country’s second largest employer and runs banana, palm oil, and rubber plantations. The CDC is an agribusiness company and its general offices are based in Bota, Limbe. Its principal products include rubber, oil palm, bananas, coconuts, tea, et cetera. The CDC is the largest employer in Cameroon and has helped the “bottle neck” Cameroonians and the country in a cultural way. Most of the first workers in Cameroon worked on its plantations. From wages earned on these plantations, millions of Cameroonians have received an education on the corrupt nature of the leadership.

The CDC operates in groups, with each group controlling its own crop. For example the Group Palms Management is in charge of palm tree planting, growing, harvesting of palm fruits and the production of palm oil for export and local consumption.

Staff operates in 3 levels: Senior service, intermediate service and Laborers.

It is impossible to discuss the ‘global’ public sector, as there are so many variations in the scope and shape of public sectors in the 196 countries of the world. Taking health services as an example, only about forty countries provide universal health care to their citizens, but many others provide partial health services. Some countries fund health services directly from taxation alone (e.g. UK, the Nordic countries); others by a mix of public funding and fees for certain services (levied on individuals or employers, for which individuals may or must take out insurance). As for services themselves, e.g. hospital services, these might variously be provided directly, via public corporations, by using the private sector, or by a combination of these alternatives. The public sector in any country is shaped by a combination of various factors, including its economic performance, political philosophy, extent of involvement of external agencies (e.g. aid agencies) and demand from its population for services and infrastructure.

With the attainment of independence by most African countries in the late 1950s and 1960s, the public sector is generally regarded as the pivot that will promote socioeconomic development. The basic function of the public sector, which comprises a number of institutions for the making and implementation of decisions with regard to interests of various kinds, was to provide goods and services to citizens based on “realization and representation of public interests and its possession of unique public qualities compared to business management” (Haque, 2001: 65). However, the public sector was not able to perform its function effectively because of its “accumulation of excessive power, lack of accountability and representation, indifference towards public needs and demands, official secrecy and inaccessibility, and role in depoliticizing the public sphere” (Garnham, 1990; Haque, 1994). This ineffectiveness coupled with the economic crises of the late 1970s and 1980s and the apparent lessons from international experience of the success of market-friendly economies have combined to produce what some scholars have referred to as the “redefinition of the role of the state or public sector” (Fiszbein, 2000: 163).

Serving the public has never been anything easy to manage. There are two kinds of public servants here in Cameroon. There are those in the private sector and others in the public sector. Those in the public sector are referred to in Cameroon, Africa and other parts of the world as Civil Servants.

It has never been easy to associate one-self in any of these political or economic sectors in the country. But once you find yourself inside, then you just have to count it as a bang of luck. Public Servants in Cameroon (Susana Dione  Epiepang)

 1.2      STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The CDC has lots of problems that militate against effectiveness. The problems in the CDC are Lack of Innovations, Excessive Government Control etc. Indeed, these are few problems that hinder desirable productivity and growth of the CDC.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

          All research study is aimed at achieving certain objectives.  The objectives of this study include the following.

Identify the failure and low productivity of CDC

To examine the causes of increasing demand for imported goods by Cameroon.

To assess how the problems facilitating against Cameroon guest for industrialization can be mitigated.

 1.4    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

To guide this project work, the following research questions were formulated to ensure clarifies.

What are the problems behind the mismanagement of the CDC in the Southwest region of Cameroon and it recent failures?

What are the alternative sources of funds valuable to finance the CDC?

What is the level of support by the government to the CDC in the Southwest region?

1.5    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is focused on a period of five years (2015-2020) to obtain a good assessment of what has been done so far concerning the problems behind poor management of the CDC in the Southwest region of Cameroon.

This study is designed to cover as much as possible, all aspects of poor performance of the manufacturing industrial with emphasis on the problems and solutions to its poor performance and also the effect of the production aspects of the industries.

The study essentially deals with the application of problem of managing in public sectors. This study is restricted to only to the Southwest region

FURTHER READING: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PROJECT TOPICS WITH MATERIALS