EMPLOYEE SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND PRODUCTIVITY OF INTERIOR DECORATION COMPANIES IN RIVERS STATE

Stowe, A. N.

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Wechi, I.

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

wechie.ibekwe@ust.edu.ng

and

Olomi, P. O.

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between social integration and the productivity of interior decoration companies in Rivers State. A review of extant literature on social wellbeing and organizational productivity was undertaken, with productivity measures identified to include product quality, work output and efficiency. The study adopted a correlational design, and data was obtained from 129 management staff using the questionnaire instrument. The validity test was carried out using the Face validity, while the Cronbach alpha reliability test was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. The bi-variate analysis was done using the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The result showed that the relationship between social integration, and the measures of organizational productivity (product quality, work output and efficiency) are all significant, where social integration is revealed to significantly enhance and drive the productivity of the interior decoration companies in Rivers State. Thus, all related null hypotheses were rejected. It was concluded that the reinforcement of structures and features that emphasize and facilitate social integration will in turn impact positively on the productivity of interior decoration companies in Rivers State. It was therefore recommended that the management of the interior decoration industry structure work arrangements to be more interdependent and emphatic of social relationships and integration as a way of bolstering the productivity of the interior decoration companies in Rivers State.

Keywords: Employee social integration, organizational productivity, product quality, work output, efficiency.