CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The success of any higher education institution like every organization depends primarily on

the people it employs, their competence, commitment and motivation to perform the mission,

goals and task of the organization. The 21^st century remains the period of development of a

knowledge-based economy in which higher education institutions such as universities,

polytechnics and colleges of education are expected to play key roles as drivers of

development. Again, the challenges of globalization, the development of technology and

the knowledge-based economy, have continued to underscore the need to develop higher

education institutions to be able to produce the needed human capital to drive educational

goals and consequently, national development. Without an adequate, skilled and well-

motivated workforce operating within a sound human resource management, development

and execution of educational programmes are far from being achieved. Human resource

management in higher education institutions is very important as undermining it would result

in social, political and economic jeopardy. This paper therefore focuses on the need for

higher education institutions in Nigeria to adopt a strategic human resource management

which would address challenges of recruitment, training and development, performance and

appraisal system, remuneration and reward system, working condition as well as retention

plan and organizational culture.In undertaking the study, ability-motivation-opportunity

(AMO) model or theory was adopted as the theoretical underpinning of the study.It suggests

that organizational interests are best served by a system that attends to the employee ability,

motivation and opportunity (AMO).AMO theory helps to choose from human resource

practices that foster organizational performance.The paper however recommends strict

adherence to proper procedures for recruitment of staff in line with best practices. Also,

training and development of staff among other incentives should be well-packaged in the

higher education institutions' human resource management in order to guarantee a highly

motivated workforce. Above all, there is need for Nigerian higher education institutions to as

a matter of necessity adopt the strategic human resource management approach if they

must attain skillful management of staff competencies.