MANPOWER PLANNING AND STRATEGIC GOALS ACHIEVEMENT OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between manpower planning and strategic goals achievement in public universities in Southwest Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the level of strategic goals achievement, the extent of manpower planning, and how manpower planning predicts strategic goal attainment. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 600 academic and non-academic staff selected through a multistage sampling procedure across six universities (three federal and three state) in three randomly chosen states. Data were gathered using two validated and reliable instruments: the Questionnaire on Manpower Planning (QMP) and the Questionnaire on Strategic Goal Achievements of Public Universities (QSGAPU). Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson correlation and multiple regression, were used for analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that public universities achieved their strategic goals to a high extent (average mean = 2.81), with strengths in areas such as graduate employability, ICT infrastructure, and community service. The extent of manpower planning was also rated high (average mean = 2.87), though staff welfare was identified as a weakness. A significant positive relationship was found between manpower planning and strategic goal achievement (r = 0.864, p < 0.05), with manpower planning variables jointly accounting for 93.9% of the variance in strategic goals achievement. Staff welfare packages emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.515). Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that manpower planning significantly influence the achievement of strategic goals in public universities in Southwest, Nigeria. The study recommended that universities enhance staff welfare, make strategic goals explicit to staff, and intensify efforts to improve global rankings.