Manpower Development and Employees’ Performance: Qualitative Assessment of Small and Medium Scale Business in Abuja Nigeria

Manpower development is receiving broader consideration with the emergent of current globalization and unstable job market due to the present economic recession in Nigeria. Developed and developing countries in the world have placed emphases on manpower development as instrument geared towards improving employees’ performance by devoting necessary organisation resources towards manpower training and knowledge transfer. Although there is a broad assumption that manpower has positive effects on organisations’ productivity, yet there is paucity empirical data on how manpower development impact on SMEs in Nigeria federal capital territory, Abuja coupled with the dwindling productivity fortune of SMEs in these past years as reported by Abuja chambers of commerce and industry. The focus group discussion qualitative method was adopted for this study. The purpose of the focus group discussion was to strengthen and corroborate evidence and findings from the literature. The findings from the literature reviewed and Focus Group Discussion, of this study revealed that manpower development leads to better employees’ performance. Thus SMEs businesses should view manpower development as a fundamental response to the achievement of better employees’ performance. Specifically, SMEs organisations must invest necessary resources in developing manpower which tends to have a great impact on employees’ performance.