The Missing Factor in Vroom's Performance Model and It's Implication on Performance of Nigeria Public Officials

Abstract

The issue of integrity of public office holders has been a major constraint in the wheel of economic performance and development in Nigeria. Before and during 1960's, there was general belief that the greatest obstacle to Nigeria economic performance and development is  colonial masters that  take from the economy in  economic terms more than they put in (colonialism), the shortage of capital,  shortage of qualified manpower and  as well  lack of motivation of indigenous labour force by the colonial masters. Nigeria has since gotten independence, discovered oil in commercial quantities, an average Nigeria worker presently is capable as his counterpart anywhere in the world in terms of ability and capability, and will produce as well if given the opportunity, hence the problem of colonialism, shortage of capital, shortage of qualified manpower, as well as motivation is now out of place and no more tenable, yet Nigeria as a country is under- performing. What then is the problem? The success of every country's development is largely depended on the credibility of individual saddled with the management of the economy.  The purpose of this study is to determine whether Nigeria Public officials lack integrity and the extent to which their lack in integrity has contributed to non performance of the economy. The study wish also to ascertain whether Vroom's performance model works in Nigeria situation and if not to determine whether the absent of integrity factor in Vroom's model inhibits its workability in Nigeria setting. The study concludes that integrity is the pivot on which the performance of all managers (Public or Private) hinges, and that Vroom's performance model fails to work in Nigeria situation because an important factor ‘integrity' is missing in the model, hence there is the  need for Nigerian managers to modify the model in practical terms by including integrity as a pre-requisite while choosing leaders for organizations. Therefore, this study is of the view that the management of Nigeria economy should be place in the hands of men and women of unquestionable and high integrity.  The study recommends that sincerity, credibility should be enthroned, encouraged and sustained by people in governance so that with ability, motivation and integrity, managers of government businesses will begin to perform optimally.