CAREER DEVELOPMENT AS THE DETERMINANT OF ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH: A CASE STUDY OF ECOBANK ZAMBIA LIMITED

Abstract

The study sought to make an assessment of how career development influenced organisational growth for Ecobank Zambia Limited. When an organisation is growing exponentially thorough increase in revenue, profits and productivity it is bound to survive in the market place and deal with competitors. The key specific objectives of the study were to find out the degree to which management values career development for its employees, to establish how career development improves productivity, profit and revenue and to determine the methods used in career development by Ecobank Zambia Limited and the contribution made by the individual employees in their own career development. The research questions in the study were developed from the specific objectives. A theoretical review of career development was carried out by the researcher to make a determination on the relevance of career development as a subject of study. This undertaken facilitated the development of the conceptual framework and identification of research variables. The empirical study on career development was also part of the literature review for the purpose of finding existing gaps which the study was aiming at filling. The purpose of the study was an exploratory and descriptive and hence the researcher adopted a Case Study strategy. The researcher sample 14 operational and senior staff selected purposively from a total of 85 personnel at the Ecobank Head Office in Lusaka. Semi-structured interviews and observations where used to collect primary data. Secondary data was obtained from the literature review, the human resource and finance departments in Ecobank Zambia Limited. The responses from the semistructured interviews analysed using content analysed to identify themes. The literature review and observations made in the study was also used in analysing the primary data. The analysis of primary data did not require complex statistical analysis as the study was qualitative. Microsoft excel was used to analyse and present the results of the study in simple descriptive statistics using tables, graphs and pie-charts. The study found that career development was a strategic imperative in Ecobank Zambia Limited. The study also found that In-House methods of career development such as secondments, workshops and on the job training were more common as opposed to external methods. The study also found that career development motivates and increases the morale of staff members resulting in high productivity, revenue and profits arising from good customer relations, repeat business and acquisition of new customers. The study recommended that Ecobank Zambia Limited develop efficient systems of appraisal