CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR: IMPLICATION FOR MARKETING FIRMS

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR: IMPLICATION FOR MARKETING FIRMS

(A CASE STUDY OF UAC FOODS PLC, ABUJA BRANCH)

ABSTRACT

The topic of this research work: “Consumer Buying Behaviour: Implication for Marketing Firms.  A Case Study of UAC Foods Plc Abuja”.  The project work tries to review detail the understanding of how consumer generally behave.  To make the research complete, data were collected through the use of questionnaire.  The sample used for this research was 12 respondents randomly choosing from the UAC Foods Plc. 

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

          The aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy target consumers needs and wants, the field of consumer behavior studies how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services, ideas or experience to satisfy their needs and desires.

          Consumers make many buying decisions every day.  Most large companies research consumer buying decision in good details to answer question about what consumers’ buy, where they buy, how much they buy, where they buy and why they buy.  Marketers study actual consumer purchases to find out what they buy, where and how much, but learning about the why of consumer buying behavior is not so easy. Consumer may say one thing but do another, this is because the actions and reactions of those consumers only vary but quite unpredictable, their wants are ever changing in nature and this has accounted for different experiences in the market.

          In understanding consumer behavior, one has to note the nature and acts of purchasing itself.  Purchasing activities are quite complex and consumer not only collect information and determine the selection criteria but also reach decision concerning the attribute of the product, styles, size, colour and retail agent.

          The study of consumer behavior is so complex that even the behavior scientists have divergent views in this regard.

          The buying behaviors of a consumer depend on some factors as rate of consumptions, seasonality nature of goods, economic conditions as well as characteristics of the said product.  How consumers generally buy remain the key task facing the marketers to enable them design effective marketing programmes.

1.1     HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          United Africa Company (UAC) Food was incorporated in 18 centuries known as Royal Niger Company and later it was changed to UAC.  In early 19 centuries still partly owned by British and some wealthy Africans.  It means operation then was to assist the bourgeoisies that is the British owner in transferring of cash crops such as palm oil, timber etc to the British empire.

          Subsequently, in 1973 the indigenization decree gave room to many Nigerians to be part owner of the conglomerate thereby making it a public liability company with no restriction with the cash capital.

          The company’s corporate headquarter which is still been known as Niger House is situated in the heart of Lagos. After the indigenization decree the new management gave room for additional division such as the African Timber and Palmwood (ATP), King Way Stores,  Kings Way Randavo, Tractor and Equipment, Niger Motors known as General Motors (GM), Perabin (Part Electrical Refrigeration and Air-conditioning).

          Other subsidiaries such as Grand Cereals and Mill Nigeria Limited (GCMNL) Chemical and Allied Product Limited (CAPL), Private Pharmaceutical Products (PP & P), Prudent Bank.

          Fully owned UAC Foods are Mr. Biggs, General Motors (GM) formally Niger Motors, Ikogosi Warm Spring Water (Cossy Water), UNDC (Proper Division).

          All of the above are what make up UACN Plc out of all these divisions some have parked up due to poor performance and financial difficulties and others resold.

          United African Company (UAC) core business areas include food processing and production, motor vehicles assembling, air conditioning maintenance and services and refrigeration, property development, banking services and marketing of all the produce.  UAC have companies scattered around all the looks and crane of Nigeria.

i.                   Ice-cream plant Onitsha

ii.                 Gala Factory Ojota

iii.              Bread Factory Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Suleja

iv.              Meat Factory Lanlate (Eruwa) Oyo State.

v.                 Ikongosi Warm Spring Water Ekiti State.

vi.              Grand Cereal and Swam Water both in Jos.

vii.            UAC end product ranges from fast moving consumer goods such as Mr. Bigg’s varieties, Gala, Supreme ice cream, Satis, Cocon chips, Funtime Plantain chips, Bumpus Park, Delite, Cocktail Gala, Vengs Ways fish rolls.

viii.         General Motors (GM) include Isuzu Tiger, Isuzu NPR Kocliak, Trust T and A, marketing of caterpillar parts and earth moving equipment such as caterpillar brand.

Grand Cereal include pure cotton seed oil, animal feed, vital feed and others.

          All these combined together are various brands of product from UAC and this is what is it a leading conglomerate in Nigeria.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          Generally speaking, consumer buying behavior imposes numerous threats to marketing firms.  These difficulties stems from the fact that firms in bid to market their products/services, must strives to understand the buying patterns of consumers.  These problems form the entire trust of this project work.

          The expectation is that at the end of this work, firms would have adjusted their marketing pattern to accommodate the every changing, pattern of consumer, these problems include:

1)      The problem of understanding who the occupants of the market are.

2)      What consumers generally buys, how, where, when and they even buy at all.

3)      That problem of knowing the influences in the consumer buying decision.

4)      The problem generated by various forces at work in the consumer buying environment economics, socio-cultural and psychological factors.  Again, this project work is embarked upon to proffer solution to these problems.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

          The objectives of the study hold great interest for us as consumer and marketers.

          It is important for us as marketers to recognize why and how individual make their consumption division and the factors influencing their buying behavior.

          This project work will help to educate the researcher and as well enhance his knowledge about consumer buying behavior and no doubt marketers who understand consumer behavior have great competitive advantages to the market place.

1.4     STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

          It serve as a guide towards the realization of the aims and objectives of this research work.  The researcher has these basic facts which she will put to test.

          These facts shall be denoted by:

Ho:    For Null hypothesis

Hi:     For Alternative hypothesis

HYPOTHESIS I

Ho:    Consumer buying behavior has no impacts on marketing firms.

Hi:     Consumer buying behavior has a lot of impacts on marketing firms.

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          The significance of study of this nature cannot be over emphasized.  The topic seeks to be of relevance to marketers, organization as well as individual who stands to benefit from the research work.

          This research work would benefit prospective readers and future researchers who may wish to use this work as a reference point to understanding why and how individual make their consumption decision.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

          This research work is carried out so as to understand the buying behavior of the consumer as well as factors influencing their decision, but due to time and financial constraints, the researcher limited herself to United African Company (UAC) as the case study of this research work.

1.7     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          In the course of making this research work, the researcher experienced the following constraints.

1)      Secrecy: The secrecy of an organization was a constraint because all organizations will agree to give out required information because of fear they may have against competitors.

2)      Time and Financial Constraints were the greatest obstacles to research work, no time for gathering information as required for project.  Therefore, the researcher make use of the limited resources under investigation also affect.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

CONSUMER:  Person who buy goods and uses services.

CONSUMERISM:  The belief that a society or individual benefit from using a large quantity of goods and services.

BUYING:  The ability to obtain.

BEHAVIOUR:  Individual psychological make up and the influence of others.

INFLUENCE:  The power of affect action, character and beliefs.

PERCEPTION:  Process by which individual become aware (through sense of sight, hearing).

MOTIVATION:  Drives, urges or desire.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF VITAMIN C LEVELS IN SOME COMMON FRUITS (APPLE, ORANGE, WATER MELON, PINEAPPLE AND SWEET MELON)

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF VITAMIN C LEVELS IN SOME COMMON FRUITS (APPLE, ORANGE, WATER MELON, PINEAPPLE AND SWEET MELON)

ABSTRACT

The goal of this research is to determine the concentration of vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) in some of a Common Fruits such as orange, apple, water melon, pineapple and sweetmelon by Redox Titration, involving an Iodometric method, has been used for the analysis. Pineapple (8±0.25) was used as reference standard and was lower than orange (15.6±0.13) but was significantly higher than apple (4.3±0.47), sweetmelon (7±0.29) and watermelon (3.7±0.54). This implies that apple, sweetmelon and watermelon have the lowest vitamin C content and orange has the highest vitamin C content from this analysis.

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

In botany, a fruit is the seed -bearing structure in flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate seeds. Edible fruits, in particular, have propagated with the movements of humans and animals in a symbiotic relationship as a means for seed dispersal and nutrition; in fact, humans and many animals have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. In common language usage, "fruit" normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of a plant that are sweet or sour, and edible in the raw state, such as apples , bananas, grapes , lemons , oranges , and strawberries .

1.1       Background of the Study

Fruit has been recognized as a good source of vitamins and minerals, and for their role in preventing vitamin C and vitamin A deficiencies. People who eat fruit as part of an overall healthy diet generally have a reduced risk of chronic diseases. USDA's My Plate encourages making half your plate fruits and vegetables for healthy eating. Fruit are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, fiber, vitamin C and folate (folic acid). Try incorporating blueberries, citrus fruit, cranberries or strawberries which contain phytochemicals that are being studied for added health benefits. The nutrients in fruit are vital for health and maintenance of your body. The potassium in fruit can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Potassium may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss as you age.

Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy need adequate folate. Folate helps prevent neural tube birth defects, such as spinal bifida.

1.2       Scope of the Study

This study will cover only the quantitative determination of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in five different of fruits which are

Fruits                                      Scientific name

Apple                                      Malus domestica

Orange                                    Citrus sinensis

Pineapple                                 Anana comosus

Watermelon                             Citrullus lanatus

Sweet melon                           cucumis melo

1.3       Definition of Terms

1. Apple (Malus domestica): The apple trees have been grown for more than thousand years now and there are almost 7500 different kinds of trees all around the world like the Golden Delicious, Winesap, Jonathan, and McIntosh. It is one of the most widely cultivated fruits throughout the globe, and the most widely known fruit utilized by mankind. Apple is considered to be a special fruit by the nature to the human mankind. Apples are mostly available in two colors - Red and Green; it appeared to be in circular shape almost all the times and rarely available in other shapes in some parts of the world. It is set to be a fruit with most number of nutrients.

Eating apples help in strengthening the bones. It also increases the bone intensity. Apples aid in preventing Alzheimer disease. It’s a kind of disease that affects brain cells. Research studies show that apple has the capability of preventing lung cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer.

2. Orange (Citrus sinensis): orange is a type of citrus fruit which people often eat. Oranges are a very good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. Orange juice is an important part of many people's breakfast. The "sweet orange", which is the kind that is most often eaten today, grew first in Asia but now grows in many parts of the world. Oranges are round orange-coloured fruit that grow on a tree which can reach 10 metres (33 ft) high. Orange trees have dark green shiny leaves and small white flowers with five petals. The flowers smell very sweet which attracts many bees. Oranges are an important food source in many parts of the world for several reasons. They are a commonly available source of vitamin C. They last longer than many other fruits when they are stored. They are easy to transport because each orange comes in its own tough skin which acts as a container. They can be piled into heaps or carried in bags, lunchboxes and shipping containers without being easily damaged.
3. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus): Watermelon was originated from southern African countries and from where it spread to rest of the tropical and subtropical regions. After a couple of weeks of seedling, plant bears many yellow flowers that may require honeybees for pollination. Externally, the fruit features smooth, deep green or yellow color thick exterior rind with light-green or gray colored vertical stripes all over its outer surface. Internally, its flesh is juicy, pink, red, or yellow with numerous small black seeds embedded in the middle-third portion of the flesh. Watermelon has neutral flavor, and its taste somewhat described as plain-sweet water (light sugar syrup). Its flesh is soft yet crunchy unlike soft, creamy texture of muskmelons.

Varieties of watermelon-fruits are cultivated world over, featuring variation in their size, shape, and color of the flesh (red, orange, and yellow). Watermelons are very low in calories (just 30 calories per 100 g) and carry minimal fats. Nonetheless, they plentiful in numerous health promoting phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants essential for optimum health. Watermelon fruit is a good source of potassium; Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. It, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.

4. Pineapple (Anana comosus): Pineapple is a tropical, perennial, drought-tolerant plant. It grows up to 5-8 ft in height and spreads around about 3-4 feet radius cover. It is essentially a short, stout stem with a rosette of waxy long, needle-tipped leaves. The color in the ripe fruits may be yellow, orange-yellow or reddish. Internally, its juicy flesh may range from creamy white to yellow and has a mix of sweet and tart taste with rich flavor. Each fruit measures up to 12 inches in length and weighs 1 to 8 pounds or more. The outer skin features rough, tough, and scaly rind.

Pineapple or ananas season lasts from March until June when fresh fruits available in the markets at their best. In the store, choose that are heavy for their size. While larger fruits will have a greater proportion of edible flesh, they make no difference in quality over a small size pineapple. A good, ripe pineapple has a dull, solid sound while immaturity and poor quality are indicated by a hollow thud. It stops ripening as soon as it is picked; therefore, choose fruit with a fragrant sweet smell at the stem end. Avoid those that smell musty, sour or fermented. Ripe fruits perish quickly if left at room temperature and should be eaten rather early. Moreover, since they are chill sensitive and therefore, cannot be stored in the refrigerator for long periods. However, if not readily eaten; you may prepare the fruit and place the whole or cut sections wrapped inside a thin plastic cover in the refrigerator for 1-2 days for later use.

5. Sweet Melon or Honeydew (cucumis melo): The title ‘honeydew melon’ is definitely the American term for what exactly is also referred to as ‘Balian’ or even ‘Wallace’ melon. Due to the fact honeydew plants need to have a warm dry climate to develop and provide fruit, these types of melons didn’t allow it to be in America up until the 1800s, right after locations just like California as well as Arizona were populated as well as farmed. Honeydew melon is a member of the melon family. It is usually round in shape with a pale green flesh. Cultivated in semiarid regions, its juicy and sweet flesh is commonly incorporated in salads. The primary vitamins that are found in honeydew melons are vitamins A and C. The 53% DV of vitamin C helps the body to strengthen resistance from oxygen-free radicals and other harmful agents. Honeydew melon is a wonderful method of obtaining vitamin C – an anti-oxidant vitamin that can help to improve levels of collagen – the protein that provides skin its youth as well as suppleness.

1.4       Aims and Objectives

1. To shine a spotlight on the role of vitamin C in both preventing and treating a wide variety of health conditions including acute and chronic illnesses caused by infectious or toxic agents, degenerative diseases (such as atherosclerosis and cancer), aging, and nutritional deficiency.
2. To educate the public and health care professionals about a means of achieving optimal health and longevity, through the advocacy of higher-than-RDA ascorbate intake, along with intake of other complementary and synergistic micronutrients or dietary substances. As part of the Foundation's educational activities it will supply cautionary warnings regarding situations in which megadose vitamin C intake could be potentially harmful to particular individuals due to genetic and biochemical anomalies or certain health conditions such as G6PD deficiency or hemochromatosis.
3. To provide information about the many uses of vitamin C, resources for supply, and appropriate dosages to health providers, the media, and the public. The principal means of doing so will be through producing print and electronic (on-line) publications, such as journals that have information aimed at a professional readership and other writings directed towards the lay person.

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF MANPOWER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONS

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF MANPOWER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN SERVICE ORGANISATIONS

(A CASE STUDY OF POWER HOLDING COMPANY OF NIGERIA (PHCN) PLC ENUGU ZONE)

  

ABSTRACT

  This research work was designed to study training and development of employees in service organization.   This study titled “An Evaluation of the effect of manpower training and development in service organizations. A case study of power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) PLC Enugu Zone is of/with the view of finding out the way by which training and development can be conducted. The objective of the study is to highlight the advantages of human resource training and development and recommend an appropriate measure that could help improve the current human resource training programmes. Relevant data for this research work were collected from both primary source and secondary source of data. A descriptive method was used for this study. The total population of the staff in the organization is 250 out of which questionnaires were drawn from staff of the organization which constitute a sample size of 154.  The statistical instrument used in testing the validity of the hypothesis was chi – square. Among the major findings of the work was that training and development programme improve productivity and better performance. The research therefore recommended that there should be a free flow of information to enable all the staff to be aware of the training and development programme available to them both internally and externally.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

        Manpower training and development must be based on a need analysis derived from a comparison of “actual performance’’ and behavior with “required performance’’ and behavior. Manpower training and development is one of the major ways organization invests in the workforce for greater return today and even in the foreseeable future.

        Organizational effectiveness rests on the efficient and effective performance of workforce that makeup the organization. The efficient and effective performance of the workforce inturn, rest on the richness of the knowledge, skills and abilities possessed by the workforce. Manpower training and development in most organizations is a continuous act/exercise. The inexorable march of time and the ceaseless glamour for social change combine to make adaptability and continuing preparation of the workforce as inevitable as the initial acquisition of knowledge and skills. This cannot happen if employees training and development do not occur in an enterprise. In other to maximize the productivity and efficiency of the organization, every executive, manager or supervisor in a public or private organization has the responsibility and indeed the bounding duty to ensure the development of their employees who have requisite knowledge and expertise.

     Training is like sharpening an existing skill in order to reflect the trends in technology and other social –cultural environmental changes of an organization. Productivity is the goal of today’s competitive business world and training can be a spring board to enhance productivity. The aim is to enable them contribute their full measure to the welfare, health and development of the organization (onah 1993). The main objective of training and development in service organization is to increase efficiency of employees with the resulting increase in corporate productivity. This accounts for why a large number of fund and time is expected by organization at one period or the order in the improvement of the skills of their employees at various levels.

       The principal intention of training according to AKPAN (1982:128), is to equip people with the knowledge required to qualify them for a particular position of employment, or to improve their skills and efficiency in the position they already hold.

       Manpower development on the other hand, implies growth and the acquisition of wide experience for future strategic advantages of the organization.

       Manpower training and development therefore, improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the employee. Therefore, the aim of this research is to know the current state, nature, procedure and method of training and development used by the power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) for their employees and let’s not forget that any organization that has no plan for the training and development of its staff is less than dynamic for learning is a continuous process and acquired skills get obsolete when the environment changes. Also, a popular caption in the field of personnel management says, “If you think training and development are expensive try ignorance’’. While training and development prosper organization, ignorance destroys it. Therefore, workers like machines must be updated on constant basis or else, they end up becoming obsolete or misfit.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research as it deals with the training and development of employees in service organizations is intended to find out the efficiency and effectiveness of training and development programme in service organization with reference to power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Enugu Zone. Since power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) is an organization governing the use of electricity in Nigeria serves as a source of electricity supply, distribution and maintenance round the Nation. For this reason, it encounters numerous problems which range from:

1)  Lack of qualified instructors and consultants to undertake training courses,

2)  Lack of essential training tools, to

3)  Lack of effective communication within the organization which makes it impossible for most employees to know about training opportunities available to them.

1.3       OBJECTIVES /PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

         The purpose for this research is to probe into the evaluation of the effect of manpower training and development in service organization using power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Enugu Zone as a case study with a view to find out how the organization is performing in terms of its employees training and development.

The following are the specific objectives of the study:

i)            To highlight the advantages of employees training and development in service organization.

ii)          To examine the current training and development of employees in the organization and PHCN Enugu Zone in particular

iii)        To increase the general knowledge and understanding of individual member.

iv)         To recommend appropriate measures that could help improve the current manpower training program.

v)           To increase efficiency and effectiveness of employees with the resulting increase in corporate productivity.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTION

a)     What method of training and development does your organization use?

b)   What is the category of staff level in your organization (PHCN)?

c)   What is the major problem in the organization?

1.5       STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

     Here, Hi and Ho below represent the alternative hypothesis and null hypothesis respectively.

HYPOTHESIS ONE

Hi:  Training and development improve productivity

        and better performance.

Ho:  Training and development does not improve

        productivity and better performance.

HYPOTHESIS TWO

Hi: Training and development improve skills and

         knowledge of manpower in service organization.

Ho: Training and development do not improve skills

        and knowledge of manpower in service

        organization.

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

       The research will be beneficial to all service organization especially power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Enugu and their staff as it emphasized the need and encourage the establishment of policy guidelines on the efficient and effective training and development porgramme.

        It will help managers of various organizations to generate ideas and solution to problems based on the best way to run training in their organization in order to achieve desired goals and objectives.

      It will equally be useful to small scale business, large corporations, universities, college of education and to the government.

        It will also help researchers to know more about training programme as a tool for improving employees’ performance.

       Finally, it will be of great value to students as a point of reference and will equally form the basis for further research study.

1.7       SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

         The scope of this study although very wide if it has been carried out in the entire service organization. For this reason, it was necessary to have a concentrated area of study which was restricted to the evaluation of the effect of manpower training and development in service organization using power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Enugu Zone as the case study.

       Its major limitation was the problem of getting information from the institution under study. As a parastatals, there is always the fear of giving out information to the public as such, vital information needed was not readily available.

        Time equally would not be left out; getting permition to leave school and the issue of finance cannot be ignored as much was spent in procuring materials. However, with fact and judicial use of the limited resources, reasonable analyses have been carried out in this research work.       

EVALUATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS IN THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION IN PLATEAU STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARY: AN ASSESSMENT OF STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

EVALUATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS IN THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION IN PLATEAU STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARY: AN ASSESSMENT OF STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The functionality of any organization or institution depends on how it is able to adjust to charging situation, ideas, knowledge and outline which are archaic or outdated needs to be reviewed constantly or discarded and new ones that meet up the present day realities. Academic library like any other institution is a passing through sense of reformation over the years “The demand for increased accessibility and more timely delivery of results have made librarians look for more effective ways to serving their  clients or users. Library derives its name from the Latin word “LIBER” meaning “BOOK” the library actually precede the book as collection of clay tablets, papyruses and scrolls housed in libraries long before the concept of the book emerged. Library can also be defined as collection of books and other library materials kept for reading, study, and consultation. It is a place, building, rooms set apart for the keeping and use of a collection on organized books. The collection is made up of book materials and non-book- materials such as films, photographs and other visual materials, plastic or metal tapes and disk computer, tapes and programs. All these materials as well as printed and manuscript documents may be provided in the department of one large library to serve the community, institution and society. Library services entails the duties, function, task etc. discharged by a library for the use of books and other services like dissemination of information.” Evaluation of library services” being the topic of the study implies the analysis of the services rendered by the Academic library “Barkin- Ladi”. Evaluation itself can be said to be the determination of the value of library service in Plateau State Polytechnic “Barkin-Ladi” to the clients and users. Once, what a potential library needs of the users have been identified, it is necessary to its services from time to time to know how well they are currently being met. The maintenance of an academic library services is therefore as important to the institution as large and to each of its members. Failure to provide these services is wasteful to the institution on parent institution.

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Libraries over the year have undergone stages of historical developments. During these periods of historical sojourn, different kinds of definition to reflect their original aim or purpose for the preservation of recorded materials made up of written history of ancient culture and knowledge of humanity at various lines libraries were then regarded as mere depositions and store houses of knowledge. They were the prerogative of the cream of the society Ode and Omokaro,(2007), libraries are most important agent in information  transfer called repository of information accumulated by men and women living or dead accumulated for posterity to harnessed at will. According to Attata (2011), the custodian role of the libraries has been that of acquiring processing, presentation and information dissemination to numerous clienteles. Libraries especially academic libraries plays indispensable role in educational development in Nigeria and indeed the relationship between reading and libraries has a subject of considerable theoretical interest and practical important among libraries and teachers. Basically libraries exist to provide information service offered by libraries in different grouped into types mainly on the basis of similarity of the functions. The various types include national, academic, school, public and special libraries. Edoka , (  2000). But for the purpose of these study, the focus will be mainly on academic libraries using state polytechnic plateau, “Barkin-Ladi’. In Nigeria context, all libraries attached to university, Polytechnic, college of agriculture, college of education, Military institutions like Nigerian Defense Academy, the wan college and Nigeria institute of strategies studies and to any other post-secondary institution are academic libraries. Broadly speaking however, academic libraries can be grouped into two: University and college libraries. Any library attached to a university is called university Library and any other tertiary institutions is called university library. Ekere, (2006). He further states that the main purpose of a university (academic) library is to support the objectives of the university which is to promote teaching, learning and research. Thus, the university academic library is meant to serve the users.  Academic libraries also used many ways of imparting knowledge some of these are reader’s instruction, users, instructions, library orientation, library instruction and used of library and information skills,Users and staff education.  The term “user’s education has been defined severally by different authors: Akawmbe (2011) defined user education as an academic progamme that is designed by university and other higher institution to educate library users on how to effectively utilize library resources and services. It can also a process that concerned with whole information and communication process. It can also be seen as an instruction given to reader to help them make the best use of the library. Aina, (2004) opined that users education is to help users get any information he/she desires as well as developing the skills to use the resources of the library independently.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

These researches was made to know the challenges posted by the information acquisition processing, storage and retrieval and dissemination is very enormous. Has the plateau state polytechnic library “BarkinLardi” able to meet up providing library services to its users effectively? Have the library users able to get the rightful information using the library services? These constituted some problem of the emphiried inquiry

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Who are the library users?
2. Which department is mostly used by the user?
3. Is the library services adequate?
4. How often do the users visit the library?
5. Does the library have current materials?
6. Are the library users stratified with the services provided?
7. What are the challenges in effective library?

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. To identify various users of the library
2. To identify the department that is mostly used by users.
3. to identify the various library services provided
4. To determine the purpose of the users visit to the library.
5. To check if the library have current materials
6. To know if the library users are satisfied with services rendered by the references librarian.
7. To identify challenges of the provision of effective services in the library.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be useful to the state polytechnic library in North central zone.

1. The study will help to improve library service within the north central zone.
2. Help to identify the needs of the users.
3. Help to improve library services in the institution.
4. Help to provide framework that can be used to improve library services in the institution
5. Help to identify areas the library or staffs needs to improve on.
6. Help to meet up the challenges of the library services.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was principally concerned on the assessment of library services in the dissemination of information in the north central zone at Barkin Ladi, state polytechnic library Plateau.

However in the course of this investigation the researcher’s effort was constrained by the need to be focus. The study emphasized on the library services provided in the library.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

From the research topic the following were extracted for definition according to the study: 

1. Evaluation: is an assessment used as a basis for a summary of a particular

situation.

2. Dissemination: is the process of spreading or distributing information.

 3. Information: information can be seen as facts or details about a field of

 knowledge.

 4. Library materials: these are library resources which can be inform of books

 and non-books.

 5. Library services: these are references services given by a librarian to the users  in the library.