Title: Employee Competence And Product Quality Of Iron And Steel Companies In Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: AFONG, EMMANUEL OCHUI, Chinemenum Amah
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
Pages: 18-26
Publication Date: 2025/10/28
Abstract:
The success of an organisation is now significantly influenced by the quality of its products in a manufacturing environment that is becoming more and more competitive. The present study investigated the correlation between product quality and staff competency in a subset of iron and steel industries located in Rivers State, Nigeria. In particular, the study examined the relationship between customer happiness and product reliability and employee competency. Using standardised questionnaires, 245 employees from seven iron and steel companies participated in a cross-sectional survey research design. Of these, 152 valid replies were examined. With the use of SPSS version 24, data were processed using the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient at a 0.05 level of significance. Employee competence and customer satisfaction were found to have a moderately positive and significant association (? = 0.590, p = 0.000), whereas employee competence and product reliability were found to have a strong positive and significant link (? = 0.757, p = 0.000). These findings imply that increased employee competency improves customer happiness and product dependability, which raises the overall quality of the product. According to the survey, meeting consumer expectations and ensuring consistent product performance depend heavily on having skilled staff. To improve technical skills and maintain product quality excellence, it advises Rivers State's iron and steel companies to make ongoing investments in workshops, training, and development initiatives for their workforce.