CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION1.1Background to the StudyAchieving organizational performance is the ultimate purpose to be focused by any organization that takes enormous effort to maximize employees task efficiency, commitment, and sustain intrinsic motivation to perform well in difficult times. This is why recent efforts to improve organizational performance have begun to inculcate positive organizational concepts like optimism, trust, and engagement (Koyuncu et. al., 2006). As a matter of fact, among optimism, trust, and engagement, leaders and managers across the globe recognize employee engagement as one of the most vital element that affects organizational performance (Welch, 2011).The continuance of employee engagement goes beyond the traditional notions of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job involvement etc. Engagement involves the active use of emotional, cognitive, and behavioural energies at workplace while working in coherence with the organizations objectives and strategies (Andrew & Soian, 2011). Also, engaged employees being focused, energetic, and fully engrossed in their jobs are highly motivated to direct their focused energy towards organizational goals (Macey & Schneider, 2008; Barbera, & Young, 2009). Certainly, organizational performance and performance is a function of the collaborative efforts of engaged employees (Bakker, 2011). Engaged employees experience greater attachment to their work and organization (Organ, 1994; Schaufeli & Bakker. 2004) and they are more likely to do things that augment organizational performance (Saks, 2008). For instance, engaged employees are optimistic and spontaneous, they tend to exhibit positive attitudes and proactive behaviours at work place (Schaufeli et al., 2002; Salanova & Schaufeli, 2008) including low absenteeism, helpful attitude towards co-workers and adherence to company rules etc., more popularly known as organizational citizenship behaviour (Organ, 1988). Engaged employees bring enduring state of fulfilment at workplace while feeling intrinsically motivated to exhibit positive feelings such as sharing, assisting, cooperating, and supporting, and thus create a holistic framework of the positive psychological, social, and organizational context of work. In this regard, research studies in organizational sciences have recently begun to report a positive association between employee engagement and OCB (Bakker, Demerouti, & Verbeke, 2004; Christian et al., 2011; Schaufeli, Taris, & Bakker, 2006; Shimazu & Schaufeli, 2009).Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), a positive psychological approach of engaged employees towards work and organization is concerned with those informal duties and tasks that go beyond the set boundaries of ones job (Organ, 1988). The presence of OCB has been advocated for the increased organizational performance (Katz & Kahn, 1966; Organ, 1988; Podsakoff & Mackenzie, 1997). OCB has been observed to encompass those behaviours which lubricate the social machinery and construct the psychological fabric of an organization. Hence, OCB is widely considered both critical and beneficial to organizations (Wei et al., 2010). OCB literature has produced an impressive amount of substantive research on antecedents of OCB (Organ & Ryan, 1995; Podsakoff et al., 1996; Podsakoff et al., 2000). However, the constant evolution of the psychological process of employee engagement has lately begun to emerge as yet another important pathway for the evocation of OCB (Wei et al., 2010). This furthers the need to improve our existing understanding of causal relationships among antecedents and consequences of OCB. In the current study, we attempt to include organizational performance variable that has received less attention in previous research to throw light on the potential significance of employee engagement through OCB. We are affirmative that academic efforts that explore how psychological mechanisms encourage and motivate employees to more actively engage in OCB and their impact on organizational performance would most likely provide considerable implications for human resource development scholars and professionals. The issues embedded in employee engagement will however be looked into in this study. 1.2Statement of the ProblemThere are quite a lot of issues that have faced organizations in recent times. Organizations want to improve performance standards, however it seems as if they dont achieve this. This could be traceable to the fact that employees are neglected in designing organizational processes and planning organizational activities as such, the level of engagement by the employees become low. This make organizations to lose customers since employees will not be committed to the task at hand, more so they may end up losing key employees to turnover since they lack engagement and commitment, they may want to leave the organization. The problem of poor and improper engagement can also be linked to poor organizational citizenship behaviour as a result of lack of commitment and engagement. Employees will reduce their level of sportsmanship, altruism team playing and quite a whole lot that should be doing for the success and smooth operation of the organization. This study therefore tends to look at organizational citizenship behaviour as a form of engagement in relation to its enhancement of organizational performance. 1.3Objectives of the StudyThe major objective of this research is to examine the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance. However the following specific objectives are inclusive. 1. To evaluate the relationship between cognitive engagement and customer satisfaction2. To examine the influence of emotional engagement on employee performance. 3. To assess the relationship that exists between physical engagement and organizational prestige1.4Research QuestionsFlowing from the research objectives, the following will serve as the research questions for this study.1. What is the relationship between cognitive engagement and customer satisfaction?2. How does affect engagement influence employee performance?3. What relationship exists between physical engagement and organizational prestige?1.5Research HypothesesFrom the research question, the following will serve as the hypotheses for this study. 1. There is no significant relationship between cognitive engagement and customer satisfaction.2. Emotional engagement does not significantly influence employee performance. 3. There is no significant relationship between physical engagement and organizational prestige. 1.6Operationalization of VariablesThe variables under research will be operationalized here in a functional relationship.Y = f(X)Where Y = Organizational performance X = Employee Engagement.X = f(x1, x2, x3, x4)x1 = cognitive engagementx2 = emotional engagementx3 = physical engagementFunctionally, y1 = f(x1)y2 = f(x2)y3 = f(x3)Therefore the models are y1 = 0 + 1x1 + y2 = 0 + 2x2 + y3 = 0 + 3x3 + 1.7Scope of the StudyThe study focuses on the relationship that exists between employee engagement and organizational performance. The study will use Babcock University in Ilisan Remo Ogun state as a case under study with specific emphasis on its academic staff. The population of the academic staff is given as 462 (BUHR, 2015). Based on this size, the Yaro Yamane formula will be used to determine the sample size while the random sampling method will be used to select samples across schools in the university. The time frame under study is 2014/2015 academic session. 1.8Significance of the StudyThis study will serve in various capacities to improve the essence of organizational performance as it relates to employee engagement. When employees are engaged, they are committed to improving the general performance level of the organization. With this in mind, this study will encourage organizational managers to pay close attention to the plight of employees in the organization and help them to set the right strategies that will help manage employees towards commitment and engagement. Also it will be of great aid to employees of organizations who will need to understand what it takes to remain loyal, committed and engaged to the course of the organization. Researchers in the field of employee engagement, organizational citizenship behaviour will also find this work as a piece or reference to what they need to know as basics in research in that area. 1.9Definition of Operational TermsEmployee EngagementThis is a workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation's goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being.Organizational PerformanceThis is the ability of an organization to mobilize it centres of power, for action, production and adaptation. Effective organizations are those that tend to produce more and adapt more easily to environmental and internal problems than do other similar organizations.Altruism This refers to the helping approach of an employee towards fellow employees. ConscientiousnessThis denotes impersonal behaviours for instance, obeying rules. Sportsmanship This invoke behaviours that includes not complaining on idling issues and willingness to tolerate less than ideal circumstances Civic Virtue This a behaviour that indicate employees participation and concern about the life of organization such as participating in meetings. Courtesy It reflects in discretionary behaviour such as positive gestures of consulting and passing along the information, aimed at preventing work related problem with others (Organ, 1988).