Public Policy and Administration Research www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-5731(Paper) ISSN 2225-0972(Online) Vol.5, No.8, 2015 112 Civil Service Performance Dilemma and the Performance Management Imperative in Nigeria: A Study of Delta State K.B.O. Ejumudo, Ph. D E. V. EFEBEH DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA, NIGERIA ABSTRACT This study examines performance management practice in Nigeria, using the Delta sate civil service as a case study. The data used in this study were derived from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were derived from focus group discussions, while the secondary data were obtained from cognate textbooks, journals and government documents. The findings of the study revealed that there exists a poor performance management practice, poor employee performance largely due to the prevailing civil service environment typified by poor work culture and sense of competition and absence of performance management agenda. The study made some useful recommendations including the need for an enduring result-oriented and responsive Delta State civil service environment that is competitive in nature and a holistic and integrated performance management agenda Keywords: Civil Service, Performance Dilemma, Performance Management Introduction Performance management is arguably central to employee performance and organizational efficiency and effectiveness. This assertion is based on the understanding that performance management has the potency of engendering higher levels of performance in organizations through the stimulation and direction of employees along the path of goal accomplishment (Ejumudo, 2011). As a matter of fact, employees are the most critical of all organizational resources and their capacity to function and meet the expected standards is a function of both their inward potentials and the outward environment in which they operate. This nature-nurture perspective of explaining the indicators of employee performance underscores the indispensability of performance management as an integral part of organizational environments. Despite the arguably important link between performance management, employee performance, and organizational efficiency and effectiveness in both public and private sector organizations, it is worrisome to note that the much-desired employee performance that is a critical input for sustainably increasing organizational productivity is largely absent and consequently a constraining factor to the actualization of organizational goals and objectives. Akerele (1991) blamed the low productivity level of Nigerian workers on several factors, particularly the failure of employers to provide adequate compensation for hard work, while Markova and Ford (2011) emphasized that the real success of organizations originate from employees willingness to use their creativity, abilities and know-how in the direction of their organizations’ growth and development path in response to the favourably stimulating and encouraging performance management practices. This study examines performance management in the Delta State Civil Service. 1.2 Statement of the Problem In the face of the critical role of a sustained performance management agenda, congenial and competitive work environment and key employee performance targets in the performance of employees in both public and private sector organizations, it is disheartening to note that the Nigerian civil service is faced with a performance malady and dilemma that are largely due to the prevailing civil service environment, poor work culture and near absence of performance management agenda. The resultant general environment created by the above mentioned factors has the potency of constraining the much-desired process of initiating and sustaining a result-oriented management of a team of competent, efficient, goal-driven, proactive and value-adding human resource for enhanced organizational or institutional performance. This study examines the performance dilemma and the performance management imperative in the Delta state civil service. 1.3 Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study are to: i. Examine the relevance of the absence of performance management agenda to performance in the Delta State Civil Service. ii. To investigate the relevance of the Civil Service environment (work culture and near absence of competition) in Nigeria to performance in the Delta State Civil Service. iii. To assess the relevance of absence of employee key performance targets to performance in the Delta State Civil Service.