EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF MATERIALS HANDLING PRACTICES ON ORGANIZATIONAL PROFITABILITY AND PERCEPTION: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY, OWERRI, IMO STATE
Keywords:
Water absorption, Impact strength, Flexural strength, Compression strength, Regression analysisAbstract
This study investigates the influence of materials handling (MH) practices on organizational profitability and employee perception within the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Despite the operational significance of MH in manufacturing, empirical research remains limited on how internal stakeholders perceive these practices and how such perceptions align with organizational outcomes. Adopting a descriptive survey design, data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews from a purposive sample of 52 staff members across seven departments. The study employed Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify unobserved subgroups of employees based on their MH-related perceptions, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess the relationships between latent constructs, including MH quality and perceived profitability. Findings revealed two contrasting latent classes: one comprised primarily of junior, female, and highly educated staff who viewed MH systems as inefficient and unimpactful; and another comprising senior, male staff with technical backgrounds who viewed MH as effective and profit-contributing. While SEM results showed strong factor loadings for MH quality indicators such as maintenance, handler qualification, and professionalism, these did not significantly predict profitability perceptions. Instead, whether a qualified manager led MH operations significantly influenced perceived profitability. These results highlight a perceptual asymmetry within the organization and underscore the importance of leadership, communication, and employee inclusion. The study affirms the Sociotechnical Systems Theory and the Resource-Based View by illustrating that optimizing technical processes and human systems is critical for organizational success. Policy recommendations include leadership training, preventive maintenance, perceptual alignment strategies, and gender-sensitive engagement practices.
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