DISTRIBUTIONAL PATTERN OF AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC WORKSHOP
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The automobile industry can be defined as a collection of firms that produce, manufacture broadly automobiles using the same raw material and production pattern, whereas the definition of small-scale industries varies from country to country and over time. Automobile mechanic workshops are examples of small scale industries because they are not involved in the main production of automobiles but rather in the servicing and maintenance of automobiles. Engine repair, collision repair, car wash, oil change, and lube are just a few examples. According to the ‘Ford Motor Company,’ its evolution began when automobile manufacturing became available just before the turn of the century. Although there were no vehicle mechanics available to early car owners, a bicycle mechanic, plumber, or machinist were called in to repair the fabricated parts. The more prosperous
Those who owned cars hired chauffeur-mechanics as servants to drive and maintain the vehicles, and they used their specialized knowledge to get better pay and benefits from their wealthier employer.
By the 1920s, motor vehicles had become more common in many areas, allowing the vehicle repair industry to grow either as independent businesses or as employees of specific automobile manufacturers. These technicians were paid by the hours or days worked, and repairs were billed based on actual time spent. Repair workshops with a variety of skilled mechanics had a significant advantage because repairs were completed faster and thus at a lower cost. Standard times for set repair jobs began to be used for billing in order to bring some stability to the repair market.
on a regular basis to avoid major breakdowns or the need for major repairs (international journal of science and technology vol2.)
Automobile service workshops have made significant contributions to society in terms of services and productive employment among the poorer people, which aids in the dispersal of industries in the country’s urban, semi-urban, and rural areas. Many uneducated youths find work in these workshops, alleviating poverty.
1.1 Background to the Study
Services can be defined as work done for others in the context of a business or occupation (freedictionary.com). It informs both the customer and the service provider about what to expect from the service and what not to expect.
The size and function of a service organization can vary dramatically. The expansion of the service industry over the last two decades has prompted numerous studies on this sector of the economy. It is difficult to define and encompass the service industry. The service industry has been identified in a variety of ways. It includes economic activities such as physical and other experiential activities, as well as what is transformed as a result of their services.
The size of a service organization varies. On the one hand, the scale of service, for example, is enormous.
International cooperation deals with industries such as banking, airlines, insurance, and so on, whereas the scale of service is small and locally owned, such as an automobile mechanic workshop, restaurant, and so on. In reference to Mabogunje, Ayeni (1979:12) stated that any study conducted on service centers in an urban area is an attempt to explain a portion of the spatial configuration of such urban area.
Maintenance is defined as an activity that applies to all natural and artificial systems in order to keep them unaltered or unimpaired. It is the activity of repairing vehicles or other machinery in order to keep them unaltered or, if altered, to restore them to their original state. Akinola and Ogedengbe 2005; Okah-Avae 1995). Automobile
The sales and leasing of vehicles, as well as the provision of after-sales services and the sale of auto parts, are all examples of service workshops.
The study of the distributional pattern of automobile mechanic workshops did not receive much attention until after the colonial era, when the demand for vehicle ownership began to increase, as did the urge for mobility of goods and people, in comparison to other service sectors of the economy where there has been much attention. For example, the banking sector, the educational sector, and so on.
Mechanic workshops are typically located on slippery terrains, under tree sheds, or under a canopy made of banana leaves, and have a low capital base.
or palm fronds, for example.
In Nigeria, where land transport is more prevalent than water transportation and other modes of transportation in other countries, the use of automobile vehicles, either diesel or gasoline powered, is prevalent. According to ‘Akintola 1995,’ he stated that ‘the vehicles cannot remain new forever, as the parts breakdown and wear out, and thus must be maintained.
The origins of the Automobile Mechanic workshop in Nigeria, specifically Ibadan, can be traced back to the need to provide services to vehicles that, while in motion, can suddenly develop a fault that necessitates an emergency repair. As a result, it is unavoidable that some repair shops be established near the roadside to render services.
services to the vehicles when they go out of order or become inoperative, and be very helpful for the operation of vehicles. The number of vehicles increased dramatically in a short period of time, and many workshops were established. Many roads and highways are built nowadays, and hundreds of thousands of vehicles travel on them. A large number of mechanic workshops are located near the roadside to provide services to those vehicles in order for them to be operational. (Technical report, Mechanical Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria)
With the rapid advancement of technology, the job of an automobile mechanic in the twenty-first century has become increasingly specialized; they have broadened their knowledge from basic mechanic work to
including rewiring and electronic work as a result of the modern trend in production and manufacturing of modern vehicles whose parts have evolved with electronics. As a result, the foundation is laid for mechanics to have broader knowledge in repair work than previously. Although the land used for automobile mechanical works is mostly acquired through rent and lease, managers have years to locate their workshop there, and at the end of the period of practice, the workshop is later on under the control of the previous worker who was a trainee, and after acquiring knowledge, he becomes boss in his own level.
The majority of automobile mechanic workshops in Nigeria are run by illiterate or semi-literate individuals (Oguzie, 2001). The styles of Vehicles have advanced to a very sophisticated level, and modern vehicles, unlike old mechanically operated vehicle systems, are operated and controlled by computerized electronic sensors. For example, modern vehicle ignition systems are electrically controlled rather than using the traditional manually reset contact breaker. The brain box and other electronic gadgets that sense instant faults in the vehicle and immediately notify the driver through the dashboard display are common to the majority of the new trend cars. As a result, the modern trend of mechanical services necessitates the use of more complex, technologically advanced, and specialized diagnostic equipment to analyze vehicle faults for repair and service. Competent professional hands are required to ensure this for efficiency, safety, comfort, and style (Auto Tips 2001;
1980 Dhillon Automobile repair and servicing are considered inelastic because they are always in demand. The need for people to purchase vehicles will continue to rise, as will the need to maintain, repair, and service the vehicles, regardless of the level at which a country’s economy struggles.
Automobile repair works have tended to strive higher in both poor and prosperous economies, as people prefer to repair their old vehicles rather than spend a large sum on purchasing a new one, and as others spend a large sum on purchasing new vehicles, creating a demand for maintenance. The number of automobile technicians is growing and is expected to grow even more in the future.
Wikipedia.Org defines automobile technicians as having the primary responsibility of accurately and quickly diagnosing vehicle problems. It was stated that these technicians give their customers price quotes before beginning work or after partial disassembly for inspection. The work of an automobile technician may include the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more assembly parts.
Essentially, automobile repair entails preventative maintenance on the car body to avoid total vehicle breakdown by replacing various car parts, as well as vehicle maintenance when there is a sign of malfunction on car parts. Because of the complexity of today’s vehicle systems, the method of auto repair has advanced greatly and expanded; most auto technicians now use electrical equipments, diagnosing machines, as opposed to the traditional methods.
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study’s goal is to examine the distribution of automobile mechanics workshops in Ibadan North Local Government Area. The specific goals are
i. Investigate the distribution pattern of automobile mechanic workshops in the study area.
ii. Investigate the factors that influence the spatial distribution of automobile mechanic workshops.
iii. Examine the spatial variation pattern of automobile mechanic workshops.
1.3 RESEARCH PROBLEMS
As vehicle technology and maintenance processes advance, so do the problems confronting the transportation system, such as unpredictability of vehicle breakdowns on highways, failure of vehicle parts such as brakes, resulting in accidents and loss of life, delay and failure of important appointments, and heavy debts incurred by many car owners on maintenance. As long as the method of knowledge acquisition remains unchanged, the problem of automobile repair will worsen.
1.4 HYPOTHESES TESTED
1. The automobile mechanic workshop’s distributional pattern is random.
2. That the factor of location selection varies greatly among automobile technicians
1.5 METHODOLOGY
The study’s population consists of automobile repair and service technician workshops in Ibadan, Oyo state. The researcher chose a total of 35 workshops in the areas of Ibadan North Local Government. To assess the distributional pattern of these workshops over space and their pattern of variation over space, the opinions of technicians who work on different parts of the car and different car types were sought. The questionnaire was the primary method of data collection for this study. In four sections, the questionnaire includes both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Section one contains the respondent’s demographic and socioeconomic data, Section two contains the distributional pattern of automobile mechanics, and Section three contains spatial data. Section four includes the level of operation and a variation of automobile mechanics. The research questions were analyzed using a frequency count to determine the main response. Nearest Neighbour Analysis, which describes point processes as the probability distribution of the distance from this point to its nearest neighboring point in the same point process, is used to explain the hypotheses that the pattern of distribution of Automobile Mechanic Workshops in Ibadan North Local Government is random/clustered, and Chi Square is used to test the hypothesis that the factors influencing location choice vary significantly.
1.6 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING METHOD
The sample size for this study was 175 respondents chosen at random from the selected workshops. The following workshop areas have been chosen: Custom/Ikolaba, UI, Bodija/ Ashi, Agbowo/ Barika, Sango/ Samonda, and Ijokodo. The table below depicts the distribution of the workshops, their population, and the sample chosen for questionnaires.
Workshop location
The number of workshops
Sample
Percentage
Ikolaba Customization
1
5
UI
1
5
Bodija and Ashi
13
65
Agbowo and Barika
8
40
Sango/ Samonda
7
35
Ijokodo
5
25
Total
35
175
These workshops area were selected by the researcher because of time, cost limit and also because the automobile technicians mostly settled in this area and mostly have those those that work on different
1.7 STUDY LOCATION
Ibadan is the capital of Oyo State and the largest city in West Africa, ranking second in Africa. It has a land area of 270km2 and a total human population of 3,570,000 according to the 2006 population census. It is situated between longitudes 2’50 and 3’20 east of the Greenwich Meridian and 7’20 and 7’50 north of the Equator. It has approximately…… local governments, with five constituting its metropolis: Ibadan North, Ibadan North East, Ibadan North West, Ibadan South West, and Ibadan South East.
Ibadan North Local Government Area was established on September 27, 1991, as one of the local governments. It is located at 7’26.8 north of the Equator and 3’54.9 east of the Greenwich Meridian. It can be found at Agodi Gate in Ibadan. In the west, by Iddo and Ibadan North West Local Government, Lagelu, Egbeda, and Ibadan North West Local Government, and Akinyele Local Government in the north. It has a land area of 27km2 and a population of 300,397 people according to the 1991 census, but 306,795 according to the 2006 census. Apart from the Yorubas, it is divided into 12 wards, each of which has a diverse population of Urhobos, Edo, Hausas, Fulanis, and so on.
1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
The development of transportation has a direct impact on the development of the productive and social sectors of society because it is the primary beneficiary of infrastructural facilities, which has increased not only the economy’s growth rate but also the country’s social sector. Because road transportation allows for the delivery of services to customers’ doorsteps, its importance in the delivery of efficient services is undeniably growing. The importance of repairing services cannot be overstated, as there is a greater demand for repairing workshops.
The increased use of vehicles for both private and commercial purposes, combined with the influx of used vehicles known as “Tokunbo,” necessitated the need for highly efficient and effective maintenance. Automobile Manufacturing is a sector of the economy that deals with the manufacturing and production of automobiles for human desires and wants. In order for automobile industries to continue to exist, there is the occurrence of a service sector that repairs, services, and keeps all parts of the vehicle in touch. Automobile repair and service is rapidly expanding around the world. Nigeria, a developing country with a dense population and a struggling economy, sees an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads of several states, particularly in densely populated cities such as Lagos and Ibadan. Because of the large number of cars on the road, Ibadan has over 2000 automobile mechanic workshops, the majority of which are independent. Operating on a medium and small scale due to technical know-how, work capital, land size, and so on.