Reducing Working Hours For Employees: A Qualitative Approach

Objectives of the Research

Discuss about the Empirical Investigation of National and Multinational.

Every organization has a dream to serve their clients to the best of their ability, while at the same time making their employees as comfortable as possible. This is usually a challenge because maximum satisfaction of customers always requires sacrifices like workers putting in extra hours. On the other hand, making employees more comfortable means the organization makes sacrifices like reducing the number of hours for the workers. For this reason, research has been on-going to try and find a way to balance these two options; reduce the number of working hours for employees and improve the overall business all at the same time (Gelman et al. 2014).

This research plan is a report of one such survey. In this report, we look at various issues surrounding the scheme described above. We will find out the advantages and disadvantages of reducing the working hours for employees and what can be done to eliminate the disadvantages. The report will be based on the specifics of our case organization. We will look at the objectives of the research, the methods of data collection and the data collected, and the results of the research. We will then make recommendations for best practices that can be employed to meet the objectives therein realized.

This report would be based on the following objectives in the context of the specifics of our case organization:

1. Assess the advantages of the twenty hour work week
2. State the challenges faced by the staff in the twenty hour work week

• Assess the clients reactions or complains about the services after the inception of the twenty-hour work; and

1. Finally, the different perspectives of the staff on improving the customer service while maintaining the twenty hour week
2. Why a qualitative approach is more appropriate for addressing the research objective

The qualitative approach is a research methodology that uncovers a target group or audience’s set of behavior and their perspective concerning the specific objectives of the research. Now, in this context, it very critical to use qualitative approach since it gives a room for multiple choice survey responses in defining a structured number of working hours for the staff that respond more readily with the client’s needs. The only way to minimize risks and realize the organizational objectives is to listen to the end clients and the staff, understand not just your services, but also who your customers are, what they value and what their complains are and what they appreciate and seek to incorporate (Marshall and Rossman 2014). The qualitative approach is the best option here; it helps the researcher to get closer to the clients by understanding who they are, what complains they have regarding the twenty hour work week, but not just understanding who they are as clients. Because the staff’s opinions about the twenty hour work week are needed in this case, the qualitative approach is the most appropriate in this case. It is subjective and opinion based research methodology; it will help the researcher to get reliable feedbacks from both the clients and the staff regarding the twenty hour work week.

Qualitative Research Methodology

This research is entirely based on qualitative approach. Therefore, the population from which the participants would be selected would be; the staff and the customers. These are the opinions needed in this context. Perhaps the regular clients and the head of departments should be selected in this case (Creswell and Creswell 2017).

Determining appropriate sample size in qualitative approach is based on the judgment and the experience in assessing the quality of data collected against the objectives of the research. The specific research methodology and objectives employed and the outcome intended. In this context the sample size will be determined based on the nature of the study topic- (reduce the number of working hours for employees and improve the overall business all at the same time) (Merriam and Tisdell 2015). Furthermore, the quality of the data the researcher needs, and the framework upon which the study is based would probably be how the sample size will be determined in this case.

In this case, the sample of participants would be selected from the population based on the research objective to ensure representation of very critical elements. For example, the head of the department of the staff should be selected to represent the views of the entire staff concerning the twenty-hour work per week and the service delivery (Hancock and Algozzine 2016). Again the regular customers should be chosen to represent the whole segment of the clients concerning their opinions on service delivery after the execution of the twenty-hour work per week. Similarly, the participants are selected based on their ability to inform the research objective and uphold the case study phenomenon. Therefore identification of the head of staff and the regular clients would be much more appropriate here. The decisions concerning the selection must be fully dependent on the research objective or research question, the theoretical framework and the evidence about the study.

Data collection techniques most commonly preferred in qualitative approach are interviews-can be individual or group interviews, document review, and observations. Therefore, for this particular report, data will be collected based on interviews, observations and document review. The staff group and clients will be subjected to the preempted data collection methods (Runeson and Höst 2009).

1. What does the staff believe are the advantages of the twenty hour work week?
2. What do the clients regard as the advantages and the disadvantages of the whole scheme?

• What are the mechanisms the staff has to improve the client service while maintaining the twenty hour work week?

The first questions are meant to assess the opinion of the staff regarding the twenty-hour work, benefits it has on the organization, and it is directly linked to the first objective. The second question is directed to know how the clients feel about the delivery of the services after the implementation of the twenty hour work week program (Sekaran and Bougie 2016). The question is linked to the research objective since it is meant to examine the opinion of the clients regarding the program. Finally, the third question is to give how the organization will benefit if the program is executed (Palinkas et al.2015). Factors that will make the organization maintain its customer base instead of losing it. The question is linked to the research objective because it is trying to examine the staff morale about the issue of twenty hour work week.

Population and Sample Selection

In a qualitative approach, data analysis undergoes three steps, therefore, for this particular research data would be analyzed based on the following steps: deconstruction, interpretation and finally the reconstruction steps (Elo et al.2014)

The very first limitation I can deduce in this case is that the report may be biased because the research approach is subjective based on the people’s opinions that may not be so inductive for other organizations. Secondly, the quality and rigor of the research may be difficult to assess, demonstrate and maintain because the research is based on individual skills and opinions. The volume or the quantity of data makes the research analysis to be expensive and time-consuming; therefore, it may not be such reliable for other organization. Finally, in this case, findings can be very difficult and time-consuming to actualize or implement.

The answers to qualitative interview questions might be used in mixed method study through the determination or enforcement of the sequential data, the methods taken as priorities during the collection and analysis of data, and consequently, the answers can be used in the integration of the findings regarding the research question. In this particular case, sequential explanatory is the best, because it uses the outcome of the qualitative to help in explaining and interpretation of the finding of the research study.

According to Bassoli (2012), this article addresses divinatory issues concerning participatory planning (PB), the reason for existing being to underline the administration idea of this instrument. More particularly, thinking about PB as a specific kind of participatory administration plan, it centers on the vote based results of solid encounters. Embracing the Dahlian process?oriented idea of the vote based system; three Italian cases are considered and investigated, as per four basic factors: consideration, cooperation, the role played by the opposition, and straightforwardness.

According to Talpin (2012), various forums that coordinate citizens’ decisions into policy-making are rejuvenating majority rules system in numerous spots far and wide. However, debate flourishes about whether these forums should be viewed as valid wellsprings of general conclusion and how they should fit with existing political organizations. By what means can metro discussions incorporate less effective subjects and guarantee that their points of view are heard on measure up to terms with more advantaged natives, authorities, and strategy specialists? By what method can these delicate organizations impart nationals’ strategy inclinations adequately and genuinely to whatever is left of the political framework?

Data Collection Techniques

According to Wampler (2010), in this first thorough comparative study of the phenomenon, he draws evidence from eight regions in Brazil to demonstrate the differing degrees of achievement and disappointment PB has encountered. He distinguishes why some PB programs have improved the situation than others in accomplishing the twin objectives of guaranteeing administrative responsibility and empowering citizenship rights for the poor residents of these urban communities in the journey for more prominent social equity and a well-working vote based system.

The most prominent, finding in these four articles is based on how participatory budgeting improves accountability and the overall transparency of the government by devolving budgeting process to the local citizens (Talpin. 2012). These aspects empower citizens to engage actively on the roles of their communities and help them comprehend the challenges associated with the local governance, the cost of the various project for the public, and the nature of trade-offs the government is likely to consider first (Bassoli 2012). And finally, Brian Wampler (2010) asserts that PB programs have improved the situation than others in accomplishing the twin objectives of guaranteeing administrative responsibility and empowering citizenship rights for the poor residents of these urban communities in the journey for more prominent social equity and a well-working vote based system.

The Hofstede power distance portrays inequality that is hierarchical, usually defined from the bottom to the top. In fact, this is the degree to which the societies and various organizations embrace power differentials. The societies with huge power are categorized based on the following attributes; autocracy in leadership, authority centralization, paternalistic management, hierarchy levels. In contrast, the societies with small powers are considered to be; having consultative management, decentralization o0f decision making et cetera (Hofstede and Bond 1984). Consequently, individualism culture is seen as; fostering contractual friendships that are based on the critical aspects of the exchange. They assess the possibility of either the profit and loss margins before engaging.

1. Researchers suggest that the aspects of national culture, influencing the general behavior values and attitudes of the individuals must be considered because this usually impacts of the superior evaluative style during participatory budgeting. (Somboon and Aiyeku 2013).
2. The following are the three major factors influencing participation in budgeting;
3. Decentralization factors; whereby, is associated with tokenism and nonparticipation in the budget formulation. Perhaps education is the major aspect of the effectiveness of the public participation in the budget formulation.
4. Socio-economic factors; education is one of the major socio-economic factor influencing the participation in budgeting. Gender, age, and level of income do not majorly influence the participation in budgeting.

• Behavioral factors; people with the positive attitude toward their governing authorities do participate more efficiently toward the formulation of the budget, and the budgeting is also efficient in places with such a positively motivated group (Zhang and Liao 2011).

1. Time and cash are rare assets to all people and associations; the productive and powerful utilization of these assets requires planning. Planning alone, perhaps, is inadequate. Control is additionally important to guarantee that designs are completed. A financial plan is an apparatus that supervisors use to plan and control the utilization of rare assets. A financial plan is an arrangement demonstrating the organization’s targets and how administration means to get and utilize assets to accomplish those goals. The budgeting process includes making arrangements for future gains because procuring a sensible profit for assets utilized is an essential organizational objective. An organization must devise some technique to manage the vulnerability without bounds. An organization that does no planning at all with the future as a matter of course and can respond to occasions just as they happen is likely to fail. Most organizations, in any case, devise an outline for the moves they will make given the predictable occasions that may happen.

References

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