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Research questions
The aim of this study is to find out whether offering on-job training leads to increased productivity of casual workers within the University. Essentially, the study will explore the impact of offering on-job training on casual workers’ performances within the learning institution.
In other words, the intention of this study is to examine empirically the impacts of on-job training on the performance of casual employees within the University.
Though the literature point out the importance of the relationship between the on-job training and employees’ performances, empirical studies have not been conducted to ascertain the premise on casual workers.
The study is distinct and original since the study focuses on the casual employees. In addition, the effects of on-job training on the casual employees’ performances will be tested empirically to determine the validity of the variables.
Further, the study is undertaken to add more knowledge on the literature that have been written in this subject area. The study will be looking into two variables, the impact of on-job training as an independent variable and the casual employees performances measured in terms of job outcome as the dependent variable
The study will tend to answer the following questions
- Is on-job training among the university casual workers lead to increased productivity?
- What are the effects of on-job training on the casual workers’ job outcomes?
University casual workers lag behind when it comes to the improvements of skills through on-job training. In fact, on-job training is considered among the best methods through which workers improve their skills, which translated into improved productivity.
Among the college employees, casual laborers are given little attention. In most instances, programs that enable improvement of their skills are limited. Currently, some of the departmental managers have realized the relevance of on-job training plans to casual employees, but they are yet to experience the benefits of adopting such strategies fully.
Additionally, most of the departmental managers are still looking at such programmes as a short-term strategy. Conversely, the university is yet to emphasise on the on-job training programme for casual workers as a major human resources management component that could lead to long-terms benefits.
Both the casual employees as well as the organisations do not understand the relevance of attaining the required skills through on-job training strategies. As such, only a fraction of them is tapping its full potential.
A need for increased performance on the casual workers necessitates more research into the area. Furthermore, there is need to motivate the casual employees towards their job performances.
Therefore, understand relationship between on-job training and the productivity of casual employees will be critical in enhancing the general performance of the organisation. In essence, the study will determine whether offering on-job training programmes leads to increased productivity among the casual workers.
Whether the premise is true or otherwise remains a matter of approval. Therefore, there is need for studies to examine the impact of offering on-job training on casual workers’ performances. The study will be undertaken according to the plan outline in the proposed time schedule.
Thinking ahead
In order to attain the required outcome, careful planning in terms of resources needs to be undertaken. The plan forecasts various activities depending on allocated time (Trochim and Dodley 67).
Planning is critical in ensuring that activities are completed within the schedule. In addition, coming up with the plan is significant in identifying the required resources necessary for the completion of the study.
The study procedures are divided into various activities that are allocated certain duration in which they are supposed to be completed. The study is divided into four main parts including preparation, data collection and analysis as well as writing the research paper.
However, the consultations with the supervisor are integrated within the stages. In other words, appropriate consultation with the supervisor will be undertaken before the final activities are undertaken in every stage.
In preparation, sequential activities begin with the consultation of the supervisor to provide guidelines on selecting the research topic, designing the study, creating the study questionnaire as well as acquiring the study literature (Bhattacherjee 23). All preparation activities are apportioned approximately six weeks.
In data collection, the prelude to the data acquisition, distribution of questionnaires, conducting interviews, data collection and literature review should take eleven weeks distributed as shown in the table below. Data collection is followed by data analysis.
In fact, data analysis activities include the introduction to data analysis and conducting the actual data analysis. In the prelude of data analysis, the information is composed in various categories to ease the analysis process. During the analysis, the obtained data are simplified and interpreted to be understood easily by the stakeholders (Trochim and Dodley 67).
The writing of the research paper and the final presentation follows data analysis. In writing the final research paper, all the activities are put down according to the required format.
In addition, the final research paper specifies all the activities that have been undertaken. The final paper is then presented to the stakeholders. All the activities require resources as well as time as indicated in the table.
Proposed Time Schedule
Locating the literature
Literature review is one of the critical areas that provide qualitative information on the study topic. Literature review is often conducted on articles that are related to the study topic. However, in this particular study the literature review will be conducted on articles related to the impact of employees’ training on the success of the organisation
Punia and Saharan studies indicated that training of employees is critical in enhancing workers’ understanding, capabilities, efficiency as well as effectiveness in the operations of the organisation 242.
The results of their study also indicated that training is an important aspect of employees’ personal development since it offers increased benefits in terms of proficiency and performance.
However, conventional paradigms utilised in evaluating the models only focused on the effects of general employees’ training without concentrating on the impact of on-job training on improved employees outcome (Punia and Saharan 245).
Generally, efficient on-job training of employees is significant in enhancing overall performance and success of an organisation. In principle, firms must appraise the consequences and proceeds from employee training.
Actually, employee training can allow an organisation to categorise sectors that require enhancement of personnel development. Essentially, the exploitation of performance evaluation systems that identify weaknesses and strengths of different employees is critical in organisational success. Punia and Saharan study was too general and broad.
Truitt’s study postulates that current business executive should undertake the design and appraisal of employee training and development to reduce the disputes affecting employee performance 447. In addition, Truitts findings indicated that there is a direct connection between on-job training and job proficiency 447.
Further, the need of high performance employees in organisations has initiated training for personnel. The study revealed that training of employees is invaluable in assessing the employees’ inputs as well as enabling the personnel to come up with objectives and goals that augment the success of an organisation.
Actually, the adoption of competency-based training techniques enhances employees’ proficiencies, capabilities as well as knowledge. The study indicated that the exploitation of apprenticeship, coaching, job shadowing and organisational learning techniques are capable of increasing the success of firms (Truitt 448).
In other words, well-made training systems enhance employees’ capabilities and skills needed to ensure the competitiveness of an organisation. However, Truitt’s study lacked credibility in terms of methodology applied.
Another study conducted by Hassan in the same area contends that organisations invest on training employees to achieved increased performance and success 540. In fact, according to Hassan, training is critical in enhancing employees’ job output 540.
Actually, the exploitation of change-driven training models is significant in increasing the performance of personnel thereby augmenting the general output of the firms (Hassan 541). Organisations should invest funds in employee development in training employees to augment general firm performance.
Additionally, with increased expertise and competition in businesses, training and development of employees is significant. Hassan’s study is comprehensive since the current data is used to draw conclusion.
In addition, the study encompasses most of the organisations and the sample was large enough to come up with reliable conclusion and recommendations. Moreover, the author used reliable and current secondary sources of data to draw conclusions. However, there was lack of consistency in the results due to the large set of data involved in the analysis.
Qualitative and quantitative research methods
Advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires
One of the advantages of using questionnaires is that the research tools are the easiest to administer compared to other methods of data collection including interviews and observations. In addition, questionnaires are less costly particularly where large quantities of data are required.
In the case where the respondent considers information required confidential, questionnaires prove to be the most appropriate particularly the self-administered or postal/email questionnaires. In other words, the respondents can easily provide information that cannot be revealed face-to-face.
In addition, under the circumstances where anonymity of the information is required, the respondents have to be assured of the confidentiality.
Besides, questionnaires can be used to remove the possible effects of bias that can easily be found in interviews where the presence of the interviewer influences the responses being provided.
The major disadvantage of questionnaires is that respondents can misunderstand ambiguous questions particularly in the absence of the interviewer. However, misinterpretations of ambiguous questions are unlikely particularly with questionnaires delivered face-to-face.
Under the situations of closed questionnaires, respondents are confined to the listed questions. The interviewers have no opportunity to probe the respondents for additional information particularly in an area considered by the researcher as of greater interest.
In addition, in self-administered questionnaires, the researcher is not sure whether the targeted respondents have completed the questionnaires. In other words, there is increased possibility of outside influence on responses provided in self-administered questionnaires.
Besides, the answers provided do not normally reflect the feelings of the respondents. In most cases, the respondents provide answers depending on the current circumstances or the response that would please the researcher. Further, the response rate in self-administered questionnaires whether postal or email can be extremely low.
Advantages and disadvantages of interviews
One of the major advantage interviews have is its adaptability and flexibility in gaining information. The flexibility is particularly attained in unstructured interviews where the interviewer is not restricted by stern schedules or list of questions.
In the case of semi-structured interviews, there is increased degree of flexibility and maintenance of the structure, which forms a critical basis for comparison at the analysis stage. Semi-structured or unstructured interviews also allow the interviewer to probe for further information particularly in areas the researcher find interesting for the study.
In such situations, the interviewer is not entirely restricted to specific answers from the respondents as observed in questionnaires. In other words, the interviewer can use observations to deduce whether further information is needed depending on the reaction of the respondents.
Besides, the interviewer has the capability of clarifying some of the complexities that may arise on the spot. The ability to make clarifications reduces the probability of getting inaccurate responses due to misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the questions. Moreover, the researcher knows the respondents and the chances of influencing the information are reduced.
However, in the case of structured interviews, there is lack of flexibility due to limited choices concerning the manner in which the questions are formatted. In addition, due to the formal nature of the interviews, the chance of developing a rapport with the interviewee is reduced.
In other words, the researchers have less chance of probing for further information. Besides, in the semi-structured and structured interviews, the information gained is normally difficult to categorise and code. In other words, the information from interviews is not susceptible to coding and comparability.
The approach
In this study, mixed approaches will be used. In other words, both qualitative and quantitative research methods will be applied. However, more emphasis will be given to quantitative approach. The reason is that quantitative research approach provides more reliable and valid results compared to the qualitative method (Richey and Klein 247).
The pursuit of this study is to obtain more reliable and valid results. Results can be said to be reliable and valid only in the circumstances that objectivity is observed. Quantitative approach is the most objective method through which reliable and valid results can be obtained (Richey and Klein 247).
In other words, quantitative approach attains the required objective results through the application of scientific inquiry. The scientific inquiry mentioned means that the quantitative research method focuses on the use of measurements, classification, coding and production of information, which can be tested through scientific means.
In other words, the data is analysed, interpreted and presented statistically. Moreover, the methods of collecting data are normally formalised.
Besides, the approach is the most reliable method through which scientific enquiry can be conducted. Most of the researches that have been conducted to add knowledge on an issue have always been construed to be scientific in nature.
In other words, there is less room for criticism as the results have been proven through scientific means. In this case, the aim is to ensure that the results can be achieved in the circumstances that similar studies are conducted given similar conditions.
However, qualitative analysis is also taken into consideration. The main method of attaining qualitative data is through interviews. In fact, the qualitative approach is used to add more knowledge or to give background information on the concerned area of the study.
Given the fact that qualitative approach is normally associated with subjectivity does not necessarily mean that qualitative data provided is not reliable and valid. Essentially, qualitative approach lacked a method through which reliability and validity can be measured.
In fact, the background information received through interviews is tested and analysed through quantitative means. Mixed approach is critical particularly in studies that tend to add knowledge in academic spheres. In other words, existing knowledge should constantly be tested through scientific means in order to ensure its reliability and validity.
Essentially, for this research to meet its obligations, it is designed to be both qualitative and quantitative study. The reason for the choice of the mixed approach is due to increased possibility of using innovating and novel ideas required in understanding variables involved in the study.
Moreover, through mixed approach, the research will come up with new and clear concepts explaining the dynamics and processes involved in the relationships existing between the variables.
Further, the research also explores how such relationships affect the outcomes. Moreover, the mixed research approach will set up main concerns, build on operational explanations and improve on the final study design.
Samples
Sampling procedure is the process of identifying the respondents that will actually participate in the study. Essentially, samples used in the study should be representative of the population to be studied. Besides, the sample size and nature should be considered in relation to the resources available and the research method applied in the study.
Moreover, the sample size should be reflective of the population and realistic to the study (Richey and Klein 247). However, in this study, where survey questionnaires and interviews will be applied to collect data, large sample size will not be effective considering time and costs. Therefore small sample size, which is representative of the population, will be the most appropriate.
In the study where the impact of on-job training on University casual employees’ performances is considered, all casual employees within the University are deemed viable when carrying out the research.
As indicated, the selected sample should represent the whole population of casual workers within the university. However, the population target, which constitutes the sample, will be selected depending on the level of on-job training and performance.
From the total number of casual employees present in the university, just ten casual workers will be selected via a technique dubbed as simple random sampling strategy.
The proposed sample size will comprise of five women and five men. The choice of the sample is suitable for the purpose of the study. In addition, since the study will majorly be based on survey and interviews, small sample size will be the most effective.
All the chosen sample of employees will undertake the in-depth interviews while the survey questionnaire will be distributed.
Regardless of the fact that the chosen sample size of eighty employees materialise to be exceptionally small given the type of research study to be carried out, the constraints such as the available financial resources and the planned timeframe makes it completely necessary to confine the study selected sample to the precisely specified size (Spector 225).
Random sampling procedure is applied to minimise the bias in the sample selection process. Besides, simple random sampling process is the most effective given the type of study to be undertaken since the procedure ensures a sample that is representative of the population.
In terms of accessibility, permission of various respondents will be sought before the proposed study is conducted. Moreover, consent of relevant authorities will be sought before administering the questionnaire to the respondents.
Ethical consideration
Like any research study, ethical issues are likely to emerge. Thus, ethical consideration is critical. The ethical issues that are likely to arise include the informed consent of the participants, the power differences between the researcher and the participants, the confidentiality of the information as well as the consent of the authorities (Penslar 345).
In other words, all researches raise ethical issues ranging from the informed consent of the participants to confidentiality of the information being provided. Madge argues that ethics in any research is critical in instilling discipline on how the respondents are treated 654.
Essentially, ethical consideration in any social research considers how respondents as well as other stakeholders are treated while the study is being undertaken. Looking into ways through which these ethical issues can be dealt with is critical for the success of the study.
One of the issues is the informed consent of the study participants. In this case, informed consent will involve treating the respondents with due respect. In this study, the participants will be approached through the application of a common language in order to make the information clear. In addition, the respondents will be provided with full information concerning the nature of the study and the amount of time they are required to participate.
Besides, the participants will be informed on the methods used and the way the study will be of critical importance (Penslar 345).
Moreover, the participants will be informed of any potential risks, whether economical or psychological, associated with taking part in this study. The mentioned issues will be provided to the respondents before the consent of the participants is sought.
Further, all the requirements will be completed as a requisite by the research supervisor as well as the department. In addition, all the participants will be provided with information concerning their freedom of participation using the stated standards.
A letter of introduction specifying and explaining the aims of the study and the standard methods will also be provided. Moreover, information sheet guiding and describing the study will also be provided.
The participants will also be made aware that they can remove their participation without any consequence. Lastly, the participants will be provided with letter of consent.
Since this study will be conducted within the learning institution, the consent of the concerned authorities will be sought. In fact, before the commencement of the study, the institutional authorities will be provided with information regarding the research.
In other words, an approval will be sought from the responsible authority particularly the institution’s top management and safeguards will be put in place during and after the research study to help protect the respondents and any other human subjects.
Confidentiality is another issue that is likely to emerge. In this study, confidentiality will involve securing information provided by the respondents (Madge 655). For instance, during the storage of data the responses from the questionnaires will be properly stored to avoid any ensuing alteration.
In addition, the identities of the respondents will be secured particularly where the information provided is deemed sensitive and can jeopardize the status and position of the respondents. Besides, a letter will be offered to the respondents in order to provide an assurance of the confidentiality of their information.
Honesty will greatly be considered in this study particularly on the part of the participants. Before the study is undertaken, the permission and the ability of the participants will be sought.
In addition, to ensure that the participants uphold honesty while participating in the research, the institution’s management permission will be sought and the unwilling participants will be exempted from the study (Penslar 345).
In fact, the participants’ information will not be disclosed to guarantee confidentiality and to preserve their anonymity. The information acquired from the study participants will be securely stored and protected whereas study-finding reports will not divulge the participants’ identification.
Besides, power difference between the researcher and the respondents is another ethical issue that is likely to emerge. Power difference emerges under the circumstances where the roles of the respondents and the researcher are not clear.
However, in this study, the respondents will be informed of their roles as well as the responsibilities of the interviewer. The information is provided in order to reduce any issue that may arise due to the power differences between the researcher and the respondent.
In fact, both physical and emotional harm that may accrue will be given due consideration in this section by stating the basic ethical approach along with the power differentials between the researcher and the respondents as well as how the participants will be protected from any eminent abuses.
Informed consent will similarly be sought. Finally, the information acquired from the study participants will be securely stored and protected whereas study-finding reports will not divulge the participants’ identification.
Generally, given that this research is essential, a formal request authorisation will be sought from the institution’s management where the survey will be conducted. The researcher will take all the responsibilities encountered during the research process to ensure the integrity, dignity and well-being of the involved study subjects (Penslar 345).
To make certain the completion of the research tasks within the required period, the researcher shall recognise and effectively balance any subjectivity by providing precise research accounts and abiding by the law to develop the indispensable expertise.
Considerations and observance will thus be given to a variety of ethical issues as well as guidelines namely the participants informed consents, power and confidentiality.
Further, in this study, the respondents will be granted a holistic indulgent into the study through seeking for every research participant’s permission to ensure abidance by their respective informed consent. In addition, a request for the participants understanding to be involved in the research will also be made clear.
For instance, time factor, the significance of the topic researched on, activities to be undertaken, and any risk to be encountered will be revealed to the research respondents or participants.
The participants will be free in making independent decisions of whether to take part or not to be involved in the research and this implies that the researcher have indefinite voluntary participation in the study.
Further, the researcher will ensure that the participants are aware of the research details and nature and their respective rights to pull out from the study any moment.
Techniques
The study will apply both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Quantitative technique normally draws data from surveys while qualitative technique will draw data from in-depth interviews and observations made (Richey and Klein 247).
Essentially, surveys and interviews will form the major techniques of data collection. The reason for the choice of the mixed approach in this study is that limitations of each approach are compensated.
Qualitative data collection techniques
One major weakness of qualitative research that this study will greatly consider is the possible subjectivity on the results obtained (Bhattacherjee 212). In other words, based on the validity of the data to be collected, qualitative studies are associated with subjectivity (Bhattacherjee 212).
In this study, the qualitative data will primarily be obtained through in-depth interviews and observation made during the interviews. In other words, in order to present significant research findings, appropriate conclusions, and credible recommendations, the proposed investigative study will use interviews as a method of collecting qualitative data.
In fact, the intentions of the interview are to administer the interview questions to the study participants through the application of various procedures by choosing respondent initially incorporated in the study population.
Interview schedules that would be approved to help gather information will equally be used to establish the relationship existing between on-job training and the casual workers performance.
The interviews will focus on how on-job training has increased the performance of employees. In order to identify the level of performance, interviews will examine the differences in performance of employees before and after receiving the training, areas that the casual employees need to be trained on in order to increase their performances, the employees’ turnover after and before receiving the formal on-job training as well as the motives of acquiring the on-job training.
Even though some of the areas may be broad, interviews will narrow on areas that relate to performance and interrogate other related factors.
The advantage with the interviewing method of primary data collection is that various observations such as the interviewees’ reactions and feelings can be made at the same time. In addition, the interviewer can modify the question depending on the situation to get the required answer.
The direct response is critical in establishing the effects of on-job training on casual employees’ performance as one of the main human resources practices currently undertaken by the organisations to help attain the desired outcome.
However, interview process may hinder the provision of the information the respondents consider secret. Moreover, the respondents may twist information depending on what the interviewer require.
Quantitative data collection technique
Quantitative technique is the process where the empirical procedures are applied to study the proposed topic. In other words, empirical procedures are applied in the data collection, analysis and presentation of the results.
The major advantage of qualitative techniques is that the results are based on scientific procedures (Trochim and Dodley 23). Moreover, objectivity of the results is highly attained. In this study, the quantitative data will majorly be obtained through a survey.
In other words, the proposed study will primarily utilise the survey method of gathering information through the administration of a well-structured questionnaire. Moreover, the requisite research data will be gathered across the study population consisting majorly of the university casual employees.
The data from the survey is aimed at assisting in devising sound and rational study conclusions amid offering feasible recommendations for the research being conducted. The survey will focus on the general information concerning the proposed topic.
As indicated, the survey will constitute the administration ofsoundly designed research questionnaire to the study participants constituting. Each part of the questionnaire will constitute key items that suitably attend to the research questions.
For instance, part one will constitute whether the casual employees have received the on-job training and whether the skills acquired contributed to improved performances.
Other parts will generate insights amidst offering recommendations geared towards encouraging the institution to offer on-job training to the employees as well as how such endevour is critical in augmenting success of the organisation.
Moreover, some items in the survey questionnaire will interrogate other related variables that may influence the relationship between on-job training and the improved casual employees’ performances.
The advantage with the quantitative data collection techniques such as survey is that there are possibilities for improvements on the type of information to be collected. In other words, the survey questionnaire contains variety of questions targeting the required information.
In addition, more related information on the study area can be obtained. The major problem with the survey as a technique of obtaining quantitative data is that it is time consuming and costly. In other words, the survey method of data collection normally takes time requiring researchers to increase the costs.
Data analysis
In order to ensure logical completeness as well as response consistency, the researcher will edit the acquired data each day to be able to identify the ensuing data gaps or any mistakes that needs instant rectification. When data editing is completed, the collected research information will definitely be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively.
For example, any data that will been collected through in-depth interviews and observations on the respondents behavior will be analysed by means of content analysis along with the logical analysis techniques (Spector 222).
Furthermore, from the acquired independent variables values such the number of on-job training and the study dependent variable which is the casual employees’ performance measured in terms of total output or general productivity, regression analysis will be applied to establish the correlation that exist between employees training and organisation’s success.
To obtain the best correlation approximation values, the study quantitative data analysis will be carried out by utilizing the integrated Microsoft office statistical tools.
Further quantitative data analysis techniques including percentages, frequency distribution and deviations will be used to determine the research respondents’ proportions that chose various responses.
The method will be applied for each group of items available in the questionnaire that ideally corresponds to the formulated research question and objectives (Spector 222). Line graphs, tables as well as statistical bar charts will be used to make sure that quantitative data analysis is simply comprehensible.
Works Cited
Bhattacherjee, Anol. Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices. USF Tampa Bay: Open Access Textbooks Collection, 2012. Print.
Hassan, Shahidul. “Does Fair Treatment in the Workplace Matter? An Assessment of Organizational Fairness and Employee Outcomes in Government.” The American Review of Public Administration, 43.5 (2013): 539-557. Print.
Madge, Clare.” Developing a geographers’ agenda for online research ethics.” Progress in Human Geography, 31.5 (2007): 654–674. Print.
Patton, Michael. Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 2002. Print.
Penslar, Robin. Research Ethics: Cases and Materials. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004. Print.
Punia, Broke and Teena Saharan. “Management Approach and Conditions of Training: A Relative Study of Service and Manufacturing Industries.” The Journal of Business Perspective, 15.3 (2011): 239-250. Print.
Richey, Rita and James Klein. Design and development research: methods, strategies, and issues. London: Routledge, 2008. Print.
Spector, Paul. “Method variance in organizational research.” Organizational Research Methods, 9.3 (2006), 221-232. Print.
Trochim, William and James Dodley. The Research Methods Knowledge Base. Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog Publishing, 2008. Print.
Truitt, Debra. “The Effect of Training and Development on Employee Attitude as it Relates to Training and Work Proficiency.” The Journal of Business Perspective, 1.3 (2011): 445-453. Print.
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