February 4, 2022

WORK INSTRUCTIONS Work instructions bear a resemblance to procedures but differ from them in that they provide detailed directions consistent with requirements for activities defined in procedures. They specifically outline the tasks that are to be done in operationalizing a procedure. Example– one of the stages in a procedure may require that “an accused employee appear before a disciplinary committee” .The work instruction will spell out the resultant tasks to operationalize that step of the procedure i.e. Set appropriate date for the disciplinary meeting and agenda Seek management concurrence on the date and agenda Prepare folders for all members of the disciplinary committee Inform and Invite disciplinary committee members to the meeting Inform the employee of the meeting and date, venue and time and requirements from him Convene the meeting, take minutes, forward them to management for approval etc.   STEPS FOR DEVELOPING PROCEDURES Identifying the need Procedures should never be developed for the sake of it. There must be a felt need for them based on factors such as the Complexity of the processes and their interactions. Lack of a need for a procedure can lead to duplication of effort and over documentation. Policy makers must therefore satisfy themselves that a need exists for a procedure to be put in place to address certain shortfalls in the current practice.   Authority for the development of procedure The need to have the procedure must be well documented in the form of a request to the top management giving reasons to justify the procedure. The reasons given should emphasize that all the stages in a procedure will be value adding to avoid duplication of effort or wasted effort Procedures must be approved by a person to whom empowerment to authorize has been given.   Defining the scope The author must establish the precise scope to be covered by the procedure to avoid deviation from the objectives or policy. Failure to understand the limits of the procedure could result in a procedure traversing into areas that digress from the original intent and therefore cause conflict in the operational processes Collecting & documenting current information In collecting current information the various sources from both within and outside the organization form a good base for comparison. Document how the desired activity is carried out step-by-step using a practical approach. i.e visualize the process stage by stage considering the following: What shall be done Who will do it How it will be done When it will be done Where it shall be done Which (materials, documents etc.) shall be used What if Preparing a draft procedure In the drafting of the procedure a committee or team approach is recommended. Those involved in the implementation of the procedure should be part of the team involved in drafting of the procedure. Obtaining comments on draft procedure The Persons & departments concerned should review the initial draft to see if it is workable and if not, then Modifications should be incorporated Obtain authorization for use of procedure It is necessary to obtain approval or authorization for the procedure if any amendments were made. An appropriate person usually top management approves the procedure once amendments are incorporated & checked. Issue procedure Issue the procedure to make it operational. The procedure should be launched  by the management to show their commitment and make it effective. The HR should ensure that the procedure is followed in order to achieve the purpose for which it was created. Review the procedure After implementation for some time (between six to eighteen months) it should be reviewed & if necessary amendments can be made and/or revised procedure issued. It is expected that by this time the HR will have received adequate feedback on the use of the procedure and on the basis of this may recommend amendments to the existing procedure.  

HUMAN RESOURCE PROCEDURES DEFINITION Procedures {set out the ways in which specific actions concerning employees are to be carried out by managers.} Procedures comprise of a series of formalized approach to dealing with specific matters contained in the policy and practice. While policies are continuing guidelines on the approach the organization intends to adopt in managing its employees, procedures lay down precisely the steps that should be taken in particular circumstances. Unlike policies, procedures are more definitive in that they state what must be done and also indicate how to do it. In order to ensure that procedures are applied consistently in the organization it is desirable to have them in written form. This ensures uniformity of application. Written procedures also ensure that all employees are aware of the steps to take when dealing with matters of significance especially those that recur often. Procedures should be introduced in consultation with employees or their representatives whenever possible. All employees need to know how the procedures operate and these should be published in the organization in the form of a procedures manual. The human resource department is normally charged with the responsibility of ensuring that procedures are followed consistently.   For instance the recruitment process in an organisation may follow a critical path, which may involve the following steps: The need to recruit is identified through any of the following: Review of department/unit/section manpower requirements Staff movements. Increased workloads. Organisational change. Authority to recruit, preparation of intent for Advertising post and its approval Receipt of applications; preparation of summaries of applicants Initial screening interviews and testing (aptitude etc.) Background investigation and reference checks to ascertain truthfulness of resume and cv’s In depth selection interview and physical/medical examination Job offer/appointment letter Placement on the job, induction and orientation Probation and confirmation in appointment DOCUMENTATION OF PROCEDURES Unlike policies, which can exist implicitly in an organization as philosophies of management, procedures need to be documented to be effective in application. The documented procedures when stored or filed in a retrieval system serve as proof to justify past actions by the management and are thus records i.e. when the written documents are stored and kept in permanent form preserving the information that serves as evidence of the transactions they are referred to as records. Procedures constitute the bulk of documents in any organisation since every action or productive process needs to be detailed in a series of graduated steps on what needs to be done and how it is to be done.  

COMMUNICATING THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES The Ways in which the policies/procedures can be communicated to employees in the organization are as follows: Through circulation of copies of the policy to them Through circulation of copies of the policy to them through the heads of their respective departments (line managers) Inclusion of the policies in the employee handbook which are disseminated through the union or employee associations To individual employees during the process of signing the engagement/appointment letters Through administrative circulars sent to employees or posted on notice boards Through the formal process of induction and orientation Through inclusion in the companies local area network (LAN) Through meetings that can be held between the management and the workers from time to time to brief them on policy content A copy can be placed in the organizations resource center/library for reference A copy can be sent to employees by e-mail HR department as custodian of the document can be used to explain policy content to employees. The policy can be published in the organizations, in house magazines or newsletters The grapevine or the organizations informal channel of communication can be used to arouse interest amongst the various casual groupings and gauge their level of acceptance the grape vine is however not an official channel of communication. FEATURES OF AN EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK The main policies of an organization are disseminated to employees in a guidebook called the employees handbook. A good employee handbook contains the following features: A brief introductory history of the company– viz when company was founded, vision, mission, its directors, objectives and products. A brief on the top managers of the organization and the senior most officers preferably up to supervisory level. An organization chart showing reporting relationships and span of control of officers. The policies of the company enumerated in brief: Emphasis should be on the most important policies e.g. disciplinary, training; promotion, medical; terms and conditions of service-e.g. leave procedures, loans and benefits, insurance for staff. The handbook should seek to answer the frequently asked questions by employees in the areas of policies. Procedure for performance evaluation or review Enumerate the purpose and frequency of assessment Describe the evaluation process Sample forms in use in the organization should be annexed to the handbook to make it easier for employees to know which documents to use for different purposes e.g. leave forms, loan application forms, appraisal forms etc.  

The objective of a descriptive study is to learn the; who, what, when, where and how of a topic. The study may be simple or complex; it may be done in many settings. Whatever the form, a descriptive study can be just as demanding of research skills as the causal study, and we should insist on the same high standards for design and execution. The simplest descriptive study concerns a univariate question or hypothesis in which we ask about, or state about, the size, form distribuion, or existence of a variable. In the account analysis at City Bank, we might be interested in developing a profile of savers. We may want first to locate them in relation to the main office. The question might be, “What percentage of the savers live within a two-mile radius of the office?” Using a hypothesis format, we might predict, “60 percent or more of the savers live within a two-mile radius of the office.” We may also be interested in securing information about other variables: Relative size of accounts Number of accounts for minors Number of accounts opened within the last six months Amount of activity (number of deposits and withdrawals per year) in accounts Data on each of these variables, by themselves, may have value for management decisions. Bivariate relationships between these or other variables may be of even greater interest. Crosstabulations between the distance from the branch and account activity may suggest that differential rates of activity are related to account owner location. A cross-tabulation of account size and gender of account owner may also show interrelation. Such correlative relationshis do not necessarily imply a causal relationship. Descriptive studies are often much more complex than this example. One study of savers began as described and then went into much greater depth. Part of the study included an observation of account records that revealed a concentration of nearby savers. Their accounts were typically larger and more active than those whose owners lived at a distance. A sample survey of savers provided information on stages in the family life cycle, attitudes towards savings, family income levels, and other matters. Correlation of this information with known savings data showed that women owned larger accounts. Further investigation suggested that women with larger accounts were often widowed or working single women who were older than the average account holder. Information about their attitudes and savings practices led to new business strategies at the bank. Some evidence collected suggested causal relationships. The correlation between nearness to the office and the probability of having an account at the office suggested the question, “Why would people who live far from the office have an account there?” In this type of question a hypothesis makes its greatest contribution by pointing out directions that the research might follow. It might be hypothesized that: Distant savers (operationally defined as those with addresses more than two miles from the office) have accounts in the office because they once lived near the office; they were ‘near’ when the account decision was made. Distant saves actually live near the office, but the address on the account is outside the two mile radius; they are ‘near’ but the records do not show this. Distant savers work near the office; they are ‘near’ by virtue of their work location. Distant savers are not normally near the office but responded to a promotion that encouraged savers to bank via computer, this is another form of ‘nearness’ in which this concept is transformed into one of ‘convenience’. When these hypotheses were tested, it was learned that a substantial portion of the distant savers could be accounted for by hypotheses (a) and (c) conclusion: Location was closely related to saving at a given association. The determination of cause is not so simple however, and these findings still fall within the definition of a descriptive study. Causal Studies The correlation between location and probability of account holding at the savings and loan association looks like strong evidence to many, but the researcher with scientific training will argue that correlation is not causation. Who is right? The essence of the disagreement seems to lie in the concept of cause. The concept of Cause One writer asserts, “There appears to be an inherent gap between the language of theory and research which can never be bridged in a completely satisfactory way. One thinks in terms of theoretical language that contains notions such as causes, forces, systems, and properties. But one’s tests are made in terms of covariations, operations, and pointer readings. The essential element of causation is that A ‘produces’ B or A ‘forces’ B to occur. But that is an artifact of language, not what happens. Empirically, we can never demonstrate A-B causality with certainty. This is because we do not ‘demonstrate’ such causal linkages deductively or use the form of validation of premises that deduction requires for conclusiveness. Unlike deductive syllogisms, empirical conclusions are inferences – inductive conclusions. As such, they are probabilistic statements based on what we observe and measure. But we cannot observe and measure all the processes that may account for the A-B relationship. Previously, we discussed the example of a light failing to go on as the switch was pushed. Having ruled out other causes for the light’s failure, we were left with one inference that was probably but not certainly the cause. To meet the ideal standard of causation would require that one variable always caused another and no other variable had the same causal effect. The method of agreement, proposed by John Stuart Mill in the nineteenth century, states “When two or more cases of a given phenomenon have one and only one condition in common, then that condition may be regarded as the cause (or effect) of the phenomenon. Thus, if we can find Z and only Z in every case where we find C, and no others (A, B, D, or E) are found with Z, then we can conclude that C and

Exploration is particularly useful when researchers lack a clear idea of the problems they will meet during the study. Through exploration researchers develop concepts, establish priorities, develop operational definitions, and improve the final research design. Exploration may also save time and money. If the problem is not as important as first thought, research projects can be cancelled. Exploration serves other purposes. The area of investigation may be so new or so vague that a researcher needs to do an exploration just to learn something about the dilemma facing the manager. Important variables may not be known or thoroughly defined. Hypothesis for the research may be needed. Also, the researcher may explore to be sure it is practical to do a study in the area. Despite its obvious value, researchers and managers alike give exploration less attention than it deserves. There are strong pressures for quick answers. And exploration is sometimes linked to old biases about qualitative research: subjectiveness, non representativeness, and nonsystematic design. A wiser view is that exploration saves time and money and should not be slighted. Secondary Data analysis The first step in an exloratory study is a search of the secondary literature. Studies made by others for their own purposes represent secondary data. It is inefficient to discover anew through the collection of primary data or original research what has already been done. Within secondary data exploration, a researcher should start first with an organisation’s own data archives. Reports of prior research studies often reveal an extensive amount of historical data or decision-making patterns. By reviewing prior studies, you can identify methodologies that proved successful and unsuccessful. Solutions that didn’t receive attention in the past due to different environmental circumstances are revealed as potential subjects for further study. The researcher needs to avoid duplication in instances when prior collected data can provide sufficient information for resolving the current decision-making dilemma. The second source of secondary data is published documents prepared by authors outside the sponsor organisation. There are tens of thousands of periodicals and hundreds of thousands of books on all aspects of business. Data from secondary sources help us decide what needs to be done and can be a rich source of hypothesis. Special catalogs, subject guides, and electronic indices are available in most libraries that will help in this search. In many cases you can conduct a secondary search from your home or office using a computer, an online service, or an internet gateway. A search of secondary sources provides an excellent background and will supply many good leads if one is creative. If we confine the investigation to obvious subjects in bibliographic sources, we will often miss much of the best information. Suppose we are interested in estimating the outlook for the copper industry over the next 10 years. We could search through the literature under the headings “copper production” and “copper consumption”. However, a search restricted to these two topics would miss more than it finds. When a creative search of  copper industry is undertaken, useful information turns up under the following reference headings: mines and minerals, nonferous metals; forecasting; planning; econometrics; consuming industries such as automotive and communications; countries where copper is produced, such as Chile and Zambia. Experience Survey While published data are a valuable resource, seldom is more than a fraction of the existing knowledge in a field put into writing. A significant portion of what is known on a topic, while in writing, may be proprietary to a given organisation and thus unavailalbe to an outside searcher. Also, internal data archives are rarely well organised, making secondary sources, even when known, difficult to locate. Thus, we will profit by seeking information from persons experienced in the area of study, tapping into their collective memories and experiences. When we interview persons in an experience survey, we should seek their ideas about important issues or aspects of the subject and discover what is important across the subject’s range. The investigative format we use should be flexible enough so that we can explore various avenues that emerge during the interview. What is being done? What has been tried in the past without success? How have things changed? What are the change-producing elements of the situation? Who is involved in decisions, and what roles do they play? What problem areas and barriers can be seen? What are the costs of the processes under study? Whom can we count on to assist and/or participate in the research? What are the priority areas? The product of such questioning may be a new hypothesis, the discarding of an old one, or information about the practicality of doing the study. Probing may show whether certain facilities are available, what factors need to be controlled and how, and who will co-operate in the study. Discovery is more easily carried out if the researcher can analyse cases that provide special insight. Typical of exploration, we are less interested in getting a representative cross-section than getting information from sources that might be insightful. Assume we are called to study an automobile assembly plant. It has a history of declining productivity, increasing costs, and growing numbers of quality defects. People who might provide insightful information include: Newcomers to the scene – employees or personnel who may have recently been transferred to his plant from similar plants. Marginal or peripheral individuals – persons whose jobs place them on the margin between contending groups. First-line supervisors and lead workers are often neither management nor workers but something in between. Pure cases or cases that show extreme examples of the conditions under study – the most unproductive departments, the most anatognostic wokers, and so forth. Those who fit well and those who do not – the workers who are well established in their organisations versus those who are not, those executives who fully reflect management views and those who do not. Those who represent different positions in the system – unskilled workers, assemblers, superintendents, and so forth. Focus Groups With origins in sociology,

There are many definitions of research design, but no definition imparts the full range of important aspects. Kerlinger N F (1986) defines a research design as the plan and structure of investigation so conceived on to obtain answer to research questions. The plan in the overall scheme or program of the research; It includes an outline of what the investigator will do from hypothesis and their operational implication to the final analysis of data. A structure is the framework, organization, or configuration of….; the relations among variables of a study. A research design expresses both the structure of the research problem and the plan of investigation used to obtain empirical evidence on relations. Phillips S B (1971) noted that the research design constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data. It aids the scientist in the allocation of his limited resources by posing crucial choices. Is the blueprint to include experiments, interviews, observation, the analysis of records, simulation, or some combination of these? Are the methods of data collection and the research situation to be highly structured? Is an intensive study of a small sample more efficient that a less intensive study of a large sample? Should the analysis be primarily quantitative or qualitative? The two definitions differ in detail, but together they give the essentials of research design First, the design is a plan for selecting the sources and types of information used to answer the research question(s). Second, it is a framework for specifying the relationships among the study’s variables. Third, it is a blue print that outlines each procedure from the hypothesis to the analysis of data. The design provides answers for such questions as these. What techniques will be used to gather data? What kind of sampling will be used? How will time and cost constraints be dealt with? In a nutshell, the purpose of the research design is two fold:- Provide answers to the research question(s) Introduce a kind of orderliness in the process of answering the question(s) A good research design is therefore the one that enables one to answer the research question validly, objectively, accurately and economically. It is one that also enables one to provide empirical data to the research question(s). There are many research designs as there are many approaches to hypothesis testing. One wants to have a design that provides dependable and valid answers. Classification of Designs Early in any research study, one faces the task of selecting the specific design to use. A number of different design approaches exist, but unfortunately no simple classification system defines all the variations that must be considered. Cooper and Schindler have classified research design using at least eight different descriptions. 1. The degree to which the research question has been crystallized (the study may be either exploratory or formal). 2. The method of data collection (studies may be observational or communication based). 3. The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under study (the two major types of research are experimental and ex post facto). 4. The purpose of the study (research studies may be descriptive or casual) 5. The time dimension (research may be cross-sectional or longitudinal). 6. The topical scope – breadth and depth – of the study (a case or statistical study). 7. The research environment (most business research is conducted in a field setting, although laboratory research is not unusual; simulation is another option. 8. The subjects’ perceptions of the research (do they perceive deviation from their everyday routines). A brief discussion of these descriptors illustrates their nature and contribution to research. 1. Degree of Research Question Crystallization A study may be viewed as exploratory or formal. The essential distinction between these two is the degree of structure and the immediate objective of the study. Exploratory studies tend toward loose structures with the objective of discovering future research tasks. The immediate purpose of exploration is usually to develop hypotheses or questions for further research. The Formal Study begins where the exploration leaves off – it begins with a hypothesis or research question and involves precise procedures and data source specifications. The goal of a formal research design is to test the hypotheses or answer the research questions posed. The exploratory-formalized dichotomy is less precise than some other classifications. All studies have elements of exploration in them, and few studies are completely uncharted. 2. Method of Collection This classification distinguishes between monitoring and interrogation/communication process. The former includes observational studies, in which the researcher inspects the activities of a subject or the nature of some material without attempting to elicit responses from anyone. Traffic counts at an intersection, a search of the library collection, an observation of the actions of a group of decisionmakers – are all examples of monitoring. In each case the research notes and records the information available from observations. In interrogation/communication mode, the researcher questions the subjects and collects their response by personal or impersonal means. The collected data may result from: Interview or telephone conversations. Self-administered or self-report instruments sent through mail, left in convenient locations, or transmitted electronically or by another means, or Instruments presented before and/or after a treatment or stimulus condition in an experiment. (We use the term communication to contrast with observational because collecting data by questioning encompasses more than the ‘survey method). 3. Researcher Control of Variables In terms of the researcher’s ability to manipulate variables, we differentiate between experimental and ex post facto designs. In an experiment, the researcher attempts to control and/or manipulate the variables in the study. It is enough that we can cause variables to be changed or held constant in keeping with our research objectives. Experimental design is appropriate when one whishes to discover whether certain variables produce effects in other variables. Experimentation provides the most powerful support possible for a hypothesis of causation. With an ex post facto design, investigators have no control over the variables in the sense of being able to manipulate them. They can

There are two main types of research proposals: Academic research proposals Project research proposals (business proposals) In general, business proposals can be divided between those generated internally and externally. • An internal proposal is done for the corporation by staff specialists or the research department of the firm. • External proposals are either solicited or unsolicited. Sponsors can be university grant committees, government agencies, corporations, and so forth. With few exceptions, the larger the project, the more complex is the proposal. Academic Research Proposals These are proposals in which the researcher proposes to undertake a piece of research on some patinent issue leading to a definite academic qualification ie, diploma, degree, masters, doctorate etc. These are certain specific components that must go into such a proposal although the format may vary from institution to institution. The accepted format should be known to the student before embarking on writing of the proposal. The Structure of the Research Proposal The proposal can be structured in 3 sections: 1.Preliminary Information: The title page should have the following information: A clear title: This should have title of the study eg, Nakumat Supermarkets: A study of the Factors that Enhance the Organisational Commitment of Employees. Name of the student registration no/department/faculty registered in. Required fulfillment eg, proposal submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree in Business Administration, Mount Kenya University; May 2002. Other preliminary information should then follow, ie, Table of contents Authority from supervisors ie, this proposal has been submitted with the approval of the university supervisor(s). 1. …………………………………………….. 2. ……………………………………………. Declaration page: This declares the research to be one’s original work and not a duplicate from elsewhere. List of abbreviations. List of figures (if any) 2.CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background to the problem 1.2 The statement of the problem 1.3 The purpose of the study 1.4 The objectives of the study 1.5 Research questions 1.6 Research hypothesis (these can be substituted with assumptions of the study. In other words, it is not necessary or a must for the student to have research hypothesis especially if the study is of descriptive nature). 1.7 Theoretical background / conceptual framework. 1.8 Rationale or justification / conceptual framework 1.9 Limitations and delimitations of the study. 1.10 Assumptions of the study. 1.11 Definition of terms. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Theoretical literature review 2.2 Empirical literature review 2.3 Summary of literature. CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction (not always necessary) 3.1 Research design. 3.2 Target population. 3.3 Sampling procedures. 3.4 Methods of data collection 3.5 Procedures of data collection 3.6 Data analysis 3.References or Bibliography Names of authors of the books reviewed, ie, Name of author Name of book Published by Year Place John Peters Research Methods Kenya Ltd 1997 Nairobi Kenya Appendices • Time schedule • Budget • Data collection instruments and any other document that the researcher may consider important for the readers. Format Executive Summary / Abstract This allows the reader to understand quickly the thrust of the proposal. It is essentially an informative abstract, giving the reader the chance to grasp the essentials of the proposal without having to read the details. As such, the abstract should include brief statements of the problem and research questions, the research objectives and the benefits of your approach (methodology). It should also have some preliminary information on the expected findings. Ideally, the executive summary should be kept to a single page. Introduction/Background of the Study This is meant to stimulate interest of the reader. It acquaints the reader with the problem, provides some background and necessary information about the study. A good introduction shoud be brief and flow smoothly. A well written introduction should lead to the statement of the problem. Statement of the Problem This section needs to convince the reader / sponsor to continue reading the proposal. You should capture the reader’s attention by stating the problem clearly, its background, and consequences, and the resulting research questions. The problem statement should be brief and to the point. Problem statements too broadly defined cannot be addressed adequately in one study. Therefore, after reading this section, the reader should know the problem, its significance and why something should be done to change the status quo. • Remember, problem statement is the most critical part of the study, ie, without a problem, there is no study! Purpose of the Study A broad statement indicating what the researcher intends to do about the problem being investigated. Why have you undertaken to investigate this problem? Why now? Objectives of the Study This module addresses the purpose of the investigation. It is here that you lay out exactly what is being planned by the proposed research. The objectives module flows naturally from the problem statement, giving the reader concrete, and achievable goals. The objectives should be stated clearly and must be testable. Objectives should be specific be as possible. Objectives are important because: • They determine the kind of research questions to be asked (posed). • They determine the data collection and analysis procedures to be used. • The research objectives section is the basis for judging the remainder of the proposal and ultimately, the final report. Verify the consistency of the proposal by checking to see that each objective is discussed in the research design, data analysis and results sections. Research Questions These refer to the questions which a researcher would like to be answered by undertaking the study. Research questions are more of objectives put in a question form, sometimes it is not necessary to have both. In a case where the objectives are general statements, then it may be necessary for the research questions to be concluded. The research questions should be very specific and guiding to the study. Significance / Justification of the Study Highlights the reasons for conducting the research, for instance what gaps in knowledge has the study addressed? Has it contributed to the solution of an immediate problem? Who will the research benefit? Limitations and Delimitations of the

A research proposal is a comprehensive plan for a research project. It is a written description of a research plan that has to be undertaken. It determines the specific areas of research, states the purpose, scope, methodology, overall organization and limitations of the study. It also estimates its requirements for equipment (if necessary), finance and possible personnel. The research proposal is of great significance both to the researcher and the readers. 1. It makes known one’s intentions of getting involved with research work and this is done through the researcher spelling out the objectives of his/her study. 2. The process of writing a proposal allows the researcher to plan and review the steps that will be undertaken in the project. It gives the researcher an opportunity to spot flows in the logic, errors in assumptions and even problems that are not adequately addressed by the objectives and design of the study. 3. In general, it provides justification for funding, if one is out in the business/consultancy world. One has to justify the use of resources. If one is in an academic setting, the proposal must provide justification for acceptance as contributing to either existing knowledge or adding to it (that is either extending the current field of work or providing additional knowledge to the existing field). 4. After the proposal is done and approved, the document serves as guide for the researcher throughout the investigations, ie, progress can be monitored. 5. The proposal provides a basis for the evaluation of the document; it gives the research advisor a basis for assisting the researcher. 6. A well-designed research proposal helps the researcher to avoid the tiring and time consuming alterations once the research project takes off. 7. The proposal forces time management and budget estimate. These estimates allow researchers to plan the project in such a way that the work progresses steadily towards the deadline. Since many people tend to follow the work, having a schedule helps researchers work towards the completion of the project. 8. A proposal also provides an opportunity for the researcher to discuss the research efforts of others who have worked on related areas. 9. A proposal is also able to suggest the data necessary for solving the problem and how the data will be gathered, treated, and interpreted. 10. In addition, the proposal of a contact researcher must present its plan, services and credentials in the best possible way to encourage its selection over competitors. In contract research, the survival of companies depends on their ability to develop wining proposals. A note on Sponsor Uses All research has a sponsor in one form or another. The student researcher is responsible to the class instructor. In a corporate setting, whether the research is being done in-house by a research department or under contract to an external research firm, management sponsors the research. University, government, or corporate sponsored (grant) research uses grant committees to evaluate the work. • A research proposal allows the sponsor to assess the sincerity of your purpose, the clarity of your design, the extent of your background material, and your fitness for undertaking the project. • The proposal displays your discipline, organisation, and logic. A poorly planned, poorly written, or poorly organised proposal damages your reputation more than the decision not to submit one. • Depending on the type of research and sponsor you have, various aspects of a standard proposal design are emphasised. • The proposal, then, provides a document the sponsor can evaluate based on current organisational, scholastic, or scientific needs. It allows the research sponsor to assess both the researcher and the proposed design, to compare them against competing proposals, and to make the best selection for the project. • Comparison of the results with the proposal is the first step in the evaluation process. It provides a basis for the sponsor to evaluate the results of a project. By comparing the final product with the stated objectives, it is easy for the sponsor to decide if the research goals have been achieved. • Another benefit of the proposal is the discipline it brings to the sponsor. Many managers, requesting an in-house, departmental research project, do not adequately define the problem they are addressing. The research proposal acts as a catalyst for discussion between the person conducting the research and the manager. The researcher translates the management question, as described by the manager, into the research questions and outlines the objectives of the study. Upon review, the manager may discover that the interpretation of the problem does not encompass all the original symptoms. The proposal, then, serves as the basis for additional discussion between the manager and the researcher untill all aspects of the management question are understood

Information gathering is an integral part of any manager’s job. So it is not surprising that many managers do their own research at least part of the time. The lower a manager is in the decision making hierarchy the more likely he/she is to do most of her or his own research. When managers lack either research time or talent, they may delegate the task to a staff assistant or a research specialist. This delegation of responsibility can result in greater synergy especially if the research decision driven and each party make a full contribution to the joint venture. However, the separation of research user from research conductor can pose problems in data analysis, interpretation, conclusion finding and recommendations. This is why businesses that regularly use outside research specialists often use the same firm repeatedly: knowledge of the company, its people and its processes is as critical on knowledge of the decision-making dilemma. In an organizational setting, the researcher should look on the manager as a client. An effective working relationship between researcher and manager is not achieved unless both fulfill their respective obligations and several critical barriers are overcome. 1.Manager-Researcher Contribution The obligations of mangers are to specify their problems and provide researchers with adequate background information and access to company information gatekeepers. It is usually more effective if managers state their problems in terms of the decision choices they must make rather than specify the information they think they need. If this is done, both manager and researcher can jointly decide what information is needed. Meru manufacturer’s customer affairs manager Beldina Juma as a staff rather than a line manager may need assistance from managers with line responsibilities to define those plausible actions that could affect post purchase service. She has clearly been charged with the responsibility to execute the customer satisfaction study, but she does not have authority to implement conclusions affecting for example, product engineering, product manufacture or distributor relationships. Thus she needs to clarify with those line managers what courses of action might be taken to correct identified problems. If, however, dissatisfaction is arising because of how customers with questions are treated when interacting with the customer affair staff, Beldina has direct line authority to determine plausible actions to correct such problems within her own domain. Researchers also have obligations. Organizations expect them to develop a creative research design that will provide answers to important business questions. Not only should researchers provide data analyzed in terms of the problems specified, but they also should point out the implications that flow from the results. In the process, conflict may arise between what the decision maker wants and what the researcher can provide or thinks should be provided. The decision maker wants certainity and simple explicit recommendations, while the researcher often can offer only probabilities and hedged interpretations. This conflict is inherent in their respective roles and has no simple resolution. However, a workable balance can usually be found in each person is sensitive to the demands and restrictions imposed on the other. 2. Manager-Researcher conflicts Some conflicts between decision makers and researchers are traced to management’s limited exposure to research. Managers’ seldon have either formal training in research methodology or research expertise gained through experience. And, due to the explosive growth of research technology in recent years, a knowledge gap is developed between managers and research specialists as model building and more sophisticated investigative techniques have come into use. Thus the research specialist removes the manager from his or her comfort zone. The manager must now put his or her faith and sometimes career in the hands of research specialists and hope for the best. In addition, managers often see research people on threats to their personal status. Managers will view management on the domain of the ‘intuitive artist’ who is the master of this area. They may believe a request for research assistance implies they are inadequate to the task. These fears are often justified. The researcher’s function is to test old ideas as well as new ones. To the insecure manager, the researcher is a potential rival. The researcher will inevitable have to consider the corporate culture and political situations that develop in any Organization. Members strive to maintain their niches and may seek ascendancy over their colleagues. Coalitions form and people engage in various self-serving activities, both overt and covert. As a result, research is blocked or the findings or objectives of the research are distorted for an individual’s self-serving purpose. To allow one’s operations to be probed with a critical eye maybe to invite trouble from others competing for promotion, resources or other forms of organizational power. A fourth source of stress for researchers is their frequent isolations from managers. Researchers draw back into their speciality and talk among themselves. Management’s lack of understanding of research techniques compounds this problem. The research department can become isolated; reducing the effectiveness of conclusions a researcher may draw from research findings. These problems have caused some people to advocate the use of a research generalist: such a person would head the research activity, help managers detail their research needs, and translate these needs into research problems. S/he also would facilitate the flow of information between manager and researcher that is so important for bringing the researcher into the decision-making process. Decision-driven Research Business research has an inherent value to the extent that it helps management make better decisions. Interesting information about consumers, employees or competitors might be pleasant to have, but its value is limited if the information cannot be applied to a critical decision. If a study does not help management select more efficient, less risky, or more profitable alternatives than otherwise would be the case, its use should be questioned. The important point is that applied research in a business environment finds its justification in the contribution it makes to the decision maker’s task and to the bottom line. Types of research Classification of Research In the fields of general education, health

The study of research methods provides you with knowledge and skills you need to solve problems and meet the challenges of a fast-paced decision-making environment. Business research courses are recognition that students preparing to manage businesses, not-for-profit and public organizations in all functional areas – need training in a disciplined process for conducting an inquiry related to a management dilemma. These factors stimulate an interest in a scientific approach to decision making: The Manager’s increased need for more and better information The availability of improved techniques and tools to meet this need, and The resulting information overload if disciplined is not employed in the process During the last two decades, we have witnessed dramatic changes in the business environment. Emerging from a historically economic role, the business organization has evolved in response to the social and political mandates of natural public policy, explosive technology growth, and continuing innovations in global communications. These changes have created new knowledge needs for the Manager and new publics to consider when evaluating any decision. Other knowledgeable demands have arisen from problems with mergers, trade policies, protected markets, technology transfers, and macroeconomic savings – investment issues. The trend toward complexity has increased the risk associated with business decisions, making it more important to have a sound information base. Each of the factors listed below, which characterize the complex business decision-making environment, demands that managers have more and better information on which to base decisions: • There are more variables to consider in every decision. • More knowledge exists in every field of management • Global and domestic competition is more vigorous, with many businesses downsizing to refocus on primary competencies, reduce costs and make competitive gains. • The quality of theories and models to explain tactical and strategic results is improving. • Government continues to show concern with all aspects of society, becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting these various publics. • Workers, shareholders, customers, and the general public are demanding to be included in company decision-making; they are better informed and more sensitive to their own self interest than ever before. • Organizations are increasingly practicing data mining, learning to extract meaningful knowledge from volumes of data contained within internal databases. • Computer advances have allowed businesses to create the architecture for data warehousing, electronic storehouses where vast arrays of collected, integrated data are ready for mining. • The power and ease of use of today’s computer have given us the capability to analyze data to deal with today’s complex managerial problems. • Techniques of quantitative analysis take advantage of increasingly powerful computing capabilities. • The number and power of the tools used to conduct research have increased, commensurate with the growing complexity of business decisions. To do well in such an environment, you will need to understand how to identify quality information and to recognize the solid, reliable research on which your high-risk decisions as a Manager can be based. You also will need to know how to conduct such research. Developing these skills requires understanding of scientific method as it applies to the managerial decision making environment. This study material addresses your needs as an information processor. The value of Acquiring Skills You can profit by having research skills in at least seven situations: As a decision maker (Manager) you will often feel the need for more information before selecting a course of action. Your options are limited if there is no one to whom you can delegate this task. You either make an initiative judgment without gathering additional information, or you gather the data yourself with some reasonable level of skill. Gathering information may involve data mining existing databases and information sources or collecting new information. At the early levels of your career in management, when your experience is limited and your initiative judgment less reliable, it should be obvious which option is better. In a second instance, you could be called to do a research study for a higher-level executive. Such a task often coming early in your career can be seen as a career-boosting opportunity, it can be the chance to make a favorable impression on that Executive. The third scenario has you buying research services from others or evaluating proposals for research prepared by others. If you understand the research design proposed and adequately judge the quality of the planned activities and the likelihood that such activities will assist you in making a decision you can save your Organization both time and money. Because much decision making relies on using information collected during prior research projects, with research skills you will be able to become a more discriminating consumer of the information given by research consultants or information contained in research journals. Research can also enable you to sense, spot and deal with problems before they become serious. It will enable you to identify the specific factors that are behind an existing problem. Knowledge in research methods enhances the sensitivity of a manager to the multidimensional nature of issues affecting the organization. This enables him/her to avoid inappropriate simplistic notions of one variable causing another. Eg. Motivation involves much more just raising the salaries for employees. Another reason to study research methods is so that you may establish a career as a research specialist. As a specialized function, research offers attractive career opportunities especially in financial analysis, marketing research, operations research, public relations and human resource management. Job opportunities for research specialists exist in all fields of management and in all industries. Meaning of research and business research Kerlinger Fred N. has defined scientific research as a systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of natural phenomena guided by theory and hypothesis about the presumed relations among such phenomena. The terms systematic and controlled in this definition refer to the degree to which the observations are controlled and alternative explanations of the outcome are ruled out. The terms empirical and critical permit to the requirements for the researcher to test subjective beliefs against objective reality and have the findings

The fact is if you are running a business, you’ll have customers who complain. Here are some ways you can pacify angry customers and turn the situation in your favor. Surely you have heard the old expression, “You can’t please everyone all of the time”. Even though you may have a great product, exemplary customer service and positive feedback, there will always be someone lurking around the corner who you just can’t please; no matter how hard you try. And it only takes one unhappy customer sharing a bad experience with your business to their friends or colleagues, or worse yet, on an internet forum board, to seriously hamper your reputation. But all is not lost. Try to head off precarious situations before they start. Sometimes, the biggest complainers can turn out to become your most staunch ally. But you need to know how to placate an angry customer or resolve an issue before you can even attempt to win them over. How do you do that? For starters: 1) Listen. Give the disgruntled customer a chance to tell you what is bothering them. Try not to get defensive or insulted right off the bat. Keep your hackles down until you know what the problem is. It may be easy to fix. Maintain eye contact with your customer, that way they know you are listening. Be patient as they try to define their complaint. Try to separate what is being said from how it is being said. Most complaints tend to come off strong, but only because they figure they won’t get any resolution to their problem. Change their mind. And just as important is really paying attention to what the customer is saying. Don’t let distractions pull your attention from your customer, because he or she will immediately sense that you’re only giving them ‘half an ear’, which will do nothing to help your efforts to resolve the situation. 2) Don’t Give Up. Whatever the complaint, doesn’t just say, ‘Sorry’ and let your customer walk out the door. Try to resolve the issue so it doesn’t come up again, either for that customer or another one. Be respectful, no matter how rude the customer may be and always maintain a professional demeanor. Make sure your employees are always polite and helpful when dealing with customer complaints. Losing your temper or having an employee respond rudely to a customer does more damage than you’d think possible. 3) Do What’s Best for the Customer, Not You. Remember the maxim, ‘The customer is always right’? Many people today consider such thinking old-fashioned, but it’s actually a timeless piece of advice. Many businesses have standard policies regarding complaints. These can range from a free item to a discount, or to a letter of apology. But many times, these resolutions don’t fix the original problem. Don’t tolerate rude employees. Even if you offer a free item or discount to make up for the trouble, assure the customer that you will do your best to make certain the issue does not recur. Better yet, ask them what they think and follow their suggestion if it’s within reason. Show your customer that their business and their satisfaction are important to you. 4) Keep your Cool. It’s easy to grow defensive when criticized. But when such criticism does arise, try to remain calm and remember the following points. Don’t take complaints personally. Customers just want what they paid for. Just like you. They know nothing about you; they don’t know that you just had an argument with your spouse, or that your mother is sick in the hospital. They aren’t yelling at you. They just know they aren’t happy, for whatever reason, with either a service or a product. It’s your job to make sure they walk away, if not happy, at least placated whenever possible. Try to remember that word-of mouth still goes a long way, even in today’s technology-driven society. Don’t dwell on the past. After an incident with an unhappy customer passes, don’t dwell on what could have been. Focus instead on the future and preventing the incident from happening again. Try to repair problems in communication, customer support and head off potential problems before they occur. Do your best to fix the problem. After you have listened to the customer and offered a resolution, your customer may still be unhappy. Accept the fact that some people are just downright difficult and nothing you do will please them. If you’ve done your best to fix the situation, then you need to be able to just let it go. Strive to always improve. We all learn from our mistakes. Or we should. Appreciate your ‘good’ customers, but learn from your ‘bad’ ones. Don’t let a complaint ruin your day, but don’t ignore it, either. Constantly look for ways to improve customer relations and your experiences with ‘bad’ customers should dwindle. Remember, you will have customers who complain. It goes with the territory. But if you take the time to try and resolve their complaints with courtesy, honesty and integrity, you’ll go a long way in smoothing ruffled feathers. Your business wouldn’t be anywhere if it wasn’t for customers, so remember that a smile and an effort to change a situation always win out over a scowl and a bad attitude. You’ll feel better, and so will your customers.

Our customer care automation solution allows you to improve customer service, reduce churn and cut operational costs. It maximizes the efficiency of customer care processes. How can customer care automation help? As product and service lines grow it can become more expensive to maintain the same level of customer service in call centers and stores. Our customer care automation solution can: give front line staff the information they need to solve customer problems at the first point of contact give immediately relevant information in the local language and in an easily-absorbed manner provide real-time customer data about subscription, service quality, service failures and usage, billing, balance, handset, device, the problem in question and any related advice allow efficient sharing of data across your customer care and operations organizations automate device management functions and provide self-care and proactive care options to reduce call center workload Customer service benefits of customer care automation faults can be identified and corrected even before a customer calls improved first call fix ratio fewer calls need to be escalated to second-tier customer care and operations agents can start using the solution immediately thanks to an easy-to-use GUI and advice in plain language with multilingual support shorter ticket handling time in customer care technical support and operations self-care options help to decrease the volume of calls received by call center Operational benefits of customer care automation dramatic reduction in time spent solving complaints forwarded from call centers fewer tickets forwarded from call centers operations can focus on their core activity – operating the network Marketing benefits of customer care automation higher customer satisfaction, leading to reduced churn quick, efficient support for new services Management benefits of customer care automation reduced churn increased customer focus greater efficiency Best practices Nokia Siemens Networks’ combination of the right expertise, capabilities and experience ensures real business success. multivendor, multi-technology solutions end-to-end support from business consultation to integration and deployment services proven telecommunication and systems integration expertise in both mobile and fixed networks “The customer care support solution has been adopted very quickly on the front line (call center. From day one, it has worked without any problems. The customer care support solution has been adopted very quickly on the front line (call center and shops). From day one, it has worked without any problems. No specific in-depth technical knowledge is required on the front line and communication with each customer is consistent and accurate. Nokia Siemens Networks’ project team was flexible with our requirements and delivered precisely the solution that was needed.” Quotes from a Western European operator specific in-depth technical knowledge is required on the front line and communication with each customer is consistent and accurate. Nokia Siemens Networks’ project team was flexible with our requirements and delivered precisely the solution that was needed.” Quotes from an Western European operator