Case Study v2

CASE STUDY Building leaders to make a difference to our society and state in-collaboration with:

CASE STUDY Building leaders to make a difference to our society and state

2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published by: © Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service Sdn. Bhd. Km 20, Jalan Kuching-Serian, Semenggok, 93250 Kuching.

ISBN 978-967-12644 The Case Study Booklet is a publication by the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission.

Kindly direct all feedback or inquiries to the Head of Corporate Affairs and Publications, Diana Marie at corporate@leadinstitute.com.my.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor-in-Chief Ismail Said Assistant Editor Diana Marie Content Editors Research & Development Centre Dzurina Razuan Hasriq bin Hadil Swinburne University of Technology Dr. George Ngui Kwang Sing Dr. Voon Mung Ling

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Graphic Designer Abdul Rani Haji Adenan

Alice anak Loni Awang Mohammed Nizam bin Awang Ali Bohan Chong Mui Sia Faiyzah binti Kassim Fung Chorng Yuan Gabriel Wee Wei En Hugh John Leong Jacob Ting Jee Teck Weng Kathreen Lalai anak Eddie Saga Kevin Tan Tee Liang Khairul Ridza bin Haji Wahed

Ki Yen Ping Komathi Wasudawan Ling Chui Ching Md Asadul Islam Muhammad Zakeria bin Hattar Norliza Eileen binti Ibrahim Raca Mulong Rodney Lim Thiam Hock Sati George Sharifah Zurina binti Haji Wan Noruddin Sitansu Panda Voon Mung Ling

Swinburne University of Technology Jabatan Muzium Sarawak Jabatan Perbendaharaan Negeri Sarawak Jabatan Pertanian Sarawak Kementerian Kebajikan, Kesejahteraan Komuniti, Wanita, Keluarga dan Pembangunan Kanak-Kanak Kementerian Pemodenan Pertanian, Tanah Adat & Pembangunan Wilayah Sarawak Pejabat Residen Bahagian Kapit Perbadanan Pembangunan Ekonomi Sarawak Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Negeri Sarawak Unit Hal Ehwal Agama-Agama Lain (UNIFOR) Unit Sumber Manusia Negeri

Table of

Contents TITLE E-learning Adoption among Sarawak Civil Service Workforce

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Antecedents of Motivation to Learn Among Sarawak State Treasury Department’s Employees

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Employees’ Job Satisfaction in the Headquarters of Public Works Department of Sarawak

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Employees’ Perception of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Implementation in the Department of Agriculture, Sarawak

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Too Much is Too Bad for Employees- Needs HR Intervention

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Modern Recruitment Methods in the Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) and Its Effectiveness

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The Impact of Employee Competencies (Functional and Managerial) on Employees’ Performance in Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC Sarawak)

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Organisational Culture and its relationship with Job Satisfaction Among Employees of the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development in Sarawak

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Effects of Employees’ Soft Skills and Job Performance: The Case of the State Civil Service

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Relooking Performance Appraisal System for Organisational Success - A Case Analysis

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The Influence of Organisational Culture on the Effectiveness of Balanced Scorecard: Case Study of Sarawak State Human Resource Unit

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MESSAGE This Case Study book provides recent variations in our increasingly globalized world. It is indeed excellent to see and read the articles featured in this Case Study Booklet. These research papers by authors from various State agencies illustrate a critical set of the State Civil Service dynamics that we need to manage in order to remain competitive. The unique collection of case studies gives the reader in-depth insight into effective public relations practice in a range of organizational contexts. It is a great achievement and, I believe everyone has worked hard towards the production of this publication.

The authors have successfully pursued their goals: connect knowledge sources through mapping as an interdisciplinary study, develop a bottom-up approach, and frame the identity challenge as a function of the complexity of society and government. The value of the book lies in the probing of varied complexities in studies and practices of the civil service that offer a wide range of audiences benefits from different aspects of the discussion extending across the academy and the communities of practice.

Nevertheless, this publication is indeed evidence of high commitment towards excellence. Your ethics and diligence have helped you to reach this achievement and I hope that this publication will be helpful for all.

Datuk Amar Jaul Samion State Secretary of Sarawak

MESSAGE Leadership Institute, Swinburne University and the State Human Resource Unit have come together again to provide a distinctive collection of Case Studies. The selected cases provide an invaluable supplement that connects theory to actual cases, giving us an effective overview of critical issues, the public service sector confront in today’s evolving public service environment. It highlights compelling first-hand counter-narratives by the authors engaged in exactly this work, underscoring the fact that today’s State Civil Service community have to design their own experiences in ever-changing contexts in order to be successful.

I am pleased to note that this second volume builds on the success of the previous edition, to offer new insights into the State Civil Service environment making this book an invaluable resource.

I hope it will help develop research and reasoning skills that is capable of bringing about positive change and a better future for the State Civil Service through ethical, evidence-based research.

Datu Dr. Sabariah Putit Deputy State Secretary Performance & Service Delivery Transformation

FOREWORD The second volume of the Case Study book comes timely, given the increasing interest in Case Study mode of research and the realization by many that this approach provides a good understanding of what actually happens in the real world. The Leadership Institute encourages this particular mode of research because by collecting qualitative or quantitative datasets about any given phenomenon, a researcher gains a more in-depth insight into it. It gives both experienced and novice case study researchers the exposure to research methodology particularly in the context of the State Civil Service ecosystem. Throughout this Case Study booklet the authors provide comprehensive examples of the research they have conducted within the State Civil Service real-life setting.

Together with the State Human Resource Unit and Swinburne University we hope and believe that the experiences collected and analysed here will be of interest to all studying or actively engaging in the various components of the State Civil Service environment and beyond. We owe first and foremost to the authors for their dedication throughout this demanding this particular work; our colleagues from the Research and Development Centre, Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, and Datu Dr. Sabariah Putit for all of their support that made the implementation of the project viable. It is our wish that this publication benefits everyone in the State Civil Service and beyond.

Ismail Said Chief Executive Office Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service

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The public sector mission, in many cases, is TIMELESS.

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Ismail Said CEO, Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service

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CASE STUDY BOOKLET. Volume 2

E-LEARNING ADOPTION AMONG SARAWAK CIVIL SERVICE WORKFORCE

Authors ALICE ANAK LONI JEE TECK WENG RODNEY LIM THIAM HOCK

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Introduction The state of Sarawak is among the very first movers of the Digital Economy in Malaysia. The first version of the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy Book was launched in 2018 by the Chief Minister of Sarawak, which details the five-year strategy of the state Digital Economy (2018-2022). The document further sets out the future directions of the state digital economy such that the state of Sarawak will be at the forefront of the digital world.

It encompasses both practical and technical digital strategies for Sarawak, which are modelled after the various digital economies of several developed countries, such as Germany, France and China. Within Sarawak itself, successful collaborations have been forged between the government, private business sector and the people of Sarawak in recent years; these concerted efforts have benefited many quarters, and the trend will continue to grow amidst the increasing needs for digitalisation. The Sarawak government will strive to be at the forefront of the digital economy not just in Malaysia, but also within the Southeast Asia region.

The Sarawak civil service under the leadership of the honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak and Sarawak State Secretary plays a pivotal role in the state government machinery, and it is a catalyst that drives the transformation, innovation and productivity of the Sarawak government. The Sarawak civil service also plays key roles in digitalising the various initiatives of the state, which are aligned closely with the five-year strategy of the state Digital Economy (2018-2022) (Sarawak Government Portal, 2017). One of the main central strategic actions encapsulated in the five-year strategy of the state Digital Economy (2018-2022) is the initiating of the Digital Government with the principles of creating the following features: (1) open government, (2) data-centric government, (3) innovative government, (4) excellent service delivery, and (5) excellent digital governance. For the Sarawak government to fully realise these principles, the state civil service must constantly look for ways to develop its capabilities through the various e-learning programmes and facilities provided by the state government.

These e-learning programmes and facilities are designed in such a manner that facilitates the process of digital learning and development in a time-efficient and cost-effective fashion.

Despite the advantages of e-learning, particularly towards a more efficient and empowered civil service in Sarawak, not all the civil service personnel are within the same bandwidth. Reports from Sarawak Civil Service Government Employee Management System indicate that only a handful of the Sarawak civil servants adopt and use the various e-learning programmes and facilities provided for further learning and development. Hence, it is crucial to understand the adoption rates of e-learning among the state civil servants and highlight the hurdles and challenges that they face.

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Digital Government The Sarawak civil servants are expected to keep themselves updated periodically through the various information channels provided to them. This is particularly relevant in light of the call from the Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Johari Tun Openg, for all civil servants to transform Sarawak into a high-income state (Malay Mail, 2020). This includes awareness of the changes in the political, economic and social landscapes of Sarawak and how the service delivery to the public can be improved.

There is an increasing need for a more detailed study about the information-seeking behaviour of the Sarawak civil servants not only to enrich themselves technically and intellectually, but to effectively deliver services and assist the public. The civil servants are facing more and more challenges in an environment that is shaped by new technologies, particularly meeting the call for establishing a digital government.

With the launching of the Public Sector ICT Strategy Plan (2003) and the more recent Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy Book (2018), the public agencies are entrusted to provide more efficient and quality services to the people through various ICT initiatives undertaken. As such, ICT has become the main enabler for the public sector in Malaysia to discharge its duties and responsibilities efficiently and effectively (Kaliannan, Raman and Dorasamy, 2009). Moreover, the rise of ICT application and usages within the public sector have significantly contributed to the reduction of boundaries of knowledgeseeking, and redefined the relations between the government, the private sector and the civil society; implementing ICT has the effect of promoting transparency, and improving the efficiency as well as effectiveness.

One of the best evolutions brought about by ICT is the new trend of shifting towards the Digital Government (also known as e-Government), which greatly leverages changes in work roles and tasks, and information behaviours of people. A Digital Government bridges the gap between the public agencies and citizens in that access to government information, programmes and services can be sped up; this will then reduce unnecessary interventions.

Lauching of Digital Village by YAB Chief Minister of Sarawak in-conjunction with International ICT Infrastructure & Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2017

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E-learning Effectiveness E-learning or electronic learning is advanced technology-based education delivering learning programmes or training using a variety of technological tools and software packages (Wolfe and Cedillos, 2015). Learning through electronic means is designed to increase the flexibility in the transferability and sharing of knowledge (Verezub, Wang and Glover 2014), as learners progress from understanding to acquiring skills and knowledge using electronic devices and software packages.

E-learning materials usually contain rich graphics, texts, videos, audios, animations, or virtual environments as well as other information in various electronic forms. The teaching and learning within the e-learning environment are usually presented through the means of electronic chatting, videoconferencing for face-to-face interaction, and virtual simulations (such as artificial reality and virtual reality).

The indicators of effective e-learning include behaviour towards e-learning adoption, e-learning applications interactivity, availability of technology and systems, and institutional readiness (Alqahtani and Rajkhan, 2020). All these indicators entail the need for an effective design of e-learning materials that capture the various needs and usage of information within the e-learning landscape and ecosystem. The virtual classroom should include elements that encourage learning new skills (which might be limited within the landscape of face-to-face learning), and digital processes, which will raise the digital literacy. However, not all learning can be digitalised; hence the e-learning of subjects must be intentional, purposeful, and meaningful.

E-Learning Ecosystem within Sarawak Civil Service Landscape Within the e-learning landscape of the Sarawak civil service, various digital learning initiatives have been designed through private-public partnerships to train the civil servants. This includes programmes and training modules designed by the Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS) and the Public Sector E-learning System (EPSA). At the current stage, most of the e-learning materials used by the state civil servants are sourced from the Public Sector E-learning System (EPSA) developed by the Malaysia Public Service.

EPSA is designed specifically for adult learners with the use of digital multimedia to assist learners who are enrolled in programmes or courses in Malaysia, and Sarawak in particular; the EPSA pedagogy and learning tools are generically used for some of the online training programmes and courses for the state civil servants. The EPSA primarily adopts a comprehensive e-learning system that is used for the dissemination of information and provision of learning materials. The EPSA is a useful means to supplement the existing syllabus with training materials, which complement the existing physical training methods used by the state civil service. Currently, the EPSA is managed by the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), which can be assessed both in and out of Malaysia. The EPSA is specifically designed to empower the Malaysian civil servants in continuous learning while they are in service.

The Sarawak government has long been encouraging its civil servants to improve their knowledge and skills as well as build positive attitudes towards a knowledge-based economy. However, it is a daunting task to craft easy-to-use e-learning mechanisms available widely to all the civil servants, as currently, most of the training, upskilling, and reskilling programmes are still done offline due to technological and geographical limitations. The issue is unique in the Sarawak civil service due to the large land size of the state, and the problem is more pronounced in the rural areas of Sarawak. Consequently, certain groups of civil servants have limited access to the EPSA training modules; hence they are unable to acquire desired skills and information in a timely manner. For the civil servants residing in urban areas and towns with internet connectivity, not all of them are equipped and ready to adopt learning through the electronic means. This is particularly evident for some who are older in age, and those who are of lower educational background.

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Key Findings Demographics such as level of education and gender are major factors in understanding and appreciating e-learning. It is presumed that Sarawak civil servants with high levels of and strong educational backgrounds have a broader knowledge about the use of e-learning methods as they are more tech-savvy and realise the innovative power of technology. They are more computer literate and possess the skills to explore the Internet. Naturally, the Sarawak civil servants with a higher level of education tend to update their knowledge and information, which can easily be done through e-learning.

Recommendations The outcomes from the case study reveal several important elements that can explain the e-learning adoption of the Sarawak civil servants. Hence, to maximise the full potential of e-learning for the civil servants, the following aspects should be carefully studied and analysed: age groups, gender, computer proficiency, language skills and education levels. The design of e-learning interface must be simple and user-friendly; for example, comprising visuals such as infographics and photos with the use of on-screen texts and images. At the same time, e-learning courses should include discussions of real-life projects and doing exercises that encourage learners to explore and share best practices gleaned from experiences. E-learning should also be designed along the needs of adult learners; the main focus should be on courses or programmes which motivate personal growth, social changes, work-life development and life-long learning.

Lauching of SCS Learning Management System (SCS LMS) by YAB Chief Minister of Sarawak in-conjunction with Hari Perkhidmatan Awam Negeri Sarawak 2019

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate pursuing studies in digital technology or manpower planning; it is also beneficial to the public agencies that regularly conduct human resource teaching and learning programmes. Besides, it can be a supplementary learning tool for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

2.

3.

4.

Identify and discuss the recent trends that hinder civil servants from continuous learning.

Identify and discuss the future trends that may hinder civil servants from continuous learning.

What are the key challenges that confront civil servants in adopting e-learning?

In what ways can the leadership encourage the civil servants to embark on various e-learning programmes?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case, and relating the results to other contexts.

Case Summary This case highlights the adoption of e-learning of the Sarawak civil service. It examines the trends and challenges faced by the Sarawak civil servants in the adoption of e-learning using the existing e-learning platform (such as EPSA) to complement the existing physical training modules. Based on the survey data collected from various groups of civil servants, e-learning was primarily adopted by those civil servants who are within the age range of 2140 years, and possess higher educational qualifications such as degrees or diplomas.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life practical issues in the public sector in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to analyse the case and discuss the suggested questions. The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major trends and challenges concerning the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Discuss the trends that drive the current interest in e-learning.

2.

Discuss the positive impact of Sarawak civil servants’ e-learning on the government’s transformation initiatives.

3.

Identify strategies that can be applied to support the implementation of the government’s e-learning programmes.

4.

Discuss the role of decision-makers and policymakers of the public sector in supporting the government’s e-learning programmes.

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REFERENCES Alqahtani, A.Y. and Rajkhan, A.A., 2020. E-learning critical success factors during the covid-19 pandemic: A comprehensive analysis of e-learning managerial perspectives. Education Sciences, 10(9), pp 216 - 232.

Kaliannan, M., Raman, M., and Dorasamy, M., 2009. ICT in the Context of Public Sector Service Delivery: A Malaysian Perspective, WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on SYSTEMS, 8(4), pp 543 – 556.

Malay Mail, 2020. CM: Sarawak remains focussed on becoming highincome state by 2030, Malay Mail. Available at: <https://www.malaymail. com/news/malaysia/2020/10/10/cm-sarawak-remains-focussed-onbecoming-high-income-state-by-2030/1911557>.

Sarawak Government 2017. Advancing Into Digital World, Sarawak Government Portal. Available at: <https://www.sarawak.gov.my/web/ home/news_view/223/9851> Verezub, E., Wang, H. and Glover, J., 2014. An Innovative Approach to Training International Students in Workplace Written Communication Skills. In Handbook of Research on Transnational Higher Education, IGI Global, pp. 419-431.

Wolfe, C.R. and Cedillos, E.M., 2015. E-communications platforms and e-learning. In Wright, James D.(eds), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition), Elsevier, pp 895-902.

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Feedback requires the ability to listen well. Giving and receiving feedback is a vital communication tool.

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Ismail Said CEO, Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service

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ANTECEDENTS OF MOTIVATION TO LEARN AMONG SARAWAK STATE TREASURY DEPARTMENT’S EMPLOYEES

Authors RACA MULONG VOON MUNG LING MD ASADUL ISLAM

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Photo Source: WorldOrgs.com

Introduction In the present era, efforts to measure employees’ work performance related to their skills and continuous learning are becoming increasingly complex and demanding. The majority of employers aim to have a workforce that are both skilful and knowledgeable. However, to have such quality workers, a continuous learning process must take place within the organisation, which requires strong support and encouragement from the employers. For the employees to move in the organisation’s direction, they must know their organisation well; their positive behaviours coupled with acquisition of appropriate operational skills will help achieve the organisation’s objectives.

Training is a way to equip the employees with new skills, knowledge and information, or provide them with professional development opportunities. In the Sarawak Public Sector, there is a policy that requires all civil servants to attend training for a specific number of hours per annum, which will enable them to gain contemporary knowledge and skills in the dynamic and fast-changing world of public administration and management. Therefore, every human resource unit in the Treasury Department is required to prepare a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and implement the training-related activities according to the department’s needs.

The Sarawak government has allocated a large sum of money to provide training and development programmes for civil servants, which constitutes at least 5 percent of each government sector’s total fund allocation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the effectiveness of the training and development programmes provided to the civil servants for improving their job performance. This case article highlights the findings from a cross-sectional survey conducted among the Sarawak Treasury Department employees (STD). Through the survey, the researcher collected the staff members’ responses to the factors affecting employee motivation to learn through the training and development programmes. Useful survey data obtained from 168 staff members from 12 divisions and head office in Kuching City of Sarawak were analysed.

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Sarawak Treasury Department (STD) The STD is one of the essential departments in the Sarawak civil service and was established in 1948. Apart from performing its primary role as the treasury entity that manages the Sarawak government’s funds and financial reserves, it also oversees the compliance with the Treasury Instructions by all the government agencies in Sarawak, and is responsible for carrying out the duties as Tax Controller. At present, the department has 250 employees who are stationed at 13 different locations throughout Sarawak, including those at the head office in Kuching City. Currently, the staff members work in various divisions, such as Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Kapit, Mukah, Bintulu, Miri, and Limbang.

The STD started the training and staff development programme in 2011 with the objective of upgrading the competencies of its employees. Therefore, the department’s Human Resource Unit designed a holistic training programme and modules, which all the STD employees must attend. To achieve its goal and objectives, the STD allocates an estimated amount of RM700,000.00 or at least 5 percent of the annual overall department operating budget of RM14 million for staff development.

There are three main components in the STD Training Programme. The first is referred to as the “Specific Course” that covers specific subjects, such as accounting and finance. There are a few types of training available under this component, such as refresher courses for accounting and finance modules, seminars on accounting and financial matters, and many others. The second is known as the “Generic Course” that encompasses self-development of employees. Under the “Generic Course” component, courses are tailored for developing behavioural, leadership, and other generic skills of the employees. The third is the “Mentoring Programme” that involves one-to-one teaching sessions between senior officers and their junior staff, which in effect are on-the-job training. This kind of training focuses on daily tasks and job responsibilities of the junior employees.

SARAWAK TREASURY DEPARTMENT TRAINING PROGRAMME

SPECIFIC COURSE

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GENERIC COURSE

MENTORING PROGRAMME

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Theoretical Background Theory of Training Motivation The theory of training motivation was proposed by Colquitt et al. (2000), which is a combination of two theories, the need-value theory and the expectancy theory; the main theory has two aspects, namely motivation to learn and motivation to transfer (refer to Figure 2.1) (Noe 1986, p. 743). Motivation to learn is about the desire of an individual to learn from a training programme. In the training context, motivation to learn has significant variances in self-reported learning (Hiks & Klimoski 1986, p. 546).

The motivation to learn is influenced by two characteristics: individual characteristics and situational characteristics (Mathieau & Martineau 1997, p.193). The individual characteristics refer to one’s personality that will influence his or her cognition and behaviour (Colquitt et al. 2000, p. 679). Researchers link personality to training motivation by examining the narrow traits and wider traits such as the Big Five Personality taxonomy (Digman 1990, p.420). The achievement of motivation is one of the traits that had been examined (Mathieu, Martineau & Tannenbaum 1993, p.

128); anxiety is linked to reducing training motivation, while locus of control is linked to positive attitudes towards training opportunities because trainees may feel that the training will result in tangible benefits (Noe 1986, p. 738).

The situational characteristics are those that can influence an individual’s behaviour. The characteristics of an organisation include aspects such as size, structure, system complexity, leadership pattern and goal directions (Forehand & Gilmer 1964, p. 366). Scholars such as James and Jones (1974) discuss how organisational characteristics can influence an individual’s perceptions of the organisational context, and how this psychological climate influences the individual’s subsequent influence and behaviours (James & Jones 1974, p. 1100). Other scholars suggest that situational factors that can have the similar influence exist at different levels of a department: job characteristics (Brass 1981, p. 333), behaviours of leaders (Podsakoff et al. 1990, p. 109), or work groups (Janz, Colquitt & Noe 1997, p. 885).

Motivation To Learn (MTL) The definition of motivation to learn broadly falls into four categories: (a) definitions that are semantically equivalent to the term motivation to learn; (b) definitions that are process-oriented; (c) definitions that are product-oriented; and (d) definitions that capture attitudinal perspectives. However, Brophy (1987) defines motivation to learn as a competence acquired “through general experience but stimulated most directly through modelling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by significant others (especially parents and teachers)”.

According to Marshal, (1987) motivation to learn is the meaningfulness, value and benefits of academic tasks to the learner regardless of whether or not they are intrinsically interesting. Furthermore, Ames, (1990) argues that motivation learn is characterised by the long-term quality of involvement in learning and commitment to the process of learning.

In order to have high motivation to learn, trainees should react positively to the four conditions under this conceptual model, which are the skill assessment feedback, expectancy, career, and job attitudes. Firstly, trainees must accept the results of their strengths and weaknesses assessment, done during the training sessions or before the training programme (Noe 1986, p. 739). Secondly, it is important for the trainees to believe that they can master the training content, and that after the training, they will get desired outcomes such as career advancements, salary increment or enhancement of self-confidence (Noe 1986, p. 739). Thirdly, the level of motivation to learn will be influenced by the trainees’ value of good job performance, psychological engagement with their job as well as exploratory evaluation of their career, including self-assessment of interests, skill strengths and weaknesses, and career planning (Noe 1986, p. 739). Fourthly, the trainees who believe that their work setting is conducive to good job performance and have a positive working relationship with their peers and supervisors, are likely to be highly motivated to learn (Noe 1986, p. 739).

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The first category of definitions of the motivation to learn, which are semantically equivalent to the term, have been described as trainee attitudes and attributes that have an impact on motivation. Noe (1986) defines motivation to learn as “a specific desire of the trainee to learn the content of the training program” (Noe 1986, p. 743). To measure the level of motivation to learn among trainees, Hicks (1984) suggests that it can be done by assessing an individual’s enthusiasm for learning and the level of persistence when the program material is complex (as cited in Noe 1986, p. 743). Ryman and Biesner (1975), and Hicks (1987) also suggest that individuals and situational characteristics are often linked to motivation to learn, particularly the trainees’ desire to learn the training materials (Rymann & Biesner 1975, p. 182; Hicks 1987, p. 543). In a natural setup, and assuming that all trainees have similar ability levels, trainees who are enthusiastic about attending the program are likely to acquire more knowledge and skills than those who are not motivated to learn (Noe 1986, p. 743).

The second category of definitions about the motivation to learn can be described as “process-oriented”. This type of motivation to learn has been defined as “the direction of attentional effort, the proportion of total attentional effort directed to the task such as intensity, and the extent to which attentional effort toward the task is maintained over time” (Kanfer & Ackerman 1989, p. 661). Colquitt et al. (2000) define this kind of motivation as “the direction, intensity, and persistence of learning-directed behaviour in training contexts” (Colquitt et al. 2000, p. 678). In this context, motivation to learn can be measured through the direction, duration, and intensity of learning or goalsetting behaviour. Pintrich (2003), suggests that “instead of relying on the drive and needs of constructs, research on motivational should focus on various cognitive, motivational and regulatory constructs” (Pintrich & Schunk 2002, pp. 669-670).

The third category of definitions about the motivation to learn is product-oriented. This type of motivation focuses on the outcomes of motivated behaviours. Marshall (1987) describes the motivation to learn under this category as “… the meaningfulness, values, and benefits of academic tasks to the learner, regardless of whether or not they are intrinsically interesting” (Marshall 1987, p. 136). This study analysed four perspectives, namely lesson-framing statements, management/maintenance statements, responsibility for learning, and teacher interviews. The results of this study reveal that different specific strategies adopted by different teachers can create different motivational orientations among the students. Additional findings from the study suggest that the teacher’s beliefs about their students and learning abilities will influence the former’s instructional decisions.

The fourth category of definitions about the motivation to learn is constructed from the attitudinal perspective.

This type of definitions entails measuring motivational constructs such as values and expectancy (Martocchio & Webster 1992, p. 558). The researchers categorise learning motivation into three dimensions, namely pre-training, post-training and post-training efficacy beliefs in the computer training context. Under the educational context, Wentzel and Asher (1995) define motivation to learn as “children’s commitment to school work, interest in school, effort expended in the classroom, and concern with earning a positive evaluation of work” (Wentzel & Asher 1995, p. 755). Findings from the study of Wentzel and Asher (1995) posit that the level of motivation among children with different backgrounds (neglected, rejected, popular and controversial children) are inconsistent and not significant.

For example, children who are socio-metrically neglected and are not actively disliked by their peers show the highest levels of school motivation. On the other hand, popular children and submissive-rejected children do not show levels of motivation significantly different from their average status classmates.

Sarawak Civil Service Innovative and Creative Circle (ICC) Teams have won Four Gold Awards at International Convention Quality Control Circle 2019 (ICQCC’19) - Tokyo, Japan

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Photo by jbalb.sarawak.gov.my: Payment through Sarawak Government e-Kiosk

Antecedents of Motivation to Learn Based on Neo’s (1986) motivational model, the antecedents of MTL are categorised into three parts, namely (1) reaction to skill assessment; (2) expectancies; and (3) career/job attitude. This model was then adapted

by Colquitt (2000) who proposed that the antecedents of MTL are (1) self-efficacy; (2) valence; and (3) career/job attitude. To gain insights into the MTL aspects of the STD’s employees, this research outlines three objectives: i) investigate the effect of self-efficacy of MLT; ii) investigate the effects of valence of MLT; and iii) investigate the effects of job involvement of MTL. In light of these objectives, a conceptual model is developed from the theory of training motivation introduced by Noe (1986). Aspects of self-efficacy, valence and job involvement are chosen as the antecedents of MTL.

Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy is defined as an individual’s perception or judgment of “how well one can execute courses of action required to deal with prospective situations” (Bandura 1982, p. 122). Bandura (1986) also mentions that expectations of personal efficacy can determine whether an individual’s coping behaviour will be initiated, how much task-related effort will be expended, and how long that effort will be sustained despite disconfirming evidence (cited in Stajkovic & Luthans 1998, p. 240). Individuals who see themselves with high self-efficacy will exert sufficient efforts, while those with low self-efficacy are likely to cease efforts early (cited in Stajkovic & Luthans 1998, p. 240). With the extra efforts put in as part of the high selfefficacy factor, successful outcomes can be achieved by the committed individuals, unlike those with low self-efficacy that may result in failures.

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Valence Valence can be defined as the intrinsic attractiveness for the positive valence or averseness for the negative valence of an event, object, or situation (Frijda 1986, p. 207). Meanwhile, Vroom (1964) defines the valence concept as all possible affective orientations towards outcomes, and it is interpreted as the importance, attractiveness, desirability, or anticipated satisfaction with the outcome (Vroom 1964). Colquitt et al. (2000) defines valence as an individual belief in the desirability of outcomes obtained from training (Colquitt et al. 2000, p. 680).

Based on Noe’s (1986) model and Vroom’s (1964) expectancy theory, trainees will be more attracted to participate in training sessions if they expect training outcomes to be attractive. They will become more motivated to learn new skills, knowledge and information during training sessions to obtain the rewards at the end of the day. This statement is supported by a number of research studies on training conducted in the past. Mathieu et al. (1992) in their study of university employees, found that training motivation was a function of the derived outcomes employees perceived that they would benefit through increasing their job performance facilitated by training (Mathieu et al. 1992, p. 829). Colquitt and Simmering (1998) also found out that valence had positive relations with motivation to learn (Colquitt & Simmering 1998, p. 661). Colquitt and Simmering’s findings are also supported by Colquitt et al. (2000) in their metaanalysis study, which mentioned that valence was positively related or associated with training motivation (Colquitt et al. 2000, p. 694).

Job Involvement In many literatures, different scholars define job involvement in different terms and references. Job involvement has been described in many forms: central life interests, work role involvement, egoinvolvement, ego-involved performance, occupational involvement, morale, intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction and finally, job involvement (Rabinowitz & Hall 1977 p. 265). From all the definitions mentioned earlier, job involvement is divided into two different concepts: (a) Performance- Self-esteem Contingency; and (b) a component of self-image.

The first concept of job involvement is the performance-self-esteem contingency, which is considered the extent to which self-esteem is affected by the performance level (Lodahl & Kejner 1965, p. 25). Similarly, in 1947, Allport defined ego-involvement as the situation in which the person “engages the status-seeking motive” in his work (Allport 1947, p. 123). In the first concept, this series of definitions agrees that the person who is job-involved as one for whom work is a very important part of life and is very much affected by his or her whole job situation, including the work itself, peer groups and the organisation. The non-jobinvolved workers on the other hand will treat work lightly and as an unessential part of their psychological life because the interests are in other areas.

The second concept of job involvement is defined as “the degree to which a person is identified psychologically with his work in his work, or the importance of work in his total image” (Lodahl & Kejner 1965, p. 24). Lawler and Hall refer to job involvement as a “psychological identification with one’s work” and “the degree to which the job situation is central to the person and his identity” (Lawler & Hall 1970, pp. 310-311). Lawler and Hall adapted Lodahl and Kejner’s definition of job involvement as the degree of psychological identification with one’s work (cited in Rabinowitz & Hall 1977, p. 266). Based on the definitions of scholars, it is clear that job involvement is viewed in three ways: as an individual’s difference variable; as a situationally determined variable; and as a person-situation interaction variable (Rabinowitz & Hall 1977, p.267).

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Findings A postgraduate-level survey was conducted to analyse the antecedents of motivation to learn among the STD employees. The findings reveal that the self-efficacy construct/ aspect does not significantly affect the motivation to learn. The results might be related to the nature of the training process/procedures and planning in the STD. The present training implementation process in the STD started with the preparation of Training Needs Analysis (TNA).

However, by assessing the implementation of training in the STD, the investigator observed that the trainees (STD employees) were not given any avenues to discuss with their respective supervisors about their training needs or the operational needs for them to improve their skills or knowledge. This observation is proven by Tai (2006) that suggests trainees who receive more positive training framing from their supervisors will have more self-efficacy and training motivation when they attend a training programme.

In addition, the findings also confirm that valence has an influence on the motivation to learn among the employees of the STD. This may suggest that the STD’s employees have confidence in the desired outcomes obtained from training they had undergone. The results also show that the STD employees perceived that the department’s training programme has positive outcomes for them.

The results also show that job involvement has a significant relationship with the motivation to learn among the STD employees. The findings also indicate the perceptions of the STD’s employees that the degree of job situation is central to them and their identity (Blau 1985). From the results, it is evident that the STD’s employees perceived their job as an essential value in their life and they see job involvement as an investment in their future career path, and there is a willingness to invest their time and efforts to participate in the training organised by the department.

Conclusion The case study aims at investigating the antecedents of motivation to learn among the STD employees. Identifying the antecedents of MTL among the STD employees will help the department’s Human Resource Unit improve the current practices, such as getting the employees’ participation via consultation among themselves before the commencement of training. The management of each organisation should select a suitable approach to designing training programmes to enhance the participants’ experience. Lastly, it is essential to have the supervisor’s involvement in the training process, particularly before the commencement of any training. Thus, to have positive training framing among the trainees (STD’s employees), they must be clear about the training they intend to attend, and be able to relate it to their job. As mentioned by Tai (2006), trainees who receive more positive training framing from their supervisors will have more self-efficacy and motivation when they attend a training programme.

Image by Vertical Recruiters on Pinterest

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate pursuing a business management programme in any university. It is also a suitable supplementary learning material for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

2.

3.

What are the main components of the Sarawak Treasury Department’s (STD) Training Programme?

What are the factors affecting the employees’ motivation to learn when they attend the training and development programmes conducted by the Sarawak Treasury Department (STD)?

How can an organisation develop self-efficacy and training motivation of trainees?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating the principles to another context.

Case Summary Motivation to learn (MTL) is a significant element that will increase participation as well as learning of trainees in any training and development programmes. The case article highlights that the antecedents of MTL among the STD employees can help the department’s Human Resource Unit improve the current practices, such as getting the employees’ participation via consultation among themselves before the commencement of training.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 168 STD employees; and data collected from duly completed questionnaires were analysed using the Partial Least Square technique. The results demonstrate that valence and job involvement have positive direct effects on MTL. However, self-efficacy does not have a significant effect on MTL, based on the responses gathered in this study.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on real-life incidents and practical issues of an organisation in the public sector.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and suggested discussion questions.

The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major issues and challenges with regard to existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Discuss training and why it is important for all civil servants to attend training for a specific number of hours per annum.

2.

Discuss the effectiveness of training and development programmes for civil servants in enhancing their job performance.

3.

Identify various antecedents effective for developing motivation to learn (MTL) in the context of participants or trainees enrolled in a training and development programme.

4.

Discuss how an organisation can develop selfefficacy and training motivation of trainees.

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REFERENCES Allport, GW 1947, ‘The psychology of participation’, Psychological Review, Vol. 52, pp.117-132.

Lodahl, TM & Kejner, M 1965, ‘The definition and measurement of job involvement’, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 24-33.

Ames, C 1990, ‘Motivation: What teachers need to know’, Teachers college record, Vol. 91, No. 3, pp. 409-421.

Marshall, HH 1987, ‘ Motivational strategies of three fifth-grade teachers’, The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 135-150.

Bandura, A 1986, Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Martocchio, JJ & Webster, J 1992, ‘ Effects of feedback and cognitive playfulness on performance in microcomputer software training’, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 45, pp. 553-578.

Blau, GJ 1985, ‘The measurement and prediction of career commitment’, J. Occup. Psychol. Vol. 58, pp. 277–288.

Brass, DJ 1981, ‘Structural relationships, job characteristics, and worker satisfaction and performance, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 26, pp.

331-348.

Brophy, J 1987, ‘On motivating students (Occasional Paper No. 101)’. East Lansing, MI: Institute for Research on Teaching, Michigan State University.

Colquitt, JA & Simmering, MJ 1998, ‘Conscientiousness, goal orientation, and motivation to learn during the training process: A longitudinal study’, Journal of Applied Psychological, Vol. 83, No. 4, pp. 654-665.

Mathieu, JE, Martineau, JW, & Tannenbaum, SI 1993, ‘ Individual and situational influences on the development of self-efficacy: Implications for training effectiveness’, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 46, pp. 125-147.

Mathieu, JE, Tannenbaum, SI & Salas, E 1992, Influences of individual and situational characteristics on measures of training effectiveness’, Academy of Management Journal, Vol.35, No. 4, pp. 828-847.

Digman, JM 1990, ‘Personality structure: Emergence of the five-factor model’, Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 41, pp. 417-440.

Noe, RA 1986, ‘Trainees’ attributes an attitudes: Neglected influences on training effectiveness’, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp.

736-749 .

Pintrich, PR 2003, ‘A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts’, Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 95, No. 4, pp. 667-686.

Forehand, GA & Gilmer, BH. 1964, ‘Environmental variation in studies of organizational behavior’, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 62, pp. 361-382.

Pintrich, PR, & Schunk, DH. 2002. Motivation in education: Theory, research, and Applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

Frijda, NH 1986, The Emotions, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Podsakoff, PM, MacKenzie, SB, Moorman, RH, & Fetter, R 1990, ‘Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors’, Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 1, No.2, pp. 107-142.

Colquitt, JA, LePine, JA & Noe, RA 2000, ‘Toward an integrative theory of training Motivation: A meta-analytic path analysis of 20 years of research’, Journal of Applied Psychological, Vol. 85, No. 5, pp. 654-665.

Hicks WD 1984, ‘The process of entering training programs and its effects on training outcomes’, Dissertation Abstracts, Vol. 44, p. 3564B (University Microfilms No. DA8403528) Hicks, WD & Klimoski, R 1987,’ The process of entering training programs and its effect on training outcomes’, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 30, p. 542-552.

James, LR & Jones, AP 1974, ‘Organizational climate: A review of theory and research’, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 81, pp. 1096-1112.

Janz, BD, Colquitt, JA, & Noe, RA 1997, ‘Knowledge worker team effectiveness: The role of autonomy, interdependence, team development, and contextual support variables’, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 50, pp. 877- 904.

Kanfer, R & Ackerman, PL 1989, ‘ Motivation and cognitive abilities: An integrative aptitude treatment interaction approach to skill acquisition’, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 74, No. 4, pp. 657-690.

Lawler, EE & Hall, DT 1970, ‘Relationship of Job Characteristics to Job Involvement, Satisfaction, and Intrinsic Motivation’, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 305-312.

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Mathieau, JE & Martineau, JW 1997, ‘Individual and situational influences in training motivation’, Improving training effectiveness in organisations,: Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.

Robinowitz, S & Hall, DT 1977, ‘Organzational research on job involvement’, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 84, No. 2, pp. 265-288.

Ryman, DH & Biersner, RJ 1975, ’Attitudes predictive of diving training success’, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 28, pp. 181-188.

Stajkovic, AD & Luthans, F 1998, ’Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A metaanalysis’, Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 124, No. 2, pp. 240261.

Tai, WT 2006, ‘Effects of training framing, general self-efficacy and training motivation on trainees’ training effectiveness, Personnel Review, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 51-65.

Vroom, VH 1964, Work and Motivation, Wiley, New York.

Wentzel, KR & Asher, SR 1995, ‘The academic lives, neglected, rejected, popular and controversial children’, Child Development, Vol. 66, pp. 756763.

CASE STUDY BOOKLET. Volume 2

EMPLOYEES’ JOB SATISFACTION IN THE HEADQUARTERS OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF SARAWAK

Authors SATI GEORGE KEVIN TAN TEE LIANG VOON MUNG LING

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Image by KenKent on Flickr

Introduction

There is a great expectation from the people today for organisations in the public sector to transform and move forward speedily. With such demand and pressure, the public sector organisations are compelled to be more competitive, and the traditional administrative procedures are no longer sufficient. In such a competitive environment, good human resource management of an organisation is a crucial factor for retaining excellent, efficient and experienced employees, so that a high organisational performance can be attained and maintained (Priya & Eshwar, 2014).

Employee job satisfaction is a critical element in managing an organisation’s human resources. Studies indicate that job satisfaction influences various aspects of working life such as productivity, efficiency, turnover rates, absenteeism, intention to quit, and workers’ well-being (Tsigilis et al. 2006). Therefore, motivating employees and increasing their job satisfaction at work requires the management to have an in-depth understanding of the differences between various types of individuals so that an effective reward system and incentive scheme incorporating intrinsic and extrinsic elements can be designed (Akafo & Boateng, 2015).

Danish and Usman (2010) believe that with motivated and satisfied employees, an organisation will be more competitive, more profitable, and provide more value-added services. Employees will perform their best when they perceive that their hard work will be rewarded by their superiors (Priya & Eshwar, 2014).

This case article examines the findings of an employee job satisfaction survey conducted at the Public Works Department of Sarawak, based on factors such as demographic characteristics as well as intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction. The survey was carried out among 190 employees of the organisation with the aim of ascertaining their job satisfaction; the data collected together with the demographics were analysed.

Public Works Department of Sarawak ( JKR Sarawak) The Public Works Department of Sarawak (locally referred to as Jabatan Kerja Raya or JKR Sarawak) was first established in 1882, headed by the Inspectorate of Public Works. In 1897, the name of the departmental head was changed to Superintendent of Public Works and Survey, and subsequently to Director of Public Works, Sarawak.

JKR Sarawak has always been associated with the history of infrastructural development in the State. It is the legacy of three distinct periods of Sarawak Government administration: the Brooke Era from 1882 to 1941; the British Colonial Period from 1946 to 1963; and the Malaysian Government from 1963 to the present day. The organisation undertakes project management that includes planning, budgeting, design, pre- and post-contract administration, supervision, monitoring and maintenance over a contract period, operation and maintenance management of infrastructures and utilities, and engineering consultancy services.

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JKR Sarawak is a Department in the Sarawak State Civil Service; it is an organisation in the public sector and the largest department in terms of the number of employees. As of December 2017, it was staffed by 2,226 employees in Sarawak. Most of the staff members belong to the technical group, which includes engineers, architects, quantity surveyors and assistants to the professional members. JKR Sarawak is also supported by administrative and finance officers as well as general workers such as cleaners and security guards.

The Headquarters is located at Wisma Saberkas, Kuching, in the state of Sarawak. It has three established Regional Offices, one each in the Southern region, Central region and Northern region. Besides, it has 12 Divisional Offices throughout the state, one each in the following divisions: Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Kapit, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang. JKR Sarawak also has specific-purpose centres: the Investigation Branch (formerly known as Central Materials Laboratory) at Tabuan Jaya, Kuching; the Fleet Management Branch (formerly known as Central Mechanical Workshop); and the Central Store, which is located at Bintawa, Kuching.

As one of the state departments, JKR Sarawak is actively involved in the agendas of the Sarawak State Civil Service, collectively achieving the state’s vision and mission. In 2010, the Sarawak State Civil Service introduced a transformation agenda called the SCS 10-20, with the vision to be “A World-Class Civil Service”, and the mission “To provide excellent service delivery through high-performance teamwork”. It is the Sarawak government’s commitment to transform the Sarawak State Civil Service so that it is effective in delivering the services and capable of facilitating the transformation of Sarawak.

Theoretical Background Job Satisfaction One of the most well-known definitions of job satisfaction is given by Locke (1976) (cited in Akafo & Boateng 2015, p.114), who refers to it as an enjoyable state arising from assessing one’s work experience.

Two things affect job satisfaction, according to Locke (1976): first, the job factors such as pay, benefits, nature of work, supervisors, colleagues, and policies; second, the personal factors such as age, personality traits, and years of experience. Another popular definition of JS is the degree to which one likes or dislikes their job (Spector 1997). Generally, many definitions of job satisfaction are related to the feeling or attitude one has towards the job or specific aspects of the said job (e.g. pay, working environment, or co-workers) (Lu, While & Barriball 2005).

Photo source: jkr.sarawak.gov.my

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Literature on Demographic Characteristics and Job Satisfaction Gender and Job Satisfaction In studying the operations of an Iran industrial company, Tabatabaei, Ghaneh and Shokri (2011) concluded that men have more job satisfaction than women (cited in Tabatabaei et al. 2013). In this research, 120 employees of Pars Ceram Factory were studies; the researchers found significant differences in job satisfaction of men and women (Tabatabaei et al. 2013). On the other hand, Choi (2012), in an investigation, revealed that there were no significant differences between job satisfaction of men and that of women. This statement is congruent with the findings of a study done by Pathak & Srivastava (2017) on 200 managers working at different managerial levels at various Information Technology companies in Delhi and India. They found that the females experienced higher job satisfaction than the male counterparts.

Age and Job Satisfaction Research on the relationship between job satisfaction and age is very complex and in some cases, contradictory. In a study on job satisfaction differences based on age and disability, Pagan (2011) discovered that workers who were older and with physical disabilities, had less job satisfaction than those who were healthy and able-bodied (cited in Tabatabaei et al. 2013).

In contrast, according to Reiner & Zhao (1999), earlier research generally suggests that age is positively related to job satisfaction; the level of job satisfaction increases in tandem with the increase of age throughout the human work life (cited in Testa & Mueller, 2009, p.198). In a research on managers working in the oil industry in Kuwait, Al-Ajmi (2001) found that senior managers reported higher satisfaction than the younger ones. Probably and possibly, this could be the reason: the younger managers felt that their expertise was not appreciated as much as that of the senior managers who virtually had a complete monopoly of the vital jobs (cited in Madan & Srivastava 2015, p.56).

Educational Level and Job Satisfaction Tabatabaei, Ghaneh and Shokri (2011), in their study, discovered a positive and significant relationship between job satisfaction and occupational health variables based on demographic variables like age, educational level, job experience and salary. Nimri et al. (2015) found that employees with a higher education level were more satisfied with their job. The reason is simple and logical-- their experience and higher education levels commanded higher salaries.

Lines of Work and Job Satisfaction Hancer et al. (2003) carried out a research on 798 restaurant employee using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire short form; they found significant differences in job satisfaction scores based on the subgroups of job types. The job types included in their research were waiter and waitress, cook, bartender, and a variety of other positions.

Length of Services and Job Satisfaction According to Bedian et al. (1992), just as age levels tend to be associated with job satisfaction, so does the length of services or tenure (cited in Testa et al. 2009). It was determined that the longer a worker is in service, the higher the levels of job satisfaction when compared with those who were still new or inexperienced (Testa et al. 2009).

Hutchinson (1963) also found that overall job satisfaction increased with the length of service amongst the teachers in North America (cited in Chan, 2001).

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Theories relating to job satisfaction Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory As one of the oldest and most popular motivation theories, Maslow’s theory explains that every individual has emotional needs that can be arranged in a hierarchy (physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation).

When a given level of needs is fulfilled, the individual moves up the hierarchy to the next higher level of needs to be fulfilled-- that’s how a person is motivated (Maslow 1943).

Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory Herzberg’s (1968) two-factor motivator-hygiene theory suggests that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are two separate concepts that act independently of each other, rather than two opposite ends of the same continuum. The theory describes ‘motivating’ factors as items that will lead to employee satisfaction if met (e.g. recognition for achievements and challenging work), but will not cause dissatisfaction if not met (Herzberg 1968).

Job Characteristics Theory The job characteristics theory, developed by Hackman & Oldham in 1976, describes the relationship between job characteristics and individual responses to work. It specifies the conditions of the tasks, and individuals are predicted to prosper in their work conditions. There are five job dimensions (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and job feedback) prompting three psychological states that influence the personal and organisational outcomes.

The Public Works Department of Sarawak Job Satisfaction Survey Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire In 1967, Weiss, Dawis, Lofquist, and England developed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), an outcome of the Work Adjustment Project. There are three versions of the MSQ: two long forms (1977 version and 1967 version), and a short form. The short form comprises 20 items related to three different job satisfaction factors in an organisation.

Of these 20 items, 12 are categorised under Intrinsic Satisfaction (ability utilisation, achievement, activity, authority, creativity, independence, moral values, responsibility, security, social status, social service, and variety); 6 under Extrinsic Satisfaction (advancement, organisation policies and practices, compensation, recognition, supervisionhuman relations, and supervision-technical); and 2 under General Satisfaction (working condition and relationship with co-workers).

This study examines job satisfaction of 190 employees of various demographic characteristics in the Headquarters of JKR Sarawak. The MSQ short form was used as the primary instrument for collecting data. The first section of the MSQ contains questions related to the 20-facet job satisfaction factors, and are divided into three categories: Extrinsic Satisfaction, Intrinsic Satisfaction and General Satisfaction. The second section was designed by the researcher to suit the Malaysian context with the purpose of obtaining information about the respondents’ demographic characteristics.

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Discussions of survey findings Overall, the findings show that the average job satisfaction score of JKR Sarawak employees is 73.47%. The results reveal that Intrinsic Satisfaction, Extrinsic Satisfaction, and General Satisfaction have a significant relationship with job satisfaction, with Intrinsic Satisfaction having the greatest impact on employee job satisfaction.

The findings also prove that demographic characteristics such as age, gender, education levels and length of service have no significant relationship with employee job satisfaction, except for line of work. The results show that the line of work influences employee job satisfaction, particularly that of the technical and administrative staff.

As such, it is recommended that JKR Sarawak designs and implements strategies to improve the job satisfaction of the different lines work.

Responsibility and career advancement are also found to be the factors that produce the lowest job satisfaction. It is therefore recommended that JKR Sarawak do a review of the job descriptions, relevant processes and standards of procedure. Through added responsibilities, clear job description and standards of procedure, supervisors will be able to delegate more authority to the staff in carrying out their duties.

Since the overall job satisfaction score hovers around an average level of 73.47%, JKR Sarawak is also recommended to address the issues of employees’ well-being through information dissemination methods and employee assistant programmes, such as the mentoring programme. Individual well-being or wellness as defined by Danna & Griffin (1999) comprises ‘the various life or non-work satisfactions enjoyed by individuals, work or job related satisfactions and general health’ (cited in Shahren et al. 2010, p. 68).

This study also recommends that JKR Sarawak reinforces the policies, procedures and practices with regard to improving the general employee work-related satisfaction. These include benefits, recognition, grievance management as well as employee and management programmes.

Photo source: jkr.sarawak.gov.my

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate enrolled in a business management programme at any tertiary institution. It can also be used as a supplementary learning tool for any training programme on human resource management in the public sector.

2.

3.

4.

5.

How would you best describe job satisfaction?

Which demographic characteristics do you feel is most relevant to job satisfaction?

Discuss the factors that you feel are the most crucial, in your experience, to obtain job satisfaction.

Recall a recent experience when a colleague was not satisfied with his/her job. What happened?

In what ways did the management respond to this dissatisfaction?

Discuss if management should be solely responsible for employees’ job satisfaction.

Think back to a situation when the management was introducing changes to improve job satisfaction.

How did the employees respond?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating them to other contexts.

Case Summary This case article highlights the findings of an employee job satisfaction survey conducted at the Headquarters of Public Works Department of Sarawak ( JKR Sarawak), based on the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The survey obtained responses from the employees of different lines of work at the Headquarters with regard to extrinsic, intrinsic and general satisfaction. Useful survey data from 190 employees were analysed.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on real-life incidents and practical issues of a public sector organisation.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and discussion questions.

The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major issues and challenges with regard to existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Define employee job satisfaction as a key component of human resource management and performance.

2.

Discuss the current trends that influence job satisfaction.

3.

Discuss the influence of demographic characteristics on job satisfaction.

4.

Determine strategies that management should adopt to increase job satisfaction.

5.

Discuss the role of leadership in improving employee job satisfaction.

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REFERENCES Akafo, V & Boateng, PA 2015, ‘Impact of Reward and Recognition on Job Satisfaction and Motivation’, European Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 7, No. 24, pp. 112-124

Spector, PE 1997, ‘Job satisfaction: Application, assessment, causes, and consequences’, Vol. 3, Sage.

Chan, YK 2001, ‘Job Satisfaction of Secondary School Teachers in Selangor, Malaysia’, International Journal of Commerce and management, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 72-90

Tabatabaei, S , Ghaneh, S, Mohaddes, H, Khansari, MM, 2013, ‘Relationship of Job Satisfaction and Demographic Variables in Pars Ceram Factory Employees in Iran’, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol 84, pp. 1795-1800

Choi, S 2012, ‘Demographic Diversity of Managers and Employee Job Satisfaction: Empirical Analysis of the Federal Case’, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 275-298

Testa, MR & Mueller, SL 2009, ‘Demographic and Cultural Predictors of International Service Worker Job Satisfaction’, Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 19, 2, pp. 195-210

Danish, RQ & Usman, A 2010, ‘Impact of Reward and Recognition on Job Satisfaction and Motivation: An Empirical Study from Pakistan’, International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 159 - 167

Tsigilis, N, Zachpoulou, E & Grammatikopoulos, V 2006, ‘Job Satisfaction and Burnout among Greek Early Educators: A Comparison between Public and Private Sector Employees’. Educational Research and Review, Vol. 1, No. 8, pp. 256-261

Hackman, JR & Oldham GR 1975, ‘Development of the Job Diagnostic Survey’, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 159-170

Weiss, DJ, Dawis, RV, England, GW & Lofquist, LH 1967, ‘Manual for the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire’, University of Minnesota, Minnesota.

Hancer, M & George, RT 2003, ‘Job Satisfaction of Restaurant Employees: An Emprical Investigation Using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire’, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 85-100 Herzberg, F 1968, ‘One more time how do you motivate employees?’, Harvard Business Review, January-February, pp. 53-62 Lu, H, While, AE & Barriball, KL 2005, ‘Job satisfaction among nurses: a literature review’, International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp.

211-227 Madan, P & Srivastava, S 2015, “Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction and Demographic Relationship: An Empirical Study of Private Sector Bank Managers’, FIIB Business Review¸Vol. 1 Issue 2, pp. 53-62 Maslow, AH 1943, ‘A theory of human motivation’, Psychological Review, Vol. 50, No. 4, p. 370 Nimri, M, Bdair, A & Al Bitar, H 2015, ‘Applying the expectancy theory to explain the motivation of public sector employees in Jordan’, Middle East Journal of Business, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 70-82 Pathak, D & Srivastava, S 2017, ‘Understanding the Role of Demographic Diversity on Mentoring and Job Satisfaction: A Study on Managers in Information Technology (IT) Industry in India’, South Asian Journal of Management, Vol. 24 Issue 2, pp. 42-64 Priya, TU & Eshwar, TS 2014, ‘Rewards, Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Employees in Commercial Banks – An Investigative Analysis’, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences’, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 70 - 78 Shahren, AZA, Abg Ekhsan, Victoria, J, Philip, NA, Hasbee, U. Hong, KS, Zaiton, H, Sopian, B, Mohd Razali, O, Siti Emalia, M, Hana, H & Farida, AH, 2010, ‘Report on Organizational Culture Audit of JKR Sarawak’, University Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching.

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EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTION OF THE BALANCED SCORECARD (BSC) IMPLEMENTATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SARAWAK

Authors CHONG MUI SIA GABRIEL WEE WEI EN FUNG CHORNG YUAN

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Task Not Started

Task Not Progress

Completed Task

Introduction The public sector is a major contributor to a country’s productivity and income generation (Lau, Lonti & Schultz, 2017). Over the past centuries, research has highlighted the need to improve the performance of the public sector and the quality of its services (Huque & Jongruck, 2020; Karkovska, 2020; Meyer-Sahling, Schuster, & Mikkelsen, 2018). These two aspects are critical with the increasing global competition for capital investment and for a country to pursue the policy of sustainable marketing. Many countries have taken the initiative to implement performance management systems as an impetus to deliver excellent public services to the citizens. Balanced Scorecard (BSC), is a performance management system developed by Kaplan and Norton (1992); it is one of the popular performance management systems implemented by many commercial organisations. In the recent decade, it has gained popularity in the public sector, with many public sector organisations adopting the BSC.

Balanced Scorecard (BSC) BSC was developed by Kaplan and Norton (1992) of Harvard Business School. The aim of the BSC is to provide a balanced assessment between the financial and non-financial dimensions of an entity. The BSC links the performance of an organisation with its strategies and vision. Such a linkage overcomes the shortcoming of the traditional financial performance assessment systems and provides a better performance management system with strategic objectives.

The BSC contains four scorecards, assessing the performance from four different perspectives: shareholders’ financial perspective, customers’ perspective, internal business process, and employees’ perspective on learning and growth.

Each perspective contains objectives, measures, and targets. Figure 1 shows an example of a BSC.

Perspective FINANCIAL CUSTOMER INTERNAL BUSINESS PROCESS LEARNING AND GROWTH

Objectives

Measures

Maximise shareholders’ return Maximise customer satisfaction

Return on Investment (ROI) Customer service rating

Maximise efficiency

Waiting time for services Training hours per employee per year

Enhance employees’ skills

Targets ROI of 20% At least an average score of 8 out of 10 in all aspects of services provided Average waiting time of 10 minutes 20 hours of structured training per employee per year

Figure 1: The Four Perspectives of BSC and samples of Objectives, Measures and Targets

BSC has been widely used by private and public organisations for a wide range of purposes; for example, measure and manage performance, develop strategy, and carry out performance appraisal (Azmi Usup 2016; Sharifah Rodziah 2013; Heromi et al. 2017; Hamouda 2012; Curtis, Hanias & Antoniades 2011; Tayler 2010; Mohamed Musaddik & Rafedzah 2008; Kaplan & Norton 2007; Lipe & Salterio 2000). Despite its popularity, the implementation of BSC is a daunting task. Users’ perception of BSC implementation effectiveness is one of the major challenges that BSC implementers need to overcome (Northcott & Taulapapa, 2012).

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Source Image of Menara Pelita by Sarawakvoice.com

BSC in the Department of Agriculture (DOA) The Department of Agriculture, Sarawak (DOA) was formed in 1924. The vision of DOA is to develop a high-income agriculture community by 2030, and the mission is to modernise and commercialise agriculture to improve the income of the agriculture community in the long term. Over the past century, DOA has grown rapidly in terms of formulating and implementing programmes and activities to promote various aspects of the agricultural field. DOA focuses not only on crops but also inland fisheries, research and development, farmers’ institution development, human resource development, and the related extension.

Due to its significant impact on the state’s economic development, the state government saw the urgent need to implement an effective performance management system in the DOA. Hence, in 2013, the state government initiated and successfully implemented BSC in the DOA. The objectives of its implementation are as follows: (i)

Establish performance and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of various operational aspects of the department, such as strategy formulation, implementation, and the outcomes achieved; (ii) Manage performance through a management framework. The framework includes the cycle of setting KPIs, monitoring performance of KPIs, and receiving feedback as well as taking corrective actions so as to achieve the objectives, mission and vision of the department; (iii) Act as a communication and information system between the state government and the DOA. Two-way communication will align DOA’s objectives with those of the state government. When the state government coveys its vision and strategy to the DOA effectively, the department will be able to craft some strategic plans and allocate its resources to achieve the vision.

Change Management Challenges The Sarawak government introduced BSC into its various civil service departments in 2012. The Department of Agriculture (DOA) was among the first few departments that have fully implemented the BSC. However, there were no studies of the post-implementation evaluation of BSC in the public sector. Such shortcoming might cover up the potential risks resulting from the ineffective implementation of BSC. If problems remain unsolved, these risks could affect employee productivity, the quality of services, and customer satisfaction.

Post-implementation evaluation is vital as it can provide feedback on the ways the BSC was implemented. This feedback could include employees’ perception of the BSC, and this could shed some light on how this system can be improved for better results. Besides, the feedback will be helpful for future project management.

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Key Findings The findings show that most of the participants perceived that the strategy map contributed the most during the BSC implementation, followed by the management system and online system. The BSC users can identify the linkage of their roles to the organisation’s overall objectives through the strategy map. Such an understanding has helped them to be able to focus on their jobs and work towards the attainment of the organisation’s goals.

The BSC users believed that an integrated set of objectives and measures should be developed based on the vision and strategy statement, with agreement from the top management to work towards that vision. Despite some unfavourable comments, overall, the BSC users were satisfied with the implemented BSC. They were able to achieve a common consensus concerning the highest priority areas that needed to be focused on. The BSC users believed in increased transparency of reporting, monitoring, and ownership of their goals. These efforts have contributed to an improved working culture and collaboration between branches or divisions in which everyone works towards the shared goals. Furthermore, the implementation of BSC has also resulted in some changes in the working culture, such as commitment from the top management, adaptation to changes, teamwork, and the ways of thinking.

The findings also show that leaders need to provide employees with sufficient information and insights so that the latter can understand the necessary changes. Keeping the employees informed could boost their motivation and commitment to embrace new ways of working. Besides, it is imperative for the leaders to know the needs of various departments in order to set directions, make decisions, and coordinate the required action plans of the BSC implementation in the departments.

There was a general perception that employees were not inclined to accept BSC, and a lack of cooperation among some staff members. These unfavourable responses could be due to the lack of information and understanding of BSC system implementation. The absence of training for employees to internalise the BSC could be another attributing factor leading to a dearth of coordinated efforts in meeting deadlines, poor response to the reporting system, and low acceptance of the BSC system.

The BSC users opined that the DOA is deficient in the following aspects: accurate and comprehensive documentation, periodic evaluation, sufficient resources or funding, improved online system, and strategic planning. These weaknesses created tension and conflicts among staff members during the implementation process. To overcome these issues, the BSC users suggested cascading the BSC, at all levels, the employee performance appraisal system.

Such a move was crucial in making the BSC known to everyone. The staff members need to understand the implementation processes, the measures and the targets of KPIs to be achieved. Besides, by aligning the KPIs with the existing programmes, DOA’s annual operational plan will be well executed and the approved budget would be allocated in a balanced manner resulting in effective strategic planning and target setting.

Currently, the DOA uses ePrestasi, an online individual annual appraisal system as the individual-based performance measurement system. However, the ePrestasi system was looked upon as a weak tool due to the system’s incapability of capturing non-quantitative measures, such as disciplines and quality of work. Thus, the BSC users believed that the BSC system could be integrated into the ePrestasi for improved functionalities. Not only the goals and KPIs of the staff members can be captured and communicated, such an integrated approach could also increase the administrative efficiency.

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Recommendations The outcomes of this case study reveal several important points that are useful to the civil service. In managing change, the management needs to devote an enormous amount of time and resources to attain success. Often, this requires an alteration in the organisational culture, so that the corporate atmosphere is conducive to changes. The successful implementation of BSC in this case study depends on effective communication from the top management as well as adequate and practical training for the employees. When it is managed effectively, BSC could help improve the quality of services provided by the public sector. This could raise the country’s productivity and incomegeneration capability (Lau, Lonti & Schultz, 2017).

Adequate training for the employees is essential to implementing changes effectively. The management has a duty to equip the employees with sufficient knowledge and skills so that changes can be implemented smoothly in the organisation. Hence, it would be prudent for the leaders of the departments to review its training programmes for the employees to efficiently manoeuvre the change implementation.

Source Image by doa.sarawak.gov

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate studying manpower planning or management in any tertiary institution; it is also beneficial to those in the public sector who conduct teaching and learning programmes associated with human resource management. This case study can be a supplementary learning tool for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

2.

3.

Why do you think employees often show a certain level of resistance when a new system is planned or implemented in an organisation?

How should a change, such as a change in the performance management system, be handled in order to ensure employee acceptance?

Reflecting on your own experience of managing change or implementing a new system, or as a member of the team implementing such a change, how do you see the roles of a leader in this process?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating these to another context.

Case Summary This case study examined the BSC users’ perceptions of the BSC implementation process in the DOA. As the findings reveal, the BSC implementers need to address the employees’ ignorance or the lack of understanding of the BSC implementation in the organisation. The change has to be initiated from the top, with the KPIs of BSC cascaded into the performance appraisal system. With the use of effective communication channels, employees are more inclined to accept changes as part of their work routines and organisational culture. Furthermore, it is necessary for employees to undergo adequate training so that they are ready to handle and accept the changes.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life practical issues of the public sector in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and the suggested discussion questions. The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major trends and challenges concerning the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Ascertain the BSC’s users’ perceptions on the BSC implementation process.

2.

Understand the challenges and impacts gained from the BSC implementation.

3.

Investigate the users’ point of view about the alignment of BSC with the individual performance measurement system.

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REFERENCES Azmi Usup. (2016). A study on the effectiveness of Balanced Scorecard system in State Civil Service, Master Thesis, Curtin University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Miri.

Lau, E., Lonti, Z., & Schultz, R. (2017). Challenges in the measurement of public sector productivity in OECD countries. International Productivity Monitor, 32, 180-95.

Curtis, P, Hanias, M & Antoniades, P. (2011). Balanced Scorecard as a strange attractor tool contributing to the improvement of transformation process and ultimately to the competitive advantage of an organisation, Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review, 4(3), pp. 271-276.

Lipe, M & Salterio, S. (2002). A note on the judgemental effects of the Balanced Scorecard’s information organisation, Accounting, Organisations and Society. 27, 531-540.

Department of Agriculture, Sarawak. n.d. Available from https://doa. sarawak.gov.my/ Hennink, M, Hutter, I & Bailey, A. (2011). Qualitative research methods, SAGE, London; Thousand Oaks; New Delhi.

Heromi, Gnanasageran, Superi & Hamrila. (2017). The effectiveness of Balanced Scorecard implementation in Sarawak Civil Service, Science International (Lahore), 29(5), 1039-1041.

Huque, A. S., & Jongruck, P. (2020). Civil service reforms in Hong Kong and Thailand: similar goals, different paths. Public Administration and Policy.

23(2). 111-123.

Meyer-Sahling, J-H., Schuster, C., & Mikkelsen, K. S. (2018). Civil service management in developing countries: what works? Evidence from a survey with 23.000 civil servants in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar. org/2fc6/8ee6db024454628ce2638578090c699b5c82.pdf Mohamed Musaddik & Rafedzah. (2008). The implementation of the Balanced Scorecard: the Malaysian public service experience, Jurnal Pengurusan Awam, 81-98.

Northcott, D., & Taulapapa, T. M. A. (2012). Using the balanced scorecard to manage performance in public sector organizations: Issues and challenges.

International Journal of Public Sector Management, 25(3), 166-191.

Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (1992). The Balanced Scorecard: Measures That Drive Peformance. Harvard Business Review, January-February. 7179.

Sharifah Rodziah. (2013). Effective implementation of the Balanced Scorecard in the Sarawak Public Sector: a case study on Sarawak State Treasury Department, Master Thesis, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Samarahan.

Kaplan, R & Norton, D. (2007). ‘Using the Balanced Scorecard as a strategic management system’, Harvard Business Review (July-August 2007), 150-160.

Tayler, W. (2010). The Balanced Scorecard as a strategy-evaluation tool: the effects of implementation involvement and a causal-chain focus’, The Accounting Review, 85(3), 1095-1117.

Karkovska, V. (2020). Updating The Prestige Of The Civil Service In The Reform Process. Public Administration and Regional Development, 7, 125-134.

Yin, R. K. (2013). Validity and generalization in future case study evaluations. Evaluation, 19(3), 321-332.

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“

Reaching your potential is not simply about dreaming or being idealistic. It is a process that involve specific actions, exercises, discipline and hard work.

It is challenging, rewarding and unending.

“

Robert S. Kaplan Co-creator of Balanced Scorecard

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TOO MUCH IS TOO BAD FOR EMPLOYEES - NEEDS HR INTERVENTION

Authors AWANG MOHAMMED NIZAM HJ AWANG ALI BOHAN SITANSU PANDA

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Introduction All organisations face challenges in the market. Demand for quality products and timely delivery of services with affordable cost often compel organisations to search for innovative business strategies. However, such strategies do not always produce desired results; rather they may boomerang on the employees. The nature and scope of workplace is changing. As a result, new workplace problems arise, and one of them is mentoring organisational members. With sophisticated and rapidly changing technology in the country, the number of tasks and the number of roles assumed by the government employees have also increased. When a workload exceeds a person’s capability to handle, the worker will experience certain degree of pressure (Beech, 1982). This work pressure can have adverse implications which may interfere with the well-being of a person. In Asia, work pressure is one of the highest causes of suicide.

In this regard, it can be stated that workplace pressure arises when someone experiences an uncomfortable or unpleasant situation such as tension, disappointment, anxiety and sorrow caused by certain things. The level of stress experienced by an individual is caused by the physical and social environment, and the way he or she handles it (Head, 1996). Lately, work pressure has become a major concern for employers and governments for two reasons: first, it costs money for organisations to implement measures to reduce work pressure; secondly, work pressure may bring harm and damages to the health of workers. . Work-related stress is the greatest health hazard in an organisation, and it may adversely affect the well-being of the workers. In this light, an unreasonably high level of work pressure is the key concern of organisations, which is the focus of this case study.

This case study will be of great use to academics as well as professionals working in all types of organisations, including those in the public sector. Therefore, it is crucial to study various aspects of job pressures of civil servants to avoid the occurrence of undesirable effects. As a civil servant, work pressure is the main thing to watch out for as it can affect the productivity and quality of work if it is not handled properly and effectively. Work stress can negatively affect the health of employees and consequently their well-being. Rohany & Fatimah (2006) state that stress is a serious matter and is often associated with work performance, health and productivity levels of individuals or employees. Thus, health and stress is very much interrelated in everyday life.

Photo: Tranformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) 2017 - Kuching, Sarawak

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Studies on Work Pressure It is not easy to avoid or eliminate work pressure totally. Mental, physical, or emotional stress can disturb the harmony and quality of a person’s life. This area has been studied by researchers over the last 100 years, and the subject is still attracting much interest and attention. Research is conducted on work pressure because it plays an important role in influencing an organisation. Any organisation that wishes to operate efficiently and progress requires mentally and physically fit staff members.

The researcher has chosen Sibu Division Resident and District Office (RANDO) as the location for conducting a study to identify stress factors among the staff. The main purpose of the study is to ascertain the key causes of work pressure in the RANDO organisation, measure the extent of the work pressure faced by the RANDO staff, and study the levels of work pressure among the employees.

Working in a remote area such as in a small town or village with less basic amenities, the environmental factor is the main cause of working pressure. Based on observations, a long-time public servant in the outskirts of the country is more likely to suffer from stress-related problems as he or she has little social interaction and often carries out repetitive work. Through the study by Asma Bee (2004), Cooper & Marshall (1978) put forward their theory of stress - stress is attributed to environmental and individual factors. Environmental factors here include aspects of relationships, intrinsic occupations, organisational structure and climate. Communication components cover the aspects of relationships between employers, employees and co-workers. Management in an organisation is the main root for the success of the organisation. It affects the employee as well. With poor management in the organisation, it is highly probable that the number of dissatisfied employees would increase. Dissatisfaction is often related to work pressure. Spellman (2018) explains that a committed manager is very important in order to support the employees in achieving the organisational objectives. Proper management in an organisation plays a pivotal role in reducing stress among the workers. Besides, poor management can be related to a lack of support in terms of slow career development, incomplete work tool, poor appreciation, and less incentive.

Inability to balance work commitment and as the head of family can contribute to generating stress in the long term.

Stress from the workplace can spill over to the home, and stress from the home can pass on to the workplace. Both situations show that work-life imbalance is one of the factors that lead to stress. Different people of different ranks interpret the meaning of stress differently; most of the high-ranking workers take work-life imbalance as sources of stress (Brooks, 2014). In terms of work-life balance, women tend to feel it more than men (Yadav &Yadav, 2014).

The work-life balance is a very delicate matter, and every worker must manage it well and carefully; lop-sidedness in either direction may create stress. A high number of employees without a good work-life balance will lead to the existence of an unhealthy organisation, filled with high work pressure. With a good work-life balance, the employees will be able to manage work and personal life in a harmonious way. They must not interfere or mix work with home, and vice versa. This principle applies even when an employee works from home, without the necessity to go to the workplace.

Photo: Tranformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) 2017 - Kuching, Sarawak

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Sibu Resident Offices located at Kompleks Islam Sibu - Source image: https://my.polomap.com/sibu/5815

RANDO Organisation Administratively, the Sibu Division is divided into 3 districts, namely Sibu District, Kanowit District and Selangau District. Initially the communication system with other divisions relied heavily on water transport as Sibu is located on the banks of the Rejang River, the longest river in Malaysia, measuring 773 kilometres. Since the completion of the Lanang Bridge and the Durin Bridge, roads have become the major transport system between Sibu and other cities like Mukah, Sarikei, Bintulu and Kuching. The Sibu Division Resident’s Office is the centre responsible for all the matters of Sibu Division Administration. This office is helmed by a Resident who has been appointed by the State Government of Sarawak. The office is responsible for charting the development of the Sibu Division in line with the aspirations, agenda and direction of the state government, whilst each district of the division is headed by a District Officer who is responsible for the district administration.

The establishment of Resident Offices and District Offices is a form of decentralisation of administration - a strategy to increase the efficiency of the state administration by delegating some power to the Resident and District Offices as representatives of the state government; these intermediary agencies are in direct contact with the people to execute policy initiatives and development programs of the federal government and the Sarawak state government.

The divisional office and the district offices are the central administrative offices. The District Offices are part of the Resident Office. The Resident and District Offices are divided into strategic areas as follows: i.

Management Services Unit ii.

Strategic Planning Unit and Project Development iii. Unit of Planning and Social Development iv.

Sibu District Office v.

Kanowit District Office vi. Selangau District Office The study is based on the experiences of employees working in the Resident and District Offices in (RANDO), Sibu, Sarawak. The Resident Office of Sibu is located at Sibu, Sarawak, occupying the 5th floor of a building known as Kompleks Islam, Jalan Awang Ramli Amit, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak. The vision of the Resident Office Sibu is to achieve the status of a high performance organisation, spearheading development to bring about a high quality of living in the Sibu division. The mission of the Resident Office Sibu is to provide effective leadership, efficient coordination of projects and programmes, effective community engagement and excellent service delivery so that the Sibu division can be a business gateway to the central region of Sarawak.

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Work Pressure and Employees’ Experience The participants comprise staff members of different ages, genders, races and designations working in the Regional and District Office (RANDO) in Sibu; they responded to the questionnaires administered to them. The respondents are from different office departments like administration, finance, general development, and social development.

The data collected were analysed using the quantitative research method, namely the Pearson co-relations, and ANOVA test. The association between various aspects of work and work pressure were explored. The results show that there is no relationship in the following: between the environment of workplace and work pressure; organisation demographic profile and work pressure; work-life balance and work pressure. However, the relationship between organisation management and work pressure is statistically established. These results demonstrate that apart from organisation management, other aspects do not contribute to increasing work pressure of the employees of RANDO. The results regarding the workplace environment reveal the presence of these elements: fairness at workplace, mutual respect for each other, relationship with the boss, relationship with colleagues, etc. In addition, the following elements are present in the RANDO: job in line with qualifications, job satisfaction, job accountable according to age, experience and grade, effective hours of work, etc. The level of job satisfaction and involvement level of employees in the workplace activities are high. Most of the employees feel the importance of work for themselves as well as for the better future of the organisation. The following work aspects help reduce the employees’ work pressure and ultimately lower the work stress at RANDO: fair distribution of work load among employees, clarity in the supervisor’s instructions, the management’s concern for the employees’ welfare, the willingness of the top management to accept suggestion from the subordinates, and managerial support for the employees.

Some employees provided useful suggestions to their senior officers, and showed happiness working in the RANDO. According to them, compared with their previous organisations, this company has a high-performance work culture and better welfare measures. The management understands, evaluates and considers the problems of the employees at the grassroots level. Many other aspects of this organisation prove helpful too, such as the employee reward system, job role, employees’ training programmes, and counselling mechanism. Some respondents criticised the current trend of increased work pressure in various job roles in the private sector organisations. And such pressure is mostly related to meeting the customers’ demands and working hard for organisational survival in the competitive market. No doubt, competition is always there, but employees should be considered from the angles of competency, optimum level of target, and long-term implications of such work pressure on them. Some employees mentioned about leaving their previous job due to a high level of stress that had affected their health and family life.

An employee commented about his previous organisation, “Too much is too bad for employees. Without timely intervention by HR department, employees will lose interest in the job, and ultimately the organisations will suffer.

All organisations have to remember that human beings are not machines, and they have other commitments besides their job.”

Conclusion Employees should have the intention and intensity to do their work as expected by the organisation. However, it does not always happen that way due to the organisational and individual factors. The organisational factors include increased work pressure on employees, poor work culture, inconsiderate managerial treatment costing human values and dignity of employees; least attention given to difficulties of employees at ground level like non-achievement of impossible sales or productivity targets. All the above factors may generate and exert pressure on the employees, and negatively affect their wellbeing as well as the organisational health. A company’s profitability and financial growth should not be emphasised too much by increasing work pressure on the employees to meet the market changes and competitive demands of customers. Workers are not just cogs in the machine; they are human beings.

The employees’ difficulties, feelings, sentiments, emotions, competencies and socio-cultural commitments should be carefully considered in fixing job performance targets. Providing dignity at the workplace and empathising with the employees when they face problems should be paid due attention irrespective of the organisational challenges faced in the market. The HR department should develop appropriate mechanisms and intervene in a timely manner to minimise employee stress and steer the organisation in the right direction.

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Discussion Questions

Teaching Objectives

1.

The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Work pressure as an area of concern for organisations.

2.

Potential cost to employees and organisations due to the increased work pressure.

3.

Undesirable consequences of the employees’ stress.

4.

Unpleasant situations at workplace due to stress 5.

Management of the employees’ stress.

6.

Mental and physical fitness required to manage work pressure.

7.

Understanding stress-inducing factors at workplace.

8.

Impact of work pressure on the work-life balance.

9.

Strategies and measures to minimise the employees’ work pressure.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Increased work pressure on the employees is a global concern. Do you agree? Kindly explain your answer.

How far are employees responsible for managing work pressure in organisations?

Too many organisational targets in terms of productivity, profit and quality of service are expected of the employees, leading to increased work pressure. What is your comment on this statement?

Increased work pressure is a potential cost to organisations. Discuss the statement by taking cues from this case study.

The Global Pandemic is the worst factor the employees have ever come across, which creates a highest level of employee stress. Comment.

Managing the employees’ work pressure is a dual responsibility of the boss as well as the subordinates.

What is your view?

Teaching Note The authors have prepared the teaching note. It is essential for the users to provide an idea regarding the nature and context of using this case study. The increased work pressure on employees is a key area of concern in this case study. The measures to overcome such work pressure problems are also highlighted.

Case Summary The case is developed based on the increased work pressure experienced by the employees working in the Rural and District Offices (RANDO), Sibu, Sarawak. The study highlights the factors that contribute to the employees’ stress level: physical environment, social ambience, job responsibility, repetitive nature of task, boss-subordinate relationship, attitude towards work, etc. It also elaborates on the implications of the increased work pressure on the employees such as employees’ wellbeing, organisational productivity, quality of service, and work-life balance.

The workplace stress influences the employee’s social and family behaviours, and these are reflected in the findings of this study. On the whole, the case study focuses on key causes of work pressure of the employees and the ensuing consequences. Efforts required by the organisations for managing the increased work pressure of the employees are suggested in order to meet the expectations of different stakeholders of RANDO, Sibu.

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Suitability for Use This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate who is enrolled on a business management programme at any tertiary institution. It is also useful for the participants of any leadership and organisational development programme.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the facts pertaining to the employees’ work pressure in the public sector organisations. The data are collected from the employees using the qualitative method of research.

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Guideline for use 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Experience sharing: Form different small groups and ask members to share their workplace experience pertaining to work pressure, job complexities and workplace harmony. Members of the groups (5 to 7 members) can share their day-to-day experience in their respective organisations.

Caring for Team members: firstly, ask the members to provide some tentative measures of how to improve the level of their employee engagement, cooperation, and support; secondly, ask the members to state ways of maintaining better human relations and workplace harmony, based on understanding and empathy. Participants should discuss among themselves about the approaches and measures of caring for the employees in the workplace.

Think tank to go the extra mile for the organisation: One group of participants will discuss about measures to be taken at a strategic level to achieve organisational goals by incorporating human values, human dignity and workplace ethics.

Participative forums for developing human capital: One of the groups should do brainstorming on how to train employees, and suggest measures to keep them happy, cheerful and productive so as to reduce the work pressure, stress and workplace conflicts.

Ask a small group (Group-I) or any two participants to share with one another the difficulties related to their lifestyle at workplace, community, and home. However, efforts should be taken to maintain confidentiality of an employee’s personal life.

Form two groups, one of which works as the management representative and the other as employee representative. Members of each group will interact with one another to discuss their difficulties and suggest appropriate strategies to overcome such difficulties.

One group of participants (5 to 7 members) should analyse the workplace pressure from the social, legal, economic, cultural and psychological perspectives.

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REFERENCES Asthma Bee A. T. (2004). Kerja dan Tekanan yang dihadapi oleh Guru Sekolah Menengah. Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Beech, H.R. (1982). A Behavioral Approach to the Management of Stress.

United Kindom : John Wiley and Sons.

Brooks, C. (2014, April 11). Stressed-Out Workers Say These Two Things Bother Them Most. Business News Daily, p. 4. Retrieved from https://www. businessnewdaily.com/6224-what-causes-workerstress.html Cooper, C.L. & Marshall, J. (1978). Understanding Executive Stress. In Cartwright, S. & Cooper, C.L. ASSET: The management guide. Manchester: RCL Head, J. (1996) Stress and the Post Graduate Secondary School Trainee Teacher: A British case study. Journal of Education for Teaching, 22(1), 71-84 Rohany N. & Fatimah O. (2006). Kesejahteraan Manusia: Perspektif Psikologi. Kajian tekanan kerja dan kesihatan pekerja. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Selangor.

Spellman, R., (2018) Poor Management May Cause Workplace Stress. https://www.heartmath.com/articles/poor-management-may-causeworkplace-stress/(accessed on 4 Apr, 2018) Yadav, R. K., &Yadav, S. S. (2014).Impact of Work Life Balance and Stress Management on Job Satisfaction among the Working Women in Public Sector Banks. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 26(1), 63-70

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MODERN RECRUITMENT METHODS IN THE SARAWAK CIVIL SERVICE (SCS) AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS

Authors KHAIRUL RIDZA BIN HAJI WAHED KI YEN PING

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Introduction The field of human resource management (HRM) is evolving along with the technology advancement. Technology affects HR personnel both in the private and public sectors. Talent recruitment is one of the core processes in HRM. Recruitment refers to the activities that aim to attract a pool of qualified applicants from which suitable candidates may be selected (Newell 2005). Recruitment is a three-phase process: the first, prepare adequate information to attract applicants interested in joining the company; the second, offer good pay, benefits, and work environment to arouse the applicants’ keenness to join the company; the third, select the right candidate with the right attitude to do the right job at the right time (Allen, Mahto & Otondo, 2007, p.1696).

The civil service’s recruitment activity is centralised under the State Public Service Commission which carries out the selection processes to recruit suitable and qualified candidates; it has embraced innovative changes to go digital in carrying out this HR function. An electronic administrative system known as e-Government has been implemented in the Sarawak Civil Service since 2004 to fulfil the needs of the people of Sarawak. In general, the e-Government uses e-Commerce and other technologies such as computers and the Internet in the government system to provide services to a country’s citizens (Howard 2001, p.7). In 2015, the Chief Minister of Sarawak announced that Sarawak would implement digital economy. The modern recruitment method, e-Recruitment, is one of the online job portals provided by the Sarawak Government to recruit, test, and select applicants. Approximately, 184,000 applicants were registered with the e-Recruitment system as of 2018.

This case study highlights the effectiveness, acceptance, and adaptation of the modern recruitment method implemented in the Sarawak Civil Service. This study provides inputs of how the evolution of technology has brought changes to the HRM processes, particularly the recruitment component, which is seen as the core process in HRM. The transition from the conventional to modern recruitment methods is still considered a new field in the Sarawak context. Based on the interviews, and data collected from group discussions participated by the Sarawak Civil Service employees, the study found that implementing the modern recruitment method is effective in the Sarawak Civil Service and contributes to the state’s policy to transform the old governing system into a digital government. This method is supported and accepted by the people of Sarawak. However, they believe that adequate ICT training should be provided so that the civil servants are well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge in the modern recruitment process.

State Public Service Commission located at Wisma Satok, Kuching - Source image: psc.sarawak.gov.my

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Sarawak Civil Service The respondents of this study were civil servants from the Sarawak Civil Service. The Sarawak Civil Service is responsible for facilitating the state’s holistic development and supporting the Sarawak community’s well-being through high-performance team services. The State Public Service Commission plays an essential role in managing the civil servants of the Sarawak Civil Service. As stated under Article 36(1) of the Constitution of the State of Sarawak, the State Public Service Commission is responsible for the tasks that include recruitment, confirmation in service, emplacement in the permanent and pensionable post, promotion, transfer of officers within the public service, and disciplinary control over the public service members. The State Public Service Commission launched its e-Recruitment job portal in 2004.

Conventional Recruitment Method Prior to the generation of millennials and before the advent of information and communication technology (ICT), talent attraction was usually undertaken using the conventional recruitment methods. These conventional recruitment methods are often associated with the newspaper, radio and television advertising, curriculum vitae, manual shortlisting, and face-to-face interviews (Marsden 1994, p.982). Informal employee referrals are commonly used together with newspaper advertisements. This method is known as “network hiring” and was the most frequently used conventional recruitment method in the private sector for high-prestige jobs (Marsden 1994, p.984). Carroll et al. (1999, p.237) added that most organisations conducted their recruitment process internally and informally through word of mouth. The conventional recruitment methods open up to issues such as biases, limited number of applicants, risks of hiring unsuitable employees, and time-consuming to perform the process manually. While there is much evidence about the deficiencies of the conventional recruitment methods, some organisations still practise this method mainly due to the lack of internal ICT development.

Modern Recruitment Method The recruitment process changed when new technology began to appear and the millennials started to enter the labour market. The Internet recruitment which is also known as the ‘recruiting revolution,’ occurred in the mid1990s (Boydell 2002). Modern recruitment methods emerged due to the labour market shortages, talent war, and recruitment difficulties. The conventional recruitment method has gradually been replaced by the modern recruitment method, also known as the Internet recruitment or e-Recruitment. The e-Recruitment is a process of attracting potential applicants by linking the candidates with the organisations (Yoon 2009, p.282). However, the modern online recruitment method is more fitted for knowledgeable employees and middle-level management groups who regularly use the Internet. According to Davis (1985), the use of the e-Recruitment is affected by the user’s behavioural intentions, attitudes, perceiving the usefulness of a system, and ease of use of the system. On the other hand, there are five factors affecting the applicants’ perceptions of the e-Recruitment. These factors include perceived efficiency, user-friendliness, information provision, fairness perception, and Internet selection image of the company (Sylva & Mol 2009, p.312). Additionally, the recruiters’ characteristics and the website’s usability are also crucial in influencing the organisation’s attractiveness to the job applicants (Allen, Mahto & Otondo, 2007, p.1700). Even though most employers have gradually adapted to modern recruitment methods, a few studies reported that some employers still prefer the conventional recruitment methods due to their practicality (Piotrowski & Amrstrong 2006, p.489).

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Technological Changes to the Human Resource Management Human Resource Management (HRM) is evolving and changing as a result of the growth of technology and the existence of the Internet of Things (IOT). IOT is defined as a global network infrastructure that includes cameras, microphones, software packages, and sensors used to connect and exchange data with devices over the Internet (Xia et al. 2012, p.1101). Teleconferencing is one of the most commonly practised modern recruitment methods for large companies to reach more job applicants. Consequently, human resource managers in the public sector realised the necessity to upgrade their organisations’ information systems (Ashbaugh & Miranda 2002, p.17).

There are three approaches to upgrading the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in the public sector.

The first approach includes a spreadsheet and a database system that works for the HR personnel but not accessible to other departments. The second approach consists of a homemade system created by the in-house workforce in larger government organisations to solve its immediate needs, such as Payroll. The third approach uses ‘standalone’ applications that are cheaper than the homemade system. These applications are created to satisfy specific needs such as tracking applicants, rewards management, and risk management. These systems are costly to be upgraded and might generate issues for organisations when they are not compatible or not connected to the other systems in other departments. In addition, data errors and data redundancy are the most prominent problems of the systems (Ashbaugh & Miranda 2002, p.8).

Madsen and Ulhøi (2005, p.490) reported that an organisation must change, develop, and improve new policies and practices to enhance technology usage effectiveness in HRM. However, employees’ acceptance and adaptation are the most challenging part of the phase of change. Education and experience play an essential role in influencing the employee’s acceptance of new technology. There is a need for organisations to promote good human resource policies and technology development. This is essential to ensure their employees appropriately acquire, share, and apply technological skills at the workplace, because the employees’ creativity and innovation are important to foster the organisations’ competitive advantage and achieve organisational goals.

Human resource departments play an essential role in assisting organisations in achieving organisational excellence, especially in the era of globalisation and technology development. In order to leverage creative and innovative thinking among the employees, HR departments need to recruit the right people to do the right job at the right place. It is imperative that HR departments practise fair performance appraisal and rewards systems to encourage creative and innovative ideas, as creativity is the key factor to improve an organisation’s competitive level. It is believed that the development of technology eases HR responsibilities to be an agent of continuous transformation, shaping processes, and creating a culture to improve an organisation’s capacity to change (Gupta & Singal 1993, p.41).

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Implementation of e-Government in the Technology Era The government system is also evolving and ready to adapt to technological changes. The e-Government operates flexibly and transparently to serve the citizens’ needs and build their trust in the government.

The e-Government lessens the official bureaucracy and improves the interaction between public agencies (Howard 2001, p.6). The e-Government is developed based on four stages. The first stage is cataloguing, in which the government develops a centralised online structure and portal to ensure that the users can access all the needed shared information on the website. The second is the transaction stage, in which the e-Government system is connected to online interfaces so that the users can make transactions online. The third stage is vertical integration, in which the government reconceptualises its services from time to time such that its organisational changes are aligned with technological changes. The final stage is horizontal integration, in which the government creates its own one-stop service centres so that different government services are integrated horizontally (Layne & Lee 2001, p.123).

Testing Employees’ Understanding and Perspective of the Implementation of Modern Recruitment Method in Sarawak Civil Service Testing the Sarawak Civil Service employees’ understanding and perspective of implementing the modern recruitment method was conducted using the qualitative methodology. The qualitative method was chosen to provide more detailed information that explains the employees’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours pertaining to the modern recruitment method. This study utilised semi-structured interviews and group discussion approaches to gather the data for further analyses. A semi-structured interview is flexible for exploring the employees’ views with the researcher’s guidance to obtain additional information, while group discussions generate standard data via group brainstorming and debates. The non-probability purposive sampling method was employed to select six participants for the interviews and three participants for the group discussions. The purposive sampling method is essential in this study to collect data about implementing the modern recruitment methods from the civil servants with different demographic characteristics, such as gender, academic background, position grade, and years of service. The data obtained from the interviews and group discussions were transcribed and analysed using the thematic content analysis method.

SCS Career Progression

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Key Findings 1.

2.

3.

4.

The findings show that the Sarawak Civil Service employees accepted the transition of the conventional recruitment method to the modern recruitment methods. The majority of the employees perceived implementing the modern recruitment method in the Sarawak Civil Service as successful. This can be seen in their shared understanding of the transitioning process and the advantages of the new system; they accept and adapt well to the changes.

The Sarawak Civil Service employees perceived the modern recruitment method implemented as something good. They believed that ICT skills and knowledge are vital to them as the modern recruitment method entails using ICT tools and the Internet. As a result, these employees opined that ICT training should be conducted for the civil servants so that they are well equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to run the modern recruitment process.

The findings indicate that Sarawak Civil Service is heading in the right direction. The replacement of the conventional with the modern recruitment method in the Sarawak Civil Service is in line with the Sarawak government’s policy of implementing the digital government in Sarawak. The Sarawak people are ready to accept and adapt to the modern recruitment method, and they willing to learn ICT skills; these are good signs for Sarawak to implement the digital government effectively in the state.

All the participants came from the same age group; they are all of the millennial generation who are technology savvy and computer literate. As a result, they shared positive thoughts and opinions about the modern recruitment method, and their levels of acceptance and adaptation to the modern recruitment method are relatively high.

Conclusion Talent recruitment is a core function of the Human Resource Management. There are two methods of recruitment-- the conventional and modern recruitment methods. This study focusses on the modern recruitment method, also known as the Internet recruitment or e-Recruitment. This method applies the web-based technology to attract, assess, and select the most suitable candidate for a job position. The implementation of the modern recruitment method in the Sarawak Civil Service is in tandem with the state’s policy of adopting a digital government. This new method is well accepted and adopted by the people of Sarawak. The recruitment process is more convincing with the condition that relevant ICT training must be provided to the civil servants to upgrade their ICT skills and knowledge required.

Source Image: alunoz.com

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Discussion Questions

Teaching Objectives

1.

The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Discuss the effects of technological changes on the Human Resource Management.

2.

Explain the importance of the modern recruitment methods in digital organisational transformation.

3.

Differentiate between the conventional and modern recruitment methods.

4.

Describe the implementation of the modern recruitment methods in the organisation.

5.

Discuss the role of the Human Resource Management in supporting the implementation of the modern recruitment methods.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Discuss the effects of technological changes on the talent recruitment activity.

Evaluate the change of conventional recruitment method to modern recruitment method in the Sarawak Civil Service.

Describe what is appropriate or inappropriate about the modern recruitment method in this case.

Identify the key challenges of the modern recruitment method in the Sarawak Civil Service.

Explain why it is important for employees in the Sarawak Civil Service to receive training.

Do you think the modern recruitment methods should be implemented in an organisation? Explain.

Teaching Note

Suitability for Use

This teaching note aims to provide the users with an idea regarding the context of this case study. This case study focuses on the implementation of the modern recruitment methods in the public sector.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate enrolled on a business management programme at any tertiary institution. It is also a suitable supplementary learning tool for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

Case Summary This case highlights the effectiveness of the modern recruitment method implemented in the Sarawak Civil Service (SCS), a public sector organisation responsible for facilitating the holistic development of the state and supporting the Sarawak community’s well-being.

It examines the employees’ acceptance and adaptation of the modern recruitment method in the organisation.

This new recruitment method contributes to the state’s policy of transforming the conventional into a digital government. Based on the interviews and group discussion data collected from the Sarawak Civil Service employees, the study found that the implementation of the modern recruitment method is effective in the Sarawak Civil Service and well accepted by Sarawak’s people.

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Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life incidents and practical issues of a public sector organisation.

Guideline for use 1.

The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of the contemporary public sector.

2.

Participants are then divided into small groups for discussions.

3.

Participants read and examine the case thoroughly by taking notes and highlighting relevant facts and issues.

4.

Read the questions carefully and plan the answers in the small groups.

5.

Start writing your case study answers. Use only the data in the case unless instructed to get additional information.

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REFERENCES Allen, DG, Mahto, RV, & Otondo, RF 2007. ‘Web-based recruitment: Effects of information, organizational brand, and attitudes toward a Web site on applicant attraction’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 92, no. 6, pp. 16961708.

Ashbaugh, S, & Miranda, R 2002. ‘Technology for human resources management: Seven questions and answers’, Public Personnel Management, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 7-20.

Boydell, M 2002. ‘Internet recruitment helps HR careers’, Canadian HR Reporter, Feb 11 2002, Canada.

Carroll, M, Marchington, M, Earnshaw, J, & Taylor, S 1999. ‘Recruitment in small firms: Processes, methods and problems’, Employee relations, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 236-250.

Davis, FD 1985. ‘A technology acceptance model for empirically testing new end-user information systems: Theory and results’, Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gupta, AK, & Singhal, A 1993. ‘Managing human resources for innovation and creativity’, Research-Technology Management, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 41-48.

Howard, M 2001. ‘E-government across the globe: how will ‘e’ change government’. e-Government, vol. 90, no. 80, pp. 6-9.

Layne, K, & Lee, J 2001. ‘Developing fully functional E-government: A four stage model’, Government information quarterly, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 122-136.

Madsen, AS, & Ulhøi, JP 2005. ‘Technology innovation, human resources and dysfunctional integration’, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 488-501.

Marsden, PV 1994. ‘The hiring process: recruitment methods’, American Behavioural Scientist, vol. 37, no. 7, pp. 979-991.

Newell, S 2005. ‘Recruitment and selection’ in S Bach (ed.), Managing human resources: Personnel management in transition, Blackwell Publishing, UK, pp.115-147.

Piotrowski, C, & Armstrong, T 2006. ‘Current recruitment and selection practices: A national survey of Fortune 1000 firms’, North American Journal of Psychology, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 489-496.

Sylva, H, & Mol, ST 2009. ‘E‐Recruitment: A study into applicant perceptions of an online application system’, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 311-323.

Xia, F, Yang, LT, Wang, L, & Vinel, A 2012. ‘Internet of things’, International Journal of Communication Systems, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 1101-1102.

Yoon, DKT 2009. ‘A study of e-recruitment technology adoption in Malaysia’, Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 109, no. 2, pp. 281-300.

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THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE COMPETENCIES (FUNCTIONAL AND MANAGERIAL) ON EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE IN SARAWAK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (SEDC SARAWAK)

Authors SHARIFAH ZURINA BINTI HAJI WAN NORUDDIN JACOB TING

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Photo source: sedc.com.my

Introduction Organisations are always concerned with their employees’ competencies, and this component of an individual is interrelated with the organisational business strategies.

Focusing on developing employees’ competencies will help them overcome business crisis and remain competitive. In view of that, organisational strategies must be formulated to determine, sustain and apply the employees’ competencies.

This case study is the result of research done by looking into the impact of employees’ competencies in the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). In this organisation, a competency management exercise was implemented by conducting a structured competency profiling exercise for its managers and assistant managers, focusing on development of managerial and functional competencies. It is essential for the SEDC to carry out the competency profiling as it could be integrated with the human resource functions such as training & development, recruitment & selection, succession planning & performance management.

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Literature Review According to Chouhan and Srivastava (2014), David McClelland, an American management guru was the first who recognised a human trait that he called “competence” way back in 1953. David McClelland wrote a seminal paper entitled “Testing for Competence Rather than Intelligence” in 1973; he indicated that the best predictors of outstanding on-the-job performance were underlying, enduring personal characteristics that he called “competencies”. Boyatzis (1982, 2008) defined competency as an “underlying characteristic of an individual that is casually (change in one variable causes change in another) related to superior performance in a job.

Martina et al. (2012) defined competency as a combination of knowledge, skills and ability of a person and an employee’s behaviour in the work place that reflects the organisation’s performance level. Similarly, Bhardwaj (2013) defined competency as a mixture of required knowledge and skills for an effective performance. Subsequently, Asumeng (2014) described competency, “skills and knowledge are behavioural attitudes that mostly predict success, and considered these behaviours are important for any organization thinking strategically and seeking prosperity”.

Katz and Kahn (1966) described functional or technical competencies as “the knowledge, attitudes, skills, associated with the technology or functional expertise required to perform the role”. Meanwhile, Aaron (2006) defined functional competencies as “a set of skills and values required in human resources in organizations that lead to the successful completion of the tasks of jobs of a professional group”.

“Functional competencies defined as knowledge, skills and values outcome, which are reflected in the acquired knowledge and skills as well as social service values that affect the professional performance of social workers during the professional practice” (Kieran, 2007).

According to Yelena and Eleonora (2014), technical competence includes knowledge and skills necessary for performance of translational activity, first of all, the knowledge of transfer strategy, translational receptions and transformations.

According to Boyatzis (1982), managerial competencies “consist of two components, which are different from each other. One of them is a task that is necessary to fulfil and the second are the skills that workers must have to fulfil the role at the required level”. Karns and Mena (1998) explained that managerial competencies are a group of comparable knowledge, skills and attributes that are vitally important to productive job performance.

Krajcovicova and Caganova (2012) categorised “management competencies into three types, namely: (1) General managerial competencies - every manager should have and able to give quality work performance in any management position; (2) Specific management competencies - needed to fulfil the standard performance for a particular management position; and (3) Crucial management competencies are those which the manager gives increased importance to and which enhance employee performance”.

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Photo source: sedc.com.my

The Organisation: Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC Sarawak) Established in 1972, SEDC Sarawak is a state development and investment agency engaged in a diversified range of businesses and services. These include agro and food industry, tourism and hospitality, property development, mineral and mining, roads and infrastructure works as well as providing assistance in the development of local entrepreneurs and pre-school education centres throughout the state. Currently, the Corporation has invested over RM830.34 million in terms of assets and has over 35 subsidiaries and associate companies under its wings.

SEDC is actively pursuing the development of strategic projects that will transform the state’s economic and social landscape. The development of SEDC as a dynamic and vibrant agency is made possible through the support of the state government and the people as well as a highly committed and dedicated workforce, imbued with a corporate work culture focusing on quality, professionalism and high level of corporate governance and integrity.

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Findings An analysis was carried out to investigate the impact of employee competencies (both functional and managerial) on the employees’ performance; the results reveal that there is a positive impact of employee competencies on the executives’ performance in SEDC. The findings indicate a positive relationship between functional and managerial competencies with the employees’ performance at SEDC. In other words, there are positive effects of functional and managerial competencies in improving the employees’ performance. From the respondents’ point of view, the managerial competencies are more important than the functional competencies in increasing the employees’ performance.

Generally, the results show that the respondents believe there is a strong association between the two independent variables (functional and managerial competencies) and the employees’ performance in the organisation.

In short, the findings affirm that the functional and managerial competencies of the employees positively affect the employees’ performance. Therefore, the organisation must think of possible advanced strategies to further upgrade the employees’ competencies in the future.

Conclusion The vision of SEDC Sarawak is “To be the leading agency in advancing the economic and social development of Sarawak”; it therefore needs to form a workforce that is both highly competent and highly performance oriented, to drive the organisation as well as Sarawak State’s growth and development. SEDC Sarawak’s human resource development is aimed at improving staff performance by providing them with the opportunity to develop and improve their required competencies. This will enable them to fulfil their current responsibilities to achieve the organisation’s business performance and their job performance as well as to pursue their career goals.

It is crucial for SEDC Sarawak to think about salient aspects such as more advanced technology, new ways of organising work, or new means of delivering services. Meeting all these challenges requires the employees to possess a combination of relevant and adequate set of knowledge, skills, abilities, traits or behaviours.

SEDC Sarawak, being one of the statutory bodies in Sarawak, has the moral obligation to operate efficiently, with a business performance that is at par with those of other corporate agencies or business entities. Thus, a competent and competitive workforce is an essential factor if SEDC Sarawak is to flourish in this fast-changing environment.

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate pursuing a business management program at any tertiary institution. It is also a suitable supplementary learning tool for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

2.

3.

4.

To what extent is the competency management exercise an effective tool in analysing and monitoring the employees’ performance?

What are some of the apparent challenges encountered in implementing the competency management exercise?

In what way(s) can the competency management exercise be utilised by the human resource department for identifying the needs of training & development, recruitment & selection, succession planning & performance management?

To what extent is the competency management exercise considered a valid performance measurement tool?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating these to another context.

Case Summary This case study highlights the findings of a research investigating the impact of the competencies of the employees who work in Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC); a competency management exercise known as the structured competency profiling exercise was conducted for its managers and assistant managers, focusing on development of managerial and functional competencies.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life incidents and practical issues of a public sector organisation.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and the suggested discussion questions.

The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major issues and challenges with regard to the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Define competency as an employee performance indicator.

2.

Discuss the trends that drive the current interest in the impact of employees’ competencies on the performance of employees.

3.

Discuss the respective roles of department/unit leaders and subordinates in implementing the competency management exercise.

4.

Identify the issues and challenges surrounding the implementation of the competency management exercise.

5.

Discuss strategies for supporting the implementation of competency management exercise.

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REFERENCES Aaron, M., 2006, ‘Military competency-based human capital management: A step toward the future, U.S.A: Army War College’, Strategy Research Project Report, vol. 15, pp. 48-55.

Asumeng, M., 2014, ‘Managerial competency models: A critical review and proposed holistic domain model’, Journal of Management Research, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 1-21.

Bhardwa, A., 2013, ‘Managerial competencies and their influence on managerial performance: A literature review’, International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, vol. 2, no. 5, pp.

2278-6236.

Boyatzis, R.E., 1982, ‘The competent manager: A model for effective performance’, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Chouhan, V.S., & Srivastava, S., 2014, ‘Understanding competencies and competency modeling _ A literature survey’, Journal of Business and Management, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 14-22.

Karns, L.A. & Mena, M.A., 1998, ‘Sharpening the performance management focus using core management competencies; A pilot study in Academy of Business and Administrative Sciences’, Emerging Economies International Conference Proceedings, Budapest.

Katz, D. & Kahn, R. L., 1966, ‘The social psychology of organisations’, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Kieran, H., 2007, Competence in social work practice: A practical guide for students and professionals, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.

Krajcovicova, K, Caganova, D & Cambal, M., 2012, ‘Key managerial competencies and competency models in industrial enterprises’, Annals of DAAM for 2012 & Proceedings of the 23rd International DAAA Symposium, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 1119-1122.

Martina, K, Hana, U & Jirl F., 2012, ‘Identification of managerial competencies in knowledge-based organizations’, Journal of Competitiveness, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 129-142.

Yelena, G.V., & Eleonora, N. K., 2014, ‘Competency- based approach to effective performance of future competent and creative translators of professionally oriented texts’, European Scientific Journal, vol.10, no. 8, pp.

259-266.

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“

Model the behaviours you expect other leaders to demonstrate.

“

Ismail Said CEO, Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service

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ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH JOB SATISFACTION AMONG EMPLOYEES OF THE MINISTRY OF WELFARE, COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, WOMEN, FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN SARAWAK

Authors KATHREEN LALAI EDDIE SAGA HUGH JOHN LEONG

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Introduction In the last two decades, organisational culture has gained tremendous attention for its influence and potential impact on the organisational success. Studies have indicated that the organisational culture is a vital component of organisational behaviours, especially when it comes to managing an organisation and its employees. This suggests that the organisational culture may affect the success of an organisation in achieving its goals and objectives. It is an important factor for developing the global market competitiveness of an organisation.

Mitchell and Yate (2002) explain that the organisational culture consists of the values, faith, and understanding shared by the members of an organisation. The organisational culture forms an integral part of the general functioning of an organisation. A strong culture provides shared values so that every member in the organisation is on the same track (Robbins, 1996). An effective organisational culture helps employees understand the functioning of the organisations by sharing its norms, values and rules, and regulation of the organisation (Deshpande and Webster, 1989).

This case study highlights the relationship between the dimensions of the organisational culture and job satisfaction in the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being and Women, Family and Childhood Development. In order to determine the organisational culture’s influence on job satisfaction in the ministry, a survey was administered to 43 support, management and professional staff members of the ministry. The study concludes that there is a higher level of job satisfaction in these scenarios: (1) employees have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process; (2) the organisation believes in the capability development of its staff members; (3) the organisation is agile and able to adapt to changing needs of the environment; and (4) the organisation appropriately acknowledges the employee’s contribution to the workplace. The study however, found no significant relationship between job satisfaction and the consistency and mission of the organisation.

EMPLOYEE

ORGANISATION

employees have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process

ENVIRONMENT

the organisation is agile and able to adapt to changing needs of the environment

the organisation believes in the capability development of its staff members

JOB SATISFACTION

WORKPLACE

the organisation appropriately acknowledges the employee’s contribution to the workplace Photo source: sedc.com.my

Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being and Women, Family and Childhood Development The Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being and Women, Family and Childhood Development is one of the twelve ministries under the administration of the Sarawak State Civil Service. The objective of the ministry is to provide and improve services to the people through humanising the welfare services, empowering the women, strengthening the family institution, improving the early childhood development as well as addressing issues such as low household incomes. The ministry’s core function is to formulate policies with regard to matters pertaining to welfare, community well-being, women, family, and childhood development in the state. Apart from that, the ministry is also responsible for organising development programmes for the targeted groups in assisting and empowering them to improve their socioeconomic well-being, and less dependent on government assistance.

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Organisational Culture There are a number of varying definitions when it comes to the organisational culture. Alvesson (1989) argues that the organisational culture concept is a tool to manage and control an organisation; it is a symbol of management through which the organisation’s leaders play an important role in driving the employees’ commitment to their tasks. Every organisation has its own culture and is dynamic in nature, as it can develop and change quickly. For this reason, it must be managed and controlled. If this facet is left unattended, gradually an organisation’s corporate culture would become dysfunctional. Kilmann (1985) defines organisational culture as the norms that guide the behaviour and attitudes of the employees in an organisation. These behavioural norms create a driving force that affects the organisational success, efficiency as well as productivity.

Denison (1990) suggests that an organisation’s culture consists of four dimensions-- involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission. The effect of an organisational culture on the members of an organisation is great; the different dimensions of the culture will have various impacts on the way the employees behave, feel, think, and possibly react to changes. Based on the definitions provided, the organisational culture can be viewed as a combination of people’s behaviour; the values and norms that stem from the people’s behaviour, their beliefs, knowledge, assumptions, and emotions. Thus, the organisational culture can be used as a tool to facilitate changes in an organisation and stabilise new organisational orientations (Alvani, 2008).

Job Satisfaction In order to face a dynamic and ever increasing challenge of maintaining productivity, an organisation must pay great attention to their employees’ job satisfaction. Ensuring the workers remain constantly engaged and motivated is of great importance.

Locke (1976) describes job satisfaction as a positive or a pleasant emotion experienced by an employee due to the appreciation for his or her work. There is a discrepancy between what an employee values and what the situation provides. There are several factors that can bring job satisfaction: pay, promotion, co-workers, management, the job itself, working conditions, organisation and its management. Additionally, Dawis and Lofquist (1984) define job satisfaction as the result of the work’s appraisal of the degree to which the work environment fulfils the individuals’ needs. These definitions, as Lease (1998) points out, are similar to other definitions of which job satisfaction is viewed as the degree of an employee’s affective orientation towards the work role occupied in the organisation.

Further research has shown that many other elements contribute positively towards the job satisfaction of employees: job stability, respect from colleagues and management, reduced aggressiveness at work, and recognition of performance. Studies in the hospitality industry, for example, have also found that job satisfaction influences customer service quality; hence there is a need for employers to take greater care of the worker satisfaction to produce higher work quality and efficiency.

OnBoarding 30 (OB30) participants: Corporate Social Responsibility

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The dimensions of organisational culture, and how it impacts job satisfaction The organisational culture can affect many employee-related variables such as employees’ satisfaction, employees’ commitment, motivation, leadership and corporate strategy implementation (Alvesson, 1989). It has also been found that employees tend to achieve greater satisfaction in their work performance when there is a strong cohesion in an organisation’s values, beliefs, and work practices. Evans and Jack (2003) state that employees’ satisfaction has a positive impact on market performance (analysed through earnings per share), and subsequently market performance will have a significant impact on financial performance.

In this study, to measure the relationship between the organisational culture and job satisfaction, the Denison Organisational Culture Survey (DOCS) was utilised to measure the organisational culture performance in the ministry, while the Job Satisfaction Scale was adopted to measure the job satisfaction. Denison’s Organisational Culture Survey uses the four dimensions of an organisation’s characteristics to examine the organisational culture.

The four dimensions are involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission and are explained below.

Involvement

Adaptability

According to Denison (1990), an organisation’s effectiveness can be measured based on the amount of the involvement and participation from its members. The more involvement and participation from members of the organisation, the greater their commitment will be. Involvement and participation create the sense of belonging and ownership that gives the employees a feeling of being empowered to do their tasks. Employee participation is described as a process in which the influence is shared among individuals who are otherwise hierarchically unequal (Locke and Schweiger, 1979; Wagner, 1994). Thus, employee participation in decision-making can satisfy employees’ “self-actualization needs and, by doing so, increase employees’ motivation and job performance” (Likert, 1961).

Adaptability refers to the organisation’s capacity to engage in internal changes in response to external conditions (Denison and Mishra, 1995).

An organisation must demonstrate a system of norms and beliefs that can support the organisation to accept and translate signals from its surrounding into internal behavioural changes that increase chances to sustain growth and development. There are three aspects of adaptability that can impact an organisation’s effectiveness: firstly, the ability to perceive and respond to the external environment; secondly, the ability to respond to internal customers, regardless of level, department or function; and finally, the capacity to restructure and re-institutionalise a set of behaviours and processes that allow the organisation to adapt.

Consistency

Mission

Consistency provides a central source of integration, coordination and control. This dimension focuses on the impact of a strong organisational culture on the organisation’s effectiveness. An organisational culture that has strong, shared core values and beliefs and is widely understood by the employees promotes a positive impact on employees’ ability to work together and reach consensus to coordinate their tasks. Furthermore, a consistent organisational culture creates an internal system of governance based on consensual support. Consistency can therefore be measured by coordination and integration, agreement and core values (Denison, 1990).

A clearly defined mission provides clarity and direction for the organisation (Denison, 1990). It provides the purpose and meaning to a social role and external goals for an institution, and defines individual roles with respect to the institutional role. Through this process, behaviour is intrinsic or even spiritual, a meaning that transcends functionally defined bureaucratic roles” (Denison, 1990). The mission of an organisation represents a shared definition of purpose throughout the organisation.

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Examining organisational culture and job satisfaction among employees of the Ministry To examine the relationship between the organisational culture and job satisfaction at the ministry, a quantitative approach was utilised and a cross-sectional research design was adopted. A survey method was employed, using a questionnaire. Participants of this survey consist of staff members from two groups within the ministry, i.e. the support group which comprises the clerical and administrative members, and the Management and Professional Group. General workers associated with the ministry such as drivers, gardeners and home helpers to the ministers are not included in this research. A total of 43 questionnaires were distributed, and thirty-five questionnaires (81.3%) were returned. The survey instrument incorporates questions from the existing measures and uses a 5-point scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). There are 5 sections in this survey, measuring job satisfaction, involvement, consistency, adaptability; and mission dimensions, totalling 60 dimension and 4 demographic questions. A Pearson Correlation Test was conducted to assess the relationship between the dimensions of organisational culture (involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission) and job satisfaction.

Key Findings 1.

2.

3.

4.

There is a significant positive correlation between involvement and job satisfaction of the employees in the ministry.

A weak beta value indicates that there is no significant correlation between consistency and job satisfaction of the employees in the ministry.

There is a significant positive relationship between adaptability and job satisfaction of the employees in the ministry in this study.

The weakest beta value of all four dimensions indicates that there is no significant relationship between the mission dimension and job satisfaction of the employees in the ministry.

Conclusion Based on this study, it is found that the involvement dimension has the greatest effect on job satisfaction. When the ministry involves its employees through provision of authority, initiative and independence to manage their own work, a sense of ownership and responsibility is created. Employees’ participation in the various administrative processes and activities also means that the ministry believes that its employees have the capacity and ability to stay competitive to meet the needs of the ministry. It is also found that the ministry is very adaptive and has the ability to meet changing needs, to respond quickly to current trends, and to anticipate future changes. Thus, the employees derive high job satisfaction from their belief in the ministry’s adaptability. This study however, found that there is no significant relationship between the dimensions of consistency and mission in relation to job satisfaction.

Perhaps, the ministry may have to consider designing more effective developmental programmes to promote the importance of embracing the ministry’s mission. Furthermore the ministry could better articulate the importance of the employees’ contributions to the success of the ministry in achieving its vision and goals.

Source Photo by The Borneo Post: State Secretary of Sarawak and Deputy State Secretary participating in a Zumba session before the Sarawak Civil Service Health Carnival Run 2019.

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Discussion Questions

Suitability for Use

1.

2.

This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate enrolled in a business management programme at any tertiary institution. It is also a suitable supplementary learning tool for any training programme related to human resource management in the public sector.

3.

4.

5.

Briefly identify the key issues in this case.

Are the dimensions of the organisational culture as proposed by Denison (1990) important measures of job satisfaction?

What are the key challenges of the government ministries in maintaining job satisfaction of their employees?

Based on the 4 dimensions above, how can the ministry’s leadership use effective organisational governance to improve job satisfaction of its employees?

How would you manage job satisfaction in the workplace? Provide at least 3 suggestions.

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating them to another context.

Case Summary This case article highlights the relationship between the dimensions of organisational culture and job satisfaction in the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being and Women, Family and Childhood Development. Based on the survey data of 35 employees from the ministry, the study found that there is a significant relationship between the involvement and adaptability dimensions of job satisfaction. At the same time, the study found no significant relationships between the dimensions of consistency and mission in relation to job satisfaction.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life incidents and practical issues of a government sector organisation.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and suggested discussion questions.

The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major issues and challenges with regard to the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

Teaching Objectives The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Stress the importance of job satisfaction in the workplace.

2.

Understand the multi-dimensionality of organisational culture.

3.

Emphasise the importance of a good organisational culture and its impact on job satisfaction of the employees.

4.

Understand the role of organisation and its leaders in attaining worker efficiency and satisfaction.

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REFERENCES Alvani , SM 2008, Public management ,second edition, Ney publications.

Alvesson M 1989, ‘Concepts of organizational culture and presumed links to efficiency’, Omega, vol. 17, issue 4, 323-333.

Dawis, RV & Lofquist, LH 1984, A psychological theory of work adjudstment. MN:University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.

Denison, DR 1990, Corporate culture and organizational effectivess, NY:Wiley, New York.

Denison, DR & Mishra AK 1995, Organization Science, Vol. 6, No. 2., pp. 204-223.

Deshpande, R. & Webster, FE 1989, ‘Organizational culture and marketing: Defining the research agenda’. Journal of Marketing, 53(1), 3–15. https:// doi.org/10.2307/1251521.

Evans, JR & Jack, EP 2003, ‘Validating key results linkages in the Baldrige Performance Excellence Model’, The Quality Management Journal, 10, 7–24.

Kilmann RH 1985, ‘Corporate culture: managing the intangible style of corporate life may be the key to avoiding stagnation’, Psychology Today, 19(4):62-28.

Lease, SH 1998, ‘Annual Review, 1993–1997: Work Attitudes and Outcomes’, Journal of Vocational Behaviour, Vol. 53, No. 2, Pp. 154–183.

Likert, R 1961, New Patterns of Management. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Locke, EA 1976, ‘The Nature and Causes of Job Satisfaction’, in: Dunnette, M.D., Ed., Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 1, 1297-1343.

Locke, EA & Schweiger，DM 1979, ‘Participation in decision making: One more look’. In B. M. Staw (Ed.), Research in organizational behavior, vol. 1: 265-339, CY: JAI Press, Greenwich.

Mitchell, MA & Yate, D 2002, ‘How to use your organizational culture as a competitive tool’, Non-profit World, 20 (2), 33-34, Madison.

Robbins, SP 1996, Organizational Behavior. Prentice-Hall International, New Jessey.

Wagner, JA III 1994, ‘Participation’s effects on performance and satisfaction: a reconsideration of research evidence’, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 312-330.

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“

When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.

“

Simon Sinek

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EFFECTS OF EMPLOYEES’ SOFT SKILLS AND JOB PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE

Authors FAIYZAH BT KASSIM RODNEY LIM THIAM HOCK JEE TECK WENG

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D

IL L

AT T I D U

K

E

S

COMPETENCE

KN

OW L E D G E

Introduction Employees’ job competencies can greatly impact personal and organisational effectiveness. It is an inseparable part of human resource management and underlies the rationale that employees can constitute an organisation’s most valuable resource. The term ‘competence’ can be defined as a cluster of related knowledge, skills, and attitudes that affects job performance, that can be measured against well-accepted standards, and that can be improved through training and development (Lucia & Lepsinger, 1999). A number of specific competences have been identified as important in improving the organisational performance: communication, flexibility, achievement orientation, developing others, customer orientation, problem solving, teamwork, analytical thinking, leadership, relationship building, planning skills and organisational skills (Wood and Payne (1998).

Job competences can be categorised into hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to professional competencies (Kolibačova, 2014) and technical aspects of performing a job. They are primarily cognitive in nature and require the acquisition of knowledge (Weber et al 2013). Soft skills refer to the interpersonal, human, people, or the behavioural skills needed to apply technical skills and knowledge in the workplace (Kantrowitz, 2005; Rainsbury et al., 2002).

Popularly known as ‘people skills’, soft skills are a critical aspect of the civil service as they enable civil servants to interact effectively with the citizens they serve. Examples of soft skills include communication, problem solving and decision making, workplace relations, creativity, leadership, teamwork and others. Increasingly, research has pointed to the importance of soft skills in relation to job competency in an organisation.

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Kompleks Islam Sarawak, Kuching - Source Photo: tbs.org.my

This case study highlights the relationship between three soft-skill competencies and job performance among a sample of state civil employees based in Kuching. The three soft-skill competencies are communication, problem solving and decision making, and workplace relations. The study participants were employees selected from six civil service departments in Sarawak, namely Jabatan Mufti Negeri Sarawak, Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Sarawak, Majlis Agama Islam Sarawak, Kuching Resident’s Office, Kuching District’s Office and Mahkamah Syariah Negeri Sarawak.

Sarawak Civil Service The Sarawak Civil Service is composed of over 22,500 employees who work in organisations under the State Government, Government Linked Companies (GLCs) and various local bodies and agencies. The mission of the Sarawak Civil Service is to deliver excellent services through high-performance teamwork.

To provide world-class civil service, the Sarawak Civil Service strives to provide excellent services to the people in the state through a set of shared values, namely integrity, kindness and care, professionalism, sense of urgency and ownership, team spirit and result orientation.

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Employees’ Competencies and Job Performance A competency is a personal characteristic which facilitates effective or superior performance. According to Tucker and Cofsky (1994), competency of a person can be categorised into five major components, namely knowledge, skills (including soft skills), self-concepts and values, traits and motives. An employee’s particular combination of these competencies can manifest in observable behavioural patterns, which result in a particular performance level for a given work task. Based on this model, the relationship between the three soft-skill competencies (communication, problem solving and decision making and workplace relations), work behaviours and job performance can be conceptualised as follows: Build competency through training; low-performing employees are identified and profiled. In the Sarawak civil service, the heads of departments will usually assess their officers using the Training Need Analysis (TNA) model. TNA is a strategic tool that can be used to identify competency gaps at various grades; and the analysis results provide the basis for selecting suitable training programmes to address the issues. Research has shown that well-designed training programmes can close competency gaps and improve employees’ performance (Nassazi, 2013).

Figure 1: A framework of the relationship between soft skills (communication, problem solving and decision making and workplace relations), work behaviours and job performance

COMMUNICATION

PROBLEM SOLVING & DECISION MAKING

COMPETENCIES

WORK BEHAVIORS

JOB PERFORMANCE

WORK RELATIONS

Communication Skills Communication refers to ‘the process by which people interactively create, sustain, and manage meaning’ (Dainton and Zelley, 2005). It encompasses expressing ideas, listening to others, and understanding messages (Banerji and Dayal, 2005). It is a two-way process of creating and sharing meanings to reach mutual understanding; and exchange ideas, thoughts, messages, feelings and information. Individuals with good communication skills are able to leverage various communicative resources, such as language, voice, and gestures effectively to attain social goals (Stohl, 1986).

The service-oriented nature of the state civil service places great importance on the employees’ communication competency, within and outside the organisation. Good communication skills enable the civil servants to cultivate fruitful interactions with customers, clients, and other employees, to build trust and interpersonal bonds. The quality of employees’ communication skills can determine the ability to coordinate activities such as disseminating information, enforcing policies, giving instructions and directives, both vertically and laterally, within and outside the organisation (Tubbs and Moss, 2008; Robbins et al., 2012).

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Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills According to the Competency Dictionary, problem-solving skills refer to an ability to systematically analyse a problem, organise information, identify key factors, underlying causes, and generate effective solutions. Jobs that involve extensive problem-solving skills require employees to generate unique and innovative solutions to non-routine issues and challenges on a continuous basis (Morgeson and Humphrey 2006). The ability to solve complex problems require abstract thinking, deep concentration (Shalley et al. 2009), and a capacity to generate solutions that are appropriate, feasible and unique (Perry-Smith and Shalley 2003: 91). In this way, problemsolving skills and decision-making skills are interrelated (Singh, 2009).

Decision making is the process in which several possibilities are considered and prioritised, resulting in a clear choice of one option over the others (De Janasz, et al (2006), in order to solve a problem. In the state civil service, the ability to solve problems and make good decisions is a critical determinant of how well the organisation can serve the public. In order to provide excellent services to the public, problem solving and decision making are not limited to the higher echelon, but are distributed at all contact points in the civil service organisations.

Workplace Relations Employees’ performance depends on their ability to effectively interact with their superiors, subordinates and co-workers within the organisation as well as with consumers, suppliers and general public. This requires good interpersonal relationships among employees and with external stakeholders. Positive workplace relations can improve individual employees’ attitudes, such as job satisfaction, job performance, job commitment, engagement and perceived organisational support, while enhancing motivation towards work (Sias and Jablin, 1995).

Workplace relationship cannot grow and develop until individuals trust each other. Trust is learnt from past interactions with another, and cultivates a positive workplace culture. It is therefore posited that workplace relations are an important determinant of performance in an organisation.

A Study of the Relationship between Soft Skills and Job Performance in the State Civil Service A survey was conducted to investigate the relationship between soft skills and job performance in the state civil service. Specifically, the objective of the survey is to obtain perceptions of employees in the state civil service on how three selected soft skills are related to job performance.

The target sample consists of employees attached to six state civil service departments, namely Jabatan Mufti Negeri Sarawak, Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Sarawak, Majlis Agama Islam Sarawak, Kuching Resident’s Office, Kuching District’s Office and Mahkamah Syariah Negeri Sarawak. Based on the convenience sampling method, questionnaires were distributed to 120 employees, with 88 respondents returning the completed forms.

The respondents are evenly distributed in terms of gender, with over 71 percent in the 31 to 50 years old age group. Over 93 percent have a SPM/STPM, Diploma, Technical qualification of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent. Nearly 72 percent are classified as Support Group employees, while Management and Professional Groups account for 27 percent of the respondents. Over 92 percent have been employed for up to 20 years.

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Key Findings The data collected from the surveys (questionnaires) were analysed using the SPSS version 20 and SMART PLS 3 software. The following are the key findings: 1.

The analysis shows that communication skills and workplace relations are perceived to be positively related with job performance.

2.

On the other hand, problem-solving and decision-making skills are negatively associated with job performance.

3.

Among these three soft skills, employees perceive workplace relations as the most significant and relevant competency to have in order to improve job performance. This is followed by communication skills.

4.

Problem-solving and decision-making competency are perceived by the respondents to be the least significant in improving job performance.

Conclusions The findings in this study summarise the perceptions of the state civil service employees in the six selected government departments on the relative importance of the three selected soft skills, and their impact on job performance. These three soft skills constitute the core behavioural competencies that are expected of all employees in an organisation, and are assumed to be applicable to all positions. While the positive impacts of workplace relations and communications align with widely held assumptions, it is quite surprising to note that the respondents perceived that problem-solving and decision-making skills are negatively associated with job performance. These findings will assist the state civil service organisations to address issues of employee competencies in order to improve the services to the public.

Source Photo: Leadership Institute fb

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Discussion Questions

Teaching Objectives

1.

The objective of this case study is to evaluate the role, significance and implications of the employees’ soft skills in relation to job performance in the state civil service.

2.

3.

4.

Discuss the importance of workplace relations skills and communication skills in government departments, with particular attention to organisational structures, work culture, and the nature of the work in these organisations.

How important are problem-solving and decisionmaking skills to these two groups of employees in the state civil service organisations: the lower-level civil servants compared with the management and professional civil servants? Why do you think these skills are perceived by the respondents in this study to have a negative relationship with job performance?

What kinds of training are necessary for the civil servants to improve in these three soft skills in order to increase job performance and organisational effectiveness?

Why are some employees weak in these soft skills?

What are some of the barriers to the employees’ attainment of these skills?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating them to another context.

Case Summary This case highlights the employees’ competencies of soft skills and job performance in the state civil service. It focuses on how employees perceive the importance of three important soft skills, namely communication, problem solving and decision making as well as work relation, in affecting their job performance. Although managers and supervisors are often concerned with equipping their staff with the right set of skills to carry out their duties effectively, the employees’ views of these skills are often overlooked.

Suitability for Use This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate pursuing a study in manpower planning or management at any tertiary institution; it is also a good source of information for any human resource teaching and learning programme conducted in the public sector. It is a suitable supplementary learning tool for any training programme on human resource management in the public sector.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life practical issues of the public sector in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and the suggested discussion questions. The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major trends and challenges concerning the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

The case study begins with an introduction to the nature of the employees’ competencies, especially the soft skills, and their importance in increasing the job performance.

Three of these skills, namely communication, problem solving and decision making, and work relation skills are highlighted. The case then describes a study, in which employees from six civil service departments in Sarawak were surveyed, specifically about their perceptions of these three soft skills in relation to job performance. The findings of the study provide a basis for discussing the employees’ soft skills and job performance in the state civil service.

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REFERENCES Banerji, A., & Dayal, A. (2005). A study of communication in emergency situations in hospitals. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict, 9(2), pp. 35-45 Dainton, M., & Zelley, E.D. (2005). Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life. Sage Publications, London..

De Janasz, S., Dowd, K.O., & Schnieder, B.Z. (2006). Interpersonal Skills in Organisation, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill/Irwin Companies Inc. Kantrowitz, T.M. (2005). Development and construct validation of a measure of soft skills performance (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology).

Kolibáčová, G., 2014. The relationship between competency and performance. Acta universitatis agriculturae et silviculturae mendelianae brunensis, 62(6), pp.1315-1327.

Lucia, A. D., & Lepsinger, R. (1999). The art and science of competency models: Pinpointing critical success factors in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Morgeson, F.P., & Humphrey, S.E. (2006). The work design questionnaire (WDQ): developing and validating a comprehensive measure for assessing job design and the nature of work. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(6), 1321–1339.

Nassazi, A. (2013). Effects of Training on Employee Performance, University of Applied Science-International Business, Evidence from Uganda.

Perry-Smith, J. E., & Shalley, C. E. (2003). The social side of creativity: a static and dynamic social network perspective. Academy of Management Review, 28(1), 89–106.

Robbins, S.P., Judge T.A., & Hasham, E.S. (2012). Organizational Behaviour. Arab Edition: Pearson Education Limited.

Shalley, C. E., Gilson, L. L., & Blum, T. C. (2009). Interactive effects of growth need strength, work context, and job complexity on self-reported creative performance. Academy of Management Journal, 52(3), 489–505 Sias, P.M. & Cahill, D.J. 1998. From coworkers to friends: The development of peer friendships in the workplace. Western Journal of Communication, 62: 273–299.

Singh, S.K.G. (2009). A study on employee participation in decision making.

Unitar E-Journal, 5 (1), 20 - 38.

Stohl, C. (1986). Quality circles and changing patterns of communication.

Annals of the International Communication Association, 9(1), 511-531.

Tubbs, S., & Moss, S. (2008). Human Communication: Principles and Context, 11th ed.

Tucker, S.A., & Cofsky, K.M. (1994). Competency-based pay on a banding platform: A compensation combination for driving performance and managing change. ACA, 3(1), 30.

Weber, M.R., Crawford, A., Lee, J., & Dennison, D. (2013). An exploratory analysis of soft skill competencies needed for the hospitality industry. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 12(4),313-332.

Wood, R., & Payne, T. (1998). R., & Payne, T. (1998). Competency Based Recruitment and Selection. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Rainsbury, E., Hodges, D.L., Burchell, N. & Lay, M.C. (2002). Ranking workplace competencies: Student and graduate perceptions. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 3(2), 8-18.

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RELOOKING PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM FOR ORGANISATIONAL SUCCESS - A CASE ANALYSIS

Authors MUHAMMAD ZAKERIA BIN HATTAR SITANSU PANDA KOMATHI WASUDAWAN

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Image by eprestasi.sarawak.gov.my

Introduction An organisation has to excel in its operations management and performance objectives in order to be successful, and the employees play a key role in these endeavours. Their constructive ideas, commitment and innovative efforts all help propel the organisation to greater heights. In this context, an employee should know his or her contribution which can be assessed by a performance appraisal system. This case study discusses the usefulness of such system and its effectiveness in helping the employees improve their performance. The periodical measurements of the employees’ contribution, timely feedback and appropriate developmental mechanisms facilitate the formulation of an effective performance appraisal system. The employees’ perception is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of the performance appraisal system of an organisation. The case study is developed based on the information collected and compiled from the primary as well as secondary sources of a public sector organisation operating in Sarawak, Malaysia.

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Performance Appraisal and Its Importance The performance appraisal system can be represented as a system that entails the following processes: set the employees’ standards; look at the employees’ actual job performance; assess the actual performance against the standards; give feedback to the employees about the performance assessment results; suggest ways of improving the performance in the future; set new goals as well as expectations for another period (Dessler 2008). This performance appraisal system is crucial as the employees need the managers’ feedback for future improvements.

The importance and usage of the performance appraisal have grown rapidly over the past 45 years. However, the formality of evaluating the employees’ work performance through the usage of performance appraisal has existed for centuries (Murphy & Cleveland 1995). An example of performance assessment can be traced back to the Wei Dynasty in the third century when a Chinese philosopher named Sin Yu criticised the use of the nine-grade Imperial System for evaluating officials, because the appraisers used their own preferences as a basis of grading instead of evaluating the candidate’s capabilities (Patten 1977).

According to Lopez (1968), in the Western world, St. Ignatius Loyola in the 1500’s developed a system in order to assess his religious order members. Besides, the Dublin (Ireland) Evening Post in 1648 allegedly appraised the lawmakers by using a rating scale based on individual or personal character traits (Flaniken 2009; Hackett 1928; Murphy & Cleveland 1991). Based on the history of performance appraisal, the first excellence rating system was probably designed by Robert Owen at his cotton mills in New Lanark, Scotland in the early 1800s (Heilbroner 1961); he used wooden cubes from various colours hung at each employee’s working area; the colours of the wooden cubes represented various levels of excellence, which would be changed according to an employee’s performance (Flaniken 2009).

In the United States, the formal usage of performance appraisal system began in 1813 by army General Lewis Cass, when he gave the War Department an assessment of each employee by using such expressions as “a good-natured man” or “knave despised by all” (Bellows & Estep 1954, p.118). Few years later, the United States Congress in 1854 established the first Federal pay structure for the Federal employees, but it did not require any performance appraisals to identify the job requirements as an indicator for establishing the pay (this refers to the Evolution of White Collar Pay). Then, Then United States used the performance-based employment structure after the establishment of the Pendleton Act, which was approved in 1883; it was created due to the necessity for a system to define job-related tasks as well as appraising job applicants (Flaniken 2009). Since then, the concept of job performance evaluation for the Federal employees started to arise. In this context, the Bureau of Efficiency was established in order to provide a standardised efficiency rating system for the departments or employers to measure the employees’ performances and increase their compensation accordingly (Flaniken 2009).

In 1923, the Congress approved the Classification Act which established a graphic rating scale for the Federal employees which could be used by the supervisors to rate the employees’ performance for every completed task (Flaniken 2009). However, the major challenge of using this system was the lack of standardisation in job categories as well as pay rates. The issue was addressed in 1950; the Performance Rating Act required agencies to design and develop their own appraisal methods with the approval and concern from the Civil Service Commission (Flaniken 2009). Its main purpose was to identify the most effective as well as the least effective employees and to develop a good relationship between the employees and employers. Therefore, this Act would be a catalyst for the agencies to design and create their own performance appraisal system, based on legal and Civil Service Commission’s procedures. By the early 1950s, the performance appraisal system had become an established management tool in many organisations (Murphy & Cleveland 1995). In fact, in 1962, the performance appraisal system was used by 61 percent of the organisations in the United States. Then, the Civil Rights Act, in 1964, 1966, and 1970, established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which provided clear guidelines for controlling the selection measures of the performance appraisal systems.

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An organisation relies on its human assets or manpower in terms of knowledge, competence and capabilities as a source of competitive advantage (Nolan 2002). In this context, the assessment of employees’ performance is one of the most common practices in almost every organisation and performance appraisal system; it is an essential procedure for the better performance of employees and the organisation itself (Karimi, Malik & Hussain 2011). In fact, many businesses regularly use performance appraisal scores to determine the distribution of pay, job promotions, and other rewards. However, few organisations attempt to evaluate the impact of employees’ perceptions of performance appraisal fairness on the employees’ attitudes and working performance (Swiercz, Bryan, Eagle, Bizzotto & Renn 2012). On the other hand, it is vital as this performance appraisal system is an effective tool for developing and motivating the employees; it will be a driving force for them to perform their works productively. The usefulness of the performance appraisal system as a managerial decision tool depends partly on whether it is able to provide accurate data about employees’ performance (Poon 2014). Therefore, the line managers need to identify whether this performance appraisal system can be used to evaluate their employees’ performance. Moreover, by using this formal performance appraisal system, it has a wide range of benefits if it is designed and implemented properly.

In this context, this system is a good tool for reward allocation, job promotions or demotions, layoffs or recalls, deciding transfers and selecting training, increasing employee’s commitment and satisfaction as well as providing development programmes for employees. Besides, this system may also assist an individual employee’s decisions regarding career choices and the subsequent direction of the individual (Toppo & Prusty 2012).

Organisations are ruled and handled by mankind and only through this manpower the organisational goals can be accomplished. The performance of an organisation relies on the accumulated total performance of the employees (Toppo & Prusty 2012). Thus, the organisation’s success will depend on the organisation’s capability to measure and evaluate precisely the performances of their employees, and use the results accurately to optimise the organisational performance (Biswajeet 2009). In the present highly competitive environment, organisations have to maintain peak performance of their employees constantly in order to compete and survive in the marketplace (Toppo & Prusty 2012). In this context, the term employee performance refers to a set of outcomes produced during a certain period of job time, and does not refer to the traits, personal characteristics, or performer competencies (Toppo & Prusty 2012). The employees’ performance evaluation reveals an individual’s contribution in terms of the organisation’s objectives. Employees’ performance evaluation is crucial as the employees will not learn and improve their skills unless the upper management provides them with some feedback on their actions. This regular feedback will act as a corrective action which drives the employees to improve their working skills in order to meet the organisation’s ultimate objectives.

Performance appraisal is one of the most important practices in human resource management, usually used for managing organisations (Jafari, Bourouni, & Amiri 2009; Farrell 2013) as well as assessing the employees’ performance; this assessment is normally referred to as the Performance Appraisal System (PAS) in both the public and private organisations. There are several objectives of the performance appraisal system: recognise and discipline employees based on their performance; develop programmes and create management activities that can improve the organisation’s human resource; reward the outstanding employees who achieve their target performance (Ibeogu & Ozturen 2015). It is also perceived to be important in leveraging human capital to move the organisations towards an anticipated direction (Delery & Doty 1996; Takeuchi, Lepak, Wang, & Takeuchi 2007).

Despite the importance of the performance appraisal system to organisations, the significance of understanding the employees’ perceptions on the performance appraisal system has not been taken seriously, and little research has been carried out in Malaysia. These terms, appraisals, evaluations, and assessments systems are used interchangeably; and they are mainly utilised for two key purposes--developmental and evaluative purposes (Maund 2001). First, the developmental use entails the identification of employees’ needs, giving feedback to the employees based on the tasks that they have completed, determination of employees’ duty and transfers, and indicating the employee’s strength and weaknesses (Ibeogu & Ozturen 2015). Second, the evaluative use involves the identification of organisational performance, employees’ promotion or demotion decisions, identifying each employee’s performance, wage management; and determinations of employees’ retention or termination (Ibeogu & Ozturen 2015).

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In fact, it is undeniable that the employees’ appraisals have many benefits, and the system used is a very effective and useful management tool in the workplace (Walsh 2003); however, there are certain problems which may reduce its effectiveness and usefulness. The problems of organisational appraisals mostly affect the employees which hold back the employees’ efficacy in the workplace, and sometimes negatively impact the employee’s attitude, reaction, perception, behaviour and performance in the workplace.

According to Whitener (2001) and Kuvaas (2007), these problems occur because the employees take lightly the procedures of human resource activities most of the time. On the other hand, the performance appraisal system creates dissatisfaction among the employees and often the assessment results are regarded as unfair and ineffective in measuring the work performance (Farrell 2013). Consequently, the perceived fairness of the performance appraisal system has appeared as the most critical issue faced by the administrators. It is crucial for the administrators, including managers, officers or any higher-position staff in an organisation to have knowledge of their employees’ feelings and perceptions; the administrators can monitor their employees’ reactions which could be triggered by positive or negative perceptions of the appraisals or evaluations (Ibeogu & Ozturen 2015). Therefore, line managers need to take time to determine how this performance appraisal system could be implemented, such that the appraisal system is a fair and effective methodology in evaluating the employees’ performance. Employees need a precise and accurate evaluation mechanism or system that could offer feedback concerning their performance.

The appraisal mechanism or the appraisal system can only be effective if it is regarded as fair and reflective of an individual’s actual performance (Suliman 2007). Employees would react positively and have a positive perception of the appraisal system or mechanism if they are treated in a fair manner in their workplace (Moorman 1991; Cook & Crossman 2004). Moreover, Sabeen, Mehboob, and Muhammad (2008) stressed that the employees’ perception of the performance appraisal mechanism will play an important role in determining the employees’ overall job satisfaction.

Although appraisals could be problematic to both employees and organisations, the appraisals are believed and considered as a necessary in the organisational management (Murphy & Cleveland 1995). Problems of appraisals occur because some employees do not consider and believe that appraisals could be an appropriate measure of their performance (Whitener 2001; Kuvaas 2007). The employees’ negative or positive perceptions of the appraisals may arise as a result of their individual personalities and their personal experiences since different employees will feel and react differently under various circumstances (Kuvaas 2007). Therefore, fairness at the workplace is a very important organisational element in (Bretz, Milkovich, & Read 1992; Walsh 2003) creating a positive perception of appraisals in the employees’ mind.

When the employees perceive that the appraisals are fair, equitable, and an accurate reflection of their performance, positive attitudes will be exhibited and vice versa (Erdogan, Kraimer, & Liden 2001; Suliman 2007). The workplace behaviours are related to the success or failure of the performance appraisal system in an organisation. The healthiest approach to measure and investigate the employees’ experiences is through recognising their reactions towards the appraisal systems or mechanisms (Cardy, Dobbins, & Ferris 1994; Keeping & Levy 2000; Wright 2004; Kuvaas 2007).

Jawahar (2007) stated that the employees’ reactions towards appraisals influence the appraisal systems used by the organisation, which might lead to productive employees.

Human Resource Management is becoming more important in crafting the strategies of a company and is seen as extremely vital for organisational success (Farrell 2013). In this context, when human resource management has the rightful place in the boardroom, it adds value by assisting the business leaders to achieve organisational successes (Ulrich 2011). Strategic Human Resources can be denoted as the strategic management of human resource aligned with the organisation’s intended future direction (Farrell 2013). In fact, it is concerned with the long-term manpower issues and macro matters about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment, and matching to future needs (CIPD 2012).

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Recently, the potential of Human Resource Management in improving the organisational performance has been recognised, and this practice can contribute to the employees’ job satisfaction (Zakaria, Zainal & Nasurdin 2012).

Among the Human Research practices that have been studied, the performance appraisal system is arguably one of the most crucial ones in terms of organisational performance, and appears to be an indispensable part of any Human Resource Management system (Shrivastava & Purang 2011). The success, survival and ability of an organisation to compete depend upon the commitment of the employees; and to a large extent, the employees’ satisfaction is related to the performance appraisal system (Abdulkadir, Isiaka & Adedoyin 2012). Hence, the employees’ satisfaction with the performance appraisal system is vital as it affects their working performance.

In the organisational context, a company has to be competitive and develop its performance appraisal system (Farrell 2013). Therefore, an organisation needs to improve and maintain the strong levels of the organisational performance in order to be competitive. The success of an organisation depends on the employees’ capabilities and outstanding performances. Thus, all of the outstanding workers in an organisation are considered as the major asset, and a source of competitive advantage, which will assist the organisation to succeed.

The performance appraisal system is important; it has multiple benefits for an organisation. The pragmatic relevance and academic significance of the performance appraisal system are acknowledged in various studies as discussed above.

Organisational Snapshot

Photo of Sarawak Museum by Sarawakvoice.com

In the early history of the Sarawak Museum, it was initially established by the Second Rajah named Charles Brook in 1860s; the establishment was influenced by the great natural historian named Alfred Russell Wallace. The founders set up a temporary museum on 30 October 1986, at the marketplace along the Gambier Street Kuching, while waiting for the proper museum to be built in 1889 at the present location. The development of the proper museum was completed and was open to the public on 4 August 1891. The Sarawak Museum Department (SMD) also had its own version of Museum Journal named the Sarawak Museum Journal. The journal had been published by the museum employees since 1911. During that time, under the leadership of the inaugural editor John Moulton, the Sarawak Museum Journal was one of the oldest scientific journals in the Southeast Asia region. However, the journal covered only topics related to history, including Sarawak history, natural history, and ethnology of Borneo Island.

Currently, the Sarawak Museum is a well-developed department under the Ministry of Social Development Sarawak with a total of 124 employees in 11 different divisions; the present Director of the Sarawak Museum Department is Mr. Ipoi Datan who holds the position as Curator of Archaeology (Sarawak Museum Department, 2018). The Sarawak Museum has the following divisions: Enforcement Department, Public Relation Department, Ethnology Department, Zoology Display, History and References Department, Security Department, Administration and Finance Department, and Islamic Heritage Museum Department.

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Performance Appraisal System and Employee Experience The employees shared their experience related to the existing performance appraisal system of Sarawak Museum. The authors have done a qualitative study by applying the qualitative research method to thirty-two employees working in the Sarawak Museum; their views are discussed under five headings as given below.

Effectiveness of performance appraisal system The importance of the performance appraisal system is understood by the majority (59%) of the employees participated in the study. According to them, such appraisal system is moderately effective. It should be developed in such a way that their career path and reward expectations are taken care of by the appraisal system. The quality of service and employee productivity should be linked with such appraisal system. Different forms should be designed and customised to different categories of employees. Most (90%) of the respondents suggested the need for improving the current appraisal system of the organisation. The managers should be trained to assess the performance of their subordinates fairly, especially in the area of reducing appraisal biases.

Employees’ Perception of performance appraisal system Around two-fifths (40%) of the participants opined that there is room for improvement in the appraisal system of the employees. They do not have very good perceptions of such appraisal system. Some of the respondents stated that negative perceptions have hindered them from contributing their best to the job performance and adversely affected their commitment to the organisation.

Futuristic approach and performance appraisal system The organisational vision, mission, strategy, goals should be linked and cascaded in designing the performance appraisal system. In other words, the importance of the long-term organisational goals should be understood, and accordingly the employees should put in their efforts in attaining them. One-fourth (25%) of the participants shared that the future organisational goals and the appraisal system are not linked, whereas two-thirds of the responding participants opined that the appraisal parameters should be modified so that their competencies are relevant to the organisational survival and compatibility.

Employee development and performance appraisal system Some of the respondents stated the importance of training & developmental measures for enhancing the employees’ performance. The assessment scores and comments should be taken as a basis for designing employee developmental programmes to be facilitated by the HR department. One-fifth (20%) of the respondents stated that different trainings organised for the employees should be more useful and realistic.

3 Cs and performance appraisal system About one quarter of the respondents commented that their appraisal system needs redesigning. According to them, the 3 Cs, namely Competency, Competitive and Contemporary aspect should be emphasised in the performance appraisal system, especially in appraising and providing feedback to the employees. Some respondents (one-fifth) perceived that the performance appraisal system is merely a ritualistic documentation activity of the managers. However, one-fifth of the participants stated the importance of the appraisal system for the organisation.

SMART nature of performance appraisal system Some employees (one-tenth or 10%) who participated in the discussions mentioned that the appraisal system should be simple and possess elements that can motivate them to work better. The basic characteristics like Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound should be incorporated in the appraisal system, so that it would not only help employees understand the system but also increase their commitment to the organisation.

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Conclusion Appraising the employee performance by using an appropriate mechanism is essential for the employees’ job satisfaction as well as the organisational success. The performance appraisal system should be designed, developed and executed effectively for larger benefits of the organisational stakeholders. The effectiveness of the performance appraisal system would drive an organisation in the right direction. Employees’ perception also plays a vital role in achieving the performance appraisal goals. There should be a proper scope for incorporating new dimensions in the existing performance appraisal system, so that it is more competitive and contemporary to meet the needs and expectations of the organisation.

Source Image: portalmalaysia.com

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Discussion Questions 1.

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12.

What are the factors responsible for an employee’s performance in an organisation?

Do you feel employees in the Public Sector Undertakings have less flexibility in the employee reward system, especially from high performers’ point of view? Briefly explain your answer.

The Sarawak Museum has a wonderful work culture and employees with high competencies. Still, its employees need to work beyond their job role for a better future of their organisation. Comment.

The global pandemic has adversely affected the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors. In this light, what are the measures you can suggest for the Sarawak Museum to resume normal operations in attracting more visitors so as to generate more revenues for the organisation?

An efficient organisation should have a sound performance appraisal system. Briefly explain the statement with the operations of the Sarawak Museum as an example. If required, you can explain your answer by mentioning your organisational experience.

How can the management improve the effectiveness of the performance appraisal system of an organisation?

The three aspects of an employee’s role, viz. job responsibility, understanding of organisational goals, and interest to increase contribution, are vital for achieving excellent employee performance. How to develop the three aforesaid aspects of employees working in the Sarawak Museum, Kuching?

Design forms for appraising employees’ performance as per the following requirements: - Managerial Category employees - Non-Managerial Category employees A sound performance appraisal policy, employee communication system and human resource developmental mechanism contribute to organisational success. Discuss how these three aspects contribute to your respective organisations.

Suggest developmental measures to improve the existing performance appraisal system of your respective organisation.

The Key Performance Area (KPA), Key Result Area (KRA) and Key Result Indicators (KRI) should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound). Explain your viewpoints with a suitable example of your respective organisations.

Adequate motivation is required to achieve the performance appraisal goals set for an organisation.

How do we motivate employees to achieve the performance appraisal goals?

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14.

The right mindset of the employees in general is important to drive an organisation in the right direction irrespective of its ownership nature (Public Sector or Private Sector). Explain your answer briefly.

Suitable work environment, employees’ commitment and their competencies contribute more than the performance appraisal system to the organisational success. Explain your answer.

Teaching Note The teaching note is essential for the users to get an idea about the use of this case study. The authors focus on the importance of the performance appraisal system for the benefit of the employees as well as the organisation.

The authors emphasise that the theoretical and practical usefulness of the performance appraisal system has to be viewed from a futuristic perspective.

Case Summary The case is related to the Civil Service Sarawak, a public sector organisation providing services to the people of Sarawak in various functional domains. The organisation strives to serve the society with commitment. The state government has declared that the services provided by the state will eventually be fully digitalised. In this direction, the employees have to work very hard to attain the goal.

Many associated issues need the government’s attention like workplace relationship, employee development, employee support system, career growth, team building, and job competencies. Although developmental policy measures exist, the informal support system works wonder for some employees. By nurturing such system, all the organisational members will benefit from it. The authors address such support system in this case.

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Teaching Objectives

Guideline for use

The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Understanding the importance of an employee’s contribution to the organisation.

2.

Essentiality of performance appraisal system in organisation.

3.

Role of organisational communication pertaining to the employee performance appraisal.

4.

Characteristics and features of the performance appraisal system.

5.

The performance appraisal policy of an organisation.

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An appraiser’s vital role in employee development.

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Linking human resource development mechanism with the performance appraisal system.

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Suitability of the performance appraisal system for organisational success.

9.

The logic of designing a performance-linked employee reward system in an organisation.

10. The implementation of a suitable performance appraisal system devoid of any error.

11. The impact of the performance appraisal system on the employee development.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A small group of 4 to 5 members can share their viewpoints of various issues arising from this case study.

Ask one group to provide insights from the managerial perspective and another group to provide the ideas from the employees’ perspective by considering appraisal-related issues in this case.

Form a strategic team by taking 4-5 participants whose role is to design the performance appraisal system of an efficient organisation.

Form a group of participants to design organisational vision, mission and strategy, and align these items with the performance appraisal system of an organisation to attain long-term success.

Ask a group of participants to identify and make a list of problems pertaining to the performance appraisal system of organisations in general, and specifically the company cited in this case study.

Suitability for Use This case study is useful for any bachelor’s or master’s degree student enrolled in a business management programme at any tertiary institution. Such case study can be used by the employees or managers for analysing and improving the decision-making skills in the area of human capital management.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life incidents covering the pragmatic issues pertaining to the performance appraisal system of a public sector organisation. Both primary and secondary sources were used in collecting the necessary and relevant information of the case.

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REFERENCES Bellows, RM & Estep, MF 1954, Employment Psychology: The Interview, Rinehart, New York, NY. Biswajeet, P 2009, Human Resource Management, PHI Learning Private Limited.

Bretz, RD, Milkovich, GT & Read, W 1992, ‘The current state of performance appraisal research and practice: Concerns, directions, and implications’. Journal of Management, vol.

18, no. 2, pp. 321-352.

Cardy, RL, Dobbins, GH & Ferris, GR 1994, Performance appraisal: Alternative perspectives, South-Western Publishing Company.

CIPD 2009, Performance management in action: current trends and practice, Hot Topics Report No. 5040, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London.

Lopez, FM 1968, Evaluating Employee Performance, Public Personnel Association, Chicago. Maund, L 2001, An Introduction to Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, Palgrave, New York.

Moorman, RH (1991, ‘Relationship between organizational justice and organizational citizenship behaviors: do fairness perceptions influence employee citizenship?’ Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 76, no. 6, pp. 845.

Murphy, KR & Cleveland, JN 1991, Performance Appraisal: An Organizational Perspective, Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

Murphy, KR., & Cleveland, J 1995, Understanding performance appraisal: Social, organizational, and goal-based perspectives. Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.

CIPD 2012, Strategic HR, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Nolan, P 2002, New Technology, Work, and Employment 17:3, Blackwell Publishers Ltd., Oxford.

Cook, J & Crossman, A 2004, ‘Satisfaction with performance appraisal systems: a study of role perceptions’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 526-541.

Patten, TH 1977, Pay: Employee Compensation and Incentive Plans, Free Press, London.

Delery, JE & Doty, DH 1996, ‘Modes of theorizing in strategic human resource management: Tests of universalistic, contingency, and configurational performance predictions’, Academy of management Journal, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 802-835.

Dessler, G 2008, Human Resource Management, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Erdogan, B, Kraimer, ML & Liden, RC 2001, ‘Procedural justice as a two-dimensional construct an examination in the performance appraisal context’, The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 205-222.

Farrell, A 2013, An Investigation into Performance Appraisal Effectiveness from The Perception of Employees in an Irish Consumer Service Company, National College of Ireland, Ireland.

Flaniken, FW 2009, Performance Appraisal Systems in Higer Educations: An Exploration of Christian Institutions, University of Central Florida, Orlando.

Hackett, JD 1928, ‘Rating Legislators’, Personnel, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 130-131.

Heilbroner, R 1961, The Paradox of Progress: Decline and Decay in the Wealth of Nations, Simon & Schuster Inc., New York.

Ibeogu, PH & Ozturen, A 2015, ‘Perception of Justice in Performance Appraisal and Effect on Satisfaction: Empirical Findings from Northern Cyprus Banks’, Procedia Economics and Finance 23, pp. 964-969.

Jafari, M, Bourouni, A & Amiri, RH 2009, ‘A New Framework for Selection of the Best Performance Appraisal Method’ European Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 7, no. 3.

Jawahar, IM 2007, ‘The influence of perceptions of fairness on performance appraisal reactions’, Journal of Labor Research, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 735-754.

Kadir, DS, Isiaka, SB & Adedoyin, SI 2012, ‘Effects of Strategic Performance Appraisal, Career Planning and Employee Participation on Organizational Commitment: An Empirical Study’, International Business Research, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 124-133.

Karimi, R, Malik, M & Hussain, S 2011, ‘Examining the Relationship of Performance Appraisal System and Employee Satisfaction’, International Journal of Business & Social Science, vol. 2, no. 22, pp. 243-247.

Keeping, LM & Levy, PE 2000, ‘Performance appraisal reactions: measurement, modeling, and method bias’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 85, no. 5, pp. 708.

Kuvaas, B (2007, ‘Different relationships between perceptions of developmental performance appraisal and work performance’, Personnel Review, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 378397.

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Poon, J 2004, ‘Effects of performance appraisal politics on job satisfaction and turnover intention’, Personnel Review, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 322-334.

Sabeen, Z, Mehboob, SA & Muhammad, A 2008, ‘Perceived Fairness of and Satisfaction with Employee Performance Appraisal and Its Impact on Overall Job Satisfaction’, The Business Review, vol. 10, no. 2, Cambridge.

Sarawak Museum Department 2018, Introduction: Sarawak Museum, Sarawak Museum Department Official Website, viewed 28 March 2018, <http://www.museum.sarawak. gov.my>.

Shrivastava, A & Purang, P 2011, ‘Employee Perceptions of Performance Appraisals: A Comparative Study on Indian Banks’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 22, pp. 632-647.

Suliman, AM 2007, ‘Links between justice, satisfaction and performance in the workplace: a survey in the UAE and Arabic context’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 294-311.

Swiercz, PM, Bryan, NB, Eagle, BW, Bizzotto, V & Renn, RW 2012, ‘Predicting employee attitudes and performance from perceptions of performance appraisal fairness’, Business Renaissance Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 25-46.

Takeuchi, R, Lepak, DP, Wang, H & Takeuchi, K 2007, ‘An empirical examination of the mechanisms mediating between high performance work systems and the performance of Japanese organizations’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 92, no. 4, pp. 1069.

Toppo, L & Prusty, T 2012, ‘From Performance Appraisal to Performance Management’, Journal of Business and Management, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 1-6.

Ulrich, D 2011, ‘Leaders who make meaning meaningful’, Human Resource Management International Digest, vol. 19, no. 2.

Walsh, MB 2003, Perceived fairness of and satisfaction with employee performance appraisal, Doctoral Dissertation, Louisiana State University.

Whitener, EM 2001, ‘Do “high commitment” human resource practices affect employee commitment? A cross-level analysis using hierarchical linear modeling’, Journal of Management, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 515-535.

Wright, RP 2004, ‘Mapping cognitions to better understand attitudinal and behavioural responses in appraisal research’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 339374.

Zakaria, N, Zainal, S, & Nasurdin, A 2012, ‘Investigating the role of human resource management practices on the performance of SME: A conceptual framework’, Journal of Global Management, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 74-92.

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It is not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.

“

Charles Darwin Scientist

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THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BALANCED SCORECARD: CASE STUDY OF SARAWAK STATE HUMAN RESOURCE UNIT

Authors NORLIZA EILEEN BINTI IBRAHIM LING CHUI CHING

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Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Kuching - Source Photo: flickr

Introduction Performance measures must adapt to changes in the business landscape (Kaplan & Norton, (1992) and the balanced scorecard (BSC) is framed to meet the needs of the current dynamic business environment. The BSC was initially introduced for business organisations by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in the early 1990s (Kaplan & Norton, 2001a). They emphasised that the BSC must be customised to suit each organisation. The Bain’s Management Tools and Trends survey conducted in 2017 reported that the BSC ranked fourth highest in use by respondents worldwide. Nonetheless, the application of the BSC in non-profit organisations and public sectors is different from that of business corporations because these organisations target to achieve their vision of delivering services to communities and people at large. In view of that, the BSC has been adapted for the public sector for over a decade to improve public service delivery.

Organisational culture is one of the factors that contributes to the success of BSC implementation (Deem, 2009).

Another important factor is organisational learning. Learning is the basis for improvement in the other three perspectives of BSC, namely financial, customer, and internal process (Kaplan & Norton, 2001b). Even though BSC has been used globally, the results for the relationship between organisational culture and BSC effectiveness are mixed due to varying reasons (Davis & Albright, 2004). Some have posited that this inconsistency is because of inappropriate organisational culture.

Although the Sarawak Civil Service has been using a BSC system since 2013 to measure its performance and the system is found to be successful, there is as yet a relative paucity of research into effective BSC implementation in the Sarawak public sector. A survey was carried out to investigate the nature of the relationship between organisational culture and BSC effectiveness in the State Human Resource Unit (SHRU) of the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Department. Approval was obtained from the director of the unit to get access to the documentation of the agency and to distribute questionnaires to all the staff members of the unit.

The remaining case article encompasses the following four sections: a background of the Sarawak Civil Service and SHRU, a literature review of past studies on BSC, organisational culture as well as organisational learning, a discussion of survey on SHRU that includes findings and implications, and a conclusion.

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Sarawak Civil Service In 2010, the Sarawak Civil Service started its transformation journey by setting its vision to become a world-class civil service with a mission to deliver excellent services through high-performance teamwork. Aiming to realise the vision of Sarawak Civil Service, a transformation plan called SCS 10-20 Action Plan was then developed. In the context of the Sarawak public sector, organisational development is about improving organisation capacity and effectiveness to achieve its vision and goals of the strategic plan. The organisational development process starts with the setting up of the organisation’s new direction via a strategic planning exercise and followed by using BSC for performance measurement. As of 2018, there were approximately 14,600 civil servants serving in the Sarawak public sector.

Sarawak State Human Resource Unit SHRU’s vision is to be the leader in human capital transformation. Its mission is to drive the workforce in the civil service to be world-class by focusing on the following three aspects (State Human Resource Unit, 2015): 1.

Organisation Design (internal transformation in structure and function); 2.

Talent Management (recruitment and selection, performance management, training, education and development, and continuity planning); and 3.

Culture Change Management.

There are four divisions in this unit, namely Policy and Human Resource Transformation, Talent Management, Employee Assistance, and Organisational Development. These divisions are subdivided into 13 sections, i.e. Human Resource Policy Evaluation and Communication, Human Resource Transformation, Information Management, Recruitment, Career Development, Discipline, Benefits and Awards, Training, Culture Change Management, Employee Service Assistance, Planning and Capacity Management, Organisation Strategic Management as well as Management Service. Aspiring to be a more strategic human resource unit, SHRU went through organisational development in 2010 to align its vision and mission with that of the Sarawak Civil Service. SHRU first started its journey in implementing the BSC as a performance management tool in 2012 when the State Secretary issued a circular, mandating all ministries and departments at the state level to implement BSC in their respective organisations.

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Literature Review Balanced Scorecard BSC is a performance measurement system which has evolved into a strategic planning system that is vital to the planning process of an organisation. The system provides a glimpse of overall organisational performance by integrating financial measures with three other key performance indicators: customer, internal process, and learning and growth. This system is not only used to align the organisational business activities with its vision and strategy but also monitor its performance against strategic goals. In particular, BSC can be used to manage the softer parts of change like culture.

Under the customer perspective, internal and external customers’ beliefs in the organisational performance and the way customers’ needs are met are evaluated. The financial perspective measures whether the organisational strategy is contributing to the bottom line of the organisation. The internal process perspective emphasises how well the organisation is in achieving the aims and missions as well as fulfilling the customer’s expectations. Learning and growth perspective involves continuous improvement, development and measurement of employees’ satisfaction, skills and productivity (Kaplan & Norton cited in Ndlovu, 2013).

The measurements of these four perspectives link with each other as cause-and-effect relationships. Kaplan and Norton (2006) claimed that training programmes to improve the skills of employees (learning and growth) will improve customer service (internal process), leading to better customer satisfaction (customer) and increased revenues and profits (financial). These measurements are combined into a report to assist top management in making decisions by showing how improvement in one area can affect another area (Kaplan & Norton, 1992).

Balanced Scorecard in the Non-Profit and Public Sector Nowadays, BSC has also been implemented in the public sector even though it tends to reflect its private sector origins. Kaplan and Norton (2001a), the founders of BSC, highlighted that public sector organisations need to adapt the BSC by rearranging the scorecard to place customers or constituents at the top of the hierarchy. Another approach is to have a mission perspective at the top of the scorecard, then the customer perspective, followed by the other three original perspectives.

Customer Perspective Goals

Measures

What must we excel at?

How do customers see us?

Internal Business Perspective Goals

Innovation & Learning Perspective

Measures

Goals

Measures

How can we continue to improve and create value?

How do we look to shareholders?

Financial Perspective Goals

Measures

Source Image: Original balanced scorecard adapted from Kaplan and Norton 1992

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Organisational Culture There have been more than 160 definitions of organisational culture since 1952 (Wu, 2008). Schein (1984) defines organisational culture as the pattern of basic assumptions that a given group has developed in learning to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and that assumptions have worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore to be taught to new members as the correct way to think and feel in relation to those problems. Organisational culture is also about values and opinions of people, organisation, and control system, including common beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, and expectations that affect behaviour (Mamizadeh, 1994).

With the knowledge and understanding of the culture in an organisation, employees can utilise their skills, knowledge, and abilities to better perform their jobs and to improve the economic performance of the organisation. Human resource development professionals are responsible for organisational culture change by providing activities and trainings that give awareness of new organisational values, goals, and expectations (Plakhotnik & Rocco, 2011).

Therefore, organisational culture can be used as a tool to understand the limitations and opportunities (Khademian, 2000) so that managers can facilitate changes in the organisation (Alvani cited in Hosseini, 2014).

One of the measurements that is usually used in measuring culture is Denison’s Culture and Effectiveness Model (see Figure 1) which contains four traits: adaptability, mission, consistency, and involvement. Most notably, this case article focuses on adaptability. Adaptability is an organisation’s ability to recognise the external and internal environment changes and subsequently respond to adapt to those changes. This trait comprises three dimensions, namely creating change, customer focus, and organisational learning.

Adaptable organisation can create change by understanding the business environment, responding fast to current trends, and predicting future changes. The organisation is also motivated to focus on customers by reacting to the customers and anticipating their future needs. Last but not least, the organisation with the strength of adaptability tends to process information internally and externally and then translates this information into shared knowledge, innovation, and new skills (Denison, 1997). An organisation that lacks adaptability will have difficulty in sustaining themselves in the long run (Deem, 2009).

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Figure 1: Denison’s Culture and Effectiveness Model

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Relationship between Balanced Scorecard and Organisational Culture Organisational culture is imperative for local government agencies that contemplate effective performance management systems (Moynihan & Pandey cited in Williams, 2014). Companies that have implemented BSC successfully have a culture in which people are deeply aware of and internalise the mission, vision, and core values needed to execute the company strategy (Kaplan & Norton, 2004a). Furthermore, using the BSC may instil a strategy-oriented organisational culture.

Organisational Learning Organisational learning is defined as a process in which an organisation’s members actively use data to guide behaviour in such a way as to promote the ongoing adaptation of the organisation (Edmondson & Moingeon, 1998). It is an ongoing process of reflection and action. Thus, intervention may be required to involve individuals in this learning process to support the ongoing effectiveness of organisations. The idea of learning from mistakes and integrating what has been learnt for future efforts is fundamental to the notion of organisational learning.

Relationship between Balanced Scorecard and Organisational Learning In an organisation, learning processes are considered rational as they are focusing on improving performance.

It is difficult to ignore organisational learning in the new economic age as numerous studies have shown that organisation learning is important for achieving competitive advantage. An empirical study by Michna (cited in Yeh et al., 2017) indicated that organisational learning is found to exert significant influence on all the four performance indicators of the BSC. While leadership and support for performance management are important at all levels of the organisation, training staff to have the appropriate level of skill in data analysis and communication are of similar importance (Hatry & Davies, 2011). Also, companies that invest heavily in organisational learning improve in both financial and non-financial terms (Arh, Blazic & Dimovski, 2012).

Balanced Scorecard Survey on Sarawak State Human Resource Unit A survey on the impact of organisational culture on BSC implementation within SHRU was conducted as part of a postgraduate study in 2018. The study aims to determine how the adaptability culture of SHRU supports the internal process of BSC. The questionnaire solicited responses from a population of 194 employees across different divisions and sections at the management, administrative, and support levels on their perception of SHRU’s internal process and adaptability culture. 99 usable responses were returned, giving an acceptable response rate of 51 per cent. Relevant documents were also examined to collect the strategic planning and BSC data in the organisation.

The survey findings show that the organisational culture of adaptability has significantly influenced the internal process of BSC and facilitated the organisational capability to adapt and respond to creating change and organisational learning. The results of the survey imply that organisations with high adaptability will likely achieve measurable results through the BSC implementation. Conversely, organisations that lack adaptability will have difficulty to sustain themselves in the long run. The BSC aids the top-down communication of corporate mission, vision and strategies from top management to all levels of the organisation as well as providing information related to goals and objectives. This information is then converted into actionable knowledge through the organisational learning process. Subsequently, internal process will be improved, resulting in increased customer or constituent satisfaction and finally successful service delivery.

Organisations that do not attain encouraging results in their BSC scores are recommended to introduce organisational culture before implementing the BSC system. Although developing appropriate corporate strategies and finetuning business processes are important, organisational culture should not be ignored when implementing the internal process of BSC. Organisations may undergo a cultural assessment before implementing a BSC system. This assessment will identify cultural deficiencies that hamper the effectiveness of BSC implementation. Organisations that make appropriate organisational changes before undertaking BSC implementation will avoid the commitment of scarce financial and human resources. Moreover, organisational learning helps shaping the organisational culture and thus is needed for organisational change to be successful (Kaplan & Norton, 2004). As a result, consideration should be given to organisational learning activities, policies and procedures.

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Conclusion These discoveries will offer the public sector management with the much-needed information for successful implementation of BSC in their organisations. With organisational learning as the enabler, organisational culture plays a significant role in influencing the successful implementation of the BSC system in the Sarawak Civil Service. In summary, the implementation of BSC results in better performance with the support of the right organisational culture.

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Discussion Questions

Teaching Objectives

1.

The following objectives should be addressed in discussing this case.

1.

Discuss the trends that drive current interest in balanced scorecard.

2.

Define balanced scorecard in the context of public sector.

3.

Describe the five perspectives of the balanced scorecard adapted for public sector organisations.

4.

List the two key factors to consider when implementing a balanced scorecard system.

5.

Explain the impacts of organisational culture on the effectiveness of balanced scorecard.

6.

Identify the three dimensions used to measure the adaptability trait in Denison’s Culture and Effectiveness Model.

7.

Determine the role of human resource development professionals in managing organisational culture change.

8.

Analyse the role of organisational learning in the balanced scorecard performance.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

How would you describe your organisation’s culture?

In what way could your organisational culture be described as positive or negative?

How would you rate your organisation in terms of adaptability to the environment, customers or constituents, and learning opportunities?

Recall your recent experience of organisation using balanced scorecard as a strategic planning and performance management tool. In what way did the adaptability of your organisation facilitate the balanced scorecard implementation to achieve measurable results?

Compare and contrast organisational learning with learning agility. What are the similarities and differences between these two terms?

To what extent can organisational learning be leveraged to drive organisational changes before implementing a balanced scorecard system?

Out of the six common shared values of Sarawak Civil Service, which value do you think is vital for successful implementation of balanced scorecard?

Teaching Note The purpose of this teaching note is to assist users in facilitating discussions on key topics covered in the case and relating these to another context.

Case Summary This case article highlights the findings from a balanced scorecard survey conducted at the Sarawak State Human Resource Unit following the implementation of the balanced scorecard as a performance management tool.

The survey solicited responses from staff members on the adaptability culture of Sarawak State Human Resource Unit in fostering internal process perspective of balanced scorecard. Usable survey data from 99 staff of four divisions were analysed.

Suitability for Use This case is useful for any undergraduate or graduate enrolled on a business management programme at any tertiary institution. It is also a suitable supplementary learning tool for any training programme on human resource management in the public sector.

Sources and Methods of Collecting Case Material The case is developed based on the real-life incidents and practical issues of a public sector organisation.

Guideline for use The session facilitator should provide an overview of the focal topic in the context of contemporary organisations, including those in the public sector. Participants can then be divided into smaller groups to go through the case and suggested discussion questions.

The session facilitator may assign certain groups to identify major issues and challenges with regard to the existing policies and practices, while other groups propose how these can be addressed effectively.

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REFERENCES Arh, T, Blazic, BJ & Dimovski, V 2012, ‘The impact of technology-enhanced organisational learning on business performance: an empirical study’, Journal for East European Management Studies, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 369-383.

Davis, S & Albright, T 2004, ‘An investigation of the effect of balanced scorecard implementation on financial performance’, Management Accounting Research, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 135-153.

Deem, JW 2009, The relationship of organizational culture to balanced scorecard effectiveness, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Denison, DR 1997, Corporate culture and organizational effectiveness, Aviat, Ann Arbor.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 2004b, Strategy maps: converting intangible assets in tangible outcomes, Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 2006, Alignment: using the balanced scorecard to create corporate synergies, Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

Mamizadeh, J (1994) ‘Organizational culture management’, Government Management Magazine, no. 25.

Ndlovu, C 2013, Examining relationships between balanced scorecard effectiveness and nursing leaders’ accountability, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Edmondson, A & Moingeon, B 1998, ‘From organizational learning to learning organization’, Management Learning, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 21-36.

Plakhotnik, MS & Rocco, TS 2011, ‘What do we know, how much, and why it matters: organizational culture and AHRD research 1994-2009’, Human Resource Development Review, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 74-100.

Hatry, H & Davies, E 2011, A guide to data-driven performance reviews, IBM Center for the Business of Government, Washington.

Schein, EH 1984, ‘Coming to a new awareness of organizational culture’, Sloan Management Review, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 3-16.

Hosseini, SAR 2014, ‘Components of organizational culture based on Denison Model’, Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, vol. 3, no. 12a, pp. 31-42.

State Human Resource Unit 2015, SCS HR Kit, 1st edn, Chief Minister’s Department, Kuching.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 1992, ‘The balanced scorecard - measures that drive performance’, Harvard Business Review, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 71-79.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 2001a, ‘Transforming the balanced scorecard from performance measurement to strategic management: part I’, Account Horizon, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 87-104.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 2001b, The strategy-focused organization: how balanced scorecard companies thrive in the new business environment, Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

Williams, AD 2014, Effectiveness of performance management systems in state agencies: performance measurement, organizational culture and learning, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Wu, JY 2008, ‘A general behavior model and new definitions of organizational cultures’, Journal of Socio-Economics, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 2535-2545.

Yeh, J, Lin, C, Chang, C, Su, S & Huang, L 2017, ‘The influence of resource dependence and organization learning on R&D alliance performance’, International Journal of Organizational Innovation, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 205219.

Kaplan, RS & Norton, DP 2004a, ‘Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets’, The Harvard Business Review, vol. 82, no. 2, pp. 52-63.

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