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© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
THE BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS SCHOOL
Master of Business Administration
Dissertation Research Proposal: Cover Sheet Please attach to your proposal
Word Length – 1590 words
Name of Student: Adrian Chow Mun Nga I.D.NO. 1067413 Email address: [email protected] Tel No. 98460093 Name of Project Supervisor: Mr Graham Shaw
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
Birmingham Business School MBA
Dissertation Ethics Checklist
This form should be completed by the student and the supervisor and submitted to the appropriate
MBA office.
MBA Programme MBA Executive Singapore Programme - Dissertation
Title of Project*
DO HRM SELECTION PRACTICES WORK?
Name of Student and ID no. Adrian Chow Mun Nga (ID: 1067413)
Email Address [email protected]
Name of Supervisor Mr. Graham Shaw
* A title that is descriptive of the project is required
QUESTION YES NO
1 Will the research project require the use of databases and internet resources? √
2 Will all databases and internet resources be used within the terms and
conditions specified by the source of the data?
√
3 Will you have access to confidential or personal records as part of your
research?
√
If you have answered NO to question 2 or YES to question 3, please attach an
explanation on a separate sheet.
YES NO
4 Will the research project involve asking people to participate in your research
(e.g. for interviews or a survey)?
√
5 Will it involve the collection of primary data from research participants? √
6 Will you have access to personal information that will allow you to identify
research participants?
√
7 Could the research results be used to inflict harm to any person or the general
public?
√
8 Will the publication of the results pose a risk of physical or psychological
harm or distress to any person or the general public?
√
If the answer to all of questions 4 to 8 above is NO, you can omit questions 9-20. Just tick
box A or B as appropriate and sign.
YES NO N/A
9 Will you describe the main research procedures to participants in
advance so that they are informed about what to expect?
10 Will you tell participants that their participation is voluntary?
11 Will the consent of participants be obtained (this includes
observational research)?
12 Will you tell participants that they may withdraw from research at
any time and for any reason?
13 Will you tell participants that their data will be treated with full
confidentiality and their anonymity protected?
14 Will participants be debriefed after the research is conducted (i.e.
give them a brief explanation of the study)
If you have ticked NO to any of questions 9-14, please give an explanation on a separate
sheet. [note: N/A = not applicable] Continue answering questions 15 – 20.
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
YES NO N/A
15 Will your project involve deliberately misleading participants in any
way
16 Could the study induce psychological stress or anxiety beyond the
risks encountered in the participants normal life?
If you have ticked YES to question 15 or 16, please give a full explanation on a separate sheet. Continue with questions 17-20.
YES NO N/A
17 Does your project involve discussions of sensitive topics affecting
individual respondents, or people engaged in illegal activities (e.g.
drug use)?
18 Does your project involve participants who are members of
vulnerable groups e.g. school children (under 18 years of age), people
with learning or communication difficulties, in custodial care etc…?
19 Does your project involve participants with whom you have a
relationship (e.g. employer, employee, friend, colleague, family
member, University staff or students in the same school as the
researcher etc..)?
20 Does your project involve participants, as a group, who have
particular cultural, religious or social beliefs that you should be
sensitive to?
If you have ticked YES to any of questions 17 to 20 above, please give a full explanation on
a separate sheet.
There is an obligation on the researcher to bring to the attention of the School Research Ethics Co-
ordinator any issues with ethical implications not clearly covered by the above checklist.
Please Tick either box A or box B below:
A. I consider that this project has no significant ethical implications to be brought
before the School Research Ethics Co-ordinator.
B. I consider that this project may have ethical implications that should be brought
before the School Research Ethics Co-ordinator.
If you tick box B above, please provide all further information listed below in a separate attachment
1. Title of project
2. Purpose of the project and its academic rationale
3. A clear but concise statement of any ethical considerations raised by the project and how you
intend to deal with them.
This form (signed, and including any attachments) should be submitted to the School Research
Ethics Co-ordinator.
Signed
Print Name
ADRIAN CHOW MUN NGA
Date
5 JULY 2011
(MBA Student Researcher)
Signed
Print Name Date
(Supervisor)
Signed
Print Name Date
(School Research Ethics Co-ordinator)
√
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
The Birmingham Business School
“DO HRM SELECTION PRACTICES WORK?”
Research Proposal submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Business Administration in the Birmingham Business School.
Submission to: Mr Graham Shaw
Student ID No: 1067413
Date: 23 AUGUST 2011 1590 WORDS
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1.0 BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE 1
2.0 AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1
3.0 INDICATIVE LITERATURE 2
4.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS 3
5.0 ETHICS 5
6.0 RISKS AND CONTINGENCIES 5
7.0 TIMESCALES 6
8.0 RESOURCES 6
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
1.0 BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE
Selection practices centered on acquiring the “right person to do the right job’ generating
productive output for organisation and Robert E. Ployhart (2006) highlight staffing challenges face
by organisations from labour shortages, increased knowledge work, competition for applicants’.
Schmidt L. et al. (1986) study demonstrated empirically valid selection of new employees results in
payroll savings, increase of output and research on selection practices is important as recruitment
and selection ‘lies in the very centre of human resourcing (Newell and Rice1999; cited by Millmore
2003) while Mark A. Huselid, Rutgers University (1995) sampling of one thousand firms indicate
HR practices have impacts on employee outcomes (turnover and productivity) and corporate
financial performance.
Significance and usefulness of the research lies in widening knowledge of selection practices from
academia perspective while practitioners deeper understanding may assist organisations in
evaluating effectiveness of current selection practices as noted by Searle (2003 p.7) on evidence
of non achievement between strategic intent and organisational action in organisation’s selection
and recruitment practices (Searle and Ball 2003; cited by Searle 2003).
2.0 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
There exists conflicting viewpoints on the effectiveness of selection practices such as Kleinman et
al. (2010) paper ‘A different look at why selection procedures work” suggests selection procedures
such as assessment centers, structured interviews are ‘useful predictors of candidate’s job
performance’ and candidate ability to identify criteria (ATIC) during the selection procedure lend
credence to the criterion related validity. Similarly, Schmidt and Hunter (1998 cited by Kleinman
2010) observe most selection procedures are successful in predicting job performance.
However, Neil Anderson and Peter Herriot (1997 p. 123) questions the ‘fit” of current selection
paradigm in the face of new challenges and constraints of ‘selecting for jobs that do not yet exist’
and the ongoing concern of “gap” over academic research and ‘daily problems faced by
practitioners’.
Creswell John W. (2005) recommends the ‘flow of ideas’ (Appendix 1) for identifying the ‘statement
of the problem’ Reading of appropriate literature enable deeper understanding of the research
topic (the board subject matter addressed by the study) and research problem (a concern in the
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research that narrows the topic) which in turn surface the aim (the major objective of the study) of
the research: To Determine “Do HRM Selection Practices Work?”
Identifying research questions narrow the purpose that need to be answered and the research
questions include:
1. Personnel Selection and Assessment
2. Factors influencing decision making in selection practices
3. Validation of selection practices
4. Determinants for effective selection practices
5. Theoretical versus Actuality of selection practices
3.0 INDICATIVE LITERATURE
Searle (2003 pp.3-10) describe selection as a process aiming ‘assess psychological differences
between individuals and their relationship to subsequent work performance’ and remark on
growing popularity of selection tools in organisation despite concerns over distortion.
However, there are little anecdotal evidence linking selection practices with organisation strategies
as seen in Millmore (2003) paper 'Just How Extensive is the Practice of Strategic Recruitment and
Selection?' surmise ‘paucity’ of strategic recruitment and selection in organisations
Anderson and Shackleton (1986) observe research in personnel selection centred on developing a
‘sophisticated technology’ via evaluating different selection methods for identifying ‘the most valid
and reliable’ method. Sue Newall (2005 p.137) suggest a need for a ‘new perspective on
recruitment and selection’ from that of ‘traditional psychometric’ approach in the face of
globalisation, flexibility, innovation, employee commitment.
The concept of selection as a planned process that delivered outcomes is disputed by Ray W.
Cooksey and G. Richard Gates (1996) paper ‘HRM: A Management Science in Need of Discipline’
that claim HRM theories fall short of expected outcome and evocate effective HRM practices be
sensitive ‘to the unique, complex and less systematically predictable patterns of human behaviour’
and Strauss and Corbin (1994; cited by Merriam 2009) question whether HRM selection theory can
be sustained in practice by ‘matching of theory against data’.
Ployhart (2006) identify key gaps between selection research and practice (Appendix 2) and urge
staffing scholars to focus on ‘multi level research on business unit / organisational level impact of
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© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
staffing’ as current staffing procedure are not being utilised optimally and appropriately.
Neil Anderson and Peter Herriot (1997) book International Handbook of Selection and Assessment
highlight changing nature of work while questioning the workability of current ‘selection paradigm”
and gap between ‘academics interest, research topics and the daily problems faced by
psychologists practicing in the field’.
Searle (2003) book Selection and Recruitment: A Critical Text depict current selection methods as
flawed and limited and criticise the lack of measurement of ‘mental process’, rationality, limitations
of selection methods in ‘dynamic situations’ and claim these poses major challenges to plausibility
of selection practices and contribute to the failure of ‘selection processes to achieve their full
potential’.
4.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Mark Saunders et al. (2003, p.3) link research process ‘to find out things in a systematic way’
(Appendix 3) for increasing knowledge while Ghauri and Gronhaug (2002; cited by Saunders 2003)
suggest including elements of ‘describing, explaining, understanding, criticising, analysing’ in
research.
Kuhn (1962; cited by Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey 1997) view paradigm as ‘universally
recognised scientific achievements that …provide model problems and solutions to a community of
practitioners’. Creswell (1994; cited by Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey 1997).outline quantitative
(positivistic) and qualitative (phenomenological) as two main paradigms (Appendix 4).
Qualitative approach is chosen as it enable attempts to come with terms with the meaning …of
naturally occurring phenomena in the social world as state by Van Maanen (1983; cited by Cavana
et al. 2001). Maykut and Morehouse (1994; cited by Cavana et al. 2001) view the goal of
qualitative research is to ‘discover the patterns’ after thoughtful analysis.
Yin (2008 p.26; cited by Merriam 2009) define research design is a ‘logical plan for getting from
here to there’. Exploratory research is selected for analysing literature it permits ‘gaining
insights…for more rigorous investigation at a later stage’. (Hussey and Roger Hussey1997 p.10).
Phenomenological approach study as many of the variables as possible involved in the ‘context of
any research study’ as the world is ‘composed of a series of multiple realities…each of which
should be understood’ (Remenyi et al. pp.35-36)
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Case study is selected over other research methods i.e. action research, ethnography, interviewing
as it involves an ‘empirical investigation of a particular phenomenon… using multiple sources of
evidence’ (Robson 2002; cited by Mark Saunders et al 2003) and enable rich understanding of the
context of the research (Morris and Wood 1991; cited by Mark Saunders et al 2003).
Saunders (2003 pp.113-128) establish extent, nature, sufficiency of access as critical factors for
answering the research objectives. Collection of data derives from secondary sources due to the
deskbound nature of the research.
Cooper (1998; cited by Sotirios Sarantakos 2005) note sources of data originating from informal
channels of personal contact or formal channels that include journal libraries, reference database.
The research data sources follow Saunders et.al. (2003) model as show below:
Source: Mark Saunders et al. (2003) Research Methods for Business Students
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5.0 ETHICS
According to Singer (1994; cited by Remenyi et al.1998), ethics involves consideration of right and
wrong and Gary Bouma (2000 pp.190-202) stress taking the ‘position of a participant’ as the key to
identifying ethical issues and researcher will ‘keeps data collected...secure, accurately records
information and reports the findings of the research in a public manner’.
Robert Y. Cavana (2001 pp.21-26) associate the need for fairness to a variety of stakeholders from
the researcher (Appendix 5) and outlines societal, corporate and moral accountabilities to society,
sponsor / client and subjects (people) researcher should addressed.
Dan Remenyi et al. (1998 pp.227-239) stress on the importance of trust and ‘how the research
should be conducted …is of greater concern in an ethical sense’ and ‘integrity of evidence’.
Abidance to ethical considerations is met through evaluation of the research against University of
Birmingham (UOB) ethics checklist and supplemented by reading and adoption of The Economic
and Social Research Council ethical guidelines (Appendix 6).
6.0 RISKS AND CONTINGENCIES
Factors preventing research completion derive from many sources and key risks and contingencies
planning for the research include:
1. Time: Mitigate via time management, adherence to planned dateline, deliverables of Gantt
Chart, concurrent tasks, additional days for critical tasks for minimising “overruns”.
2. Resources (Availability, Accessibility): Mitigated critical resources, for example, literature is
minimised via adoption of “blanket coverage” from various depository i.e. web portal from
both private and public sources.
3. Research Knowledge: Communication with assigned Supervisor for guidance and advice
minimise the risks of “off track” in the research process and source of tacit knowledge.
4. Ethics: Risks from validity of literature sources, plagiarism are minimise through adhering to
recommended ethical framework, compliance of UOB ethics checklist and adoption of
Harvard referencing.
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7.0 TIMESCALES
Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey (1997) emphasise on a timetable for allocating the different activities
that need to be undertaken as research is ‘a time consuming activity’. Key deliverables, duration of
the research (Appendix 7) are presented via Gantt Chart for visual representation of tasks against
time line.
8.0 RESOURCES
Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey (1997 pp.32-37) remark ‘research is not a cost-free activity’ and
suggest researcher develop ‘support sets’ i.e. funding may be obtained from sources such as
employer, government or professional bodies.
Access to data sources are fulfilled via libraries of employer (Nanyang Polytechnic), Singapore
National Library Board and UOB web portal
Time resource is critical from tight dateline and fulfilment of research tasks which is mitigated via
adherence to planned timeline and contingency usage of annual leave.
Literature resources are fundamental in research and availability, accessibility is critical. Data
mining and analysis are guided through selective reading of UOB recommended textbooks on
research.
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© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
REFERENCES
Creswell John W. (2005) Education Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. 2nd.ed. USA: Pearson Education International pp.60-77 Dan Remenyi, Brian Williams, Arthur Money and Ethne Swartz (1998) Doing Research in Business and Management 1 ed. London: SAGE Publications, pp.227-239 Gary D Bouma (2000) The Research Process. 4. ed. Melbourne: Oxford University Press pp.190-202 Geoff Lancaster (2005) Research Methods in Management: A Concise Introduction to Research in Management and Business Consultancy 1.ed London: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey (1997) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students. . 1. ed. Basingstoke: Macmillan Business.
Mark A. Huselid 1995 'The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity and Corporate Financial Performance” Academy of Management Journal, 38, 2, pp. 635-672, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 25 May 2011
Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill (2003) Research Methods for Business Students. 3. ed. London: Pearson Higher Education Martin Kleinmann, Pia V. Ingold, Filip Lievens, Anne Jansen, Klaus G. Melchers, and Cornelius J. König (2010) ‘A different look at why selection procedures work: The Role of Candidates’ Ability to Identify Criteria’ Organizational Psychology Review, May 2011; vol. 1, 2: pp. 128-146. Data Base: ScienceDirec,t viewed 3 June 2011
Millmore, M (2003) 'Just How Extensive is the Practice of Strategic Recruitment and Selection?', Irish Journal of Management, 24, 1, pp. 87-108, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 June 2011
Neil Anderson and Peter Herriot (Editors 1997) International Handbook of Selection and Assessment Chichester UK: John Wiley and Sons
Ray W. Cooksey and G. Richard Gates (1996) ‘HRM: A Management Science in Need of Discipline’ Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, March 1996; vol. 33, 3: pp. 15-38. http://apj.sagepub.com/ viewed 6 June 2011
Robert E. Ployhart (2006) ‘Staffing in the 21st Century: New Challenges and Strategic Opportunities’ Journal of Management, December 2006; vol. 32, 6: pp. 868-897. http://jom.sagepub.com/ viewed 2 June 2011
Robert Y. Cavana, Brian L. Delahaye and Uma Sekaran (2001) Applied Business Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods 1 ed. Australia: John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd, pp.21-26 Rosalind H. Searle (2003) Selection & Recruitment: A Critical Text 1 ed.: London Palgrave Macmillian
Schmidt, F. L.,Hunter, J. E., Outerbridge, A. N., & Trattner, M. H. (1986). The Economic Impact of Job Selection Methods on Size, Productivity and Payroll Costs of the Federal Work Force: An
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
Empirically Based Demonstration. Personnel Psychology, 39(1), 1-29. Business Source Premier, EBSCO host, viewed 5 June 2011
Sharan B Merriam (2009) ‘Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation’. 1. ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Sotirios Sarantakos (2005). Social Research. 3. ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Sue Newall (2005) Managing Human Resoutces. 4. ed. London: Stephen Bach, pp. 116-147 Tom Redman and Adrian Wilkinson (2006) Contemporary Human Resource Management: Text and Cases 2 ed England: Prentice Hall http://bham.blackboard.com/webct/urw/lc3952256006051.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct http://www.cpid.co.uk/default.cpid http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/index.aspx http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk http://ethics.sandiego.edu http://www.hrforumeurope.coi http://www.hrmguide.net/hrm/Links/journals.htm http://www.hrps.org http://www.hti.umich.edu/j/jii http://www.ipma-hr.org http://library.nyp.edu.sg/portal/page?_pageid=40,1130718&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL http://www.mrs.org.uk http://www.respectproject.org/code/index.php http://www.shrm.org http://www.the-sra.org.uk/guidelines.htm
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
APPENDICES
1. Flow of Ideas in a “Statement of the Problem”, Creswell John W. (2005) Education
Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research 2. Key Personnel Selection Research – Practice Gaps, Robert E. Ployhart (2006) ‘Staffing
in the 21st Century: New Challenges and Strategic Opportunities’ Journal of Management, December 2006
3. The Research Process, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill (2003)
Research Methods for Business Students. 4. Creswell Assumptions of the Two Main Paradigms, Jill Hussey and Roger Hussey
(1997) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students
5. Ethical Pressures the Business Researcher Faces, Robert Y. Cavana, Brian L.
Delahaye and Uma Sekaran (2001) Applied Business Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
6. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Six Key Principles of Ethical
Research, http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/Framework_for_Research_Ethics_tcm8-4586.pdf
7. University of Birmingham MBA Dissertation – Time Scale and Gantt Chart
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Appendix 6: The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Six Key Principles of Ethical Research
© 2013 Adrian Chow All rights reserved
Appendix 7: University of Birmingham MBA Dissertation – Time Scale
Tasks Start Date Duration (Days)
End Date
Initiate Dissertation Project
2/5/11
134
12/09/2011
Select Research Topic (HRM)
2/5/11
4
05/05/2011
Read Literature of Research Topic (HRM)
6/5/11
10
15/05/2011
Identity Research Problem (Selection Practices)
16/5/11
5
20/05/2011
Read Literature of Research Problem (Selection Practices)
21/5/11
11
31/05/2011
Formulate Research Objectives 21/5/11
11
31/05/2011
Submission of Research Title (Do HRM Selection Practices Work? 1/6/11
1
01/06/2011
Read Literature of Research Process 2/6/11
19
20/06/2011
Formulate Research Approach 15/6/11
31
15/07/2011
Develop Research Proposal 20/7/11
33
21/08/2011
Submit Research Proposal 23/8/11
1
23/08/2011
Data Collection 2/5/11
101
10/08/2011
Data Analysis 2/5/11
112
21/08/2011
Write First Draft of Dissertation 22/8/11
10
31/08/2011
Final Alternations of Dissertation 1/9/11
11
11/09/2011
Submission of Dissertation 12/9/11
1
12/09/2011