Ethics in Recruiting - Research Proposal Example

Ethics in Recruiting Table of Contents Introduction 2 General Background for the Study 2 Purpose of the study 3 Guiding Questions 4 Delimitations and Limitations 5 Significance of the Study 6 Methodology 6 Theoretical Framework 6 Type of Design 7 Underlying Assumptions 7 Role of the Researcher 8 Selection and Description of the Site 8 Description of Participants 9 Data Collection Strategies 10 Data Analysis 10 Methods of Achieving Validity 11 Findings 12 Relationship to Literature 12 Relationship to Theory 12 Relationship to practice 12 Management Plan, Timeline, Feasibility 13 References 14 Ethics in Recruiting Introduction General Background for the Study In modern human resource management, effective selection and recruitment of employees has direct correlation to an organization. It is imperative to note that recruitment and selection of competent employees is an expensive undertaking to an organization. New employees introduced into an organization should promote good ethics to help maintain morality, integrity, and responsibility. Consequently, human resource managers always strive to recruit competent employees that would encourage development of good practice within an organization. An effective recruitment and selection process should establish ethical models for realization of a competitive organization. Integration of ethics in recruitment and selection of new employees assists introduction of ethically responsive staff that values overall performance. Moreover, ethical practice considerations in human resource management enhance an organization’s financial performance by encouraging morality and integrity in responsibilities. Therefore, Companies should strive to establish an ethically responsive recruitment and selection system. Besides establishing ethical practice in recruitment and selection process, an organization should promote its vitality in overall human resource management. Ethically responsive human resource managers embrace moral and integrity practices within an organization. Ability to remain ethically sensitive translates to the inherent excellent performance of an organization. For instance, human resource managers who embrace ethics encourage sustainable financial performance and good reputation. Moreover, ethics encourages social responsibility amongst employees and consequently enhances performance of the company. It is vital to note that the fundamental basis of establishing an ethical responsive recruitment and section process forms the main concern of the study (Brand, 2008). Purpose of the study The foremost objective of the study is to establish a model that would effectively incorporate ethical considerations in recruitment and selection practice. The research seeks to find an imperative integrative model that would answer contradicting ethical question in establishing an organization that values ethical practice. Developing an effective mode that incorporates ethical practice in an organization’s staffing process is indispensable in realization of improved productivity. An organization that values ethics including respect for race and individual differences improves morality, integrity, and responsibility within its realm of operations (Arthur, 2012). In developing the aforementioned integrated model, the study seeks to enforce ethical practice in human resource management. Besides developing a model, that considers ethical consideration in recruitment and selection process, the research seeks to find out the benefits of the later in an organization. The study purposefully answers the questions relating to the effects of absence or presence of ethics in selection and recruitment of employees within an organization. An organization that has its human resource department practicing ethics effectively promotes morality, productivity, and sustainable financial practice. On the contrary, unethical practice in recruitment and selection process degrades morality of employees and introduces irresponsive behavior within an organization. Guiding Questions The study mainly aims at incorporating ethics in recruitment and selection of new employees to an organization. Therefore, the main guiding questions would have relations to possibility of practicing ethics in human resource management, outcomes of ethics in recruitment of employees, and general significance of ethics to job applicants and organization. In consideration to the abovementioned issues, the following questions would essentially guide the study. 1. How does ethics enhance recruitment and selection process of new employees 2. How can ethics be incorporated into human resource management within an organization 3. What are the fundamental benefits of encouraging ethical practice amongst employees in an organization? The inherent questions are imperative in guiding the study that is aimed at designing a model for incorporating ethics in recruitment and selection process. The first question helps in enhancing the understanding of study significance to both the organization and job applicants. Similarly, the second questions address the need to formulate an effective model that would incorporate ethics in human resource management especially during recruitment and selection of new employees to an organization. Lastly, the study should address significance of the established model of integrating ethical practice in human resource management as evident in the third question. Delimitations and Limitations Limitations relates to the inherent uncontrollable influences within a study mainly to a researcher. Such limitations that a researcher has to mention includes conditions, influences, and shortcomings. In the study, various limitations influenced the results of realizing an integrated model that incorporates ethics in recruitment and selection process. 1. The main limitation involved establishing a universal model acceptable to all organizations. Such remained a possibility due to inability to develop a model that precisely reflect all reality aspects 2. Potential oversight or biases of evaluating and content validity panel during authentication and testing workability of proposed model 3. Using literary information rather than conducting primary research Delimitations relates to researchers imperative choices made during the study including established boundaries for obtaining information. 1. The study did not conduct primary research including initial interviews and use of questionnaires but rather used published literary sources for obtaining data. 2. The study would not analyze literature relating to ethical performance of an organization after recruitment process but rather explain vitality of a model that incorporates ethics in human resource management. 3. The study limits its study to applicants that have experienced recruitment and selection process 4. Moreover, the study only uses literate population as evaluation panelists of proposed model Significance of the Study The study is significant in instilling good ethics in human resource management. Ethical consideration in staffing an organization is essential in realization of morality, integrity, and responsibility amongst employees. Besides addressing ethical practice in recruitment and selection of new employees, the study remains significant in developing a model that would solve the dilemma of ensuring good ethics in human resource management practice. By developing and integrated model of recruitment and selection process, the study assists human resource managers in promoting morality, integrity, and responsibility within their organization. In addition, the model developed by the study is imperious in significant reduction of expenses and costs associated with recruitment and selection process. Moreover, encouraging good ethical practice assists in promoting financial sustainability and management. Employees that values ethics in their responsibilities develops sense of morality and integrity. Furthermore, improved ethical practice within an organization beginning from recruitment and selection of employees to conducting responsibilities is essential in improving financial performance. Practicing effective selection and recruitment remains indispensable in decreasing an organizations employee’s turnover and inherent productivity. Therefore, the study is significant in enhancing good ethical practice during human resource management especially during recruitment and selection of new employees of an organization. Besides, the study address the need for effective recruitment and selection process ensures staffing of customer oriented, loyal, and motivated employees. Methodology Theoretical Framework The study would have the basis of incorporating literary texts on the practice of ethics in human resource management. The foremost concern would be to use described theories in literature to design the aforementioned model. The literature used should have a theoretical framework consisting of ethical practice consideration in human resource management. Incorporation of theories relating to ethical practice and development of models is vital in realization of a justified and valid ethics incorporation design. Type of Design The design used in the study involved those research methodologies and analytical techniques that can collect, analyze, and present data besides evaluating validity of results. Research methodologies employed in developing a model for incorporating ethics in recruitment and selection process included both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The two methods had imperative designs that could propose and test developed model of incorporating ethics into recruitment and selection process. The study designed qualitative method into three main steps including data collection of literary published sources, presentation and reduction of data, verification and inference of the process. Besides the research methodologies, the study aimed at designing an integrated model that focuses on the aforementioned three phases of research to incorporate ethics into recruitment and selection process. Thereafter, the study design used Lawshe’s formula to perform content validity of the established integrated model of incorporating ethics into recruitment and selection process. Underlying Assumptions The study made several assumptions during research and establishment of the integrated model. For instance, during evaluation of the proposed model by expert panels, the study made two imperative assumptions. The foremost underlying assumption was that all related items evaluated within the model that remained considered very applicable or important possessed certain degree of content validity. The second underlying assumption during evaluation of proposed integrated panel related to proportionality of the validity content with the number of evaluation panel members. As the number of evaluation panel members increases, the validity content increases. Approval of the proposed model by more panel members indicates that it is operational and applicable in incorporating ethics in recruitment and selection process. The minimal percentage of panel members should start at fifty (50) to realize the direct proportionality. Role of the Researcher There exist various roles of a researcher in relation to the type of research methodology or design used. In qualitative research, the researcher has an imperative role of becoming part of the study. A qualitative study that involves gathering of information demands the researcher to engage actively amongst the subjects. Such role of interacting with the study is imperative in realization of better and valid outcomes. Moreover, the entailed use of quantitative methods in analyzing and collecting data. A researcher using quantitative methods has the role of detaching from cases of biases. The data obtained during research should remain devoid of manipulations to enable for realization of valid results. Besides the above roles, a researcher has the responsibility of protecting data derived literary information. Identification of data privacy risks is an imperative role of a researcher. In addition, the researcher has a fundamental role of improving justification and public interest on the findings of the study. Most importantly, the researcher must ensure that all the processes involved in the study remains ethical and legal. Selection and Description of the Site The study would remain based within the formal sector where employment and the practice of ethics are most essential. Formal organizations would remain relevant for the study through development of an effective model that would integrate ethics in the process of recruiting and selecting new employees. In addition, a formal setting provides a platform that would enable development of the desired model and the process of validation. Content validation of a developed model demands an educated and experienced panelists present only within formal organizations. Within the formal sector, practicing ethics during recruitment and selection is vital in success. A good organization practices effective human resource management system that recruits competent, loyal, and customer-oriented employees. As described, selection of the study site entailed consideration of a company within the formal setting. Such companies often recruit employees and development of an integrated model would remain essential. Conducting research within formal settings would be imperative in realization a considerate ethical practice model that integrates ethical practice. Description of Participants The participants of the study involve human resource managers from various organizations, experienced evaluation panelists, employees, and job applicants. Human managers are fundamental in the study as they directly engage in recruitment and selection of new employees besides promoting existing ones. The study helps human resource managers in establishing an effective integrated model that would ensure recruitment and selection of moral responsive, honest, loyal, and customer-oriented employees. The managers remain directly affected by good ethical practice in managing employees within the specified organization. Experienced evaluation panelists have the responsibility to validate the content of proposed model. As participants of the study, evaluation panel members are indispensable in justification of the developed integrated model. Besides the human resource managers and evaluation panelists, employees in an organization remain as imperative participants in the study. Existing employees within an organization has the responsibility of encouraging good ethical practice and continuity of the developed model. However, the most vital participants in the study are the job applicants that would test and undergo the proposed model. Job applicants who wish to secure employment within an organization that has established an integrated model must undergo three imperative phases. The phases are imperative in incorporating the established ethics during recruitment and selection process. Data Collection Strategies The study employed effective data collection strategies that aimed at obtaining relevant information that seemingly appeared in words compared to numbers. Collection of data related to the inherent studies entailed review of contemporarily published articles, books, journals, and other literatures that defines models of integrating ethics in recruitment. The aforementioned literary texts had comprehensive information gathered from interviews and questionnaires conducted amongst various recruits and human resource managers. Essentially, collecting data through use of questionnaires exists as the most cost effective and efficient method in gathering imperative information. On the contrary, interviews are inherently time-consuming though more comprehensive. Interviews enable a researcher or recruiting personnel to gather information that requires more explanation. It is imperative to note that collecting data from literarily published sources with interviews and questionnaires information remained essential in retrieving ethics practice in previously accomplished recruitments. Data Analysis In unveiling imperative information from literary-based data, the research employed principles of data analysis. Analysis of obtained data remained fundamental in evaluating, recapping, and illustrating secondary and primary-based information obtained with the aim of achieving the primary goal of the study (Degenaar, 2004). In achieving its primary aim of integrating ethics in selection and recruitment process, the study used an integrated model. Consequently, the research used a reconstruction and concept analysis methods to help develop the primary objective of achieving an incorporation of ethical practice in selection and recruitment process. The technique of data analysis entailed two imperative steps including identification of common elements and theory analysis with relevance to establishing an integrated model of practicing ethical considerations during selection and recruitment process. Methods of Achieving Validity The main method that the research would adopt in achieving validity entails using qualitative evaluation approach. The approach would apply Lawsche’s technique in determining the content validity of the integrated model (Dwivedi, 2008). The technique uses an evaluation panel of experienced professionals to test the content and workability of proposed integrated model. The evaluation panel would evaluate the integrated model based on various questions designed to answer workability of the proposed model. However, it is fundamental to note that a proposed model may not have specified validity and only relies on its developers trust. The items of questions presented to the panel for evaluation include very applicable or important (McPhail, 2007). After choosing the items, the researcher conducts determination and subsequent judging based on content validity ration (CVR) of the main items in relation to number of panel members (Wankel & Malleck, 2012). As the number of panel increases beyond 50 percent, content validity also increases. Findings Relationship to Literature In literature, ethical practice is a commitment that when practiced by organizations during recruitment and selection process, the ultimate results are profitable. Literature describes the integrated model as a function of the developers trust. Consequently, the main relationship between literature and the developed integrated model that incorporates ethics into recruitment and selection process is possibility of ethical practice. Literary texts affirm that there exists possibility of integrating ethics in human resource management for all organizations. Similarly, the proposed model gives a possibility of incorporating ethics in human resource management. Relationship to Theory Theoretically, ethical practice depends on decisions made by an organization and its human resource managers during recruitment and selection of employees. An organization that practices ethics consequently benefits from a loyal, trustworthy, customer-oriented, and honest employee-base (Deb, 2006). The theory of ethical practice in human resource management has similarity to the developed model that incorporates ethics during recruitment and selection process. The integrated model through a three-phased process ensures that employees recruited or selected by an organization are the competent and most qualified amongst all applicants. Relationship to practice In practice, it is impossible to determine the validity of a model. However, a developed integrated model only has higher content when developers trust it. Consequently, the relationship that exists between the developed integrated model and practice relates to its ability of incorporating ethics in recruitment and selection process depending on trust and application by human resource managers. It is important to note that though development of a model capable of incorporating ethics into recruitment and selection process is a possibility, believe and trust of the proposed model increases its success and validity. Management Plan, Timeline, Feasibility The study is feasible through use of the developed integrated model and an organization that seeks for new employees. Effective use of the model through its three phases would ensure incorporation ethics during the recruitment and selection process. The timeline of implementing the developed depends on an organizations schedule for the recruitment process if they effectively follow the guidelines of the model. The organization implementing integrated model should develop a management plan to practice ethics in an effective and considerate manner. References Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, interviewing, selecting & orienting new employees. New York: American Management Association. Brand, H. E. (2008). Proposing and evaluating a model for ethical recruitment and selection. Journal of Contemporary Management, 5, 205-222. Deb, T. (2006). Strategic approach to human resource management: Concept, tools and application. New Delhi: Atlantic. Degenaar, W. (2004). The development of a model that incorporates ethics in the recruitment and selection process (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria). Dwivedi, Y. K. (2008). Consumer adoption and usage of broadband. Hershey, PA: IRM Press. McPhail, S. M. (2007). Alternative validation strategies: Developing new and leveraging existing validity evidence. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wankel, C., & Malleck, S. K. (2012). Ethical models and applications of globalization: Cultural, socio-political and economic perspectives. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Read More