Critical Analysis of CIPD Survey - Essay Example

? Critical Analysis of CIPD Survey Table of contents Introduction 3 Part Analysis case, sampling 3 Part 2 – Social economic 9 Conclusion 12 References 14 Introduction The effectiveness of business research, as also of the research related to other sectors, is depended on certain criteria. The validity of data employed is critical in order to decide whether a business research project is credible or not. In addition the methods used for data analysis need to be reviewed and evaluated. In any case, the ability of a research project to meet the targets set by the researchers has to be checked. In current paper reference is made to a particular research project: the ‘Annual Survey Report 2012 - Resourcing and Talent Planning’ of CIPD. Particular emphasis is given on two specific aspects of the above research project: a) its statistical analysis and sampling and b) its ability to explain clearly the impact of social/ economic change on resourcing and talent management. In terms of the first of the above issues, the particular project can be characterized as successful; still, certain improvements would be possible so that the level of quality of the project is further increased. As of its scope, the project has managed to respond to the vision of its designers, showing clearly the interaction between the social/ economic change and the talent management/ resourcing. Literature related to the specific subject has been used for critically exploring the issues highlighted above. Part 1 – Analysis case, sampling Before explaining the appropriateness of statistical analysis and sampling methods used in the particular research project it would be necessary to present the key characteristics of this project, as of the above two elements. The survey has been based on the responses of 522 organizations operating in different sectors across UK (case study, p.34). In fact, organizations in ‘the private, public and voluntary sectors in UK’ (case study, p.34) have been asked to state their view in regard to the 42 questions included in the survey’s questionnaire (case study, p.34). Particular emphasis has been also based on the size of companies involved. As explained in the case study, 6 different categories of firms have been addressed in the context of the particular survey. These categories are presented in Table 1 below. Table 1 – Types of firms used in the survey based on the number of their employees (Source: case study, p.36) The above table indicates an important characteristic of the particular research project, as differentiated from the organization’s similar research project of 2011. For its survey of 2012 CIPD has focused on medium size firms and not on small firms, as in 2011. Indeed, in the organization’s survey for 2012 emphasis has been given on firms with 1,000-4,999 employees instead of firms with 10-49 and 50-249 employees. The above differentiation is expected to influence, even slightly, the findings of the research at the level that employees in medium size firms have to face different organizational conditions. Also, the needs and HRM practices of medium firms have to be different, at least at certain points, from those of the small firms. More specifically, the operation of small firms is based on families, meaning that each small firm is usually administered by a single family so that the control over the firm is secured. Another characteristic of the firm’s sampling method is the choice of organizations operating in different areas of UK (Table 2 below). Efforts have been also made so that organizations from different industrial sectors are employed in the study, as indicated in the Table presented in page 35 of the case study. These practices show the efforts of the researchers to guarantee the credibility of findings, as indicators of the resourcing and talent management practices held across UK. The quality and the effectiveness of sampling in the particular research project are analyzed below using appropriate literature. Table 2 – Areas covered by the survey (Source: case study, p.36) Before proceeding to the evaluation of the project’s sampling methods it would be necessary to present, briefly, the project’s statistical analysis tools. Then, these tools will be also critically discussed, as of their effectiveness, using relevant literature. The survey developed in the context of the particular research project is based on a questionnaire that includes 42 questions. CIPD has calculated the average responses of these organizations to each of these questions. These average figures have been presented through tables; each table focuses on a particular theme of the survey. At the same time, CIPD has asked the respondents to provide full details in regard to the number of leavers, as compared to the number of workers, for a particular period (case study, p.36). Only 143 respondents offered full details, so that labour turnover could be measured only for those respondents (case study, p.36). This fact could probably harm the credibility of the survey, an issue that it is further discussed below. It should be noted that two different statistical tests are used, ‘Chi-square tests and Spearman’s Rho correlation’ (case study, p.37) for securing the credibility of findings. After presenting the key characteristics of the project in terms of its sampling and statistical analysis methods, it would be necessary to proceed to the evaluation of these methods using relevant literature. In quantitative studies, the quality of sampling is of critical importance for securing the credibility of results (Deming 1990). In the particular research project, which is based on quantitative research, the following issues should be taken into consideration: a) ‘availability of respondents’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.183); in the case under examination the specific issue is not easy to be explored since no explanations are given in regard to the availability of respondents. More specifically, it is not explained whether this number reflects the organizations that were approached for participating in the research or only those that accepted to participate in the specific project. In this way, it cannot be checked whether all respondents, from those who were asked to state their view in the survey’s questions, accepted this proposal. This point is considered as a weakness of the sampling process used in the particular research project; b) ‘size of sample’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.183); in terms of the size of its sample the research project of CIPD can be characterized as of high quality, being based on the views of 522 organizations, as explained above; c) ‘range of sample’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.183). The term ‘range of sample’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.183) can be used for reflecting different characteristics of the sample, according to the area in which a research project is involved (Bryman and Bell 2007). In the specific project, the range of sample could reflect: c1) the size of organizations/ respondents, c2) the sector in which these organizations operate and c3) the area where these organizations are based. In regard to all the above issues, the research project of CIPD can be characterized as quite credible and of high quality at the level that emphasis has been given on including respondents from all regions across UK and from different industrial sectors, as analyzed earlier. Also, organizations of different size have been involved in the research, with special reference to organizations of medium size, in the context described above; d) identification of ‘probability sample’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.185). The criteria for identifying the probability sample are not described in the research project; it can be assumed that a simple random sample has been used as the basis for identifying the study’s probability sample (Bryman and Bell 2007). The simple random sample is produced using the following equation: n/N, where ‘n is the sample size and N is the population size’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.186). This approach for identifying a firm’s probability sample is quite common and has been effectively used in this study, even if the use of this approach is not made clear. At this point also, the quality of the research project can be considered as high at the level that the findings produced have been processed using different methods of statistical analysis, as explained below. At this point, the statistical analysis methods used in the specific project would be evaluated. The statistical analysis methods used in business research projects are not standardized, depending on the resources available and the time framework of each project (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson 2012). The literature that has been published in the specific field shows clearly a trend for high variation in the tools used for analyzing data gathered in the context of business research. At a first level, a different approach for data analysis needs to be employed for quantitative research projects, as compared with the research projects based on qualitative research (Bryman and Bell 2007). Also, all research projects need to be aligned with one of the philosophies held in the specific field (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson 2012). For example, for the project under examination reference would be made to the internal realism that highlights the existence of ‘a single reality which is quite difficult for scientists to assess’ (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson 2012, p.15), emphasizing on the use of tools that can help the public to understand at least certain aspects of the above reality (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson 2012). Meeting the terms of a research philosophy would be a priority for the researcher in all phases of a research project, including the sampling and the statistical analysis part of such project. According to Mennen (2010) there are three key research philosophies that can be involved in research projects: ‘positivism, interpretivism and realism’ (Mennen 2010, p.10). The research project under examination seems to be closer to realism and especially the internal realism, as explained above. In regard to the statistical analysis methods used in the paper, those could be also characterized as quite effective, taken into consideration the size of population and the high range of data involved, as analyzed earlier. One of the study’s tables can be used as an example to show the effectiveness of the methods used for analyzing the data retrieved through the particular projects (Table 3 below). Table 3 – Presentation of the findings in regard to one of the survey’s questions (Source: case study, p.7) In the above table, data gathered is presented using two different criteria: the size of organizations and the sector where each organization operates. In the above table, the use of the Spearman’s rho, the statistical method analysis used in this project (case study, p.37), can be characterized as quite appropriate, at the level that the specific method of statistical analysis reflects responses that can be either positive or negative, as in the particular case. At the same time, Chi-square tests that have been also used in the particular project, increase the credibility of the findings, since these tests tend to be used along with other statistical analysis tools, ‘for securing a study’s validity and credibility’ (Bryman and Bell 2007, p.364). Through the above methods of statistical analysis a clear explanation of the responses of the participants is given in regard to the particular question. Also, the differences in the responses according to the characteristics of respondents are made clear to the readers, a fact that leads to the better understanding of the issues under discussion. For the above reasons, the choice of the particular statistical analysis tools can be characterized as fully justified. The only drawback of the research project is that the involvement of the Labour turnover rate in the specific question, as this turnover has been estimated through an appropriate equation (case study, p.36), is not clear. Part 2 – Social economic At the next level, it would be necessary to explain the level at which the impact of social/ economic change on resourcing and talent management is clearly explained through the study under examination. Two of the study’s tables could be used, as examples, to explore the above issue. Table 4 – Impact of economic changes on resourcing (Source: case study, p.21) Table 5 – Changes to talent management in the last 12 months (Source: case study, p.22) The two tables presented above refer to both talent management and resourcing, as related to social/ economic changes. In Table 4, reference is made to the impact of economic climate on organizations in terms of the funds available for resourcing initiatives. The specific Table can be characterized as satisfactory, providing critical information on the level of resourcing budgets of firms operating in the public, private and the voluntary sector. However, Table 4 should be followed by tables referring to the relevant budgets of the organizations using different criteria, meaning the size and the geographical area of organizations involved. These tables could be numbered as Table 4a, Table 4b and so on, showing their interaction for offering a clear view in regard to economic climate and the resourcing budgets of the respondents. The use of ‘thematic analysis’ (Hardy and Bryman 2009, p.562), along with existing tools of statistical analysis, could help the researchers to explain clearly the relationship between the economic climate and the resourcing budgets of respondents. The choice of variables that would explain clearly all aspects of the relation between economic climate and resourcing could be part of the thematic analysis mentioned above, so that the success of the specific tool is secured. From this point of view, the firm has failed in providing clear explanations of the impact of economic change on resourcing, as a critical organizational process. At the next level, the researchers have failed in highlighting the impact of social changes on talent management, a fact that it is made clear through Table 5. In the above table a problem similar to that described earlier, in regard to Table 4 is presented. More specifically, in Table 5 the changes on talent management are presented by referring only to three different categories of organizations, as in Table 4. No reference is made to the types of the changes mentioned, i.e. whether they are social or economic changes while no reference is made to each particular type of organization, as based on the organization’s size and location. In this way, Table 5 can be used only for understanding that talent management has been changed but it is not clear whether these changes have been resulted because of economic or because of social factors. As made clear through the above tables, the understanding of the impact of social/ economic change on resourcing and talent management is depended on the use of variables that are relevant to the particular theme, meaning that through these variables the reader can understand whether the social/ economic change has affected or not the resourcing and talent management. In other words, the appropriateness of variables for highlighting the specific issue should be evaluated. According to Hair et al. (2011, p.134) ‘variables represent the characteristics measured by a single statement’. On the other hand, ‘variables need to be linked to specific facts that are observable’ (Hair et al. 2011, p.134). As already noted, in order for the variables to help a research project to achieve certain targets it would be necessary to be combined with other tools; in the specific project, the introduction of additional variables would be combined with thematic analysis so that the relationship between social/ economic changes and the resourcing and talent management practices to become clear. In addition, as the researchers explain, the equation used for the calculation of labour turnover in the organizations/ respondents has an important disadvantage: it does not take into consideration the characteristics of the workforce (case study, p.36). However, the labour turnover has not been measured for all respondents since the latter have failed in providing the data required for developing such task (case study, p.36). Based on the above fact, it can be assumed that the findings of the research do not reflect, at least not fully, the impact of social/ economic change on resourcing and talent management. Conclusion When having to evaluate a business research project, a series of issues need to be addressed. When emphasis need to be given to specific aspects of the project, as in the case under examination, then the criteria used need to be carefully chosen. In terms of its sampling characteristics, the research project of CIPD can be characterized as quite effective. The drawbacks that have been identified are not considered as critical, at least not at such point that the credibility of the project would be affected. Reference is made specifically to the lack of clear explanation on the sample probability method employed and the lack of explaining of the number of organizations that were initially approached in regard to the particular project. Moreover, in terms of the statistical analysis methods used the specific project can be considered as successful, using statistical analysis techniques that were more relevant to the research method chosen as explained earlier. The key weakness of the research project of CIPD seems to be its inability to show clearly the level of impact of social/ economic change on resourcing and talent management. However, this failure could be eliminated by simply analyzing more effectively the findings of the research and not by making major changes; for example, no need for changing the variables would exist, as critically discussed above. References Bryman, A. And Bell, E., 2007. Business Research Methods. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Deming, E., 1990. Sample Design in Business Research. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Jackson, P., 2012. Management Research. London: SAGE. Hair, J., Celsi, M., Money, A., Samouel, P. and Page, M., 2011. Essentials of Business Research Methods. 2nd ed. New York: M.E. Sharpe. Hardy, M. and Bryman, A., 2009. Handbook of Data Analysis. London: SAGE Publications. Kothari, C., 2009. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. 2nd ed. New Delhi: New Age International. Mennen, M., 2010. Applied Research Methods for Business and Management - Job Satisfaction. Munich: GRIN Verlag. Read More