Strengths and Weaknesses of different Interview Modes - Assignment Example

Running Head: Strengths and Weaknesses of different Interview Modes Interview is a very important tool in research data collection. The qualitative nature of the data collected defines the importance of a scientific approach in conducting the interview. For instance, in a study on ‘The Impact of Employee Participation for Transparency in the Hiring and Promotion Process of Public Agencies’, the responses to the questions are not expected to produce quantifiable data. The responses to the questions will rather provide the researcher information which qualifies as insights in probing the research question that the study poses.

Thus, the interview process has to combine with the systematic analytical skills of the interviewer. In this process of analysis, there are number of associated elements which come to the aid of the interviewer in the case of a face to face interview. Kvalve (1996) has opined that the process of a research interview includes techniques to understand and describe the meanings underlying the central themes on which the interview is based on. This means that the process of interview does not limit to the direct outputs from the interviewee.

The important task in an interview is analyzing the meaning of the direct inputs from the interviewee. However, for this to happen in a proper manner, there are a number of other factors which contribute towards it. The physical setting of the interview is one of the most important out of these elements. The success of an interview in bringing out reliable qualitative information depends largely on the trust that the interviewee has on the interviewee and the associated systems. In this context, the physical environment influences the perception of the interviewee.

Thus it is important to have a trustworthy physical environment (Kvalve ,1996). This creates a positive space for the conduct of the interview. A face to face interview allows the researcher to select an interview space with this fact being considered. Based on the nature of the research question being probed, the space plays an important role. The process requires the active and positive involvement of the interviewee. Without a proper setting, this involvement is difficult to develop. Thus a face to face interview becomes of more advantage for the research process than any other mode of interviews including phone interviews and video conferences.

Though settings like phone interviews and video conferences provides the provision of convenience in terms of time, travel etc, the setting in which the interviewee involves in the process, can largely hinder the information transfer (Kvalve ,1996). For instance, in an interview which expects to enquire very personal information, video conferencing done from a public space won’t serve the purpose. Kvalve (1996) states that the purpose of a qualitative research interview is to understand the inner meanings of the responses of the interviewee and to further analyze the interviewee’s responses.

For this to happen, the researcher has to understand the context in which the response was made. Here the body language of the responder conveys the inner meaning of the responses. Thus it is important for the researcher to carefully observe and interpret the body language and other non verbal means of expressions that are made during the response (Atkinson, and Heritage, 1984). The same response with two extreme body languages will have entirely different meanings. A direct face to face interview has the provision of this sort of an observation and interpretation.

In cases like phone interview there won’t be provisions for non verbal communication. Thus it has the danger of limiting the output to peripheral level information (Raudonis, 1992). Moreover, as interviews are more personal form of research than other forms of data collection including questionnaires and surveys, the face to face mode of interview becomes more meaningful. However, telephonic interviews and video conferences help the researcher to have rapid data collection. The process is faster and convenient in terms of time, space and travel.

In cases where there are a number of interviews to be held, this mode would help the researcher save time. A major limitation of telephonic interviews and video conferences are that one cannot maintain the interest of the interviewee for a long time over an indirect media. Thus the interviews can only be short wherein other cases the interviewee would feel it as an intrusion into his or her space and time. Moreover every one need not have access to telephone and video conferencing systems. There could be technical interferences in the process of telephonic and video interviews as well.

Raudonis (1992) considered research interviewing as a balanced relationship involving disclosure, trust, and awareness of potential ethical issue. As both these media acts as an external medium between the researcher and the interviewee, the possibility of building this relationship is minimal. It is also quite possible that the interviewee may have questions over the privacy of the information being shared. References Atkinson, J. M., and J. C. Heritage, eds. (1984). Structures of social action: Studies in conversation analysis.

Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews. An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. CA: Sage Raudonis, B.M.(1992). Ethical considerations in qualitative research with hospice patients. Qualitative Health Research, 2(2), 238-249. Running Head: The Interview Schedule, Summary of the Responses and the Review of Interview Schedule 1. Name………………………Age………………………Gender……… 2. How long had you been working with Social Security Administration? 3. Are you happy working with Social Security Administration? 4. How many Service Representative Employees work in your office? 5. What are the commonest forms hiring and promotion strategy undertaken by the Social Security Administration in recruiting employees that you know of? 6. Who are the major stakeholders in the hiring and promotion process of the agency? 7. How do you think you are a part of the hiring and promotion policy? 8. Since you have been an Employee of the Social Security Administration, how many employees have been hired and in how many occasions? 9. Has there been any promotion since these employees were hired? 10. Were you ever asked your opinion on the ongoing hiring and promotion policy at Social Security Administration?

Please Explain 11. How do you think you or your colleagues can contribute to the hiring and promotion system?” 12. Do you think that your inclusion in the hiring and promotion system will make things better? How” 13. How often the Social Security Administration hires new employees? 14. How did the Social Security Administration proceed in the hiring of these new employees? 15. How significant will an action research based on the use of “Employee Participation” in hiring and promotion over other forms of research types? 16. How fair is the promotion policy of the Social Security Administration? 17. What criteria the Social Security Administration uses to promote employees? 18. How transparent do you feel that the hiring and promotion process is? 19. If you disagree with the hiring and promotion process, is there any ways for improvement? 20. Do you think that seating on a board that would include members of your SR Unit, your immediate Supervisor, a member of management, and your union representative in determining the “Best Qualified Candidate” for hiring and promotion would be the best way of implementation in the process for transparency and ethical values? 21. Would you be willing to seat on a board in order to determine the best qualified candidate for a hiring and promoting position of the Service Representative Unit? 22. Can you enumerate the demographic repartition of all employees in your office? 23. Would you recommend a balance in the ethnic background of all employees in your office? 24. Your final Comment or advices regarding the transparency in hiring and promotion at Social Security.

Summary of the Responses Acker (2006) has defined organizational inequality as “systematic disparities between participants in power and control over goals, resources, and outcomes; workplace decisions such as how to organize work; opportunities for promotion and interesting work; security in employment and benefits; pay and other monetary rewards; respect; and pleasures in work and work relations”. The extent of disparities in these factors will differ with organisations. The interview schedule tried to understand the organizational inequality at Social Security Administration (SSA) in Atlanta Region in terms of inclusion of the employees in the recruitment and promotion.

The interview schedule was sent to over1416 Service Representative (SR) Employees of Social Security Administration (SSA) throughout the Atlanta Region in over 239 offices. The response rate achieved was 70 percent. Sixty percent of the respondents were aware of the common entry and promotion mechanisms which existed in the department. However, majority of them felt that they themselves had no role in this process except for having the information on the recruitment and promotion process. As the department has predefined policies for recruitment and promotion, the employees are educated on the same in the empowerment programs they had through the years of their service.

The policies have been posted on the website of SSA as well. Moreover, the response implies that the employee participation in the process is limited to the information on the hiring process. As the Service Representatives are staffs directly dealing with public, many of the respondents feel that the requirements of the position are well understood by Service Representatives themselves than another stakeholder. Ninety percent of the respondents feel that they are not consulted on setting the prerequisites for the job.

They opine that their participating in formulating the recruitment policy can help SSA select people who precisely fit into the profile of Service Representative. In terms of transparency in promotions, the participants felt that the policy should include more employee friendly norms. Chapman A, (2006) has mentioned that organizations, managers, bosses and business owners should think first about exploring ways to align the aims of the business with the total life needs of its employees. The relevance of Equality Action in organisations has been realised by management researchers.

Equality action became a largely discussed policy by the early 1990s (Dickens, 1999). Almost all of the respondents agreed upon the relevance of the research on Employee Participation. They feel that the research would result in observations which would lead to a more participatory organizational setup. A large majority of respondents demanded change in the current recruitment and promotion policy. Many opined that there was a huge gap in hierarchy between the recruitment and promotion policy makers and the beneficiaries.

This gap would mean that the board id blinded on the information on the performance of the candidates. There was however, mixed responses about the immediate superior being in the board. The researcher assumes that the respondent see a possibility of manipulation based on the perception of the immediate boss. In the classical meritocratic organizational discourse, an employee is counted meritorious once he or she is able to grasp an opportunity by using these traits (Liff & Wajcman 1996). There were a few responses demanding a more tangible format for assessing the performance of the employees.

It was opined that a free ended qualitative assessment leads to biases in the performance analysis. It can be inferred here that the employees are demanding a more transparent format in determining the promotion and employability criteria. A scientific human resource auditing would help by serving as a benchmark for this assessment. The Human Resource Audit is a scientific tool for evaluating the personnel activities of an organization. (Ashwatappa K (2002). It would further help to create an increased acceptance in the recruitment and promotion policies in the organization.

It should be ensured that ensure the coordination between the employees is made sure in terms of the human resource policies. The internal operational communication, external operational communication and personal communication is quite vital in ensuring the efficacy of any organizational process. (Lesikar R & Flatley M, 2002). There were only a few respondents who agreed to be a part of the active decision making process. The question on the willingness to represent the employees in the selection and promotion board yielded very few positive responses.

The researcher assumes that this is because of the attitude that being in the board meant extra responsibilities. However, this does not contradict the general observation of the study that employee participation in hiring and promotion in public sector departments would bring forth positive organizational outcomes. Literature in the area also supports the observations made by the study. Lamperes (2004) has suggested ten strategies pertaining to organizational empowerment and learning. It included: ‘sharing information’, ,sharing decision making’, ‘practicing consensus decision making’, ‘developing consensus on budget’, ‘creating a common vision’, ‘developing shared beliefs’, ‘allowing employees to direct their professional growth’, ‘empowering stakeholders’, ‘understanding customer needs’ and ‘developing symbols of empowerment’.

Here it must be noted that inclusion of employees in the recruitment and promotion would involve all these ten strategies. The organizational policies should allow space for the capacity building of its staff. Erickson, Hamilton, Jones and Ditomassi (2006, 96-104) have stated that the process of empowerment happens when the team leaders engage their staff in ways that would promote personal and professional growth. . The basic concept of staff empowerment is to build a healthily functional, dedicated and motivated human resource team with an increased sense of productivity.

(Copp, Agpaoa, Carvalho and Pfeiffer, 2004). The policies of the organizations should include the key inputs like Skills, Education, Development, Ethics, Attitudinal changes, and Decision making and problem solving skills (Ashwatappa, 2004). This as suggested by Fleck (1994, 637-651) would provide organizational learning opportunities among staff and also across the organizations. Review of the interview Schedule A major limitation of the interview schedule is the lack of a warm opening. This is giving the schedule an impersonal outlook.

The low response rate must have been a result of this. The participants are blinded on the objective of the research. As the research question would have been perceived by the participants to fetch favorable results for them, the responses would have been biased in this line. Another major limitation is that the research question is addressing the perception of the employees but not other stakeholders. The other stakeholders including the recruitment board and promotion board have not been included as respondents.

However, within the limited range of respondent population, the responses are addressing the research question quite well. The interview schedule could thus collect data which could further be analyzed to arrive at conclusions addressing the research question. Thus the interview schedule has been effective as a research tool. The set of questions in the interview schedule has a logical sequence helping the respondents to develop a perspective before they attempt the questions. However, a proper conclusion to the schedule seems to be lacking.

In terms of clarity of language, the schedule is communicating well with the respondents. References Fleck, J., (1994), Learning by Trying: the implementation of configurational technology, Research Policy, 23, 637-652 Lamperes, B ., (2004),10 Strategies for Staff Empowerment, Principal Leadership, 4(6) 32-37 Ashwatappa, K., (2002), ‘Human Resource Audit, In Ashwatappa K (Ed) Human Resource and Personnel Management, Tata McGraw-Hill, NewDelhi p.555-562 Chapman, A., (2006), Organizational change, training and learning: Modern principles of change management, and effective employee training and development in organizations, Viewed 06 January 2014, http://www.

businessballs.com/organizationalchange.htm Lesikar, R. and Flatley, M., (2002), Basic Business Communication, Tata McGraw-Hill, NewDelhi p.5-15 Acker, J. (2006) 'Inequality Regimes: Gender, Class and Race in Organizations, Gender and Society, 20(4): 441-464 Dickens, L. (1999) Beyond the Business Case: A Three-Pronged Approach to Equality Action, Human Resource Management Journal , 9( 1) 9-19 Erickson, J I. Hamilton, G A. Jones, D E. Ditomassi, M. (2006).The value of collaborative governance/staff empowerment.

Journal of Nursing Admin 33(2) 96-104. Copp, C R . Agpaoa, C. Carvalho, S & Pfeiffer, W., (2004) Staff Empowerment: A Prescription For Success, The Permanente Journal,7(4) Liff, S & Judy W (1996) ‘“Sameness” and “difference” revisited: Which way forward for equal opportunity initiatives?’. Journal of Management Studies 33(1) 79–94. Running Head: Developing and Testing Data Collection Tool It is important that the data collection tool is scientifically designed and tested so that it produces valid and reliable data.

A scientifically valid tool is expected to measure the respondents’ attributes with precision. In case of any variation in the survey responses with reference to these attributes, the data won’t represent the sample population. This difference is referred to as measurement error (Groves, 1987). There are several studies which suggests that a number of published studies does not qualify in terms of validity sand reliability of the data collection tool (Radhakrishna, Leite, and Baggett ,2003).

The first step in developing a data collection tool is the proper analysis of the research objectives. The research questions, the hypothesis and the setting of the study have to be properly understood. An ethical understanding of the methodological discourses also has to be maintained as important background information in the process of designing the data collection tool. A very important point to be considered is the indicators that would lead to information about the subject population. The tool has to be designed according to their level of understanding and analytical skills.

Though a one on one understanding is not possible in the accord, a general understanding on the level of the audience has to be obtained. It is also important to collect background information on related areas of research. A through literature review would serve this purpose. The nest stage is to develop questions to be added in the data collection tool. The information and the theoretical framework compiled from the literature review can be used as the background for forming these questions.

These questions must relate back to the objectives of the study. The major dependent and independent variables which are to be measured are identified as queries to collect data on them have to be incorporated in the questions. Esposito (2002) has opined that unscientific approach in developing the questions can undermine the quality of the data. The scales of measurement and analysis are defined at the next stage. The quantification and qualification of the variables, its methods and the scale has to be defined at this stage.

Testing the data collection tool is important so to ensure that the data collection tool fetches information which can be further analyzed to address the research question. Any gap in this should be addressed at this stage. The validity of the interview schedule has to be analyzed. Norland (1990) defines validly as the quantification of built-in or systemic error in measurement. There are several methods which are used to check the validity. One of the most effective methods is field testing the data collection tool (Collins, 2003).

The tool is field tested for the content that it is generating, the appropriateness for the intended sample population and the generic outlook. The readability of the interview schedule is also assessed. The final step is assessing the reliability of the tool using a pilot test. The data collection tool is tried on a small sample size and the data collected is analyzed using customized software to confirm the consistency and reliability. References Esposito, J. L. (2002 November). Interactive, multiple-method questionnaire evaluation research: A case study.

Paper presented at the International Conference in Questionnaire Development, Evaluation, and Testing (QDET) Methods. Charleston, SC. Groves, R. M., (1987). Research on survey data quality. Public Opinion Quarterly, 51, 156-172. Norland-Tilburg, E. V. (1990). Controlling error in evaluation instruments. Journal of Extension, 28(2) Radhakrishna, R. B. Francisco, C. L., & Baggett. C. D. (2003). An analysis of research designs used in agricultural and extension education. Proceedings of the 30th National Agricultural Education Research Conference, 528-541.

Radhakrishna, R (2007),Tips for Developing and Testing Questionnaires/Instruments, Journal of Extension, 45 ( 1) Collins ,D. (2003),Pretesting survey instruments: An overview of cognitive methods, Quality of Life Research 12(3), p.229-238