How Do the Training Method Affect Staff Performance at Peninsula Hong Kong - Thesis Proposal Example

UDB Independent Studies Proposal & Request for Ethical Approval Please complete this proposal form in no more than 3500words. Submit this proposal form when completed, to Turn It In via Moodle under the independent study section, as explained in the video tutorial available on Moodle in the BA Programme General Information section. Your proposal form will be graded and feedback made available via Moodle. 1. Your Name: 2. Programme name and code 3. Contact Info Email: Telephone No: Address: 4. Module name and code 5. Name of project supervisor 6. Title or topic area of proposed study Human Capital Systems and Strategy in Practice: An evaluation of the impact of Training Methods on Staff Performance in the Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong 7. What are the aim and objectives of your study? Effects of training employees by an organisations can be felt on their performance in their daily routine work, and for Peninsula Hotel, this can be observed through effective service delivery amongst others. Hence the objectives of this study are as follows: 1. To investigate the impact of training employees on service delivery 2. To evaluate the impact of training on employee performance 3. To determine the measure the employee performance in the service industry 4. To ascertain impact of training methods on staff performance in the Peninsula Hotel. 8. Brief review of relevant literature and rationale for study: list references of approximately 6 publications that you view to be key publications focusing on your research topic. On this list, include a minimum of 4 key methodology references. This list should be alphabetised and stapled to the back of the proposal form. (You should not attach copies of the publications). Training Organisations can create and improve the performance of their employee through the provision of comprehensive training and development. A number of literatures have indicated that investment in training of employees in teamwork, decision-making, problem solving and in refresher programme in their own job specification can enhance their efforts to the organisation (Armstrong, 2012). According to Saks, Haccoun & Belcourt (2011), traning of employees has a significant impact on employee performance. Peninsula Hotel can create and enhance the quality of their current crop of employee throguh a provision ofcomprehensive training and development. In an organisationa study, (Yamauchi, 2012) established that training was positively correlated with the sales volume. The business impact of employee training can be therefore be quantified and established as huge (Armstrong, 2012). Training methods and curricula can vary from one industry to another and from one organisation to another, but the bottom line of any training program should be defined by the effectiveness. Effective training methods should be systematic and yet continuous, and this means that training should always be perceived as a long term commitment, rather being taken irregularly. Appraisal of employee and organizational needs and the business strategies must be conducted, and thereafter used in the process of identifying methods of training and participants. Trading methods that are aligned to employee and organizational objectives and needs will lead to huge success than those that do not seek this object. Training of employee would be structured such that it is based on the results of assessments of their work. Performance Performance of an employee can be measured using different metrics; one can use accounting values to measure employee performance, customer satisfaction survey can also convey employee performance amongst others. Since Peninsula Hotel is the service industry, both customer satisfaction survey and accounting valuation cab be appropriate in establishing employee performance (Unger, et al., 2011. Organizations are often compelled to operate in world that transforms quickly, and as such it is vital that a company must have employees who are up to date with the changes as well posses’ necessary qualification and experience to surmount nay change. The success and prosperity of an organization id highly dependent on skilled, knowledgeable and up-to-date employees, particularly those with hospitality and service industry (Ford, 2012). This is why training of employees becomes a necessity, fundamental and effective technique in the pursuit of an organization’s targets. Training improves targets and provides employees with the opportunity to keep abreast of what is required from them so as to competently improve their performance and increase organizational performance. Training design implies the level to which training has been developed and delivered in manner that provides employees under training with the capability to transfer what they have learnt to their workstations. Holton, Bates & Naquin (2000), assert that a cog in the transfer design is the level to which training instructions fit job requirements. The amount of investments made into a firm’s acquisition and development of human capital has a direct bearing on the growth and profitability of firms (Unger, et al., 2011). In this process, it has been identified from empirical studies that the best option for firms in the hotel industry is to engage in programs that increase and fit firm-specific human capital to attain and retain competitive advantage and also continue to grow to meet new targets (Russell, et al., 2012). Ployhart and Moliterno (2011) identify that there are three main levels within which an organization could classify its human capital, viz – micro, intermediate and macro levels. Each of these levels has various forms of the manifestation of individual skills, knowledge, ability and other characteristics (Ployhart & Moliterno, 2011). At the micro level, we look at the specific skills and competencies, relevant to the work or task of a given worker in an organization. At the intermediate level, the focus is on the way the worker blends with other units within the organization. Finally, the macro level is about how the contributions of a given worker or a group of workers contribute to the competitive posture of the firm. Therefore, a firm will have a human capital strategy and human capital model in order to optimize its performance levels and maintain a competitive posture. This strategy will be linked to the targets and strategic plans of the firm and will be programmed to meet the individual, group and organizational activity framework. Development Training and development are two important elements and aspects of learning and improvement of performance in organizations (Mumford, et al., 2012). Basically, training is about getting employees to know about new things whilst development is about improving certain competencies and skills of workers (Mumford, et al., 2012). This is a dichotomy that draws balances between the nature and nurture debate whereby inherent abilities of people are brought to life whilst other abilities learnt on the job are improved and enhanced (Cartwright, 2013). Training therefore aims at helping people to master various tasks whilst development is about attaining experience and reflecting on those experiences to grow (Cartwright, 2013). Various approaches include education, coaching, mentoring and seminars which are ways and means for training and enhancing the competencies of workers in an organization. Most training and development processes come with a strategy that dictates the way and the approach that must be employed to assess and evaluate the training process of an organization (Rajkumar, 2009). This implies that there is a major need to assess the realistic needs of the organization in order to position the firm to attain results. Other authorities also argue that the best approach and method used by firms to understand and set training and development targets and goals is by examining the external needs of the firm in order to formulate the best process for training (Kozlowski & Salas, 2013). This is because there is the need for the realistic formulation of training targets that will bring to bear important results and standards for the organization. Performance management is therefore an important aspect of training and development and procedures (Saks, et al., 2011). This is because performance management creates a basis for the conduct of thorough analysis and evaluation of important needs of the firm in order to provide the basis for change and improvement. Strategic human resource management is also important because it links training and development to the main needs and desires of a firm or organization (Saks, et al., 2011). This will enable the firm to identify important standards for the modification of the training and development process of an organization. In this research, strategic human resource management forms the basis for the documentation of human capital and also provides a realistic approach to evaluate and assess human resource development in the right and appropriate perspective. Evaluating Training and Development The idea of learning curve is based on the premise that all jobs are performed more efficiently and effectively if people get more experience in what they do on the job (Gopalakrishnan, 2012). “The learning curve shows the relationship of the number of units produced with labor hours required to produce them and permits the prediction of future costs” (Gopalakrishnan, 2012: 68). Therefore, the learning curve is about how much a unit of labor produces and how this changes over a period of time due to experience and exposure of the persons under evaluation and study. The first stage of the learning curve is when a person commences working for an organization without training and at this point a person produces in a crooked or uneven line (Mangal, 2013). The final stage of the learning curve occurs when a person produces efficiently in a straight line without any forms of crookedness in the learning curve. And this happens when a person completes work efficiently without having to go through any kinds of challenges and stress. This happens after successive reinforcement of activities after several activities. This is studied over and over again in order to ensure that there are results attained without any failures. Here, efforts yield important results and there is some degree of consistency in the affairs and operations of an organization’s staff members. The learning curve is such that it is appropriate for the study of specific job roles on the micro level of production or employment (De Regt & Jeonelli, 2010). Thus, it can be done through the examination of the development of people’s activities in a firm and it provides a direct examination of the input and output relationship in the development of staff members. The main evaluation process for examining the results of trained personnel is the process of examining the worth of their contribution to work (Westbrook, et al., 2012). This is based on a direct input-output model that enables a human resource management unit of an organization to examine the level of inputs and compare them with the kind of outputs gained from the trained personnel. Trainee groups are therefore aggregated in most cases and in most situations and their inputs and outputs are either studied as a group or on an individual basis (Westbrook, et al., 2012). This shows that there is a major attempt to trace the kind of inputs and how it reflects in the working situation and work environment. Various studies show that in most cases, there is a better approach and a better system of evaluating things by using computer based processes and procedures (Henggeler, et al., 2013). Statistical techniques and skills are necessary in evaluating the results of training, but there are challenges in utilizing these methods because this shows major trends of aggregated matters (Ford, 2012). Thus, a good manager will have to find ways and means of setting metrics that will be used to examine and review important needs and expectations in order to provide results. 9. Outline of study design and methods The review above has asserted the significance of employee training for organizational productivity, and increased employee performance. Employee performance can be measured through accounting metrics and others such as customer satisfaction. The former can be obtained through survey of the customers, and for this study, questionnaire will be designed and sent to customers of the Peninsula Hotel to evaluate the impact of employee performance based on previous training. Peninsula Hotel prior to this study had conducted training for its front office staff for over two weeks, and events leading to the training customer satisfaction from employee observation had been given very low marks. From a population 400 visitors that visit the hotel daily through the front desk, this study will consider a random sample of 120 respondents. The questionnaire to be prepared will consist of ten questions each prodding degree of satisfaction with the quality of service offered by the employees of the Peninsula Hotel Research Methodology A research methodology provides a structured and disciplined approach in the study and evaluation of a given phenomenon (Kothari, 2010). This section will outline and provide a more practical review of the three phases of the research raised in the research design above that will be conducted. This will show how data will be collected and analyzed in order to complete the research and make inferences. The fundamental methodology will involve the analysis of the individual and collectivist contributions made by the workers of the company. The study will resort to qualitative study as customer satisfaction level cannot be quantified and will be analyzed through narrative analysis There will be an evaluation of these plans and systems to assess how the human capital system creates firm specific and human capital as well as programs that encourage these acts and processes. The human capital model will be documented and reviewed through a critical observation and interview with a top level HR staff member. This will provide an insight into the processes and systems and it will be documented in narrative notes and summarized for onward review and interpretation. The fundamental essence of the training and development of Hong Kong Peninsula will also be sourced from the in-house HR manager. This will culminate in the identification of the main ideas and concepts that the firm seeks to attain. This will also show the way the firm links its training activities with the actual operations of the firm. Also, the experience enhancement system of Hong Kong Peninsular will be assessed and evaluated in this aspect of the fieldwork through an interview and an observation section with a section of the firm’s management. This will show how training occurs and how experience is attained and enhanced. Additionally, the training and development strategy will be documented and from there, further analysis and reviews will be conducted. This will form the background of how performance management is linked to strategic human resource management processes and trends. This will be documented and insights will be made on how to conduct a critical review and analytical review of the findings. Based on the training and development targets and expectations, metrics and standards for the field work will be configured in specific terms and there will be as study of a sample of events and training and development processes that were integrated in the organization. The sample will be critiqued and evaluated in order to find the inputs and outputs. This will form the basis for the fieldwork that will be done and reviewed in order to assess the relationship between training and development and performance. 10. Research Ethics PROPOSALS INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS MUST ADDRESS QUESTIONS 10 - 14. Does the proposed study entail ethical considerations Yes (please circle as appropriate) If ‘No’ provide a statement below to support this position. If ‘Yes’ move on to Question 11. 11. Ethical Considerations: Please indicate how you intend to address each of the following in your study. Points and relate particularly to projects involving human participants. Guidance to completing this section of the form is provided at the end of the document. The study will include the collection of sensitive information about the internal matters and affairs of a strategic component of Hong Kong Peninsula. This will therefore imply that the data that will be collected will have to be carefully gathered and all the procedures must be done with the view of preserving the integrity of the respondents as well. a. Consent Consent is important because any activity that will be conducted will have to take into account the internal affairs and matters of Hong Kong Peninsula hotel. Thus, there will be the need for authorization to be gained from the hotel’s management. b. Deception Deception is problematic and it could potentially cause the process to be stalled. Therefore, this study will involve the gathering of information and careful consideration in order to prevent false or misleading acts. c. Debriefing The authorization for this study will require a series of discussions that will culminate in the debriefing of relevant authorities and persons in the study. d. Withdrawal from the investigation The respondents will be allowed to withdraw at any point in the process. However, cooperation will be encouraged. e. Confidentiality Information will be protected through the relevant Data Protection laws of Hong Kong. 12. Sample: Please provide a detailed description of the study sample, covering selection, number, age, and if appropriate, inclusion and exclusion criteria. A sample will be taken of three training programs, and its objectives. These programmes will be those that occurred over the past 3 years in the hotel and have proven results that have been documented. 13. Are payments or rewards/incentives going to be made to the participants? If so, please give details below. No 14. What study materials will you use? (Please give full details here of validated scales, bespoke questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group schedules etc and staple all materials to the back of the proposal) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Initial readings and literature review Request for authorization and permissions Conduct of initial data collection about Hong Kong Peninsular from third party documents Collation of information from the initial data collection Design of research model and data collection instruments Data Collection Analysis of data Review of findings Compilation of draft report Approval of report Final submission 15. What resources will you require? (e.g. psychometric scales, equipment, such as video camera, specialised software, access to specialist facilities, such as microbiological containment laboratories). Voice recorder and transcriber. Photocopier. 16. Have / Do you intend to request ethical approval from any other body/organisation ? Yes / No (please circle as appropriate) If ‘Yes’ – please give details below. Yes, we will need to seek permission from Hong Kong Peninsular. This will be done by writing to them officially for authorization. 17. The information supplied is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, accurate. I clearly understand my obligations and the rights of the participants. I agree to act at all times in accordance with University of Derby Code of Practice on Research Ethics http://www.derby.ac.uk/research/ethics/policy-document Date of submission……………………………….. Signature of applicant…………………………………………… Signature of project supervisor …………………………………………… PLEASE SUBMIT ALONG WITH THIS APPLICATION THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION WHERE APPROPRIATE (please tick to indicate the material that has been included or provide information as to why it is not available): Questionnaires/Interview schedules Covering letters/Information sheets Briefing and debriefing material Consent forms for participants Advice on completing the ethical considerations aspects of a programme of research Consent Informed consent must be obtained for all participants before they take part in your project. The form should clearly state what they will be doing, drawing attention to anything they could conceivably object to subsequently. It should be in language that the person signing it will understand. It should also state that they can withdraw from the study at any time and the measures you are taking to ensure the confidentiality of data. If children are recruited from schools you will require the permission, depending on the school, of the head teacher, and of parents. Children over 14 years should also sign an individual consent form themselves. If conducting research on children you will normally also require Criminal Records Bureau clearance. You will need to check with the school if they require you to obtain one of these. It is usually necessary if working alone with children, however, some schools may request you have CRB clearance for any type of research you want to conduct within the school. Research to be carried out in any institution (prison, hospital, etc.) will require permission from the appropriate authority. Covert or Deceptive Research Research involving any form of deception can be particularly problematical, and you should provide a full explanation of why a covert or deceptive approach is necessary, why there are no acceptable alternative approaches not involving deception, and the scientific justification for deception. Debriefing How will participants be debriefed (written or oral)? If they will not be debriefed, give reasons. Please attach the written debrief or transcript for the oral debrief. This can be particularly important if covert or deceptive research methods are used. Withdrawal from investigation Participants should be told explicitly that they are free to leave the study at any time without jeopardy. It is important that you clarify exactly how and when this will be explained to participants. Participants also have the right to withdraw their data in retrospect, after you have received it. You will need to clarify how they will do this and at what point they will not be able to withdraw (i.e. after the data has been analysed and disseminated). Protection of participants Are the participants at risk of physical, psychological or emotional harm greater than encountered ordinary life? If yes, describe the nature of the risk and steps taken to minimise it. Observational research If observational research is to be conducted without prior consent, please describe the situations in which observations will take place and say how local cultural values and privacy of individuals and/or institutions will be taken into account. Giving advice Students should not put themselves in a position of authority from which to provide advice and should in all cases refer participants to suitably qualified and appropriate professionals. Research in public places You should pay particular attention to the implications of research undertaken in public places. The impact on the social environment will be a key issue. You must observe the laws of obscenity and public decency. You should also have due regard to religious and cultural sensitivities. Confidentiality/Data Protection You must comply with the Data Protection Act and the Universitys Good Scientific Practice http://www.derby.ac.uk/research/policy-and-strategy This means: It is very important that the Participant Information Sheet includes information on what the research is for, who will conduct the research, how the personal information will be used, who will have access to the information and how long the information will be kept for. This is known as a fair processing statement. You must not do anything with the personal information you collect over and above that for which you have consent. You can only make audio or visual recordings of participants with their consent (this should be stated on the Participant Information sheet) Identifiable personal information should only be conveyed to others within the framework of the act and with the participants permission. You must store data securely. Consent forms and data should be stored separately and securely. You should only collect data that is relevant to the study being undertaken. Data may be kept indefinitely providing its sole use is for research purposes and meets the following conditions: The data is not being used to take decisions in respect of any living individual. The data is not being used in any which is, or is likely to, cause damage and/or distress to any living individual. You should always protect a participants anonymity unless they have given their permission to be identified (if they do so, this should be stated on the Informed Consent Form). All data should be returned to participants or destroyed if consent is not given after the fact, or if a participant withdraws. Animal rights. Research which might involve the study of animals at the University is not likely to involve intrusive or invasive procedures. However, you should avoid animal suffering of any kind and should ensure that proper animal husbandry practices are followed. You should show respect for animals as fellow sentient beings. Environmental protection The negative impacts of your research on the natural environment and animal welfare, must be minimised and must be compliant to current legislation. Your research should appropriately weigh longer-term research benefit against short-term environmental harm needed to achieve research goals. Bibliography Armstrong, M., 2012. Armstrongs Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 3rd ed. London: Kogan Page. Baron, A., 2013. Human Capital Management: Achieving Added Value Through People. 3rd ed. London: Kogan Page. Becker, G. S., 2011. The Oxford Handbook of Human Capital. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cartwright, R., 2013. Implementing a Training and Development Strategy: Training and Development 11.8. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. De Regt, H. W. & Jeonelli, S. E. K., 2010. Scientific Understanding: Philosophical Perspectives. 1st ed. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. Ford, J. K., 2012. Improving Training Effectiveness in Work Organizations. 2nd ed. New York: Psychology Press. Gopalakrishnan, P., 2012. Purchasing and Materials Management. 1st ed. Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Henggeler, S. W. et al., 2013. Evaluating training methods for transporting contingency management to therapists. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 45(5), pp. 466-474. Holton, E. F., III, Bates, R. A., & Naquin, s. S. 2000. Large-Scale Performance-Driven Training Needs Assessment: A Case Study. Public Personnel Management. 29, 249-67. Kothari, C. R., 2010. Research Methodology. Delhi: New Age Publishing. Kozlowski, S. W. J. & Salas, E., 2013. Learning, Training, and Development in Organizations. 2nd ed. London: Taylor and Francis. Mangal, S. K., 2013. An Introduction To Psychology. 2nd ed. New York: Sterling Publishing. Mumford, A., Gold, J. & Thorpe, R., 2012. Gower Handbook of Leadership and Management Development. 3rd ed. Surrey: Gower Publishing. Ployhart, R. E. & Moliterno, T. P., 2011. Emergence of the Human Capital Resource: A Multilevel Model. Academic Management Review, 36(1), pp. 127-150. Rajkumar, M., 2009. The training and development of principals in the management of educators. 6th ed. Johannesburg: UJ Press. Russell, C. T. et al., 2012. Does human capital matter? A meta-analysis of the relationship between human capital and firm performance?. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(3), pp. 443-456. Saks, A. M., Haccoun, R. R. & Belcourt, M., 2011. Managing Performance Through Training and Development. 2nd ed. Mason, OH: Cengage. Unger, J. M., Rauch, A., Frese, M. & Rosenbusch, N., 2011. Human capital and entrepreneurial success: A meta-analytical review. Journal of Business Venturing, 26(3), pp. 341-358. Westbrook, D., McManusa, F., Clarka, G. & Bennett-Levya, J., 2012. Preliminary Evaluation of an Online Training Package in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Satisfaction Ratings and Impact on Knowledge and Confidence. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 40(4), pp. 481-490. Yamauchi, F., 2012. Human Capital Formation: History, Expectation and Challenges. Pretoria: IFPRI. Read More