Advancing Human Resource Management to Underpin Future Challenges in China - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal Advancing Human Resource Management to Underpin Future Challenges in China Chapter Introduction Project Background Due to the rapid economic growth in China, many MNCs are expanding their businesses in China especially the Electronic Manufacturing Industry, which enjoyed immense support from advancing and developing technologies. Indeed such rapid growths within the said companies have necessitated the need to attract and retain qualified and experienced human personnel. However, such MNCs especially the Electronic Manufacturing firms are facing great challenge on keeping employee talents to help the company to grow. According to McMaster, et al (2007, 123) many organizations in china have been rocked by strikes and others with suicides. For example, Foxconn Group in China has been faced with suicides and strikes, which have been attributed to by human rights activists as being a result of poor human resources management. In addition, contemporary business environment is highly characterized by dynamisms especially regarding employee needs and wants. With changing needs and wants of employees it is becoming a difficult task for such Electronic Manufacturing Industry firms and other organizations in China to ensure that they attract and retain right number and type of workers. Consequently, there has been increasing employee turnover within the said organizations thus the need to carry out a study identifying various methods of advancing HR management to underpin future challenges in China. These shows that there is a need for the organizations to find a way of advancing human resources in order to mitigate future challenges such as strikes and employee strikes. Therefore, HR Management is an important element for most Electronic Manufacturing Industry firms and other companies who want to expand their presence in China. Research Objectives The Main Objectives of the Study are: i. To identify methods that can advance human resource management in China with reference to Electronic Manufacturing Companies (EMCs). ii. To establish specific courses of actions that is required by human resources mangers to retain qualified human resources. iii. To establish the relationship that is required between the management and the employee. iv. To identify benefits of advancing human resources in China with specific reference to EMCs Research Questions This research aims at answering the following questions in order to achieve aforementioned objectives; i. What are the methods that can advance human resource management in china? ii. What are the specific courses of actions that are required by human resources mangers to retain qualified human resources? iii. What should the relationship between HR managers and their employees be like? iv. What are the benefits of advancing human resources in China? Significance of the study The significance of the project will be to: i. Show the organizations the need for improvement of human resources in china for mitigation of future challenges through understanding EMCs and their HR operations and needs. ii. Improve the human resources literature in China while using EMCs as the case study. iii. To fulfill the requirements of this course while give specific reference to EMCs. Scope of the Project Chinese companies and firms especially the EMCs are internationalizing quickly across wider range of firms than other similar economies in the world. Since there many firms affected, the study will concentrate on Electronic Manufacturing Industry firms since various researches by Dahlman, Zeng and Wang (2007, p 56) indicates that EMCs in most economies are the worst hit in terms of employee turnover especially due to the changing and advancing technology. In addition to identifying specific industry to concentrate on, the project scope is to show methods applicable in developing human resources in China. The methods will be well research and their implementation will be a success in managing human resources. The research proposal will be carried out for a period of four weeks with a realistic budget. Chapter 2: Methodology Methodology of a research outlines how the research will be conducted including its research design, data collection procedures and instruments, analysis of data, and presentation of obtained data. The following discussion provides an overview on how the researchers will carry out the study to obtain relevant data for answering aforementioned research questions in a bid to achieve the said research objectives. Research design In order to answer the research questions, this study will use quantitative research design. Quantitative research design attempts to provide data through interviews and questionnaires as well as surveys that assists in establishing methods and options of advancing HR functions in China in order to underpin future challenges. Quantitative research design explores all the avenues of advancing HR management in China. Consequently, there are basic assumptions that follow Quantitative research design that will be applied in this study. Such assumptions include the following: i. The phenomena under study, HR management will be viewed in its entirety and holistically since through reduction to independent factors. ii. Investigators involved in this study will research in “nature” meaning that they are not allowed to impose their assumptions, limitations, delimitations, definitions, or even research designs to suit their situations. iii. The design assumes that “reality” exists as it is seen just as the subjects see it hence persons involved in conducting this study must record information as seen fully and accurately without any biasness. iv. The research assumes that it is only important to engage post hoc conclusions thereby avoiding priori conclusions. v. Any data provided by the respondent is correct and unbiased unless otherwise. Population Sample and Sampling Technique According to Gross (1998, para.2), most Chinese local firms and western firms have the largest number of employees. The population under study is Chinese Companies with special focus on Electronic Manufacturing Companies. Since the population is bid, 5 firms will be randomly selected from the EMCs. In each of the EMCs, 10 employees will be selected on a simple random sampling thereby giving a total of 50 employees to use in order to obtain necessary data and information for making decision. Data Collection Two techniques will be applied in collecting data that is essential in finding questions to research questions and achieving research objectives. These methods are use of questionnaires and surveys. Employees will be issued with questionnaires containing both long and short-structured questions. The short-structured questions will be of multiple choice while the long-structured question will give respondents an opportunity in providing their views on different HR policies and practices within selected organizations. Surveys will also provide more data that assists in making a more informed decision while concluding and giving recommendations. According Connaway and Powell (2010, 20) before any research is conducted a researcher needs to obtain permission from the relevant authority. A letter of introduction must be obtained from the dean of studies (Gliner and Morgan, 2000, 330). Therefore, there will be seeking of permission and consent before any interview or study is carried out amongst the identified firms and respondents as outlined in data collection step. Data Analysis and Interpretation Since this research takes the Quantitative research design, both data analysis and collection are based on inferential and descriptive statistics. In this regards the collected data will be organized and analyzed on the perspective of descriptive statistics, which shall include amongst others the measures of central tendencies and measures of dispersion. On the other hand, inferential statistical analysis will attempt to find correlation and regression analysis with regards to the collected data. Such correlations and regression analysis will be vital in identifying existing relationships between identified dependent and independent variables in the study. Time Analysis Activity Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Drafting of Research Proposal Background Study Literature Review Review of Research Strategy Designing the List of Respondents Designing General Questions Formal Visitations to Sampled Firms Asking for Research Approval Conducting the Actual Study Data Analysis and Interpretation Drafting the Final Paper Submitting draft for approval Writing up and Presentation of the Final Draft Bibliography Ardilly, P and Tillé, Y 2002, Sampling Methods: Exercises and Solutions, New York: Springer Science+ Business Media Inc. Cummings, G. T., and Worley, G 2009, Organization Development & Change 9th Ed, Mason, OH: Southwestern Cengage Learning. Connaway, S and Powell, R 2010, Basic Research Methods for Librarians, Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood publishers. Dahlman, C, Zeng, Z and Wang, S 2007, Enhancing Chinas Competitiveness through Lifelong Learning, Washington, D.C: World Bank Publishing. Fischer, M 2010, The Application of the Controllability Principle and Managers? Responses: A Role Theory Perspective, Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag. Gliner, A and Morgan, A 2000, Research Methods in Applied Settings: An Integrated Approach to Design and Analysis, Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Gross, A 1998, Recruiting and Human Resources in China, online on SHRM’s International Focus. Viewed November 9, 2011 at < http://www.pacificbridge.com/publication.asp?id=47> Groves, M 2011, Survey Methodology, 2nd Ed. New York: John Wiley& Sons. Hayek, C.L., and Buzas, A 2008, Surveying Natural Populations: Quantitative Tools for Assessing Biodiversity, New York: Columbia University Press. Kwan, Y and Yu, S 2005, Critical Issues in Chinas Growth and Development, Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing. Levy, S and Lemeshow, S 2008, Sampling of Populations: Methods and Applications, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley& Sons. Morgan, A , Gliner, A and Harmon, 2006, Understanding and Evaluating Research in Applied Clinical Settings, Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. McMaster, T et al, 2007, Organizational Dynamics of Technology-Based Innovation: Diversifying the Research Agenda. New York: Springer Science+ Business Media Inc. Pfeffermann, D and Rao, R 2009, Sample Surveys: Inference and Analysis, Amsterdam: North –Holland. Wellines et al, 2004, Super human resources in China: Practice, Performance, and Opportunities among China’s Manufacturers. Online Development Dimensional International website. Viewed on 8th November 2011. Read More