Organization Survey
Organization Survey
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Resources for Management and Change in Africa
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Research Methods in Management and Change in AfricaOrganizational Survey
Rather than being
based on an extensive sample of managers across a country, this is based on
surveying a small sample of organizations in a specific country. Our target is
nine organizations in each country. This may involve the cooperation of more
than one collaborator. We would normally expect collaborators in the specific country to have access directly or through other contacts. Also organizations may be identified through contacts made in management survey method B. above. Direct contact should be made with the manager most likely to be able to facilitate the organizational survey (e.g. Human Resources or Organizational Development manager). Methods are as follows. Initial interview with responsible managerThe purpose of this initial meeting with, normally, the Human Resource, Management Development or Organizational Development manager, it to gain commitment to the project, and to obtain information about the operating environment (constraints and opportunities) organizational culture and management styles, people management policies and practices, how change is managed, and the incorporation of specific policies and practices of managing a multicultural workforce (including the inclusion of ‘indigenous’ versus ‘western’ approaches to management). As well as getting a perspective on how things are changing and why, and the desired change. A checklist follows: Initial
Responsible Manager Interview Checklist ·
Explain the involvement required by the company: o
Distribution of management questionnaires o
Distribution of employee questionnaire o
Feedback of information from questionnaire o
Interviews of managers o
Development workshops ·
What are the main operating constraints and opportunities in the country
today? ·
What is the main strategic direction of the organization, and how is this
reflected in the operations of the organization? o
E.g. market, shareholder or stakeholder led? o
E.g. process or results focused o
E.g. People, community focused ·
How would you describe the main operating culture in the organization? o
Structure? o
Decision making? o
Control? o
Government and family influence? o
Conscious of ethical matters? o
Internal policies regarding equal opportunities, discrimination? o
Internal climate: employee involvement, motivation, promotion
opportunities? o
Management expertise and development needs ·
What motivates managers? ·
Main management principles (western, indigenous, etc), and nature of
these? o
Decision making, problem solving o
Participation and control o
Important of status o
Rewarding of employees ·
Management practices o
Use of hierarchy? o
Rank consciousness? o
Open communication? o
Focus: results, control, people? ·
Human resource management practices (obtain any relevant documentation): o
Recruitment/selection of managers (competences and methods used)? o
Reward systems and pay structures (managers/employees)? o
Appraisal methods? o
Promotion (based on what)? o
Development and training? (Including cross-cultural?) o
Contracts and conditions for sacking people? ·
Management of change o
Nature of change and its effect on people o
Communication o
Participation o
Processes ·
Integration of cross-cultural methods o
Policies? o
Development process? o
Integration of indigenous with other approaches
(western/Japanese)? o
Plans for the future? ·
How are any of these aspects changing (and why?) and how should
they change? Survey Of ManagersWhere
this has not already been undertaken in survey method B. above, a sample of up
to 100% of managers in the organization should be undertaken (the extent of this
survey should be judged in discussion with the responsible manager, and in
considering the size and geographical extent of the organization). If only a
sample is possible this should be representative of the total manager population
of that organization in the country. Distribution of the management
questionnaire should include a covering letter from the responsible manager,
and a return address outside the organization. Employee SurveyThis
should be conducted in parallel with the survey of managers. Its purpose is to
corroborate information from managers, and to obtain views of personnel further
down the organization. The employee
questionnaire is used. This is currently only available in English and
French. As far as possible a representative sample of employees should be
obtained (between 10-15% depending on size of the organization). Discussion with
the responsible manager will determine who should distribute the questionnaire,
and how (directly by the responsible manager, through department/section heads,
or directly from the outside researcher). A letter should accompany the
questionnaire (or explanation should be provided directly to the employee). There should be a mechanism set up within the organization to enable the employees to send the completed questionnaire directly to the outside researcher. Management InterviewsIdeally, 10-20
representative managers (ethnic group, level, function) should be selected for
interview. Only those in the organization for at least two years should be
selected. The purpose is to
obtain in depth information about the organization and its managers and to
obtain information about the operating environment (constraints and
opportunities) organizational culture and management styles, people management
policies and practices, how change is managed, and the incorporation of specific
policies and practices of managing a multicultural workforce (including the
inclusion of ‘indigenous’ versus ‘western’ approaches to management). As
well as getting a perspective on how things are changing and why, and the
desired change. This is used to corroborate the information from the initial
interview with the responsible manager, as well as results from the management
questionnaire. It is in two parts.
The first part used to ask
questions, the second part is used to feedback information from the results from
the management questionnaire. A
checklist follows: Manager Interview
Checklist Part One ·
Explain purpose of project and interview? ·
What is the position of the manager, and his main responsibilities? ·
How would the manager describe their culture (by name of ‘tribe’,
ethnic group, colour, and/or description?) ·
What are the main operating constraints and opportunities in the country
today? Which affects the managers job? The company? ·
What is the main strategic direction of the organization, and how is this
reflected in the operations of the organization and your job? How is this
changing? How should it change o
E.g. market, shareholder or stakeholder led? o
E.g. process or results focused o
E.g. People, community focused ·
How would you describe the main operating culture in the organization?
How is this changing? How should it change? o
Structure? o
Decision making? o
Control? o
Government and family influence? o
Conscious of ethical matters? o
Internal policies regarding equal opportunities, discrimination? o
Internal climate: employee involvement, motivation, promotion
opportunities? o
Management expertise and development needs ·
What motivates managers generally in the organization? You? What is
required for the future of the organization? How are things changing? ·
Main management principles used in organization (western, indigenous,
etc), By you? What is needed for the future? How are things changing? o
Decision making, problem solving o
Participation and control o
Important of status o
Rewarding of employees ·
Management practices generally in the organization? You? Required for the
future? How are things changing? o
Use of hierarchy? o
Rank consciousness? o
Open communication? o
Focus: results, control, people? ·
Management of change o
Nature of change and its effect on people o
Communication o
Participation o
Processes ·
Integration of cross-cultural methods o
Policies? o
Development process? o
Integration of indigenous with other approaches
(western/Japanese)? o
Plans for the future? Part Two Results
of the management questionnaire can be fed back in two ways. Either directly
after discussion of each of the issues above so that information is fed in when
actually discussing those topics, or after discussion on all items 1-11.
Information will be specific to the organization (so can only be fed back after
analyse). The responses of the managers to this information should be solicited
and recorded. Feedback of results to Responsible managerWhen
all results are in, and analysed, a report should be prepared, and presented to
the manager responsible. The manager should be encouraged to respond to each
section, and the information recorded. It may be preferred by the manager, to do a presentation to the top management team.
AfricaManagement.org © Terence Jackson 2002
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