TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENT

Adopting, adapting or developing a new questionnaire Example 1: research in HRM area1 Job Satisfaction versus HRM Practices and Job Satisfaction
1. If a researcher is interested to carry out research on topic like Job Satisfaction, then he/she can used one of the several below given questionnaires. i. 3-items questionnaire developed by Cammann et al. (1983; attached p. 5. ii. 5-items questionnaire developed by Bacharach & Bamberger (1991; attached page 6). iii. 7-items questionnaire developed by Cook et al. (1981; attached p. 10) iv. 6-items questionnaire developed by Pond & Geyer (1991; pp. 12-13). v. 6-items questionnaire developed by Agho et al. (1992; pp. 18-19) vi. 18-items questionnaire developed by Cook (1981; attached page 18-19). i. 5-items questionnaire developed by Rentsch & Steel (1992; p. 26) But if researcher is interested to carry out research on topic like HRM Practices and Job Satisfaction, then he/she will have to use one of the aforementioned questionnaires along with some similarly developed questionnaires on various HRM practices. 2. Some researchers have developed mixed/hybrid questionnaires which include questions on both HRM practices and Job satisfaction; such questionnaires are of further two categories, namely: a. those which have mixed questions, including both aspects of job satisfaction and HRM practices, such as: ii. 20-items Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ questionnaire) developed by Weiss et al. (1967; attached pages 7-8); iii. 6-items questionnaire developed by Tsui, Egan & OReilly (1992; attached page 16); iv. Job Diagnostic Survey-questionnaire developed by Hackman & Oldham (1974; attached pages 20-22). b. those which cover questions on HRM practices only, such as: i. 15-items questionnaire developed by Cook et al. (1981; attached p. 27-28); ii. 36-items questionnaire developed by Spector (1997; attached p. 14-15); iii. 21-items questionnaire developed by Hatfield et al. (1985; attached p. 17). 3. The existence of the three types of questionnaire (covering questions on i. Job Satisfaction only; ii. Job satisfaction and HRM practices, and iii. HRM practices only) poses certain problems for a researcher while he/she has to select a questionnaire for adopting for research; such problems are: (a) Which questionnaire should be selected, the one having maximum number of items? It is possible that some technically better questionnaires are available with less number of items;

Take-home assignment will be solved by all AQT students, while examples 1, 2 and 3 can be used as guiding materials by HRM students for developing and improving their own research proposals.

(b) Should researcher combine two or more-than-two questionnaires? Then which ones? And on what basis? (c) If even by combing two or more-than- two questionnaires, some particular aspects of HRM practices are still not covered, what should then researcher need to do? Econometrics theory requires all relevant variables need to be included; otherwise biased s would be resulted.

Take-home Assignment
(Due though email one day before our next class after Mid-term exam) (Hard copies of above referred pages are available at Photocopier shop) (a) Identify questionnaires (amongst the ones referred above) which provide complete coverage of all required aspects for doing research on topic HRM Practices and Job Satisfaction; please also explain as to why you consider these questionnaires complete. (b) Prepare 3-combinations of questionnaires (choosing from the above listed ones), which can provide full coverage of all aspects required on the topic. Please also explain as to why you understand that these combinations provide complete coverage of the topics or otherwise. (c) Indicate which of the aspects of HR management (practices) are still excluded. (d) Explain if you have some questionnaire which can provide better coverage (language-wise, contents-wise) than that of the ones referred above. (e) In case you are supposed to do research on the above stated topic, would you like to adopt some questionnaire (which one; which combination), adapt some questionnaire (how) or develop questionnaire of your own (present a specimen).

Please solve this Assignment, send me a soft copy through email one day before the next class, and bring a hard copy with you on next class-day.

Example 2 The six-dimensional Hofstede national culture: does it moderate organizational HRM practices-employees job satisfaction relationship in Pakistani organization?
Research questions: 1. Do the six-dimensions of Hofstede national culture exist in Pakistani organizatios? if yes, then upto what extent? 2. Do these cultural dimensions moderate HRM practices-employees job satisfaction relationship in Pakistani organization? Research objectives 1. To find out the levels of prevalance of the six dimensions of Hofstede national culture in public sector pakistani organizations. 2. To check whether the prevalance of the six dimensions of Hofstede national culture affects organizational HRM practices and employees job satisfaction in public sector pakistani organizations? 3. To identify which of the six dimensions of Hofstede national culture affects HRM practices-employees job satisfaction relationship more, relative to each others. 4. To suggest policy prescriptions based on the research findings.

Example 3 HRM and its outcomes Like (a) HRM and employees commitment (b) HRM and employees turnover (c) Organizational justice and its outcomes like