Task 1. Methodology
Title of the Research: Efficiency and Establishment of the Passport HR Management System
To test the efficiency and effectiveness of the HR Passport Management system and to develop an HR Passport Management Services section, this study uses specific methods and frameworks to achieve the objectives of the study. It is necessary to evaluate the current procedures and processes that are followed by the organization in handling the passport and visa information of its overseas employees to see how effective and advanced the system at the moment and to note what are the necessary approaches to be used in automating and creating a systematic HR Passport Services section to streamline human resources department responsibilities.
Population and Sampling
This study seeks to review the Passport Services section of the HR department of the organization. This will also evaluate the satisfaction of employees within an organization concerning the current procedures and processes followed in its Passport Services section. For the sake of convenience of the study, random sampling will be used in choosing members of the study sample. There will be five HR departments that will be evaluated with regards to Passport Service section, and 20 employees will be tested to have an overview of the effectiveness and efficiency of the study.
This study seeks to review the Passport Services section of the HR department of the organization. This will also evaluate the satisfaction of employees within an organization concerning the current procedures and processes followed in its Passport Services section. For the sake of convenience of the study, random sampling will be used in choosing members of the study sample. There will be five HR departments that will be evaluated with regards to Passport Service section, and 20 employees will be tested to have an overview of the effectiveness and efficiency of the study.
Data Collection
In order to collect necessary information from the sample, this researcher will use the following data collection methods and tools.
Personal Interviews. This will include interviews of the HR department heads and staffs to know the current system and processes used by the organization. This will also provide an overview of the satisfaction of the HR department with their current setting.
System Observation and Analysis of Written Records. For the evaluation of the system, this study seeks to review the records of the department to see how their Passport Service section works.
Survey Questionnaire. Questionnaires will be provided to employees of the organization to evaluate their satisfaction with the current Passport Services section.
Data Analysis
The research uses past empirical studies of the subject to form logic of the study. Combination of the qualitative and quantitative research approaches will be used to achieve the specific goals and objectives of the study. Social life and context is an important part of this study and the research has to deal with this requirement through qualitative research approach. On the other hand to generate and analyze numerical information, the research works on a more objective and detached approach of quantitative research.
Task 2 Timeline/Code of Ethics
Week 1. Conceptualization of the research study to develop a schematic framework that will be followed in conducting the research study. It is necessary to create an ad hoc conceptual framework that can be easily revised and edited from time to time as new strategies and methods will be introduced to broaden this study and make it more reliable and dependable.
Week 2. Background creation will commence after the conceptualization of the study. This will involve the study of various empirical studies and past literature that will provide strength and rationale of the study. This is an important part of the study to set the tone of importance and necessity to conduct the said study.
Week 3. The next phase would be communication with the five organizations whose HR departments will be evaluated as subjects of the study. Written requests be made to these organizations with an explanation on how the study will ensure that no ethical error will be committed. In the same manner, this study will also complete the necessary tools such as interview questions and survey questionnaires that will be used in the study.
Week 4 – 6. This phase will commence with the interviews of the staffs and heads of the HR department, provided that the preceding step is completed and written permissions from the organization managements are provided. This will also include the evaluation of processes and procedures followed by the organization by looking at the written records of the Passport Service section or the HR department. Survey questionnaires will also be given to random samples of the study to complete entire data collection process.
Week 7-8. After data are collected and curated, it is time to analyze them according to their importance to the study. This will include the different approaches that will be used to analyze the data or information. To ensure that the data analysis is free from bias and erroneous results, the researcher aims to be detached of the study and to maintain transparency on the process.
Week 9. Interpretation/Recommendations. At the end of the study, the researcher will be interpreting the collected and analyzed data. It is necessary to keep into account the truthfulness of the data interpretation to the data analysis to avoid wrongful conclusions. In the same manner, this study will also focus on the different recommendations that will be made by the researcher after the data interpretation.
Ethical Considerations
As much as study is going to deal with people, directly through interviews and indirectly through observations, this study will also deal with the ethical considerations of the study. The following requirements and considerations will be given importance in this study:
Consent Forms/Written Permits. This study will not be proceed without the written consent or permits from organizations that will be part of the study. As much as the researcher aims to complete the study, courtesy is still an important part because the study will be opening records and practices of the company into scrutiny and disclosure.
Personal Concerns of Samples. Emotional distress and the fear of reprisals from management are important considerations. Staffs and employees may have fear that if they report some errors of the organizations practices, the management may take back against them and may fire them. To avoid this, employees that will be subjected in this study will be kept in anonymity. Confidentiality is an important part of this study and the researcher aims to keep records, names, and other pertinent information on the samples of the study safe from disclosure.
Intrusion. As much as possible, the researcher aims to observe, do interviews, and questionnaires without intrusion and hindering the normal procedure and flow of the organization's day-to-day operations. This means that the researcher will only conduct the data collection at the most convenient time to avoid this disruptions.
Changes. Nonetheless, the researcher also understands that the frameworks, concepts, methods, and such other concerns may be changed, revised, or tweaked; however, the researcher seeks to be truthful to the hypothesis composition of the study to avoid any unnecessary twists and changes of the study's core components in the middle of the study to suit the convenience of the researcher or to comply with the demands of the data or information.
Task 3 Analysis/Interpretation/Recommendations
Analysis of the Study
Based on the five organizations being studied, only four have clear Passport Services section, while the other one maintains aids to employees regarding passport renewal and visa follow-ups, but the organization does not have a clear Passport Services section that solely focuses on this task.
Out of the 40 staffs and heads of HR departments from five organizations, it was found out that 29% are not satisfied with their current systems, processes and procedures followed for the passport services and concerns. And 81% of the staffs are satisfied with their current setting.
Satisfaction of Employees | |
Visa Renewal Request (notifications) | 64% |
Residency Visa Application Support | 35% |
Passport for New Employees | 46% |
Release of Passports | 87% |
Medical Support | 48% |
Table 1: Satisfaction of Employees
Out of the 100 employees being interviewed, Table 1 shows the satisfaction among them. The support of the Passport Services section or the HR department for the visa renewal is deemed 64% satisfaction percentage. While for the residency visa application support, satisfaction of employees is 35%; for passport of new employees, 45% said they receive support, and for releasing of passports, organizations tend to provide 87% satisfaction rate. However, for the medical supports, the satisfaction rate is 48%.
Interpretations of the Study
This study finds out that not all organizations have a specific Passport Services section from its HR department to work on the passports, visa renewal, and such other foreign document supports. The study reports that out of 5, there will be one organization (approx) that does not have such section. This means that organization only relies on a scattered network of supports for their Passport services. This is a statement to organization's commitment in ensuring that employees have the best means to travel or stay in the country of occupation. And this is a testament of the organization's command to secure that they retain valuable human capital or assets.
In the same manner, the researchers sees that not all staffs and heads of HR departments are satisfied with the current system that they follow. This means that within the internal network of the HR department, staffs know that there is something wrong with the current setting or setup and it is necessary to do something to ensure that this error is properly resolved. In the same manner, with the satisfied staffs, most of them are those who are at the top positions of the HR department, and the dissatisfaction is common among the lowest members of the department.
According to Table 1, the satisfaction of employees regarding the support of the organization on the renewal of visas, application of passports, and medical supports does not reach 100%. It is to be noted that the lowest satisfaction among employees concerns the residency visa application. This means that several organizations do not actually support their employees in obtaining a residency visa that could have made their employee's stay in the country easier and better. Yet, we see that most organizations would support their employees in getting passports for the first time. This means that they want their employees to be ready when necessary revamp or assignment in overseas would be needed.
Recommendations
After conducting the analysis of the data and the interpretation, the researcher finds that following recommendations to be necessary in creating an effective and efficient Passport Services, and HR department.
Ø Establishment of a Real and Functioning Passport Services Section. Most HR departments don't actually have a Passport Services section, rather they just rely on a person or two to do this task randomly and when time needs. By creating a real Passport Services section, the organization will be able to ensure that all tasks and responsibilities associated with passports and visas will be attended to avoid deportation of valuable human capital due to expired Visa or the delay of human capital transfer to another branch outside the country due to passport failure. The creation of the Passport Services section will ensure that all aspects of the organization's human capital will be attended by the HR department.
Ø Creation of a Trusted System. While HR departments support passport and visa concerns, but they don't have a clear systematic network that automates the process. Instead of relying on a scattered network of people and tasks, HR department should outline a system that will automate the follow-ups of visa renewal, visa application, and other concerns. Installation of HR software that will automate the process will enhance the process of Passport issues.
Ø Integral Support. The problem with most HR departments is they only support some services and concerns of the visa and support matters. Instead, the Passport Services section should ensure that the integral needs of employees are met. The organization should not be discriminatory in supporting employees regarding these concerns due to the logical rational that there are supports and services that will not be beneficial to the organization. By supporting the overall demands of employees, it is easier for organization to move them from time to time as needs be. In long-run, this will also ensure that employees are satisfied with the way the organization supports them.
