Conference article

Exploring ‘Employee Satisfaction’ as a Quality and Productivity Enhancement Tool for IT Sector of Pakistan

Hina Sohrab Kiani
Brian Rolfe Solution PVT LTD

Ali Ahsan
ZTE PAKISTAN PVT LTD \ CASE ISB PAKISTAN

Omama Khurshid
Pral, Pakistan

Ali Sajid
Case ISB, PAKISTAN

Download article

Published in: 11th QMOD Conference. Quality Management and Organizational Development Attaining Sustainability From Organizational Excellence to SustainAble Excellence; 20-22 August; 2008 in Helsingborg; Sweden

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 33:66, p. 773-781

Show more +

Published: 2008-12-09

ISBN:

ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

Purpose: This research addresses the factors concerning ‘Employee Satisfaction’ that impact quality of work done and productivity in software organization in Pakistan. The research reveals employee satisfaction as an integral factor for organizations in Pakistan for obtaining competitive advantages in terms of both quality and productivity. Employee satisfaction is an attribute pertinent to the workforce; which proves to be a valuable asset for the development of any sector. It is intended that findings of this research can be used to bring improvements in the work being done in the IT industry. This may serve as a valuable contribution in uplifting the IT economy of Pakistan.

Methodology: This research focuses on the factors that cause employee satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Initially factors affecting employee satisfaction were identified from the literature review. After this the relationship of employee satisfaction with quality and productivity was analyzed for organizations in Pakistan. A questionnaire was used in order to collect necessary data. This questionnaire highlighted the factors that are source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The questions used in the surveying tool; concerned general level of satisfaction of employees and the belief of top level managers and policy makers about the role of employee satisfaction on quality and productivity. It was ensured that questions were easy to understand; short and less time taking. The survey presented a range of options from 1 to 10 to employees for collecting their feedback. Lowest range depicted strong dissatisfaction and was given a ‘1’ weight age. Whereas highest range depicted strong satisfaction corresponding and was given a ‘10’ weight age. In addition to these questions having a range of options; general questions were also asked from employees in order to obtain understanding for their views. In order to carry out a meaningful; understandable and in-depth statistical analysis; questions were designed in a format that the response could then be easily translated into statistical figures for subsequent analysis.

Findings: Ahsan; Sajid and Wasim (2008) quote:“Pakistan’s IT industry is currently one of the top performers as compared to other industrial sectors within Pakistan. As per the findings of Ahsan (2008); despite the fact that Pakistan’s IT industry is competitive; its true potential is yet to be unfolded. Ahsan (2008); states that Pakistan’s so called competitive IT industry has to be in lined with the international performers (Particularly South Asian economies). A simple proof of this statement can be obtained from the fact that Pakistan’s general economy is 1/5th of Indian economy. This must be true for IT sector of both the economies as well; which; unfortunately is not the case as because Pakistan’s IT sector is currently 1/27th of the Indian IT Sector. Ahsan (2008) believes that partial reason of this unwanted difference may be revenue models; business practices and political situations of the two countries. Other than these Ahsan (2008) believes that several soft issues are also responsible for this industrial difference. Out of the soft issues ‘motivation’ is one such important factor.” (Note: When Ahsan (2008) says ‘Competitive’; it is with respect to other industries within Pakistan).

Argument given by Ahsan; Sajid and Wasim (2008) related to the role of motivation as an imperative soft issue for revitalizing workforce can also be reproduced for the discussion concerning the role of ‘Basic Employee Satisfaction’ as an organization productivity and quality enhancement tool. Employees; being an integral asset of the organizations; impact organizations in accomplishment of their objectives. The impact of employee satisfaction in software industry of Pakistan is relatively less known but plays significant role. This paper analyzes the major causes of employee satisfaction and the impact of employee satisfaction on quality and productivity dimensions in the software organizations in Pakistan. Much of the literature reveals that factors like for instance pay; career growth; encouragement; feedback; job interest and work environment influence employee satisfaction directly and therefore affect quality and productivity in one way or another. This paper argues that management in Pakistan’s IT organizations should focus on factors affecting the employee satisfaction and manage workforce accordingly.

Limitations: Most of the discussion has been restricted to the factors; already identified in previous research and literature. Survey is conducted only for the IT organizations in Islamabad.

Originality/Value: As said earlier; findings of this research can be used to bring improvements in the work being done in the IT industry. This may serve as a valuable contribution in uplifting the IT economy of Pakistan.

Keywords

Employee Satisfaction; Quality; Productivity

References

[1] Virginia P. Richmond; James C. Mccroskey; and Leonard M. Davis; (1982); “Individual differences among employees; Management Communication style; and Employee satisfaction: Replication and extension”; West Virginia University Human Communication Research Winter 1982; Vol 8; No-2 170-188.

[2] Michael G. Aamodt; Undated; “Applied Industrial / Organizational Psychology”; 4th edition—Thompson/ Wadsworth Publishers.

[3] Steven C. Currall Jones School of Management and Departments of Psychology and Statistics Rice University; Annette J. Towler Institute of Psychology Illinois Institute of Technology; Timothy A. Judge Warrington College of Business University of Florida and Laura Kohn Department of Psychology Rice University; Undated; Pay Satisfaction and Organizational Outcomes.

[4] Locke; 1976 cited in Brief; A. P.; & Weiss; H. M. (2001). “Organizational Behavior: Affect in the Workplace”. Annual Review of Psychology; 53; 279-307; p. 282.

[5] Yair Berson and Jonathan D. Linton; (2005); “An Examination Of The Relationships Between Leadership Style; Quality; And Employee Satisfaction In R&D Versus Administrative Environments”.

[6] Robert L. Mathis and John H. Jackson; (2006); “Human Resource Management”; Eleventh Edition South Western: Thomson.

[7] Robert C. Woods; (2002); “Managing to Meet Employee Expectations: Quality Improvement Tools Narrow the Gap between Employee Expectations and Company Resources”. Journal Title: Human Resource Planning. Volume: 16. Issue: 4. Publication Year: 1993. Page Number: 13+; COPYRIGHT 1993 Human Resource Planning Society; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group.

[8] Amanda Pyman; Brian Cooper; Julian Teicher and Peter Holland; Undated. “A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Employee Voice Arrangements in Australia”.

[9] John W. Lounsbury1;3; Lauren Moffitt2; Lucy W. Gibson3; Adam W. Drost3 and Mark Stevens3; (2007); “An Investigation Of Personality Traits In Relation To Job And Career Satisfaction Of Information Technology Professionals”; Journal of Information Technology (2007) 22; 174–183.

[10] A. Ahsan; OD as a Revitalization Tool for IT Industry of Pakistan [unpublished]; PhD Thesis; Accessed Jan 2008.

[11] A. Haider; (2004); “Software Productivity: The impact of Soft Factors; Proceedings of International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications”; IEEE & Foundation University; Islamabad; Pakistan.

[12] Muhammad Wasim Bhatti; Ali Ahsan & Ali Sajid; (2008); “Required Level of Motivation to Revitalize the Workforce in software Industry of Pakistan”; 7th WSEAS Int; Conf. on Software Engineering; Parallel and Distributed Systems (SEPADS ’08); University of Cambridge; UK.

Bibliography:

[1] Bellott; F. K.; & Tutor; F.D. (1990). “A Challenge To The Conventional Wisdom Of Herzberg And Maslow Theories”; Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association; New Orleans; LA.

[2] (2006) The website. [Online]. Available From:http://motivationcentre.blogspot.com/2006/03/alderfers-erg-theory.html.

[3] Herzberg; F.; Mausner; B. and Snyderman; B. B. (1959). “The Motivation to Work” (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

[4] Scott J. Behson; Fairleigh Dickinson University; Erik R. Eddy; The Group for Organizational Effectiveness; Inc.Steven J. Lorenzet;Rider University; Undated; “The Importance Of The Critical Psychological States In The Job Characteristics Model: A Meta-Analytic And Structural Equations Modeling Examination”.

[5] Robert W. Renn and Robert J. Vandenberg; (1995); “The Critical Psychological States: An Underrepresented Component In Job Characteristics”; Journal of Management.

Citations in Crossref