Research Proposal on Why do Employees Feel that ISO is not important?

Why do Employees Feel that ISO is not important?

Background of the Study

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was formed in 1946 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Its purpose is to facilitate standardization as a means of promoting international trade. ISO is an “industry-driven” organization, although its membership consists of the standards-setting organizations of over 100 member nations. ISO is not an acronym in any language: it is an official nickname derived from “isos”, a Greek word meaning equal, as in isobar, isometrics, and isosceles triangle. The ISO has developed standards – documented agreements of technical specifications – that companies use as guidelines to ensure that materials and products fit their purpose. The ISO’s work has traditionally focused on narrow technical and safety issues such as standards for paper sizes, symbols for automobile controls, and metric screw threads and thereafter, shifted to form a new and aggressive technical committee. The appropriateness of an international environmental management standard is part of the ISO’s long term plan with that consist of three objectives: (a) encourage a common approach to environmental management; (b) strengthen a company’s ability to improve and measure its environmental performance; and; (c) facilitate international trade and remove trade barriers.

Problem Statements

Within this aspect, the employees are bound to comply in the standardization provided in the organization. The employees are the important people who can experiences the impact that it might bring. The study will derive in the two problems:

a)    What are the impacts of ISO among the employees?

b)    What are the perceptions of the employees in the issue of ISO in the organization?

Theoretical Framework

Through the collection of interrelated concepts, a theoretical framework is needed to guide your research and to determine the things that will measure the outcome of the study and derive in the statistical relationships. Part of the framework is the investigation of theories in employment such as the leadership, motivational approaches, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The study can link the ISO and critically test the theories in order to satisfy the objectives.

Objectives

There are four objectives involved in the study. First is to determine the level of implementation of ISO in the organization. Second is to recognize the action of the organization regarding the principles of ISO. Third is to identify the perception of the employees in the application of ISO. And fourth is to discover the level of importance of ISO for the employees’ performance and their commitment in the organization.

Hypotheses

The study prepared three hypotheses:

·        The employees feel additional duty in the call of international standardization as compared to the past’s organizational structure.

·        The organizational leaders are the one that should implement and therefore monitor the compliance of the employees on the standards.

·        There is an increase in the morale and organizational commitment of the employees due to the continuous practice of international standards.   

Significance of Study

The study has an aim to administer the vision and objectives that drives the ISO and the adaptation of the standards in the organization. Within investigation of the study, the system in implementation of ISO can be identified and can influence the perception of the employees about the standard.   

Literature Review

Part of the implemented standards and described as the basic model for the organizations consists of five step process: (1) commitment and policy; (2) planning; (3) implementation; (4) measurement and evaluation; and (5) review and improvement. These steps comprise in the clauses of ISO 14004. The environmental policy provides an overall picture of the organizations direction and commitment to the environment. Planning discusses the creation of the plan to fulfill the policy. The implementation addresses the process of putting the plan into action by providing physical, human, and financial resources. Measurement and evaluation deal with checking and monitoring of the system in order to discover and then correct the problems. And the review and improvement reviews the system to ensure its suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness.

Methodology

The applied method in the study is the use of survey and interview. The survey will be conducted on the employees through the use of a Likert Scale form of questionnaire. The survey is an effective tool to recognize the perceptions of the employees regarding the ISO and how can they relate the standards in their performance. In the interview, the researcher/s will conduct on the managers to identify the management system and ISO implementation in the organization and will be ask the strategies they implement and their ideas in the performance of the employees. These methods are effective in observing the theories that can be related in the ISO implementation.   

References:

Burnett, E., & Mahon Jr., J., (2001) Monitoring Compliance with International Labor Standards, Journal Title: Challenge, 44(2):51.

Delmas, M., (2000) Barriers and Incentives to the Adoption of ISO 14001 by Firms in the United States, Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum, 11(1).

Hormozi, A.M., (2002) ISO 14000: The Next Focus in Standardization, SAM Advanced Management Journal, 62(3):32+

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