AWARENESS AND SATISFACTION OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND VISITORS OF THE LIBRARY MATERIALS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY A BOTANIC GARDEN

 

Rationale and Contribution

 Libraries deal with, and in, information. This may be regarded as being similar to a commodity with a value, which may be priced with due regard to costs and market forces. It is an unusual commodity, however. Information exists only through human perception. It can be shared, in that it can be reused and yet still exist for future use. It has the characteristics of a public good. And for this study, it would be regarded as a free commodity readily accessible in diverse locations such as a botanical garden.

When asked why they visit botanic gardens, most people include the words ‘peace and tranquility’ in their response. There is a falsely held perception that, apart from a select few who come to locate a particular plant or two, visitors only come to public gardens to relax and switch off from mental stimulation. One of the commonly held myths about visitors to botanic gardens is that they are not interested in learning. People certainly do visit botanic gardens primarily to socialize with family or friends and to relax in the ambience of aesthetically appealing surroundings. However, this paper will attempt to show that, even though their main purpose is recreational and to ‘switch off’ from the stresses of everyday life, people can still have a meaningful learning experience in a botanic garden provided the information is presented for them in an engaging and easily accessible way through the library facilities provided by the garden.

 Hypothesis

The study would like to test the following null hypothesis:

“The staff, volunteers, and visitors are significantly aware and satisfied of the library materials and services provided by a botanic garden.”

 Scope and Limitations

 The study intends to investigate the level of awareness and satisfaction of staff, volunteers, and visitors of the library materials and services provided by a botanic garden. For this study, primary research and secondary research will be used. Primary research will be conducted using interviews to selected staff, volunteers and visitors of a botanical garden. The interviews will be used to provide qualitative insights into the data collected.

The data will be analyzed and compiled for the correlation of the hypothesis. The data will then be presented by means of graphical representations and illustration and the difference would be highlighted. A negative correlation between the variables would suggest that the hypothesis is null, that is, the staff, volunteers, and visitors are significantly aware and satisfied of the library materials and services provided by a botanic garden.

 Possible Contents of the Dissertation

The dissertation shall be divided into five chapters in order to provide clarity and coherence on the discussion of the level of awareness and satisfaction of staff, volunteers, and visitors of the library materials and services provided by a botanic garden. The first part of the dissertation will be discussing the problem uncovered by the researcher and provide ample background on the topic. The chapter shall constitute an introduction to the whole dissertation, the hypothesis, and the statement of the problem in order to present the basis of the study. Moreover, the chapter shall also have a discussion on the scope of its study as well as the significance of the study to society in general and specific effects on the management of firms.

The second chapter shall be discussing the relevance of the study in the existing literature. It shall provide studies on library evaluation and library user satisfaction. After the presentation of the existing related literature, the researcher shall provide a synthesis of the whole chapter in relation to the study.

The third part of the study shall be discussing the methods and procedures used in the study. The chapter shall comprise of the presentation of the utilized techniques for data collection and research methodology. Similarly, it shall also contain a discussion on the used techniques in data analysis as well as the tools used to acquire the said data.

The fourth chapter shall be an analysis on the tabulated data. After the said tabulation, the data are statistically treated in order to uncover the relationship of the variable involved in the study. With the said data, the chapter seeks to address the statement of the problem noted in the first chapter.

The last chapter shall comprise of three sections, the summary of the findings, the conclusions of the study, and the recommendations. With the three portions, the chapter shall be able to address the verification of the hypothesis stated in the initial chapters of the study.

 

Research methodology and techniques for data collection

 

Research requires an organized data gathering in order to pinpoint the research philosophies and theories that will be included in the research, the methodology of the research and the instruments of data interpretation. In this study, the Research Process “Onion” will be utilized so that the findings of the study can be thoroughly established. The inner part of the onion describes the methodology portion whereas the outer part discusses the strategies that can be utilized in interpreting the results of the findings.

The descriptive research method uses observation and surveys. In this method, it is possible that the study would be cheap and quick. It could also suggest unanticipated hypotheses. Nonetheless, it would be very hard to rule out alternative explanations and especially infer causations. Thus, this study will use the descriptive approach. This descriptive type of research will utilize observations in the study.  To illustrate the descriptive type of research, Creswell (1994) will guide the researcher when he stated: Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition.  The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena. The researcher opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the researcher to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study.

The research described in this document is partly based on quantitative research methods. This permits a flexible and iterative approach. During data gathering the choice and design of methods are constantly modified, based on ongoing analysis. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions as they arise, and allows the investigators to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan.

This study also employs qualitative research method, since this research intends to find and build theories that would explain the relationship of one variable with another variable through qualitative elements in research. These qualitative elements does not have standard measures, rather they are behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs.

Furthermore, as we define the qualitative research it is multimethod in focus, involving an interpretative, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. Accordingly, qualitative researchers deploy a wide range of interconnected methods, hoping always to get a better fix on the subject matter at hand.

The primary source of data will come from interviews of the staff, volunteers, and visitors of the botanical garden.  The primary data frequently gives the detailed definitions of terms and statistical units used in the study. These are usually broken down into finer classifications.

The secondary sources of data will come from published articles from social science journals, theses and related studies on library science. Acquiring secondary data are more convenient to use because they are already condensed and organized. Moreover, analysis and interpretation are done more easily.

 

Project time plan

TASK	Months
	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
Select topic
Undertake preliminary literature search
Define research questions Write-up aims and objectives
Select appropriate methodology and locate sources of information. Confirm access.
Write-up thesis plan
Undertake and write-up draft critical literature review.
Secondary and Primary Data Detailed Sources Consulted
Research Findings: Analyzed Evaluated Written-up
Discussion: Research findings evaluated and discussed in relation to the literature review
Methodology written-up (including limitations and constraints)
Main body of the report written-up and checked for logical structure
Conclusions drawn Recommendations made
Introduction and Executive Summary written-up
Final format and indexing
Print

 

Chinese Management Practices

Chinese management practices has yet to reach the maturity of the business and human resource management of Western countries. This is evidently affecting the performance of their employees and the companies particularly those that are state-run. The cultural context of China’s economy and the political leanings of the country can be regarded as the foremost reasons for this.

This chapter shall present the conclusion of the study based on extensive literature search on the human resource management particularly that of performance appraisal in China’s companies.

    Three conclusions can be derived from this study: (1) human resource management in China is still an evolving area of concern; (2) performance appraisal is yet to be utilized to maximize performance potential of Chinese workers and companies and; (3) Western companies in China has yet to exploit the Chinese market because of the differences in management styles.

 Human Resource Management in China

Human resource management in China is largely based on its cultural leanings. The cultural system is influential in all aspects of Chinese social lives including business management. Essentially, it is the unique Confucianism, family-ism, group orientation philosophy of life and mode of thinking that have made the Chinese cultural system distinctive and powerful. Effective cross-cultural management strategies in China should be based on the implications of the actual cultural mechanisms, not on the temporary cultural fashions that run skin-deep and are likely to generate cultural disorientation. For American companies going to China, three final pointers should be considered:

1. Build up a primary understanding of the major forces that have framed the Chinese culture.

2. Maintain an open and adaptable mind for different management and negotiation styles and practices.

3. Minimize value judgments exclusively based on American cultural terms about Chinese business deviations.

Chinese are inclined toward tradition, their mindset and behavior are both significantly influenced by past cultural values. Americans, in a nation molded by change, view time as a scarce resource. They keep a daily schedule precise to almost every minute. Time to them means efficiency and movemental value, and, therefore is carefully budgeted to achieve personal or organizational goals. The Chinese, based on their philosophy of life, look at time as a process of eternity. What is the point of keeping such a tight schedule? Rice will grow by seasons not by minutes; the sun will rise day after day. What really matters is how life can be made natural and enjoyable each day. If one is always pressed by time where is the quality of life to be found? The Chinese look upon each experience as different and unique, not accumulative in a linear fashion. A frog on a lotus petal is a moment in time and beauty to contemplate and meditate upon, a thing not to be lost. According to the Chinese cultural values, the highest reward in life is the spiritual enrichment and serenity received from the contemplation of one's living environment. Time is valuable when it is used to achieve this ultimate human reward; time is flexible and repeatable regardless of how much present-day businesses want to go against it.

 Performance Appraisal in China

Performance appraisal in China has been

Seventeen hundred years ago, an observer of the Wei dynasty in China complained that. The Imperial rater seldom rates men according to their merits, but always to his likes and dislikes. Performance has been evaluated by some means or another for millennia, and, despite problems, there are few signs --only one, in this writer's opinion --that we are ready to abandon the practice.

There are two dominant Chinese cultural characteristics: collectivism and high power distance. They are loyal to their own reference groups, value relationships, respect authority and the hierarchy of Chinese representatives, give face (mianzi, literally, "personal prestige and status") to Chinese representatives, and consider their own face (lien, literally, "personal esteem, moral character") when they have close relationships with the mainland Chinese. Some participate in traditional Chinese social control mechanisms such as providing free information, gifts, or banquets in return for being accepted as "in-group" members or for being protected by a group of Chinese. The longer they have lived in mainland China, the more they feel they must conform to Chinese social norms.

So far researchers have regarded the performance appraisal feedback in China as desirable but needs significant improvement, and examined the feedback issues assuming that feedback is actually provided. This is because collectivists believe in cooperating rather than competing, emphasize the interconnectedness of people, use group welfare as a principal referent, and sacrifice self-interest for the sake of the whole. In addition, people in collectivistic cultures such as China fear being ostracized personally or bringing shame to their group because of behavior not contributing to the welfare of the group.

China has carried out significant reforms; for example, encouraging foreign investment, giving greater autonomy to state-owned enterprises, and decentralization and decollectivization of agriculture. As a result, the country has been heading toward a more, pluralistic market-style economy. It was clear, however, that this movement toward a market economy necessitated business and human resource reforms to be carried out as well since performance expectations differ from the Western and Chinese perspectives.

The result of the study showed that performance appraisal in China is still evolving. Essentially, it is still an immature industry. Most companies both local and multi-nationals does not have proper HR practices in place. This applies especially to smaller companies. There is no classical path for an HR professional to take, and there are very few schools offering HR management, although some MBA schools do.

 

Differences in Management Styles

The way foreign and local businesses manage their operations effectively in a transitional economy such as the People's Republic of China (China) depends on the way they manage within the constraints imposed by the country's powerful institutions. Although the China is undergoing a rapid transition to a market economy, the old political systems still significantly influence the country's economic activities. Many industries are still influenced by the entrenched, centrally planned economic system.

In China, a firm's internal management will affect its performance, even though influences from China's institutions remain significant. Human resources management is an important management function in China because the HRM department is the one that sets the organizational norms and culture of a firm. With effective HRM, a firm would be able to build up strong organizational values, high employee commitments and team cultures, which are critical to firm performance.

Since 1978, China's state government has adopted market-oriented measures to stimulate firm performance. Firms in the various regions in China perform at different levels because of three factors: the investment climate, government support and local purchasing power.

As China continues to seek ways to manage its inefficient state-owned companies better, the findings of this study suggest that a new ownership structure is a viable alternative. Currently, the central government is encouraging SOEs and collectives to become privatized. Our findings lend some support to this initiative. The new firm type -- shared-stock enterprises -- outperforms SOEs, JVs and collectives. This suggests that shared-stock ownership is more effective in motivating firms to perform efficiently and effectively. As some firms have found, turning employees into owners encourages them to reduce costs, foster a strong team spirit, and help each other to perform better. This can be done more effectively by instituting a performance management appraisal system.

However, one difficult challenge in reforming the country's economy is the reengineering of the Chinese companies. Most Chinese companies are known for their inefficiency and lack of concern for profitability. This study finds that, although the introduction of modern management concepts such as good HRM and performance appraisal has the potential to improve firm performance, this effect seems to be significant in shared-stock enterprises. Since 1978 many SOEs that have tried to introduce new management insights into their operations have failed in some cases. This study seems to suggest that there HR change needs to be accompanied by a change in ownership. Unless a firm's employees recognize that their performance is directly linked to their firm's future as well as their own future, many of the modern management innovations may prove futile.

Many academics and practicing managers regard performance appraisal as one of the most valuable human resource tools. It is a vital component in recruiting and hiring employees, where it is used to validate selection tests, and in staffing, where transfer, layoff, termination, or promotion decisions are made on the basis of appraisal results. This is particularly true in China’s case where business management has yet to evolve compared to that of their American counterparts. This has been largely due to the state ownership of Chinese firms.

In compensation administration, performance appraisal forms the basis for the administration of merit pay systems. Most important, performance appraisal can be used as a motivational tool for communicating performance expectations to employees and providing them with feedback. Finally, performance appraisal is indispensable in training and development activities to assess potential and identify training needs. On the other hand, there appears to be a growing debate about whether the consequences of the performance appraisal are truly beneficial to many organizations.

Regardless of one's perspective, performance appraisal systems are likely to be a subject of concern for managers and employees alike for some time to come. In fact, the trend in organizations appears to be toward merit or other performance-based pay plans, promising even more emphasis on the appraisal process. Despite the trend, and even though a stream of appraisal research has flowed unabated for years, performance appraisal, as commonly practiced, has remained a largely unsatisfactory endeavor.

 

Recommendations

It is clear from the foregoing that performance appraisal continues to present a vexing human resource challenge in China. Practicing managers are quite concerned about issues of fairness in appraisal, but do not consider appraisal accuracy, rating errors, or an understanding of the cognitive processes used in the appraisal process to be major organizational concerns. This is unfortunate, since much of the fairness issue can be addressed by current research. The cognitive process research is really about fairness and may eventually lead to fairer ratings, because of its attempts to control the effect of bias. One problem for managers is trying to understand and interpret research that does not seem realistic because it is done in the lab or based on student subjects. What is needed is a transition into the organizational environments that managers understand. However, the lack of access to organizational settings continues to hamper performance appraisal research. The best way to improve fairness may be for managers to facilitate the researcher's access to their organizations.

Nevertheless, research does begin to offer some suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the appraisal process. The following five points stress that more satisfactory performance appraisal results may be attained through employee participation in system design, by devoting additional resources to training, and by generally creating an organizational culture supportive of performance appraisal:

 

1. Get employees more involved in the design, development, and administration of the performance appraisal system. Participation creates ego involvement and a sense of commitment to the process.

 

2. Invest more heavily in training raters to use the system. Train managers not only to observe and document performance but also to communicate information effectively and deliver performance feedback.

 

3. Create an environment in which performance information is viewed as a resource that managers can use to develop subordinates. Top managers must create a climate in which accurate and timely performance appraisal is expected of all managers, is taken seriously, and is rewarded.

 

4. Make performance appraisal the responsibility of the ratee, not the rater. This is a fundamental philosophical shift that takes the burden to "be nice" from managers and frees them to honestly "call it as they see it." As part of this philosophy, employees must be trained to use the feedback from the appraisal process to manage their own careers.

 

5. Use multiple perspectives (multiple raters) including peer evaluation to reduce the reliance on a single source. This reduces sampling error by increasing the number of observations and reduces the effect of possible idiosyncratic biases. Raters are more comfortable, since they are no longer solely responsible for what happens to the person as a result of the rating.