The impact of employee-employer relation

on organizational performance the case of

Modjo Dry port
A Research proposal as partial
fulfillment of the course Research
Methodology

Oromia State University

School of Leadership and Governance
Department of Leadership and Change Management
Post Graduate Program

Submitted To: -Mulunah Hedato(PHD)

Course instructor
Submitted By: -

Solomon Araya-
Dawit Bizuneh
Nardos Kefelegn
Shiferaw Mekonnen
Feyo Bonsa
Acknowledgement
It is our warmest appreciation and great full thanks for our instructor Mulunah
Hedato(PHD) for his uncountable effort made to equip us the required knowledge and
skill in research proposal development and conducting the actual research work
afterward. It could be more difficult to us to do what we are doing now freely and
through enjoyment, unless and otherwise we were not taking the course in a way we
have taken it.

Thanks a lot!

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 Table of content

Content Page

I. Executive Summary-------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1. Introduction

1.1.Background of the Study--------------------------------------------------------------------------2

1.2.Background of the Organization----------------------------------------------------------------2
1.3.Statement of the Problem------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.4.Review of the previous studies------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.5.Objectives of the study----------------------------------------------------------------------------5
1.6.Conceptual model-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
1.7.Operational definition of concepts------------------------------------------------------------ 6
1.8.Significance of the Study--------------------------------------------------------------------------7
1.9.Scope of the Study----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

2. Methodology
2.1.Typology of research design---------------------------------------------------------------------7
2.2.Data type---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
2.3.Data Source------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
2.4.Data collection instruments---------------------------------------------------------------------8
2.5.Sample design and sample size-----------------------------------------------------------------8
2.6.Data processing procedures---------------------------------------------------------------------9
2.7.Data analysis techniques and interpretation-----------------------------------------------9
3. Organization of the Paper
3.1.Data analysis and interpretation--------------------------------------------------------------9

3.2. Summary, conclusions and recommendations -----------------------------------------

4. Time and budget schedule
4.1. Time Schedule------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10

4.2. Budget Schedule---------------------------------------------------------------------------------11

Bibliography

ii
 List of Table

Table Page

1. Time schedule-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Budget----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Executive Summery
This is a research proposal to be undertaken on the area of “The impact of employee-
employer relation on organizational performance the case of Modjo Dry port”. This
research work will try to pinpoint the main causes of employee-employer conflict and
dispute issues and the impact of it on the organizational performance of the
organization. The work costs around 5145 ETB and will be completed from 3-4 months.
Data will be collected using different data collection tools from both primary and
secondary sources of data and will be processed using statistical and quantitative
techniques to reach the outcome that reflect the real situation showing the level of
magnitude on the impact of the relationship in organizational performance.

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 1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study

As a student of second degree it is one requirement to do a research (thesis) as a partial

fulfillment of the program. One of the most valuable courses that equip the knowledge and
skill of doing research under the curriculum of the program is Research methodology.
Therefore, this research proposal is originally developed as one part of the course
completion, Research Methodology, and after commented by the instructor and including
all the necessary comments and improvement ideas it will serve its final purpose and will be
a roadmap for developing the actual research under the area stated.

This research proposal is developed to conduct a practical research on the research title
“The impact of employee-employer relation on organizational performance the case of
Modjo Dry port”. The main reason why this title is selected is the multiplied effect of work
place relationship on the overall employee productivity, motivation and retention through
which everyone will contribute towards the organizational performance and growth.

1.2 Background of the Organization

Ethiopian shipping and logistics service enterprise (ESLSE) is established with a merger of

three independent organizations, Ethiopian shipping line S.Co., Dry port Enterprise, and

Ethiopian Maritime enterprise in 2011 and then the enterprise acquires Comet Transport

S.Co. for its in land transport service. The organization services as a sol multimodal agent of

the country to deliver transportation service both in water and land. The company has 8 dry

port branches in different parts of the country. In addition it has also contact offices in its

destination areas with the vessels having its head quarter in Finfine. The enterprise also

owns 15 ships and more than 2000 employees. Of these branches Mojo Dry port is one and

which is the largest of all in which more than 78.8% of cargo, through the dry port service, of

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the country is served. Mojo port and terminal lies on a total area of 62 hectare working

area and have 82 hectare for future expansion in the outskirt of Modjo town having current

container storage capacity of more than 14,900 TEU containers at a time , with 968

employees that are 477 Permanent Employee 91 Contract Employee and around 400 daily

laborers.

The relative service delivery levels of the ports in percentage are presented below.

0.61% 1.19%

4.19 4.19
% %
Key
11.9
% Modjo
Kaliti
Diredawa
Mekele
78.8
Kombolcha
%
Semera

Source: annual report of the port- 2018

The port is equipped with different machineries and equipments for the organization’s
service delivery. Some of them are Reach Stackers, Empty handler, terminal tractor,
forklifts, fire fighters truck and etc

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The port delivers a logistics service from port of loading up to port of destination facts of ESLSE,
ports which reduce the dwelling time of containers at Djibouti port to 6 days. (Port report 2018)

1.3 Statement of the Problem

The research problem to be analyzed and investigated is the employee-employer relationship in

the overall work environment of the selected organization. This includes factors contributing for
the existence of good or worse employee-employer relationship that will be justified with the
parameters towards it by different scholars and the Ethiopian labor proclamation as well as the
collective agreement within the organization.

Having all rounded look towards the relationship it is the main purpose to identify the common
causes and reasons of conflict, the impact it results on the overall organizational performance
with empirical evidence.

1.4 Review of the previous studies

There are many research works undertaken on the broad subject of human resource
management. So far to the best of our knowledge and effort especially in the organization we
selected, we couldn’t come across any work directly on this specific area. So we strongly believe
that this work will not be a replica of other work rather it will trigger to see the issue from
different dimension. Farther thorough literature review will be done in process.

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 1.5 Objectives of the study
The objectives of this research are articulated as general and specific for the seek of better
representation as it have more than one specific objectives.

a. General objective
 To assess the magnitude of employee-employer relationship effect on
organizational performance and enlighten the players to give attention to the
issues.
b. Specific objectives
Specifically this research is mainly:

 To identify major causes that affect employee-employer relationship with in the

organization’s practice
 To study the grievance and conflict handling mechanisms of the company and
identify its gap
 To assess the level of impact of employee-employer relationship on
organizational performance through its multifaceted costs

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 1.6 Conceptual model

The conceptual relationship between issues to be considered in the research

process is tried to map by the researchers in the following ways.

Unproduct
ive time
Organizational
Employee citizenship
relation
Legal framework process
Organizatio
nal
Employee – Employee performanc
employer motivation e
Employee
relation
voice
framework
Philosophy and
policies of parties Non value
in ER Individual adding
Employee productivity cost
communication

N.B. As the model will be refined through the process it should not be taken as the final model for the

final research.

1.7 Operational definition of concepts

Employee- employer relationship refers to the relationship between the three major parties
namely individual employees, trade unions and the employer. It is “concerned with managing
and maintaining the employment relationship, which involves handling the pay–work bargain,
dealing with employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, issues arising from
employment, providing employees with a voice and communicating with employees. They

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consist of the approaches and methods adopted by employers to deal with employees either
collectively through their trade unions or individually.” Armestrong,M 2009)Armstrong’s
handbook of HR practice. pp878

1.8 Significance of the Study

In industries where human capital is the most crucial resource and an input for overall
performance of the organization, and diverse manpower are available the need to have
effective employee relation practice adds value. This research will show that how much the
organizations are losing in terms of direct monitory value, affected with the turnover rate, costs
and lost in mitigating labor dispute in court etc. In general it will try to find out the major causes
that result high grievance and conflict in the work environment and will try to suggest ways to
improve the practice in resolution mechanism whenever it arises. In addition the finding will
also bring the magnitude of this issue to the front to be taken as an important issue by the
managers in minimizing the associated cost and hassle with proper management of it.

It will also suggest issues to be given a due attention while developing organizational human
resource administration policy, drafting collective bargaining documents and conflict resolution
and grievance handling manuals.

1.9 Scope of the Study

This research work will be conducted in Modjo dry port. As the number of employees are large
and diversified in this organization ranging from highly professional to the daily laborer, from
less experienced to those who are reaching the age of retirement, the sample frame will be
large enough and it will be more valuable to generalize the findings to the whole ports in the
organization.
2. Methodology

2.1. Typology of research design

As the research is to look for the impact of employee-employer relation over

organizational performance it partially has a feature of causal research but more
of an assessment type.

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 2.2. Data type

To substantiate the findings with relevant and supporting empirical evidences

both qualitative and quantitative data type will be collected.

2.3. Data Source

The qualitative and quantitative data will be collected from the primary and secondary
sources of different parties that involves in handling the issues under consideration. These
sources will be the employees, employer representative, trade union representative, if
available, governmental social and labor affairs, relevant courts, employer and employee
federation Adama brunch offices, and others found to be valuable in the process.

Therefore, reports, meeting minutes, Human resource administration manuals, conflict labor
dispute resolution procedure manuals and decision reports, court case registration files,
negotiation and case mitigation reports, labor law proclamations and occupational health and
safety directives etc will be used as a secondary data source. For primary data source
interview, questionnaire, observation and focused group discussion will be employed.

2.4. Data collection instruments

To collect the available and required data from each source interview schedule,
questionnaires, data collection format and focused group discussion schedule
will be used. These diversified methods of data collection will help to optimize
data accuracy and validity level of the research.

2.5. Sample design and sample size

As the research is concerned with employee-employer relationship, the level of

the employee involvement, the employee academic and hierarchical level
differences other issues should be taken in to consideration while deciding the
sampling design. It is believed that with a population in which there is diversity it
will be better if each category will get a representation in the sample. Therefore,
having the above facts in to consideration we have selected the stratified
random sampling which gives us the chance to categorize the whole population
in to different strata and decide the total sample size that will be adequate to

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 represent the total population. Then from each stratum proportionately we will
select the sample from it.

2.6. Data processing procedures

After collecting the required data through the data collection tools , it has to be
processed. Through these processing stages the raw facts/ data will be made
ready for data analysis. The procedures followed while processing the data are:
 The collected data first will be edited through field and office editing.
 The edited data will be coded
 The coded data will be classified
 Data tabulation will be the fourth and final procedure in this case.

2.7. Data analysis techniques and interpretation

The processed data is more likely easy to be analyzed. Therefore, using different
statistical and quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques the processed
data will be analyzed. The analysis will help to make the final interpretation or
stating the outcome of the research.

3. Organization of the Paper

The overall research work will be organized in a logical order comprising six parts.
I. The first part will be the prefatory (introductory) part including all the
necessary points starting from the title page to the abstract or executive
summery.
II. The second part of the paper will be composed of the main body of the
research that includes .
 Background of the study
 Background of the organization
 Statement of the problem
 Objectives of the study
 Conceptual model
 Operational definition of concepts

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  Significance of the Study
 Methodology
 Scope of the study
 Limitations of the study if there is

III. Part three will show the relevant literature reviewed that are focused and
directed to the purpose and selective to this research context.
IV. Part four will be data analysis and interpretation. The processed data will be
analyzed and will be given contextual meaning in relation to the research
problem.
V. Part five will show the summery, conclusion and recommendation based on
the above facts and conclusions.
VI. Part six will indicate the tremal items like bibliography/ reference and
appendix in which any document used or to be used in the research process,
related work to the title or issue and need to be disclosed will be listed.

4. Time schedule and budget

4.1. Time Schedule

To undertake this research work the required time budget and list of activities
are presented as follows.

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No. Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month
Activity 4
W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1

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1 Research title identification
2 Research plan development
3 Developing data collection tools
4 Developing sample frame
5 Sample selection
6 Data collection
7 Data processing
8 Data analysis and interpretation
9 Summarizing and concluding
the finding
10 Draft presentation to advisor
11 Including and refining the
document up to the advisors
comment and suggestion
12 Final defense

4.2. Budget Schedule

The required budget to conduct this research work is estimated as it is presented in
the following table.

Measure Remark
No Description ment Qty Unit price Total price
1 Stationery material 5 200 00 1000 00
2 Transportation days 5 250 00 1250 00
3 Secretarial service 300 00
4 Entertainment for days 5 200 00 1000 00
interview and focused
group discussion
5 Communication expense day 5 90 00 1350 00
Sub-total 290 00
Cont. 5% 245 00
Total 5145 00

Therefore, the budget requirement for undertaking the total research is estimated to
cost about 5145ETB.

Bibliography

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1. Armestrong,M. (2009).Armestrong’s handbook of Human resource practice. London:

Kogan page.

2. Mulunah Hedato(PHD) (2019).Lecture PPT. Oromia state University

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