The Relationship Between Union Leaders and the Organization Management - Paper Example

The issue to be studied is the relationship between union leaders and the organization management. The company has a good reputation which it has achieved over the past years in which it has been in operation; it has a reputation of good management and quick response to customer complaints and even valuing of its customers and viewing them as the main asset of the organization. However, there have been no formal union management structures and processes beyond negation and grievance procedure which are essential for consultation. This issue has created a need for a better and appropriate union management structure that can provide a wide range and procedure of consultation to workers in case of any issue in the organization. The union management requires improved processes for negotiation beyond the existing negotiation and grievance procedure.

The union leaders cannot effect a change in the organization management hence it becomes a dependent variable, while organization management can cause changes in the union hence becoming independent variable.

Generation of Hypothesis

Should union leaders be given opportunity by the management to formulate structures and process that are beyond the negotiations and grievance procedure? This question should be given serious attention since it stands for the good of the organization as a whole in achieving its intended objectives. A strengthened relationship between the union leaders and the management will enable coexistence between the two blocks, and it will create an enabling environment especially for the union leaders to focus on the betterment of the organization. This can be achieved only when the organization management allows the union leaders to implement formal management processes and structures a part of negotiation and grievance procedure. This question should be addressed a soon as possible to allow a wider and clear structure of consultation by workers in case of any problem in the union and organization as awhole.

Research Design

The research design to be used for the study is a case study research design. The design method has been chosen because a study has already been given and that is Southwest airline case. Moreover, this design method gives an in-depth examination of the hypothesis rather than just a mere survey. This design method is often used in narrowing an extensive research question into simple examinable research. In addition to the above importance, case study research design is essential in testing the effectiveness of a specific model and is applicable to phenomena in the real world. In summary, this method is useful when the researcher has got no much information about the phenomenon and application of a wide range of methodology and relied on many sources to get insight on the research issue.

Data Collection Methods

The data collection methods that will be used will be interview and construction of questionnaires. To begin with the interview, different face to face interviews will be conducted on different workers belonging to different unions in the organization. Moreover, telephone interviews will also be used. The main objective of conducting the interviews is to get a response to the views of workers on the creation of more formal union management structures for representation and consultation. In addition to interview method, questionnaires will also be designed to collect the data from the union members. Different questionnaire methods that will be used are a web-based questionnaire and paper-pencil questionnaire.

These two data collection methods have been found to be having advantages as well as limitations. To start with the pros of these methods of data collection, questionnaires were found to be practical, a large quantity of data can be collected from many workers at a go at a relatively low cost, the method is reliable, and moreover, a questionnaire can be analyzed more objectively than other methods of data collection. On the other hand, interview as a method of data collection has advantages as well including, having wide coverage, it is less dependent on electronic devices for instance face to face interview. Moreover, it interview is more personal.

However, in as much as these methods have pros, they have got limitations as well. Interview and questionnaire were found to be having the following limitations; lack of validity as in the case of a questionnaire, moreover, the respondents were forgetful and not thinking within the context. In the case of an interview, some of the structured interviews were found not to be flexible hence new questions are in most cases not asked.

Data Analysis

The type of data analysis that was used was explanatory analysis. This method permitted finding out of a previously unknown relationship between the union leaders and the management. Moreover, it made the union to discover a new connection between them and the management. In addition to this, an explanatory analysis is important when defining future studies hence the reason why the method was chosen.

Finding and Conclusion

The outcome that can manifest itself after the study is that many of the union leaders together with the workers will respond positively and support the idea of more formal structures. On the other hand the management will not sustain the pressure and in turn give in and allow more formal union management structures and processes for representation and eventually, everyone in the organization will feel part and parcel of the organization.