CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODOLOGY AND
4.5 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 169
4.5.9 The interview schedule 174
4.5.9.1 Approach to data analysis 175
The researcher was committed to understanding human phenomena in context, as they are lived, using context-driven categories. The researcher therefore tried to understand the respondents‟ experiences of diversity in the workplace through the phenomenological perspective. In supporting the phenomenological perspective, Boeije (2010:76) maintains that this approach enables the researcher to understand why something is happening rather than being able to describe what is happening. In trying to achieve this, the researcher categorised data according to the objectives of the study (see Table 4.4).
The study has six objectives (see paragraph 1.4) arranged according to their significance to the study. The researcher developed a semi-structured interview schedule comprising of twenty-six main questions (see Appendix A), as well as a number of follow-up questions to give more clarity to the main questions. Each question was intended to assist the researcher to describe and analyse participants‟ social actions, beliefs, feelings, experiences, thoughts, and perceptions about differences and diversity issues in their workplaces. It should be noted that when the semi-structured interviews were conducted, questions were not asked in a rigid manner as they appear in the schedule, but the discussions determined the sequence that had to be followed. It was for this reason that the researcher had to mark different sections of the collected data as being of one or more of the responses to the study objectives. Each objective
was thereafter assigned to its own category and a body of collected data was broken down into labelled pieces with a view to clustering the bits of coded material together under the code heading and further analysing the clustered data in relation to other clusters. Table 4.4 presents the six objectives of the study together with the main questions that were used by the researcher to reveal the actual beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and experiences of the participants regarding the research problem.
Objectives of the study : Main Questions Objective 1 To find out if the
management and administration personnel of merged FET colleges were capacitated to address issues of diversity.
Questions What are the goals of diversity training? Who provides funding for diversity training? How is the diversity training perceived by the employees? Did the college capacitate the managers to deal with aspects of diversity management? How many diversity workshops have you attended? How do you deal with racial and cultural conflicts?
Objective 2 To determine the extent to which the diversity management concept is integrated into strategic objectives of FET colleges.
Questions What do you understand by the term “Diversity Management”?
What do you understand by the term
“Affirmative action”? What types of diversity training programmes are there for the college? Does the college have an action plan for the role of management? Does the college management distinguish between
“managing people” and “managing diversity”? How do you deal with racial and cultural conflicts?
Objective 3 To evaluate the role of unions, community leaders and college councils in assisting FET college
management to promote
transformation and diversity management.
Questions Does your college have a diversity management policy, and if so who was involved in its formulation?
Does your college communicate the policy and programme to employees and their representatives? How do labour unions respond to diversity management plans? To what extent do College Councils support diversity initiatives?
Objective 4 To investigate barriers to the successful implementation of diversity management policies.
Questions Do you think the college management is doing everything they should to ensure that workers are treated equally? What form of resistance has the college experienced regarding diversity management policy implementation? What factors do you think might impair a labour union‟s ability to deal with diversity issues?
How does the college respond when employees criticise its diversity management plan? What factors can be regarded as barriers to the implementation of diversity management policy in your college?
Objective 5 To determine whether the Questions Do you think that the
historically disadvantaged campuses were benefiting from diversity management and transformation processes.
college management represents the interests of diverse cultural groups?
How do employees of different backgrounds get accommodated into the college HR developmental plan?
What are the implications of the merger on your college? What are your feelings about affirmative action policy within your college?
Objective 6 To develop and recommend strategies for effective management of diversity in FET colleges.
Question What would you recommend for proper and effective management of diversity in your college?
Table 4.4 The six objectives and twenty-six main questions used in the semi- structured interviews
Question 1
What do you understand by the term “Diversity Management”?
In this question the interviewees were expected to show their understanding of the concept “diversity management” and to indicate the extent to which this concept is applied in their day-to-day management of colleges. Only four respondents (4%) were not sure about the meaning of diversity management.
They stated that it was their first time of serving in a college management structure. It was therefore probable that they might not have been capacitated in diversity management, particularly if this is not prioritised by the colleges. One hundred and thirteen (96%) respondents showed that they had an understanding of the concept of diversity management and that they also value diversity for a
number of reasons, such as to give the college access to a broader range of opinions and viewpoints. Out of the one hundred and thirteen respondents who attempted to define the concept, eighty-two of them based their definitions on the differences associated with race, culture, gender, age, religion and physical disabilities and sexual orientation which need to be managed in the workplace.
Generally, the interviewees were of the opinion that the goals of diversity management could be achieved in the workplace when all the employees, irrespective of these differences, feel that they belong, and are neither marginalised nor isolated in the workplace. The remaining thirty-one participants showed a deeper understanding of the concept. They all indicated that managing diversity was a process. They stated that diversity management focuses on creating an environment that maximises the potential and appreciates the diversity of every employee, not just women, blacks or people with disabilities.
This is an indication that there are some college managers who had come to grips with the broader meaning of the concept of diversity management, and this makes it probable that diversity management could be effectively implemented in FET colleges.
Question 2
What do you understand by the term “Affirmative Action”?
All the participants (100%) were in a position to give their definitions of affirmative action. The definitions of this concept that were given by the respondents were grouped as follows
Ninety-eight respondents (83%) considered affirmative action as a positive step by the government to move historically disadvantaged groups, such as Africans, women and physically disabled employees, into corporate ranks where they can be trained and developed. This group of respondents maintained that the affirmative action policy was necessary to achieve representation through dedicated recruitment drives, preferential treatment and quota systems, more particularly because in South Africa the apartheid
policies discriminated employees according to race, gender and physical disabilities. They also maintained that in a democratic South Africa, affirmative action should be part of the legislative framework that would impact on the transformation of public institutions.
Sixteen respondents (14%) defined affirmative action as reverse discrimination, and they viewed members of the historically disadvantaged groups as tokens who did not have the skills to do real work. They maintained that putting unqualified blacks, women and disabled employees in high positions because of affirmative action policies was the cause of the low moral among the competent, hard working personnel as it undermined the merit-based reward systems. They stated that affirmative action programmes in FET colleges did not include targets and recruitment procedures that were clear and fair to every employee, and they indicated that this situation could lead to low levels of commitment and satisfaction, particularly among the white male employees. They also stated that some colleges would distort the meaning of affirmative action to suit their own ends.
Four respondents (3%) defined affirmative action as a programme of action aimed at developing new employees from all racial groups irrespective of race, gender or colour. They stated that affirmative action programmes had to be used by the public FET colleges to train and mentor employees as well as to make all employees more aware of their potential, capabilities, and opportunities. They also maintained that affirmative action initiatives and programmes could be used to build trust and interdependence among employees of different cultures which would in turn produce feelings of belonging and fairness.
Question 3
Does your college have a diversity management policy, and if so, who was involved in its formulation?
One hundred and ten respondents (93%) stated that there were no diversity management policies in their colleges. This can be attributed to the fact that in most public institutions the exact inclusion of diversity management in their strategic objectives and how it is measured, as well as how performance is managed, are often unclear (see paragraph 3.1). The findings revealed that no diversity managers were appointed to implement diversity strategy in colleges.
While the final responsibility for the formulation, communication, monitoring and evaluation of a diversity management policy should rest with a senior manager practical considerations often dictate that the senior manager should be supported by someone who can take charge of issues on a day-to-day basis.
The 93% non response therefore implies that in times of economic downturn, poor results and restructuring, it is the diversity management objectives which are most likely to be dispensed with by FET colleges. Only eight (7%) interviewees agreed that their colleges have a diversity management policy.
They stated that the policy was formulated by the rector and the Education Department officials and that they were not involved. The non-involvement of college managers in the formulation of diversity management policy make it probable that even the members of the different cultural groups might not have been involved. If that was the case, the representivity of those policies is doubtful, and therefore ownership of the policy is questionable. This situation would thus make it difficult for the college to begin a conversation with employees in order to create a more inclusive and supportive culture.
Question 4
What types of diversity training programmes are there for your college?
One hundred and ten respondents (93%) stated that there were no diversity training programmes in their colleges. This may be attributed to the above response where the same respondents indicated that there were no diversity management policies in their colleges. This is contrary to the statement by George and Jones (2006 : 115), that the diversity of the global workforce is increasing, and thus, managers are proactively managing diversity to be able to attract and retain the best employees. Failure to plan diversity training programmes by the college is an indication that most FET colleges have up to now ignored the multidimensionality of personnel employed in colleges. This might tend to involve a selective filtering process where the senior managers filter out aspects of college management that do not fit their framework. Unless efforts to develop training programmes are supported by organisational interventions, which in turn support managing diversity as a critical strategic issue, it is highly unlikely that those most resistant to change will change. The eight (7%) respondents who said that their colleges have developed diversity training programmes mentioned the following types of workshops they have attended
Leadership and management.
Project management.
Human Resource Development Strategy.
MBA Skills Training.
Employment Equity.
Although the interviewees provided evidence that they attended these workshops, the researcher could not find a link between these workshops and
diversity training because a content analysis of workshop materials was not done. Such data could provide a fairly comprehensive picture of progress and issues for discussion by attendants in the diversity workshops.
Question 5
Does your college communicate the policy and programme to employees and their representatives?
One hundred and ten respondents (93%) stated that this question was not applicable to them as they had already indicated in the previous question that their colleges do not have a diversity training programme. In general, the participants stated that their colleges have established procedures for communicating policies to employees and their representatives. This is a strength which will have to be utilised by the managers of these colleges once diversity management policies were in place. Eight respondents (7%) agreed that their colleges communicate the policy and programmes to employees and their representatives. They mentioned the following communication procedures
Managers provide annual feedback on performance.
Time off for employee representatives to attend meetings.
Managers initiate personal contact with individual employees.
These communication procedures were generally acceptable, but not enough to ensure that there was an ongoing consultation and communication. The interviewees agreed that there was a need for managers to develop and manage an effective consultation and communication strategy, as these aspects were integral to the achievement and success of diversity training programmes. This is supported by Human (2005 : 85), when she states that employees tend to become annoyed and demotivated when they do not receive regular and useful information.