Ethical behaviour can have very positive impacts on corporate performance, resulting in higher employee motivation and involvement, lower staff turnover and a better bottom line. This presentation reviews a pioneering case study of how Unilever built a global research ethics awareness programme and how it impacts staff and corporate culture. The presenters aim to stimulate creative discussion on how to approach ethics proactively at the level of the whole organization. It shows that developing ethical codes and training employees can actually be fun and have far reaching consequences.
Employee research has been a major research growth area in recent years. In the 1960s such research was a fairly rare occurrence; now it is relatively common place in the United Kingdom and becoming more widespread elsewhere. This chapter addresses issues touching qualitative and quantitative research, alternative methods of data collection, census versus sample, location, frequency, incentivisation, possible question issue of particular note in staff research, confidentiality. With internal communication being facilitated by improved IT links such as Intranets and email, the face of staff research looks set to change radically over the next few years.
The financial service industry is moving towards a more consumer, rather than product-led, orientation, with the philosophy of good service now becoming increasingly important. However, in this expanding area of market research the facilitator and representative of good service is often not considered. The authors contend that involvement with and evaluation of staff should be a prerequisite of any consumer research in the financial services marketplace. In an attempt to demonstrate the importance of staff research, this paper examines the issue from a number of viewpoints. It deals with the consumer perspective on the importance of staff in the financial service industry. It also describes the benefits of staff research in achieving a deeper understanding of the complex interrelationships in the financial service industry and in more fully meeting research objectives. Finally, the paper deals with the political arena in which research is required to operate and its implications.
This paper outlines the research programme which has been instituted to monitor the multifarious aspects of the Customer First Programme instituted in Lloyds Bank. This is initially planned to span two and a half years. The elements of the research are related both to staff, at whom the programme is aimed and customers, who are the ultimate 'consumers' of the service the Bank provides. In addition to qualitative monitoring of the impact and effectiveness of all of the training and instructional activities, there is a continuous monitor of the staff attitudes to the Programme. Customer evaluation of service standards are monitored through the medium of a massive two year research study which commenced in March 1987, following an intensive pilot phase. Samples of personal customers are surveyed by means of a self-completion postal questionnaire. All branches will be covered over the two years in twenty four matched groups.
As empirical social research is only beginning to enter these spheres of duties, we are presenting, based on the foundation of the results of two examinations, the inferring connections between enterprise congestion, staff integration and position of company in the regional surroundings. Basing on the experiences of a psychological guide-study, 660 employees of a large-scale enterprise and 1060 people of the regional surroundings of the enterprise were questioned. The results show that the integration of the staff is depending on the external image of the enterprise, on the judgement of work and place of work and of the integration into communication- and decision procedures. The importance of the company in its location is caused by the appreciation of working possibilities, the importance of regional structure of industry realisation of expected general social functions.
As empirical social research is only beginning to enter these spheres of duties, we are presenting, based on the foundation of the results of two examinations, the inferring connections between enterprise congestion, staff integration and position of company in the regional surroundings. Basing on the experiences of a psychological guide-study, 660 employees of a large-scale enterprise and 1060 people of the regional surroundings of the enterprise were questioned. The results show that the integration of the staff is depending on the external image of the enterprise, on the judgement of work and place of work and of the integration into communication- and decision procedures. The importance of the company in its location is caused by the appreciation of working possibilities, the importance of regional structure of industry realisation of expected general social functions.
The thesis developed is that if a company image is to be effective it must be upheld by all company personnel, and it must be based on fact. The paper falls into two sections. Section A: Some general conclusions based on the work in the area indicate why further empirical research is necessary. The author is currently undertaking such research. A brief outline of the research, objectives and research plan follows. Section B: The research results to date are indicated. These concentrate on the processes involved in company image formation and dissemination.
Coherence between strategy and policies. Psycho-sociological studies to be undertaken and methods to be applied for diagnostic purposes. Study of bases of corporate communications, and communications barriers. Personnel motivations and corporate morale. Inter-departmental relations; intergroup rivalries and conflicts. The compartmentation phenomenon. The causes of compartmentation and clans. Manifestations and effects in corporate operation. Psycho-sociological therapy methods.
Coherence between strategy and policies. Psycho-sociological studies to be undertaken and methods to be applied for diagnostic purposes. Study of bases of corporate communications, and communications barriers. Personnel motivations and corporate morale. Inter-departmental relations; intergroup rivalries and conflicts. The compartmentation phenomenon. The causes of compartmentation and clans. Manifestations and effects in corporate operation. Psycho-sociological therapy methods.