M. Shahzad Aslam
Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan
Ali Sajid
Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan
Download article
Published in: 11th QMOD Conference. Quality Management and Organizational Development Attaining Sustainability From Organizational Excellence to SustainAble Excellence; 20-22 August; 2008 in Helsingborg; Sweden
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 33:67, p. 783-793
Published: 2008-12-09
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
Uplift of any country depends upon its industrial strength; while industries get booms by investors (local and foreigners). Investor keeps many factors while doing investment at any country and political stability is one of them. When ever there are instable political conditions; industries get affected by many ways and one of them is quality due to employee behavioral changes. Pakistan is also one of developing countries which got affected badly by political instability. People in Pakistan have been going through mental trauma for the last one year due to instable political conditions and suicidal bombings. They have been insecure and disturbed. The outcome of this insecurity affects the organizations growth and revenue which in turn affects the economy of the country. When ever political conditions become worst; organizations especially those having export oriented business dealing with the foreign customers; have to look carefully on the current situations. They have to introduce change in their processes and policies. An example is of Enterprise DB (which used to operate in Islamabad; Pakistan) has shifted their development office to India. The outcome of these circumstances can be unemployment and decrease in average market salary along with employee frustration.
In instable political conditions; employee is affected with respect to society as well. This results in the de-motivation; insecurity; distraction; etc. hence; affecting in quality of work; resource slippage; schedule slippages; cost over run and many more. This can create negative image on global competitive markets. Client can go for other markets like India; Israel; Malaysia; China etc where although the labor cost is high but quality and on time delivery is somehow guaranteed. Already Pakistan is considered to be in tier-3 country among the software export nations and with the political instability; Pakistan’s software industry can go in further downfall. In this research paper; the study will review the effect of the political instability on employee’s behaviors working in ICT sector of Pakistan and will correlate them to show their subsequent effects on organizations and quality of product.
Purpose / Objective: The study will examine the effects of political instability on employee work behaviors within ICT Industry of Pakistan. This will lead towards the effect of the changed behaviors; initially on ICT organizations in Pakistan and then on software quality. Then suggestions will be provided for organizations to reduce these effects.
Scope: Our research will be limited to employees working within the ICT industry of Pakistan. Our sample will include Software houses; Telecom Organizations; Network and Securities providers and System Organizations.
Hypothesis: ICT industry is service oriented sector where employees have direct relationship with organizational growth and software quality. When ever political instability takes place; the organizations and society becomes its victims. Employees are human as well; so any change in society (norms) and / or organizational policies have direct impact on them. Mostly the result is a negative impact on the employees work; ending up an effect on organization and may be on the quality of work/product.
Methodology / Approach: This study is a combination of quantitative and qualitative research where the aim was to gather in –depth understanding of the employee work behavior and the reasons that govern this behavior; which is being effected by the political and security instability. Three types of questionnaire were designed in order to get feedback from professionals working in ICT sector. These questionnaires were for Managers; Quality department people and general employee respectively.
Findings: Information Communication and Technology is a field where the employees have to put their full mental capabilities. When instable and insecure conditions arises in some country it results in employee lack of innovation; motivation; moral and ethical values while increase in frustration; job shifting / switching and even moving to other developed countries. It also results in lacking of initiative; hardworking; dedication; devotion; carefulness; creativity; efficiency; effectiveness and concentration. Organizations will be effected not only by the lack of investment and outsourced projects but also in schedule slippage; cost overrun or even discontinuity of the projects. Due to the above factors quality of work will decrease.
Originality / Value: This paper defines the impact of political and insecure conditions in developing countries to the employees work behaviors; serving in Information Communication and Technology sector and this impact on organizations and quality.
Effect of Political and security instability; information communication and technology; employee work behavior; software quality; developing countries; Pakistan
[1] Pakistan Software Export Board;
[2] CNN News;
[3] Daily Dawn
[4] Sohail Mehmood; “Political Instability and Pakistan’s Military Regime”
[5] Hamid Mir; Political Talk on Geo
[6] Dr. Shahid Masood; Geo Analyst
[7] K.M. Bartol and D.C. Martin; Management; 3rd Edition
[8]Athar Osama “Pakistan’s Software Industry: Best Practices and Strategic Challenges”
[9] Haroon-ur-Rasheed; BBC political analysis
[10] BBC News;
[11] Gew News;
[12] Cheema; F.; The Promise of Contemporary Pakistan; Swords and Ploughshares; The bulletin of the Program in Arms Control; Disarmament; and International Security; University of Illinois at Urbana
[13]wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/
[14] Stephan P. Robbins; Organization Behavior; 9th Edition.
[15] The IT industry in Pakistan; http://www.stii.dost.gov.ph/astinfo/frame/jan_to_mar_2k1/pg10_to_11.htm
[16] Nauro F. Campos & Jeffrey B. Nugent; Who Is Afraid of Political Instability
[17] Ryan A. Compton; Daniel C. Giedeman & Noel D. Johnson; Political Instability; Institutions; and Economic Growth
[18] PEST Analysis; Political Analysis; Economic Analysis; Social Analysis and Technical analysis
[19] SWOT Analysis; Strengths; Weaknesses; Opportunities and Threats Analysis.
[20] James R. Lindner; Understanding Employee Motivation. http://www.joe.org/joe/1998june/rb3.html
