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IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES ON QUALITY SERVICE LEVELS.
CASE STUDY: MBARARA DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the background of the study, Statement of the problem, purpose of the study,
research questions, and scope of the study, significance of the study and definition of terms.
1.1 Background to the study
Human resource management (HRM) is the process of employing people, training them,
compensating them, developing policies relating to them, and developing strategies to retain
them Kristen et al (2009) . According to Leigh Rivenbark (2005) As a field, HRM has
undergone many changes over the last twenty years, giving it an even more important role in
today’s organizations. In the past, HRM meant processing payroll, sending birthday gifts to
employees, arranging company outings, and making sure forms were filled out correctly in other
words, more of an administrative role rather than a strategic role crucial to the success of the
organization. Globally the role of human resources is crucial to an organization. Every
organization has policies to ensure fairness and continuity within the organization,Jack Welch,
former CEO of General Electric and management guru, sums up the new role of HRM: “Get out
of the parties and birthdays and enrollment forms Remember, HR is important in good times,
HR is defined in hard timesDessler Gary (2010)
HRM is the personnel function which is concerned with recruitment, development,
compensation, integration and maintenance of the personnel of an organization for the purpose of
contributing towards the accomplishments of the organization’s objectives. Therefore, personnel
management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of the performance of those
operative functions ( Prasad L.M., (2005).
According to the Invancevich and Glueck, “HRM is concerned with the most effective use of
people to achieve organizational and individual goals. It is the way of managing people at work,
so that they give their best to the organization”. According to Dessler (2008) the policies and
practices involved in carrying out the “people” or human resource aspects of a management
position, including recruiting, screening, training, rewarding, and appraising comprises of HRM.
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Generally HRM refers to the management of people in organizations. It comprises of the
activities, policies, and practices involved in obtaining, developing, utilizing, evaluating,
maintaining, and retaining the appropriate number and skill mix of employees to accomplish the
organization’s objectivesBiswajeetPattanayak (2001). The goal of HRM is to maximize
employees’ contributions in order to achieve optimal productivity and effectiveness, while
simultaneously attaining individual objectives (such as having a challenging job and obtaining
recognition), and societal objectives (such as legal compliance and demonstrating social
responsibility) Leslie W. Rue (1997).Human Resources management has an important role to
play in equipping organizations to meet the challenges of an expanding and increasingly
competitive sector. Increase in staff numbers, contractual diversification and changes in
demographic profile which compel the HR managers to reconfigure the role and significance of
human resources managements, Aswathappa. K. (2008),According to R.L Mathis and J. H.
Jackson (2010) several roles can be fulfilled by HR management. The nature and extent of these
roles depend on both what upper management wants HR management to do and what
competencies the HR staff have demonstrated.
According to parasuraman et al (1998) good service quality is expected to lead to customer
satisfaction in all types of service industries, aviation, road transport and including the banking
industry and many others. Customer assessment of quality service is a result of comparison
between their expectation and experience of after service delivery.According toparasuraman et al
(1998). If an organization provides quality services this might lead to high customer satisfaction
and this will intern help an organization make more sales, Waker et al (2006) in quality
management perspective customer satisfaction is defined as a result of comparison between what
one customer expects about services provided by a service provider and what one customer
receives.
According fornell (1993) he identified satisfaction as an overall evaluation based on the total
purchase and consumption experience focused on the perceived service performance compared
with pre- purchase expectations over time.
Mbarara district local government is one of the oldest district in Uganda, is headed by Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO). It is also in the center of a country that is reported as high ranking
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in corruption (Transparency International 2006).Mbarara district local government has
experienced numerous challenge on the quality of service delivery to its population, this is
evidence by huge, complaints of the service delivery system among the district’s local
population, including complaints with the other departments like, accounting and procurement
department, according to PPDA report,(2008) the districts procurement was marred by
irregularities , basing on this therefore the researcher intends to investigate into the impact of
human resource practices on the quality of service levels case study Mbarara district local
government.
1.2 Statement of the problem.
Human resources practices include, planning, procurement, recruitment development, integration
and maintenance of an organization Human Resources. The human resource management of
Mbarara District local government has made significant contribution to the quality of service
levels of he district, despite this the district service delivery systems has experienced numerous
challenges including extreme complaints by the residents of the district and also complaints
against some departments like accounting, and the procurement department in which according
to the PPDA report, 2008 the districts procurement was marred by irregularities, this study
therefore questions the impact of human resource practices on the quality of service levels, case
study Mbararadistrict local government.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The purpose of study is to investigate the impact of human resource practices on the quality of
service levels at Mbarara district local government.
1.4 Objectives of the study
The objectives of the study are;
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I. To examine the different roles of human resource in attainment of quality service at
Mbarara district local government.
II. To investigate the various functions of human resource in attainment of quality service at
Mbarara district local government.
III. To assess the different ways of achieving of quality service at Mbarara district local
government.
1.5 Research questions
I. What are the different roles of human resource in attainment of quality service at
Mbarara district local government?
II. What are various functions of human resource in attainment of quality service at
Mbarara district local government?
III. What are the different ways of achieving of quality service at Mbarara district local
government?
1.6 Scope of the study
The study scope will cover the following aspects;
I.6.1 Study scope
The study scope will include, roles of human resource in attainment of quality service,
various functions of human resource in attainment of quality service, different ways of
achieving of quality service at Mbarara district local government
1.6.2 Geographical scope
The study will be conducted at Mbarara district local government.
1.6.3 Time scope
The period of investigation will be from February to August 2014.
1.7.0 Significance of the study
