Finding from the interviews

The questions posed to the interviewees were open ended:

Q1. From your perspective, what are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the objectives? Explain your answer”

Q2. From your view, what are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the work plans?

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Q3. In your opinion, what are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the organisational structure?

Q4. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the periodic review?

Q5. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the performance evaluation?.

This part of the data analysis focuses on the top and middle management and employees‟ views and their answers to those questions that related to the challenges that might prevent the application of MBO from their perspective in the General Secretariat to the Cabinet in Oman.

Therefore, to achieve the objective of investigating these challenges, the researcher interviewed 10 participants from the top and middle management and employees. This sample was selected randomly. To analyse the findings, the researcher used the method of calculating the percentage of frequency of the words and ranks on every one of the challenges facing the implementation of MBO. In addition, the researcher considered challenges as high if the percentages of repeated challenge were 80% or more, the challenges as average if they were between 79% and 50%, and the challenges as low if the recurrence rate was less than 50%. The following questions are answered from the perspective of top management.

Q1. What are the challenges related to objectives that face management and employees?

This section concentrates on finding out the answers to the question which asks for the views of the top and middle management and employees on the challenges that face the management and employees as related to the objectives. The results indicated that all of the participants agreed that the main challenge is the lack of clarity of the goals in the different departments and sections. In addition, it is clear from Table 6.12 that the majority of the interviewees (80%-90%) emphasised that the difficulty of determining the general goals and the sub-goals, lack of the necessary information for identifying the departments‟ targets and centralisation in determining the goals by the highest authority

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are important challenges that could prevent the application of MBO from their perspectives in the General Secretariat to the Cabinet in Oman. However, the fifth challenge, which is related to the lack of training for employees to formulate goals, received an average percentage as a challenge. This understanding was confirmed by one of the top management interviewees, who acknowledged the dilemma, saying:

The current wording of the general objectives of the departments‟ and sections‟ targets are unrealistic and difficult to link to implementation mechanisms. More precisely, I think we are missing scientific studies in the formulation of targets.

Similarity, in this context, one of the employees said:

I find difficulty in identifying the main objectives of the department. Also, for over 5 years I did not get a chance to train in areas that will help in the formulation and setting of goals.

Table 6.12: Percentages and ranks of the challenges are related to the objectives

Ranks Challenges that related to objectives Percentage

1 Lack of clarity of the goals in the different departments and sections 100% 2 The difficulty of determining the general goals and the sub-goals 90% 3 Lack of identifying the necessary information for identifying the

departments‟ targets

90% 4 Central in determining the goals by the highest authority 80% 5 Lack of training for employees to formulate goals and identified 60%

Q2. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the work plans?

This section focuses on finding out the responses of the question which asks about the top and middle management and employees‟ views on the challenges that face the

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management and employees which are related to the work plans. The results in Table 6.13 indicate that the majority of the participants agreed that the first, second and third challenges were high.

Undoubtedly, the results show that the percentage of frequencies, which are associated with challenges through the lack of financial resources allocated to the action plans, scarcity of data on which action plans depend, and shortage of qualified human resources for the implementation of the action plans, are high. However, the fourth challenge, which is the lack of participation of employees in developing and identifying action plans, was reported by the participants giving an average percentage (70%). In addition, the fifth challenge that related to non-specific action plans that defined a period of time scored only 50%. In other words, it was revealed by half of the respondents that this challenge is significant. This consideration was reported by one of the middle management interviewees, who said:

In my view, the action plans focused on completing routine work without considering the ways to develop employees. The financial budget for developing human resource is low.”

Table 6.13: Percentages and ranks of the challenges are related to the action plans

Ranks Challenges that related to action plans Percentage

1 Lack of financial resources allocated to the action plans 90%

2 Lack of data on which depend action plans 80%

3 Lack of qualified human resources for the implementation of the action plans

80%

4 Lack of participation of employees in developing and identifying action plans

70%

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Q3. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the organisational structure?

This part concentrates on finding out the answers to the question which asks for the top and middle management and employees‟ perspectives on the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the organisational structure. Table 6.14 indicates that the majority of the respondents confirmed that the challenges occupying the first and second ranks are that the organisational regulation of the General Secretariat is out of date, and some responsibilities overlap between employees. Furthermore, the participants reported that the challenges associated with the lack of specialised committees to address some of the problems of emergencies at work and the absence of quality control in the work, have average ranks. The fifth challenge that was mentioned by the respondents was related to the fact many departments do not have regulations for work and there is no description of the work tasks. From the perspective of the respondents, this challenge was given a low rank. One of the participants made some significant remarks in this respect, saying:

I have a strong belief that the administrative work is not based on a regulation that could direct specific activities. I think most of the decisions are issued according to personal attitudes and problems and not on the particular system.”

Table 6.14: Percentages and ranks of the challenges are related to the organisational structure

Ranks Challenges that related to organisational structure Percentage

1 The organisational regulation of the General Secretariat is out of date.

100%

2 Some jurisdictions overlap between employees. 90%

3 Lack of specialised committees that address some of the problems of emergencies at work.

70%

4 The absence of quality control in the work. 60%

5 Many departments do not have regulations to regulate the work and there is no description of the work tasks

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Q4. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the periodic review?

This section includes the findings that answer the question about the challenges that face the management and employees and are related to the periodic review. The results indicated that the majority of the top and middle management and employees (90%) confirmed that the lack of specific standards to control and monitor the performance of staff in various departments is the main challenge. It is clear from Table 6.15 that the percentages and ranks of the second, third and fourth challenges in the theme relating to the periodic review were given average levels. These challenges are connected to the issues of the lack of periodic follow-up mechanisms to reports from departments, the limited availability of self-censorship among many employees, and the lack of commitment by some official staff in work time. Moreover, the final challenge that faces the management and employees relating to the periodic review concerns the lack of teamwork between departments. This challenge has a low percentage, 40% only. In explaining their views on this theme, one of the participants said:

In my experience, I think that there are no specific criteria for following up staff, but they are approached in a random manner. Also I notice that there are some employees who do not pay attention to achieving the desired objectives.

Table 6.15: Percentages and ranks of the challenges are related to the periodic review

Ranks Challenges that related to periodic review Percenta

ge

1 Lack of specific standards to control and monitor the performance of staff various departments

90% 2 Lack of periodic follow-up mechanisms to reports from departments 70% 3 Limited availability of self-censorship among many employees 60% 4 Lack of commitment by some official staff working time 50% 5 Lack of teamwork between departments and departments 40%

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Q5. What are the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the performance evaluation?

This part contains the findings that answer the question about the top management‟s views on the challenges that face the management and employees which are related to the performance evaluation. In Table 6.16, the results indicate that the challenges in ranks 1 and 2 are important and have a high percentage. Both of these challenges are associated with the shortage of financial incentive and the low standards employed in evaluating employees. However, the challenge in rank 3 is at the average level of the importance from the perspectives of the top and middle management and employees. On this same issue, one of the participants commented:

In fact, I am not satisfied with the way of evaluating the employees‟ performance in the various departments. In my opinion, there are no clear criteria. In addition, there is no justice in the performance evaluation. Also, there are no satisfactory financial incentives for efficient employees in most of the departments.”

Table 6.16: Percentages and ranks of the challenges are related to the performance evaluation

Ranks Challenges that related to performance evaluation Percentage

1 Lack of financial incentives that are given to employees 90% 2 Low level methods used in evaluating the employees‟ performance 80% 3 No clear mechanism to determine employee satisfaction 70% 4 Lack of qualified personnel to evaluate the performance of

employees

60% 5 And there are some biases in the evaluation of performance among

employees

40%

Furthermore, 40% of the respondents reported that the lack of qualified personnel to evaluate the performance of employees is a challenge facing the management and employees related to the performance evaluation.

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6.4 Summary

The main findings of the empirical study, which were conducted in the General Secretariat to the Cabinet in Oman, have been summarised in the following points:

 The findings of quantitative analysis have shown that there is general agreement on the five principles of MBO (Setting Objectives, Action Plan, Organisational Structure, Periodic Review, and Performance Evaluation) among the top, middle, lower management, and the employees. This means that the implementation of MBO in the government sector in Oman is highly applicable.

 The findings of the qualitative analysis have revealed that there are some challenges in regard to applying MBO in the General Secretariat to the Cabinet. The key challenges are identified below:

o The absence of quality control in the work.

o Lack of specific standards to control and monitor the performance of staff in various departments.

o Lack of periodic follow-up mechanisms in departments. o Limited availability of self-censorship among the employees. o Lack of commitment by some employees.

o Lack of teamwork between departments.

o Lack of financial resources allocated to the action plans.

o The difficulty of determining the general goals and the sub-goals. o Lack of qualified human resources.

o Lack of participation of employees in developing and identifying action plans.

o Centralisation in determining the goals by the highest authority o Lack of training for employees to formulate goals.

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