Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Order Instructions: Dear Admin,
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The dissertation title is:
The internal and the external factors that affect the performance of employees in oil and gas companies in the state of Qatar after 2015 oil price drop
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Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Sample Answer
THE INTERNAL AND THE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES IN OIL AND GAS COMPANIES IN STATE OF QATAR AFTER 2015 OIL PRICE DROP
MANAGEMENT DISSERTATION PROPOSAL PROFORMA
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MANAGEMENT DISSERTATION PROPOSAL PROFORMA
Aim, objectives and feasibility of the dissertation
Background Information:
Among the Gulf Cooperation Council members (GCC), Qatar is considered to have weathered the reduction of the global demand for petroleum products following the glut of the market. However, the 70- percent decline in this global oil prices in 2015 has shaken the economy of this nation (Milmo, 2016, pp.38). This has resulted in this state running below its budget threshold into a budget deficit of close to $13.0 billion, a figure that is equivalent to 0.8% of the economies GDP.
For a developed economy such as that of Qatar, a relative dependence on oil and its products as inputs in the state’s industries are likely to result in the deplete in these prices, an aspect that would equally decrease the related input costs of this product(Milmo, 2016, pp.39). Alternatively, the input costs are also likely to decrease thus decreasing the cost of production and increasing unemployment rates of this state. As a result of the development of energy efficient policies for the last decades, the tendency towards the world has changed into the consumption of greener technology, an aspect that has decreased the consumption of oil.
According to existing literature, more focus has initially been turned towards the relationship between internal and external factors that affect the performance of employees within oil and gas companies in well-developed states such as Qatar, especially in the wake of price drops, a factor that this research study aims to establish. This study is of interest to me primarily because it probes to establish some of the challenge’s employees within the oil-dependent economies face, an aspect that would determine approaches of solving such issues. In the wider context, the study would be of significance for others as well since it establishes the essence of HRM practices and their essence within the functions of an organization.
On the other hand, the study is motivated by the need to discover investment channels that companies can invest in rather than the reliance on oil as the only generator or revenues. The benefit of this research study is in the development of other areas and investment activities that can profit organizations during this depression in oil prices and also establish the manner in which factors affecting the performance of employees can be enhanced. The insights gained from this study will, therefore, be employed in management with the aim of enhancing the managerial practices directed toward enhancing the performance of employees.
The study is significantly tied to the concept of human resource management and the theory of employee performance is critically studied to contract their relevance to the functions of an organization amidst oil and gas price drops. These theories will address the essence of HRM functions and their need for enhancing the performance of employees within the oil and gas industries in Qatar.
Aims of the Study and Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma
It is essential to determine that the performance of employees within an organization departmental, managerial and leadership levels impact the goals of such organizations positively or negatively. In this case, the performance of employees can be affected by several elements in a work environment. This study, therefore, aims at drawing focus on some of the internal and external challenges the employees working in oil and gas company experience especially when the deplete in oil prices hit an economy such as Qatar. The study will alternatively detail some of the variables affecting the performance of employees both internally and externally.
Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Research Question
- What are the internal factors that affect the performance of employees within oil and gas companies within well-developed states such as Qatar in the rise of oil price drops?
- What are the external factors that affect the performance of employees within oil and gas companies within well-developed states such as Qatar in the rise of oil price drops?
- What are the approaches that can be employed in solving the internal and external factors that affect the performance of employees in these companies as a result of drops in oil prices?
Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Research Objectives
The primary objectives of this study include:
- Establish the internal and external factors that impact employee performance in oil and gas companies in the state of Qatar following the drop in oil prices.
- Establish appropriate recommendations and conclusions that identify approaches of solving the negative impacts of these factors on the performance of employees within organizations in Qatar.
The Feasibility of the Study for Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma
In meeting the objective of this study, a culmination of the necessary resources required has been achieved. The study will gain access to the requisite data by collecting information from other research respondents through a survey and questionnaire that will be distributed to 200 respondents that have worked in the gas and oil industries in Qatar.
The survey and questionnaire will be distributed online to enhance the process of data collection. A consent letter has been granted from our organization that permits this study with a similar developed to provide to the respondents in getting their consent to conduct this study. The respondents of this study have shown a willingness by accepting to engage in the study that will be conducted within a timeframe of 7 months.
Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Literature review
After the decision of GCC in 2014 not to cut the production of oil following the drop in oil prices, the cost of a barrel of oil has significantly fallen to its lowest since 2015. According to Milmo (2016), the drop in oil prices, in this case, affects the economy of this state since the stock markets around the world are significantly affected by these drops (pp.38). The decrease in oil prices in Qatar was brought about by several factors that include: GCC’s changing policy objectives, the increasing decline in global oil product demands, and an increase in oil production among other economies. Additionally, the decrease in GCC’s geopolitical concerns that appertain to supply disruptions in other countries that depend on oil from Qatar is also another challenge that results attributed to the drop in oil prices.
Krane (2015) on the other hand supports the views of Milmo (2016) by stating that in as much as several importing counties have immensely benefited from the drops in oil prices, the effects and impacts of these price drops may not be positive worldwide (pp.16). This can be depicted in the fact that some of the leading oil-producing states such as Qatar struggle in maintaining their economy and stability as a result of declines in oil revenues (‘United Arab Emirates Oil & Gas Report’ 2015, pp.110). As a result of the destabilizing effects that result from a drop in oil prices, serious implications for companies and their workforce are considered to be immense.
Smead (2015), states that a decrease in oil prices has the capacity to significantly strengthen the dollar, a factor that would affect other corresponding currency of Qatar as a result of the state’s dependence on commodity exports (pp.85). As a result of oil drops to a state’s financial assets to oil, widespread default on companies are likely to be experienced. This is attributed to the fact that the precipitation of financial contagion may result in instabilities in such organizations.
However, Marais (2016) contrasts to the views of other authors since he alleges that Qatar significantly seems to be immune to the effects of price drops in its oil products. According to this author, the economic performance of Qatar is still strong even with the drop in oil prices, an aspect that is attributed to the state’s expansion in other entities such as the non-hydrocarbon industry (‘Qatar Oil & Gas Report’ 2015, pp.65). This industry is considered to drive the state’s economic momentum, thus propelling the spending made on investments. On the other hand, Breunig, & Tse Chern, (2015) also points to Qatar’s construction and banking industries as robust in recording the state’s economic growth (pp.114).
Webb, Jeffrey, & Schulz (2011) points out to the fact that employees are the organizations’ resource and need to be properly compensated in order to achieve the goals of an organization. As detailed initially, the development of the HRM approach is vitally based on approaches aimed at utilizing people and treating them as resources in order to realize an organizations objectives (pp.212). This clearly denotes the functional role of HRM within these organizations, an effort directed toward initiating high-performance work systems. This aspect consequently entails linking the workforce in different departments within an organization. Thus, oil and gas companies incorporate the use of effective HRM systems to increase their competitive nature through investment in employee development.
The concept of employee performance is on the other hand associated with the workforce’s ability to achieve quality in relation to output, the presence of employees on the job, the timeliness of the output, and the effectiveness of the work completed Fedor, & Rensvold, (2012) states that an effective leadership style has a bearing that encourages employee performance (pp.790). On the other hand, Lin (2011) states and supports the views of this author by asserting that employee performance involves the successful completion of duties and responsibilities as developed by the supervisors of an organization (pp.895). In this case, the performance of employees according to these authors may be considered in the perspective of three elements that enable them to perform better, with the determinacy of their performance considered as wholly dependent on their declarative knowledge, motivations and procedural knowledge. In short, it is essential to establish that efficient HR practices have a positive impact on the performance of employees within an organization.
As a result of the drops in oil prices in Qatar, Das, Smith, Hennigan, & Yeager (2013) notes that there are five internal human resource management practices that affect the performance of employees. This consequently includes organizations efforts directed towards eliminating recruitment packages and competitive compensation levels, the elimination of training and development, including personal appraisals and the layoff of staff members with the aim of stabilizing the functions of these organizations (pp.52). In this case, organizations are forced to restructure their systems and functions during such periods in order to remain competitive in the market.
Hu, & Kaplan, (2015) points out that the sharp decline in oil prices has tipped several companies into recession, an aspect that has slumped investment levels within the oil and gas industry. Several employees have been laid off as a result of this slump, thus affecting the functions of HRM within the organizations (pp.125). In this journal, the author suggestively points out that the layoffs of employees within this sector, thus affecting the production of goods and services within these projects such as oil and gas ripping services, engineering and construction services.
The crash in oil prices has seen employees in organizations in the state of Qatar experience external issues that impact their performance. Jaffe, & Elass, (2015) purports that the drop in oil prices has seen the cancellation of a series of projects within the energy companies proposals, a factor that has resulted in job cuts. Several expatriates have also left Qatar for holidays and letting their families stay at home. According to this author, these results from the outcome of these companies’ efforts aimed at establishing the right-sizing of their organization’s human resources (pp.125). Oil companies in this region have therefore taken steps in downsizing and canceling their projects as an approach of cushioning the workforce on the impact of the falling oil prices. Hu, & Kaplan (2015) supports the views of this author by pointing out to several companies in Qatar denounced the renewal of their contracts with other companies such that the European energy company since these companies are not sure whether they would get enough projects to supplement the needs of its employees.
In addition to this, the depression in oil prices has also seen oilfield service companies and their sub-contractors suffer from some of the huge drops in their organizational activities, thus impacting the performance of employees. Instances of reductions in spending on staffs on pertinent activities such as training and development, motivation and empowerment have been ripped off by organizations as a result of low incomes received by these companies (Salehi, Save, Nel, & Almquist, 2015, pp.47). The drops in oil prices have also seen several employees in companies dealing in oil and gas encounter an increase in financial pressures. This results from the swelling prices of products and services within the economy of the emirate of this nation, an aspect that has affected these employees immensely. As a result of the scope of staff cuts, the citizens of Qatar working in these companies have been rendered jobless, thus their survival has turned out to be challenging.
Research Methodology and Methods
This study will, therefore, use the interpretivism approach as an epistemological stance that believed in reality as relative and multifaceted. The knowledge acquired from this study is socially constructed with the aim of developing an understanding and interpretation of the factors that affect the performance of employees in oil and gas companies rather than a generalized cause and effect. The study is consequently open to new knowledge that aims to develop it further with the help of informants.
This study will use the quantitative research method in analyzing and establishing some of the factors that affect the performance of employees in oil and gas companies in the state of Qatar following the drop in oil prices. The qualitative research method will, therefore, give an explanation of these phenomena through the collection of numerical data that will be analyzed through a mathematical method in particular reference to statistics (Ngulube, 2015, pp.130).
For the primary purpose of this study, the performance of employees will be gagged as a dependent variable while the factors that affect their performance viewed as independent variables.
To address the studies objectively, the research will use questionnaires in the collection of data. Questionnaires are considered as the primary source that aids in obtaining data for a research endeavor. In view of this, the research will design an efficient questionnaire that is valid, unambiguous and reliable (Ngulube, 2015, pp.130). The study will, therefore, make use of a series of questions that will be developed to find out the required information that will be filled by the participants. The participants will fill these questionnaires either through written forms or through an online survey that will allow the respondents to answer the research questions.
In order to improve the validity of the data that will control the respondent’s answers as detailed in the research questions and objectives, the study will make use of a high-structured questionnaire. It is essential to establish that the culture of employees in Qatar depicts the hesitation of people in expressing their views, feelings, assessments, or their advice in a straightforward manner (Ngulube, 2015, pp.130). However, through the use of questionnaires, the element of anonymity on all the respondent of the study will be considered since the information of the participants will be confidential. This will allow the respondents to feel free in giving their views honestly, an aspect that will establish the reliability of collected data.
In consideration of this research approach, the collection of relevant data will depend upon the choice of the right respondents within several organizations. The research will, therefore, issue 200 questionnaires to the respondents and employees of these companies within this research area (Ngulube, 2015, pp.130). Data collection will primarily be done by taking into account the organizations involved in the study, with a population of 200 employees targeted within the oil and gas industry in Qatar. On the other hand, the survey will use close-ended questionnaires that will be designed to aid data collection. The questionnaire will be designed through the formulation of close-ended questions that will maximize the margins in establishing the factors that impact the performance of employees in these companies.
Key Findings of the Research Study Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma
As detailed in the findings of this study, it has been established that employees remain of significance within the functions of an organization and need to be adequately compensated in order to achieve the goals of an organization (Das, Smith, Hennigan & Yeager, 2013, pp.54). According to the findings of this study, the HRM functions contribute to high performances within the work environment, an element that can be achieved when the functions of HRM are incorporated within an organization. In this case, oil and gas companies use HRM functions and systems with the aim of improving their competitive nature, an aspect that can be achieved when investments are made on the development of employees.
However, the drop in oil prices has been noted as significant in affecting the manner in which organizations dispense their HRM functions. The study established that some of the internal factors that affect the performances of employees within oil and gas industries. These factors include the efforts of these organizations to eliminate recruitment packages and competitive compensations, training and development, job cuts and personal appraisals with the aim of right-sizing organizations (Das, et.al.pp.54). Organizations are in this case forced to structure their functions by limiting the activities of HRM in order to stabilize during such economic period.
On the other hand, the study established that there are external factors that also affect the performance of employees within oil and gas industries in Qatar. The drop in oil prices has resulted in the cancellation of several projects within energy industries, an aspect that has resulted in heavy job cuts thus affecting different employees and their families (Das, Smith, et.al.pp.54).. Efforts of companies to downsize their employees have resulted in unemployment, an aspect that has affected the economy of this state. On the other hand, a huge drop in the activities of organizations has been experienced as a result of these price drops, an aspect that has ripped off the element of motivation and empowerment of employees due to the low-income levels achieved.
Recommendations and Conclusions for Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma
Qatar is considered to have weathered the reduction of the global demand for petroleum products following the glut of the market. For a developed economy such as that of Qatar, a relative dependence on oil and its products as inputs in the state’s industries are likely to result in the reduction of oil product prices, an aspect that would equally decrease the related input costs of this product. It is therefore significant for the emirate economy to consider diverting its attention to other industries such as the infrastructural development industry and the construction industry in stemming the impact of price fluctuations in the oil industry. On the other hand, organizations and companies operating within the oil and gas industry need to establish the need to invest in other activities and markets, also taking into consideration the essence of HRM practices in elevating the performance of employees.
4. Timing mileposts
NB: You must reach Stage 8 at least 4 weeks before your deadline. A 30-day contingency provision is also advisable to allow for potential slippages. This will enable your DA to give you sufficient feedback on your final draft.
You should produce a final Proposal for submission to the DA for approval within 1 to 2 months from your module start date. However, please aim for 7 weeks from your start date at the latest, to ensure time for any necessary revisions and final approval by the 8-week cut-off.
Milestone |
Description |
Due date |
Remarks |
| 1 | Stage 1: Area of interest identified | ||
| 2 | Stage 2: Specific topic selected | ||
| 3 | Stage 3: Topic refined to develop dissertation proposal | ||
| 4 | Stage 4: Proposal written and submitted | ||
| 5 | Stage 5: Collection of data and information | ||
| 6 | Stage 6: Analysis and interpretation of collected data/information | ||
| 7 | Stage 7: Writing up | ||
| 8 | Stage 8: Final draft prepared— submission of dissertation | ||
| 9 | Final Deadline—9 months from module start date. |
Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma References
Breunig, R, & Tse Chern, C 2015, ‘Sovereign Ratings and Oil-Exporting Countries: The Effect of High Oil Prices on Ratings’, International Review Of Finance, 15, 1, pp. 113-138, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Das, B, Smith, D, Hennigan, J, & Yeager, R 2013, ‘Situational Factors Affecting Performance-rating Ability’, International Journal Of Operations & Production Management, 13, 3, pp. 49-56, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Fedor, D, & Rensvold, R 2012, ‘An Investigation Of Factors Expected To Affect Feedback Seeking: A Longitudinal Field Study’, Personnel Psychology, 45, 4, pp. 779-805, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Hu, X, & Kaplan, S 2015, ‘The Effects of Unconsciously Derived Affect on Task Satisfaction and Performance’, Journal Of Business & Psychology, 30, 1, pp. 119-135, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Jaffe, A, & Elass, J 2015, ‘WAR AND THE OIL PRICE CYCLE’, Journal Of International Affairs, 69, 1, pp. 121-137, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Krane, J 2015, ‘Stability versus Sustainability: Energy Policy in the Gulf Monarchies’, Energy Journal, 36, 4, pp. 1-21, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Kulkarni, P 2015, ‘With the industry facing low crude oil prices for the foreseeable future, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remains an oasis of increasing oilfield activity, due to minimal lifting costs’, World Oil, 236, 10, pp. 80-86, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Lin, W 2011, ‘Relevant factors that affect service recovery performance’, Service Industries Journal, 30, 6, pp. 891-910, Hospitality & Tourism Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Marais, J 2016, ‘Oil: What the slump tells us about the global economy. (cover story)’, Finweek, pp. 28-31, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Milmo, S 2016, ‘Oil Dips, Prospects Rise? With oil prices low, what does the future hold for the global petrochemicals industry?’, TCE: The Chemical Engineer, 897, pp. 35-37, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Ngulube, P 2015, ‘Trends in Research Methodological Procedures Used in Knowledge Management Studies’, African Journal Of Library, Archives & Information Science, 25, 2, pp. 125-143, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
‘Qatar Oil & Gas Report’ 2015, Qatar Oil & Gas Report, 1, pp. 1-121, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Salehi, E, Save, S, Nel, W, & Almquist, G 2015, ‘Improve economics with GTL integration into oil sands operations’, Hydrocarbon Processing, pp. 41-44, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Smead, RG 2015, ‘Natural Gas Market Movement and Enforcement Risk’, Natural Gas & Electricity, 31, 12, pp. 15-19, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
‘United Arab Emirates Oil & Gas Report’ 2015, UAE Oil & Gas Report, 4, pp. 1-125, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
Webb, A, Jeffrey, S, & Schulz, 2011, ‘Factors Affecting Goal Difficulty and Performance When Employees Select Their Own Performance Goals: Evidence from the Field’, Journal Of Management Accounting Research, 22, pp. 209-232, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 July 2016.
