UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING AMONG TRAINERS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH JOB SATISFACTION

AND PERFORMANCE

MICHAEL DOSIM LUNJEW

FPP L 1994 3

PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING AMONG TRAINERS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH JOB SA�ISFACTION

AND PERFORMANCE

By

MICHAEL DOSIM LUHJEW

Dissertation Submttted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Phi losophy in the

Centre for Extension and Continuing Education Universiti Pertanian Malaysia

February 1994

I wish to express my grateful acknowledgement and

appreciation to Prof . Dr . Rahim Md . Sai l , the Chairman of

the supervisory committee , and the other committee members

Dr . Abu Daud Silang and Dr . Alang Perang Zainuddin , for

without their counsel , guidance and encouragement , this

thesis would not have been completed successful ly .

I also wish to acknowledge the contributions of my

graduate colleagues and staff members at the Centre for

Extension and Continuing Education in U . P . M . who had

contributed towards this thesis in one way or another . My

sincere thanks and appreciation also go to the respective

heads and coordinators in the participating training

institutions where this study was conducted for their very

valuable cooperation and assistance in the completion of

this thesis . Not forgotten also are the training officers

in these insti tutions for their cooperation and support

for participating in this study .

I am also very grateful to the Public Services

Department of Malaysia , for giving the financial support

to undertake this doctoral programme . Special thanks and

appreciation also go to Universiti Pertanian Malaysia ,

particularly the Centre of Extension and Continuing

Education for giving me the opportunity to embark on

this enriching journey into the academic world .

ii

I am also very thankful to many parties and

institutions , who had helped me in one way or another , and

particularly the National Institute of Public

Administration ( INTAN ) for allowing me the use of their

facilities while preparing this thesis .

Finally , and specially I am grateful to my wife ,

Christine , my two daughters Joleen and Edeleen and my son

Raymond for their love , understanding , encouragement and

patience throughout my graduate programme that made this

work a success .

i i i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGE�ENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AaSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A13STRAK * • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

CHAPTER

I

I I

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Statement of the Problem

Objectives of the Study

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Signi ficance of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scope and Limitations of the Study .. . . . . . . .

Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

Leadership and Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Motivation Theories and Participation . . . . .

Need Theories of Motivation

Cognitive Theories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reinforcement and Social

Page

ii

vi ii

x

xi

xii

xv

1

1

7

12

13

14

15

21

21

23

30

3 2

37

Learning Approaches • . • . • . • . • • • • . • • • • • 47

iv

Page

Participation , Performance and Satisfaction • . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . 5 3

The concept o f Employee Participation • • • . . • • • • • • • . • • . • • • • • • • . 53

Forms of Employee Participation 55

Benefits and Research Findings on Employee Parti ci pation • • • • • . . • • • • 5�

Participation Models of Sati sfaction and �erformance • . • • • • . • . • • • • • • . • • • • • • • . . • 65

conceptual Framework of Predictors of Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hypotheses • e..- . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

III RESEARCH METHODO�OGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Conceptual Model of the Study of Participation in Decision-Making

Operational Model of the study of Participation in Decision-Making

Operational isation of Research

, . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . .

68

75

77

79

80

8 2

V�riables • . • . . • . . . . . . . . it • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 84

Employee Participation , Performance and Job satisfaction • • . • • • • • • • . • . • . • • 84

Predictor Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 9

The Questionnaire Format • • • r • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Procedures for Sample Selection . . . . . . . . . . . 9 8

ProcedUres for Data Collection . . .. . . . . . . . . . 106

Reliabi lity Tests of the Scales . . . . . . . . . . . 109

statistical Techniques for Data Analysis 113

Tests of Signi ficant Relationships . . . . . . . . 115

v

IV

Page

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Characteristics of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Demographic Characteristics : Sex, Grade , and Highest Degree • • • • • • • • • • • • 118

Other Demographic Character istics 122

Job Abil ities , Traits and Motivation Characteristics

Perception on Selected organisationa l Variables

participation , Job satisfaction

126

129

and Performance • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 132

Participation Relationships with Research Variables • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 136

Relationships with Job Satisfaction and Performance • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 136

Relationships with Selected Predictor Variables • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 139

Discussions on Hypotheses Testings of Relationships

predictors of Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Discriminant Variables of Participati on

Participation and Motivational Needs

Predicting Motivation to Participate

14 4

146

154

159

Using the Expectancy Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Model of Employee participation : Adaptation of Porter & Lawler (1968) 17 1

Summary of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

vi

v SUMMARY , CONCLUSIONS , IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . • . . . • • . • . • • • • . • . . • . • •

Summary

Research Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Objectives of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Summary of Findings

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Implications

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Recommendations for Managing Participation in Organisations

Recommendations for Additional

Page

1 7 5

1 7 5

1 7 5

1 7 9

1 8 0

1 84

1 9 3

1 9 5

2 0 1

2 01

Research • . . • . . • . • • • . • • • • • . • • . • • . • • • . • 2 0 3

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 5

APPENDICES

A Questionnaire in Engli sh 2 2 0

B Questionnaire in Bahasa Mal aysia 2 34

C Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

D Additional Table . . . . , . . . . . . . . , - . . . . . 2 5 2

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH . . . . . . . . . � . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

vi i

LIST OF TABLES

Table

1 .

2 .

3 .

4 . .

5 .

6.

7.

8 .

9.

1 0 .

1 1 .

1 2 .

1 3 .

14 .

Number of Trainers in Federal Training Institutions in 1991

Estimated Number of Trainers in Training Institutions from statutory Agencies . . . . .. .

Sample S i ze and Response Rates from Selected Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . - . .

Pre-Tests and Final Rel iabil ity Statistics of Research Variables

Respondents ' Characteristics : Grade by Sex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .

Respondents' Characteristics : Highest Degree by Sex • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Respondents' Characteristics : Highest Educational Qualifications by Institutions . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . • . . . • . .

Distribution and Summary Statistics of Selected Demographic Variables • • • • • • • • • • • •

Summary Statistics : Job Abilities , Traits and Motivation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Summary Statistics : Percepti ons on Organisational Variables • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Distribution and Summary Statistics : Level o f Participation , satisfaction and Performance

Correlation Coefficients for Job satisfaction and Performance with Participation • • • • • • • • • • • • . . • • • • • • • • •

Correlation Coefficients Between Selected Individual Variables with Participation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Correlation Coefficients Between Organisational Variables and Participation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

vii i

Page

1 0 0

104

1 0 8

1 1 2

1 1 9

1 2 0

1 2 1

1 2 3

1 2 7

1 3 0

13 3

1 3 7

141

144

Table

1 5 . Simple Multiple Regression Analysis :

1 6 .

1 7 .

1 8 .

1 9 .

2 0 .

2 1.

2 2.

2 3.

Predictors of Participation . • • • • • • • • • • • • •

stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis : Predictors of Participation • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Discriminant Analysis : standardised Cannonical Discriminant Function Coefficients of Participation . . . . . . . . . . . .

stepwise Discriminant Analysi s : Standardised cannonical Discriminant Function Coefficients of participation

Importance of Intrinsic Participation Outcomes : Means and Standard Deviations

Importance of Extrinsic Participation outcomes! Means and Standard Deviations

Perceived Probabi l ity of Realising Intrinsic outcomes : Means and Standard Deviations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Perceived Probability of Realising Extrinsic outcomes : Means and Standard Deviations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Correlation Matrix of Predictor "Cl�:iCll)JLE!e; • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

ix

Page

148

151

1 5 6

1 5 8

162

164

1 6 6

1 6 7

2 5 2

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

1 .

2 .

3 .

4 .

Vroom' s VIE Model of Job Motivation and Performance . . . . • • • • . " • • • • • • . . . . . . . . • •

Porter and Lawler ' s Model of Performance and satisfaction . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

conceptual Framework of Participation­Performance and participation-satisfaction Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,

Operational Model of Predictors of Participation in Decision-Making

x

. . . . . . . . .

Page

38

4 1

8 1

8 3

FELDA -

lAB -

lKU -

ILPP -

INPUT -

INTAJf -

NPC -

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Federal Land Development Authority .

Aminuddin Baki Institute , Ministry of Education ,

Pahang.

Institute of Public Health , Ministry of Health ,

Kuala Lumpur.

Agricultural Extension Training Institute ,

Agricultural Department , Serdang , Selangor.

FELDA Land Administration Institute , FELDA ,

Perak .

National Institute of Public Administration ,

Public Services Department , Kuala Lumpur .

National Productivity Corporation (Centre

previously ) .

PULADA - Army Training Centre , Ministry of Defence ,

Johor.

PULAPOL - Police Training Centre , Royal Mal aysian Police

Department , Kuala Lumpur.

xi

Abstract o f dissertation submitted to the Senate of Uni versi ti Pertanian Malaysia in partial fuifilllllent of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy .

PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING AMONG TRAIHERS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH PERFORMANCE

AND JOB SATISFACTION

By

MICHAEL DOSIM LUHJEW

February 1994

Chairman : Prof . Rahim Md . Sail , Ph . D.

Faculty : Centre for Extensi on and Continuing Education

This study was conducted to determine the nature of

relationships between participation an4 job satisfaction

and also with performance . It also sought to identi fy

significant predictors , discriminant variables and valued

outcomes from participation among trainers of public

sector institutions in Malaysia . Finally , it attempted to

determine whether or not Porter and Law�er's ( 19 68 )

expectancy model could represent an appropriate framework

for studying employee participation .

A total of 250 trainers from the managerial and

supervisory levels in e ight publ ic sector training

i nstitutions were studied . The study used structured

questionnaires as the research instrument . It discovered

that level of perceived participation among trainers was

xii

high and that employee participation was found to

have a moderate and positive relationship with job

satisfaction . However , its relationship with performance

was slightly weaker . The findings appeared to match

closely with some of such studies in the West , suggesting

that these studies were not very much different across

cultures .

Employee participation could be better managed if

certain critical factors were present in an organisation .

These include supportive superiors having lesser degree of

authori tarianism in their management approach , whi le

employees should have high need for independence and

perceive that they face a moderate amount of work

pressure. In selecting appropriate people for programme

heads or as team members , high need for independence , high

need for achievement , high level of job abilities and

reasonably high level of education could represent

appropriate selection criteria . On outcomes from

participation , trainers were found to p�ace greater

importance on intrinsic than extrinsic outcomes . The

study also suggested that the Porter and Lawler' s (1968)

expectancy model could be useq as a suitable framework f or

studying employee participation .

The study recommended that future related studies

should cover employees from other groups in the public

sector and other trainers in the business sector.

xiii

Further , employee participation should be acti vely

encouraged in the publ ic sector so that it becomes an

important part of its organisational culture .

xiv

Abstrak dissertasi dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Pertan ian Malaysia untuk memenuhi sebahagian daripada keperluan urttuk i jazah Doktor Falsafah.

PENYERTAAH DALAM MEMBUAT KEPUTUSAN DI KALANGAN JURULATIH DAN HUBUHGANHYA DUGAN PRESTASI

DAN KEPUASAN KERJA

Oleh

MICHAEL DOSIMLUHJEW

February 1 994

pengerusi! Prof. Rahim Md. Sail , Ph. D.

Fakulti : Pusat Pengembangan dan Pendidikan Lanjutan

Kaj ian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan corak kaitan di

antara penyertaan dengan prestasi dan kepuasan kerja.

Kaj ian ini juga bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti beberapa

penentu penyertaan , variabel diskriminan dan ganjaran yang

boleh diperolehi daripada penyertaan di kalangan tenaga

penga j ar sektor awam Malaysia. Akhir sekal i , kaiian ini

cuba menentukan sama ada model ekspektansi Porter dan

Lawler (196 8 ) sesuai digunakan sebagai satu rangka untuk

mengkaji penyertaan .

Seramai 250 orang tenaga pengajar qaripada kumpulan

pen gurus an dan penyel iaan dalam lapan institusi

latihan sektor awam tel ah dika j i . Kaj ian tersebut

menggunakan soal se�idik jenis berstruktur sebagai

instrumen kaj ian . Kaj ian telah mendapati bahawa tahap

penyertaan (perceived participation) di kalangan tenaga

xv

pengaj ar adalah tinggi. Penyertaan kakitangan didapati

mempunyai kai tan ( sederhana dan pos i tif ) dengan kepuasan

kerj a. Kaitan penyertaan kakitangan dengan prestas i kerj a

pula adalah signi fikan tetapi lemah. Has i l ka jian ini

adalah hampir sama dengan ka j i an-kaj ian yang dibuat di

dalam budaya Barat. Ini menunjukkan bahawa penemuan ka j i an

mengenai penyertaan kakitangan tidak banyak berbeza di

antara silang budaya.

Ka j ian juga menunjukkan bahawa penyertaan kakitangan

boleh di tingkatkan melalui beberapa faktor saperti

kesedian pengurus dan penyel ia menyokong kakitangan mereka

di samping mengamalkan corak pengurusan yang kurang

' authoritarian ' . Kakitangan pula sepatutnya berh�srat

untuk membebaskan diri dari segala kongkongan serta

merasai bahawa beban kerj a mereka adalah sederhana sahaj a.

Individu yang mempunyai hasrat pembebasan diri serta

has rat pencapaian yang tinggi disamping mempunyai

kebolehan kerja , akan lebih berj aya dalam melaksanakan

tugas masing-mas ing sebagai ketua program penyertaan

ataupun anggota pasukannya .

Ganjaran dalaman ( intrinsic ) adal ah lebih penting

daripada ganj aran luaran ( extrinsic ) di kalangan tenaga

penga j ar. Akhir sekal i , kaj ian ini mendapati bahawa model

ekspektansi Porter dan Lawler ( 1968 ) adalah sesuai

sebagai satu rangka untuk mengkaj i penyertaan kakitangan

di dalam membuat keputusan.

xvi

Ka j ian ini telah mencadangkan supaya ka j ian tambahan

di jalankan di kalangan kakitangan keraj aan di peringkat

bawahan di sektor awam dan tenaga penga jar di sektor

perniagaan . Juga , penyertaan kakitangan harus diperluaskan

di sektor awam supaya penyertaan kaki tangan dapat jadi

satu aspek budaya organisasi yang penting .

xvi i

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTJ:ON

Background

The subject of employee participation in the

decision-makihg process

attracted a great deal

of

of

an organisation has

interest in the current

l iterature as �videnced by many writings and research

carri ed out on this subject. In recent years ,

practicing managers in business and public sectors

have begun to show s imilar interest in the subject as

wel l . Some of the Malaysian Government policies , l ike

the Look East Policy , encouraging qual ity control

circles , and more recently , the launching of the

Quali ty Management and Improvement Programme in the

Public Sector il1 1990 T are examples of efforts to

introduce different forms of formal participative

programmes in the public sector .

These programmes are generally a im�d at improving

the qual ity and productivity of the publ ic sector

services through greater participation of employees in

work decisions affecting their j obs . Similar

parti cipative programmes in the f orms of total quality

management ( TQM ) , qual ity control dircles ( QCC ) ,

quality of work life programmes , j oint consultative

councils or groups and so forth have also been

introduced in private sector organisations .

1

Many organisations

participation because it

2

are interested in employee

is related to many potential

benefits such as improved morale , increased performance ,

and nigher job satisfaction . It is also believed that

these techniques could also be instrumental in creating

�atisfi ed and highly committed employees (Anthony , 1 97 8;

Erez et Al . , 1 9 89 ; and Guest and Fatchett , 1 9 7 4 ; Guest and

Knight, 1977 ; and Lawler , 1 9 8 6 ) .

These benefits have been recognised by Japanese

organisations as early as the 19708 . For example , Odaka

(1975 ) strongly recommended that these practices be

institutionalised in modern Japanes� companies . As a

result , participative management that encourages employee

participation has 9ecome one of the maj or characteristics

of Japanese management (Ouchi , 1981 ; Pflscale and Athos ,

1 9 8 1 ; and Keys and Mil ler , 1 9 84 ) . Subsequently , the

Japanese have shown that by adopting this management

technique or philosophy, they can achieve increased

producti vi ty • Through high producti vi ty , they have been

able to compete very successfu l ly in the world markets .

A highly productive and efficient public sector have

also been one of the cherished goals as well as a strategy

of the Malaysian government in achieving the nation ' s long

term economic goal of economic growth and development . The

achievement of this goal will no doubt depend

substantially on the quality of public sector employees ,

amQng other factors . One of the shortcomings that the

3

government has recognised in thi s area however is related

to the attitudes of these employees . In its efforts to

address this shortcoming , the government has introduced a

number of pol ic ies . These pol icies include the Look East

Policy , Clean-Eff ic ient-and-Trustworthy Pol icy ,

Inculcation of the universal Islamic Values and the

Malaysia Incorporated Policy .

�hese policies are aimed not only at creating

positive work ethics , but a l so to inculcate a more

supporti ve and cooperative atti tude among public sector

employees towards the private sector , as this sector has

been recognised in the Sixth Malaysia Plan to be the main

machinery of growth in the next decade . Through these

pol icies the government hopes that i ts employees wi ll

perceive the private sector not as competitors but as

partners in the national development efforts (Ambrin ,

1990).

The introduction of pol icies by themselves may not

produce the required attitudina l change on the part of the

employees who are the target group . Other institutional

measures need to be taken to supplement them . In this

aspect the training institutions of the publi c sector are

expected to play an important rol e .

In realising this fact , tpe government has

established training units or di visions in most of the

large departments , and some even have their own training

institutes to cater for the training needs of their

4

employees . One of the largest of these institutes is the

National Institute of Public Administration or more

popularly known as INTAN . According to its 1 9 8 8 annual

report for example , INTAN has trained 2 2 , 4 0 3 and 2 1 , 198

public sector employees in 1987 and 1988 respectively

( INTAN , 1988 ) .

Although the training emphasis of most of these

institutions in the past , had been directed mainly towards

the provision of skills and knowledge , recent emphasis has

moved towards the attitudinal aspect of employee training .

For example , INTAN as one of the leading institutes in the

public sector started an attitudinal development programme

for the public sector employees in 1986 . In 1988 , this

programme was developed further to meet the needs of the

staff and officers of the institute itself . From 1988

onwards , it has been made compulsory for all INTAN staff

and officers to attend the programme ( INTAN Annual Report

1988 ) .

The shift in emphasis by these training institutes

towards attitudinal development training seems an

inevitable development . This· is because these institutes

are gearing themselves to meet the training needs that

result from the shift in government emphasis on upgrading

not only the skills and knowledge but also the attitudinal

aspect of the modern public sector employees . The new sets

of pol icies introduced in the eighties to meet the

challenges of the nineties and beyond appear to demand

5

such development in the training strategies of these

institutes .

The effectiveness of such attitudinal development

programmes on the trainees however , does not depend solely

on the specifically designed programme itself . Much of the

intended impact of such programmes a lso depends on the

trainers who conduct these training programmes . In

partibular , the nature of their perceptions , attitudes and

values can have a strong influence on the trainees . In the

process of carrying out their training duties, they may

inevitably play the role of a model from whom the

participants or trainees may emulate or imitate . Bandura

(196 9 ) suggested that such modeling represents one of the

fundamental means by which new modes of bepaviour are

acquired or new attitudes developed . It is important

therefore for the trainers in the public sector training

departments and institutes to portray the appropriate

attitude and perception if they were to facilitate

effecti vely in attitudinal change among the government

employees as required by the new government policies .

S ince many of the programmes introduced by the

government are programmes that encourage employee

participation , surely any change in attitude required of

thel1l. should be focused on thi s area . Since trainers are

expected to play an important role in helping public

sector employees to be more positive towards the various

participative programmes introduced by the government , it

6

is imperati ve that they must themselves have a pos i t� ve

attitude towards participation of employees in the

decision-making process in their organisations . A proper

means of discovering whether such a phenomenon does exist

would be through a study of their perceived level of

participation in the decision-making process in their

resp�ctive organisations.

Generally it is not enough to understand only the

level of employee participation . Of equal importance also

would be to study what factors or predictors that could

influence these trainers to be more involved in the

decision-making prooess that affect them, so that

management would be able to design appropriate policies

that could increase such level if it is desired .

Another pertinent question woul d be to study the

factors that can discriminate between the high and the low

participat:t. va employees. This would be useful for

determining

should the

appropriate leadership selection

organi sation be interested to

crit13ria

select

appropriate leaders to implement its formal participative

programmes to ensure that these programmes could be

managed more successfully.

Researchers on employee participation are not only

interested in the factors that influence participation.

They are also interested in the relationship between

employee participation and other effedts that are

particul�rly of interest to organisations . Thus there have

7

been many studies that attempted to determine the

rel at i onship between employee participation with job

performance of workers or employees , as wel l as its

relationship with employees ' job satisfaction as contained

in some of the study reviews conducted in the past ( Locke

and Schweiger , 1 9 7 9; Sashkin , 1 98 4 : Miller and Monge,

1986; Pol lock and Colwil l, 1987; and ( Cotton §l.t Al. . ,

1 988 ) .

stateaent of the Proble.

The relationships between employee participation in

decision-making and performance as wel l as with employee

satisfaction have been fairly wel l researched in the

developed countries such as the united states and Europe .

Early researchers on thi s subject include Kurt Lewin and

his associates ( 19 39 ) , Coch and French ( 19 4 8 ) and Rensis

Likert ( 19 61 ) . More recent researchers on this topic

include Marchington ( 19 8 0 ) , Neider ( 19 8 0 ) I Latham and

steele ( 19 83 ) , Erez §l.t !\l. . ( 19 85 ) , Rubenowitz §:t li .

( 19 8 3 ) , Steel and Mento ( 19 8 7 ) , Cotton � Al . ( 19 88 ) , and

Schwarz ( 1989 ) .

The f indings of these studies generally indicated

that employee participation in decision-making was

pos i ti vely related to employee performance and

sat i sfaction . In other words , the higher the level of

employee participation in decision-making , the higher

would be their performance and satisfaction in their j obs .