RESEARCH STUDY AND ANALYSIS

A. RESEARCH DESIGN
For this study, a quantitative approach was followed. Leedy and Ormond (2001:191) define descriptive quantitative research as the identification of characteristics of observed phenomenon. The research methodology used to solve the main problem included a literature study, a survey, secondary data and an empirical study.

A.a. Literature study

The literature study was conducted with the purpose of identifying best practices for the recruitment and selection process.

A.b. Secondary data

Secondary data in this study included data on employees turnover in the last three years as well as udaivilas policy on recruitment and selection.

B. EMPIRICAL STUDY
The empirical study was done by means of a questionnaire which was mailed to respondents.

B.a. Mail survey

A sample survey, administered via face to face, was conducted among employees and hr emplyoees. The questionnaire examined the effectiveness of the assessment tools as perceived and utilised by these managers. The study was focused on first HR specialist, as they were responsible for the recruitment and selection of fresh employees in udaivilas.

B.b. Measuring instrument

A questionnaire was developed by the researcher and used as a measuring instrument in this study.

C. Sample
The sample consisted of sixteen emplyoees at udaivilas, who were responsible for two hundred employees. The questionnaire was get filled by employees as well as HR seniors. The HR manager printed the questionnaires and completed them. Some respondents preferred to respond on the computer system.

D. Statistical analysis of data.

The statistical analysis of the data was mainly done by computing the percentages obtained for various questions and by presenting these by means of tables and bar graphs.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY INTRODUCTION

In Chapter two a literature study on recruitment and selection was presented. Various aspects of the recruitment and selection processes were discussed. Old Mutuals recruitment and selection policy was discussed in terms of the guidelines set out by various authors. It was clear that the policy used by Old Mutual for recruitment and selection does meet the relevant requirements as indicated by various authors. This chapter describes the research methodology used for this study. The aim of the study was to assess the recruitment and selection strategies used by Old Mutual Group Schemes (OMGS) in udaivilas. A thorough methodological foundation directs the whole dissertation with respect to its planning, organisation, presentation, analysing and interpretation of data thereby enhancing the validity and reliability of all recommendations and conclusions made from this research. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, research methodology assists the researcher in deriving clear objectives from the research questions, specifying the source from which data is to be collected and considering the constraints of the study, which the researcher will inevitably have. The research question, as well as the objectives of this study, was discussed in Chapter one. In this chapter, attention is given to the research strategy/design, population and sample, data collection method, questionnaire design and layout, pilot study, validity and reliability and response rate.

RESEARCH STRATEGY/ RESEARCH DESIGN

The research strategy is a general plan of how the research question that has been identified will be answered. The research strategy should contain clear objectives derived from the research questions, specify the sources from which data are to be collected and consider the constraints. Three main research strategies identified by Saunders etc all include the survey, case study and experiment. As the survey strategy was utilised for this study, it will be discussed in more detail.

Survey
The survey method is usually associated with a deductive approach. Surveys allow the collection of a large amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly economical way. Much time is spent on designing and piloting a questionnaire and in analysing the results. For purposes of this study, a questionnaire was designed as a data collection tool. A questionnaire is suitable when information, related to opinions, attitudes and behaviours, have to be collected. Experiments and case studies are less suited for the collection of opinions and attitudes, and interviews are very time consuming and difficult to

analyse if the researcher is not very experienced. In this chapter, the research methodology used in this study was discussed. A survey was conducted in which a questionnaire was used as the measuring instrument. The questionnaire was carefully design to meet scientific requirements and was subjected to a pilot study. Responses were received from thirteen of the sixteen managers targeted for the study. In Chapter four the results of the empirical survey are presented and analysed.

DATA COLLECTION METHODS

The most common types of data collection methods are interviews, observation and questionnaires. Due to the disparity of the population/sample, it was not feasible to select interviews or observation as a data collecting method. As stated earlier, the data collection method used for this study was the questionnaire.

QUESTIONNAIRE
Questionnaire design and layout are important aspects of a questionnaire. They assist in capturing the interest of the respondents and obtaining the relevant information. In this study, the questionnaire was designed with keeping the target group, that is, sales managers at Old Mutual who are responsible for the recruitment and selection of sales consultants, in mind.