PRJ5002 Enterprise and Resource Planning Report
Implementation of employee suggestion program: A case study of the Middle East health care service company.
After studying this case, the students should be able to: explain the importance of employee
engagement; illustrate the role of the participatory management style in an organizational context; discuss why managers may use engagement practices to operate effectively in businesses to lead change and innovation; identify the critical success factors, barriers and outcomes of employee involvement in driving high performance; and discuss the dilemma faced by the managers in the emerging economies while driving themomentumof excellence in the long run.
Students need to support their answers with further references to comprehensively address the questions in a critical manner. In addition, a summary of recently published articles relevant to project human resources, communications and stakeholdermanagement.
“Employee engagement” is recognized as the “key driver” for most organizational success. The companies must “innovate” to stay “competitive” in the “evolving” business environment (Distanont, 2020). NOVA is a “Middle Eastern” healthcare service company (nova, 2024). Relating to this context, it is significant for MBA Assignment Expert to state that NOVA has also encountered several “challenges”. This organization focuses on driving “innovation” (nova, 2024). In addition, NOVA aims to ensure “sustainable” business growth by enhancing its “employee performance” collectively. The innovative “Employee Suggestion Program”, i.e. “MINARA” was introduced by Ms. Fatima on 9 May 2013 (nova, 2024). The same can also be considered as a “strategic move”. Precisely, “MINARA” was introduced to enhance “employee involvement” in the “business development” and “operational activities” of NOVA (nova, 2024).
Referring to this context, this report will shed light on the “implementation” of this program. In addition, the significance of “employee engagement”, the role of “participatory management” etc. will be discussed with significant details. Even, this report will state the “challenges” experienced by the managers in “sustaining” excellence in the emerging market context. The entire discussion will “critically analyze” the overall approach of NOVA with an emphasis on its “success factors” and potential “barriers”. Last but not least; this paper will also provide “implementable” recommendations for “future” initiatives.
The term, “employee engagement” refers to the “intellectual” and “emotional” commitment of employees to their organization (Tensay and Singh, 2020). The same can shape their willingness to contribute to “employee performance”. It has been identified that the “engaged employees” are “likely” to be “productive” and “innovative”. Their performances are aligned with the “goals of the organization” (Rameshkumar, 2020). The “employee engagement” was identified as “major factor” in the context of NOVA (nova, 2024). Precisely, “employee engagement” is highly responsible in driving the “transformation” of NOVA (nova, 2024). The same has contributed to improving its “corporate performance”.
The MINARA Program was “designed” to optimize the “creative potential” of the approximately 19,000 employees of NOVA (nova, 2024). As initially indicated, the “MINARA Program” was aimed at encouraging the employees to participate in the “innovation processes” of the company (nova, 2024). NOVA has focused on optimizing a “culture of innovation” by creating a platform for employees. The same had enabled them to share their “ideas”. It had eventually contributed to the “strategic goals” of NOVA. Last but not least, this approach had optimized “continuous improvement” over the period.
The success of the MINARA Program has been regulated by these factors as enlisted below;
• Alignment with Organizational Goals
The program was aligned with the “strategic objectives” of NOVA (nova, 2024). The same ensured that “employee suggestions” were relevant. In addition, the “valuable suggestions” of the employees contributed to the NOVA’s mission directly.
• Empowerment and Inclusion
The program “empowered” the employees by giving them a voice in “decision-making”. This inclusion had boosted their “sense of ownership” towards attaining organizational success.
• Recognition and Rewards
It is significant to mention that the “employees” who contributed “valuable ideas” were recognized and rewarded (Saks, 2022). The same encouraged the employees to ensure their active participation.
On the other hand, “MINARA Program” also experienced certain “challenges”. Not all employees were felt “equally” motivated. In addition, all the employees were hardly capable of contributing to “innovative ideas”. Above all, the “MINARA Program” had conveyed that employee engagement is a “strategic initiative” (nova, 2024). Effective implementation of this strategic practice can drive “organizational transformation” and sustainable “organizational performance” consistently.
“Participatory management” is a leadership approach. In “Participatory management”, the employees are involved in the “decision-making process” (Lam et al. 2021). This style of “management” is based on the belief that employees have “valuable insights” (Oubrich et al. 2021). The employees can contribute to better “decisions” and “outcomes”. In the case of NOVA, “participatory management” was the “key factor” in shaping overall success of the “MINARA Program” (nova, 2024).
Ms. Fatima created an “employee-friendly work environment” by adopting a “participatory management style”. In such work environment, the employees felt “comfortable” sharing their “opinions” and “ideas”. This approach was highly effective in driving “innovation” (Rasool et al. 2021).
The participatory management style at NOVA was identified in the following context as enlisted below.
• Decentralized Decision-Making
The concerned management authority of NOVA had involved the employees in the “decision-making process”.
• Open Communication
The managers at NOVA were encouraged to maintain “open”, “engaging communication” with their teams. The same has optimized the “flow of feedback” and “ideas”.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving
The Teams were “encouraged” to work together to identify “problems” and develop “solutions”.
Referring to the information stated above, “participatory management style” had several “positive” outcomes for NOVA. It led to higher levels of “employee engagement” (Fries et al. 2021). The employees felt that their “contributions” were valued. The same also contributed to more “innovative solutions”. In addition, such “collaborative approach” helped in developing a sense of “community” and “teamwork” within the organization.
On the other hand, participatory management style also instigated certain “challenges”. It required a “cultural shift” within the organization. Even, the “process” of involving employees in “decision-making” was a bit “time-consuming” as also identified in the context of NOVA.
Both “change” and “innovation” are essential for organizational growth and sustainable business growth (Naveed et al. 2022). The same is also relevant in the “competitive context” of healthcare industry domain. In addition, “healthcare” sector is a dynamic industry domain due to its evolving approach. The managers are responsible in leading “change” at NOVA (nova, 2024). In addition, the managers focused on promoting “innovation” through effective “engagement practices” (Montani et al. 2020). At NOVA, one of the key “engagement practices” employed by managers was the “implementation of the MINARA Program”. This program was designed to “engage” the employees in the “innovation process” throughout (nova, 2024). The Managers also provided the “necessary resources” to help employees in implementing their ideas.
Referring to this information, some significant strategies employed by the Managers at NOVA are as follows;
• Involvement in Decision-Making
The “employees” were involved in the “decision-making process” (Vakola et al. 2021). They were asked to contribute in the areas where they had “expertise”.
• Clear Communication of Vision and Goals
The managers had effectively communicated the “vision” and “goals” of NOVA to the employees (nova, 2024). In other words, the employees were “well-informed” how their contributions would help NOVA in achieving its objectives.
• Recognition and Rewards
The Managers “rewarded” the employees who contributed “valuable ideas” (Tensay and Singh, 2020). Such “employee engagement” practice had motivated the employees in ensuring active participation.
In addition to this context, these strategies were used to enhance “employee engagement”. Proper implementation of these strategies was aimed at “driving changes”. In this context, it is significant to mention that managers also encountered “challenges” in implementing these “engagement practices”. One of the main challenges was ensuring “consistent participation” of the employees across the organization. Some employees were less motivated. They were hardly “capable of participating”. The concerned managers of NOVA had to find effective ways to encourage these employees to ensure their active participation.
The “MINARA Program” was designed to engage the employees in the “innovation processes” of NOVA. In addition, the “MINARA Program” was developed to improve “employee engagement” in achieving “strategic objectives” of the company.
• Clear Objectives and Alignment
The “MINARA Program” was properly “aligned” with the “strategic objectives” of NOVA (nova, 2024). Effective communication of these “objectives” helped employees to understand how their ideas would contribute to shape NOVA’s success (Rameshkumar, 2020). The same had motivated them to ensure active participation.
• Leadership Support
The role of “leadership” is highly significant in shaping overall success of the MINARA Program (Montani et al. 2020). At NOVA, Ms. Fatima and other senior leaders were committed to the program. They also provided the necessary “resources” and “support” to ensure its success.
• Effective Communication
“Effective communication” was another “critical” success factor. At NOVA, the managers maintained proper “communication” with the employees. Such communication approach helped in developing a sense of “community” within the organization.
• Recognition and Rewards
It has already been stated that the “recognition and rewards system” was a “key driver” of employee involvement (Katou et al. 2021).
• Resource Constraints
“Resource constraints” were one of the significant barriers to the “employee involvement”. Certain limitation on the “time” and “budget” was identified for implementing employee suggestions. Such limitation caused delayed in implementing “ideas” in some cases.
• Cultural Resistance
At NOVA, one of the “key barriers” to “employee involvement” was “cultural resistance”. Some employees were hesitated to “participate” in the “MINARA Program”. Overcoming this “resistance” required a “cultural shift” within the organization. Introducing a “cultural shift” was time-consuming and challenging (Li et al. 2021).
• Inconsistent Participation
Apart from the enlisted, “inconsistent participation” across the organization (i.e. NOVA) was also a challenge.
The implementation of “MINARA Program” brought several positive outcomes for NOVA as enlisted below
• Enhanced Innovation
The “MINARA Program” helped in developing a culture of “continuous improvement” and “innovation” at NOVA (nova, 2024).
• Process Improvements
It has been identified that many of the “ideas” submitted through the “MINARA Program” contributed to the “processes” and “operations” of NOVA.
• Increased Employee Engagement
The “MINARA Program” had a positive impact on employee engagement (nova, 2024). The employees felt valued and motivated to contribute to the NOVA’s success. Eventually, this “increased engagement” helped in developing an optimized organizational culture at NOVA.
Along with the enlisted “positive outcomes”, some negative outcomes have also been identified. In some cases, implementation of the “MINARA Program” had instigated “employee burnout” due to “work overload”.
6.1. Reflect of the Dilemmas
“Emerging economies” instigate certain “challenges” for the managers (Naveed et al. 2022). Precisely, “challenges” are generally identified when it comes to “driving excellence” and “sustaining long-term success”. In the case of NOVA, managers encountered several “dilemmas” on the following contexts as stated below.
• Resource Constraints and Prioritization
As initially indicated, the “limitation of resources” was a key “challenge” for managers at NOVA (nova, 2024). The managers had to make difficult decisions about how to allocate resources based on prioritization. In some cases, such resource constraint had instigated mismanagement in implementing employee suggestions.
• Balancing Innovation with Tradition
At NOVA, the managers experienced “dilemmas” in balancing the need for “innovation” with the “traditional practices” of the company (nova, 2024). Managers had to find “alternate ways” to encourage “innovation”. The managers of the company behaved respectful to the “cultural traditions” of NOVA.
• Managing Expectations and Motivation
The managers encountered challenges in managing “employee expectations” at NOVA. The “MINARA Program” created “high expectations” among employees. Some employees were “disappointed” to realize that their suggestions were not accepted for implementation.
Referring to the information available, the managers at NOVA could adopt several strategies in order to address these “dilemmas” effectively.
• Resource Optimization
The Managers could focus on “resource optimization” (Chen and Fellenz, 2020).
• Cultural Adaptation
Managers could work to adapt the “MINARA Program” to effectively align with the “cultural norms” and “traditions” at NOVA (Zacharias et al. 2021).
• Expectation Management
The concerned managers of the company could focus on managing “employee expectations” by introducing the key concept of “expectation management”.
• Long-Term Planning
Managers could develop “long-term plans” to sustain the “implementation objective” of the MINARA Program.
7.1. Recommendations
There are several strategies that can potentially increase the gains from MINARA Program at NOVA. Some of the implementable recommendations are as follows;
• Resource Optimization
The company needs to maximize the utilization of the “existing resources” (Chen and Fellenz, 2020). Relating to this information, an online system for submitting and evaluating ideas would be effective.
• Prioritization of Resources
NOVA must prioritize resources towards “high-impact suggestions” and “ideas” that align with the “strategic objectives” of the company. This could involve implementation of a “multi-tiered system”.
• Budget Allocation
NOVA must consider allocating a “balanced budget” for the MINARA Program. This budget must cover the “costs of implementing ideas”, “rewards for employees” etc. Regular reviews of the “budget allocation” must be conducted (Liu et al. 2022).
• Two-Way Communication Channels
It is essential to create “two-way channels of communication” (Katou et al. 2021). The same will enable the employees to feel that they have been “valued” and “heard”. NOVA could institute an “employee feedback mechanism” for the program. This initiative could be practiced through organized “town hall meetings”. Effective implementation of this initiative would enable NOVA to bring out best possible results in return.
• Transparency
It is significant to maintain “transparency”. In addition, it is essential ensure “transparent communication” about any initiatives the employees. The same can contribute to effective employee engagement (Stirpe et al. 2022). Precisely, the employees must be conveyed the reasons for “acceptance” or “rejection” of ideas. The same can lead to good “employee expectations management”.
Several key lessons can be identified by reflecting on the implementation of the MINARA Program at NOVA.
• Need for Cultural Adaptation
The challenges faced in the MINARA Program can be resolved by “Cultural Adaptation”. Managers must be well-aware of the existing “cultural norms” (Zacharias et al. 2021). They must find ways to “introduce” change that respects these norms. The same will eventually shape “innovation” to some extent.
• Importance of Leadership Support
Strong leadership support has shaped the success of the MINARA Program at NOVA. It will be significant to rely on “effective leadership support” for future programs (Fries et al. 2021).
• Value of Continuous Improvement
The MINARA Program has highlighted the value of “continuous improvement” in maintaining “employee engagement” (nova, 2024). Future programs must be designed with “mechanisms”. It may include, “performance metrics”, regular “feedback loops”.
• Managing Employee Expectations
The MINARA Program highlighted the need to manage “employee expectations”. It is important to set “realistic expectations” about what “the program” can achieve. It is essential to communicate clearly about the “decision-making process” (Rameshkumar, 2020). The reasons behind “accepting” or “rejecting” ideas need to be conveyed to the employees properly. This will help in maintaining “trust” and “motivation” among employees.
The transformation at NOVA is driven by the “Employee Suggestion Program”, i.e. “MINARA Program”. It highlights the “critical role” of employee engagement in shaping “organizational success” and “driving innovation”. As stated in this paper, NOVA adopted a “participatory management style”. The same has shaped overall “employee involvement”. Precisely, NOVA was able to utilize the “creative potential” of its workforce by practicing “participatory management style”. The same enabled to achieve significant “improvements” in its “processes” and “performance”.
The information depicted in this report has confirmed that the overall impact of the “MINARA Program”. The success of this program has been shaped by clear “objectives”, “strong leadership support”, “effective communication”, “recognition of employee contributions” etc.
In a nutshell, the experience of the company with the MINARA Program has provided “valuable insights” into the importance of “communication”, “resource”, “stakeholder management” etc. Such insights have helped in gaining understanding about “employee engagement”. It is expected that NOVA can sustain the “long-term impact” of its MINARA Program by adopting the “recommended strategies”. The same will eventually shape “organizational success” of the company.
Chen, I.S. and Fellenz, M.R., 2020. Personal resources and personal demands for work engagement: Evidence from employees in the service industry. International journal of hospitality management, 90, p.102600.
Distanont, A., 2020. The role of innovation in creating a competitive advantage. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 41(1), pp.15-21.
Fries, A., Kammerlander, N. and Leitterstorf, M., 2021. Leadership styles and leadership behaviors in family firms: A systematic literature review. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 12(1), p.100374.
Katou, A.A., Budhwar, P.S. and Patel, C., 2021. A trilogy of organizational ambidexterity: Leader’s social intelligence, employee work engagement and environmental changes. Journal of Business Research, 128, pp.688-700.
Lam, L., Nguyen, P., Le, N. and Tran, K., 2021. The relation among organizational culture, knowledge management, and innovation capability: Its implication for open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(1), p.66.
Li, P., Sun, J.M., Taris, T.W., Xing, L. and Peeters, M.C., 2021. Country differences in the relationship between leadership and employee engagement: A meta-analysis. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(1), p.101458.
Liu, X., Yu, J., Guo, Q. and Li, J., 2022. Employee engagement, its antecedents and effects on business performance in hospitality industry: a multilevel analysis. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 34(12), pp.4631-4652.
Montani, F., Vandenberghe, C., Khedhaouria, A. and Courcy, F., 2020. Examining the inverted U-shaped relationship between workload and innovative work behavior: The role of work engagement and mindfulness. Human Relations, 73(1), pp.59-93.
Naveed, R.T., Alhaidan, H., Al Halbusi, H. and Al-Swidi, A.K., 2022. Do organizations really evolve? The critical link between organizational culture and organizational innovation toward organizational effectiveness: Pivotal role of organizational resistance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 7(2), p.100178.
nova, (2024).Nova Health – A comprehensive service tailored to client needs. Available at: https://isa-health.com/services/ [Accessed on 12 August 2024]
Oubrich, M., Hakmaoui, A., Benhayoun, L., Söilen, K.S. and Abdulkader, B., 2021. Impacts of leadership style, organizational design and HRM practices on knowledge hiding: The indirect roles of organizational justice and competitive work environment. Journal of Business Research, 137, pp.488-499.
Rameshkumar, M., 2020. Employee engagement as an antecedent of organizational commitment–A study on Indian seafaring officers. The Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics, 36(3), pp.105-112.
Rasool, S.F., Wang, M., Tang, M., Saeed, A. and Iqbal, J., 2021. How toxic workplace environment effects the employee engagement: The mediating role of organizational support and employee wellbeing. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(5), p.2294.
Saks, A.M., 2022. Caring human resources management and employee engagement. Human resource management review, 32(3), p.100835.
Stirpe, L., Profili, S. and Sammarra, A., 2022. Satisfaction with HR practices and employee performance: A moderated mediation model of engagement and health. European Management Journal, 40(2), pp.295-305.
Tensay, A.T. and Singh, M., 2020. The nexus between HRM, employee engagement and organizational performance of federal public service organizations in Ethiopia. Heliyon, 6(6).
Vakola, M., Petrou, P. and Katsaros, K., 2021. Work engagement and job crafting as conditions of ambivalent employees’ adaptation to organizational change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 57(1), pp.57-79.
Zacharias, T., Rahawarin, M.A. and Yusriadi, Y., 2021. Cultural reconstruction and organization environment for employee performance. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 8(2), pp.296-315.