This research is written from the perspective of a researcher who is employed as a Human Resource Management Specialist at the National University of Singapore. It seeks primarily to investigate ways in which organisations in the voluntary sector might benefit from systematic improvements in management practice and the use of techniques first developed in commercial operations. / However, in order to address such issues, the research gives its primary focus to the roles played by values in the management, organisational development and change processes within voluntary sector organisations. In the writing of the thesis, this focus became transposed into the fundamental research question of whether or not it is appropriate to transfer techniques from the commercial world, with their implicit commitment to a discernible set of values, to the voluntary sector where the whole basis of such activities arguably rests on a different and distinct set of values. / In part, the research considers the various metaphors of business which support profit making organisations. As is obvious from any Western text book, these have frequently drawn on images of competition and strategies used in war, for example, the ideas described in the influential book “Sun-Tzu The Art of War”, which draws its inspiration from the warfare crafts of ancient Chinese warriors. This was particularly influential in Southeast Asia management training. The 1990s has seen a subtle turn in direction away from images of competition and war to an emergent concern with values and spiritual concerns. However, this movement needs to be subjected to critical scrutiny and this thesis goes some way to contributing to this development. There has been much proliferation of both management and quality training and consultancy activities in Singapore as commercial organisations pursued their own Diplomas and Accreditation for Excellence in Quality Service, Productivity and Management and sought to obtain the coveted International ISO 9000 certification. This thesis aims to point out that behind the apparent simplicity of embracing such management and quality concepts is the need for voluntary organisations to undertake a fundamental soul-searching into the reason for their existence and the ways in which they construct meaning and pursue their objectives. In other words, voluntary organisations need to reflect on their contribution to the wider needs of the community and society by reinstating and evaluating its values. This thesis explores the values which are to be encountered in voluntary organisation and examines how and why they appear to be changing. The implications of this for their continued existence is then discussed. / Overall then, the objective of this thesis is to identify the key issues which emerge from an analysis of the values of the voluntary sector and to initiate discussion about its future. One of the issues to emerge from the thesis is the emphasis on the stewardship of the resources of voluntary organisations. Ultimately it seems, the good management of these youth and community development organisations must concern itself with values and with discrimination between voluntary sector values and those of commercial organisations. As a result of this research, it has become clear that voluntary organisations should not simply copy management concepts and techniques developed to support profit making organisations. / Finally, the thesis has been written to emphasise the importance of good management practices and with the view that good management should be based on a clear understanding of the role played by values regardless of whether the organisation is commercial or voluntary. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267505 |
| Creators | Lee, Piak Nam Winston. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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