DEVELOP A RESEARCH PROBLEM FOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

Submitted by: Jose Mari Molejon

1. State your topic or problem. FLEXIBLE WORKING TIME FOR EMPLOYEES

In January 2006, our company introduced a flexible working time arrangement

(Flexitime) for all staff. With supervisor approval, an employee may start work between
07:00 and 08:30 with coffee and lunch break periods of 15 and 30 minutes each,
respectively, and the completion of an 8-hour period each working day from Monday to
Friday. Prior to this, work commences at 07:00 until 15:30, from Monday to Friday.

One of its objectives is to address the travel to work concerns encountered by employees.
Due to favourable feedback from management and staff association, it was decided to
become a permanent policy effective July 2006. As a result of this new understanding, it
was expected that everyone will punctual.

2. What is your research hypothesis or business question?

H1 Flexitime eliminates tardiness.

H2 Flexitime does not eliminate tardiness.

3. Define your variables and relationship hypothesis (that you'd like to establish)

VARIABLES:
 Independent variables
 Flexible working hours
 Dependent variables
 Tardiness
 Punctuality
 Moderating variables
 Distance travelled
 Mode of transportation
 Choke points (areas within your travel route that are known to be a point
of congestion or obstruction)
 Departure time from home
 Extraneous variables
 Weather
 Personal errands
 Intervening variables
 Peak hours
 Commitment to work

RELATIONSHIP HYPOTHESIS:
a. Employees who were tardy before January 2006 are now punctual.
b. Employees will have better sleep patterns.

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DEVELOP A RESEARCH PROBLEM FOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
Submitted by: Jose Mari Molejon

c. Employees who reside near the office tend to not benefit from Flexitime in terms
of punctuality.
d. Employees who arrive before 07:00 tend to not benefit from Flexitime in terms of
punctuality.
 A possible ground for testing. It is expected that there will be no
changes however, it can also be presupposed that it gives them the
option to arrive much later, giving them the opportunity to attend to
other personal matters, including increasing the number of hours of
sleep. Staff may or may not develop an attitude of complacency that
will result to tardiness.

e. Flexitime eliminates tardiness by making it possible for staff to leave their homes
after peak hours.
 Assuming two staff resides in the same area using the same route, one
leaves during peak hours and the other after, the former will still be the
first to arrive because he was the first to depart from home. It does
however; offer the latter flexibility to still arrive on or before 08:30.

f. Flexitime eliminates tardiness by relieving staff of their obstacles in commitment

to work.
 When management demonstrate a sense of concern to alleviate
employee concerns, it stimulates their commitment and passion for
work. It is expected that they will have more control over punctuality.

4. What are your constructs and operational definitions for your constructs?

CONSTRUCT OPERATION DEFINITION

Flexitime Any agreed 8 hour working schedule starting
between 07:00 to 08:30.
Working hours 8 hours a day, 40 hours in a week to commence
between 07:00 to 08:30.
Punctuality Reporting for work on or before the agreed
starting time.
Tardiness Reporting for work later than the agreed
starting time.
Company policy What is or what is not permitted in the
company.
Commitment to work Measures of performance based on their ability
to increase productivity and comply with
company policies.

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