PROBLEM SHEET 1 – TYPE OF RESEARCH

1. A POSSIBLE TOPIC OR PROBLEM I AM THINKING OF RESEARCHING IS:

THE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL PATRONAGE (PADRINO SYSTEM) IN THE HIRING

PROCESS/PROMOTION IN PUBLIC OFFICES ON THE MORALE AND PERFORMANCE OF CIVIL
SERVANTS
2. The type of research that seems appropriate to this topic or problem is (encircle one):

A. An experiment
B. A correlational study
C. A causal-comparative study
D. A survey using a written questionnaire
E. A survey using interviews of several individuals
F. An ethnographic study
G. A case study
H. A content analysis
I. A historical study
J. An action research study
3. What questions (if any) might a critical researcher raise with regard to your study?

Some questions that a critical researcher may raise concerning the topic “The Effects of
Political Patronage (Padrino System) in the Hiring Process/Promotion in Public Offices on the
Morale and Performance of Civil Servants” are as follows:
a. What is political patronage in the Philippines?
b. What are the effects of political patronage (Padrino system) in the hiring
process/promotion in public offices on the morale of civil servants?
c. Are there any advantages in political patronage hiring?
d. Are civil servants protected from political interference of the Padrino System?
e. What policies are in place to safeguard the welfare of civil servants relative to the
issue and are they fully understood?
f. Does political patronage translate to bad hiring?
1. THE RESEARCH QUESTION OF MY STUDY IS:
What are the effects of Political Patronage (Padrino System) in the hiring process/promotion in
public offices on the morale and performance of civil servants?
2. THE METHODOLOGY I INTEND TO USE ARE:
Survey using a written questionnaire and survey using interviews of several individuals to be
interpreted using content analysis.
3. A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT I INTEND TO DO, WHEN, WHERE AND HOW ARE AS FOLLOWS:
This research will employ and use a mixed-method approach to examine how political
patronage/Padrino system affects the morale and performance of workers. A number of participants (from
LGU Dumangas and other public offices in the municipality) will be used for quantitative analysis with
surveys using a Likert Scale questionnaire and surveys using interviews of several individuals in the same
pool will also be conducted. A T-test will be used to test all the quantitative hypotheses and in the
qualitative analysis, a thematic content analysis of the participants’ answers in the interview will be
utilized. After understanding and determining the effects of the political patronage/Padrino system on the
morale and performance of civil servants and all factors surrounding it, a recommendation to policy
changes, organizational practice and future research will be made.
4. THE MAJOR PROBLEM I FORESEE AT THIS POINT ARE THE FOLLOWING:
Lack of time and funding available for research, insufficient participants in survey who are willing to
participate and how to make sense with data collected.