https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24277 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:21:33 GMT 2026-04-07T01:21:33Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39756 Title: Employment in the manufacturing sector : a case study of the employment situation within a local manufacturing company Abstract: This project focuses on a qualitative case study designed to give a comprehensive examination of the manufacturing setting at Pro Manufacture & Design Ltd. To assess the genuine employment situation within this Company, the researcher made use of the in-depth answers and observations made by the stakeholders involved in the research that consisted of the HR Director, four departmental managers, four Maltese employees, four EU employees, four third country national employees, and six ex- employees having Maltese, EU and Third Country Nationalities respectively. The main objectives of this case study are to recognize the reasons why Maltese nationals regardless of their educational status are finding it less appealing to apply for work within the manufacturing sector - this will bring forward reasons why this issue brings a larger turnover of Maltese workers. This research will also focus on reasons why a great influx of foreigners including third country nationals are applying for work in Malta and whether the quality of their work is better when compared to the work of the Maltese Nationals. Finally this case study will identify strategies of how the Organisation can implement to retain its current workforce and attract new applicants. For this purpose, the researcher made use of six, in-depth, semi-structured interview schedules with the above mentioned participants Shedding light to the reasons why Maltese workers are not applying for work in the manufacturing sector, this research found that it is the stressful nature of manufacturing environment itself to be the main factor. This research also found that the increase of foreign employees applying for work is not reducing employment opportunities to Maltese Nationals. On the contrary, since the current economic and employment situations in Malta are at their optimum levels, Maltese job seekers are having plenty of opportunities to work in various sectors with better salaries and attractive working conditions than manufacturing. From this research it was also found that the quality of work by the foreign nationals who work within this Company is to some extent and in certain circumstances better than the one of Maltese nationals. Through this research it has been highlighted that the critical points of the employment situation within this Company mainly emerged from aspects related to human resources that included the influx of foreign workers and the perceptions from the local employees, company reputation, salaries, work related stress, employee satisfaction and training. The employment situation within this Company is also influenced by the need for better operational effectiveness in retaining high skilled employees and attracting new ones. Operational effectiveness in all areas of the Company can be achieved by identifying the challenge and designing implementing realistic strategies that would solve the immediate problems and at the same time planning for the future needs of the Company. All of this has to be accomplished within an environment where cultural diversity employee motivations are high on the agenda. Description: EXECUTIVE M.B.A. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39756 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26947 Title: 'Democracy within political parties' structures : the Maltese case' Abstract: Political parties play a central role in a functioning democracy where every party is called into action through presenting candidates to contest elections and strive to obtain the keys to government. During the twentieth century political parties became accepted as the central representative device of liberal democracy. Most political parties claim to be democratic. However advocates of intra- party democracy in the functioning of political parties perceive it to be inconspicuous by its very nature. This is further reinforced by Michel analysis which appeared in 1911, in a book entitled ‘Political Parties’, which made reference to the principle called the ‘Iron law of Oligarchy,’ The notion of party oligarchy therefore rests on the premise as exhibited by Michel who stated that if internal democracy could not be found in an organisation professed to be democratic, it would certainly be completely inexistent in parties which did not claim to be democratic. Like any political party in the world, the Partit Nazzjonalista in Malta claims to be democratic. This research will undergo an analysis of how the internal structures of the party function and also studies whether these can fall into the trap of the Iron Law of Oligarchy. Description: H.DIP.PUBLIC POLICY Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26947 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26945 Title: Parliament’s boycott : 1981 to 1983 Abstract: This long–essay will analyze the aftermath of the controversial 1981 general election result: a result which was described by politicians as ‘perverse’ and one which led to political turmoil in the ensuing months. Negotiations to solve the political crises failed, the opposition took the controversial decision not to take its seats in Parliament. The question is whether it was the right decision that the Nationalist members of Parliament elected in 1981 election decided to completely boycott and abandon their parliamentary seats and not to return to parliament after election and accept the result. While the result and its aftermath reflected the constitutional arrangements, there was considerable gerrymandering prior to the election. This, in turn distorted the electoral system. The result sent back the Nationalist party to the opposition, although they still managed to gain 50.9% of the popular vote but three seats less than the Malta Labour Party, the result read 114, 168 votes to PN and 109, 990 for the MLP. While the votes were being counted there were conflicting reports as to the true results of the elections. Basing their calculations on the stacks of voting papers in the pigeon-holes of various candidates, which indicated the votes they had obtained, the Nationalist Party had conformation of their forecast of the majority of votes, and they were right. On the other hand the Labour Party candidates were relying more on what was happening in each of the various divisions, knowing full well that an overall majority of votes could mean nothing. But what mattered were the majorities obtained in each district and the Labour by the early morning of the 15th December of 1981 were claiming victory of 34 seats to 31 for the Nationalist Party. Description: H.DIP.PUBLIC POLICY Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26945 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26932 Title: Interest groups and wicked problems insights from water policy in Malta Abstract: This study investigates the influence that interest groups have on government as the principal policymaker in Malta, taking water policy as a context, as it offers a unique platform to explore interest group influence. It considers Malta’s water resources as a wicked problem, due to acute water scarcity, the multiplicity of competing and conflicting interests over the country’s water resources, the lop-sided policy framework, and ineffectual water governance. Using a qualitative approach by charting Malta’s water policy history since 1959, the study makes use of archival research, media reports and oral histories to weave a narrative of water policy development spanning almost sixty years. In so doing the study investigates the social, economic, political and technological factors which shaped the country’s water policy. Thereby the study sheds light on the factors that either facilitate, or obstruct, or even prevent, policy innovations, which could enhance the equity, efficiency and sustainability of water policy. Consequently, the influence of interest groups, their resistance and demands, is investigated in order to identify and assess the circumstances that give interest groups influence over the policymaker; the effects of such influence on policymaking; and ultimately the government’s reactions to all this. Five conflicting interests are identified throughout the history of water policy in Malta: domestic consumers; agricultural interests; the bottled water industry; environmental NGOs; and tourism interests and hoteliers. These interests emerge as spoilers of government policy, actions and initiatives, rather than acting as catalysts for new policies, either through subversion of policy, national protest or special pleading. This accentuates further the problematic nature of water in Malta, which evolves as a wicked problem, not only because of the reasons mentioned earlier, but also due to the politicisation of water politics. All this is set in the local clientilistic political context which weakens the rule of law, and sets a vicious circle in which the ever-weaker rule of law affords greater scope for clientelism and subversion. Consequently, Government either gives in to the pressures put on by interest groups by withdrawing its policy proposals, or else goes ahead with its original plans and face electoral consequences. Hence the study posits that rather than drafting water plans which end up as futile, it would be better to focus on institutional capacity and the possibly to arrive at some sort of political pact that depoliticises water. Description: M.A.PUBLIC POLICY Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26932 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z