https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6601 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:37:40 GMT 2026-04-04T14:37:40Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6797 Title: Organisational culture : the effects of cultural differences during the integration process of mergers and acquisitions Abstract: The human capital aspect during mergers and acquisitions is the basis of this qualitative research study which is conducted amongst four sets of organisations having gone through a merger or acquisition. The study investigates that if organisational cultural differences are not tackled appropriately before any business takeover, the integration process will encounter several stumbling blocks such as job-role ambiguities and confusion in work practices. The sample was composed of nine employees coming from various strata of the private sector and who had experienced in these past five years either a merger or an acquisition. The sample was captured through semi-structured interviews held at the interviewee' offices. The results effectively indicate that in two acquisitions and one merger there were similar shortages of lack of communication and synergy realisation which prevented a successful integration process. Organisational culture gaps have also been identified. Conversely, the other merger has had a successful integration process attributed to well-planned strategies combined with constant communication with all stakeholders. Overall, this study indicates that due to contemporary business trends, mergers and acquisitions are gaining more popularity with the scope of consolidating resources especially where the line of business is homogenous. However, in order to have the desired return for which the combination is intended, the human capital aspect and the amalgamation of both sets of organisational cultures have to be addressed well- ahead the business takeover and ideally during the due-diligence process. A failure to address such element may result in flaws that slow down and threaten the integration process. Description: B.WORK&H.R.(HONS) Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6797 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6688 Title: Employee loyalty at the workplace : a case study in a local manufacturing company Abstract: Through this research, the author aims to investigate and shed light on the factors that determine employee loyalty in a local Manufacturing Company. Employee loyalty has always been an issue for organisations because of its connection with behaviours like attendance, turnover and organisational citizenship. Loyal workers devote themselves to the organisation’s achievements and they enthusiastically participate in the organisational sustenance and growth initiatives. For this research, a qualitative methodology approach has been selected. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 participants who at the time were fulfilling various roles, at different positions of the organisation’s hierarchy. The general findings of this study indicate that among the factors that influence their loyalty towards the company, the interviewees highlighted factors such as appreciation, support, recognition and communication from the management as well as pay and benefits. The findings of this study suggest that management has a crucial role to play when it comes to employee motivation and loyalty since they appear to be the people who make most of the difference in the employees’ perception of the company when it comes to recognition, appreciation, respect, support and communication. The findings also suggest the importance of pay and benefits when it comes to the employees’ loyalty, engagement, motivation and retention. The results of this study suggest a number of practical implications for organisations especially when it comes to effective leadership and managerial approach as well as the importance of fairness in the pay systems. Description: B.WORK&H.R.(HONS) Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6688 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6687 Title: The impact of childcare on a parent’s career Abstract: This qualitative study explores how professional dual-working parents working in parastatal companies try to continue progressing in their career when having children, the difficulties they encounter while trying to achieve a work-life balance and factors which may effect and hider this balance. Ten interviews were conducted amongst professional dual-working parents. This study addressed whose career is affected when having children. The main result of this study shows that parents try to achieve a work-life balance with the help of grandparents and childcare facilities. Although men are being involved in childcare and house work, women still carry the major responsibility of unpaid work even though both parents work the equal amount of hours. The most important recommendations derived from this study are that fathers need to participate more in family life, women should be given the same job opportunities as men in their career, women should not only been seen as the sole care givers, parental leave and career breaks should become partially or fully paid and family-friendly measures when available they must also been used by males. Description: B.WORK&H.R.(HONS) Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6687 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6686 Title: Creativity and innovation in an ICT organisation Abstract: Organisations today rely considerably on the creativity and innovation of the individual. This research explored whether a local medium-sized ICT organisation in its quest to maintain high levels of production and competitiveness, operated according to the model outlined by Theresa Amabile’s Componential Theory of Creativity and Innovation (1996). By adopting a qualitative case study research design, the researcher carried out an indepth study of the company, clearly highlighting the way in which the company operates. The research strategy entailed holding semi-structured interviews with twelve employees chosen from managerial and non-managerial staff through purposive sampling, collecting documentary data downloaded from the company website and administering a self-assessment personality test to the twelve participants. Employing thematic coding, interview responses were categorised according to the different components outlined in Amabile's model and the other themes that emerged from the components. Responses were therefore processed, supported by documentary data, investigated and analysed. Results from the self-assessment personality test confirm the creativity characteristics of participants as stated in the literature. The discussion and conclusions drawn from the process of analysing responses gave an overall view of the company. Throughout the study the researcher gave due importance to the reliability and validity of data collected, ensuring that ethical issues were safeguarded and the anonymity of participants and the organisation under study were kept. The outcome of the study led the researcher to establish that Amabile’s componential theory does feature in the company. Of particular interest to the research study is the vital input prompted by the leaders, of positivity and creativity culture that appear to stand out as being the fuel that generates success in the company. This work presents itself as an interesting basis for future studies in the same area and which will ultimately enhance local literature. Description: B.WORK&H.R.(HONS) Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6686 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z