Research Proposal

1.0 Topic:
Impact of Organizational Ergonomics & Musculoskeletal disorders on Employee Performance

A Case Study on Descon Pakistan

1.1 Research Problem:

Ergonomics is actually the science to fit workplace according to the human physical standards.
It is basically an aspect that is neglected by most of the organizations due to its costly and time
consuming nature (Kushwaha & Kane, 2015). Most employees in the office environment suffer
from musculoskeletal disorders which are caused by a number of ergonomic factors.
Discomfort and awkward postures can affect the employees health, cause the MSDs and
affects the employees working habits (Workineh & Yamaura, 2016) Employees suffer from
pain in workstations whether it be due to physical environment, cognitive issues or any other
factor. There is a need to identify the reason and eradicate the problem in order to boost up
the organizations productivity and quality (Moon, Hur, Ko, Kim, & Yoo, 2016).

Organizations in Pakistan have not placed much emphasis on the ergonomic policies yet, which
in turn have some serious long term impact on the organizations outcome. In Pakistan,
workplace design and its related ingredients are neglected and the employees do not even get
a chance to blow a whistle against it. This results in a drop in productivity, illness, increased
absenteeism, frustration and work delay. (Saleem, Shah, Zaman, Arif, Shehzad, & Ullah, 2012).

1.2 Research Objectives:

To investigate the impact of ergonomics on the employee performance.
To investigate the impact of workplace design on the performance.
To investigate the intervention of ergonomic health issues in the workplace.
Try to improve the working conditions by suggesting improved workplace designs and
practices.

1.3 Motives:
The motive to conduct this research is due to two main reasons:

Firstly, this research is being conducted because it is a requirement to complete the

MBA qualification.
 Secondly, the purpose of this research beside credential is to contribute to the welfare
of the organization regarding the ergonomic issues that are usually countered at the
workplace.

1.4 Background:
Since the Second World War the Ergonomics has been evolved as a logical method to enhance
occupational outcome. Unlike the ordinary occupational health and safety policies, Ergonomics
deal with the injuries, disabilities, frustrations and illness at the workplace (Saklani & Jha,
2011), (Gainer, 2008). People in the western nations usually suffer from back pain and the
musculoskeletal disorder, in about 90% within their lifespan (Zemp, Fliesser, Wippert, Taylor, &
Lorenzetti, 2016). The Musculoskeletal disorders related to the workplace design are in actual
the most expensive health issue in this era (National Research Council, 2001).

(Huges, 2007) Surveyed 2000 employees related to different organizations showed that nine
out of ten employees believed that physical environment affects their productivity. Parts of
body that are at the red risk include low back, shoulder, neck and upper limbs (Looze, Vink,
Koningsveld, Kuijt-Evers, & Rhijn, 2010). An uncomfortable workplace design could deteriorate
the employees health and productivity. The discomfort could also lead to repetitive strain
injury (RSI) in the long run (Workineh & Yamaura, 2016). The productivity of the workers is
expected to drop each day due to the discomfort that they experience at their workplace (J.H,
N.Fallentin, Thomsen, & S.Mikkelsen, 2011), (Workineh & Yamaura, 2016).

Different ergonomists have looked into the matter to seek reasons and solutions to the
emergence of musculoskeletal disorders and the drop in productivity level but still there is no
exact single factor associated to be a reason of these issues. Multiple factors are there like task,
physical environment, workplace tools, designs and the organizational processes (Saklani &
Jha, 2011). In this research it is aimed to focus on a single reason ergonomic and MSDs, to
understand whether it is a significant cause of a drop in employee performance or not. And by
the end it would be feasible to understand the basic essence of ergonomics that is to fit man
and machine together so that to improve the employees performance by eradicating fatigue
and stress at workplace (Kushwaha & Kane, 2015) (Pramila, 2015).

1.5 Literature Review & Knowledge Gap:

The International Ergonomic Association and Us Department of Labor OSHA 2000 has defined
three main aspects of workplace ergonomics including cognitive ergonomics, physical
ergonomics and organizational ergonomics. These three aspects sometimes collectively or
individually cause certain health issues which lead to a disturbance in organizational
productivity (Pramila, 2015), (Karwowski & D.Rodrick, 2001), (OSHA, 2000).

1.5.1 Ergonomics & Musculoskeletal disorders:

Ergonomics is basically a Greek word ergo meaning work and nomos meaning natural law.
This describes that ergonomics is related to the concept that the workplace should be such that
it fits the human body. It should not be in a way that human body has to fit according to the
workplace design and physical environment. (Rooney, 1994).

Ergonomics is actually the science to fit workplace according to the human physical standards.
It is basically an aspect that is neglected by most of the organizations due to its costly and time
consuming nature (Kushwaha & Kane, 2015). Most employees in the office environment suffer
from musculoskeletal disorders which are caused by a number of ergonomic factors.
Discomfort and awkward postures can affect the employees health, cause the MSDs and
affects the employees working habits (Workineh & Yamaura, 2016) Employees suffer from
pain in offices whether it be due to physical environment, cognitive issues or any other factor.
There is a need to identify the reason and eradicate the problem in order to boost up the
organizations productivity and quality (Moon, Hur, Ko, Kim, & Yoo, 2016).

Different ergonomists have looked into the matter to seek reasons and solutions to the
emergence of musculoskeletal disorders and the drop in productivity level but still there is no
exact single factor associated to be a reason of these issues. Multiple factors are there like task,
physical environment, workplace tools, designs and the organizational processes (Saklani &
Jha, 2011).

1.5.2 Employee Performance:

The concept of employee performance is related to job satisfaction by many researchers.
According to (S.Sonnentag, 2002) the employee behavior and actions are not counted as the
performance but the outcomes that an employee produce in an organization is considered as
his performance or his productivity in the organization. According to (Al-Anzi, 2009) to achieve
a higher performance and organizational productivity there are two vital factors including the
management driven factors of the organization and secondly the workplace and the
organizational physical environment itself.

1.5.3 Theory:
(Gilbreth, 1968) was the theorist who actually formulated a theory regarding the motion
study. He researched and described in the theory that fatigue is the factor which results in
waste of human energy and the employees are compelled ultimately suffer from it.
Another theory proposed in this domain was related to a theorist named (Taylor, 1911) who
emphasized that it is the employers responsibility to provide a comfortable and safe workplace
to its employees in order to achieve higher levels of productivity (Tietjen & Myers, 1998),
(Pramila, 2015).

1.5.4 Knowledge Gap:

This study is being conducted due to the fact that there is a knowledge gap which has not been
filled yet in Pakistan. The gap identified is that there is a need to investigate the organizational
ergonomics to achieve a desirable fact related to the employee performance (Pramila, 2015).

1.5.5 Research Paradigms:

The research philosophy involved in this study is Interpretivism. This is because interpretivism
is about the phenomenon that social reality is basically interpreted by the meaning participants
give to produce and reproduce the social activities (Bryman & Bell, 2006) (Saunders, Levis, &
Thornhill, 2009).

1.5.6 Research Approach:

The research approach being used is Deductive research strategy. Deductive research aims to
test theories by eliminating the false ones and corroborating those that survive the falsification
effort (Bryman & Bell, 2006), (Saunders, Levis, & Thornhill, 2009).
The Ontological stance that is taken in consideration is the subtle realist, which
emphasizes on the fact that all human knowledge is based on assumptions and is not
certain.
The Epistemological stance that is taken is Falsifications, which emphasizes on the fact
that theories cannot be proven but they only can be disproven.

1.5.7 Research Strategies:

The research strategy involved in this study revolves around the survey. The survey strategy is
concerned with the deductive approach (Saunders, Levis, & Thornhill, 2009). This study will be
based on a survey questionnaire will be the main instrument to collect the desirable data in
order to conduct the analysis about ergonomic and its impact on employee performance.

1.5.8 Research Choices:

This study is based on mono-method choice as in this study only a single data collection
technique and related analysis method will be used (Saunders, Levis, & Thornhill, 2009).
1.5.9 Time Horizon:
This study is Cross-sectional, as this is a study of a particular phenomenon at a particular time
(Saunders, Levis, & Thornhill, 2009) (Bryman & Bell, 2006). Another reason for this is that the
time frame is restricted to a semester to complete this study.

1.5.10 Research Techniques and Method:

The research methodology will include the following aspects:
A questionnaire will be formed to survey the employees of Descon-Pakistan, regarding
the ergonomic issues and its effect on their performance at work. The questionnaire will
be adopted from a prior research study by (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015) , which includes a
modified version of Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (used by (Kuorinka, Jonsson,
Kilborn, Vinterberg, & Biering-Sorensen, 1987). This questionnaire covers pains in the
nine specified body areas (Driessen, 2008) , (Gosling, 2012), (Sang, 2010). Not only this,
but the employees will also be asked to identify whether the symptoms are linked to
their work and how it is affecting their performance on daily basis.
The sampling would be done on the basis of availability of respondents, so the sampling
technique used would be Convenient sampling. (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015). The
sample size would be 150 respondents.
The statistical tools that would be used would include the 20-version of Spss. The
technique would include Chi-square (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015).

1.5.11 Research Questions:

Does Intervention of Occupational Ergonomics have any impact on employees
performance?
Is there any significant relationship between the occupational ergonomic health issues
(Musculoskeletal disorders) and the employee performance?

1.4.12 Hypothesis:
H1: The intervention of occupational ergonomics has an impact on employee
performance.
Ho: The intervention of occupational ergonomics does not have any impact on
employee performance.
H2: There is a significant relationship between ergonomic health issues (Musculoskeletal
disorders) on employee performance.
Ho: There is no significant relationship between ergonomic health issues
(Musculoskeletal disorders) on employee performance.
1.6 Conceptual Model:
The conceptual Model is adopted by the research conducted by (Battini, Faccio, Persona, &
Sgarbossa, 2011) & (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015).

Independent variables Dependent Variable

Occupational
Ergonomics

Employee
Performance

Musculoskeletal
Disorders

Independent Variables :
1. Occupational Ergonomics
2. Musculoskeletal disorders

Dependent Variable:
1. Employee Performance
1.7 Methodology:
The research methodology is adopted from a prior research conducted by (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb,
2015), who used the following mentioned methodology to conduct the research on
ergonomics and workplace design.

1.7.1 Research Design:

This study includes a correlational research design, because it intends to find out the
correlation between the desired independent and dependent variables.

1.7.2 Sampling and Population:

The total population of Descon Engineering limited - Pakistan is around 1000 employees
(Descon, 2016).
The sampling would be done on the basis of availability of respondents, so the sampling
technique used would be Convenient sampling. (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015). The
sample size would be 150 respondents.

1.7.3 Instrument & Measurement:

In this study a structured questionnaire will be adopted from Nordic Musculoskeletal
Questionnaire which is used in the research paper presented by (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015).

1.7.4 Data Collection & Analysis:

Primary source of data collection will be through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
The secondary source of data collection will be the previous literatures published in
internationally accepted journals.

The Data analysis would be done using Spss (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) version-20.
The questionnaire will be forwarded for a reliability check to attain the reliability and validity of
the questionnaire by achieving a significant value of Cronbach Alpha (Pramila, 2015). After that
the measuring instruments will include Chi-square test, which is adopted from the research
conducted by (Eaves, Gyi, & Gibb, 2015)

1.8 Contributions:
This study will contribute in the industry to improve the workplace designs according to the
ergonomic standards. Not only will this but it also help to understand how to reduce the risk of
occupational musculoskeletal disorders in order to enhance the employee performance, thus
the organizational outcomes.