Enhancing transparency and learning sustainability on the perceptions of improving naval ships’ support performance

Abstract

The operations strategy management requires formulation of unique disciplines. This research determines knowledge on the operations level, the business unit and the corporate level strategies on the perceptions of improving performance. They are participated through use of a variety of tools to form a comprehensive Business Plan. The business can be of profit or non-profit such as the public or naval ships’ upkeep support organisations of the Omani Dockyard. The operations strategy focuses on planning processes for future improvement. A literature review and the administration of a research instrument to predict the mindsets/opinions of employees were sequentially conducted. The research is quantitative supported by intensive literature review. It employed a dedicated framework encompassing four independent variables (cooperation, efficiency, single- and double-loops learning) one mediating variable (effectiveness of training) and one dependent variable (organisational performance). When correlated, variables were found to be positively related and when regressed, they were all found to contribute, except for cooperation. In the Sobel mediation test all variables were found to significantly contribute. Gaps were closed using an intensive literature review, statistical results, authors’ field experience to form constructive discussions and findings, conclusions and recommendations on the perceptions of improving performance.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Abbreviated version of questionnaire format for enhancing transparency and learning sustainability in ships’ upkeep support:

Cooperation

“development of trust”, “reducing misunderstanding”, “having greater collaboration”, “having greater understanding”, “having greater agreement and execution”

Efficiency

“mistake handling”, “identification of skills”, “development of learning”, “people development”, “effective ways of doing jobs”, “honest feedback to learn”, “asking why to learn”, “sharing professional information”, “focusing and working”, “focusing and thinking”

Single-loop Learning

“discovering new ways”, “generating ideas”, “training at all levels”, “expertise thro’ training”, “increase training expenditure”, “need of ISO”, “achieve product activity”, “develop and maintain capabilities”, “unite technical effort”

Double-loop Learning

“questioning for improvement”, “questioning current ways”, “develop changing methods”, “encourage learning”, “develop individual”, develop product reliability’, “serving the customer”, “satisfy operators demand”, “justification, investigation, operators demands”

Effectiveness of Training

“Encourage self learning”, “support learning request”, “opportunities to learn”, “share up-to-date information”, “empower others”, “mentor and coach”, “ensure learning consistency”, “concentrate with outside communities”

Performance

“maintain productivity”, “learning, flexibility and productivity”, “flexibility and customer satisfaction”, “maintain staff satisfaction”, “create job satisfaction”, “performance and job standard”, “implement suggestion”, “technology and information processing”, “raise staff morale”, “achieve goodwill organisation capital”, “Maintain wellbeing of staff”, “encourage change management”.

Appendix 2

Cohen’s (1988) method for computing power (sample size) for regression coefficients is given by:

$$n = \frac{L}{{f^{2} }} + K + 1,$$

where: n = sample size; L = is a tabled value corresponding to a specific power value. As Cohen stipulated, the conventional Power value at α = 0.05 is 0.8 which is also equal to 7.85. f ² = is an effect size measure for the regression coefficient. It is 0.02, 0.15 and 0.35, which are considered as small, medium and large respectively as suggested by Cohen (1988) that smaller effect size yield more sample size; K = is the number of predictors in the regression equation. There are 4 (4) Predictors in this study.

Therefore, for medium size:

$$n = \frac{7.85}{{0.15 }} + 4 + 1\quad n = \frac{7.85}{0.15} + 5\quad n = 52.33 + 5\quad n = 57.33 \simeq 57$$