Evaluation of the Impact of Management Development in UNRWA on Employees’ Performance in Gaza Field Office – Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Programme

Abstract

The success of any organization depends on the performance of its employees. Employees are the most important resource in any organization and are referred as human resources. Modern organization gave great importance to human resources management and development. This research’s main objectives are to study the factors affecting human resources management development and effect on performance of UNRWA employees’ Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Programme in Gaza field office. Also obstacles affecting management development were included in the study. The study objectives were achieved by reviewing related literatures, interviews of selected senior employees and questionnaire for targeted group. Factors affecting management development were collected from literature reviews and categorized into three groups: internal, external and individuals factors. The factors were developed by the feedback from interviewees. Also, the obstacles were obtained from the feedback from the interviewees. The targeted group of study is the employees of Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Programme in Gaza field office of UNRWA. The population consists of 253 employees. Questionnaires were distributed to 238 employees and 191 questionnaires were received with a return percentage of 80.3%. The study concluded that internal, external and individuals factors affect management development. “Work experience” was found to be the most important internal factors while “social activities” was not found to be important as internal factor. As for external factors, “availability of funds” was the most important factor and “unions” was not effective as external factor. For individuals’ factors, “leadership” was the most important factor and “knowing what is required” was the least important factor. Also obstacles were found to affect management development. “Not delegating authority” was the most affecting obstacle and “offices area and privacy” was the least affecting obstacle. Almost all factors considered were found effective. As for performance a relation between performance and external and individuals factors was formulated. The study concluded that there is significant different among respondents regarding these factors affected by: “number of training courses”. Also significant different exist between respondents for factors affecting MD and performance regarding “specialization” and “academic education level”. The study recommended further studies in different areas and for different organizations. The study recommended that the employees’ union in UNRWA to improve and increase its participation in management development as it was found not effective. Also UNRWA was recommended to increase its efforts to explain the important of management development to donors to let them to donate for MD activities and provide all needed training topics.