Management practice of work-study conflict among personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service

Abstract

The study sought to investigate work-study management practices in the Ghana Immigration Service. The mixed method research design adopted was the exploratory sequential design. The population of the study comprised officers who were attending school in various institutions of learning without study leave and directors of the Ghana Immigration Service. The sample size of the study was 210 participants. The sample included 10 officers drawn from 10 areas and 200 student-officers made up of inspectors and assistant superintendents selected from the 10 areas. Structured questionnaire and semi structured interview schedules were the instruments adopted for data collection. Purposive sampling was used to select participants for the study. Data were analysed by means of both descriptive statistics (Mean, standard deviation and percentages) and inferential statistics and also thematic analysis that involves verbatim quotation from participants. It was revealed that the main factors which accounted for work study conflict were differences in values, inability to cope with job demands, needs for work conflict guidelines. The study further revealed that work study conflict situations occurred very frequently because candidates pursuing further studies often failed to formalized permission to study. Again, the study indicated that students’ officers handled work-study conflicts through complying with work place conflict guidelines, handling delays in promotion issues and settling disputes. The study concluded that in every establishment there bound to be disagreements that leads to conflicts and that the GIS should ensure that officers who would wish to up grade themselves professionally, should do so within the context of respect and loyalty to organizational objectives. The study recommended time management seminars for junior officers and workshops on organizational culture in which individual objectives and organizational objectives and loyalty would be highlighted in the Ghana Immigration Service. The study further recommended that the Ghana Immigration Service should deploy officers at specific departments of study so that the officers render their optimal efforts to the development of the Service. The deployed position should be commiserated with relevant remunerations and specialties of students’ officers returning from further study. It is further recommended that the professional development committee should identify vacancies in individual departments and urge personnel of the service to pursue specific programmes that are aligned to the interest and mandate of the GIS.