Project: Good Leadership Practices in Hong Kong Engineering

This research project investigates leadership practices within the Hong Kong engineering industry, focusing on the perspectives of local employees aged 30-40. The study aims to identify effective leadership strategies, unique traits within the engineering sector, and employee perceptions of current practices. It examines the views of both mid-management leaders and employees through interviews and surveys, analyzing data to determine good leadership practices and strategies for attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. The project poses key research questions regarding leadership traits, employee preferences, the impact of ineffective leadership, and gaps in perception between leaders and employees. The research culminates in recommendations for the industry, incorporating findings from both secondary research and primary data collection, to improve leadership approaches and address potential labor shortages.

Research Project Formulation Form
1. Field of Engineering
Engineering Project Preparation
2. Project Topic
Exploration & identification of the good leadership practices of Hong Kong’s leading
engineering companies in the eyes of local employees within the age group of 30 years to 40
years
3. List Academic(s) at UTS does related research to topic:
Dr.Hiyam Al- kKilidar
4. List of UTS Academics Articles
Crevani, L., Lindgren, M. and Packendorff, J., 2010. Leadership, not leaders: On the study of
leadership as practices and interactions. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26(1), pp.77-
86.
Carter, L., Ulrich, D. and Goldsmith, M. eds., 2012. Best practices in leadership development
and organization change: How the best companies ensure meaningful change and sustainable
leadership (Vol. 18). John Wiley & Sons.
Crumpton-Young, L., McCauley-Bush, P., Rabelo, L., Meza, K., Ferreras, A., Rodriguez, B.,
Millan, A., Miranda, D. and Kelarestani, M., 2010. Engineering leadership development
programs a look at what is needed and what is being done. Journal of STEM Education:
Innovations and Research, 11(3/4), p.10.
Cheung, C.K. and Chan, A.C.F., 2005. Philosophical foundations of eminent Hong Kong
Chinese CEOs’ leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 60(1), pp.47-62.
Cheung, C.K. and Chi-fai Chan, A., 2008. Benefits of Hong Kong Chinese CEOs' confucian
and daoist leadership styles. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 29(6), pp.474-
503.
5. Executive Summary

Background: The Hong Kong engineering and construction industry is suffering from skilled
labour shortage and the government is undertaking a number of initiatives to attract the young
workforce to join the aging industry (Kao, 2018). As per a report by Po, Hong Kong needs to
adopt new leadership strategies to attract more talented employees and retain them (Chung,
2016). And in this backdrop it was decided to conduct this research to identify what as per
local employees within the age group of 30-40 years, good leadership practices are and what
is the reality of leadership strategies and styles practiced in leading engineering companies of
Hong Kong.
Aims: The aim of this research project is to identity and explores the good practices of
leadership practiced by leading engineering companies of Hong Kong, and how such
practices are viewed by local employees within the age group of 30 years to 40 years
Potential Findings: The expected findings shall be in the light of – identification of the list of
specific leadership practices which are followed in leading engineering companies ( for the
project 3- 5 companies in Hong Kong would be selected and their employees within the age
group of 30 – 40 would be interviewed) ; identification of specific leadership styles and traits
which are unique for the engineering industry and not so prominent for other industries;
exploring how the 30 – 40 years old local employees view such practices and taking their
viewpoint to understand whether any change is required ; understanding and identifying what
should strategies to undertake by the HK’s leading engineering companies to attract and
retain skilled labour.
Conclusions: The final conclusion would exactly specify the leadership strategies which are
taken in the present engineering industry of Hong Kong, how such are impacting the work
and the psyche of employees of the age group of 30 – 40 years, and what recommended
action plan must be taken and leadership style must be followed to attract a talented and
skilled workforce in the future.
6. Research Objectives: The research objectives are as follows;
- Exploring the concept of leadership practices in the engineering industry of Hong Kong and
identification of key leadership strategies which are popular amongst companies
- Conducting primary research on 3 leading engineering companies of Hong Kong ( one of
which would be Startac Engineering Pvt Ltd) and interviewing the mid-management leader
managers ( total sample size 6) and conducting a survey research through questionnaire on
the employees within the age group of 30 – 40 years ( total sample size would be 30 ) to
understand how leadership is viewed by the management as well as the employees
- Analysing the data received and identifying what good leadership practices are in the eyes
of 30 – 40 year old local engineering employees and what should the companies do to
improve their practices and attract and retain skilled and talented workforce

- As the Literature review is conducted in the previous assignment, this project would present
a critique between the secondary research findings and primary research findings to develop
the final inference and the recommendation strategies.
7. Research Questions:
The research questions are as follows;
- What are the good leadership practices being followed in the engineering industry of
Hong Kong?
- Are there any specific leadership traits which employees (age group of 30 – 40 years)
would like to witness in their work culture?
- Is ineffective leadership a promoting cause for the potential shortage of skilled and
talented workforce in Hong Kong’s engineering industry?
- Is there any gap in the perception of good leadership practices between the leader-
managers and employees of Hong Kong’s engineering industry?
- What as per the employees of HK’s engineering companies are the good leadership
practices? What recommendations do they provide which should be followed by the
industry in general?
8. Hypotheses:
This research project has its independent variable as perception of employees (30 to 40 year
old) and the dependent variable is effectiveness of leadership practices. Therefore, the set of
hypotheses created for this paper are;
Null Hypothesis (Ho) – The leadership of HK’s engineering companies is not effective as per
the perception of employees
Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) – The leadership of HK’s engineering companies is not effective
as per the perception of employees

Bibliography
Carter, L., Ulrich, D. and Goldsmith, M. eds., 2012. Best practices in leadership development
and organization change: How the best companies ensure meaningful change and sustainable
leadership (Vol. 18). John Wiley & Sons.
Cheung, C.K. and Chan, A.C.F., 2005. Philosophical foundations of eminent Hong Kong
Chinese CEOs’ leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 60(1), pp.47-62.
Cheung, C.K. and Chi-fai Chan, A., 2008. Benefits of Hong Kong Chinese CEOs' confucian
and daoist leadership styles. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 29(6), pp.474-
503.
Chung, P. (2016). Hong Kong must rid itself of a top-down mindset that alienates the workers
– and leaders – of tomorrow. Retrieved May 5, 2018, from SCMP:
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1930552/hong-kong-must-rid-itself-
top-down-mindset-alienates-workers
Crevani, L., Lindgren, M. and Packendorff, J., 2010. Leadership, not leaders: On the study of
leadership as practices and interactions. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26(1), pp.77-
86.
Crumpton-Young, L., McCauley-Bush, P., Rabelo, L., Meza, K., Ferreras, A., Rodriguez, B.,
Millan, A., Miranda, D. and Kelarestani, M., 2010. Engineering leadership development
programs a look at what is needed and what is being done. Journal of STEM Education:
Innovations and Research, 11(3/4), p.10.
Kao, E. (2018). More glamorous image for Hong Kong’s construction industry in the pipeline
with STEM effort. Retrieved May 4, 2018, from SCMP: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-
kong/education/article/2137047/more-glamorous-image-hong-kongs-construction-industry
Lee, E. (2018). Chronic labour shortages threaten Hong Kong's infrastructure building boom.
Retrieved May 04, 2018, from SCMP :
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1766598/chronic-labour-shortages-
threaten-hong-kongs-infrastructure
MinterEllison. (2012). Construction industry in Hong Kong. Retrieved May 4, 2018, from
ConstructionLawMadeEasy:
http://www.constructionlawmadeeasy.com/constructionindustryinHongKong
RB. (2017). Construction in Hong Kong Key Trends and Opportunities to 2021. Retrieved
May 4, 2018, from Report Buyer:
https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4752145/construction-in-hong-kong-key-trends-and-
opportunities-to-2021.html