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MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 1

Enhancing Member Engagement for the Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast

Chapter Members

By

Rableen NandaBachelors of Science

An Organizational Leadership Project Report submitted in partial fulfillment of

the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

In

LEADERSHIP

We accept this Report as conforming

to the required standard

Qudsia Ahmed, BBA, Sponsor

Marilynn Kendall, M.A., Academic Supervisor

Catherine Etmanski, PhD, Committee Chair

ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITYAugust, 2016

©Rableen Nanda, 2016

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 2

Executive Summary

The Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter (PMI-CWCC), a chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI), is a non-profit organization based out of Vancouver encompassing the geographic area of British Columbia, excluding Victoria. It is the “leading not for profit professional membership association for the project, program and portfolio management profession” (Project Management Institute, 2016, para 1). Members pay a membership fee to join the global PMI organization and, for an extra fee, they have an option to become a member of the PMI-CWCC, a local chapter. As stated in the annual report, “the chapter has grown from 1,700 to 2,100 members over the past 5 years,” which created an opportunity for the PMI-CWCC to explore ways to keep members engaged (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016, para. 1).

One of the primary goals accompanying the vision of PMI-CWCC is “to provide a community for the project management industry in BC” (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016, para 3). In addition to the organization’s mission and vision, PMI-CWCC’s bylaws play a significant role in its strategic direction and initiatives. According to the bylaws, the Vice President of membership is “responsible for safeguarding the interests of Chapter members” (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016, para. 4). The inquiry project fit well in the membership portfolio as it supported the PMI-CWCC in forming a learning relationship with its members and in reaching out to members to gain their insight on various membership initiatives. Holmes and Slater (2012) pointed out, “engagement in membership associations is affected by a range of factors” (p. 854). This inquiry helped identify key factors that influence and enhance member engagement within the PMI-CWCC. The overarching question explored in the inquiry process was: How can member engagement be enhanced in the Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter? The following sub questions contributed to the understanding of member engagement:

1. What are the drivers of PMI-CWCC member engagement?2. What are the barriers to PMI-CWCC member engagement?3. What support do the members need to enhance their engagement with PMI-CWCC?

A comprehensive review of the literature on the principles of member engagement helped to support a deeper understanding of the inquiry topic and participant findings. By understanding what member engagement is, including the factors that drive or impede it as well as the board’s role in organizational change, the leadership will be able to support and sustain the change in strategy desired by this inquiry.

Relevant scholarly literature was reviewed to explore definition of member engagement, drivers of engagement and barriers to engagement. In addition, the role of board leadership within an organization and the role of a board in organizational change and innovation were examined. As Seijts and Crim (2006) stated, “engagement can not only make a real difference, it can set the great organizations apart from the merely good ones” (p. 3). Swanson (2013) highlighted that non-profit organizations depended greatly on relationships with their members and defined member engagement as a “social network established between institutions and their stakeholders” (p. 305). Kegler and Swan (2012) went on to state that a “lack of active and involved membership fails to create connectedness with other members and precludes a direct

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 3

engagement in civic give and take” (p. 410). Mone, Eisinger, Guggenheim, Price and Stine (2011) stated that an organization that was able to show confidence in its members and demonstrate openness facilitated member engagement (p. 210). Seijts and Crim (2006) took an individualistic stand in which they pointed out that “people want to know that their input matters and they are contributing to the organization’s success in a meaningful way” (p. 4).

In addition to the above factors impacting member engagement, the literature review also explored the role of the board leadership in organizational change and innovation. As Jaskyte mentioned, “the board of directors...is a critical component of governance in non-profit organization” (2015, p. 440). Alänge and Steiber (2009) found that the “issue of sustaining change falls back on the governance structure” (p. 280), thereby confirming the integral part a board played in sustaining major organizational change. They went on to state that since the “board is usually closely involved in deciding the vision, goals and strategy of a company” (p. 281), it was even more imperative that the board of directors needed to be involved in the organizational change. Santhidran, Chandran and Borromeo (2013) addressed the idea of change and leadership when they researched the “relationship between leadership, change readiness and commitment to change” (p. 349). The authors concluded that leadership positively influences change readiness, which then enhances the commitment to change in an organization (p. 358). They went on to suggest, “leaders’ attributes that favour and facilitate readiness would consequently encourage employees to commit to change efforts by minimizing the resistance” (p. 359). Jaskyte (2015) suggested that the “board sets the tone of expectations for innovative thinking and creative approaches to challenge it and the organization” (p. 440). Hellström et al. (2015) also concluded that senior leadership needs to practice “continuous dialogues, reflections and the allowance for an evolutionary adoption process” for the implemented change to be successful (p. 1198).

Action research was the methodology of choice for this inquiry project and is defined as “a procedure in which the participants of a social system are involved in a data collection process about themselves and utilize the data that they have generated to review the facts ...to generate a remedial or developmental action” (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014, p. 47). For the purposes of this inquiry project, a sequential priority design was employed utilizing qualitative methods: specifically, an online survey and a focus group. Firstly, an online survey was conducted that gave all of the current PMI-CWCC members an opportunity to participate and provide their insight. The survey was followed by a focus group session to build upon the themes discovered in the online survey results.

The participant selection process included everyone who was a current PMI-CWCC member not belonging to the board. Each member was given the opportunity to provide their feedback via the online survey. Random sampling was used to complete the first data collection cycle of the online survey with all current 2100 members invited to participate. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants for the second data collection cycle, which consisted of a focus group. Since the majority of the membership resided in the Greater Vancouver area, the members living in this region were invited to participate in the focus group session, with the first four members to reply to the invitation being chosen. Palinkas et. al. stated that “purposeful sampling is widely used... for the identification and selection of information-rich cases…[by] selecting individuals that are especially knowledgeable about or experienced with a phenomenon of interest” (2015, p.

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 4

534). As the lead researcher in this inquiry project, I enlisted the aid of an inquiry team that consisted of two volunteer members from the PMI-CWCC. They did not have any power over issues as they volunteered their time with the organization on a regular basis.

The first phase of the data collection process utilized an anonymous online survey hosted on FluidSurveys (n.d.). The survey targeted the large membership, giving them an equal chance to participate and provide feedback to their engagement with PMI-CWCC. The use of a survey was helpful for this inquiry project because surveys aim to “evaluate the effectiveness of programs” (Fink, 2009, p. 2) and, in this case, the programs relevant to PMI-CWCC engagement initiatives. The second phase of data collection consisted of a focus group session. Barbour stated that focus groups are “useful when it comes to investigating what participants think, but they excel at uncovering why participants think as they do” (2005, p. 746). The inquiry team members supported me with pilot testing the survey and focus group questions, and helped me conduct, observe and scribe the focus group session. There were three participants in the focus group session.

Qualitative data analysis requires a number of steps, including focusing the analysis, categorizing information, identifying patterns and connections within and between categories, and, finally, interpretation (Taylor-Powell & Renner, 2003). Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze data in this inquiry “to arrive at a more nuanced understanding of some social phenomenon through understanding the processes that tend to involve that phenomenon as well as the perceptions, values and beliefs of people toward it” (Glesne, 2016, p. 184). The data was themed with the coloured post-it notes, with specific colours denoting each theme. The themes were then used to compose the questions for the focus group. In this manner, the themes uncovered from the survey method were further verified in the second data collection cycle. The “strength of thematic analysis is its ability to help reveal underlying complexities …and to explain where and why people differ from a general pattern” (Glesne, 2016, p. 184). In addition to the audio recorded content of the focus group session, the observations noted by the facilitator observer of the focus group session were incorporated into the data and subsequently analyzed. The inquiry team supported me in the review of the data.

Special attention was paid to manage any ethical issues that might surface in this inquiry project, beginning with the receipt of ethics approval from Royal Roads University prior to conducting the inquiry process. This inquiry ensured to respect participants and “seek their free, informed and ongoing consent” (Panel on Research Ethics, 2014, p. 7). Constructive steps were taken to “protect the welfare of the participants and …promote that welfare in view of any foreseeable risk associated with the research” (Panel on Research Ethics, 2014, p. 8). In this research, the participants could have been at risk of feeling singled out as the questions needed them to reflect on their personal experience with PMI-CWCC. The final element of the Tri-Council Policy Statement applied in this inquiry project was that of justice, as the participants had the freedom to give or refuse consent to participate in the survey or focus group session. It “refers to the obligation to treat people fairly and equitably… [while] treating people with equal respect and concern” (Panel on Research Ethics, 2014, p. 8).

In this inquiry, participants reflected on various components of the PMI-CWCC member engagement strategy. Their reflections consisted of key PMI-CWCC membership attractions and

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 5

of components of the PMI-CWCC member engagement strategy that could be enhanced and/or modified. I identified the following five findings that speak to the enhancement of member engagement within PMI-CWCC:

1. Participants identified the need to enhance components of PMI-CWCC led events.2. Participants want more opportunities to build connections with the PMI-CWCC and

its members.3. Participants want to realize more value from the cost of their membership.4. Stakeholders expressed the desire to become acquainted on a deeper level with the

PMI-CWCC leadership board.5. Stakeholders want to connect with the PMI-CWCC over a shared social cause.

Based on the analysis of the above study findings and a review of the relevant literature, I identified the following five conclusions to enhance member engagement among the PMI-CWCC membership:

1. An agreed upon definition of an engaging event that is meaningful and purposeful to stakeholders is required.

2. Providing innovative networking opportunities has the potential to support stakeholder engagement with the PMI-CWCC.

3. Stakeholders need to be made aware of the benefits associated with the PMI-CWCC membership.

4. The provision of leadership education to the board members may be required to further enhance their abilities to engage meaningfully with PMI-CWCC members.

5. The incorporation of a societal cause in the engagement initiatives has the potential to facilitate stakeholder engagement with the PMI-CWCC.

I used the study findings and conclusions to develop four recommendations that, if implemented, will support the enhancement of member engagement within PMI-CWCC:

1. Create a shared definition of an engaging event that is meaningful and purposeful to stakeholders.

2. Hold a board leadership brainstorming session to identify innovative networking opportunities for incorporation in the PMI-CWCC events.

3. Educate stakeholders about the benefits associated with their PMI-CWCC membership.

4. Undertake further research to understand stakeholder desire to engage with the PMI-CWCC board and other members over a social cause.

The PMI-CWCC strives to foster a community of members from various industries through a number of member engagement initiatives. Seijts and Crim (2006) concluded that “people want to know that their input matters and that they are contributing to the organization’s success in a meaningful way” (p. 5). This inquiry project has provided the PMI-CWCC with an opportunity to create the capacity to meet the evolving needs of its stakeholders so they continue to engage and reap benefits from this organization. Final approval of these recommendations and their subsequent implementation will be the responsibility of the president and the PMI-CWCC board members. By adopting this inquiry’s recommendations, the organization will be able to meet its stakeholder needs and help enhance PMI-CWCC member engagement.

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 6

Table of Contents

Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2

Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................6

List of Figures..................................................................................................................................9

List of Tables.................................................................................................................................10

Chapter One: Focus and Framing..................................................................................................11

Significance of the Inquiry......................................................................................................12

Organizational Context............................................................................................................14

Systems Analysis of the Inquiry..............................................................................................17

Chapter Summary....................................................................................................................20

Chapter Two: Literature Review...................................................................................................21

Member Engagement...............................................................................................................22

The Role of a Board in an Organization..................................................................................29

Chapter Summary....................................................................................................................33

Chapter Three: Inquiry Project Approach.....................................................................................34

Inquiry Project Methodology...................................................................................................34

Project Participants..................................................................................................................35

Inquiry Project Methods..........................................................................................................37

Ethical Issues...........................................................................................................................45

Chapter Summary....................................................................................................................46

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Chapter Four: Action Inquiry Project Findings and Conclusions.................................................48

Study Findings.........................................................................................................................48

Study Conclusions...................................................................................................................58

Scope and Limitations of the Inquiry......................................................................................66

Chapter Summary....................................................................................................................67

Chapter Five: Inquiry Project Recommendations and Implications..............................................68

Study Recommendations.........................................................................................................68

Organizational Implications.....................................................................................................74

Implications for Future Inquiry...............................................................................................79

Report Summary......................................................................................................................81

References......................................................................................................................................82

Appendix A: Member Survey Results...........................................................................................87

Appendix B: OAR Action Research Engagement.........................................................................88

Appendix C: Letter of Invitation for Survey.................................................................................89

Appendix D: Survey Additional Information Letter.....................................................................90

Appendix E: Survey Informed Consent.........................................................................................92

Appendix F: Survey Questions......................................................................................................93

Appendix G: Letter of Invitation for Focus Group........................................................................97

Appendix H: Focus Group Additional Information Letter............................................................98

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Appendix I: Informed Consent for Focus Group.........................................................................100

Appendix J: Focus Group Questions...........................................................................................101

Appendix K: Inquiry Team Member Letter of Agreement.........................................................102

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Internal and External System Influences........................................................................20

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List of Tables

Table 1: Members’ preference and satisfaction levels with PMI-CWCC events..........................50

Table 2: Preference of methods for members to engage with other PMI-CWCC members.........52

Table 3: Preference of methods for members to engage with PMI-CWCC..................................53


Chapter One: Focus and Framing

The Project Management Institute is the “leading not for profit professional membership

association for the project, program and portfolio management profession” (Project Management

Institute, 2016, para. 1). It is a global organization and caters to “2.9 million professionals

working in nearly every country in the world through global advocacy, collaboration, education

and research” (Project Management Institute, 2016, para. 1). The Project Management Institute –

Canadian West Coast Chapter (PMI-CWCC), a chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI),

is a non-profit organization based out of Vancouver encompassing the geographic area of British

Columbia, excluding Victoria.

Members pay a membership fee to join the global PMI group and, for an additional $30

fee, they have an option to become a member of the PMI-CWCC, a local chapter. At present,

there are 2,108 members affiliated with both the global PMI and the PMI-CWCC (Q. Ahmed,

personal communication, August 5, 2015). As stated in the annual report, “the chapter has grown

from 1,700 to 2,100 members over the past 5 years,” which created an opportunity for the PMI-

CWCC to explore ways to keep members engaged (Project Management Canadian West Coast

Chapter, 2016-a, para. 1). Despite this overall increase in membership, “thirty percent of the

members fail to renew their membership every year” (Project Management Canadian West Coast

Chapter, 2016-a, para. 1), which prompted the PMI-CWCC to invest in exploring ways to

enhance member engagement.

I am interested in understanding the various dynamics that play a role in member

engagement. The PMI-CWCC’s VP, Membership was looking to learning more about member

engagement and approached me for help. As the inquiry project moved along, my sponsor went

on to become the President of the PMI-CWCC. I participated as an external consultant for the


PMI-CWCC in the conduct of this inquiry. I was the lead inquirer and facilitator, fostering an

environment wherein the inquiry team collaborated to develop a further understanding of

member engagement through the cycles of action and reflection (Stringer, 2007). Moreover, my

inquiry team consisted of multiple stakeholders to support the inquiry. As the lead inquirer, I

ensured that the inquiry procedures were relevant to the organization’s values and enabled the

inquiry team members to be “active agents in the process of inquiry” (p. 42).

The focus of this inquiry was the PMI-CWCC affiliated members. Since the PMI-CWCC

encompasses a large area within British Columbia and a wide variety of professionals, the PMI-

CWCC wanted me to evaluate member engagement. This inquiry provided an opportunity for the

organization to identify popular engagement initiatives as well as new initiatives required to

foster and maintain member engagement. As Phillips and Leahy (2012) stated, “strength of a

professional association can largely be measured by its membership” (p. 208) and this inquiry

aimed to address the needs of the members by answering the following primary research

question: How can member engagement be enhanced in the Project Management Institute –

Canadian West Coast Chapter? Sub questions included:

1. What are the drivers of PMI-CWCC member engagement?

2. What are the barriers to PMI-CWCC member engagement?

3. What support do the members need to enhance their engagement with PMI-CWCC?

Significance of the Inquiry

One of the primary goals accompanying the vision of PMI-CWCC is “to provide a

community for the project management industry in BC” (Project Management Canadian West

Coast Chapter, 2016-b, para. 3). One approach to ensure the PMI-CWCC accomplished this goal

was to foster member engagement so a community could be formed for the project management


industry (Q. Ahmed, personal communication, August 5, 2015). The organization executed a

number of member engagement initiatives, such as networking events, exam preparation classes,

and project management updates (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-c).

The organization offered classes for various Project Management certification exams as well as

provided updates for any upcoming sessions or conferences to its members (Project Management

Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-c).

In its 2014 annual report, the PMI-CWCC board stated that it would aim to continue to

explore programs and activities to enable members to see the value in renewing their

membership and to ensure member engagement is maintained (Project Management Canadian

West Coast Chapter, 2014, para. 4). Moreover, the board also indicated that they wanted to

explore alternative ways to expand member engagement initiatives and reach out to members

throughout BC (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2014, para. 4). This inquiry

provided an opportunity for members to express their needs and expectations from the PMI-

CWCC. Once member needs were identified, PMI-CWCC had the means to evaluate its member

engagement strategy. This process provided information to support the achievement of the PMI-

CWCC’s vision to further explore member engagement and help implement new engagement

initiatives for its members.

This inquiry has the potential to lead to a positive change in many ways for the key

stakeholders. Internal stakeholders, such as the PMI-CWCC board, benefitted from this inquiry

because they were able to participate in this inquiry to understand member engagement.

Moreover, the PMI-CWCC members were also able to participate in the inquiry process and

express their perspectives. In addition, other provincial chapters and the global PMI may benefit


because they can also use the results from this inquiry to understand more about member

engagement initiatives.

If the PMI-CWCC does not take advantage of the recommendations from this inquiry

project, it will not gain a deeper understanding of its members’ needs and expectations. Painter

and Paxton (2014) highlighted the importance of member participation as it “builds social

connectedness among members through interaction within local chapters” (p. 410). Kegler and

Swan (2012) concluded that members “participate in a range of roles…and allowing members to

have substantive input into major decisions [illustrates] competent leadership that supports and

encourages active participation to all members” (p. 581). Therefore, it is even more important

that PMI-CWCC explored recommendations to further understand member engagement. In

addition, if the PMI-CWCC fails to take advantage of the recommendations, it may not be able to

understand the reason for the drop in membership renewal. As Hager (2014) mentioned, various

factors motivate and drive member engagement (p. 42S). The inquiry recommendations

highlighted the factors impacting member engagement so that the PMI-CWCC could consider

these factors for its member engagement strategy.

Organizational Context

The Project Management Institute-Canadian West Coast Chapter, one of nine chapters

across Canada, is affiliated with the Project Management Institute, a global not for profit

organization. The PMI-CWCC’s governance is led by an elected board is “responsible for

carrying out the purposes and objectives of the non-profit corporation” (Project Management

Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-d, para. 3). The PMI-CWCC follows the bylaws set out by

the global PMI. The board consists of a set of officers elected by its members. The officers are

responsible for various portfolios such as “membership, programs, technology, education,


volunteers, professional development, outreach, and finance” (Project Management Canadian

West Coast Chapter, 2016-d, para.3). One of the officers is the elected President, who is also

known as the Chief Executive Officer for the chapter and of the board. In order to carry out its

strategic plan, the PMI-CWCC board has the deciding powers to devise and implement a

strategic plan. Furthermore, the PMI-CWCC uses the help of a number of volunteers to execute

its strategic plan. The Board, volunteers members are the internal stakeholders for the PMI-

CWCC.

The PMI-CWCC is a medium sized organization with over 2,100 members belonging to a

wide variety of professions and organizations. The PMI-CWCC’s mission statement is “to be a

leading proponent of successful project management practices in our area of operation” (Project

Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-b, para. 1). Moreover, the vision statement for

the PMI-CWCC is “to be forum for excellence, that will increase the awareness, effectiveness,

and value of professional project management for practitioners and organizations” (Project

Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-b, para 2). In order to achieve this mission and

vision, the PMI-CWCC needs to have a positive and healthy engagement with its membership.

This inquiry’s recommendations will provide the relevant information to help the PMI-CWCC to

nurture the relationship with its members through gathering members’ input on their engagement

with the organization.

In addition to the organization’s mission and vision, the global PMI bylaws play a

significant role in its strategic direction and initiatives. The global PMI bylaws serve as a guide

for the PMI-CWCC. According to the bylaws, the Vice President of membership is “responsible

for safeguarding the interests of Chapter members” (Project Management Canadian West Coast

Chapter, 2016-d, para. 3). This inquiry project will support the accomplishment of this goal


because it helped to shed light on members’ feedback and insight. In addition, the PMI-CWCC

membership portfolio provides its members “the opportunities of connecting and networking

with a worldwide community of volunteers from other PMI chapters connected with [PMI-]

CWCC” (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016-d, para 3). The inquiry

project fit well in the membership portfolio because it facilitated the PMI-CWCC to form a

learning relationship with its members and reach out to the PMI-CWCC members to gain their

insight on various membership initiatives. Holmes and Slater (2012) pointed out, “engagement in

membership associations is affected by a range of factors” (p. 854). This inquiry helped identify

key factors that influence and enhance member engagement within the PMI-CWCC.

Last year’s PMI-CWCC membership survey results showcased that approximately 15%

of members were very satisfied with the chapter and approximately 55% of members were

satisfied with the chapter (see Appendix A). It shed light on key current initiatives its members

appreciated so the PMI-CWCC could consider repeating those initiatives. More importantly, the

Chief Executive Officer also mentioned the need to explore retention methods because “30% of

the members do not renew their PMI-CWCC membership annually” (Project Management

Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2014, para. 4). Therefore, this inquiry project helped the

organization understand the current practices that work well for its members and explore new

practices that will enhance and retain its membership. This deeper understanding of membership

supported the PMI-CWCC’s goal to become a “learning organizations of the future,” so it can

“make key decisions based on shared understandings of interrelationships and patterns of

change” (Senge, 2006, p. 190).


Systems Analysis of the Inquiry

Short (1998) stated, “in order to conduct inquiry into a system you must first identify and

define it” (p. 96). The PMI-CWCC member engagement was analyzed using Bolman and Deal’s

(2013) four frames: structural, human resource, political and symbolic and these frames are

illustrated in Figure1.

The structural frame “is the blueprint for formal expectations and exchanges among

internal players (executives, managers, employees) and external constituencies (such as

customers and clients)” (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 46). The internal stakeholders within the PMI-

CWCC are the board, volunteers and the members. The board ensures the PMI-CWCC abides by

its bylaws. This “formal structure enhances morale” as it helps PMI-CWCC achieve its

organizational goals (p. 46). The board agreed to focus and learn further about retention and

member engagement. Furthermore, the sponsor for this inquiry was supportive and was willing

to involve the board as much as possible. The external stakeholders included the year-round

sponsors, such as Certified Management Consultants, International Institute of Business Analysts

- Vancouver Chapter, Project World Conference, British Columbia Institute of Technology, and

the Beedie School of Business. Therefore, the inquiry process was influenced by its environment

as “internal activities from external fluctuations and interference, circumstances outside are still

a potent force” (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 61).

The human resource frame “centers on how characteristics of organizations and people

shape what they do for one another” (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 111). Through this frame, this

inquiry project helped shed light on the “people and their symbiotic relationship with

organization” (p. 115). The PMI-CWCC takes pride in facilitating various engagement initiatives

for its members, performing a yearly survey to gain member perspective on their engagement


with the organization. This inquiry project helped the PMI-CWCC build on its current member

engagement initiatives and foster a constructive relationship with its members.

Bolman and Deal (2013) indicated that “high performing companies are doing a better

job of understanding and responding to the needs of both employees and customers” (p. 129).

This inquiry project provided an opportunity for the organization to gain a better understanding

of the engaging factors among customers/members within the PMI-CWCC. With the help of this

inquiry, board members were able to gain a better understanding of members’ insights on their

membership experience. In addition to members and board members, the human resource frame

encompasses volunteers, guest presenters, instructors and other affiliates who participate in

various PMI-CWCC events and activities. It was informative to focus on the human resource

frame as “both individual satisfaction and organizational effectiveness depend heavily on the

quality of interpersonal interactions” (p. 172).

The political frame provides the means to examine the “realistic process of making

decisions and allocating resources in a context of scarcity and divergent interests. [It is] ... the

heart of decision making” (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 181). The PMI-CWCC is doing well

financially (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2014) and had the resources to

invest in this inquiry project. This inquiry aimed to further enhance retention and engagement

among the PMI-CWCC members, which would likely facilitate more revenue for the PMI-

CWCC. Since the organization’s decision making model is central within its board members, this

inquiry helped the board gain further understanding of member engagement (Q. Ahmed, personal

communication, August 5, 2015). There is also the potential for political gains as this inquiry

could foster an increase in membership retention, which would, in turn, help raise more funds for

the PMI-CWCC to use for its initiatives. Bolman and Deal (2013) stated in the political frame,


“goals and decisions emerge from bargaining, negotiation and jockeying for position among

competing stakeholders” (p. 187). The recommendations from this inquiry project allowed

various relationships with sponsors and partnering organizations to strengthen and the board to

explore further opportunities in the future.

The symbolic frame “seeks to interpret and illuminate basic issues of meaning and belief

that make symbols so powerful” (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 242). The PMI-CWCC was willing to

learn further about member engagement in its pursuit to embody the culture of a learning

organization (Q. Ahmed, personal communication, August 15, 2015). Engaging in this inquiry

provided the PMI-CWCC with an opportunity to demonstrate its dedication to its members,

thereby increasing its social impact on the society. Since the PMI-CWCC members represent a

range of industries, such as the business sector, the health sector, and the non-profit sector, the

PMI-CWCC would be able to enhance its presence socially. Cady (2016) pointed out the

“interpersonal and social dynamics lens helps us understand conflict, collaboration and culture. It

helps us see our centrality to our own experience and at times, our ignorance or blindness to it”

(p. 4). The inquiry project’s recommendations have the potential to set an example for other non-

profit organizations to consider using PMI’s approach to engage members given the vast variety

of professionals affiliated with it. As Rixon (2010) concluded, “stakeholders of public agencies

expect a deeper level of involvement rather than merely being the passive receipts of information

and participating in surveys and focus groups” (p. 348). This inquiry provided the means for

PMI-CWC to understand how the members can be engaged further.


Figure 1: Internal and External System Influences

Chapter Summary

This chapter introduced the PMI-CWCC and its member engagement as the setting for

this organizational leadership inquiry project. The significance of the inquiry highlighted the

potential of this project to influence the organization and its affiliates. The organizational

context, in terms of its alignment and interaction with member engagement, was discussed and

internal and external system components that influenced the inquiry project were highlighted.

The next chapter will extend discussion on the drivers and barriers to member engagement along

with the role of board leadership in an organization through a literature review on these topics.


Chapter Two: Literature Review

This inquiry project aimed to understand member engagement and explore opportunities

that would further enhance engagement within the PMI-CWCC. The PMI-CWCC encompasses a

large geographic area and consists of a large membership of over 2100 members representing

various industries and backgrounds. In order to understand the multiple layers associated with

PMI-CWCC member engagement, the literature was reviewed to explore current trends and

recommendations in relation to fostering and enhancing member engagement in organizations.

This literature review examined the key concepts encompassing the primary inquiry question:

How can member engagement be enhanced in the Project Management Institute – Canadian

West Coast Chapter? It also reviewed literature pertaining to the following sub questions:




The first topic examined member engagement and assessed the literature relevant to the

roles of members in an organization. The current definition of members in an organization was

reviewed, while deepening the understanding of drivers to member engagement. The second sub

topic illustrated the various factors that facilitate and drive member engagement. Finally, the

third subtopic highlighted the factors that could prove to be barriers to member engagement. It

illustrated the various approaches literature presents to understand these barriers, such as

humanistic, environmental, and leadership contributions to the barriers to engagement. The

second literature topic focused upon the role of board leadership in an organization, exploring

the role of a board in organizational change and their role when incorporating organizational

innovation.


The literature analysis highlighted the critical role the board leadership plays in enacting,

supporting, and sustaining innovation and implementing an organizational change. As Seijts and

Crim (2006) stated, “engagement can not only make a real difference, it can set the great

organizations apart from the merely good ones” (p 3). This literature review will provide

necessary details on various factors that impact member engagement needed to bring about

organizational change.

Member Engagement

The PMI-CWCC is a professional organization that relies on its members to join

voluntarily and pay the membership fee. An examination of the literature revealed that there is

no clear definition of the role that members play in a professional organization; however,

Holmes and Slater (2012) stated that “declining levels of membership…[and] large scale,

professional membership associations with little social connectedness between members, are key

contributors to the decline in …social capital” (p. 851). The PMI-CWCC depends on its

members to continue engaging with the organization and its initiatives. Therefore, it was

important to define what the members mean to the professional organization.

Defining Member Engagement

Kegler and Swan (2012) concluded that members “participate in a range of roles” (p.

581) in an organization. Moreover, the literature maintained that organizations need to consider

allowing “members to have substantive input into major decisions and to provide competent

leadership that supports and encourages active participation to all members” (p. 581). They also

pointed out those members in an organization who have a “higher levels of decision making

were related to a higher sense of community” (p. 580). Swanson (2013) also highlighted the

commonality between member engagement and a sense of community as she pointed out the role


of members is crucial to civic engagement (p. 305). She also argued that non-profit organizations

depended greatly on relationships with their members and defined member engagement as a

“social network established between institutions and their stakeholders” (p. 305). Swanson

(2013) concluded that “engaged institutions become involved with their communities in

meaningful ways and demonstrate commitment to engagement as a core value” (p. 306). It is

clear that both authors took a holistic approach to the role of membership and its societal impact

on the organization and on the society as a whole.

Painter and Paxton (2014) agreed with Swanson (2013) and Kegler and Swan (2012),

highlighting the importance of member participation as it “builds social connectedness among

members through interaction within local chapters” (p. 410). They went on to state that a “lack of

active and involved membership fails to create connectedness with other members and precludes

a direct engagement in civic give and take” (p. 410). The authors supported a more collaborative

and two-way relationship between the members and the organization itself. Furthermore, they

highlighted a bottom up approach in which members’ interactions act as a foundation to form

successful membership organizations.

A number of authors took more of a social and civic approach to member engagement.

Holmes and Slater (2012) placed the onus on the members and argued that they define their role

in an organization, ranging “from active engagement such as committee membership or

volunteering to passive involvement where the member pays their fees but remains a silent

member” (p. 851). The authors pointed out that further research needs to be done to understand

various levels of engagement as “participation in voluntary associations is rarely examined” (p.

851). Holmes and Slater (2012) illustrated the dynamic aspect of member engagement. It would


be interesting to see what further literature has to offer to understand the role and importance of

member engagement in organizations.

This review of the academic literature did not reveal a considerable amount of

information that disagreed with crucial role that the members played in an organization. Phillips

and Leahy (2012) pointed out “declining membership is a concerning yet poorly understood

issue affecting professional associations across [all] disciplines” (p.207) and conceded the

importance of understanding the role of members in professional organizations. In addition, they

argued that members are a key to an organization’s success and that organizations should

consider “regularly reminding current members of the strength they add to the professional

organization” (p. 214).

The examination of the literature on this topic demonstrated the importance of member

engagement in an organization, especially a membership-based organization, such as the PMI-

CWCC. It is evident that the members are instrumental to organizational success; thus, it would

be imperative for the PMI-CWCC to continue to explore ways to foster this engagement with its

members. Even though the socialistic approach to member engagement has its merit, the

challenge will be to apply this approach among a large membership group such as that of the

PMI-CWCC. To fully grasp the idea of member engagement, further literature analysis will shed

light on the drivers of engagement and various approaches the PMI-CWCC can explore to

enhance its member engagement strategy.

Drivers of Engagement

Clearly, the implications of engaging with members in an organization are significant;

therefore, it is important to understand the factors that drive member engagement. Due to the

scarcity of available literature related specifically to member engagement, I reviewed literature


pertaining to employee engagement. Both the member and employee are important internal

stakeholders for an organization and the following literature showcased their importance in an

organization. Freeney and Tiernan (2009) stated that there are two factors that play an important

role in facilitating engagement within an organization: a sense of community and fairness. The

authors concluded that a sense of community, which is “mainly concerned with the amount of

social support available” (p. 1558) to employees and members, facilitated a positive connection

with the organization. This positive connection, in turn, enhanced engagement between the

member and the organization. Another aspect that played a pivotal role in engagement was

fairness. “Perceived lack of fairness in the workplace occurs when employees feel that the

company fails to show them respect” (p. 1559). This feeling of unfairness may cause the internal

stakeholders, such as members to lose their trust with the organization. Therefore, a social

community that fostered an environment of trust and fairness are two drivers of engagement

within an organization

Contrary to Freeney and Tiernan (2009), Merry (2014) encompassed a set of different

factors that contribute to engagement within an organization, including leadership and employee

value proposition. She concluded that employees and members of the organization “want to see

and hear from their leaders…to hear about the business, know about future plans and strategies,

hear the leaders care and be inspired” (p. 29). Moreover, Merry (2014) encouraged organizations

to convince leaders to go beyond the yearly survey to learn about engagement in their

organization. In addition to the importance of leadership, Merry (2014) also recommended

investing in educating the employees about the organization to foster “a compelling employee

value proposition” (p. 29). It was also recommended to implement employee propositions “using

insights from...surveys, focus groups” (p. 29).


Malinen, Wright and Cammock (2013) presented a contrasting approach from Freeney

and Tiernan (2009) and Merry (2014), suggesting the two variables that contribute to enhancing

member engagement are trust and justice perceptions (p. 96). They concluded that trust in

management and senior leadership fostered the achievement of three psychological conditions:

safety, meaningfulness and availability” (p. 98). In addition to the members’ trust in an

organization, the perception of just decision making within an organization was shown to be an

influencer in member engagement (p. 98). Mone, Eisinger, Guggenheim, Price and Stine (2011)

reported similar findings wherein a climate of trust and empowerment facilitates member

engagement within an organization (p. 206). An organization that was able to show confidence in

its members and demonstrate openness facilitated member engagement (p. 210). It is evident that

the concept of trust and member empowerment are prevalent in the literature and they need to be

considered for member engagement strategies.

The literature findings showcased a variety of innovative approaches that can be taken to

enhance member engagement. Even though they appear promising in their ability to foster

member engagement within an organization such as the PMI-CWCC, it will be interesting how

the PMI-CWCC realistically bridges the gap between its leadership and its members. However,

in order for the PMI-CWCC to implement strategies to enhance member engagement, it will

need to be cautious of various barriers that negatively impact member engagement.

Barriers to Member Engagement

Chalofsky and Krishna (2009) took a humanistic approach to understanding the factors

that could impede engagement. They mentioned that “engagement has emerged as a very

important construct in organizational research... [as it can] promote organizational retention and

performance” (p. 190). The authors went on to state that “commitment is seen as one of the key


factors for organizational survival and growth” and that commitment is two-sided process where

the organization and the individual has to contribute equally (p. 198). Chalofsky and Krishna

(2009) focused on the intrinsic factors that facilitate member engagement, such as an individual’s

“motivation to do meaningful work” (p. 194). They point out the importance of ones’ whole self

and how an individual can integrate herself and her values in an organization. This humanistic

approach is very similar to Bolman and Deal’s (2013) human frame, which urges organizations

to “invest in the human asset of the organization”: members and employees (p. 113). Moreover,

it relates to Kouzes and Posner’s (2012) theory of “a shared vision” amongst the leaders and its

members (p. 116). Additionally, Seijts and Crim (2006) took an individualistic stand in which

they pointed out that “people want to know that their input matters and they are contributing to

the organization’s success in a meaningful way” (p. 4). Therefore, the literature supports the

inability of a member to relate to and be acknowledged by the organization can prove to be a

barrier to member engagement with that organization.

Using a human lens is important to assess engagement; however, leaders also contribute

barriers to engagement. De Mello e Souza Wildermuth and Pauken (2008) argued that “an

engagement-friendly culture values the diversity of talents employees bring to the table, respects

individual needs, and inspires all employees to pursue a common and exciting vision of the

future” (p. 206). Another factor that impacts the environment is the ability of an employee to

engage in relationships. De Mello e Souza Wildermuth and Pauken (2008) suggested that an

organization should “promote formal and informal opportunities for employees to get to know

one another on a personal basis [and] consider offering regular team building process” (p. 210).

Xu and Cooper Thomas (2011) suggested that “leadership that provides a supportive, trusting

environment allows employees to fully invest their energies into their work roles” (p. 401),


which, in turn, alleviates any barriers to engagement. Therefore, leaders play an important role in

facilitating a supportive organizational culture and environment. The ability of leaders to

influence and promote a supportive culture is one of the key factors that need to be considered in

overcoming barriers in member engagement.

De Mello e Souza Wildermuth and Pauken (2008) argued that “engagement occurs

naturally, when the conditions are right, when the leaders are inspiring, when individuals find the

ideal place in which to apply their strengths” (p. 209). Moreover, the literature suggested it

would be beneficial to “educate the leaders [about] the importance of engagement...their role as

leaders inspiring engagement [as well as] the personal and business benefits of engagement” (p.

209). Seijts and Crim (2006) argued that “leaders should provide challenging and meaningful

work with opportunities for career advancement” as “not giving people the knowledge and tools

to be successful is unethical and de-motivating; it is also likely to lead to stress, frustration, and,

ultimately, lack of engagement” (p. 3). MacLeod and Clarke (2010) argued that leaders and

“managers at all levels are key to ensuring engagement – through focusing supporting, training

and appreciating their staff” (p. 27). The literature illustrated that leaders are required to “have

the right people skills and above all to treat their staff and teams as human beings, not human

resources” (p. 27). It is evident that if the leaders do not understand the importance of

engagement and if they are not able to take the time to invest in adequate member or employee

engagement techniques, then it is likely that member engagement will suffer.

The review of the literature supported the importance of member engagement and the

various drivers of member engagement. One commonality prevalent in the above topics is the

critical role that leadership plays in member engagement. Since PMI-CWCC is a board run

organization, it would be relevant to analyze the literature and further understand the role of a


board in an organizational change and the role it plays in implementing organizational

innovation.

The Role of a Board in an Organization

The PMI-CWCC is seeking to innovate and initiate strategies to enhance member

engagement; accordingly, it was beneficial to explore how the board can contribute to an

organizational change of this type. It is of no doubt that “the board of directors...is a critical

component of governance in non-profit organization” (Jaskyte, 2015, p. 440). Alänge and Steiber

(2009) observed the various characteristics needed in a board to sustain change and concluded

similar findings. They found that the “issue of sustaining change falls back on the governance

structure” (p. 280); therefore, confirming the integral part a board played in sustaining major

organizational change.

The Role of board in Organizational Change

Alänge and Steiber (2009) went on to state that since the “board is usually closely

involved in deciding the vision, goals and strategy of a company” (p. 281), it was even more

imperative that the board of directors needed to be involved in the organizational change. The

authors illustrated the importance of board involvement and experience, concluding that “to be

able to understand and actively support the implementation of an organizational innovation, the

board members also need to have experience of the specific change program” (p. 288).

Therefore, in order for the PMI-CWCC to implement any member engagement initiatives, it

needs to be aware of the important role the PMI-CWCC board plays in an organizational change.

Santhidran, Chandran and Borromeo (2013) addressed the idea of change and leadership

when they researched the “relationship between leadership, change readiness and commitment to

change” (p. 349). The authors concluded that leadership positively influences change readiness,


which then enhances the commitment to change in an organization (p. 358). They went on to

suggest, “leaders’ attributes that favour and facilitate readiness would consequently encourage

employees to commit to change efforts by minimizing the resistance” (p. 359). Additionally, the

authors argued that “commitment to change depends on the understanding and the beliefs on the

proposed change” (p. 352). The evidence in the literature indicated that, in order for an

organization to follow through with a change strategy, the organizational leaders need to be

inclined to change readiness and committed to the change strategy. Seijts and Crim (2006)

agreed with Santhidran, Chandran and Borromeo’s (2013) when they stated that leaders need to

“communicate a clear vision as people want to understand the vision that senior leadership has

for the organization, and the goals that leaders ...have for their team” (p. 4). The literature not

only emphasized the significant role of leadership in organizational change, but it also

highlighted the complicated nature of the change process and its implementation. Therefore, in

order for the PMI-CWCC to implement a change strategy on a chapter wide level, it will need to

be mindful of the intense role of the board leaders in sustaining change strategy.

Mathew and Gupta (2015) took a contrasting approach to understand the role of

leadership when implementing change, exploring the link between transformational leadership

and emotional intelligence and its impacts on sustaining change. They argued that “dealing with

emotions is a crucial part of a leaders’ success” (p. 75) and emotional intelligence “helps leaders

make better decisions and gain the full commitment” (p. 77). The authors also found that

“transformational leaders used empathy to connect to the emotions of the people they lead...the

team thus feels understood and cared for” by the leadership (p. 77). Therefore, apart from

considering key attributes such as trust, social environment, commitment to change, the PMI-

CWCC board also needs to foster its own emotional intelligence during the change process. In


this manner, the board will be able to understand the PMI-CWCC members’ needs and make

informed decisions on the member engagement strategy.

The literature review revealed the important role that board leadership plays in the

implementation of organizational change. The PMI-CWCC board needs to be aware not only of

its importance in implementing an organizational change and innovation but also needs to be

fully engaged in the process from the start to the finish so that they could help facilitate the

environment of trust and empathy (Mathew & Gupta, 2015). In addition to the role the board

leadership plays in organizational change, it is also instrumental in fostering innovation.

The Role of a Board in Innovation

Since the rationale behind understanding the PMI-CWCC was to innovate and strategize

to further enhance its member engagement; it was helpful to analyze the current literature on

innovation and its connection to board leadership. Jaskyte (2015) suggested that the “board sets

the tone of expectations for innovative thinking and creative approaches to challenges it and the

organization” (p. 440). Moreover, the board members do not necessarily have to introduce

innovations, rather, they can “encourage organizational innovativeness by creating a climate

conductive to innovation, setting goals and priorities for innovation...and approving innovative

proposals” (p. 440). Lastly, the author also suggested that board culture and “the way in which

board members work together-their interpersonal behavior and group dynamics” is an important

determination in the board’s ability to foster innovation (p. 443). Thus, it is clear that a board can

help model and facilitate an environment conducive to inspiring innovation.

Further examination of the literature revealed a variety of approaches a board leadership

can take to pursue and implement innovation. Hellström, Lifvergren, Gustavsson and Gremyr

(2015) concluded that an organization looking to adopt management innovation needs to focus


on “theorizing and labeling in order to create an organization’s own vocabulary related to the

professional context” (p. 1186). They went on to state that innovation consists of distinct phases

and they presented “an outline of an innovation process in four main phases: motivation,

invention, implementation and theorizing and labeling” (p. 1197). In order to initiate the process

of implementing innovation, the board needs to be able to motivate and inspire the membership.

Once the board achieves that, then the implementation process can move along to the next steps.

Hellström et al. (2015) also concluded that senior leadership needs to practice “continuous

dialogues, reflections and the allowance for an evolutionary adoption process” for the

implemented change to be successful (p. 1198). It is clear from the literature that the decision for

an organization to embark upon a change strategy is a serious undertaking involving a number of

steps the organization needs to follow to ensure its successful implementation. Therefore, the

PMI-CWCC will need to be aware of the longevity of this process, the role that a board plays in

change strategy, and the need to be patient during the implementation process of the change

strategy.

In addition, the literature supports a connection between board leadership and the ability

of an organization to innovate. Balta, Woods and Dickson (2013) confirmed, “strategic decision

making processes as a mediator between executives’ characteristics and firms’ innovation” (p.

312). This finding strengthens the connection between a board’s characteristics and the ability of

an organization to pursue innovation. It also indicates that, in order for an organization to

commit to innovation, the leadership needs to take the first steps. The literature also suggested

that “executives perceive innovation as a vital mechanism to accelerate change in today’s global

environment” (p. 312) and research has indicated that “due to the high cost of innovation

activities, firms with detailed financial reporting activities and budgets for resource allocation are


more likely to pursue innovation strategies” (p. 313). This finding is key because accepting the

evidence and implementing the literature recommendations will be costly, an investment that

will require buy-in from the PMI-CWCC.

The significant role a board plays in incorporating organizational innovation was clearly

demonstrated in the literature review. It was also interesting to note that a board affects

innovation in vast number of ways, ranging from managing risks to innovate, instilling a culture

of learning to innovate, and practicing patience to foster innovation. Therefore, in order for the

PMI-CWCC to successfully implement a change strategy focused on enhancing member

engagement, it would need to have the full support of the PMI-CWCC board.

Chapter Summary

According to the literature review, it is clear that member engagement is a complex topic

driven or impeded by various factors. The literature analysis illustrated the importance of

member engagement and the factors an organization needs to understand before implementing an

engagement strategy. Moreover, it also highlighted the role of a board in implementing an

organizational change and pursuing innovation. The next chapter will discuss the methods used

to collect data and the data analysis techniques used to formulate the results for this inquiry

project.


Chapter Three: Inquiry Project Approach

This chapter outlines the chosen methodology and its alignment with the organizational

approach to member engagement. It also explains the data collection methods and the

participants involved in this project. In addition to the above, it also covers the process used to

analyze the collected data from the survey and the focus group session. Lastly, it highlights the

possible ethics issues that could affect this inquiry project and how

The specific inquiry approach and methodology were chosen to examine the question:

How can member engagement be enhanced in the Project Management Institute – Canadian

West Coast Chapter? How the collected data connects with these sub questions was also

explored:




Inquiry Project Methodology

Action research was the methodology of choice for this inquiry project and it is defined

as “a procedure in which the participants of a social system are involved in a data collection

process about themselves and utilize the data that they have generated to review the facts ...to

generate a remedial or developmental action” (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014, p. 47). There are

various characteristics of action research that allow the inquiry process to be dynamic; for

example, the research is conducted in real time where there is an opportunity to amend and

reflect while conducting the research.

Action research with a qualitative focus was used in this inquiry project as it entails

“planning, taking action, evaluating the action and leading to further planning” (Coghlan &


Brannick, 2014, p. 6) and introduced the idea of “practical knowing” to the organizational

sponsor as it “captures the essential link between theory and practice that underpins action

research” (p. 45). This inquiry project was conducted to further augment the existing PMI-

CWCC engagement strategy. The action research cycles of planning, taking action, and

evaluating identified opportunities to improve member engagement. These cycles were modelled

upon the Organizational Action Research (OAR) engagement model (see Appendix B) as it

supported the learning culture of the sponsoring organization and provided an opportunity for the

PMI-CWCC board members to actively engage in and support the inquiry. Moreover, it also

helped facilitate conversations to provide feedback while conducting the inquiry process and

produce relevant recommendations.

For the purposes of this inquiry project, two data collection methods were used. Firstly,

an online survey was conducted which gave all of the current PMI-CWCC members an

opportunity to participate and provide their insight. It provided quantitative as well as qualitative

data. The online survey was followed by a focus group session to gather qualitative data and

build upon the themes discovered in the online survey results. Therefore, a sequential priority

design was used for this inquiry process utilizing a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods,

specifically, an online survey and a follow-up focus group session.

Project Participants

This project inquiry aimed to understand member engagement; therefore, it reached out

to the current members of this organization. The participants for this inquiry project were the

2100 members of the PMI-CWCC. PMI-CWCC members come from various backgrounds and

include university students, newly hired professionals, experienced professionals, and senior

management professionals. All these members hailed from various industries such as


construction, business, healthcare, and education. The inclusion criteria consisted of currently

subscribed members regardless of their industry, years of experience or their geographical

location. To avoid any conflict of interest, the exclusion criteria excluded the group of board

members in both the data collection cycles as “conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that

creates a risk that professional judgment or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly

influenced by a secondary interest” (Ghooi, 2015, p. 10). Since board members are directly

involved in planning member engagement initiatives, it was important that they were excluded

from participating in the inquiry process to reduce research bias even though they are also PMI-

CWCC members.

The selection process of participants included everyone who was a current member not

belonging to the board. Each PMI-CWCC member was given the opportunity to provide their

feedback via the survey. Random sampling was used to complete the first data collection cycle of

the online survey with all the current 2100 members invited to participate. The above selection

process ensured that every current member was able to access the online survey as long as they

had access to technology, either a computer or a smart phone.

Purposeful sampling was used to select the participants for the second data collection

cycle which consisted of a focus group. Since the majority of the membership resided in the

Greater Vancouver area, the members living in this region were invited to participate in the focus

group session with the first four members to reply to the invitation being chosen. Palinkas et. al.

(2015) stated that “purposeful sampling is widely used... for the identification and selection of

information-rich cases…[by] selecting individuals that are especially knowledgeable about or

experienced with a phenomenon of interest” (p. 534). None of the participants in the survey or


the focus group had the authority to implement the recommendations from this inquiry and the

change that might result from the implementation.

As the lead researcher in this inquiry project, I enlisted the aid of an inquiry team that

initially consisted of three volunteer members from the PMI-CWCC. They did not have any

power over issues as they volunteered their time with the organization on a regular basis. One

month into the inquiry project, one of the inquiry team members decided to discontinue his PMI-

CWCC membership and participation with this project. The remaining two inquiry team

members helped me refine the questions for the survey and the focus group session, supported

me with pilot testing of the survey and focus group questions, and helped me conduct, observe

and scribe the focus group session. Finally, the inquiry team assisted me in reviewing the data to

ensure all identifiers were removed from focus group session. The inquiry team members signed

the letter of agreement (see Appendix K) to ensure they participated to the best of their ability

while protecting the confidentiality of the participants. An editor reviewed and supported me

with proofreading and formatting the final paper.

Since I did not work or volunteer for the organization, nor was I directly affiliated with

PMI-CWCC, I held no power over or conflict of interest issues. My role in this in this inquiry

process was that of an external consultant, which allowed me to “access my ignorance” (Burke,

Lake & Paine, 2009, p. 739) and conduct this inquiry without personal bias.

Inquiry Project Methods

This section outlines the methods used during the inquiry process. Included is a

description of the data-gathering tools used to collect, collate, and analyze the data. Additionally,

the study conduct section outlines the process utilized, should another researcher wish to

replicate this study.


Data collection methods

This inquiry utilized two qualitative research methods: a survey and a focus group. The

first method employed was an online survey of PMI-CWCC members as it “can be used in

deciding policy or in planning and evaluating programs and conducting research when the

information you need should come directly from people” (Fink, 2009, p. 4). The second method

was a focus group session, which are considered to be “useful in action and evaluation research

where participants can express multiple perspectives on a similar experience such as in

implementation of a particular policy” (Glesne, 2016, p. 102).

Survey

The first phase of the data collection process utilized an anonymous online survey hosted

on FluidSurveys (n.d.). The online survey fit well with PMI-CWCC and its members as they do a

yearly online survey to provide feedback. The survey targeted the large membership, giving

them an equal chance to participate and provide feedback to their engagement with PMI-CWCC.

The use of a survey was helpful for this inquiry project because surveys aim to “evaluate the

effectiveness of programs” (Fink, 2009, p. 2) and, in this case, the programs relevant to PMI-

CWCC engagement initiatives. Designed with the intent to discover common themes that

impacted member engagement, it consisted of both multiple choice and open ended questions in

order to gather both quantitative and qualitative data (see Appendix F). Fink (2009) cautioned

that using a survey entailed considerable preplanning, stating, “surveys must be pilot tested

before being put into practice” (p. 6). She went on to explain that piloting surveys was crucial as

they “depend heavily on the clarity of their language” and it will quickly reveal “whether people

understand the directions you have provided and if they can answer the survey questions” (p. 6).

The questions were entered using the format on the FluidSurveys platform, then the survey was


pilot tested with the inquiry team to ensure the tool and survey itself worked without any

technical glitches. The inquiry team met together to provide their valuable perspective on the

survey questions (see Appendix D) to ensure they were relevant to the study and the PMI-CWCC

membership.

Focus Group

A focus group session was used to build upon the prevalent themes gathered from the

survey. Barbour (2005) stated that focus groups are “useful when it comes to investigating what

participants think, but they excel at uncovering why participants think as they do” (p. 746). The

questions for the focus group (see Appendix J) were developed from the themes collected from

the survey results and shared with the inquiry team to ensure they were simple and concise.

Qualitative in nature, the questions were designed to be open ended and asked in a specific order

to generate a dialogue among the participants and to gain a deeper understanding of member

engagement.

Focus groups have various advantages as they are instrumental “in identifying barriers

and seeking to work together to address these” (Barbour, 2005, p. 743). They must be executed

with caution because they might lead to group think, which is the tendency of group members to

agree to one perspective rather than be able to branch out and express their own perspective

(Turner & Pratkanis, 2014). Therefore, the role of the facilitator was crucial to foster “enough

diversity within groups to stimulate discussion” (Barbour, 2005, p. 746). I coached the facilitator

to encourage conversation and avoid expressing her own bias. In addition to audio recording the

dialogue amongst the participants, the observer, an inquiry team member, noted visual cues and

observations throughout the focus group session. With the help of the dialogue facilitated in the


focus group session, this inquiry was able to uncover the key reasons for members to engage

with PMI-CWCC.

Study conduct

This section provides a detailed description of how each of the data collection methods

were conducted and gives an overview of how the participants were engaged in the data

gathering process.

Survey

An anonymous online survey utilizing FluidSurveys was the first step conducted in this

data collection process to gather “answers to open ended questions and respondents’ comments”

(Fink, 2009, p. 89).

Once the survey questions (see Appendix F) were revised, pilot tested, and approved by

the inquiry team and my academic supervisor, I emailed a letter of invitation (see Appendix C) to

all the current 2100 PMI-CWCC members. The letter of invitation covered the objectives of the

inquiry project, the role they, as participants, played in the research, and the link to the online

survey. The invitation email also contained the details of informed consent (see Appendix E) to

give participants a chance to understand the risks so they could choose to consent or dissent to

the survey. An additional letter of information (see Appendix D), which contained details of the

survey method and information on withdrawing from the survey was also attached in the

invitation email.

Once participants provided consent, they were able to take the survey. The survey tool

consisted of nine questions, four of which were close ended and five open ended. It took

participants 10-15 minutes to complete. To encourage participation, two reminder emails were

sent to all PMI-CWCC members: one week after of the initial survey invitation and on the final


day before the survey closed. In addition to this, reminders were placed in the weekly PMI-

CWCC newsletter, which is sent to all members, and the survey was promoted on the PMI-

CWCC website.

The survey was available to all participants for two weeks and, once it was closed, I

downloaded the report into Microsoft Excel to sort, refine, and analyze the survey responses. The

completed survey responses were used for data analysis whereas the incomplete surveys were

excluded from the analysis.

Focus Group

Once survey results were received and analyzed and focus group questions (see Appendix

J) approved by the inquiry team, the focus group selection process began. The Greater

Vancouver region was purposefully chosen because the majority of members reside within this

area. The letter of invitation (see Appendix G) was emailed to the PMI-CWCC members residing

within this region and asked interested participants to respond to me. The letter informed the

participants that selection would be completed on a first come first served basis, with the first

four people to respond chosen to participate. It also mentioned an incentive of $20.00 Starbucks

gift card would be given to each of the four participants upon conclusion of the session.

Additional information (see Appendix H) was also attached to the letter of invitation that

explained further about the focus group session. After the participants responded to the letter of

invitation, they received the date, time, and location for the focus group session. A reminder

email about the session was sent to the participants two days before the session.

The focus group was facilitated, recorded, and observed by two members of the inquiry

team. The participants were asked to register at the front desk and sign the consent form upon

their arrival (see Appendix I). The focus group facilitator assured the participants the focus group


session was confidential and that participant identifiers would be eliminated during the

transcribing of the session. The facilitator also reminded the participants that the focus group

session was being audio recorded and that the recording would be destroyed after one year. Upon

conclusion of the session, the participants were thanked and were given a $20.00 Starbucks gift

card. After the focus group session was finished, the audio file was transcribed and emailed to

the participants, who were given a week to review and email their edits and any further

comments to the researcher. The above process ensured the transcription was representative of

their input and perspective.

In addition to conducting the inquiry project, the inquiry team ensured the research

followed confidentiality, authenticity, and trustworthiness protocols. They also worked together

to revise and review questions for the survey and focus group session. The inquiry team also

assisted in ensuring that all the received data was well represented in the data analysis.

Because the focus group was taking place in British Columbia and the inquiry project

budget did not allow for travel from Alberta to facilitate the focus group session, the focus group

was facilitated by the two inquiry team members. Moreover, the inquiry team members were also

PMI-CWCC volunteers, which helped foster trust with participants so they could answer

questions truly and comfortably.

In order to start implementing recommendations, the preliminary findings were presented

to the organizational sponsor. Once approved by the sponsor, the findings were presented to the

PMI-CWCC board members and they were invited to provide their insight as they have the

collective power to implement the recommendations from this inquiry project. Specifically, the

organizational sponsor, the president of the PMI-CWCC, has the responsibility for implementing

the recommendations.


Data analysis

Qualitative data analysis required a number of steps, such as focusing the analysis,

categorizing information, identifying patterns and connections within and between categories,

and, finally, interpretation (Taylor-Powell & Renner, 2003). The above-mentioned steps were

followed and the received data was themed. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze data in

this inquiry “to arrive at a more nuanced understanding of some social phenomenon through

understanding the processes that tend to involve that phenomenon as well as the perceptions,

values and beliefs of people toward it” (Glesne, 2016, p. 184). Data from the open ended

questions in the survey was coded through the use of various coloured sticky notes. Each colour

represented a different theme, which were put together in groups. In addition, nominal values

were also examined, specifically, the number of times a certain word was said. This information

was collected by analyzing the survey results on a spreadsheet. The quantitative data collected

from the online survey was also grouped according to the same themes and categories.

Once the survey data was themed, the different themes were used to compose the

questions for the focus group session. In this manner, the themes uncovered from the survey

method were further verified in the second data collection cycle. The “strength of thematic

analysis is its ability to help reveal underlying complexities …and to explain where and why

people differ from a general pattern” (Glesne, 2016, p. 184). In addition to analyzing the audio

recording, the observations noted by the facilitator observer of the focus group session were also

incorporated in the data analysis. Survey and the focus group session themes were then

illustrated on two posters and patterns and similarities were noted between the both data

collection methods. Identical colours were used to code the specific themes for both the survey

and the focus group session. When the specific themes were grouped together, it was noted that


there were similar themes mentioned in both data collection methods. Therefore, when

comparisons were made to analyze and identify patterns within a particular theme, key themes

and patterns were noted in the data across both data collection methods, namely, the survey and

focus group session (Glesne, 2016).

Since this inquiry is qualitative in nature, steps were taken to ensure the trustworthiness

and authenticity of the data, including “triangulation, peer review, debriefing, and clarification of

researcher bias and subjectivity” (Glesne, 2016, p. 53). The use of triangulation through multiple

data collection methods “contribute[d] to eliciting more complex perspectives on [the] issue” (p.

152). Given I was an external consultant, the potential for researcher bias that might influence

the inquiry was minimal. The inquiry team members also kept track of their subjectivity and

“how [their] perspectives might lead … to ask certain questions and to make certain

interpretations of interactions within the research setting” (p. 147). Finally, the inquiry team

provided relevant and timely feedback during debrief sessions, which also helped ensure the

trustworthiness of the data by providing their insight on the data analysis and the themes

uncovered in the online survey and focus group session.

As an external consultant not directly involved with the organization I was aware that I

needed to be cautious when working with my sponsor to minimize potential bias towards the

inquiry project. To mitigate this bias, I regularly reflected as “the dynamic of this reflection on

reflection that incorporates the learning process of the action research cycle and enables action

research to be more than everyday problem-solving” (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014, p. 13).

Therefore, in order to avoid any potential bias, I took the time to reflect and incorporate the

feedback from my academic advisor and my inquiry team members.


Ethical Issues

In this inquiry project, special attention was paid to manage any ethical issues that might

surface. As an external consultant, I was not able to “think about and react to information in

terms of their tradition, values and shared tacit assumptions” (Burke, Lake & Paine, 2009, p.

648) within the organization. For the purposes of this inquiry, I “develop[ed] a level of self-

consciousness that [had] [me] carefully and continuously attending to [my] behavior and its

consequences” (Glesne, 2016, p. 132) throughout the course of the inquiry. No power over issues

existed as the study participants did not report to me or work in partnership with me. The inquiry

team consisted of the three PMI-CWCC volunteers. Since the members and the board members

have a customer-provider relationship, no power over issue existed between the groups.

Moreover, the focus group was facilitated by a PMI-CWCC volunteer. The above measure also

ensured that participants felt comfortable in expressing their opinions.

Three core elements of the Tri-Council Policy Statement’s Ethical Guidelines were used

in this research: “respect for persons, concern for welfare, and justice” (Panel on Research

Ethics, 2014, p. 5) In this inquiry, significant measures were taken to ensure that the above three

principles were followed.

Respect for persons

This inquiry ensured to respect participants and “seek their free, informed and ongoing

consent” (Panel on Research Ethics, 2014, p. 7) prior to participating in the data collection

methods. As part of this process, all participants were provided with an explanation of the

purpose of the research, collection and use of data, and benefits and risks associated with

participation. Moreover, care was taken to ensure that the inquiry team understood the

importance of autonomy and confidentiality as it is “influenced by a person’s various


connections to family, to community and to cultural, social, linguistic, religions and other

groups” (p. 6) and the inquiry team members signed the letter of agreement (see Appendix K).

Concern for welfare

Constructive steps were taken to “protect the welfare of the participants and …promote

that welfare in view of any foreseeable risk associated with the research” (Panel on Research

Ethics, 2014, p. 8). In this research, the participants could have been at risk of feeling self

conscious as the questions needed them to reflect on their personal experience with PMI-CWCC.

Therefore, the questions were framed in an open ended manner so that the participants could

express their opinion freely and without any restrictions (see Appendices G and K).

Justice

The final element of the Tri-Council Policy Statement that was applied in this inquiry

project was justice. It “refers to the obligation to treat people fairly and equitably… [while]

treating people with equal respect and concern” (Panel on Research Ethics, 2014, p. 8). To

ensure everyone was treated fairly, the participants had the freedom to give or refuse consent to

participate in the survey or focus group session (see Appendices D, E, H, I, J). Moreover, each

individual’s feedback was valued; therefore, all the analyzed data used to formulate

recommendations for this inquiry project.

Chapter Summary

This chapter described the action research methodology and the sequential priority design

of this inquiry project. It also illustrated the rationale and the benefits of using the inquiry project

methods: survey and focus group session. The participants’ criteria and the study conduct were

also outlined, along with the approach taken to analyze the data. Moreover, it also showcased the

step by step approach taken to ensure the themes observed in the data analysis were triangulated


with the help of two research methods: survey and focus group session and with the feedback of

the inquiry team. Finally, this chapter also depicted the ethical issues that could have surfaced

and the steps taken to mitigate these issues. The next chapter will explore the inquiry findings

and conclusions that will assist in answering the overarching question for this inquiry.


Chapter Four: Action Inquiry Project Findings and Conclusions

This chapter presents the findings and the conclusions that emerged from the data

analysis. It details the overarching themes prevalent in the responses received from the online

survey and the focus group sessions and identifies the relationships amongst the illustrated

themes. The evident themes are connected with the relevant literature in the study conclusions

section followed by a description of the scope and limitations of the inquiry. This inquiry sought

to answer the following question: How can member engagement be enhanced in the Project

Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter? The following sub questions contributed

to the understanding of member engagement:




Study Findings

In this inquiry, participants reflected on various components of PMI-CWCC member

engagement strategy. Prevalent themes surfaced as the PMI-CWCC members shared their insight

via an online survey and a focus group session. Similar themes emerged in the data analysis of

each method, which indicated that the participants viewed the reaping of more benefit from their

PMI-CWCC membership was essential to their engagement with the organization. Participants’

reflections consisted of key PMI-CWCC membership attractions and of components of the PMI-

CWCC member engagement strategy that could be enhanced or modified. The following five

findings speak to the enhancement of member engagement within PMI-CWCC:

1. Participants identified the need to enhance components of PMI-CWCC led events.


2. Participants want more opportunities to build connections with PMI-CWCC and its

members.

3. Participants want to realize more value from the cost of their membership.

4. Stakeholders expressed the desire to become acquainted on a deeper level with the

PMI-CWCC leadership board.

5. Stakeholders want to connect with PMI-CWCC over a shared social cause.

An in depth analysis of each finding is presented. The substantiating evidence and

excerpts were labelled using the following technique: participants from the survey were labelled

as SUR 1-286 and participants from focus group were labelled as FG1-3 to protect the

anonymity of the participants.

Finding 1: Participants identified the need to enhance components of PMI-CWCC

led events.

In both the survey and focus group session, the participants shared the need to make the

PMI-CWCC events more engaging. Stakeholders expressed their preferences for different kinds

of events, the various types of event logistics, and their satisfaction level for each kind of events.

Moreover, they also shared ideas that can be used to enhance the current PMI-CWCC events.

The responses to the survey illuminated the need to cater to the high preference of PMI-

CWCC members for specific kind of events as a strategy to improve member engagement. Fifty-

six percent of the participants indicated they preferred educational events, whereas 40% of

participants preferred networking events. Twenty-nine percent of participants were not satisfied

with the networking and educational events, whereas 58% of participants indicated they were not

satisfied with the job seekers and mentorship events. Table 1 illustrates information on the

satisfaction and preferences of the stakeholders on the PMI-CWCC events:


Table 1:

Members’ preference and satisfaction levels with PMI-CWCC events

Job Seekers event

Networking event

Mentorship event Educational event

% of Members highly prefer the events

29% 40% 18% 56%

% of Members not Satisfied with the events

58% 29% 58% 29%

When asked to rate the value of the membership, 60% of survey respondents indicated it

to be either highly valuable or somewhat valuable, whereas 32% of respondents stated their

membership could be more valuable. Stakeholders mentioned an increase in number of

networking opportunities during events would be helpful. They also suggested having a variety

of topics and speakers for the events. In addition to the above, 42% of survey respondents

preferred a location other than downtown Vancouver.

The focus group participants corroborated the above findings, mentioning the need to

hold events where the attendees have more opportunities to network and interact with other PMI-

CWCC members. One of the participants pointed out that “an opportunity to network with the

people that we conduct our profession with is important” (FG2), while another stated that “an

opportunity to network/interact/engage with other members, not just at the table but mingle with

more people” (FG1) was crucial to a successful event. Moreover, they also shared simple

strategies that could be considered to carve out networking opportunities in current events, such

as having an optional networking session before the actual event begins. A third participant

shared another strategy wherein event organizers could schedule “more volunteers to facilitate


dialogue among guests and members” (FG3) at PMI-CWCC events and went on to suggest

having one PMI-CWCC volunteer at each table to facilitate interactions among attendees would

help event attendees “form bonds, be more dynamic and network at the same time.”

The focus group participants also mentioned the need to have more interesting and

engaging topics for the events, for example, “how do people manage projects of big magnitude

and tight deadlines from the beginning; such as construction projects or the post production

component of projects?” (FG1-2). One member suggested another topic of events: “ethics and

how does a project manager manage to meet his needs/supplies locally if the culture locally does

not mesh up with the values that are coming with the project manager?” (FG3). FG1 also pointed

out that topics related to “transition between university and work world” would be useful for the

new and young PMI-CWCC membership. These comments reflect the stakeholders’ desire for

events containing broader topics so they can learn the challenges faced by project managers and

how these can be addressed in various environments.

Focus group participants also shared the need to have engaging speakers. Given the

geographic spread of PMI membership across Canada, it was suggested, “some of the members

should be speakers” at the events (FG1) and, “to invite speakers from other chapters and ask

them to share their success in conducting their local projects” (FG3). In this manner, interaction

with other chapters would also prosper. They also noted the need to make the events overall

interactive and engaging, where speakers engage in a conversation or a dialogue with the

attendees. Lastly, participants also talked about the need to ensure events were located at a

convenient venue so that the majority of the membership had access to them.

Finding 2: Participants want more opportunities to build connections with PMI-

CWCC and its members.


Survey respondents shared the desire to engage further with PMI-CWCC and its

stakeholders. Survey results indicated that 77% of the stakeholders preferred to engage with the

PMI-CWCC and its members on a personal level, through events such as conferences,

mentorship or educational classes. Seventy-five percent of survey participants preferred to

engage with other PMI-CWCC members through PMI-CWCC networking events. Table 2

illustrates the percent of members who preferred the specific ways to engage with the other PMI-

CWCC members:

Table 2:

Preference of methods for members to engage with other PMI-CWCC members

Connecting Methods

In person Networking Events

LinkedIn Mediated by PMI-CWCC

Discussion on PMI-CWCC webpage

% of Participants Preference

77% 75% 42% 40% 30%

In addition to the above preferences of participants to engage with other PMI-CWCC

members, stakeholders also mentioned their preferred ways to engage with the organization

itself. Sixty-nine percent of the participants preferred to engage with PMI-CWCC via events.

Another trend to note was the interest and flexibility of the participants to explore other avenues

of interaction, such as LinkedIn, webinars, podcasts, and updates posted on the PMI-CWCC

webpage. Table 3 illustrates percent of participants who preferred the aforementioned

engagement methods with PMI-CWCC:

Table 3:

Preference of methods for members to engage with PMI-CWCC

Connecting Traditional Webinars PMI- E-Blast LinkedIn Podcasts


Methods PMI- CWCC Events

CWCC Website

Updates

% of Participants Preference

69% 64% 53% 46% 43% 28%

These trends were confirmed at the focus group session, during which the preference of

members to meet in person and build their networks in the community was detailed. As

participant FG2 pointed out, “it really has to be face to face for it to be interesting.” Alternately,

it was suggested, “using technology, such as an application that can facilitate more interactions

within the members and keep them engaged” (FG3). Participants indicated they are open to using

technology to create a platform to meet other members, such as, “webinars, podcasts and

applications on smart phones to meet like-minded people” (FG1, FG3). FG3 also shared the

increase of “volunteering opportunities would help keep the volunteers engaged and committed

to the PMI-CWCC,” which, in turn, would increase their connections and interactions with more

PMI-CWCC members.

Finding 3: Participants want to realize more value from the cost of their

membership.

Both the participants from the survey and the focus group expressed concerns about the

cost of membership resulting from the cumulative cost of both membership dues and attending

events. They shared that they would like to gain more value from the membership cost.

Forty-nine percent of the survey respondents shared that the membership is “too

expensive” and that this was one of their deciding factors for them to continue their membership.

Eight percent of respondents expressed one of the reasons they were not considering their

membership to be valuable was because of the high membership costs. Twenty-two percent of


the survey respondents stated that they would discontinue their membership if their employers

were not able to subsidize the cost as they cannot afford to pay for the membership and attend

events at the same time.

The focus group participants shared similar concerns, with one stakeholder sharing that

the cost of the membership “gets expensive over the long run” (FG1). A second participant

(FG2) stated that the young professionals need to be able “to attend these events and meetings”,

but indicated the high cost could impede their ability to attend these events. Moreover, they also

shared that it has to be a two-way street in which the members get additional benefits or a

discount after paying for the yearly membership, for example, having some sort of partnership

with a restaurant chain, which results in a discount. In addition, FG2 asked “are there are any

other benefits the members can get out of all the money they pay to the organization throughout

the year?”

In addition to the financial cost of the membership, a number of participants indicated

they were unaware of the benefits available to them through their membership. Forty-one percent

of the survey respondents who reported their membership to be somewhat valuable shared that

increased marketing needs to be put in place so that new members know what is being offered by

the PMI-CWCC. Moreover, in the open-ended questions, survey respondents mentioned, “I am a

new member and I do not know much about PMI-CWCC” (SUR1) and stated “I have been

unable to grasp much out of my membership.” (SUR 1-10, 13, 34, 39, 45, 49, 51, 54, 56, 70, 73,

92). The data clearly indicated that a considerable number of PMI-CWCC members are not

aware of the resources available to them. Therefore, PMI-CWCC members need to be made

aware of the opportunities and benefits available to them to enable them to reap benefits of their

membership.


The focus group participants shared similar reflections as well. They echoed the need to

invest in promotional strategies to increase membership awareness of the opportunities and

benefits available to them. As the participants leaned towards participating in various

engagement opportunities, it is important that they are aware of these opportunities. FG3 pointed

out that, regardless of the cost of the membership, “it needs to be worth it” and one way to

ensure that would be by marketing the available opportunities to the members so they can fully

access them.

Finding 4: Stakeholders expressed the desire to become acquainted on a deeper level

with the PMI-CWCC board leadership.

In the survey, the participants expressed various ways they could connect with the PMI-

CWCC organization as a whole using various methods, for example 64% preferred using

webinars, 53% preferred using the PMI-CWCC webpage, and 46% preferred using e-Blast. In

the focus group session, participants were able to dig deeper and express an interesting point,

wherein they indicated they wanted to learn more about the PMI-CWCC board and executive

team.

The focus group participants shared a valuable new concept that had not been identified

in the survey results: they expressed the desire to learn more about the PMI-CWCC as an

organization and be a part of a PMI-CWCC wherein the leadership “will allow sharing the

lessons they learned” (FG1). Further to this, they indicated they wanted to know how PMI-

CWCC moves those learnings forward.

FG3 shared that “the membership could be more personalized...as they don’t know where

the [executive] members are from.” Therefore, the organization could provide the membership

an opportunity to learn more about the PMI-CWCC board and executive team. FG3 also


suggested another way for the board and members to interact, where the board or the executive

team can “call once a year to check in on the membership experience...which could change my

perception of the membership’s contribution to the local chapter.”

In addition to gaining more knowledge about the organization, the respondents expressed

the desire to become acquainted with the PMI-CWCC board members, for example, their

experience level, industry, and what are the things they are doing for PMI-CWCC. FG3 pointed

out that members “would love to meet the VPs-not just wait a year to see them, for example,

seeing them every 6 months and get a chance to have some updates from the VPs and president

before even the actual AGM.” The participants wanted to foster more of a personalized

relationship with PMI-CWCC and its executive team so they would be able to contribute in a

meaningful way. Moreover, FG3 shared that members are also looking to be aware of the

changes in PMI-CWCC leadership so that “continuity can be maintained.”

Finding 5: Stakeholders want to connect with PMI-CWCC over a shared social

cause.

The focus group participants raised a topic that had not been raised by the survey

participants, indicating that they want to learn more about PMI-CWCC’s interest in contributing

to the benefit of society.

The focus group participants shared that they want to explore how PMI-CWCC could

contribute to the society as a whole. They shared ideas on how PMI-CWCC can impact the

bigger system of society and the issues involved in it. FG1 wondered “if it is possible for the

chapter given their relationship with the main body...to choose an area of need” and align it with

their vision to engage members to come together to make a difference.” FG1 went on to say that

anything ranging from “global climate change to homelessness to mental health” could be


considered as a potential topic of interest. Introducing such an idea has the potential to help

stakeholders see that the PMI-CWCC is working towards a bigger and a meaningful cause. In

addition, stakeholders would be able to contribute to societal causes and network with other

members who have similar vision.

It was evident the members hope to connect with the PMI-CWCC on deeper level

wherein they can engage with the organization and contribute to the society as well. As FG3

shared, “seeing the PMI-CWCC involved with the community will make [FG3] feel better about

the chapter as more social responsibility will be appreciated.” All three focus group participants

mentioned that if the organization is able to engage in social cause, it would ensure that PMI-

CWCC “is more flexible and do more for the community” (FG3). It was clear that members

desired to connect with the organization in a meaningful way and that the members are willing to

contribute their time and effort to contribute to the society while engaging with the PMI-CWCC.

The above five findings illustrate the results from the survey and the focus group session.

The survey results confirmed the desire of stakeholders to enhance certain components of PMI-

CWCC events. They also indicated the need to incorporate more networking opportunities.

Finally, the survey respondents mentioned they want to gain more value from their membership.

The focus group results confirmed the above findings and introduced two new findings where the

stakeholders wanted to learn more about the organization and its leadership. In addition, they

also wanted to interact with PMI-CWCC over a shared social cause.

Study Conclusions

Based on the analysis of the study findings and a review of the relevant literature, the

following five study conclusions were identified to enhance member engagement among the

PMI-CWCC membership:


1. An agreed upon definition of an engaging event that is meaningful and purposeful to

stakeholders is required.

2. Providing innovative networking opportunities has the potential to support

stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC.

3. Stakeholders need to be made aware of the benefits associated with the PMI-CWCC

membership.

4. The provision of leadership education to the board members may be required to

further enhance their abilities to engage meaningfully with PMI-CWCC members.

5. The incorporation of a societal cause in the engagement initiatives has the potential to

facilitate stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC.

Conclusion 1: An agreed upon definition of an engaging event that is meaningful

and purposeful to stakeholders is required.

Throughout this inquiry process, participants expressed the desire to improve their

member engagement experience with PMI-CWCC, indicating that it was key to remaining a

member of the organization. Investing in a strategy to improve the PMI-CWCC event attendance

has the potential to help increase the member engagement, enhance the satisfaction level of

members with the events, and, therefore, to serve as a driver to member engagement. Providing

stakeholders with opportunities to interact and engage with one another will address the both the

first and second sub questions respectively: What are the drivers of PMI-CWCC member

engagement? And, what are the barriers to PMI-CWCC member engagement?

Kegler and Swan (2012) mentioned that an organization needs to consider allowing

“members to have substantive input into major decisions and to provide competent leadership

that supports and encourages active participation to all members” (p. 581). They also pointed out


those members in an organization who have a “higher levels of decision making were related to a

higher sense of community” (p. 580).

Painter and Paxton (2014) agreed with Kegler and Swan (2012), highlighting the

importance of member participation as it “builds social connectedness among members through

interaction within local chapters” (p. 410). They went on to state that a “lack of active and

involved membership fails to create connectedness with other members and precludes a direct

engagement in civic give and take” (p. 410). Therefore, in order for the members to be engaged

and involved with the organization, the PMI-CWCC board needs to listen and act upon the

members’ feedback and insight.

On the contrary, if the organization does not explore the above-mentioned feedback in

conjunction with its strategic direction then it could prove to be a barrier to member engagement.

Holmes and Slater (2012) stated, “declining levels of membership… [and] large scale,

professional membership associations with little social connectedness between members, are key

contributors to the decline in …social capital” (p. 851). Phillips and Leahy (2012) pointed out

“declining membership is a concerning yet poorly understood issue affecting professional

associations across [all] disciplines” (p.207) and concluded the importance of understanding the

role of members in professional organizations. In addition, Phillips and Leahy (2012) argued that

members are a key to an organization’s success and that organizations should consider “regularly

reminding current members of the strength they add to the professional organization” (p. 214).

The above literature supported a more collaborative and two-way relationship between

the stakeholders and the organization itself. Therefore, in order to have successful events, an

organization needs to gather and include stakeholders’ feedback when planning the stakeholder

events.


Conclusion 2: Providing innovative networking opportunities has the potential to

support stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC.

The first sub question of this inquiry asked, “What are the drivers of PMI-CWCC

member engagement?” Participants in the research expressed the desire for increased networking

opportunities to enable them to engage with more members and increase their social connections.

They also reflected that the current events and engagement initiatives could be improved by

allowing more time for attendees to interact with each other, thereby creating more of an

interactive environment that, in turn, has the potential to drive member engagement within the

PMI-CWCC.

Both members and the board are important internal stakeholders for an organization as

highlighted by the following literature. Freeney and Tiernan (2009) stated there are two factors

that play an important role in facilitating engagement within an organization: a sense of

community and fairness. The authors concluded that a sense of community, which is “mainly

concerned with the amount of social support available” (p. 1558) to employees and members,

facilitated a positive connection with the organization. This positive connection, in turn, could

enhance engagement between the member and the organization. Therefore, if networking

opportunities are increased it will foster a stronger community within the PMI-CWCC, which

will help driver member engagement.

In order for the PMI-CWCC to consider innovative ways to foster a stronger community,

it will need immense support from the board. Jaskyte (2015) suggested that the “board sets the

tone of expectations for innovative thinking and creative approaches to challenges it and the

organization” (p. 440). Moreover, the board members do not necessarily have to introduce

innovations, rather, they can “encourage organizational innovativeness by creating a climate


conductive to innovation, setting goals and priorities for innovation...and approving innovative

proposals” (p. 440). Lastly, the author also suggested that board culture and “the way in which

board members work together-their interpersonal behavior and group dynamics” is an important

determination in the board’s ability to foster innovation (p. 443). Thus, it is clear that a board can

help model and facilitate an environment conducive to inspiring innovation.

It is clear that a membership based organization needs to pursue innovation and foster a

feeling of community for its members to engage and interact with fellow stakeholders. It would

be beneficial to explore methods that can help the board leadership practice “continuous

dialogues, reflections and the allowance for an evolutionary adoption process” to inspire

innovation in the organization (Hellström et al., 2015, p. 1198).

Conclusion 3: Stakeholders need to be made aware of the benefits associated with

the PMI-CWCC membership.

The second sub question asked in this inquiry project asked: “What are the barriers to

PMI-CWCC member engagement?” The participants in this study answered this question by

sharing the need to address the high cost of attending events and other organizational

engagement initiatives, indicating that they wanted the cost to be worthwhile and beneficial to

them. Failure of the members to see and realize benefits from the costs they are paying could

prove to be a barrier to member engagement and their commitment to PMI-CWCC as evidenced

in the study findings.

Chalofsky and Krishna (2009) took a humanistic approach to understanding the factors

that could impede engagement. They mentioned that “engagement has emerged as very

important construct in organizational research ... [as it can] promote organizational retention and

performance” (p. 190). The authors also stated that “commitment is seen as one of the key


factors for organizational survival and growth” and that commitment is two-sided process where

the organization and the individual has to contribute equally (p. 198). Chalofsky and Krishna

(2009) focused on the intrinsic factors that facilitate member engagement, such as an individual’s

“motivation to do meaningful work” (p. 194). They point out the importance of ones’ whole self

and how an individual can integrate herself and her values in an organization.

The above-mentioned humanistic approach is very similar to Bolman and Deal’s (2013)

human frame, which urges organizations to “invest in the human asset of the organization”:

members and employees (p. 113). Additionally, Seijts and Crim (2006) took an individualistic

stand in which they pointed out that “people want to know that their input matters and they are

contributing to the organization’s success in a meaningful way” (p. 4). Therefore, the inability of

a member to relate to and be acknowledged by the organization can prove to be a barrier to

member engagement with that organization.

It would be beneficial for the PMI-CWCC board to continue to foster communication

with the membership so that the board understands stakeholders’ needs and make informed

decisions on the member engagement strategy. More importantly, it would be helpful to educate

the stakeholders on the available benefits of the membership so they are able to reap the benefits

of their membership with PMI-CWCC.

Conclusion 4: The provision of leadership education to the board members may be

required to further enhance their abilities to engage meaningfully with PMI-CWCC

members.

The third sub question of this inquiry project posed was: “What support do the members

need to enhance their engagement with PMI-CWCC? Participants expressed their limited

knowledge about the PMI-CWCC board and the organization as a whole. The limited knowledge


of the participants about PMI-CWCC illustrated the need for PMI-CWCC to educate its

stakeholders provides a tremendous opportunity for the PMI-CWCC board to interact with

members and encourage member engagement. In turn, board members may require leadership

education to support them in meeting these expectations.

Merry (2014) stated the factors that contribute to engagement within an organization

included leadership and employee value proposition. She concluded that members of the

organization “want to see and hear from their leaders...to hear about the business, know about

future plans and strategies, hear the leaders care and be inspired” (p. 29). Moreover, Merry

(2014) encouraged organizations to convince leaders to go beyond a yearly survey to learn about

engagement within their organization. In addition to the importance of leadership, Merry (2014)

also recommended investing in educating the employees about the organization to foster “a

compelling employee value proposition” (p. 29). It also encouraged organizations to implement

member propositions “using insights from...surveys, focus groups” (p. 29). This author

highlighted the need for leadership to step out of the usual ways communicating and explore

innovative ways to interact and engage with the stakeholders on a personal level.

Malinen, Wright and Cammock (2013) presented a contrasting approach from Merry

(2014), suggesting the two variables that contribute to enhancing member engagement are “trust

and justice perceptions” (p. 96). They concluded that trust in management and senior leadership

fostered the achievement of three psychological conditions: safety, meaningfulness and

availability” (p. 98). In addition to the members’ trust in an organization, the perception of just

decision making within an organization was shown to be an influencer in member engagement.,

Eisinger, Guggenheim, Price and Stine (2011) reported similar findings wherein a “climate of

trust and empowerment” facilitates member engagement within an organization (p. 206). An


organization that is able to “show confidence in its members and demonstrate openness”

facilitates member engagement (p. 210). It is evident that the concept of trust and member

empowerment is prevalent in the literature and both concepts need to be considered for member

engagement strategies.

The stakeholders wanted to learn more about the organization and the board leadership

that runs the organization. In order to facilitate transparency between stakeholders and the board,

the leadership will need to explore various ways of communicating and interacting with the

stakeholders and, as part of this, assess the need for leadership education for members of the

board.

Conclusion 5: The incorporation of a societal cause in the engagement initiatives has

the potential to facilitate stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC.

The third sub question of this inquiry project asked, “What support do the members need

to enhance their engagement with PMI-CWCC? The participants responded by expressing their

interest to know how the PMI-CWCC contributes to the community and society as a whole. They

wanted to see how a shared interest can help facilitate interactions within the membership and

enhance their engagement with the PMI-CWCC. This suggestion illustrates an innovative

approach and demonstrates an opportunity to foster engagement within the PMI-CWCC

community.

Swanson (2013) highlighted the commonality between member engagement and a sense

of community as she pointed out the “role of members is crucial to civic engagement” (p. 305).

She also argued that organizations depended greatly on relationships with their members and

defined member engagement as a “social network established between institutions and their

stakeholders” (p. 305). Swanson (2013) concluded “engaged institutions become involved with


their communities in meaningful ways and demonstrate commitment to engagement as a core

value” (p. 306). It is clear that both authors took a holistic approach to the role of membership

and its societal impact on the organization and on the society as a whole.

Board leadership plays a pivotal role in instilling a feeling of a community within PMI-

CWCC. It is clear that the stakeholders want to feel as a part of a bigger goal to help society. In

order for the leadership to innovate and work towards a new shared goal, it needs to express its

goal and vision to stakeholders. Balta, Woods and Dickson (2013) stated “executives perceive

innovation as a vital mechanism to accelerate change in today’s global environment” (p. 312). In

order for an organization to innovate and implement change, the board is key as it “is usually

closely involved in deciding the vision, goals and strategy of a company” (Alänge & Steiber,

2009, p. 281). De Mello e Souza Wildermuth and Pauken (2008) argued, “engagement occurs

naturally, when the conditions are right, when the leaders are inspiring, when individuals find the

ideal place in which to apply their strengths” (p. 209). They went on further to state that “an

engagement-friendly culture values the diversity of talents employees bring to the table; respects

individual needs, and inspires all employees to pursue a common and exciting vision of the

future” (p. 206).

The link between the board leadership and the ability to engage in innovative methods to

bring the stakeholders together is evident. Thus, fostering an engagement approach where the

participants can also make a societal difference has the potential to engage participants with an

organization as “engagement can not only make a real difference, it can set the great

organizations apart from the merely good ones” (Seijts & Crim, 2006, p. 3).

From the various findings and the subsequent literature review, five conclusions stood

out that supported stakeholders’ desire to enhance their engagement with the PMI-CWCC. First,


an agreed upon definition of an engaging event that is meaningful and purposeful to stakeholders

is required. Second, innovative networking opportunities have the potential to support

stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC. Third, stakeholders need to be made aware of the

benefits associated with the PMI-CWCC membership. Fourth, the provision of leadership

education to the board members may be required to further enhance their abilities to engage

meaningfully with PMI-CWCC members. Finally, the incorporation of a societal cause in the

engagement initiatives has the potential to facilitate stakeholder engagement with PMI-CWCC.

The scope and limitations of this inquiry are explored in the following section.

Scope and Limitations of the Inquiry

The purpose of this inquiry project was to understand the factors that play a role in

member engagement. Information was gathered through the data collection process from the

PMI-CWCC members about their membership experience and how it could be enhanced. The

scope and limitations of the inquiry were related to representation of participants and inquiry

team members.

Due to time and financial constraints of this inquiry project, the scope of the focus group

session was limited to the Greater Vancouver region. This focus group session was not reflective

of all the stakeholders of PMI-CWCC as it was not able to gather insight from participants from

other parts of the province of British Columbia. Since participants outside the geographic area of

Greater Vancouver Region were not able to provide their insight, caution must be exercised

when generalizing and implementing the results from this inquiry.

A second limiting factor in relation to participation representation was the number of

participants recruited for both the survey and focus group. The PMI-CWCC conducts a yearly

survey to understand member engagement every fall. Because this year’s annual survey was


followed by this inquiry project survey, participants may have been reluctant to participate in

another survey, leading to a smaller sample size for the survey respondents. More than 2100

invitations were sent to stakeholders to participate in the online survey, with 268 responses

received, representing 14% of the total membership. Moreover, there were only three

participants for the focus group session, which is 1.5% of the Greater Vancouver region’s

membership. As the samples for both data collection methods were modest, the results could

have differed if more participants were able to participate in the inquiry project. Therefore,

caution must be executed when extrapolating the results to the whole PMI-CWCC membership.

Chapter Summary

This chapter provided a detailed overview of the five study findings resulting from the

two data collection methods and participant responses. The study findings were then extrapolated

into five conclusions, then followed by the scope and limitations of the inquiry. In the next

chapter, final recommendations to assist PMI-CWCC in fostering engagement within its

membership are presented. Chapter 5 also highlights the organizational implications of the

recommendations and implications for future inquiry.


Chapter Five: Inquiry Project Recommendations and Implications

This chapter presents the study recommendations based on the research findings,

conclusions, and relevant literature. Organizational implications, including the implementation

process and risks related to not implementing the recommendations, are also described. The

chapter closes with an exploration of potential future inquiry opportunities and next steps for this

organizational change project. The overarching question explored in the research was: How can

member engagement be enhanced in the Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast

Chapter? The following sub questions contributed to the understanding of member engagement:




Study Recommendations

The recommendations have been designed based upon the relevant literature, the study

findings and conclusions formulated through this inquiry project. These recommendations have

the potential to facilitate organizational learning and create a positive change in how

stakeholders can further enhance their engagement with the PMI-CWCC and are as follows:

1. Create a shared definition of an engaging event that is meaningful and purposeful to

stakeholders.

2. Hold a board leadership brainstorming session to identify innovative networking

opportunities for incorporation in the PMI-CWCC events.

3. Educate stakeholders about the benefits associated with their PMI-CWCC

membership.


4. Undertake further research to understand the stakeholders desire to engage with the

PMI-CWCC board and other members over a social cause.

Recommendation 1: Create a shared definition of an engaging event that is

meaningful and purposeful to stakeholders.

Holmes and Slater (2012) stated that stakeholders play various roles in an organization

ranging from “active engagement such as committee membership or volunteering to passive

involvement where the member pays their fees but remains a silent member” (p. 851). Kegler

and Swan (2012) also concluded that members “participate in a range of roles” (p. 581) in an

organization. In this study, stakeholders revealed they wanted to see more networking

opportunities as well as a variety of topics and speakers contained within a PMI-CWCC event in

order for it to be a successful one for them. Therefore, it would be helpful if PMI-CWCC

fostered communication with its stakeholders to enable them to participate actively and provide

regular feedback and insights with regards to their expectations of PMI-CWCC events. I

therefore suggest this recommendation be the first phase of implementing the changes sought

through this inquiry project.

When creating an event for stakeholders, it is important to consider their expectations and needs

from the event. The data collected from this project’s focus group was specific to participants

located in the geographical area of Greater Vancouver. In order to fully define an engaging

event, stakeholders from all other geographic regions would have needed to provide input. As all

PMI-CWCC stakeholders did not participate in the focus group session, I recommend that the

PMI-CWCC leadership conduct one or more focus group sessions with stakeholders from other

areas of BC to uncover common threads about an engaging event. The focus group questions

used in this inquiry could be used to facilitate these sessions. PMI_CWCC volunteers could


facilitate these focus groups as was done for the Greater Vancouver focus group. Volunteers

could also assist the leadership with organizing additional focus group sessions. The follow up

focus group sessions could be organized to take place in the next fiscal year, starting with the

Prince George area.

Investing in future focus group sessions will benefit PMI-CWCC by creating an

opportunity for the board leadership to further expand its understanding of members’ definition

and key components of a successful and engaging PMI-CWCC event. In addition, it will foster

communication between stakeholders and PMI-CWCC board leaders as they seek to create a

common view of how an engaging event can be planned for stakeholders.

As Kouzes and Posner (2012) stated “if the [shared] vision is to be attractive to more than

an insignificant few, it must appeal to all who have a stake in it. Only shared visions have the

magnetic power to sustain commitment over time” (p. 125). Implementing the above

recommendation will allow the PMI-CWCC to compose a shared vision for the kind of engaging

events stakeholders are expecting from the organization.

Recommendation 2: Hold a board leadership brainstorming session to identify

innovative networking opportunities for incorporation in the PMI-CWCC events.

Inquiry findings revealed that participants considered an increased number of networking

opportunities as the top change required in PMI-CWCC events to promote and enhance their

engagement with PMI-CWCC. While the stakeholders appreciated other components of PMI-

CWCC events, they expressed that ability to network is the key attraction to attend events. The

above preference serves as a great opportunity to build innovative ways to network for the

stakeholders in PMI-CWCC engagement initiatives.


In order for an organization to innovate, the literature reinforced that its leadership needs

to be fully on board. Jaskyte (2015) concluded, “the board of directors...is a critical component

of governance in non-profit organizations” (p. 440). Santhidran, Chandran and Borromeo (2013)

concluded that leadership positively influences change readiness, which then enhances the

commitment to change in an organization.

I recommend that board members organize and hold a brainstorming session for

themselves to explore various methods that can be used to foster more networking opportunities

for stakeholders. The board members could use suggestions shared by participants in the focus

group session and survey as a platform to generate ideas in their brainstorming session. During

this session the board members could also consider looking at current events and exploring how

to incorporate more networking opportunities and explore the possibility to entertain short,

informal networking events for the stakeholders. This brainstorming session could take place in

2017 to enable them to use the results to inform the planning of the upcoming fiscal year’s

stakeholder engagement initiatives.

As Kouzes and Posner (2012) stated “being a credible leader means you have to live the

values.... put into action what you and others stand for…and you have to be the example for

others to follow” (p. 74). The implementation of this recommendation will allow board

leadership to model the way and demonstrate they are committed to inspire innovation to help

enhance member engagement among the PMI-CWCC stakeholders.

Recommendation 3: Educate stakeholders about the benefits associated with their

PMI-CWCC membership.

One approach the organization could use to ensure they reinforce members’ importance

to the organization is to address members’ reflections on their membership experience.


Participants identified the costs to become a member and to attend PMI-CWCC events are

expensive. Moreover, they mentioned they are not fully aware of the benefits available to them

through their membership. Therefore, it is important to educate and bring awareness to

stakeholders about the benefits available to them via their PMI-CWCC membership.

The literature outlines the steps that need to be put in place in order for a change to be

implemented successfully. Burke, Lake and Paine (2009) postulated that, in order for a

successful change to take place, the leadership needs to follow a step by step plan: “defining the

future state, assessing the present and managing the transition” (p. 687). Implementing this

recommendation will help the PMI-CWCC in two ways: 1) manage the transition from

stakeholders not being aware of full membership benefits to educating the stakeholders of their

membership benefits, and 2) achieve the final state where the stakeholders are empowered to

reap the maximum benefit from their PMI-CWCC membership.

I recommend using several venues to connect with the stakeholders to bring them

awareness about the benefits and costs of their PMI-CWCC membership. I recommend including

a list of benefits and cost breakdown in the welcome package for a new member. For example,

cost of the global PMI membership does not contribute to the local chapter and its initiatives.

Members pay a $30.00 additional fee to join the PMI-CWCC and this is the only fee that

contributes to the local chapter’s initiatives and events. Informing members how membership

fees are allocated has the potential to support stakeholder understanding of funds available to the

organization and fees charged to hold PMI-CWCC events. Other ways to reach out to

stakeholders could be via emails in which upcoming events and initiatives could be promoted.

Moreover, the PMI-CWCC website could be updated on a regular basis with the information on

upcoming events. In addition to the above, participants shared the desire to use technology such


as podcasts and webinars to keep in touch with the organization. The board leadership could

explore the above-mentioned methods to channel updates and communication with stakeholders.

This recommendation will enable the organization to implement feedback from the

stakeholders. Moreover, it will also give the organization an opportunity to innovate and explore

new methods to foster communication with its stakeholders to educate them about the benefits of

PMI-CWCC membership. Implementing the recommendation would also help PMI-CWCC

address stakeholder needs as “alignment of individual needs and values with the organization’s

culture (norms and values) is likely to enhance motivation and in turn performance” (Burke,

Lake & Paine, 2009, p. 741).

Recommendation 4: Undertake further research to understand the stakeholders

desire to engage with the PMI-CWCC board and other members over a social cause.

Focus group participants expressed their desire to interact with the PMI-CWCC board on

a more personal level. They also shared their desire to engage with other PMI-CWCC members

over a social cause.

The literature outlined the importance of using a common cause to bring various

members together so they can interact. As Kouzes and Posner (2012) stated, the idea of enabling

others to act where “the leaders bring people together, creating an atmosphere where people

understand that they have a shared fate and they should treat others as they would like to be

treated” (2012, p. 214). Moreover, Short (1998) mentioned that “relationships are the very heart

and soul of an organization’s ability to get any job done” (p. 15). The above literature indicates

that board leaders could consider fostering a relationship with stakeholders to provide them with

opportunities to share their insight with the PMI-CWCC board.


The desire to interact with the board on a more personal level was shared by three members of

the focus group and may not be reflective of the viewpoints of all PMI-CWCC stakeholders. This

insight needs to be investigated further to ensure it is a common desire amongst a larger number

of PMI-CWCC stakeholders. In order to confirm this feedback, I recommend including the

above two insights as questions in the annual survey that could also collect stakeholders’ insight.

The yearly survey is conducted every fall and these questions could be integrated in the survey

questions for 2017. Once the data is collected, it will provide clarity as to whether the whole

membership wishes more personal interactions with the board and if the majority of the

membership wants to contribute to a social cause whilst engaging with PMI-CWCC and its

stakeholders.

These recommendations address various findings and resulting conclusions of this

inquiry project. While each recommendation could be implemented individually, their

interdependency should be considered because each recommendation is a necessary contribution

to fostering the overall membership experience to enhance engagement. The next section

explores how these recommendations could be implemented and a description of potential

implications if the recommendations are not carried out.

Organizational Implications

The PMI-CWCC strives to foster a community of members from various industries

through various member engagement initiatives. Seijts and Crim (2006) concluded that “people

want to know that their input matters and that they are contributing to the organization’s success

in a meaningful way” (p. 5). This inquiry project provided the PMI-CWCC with an opportunity

to create the capacity to meet the evolving needs of its stakeholders so they continue to engage

and reap benefits from this organization.


In order to secure organizational commitment to the research findings, I engaged my

organizational sponsor in personal and online conversations regarding the findings, conclusions

and proposed recommendations. I also met with the board members to share the proposed

actions, which had evolved as a result of the findings and literature reviewed. In addition,

throughout my research journey I engaged with my organizational sponsor on a consistent basis.

Moreover, once I finished writing each chapter, I shared it with the sponsor so she could provide

her insight and feedback in a timely manner. As I revised my findings and conclusions to deduce

my recommendations, I had regular conversations with my sponsor to ensure she was involved in

the process. Finally, my sponsor reviewed and provided feedback prior to the recommendations

being finalized.

The major leadership implication for organizational change lies in the willingness and the

courage of the board leadership to embrace these recommendations. In order to initiate the

process of implementing innovation, the board needs to be able to motivate and inspire the

membership. Once the board achieves that, then the implementation process can move along to

the next steps of “an evolutionary adoption process” for the implemented change to be successful

(Hellström et al., 2015, p. 1198). It is clear from the literature that the decision for an

organization to embark upon a change strategy is a serious undertaking requiring the board

members to allocate more of their volunteer time to ensure the recommendations are

implemented and sustained. The board leadership also needs to ensure they are open to new ideas

to foster creative tension, which “is the force that comes into play at the moment when we

acknowledge a vision that is at offs with current reality” (Senge, 2006, p. 140). In addition, the

board leadership needs to be aware of systems thinking to ensure optimal and successful


implementation of the recommendations. The application of Bolman and Deal’s (2013) four

frame methodology may be of support as they work to implement the recommendations.

The implementation plan detailed below has been designed to assist the organization in

effectively implementing and sustaining member engagement with its stakeholders. The

following three-phased approach is aligned with Burke, Lake and Paine’s (2009) proposed states

of organizational change: “sets goals and define the future state, diagnose the present condition

in relation to those goals, define the transition state and develop strategies and action plans for

managing the transition” (p. 687).

Implementation of these recommendations should take a phased approach in which time

is allotted for the construction of action, planning of action, implementation of action and finally

time to evaluate the actual implementation (Coghlan & Brannick, 2014). By moving forward

with this systematic approach, the PMI-CWCC board needs to take into account the workload of

their volunteer board members. Moreover, it can also allot time for the board leadership to

complete one step at a time and celebrate its successful completion before moving to the next

step. The following three phases could be realistically implemented and completed within the

next 1-2 years.

The first phase should aim to educate and empower stakeholders about the benefits of

their PMI-CWCC membership. This phase could be targeted to be implemented by the spring of

2017. The leadership needs to use various means of communication to illustrate membership

benefits to the stakeholders. For example, information contained in the new members’ welcome

package, PMI-CWCC website, E-Blast, LinkedIn. Implementation of Recommendation 3 will

help bring awareness to stakeholders of existing resources available to them. Moreover, it will

help promote various engagement initiatives in place for stakeholders. Bolman and Deal (2013)


highlighted the importance of human frame, where members of an organization are considered

an investment rather than cost; therefore, it would be beneficial to educate and empower PMI-

CWCC stakeholders.

The second phase should seek to implement Recommendation 1 to uncover defining

factors that contribute to a successful and engaging event. This recommendation could be

targeted for completion by the fall of 2017. Input from stakeholders can help the leadership

understand key components that stakeholders seek in an event. This phase of the implementation

process must include subsequent focus group sessions wherein stakeholders can express their

insights with regards to an engaging event. Once the above is implemented, the PMI-CWCC

should seek to explore if a majority of stakeholders agree with the recommendation the three

participants in the focus group session expressed; namely, the desire to interact with the board on

a personal level and engage with the PMI-CWCC over a social cause. This can be achieved by

incorporating questions in the yearly survey. The implementation of Recommendations 1 and 4

will establish the board leadership’s commitment to understanding stakeholders’ perspectives to

foster their engagement with the PMI-CWCC. Moreover, it will allow the PMI-CWCC to

implement a systems thinking approach, in which “at the heart of a learning organization is a

shift of mind-from seeing ourselves as separate from the world to connected to the world”

(Senge, 2006, p. 12). This shift will help the organization connect with its stakeholders and

strategize PMI-CWCC engagement initiatives for the coming fiscal years.

The third phase would consist of a brainstorming session to understand and explore the

various networking opportunities that could be provided to stakeholders, followed by

incorporating these networking opportunities into already existing PMI-CWCC engagement

initiatives. This phase could be aimed to be completed by the fall of 2017. Alänge and Steiber


(2009) observed the various characteristics needed of a board to sustain change. They found that

the “issue of sustaining change falls back on the governance structure” (p. 280), thereby

confirming the integral part a board played in sustaining major organizational change. The

authors illustrated the importance of board involvement and experience, concluding that “to be

able to understand and actively support the implementation of an organizational innovation, the

board members also need to have experience of the specific change program” (p. 288). Viewing

through a systems lens, this brainstorming session will also allow the board leadership to

uncover their own mental models to expose hidden assumptions (Senge, 2006, p. 189) and help

strategize future PMI-CWCC engagement initiatives for its stakeholders.

There are two significant implications for the PMI-CWCC if the recommendations of this

inquiry process are not implemented. The first potential implication is a decrease in stakeholder

satisfaction accompanied by the possibility of stakeholders feeling undervalued. Engagement

facilitates membership interaction with the organization and stakeholder feedback needs to be

taken into account to ensure they feel valued. As Seijts and Crim (2006) stated, stakeholder

“attitude towards ... the company had the greatest impact on loyalty and customer service than all

the other ... factors combined” (p. 5). Moreover, “improvements in ... attitude led to

improvements in job-relevant behavior; this, in turn, increased customer satisfaction” (p. 5).

Therefore, it would be beneficial for the board leadership to demonstrate their understanding of

the results of the inquiry project and follow through with the implementation of its

recommendations. Finally, participants mentioned their expectations for various PMI-CWCC

engagement initiatives. Implementing their recommendations, particularly Recommendations 1

and 2, could help demonstrate the organization’s willingness to help enhance stakeholder

engagement as “engagement has emerged as very important construct in organizational


research ... [as it can] promote organizational retention and performance” (Chalofsky & Krishna,

2009, p. 190).

The second potential implication is that the PMI-CWC could lose an opportunity to

highlight its hard work to foster and achieve its goal “to provide a community for the project

management industry in BC” (Project Management Canadian West Coast Chapter, 2016, para 3).

In order to foster a community of project management professionals throughout BC, it would be

valuable to gather and address stakeholder input and perspective. With the help of this inquiry

project, the board leadership is able to understand stakeholder needs and expectations.

Implementing the recommendations, specifically Recommendation 3, allows the board

leadership to strengthen their commitment to fostering and enhancing member engagement

among the PMI-CWCC membership as “commitment is seen as one of the key factors for

organizational survival and growth” and that commitment is two-sided process where the

organization and the individual have to contribute equally (Chalofsky & Krishna, 2009, p. 198).

Implications for Future Inquiry

Future inquiry could provide further insight into the study of member engagement.

Member engagement in a non-profit organization is an emerging topic, with gaps within the

theoretic literature. During the course of this inquiry, many ideas and questions surfaced, with

two areas emerging that warrant further exploration.

The first area of future exploration is the pertinent literature specifically explaining

member engagement and the factors that drive and impede it. The relevant literature that

underpins the importance of member engagement is scarce and, if more literature was present, it

may lead this inquiry to different conclusions. Therefore, in order to get a full understanding,

further research needs to be done to explore relevant literature to member engagement. Due to


the limited availability of specific literature for volunteer organizations, literature relevant to

employee engagement was used in this inquiry project. Holmes and Slater (2012) pointed out

that further research needs to be done to understand various levels of engagement as

“participation in voluntary associations is rarely examined” (p. 851). The presence of specific

literature could be useful to understand the importance of member engagement. Moreover, it

would be beneficial to explore various strategies that could be used to implement the

recommendations mentioned in this inquiry project.

The second area of future exploration are the resources and strategies used in the other

PMI Chapters. It could prove to be a useful strategy to investigate methods and other

engagement initiatives implemented in PMI chapters of the other provinces. For example,

Recommendation 3 encourages the board leadership to explore various networking opportunities

to engage stakeholders. One method to explore these opportunities could be to reach out to other

PMI chapters to understand their strategies for their stakeholders. Doing the above would

encourage a culture of learning as “respecting and claiming your perspective while

simultaneously being open to others is the key to learning” (Short, 1998, p. 29). Moreover, it

would facilitate a learning relationship among the PMI-CWCC and other chapters of the global

PMI.

Action research is a methodology with an opportunity for “action learning …an approach

to the development of people in an organization which takes the task as the vehicle for learning”

(Coghlan & Brannick, 2014, p. 55). The above-mentioned Action Inquiry process may lead to

“cycles of examining issues, planning action, taking action and evaluation” (p. 55). This is why

this inquiry project indicated the additional research needed for the recommendations to be

successfully implemented.


Report Summary

The sponsor and the board leadership are giving this inquiry project’s four

recommendations serious consideration, aiming to implement the recommendation by the

proposed time frames. Moreover, they hope to discuss this implementation process in their

monthly meetings. In addition to the above, the board leadership will also post the final report on

their webpage to enable stakeholders to see and understand the recommendations that stem from

this inquiry project.

As an external consultant, I am available to provide feedback and support the PMI-

CWCC board leadership to understand and implement the recommendations from this inquiry

project. Even though my term as an external consultant for the PMI-CWCC is finished, I would

be happy to engage with the board leadership as needed. To share further knowledge about the

inquiry project findings, conclusions and recommendations, further discussion with the

leadership team will occur in the monthly board leadership meetings.


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Appendix A: Member Survey Results

Powered by

Q17: Please provide your rating of your overall satisfaction with the Chapter.Answered: 471 Skipped: 5


Appendix B: OAR Action Research Engagement

RRU OLP / Thesis Sponsoring Organization

7. TakeAction

6. Sponsor Plans Action

Transition Zone

leadershiptransfers to organization

Organizational Readiness Cycle Change Intervention Cycle

1. Context & PurposeStudent finds and collaboratively

develops topicand change goals with Sponsor – a

personal action research loop(Develops project, & seeks & obtains

REB approval with Supervisor and Sponsor).

2. LookOrganizational

collaboration in Action Research planning and formal data gathering.

3. ThinkData analysis

& reflection on findings & creating Draft

Recommendation.

5. Re-contextualize& ReconstructPost-project

disseminating findings / recommendations.

8. EvaluateAction

10. PlanAction

12. Evaluate Action

11. Take Action

4. ActEngaging Sponsor/Key Stakeholders

in understanding Findings & Finalizing Recommendations (not formal data-gathering)

and writing report.

And on…

©2011 Wendy Rowe, PhD, Niels Agger-Gupta, PhD, Brigitte Harris, PhD, & Marie Graf, MA., School of Leadership Studies, Royal Roads University.Developed from: Stringer, E. T. (2007). Action research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks,

CA.: Sage Publications.Coghlan, D. & Brannick, T. (2010). Doing action research

in your organization (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: SagePublications.

RRU School of Leadership Studies Organizational Action Research (OAR)

And on…And on…

9. Re-contextualize/& Reconstruct

Transition Zone











Recommendation.





and writing report.


7. TakeAction


8. EvaluateAction

12. Evaluate Action


Transition Zone











Recommendation.





and writing report.


10. PlanAction

11. Take Action7. TakeAction


8. EvaluateAction

12. Evaluate Action


Transition Zone











Recommendation.





and writing report.



Appendix C: Letter of Invitation for Survey

Dear [First Name],

I would like to invite you to be part of a research project that I am conducting as a partial requirement for my Master’s Degree in Leadership studies at Royal Roads University. I will be conducting an inquiry at Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter to understand how its member engagement can be enhanced. My credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by calling Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership, at (250) 391-2600 x4467 or email [email protected]

The objective of the research project is to understand member engagement in PMI-CWCC and how it can be enhanced. PMI-CWCC is a membership based organization and the organization aims to invest in this study to improve its membership portfolio. You are receiving this survey because you were identified as a current member of PMI-CWCC and your opinion is valued.

This phase of the research project will consist of an online survey and is estimated to last 5-10 minutes. This email contains additional information about the study conduct and will enable you to make a fully informed decision on whether or not you wish to participate. Please review this information before clicking on the link to the survey.

Please be aware that you are not required to participate and, should you choose to participate, your participation would be entirely voluntary. If you do choose to participate, you are free to withdraw at any time simply by closing your browser. You are welcome to discontinue the survey at any time without prejudice as I will not know whether or not you choose to participate.

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] should you have additional questions regarding the project and its outcomes.

[Invite Link]

Sincerely,

Rableen NandaB.Sc, M A Candidate


Appendix D: Survey Additional Information Letter

Enhancing Member Engagement for the Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter Members

My name is Rableen Nanda and this research project is part of the requirement for a Master’s of Leadership at Royal Roads University. My credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by contacting Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership Studies: [email protected] or 250-391-2600 ext. 4467.

Purpose of the study and sponsoring organization: The purpose of my research project is to understand various factors that impact member engagement for the PMI-CWCC. It will aim to gather PMI-CWCC’s members’ views and reflections on their engagement with the organization. Since PMI-CWCC is a member based organization, it is imperative that the members are included in understanding and enhancing of member engagement strategy.

Your participation and how information will be collected: This phase of the research will consist of an online survey. It will consist of open and close ended questions with the intent to discover common themes that impact member engagement. It should take about 5-10 minutes to complete the survey. Please be aware that all the answers you provide will remain confidential and anonymous.

Benefits and risks to participation: There are no perceived risks to participating in this research as your input is valuable and key to the success of the organization.

Inquiry team: The inquiry team consists of myself as the external consultant and two other PMI-CWCC volunteers. We will all be volunteering our time to conduct this inquiry to understand member engagement.

Real or Perceived Conflict of Interest: There is no real or perceived conflict of interest. I disclose this information here so that you can make a fully informed decision on whether or not to participate in this study.

Confidentiality, security of data, and retention period: I will work to protect your privacy throughout this study. For the survey data, it will be encrypted with a specific username and password. I will be the only person to have access to the data. All documentation will be kept strictly confidential. The survey data will be stored online indefinitely. It will be anonymous; therefore, the data cannot be traced back to its participants.

Sharing results: In addition to submitting my final report to Royal Roads University in partial fulfillment for a Masters of Arts degree, I will also be sharing my research findings with my organizational sponsor. I will be preparing a final report encompassing the recommendations and I will present this final report to the PMI-CWCC board. The research participants will be able to access the results as they will be posted on the PMI webpage.


Procedure for withdrawing from the study: You are free to withdraw from the study at any time. If you wish to do so, simply close your browser. Once you have completed the survey, your data will be anonymous and will be stored indefinitely online in Canada. Since it is anonymous, it won’t be able to traced the data to the participants. You are not required to participate in this research project. By clicking to agree to take the survey, you indicate that you have read and understand the information above and give your free and informed consent to participate in this project.

Please keep a copy of this information letter for your records.


Appendix E: Survey Informed Consent

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for a Master of Arts in Leadership Degree at Royal Roads University, Rableen Nanda will be conducting an inquiry research study at Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter to understand how PMI-CWCC member engagement can be enhanced. The Student’s credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by calling Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership, at (250) 391-2600 x4467 or email [email protected]

By clicking accept to continue to the survey, you agree that you are over the age of 19 and have read the information letter for this study. By clicking accept, you are giving your voluntary and informed consent to participate in this survey study.

I accept and continue to the survey


Appendix F: Survey Questions

1) Demographic questions:

a. Number of years as a PMI member

b. Industry of focus

c. City you reside in

i. 0-5 years

ii. 6-10

iii. 10-20

iv. Over 20 yearsd. Industry of Focus:

i. Advertising

ii. Education

iii. Business

iv. IT

v. Construction

vi. Healthcare

vii. Banking

viii. Real Estate

ix. Government

x. Mining

xi. Other ______________e. City you reside in

i. Vancouver

ii. Burnaby


iii. Richmond

iv. Surrey/Delta

v. Tri-cities

vi. Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows

vii. Other ______________

2) What city would you prefer PMI Chapter events to be held within?

a. Downtown Vancouver

c. Surrey/Delta

d. New Westminster

e. Richmond

g. North Vancouver

h. Others: Please specify

3) Rate your satisfaction level with the following PMI-CWCC initiatives:

a. Job Seekers Event 0 1 2 3

b. Networking Event 0 1 2 3

c. Find a mentor Event 0 1 2 3

d. Educational Event 0 1 2 3

4) Rate your preference for the type of events you wish to attend:

a. Job Seekers Event 0 1 2 3

b. Networking Event 0 1 2 3

c. Find a mentor Event 0 1 2 3

d. Educational Event 0 1 2 3

e. How to get PMP certification 0 1 2 3


f. Learn about PMI -CWCC 0 1 2 3

g. Maintain your credentials 0 1 2 3

h. Become a PMI-CWCC Volunteer 0 1 2 3

5) How do you prefer to engage with the PMI-CWCC? Check all your preferences:

a. The traditional PMI events

b. Podcasts for PMI events

c. Webinars

d. Live Tweeting of PMI events: Twitter Updates

e. Linked-In Updates

f. Eblast (Weekly email)

g. PMI-CWCC website

i. Other ________

6) How would you like to engage with your fellow PMI members?

a. In person

b. Linked in Forum

c. Discussion Forum on Website

e. Facebook

f. Networking Events

g. Facilitated Introductions by PMI

h. Other Comments/ideas ________

7) Besides maintaining your PD Credits, what other factors attract you to PMI-CWCC

membership? Click all that apply:

a. Expand your networks and contacts


b. Find a job

c. Hire a prospective employee

d. Explore educational opportunities

e. Others_______

8) What would cause you to discontinue your PMI- CWCC membership?

a. Lack of more events

b. Events or membership is too expensive

c. Lack of educational opportunities

d. Lack of financial support from the employer

e. Lack of topics of interest

f. Lack of value

g. Other ___________

9) How do you rate the value of your membership with PMI-CWCC?

a. Highly valuable Comments_______

b. Somewhat valuable Comments_______

c. Could be more valuable Comments_______

d. Not valuable Comments_______


Appendix G: Letter of Invitation for Focus Group

Dear PMI-CWCC member

Thank you for participating in the PMI-CWCC Member Engagement survey. The second part of the research is a follow upfocus group session which is estimated to last about 60 minutes. The focus group will take place on May 17, 2016 at 6-7pm. The location is: 555 Burrard Street, Vancouver at the Bentall Room. As a thank you for your participation, light refreshments will be served along with a $20.00 gift card for each participant. Once you are finished at the focus group, you are welcome to join other PMI – CWCC members at the Spring Networking event.

I would like to invite you to the focus group session, part of a research project that I am conducting as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for a Master of Arts in Leadership Degree at Royal Roads University to understand how Project Management Institute- Canadian West Coast Chapter (PMI-CWCC) member engagement can be enhanced. My credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by calling Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership, at (250) 391-2600 x4467or email [email protected]

This inquiry aims to understand member engagement in PMI-CWCC and how it can be further enhanced. PMI-CWCC is a membership based organization and the organization aims to invest in this study to improve its membership portfolio. Your name was chosen as a prospective participant because you are a current PMI-CWCC member and you reside in the Greater Vancouver region.

The attached document contains further information about the study conduct and will enable you to make a fully informed decision on whether or not you wish to participate. Please review this information before responding. Please be aware that you are not required to participate and, should you choose to participate, your participation would be entirely voluntary. If you do choose to participate, you are free to withdraw at anytime without prejudice. If you do not wish to participate, simply do not reply to this request. Your decision to not participate will also be maintained in confidence.

Please feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected] should you have additional questions regarding the project and its outcomes.

The focus group needs 4 participants and they will be selected on a first come first serve basis. If you would like to participate in my research project, please contact me at:Name: [your name here]Email: [your email address here]Telephone: [your telephone number here]Location: [your city of residence here]

Sincerely,Rableen NandaM.A. Candidate

mailto:[email protected]

tel:(250)%20391-2600%20x4467


Appendix H: Focus Group Additional Information Letter

Enhancing Member Engagement for the Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter Members

My name is Rableen Nanda and this research project is part of the requirement for a Master’s of Leadership at Royal Roads University. My credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by contacting Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership Studies: [email protected] or 250-391-2600 ext. 4467.

Purpose of the study and sponsoring organizationThe purpose of my research project is to understand various factors that impact member engagement for the PMI-CWCC. It will aim to gather PMI-CWCC’s members’ views and reflections on their engagement with the organization. Since PMI-CWCC is a member based organization, it is imperative that the members are included in understanding and enhancing of member engagement strategy.

Your participation and how information will be collectedThe phase of the research will consist of a focus group session. It will consist of open ended questions with the intent to discover common themes that impact member engagement. It should take about 60 minutes to participate in the focus group. The focus group conversation will be emailed to you after the focus group and it will take 30 minutes to review the transcribed focus group data.

Benefits and risks to participationThere are no perceived risks to participating in this research as your input is valuable and key to the success of the organization. You will also receive a $20.00 gift card for your participation along with some light refreshments during the focus group.

Inquiry teamThe inquiry team consists of three PMI-CWCC volunteers and I am the lead inquirer for this inquiry project. We will all be volunteering our time to conduct this inquiry to understand PMI-CWCC member engagement. The focus group will be facilitated by one of the inquiry team members who is also a volunteer with PMI-CWCC. Her name is Chelsea Balbosa and she will be conducting the focus group as I live in Alberta and the focus group is scheduled in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Real or Perceived Conflict of InterestThere are no real or perceived conflict of interest. I disclose this information here so that you can make a fully informed decision on whether or not to participate in this study.

Confidentiality, security of data, and retention periodI will work to protect your privacy throughout this study. All information I collect will be maintained in confidence with hard copies (e.g., consent forms) stored in a locked filing cabinet in my home office. All documentation will be kept strictly confidential. The audio files of the recorded data will be kept locked in a filing cabinet at my home. Electronic data (such as


transcripts or audio files) will be stored on a password protected computer on my home computer. Information will be audio recorded and transcribed, and presented in an anonymous format in the body of the final report. At no time will any specific comments be attributed to any individual unless specific agreement has been obtained beforehand. The focus group data will be destroyed after one year of conducting the inquiry. If participants have withdrawn through the course of the study, their information will also be destroyed after one year of conducting the inquiry. Due to the nature of the focus group method, it is not possible to keep identities of the participants anonymous from the researcher, facilitator, or other participants. The facilitator will urge the participants to respect the confidential nature of the research by not sharing names or identifying comments outside of the group.

Sharing resultsIn addition to submitting my final report to Royal Roads University in partial fulfillment for a Masters of Arts degree, I will also be sharing my research findings with my organizational sponsor. I will be preparing a final report encompassing the recommendations and I will present this final report to the PMI-CWCC board. The research participants will be able to access the results as they will be posted on the PMI webpage.

Procedure for withdrawing from the studyYou are free to withdraw from the study at any time. If you wish to do so, please contact Rableen Nanda at [email protected]. For a group method, such as focus group, it might not be possible to identify individuals’ comments in order to remove them. Every step will be taken to remove identification information from the focus group participants.

You are not required to participate in this research project. By responding to this email invitation, you indicate that you have read and understand the information above and give your free and informed consent to participate in this project.

Please keep a copy of this information letter for your records.



Appendix I: Informed Consent for Focus Group

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for a Master of Arts in Leadership Degree at Royal Roads University, Rableen Nanda will be conducting an inquiry research study at Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter to understand how PMI-CWCC member engagement can be enhanced. The Student’s credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by calling Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership, at (250) 391-2600 x4467 or email [email protected]

By signing this form, you agree that you are over the age of 19 and have read the information letter for this study. Your signature states that you are giving your voluntary and informed consent to participate in this project.

I consent to the audio recording of the focus group session

I commit to respect the confidential nature of the focus group by not sharing

identifying information about the other participants

Name: (Please Print): __________________________________________________

Signed: _____________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________________________________________________



Appendix J: Focus Group Questions

1. What does an ideal PMI-CWCC event look like to you? The components of a successful PMI-CWCC event?

2. What topics would you like PMI-CWCC to cover at future PMI-CWCC events? (job, networking, mentor, educational)

3. How would you like to stay engaged with PMI-CWCC? (In person events, webinars, podcasts, educational events etc)

4. How would you like to network and meet other PMI-CWCC members? (In person, online forum, website etc)

5. What are the factors that you would like to:a. Keep the same about PMI-WCC?b. Improve about PMI-CWCC?

6. What does an optimal PMI-CWCC membership look like to you?a. What benefits they have reaped from your membership with PMI-CWCC?b. Why would you renew your membership with PMI-CWCC?c. Why would you cancel your PMI-CWCC membership?


Appendix K: Inquiry Team Member Letter of Agreement

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for a Master of Arts in Leadership Degree at Royal Roads University, Rableen Nanda will be conducting an inquiry at Project Management Institute – Canadian West Coast Chapter to understand how PMI-CWCC member engagement can be enhanced. The Student’s credentials with Royal Roads University can be established by calling Dr. Brigitte Harris, Director, School of Leadership, at (250) 391-2600 x4467 or email [email protected]

Inquiry Team Member Role DescriptionAs a volunteer Inquiry Team Member assisting the Student with this project, your role

may include one or more of the following: providing advice on the relevance and wording of questions and letters of invitation, supporting the logistics of the data-gathering methods, including observing, assisting, or facilitating a focus group, taking notes or reviewing analysis of data, to assist the Student and the PMI- CWCC change process. In the course of this activity, you may be privy to confidential inquiry data.

Confidentiality of Inquiry DataIn compliance with the Royal Roads University Research Ethics Policy, under which this

inquiry project is being conducted, all personal identifiers and any other confidential information generated or accessed by the inquiry team advisor will only be used in the performance of the functions of this project, and must not be disclosed to anyone other than persons authorized to receive it, both during the inquiry period and beyond it. Recorded information in all formats is covered by this agreement. Personal identifiers include participant names, contact information, personally identifying turns of phrase or comments, and any other personally identifying information.

Personal information will be collected, recorded, corrected, accessed, altered, used, disclosed, retained, secured and destroyed as directed by the Student, under direction of the Royal Roads Academic Supervisor.

Inquiry Team Members who are uncertain whether any information they may wish to share about the project they are working on is personal or confidential will verify this with Rableen Nanda the Student.

Statement of Informed Consent:

I have read and understand this agreement.

________________________ _________________________ _____________

Name (Please Print) Signature Date

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