University of Santo Tomas

The Graduate School

FINAL CAPSTONE PROJECT

Submitted by:

Mendoza, Lizamhel B.

Submitted to:

Dr. Junithesmer D. Rosales

EML 704 – Organizational Development and Governance

December 9, 2023

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1. You will choose a topic that is relevant to your experience, which will demonstrate your
knowledge and utilization of such to organizational development and governance.

The course Organizational Development and Governance aims to explore an

organization's basic concepts and theories and how organizations and individuals learn and
develop. As such, through our Modified Panel Discussion (MOPAD) sessions, we discovered
and learned about the different theories of organization governance, management, supervision,
and leadership. We started with learning about Organizational Thought and Theories and
Organizational Development and Training. These lectures were followed by discussions
about Leadership Behavior and Supervisory Effectiveness, Management Philosophy and
Supervisory Assumptions and Substantive Theory of Leadership. We also tackled the
topics about Supervision as Moral Action, Supervision and Educational Platform, and
Models of Supervisory Advocacy. There are several points that caught my interest during
each session because these principles relate to my line of work at the moment. These points
will be discussed below.

Among the theories and concepts examined under the Organizational Thought and
Theories, the idea that caught my attention is the Bureaucratic Management Theory. In a
general and broader sense, Max Weber, a German sociologist, posited the management theory
of "bureaucracy" in 1968; while traveling in the United States, he observed the capitalistic
practices of American organizations and how different it is from the German administration.
Weber defined bureaucracy as an "organizational structure that has rules and regulations,
standardized processes, procedures, and requirements; it also has a precise division of labor
and responsibility, a distinct hierarchal network that clearly emphasizes the flow of the chain of
command within an organization." The officials under the bureaucratic management are hired
because of their competencies and abilities rather than who they are affiliated with.
Professionalism through impersonal conduct is also one of its fundamental characteristics. At
that time, this concept was considered "innovative" in Europe because it ushered in the "de-
personalization of the administration as the royal household", thereby transforming the
traditional European "royal" leadership into public service or administration. Hence, because of
its rigid structure, Weber claimed that the bureaucracy management theory is the ideal
administrative structure for large organizations, such as the government of a nation.

Narrowing down to the local context, the Philippine government is a bureaucratic

organization that refers to the "political machinery of the state" (Rebullida & Serrano, 2006). The
history of bureaucracy in the Philippines can be traced back to the Spanish colonial period.
Before the Spanish colonization, the governance in the Philippines was comprised of small
barangays and sultanates ruled by a datu or sultan, and they were autonomous and
independent from each other (Agoncillo, 1990). When the Spaniards colonized the country, they
were the ones who first established a government that was "national" and "centralized." Verela
(1993) further stated that the persisting quality of the Philippine bureaucracy was firmly
established during this period. The pre-colonial native value system and the value system we
inherited from the Spaniards laid down the values, beliefs, and norms that remained apparent
until the 21st century.

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The colonization of the Americans brought the Weber model of bureaucracy
management theory to the Philippines as a paradigm to transform the Philippine government to
imitate the American institutions in the United States. However, as discussed previously, non-
Western developing countries have a different socio-political cultural background than their
Western counterparts. Thus, when the Americans tried to emulate the Weber model in the
Philippines, the Western ideals amalgamated with the diverse cultural patterns that produced a
bureaucratic model quite different from the Western idea of bureaucracy (Puehringer & Oetsch,
2017). Reyes (1994) stated that the Philippine bureaucracy is highly personalistic, based on
familialism and kinship ties, and particularism that shaped our government institutions'
bureaucratic and administrative behavior. Rebullida and Serrano (2006) added that the
Philippine bureaucracy is "highly politicized" and "subservient".

I have been working as a public servant for four years now, and I am currently holding a
plantilla position in the City Population Office of the local government of the City of San Jose del
Monte, Bulacan. My position is Development Management Officer I (DMOI), which is a plantilla
position in the Gender and Development Division that is attached to the City Population Office.
The Gender and Development Division was established, as per the Magna Carta of Women, as
a coordinative, regulatory, and monitoring body of the Local Government of City San Jose del
Monte, Bulacan, to focus on gender-sensitive projects and activities. As DMOI, I am responsible
for coordinating within the organization in the preparation, assessment, and updating of the City
of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Gender and Development Plan to ensure its implementation at
all levels. It is also the DMOI's task to ensure that all the projects, programs, and activities
included in the Gender and Development Plan and Budget are properly utilized through
quarterly monitoring. We also conduct seminars and training to continuously raise awareness
about the current gender issues in our community.

In my short years of working in the public service, I have noticed this particular type of
Philippine bureaucracy discussed earlier in action. On the one hand, having a clear distinction of
hierarchal position within an organization is helpful when it comes to cascading information
down to the rank and files. For us, it is easier because we know who we will go to for
assistance. After all, there is someone who will always be higher than us, meaning someone
who possesses a higher position within the organization. Additionally, because there is a
division of labor within the organization, departments were created to handle specific
responsibilities. For example, in our LGU, we have thirty-eight departments that have their own
mandates to follow and execute. Hence, employees can focus on one specific task mandated to
their office without worrying about other factors.

On the other hand, the unfavorable characteristics of Philippine bureaucracy can also be
observed. Particularly nepotism, partisanship, and prioritization of loyalty and familial relations
over meritocracy and competencies when hiring and promoting employees. Being surrounded
by such practices sometimes will discourage me from working and giving my best. However, I
find encouragement by reminding myself that I am serving my community in my position. I am
empowered to conduct our programs and activities to provide social welfare services and raise
awareness about our department's mandates among our city's marginalized and indigent
communities.

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Going into the ideas presented under the topic of Organizational Development and
Training, Stewhart's PDCA Cycle caught my attention. The best OD process that can be applied
in my current profession is Walter A. Shewhart's PDCA Cycle, which he formulated during the
1920s, is the best OD process for my current job. The PDCA Cycle or the Plan-Do-Check-Act
Cycle is a methodology that emphasizes an organization's need to improve itself continuously.
The four stages of this cycle are the following:
• Planning: Leaders and stakeholders recognize an opportunity and plan a change in this
stage.
• Do: This is the stage wherein the OD practitioners execute the action plan through a pilot
study or the like.
• Check: Here, the OD practitioners assess and evaluate the results of their plans and
whether they realized the goals the organization is aiming for.
• Act: In this stage, the organization acts based on what they discovered during the Check
Stage. If their initial plan did not garner the desired results, they would go through the
cycle again with a different game plan until they came up with an effective and efficient
action plan.
To put this into perspective, in the context of our LGU, our department has an ongoing
program in which our goal is to produce IDs for the marginalized bona fide residents of our city.
The purpose of this is to make our social services for this sector more accessible and to ensure
that we are reaching our target beneficiaries. This program is called the Localized Household
Profiling System.
PLANNING We began to develop this program through a series of meetings
with other departments concerned. Necessary materials were
identified and produced during this stage and tested for
effectiveness.
DO We conducted a pilot run in smaller barangays to give us more
control over different variables.
CHECK After the pilot run, we evaluated the performance and results to
assess the areas in which we need to improve.
ACT We implemented the changes made during the previous stage.
We go through the cycle again as we encounter different
challenges and issues while conducting our program in the field.
It is a valuable tool that allows our department to become more
flexible and adaptable.

The last concept I found relatable was Douglas McGregor's (1960) Assumptions of
Theory X and Theory Y during our lecture about Leadership Behavior and Supervisory
Effectiveness, Management Philosophy, and Supervisory Assumptions. Theory X assumes that
employees inherently dislike work and will avoid it as much as possible. They dislike
responsibilities, resist change, and have little to no ambition. Hence, the management style
required to handle this type of worker is 'authoritarian,' meaning firm supervision and paying
close attention to the employees. Theory Y postulates that employees see their jobs as relaxing
and everyday routines. They have self-direction and self-control when setting goals, seek job
satisfaction, are responsible, loyal, and committed to the organization, and have the skills and
capabilities. As such, the management style appropriate for employees under this assumption is

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developing a work environment that fosters creativity and allows workers to take initiative and
self-direction.

If I were to evaluate myself, I would be a type of employee under Theory Y. I enjoy being
a public servant because I have a chance to meet different kinds of people from different
sectors in our community. These people are from different walks of life, and there is so much to
learn when interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. For example, recently, I was
assigned to give a seminar about Adolescent Health and Development to our young learners in
public schools. I was nervous and excited at the opportunity given to me by our department
head to hone my skills as a resource speaker on the topic further. I was also excited to interact
with the students because I knew I could impart helpful knowledge and wisdom to help them
navigate their adolescent years. I am grateful and proud that our department head thought I
could be given such a responsibility. My efforts and skills were recognized.

However, at the same time, I am also an employee who is easily affected by my work
environment. Sometimes, conflict within our department/organization affects me, making me
unproductive and unwilling to work. In worst-case scenarios, it gives me anxiety that makes it
difficult to focus. Such circumstances occur during tense situations where emotions are high,
and it strains the way we communicate with each other. Misunderstanding is a common
occurrence during these times. We resolve such conflicts by re-establishing and maintaining an
open and honest communication line among ourselves, no matter how difficult or awkward it is.
A good relationship with your colleagues is also essential to becoming a productive employee.

Overall, working as a public servant is very fulfilling because you have the power to help
your community access various government services that can help augment their social and
financial needs. Conflict and struggles are a normal part of being an employee, may it be in the
private or public sector, but what is important is how you deal with or cope with those
challenges. Although the Organizational Development and Governance course is contextualized
in the education sector, the theories and ideas discussed during the sessions are relevant to my
work experience and personal development. This course helped me develop a better and
deeper understanding of different types of leadership, management, and supervision theories.
The knowledge I gained from this course will give me a comprehensive and critical
understanding of why an organization functions the way it does.

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2. Applying theories and/or concepts learned in the course choose a school that is perceived to
be successful by both educators and community (data or news should support the term
"successful"). How is this school's success interwoven with effective leadership, communication,
instruction, and other factors that researchers in the field found to be present in successful
schools and write a brief report on how these variables relate to effective school management
and governance.

The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, founded in April 1611, is one of the
world's largest Catholic universities and the oldest existing university in Asia. Currently, UST is
offering over 180 undergraduate and graduate specializations, 26 programs were awarded by
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Centers of Excellence and Centers of
Development. A total of 13 programs were recognized as Centers of Excellence, these are:
Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Medical
Technology, Medicine, Music, Nursing, Pharmacy, Philosophy, Psychology, Teacher Education,
and Tourism / Travel Management. Thirteen programs were also recognized as Centers of
Development, these are: Civil Engineering, Communication, Computer Science, Electrical
Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Systems, Information
Technology, Journalism, Library and Information Science, Literature, Mechanical Engineering,
and Physical Therapy. UST also has the highest number of Philippine Association of Colleges
and Universities' Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA)-accredited programs in the country
with 59 programs in their record.

Furthermore, UST graduates consistently dominate the top ten in courses with board
exams (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Engineering,
Architecture, Accountancy, Education, etc.) every year. UST recorded 59.47% passing rate in
the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) board exam, fourth highest passing rate in the Licensure
Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) board exam for Secondary Education, fifth top
performing school in Medical Technologist Licensure exams, second in Licensure Examinations
for Psychologists, and third in the Licensure Examination for Architects (LEA). Lastly, the UST's
Faculty of Civil Law produced the topnotcher for the 2023 Bar Exam. A total of four Thomasians
received the highest ratings in the 2023 Bar Exam, two of which were from UST – Legazpi.

The university's most recent achievement, however, is securing a spot in the Times
Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings – Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World
University Rankings for 2024, placing fourth best among the Philippine schools. The university
was able to secure a spot in the 1501+ bracket. The QS World University Rankings
methodology to assess and evaluate universities around the worlds is comprised of the
following indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citation per
faculty, internationalization, employment outcomes, and sustainability. According to the THE
report on UST rankings in their website, UST was ranked 293rd in employer reputation, 401st in
internationalization, 601+ in academic reputation, 697th in employment outcomes. Additionally,
UST also achieved a 701+ rank in citations per faculty, faculty student ratio,
internationalization (international research network and international students), and
sustainability.

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These remarkable achievements received by the University of Santo Tomas can be
attributed to the fact that the university's stakeholders provide their faculty and students
resources to become achievers in their respective fields. The university abides by its core
Thomasian values, Competence, Commitment, and Compassion (the 3 C's) and its vision to
deliver quality academic, research, and community development. It is also observed that the
university makes use of Supervisory Advocacy in their management. Supervisory
Advocacy is the process of taking action to promote the interests of the supervisees and to
ensure that they have the resources and support they need to succeed. Take for example,
the state of UST's Research development.

UST is one of the leading private research universities in the Philippines and it was
evident with their QS ranking in this factor. This success was made possible by the
University Research Strategies under the 9 Project Rs (https://www.ust.edu.ph/research/).
These strategies are the following:

1. R-Dispulo (Research Discipleship and Mentoring)

- Incorporation of entrepreneurship and intellectual property topics/courses
in the undergraduate curriculum
- Engagement by faculty researchers of research assistants among their
graduate students
- Brown bag sessions at the research centers
- Creation of Research Interest Groups (RIGs) consisting of senior and
newer faculty researchers
2. R-Kaya (Research Capacity-Building)
- Invitation of Experts as Resource Speakers in conferences sponsored/co-
sponsored with external organizations
- Seminar-workshops/trainings in writing research proposals that comply
with funding agency standards
- Application for research loads through full-blown proposals
3. R-Hayag (Research Dissemination, Publication, and Utilization)
- Financial and logistical support for research paper/poster presentations
- Availability and accessibility of research-related information in different
media platforms
- Financial support for publication fees in reputable journals
- Conduct of annual Research Fortnight to showcase research outputs
- Seminars on innovation, tech-transfer, and commercialization of research
output
4. R-Halaga (Research Incentives)
- Biennial Research Recognition
- Financial and logistical support for research paper/poster presentations
5. R-Pondo (Research Grant Acquisition)
- Inviting potential funding agencies to University activities
- Alignment of research topics with national and global thrusts per discipline

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- Seminar-workshop/trainings in writing research proposals compliant with
funding agency standards
- Application for research loads through full-blown proposals
6. R-Ugnayan (Research Engagement)
- Signing of Memoranda of Agreement with international and national
partner agencies for research
- Financial and logistical support for research paper/poster presentations in
conferences
7. R-Integridad (Research Integrity)
- Accreditation of Ethics Committees in academic units
- Annual training on research ethics
- Institutionalization of Animal Care and Use Committee; Bio-Safety
Committee
- Use of anti-plagiarism software for reviewing manuscripts
8. R-Galing (Research Excellence Framework)
- Biennial Research Recognition
- Annual International Publication Award
- Dangal ng UST – San Lorenzo Award for national recognitions obtained
- Invitation of experts as resource speakers in conferences
9. R-Pag-Ayos (Research Management)
- Availability and accessibility of research information on different media
platforms
- Digitization of research data/database
- Use of standard form

To quote Asst. Prof. Nestor Ong, head of the UST Office of the QS/THE Rankings,
"Retaining and improving our performance in the THE World University Rankings require
further strategies and programs that focus on strengthening the research competency of
faculty members and supporting research publications in Scopus-indexed journals." It is
evident that these strategies developed by UST stakeholders provide a strong foundation
for their faculty members, and even students, to pursue research.

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References:

Agoncillo, T. A. (1990). History of the Filipino people. Quezon City: Garotech Publishing

Category: Licensure / Board / Bar Exam Performance. University of Santo Tomas.

https://www.ust.edu.ph/category/academics/licensure-board-bar-exam-performance/

Ötsch, W. O., & Pühringer, S. (2017). Right-wing populism and market-fundamentalism: Two
mutually reinforcing threats to democracy in the 21st century. Journal of Language and
Politics, 16(4), 497-509.

Rebullida, M. G., & Serrano, C. (2006). Bureaucracy and Public Management in Democracy,
Development, and Governance in the Philippines. Philippine Politics and Governance:
An Introduction, op. cit, 217-48.

Research. University of Santo Tomas. https://www.ust.edu.ph/research/

Roxas, Y. & Sabado, P.R. (2023, June 28). UST still PH’s 4th best university in 2024 QS World
University Rankings. The Flame. https://abtheflame.net/news/2023/06/ust-still-phs-4th
best-university-in-2024-qs-world-university-rankings/

Reyes, D. R. (1994). Reinventing Government and Bureaucracy in the Philippines: Old Themes
and a New Image?

UST breaks into 2024 THE World University Rankings. (2023, September 8). The Varsitarian.
https://varsitarian.net/news/20230928/ust-breaks-into-2024-the-world-university-ranking

UST enters Times Higher Education World Rankings at 1501+ bracket, is country’s #4. (2023,
September 28). University of Santo Tomas. https://www.ust.edu.ph/ust-enters-times
higher-education-world-rankings-at-1501-bracket-ties-for-3rd-highest-ph-univ/

Varela, A. (2003). The culture perspective in organization theory: relevance to Philippine public
administration. Introduction to public administration in the Philippines: a reader. Quezon
City: University of the Philippines, 438-472.

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