The purpose of this study was to examine factors associ ated by SFC management with the firm's productivity, in order to identify the causes of the observed deterioration in produc tivity, and to recommend to the firm's senior management actions which may be initiated to correct the problem. It was found that both professional skills levels and job satisfaction levels have positive effects on analytical, professional, and managerial productivity at SFC. It was also found that both professional skills levels and job satisfaction levels are positively affected by formal education, but that professional skills levels and job satisfaction levels are not affected by either formal task related training or relevant job experience at SFC. It was found further that, among analytical, profes sional, and managerial personnel as SFC, higher levels of pro fessional skills are associated with higher levels of job satisfaction. Lastly, it was found that, since 1988, levels of professional skills, job satisfaction, formal education, and formal task specific training had all deteriorated at SFC.
It was concluded that improvement in both professional skills and job satisfaction among analytical, professional, and managerial employees at SFC should be promoted, as each of these factors affects the productivity of such personnel. Although the perceptions of the research sample were that formal task specific training and relevant job experience did not contribute to higher levels of either professional skills or job satisfaction, it was thought by the researcher that conclusions to this end should not be derived from the study findings.
With respect to both actions by the senior management at SFC and to further research, it is recommended that further research in this area be conducted at SFC. Specifically, it is recommended that SFC establish procedures to develop time ser ies data relevant to the relationships between productivity and the...