Issues

Issues

 

The process that you are likely to go through is explained in more detail in subsequent sections and it entails a planned approach to your work.

 

3.1  Choosing your issue

 

Your selection of topic is up to you but you should choose an area of research which:

 

·      is relevant to international business activity

 

·      interests you. You will need to sustain your interest in your chosen area throughout the whole semester. It might be useful to think of an issue which relates to you, your favorite subjects of study, your family, friends, interests, hobbies, the area / country in which you live or your career and placement intentions.

 

·      offers the opportunity for discussion and debate. An approach which is descriptive and/ or one-sided is insufficient. For example, the title: ‘The Impact of Globalisation’ is likely to be generalist and highly descriptive and should be avoided at all costs. However, a title such as: ‘The introduction of the Euro has helped stabalise the Greek economy’ demands discussion and argument.

 

·      permits academic research. Your arguments must be supported by extensive reference to secondary sources of data. Ensuring that sufficient material exists is not only a vital pre-requisite to choosing your topic but will also contribute to the successful completion of your piece of work. You will therefore need to access all relevant journal and newspaper indexes, abstracts etc. (see Section 4: Researching your topic)

 

·      is both highly focused and specific. The more narrowly focused your research work the better. You may wish to choose an issue in relation to a specific company, area, market segment, product, etc. Remember, depth of research is very important in a highly focused piece of research work.

 

 

 

 

You may not choose a topic which:

 

·      is identical to someone else’s but bear in mind there are many angles which can be taken within similar subject areas which will require an entirely different approach.

 

·      is identical to a past student project. Careful records have been taken of past student undergraduate projects. If you choose a similar title, your paper will be scrutinised microscopically for evidence of plagiarism (see section 6.1 on plagiarism).

 

 

During the first few weeks of the unit, tutors will be available in seminars to discuss with you some of the many areas which could form the basis of your work. However, you should develop your own ideas and arguments. You are also expected to work individually. Although you are encouraged to share relevant research material with your fellow students, this is an individual piece of work and penalties will apply where there is evidence of collaboration or plagiarism.

 

 

3.2  Defining and refining your issue

As your issue (or hypothesis, as it is sometimes called) is the starting point for your investigatory process, the care which you take in choosing it is of paramount importance.

You are much more likely to choose the right issue if you think about it carefully and plan out the potential key aspects of the issue in a structured way both before and during your library visits.

 

Brainstorm your idea. Put the issue in the centre of a piece of paper and from that write down everything that you feel is relevant to or somehow connected with the issue. You may be surprised at the number of side issues there are in relation to your topic and this may be an indication that your choice of issue is too wide. Perhaps choosing just one of these side issues would give you a more focused title for your paper. You may also find that, having thought about your issue, the important aspects of it move outside of a definition of international and therefore your library search will reflect this. For example, you may need to make reference to European, global, management, cross border or business journals or magazines and relate the concepts within these to your specific international issue. This is why it is useful to think before you act.

 

Undoubtedly, once you have commenced initial research, you will define and refine your issue as you progress and this is quite normal in the early stages of the investigatory process. Indeed, it ensures that you end up with a clear focus for your investigation. For example, you may find as you learn more about your topic that you have missed the real problem or central debate. Therefore, redefining your issue will clarify and strengthen your arguments.

 

NB: The fact that you are likely to adjust your focus once research has begun means that you must start the research process straight away to give yourself time to redefine your issue if necessary.

 

3.3 Concepts and evidence

It may help when planning your paper to think about, firstly, any general concepts which may help to support your issue and give it academic credibility. Secondly you will need to think about where you will find evidence about your specific topic.

 

Concepts

A concept can be defined as a 'general notion' or a broadly accepted way of looking at things. Concepts imply a field of knowledge or understanding which has built up over the years. This field of knowledge can either be used to support argument or it can be challenged in the light of new evidence. Concepts are useful because they help to frame an issue in context; their inclusion gives a piece of research work credibility. They also provide a benchmark or basis of comparison against which you can try to prove or disprove your own hypothesis.

 

However, concepts are notoriously difficult to define. They are often referred to as 'models' acquired from academic books and journals; for example, Porters widely quoted model of industry competitiveness is one version of a ‘concept’. However, concepts can be acquired from a wide range of sources. They do not have to be diagrammatic and can be formed from the collation of past industry experience and opinion, experiences in different countries, or different industries. For example, managers responsible for the European operations of an International Organisation may learn valuable lessons from the expertise (concepts) developed in Home Country operations. This includes the utilisation and adaptation of concepts in relation to organization structure, the way individuals are recruited  and motivated with the organisation, and the importance of regional culture.

 

The main purpose of education or training - and a unit such as this one - is to improve the array of concepts you can call upon to help solve problems, not just in your memory, but also in your knowledge of the sources you can turn to.

 

 

 

Evidence

Evidence is factual information relating to your issue. While concepts are generalities which may illuminate a particular issue and set it in context, the evidence is detail about the particular situation surrounding the issue itself. The evidence must be 'best evidence'. For example, hearsay will be dangerous grounds on which to make judgements. The collection of up-to-date evidence may involve writing to organisations and it will certainly involve the collection of relevant newspaper and trade paper articles, journals, books and the internet for current facts. It goes without saying that all sources of information which are utilised should be fully referenced; to pass off other people’s ideas (concepts), theories and factual information as your own is intellectual theft, i.e. plagiarism (please see sections 6 on referencing and 6.1 on plagiarism).

 

3.4 Evaluation and analysis

Evaluation is the weighing up of the evidence or specific factual information in the light of the concepts, and vice versa, to assess the value of each. A new situation may lead you to challenge established concepts and propose new ones, or your facts may be supported by a weight of past conceptual evidence.  Whatever the situation, a good analytical approach will always be a questioning approach.  Do not satisfy yourself with the status quo as described to you in a journal or newspaper article and repeat it as law; look for the other point of view. Always question the extent to which the information you are reading is valid in all situations. For example, the writer might be biased depending upon their own standpoint or commercial interests. Also, make sure the information is applicable to your issue; if it is only partly applicable to your argument and has certain shortcomings, make sure this is pointed out.

 

The evaluation of your hypothesis will form the bulk of your marks in any academic piece of work. Spouting facts verbatim and pure description which does not draw any implications is of little use to anyone. Also, outlining concepts without drawing them into your own issue or making them relevant is equally useless.

 

3.5 Conclusions

Conclusions are the expression of opinion about the issue, based upon the evaluation of the concepts and evidence presented. The first step in the conclusion is to express an informed opinion about what the overall situation is in relation to the issue. This must be strictly limited to the implications already drawn. No new evidence can be introduced at this stage.

 

A second step is to express opinion about what could happen if the present overall situation were to continue. A third step is to consider what possible courses of action could be taken to resolve the problem or opportunity.

 

In brief:

 

1. What the overall situation is.

2. What could happen as a result.

3. What could be done about it (exploration of possible courses of action).

 

3.6  Your paper

The aim of your investigation is to examine a particular issue in detail in order to further understanding. Once you have done this, don’t forget that it is your paper which will have to convince others of your investigation’s thoroughness and expertise. More details are given in the section ‘writing up’ below.

 

Above is a broad outline of the process which all research follows. The next sections are designed to help you with specific aspects of completing your paper

How Does CSR Impact Sustainable Business Operation in Nigeria? Case Study: UBA Bank

 

How Does CSR Impact Sustainable Business Operation in Nigeria? Case Study: UBA Bank

Introduction

Every organization in both developed and developing countries are committed to provide adequate solution in the society according to what is really needed. The commitment of a firm in the community and to the entire nation is called the corporate social responsibility or CSR wherein most of the organizations based their business actions and strategies. The responsibility of the organization towards the society should be synchronized with the organizations functions and nature of operation for its easy and continuous practice.    

Background and Problem Statement

In the aim of the firms to gather the advantages towards the competitiveness, the responsibility should be firstly placed on their corporate objectives. Strategies are generated according to the assessment and need of the organization to improve their performances. The flexibility or the ability of the organization to answer the circumstances presented by the economic uncertainties can be comprised by their corporate strategies. But the promotion of the values and key initiatives in terms of the application of CSR has a great contribution in developing the competitive market and business operation.   

Research Aim and Objectives

The main aim of the study is to recognize the impact of CSR towards the sustainable business operation particularly in banking sector and its operation in Nigeria. In order to give the details regarding the said topic, there are three objectives centralizing the idea of CSR and its impact. First is to define the CSR and the benefits that it can bring to the market, society, and business sector. Second, is to describe the use of the CSR in terms of its application on business’s strategies. And third is to deliver the essential idea regarding the various corporate actions in sustaining the business operation.  

Literature Review

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is recognized as an essential element of present and future social policies.  CSR is considered as a strategy that aims to develop the multinational economic and financial groups that is needed in global market economy or firms that going through serious of internal crisis. For over the years, the CSR is adopted by various organizations as an replacement for many socially and ethically irresponsible practices and can aid to avoid or lessen the possibilities of bankruptcies, fraudulent actions, and to emphasize the importance of the professional codes and basic working values. The CSR accommodates a wide variety of achievements and initiatives that covers the moral and ethical concerns such as the code of conduct and good governance and it aims to deliver the positive impact on society through a socially responsible conduct. Most of the high lightened program that includes in the integration of the organization with the CSR is to provide social and environmental concerns through establishing a strong relationship with stakeholders (Fonteneau, 2003). Organizations increase their contribution to society and to sustainable development by using the CSR in covering the immediate operations and legal obligations, such as safety in the workplace, employment policies and environmental protection (Noon, 2008). A business can recognize the role of the CSR in pushing initiatives that might contribute to the development of the communities in which the business operates (Perigot, 2003). A good and sound decision by the corporate leaders can be also incorporated through the CSR because it promotes the business ethics that draw interest in business society (Sims, 2003). With the ability of the organizations to face the issues and problems pose by the economic uncertainties and other financial crunches, the essence of CSR may reflect in the organization’s core values and overall principles (Fry, 2005). The idea of CSR is not necessary to give the businesses their own set of strategies but to help the leaders remember that the society receives the various influences or impacts coming from their operation. The heart of CSR lies in the idea of being responsible towards the improvement and effectiveness of both firm and the society.

Methodology

The suggested method in the study is the use of the secondary data obtained from the UBA Bank which is the center of the study. Secondary information is possible by gathering the previous survey and interview conducted in the bank, business plan overview, CSR report, and other essential report and information which deliver the same account for CSR and their commitment for both society and organization. The investigation of the study centers in the information provided by the organization and its affiliations such as the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and/or ADB (Asian Development Bank). With the use of this practice, the concentration and effectiveness of CSR can be identified. 

 

 

References:

Fonteneau, G., (2003) “Corporate Social Responsibility: Envisioning its Social Implications. The Jus Semper Global Alliance”, Living Wages North and South, Accessed 15 June 2010, from http://www.jussemper.org/Resources/CSRsocialimplications.pdf

Fry. L., (2005) “Toward A Theory of Ethical and Spiritual Well-Being, and Corporate Social Responsibility through Spiritual Leadership”, IA249-Giacalone Book, Accessed 15 June 2010, from http://www.tarleton.edu/~fry/SLTEthics.pdf.

Noon, P., (2008) “Corporate Social Responsibility”, Negotiator’s Guide, Accessed 15 June 2010, from http://www.world-psi.org/TemplateEn.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=23044

Perigot, F., (Pres.) (2003) “An International Organization of Employers Approach: Adopted by the Management Board”, Accessed 15 June 2010, from http://www.ioe-emp.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents_pdf/papers/position_papers/english/pos_2003march_csr.pdf

Sims, R., (2003). “Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Why Giants Fall”, Westport, Praeger, p. 4-6

 

 

Factors Affecting Staffing in Public Organizations: A Focus on Recruitment and Selection

Factors Affecting Staffing in Public Organizations: A Focus on Recruitment and Selection

Introduction

Both private and public organizations have the general objective in terms of serving the people. This can be satisfied by identifying the general practices organizations use to recruit and select employees. By summing all of the areas involved in recruiting and selection processes, the organizations can identify which recruitment and selection practices are most effective. And in the end, determine how the practices affect organizational outcomes especially in the public organizations like the government on Tanzania.

Tanzania

The public organizations are creating an effective wherein they can answer the need of the people in terms of public services. Filling the position in the public service can be processed through the internal sources. The main basis of choosing the appropriate people for the position can be through the experiences of senior officers in the public service. However, it is identified that the said experiences are very low which makes it to be difficult to fill the high positions. Therefore, the very first aim of the public organizations is to get the competent and experienced people who can fill the public service. Tanzanian government and other public institutions groomed and trained its work force so that they are equipped with enough skills and experiences. Although this might involve the use of a lot of money in capacity building still, in the ends the threat is based in the increasing trend of the public servants decide to exit the public service for green pastures.

In order to satisfy the needs and reduce the problems that may take an effect in the public service institutions, there are several strategies that the government that can address the challenges. With the help of established recruitment and selections, the appointment and associated roles and functions can be effectively facilitated and promote the appropriate public services.  With the recruitment and selection and polished roles of the officers, the government costs can be reduces and the positions available can be filled up. It is expected that the people can promote and perform the ideal core functions in public services that will create the morale, motivation and career development as public servants. 

Recruitment and Selection Process

Based on the focus of the private organization is picking the appropriate people for their organization, the strategies are made which help the managers to make a sound decision. Recruitment is the process of identifying and attracting a group of potential candidates from within and outside the organization to evaluate for employment. Once these candidates are identified, the process of selecting appropriate employees for employment can begin. This means collecting, measuring, and evaluating information about candidates’ qualifications for specified positions. Organizations use these practices to increase the likelihood of hiring individuals who have the right skills and abilities to be successful in the target job. If the public organizations adopted the strategies that are implemented in the private organizations, then the Tanzanian government can find the people who are ideal to promote the public services.

In recruiting, the organizations recognized the growth and impact of the Internet which is described to be the most popular yet effective form of recruiting. The Internet allows organizations to reach large numbers of candidates easily and efficiently and with this factor, the public organizations can produce the web-based approach for job openings and recruiting processes. Another strategy is relying in the internal resources in recruiting the candidates. This means that there is internal job postings and employee referrals. This is easy which can be very effective and excellent method of offering promotion opportunities to all employees and minimizing employee complaints of unfair treatment and unlawful discrimination.

In selecting process, the public organizations can use the collected information regarding the candidate and interviewing the other people who know the ability of the candidate as well as the past employers. Another is the behavior-based interviews that are widely referred as part of the selection systems. And lastly, is the applicant testing and assessment which is based on testing the knowledge and skills regarding the future work and responsibilities. Commonly, the applicants are getting the overview of the work that can be part of their functions are public servants.

Conclusion

With the help of the strategies involved in recruiting and selecting of personnel, the Public Service and organizations in Tanzania can enhance the services they offer. Moreover, there is also an increase trend in attracting and retaining the qualified and competent public servants.

 

References:

Bernthal, P.R., (2002) Recruitment and Selection, (DDI) Development Dimensions International [Online] Available at: http://www.ddiworld.com/pdf/ddi_recruitmentandselection_es.pdf [Accessed 15 September 2010].

Shangali, T.W., (2009) Recruitment and Selection in the Public Service: The Case of Tanzania, Conference of Governance Excellence: Managing Human Potential [Online] Available at: http://www.capam.org/_documents/shangali.thecla.pdf [Accessed 15 September 2010].

 

Leadership in Nursing

Leadership in Nursing

 

Introduction

Nursing based leadership anticipates a process which is not easily gain and recognize as certain leadership strategies does not work out well with the style of leadership, there can be presumptions that strategic based leadership works well with transformative evidence on the part of the individual, attesting cues and tenets ideal for leadership to take a mile and shape useful standards and norms of knowing truth and reality of situation based reality.  Leadership in nursing is at stake within process of bringing leadership styles at the front line will produce creativity and meaning to nursing goals, specific strategies that I am applying in my area of practice. The characteristics of leadership in nursing cater to transformative leadership for the purpose of strengthening leadership traits to several people and colleagues within the group. Transformational leadership characteristics, as exercise within nursing care profession is of imperative stature as knowledge continuum matter the most in order to arrive at effective leadership, the strategy of strengthening knowledge toward nursing leadership and structures known about. There can be determination of transformational leadership styles and compared the latter to situation based leadership, from within individual and group task conditions to determine different impacts on individualists and collectivists performing such brainstorming job functions and there require fundamental change when collaborating alone or with other people.

 

Body

Accordingly, ‘leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite obstacles, seen as set of processes that creates organizations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances’ (Kotter, 1996). Furthermore, noted that leadership spans from areas such as interpersonal relationships to corporate strategy. Individuals who aspire to possess high leadership qualities need to be equipped with the following competencies. Nursing based leadership has been shown to reflect complete range of leadership styles in my practice area, leadership styles are effective as there rated by subordinates as effective care leaders and have been consistently linked with greater organizational performance and success (Lowe et al., 1996). In addition, nurse leaders engaging in transformational behaviors have been shown to produce variety of positive outcomes in organizational settings. Transformational leadership has consistently been linked to high levels of effort (Seltzer and Bass, 1990), performance (Howell and Avolio, 1993; Yammarino and Bass, 1990), and satisfaction with the leader (Bycio et al., 1995; Podsakoff et al., 1990; Seltzer and Bass, 1990). There were dynamic interaction between leadership and knowledge, of encouraging perceptions and attitudes of nurses for knowledge acquisition, leadership style dimension as predictive variables of knowledge management.  Amicably, it is important to set expectations for nursing collaboration and to specify goals and objectives demonstrated on such leadership strategy pertaining to assessment process and ways as there can be about relationship between transformative leadership style and individual performance in proper context of situational rooted system.  For such example, some linkage of nursing leadership behaviors, ideal perception of mentoring functions received as through career development and support, as the transformational behavior were positively related to mentoring functions received within reward behavior, to the effective functions of leadership and its ways. The transformational behavior and functions received was being related to job issues and concerns, there relate to nurses who are becoming interested in finding ways to develop effective leadership within the academic institution and such organization performance.

 

 

Conclusion

Nursing leadership assume care based learning experience by nurses, putting transformation on a level wherein it cannot be easily imitated, tested and broken upon which attributes are known within the desirable context, recognizing strategies that are of positive as well as negative nature.  Thus, transformation is something that gets its worth out of something else, while the value of situational leadership can go with the flow on transformation but not on the same degree, as there would have allowed transformative modeling for leadership tenets rather than just strategy composite construction that replicate outcomes using effective leadership measures.  Nursing leadership have underpinned by management strategies, there evaluate leadership characteristics in terms of consequences of nurse leader’s actions for followers and other organization stakeholders, but the choice of outcome variables has differed considerably from researcher to researcher. Therefore, it will be important to consider appropriate level of leadership analysis for strategic and for nursing based domain. Effective nursing leadership is needed in order to provide innovative insights about leadership styles as well as processes and will help to determine whether transformative process occur at various strategic sequence.

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

Bycio, P., Hackett, R.D. and Allen, J.S. (1995), “Further assessments of Bass’s (1985) conceptualization of transactional and transformational leadership”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 80, pp. 468-78

 

Howell, J.M. and Avolio, B.J. (1993), “Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, locus of control, and support for innovation: key predictors of consolidated-business-unit performance”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 78, pp. 891-902

 

Kotter, J.P. (1996). Leading Change. MA: Harvard Business School Press

 

Lowe, K.B., Kroeck, K.G. and Sivasubramaniam, N. (1996), “Effectiveness correlates of transformational and transactional leadership: a meta-analytic review of the MLQ literature”, Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 385-425

 

Podsakoff, P.M., MacKenzie, S.B., Moorman, R.H. and Fetter, R. (1990), “Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on follower’s trust in leader, satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors”, Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 1, pp. 107-42

 

Seltzer, J. and Bass, B.M. (1990), “Transformational leadership: beyond initiation and consideration”, Journal of Management, Vol. 16, pp. 693-703

 

Yammarino, R.J. and Bass, B.M. (1990), “Transformational leadership and multiple levels of analysis”, Human Relations, Vol. 43, pp. 975-95

 

 

A Critical Analysis: African-American racism and slavery- Frederick Douglas

Slavery in Frederick Douglas: A Critical Analysis

Race has always been America's crucible. Observant visitors from Alexis de Tocqueville to Gunnar Myrdal have published stern premonitions. According to Tocqueville, "[t]he most formidable of all the ills that threaten the future of the Union arises from the presence of a black population upon its territory” (Tocqueville, 1945).  

This essay tackles the views and philosophy of one of the most influential crusader of African-American racism and slavery- Frederick Douglas. I argue that Douglas’ views on racism and slavery are well-grounded and more realistic than that of other philosophers of his time. Furthermore, his views had helped in the liberation not only of African-Americans but also among Whites and other races. Douglas provided us with a classic and exemplary depiction of slavery. In this essay, I shall evaluate his arguments and provide a critical discourse on the highlights of his premises.

Slavery was a universal institution, it is not confined to the West; what is distinctively Western is the abolition of slavery. Many people have, of course, resisted being captured and sold as slaves, but no society, including all of Africa, has ever on its own account mounted principled opposition to human servitude. in all the literature condemning Western slavery, however, few scholars have asked why a practice sanctioned by virtually all people for thousands of years should be questioned, and eventually halted, by only one. Paradoxically, it is in America and nowhere else in the world where the legacy of slavery is a contemporary issue, the American Constitution is condemned as a document that compromised with slavery, and the Framers are routinely denounced for being racist hypocrites.

 

Throughout world history, slavery had few defenders for the simple reason that it had few critics. The institution was uncontroversial, and that which is established and taken for granted does not have to be justified. The American South was unique among slave societies in history in that it produced a comprehensive proslavery ideology. In part, this was because slavery was under assault to a degree unrivaled anywhere else in the world. This lack of attention on slavery implies that it is already taken as a given that racism and slavery exists as a norm in the society.

At the height of slavery and racism, a prominent scholar attacked the conception of slavery in the society particularly that of the Western conception of slavery against the Blacks. Though, not purely African, Douglas reiterated several points against slavery.

The first contention of Douglas is that slavery and racism is detrimental to human beings and society. The simplest defense for slavery was economic necessity: Someone has to do the dirty work, and better them than us. This position was based on an implicit premise that whites in the South were in a position to compel blacks to perform menial but necessary tasks. It is force, rather than right, that kept the system of slavery in place. However, Douglas reiterated that slavery is cruel as he have shown in his narrative and experiences as a young boy in living in a community of masters and slaves. Freedom from slavery rests on the basic tenet that individuals are masters of themselves and nobody else. Thus, it is not only morally wrong to enslave human beings, it also violates the sense of being. Moreover, in response to the economic argument, Douglas pursued to study when education was thought by Blacks as dangerous. By not allowing them to be educated, the human capital of the slaves are reduced to a minimum thus, development is one-sided. If this happens, progress cannot be attained.

To deconstruct the slave mentality, Douglas tried to disentangle himself from the Christian teachings whose mentality is that of the Whites. As seen in the various examples that were discussed in Frederick Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, the cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. Douglass ultimately realizes that the way to stop the oppressive nature of slavery is through education.

Thus, the analyses of Douglas is both old and contemporary. Until now, education is seen as the most prevalent means of deconstructing a society fraught with inequalities. Thus, Douglas, used his writings to educate the people on the effects of slavery. In The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas gives insight about the early stages of Douglas’ life, all the way up until the time that he wrote the Narrative in an effort to show the ignorance, callousness, and cruelty that the white slave-holders had towards their black slaves. Douglass's experiences may have been a bit more lenient in some respects because he was mixed and, therefore, treated with a little more compassion because his color was closer to the white hierarchical color structure. However, he still used his experiences and remembrances to create his Narrative and use it as a tool to help abolish slavery.

In the first section of the autobiography, Douglass notes instances of slave oppression that he experiences and witnesses in his life. Douglass writes,

he then said to her, "now you d---d b---h, I'll learn you how to disobey my orders!í and after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to lay on the heavy cow skin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rendering shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor. I was so terrified and horrorstricken at the sight, that I hid myself in the closet, and dared not venture out till long after the bloody transaction was over (Douglass 26).

This instance, among many others, Douglass uses to show the brutality and cruelty of the institution of slavery.

In an effort to further appeal to his readers, Douglass uses the American famed "heroic epic" quality in his work. Douglass displays this style when he tells a story about the physical abuse that he received his first time working as a field hand and how he overcame his torment. Douglass also subtlety includes the aspect of African folklore in his writing to uphold his heritage without blatantly stating his pride. Douglass observes the injustices and discrepancies that were prevalent during slavery. One of the most perplexing issues that Douglass tries to understand is how the whites could justify slavery and the brutality that was encompassed in this institution.

My Bondage and My Freedom is particularly rich with indications that Douglass's life had schooled him in the complex relationship between outward "performance" and inner nature (Anderson, 1997). Douglass developed a taste for exposing the hypocrisy of the slaveholding culture as a form of inept theater. Silence can be an effective slave's tactic, too, as Douglass himself demonstrates in his refusal to sing hymns at Covey's behest. Douglass's acts of dissent are similarly violent and obedient, radical and conservative, sustained and dramatized in a text that reproduces old canons in new language.

Not surprisingly, what used to be called "the Negro Question" or "the Negro Problem" has continued to disturb, and at times dominate, the national consciousness. Frederick Douglass pointed out that the terminology was ungenerous, in that it might be understood to impute blame to the victim. Douglass argued that the problem of racial caste and its attendant ills should more truly be called "the Nation's Problem." Nonetheless, the original designation revealed something of substance. As Douglass himself put it: "The destiny of the nation has the Negro for its pivot, and turns upon the question as to what shall be done with him” (Douglas, 1975). Nearly every African American leader since has expressed a similar sentiment. The version by W. E. B. Du Bois not only reiterates his people's prominence--"Around us the history of the land has centered for thrice a hundred years"-but also helps to explain why it should be so--"out of the nation's heart we have called all that was best to throttle and subdue all that was worst” (Du Bois, 1986).

That is not to say that Americans have always met the challenge well. In every era, there have been concerted attempts to evade and deny, or at least to temporize. For both blacks and whites, the vision of complete escape has beckoned. Some of the organizations dedicated to an African exodus from the United States have been respectable, others not; but in all cases, they have disbelieved in the possibility of racial accord, if not in general, then at least in light of the U.S. specifics. its proponents, Frederick Douglass rightly denounced the project as pernicious. "No one idea has given rise to more oppression and persecution toward the colored people of this country," Douglass wrote, "than that which makes Africa, not America, their home” (Douglas, 1992).

There have been other thinkers who dreamt not of permanent separation but instead of thoroughgoing amalgamation--a physical solution to the race problem through the slow erosion of complexional distinctness. Frederick Douglass speculated about such a radically assimilationist future. Frederick Douglass saw the outcome a bit differently. He spoke not of absorption but of a blending that would lead to the emergence of a new third race, a mixed race--what he called a "composite American nationality." As Douglass knew from his own parentage (a fusion of African, European, and Native American), race is a transient quality.

Although slavery ended in the United States more than a century ago, its legacy continues to be disputed among scholars and to underlie contemporary debates about public policy. The reason for this is that slavery is considered the classic expression of American racism, and its effects are still viewed as central to the problems faced by blacks in the United States. Slavery seems to be the wound that never healed--the moral core of the oppression story so fundamental to black identity today. No wonder that bitterness generated by recollections of slavery has turned a generation of black scholars and activists against the nation's Founding--against identification with America itself.

Douglas had successfully raised the consciousness of the society in their Platonic views of the society- that it is not an obligation of the Africans to serve the Caucasians, that it is wrong to perpetuate a system that is both morally degrading and inhumane. These arguments while it had been concocted centuries ago still holds in contemporary society partly because of the classic premises and also because slavery has yet to be abolished. Today, slavery may have evolved into different forms but the oppression they have suffered years ago still lingers. Both however are accessories to slavery- while the Whites perpetuates that kind of system, Africa had passively accepted it.

 

References

Anderson, D. (1997) The textual reproductions of Frederick Douglass. CLIO, Vol. 27.

Douglass, F. (1992) "African Civilization Society" (1859), in African-American Social and Political Thought, 1850-1920, ed. Howard Brotz. New Brunswick: Transaction, 264.

Douglass, F. (1975) The Present and Future of the Colored Race in America," a speech delivered in the Church of the Puritans. New York, in May 1863, in The Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass, ed. Philip S. Foner (New York: International Publishers. 1975 ): III. 267.

Du Bois, WEB. (1986) "The Souls of Black Folk", in Writings. New York: Library of America, 545.

Tocqueville, Ad. (1945) Democracy in America (New York: Vintage Books: I, 370.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lifestyle Inventory

 

Part I: Issues and Events

The top three day-to-day issues (in leadership, management, organizational behavior) I now face in my actual or aspired job are gender discrimination in the workplace, lack of strong leadership skills on the part of the managers, and dominating colleagues.

Regarding the first issue, the working environment is run by a managing partner who is a micro manager and treats the women in the office as 2nd class citizens. The men are moving up to the corporate ladder while the women are not. There is gender discrimination in the workplace which favored the males. Females on the other hand are not given the equal opportunity to prove their worth. The reason why I am still working here despite the apparent gender discrimination is because of the bonus incentives.

            The lack of strong leadership skills on the part of the managers is very bad for the organization. This creates a domino effect and even the simplest things becomes difficult. To create a strong organization, it must start from the top and all the rest will follow. Without strong leadership skills, there would be poor organization and results of the work. Another thing is that this would not give motivation to the workers.

            With regards to dominating the colleagues, these are the people who think they know all or are in close ties with individuals holding higher positions. They exhibit power which they rightfully do not have. This creates tension in the workplace and affects my overall job performance as well as satisfaction.

 

Part II: Personal Thinking Styles

            Based on the results of the LSI styles profile, the style that is strongly descriptive to me is the Affiliative style. The particular score for this style is considered to be of high range. Other “primary” personal thinking styles to me as reflected in the data are: conventional, humanistic-encouraging, approval, dependent and achievement. Examples of professional behaviors or beliefs that illustrate these primary styles which I have shown are  being relaxed and at ease with people, my avoidance of conflict, and being considerate.

            The “backup” personal thinking styles as depicted in the results are self-actualizing, avoidance, perfectionist, competitive, oppositional, and power. These personality styles are not very descriptive to me and are shown to be also found in many other respondents. Examples of professional behaviors or beliefs that I have illustrated as my backup styles are being open about myself, avoiding decisions, and having the strong need to win.

            On general, the results of the personality style profile showed personality styles that are more constructive and passive/defensive. These pertain to satisfaction needs and people orientation. Areas in which I might identify examples of my behavior illustrating my primary and backup personal styles are in the planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling within the organization.

            Affiliation which means involving other people or groups is one of my limitations. Everything that is done seems to be with respect to other people. Affiliations have been deemed important to the point that oneself could not be given enough priority. To cite one good example of why this could reduce my effectiveness, being affiliated allows my judgment to be influenced by my liking to other people. Being affiliated would mean that in choosing a person to do a task, I would select someone I like or I don’t like depending on what the task is. And this would be very unfair.

 

Part III: Conclusion and Reflection

            My LSI results more or less described exactly how am I professionally behave. Compared to the other respondents, there are personality styles which I have discovered that are not normally used by the others. On the other hand, there are also personality styles which I share with the majority of the respondents.

            My LSI results make me more aware of myself.  This is helpful in a way that I can improve something to where I think I had been lacking of and continue to enhance what I already have in me. This could help me improve my professional behavior and myself in general.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT McDONALD'S

Human Resources Management at McDonald’s

Introduction

            McDonald’s is a company which has a colorful history and developed the culture associated with the Fast Food Chain today. In 1937, the McDonald’s brother Richard and Maurice opened the first McDonald’s restaurants in America; it was a freestanding business that offered until then an unthought-of concept. The main items they then sold were beef or pork burgers, fries and drinks. Their restaurant were set up differently to the restaurants of those times, with open kitchens the customers could see right through, and counters with many operational cash registers. Under a high degree of customer satisfactory contributed for business expansion, McDonald today has over than 30,000 restaurants over than 100 countries in the world and it has maintained the top position in the Fast Food Industry for the past 50 years.

 

McDonald’s has been pursuing a growth strategy for the last decade. McDonald’s foreign operations amount for more than half of the company’s revenue today and all have been marked by ’s (1995) basic vision of selling the maximum. However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the giant experienced problems owing to external environment changes. In 2002, the company experienced huge embarrassment with law suits, negative media coverage, and 15 percent drop in its stocks making it the third biggest loser in the Dow Jones Industrial average. This roller coaster ride has largely been attributed to the leadership of , who has instituted strategic changes and made the Company soar once again.

Among the blows that McDonalds took was the obese-causing and loser-employer issues. McDonalds has been hammered for providing people with unhealthy food that makes them obese and is an indirect contributor to other health problems (, 2004). Based on figures rising in US and UK, the cultural changes are also taking place, the anti American sentiments in the rest of the world has had negative impact on McDonald’s sales. The biggest challenge that managerial level faced was changing the mind set of the people from being a loser to employees of a growing Company. Even the company strategy announced, not many people were influenced by the ’s confidence.

To battle it out, a growth of 6-7 percent annual growth which was not much considering the huge size of the food chain was pursued. The challenge was to increase the sales and revenues of the Company and retain its status back. However, the growth had to be reengineered as well, i.e. not from new restaurants but from the improvements in the existing restaurants. Moreover, another factor which drives ’s attention is the destruction of the food market. Due to the growing number of immigrants, the variety of tastes was also increasing and the exotic cuisines from Asia and Latin America were attracting consumer preferences rather than McDonald.

As stated by  (1997) in her article, "What McDonald's need to do is consistently drive same-store sales.” , a Natwest Securities analyst, counters it with: “The only way in which they can do that is take a long, hard look at their product line." The organizational development focused upon generating revenues from the existing operations. The biggest change is the expansion in the menus based upon the product development strategy and market expansion strategy that  wants to follow ( , 2003). The menus now responded to the consumer behavior and included more healthy food items like Happy Meals for adults like salads and fruits. McDonald’s also went on to acquire a few sandwich and coffee chains in UK and Australia. Though these changes were a positive step towards incorporation of consumer demands, but it also put the burger giant in competition with a different set of restaurants like Subway offering fresh salads and sandwiches. In order to increase the market share in mature markets, McDonald’s has innovated ideas like the introduction of gourmet coffee in Australia with coffee lounges and net cafés-the message, a place for high-teens spend their money.

A strong organizational management can build up a good well between strategy and culture, as lead successful corporate strategy implementation; and build up a common goal between employees and organization reaching high level of motivation.  &  (1997) states that “the mission must determine the basic goals and philosophies that will shape its strategic posture.” This fundamental purpose that sets a firm apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of its operations in product and market terms is defined as the company mission” Mission is essential for organization to create cohesion, which makes employees have clear direction to meet requirement and loyalty.

A strong organization is an intangible force to maximize the contribution from each member and makes organization going to success. In this article, we will discuss a well-known organization “McDonald Corporate”, how its managerial role plays in their organization, and how their management strategies lead them into businesses.

Importance of HRM

So what is the importance of HRM in business strategies and decision-making processes within an organization? The new competitive reality facing organizations calls on new and different capabilities. How can one create an organization which adds value to its clients, investors and employees? And how can HRM help to realize this? What is the role of HRM in the organization of tomorrow? When the importance of flexibility and productivity is emphasized, how can HRM add significant value to the strategic decision-making process? Is there a role for HRM at this strategic level? Or is its added value rather situated at the level of the implementation of these strategic decisions?

             (1995) clearly favours the strategic role of HRM in the organization. But this does not mean that other HR domains have to be neglected; for example, the outsourcing of administration should not mean a neglect of this area. Personnel administration remains an important area of responsibility for HRM. Furthermore, the facts and figures provided by personnel administration form an important base from which to develop HR policies in other domains and to evaluate their effectiveness. Another model for the added value of HRM is provided by  (1997),  (1995) and . (1995). They distinguish four key roles for the HR professional. HR has to deliver results in each of these domains, since the four of them are equally important. The focus may be short term or long term: HR professionals have to be operational and strategic. Their activities vary from managing processes (HR tools and systems) to managing people. The combination of the two results in four HR roles:

1.      Management of strategic human resources: this role is focused on the synchronization of HR strategies and practices to the business strategy. In this role, the HR professional is a strategic partner who helps realize the business strategy by translating it into concrete HR practices.

2.      Management of transformation and change: a second key role in which HR professionals can deliver value to the organization. HR professionals have to assist in the identification and implementation of change processes, being catalysts as well as guards of cultural transformations.

3.      Management of the employees: this role refers to the daily problems, expectations and needs of employees. HR professionals have to stimulate the employees’ contribution to the success of the company by understanding their specific needs and ensuing that these are met.

4.      Management of the administration of the organization: the HR professional has to ensure that the administrative processes concerning hiring, rewarding, training and evaluation, promotion, etc. are designed and delivered efficiently and correctly.  (1997) emphasizes the importance of this role. Although many organizations and HR professionals tend to underestimate it due to a growing focus on strategic HRM, the successful deliverance of administrative aspects of HR will prove to be an added value for the organization.

 

Human Resources Management in McDonald’s

McDonald’s Organisation

 and  (1987) suggest that different types of organisations adopt different approaches to the control of their workforce, depending on how they compete. They argue that there are three main bases for competitive advantage-innovation, quality and cost-whereas strategies revolving around quality and innovation are usually associated with a committed workforce. For organisations where costs are the most important part of the question, control is likely to be a more important factor than commitment. Although some level of consent is always necessary, control is high on the agenda at McDonald's. Control at McDonald's is not merely achieved by direct supervision, machines, the physical layout of the restaurant and the detailed prescription of rules and procedures but also through recruitment.

Even unskilled workers have some power to disrupt the efficiency of the operation by withdrawing co-operation from the production process, disrupting the process or by simply leaving the organisation. Employees may submit to the authority of the employer, but are always likely to retain a strong interest in the use of their labour. Employees and management are, therefore, to some extent interdependent; management cannot rely solely on coercion or even compliance to secure high performance, management also needs to secure active employee consent and co-operation.

When workers' efforts are extracted through an elaborate systems of rules, including rules about grounds for promotion and for punishment, employers arguably establish more control over workers' personalities and values than when their efforts are extracted through direct exhortation or force or through the design of equipment (, 1979).

 (1983) argues that questions of subjectivity are not separable from the analysis of actual work practices in interactive service work because employers actively manage workers' identities. Workers and customers vie with management in a three-way contest for control and satisfaction.  (1983) emphasises the distress felt by workers subjected to organisational exploitation of their feelings and personalities; however,  (1993) argues that not all workers resist the extension of standardisation to their inner-selves. Rather, many attempt to construct interpretations of their roles that do not damage their conceptions of themselves.  (1993) also argues that in some situations service routines provide workers and customers with benefits which help account for their frequent acquiescence in managerial designs. However,  (1993) does not suggest that the routinisation of service work and the standardisation of personality are benign, nor do workers, customers and employers necessarily benefit from these processes in a happy congruence of interests. These manipulations are often invasive, demeaning and frustrating for the workers and sometimes for the customers who experience them.

The importance of emotional labour in interactive service work, even of the limited kind found at McDonald's, should not be underestimated. Employers who standardise the service interaction exert a cultural influence that extends beyond the workplace.  (1983) and  (1989) argue that when workers are estranged from their own smiles the company is laying claim not just to physical motions but also to their emotions. Their organisational control strategies reach deeply into the lives of workers, encouraging them to take an instrumental stance towards their own personalities and towards other people. McDonald's employees working on a till, for example, although only involved in limited service interactions, are expected to control themselves internally by being pleasant, cheerful, smiling and courteous to customers, even when customers are rude and offensive. This applies to all McDonald's workers and their relations with fellow workers and supervisors, with whom they are expected to show obvious pride in their work and employment.

When asked how they motivated employees, both UK and German managers at restaurant and senior management level stressed the importance of good communication. Managers are encouraged to apply and concentrate on 's (1966) 'motivators': 'achievement', 'responsibility', 'growth' and 'recognition'. This may take the form of 'employee of the month' awards, day trips and cash bonuses or of encouraging workers to strive for promotion and take on responsibility.

On the one hand, the striving for promotion locks managers' and employees' loyalty into the system; on the other, it may offer real opportunities for advancement which may be hard to come by for those with poor academic backgrounds. Managers are encouraged to discount the importance of 's (1966) 'hygiene' factors, such as pay and conditions of work. Managers have no control over these issues because they are dictated by the system. Training reinforces the view that pay and conditions do not really matter; what really does matter is their 'positive' management style and leadership. Job satisfaction is thus defined as a phenomenon determined through the area of psychological concepts, not through good pay and conditions. A good manager will therefore 'solve' the problem of resistance or discontent through good communication. Managers in the UK refer to the three Cs (in Germany, the three Ks), co-ordination, co-operation and communication, as the basis of the solutions to all problems.

Identification with the restaurant and other crew members is fostered through the creation of a new form of collective. If 'us and them' is still recognised, it is reinterpreted to mean 'us' as the management and crew and 'them' as the customer. Workers are encouraged to think of themselves as part of a team and managers are encouraged to equate restaurant management with coaching a team. The result of this form of 'teamwork' seems to be that individuals are often loath to be seen by their peers as making extra work for other people by not doing their share. Even the more resentful employees, who had what management saw as 'negative' attitudes, would still work hard to keep the respect of their peers. A typical feature of management style was the repeated use of certain kinds of language, with paternalistic expressions such as the 'McDonald's family'. Management and employees in both countries used the term to describe their work environment. Many responses reflected the strongly paternalistic nature of the employment relationship which management worked to foster.

Conclusion

We examined the organisation and the nature of the work in the McDonald’s restaurants, the employment relationship and the characteristics of the workforce in various countries. The detailed study of the German and UK operations and additional evidence from other European countries suggests that virtually the same kind of restaurant hierarchy and organisation is in use in every country. Although there appeared to be some differences in the numbers of workers employed in restaurants in different countries and differences also in labour turnover, this could be explained by a broadly similar employment 'strategy'.

Various authors suggest that all of these workers have something in common; they are unlikely to resist or effectively oppose managerial control. In effect, McDonald's is able to take advantage of the weak and marginalised sectors of the labour market, in other words, young workers who lack the previous experience, maturity and confidence to challenge managerial authority and foreign workers who are very concerned about keeping their jobs. Furthermore, employees in all 'categories' may have no long-term interest in the company, in which case contesting management prerogative may simply 'not be worth the trouble'. Many of the foreign workers in Germany and Austria have a lot of previous work experience and come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and many have qualifications from their country of origin. However, these workers are effectively marginalised in the labour market and find it difficult to find other work elsewhere for several reasons: first, because of problems with language; second, because of problems with the recognition of their qualifications; third, because these labour markets are extremely competitive in terms of qualifications; and, fourth, because the number of foreign and other migrant workers in Germany and to some extent Austria is increasing and unemployment remains relatively high.

The work offered by McDonald's may have some positive elements, but workers are often choosing employment at McDonald's in the context of having few other attractive options. Almost regardless of what people think of the work itself, working at McDonald's could be said to offer advantages for some employees who want flexible hours and are engaged in other activities and responsibilities. For those marginalised in the labour market who have few chances of a job elsewhere, McDonald's offers much needed work.

However, the employees' dependence on McDonald's and/or their tendency to see their employment as a short-term strategy makes them vulnerable to management manipulation. Those with minimum interest simply leave if they do not like it, and this is clearly reflected in high labour turnover. Perhaps they are attracted by the combination of fairly secure employment, familiar 'family' surroundings created by a highly paternalistic approach to management and lots of employees of similar age or temperament. This may help to explain how the corporation sometimes retains individuals who could probably obtain better paid and more skilled work elsewhere. As  (1986) puts it, it is 'recruiting as means of control'. As already suggested, however, whether this is a deliberate 'strategy' or something else is not clear (, 1994).

The employment relationship at McDonald's is managed by a complete spectrum of controls, from simple, direct and bureaucratic controls to the management of subjectivity. At one end of the spectrum, restaurant managers are disciplined to accept tough work schedules and must prove themselves 'up to the challenge' of punishing schedules. Long hours and loyalty are locked in, with young managers being persuaded not only to accept as the norm many hours of unpaid work but also to gain a perverse satisfaction from surviving these tough and uncompromising work routines. In addition, young managers who may or may not get similar 'opportunities' elsewhere in the labour market are romanced by offers of promotion and career development. At the other end of the spectrum, more direct methods are used to maintain control. However, this still leaves unanswered the question of how the corporation has managed to sustain the uniformity of its employee relations practices despite major differences across societal cultures.

 

Reference List

 

Management of Organization: Effective Leadership Research Proposal

Management of Organization: Effective Leadership Research Proposal
The reseasrch proposal must be included the following:
1) Rationale of this topic
2) Research questions and research objectives
3) Proposed research methodology
4) An initial list of academic literature related to the topic

Article Review On Asymmetric Reactions To Work Group Sex Diversity Among Men And Women” by Chatman and O’Reilly

Introduction

            This paper presents an examination of the journal entitled “Asymmetric reactions to work group sex diversity among men and women” by Chatman and O’Reilly.

Core research questions

            The primary question that the researchers sought to answer was how men do and women react to work group diversity. The motivation to conduct the study was driven by the researchers’ observance that even though researches regarding the impact of demographic diversity on the organization and its members abound, there are still no definitive conclusion about the subject. Research findings according to the researchers seemed contradictory. This lead the researchers to conduct an in-depth study on the subject of ‘asymmetric reactions to work group sex diversity among men and women;, which included 178 professional men and women working for a clothing manufacturer and retailer. The researchers sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are differences of the reactions of men and women on various work group diversity?

2. How do society-level status expectations for men and women at work affect their group sex diversity reactions?

General theoretical framework

            The study was generally founded on “Status expectations theory” and “similarity-attraction theory”. The study followed the same line of research as Kanter (1977). Kanter (1977) suggested that when members of either sex find themselves outnumbered by the other, there will be consequences. Status expectations theory states that differences between men and women’s reactions to work group sex diversity are fueled by the differences in their status in society and how these differences play out at work. In investigating on status expectations, Berger et al (1980) focused on status characteristics. A status characteristic is defined as any valued attribute implying task competence. Such characteristics are viewed as having two levels or states, one carrying a more positive evaluation than the other (Ridgeway and Smith-Lovin 1999). Similarity-attraction theory was also used by the researchers as a ground for the research. Similarity-attraction theory suggests that women and men in work groups are influenced by their intentions of instrumental career objectives or social support.

Methods used

            The method used for data gathering was survey. Survey is basically done to collect data from many individuals in order to understand something about them as a whole. The researchers used the survey research method to collect data on facts about the employees of an organization regarding a topic. The survey was intended to collect data on the employees’ reactions to the topic being investigated as well as their behaviors and unobservable variables such as attitudes, feelings and beliefs. Survey methodology according to Coldwell and Herbst (2004) is basically grounded on the idea of measuring variables through questioning respondents to examine the relationship between variables.

            Although the researchers were able to achieve their research objectives through survey research, we must also bear in mind that the research has something to do with human behavior. It could have been useful to combine survey research with structured observation in this kind of research. Observing how employees behave in groups and how they react in group sex diversity can be useful in framing a conclusion for the research. Bryman and Bell (2007) argue that researchers conducting survey research encounter difficulty with this particular research method in investigating behavior. One of the these problems is problem of meaning in which differences in interpretation may affect the response of the respondents. Another problem is problem of omission in which respondents may accidentally exclude key terms in the question. These problems together with many others may affect the result of the research.

Results of the study

            In conducting the research, the researchers formulated 4 hypotheses which will be tested in the data gathering and interpretation stage. The researchers also identified the independent and dependent variables. After the data gathering and analysis procedure, the researchers found out that there is a difference between the reports of men and women on the likelihood that they will transfer out of work groups which is composed of both males and females. The results also reveal that women reported higher likelihood of leaving a balanced group than a female- or male-dominated group. The researchers also found out that women in groups with more women are more committed to the group while they are less committed to groups which are male-dominated. Men on the other hand, who worked in homogeneous groups are less committed compared to those who worked in balanced and male-dominated groups. Women also reported lower positive effect when working in male-dominated groups, while men reported high levels of positive affect while working in male-dominated groups. Lastly, women viewed their female-dominated work groups as more cooperative that men viewed their male-dominated work groups.

            It is evident from the results of the research that there are difference between the reactions of males and females on the composition of work groups. The study conducted by the researchers, in this regard is helpful as it presents new data and information about the topic. The research will be helpful to organizations, managers, and human resource management personnel in creating teams. The research offers a new angle in studying employee behavior and performance in groups.  

            The research showed that men and women face different challenges and problems and imply that that managers offer different solution. Managers can use the research as a reference for better understanding men and women in work groups.

Examination of the study

A. Research Questions

            The researchers used primarily used scales in investigating the topic. The researcher made used of existing questions (scales) that were formulated and used by previous researchers. The researchers also formulated their own scale, specifically designed for the research. The research questions that the researchers were appropriate for the topic being investigated and for the respondents. The research questions were designed to gather factual information (background of the respondents) and to measure attitudes, beliefs, and opinions.

 

B. Other Ways of Exploring the Research Questions

            The researchers were effective in their exploration of the research questions and they were able to investigate on the research questions through the survey. The reviewer finds no other way of exploring the research questions.

C. Results and Research Question

            The results of the study answered the research questions identified by the researchers.

D. Limitation of the Study

            One limitation of the study is that it did not touch the topic of demography and its impact on the reactions of men and women in work group sex diversity.

 

References

Berger, J, Rosenholtz, SJ & Zelditch, J 1980, Status organizing processes, in A Inkeles, N Smelser & RH Turner (eds), Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 6, pp. 479 – 508.

Bryman, A and Bell, E 2007, Business research methods, 2nd ed, Oxford University Press.

Coldwell, D & Herbst, F (eds) 2004, Business research, 2nd ed, Juta and Company Limited.  

Kanter, R 1977, “Some effects of proportions on group like: skewed sex rations and responses to token women”, American Journal of Sociology, vol. 82, pp. 965-990.

Ridgeway, C & Smith-Lovin, L 1999, The gender system and interaction, in J Hagan & KS Cook (eds), Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 25, pp. 191-216.