Management Challenges in Uncertain Environment

The final phase of last century has witnessed dramatic and drastic changes in the spheres of business around the globe. The advancement in science and technology has conquered the space, time & distance, thus transforming the world into a global village. Change is the operating lever of the 21st Century business. The present business is driven by technology and business is knowledge based. The twin forces of globalization & technology revolution has orchestrated a whole new wave of changes across economies, societies thereby radically impacting the way we lead our businesses. Excellent businesses across the world have a Heart Beat! Gone are the days where people were treated as liabilities and were put under stringent work rules. Likewise management is no longer about control, command, hierarchy, title or status but is everything about making a difference, creating positive change, encouraging, enabling and empowering every employee. Thus organizations are embracing the emerging leadership practices such as Shadow Resourcing, or Succession Planning, Professional Hibernation, and Reverse Mentoring

Linking Distributive and Procedural Justice to Employee Engagement Through Social Exchange: A Field Study in India

Research linking justice perceptions to employee outcomes has referred to social exchange as its central theoretical premise. We tested a conceptual model linking distributive and procedural justice to employee engagement through social exchange mediators, namely, perceived organizational support and psychological contract, among 238 managers and executives from manufacturing and service sector firms in India. Findings suggest that perceived organizational support mediated the relationship between distributive justice and employee engagement, and both perceived organizational support and psychological contract mediated the relationship between procedural justice and employee engagement. Theoretical and practical implications with respect to organizational functions are discussed

Impact of Organizational Culture on Organisational Performance: A Study on the Employees in Educational Institutions

Background: The purpose of the paper is to assess organisational culture\u27s role on the performance of employees in the educational sector. Objectives: The paper seeks to address: what type of organisational culture is contributing to organisational performance, how organisational learning can be enhanced, how team orientation can be encouraged, and technical assistance and innovation can be promoted in developing economies. Methods/approaches: The data was collected from 350 respondents from different educational institutes’ employees of the Garage zone of SNNPR, Ethiopia. Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed hypothesis. Results: The results showed that organisational dimensions such as organisational learning, team orientation and strategic direction and intent are supported, and it is proved that these dimensions can significantly influence the overall performance of the organisation in the study area, whereas the remaining two dimensions: creating change, and goals and objectives are not supported by their organisations. Conclusions: The study concludes that the culture of creating change can enable organisations to achieve their goals and objectives. Organisations must focus on improving the capability of human resources. Especially, it is compulsory for the employees of the educational institutions as they must adopt technological assistance and other types of knowledge of value to encourage innovative practices in the teaching-learning process

The Green New Deal and Evolution of Institutional Environments for Multifunctionality: the case of Certified Organic Agriculture in Brazil and China

The Global Green New Deal (GGND) aim to green the global economy across a range of sectors including agriculture, to pursue future prosperity and job creation, while at the same time addressing social and environmental challenges. Taking its point of departure in some of the institutional changes envisioned in GGND publications, the paper proceeds to present results of the authors’ current research, within a research programme on institutional dimensions of the current globalization of certified organic agriculture. Case study results from Brazil and China are used to illustrate how institutional environments for organic agriculture differ between nations and to provide a basis for discussing the potential of organic certification to transform global agriculture towards higher overall levels of sustainability. The paper concludes linking the institutional analysis of the GGND and the findings of the presented cases to a broader analysis and discussion on the state of art of institutional environments for multifunctional agriculture

Corporate social disclosures in the knowledge-based sector in an emerging economy

The purpose of this paper is to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting by the BSE TECk Sector in the developing economy of India. Using content analysis, this study analyses the disclosures of corporate social responsibility elements by the BSE TECk Sector in the annual reports. CSR disclosures are analysed in context of sources, nature and the item of information.The findings of the study advice that all the companies in the BSE TECk index disclose social issues in their annual reports. Human resources related issues have found greater attention in annual report of the sample companies and less attention has been provided to ethical issues. The study highlights that it is important for the corporate sector to disclose CSR related matters as part of their overall corporate and business performance reporting model. The paper also provides some practical implications about reporting of socially responsible activities for knowledge based companies

Generativity and Aspirational Dignity in Old Age - The Engagement of Older People for Younger People among Elite Professionals in Delhi and other Indian Cities

The dissertation titled, “Generativity and Aspirational Dignity in Old Age – Engagement of Older People for Younger People among Elite Professionals in Delhi and other Indian Cities” is an empirical study that seeks to study occupational and personal potential of older people who chose to work after retirement. The study explores the questions on the extent to which the elderly can use their expertise and personal strengths in intergenerational relations, the extent to which elderly are actively involved in work post-retirement, the interest of the elderly in such an engagement and the importance of this commitment for the individual's emotional condition. The study also examines how far older people in the commitment described here see an opportunity to realize their personal criteria of a good life. The theoretical framework of the study takes into consideration the fundamental and pertinent concepts of ageism, generativity, ageing with dignity, respect and social inclusion, cultural values and attitudes, health and wellbeing, meaningful involvement and productive ageing. In this study ‘Generativity’ theory of human development stages by Erikson (1950/1963), by McAdams and de. St. Aubin (1992) and dignity of older people by Nordenfelt (2003) have been adopted to explain the meaningful engagement of older people in work environment in the changing intergenerational relations in urban Indian societies. The research design chosen for the study is “descriptive” as it involves quantitative data and qualitative data. The composites of independent variables in the form of scales are used to learn Generativity using Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS) and Well-being using Ryff’s Scale. Indepth interviews are conducted to understand respondents’ and employers’ perspectives and views. The study is based on the responses of 83 retired professionals who took up second inning and 14 select employers. The respondents were selected based on identified criteria and the supposition that they possess the required knowledge and experience and they will be able to provide information that is both detailed (depth) and generalizable (breadth) on motives for engagement in job post retirement. Also, who would make first cautious statements about possible influences of individual personality characteristics on this engagement. The samples were selected from services, public and industry sectors including startups from different zones in India. The sample was also designed keeping in mind socio-demographic factors (extrinsic factors) and to represent the industrial, service and the public sectors. The purposive sampling method is deployed to help reach the target group. The interviews were conducted in person or on phone. The data is collected from the field and the analysis is based on the field data. The quantitative data relates to the study of generativity and well-being of the sampling units, both individually and on an average basis. Data is analysed from the responses of the Ryff’s Scale and The Loyola Generativity Scale. The overall score from the Ryff’s Scale is a measure of well being and that from the Loyola Generativity Scale is a measure of generativity. In order to create composite index scores different questions are added together and the scores compared across respondents in order to assess their overall performance. The scores can be interpreted as High Scores and Low Scores. The qualitative data is collected through in-depth interviews, which were conducted to explore respondents’ perspective and views vis a vis the research questions. The questions revolved on the themes of Generativity and wellbeing. The participants were observed during the interview and field notes taken. In the research study selective employers were interviewed in depth in order to understand their perspective and to provide information on possible support of the elderly in new workplace. In addition, information about the assessment of this support by the employers was also collected qualitatively. The employers were categorized into two categories, those who hired the retired elderly and those elderly who were the business owners. The result based on responses of the employers elicited that the employers perceived certain qualities of elderly positively, while some qualities negatively vis-à-vis productivity and relations with co-workers. Across sectors there doesn’t exist any policy for hiring the retired. Individuals retiring from influential posts with strong networks are headhunted and mid-performers are hired through references. For the analysis of generativity, the respondents, based on the mean scores were divided into two groups, namely high performers (those who scored equal to or above the Mean score on LGS) and low performers (those who scored below the Mean score on LGS). The scores were substantiated with the qualitative findings from in-depth interviews and the scaled statements described. The interview responses and LGS scores threw light on commonalities among various groups of respondents, their distinct characteristics and at the same time highlighted issues and challenges. The results indicated that elderly feel responsible for the young generation and that generativity at work has several relationships while the low scoring respondents faced issues with relationships at work. Statistically, the results showed that average scores of low and high scoring respondents significantly differ in overall LGS score and its subcategories. Each subcategory is significantly associated with each other which shows that improvement in one category can lead to improvement in other category. But Job type doesn’t have a significant effect on average LGS score. The qualitative data on wellbeing was collected with the help of in-depth interviews based on the objectives and quantitative data was collected from the responses using Ryff’s Scale. Based on the Mean scores, the respondents under each subcategory were divided into two groups, namely high performers (those who scored equal to or above the Mean score on Ryff’s Scale) and low performers (those who scored below the Mean score on Ryff’s Scale). In-depth interviews were taken and the Ryff’s Scale scores and interview responses threw light on commonalities among various groups of respondents, their distinct characteristics and at the same time highlighted issues and challenges. The results also showed that wellbeing at workplace meant more than working and performing. Dignity was found to be important to the retired rehired and it was seen as a multidimensional notion while the low scoring respondents faced unfavourable work conditions. Statistically, the results showed that average scores of low and high scoring respondents significantly differ in overall Ryff’s Scale score and its subcategories. Each subcategory is significantly associated with each other which shows that improvement in one category can lead to improvement in other category. But Job type doesn’t have a significant effect on average Ryff’s Scale score. Further, it was found the respondents with high performance or scores in Personal Growth and Autonomy have a better chance to perform well in Generativity, whereas the high scoring respondents in Self-Acceptance and Positive Relations too have a chance to perform well with two subcategories of LGS. Same holds for high scorers in Purpose in Life who stand a chance to perform well on one subcategory of LGS. For qualitative data analysis, the Ideal typical grouping technique conceptualised and methodology developed by Uta Gerhardt (1994) is used. The study deals with the three objectives; to understand the extent to which elderly people in India have an opportunity to use their expertise and personal strengths in intergenerational relations; to examine the extent to which elderly people are actively involved in the reemployment/second innings, the interest of the elderly in such an engagement and the importance of this commitment, above all, for the individual’s emotional condition and; to what extent older people in the commitment described here see as opportunity to realize their personal criteria of good life. It emerged that five ideal typical groups may be identified based on similarity in psychological wellbeing, generativity, psychological characteristics and sociodemographic factors. And factors such as past professional life, age, organizational support, personal resources, circumstantial second innings and past unfulfilled professional lives are important determinants. The analysis, however does not represent the whole population of elderly in India. Rather, this study represents the experiences of relatively privileged elderly. Overall, the result confirms that our Hypothesis is met. The result confirms that the high scoring elderly in India avail opportunity to use their expertise and personal strengths in intergenerational relations. The high scoring elderly are actively involved in the reemployment, they have interest in such an engagement and this commitment is important for their emotional condition. The high scoring elderly in the commitment see this opportunity to realize their personal criteria of good life. The low scoring elderly don’t avail opportunity fully to use their expertise and personal strengths in intergenerational relations and they are not performing well in terms of active involvement in reemployment/second innings, they have low interest in such an engagement and it is not favoring their emotional condition, thereby failing them to realize their personal criteria of good life. It is recommended that it is a joint responsibility of the government, private sector and the individuals to make structured plans and open up for meaningful engagement in work-life post retirement. Physical, social and cultural opportunities be provided for the elderly. Efforts to promote generativity and wellbeing of the elderly at workplace will help improve their work efficiency and organizational productivity, bring the young and old generations together for better work environment and positively affect health of the elderly, thereby reducing economic burden on the government machinery. The government and the corporate would have to work in tandem to create Age-friendly environment. At the same time the elderly should practice self-actualization and be ready to take up work post retirement. Those in active service should perform and maintain the mindset that basis their past performance they could apply for extension or continue to work post retirement in some other organization or in form of being self-employed. Lastly, the potential of elderly should be utilized by the society through voluntary service or unpaid work

Why corporate social responsibility? an analysis of drivers of CSR in India

10.1177/0893318914545496Management Communication Quarterly291114-12

Teleworking as a mode of working for women in Sri Lanka: Concept, challenges and prospects

Labor force participation of women in Sri Lanka has been continuously low despite their remarkable educational achievements when compared to men. Teleworking mode facilitates flexibility at work and work-family balance. However, developing countries encounter numerous challenges in making the teleworking mode a reality. This paper examines the possibilities of introducing teleworking mode for women in Sri Lanka. It understands that the government, technological institutions, work organizations, training institutions, outsourcing companies, career-counseling centers, teleworkers themselves and prospective teleworker associations have major roles to play in this endeavor