Empowerment

GROUP PRESENTATION ESSAY As part of ‘Community Development in Practice, we went on a field trip to two community organisations, Tallaght Community Arts and St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre. The purpose of which was to look at how each project practices the principles of community development as described by the Ad Hoc Committee (2008). We had to work as a group of 3 students which included Samantha Hogan, Anthony Kelly and Elaine Vince-O’Hara, to put together a group presentation on the project of our choice.

We chose St. Kevin’s Family Recourse Centre as it is a grassroots community development organisation which we believe every community needs. St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre is a community organisation and is based in a local primary school in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, and whose remit covers the areas of Kilnamanagh, Tymon North and Kingswood. Established in 1994, they were one of only three ‘pilot’ Family Resource Centres (FRC) funded through the Family Support Agency.

The centre is managed by a voluntary board of management of which 70% are people from the local community and run by Grainne Begley, the Co-ordinator, Cynthia Moore, the Administrator and a large group of 25 volunteers for additional support. St. Kevin’s have a number of training rooms, counselling/ holistic therapy rooms, a youth cafe and a community childcare centre. They have an open door policy, where community members are at all times welcome to drop in and see what’s happening in their community.

They have five key areas of work; Community Education, Supporting Community and Voluntary Groups, Counselling ;amp; Holistic therapy, Childcare and Youth Work. St. Kevin’s Mission Statement: ‘St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre is a community organisation whose mission is to bring about change through the process of empowerment and support at family, individual and community level. ’ St Kevin’s describe themselves as: ‘a thriving and integral part of the community development structures in the area…. social inclusion organisation… concerned about the people in the community who…. are not participating in society to their fullest potential’ (St. Kevin’s FRC Work Plan 2010-2012). They work out of the values and principles of community development as described by the Ad Hoc Committee (2008) as they strive towards social justice, equality and anti-discrimination through participation, empowerment and collective action to support individuals, families and their wider communities and this is evident throughout their work.

They practice the principle of participation by aiming to meet the needs of the local community, enabling them to gain the skills necessary for full participation: They do this through a community consultation process for their work plans and the provision of; community education programmes, a counselling service to help overcome many issues including oppression, holistic therapies to promote individual well being and community childcare which provides people with the opportunity to participate and become empowered.

St. Kevin’s practice the principles of empowerment as they: acknowledge value and build on people’s lives and existing experiences which is the basis of the community education which they provide. They work with people to; build an understanding of their reality and identify ways to overcome them and build confidence and self-esteem through the provision of their counselling service and holistic therapies offered. St.

Kevin’s practice the principles of collective action as they collaborate and build alliances with other groups, organisations and agencies in order to advance key community objectives, they do this through their support of diverse user groups and networking with various agencies including; South Dublin Community Platform (SDCP), Active Citizenship Together (ACT), South Dublin County Council (SDCC), the County Development Board (CDB) This ‘process empowers the community to develop new skills and be more pro-active in their own learning’. Impacts include empowerment of groups, sustaining their development and development of partnership relationships between the Centre and new groups’. ‘There is a large increase in community activity’. Motherway, B (2006) St. Kevin’s practice the principles of social justice by building strategic alliances and encouraging active participation to create awareness of the work of the family resource centre, in order to bring about social change. They work with the community in developing appropriate responses to identified needs through consultation with the community and they provide pportunities to access community education for the purpose of achieving personal and community development. They build the capacity of the management committee and continue to build a strong community development organisation to ensure that resources are utilised to their maximum effect ‘provide a safe, inclusive, happy childcare facility where children can grow and develop in confidence, thus supporting the family’ (St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre Work Plan 2010-2012) St.

Kevin’s practice Equality ;amp; Anti Discrimination in acknowledging the diverse nature of their local community, where 20% are lone parents, 25% having no formal education, 10% have a disability, 8% are from an ethnic minority family and there is a high rate of unemployment. They promote difference and diversity, evidenced by their active role in developing a strategy to promote the integration of travellers and ethnic minorities, which was put forward to the County Development Board for consideration.

They also promote understanding and analysis of equality issues, and strategies to address them within communities through their community education programmes. Challenges Some of the current challenges faced by St. Kevin’s include: adapting to the impact of the recession including: trying to meet the needs of unemployed people accessing the service who are looking to up skill and or retrain, having to reduce the number of community education programmes due to cuts and people not engaging due to the social and economic difficulties which are hindering their ability to participate.

Successes As well as challenges they have had many successes, primarily the development and progression of a hugely successful and affordable community childcare centre, which started over twenty years ago as a two parent, parent and toddler group and grew through true grassroots community development ‘by the people, for the people’. To this day a weekly parent and toddler group are still going strong with up to 40 families taking part. Cynthia Moore, another success first became involved in St. Kevin’s FRC as a participant.

She went on to complete a community employment scheme in the centre after which she secured part-time paid employment as the administrator. She continued to participate on many community education courses and through empowerment she eventually gained the confidence to undertake a Leadership ;amp; Community Development degree course which she successfully completed in 2011. Cynthia continues in her role of Administrator and she also volunteers as a ‘Rainbows’ facilitator, a peer mentoring programme aimed at supporting young people suffering varying degrees of bereavement and loss.

Cynthia has come full circle and is a great example of what community development and community education are about and of the outcomes it has the potential to achieve. Other successes include; many previous centre users coming back to help out in a voluntary capacity, their ability to provide support to and facilitate many diverse groups, continued provision of community education, which empowers members of the community to take charge of their lives and participate in their community and their ability to network with various agencies and take lead roles in devising strategies.

Conclusion Over the last 18 years the centre has grown and adapted to the ever changing needs of the community and is now a thriving and integral part of the community development structures in the area. As we see it, by continuing to work out of the principles and practices of community development as described by the Ad Hoc Committee, St.

Kevin’s Family Resource Centre will continue to achieve effective community development, overcome challenges faced and continue to have many more successes in the future. Bibliography: Ad Hoc Committee (2008) Towards Standards for Quality Community Work, Dublin Motherway, Brian (2006) the Role of Community Development in Tackling Poverty in Ireland, Dublin, Combat Poverty Agency St. Kevin’s Family Resource Centre, Work Plan 2010-2012 Samantha Hogan Anthony Kelly Elaine Vince O’Hara 10th October 2012

Objectives: According to Gosep, workers’ participation may be viewed as: o An instrument for increasing the efficiency of enterprises and establishing harmonious relations; o A device for developing social education for promoting solidarity among workers and for tapping human talents; o A means for achieving industrial peace and harmony which leads to higher productivity and increased production; o A humanitarian act, elevating the status of a worker in the society; o An ideological way of developing self-management and promoting industrial democracy. Other objectives of WPM can be cited as: To improve the quality of working life (QWL) by allowing the workers greater influence and involvement in work and satisfaction obtained from work; and o To secure the mutual co-operation of employees and employers in achieving industrial peace; greater efficiency and productivity in the interest of the enterprise, the workers, the consumers and the nation. The main implications of workers’ participation in management as summarized by ILO: o Workers have ideas which can be useful; o Workers may work more intelligently if they are informed about the reasons for and the intention of decisions that are taken in a participative atmosphere.

Introduction: Three groups of managerial decisions affect the workers of any industrial establishment and hence the workers must have a say in it. o Economic decisions – methods of manufacturing, automation, shutdown, lay-offs, mergers. o Personnel decisions – recruitment and selection, promotions, demotions, transfers, grievance settlement, work distribution. o Social decisions – hours of work, welfare measures, questions affecting work rules and conduct of individual worker’s safety, health, sanitation and noise control.

Participation basically means sharing the decision-making power with the lower ranks of the organization in an appropriate manner. Definitions: The concept of WPM is a broad and complex one. Depending on the socio-political environment and cultural conditions, the scope and contents of participation change. International Institute of Labour Studies: WPM is the participation resulting from the practices which increase the scope for employees’ share of influence in decision-making at different tiers of organizational hierarch with concomitant assumption of responsibility.

ILO: Workers’ participation, may broadly be taken to cover all terms of association of workers and their representatives with the decision-making process, ranging from exchange of information, consultations, decisions and negotiations, to more institutionalized forms such as the presence of workers’ member on management or supervisory boards or even management by workers themselves as practiced in Yugoslavia. Objectives:

According to Gosep, workers’ participation may be viewed as: o An instrument for increasing the efficiency of enterprises and establishing harmonious relations; o A device for developing social education for promoting solidarity among workers and for tapping human talents; o A means for achieving industrial peace and harmony which leads to higher productivity and increased production; o A humanitarian act, elevating the status of a worker in the society; o An ideological way of developing self-management and promoting industrial democracy. Other objectives of WPM can be cited as: To improve the quality of working life (QWL) by allowing the workers greater influence and involvement in work and satisfaction obtained from work; and o To secure the mutual co-operation of employees and employers in achieving industrial peace; greater efficiency and productivity in the interest of the enterprise, the workers, the consumers and the nation. The main implications of workers’ participation in management as summarized by ILO: o Workers have ideas which can be useful; o Workers may work more intelligently if they are informed about the reasons for and the intention of decisions that are taken in a participative atmosphere.

Importance: Unique motivational power and a great psychological value. Peace and harmony between workers and management. Workers get to see how their actions would contribute to the overall growth of the company. They tend to view the decisions as `their own’ and are more enthusiastic in their implementation. Participation makes them more responsible. o They become more willing to take initiative and come out with cost-saving suggestions and growth-oriented ideas. Scope and ways of participation: One view is that workers or the trade unions should, as equal partners, sit with the management and make joint managerial decisions.

The other view is that workers should only be given an opportunity, through their representatives, to influence managerial decisions at various levels. In practice, the participation of workers can take place by one or all the methods listed below: o Board level participation o Ownership participation o Complete control o Staff or work councils o Joint councils and committees o Collective Bargaining o Job enlargement and enrichment o Suggestion schemes o Quality circles o Empowered teams o TQM o Financial participation Participation at the Board level: This would be the highest form of industrial democracy.

The workers’ representative on the Board can play a useful role in safeguarding the interests of workers. He or she can serve as a guide and a control element. o He or she can prevail upon top management not to take measures that would be unpopular with the employees. o He or she can guide the Board members on matters of investment in employee benefit schemes like housing, and so forth. The Government of India took the initiative and appointed workers’ representatives on the Board of Hindustan Antibiotics (Pune), HMT (Bangalore), and even nationalized banks.

The Tatas, DCM, and a few others have adopted this practice. Problems associated with this method: o Focus of workers’ representatives is different from the focus of the remaining members of the Board. o Communication and subsequently relations between the workers’ representative and the workers suffers after the former assumes directorship. He or she tends to become alienated from the workers. o As a result, he or she may be less effective with the other members of the Board in dealing with employee matters. Because of the differences in the cultural and educational backgrounds, and differences in behaviour and manners, such an employees’ representative may feel inferior to the other members, and he or she may feel suffocated. Hence, his or her role as a director may not be satisfying for either the workers or the management. o Such representatives of workers’ on the Board, places them in a minority. And the decisions of the Board are arrived at on the basis of the majority vote. Participation through ownership: This involves making the workers’ shareholders of the company by inducing them to buy equity shares. In many cases, advances and financial assistance in the form of easy repayment options are extended to enable employees to buy equity shares. Examples of this method are available in the manufacturing as well as the service sector. Advantage: o Makes the workers committed to the job and to the organization. Drawback: o Effect on participation is limited because ownership and management are two different things. Participation through complete control: Workers acquire complete control of the management through elected boards. The system of self-management in Yugoslavia is based on this concept.

Self-management gives complete control to workers to manage directly all aspects of industries through their representatives. Advantages: o Ensures identification of the workers with their organization. o Industrial disputes disappear when workers develop loyalty to the organization. o Trade unions welcome this type of participation. Conclusion: Complete control by workers is not an answer to the problem of participation because the workers do not evince interest in management decisions. Participation through Staff and Works Councils: Staff councils or works councils are bodies on which the representation is entirely of the employees.

There may be one council for the entire organization or a hierarchy of councils. The employees of the respective sections elect the members of the councils. Such councils play a varied role. o Their role ranges from seeking information on the management’s intentions to a full share in decision-making. Such councils have not enjoyed too much of success because trade union leaders fear the erosion of their power and prestige if such workers’ bodies were to prevail. Participation through Joint Councils and Committees: Joint councils are bodies comprising representatives of employers and employees. This method sees a very loose form of participation, as these councils are mostly consultative bodies. Work committees are a legal requirement in industrial establishments employing 100 or more workers. o Such committees discuss a wide range of topics connected to labour welfare. o Examples of such committees are welfare committee, safety committee, etc. o Such committees have not proven to be too effective in promoting industrial democracy, increasing productivity and reducing labour unrest. Participation through Collective Bargaining: Through the process of CB, management and workers may reach collective greement regarding rules for the formulation and termination of the contract of employment, as well as conditions of service in an establishment. Even though these agreements are not legally binding, they do have some force. For CB to work, the workers’ and the employers’ representatives need to bargain in the right spirit. But in practice, while bargaining, each party tries to take advantage of the other. This process of CB cannot be called WPM in its strongest sense as in reality; CB is based on the crude concept of exercising power for the benefit of one party. WPM, on the other hand, brings both the parties together and develops appropriate mutual understanding and brings about a mature responsible relationship. Participation through Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment: Excessive job specialization that is seen as a by-product of mass production in industries, leads to boredom and associated problems in employees. Two methods of job designing – job enlargement and job enrichment– are seen as methods of addressing the problems. o Job enlargement means expanding the job content – adding task elements horizontally. Job enrichment means adding `motivators’ to the job to make it more rewarding. This is WPM in that it offers freedom and scope to the workers to use their judgment. But this form of participation is very basic as it provides only limited freedom to a worker concerning the method of performing his/her job. The worker has no say in other vital issues of concern to him – issues such as job and income security, welfare schemes and other policy decisions. Participation through Suggestion Schemes: Employees’ views are invited and reward is given for the best suggestion.

With this scheme, the employees’ interest in the problems of the organization is aroused and maintained. Progressive managements increasingly use the suggestion schemes. Suggestions can come from various levels. The ideas could range from changes in inspection procedures to design changes, process simplification, paper-work reduction and the like. o Out of various suggestions, those accepted could provide marginal to substantial benefits to the company. The rewards given to the employees are in line with the benefits derived from the suggestions. Participation through Quality Circles:

Concept originated in Japan in the early 1960s and has now spread all over the world. A QC consists of seven to ten people from the same work area who meet regularly to define, analyze, and solve quality and related problems in their area. Training in problem-solving techniques is provided to the members. QCs are said to provide quick, concrete, and impressive results when correctly implemented. Advantages: o Employees become involved in decision-making, acquire communication and analytical skills and improve efficiency of the work place. o Organization gets to enjoy higher savings-to-cost ratios. Chances of QC members to get promotions are enhanced. The Indian Scenario: o Tried by BHEL, Mahindra and Mahindra, Godrej and Boyce among others. o Experienced mixed results: M&M (jeep division) with 76 QCs has experienced favourable results. • Technical problems got solved. • Workers got to get out of their daily routine and do something challenging. Trade unions look at it as: • A way of overburdening workers, and • An attempt to undermine their role. These circles require a lot of time and commitment on the part of members for regular meetings, analysis, brainstorming, etc.

Most QCs have a definite life cycle – one to three years. o Few circles survive beyond this limit either because they loose steam or they face simple problems. QCs can be an excellent bridge between participative and non-participative approaches. For QCs to succeed in the long run, the management needs to show its commitment by implementing some of the suggestions of the groups and providing feedback on the disposition of all suggestions. Empowered Teams: Empowerment occurs when authority and responsibility are passed on to the employees who then experience a sense of ownership and control over their obs. Employees may feel more responsible, may take initiative in their work, may get more work done, and may enjoy the work more. For empowerment to occur, the following approach needs to be followed as compared to the traditional approach: Element Traditional Org. Empowered Teams Organizational structure Layered, individual Flat, team Job design Narrow, single task Whole process, multiple tasks Management role Direct, control Coach, facilitate Leadership Top-down Shared with the team Information flow Controlled, limited Open, shared

Rewards Individual, seniority Team-based, skill-based Job process Managers plan, control, improve Teams plan, control, improve Features of empowered or self-directed teams: o Empowered to share various management and leadership functions. o Plan, control and improve their work. o Often create their schedules and review their performance as a group. o May prepare their own budgets and co-ordinate their work with other departments. o Usually order materials, keep inventories and deal with suppliers. o Frequently responsible for acquiring any new training they might need. May hire their own replacement to assume responsibility for the quality of their products or services. Titan, Reliance, ABB, GE Plastics (India), Wipro Corporation and Wipro InfoTech are empowering employees – both frontline as well as production staff, and are enjoying positive results. Total Quality Management: TQM refers to the deep commitment, almost obsession, of an organization to quality. Every step in company’s processes is subjected to intense and regular scrutiny for ways to improve it. Some traditional beliefs are discarded. o High quality costs more. Quality can be improved by inspection. o Defects cannot be completely eliminated. o Quality in the job of the QC personnel. New principles of TQM are: o Meet the customer’s requirement on time, the first time, and 100% of the time. o Strive to do error-free work. o Manage by prevention, not correction. o Measure the cost of quality. TQM is called participative because it is a formal programme involving every employee in the organization; making each one responsible for improving quality everyday. Financial Participation: This method involves less consultations or even joint decisions.

Performance of the organization is linked to the performance of the employee. The logic behind this is that if an employee has a financial stake in the organization, he/she is likely to be more positively motivated and involved. Some schemes of financial participation: o Profit-linked pay o Profit sharing and Employees’ Stock Option schemes. o Pension-fund participation. Pre-requisites for successful participation: Management and operatives/employees should not work at cross-purposes i. e. they must have clearly defined and complementary objectives.

Free flow of communication and information. Participation of outside trade union leaders to be avoided. Strong and effective trade unionism. Workers’ education and training. Trade unions and government needs to work in this area. Trust between both the parties. Workers should be associated at all levels of decision-making. Employees cannot spend all their time in participation to the exclusion of all other work. Limitations of participation: Technology and organizations today are so complex that specialized work-roles are required. o This means employees will not be able to articipate effectively in matters beyond their particular environment. Everybody need not want participation. The role of trade unions in promoting participative management has been far from satisfactory. Employers are unwilling to share power with the workers’ representatives. Managers consider participative management a fraud. Evolution of participative management in India: The beginning towards WPM was made with the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which made Works Committees mandatory in industrial establishments employing 100 or more workers.

The Industrial Policy Resolution adopted by the government in 1956 stated that there should be some joint consultation to ensure industrial peace, and improve employer-employee relations. The functions of both these joint bodies were to be consultative and were not binding on the management. The response to these schemes was encouraging to begin with, but gradually waned. o A study team was appointed in 1962 to report on the working of joint councils and committees. The team identified some reasons for their failure.

No concrete steps were taken to remove the difficulties, or change the pattern of participative management. During the emergency of 1975-77, the interest in these schemes was revived by the then Prime Minister by including Workers’ Participation in industry in the government’s 20-point programme. o The government started persuading large enterprises to set up joint consultative committees and councils at different levels. The Janata Government who came to power in 1977 carried on this initiative. In was again emphasized by the Congress government who came back n 1979.

This continued in a “non-statutory vein” till the late 1980s, and the response from the employers and employees stayed luke-warm. o Then, the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution was made. Now, Article 43-A reads: The State shall take steps, by suitable legislation, or in any other way, to secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organizations engaged in any industry. Thus, participative management is a constitutional commitment in India. o And then, on May 30,1990; the government introduced the Participation of Workers in Management Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

The bill requires every industrial enterprise to constitute one or more `Shop-Floor Councils’ at the shop floor level, and`Establishment Council’ at the establishment level. These councils will have equal representation of employers and employees. Shop-Floor councils enjoy powers over a wide range of functions from production, wastage control to safety hazards. The Establishment Council enjoys similar powers. The bill provides for the constitution of a Board of Management of every corporate body owning an industrial establishment.

The bill also provides for penalties on individuals who contravene any provision of the bill. In spite of all these efforts, only the government and the academicians have been interested in participative management. But participative management is staging a comeback. o The compulsions of emerging competitive environment have made employee involvement more relevant than ever before. o Managers and the managed are forced to forget their known stands, break barriers, and work in unison. Managers and workers are partners in the progress of business.

Sive – The abuse of power Power and the abuse of power is a central theme in Sive. The text examines the way in which empowerment can corrupt certain individuals and become a destructive factor in families and in relationships. Mena uses her powers of persuasion and her position in the family unit to satisfy her own ends and ambitions. Mena’s attitude to Sive’s education is one of begrudgery and resentment. Mena abuses her position in the family. She is empowered by her man who is easily manipulated and overcome.

Mike Glavin does not have the ability to thwart the wills of his respected wife. A further abuse of her power can be seen in each text in the way Mena try’s to break up a positive relationship. Mena keeps Sive a prisoner in the house and lies to her concerning Liam Scuab’s feelings about her proposed marriage. What we observe here is a woman who seeks to control and manipulate a young person in order to suit her own agenda. The text provides a serious and devastating example of woman abusing psychological power by revealing secrets about fathers to control and influence Sive.

She believes that she has succeeded and enjoys a temporary triumph. Thomasheen Rua is another example of an individual who holds tremendous power and sway over the live of others. He has a nasty streak and exploit others for his on ends. Thomasheen’s threats to Nanna engage in abuse and personal insults, which gives him an over-arching sense of his own power a sadistic streak can be observed in Thomasheen. The former enjoys talking about the County Home to terrify Nanna.

Mena’s controlling manipulative behaviour has a destructive effect on the family relationships and creates a toxic atmosphere in the household. Mena has strong abjections to Sive getting an education. Mena is more motivated by jealousy and spite. On the opening of the play, “Out working with a farmer you should be instead of getting your head filled with high notions”. Her resentment is palpable when she complains about how she has to work herself to “ the marrow of the bones to give you schooling”. At this point of the play Mena does not have power to prevent Sive attending school.

This power comes later when she is considering the possibility of marrying Sive off to Sean Dota. Mena uses her power over Mike Glavin to convince him that Sive should abandon her education. She asks him contemptuously if he is “forgetting the money” they will get if they manage to marry Sive to Sean Dota and wonders if “ There is a soft bone somewhere in your head man”. Mike’s comment that “Sive is young with a brain by her” is ignored while Mena goes on to play on his fears that Liam Scuab is meeting Sive secretly.

She exploits the hatred Mike has for Liam by deciding that Sive will not go to school again but remain under Mena’s supervision in the house “ there’s one easy way to stop that sort of thing and that is to move Sive into the west room where I can keep my eye on her and her only mean of coming and going will be through our bedroom”. Having manipulated Mike later flings Sive’s schoolbag across the room and shouts at her that there “will be no more school for you”. Using her power over both Mike and Sive Mena succeeds with her plan. Mike has no option but to comply and inform the nuns that Sive will not be attending school again.

In this text we see women abusing their power over weaker men to satisfy their own selfish plans. Mena manages to separate Sive from Liam Scuab. Mena keeps Sive a prisoner in her own home. She lied to Liam Scuab as to Sive’s whereabouts she attacks him even threatening him with a knife screaming “ I’ll open you! I’ll open you if you vex me more” Twisting the truth of Liam’s intentions in an effort to finally break Sive’s spirit she tells her that Liam called to the house to wish her well in her marriage and that he was “ going away to foreign places”.

Mena has no respect for the grief her actions cause others and thinks only of herself. A key scene in Sive depicts a revelation concerning the identity of Sive’s father. Mena previously uses secret information to manipulate and gain a powerful advantage over Sive. When Sive says to Mena that she doesn’t want to marry Sean Dota Mena manipulates the situation by telling Sive that her “was never a father, he had no name, you have no name” Sive is shocked and is left speechless. There’s some truth to Mena’s story but so much of what Mena says is twisted.

If Sive feels the same shame as her mother because she is “a bye-child, a common bye-child a bastard” Mena will succeed in breaking her down making her compliant. Thomasheen Rua is another example of an person who misuses the power of persuasion for self-gain. He’s the centre of a battle to ensure the Sive marries Sean Dota and he thrives on bulling and abusing those who put forward any obstacle in his desired end. Thomasheen thinks he is hard done by “making love between people I spend my days and no thanks for it”. He is capable of welding power through sarcastic comments .

Thomasheen abuses and threatens Nanna who has to defend Sive. He callously tells her that she is “a lone woman with you husband feeding worms in his trench. You have terrible gumption with no one left to back you” he engages in threats by referring to the “ the county home staring you in the face”. At that time many old people lived in fear of ending their days in such a place. His words have the desired effect as Nanna seems to withdraw from the attack. He has no hesitation in encouraging Mena to assert her power over Sive by threatening her with violence if she refuses to marry Sean Dota “isn’t she a bye-child.

Tell her you will bell-rag her through the parish if she goes against you. Tell her you will hunt the oul’ woman into the county home”. Later he turns on Mike mocking his naivety concerning the love letter from Liam Scuab “ it comes to me that you are the greatest lump of a fool, of an eejit in the seven parishes”. Humiliation is his trump card “ if you ever get out of the bog there is an asylum for lunatics where you could put down a bit of time without doing yourself any harm”.

Sive chooses death as her only method of refusing to obey those who like to control her. Sive thinking that Liam has left her and that her position is hopeless escapes from her tormentors by drowning herself in a bog-hole. Sive disempowers her tomentors by committing suicide in the bog rather than agreeing to marry Sean Dota. This character chooses death to make a stand against those who abuse power for their own private often fully acknowledged reasons. Her suicide brings the play to a poignant close and illustrates the destruction caused by a greedy abuse of power

The aim of this essay is to consider approaches to promoting the self-management of a long-term condition. The focus will be linked to module content and based on a patient that I have provided nursing care for during my clinical practice. There will be a brief introduction of the patient and the context in which I was involved in their nursing care. The pathophysiology of the chosen LTC along with the related physical, psychological and social needs of the patient will be considered. There will be a discussion of principles of self-management that will link to national LTC policies.

This will also include initiatives and analysis of the evidence of the underlying principles for an approach to providing self-management support, for the chosen LTC, including benefits and challenges. To conclude I will use evidence-based recommendations of how the patient could be supported to self-manage their condition. A wide range of evidence will be used to support my discussion. The patient chosen to explore, is one who lives with the LTC of Parkinson’s. The patient had started to experience Motor Fluctuations, also referred to as “off “ periods.

Motor Fluctuations are associated with long-term use of levodopa and usually appear in people who have had Parkinson’s for some time, patients experience “end-of-dose deterioration” meaning that the dose does not last until the next dose is due (Parkinson’s. org 2008). This patient spent one week on a neurology rehabilitation unit. The context in which I worked with this patient was to assist with the teaching of an apomorphine syringe driver and to assess “on and off” periods before the use of the pump and then when the pump was in use and also to ensure that there were no side effects to its use.

During this week I worked alongside a team of occupational therapists and physiotherapists, as it was essential that the patient regained confidence with daily activities, personal cares, dressing and food preparation. The aim of the teaching was to enable the patient to become independent with the apomorphine pump from being able to perform a subcutaneous injection to its removal when medication had finished.

It was vital that the patient became competent and confident in the process as they had been very active throughout their life and wanted to remain so for as long as possible. Parkinsons. org (2010) describe Parkinson’s as the disease with no obvious cause and is the most common form of Parkinsonism; the other forms of Parkinsonism are vascular, Drug-induced Parkinsonism, dementia with Lewy bodies, inherited and Juvenile. Vascular is an uncharacteristic form of Parkinsonism and usually presents with difficulties in speaking, swallowing and the ability in making facial expressions.

Drug-induced Parkinsonism occurs in 7% of people and is attributed to neuroleptic medication which block dopamine these drugs normally treat schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions and once the problem has been diagnosed then the person will recover in hours, days or months after ceasing taking the medication. Dementia with Lewy bodies has no cure and symptoms include difficulties with concentration, memory, language and the ability to carry out straightforward actions. Many people suffer from hallucinations, sluggishness of movement, rigidity and tremors.

Dementia with Lewy bodies is similar to Alzheimer’s. Inherited Parkinson’s is rare and there is no evidence that is can be passed on in families, however it is estimated that 5% of people with Parkinson’s may have a genetic cause. Juvenile is a term used for persons diagnosed under the age of twenty years. As NICE clinical guidelines 35 (2006) states, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative long-term condition and mainly affects those of middle to old age. Parkinson’s occurs when the cells containing dopamine die off.

At present there is no consistent test that can define if a patient has Parkinson’s due to the close clinical resemblances of other conditions. Parkinson’s is diagnosed mainly through history based information and examination. The main symptoms and signs of Parkinson’s are bradykinesia, rigidity and rest tremor. Parkinson’s is mainly seen as a movement disorder, but other areas of health problems are associated with it. These include depression and dementia along with autonomic disturbances and pain, although considered to be rare they can present at a later stage of the condition.

These rarer symptoms, as they progress, can lead to substantial disability and handicap which harms quality of life for the person living with Parkinson’s, this also has an impact on families and carer’s. The physical symptoms of Parkinson’s can be debilitating for the patient and may include pain, falls/dizziness, dietary problems, bladder and bowels problems, swallowing and saliva control, speech/ communication problems, eye problems, freezing, skin, scalp and sweating problems. It is not possible to discuss all of these physical elements in detail within this essay.

I therefore intend to focus on one specific physical aspect of the disease and discuss how this affects the client’s needs, along with the psychological and social aspects. The area I will discuss is freezing. As identified by Parkinson’s. org (2010), freezing will be experienced by every Parkinson’s patient at some point, but becomes more apparent in patients who have had Parkinson’s for numerous years and also if levodopa has been used for long periods of time within their treatment, however it must be noted that freezing can occur in Parkinson patients whom do not take levodopa and should not be seen as a side effect of taking levodopa.

When freezing occurs it is a frightening experience and also a cause of embarrassment for the individual. Freezing is not just linked with gait movement it also includes speech freezing or repetitive activities such as combing hair or the thought process for example when a patient is trying to remember something i. e. the name of a place. Along side this is also ‘start hesitation’ this is associated with drinking from a cup, getting out of bed or when a patient wants to step forward.

Freezing is still not fully understood and may be attributed to interruptions to the sequence of movement, group situations or ineffective medication. Parkinson’s brings many social problems, becoming less confident can bring low self-esteem that can lead to withdrawal from social activities. The individual may worry about how they look, talk or even the way they move, this can inhibit the person from entering into normal activities and they may decide to stay at home to avoid potential awkwardness.

Reduced socialisation may increase the likelihood of the individual suffering from depression; fatigue and mood swings can be potentially be harmful to personal or close relationships. The individual may become unsure of their social position within the family, workplace or any groups, as they feel lost or less important. Self-management of a LTC is strategically important to the long-term sustainability of the NHS, and it is therefore essential to be clear on the principles of self-management and to have a clear approach to achieving a successful outcome.

In response to the increasing levels of LTC’s across England the Department of Health (2012) have established a dedicated LTC team who has built a compendium to explain why pro-active management of LTC’s is so important to the future of the NHS. This compendium provides compelling evidence and information to help support and drive a transformational change to the way in which LTC’s are managed, and the document states clearly that self-management is central to this transformation, the principles of self-management have been outlined by the Health Foundation (2011) and these will now be discussed.

Self-management can have very positive effects on people who live with a long-term condition that affects their normal function of daily activities, as The Health Foundation (2011) suggests the use of self-management can have positive effects on behaviours and outlooks that an individual faces and how their quality of life can either be enhanced or depleted. In order to achieve a successful self-management outcome it is essential that time is invested early in the programme to explain to the individual involved the many benefits that self-management can bring.

Ensuring that they fully understand these benefits will greatly increase the likelihood that they fully engage into the programme and truly take an increased responsibility for managing their LTC. Evidence suggests that self-management leads to a more positive health outcome and championing people to look after themselves can improve motivation, engagement and how they use and access the health service. It also describes to how habits change towards healthy eating and exercise, which results in better clinical outcomes.

Failure to establish genuine engagement at an early stage will most likely result in limited transfer of responsibility and may lead to the patient failing to realise the benefits to themselves and also benefits to the NHS. They also stated that there is an extensive range of initiatives and one size does not fit all. As Brighton and Hove City PCT (2006) state, planning and having a certain level of power is crucial to making lifestyle changes when living with a LTC.

It is also necessary to understand the connection of why changes to lifestyles need to be made, and why planning carefully for change is fundamental to change actually being accomplished. It is important to support the individual through the change process as this can often create a degree of anxiety for them. Promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and educating individuals on their condition, will boost confidence and help the patient understand the benefits of self-management in the context of potentially slowing down the progression of their condition, improved quality of life and remaining independent for as long as possible.

Education is another key principle of self-management. An individual needs help and support to understand their condition, how it affects them and what they can do to help to pro-actively manage it. There are a number of options available here to help educate an individual on their LTC such as reputable websites specifically set up for their condition. They are an excellent source of information, which is continuously updated, and enable the person to access easy to understand information in the privacy of their own home.

Additionally, advice helplines add greater support for individual needs, without being confrontational. Support is also available for carer’s through courses run by the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company (EPP CIC). Leaflets are available to answer basic questions and give further information on where to find more support and advice that is available in their area. The Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse is also a good resource as the nurse can provide their expertise along with the expertise of multi-disciplinary teams (www. parkinson’s. rg 2012) It is important to ensure that the level of education and training provided is appropriate to the capability of the individual and also the state of their condition. Insufficient information could lead to poor decision making by the individual or a lack of confidence if they are uncertain about certain aspects of their condition. Similarly, providing training and education beyond the means of the individual may result in confusion or unrealistic expectations being established – this would not be beneficial for either the individual or the NHS.

Good training and education should be targeted at increasing the individuals understanding of their condition such that they are able to successfully monitor their symptoms and take appropriate, pro-active action to ensure treatment is sought quickly and to avoid potentially unnecessary admissions to hospital. One of the principles of self-management is to ensure sufficient emphasis is placed on problem solving. If an individual is to become increasingly capable of self-managing their LTC then an ability to solve problems is fundamental to achieving this.

Without this it will prove difficult to change the behaviours necessary to allow a health care professional to move into a more supportive and assisting role, as oppose to the current situation where they are managing the care of the individual (Health Foundation 2011). Another area for consideration is that a patient must know when to seek medical advice and intervention and feel comfortable with their decision-making techniques. It is also vital that the individual does not allow a situation becomes acute.

The Health Foundation (2011) also states that, engagement and education are important to ensuring that the individual is ready and in a position to be empowered with the responsibility for the self-management of their LTC. The principles of self-management support the involvement of the individual in decision making related to their care and also working collaboratively with their health care professionals to build their care plans.

This continuous high level of involvement is essential to making sure that there is a real transfer of responsibility from the health care professional to the individual – if there is, then there is a much greater chance that they will take ownership for the long-term self-management of their condition. Failure to truly involve the individual when making decisions about their care could result in a lack of commitment to a care plan and/or false commitment to behavioral changes, ultimately resulting in the continued heavy reliance on their GP, A&E and other health services to manage their LTC in a reactive and cost inefficient manner.

As Randall and Ford (2011) discuss, it is apparent that within the United Kingdom there is an increased transfer of power and choice for users of the health and social care system and policy drivers such as ‘Independence, choice and Risk’ (DH2007) recognise the importance of empowering service users i. e. persons with LTC’s, to ensure they have greater choice and control. When empowering someone, firstly there needs to an acknowledgment that the person has control over an aspect of their care and can make decisions that relate to it.

Power can be seen in a variety of forms but is normally defined as having knowledge and being able to make informed decisions and choices. When considering the decision process it is evident that some decisions are taken alone, for example what clothes to wear, or with permission of others for instance using monies from a joint account to buy a new kitchen and there are also decisions that are made which require formal consultation, e. g. implementing a new law. For any individual who is involved in the self-management process it is important to ensure that the degree of decision-making is appropriate to their personal set of circumstances.

When empowering a person there are fundamental considerations to be identified. For example, the mental state of the individual, the extent to which their condition has progressed, their physical ability, their socio-economic situation, the extent of their support network (friends and family), their willingness to pro-actively engage in the self-management of their condition – all of these factors may influence the rate and extent to which empowerment may be achieved.

Furthermore, empowering an individual with a long-term condition needs to be managed carefully. They will typically be interfacing with many different healthcare professionals and other parts of the NHS and other organisations, and if the views, opinions and approaches of those multiple contacts are not aligned or consistent it is possible this could have a negative impact on the empowerment process for the individual. It is therefore essential that there is one aligned approach and cohesive message.

There is strong evidence contained within the study by Luca Camerini et al (2012) that empowerment, combined with health knowledge have been shown to have a great impact on the self-management of chronic conditions, and that if managed well they can have a positive effect on health outcomes. For my chosen patient suffering with Parkinson’s disease, I would recommend supporting them to self-manage through an approach of empowerment, ensuring that this was strongly underpinned by strong support in the provision of health knowledge.

As discussed earlier, some of the key needs of an individual suffering with Parkinson’s disease are related to their mobility, dietary requirements and pain relief and I want to explain how this recommended approach could help support the individual to more successfully self-manage these particular aspects of their condition. Firstly, in respect of mobility, freezing is often a situation, which affects PD’s sufferers. In the first instance it is important to help educate the individual on why freezing happens.

Ensuring that the individual has a clear understanding of their condition will help them to be more accepting of the effects, less afraid when they experience motor fluctuations or “off” episodes and crucially help them to make more informed decisions about potential ways of helping them to self-manage this aspect of their condition. As mentioned previously, the extent of knowledge and education needs to be appropriate to the individual’s level of health literacy – this aspect should not be underestimated, as there is a strong link between an individual’s level of health literacy and their ability to successfully self-manage.

As stated by the World Health Organisation (2009) health literacy is critical to empowerment, therefore this can present a barrier to achieving self-management through an empowerment based approach. An individual’s capacity to access and effectively use information is an area that may need to be considered initially to decide if empowerment is the most suitable approach to adopt. There are a number of options available to help an individual manage motor fluctuation episodes such as medication, mental techniques and physical techniques.

Again, the individual will need to be educated on these such that they are able to be involved, or even lead, the decision making process on selecting the most appropriate treatments and solutions for them. Each root may have both advantages and disadvantages for the individual and these need to be made clear, if a patient is aware of the limitations and potential drawbacks of a specific treatment from the beginning, then they are more mentally prepared to deal with the challenges as they arise, educing the likelihood of failure. There are several approaches to providing education and support to Parkinson patients; the LTC compendium recommends the Expert Education Programme, although not specifically for Parkinson’s it provides courses to help with managing LTC conditions, online courses are available also, it is also possible to add your area to the list, they are free. The Parkinson’s website has vast information both practical and informative and free help lines.

In some areas there are Neuro-rehabilitation Units, available through referrals made by the Parkinson’s specialist nurse or consultant, which gives access to multi-disciplinary teams all located within one centre. The Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse holds clinics where discussions can take place for planning the future, medication changes and a point of contact if you need additional support before the next scheduled appointment.

As part of the Health Foundation Co Creating Health programme (2012), a ‘Buddies to Support Self Management’ scheme has been developed for cancer patients in the Arran and Ayrshire region. The programme has been developed to enable patients who have completed self-management programmes to share their knowledge and skills with others in similar situations, along with helping patients who prefer not to be in a group situation. This could be a possible area to develop for Parkinson’s or all LTC patients.

Abstract News of job losses (whether we label them as downsizing, layoffs, or restructuring) reaches us daily. And sometimes the reality hits close to home – loss of a job of a family member, a close friend, a valued coworker or someone you supervise. According to McKinley, Sanchez and Schick (1995), “This process of deliberate personnel reduction has been justified as a cost-cutting measure and as an incentive to increase productivity. However, evidence has shown that downsizing negatively affects employee morale and productivity. While people who lose their jobs can be strongly impacted by loss of financial security, fear for the future, and even decreased self-esteem, it’s important to recognize that people who survive job cuts face their own set of negative consequences. This group of “survivors” may experience stress as well as feelings of anxiety or depression. This paper examines these issues by reviewing the numerous organizational and leadership changes that have taken place at WellPoint, Inc. within the last two years.

In addition, a small sample of WellPoint associates was surveyed to assess the effects that the organizational restructuring and leadership changes have had on employee morale over the last two years. The results of that survey are presented in this paper. Introduction What single change causes the most consternation in the work place? The announcement of job cutbacks. With all the recent staff reduction announcements, this news is all too familiar. With it comes the immediate negative effect on employee morale, both for the laid-off employees and the remaining staff.

Emotional turmoil resulting from an event such as organizational change can leave lasting scars on individuals and organizations. Disruption of normal operation can be short-lived if normal feelings of grief, loss, fear, and even guilt and anger are allowed to be expressed when the organizational change is being announced and/or is occurring. However, if these feelings are not allowed expression, they may be manifested later in more serious and damaging forms such as increased illness; absenteeism and turnover; decreased productivity and morale; and isruption in communication among employees and between employees and managers (Abbasi and Hollman, 1998). This can lead to massive chaos and interruption in the smooth flow of work activities? Abbasi and Hollman. (1998) emphasize the following, “There has been a clear change in corporate philosophy among American firms in the past two decades. Firms which once perceived employees as long-term assets to be nurtured, developed, engaged, and empowered by management, now see them as commodities. Workers are short-term expendable costs to be jettisoned at a moment’s notice when downsizing.

The steady drumbeat of layoffs in recent years has made many workers feel that the days of career security are gone for good, no matter how dedicated they may be. ” K. Mishra, Spreitzer and A. MIshra (1998) support this idea with the following, “Downsizing has become almost a way of life for U. S. companies. In fact, a first round of downsizing is generally followed by a second round a short time later. Sixty-seven percent of firms that cut jobs in a given year do so again the following year. ”

The outcome of these changes and the resulting impact on employees’ morale is discussed. This paper reviews literature that addresses corporate downsizing, what it is and why it is important. The literature review includes books and various articles. To assess the effect that these changes have had on employee morale, a 15-question survey was given to a small sample of WellPoint associates to measure their current feelings that impact their self-confidence. The results of the survey are offered, along with an analysis of the data, including conclusions. Literature Review

Current business literature supports the idea that although managers implement downsizing to enhance profitability and productivity, research reveals that downsizing does not always result in higher earnings, improved productivity and better customer service and that workforce reductions often adversely affect employee attitude and morale. Abbasi and Hollman (1990) point out that throughout the early 1990s, the newspapers and airwaves were filled with stories of major American companies announcing layoffs of several thousand additional employees.

Companies large and small were cutting jobs at a rate never seen before in American economic history. The trend toward downsizing is so pervasive, and its impact so profound, that it literally shapes the business strategy of many companies. In a study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, it was reported that fewer than half of the companies it surveyed after the 1990 recession met profit goals after downsizing. Furthermore, study after study has challenged and often contradicted the long-term benefit of staffing cutbacks as a means to return to profitability.

However, according to Carol W. Garnant, “The number one issue that companies immediately face when downsizing is employee morale. ” She adds that “prompt resolution of staffing and organizational issues is essential to the first step in change. The longer the process takes, the more painful it becomes, and the greater the chance of losing key employees in the disruptive environment. ” Abbasi and Hollman (1990) contend that today’s organizations no longer provide workers with a secure and stable workplace.

It’s an unstable environment where workers work for managers who often find their compassion and concern for workers in sharp conflict with the pressures of relentless competition and investor expectations. Over the years, many employees stayed in their organization because the believed it was a good place to work. They believed in the organization, were loyal to it, and had expectations of periodic pay increases and regular opportunities for advancement. Their interests were aligned with those of management. The old paradigm is now gone.

The myth that institutions will take care of their employees has been shattered. Lately, each round of organizational restructuring results in more bodies on the corporate scrap heap. Abbasi and Hollman (1990) agree that one of the biggest problems arising from workforce reduction concerns the devastating impact on employee morale and attitudes. A sense of foreboding usually pervades the workplace where downsizing is being discussed or is in progress. Employees often feel that their long years of work and dedication to the company are not reciprocated.

They may perceive themselves as victims of some abstract management exercise which is outside their control and beyond their capacity to comprehend. Cutting staff doesn’t always work; in fact, it frequently has the opposite effect. The American Management Association surveyed 700 companies that had downsized between 1989 and 1994. Employee morale plummeted in 83% of the companies. Employees who survive the unsettling and disruptive effect of downsizing also tend to experience a disproportionate amount of problems. They feel that management has put them at the very bottom of its priority list.

According to Abbasi and Hollman, they feel betrayed, suffer ebbing morale, become dispirited and self-absorbed, submit a larger number of stress disability claims, become obsessed with layoffs and internal politics, and exhibit various behavioral problems. Many workers are forced to struggle with heavier workloads and become overburdened to the point of burnout. Others experience heightened anxiety as they wonder who will be next to go and if they will be able to make it safely to retirement before being forced out in a subsequent downsizing.

After all, downsizing seems to beget more downsizing. Three out of four firms that downsize in one year plan to do it again in the next year. With some of the surviving employees having trouble getting to work on time and spending their day just going through the motions, no longer enjoying what they do, companies are finding that these employees are suffering from workplace depression. Corporate psychologists coined this phrase to characterize the feelings of suppressed anger and anxiety that are widespread in today’s workplace.

According to Marjorie Whigham-Desair (1993), “The symptoms run form a general lack of enthusiasm and low productivity to high absenteeism coupled with a low rate of voluntary employee turnover. “ This results in delays in projected deadlines and lackluster employees. Psychologists agree that the recent wave of corporate layoffs has taken its psychological toll on the nation’s workforce. When companies eliminate large numbers of workers, those who remain experience anxiety, says Therman Evans (1993), MD. , president and CEO of Whole Life Associates, a stress-management firm based in Elkins Park, PA.

This leads to higher workers’ compensation claims and extremely paranoid employees. “As companies downsize, responsibilities shift to those who remain, this can result in frustration, irritability, fatigue and ultimately burnout, adds Michael D. Cox (1993), Ph. D a psychologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. As authors and human resource consultants Kenneth N. Wexley and Stanley B. Silverman (1993) point out in their book, Working Scared: Achieving Success in Trying Times, organizations that downsize violate two fundamental factors that motivate workers; the need for security and the desire for justice.

Not only do surviving employees distrust the company, they also become more cautious. As a result, innovation and creativity are stifled. People worry about the unknown and need time to prepare for it, says Cox. “They don’t like to be given bad news abruptly; they don’t want to feel out of control. ” Those managers who must implement layoffs suffer too. Two researchers found that managers often become abrasive, narcissistic, withdrawn, alienated, apathetic or depressed. Mishra et al. 1998) found, “the irony is that downsizing companies are unwittingly destroying the very qualities they need for competitive advantage, namely their employees’ trust and empowerment. At the same time they are downsizing, many companies are advocating the implementation of high-involvement work systems and total quality management strategies. Yet employee trust and empowerment, often shattered in the process of downsizing, are the engines that make these initiatives work,” resulting in a decrease in employee motivation and increase employee absenteeism. Mishra et al. 1998) call attention to the fact that “trust between managers and employees is critical for effective work relationships, especially under conditions of high uncertainty and conflict. ” Trust is defined as an individual’s willingness to be vulnerable to another based on the belief that the other party is competent, open, reliable, and concerned about the individual’s own interests. Employee trust and empowerment decline considerably during downsizing. Survivors may no longer trust top management’s openness because communication is not credible or information is withheld.

Survivors may not believe that management cares about employees’ needs if they see that their welfare has been sacrificed for top managers’ personal gain. Survivors’ sense of empowerment may suffer and their competency also may be threatened as they take on the jobs of laid-off coworkers, which often require different skills. Their sense of personal control may suffer because of unclear or constantly changing job responsibilities or frequent layoffs that leave them wondering if they are next. Not surprisingly, their willingness to take risks may decline, and they may become more resistant to change (Mishra et al. 1998). Isabella (1989) suggests, “Companies that downsize may be unprepared for the strong emotions, lengthy adjustment time, diminished morale, and lower productivity experienced by the survivors of massive restructuring. In fact, companies often have surprisingly little information about the adjustments and assessments of those ultimately responsible for revitalizing the company. ” Isabella (1989) adds, “The downsizing also can trigger substantial uncertainty and concern for one’s professional and personal future.

Feelings of security can be of significant concern because years spent in an organization can create a level of familiarity that is difficult to rebuild elsewhere. ” Therefore, it is not uncommon to employees update their resumes and begin seeking employment elsewhere during these stressful times. This certainly has been the case for employees of WellPoint, Inc. Shortly after the Anthem/WellPoint Health Network merger in 2004, when the company became known as WellPoint, Inc. , numerous attempts have been made to reengineer the company and minimize duplication wherever possible.

Even after several rounds of layoffs, WellPoint, Inc. once again decided to trim more positions as it faces a still-sluggish economy and uncertainty from potential health-care reforms coming out of Washington. “As the economic environment changes, WellPoint reviews the size and skills of our work force and makes adjustments as necessary,” WellPoint spokeswoman Kristin Binns said in an email. Job reductions by businesses across the country during the downturn have caused shrinking membership in many of WellPoint’s employer-sponsored health plans.

The company said it is looking for ways to operate more efficiently in 2010. Early this year, WellPoint trimmed about 1,500 jobs in a move that included about 600 layoffs (Lee, 2009). This leads to those who are left behind feeling very uncertain about their own job security, wondering if they will survive the next phase of layoffs. Gibbons and Brenowitz (2001) acknowledge, “Only the luckiest businesses in any industry will survive their entire lifecycles without experiencing the wrath of corporate downsizing. In the aftermath of downsizing, fewer people are left to do the same or increased amount of work.

The organization, once designed for and built around a greater number of people, is now left in a state of imbalance. While survivors usually move from denial to acceptance, they often struggle to get there. ” They further state,” At a time when they’re feeling the lowest, middle management must perform at their best. Although the company appears to be in a state of chaos, managers must seem calm, confident and in control. It’s their job to begin allocating tasks, confirming work objectives, making sure people stay focused on appropriate tasks, and pulling together a new team. What many companies may not realize is that the design of an organization cannot withstand such turbulence without some degree of consequence. Senior management cannot assume to rebalance the company’s design by moving around a few boxes on the organizational chart. The fact is that organization design goes beyond the company structure. It addresses issues more systemic than the lines, boxes and arrangement of people and functions. It includes such factors as information and reward systems, management and decision making processes; mission, vision and values; business strategy and people (Gibbons and Brenowitz, 2001).

In addition to impacting management, downsizing also has a profound effect on those who survive. Some of the most common challenges survivors of downsizing face include: guilt, some remaining employees may feel guilty that they were “saved” from the job cuts; stress, not only do employees have to cope with the stress of job insecurity, but they also have even more work to do with fewer resources; and anxiety, the anxiety engendered by job cuts doesn’t end with initial layoffs, survivors often live in a state of shock, wondering if the worst is over or still to come (Harris, Rothenberg International, LLC, 2008).

In conclusion, as downsizing continues to become an increasingly normal business practice, managers need to find ways to improve their ability to manage the change. This includes motivating traumatized employees and getting operations back on track. It means addressing the drama of the situation, not denying it. Can-do attitudes are badly needed and understandable goals must be spelled out. Yet, nothing promises post-downsizing success like the practice of open, honest communications? Methodology To determine how the organizational changes have affected employee morale, a survey was administered to a small sample of employees.

Twenty WellPoint employees were surveyed. About the same number of surveys was given to male and female employees. Eight State Sponsored Business and 12 Shared Services employees participated in the survey for a total sample size of 20. The survey was adapted from the 2008 WellPoint Associate Engagement Survey developed by Kenexa and the WellPoint, Inc. EAP website self-assessment tools. Although the original survey created by Kenexa and those found on the EAP website consisted of a number of additional questions, the questions for this survey has been reduced to 15 questions.

Each of the 15 questions was rated according to a five-point Likert scale response, ranging from a numerical score of one, if the respondent strongly disagrees with, to five, if the respondent strongly agrees. A total score of 75 is the maximum possible for the survey. Quantitative results were placed into tables and the mean and standard deviation were calculated for each question. The results were analyzed and interpreted in the Analysis and Conclusion sections of this report. The survey follows. Associate Morale Observation

You are invited to participate in this survey to help Pamela Forrest with a research paper for an MBA class project. Your participation is entirely voluntary and your responses will be kept strictly confidential. If you are willing to participate, please answer all of the questions and return this survey to Pamela by Monday, October 12, 2009. To complete this survey: In the space to the right of each statement below, please place a number from 1 to 5 indicating how true the statement is about your experience working at WellPoint, Inc. using the following scale: =Strongly Disagree 2=Disagree 3=Neither Agree nor Disagree 4=Agree 5=Strongly Agree 1. I feel that I am part of a team. _____ 2. I am involved in decisions that affect my work. _____ 3. My job makes good use of my talents and abilities. _____ 4. I feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with my responsibilities or with trying to please everyone. _____ 5. WellPoint provides me with the opportunity for learning and development. _____ 6. I have the training I need to do my job effectively. _____ 7. I receive the coaching and feedback I need to do my job effectively. ____ 8. I feel that I have limited control over the outcome of my job. _____ 9. I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement. _____ 10. I am able to manage my work responsibilities in a way that allows me to maintain a healthy balance between work and home. _____ 11. I regularly receive appropriate recognition for my contributions. _____ 12. I am paid fairly for the work I do. _____ 13. I dread going to work, especially on Sunday night. _____ 14. I receive the information and communication I need to do my job effectively. _____ 15.

My immediate manager does a good job communicating the reasons behind important changes that are made. _____ Thank you for your time and support for this class project! Questionnaire adapted from the 2008 WellPoint Associate Engagement Survey developed by Kenexa and the WellPoint, Inc. EAP website self-assessment tools. Results A total of 20 surveys were distributed to WellPoint associates. Twenty surveys were completed and returned, for an overall response rate of 100 percent. The average total score for the survey, calculated from all 20 respondents, is 51. 5 out of a possible maximum of 75. This equates to an average total rating of 68 percent. The mean was calculated for each of the 15 rating-scale questions. The mean for the results ranges from a high of 4. 25 to a low of 2. 85. The standard deviation was calculated for each of the 15 rating-scale questions. The results range from a high of 1. 459 to a low of . 7539. The results for each of the 15 rating-scale questions are given below. Question 1: I feel that I am part of a team. The mean for the total results is 4. 25 and the standard deviation is . 8507.

The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 5, “strongly agree. ” Question 2: I am involved in decisions that affect my work. The mean for the total results is 3. 6 and the standard deviation is . 9947. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 3: My job makes good use of my talents and abilities. The mean for the total results is 3. 45 and the standard deviation is 1. 191. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. Question 4: I feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with my responsibilities or with trying to please everyone. The mean for the total results is 3. 15 and the standard deviation is 1. 04. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 3, “neither agree nor disagree. ” Question 5: WellPoint provides me with the opportunity for learning and development. The mean for the total results is 3. 4 and the standard deviation is . 9403. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 6: I have the training I need to do my job effectively.

The mean for the total results is 3. 6 and the standard deviation is . 7539. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 7: I receive the coaching and feedback I need to do my job effectively. The mean for the total results is 3. 45 and the standard deviation is . 9445. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 3, “neither agree nor disagree. ” Question 8: I feel that I have limited control over the outcome of my job. The mean for the total results is 3. 35 and the standard deviation is 1. 1367.

The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 9: I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement. The mean for the total results is 2. 95 and the standard deviation is 1. 099. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question was tied between 3, “neither agree nor disagree” and 4, “agree. ” Question 10: I am able to manage my work responsibilities in a way that allows me to maintain a healthy balance between work and home. The mean for the total results is 3. 4 and the standard deviation is 1. 39. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 11: I regularly receive appropriate recognition for my contributions. The mean for the total results is 3. 4 and the standard deviation is 1. 0463. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Question 12: I am paid fairly for the work I do. The mean for the total results is 3. 45 and the standard deviation is 1. 1459. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. Question 13: I dread going to work, especially on Sunday night. The mean for the total results is 2. 85 and the standard deviation is 1. 4244. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question was tied between 1, “strongly disagree” and 3, “neither agree nor disagree. ” Question 14: I receive information and communication I need to do my job effectively. The mean for the total results is 3. 15 and the standard deviation is . 9333. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ”

Question 15: My immediate manager does a good job communicating the reasons behind important changes that are made. The mean for the total results is 3. 8 and the standard deviation is . 7678. The most frequently occurring response given by all respondents for this question is 4, “agree. ” Analysis The overall survey score of 51. 25 percent indicates that the employee morale for WellPoint associates is average. While these scores could be a little higher, they still are quite positive in light of the major organizational changes that recently have taken place across the company.

In fact, WellPoint is doing better than one would expect considering all of the organizational changes it has experienced within the last couple of years. The survey question with the highest mean score overall (4. 25 mean) was number one, “I feel that I am part of a team. ” This is largely due to the fact that the majority of associates who took part in this survey, work for a highly creative department whose direct management has fostered monthly team-building activities and encouraged collaboration when completing everyday tasks.

The question with the lowest mean score overall (2. 85 mean) was number 13, “I dread going to work, especially on Sunday night. ” Because this question had a negative spin on it, the fact that it received a low mean score actually is a positive indicator. Based on their responses, the majority of associates surveyed enjoy coming to work, even when the week is just getting underway. Consequently, the next lowest mean score overall (2. 95 mean), which actually indicates a considerable amount of discontent is number 9; “I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement. This has been a trouble area for quite some time, due, in large part to the fact that a majority of the associates within our department have realized little or no career advancement within the last few years. To further assess this study’s survey results, questions were evaluated based on the percentages of answers for each question, adding together the percentages for response #4, “agree” and response #5, “strongly agree. ” These figures were compared to the sum of the remaining three percentages for response #1, “strongly disagree,” response #2, “agree” and response #3, “neither agree nor disagree. The fact that some of the questions had a negative spin, resulted in reversing the percentages for a more accurate representation. For question 1, “I feel that I am part of a team,” a total of 85% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 15% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that the team-building efforts initiated by management have had a positive affect on associates. For question 2, “I am involved in decisions that affect my work,” a total of 55% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 45% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed.

This shows that associates feel that they have a say in their daily decision-making tasks. For question 3, “My job makes good use of my talents and abilities,” 60% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 40% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that associates feel that they are utilizing their skills in their daily work routine. For question 4, “I feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with my responsibilities,” 65% either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed as compared to 35% who either agreed or strongly agreed.

This shows that associates feel that their workload is balanced and they are able to accomplish their daily tasks with a limited amount of stress. Question 5, “WellPoint provides me with the opportunity for learning and development,” primarily was split almost down the middle with 55% either agreeing or strongly agreeing and 45% either strongly disagreeing, disagreeing or neither agreeing nor disagreeing. This reveals the possibility that opportunities for learning and development may not be offered equally to all associates; some associates may be favored to take educational courses over other associates.

For question 6, “I have the training to do my job effectively,” 65% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 35% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that most associates feel well-equipped to adequately handle their job duties. However question 7, “I receive coaching and feedback to do my job effectively,” predominantly was split down the middle with 45% either agreeing or strongly agreeing and 55% either strongly disagreeing, disagreeing or neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

This shows that management may not be communicating effectively nor providing adequate coaching and feedback on a regular basis. And question 8, “I feel that I have limited control over the outcome of my job,” was split down the middle, 50/50, which shows that associates feel that external factors may have more direct impact on their job than the direct contributions they make on a daily basis. For question 9, “I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement,” 60% either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed as compared to 40% who either agreed or strongly agreed.

This demonstrates the belief shared by a majority of WellPoint associates, that there is little opportunity for upward mobility with the organization. For question 10, “I am able to maintain a healthy work-life balance,” 65% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 35% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that most of the associates feel that they are maintaining an adequate balance between their work responsibilities and their leisure time.

And question 11, “I regularly receive appropriate recognition for my contributions,” was split down the middle, 50/50, which shows that appropriate recognition may not always be given equally to all associates; some associates may be favored over others. For question 12, “I am paid fairly for the work I do,” 65% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 35% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that most of the associates feel that they are satisfied with their rate of pay for the work that they do.

For question 13, “I dread going to work, especially on Sunday night,” 65% either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed as compared to 35% who either agreed or strongly agreed. This shows that associates feel content with their jobs and look forward to coming to work. For question 14, “I receive the information and communication I need to do my job effectively,” 60% either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed as compared to 40% who either agreed or strongly agreed. This reveals that WellPoint needs to improve their channels of communication.

And finally, for question 15, “My immediate manager does a good job communicating the reasons behind changes,” 70% either agreed or strongly agreed as compared to 30% who either strongly disagreed, disagreed or neither agreed nor disagreed. This shows that most of the associates feel satisfied with the way their immediate manager is communicating with them. Conclusion Depending on the scope and size of the organizational change and the number of staff affected, consequences can be disruptive. Employees may find even the act of reporting for work very stressful.

They may have difficulty sleeping or eating. People respond differently and recover at different rates. For most people, the effects of the event will subside within a few weeks as people adjust to the changes. For others, the symptoms may become worse. However, surprisingly, the results of this study refute most of the literature on this subject. While downsizing is a workplace trend that is here to stay and that undeniably creates anger, stress, fear and even trauma for surviving employees, according to the findings in this survey, this has not proven to be the case for WellPoint associates.

This study’s survey results indicate that WellPoint has been reasonably successful to this point. Employee morale and attitudes are at or slightly above national norms, which is rather commendable considering the recurring layoffs that have taken place over the course of the past two years. While the industry trend indicates otherwise, WellPoint associates who have weathered the storm by remaining gainfully employed with the company, increase their engagement while striving to achieve superior performance in their daily work activities.

Evidence can be seen in the high survey rankings reported in this paper on questions such as “I have the training to do my job effectively” and “I am able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. ” Even under the most extreme circumstances of additional impending layoffs, the morale of the surviving associates at WellPoint is surprisingly high. I am inspired by the fact that WellPoint associates have managed to hold onto employee morale in spite of some tough economic conditions.

Some of the survey results that support this include the high survey rankings reported in this paper on questions such as “Associates feel that they are part of a team” and “My job makes good use of my talents and abilities. ” However, the common rationale that downsizing is necessary to financial health and that greater efficiency always follows job cuts is questionable. Therefore, WellPoint also must give attention to alternatives that may cause less turmoil and still achieve the desired economic results.

There are numerous alternatives to downsizing that are far less demoralizing to employees. Some of these alternatives include gearing down to a four-day work week or using job-sharing techniques, where employees lose pay but keep their job. Other alternatives include pay reductions, taking vacations without pay, having fewer paid holidays, retraining or redeploying workers, or providing early retirement buyouts for workers past a certain age. Finally, some other ideas include imposing wage and hiring freezes, restricting the amount of overtime available to employees or cutting back on executive perks.

The negative effects of downsizing can be eased by acknowledging the situation, asking questions and communicating honestly, listening to others and exploring new ideas and ways of doing things. Taking an active, positive role in reducing the trauma of downsizing can enhance WellPoint’s chances of being part of a creative, profitable company and enhance its professional growth and opportunity for the future. In addition, if there don’t seem to be any alternatives to layoffs, WellPoint can make the layoffs seem less arbitrary and cruel by keeping the lines of communication open and explaining with dignity the strategy behind them.

In the opinion of this author, WellPoint needs to turn its attention to cultivating the staff that is ultimately responsible for revitalizing the company by providing more opportunity for learning and development and career advancement as well as expanding the lines of communication. Questions in the survey show that WellPoint is weak in these two key areas. Evidence can be seen in the low survey rankings reported in this paper on questions such as “I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement,” and “I receive the information and communication I need to do my job effectively. Therefore, providing more opportunities for associates and improving the flow of communication, not only would be a worthwhile investment for the company, but also a vehicle for providing a worthwhile work environment for the associates. This in turn would result in a direct benefit to the organization by increasing associate engagement and providing the necessary tools for associates to do their job more effectively. This, in turn, would make the most of the human capital available in the 41,000 WellPoint associates.

Appendix A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |SSB Survey Results | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Associate Morale Monitor | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Results for WellPoint, Inc. Associates 10. 9. 09 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Question | |Respondent # |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 |19 |20 |Avg. |SD |Mode | |1. Part of a team | | |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |5 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |5 |5 |3 |5 |5 |2 |5 |4. 5 |0. 85 |5 | |2. Involved in decisions affecting work | |2 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3 |4 |2 |2 |5 |3. 6 |0. 97 |4 | |3. Job makes good use of talents & abilities | |1 |1 |4 |2 |3 |3 |5 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 45 |1. 19 |4 | |4. Feel overwhelmed trying to keep up | |2 |4 |2 |5 |4 |4 |1 |3 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |5 |3 |3. 15 |1. 04 |3 | |5. WellPoint provides opportunity for develop. | |4 |1 |3 |2 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |3 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 4 |0. 94 |4 | |6.

Have training to do job effectively | |3 |4 |3 |4 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |3 |3 |4 |3. 6 |0. 75 |4 | |7. Receive coaching and feedback | |3 |3 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3. 45 |0. 94 |3 | |8. Limited control over job outcome | |4 |5 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |1 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3. 35 |1. 14 |4 | |9. Satisfied with career advancement opportunity | |2 |1 |3 |1 |2 |4 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2 |2 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2. 95 |1. 1 |3 | |10. Healthy work-life balance | | |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |1 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |1 |4 |4 |5 |4 |2 |5 |1 |3 |3. 4 |1. 1 |4 | |11. Regular recognition for contributions | |3 |2 |4 |2 |2 |2 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |4 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 4 |1. 05 |4 | |12. Paid fairly for work done | | |4 |1 |4 |4 |2 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |3 |1 |4 |4 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |4 |3. 45 |1. 15 |4 | |13. Dread going to work | | |3 |5 |3 |5 |3 |2 |1 |1 |1 |3 |4 |2 |4 |2 |1 |4 |5 |3 |4 |1 |2. 85 |1. 42 |3 | |14. Receive info. & communication to do job | |3 |2 |2 |4 |2 |2 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |5 |3 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3. 15 |0. 93 |4 | |15. Mgr. effective communicator about changes |4 |3 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |4 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3. |0. 77 |4 | | Appendix A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Survey Scores | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Survey Scores | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Question | |Respondent # |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 |19 |20 | |1. Part of a team | | |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |5 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |5 |5 |3 |5 |5 |2 |5 | |2. Involved in decisions affecting work | |2 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3 |4 |2 |2 |5 | |3.

Job makes good use of talents & abilities | |1 |1 |4 |2 |3 |3 |5 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 | |4. Feel overwhelmed trying to keep up | |2 |4 |2 |5 |4 |4 |1 |3 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |5 |3 | |5. WellPoint provides opportunity for develop. | |4 |1 |3 |2 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |3 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 | |6. Have training to do job effectively | |3 |4 |3 |4 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |3 |3 |4 | |7. Receive coaching and feedback | |3 |3 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 | |8.

Limited control over job outcome | |4 |5 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |1 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3 |4 |5 |2 | |9. Satisfied with career advancement opportunity | |2 |1 |3 |1 |2 |4 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2 |2 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3 |3 |4 |4 | |10. Healthy work-life balance | | |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |1 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |1 |4 |4 |5 |4 |2 |5 |1 |3 | |11. Regular recognition for contributions | |3 |2 |4 |2 |2 |2 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |4 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 | |12. Paid fairly for work done | | |4 |1 |4 |4 |2 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |3 |1 |4 |4 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |4 | |13.

Dread going to work | | |3 |5 |3 |5 |3 |2 |1 |1 |1 |3 |4 |2 |4 |2 |1 |4 |5 |3 |4 |1 | |14. Receive info. & communication to do job | |3 |2 |2 |4 |2 |2 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |5 |3 |3 |3 |2 |4 | |15. Mgr. effective communicator about changes |4 |3 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |4 |5 |3 |4 |4 | |Sum | | | |46 |42 |50 |49 |41 |45 |58 |53 |55 |56 |51 |39 |53 |61 |63 |49 |56 |50 |52 |56 | |Score (%) | | | |61% |56% |67% |65% |55% |60% |77% |71% |73% |75% |68% |52% |71% |81% |84% |65% |75% |67% |69% |75% | |

Appendix A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Survey Results Sorted by Mean | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Results Sorted by Mean | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Question | |Respondent # |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 |19 |20 |Mean | | |1. Part of a team | | |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |5 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |5 |5 |3 |5 |5 |2 |5 |4. 5 | | | |2. Involved in decisions affecting work | |2 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3 |4 |2 |2 |5 |3. 6 | | | |3. Job makes good use of talents & abilities | |1 |1 |4 |2 |3 |3 |5 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 45 | | | |4. Feel overwhelmed trying to keep up | |2 |4 |2 |5 |4 |4 |1 |3 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |5 |3 |3. 15 | | | |5. WellPoint provides opportunity for develop. | |4 |1 |3 |2 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |3 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 4 | | | |6.

Have training to do job effectively | |3 |4 |3 |4 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |3 |3 |4 |3. 6 | | | |7. Receive coaching and feedback | |3 |3 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3. 45 | | | |8. Limited control over job outcome | |4 |5 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |1 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3. 35 | | | |9. Satisfied with career advancement opportunity | |2 |1 |3 |1 |2 |4 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2 |2 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2. 95 | | | |10. Healthy work-life balance | | |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |1 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |1 |4 |4 |5 |4 |2 |5 |1 |3 |3. | | | |11. Regular recognition for contributions | |3 |2 |4 |2 |2 |2 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |4 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3. 4 | | | |12. Paid fairly for work done | | |4 |1 |4 |4 |2 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |3 |1 |4 |4 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |4 |3. 45 | | | |13. Dread going to work | | |3 |5 |3 |5 |3 |2 |1 |1 |1 |3 |4 |2 |4 |2 |1 |4 |5 |3 |4 |1 |2. 85 | | | |14. Receive info. & communication to do job | |3 |2 |2 |4 |2 |2 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |5 |3 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3. 15 | | | |15. Mgr. effective communicator about changes |4 |3 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |4 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3. | | | | Appendix A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Survey Results Sorted by Standard Deviation | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Results Sorted by Standard Deviation | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Question | |Respondent # |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 |19 |20 |St. Dev. | | |1. Part of a team | | |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |5 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |5 |5 |3 |5 |5 |2 |5 |0. 507 | | | |2. Involved in decisions affecting work | |2 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |3 |4 |2 |2 |5 |0. 9947 | | | |3. Job makes good use of talents & abilities | |1 |1 |4 |2 |3 |3 |5 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |1. 191 | | | |4. Feel overwhelmed trying to keep up | |2 |4 |2 |5 |4 |4 |1 |3 |3 |3 |3 |4 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |5 |3 |1. 04 | | | |5. WellPoint provides opportunity for develop. | |4 |1 |3 |2 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |3 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |0. 9403 | | | |6.

Have training to do job effectively | |3 |4 |3 |4 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |4 |5 |4 |4 |3 |3 |4 |0. 7539 | | | |7. Receive coaching and feedback | |3 |3 |3 |3 |2 |2 |4 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |5 |4 |4 |3 |4 |5 |0. 9445 | | | |8. Limited control over job outcome | |4 |5 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |5 |1 |3 |3 |2 |4 |3 |4 |5 |2 |1. 1367 | | | |9. Satisfied with career advancement opportunity | |2 |1 |3 |1 |2 |4 |3 |3 |4 |4 |2 |2 |3 |4 |5 |2 |3 |3 |4 |4 |1. 099 | | | |10. Healthy work-life balance | | |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |1 |5 |4 |4 |4 |4 |1 |4 |4 |5 |4 |2 |5 |1 |3 |1. 3139 | | | |11.

Regular recognition for contributions | |3 |2 |4 |2 |2 |2 |5 |3 |4 |4 |3 |2 |4 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |4 |4 |1. 0463 | | | |12. Paid fairly for work done | | |4 |1 |4 |4 |2 |5 |5 |3 |4 |3 |3 |1 |4 |4 |4 |4 |2 |4 |4 |4 |1. 1459 | | | |13. Dread going to work | | |3 |5 |3 |5 |3 |2 |1 |1 |1 |3 |4 |2 |4 |2 |1 |4 |5 |3 |4 |1 |1. 4244 | | | |14. Receive info. & communication to do job | |3 |2 |2 |4 |2 |2 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |5 |3 |3 |3 |2 |4 |0. 9333 | | | |15. Mgr. effective communicator about changes |4 |3 |4 |3 |2 |3 |4 |4 |4 |4 |3 |4 |4 |5 |5 |4 |5 |3 |4 |4 |0. 7678 | | | |

Appendix A | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Survey Results – Percentage of Answers for Each Question | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Percentage of Answers for Each Question | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Question | |Percentage for Each Response | | | | | | |% Ans. 1 |% Ans. 2 |% Ans. 3 |% Ans. 4 |% Ans. 5 |Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |1. I feel that I am part of a team. | | | | | | | |0 |5 |10 |40 |45 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |2. I am involved in decisions that affect my work. | | | | | |0 |15 |30 |35 |20 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |3. My job makes good use of my talents and abilities. | | | | | | |10 |10 |20 |45 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |4. I feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with my responsibilities. | | | | |5 |20 |40 |25 |10 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |5. WellPoint provides me with the opportunity for learning and development. | | |5 |10 |30 |50 |5 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |6. I have the training to do my job effectively. | | | | | | | |0 |10 |25 |60 |5 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |7. I receive coaching and feedback to do my job effectively. | | | | |0 |15 |40 |30 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |8. I feel that I have limited control over the outcome of my job. | | | | |5 |20 |25 |35 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |9. I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement. | | | | |10 |25 |30 |30 |5 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |10. I am able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. | | | | | | |15 |10 |10 |50 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |11. I regularly receive appropriate recognition for my contributions. | | | | |0 |25 |25 |35 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |12.

I am paid fairly for the work I do. | | | | | | | |10 |10 |15 |55 |10 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |13. I dread going to work, especially on Sunday night. | | | | | | |25 |15 |25 |20 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |14. I receive the information and communication I need to do my job effectively. | | |0 |30 |30 |35 |5 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |15. My immediate manager does a good job communicating reasons behind changes. | |0 |5 |25 |55 |15 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Appendix B Charts of Results for Each Survey Question Sources Consulted Abbasi, Sami M. Hollman, Kenneth W. (1998). The myth and realities of downsizing. Records Management Quarterly, 32. n2, 31(6). (Document ID: A20776055). Business Editors. (2000). Workforce Growth Averages 5. 9%, Annual AMA Survey Finds. Business Wire. Retrieved from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0EiN/is_2000_Oct_25/ai_6632 Canada and the World Backgrounder. (1996). Downsizing or dumbsizing? Canada and the World Backgrounder, 62. n2, 12(1). (Document ID: A18927954). Cummings, Thomas G. & Worley, Christopher G. (2005). Organization Development & Change. Ohio. Thomson South-Western. See pages 287-297. ) Garnant, Carol W. (2001). Who re-moved my cheese? Responding to staff reductions. Tax Executive, 53. 4, 283. (Document ID: A79052297). Gibbons, Tracy & Brenowitz, Randi S. (2001). The Impact of Downsizing on Corporate Culture. Data Center Management. Harris, Rothenberg International, LLC. (2008). Helping Employees with Organizational Change: A Guide for Managers. Retrieved from www. wellpoint. com. Harris, Rothenberg International, LLC. (2008). Managing in Uncertain Times. Retrieved from www. wellpoint. com. Harvey, Don & Brown, Donald R. 1996). An Experiential Approach to Organizational Development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Isabella, Lynn A. (1989). Downsizing: survivors’ assessments. Business Horizons, 32. n3, 35(6). (Document ID: A7739163). Lee, Daniel. (2009). WellPoint Says Economy Could Prompt It to Cut More Jobs. The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved from http://www. istockanalyst. com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3499717. McKinley, William, Sanchez, Carol M. & Schick, Allen G. (1995). Organizational downsizing: constraining, cloning, learning. The Academy of Management Executive, 9. 3, 32(13). (Document ID: A17452339). Mishra, Karen E. , Spreitzer, Gretchen M. & Mishra Aneil K. (1998). Preserving employee morale during downsizing. Sloan Management Review, 39. n2, 83(13). Retrieved from http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodID=IPS. Noer, David M. Healing The Wounds: Overcoming the Trauma of Layoffs and Revitalizing Downsized Organizations. New York. Jossey-Bass Inc. , 1993. (See pages 3, 4, 10-12. ) Whigham-Desir, Marjorie. (1993). Strategies for coping with workplace depression. Black Enterprise, 24. n2, 77(4). (Document ID: A13287127).

Introduction

The meaning of the concept ‘Participative Management’ needs to be understood in the background of its historical evolution from the beginning of this century. It has been developed and improved in different forms in different countries to suit the requirements of the political system and economic structure of the countries concerned. In this chapter, the meaning of the concept of Participative Management as it is understood in recent years has been explained.

It is followed by a discussion of some important definitions of the concept, as defined by the prominent experts in the field. Since the concept of Participative Management is mainly developed and being implemented in the western industrialized countries, an attempt is also made in this chapter to present the historical evolution of the concept in most of the developed countries. The experience in the socialist country, namely U. S. S. R. is also outlined briefly. The experience of some of the developing countries too, are discussed.

The evolution and the development of the concept ‘Participative Management’ in India, are then analyzed. Participative (or participatory) management, otherwise known as employee involvement or participative decision making, encourages the involvement of stakeholders at all levels of an organization in the analysis of problems, development of strategies, and implementation of solutions. Employees are invited to share in the decision-making process of the firm by participating in activities such as setting goals, determining work schedules, and making suggestions.

Other forms of participative management include increasing the responsibility of employees (job enrichment); forming self-managed teams, quality circles, or quality-of-work-life committees; and soliciting survey feedback. Participative management, however, involves more than allowing employees to take part in making decisions. It also involves management treating the ideas and suggestions of employees with consideration and respect. The most extensive form of participative management is direct employee ownership of a company. Four processes influence participation.

These processes create employee involvement as they are pushed down to the lowest levels in an organization. The farther down these processes move, the higher the level of involvement by employees. The four processes include:

1. Information sharing, which is concerned with keeping employees informed about the economic status of the company.
2. Training, which involves raising the skill levels of employees and offering development opportunities that allow them to apply new skills to make effective decisions regarding the organization as a whole.
3. Employee decision making, which can take many forms, from determining work schedules to deciding on budgets or processes.
4. Rewards, which should be tied to suggestions and ideas as well as performance.

Evolution of Participative Manegement in India

Participative management is a constitutional in India under article 43-A of the constitution of India. The concept of employee’s participation in management was first postulated by Mahatma Gandhi who believed than an organization is a joint enterprise of labour and capital in which both the owner and the employees have a share.

Participative management in India began with the industrial Disputes Act, 1947, with the constitution of the works committee. In 1956, the Industrial Policy Committee consisting of representatives of management and employees recommended the constitution of joint consultation to ensure industrial peace and harmony between labour and capital. In 1956, the Tata Iron and Steel Company Ltd, Jamshedpur signed a comprehensive agreement with the union for setting up various joint committees towards closer association of employees with management.

In 1983, a new and comprehensive programme was initiated, which was applicable to public sector undertakings. Around 100 public sector organisation implemented the scheme as per the report of the Labour Ministry (1987-88). However, the scheme as on date remains non-statutory in character and therefore the government introduced a bill in 1990 for creation of shop floor councils and establishment councils with equal number of representative from the management and employees. In 1997, TISCO at Jamshedpur set up joint councils.

Joint departmental council operates at the level of every department or a combination of two or more departments. The joint works council is for the entire works and coordinates the activities of the departmental council. Worker’s participation in management was discussed in the 15th session of the Indian Labour Conference and there was a general agreement that participation should be ensured through legislation, or by general agreement between the employees and employers of selected industrial establishments.

Definition of Participative Management

It is very difficult to define ‘Participative Management’, because commentators differ in their views depending on the socio-economic goals of the countries they belong to. However it is generally agreed that the influence of Participative Management is quite significant indeed. Allport (1945) refers to, “Participation in decision-making as active (ego) involvement”‘. Schultz (1951) regards, “It as a feeling of obligation to work for the best interests of a group”2.

Viteies (1953) holds that, “employee participation in decision-making in a democratic atmosphere created by ‘permissive’ leadership, facilitates the development of ‘internalized’ motivation, and saves to raise the levels of the employee production and ~norale”~. According to Davis (1957), “Participation may be defined as the mental and emotional involvement of a person in a group situation which encourages him to contribute to group goals and share responsibilities in them . Tarmenbun (1966) defines participation as the “formal Involvement of members in the exercise of control, usually through decision-making in group meetingsw5 .

Lamners (1967) pointed out, “participation in decision-making may be defined as the totality of such forms of upward exertion of power by subordinates in organisations as are perceived in this sense can be of two varieties i . e. , direct or indirectn6. Sawtell (1968) has described the concept as, “any or all of the process by which employees rather than managers contribute positively towards the reaching of managerial decisions which affect their work. The International Institute for Labour Studies (1971) describes participation as, “process whereby workers have a share in the reaching of managerial decisions in the enterprise”‘ .

Fox (1971) described participation as a ‘procedural orientation’ and offers the following account of possible levels of the workers Involvement: “He may seek the right simply to be informed of proposed decisions in the hope that his reactions may be taken in to account; or to protest against decision when made; or to made suggestions before they are made; or to participate jointly, directly or indirectly through representatives, with management In actually making them, or to make them in concert with his fellows and impose them on management”9.

Most of the definitions cited above appear to be less explicit, they fail to mention the central theme of participation – joint decision-making by superiors and subordinates. The definitions put forth by Davis, Larmers, Viteles and Fox seem to be more appropriate in the present context. In this research work the concept participation is used according to their definitions.

Characteristics

Ethical Dimensions:

Participatory management has ethical dimensions and based on morals, principles and values. In this form of management, every one is treated equally when it comes to organizational decision making.

It is based on employee empowerment, responsibility sharing and delegation of authority.

Proper Channel of Communication:

Participative form of management encourages two-way communication. It is not only management that decides what employees need to do but it also encourages employees to participate in decision making and give ideas and suggestions to make organizational processes better and more efficient. They are allowed to share their problems, views, ideas and feedback with their managers.

Empowers Employees:

Participative style of management gives employees a chance to participate in management processes.

They are encouraged to come up with their views. Gone are the days when employees were bossed around by their managers. Now they are to be treated like co-workers. This provides a higher status to employees as they also have a say in decision making.

Recognition of Human Dignity:

In this form of management, all employees are treated equally irrespective of their designations when it comes to giving ideas and suggestions for organizational decision making process. Employees are no more the servants of managers but are the most important assets of an organization.

Psychological Satisfaction to Employees:

Most of our lives are spent at workplace. It is important for everyone to have psychological satisfaction as far as our employment is concerned. Commitment from the organization, respecting the dignity of individuals and co-determining the company policies are some of the features of participative management that provide psychological satisfaction to employees.

Need of Participative Management

To Give Psychological Satisfaction To Workers:

Participative Management is needed in order to give employees psychological satisfaction.

They feel important when their views are taken into consideration.

Cordial Labor-Management Relations:

Participative management is needed in order to establish cordial labor-management relations. The participation of workers in management can act as an effective means for preventing industrial disputes.

Creating Uniform Approach Of Employers And Workers: Participative management is needed in order to have uniform approach of employer and workers on matters important to both the parties. This avoids disputes.

To Raise Industrial Production:

Participative management is needed to raise industrial production. Employers work with enthusiasm and interest when they are given importance and a chance to express themselves.

To Create Platform For Direct Negotiations:

Participative management is needed in order to create a platform for direct negotiations and collective decisions as and when required.

To Create Responsible Approach Among Workers:

More the employees are involved in the activities of the organization, more they would feel responsible towards the organization. Participative management creates a responsible approach among employees.

To Remove grievances Of Employees:

Participation of employees is needed in order to remove doubts, misunderstandings and grievances in the minds of employees as regards policies and activities undertaken by the company.

To Create a Feeling Of Involvement Among Employees:

Employee participation is needed for creating a feeling of involvement among the employees.

Importance of Employee’s Participation in Management

The concept of participative management is very important from the employee’s and the management’s point of view.

This scheme is very useful to promote industrial and human relations in industry, provided the scheme is implemented honestly and without any reservations. It may help minimising the industrial disputes because both employees and management are the partners in the welfare of the industry.

Industrial Democracy

Industrial democracy means participation of all parties concerned for management of industries. When employees participate in the management true industrial democracy is established. Their ego will be satisfied and they will contribute something positive in the interest of the industry and of the country.

Better Understanding

In a capitalist economy, employees and capitalists are two groups having different interests. Both of them doubt the integrity of each other because both are ignorant of each other’s problems and often do not bother to be acquainted with the same.

No Resistance to Change

Change is generally resisted by employees because every change is regarded by employees as a threat to stability. But, if employees are given a right to participate in the decision making bodies, they will adjust themselves to the changed environment and once the employees are taken into confidence introduction of change will be much smoother. Increase in Production Cooperation of employees results in increased production. Better understanding and good relations are the pre-requisites of higher and better production. Production and productivity cannot be increased without effective cooperation of the employees.

Industrial Disputes Eliminated

As the employees become the partners of the industry and take part in the decision making process, they extend full cooperation to the management in carrying out the decision. They develop a sense of loyalty and better understanding.

No Outside Intervention

Employees become responsible for carrying out the decision and industrial relations improved hence industrial disputes become negligible. No question of outside intervention arises in case of any dispute. But in the absence of employee’s participation, even for small problems, there has to be some outside intervention and such decisions never last long.

Use of Employees Creativity

Participation offers an opportunity to intelligent employees to demonstrate their knowledge, skill, initiatives as well as creativity.

Highly capable persons having talent can be easily spotted out and offered due promotion.

Hurdles in Participative Management

Employee’s participation in India has not functioned to the satisfaction of either the employees or the employers. Despite the best intentions and evolution of the various schemes over the last four decades, Some of the reasons or factors that have contributed to the failure of the scheme are listed below.

Unfavourable Attitude of Management

One of the problem pertains to managers who have difficulty in adjusting to participation as it tends to threaten their traditional authority.

As employees assume more responsibility and autonomy, there is a blurring of the distinction between the traditional view of manager’s work and an employees work.

Lack of the Spirit of Participation

Lack of spirit of participation is one of the responsible factors of the scheme. The employer looks upon bipartite bodies as substitute for trade unions, while employees regard it as their rival.

Confusing Management Procedures

The procedures do not automatically lead to participation.

Rather, the existence of a number of joint bodies – the works committee, joint management council, shop council, plant councils, canteen committee, safety committee, suggestion committee etc.

Complex Working Conditions

In this world of modernization, working has become so complex that specialized employees are required for specialised work roles, making it difficult for people to participate successfully if they go far beyond their specialist. ? Group Dominance It is usually found that employees do not come together in a joint way for getting the participative scheme implemented. The basic reason is that they are divided into groups.

Each group of employees tries to build-up pressure on the management in its own way for getting their vested interests served.

Lack of Understanding

Generally, there is a lack of proper understanding between employers and employees regarding the concept, purpose and benefits of the participative management. This is mainly because of dealings which relates to the interests of employees and employers on the basis of gains.

Absence of Strong Union

Absence of strong trade union or the existence of more than one trade union and inter-union rivalry has made the working of participative management somewhat difficult.

Even the existence of a number of joint bodies has caused confusion and duplication of efforts as well as wastage of time and energy.

Delay in Implementation

Delay in implementing the suggestions and recommendations of these bodies has often led to the warning of employee’s interests in such bodies. Such delays cause grave damage because the employee’s resentment increases, which pollutes the atmosphere of participative management.

Bibiliography

1. WWW. GOOGLE. COM
2. WWW. METACRAWLER. COM
3. Managing human resources and industrial relations . By Tapomoy Deb. (isbn 9788174466990)

The leader manifests an important role in each group or organization. He has the main objective of directing and leading the group towards the effective and efficient accomplishment and achievement of their tasks and common interest. He acts as the mediator and the source of power or command inside the group or organization for the management aspect of the diversity, individuality, and unity of each member for the processing and delegation of their different tasks and responsibilities. In general, the leader manifest as the core and central unit of the group making his the head element towards the realization and achievement of their common interest.

In the contemporary perspective of group management, the aspect of leadership can be achieve and realize inside the group through different approaches each focusing on a certain aspect in the said aspect. Each leader is uniquely characterized by their specific style and nature of approach towards their purpose inside the group or organization.

Every particular leader particularly focuses on a specific element on his leadership style which he views to be important and beneficial to the agenda of managing his group. This certain leadership style can be acknowledged through the realization of the elements he employs in managing his group and its influence to the effectiveness of their organization.

In the aspect of realizing the leadership style for self-assessment, the author of this paper particularly examined specific points and elements for the assessment of his leadership style and the effectiveness of his approach. Based form the specific element highlighted in his approach, the author of this paper has realized the certain qualities in his leadership approach and the specific aspect he needs further development for greater effectiveness.

From this assessment, the author of this paper has particularly learned the certain strength in his qualities namely the Chain of Command approach in leadership. In this quality, the author of this paper acknowledges that he finds certain strength in developing a sole authority for decision making and setting himself apart from the group for the chain of command. Through which that he is able to effectively manage his member and delegate the specific tasks necessary in their process.

As also viewed in this assessment, the author of this paper also expresses interest in developing on the qualities of the centralized leadership particularly on developing group communication elements necessary for this approach. This leader particularly sees an opening for improvement in this aspect to develop an organization environment wherein he is a member but also the leader that directs everyone’s activities.

Further on assessment, the author of this paper realizes that his style is best characterized as a partnership approach towards group management wherein aside from being the one with sole authority, he is also the supporter, coach and facilitator for each member’s activities. His style is to communicate and coordinate the activity of the group through imposing several tasks and responsibilities for each member particularly on the decision-making aspect. Thus, each member has their own tasks, responsibility, and specific decision taking part as co-leaders and members in the group. In particular, the author of this paper has the style of sharing the responsibility with the members and acting out as the supporter and facilitator for them.

This style is also manifested by the author of this paper as part of his interest of developing a highly empowered leadership style in the group wherein the members are self-directed and has the full ownership of their tasks and most aspect of their jobs. The current approach of the author of this paper is mainly included as the initial step in developing the said approach wherein he is training the member to become independent on their responsibilities with the leader acting as the supporter and the coordinator for the organization tasks. This is mainly implemented on the interest of focusing more attention to the external forces and elements in the group as the members have already became self-directed and responsible for their group activity.

Indeed, the leadership style and approach of each person is important as the effectiveness and efficiency of this aspect and the entire group process relies on the management and directing approach of their leader. Each style or approach has its respective element which is highlighted in the process towards the development of its effective application in the group. The effectiveness of this style relies on the characterizing factors and elements of the group, the issues that the organization must face, and the application approach of the leader which must be inclined towards the achievement and realization of the common good and interest of the entire organization.

Bibliography

Ohio Literacy Resources Center. Transformative Leadership: Leadership Development. http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Leadership/over2.htm#lead. November 30, 2007.