An analysis of the key factors that influence the levels of motivation

An analysis of the key factors that influence the levels of motivation The purpose of this study are the motivational factors that Shell Pakistan use to motivates its employees to work in different departments. I have taken five departments: Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR and Production department. As around 300 people work in Shell and to motivate them shell uses different motivational theories which may include Alderfers ERG Theory, McClellands Theory of Needs, Equity Theory, Expectancy Theory. These are the following motivational factors that these departments practice continuously to motivate employees. Employee Appraisal Intrinsic Awards Employee Involvement Skill-based Pay Plans Flexible Benefits Benefits programme Training provision Time off and time out Our diverse global community Sports and social activities Listening to our employees After the analysis of complete survey we can conclude that employees of SHELL PAKISTAN enjoys different attributes of Motivation like they have Job Satisfaction as they believe they have personal and professional growth opportunities, they feel they have empowerment. They have very skillful, high-quality and superior working environment. They believe that their performance is appreciated will result in reward as SHELL PAKISTAN is having EDR system. The one thing that may be a cause of de-motivation is SHELL PAKISTAN does not offer tailored benefits. CORPORATE PROFILE Second Largest oil marketing company in Pakistan with an average turnover of over US$3.4 billion and market share of over 24% in black oil and 35% in white oil. Blue chip organization with market capitalization of around Rs. 44 billion {US$ 755 million} contributing US$ 873 million to the national exchequer. Regained market leadership in Mogas during FY 04 by elevating market share to 44% Set financial landmarks over the last 4 years with earnings almost doubled from Rs.2.3 billion to Rs. 7.06 billion maximizing shareholders value. Only Pakistani corporation to become member of the World Economic Forum based on stringent and forward looking criteria. Only company in Pakistan whose turnaround and remarkable performance is cited in various case studies both locally and internationally. Around 3,800 retail outlets across the country including 1,000 New Vision outlets commissioned within five years. Vast infrastructure of 9 installations and 23 depots from Karachi to Chitral and a supply chain supported by 2000 strong tank-lorry fleet and 950 railway wagons. Extensive storage capacity, almost 15% of total national storage, i.e. around 160,000 metric tons. A company fully aware of HSE standards and using these as part of continuous improvement process. ISO 9001:2000 certification of major retail outlets, Mobile Quality Testing Units and key installations/ depots and ISO 14001:1996 distinction for Kemari Terminal C. Leading National Company committed to support ongoing or innovative social and charitable projects in the field of education, health, welfare, women empowerment, etc. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 COMPANY INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 Introduction 7 1.2 Vision Evaluation 8 1.3 Values 8 1.4 Responsibilities: 8 1.5 Future Engagements 9 2 MOTIVATION IN ORGANIZATION 11 2.1 Definition 11 2.2 Motivation Process 11 2.3 Employee Motivation at Workplace 11 3 MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES ADOPTED AT SHELL PAKISTAN 13 3.1 Alderfers ERG Theory 13 3.1.1 Difference between Maslows Hierarchy of Need Alderfers 13 3.1.2 Alderfers ERG Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 14 3.1.3 Relatedness 15 3.1.4 Growth 15 3.2 Equity Theory 16 3.2.1 Theory Overview 16 3.2.2 Equity Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 18 3.3 Expectancy Theory 18 3.3.1 Theory Overview: 18 3.3.2 Expectancy Flowchart: 19 3.3.3 Expectancy Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 20 4 OTHER MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AT SHELL PAKISTAN 21 4.1 Employee Appraisal 21 4.2 Intrinsic Awards at SHELL PAKISTAN 23 4.3 Employee Involvement 24 4.3.1 Employee Involvement AT SHELL PAKISTAN 24 4.4 Flexible Benefits 25 4.4.1 Retirement Plans 25 4.4.2 Health Insurance 26 4.4.3 Unexpected Conditions 26 4.4.4 Rightsizing 27 4.5 De-motivated Employees 27 4.5.1 Counseling 27 4.5.2 Career Development 27 5 SURVEY DETAILS 28 5.1 Job Satisfaction 28 5.2 Work Environment 30 5.3 Employee Empowerment 32 5.4 Performance Appraisal Satisfaction 33 5.5 Flexible Benefits 35 6 CONCLUSION 36 7 RECOMMENDATION 38 8 APPENDIX A: Survey Questionnaire 39 COMPANY INTRODUCTION Introduction The history of Shell as a brand name in South Asia is more than 100 years old. Shell brand name dating back to 1899 when Asiatic Petroleum, the marketing arm of two companies: Shell Transport Company and Royal Dutch Petroleum Company began their imports of kerosene oil from Azerbaijan in South Asia. Till today, the heritage of the past is noticeable in a market of South Asia since 1898 In 1928, to make their distribution capability efficient effective, the market concentration of  Royal Dutch Shell plc and the Burma Oil Company Limited in sub-continent had merged and Burma Shell Oil Storage Distribution Company of sub-continent was born. After the independence of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1947, the name changed to the Burma Shell Oil Distribution Company of Pakistan. During 1970, when 51% of the shareholding was transferred to Pakistani investors, the name changed to Pakistan Burma Shell (PBS) Limited. The Shell and the Burma Groups retained the remaining 49% in equal propositions. In February 1993, as economic liberalization began to take root and the Burma provided opportunity to Pakistani Investors by divesting from PBS, Shell Petroleum (Pakistan) stepped into raise its shareholding to 51%. The years 2001-2 have seen the Shell Petroleum Company successively increasing its stake, with the Group now having a 76% stake in Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL) an expr ession of confidence Shell has an over 100 years presence in the Subcontinent http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/who_we_are/history/history_logo/ (Date:26-11-2010, Time:18:00) Vision Evaluation The Vision of Shell as a company related to energy industry have been very strict focused to competition. The futuristic approach has let to the group in investing innovating different sources of energy apart from oil petroleum. Values We set high standards of performance and ethical behaviour that we apply internationally. The Shell General Business Principles, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics help everyone at Shell act according to our core values of honesty, integrity and respect for people and to comply with relevant legislation and regulations. http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/who_we_are/our_values_and_principles/ (Date: 26-11-2010, Time: 21:00) Responsibilities: Shell Pakistan put its total efforts to implement its core values and ethical conduct by fulfilling its responsibilities expectations to its employees, customers, investors, shareholders to society. Employees: Shell Pakistan always puts the safety security of its employees first. This depicts that the organization has a deep concern for its employees value the work efforts by which it wants to achieve success. Customers: The organization has a high motive to attract retain customers by providing them the products that are competitive in price of high standards in quality. The competition in energy sector has been highly focused by Shell investments in innovative products have always been there. Investors: It is important for Shell Pakistan that its investors base remains supportive to the organization so that when it needs to expand or restructure any of its function or component, the business always have financial support to effectively pursue that. Shareholders: Shareholders are the real owners of the organization. Shell Pakistan makes most of its efforts to protect shareholders investments provide them with competitive benefits of long term (capital growth) short term returns (dividends). To Society: There are many aspects of responsibility to society. Some of them are Corporate, Environmental sustainability concern for general people that the business directly or indirectly effects to. Shell Pakistan has clear policies for it sustainability has participated in flood relief in Pakistan by providing aids to the most effected. http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/media_centre/news_and_media_releases/2010/flood_2010.html (Date: 26-11-2010, Time: 13:49) Future Engagements To engage in backward integration by acquiring a major National Refinery. This has a capacity of 2.8 million tons of which sales to SHELL PAKISTAN are 25%. To develop a white oil pipeline in collaboration with major POL companies so as to eliminate transportation inefficiencies. Invest in the business of coal mining to capture a lucrative fuel source to which most consumers are switching. MOTIVATION IN ORGANIZATION Definition No other topic in the field of Organizational Behavior (OB) has received as much attention as the subject of motivation. . (FTC, 2009) Motivation can be defined in a variety of ways, depending on whom you ask. If you ask someone on the street, you may get a response like, Its what drives us or Motivation is what makes us do the things we do. As far as a formal definition, motivation can be defined as forces within an individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expended at work, according. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) This is an excellent working definition for use in business. Now that we understand what motivation is, we can look at the factors that help managers to be able to motivate and then a look at some of the theories on motivation. (Latham, 2007) Motivation Process Unsatisfied need => Tension => Drives => Search Behavior => Satisfied needs => Reduction of tension => New unsatisfied needs (Adair, 2009) Employee Motivation at Workplace Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. Jim Ryun The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice theories are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. . (FTC, 2009) In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership (Latham, 2007) . There is an old saying You can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; he will drink if he is thirsty That is also the case with people; they will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do, whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower. The people or employees must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. (Adair 2009 Leadership and Motivation) Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. if no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill, which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus Job Performance = f (ability) (motivation) Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvements is a slow and long process. On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation. Positive reinforcement / high expectations Effective discipline and punishment Treating people fairly Satisfying employees needs Setting work related goals Restructuring jobs Base rewards on job performance These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap (Latham, 2007) Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization. (Adair, 2009) SHELL PAKISTAN is a huge setup and has about 2000 employees. To keep all of its employees motivated is a very complex task, because of the large number of employees and as each employee has his/her own personality. It becomes virtually impossible to devise techniques that match the personality of all the employees. So for this purpose they have certain procedures and policies jointly for all the employees of the organization. MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES ADOPTED AT SHELL PAKISTAN Alderfers ERG Theory Alderfers theory is called the ERG theory Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. Alderfers ERG Theory can well be compared with Maslows Hierarchy of Need Theory cause Alderfers has tried to cover all the points as discussed by Maslows with a little change, which is discussed below. . (FTC, 2009) Existence: Existence refers to our concern with basic material existence requirements; what Maslows called physiological and safety needs. Relatedness: Refers to the desire we have for maintaining interpersonal relationships; similar to Maslows social/love need, and the external component of his esteem need. Growth: Refers to an intrinsic desire for personal development; the intrinsic component of Maslows esteem need, and self-actualization. (Latham, 2007) Difference between Maslows Hierarchy of Need Alderfers Alderfers ERG theory differs from Maslows Need Hierarchy insofar as ERG theory demonstrates that more than one need may be operative at the same time. ERG theory does not assume a rigid hierarchy where a lower need must be substantially satisfied before one can move on. (FTC, 2009) ERG Theory argues, like Maslows that satisfied lower-order needs lead to desire to satisfy higher-order needs; but multiple needs can be operating as motivators at the same time, and frustration in attempting to satisfy a higher-level need can result in regression to a lower-level need. (Adair, 2009) Alderfers ERG Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN Existence SHELL PAKISTAN gratifies the need for existence and the employees at SHELL PAKISTAN think that their basic needs are being satisfied but they dont seem to be completely satisfied with it especially with the material rewards that they get. For e.g. Average Salary The employees at SHELL PAKISTAN are not satisfied with their salaries and they consider it to be average. This view is strongly found in the lower grade employees and the contractual employees. Though the upper level employees that include the Departmental Heads, General Managers and above seem to be much satisfied with what they are paid. Excellent Working Environment Though the average salary seems to be de-motivating factor for the low level employees and the contractual employees but due to the excellent working environment that SHELL PAKISTAN provides, these employees seem to be seldom de-motivated. It was surprising for us to find that there had been various employees who just wanted to work in SHELL PAKISTAN because of the working environment they provide regardless of what they are paid and what job responsibilities are they given. This turned out to be one of SHELL PAKISTANS strongest points. Job Security Working at SHELL PAKISTAN seems to be a secure job as far as the permanent and high-level employees are concerned but the contractual employees never find it to be as secure. But due to job security being a major issue in Pakistan today, these contractual employees were hesitant to voice their complaint. (Latham, 2007) Insurance Medical Benefits All permanent employees at SHELL PAKISTAN enjoy the Life Insurance and Medical Benefits that are entitled to them. In contrast the contractual employees; realizing the downward trend in the economy, just want a stable job regardless of the insurance and medical benefits provided by SHELL PAKISTAN. (Latham, 2007) Employee Safety The employee safely is given top most importance and they also have an emergency evacuation system with which the entire organization can be evacuated within minutes. The employees also given various training and sometimes perform various drills for employee safety. The employee seems to be satisfied with the safety that SHELL PAKISTAN provides to them. Relatedness These needs are social in nature and they are about the interpersonal relationships of the staff. Good Working Relationship At SHELL PAKISTAN, these needs are quite well satisfied since the employees have a good working relationship even though there is an air of competency surrounding them. Self Differences between High Level Employee It has also been noticed that few of the high level employees at organization have some self differences that are developed due to status problems and ownership problems which effect the process of maintaining a good interpersonal relationship but then again the high level employees are professionals and they tend to forget these difference when they meet each other a global level. (Latham, 2007) Company Events and Privileges All employees are given the special privilege to join and use the SHELL PAKISTAN club, gym, attend in Company events, dinner etc thus allowing them to intermingle with each more. Growth The permanent and high-level employees are satisfied with the growth opportunities that SHELL PAKISTAN provides them every now and then. Training Employee training workshops are conducted on a need basis. Trainings are carried out in areas such as: Improvement of Business Communication skills Usage of new Computer software Encourages Ideas Employees are encouraged to put forward any creative, beneficial ideas. If the idea seems to be attractive, SHELL PAKISTAN gives the employees the opportunity to implement the idea. This turns out to be a very encouraging and motivating approach for the employees and later on the employees are rewarded if the idea is implemented well. (Latham, 2007) Employee Job Rotation For the purpose of employee growth and increase in motivation, employees are often rotated within or between departments. Equity Theory Theory Overview Equity (or inequity) is a psychological state residing within an individual. It creates a feeling of dissonance that the individual attempts to resolve in some manner (Latham, 2007) Equity is a social comparison process, resulting when individuals compare their pay to the pay of others. There is no rational or single equitable pay rate for any given job or individual. Equity is a subjective evaluation, not an objective one. Based on the comparisons that an individual uses, each individual is likely to develop different perceptions of equity. (Latham, 2007) The comparisons that individuals use tend to fall into four classes of comparison: Self Inside: An employees experiences in a different position inside his current organization. (Adair, 2009) Self outside: An employees experiences in a different position outside his current organization. Other Inside: Another Individual or group of individuals inside the employees organization. Other Outside: Another Individual or group of individuals outside the employees organization. (Latham, 2007) Individuals determine equity by comparing their contributions (job inputs) and their rewards (job outcomes) to those of their comparisons. This comparison takes the form of a ratio and if this ratio is in balance, the individual perceives equity. Inequity is experienced when ratio is out of balance. Thus when an individual perceives that his/her contribution is equal to the comparison and his/her reward is lower or his/ her contribution is greater and reward is equal, inequity is felt. (Latham, 2007) The individual responses to inequity include: Leaving the organization Reduction in performance, generally extra role behavior Attempting to increase ones pay Attempting to reduce the performance of others Rationalization- perceptually altering reward and/or contribution What do individuals view as relevant contributions? Given the perceptual nature of equity, the answer varies with each individual; however, contributions fall into a number of categories: Job contributions Include the factors that differentiate one job from another. They typically include responsibility, skills, education, and working conditions required by the job itself. (e.g., individuals working in jobs requiring greater levels of responsibility generally expect higher levels of pay). (Parson and Maclaran, 2009) Personal contributions Include attributes the individuals bring to the organization that they believe differentiate them from others such as experience, longevity and extra education (e.g., individuals with greater seniority often expect higher levels of pay). Performance contributions Include the extra effort/results that differentiate one employee from another (e.g., individuals who perceive that their performance is better than others with whom they work, often believe they are entitled to higher levels of pay. (Latham, 2007) Typical Management interests Managers generally define pay-related problems in terms of their behavioral consequences (turnover or performance). Therefore, inequity itself is not generally viewed as a management problem unless it appears to be related to turnover of reduced performance. Since the links between turnover and pay are often much clearer than those between pay and extra role behavior, turnover often becomes the only managerial focus. Therefore, typical management interests relate to keeping the employees who it deems valuable.(Latham, 2007) Typical Employee Interests From the employee perspective, the perception of inequity is a problem in itself. A unions interests lies in achieving equity for the greatest number of its members, regardless of their ability to leave the organization. In fact, it is a unions responsibility to bargain for the interests of those with limited individual power or marketability. Low morale is often a consequence of inequity. Even when low morale is not manifested in turnover, reduced performance, to reluctance to take on extra duties, from the employee perspective, it is still viewed as a problem. (Adair, 2009) Equity Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN Employee Performance Appraisal Employee performance appraisal procedure is highly accountable thus leaving no chance of inequity among employees. Employee Salary Evaluation An employees educational qualification is given highest importance when evaluating salary. It may be possible that a lower grade employee, within the same or different department, has a higher salary than someone in an immediately higher grade. Thus inequity sometimes arises among employees working in a higher group within the same or different departments. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) Expectancy Theory Theory Overview: The expectancy theory argues that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. In more practical terms this theory says That an employee will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when he or she believes that the effort will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good performance appraisal will lead to organizational rewards like a bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees personal goals (Latham, 2007) Expectancy The expectancy is the belief that ones effort will result in attainment of desired performance goals. This belief, or perception, is generally based on an individuals past experience, self-confidence (often termed self-efficiency) and the perceived difficulty of the performance standard or goals. (Adair, 2009) Instrumentality The extent of individuals belief of performing at a particular level will lead to the attainment of a desired outcome. Valance The extent of attractiveness of rewards offered by an organization that must satisfy an individuals requirements retain them by prospect potential development within career organization. Example Include: Do I want a bigger raise? Is it worth the extra effort? Do I want a promotion? Expectancy Flowchart: (Vroom  V H.  (1964) Work And Motivation) Valence Instrumentality Expectancy OUTCOME PERFORMANCE EFFORT REWARD Expectancy Theory states that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of expectation that an act will be followed by a given outcomes and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) Expectancy Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN At SHELL PAKISTAN the employees believe in maximum effort which leads to good performance which further results in the outcome in the form of rewards like a raise in income, promotion, performance appraisal letter etc that contribute towards their personal goals. Contractual Employee Views The contractual employees are also aware of this theory but they dont follow it because it has been found that their basic aim is to become a permanent employee. But becoming permanent employee doesnt entirely depend on the performance. It also depends if there is any permanent slot available. So the contractual employees are aware of the facts that even if they perform well, they cannot become permanent unless there is a slot available. So this serves as a very de-motivating factor for the contractual employees and this is the reason they dont hesitate to switch the job whenever they get even a slight better opportunity or a permanent place in some other organization. (Adair, 2009) Effort At SHELL PAKISTAN, the employees are aware of the fact that if they work competently and put their efforts, they will be able to attain the task performance, as the effort expanded by them will have a positive result. Performance When the employees of SHELL PAKISTAN put their efforts, they attain the desired performance level and consequently are evaluated on that ground. (Latham, 2007) Instrumentality: Instrumentality is also quite high in the company as the management assigns a certain % of work that the employees have to achieve, through which, they are evaluated at the time of dispensing rewards. The % of work is in terms of yearly goals, monthly goals and weekly goals. Rewards When the employees attain certain level of work performance gauged against the goals set at the start of the year, they are positively evaluated and get rewards in shape of annual increment; and organizational performance rewards etc. Valance: The employees attach a great deal of value to the rewards they get. The rewards are often in the form of a praise or recognition, to which the employees attach a great deal of significance. Monetary rewards are costly and require loads of time and energy. Therefore the management is not too keen on imparting such gifts. (Latham, 2007) OTHER MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AT SHELL PAKISTAN Employee Appraisal At SHELL PAKISTAN, employee appraisals are conducted annually to evaluate their work related and personal performance. The process of appraisal works in various steps and the HRM department is proud to have such a system instilled in the company where no one objects to the appraisal process as its considered to be the fairest attempt of grading an employee in the company. The appraisal process is held in between the months of July and June every year. Increments and promotions are devised after this period that becomes effective from the month of October, the same year. Performance Appraisal at SHELL PAKISTAN is a six step approach. Step 1: SHELL PAKISTAN HR department have designed two forms named as Form 1A and form 1B to measure the milestone, target achievements that were made last year. This is done by comparing the goals set last year for each individual employee under their department. Once measured, it is sought out to what extent the company was successful in achieving its target. Also, targets are set for the next year on the basis of this measurement. Step 2: In the next step, HRM department does performance analysis by distributing to departmental heads and supervisors Form 2A and 2B (Collectively known as Employee Development Report) to measure the employees capabilities on 24 different attributes and of the attribute is rated on the scale of 1 to 5; summary of these points is reflected in the table below Rating Point Summary 1 Inadequate, Not satisfactory 2 Marginal, Below Average 3 Average 4 Above Average 5 Outstanding The 24 different attributes are divided in to key 4 sections; a summary of those is listed below: Employee Development Report (EDR) A What did the employee accomplish? Quality of work Cost objective Profit objective Develop people Commitment to company vision, value and corporate objective B Gets the job done Planning Organizational communication Analysis

HR and Line Managers Management Essay

HR and Line Managers Management Essay It is pertinent to start this essay by attempting to define the role and relevance of HR Managers and line managers in an organization.  human resource management is a management function that enables managers to train ,recruit select and develop the members of an organization (Aswathappa, k,2007). HR managers are managers responsible for delivery of basic HRM services such as recruiting, hiring, training, organizational development, coaching, employee relation, communication, leadership, advice, salary and benefits, team building of staffs within an organization including the well-being of people and relationship between management and employees (Susan, H, 2012).On the other hand, line managers are managers that are responsible for the administrative management of individuals, direct management of staffs within an organization and the supervision and discipline of their employees and performance appraisal (John ,F ,2012)  .It must also be noted that line managers have the power to influence the employees behavior (cascio,2008;cited in faisal et al ,2011). Apparently, there is a distinction between the responsibilities of a HR manager and that of a Line manager. While the former serves to engage labour, the latter deals with labour. However, there is a compelling need for Interaction between the HR mangers and line managers.   Interaction between the HR mangers and line managers The need for interaction between the HR manager and the line manager cannot be overemphasized. It is very essential within an organization and a research carried out by Stockton Borough Council (2011) showed that there is an existing culture of both managers working together to address people management responsibilities. The research also showed that line managers were ready to take up more responsibities to deal with poor staff performance without direct access to HR support and going through the required training on the task like conflict management.   For an organization to be fit for current and future challenges, Line managers have to be involved in the development and review of HR policies (Liz,F. 2012). Furthermore, mark et al (2012) pointed out that the establishment of corporate agility and its basic cultural responsibilities require a close and adequate interaction between the HR manager and line manager. HR sets up new policies and systems but the line manager is responsible for the application of these practices and policies. Technically, the  HRM proposes while the line manager disposes (Armstrong ,M ,2012) In view of the above, it is safe to conclude that for a high level of organizational performance to be achieved, there has to be a structured implementation of these policies. The onus lie on the line manager to implement thus he occupies a very important position in the organizational structure (Michael , A ,2012). MacDonald, L (2012) argued that in small businesses without a HR specialist, the line managers can take up the responsibility of recruiting and management of staff. Even in larger businesses where there is a HR specialist or department to oversee the employee management policies and practices, the line manager still plays a major role in the implementation of HR initiatives.   In addition, Mayhew, R.(2012) pointed out that the HR and   line manager interact together to handle and execute certain activities such as department staffing, workforce strategy, performance management, and conflict management in the organization. The main reason why both managers work together is because they share a common interest of ensuring that the company is successful. The line manager thus becomes very effective in the tactical aspect of HR while the HR manager has more time to focus and work on the strategic aspect of HR management (Mayhew, R,2012).   The ultimate goal is that the interaction between the HR manager and the line manager brings in the concept of HR business partnering.   According to Ulrich, D Brokebank ,B. (2008) the concept of HR business partnering is for HR professionals to collaborate with line managers or business leaders to achieve a common objective ,specifically in the designation and implementation of HR systems and processes that support strategic business and in restructuring of business strategy and transformation of the HR.However, there has been an overlap of power between the HR and the line manager. It has been established that the operational aspect of HR management is the reason behind the relationship among the two managers. Some models such as the three legged stool model and the four-role model which operate together under the same principles was invented by Dave Ulrich. It has helped to explain the HR business partnering and the interaction between HR managers and line managers (ken,2011). Furthermore, notwithstanding that the HR department is totally responsible for the HRM activities,  line managers share same responsibilities. Line managers have the power to influence the employees behavior which is the reason for the HR-line manager relationship. Truss and Gratton (1994) pointed out that line managers play a crucial role in coordinating the resources that enable an organization achieve its goal. In other words, it is absolutely necessary for a line manager to understand how HR practices and procedures are conducted so as to ensure a successful implementation of HR in an organization.   (Huchison and Purcell, 2003; cited in Faisal et al, 2011). In addition, line managers are dependent on the HR managers for assistance in knowledge sharing and facilitation and for this to be achieved there has to be series of work relationships between the both of them (Macneil ,2003;cited in faisal,2011). line managers can also achieve full integration of the HR into a companys real work through working in partnernership with the HR therefore leaving the HR totally responsible for the delivery of organizational excellence (Ulrich, 2008) .The HR is way too big and important to be left just for the specialist therefore it is required of the line manager to take up a role on development of peoples performance they have to manage (hearty and morley,1995;cited in Faisal et al ,2012). According to Ulrich, D. Brokebank ,B.(2011)The three- legged model is based on three basic components viz: the HR shared services ,HR centres of excellence and the HR business partners. This model helps to assign and explain the roles of the HR specialist, line mangers. It gives reasons and shows how the business partnering play a role in restructuring of the HR (ken,2011). Furthermore, the HR shared services is a single large unit responsible for handling all routine transactional services that include payroll, provision of corporate services and advices based on employee relations across the organizations, absence monitoring and the recruitment and routine administration (mark et al,2010). Centre of excellence involves a team of HR professionals that have a deep knowledge on the leading-edge HR solutions. The major role is the use of the HR innovations to give businesses a competitive advantage and HR business partners which involves the HR professionals working together with the line managers to steer and influence strategy and its implementation (cipd, 2011). Integration of the business and HR strategies According to Briggs and Keogh (2001) the integration of business and HR strategies is the key tool in achieving business excellence. A previous study by the Aberdeen group (2009) has shown that the best way that organizations and businesses can overcome economic instability and dilemma caused by the economic downturn is by the HR executives collaborating closely with the business managers to understand business success criteria by aligning their human capital management priorities with the overall business objectives and goals. This study also pointed out that the HR has to collaborate with business managers to be able to determine the appropriate HR strategy needed for a strong and effective business outcome (Fabugais, C ,2011) . A case study on McDonalds has shown that high quality products require quality people to produce, design and deliver them and, therefore for a business like McDonalds that offers a large element of personal service to maintain its reputation it has to focus more on HRM in terms of recruiting high quality employees and have the ability to train and retain its staffs (The times 100.2012). McDonalds has been one of the largest and fastest growing global restaurant with their success directly linked to the their ability to implement HR practices in terms of recruitment and training policies designed specifically to attract, identify, develop and retain high number of staffs needed for the business. Customer satisfaction can be linked to the effectiveness, attitudes and abilities of employees to provide those services that attract and satisfy customers (The times 100.2012). According to Sung, J. and Ashton ,D (2002) high performance work practices is one of the HR strategies implemented in businesses that has brought positive and organizational outcomes. This HR strategy is categorized into three different components viz: the high employee involvement practices which is focused on encouraging communication and trust between employees through quality circles; self-directed teams and by giving them access to the company information followed by the human resource practices (HRP) that involves a highly sophisticated processes of recruitment of employees, work mentoring and design and performance appraisals. It also involves the reward and commitment which is focused on facilitating greater commitment of the employees in the organization by providing the employees rewards such as profit sharing, performance related pay, job rotation and family friendly policies (sung, J and Ashton,D.,2002). A survey result on the correlation between the level of HPWP adoption and organizational outcomes by HPWP bundles has shown that the correlation of the three bundles of HPWP working together is positively linked to organizational outcomes and leads to the improvement of organizational performance through the motivation, satisfaction and commitment of staffs, provision of effective communication, teamwork while the correlation of the two bundles the HR and reward and commitment helps in creating a good sense of job security (sung, J and Ashton, D, 2002). Previous case studies derived from samples of companies included in the Sun Times   100 best companies to work for 2004 have demonstrated a good practice in a range of HPWPs and benefits of implementing HRWPs in organizations.   A case study on the Bacardi martini UK which is a successful company known to be a leader and inventor of ready to drink market with the business strategy of managing change and innovation through value based and people culture is a classical example. This company has remained successful through the implementation of HPWPs by creating a series of organizational values to guide, communicate and reward behavior appropriate to team performance. It is not in doubt that a strict adherence to these practices has provided the company with an agile team leading to overall improvements and success of the company. This is evident in improvement of production process efficiency of the company to 4.4 million pounds per year. There was an increment in the service level in warehousing and distribution from 85% to 97% . There was also a reduction of line filler changeover time from 4 hours to 75mins. Elimination of overstock with no failure in delivery on customer order. Reduction in pallet holding from 1.2 million to 457000k pounds and a reduction in the production line packer hangover time from 110minutes to 60 minutes policies (sung, J and Ashton,D.,2002). At this juncture, it is pertinent to acknowledge that PACT is an acronym for productivity, accountability, creativity and teamwork. PACT is another HR strategy implemented in the Bacardi martini UK company which has shaped and organized the processes of recruitment in the company .The strategy is to access the competence of the companies employees in line with the PACT values of the company (sung, J and Ashton,D.,2002).   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Furthermore, a case study on the I -study a digital media agency that has successfully achieved a turnover of 12.3 million pounds and gained the credit and gotten an award in five years as being one of the most innovative digital media company in UK, the companys business strategy is focused on spotting new products and finding out a new approach and building a new industry. The success of this company is fully linked to the implementation of the HR strategies, by the company using the work redesign to remove hierarchy and encourage participation, creativity, communication and a collaborative teamwork and recruitment of effective employees based on personal attributes necessary to win over new business (sung, J and Ashton, D., 2002). Conclusion So far the studies on HRM strategies have shown that its very necessary and important for a business aiming to grow business growth, and the Intergration of the HR strategies into businesses enables business to increase their performance and productivity ,the HR practices play important in every aspect of business that helps in achieving this success ,thus the reward and recognition is directly linked to the motivation of employees which can be linked to a high level of their productivity in the organization, also in terms of training ,the training ,development outsourcing of the right staffs, helps in achieving business success aswell.it will be recommended that every organization wanting to increase the performance of their staffs and productivity should implement both the strategic and operation aspects of the HRM which is where hiring of the a professional HR managers and the line managers play an important role to properly manage these activities in an organization.

Mitsubishi Essay -- essays research papers

Background Recruitment Workplace Discrimination Lawsuit Media Response Defense Leave End Interpretation Conclusion Racial Discrimination?Japanese Interview Mitsubishi Japan Employment Discrimination Case Hi, I had the misfortune of working for Mitsubishi Electric in Japan, a few years ago. This is my story of a rare employment-related racial discrimination lawsuit I filed against them in their home country. This story is somewhat different. Media's version of it (below) will let you know some facts regarding this case and for those with patience and open minds to explore the truth, a different story will emerge after reading my account. First, let me introduce you briefly to my relevant background. I am a graduate of IIT Bombay (an IITian) and we are used commonly in the IT industry for developed countries like the USA and Japan. I am a permanent resident ("Green Card" holder) of the USA and it took me five years to get it. Normally, it used to take about 2 years. Moreover, as you can see from my GMAT scores that I have high verbal aptitude (left scores). (GRE scores were similar.) I was preparing for a career in financial sector. MBA + Actuarial exams with high scores + CFA and CFP exams. Was expecting to pursue that career after getting my Green Card. I didn't want to work for in the IT industry and most definitely didn't want to work for notorious Mitsubishi but I landed up in their Computer Works in Japan. Mitsubishi went on an aggressive recruitment process to hire me, apparently at the orders of its highest executives. The purpose - you will find out soon. By the way, as most of us very well know, Japanese executives in places like Mitsubishi have racial-superiority complex towards the rest of us, especially the non-Caucasians, and even though they try hard, most of them are unable to master a foreign language like English. Now you are all set to begin your journey. Note: Am adding more material to the other pages. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Case of Racial Discrimination? An Indian Worker Sues His Japanese Employer by Robert Guest From the credit - Robert Guest is a British free-lance writer based in Hiroshima who contributes business and other articles to The Far Eastern Economic Review and The Independent. The Journal - Issues in Bilateral Relations, November 1992 p... ... thinks its effects will last much longer. Victory for [name removed], for example, would mean that Japanese companies would have to start taking concrete steps to educate their staff about racism and completely overhaul their training programs for foreign workers, not to mention instituting new sensitivity training courses for workers going abroad. Mitsubishi Electric officials, meanwhile, are maintaining their innocence in this case, claiming that the whole affair was "an unfortunate misunderstanding." "It was our intention to provide Mr. [name removed] with opportunities for training and a chance to make use of his abilities in the long term," said a spokesperson for the firm, "but he failed to understand this, and so, unfortunately, has brought this case against us." The company would prefer to wait until the facts have been established before making any further comments, he added, but in the meanwhile, they are doing their best to make [name removed] understand their point of view. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: mitsubishi-sucks[at]ThisDomainName[dot]com Related link: Mitsubishi!

Educational System :: essays research papers

â€Å"Educational System†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High school is a place where you grow up physically and mentally. In high school you begin as freshmen and graduate as a senior. Throughout that span of life a lot happeneds, and you are constantly learning as you grow. But I know many high schools including mine are not perfect and have flaws in their educational system, that can be fixed in order to provide a better environment for learning. Learning is a never ending process that we draw from our personal experiences. Although Americans believe in our educational system, there seems to be many problems that we are not aware of that have a negative effect on our students as a whole. One problem that the educational system faces is the obstacle between school and life. Schools need to break down the barrier in order to connect, going to school to learn and living your life. The students should be told that learning doesn’t stop after the bell rings or it is time to go it is happening all the time. In â€Å"School Is Bad For Children†, John Holt states, â€Å"’You come to school to learn’, we tell him, as if the child hadn’t been learning before, as if living were out there and learning were in here, and there is no connection between the two† (34). I think schools sometimes play a role of being separate from life because they enforce the rule of ‘you come to school to learn’ and that is it. Children come to school curious to learn with other people, particularly other children, but when the school teaches them to be indifferent they lose interaction with the world. Holt explains, â€Å"You might say that school is a long lesson in how to turn yourself off, which may be one of the reasons why so many young people, seek the awareness of the world and responsiveness to it they had when they were little, think they can only find it in drugs† (35). Making the student disconnect from the real world, meaning life, allows the students to believe that drugs are ok, which is bad. School and living is a connecting subject because you are living your life while attending school, which can affect the way you are learning. Problems and other situation that are happening in your life can make you lose focus, which affects the way you learn. Letting school and learning connect will break the barrier and create a better environment for students to function. Educational System :: essays research papers â€Å"Educational System†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High school is a place where you grow up physically and mentally. In high school you begin as freshmen and graduate as a senior. Throughout that span of life a lot happeneds, and you are constantly learning as you grow. But I know many high schools including mine are not perfect and have flaws in their educational system, that can be fixed in order to provide a better environment for learning. Learning is a never ending process that we draw from our personal experiences. Although Americans believe in our educational system, there seems to be many problems that we are not aware of that have a negative effect on our students as a whole. One problem that the educational system faces is the obstacle between school and life. Schools need to break down the barrier in order to connect, going to school to learn and living your life. The students should be told that learning doesn’t stop after the bell rings or it is time to go it is happening all the time. In â€Å"School Is Bad For Children†, John Holt states, â€Å"’You come to school to learn’, we tell him, as if the child hadn’t been learning before, as if living were out there and learning were in here, and there is no connection between the two† (34). I think schools sometimes play a role of being separate from life because they enforce the rule of ‘you come to school to learn’ and that is it. Children come to school curious to learn with other people, particularly other children, but when the school teaches them to be indifferent they lose interaction with the world. Holt explains, â€Å"You might say that school is a long lesson in how to turn yourself off, which may be one of the reasons why so many young people, seek the awareness of the world and responsiveness to it they had when they were little, think they can only find it in drugs† (35). Making the student disconnect from the real world, meaning life, allows the students to believe that drugs are ok, which is bad. School and living is a connecting subject because you are living your life while attending school, which can affect the way you are learning. Problems and other situation that are happening in your life can make you lose focus, which affects the way you learn. Letting school and learning connect will break the barrier and create a better environment for students to function.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Sacagawea Essay -- Clark and Lewis ex

â€Å"Everything I do is for my people† (Quotes From Sacagawea). This fun loving naturalist that liked to help others was way more of a hero then she appears to be. Sacagawea, or also referred to as Sacagawea with a â€Å"g† or Sacakawea with a â€Å"k†, is known for her history in the Lewis and Clark expedition.(Sacajawea) She was born in Lemhi Mountains, which is now called Idaho, in 1788. She was the daughter of the Chief of the Indian Tribe, Shoshone. When she was 12 years old in 1800, she was kidnapped by the Hidasta Indian Tribe and taken to North Dakota. The Hidasta Indians also took several others along with her, and raided her Tribe from their stuff, killing a few people. A year after her arrival she was bought or gambled by a French-Canadian fur trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau, he made her his wife along with all his other â€Å"wives†. When she was 16, in 1804, she had gotten pregnant. By that time Lewis and Clark were setting up camp for the winter in Fort Mandan and had hired her husband as a translator. They later learned that Sacagawea spoke Shoshone and Hidasta, so they then asked her to join them, and she gla dly accepted. â€Å"The soil as you leave the heights of the mountains becomes gradually more fertile. the land through which we passed this evening is of an excellent quality tho very broken, it is a dark grey soil† (quotes Lewis as he travels through Idaho Country.) Sacagawea had her first born child, a boy, name Jean Baptiste Charbonneau in February 1805, who accompanied her on her journeys. Clark was fond of her new baby boy so he nicknamed him â€Å"Pomp† or â€Å"Pompey†, meaning â€Å"First Born†. (Sacagawea Lesson) In the spring of 1805 the Lewis and Clark expedition decides to take off. But on there way a sudden storm approaches and n... ...rson of Cameahwait she recognized her brother: She instantly jumped up, and ran and embraced him, throwing over him her blanket and weeping profusely: The chief was himself moved, though not in the same degree. After some conversation between them she resumed her seat, and attempted to interpret for us, but her new situation seemed to overpower her, and she was frequently interrupted by her tears (Lewis and Clark)." Works Cited http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/sacagawea/timeline.html http://www.sacagawea.com http://www.mathcs.bethel.edu/~gossett/DiscreteMathWithProof/sacagawea/quotes.html http://wikianswers.com/Q/Quotes_from_sacajawea http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/FEATURE/lewisandclark/quotes.html http://www.elcivics.com/sacajawea.html http://www/lewis-and-clark-expedition.com/Sacagawea.aspx http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/sacajawea/section1.rhtml

The use of relaxation techniques to increase self-confidence and reduce performance anxiety in squash players

AbstractThe effect of transcendental meditation on self-confidence is reported; one-way ANOVA revealed that self-confidence increases over time but only after 2 weeks of the start of the intervention. Qualitative data on the mechanisms of this effect reveal that it could be due to increased time for reflective practice and enhancing executive control. This is consistent with control theory (Jones, 1995) on the nature of performance anxiety in sport.IntroductionIn the domain of Sport Psychology, there is a substantial amount of theory and practice surrounding performance anxiety in practically all sporting contexts. Here two individuals will be presented with an identified deficit in one particular mental faculty which research suggests is pertinent to performance in sport. These two individuals play squash in competitive tournaments at University. Performance anxiety can vary in intensity and direction, and is a feeling of apprehension open to psychological interpretation and marked by biological indicators such as increased heart rate and galvanic skin responsiveness (Jones and Swain, 1993). Relaxation techniques refer here to any intervention aimed at either reducing or reinterpreting the anxiety than an individual is feeling (Hanton and Jones, 1999). Jones (1995) advocated the multidimensional anxiety conceptualisation and subsequently developed a model of control to separate the nature and genesis of beneficial and detrimental anxiety in the literature. The multidimensional nature of anxiety in this model refers to the different qualitative ways in which performance anxiety can vary such as the presence and nature of cognitive intrusions and the temporal patterning of the anxiety response. The cognitive ability of an individual to appraise their anxiety and maintain executive control over their perceptions will ultimately define whether this anxiety helps or hinders them during performance. There is empirical support for the notion that facilitative interpretation of anxiety and greater executive control can elevate performance (Jones, 1995; Jones, Hanton and Swain, 1994; Jones and Swain, 1993) but this theory is developed from an overview of past research, and does not substantially acknowledge the potential weaknesses of this research. Moreover it fails to enter into a thorough debate over the mechanisms which could be responsible for the differing interpretations of anxiety between people. Without this, interpretation is left to completely determine the effect of anxiety and therefore the effect becomes inherently unpredictable. Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump and Smith (1990) conceptualised cognitive and somatic anxiety as separate phenomena. They theorise that cognitive anxiety will be inversely related to performance and somatic anxiety will have an inverted U-shaped relationship with performance. Importantly these authors also found a positive linear relationship between self-confidence and performance. This suggests that some somatic anxiety is needed for optimal performance, and perhaps self-confidence is also needed to curb cognitive anxiety and maintain composure in the presence of somatic anxiety. It should be noted though that Martens et al. (1990) used an obsolete measure of anxiety (Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2) which does not incorporate measures of the athlete’s interpretation of their anxiety, focusing solely on intensity. This is a huge flaw since it is now widely acknowledged that psychologically talented and self-confident athletes can direct their anxiety towards facilitative ends (O’Brien, Hanton and Mellalieu, 2005). Jones, Hanton and Swain (1994) suggest that it is the interpretation of anxiety which is of upmost importance. But the causes of differences in interpretation are not explored in this research. There is some evidence to suggest that self-confidence; the belief in one’s own ability to successfully complete the task at hand has a substantial influence over an individual’s ability to control or direct their anxiety (Carver and Scheier, 1988; Jones et al., 1994; Hanton, Mellalieu and Hall, 2004). This study will therefore focus on the effectiveness of an often used intervention; relaxation strategies in improving self-confidence.HypothesisThere will be significant improvement in participants’ self-confidence after relaxation therapy. This increased self-confidence will significantly improve performance.Literature reviewWith the proposed theoretical frameworks outlined above in mind, there are many potential interventions which could be suggested to act on the propose d source of negative performance. This review will focus on research into the effects of relaxation therapies on the state of mind of athletes in competitive environments. These include stress inoculation training, mental imagery, massage, EMG biofeedback, progressive relaxation and various forms of meditation. Stress inoculation training involves guided relaxation, mental imagery and making self-statements, it has been shown to be effective in improving gymnastic performance (Mace and Carroll, 1986). Mental imagery (Jones and Stuth, 1997) and massage (Jooste and Khumalo, 2012) have also shown to produce positive results. The above research measures success mainly in terms of stress and objective distress reduction, it did not however aim to help athletes to reinterpret their stress. Also individual differences pose a serious risk in terms of confounding variables in such research. A very important study here is Eppley, Abrams and Shear (1989) who examined the effects of various forms of relaxation therapy against each other. The effect sizes of the reduction in trait anxiety were reported, making this piece of research particularly prominent since not every study will report this statistic. The authors found that most therapies had similar effect sizes, but transcendental meditation had a significantly larger effect size. At the least this has implications to inform the type of interventions which are most effective at reducing anxiety, and the authors even made efforts to control for confounding variables to strengthen their conclusions. However the justification for this research is in question (at least in a sporting context) because of other research to show that anxiety can be beneficial depending on how it is interpreted (Jones et al., 1994). This means that anxiety should not necessarily be seen solely as something to be eliminated; perhaps a better res earch question would examine the qualities which cause people to differ in their interpretation of their anxiety, and suggested coping strategies should focus more on appraisal than reduction of anxiety. Transcendental meditation therapy was therefore settled upon for use in this study because unlike other therapies of this kind it offers ample opportunity for reflection and direction of anxiety which is so often cited as important (Hanton, Cropley and Lee, 2009). The control model and the theory or Martens et al. (1990) provide the theoretical rationale for this investigation.MethodParticipantsThe participants in this study were two individuals; one male, one female recruited from the University squash club who frequently competed in highly competitive tournaments. These two individuals were specifically identified using a short questionnaire administered just before the start of the tournament to identify weaknesses in self-confidence regarding squash performance. Participants were both aged 18-20 and considered themselves to be playing at a non-professional club level in highly competitive tournaments. Participants were verbally advised on the nature of the experiment and their fr eedom to withdraw at any time.InstrumentationThe dependent variable to measure is self-confidence. Competitive state anxiety was measured with the Revised Competitive State Anxiety-2 (Cox, Martens and Russell, 2003) but only the self-confidence sub-scale was used. The questionnaire is available in the appendix.Design and ProcedureParticipants were tested pre-intervention, at one week intervals during the intervention to monitor changes, and finally at post-intervention. Participants were not tested around the time of a tournament to avoid confounding effects of anxiety. After the intervention, semi-structured interviews were administered to both participants. A full transcript of these interviews is available in the appendix. The intervention consisted of three weeks of guided meditation, in which participants were encouraged to think deeply about meaningful things in their lives and to let their thoughts wander. They were encouraged also to think of themselves in relation to the wo rld. This style of transcendental meditation involves little guidance and a quiet, supportive environment in which self-expression is encouraged. Sessions lasted one hour and took place 4 times a week.ResultsA one-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed for both participants. Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics for the variables at each measurement period. As can be seen mean self-confidence ratings gradually increase with time during and after the intervention. The standard deviation also appears to increase however, showing more variability in ratings of self-confidence as therapy progresses. Table 1 Descriptive statistics for self-confidence ratings IntervalMeanStandard Deviation Pre-test183.2 Week 1154.1 Week 2245.7 Post-test284.6 Table 2 displays the post hoc tests for the comparisons between the measurements at the four time intervals. The overall ANOVA showed a significant effect of the treatment (F(3, 3)=9.356, p

Divorce in the Philippines Essay

Everyday, we hear stories from the news about women being abused by their husbands up to the point of causing death to the abused. It is also never new to hear a spouse having extramarital affairs and those other stories of infidelity and violence. We may sometimes first-handedly witness it in our own community, neighbors and friends, and even in our own homes. Come to think of it, why stay on this kind of unhappy relationships? According to the Philippine Commission on Women website, â€Å"physical injuries and/or wife battering remains to be the most prevalent case across the twelve-year period, from 1997–2009, accounting nearly half (45.5 percent) of all reported violence against women (VAW) cases nationwide.† Yes, we already have annulment and legal separation in the Philippines but these systems are nothing but flawed—allowing only separation for such grounds that makes marriage void, in the first place. Meaning, this only considers those cases of psychological incapacity, impotence, marriages between collateral blood relatives, incestuous marriages, mistaken identity, and minority. However, spousal abuse and infidelity are not grounds for the annulment of marriage. This does not answer the rampantly occurring cases of violence and infidelity that leaves women rather helpless. Philippines is among the last two countries in the world that do not yet legalize divorce. Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza first filed a divorce bill in Congress in 2005. The bill, known as House Bill 1799, or An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines, was re-filed in August 2010 by Gabriela Women’s party-list. It should be no wonder now why it is the women who are fighting for the passage of this bill because they are the object of infidelity and violence. Lawmakers have identified several grounds for divorce: when the married couple has been separated for five years de facto and reconciliation is highly improbable; the couple has been separated for two years before filing for divorce; when the grounds for legal separation (infidelity, psychological incapacity and irreconcilable differences) are present resulting to an irreparable marriage. According to a Social Weather Station survey conducted in March 2011, â€Å"50 percent of adult Filipinos agree and 33 percent disagree with the statement: ‘Married couples who have already separated and cannot reconcile anymore should be allowed to divorce so that they can get legally married again.’† In 2005, a similar survey was conducted which showed that 43 percent of adult Filipinos were in favor of divorce and 44 percent were not. From the statistics, we can conclude that Filipinos are starting to become open-minded with this issue and now accepts divorce as an option for failed marriages. According to Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerciana De Jesus, representatives of Gabriela Women’s Party List, â€Å"The sanctity of marriage is not based on the number of marriages existing but on the quality of marital relationships; when a marriage is no longer viable, divorce should be an option.† Indeed, why stay in a marital relationship where it no longer foster love between husbands and wives? It is now time to accept the rampantly occurring fact that some marriages work and some unfortunately don’t. In cases where a union is more harmful than beneficial, a divorce can be a benevolent and less hurtful way of severing ties.