Gen Y and Management - Assignment Example

Gen Y and Management ALSOHAIBANI Abdullah Nasser 12676289 JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY Contents Contents 1 Abstract 2 Introduction 3 Thesis statement 4 Research Questions 4 Review of the Literature 4 Methodology 8 Purpose: 8 Paradigm: 8 Study Design: 8 Population and Sample: 8 Investigative Techniques: 9 1.Independent variables: 9 2.Dependent variables: 9 Instrumentation: 9 Data Collections: 10 Data Analysis Plan: 10 Ethical Consideration (Human Subject Protections): 10 Bias: 10 Assumptions: 11 Limitations: 11 Conclusion 11 References 11 Business Research Proposal Student’s name: Abdullah Nasser Alsohaibani Student’s e-mail: abdullahnassera.alsohaibani@my.jcu.edu.au Abstract Due to increased economic growth and development across the world, it has been identified that work/life balance, flexibility, flat organizational structures, a social environment, a fun culture, and access to information are prominent priorities for Gen Y in the workplace. Hence, there is an increased need to help organizations to attract Gen Y into different professions. However, in order to attract Gen Y into different professions, it is of immense significance to first understand Gen Y’s attitudes towards work and their ideal work environment. It is this fact that has led CPA Australia to start an effort to attract more Gen Y’s into the accounting profession by trying to understand better Gen Y’s attitudes towards work and their ideal work environment. This paper is therefore aimed at analyzing Gen Y’s attitude towards work and their ideal working environment in Australia. Gen Y and Management Introduction There are many factors that affect Gen Y at work. The working environment within which Gen Y works has also proved to be of immense significance in regards to how Gen Y works. It has been proved to be difficult across the world to employee or lure Gen Y into certain professions. In Australia for instance, Gen Y has different attitude towards the accounting profession and its working environment. This fact has led to the need of close scrutiny of Gen Y’s attitude towards accounting profession/work and their ideal working environment. In order to address this situation CPA Australia is undertaking a research in regard to understanding better Gen Y’s attitudes towards accounting work and their ideal working environment so as to attract more Gen Y’s into an accounting profession. Thesis statement Due to recent findings in Australia that work/life balance, flexibility, flat organizational structures, a social environment, a fun culture, and access to information are prominent priorities for Gen Y in the workplace. CPA Australia is undertaking a research aimed at understanding better Gen Y’s attitudes towards work and their ideal work environment so as to attract more Gen Y’s into the accounting profession. Hence, this paper is aimed at analyzing and discussing the impact of working environment on Gen Y in Australia, the major factors that hinder Gen Y from Joining accounts profession in Australia, and the impacts of Gen Y’s priorities at work place in Australia. Research Questions 1. What is the impact of working environment on Gen Y in Australia? 2. What are the major factors that hinder Gen Y from Joining accounts profession in Australia? 3. What are the impacts of Gen Y’s priorities at work place in Australia? Review of the Literature Many accounting firms play a vital role in the management of finances and financial records of different governments, parastatals and non-governmental organizations. The firm’s services are therefore on demand depending on the level of professionalism and quality offered (Zimmerman et al., 2012). In order to compete in the stiff market, the management concentrates on higher levels of job performance. The management system is first screened to ensure there is good and mutual co-ordination with employees. High levels of job performance are achieved through fostering and managing employee engagement. The personnel should therefore be sufficient to manage the bulk of work; more Gen Y should be made to appreciate and have a desire to join the accounting profession (Zimmerman et al., 2012). Their working conditions should be able to meet their demands and also help them to manage their talents. According to Tay & Drasgow (2012), the accountants should be comfortable with their jobs and do them willingly without being subdued to any pressure. They should be provided with an opportunity to participate in the organization’s decision making process. Their views and opinions should always be respected although the final decision making should remain with the management. Workers’ unions should also be respected and labor laws be adhered to because it will help to maintain a mutual interaction, and smooth regulation and running of the firms’ activities. Employees should have a personal, positive change of attitude in order to concentrate their energy towards organizational change. This begins by proper management of resources particularly time (Tay & Drasgow, 2012). Time is the greatest resource that if well managed, it can lead to accomplishing personal and the firms’ objectives. Proper management therefore attracts high rewards and hence more Gen Y to the accounting profession. Gruman & Saks (2012) assert that apart from having a proper relationship between the management and accountants, the same should exist among co-workers. Good relations among co-workers improve their job performance. It motivates them to work harder in unison. In addition to this, there is minimal supervision of work. However, it has been found that employees with the same job status tend to have better relations ones with different ranks. Employees with same rank develop a passion to their job hence making it part and parcel of their life, and hence, intend to stay in the profession for as long as possible. They become role models and good leaders, and hence attract more people to the accounting profession (Gruman & Saks, 2012). Kaine (2012) stipulates that majority of Gen Y are driven by their personality. Their decision to join the accounting profession depends on their employment goal. They compare whatever is offered by the accounting job to what they want to achieve. This affects their commitment to pursuing a career and job. “Even though a Goal-directed behavior can be influenced by the external environment, individuals’ motives and goals are initially determined by their neurobiological makeup” (Kaine, 2012). “Here, the brain responds to different stimuli which enable one to pursue or avoid a certain career. Those greatly concerned with accomplishments and advancements pursue approach goals” (Kaine 2012). Avoidance goals are pursued by individuals who are sensitive to negative stimuli and are concerned with duties and obligation. “Some may consider both punishments and rewards, hence motivated simultaneously by avoidance and approach goals” (Kaine 2012). Bogaert et al. (2012) stipulate that from the approach-avoidance perspective, employees prefer a job that will present an opportunity to advance in their careers, and at the same moment evade limitations in their current jobs. This is basically aimed at improving their living standards by increasing their earnings and advancing their positions. There is an investigation on the moderating duty of a person’s social value orientation, and of climate strength on the connection between work group cooperative climate and emotional commitments among specialist workers. In order to determine this, we created two probable but contrary hypotheses on the restraint impact of social value orientation. One is based on the behavioral assimilation while the other one is based on the goal transformation theory (Bogaert et al., 2012). It is argued that the climate strength of the workgroup is a significant contingency factor that determines which of the two contradictory predictions holds. We can obtain support for our argument from the instance of the case of 209 academic workers of the Belgian University. To be specific, the effective dedication of workers with a prosocial value orientation is enhanced by a cooperative climate as forecasted by the behavioral assimilation argument though only when there is powerful agreement among group members in regard to climate of the group- high climate strengths. On the other hand, a cooperative climate facilitates emotional commitment (consistent with goal transformation theory) for those whose social value orientation is towards the self instead of others particularly when the climate is not decided upon (low climate strength) (Bogaert et al., 2012). Recent claims that the extrapolative powers of various theories in an organizational behavior rely on a person’s motives and values are underscored by these findings. However, implications of these findings for the management of work groups made up of workers with diverse social values orientations have been discussed. The relationships between coworkers are a significant, but understudied, source of influence in lives of the people. Very few studies have examined specifically the effect of relationships between coworkers despite the fact that psychological research supports broadly the importance of peer relationships (Basford & Offermann, 2012). The current study was designed to add to the small but increasing body of research on coworker relations. Employee motivation and intent to remain above and beyond two sources of supervisor support immediate supervisors and senior managers is increased independently by the positive coworker relationships according to the tests and results drawn from a large sample of service-sector workers. We also inspected how these relationships are moderated by a worker job status, finding that the effect of coworker relations on intent to stay was powerful for workers in high-status positions while workers at both low- and high-status levels reporting higher motivation when coworker relationships were good (Basford & Offermann, 2012). Methodology Purpose: To identify factors that can attract more of Gen Y into the accounting profession in Australia. Paradigm: Most of Gen Y in Australia has been known to evade the accounting profession. This is attributed to different factors within accounting firms and more sore personal matters. The accounting profession therefore suffers a great deficit of professionals, resulting to limitation in service provision. In order to solve this problem, proper means of bringing up a generation of account professionals ought to be implemented. Study Design: Quantitative methods of study will be used in this research so as to understand different perspectives and attitude of Gen Y towards the accounting profession. This is the easiest way since different people will be given directly an opportunity to express their feelings towards the accounting profession. Interviews will be carried out in addition to proper analysis of written articles. Population and Sample: In order to collect accurate data and come up with correct results different populations will be interviewed including six accountants who are currently employed; four human resource managers in an accounting firm and 30 graduates .The graduates were between 20 and 26 years old, while the accounts and managers were above 35 years. Investigative Techniques: In order to carryout research, different techniques will be used including the use of structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires. This is because the interviewers and interviewees are presented with an open platform to express themselves. Some of the variables are: 1. Independent variables: Curriculum change, Introduction of new programs in institutions of higher learning, and Change in technology, knowledge and skills. 2. Dependent variables: Change in accountant’s attitude, Change in graduates behavior, and Changes in academic performance Instrumentation: The use of interviews and open- ended questionnaires is a standardized method. The information obtained will be more reliable since it will be direct from an individual. The validity is affected in the fact that some interviewers may not disclose some information due to personal reasons. Biased responses may also be obtained depending on the gender and age gap between interviewer and interviewee. Data Collections: With authorization of the management, questionnaires will be given out to the graduates that will be on attachment and the selected workers. This would be on the last day of the week before breaking for the weekend. Since it will be at midday, they will be given for just 30 minutes which will be the relevant time. The human resource managers will also be interviewed at the same moment. Data Analysis Plan: From statistics collected, analysis will be thoroughly and carefully done to identify how different factors influence Gen Y to either join or disregard the accounting profession. This will be in terms of age, gender, personal reasons and many more. The information will then help the relevant Australian authorities to save the situation. Ethical Consideration (Human Subject Protections): The interviewees’ names are not to be used in order to protect their jobs and prevent causing any emotional harm. The use of letters is preferred. Bias: Some respondents gave biased information. This may be due to their social status, age gender or level of education. This may question the validity of the research being undertaken. Assumptions: The hypothesis will be tested by comparing it to the general response. Limitations: The research is not based on investigating the private affairs of individuals or firms. The information obtained will therefore be very confidential to the researcher. Conclusion In general, Gen Y is highly willing to work with accounting organizations but there are numerous factors hindering them. Hence, in order to encourage them to join accounting profession, all factors including their attitudes towards work and their ideal working environment ought to be addressed fully. References Basford, T. and Offermann, L. (2012). Beyond leadership: The impact of coworker relationships on employee motivation and intent to stay. Journal of Management and Organization, Vol. 18 Issue 6, 2012. Bogaert, S., Boone, C. and Witteloostuijn, A. (2012). Social Value Orientation and Climate Strength as Moderators of the Impact of Work Group Cooperative Climate on Affective Commitment. Journal of Management Studies Vol. 49, Issue 5, 2012, 918–944. Gruman, J. and Saks, A. (2012). Performance management and employee engagement. Journal of Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 21, Issue 2, 2011, 123–136. Kaine, S. (2012). Employee voice and regulation in the residential aged care sector. Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 22, Issue 3, 2012, 316–331. Matheny, J. (1998). Organizational therapy: Relating a psychotherapeutic model of planned personal change to planned organizational change. Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 13 Issue 5/6, 1998, 394 - 405. Tay, L. and Drasgow, F. (2012). Theoretical, Statistical, and Substantive Issues in the Assessment of Construct Dimensionality: Accounting for the Item Response Process. Organizational Research Methods, 15, 2012, 363-384. Zimmerman, R., Boswell, W., Shipp, A., Dunford, B. and Boudreau, J. (2012). Explaining the Pathways Between Approach-Avoidance Personality Traits and Employees’ Job Search Behavior. Journal of Management 38, 2012, 1450-1475. Read More