Human Resource Management
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Item Ethics and values - Are they forgotten in our work place, community and society?(2003) Asemota, O. O.Throughout history, every human society has had its norms and values that its members obey to sustain its smooth existence. When people deviate from these norms, the society is in decadence. In the traditional society, hard work, respect for others and their belongings, the protection of one‟s dignity and name and that of one‟s family, honesty, constitute the basic ingredients of morality. As can be observed in the society of today, morality has been on the decline. This present generation is fast putting the ethics of life off shore giving way to immorality, violence, unethical practices that each day seems to say “I have come to stay” defiantly in the face of our wide spreading religion. Patterns of behaviour that were universally deemed to be morally unacceptable (both in the society, work place, or community) are today being vigorously promoted as viable alternatives. This is most evident in the area of sexual behaviour of men and women (child abuse), corruption in high places, misappropriation of assets, just to mention a few of the unethical behaviour. This paper attempts to evaluate the causes of unethical behaviour and its attendant consequences within the society. More specifically, this paper will address the possible strategies that can be put in place to ensure decorum in the conduct of business and general behaviour. The paper further examines the roles expected from the following key players in the society: the family, religious organizations, professional bodies that regulate the conduct of business practices, governments, non-governmental organizations, schools and counsellors.Item Factors that impede adoption of e-learning in developing countries: Advice for moving beyond challenges with integrating e-learning platforms at NUST.(2009) Wambui, Lydiah; Black, EllaThis paper examines factors that impede adoption of e-learning in developing countries and proposes strategies for African universities interested in overcoming the challenges posed by technology integration. The findings reveal that when content learning is integral to e-learning, it has the potential to support increased e-learning outcomes, especially if lecturers at the NUST align their teaching strategies with many of the goals of Vision 2030 and the Millennium Development Goals. The NUST has its own strategic goals for 2013, which are aligned with Vision 2030. NUST’s 5-year strategic goals focus on accessibility, technical support and resource allocation. NUST lecturers provided insight into e-learning benefits and challenges, which lead to recommendations that can be generalized for institutions in developing countries.Item Personal effectiveness and executive stress.(2009) Wambui, LydiahPersonal effectiveness is defined as a distinct set of behavioural competencies (qualities, skills and attributes) that are associated with effective management behaviour or embedded within all work-related activities. It includes key behaviours required for a competent manager to perform. In order to achieve personal competency it is important for you as a manager to understand your own strengths and to maximise them as well as identify your own weaknesses and learn how to overcome them. Once you take responsibility of self-development, you are able to help others to develop themselves through reviews, daily interaction, informal feedback, advice and guidance. Being effective as an individual and organisation is no longer an option but a price for entry into the playing field of life. The greater the change the more challenges individuals face and therefore the more the demand for personal effectiveness.Item Leadership potential for credibility.(2009) Wambui, LydiahLeadership is the process of guiding and directing the behaviour of people in the work environment. Formal Leadership occurs when and organisation officially bestows on a leader the authority to guide and direct other in the organisation. Informal leadership occurs when a person is unofficially accorded power by others in the organisation and uses influence to guide and direct their behaviour. Leadership on the job is summed up in the effect that everything a leader says and does has on the workforce. It involves securing willing cooperation, interest and desire to do the job the way the leader wants it done. S/he is ahead of the group, showing the way, finding the best path to the objective as indicated by the leader. A leader must have the ability to create and articulate a realistic a, credible and attractive vision of the future for an organisation or business unit that grows out of and improves on the present. This vision must be value centred, realizable, evokes superior imagery and well articulated. The leader must be able to explain the vision to others, model the vision and extend vision to different leadership contexts.Item Managing human capital for optimum performance.(2004) Asemota, O. O.People undoubtedly constitute the most valuable asset in any enterprise be it public or private. Until we acknowledge that the expert in any particular job is most often the person performing it, we shall forever limit the potential of that person in terms of both his contribution to the organisation and his personal development. Man, as one of the 5Ms of factors of production, (machines, materials, money and management of time) plays the role of a hub, without which the organisation cannot function effectively. Faced with rapid change that pervades business environment, organisations need to develop a more focused, dynamic and coherent approach to managing its human resources. Managing the human capital of any enterprise requires a complex and effective utilization of both human and material resources. It is against this background that this paper will examine how people are managed for desired results. This paper further examines the paradigm shift in the roles (past, present and the future) of Human Resource practitioners in the management of people for optimum results. Literature reviewed, so far, maintained that managing people for optimum performance is a sine qua non. Most specifically, this paper will address strategies put in place by forward looking organisations to ensure that right employees are acquired, maintained and discharged in such a way that they bring returns on investments, not only to the enterprise but to themselves and community at large. A further review of managing human resource diversity is highly recommended.Item Unethical practices: Bane of effective enterprise management.(2005) Asemota, O. O.There is no human endeavour that does not require proper management for its proper functioning. Every organisation whether small, medium or big, requires good corporate governance to function effectively. Furthermore, businesses are guided by rules, regulations and policies that shape and control employees’ behaviour. Once these rules are violated, objectives of the business may be jeopardised and consequent, enterprise collapse in the long run. Ethical conduct of business is non-negotiable if entrepreneurs desire growth and sustainability. It is against this background that this paper attempts to appraise causes of unethical behaviour and its resultant effects on entrepreneurship development. Furthermore, the paper examines the roles of the entrepreneur and the employees, with a view of specifically addressing the strategies and mechanisms that can be put in place to minimise the trend of corrupt practices in the conduct of business.Item Applicability of the Small Business Franchise Prototype model to Namibia.(2008) Asemota, O. O.; Asemota, G. N. O.Namibia has been witnessing an increase in the cases of business failures, job losses and job cuts. In 1970, the unemployment figure was about 20 000 and increased to about 223 000 (36.7%) in 2004. Also, Namibia’s unemployment rate increased between 2001 and 2004. As a result, the major challenges confronting Namibia include ensuring employment-creating growth, strengthening competitiveness and a smooth process of land reform. The small business franchise prototype model developed in this study addresses efficient and effective small enterprise creation and operation. Extensive literature search, review, analyses and modeling were used to develop the proposed small business model as a set of self-sufficient, lead-generating, client converting, and customer satisfying machines that work. This prototype model is achieved by designing systems to get the work done and training people to operate those systems to produce consistent results. Although the Government has put some structures in place to stimulate entrepreneurship development through training, finance, support and other incentives; research has shown that the failure rate hovers around 85 percent. Results show that the proposed business model has a success rate of more than 90 percent. The model can be used to assist unlicensed shebeen operators and rehabilitate former Ramatex workers.Item Strategic management of HIV/AIDS-affected personnel in confined work places and environs: Focus on staff of the Namibian Security Forces.(2006) Asemota, O. O.This paper assesses the management of HIV/AIDS in the Namibian Security Force from policy environment and work assignments levels. An attempt is made to characterize the security force members in terms of how operational and strategic policy directives impact their lives, behaviour patterns and relationships in both pre and post-HIV/AIDS conditions. Special attention is directed on the effect of location of the security forces, especially in resettlements and informal communal settings. The paper concludes with strategic policy recommendations for management of HIV/AIDS-infected and affected security force personnel for optimum performance and quality of life.Item Impact of HIV/AIDS on Namibian educational sector.(2007) Asemota, O. O.HIV/AIDS in the education and training sector in Namibia has been of critical concern to Namibia especially because of its apartheid past and the resultant backlog of untrained and unskilled indigenous population. This unprecedented rate of HIV/AIDS infection and the proportionately high number of educated persons that have fallen victim to the pandemic has magnified the problem for the education planners. Indeed, Namibia’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has become a common global reference point and a basic denominator used to explain the low life expectancy, poor standard of living of the majority of the indigenous population despite a very healthy, wealthy and progressive economy. The potential threat of this YET incurable disease to Namibia’s human capital development cannot be overemphasised, In-spite of its impact and awareness of the severity of HIV challenge, efforts in the education sector appear to be un-coordinated and do not seem to match the magnitude of the challenge. The paper, therefore, discusses the pros and cons of government efforts and business response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and examines further approaches to address the impact of the deadly virus.