TRAINING ADEQUACY AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN TECHNOPRENEURS

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1 Available online at : Vol. 6 Issue 8, August, 2016, pp. 153~165, Thomson Reuters ID: L TRAINING ADEQUACY AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG WOMEN TECHNOPRENEURS *Dr. P.N.Hari kumar, Associate Professor & Head, Post-graduate Department of Commerce & Tourism, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. **Dr. Susha D,. Associate Professor, Post-graduate Department of Mathematics, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. ABSTRACT : Kudumbashree is a novel woman based participatory programme launched by the Government of Kerala in 1998 for wiping out absolute poverty from the State through concerted community action under the leadership of Local Self Governments. Kudumbashree is today the largest women-empowering project in India and also mighty women's movements in Asia with a full-time women membership of 3.7 million, engaged in an array of gainful activities covers more than 50% of the households in Kerala. During the late nineties Kudumbashree identified the potentiality of ICT based micro enterprises for empowering poor women flocks because of the significant improvement in the women literacy rate and better human development index of Kerala state. Today Micro ICT enterprises under the Kudumbashree is significantly contributing for empowering poor women flock and there by poverty eradication.this paper focused on the training analysis and job satisfaction of women core group members engaged in ICT microenterprise under Kudumbashree in Kerala. KEY WORDS: ICT Enterprises, Kudumbashree, Poverty alleviation, Women Empowerment, Training, Job Satisfaction 1. INTRODUCTION Kudumbashree is a novel woman based participatory programme launched by the Government of Kerala in 1998 for wiping out absolute poverty from the State through concerted community action under the leadership of Local Self Governments, Kudumbashree is today the largest womenempowering project in the country and also mighty women's movements in Asia with a full-time women membership of 3.7 million, engaged in an array of gainful activities covers more than 50% 153

2 of the households in Kerala. Built around three critical components micro credit, entrepreneurship and empowerment, the Kudumbashree initiative has today succeeded in addressing the basic needs of the less privileged women thus providing them a more dignified life and a better future. Kudumbashree differs from conventional programmes in that it perceives poverty not just as the deprivation of money, but also as the deprivation of basic rights. The poor need to find a collective voice to help claim these rights. Kudumbashree plays a vital role in enhancing the financial status of the less privileged women in the state through its thrift and credit societies. These societies facilitate them to save and provide them with cost-effective and easy credit. The savings of the women are pooled together and given out as loans to the most deserving. These loans have been used for purpose ranging from covering hospital expenses to meeting working capital needs for micro enterprises. The Community Development Societies facilitate bank linkages for farming, micro housing and micro insurance. They also serve as the delivery point for skill upgradation and market development support to micro enterprises. Besides micro finance, micro enterprise development, gainful wage employment and improved livelihood skills form the cornerstones of Kudumbashree s economic empowerment strategy. Kudumbashree has taken on board the support and active collaboration of Local Self Governments, development agencies and technical organizations in its effort to enhance the value of the services and products offered by the poor. Today, Kudumbashree is on its way to developing a unique community brand that is ethnic, homely and environment-friendly, while seeking no compromise on quality. One of the successful strategies of Kudumbashree has been the conversion of social needs into business opportunities. This approach has reaped good dividends in areas as diverse as solid waste management, supplementary nutrition and Information communication technology (ICT). 1.1 Definition for Women s ICT based enterprises According to Hafkin & Taggart 2001 Women s ICT-based enterprises can defined as those using ICTs (Information, Communication and Technologies) for new economic activities that arise from the advent of ICTs and are majority owned,managed by women. There are three main categories. ICTs as an enterprise output: Micro Enterprises that produce hardware, software and telecommunications products. ICTs as a primary processing technology: Micro Enterprises that provide data entry services, ICT-based business services, software customization, ICT-based distance learning, etc. Other ICT-related support activities: Micro Enterprises that provide computer training, consultancy and other services. 1.2 Kudumbashree and Women s ICT based projects During the period Kudumbashree officials identified the potentiality of ICT based micro enterprises for empowering poor women flocks because of the significant improvement in the Demographic and Socio- health indicators of Kerala State). The Kudumbashree initiated Women ICT 154

3 based enterprises in Kerala with the financial support from the central government schemes called Development of Women and Children in the Urban Areas (DWCUA) under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY)). Because of the lack of awareness, skills and confidence it was very difficult to materialize the ICT based projects and needed a top-down push. The first unit was started on 15th Sept 1999, when Kudumbashree management identified a market opportunity in data entry work of government records. The Kudumbashree team identified potential women from below poverty line (BPL) families to join the micro ICT unit and financial requirements proposed and adequate training and development progarmmes were initiated with the help experts from the entrepreneurship development institute of India (EDI). Because of the sincere team work, the first data entry job went successfully and that brought goodwill and reputation. Kudumbashree central team requested the district officials to formally visit he first ICT unit and the result was that the Kudumbashree team set a target to setup 36 ICT units by 31st March 2010, but fortunately they managed to setup 48 micro ICT units. Meanwhile Kudumbashree central official s team invited women members of the Community Development Societies (CDSs) to visit the first ICT unit, and they got 2-3 day attachments with the unit for a few other potential unit founders. In addition, there was significant exposure within the media about the ICT unit. As a result, after just a very few more ICT units had been set up, there started to be much more bottom-up interest and then demand for creation of ICT units from the CDSs. Demand for women's ICT units further got momentum during the period when the state government ICT department agreed to give an order that state government departments could give orders for ICT services direct to Kudumbashree without need for tendering. Subsequently a similar order was issued for local governments throughout Kerala. Currently under the Kudumbashree movement there are 72 ICT micro enterprises are operating across Kerala and significantly contributing for eradicating poverty by empowering women community. The natures of job undertaken by ICT enterprises are only data entry work contract getting from government departments. The present study is critically evaluating the training adequacy and job satisfaction level of core women group members working in Women micro ICT enterprises under Kudumbashree. 1.3 Objective of the study 1. To analyze the educational qualification and experience of Women core group members working in women Micro ICT enterprises. 2. To analyze whether the training obtained from various agencies are adequate to run the ICT micro Enterprises by the members. 3. To assess the job satisfaction level of core group members working in women Micro ICT enterprises. 4. To study the relationship between the job experience and training adequacy. 5. To study the relationship between the job experience and job satisfaction. 155

4 1.5 Hypotheses for the study 1. There is no difference in perception about training received among members with different qualifications. 2. There is no difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. 1.6 Research Methodology The exploratory study was conducted through collecting primary and secondary data. The primary data needed for the study was collected through a systematic survey using a structured questionnaire covering Kudumbashree ICT enterprises, ICT unit members and secondary data relevant for the study was collected from books, journals and research publications pertaining to the subject and from related. A sample of 36(50%) of the total 72(100%) data processing units across central, south and north Kerala were selected for the study and from the selected sample women core group members were selected for the individual survey. A stratified simple random sampling survey was carried for selecting sample for survey by considering number of units in each district. The non-parametric Kruskal Wallis Test, Spearman s rank correlations and descriptive statistics were used for statistical inferences. 3. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION CORE GROUP MEMBERS Table -1: Educational Qualification Qualification Frequency Percent SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total The Table -1 shows the educational qualification core group members working ICT enterprises. From the table it is understood that majority of members are well educates with qualification above higher secondary % are graduates /diploma holders, about the same percentage have got higher secondary level qualification; only 9.50% got post graduation level of education. However it is to be noted that 21.10% members working in ICT enterprises got only senior secondary level of education. 156

5 4. EXPERIENCE OF CORE GROUP MEMBERS Table -2 : Experience of core group member with in ICT based Enterprises The Table-2 shows the years of experience the core group members got in ICT based enterprises. From the table it is understood that 55.80% got experience of 2-3years % got experience of 3-4years, 5.30% got experience of 4-5year and 1-2 years respectively. However 2.10% of members are highly experienced, that is they got more than 5years of experience in ICT enterprises. From the discussion with the members it is understood that even though the members got high level of experience in data entry operations, they are not exposed to modern software s tools for future sustainability and opportunities in computer related services in the market. 5. TRAINING ANALYSIS Experience Frequency Percent 1-2 years years years years > 5 years Total Organizations supported for technical training Table -3 : Organizations Supported For Technical Training. Organisation Frequency Percent Kudumbashree Private institutions On the job Total Table -3 shows that 58.90% of members received technical training from Kudumbashree (agency), in addition to the trainings received from the agency around 26.30% received training from private organizations too % reported that they learned the computer lessons and training in data entry, application packages from the enterprise itself (on the job training). From the discussion with the member s it was understood that, for each new data enter work,the agency will provides necessary training and support related with the nature of job,and application package to be used for the job. 157

6 5.2 Organizations supported for managerial/entrepreneurial training Table -4: Organizations Supported For Managerial/ Entrepreneurial Training Organisation Frequency Percentage Kudumbashree 100 As mentioned in the above Table -4, all the core group members are supported by the Kudumbashree (agency) for necessary managerial and entrepreneurial training for running ICT based enterprises in Kerala. 5.3 Organizations supported for financial/marketing training Table -5: Organizations Supported For Financial/Marketing Training Organisation Frequency Percentage CDS Kudumbashree On the job Total From the Table -5 it is clear that 85.3% members were received training in financial and marketing from Kudumbashree, 9.5% received training from community development societies(cds) apart of received the same from the agency.however 5.3% received training from the enterprises itself(on the job training). 158

7 6. OPINIONS OF THE CORE MEMBERS ABOUT TRAINING RECEIVED Table -6 : Opinions of the core members about training they received Opinion (Frequency (% )) Factors Total Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree I got adequate training in technical skills to sustain in the contemporary business The management/ entrepreneurial training I received is adequate to do the day to day business The training provided me enough exposure in financial and marketing aspects of business Performance improvement programme of Kudumbashree is highly useful to improve the enterprise productivity. 2 (2.1) 42 (44.2) 27 (28.4) 11 (11.6) 66 (69.5) 28 (29.5) 61 (64.2) 2 (2.1) 12 (12.6) 34 (35.8) The Table -6 shows the opinions of the core members about training they received. From the table it is understood that 69.5% members agreed that they received adequate technical training, 28.4% was neutral about the statement and 2.1% strongly agreed on the statement. In the case of managerial/entrepreneurial training, all the respondents were agreed that the training received is adequate. About the training in financial and marketing aspect, there was a mixed opinion, that is 29.5% agreed on the statement that the training was adequate, 12.6% strongly agreed on the statement, 11.6% were neutral, but very surprisingly 44.2% disagreed on the statement, that is training they received on financial and marketing aspects are not adequate, also 2.1% strongly disagreed that the training is not adequate. In the case of performance improvement programme organized by Kudumbashree, 64.2% agreed that the training was useful for improvement in their career and 35.8% agreed that the performance improvement progarmme was very useful. 6.1 Kruskal Wallis Test to test the difference in perception about training among women core group members with different qualifications The null and alternate hypothesis formulated for the study is given below: H0: There is no difference in perception about training received among members with different qualifications. H1: There is a difference in perception about training received among members with different qualifications. 159

8 Table -7: Kruskal Wallis Test to Test the Difference in Perception About Training Received among Members With Different Qualifications Factors Qualification Mean SD Kruskal Wallis Test Chi square p-value I got adequate training in technical skills to sustain in the contemporary business The management/ entrepreneurial training I received is adequate to do the day to day business The training provided me enough exposure in financial and marketing aspects of business Performance improvement programme of Kudumbashree is highly useful to improve the enterprise productivity SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total * * Table -7 shows the difference in perception about training received among members with different qualifications. From the table it is understood that mean score of opinion about technical skill training are 3.75, 3.64, 3.91, and 3.44 for the education groups SSLC, HSC, UG and PG respectively. It is to be noted that all the scores are above 3, which shows a strong agreement on the statement but it is significantly different at 5% level of sig. ( p-value = 0.038). The UG group having high level of agreement and the lowest for PG. In the case of managerial /entrepreneurial training there is a 160

9 homogeneity mean score; hence we could say there is no difference in opinion among members with different qualification. In the case of training in financial/marketing we could see the same phenomena that there exist a homogeneity among mean score that means there is no difference in opinion among members with different. The means cores of opinion about performance in improvement programme are 4.15, 4.39, 4.52 and 4.11 for the education groups SSLC, HSC, UG and PG respectively. All the scores are above 4, which shows a strong agreement on the statement but it is significantly different at 5% level of sig. (p-value = 0.021). Here also UG group having high level of agreement and the lowest for PG. Hence we could conclude that there is a difference in opinion only on training in technical skills and performance improvement programme of Kudumbashree at 5% level of significance. 6.2 Correlation between experience and training adequacy Table -8 shows the correlation between experience and training adequacy. From the table it is understood that there exist a negative correlations(r=-0.206, p= 0.045) for the factor The training provided me enough exposure in financial and marketing aspects of business is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed) and all other factors are not significant. Table -8: Spearman s Rank Correlations between Core Members Experience and Training Adequacy Spearman s Rank Correlations I got adequate training in technical skills to sustain in the contemporary business The training provided me enough exposure in financial and marketing aspects of business Performance improvement programme of Kudumbashree is highly useful to improve the enterprise productivity Correlation Experience Coefficient(r) *.142 Sig. (2-tailed) *. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). 7. JOB SATISFACTION 7.1 Evaluation of job satisfaction level of core members working ICT enterprises 161

10 Table -9 : Evaluation of job satisfaction level of core members working ICT enterprises Opinion (Frequency (% )) Parameters Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Total The working environment and nature of work is favorable 3 (3.2) 10 (10.5) 72 (75.8) 10 (10.5) There is harmony in group activities (1.1) (5.3) (15.8) (70.5) (7.4) The enterprise providing me sufficient financial support 1 ( (46.3) 30 (31.6) 18 (18.9) 2 (2.1) The group members are highly supportive (16.8) (54.7) (28.4) There is employment stability in ICT enterprise 39 (41.1) 33 (34.7) 21 (22.1) 2 (2.1) The Table -9 shows the opinion of job satisfaction level among core group members working ICT enterprises. From the table it is understood that 75.8% agreed that the work environment and nature of work is favorable, 10.5% strongly agreed on the statement and another 10.5% neutral, however 3.2 % members disagreed that the work environment and nature of work is favorable. In the case of harmony in group activity, 70.5% members agreed that there is a harmony in group activity, 7.4% strongly agreed, and 15.8% stand neutral, 5.3% disagreed that there is harmony in group activity and also 1% strongly disagreed. In the statement the enterprise proves sufficient financial support, 46.8% members disagreed, 31.6% of members stand neutral, 18.9% agreed that the ICT enterprise provides good financial support; also 2.1% strongly agreed on the statement and hardly 1.1% strongly disagreed. In the case of statement The group members are highly supportive, 54.7% agreed that the group member s are supportive, and also 28.4% strongly agreed, however 16.8% stand neutral. In the case of employment stability, 41.1% disagreed that there is job stability in ICT enterprises, for the same statement 34.7% stand neutral, 22.1% agreed that there is job stability in ICT enterprises, and also 2.1% strongly agreed. 7.2 Kruskal Wallis test to test the difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. The null and alternate hypothesis formulated for the study is given below: H0: There is no difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. H1: There is a difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. 162

11 Table -10 below shows the difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. From the table it is understood that the mean score of opinion about working environment and nature of work is favorable are 3., 3.97, 3.88 and 4.00 for the education groups SSLC, HSC, UG and PG respectively. It is to be noted that all the scores are almost same around value 4. The test shows there is no significant difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications at 5% level of significance (p-value =0.2). In the case of other statements, that is harmony in group activities, sufficient financial support, group members are highly supportive and employment stability in ICT enterprise we could see that just like above case there exist a homogeneity among respective mean scores, that means there is no difference in opinion among members with different qualifications. Hence we could accept the null hypothesis, There is no difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications. Table -10: Kruskal Wallis test to test the difference in perception on job satisfaction of members with different qualifications Kruskal Wallis Test Factors Qualification Mean SD Chi Square p-value SSLC HSC The working environment and nature of work is favorable There is harmony in group activities The enterprise providing me sufficient financial support UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total

12 SSLC HSC The group members are highly supportive There is employment stability in ICT enterprise UG/Diploma PG Total SSLC HSC UG/Diploma PG Total Correlation between experience and job Satisfaction From the Table -11 it is understood that there is no significant correlation exist between the work experience of the ICT women core group members and job satisfaction factors. Table -11: Spearman s rank correlations between experience and Job satisfaction Spearman s rank correlations Work Experience of ICT core members Correlation Coefficient (r) The working environment in conducive There is harmony in group activities The enterprise providing me sufficient financial support The group members are highly supportive There is employment stability in ICT enterprise Sig *. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level Conclusion The study of women ICT based micro enterprises under Kudumbashree in Kerala clearly shows that majority of core group members having higher secondary level educational qualification and above and also it indicates that significant number of members having experience more than two years. In this study perception about training received among members with different qualifications shows that for various factors under graduate members having high level of agreement and the lowest for post graduates. In the case of managerial, entrepreneurial training and training in 164

13 financial/marketing there is homogeneity in the inference, hence we could say there is no difference in opinion among members with different qualification. The study also shows that there is no significant difference in perception on job satisfaction of women core group members working in ICT micro enterprises with different qualifications. References 1. Brown, M.M Can ICTs address the needs of the poor? Choices (June). NY: UNDP. 2. Bhatnagar, S Social implications of ICT in developing countries: Lessons from Asian success stories. EJISDC 1(4). 3. Duncombe, Richard, Heeks Richard, Sharon Morgan and Sobha Arun Supporting Women ICT based Enterprises A Handbook for Agencies in Development, DFID, Hafkin N. and Taggart N., Gender, Information Technology and Developing Countries: An Analytic Study. Washington, DC: WID Office USAID, Heeks, R.B (1999) Information and Communications Technology, Poverty and Development, Development Informatics paper no.5, IDPM, University of Manchester, UK. 6. Heeks, R.B, Arun, S and Morgan, S (2004) Researching ICT-based Enterprise for Women in Developing Countries: An Enterprise Perspective, IDPM, University of Manchester, UK. 7. M.A.Aboobacker (2001) Small Steps Great Leaps Success stories of Kudumbashree Micro enterprises, State Poverty eradication Mission Thiruvananthapuram. 8. Pillai P.M, Shanta, N, (2008).ICT and employment promotion among poor women -some reflections on Kerala s, paper publish in CDS online, Trivandrum, 9. Shoba Arun, Richard Heeks & Sharon Morgan, (2004) ICT Initiatives, Women and Work in Developing Countries: Reinforcing or Changing Gender Inequalities in South India? Institute for Development Policy and Management University of Manchester, Precinct Centre, Manchester,. 10. Website References: 165