Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Monday, June 23, 2008

Trust a budding Management Guru to speak about work ethic in Kashmir

Feroz discusses the need for better performance in the work place

(Mr. Feroz Ahmad Paray, 22, was born in Kalampora in Pulwama District. He completed his B.Sc. degree (pre-medical stream) from the Government College in Pulwama, and is currently pursuing post graduation in Business Economics from Wigan & Leigh College in Srinagar. His personal interests vary from writing poems and playing cricket to net surfing and shopping. His favorite author is Khalil Gibran.)

WORK ETHIC

No one is infallible, everybody makes mistakes. Moreover, it is easy, in fact far too easy, to find fault. If you look hard enough, you can make persons bad at many things. Change, competition, instability and unrest are common at today’s work place. Despite these factors, an organization will try to reach great heights. But this is possible only with the help of employees who make exceptional contributions for the progress of their organization. It has often been noticed that managers feel a sense of ownership over the resources in their departments, refusing to allow their best and brightest staff to be shifted to another division. They feel threatened by apparent employee’s disloyalty and may hold back internal mobility by vetoing the move or even punish workers for contemplating the move.

It is a known fact that the lure of greener pastures beckons even the most satisfied employees every now and then. The management has to establish a sense of importance and urgency among employees in whatever they do so that the employees do not get into a comfort zone and lose their motivation. The management should be innovative and provide a challenging work environment to employees to ascertain sustained effort and action.

Every organization, big or small, has targets to achieve and every employee of the organization has his important role to play in the process. The role of dedicated and diligent employees, who accomplish the targets for their organizations, some times at the cost of their interests, is overwhelming. Today, it is not uncommon for people from four different generations to cohabit work place, and expectedly the resulting clash of communication styles over all aspects of work including learning and training needs. However, there are certain factors that influence the performance and behavior of employees. These factors must be given attention to push employees to play their role effectively. Along with compatibility with the organization, employees must be compatible with each other. It is up to the employees to identify their needs and reach out for matching opportunities on their own. This approach limits the effectiveness of internal recruitment. The best employees may either be unaware of the vacancy or reluctant to pursue the same. They may find it easier to sale at similar opportunities outside the companies than within.

In India, in some companies, promotions are made on the basis of merits, potential and seniority. Internal promotions are also granted, from the existing lower cadre on the basis of seniority and merit. In public sector organizations, elaborate rules exist for regulating the seniority of employees in different service cadres. Promotions are made from this list. But often, due to political pressures, the rules are violated and the person standing much lower in the list is given priority over the senior-most men. In the private sector enterprises, the promotions are generally not based on any clear-cut rule. Efficiency is the main consideration.

In a developing economy like India, with rapid technological advances and need for training and education, it is not always possible to promote the older workers who can neither be adequately trained nor are willing to be exposed to new concepts, ideas and methods of work. As far the higher level promotions, only in large organization can a policy of promotions from within be practicable, but even there such promotions can not be confined entirely to the existing personnel of the organization, unless management development and career planning are an essential part of the company’s promotion policy.

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