IMPACT OF FEMALE PROFESSIONALS IN MODERN ORGANIZATIONS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study examines the impact of Female Professionals in Modern Organizations In Nigeria. The study aimed at investigating the impact of female professionals in modern organizations in Nigeria, to examine the perception of management at First City Monument Bank Bori towards female professionals, to establish if balancing work and family responsibility impacts on female work rating at First City Monument Bank Bori, to identify policies and practices which discourage female professionals at First City Monument Bank Bori, to measure the factors which impede the profession development of female employees at First City Monument Bank Bori. The researcher adopted simple random sampling technique. This was done to ensure that no number of the population has any chance of being selected more than once. The sampling size is one hundred (100). The population of this study is made of all the management and junior staffs of First City Monument Bank, Bori. Findings reveals that yes that there perception of management at First City Monument Bank Bori towards female professionals. Based on the findings of the study summary, conclusion and recommendations were made that changes amongst men are vital in order for women to achieve full equality, they need to realize that gender equality is also in their interests.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Women are in a distinct minority among police officers, especially at more advanced ranks. Traditionally, police organizations have mainly been dominated by males; nevertheless, police organizations started to admit women at the end of the nineteenth century, not because they would believe that integrating women into policing would attribute to improved quality of police services; rather, it was due to a pressure from women rights groups or even courts (Schulz, 1989). Their struggle up the ladder to try to reach to pranking positions in law enforcement is a fascinating tale of both success and failure, of fair play and politics (Wells & Alt, 2005). The roles of women to work in police were quite limited; typically, they were assigned to work with victims of sexual crimes, juvenile, female offenders, missing persons, and abused children (Sulton & Townsey, 1981). A positive progress was made even in the United States in the late sixties and early seventies when equal opportunity laws declared discrimination based on gender (and other protected classifications) an unlawful employment practice.

In Nigeria the story is even worst. Despite the fact that section 17 (1)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria say: “That every citizen shall have the equality of right, obligations, and opportunity before the law; section 42 of the same constitution also says that no Nigerian citizen shall be discriminated against because of a particular sex, religion or ethnic group”. The same constitution also guarantees the right to private and family life; nonetheless, the Nigerian Police command expressly spell out that before a female police officer get married, she must notify and get permission from the Police Commissioner of her command. This is gross violation of the right of female employees and gender discrimination (Ogbeide, 2010).

Traditionally and for the longest time, women have been viewed as child-bearers and keepers of the home (Wright, 1990). This has continued to be the case despite the fact that the present charade gives the impression that people are liberal-minded about the issues pertaining to gender equality. Clutterbuck & Devine (1987) observes that only one in six women and one in five men take the view that men should go out to work while women stay at home. This age-old mindset has posed many unnecessary barriers which women are forced to attempt to conquer in pursuit of their professions. According to Kimmel (2001), women could not have it all because men did; men had the fulfilling professions as well as a loving family to which they could come home to. Today, as married women commonly pursue their professions outside the home, concerns as to their ability to achieve equal footing with their male counterparts without sacrificing their families needs trouble both policymakers as well as economists (Blau, 2000).

According to Ilagan-Bian (2004), women faced many challenges in moving up such as non-supportive bosses or colleagues, sexual discrimination and male chauvinism. Women still list male prejudice and the „old boy network‟ as the main obstacles to their progress (Clutterbuck & Devine, 1987; Ilagan- Bian, 2004). To achieve equal status, the requirement  level  for  women  to  achieve  in  the  workplace,  is  set  at  a  much  higher standard, they are required to work harder, be more qualified, more ambitious and competent than their male counterparts (Bryce, 1989). However, they do not reach authoritative  positions  with  the  same  ease  as  their  male  counterparts  with  similar positions, backgrounds and qualifications as themselves (Bryce, 1989). Some women even  try  to  emulate  their  male  counterparts,  in  the  hope  that  they could  climb  the corporate ladder faster (Ilagan-Bian, 2004). Male dominance in the workplace has forced a number  of women  to  adopt  a  more  aggressive model.  “The  constantly reinforced message is that women succeed only if they become more assertive, competitive, „dressed for success‟  and more politically and socially astute”.

2000:394). This places women in a disadvantaged position because they tend to lose sight of other responsibilities and they sacrifice their personal lives (Bryce, 1989). Ilagan-Bian (2004) argues that female managers have to work harder in order to be noticed and to prove that they can handle the job, the family as well as everything else.

Women continue to be disadvantaged in newer management fields. They have been excluded from foreign or international management positions. A lack of women in senior positions who mentor and encourage other women is the single most important issue facing women in business (Baker & Mckenzie, 2001). Wage discrimination is another barrier  which  women  face  because  they  do  not  receive  equal  pay  for  equal  work. “Women still earn substantially less than men (Bryce, 1989). Full-time employed females receive just fewer than fifty percent (50%) less than their male colleagues (Bryce, 1989).

According to Blumner (1999), the intractable wage gap between men and women widens during most of women‟s working years. Blumner (1999) goes on to suggest that this shows that men advance in their fields, while women lag further and further behind. This discrepancy between male and female provides confirmation of the discrimination against women. Women have also been prejudiced by the amount of training they receive and they have fewer opportunities to gain experience particularly in the industry (Clutterbuck & Devine, 1987). The wage gap between male and female managers actually widened between 1995 and 2000 (Dingell & Mahoney, 2002). They add that this is particularly troubling seeing that this occurred during a time of economic prosperity.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The emergence and determined survival of women in high flying jobs today in today’s modern organizations in Nigeria depends on their own willingness to confront and fight strong barriers and hurdles that stand their way, some too grave to confront and others less weighty. In their quest to climb up the corporate ladder, women are facing many challenges (Evertson and Nesbitt, 2004). Some barrier set up women for defeat; sluggish upward motion that drag them down in their pursuit to progress in their professions. Such pose as huge barricades, tests and trials for women employees.

In Nigeria men tend to shy away from giving women leadership responsibilities; especially responsibilities that are perceived to be important and involve making autonomous decisions. Some men also tend to be reluctant in sharing equal partnership with women in business. It is however noted that men are receptive and welcome ideas to purchase properties owned by women, they believe that such properties are in better shape than if they had been owned by.

Some of the problems of this research are:

1. The perception of management at First City Monument Bank Bori towards female professionals.
2. Balancing work and family responsibility impacts on female work rating.

iii. Policies and practices which discourage female professionals.

1. Gender differentiationhinder the profession  development  of  female employees at work.

This study however sought to investigate the impact of female professionals in modern organizations in Nigeria with special reference to First City Monument Bank, Bori.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study aimed at investigating the impact of female professionals in modern organizations in Nigeria. The specific objectives areas follows:

1. To examine the perception of management at First City Monument Bank Bori towards female professionals.
2. To establish if balancing work and family responsibility impacts on female work rating at First City Monument Bank Bori.

iii. To identify policies and practices which discourage female professionals at First City Monument Bank Bori.

1. To measure the factors which impede the profession development of female employees at First City Monument Bank Bori.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What is the perception of management at First City Monument Bank Bori towards female professionals?
2. Does the balancing work and family responsibility impacts on female work rating at First City Monument Bank Bori?

iii. Are there policies and practices which discourage female professionals at First City Monument Bank Bori?

1. What are the factors which hinder the profession development of female employees at First City Monument Bank Bori?

1.5 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

This is therefore the potentially of serving reference in an organization and government policy who desire all the obstacles in human planning.

It is also a particular benefit in an organization where there are strict policies that affect female professionals especially in FCMB Bori. This design is clearly identified in the problem area of female professional. It will also contribute to knowledge especially to students conducting research on the subject matter and also to academicians.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Studying all the organizations in Nigeria will be too large for the researcher. There the study limits scope to the impact of female professionals in modern organizations in Nigeria with special reference to First City Monument Bank, Bori.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In carrying out this research some basic problems were encountered which to an extend influenced the research primary among this problem include lack of statistical data, contain information sought for are either totally unavailable or cannot be released to the public despite all these short coming, much effort was indeed made to ensure that these problem does not out weight the desire ability or need to carry out a sound research.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

To allow for better understanding for this research, it is considered necessary that some of the key term used to be defined or describe.

Female:  Of or denoting the sex that can bear offspring or produce eggs, distinguished biologically by the production of gametes (ova) which can be fertilized by male gametes.

Modern: Relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past.

Organization: An organized group of people with a particular purpose, such as a business or government department.

Performance: The action or process of performing a task or function.

Professionals:A person engaged in a specified activity, especially a sport, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.