INFLUENCE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON CAREER

DEVELOPMENT CHOICES OF EMPLOYEES IN THE BANKING

SECTOR: A CASE STUDY OF STANBIC BANK, NAIROBI, KENYA

BY

MILLIE ANNE IRUNGU

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY – AFRICA

SUMMER 2017

INFLUENCE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON CAREER

DEVELOPMENT CHOICES OF EMPLOYEES IN THE BANKING

SECTOR: A CASE STUDY OF STANBIC BANK, NAIROBI, KENYA

BY

MILLIE ANNE IRUNGU

A Research Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of

Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of

Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA

SUMMER 2017

ii

STUDENT’S DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, declare this as my original work and has not been submitted to any

other college, institution or university other than United States University-Africa in

Nairobi for academic credit.

Signed: __________________________ Date: _________________________

Millie Anne Irungu (ID No: 613168)

This project report has been presented for examination with my approval as the appointed

supervisor.

Signed: __________________________ Date: _________________________

Dr. Teresia Linge

Signed: __________________________ Date: _____________________________

Dean Chandaria School of Business

iii

COPYRIGHT

© 2017 Millie Anne Irungu

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this research report is

prohibited. No part of study may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any

information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the

author and the university.

iv

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of work-life balance on career

development choices of employees in the banking sector, with a focus on the employees

of Stanbic Bank, Nairobi, Kenya. The research questions that guided the study were: How

does personal life balance influence career development choices of employees in the

banking sector? How does social life balance influence career development choices of

employees in the banking sector? How does organizational life balance influence career

development choices of employees in the banking sector?

A descriptive research design was used in the study. The target population included 1500

management and staff of Stanbic Bank Nairobi. Through the use of stratified sampling

techniques and simple random sampling techniques, a selection of 450 respondents was

determined. By the use of a structured questionnaire, the research utilized descriptive and

inferential statistics in data analysis and presentation. For descriptive statistics, the study

adopted frequencies, cross-tabulation, mean and standard deviation while for inferential

statistics, the study emphasized on correlation and regression statistics. Data presentation

was done by way of Figures and Tables.

The study assessed how personal life balance influenced career development choices of

employees in the banking sector. The study found that career success depends on

individual behaviour and work outcome hence career development managers should

match the employee’s traits with job characteristics. The study also revealed that career

success depends on individual’s determination. This determination is emphasized by

personal interests and that personal interests determine employee occupational selection.

It is undisputable that people in their careers make choices and that personal interests

influence the choices made. It is revealed that personal interests influence and shape

personal values, which are very critical in career development. The personal values

frequently conflict with organizational culture when an employee does not really conform

to the values of the organization. This might hinder career development.

The study established that social life balance influences career development choices of

employees in the banking sector. The research found that childcare responsibilities affects

employee’s career development choices. Childcare responsibility also dictates employee’s

social life, which might also have an impact on career choices. Employees come from

v

family setups, which build up modes of socialization of an individual. These kinds of

interaction among family members have impact on career development choices. The

study also illustrates that personal planning can determines career development choices.

The effective planning has a great positive influence on career choices. This effective

planning is determined by employees’ level of education.

The study demonstrated that organizational life balance influences career development of

employees. The study found that flexible work arrangements influence employee career

development choices. When an employee is given flexible time on work, he/she might

explore more options that would reveal the right career choice. The study also reveals that

limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their career development. Organizations

can easily enhance employee career development by limiting work hours hence an

employee finds free time to study and build his/her career. To enhance employee career

development, the organization should create a flexible working environment at all times.

The organizations might also install effective modern technology that might help

employee progress and explore more opportunities and a certain field.

The study concludes that career success depend on individual behaviour, work outcome

and individual determination. It was found from the study that to enhance career

development, managers should match the employee’s traits with job characteristics. The

study also concludes that employee social life determines career choices. The study

confirms that childcare responsibilities affect employee’s career development choices.

From the study, it was concluded that organizational life balance is the most key and

determining component affecting a worker's career development choices.

The study recommends the executive and management of the Stanbic Bank to ensure that

their employees achieve their personal life balance to enable them advance in their

careers. The study also recommends personal planning because it determines career

development choices. The study suggests the organizations to implement flexible work

arrangements because it enhances employee career development choices.

vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My acknowledgement goes to my supervisor, Dr. Teresia Linge, for the guidance during

the development of this proposal. My family and friends, I am truly indebted to you for

the support you have given me this far.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STUDENT’S DECLARATION ....................................................................................... ii

COPYRIGHT ................................................................................................................... iii

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................................................. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... vii

LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................x

LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................1

1.0INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1

1.1 Background of the Study ...............................................................................................1

1.2 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................6

1.3 The Purpose ...................................................................................................................7

1.4 Research Questions ........................................................................................................7

1.5 Significance of the Study ...............................................................................................8

1.6 Scope of the study ..........................................................................................................9

1.7 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................9

1.8 Chapter Summary ..........................................................................................................9

CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................11

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................................11

2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................11

2.2 Personal Life Balance and Career Development .........................................................11

2.3 Social Life Balance and Career Development .............................................................15

2.4 Organizational Life Balance and Career Development ...............................................19

2.5 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................24

viii

CHAPTER THREE .........................................................................................................25

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................25

3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................25

3.2 Research Design...........................................................................................................25

3.3 Population and Sampling Design .................................................................................25

3.4 Data Collection Methods .............................................................................................27

3.5 Research Procedures ....................................................................................................28

3.6 Data Analysis Method..................................................................................................28

3.7 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................29

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................30

4.0 RESULTS AND FINDINGS .....................................................................................30

4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................30

4.2 Response Rate ..............................................................................................................30

4.3 Background Information ..............................................................................................31

4.4 Career Development ....................................................................................................34

4.5 Influence Personal Life Balance on Career Development ...........................................34

4.6 Influence of Social Life Balance on Career Development ..........................................38

4.7 Influence of Organizational Life Balance on Career Development .............................42

4.8 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................47

CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................48

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................48

5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................48

5.2 Summary ......................................................................................................................48

5.3 Discussion ....................................................................................................................49

5.4 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................55

5.5 Recommendations ........................................................................................................56

ix

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................58

APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................65

APPENDIX I: INTRODUCTORY LETTER ...............................................................65

APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE ..............................................................................66

APPENDIX III: BUDGET ..............................................................................................71

APPENDIX IV: WORK PLAN ......................................................................................72

x

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Population Distribution .....................................................................................26

Table 3.2: Sample Size Distribution ..................................................................................27

Table 4.1: Career Development .........................................................................................34

Table 4.2: Personal Life Balance and Career Development .............................................35

Table 4.3: Regression Analysis of Personal Life Balance and Career Development ........37

Table 4.4: Childcare Responsibilities ................................................................................38

Table 4.5: Employee Social Life .......................................................................................38

Table 4.6: Employee Support ............................................................................................39

Table 4.7: Personal Planning .............................................................................................39

Table 4.8: Family Influences .............................................................................................40

Table 4.9: Family Background ..........................................................................................40

Table 4.10: Employee Gender ...........................................................................................41

Table 4.11: Employees’ Level of Education ......................................................................41

Table 4.12: Family Demands .............................................................................................42

Table 4.13: Socioeconomic ................................................................................................42

Table 4.14: Flexible Working Arrangement ......................................................................43

Table 4.15: Work Life Balance ..........................................................................................43

Table 4.16: Working Hours ...............................................................................................44

Table 4.17: Organizational Support ...................................................................................44

Table 4.18: Organizational Culture....................................................................................45

Table 4.19: Working Environment ....................................................................................45

Table 4.20: Effective Technology......................................................................................46

Table 4.21: Work Life Issues .............................................................................................46

Table 4.22: Organizational Offering ..................................................................................47

Table 4.23: Compensation .................................................................................................47

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1: Response Rate .................................................................................................30

Figure 4.2: Gender .............................................................................................................31

Figure 4.3: Age ..................................................................................................................32

Figure 4.4: Respondents Level of Education .....................................................................32

Figure 4.5: Designation ......................................................................................................33

Figure 4.6: Working Experience ........................................................................................33

1

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Career development, according to Fugate and Kinicki (2014) has evolved from an

isolated tool for individual growth to a key strategic asset for many far-sighted

organizations. Once left totally to the individual employee's own initiative, Hirschi (2015)

found that organizations have adopted a more active responsibility in their employees'

careers by means of Career Development Programs. Mayer, Caruso, and Salovey (2015)

found that ttoday’s employees are more career conscious than ever. Hence they are

claiming more in terms of individual growth and development. Mayer, et al., (2015)

disclose that firms that fail to allow workers to meet their personal needs will be losing

valued employees.

Conventionally, it has been understood that every worker wants or should want similar

things in a career, typically a direct path up the organizational ladder (Fink, 2014).

However, Werther and Davis (2015) assert that career development is not about "getting

ahead", but rather about getting to be the best an individual can be and finding a place in

an organization where they can express excellence and contribute to the goals of the

organization. Career development entails "vertical" matters such as upward mobility and

promotions, but also "horizontal" movement (sideways job transfers) within the firm

(Feldman, 2013). Career development deals with the deep-seated nature of the

relationship of persons to their work and workers to their organizations. A clearly defined

plan of action prepares employees for the future and preserves an organization's ability to

meet both existing and future needs (Duberley, Mallon, & Cohen, 2014).

According to Hussain and Mujtaba (2012) career development is a continues life long

process of developmental experience that focus on seeking, obtaining and processing

information about self, occupational and educational alternative life style and role

options. On the other hand, Shujaat, Sana, Aftab, and Ahmed (2013) found that career

development is a procedure through which individuals come to comprehend and identify

with the universe of the work and their part in it. Career development is the proactive

arranging and usage of activity steps towards your professional work life objectives.

Career development is a vital element that satisfies employees and enhances their

2

performance especially at the point when they plan to leave the organization (Shujaat, at.

al., 2013). Employers need to perceive workers as an organization’s most vital resource.

The organizational employees should be well trained and be given projects that enhance

the individual’s career development (Ashar, 2013).

In this day and age, employees are additionally career conscious than ever before (Shani

& Divyapriya, 2013). They are asking for more in terms of individual development and

improvement. Career development arranging is vital for both the people and for the

organization in light of the fact that it is unrealistic to get ready for the profession without

recognizing the needs of organization and skills of worker (Ivancevich, 2014). Workers

get to be more fulfilled by their employment and would never need to leave the

organization. Furthermore, Walia and Bajaj (2012) assert that organizations need to hold

on to their brilliant employees in order to accomplish their organizational targets and

long-term corporate objectives. Due to latter, Walia and Bajaj (2012) argue that

organizations ought to invest resources in progressing worker vocation improvement

projects to make employees more effective in their work.

In today's competitive environment, it is imperative that all organizations create a work

environment that fosters growth and development (Umer & Akram, 2011). It is obvious

this can be achieved by executing a Career Development Program in the place of work.

This will improve organizational trustworthiness among human resources; lower

employee turnover, fewer employee complaints, and result in higher levels of job

satisfaction (Werther & Davis, 2015).

Organizations require empowered employees possessing higher competencies and

multitasking skills in order to ensure sustained growth at minimum operational costs.

Employees working in organizations of the modern era most often encounter eternal

challenge of performing well and are forced to devote most of their time at work in this

enhanced competitive work setting (Downes & Koekemoer, 2011). However, Edralin

(2013) found that commitment towards self-development, allegiance to family and social

life in order to fulfill the demands and duties along with organizational obligations are

imperative for any individual employee.

3

According to Baral and Bhargava (2013), work life balance is a very important

phenomenon that is of great concern to various employees in both private and public

sector. It goes beyond prioritizing the work role and one’s personal life. It also affects the

social, psychological, economical and mental well being of the individual. All this is

reflected in the output of the individual, which affects his or her performance in the work

place on the long run (Fathima & Sahibzada, 2012). According to Ramesh and Nagapriya

(2012), work life balance has effects on employee behaviours, attitudes, wellbeing as well

as firms’ effectiveness. The competition for market leadership in the banking sector, may

lead to bank managers giving their employees excessive work load in order to achieve

their targets. Employees try their best to be retained in the organization by putting in more

time at work, which may be detrimental to their personal life. All these may affect the

upbringing of children, lead to broken and unhappy homes and poor social life (Pomeory,

2013).

According to Hooley (2012), work life balance is about making and keeping up steady

and sound working environments, which enable workers to have balance between work

and individual commitments. Malik (2011) believes that there should be a balance

between an individual’s work and their life outside work, and that this balance should be

healthy. In today’s highly pressurized workplaces, this is a concern for all those in work.

Malcolm (2011) found that among employees, those with caring responsibilities, such as

those of family, clearly have particular needs. More broadly, there is increasing

acceptance that choice, control and flexibility are important in work, that personal

fulfillment is important outside work and, further, that satisfaction outside work may

enhance employees’ contributions to work.

Understandably, any imbalance between organizational and personal commitments and

the inefficient management of life priorities can lead to serious consequences. The

consequences may in general manifest as diminished job satisfaction, poor productivity

and performance, lower organizational commitment, inferior career ambitions and

success. Also the consequences may manifest as increased absenteeism and intention to

leave, employee burnout, job stress, poorer physiological and psychological health, and

diminished performance in personal life and family (Roche & Haar, 2011). Thus, work

life balance and employee perception of well-being have come to be recognized to be

vital for the organizational growth and effectiveness. Hill, Erickson, Hoimes, and Ferris

4

(2013) found that human resource management practices in modern organizations

emphasize effective strategies that ensure employee well being is reflected in terms of

organizational commitment through initiatives referred to as employee engagement. The

importance of work life balance of the employees and the parameters that influence work

life balance in modern work and life settings cannot be over emphasized in this era of

acutely competitive business environment and dwindling skilled manpower combined

with ever increasing costs of employment. According to De Simone and Harris (2014), it

is no wonder that this area of HR management has received great deal of focus from

researchers, management, government and the media over the past few decades.

In the European Union, 64.2 % of the population is in employment with approximately

19.2% in part-time employment. Over the past 20 years in Europe, particularly in

countries where policies are in place for flexible working, part-time employment has been

on the rise. The traditional eight-hour working day is no longer the norm (Eurofound ,

2012). The emergence of information communication technology ensures that employees

may access work all throughout. In addition to this, flexible working hours and shift work

have been introduced into organizations. Although these developments have resulted in

significantly changed working environments, differences exist across countries (Mathew

& Panchanatham, 2011).

The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

conducted research into the 2009 working time developments across European countries.

In 2009, the average collectively agreed weekly working time in the European Union was

38.7 hours. However, in relation to self-reported actual hours worked by full-time

employees 20 out of 28 countries worked longer hours than those collectively agreed

(Eurofound , 2012). Those in Romania, Malta, Luxembourg and the UK had the highest

levels of actual working hours; whereas Finland, Ireland, France and Italy had the lowest.

In addition to these results, differences exist between men and women in actual weekly

hours (Eurofound, 2011). Men exceeded women in hours worked in all countries, with the

average difference being 2.1 hours in the EU. These statistics suggest that workers are

working longer hours, but highlight that there are differences across European countries.

In Africa, Elliot (2013) found that South African socio-economic, political and societal

circumstances influence employees’ experiences of work-life balance differently in

5

comparison with other countries. In South Africa, employment equity is a reality and

individuals from groups that were previously disadvantaged and historically excluded

have increasingly become part of the workforce and are subject to influences of

westernization, potentially transforming traditional, culture-specific family roles. In light

of a review conducted by Lundberg (2010), it seems that very little is known about how

different resource characteristics such as race and culture shape the work-family

experience. Having evidenced the impact of gender and age differences on the experience

of work–life balance, it seems plausible to expect that other demographic differences may

also affect the impact of work-family balance on individual wellbeing and work

outcomes.

The Nigerian society is also faced with national challenges that are most often focused on

issues of leadership failures. Thus, there is literature mostly published by Nigerian

authors that highlights the socio-economic problems embedded in their political culture

which mainly concentrates on poor leadership and management failures which has been

the cause of high unemployment rates, poor infrastructural developments, poverty, low

standard of living and corruption practices (Vartharaj & Vasantha, 2012). This raises

curiosity on how the adult Nigeria worker in their quest to make a rational livelihood,

manages pressures between their working and family life given the array of national

challenges that the Nigerian society presents.

According to Epie (2011), the Nigerian banking sector is known for its long hour culture,

and high workload on employees. United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc

and Zenith Bank Plc are not exempted from this culture. They are most likely to be faced

with issue of work life balance, due to the nature of the work environment. Policies are

been made regarding work life balance, but its implementation has become an issue that

needs to be looked into. Ensuring effective delivery of service to customers may be

achieved by the ability of the management of these banks to maintain policies that

promote work life balance. The reform in the banking sector made it mandatory for

commercial banks to have a minimum of 25 billion naira capital base to continue their

operations. Consequently, Christensen and Staines (2011) found that commercial banks

had to go into strategic alliance with other banks, by merger and acquisition. This has

changed the focus of United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Zenith

Bank Plc to form new strategy that entails expansion, increasing capital base and

6

customer base. All these have lead to managers having higher expectation of employees’

performance. It is most likely that there will be a misplacement of priority of interest by

the employees trying to meet up with the target of the banks, which may affect their

personal life. Hence, the study of work life balance and employee performance is

imperative (Madipelli, Sarma, & Chinnappaiah, 2013).

In Kenya there is a push towards the twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week

economy. This means that more flexibility is needed to cover round the clock peaks.

There is much evidence of work intensification and this faster pace has been associated

with much greater levels of stress in organizations (Malik, 2011). Mokaya and Gitari

(2012) found that employees are experiencing anxiety, heavy workload, and loss of

control, pressure, long hours and insufficient personal time. Such experiences are likely to

encourage a reassessment of values in workers. There is also evidence that younger

people entering the labour market are much less willing to sacrifice their personal lives

for total commitment to work. Values and expectations appear to be changing.

Banks in Kenya are either locally or foreign owned. Kenya has 44 banks; 31 are locally

owned and 13 are foreign owned. The locally owned financial institutions comprise three

banks with significant shareholding by the Government of Kenya and State Corporations,

27 commercial banks and one mortgage finance institution, Housing Finance (Kenya

Bankers Association, 2016).

Stanbic Holdings Plc, formerly known as CfC Stanbic Holdings Limited, is a financial

services organization in Kenya. The Group's headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya,

with subsidiaries in Kenya and South Sudan. Stanbic Holdings is a member of the

Standard Bank Group, a financial services giant based in South Africa. The institution is

licensed and governed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator

(Stanbicbank, 2016).

1.2 Problem Statement

Based on previous literatures, an increasing number of studies on work life balance,

career development and reward issues have been conducted to enhance the understanding

of the effects of demanding employee performance in today's competitive world (Altman,

2013). In recent times, this issue has gotten the enthusiasm of researchers. A few

7

advancements have been made on how to adapt a suitable plan of balancing work and life.

However having said that, very few studies have been conducted to ascertain the impact

of life work balance and career development (Bachmann, 2010; Singh, 2010; Thriveni &

Rama, 2012).

Based on past research (Barnett, Campo, Campo, & Steiner, 2010; Christensen & Staines,

2011; Roche & Haar, 2013), a growing number of studies on the work-life balance issue

have been carried out due to the realization of the effects of the demanding work

environment in today's competitive world. It was quite recently that this issue has grabbed

the interest of researchers. A different perspective has been looked into in order to prove

the relations between the employees' balance in work life and their career development

choices. According to Feldman (2013), work–life balance is a concept including proper

prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) and "lifestyle" (health, pleasure,

leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation).

According to Bell, Rajendran and Theiler (2012), work-life balance may have achieved

the status of a defining employment issue and some progress has undoubtedly been made

toward the introduction of career development choices. However, having said that, not

much studies or focus has been made towards addressing the issue of work life balance

effects towards career development choices. This study is specifically designed to assess

the relationship between work-life balance and career development choices of employees

at Stanbic Bank.

1.3 The Purpose

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of work-life balance on career

development choices of employees in the banking sector, with a focus on the employees

of Stanbic Bank, Nairobi, Kenya.

1.4 Research Questions

1.4.1 How does personal life balance influence career development choices of

employees in the banking sector?

1.4.2 How does social life balance influence career development choices of employees

in the banking sector?

8

1.4.3 How does organizational life balance influence career development choices of

employees in the banking sector?

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.5.1 Banking Sector

This study intends to benefit banks by providing information about employee work-life

balance and career development choices. This makes them understand the importance of

work-life balance to employee’s career development.

1.5.2 Employees

The information from this study benefits employees from different organizations. The

employees would use the information from this study in making in making rational

decisions that would help in balancing between work and life and enhance career

development.

1.5.3 Employers

This study intends to benefit different employers by helping them understand and react

proactively to the employees’ challenges of work life balance and career development.

This makes them develop strategies to help and manage employee work life balance.

1.5.4 Scholars and Future Researchers in Colleges and Universities

For scholars, the study gives full proof that employee balancing between work and life is

very crucial for the survival of organizations and for development of employees. The

study also is useful to researchers in providing an in-depth understanding of work life

balance and career development.

1.5.5 Policy Makers

This study informs policy makers (Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya Bankers Association)

on the need to make and implement good policies that would help employees negotiate

for their work life balance.

9

1.6 Scope of the study

This study focused on employees of Stanbic Bank, Kenya. The study assessed the

influence of work-life balance on career development choices of employees in the

banking sector. The study targeted 450 employees of Stanbic Bank, Kenya to obtain

relevant information pertaining to employee work life balance and career development.

The data collection tool was a questionnaire hence the study divided the respondents into

different stratum. The research went for a period of six months starting from December

2016. The study experienced a limitation of obtaining relevant data from the respondents.

Also cost for the study was a hindrance as the researcher needed to print research

materials, travel and do phone follow ups.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1.7.1 Work Life Balance

Work life balance is a concept including proper prioritizing between "work" (career and

ambition) and "lifestyle" (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual

development/meditation) (Malik, 2011).

1.7.2 Career Development

Career Development is the lifelong process of managing learning, work, leisure, and

transitions in order to move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future

(Ogaboh, et al., 2010).

1.7.3 Employee

An employee is a person employed for wages or salary, especially at nonexecutive level

(Edralin, 2013).

1.7.4 Employer

An employer is a person or organization that employs people (Hussain & Mujtuba, 2012).

1.8 Chapter Summary

Chapter one presents the background information about work life balance and career

development. This part also delineates the study’s research questions, the implication of

the study, importance and the scale of the study as well as the definitions of particular

10

terms used in the study. Chapter two is about literature review, which is directed by the

research questions recognized in chapter one. Chapter three makes out the research

methodology that draws attention to the various methods and procedures to be used by the

researcher while conducting the research. Chapter four makes out the results and findings

while chapter five presents a discussion on the findings of the research as guided by the

specific research questions, and then a conclusion and recommendation of the study was

given.

11

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter talks about the literature review from a variety of scholars based on the

research questions of the study as provided in chapter one. The chapter is divided into

various sections. The first section is about personal life balance and career development,

the second section is about social life balance and career development and the third

section is about organizational life balance and career development. Chapter summary is

contained in the last section and it summarizes the whole chapter.

2.2 Personal Life Balance and Career Development

Personal life balance is a comfortable state of equilibrium achieved between an

employee’s primary priorities of their employment position and their private lifestyle

(Feldman, 2013). Consequently, different individuals have different relations and

different preferences in their careers. A whole lot of different factors influence the choice

and development of one's career. Personal characteristics such as personality, values,

personal relations and interests influence career development (Kumari, 2012). The

components of personal life balance are personality, personal values, personal

relationships, and personal interests (Hyman & Summers, 2011).

2.2.1 Personality

Personality according to McAdams and Olson (2013) is a set of individual characteristics

that are affected by the development of an individual: values, attitudes, personal

memories, social relationships, habits, and skills. The manner in which a person acts and

interacts is a reflection of his/her personality, which is unique for each employee

(Malcolm, 2011). An individual's personality is a relatively stable set of characteristics,

tendencies, and temperaments that have been significantly formed by inheritance and by

the social, cultural, and environmental factors. This set of variables determines the

common and specific traits in the behaviour of an individual and influence employee

career development (Gibson, Ivancevich, & Donelly, 2013). Some employees are

concerned with quality of the job they perform, while others are not concerned. Some co-

12

workers' behaviour is pleasant while others are aggressive. Some of them perform their

jobs more actively, while others are passive (Singh, 2013).

Managers should not conclude that personality is not an important factor, just because it

belongs to individuals in the organization (Malcolm, 2011). They have to be aware of the

individual's personality in order to predict their behaviour and to accomplish the

organization’s goals in a proper way, with the help of their employees. That is why the

managers should try to match the employee's and job's characteristics so that work is done

by the people who are well suited to do it (Ramesh & Nagapriya, 2012).

The relationship between personality and career success has provoked a great deal of

speculation. It has often been asserted that achievement (especially in capitalist

economies) can be explained largely by factors such as individual initiative, effort, and

merit. This is the classic “Horatio Alger” story of how one gets ahead in life - through

grit, determination and effort (Hirschi, 2015). In this sense, personality is probably a

significant determinant of how people will do in their careers. At the same time, luck and

institutional factors - such as privilege or inheritance - may influence career success in a

way that would attenuate the relationship with personality significantly. Christensen and

Staines’ (2011) review of the empirical research identified several categories of

explanations for career success and found that research has generally favored institutional

explanations over individual explanations. Whereas the most commonly investigated

influences were demographic (age, sex, marital status, number of children) and human

capital (training, work experience, education), researchers have increasingly investigated

the possible role of personality in explaining career success (Shujaat, Sana, Aftab, &

Ahmed, 2013).

2.2.2 Personal Values

Personal values are individual’s basic beliefs, the beliefs a person holds most dear

(Vartharaj & Vasantha, 2012). Gibson, Ivancevich and Donelly (2013) suggested that

values provide the foundation for individual opinions that lead to the development of

decision-making behaviors. Harrison (2011) stated that values, when fully

conceptualized, become criteria for judgments, preferences, and choices. Values are a

source of motivation that can be seen in one’s action; in the attraction to or avoidance of

13

the pursuit of things such as money, power, or spirituality. Some values hold more

meaning than others (Hooley, 2012). We tend to pursue more vigorously the values that

have more meanings to us than those that are less important to us. For instance, getting

education must have positive implications to us. How actively one pursues education is

related to the strength of the value he places to education (Hewitt, 2010).

Values sometimes conflict; fulfilling one interferes with achieving another (Hewitt,

2010). A person would encounter conflicts throughout his life that will require him to

rank his values, whether or not he is aware of the choice. Sometimes identifying personal

life values is difficult. One way of accessing values is to examine choices you have made

in past (Harrison, 2011).

In Hewitt’s (2010) assessment, values that a community or society hold plays a

commanding role in influencing the type of career choices people make. They argued that

people come from a society that is cultured with some deeply rooted values that they hold

on to and any career that seems to undermine these values are unlikely to be pursued. For

instance, some communities have values that prohibit their members from going to see a

doctor for treatment. It is so unlikely that a student from that community will pursue a

career in medicine because it contradicts their values (Hooley, 2012).

2.2.3 Personal Relationships

Personal relationships refer to close connections between people, formed by emotional

bonds and interactions. These bonds often grow from and are strengthened by mutual

experiences (Ramesh & Nagapriya, 2012). A number of social psychological theories

focus directly on interpersonal behavior, social interaction, or personal relationships as a

determinant of career success (Pomeory, 2013). Growing out of the life span development

perspective, researchers have devoted considerable attention to the impact, function,

processes, and problems of mentors in facilitating career success. Mentors are thought to

fulfill important functions that help their protégés to develop a clear sense of identity and

commitment to their work roles and practical help planning and managing their careers.

Psychosocial mentoring involves acting as a role model, communicating acceptance and

confirmation of the protégé’s identity, counseling, and friendship (De Simone & Harris,

2014). Career mentoring involves sponsoring the protégé for challenging assignments,

14

providing positive exposure and visibility, and coaching on work tasks and protection

from politics. These activities help the protégé succeed at work tasks, overcome barriers

and challenges at work, gain promotions in the organization, and adapt to the

psychological demands of the job and organization (Kumari, 2012).

Career success and person-environment fit have received critical consideration in studies

of the place of work. This is due to the wide-ranging acknowledgment that these concepts

have significant implications for personal behaviors and work results and both affect the

execution process of the psychological employment contract (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey,

2015). According to Vartharaj and Vasantha (2012), the psychological contract is by and

large defined in terms of a set of “individual beliefs, shaped by the firm, concerning terms

of an exchange agreement between individuals and their firms”. One particular aspect of

this contract between employers and employees has to do with the level of person-

environment fit (Rousseau & Parks, 2012).

2.2.4 Personal Interests

Personal interests can be defined as the things that hold one’s attention or arouse one’s

curiosity (Super, Savickas, & Super, 2014). Interests are a person’s like or dislike and are

characterized by the person’s intensity of feeling about a subject or things (Hooley,

2012). Interests are learned from parents, in school, from friends, and from lifelong

experiences. For instance, when one engages in various activities he reacts with specific

feelings or attitudes. He/she may like or dislike those activities, you feel challenged or

bored, competent or clumsy. These personal reactions plus the feedback one receives

about his performance help to shape and focus a person’s interest. One continues to

acquire interests throughout his life and this in return influences the reasoning and

choices one makes including career choices (Hewitt, 2010).

Interest can change, as people experience life and meet more people; they become

interested in new things and discard some of their old interests. People also develop more

complex thinking and understanding process, and they may even seek new interest and

activities with hope of improving themselves and making life more exciting (Hewitt,

2010). Once the interest of an individual keeps changing, so does his career choice. One

15

seeks a career that meets his interest hence the career that one may have wished to take

when he was young is not what he eventually does.

According to Hewitt (2010), interest has become the most important factors in

determinant and measures of occupational selection. Many people would like to work at

something they enjoy. Super, et al. (2014), assert that interest inventories have been

developed to help identify interests and relate them to career and occupations. Interests

inventories tall ranking for specific career and occupational preferences. By measuring

interests of successful and satisfied people in an occupation, researchers have developed

scales that compare the interests of individuals to the interests of people who are certain

about what they want to do. It is believed that these occupational scales are effective in

predicting career and occupational satisfaction.

2.3 Social Life Balance and Career Development

Social life balance is the balancing between work and the life-stages of an individual

(Mathew & Panchanatham, 2011). The study in this section focuses on determining the

factors of social life balance that influence an employee’s career development. These

factors are explained in terms of childcare responsibilities, family and social support

along with other societal factors (Malcolm, 2011). The components of social life are

childcare, family, family domain, and demographics.

2.3.1 Childcare Responsibilities

Childcare is the supervision and nurturing of a child, including casual and informal

services provided by a parent and more formal services provided by an organized

childcare center (Julien, Somerville, & Culp, 2011). Various studies had suggested that

family related factors such as number of children and childcare responsibilities lead to

imbalance in work and family roles. Fathers experienced stress in child caring during the

absence of employed wives from home (Gerson, 2014). Increased number of children at

home results in increased home demands causing additional stress and work family

conflict (Lundberg, 2010). Elliott (2013) investigated on the major difficulties faced by

employed parents of small children, particularly those of the age below six years, in

providing adequate childcare. Additionally, childcare as well as care for elderly, imposes

more emotional burden on females compared to males. Ross and Mirowsky (2011)

16

showed that employed mothers finding difficulties in child-care arrangements

experienced high depression.

Padma and Reddy (2013) conducted a study among teachers from various schools located

in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh, India to investigate the influence of child

demographics namely; number of children and their age on social life balance and career

development. The results revealed that schoolteachers with more number of children

(three children) and also the childless teachers perceived similar social life balance and

career development.

2.3.2 Family Support

Family is a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a

group, whether dwelling together or not (Thriveni & Rama, 2012). Societal factors

namely family support including spouse support was observed to have an impact on

social life balance of individuals. Adams, King and King (2010) in their studies observed

that emotional and instrumental support from family as well as society was associated

with lower levels of work family imbalance. Edralin (2013) investigated on balancing

work demands with personal needs and family responsibilities by Filipina entrepreneurs,

in order to sustain their business and at the same time live a meaningful and happy life.

Findings revealed that both positive and negative spillover effects of work-life

relationships. Negative spillover stimulates stress among the entrepreneurs while positive

spillover can lead to their elevated levels of life satisfaction. The results demonstrated

various strategies to balance work and social life such as personal planning with proper

time management, the magnitude of spouse support for married entrepreneurs or the

extent of support of the family members for non-business work responsibilities and

activities, and delegation of routine jobs to trusted employees, usually a family member,

having a flexible work schedule (Edralin, 2013).

2.3.3 Family Domain Factors

Family influence is an important force in preparing youth for their roles as workers.

Young people form many of their attitudes about work and careers as a result of

interactions with the family. Family background provides the basis from which their

17

career-planning and decision making evolve. However, within each family, the level of

involvement can vary, offering both positive and negative influences (Malcolm, 2011).

Greenhaus and Beutell (2011) had identified family domain factors that have a vital role

in developing work family conflict and these factors comprised of the number of children,

spouse employment, family interaction, low spouse support and expectations for affection

and openness. Parasuraman and Simmers (2011) studied the relationship between parental

responsibilities and time obligation to family and work-family conflict among self and

organizationally employed individuals. The results showed that the outline of work-

family conflict predictors in the family domain varied according to employment status.

Parental demand was positively related to work-family conflict among self-employed

individuals, while family involvement was negatively correlated with work-family

conflict among individuals employed in organizations.

Naithani and Jha (2012) had identified various family related factors such as, increasing

participation of women, child bearing women and dual career women in workforce,

increasing single-parent/single person households and increased child-care/elder care

burden to be significantly influencing social life balance and career development of

employees. Mathew and Panchanatham (2011) demonstrated the important factors

influencing work life balance of women entrepreneurs in South India. The study had

observed that dependent care issues, quality of health, and lack of appropriate social

support as some of the major factors influencing the social life balance among women

entrepreneurs.

Family background factors that were also found to be associated with career development

include parents' socioeconomic status (SES), educational level, and biogenetic factors

such as physical size, gender, ability, and temperament (Thom, 2012). In a study of the

influences on adolescents' vocational development reported by Leiva, Vidal, and Navarro

(2012), the variable that had the most effect on educational plans and occupational

aspirations was parental education.

Julien, Somerville, and Culp (2011) also report that parents with postsecondary education

tend to pass along its importance to their children. Baral and Bhargava (2013) notes that

18

females talented in math viewed their career choices as reflective of interests that

stemmed from early family influence and educational opportunities. Christensen and

Staines (2011) found that the presence of teachers in the family was a significant factor

influencing teacher candidates' decisions to teach. Shani and Divyapriya (2013), however,

points out that, lower levels of parent education can retard adolescents' career

development. Malcolm (2011) found that being born to parents with limited education

and income reduces the likelihood of going to college or achieving a professional

occupational goal and essentially predetermines the child's likely vocational choice.

2.3.4 Demographic Variables

Many studies had explored the influence of demographic variables and attitudinal issues

on work-life balance within the working population. Duxbury and Higgins (2010)

observed significant increases in work-life conflict were observed regardless of gender,

job type and parental status as compared to studies in the year 2000 among large sample

of employees in Canada. Parasuraman and Simmers (2011) revealed that gender and job

type had significant influence on work-family issues, job involvement and job

satisfaction. The influence of gender on work-life issues was reported in many literatures.

The studies have also indicated that the major stress experienced by females experience

arises from family demands rather than work demands particularly when the family has

children (Tausig & Fenwick, 2012). Emslie, Hunt and Macintyre (2013) identified that

factors affecting work and family life did vary by gender. Nurturing children and being in

a senior position were more strongly related to work– home conflict for women than men.

Barnett, Campo, Campo, and Steiner, (2010) identified the relationship of income of

employees and balancing work and family responsibilities. Employees with lower

income, particularly single mothers, have more difficulties in balancing work and family

responsibilities.

Thriveni and Rama (2012) examined a significant relationship between demographic

variables namely; age, experience, marital status, income, type of family, number of

dependents and perception of work- life balance among women employees in Bangalore

city, India. They also articulated the importance of these relationships for designing

appropriate policies for employees to deal with work life balance issues. Naithani and Jha

(2012) explored some of the factors influencing social life balance namely, ageing

19

population, emergence of service sector industries, technological advancement of work,

skill shortages, loss of social support network, globalization and demographic shift of

workforce.

2.3.5 Parenting Styles and Family Dynamics

Parenting styles and family dynamics may very well influence adolescent career choice.

One study that provides a good common introduction to this matter was conducted by

Altman (2013) through the use of interviews; to determine how family of origin

relationships and experiences might influence career development. Altman found that

family experiences could be very relevant in career choices.

Greenhaus and Beutell (2011) affirm that the surroundings of the family of origin,

predominantly if very negative or very positive, can make a distinction in career

outcomes. For example, there is a reasoned argument that lack of support in choices;

dissuasion at “higher” career choices by members of a family, or the need to choose a

career sooner than later because of need to getaway the family of origin because of the

living circumstances is correlated with more negative results in career development for

adolescents. Mayer, Caruso, and Salovey (2015) found a positive environment in the

family of origin, however, such as support in career choices and guidance in them is

correlated with more positive results in career development.

2.4 Organizational Life Balance and Career Development

Organizational life balance is an organizational concept that empowers employees to split

time and energy between work and other important areas of their life successfully. The

study in this section is undertaken to determine the factors of organizational life balance

in influencing employee career development. The factors are explained in terms of

flexible work arrangements, work life balance policies and programs, work support, job

stress, technology and role related factors.

2.4.1 Work Arrangements

Many studies have suggested that flexible work arrangements would help the employees

to attain a better blend between work and non-work activities and help the organizations

to recruit, retain and motivate their employees (Bachmann, 2010). Christensen and

20

Staines (2011) identified that flextime work arrangement reduced late comings,

absenteeism, and turnover. The study concluded that flexible time strategy improved

employee productivity by minimizing absenteeism, turnover and work family conflict

hence influenced career development. Hill et al (2010) conducted a survey on 6,451

employees of IBM in USA. From the survey, it was empirically found that the flexible

work timings and location of work place are critical in reducing employee work life

imbalance. The study demonstrated that individual with the perceived job flexibility have

the benefit of good work life balance and were capable of working longer hours.

Wayne, Musisca and Fleeson (2013) suggested that limiting work hours might benefit

workers to increase the level of work family balance because fewer work hours may

contribute to reduction in work family conflict. Hill et al. (2010) propounded that; flexi

time helps employees to manage their work and family responsibilities effectively there

by allowing them to minimize work family conflict and to improve the performance at

work and home. Lingard, Francis and Turner (2010) conducted a study among project-

based construction workers in a large civil engineering construction project in Melbourne,

Australia. The study captured data with regard to the number of hours worked,

satisfaction with work life balance and capacity to complete required tasks at work and at

home. Results demonstrated a strong correlation between hours worked each week and

participants’ work and life experiences.

The time series modeling revealed that workers taking a short, temporary break from

work could contribute to improve work life balance. Julien, Somerville and Culp (2011)

had examined the role of alternative work arrangements that helps to reduce work life

conflict in the public sector. The Results revealed that a compressed workweek is

considered as an alternative work life arrangement that reduces work-life conflict and

helps to enhance work-life balance. Kumari (2012) found that high levels of management

and superior support of flexible work arrangements such as flexible hours and

compressed workweek were positively related with the ability to balance personal, family

and work demands. Recent days, most of international studies have laid higher emphasis

on flexible work arrangements and new working conditions compared to other work life

balance initiatives.

21

In Indian context, Madipelli, Sarma and Chinnappaiah (2013) investigating on factors

influencing work life imbalance among female teachers at home and at work place

observed that, organizations having ineffective work arrangements, poor working

conditions, long working hours, lower income, pressurized work environment etc., may

be responsible for monotony, frustration and stress towards work and home among

employees, which leads to work life imbalance. Marital relationship, attitude and

cooperation of husband and family members were the other factors that may also relate to

work-life balance amidst working women.

2.4.2 Organizational Work Life Balance Policies and Programs

Straub (2013) had investigated the contribution of organizational work life balance

practices and policies in 14 European countries towards enhancing the career

advancement of women to senior management positions. The study identified that only

the payment of additional emoluments during maternity leave had a positive impact on

work life balance. Hyman and Summers (2011) demonstrated that employees in financial

service sector of Scotland were prone to work-life balance issues and emphasized the

need for organizations and unions to develop a focus on work-life balance programs.

Leiva, Vidal and Navarro (2012) explored the impact of the availability of work life

balance practices on organizational outcomes in small and medium-sized enterprises

(SMEs) representing the metal industry sector of Southeast Spain. The results showed

that a work life balance (WLB) supportive culture mediates the availability of WLB

practices.

Singh (2010) measured perceived importance of WLB policies in two prominent IT based

companies in India. Induru and Pathan (2011) reviewed possible alternatives for

employers and employees in the pharmaceutical sector to link work life balance practices

for organizational and personal performance. Rajadhyaksha (2012) observed that

commonly practiced work-life interventions by Indian companies have been mainly

oriented towards addressing issues such as gender equality, flexibility, stress reduction,

health awareness and childcare. Miryala and Chiluka (2012) highlighted the importance

of designing work life balance policies and programs for teachers at different levels with

respect to government and private institutions in India. (Purohit, 2013) had carried out a

study among employees of leading corporate entities representing, manufacturing,

22

information technology, educational and banking sectors in Pune region, India, on

organizational polices and provisions for work-life balance and emphasized the

importance of effective work-life programs for maintaining symbiotic relationship

between the employee and employer to achieve mutual benefits.

2.4.3 Work Support

Thompson, Kirk, and Brown (2010) showed that supervisors have significant influence

on professional stress of female police officers and they can reduce moral exhaustion and

contribute to a better work-life balance. Duxbury and Higgins (2010) conducted a study

on work life issues among health care workers in Canada. The results indicated that a

positive relationship exists between the organization and supervisor support for work-life

issues and reduction of work-to-family conflict. Tremblay, Genin and Loreto (2011)

illustrated the importance of organizational support to work-life balance in a demanding

work environment among police officers and agents in Québec using case study

methodology involving a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The findings

substantiated the importance for organizations to offer formal and informal support to

employees in the work environment to balance their work and family aspects. Fathima

and Sahibzada (2012) had identified colleague support and job resources to be positively

related with the work life balance while unfair criticism at job has negative relation with

work life balance among university teachers in Pakistan.

2.4.4 Job Stress

According to Pomeory (2013) job stress can be defined as individual’s perception about

work environment as threatening or demanding, or discomfort experienced by an

individual in the work place. Work life balance has been linked to the varied levels of job

stress among employees in different occupations (Naithani & Jha, 2012). Bell, Rajendran

and Theiler (2012) investigated the relationships between job-related stress, health, work-

life balance and work-life conflict among Australian academia. The results indicated that

high levels of job stress to be positively associated with increased work family conflict

and ill-being, while negatively correlated to work life balance and wellbeing. Over the

past few decades, substantial research has demonstrated that anxiety related job stress has

a negative effect on wellbeing amongst academia (Miryala & Chiluka, 2012). Tremblay,

23

et al. (2011) investigated the influence work related stressors on work life imbalance

based on experts’ opinion.

2.4.5 Technology

Malcolm (2011) identified that technology can either facilitate or hinder work life balance

by creating a more accessible and flexible environment at all times of day and night

enabling individual to work anywhere, any time. Wayne, et al. (2013) investigated the

impact of organizations dominated with e-mail culture up on employees’ lives outside

working hours. The study observed both positive as well as negative impact of the culture

on employees.

According to Rajadhyaksha (2012) improvement in technology can both help and hinder

attempts to provide employees with the support they need in ensuring a healthy work

environment. Advancement in technology has raised expectations for both employees and

employers in achieving goals and objectives and meeting often unreasonable deadlines

that lead to increased pressure on other employees within the organization. This may have

an effect on employees’ health, resulting in higher absenteeism, lower productivity, and

higher turnover rates (Walia & Bajaj, 2012). Since, for instance, Health Services have

facilities open 24 hours per day, seven days per week so technology plays a vital role. It is

a double-edged sword. Keeping one connected to work can have both positive and

negative impacts. Keeping up-to-date on issues while away from the office can also be

positive and negative because it can either decrease or increase work pressures depending

on what the issues are (Tremblay, Genin, & Loreto, 2011).

2.4.6 Role Related Factors

Bachmann (2010) had identified that work domain factors such as, role conflict, role

ambiguity, working hours and inflexibility of the work schedule have a vital role in

developing work family conflict. Role conflict is the simultaneous occurrence of two or

more sets of pressures, such that adaptation with one role makes adjustment with the

other more difficult (Parasuraman & Simmers, 2011) while role ambiguity refers to the

lack of clarity about the expectations of the role, which may arise out of lack of

understanding (Purohit, 2013).

24

Jayanthi and Vanniarajan (2012) had investigated the effect of work life imbalance on

organizational and family domain performance among executives employed in service

industry in southern part of India. The study identified that organizational role stress

factors exert significant influence up on work life imbalance. The investigators also

observed that the level of these factors to be higher in private sector as compared to

public sector organizations and also higher among female executives than male

executives.

2.4.7 Co-Worker Support

Fearon, McLaughlin, and Morris (2013) explored the views of employees in a finance

organization about implementation and utilization of work-life balance policies. They

found that attitudes expressed by co-workers illustrated how the construction of work-life

benefits was affected by factors such as: expectations of business travel for employees

with and without family responsibilities; orientations of individualism and meritocracy;

and traditional separations between private and public spheres. Thus, according to Ghosh,

Rai, and Sinha (2014) employees who utilized work-life policies felt resentment from co-

workers and recognized the need to ‘use’ and ‘abuse’ so as not to be seen, and treated as a

less committed worker.

2.5 Chapter Summary

This chapter reviews literature on the influence of personal life balance on career

development; the influence of social life balance on career development and the influence

of organizational life balance on career development. The next chapter emphasizes on the

research methodology that was used in this research.

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CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter provides the research design and method to be adopted to realize the

objectives of the survey and address knowledge gaps. The study seeks to assess the

influence of work life balance on career development choices of employees in the

banking sector. The first sub-section describes the research design followed by the target

population. Thereafter, there is a description of the data types and data collection

methods, data analysis and research procedures that was applied and are described in a

sequential manner.

3.2 Research Design

Research design, according to Cooper and Schindler (2014), is the organization and

structure of study conceived to attain answers to research questions. It articulates both the

construction of the research problem, and the program of investigation used to get

empirical evidence. Babbie and Mouton (2010) affirm that research design is a structured

framework or plan of how one aims at solving the research problem and enlarge

knowledge and understanding. Through a well-developed and clear research plan, readers

can develop confidence in the methods used as the researcher maximizes validity and

minimizes error.

From the study, the research design adopted was descriptive in nature. Descriptive

studies, according to Cooper and Schindler (2014) describe features related to the subject

population. Descriptive design helps in finding out and measuring the relationships

among variables. The study utilized the descriptive research design to gather in depth

information about the population under study therefore provides recommendations that

are explicit and pertinent. The dependent variable for the study is career development

while the independent variable is work-life balance.

3.3 Population and Sampling Design

3.3.1 Population

According to Cooper and Schindler (2014), a population is the total collection of elements

upon which inferences are made. Population is the larger set of observation while sample

26

is the smaller set of this important population. The study targeted the employees in the

banking sector. The study only targeted one thousand five hundred (1500) employees of

Stanbic Bank Nairobi Kenya.

Table 3.1: Population Distribution

Stanbic Bank Population

Management 320

Staff 1180

Total 1500

Source: Stanbic Bank, (2016)

3.3.2 Sampling Design

Sampling is the selection of part of a whole to represent the entire population. The

primary objective of sampling is to estimate the population values from the information

contained in the elements of the sample. As per Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2012),

the basic idea of sampling is that by selecting some of the items in a population the

researcher may be able to draw a conclusion about the entire population.

3.3.2.1 Sampling Frame

According to Salikind (2012), a sampling frame is a list of all people or households

within a population targeted and from which generalized sample data is obtained. For this

study, the sampling frame was acquired from Stanbic Bank human resources department.

3.3.2.2 Sampling Technique

This is the mode of selecting a sample. The study used management and staff from

Stanbic Bank as the population of the study. However, not the entire population was

contacted, but rather, a sample was selected to represent the entire population. As per

Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2012), the usage of a sample makes it feasible for higher

overall precision in a study. Ryman and Bell (2011), describe a sample as any subset of

the components of the population obtained for the purpose of the investigation, and the

selection process is known as sampling. This study applied a proportionate stratified

sampling technique to choose the sample.

27

A stratified random sampling method allowed for representation of various subgroups in

the population (Mugenda & Mugenda, 2012). Further, it increased the sample’s statistical

efficiency and provided data analysis for different subgroups. Using this sampling

research method and procedures is more efficient than random sampling (Uma & Bougie,

2010). A proportionate sample percent of 30 was adopted.

3.3.2.3 Sample Size

Sample size refers to the selected elements to be studied (Saunders et al., 2003). The

sample size depends on the variation in the population and the variables under study. The

study derived sample from all the selected management and staff of Stanbic Bank Nairobi

Kenya. Uma and Bougie (2010) highlighted that the sample must be chosen cautiously to

be a real reflection of the studied population. Further, according to Mugenda and

Mugenda (2012), a sample size of between ten and thirty percent is a good depiction of

the target population and hence the 30% is adequate for analysis.

The study used the 30% proportionate sample and as such, four hundred and fifty (450)

respondents were selected as presented in the table 3.2 below.

Table 3.2: Sample Size Distribution

Stanbic Bank, Nairobi Population Sample

Management 320 96

Staff 1180 354

Total 1500 450

3.4 Data Collection Methods

The process of gathering and measuring data on variables of interest, in an well-known

systematic fashion that allows one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses,

and evaluate results is called data collection methods (Cooper & Schindler, 2014).

Primary data was utilised in this study. Primary data was collected using questionnaires

established as an important data collection tool (Malhotra, 2011). This data collection

method is justified because it provides an effective and efficient way of gathering

information within a very short time. The questionnaires entailed closed questions. To

capture opinions of the respondents regarding the performance variables in the study, the

28

questionnaire offered questions in a structured format. The close ended questions was

structured in a 5-point Likert scale (agree, strongly agree, neutral, disagree or strongly

disagree) to assess the influence of work life balance on career development choices of

employees in banking sector focusing on Stanbic Bank. The questionnaire consisted of

the four sections, which are general background; research question one, research question

two and research question three.

3.5 Research Procedures

According to Cooper and Schindler (2014), research procedures involve a clear and

concise description of all the steps undertaken in the study for the purpose of

explicability. In designing and testing the questionnaire, the research supervisor reviewed

and advised on appropriate edits before giving the approval to commence the survey. As

this was going on, the researcher was following up with the research office for an official

introduction letter to send to the management of the bank.

A pilot test on 2 management and 8 staff was carried out to determine the reliability of the

questions before the actual administration. Once this was validated, the final

questionnaire was presented to the respondents with a cover letter attached by the

research assistance.

3.6 Data Analysis Method

Data analysis is a research method that provides an objective, systematic and qualitative

description of observations of research. The quantitative technique for data analysis was

used to enhance the quality of this study, (Cooper and Schneider, 2014). Descriptive

statistics, (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2012) involves a process of translating a mass

of raw data into tables, charts, with percentages and frequency distribution, which is

significant in making sense of the data.

Descriptive statistics were important among the quantitative tools that were utilized.

These included measures of central tendencies, such as, standard deviation, means,

frequencies, and percentages. These tools of analysis were used for example to determine

divergent views and to describe the degree of relationships between work-life balance and

career development. The study also employed inferential statistics (correlations and

29

regression) to determine whether the relationship between work-life balance and career

development is significant or not.

The data was converted into numeric data using computer software known as Statistical

Package for Social Sciences (SPSS); findings were analyzed in the form of coefficient of

variations and cross-tabulations and presented in tabulations and figures.

3.7 Chapter Summary

This chapter outlines the comprehensive methodology utilized in this study, the research

design, sample identification, data collection, analysis and representation. It is a critical

chapter for the researcher as it identifies the means for achieving the purpose of the

intended study and is vital for the researcher. This chapter started with an introduction to

research methodology and analysis of the research design. The sampling frame, sampling

technique, and sample size were discussed under population and sampling design. The

research procedure then followed the data collection method and the chapter concluded

with an illustration of data analysis methods. The next chapter provides research findings

and results of the research questions.

30

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS AND FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

The chapter provides results and findings of the data collected according to the research

questions and analyzed as the research design prescribes. The results and findings are

presented in tables and figures. The first part is about the response rate. The second part

regards the background information, which offers demographic representation of the

respondents. The third part reveals the influence of personal life balance on career

development choices. The fourth part is on the influence of social life balance on career

development choices. The fifth part is on the influence of organizational life balance on

career development choices and the final section is the summary of the whole chapter.

4.2 Response Rate

A response rate, according to the study, is a total number of individuals or respondents

took part in a study. A response rate is presented in the form of percentage. Figure 4.1

shows that the size of the sample selected were 450 employees.

Figure 4.1: Response Rate

In Figure 4.1 above, a response rate of the study is represented. It is clear from the study

that 40% of the respondents did not participate in the study while 60% participated in the

study. From the result, it is therefore implied that the response rate was good.

31

4.3 Background Information

4.3.1 Gender

Figure 4.2 portrays the demonstration of gender of the study. The figure certainly

demonstrates that 48% of the employees at the Stanbic Bank are males while 52% are

females. The study means that majority of the population working at Stanbic Bank are

females.

Figure 4.2: Gender

4.3.2 Age

Figure 4.3 points up the age representation of the staff at Stanbic Bank. The figure reveals

that 72% of the respondents stand for employees who are between 25 to 34 years of age

whereas those who are between 35 to 44 years are represented by 13%. The study also

illustrates that 9% of respondents are between 45 to 54 years of age and 6% of

respondents represent employees who are below 25 years of age. The study in this section

implies that majority of the population working at the Stanbic Bank are between 25 to 34

years of age.

32

Figure 4.3: Age

4.3.3 Level of education

Figure 4.4: Respondents Level of Education

Figure 4.4 demonstrates the level of education of respondents working at Stanbic Bank.

The findings from the figure reveal that 48% of respondents have undergraduate degrees

as their highest level of education, 34% of the respondents have post graduate degrees,

11% of the respondents have doctorate level of education and 7% of the respondents have

secondary school level of education. From the findings, it is well illustrated that most of

the employees at Stanbic Bank have undergraduate degrees as their highest level of

education.

33

4.3.4 Designation

Figure 4.5 shows employees’ positions in the organization. The figure illustrates that 79%

of the respondents represent general staff of Stanbic Bank while 12% of the respondents

represents management of the bank.

Figure 4.5: Designation

4.3.5 Working Experience

Figure 4.6 reveals the work experience of the respondents working at Stanbic Bank. From

the figure, 60% of the respondents have worked with the bank for 3 to 6 years, 30% have

worked for the bank for 6 to 10 year and 7% of the respondents have worked for the bank

for below 3 years. The study also shows that 3% of the respondents have worked for the

bank for above 10 years.

Figure 4.6: Working Experience

34

4.4 Career Development

This section aimed at determining the career development in the Stanbic Bank. The

aspects addressed in this section included career development programs, moving to

another work, and individual career development.

Table 4.1 indicates that item one “I am concerned about my individual career

development” has a mean of 4.00 and a standard deviation of 0.839. The study also

reveals that item two “I am prepared to move to another work area to develop my career”

has a mean of 3.99 and a standard deviation of 0.834 and, item three “I am following a

career development program to grow in my profession” has a mean of 3.01 and a standard

deviation of 1.443.

Table 4.1: Career Development

N Mean

Std.

Deviation

I am concerned about my individual career development 271 4.00 .839

I am prepared to move to another work area to develop my

career 271 3.99 .834

I am following a career development program to grow in my

profession 271 3.01 1.443

4.5 Influence Personal Life Balance on Career Development

The study in this section establishes the influence of personal life balance on career

development in the Stanbic Bank. The study addressed aspects like; on individual

behaviour, individual determination, job characteristics, personal values, personal

interests, personal relationships, occupational selection, organizational culture, career

mentors and employee personality.

The study made use of descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) to analyze the

significance of the personal life balance, social life balance and organizational life

balance on career development. To measure the central tendency, statistical mean is used

whereas standard deviation depicts how personal life balance is dispersed from the mean.

Table 4.2 reveals that item one “Career success depends on individual behaviour and

work outcome” has a mean of 4.79 and a standard deviation of 0.408. The study also

35

reveals that item two “Career success depends on individual’s determination” has a mean

of 4.71 and a standard deviation of 0.454, item three “To enhance career development,

managers should match the employee’s traits with job characteristics” has a mean of 4.69

and a standard deviation of 0.463 and item four “Personal interests determine

occupational selection of an employee” has a mean of 4.65 and a standard deviation of

0.768.

The table still shows that item five “Personal relationships influence career development”

has a mean of 4.63 and a standard deviation of 0.636, item six “Personal interests

influence the choices employees made in their career” has a mean of 4.61 and a standard

deviation of 0.603, an item seven “Personal values determine individual career

development” has a mean of 4.44 and a standard deviation of 0.586. The study also shows

that item eight “Career mentors determine individual career development choices” has a

mean of 4.25 and a standard deviation of 0.842, item nine “The conflict between personal

values and organizational culture can hinder career development” has a mean of 3.61 and

a standard deviation of 0.785, and item ten “An employee’s personality affects his/her

career development choices” has a mean of 2.61 and a standard deviation of 0.908.

When the mean range of personal life balance and career development is analysed on a

Likert scale of five, it presents a mean range of 4.79 to 2.61. The mean range reveals that

personal life balance has a great effect on career development. The standard deviation

ranged from 0.408 to 0.908 and shows no difference from the mean.

36

Table 4.2: Personal Life Balance and Career Development

N Mean

Std.

Deviation

Career success depends on individual behaviour and work

outcome 271 4.79 0.408

Career success depends on individual’s determination 271 4.71 0.454

To enhance career development, managers should match

the employee’s traits with job characteristics 271 4.69 0.463

Personal interests determine occupational selection of an

employee 271 4.65 0.768

Personal relationships influence career development 271 4.63 0.636

Personal interests influence the choices employees made

in their career 271 4.61 0.603

Personal values determine individual career development 271 4.44 0.586

Career mentors determine individual career development

choices 271 4.25 0.842

The conflict between personal values and organizational

culture can hinder career development 271 3.61 0.785

An employee’s personality affects his/her career

development choices 271 2.61 0.908

4.5.1 Regression Analysis of Personal Life Balance and Career Development

The study illustrates that a model summary is utilized when predicting the value of a

variable based on the value of another variable. In this case, dependent variable is the

variable being predicted. The independent variable is the variable being used to predict

the value of other variables.

The model summary of the study is demonstrated in Table 4.3. The model summary

provides information about the regression line’s ability to offer a description for the total

divergence in the dependent variable. From the table, the value of R is 0.959, R2 is 0.919,

which means that 91.9 percent of the total variation in career development has been

explained by variability in personal life balance. The table also shows that the adjusted R

square is 0.918. The value of F (6, 264) =501.963, p<0.001. Where the intercept of career

development is β= 0.094, p<0.001, 0.335, p<0.001, 0.054, p<0.001, 0.092, p<0.001,

0.095, p<0.001, and 0.382, p<0.001.

37

Table 4.3: Regression Analysis of Personal Life Balance and Career Development

Model Summary

Model R R Square

Adjusted R

Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .959a .919 .918 .09910

a. Predictors: (Constant), Career success depends on individual behaviour and work

outcome, To enhance career development, managers should match the employee’s traits

with job characteristics, An employee’s personality affects his/her career development

choices, The conflict between personal values and organizational culture can hinder career

development , Career mentors determine individual career development choices, Personal

relationships influence career development

ANOVAa

Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

1 Regression 29.577 6 4.930 501.963 .000b

Residual 2.593 264 .010

Total 32.170 270

a. Dependent Variable: Career Development

b. Predictors: (Constant), Career success depends on individual behaviour and work

outcome, To enhance career development, managers should match the employee’s traits

with job characteristics, An employee’s personality affects his/her career development

choices, The conflict between personal values and organizational culture can hinder career

development , Career mentors determine individual career development choices, Personal

relationships influence career development

Coefficientsa

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients t Sig.

B Std.

Error Beta

1 (Constant) -.370 .147

-2.512 .013

An employee’s personality affects

his/her career development choices .094 .007 .247 13.518 .000

To enhance career development,

managers should match the

employee’s traits with job

characteristics

.335 .021 .450 16.129 .000

The conflict between personal

values and organizational culture

can hinder career development

.054 .010 .123 5.430 .000

Personal relationships influence

career development .092 .026 .170 3.618 .000

Career mentors determine

individual career development

choices

.095 .013 .231 7.193 .000

Career success depends on

individual behaviour and work

outcome

.382 .044 .452 8.738 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Career Development

38

4.6 Influence of Social Life Balance on Career Development

This section aimed at examining the influence of social life balance on career

development at Stanbic Bank. The aspects addressed in this section comprised of

childcare responsibilities, social life, career development choices, personal planning,

family influences, family background, employee gender, level of education, family

demands, and socioeconomic status.

Table 4.4 shows the opinions of respondents on childcare responsibilities. From the table,

the study confirms that 85.6% of respondents strongly agreed that childcare

responsibilities affects employee’s career development choices, 9.6% agreed to the same

statement and 4.8% of the respondents were uncertain that childcare responsibilities

affects employee’s career development choices.

Table 4.4: Childcare Responsibilities

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Uncertain 13 4.8

Agree 26 9.6

Strongly Agree 232 85.6

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.5 shows the respondents’ opinions on employee social life determines career

choices. From the table, 79.3% of respondents strongly agreed that employee social life

determines career choices, 17% of the respondents agreed to the statement and 3.7% of

the respondents disagreed to the statement that employee social life determines career

choices.

Table 4.5: Employee Social Life

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Disagree 10 3.7

Agree 46 17.0

Strongly Agree 215 79.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.6 establishes the respondents’ opinions on the support an employee gets from

his/her family influences career development choices. From the table, 36.5% of

39

respondents strongly agreed that the support an employee gets from his/her family

influences career development choices, 35.1% of the respondents agreed to the statement

and 28.4% of the respondents were uncertain about the statement that the support an

employee gets from his/her family influences career development choices.

Table 4.6: Employee Support

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Uncertain 77 28.4

Agree 95 35.1

Strongly Agree 99 36.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.7 shows the opinions of the respondents on how personal planning determines

career development choices. From the study, 50.9% of respondents agreed that personal

planning determines career development choices, 44.3% of respondents strongly agreed

to the statement and 4.8% of the respondents were uncertain about the statement that

personal planning determines career development choices. The study also revealed that

0% of respondents disagreed and 0% of respondents strongly disagreed to the statement

that personal planning determines career development choices.

Table 4.7: Personal Planning

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagreed 0 0

Disagreed 0 0

Uncertain 13 4.8

Agree 138 50.9

Strongly Agree 120 44.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.8 reveals how family influences the career path an employee takes. The table

shows that 49.1% of the respondents strongly agreed that family influences the career

path an employee takes, 42.4% of the respondents agreed to the statement while 4.8% of

respondents were uncertain to the statement that family influences the career path an

employee takes. The study also depicts that 3.7% of respondents strongly disagreed to the

40

statement that family influences the career path an employee takes while 0% of the

respondents disagreed to the statement.

Table 4.8: Family Influences

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 10 3.7

Disagreed 0 0

Uncertain 13 4.8

Agree 115 42.4

Strongly Agree 133 49.1

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.9 shows respondents’ opinions on how family background provides the basis

from which employee career planning and decision making evolve. From the table, it is

very clear that 47.6% of respondents strongly agreed that family background provides the

basis from which employee career planning and decision making evolve, 35.4% of

respondents agreed to the statement while 11.8% were uncertain about the statement. The

study demonstrates that 5.2% of the respondents strongly disagreed to the statement that

family background provides the basis from which employee career planning and decision

making evolve while 0% of respondents disagreed to the statement.

Table 4.9: Family Background

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 14 5.2

Disagreed 0 0

Uncertain 32 11.8

Agree 96 35.4

Strongly Agree 129 47.6

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.10 reveals the opinions of the respondents on how employee gender has a

significant influence on career development choices. From the table, 46.5% of the

respondents agreed that the employee gender has a significant influence on career

development choices and 30.3% of respondents strongly agreed to the statement. The

study shows that 10% of the respondents were uncertain that the employee gender has a

significant influence on career development choices, 9.6% disagreed about the statement,

41

3.7% of respondents strongly disagreed that the employee gender has a significant

influence on career development choices.

Table 4.10: Employee Gender

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 10 3.7

Disagree 26 9.6

Uncertain 27 10.0

Agree 126 46.5

Strongly Agree 82 30.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.11 shows respondents’ views on how employees’ level of education determines

his/her career development choices. From the table, 26.9% of respondents strongly agreed

that employees’ level of education determines his/her career development choices and

22.9% of respondents agreed to the statement. The study also shows that 18.8% of

respondents disagreed to the statement that employees’ level of education determines

his/her career development choices, 17.7% were uncertain about the statement and 13.7%

of respondents strongly disagreed that employees’ level of education determines his/her

career development choices.

Table 4.11: Employees’ Level of Education

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 37 13.7

Disagree 51 18.8

Uncertain 48 17.7

Agree 62 22.9

Strongly Agree 73 26.9

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.12 shows the views of the respondents on how family demands affect the

employee career development. The table shows that 59% of the respondents agreed that

family demands affect the employee career development, 17.3% of respondents were

uncertain about the statement while 10% of respondents strongly disagreed to the

statement that family demands affect the employee career development. The study also

reveals that 8.9% of the respondents disagreed that family demands affect the employee

career development while 4.8% strongly agreed to the statement.

42

Table 4.12: Family Demands

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 27 10.0

Disagree 24 8.9

Uncertain 47 17.3

Agree 160 59.0

Strongly Agree 13 4.8

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.13 shows respondents’ opinions on how parents’ socioeconomic status influences

the sibling’s career choices. From the table, it is very clear that 59% of respondents

agreed that the parents’ socioeconomic status influences the sibling’s career choices and

19.9% of respondents strongly agreed to the statement. The study reveals that 11.1%

disagreed to the statement that the parents’ socioeconomic status influences the sibling’s

career choices, 10% of respondents strongly disagreed to the latter statement. The study

also shows that 0% of respondents were uncertain about the statement that the parents’

socioeconomic status influences the sibling’s career choices.

Table 4.13: Socioeconomic

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 27 10.0

Disagree 30 11.1

Uncertain 0 0

Agree 160 59.0

Strongly Agree 54 19.9

Total 271 100.0

4.7 Influence of Organizational Life Balance on Career Development

The study aimed at investigating the influence of social life balance on career

development. The aspects addressed in this section include flexible work arrangement,

work-life balance, work hours, organizational ability, organizational cultures, flexible

working environment, effective technology, work life issues, organizational offering and

employee compensation.

Table 4.14 reveals the opinions of respondents on how flexible working arrangements

influence employee career development choices. The table shows that 41.7% of the

respondents agreed that flexible working arrangements influence employee career

43

development choices and 32.5% strongly agreed to the statement. The study also

illustrates that 15.9% of respondents disagreed that flexible working arrangements

influence employee career development choices, 10% were uncertain about the statement,

and 0% of the respondents strongly disagreed to the statement that flexible working

arrangements influence employee career development choices.

Table 4.14: Flexible Working Arrangement

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 43 15.9

Uncertain 27 10.0

Agree 113 41.7

Strongly Agree 88 32.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.15 shows respondents’ opinions on how work life balance practices determine

career development choices. The table shows that 65.3% of respondents strongly agreed

that work life balance practices determine career development choices, while 29.9%

agreed to the same statement. The study also reveals that 4.8% of respondents were

uncertain that work life balance practices determine career development choices, 0% of

respondents disagreed and also 0% of respondents strongly disagreed to the statement.

Table 4.15: Work Life Balance

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 0 0

Uncertain 13 4.8

Agree 81 29.9

Strongly Agree 177 65.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.16 reveals the views of respondents on how limiting work hours benefits workers

to enhance their career development. The table shows that 59% of the respondents agreed

that limiting work hours benefits workers to enhance their career development and 32.5%

strongly agreed to the statement. From the table, it is clear that 8.5% of respondents

disagreed that limiting work hours benefits workers to enhance their career development,

44

0% of respondents strongly disagreed while 0% of respondents were uncertain that

limiting work hours benefits workers to enhance their career development.

Table 4.16: Working Hours

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 23 8.5

Uncertain 0 0

Agree 160 59.0

Strongly Agree 88 32.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.17 shows respondents’ opinions on the ability of organization to support their

employees in career development choices. The table shows that 48.7% of respondents

agreed that organization has the ability to support their employee in career development

choices, and 24% of respondents disagreed to the statement. The study also shows that

17.3% of respondents strongly agreed that organization has the ability to support their

employee in career development choices, 7.4% of the respondents were uncertain, and

2.6% of respondents strongly disagreed to the statement that organization has the ability

to support their employee in career development choices.

Table 4.17: Organizational Support

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 7 2.6

Disagree 65 24.0

Uncertain 20 7.4

Agree 132 48.7

Strongly Agree 47 17.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.18 shows the views of respondents on how supportive organizational culture

enhances career development choices among employees. From the table, it is very clear

that 56.5% of respondents agreed that supportive organizational culture enhances career

development choices among employees and 25.1% strongly agreed to the statement. The

study also reveals that 10% of respondents disagreed to the statement that supportive

organizational culture enhances career development choices among employees, 8.5% of

respondents were uncertain, and 0% of respondents strongly agreed that supportive

organizational culture enhances career development choices among employees.

45

Table 4.18: Organizational Culture

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 23 8.5

Uncertain 27 10.0

Agree 153 56.5

Strongly Agree 68 25.1

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.19 shows respondents’ opinions on flexible working environment. From the table,

it is very clear that 56.8% of respondents agreed that to enhance employee career

development, the organization should create a flexible working environment at all times,

and 27.3% of respondents strongly agreed to the statement. The table also depicts that

8.5% of respondents disagreed to the statement that to enhance employee career

development, the organization should create a flexible working environment at all times,

7.4% of respondents were uncertain about the statement, and 0% of respondents strongly

disagreed about the statement.

Table 4.19: Working Environment

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 23 8.5

Uncertain 20 7.4

Agree 154 56.8

Strongly Agree 74 27.3

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.20 reveals the views of respondents on how effective technology influences

employee career development choices. The table shows that 61.3% of the respondents

agreed that effective technology influences employee career development choices, 23.6%

of respondents disagreed to the statement and 12.5% of the respondents strongly agreed

that effective technology influences employee career development choices. The study

also depicts that 2.6% of respondents strongly disagreed that effective technology

influences employee career development choices while 0% of the respondents were

uncertain that effective technology influences employee career development choices.

46

Table 4.20: Effective Technology

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 7 2.6

Disagree 64 23.6

Uncertain 0 0

Agree 166 61.3

Strongly Agree 34 12.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.21 shows respondents’ opinions on how career development is influenced by

supervisors who support for work life issues. The table shows that 38.7% of respondents

agreed that career development is influenced by supervisors who support for work life

issues, 32.5% of respondents strongly agreed to the statement, 18.8% of respondents were

uncertain about the statement, and 10% of respondents strongly disagreed about the

statement that career development is influenced by supervisors who support for work life

issues. The study also illustrates that 0% of respondents disagreed that career

development is influenced by supervisors who support for work life issues.

Table 4.21: Work Life Issues

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 27 10.0

Uncertain 51 18.8

Agree 105 38.7

Strongly Agree 88 32.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.22 reveals the opinions on how an organization offering support to employees in

the work environment enhances employee career development. The table shows that

47.6% of the respondents agreed that an organization offering support to employees in the

work environment enhances employee career development, and 32.5% of the respondents

strongly agreed to the latter statement. It is also clear from the table that 11.4% of the

respondents were uncertain that an organization offering support to employees in the

work environment enhances employee career development, 8.5% of the respondents

disagreed about the statement and 0% of the respondents strongly disagreed that an

organization offering support to employees in the work environment enhances employee

career development.

47

Table 4.22: Organizational Offering

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 23 8.5

Uncertain 31 11.4

Agree 129 47.6

Strongly Agree 88 32.5

Total 271 100.0

Table 4.23 shows respondents’ opinions on how compensation organization extents to

employees affect career development within employees. From the table, it is very clear

that 44.6% of respondents strongly agreed that compensation organization extents to

employees affect career development within employees, and 36.5% of respondents agreed

about the statement. The study also made it clear that 18.8% of respondents were

uncertain that compensation organization extents to employees affect career development

within employees, 0% of respondents disagreed to the statement and 0% of respondents

strongly disagreed that compensation organization extent to employees affects career

development within employees.

Table 4.23: Compensation

DISTRIBUTION

Frequency Percentage

Strongly Disagree 0 0

Disagree 0 0

Uncertain 51 18.8

Agree 99 36.5

Strongly Agree 121 44.6

Total 271 100.0

4.8 Chapter Summary

This chapter has provided the results and findings according to the data collected from the

respondents from Stanbic Bank. The study presented analysis on the response rate,

background information, personal life balance, social life balance and organizational life

balance of employees. The following chapter provides the summary, discussions,

conclusions and recommendations.

48

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the discussion, conclusions and recommendations of the study. The

chapter is prepared in a way that summary of the study is the first element, followed by

discussions, conclusion, and lastly recommendations.

5.2 Summary

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of work-life balance on career

development choices of employees in the banking sector, with a focus on the employees

of Stanbic Bank, Nairobi, Kenya. The study was guided by the following research

questions: How does personal life balance influence career development choices of

employees in the banking sector? How does social life balance influence career

development choices of employees in the banking sector? How does organizational life

balance influence career development choices of employees in the banking sector?

In the study, a descriptive research design was utilized. The target population included

management and staff of Stanbic Bank Nairobi. The target population included 1500

management and staff of Stanbic Bank Nairobi. Through the use of stratified sampling

techniques and simple random sampling techniques, a selection of 450 respondents was

determined. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics in data analysis and

presentation. For descriptive statistics, the study adopted frequencies, cross-tabulation,

mean and standard deviation. To illustrate inferential statistics, the study utilized

correlation and regression statistics. Figures and Tables were means of data presentation.

The study assessed how personal life balance influenced career development choices of

employees in the banking sector. The study found that career success depends on

individual behaviour and work outcome hence to enhance career development managers

should match the employee’s traits with job characteristics. The study also revealed that

career success depends on individual’s determination hence personal interests determine

occupational selection of an employee. Personal interests influence the choices employees

made in their career. The study found that personal values determine individual career

49

development. The study also found that the conflict between personal values and

organizational culture could hinder career development.

The study established that social life balance influence career development choices of

employees in the banking sector. The research found that childcare responsibilities affects

employee’s career development choices. From the study, it was revealed that employee

social life determines career choices. The support an employee gets from his/her family

influences career development choices. The study illustrates that personal planning

determines career development choices. The study found that family influences the career

path an employee takes hence the study revealed that family background provides the

basis from which employee career-planning and decision making evolve. The study found

that employees’ level of education would determine his/her career development choices.

The study demonstrated that organizational life balance influences career development of

employees. The study found that flexible work arrangements influence employee career

development choices. Work-life balance practices determine career development choices.

The study reveals that limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their career

development. Organization has the ability to support their employee in career

development choices hence the study found that supportive organizational culture

enhances career development choices among employees. To enhance employee career

development, the organization should create a flexible working environment at all times.

The study found that Effective technology influences employee career development

choices. The study reveals that an organization offering support to employees in the work

environment enhances employee career development.

5.3 Discussion

5.3.1 Personal Life Balance and Career Development

The findings of the study reveal that career success depends on individual behaviour and

work outcome. These findings agree with the findings of Gibson et al., (2013) which

revealed that the personality of an individual is a relatively stable set of tendencies,

characteristics, and temperaments that have been notably formed by inheritance and by

the cultural, social, and environmental elements. This set of variables determines the

common and specific traits in the behaviour of an individual and influence employee

50

career development. On the other hand, Singh (2013) asserts that some employees are

concerned with quality of the job they perform, while others are not concerned. Some co-

workers' behaviour is pleasant while others are aggressive. Some of them perform their

jobs more actively, while others are passive. In addition, found that managers have to be

aware of the individual's personality in order to predict their behaviour and to accomplish

the organization’s goals in a proper way, with the help of their employees. This study also

found that career success depends on individual’s determination. This finding concurs

with the findings of Hirschi (2015) who in his study argued that achievement could be

explained largely by factors such as individual initiative, effort, merit and determination.

The study found that to enhance career development, managers should match the

employee’s traits with job characteristics. Malcolm (2011) adds that managers should not

conclude that personality is not an important factor, just because it belongs to individuals

in the organization. McAdams and Olson (2013) on the other hand confirm that

personality is a set of individual characteristics that are affected by the development of an

individual: values, attitudes, personal memories, social relationships, habits, and skills.

Malcolm (2011) adds that the manner in which a person acts and interacts is a reflection

of his/her personality, which is unique for each employee.

The study reveals that personal interests determine occupational selection of an employee.

Hooley (2012) asserts that interests are a person’s like or dislike and are characterized by

the person’s intensity of feeling about a subject or things. Hewitt (2010) found that the

personal reactions plus the feedback one receives about his performance help to shape

and focus a person’s interest. One continues to acquire interests throughout his life and

this in return influences the reasoning and choices one makes including career choices. In

the study by Super, et, al., (2014), it was revealed that interest can change. It was found

that as people experience life and meets more people; they become interested in new

things and discard some of their old interests. The study found that people also develop

more complex thinking and understanding process, and they may even seek new interest

and activities with hope of improving themselves and making life more exciting. From

the study, it was confirmed that once the interest of an individual keeps changing, so does

his career choice. Hewitt (2010) confirms that one seeks a career that meets his interest

51

hence the career that one may have wished to take when he was young is not what he

eventually does.

From the study, it is well noted that personal relationships influence career development.

Pomeory (2013) found that interpersonal behavior, social interaction, or personal

relationships determine career success. De Simone and Harris (2014) adds that, mentors

are thought to fulfill important functions that help their mentees to develop a clear sense

of identity and commitment to their work roles and practical help planning and managing

their careers. Kumari (2012) in his study argues that career mentoring involves

sponsoring the protégé for challenging assignments, providing positive exposure and

visibility, and coaching on work tasks and protection from politics. These activities help

the protégé succeed at work tasks, overcome barriers and challenges at work, gain

promotions in the organization, and adapt to the psychological demands of the job and

organization.

The study reveals that personal values determine individual career development. Gibson,

Ivancevich and Donelly (2013) suggested that values provide the foundation for

individual opinions that lead to the development of decision-making behaviors. Harrison

(2011) stated that values, when fully conceptualized, become criteria for judgments,

preferences, and choices. Values are a source of motivation that can be seen in one’s

action; in the attraction to or avoidance of the pursuit of things such as money, power, or

spirituality. Contrary, Hewitt (2010) found that values sometimes conflict; fulfilling one

interferes with achieving another. Harrison (2011) confirms that a person would

encounter conflicts throughout his life that will require him to rank his values, whether or

not he is aware of the choice. Sometimes identifying personal life values is difficult. One

way of accessing values is to examine choices you have made in past.

5.3.2 Social Life Balance and Career Development

The study established that childcare responsibilities affect employee’s career

development choices. Gerson (2014) confirms that various studies had suggested that

family related factors such as number of children and childcare responsibilities lead to

imbalance in work and family roles. The study found that fathers experienced stress in

child caring during the absence of employed wives from home. On the other hand, Elliott

52

(2013) found that childcare as well as care for elderly, imposes more emotional burden on

females compared to males. Lundberg (2010) adds that increased number of children at

home results in increased home demands causing additional stress and work family

conflict. The study found that employed mothers finding difficulties in child-care

arrangements experienced high depression.

The study found that the support an employee gets from his/her family influences career

development choices. To support the point, Thriveni and Rama (2012) found that family

support including spouse support have an impact on social life balance of individuals.

Adams, et, al., (2010) in their studies confirmed that emotional and instrumental support

from family as well as society was associated with lower levels of work family

imbalance. Edralin (2013) demonstrated various strategies to balance work and social life

such as personal planning with proper time management, the magnitude of spouse support

for married entrepreneurs or the extent of support of the family members for non-business

work responsibilities and activities, and delegation of routine jobs to trusted employees,

usually a family member, having a flexible work schedule.

From the review, it was found that family influences the career path an employee takes.

Hence the family background provides the basis from which employee career-planning

and decision making evolve. The discoveries of the review concur with the discoveries by

Malcolm (2011) who affirms that youth form many of their attitudes about work and

careers as a result of interactions with the family. The study confirms that within each

family, the level of involvement can vary, offering both positive and negative influences.

Greenhaus and Beutell (2011) found that the number of children, spouse employment,

family interaction, low spouse support and expectations for affection and openness play a

vital role in developing work family conflict. The study observed that dependent care

issues, quality of health, and lack of appropriate social support as some of the major

factors influencing the social life balance among women entrepreneurs.

From the study, it is found that employees’ level of education will determine his/her

career development choices. Julien, et, al., (2011) confirmed that parents with

postsecondary education tend to pass along its importance to their children. Baral and

Bhargava (2013) notes that females talented in math viewed their career choices as

53

reflective of interests that stemmed from early family influence and educational

opportunities. The study found that the presence of teachers in the family was a

significant factor influencing teacher candidates' decisions to teach. Contrary, Shani and

Divyapriya (2013), found that lower levels of parent education could retard adolescents'

career development. Malcolm (2011) found that being born to parents with limited

education and income reduces the likelihood of going to college or achieving a

professional occupational goal and essentially predetermines the child's likely vocational

choice.

The study revealed that gender and job type had significant influence on work-family

issues, job involvement and job satisfaction. The influence of gender on work-life issues

was reported in many literatures. Parasuraman and Simmers (2011) indicated that the

major stress experienced by females experience arises from family demands rather than

work demands particularly when the family has children. Emslie, et, al., (2013) identified

that factors affecting work and family life did vary by gender. Nurturing children and

being in a senior position were more strongly related to work– home conflict for women

than men. The study identified the relationship of income of employees and balancing

work and family responsibilities. Employees with lower income, particularly single

mothers, have more difficulties in balancing work and family responsibilities.

The study noticed that the situation of the family of origin, particularly if very negative or

very positive, could make a distinction in career results. Greenhaus and Beutell (2011)

found that there is a reasoned argument that lack of support in choices; dissuasion at

higher career choices by family members, or the need to decide a profession sooner than

later because of need to getaway the family of origin because of the living circumstances

is correlated with more negative results in career development for adolescents. Mayer, et,

al., (2015) found a positive environment in the family of origin, nonetheless, such as

support in career guidance and choices in them is correlated with more positive results in

career development.

5.3.3 Organizational Life Balance and Career Development

The study confirms that organizational life balance is critical for employee career

development. The study found that flexible work arrangements influence employee career

54

development choices. The survey agrees with the disclosures of Bachmann (2010) who

found that flexible work arrangements would help the employees to attain a better blend

between work and non-work activities and help the organizations to recruit, retain and

motivate their employees. Christensen and Staines (2011) asserted that flextime work

arrangement reduces absenteeism, late comings, and turnover. The study observed that

flexible time strategy improved employee productivity by minimizing absenteeism,

turnover and work family conflict hence influenced career development. The study

demonstrated that individual with the perceived job flexibility have the benefit of good

work life balance and were capable of working longer hours

From the research, it is revealed that work-life balance practices determine career

development choices. The study found that workers taking a short, temporary break from

work could contribute to improve work life balance. Julien, et, al., (2011) revealed that a

compressed workweek is considered as an alternative work life arrangement that reduces

work-life conflict and helps to enhance work-life balance. Kumari (2012) confirms that

high levels of management and superior support of flexible work arrangements such as

flexible hours and compressed workweek were positively related with the ability to

balance personal, family and work demands.

The review also found that limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their career

development. Wayne, et, al., (2013) demonstrated that limiting work hours might benefit

workers to increase the level of work family balance because fewer work hours may

contribute to reduction in work family conflict. On the other hand, Hill et al. (2010)

submitted that flex-time enables employees to manage their work and family everyday

jobs effectively thus allowing them to reduce work family conflict and to enhance their

performance at work and home. From the study conducted by Lingard, Francis and

Turner (2010), the rsults demonstrated a strong correlation between hours worked each

week and participants’ work and life experiences.

From the study, it is well demonstrated that an organization has the ability to support their

employee in career development choices. The study confirmed that supportive

organizational culture enhances career development choices among employees.

Thompson, et, al., (2010) confirmed that that supervisors have significant influence on

55

professional stress of female police officers and they can reduce moral exhaustion and

contribute to a better work-life balance. Duxbury and Higgins (2010) found a positive

relationship between the organization and supervisor support for work-life issues and

reduction of work-to-family conflict. From the study by Fathima and Sahibzada (2012),

they identified colleague support and job resources to be positively related with the work

life balance while unfair criticism at job has negative relation with work life balance.

The study found that effective technology influences employee career development

choices. Malcolm (2011) found that technology can either facilitate or hinder work life

balance by creating a more accessible and flexible environment at all times of day and

night enabling individual to work anywhere, any time. Wayne, et al. (2013) investigated

the impact of organizations dominated with e-mail culture up on employees’ lives outside

working hours and observed both positive as well as negative impact of the culture on

employees. Rajadhyaksha (2012) revealed that advancement in technology has raised

expectations for both employees and employers in achieving goals and objectives and

meeting often unreasonable deadlines that lead to increased pressure on other employees

within the organization. This may have an effect on employees’ health, resulting in higher

absenteeism, lower productivity, and higher turnover rates.

5.4 Conclusions

5.4.1 Personal Life Balance and Career Development

The study concludes that career success depend on individual behaviour, work outcome

and individual determination. It was found from the study that to enhance career

development, managers should match the employee’s traits with job characteristics. The

study concludes that personal interests determine occupational selection of an employee,

hence influence the choices employees made in their career. The study found that

personal values determine individual career development and so the study concludes that

the conflict between personal values and organizational culture can hinder career

development. The study also concludes that an employee’s personality affects his/her

career development choices.

56

5.4.2 Social Life Balance and Career Development

The study concludes that employee social life determines career choices. The study

confirms that childcare responsibilities affect employee’s career development choices.

The study concludes that the support an employee gets from his/her family influences

career development choices. Personal planning determines career development choices. It

was concluded from the study that family influences the career path an employee takes.

This is possible because family background provides the basis from which employee

career-planning and decision making evolve. The study also concludes that the parents’

socioeconomic status influences the sibling’s career choices.

5.4.3 Organizational Life Balance and Career Development

The study concludes that organizational life balance is the most key and determining

component affecting a worker's career development choices. From the review, it was

learnt that flexible work arrangements influence employee career development choices.

The review infers that limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their career

development. Work-life balance practices determine career development choices. The

study also concludes that an organization has the ability to support their employee in

career development choices by enhancing supportive organizational culture. The study

found that to enhance employee career development, the organization should create a

flexible working environment at all times. The study hence concludes that an organization

offering support to employees in the work environment enhances employee career

development.

5.5 Recommendations

5.5.1 Recommendations for Improvement

5.5.1.1 Personal Life Balance and Career Development

The study recommends the executive and management of the Stanbic Bank to ensure that

their employees achieve their personal life balance to enable them advance in their

careers. The study found that an employee’s personality affects his/her career

development choices hence to enhance career development, managers should match the

employee’s traits with job characteristics. The study found that personal values determine

individual career development hence recommends employees to match their values with

the organizational culture because conflict between personal values and organizational

culture can hinder career development. Personal interests influence the choices employees

57

made in their career hence to be successful an individual should observe his behaviour at

work places.

5.5.1.2 Social Life Balance and Career Development

The study recommends personal planning because it determines career development

choices. The study found that family influences the career path an employee takes hence

employees should ask for support from the family during career development process.

Childcare responsibilities affects employee’s career development choices hence the study

recommends employees to have a manageable number of children to enhance their career

development goals. The study recommends employees to gain more knowledge because

employees’ level of education will determine his/her career development choices. The

study found that parents’ socioeconomic status influences the sibling’s career choices

hence family background provides the basis from which employee career-planning and

decision making evolve.

5.5.1.3 Organizational Life Balance and Career Development

The study suggests the organizations to implement flexible work arrangements because it

enhances employee career development choices. To enhance employee career

development, the organization should create a flexible working environment at all times.

The study found that limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their career

development. The study also revealed that organization has the ability to support their

employee in career development choices hence the study recommends the management to

institute supportive organizational culture that enhances career development choices

among employees. The study also recommends the installation of effective technology

influences employee career development choices. Career development is influenced by

supervisors who support for work life issues hence an organization offering support to

employees in the work environment enhances employee career development.

5.5.2 Recommendations for Further Research

The purpose of the study was to assess influence of work-life balance on career

development choices of employees in the banking sector, with a focus on the employees

of Stanbic Bank, Nairobi, Kenya. The study recommends future researchers and scholars

to study the influence of work-life balance on career development choices of employees

in other banks and other institutions in different sector.

58

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX I: INTRODUCTORY LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESEARCH STUDY

I am a graduate student at the school of Business at United States International

University-Africa. I am carrying out a research project, which is a partial requirement for

the degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA). The purpose of this research is

to investigate the INFLUENCE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON CAREER

DEVELOPMENT CHOICES OF EMPLOYEES IN THE BANKING SECTOR.

To complete my study I will need to collect relevant information from your bank. I am

therefore requesting for permission to collect and use your company’s information, which

will be collected using the attached interview guide.

Kindly note that any information you give will be treated with confidentiality and at no

instance will it be used for any other purpose other than for academic purposes. Your

assistance will be highly appreciated.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Regards

Millie Irungu

66

APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE

Section One: Demographic Information

Please tick () appropriately within the box provided.

1. Indicate your gender

Female Male

2. What is your age in years

Below 25 years 25 to 34 years 35 to 44 years

45 to 54 years Above 55 years

3. What is your level of Education

Secondary school Undergraduate Post Graduate

Doctorate Others (Specify)---

4. What is your designation

Management Staff

Others (specify) ______________________________________

5. How long have you worked in this organization? ----------------------------------------

67

SECTION B: Personal Life Balance and Career Development

Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements on Personal

life balance. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5. 1-Strongly Disagree, 2-

Disagree, 3-Uncertain, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

1 An employee’s personality affects his/her career

development choices

2 To enhance career development, managers should

match the employee’s traits with job characteristics

3 Career success depends on individual’s determination

4 Personal values determine individual career

development

5 The conflict between personal values and

organizational culture can hinder career development

6 Personal relationships influence career development

7 Career mentors determine individual career

development choices

8 Personal interests influence the choices employees

made in their career

9 Career success depends on individual behaviour and

work outcome

10 Personal interests determine occupational selection of

an employee

11 Kindly explain other personal life balance factors that influence career development

choices

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68

SECTION C: Social Life Balance and Career Development

Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements on social life

balance. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5. 1-Strongly Disagree, 2-

Disagree, 3-Uncertain, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

1 Childcare responsibilities affects employee’s career

development choices

2 Employee social life determines career choices

3 The support an employee gets from his/her family

influences career development choices

4 Personal planning determines career development

choices

5 Family influences the career path an employee takes

6 Family background provides the basis from which

employee career-planning and decision making evolve

7 The employee gender has a significant influence on

career development choices

8 Employees’ level of education will determine his/her

career development choices

9 Family demands affect the employee career

development

10 The parents’ socioeconomic status influences the

sibling’s career choices

11 Please state other social life balance factors that enhance career development choices

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69

SECTION D: Organizational Life Balance and Career Development

Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements on

organizational life balance. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5. 1-Strongly

Disagree, 2-Disagree, 3-Uncertain, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

1 Flexible work arrangements influence employee career

development choices

2 Work-life balance practices determine career

development choices

3 Limiting work hours benefit workers to enhance their

career development

4 Organization has the ability to support their employee

in career development choices

5 Supportive organizational culture enhances career

development choices among employees

6 To enhance employee career development, the

organization should create a flexible working

environment at all times

7 Effective technology influences employee career

development choices

8 Career development is influenced by supervisors who

support for work life issues

9 An organization offering support to employees in the

work environment enhances employee career

development

10 The compensation organization extents to employees

affects career development within employees

11 Kindly state other organizational life balance factors that affects career development

choices -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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70

SECTION E: Career Development

Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements on career

development. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5. 1-Strongly Disagree, 2-

Disagree, 3-Uncertain, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

1 I am following a career development program to grow

in my profession

2 I am prepared to move to another work area to develop

my career

3 I am concerned about my individual career

development

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

71

APPENDIX III: BUDGET

ITEM COST PER ITEM TOTAL (KSH)

Stationery 3 reams of papers @ 1500 4,500

Proposal preparation and

binding

50pgs @ 10 and binding @ 100 600

Transport and meals Researcher 3,000

Data collection and analysis 12,000

Printing and binding for the

final report

4 copies @ 2500 each 10,000

Miscellaneous 2,000

TOTAL 32,100

72

APPENDIX IV: WORK PLAN

Sep –

Oct

2016

Oct-

Dec

2016

Nov

– Dec

2016

Dec

2016

Dec

2016

Jan - April 2017

Identifying research topic

Proposal writing

Reviews with supervisor and

Proposal submission

Proposal presentation,

correction and amendments

Data collection and analysis

Preparation of final report

Reviews with supervisor

Printing, binding and

submission of final project

Presentation of final project