THE CONCEPT OF JOB STRESS

 

Several definitions have been made on the concept of job stress. But all the researchers tend to agree at this point that stress is a stimulus that spore its stressee and determine his or her level of peace or worries within.

        Thy also agree that stressors comes from either within or outside the stressee. On the other hand, it is a deliberating psychological condition brought about by unrelieved work stress, which result in depleted energy reserves lowered dissatisfaction and permission and increased absenteeism and inefficiency at work, stress affects all workers of any field whether skilled or unskilled.

        The effect of stress was also discussed which could be medical, physical or psychological and finally stress as it pertains to male and female teachers in schools was also looked at.

GET THE COMPLETE MATERIAL NOW. CALL 07034538881

Factors that Influence Entrepreneurial Success or Failure

A variety of factors influence entrepreneurial success or failure. Mare (1996) identified both external and internal factors that play a role in business success. The external factors include the economic climate, the social and socio-economic environment, politico-legal aspects as well as the international climate. Internal factors are those aspects within the immediate environment of the enterprise,

which concern entrepreneurs and include experience, managerial skills, business philosophy and planning ability. Prospective entrepreneurs will constantly have to take note of both the external and internal factors to plan and maintain entrepreneurial success.

        The entrepreneur generally has no control over external factors and can in most cases only take limited precautions to restrict negative influences. It is however very important to take cognizance of these factors to establish whether the climate is conducive for entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurs find the limited control they have over external factors frustrating because it is in direct opposition to their need to be in control. In terms of the economic climate, a free market system is generally considered as a prerequisite for a favourable climate but however does not guarantee either economic growth or successful entrepreneurship. Furthermore, an economic recession, high inflation rates and a strict long term monetary policy can be detrimental to the advancement of entrepreneurship. In addition the influence of high standards, legal restrictions and bureaucracy can also hamper economic development and suppress entrepreneurial initiative.

        The demographic environment, in which the entrepreneur resides, has a great influence on the nature of the enterprise that can be considered. The available consumable income of the community also plays an important role in determining the viability of an enterprise. Furthermore, cultural and ethnic differences should also be taken into account when planning entrepreneurial activity. It can thus be concluded that it is important to evaluate the socio-economic standards and needs of the community to establish the feasibility of a proposed business enterprise. Furthermore, prompt action and the ability to adapt to the changing needs and circumstances of the community are important in ensuring entrepreneurial success.

        It is also important for entrepreneurs to be accustomed with legislation and they should be at least be conversant on the basic understanding of the laws that affect the business. This would ensure that entrepreneurs do not engage in illegal activities.

The Importance of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship has a tremendously positive impact on the economy and on society. They describe the importance of entrepreneurship in terms of its impact on the economy on society and on larger firms. With regard to economic impact three reasons have been identified with entrepreneurial behaviour has a strong impact on an economy’s strength and stability. The reasons include innovation,

job creation and globalization. Innovation is the process of creating something new, which will either solve a problem or satisfy a need in a new cost-effective way. Many innovations help individuals and businesses work more smoothly and efficiently and this enhances performance and business returns. Enhanced performance and returns will in turn positively impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economic growth.

        The growth in smaller entrepreneurial firms enhances job creation as young people generally obtain their first job with a small firm. Furthermore, the development of small and medium sized businesses that create products that can be exported enhances globalization. In addition increased exports will affect the balance of payment of countries favourably. The innovations of entrepreneurial firms also have a dramatic impact on society as a whole. New products and services enhance the standard of living as well as the productivity in workplaces. In addition to the impact that entrepreneurial firms have on the economy and society they also have a positive impact on the effectiveness of larger firms. This is because many entrepreneurial firms have built their entire business around producing products and services that help larger firms be more efficient and effective.

        Mare (1996) summarized the importance of entrepreneurship in the following four advantages:

1.  Advancement of economic prosperity;

2.  Combating unemployment;

3.  Improved future perspectives; and

4.  The advancement of own initiatives.

The establishment of new ventures through entrepreneurship fuels economic prosperity and leads to job creation that will combat unemployment. In addition the prospect of establishing a new venture provides alternatives to job seeking individuals and could enhance creativity and innovations through the advancement of their own initiatives

Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are the economic heroes of modern society. Collectively their drive, energy and perseverance have produced high growth ventures with disproportionate impact on the economy.

An analysis of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs confirmed that these entrepreneurs have much in common but they also differ widely. Thus, there is no universal set of characteristics distinguishing entrepreneurs from other human beings. Furthermore, there is no single set of attitudes and behaviours that every entrepreneur must have for every venture opportunity. What is required in each situation depends on the mix of key players and how promising and forgiving the opportunity is given the founder’s strength and shortcomings.

        Despite inherent differences there is consensus that successful entrepreneurs share a constellation of personality traits. Burch (1986) identified nine of the most salient personality traits of an entrepreneur. He describes an entrepreneur:

-      Someone with a drive to achieve;

-      Someone who is hardworking and has nurturing qualities. The person should be willing to accept responsibility.

-      Be optimistic; and

-      Must be a good organizer. Furthermore the entrepreneur must be reward, money and excellence oriented.

Developing and Supporting Entrepreneurial Careers in Schools

There is much efforts and enthusiasm to teach entrepreneurship course using wide range of method such as venture creation by students, developing formal business plan, creating out feasibility study etc. This shift from general education to specifically entrepreneurship education becomes necessary in the present realities of the need to develop and empower particularly the youth in the society. There is seeming consensus on the importance of entrepreneurship in ameliorating some socio-economic problems especially poverty,

unemployment, and all sort of social vices in the society thus, the focus of teaching and learning particularly in developing countries where these problems are predominant call for another approach. This clearly indicates the sheer of re-orientation towards inculcating values that allow acquisition of necessary competences to sense of self-reliance, independence, youth empowerment and of course poverty reduction.

        In their opinion, Adejimola and Olufunmilayo (2009) lamented that “even in the developed countries education system emphasizes the trial of inquiry-discovery application in teaching”. It is very apparent that both challenges and opportunities abound to tap, exploit and possibly turn it into goods and services of commercial values. The task of universities and other institutions where entrepreneurship education need to be taught, Daudu (2007) in Akpomi (2009) make an investigation on the modalities of using entrepreneurship education as a strategy or instrument for channeling necessary energies of the Nigeria universities facilities and students away from paid employment to self-employment. Many economic and strategic theories have been used to provide a framework in which education can be seen as very important determinant of selection of entrepreneurship or venture formation for individuals in the course of their studies. There are several attempts to teach students entrepreneurship using venture creation in order for the student to acquire business skills and competencies. But not withstanding those with this kind of approach is perhaps small minority. People also believe that entrepreneurial behaviour can be learned through experience and discovery. Hence there is need for learning in which students can experience aspect of entrepreneurs’ way of life.

        Serious importance has been attached to formal business plan in teaching entrepreneurship by the educators. But Gibbs in Vincent and Farlow (2008) feels that there is need to have a rethink in the value of developing business plans as a process of learning and career development in entrepreneurship. This position was also concurred by Johanisson (1991) in Vincent and Farlow (2008) to teach individuals to become not only more enterprising but businessmen as well is an undertaking that is both in time and scope beyond the capabilities of academic business schools. the issue here is that plan may be inevitable for entrepreneurs to succeed but emphasis placed by developing countries plan by the students need to be reduced. Students are expected to feel and act as entrepreneurs rather than only assuming or pretending to be. This effort will certainly strengthen their inspiration and would be indoctrinated towards the culture of entrepreneurship.

        The government is expected to play a greater role in providing the necessary atmosphere and policy framework for the success of this transformation process. Students while in school will acquire the necessary skills and training, identify an opportunity to exploit and eventual creation of their venture. Students must have a serious business idea, they are of the opinion that good ideas cannot be invented to others. Normally students were asked to produce a business plan and their assessment is basically based on that. Therefore they are urging students to provide a realistic guided experience of the entrepreneurial life, which can be done if the students are truly committed to their own real ideas and can actually be entrepreneurs rather than pretenders.