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PROJECT REPORT

ON

GLASS CEILING EFFECT IN BEML

Submitted by

Nimisha.M.N

(Reg No: 85211024)

Under the Guidance of

Dr. D.Mavoothu

Associate Professor

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of

Master of Business Administration (Full Time)

Cochin University of Science and Technology

Kochi

April 2013

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY



DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this report titled “Project report on glass ceiling effect in BEML” is a

bonafide record of work done by myself during the academic year, 2011-2013 in partial

fulfillment of the requirements of MBA (FT) degree of CUSAT.

This work has not been undertaken or submitted elsewhere in connection with any other

academic course and the opinions expressed in this report are entirely my own.

Place:

Date:

Nimisha.M.N.

School of Management Studies - CUSAT

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I sincerely extend my gratitude to all who helped in completing this project successfully.

I solemnly express my sincere gratitude to Dr. D.Mavoothu for the guidance and valuable

comments I received throughout my project. I was greatly benefited by his support and

encouragement.

I am obliged to Dr.Sam Thomas, Project Coordinator in charge of the final project, who has

given me the opportunity for taking up this task.

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr.M.Bhasi, Director of School of managementstudies who has always been a great support to us in all our endeavors.

I express my heartfelt thanks to Mr.P.Dwarakanath (Chairman and Managing Director) for

giving me this opportunity to carry out my study.

I thank Mr. Syed Shoibbudin (HR officer, BEML Bangalore), my guide at the organization

whose guidance during the study has helped me a lot in understanding about the industry and

various aspects related to it.

Last, but not the least, I express my deep gratitude to all staff of BEML Bangalore complex

for all their support during the project period.

(Nimisha,M.N.)


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CERTIFICATE BY THE GUIDE

This is to certify that the project report entitled “Glass ceiling effect in BEML” is a

bonafide record of the work done by Ms. Nimisha.M.N. (Reg No: 85211024, IV Semester

MBA Full Time )in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Masters Of Business Administration in School Of Management Studies ,CUSAT , has under

my supervision and guidance .This project report has prepared by her is original to the best

of my knowledge.

Dr.D.Mavoothu Dr.M.Bhasi

Project guide Director, SMS, CUSAT


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The report is based on the glass ceiling phenomenon that impedes the advancement of

talented women professionals into senior executive roles inside large corporations is widely

recognized in society, studied in the management literature, taught in business schools, and

tangibly felt by many women executives. The study include the career ladders that are less

well defined and may require impressing upper management with one's "star status", which

may be particularly difficult for women; the use of independent contractors instead of

permanent staff; high pressures on managers due to downsizing and intensified expectations,

which make combining career with family life difficulties and increased emphasis on

geographical mobility. The qualified women are being discriminated against because men

believe the women will have to go on maternity leave, stay home for their children, and

many other things that would decrease the likelihood of them being productive workers.

It was also stressed that efforts needed to be made to address the perceptual differences

found to exist between male and female employees concerning the working environment.

‘Gender awareness’ programs also needed to be introduced, targeting in the first instance the

older generation of male managers who had not made the transition to the changed working

environment. Managers needed to be made aware of their attitudes towards women in the

workforce and promotion positions, and the women’s reactions to those attitudes. It was

important that a work culture was fostered that encouraged a partnership between men and

women to maximize the benefits of working together. These goals speak to not only what is

right and just in our society, but what makes good economic sense as the private and public

sectors seek to work together to achieve an ever improving quality of life for all women.

Finally, it was suggested that consideration be given to introducing programs to educate

employees, both male and female, about the changing nature of work, the demise of long-

term employment, and the need of employees to develop a portfolio of skills.

Other recommendations included the inclusion of the development of women employees in

managers’ performance reviews, the introduction of development plans for managerial and

non-managerial women employees in units and divisions, the development of ‘lateral’ career

paths as opposed to conventional vertical career paths, and the provision of appropriate

training.


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CONTENTS

Chapter Title Page No

1 Introduction to company 9-35

1.1 Industry profile 9-12

1.2 Company profile 13-23

1.3 McKinsey’s 7S framework 24-31

1.4 SWOT Analysis 31-35

2 Theoretical framework of the project 36-52

2.1Introduction 37-42

2.2 Literature review 42-45

2.3 Background Of The Studies 45

2.4 Need Of The Studies 45-46

2.5 Objective Of The Study 46

2.6 Hypothesis Of The Study 46

2.7 Scope Of The Study 45-46

2.8 Methodology 46-52

3 Analysis and interpretation 53-63

3.1 Frequency Distribution 54

3.2Percentage Distribution 54

3.3 Data Analyzing Techniques 55-63

3.4 Measuring Glass Ceiling Effect 64

4 Findings and Suggestions 65-72

4.1 Findings 66-67

4.2 Suggestions 70-72

5 Conclusion 76

6 Appendix 79-83


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LIST OF TABLES

Chapter Title Page No

1 Category and designation 36

2 Officers and executive level 37

3 Ordinary ranking scale 53

4 Reliability of co-operation 56

5 Variables and their type 57

6 Control variables used in the analysis 57

7 Reliability of gender stereotype 57

8 Perception about female manager 579 Survey questionnaire summary 63-64

10 Value opportunity analysis 65

LIST OF FIGURES

S.NO Title Page No

1 McKinsey’s 7s frame work 32

2 Functional hierarchical structure 34

3 Likert Scale 52


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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION


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1.1 History of the concept glass ceiling

The phrase glass ceiling was first used in 1984 in an Adweek profile of Gay Bryant, who at

the time was the editor of Working Woman magazine. In that profile, she was quoted as

saying, “Women have reached a certain point-in the top of middle management and they're

stopping and getting stuck.” In 1985, the national chairwoman of the National Organization

for Women (NOW) used the phrase in an interview with United Press International, stating

that without the women's movement, women would have no chance of moving beyond the

glass ceiling. The very next year, in the March 24, 1986, edition of the Wall Street Journal,

the term was used by both Carol Hymowitz and Timothy Schellhardt (who are frequently

credited with first using the term in the media) in their article about the challenges faced by

women in the business world.

In a discussion of ascending the corporate ladder, the word ceiling implies that there is a

limit to how far someone can climb before he or she bumps up against a barrier of some

kind. To say that the ceiling is glass suggests that, although it is very real, it is transparent

and not obvious to the casual observer. It also implies that what is on the other side is both

visible yet inaccessible to those facing it. The term glass ceiling is most often applied in

business situations where women believe, either accurately or not, that it is nearly impossible

for the women to break through to that level. The Department of Labor took the concept

seriously in 1991 when it addressed the problem formally, stating that a glass ceiling is made

up of “artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified

individuals from advancing upward in their organization into management-level positions.”

Senator Robert Dole introduced the Glass Ceiling Act as part of Title II of the Civil Rights

Act of 1991.

President George H. W. Bush signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and established a bipartisan Glass Ceiling Commission composed of twenty-one members. The commission

was tasked with forming recommendations on the issue for the president and leaders in the

corporate world. In 1991, Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin completed the Glass Ceiling

Initiative Report, which confirmed the existence of the invisible artificial barriers that

blocked women from advancing up the corporate ladder to management- and executive-level

positions. Robert Reich, chairperson of the Glass Ceiling Commission, stated that this

“ceiling” was a refutation of social justice for a large portion of the population. He also saw


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it as a problem that has negatively affected American business by hindering some of the

most qualified applicants from important positions of power simply because of their race or

gender.

The report revealed that although women made up nearly 46% of the total workforce at thetime and earned more than half of all master's degrees, 95% of senior-level managers were

men and the earnings of female managers accounted for less than 70% of their male manager

counterparts. During the decade since the commission's report, things have improved

somewhat in that women managers now earn an average of 72% of their male colleagues'

salaries. After the Civil Rights Act of 1954 and the introduction of affirmative action during

the mid-1960s, legal barriers to their hiring and promotion were removed, yet their

representation in the higher echelons of business was a fraction of their overall presence in

the labor force. Some see this as proof of the existence of a split labor market in which

racial/ethnic minorities receive lower remuneration than do Whites and are unable to get

even entry-level positions in industries that have been long dominated by Whites, White

males in particular.

In 1990, the proportion of minorities in top management positions was less than 1%, and

their earnings lagged far behind even those of their White female colleagues. Although most

scholars of inequality agree that the concept of the glass ceiling refers to the lack of access to

the most highly paid corporate positions, many others use this term to describe gender or

race discrimination at all levels of the business world. This concept has been adapted to

address barriers to women in specific industries such as the stained glass ceiling to describe

the difficulty women have had in ascending to the highest levels of the ministry, the grass

ceiling when examining the dearth of women in agriculture-related industries, and the

political glass ceiling that bemoans the slow pace of women's advances in the political realm.

In the world of academia, the combined effects of a glass ceiling and a maternal wall are

thought to interact to hinder women's advancement in the ivory tower because of choices

made in relation to child-bearing and child-rearing responsibilities. Another variation is the

glass cliff, which refers to a woman in a position that may put her in the precarious position

of professional disaster if she fails. Whereas the aforementioned concepts refer to the

difficulties that women and minorities face in making inroads into the higher echelons of

male-dominated industries, another concept, the glass elevator or escalator, refers to the


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relative ease and rapid advancement that men have in achieving promotions to management

in female dominated industries such as nursing and teaching.

The glass ceiling metaphor has often been used to describe invisible barriers ("glass")

through which women can see elite positions but cannot reach them ("ceiling"). These barriers prevent large numbers of women and ethnic minorities from obtaining and securing

the most powerful, prestigious, and highest-grossing jobs in the workforce Moreover, this

barrier can make many women feel as they are not worthy enough to have these high-

ranking positions, but also they feel as if their bosses do not take them seriously or actually

see them as potential candidates.

The word “ceiling” implies that there is a limit to how far someone can climb it. Along with

this implied barrier is the idea that it is glass, meaning that, while it is very real, it is

transparent and not obvious to the observer. The term glass ceiling is most often applied in

business situations in which women feel, either accurately or not, that men are deeply

entrenched in the upper echelons of power, and women, try as they might, find it nearly

impossible to break through. The Glass Ceiling refers to a metaphorical barrier blocking a

woman or minority who is in a position within a company to moving up in rank within a

business infrastructure despite their capabilities and credentials. Instead, these jobs, as many

argue, are given to men who may not be as qualified, as indicated by the vast disparity

between men and women in high-ranking jobs.

1.2INTRODUCTION TO GLASS CEILING

The definition "The Glass Ceiling" refers to an invisible barrier that limits the level to which

a woman or another member of a demographic minority can advance within the hierarchy in

an organization. The glass ceiling is "The unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps womenfrom rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or

achievements. In most cases the limitations are not immediately apparent, moreover, is

normally an unwritten and unofficial policy. In 1991 The Glass Ceiling Commission was

established and they defined Glass Ceiling as "those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or

organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their

organization into management-level positions”. It can be Societal barriers, which include a


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supply barrier related to educational opportunities and the level of job attainment for women

competing for the same jobs as there men counterparts.

There is also a "difference" barrier manifested through conscious and unconscious

stereotyping and bias, such as women should be secretaries or childcare givers etc. Ittranslates into a syndrome that people who do the hiring feel most comfortable "hiring

people who look like them, therefore if men are hiring they are most likely to hire men.

Stereotypes must be confronted with hard data because, if left undisputed, they continue to

become a reality in many industries and reinforce glass-ceiling barriers.

Governmental barriers include the collection and distribution of employment related data,

which make it difficult to establish the status of various groups at the managerial level. Also,

there continues to be inadequate reporting and propagation of information relevant to Glass

Ceiling issue. More importantly, there needs to be vigorous and consistent monitoring and

enforcement of laws and policies already in place to help prevent and encourage these

invisible barriers in the workplace to dissolve, not only by promoting equality in the upper

management positions obtained but to support and narrow the gap in income between men,

women and minorities.

Examples of obstacles include:

• Prejudice: Men are promoted more quickly than women with equivalent

qualifications, even in traditionally female settings such as nursing and education.

• Resistance to women’s leadership: People view successful female managers as

more deceitful, pushy, selfish, and abrasive than successful male managers.

• Leadership style issues: Many female leaders struggle to reconcile qualities people

prefer in women (compassion for others) with qualities people think leaders need to

succeed (assertion and control).

• Family demands: Women are still the ones who interrupt their careers to handle

work/family trade-offs. Overloaded, they lack time to engage in the social

networking essential to advancement.

"It's not that women are risk-averse; "Rather than waiting for external legislation, now is the

time for employers to set voluntary targets for female representation at board and senior

management level, and hold people accountable for meeting them. Business leaders must


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take responsibility for building an effective talent pipeline, and make it a commercial

priority to proactively identify, develop and promote potential leaders of both sexes.”

"Outdated stereotypes about men and women's different roles in the workplace have an

insidious effect on our cultural attitudes about who should do which jobs” .The world of work has not caught up with the needs of modern families where both parents work, with

few senior positions offering flexibility around working hours – and it is still on the whole

women who require flexibility in order to manage childcare commitments, thus restricting

their career. Sexism, including women being passed over for top jobs, serves to further

reinforce the glass ceiling.

Societal Barriers that Affect the Glass Ceiling: There are two major Societal Barriers that

engender and reinforce a glass ceiling for women. They are:

• The Supply Barrier—Opportunity and Achievement

• The Difference Barrier—Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Bias

There are many different impediments placed upon women that make it difficult for them to

attain a higher work status. With these very negative effects on women and their self-esteem,

the glass ceiling has created an even larger problem than just in the work place. Most see the

glass ceiling as only being in the work place, which is where it originally was intended for, it

has spread to encompass the household and others as well. The barrier within the household

has been seen as the difficulty a woman has of getting out of the household and

accumulating a job. Not all women feel as though they are being suppressed in the

household and many women choose to be in the household in which case the glass ceiling

does not apply to them. The term only applies to those women that wish to be out in the

work field but are unable to be. Because the glass ceiling also limits the opportunities of

women in developing countries, the term has broadened and also become an issue around the

world.

As a general definition, however, we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional

social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters

power (that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their

communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.

Empowerment is multidimensional, social, and a process. It is multidimensional in that it

occurs within sociological, psychological, economic, and other dimensions. Empowerment


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also occurs at various levels, such as individual, group, and community. Empowerment, by

definition, is a social process, since it occurs in relationship to others. Empowerment is a

process that is similar to a path or journey, one that develops as we work through it. Other

aspects of empowerment may vary according to the specific on text and people involved, butthese remain constant. In addition, one important implication of this definition of

empowerment is that the individual and community are fundamentally connected.

Although many continue to insist that the glass ceiling is a real barrier for women

and minorities in accessing male-dominated positions in business, others challenge that

assertion. They say that the glass ceiling continues to exist primarily because of choices

made by women regarding the time they spend on their families that, in the end, limits the

time they need to advance in their careers. The cumulative effect of time off for child

bearing and child rearing is blamed for women facing lower wages and delayed

advancement to the highest positions. Contrary to claims of continuing inequality or

discrimination, critics of the glass ceiling concept place the blame for the under

representation of women in particular, and of minorities by association, on the individuals

themselves and on considerations other than structural or institutional inequality.

Nevertheless, industries such as the investment world have suffered criticism about

past sexism, with legal judgments levied against Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch for

practices deemed to be discriminatory. Recently, the investment industry has made inroads

into the recruitment and training of women for top positions in their firms to address their

past misdeeds. Changes are slow, however; although women currently represent 33% of the

best in the bank analyst classes of business schools, only 25% of newly hired associates in

this same industry are women. Only 14% of the top executives in the banking industry are

women, and in 2005 one report showed that women make 77 cents for every dollar men

make. However, many say that improvement, no matter how small, shows that there are

cracks developing in the glass ceiling.

1.3 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDIES:

Over the last decade, women in India have made great progress obtaining the education and

workforce experience levels almost equal to that of men .Despite the fact that women

possess the required knowledge, skills, competencies, training and experiences to perform

effectively and efficiently in construction industry, they experience entry and career


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advancement barriers. The barriers, range from gender stereotyping to non-involvement in

informal and formal industry related networks. Women may also lack same gender role

models in executive positions, and women’s suitability for top leadership roles may be

questioned. The prevalence of glass ceiling barriers is widespread. Even women whowithstand the stereotyping to overcome vertical mobility obstacles are likely to encounter

structural barriers in the form of glass walls within the organization. The Old Boy’s Club

mindset still exists and there is reluctance to give a woman leadership opportunities similar

to a man.

1.4 NEED OF THE STUDY

The “glass ceiling” has consequences not only for the women themselves, but also for the

organizations they work for their reputations and their ability to maximize their productivity

and growth. Companies and societies cannot afford to waste the full potential of half of their

workforce and undermine their competitiveness. Rather, they need to capitalize upon the

skills of women, valuing and encouraging women’s professional growth and development.

Moreover, they must create a business culture that supports innovation and high

performance, which requires many different people with diverse talents and thinking styles.

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

The aim of the study is to identify the solid and resistant “glass ceiling that Indian women‟

face during their career paths with special reference to BEML.

The key objectives of the study are:

• Identify the factors that create barriers for career growth for women and see

whether they are gender specific.

• To reveal why there are so few women in top positions when there are quite many

in entry level.


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• Recommend strategies to overcome the barriers for career growth.


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1.6 HYPOTHESES:

• If cooperation among the colleagues at work place is increased then the job

performance of managerial women will be increased.

• If gender stereotyping is reduced at work place then the job performance of

managerial women will be increased.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:

Women have attained remarkable success in what was once considered the “male domain”

of the working world .It is observed that in India despite increase in women’s education and

participation in labor force, representation of women in management jobs is significantly

low as compared to men. It’s a fact that women being adequately represented in the work-

force, but hardly present in the managerial positions. The few women, who do make it to the

top, make us believe that there is a sustainable change in the gender equations within

corporations and businesses, which is not true. So the questions why many women in the

corporate sector in India do not make it to the top needs to be understood and examined in a

greater depth. Through this study I tried to find out what they feel about their role in the

organization, do they ever faced the inferiority due to glass ceiling, for this purpose , had

format the open ended questions to get to know about their descriptive views regarding glass

ceiling and its implications.


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CHAPTER 2

INDUSTRY AND COMPANY

PROFILE


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2.1 INDUSTRY PROFILE:

The development and growth of a country largely depends on industrialization of its

economy. India is basically an agriculture based country. It’s after the independence; India

has given importance to the growth of industrial development through five year planning

programs. Government has taken a leading march to up to leave the movement of

industrialization. The incorporation of the industry was during the industry was during the

first 5 year plan when India was economically weak. The main objective of setting up of

industries was to manufacture heavy earth moving equipment’s, rail coaches, heavy duty

trucks, defense products etc. Industry refers to manufacturing activity concerned with

conversion of raw material in to semi-finished goods. Industry which consists of a group of a

similar company i.e. the group of rail coach manufacturing and earth moving equipment’scompanies are considered as a coach manufacturing and earth moving equipment’s

industries respectively.

Tremendous development has taken place in science and technology which has mechanized

every work in every field. Manually carried out work is productive and time consuming.

Thus to increase efficiency and productive, mechanical equipment came in to existence and

almost every field is mechanized. Earth moving equipment’s are the industry which is a

producer of a capital goods which means that the products of the industry that are used byother industrial undertakings for future production. Construction industries refer for those

companies which concerned with the creation of infrastructure necessary for the economic

development. In other words they refer to those activities which are concerned with

constructions of building; roads, railway lines .dams, canals etc. are helps in movement of

men machines. Growth of construction industry reflects as on index of nations development

as well as world.

Just after independence, when the need for coaching stock was very acute, HAL entered in to

a deal to produce all steel coaching stock for IR. India’s defence industrial capacity lies in

three main classes of enterprises; the ordnance factories, the defense public sector

undertakings and too much lesser extent, selected civilian public sector undertakings, and to

a much lesser extent, selected civilian public and private sector manufacturing

establishments. There are eight publicly owned DPSUs.

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

• Bharat Electronics Limited


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• Bharat Earth Movers Limited

• Mazagon Dock Limited

• Garden reach shipbuilders and engineers limited

• Boashipyard limited• Bharat dynamics limited

• Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited

BEML was mainly established to produce defence equipment and heavy capital equipment’s

and heavy capital like railways coaches, earthmovers, machines etc. Ministry of defence

started one of BEML at K.G.F in the year 1964.It is the biggest unit in India.BEML has

number of branches all over India. Its various units in different parts of the country have

immensely contributed to the growth of the Indian economy. It not only has provided

employment but also successfully achieved the economies of scale. It has emerged as a

powerful industries unit of Indian economy.BEML was incorporated by Government of

India as a public sector undertaking under the administrative control of ministry of defense

production and supplies. The Indian railways manufacture a lot of its rolling stock and heavy

engineering components largely for economic reasons, as important rail technology comes at

a high price. The general state of the national engineering industry as matured over the past

century and a half. The ministry directly manages production units, the manufacturing plants

of the Indian railways. The general managers of the Pus report to the railway board. The

production units are:

• Central organization for railways electrification, Allahabad

• Chittaranjan locomotives works, Chittaranjan

• Diesel locomotives works, Ponomalaipatty,

• Integral coach factory, Chennai

• Rail coach factory, Bangalore

• Rail spring Karkhana, Gwalior

• Bharat Earth movers Limited, Bangalore

BEML, although independent of the railways, manufactures coaches for IR, metro coaches

for DMRC, and cars for Bangalore metro.


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2.1.1 ADMINISTERATED GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

Indian railways are the largest employers according to the railway budget 2007.The earth

moving and rail coach manufacturing industries has adopted certain rules and regulations

that have to be followed by every individual working in the organization. Legislations thegovernment has passed on order to ensure that workers in the rail coach manufacturing

industry are not exploited under sufficiently recommended for their services. The legal

remedies for any worker stems up from the following basic legislations:

• The factories Act, 1948

• The minimum wages Act, 1948

• The industrial disputes Act, 1947

• The employee state insurance Act, 1948• The maternity benefit Act 1961

India’s heavy moving equipment and spare parts manufacture various facilities ranging from

mini version to giants hence provide stiff competition.

2.1.2 COMPETITORS:

• ALSTON FRANCE

• CAF SPAN• CRING CHUNG CHINA

• BAMBARDIAN

• CAVARKI JAPAN

• SIEMANS GERMANY

2.1.3 EMERGING TRENDS:

Currently the new technology focuses on several new standard projects which involve

addition of electronic devices and software to the machine. There are a number of research

laboratories, test organizations and notified bodies which are essential in every industry. In

addition government health and safety agencies participate in the standard development

projects.


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2.2 COMPANY PROFILE:

BEML is a public sector undertaking under the ministry of Defense. The company is in

corporate with hi-tech manufacturing facilities with sophisticated CNC machines and

welding robots. It has research and development center about Rs.300 million.BEML is the

premier ISO 9000 company in India and the second largest manufacturer of earth equipment

in Asia.

HR VISION:

HR will be a dynamic, Pro-active and strategic business partner to enable BEML to maintain

its leadership position in all its business domains.

HR MISSION:

• To continuously innovate, evaluate and realign HR practices with the environment

and business strategies/ directions and employee expectations to attract, nurture and

retain talent.

• To foster a spirit of creativity and innovation amongst the employees by facilitating

creation of a rewarding, inspiring and motivational organizational climate.

• To act as a champion of change and managing the people implication of

organizational changes.

HR STRATEGIES:

• Align all HR activities with the organization’s business strategies.

• Lead and manage organizational changes.

• Institutionalization of competency based HR systems/Process.

• Building employee commitment

• Standardization and simplification of HR processes and systems

2.2.1 COMMITMENT TO QUALITY:

BEML views quality management as a business strategy and hence remains proactive in the

areas of product and service quality. At BEML, a corporate quality policy emphasizing Total

Quality Management ensures that meet stringent standards and requisite performance


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criteria. A separate quality department spearheads the thrust towards Total Quality

Management.

All the manufacturing units of the company have been certified for ISO 9001-2000 Quality

Management System standards. Well established vendor base is a key strength of BEML.Vendor assessment and development is a key component of the company’s strategy

for achieving total quality. Concept of 5S, Kaizen and quality circles are participated at grass

root level.BEML is actively pursuing “Six Sigma” methodologies to achieve breakthrough in

Process /product improvements. In 2006,it has launched company –wide “Six Sigma”

movement and the initiative has gained momentum with many on-going projects progressing

well and completed projects being implemented successfully.

‘Quality Function Deployment’ is actively pursued in the organization .Cross functional

teams routinely visit customer sites to capture “voice of customer”.BEML actively promotes

small group activities to encourage and enhance ‘Quality culture’ at all levels. The small

group activity teams regularly participate in regional /national/international level

competition and have achieved recognition as meritorious performers. It is our proud

privilege to mention that our QC teams have raised the BEML flag high in the international

arena by winning.

2.2.2 STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNITS

Mining & construction:

BEML offers a comprehensive and diverse range of mining machinery for both opencast and

underground mines.BEML produces machines such as electric rope Shovels, hydraulic

excavators ,bulldozers ,Wheel loaders, wheel dozers ,Dump trucks, motor graders, pipe

layers,tyre handlers, water sprinklers and backhoe loaders. Besides, BEML also

manufactures mammoth walking draglines for cost-effective operations in the open cast

mines. BEML has ventured in to underground mining with products such as side discharge

loader, load haul dumper, winch, winder, Granby car, skip etc. The boom in the mining

industry has opened up new avenues for BEML in contract mining.

BEML has formed a joint venture company with its partners, Midwest Granite limited and

Pt. Umber Mitra Jaya, Indonesia to take up contract mining with in the country and overseas.

The joint venture company is called BEML –Midwest limited and the company will bid for

coal and other mining contracts in India and abroad.


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Rail and Metro Business:

In recent years, BEML has forayed in to high-tech Metro trains deployed for intra-city

commuting. BEML is expanding its infrastructure to meet the grater needs of metro projects

coming up in the country. Also ,BEML supplies equipment to Indian Railways whichinclude integral rail coaches ,overhead electric inspection cars, postal vans,AC/DC electric

multiple units ,D-EMUs, utility track vehicles, track laying equipments,broad –gauge rail

bus, Treasury vans, spoil disposal units etc.

Defence business:

Being India’s leading defense equipment manufacturer, BEML keeps the Indian army and

other defense forces abreast with state-of –the-art military equipment. The company

manufactures variants of tatra vehicle for all terrain operations including bridge layer, field

artillery tractor ,medium and heavy recovery vehicle ,pontoon mainstream bridge systems

,crash fire tendors,mobile mast vehicle etc. .BEML also supplies engineering mine ploughs

,tank transportation trailers ,weapon loading equipments,armored recovery vehicle and

wagons apart from aircraft weapon loading trolley and aircraft towing tractor .BEML plays a

stellar role in the country’s integrated guided missile development project by supplying

ground support vehicles. The company has also created a world class test track at its KGF

complex to test defense equipment and vehicles.

2.2.3 AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Received the “SCOPE Award for Excellence and outstanding Contribution to the

Public sector Management-Medium PSE Category “d” for the year 2006-07

• Received Raksha Mantri’s award for BEST DEFENCE PSU” For the year 2007-08

• Received the ‘BEST PSU AWARD’ instituted BY India’s leading B School, Indian

Institute of Planning and management held at Bangalore on 25th March 2009.

• Southern Region of EEPC India awarded BEML with ‘SILVER SHIELD’ for star

performer as a large enterprise for its outstanding contribution to engineering export

held at Trivandrum on 11th February 2009.

• Received the “Raksha Mantri’s award for excellence’ for ‘Best Performance in

Exports” held at New Delhi on 7th November 2008.


24



• Received the “ROTATION AWARD” OF Vocational Excellence in their District

conference held at Bangalore on 9th February 2008.

• Conferred ‘Star Performer Award’ by Engineering Export Promotion Council,

Southern Region on 24th November 2007.

• Conferred ‘Mini Ratna Category -1 Status’ by Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India

during August 2006.

• Received “Golden Export award” from Government of Karnataka, India during

August 2006.

• Award for ‘Outstanding Export Performance’ from Engineering Export Council

(EEPC) during February 2005.

MANUFACTURING UNITS:

• KGF Division

• Mysore Division

• Palakkad Division

• Bangalore Division

Bangalore Complex:BEML (formerly known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited)as a full-fledged corporation was

established in 1964 with Bangalore Complex (then Rail Coach Factory) was in existence

from 1947 as a part of Aircraft Factory (Currently Hindustan Aeronautics Limited).Initially

the division was manufacturing Rolling stock producing various models of Broad Gauge

Coaches. Subsequently, over the years, the metro coaches and some of the defense products

manufacture also has been added in this complex. The products manufactured at Bangalore

complex are:

Rail and Metro

• Stainless Steel Metro cars for DMRC

• Passenger Coaches

• DC Electric Multiple units

• AC Electric Multiple units

• Overhead Equipment Inspection Cars


25



Defense

• Variants on BEML –Tatra Trucks

• Prithvi Missile Launcher


26



Manufacturing Facilities at Bangalore Complex:

The complex has large sophisticated machines such as CNC Turning center, NC Boring

machines, Vertical Turret and Honing machines in addition to general purpose machines.

Machine shop

• Boring machines for Axle box

• AF/Axle Box spring seat machining

• Wooten internal grinding

• Vertical turret lathe for Axle box machining

Sheet Metal

A well –established sheet metal shop has a band of special machines and dedicated

machines:

• Laser cutting machine

• NC shearing machine

• Punch press: 40-1000 T

• Press Brake: 40 -500 T

Material Preparation

• Optical tracer flame cutting machines

• CNC Flame cutting machine

• Shot blasting machine for (Rolled section and Plates)

• Shearing M/C to 30 mm capacity with inbuilt Beveling for weld joints

Sub Assembly

• Spot welding machine

• Shot blasting machine (Rotary and Conveyor type)

Under Frame


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• Foil Roll welding machine for welding of corrugated sheets used for floor

• Corrugated rolling machine

• Plasma cutting machine

Bogie

• Subs merged Arc welding set

• Check and straightening machine for Bogie components

Major Assembly and erection shop

• Robot Spot Welding Machine

2.2.4 MANUFACTURING UNITS:

The company’s unit at Kolar gold fields, Mysore and Bangalore incorporate hi-tech

manufacturing unit’s facilities with sophisticated CNC machines and arc welding robot. A

multi-million-rupee heavy equipment shop turns out critical structures for industry. The

company owns a captive foundry at Tarikere in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.

Collaborations: The flow of stat-of-the-art technologies from global partners like Bucyrus

Komatsu, Tatra, Voest Alphine, and IGM and Bumar Labedy has enabled BEML to achieve

high standards in product engineering and gain international competence.

Research and development: BEML R&D has achieved a record 85% average

indigenization in the collabrated products. As many 30 value –added product have been

developed in house. A Rs.300-million R&D center with sophisticated laboratories in fluid

power, material science, power line testing ,structural engineering and CAD facilities forms

the nerve-Centre of BMEL.It is partly funded under United nations Development

Programme and has joined hands with several user organization like

BRO,DRDO,DSIR,CMTI and Indian Railways for development of new products.

2.2.5 TOTAL QUALITY:

All manufacturing facilities in the company are covered under ISO 9000 certification. With a

commitment to total quality and reliability, BEML is not only maintaining its leadership in

earth movers in India, but also constantly breaking new grounds in overseas market in India.


28



Vendor’s assessment and their continuous development is a key component of the

company’s strategy.


29



2.2.5 MARKETING AND SALES

A nationwide network of 10 regional offices and 15 district offices provides customers with

immediate access to BEML’s wide range of products and services. Marketing activities

include field operations and intensive training of customer personnel in operation andmaintenance of equipment. Additionally, BEML offers application engineering services and

fleet optimization solutions

2.2.6 CUSTOMER SERVICES

BEML service center and spare parts depots provide total equipment care and rehabilitation

services. Towards achieving maximum customer’s satisfaction, the company has established

BEML NET –a sactom network-with a view to streamline spares supplies. In taking service

to the doorsteps of customer”.BEML site engineers ensure higher availability of machines

through prompt after sales service.BEML also undertakes to service machine all its lifetime.

2.2.7 EXPORTS

BEML machines reach over 30 countries worldwide, covering Asia Africa, Europe, Latin

America and the Middle East.BEML is an export house with star exporter status. Its strength

in handling large -scale trading and counter-trade have helped it push exports of engineering

goods and non-military items.

2.2.8 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

During the fiscal year 2011-2012 BEML recorded Rs 22,126 million in sales, Rs 22,442

millions in production and Rs 205 millions in exports.

2.2.9 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

In pursuit of excellence BEML is a recipient of a corporate excellence award from the Govt.

of India apart from recognition and safety, Quality and import substitution. The company

bagged the following awards during the year under view.

A) All India Trophy for export performance for the fiscal year

B) Safety awards :

Bangalore complex---------14 times

Mysore complex-------------6 times

Engine division--------------1 time

BEML is bow moving ahead for growth beyond Rs.10, 000 million.


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2.2.10 BEML AND ISO 9000

BEML –Bangalore complex has been awarded the ISO 9000 certificate on 26th January 1994

by the Bureau Verities Quality International (B.V.Q) For: Manufacture, erection/installation

design and servicing of railway coaches, powered and unpowered track laying and track maintenance equipment. Heavy duty all terrain trucks together with their variants and heavy

duty trailers up to 50 tones capacity. Earth excraving, loading and moving equipment’s KGF

Complex (Hydraulics, power line divisions and Earth movers Division) and Mysore complex

(Equipment Division has been awarded ISO 9000) Certificate.

2.2.11 PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY:

The company has earned profit from the very first year of its operation and has paid dividend

continuously from the fourth year of its operation to all its shareholders. In the year 2010, a

mixed fortune of BEML depressed market conditions worldwide recession, liquidity crunch,

increased competition, US sanctions and host of other negative factors brought in

consideration of uncertainty to BEML.The company has received an extension for export

house status for another three years’ time.

2.2.12 LOCATION OF BEML OFFICES

Manufacturing units

• Bangalore complex

• Mysore complex

• KGF complex

• Foundry complex

REGIONAL OFFICES:

•

New Delhi

• Kolkata

• Mumbai

• Nagpur

• Ranchi


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• Bilaspur

• Hyderabad

• Sambalpur

• Singrauli

• Bangalore

DISTRICT OFFICES

• Chandigrah

• Jammu

• Udaipur/Jaipur

• Goa

• Bhubaneswar

• Ahmedabad

• Rourkela

• Chennai

• Ernakulum

• Vizak

• Patna

• Pune

• Guwahati


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• Ranigung

• Dhanbad

• Bilaspur

• Singrauli

2.3 PRODUCT PROFILE:

BEML manufactures a wide range of products to meet the need of construction mining,

power, irrigation, fertilizers, cement steel and defense and railway sectors

1) Mining and construction:

• Crawler equipment

• Hydraulic excavators

• Bulldozers

• Pipelines

• Electric rope shovel

• Walking drag lines

• Road header

• Long wall mining equipment’s

• Telescope excavators

• Bucket wheel excavators

•Stacker and reclaimer

• Side discharge loader

2) Wheel equipment

• Wheel loader

• Backhoe loader

• Motor graders


33



• Rear dumpers

• Bottom dumpers

• Water sprinklers

• Wheel dozers

• Tyre handlers

3) Defense production:

• BEML Tatra heavy duty truck

• Heavy duty trailers

• Transmission, ejectors and air cleaner and final driver for defense vehicles

• Armed defense vehicles

• Snow plough and snow cutter

• Aircraft toning tractor

4) Railway transportation

• Integral railway coaches of various models

• Overhead equipment inspection car

• Track laying equipment

• Electrical multiple units

• Rail bus

• Muck wagons

5) Energy

• Diesel engines


34



• Diesel generator sets

6) Robotics and automation

• Industrial welding robots

• Machine tending robots

7) Steel plant equipment

• Continuous casting equipment

• Ladle turret

• Strand guide


35



2.4 McKinsey’s 7S framework

Figure 1 McKinsey framework

The McKinsey 7s framework is a management model developed by well-known business

consultants Robert H.Waterman and Tom Peters in the year 1980s. The 7S mode is better

known as McKinsey 7-S model .This is because the person who develops this model, Tom

Peters and Robert Waterman has been consultants at McKinsey and the Company. They

published their 7-S model in their article “Structure is not organization”(1980) in their books

“The art of Japanese management”(1981) and “In search of excellence”(1982). The 7s are

structure, strategy, systems, skills, style, staff and shared values. The model is most often

used as a tool to assess and monitor changes in the internal situation of an organization. The

7-Smodel is a holistic approach towards diagnosing the cause of the organizational problems

and formulates the project for the improvement of the physical and fiscal health of the

company.


36



Description:

The Hard S’s

a) Strategy: Actions, a company plans in response to or anticipation of changes in its

external environment. b) Structure: Basis for specialization and co-ordination influence primarily by strategy and

by organization size and diversity.

c) System: Formal and informal procedures that support the strategy and structure.

The Soft S’s

1) Style/ Culture: the culture of the organization, consist of two components.

a) Organization Culture: are the dominants values and belief and norms, which develop

overtime and become relatively enduring features of organizational life.

b) Management style: More a matter of what manager do than what they say; how do

company’s manager spend their time? What are they focusing attention on?

2) Staff: The people or human resources management – Processes used to develop

managers,, specialization processes, ways of shaping basic values for management cadre

ways of introducing young recruits to the company, ways of helping of manage the careers

of employees.

3) Skill: The distinctive competencies what the company does best ways expanding or

shifting competencies.

4) Shared Values: Guiding concepts, fundamental ideas around which a business is built

must be simple, usually at abstract level, having great meaning inside the organization even

though outsiders may next see or understand those 7s with reference to the company.

STRUCTURE:

A structure is the hierarchy of authority and accountability in an organization.The affairs of

the company are managed by a Board of directors headed by Chairman and Managing

Director. The other member of the board include five full time functional directors(Defence

business),Director(mining and construction),Director(Rail and Metro),Director(HR),and

eight independent directors and two seniors officers of Government of India. All

appointments to the board are made by the Government of India.


37



Fig 2. Functional hierarchical structure

•


38

DIRECTOR

FINANCE

DIRECTOR

RAIL &

METRO

DIRECTOR

DEFENCE

DIRECTOR

MARKETING

DIRECTOR

HRD

CHIEF MANAGING DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

C.GENERAL MANAGER

GM PRODUCTION GM PLANNING GM MAINTENANCE GM

MEDICAL

DGM

AGM

Sr. MANAGER

MANAGER

SUPERVISOR

As. MANAGER

OFFICERS

SKILLED WORKERS

UNSKILLED WORKERS



STRATEGY:

BEML’s vision is to become a market leader, as a diversified company supplying products

and services to Mining and Construction, Railway and Metro and defence services and

emerge as an international player.

BEML views quality improvement as a business strategy and hence remains proactive in the

area of product and service quality. At BEML, a corporate quality policy emphasizing Total

Quality Management ensures that quality system adopted results in products, services and

processes that meet stringent standards and requisite performance criteria .They adopt

advanced technology to beat its competitors and to produce the products of expected targets.

BEML has formed many strategic alliances and technical collaboration for transfer of technology. It has established state-of-the-art Research and development and Technology

Division. These efforts have been helped to BEML to develop value added products for

domestic as well as international markets.

One of the most important strategies adopted by BEML is the “Elimination of Waste” waste

can be eliminated in many ways, which include

• Effective designing

• Proper planning

• Production planning

A major part of the waste can be eliminated during production. Proper planning during

production processes cannot eliminate waste completely but can minimize it to a large

extent. For Example: When a major component of the small product, which can minimize

the waste to a large extent it cannot be eliminated completely

SYSTEM:

Identifying, understanding and managing process as a system contributes to the organization

effectiveness and efficiency achieving its objectives. BEML has continuously strived to

maintain strong and stable systems to build a strong, committed and motivated workforce.

The organization is managing its entire operations through SAP. The ERP has helped

organization to increase control, reduce and increase efficiency.


39



STYLE:

The style of an organization, according to Mc Kinsey 7s framework refers to the “reporting

the relationship” between the superior and the subordinate. It also conveys the flow of

communication between them.The culture followed in BEML is an open culture where the

superior listens the complaints and takes follow up from employees.

STAFF:

Staffs are the human resources of the organization who work for the accomplishment of

organization vision and goals. The manpower strength of BEML as on 31st 2012 stood

14,500 of which 3,615 belongs to the Bangalore complex. Manpower planning is done once

in 5 years, it is updated every month and the exact personal status is known.The employees

of BEML are provided with an opportunity for growth. The employees are provided

broadband internet allowance, professional up gradation allowance, reimbursement for

membership to one professional body.

CATEGORY AND DESIGNATION:

CATEGORY DESIGNATION

A HELPER, MESSENGER, WAITER ETC

B MECHANICS, TECHNICIAN, WELDERS

MECHANICS TYPIST

C SENIOR, TECHNICIAN, ELECTRICIAN,

WELDERS MECHANICS ETC

D HIGHLY SKILLED TECHNICIAN ETC

E MASTERSKILLED TECHNICIAN,

SR. ADMIN, AS.ACCOUNTANT

S1 DEPUTY SUPER VISOR

S2 JOINT SUPERVISOR

S3 SUPERVISOR

S4 SR. SUPERVISOR

Table Category And Designation


40



OFFICERS (EXECUTIVE LEVEL):

CATEGORY DESIGNATION

GRADE 1 ASST. ENGINEER, ASST. OFFICER

GRADE 2 ENGINEER

GRADE 3 ASST.MANAGER

GRADE 4 MANAGER

GRADE 5 SR. MANAGER

GRADE 6 ASST. GENERAL MANAGER

GRADE 7 DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER

GRADE 8 GENERAL MANAGER

GRADE 9 CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER

GRADE 10 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Table OFFICERS (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)

Grade 1-5 is considered to be lower management.Grade 5-10 is considered to be middle

management

SHARED VALUES:

Originally called “super ordinate goals”, the guiding concept and principles of the

organization, values and aspiration often unwritten to go beyond the conventional statement

of corporate objective, the fundamental ideas around which a business is built.

The main motto of BEML is “strive to upgrade quality and operational efficiency

continuously”.

The values shared by the employees of BEML are:

• Respect for individuals


41



• Customer orientation

• Leveraging technology development

• Desire for excellence

• Ethical way of doing business

• Financial acumen

• Live quality

• Integrity

• Honesty

• Trust

• Transparency

SKILLS:

Skills are needed to carry on out the company’s. Every individual pose individuals skills or

capacity within which he can carry out his functions effectively. So it is the work of the

organization to identify these potential and use them effectively. While performing any job,

there are basically two types of skill that comes into play is hard skills and soft skills. Hard

skills are the technical skills that an employee must possess to do the job effectively. For

instance, the hard skills for an engineer working in technology department of BEML would

consist of engineering skills, computer aided design skills and so on. Soft skills is a

sociological term relating to a person’s “EQ”(Emotional Intelligence Quotient),the cluster of

personality traits ,social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, andoptimism that characterize relationships with other people. The company organizes trainings

in a continuous basis for the enhancement of the professional skills of its employees. The

organization’s employee driven policy provides employees ample opportunities for their

skill enhancement.

The model is based on the theory that for an organization to

perform well, these seven elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing .So, the


42



model can be used to help identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance ,or to

maintain alignment (and performance)during other types of change.

2.5 SWOT ANALYSIS

A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning

process. Environment factors integral to the firm usually can be classified as strength or

weakness and that external to the firm can be classified as opportunity or threats. Such an

analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis

provides information that is helpful in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the

competitive environment in which it operates. As such it is instrumental in strategy

formulation and selection.SWOT analysis helps the firm to devise a strategy that:

• Builds on Strength

• Minimizes weakness

• Seizes opportunities

• Counters Threats

STRENGTH OF BEML:

It is about what advantages the company over others and what the company can do better

than anyone else. The strength of BEML is

• BEML is Asia’s second largest manufacture of earth moving equipment.

• BEML is a multi-technology company offering high quality products for diverse

sector.

• State of art design capacity and testing facilities sophisticated R&D Centre.

• Large number of regional and district office and widely spread service Centre

provides customers with immediate access to the company’s wide range of products.

• Adequate manufacturing facilities with ISO 9000,ISO 14001 & 18001 certification


43



• Centralized and satellite linked central linked central warehouse and spare parts

department.

• BEML is the first to introduce the manufacture of metro coaches in India.BEML is

compatible to produce indigenized metro coach designs in its Bangalore facility.

• The supply of metro coaches to coaches to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

from state-of-the-art facility and the first mover’s advantage in metro coach

manufacturing will promote BEML’s name while executing metro projects in other

cities of India.

WEAKNESSES OF BEML:

Weakness in better terms referred as what the company could improve, what it should avoid

and what the people in the market likely to see as weakness.

• Delay in decision due to procedures and authority.

• Focus on large institutional customers

• Realization of credits.

• High dependence on government sector including defence.

• The ministry of defence who takes the advantage of decision making where people of

strategic level lacks in making decisions.

•

It highly depends on imported raw materials.

• The cost of manufacturing of railway coaches is very high.

• The promotion strategy is not much used where it depends highly on government

customers.


44



OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEML:

Opportunities are the external advantages, which are beneficial to the company. Some of the

opportunities of BEML are:

• BEML, has the opportunity to get orders to manufacture the metro rail indigenously

because of the cost of production is less when made locally than import them.

• BEML has to strive to get the metro orders on anvil & preferred in around 20 cities.

• The construction equipment industry in India has evolved with growing domestic

demand.

• The roads and bridges sector will continue to be a major demand driver for the

construction equipment industry, with the National Highway Development Program

(NHDP) expected to generate orders worth US $ 55 billion over the next 5 years.

• In addition, the maintenance of national and the state highways and other roads is

likely to create demand for road construction and maintenance-related equipment.

• Increased government focus on the development of Greenfield ports and capacity

expansion at existing ports is expected to maintain a consistent demand for

construction equipment.

• Other demand drivers include water and irrigation projects, urban infrastructure

development, urban transportation projects, and water supply and sanitation projects.

• Grow profitably by taping the opportunities in national and international markets.

• The competitors for BEML are limit as the wide range of products to character

different needs of customers.


45



THREATS OF BEML:

Threats are the obstacles, which the company faces by the external environmental in its

process of the development .The threats in the way of BEML are:

• Permitting private sector for manufacturing and supplying defence requirements.

• Increased competition in mining segment due to entry of MNC’s to Indian market.

• Attrition of trained manpower.

BEML is in corporate with hi-tech manufacturing facilities

with sophisticated CNC machines and welding robots. It has research and developmentcenter about Rs.300 million.BEML is the premier ISO 9000 company in India and the

second largest manufacturer of earth equipment in Asia. BEML is the first to introduce the

manufacture of metro coaches in India.BEML is compatible to produce indigenized metro

coach designs in its Bangalore facility.


46



CHAPTER 3

REVIEW OF LITERATURE


47



3.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

The term ‘glass ceiling’ refers to the transparent but real and strong barrier which prevents

women from moving up in the management hierarchy in an organization (Morrison &

Glinow, 1990). The minority of women in senior management has led many researchers to

investigate whether glass ceiling barriers such as sexual discrimination, gender wage gap,

gender stereotype, harassment and lack of family-friendly workplace policies in the

organizations are at play and how these barriers affect the performance of female employees

in the organizations (Jeavons &Sevastos, 2002).The existence of glass ceiling in different

organizations, cultures and time span has been confirmed by many researchers. In 1997,

Tokunaga & Graham looked at employees in the technical division at one large Fortune 500

corporation and found that female engineers could not advance as far up the corporate

hierarchy as did the male engineers, thereby providing evidence for the existence of a “glass

ceiling” against women. A research conducted by Veale &Gold (1998) in Metropolitan

District Council situated in Yorkshire, UK also confirmed that a glass ceiling did exist

within the council and this inhibited women’s progression into senior management. This

existence of a strong glass ceiling effect prevents women to progress in the organizations. A

study controlled for previous job experience, education, age, tenure, initial job level andgender showed that even levels of promotions existed for men and women. However,

qualitative data showed that women were employed by the organization at a level that was

lower than their qualifications, or lower than men doing the same job. Therefore, even with

equal rates of promotion, women will not progress as far as men (Jeavons & Sevastos,

2002).There a number of factors that keeps the glass ceiling in effect. One of them is the

gender stereotype. Over the last three decades, Schein (2007) found that gender stereotyping

of the managerial position has continued to be the major barrier to women’s progress inmanagement, worldwide. He also shown that on international level, the view of women as

less likely than men to possess requisite management characteristics is a commonly held

belief among male management students in the USA, the UK, Germany, China and Japan.

Apart from gender stereotyping, gender wage gap also plays its role in the organizations.

Across a sample of eleven European Union countries in 1995–2001 Booth & Bryan (2007)

found that women were paid less than men and this wage gap typically widened toward the

top of the wage distribution (the “glass ceiling” effect), and in a few cases it also widened at


48



the bottom (the “sticky floor” effect). In recent studies of promotion to partner process,

Kumra & Vinnicombe(2008) concluded that the disadvantages women face in organizations

in relation to the promotion to partner process arise from a combination of firm-based and

societal based factors. Discussing the relationship between discrimination, harassment andglass ceiling (Bell, McLaughlin & Sequeira, 2002), glass ceiling was referred as one of the

form of sex discrimination. In the study it was concluded that because all three have some

common antecedents, steps to reduce one of them will likely affect the others. Apart from

that they suggested that measures designed to increase numbers of women in higher level

positions will reduce sexual harassment. As a result of this glass ceiling there is an

inclination of women to entrepreneurship as a result of barriers to women’s advancements in

corporation (Mattis, 2004). Mattis showed that lack of flexibility continued to be a feature of

the corporate culture that lead to the attrition of high potential women and contributed to the

dramatic increase in entrepreneurship among women in the US.

Glass ceiling affects the performance of women at managerial posts. Some of the

“masculine” organizational barriers that severely hinder women’s ability to be effective in

their role as strategic decision makers include reluctance of male subordinates towards

female managers; isolation by male colleagues; exclusion from male-dominated informal

networks and the lack of mentorship (Okanlawon, 1994). Exploration of a model of decision

making (Large & Saunders,1995) explains how a combination of both individual choices

(employees’ own perceptions, requirements and priorities like family, social life) and

organizational blockages (organizational structure, policies and culture) maintains the glass

ceiling. Gender related attributes also play their role. An appropriate theoretical foundation

for explaining differences between male and female service providers originates in the

sociology literature and is referred to as feminist theory. This theory proffers two

perspectives regarding gender-related differences in performance. One argues that there are a

wide variety of issues that are impacted by society’s attitudes towards women (Hooks,

2000). These attitudes are based in the history and institutional structure of society. As a

result, women are treated differently than men, so that the performance of businesses owned

by women suffers. Another stream of literature argues that there are innate differences

between male and female approaches to issues. These differences lead women to take

different actions than males in similar situations (Buttner,2001; Fletcher, 1998).There is an

alternative theoretical perspective that would not accept the arguments advanced by feminist


49



theory. The foundation for most of this research is the rational economic model (Ferber &

Nelson, 1993). This theory argues that individuals make rational economic choices and seek

to maximize economic benefit to themselves or the firm. Most of these models assume that

customers are economically rational and will make their choices based on the benefits gainedfrom the transaction, and not the gender of the service provider. Prior research on whether

gender as an impact on the financial performance of professional service providers has not

provided clear insights on whether feminist theory or the rational economic model is more

valid. Some researchers find that women achieve lower financial performance than men

(Hisrich & Brush,1984; Loscocco, Robinson, Hall, & Allen, 1991; Lustgarten, 1995;

Chaganti & Prasuraman,1997; Fasci & Valdez, 1998), while others argue that there is no

performance difference between male & female owned enterprises (Fischer, Reuber & Dyke,

1993; Kalleberg & Leicht, 1991).Davidson & Cooper (1983) found that managerial women

experience greater strain and feel more isolated at work than males which in turn affect their

performance. There is gender difference in leadership because of negative perception and

evaluation of women in leadership(Stelter 2002).Sex role orientation and the stereotype of

manager role as masculine construct, along with lack of career planning among women are

predominant theme that explains why so few women progress to leadership position (Chugh

& Sehgal 2007). Women are not advancing in work place because they did not receive

training to perform job moreover manager do not appreciate achievements of their women

employee as compare to men (Asplund 1988).


50



CHAPTER 4

METHODOLOGY


51



4.1 Research design

4.1.1 Sample size: The sampling method adopted here is random sampling and the sample

size is 50. Each respondent is treated as a case of detailed analysis. Various data were

collected by the means of questionnaire and personal interview. The simple random methodis used for the study.

4.1.2 Data collection method: For the accumulation of data the sources were primary and

secondary data.

Primary data: The primary data included interview and questionnaire method. Limited

numbers of respondents covered under the research study from a population. Here surveys of

50 respondents were taken to know the depth of glass ceiling effect.

Secondary Data: For this study the secondary data were collected from Journals: Various journals were also used for data collection, analysis and

interpretation. The data used from journals was also used for the literature part of the

study.

Internet: The company website, were used to get information regarding the

company. A few other websites were used for data collection.

4.1.3 Location and Duration of the study

The study was conducted in BEML Bangalore complex. The duration of the project study

was two months from 15 December 2012 to 14 February 2013.


52



4.1.4 Data Collection Methods:

Well-structured questionnaire was developed for conducting the study. Questionnaire had

two sections. First section contained questions regarding demographic profile of respondents

while second section contained a list of 16 statements pertaining to various facets of Glassceiling. One open ended question was also there. The attributes and statements were

collected from literature review. Respondents have to choose one parameter of each

statement depending on whether respondents feel that statement “Strongly Agree (score 1)”,

“Neutral (score 3)” or “Strongly Disagree (score 5)”. Thus lower mean score implies that

respondents favor that particular statement.

Data collection which is the most important and interesting part of the research was the most

arduous as well. While majority of respondents were cooperative, some of them were

reluctant. A few persons directly refused that they are too busy to fill up the questionnaires.

Many respondents misplaced the questionnaires and second copy was given. A few

respondents denied to fill up said that the questionnaires asked for personal information.

Many respondents omit their names and designations in the questionnaires.

The major limitation of the study was that it was mainly done with the aid of a questionnaire,

so there are possibilities for the respondents to give fake answers and at occasions

respondents may remain non-responsive to certain questions.

Questionnaire is the main tool used for collecting primary data. Other methods such as direct

interview with middle and top-level managers were also employed for collection of primary

data.

The target groups interviewed were:

Women Managers at two levels –Middle and senior level were interviewed to get

information on corporate policies, whether they are conducive or obstructive for career

growth and on the challenges and opportunities they are facing. Interactions with Managers

were held to find out the existing policy measures, wage structure and welfare measures

available for female mangers. The women managers were contacted and approached

personally to fill up the questionnaires .Data collection through questionnaires and interview

was done simultaneously.


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4.1.5 Limitations of the Study:

Common to all investigations, this study may have some potential shortcomings worth

considering when interpreting the results. Firstly, single method variance could have affected

the results since all data was self-reported. However, the common condemnation of all

methods involving self-reports has been found to be exaggerated , and in this study, the data

representing both the dependent and independent variables are all based on non-sensitive

factual information.

4.1.6 Analysis and Interpretation

Percentage analysis was used for deriving results from the study. Analysis of the

questionnaire was done with the aid of Microsoft Excel software with respect to the

objectives of the study. Results were obtained principally from primary data. Secondary data

was only used as a reference to authenticate the accuracy of the results. Interpretation of the

data was done with the results obtained from analysis.

4.1.7 Variables of the Questionnaire:

Variables are classified in to dependent variables and independent variables. Independent

variables like Gender stereotype, Commitment and Networking are taken and for dependent

variable like promotional aspect and job performance are taken. For this study discrete and

continuous variables were also used. Discrete variables like work experience etc., continuous

variables like age Categorical variables like Gender and qualification are used .Variables that

were used in this research and were collected through questionnaire are given in following

table.


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Variables and their types

Category of Variable Type of the variable

Basic Gender, Qualification, Work experience,

current occupation

Organizational Gender stereotype, Promotional aspect,

Networks ,Politics, Facilities provided

Social Cultural expectations

Psychological Behaviouring style

Table Variables and their types

Control variables used in the analysisVariable Definition

Education Years of schooling

Age Age in years

Dummy variable for men =0, women=1

Table Control variables used in the analysis

4.1.8 Levels of Measurements:

Likert scale is used to measure the tendencies of the respondents regarding Gender

stereotype, promotional aspect, networking and cultural expectations. This tendency scale is

drawn up from complete approval to complete disapproval, like:

Each item of the scale is assigned a number from 1 to 5. 1 is assigned to “Strongly agree”, 2

is assigned to “ agree”, 3 is assigned to “ No opinion”, 4 is assigned to “ Disagree”, and 5 is

assigned to “ Strongly disagree”.


55



Strongly disagree Agree No opinion Disagree Strongly agree

Fig. 3. Diagram of Likert Scale

Ordinal scales, besides specifying existence or non-existence of a quality, can also measure

the intensity or weakness of a quality. In this research attitudes/tendencies of respondents

regarding Gender stereotype, Commitment and networking were measured by means of

questions, with alternative answers ranked in ascending or descending order.


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Table Ordinary Ranking Scale

Each question is assigned a score of 5 (as five alternative answers are produced). Thus for a

question the highest value is 5 and the lowest value is 1.

.


Ordinal ranking scale

Rank Value

1 Not at all helpful

2 Slightly helpful

3 Fairly helpful

4 Quite helpful

5 Greatly helpful

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CHAPTER 3

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


58



DATA ANALYSIS:

After the preparation of data, which included the processes of editing, coding and tabulation;

statistical procedure was applied. There are two major categories of statistical procedure:

Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics. Former type of the statistics procedure is

used to describe the data and latter type of the statistics is used to analyze the data and for

making decisions or inferences about phenomena represented by data. The data collected

was analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis tools. The collected

quantitative statistical information has been processed through different software like SPSS

and Microsoft Excel.

5.1 Frequency Distribution:

First task after coding the data is to construct frequency distribution to examine the patternof the response to each of the independent and dependent variables of the research. This

frequency distribution of the single variable is known as “univariate frequency distribution”.

In this research frequency distribution of the variables gender, domicile, marital status,

education, age etc. was constructed to examine the description of the number of respondents.

5.2 Percentage Distribution:

Frequencies expressed in comparable numbers are called proportions or percentages.Proportions are calculated as f / N, where f is the frequency of the category and N is the total

number of the responses. Percentages are expressed as f / N * 100. In this research,

percentage distribution of males, females, married, unmarried, widow, divorced etc. are

calculated to reflect their scores, or with many low scores and few high scores; with many

scores concentrated in the middle of the distribution.


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3.3 Data Analyzing Techniques:

3.3.1 CORELATION:

Correlation analysis is concerned with providing a statistical measure of the strength of any

relationship between variables. A positive correlation exists where the high values of one

variable are associated with the high values of the other variable(s). A 'negative correlation'

means association of high values of one with the low values of the other(s). Correlation can

vary from +1 to -1. Values close to +1 indicate a high-degree of positive correlation, and

values close to -1 indicate a high degree of negative correlation.

The collected data was analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative tools and the

statistical information has been processed through different software's like SPSS and

Microsoft Excel.

• The co-relation between Gender stereotype and under representation of women in

managerial level is .64396

• The co-relation between Good old boy Networking in the organization and increase

in number of women in top level management is -0.122

In order to test the formulated hypotheses, statistical analysis of the responses of thequestionnaires was done. The reliability of the four scales is given below:

Reliability of Cooperation among colleagues

Coefficient of CAC for the Main

Study

30

Scale No. of items 10

Alpha coefficient CAC 0.634

Table (CAC) scale Table 1 Alpha Reliability

Table 1 shows the alpha reliability (r=0.634) for the CAC scale. The results in table 1show

that scale has satisfactory reliability


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Reliability of Gender stereotyping (GS)

Scale GSNo. of items 14

Alpha coefficient 0.636

Table 2 .Reliability of Gender stereotyping (GS)

Table 2 shows the alpha reliability (r=0.636) for the SRS scale. The results in table 2 show

that scale has satisfactory reliability.

Perception about female managers:

Gender Mean N SD

Male 2.67 10 .83

Female 3.51 20 .51

Table 3. Perception about female managers:

The male respondents do not think that female managers have to be more competent than

males and behave in a typically ‘masculine way’ in order to be noticed and promoted

(2.67).However female respondents think that they are required to be more competent in

order to be taken seriously (3.39).

3.3.2 KSA ANALYSIS (Knowledge Skill and ability analysis)

KNOWLEDGE ANALYSIS:

• Several respondents indicated that they are out of the political environment of the

office, for which they do not have access to certain information such as who is the power-Centre in office politics. They are not in the loop of the organization's

informal structure which is generally the men’s club.

• Women are said to be more job-focused than career-focused and are often not aware

of the strategic importance of the decisions they make related to their careers.


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• Women's tendency to move into 'support' or 'non-strategic' functions such as human

resources and administration at junior management level, rather than into line

management functions that lead to more senior positions.

•Perceptions of the social and occupational roles of men and women influence

appointment and promotional decisions.

• 'occupational socialization', whereby applicants themselves frequently prepare and

apply for jobs along gender lines – i.e. women may limit their applications to what

are perceived as 'female' type positions; women 'select themselves out' of some

training initiatives and promotional opportunities, because of family commitments.

• Women do not promote themselves.

• HR professionals are also required to be knowledgeable of employment laws,

programs and practices for their organization. Because the law provides protection

for certain demographic groups, such as women, in the labor market, HR

professionals need to understand the potential impact of glass-ceiling barriers (e.g.,

discrimination) on women.

SKILL ANALYSIS:

• There are a few participants who either voiced that they do not know the importance,

not important at all or less important to networking.

• Women can be cut off from the informal networks or 'old boys clubs' that have often

been necessary for advancement within organizations in the past.

• The lack of female role models in top-level management

• Characteristics considered to be 'masculine' (for example, being forceful, aggressive,

independent, objective or competitive) are generally regarded as traits required for

management, rather than so-called 'feminine' characteristics (such as being

cooperative, flexible, subjective, intuitive or emotional), which can be viewed as

ineffective management traits.

ABILITY ANALYSIS:

• When respondents were asked about their career plans they said that they will put

hard work and aim at promotion. None of the respondents were found to be

articulated about specific career strategies. From the field visits it was observed that


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while some of the respondents had landed up with job without any professional

course and without any realization that it was the career they really wanted to be in,

on the other hand, majority of them although have done professional course and

some skill acquisition training, yet, they lacked proper technical training andknowledge as to what is most important for their careers.

• Unclear selection criteria for promotion, which allows for considerable scope for

discretion by senior management.

• Because women are mainly responsible for domestic and family issues, lack of

affordable, good-quality and consistent childcare can act as a barrier to women's

participation at senior management level.

•

A woman's ability to combine both management and family responsibilities is oftenquestioned by her male senior management colleagues.

• Women often cannot work the long hours required of managers because of the lack

of back-up or family support structures.

• 'Occupational segregation', whereby the selection process can favor men or women

for certain jobs.

3.3.3 DNA ANALYSIS

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS:

• The workplace is male dominated. 94% of the all policy making is done by men.

Since most of us more comfortable being around people like our self, men tend to

stay in their comfort zone and promote more men.

• Number of factors continue to hinder women’s advancement in corporate. “Male

stereotyping” and “Preconceptions of women” is one of the biggest barriers for

women.

Obstacles like “exclusion from informal networks of communication” and “lack of

mentors” also hinders women to reach top level management.

• Qualified women are in the pipe line, only few are at the top level management.

• Factors which hamper women who wish to obtain positions of power have little to do

with women, and much to do with organizational culture.

• One of the main organizational obstacles for women is the “cultural mindset”. The

attribute associated with women, i.e. the ability to share power and information,


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multi-task, deal with ambiguity and build consensus are particularly effective in

today’s global environment that what threats the men.

•

In most of the cases women never get off from the “Sticky floor”. They reach tomiddle level management and stuck there.

• Women are overlooked in the discussions of who should be groomed or tapped for

that next step. Many the women also find themselves in staff jobs, lacking the line of

experience necessary for the next promotion.

NORMATIVE ANALYSIS:

• All have a right to choose career over children-that is men exercising their right to

choose. Women in greater number than men choose family over career.

• Contradictions in the expectations for women were a major factor in glass ceiling.

Women were expected to be tough but the study found that contradictions in the

expectation for women were a major factor in the glass ceiling.• Women were expected to be tough but not display “macho” characteristics; they

were expected to be ambitious yet not to expect equal treatment.

• It’s possible to be a working mom at the highest level in a company. The sacrifices in

family time and personal balance are goes unnoticed.

• Glass ceiling is applied to women as a group not just individuals.

• We find more and more women “drop out” of the corporate pipe line. When they

reach middle management, some because of lifestyle decisions but may out of

frustration.

• Today’s female executive needs to possess a skill set comprised of competencies that

continues to evolve because of technology ,organization culture, diversity and the

changing needs of the workforce.

• Women in an executive role must understand the core and technical aspect of her

organization.


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• A competent leader may have complete understanding of business trends and

models,market analysis tools and the financials ,but if the underlying emotional

intelligence is lacking the organization will suffer.

•Cultivate the best in people at entry level can truly define the success of any

executive in a leadership role.

• It is advisable for career-focused women who have a resume filled with project

management experience rather than a progression from project management to mid

management to management responsibility.

• Taking risks by reaching outside of your comfort zone is another way to start the

road to top level management.

• Organization needs to develop a culture that sees women as a resource not as a

problem.

• Women empowerment and Board room quotas are helpful in breaking the glass

ceiling.

ANALYTICAL ANALYSIS:

• 60% of the respondents agree that women are underrepresented.

• 72% of the respondents agree that organizational politics play a major role and

having the right connection also helps you to get in to the top level.

• 80% believes that membership in professional organization helps in career

advancement and only 48% feels that proven record of accomplishment as a factor

for promotion.

• 40% of the respondents agree women usually reach supervisor positions and then get

stuck there.

• 44% of the respondents agree that corporate ladder is a sticky ladder and 54% agrees

that cultural expectation can affect women’s role in society and business.

• 44% feels that it’s a male floor.

For women the glass ceiling is still a barrier to jobs

in middle and upper management. Informal workplace networks affect organizational


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advancement in ways that differ for women and men (Ibarra 1997). Studies of senior women

in male-dominated fields have found that it is more difficult for women than men to join

crucial professional networks. Executive women emphasize social networks as critical for

success in elite positions and “the existence of an old boys’ network excludes women andcurtails their

Success”. In professional services firms where “promotion to the highest levels requires that

the executive can cultivate inter-firm business networks to generate business, or make rain,”

many women feel barred from permeating male-dominated client “networks and making

them pay”. Social networks are given meaning by cultural beliefs such as widely shared

schemas and stereotypes. According to social psychological studies, top management jobs

have role incumbent schemas that include “an achievement-oriented aggressiveness and

emotional toughness that is distinctly male in character”. Gender stereotypes contain status

beliefs that assume women are less worthy and less competent than men and therefore less

qualified for top management jobs. Women are often held to higher standards to prove their

competence than similar men and are often denied credit for their success. When women do

beat the odds and display undeniable competence and authority in the workplace, they face

another hazard: stigmatization for excelling at tasks viewed as masculine. Competent and

powerful women are more likely to be seen as dislikable and untrustworthy and therefore become less influential than similarly acting men.

Gender stereotypes and social networks interact in ways that limit

women’s advancement to the highest levels in male-dominated organizations. Women are

much less equally rewarded at the top. While there may be a glass ceiling that prevents

women from reaching the very highest levels of attainment within the organization.

Respondents who consider their workplaces to be unsupportive (ineffective at recruiting,

developing, and retaining women executives) will be more likely than others to believe that

women are held back by structural factors, relative to both human capital deficiencies and

lack of individual motivation.


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3.3.4 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE’S SUMMARY:

Question Hypothesis tested Literature basis for testing

• Participant’s age

• Marital status

• Presence of a

glass ceiling

• Motivation at

maintaining

work-family balance

• “Presence of older

female role models

provides a source of

motivation for the

younger women

professionals” (Liu and

Wilson,2001, p. 413)

• Married women

experience more stress

than unmarried women(Aziz, 2004, p.360)

• Children and

work-family

conflicts

• Motivation at

maintaining

work-family

balance

• Presence of older female

role models provides a

source of motivation for

the younger women

professionals (Liu and

Wilson,2001, p. 413)

• Seniority within

the same

company

• Length of time before being promoted

• Employees are viewed as

‘‘un promotable’’ while

at the same time they

themselves lose hope of

a promotion if they have

not been promoted for

several years (Cassirer

and Reskin, 2000, p.443)


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Question

Hypothesis

tested

Literature basis for testing

• Aspirationfor a

promotion

and its basis

• Presence of aglass ceiling

• The higher up theorganizational ladder a female

employee is higher the

chances of slipping and

falling due to the glass ceiling

(Simpson and Altman, 2000,

p. 197)

• Under-

representatio

n of females

• Successful

networking

• Presence of a

glass ceiling

• Female role models provide

motivation (Liu and Wilson,

2001,p. 413)

• More females in higher

positions correct the

masculine perception (Joshi

and Kuhn, 2007, pp. 400-401)

• Women are at a disadvantage

than men with off-office

activities where bonding of

group happens (Ismail, 2003, p. 65)

• Regular job performance

evaluations provide assurance

of an unbiased job which

reduces the feel of the glass

ceiling (Cassirer and Reskin,

2000, p. 451)

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3.4MEASURING GLASS CEILING EFFECT

Value opportunity analysis (VOAs):

Factors

Emotion

IndependenceJob security

ConfidencePower Risk Taking

Core strength AmbitionEnthusiasmOptimismFaithDetermination

Curiosity

Brand I

NetworkingThick SkinJuggling ActUse of technology

Low Medium High

Most women are sticking with the organization just because of job security. It deals with the

typecasting like women are said to be more job-focused than career-focused and are oftennot aware of the strategic importance of the decisions they make related to their careers.


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CHAPTER 4

FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND

CONCLUSIONS


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4.1 FINDINGS:

• Bold leadership at the top and dogged persistence is needed to challenge the status

quo and produce real change. This leadership is lacking in BEML.The company is

not taking any special measures to recruit women even though the company’s CSR

focuses on society development and welfare of women.

• Women typically shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of balancing job

and family, their careers may suffer. BEML doesn’t have a crèche even though it is

mandatory as per the provisions under Section 48 of the Factories Act, 1948 any

factory employing 30 or more women workers are required to provide crèche

facilities for the use of children under the age of 6 years for the women employees.

• Absence of effective management training and failure to hold managers accountable

for developing and advancing female employees. Women cell is not functioning

properly in BEML

• Inflexibility in defining work schedules is a reason. The company doesn’t allow flexi

time.

• Lack of careful planning and planned job assignments, exclusion from informal

networks of communication are the reasons which hinder women from reaching top

level management.

• Managers' aversion to placing women in positions of line responsibility (i.e.,

positions that generate revenue)

•

The absence of senior role models and mentors is a significant factor in the ability of organizations to retain top talented women.

• Structural explanations also consider stereotypes about women’s competence. For

example, research on stereotypes has shown that if a woman is personally likable, she

is often believed to be a less competent leader. Likewise, if she is viewed as

competent, she is seen as unlikeable. Men do not experience the same tradeoff.

Because of gender stereotypes, organizational leaders may devalue women’s


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contributions or penalize their assertiveness. As a result, women often face higher

standards and penalties than equally-qualified men do.

• Absence of succession planning or succession planning processes that fail to look

beyond the top 10-20 managers to identify and monitor the progress of high-potential

women.

• Absence of programs to enable employees to balance work/family responsibilities.

• Gender stereotypes frequently limit women from fully participating in their

organizations

• Good old boy networks in the organization limit women opportunities for promotion

to senior positions.

• Women frequently lack the “right” type of job experience to move ahead. The

experiences they have often do not match traditional promotion criteria .


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STRATEGIES THAT CAN USE TO SMASH THE GLASS CEILING:

1. Create an adaptable strategic plan for success : Do not sit passively waiting to be

noticed, or for opportunities to drop in your lap. Be proactive in seeking out opportunities for

training, work on high-profile projects, assignments and serving on committees.

2. Stay visible by promoting yourself : Raise the visibility and showcase the knowledge by

writing articles, serving on high profile boards and committees, having name submitted for

awards, and seeking out speaking opportunities. Enhance the impact of the image building

efforts by keeping the organization’s intranet and Internet managers, in-house publication

editor, diversity council, and public relations department informed about the achievements,

so that they can get the word out.

3. Apply problem-solving skills: Dwelling on the problem and how upsetting it is will only

serve to pull you down. It will also have a negative impact on the performance, all

interactions with others and one’s outlook as a whole. Whatever workplace bias problems

you encounter, put your past away so that you can address the immediate issue in a calm and

rational manner.

4. Develop a plan for how to deal with discrimination in the workplace: When faced

with discrimination, evaluate the situation and use it as a learning experience on how things

work in the company. Develop a plan for how to deal with it successfully in the future and

incorporate it into the strategic plan for success.

5. Be aware of obstacles you could face if you are fast-tracked: While being fast-tracked

is an honor and a great career opportunity, be aware and prepared for possible backlashes.

One could also encounter resentment and resistance from other employees that feel you

obtained this honor unfairly. Another consequence is that they sometimes get excluded fromthe informal networks. One can overcome these obstacles by working throughout the career

to be noticed for the achievements and making connections to those in power, so people will

see one being fast-tracked as a result of those achievements and your connections, not

affirmative action.

6. Understand the importance of identify and culture in success: Learn how to blend the

identity, culture and value systems with the realities of the workplace.


73



7. Pick your battles carefully: When you encounter problems, avoid addressing every issue

to steer clear of being labeled as a troublemaker. So, pick your battles carefully and know

what the stakes are when you do. Make sure you have facts to back up your claims and that

your record in the matter is impeccable. This will also serve to help you gain credibilitywithin your organization.

8. Demonstrate that you are executive material: Demonstrate that you are an executive

material by identifying key issues in complex situations, showing respect for the expertise

and perspectives of others, acting quickly and decisively to get a plan moving, discussing

business issues with authority, making sure people directly affected by a decision know what

is happening, and explaining reasons for your decisions.

9. Learn the unwritten rules of your organization : The majority of people who make

decisions in corporate are males, so it stands to reason that they set the standards for

behavior. Whenever you begin work within a new firm, set out to learn the unwritten rules of

the organization.

10. Perform above others before you: Therefore, it is important that one work constantly

to improve skills and exceed all previous levels of performance. One should also look for

ways to constantly quantify the contributions in terms of profits, sales or productivity.

11. Develop a diverse network: It is important to align yourself with the right people within

your organization and your industry if you want to succeed. So, proactively seek out mentors

.It is also crucial that you have a strong network of allies outside of your organization,

because the higher you ascend through the ranks, the harder it is for women to establish

career-building relationships. Limiting your network to a select few will only serve to

severely limit your opportunities.

12. Cultivate a variety of mentors: Look to those people to not only teach you necessary

skills, but those that are willing to introduce you to others in positions of power, recommend

you for high-profile projects, but also help you develop strategies to advance your career,

counsel you on the political landscape of the organization, advocate for your upward

mobility and provide career counseling. You should also inquire about out formal mentoring

programs in the workplace and professional associations, but do not overlook informal

mentors as well. You can gain more from these relationships if you cultivate the ability to

accept and act on negative and positive feedback from mentors.


74



13. Use documentation to obtain the rewards you deserve: When completing projects and

other assignments, seek out via email your superiors’ feedback, inquire about areas that they

think you need improvement. Apply those suggestions in future efforts and let superiors

know that you have done so. Save copies of this feedback and make sure you have a copy athome, in case you are let go suddenly. When new positions, projects and performance

reviews arise and you feel that the assessment of you is unfair, ask for a meeting to discuss

your growth and development in the company and use this documentation of their praise and

official documents that track your performance to explain in a non-confrontational way why

you feel that you deserve more. Keep in mind, that most bias in corporate is unconscious, so

it is important to not accuse them of bias when you meet. However, it is crucial that you

point out how they have praised you for the work that you have done in the past. This will

enable managers be able to reassess with more accuracy and correct any unconscious acts of

bias. Cultivating this feedback, not only protects you against negative performance reviews

and being overlooked for assignments, but also ensures that your superiors are aware of your

achievements.

14. Actively seeking out opportunities for training and education: Pursue educational

opportunities to help you learn and develop the right profile of an executive. Constantly

work to develop your communication, self-management and decision-making skills, as they

are critical to you climbing the corporate ladder.

15. Do work that you enjoy: Pick work that you really enjoy and jobs in companies with

cultures that compliment your strengths and personality traits to make it easier for you to

endure the possible isolation, bias, prejudice and other obstacles that you might encounter.

4.2 SUGGESTIONS:

• Personal Goal Setting: Set Objectives to Align Competencies with Top

Management is very important. Every individual is responsible for determining their

own career direction.

• Let your superior know that you want to work toward a higher-level position.


75



• Work together with your boss to set goals and objectives, then monitor and measure

your performance.

• One should also build relationships with other people in the organization. You never

know who may be in a position to help you or provide you with valuable

information.

• It's important to network in all areas and levels of the company. Many people tend to

think it's best to make friends at the top. However, to be effective and actually make

it to the top, one will need the support of colleagues at other levels as well.

•Find a Mentor:

Having a mentor is a powerful way to break through the glass ceiling. The barriers that you

face have likely been there for a long time. A mentor can help to learn how to get connected

to the information and people who can help you. A mentor can also be a great source of

ideas for your professional development and growth.

•Build Your Reputation:

Develop the skills and network with people so that the name becomes associated with top

management potential. To do this, one need to build a reputation as the kind of person who

fits the description of top management. Visibility is very important.

Improve creditability by taking on challenging assignments that are visible to upper

management

Share ideas with colleagues as well as people in higher positions.

Identify places where your reputation is not what you want it to be, and develop

plans to change them.

Build Unconscious Rapport with anyone.

Document every successful assignment completed and the positive impact your

efforts had on the organization. Present these during your review.


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Ask the top level management people for feedback on the performance and then

make it a point to act on their recommendations

•Know Your Rights:

Sometimes biases and stereotyping can cross the line into discrimination. Arm yourself with

a good understanding of your rights regarding official company policies and local laws.

•Build strong Networks:

Network with other professionals, male and female, both inside and outside the

organization. Having strong interpersonal and team building skills will help in long run.

Develop your professional image and promote it.

Cultivate a foresight and identify the opportunities that are ahead.

Preserve USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and use it.

•Making politics work for you:

Understand the organizational politics and make the best use of your network is two

important things in success. Then only you can neutralize negative play and the ill effect of

old boy network.


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4.3 RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Difficulty with child care arrangements was a major workplace issue. Companies

should provide facilities like crèches to enable women to give their best in their

profession.

• Organization can help women by giving integrated package of measures for

supporting women at work and by framing family-friendly policies (including

flexible working hours, parental leave for women, child care facilities, etc.).

• Government should compel public organizations to prepare annual reports regarding

their human resource development. In that report they show how many male and

female employees were appointed in the last year, what is the proportion of male and

female employees in their total employment, trainings were given in which

proportion to their male and female employees, how much percentage of female

employees were given any kind of assignments and how many employees (males andfemales) were promoted. Such report must be submitted with the committee via

ministry of women development. Where they scrutinize the data and find whether

any gender discrimination has occurred.

• Reverse mentoring of board: Often the interactions of board members with female

executives are very limited, and so they may be unaware of how gendered the

organization feels to women, and how that leads to negative career consequences that

impact the female talent pool. But this can be addressed by reverse mentoring, where

directors are mentored by some of the talented women at the threshold to senior

positions, so that the leadership team understands better the culture of the

organization. This is working very successfully in some major corporations.

• Companies should be more sensitive to women situations and need as women

generally have to look after family and work.


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• Management must learn to recognize and appreciate gender differences as positive

qualities which can serve as an asset for the organization. They must lose their

preoccupation with old male-oriented procedures. For example, instead of meeting

over drinks, meet for breakfast or as a group. Males and females differ in their communicative approaches. Therefore, permit each individual to talk through a

situation in their own way, at their own pace.

• Organization can incorporate mentoring programs for women like Sensitization

programs, Corporate Mentoring Programs and specific career skills Programs on

Professional Networking, Time Management and developing business strategies.

Organizations can hold managers acceptable for initiatives by rewarding only those

who successfully meet the goals of the program.

• Organization can provide forums for women to address issues affecting them by

establishing women development cell and can encourage women cell activities by

giving empowering women awards.

• Rather than waiting for external legislation, now is the time for employers to set

voluntary targets for female representation at board and senior management level,

and hold people accountable for meeting them. Business leaders must take

responsibility for building an effective talent pipeline, and make it a commercial

priority to proactively identify, develop and promote potential leaders of both sexes.

• Companies should be transparent about their policies relating to employment,

promotion and training. Promotion should not be linked to transfer; Transfer should

be need based.

• Companies should orient their recruitment policies to recruit equal number of male

and female in the entry level in order to bring in gender diversity and inclusiveness.

Organizations should go in for gender audits.


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CONCLUSION:

In past few decades women have made massive progress, but they still lack representation at

the senior management level. They persistently face barriers to their advancement due to

hostile work environments, gender stereotyping, and numerous other barriers.The larger

lessons that can be drawn from this study are women representation at the top level of

management is proportionately very low compared to men. There is a solid glass ceiling that

is existing in BEML and that is resisting women’s movement in their upward ladder of

career growth.

Working definition of glass ceiling can be given as “the invisible unofficial barriers imposed

on women in an organization through which the professional advancement can be seen, but

can’t be reached, which is not readily perceived or openly acknowledged”.

The study suggests that there is a need for systemic changes if the company is serious about

bringing in greater diversity in their management and encouraging competent women to

overcome the hurdles that society places in their career path. The study concludes that the

major barrier for promotion of women managers comes from insensitivity of the corporates

towards women’s social roles and responsibilities.


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REFERENCES:

• Ards, S., Brintnall, M., & Woodard, M. (1997). The road to tenure and beyond for African

American political scientists. The Journal of Negro Education, 66(2), 159-171.

• Burbridge, L. C. (1994). The glass ceiling in different sectors of the economy: Differences

between government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley

College, Center for Research on Women.

• Chliwniak, L. (1997). Higher education leadership: Analyzing the gender gap. Washington,

D.C: The George Washington University.

• Federal Glass Ceiling Commission. (1995a). Good for business: Making full use of the

nation’s human capital. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

• Federal Glass Ceiling Commission (1995b). A solid investment: Making full use of the

nation’s human capital. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor. Frankforter, S. A.

(1996).

• The progression of women beyond the glass ceiling. Journal of Social Behavior and

Personality, 11, 121-132.

• Jacobs, J. A. (1992). Women’s entry into management: Trends in earnings, authority, and

values among salaried managers. Administrative Science Quarterly, 37(2), 282-301.

• Johnson, W.B., & Packer, A.E. (1987). Workforce 2000: Work and workers for the 21st

century.

• Johnsrud, L. K. (1991). Administrative promotion: The power of gender. The Journal of

Higher Education, 62(2), 119-149.

• Johnsrud, L. K., & Heck, R. H. (1994). Administrative promotion within a university: Thecumulative impact of gender. The Journal of Higher Education, 65(1), 23-44.

• Martin, L. (1991). A report on the glass ceiling commission. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Labor.

• Martin, L. (1992). Pipelines of progress - A status report on the glass ceiling. Washington,

DC: U.S. Department of Labor.


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• Powell, G. N., & Butterfield, D. A. (1994). Investigating the “glass ceiling” phenomenon:

An empirical study of actual promotions to top management. The Academy of Management

Journal 37(1), 68-86.


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APPENDIX

QUESTIONNAIRE


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GLASS CEILING QUESTIONNAIRE

Iam a MBA student of Cochin University of Science And Technology. As the part of my

project i need your assistance in completing a survey regarding “Glass Ceiling in BEML”.

This survey is designed to record people's attitude towards career barriers that hinder women

from reaching their full potential in the business industry. Your participation will be critical

to the success of my project.

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. Also, your responses will be

ANONYMOUS and will be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

Name:

Email Address:

Gender:

Marital status:

Qualification:

Current Occupation:

Work experience:

1. Women are under-represented in the areas of managerial, professional, and Para-

professional employment.

A) Strongly agree B) Agree C) No opinion D) Disagree E) Strongly Disagree

2. Women are generally hired when applying for entry level or clerical positions.


3. Women who are turned down for managerial positions, are equally or more educated than

the men that are currently holding those positions.


4. Women usually reach supervisor positions then get stuck there.



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5. Corporate ladder is a "sticky Ladder” for women.


6. Cultural expectations can affect women's roles in society.


7. The under-representation of women in management positions isn't due to the lack of

careful career planning by women.


8. Good old boy networks in the organization limits women opportunities for promotions to

senior positions.


9. In my company the number of women penetrating the hierarchy and achieving senior

positions is steadily rising.


10. My organization structure and practices favor male employees.


11.In my organization ,anti-discrimination /affirmative action regulations are viewed as a

mandated inconvenience.


12. Does the organization have child-care facilities (crèche)? Yes ( ) No ( )

13. Is there a company day care on site? Yes ( ) No ( )

14. Does the company take special measures to recruit women? Yes ( ) No ( )

15. Does the company allows flexi time? Yes ( ) No ( )16. What is your personal experience in society (regarding glass ceiling) if any? Please feelfree to use this space for any further comments you might like to make.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

____


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18. Currently in your organization, how helpful would you say each of the following factors

are in enhancing women career advancement

Mark your option

1-Not at all helpful

2- Slightly helpful

3- Fairly helpful

4- Quite helpful

5- Greatly helpful

Factors How it helpful

A. Advanced education

B. Willingness to take business risk

C. Specialized training

D. Variety of work experience

E. Membership in professional Organization

F. Having the right connection

G. Having a proven record of

accomplishment

H. Having a direct and Competitive/

aggressive style

I. Being politically savvy and skillful in building alliances

J. Willingness to relocate when Required

K. Willingness to put your family On the

back burner and devoting all your attention

to career.


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