Statement of the problem Research questions Objectives of ...

WOMEN AUTONOMY IN HOUSEHOLD DECISION MAKING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN

COIMBATORE DISTRICT

*Dr.M.NANDHINI

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT

KARPAGAM ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

COIMBATORE – 641 021

Mobile No; 9789771134 Email Id : [email protected]

________________________________________________________________________________

Women are usually involved in decision making at all levels. Their important role is

moderately recognized and also moderately accepted in decision making. The share of women in

household decision-making structure is not up to the level and their participation is mostly

stressed by the male. Women play a key role in their family but they are not considered in

making important decision and mostly are neglected. As women in the area are not conversing in

their domestic life, the study is to know whether the women are dominated well inside the home.

It is relevant to know how the decision making roles are formed and who exactly influence it.

But it is observed that a number of decisions are made by members of the family and little or no

importance is given to female counterparts.

Statement of the problem

Research questions:

1. Whether women are involved equal to men in their domestic life decision making?

2. Whether the women’s perspectives are considered by family members in the process of

decision making?

Objectives of the study.

The following are the objectives of the study:

1. To determine the decision making pattern and factors influencing to make decision of the

women in their domestic life.

International Journal of Pure and Applied MathematicsVolume 119 No. 15 2018, 2273-2283ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version)url: http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/Special Issue http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/

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2. To know the problems faced by the women and coping strategies adopted by the women

while making decisions in their domestic life.

Research methodology

Research Design

Descriptive research design has been adopted in this study. Descriptive research includes surveys

and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose of the descriptive research is

description of the state of affairs, as it exists at present. The researcher has no control over the

variables. It describes the nature and decision making styles and role of working women in their

domestic life by using the following methodology.

Sample Design

Stratified sampling technique will be followed for selecting the sample from the

population. Stratified sampling is a probability sampling technique wherein the researcher

divides the entire population into different subgroups or strata, then randomly selects the final

subjects proportionally from the different strata. Stratified sampling entails to divide the

population into non-overlapping subpopulations called strata that together comprise the entire

population and then drawing an independent sample from each stratum.

Selection of Sample

Tamilnadu state consists of 32 districts of which Coimbatore district is selected for the

study. It has ten taluks namely Annur, Coimbatore North taluk, Coimbatore South

taluk, Kinathukkadavu, Madukkarai, Mettupalayam, Perur, Pollachi, Sulur and Valparai. For the

purpose of the study, Coimbatore district is selected for collecting the opinion of the working

female respondent. From each taluk data were collected from 75 female respondents.

Sample size

Sample size is 750 working female respondents. Data is collected from 75 female

respondents from each taluk of Coimbatore district.

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Sources of Data

A primary source is an original object or document, the raw material or first-hand

information, source material that is closest to what is being studied. Data observed or collected

directly from the first hand experience. Questionnaire method will be used for collecting the

primary data from the female respondent. The secondary data will be collected from Published

records, Journals and Websites.

Tools and techniques used:

1. Henry Garret Ranking

2. Correlation Analysis

3. Multiple Regression Analysis

Review of Literature

Rangalata Khandai (2006)1, the objectivesof the study were to delineate the areas of decision

making of urban working and non-working women with respect to home activities; to know the

socio – personal characteristics and decision making pattern; to identify the constraints and stress

management techniques adopted. Majority of the working and non-working women take joint

decisions in the education of their children.83 percentage of working women and 70percentage

of non-working women adopt stress management techniques to manage their physical and mental

stress.

Raazia Hassan Naqvi (2015)2, this study discussed that men are dominant in decision making

over the other family members especially females. The objectives of the study were to find out

the views and opinions of rural women about the different opposing grounds which restrict

women in decision making process in the family and to suggest measures for the empowerment

of rural women. Finding reveals that majority of the respondents were not allowed to

participate and say something in the family matters and said that their opinions in family

matters are not all considered and majority said that education can improve the condition.


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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Decision Making Pattern in Home Activities

Table 1

Decision Making Pattern in Home Activities

Particulars Total

Score

Mean

Score

Rank

Neighbors 26919 37.11 V

Spouse 49447 68.54 I

Colleagues 34833 48.52 III

Grand Parents 36497 50.55 II

Children 33671 46.90 IV

It is clear from the table that the respondent’s give more importance to the spouse’s

decision making (68.54), followed by grandparents (50.55), colleagues (48.52), children (46.90)

and gives least importance to neighbors (37.11).

Factors Influencing Decision Making

Table 2

Factors Influencing Decision Making

Particulars Total

Score

Mean

Score

Rank

Time and Situation 38372 53.29 III

Thinking in terms of a Problem or Opportunity 40173 55.80 II

Strong decision from your side 41365 57.45 I

Strong decision from other side 33926 47.12 IV

Previous decision 28000 38.89 V

It is clear from the table that the factor strong decision from the respondent’s side

influences her to make decisions in their household activities (57.45), followed by the factor


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thinking in terms of a Problem or Opportunity (55.80), time and situation (53.29), strong

decision from other side (47.12), previous decision (38.89).

Determinants of decision making

To ascertain the nature of relationship that exists between dependent and independent

variable correlation analysis has been employed. Out of 16 variables selected only 4 variables are

to be significant

**Age, Educational Qualification, Experience in the Previous work place, Experience in the

present work place, Area of Residence, Family Size, Husband’s Employment, Husband’s Parents

staying with you, Participation in Decision Making, Husband help in household activities are

found to be significant @one percent level.

*monthly income, type of family, monthly expenditure, number of children are found to be

significant @ one percent level.

Table 3

Variables associated with Decision Making- Correlation Analysis

Variables R r2

Age 0.130** 0.017

Educational Qualification -0.195** 0.038

Experience in the previous work place -0.178** 0.032

Experience in Present work place 0.185** 0.034

Work Load -0.195** 0.038

Monthly Income 0.019 0.000

Area of Residence -0.217** 0.047

Type of Family 0.048 0.002

Family Size 0.097** 0.009

Husband’s Employment -0.129** 0.017

Husband’s Parents staying with you -0.251** 0.063


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Parents Staying with you 0.094* 0.009

Monthly Expenditure -0.029 0.001

Number of Children 0.021 0.000

Participation in Decision Making -0.108** 0.012

Husband help in household activities 0.191** 0.037

The above table shows that the variables age, experience in the present work place,

monthly income, type of family, family size, parents staying with them, number children,

husband help in household activities are positively correlated with decision making.

Determinants of satisfaction

To ascertain the combined influence of select independent variables on dependent

variable, multiple regression test is employed. Sixteen variables have been considered for

analysis.

Table 4

Determinants of Satisfaction - Multiple Regression Analysis

Variables Regression

coefficient

Standard

error

t

Age 0.925* 0.364 2.540

Educational Qualification -0.834** 0.158 -5.286

Experience in the previous work place -1.257** 0.280 -4.493

Experience in Present work place 0.575 0.296g 1.945

Work load -1.266** 0.323 -3.921

Monthly Income -0.531* 0.260 -2.039

Area of Residence -2.530** 0.581 -4.357

Type of Family -0.599 0.555 -1.080

Family Size 0.466 0.294 1.587


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Husband’s Employment -1.085** 0.181 -5.992

Husband’s Parents staying with you -2.086** 0.586 -3.557

Parents Staying with you 1.590** 0.512 3.102

Monthly Expenditure -0.060 0.211 -0.284

Number of Children -1.658** 0.571 -2.902

Participation in Decision Making -0.403 0.664 -0.607

Husband help in household activities 4.294** 0.584 7.349

Constant : 81.963

Std. Error of Estimate : 3.043

R2 : 0.291

R2 : 0.274**

The above table shows that age(0.925), Educational Qualification(-0.834), Experience in

the previous work place (-1.257),work load (-1.266), Monthly income(-2.530),Area of

Residence(-2.530), Husbands employment(-1.085), Husbands parents staying with you(-

2.086),Respondents parents staying with them(1.590), Number of children(-1.658), Husband

helps in household activities(4.294) are significant with decision making. And the R2 value is

0.075076.

Problems faced, while taking decisions in the Domestic Life

Table 5

Problems faced, while taking decisions in the Domestic Life

Particulars Total

Score

Mean

Score

Rank

Difference of Opinion 35860 49.81 V

Financial Constraints 39026 54.20 II

Time and Situations 38570 53.57 III

Emotions 39718 55.16 I


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Ego 28289 39.29 V

It is clear from the table that of the factors for problems faced while making decision, the

factor Emotions ranked first (55.16) followed by financial constraints (54.20), time and

situations (53.57), difference of opinions (49.81) and the least factor for problems faced was Ego

(39.29)

Coping Strategies adopted to manage the problems faced while making decisions

Table 6

Coping Strategies adopted to manage the problems faced while making decisions

Particulars Total

Score

Mean

Score Rank

Talking with Neighbors 32669 45.37 VII

Sharing with Colleagues 41721 57.95 III

Sit Calm 44391 61.65 I

Sleeping 34390 47.76 VI

Going Out 36149 50.21 V

Going to Temple 42950 59.65 II

Crying 37626 52.26 IV

Beating the Children 21385 29.70 VIII

It is clear from the above table that the factor of coping strategy sit calm (61.65) is adopted by

the respondents to manage problems while making decisions followed by the factor go to temple

(59.65), sharing with colleagues (57.95), crying (52.26), going out (50.21), sleeping (47.76),

talking with neighbors (45.37) and beating the children (29.70).

FINDINGS

To ascertain the decision making pattern of the women in their families’ Henry Garrett

ranking test is employed. The women give more importance in following the pattern

of spouse decision making then they follows the pattern from grandparents then from

colleagues, then from children and gives least importance in following from neighbors.

To ascertain the factor influencing to make decision n of the women in their families’

Henry Garrett ranking test is employed. The following factor strong decision from the


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respondents side influences them to make decisions in their household activities then

follows the factor thinking in terms of a problem or opportunity, time and situation,

strong decision from other side then previous decision.

To identify the problems faced by the working women while making decisions, Henry

Garrett ranking test is employed. The following problems are emotions, financial

constraints, time and situations, difference of opinions and egos.

To identify coping strategies adopted by the working women while making decisions,

Henry Garrett ranking test is employed. The following are coping strategies go to temple,

sharing with colleagues, crying, go out, sleep, talk with neighbours, beat the children

problems are emotions, financial constraints, time and situations, difference of opinion and

ego.

Suggestions:

Working women ought to spend more time with their family members.

Family members have to consider their views while deciding..

Women shall have to balance their work and their personal life to enjoy domestic

happiness.

Conclusion

Women play a most vital role in safeguarding pleasure within the domestic life. A right

development of the family is not thinkable without their involvement. Women play a vivacious

role in the actual running of a family. Female accomplishes all her responsibilities and family

jobs with logic of assurance, but she is forever allowed to perform solely an unimportant half in

making choices on home decisions. It is very natural that within the work individuals create

explicit perception or draw conclusion concerning character of their colleagues. Women perform

a vital place within the family.

REFERENCES

1. Rangalata Khandai, 2006. “A Study on Decision Making Pattern of Urban Working and

Non- Working Women in Home Activities in Dharwad District of Karnataka” Thesis

report.

2. Raazia Hassan Naqvi and Muhammad Ibrar, 2015. “Views and Opinion of Rural

Women of District Multan about their Involvement and Participation in Family Decision


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a Means for Women’s Empowerment in Pakistani Society” International Journal of

Social Science and Humanity, Vol: 5, No: 2, pp.204-208.

3. Delina, 2013.” A Study on Work Life Balance in Working Women” International

Journal of Commerce, Business and Management Vol. 2, Issue: 5 October: 2013.pp:

274-282.

4. Mona Mehta & ShilpiSaraswat, 2014.”Decision Making Pattern of Working and Non-

Working Women in Family Affairs” Shrinkhala: vol-1, issue: 6, pp. 32-38.

5. Alemtsahay Mekonnen, 2014.”Household Decision Making Status of Women in Dabat

District”, Northwest Ethiopia, 2009 GC, Science Journal of Public Health, Vol.2, Issue:

2, pp.111-118, Published Online March 20.

6. Dr.J.K.Das, Manidipa, 2014. “Job Anxiety, Personality & Coping Behavior: A Study on

Women in Service Sector”, International Journal of Information Business and

Management, Vol: 6, No: 2 pp.228-254.

Websites

1. https://theni.nic.in.

2. http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/bdei/documents/decisionmakingmethods.pdf.


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