Time Management - 1058 Words

Time Management is the control and focus of a person’s actions for the purpose of improving efficiency. Time management techniques typically involve setting goals, establishing priorities, budgeting the amount of time allotted to a given activity, and planning and scheduling the steps needed to achieve goals. Generally, time management refers to the development of processes and tools that increase efficiency and productivity. When we think of time management, we tend to think of personal time management, loosely defined as managing our time to waste less time on doing the things we have to do so we have more time to do the things that we want to do. Therefore, time management is often thought of or presented as a set of time†¦show more content†¦It is, therefore, essential to plan one’s work and that of the subordinates in an efficient manner and also identify ‘Time Wasters’ and make efforts to eliminate/reduce them. Examples of Time Wasters are: (i) In fructuous meetings (ii) Poor communication (iii) Unwanted visitors (iv) Disorganised work The basic cause of time wastage at work can be classified as follows: (a) Over-staffing is common cause of wastage of time. Since most of the people do not have clearly defined work for the whole day, they often obstruct each other and create unnecessary problems. (b) Time is wasted on account of faulty organisation of work. Work is not planned sufficiently in advance. (c) There is enormous wastage of time and effort due to various meetings often at various locations, which are not properly directed and drag on endlessly. (d) Time is often wasted because the relevant information is not readily available or the information available is inaccurate. Similarly collection, storage and distribution of unnecessary information is wasteful. Though one has to evolve one’s own technique of time management depending on the circumstances, the three cardinal principles are: (a) Span of Attention: There is a natural limit to how long one can concentrate on a particular activity or task. This is called span of attention. (b) Provisions of time in adequate chunks: If anyShow MoreRelatedTime Management And Its Impact On Students862 Words   |  4 PagesMany students find it hard to manage their time well; whether they are trying to juggle academic responsibilities such as just getting to classes, trying to keep up with the continuous demands of each class like studying, or with trying to complete multiple assignments that have to be completed before the deadline. It can be onerous. Especially, in college, there are so many distractions: different clubs, sports, and other campus activities that you can participate in such LEAD helping the communityRead MoreTime Management1233 Words   |  5 PagesTime Management By: Time management is often thought of when describing task related to business management or executive positions; those who have meetings and appointments related to business deals as well as meeting deadlines and time lines. However, time management is something everyone will have to deal with no matter the task or job. The following essay will describe time management and its importance in the work place as well as its importance for those who use it on a more personalRead MoreTime Management1849 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction It is rightly said Time and Tide wait for none. An individual should understand the value of time for him to succeed in all aspects of life. People who waste time are the ones who fail to create an identity of their own. My Rational on my first action plan was: I have poor attitudes towards managing time, such as managing time to study. Developing effective study habits is important as they will help me to use my study time more productively and will also help to handle stressRead MoreTime Management At The Same Time701 Words   |  3 PagesTime Management I can hear some moms already groaning. Time is a scarce resource for many moms. In the course of any given day, I keep wishing for more hours. However, every one of us has been given the same number of hours. It’s up to you to organize and prioritize your activities for maximum success. If you don’t know how to multi-task, I suggest you learn how to do it. The ability to multi-task will serve you well. I completed a few online tests while breastfeeding at the same time. The key wasRead MoreTime Management1901 Words   |  8 PagesTime management in the business world – research paper outline Kaynnera T. 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I have learned to make a schedule of tasks, to prioritize my tasks and goals by categorizing them under personal and professional, groupRead MoreThe Importance of Time Management1424 Words   |  6 PagesSPC Becky Geiger 5 April 2013 Corrective Training The importance of time management. Steps to take to avoid or prevent tardiness. There are many reasons that time management is important. For example, if your unit was getting ready for deployment, you would need to be at the right place at the right the time, to receive any information you or your fellow soldiers may need to know before you leave. If you weren’t there when you were told to be then you would fall court martial under articleRead MoreTime Management At The Workplace1675 Words   |  7 PagesTime Management at the Workplace and The Importance of Being on Time Hunter J. Bullock 4th Ranger Training Battalion Time Management at the Workplace and The Importance of Being on Time â€Å"The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage their time.† Wetmore, D. E. (1999, August 23). Time Management Facts and Figures. Retrieved from http://www.balancetime.com/articles/tm_facts_and_figures.htm It is imperative to arrive on time to anything and everything that has been pre-plannedRead MoreReflection On Time Management1081 Words   |  5 PagesTime management seems to be an issue that many people struggle with. It is important to learn to balance work, school, and familial responsibilities. I plan to utilize any free time to work on school work, implementing Pareto’s Law, and looking at the big picture. Recently, a friend and I were planning our annual summer trip, which is the only time we see each other each year. I told her that there is only one weekend in which I will not be in the middle of school. 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Case Study Catches Fire - 1605 Words

Kristen and her roommate have decided to embark on a business venture and open an on-demand bakery from their dorm room kitchen. The girls have marketed their cookies as completely customizable with a variety of ingredients, fresh, and available within an hour of submitting the order via email. The cookies are made to order and guaranteed to be warm when picked up. The girls believe the timely turnaround of the cookies and the variety of ingredients offered differentiates them from typical in-store competitors. The current challenge lies in determining the production process for a batch of cookies. Kristen and her roommate have determined the individual batch steps, and are looking for ways to improve their process. If the dorm room†¦show more content†¦3.0 Case Analysis To properly analyze the case, we first had to understand the process involved with baking cookies, in the given conditions. We discovered that this process, from start to finish, can be broken down into six interdependent tasks. Some of these tasks have been grouped together in an effort to simplify the process into defined phases. Exhibit 1 contains a process flow diagram that reflects the tasks involved during the cookie making process. 3.1 Assumptions In order to assess the batch process for timing and capacity, the below assumptions were made to perform the necessary calculations: †¢ Orders are only taken through roommate, regardless of order. †¢ Necessary capital equipment is already owned †¢ Electricity costs are covered by the landlord †¢ Variable costs are set at $0.70 per unit (includes ingredients and packaging) †¢ Email system carries no cost †¢ Ingredients were readily available and shopping is not factored into the process †¢ Water and other utilities are insignificant costs, and have not been calculated †¢ That we have enough mixing bowls so that we don’t have to account for time to wash in between batches. 3.2 Throughput time Throughput time refers to the time it takes for a unit to be produced. We have made the assumption that in this case, a unit is considered to be a batch of one dozen cookies, and that there is no

Free Technology Essay JIT Outsourcing Free Essays

string(455) " between JIT which is the outsourcing company and Outsourcing Solutions which is the service provider, such interaction would be useful in avoiding what McCray \(2008\) described as poor cultural clash between the client and the service provider, the cultural clash which arises from the outsourcing decision to CPMI is not only limited to language barriers and interaction, but the fact that CPMI staff did not understand Japanese protocol of behaviour\." 1). Analysis of JIT Outsourcing Case Study There are scores of empirical outcomes which shows that outsourcing decision brings enormous advantages to an organisation (See e.g. We will write a custom essay sample on Free Technology Essay: JIT Outsourcing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mann and Borga, 2004; Yeaple, 2006). As the authors note, while outsourcing brings enormous cost advantages, it also allows firms to focus on other important strategic areas of their business, thus improving their strategic capability and strength in other areas. McCray (2008) on the other hand argues that the problem with outsourcing is that very often, there tends to be poor change management and effective governance structure. In his in-depth qualitative examination of the problems with outsourcing, McCray further identified that the following problems arise from outsourcing processes. Post contract processes and decisions not understood Poor mutual understanding of the Contract Loss of key talent or poor knowledge transfers Cultural Clash between the Client and the Service provider In another delineation of the outsourcing process by Adams (2009) he suggests that many issues emerge from outsourcing because potential service providers are wrongly identified or selected. The author therefore laid emphasis on the identification process and how credible partners or service providers can be selected. Applying some of the authors thought to the present context, it appears that JIT outsourcing suffers from the same challenges identified by the authors quoted above. However, given the company’s ongoing difficulty in managing its helpdesk to meet staff’s expectations, outsourcing can be considered to be a good strategic decision for JIT though, lacking in the appropriate elements and process. More importantly, decision to outsource at JIT did not consider some important elements of successful operations in the post outsourcing process, therefore subjecting the outsourcing motive to questioning. According to Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimons (2008) to achieve cost advantage and operational effectiveness for superior performance, it is very important to consider the 5 elements of operations performance which are â€Å"quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost. Rather, the decision of JIT to outsource seemed to only focus solely on cost in the performance hierarchy. While the improvement of service quality was part of the motive for outsourcing the company’s PC helpdesk and data centre as John Smith made clear to the senior management in his presentation, the seriousness and motivation attached to obtaining quality of service after the outsourcing process was absent because much focus was concentrated on cost reduction and less on quality of service. Generally, many authors agree that it is natural for managers to think that outsourcing would mean that the quality of service would improve because they can have more time to monitor quality and achieve better efficiency. But that perception is wrong because outcomes of outsourcing in numerous organisations have consistently shown that quality of service drops after it has been outsourced to an outside party and this could happen for several reasons. Part of the reasons why it dropped in JIT however was because of gaps in the change management process and the governance structure in the post outsourcing regime. In organisational decisions, there must be a learning process especially when it has to deal with change management – in order to avoid disappointment and disasters which may arise as a result (Hammon, 2005). In consonance with existing theories on outsourcing Cullen (2009) a senior consultant who consults for outsourcing projects at Cutter Consortium suggests that the achieve success in any IT outsourcing process. The outsourcing lifecycle in the framework which is in (figure 1) below must be followed reliably by an organisation. Using this framework as an audit of John Smith’s decisions, it is notable that his and the management decision to outsource did not consider the implementation of some stages of the framework such as negotiation, transition and refreshing. While basic negotiation was done, such negotiation was not properly conducted to ensure that it would strictly deliver the requirements of JIT objectively in other service terms which may be outside of the contractual agreement. Lack of sufficient management of the transition stage was also responsible for the problems encountered in the first three months of the data centre off-shoring. Because, if a transition or change management process was properly managed, the loss made by JIT would have been avoided. Secondly, the management concerns governance of the post outsourcing regime. According to Walsh (2003) a good governance structure in the post outsourcing period must include cultural synergy, embodiment of effective communication systems into the two organisational cross communication into and continuous learning through the continuous exchange of information. These suggestions also appear to be missing in the governance structure of JIT during its post outsourcing period. Source: Cullen (2008) Finally, the last building block which concerns refreshing was also missed out by JIT with CPMI because no regular or interval checks are done with the organisation to ensure that everything is fine and it is not going through any problem as a result of the outsourcing management. This only happened on occasions when complaints are made to John Smith and he attempts to speak to the director of CPMI. In addition, the strategic decision of JIT’s senior management did not consider the very important aspect of culture considering that both Japanese and English speakers are within its vertical operations and needed to man the PC helpdesk in order to support the rotational staff at any point in time. Inspite of this requirement, the senior management decided to force English on its business process and still went on to outsource its PC helpdesk to CPMI who did not provide a Japanese speaker that would make it account for rotational staff at every point. Given the choice between CPMI and (the latter) Outsourcing Solution who would provide a fluent Japanese speaker who is also fluent in English, the decision to outsource to CPMI was taken quite wrongfully by senior management because Outsourcing solution would have been of more advantage in terms of meeting JIT’s cultural need. More so, such cultural consideration would have offered a better interaction between JIT which is the outsourcing company and Outsourcing Solutions which is the service provider, such interaction would be useful in avoiding what McCray (2008) described as poor cultural clash between the client and the service provider, the cultural clash which arises from the outsourcing decision to CPMI is not only limited to language barriers and interaction, but the fact that CPMI staff did not understand Japanese protocol of behaviour. You read "Free Technology Essay: JIT Outsourcing" in category "Free Case study samples" To a certain extent, understanding Japanese protocol of behaviour by JIT’s service provider would have helped in avoiding some of the interaction problems which arises between PC helpdesk and members of staff of JIT. In a white paper by the Outsourcing factory (2008), it was suggested that outsourcing companies should concentrate on their corporate culture: i.e. the way business gets done in the company, the values they share and the way people interact. In another poll conducted by Accenture (2007) of 200 U.S. business executives, it was found that adopting cross-cultural communication problems and bridging cultural barriers through the implementation of cross cultural values and programs could increase productivity by an average of 26%. Applying the same to JIT means that taking adequate care of Japanese protocol, language and behaviour in the outsourcing decision would have improved performance of its outsourcing by 26%. To further demonstrate that some of the major problems in the outsourcing process of JIT is a result of the cultural gap between CPMI helpdesk and JIT staff, we may take a lesson from the research work of Gislen et al (2006) who find that between an outsourcing company in Sweden and a service provider in India, there was cultural gap because Indian staff were often scared of conflicts with their partners in Sweden and therefore could not communicate their dissatisfaction and emerging issues succinctly to their Swedish counterpart. Both employees in India and Sweden therefore lacked feedback which would make them be carried along and avoid potential problems in cross business interaction. This evidence suggests possibly that, some of the problems encountered by JIT staff like Bob could not be solved because CPMI staffs were not confident enough to communicate because of the cultural differences or perhaps the gaps in culture or communication styles. Another area where management could have optimised outcome from its outsourcing strategy would have been by having more than two potential service providers for the PC helpdesk that is to be outsourced. Having up five different service vendors would have allowed for better negotiation, comparison and consideration of strength of potential service providers. This would have also allowed for a better cost/benefit analysis and help management to determine the best quality that can be derived from the overall process. Choosing from two service providers is not a smart management decision because it limits management’s view and exposure about the benefits of its potential outsourcing and off shoring especially since it would last for a long period of time. Therefore, following John Smith’s suggestion to outsource, management could have requested for more competitors experienced competitors who have more credence in the industry so as to allow for prudent and good strategic decision which would make the outsourcing process and decision more promising. In addition, the outsourcing process does not reflect the critical show of prudence as much negotiation was not conducted by John Smith and Management before outsourcing and off shoring to CPMI and DR solutions to take over. Some show of prudence, negotiation and conscientiousness could have been displayed by John Smith through the contract initiation process to suit his own company and his outsourcing objective rather than the service provider. For example, John Smith could have negotiated a constant two way communication process and flexibility of service by the provider wherein, he can demand better service from the service provider even when such agreement is not stipulated in the contract agreement. Also to be noted is the fact that John Smith and management decision to outsource to CPMI in particular did not emphasize on experience, strength and deliverability of the service provider. This would have simply helped to avoid the drawbacks and problems faced in the post outsourcing era. Infact, considering cost savings, management would have still been able to save considerable cost if it had outsourced its PC helpdesk to Outsourcing Solutions which would have perhaps provided better service more efficiently because of its experience in the industry. Hosting a long list of fortune 500 companies’ processes is simply a proposition that would have been considered at least to test the waters of outsourcing. 2). Summary of Key Problems Given the outlined analysis of issues emerging from JIT’s outsourcing process, the main problems of JIT’s sourcing strategy could be summarized as thus: The company did not place adequate emphasis on operations performance which are the core of any successful process or project – whether outsourced or retained within the organisation. The performance measures are: â€Å"quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost. Rather more emphasis was placed on cost savings and reduction rather than on these overall performance measures. This poor decision reflects in the decision to outsource to CPMI rather than Outsourcing Solutions who has better track record, reference and experience to deliver than CPMI who is only a small company and whose capability cannot be sufficiently proven. The problem with the outsourcing strategy also concerns the fact that less regard was given to cultural gaps. Fixing the Helpdesk problem: Recommendations to John Smith Considering the consequences of the company’s decisions and the problems faced by John Smith, it is recommended that to address the helpdesk problems John Smith should immediately negotiate with the management of CPMI outside the contract for issues of communication and cultural gaps to be addressed. This is very important as pointed out by Radoff (2006) who argues that communication gap can lead to big disaster for the outsourcing firm. For the remaining terms of the contract if more than 6 months, John Smith can partner with the management of CPMI to arrange a short course where staff will be trained and given the knowledge of Japanese Protocol Behaviour so as to immediately address the problems faced by helpdesk staff and Japanese Executives. Quelin and Duhamel (2003) consider this as organisational learning and a way of synchronising partners’ needs with each other for effective performance. The Short course would be short term solution. However on the longer term, John Smith should consider other service providers by reviewing the offers of up to five different potential outsourcing partners. He should therefore decide based on their deliverability, flexibility and experience as well as capability, while considering the quality they can deliver and their ability to make his cost savings objectives achievable. More importantly, a well articulated explanation to management about the dangers of forcing English on rotational staffs would be necessary for John Smith so as to ensure that future service providers have the capability to understand Japanese Protocol Behaviour and bridge cross cultural gaps in outsourcing operations. John Smith must also importantly focus on ensuring that the rest of the helpdesk staff are properly trained and motivated through flexible working hours so as to reduce the instance of less motivation and less performance which can still occur after major processes have been outsourced. Finally, it would be pertinent to state that all of the recommendations are important. However, it is advised that for optimum and effective performance to be achieved with immediate effect, he should place emphasis on renegotiating with CPMI management and arrange possible short term courses on Japanese protocol behaviours and business ethics as well as service delivery and performance. This is only recommended as quick short term solution to last within the remaining period of the contract. However, to find lasting solution, it is recommended that the option of new potential service providers should be considered while emphasis should be placed on the 5 elements of operations performance mentioned earlier. With the new service provider, flexibility and quality of service should be given high priority so as to ensure that cost savings is not the only advantage derived from the company’s outsourcing process. Finally, on an ongoing basis, John Smith should implement a continuous training program where remaining employees will be given up to date skills so as to ensure that they are in line with new developments from their service partners to whom they have outsourced their helpdesk. Offshoring Recommendations On the long list as to whether off-shoring should be considered or not for both data centre and the PC helpdesk, it can be argued that off-shoring is a perfect decision for the data centre because of its nature and structure and particularly because of the operational risks involved in managing a data centre which is becoming high in the growing technological world of today. More so, many off-shoring firms have more competence and professional capability in managing IT systems than companies like JIT whose primary activities are in other areas. Off-shoring the data centre will indeed allow management to bear less secondary operational risks and challenges that is associated with data management. For a certain fee, management can cut down costs while improving the quality of its data management when handled by a third party. In considering the off-shoring decision however, management must place emphasis on the quality and past performance of vendors who will be given the data centre operation to manage. Furthermore, according to best business practice – it is advised that up to five vendors should be selected and weighted according to their service offers, flexibility and closeness to the objectives of JIT. It is also advised that the off-shoring process should be conducted in a systematic and gradual approach. A recommended approach would be for John Smith or a chosen manager of JIT to spend at close to two weeks or better still one month in the offshore location so as to understand their working practices and know what the potential challenges might be. In addition, only a once year contract should be first signed by JIT to understand the vendor and learn if the off-shoring process is of benefit to the organisation or has to be relinquished for certain reasons. For the PC helpdesk on the other hand, it is recommended that off-shoring is not the best process because of the need for staff’s personal computers to be checked physically in certain instances. Besides, for other business reasons offshoring the PC helpdesk could cause operational problems and problems which may arise from various instances. It is therefore, advised that PC helpdesk should be retained for outsourcing rather than offshoring. In outsourcing the PC helpdesk, the same care and consciousness advised for data centre offshoring should be exercised because of the risks that might be involved. Also, five outsourcing service providers should be invited to tender their quotes and offers. Such offers, should be gauged to determine whose service best suits JIT’s objectives. During the process, it is very important as recommended to John Smith initially that the five operational performance elements should be included and not only the cost should be considered. The quality of service that will be provided by the vendor should be given utmost priority, followed by cost, flexibility and dependability and speed. For these elements to be found in a potential vendor, the importance of experience and past performance must be emphasized in the sourcing process. In addition, the company who can blend with JIT’s operations and give tailored service should be given better scrutiny and attention. Lastly, it must be taken into consideration that JIT’s vertical operation comprises Japanese and English speaking staff. Therefore, it must be ensured that all the company’s internal processes, rotational staff and outsourcing partners have capability in Japanese and English behaviour protocol. Outsourcing to vendors who have no understanding of the cultural ethics and behavioural protocols of service users will further leave cultural gaps and communication problems for management to deal with. Indeed, it is a counter productive process when one learns from other past experiences of outsourcing and the cultural problems involved. Additionally, to be educated of the potential risks and dangers involved in the outsourcing process – both in transition and in the proper regime. A learning process is recommended whereby, John Smith spends time in the offshoring company to understand their mode of operation and how it works so as to take the lessons back home into his company’s final contract before performing the final outsourcing. An ongoing governance structure should also be given proper attention such that: in the post outsourcing regime such that communication and other important facets of operations are constantly reviewed from time to time, the performance of the vendor, weaknesses and strengths should also be reviewed so as to constantly ensure that the service offered meets JIT’s objectives and the expectations of all its staff. Conclusion is drawn on the note of the outsourcing factory (2008) which suggests that: â€Å"Whilst price is very important, productivity is even more important, which is why you companies must factor this non tangible aspects, related to outsourcing, into their purchase decisions. They must ensure that the company they are dealing with are mature enough to overcome the cultural barriers as well as the communication/organizational ones. Then, when the deal is signed they should not forget that relationships have to be managed as it will not manage itself†. References Adams, K. (2009). IT outsourcing evolution, past, present and future, Communication of the ACM, pp. 84 – 89 Cullen, S (2008) Key Activities of the Outsourcing Lifecycle: Part I: Senior Consultant, Cutter Consortium. Available at: http://www.cutter.com/content-and-analysis/resource-centers/sourcing-and-vendor/sample-our-research/srcr0901.html Hammon, J. (2005). Change Management in IS Outsourcing: A literature analysis, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain, pp. 821 – 834. Fitzsimmons, A.J. and Fitzsimons, M. J. (2008). Service Management: McGraw-Hill International Edition Gislen, M. and Venugopal, V. Godwin, U. (2006). Managing the Cultural Challenges for Successful Software Outsourcing. Gislen Software Pvt. Ltd. India, pp. 1 – 6 Mann, M., and Borga, M., (2004). US. International Services, Cross-Border Trade in 2003 and Sales Trough Affiliates in 2002, Survey Current Business, October McCray, J (2008). The problem with Offshoring and Outsourcing: Lessons from organisational experience, Journal of Organisational Strategy 34 (4) pp. 56 90. Outsourcing Factory (2008) Overcome cultural differences in the outsourcing process, Accessed from www.outsourcing-factory.com Quelin, B. and Duhamel, F. (2003). Bringing Together Strategic Outsourcing and Corporate Strategy, European Management Journal Vol. 21. Great Britain. Radoff, S. (2006). Improved Cross-Cultural Communication Increases Global Sourcing Productivity. United States: Acc Walsh, H. (2003). Issues in foreign outsourcing, Information System Management, Volume 14, Issue 2, pp. 27 – 32 Yeaple, E. (2006). Offshoring, Foreign Direct Investment and the structure of US trade, Journal of the European Economic Association, April-May, 4 (2-3), pp. 602-611, Accessed from: www.sciencedirect.com How to cite Free Technology Essay: JIT Outsourcing, Free Case study samples

The Second Shift free essay sample

The Second Shift â€Å"I am a working mother. I am nuts,† proclaims an unkempt cartoon woman on a mug. Surrounded by mounds of papers, a crying baby, and a broom, she is exhausted but resolute. What is held up as absurd in this cartoon is not the economic necessity of her working or her husband’s failure to help. It is her own choice to work that makes her an object of cheerful self-mocking. Arlie Hochschild holds up to the light this and many other strategies by which women and men in two-career marriages juggle work pressures and family needs. Between 1980 and 1988, Hochschild and her research associates interviewed fifty couples at great length. Hochschild also observed family life in a dozen homes. At the heart of her book are the stories of eleven couples. All but two are members of the middle and upper-middle class; each couple has made decisions and developed justifying myths a bit differently. Each has its own â€Å"economy of gratitude. † Hochschild is very much interested in the interrelationships between powerperceived and actualand bonds of human caring. Her phrase â€Å"economy of gratitude† makes reference to what is given and received as gifts between spouses and how those gifts are valued. For example, if a woman earns more money than her husband, his male pride may suffer. His willingness to bear the affront may be viewed by both as a sacrificial gift, and out of guilt and gratitude she may assume most of the household responsibilities. Hochschild found many such contorted notions of what merits gratitude among the couples she studied. Sympathetically yet relentlessly, Hochschild uncovers family myths and gender strategies that couples develop in order to justifyor to enable them to live withinequities in workloads. Some strategies permit couples to pay lip service to an ideal that is quite removed from their actual practice. Carmen, a strong-minded, outgoing woman, professes submission to her husband and aspires to be a housewife. Economic realities, however, make it necessary for her to do day care in her home. She needs the help of her husband, Frank, if housework is to be done properly. Her strategy is to play helpless: If she cannot drive a car, if Frank can cook rice better than she, Carmen can uphold the myth of her submission to him yet also obtain the help she needs. Other couples’ strategies are undertaken at much greater emotional costto the husband, to the wife, to the children. Hochschild concludes that American men and women must learn to revalue the work of nurturing children, that men must become more Leeply egalitarian, and that public policy must be shaped to support rather than undermine these changes. The Second Shift The Second Shift : Working Parents and the Revolution at Home written by Arlie Hochschild is a work of research that investigates the strife of a marriage with a two-job family . The book relates lives of researched couples and their problem with the second shift which in this case is the work after work , the housework and childcare . The author followed fifty families and interviewed the parents for ten years or more . Her findings and conclusions about the effect of two-job families on the couples marriages are recorded in this book Hochschild s purpose for writing this book is to bring to society s attention the need for change in how supportive communities are to women providing a second income and most of the second shift at home . It is not just the struggle between the husband and wife about sharing household and childcare responsibilities , but the reason the struggle exists and that it is difficult to resolve falls on the shoulders of society and expected and learned gender ideologies (Hochschild 15 Through her research Hochschild has concluded that most marriages that did not fail or that did not exist with a constant struggle and emotional strain on both partners , were marriages where both parents shared the responsibility of the second shift (Hochschild 216 ) She writes In my study the men who shared the second shift had a happier family life (Hochschild 216 ) This is her main thesis Hochschild has three main points that reveal her own point of view One main point is that society portrays the working woman as busy , fun a role model for her daughter , and personally able to handle it all She supports this with a New York Times Magazine article that has a front page cover of a working mother walking home with her daughter in hand . The woman is young , smiling , windswept hair with her daughter carrying her briefcase for her with a smile on her face . According to Hochschild , The Times article gives the impression that the working mother is doing so well because she is personally competent , not because she has a sound social arrangement . Indeed the image of her private characteristics obscures all that is missing in public support (Hochschild 23 This leads to Hochschild s second main point : working mothers are expected to be supermoms and handle traditional roles at home as well as a second job outside the home and to not be affected by the extraordinary workload . . the common portrayal of the supermom working mother suggests that she is `energetic and `competent because these are her personal characteristics , not because she has been forced to adapt to an overly demanding schedule What is hidden . s the extra burden on women (Hochschild 24 The third main point Hochschild reveals is that unless society begins to support male sharing in the household and childcare chores , the revolution for women will move ahead without community and spousal support ot Home Alone : A Review of The Second Shift by Arlie Hochschild Sociologist Arlie Hochschild was able to convey academic research into an extremely readable format by providing an insider s view of ten couple s lives . She did this by spending a large amount of time inside the two-working-parent homes I shopped with them , visited friends , watched television , ate with them walked through parks , and came along when they dropped their children at daycare . I sat on the living room floor and drew pictures and played house with the children . I tried to become as unobtrusive as a family dog (5-6 By doing so , she gained a very realistic insight into how the couples shared the burden of the second shift the home work waiting for them after their first shift at their jobs . The book is certainly qualified as an academic text , with plenty of references and statistics What makes it interesting is the portrait of the families lives and their words which Hochschild was able to gain by literally being in the households . Those pictures and quotations not only provide a fascinating view of the division of household labor . Her interviews with the parents reveal their family and cultural background as well as attitude towards sharing the household and parenting burden Hochschild has more than an academic interest in her . In the Preface , she describes how she took her infant son with her to her office at the sociology department of the University of California . She relates the different reactions to the infant s presence from students and faculty . She discusses how so many of her female students want to have families and careers at the same time . The time with her infant son at her office crystallized the concern that drives this book (vii . I have explored the inner lives of two-job families in the faith that taking a very close look now can help these young women find solutions for the future that go far beyond an infant box and luck (xiii Throughout the book , Hochschild refers to an advertising image of the working mother look , the supermom with flying hair (1 . It is a picture of grace , confidence , and power . She also refers to statistics based on the actual time spent by working moms and determined they worked an extra month of twenty-four hour days a year (3 She is intent to illustrate the reality behind the flying hair illusion , as well as document the disparity of the second shift workload . She approaches her research by discussing the role of gender family myths and illusions , as well as what she believes is the cultural cover-up (11-32 . She sets out to explore the reality of the division of labor in the various couples , as well as the individual couple s background and attitudes . She does so without seeming to have an agenda . Her main thesis and focus is the economic or social reason for more women As an idealistic professor of sociology at the University of California over three decades ago Arlie Hochschild s believed she could fulfill all her personal and professional aspirations . However Hochschild s soon discovered reality and the beset laid plans were on a collision course . Much to her chagrin Hochschild s was faced with an unexpected contentious barrier to her desired serenity and achievement The culprit ? Gender . Hochschild s learned that it would take herculean effort to balance family life , her academic career and parenting Hochschild at first thought she has solved he age-old dilemma Swaddled and secure her infant rested in a small box at her Berkeley office so she could nurse and care for the baby during work hours (Kuttner , New York Times 1989 However , one ordinary day when Hochschild s was preoccupied counseling a student she was repeatedly interrupted by the squalling baby Kuttner 1989 ) and her frustration erupted Where , after all , were the children of my male colleagues (Kuttner 1989 This heartfelt query inspired Hochschild to point a probing scholarly finger at the perceived culprit and write a riveting and revealing book To date Hochschild has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues in the field and has been the recipient of prestigious awards such as international and thirty national invited talks , and the recipient of awards from the Fulbright , Alfred . Sloan Ford , and Guggenheim foundations and others rewards for her groundbreaking contributions and scholarly work The Second Shift : Working Parents and the Revolution at Home by Arlie R . Hochschild is the culmination of in-depth , extensive and interactive interviews with 50 diverse working families residing in the San Francisco Bay area of California Hochschild s research assistant and collaborator Anne Machung devoted several years interviewing and probing to determine : who cares for children , who does housework and sacrifices career (Hochschild A study of 50 couples , The Second Shift revealed that in addition to maintaining careers , most women do about 75 percent of the housework and 80 percent of the child care for their families (Hochschild According to Hochschild , women bear the brunt of what she calls `a stalled revolution , one that got wives out of the home and into the first shift of paid employment (Hochschild Hochschild was determined to illustrate in The Second Shift how values have changed as work outside the home has become normal for women of all social classes (Hochschild Throughout the book the author painstakingly examines the interchange betw een work life , family dynamics and personalities . She uncovers an astounding divide existing between family expectations and career demands impacting relationships between parents and children Hochschild s presumptions put forth in The Second Shift were derived from in-the-field analyses and from expansive qualitative materials and emphasizes the work of sociologist Erving Goffman as having the greatest influence on her way of thinking (Hochschild One of the case study families introduced in the book is the Holts Wife and mother , Nancy , a social worker ,her husband Evan , a furnature salesman and their child Joey