Correlates of Professional Obsolescence among Researchers

Ajay Kumar Singh; Rajender Kumar

doi:10.14429/dsj.69.15043

Ajay Kumar Singh DRDO-Director General Life Sciences, Defence Research & Development Organisation, Delhi - 110 011
Rajender Kumar Department of Business Administration and Coordinator, Intellectual Property Rights Cell IPRC, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra -136 119

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.69.15043

Keywords: Obsolescence, Work engagement, Work motivation, Organisational climate

Abstract

Obsolescence setting in the employees of the organisations significantly hampers the organisational productivity. An empirical investigation of the associated factors and the efforts to minimise them help in designing strategies to deal with obsolescence and maintain optimum effectiveness of the organisation. As an attempt in this direction, the present study aimed at exploring the role of literature-suggested correlates of obsolescence in case of researchers in an Indian government organisation. The sample included 200 participants (146 males and 54 females) working as researchers in government scientific institutions with service experience ranging from two to 30 years. The participants were administered with standardised measures of obsolescence, work engagement, work motivation, resistance to change, organisational climate, human resource management (HRM) Policies and Practices, and Self Esteem. The obtained data were analysed with correlation and regression analyses. The findings revealed that in the target population obsolescence due to both organisational and individual level factors was found significantly and positively correlated with amotivation and resistance to change; whereas, negatively correlated with work engagement, organisational climate, HRM policies and practices, intrinsic motivation, and self-esteem. Regression analyses indicated that adequate recognition of efforts, better training and development, qualitative work availability (pressure), and enhanced concern to optimally maintain the intrinsic motivation and dedication of employees are significant factors for keeping check on obsolescence. The findings are explained and discussed in details.

Author Biographies

Ajay Kumar Singh, DRDO-Director General Life Sciences, Defence Research & Development Organisation, Delhi - 110 011

Dr Ajay Kumar Singh, did his MSc (Hons.) in Biophysics from Panjab University, Chandigarh and obtained his doctorate from Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) University, Delhi on Infection Imaging. Presently holding the charge of Director General Life Sciences, DRDO Headquarters, Delhi. He has made significant contributions in Infection Imaging and Internal Decorporation of Fission Produced Radionuclides. He has developed a “Diagnobact” kit, for detection of infectious lesion. He has introduced and nurtured pharmacosyntigraphy, i.e. application of nuclear medicine imaging in drug research. He has 18 patents and 57 publications in various national and international journals to his credit. He has supervised many PhD Scholars of India.

Rajender Kumar, Department of Business Administration and Coordinator, Intellectual Property Rights Cell IPRC, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra -136 119

Dr Rajender Kumar completed his PhD in 1984 from IIT, Roorkee. Presently he is working as a Professor, Department of Business Administration and Dean (Students’ Welfare), National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, India. He has served as a Professor and Head, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences for a period of 11 years and Head Department of Business Administration more than 3 years in the same Institute. He has published 45 Research Papers in National/ International journals. He has also presented and published more than 85 research papers in National/ International conferences. He has completed 2 research projects on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) sponsored by MHRD.