Browsing by Author "Yazachew, Meseret"

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    Assessment of HIV//Aids risk Behavior Difference Between out of School Anti--Aids Club Members and Non--Club Member Youths,, Jimma and Agaro towns,, South West Ethiopia
    (Addis Abeba Universty, 2003-04) Yazachew, Meseret; Ali, Ahmed (PhD)
    Sexual risk behaviors remained one of the most important tools for assessing the trend of HIV/AIDS epidemic in SSA regions. Further more, they are the major indicators utilized in several evaluative studies for the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS intervention programs, essentially targeting young people. The present study had an objective of assessing the difference in the sexual risk behaviors for HIV infection between out of school anti-AIDS club members and non-member youths in Jimma and Agaro Towns from January to February 2003. Quasi-experimental design in which proportions of major risk behaviors for HIV infection among randomly selected sample of anti-AIDS club member youths of Jimma town compared with a similar sample of non-club member youths in Agaro Town was employed. A pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. FGDs were also conducted in the two groups to complement the quantitative findings. The study participants were categorized into four homogenous strata based on their sex and age. Among the study participants, about one third of the club members and a quarter of non-club members admitted to have practiced sexual activity with the mean age at sexual debut of 16.8(61.9) and 16.8(62.1), respectively. Of the sexually active respondents, 30.3% of club members and 16.4% of the non-club members reported to have had two or more non-commercial sexual partners in the last one year, while only 46% and 39.3%, respectively used condom consistently. The differences were not statistically significant in both cases. Club members were found to have better scope of knowledge and attitude and more proportions perceive them themselves to be at risk of VIII HIV infection compared to the non-club members. Both quantitative and qualitative design identified the presence of major misconceptions pertaining to HIV transmission and the role of condom among the non-club member comparison groups. Adolescents and in-school youth were more likely to limit self to a single partner than the older groups. On the other hand alcohol and khat consumption were shown to have a potentiating effect for risky sexual practice. From this study it was concluded that youths organized under anti-AIDS clubs in Jimma town had a better off knowledge, attitude and perception pertaining to HIV/AIDS, while risk practice remained uniform with that of un-intervened group. Thus, more intensified, and comprehensive approach with adequate policy and social support from relevant sectors is highly recommended.
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    Performance Appraisal in Commercial Banks A Case Study on Dashen Bank S.C.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2007-07) Yazachew, Meseret; Murthy, G.K. (Prof)
    Performance appraisal, though an important function of human resource/personnel management, has not received the degree of concern it deserves. This function, if properly exercised by organizations, can serve a number of purposes, mainly administrative and developmental in nature. However, despite these intended goals, performance appraisal seems not to be effective in most cases mainly due to the subjective nature of criteria (standard) of performance, lack of rater understanding of or inadequate training on performance appraisal, which consequently led to the less importance and emphasis attached to it. For an appraisal system to meet its desired goals, questions such as: ‘What purposes should it serve?’ ‘Who should be in charge of evaluating performance?’ ‘What aspect of performance shall be appraised?’ ‘What method(s) should be adopted?’ ‘How often should appraisal conducted?’ ‘What does employee participation in and their perception towards the system look like?’ ‘What potential problems are encountered in the process and how can they be overcome?’ and ‘What is the importance of giving feedback and handling post assessment performance discussions with employees?’ need to be addressed properly. This study has tried to address each of the above and other related issues by taking Dashen Bank S.C. as a case study organization. Accordingly, samples from the Bank’s staff members (both supervisors or managers and non-supervisors) were selected and administered questionnaires and some interviewed with the objective of assessing the effectiveness of the appraisal system. The results are presented in this paper. While the practice by Dashen Bank S.C. has been that immediate supervisors are the people in charge of appraising employees, response from the sample respondents has indicated that others such as peers, subordinates, customers, or any combination of these should be allowed to participate if the process is expected to be more effective. It is identified that the appraisal format addresses different aspects of employee performance with traits being the dominant ones. It is also found out that the Bank adopts the rating scales method of appraisal. Although the existing practice of appraising employees twice a year has got the highest support among the sample respondents, some have suggested a more frequent time period for increased effectiveness. Employee participation in the appraisal process is set at a low level. Most of the non-supervisory respondents perceived performance appraisal as a punishment tool contributing little to motivation while their supervisory counterparts perceived it as an administrative and developmental tool. Owing to subjectivity (non-jobrelatedness) of most of the performance criteria in use, problems related to measurement, rater bias, and lack of appropriate rater training are seen to characterize the Bank’s appraisal system. Problems are always prevalent and what one should be concerned about is on how to overcome them. Irrespective of how they are handled, the appraisal system of the Bank is found to encourage giving performance feedback and handling post assessment interviews with employees.
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    Performance Appraisal in Commercial Banks: A Case Study of Dashen Bank S.C.
    (A.A.U, 2007-07) Yazachew, Meseret; Murthy, G.K.(pro.)
    Performance appraisal, though an important function of human resource/personnel management, has not received the degree of concern it deserves. This function, if properly exercised by organizations, can serve a number of purposes, mainly administrative and developmental in nature. However, despite these intended goals, performance appraisal seems not to be effective in most cases mainly due to the subjective nature of criteria (standard) of performance, lack of rater understanding of or inadequate training on performance appraisal, which consequently led to the less importance and emphasis attached to it. For an appraisal system to meet its desired goals, questions such as: 'What purposes should it serve?' 'Who should be in charge of evaluating performance?' 'What aspect of performance shall be appraised?' 'What method(s) should be adopted?' 'How often should appraisal conducted?' 'What does employee participation in and their perception towards the system look like?' 'What potential problems are encountered in the process and how can they be overcome?' and 'What is the importance of giving feedback and handling post assessment performance discussions with employees?' need to be addressed properly. This study has tried to address each of the above and other related issues by taking Dashen Bank S. C. as a case study organization. Accordingly, samples from the Bank's staff members (both supervisors or managers and non-supervisors) were selected and administered questionnaires and some interviewed with the objective of assessing the effectiveness of the appraisal system. The results are presented in this paper. While the practice by Dashen Balik S. C. has been that immediate supervisors are the people in charge of appraisillg employees, response from the sample respondents has indicated that others such as peers, subordillates, customers, or any combinatioll of these should be allowed to participate if the process is expected to be more effective. It is idelltified that the appraisal format addresses differellt aspects of employee performance with traits being the dominant olles. It is also found out that the Bank adopts the rating scales method of appraisal. Although the existing practice of appraising employees twice a year has got the highest support among the sample respondents, some have suggested a more frequent time period for increased effectiveness. Employee participation in the appraisal process is set at a low level. Most of the non-supervisory respondents perceived performance appraisal as a punishment tool cOlltributing little to motivation while their supervisory counterparts perceived it as an administrative and developmental tool. Owing to subjectivity (non-job-relatedness) of most of the performance criteria in use, problems related to measurement, rater bias, and lack of appropriate rater training are seen to characterize the Bank's appraisal system. Problems are always prevalent and what one should be concerned about is on how to overcome them. Irrespective of how they are handled, the appraisal system of the Bank is found to encourage giving performance feedback alld handling post assessmellt interviews with employees.