FACTORS CAUSING STRESS IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION

Nitikan Dhammahansakul President, Bangkok Thai Center Company LTD. and Dhammahansa Tours & Travel Company LTD. 71/4Borommaratchachonni Road., Bangkok, Thailand. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History Received: 05 February 2020 Final Accepted: 07 March 2020 Published: April 2020


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The brain does not differentiate between the real and imagined stress. Stress may occur from one's imagination, worry and anxiety even though the actual situations may not really occur. A significant amount of stress symptoms can be avoided and aroused by the way one reacts to the stressors. Sometimes, stress is created by what we think, and the way we react to the situation rather than by what has actually happened. Therefore, human beings need to learn how to deal with imagined and real stress because both of them can create mental and physical problems in the same level. In the current situation of the world, human beings are impressed and satisfied with the innovation of new technologies. Some are impressed with the convenience in transportation, and communication. Some are impressed with satisfactory facilities like luxurious houses, car, telephone, computers, and many other electronic devices. It is obvious that technological growth and development can provide human beings with physical facilitations, but is not a main factor that can improve and create inner happiness into human life. Human beings are still cluttered by many mental sufferings caused from greed, anger, revenge, pressure, stress, worry and anxiety. Thus, it can be concluded that technological sophistication is not the main factor that can improve the ability of people to live peaceful and happy lives. In this paper, the research presents personal factors consisting of financial problem, time management, and family problem; organizational factors consisting of task demands and role demand, workload, co-worker relationship; and environmental factors which are the main factors affecting stress in the age of globalization.

Purposes of the study:
To study personal factors, organizational factors, and environmental factors affecting stress in the age of globalization

Research Methodology and Materials:
This is a qualitative study. The researcher studied factors affecting stress from previous researches, articles, books and other related documents.

Findings of the study:
In this section, the researcher presented the results of the study on factors causing stress in the age of globalization, which consist of personal factors, organizational factors and environmental factors respectively.

Personal factors: Financial problem:
Financial problem is the major cause of stress. Magazines, newspaper and other media were found to suggest ways to save money while shopping. A simple lifestyle might require that you should purchase only the necessary things. If you can control your expenditure, you may be able to balance it with your income. For example, when you consider buying a new item, think about what you already have. You do not need to have every new appliance on the market whereas what you already have could serve the same purpose (Turner 2010) Financial stress is a condition that occurs whenever income is less than expenditure. If one is a victim of financial stress, the only solution is to balance the income and expense. In order to maintain this balance, Turner (2010) suggested that one can take two forms: (a) either to increase income or (b) to decrease expenditure. Turner also mentioned that one does have a choice, but only in the long run if one is deeply in debt. Debts that one owes must be paid out of present and future income. In order to reduce debts and make a balance between income and expenditure, one should do everything possible to increase income, such as getting another job, pushing another family member to work, working longer hours or working over-time and part-time or getting returns on investments.
Most studies agree that finances are a leading cause of stress. Major purchases they have to make, such as a home or car, are their first concerns. Others are stressful by loss of income, or mounting credit card debt. Some are worried that an income they earn is less than their expense. For some, financial stress will result in bankruptcy (Peterson, 2003).

Time Management:
As we live in the age of competition, everything is in rush. We need to accomplish the tasks within a limited time; effective time management plays a key role in completing any duties. Onuka, Onyene, and Junaid (2008) defined time management as the process whereby people spend their time to perform any activity. It is obvious that if time management is ineffective, the possibility of reaching one's goals is remote, and the rate of poor performance by those who did not manage their time effectively would be very high. Everybody is equally endowed in terms of 18 time. Everyone has 24 hours to use, which can neither be reduced nor added to. Though time management is very precious and very scarce resource, it is a resource that every human has equal access to, but may be used either it effectively or ineffectively. Ogunsanya and Agu (1990) defined time management as the way managers typically spend their working days through proper apportionment of their time. Drucker (1967) described that effective time managers are not just content with starting tasks, but also with their time. In essence, they first find where their time goes, and then plan the use of their time.
An ineffective time management is a cause of failure in doing any business, it can cause stress to workers if they cannot complete the assigned jobs before the deadline. Thus, time management is an indicator for success and having the job done. Mokuolu (2007) described that in addition to skill and ability, time management is an important determinant of achievement in any human endeavor. White (1998) stated that one should first identify his vision and clarify the vision before proceeding to do any other thing including prioritizing a lesson plan. In order to achieve the objectives, one must do one thing at a time. Organize one's plan by putting or pooling together all necessary events or materials in an appropriate order.

Family problem:
Family is a leading cause of stress. Family stress will happen when there is an argument or conflict among family member, when parents divorce or when being separated from their loved one. Family health is also a major cause of stress, for example, a sick family member, a serious injury, pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion.
Personal concerns that are indirectly created by others are another leading cause of stress. Every human has a deepseated desire for control over his or her own life. Some experience stress when their control is weak or missing in a given area. To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. For some, doing task around the home, or at work, holding a job, participating in the children's carpool to school, shopping and scout meetings while trying to keep household running can create major stress. Most people would like to control their time, rather than let others' demands control it, but that is not always possible (Lasky, 1995).
Whether it is a relationship, dating, separation, marriage, divorce, or re-marriage, a relationship can be a leading cause of stress for many people. We all want love, and that is potentially available in relationship. When relationship is broken, stress is unavoidable. Additionally, the death of a loved one or close friend is the most wrenching cause of stress. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on. The death of people or animals that are close to people such as a death of a pet can also be stressful (Rutner, 2003).
Alexandros-Stamatios, Matilyn and Cary (2003) described that family and work are inter-related to the extent that experiences in one area affect the quality of life in the other. Stress at work might affect home life; home problems are brought to work and work has negative effects on home life. Lasky (1995) found that demands associated with family and finances are a major source of extra-organizational stress that can cause workplace stress.

Organizational factors: Task Demands and Role Demands:
There are many factors within an organization that can cause stress. Pressure to avoid errors or complete tasks in a limited timework, work overload, a demanding and insensitive boss, and unpleasant coworkers are few examples. Some other factors which can cause stress in organization are task demands and role demands. Taste demands are factors related to a person's job. They include the design of the individual's job (autonomy, task variety, degree of automation), working conditions, and the physical work layout. Assembly lines, for instance, can put pressure on people when line's speed is perceived as excessive. Similarly, working in an overcrowded room or in a visible location where noise and interruptions are constant can increase anxiety and stress. Role demands relate to pressures placed on a person as a function of the particular role he or she plays in organization. Role conflicts create expectations that may be hard to reconcile or satisfy. Role overload is experienced when the employee is expected to do more than time permits. Role ambiguity is created when role expectations are not clearly understood and the employee is not sure what he or she has to do. Cordes and Dougherty (1993) described that role ambiguity is one of the potential factors causing job stress in the workplace. Role ambiguity exists when an individual in organization 19 lacks information about the requirements of his or her role, how those role requirements are to be met, and the evaluative processes available to ensure that the role is being performed successfully.
Several studies revealed that work overloads and time constraints are the factors causing stress. Work stress can be defined as reluctance to come to work and a feeling of constant pressure accompanied by the general physiological, psychological, and behavioral stress symptoms. Al-Aameri (2003) described in his study that one of the six factors of occupational stress is pressure originating from workload. Al-Aameri also found that low levels of job satisfaction are associated with high levels of work stress, and work stress leads to job dissatisfaction. Job stress is an indicator of job dissatisfaction and inclination to leave the organization.

Work Load:
Work-related stress is a current and future issue for health and safety. It can be dealt with in the same logical and systematic way as other issues related to health and safety. The stress management at work must be based on the adaptation and application of a control cycle approach such as that made explicit in contemporary models of risk management. While stress at work remains a major challenge to occupational health, the ability to understand and manage that stress is increasing and improving. Therefore, the future looks bright (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2008 cited in Channuwong, 2014).
Work is a leading cause of stress closely tied to finance. In the LifeCare poll, 21 % of those responding reported that their jobs and careers are causes of constant stress. Some are worried about getting and keeping adequate employment. Some are worried about new type of work, new responsibilities, or changes in work conditions. Some may have interpersonal trouble at work. Students, especially teenagers and college age students cite work assignments and reports as a cause of stress (Robbins & Judge, 2007). People have different perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors based on the ways they are educated and raised; working with people requires appropriate relationship and interaction. If people cannot adjust themselves and cannot accept different attitudes and behaviors when working together, problems will occur and lead to conflict. Makin, Cooper and Cox (1996) found that having to work with other people is one of the most stressful aspects in the organization. This is also true of working relationship, which workers are required to have significant interaction with other people, whether colleagues, bosses or subordinates. These relationships can be a major source of stress.

Co-worker relationship:
In the workplace people need to have a strong relationship build through trust and honesty. Lacking of trust and honesty may result in poor relationship and then leads to lack of support and participation. Arnold, Cooper and Robertson (1998) found that poor relationships would lead to stressful problems. Employees who have poor relationships with co-workers cannot work to reach an organizational goal because there will be a lack of support and participation from their colleagues. Poor relationship is resulted from a lack of trust, a lack of support, and low interest in listening and attempting to tackle workplace problems Quick (1999) identified five specific interpersonal stressors arising from the demands of social system relationships at work: Status incongruence, social density, abrasive personalities, leadership style, and pressure. Associated with the above variables is workplace bullying and victims. Moreover, Mayhew and Chappell (2003) found that bullying and violence in the workplace have both personal and organizational costs. Specifically, they draw on supporting evidence, which asserts that around 40% of victims do not turn to anyone for support at all, but as bullying is still to continue, victims may reduce their organizational commitment, and then leave the organization.

Environmental Factors:
Environmental factors can be stated, for example, economic uncertainties, political uncertainties, and technological change. These factors affect the income and well-being of employees. During the economic downturn, some people were laid off and they face many difficulties seeking for a new job. Political uncertainties directly affect the business investment and country's credibility. Technological change is another factor creating stress to employees. Instead of hiring employees, current companies prefer to use sophisticated technology, which can help them save cost and increase more productivity. Organizational factors can be identified as task demand and role demand. Personal factors can be summarized as family problem, economic problem, and individual personality.
An environmental uncertainty influences the design of an organization's structure; it also influences stress levels among employees in that organization. Changes in the business circle create economic uncertainties. When the 20 economy is contracting, for example, people become increasingly anxious about their job security. Political uncertainties do not tend to create stress among people who live in the countries that have political conflict due to different political standpoint. Technological change is another type of environmental factor that can cause tress. This is because technological innovation can make an employee's skill and experience obsolete in every short time. Computers, robotics, automation, and similar forms of technological innovation are a threat to many people and cause them stress. In addition, terrorism is an increasing source of environmental-induced stress in the twenty-first century (Robbins and Judge, 2007).

Conclusion and Discussion:-
Financial stress is a condition that occurs whenever income is less than expenditure. If one is a victim of financial stress, the only solution is to balance the income and expense. In order to maintain this balance, one can take two forms: (a) either to increase income or (b) to decrease expenditure. Turner also mentioned that one does have a choice, but only in the long run if one is deeply in debt. Debts that one owes must be paid out of present and future income. In order to reduce debts and make a balance between income and expenditure, one should do everything possible to increase income, such as getting another job, pushing another family member to work, working longer hours or working over-time and part-time or getting returns on investments.
Work overloads and time constraints were significant contributors to work stress among employees. Work stress can be defined as reluctance to come to work and a feeling of constant pressure accompanied by the general physiological, psychological, and behavioral stress symptoms. Some are worried about getting and keeping adequate employment. Some are worried about new type of work, new responsibilities, or changes in work conditions. Some may have interpersonal trouble at work.
People have different perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors based on the ways they are educated and raised; working with people requires appropriate relationship and interaction. If people cannot adjust themselves and cannot accept different attitudes and behaviors when working together, problems will occur and lead to conflict. In the workplace people need to have a strong relationship build through trust and honesty. Lacking of trust and honesty may result in poor relationship and then leads to lack of support and participation. Poor relationships would lead to stressful problems. Employees who have poor relationships with co-workers cannot work to reach an organizational goal because there will be a lack of support and participation from their colleagues. Poor relationship is resulted from a lack of trust, a lack of support, and low interest in listening and attempting to tackle workplace problems An ineffective time management is a cause of failure in doing any business, it can cause stress to workers if they cannot complete the assigned jobs before the deadline. Thus, time management is an indicator for success and having the job done. In addition to skill and ability, time management is an important determinant of achievement in any human endeavor. White (1998) stated that one should first identify his vision and clarify the vision before proceeding to do any other thing including prioritizing a lesson plan. In order to achieve the objectives, one must do one thing at a time. Organize one's plan by putting or pooling together all necessary events or materials in an appropriate order.
Family is a leading cause of stress. Family stress will happen when there is an argument or conflict among family member, when parents divorce or when being separated from their loved one. Family health is also a major cause of stress, for example, a sick family member, a serious injury, pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion. As family and work are interrelated, these events may cause stress in the workplace.
In the current situation of the world, human beings are impressed and satisfied with the innovation of new technologies. Some are impressed with the convenience in transportation, and communication. Some are impressed with satisfactory facilities like luxurious houses, car, telephone, computers, and many other electronic devices. It is obvious that technological growth and development can provide human beings with physical facilitations, but is not a main factor that can improve and create inner happiness into human life. Human beings are full of many mental sufferings caused from greed, anger, revenge, pressure, stress, worry and anxiety. Thus, it can be concluded that technological sophistication is not the main factor that can improve the ability of people to live satisfying, selfsufficient, healthy, peaceful, and happy lives. People still need to seek for more happiness and peace of their inner world. Therefore, it is necessary for people to understand factors causing stress so that they can prevent from stress and work effectively for the prosperity and stabilization of organizations.