Business Communication Portfolio Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Communication Portfolio - Assignment Example Although the idea of entertainment at Disney Land is typically attractive for children but it is presented in such a way that people from all over the world enjoy visiting it (Jackson, 2011, p.139). In Hong Kong, it has been built with incorporation of International Theme Parks Ltd, The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong Government (Hong Kong Disneyland, 2013). The organization is continuously increasing its attractive places while improving the overall entertainment experience. Huge business portfolio often generates great difficulties for Disneyland which subsequently affects customer satisfaction and long term relations with other businesses. For instance, on weekends or public holidays the parks become over crowded which causes immense difficulties for the visitors. This paper aims to present two business-business letters related to Hong Kong Disneyland. Skyline Event Management Company 26th Street, across Southern Avenue Hong Kong October 12, 2013 Mr. Robert James The Operati ons Manager Disneyland Resorts Hong Kong Subject: Complaint for poor resort services. Dear Sir, On October 10, 2013, the students of Foundation School grade 4 to 6 visited the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort along with the teachers and other staff members. It was a school trip primarily arranged to enhance the artistic sense of students while enabling them to understand different stories. Moreover, to help them visualize the classical characters they have been reading about since early childhood. Our aim was to entertain children through best possible means. However, the students did not find Disneyland as appealing as it has been marketed (Haberer, 2010, p.4). Most of the staff members complained about the misbehavior of employees especially those who have been on duties in the Toy Story Land. Hence I wish to complain about the poor services that the school has received from the renowned Walt Disney Company. The visit was arranged by Skyline Event Management Company. After visiting the theme parks, students were required to write a comprehensive review of the entire trip. This was done in order to gain inside knowledge about their perception and ideas related to different cartoon characters. Additionally, they were needed to compose stories with the help of their favorite cartoons. They were also asked by the event managers to fill the feedback forms regarding the entire trip. The feedback forms which we received were significant enough to let us know about the poor services of your staff members. Students were highly de-motivated and even some of the parents complained to the school management regarding the trip. Parents were too much concerned about their children’s safety. Most of them believed that the amusement parks and rides at Disneyland were not safe for young children. Here, I would like to add another important thing that since Disneyland is marketed primarily to the children then why the management has installed such equipment which is prominen tly dangerous for young ones? Moreover, the older people visiting Disney Land behave very rudely with the young children while on the other hand, the managing staff usually do not respond to the customer complains. Even today I had to wait for around two hours to meet you and in the end I was told that you are busy in some meeting and would not be available until next week. All these things have greatly disappointed us and hence I request you to train you staff members while ensuring that older

Managing Information Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Managing Information Technology - Essay Example The decomposition process of a system comprises of sub systems that are most likely to form more sub systems. The process of breaking down system in to sub systems simplifies the complexity and thorough understanding of the processes. Moreover, subsystems are also trouble-free to generate, edit or alter. The hierarchical sub system is a procedure to split a system in to succeeding level of sub systems. Five goals are essential for hierarchical decomposition (Brown, DeHayes, Hoffer, Martin, & Perkins, 2009). The goals are (Brown, DeHayes, Hoffer, Martin, & Perkins, 2009): The complexity of the system must be understood at an in depth level. Examine or evaluate only the specific area or part of the system Each sub systems that are interrelated to a system or sub system must be designed and constructed at various times. The focus must be to express the attention of viewers All the components that are related to the system must be independent to operate. References Brown, C.V., DeHayes, D.W, Hoffer, J.A., Martin, W.E., Perkins, W.C. (2009). Managing information technology (6th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Training And Development In Oil Companies Management Essay

Training And Development In Oil Companies Management Essay The results obtained from the surveyed oil and gas companies provide a rich source of qualitative data and insights into the companies perspectives on training and development. This chapter contains recommendations of the TD systems components, determinants and successful training development approaches as they may apply to firms () in the Yemen oil industry. This chapter also presents the conclusions review and concludes with suggested recommendations for future research. Conclusion Implication: In conclusion, it appears that oil gas companies, as represented by Yemen, are found to be committed to training developing their workforces. They are more or less implementing the training development process along with modern TD theory and practice. They have sufficient budgets allocated for their training development activates and many are in the process of reassessing and systematically improving their approaches to advanced and long term skill and competency development. The great majority of companies recognizes that the skill levels of their employees are fundamental to the success of the business, and that they need to invest and develop these skills in the same way that they maintained improve their infrastructure. While most companies are aware of the training development functions and processes, they arent much familiar with many of the specific components details and structure of what constitutes a training development system. Although the companies aim to have a well-trained staff and are, in general terms, aware of the functions and process stages of training development, they dont attach great importance to systematic training and development structures and they arent aware of the specific components of the TD system framework. For example, the organizational determinants that impact training development activities, such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are never considered. Although most of the TD process stages are followed two phases of the TD process are highly deficient, namely, the training needs assessment and program evaluation phases. Ad hoc needs assessments and evaluation practices may have served in the past but the new economic and social realities of Yemen, make these practices vulnerable. The researcher believes that this is partially due to the fact that the training focus has more or less linearly followed the short term planning of the the day-to-day needs and operations of the businesses, and that it served the direct needs only to ensure that the Oil Gas companies would remain sustainable in the Oil Gas industry. In fact, the training has so far been mainly reactive, where existing employees were trained as identified specific needs arise. Not having clear TD objectives, nor defining or stating specifically the required outcomes has caused some frustrations among the Human Resources or Training Specialists in the oil companies. In some cases their objectives were to only demonstrate to the Ministry of Oil that they are spending significant amounts of money in training and developing their Yemeni workforce. In spite of this, most companies claim that the currently applied TD systems are satisfactory. I believe this satisfaction is mainly due to the sufficient amounts of TD budgets they are currently spending and to the fact that they have an expatriate workforce ready to intervene whenever a Yemeni employee isnt performing as per required standards. So, the effectiveness of their TD activities isnt really a major problem till so far. Companies often consider training as a stand alone process with no ties or links to the major features of their business strategy nor to other parts of the total training development system, such as the surrounding environment of its different components, methods selection procedures (?), or the various burdens affecting employee training. Linking employee Training Development activities with other activities (e.g. career pathing, performance appraisal and reward systems and management by objectives) would put training in a perspective and give the trainee an incentive to learn and apply learned norms. While there is evidence that a considerable amount of existing employee Training Development is undertaken by the Oil Gas companies and their commitment to the continuous training development of their staff at all levels of the workplace (Sentence is not clear). The companies approach to the continuous training development of their existing workforce is unsystematic and dependent on the initiation and enthusiasm of employees and on the government requirements. Training opportunities, both formal and less formal, are open to all staff, but the company does not put pressure on employees to engage in training and development. When companies dont have TD qualified specialists as found by at least two companies, they (= higher management?) rely on the personality, and existing skills and knowledge of its workforce to address these issues. Due to the absence of awareness for restructuring their TD activities in a systematic manner, it is expected that long term development and career plans may not be possible in the Oil Gas companies.. Short-term plans (1-3 years), however that focus on the next promotion may be possible (Muna, 1987). This research has led the researcher to conclude that the Yemen Oil Gas sector is not fully aware of the importance of having a systematic training development system. However, external (Yeminization) and internal (call for promotions) pressure forces the companies to reassess the present practice and to introduce TD systems to link the modern and complex Oil Gas infrastructure with a highly qualified workforce. The potential is there. Recommendations The findings of this study shed light on the training development structures and practices in the oil gas industry in Yemen; and the issues raised in this research may be of value to practitioners in other industries and multinational companies operating in Yemen. On the basis of the result findings and conclusions of this research the following recommendations are made. General company recommendations The findings regarding the considerable amount of existing employee Training Development suggest a growing commitment to employee training in the Yemen oil industry. However, the deficient in not considering the organizational factors that impact the effectiveness of the TD activities needs to be reconsidered. Similarly, TD needs assessment and evaluation systems need to be remedied. It is important that a link is made between the application of systematic TD approaches with proper selection criteria and the required TD outcomes including effective Yemenization. Only through effectively and continuously developing and training their employees are the companies in the Oil industry able to acquire the core competencies needed to sustain their operations and to be flexible or ready to cope with changes. Training Development that is built around action rather than theory and characterized by encouraging a work habit of reflection and learning and self-development is what companies in the Oil Gas industry in Yemen in particular and in all industries in general should be looking at. It is suggested that systematic thinking should guide the planning, analysis, implementation and follow-up of employee development efforts in these companies. Perhaps the clearest messages from this study is with serious effort on their part these companies may be able to define the TD (input output) determinants that have most impacts on the outputs they value most. The cooperation between HR or training departments and all units in the company will enhance the training efficiency in planning and developing employee TD programs. HR, training and all units in the respective companies can work together to find out more about why each one approaches rules the way they do, and work out some compromises. People in various departments should understand what is really required and HR and training should also translate needs in training programmes and figure out how legitimate exceptions can be made to make things work for companys business. The research findings suggest that department managers who are not aligned with HR and training often fail to communicate or implement critical policies that help improve employee engagement. Without cooperation between HR and the various units in the company, both spend too much energy putting out fires, like recruiting new people because the good people leave the company. When HR and other departments leaders work together effectively, the results often include: Clear business roles that ensure the right people are doing the right jobs Performance management processes that relate the core competencies of each departments roles and enable ongoing development of employees Incentive plans that pay for performance and align with business strategy. Previous research (Schimel, 1979) has emphasized the importance of dual roles to be played simultaneously by management of companies and the government, namely, passivity and support. The acquiescence of Yemeni nevertheless at the managerial level and their willingness to permit experimentation and failure is a good approach for the success of Yemeni development (Comment: What do you want to say here? Is the management lenient to the support of the Government?). Moreover, the findings suggest increasing the role of the top management and government involvement in setting the training development strategies, objectives, proper budget allocation of what is spent on training which is short-term and more spending on development which ensures continuity of operations once the international oil companies leave Yemen. Company specific recommendations To enhance training and development effectiveness, it is suggested that the following feature be incorporated in the five Oil Gas companies Training Development functions: Supported by key strategies, objectives, systems, structures, policies, and practices: to ensure a true return on companies TD investments, it is suggested that Training Development in the five companies are aligned with and directly supported by key areas such as organizational structures, lines of authority, decision making, values, planning, budgeting, career development, performance management, rewards and recognition, staffing, recruiting, and succession planning. Specifically, the TD strategies in all five companies should be aimed at knowledge retention and transfer to the workplace, enabling employees to be more effective and to acquire more skills. In addition, there should be explicit alignment between programs, learning objectives, and business objectives. These direct links will help to both set boundaries and reinforce desired results. Best companies now realize that many Training and Development initiatives take years to fully achieve their goals. Consequently, the las t suggestion in this point would be that companies identify these timeframes up front, where possible, and the TD programs evaluated at those points. Companies must seek mutual benefit that is reflected, on the one hand through the employee in the development of his career and achieving personal goals, and , on the other hand, through the leader of these companies in achieving the set of business goals and a more effective management of his subordinate employees. In this way, appropriate staff will be trained and able to contribute to the success of the company. Driven through many Methods and Approaches: companies are encouraged to further investigate and utilize multiple modalities such as the classroom, workplace, blended learning, eLearning, technology support tools, however in a systematic manner to ensure that people get the right skills at the right time, in the right way, and at the right cost to succeed. Modalities are suggested to be selected to match specific learning styles, business issues, budgets, and required training development outputs. Employees are usually keen to participate in programs that add to their current and future work effectiveness and that will contribute to their companys success. Therefore, Training Development programs should be relevant to both the company and to the employees work requirements. All selected Oil Gas companies, and in particular (Companies 3 and 4), are encouraged to train their employees through real tasks and/or assignments in their international branches rather than teaching theory, so that after training employees are able to apply what they have learned in their own work. Also training in projects type of work, is suggested, however, because of the value placed on job rotation discussed in the literature review, the Yemeni government should encourage Oil and Gas companies to establish permanent training slots in major departments, ensuring ongoing exposure of Yemeni employees to new tasks and responsibilities, nevertheless at the management level.(Comment: reword sentence) Yemeni employees identified for management positions may be given the opportunity to test his or her skills in a number of different roles (positions?) such as in finance, operations, and exploration, before settling on a full-time management role within the company. Additionally, companies should encourage their employees to identify their own needs, create individual learning plans, and to seek learning opportunities. Relevant software packages that facilitate such employee interaction was only found in company 2 and therefore the other four companies are strongly recommended to use similar TD information systems. (Comments: but should also be given the opportunity to follow the programs as was mentioned in chapter 4) Participative approach in the application of their TD Processes: Training Development is best when conducted by line managers supported by the TD specialists experience and employee feedback. Line managers set performance objectives, and also perform evaluations. Even where the training is designed and delivered by (= for?) a specific function or department, TD programs should respond not only to organizational needs, but also to individual needs as identified through appraisals, counseling meetings, assessments, and career development plans. One of the most important elements of best practice training and development is that it should be easily transferred back to the workplace. The five Companies can achieve this through the timing of the training, the quality of the content, and the quality and appropriateness of the delivery method. Another crucial element to this transferability is the role of line managers (effective management of subordinate employees) in the maintenance of t he new skill or knowledge once training has been completed. All companies should remember that skills and knowledge that are not used constantly will quickly atrophy (= disappear? forgotten?). Consequently, to bring about lasting change in behaviors and habits, all Companies are encouraged to have a continuous learning process. To achieve this, the Companies should ensure that learning occurs before, during, and after scheduled TD events. The process of doing, reflecting, learning, and doing again should never cease. Another way to achieve this transferability is in the 2nd TD process phase, when designing the training materials. Companies could consider the Performance-Based Training Design method which teaches employees job performance that enables them to go back to work and do the job, not just know how to do the job. TD Input, Process and Output elements: It is no longer feasible to address the complex needs and requirements of Training and Development activities in the contemporary organization in a less than comprehensive approach. Today, the five selected Companies are operating in a surrounding organizational environment where several Input, Process Output indicators impact the quality of the organizational Training and Development function. It is suggested (= recommended?) that all of the five companies TD systems are structured based on the TD basic systems framework as used in this research; such that: TD Input consisting of: Clear TD objectives and strategies Participative environment Sufficient budget and resources Strong support from companies management: Management support is empirical to the success of training programs for resources and support, including time, money and motivation. When the companys top management does not take responsibility for TD policy rather imposed by the HR or training department, can lead to potentially spread the gap between training development and organizational requirements. Clear support from government, through establishing laws and regulations that monitor and sets minimum TD activities that are required to be implemented. TD Process: To ensure a successful Training and Development system, Oil Gas companies need to effectively go through the entire Training and Development process, such that there is: Assessment: assessing the needs for training and the area of improvement, setting training objectives, and determining the budget. In addition, keep track of available inventory of skills and competencies that will assist in proper planning of gaps. Involvement: participation of individual, departments, HR and top management should be involved in designing or selection of the training programs, including the training topics, training methods, place, and the trainers. Personalized: using real world issues and ease studies Interactive: employee training programs will involve open dialogue, role-playing and small-group sessions to increase team building and excitement. Evaluation and Control: the shallow reactive mode governing the program evaluation process should be replaced by a comprehensive evaluation system which focuses on the results of training and transference of knowledge to the workplace. This recommendation is consistent with the suggestions of Kirkpatrick (Kirkpatrick, 1979) who stated that the best evaluation system focused on the effects of the application of information and learned concepts on the organization. Establish follow up procedure that properly measures the TD effectiveness, Employee change and satisfaction, etc. TD Output: Have clear training and development outcomes that include: It isnt enough to evaluate what employees have learned rather what learning have they applied on the job: Standard measurement of productivity and profitability: Yemenization: is an important aspect that requires proper planning, measurement and regular monitoring. Correlation between training development determinants: The literature (Al-Khayyat, et al., 1997) shows that for each output indicator there is a unique set of input and process indicators that have significant effects over it. For example, the adequacy of resources allocated for Training and Development have significant effect on all output indicators such as (application of learning, performance improvement, productivity profitability). Similarly, clearly stated long-term policies of HRD have a significant effect on productivity and profitability. The logical inference of this is that companies should clearly identify and focus on the set of (input and process) indicators that are related to the output they value most, or the desired output in a given time. The view of output-related indicators is much differentiated; each has a somewhat unique path to achieve. Finally, Both the literature review for this research and the data analyzed from the surveyed companies informed ( = contributed to?) the development of a comprehensive TD Determinants model that includes: all relevant TD determinant indicators as well as the full TD process cycle. This improved model is depicted in the following figure that gives an overall picture or model that is suggested to be followed: Comprehensiveness of HRD Perspectives Resources Allocation Strategic Planning Long-term HRD Policies, HRD Objectives Senior Management Gov. Support and Involvement invlovement Employee and Customer Satisfaction Learning Application Yemenization. Productivity Profitability Productivity Work output Input Process Output Needs Assessment Implementation Method Selection Evaluation Control TD Process Change TD Environment TD Model Oil Gas Companies One of the particularly admirable features of the industry is the way that, once a person is accepted into the these surveyed companies industry, the educational sector from which the person emerged fades into insignificance as companies take care of developing their own people. Several directions for further research There are several directions for future research to consider, these include: The degree of agreement between the various oil companies needs to be investigated further. The future studies analysis should be at the organizational level (analysing the data for each organization separately) instead of doing it at the aggregate level (all subjects working in different companies together, as was done in this study). The issue of the differences between effective and less effective companies should be explored further. The analysis should be at the organizational level, that is, identify specific effective and less effective companies and then explore the differences between them with respect to input and process indicators. Identify the elements which contribute to successful training in the Oil Gas companies and factors that influence implementation of training and learning in the workplace (Ridoutt et al. 2002). And how do firms measure the success of their training practices Nonetheless, the major determinats uncovered are significant and gave an indication of the broad brush of what impacts training and skill development in the Yemen oil gas industry. It would be beneficial to test these determinants in other industries. Maybe a statement about making further study on ways the Government could speed up the Yemenization process using TD system.

the cuban mile :: essays research papers

Latin American Societies Book report The Cuban Mile   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cuban Mile, written by Cuban native Alejandro Hernandez Diaz, is a story about two Cubans who set sea for Miami in hopes of finding more successful lives. The author writes as if he was one of the refugees, and we are reading his journal entries. The journey lasts seven days, with obviously many entries per day. The entries are categorized by how many miles these two men have traveled by that point. The narrator and his brother in law are on their way to meet Cynthia, who is the sister of one and the wife of the other. She was awarded the opportunity to study in America and believes her loved ones can enjoy greater success in a capitalist society. Each man has his own reason for leaving his country; the narrator, only 20, wants to be a painter and feels no ties to his family or country, while his brother in law, 28, is a sailor and wishes to reap the riches of America. It really is unclear as to why the narrator would risk his life to leave Cuba, the only apparent reasons are his isolation from his family and his desire to be with his sister, who has faith in him and believes he can be a great painter in the United States. Obviously, his brother in law wishes to be with his wife, while he has dreams of sailing yagts living in excess. Neither likes the other all too much, they seem to have sincere contempt for each other as they are actually quite opposite and don’t understand one another much. The sailor is the macho, right wing type, while the painter has an effeminate, artistic flair to him. Along the trip, â€Å"Commodore†, as he’s called by the narrator, attempts to pass the time with chatting, while t he narrator prefers to read the books he brought along. Occasionally they’ll interact, swaying between playful poking fun and long monologues that the other doesn’t listen to. The goal of these two refugees is to be picked up by the United States Coast Guard and be brought back to American soil. On the fifth day, the see another ship, but it’s not that of the Coast Guard. Commodore paddles ferociously, so as to not be seen by what he perceives to be a Cuban vessel. To loose weight and travel faster, he instructs his partner to toss over his bag of books.

My Christmas and New Years Vacation Essay

On my new years and Christmas vacation started off bad but towards the end it became good. I had a lot of fun spending time with my family to be honest. We ate to much like Golden Coral , Cookies and milk , and The Christmas dinner. On Christmas Eve night we had the cookies and milk once you but the cookies in your mouth they were so moist soon as they touch the tip of your tongue. On Christmas we went to golden corral and it seem like they add more food in the buffet to be honest. For some reason it was many types of smells. When we went to the mall, and soon as I walked in the mall aroma of the mall smelled like Topsy. On new years it seem like it was like a ghost of fireworks walking up and down through the streets. In the house there was a smell of a vanilla candle that really smelled. Out of all of the incredible smells that I had taken in there was a bad smell awaiting for me and that was the smell of chitlins, wooo that smell is nothing nice. Thankful my mama knows has to keep that awful smell down. When the day seems long I would lie in my comfortable bed. I was able to go over to one of my cousin’s house which was a cool thing to get away from the house. I would just lie there and pet on the dog’s soft furrier coat. Once that was over back to the home front it was good to see my little brother. I gave him a hug and a rub on his curly soft hair. While on break the sight of the snow was amazing. Just watching it comes down and hitting the ground was a pretty sight. Then to watch some of the kids out playing making snowmen was a great sight also. What wasn’t a great sight was seeing the news and watching how people were wrecking their cars. After, seeing all that pretty snow the sight is not a good look now it’s dirty looking Listening to the good music and hearing laughter filled my whole vacation. Watching my family sit down talking and playing cards was great. It was nice seeing everyone getting along was good laughter to my heart. Just having family together over my break bring all the laughter this world can give. .

Human Resource Planning Essay

Organisations such as Boots undertake human resource planning to determine a course of action, which helps them to function more efficiently by having the right labour, in the right place, at the right time and cost. Human resource planning was known as manpower planning. It has been defined as: â€Å"The activity of management which is aimed at coordinating the requirements for and the availability of different types of employees† Boots need to forecast their manpower needs, both in terms of the number of employees needed and the types of skills and qualities required. It is also important to monitor and assess the productivity of the existing and available workforce and recognise the impact of technological change on the way in which jobs are carried out. Boots human resource planning team also needs to be able to identify and analyse the factors influencing and shaping the labour markets from which the organisation recruits staff to satisfy its manpower needs. Human resource specialists have to work within these labour markets to acquire sufficient resources to meet the productive needs of Boots. Influences On Human Resource Planning Recruitment and Selection One of the most important jobs for the human resources manager in Boots is recruiting and selecting new employees. Without the right employees the business will be unable to operate efficiently or serve its customers properly or make any profits. With the proper recruitment and selection techniques, Boots can make as sure as possible that they can achieve these objectives. Boots may need to recruit for several of reasons. The growth of Boots can generate additional demand and therefore create a need for extra labour. External influences such as technological developments can change job roles within the organisation, creating a need to recruit new people with specific skills. Alternatively, vacancies can be created through resignation, retirement and dismissal. The Recruitment Process Job analysis Job description Person specification Finding suitable candidates Choosing the best person Taking references Making appointments Training and Development An important part of manpower planning is the continual review, identification and update of training and development. Factors such as the introduction of new technology or new working methods can create training needs that have to be met if Boots is to remain competitive. In recent years there has been growing employer awareness that training can play a significant role in developing a flexible and multi-skilled workforce. Boots organise training and development programmes for several of reason: * To motivate employees and increase job satisfaction, thereby reducing absenteeism and labour turnover * Reduce wastage and accident rates by creating a consistent performance across the work force * Develop the skills of existing employees to cope with labour shortages * To establish the most effective and efficient working methods in order to maximise productivity and remain competitive * Reduce employee’s resistance to change, perhaps deriving from the introduction of new equipment and the application of new technology. Performance Management Boots needs to manage the performance of its employees effectively if it is to remain competitive. This means that there must be effective management control exercised at both individual and organisational level. A range of processes and techniques need to be in place, which allow individual employees to know how well they are doing, and for managers to be able to monitor how well their subordinates are performing. Performance monitoring provides information, which is of value for identifying future training or promotion opportunities, and areas where insufficient skills or knowledge could be deemed a threat to an employee’s efficiency. Managers exercise control at an individual and organisational level through: * Planning by setting objectives and targets * Establishing performance standards * Monitoring actual performance * Comparing performance against targets * Rectifying mistakes and taking action. The Performance Management Process Labour Turnover The labour turn over ratio is used to measure the total number of employees leaving an organisation in a given period of time, usually a year. It is calculated in percentage terms using the formula Number of employees leaving over specific period x 100 Labour turnover = Average number of people employed It is important that labour turnover is continuously measured by Boots to warn of potential problems so that management can take appropriate action. Replacing employees disrupts efficiency and creates recruitment and training costs. For a business to meet the objectives of its manpower plan, it is important that it minimises labour turnover. A high labour turnover is bound to affect the quality and level of output as well as incurring manpower costs associated with the recruitment and training of labour. Labour Stability Index The labour turnover ratio is a rather general measure. A more subtle indicator is the labour stability index, which is calculated using the formula: Number employed with more than 12 months service x 100 Labour stability = Total number of staff employed one year ago This index denotes stability because it emphasises those employees that stay rather than leave. Age Structure The information on the age structure of the workforce – analysed by different categories of employees – is useful for several reasons. It will highlight a potential staff shortage problem that might be caused by a large number of employees all reaching retirement age during a relatively short period of time in the near future. It might show that a particular age group dominates certain positions within the company, frustrating the promotional aspirations of other employees A detailed analysis if the age structure of the workforce of Boots, when linked to skill audits, can also be of considerable value when deciding upon the allocation of training opportunities. For example, boots short-term objective might be to train all employees to use a new form of computer technology by the end of the year. When deciding who should receive training, Boots needs to know which employees already possess the required skills and which employees are nearing retirement age, as training people who are shortly to leave the company would not be cost effective. I am going to be covering the areas that surround Boots in Brent they are: > Alperton > Barham > Sudbury > Sudbury Court > Preston > Tokynton > Wembley Central (where Boots is based) Ward % Under 8 years % Under 15 years Working Age (16 – PA) % Pensioner age % 85 and over Alperton 14.1 20.9 67.8 11.7 1.1 Barham 18.7 19.3 64.4 15.6 1.3 Preston 11 18.1 64.1 17.8 1.6 St Raphael’s 16.6 28.6 60.5 10.9 0.6 Stonebridge 13.1 21.8 66.1 11.1 0.7 Sudbury 9 20.1 64.7 15.9 1.1 Sudbury Court 11.7 20.4 67.9 11.7 0.7 Tokyngton 12.1 20.8 65 14.2 1.1 Wembley Central 13.2 22.2 66.2 11.6 0.7 This data shows the percentage of people’s age in each ward. As you can see looking at the data Wembley central employ 66.2% of working people being the third highest ward. Therefore in this area where Boots is located there would be a lot of workers working there. The data also shows the percentage of pensioners, in Wembley central the percentage of pensioners is low. This means businesses in Wembley central do not employ old people as there isn’t many old people in this area as there are in Preston where majority of pensioners live. Boots would look at recruiting people that who are young, as they want young and active staffs. They would employ young people so they can gradually train them as they go along. By doing this Boots can offer a better service to there customers. Ward Total Unemployment Rate Estimated Rate for Black Groups Alperton 12.3 15.1 Barham 11.7 9.6 Preston 10.3 13.8 St.Raphaels 22.8 27.5 Stonebridge 23.1 27.3 Sudbury 10.7 14.7 Sudbury Court 8 10.6 Tokyngto 12.7 15.5 Wembley Central 13.8 15.2 This data shows the unemployment rates in Brent and the estimated rate for black groups. Unemployment rates for Black and Asian groups were higher than for White groups. White unemployment rates were 10.9% whereas black unemployment rates were 16.5%. While there are no up-to-date unemployment figures by ethnic group, there is no reason to suppose that the differential between white and other ethnic groups has lessened significantly. Based on this assumption, the data above, estimates black unemployment rates in January 1996 compared with the rate for the whole population. This has been estimated by calculating the differential rate in unemployment between the black and other ethnic groups and all groups, then applying the difference to the January 1996 unemployment figures. For example black and other ethnic groups unemployment rates were 22.7% higher in 1991 in Alperton ward than for the white population. This percentage difference is then applied to the current rate. The resulting figure is intended to give a broad estimate of the likely unemployment rate for the black and other ethnic groups. The data shows that the lowest unemployment rate is in Preston ward and the highest rate is in Stonebridge. In Wembley central where Boots is based it looks like an average of unemployment members. This means that in this area there aren’t many unemployed people as the area is very busy due to businesses operating in the area and competition with other businesses occurring. As a result of this businesses will need to recruit more people. For example if Boots were to employ more staff the business will be doing more work, the more work they do the more customers they get. % In Education Rank in Brent Persons (18 +) qualified Rank in Brent Alperton 60 23 12 20 Barham 71 14 15 14 Preston 71 13 18 11 St. Raphael’s 54 28 7 30 Stonebridge 54 27 9 27 Sudbury 74 9 19 9 Sudbury Court 74 8 27 1 Tokyngton 65 19 10 26 Wembley Central 71 11 13 15 These data shows the percentage of pupils in education in each ward. It also shows the percentage of people that are already qualified in Brent. As you can see that Sudbury Court have the number 1 rank in Brent whereas Wembley Central have the rankings of 15. % In Education Rank in Brent Persons (18 +) qualified Rank in Brent Alperton 60 23 12 20 Barham 71 14 15 14 Preston 71 13 18 11 St. Raphael’s 54 28 7 30 Stonebridge 54 27 9 27 Sudbury 74 9 19 9 Sudbury Court 74 8 27 1 Tokyngton 65 19 10 26 Wembley Central 71 11 13 15 Those wards which have high proportions of the population qualified to a level above GCE â€Å"A† level are those wards which have the highest proportions of people in professional and managerial occupations. This tells us that Sudbury Court has the most workers with qualification. Weekly average earnings (Full Time à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½) 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 Greater London – Males 214.7 255 312.6 383.1 434.4 467.3 Greater London – Females 142.8 169.3 208.2 258.9 308.6 336.5 Brent – Males 204.1 242.4 283.3 338 381.2 402.1 Brent – Females 120.1 159 172.5 225.8 267.9 282.7 This data shows the average weekly earnings (from 1984-1994) for male and females in Brent and Greater London. We can see from the data that from 1984 the males weekly earnings have increased as the years have gone on. The female’s earnings have also increased as the years have gone by, but not the same amount as the males. Some females argue that they are getting unfair pay, as their earnings do not match the males when they are working the same hours and the same jobs as them. If females feel neglected in the workforce they seek the equal opportunities for advice. We can see by looking at this graph that the level of males earnings in 1994 in Brent have increase, so has females earnings. However female’s earnings are not as much as males earning. Recruitment And Selection The first stage of recruitment is to conduct a detailed analysis of the job, which may involve questioning the current jobholder or observing the jobholder at work. The information gathered is carefully recorded and analysed. Further information might be obtained through discussions with the jobholder’s manager of supervisor. When the job analyst gathered all this information, it should be written down in a summary report setting out what the job entails. This report is called job description. It contains two types of information. It describes the tasks of the job and describes the behaviour necessary to actually do these tasks. This is what a job description summary looks like: Job Description Job Title: Sales Assistant Directly responsible to: Store manager Directly responsible for: No one Contact with: Managers, other sales assistants, personnel department, other stores and customers Job outline: To help meet customer’s requirements by providing them a high quality service to ensure they remain satisfied. To be able to deal with customer complaints, request and offer advice when required. Job responsibilities: you need to maintain up-date knowledge of all products ranges and developments. As a company representative a professional, polite and sensitive manner should be adopted at all times. Whenever possible the company’s own brand products should be promoted over those of its competitors. Job requirements: all customer’s orders must be processed correctly using the company system as soon as the order is received. Overall an individual target must be met. Complaints must be dealt with politely and immediately. A person specification, which is also known as a personnel profile, describes the characteristics and skills, which a person needs to be able to do the job to the required standards. There are many ways to set out this information. This is what a person specification looks like: Person Specification Physical appearance: Smart personal appearance, clear, articulate speech Achievements: Five GCSE’s at grade C or above. No previous experience required, however it would be an advantage. Specific skills: Good communication skills. Ability to listen to problems and offer practical suggestions. Willingness to learn. Competent with money. Interests: Any position of social responsibility or participation in team related activity Personality: Polite, pleasant and cheerful, ability to deal calmly with aggravated customers and to cope under pressure. Good team worker Personal circumstances: Reliable person, good time-keeper, living locally and willing to do additional overtime work during holiday periods. The next stage of the process is to attract only those people who fit Boots person specification. Therefore Boots need to advertise for a staff and it is important to advertise in the right areas. It is important to think about the type of people it is trying to attract and the publications they read. The advertisement should be done a well clearly and noticeable. The advertisement should also make it quite clear how any interested person should apply, and state whether applicants need to submit a copy of their curriculum vitae. Once Boots has attracted applicants who match the person specification, the next stage is to gather information on each applicant. The main sources of information are: 1. Application forms 2. Curriculum vitae 3. Interviews The purpose of an application form is to gather information about the candidate that will give definite clues about personal attributes, qualifications, experience, etc. Boots make decisions about which candidates to short list by comparing the information on application forms to the person specification. The completed application form is regarded as part of a candidate’s contract of employment. It is important that no false claims are made or any deliberate misinformation is included, otherwise the contract of employment could be void. A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document usually initiated and prepared by a job seeker. It serves a similar purpose to an application form. The CV includes the job seekers personal details, education, qualification, work experience, interest and ambitions. In addition, the CV should include any other information that would be likely to persuade a prospective employer to consider granting and interview. This is how a CV looks like and should be presented. (See next page) Curriculum Vitae Name: Salma Ahmed Address: 50 Tudor Court South Wembley Middlesex HA9-6SE Telephone: 0208 900 9018 Home) 07958172964 (Mobile) Date of Birth: 20/11/1985 Marital status: Single Nationality: British Occupation: Student Education: Preston Manor Sixth Form Centre Carlton Avenue East Wembley Middlesex HA9 8NA Sep 2002-2004 Qualifications: GCSE French B Maths C Art C English Literature A English Language B Science C/C History C DT C Personal Profile: I am a very hard working person. I like meeting deadlines and I am very reliable. I like working as a team as my communication skills are very well developed. I can work independently as well as in a team and work to the best of my ability. Work Experience: Business: Insight UK (Computer suppliers) Position: I.T. Assistant Address: Alperton House Bridgewater Road Wembley Middlesex HA0 1EH Start: 04/06/01 Finished: 15/06/01 Duties & Skills: During my experience at insight my duties were to deal with technical trouble and solving them. I had to do mail orders and general office duties including filing, faxing, photocopying and other duties that were required Achievements: Throughout my five years at Preston Manor, I have achieved many duties and responsibilities. I was a prefect where I had to help out the school with any events or forthcoming events. I was also a member of the school council committee. I took part in many school activities and extra-curricular activities such as basketball, football and cricket. I had entered for a poem competition and the poem was published in a book called â€Å"kaleidoscope†. Interests: In my spare time I make myself useful. I like to stay healthy and fit, l play lots of sports such as football and basketball. I also play snooker. I am sociable too as I go out with friends to different places. At home I enjoy reading books and listening to music. I take a lot of interest in computing and learn to develop my knowledge on it at home with computer books. I also use the Internet regularly everyday as I find it very interesting and take a big interest in this too. Reference: Are available upon request The structure of the selection interview depends on the nature of the vacancy and the size of the Boots. For some jobs, applicants may be interviewed just once on a one to one basis. Other jobs often interview an applicant several times before they employ them or dismiss them. This is and example of the types of questions that may be asked during an interview at Boots: 1. Why did you apply for this job? 2. Tell me more about you’re past experiences? 3. Why did you leave your last job? 4. From your CV I can see that you have developed your skills, what are your strength and weaknesses? 5. In Boots you may have to deal with annoyed customers, how would you deal with the situation? 6. Give me an example of a situation you have faced? 7. How well do you think you can contribute to the success of Boots? 8. Do you have any references? Before we finish do you have any questions? These are questions that maybe asked by the interviewee to the applicant. During this type of interview, which would be face to face, the applicant must show that they are willing to carry out this job at high standards and are able it impress the interviewee with skills and experiences that have been achieved During the interview the interviewee would usually mark the applicant(s) on a checklist, which would be created to see whether the applicant is right for the job. This is how a checklist would look like: After this process is done the Human Resource department then work out who is perfect and suitable for the job. This is the type of recruitment process that Boots would use. Often other jobs are advertised in the local newspaper and when the people see them they send off a letter of application, as they have no application forms or they never received any. A letter of application is simply a letter asking for the job and explaining why the writer is suitable for it. The letter will be structured in any way the writer thinks is appropriate, and this very fact makes it a useful selection method. If the letter is badly structured, poorly expressed and full of spelling mistakes, it could indicate that the applicant is not suitable for a clerical or administrative job, which requires neat well-structured work. On the other hand, a poorly structured letter, which is nevertheless imaginative and interesting, could indicate that the applicant may be suitable for the job. On the next page is an example of a letter of application. This job place was found in the local newspaper for a job at Chorospan Ltd. John Bates Personnel Director Chorospan Ltd Preston Manor Reginal Road Carlton Avenue East Chester Wembley CH2 7KB Middlesex HA9 8NA 10 January 2003 Dear Mr. John Bates, Post of Personnel Assistant: I am interested in applying for the job of personnel assistant advertised in the Wembley Observer on 9/01/03. I am presently studying for the Advanced Vocational level in Business at Preston Manor Sixth Form College, which I will finish at the end of June this year. My qualifications and educational details are in the curriculum vitae attached. I am very interested in personnel work and I did two weeks work experience at Action.com, (which now is known as Insight UK) in London in June of last year. I am also studying a personnel unit on my course, which has increased my interest and understanding in personnel work. I am available for an interview at any time convenient for you, apart from the dates of January 27 and January 30. Yours Sincerely Amit Patel Training And Development Programme Training is the acquisition of a body of knowledge and skills, which can be applied to a particular job. The resources devoted to training can create substantial costs. It is important that training needs are correctly identified and the desired standard of skill is established. The training programme needs to be administrated efficiently and evaluated – the results achieved by employees that received training should be compared with the standard of performance it was hoped to achieve. Nowadays most large organisations like Boots employ professional training officers to run training programmes for employees. In a large manufacturing or services company, for example, the training manager will have teams of training instructors to teach all kinds of courses to employees. Even in small businesses several types of training will still be necessary Training can be dived into two main categories: ‘on the job’ training or ‘off the job’ training. ‘On the job’ training This means that the employee acquire their training or development in the workplace itself. For many people they enjoy the direct link with their job and can see more clearly how relevant the training or development is to the performance of that job ‘Off the job’ training This means attending courses, which may be in a college or a training centre away from the workplace. This type of training is important to an employee’s career development as well as being an integral part of training a training programme. There are various types of training: Induction Training Induction is the process of introducing new employees to the organisation and its way of life and culture. Employers use induction training as a means of introducing new employees to the organisation and ensuring they have necessary information and skills to perform their tasks to the required standard. Induction training can help to minimise labour turnover among new recruits by ensuring that they are made to feel welcome and are fully aware of what the job entails. Induction training provides new employees with information about: > The organisations policies and objectives > Future career opportunities > Pay, training and fringe benefits > Health and safety > The organisational structure and layout > The requirements of the job > Colleagues and managers Good induction training programmes successfully balance the amount of information that needs to be conveyed with the length of time employees can sustain their concentration. Mentoring Mentoring schemes are used by businesses both to develop good working relationships between employees and to provide employees with the opportunity to learn new skills. Employees are allocated a mentor, usually an older or more experienced existing employee, whose role is to advise and answer their concerns. The employee benefits from advice on issues such as career development and managing change. The mentor benefits from an increase sense of responsibility and the opportunity to pass on their personal knowledge. For some professional and senior posts, it has been found that mentoring is more effective if the mentor comes from an external organisation. The mentor would be expected to have a wide range of professional skills and experience and be able to offer independent advice and support. Coaching Coaching involves regular informal meetings between a mangers and an employee, which allow discussion of the employee’s performance in relation to the achievement of any objectives or targets. These informal performance assessment sessions enable a manager to identify an employees strengths and weaknesses. Coaching provides managers with a means of both assessing an employee’s suitability for promotion and analysing the way an employee has coped with any additional responsibility or extra authority. In House Training This is where employers run courses inside their own organisation. Courses might be held in an ordinary office room or in a smart training centre owned by the organisation. In house training schemes often referred to as on the job training, because it provides training and development to employees using resources within the organisation. The main benefits of using in house courses are: > They are fairly cheap – there is usually no need to employ outside trainers and lecturer > Course content is tailor made for your organisation > Reference and examples to highlight points can be related to your own organisation > Everybody knows one another, so there is no time wasted in having to get to know people The success of in house training schemes is dependent upon the teaching skills of the instructors. Instructors need to possess good communication skills and be able to break down, explain and prioritise each section of a particular task. External Courses Sometimes it is necessary to send staff to do courses elsewhere. This may be with another employer or at a specialist-training centre or at the factory of an equipment supplier. Externally run training schemes are normally used by smaller organisations, as they usually have too few employees requiring training to justify expenditure on specialist training facilities and full-time instructors. The benefits of using external courses are: > They bring together specialist trainers who would never be available to an ‘in-house’ course chiefly because of the high cost > Course members get together from several organisations, and this enables them to learn more about each other and how their respective organisation operate > Trainers place great value on the benefits of being away from the workplace – the course members are in a comfortable and peaceful environment away from any distractions External courses are generally quite expensive because this includes fairly luxurious accommodation in lavish surrounding and the guest speakers are highly paid. This means employers have to think very seriously about the value of such courses to the organisation and they have to carefully identify which staff The National Training System Training and enterprise councils This was first established in 1990. This helps businesses to identify their training need. Sponsored by the government and led by local people, there are some 80 TECs in England and Wales. Their mission is to encourage economic growth through effective training and enterprise. Investors in people TECs are also responsible for assess firms that wish to be recognised publicly as investors in people. The idea behind the initiative is that investing in people is one of the most effective ways of improving business performance. To gain recognition as an investor in people, companies like Boots must meet exacting training standards. Individual learning accounts Individual learning accounts are designed to help individuals manage, plan and invest in their own learning and, therefore, take charge of their career and future. They are sort of a bank account into which the government, the individual and the employer all make a contribution, and the money is used to buy training and education, both now and in the future. Modern apprenticeships Modern apprenticeships provide young people with a means of obtaining a nationally recognised qualification while gaining valuable work experience. This is basically when young people are working and having education at the same time (part time college). National vocational levels NVQs are occupational qualifications based upon an employee’s ability to reach defined levels of skill or competence in carrying out various tasks connected with their particular occupation. The basis for awarding an NVQ is an assessment of an employee’s level of competence, and any necessary underpinning knowledge. Several techniques can be used to help promising employees to develop their abilities and give management a better idea of exactly where the employee’s future may lie: Job Rotation Giving people a range of jobs in rotation widens their experiences and increases their skills. Job Enlargement Giving people extra tasks to do gives management a better idea of the employee’s true capacity, ability and stamina. Job Enrichment Adding more interesting and more difficult tasks to the job. This might be done with a person of very great potential to see just how capable he or she really is. There are so many other courses of trainings that a business like Boots can look into. These are the key aspects of the training and development program. Most of the methods of trainings shown before are some of the trainings that Boots themselves take up on. The other types of trainings Boots could look into to help develop their staffs and train them to offer a better service to the their customers. Human Resource Management: The Potential For Conflict In a large organisation like Boots conflict is inevitable. Basically, the resources that can be devoted to this area are limited and everyone wants a large share of them. The main areas of conflicts are as follows: Department Rivalry Boots does not have unlimited resources to devote to its human resources activities such as training and staff development. The human resources management has the difficult task of deciding who should be given the benefits of those activities and this is also an area where there is huge potential for conflict. Departmental managers will all want to make sure that their departments do not miss out but they cannot all get bigger slice at the cake if the cake is of limited size. Appraisal This is a common feature of most organisation but it is a very difficult area and fraught with difficulties. To some long standing employees, appraisal is simply unacceptable. They hate to think that someone is â€Å"looking over their shoulders† or making decisions on how good they are. Even if all staff are fully trained and happy to accept an appraisal system, there is still some potential for conflict. Staff might have a higher opinion of their performance that their managers and this can lead to disagreements and disputes. There can be suggestions of favouritism or victimisation even in a well – organised systems such as that of Boots. Recruitment And Selection The department that controls selection and recruitment is in a strong position to reward individuals and give them better salaries or more attractive jobs. In making decisions, the department is never going to please everyone. If Boots decided to appoint externally then this could have caused conflict with all internal candidates. Trade Unions One of the functions of the trade unions or representatives of the staff or any organisation is to gain the maximum pay and the best conditions for the employees. The human resource department have to ensure that salaries and wages are the minimum to attract the best or most appropriate staff. Performance Management And Motivational Theories It is important that Boots measure the performance of their employee’s against their aims and objectives and mission statement. This way they can see whether the company are doing well. This term is known as management by objective, in which the performance of the individual and organisation is consistently being measured against objectives and targets, which have been agrees jointly by managers and employees. The monitoring process requires the measurement of performance and then linking these performance measurements against the achievement of objectives. For individual employees, the monitoring process, is usually complemented by some or all of these review systems: > Appraisal > Self evaluation > Peer evaluation > 360 degree evaluation An appraisal system is used to review the standard of work being undertaken by people within an organisation and to assess the value or contribution of individual employees. Appraisal and performance review interviews are used by employers to: > Reinforce company goals > Identify training needs and career opportunities > Recognise good performance > Review and set new targets The person who appraises is called the ‘appraisor’ and the person being appraised is the ‘appraisee’. It is important that consideration is given during the appraisal interview to the extent to which an employee has reached objectives agreed at an earlier meeting (such as the previous years appraisal). Firstly, the appraisor writes an appraisal report of the appraisee. Secondly, this is discussed with the appraisee at an interview. There are several options available: Self Evaluation Before attending the interview, individual employees might be asked to consider their own view of their performance for Boots. Self-evaluation enables an employee to decide what his or her objectives are and identify training and development needs. The main problem with self-evaluation is that it can be highly biased. Some employees overestimate their performance through a fear of admitting their weaknesses and this is what the appraisor look out for. Other employees under estimate their performance because they do not want extra responsibility or because of false modesty. Peer Evaluation To inform the performance review process, many organisations also look at peer evaluations of the individual. This is based on the idea that the best people to provide feedback on an individual’s performance are those who operate at a comparative level. Obviously this can only be carried out in complete confidentiality, so that the people making the peer evaluation do not feel that there can be any come back. 360 Degree Evaluation This is the most modern approach – it is sometimes called ‘peer appraisal’. In 360 degree evaluation the apraisee is appraised by most of the people they deal with. Therefore a ‘middle manager’ would get appraised by staff working for them, by fellow managers and by their boss. This gives an extremely thorough picture of an employee and it pinpoints strengths and weaknesses very well. However, it takes up much staff time. Nevertheless it is very popular. It is important that Boots employers carry out appraisal interviews every year or every six-month so that they can keep on track how their employees are doing and also check if they are meeting the businesses objective. They can also set new objectives and targets to the employees in this type of interview as the appraisor would have found out what the employees strength and weaknesses are. The benefits of performance appraisal: > It helps to identify training needs > It may reveal other problems > It may untap useful new skills > It improves communication between employees and managers – a few words of encouragement and praise for doing a good job are often highly motivating. Motivation Motivation describes the extent to which an individual makes an effort to do something. Boots are likely to improve performance, in terms of productivity, attendance rates, cooperation and quality, if they can find ways of increasing the willingness of their employees to make even greater efforts at work. Motivation is the force that drives people to satisfy their needs. Human needs are varied and complex, and it is only relatively recently that psychologists have started to analyse how these forces operate and interact in the workplace. During the 1950’s two American researchers, Abraham Maslow and Frederick Herzberg, evolved theories about human needs, which have since helped managers to understand how to encourage people to perform more effectively at work. Abraham Maslow and ‘The Hierarchy Of Needs’ Maslow’s ideas focus on the value of developing self – esteem and of helping people to fulfil their potential. Maslow said that all motivation comes from meeting unsatisfied needs. He stated that there was a ranking of need, which must be achieved in the correct order – from the bottom to the top of a pyramid. Basic physiological needs like food and water are at the bottom and self-actualisation is at the top. The need†¦ Which is achieved by†¦ Self-actualisation: Personal growth and self-fulfilment Esteem: Recognition Achievement Status Social needs: Affection/love Safety needs: Security Freedom from pain and threats Physiological needs: Food, water, and air Once these have been satisfied, increasingly higher level need start to come to the fore in determining what motivates us. When one level of need is satisfied, it decreases in strength and our actions are then dominated by the next level – and so on. Basic physical needs – these include things like food, shelter and warmth Security needs – these can be things like a safe place to live and security of employment. Need for social contact – people need contact with family members, friends and work colleagues. Need for self-esteem – people gain self-esteem when they feel that their achievements are recognised and rewarded. This may be anything from a few words of praise to tangible things like a new house or car Need for fulfilment – this usually involves some form of personal development, achieving goals or the successful completion of an ambitious project Maslow has contributed much to our understanding of the wide range of needs that working people have. He was one of the first researchers to realise the importance of motivational factors such as: > Enhancing people’s self-esteem > Giving them a challenge > Providing opportunities for personal growth > Giving people extra responsibility Frederick Herzberg and The Two Factor Theory In 1957 Hezberg devised the ‘motivation-hygiene’ theory, which stated that two groups of factors affect employees motivation. He studied thousands of workers to find out what satisfied and what dissatisfied them about their jobs. He discovered, naturally enough, that some things gave employees satisfaction while other things made them dissatisfied. Herzberg called the things that satisfy people job content factors and the things that dissatisfy people job context factors. He said that certain elements in a job motivate people to work harder. Job content (inside circle) normally involves aspects such as achievements, recognition, opportunities from promotion, responsibility and the nature of the work itself. Job content factors are factors within a job that can cause satisfaction. These factors are sometimes known as satisfiers or motivators. Job context (outside circle) includes aspects such as working condition, pay, company policy, organisational structure and administration. They are called job context factors because they are outside the job. Poor job context factors can cause dissatisfaction and can demotivate, but good job context factors are not enough in themselves to provide job satisfaction. Mangers must focus upon some of these factors if they want to increase job satisfaction and motivate employees. As we can see looking at both Maslow’s and Herzberg theories, that these methods will help employers and managers motivate their employee’s to get the best work out of them to keep the company alive. It is important that motivation takes part in all businesses, as motivation is a key aspect of the performance management part of the business. We can now see how businesses like Boots are influenced by these two motivational theories, however there are more theories that cover the whole concept of motivation We can see the main purposes of performance management and why it is so important to large and small businesses like Boots. Performance management plays a big successful part in a business as long as it keeps the employees happy and motivated. Planning The Workforce (Human Resource Planning) There are four main reasons for human resource planning: 1. It encourages employers to develop clear links between their business plans and their HR plans so that they can integrate the two more effectively, for all concern 2. Organisations can control staff costs and numbers employed far more effectively 3. Employers can build up a skill profile for each of their employees. This makes it easier to give them work where they are most value to the organisation 4. It creates a profile of staff which is necessary for the operation of equal opportunities policy Because of the dynamic nature of the modern global business environment, human resource planning is an ongoing process. A business like Boots needs to alter its objectives continuously to take account of: > New technology > Emerging world markets > Green and ethical issues > Workforce demands New Technology The rate of technological change is accelerating. It permeates every aspect of business activity: design, production planning, production control, automated production, warehousing, despatch, transportation, administration systems, management information systems, and so on. Robotics, automation and information technology are still in their early stages of development. As progress continues, the nature of industry and commerce will change even more dramatically. Human resource plans should consider the likely impact of technological change on the type of employees that the organisation will require in the future as well as considering the training implications for existing employees. World Markets International companies are able to exploit world markets, enjoying considerable economies of scale, particularly as transport costs continue to fall in real terms. Worldwide production facilities, automation and access to instant information anywhere in the world are changing the nature of companies. Businesses, which do not deliver quality goods and services on time, are being bypassed. Consumers demand more choice and new products. Product life cycles are shortening and product development time scales have had to speed up. Internet selling has become firmly established and organisations require highly flexible work forces to survive in such an environment. Green And Ethical Issues Businesses have to maintain a good relationship with their customers and suppliers. That relationship can be threatened by bad publicity, and companies need to be aware that they are scrutinised by many pressure groups that seek to publicise unfair or unethical practices. Green peace, for example, protests against environmentally unfriendly practices, and it sometimes targets action against individual companies as well as putting pressure on business as a whole. There have been many examples or pressure groups staging high-profile demonstrations against individual companies and organising boycotts of their products. Workforce Demands Conditions at work have improved enormously, compared to how they were a hundred years ago, but employee expectations continue to rise. Employees demand better working conditions and a better quality of working life. They want to be consulted about matters that affect them at work. They certainly have higher expectations about work than previous generations; people are not likely to be committed and loyal to employers that do not consider their needs and expectation. Human resource plans need to offer suitable training, development, motivation and rewards to satisfy employees and to ensure that those people with the highest skills and expertise are attracted to, and retained, by the organisation. These are factors that have influences on human resource planning. It is important that businesses like Boots think about these factors and how they might work from it and what kind of things the business may have to beware of. Good planning means a successful business. To successfully implement a human resource plan, a manager needs to obtain the cooperation of everybody within and outside the organisation. The human resource manager needs to motivate and enlist the cooperation of customers, suppliers, the manager’s own staff, senior managers and people in the other departments. Manpower Planning And Internal Staffing One of the most important plans the human resource manager makes is the manpower plan. This sets out the number and types of employees that will be required by an organisation in the future. Manpower Planning And The External Labour Market Factor As well as the continuous analysis of the internal staffing resources, manpower planning must also be supported by monitoring, the availability of labour from external resources. If an organisation fails to monitor the pool of potential recruits in the working population at both local and national level then it runs the risk of not being able to satisfy any additional manpower requirements from external resources. Local External Courses When assessing the extent to which future manpower requirements can be satisfied from local labour markets, manpower planning must take account of: > Demographic trends, with particular emphasis on the overall size and age structure of the local working population > Developments in the local transport system that determine the effective catchment area for labour > Unemployment rates, and the availability of workers with particular skills, qualifications and experience. National External Sources Boots must also consider the extent to which it ability to meet its manpower requirements may be influenced by national factors. National policies, demographic trends and developments can affect the ability of the organisation to recruit certain types of labour, and can have implications for salary levels and the conditions of employment. Manpower planning must therefore also take account of: > National demographic trends, particularly any implications for the growth of the working population > Economic trends which affect the demands for different types of labour – in today’s economy, for example, there is greater demand for people with practical science and technology skills and those with customer service skills required in call centres > Education and training trends, such as central government measures, which change the emphasis and structure of university courses and the provision of technical and vocational education in school and colleges > New legislation, including government policies and EU directives on wages and salary negotiations, the role of staff associations and trade unions, equal pay, sex discrimination, employment protection, working time and industrial relations Statistical Analysis There is a great deal of statistical information, from government and private sector sources, relating to the impact of local and the national factors on the labour market. This type of analysis is particularly useful to any organisation drawing up a manpower plan in support of business relocation or the setting up of a new business. Drawing Up The Manpower Plan If an organisation like Boots have identified the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation’s existing workforce and the external labour market factors impacting upon its ability to recruit and retain labour, a manpower plan can then be devised. The manpower must deal with: > Recruitment > Transfers > Redundancies > Training > Productivity > Labour turnover Recruitment A schedule must be produced that deals with the timing or the recruitment programme for the various types and levels of labour. It must set out an approach to tackling any possible labour recruitment difficulties that have been identified by earlier investigations. Transfers The manpower plan needs to cover the future redeployment of existing employees between various jobs, department, sections and locations. The plan covers not only within existing premises but also any transfers involving proposed movements of employees to different geographical locations where organisation operate. Redundancy If some jobs have become obsolete, or the organisation needs to reduce its activities in certain areas, it needs a programme for redundancies. This must cover the timetable and selection procedure for redundancies and/or early retirements, and the determination of redundancy payments and pensions. The plan must also specify how the organisation in tends to assist redundant employees in their search for alternative employment. Training This section of the manpower plan deals with the duration, structure and content of training and apprenticeship courses. It should cover induction and training of young recruits and the training and retraining courses for existing employees. Productivity Recruitment, selection, training and promotion measures are designed to ensure that the best possible people fill existing and future positions. However, they must be supported by actions so that all employees can work more productively. Productivity can also be raised by measures aimed at improving industrial and human relations within the organisation. If employees feel valued and get job satisfaction, they are likely to be better motivated and more productive. Labour Turnover A high labour turnover is bound to affect the quality and level of output as well as incurring manpower costs associated with the recruitment and training of labour. Having identified the avoidable causes of manpower wastage, the plan may suggest some remedies to reduce wastage. Having produced a manpower plan, every effort must be made to ensure that it is continually updated in the light of both internal and external developments that affect the organisations ability to meet its demand for labour. We can see how human resource planning is vital for nearly any business. Planning the workforce is good preparation for creating a tougher and successful workforce, which would then create better services. It is important that Boots also plan their external and internal developments too as it may affect the business to meet their demand for labour.

The most missable proofreading errors - Emphasis

The most missable proofreading errors The most missable proofreading errors Last month, we set you a proofreading task. After the results were in, two things became clear. One: you like a challenge. And two: some errors can outfox even the most eagle-eyed of us. Dont let these ones fool you twice. 1. Punctuating around brackets (or, watch where you stick that). It may seem tidier to pop the full stop inside the closing bracket, but only do this when the brackets contain a full sentence. When they contain a mere aside (as above), you need to complete the sentence outside the brackets by putting the punctuation outside too. Do note, though, that asides may include an exclamation mark (heck, yeah!) or question mark if necessary, but these wont replace the closing punctuation outside the brackets (get it?). 2. Make sure you read the big print. Subject lines and headings can contain mistakes too. For some reason, its easy to forget to proofread titles, headings and subject lines. But you can be sure any mistakes left in them will leap off the page at your reader. 3. A mnemonic may be necessary. A touch specific, this one, but the misspelled neccessary was missed by many in the challenge. If you find it tricky to keep track of how many cs and ss you need, remember: it is necessary to have one collar and two socks. 4. Inspect the unexpected. Most of the time we easily recognise mistakes because they clash with what we know is right what were used to seeing. So be wary of and double-check any words youre less familiar with, as the alarm bells arent always there to ring. These may include foreign or Latin words or jargon, or even where to put the apostrophe in an unusual possessive, such as each others. 5. Spell-check is a fair-weather friend. Use it, but dont rely on it. It will happily leave you with such blush-inducing blunders as using your instead of youre, goon instead of go on, lets in place of lets and even an umber of typos rather than a number of typos. A good tip is to keep a written note of these stealth errors (plus any of your own personal blind spots). Have it to hand when youre proofing to make sure you always remain vigilant. And if this has got you in the mood for a challenge, why not have a go at our spelling quiz?

Effects of Automation on Business and Employment

Effects of Automation on Business and Employment Introduction Is the future of the world going to be driven by sophisticated technology and endless job opportunities or is innovation going to create an inevitable doom? These are some of the issues that the author of this argumentative paper will address. Innovation has resulted to technologies that are increasingly making the world a happy and a comfortable place to live in.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of Automation on Business and Employment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technology has the capability to change the way human beings associate with the world around them (Miller, 2008). The author of this paper contends that the seemingly endless use of innovation is wrought with dangers and threats to the human society. Automation on Business and Employment Futurists like Ray Kurweil are optimistic about the destiny of this world as far as technological innovation is concerned. But they appear not to be aware of the consequences attached to it. In his book titled Lights in the Tunnel, Ford (2009) contends that â€Å"The world is becoming increasingly automated. Robots and computer programs will edge human workers out of their jobs (and that) unless we take a drastic step †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.this will reduce mass market’s purchasing power† (p.7). Ford (2009) is conversant with the fact that the world is indeed at a dangerous point. In his arguments, the tunnel is synonymous with purchasing power in the mass market (Ford, 2009). Having read this book thoroughly, the author of this paper is not convinced that the title adequately addresses the automation issue. The author of this paper would like to restructure the statement for the reader. The question is: what are the implications of automation in the current and future economy? Answering this question will help in predicting the future by tackling the current situation.Advertising Looking for research pa per on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many people agree that robots and computer software will take jobs that were initially dominated or occupied by human beings. Some individuals are already experiencing the problems as popular automation machines such as Flexpicker and Adept Quattro are now taking part in the manufacturing industry as they are given the task of sorting and shifting goods. More human-like automation machines have taken over the industry. For example, in a few years’ time, the journalist will be replaced by these creatures as they possess the skills for virtual writing and even news’ anchoring. The vending machines are a classic example of this scenario where the right for employment has been rendered useless (Leontief Duchin, 2008). Some economists contend that even though the technology is progressing and increasingly taking over most of the jobs held by humans, it cre ates more jobs in real sense. Any worker displaced from the manufacturing line will automatically get a place in the maintenance segment. In addition, a couple of workers may become consultants. They even go ahead and stress that automation will never do away with jobs meant for human beings. However, whether the machines will replace humans or not will largely depend on how technology advances (Killingsworth, 2008). The Fallacy of the Luddites To address this issue effectively, the author will travel back in time to the industrial revolution. The textile workers of the Luddites rejected the use of looming machines contending that it was ‘greedily’ taking their daily share of bread. They protested that jobs carried out by machines will jeopardize the economy. Of course they were not right. But the reader will contend with the author of this paper that this is not a fallacy in the modern era given that technology meant to save and ease human labor is only escalating the rate of unemployment (Killingsworth, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of Automation on Business and Employment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author of this paper continues to argue that the fallacy will hold true if human beings are able to move at a faster pace than technology. This way, human beings will not be bullied by the greedy technology that is taking everything for itself. The fallacy that was structured during the revolution will be torn apart since the rate at which technology is advancing will overrun human capabilities. After the automation industry has taken over a substantial share of the global market, a large swathe of human workforce will be rendered redundant. In other words, future technology is a loss of jobs in the manufacturing industry (Watanabe, International Labor Office [ILO] World Employment Program [WEP], 2009). Another fact as far as job automation is con cerned is the many but lowly paying jobs in the industry. This is an indication that there will be just a few people able to purchase commodities. The few automated corporations will have formed a decimal generation of trillionaires with a diminished figure of consumers. This will result to fragmented purchasing power as consumer trust will fade allowing wealth to dominate in few places. At the end of the day, the wealthy tycoons will struggle to market their commodities bringing down the economy (Watanabe et al., 2009). Critiques Other economic scholars have challenged those thinkers who seem to support the fact that in a short while the world will become fully automated. They contend that not all jobs will become automated (Adler, 2010). For instance, artists, teachers, entertainers and such others will be saved as a sizeable proportion of human kind will prefer a touch of human hands in their services. They argue that in such circumstances, the economy has got nothing to worry ab out. This statement cannot go unchallenged. Currently, some of the high paying jobs include that of the office secretary, cashiers, food manufactures, lawyers and so forth. The question is, if the above mentioned jobs become automated, what are those involved in them going to become?Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Of course they will not change and become teachers, entertainers, or even artist. People from these automated positions will not have enough income to sustain themselves simply because not all will become artists or performers (Adler, 2010). Critics continue to challenge the effects of automation on the business and employment sector. They are of the view that to them, automation is not a problem. Human beings can transit from production to service based employment. They point out that human kind has evolved from an economy dominated by hunters and gatherers to that of craftsmanship, farming, and manufacturing by using their ingenuity. Modern worker can still shift and become a great entrepreneur (Essig, 2012). As entrepreneurs, they can own capital and use it to craft a new and different future. As the robots advance to take charge of the future, humans too can advance by investing in the robotic world. Wealth will not stagnate but will spread in all directions making life more com fortable. However, this argument has some weaknesses as it fails to address crucial issues. For example, not all people in the society can own adequate share capital from robots. The income realized cannot fully account for the total loss of employment and business opportunities (Ford, 2009). To respond to these scholars downplaying the automation threat, the author of this paper will try to give numerical evidence. A few years back, technology and employment went up at more or less the same rate. The reader should keep in mind that this trend is not the same today. But the reader will agree with this author that the performance of the companies exploiting technology is exceptional to say the least while, on the contrary, the employment rate has stagnated if not declined (Conference on Automation Systems for Business and Industry [Conference], 2011). Case Study Numerical evidence supports this fact. In North America, 41 out of 62 industries increased the use of information technolog y in their operations between 2007 and 2011. This development affected workers in the industries as technology took over their jobs. The difference was clearly seen when the rate of technology use rose by 10% as employment declined by 7% within the same period. This observation may be viewed as correlation as opposed to causation. It implies that industries making exorbitant profits have opted for technology over their employees. Technology is therefore the inability to hire workers (Taylor, Coppin Wealthy, 2010). The author of this paper appreciates the effects of automation given that it is predicted that by 2015, automation of business processes will have eliminated over 25% of human workforce in the labor market. For example, the ZDnet automation which has a self- service mechanism will invade the financial labor market and many other sectors leaving little to be done by humans (Taylor et al., 2010). The automation menace can be explained or categorized into three different cat egories. These are mechanization, automation, and process improvement. Mechanization and automation are well known for taking work from humans and transferring it to machines. The last category involves completely denying humans work and edging them out of the labor market. At the end of the day, unemployment will be on the rise (Taylor et al., 2010). James Albus (the inventor of some of the most intelligent machines) is worried about the fact that the automation machines he created will jeopardize the work meant for human beings. When he created these machines, he was optimistic that they will have the capacity to create wealth in the United States and around the world (Albus, 2009). To address his worries, he opted for what he calls capitalism in his book Peoples’ Capitalism: The Economic of Robot Revolution. This is substantial evidence that the world labor force is crumbling down. To avert such a scenario, he advises that the only way is to uphold capital income. He asser ts that if people acquire a substantial amount of capital income, it will help them compensate for the lost labor. According to him, this will be the economic system of the future. From this author’s point of view, Albus (2009) is only concerned with eradication of poverty, pollution, and maybe war. But he does not tell how the whole world will be able to own capital share (Albus, 2009) Having discussed the effects of automation on the employment sector, the author will shift the focus and address the effects of automation on business. Here, the reader will be made aware of the contribution of technology in business. Business and Automation The inventors of most of the automation machines argue that the creatures are not always cheaper than human labor. It is just that they give better and more promising results than their predecessors. They say that quality is a vital requirement in any business. No human being can match the quality of the results the machines can offer. A g ood example is the General Motor manufacturing industries. Robots are used to assemble thousands of part in a short time. No human employee can keep up with that (Oregon, 2008). The encroachment has extended to the medical sector where surgery in hospitals is done by robots with their backs stuck to computer tablets. The inventors contend that the robots are not preferred because they are cheap; rather, their work is quick and the patients are able to recover in a short time (Watkins, 2008). And with the ever increasing number of patients undergoing operations in hospitals, the significance of the robots cannot be downplayed. It is expensive to buy a robot and statistics indicate that only 400 were sold to serve in hospitals in 2011 (Jin Lin, 2012). If someone happens to undergo procedures such as prostatectomy, there is a high possibility that a robot was involved in one or various stages of the operation, complementing the work of the specialists. As such, automation is doing wel l as far as business is concerned. Automation machines need human intervention in all business processes. Although they would have sent home a significant number of workers, they will still need to be inspected whether they have performed the job correctly. As much as they can produce quality and precise work, they will remain machines. As such, intervention as far as their performance is concerned is mandatory (Jin Lin, 2012). Another classic example of automation in this field is the business process automation also referred to as the BPA. The idea here is to reduce operating costs by incorporating automatic software to increase business productivity. At the end of the day, quality and increased demand is achieved while business and automation are boosted (Jin Lin, 2012). Conclusion In this paper, the author looked at the effects of automation on business and employment in contemporary world. The paper adopted an argumentative nature where the author took a stand and tried to def end it. Opposing arguments were identified and debunked. It was found that the impacts of automation in these two fields are significant. In conclusion, the reader may ask themselves whether there is any job that is safe from automation. One would be tempted to say yes, there are some jobs that are safe from this menace. However, evidence in this paper clearly shows that none of the jobs is safe. Researchers are spending sleepless nights in laboratories trying to come up with algorithms that will give the robots the ability to search for facts and even narrate stories. This is an indication of the fact that the columns in the newspapers may be filled with stories written by robots (Miller, 2008). One may then ask who will read the stories. It is noted that the readers of the virtual writers will be many. Those sent home after their jobs have been taken away from them by the robots will idle around as they read the stories written by the same robots. References Adler, P. (2010). Tech nology and the future of work. New York: Oxford University Press. Albus, J. (2009). Peoples capitalism: The economics of the robot revolution. College Park, Md: New World Books. Conference on Automation Systems for Business and Industry. (2011). Proceedings of the EIA conference on automation systems for business and industry. New Jersey: Engineering Publishers. Essig, L. (2012). The speed of light: Dialogues on lighting design and technological change. Portsmouth, N.H: Heinemann. Ford, M. (2009). The lights in the tunnel: Automation, accelerating technology and the economy of the future. New York: Acculant Publishing. Jin, D., Lin, S. (2012). Advances in future computer and control systems (2nd ed.). Berlin: Springer. Killingsworth, C. (2008). Effects of automation on employment and manpower planning. East Lansing: Michigan State University. Leontief, W., Duchin, F. (2006). The future impact of automation on workers. New York: Oxford University Press. Miller, C. (2008). Digital s torytelling: A creators guide to interactive entertainment. Boston: Focal Press/Elsevier. Oregon, C. (2008). The effects of technological change on employment in the lumber industry. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Manpower Administration, Bureau of Employment Security. Taylor, A., Coppin, P., Wealthy, P. (2010). The impact of new technology on local employment: A study of progress and effect on jobs in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Aldershot, Hampshire: Gower. Watanabe, S., International Labour Office, World Employment Program. (2009). Microelectronics, automation, and employment in the automobile industry. Chichester: Wiley. Watkins, J. (2008). Information technology, organizations, and people: Transformations in the UK retail financial services sector. London: Routledge.