Thinking Made Easy

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

Older People make up a significant portion of population in UK

Introduction (300 words)

Older people make up a significant portion of population in the UK. As these people grow older, they increasingly experience age-related changes, diseases and disorders. Such conditions have profound impact on older people’s ability to balance. They become more prone and at risk of falling. The rate of falling in UK had an immense growth over the years. There is a drive to review and evaluate status of fall among the elderly and prevailing falls prevention practices. My area of practice had been with the __________. My role is to _________________.

This paper will focus on the situation regarding falls and falls prevention in United Kingdom in light of my practice. The main objective of this paper is to minimize the risks for older people by means of critical analysis of falls prevention programs as far as existing literature allows. In connection, the paper will seek to accomplish the following specific objective:

To describe the nature of falls;
To

Opening Paragraph (100-200 words)

A comprehensive review of the contributing literatures was done. Articles from _________ publication were scrutinized as well. This was undertaken to ensure the inclusion of several relevant published and unpublished material and information. Various electronic databases were also visited including ______. Internet searches

Representing your subject (100-200 words)

Falls are common events in the lives of older people. Falls can result in different unfavorable outcomes such as minor bruises, fractures, disability, dependence and even death. The Kellogg International Working Group defined falls as the unintentional event that result in a person coming to a rest on the ground or another lower level. According to National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People standard six is devoted to the prevention and management of falls. Standard Six sates that:

The NHS, working in partnership with councils, takes action to prevent falls and reduce resultant fractures or other injuries in their populations of older people. Older people who have fallen receive effective treatment and rehabilitation, and, with their careers, receive

advice on prevention through a specialized falls service.

NSF has a well-developed localized service plan for falls prevention that puts emphasis on multidisciplinary working, reflecting the multi-factorial and complex nature of falls (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2001, p. 4). A report submitted by Health Evidence Network (HEN) discerns that a fall may be a first indication of an undetected illness. The report also claims that the prevention of falls is of major priority as they stimulate mortality, morbidity and suffering especially for older people and their families. It is then necessary to reduce older people’s risk of falling and the consequent injuries of such fall occurrences.

The complex interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors led to occurrence of falls. The dynamics of falling have been postulated to occur in three stages (refer to Figure 1). These are the postural perturbation, the inability to right the perturbation and regain stability and the contact with the environment. Such perturbation was brought about by different risk factors. There are over 400 risk factors for falling that have been reported (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2001, p. 6). The intrinsic risks factors that are identified by HEN include history of falls, age, gender, ethnicity, medicines, medical conditions, impaired mobility and gait, sedentary behaviour, psychological status, nutritional deficiencies, impaired cognition, visual impairments and foot problems. The extrinsic risk factors are the environmental hazards like poor lighting, slippery floors and uneven surfaces among several others; footwear and clothing and inappropriate walking aids or assistive devices. HEM maintained the third risk factor which is exposure to the elements of risk.

Some of these factors are surrounded by uncertainties. One explanation is that risk of falls and injurious falls varies with functional status. For example, frail older people are at high risk of falling and injuring themselves. On the contrary, healthy old people whom are engaged in diverse, challenging physical activities also have disproportionately high risk of falling (as cited in (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2001, p. 6). This was described by the U-shaped association where the most active and inactive people are placed at the highest risk of falls. This factor reveals the complexity of the connection of risk, falls and activity. In addition, understanding how these risk factors interact with each other to cause falls is tricky since the reasons for falling vary considerably from one person to another. Another example that shows this is evident in postural perturbation. The stress of the situation is manifested by the sufficient magnitude in taking a person out of their base of support and the need for an individual to maintain postural control and the speed of perturbation (p. 9). In both of these examples, the impact generated by the fall necessitates a comprehensive fall prevention interventions.

Suggestions for falls preventions first appeared in remedial literatures in 1980s. Since then there had been numerous effort to gather evidences to support falls prevention initiatives in medical, rehabilitation and public health. The evidences purport a possible prevention of fall in some populations but for injurious falls, it is yet to be proven. The general effectiveness of fall prevention strategies is connected to the functional status of older people. The first identified group is the healthy older people, though researches showed that reducing falls in healthy older people are ineffective (Gillespie, et al, 2001). The NSF identified frail older people as the high risk groups. Such groups include the significantly disabled and patients with acute and neurological illness. The available fall prevention programs for these identified risk groups include multi-factorial fall prevention programmers; exercise only; _______________ (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, p. 11).

The multi-factorial fall prevention programmed (MAP) is based on a risk modification model. The approach is multidisciplinary for the reason that the older community is evaluated for potentially modifiable risk factors for falling. Subsequently, treatments will and are targeted to each of the risks factors. Other interventions are distinguished as medication review, podiatry, advice and behavioral and environmental modifications. The disadvantage of this approach is express on high false positive results as suggested by the risk assessments. Another concern is the clarification of which of the elements of the treatment truly works. The evidence of the causality the risk factors and the falls is feeble. Some medical practitioners even noted that there is an existence of redundant components in the programmed (p. 11).

The exercise only approach works for both at risk individuals and healthy older people through the effectivity of exercise is recommended to be even more effective if combined with other treatments. The practical implementation of the plan is efficient for men and women aged 80 years and above as the targets through individualized exercise prescription. Though the benefits of different types of exercise are unclear, an overview of successful programmers point that it improves muscle strength and postural stability. Exercises are done by trained personnel and should be graded in terms of difficulty (p. 12).

In order to maximize the effectiveness of intervention programs and further minimize the risks, it is also important to consider the risk assessment tools to be used.

First issue (200 words)

Second issue and subsequent points (200 words)

References

Appendices

Fig. 1 Postulated Mechanisms of Risk (Source: The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2001).

Reflective Summary

Introduction

Main Text

Conclusion

References

working with the elderly older people with risks of falling

United Kingdom

Preventing of falls in elderly in community

4000 words

Harvard

http://www.laterlifetraining.co.uk/Resources.html

Posted by Marivic Butod at 12:10 PM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

Hong Kong is considered to be one of the countries who have the cheapest tax

New Tax Proposal in Hong Kong - Boon or Bane?

Introduction

Hong Kong is considered to be one of the countries who have the cheapest tax. It has also standard rate and corporation rate of 15% and 16% respectively. This is a very low rate levied compare to the other developed countries (Lips her Accountancy Corporation, 2002). In this regard, this had been the greatest sword of the country is pursuing its objectives to encourage the businesses and the other companies to put their hats in the business ring. This is also the reason why Hong Kong is considered to be the centre of the multinational and to the local companies which operates in Asia. This is advantageous due to the low rates of taxation and earning profit which is tax-free. Hong Kong also benefits for this kind of scenario by allowing foreigners and for the tourism purpose which resulted for the business friendly legal system and the tax friendly environment (Abacus Consulting Services, 2005). Despite of the assistance that the country gets in its tax policy, it made another dimension to it, by issuing the new tax regime that cause a never ended debate to the Hong Kong people. The key importance of this issue is its relevance to the Hong Kong economy and how the people will tolerate this new policy.

On the 18^th day of July 2006, the Hong Kong government had launched a document which has tax reform content and entitled as “Broadening the Tax Base, Ensuring our Future Prosperity: What’s the best option for Hong Kong”. Consequently, the government allows the public to have a view and show up their opinions on the options in order to broaden the tax base. Including in this new tax regime are the capital gains taxes, the increase rates on the tenements, the taxes on the interest and in the dividends, the concessionary deduction which is under the salaries and the reductions in the personal allowances, there are also tax in the worldwide income of the businesses and individual, the land and sea departure tax, the poll tax, the payroll and the social security taxes and the green taxes (Hong Kong Tax Reform, 2006).

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) particularly is the major changes that the government is trying to implement. Thus, it is still debatable. The government of Hong Kong is will find a hard time imposing this reform who has believe that it will increase the taxes, increase the public spending as GDP, increase the progressively of the tax system, and in the operation deficit.

Broadening the Tax Base or Not?

In the article 107 and 108 of the basic law in Hong Kong stated that it should follow the principles in keeping the expenditure inside the limits of the revenues in doing its budget so that it can strive in achieving a fiscal balance which will avoid the deficit while keeping the budget in the GDP. Additionally, part of the 108 is to take a low tax policy which is pursued in the country. This is concerning to the different types of the taxes as the tax reductions, the tax rates, the allowances, and the exemptions as well as the others matters concerning taxes. This is indeed debatable and has the difficulty providing drafts. This is also the reason on the issue regarding the broadening of the tax base in Hong Kong will definitely cause a never ended arguments on the different sector of the community (Prosperitas, 2007).

Regardless of these key issues, the Hong Kong government is still open for the tax reform which will generate taxes that will be using to the governments’ different agenda and projects. It has then believed that the current tax base is wide and it will prevent the collection of the government from the level of the tax revenues. This is then the consequence in handling volatility of collecting revenues. In the broadening of the taxes in Hong Kong, it is important to generate sufficient tax revenues which owes to the fewer taxpayers and the most important thing to due is to have a wide analyzation of the and amendments before introducing to a new broad-based tax system as the GST. Aside from this one, there are also several factors to consider in the revenue stability, in the financial stability, in the operational surplus, the economic analysis which reflects to the revenues and to the population growth, and to the ageing population.

It is important to determine the financial stability and the revenue stability of the country before making any move of changes. The economic analysis is also important due to the services that the government need to give solutions as the ageing and the GDP status.

In the view of the chamber, in the Hong Kong’s future initiative of it taxation, there should be a detailed consultation to not only on the professionals but also to the public on the critical aspects of the said issue. Consideration on the equity is the major issue in the said plan. In the marginal income utility, the household who has lower income will going to pay higher income compare to the to the higher income which is seems to be unfair. Until now there are no precise and suitable solutions on administering this kind of policy. It is then signifies that the policy is uncontrolled and volatile that will be able to harm businesses as well as the investments most especially to the overseas. This also the reason why there are continues support on the governments’ initiative upon conducting to a broad, transparent and independent review on the entire basis of tax collection not only in the direct tax system but also to the other sources as the local and overseas with the formulation of the strategic approach view for the collection and for the expenditure for the future.

The Advantages of the Proposal Tax

As part of the canalization of the government, it is much important figure out the advantages of the said plan before implementing it to the public. In the said proposal it has been known to improve the lives of the unprivileged which is the government’s plan for the re-allocation to the wealthy society which is only applicable if the government will go to use its revenues wisely. The introduction of the said proposal will definitely go to the parallel subsidies in the low income. Include in the advantages of the proposal tax are the following:

1. The application of the only one rate taxable goods

2. Application of low rate broad base which levied and can produce significant revenues

3. Payable in the final selling price

4. There should be no tax in the business’ input

5. Put the hats in the business rings – this is the goal of the government while maintaining its competitiveness in encouraging foreign investors

6. Security and sustainability of the revenue base so that it can get the guts in meeting the needs in the expenditures of the public

7. Predictability of the revenue stability

8. Fairness, this is the determination of the amount tax consumed which are paid and therefore signifies that the more money it has been spent is equivalent to the more tax

9. The stabilization of the tax revenues

10. Coming up to the economy amidst the ageing population

11. Generation of predictable and stable tax income

12. The monitoring of the figure in the expenditure in the other way as the GST which will go to generate an additional income of the government.

In this regard, the government is optimistic to implement the said proposal that will displace and get more dynamic and efficient market while restricting the growth of the economy.

The Disadvantages of the Proposal Tax

In the current world part of proposal is the rejection or the objections that it had been acquired. There are many protests and jurisdictions which came from the public upon the issuance of the proposal. This had happened due to the disadvantages they had seen as they analyze the document. The GST is unfair because of the large burden it will bring onto the business. Aside form that it is also unavoidable wherein once had been implemented as well as it is unacceptable. The worst thing that may happen is the promotion of the black market in the economy. Part of the proposal’s disadvantages which can obviously affect the businesses and the households are the:

1. The keeping of the tax tracks of the imports wherein the majority of the goods are imported

2. The declination of the number of the tourists. This had happened due to the 5% of the goods and the services. The shoppers are the major people who affects for this one.

3. This will also cause an encouragement to the merchant to cheat

4. This will also make another impact on the structures of the cost in the government. This is to the fact the majority of the people wants to have a simple government. As this proposal will going to implement, then this will going to have a more complex government. Part of the factors that needs the governments’ attention also are the collection and the tax credits.

5. Majority of the households which has a great affects are the poor. This is due to the fact that the 5% is a huge figure. Aside form that, they do not also have government assistance in the case of the sales taxes

6. This area will displace the efficiency and the dynamism of the private market.

7. The extra supply of much large money will going to create hyperinflation which will be damaging in the Hong Kong‘s earnings due to the increase of the prices which are avoidable as the implementation of the proposal is concern

8. Providing an easy source of revenue, it does not mean that it is healthy for the economy, rather, it will be harmful that will cause inappropriate income tax collection. and

9. The domino effect of the proposal and the inflation, will going to decrease the wealth of everyone

10. Undetermining Fiscal Discipline

11. It also leads to the overexpansion of the governments

In this regard, the government also advices that it should not be abuse about it, but there is still no assurance that the government will resist on the pressure of the politics which is a revenue source and also leads to the different political demands.

The Evaluative Analysis of the Tax Bases

The proposal of the new tax regime will affect the people on all walks of life. This is simply meant that the affect will reach not only on the high class household but also the lower one. The increase of the prices and goods is the result of the GST implementation. In line with this, there are also alternative tax base in Hong Kong government. Part of the issuance of the alternative, though its had not yet approved is the tax is the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax or the GST. This will produce growing and stable revenue. In order to come up a significant revenue, this could levied a low rate which has a broad based. For the fairness, the amount that the individual consumed should also be equal to the amount of the tax that they paid. The tax can also adapt on the on the growing economic consumption though experiencing the ageing population. Maintaining the competitiveness while giving low tax environment so that in can attract foreign talents and investments are also the features of the GST. On the other hand, the said policy is difficult to avoid because of its multi-stage taxing as well as its credit mechanism.

Implementing the GST needs to analyze it further as its special feature, including in its features are the single and low GST rate which is a low yet international standards and consistent in the simple and low tax system. There are also high registration threshold which is % 5 million annual turnovers and wide GST tax base that will alleviate the compliance and the complexity of the cost for the administrative businesses and the governments’ cost.

Aside from the GST, there are also alternative tax bases to implement as the profit tax reduction, reduction in the trade and in the declaration of the charges for the exports and for the imports. This will also increase in the deduction of the tax for the charitable donations. There is also special set-up in the assistance of the voluntary registrants. There are also some options in the additional revenues as the increase in the public expenditure as the health, the education, the social welfare, law and order and infrastructure.

Conclusion

There are many ways in generating income that the Hong Kong should consider. It has also many options of collecting tax. Since, the broadening of the income tax is the major perspective of the government, it has many features that will the Hong Kong government and to generate income. Despite of the awareness of everybody on the quality that it can be done on the land, there are still circumstances and there are protests that serve as hindrances in the economic growth of the country. Additionally, the Hong Kong serves as a very good example in the trend regarding the tax bases in Hong Kong. Particularly, according to , It is the closes the world which is advocated in the flat rates. It is also known that this will bring to the closer and ideal flat tax ideal; it is somehow crass to do it. Aside from that there are also room for the improvement in order to bring into the closer alignment to the current tax system in Hong Kong. The most serious and the most important difficulty that the Hong Kong has to face is the large percentage of the current and the proposed tax rate. Upon considering the proposal or even abandoned then the world will be poorer and the will also compromise the approach of the public when it comes to the public spending and to the taxation due to the lost theoretical interests. It is therefore unreasonable for suggesting to the government on the modification of the tax system, until the rest of the world can have a further research for it. Since, the Hong Kong government is considerable in the changes of the tax system, and then the proposal is still regressive and implicit of the social contract is uncertainty does not satisfy the overall criteria.

The practical principles are the issues that the government should articulate so that the government will not abuse the GST. The recommendation maybe is the neutrality towards the revenue. In this way all the revenue received should be used to lower the taxes so that the total tax revenue remains constant. This is also applicable to cope up in the competition internationally. The process can be done by the governments’ commitment of lower and direct taxes as preserving its image as having the low and advantageous tax.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 11:12 AM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

This Report will present ahalysis about humanities financial services review project management plan

Analysis of Project Management Plan

Part A Critical Analysis of Project Management Plan

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

This report will present the critical analysis about humanities financial services review project management plan. The purpose of the report is to apply the different theories and ideas regarding the project management plan. The main purpose of the critical analysis is to critique as well as evaluate somebody’s work based on the opinion, idea and perspective of someone. It is an academic report that contains a description of the project plan (part B) as well as its content.

This report will also express the opinion of the author with regards to the different part of the project management plan that has chosen. It will analyze the whole project plan by breaking down the project into parts and then studying and evaluating each and every part using the support and help of different references from different books, journals and other related studies.

This report will also show the importance of a project plan and who will be benefited from its use and implementation. The structure of the report will follow the structure of the chosen project plan. It will individually analyze the different part or aspect of the project plan based on the project management body of knowledge. The main focus of the report is to give analysis about the different important aspect of the project management plan such as the time or schedule, money or cost, human resource or work breakdown structure as well as different risk that can be encountered by the project during the implementation of the plan.

2 Project Background

2.1 Information about the Work

2.1.1 Title: Humanities Financial Services Review Project Management Plan

2.1.2 Author: Craig Medley

2.1.3 Publication Information: Project Id HUM-PR-P1, v. 04 Draft, August 30, 2007, from http://edo.humanities.curtin.edu.au/pdf/Project_Managem ent_Plan_2007.pdf

2.2 Project Description

The chosen document focuses on the plan for the management of the humanities financial services review project. It was written in order to show or review the different areas or aspects of the newly implemented new transactional systems in November 2007, with an upgrade to the finance one to the Concur and BPI in Humanities only. It can help to know the different processes and flow of data and information of its accounting and purchasing transactions across each and every division (Medley 2007, p.4).

The Faculty of the Humanities of the Curtin University of the Technology offers different courses in Media, Communications, Built Environment, Art and Design, Education, Languages, Human Services as well as Social Sciences. All f the said courses are only few of the courses that the said department of the Curtin University is offering (Faculty of Humanities 2008). The project plan focuses on the implementation of the finance and accounting system of the department that focuses on the needs of the users of the system like invoicing, ordering, approving, reconciling, access to the system, structure of the outputs, skills and request and access for the different outputs (Medley 2007, p.4).

The project management plan will help the current system to improve its operations and increase the security that will eventually help to meet the demands and needs of the different stakeholders or users.

3 Structure and contents of the Project Plan

3.1 Project Management Plan and Its Purpose

3.1.1 What is Project Plan?

Project management plan or simply project plan is a document that corresponds to the overall purposes or objectives, responsibilities, resource requirements and agenda for the project (Baker & Baker 2003, p.29). It is considered as more than a playbook that determine what are the different works or task that are need to done and accomplish (Phillips 2004, p. 32). It is a fluid document that controls the following elements:

Provide structure – project plan is developed in order to present a structure or composition in order to get the project to its completion. It must be methodical and systematical but brief and short, compilation of different documents that serves as a point of references in the course of the project implementation (Phillips 2004, p. 32).
Provide Documentation – documented project plan is needed in order for the project to be a successful one. This is due to the fact that it must present historical references and the different reasons behind the decisions that have been made (Phillips 2004, p. 32).
Provide Baselines – a project plan includes a number of baselines. As the project shift towards the finishing point, the management together with the stakeholders and the project managers can use the project plan in order to see what was predicted for the costs, schedules, qualities and scopes – and compare it to the present condition (Phillips 2004, p. 32).

Project plan is the output or result of the planning phase that confines the different information that has been observed and fulfilled with the team and lays out the different activities and processes about how the project will be carried out. It also represents the projected reality (Martin & Tate 2001, p. 155).

3.1.2 Purposes and Importance of the Project Plan

The major function of the project plan is to provide a step-by-step insight into what it takes in order to satisfy the requirements or the needs of the system (Frame 2002, p. 97). An inclusive and fittingly comprehensive project plan is essential to a successful completion of any project. It can help to direct the project itself. Without the aid or help of a project plan, it will hard and even impossible to lead a group to carry out their different responsibilities in order achieves their common goal (Baker & Baker 2003, p.29).

It is a directing document of the project management that serves up as a storage area for all of the supplementary plans. It is a guiding document for the project and it’s intrinsically needs to replicate all of the information that is critical or crucial to the project manager, project team, customer as well as management sponsor. It offers broad direction as to the cost, schedule and requirements baselines. In its thorough and comprehensive form, it provides much more exact and precise guidance on the nature of the components of the different supporting plans (Pritchard 2004, p. 100).

3.2 Stakeholder of the Humanities Financial Services Review Project Management Plan

The main audience or target of the humanities of the financial services review project management are the higher officials who are involved in the overall process and management of the different financial and accounting activities in the humanities department of the Curtin University of the Technology. The plan will focus on the review of the different areas of the current system of the humanities of the Curtin University of the Technology such as the different internal process flows such as invoicing, ordering, approving as well as reconciling; the number of the people or the user that can access the systems of the Concur and the Finance One; the structure of the invoicing as well as procurement function as well as the different responsibilities and functions of each and every users; the different skills of every users; the different uses and what they are used for such as the request for the Curtin tax invoice and its different uses and the different types of transactions that are involved with the credit card or purchase request (Medley 2007, p. 4).

All of the said information together with other result of the review will be helpful for the management in order for them to improve the current system of the Humanities department that will ensure competitive advantage for their part because it can make the life of their stakeholders a lot easier. It can also help them to excel in their different operations as well as to ensure or add their financial security.

3.3 Structure of the Humanities Financial Services Review Project Management Plan

3.4 Different Sections of the Humanities Financial Services Review Project Management Plan

4 Conclusions

5 Recommendations

Part B Humanities Financial Services Review Project Management Plan

1 Introduction

1.1 About this Document

This document provides a plan for the management of the Humanities Financial Services Review Project.

1.2 Background

New transactional systems and processes have been implemented recently, being Concur and BPI (Humanities only) with an upgrade to Finance One to occur in November 2007. In addition, the Division is looking at ways in which to best undertake support activities including purchasing and accounting to ensure that efficiencies are obtained. A Financial Services Office is already operational and undertakes some financial processes i.e. electronic processing of credit card transactions.

Based on the above, it is now timely to review current systems, processes and structures which accounting and purchasing transactions operate under across the Division. The areas that would be reviewed include but are not limited to; internal process flows (including invoicing, ordering, approving and reconciling), the number of people with access to systems (both Concur and Finance One), the structure of the invoicing and procurement function (who does what), skills, and how systems are used and what they are used for (e.g. request for Curtin tax invoice, what are allonges used for, what type of transactions are going through credit cards / purchase request).

1.3 Project Sponsor

The Project Sponsor is Ken McCluskey

1.4 Project Manager

The Project Manager is Craig Medley.

1.5 Project Team

The Project team is comprised of Raymond Seah and Craig Medley

1.6 Key Stakeholders

The key stakeholders (Humanities only) of this project include:

Executive Dean

Deans

Review Panel

2 Project Scope

2.1 Strategic Link

This project specifically contributes towards to the following strategic objective(s):

§ Excellence in operations

§ Financial security

2.2 Project Benefits

The expected benefits and impacts of the project deliverables are:

Improved definition and understanding of the role / scope of work of the Financial Service Office in Humanities,

Roadmap and high level implementation plan for the agreed changes,

Improved efficiencies and effectiveness of processes within Humanities through standardization and centralization where identified,

Potential cost savings and risk reduction in procurement and credit cards processes / systems.

2.3 Project Deliverables

The project’s key deliverables are:

Document / s covering:

Matrix of processes and systems under Humanities Financial Services Office and respective Teaching Areas,

Services identified for improvement via end to end processing / procurement arrangements / invoicing,

Recommended process flow for identified services,

List of service deliverables (with the resource requirement) of the Humanities Financial Services Office,

Policies to support recommended services,

High level implementation plan

2.4 Out of Scope

The following items are considered out of the scope:

Implementation of recommendations

Expenditure incurred whilst traveling (this may be included at a later date)

2.5 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The project tasks to produce the project deliverables are listed in the Gantt chart at Appendix B1.

2.6 Constraints

The following key project constraints were identified:

Availability and willingness of staff to contribute

Data quality

2.7 Assumptions

The following key assumptions influenced the development of this Project Management Plan:

All staff will be available as required

3 Project Time Schedule

3.1 Schedule

The detailed project schedule is provided in the Gantt chart at Appendix B1

4 Project Costs

4.1 Budget summary

The budget breakdown is summarized as follows:

Resource Type	Total Cost ($)		Hours
Human resources		$30,000
Equipment and products
Consumables
*Totals*		$30,000

The Communication Plan examines the key contacts, frequency of communications, and communication medium to be deployed. It is used to ensure adequate consideration has been given to consultation and information dissemination. It is attached as Appendix D.

5 Project Accountabilities

5.1 Project Organizational Chart

The Project Organizational Chart provides a visual representation of the project team and project reporting structure. It is attached as Appendix B.

5.2 Responsibility Assignment Matrix

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix outlines responsibilities allocated to individuals for each task. It is attached as Appendix C.

5.3 Project Sponsor

The roles and responsibilities of the Project Sponsor include:

Responsibility to senior management for the project;

Endorsing this document to confirm that project scope and deliverables are correct;

Approving changes to scope, schedule, and quality;

Reviewing progress and providing strategic direction;

Resolving issues beyond the Project Manager’s authority;

Providing the resources and sponsorship for the project; and

Examining the project at completion2 and completing a Project Sign-off form.

5.4 Project Manager

The roles and responsibilities of the Project Manager include:

Managing the day-to-day operations of the project to ensure the project deliverables are produced to scope, schedule, and quality;

Monitoring and controlling the Project Management Plan;

Providing status reports to the Project Sponsor;

Leading the project teams to meet the project objectives;

Undertaking the tasks assigned, as specified in the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (refer Appendix C); and

Consulting with the Project Sponsor and key stakeholders to maintain communications and keep parties up to date on project progress.

6 Communications Plan

6.1 Plan

The Communication Plan examines the key contacts, frequency of communications, and communication medium to be deployed. It is used to ensure adequate consideration has been given to consultation and information dissemination. It is attached as Appendix B4.

7 Risk Management Plan

7.1 Risk Assessment

The Risk Management Plan, attached as Appendix B5, examines risks, rates those risks and identifies potential treatment strategies.

8 Project Control

8.1 Progress Reporting

The Project Management Plan will be controlled on a regular basis, by means of completing Project Status Report to the Project Sponsor on a fortnightly basis. The key elements are scope, schedule, and risk, with the control process comprising:

• Monitoring and measuring performance;

• Comparing performance to this plan;

• Reporting on deviations and issues; and

• Taking corrective action (where necessary).

8.2 Change Management

Any proposed changes to the scope or quality will be processed as follows:

Proposed changes will be evaluated on the basis of their impact on the project process and outcome, and in light of reasonable alternatives;

Proposed changes will be formally recorded on a Project Change Control report and submitted to the Project Sponsor;

The Project Sponsor will review proposed changes, and either accept or reject them; and

Accepted changes will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders, and project documentation will be amended accordingly.

Appendices

Appendix A1 Project Management Areas of Knowledge and Its Process

Appendix B1 Task, Schedule & Gantt Chart

Adapted from (PMI Standards & Duncan 1996, p. 7)

Appendix B1 Timeline/ Gantt Chart

Appendix B2 Project Organizational Chart

Appendix B3 – Responsibility Assignment Matrix

ID	WBS TASKS	Project Manager	Team Member	Review Committee	Sponsor
ID	WBS TASKS	Craig	Raymond	Ken
1	Policy review	R	I	N	I
2	Purchase to Pay Stream	R	I	N, C	A
2.1	Data analysis	R	I	N, C	C
2.2	Data modelling	R	I	N	N
3	Invoicing Stream	N, I	R	I, C	I, C
3.1	Invoice profiling	N, I	R	N	N
3.2	Develop process documentation	N, I	R	N	N
3.3	Present P2P and Invoice data	R	I	N	N
4	Interviews	R	I	I, C	C
4.1	Define questions	R	R	C	I
4.2	Agree on questions	R	I	C	A
4.3	Conduct interviews	R	R	I, C	N
4.4	Collate information	R	I	N	N
4.5	Develop activity lists / matrices	R	R	I	N
4.6	Develop process maps	R	R	N	N
4.7	Review process maps with users	R	R	I	I
4.8	Present findings	R	I	N	C, I
5	Recommendations development	R	R	I	I, A
5.1	Analyze prior findings	R	I	N	N, I
5.2	Brainstorm options	R	I	I	I
5.3	Develop recommendations	R	I	I	I
5.4	Review recommendations	R	I	I	I
5.5	Finalize recommendations	R	I	A	A
LEGEND R – Responsible for executing activity A – Approval authority I – Provides input C – Consulted N - Notified

APPENDIX B4 – Communication Plan

Stakeholder	Information To Be Communicated	Frequency	Medium	Responsible	Timing
Faculty/Area Administration staff affected by this review
Review Panel	Request for feedback on the draft project plan and outlining next steps	Once before the project is officially kicked off	Meeting	Project Sponsor, Chair of panel & Project Manager	31st August
Executive Dean	Presentation of the draft project plan. The purpose of the project; next stage on from previous financial services review project looking at financial transactional processes & where these could be improved & additional services that may then reside within the division’s financial Services office in the future.	Once before the project is officially kicked-off	Meeting	Project Sponsor and Project manager	Beginning of Sept 07
Representative from Price Waterhouse looking at standardization of processes & systems across the organization	Outline of Humanities Financial Services Review project and the Project Team’s approach. Also to gain input into the project depending on some of the objectives that Price Waterhouse have been tasked with.	Prior to project kick-off	Meeting & Emails	Project Sponsor and Project Manager	1st meeting end of August
Executive Dean and Deans	Kick-off Project, Project plan - main project objectives, communications plan, risks & key areas being covered in the project	At start of Project	Presentation at HMB	Project Sponsor & Project Manager	10th Sept
Project Sponsor	Project Status updates – activities, key findings and issues	Fortnightly	Meeting	Project Manager	Starting 5th September
Financial Services	Introduce the new Associate Director Transaction services to the project and go through project plan & request his involvement on the review committee	Once	Meeting	Project Sponsor, Project Team, & Chair of Review Committee	Approx 3rd week in Sept
Review Committee	Introduction of the new Associate Director Transaction services to the review committee as a new member, Also Summarization of activities, findings at end of Purchase to Pay Stream Phase plus next steps	One of three	Committee meeting	Chair of Review Committee & Project Manager	Towards end of September
Faculty/Area Administration staff affected by this review	General communication to staff in their area about the 1st phase i.e. P2P & Invoicing quantitative analysis	One of three	One on One meetings	Review Panel Members	Towards end of Sept
Review Committee	Summarization of activities, findings at end of Invoice Phase plus next steps	Two of Three	Committee meeting	Project Manager	Towards end of October
Faculty/Area Administration staff affected by this review	General communication to staff in their area about the 2nd phase i.e. Interviews	Two of Three	One on One meetings	Review Panel Members	Towards end of October
Review Committee	Review of draft recommendations and gather feedback for inclusion in final report	Three of Three	Committee meeting	Project Manager	Mid November
Faculty/Area Administration staff affected by this review	General communication to staff in their area about the ‘draft’ recommendations	Two of Three	One on One meetings	Review Panel Members	Mid November
Executive Dean and Deans	Project Outcomes and Recommendations	Conclusion	Presentation at HMB	Project Sponsor and Manager	Early December

Appendix B5 Communication Plan Calendar

*Note – Meeting dates with exception of HMB are indicative and subject to change

Appendix B6 Risk Management Plan

Legend for the Risk Management Plan

Defining Likelihood Ratings

The following table outlines the definition of likelihood rating as applied to the risk assessment.

Descriptor	Definition
*Almost certain*	Expected to occur in most circumstances
*Likely*	Will probably occur in most circumstances
*Possible*	Might occur at some time
*Unlikely*	Could occur at some time
*Rare*	May only occur in exceptional circumstances

Defining Consequence Ratings

The following table outlines the definition of consequence rating as applied to the risk assessment.

Consequence	Project Consequence
*Catastrophic*	Unacceptable effect on project objectives
*Major*	Major effects on project objectives, requiring significant effort to rectify.
*Moderate*	Moderate effects on project objectives, requiring management effort to rectify
*Minor*	Some difficulties experienced, but these are easily managed.
*Insignificant*	No noticeable effect on project management objectives

Defining Risk Rankings

The following table outlines the definition of risk categorizes, determined by combining the likelihood and consequence of a risk.

RISK FACTOR	*Insignificant*	*Minor*	*Moderate*	*Major*	*Catastrophic*
*Almost* *certain*	Low	High	High	Extreme	Extreme
*Likely*	Low	Moderate	High	Extreme	Extreme
*Possible*	Low	Moderate	High	High	Extreme
*Unlikely*	Low	Low	Moderate	High	High
*Rare*	Low	Low	Low	Moderate	High

Posted by Marivic Butod at 11:04 AM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

As the old adage goes change is inevitable

I. Introduction

As the old adage goes, change is inevitable. Though change is often seen as a daunting challenge for any organization, it is needed to induce organisational development initiatives. Consequently, the proper management of this process of change will ensure a higher probability of success for the organisation. This report intends to provide the company with a change management programme as they engage in an upgrade in the equipment that they are using in their operations. Basically, this need for change is prompted by the rapid changes as well as the intensification of the demands of the external environment. To a certain degree, this intent for an equipment upgrade could generally hamper the operations of the organisation given that the major machineries form a great part of the company’s output. The discussions, arguments, observations, and recommendations provided in this report are based on researched articles from change management literature. In the same regard, appropriate models and concepts will also be provided as the report develops.

II. Background of the Company

The company under consideration, CBT Inc, is predominantly a manufacturing company that similarly operates its own marketing and distribution programmes. It focuses on consumer products and distributes it in the local market. Basically, the author of this report is employed in this organisation. To deal with the demands of efficiency, the company has decided to carry out equipment upgrades in their operations.

III. Prescription for change

In this part of the report, the intention of the company is inducing change within the organisation is described. In the following parts, the objectives of the change management programme will be highlighted along with the rationale for each section.

A. Vision for renewed organization

The vision of the organisation serves as the guiding light to determine whether the company is on the right path in realising its goals. However, the changes in the external environment have considerably been highly influential in the common organisation. Recent trends on efficiency in production have triggered the company to take on change initiatives to be operating at par with the rest of the players in the industry.

In this regard, a renewed organisation could only be achieved with a consequent change in the vision of the company. To this end, the organisation must realise that a shift to a higher level of competitiveness is in order for the company to address the recurring need to develop and acquire a much larger market share. The acquisition of new machineries as well as the software that complements the said additions to the company will be able to assist greatly on realising this vision of a renewed organisation. Specifically, the organisation intends to:

· Improve the quality and productivity of the organisation.

· Create a culture of competence and excellence.

· Minimise resistance from the workforce through inducing participation and encouraging communication.

· Determine the leadership style appropriate for the company.

B. Direction and Scope of change

In order to realise these objectives, the company have to start by innovation and working outside the established and usual processes which the organisation is accustomed to, unfreeze inertia so to speak. However, before doing that, the managers of CBT Inc should first establish what part of the processes that require changing. In this scenario, the quality and productivity of the company is the primary concern for instituting change.

For this report, the improvement of learning and other operational developments in the organisation is recommended. This company obviously intends to amend that and acquire continuous development in their operations by increasing the efficiency without compromising the quality of their products. For the purposes of this report, the lean manufacturing scheme presented in Toyota will be consulted to see whether it fits CBT Inc’s processes. (Klier 1999, 18) However, with any development in organisations, there is the distinct requirement of education and training for both the employee and the mangers of the company. (Nadhi 2006, 14) In this regard, this report consulted the case of Ducati Motor Holdings in their effective implementation of knowledge management initiatives in their operations. (2005, 578)

C. Speed of Change

Another important element that should be considered in this change management programme is the timing and speed of the specific milestones in the change process. More specifically, certain courses of action and particular areas to change should perfectly coincide with the capacity of the firm to adapt. To make the programme more manageable, the process of change is divided into two areas: intangible and tangible assets.

In the context of intangible assets, the process of learning of the system required of the employees and managers is included. Therefore, training and other learning activities will be included in this part of the change process. In addition, this will incur an incremental form of change so as to ensure optimal learning and retention will be achieved from the employees. It is at this category that the theoretical foundations of the change process are given initially to the managers. Consequently, it is these managers that will educate their respective teams on the required processes involved. It is in this part of the process where the culture of competition is also introduced to the employees.

On the other hand, the tangible change is characterised by the change in the equipment and machineries used in the operations of the firm. It is here where the practical part of the change process takes place. All the learning and training that the managers and employees acquired during the preliminary phase of the change process is applied in this particular portion. Unlike the intangible assets, the change in this area is transformational.

IV. Proposed Action

The following part of this report will provide a detailed account on the realisation of the specified objectives above. More specifically, a discussion on the management of change, organisational structure, organisational culture, and managing resistance of the workface is going to be given in this part.

A. Leveraging Change

Finding flaws in the company that require changing is rather easy. However, it is uncovering the areas that require change and will provide the company with the highest return is the real challenge for organisations. In finding these elements, the company is able to acquire some leverage in the change process. In the case of CBT Inc., the following part will be pinpointing the specific changes that will give the company control over the possible repercussions of the initiatives. The use of a Force Field Analysis allowed the researcher to establish the weight of these specific factors for and against change in the company.

Figure 1. Force Field Analysis of CBT Inc

Based on the figure above, it appears that the company appears to have several factors for the change initiative. In fact, the graph shows that it outnumbers those factors not in favour of the change process. A closer examination of the data indicates that the factors that oppose the change process are considerably more influential than those in favour. This requires the management to strike a balance on these factors to allow the change process to operate with minimal resistance from the organisation.

Seen in the data above, the forces against change outnumber those in favour 11-9. In the case of the resistance from the workforce, the company appears to have a deadlock with the influential employees in the organisation. These employees could be those who are highly esteemed by their colleagues because of their longevity in the organisation or because they are seen as the role models of the younger part of the workforce. To rectify this to the favour of the management, all they have to do is lobby for the change initiative particularly focusing their attention to the key individuals who are against it. Constant dialogue may eventually win them over and acquire their help in addressing those against the change process. On the other hand, another factor specifically the apprehension of the senior staff in the change in technology appears to be a powerful force against the change process in the organisation. The company needs the senior staff as they are the ones who are aware of the existing culture in the organisation. In the same manner, they are the ones who are tasked to convey the new processes on the lower echelons of the operations. To find leverage, the management have to install an extensive training process for these senior employees.

B. Renewing System and Structure

The company under consideration, CBT Inc., is a corporation. This means that the organisational form of the company has already been decided, along with the structure and leadership. Changes in the said company’s form are apparently not required. Basically, the company still have a sure way of gaining capital, specifically selling stocks. In the same regard, the company could also enjoy much flexibility as they could change leadership when it appears that the CEO of the company is going against the strategic movement of the organisation.

C. Tailoring Culture

In order to make the change initiatives have a positive effect on the organisation, the management have to make sure that the initiatives find a fit with the existing culture. However, they have to first indicate what types of cultures are apparent in the company. To do this, they could use the concept of the cultural web to effectively establish the existing culture of the organisation. (Markoczy 1994, 5) Specific areas like stories, rituals and routines, symbols, organisational structure, control system, power structures.

Under the category of stories, the company have a reputation with its customers of having satisfactory products. On the part of the employees, they are talks on how the work required is non-strenuous. These set of remarks and stories about the organisation indicates that there is a laid back culture in the organisation. It says that the employees are not competitive enough, thus creating “satisfactory” and not “excellent” products.

In the context of rituals and routines, the customers of the company expect deliveries to be efficient. This means that the company has been priding itself as it has yet to delay a delivery or missed a deadline. On the part of the employees, they expect their awards and incentives to be fair. This means that these employees closely monitor the performance of their colleagues and have their own set of standards as to whether an awards or incentive is justified or not.

In the case of symbols, the most recurring image basically is the use of uniforms of employees, both managers and rank-and-file. This shows homogeneity and some degree of fairness as the workforce could easily discern who they could turn to for specific instances.

On the other hand, the organisational structure of the firm is considerably flat. This means that the grievances of the employees could be acquired by the top management without much embellishment as the hierarchy is not that convoluted. This also means that the top management could easily see the specific changes in the workforce with reference to performance and their satisfaction of the job requirements.

With the control systems, the costs of the operations are monitored constantly as it is the area where the company incurs a lot. On the part of the employees, sanctions for poor work are inexistent as the management believes in positive reinforcement. This means that the employees are motivated to work hard because of the promised rewards and possibility of recognition in the organisation.

The organisation places great importance on the core customers of the firm. This means that the top management always seek to establish good relationship with the clients so as their return in the future is guaranteed. This means that the demands of the core clientele are held highly that it influences the subtle changes in the policies and procedures in the firm. In this regard, the company could emulate what Ducati Motor Holdings did on their Desmo Owner Club where they established a club for their core customers. This means those who have been religiously been involved with the company and buying their products should are given the rightful recognition and created a close customer relationship initiative with them. It is thus recommended by this report that CBT Inc. does the same. (2005, 585)

D. Participation of the Workforce

Employee participation is defined as a process that “comprises organizational structures and processes designed to empower and enable employees to identify with organizational goals and to collaborate as control agents in activities that exceed minimum coordination efforts normally expected at work.” (Carroll and Arneson 2003, 35) This means that the organisation has to make it a point that the employees are aware that their contribution is required and actually use their input to the change process.

In the same regard, the company could again emulate what DMH did in their operations. Specifically, the DMH indicated that they took care of employee participation initiatives by installing a knowledge management programme that deals with the developments in their relationship with the trade unions, human resource development, and maintenance of the technical and high-performing components of the personnel of the organisation. (2005, 585)

E. Leadership of Change

In the case of leadership requirements, the company should empower their managers. This is because they are the ones who deal directly with the rank and file and are the most acquainted with the culture of the organisation. (Huy, 2002) In this regard, they are able to maintain continuity in the change process without compromising the operations of the organisation. More particularly, the managers are needed by the company to ensure that there is less resistance on the part of the overall workforce so as to ensure the positive outcome of the change process. ( 2002, 17)

F. Communicating Change

Communicating change in the organisation is one of the most important courses of action that the management should undertake. Once again, the installation of an effective knowledge management scheme would help immensely. This is

Posted by Marivic Butod at 10:56 AM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

One Popular Option among organizations seeking to reduce expenditure is Outsourcing

Outsourcing the HR Functions

One popular option among organizations seeking to reduce expenditure is Outsourcing. Through outsourcing a part of the organization that is not considered as part of the core business is made into an independent body (Schabracq 2004). Recent trends in organizational restructuring have impacted the way the HR department operates. Organizations of today are keen to keep what they think as the core businesses that contribute to their success. This trend has led to outsourcing of non-core HR activities (Kraut and Korman 1999).

One of the main reasons why organizations choose to outsource its HR functions is to be more cost effective. Cost saving is among the most frequent cited reasons for outsourcing (Beaman 2004).

One of the most outsourced HR function is the recruitment and selection process. Recruitment and selection brings stability to an organization by attracting and hiring talented workers. Recruitment and selection is now seen as a value-adding and success-contributing activity in most organizations. However, along with the improved status of HR activities comes the demand that HR demonstrate the value-added nature of its role. HR professionals are finding way to maximize the value-added cost of recruitments and selection while at the same time minimizing overall expenditure. This change of view has led to greater awareness of the costs of inadequacies and errors, productivity losses, high turnover, worker errors and accidents, severed relationships with clients and suppliers, and lost business. Another trend that has a big impact on the recruitment and selection activity is the increasing competition for talented workers.

Organizations are starting to outsource different HR functions. One of these is the recruitment and selection function. In recent years, the world of business has seen the growth of organizations that offer full-service ‘employment processing. This growth was propelled by two trends. One of these is the emergence of a new philosophy of organization that holds that, success in the current environment requires an organization to focus on its core businesses and competitive advantages. Human resource, along with other support functions, are often outsourced. Another trend is the demand to restructure and demonstrate the cost of each activity. Specialized companies whose organizational mission is to provide HR services are in better position to minimize the cost of the hiring process. There are now many outsourcing firms that offer employment processing services for clients who wish to outsource recruitment and selection.

Outsourced Training

Advantages of Outsourcing HR Functions

One of the prime motivators for organizations to outsource their HR functions is to reduce cost. By focusing on core businesses and functions, the organization can reduce the cost entailed by failures and errors in HR functions such as recruitment and selection. By choosing to outsource, organizations can gain advantages. One of these is increased HR delivery effectiveness. More and more experienced outsourcing organizations are highly capable of dealing with HR processes more satisfactorily. Recruitment and selection for example can be accomplished by outsourcing agencies more quickly and efficiently. Organizations today have the advantage of using the expertise of outsourcing agencies. External providers have more experience and knowledge in different HR functions. Because of this, the HR department can focus its attention on more important issues and problems. The HR department can focus its attention of policy and decision-making. Outsourcing HR activities are attractive for organizations that are growing very rapidly (www.hrmguide.co.uk).

Disadvantages of Outsourcing HR Functions

Outsourcing HR functions also have disadvantages. One of these is the tendency of an organization to pass unnecessarily complex or ineffective systems that may hinder the provision of adequate outsourcing. If the organization fails to improve its system before it chooses to outsource, chances are the external provider may fail to provide quality service. Outsourcing is also attractive because of the sophisticated software that external providers posses. Organizations choose to outsource because of the savings in investing on sophisticated systems. If an organization already posses an effective IT system, cost savings will not be achieved from an outsourcing agency. Another disadvantage is that the external provider may not help in the management of employees. Employee management still remains as the main responsibility of the HR department. Because the external provider lack local knowledge and ownership, it may not fully understand the needs of the organization (www.hrmguide.co.uk).

Conclusion

Because of different developments in the world of business, business processes and functions are changing. One area that was greatly affected is the Human resource department. Organizations today are continuously seeking for strategies that will reduce cost and will maximize profit. One strategy that is gaining popularity is outsourcing. It should be considered that outsourcing is a complicated decision and cost effectiveness is not enough to drive the decision. Aside from cost effectiveness, administrative efficiency and expertise in the field of human resources management must be considered. The organization must be prepared as the transition from in-house to outsource HR activities is complex. The transition must be managed effectively in order to achieve success.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 10:09 AM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

It has been emphasized that organizational creation is the fundamental to the process of innovation which then constitutes part of the system that produces it

Barriers of Organizational Innovation Management in China

Chapter 2

Literature Review

2.1 Introduction of Organizational Innovation (OI)

It has been emphasized that organizational creation is fundamental to the process of innovation, which then constitutes part of the system that produces it. The ability and capacity of an organization to innovate is a precondition for the successful utilization of inventive resources and new technologies. Thus, in this sense, the introduction of new technologies often presents complex opportunities and challenges for organizations, leading to changes in managerial practices and the emergence of new organizational forms. Therefore, organizational and technological innovations are intertwined. In essence, the term organizational innovation refers to the creation or adoption of an idea or behavior new to the organization (Lam, 2004). As such, the innovation can be a new product, a new service, a new technology, or a new administrative practice (Hage, 1999), which provides the edge or competitive advantage of an organization in its respective market. In this sense, organizational innovation, such as through the introduction of new products and new services, can provide new employment opportunities and positive balances of trade, thus, protecting the nation’s standard of living. Practically, since a nation’s economic development depends largely on the continued launching of new products, governments have become concerned about innovation. This is because many organizations and nations alike perceive the innovation of products, services, technologies, and administrative practices as assisting with the articulation of study of significant breakthroughs in science, the development of superior military equipments, the creation of interdisciplinary programs in higher education, the reform of welfare, and many others. In other words, the study and the recognition of the importance of organizational innovation concerns some of the most basic problems in the society, and thus, can be deemed as important and relevant (Hage, 1999).

2.2 Introduction of Organizational Innovation Management (OIM)

It has been stressed that businesses nowadays have come to realize the importance of innovation for survival in a world of global competition (Hage, 1999). This is because every organization in today’s generation has been exposed and has already been aware of the fast-paced market and industrial environment that it has due to the continuous, simultaneous, and dynamic changes that happen in relation to science, technology, and communication. Because the concept of organizational innovation pertains to the adoption or creation of a new idea or behavior in an organization, the management of such a concept would also be relevant. It has been reported that in the management literature, innovation serves to drive corporate success and is a strategic endeavor contributing to the differentiating capacity of an organization. Innovation is said to be a high-risk activity, unpredictable, complex, dynamic, non-routine based, involves creativity, and is difficult to control (Huizenga, 2004). With such characteristics, it can be perceived that an organization that would be devoting itself to innovation would be needing the magic hands of management in order to govern, control, and direct its success. In this regard, the concept of Organizational Innovation of Management or OIM pertains to the management of the chances, the risks, and the changes in the organization, in relation to its dedication and commitment in implementing and adapting to innovation. This also involves directing and committing to the development of the organization through determining the potential pitfalls and uncertain, high-cost and results. It pertains to the appropriate delegation of resources that might render value in the long run. More importantly, OIM is about enhancing and motivating change in the organization, thus, involving and developing people to accept, learn, and execute changes in terms of work, skills, and competencies in the organization (Huizenga, 2004).

2.3 Relationship between OI and OIM

As stated and emphasized earlier, the concept of organizational innovation pertains to the creation or adoption of a new idea or behavior in an organization, while the concept of organization innovation management or OIM pertains to the management of the creation or adoption of a new idea or behavior in an organization. From the definitions of the two concepts themselves, it can be understood and deduced that a significant relationship exists between them. This is because in order for an organization to effectively and efficiently undergo its needed changes, it must then be able to come up with a new idea or behavior that would serve to be a relevant and appropriate answer to its needs. However, the utilization and implementation of the said changes or innovation strategies in the organization would not be as useful and significant without proper management, control, and direction. This is because through effective management, the use and the implementation of innovations in the organization would be based on scientific research and data, and thus, would be appropriate for the needs of the organization, in terms of responding to the demands of consumers, its environment, its workers or employees, and its industry.

The concept of Organizational Innovation is deemed to be closely integrated with the concept of Organizational Innovation Management, given the different factors that interplay between them.

It has been reported that there are two types of innovation that can be used by an organization, namely, autonomous and systemic innovation. An autonomous innovation is one that can be introduced to the market or to the consumers without massive modification of related products and processes. An example of this kind of innovation is the introduction of power steering, which did not initially require any significant alternatives to the design of cars or engines (Lam, 2004). This form of innovation is usually what is being done by most organizations, as through autonomous innovation, less research, fewer costs, and fewer alterations of products and processes are involved. In this regard, an organization would be able to effectively respond to the needs of its customers, with fewer expended money or budget, but with increased profits. Aside from increased profits, products in the market, which underwent autonomous innovation still pertain to the previous products targeting previous customers, who would be perceived to retain loyalty to the use of that particular product. On the other hand, the second type of innovation is systemic innovation, which favors integrated enterprises because it requires complex coordination amongst various subsystems, and hence is usually accomplished under one roof. An example of a systemic innovation is the complete redesigning of many automobiles in the 1980s, producing front-wheel drive vehicles (Lam, 2004). From this, it can be perceived that the primary relationship of Organizational Innovation and Organizational Innovation Management is effectively determining the type of innovation an organization needs to undergo or implement. An organization must first determine the type of innovation they need before coming up with the next step or plan. In this sense, this involves determining the problems of the company or organization, which need to be addressed through innovations. As such, an organization must not be able to adopt or create a new idea or behavior immediately without thinking and planning about it. Therefore, the relationship of the two concepts involve integrating together in order to determine the problems or issues in the organization that need to be addressed through innovations. An example of this would be to determine first why a certain brand of deodorant is not profiting in the market. Identifying the problem would mean choosing this particular brand of deodorant to undergo innovation or significant changes.

Identification of the problem, which needs to be answered or addressed through innovation leads to careful planning, organizing, and research. After identification of the problem, the organization can now determine what type of innovation its product/s can undergo. Basing on the current example, innovation of the deodorant brand in question would mean it has to undergo autonomous innovation. Research for the organization would mean the company would be obtaining relevant data and information regarding the performance of the deodorant brand in the market, involving the feedback of consumers and users of the product. In addition, the costs, duration, and processes involved in its production must also be taken note of in order to critically analyze and evaluate the overall performance of the product to be undergone innovation. After relevant research and data gathering, planning would be the next step to take. Through effective and efficient planning, the company would then be able to synchronize its resources and its objectives to the changes that must be done to the product. Careful planning would then lead to organizing, which would allow the company or organization align their goals to the interests of their customers. In this sense, the second factor or aspect in stating the relationship between Organizational Innovation and Organizational Innovation Management involves assisting organizations to careful data gathering, research, and planning, which would be helpful for implementing changes in the organization. Careful and critical planning of the steps to be taken by the organization in relation to the changes or innovations it may take would be the best strategy to do, as this would help the organization lessen future problems and crises, during the actual implementation of the said changes.

It has been pointed out that managers in an organization need to be trained to create mechanisms and systems that support and facilitate innovation, which is not confined to the management of researchers, engineers, and advertising professionals alone. More and more, managers of all functional areas must need to know how to create an optimal level of organizational innovation in their departments (Fischer, 2001). In this regard, it can be stressed that the third indicator of the existing relationship between Organizational Innovation and Organizational Innovation Management is providing and emphasizing the skills and competencies managers must have in order for the organization to effectively and efficiently implement innovations and changes needed by the company. The relationship between the two concepts emphasizes the need for managers to possess a number of skills and competencies, and assume roles in the organization. Such skills include strong leadership skills, the ability to develop people, excellent communication skills, good interpersonal skills, the ability to handle stress effectively, problem-solving skills, and time management skills (Gido and Clements, 2005). In terms of role, managers must take on a variety of them, which would enable them to perform the different skills required of them. Such roles include becoming leaders, motivators, good listeners, commanders, planners, organizers, and consultants.

The most important indicator that emphasizes the relationship that exists between Organizational Innovation and Organizational Innovation Management is the presence of strategies or interventions that would assist the organization and its members to undergo the process of change or innovation. The presence of strategies or interventions, such as individual, group, inter-group, and organizational interventions (Rotwell and Sullivan, 2005) indicate that an organization values the development and improvement of its human resources in order to cope or adapt to the changes that must be implemented in the organization. In addition, the fact that organizations bother themselves with strategic and organizational planning and analysis means that the coping with the changes happening in the organization matter to them, as such changes significantly influence the many processes that would determine the success or failure of the organization in its respective industry. In essence, the most important link between the two concepts is to assist in coming up with useful and relevant strategies that would be essential in allowing an organization to undergo its needed changes.

2.4 Background of China Manufacturing Industry and OIM Situation

Manufacturing is one of the most fundamental activities of human beings and the cornerstone of survival and development for society through creating tremendous public wealth. Its industry is the foundation of national productivity and the pillar of the national economy. This holds true for China, as its manufacturing industry is rapidly rising the world as never before. This has been brought about by its reform and opening up to the outside world, along with its entry into the World Trade Organization. As such, China is now the 4^th largest manufacturing power in the world, second only to the United States, Japan, and Germany. It has been emphasized that its important mark in its sudden emergence is the rapid expansion of China’s production capability. Over 100 kinds of products of 10 trades including household appliances, medicines, electronic devices, toys and many others rank the first in the world in terms of output. The total trade value of export and import in mainland China has been up to US$ 1150 billion in 2004, second only to the United States and Germany (Limin et al., 2005). In addition to this, its population reached over 1.3 billion people in the middle of 2007, thus, making it the world’s largest and most populous country (Rosenberg, 2007). Thus, its large population contributes to its increase in terms of production in the manufacturing industry, as more and more citizens become the hands that drive the many and large manufacturing industries in the country. The increase then of the population leads to the increase of individuals that China can induce for labor. Moreover, the liberalization of China’s economy, most especially its manufacturing sector led to produce a devastating effect not only to the Mexican economy, but to the American economy as well. This is because jobs are going overseas at an increasingly rapid rate, mostly to China. A look at what happened to the textile industry alone is disturbing. According to the findings of the National Council of Textile Organizations, China now controls half of the apparel market of the United States in product areas where quotas have been removed. The reason for this is that U.S.-based corporate interests have infused it with money, infrastructure, technology, and business savvy. They have even moved their plants to China (McManus, 2006). In this sense, the multinational organizations that have dominated the market of China, along with significant impacts of globalization in the world have contributed to the development of the manufacturing industry of the country. Thus, it can be deduced that the opening up of the economy and market of China has done the country, its economy, and its society good.

However, despite the high regard for the massive production associated with the manufacturing industry of China, it has been stressed that the gap between its own manufacturing industry and the industrially developed countries is becoming noticeable. China’s manufacturing industry can be described as large, but not strong, and is still way behind developed countries in terms of the enterprise scale, technical level or the international market scale, international competitiveness, and the position in international division of labor. Furthermore, a number of problems or loopholes can be seen through China’s manufacturing industry, such as the low level of technical standards and the lack of professional talent versed in technical standards. Problems with the standardization field of China include serious backwardness, lag in standards, serious divorce of formulation of standards from market demand, and the lack of professional talent familiar with, and versed in technical standards, such as of ISO standards. In this sense, the presence and the persistence of such problems serve to hamper and be regarded as constraints to the development of China’s economy, especially in terms of the development of its manufacturing industry (Limin et al., 2005).

From this, it can be perceived that China’s manufacturing industry serves to be one of the largest producers in the world, and this is brought about by the economic and business opportunities provided by the multinational organizations and investors. Along this is the large number of its population, serving to increase the number of individuals to be used for labor. However, the presence of problems and loopholes in China’s manufacturing industry means that a lot of polishing must still be done. Thus, in this sense, the role of Organizational Innovation and Organizational Innovation Management comes into the picture.

2.5 OI and OIM in China

It has been reported that organizational innovation is the premise and basis for technology innovation. Chinese companies normally conduct organizational reforms when adjusting agencies and appointing new leaders (Global ). Thus, with its opening, it can be assumed that Chinese enterprises were dedicated in the process of organizational innovation in order to improve and develop its economy. In emphasizing the process of organizational innovation in China, a number of factors must be taken note of. In addition, both internal and external organizational innovation must also be emphasized. It has been stressed that internal organizational innovation in organizations refers to the system by which internal venture companies are formed, internal project organizations are formed and branch companies are established. This may also be referred to as facilitating ‘entrepreneurship’, which is a good way to create an innovative environment, in order to protect the company against the loss of creative talent (Global ). This is usually done by establishing a number of company branches within the country in order to gather more talents and manpower to drive the operations of a company. On the other hand, external organizational innovation in the company involves the flexible operation of coordination technology, merger technology, and virtual-organization technology, which are all aimed at increasing enterprise competitiveness. Making use of virtual manufacturing methods to gain access to external resources and to more effectively employ internal resources of the company are examples (Global ). One way of doing this is through mergers or acquisitions, which would incorporate the technology of one firm to the other, thus, would provide more innovation and power for the combined technologies and company.

The process of organizational innovation in China can be emphasized through the changes that can be observed in its economy. These changes are said to be part of China’s dedication to innovate, as such changes enable the nation to be regarded as one of the largest market in the world, which significantly participates in the overall development of the world economy. Primarily, it has been stated that after 15 years of negotiation, China’s accession to the World Trade Organization membership has rapidly demonstrated price competitive impacts on OECD economies (Gu and Dodgson, 2006). Competition is increasingly more vigorous, and extends everywhere, from domestic market to global market, from technology alliance to virtual organization, and from outer environment of enterprise to inner one. At the same time, the innovation enterprises in China are increasingly more frequent and rapid. Nowadays, the innovation actually becomes the main driving force of enterprise growth, thus, emphasizing the fact that it is inevitable to lose in the global market competition if enterprises or companies have no innovation activity (Xu et al., 2002). In addition, regional case studies include the development and innovation in consumer goods manufacturing clusters in China, local cluster earning in the context of the global value chain, Chinese cell phone manufacturers’ regulation, technology, market, skills and competence, mass customization of life and health insurance, and Shanghai regional innovation systems for generating economic development. Aside from the development of its manufacturing and service industries, it has also be pointed out that the development of Hong Kong from trade hub to innovation hub is explored in the role of Hong Kong innovation system in linking China to global markets. The global Chinese diaspora network is examined as entry point to knowledge-based development in local economies (Gu and Dodgson, 2006). From this, it can be perceived that the innovations of China, including the city of Hong Kong emphasize the development and improvement of its economy.

However, given the changes that happen to the present generation in terms of the development of technology and communication, China has also been actively coping with such changes. One way of coping through such changes is its rapid catch-up with computer industrial technologies. The Chinese computer market was small and almost negligible throughout the 19810s, as was the domestic computer industry. However, at the start of the 1990s, accompanying the opening up of the market to foreign competition, the Chinese computer market was growing at an extraordinary pace. Market size has grown from almost negligible to the second largest in Asia, with more than four million units shipped at the end of 1998. In the early 1990s, when the market was just opened up, foreign competition had effectively wiped out domestic producers. However, in a period of merely six years, indigenous firms had staged a comeback. The share of indigenous producers in the largest segment, the personal computer market, increased from less than 30% in 1991 to 67% in 1997. It is widely predicted that the Chinese market will continue to experience rapid growth and will become one of the world’s largest in the early years of the new millennium. The share of domestic makers will continue to rise. This has to be viewed in the context that the computer market is one of the most open and competitive markets in China, and the competitiveness of Chinese domestic PC makers is based mostly on price and performance. Another indication of its innovation is the fact that China is catching up in the computer industry as a net exporter of computer electronics goods around the world. Although foreign-invested firms played important roles in this respect, indigenous Chinese firms such as Legend and China Great Wall Computer are among the largest exporters. In fact, Legend is now one of the world’s largest suppliers of computer motherboards and add-on cards. In addition, indication that China’s computer industry is catching up includes sophisticated computer information systems integration technologies. This is best demonstrated by China’s technology leadership in markets for pictographic electronic publishing system (Lu, ). With these accomplishments, it can be seen that the potential of the Chinese industry to be regarded as it is has been proven, thus, making it highly capable of innovation, not only in the organizational level, but in a national level as well.

Aside from the telecommunication and computer industries, organizational innovation in China is also evident in both the food and toy manufacturing industries. Following the increase in the population of China is the development in its food manufacturing industry, to produce more food for the growing population. The food industry of China is expected to generate an income of US$241.8 billion in 2005, which is a 325% increase in 8 years. Its post-Communist market is being driven by the increased spending power and changing food habits of the country’s ever-wealthier people. However, there are significant risks with an emerging market of this size, complexity, and relative immaturity (“The Food Industry in China”, 2005). Thus, with this, it can be understood that the agricultural and manufacturing industries in China cannot cope up with the sudden upsurge of China’s population. In order to do so, several strategies are being implemented by the nation, which in one way or another produces negative or undesirable effects. Lastly, in terms of China’s organizational innovation, its toy manufacturing industry becomes one of the most evident proofs. It has been reported that cheap, plastic toys the kind found in stores, fast food restaurants, fairs, daycare centers, cereal boxes and homes in many countries, almost all come from China. The Chinese toy industry, the largest in the world, generates billions of dollars in export profits and employs millions of people in thousands of factories. These factories are in important part of the economic boom that has lifted many out of poverty in the country. However, it has its own dark side too, as it entails excessive working hours, dangerous equipment and chemicals, cramped employee dormitories, abusive managers, crooked hiring practices, and pay below even China’s minimum wage (“The Toy Industry in China”, 2005).

From the above discussion, it can be pointed out that the organizational innovation in China involves the development of its different sectors, through development of different products and services, through mass production of goods, and through international and global communication and interrelationships. In this sense, it can be perceived that amongst other developing countries, China seems to be the country that would be best fitted to develop into a First World Country. This is because despite its increase in population, China has been continually improving its standing in terms of communication, technologies, strategies, and management. It can be seen that the performance of Hong Kong as one of Asia’s information and technological hub has brought about advantages in China as a whole. Its opening up to other markets has increased Western influence in the country, thus, granting and providing China its changes in terms of technology, language, and management. However, despite the fact that organizational innovation in different firms and industries in China presents positive effects to its economy and world image, many still believe that China is immature and not ready and stable to be regarded as such. Thus, in this regard, such immaturity produces a number of setbacks or problems in China’s manufacturing industry, which would surely produce problems in individual organizations. Given such problems and setbacks, the role of Organizational Innovation Management comes into the picture. This is because, through OIM, the many problems or setbacks in the manufacturing industry of China, along with its individual organizations can be lessened or controlled effectively.

However, before pointing out the specific strategies and ways of managing organizational innovation in the Chinese industry, the evaluation and discussion of the type of organizations and its employees, including the culture and practices evident in organizations must be stressed. This is because knowing the specific culture and practices in Chinese organizations would be relevant information in specifying how Chinese organizations manage the process of organizational innovation.

Lockett (1988) emphasizes four important points evident in the Chinese culture that affect organizations, namely, respect for age and hierarchy, group orientation, face, and the importance of relationships. In terms of respect for age and hierarchy, it can be emphasized that the widespread Chinese respect for age and seniority comes from Confucian values, as an older person is often seen as more experienced, wiser, and in some not clearly defined way, superior to those younger in the organization and other types of groups. In addition, such respect stems from the fact that Chinese are influenced and conscious of social stratification, deeming the society as a pyramid shaped structure, with a paramount ruler at the top, a variety of officials in the middle, and the rest of the individuals at the bottom (Bucknall, 2008). The recognition of each individuals belonging to each level of the pyramid is believed to be the cause of peaceful coexistence of each individuals in the organization, thus, extending the sense and importance of respect to older individuals and to superiors. In relation to this is the second major influence that affects the management of Chinese organizations, which is group orientation. In relation to the concept of the pyramid, group orientation pertains to the recognition of the members of the organization of their respective groups and standings or positions in the organization. Thus, with such group orientations, an individual belonging in the lowest level of the organization cannot mingle or interact with the members belonging to the highest or elite level. As such, it is already innate and natural for Chinese workers to regard their specific group levels and classification, whether in the organization or in the larger context of the society. In addition, the concept of group orientation emphasizes the high regard of the Chinese for their families. It has been reported that the group tradition was reinforced by their experience of communism, where people were forced to participate in group discussions and any individual who stood out might later be punished. The group is seen as a source of strength and comfort, and business decisions are generally made on a consensus basis, within the framework dictated by the highest authority of the top management, be it a highly placed politician or public servant, the owner of the firm, or the Chief Executive Officer. This second factor indicates that many adult Chinese are unwilling to make decisions on their own. Thus, a seemingly one-person problem in a particular factory may eventually be solved by a decision taken only after extended discussion by the group, otherwise, it might not be solved at all (Bucknall, 2008).

The third factor that influences the management of organizations in China is the concept of face. Face, in the literal context of the Chinese culture means ‘honour’, ‘good reputation’, or ‘respect’. It has been emphasized that four types of face can be recognized, namely, 1) Diu-mian-zi, or the situation when one’s actions or deeds have been exposed to people; 2) Gei-mian-zi, which involves the giving of face to others through showing respect; 3) Liu-mian-zi, which is developed by avoiding mistakes and showing wisdom in action; and 4)wherein the face is increased through others, such as when someone complementing a person to an associate (“China – Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette”, 2008). In essence, losing face means the degradation of one’s honour, which is mostly avoided by members of the organization, and generally by most Chinese. The last major influence of the Chinese culture in relation to organizational management is the importance of relationships. It has been stressed that harmony is an important part of the Confucian heritage being observed and practiced by the Chinese. It is believed that if everyone in the society or the community plays an important role, then overall harmony will be preserved. For this particular reason, self-discipline and moderation are important elements of human behavior, which influences harmony (Bucknall, 2008). In addition, aside from literally avoiding forthright conflicts and confrontations between and among individuals of the group, the Chinese also uses non-verbal communication in order to express what they want and what they feel regarding a certain situation. It has been pointed out that since the Chinese strive for harmony and are dependent with their groups, they rely heavily on facial expression, tone of voice, and posture to tell them what someone feels. They interpret frowning a sign of disagreement, making them maintain an impassive facial expression when speaking. It is also disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes, thus, in crowded places, the Chinese avoids eye contact in order to give themselves privacy (“China – Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette”, 2008). Aside from these four major influences that affect that management of organizations in China, several other characteristics of the Chinese can be pointed out, which present significant impacts to the management of Chinese organizations.

Chinese are said to be collectivistic, in contrast to the individualistic Westerners. Collective social control is being achieved through shame or face, and personality governance is attained through guanxi (). It has been pointed out that to get over a major barrier to communications due to the habit of the Chinese to divide people into insiders and outsiders, people develop a network of contacts and personal relationships for whom they do favors and from whom they ask favors in return. This is guanxi, which means possessing influence or “pull” that one can use with the contacts he or she have developed in the right places. Without guanxi, it is difficult for an individual to accomplish much, and with it a person can have more opportunities and achieve a surprising number of things (Bucknall, 2008).

Posted by Marivic Butod at 2:31 PM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

Time Management in Busy Units Like Cardiac Units

Time Management in Busy Units like Cardiac Units

Introduction

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death among the peoples in New Zealand. The pathology of this disease is important to take note off, as further understanding would provide medical professionals and citizens alike to increase awareness and prevention as well. It has been reported that of the cardiovascular diseases, coronary artery disease is the major cause of death, followed by stroke, which is the greatest cause of disability in older people, and accounts for 33% of life years lost between 45 and 64 years of age (“Cardiovascular Disease”, 2005). In addition, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, with 40% of incidence among the population in New Zealand, and with more than twice as high in men as in women (Hay, 2004). Risk factors or causes of such an increase rate of cardiovascular diseases include the significant changes in the diet and lifestyle of many individuals in New Zealand, brought about by industrialization, urbanization, development in the economy and society, and globalization of the food market. Such changes in diet and lifestyle result to decrease in physical activity, intake of nutrient-poor food, and increase incidence of smoking, taking alcohol and other substances, resulting to obesity, increased blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Given this problem at hand, this assignment will discuss the Pathophsiology of cardiovascular disease. In addition, three studies will be presented, which would provide evidence for the use of Lipex, as an effective health intervention in reducing major heart complications and total mortality. The summary and findings from these three studies will be reviewed in the context of the New Zealand population.

General Pathophsiology of Cardiovascular Disease

It has been reported that research on cardiovascular diseases is one of the most developed areas of inquiry in the study of behavioral influences on health (Krantz et al., 1983). In this regard, to be able to further understand the use of Liptex as a health intervention for CVD, its pathology and physiology must first be understood. Cardiovascular Disease or CVD encompasses a number of dysfunctional conditions of the heart, arteries, and veins, which are responsible for supplying oxygen to the vital organs and systems in the body. Some diseases associated with cardiovascular diseases include atherosclerosis, congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart failures, inflammatory heart diseases, and valvular cardiomyopathy. Such diseases of the heart are mainly caused by plaque or fat build up in the blood vessels, which obstructs the flow of blood to all parts of the body. Obstruction of the flow of the blood in the blood vessels leads the heart to pump more blood, causing stress and excessive effort.

The occurrence of cardiovascular diseases is predominantly caused by the excessive build-up of fats or plaque in the blood vessels. Chilton (2004) reports the significant link between lipids and cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease. This particular study suggests that the significant increase in the density of lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels increases the risk of major coronary events. Total blood cholesterol above 200 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol above 130 mg/dl, HDL cholesterol below 35 mg/dl, and lipoprotein a) level greater than 30 mg/dl are indicators of problematic cholesterol (“Cardiovascular Disease: Facts, Disease Prevention and Treatment Strategies”, 2007). In this regard, it is best to take note of blood cholesterol levels in order to reduce the risks for cardiovascular diseases.

Aside from high cholesterol levels, there are other risk factors or causes of cardiovascular diseases, which must be taken note off, in order to increase prevention and awareness. Some of the uncontrollable risk factors include heredity, age, and sex. Some have higher risks of acquiring cardiovascular diseases than others due to the high tendency of inheriting it. In this regard, prevention and awareness for such individuals must be more efficient. Another uncontrollable risk factor is age, as the older a person gets, the more he or she is susceptible to cardiovascular disease. This is because due to aging, blood vessels tend to be more damaged and brittle. The third uncontrollable risk factor is sex. Men are more likely to acquire cardiovascular diseases than women are in general. This is maybe due to the collective risk factors, from which men are more susceptible. On the other hand, Controllable risks factors include obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and stress. Diabetes is a disorder associated with the excess of glucose or blood sugar levels in the body. Diabetes is one risk factor of cardiovascular disease because the high levels of sugar in the blood catalyze the build-up of cholesterol in the blood vessels. The build-up of sugar and cholesterol in the body is caused by obesity and sedentary lifestyles, which means that an individual lacks the opportunity to do vigorous exercises, which would reduce cholesterol and sugar levels in the blood. Smoking and stress are also risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, as nicotine in cigarettes and tobaccos contribute to the narrowing of blood vessels, while stress increases heart rate and blood pressure levels. From this, it can be perceived that the continuously changing environment contributes significantly to the exposure of individuals to such risk factors.

Conclusion

In the point of view of a person with lesser risk to acquire cardiovascular diseases, it can be perceived that the motive and intention for making stations more highly available to consumers is one good way of reducing the risks and the incidences for cardiovascular diseases in New Zealand. However, it must be realized that over-dosages and inappropriate use and intake of such drugs may present adverse effects and complications on the part of the user. In this regard, the use and intake of such drugs without the prescription or guidance of a physician or medical professional may present unwanted side effects and other diseases on the patient. Instead of making the lives of the patient easier and more convenient, the over-dosage of the drug may lead the patient to undergo more complicated and tedious medical processes for further examination and diagnosis. As such, what can be done in order to provide understanding of the drug, of the disease, and of the situation be through provision of effective and proper education and communication with the patients and all those who have increased risks for having cardiovascular diseases. In this regard, the society would have the opportunity to obtain relevant and appropriate information about Lipex and other stations that may provide them with good health. In addition, this can be taken as a good opportunity for the government to dissipate the information of the need for New Zealanders to engage in diet and exercise in order to live effectively and healthily in the society.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 1:05 PM in Diet and Nutrition Sample Essays, Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

A Business Information System is an Iterrelated Component that Connotes Cooperation from the Organizational Members

Requirements and Limitations of the Information System

A business information system (BIS) is an interrelated component that connotes cooperation and collaboration from organizational members to obtain useful data that can be converted into information products to support managerial decision-making (Bocij, Chaffey et al 2005). Its purpose is to make decisions that can maximize its resource potential against the impacts of a dynamic environment. The history of business system can be derived back in 1950s when it is merely used as internal efficiency measures, perhaps to avoid overpayment of due bills, up to this date that it is utilized by businesses not only to minimize operational cost through making forecasts but more importantly serve as a basis for business strategy.

The types of BIS can be classified according to time-frame and extent in which the business would use information products in question. Executive and management information systems are aimed to support strategic and tactical decisions. They are basically of medium- and long-term basis and associated with substantial vitality in which decision outcomes are very risky. On the other hand, operational information systems are intended to support day-to-day business operations. They are of short-term basis with minimal risk involved but are also crucial to obtain attainment of long-run outcomes.

Acquiring BIS can be classified into four specific methods. First, the built in-house and software-house both involve IS professionals but differ in such a way that the former is done within the business premises while the latter is outsourced from the outside. Second, buy it off-the-shelf involves direct purchase of a IS which is already used by other companies having a wide-range of functionality that the business can readily enjoy without customization. Lastly, built it end-user development is like the first methods but the people who build the IS are mere members of the organization not IT professionals which is intended to meet local or personal needs.

Understand the customers. This is the most obvious and primary task for a firm. There are four basic consumer aspects to know, also called four C’s; namely, customer solution, cost, convenience and communication (Lauterborn 1990 p. 26). Customer solution is related to differentiation business-level strategy in which firms should offer products that customers perceive to be valuable at an acceptable price (Porter 1980 pp. 35-40). However, when a firm aspires for excellent customer services (ECS), customer solution should not end after delivery of the product even the firm is confident of its design and quality. ECS triggers extended customer evaluation process, that even after sales, the buyer is continuously testing the quality of the product especially in the aspect of durability. In effect, the firm should include before-sales ECS features such as free-test, security seals in products packages and product description. These are not only for eye-catching purposes, but more importantly, to aid customers to build rational expectations. Further, the point-of-sales should include knowledgeable and confident salespeople in order to maintain the expectation created initially. Lastly, there should be an after sales service like service-warranties, money back offers and return-exchange policies to resolve complaints which could arise from the first two stages, or possibly from, the product/ service (P/ S) itself.

Customer cost is related to cost leadership business strategy in which firms should offer P/ S with lower-than-competition cost at acceptable features (Porter 1980 pp. 35-40). Through efficiency of and cost-savings from primary and secondary activities in the value chain, the strategy can be attained (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson 2003 p. 122). Cost requirement in ECS, however, could involve additional cost relief for customers outside plant operations and efficiency reasons through P/ S discounts, bulk-buying incentives and freebies. Such would actually mean aggressive pricing or even an indication of a price war to protect margins from competition. On using cost as an ECS mechanism, in the contrary, firms should prevent to overtake the market of an industry leader, trail in innovation feats or get its P/ S under perceived devaluation in quality.

Customer convenience is the counterpart of place or distribution channel in firms’ view. According to Proctor 2000, having a strong channel can lead to success in marketing (p. 96). There are different kinds of channels to choose from; namely: direct selling, telemarketing, e-commerce, wholesaler, retailer or through agents. Each of these has their own strength and weaknesses. For example, selling through retailers can support ECS in terms of costing as there is stiff competition and players want to gain market share. But as the P/ S of the firm is scattered over a large geographical area and sold in different markets, lack of monitoring would lead to mishandling and wrong advertising. The efforts of before-sales discussed earlier will be undermined and P/ S would be perceived with less value. However, convenience is a common remark for retailers due to accessibility, over-the-counter payment and chance to bargain.

The task of a firm is to choose channels that provide the highest contribution to ECS. Channels have varying customer privileges like accessibility (retailers), security (wholesalers, malls), interactivity (e-commerce) and support (direct selling, agents). Aside from location, complementary services of such channels need to be evaluated like the payment process, building ergonomics, staff attitude and other channel-specific policies. And finally, customer communication reciprocally refers to the promotion and advertising system of a firm. This last element of customer understanding endeavor is at the heart, if not the brain (in literal terms), of the process. This is because it addresses the questions such as “Do customers kept informed about the P/ S features in an understandable manner?” and “Do firms listen to the customers?” (Proctor 2000 p. 48).

Imperfect information is written all throughout economic books and other applicable academics. Communication minimizes imperfect information to advance, although in smaller distance, to perfect costumer-firm relations. Thus, it is crucial in choosing specific communication media that provide the platform that effectively justify the two questions of Proctor. For example, in resolving the former, advertising media (print-ad like billboards and magazines, audio and video, internet, commercials, etc) should suit the general environment (see below) above anything else. Without such caution, the P/ S communication may only be viewed as taboo, unhealthy ad and would not serve its purpose (Kotler 2001). ECS requires firm messages to be sent according to the resources and capabilities of the firm. To do this, the cost of advertising media and the content should be rational to the core competencies of the firm.

Project Plan Using SSM

Soft systems methodology (SSM) is supported by continuous user involvement in iterative development and incremental approach that is responsive to changing requirements (Internet, 2006). It consists of three-phases; namely, pre-project phase, project-life cycle phase and post project phase. The methodology recognizes that projects are limited by time and resources. On the other hand, Gantt chart can collaborate with SSM for the project plan to achieve easy usage and understanding (Burke, 2003). It is formatted with calendar time scale in the top line and activities in the left hand column. The chart has the ability to track project progress for the purpose of project design and determination of important milestones and slack days that can be used for determining the project development and flexibility. With these guides along with historical accounts of Aquarius case study, new crew management system project plan can be discussed.

SMM focuses on information system projects (Wikipedia, 2006) which are compatible to companies whose operations rely heavily on information technology and computer systems. There are important principles under SMM method; namely, user involvement, empowerment of the project team, frequent delivery of products, delivering a system that address current business needs, iterative and incremental development, changes during development is reversible, high level scope and requirements should be base-lined before the project starts, emphasis on testing and cooperation among stakeholders is crucial. In addition to these principles, SMM is also guided by some assumptions; namely, there are no perfect prototype systems, pre-potent project stages, performance is based on time, money and quality, project management techniques is applied, can create new or expand current systems, risk assessment is in business function, product delivery is more important than task completion and functionality is the basis of estimation.

In pre-project, since Aquarius has current problems with regards to the level of innovativeness of its IT, consultants and external engineers can help in the first stages of the project. In the long-run, outsiders can also provide information on technological changes that they can share with the firm. Business needs should be classified in monetary, strategic, intangible and time-based criteria to avoid overlapping of goals and forgoing priorities. This supports imperfections that Aquarius may experience in its first attempt to collaborate creation of a new crew system. Conflict and friction may emerge between inside and outside IT engineers that it is important for the company to establish open communications between the two sides to prevent delays or adversely affect the quality of the system. Aquarius lagged strategic competence due to inability of managers to take action and persistence to use the old system. Improvement in communication should be initiated from within to detect problems as they arise.

In the project life cycle, information systems are a new technique that Aquarius would pursue. Due to this, change in corporate culture is necessary to appreciate its underlying principles and prevent substantial resistance from the workforce. The company has greater incentive to introduce a new technique amid nearing bankruptcy, tainted reputation and operational losses. The primary weakness of the old system is its limited capacity for adjusting and re-scheduling flights while its strength is familiarity and trust of employees using it for many years. Therefore the prototype system should focus on altering the old system weakness above anything else. This prioritization prevents engineers to spend time for unknown limitations and impacts of the old system. Upon resolving the primary weakness, employees should try to use the edited system. Suggestions will be entertained based on survey and will be rationalized by financial resources and time for resolution. If employee suggestions are approved, second, third and so on prototypes will be created encompassing beneficial features and reduced weaknesses of the earlier system models. Continuous refinement, testing and checking time scale should be adapted.

Participation of Aquarius managers and employees testing and redesigning the prototype is vital. Weak participation and low motivation can connote understating the abilities of the prototype. Since there are no previous formal iteration records that the company secures, improvements of system in the past will not determine the implementation of prototype testing. The firm is confronted to build its learning curve to be able to understand an efficient, user-friendly and dynamic system. Functional and non-functional features of the prototype as dictated by corporate surveys should be determined to create risk measures for the new system. This can aid in analyzing the future performance of the system, if ever it will be approved. Before implementation, assure that end-users of the system approve abolishment of the old system.

In the post project cycle, there should be available training for new users and re-training for old users who are confronted with system modifications. Problem identification can be initiated in a bottom-up or top-down approach for system evaluation to have strategic and operational perspective. Human resource department should secure budgets for continuous motivation especially when the system change is top-down approach in which resistance can occur. Leadership should be charismatic enough to convince the workforce that corporate goals like positive earnings and competitiveness is in line with employee objectives. To assure the effectiveness of the system, monitoring and evaluation should not only be done against employees but more importantly to the performance of the system. The basis for system appraisal can be the improvement in revenues, ability to prevent shutdowns or higher employee productivity. Customer satisfaction with regards to accuracy of scheduling and booking can also be used. Aquarius must remember to prioritize their objectives in evaluating the system as to prevent too much optimism. Information systems requires learning process and since the company is only on its first-time to create its own learning curve expectations must be rationalized and not exaggerate.

Role of Effective Leadership

Effective leaders are described as having four distinctive characteristics eminent to their groups; namely, they provide direction and meaning to people, they generate trust, they prefer risk-taking and they are source of hope (Howard, 2005, pp. 384+). These are merely behavioral references available to leaders but it is concluded that choosing a leadership style depends on personal characteristics or predisposed genetic make-up of a person (Fiedler, 1967). In effect, the impact of external stimuli (e.g. graduate class education, series of workshops, peer pressure) could be an inefficient way to change leadership behavior.

However, the choice of a specific or preference of holistic approach to leadership style can be undermined by admitting that the true measure of effective leadership style is based on the sum of individual results for leader’s goals, member’s aims and achievement of organizational objectives (Howard, 2005, pp. 384+). Due to the conflict of interests among these individualities, it induces the application of discipline and grievance that both leaders and members can use if their respective desires received too much repression (Sims, 2001; Duane, 1993). But these two procedures can only contribute to questioning the appropriate leadership style for the group.

In the corporate arena, the incidence of groupings apart from more general departmental divisions (e.g. project-based groupings) is a core aspect of project planning and execution (Burke, 2003). Project-based groups foster the combination of different skills, ideas and attitudes that makes creation of the project more far-reaching, adaptive and formidable. A global hearing aid manufacturing firm, Oticon, used this particular grouping strategy for its human resources that are popularized by tagging its structure, spaghetti organization (Adam-Smith & Peacock, 1994).

In simple terms, spaghetti set-up makes employee’s job description very flexible. Their function is not static and based on the load of projects the company is currently managing. They can work at home, be a member of the project team and even be the project leader (Adam-Smith & Peacock, 1994). To monitor their performance, there is a secretariat and manager that assure that every employee does not rest for a long time without a project and their promotion lies in their contribution to projects. Such projects are related to product development, market research and pilot testing of developed products. Involvement in a certain project can be initiated by an employee or can be bargain by the project leader. There is no coercion from the project leader but the motivation to join is the employee audit that assures every employee has something to do. Project leaders are sometimes selected by higher managers and also can be the employee who proposed the project.

Role of Effective Communication

Non-verbal communication is behaviors that serve as substitute or complimentary to verbal communications and is considered the extreme type of communication that forms the large share of the process. It has three basic functions in a communication such as identity management, definition of relationship and representative of feelings or emotions. Some examples of non-verbal communications are body motions, touch, eye contact, intonation and fashion (Darn 2005). Due to its implicit nature, although relevant, non-verbal communication posts limitations such as different responses from individuals and distortion from cultural norms (Hartman).

In the case, non-verbal communication is exemplified by vocalics, kinesics, chronemics, expression, silence and proxemics (Darn 2005). In simpler terms, it is represented by tone and speed of concluding the call, snapping shut the phone, pausing when the staff stared at her, smiles when invited to join the staff, stillness after the invitation and spatial separation that results in such refusal. On the other part, of there is oculesics (e.g. eye contact after the call) and silence (e.g. after the call and after the refusal from invitation).

In the invitation event, a person had released mixed messages such as the negative response is for the entire staff and person instead of person and the other person in isolation or the failure of the department to obtain their sales quotas. In addition, the refusal of the invitation and showing the shutting of the phone with accompanied stare to staffs can mean personal temper. Mixed message is also present in the e-mail event, where person’s comments on reducing coffee break between person and the other person would mean that person must withdraw personal intentions with other person to regain boost in sales performance. On the part of person, mixed message is wrapped when he invited in the room person as it may mean that he is hiding something about him and the other person. The staff also implied mixed message when they starred to person after the phone conversation such as invading of privacy.

Figure 1: Graph Showing the Effect of Non-Verbal Communication.

Non-verbal communication is positively related to mixed messages. As they emerge more frequently and used heavily in communication, the probability of mixed messages as outcome increases that can dissolve the real message of the sender. Therefore, the actors in communication must minimize non-verbal communication to be able to succeed in their respective messages. The communicators must also note that when little non-verbal communication is applied, there is a need to increase the verbal communication in replace of the former. This is because the lost of non-verbal communication limits the components communicators can use in interaction thus verbal messages is crucial.

Evaluating the Value of Communication Methods

According to elements and capabilities. Written word is suitable for organizational messages whose impact is of long-term nature to the receiver (Fastrack Consulting, 2006). It is also an effective method when the message has several technical points or personal feature that can be difficult for the receiver to comprehend when spoken and too awkward to hear in a crowd. In view of this, written messages preserve the objectivity and ethics of communication. For an individual staff, it can be a useful tool to aid in the process of information retention while for the organization it can be a source of professionalism as correspondence tends to be filed for evidence and future reference. Because of this, this method is used to produce organizational manuals and external letters. In a veil, this is a cost effective strategy to educate staffs and managers about corporate developments and events and create professional relationship with other stakeholders.

On the other hand, spoken word is fitted for mostly short-term/ operational requirements of the organization (Fastrack Consulting, 2006). It is a practical approach to make operations efficient especially when accomplishment is related to time constraint. Although it is more informal than written words, its value is derived by its capability to show emotions and stress the importance of the message. It offsets the lack of retention feature of the former with its ability to touch human interests and emotions making records and future reference less required. Common media that goes with spoken word is phone and meetings in which straightforward delivery of messages are directly related to the ability of the speaker.

Although analyzed separately, corporate communication necessitates the combination of written and spoken words for optimal value. Particularly for for-profit corporations, the cause of its existence and continuing operations is largely based on its performance which is reported though a conference with provision for visual aid to reflect significant numerical data. The best model to consider in their combination is that written words serve as an aid to memory for complex set of ideas while spoken ones is used to pinpoint the relevant ideas through change of intonation and even deal with uninterested audience. Due to this, deciding on when to change the use between them lies in the ability of the speaker to put his foot over the audience, that is, considering their needs and preferences. As such, the nature of delivery should be referred to the nature of the audience making written and spoken word combination more intricate.

According to dimension. Recorded communication can take the form of letters, faxes and e-mails (Fastrack Consulting, 2006). As such, it suits for messages that require compound judgment on the part of the receiver. It also suggests that the message is of utmost importance and must be acted upon in an accurate and acceptable level. The sender uses recorded communication because he wanted to incorporate all necessary aspect of the message and increase its recovery value through highlighted words, close-up video shots, etc. In the contrary, live communication encompasses messages which might be of the same importance as the recorded ones but whose action from the recipient demands immediacy. As such its value can be more appreciated by placing it within a recorded communication initially and be follow-up by live contact with the receiver. This will preserve the both the substance and periodic importance of the message.

Passive communication somewhat extends in the nature of live ones but differs in the sense that it is strictly unidirectional in which live ones could be conversant (Fastrack Consulting, 2006). Its value relies on the ability of the message to resolve possible ambiguities or conflicts the message can inflict to its recipients. Thus, this demand an unblemished type of message since by the time recipients start to ask or clarify something, passive delivery is out of context. If explicitly converted into generally accepted medium, it can provide quicker responses. On the other hand, interactive communication is one that has feedbacks. This allows the sender to polish the rough edges of his message and somewhat create a learning curve possible for future delivery improvements. It also encourages staffs to bring out their views that can constitute a healthy organization and stimulate creativity. When an interactive speaker has earned an in-depth knowledge of the audience, he can make easily transform complex messages with abrupt responses into acceptable passive mediums.

Role of Mentoring and Coaching

Human resource management is not an easy task because it perceives an organization in holistic manner. From recruitment to termination, incentives to penalties, productivity to inefficiency, growth and downsizing, human resource management plays a crucial role directly or indirectly. Simply put, this phenomenon is possible because its responsibility revolves around people. May the issues are personal or professional in nature as long as they affect employee’s performance at work, its interference is required especially when the organization places emphasis on human resource’s part to obtain corporate objectives.

Since no organization is alike, same is the situation in human resources management landscape. Even there were written, proven and based-from-experience theories and beliefs on how to handle employees for the benefit of the company, each are under varying conditions and corporate values. Because of this, human resources personnel tend to have general approach to these available strategies while final decisions are subjective and contingent. Also, the emergence of sudden organizational change, internal problems and other external junctures that caught an organization unprepared result to puzzled human resources decisions. This includes wage increase behind annual net loss, employee benefits under inefficiency brought by machine breakdown or expansion in face of corporate tax increase. Such incidents leave the HR personnel torn between corporate constraints and employee welfare.

HR role in compensation schemes and career development are crucial factors in employee motivation for optimum performance because these affect their present and future status and undertakings. An employee who feels that the company is providing just wages or issue appropriate performance-based benefits will manifest work satisfaction. On the other hand, when he is not afraid to loose job and a persistent hard-worker because of ample knowledge gained from relevant trainings and provision of clear career paths, he will exemplify work excellence.

Every organization wants to have a pool of human resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. According to Barney (1991), an organization aiming to achieve this should have a certain resource, in this case human capital, which can create value for the firm. It must also be rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (cited in Wright 2001). Since human resources are not only proven to be the most important company resource but also the most complex in terms of making it act for the achievement of corporate objectives, HRM is responsible to keep motivation among employees within the context of corporate culture, employee characteristics and other outside factors.

Human resource management is not an easy task because it perceives an organization in holistic manner. From recruitment to termination, incentives to penalties, productivity to inefficiency, growth and downsizing, human resource management plays a crucial role directly or indirectly. Simply put, this phenomenon is possible because its responsibility revolves around people. May the issues are personal or professional in nature as long as they affect employee’s performance at work, its interference is required especially when the organization places emphasis on human resource’s part to obtain corporate objectives.

Since no organization is alike, same is the situation in human resources management landscape. Even there were written, proven and based-from-experience theories and beliefs on how to handle employees for the benefit of the company, each are under varying conditions and corporate values. Because of this, human resources personnel tend to have general approach to these available strategies while final decisions are subjective and contingent. Also, the emergence of sudden organizational change, internal problems and other external junctures that caught an organization unprepared result to puzzled human resources decisions. This includes wage increase behind annual net loss, employee benefits under inefficiency brought by machine breakdown or expansion in face of corporate tax increase. Such incidents leave the HR personnel torn between corporate constraints and employee welfare.

HR role in compensation schemes and career development are crucial factors in employee motivation for optimum performance because these affect their present and future status and undertakings. An employee who feels that the company is providing just wages or issue appropriate performance-based benefits will manifest work satisfaction. On the other hand, when he is not afraid to loose job and a persistent hard-worker because of ample knowledge gained from relevant trainings and provision of clear career paths, he will exemplify work excellence.

Every organization wants to have a pool of human resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. According to Barney (1991), an organization aiming to achieve this should have a certain resource, in this case human capital, which can create value for the firm. It must also be rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (cited in Wright 2001). Since human resources are not only proven to be the most important company resource but also the most complex in terms of making it act for the achievement of corporate objectives, HRM is responsible to keep motivation among employees within the context of corporate culture, employee characteristics and other outside factors.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 12:52 PM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ATTRIBUTES. 3

My Other Accounts

Identify the Tensions in the Development and use of these Competencies

TABLE OF CONTENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.. 2

SUMMARY OF THE ESSAY…………………………………………………………2

CONCLUSION OF THE ESSAY……………………………………………………..2

INTRODUCTION.. 3

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS. 6

IDENTIFY THE CONFLICTS………………………………………………………..7

IDENTIFY THE DILEMMAS………………………………………………………..8

IDENTIFY THE TENSIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF THESE COMPETENCIES…………………………………………………………………….9

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………10

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………….11

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This research essay aims to explore in depth the skills, knowledge and other attributes of the effective change agent. It will identify the problems, conflicts, dilemmas and tensions in the development and use of these competencies. I will also share my relevant personal experience.

SUMMARY OF THE ESSAY

This essay emphasizes the different skills, attributes, and competencies change agents need in order to fulfill their roles and responsibilities in an organization. The different skills and competencies are being described and illustrated through the many actual experiences by the researcher. In addition, the problems, conflicts, and dilemmas in relation to the skills of the change agent are also discussed in order to provide two sides of the story.

CONCLUSION OF THE ESSAY

This essay can conclude that a number of skills and competencies are needed by change agents in order to effectively and efficiently allow the organization to undergo change. The different skills and competencies must be taken note off in order to allow the change agent to do his or her responsibilities. However, despite the use of such skills and competencies, problems and conflicts must still be taken note off before pressing on changes in the organization for better management of change.

INTRODUCTION

Change processes and change projects have become major milestones in many organizations’ history. Due to the dynamics in the external environment, many organizations find themselves in nearly continuous change. Unfortunately, not every change process leads to the expected results. There are many reasons for potential failure, such as typical barriers to change, which are unexpected changes in the external conditions, the lack of commitment in implementation, the resistance of the people involved, and the lack of resources. More important is the negative symbolism and the de-motivation of people involved. People within the change team may become dissatisfied with their own performances due to the lack of support they receive from the team. As a result, some of them will probably never again be willing to commit themselves to change initiatives. Similarly, people affected by the failed change effort will develop growing skepticism. They might perceive future change projects as “another fancy idea from the management”, which brings a lot of work but few benefits. Therefore, the change agents are key figures in most organizations because their capabilities bring about major impacts on the success or failure of the project, and on the extent of potential unwanted side-effects.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ATTRIBUTES

All of us must notice that not everyone can be a successful change agent because it requires specific skills, knowledge and techniques to handle different change issues. This is to ensure that integration efforts produce long-term solutions to significant system problems through a process that preserves dignity and respect for both consumers of services and the full range of stakeholders across multiple systems (Wertheimer, 2001). As such, the change agent must be able to have a number of skills or competencies they need to be able to facilitate effective management of change.

Primarily, the change agent must have team-building abilities to bring together key stakeholders and establish effective working groups, and to define and delegate respective responsibilities clearly. Most of the people in the early phase of reacting to change often are unable to do much at all. They might accept the changes but will do anything to cope up with the change. Therefore, the change agent must have team-building abilities in order to motivate staffs in making changes happen. For example, the change agent must support and backup the staff when finding difficulties in change of new system. On-job-training can be provided when necessary, thus, fewer problems can be generated during the actual use of the new system. In addition, a change agent should have the networking skills in establishing and maintaining appropriate contacts within and outside the organization. He or she must have tolerance of ambiguity, to be able to function comfortably, patiently and effectively in an uncertain environment. The reason is that some people interpret change in different ways, especially those who are fragile emotionally. They will have much greater difficulty swimming through feelings of loss and may continually see themselves as victims. Such obscuring emotions will hinder their ability to move on. Instead, they may cycle back to displaying a shock-like or defensive behavior. For example, a few relatives work in my company while our company having restructure. They feel they are victims and they think our company is trying to get rid of them. They react against the company through an industrial action like resigning together. The reasons they do that is because they do not see that we are working as a team, rather they are out from a team. They also feel the uncertain environment of the restructure. Therefore, they hope that the company will remain unchanged from their well known environment. I lastly accepted their resignation, as this can be a way of letting other staffs know that they cannot threaten the company by resignation, thus, restructuring must move on. I have also explained to the existing staffs that restructuring would benefit them as well and if they are having any concerns or feeling uncomfortable for the unknown future environment, we can openly discuss that to make them feel more comfortable and rather than listening to rumors.

Second, a change agent must have sensitivity to changes in key personnel, top management perceptions and market conditions, and to the way in which these influence the goals of the project. For example, my company plans to buy another warehousing software system due to the fact that the current system does not meet the rapid changing new customers’ requirement. Whereas, the management point of view is that they think it is a huge investment and not necessary yet because they think current system can fully satisfy and maintain existing customers. In my point of view, changing new systems is necessary although current customers are already satisfied. It is because to plan and imply a new system takes huge amount of time to test and fine tune. If the company do not prepare ahead, then, it cannot meet the customers’ requirements on time.

Third, a change agent must set clearly defined and realistic goals. For example, I have set a goal for my operation staff which requires them to update all the operational documents on the same day rather than to hold them for the next day or even later. I have clearly specified the documents that must be updated on same day rather than doing them later. The reason is because individual staff might have their own perception of the word ‘updated’. I had also explained that update on same day is reasonable, as customers want us to respond to specific stock inventory, and our response time will be quicker due to all documentation had already been updated.

In addition, a change agent must have communication skills to transmit effectively to colleagues and subordinates the need for changes in the project goals and in individual tasks and responsibilities. They should be strong in interpersonal skills, across the range, including selection, listening, collecting appropriate information, identifying the concerns of others, and managing meetings. They should have personal enthusiasm in expressing plans and ideas. Moreover, they should stimulate motivation and commitment in others involved with the project. The reasons include that employees might perceive the change as loss in turf, diminution in status, identity or self-meaning in general. It also implies taking risks, particularly to those associated with low self-esteem, loss of face, appearing incompetent, and seemingly unable or unwilling to learn. Furthermore, everything that someone has built is considered threatened (2003).

One example from my company is that most of the staff had worked for more than ten years. I plan to develop and recruit new staffs to improve the company’s productivity, as our business has been rapidly expanded over the years. However, the existing staffs refuse to teach the new staff or hand over some of their overload jobs to them. This is because they feel that these new staff will take over their job and might be more capable to do their job if they teach them. As a result, some new staffs resigned because they cannot stand this type of political working environment. Furthermore, those staffs that can stand this environment form a new staff group against the older staffs.

Moreover, a change agent must have the knowledge in selling plans and ideas to others by creating a desirable and challenging vision of the future. He or she should know how to negotiate with key players for resources, for changes in procedures, and for resolving conflict. Referring to the previous case, if the change agent has the knowledge in selling plans and ideas to others, it can be resolved by persuading the existing staff that they have the capabilities to develop new staff. A change agent can have the opportunities to promote and to manage his or her teams. In addition, he or she can let them know if the new staffs support the older staff, he or she can more easily lead the team in the future.

A change agent must have the political awareness in identifying potential coalitions, and in balancing conflicting goals and perceptions. He or she should have influencing skills, to gain commitment to project plans and ideas form potential skeptics and resisters. A change agent should always have helicopter perspectives, to stand back from the immediate project and take a broader view of priorities.

A change agent should realize that there is more than one right solution. One has to be able to evaluate facts from different points of view such as from the customer’s or competitor’s perspective. Furthermore, coalition building is important which most people often-ignored in relation to change processes. Change agents should identify and involve opinion leaders, decision makers on resources, functional experts and other important persons as early as possible in the project-planning phase. The importance of the factor motivation is well described with the phrases transferring ownership to a working team and making everyone a hero. The involvement of the people is important because members of the change team and other employees affected by the change initiative must not feel like as if they are just the tools for change or the subject of change. Every employee needs to know that his contribution to the project is important and is valued. Thus, people will develop a sense of ownership for the project, which, in turn may serve as a major source of motivation when it comes to the inevitable problems and barriers.

Therefore, the effective change agents must be able to effectively promote improved services for persons with co-occurring disorders. The change agent must be knowledgeable and effective in the arenas of mental illness, substance abuse, criminal justice, housing, entitlements and other social and human service issues. The change agent must understand the specific interests and needs of the varied systems involved in the change process and promotes a dialogue that transcends the familiar limitations of categorical thinking and rigid silos that restrict the activities of traditional managers. This is the ability to earn the trust of numerous stakeholders who must collaborate to promote effective change. This trust may be tenuous at times which need the change agent who wins the enthusiastic support of one system may find that other systems have automatically become suspicious of his or her activities (Recklies, 2001).

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS

Managing change in an organization is one of the most tedious tasks in relation to organizational management. Therefore, the skills of change agents mentioned from the discussion above would be essential for effective change management. However, despite the presence and use of such excellent skills, a change agent may still encounter a number of problems, which may somehow limit his or her ability to help with an organization’s change management.

One of these problems include the perception-type of barriers or problems that limit a wider scope or view of the perceived changes of an organization. This includes stereotypical analysis of the situation, using generalization of changes, and failure to see all sides of the problems or needed changes. Such problems in relation to perception lead to providing solutions or changes that may not target or address the perceived change needed in the organization.

Another problem to be encountered involves difficulty in identifying and analyzing the real causes of needed changes in the organization. This is because a wrong problem leads to obtaining wrong solutions or changes, and not all changes proposed or perceived are applicable to all situations in the organization.

The failure to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the organization may also present another problem, as the firm would not be able to assess the needed aspects of the organization to be changed. On the other hand, its strengths must also be emphasized in order to highlight and utilize them effectively. The lack of skills and resources can also contribute to the problems of the organization. This is because skills would pertain to the capacities and abilities of individuals to cope up with the needed changes in the organization, while resources pertain to both tangible and intangible assets that fuel or drive the operations of organizations. The lack of such skills and resources would then be a big loss for organizations.

Another problem would be the lack of a winning strategy, which would serve to provide the technique and edge for the organization to address changes and other crises. The lack of a winning strategy would mean that an organization lacks the interest or capacity to experiment, as through experiment, an organization would be able to determine the best strategies that suit their processes and operations. Lastly, a problem that significantly influences change management is the resistance to change of the members of the organization.

IDENTIFY THE CONFLICTS

Conflicts in relation to change management and to the roles of change agents pertain to problems that may exist between and among individuals in the organization, and between the employees and the employer of the firm. One of the conflicts possible to be encountered by a change agent is the conflict with the use of leadership style. The leadership style to be used by a company must suit the preferences and needs of its employees.

However, it also depends on the preferences and personality of the manager. In this sense, the clash between the leadership style of the manager and the preferences of his or her employees would create significant conflicts. Another conflict in change management is in terms of the management of employees or workers. This involves the type of management to use, assigning the right job for every employee, and motivating the employee using rewards and incentives. Without proper management, conflicts would arise.

The next conflict to be determined involves the lack of effective and efficient communication among the employees and between the manager and his or her subordinates. The lack of communication leads to failure in mobilizing and engaging groups of individuals in order to achieve certain set goals and objectives. Another conflict is the clash of interests between the union, if any, and the interests of the management. This leads to the failure in making the whole process of change management meaningful to the employees or workers.

A good source of conflict involves cultural barriers, including incidences of discrimination and stratification. In addition, change management would not be successful once traditions or cultures in the organization cannot cope up with the changes needed by the firm. Once the established traditions in the company clash with needed changes, change management would be more difficult. This also involves the use of new technologies that would be perceived by employees as something that would contribute to making their job far more difficult.

IDENTIFY THE DILEMMAS

One of the dilemmas in the management of change as would be proposed by change agents is the lack of support. A lot of employees perceive changes as a threat to their personal status and to their comfort zone. Therefore, one of the dilemmas of the change agent would be the fact that some employees would be stopping or ignoring the proposed changes for the organization. Second dilemma is the lack of the ability of the employees to accept criticism. The lack of ability to accept criticism may hinder employees to trust and thus, gain support from the management. This would also hinder the change agent to facilitate changes, as expressing criticisms regarding the performance of employees would be necessary in order to make changes effective in the organization. The third dilemma would be the lack of good listening skills of managers, thus, hindering good communication to exist between the managers and the employees. Another dilemma is the over-reliance of employees and top management to the structure and systems to the management of change in the organization. Over-reliance to structure would somehow neglect the roles and responsibilities of employees in terms of decision-making and participation.

IDENTIFY THE TENSIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF THESE COMPETENCIES

In the previous discussions, a number of skills and competencies are said to be needed by a change agent in order to facilitate and come up with an effective management of change. Competencies such as good leadership skills, the ability to develop people, the ability to communicate effectively, to develop interpersonal skills, and to solve problems may all be the best skills that change agents must be able to develop. However, despite the advantages or positive effects that are perceived to yield an effective change management, such competencies or skills can still lead to tensions, such as resistance to change, which can be observed on the part of the employees and the top management. As mentioned earlier, resistance to change is considered one of the problems and source of conflicts of the company. Such skills also lead to the evaluation of the skills and capacities of the employees, which can somehow hinder the management of change to be proposed by the change agent. The lack of such skills can also lead to the laying off employees, which may both damage or enhance the overall performance of the organization. It can also lead to the conflict between the interests and goals of the organization. With such tensions, it can be perceived that the change agent must be able to carefully evaluate and critically assess the needs and the needed changes of the organization before implementing changes in the organization.

CONCLUSION

In summary, we should keep in mind that there is no ‘ideal’ change agent. Particular requirements normally relate to the actual situation in the organization such as corporate culture, strategic relevance of the project, acceptance of the project among management and staff, timeframe and resources etc. Depending on these factors, change agents either may need good project management capabilities in order to guarantee timely progress, or they should be good leaders with the ability to motivate people. No organization can institute change if its employees will not or accept the change. No change will work if employees don’t help in the effort. Furthermore, change is not possible without people changing themselves ( 2003).

Posted by Marivic Butod at 12:19 PM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

The Influence of these aspects of management with respect to the Strategic Competitive Advantage may well prove significant in both application and effectivness

Chapter 2

Literature Review

This review of related literature initially considers key areas of broadly acknowledged theoretical material covering supply chain management and strategic management. The influence of these aspects of management with respect to the Strategic Competitive Advantage may well prove significant in both application and effectiveness.

Basically, Hammer (1992) looks at ‘Outsourcing and the value Chain’. He states:

“One method of reducing costs is to outsource non-core activities. Outsourcing can bring a number of benefits.”

Actually, the topic of outsourcing may help to understand the competitive advantage of the organisation.

On the other hand, competitive analysis “Porter’s five forces”; Porter’s (1998) competitive analysis identifies five fundamental competitive forces that determine the relative attractiveness of an industry: new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, substitute products or services, and rivalry among existing competitors. Competitive analysis leads to insight in relationships and dynamics in an industry, and allows a company or business unit to make strategic decisions regarding the best defendable and most economically attractive position.

Apparently, (1990) wrote an award-winning HBR article on the core competence for the future based on the concept of the core competence. They encourage managers to ask themselves such fundamental questions as:

Ø What value will we deliver to our customers in, say, 10 years from now?

Ø What new ‘competencies’ (a combination of skills and technologies) will we need to develop or obtain to offer that value?

Ø What are the implications with regard to how we interact with our customers?

With regards to these management practices issues, the SWOT analysis of any company is all about strategic planning concerning company’s strengths and weaknesses. When combined with an inventory of opportunities and threats in (or even beyond) the company’s external environment, the company is effectively making what is called a SWOT analysis: establishing its current position in the light of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Moreover, Angel Garment Ltd also considers the value chain as part of its competitive advantage. Michael Porter (1998) believes that it can be understood only by looking at a firm as a whole. Cost advantages and successful differentiation are found in the chain of activities that a firm performs to deliver value to its customers. Further work by Porter on ‘Value chain analysis’ may also help understand the competitive advantage of the organisation. He described the value chain as:

“Desegregating a firm into it’s strategically relevant activities in order to understand the behavior of costs and the existing and potential sources of differentiation. A firm can gain competitive advantage by performing these strategically important activities more cheaply or better it’s competitors.”

Moreover, Syson (1992) examined the barriers to be found in supply chains. He spoke of:

“The interface Model of the traditional supply chain and the Integrated Model of the ideal supply chain, and identifies forces for change which make it important for organisations to move from the former to the latter.”

He goes on to describe the features of his integrated model including:

“The supply chain as a single entity, integrated at different levels of management – strategic, planning and operational”

From this discussion, this part of the dissertation divided the categories in several parts. The said parts assess the Vision Statement, external and internal business process, SWOT analysis will be also described, strategic choices, implementation analysis and evaluation process are also described.

2.1 Vision Statement Assessment

In Angel Garments Limited, the main vision of the company is to be competitive with respect to the quality of products they are distributing. The company is actually engaged in different business practices that may increase the standard of the quality of products. Angel Garments Limited operates in a turbulent and dynamic business environment. The current business environment of Angel Garments Limited is undergoing a metamorphosis as rapid technological innovations, competitive markets, diverse customer preferences, and extensive global operations prevail in it. To ensure continuous operation and survival in today’s rigid business environment, a business firm has to be open to change and improvement. Their business processes, services, products and operations should be consistently subject to evaluation and refinement. The norm is to deliver quality products and services while maintaining flexible and effective operations.

2.2 External Assessment

With regards to the external assessment of Angel Garment Limited, the researcher will consider the PEST analysis. A marketing model for analysis that can be utilized in order to analyse the corporate strategy of Angel Garments Limited is the PEST analysis. PEST Stands for Political, Economic, Sociocultural and technological factors that influence of Angel Garments Limited’s overall performance in the market place.

In addition, PEST analysis is a part of the external analysis when doing market research and gives a certain overview of the different macro environmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. Actually, political factors include areas such as tax policy, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs and political stability. The economic factors are the economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and inflation rate. Social factors often look at the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. The technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects and can determine the barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. It looks at elements such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change.

PEST analysis is very important that an organisation considers its environment before beginning the marketing process (Crainer, S 2002). In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The organization's marketing environment is made up from the following:

Ø The internal environment like staff or internal customers, office technology, wages and finance.

Ø The micro-environment such as external customers, agents and distributors, suppliers and competitors.

Ø The macro-environment such as political including legal forces, economic forces, socio-cultural forces and technological forces.

The acronym PEST or sometimes rearranged as STEP is used to describe a framework for the analysis of these macro-environmental factors (Crainer, 2002). A PEST analysis fits into an overall environmental scan as shown in the following diagram (see Figure 3):

Figure 3. Overall Environmental Scan

Figure 4 the graphical explanation of PEST analysis

The number of macro-environment factors is virtually unlimited. In practice, the firm must priorities and monitor those factors that influence its industry (Mark ides, 1999). Even so, it may be difficult to forecast future trends with an acceptable level of accuracy. In this regard, the firm may turn to scenario planning techniques to deal with high levels of uncertainty in important macro-environmental variables.

PEST is a nonlinear parameter estimation package with a difference. (Mark ides, 1996:58) The difference is that PEST can be used to estimate parameters for just about any existing computer model, whether or not a user has access to the model's source code. PEST is able to "take control" of a model, running it as many times as it needs to while adjusting its parameters until the discrepancies between selected model outputs and a complementary set of field or laboratory measurements is reduced to a minimum in the weighted least squares sense.

Most parameter estimation packages suffer from two serious drawbacks that inhibit their ability to optimize parameters for the plethora of computer simulation models that are used today in all fields of study (Moncrieff, 1999) The first of these difficulties is that a model normally needs to be partially recoded in order to communicate with an estimation program; this usually involves recasting the model as a subroutine which is then called by the estimator each time it needs to run the model. The second disadvantage is that the performance of many commercial and public-domain estimators is seriously degraded when optimizing parameters for large numerical models or for the sometimes complex models used for simulating "messy" environmental processes.

PEST overcomes the first of these difficulties by communicating with a model through the model's own input and output files (Mischief, 1999). Thus PEST adapts to the model; the model does not need to be adapted to PEST. It overcomes the second problem by implementing a particularly robust variant of the Gauss-Marquardt-Liebenberg method of nonlinear parameter estimation. Furthermore, through adjustment of a number of control variables, a user is able to "tune" PEST's implementation of the method to suit the model for which parameters are sought.

Because PEST is model-independent, the "model" can, in fact, be a series of models which PEST runs in succession through a batch file; PEST can estimate parameters for one or all of the models simultaneously (Moncrieff, 1999). Thus, a first model can provide input data for a second model; a single model can be calibrated against a number of different historical datasets all at once; a preprocessor can be run, followed by the model, followed by a postprocessor; the possibilities are endless.

2.3 Internal Assessment

2.4 SWOT analysis (Long-term Objective)

2.5 Strategic Choices

Strategy is now a common business word, and is probably the most used and abused term in the business world, but it was not originally used in a business sense. It was first used in popular English literature sometime before 1050. The Greek origin of the word `strategy' is `strategies', which means ‘general’, and in the Byzantine Empire the term was also used in the to describe a military governor (Dai, 1996, p. 54). It is argued by many authors in strategic studies that the concept of strategy is an analogy of or originated from the classical as well as modern military art (James, Mintzberg & Quinn, 1991). Although strategies have been used throughout the history of commerce and industry, the study of strategy as an academic subject did not receive serious attention until the 1960’s (Dai, 1996, p. 14). Nowadays, it is used in the business field with unsurprising familiarity, from the more specific areas of management, finance and, in the context of this paper, marketing. The strategy literature is diverse. Scholars and practitioners have different frameworks for the concept and some do not even agree on a single definition. It is therefore only proper to present as much meaning as possible to acquaint oneself with the various interpretations of strategy.

If the concept is boiled down to its essence, businessmen and entrepreneurs can gain the clearest insight on how thinking strategically can benefit the business venture. There are quite a number of traditional views regarding strategy. According to Porter (1986), strategy is ‘about being different’ and ‘it means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value’. Porter argues that strategy is about competitive position, about differentiating yourself in the eyes of the customer, about adding value through a mix of activities different from those used by competitors. Sidorowicz (2000) gave several definitions, and the following is one of them: ‘Strategy as a definition of the economic and non-economic contribution the organisation intends to make to its stakeholders, where sustained profitability is the legitimate and deserved reward of a job well done’. briefly defined strategy as the framework which guides those choices that determine the nature and direction of an organisation. Kenneth Andrews (1980), meanwhile, presents a lengthy definition of the word:

‘Corporate strategy is the pattern [italics added] of decisions in a company that determines and reveals its objectives, purposes, or goals, produces the principal policies and plans for achieving those goals, and defines the range of business the company is to pursue, the kind of economic and human organisation it is or intends to be, and the nature of the economic and non-economic contribution it intends to make to its shareholders, employees, customers, and communities (pp.18-19).’

(2000) succinctly gave this meaning of the word: Strategy is all these—it is perspective, position, plan, and pattern. Strategy is the bridge between policy or high-order goals on the one hand and tactics or concrete actions on the other. Strategy and tactics together straddle the gap between ends and means. In short, strategy is a term that refers to a complex web of thoughts, ideas, insights, experiences, goals, expertise, memories, perceptions, and expectations that provides general guidance for specific actions in pursuit of particular ends. Strategy is at once the course we chart, the journey we imagine and, at the same time, it is the course we steer, the trip we actually make. Even when we are embarking on a voyage of discovery, with no particular destination in mind, the voyage has a purpose, an outcome, an end to be kept in view. Given the wealth of literature on the concept, it is hard to come up with a final, unambiguous definition of strategy. Simply, there is no one absolutely correct meaning of the word, that strategy is a broad, ambiguous topic. Each individual, depending on the need, must come to one’s own understanding, definition, and meaning of this diverse term.

If studies on strategy are in profusion, one would be surprised at the doubly large number of studies done on strategic planning. The reason behind this is that there has been acceptance in the business circle that strategic planning, indeed, is the place to start if one wants to go from one point of origin to somewhere. The term has become a catchy buzzword with obvious benefits, less obvious pitfalls, and a variety of meanings. The aura of complexity, importance, and expense it has assumed through popularization might have confused or discourage business people from adopting it into practice but it is now apparent that this is not the case.

Goodstein, Nolan & Pfeiffer (1993) defined the term as ‘the process by which the guiding members of an organisation envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations necessary to achieve that future’ (p. 3). Steiner summarized his meaning of the word in one sentence: ‘Strategic planning is a backbone to support the strategic management’ (p. 4). Bryson (as cited in Alston & Bryson, 2005), defined strategic planning as ‘a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that an organisation (or other entity) is, what it does, and why it does it (p. 3). Cook (2000) gave this meaning of the word: ‘is the technique by which all variables are synthesized and the means by which all energies are dedicated to one real intent. Understanding and commitment are set forth in a plan that is, in effect, both stimulus and expedient’ (p. 4). In the words of Andreas Raps, ‘a well-formulated strategy can only generate a sustainable added value for the company if it is implemented successfully, so regardless of the intrinsic merit of a particular strategy, it can't succeed if an effective implementation procedure is missing’ (2004). Alignment of strategic plan throughout the business could also contribute to the success.

Mercer (1991) said that the main purpose of strategic planning is to provide management with a framework in which decisions can be made which will have an impact on the organisation. A conscious effort to systematize the effort and to manage its evolution is preferable to an unmanaged and haphazard evolution. Goodstein, Nolan & Pfeiffer defined the word as ‘the process by which the guiding members of an organisation envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future’ (p. 1). Mercer claimed that strategic thinking entails operational (tactical) planning - the planning of those actions to be taken to put strategies into effect. This type of planning answers the question of how to get the job done. It often consists of specific objectives accompanied by short narrative action plans.

Below is an illustration of the evolution of strategic planning in the private sector (Mercer, 1991, p. 19):

1950's	Early 1960's	Late 1960's U+0026 1970's	1980's
GENERAL MANAGEMENT	PROFIT PLANNING	BUSINESS PLANNING	STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Business Survey	Business Assessment	Business Assessment	Business Assessment
Management Audit	Company Performance	Company performance	Environmental Intelligence
Organizational Studies		Future environment	Corporate Strategic Plan
	Profit Plan Objectives	Stake holder’s expectations
	Forecasts Plans	Strategic Plan	Division Strategic Plans
		Mission Objectives	Organisation Effectiveness
		Product/Market Strategy Resource allocation	Operational Plans
		Operational Plans
Performance Standards			Annual Plans & Controls
	Budgeting & Control	Annual Plans & Controls
Budgetary Control		Budgets MOB Control Systems

(2006) asserted that the word is focused on reaching specific, well-defined goals designed to benefit the organisation as a whole. He said that it is possible to have a number of long-range goals and plans that are quite independent of one another and in fact lead in different directions. Strategic planning is a means of making some very fundamental decisions and charting a course so that short- and long-range planning is more efficiently focused and integrated. The organisation, in the course of strategic planning, must: (1) identify and/or clarify organisational values; (2) develop CEO of vision statement; (3) conduct internal assessment by examining the mission and values statement and composing a list of strengths and weaknesses of organisation; (4) conduct external assessment by composing a list of challenges, obstacles, opportunities and niches; (5) determine what business organisation is in or wants to be in; (6) determine key result areas in which goals will be set; (7) set goals in key result area by developing a consensus on goals and relating it to vision and values; (8) set strategies regarding goals; (9) determine tactics as to how to achieve strategies; and finally; (10) assign accountabilities (O’Neil, 2001). Mercer (1991) said that effective strategic plans include six key elements: (1) an environmental scan (situation analysis, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats--SWOT--analysis, or size-up) including an examination of both external and internal factors; (2) a mission statement which defines the fundamental purpose of the organisation and its boundaries; (3) a set of strategies indicating what will be done to carry out the mission; (4) objectives for each strategy; (5) tactics or short-term operating plans for meeting objectives; and (6) controls, measures, and evaluation steps to determine how well the strategic plan is progressing.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 12:00 PM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics

My Other Accounts

Supposing of a Multinational Corporation I Would employ a Launch in a proactive way

Assignment 1

Supposing I was chosen to be the new manager of a multinational corporation, I would employ a “launch” in a proactive way. Prior to engaging in a company wide Six Sigma, I would first engage in sampling Six Sigma practices in an independent team within the organization. If this idea will be permitted by the top management and succeeded, then I would bring it to a broader framework, the whole company. Within the team, I will assess individual and team preparedness regarding the change. For example, I will do this through formal observations and in-depth interviews.

I will use the same process I applied in the experimental team. I would inform all organizational members of the coming changes. This can be done through formal meetings with department heads then with each department heads and their members. Technology could play a significant role in this process. For example, there are collaborative softwares already available in the market. Through these softwares, I could create a virtual forum exclusive for the employees so that I can acquire information regarding their perceptions on the coming changes and solicit suggestions. Resistance will be anticipated.

Developing a strong rationale is not an easy task as it seems to be since you have to find reasons why the firm must engage in Six Sigma. From a personal standpoint, I would do a MOST analysis first. MOST stands for Mission, Objectives, Strategies and Tactics. I could pinpoint what specific aspects should be retain and need improvement. I could also create new stratagem base on this. At this point, I could develop a Critical to Quality (CTQ) assessments of attributes. Evaluation will be made using a top-to-bottom approach (Heuvel, et al, 2006).

The next thing I would do is to plan. Structured planning must involve a general to specific approach. My plan would encompass indicators of the firm’s capabilities – physically, financially and organizationally. Physically means inclusion of the specific resources the Six Sigma implementation would require. Financially refers to the budget. And organizationally means the people. At this point, prioritization will be the key.

My participation is crucial in the subsequent stage. As a manager, I must be present at all points of implementation at all times. However, the challenge preceding the implementation is marketing the plan within the organization. The pre-implementation stage necessitates the task to create a vision and market change within the company. The theme I will create will mirror the totality of the Six Sigma effort. In making the people speak the same language as I do, I would lay down realistic expectations about Six Sigma. Again, resistance will be anticipated.

In so doing, I will utilize the find more, win more and keep more strategy. Find more is a strategy to clearly define the market, identify profitable opportunities for the people and determining targets. Win more is a strategy to build awareness, creating an environment of employee buy-ins and covering the whole area where Six Sigma must be marketed. Keep more is the strategy to serve and support, capture full, reasonable value and expanding the concept to the people whom are resenting the change.

Becoming powerful advocates of Six Sigma, as a manager, I will walk the talk and talk the talk. Six Sigma must become the language of the company. In particular, I could integrate Six Sigma concepts in meetings and even in impromptu discussions with staff and line personnel. I will find opportunities in motivating employees to use Six Sigma in meetings, speeches, reviews and hiring. In addition, I will develop key communication metrics so that information's regarding Six Sigma will be clarified on all corners of the company. I will also develop employee-focused dashboards to track progress (Keller, 2005).

In addition, I will select and train a deployment team and develop a human resource strategy to retain Black Belts and motivate middle management to support and contribute to the Six Sigma program (Ibid.). This purports the next step – clarifying objectives. Objectives must be challenging, reasonable and realistic. Data mining and benchmarking are the priorities. In data mining, I could discover opportunities that may lead to creating specific, obtainable objectives. Benchmarking is the same. Both could provide a wealth of ideas for defining the direction of Six Sigma implementation that is within the scope and budget.

I understand that Six Sigma is not of continuous success, there are failed Six Sigma programs. To avoid pitfalls, I will require a continuous flow of information. Constant feed backing will be a topmost concern. I will develop a separate checklist in this area consisting of all stakeholders’ – customers, employees, shareholders – views and recommendations.

Solid measures of results will be evidenced by Six Sigma quality performance indicators. Such indicators will be measured and assessed quarterly through statistical techniques. For example, I will deploy a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and/or Pareto analysis. It will be reported so that the people will be informed not only the gains but also the downsides of the Six Sigma implementation. The information that I will provide will include honest comparisons of perceived and actual Six Sigma performance. Communication lines will be kept open specially the virtual forums.

Assignment 2

The model Thompson developed is a descriptive-prescriptive framework that contains the elements of team context that purports on the overall team performance. The basis of achieving team performance is the three essential conditions as performing effectively, building and sustaining motivation and coordinating people. The context of the team refers to internal processes and external constraints and opportunities that are perceived to be instruments towards achieving productivity, team satisfaction, individual growth and organizational gains. The conditions that Thompson relates reflect the causality of existing facilities inherent to the organization like the ability, motivation and strategies and how it can deliver success or failure base on utilization of organizational context and team design and culture.

The model creates leeway of looking at enhancing the functioning of teams based on three critical points which spring from the organization and the team and not from the traditional hierarchical structure. The main quality of the model focuses on covering the three areas cognitive –recognizing the need to bring together adequate knowledge and skill to carry-out tasks; affection – being aware that exerting sufficient motivation and effort could facilitate accomplishing the task to an acceptable level of performance and psychomotor – knowing that activities and communication and the importance of coordinating them as vital factors in accomplishing tasks in an efficient and productive manner.

The significance of the model is evident in increasing the success rate of the organization from four fundamental levels. The learning's that the model suggests are as follows: for team productivity, the model proposes the clarifications of the goals and the possibility to reassess goals, how the organization measures performance and team output versus standards; for team satisfaction, the model underpins supportive working environment and the barriers that led to feelings of resentment, team learning and accommodating changes; for individual growth, the model implies the importance of individual contribution as team members, improving skills, the hindrances of achieving growth and making others understand the idea of individual growth needs; and for organizational gains, the model advocates how the team benefit the organization or how the team contribute to the organizational growth, the consistency of team goals and the subsequent integration with other units.

Posted by Marivic Butod at 11:22 AM in Sample Assignment Instructions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Search your Topics