INDIAN SCHOOLS ALL SET TO IMPLEMENT RFID AND GPS BASED TRACKING SYSTEM
Indian schools are all set to implement a high-tech solution that will enable the school and parents to monitor students' entry into and exit from school buses.
Called RFID and GPS based tracking system; the state-of-the-art monitoring system will already been adopted by many renowned schools and the process of adoption is still going on.
"We have been working on this system for quite sometime so children can be monitored to ensure their security and safety," said the manager, Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
A Noida (India) -based IT solutions provider, Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd. will implement this automated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and GPS-based student tracking system in the school's buses. Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd. uses a combination of RFID, GPS (Global Positioning System) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technologies.
RFID is a type of automatic identification system whose purpose is to enable data to be transmitted by a portable device, called tag, which is read by an RFID reader and processed according to the needs of a particular application.
All the buses of schools will be equipped with RFID readers and each student will be given an RFID card (pictured) which incorporates GPS and GPRS technologies, with all the student's particulars printed on it.
Using the technology, the parents will get a text message every time the student gets into the bus and alights while going to the school from home and when returning. Alert messages will also be sent to the school authorities.
"This technology will give peace of mind not only to the parents but also to us," said School principal, adding parents had been consulted with regard to the scheme and they had given positive feedback.
"Parents were favorable with the system because ultimately it means security and safety for the students," he said, adding he could see that other schools could adopt it in the future.
Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd. manager said the application software displays not only a real-time view of the location of the bus but also the student inside the bus at any point in time.
"The system can be configured and could be converted into a smart card in the future to have other functions," Manager explained, adding RFID readers could be installed in other locations in the school as needed to further ensure the safety of students.
He also said the text messages would be very specific. For instance, if a child is still inside the bus five minutes after the vehicle's engine is turned off, a text message will be sent to the school authorities.
It means that this system from Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Will answer the question more prominently that “Its already 10 PM do you know where your child is???????????
But now every parent and school administration knows.
By Sachin Singh
Agnicient Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
ARTICLE 11 - EMOTIONAL ABUSE IN THE NAME OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN INDIAN SCHOOLS
Emotional Abuse In the Name of Academic Success in Indian Schools
Child abuse is a very serious matter in western schools and any teacher, parent and school involved in child abuse have to face the law. In spite of serious steps we still see some cases of child abuse here and there, but majority of children are safe from abuse. This is not the case when it comes to developing and under developed countries.
Many countries didn’t address child abuse because of their culture and lack of awareness about the issue. Some countries officially announced child abuse as illegal, but they are not serious in enforcing the law. India is one of those countries that made child abuse illegal, especially in schools but doesn’t enforce the law strictly. This is causing an enormous physical and emotional damage to the younger children.
In recent years there is no more canning of students in schools, especially in private schools. Parents are not at all tolerating their children being canned or spanked by teachers. This is a very good sign of change, but abuse is still predominant at homes. However, there is a different form of abuse that is happening in every private school in the name of academic requirements and student success. I call it as “emotional abuse” What is so sad is educated parents are also supporting the idea without even noticing that the excessive workload on students is causing an enormous ‘emotional damage’ to the younger minds.
Private schools are very attractive to parents because they offer quality education to students, and they provide special coaching to students to prepare them for professional courses like Engineering, Medicine, and IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), highly reputed engineering and technology institute. While it is a good concept to prepare students to do well in school exams and also in entrance tests, it is sad that children are excessively burdened with school work and preparation.
For example, none of the private schools allow their students leave the school before 6 hours. They are at school almost 9 hours, instead of recommended 5 ½ hours. In addition to this many students attend before and after school tuitions, and still have to finish their 2-3 hour homework after all these sessions, irrespective their grade levels.
When I look at school children in India my heart bleeds. Parents want the best education for their children, which is fair enough, but they are not noticing that with an excessive workload children are at abuse. This abuse of children must be stopped for the welfare of their physical and psychological well being. Since schools want to offer what parents demand, parents must take initiative in stopping this kind of abuse. On the other hand, teachers and educational experts must also make an effort to educate parents about this type of bad practice in schools. This I call a step toward a positive change, and perhaps an indicator of developing nation.
Srinivas Khedam
Teacher- Seattle-WA
SOURCE - http://www.edarticle.com/homework/emotional-abuse-in-the-name-of-academic-success-in-indian-schools.html
Child abuse is a very serious matter in western schools and any teacher, parent and school involved in child abuse have to face the law. In spite of serious steps we still see some cases of child abuse here and there, but majority of children are safe from abuse. This is not the case when it comes to developing and under developed countries.
Many countries didn’t address child abuse because of their culture and lack of awareness about the issue. Some countries officially announced child abuse as illegal, but they are not serious in enforcing the law. India is one of those countries that made child abuse illegal, especially in schools but doesn’t enforce the law strictly. This is causing an enormous physical and emotional damage to the younger children.
In recent years there is no more canning of students in schools, especially in private schools. Parents are not at all tolerating their children being canned or spanked by teachers. This is a very good sign of change, but abuse is still predominant at homes. However, there is a different form of abuse that is happening in every private school in the name of academic requirements and student success. I call it as “emotional abuse” What is so sad is educated parents are also supporting the idea without even noticing that the excessive workload on students is causing an enormous ‘emotional damage’ to the younger minds.
Private schools are very attractive to parents because they offer quality education to students, and they provide special coaching to students to prepare them for professional courses like Engineering, Medicine, and IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), highly reputed engineering and technology institute. While it is a good concept to prepare students to do well in school exams and also in entrance tests, it is sad that children are excessively burdened with school work and preparation.
For example, none of the private schools allow their students leave the school before 6 hours. They are at school almost 9 hours, instead of recommended 5 ½ hours. In addition to this many students attend before and after school tuitions, and still have to finish their 2-3 hour homework after all these sessions, irrespective their grade levels.
When I look at school children in India my heart bleeds. Parents want the best education for their children, which is fair enough, but they are not noticing that with an excessive workload children are at abuse. This abuse of children must be stopped for the welfare of their physical and psychological well being. Since schools want to offer what parents demand, parents must take initiative in stopping this kind of abuse. On the other hand, teachers and educational experts must also make an effort to educate parents about this type of bad practice in schools. This I call a step toward a positive change, and perhaps an indicator of developing nation.
Srinivas Khedam
Teacher- Seattle-WA
SOURCE - http://www.edarticle.com/homework/emotional-abuse-in-the-name-of-academic-success-in-indian-schools.html
Monday, August 30, 2010
ARTICLE 10 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Disciplines of Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities to meet the requirements of the particular project.
Project management knowledge and practices are best described in terms of their component processes. These processes can be placed into five process groups and nine knowledge areas.
The five process groups are initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing. The nine knowledge areas are project integration management, project scope management, project time management, project cost management, project quality management, project human resource management, project communications management, project risk management and project procurement management.
Software support tool
Data Saab developed the first software support tool for project management for their computer D21 in the early 1960s. It was tailored to support the PERT model. Nowadays project-planning software is widely used and abused.
The software industry research company, Gartner (), periodically publish the "Project Management Software Magic Quadrant Report", a review of major packages ().
Problems with project management software
Few packages are built around a sound project management method. What is even worse, e.g. Microsoft Project encourages counterproductive behavior by inexperienced project managers by offering as the default start-up view the Gantt chart.
This encourages too early focus on task identification and scheduling vs. proper formulation of project objectives and final deliverables. So, such packages implicitly force upon an unsuspecting user an unsound project management process.
To make things worse, many packages offer advanced visual formatting capabilities, which make it possible to produce nicely looking but completely nonsense documents.
Many packages also offer e-mail integration, which encourages automatic assignment of tasks and due dates. This universally leads to counterproductive, date-driven behavior (see: critical chain) and may contribute to improper setting of team members' performance expectations.
Project Portfolio Management is Your Friend
Three reasons for project managers to embrace PPM—Realism, Rationality, and Visibility. Project portfolio management (PPM) is HOT.
PPM brings realism to an organization's planning processes. The Balanced Scorecard Collaborative estimates that upwards of 80% of corporate strategies are never implemented.
PPM aligns what an organization wants to do with the resources—the money, hours, people, time, and equipment—required to get it done.
Inventory your department's projects. Gather information about project portfolio management tools and educate yourself on their use.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/project-management.html
The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities to meet the requirements of the particular project.
Project management knowledge and practices are best described in terms of their component processes. These processes can be placed into five process groups and nine knowledge areas.
The five process groups are initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing. The nine knowledge areas are project integration management, project scope management, project time management, project cost management, project quality management, project human resource management, project communications management, project risk management and project procurement management.
Software support tool
Data Saab developed the first software support tool for project management for their computer D21 in the early 1960s. It was tailored to support the PERT model. Nowadays project-planning software is widely used and abused.
The software industry research company, Gartner (), periodically publish the "Project Management Software Magic Quadrant Report", a review of major packages ().
Problems with project management software
Few packages are built around a sound project management method. What is even worse, e.g. Microsoft Project encourages counterproductive behavior by inexperienced project managers by offering as the default start-up view the Gantt chart.
This encourages too early focus on task identification and scheduling vs. proper formulation of project objectives and final deliverables. So, such packages implicitly force upon an unsuspecting user an unsound project management process.
To make things worse, many packages offer advanced visual formatting capabilities, which make it possible to produce nicely looking but completely nonsense documents.
Many packages also offer e-mail integration, which encourages automatic assignment of tasks and due dates. This universally leads to counterproductive, date-driven behavior (see: critical chain) and may contribute to improper setting of team members' performance expectations.
Project Portfolio Management is Your Friend
Three reasons for project managers to embrace PPM—Realism, Rationality, and Visibility. Project portfolio management (PPM) is HOT.
PPM brings realism to an organization's planning processes. The Balanced Scorecard Collaborative estimates that upwards of 80% of corporate strategies are never implemented.
PPM aligns what an organization wants to do with the resources—the money, hours, people, time, and equipment—required to get it done.
Inventory your department's projects. Gather information about project portfolio management tools and educate yourself on their use.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/project-management.html
ARTICLE 9 - TIME MANAGEMENT
Strategies of Time Management
Understanding, identifying and defining your long-term goals is the very first step for an effective time management. With the broader goal at the background, you can now set your short-term goals that may effectively lead you to achieving your long cherished long-term goals in your life.
In the process you may be facing situations that may not be to your liking and you may even contradict many of your decisions. The most commonly committed blunder in any time management is that many people are not willing to accept a reasonable life-style. For maintaining one’s health in a good condition, the person should get good nutrition, sufficient exercise and proper sleep.
Like this, there are certain other factors such as social relationship, desires, feelings, spiritual and intellectual needs, etc., for making one’s life fruitful and whole and the pathetic situation today is that we are not bothered to look into many of these aspects and lead our life in a very sorry state of affairs.
Despite the Time management being easy and very reasonably required to be practiced in one’s life, many people do not even bother to know about it, leave alone practicing it. Of late, if you have found that you are running short of time even for completing many of your regular schedules, then remember that you are becoming a part and parcel of a larger population that manage time very badly.
Few of the under mentioned strategies or suggestions can help you in your need for a better time management skills that you have been aspiring for long:
First understand your need and identify your long-term goals in clear terms. Keep a watch over your defined long-term goals and make a review at regular intervals. Your prime aim should be to achieve your long-term goals and hence you should not allow any of the trivial matters and unnecessary tasks to pose as a hindrance to your either long-term goal or your present balanced life style.
The main enemy in your life is your impulsive behaviour to a given situation or your needs. Ascertain and weigh all your needs and spontaneous urges thoroughly and take a calculated decision with your long-term goal in your mind. If you are a student studying in college or school, then proper time management is a must so as make your curriculum more meaningful and useful.
In case you miss or mess up any of the important appointments and assignments, then they may prove to be very costly in your academic career and as well as in your life. The resultant guilt feeling, anxious moments, frustration and other undesirable feelings that may creep or crop up in your mind unknowingly may be very detrimental and hence you should learn to prioritize your various actions and engagements so as to strike a balance in your life.
There is no hard and fast rule that will tell you to socialize less and study more, and in fact you yourself would even like to consider things the way it wanted to be. The idea behind this is to tell you to make your time spending on things and activities that may interest you and fits you. By this you can set your priorities or at least know your priorities and can start applying things whenever you are busy or encounter busy schedules.
The best possible method could be to start with preparing a to-do list on a daily basis. This article will offer a variety of useful tips on matters such as managing time skillfully and how to prioritize within the to-do list favorably. Time management skill is one of the most important of all skills for attaining success in field including your daily personal life and official life.
The following are the time tested and very reasonable techniques that have been learned and practiced by many people in sports, business, personal life, and in almost all fields for getting an advancement in their career or fulfillment. The under-mentioned skills are certain to guide you and make you to become adept in handling time, giving you undivided focus or attention in handling things and enable you to reap beneficial results in almost all the avocations that you get yourself engaged in.
To start with, make your idea about time clear and decide how to spend your time. A small introspection about your self can give you a wide perspective about your present activities and the amount of time spent for each activity or occasion. To get a still better idea about your time spending pattern, analyze the situations for a week and the arrived at estimate will be more or less realistic in nature.
Then break the findings based on various activities or subjects and now you can have in your hand your entire week’s data and the details about your spending of time on them. Now from the data available you will be in a better position to analyze where you wasted your time most and where you have spent your time less than required and you can come to many such conclusions by closely scrutinizing the findings.
If you are a student, then from such self-introspection, you can find out many related factors such as quality of study time, quantity of study time, when the concentration was at its peak, etc. Though this is only illustrative, you are at liberty to infer many things from the findings and according to your own liking.
At the first instance do not immediately jump to doing things in a precise clock work fashion, but learn to identify where you lack improvement of where you have to be little less intensive. Make use of the data to analyze where you are supposed to or rather not supposed to postpone things and where exactly you need to procrastinate or prevent things from doing altogether.
Note to set realistic and achievable goals with a little bit of flavor of challenge in it. Consider the fact that there will be people who will be able to manage time well and at the same time do blunders with time management.
The time that is required to complete a job might be different for different people at different point of time and depending upon many other influencing factors. At the beginning always set your task small and break them into achievable sizes with a little flavor of challenge. Once you finish your job of identifying the task or tasks, then comes the job of visualizing or devising strategies for achieving the set goals.
Consider giving a break in your schedule for every one-hour and every half an hour if the job is more intensive or arduous. Arrange all your necessities such as work, meals, study materials, etc., at the initial stages itself. If it relates to study then be realistic in your selected courses. For any success in completing selected courses you need to study and practice what have been studied.
Make sure that whatever you have selected is not taxing, lest the whole exercise might turn out to be a futile one due to abrupt stopping or discontinuance in the middle. You should be careful in making things to conform to your budget and schedule the time in such a way so as to make the time work for you to accomplish the undertaken task.
If you need to be more structured in your work, then you should prepare your schedule in a more detailed manner and at the same time be more realistic and be prepared with a open mind to make changes wherever and whenever necessary. Such type of modular or structured approach can leverage you with more time and for doing things in an efficient way.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/time-management.html
Understanding, identifying and defining your long-term goals is the very first step for an effective time management. With the broader goal at the background, you can now set your short-term goals that may effectively lead you to achieving your long cherished long-term goals in your life.
In the process you may be facing situations that may not be to your liking and you may even contradict many of your decisions. The most commonly committed blunder in any time management is that many people are not willing to accept a reasonable life-style. For maintaining one’s health in a good condition, the person should get good nutrition, sufficient exercise and proper sleep.
Like this, there are certain other factors such as social relationship, desires, feelings, spiritual and intellectual needs, etc., for making one’s life fruitful and whole and the pathetic situation today is that we are not bothered to look into many of these aspects and lead our life in a very sorry state of affairs.
Despite the Time management being easy and very reasonably required to be practiced in one’s life, many people do not even bother to know about it, leave alone practicing it. Of late, if you have found that you are running short of time even for completing many of your regular schedules, then remember that you are becoming a part and parcel of a larger population that manage time very badly.
Few of the under mentioned strategies or suggestions can help you in your need for a better time management skills that you have been aspiring for long:
First understand your need and identify your long-term goals in clear terms. Keep a watch over your defined long-term goals and make a review at regular intervals. Your prime aim should be to achieve your long-term goals and hence you should not allow any of the trivial matters and unnecessary tasks to pose as a hindrance to your either long-term goal or your present balanced life style.
The main enemy in your life is your impulsive behaviour to a given situation or your needs. Ascertain and weigh all your needs and spontaneous urges thoroughly and take a calculated decision with your long-term goal in your mind. If you are a student studying in college or school, then proper time management is a must so as make your curriculum more meaningful and useful.
In case you miss or mess up any of the important appointments and assignments, then they may prove to be very costly in your academic career and as well as in your life. The resultant guilt feeling, anxious moments, frustration and other undesirable feelings that may creep or crop up in your mind unknowingly may be very detrimental and hence you should learn to prioritize your various actions and engagements so as to strike a balance in your life.
There is no hard and fast rule that will tell you to socialize less and study more, and in fact you yourself would even like to consider things the way it wanted to be. The idea behind this is to tell you to make your time spending on things and activities that may interest you and fits you. By this you can set your priorities or at least know your priorities and can start applying things whenever you are busy or encounter busy schedules.
The best possible method could be to start with preparing a to-do list on a daily basis. This article will offer a variety of useful tips on matters such as managing time skillfully and how to prioritize within the to-do list favorably. Time management skill is one of the most important of all skills for attaining success in field including your daily personal life and official life.
The following are the time tested and very reasonable techniques that have been learned and practiced by many people in sports, business, personal life, and in almost all fields for getting an advancement in their career or fulfillment. The under-mentioned skills are certain to guide you and make you to become adept in handling time, giving you undivided focus or attention in handling things and enable you to reap beneficial results in almost all the avocations that you get yourself engaged in.
To start with, make your idea about time clear and decide how to spend your time. A small introspection about your self can give you a wide perspective about your present activities and the amount of time spent for each activity or occasion. To get a still better idea about your time spending pattern, analyze the situations for a week and the arrived at estimate will be more or less realistic in nature.
Then break the findings based on various activities or subjects and now you can have in your hand your entire week’s data and the details about your spending of time on them. Now from the data available you will be in a better position to analyze where you wasted your time most and where you have spent your time less than required and you can come to many such conclusions by closely scrutinizing the findings.
If you are a student, then from such self-introspection, you can find out many related factors such as quality of study time, quantity of study time, when the concentration was at its peak, etc. Though this is only illustrative, you are at liberty to infer many things from the findings and according to your own liking.
At the first instance do not immediately jump to doing things in a precise clock work fashion, but learn to identify where you lack improvement of where you have to be little less intensive. Make use of the data to analyze where you are supposed to or rather not supposed to postpone things and where exactly you need to procrastinate or prevent things from doing altogether.
Note to set realistic and achievable goals with a little bit of flavor of challenge in it. Consider the fact that there will be people who will be able to manage time well and at the same time do blunders with time management.
The time that is required to complete a job might be different for different people at different point of time and depending upon many other influencing factors. At the beginning always set your task small and break them into achievable sizes with a little flavor of challenge. Once you finish your job of identifying the task or tasks, then comes the job of visualizing or devising strategies for achieving the set goals.
Consider giving a break in your schedule for every one-hour and every half an hour if the job is more intensive or arduous. Arrange all your necessities such as work, meals, study materials, etc., at the initial stages itself. If it relates to study then be realistic in your selected courses. For any success in completing selected courses you need to study and practice what have been studied.
Make sure that whatever you have selected is not taxing, lest the whole exercise might turn out to be a futile one due to abrupt stopping or discontinuance in the middle. You should be careful in making things to conform to your budget and schedule the time in such a way so as to make the time work for you to accomplish the undertaken task.
If you need to be more structured in your work, then you should prepare your schedule in a more detailed manner and at the same time be more realistic and be prepared with a open mind to make changes wherever and whenever necessary. Such type of modular or structured approach can leverage you with more time and for doing things in an efficient way.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/time-management.html
ARTICLE 8 - PRINCIPES OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Principles of Performance Management
The Performance Management and Information section provides advice and support on a range of facilities management issues and coordinates performance management activities including the maintenance and development of the Estates and Facilities Performance Management System. The section is also responsible for providing advice on fire safety and overseeing the technical library service and website facility.
Performance management is a process on performance measurement approaches, such as the balanced scorecard. While the balanced scorecard offers a framework for the collection of strategic information, performance management ensures that results are used to influence the selection of planned actions and to foster the renewal of dynamic, competitive strategy. Unlike most tools and techniques, performance management is a continuous, enterprise-wide process, rather than a one-time, isolated event. Six Performance Management imperatives are Compliance Management, Profitability Management, Cost Management, Performance Improvement, and Business Innovation.
Performance management is a set of functions that evaluate and report the behavior of telecommunications equipment and the effectiveness of the network or network element and a set of various sub functions, such as gathering statistical information, maintaining and examining historical logs, determining system performance under natural and artificial conditions, and altering system modes of operation. Performance Management Challenges Present in Many Ways: Shareholders have demanded that you provide more accountability and transparency in your organization. You have business units in many different regions, each working towards their own goals and purpose.
Welsh Health Estates manages and maintains the (EFPMS) Estates and Facilities Performance Management System. This provides comprehensive data and information: Operator training including support and guidance to Trusts on the completion of the annual EFPMS returns. Categories of performance management are performance management subsystems are responsible for analyzing and controlling network performance, including network throughput and error rates. And also accounting management, configuration management, fault management, and security management.
Business Performance Management and Predictability defines predictable as, “to state, tell about or make known in advance, especially on the basis of special knowledge.” The last part of the definition is advance, especially on the basis of special knowledge’ sums up a main business benefit of a business performance management solution. BPM is about enabling decision makers to gain a better understanding of how the business is performing by individual activities to the overall corporate strategy.
Principles of performance management standards: Serve as an objective basis for communicating about performance and Enable the employee to differentiate between unacceptable and acceptable results. Increasing job, inform new expectations about job performance and encouraging the open and trusting relationship with employees. Performance expectations are the foundation for appraising employee performance. Standards recognize is a baseline for measuring performance. From performance standards, supervisors can provide specific feedback relating the gap between expected and actual performance.
Characteristics of Performance describe the conditions that must exist before the performance can be rated satisfactory. Be attainable by any qualified, competent, and fully trained person who has the authority and resources to achieve the desired result. Be expressed in terms of quantity, quality, time, cost, effect, and manner of performance. Coaching is a procedure of strengthening communication between you and the employees and it helps to shape performance and increase the likelihood that the employee's results will meet your expectations. Coaching sessions provide you and the employee the opportunity to discuss her progress toward meeting mutually established standards and goals in a performance evaluation.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/performance-management.html
The Performance Management and Information section provides advice and support on a range of facilities management issues and coordinates performance management activities including the maintenance and development of the Estates and Facilities Performance Management System. The section is also responsible for providing advice on fire safety and overseeing the technical library service and website facility.
Performance management is a process on performance measurement approaches, such as the balanced scorecard. While the balanced scorecard offers a framework for the collection of strategic information, performance management ensures that results are used to influence the selection of planned actions and to foster the renewal of dynamic, competitive strategy. Unlike most tools and techniques, performance management is a continuous, enterprise-wide process, rather than a one-time, isolated event. Six Performance Management imperatives are Compliance Management, Profitability Management, Cost Management, Performance Improvement, and Business Innovation.
Performance management is a set of functions that evaluate and report the behavior of telecommunications equipment and the effectiveness of the network or network element and a set of various sub functions, such as gathering statistical information, maintaining and examining historical logs, determining system performance under natural and artificial conditions, and altering system modes of operation. Performance Management Challenges Present in Many Ways: Shareholders have demanded that you provide more accountability and transparency in your organization. You have business units in many different regions, each working towards their own goals and purpose.
Welsh Health Estates manages and maintains the (EFPMS) Estates and Facilities Performance Management System. This provides comprehensive data and information: Operator training including support and guidance to Trusts on the completion of the annual EFPMS returns. Categories of performance management are performance management subsystems are responsible for analyzing and controlling network performance, including network throughput and error rates. And also accounting management, configuration management, fault management, and security management.
Business Performance Management and Predictability defines predictable as, “to state, tell about or make known in advance, especially on the basis of special knowledge.” The last part of the definition is advance, especially on the basis of special knowledge’ sums up a main business benefit of a business performance management solution. BPM is about enabling decision makers to gain a better understanding of how the business is performing by individual activities to the overall corporate strategy.
Principles of performance management standards: Serve as an objective basis for communicating about performance and Enable the employee to differentiate between unacceptable and acceptable results. Increasing job, inform new expectations about job performance and encouraging the open and trusting relationship with employees. Performance expectations are the foundation for appraising employee performance. Standards recognize is a baseline for measuring performance. From performance standards, supervisors can provide specific feedback relating the gap between expected and actual performance.
Characteristics of Performance describe the conditions that must exist before the performance can be rated satisfactory. Be attainable by any qualified, competent, and fully trained person who has the authority and resources to achieve the desired result. Be expressed in terms of quantity, quality, time, cost, effect, and manner of performance. Coaching is a procedure of strengthening communication between you and the employees and it helps to shape performance and increase the likelihood that the employee's results will meet your expectations. Coaching sessions provide you and the employee the opportunity to discuss her progress toward meeting mutually established standards and goals in a performance evaluation.
SOURCE: http://www.management-hub.com/performance-management.html
ARTICLE 7 - WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?
What is Management?
The term Management has different meaning in different perspective. The meaning varies with the person to whom it is referred to. In general we can say that management is a process that involves planning, managing resources to accomplish the set objectives, and measuring the results got. When we say resources we mean to say not only the human resources but also the other resources (financial resources, materials required, machineries involved etc.) that are needed to accomplish a task or an objective.
There is a common perception that management involves only the managers and the people involved with the management of the company. It is definitely not so. Each an every person in an organization has some tasks that involves managing some resource and reporting about that resource to the higher authority.
Decision making is an important part in management and it often reflects the experience of the person making the decision. Decision making is centered on the three basic questions that lead to making a decision. What change has to be done to achieve a particular goal? To what extent the change has to be made? And how to make that change happen? These questions are dealt with the theories of management. It seems that management theories appeared around 1920. With the development of technology and other development, the management is subdivided into many categories that involve a particular process.
Now-a-days each and every process has its own management methods and personnel for managing that process. The basic principle remains the same as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling to achieve the goal by using the human, financial and material resources.
Asset Management
Asset management is a complete and structured approach to the long-term management of assets as tools for the efficient and valuable delivery of community benefits.
Brand Name Power
The brands name is often revealing of the brands intentions. This is obviously the case for brand names which, from the start, are specifically chosen to convey certain objectives or subjective
Business Process Management
The Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI) embraces existing standards where suitable, working withcomplementary standards bodies. In areas where
Change Management
Change management plays an important role in any organization since the task of managing change is not an easy one. When we say managing change
Data Management
Data Resource Management is the development and execution of architectures, policies, practices and procedures that properly manage the full data
Database Management Systems
Database management systems are programs that are written to store, update, and retrieve information from a database
The 5C’s of Events
The activities required for marketing and managing events require certain steps to be followed that can be called the five C’s of events. The First is conceptualization of the creative idea and
Essential Elements in the Event Infrastructure
Event Infrastructure: The name indicates, event infrastructure includes those essential elements with out which there cannot be any event. These essential elements are core concept, core
Building Relationships in an Organization through Events
Creating a forum for bring together key corporate influencers, decision makers and businessmen: To bring the most brilliant of technicians to the doorsteps was the main
Database Management System - DBMS
A database management system is a computer based system to manage a database, or a collection databases or files. The essential word here is manage management implies
Debt Management Planning
The Debt Management Plan by Money Management International and Consumer Credit Counseling Service is a confidential program individually designed to provide you
Document Management
Information stored in files on papers or on a PC is called Document. Document Management is the process of managing documents and other means of information
Facility Management
Facility management is an influential facility information management system. It provides the capability to manage all of your facility
Facilitating Job Enrichment
Job Enrichment should be distinguished from enlargement job enlargement attempts to make a job more varied by removing the dullness associated with performing repetitive operations
Information Management
Information management is a general terms that refers to managing any kind of information. This information that is managed varies according to the industry
What is Inventory Management
The most important objective or inventory control is to determine and maintain an optimum level of investment in the inventory. Most companies have now successfully installed
Marketing Management Article
Marketing management is a subject of growing interest in all sizes and types of organizations with in and outside sectors in all kind of countries
True Benefit of Human Resources Outsourcing
When Multi-national companies decided to outsource its Human Resources Operations, they had only one major goal in mind and that is cutting costs
Organizational Behavior and Modification
The complexity and high degree of interaction of the parts of an organization, whether these parts be functions groups or individuals
Medical Management Software
The main process of medical management is to take care of employee’s health. Prior Authorization’s work is to maintain the health plan approval for a service or product
Network Management
If you want to know the network management basics it is better to know something on network management architectures and the protocols used in the network management
Information Management Lifecycle
The third stage of the information system development life cycle begins with conversion to the new application system. The rest of the system development life cycle refers
Advantages of Information Management
When information systems are designed to provide information needed for effective decision making by managers, they are called management information systems
All About Data Back Up
While every person is expected to know much about data back up there are a few specific things about them which are more important than others
Information Overolad
We live in the information age. No matter whom you are or where you live, you are now as close as a computer and a telephone line to a virtual sea of numbers
Information Management in CRM
The CRM strategy has numerous aspects, but the basic theme is for the company to become more customer-centric. It does not necessarily create a new revenue stream
Performance Management
The Performance Management and Information section provides advice and support on a range of facilities management issues and coordinates performance management....Performance management is a set of functions that evaluate and report the behavior of
Conduct Training for the Employees in an Organization
Training of workers in an enterprise is essential in laying a strong foundation for the development of the enterprise, which cannot be built without the help of technically skilled workers
Portfolio Management
Project portfolio management organizes a series of projects into a single portfolio consisting of reports. Single portfolio reports capture project objectives, costs, timeline
Understanding Data Storage Management
While it is not difficult to store computer data not taking a lot of space, data storage management is a real challenge beyond its storage
Project Management
Project management knowledge and practices are best described in terms of their component processes
Introduction to Agile Project Management
Agile Project Management or Agile Management is a variation of Iterative and Incremental development where deliverables in a project are submitted in stages. The main differentiation between Agile
Testing Applicant qualities and skill through Interview
Interview is one of the major aspects of hiring a technically qualified person for a particular job in the business enterprise. Interview is a selection tool of major importance for nearly all jobs
E-City Stock & Warehouse Management Services
eCity Stock serves as the hub of Slingshot’s integrated supply chain management solution providing global supply chain visibility, inventory valuation, tracking and transaction control
Property Management Software
Property Management Fact supervises the management of income-producing commercial and residential properties. Property management is more than simple accounting
Quality Management
Quality management of all activities through a systematic and determined focus on continual improvement, above least amount levels of performance set
Risk Management
Risk Management is related to all the fields and is not confined to one particular field. People in different fields like statistics, economics, engineering, systems analysis
Sales Management
Sales management deals directly and personally with the market. Through their proficiency and experience marketing can be made concrete and humanly important
Security Management
Security management is an important part in any company in the IT industry. Even apart from the IT industry any company that uses many systems, devices, and computers
Technology Management
There are many new products and technologies coming up daily. Using the right technology for a particular task is the best way to do the task efficiently
Personnel Management and Planning
Management plays a key role in the development of the Business enterprise. It means getting any work done by other people
Some of the document management companies to watch out
Document management in a large organization is a very complex task as the document grows in volume and size. Without proper software to handle such growth in the volume of the document
How to go about digital document management in an organization
Does your organization needs to store documents in digital form like MS Word, Spreadsheet, PDF, JPEGs, DWG, etc? Then, your company is one that needs to know about digital document management
Debt Help
Credit cards are offered easily and people use them indiscriminately involving themselves in heavy debts. Later they find that they are in debt
Time Management
The first step in successfully managing time is to develop a clear statement of your long-range goals. This statement of goals will allow you to set shorter range goals
Warehouse Management
Warehouse Management Systems are gaining importance similar to that of other software solutions. A typical warehouse management system would include controlling
Cash Management
Currency management focuses on seeking to obtain returns by managing the risk of changes to foreign exchange (FX) rates
Advantages of B2B
B2B is the short form that is used for Business to Business. Most of the electronic commerce today is of this type. It includes
Use of document management software reviews in selecting a DMS
The decision to buy document management software for your organization is not that easy. You are certainly bound to get confused on which software to recommend for your organization
Knowing Data Storage
One of the most important things to know about data storage is to have some kind of data storage abilities in your computer system to run properly
Understanding Grievance Procedure
If an organization has to move towards excellence, maintenance of harmonious and cordial relationship is a vital condition. Similar to organization’ expectations from the employees
House Organizational Structure in Asset Management
Internal audit is one of the internal control procedures that are to be followed by the various departments and employees of the organization
Document management requirements of any organization
To meet the document management requirements of any organization, a document management product or system should have some basic modules in it
Home-based Debt Management
The present economic crisis is causing a lot of difficulties for people. The stock marked has crashed down and most of the stock listings have gone down miserably resulting in drastic increase of basic amenities
Workable Debt Solutions
The $8000 credit card debt of an average American increases further with the addition of mortgages, personal loans, home equity loans and student
The Project Office as an Aide to Project Management
The Project Office or Project Management Office in a professional venture or business is the department that sets and ensures maintenance of standards in the process of project management
How to Get a Credit Repair Loan
Fixing up a bad credit needs time and money. Many people fall under this group who need some type of loan to repair their credit. One should know how to get a loan to fix up his bad credit.
SOURCE:http://www.management-hub.com/
The term Management has different meaning in different perspective. The meaning varies with the person to whom it is referred to. In general we can say that management is a process that involves planning, managing resources to accomplish the set objectives, and measuring the results got. When we say resources we mean to say not only the human resources but also the other resources (financial resources, materials required, machineries involved etc.) that are needed to accomplish a task or an objective.
There is a common perception that management involves only the managers and the people involved with the management of the company. It is definitely not so. Each an every person in an organization has some tasks that involves managing some resource and reporting about that resource to the higher authority.
Decision making is an important part in management and it often reflects the experience of the person making the decision. Decision making is centered on the three basic questions that lead to making a decision. What change has to be done to achieve a particular goal? To what extent the change has to be made? And how to make that change happen? These questions are dealt with the theories of management. It seems that management theories appeared around 1920. With the development of technology and other development, the management is subdivided into many categories that involve a particular process.
Now-a-days each and every process has its own management methods and personnel for managing that process. The basic principle remains the same as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling to achieve the goal by using the human, financial and material resources.
Asset Management
Asset management is a complete and structured approach to the long-term management of assets as tools for the efficient and valuable delivery of community benefits.
Brand Name Power
The brands name is often revealing of the brands intentions. This is obviously the case for brand names which, from the start, are specifically chosen to convey certain objectives or subjective
Business Process Management
The Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI) embraces existing standards where suitable, working withcomplementary standards bodies. In areas where
Change Management
Change management plays an important role in any organization since the task of managing change is not an easy one. When we say managing change
Data Management
Data Resource Management is the development and execution of architectures, policies, practices and procedures that properly manage the full data
Database Management Systems
Database management systems are programs that are written to store, update, and retrieve information from a database
The 5C’s of Events
The activities required for marketing and managing events require certain steps to be followed that can be called the five C’s of events. The First is conceptualization of the creative idea and
Essential Elements in the Event Infrastructure
Event Infrastructure: The name indicates, event infrastructure includes those essential elements with out which there cannot be any event. These essential elements are core concept, core
Building Relationships in an Organization through Events
Creating a forum for bring together key corporate influencers, decision makers and businessmen: To bring the most brilliant of technicians to the doorsteps was the main
Database Management System - DBMS
A database management system is a computer based system to manage a database, or a collection databases or files. The essential word here is manage management implies
Debt Management Planning
The Debt Management Plan by Money Management International and Consumer Credit Counseling Service is a confidential program individually designed to provide you
Document Management
Information stored in files on papers or on a PC is called Document. Document Management is the process of managing documents and other means of information
Facility Management
Facility management is an influential facility information management system. It provides the capability to manage all of your facility
Facilitating Job Enrichment
Job Enrichment should be distinguished from enlargement job enlargement attempts to make a job more varied by removing the dullness associated with performing repetitive operations
Information Management
Information management is a general terms that refers to managing any kind of information. This information that is managed varies according to the industry
What is Inventory Management
The most important objective or inventory control is to determine and maintain an optimum level of investment in the inventory. Most companies have now successfully installed
Marketing Management Article
Marketing management is a subject of growing interest in all sizes and types of organizations with in and outside sectors in all kind of countries
True Benefit of Human Resources Outsourcing
When Multi-national companies decided to outsource its Human Resources Operations, they had only one major goal in mind and that is cutting costs
Organizational Behavior and Modification
The complexity and high degree of interaction of the parts of an organization, whether these parts be functions groups or individuals
Medical Management Software
The main process of medical management is to take care of employee’s health. Prior Authorization’s work is to maintain the health plan approval for a service or product
Network Management
If you want to know the network management basics it is better to know something on network management architectures and the protocols used in the network management
Information Management Lifecycle
The third stage of the information system development life cycle begins with conversion to the new application system. The rest of the system development life cycle refers
Advantages of Information Management
When information systems are designed to provide information needed for effective decision making by managers, they are called management information systems
All About Data Back Up
While every person is expected to know much about data back up there are a few specific things about them which are more important than others
Information Overolad
We live in the information age. No matter whom you are or where you live, you are now as close as a computer and a telephone line to a virtual sea of numbers
Information Management in CRM
The CRM strategy has numerous aspects, but the basic theme is for the company to become more customer-centric. It does not necessarily create a new revenue stream
Performance Management
The Performance Management and Information section provides advice and support on a range of facilities management issues and coordinates performance management....Performance management is a set of functions that evaluate and report the behavior of
Conduct Training for the Employees in an Organization
Training of workers in an enterprise is essential in laying a strong foundation for the development of the enterprise, which cannot be built without the help of technically skilled workers
Portfolio Management
Project portfolio management organizes a series of projects into a single portfolio consisting of reports. Single portfolio reports capture project objectives, costs, timeline
Understanding Data Storage Management
While it is not difficult to store computer data not taking a lot of space, data storage management is a real challenge beyond its storage
Project Management
Project management knowledge and practices are best described in terms of their component processes
Introduction to Agile Project Management
Agile Project Management or Agile Management is a variation of Iterative and Incremental development where deliverables in a project are submitted in stages. The main differentiation between Agile
Testing Applicant qualities and skill through Interview
Interview is one of the major aspects of hiring a technically qualified person for a particular job in the business enterprise. Interview is a selection tool of major importance for nearly all jobs
E-City Stock & Warehouse Management Services
eCity Stock serves as the hub of Slingshot’s integrated supply chain management solution providing global supply chain visibility, inventory valuation, tracking and transaction control
Property Management Software
Property Management Fact supervises the management of income-producing commercial and residential properties. Property management is more than simple accounting
Quality Management
Quality management of all activities through a systematic and determined focus on continual improvement, above least amount levels of performance set
Risk Management
Risk Management is related to all the fields and is not confined to one particular field. People in different fields like statistics, economics, engineering, systems analysis
Sales Management
Sales management deals directly and personally with the market. Through their proficiency and experience marketing can be made concrete and humanly important
Security Management
Security management is an important part in any company in the IT industry. Even apart from the IT industry any company that uses many systems, devices, and computers
Technology Management
There are many new products and technologies coming up daily. Using the right technology for a particular task is the best way to do the task efficiently
Personnel Management and Planning
Management plays a key role in the development of the Business enterprise. It means getting any work done by other people
Some of the document management companies to watch out
Document management in a large organization is a very complex task as the document grows in volume and size. Without proper software to handle such growth in the volume of the document
How to go about digital document management in an organization
Does your organization needs to store documents in digital form like MS Word, Spreadsheet, PDF, JPEGs, DWG, etc? Then, your company is one that needs to know about digital document management
Debt Help
Credit cards are offered easily and people use them indiscriminately involving themselves in heavy debts. Later they find that they are in debt
Time Management
The first step in successfully managing time is to develop a clear statement of your long-range goals. This statement of goals will allow you to set shorter range goals
Warehouse Management
Warehouse Management Systems are gaining importance similar to that of other software solutions. A typical warehouse management system would include controlling
Cash Management
Currency management focuses on seeking to obtain returns by managing the risk of changes to foreign exchange (FX) rates
Advantages of B2B
B2B is the short form that is used for Business to Business. Most of the electronic commerce today is of this type. It includes
Use of document management software reviews in selecting a DMS
The decision to buy document management software for your organization is not that easy. You are certainly bound to get confused on which software to recommend for your organization
Knowing Data Storage
One of the most important things to know about data storage is to have some kind of data storage abilities in your computer system to run properly
Understanding Grievance Procedure
If an organization has to move towards excellence, maintenance of harmonious and cordial relationship is a vital condition. Similar to organization’ expectations from the employees
House Organizational Structure in Asset Management
Internal audit is one of the internal control procedures that are to be followed by the various departments and employees of the organization
Document management requirements of any organization
To meet the document management requirements of any organization, a document management product or system should have some basic modules in it
Home-based Debt Management
The present economic crisis is causing a lot of difficulties for people. The stock marked has crashed down and most of the stock listings have gone down miserably resulting in drastic increase of basic amenities
Workable Debt Solutions
The $8000 credit card debt of an average American increases further with the addition of mortgages, personal loans, home equity loans and student
The Project Office as an Aide to Project Management
The Project Office or Project Management Office in a professional venture or business is the department that sets and ensures maintenance of standards in the process of project management
How to Get a Credit Repair Loan
Fixing up a bad credit needs time and money. Many people fall under this group who need some type of loan to repair their credit. One should know how to get a loan to fix up his bad credit.
SOURCE:http://www.management-hub.com/
ARTICLE 6 - OVERCOMING TOP MYTHS IN HR
Overcoming Top Myths in HR
by Art Brooks, BeneTrac
August 30 2010
What makes the best in HR really the best?
Human resources is a complex, multifaceted field that requires professionals to have the ability to juggle priorities and excel at a number of tasks-from the sometimes tedious to the often strategic. It takes knowing what to hone in on and what to delegate, staying on top of the latest trends in compensation and always having a finger on the pulse of employee relations. And, often, with so many misconceptions about HR, it involves staying ahead of the curve through continuous education in an attempt to drive what the role will entail for the company. Being in HR requires having a number of talents and is not for the faint of heart. The role brings with it the potential to make a big impact on the lives of individuals working for the company-its most important assets-and, simultaneously, can leave managers feeling less than appreciated, when contributions to the bottom line are questioned. Perceptions of HR as a cost center and others, explained below, are just a few of the myths that often surround HR and can prevent practitioners and companies from getting the most from this important role.
HR as a cost center
The view of HR as a cost center may be one of the hardest to overcome. How executives view the HR department and its role often plays a huge part in its perception and function, including whether the job is managed in-house to begin with. Frequently HR must take every opportunity to be its own proponent in providing greater education on the value of its offerings.
Other companies realize that HR managers contribute more directly in taking care of their most valuable assets, handling a range of responsibilities, including: recruiting; interviewing; providing, presenting, and delivering medical, dental, vision, life, and other ancillary benefits; job training; instituting programs for retention and growth of employees; establishing tools and guidance for management reviews; and reviewing and selecting technology to support HR functions, to name a few. Each of these, in fact, contributes greatly to the bottom line when all hard and soft costs of doing business are considered.
Group benefits, for instance, are a major part of the compensation employers offer to entice and retain productive and reliable employees and maintain the organization's competitive nature. The methods by which these compensation elements are derived and presented are key to a company's success. In retaining good employees, companies can save thousands, if not more, in rehiring and training costs. HR must be prepared to justify its case with a strong knowledge of its employee base and a rationalization of these types of obvious and not so obvious costs.
HR's role: strategic and/or tactical
Whether dictated by management, assumed by the practitioner, a function of "fighting fires" on a daily basis, or a combination of the above, HR's role in the organization is all too often tactical over strategic, often to the dissatisfaction of practitioners themselves. This point is illustrated by USC Professor Edward E. Lawler III, who noted that HR professionals reported spending only 23% of their time in 2005 "being a strategic business partner" - no more than they reported in 1995. And line managers, he found, said HR is far less involved in strategy than HR thinks it is.
Though company culture often sets the stage, HR practitioners must actively seek key areas for improvement for themselves, their roles and for the company and take action to defend their role where possible.
Employee capabilities/technology's prevalence
If employees and executives are guilty of downplaying HR's role, often so too is HR in assessing employees' ability to manage information. Computers first appeared in schools over 12 years ago and today are used by 75 percent of Americans to access the Internet for three hours a day on average. Still, many in HR are reluctant to give up basic self-service benefit management tasks that would save a tremendous amount of time and allow them to better address company objectives.
While it is true that online benefits management can be a scary prospect for those who may be less computer savvy, having access to employee benefits online is another way to provide greater employee satisfaction through accessibility and choice. In fact, many employees will expect online access, especially today's younger generation for whom iPods and IM are part of everyday life.
Self-service HR has become so invaluable that a September 2006 Forrester Research report termed it "an essential core application" for businesses. The report pointed to the ability of Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) to help manage personnel costs, operate efficient business processes, comply with regulations and manage legal exposures, and optimize the value of human capital.
Not all HR tools are created equal
Another way that HR can heighten its role and increase strategic input is by using technology to better access, manage, and report on information. But, as with any industry, it is hard to cut through the clutter and hype surrounding proposed solutions to select the best technology to meet organizational needs. Though one provider may declare it offers self-service capabilities, for instance, it may not be the same level needed or offered by others, providing disappointing results. For an HR manager that has met with false promises in the past, doing the homework on proposed solutions is even more important.
Selecting the best tools requires assessing key factors, such as the ability to:
Grow and scale with the organization
Provide full ownership of the data
Simplify processes through wizards
Provide full security for backups, servers, added protective layers, etc. and transfer data within secure encrypted sessions, secure sockets layer (SSL) (128 bit encryption), or be encrypted prior to being sent
Provide authority to decide who will be allowed access and to what degree
Offer a robust eligibility engine for company enrollment activities and rules
Link with carriers with clean, validated transfers, beyond basic ANSI files
Offer 24-hour service from a direct contact that can help.
In conclusion, though managing human resources is certainly not without its challenges, perhaps individuals are drawn to this role in the first place because of "the challenge" and the opportunity to make a difference at companies and in the lives of individuals. Frequently, HR managers can accomplish more and further prove their worth to the company by relying more heavily on employees and technology that can help them to focus on the most important issues.
SOURCE: http://www.hrmguide.net/usa/strategy/optimizing_hr.htm
by Art Brooks, BeneTrac
August 30 2010
What makes the best in HR really the best?
Human resources is a complex, multifaceted field that requires professionals to have the ability to juggle priorities and excel at a number of tasks-from the sometimes tedious to the often strategic. It takes knowing what to hone in on and what to delegate, staying on top of the latest trends in compensation and always having a finger on the pulse of employee relations. And, often, with so many misconceptions about HR, it involves staying ahead of the curve through continuous education in an attempt to drive what the role will entail for the company. Being in HR requires having a number of talents and is not for the faint of heart. The role brings with it the potential to make a big impact on the lives of individuals working for the company-its most important assets-and, simultaneously, can leave managers feeling less than appreciated, when contributions to the bottom line are questioned. Perceptions of HR as a cost center and others, explained below, are just a few of the myths that often surround HR and can prevent practitioners and companies from getting the most from this important role.
HR as a cost center
The view of HR as a cost center may be one of the hardest to overcome. How executives view the HR department and its role often plays a huge part in its perception and function, including whether the job is managed in-house to begin with. Frequently HR must take every opportunity to be its own proponent in providing greater education on the value of its offerings.
Other companies realize that HR managers contribute more directly in taking care of their most valuable assets, handling a range of responsibilities, including: recruiting; interviewing; providing, presenting, and delivering medical, dental, vision, life, and other ancillary benefits; job training; instituting programs for retention and growth of employees; establishing tools and guidance for management reviews; and reviewing and selecting technology to support HR functions, to name a few. Each of these, in fact, contributes greatly to the bottom line when all hard and soft costs of doing business are considered.
Group benefits, for instance, are a major part of the compensation employers offer to entice and retain productive and reliable employees and maintain the organization's competitive nature. The methods by which these compensation elements are derived and presented are key to a company's success. In retaining good employees, companies can save thousands, if not more, in rehiring and training costs. HR must be prepared to justify its case with a strong knowledge of its employee base and a rationalization of these types of obvious and not so obvious costs.
HR's role: strategic and/or tactical
Whether dictated by management, assumed by the practitioner, a function of "fighting fires" on a daily basis, or a combination of the above, HR's role in the organization is all too often tactical over strategic, often to the dissatisfaction of practitioners themselves. This point is illustrated by USC Professor Edward E. Lawler III, who noted that HR professionals reported spending only 23% of their time in 2005 "being a strategic business partner" - no more than they reported in 1995. And line managers, he found, said HR is far less involved in strategy than HR thinks it is.
Though company culture often sets the stage, HR practitioners must actively seek key areas for improvement for themselves, their roles and for the company and take action to defend their role where possible.
Employee capabilities/technology's prevalence
If employees and executives are guilty of downplaying HR's role, often so too is HR in assessing employees' ability to manage information. Computers first appeared in schools over 12 years ago and today are used by 75 percent of Americans to access the Internet for three hours a day on average. Still, many in HR are reluctant to give up basic self-service benefit management tasks that would save a tremendous amount of time and allow them to better address company objectives.
While it is true that online benefits management can be a scary prospect for those who may be less computer savvy, having access to employee benefits online is another way to provide greater employee satisfaction through accessibility and choice. In fact, many employees will expect online access, especially today's younger generation for whom iPods and IM are part of everyday life.
Self-service HR has become so invaluable that a September 2006 Forrester Research report termed it "an essential core application" for businesses. The report pointed to the ability of Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) to help manage personnel costs, operate efficient business processes, comply with regulations and manage legal exposures, and optimize the value of human capital.
Not all HR tools are created equal
Another way that HR can heighten its role and increase strategic input is by using technology to better access, manage, and report on information. But, as with any industry, it is hard to cut through the clutter and hype surrounding proposed solutions to select the best technology to meet organizational needs. Though one provider may declare it offers self-service capabilities, for instance, it may not be the same level needed or offered by others, providing disappointing results. For an HR manager that has met with false promises in the past, doing the homework on proposed solutions is even more important.
Selecting the best tools requires assessing key factors, such as the ability to:
Grow and scale with the organization
Provide full ownership of the data
Simplify processes through wizards
Provide full security for backups, servers, added protective layers, etc. and transfer data within secure encrypted sessions, secure sockets layer (SSL) (128 bit encryption), or be encrypted prior to being sent
Provide authority to decide who will be allowed access and to what degree
Offer a robust eligibility engine for company enrollment activities and rules
Link with carriers with clean, validated transfers, beyond basic ANSI files
Offer 24-hour service from a direct contact that can help.
In conclusion, though managing human resources is certainly not without its challenges, perhaps individuals are drawn to this role in the first place because of "the challenge" and the opportunity to make a difference at companies and in the lives of individuals. Frequently, HR managers can accomplish more and further prove their worth to the company by relying more heavily on employees and technology that can help them to focus on the most important issues.
SOURCE: http://www.hrmguide.net/usa/strategy/optimizing_hr.htm
Saturday, August 28, 2010
ARTICLE 5 -HRM CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES OF INDIAN BANKS
HRM CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES OF INDIAN BANKS
In 2006, Aneeta Madhok, in her paper ‘Managing people tomorrow’ sought, based on a survey of 59 CEOs and HRM professionals, the rankings of various HRM challenges faced by banks. The following were the major challenges found:
1. Creating a high performance culture
2. Talent retention
3. Recruiting in to-day’s context
4. Managing mindsets
5. Training for growth
6. Compensating knowledge workers
7. Building interpersonal relationships
8. Going global
9. Implementation of technology-based HRM systems
10. Human capital building practices
The present study identified key HRM-related strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In brief, these were:
Key HRM-related Strengths of Indian Banks
Of Small Banks
Family feeling in staff.
Of Large Banks
Large, skilled manpower, especially a large set of skills in the younger executives.
High staff commitment and loyalty.
Key Weaknesses
Small Banks
Inadequate remuneration for attracting talent.
Relatively low skills base.
Inadequate professionalization of HRM systems.
Large Banks
Skewed age profile – too many over 50 in PSBs.
Too many clerical and subordinate staff members in PSBs.
High superannuation at senior levels in PSBs.
Leadership deficit at senior levels in a time of rapid change and modernization.
Inadequate IT skills, resistance to IT in PSBs.
Opportunities
Small Banks
Fast promotion possibility for the qualified/talented.
Large Banks
Large and qualified staff that can service many market segments and growth initiatives.
Lot of leadership potential in youngsters that can drive growth, if harnessed properly.
Bank’s operating autonomy can facilitate induction of high quality, multi-specialist staff at all
levels; also improved promotion prospects because of rapid growth in banking business.
Threats
For small Banks
High attrition/poaching of skilled, quality staff.
Difficulty in hiring highly qualified youngsters aspiring to high remuneration.
Large Banks
High staff costs – overheads may be a problem in a downturn or in intense competition.
In 2006, Aneeta Madhok, in her paper ‘Managing people tomorrow’ sought, based on a survey of 59 CEOs and HRM professionals, the rankings of various HRM challenges faced by banks. The following were the major challenges found:
1. Creating a high performance culture
2. Talent retention
3. Recruiting in to-day’s context
4. Managing mindsets
5. Training for growth
6. Compensating knowledge workers
7. Building interpersonal relationships
8. Going global
9. Implementation of technology-based HRM systems
10. Human capital building practices
The present study identified key HRM-related strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In brief, these were:
Key HRM-related Strengths of Indian Banks
Of Small Banks
Family feeling in staff.
Of Large Banks
Large, skilled manpower, especially a large set of skills in the younger executives.
High staff commitment and loyalty.
Key Weaknesses
Small Banks
Inadequate remuneration for attracting talent.
Relatively low skills base.
Inadequate professionalization of HRM systems.
Large Banks
Skewed age profile – too many over 50 in PSBs.
Too many clerical and subordinate staff members in PSBs.
High superannuation at senior levels in PSBs.
Leadership deficit at senior levels in a time of rapid change and modernization.
Inadequate IT skills, resistance to IT in PSBs.
Opportunities
Small Banks
Fast promotion possibility for the qualified/talented.
Large Banks
Large and qualified staff that can service many market segments and growth initiatives.
Lot of leadership potential in youngsters that can drive growth, if harnessed properly.
Bank’s operating autonomy can facilitate induction of high quality, multi-specialist staff at all
levels; also improved promotion prospects because of rapid growth in banking business.
Threats
For small Banks
High attrition/poaching of skilled, quality staff.
Difficulty in hiring highly qualified youngsters aspiring to high remuneration.
Large Banks
High staff costs – overheads may be a problem in a downturn or in intense competition.
ARTICLE 3 - FATIGUE AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Fatigue and Job Satisfaction among Health Care Professionals: Issues, Challenges and Strategies
by Dr.Hardik Shah and Prof. Nina Muncherjee
Abstract: Rising demand for health care, shortage of competent health care professionals (doctors), and brain drain of health care professionals to different countries and the rising costs of health care facilities are powerful factors stimulating the revision of the role of the health care professionals and policies
managing them. In this kind of ever changing market scenario the growing incidence of fatigue-related diseases among health care professionals and cases of job dissatisfaction are on the increase and affecting the quality of services. There exist many studies on relationship of Job Satisfaction (JS) and stress, motivation and individual performance but the relationship between Job Satisfaction and Fatigue,
particularly for the health care professionals in Indian context, remains largely unexplored. This acted as motivator for the researchers to conduct this research work and explore the area. The research study was carried with questionnaire survey and in-depth interview with a sample of 110 Health Care Professionals from different hospitals and different specializations namely Surgeons, Physicians, Orthopedics and
Homeopathic doctors. The study has explored different dimensions of fatigue and job satisfaction among health care professionals. It has found that there exists negative correlation between fatigue and job satisfaction. It also explored the different issues and challenges facing the health care professionals and
evolved strategies to keep them motivated, free of fatigue and with high level of job satisfaction to serve their patients with a smile.
by Dr.Hardik Shah and Prof. Nina Muncherjee
Abstract: Rising demand for health care, shortage of competent health care professionals (doctors), and brain drain of health care professionals to different countries and the rising costs of health care facilities are powerful factors stimulating the revision of the role of the health care professionals and policies
managing them. In this kind of ever changing market scenario the growing incidence of fatigue-related diseases among health care professionals and cases of job dissatisfaction are on the increase and affecting the quality of services. There exist many studies on relationship of Job Satisfaction (JS) and stress, motivation and individual performance but the relationship between Job Satisfaction and Fatigue,
particularly for the health care professionals in Indian context, remains largely unexplored. This acted as motivator for the researchers to conduct this research work and explore the area. The research study was carried with questionnaire survey and in-depth interview with a sample of 110 Health Care Professionals from different hospitals and different specializations namely Surgeons, Physicians, Orthopedics and
Homeopathic doctors. The study has explored different dimensions of fatigue and job satisfaction among health care professionals. It has found that there exists negative correlation between fatigue and job satisfaction. It also explored the different issues and challenges facing the health care professionals and
evolved strategies to keep them motivated, free of fatigue and with high level of job satisfaction to serve their patients with a smile.
Friday, August 27, 2010
ARTICLE 3 - TYPES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICED IN INDIAN BANKING
TYPES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICED IN INDIAN BANKING
The study indicated that four types of HRM were being practiced in Indian banking:
Type 1: Traditional HRM - Largely concerned with record keeping and administration of various staff related entitlements like leave, LTC, gratuity, pension etc.
Type 2: Trouble-shooting HRM - Handles aggressive unions, associations, staff groups; where attrition rates are high, tries to get replacements quickly.
Type 3: Professionalist HRM - This is HRM systems driven. It tries to build up ‘objective’, scientific systems of recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, remuneration, incentives and rewards, training etc.
There is, however, frequently a gap between the priorities of the CEO and the priorities of the bank’s HRM function.
Type 4: Transformational HRM - This is committed to the organization’s vision of transformation from a laid back, bureaucratic, risk-averse organization to a dynamic, innovative, entrepreneurial, growth and high performance-oriented organization. It works closely with a transformational CEO.
The study indicated that four types of HRM were being practiced in Indian banking:
Type 1: Traditional HRM - Largely concerned with record keeping and administration of various staff related entitlements like leave, LTC, gratuity, pension etc.
Type 2: Trouble-shooting HRM - Handles aggressive unions, associations, staff groups; where attrition rates are high, tries to get replacements quickly.
Type 3: Professionalist HRM - This is HRM systems driven. It tries to build up ‘objective’, scientific systems of recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, remuneration, incentives and rewards, training etc.
There is, however, frequently a gap between the priorities of the CEO and the priorities of the bank’s HRM function.
Type 4: Transformational HRM - This is committed to the organization’s vision of transformation from a laid back, bureaucratic, risk-averse organization to a dynamic, innovative, entrepreneurial, growth and high performance-oriented organization. It works closely with a transformational CEO.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
ARTICLE 2 - MOTIVATING SALES PERSON TOWARDS CUSTOMER DELIGHT
Motivating Sales person towards Customer Delight- An Empirical Case of a Shoe Manufacturing Organization by Dr. Hardik Shah
Abstract: In today’s highly competitive labor market, there is extensive evidence that organizations regardless of size, technological advances, market focus and other factors are facing motivational and Customer Relations Management (CRM) challenges. The research paper provides a synthesis of employee motivation theories and offers an explanation of how salesperson motivation affects their behaviors towards sales performance and building on customer relationship in the long run. In addition to explaining different factors affecting motivation for employees, different motivation theories it also explained the implications of salesperson motivation for developing and creating satisfied customers for the organization. We have collected data from shoe manufacturing organization and analyzed the data in
terms of motivational factors at workplace and how it affected the behavior of salespersons towards level of customer satisfaction. It also has explored the areas for building customer loyalty and customer delight by affective motivation for work and creating passion for customer delight among salespersons. Different organizational strategies were suggested for filling the motivational gap for salespersons in order to perform towards customer delight.
SOURCE : www.academyofhrd.org/
Abstract: In today’s highly competitive labor market, there is extensive evidence that organizations regardless of size, technological advances, market focus and other factors are facing motivational and Customer Relations Management (CRM) challenges. The research paper provides a synthesis of employee motivation theories and offers an explanation of how salesperson motivation affects their behaviors towards sales performance and building on customer relationship in the long run. In addition to explaining different factors affecting motivation for employees, different motivation theories it also explained the implications of salesperson motivation for developing and creating satisfied customers for the organization. We have collected data from shoe manufacturing organization and analyzed the data in
terms of motivational factors at workplace and how it affected the behavior of salespersons towards level of customer satisfaction. It also has explored the areas for building customer loyalty and customer delight by affective motivation for work and creating passion for customer delight among salespersons. Different organizational strategies were suggested for filling the motivational gap for salespersons in order to perform towards customer delight.
SOURCE : www.academyofhrd.org/
ARTICLE 1 - IMPACT OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
The Impact of Appreciative Inquiry: Perspectives from Indian Organizations by Mr. K. K. Verma,Dr. Hardik Shah and Mr. Piyush Dwivedi
Abstract: Most OD approaches are problem-centered. They identify a problem or set of problems, and then look for a solution. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) accentuates the positive. Rather than looking for problems to fix, this approach seeks to identify the opportunities, unique qualities, and special strengths of an organization, which can be built on to improve performance. In other words, it focuses on an
organization’s success rather than on its problems. Since it was conceptualized in the late 1980s as a research methodology and change paradigm, the technique of AI has proved to be highly effective for capturing the positive features of an organization or social system and energizing the members to strive for higher levels of performance. The paper is the outcome of the study undertaken by the Academy of
Human Resources Development (AHRD) and Indian Society for Applied Behavioural Science (ISABAS) to study the AI perspectives and includes the evolution of thoughts, assumptions, principles, process changes and practices brought home by the practitioners on the subject of AI for organizational development through elucidation of the theory, principles, methods, domain and successful applications
of this approach. The outcome is indicative of the trend that AI practitioners have started using AI for acquiring know-how and building upon what works in organizations through AI through collective wisdom, knowledge and capacity to cause change as well as exploring variety of applications in regards to organizational change in different processes for overall organizational effectiveness.
SOURCE:http://www.academyofhrd.org
Abstract: Most OD approaches are problem-centered. They identify a problem or set of problems, and then look for a solution. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) accentuates the positive. Rather than looking for problems to fix, this approach seeks to identify the opportunities, unique qualities, and special strengths of an organization, which can be built on to improve performance. In other words, it focuses on an
organization’s success rather than on its problems. Since it was conceptualized in the late 1980s as a research methodology and change paradigm, the technique of AI has proved to be highly effective for capturing the positive features of an organization or social system and energizing the members to strive for higher levels of performance. The paper is the outcome of the study undertaken by the Academy of
Human Resources Development (AHRD) and Indian Society for Applied Behavioural Science (ISABAS) to study the AI perspectives and includes the evolution of thoughts, assumptions, principles, process changes and practices brought home by the practitioners on the subject of AI for organizational development through elucidation of the theory, principles, methods, domain and successful applications
of this approach. The outcome is indicative of the trend that AI practitioners have started using AI for acquiring know-how and building upon what works in organizations through AI through collective wisdom, knowledge and capacity to cause change as well as exploring variety of applications in regards to organizational change in different processes for overall organizational effectiveness.
SOURCE:http://www.academyofhrd.org
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