Change Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change Management - Coursework Example cause of the aspect that changes in necessary in business on a continuous basis in order to move in parallel with the ever changing demands of the customers, stakeholders and the overall external environment. It provides competitive advantage for business units in the marketplace allowing the business to develop itself effectively and quickly (DeBruijn, 2011). As in the provided case, it is evident that Know Inform (KI) is a particular organization that is integrally associated with change management towards proper execution of the business functioning. In order to ensure successful change management proper planning, efficient workforce, strict governance, and committed leadership is deemed to be quite crucial. Correspondingly, in this particular study, focus would be levied on understanding the concept of change management prevalent in the company presented within the case example. The essay is also intended towards discussing the characteristics of the company with regard to change situation and how their leadership skill contributed towards managing this workplace change (Creasey, 2007). In order to deal with the prevailing problems with regard to acceptance to change, the management of the business has emerged with several key measures that would be crucial to discuss. In this regard, several change management models can be taken into consideration to have a better comprehension at large. The model to be implemented within the organisation has mentioned about the strategy of changes that can be regarded as applicable by the organisation with regard to the scenario of change management. The management has been quite clear with regard to the criteria of change that has taken place in the organisation. In this regard, the Kurt Lewin Change Management model can be taken into consideration. According to the model, change in location is quite crucial in the present day business and it influences the business in any industry sector. However, there might develop

Marketing across culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing across culture - Essay Example Some segment markets may place importance on such color which is why Denon has to adapt. For example, in China and some eastern culture, the color of gold has favorable association unlike in the west where it is perceived as inappropriate for audio components. Warranties are also limited as a marketing strategy in some market to lower the price of the product to make it competitive in a price sensitive market. This could however pose issue in the long run because of the limited coverage of after sales support. What Denon could do is to improve its process to make it more efficient and relocate to regions where overheads are lower. The saved cost could be translated to lower prices without compromising the warranties of its products. 2 What are the problems you are likely to encounter with the distribution of your products in: China, Japan, and India? Which country poses the biggest problem? Explain your answer. The problems that will encountered in distributing products will depend o n the market it is being distributed. In China, there are two main problems that a distributor or manufacturer will encounter which is the attempt to counterfeit Denon and the competition against cheaper counterfeit or mediocre products. In Japan, it would be the intense competition because Japan is basically home to the best brands in electronics such as Sony. In India, it would be the channels of distribution because despite of its relatively progressive economy, India’s retail sector is still catching up. 3 Many products fulfill both a functional need as well as a social need. When deciding how much to adapt an existing product for a new foreign market, which type of need should a marketer focus on? Explain your answer. There is a marketing cliche that when one markets a product we should â€Å"sell the sizzle and not the meat†. In the same manner that a product should be marketed that instead of highlighting its features and functions, a marketer can instead capita lize on its â€Å"benefits†. We can cite for example the hotel industry where rooms and amenities are almost the same. Hotels like Hilton however market the experience of staying in their hotels instead of selling occupancy of their rooms. 4 Comparing a supermarket in Tokyo, Japan with one in Dallas, Texas, which of the two is likely to have higher sales of snacks and sweets (Items usually found near the cash register at the checkout)? Explain your answer using the most relevant cultural dimension. Japanese as a people is only beginning to catch up with the cultural value of the west in terms of snacking. They are also not as impulsive when they buy products such as snacks and sweets and tend to scrutinize brands and packages before making a purchase. To market snacks and sweets in Japan, it has to be placed in an aisle designated for such under a recognizable brand name. In Dallas, Texas however, it works well for sweets and snacks to be placed near the cash register where c onsumers can readily add it up to their purchases as an afterthought. American consumers are known to be more impulsive compared to their counterparts in Japan. 5 A multinational corporation has the choice of following either a financial integration philosophy or a financial independence philosophy. In the long term, which choice should result in a firm having more subsidiaries around the world? Explain your ans

School administrators Essay Example for Free

School administrators Essay Education plays an important role in the life of almost all individual because this is the means by which they can gain knowledge and reach their full potential. In line with this, educational institutions give due importance to their curriculum in order to make sure that they are covering all the subjects and lessons that will help their students to develop their skills and talents. In line with this, almost all educational institutions include the arts as an important part of their curriculum because of the essential skills, talents, and values that students can develop from this area of education. Dance class is one of the major parts of the arts area of education that allow students to learn body coordination, music appreciation, and also a better understanding of various cultures through the different dance genres that are being taught. However, there are problems within educational institutions that resulted for most school administrators to cut-back or even completely eliminate dance classes and other art programs. Public schools usually have the most problems when it comes to maintaining dance classes because of the lack of school budget, facilities, and other needed materials to maintain dance classes. In relation to this, public school administrators also have to deal with the limited number of educators or teachers that will instruct students about the different genres of dance. Due to the challenges that public schools have to deal with, there is a continuous debate on whether dance classes should still be included in the educational curriculum. The on-going debate about the importance and need of dance classes in education is an important topic of study because it deals with the holistic learning and development of students. A comprehensive study should be made in order to identify whether there is really a need for dance classes to be included in the curriculum of most schools or having dance classes only give unnecessary cost and further contribute to the problems of public schools. In line with this, the research study that will be conducted gives primary focus on identifying whether there is really a need for dance class in education or not. In doing so, the corresponding pros and cons about dance class in education will be given due attention and importance. Identifying the positive and negative implications about dance class in education will substantially help the stakeholders in the issue. Stakeholders will be able to properly assess whether there is really a need for dance classes to be included in the educational curriculum or not. Studying the need for dance class in education is essential because the holistic development and well-being of students are at stake in this issue. Statement of the Problem The study aims to assess on whether there is a need for dance class in education, particularly in the secondary level of education. Specifically the study intends to: †¢ Describe the commonly used educational curriculum in the secondary academic level with emphasis on arts programs, specifically dance classes. †¢ Identify the positive effects of dance classes in education, especially when it comes to the development of students and their performance at school. †¢ Identify the negative effects of dance classes in education, especially when it comes to the development of students and their performance at school. †¢ Assess the effects of dance class to students and the need on whether to include it in the educational curriculum. Justifications for the Chosen References The articles that are included in the literature review section of this paper are chosen by the researcher because these articles exemplify the corresponding implications of having dance classes in educational institutions. Most the articles that were discussed in the literature review of the paper are studies that are previously made by different researchers about dance classes in education. In line with this, there are also case studies that are part of the literature review of the study that talks about the actual situation and experiences of students in specific schools about dance classes as part of their educational curriculum. Moreover, the researchers and writers that are responsible in creating the articles that are part of the literature review of the study are respectable individuals that actually have the necessary knowledge and expertise about dance and education. Relevance of the Articles to the Research Topic The article which had been chosen for this research are all important aspects pointed out towards the connection of dance with academic and personal life of each student. The chosen articles are a representation of different sides of research which discusses the importance of dance in the life of the youth. The articles contain the positive perspectives with dance and the values which are gained throughout such activity. The values that are highlighted are not only applicable for academics but also within the personal life of each student. More so, the articles will largely support the positive effects of dancing towards the youth. On the other hand, the articles utilized were providing various kinds of perspectives from different authors which are already experienced regarding such matters. Furthermore, the discussions of the authors are true to what is seen within schools. Most of the articles present are explaining the importance of dance in the lives of each student that will lead to their growth. More so, the articles are significant to the development of the literature review as well as the other parts of the paper such that of the analysis and findings and conclusion. The articles have specific concepts and theoretical perspectives that are very efficient in attaining the proper analysis. Also, the authors that are chosen for the whole paper are well versed in the topic they have written. In the light of this, the articles shall create a path towards a clear understanding regarding the concept of dance in relation to academic perspective. Therefore, there is a need to utilize different types of materials which had created earlier studies regarding dance schools in the secondary level. Through the use of different articles, this would shed light to the aim of proving that dance lessons are needed by students in the secondary level. Literature Review Article Title: Dance Education Research: What Train Are We On? Karen Kohn Bradley, a dance educator, conducted a study regarding the role of dance classes in the educational reforms of public schools in the United States. Bradley admitted that as a dance instructor she is aware that learning through movement like dance is a powerful agent that substantially helps in the enhancement of the cognitive skills of students. In the same manner, she also pointed out that dance classes teach students the valuable lessons, especially in terms of discipline. The two aforementioned approaches of dance education often create tension, which is not realized by educators in public schools that teaches dance classes. However, the present condition of public schools requires accountability and educational reform in order to properly address the root causes of current problems. In line with this, the relevance of dance in American public schools during the time of educational reform is given more emphasis (Bradley, 2001). Bradley pointed out in her study that dance programs and classes are among the most under-represented and marginalized, and misunderstood field of education. The important role of dance classes in public schools are often taken for granted, which is why there is a big possibility that it would not achieve due recognition in the reforms that are happening in American public schools. Bradley proposed that dance educators and other stakeholders in the field of dance education should start giving more value to themselves but further mastering in their craft. Furthermore she also pointed out that dance educators and stakeholders should not give up their fight in the inclusion of dance classes in public schools, especially since they are very much aware of the benefits that it can provide to their students (Bradley, 2001). Article Title: Nurturing Excellence through the Arts In the written work of Vanessa Camilleri and Anthony D. Jackson with the title â€Å"Nurturing Excellence through the Arts† stated that it is important that art classes must be taken by different students for it is will provide a very positive effect for the students. In ATA or the Arts and Technology Academy, the students are required to have extracurricular activities in three times a week in the whole school year. Moreover, there is direct participation of various professors and parents in developing a certain program that would enhance the ability of the students in the arts. The authors were able to mention that the arts program is not only limited to dancing but to the wider variety of performing arts. The school was able to create a program where in art shall be a source of education for the students. In the light of this, it is presented that the school wanted to integrate learning from a philosophical perspective of arts. More so, it is dancing which will bring a higher development for students not only in terms of academic level but also for their personal development. In the philosophy of the school, the lessons bring the students bring artistic content and develop the emotional and social skills of children. It is mentioned that in reality, it is the computing and interpersonal skills that must be developed in order to adapt in the modern world. Therefore through the activities in the performing arts, students shall be much more able to comply to the fast paced world with fewer complications. Definitely, the techniques of teaching the children utilized in ATA is highly focused on the arts as its association the development and nourishment of students in their future lives (Camelleri Jackson, 2005). Article Title: Performance and Motivation in Dance Education In the written work of Elizabeth Lazaraoff, it is evident that there is the need to incorporate dancing as one of the main subjects in public schools for it is one of the most effective motivational practices available in teaching. For most students get bored in schools due to their uninterested attitudes, it is dancing or the whole perspective of performing arts must be associated with the development of students and the curriculum in public schools. For most schools are focused in science and math, a new concept that is much relatable for children in the elementary level shall help motivate students in being active in school. Furthermore, the author suggests that the performing arts must be associated not only in the curriculum but also in the teaching techniques of teachers. Article Title: Gliding Glissade Not Grand Jete Elementary Classroom Teachers Teaching Dance This article presents that there is a need to create a program of dancing in the elementary level. Such levels are very fun loving and playful hence, they are needed to be stimulated through performing arts in order for them to be much motivated. However, the article created by Anne Dunkin states that the elementary level is very good in absorbing and appreciating such type of concepts. On the other hand, other levels such as the secondary and university level are less appreciative in such kind of teaching. More so, the US Department of Education pointed in their 2002 report that most secondary and elementary schools are not practicing art education. There are only one fifth of schools in the United States offer the instructions in dancing. Hence, not all students have the opportunity dancing and performing arts as a whole. Therefore, Dunkin wanted to attain a level of awareness that there is a need to incorporate dancing in the curriculum of each school in the United States. Although the goals might not be possible in the next five years of the thought of such association of dance to schools are also not impossible. The author suggests that there must be a full regarding with such type of issue. There must be a high association that would pursue the interests of students in their artistic side. With such type of organization, the possibility of attaining an artistic curriculum shall be created (Dunkin, 2004). Article Title: Dance Education in Elementary Schools Based on the research study regarding the status of K-12 dance education, two levels of implications have been observable about dance education: the first one of the practical effect while the other one involves the clarification of visions. The practical implication emphasized the need to include new requirements about dance classes with corresponding guidance and resources in order for students to effectively learn in their dance lessons. However, there is a huge gap between the requirements and the reality because extensive teacher training and the need for provision materials should be given attention, since these are the main problems that affect dance classes and programs. Moreover, teachers should not be merely regarded as technical support because it is pivotal that they are included in the decision-making process when it comes to educating students (Bresler, 1992). Article Title: K-12 Dance Education: Four Model Programs The article written by Bresler discussed dance education in elementary schools by means of narrating and assessing a particular research study about the status of dance education in elementary schools. The status of dance education was studied by means using four perspectives, namely: â€Å"musician Liora Bresler, an outsider, looks at dance programs in Illinois elementary schools† (Knowles et al. , 1992, n. p. ). In line with this, other reputable personalities also participated in the study of Bresler, such as: Susan Stinson, who represented the perspective of high school students about the value of dance; Patricia Knowles and Rona Sande presented a model dance programs in four different parts of the United States; and Peggy Schwartz is the one responsible in the creation, development and even demise of the dance certification for educators in the state of Massachusetts. The efforts made by the different important people in the study contributed in gathering the necessary data about the national trends in teacher education, requirements for certification, and the application of programs (Knowles et al. , 1992). Article Title: Dance Education in American Public Schools: Case Studies The report of Knowles and Sande are consists of four case studies that represent the results of a national survey that was conducted by the National Arts Education Research Center. The main purpose of the research is to identify and choose model schools that already have curriculum-based K-12 dance education programs. The schools that were part of the research study were: â€Å"Fillmore Arts Center (Washington, D. C. ). Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts (Buffalo, New York, Duxberry Park Arts IMPACT School (Columbus, Ohio), and Jefferson High School for the Performing Arts (Portland, Oregon). The important areas of discussion that were included in each case study are: the educators/faculty, curriculum, program objectives, facilities, and equipment. The results of the study showed that the school that were observed have several similar characteristics, namely: â€Å"strong parental and community support; mutual respect among dance faculty and a unified program philosophy; frequent communication and a positive working atmosphere; a belief in integration within content areas and in interdisciplinary work; a curriculum that excites students; and administrative confidence and support† (Knowles and Sande, 1991, n. p. ). Article Title: Revitalizing Pennsylvania through Creativity: Dance Education Giguere, a Pennsylvanian herself, wrote an article that talks about the way by which their place was able to address difficulties through the help of dance education. The author pointed out the bleak future of Pennsylvania due to the economic hardships that it is experiencing. In addition, Pennsylvania also has to deal with other problems such as: slow population growth, aging work force, and the increasing presence of suburban slumps. The aforementioned untoward situation of Pennsylvania is greatly contributing to the â€Å"brain drain† of its highly-educated and competent workers. Giguere was able to found out in her research that the reasons for the flight of most young professionals are due to the lack of arts and culture in local Pennsylvania communities. In line with this, Giguere emphasized that Pennsylvania can actually make its situation better by means of improving its arts and culture by establishing and improving dance classes. The author strongly believes that the strength of Pennsylvania is not found in technology but rather in enriching its arts and culture. (Giguere, 2005). Analysis All the articles have each own relevance in terms of providing information that would help people in attaining the importance of education and dance. Some articles provide different kinds of perspectives in the current development of the association of dance and education. There are articles where in the authors provide the significance and reasons for the need of dance and performing arts in education. Most of the authors mention that dance in the academic setting motivates the students in going to school and it further helps students in attaining a much balanced lifestyle. In addition to this, the authors chosen for this study strongly believes in the concept of dance as the major influence for students in building their social, emotional and personal progress as a individual in the society. The performing arts is not simply a hobby for students but a much enjoyable training ground for students as a preparation for their future in the modern world. Due to the points mentioned by the authors utilized in this study, the researcher chose to view the question of: â€Å"Is there a need for dance education in the secondary level of education. † This research question shall be the main query that will be utilized in the different sections of the study. Therefore, this question shall be provided with accurate data in order to attain the proper response. Conclusion In conclusion, education is the most important aspect in the lives of different individuals for it provides development. More so, education must also develop in association to the development of the modern life. In the current era, people are highly associating themselves with culture and the arts. Therefore, there is a new perspective which is evidently seen in the boom of artistic interests of the current age. Hence, in order to nurture such type of the perspective, there are authors to which believe in the concept of associating education and dancing to comply with the current era. In the section of the literature review, it is clear that most authors see that the association of dance and education is a positive and possible development in the United States. Furthermore, the authors see that such belief is effective for the students due to the variety of values and skills they are able to attain. Moreover, students have a much developed interpersonal skills that are highly important in the work place. In addition to this, the students become confident of what they have for they have developed a unique skill. Therefore, the authors encourage that dancing and the whole selection of performing arts should be associated in the curriculum and also within the teaching technique of teachers. In relation to this, students become more appreciative of the arts most especially with their social and emotional feelings. Due to the fast life and societal norms present in the society. Most students only become nurtured through their science and math skills but in reality, students must be able to link their emotional and social skills to attain their best abilities. The expansive abilities developed in students could not be denied for the results are very evident in the studies created by the authors. More so, this research aims to provide information that through dancing and education, students shall be able to contribute more to the future society not only in the economic view but also in the societal view. References Bradley, K. K. (2001). Dance education Research: What Train Are We On? National Dance Education Organization, 103, 31-35. Bresler, L. (1992). Dance Education in Elementary Schools. Design for Arts in Education, 93, 5. Camilleri, V. Jackson, A. (2005). Nurturing Excellence through the Arts. Educational Leadership, 60-64. Dunkin, A. (2004). Gliding Glissade Not Grand Jete Elementary Classroom Teachers Teaching Dance. Arts Education Policy Review, 105, 23-29. Giguere, M. (2005). Revitalizing Pennsylvania through Creativity: Dance in Education. Arts Education Policy Review, 106, 34-39. Knowles, P. , and Sande, R. (1991). Dance Education in American Public Schools: Case Studies. Illinois: Council for Research in Music Education, School of Music, University of Illinois. Knowles, P. , Sanders, R. (1992). K-12 Dance Education: Four Model Programs. Design for Arts in Education, 93, 5. Lazaroff, E. (2001). Performance and Motivation in Dance Education. Arts Education and Policy Review, 103, 23-29.

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay High competition, pressure imposed by environmental changes, accelerated trends for change, and new management techniques have caused enterprises to evolve dramatically with respect to their structure as well as cultural and human resources (Garcia, 1997 cited in ).Nowadays, it is important to consider HRM as a strategic dimension within the wider improvement of quality and good marketing position. HRM can be said to be a strategic coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets- the people working there, who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives (Armstrong, 2000). The field of strategic human resources management has enjoyed a remarkable ascendancy during the past two decades, as both an academic literature and focus on management practice (Becker Huselid, 2006). The transition from the older HR practice with focus on staff matter to a subject of re-birth which focuses on linking people as organizational asset with the business strategy of the firm (Niehaus, 1995) means that the HR professional is performing a new and more challenging responsibility that requires new competencies and skills. The Human Resource function should be strategically integrated with a companys business plan to help the company achieve its business objectives. The objective of HR professionals is to ensure that HR adds value to strategic planning and business results of the organization (Ulrich, 2001). HR lacks alignment with other departmental goals To be involved with the over-all strategy, HR needs to be aligned with the organization. One Harvard survey found that 80% of HR departments lack a strategic planning process that aligns it spending with the organizations strategy (Norton, 2001). HR needs to become interdependent with the rest of the organization. HR needs to take a comprehensive approach that aligns its actions with the entire organizational strategy. The motivation to correct these HR problems is high because the strategic integration of HR into an organization achieves a competitive advantage. HR has much to contribute in a strategic supporting role. The ultimate goal is for HR to support an organization through the management of human capital, which is the major subset of the broader organizations strategy. HR needs to be part of the organizations strategy development. In order for HR to effectively align itself with the strategy of an organization, it must present top management with solutions that address the s trategic need and support of the organization (Freedman, 2004). Definition of Human Resource Transformation Beer (1997) argued that the HR function needs to shed its traditional administrative role and adopt a new strategic role, aimed at developing the organisation and the capabilities of its managers. The drive towards a more strategic HR function has pre-occupied the profession for some time and HR functions are increasingly under pressure to become a strategic business partner or an internal consultant, to become aligned to the business strategy, demonstrate its added value (Alvares, 1997, p.9), and latterly, to become involved in Human Capital Management. HR professionals aspire to a strategic role because it raises their status, makes their work more interesting, lifts their personal career horizons and (hopefully) is better for the business as a whole. One of the biggest perceived barriers to achieving this strategic role is the amount of time spent on administrative work; although the amount of time spent on administration has been steadily falling over recent years, to 36% from 50 % between 2003 and 2007 (CIPD, 2007a), a Mercer report on the HR function (Mercer, 2007) confirmed that HR teams would like to reduce the time spent on delivering services, transactions and compliance even more. The response by many HR functions has been to undertake a programme of significant organisational change, frequently labelled as transformation. Human Resources Transformation has been defined as follows: The process of recreating or reinventing the HR function such as re-engineering, restructuring, implementing new systems or a new HR service delivery model, outsourcing or co-sourcing with the specific intent of enhancing HRs contribution to the business (Mercer, 2007, p.1). HR transformation is something done internally to improve the ability of the human resources group to work more effectively with management teams, creating greater value, bringing more timely information, becoming a better business partner. Steve Klingbeil, Partner Chazey Partners A true definition of HR Transformation is an integrated, aligned, innovative, and business-focused approach to redefining how HR work is done within an organization so that it helps the organization deliver on the promises made to customers, investors, stakeholders, and other stakeholders. (HRT- building Human Resources from the outside in, Ulrich, 2009) Drivers and Barriers for HR Transformation According to a 2005 survey (Rampat 2005, p. 7) key drivers for HR transformation include the following: Making HR strategic Improving HR service Responding to changes in business Benefiting from new technology Better managing the cost of internal processes The same survey also revealed the following key barriers to the success of HR transformation Lack of appropriate skills among HR staff Lack of appropriate support technology An unwillingness to take risk or deal with complexity Difficulties in dealing with bureaucracy Difficulties in dealing with corporate or international cultural differences Lack of employee buy-in to HR Transformation Failure in building a business case to support change Lack of genuine top management support Regulatory constraints Unions According to the 2008 Global HR Transformation Report done by Human Resource Outsourcing Association (HROA) in association with Automatic Data Processing (ADP), among the keys to success in achieving HR transformation goals are: Access to better tools/resources: improved/new technology, use of online tools and services, and automation of processes; Change management and education: change management planning prior to implementing a transformation programme, cultural acceptance of change, training and motivation to encourage and engage staff in the transformation, and pre-transformation agreement on the programme goals; Management support at both the top and line levels: gaining top-level management support, and as much line-manager level buy-in as possible, prior to programme introduction; and, continually demonstrating the benefits of the programme to attempt to increase line-level buy-in over time; Alignment, focus and standardisation: alignment between HR and business units, harmonisation of processes, centralisation of services, standardised reporting The New Roles and Competencies of the HR Professional David Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank (2005) have created a model that describes the new roles of human resource professionals. They stress on the importance of building professional, credible relationships across the organization, and performing in a manner that both supports the business and preserves the integrity of the profession. As they outline the new capabilities of the human resource function the role of strategic talent management begins to emerge. Human resources professionals become less responsible for providing service and more accountable for facilitating better decisions. David Ulrich defined 5 major HR Roles in his HR Model to build efficient and modern Human Resources professionals. Figure 2.1: HR roles defined by Ulrich HR Professionals are Employee Advocate, with the responsibility to make sure that the employer -employee relationship is one of reciprocal value Furthermore, the build workforce of the future through the Human Capital Developer. They are also Functional Expert who design and delivers hr practices that ensures individual competence and organizational capability. As Strategic Partner, they help line managers at all levels meet their goals. And to sum the first four roles, HR Leaders need to lead and value their own function. Ulrich et Al., (2005) There are six major factors of HR competencies according to Ulrich et al., (2009), they believe that it is vital for the HR function to be a strategic professional player in a changing world. The two arrows (see figure 2.2 below) illustrate that HR must consider both aspects of the business, i.e. people and business oriented. The characteristics/roles HR people must have or play (six circles within the V shape below) to achieve will be described further. Figure 2.2: Competency model by Ulrich and Brockbank Credible activists build relationships of trust based on facts and have a point of view not just about HR issues, but about business issues. Operational executors do the operational work that have to be addressed by HR, using information systems to ensure better, faster and cheaper HR delivery. Business allies demonstrate a firm grasp on how the organization operates, how they work to enable to make a profit and compete. Culture and change stewards support the organization in identifying and facilitating important changes that improve the capabilities of the organization to compete. It is important that HR professionals help to formulate, communicate and create the organizational culture. Talent managers and organizational designers provide important support and counsel in both employees development (for example, competence and career development) and how the organization capability. Strategy architects contribute to the development, execution and communication of winning strategies. They prepare themselves for the future by drawing strategies to meet upcoming challenges. Possessing the competencies and performing the roles mentioned above, HR departments will derive their goals from the business objectives of the organization and become more strategically involved. HR Transformation and Technology Rapid improvements in technologies are changing the way work is performed by HR professionals from being administrative to todays a more strategic role. With new approaches such as Human Resource Information System (HRIS), web-enabled HR applications, HR self-service and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), HR practitioners are now more involved in strategic decision making. A key development in the field of IT is the emergence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, such as Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft. Enterprise resource planning systems are commercial software packages that enable the integration of transaction-oriented data and business processes throughout an organization (Markus and Tanis, 2000). ERP packages may be configured to more closely fit an enterprises structure, business practices and workflow (Chalmers, 1999). Recently, the HR function has had to adopt a more value adding role to the organization. With the growth of information technology, HR can be relieved from the burden of transactional human resource activities and this can be accomplished either by outsourcing some of the HR function, but what would be more relevant to this study, is to use technology solutions. There is a greater opportunity for HR professionals to become a strategic partner Self-Service HR self-service technology assists in meeting the needs of employees and managers, while supporting business objectives (Keebler Rhodes, 2002). Employee Self Service allow employees to manage their own HR activities such as updating their own personal details, leave application, nominate themselves for training, facilitating feedback and giving them visibility of the information held about them on HR systems. Eventually, HR professionals can concentrate on value added HR activities and spend fewer resources in managing administrative HR activities. Manager Self-Service (MSS) puts the information managers need at their fingertips giving them the ability to more closely monitor and direct their team towards the strategic goals of the organization. Business Partner Model Within this transformational HRM area, Walker (2001) breaks this down further into three types of work done in transformational e-HRM. These types of work include: strategic partnering with the business, creating centres of expertise and administration of service centres. In order to move to the third level of HRM, Beatty (2001) identifies five success factors. These include changing: the culture of HR, the people employed in the HR function, and also their competencies, developmental needs and their performance; the roles and responsibilities of individuals performing HR activities, that is, the structure of the HR function; HR processes or HR products; service delivery and development; and finally; the technology used for HR functions, which may include enterprise-wide systems and custom systems. HR Shared Services Centres HR shared service centre is defined as follows by (Brescia and Hartness, 2001): A centralized location where customer transactions and customer enquiries are handled Increasingly, HR are now using the shared services concept to drive down costs, provide increased levels of service and improve data accuracy and integrity. HR shared service centers help transform HR into a business-driven function focused on facilitating and supporting organizational change. HR shared service centre is usually a part of a wider transformation of HR structure within the organization. Shared service centers are usually proposed for the organizations strategic reasons in order to improve the capability and effectiveness of HR function. The HR shared service centre can include the full service from routine administration in recruitment, payroll and training, or provide specialist HR information and advice on HR policy and practice. While HR shared services provide quantifiable benefits in terms of cost reduction (through achieving economies of scale, the standardization of process, better management structures, etc.), the strategic benefits achievable from HR transformation are significantly more important. Strategic benefits of HR shared services include sharing more relevant and accurate information across the organization (sharing HR best practice, leveraging HR expertise, pooling knowledge across different parts of the organization and different geographical regions), achieving greater structural flexibility, improving organizational learning, and freeing up HR from day-to-day routine enquiries. Centres of Expertise (CoE) CoE provide specialist technical and professional support to the business and other areas of HR on specialist HR topics. CoE HR professionals play a number of important roles that should be clarified in an HR transformation: They create service menus aligned with the capabilities driving business strategy. They diagnose needs and recommend services most appropriate to the situation. They collaborate with embedded HR professionals in selecting and implementing the right services. They create new menu offerings if the current offerings are insufficient. They manage the menu. They shepherd the learning community within the organization. Strategic Business Partner Senior HR professionals working closely with business leaders influencing and steering strategy and strategy implementation. The role can vary enormously depending on organisational size and business priorities. Some activities that strategic partners are likely to be involved in include: organisational and people capability building longer term resource and talent management planning using business insights to drive change in people management practices Intelligence gathering of good people management practices internally and externally, so they can raise issues that executives may not be aware of. Model for HR Transformation The following HR Transformation is a four phased model proposed by Ulrich et al., (2009) Business Context (Why) Phase one addresses the question: why carry out transformation? To start Human Resource Transformation journey it is important to ensure that the context of the business is clearly understood by all those involved in the transformation process. Ulrich et al., (2009) believe that when the presenting problem for HR transformation comes from the context of the business and from the expectations of key stakeholders, then the case for transformation is stronger than if the presenting problem originates primarily inside the business. Outcomes (What) Phase two explains the expected outcomes from the transformation. Hr transformation should also change the fundamental identity, culture, or image of the business. This outcome is referred to as defining and building capabilities. These capabilities become the identity of the firm, the deliverables of HR practices, and the keys to implementing business strategy. Redesign HR (How) This phase has three components, each of which is a way of defining what we mean by HR: The HR function or department may need to be redesigned. HR professionals may be upgraded to possess the competencies required to do their work. HR practices may be transformed to be more effectively or more fully aligned, integrated, and innovative. The transformation model focuses on redesigning the HR function to make sure that it is aligned with business strategy. The redesigned of HR needs to differentiate between transactional and transformational work. Furthermore competencies of HR professional may need upgrade in order to perform their roles in the new organization. Hr practices may need to be revamped. Four domains representing the flows or process central to organizational success are as follows: Flow of people- ensuring talent availability to accomplish organisational strategy. Flow of performance management- promoting accountability for performance and rewarding it Flow of information- ensuring employees is given information needed to do their work properly. Flow of work- who does the work, how and where work is done and ensure quality outputs. The flows should also be integrated with each other to bring results. Accountability (Who) Line managers are ultimately accountable for ensuring that the organization has the right talent and right structures in place to deliver on the expectations of customers, shareholders and communities. Clear role definition and rigorous accountability will help an HR transformation succeed. HR Transformation achieved at AT T Anne Fritz, vice-president HR, who has been with ATT for almost 30 years, said: As competition, rapid technological breakthroughs and globalization turned our business upside down; the old HR model could not support the need for strategic change. Now, our role is to help internal partners to succeed in sometimes-fragile states of competitiveness and to ensure that we have the talent in place to build future business capability. Doing so delivers a value-adding service. HR transformation was achieved through key steps that represent a good-practice model for integrating the HR function with business strategies and aligning organizational performance to corporate goals. The key steps were: Determining strategic business needs customers, growth, reducing cost and technology; reviewing organizational structure, dynamics and systems Defining the strategic implications for HR continuous learning, team working and empowerment Identifying HR systems those that were required to support organizational, structural and cultural change Leveraging HR capability through leading-edge practices leadership, staffing, performance management and education Devising high-level HR initiatives for special needs, such as workforce planning and downsizing. Implications of the Human Resource Transformation in the Telecommunication Industry The HR Transformation model proposed by Ulrich and HRT process at AT T will be used as background for this study. The different components in the above transformation process at AT T key steps are interrelated, only those that seemingly represent the important practices and or potential constraints in HRT will be further explained below. Empowerment Empowerment is an essential element of organizational change and transformation as the global business environment becomes ever more competitive. By enabling managers and employees to have more control over their work and their working lives, they are being empowered. Employee Self-Service (ESS) has a great influence on the empowerment aspect. ESS allows employees to help themselves (changing their personal details, checking or applying for leaves, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), thus HR professionals are now free to spend less time on day-to-day recordkeeping and focus on value-added functions that aid in meeting the goals and objectives of the organization (i.e., talent management, staff development and retention, performance management, rewards, etc.). Furthermore MSS enable managers processing basic HR transaction (appraisals) and retrieve data without involving the HR professionals. Leadership Effective leadership of the change process is fundamental to its success (Buckingham, 2005;Hunt Buzan, 1999; Johnson Uline, 2005; Kamener, 2004). The concept of managerial leadership permeates and structures the theory and practice of work organizations and hence the way we understand SHRM. In the management texts, leadership has been defined in terms of traits, behaviour, contingency, power, and occupation of an administrative position. Most definitions reflect the assumption that leadership involves a process whereby an individual exerts influence upon others in anorganizational context. Employee satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty are of major importance when it comes to retain the most valuable employees and this is where a strong leadership becomes very important. There is a difference between management and leadership. Leadership means understanding the corporate mission, developing goals which support the mission, then using personal and management skills to help build a stable, skillful, productive and satisfied workforce. Leadership is seen as the power to inspire and motivate the ability to permeate employees with the desire to change the organization to the best. Training and development Swanson (1995) defined employee training and development as the process of systematically developing expertise in individuals for the purpose of improving performance. Trainings strategic contributions to the organizations goal include new employee orientations, diagnosis and correction of skills problems, remedial training and sometimes long-term career development (Ceriello and Freeman, 1991). Indeed training and development is an important aspect in HRT, with new technologies, enhancement of HR practices and processes put in place, training will be required to adapt to new HR requirements. Link: Survey of Global HR Challenges: Yesterday, today and tomorrow PWC Leadership development also proves to be a big challenge. HR professionals continue to wrestle with understanding the best ways to keep people in the pipeline and develop leaders for future succession planning. Increasingly recognized as becoming strategic business partners within their organizations, HR professionals are expected to provide the essential frameworks, processes, tools, and points of view needed for the selection and development of future leaders. Across the globe leadership development has been identified as a critical strategic initiative in ensuring that the right employees are retained, that the culture of the organization supports performance from within to gain market position, and that managers are equipped to take on leadership roles of the future so that the organization is viable in the long term. Performance Management Performance management is a holistic process, bringing together many of the elements which go to make up the successful practice of people management, including in particular learning and development. Performance management is about establishing a culture in which individuals and groups take responsibility for the continuous improvement of business processes and of their own skills, behavior and contributions. At AT T performance HR initiatives is monitored by using the corporations top-level business performance measures: Customer value-added. The degree to which the competencies, people-planning and culture/design requirements have an impact on customer satisfaction. Financials. Revenues, cost reductions and earnings realized from the deployment of competencies, people planning and performance management. People value-added. A measure of the degree to which employee perceptions of leadership, job satisfaction and diversity issues, among others, meet or exceed corporate goals and objectives for all four requirements of the performance-system model. Performance management will aid the HR Transformation process, measuring the performance of employees will help in monitoring the productivity in the organization and establishing a culture of continuous learning, motivation that will result in better ROI. HR managers and professionals must take the lead in building and maintaining this performance culture and in ensuring it permeates the organization. Rewards are often credited as a source of motivation. Communication Good communication between HR function, line managers and employees is essential. Employees need to feel they form part of the organisation and have to be made aware of what is happening within their workplace. Lack of communication to employees can lead to confusion, rumours, misinterpretations and negative morale. Managers often think that employees are more aware than they really are. By building strong communication messages to employees this could help obtain commitment of employees which is important to the good functioning of the business where HRM is being transformed strategically. User involvement All parties should be involved Change management (structural and cultural change) The Inside Track on HR Outsourcing: Retained HR and Other Success Strategies Bruce Barge, Namrata Mundhra and Hameedah Merchant, 2007 The changes associated with HR transformation put enormous pressure on HR. HR transformation has a wide reach, often affecting the entire organization. With the emphasis of HRO on self-service, managers and employees often have concerns about the decrease in face-to-face contact with HR. HR staff often have fears about performance expectations that are connected more strategically to the business. Business leaders might have doubts about HRs ability to attain a more strategic role. Further, while HR is often the champion of change in an organization, there are unique challenges in managing change around HR transformation. HR is supposed to be a role model of effective change management, yet in this case it is the function that will need to navigate through the most wrenching change as HR transforms itself to accept a new and difficult role. A strong understanding of stakeholder concerns and interests is necessary to take a proactive approach to change management. An impact analysis provides a basis from which enablers and barriers to change can be identified. In an impact analysis, a sample population from the stakeholder groups, including executives, managers, employees and HR staff, is surveyed through focus groups and interviews. The findings of the impact analysis drive the development and execution of practical approaches to effect change, which are documented in a change management plan. HRO should help the HR generalist, or business partner, staff focus more resources on the crucial change and talent issues that drive competitive success of the business. HR needs to change and lead change initiatives to transform other functions. If HR transformation is implemented skillfully, HR professionals will become a much more vital contributor to organizational success through business partnership and strong leadership. Hr professionals Engage in projects with other departments Role and competencies Training, coaching guiding Attract, hire, retain talent Employees Be more empowered Participate Engage on self-learning Committed Line Managers Encourage movement of staff to work collaboratively with other departments Empower and motivate staffs Building Employee Commitment encouraging employees professional development, compensating them fairly use MSS fine tune hr strategy to fit with org strategy structure and resource allocation communicating strategy, organization changes at all levels

Liberalization :: essays research papers

Is liberalizing Waynia in the best interest of the country I believe it definitely is. When you look at all the positives that come from being a part of a liberalized country, it is the clear-cut choice. Free trade is something that comes with being liberal. When you see how free trade can open up so many new markets to you and your country, you’ll see that it is the only choice. Along with free trade, you need to look at how conservatives think that input into political matters when you’re not a noble or king is bad. Liberal belief is that contribution of thoughts and ideas coming from all people is a good thing. If you have an idea about how you could reduce taxes, or how you could remove tariffs restricting your business then by all means, let it out. That is the great thing about liberalization; freethinking is encouraged to help better supply your country with your own opinions. The final thing I want to harp on is freedom from religious persecution. You no longer have to worry about who to worship, or how to worship, but rather take into account all religious thoughts and chose for yourself what suits you best.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From a financial point of view, now that you’re in an industrialized nation, wealth is no longer associated with only the land you possess. Now that a currency is used to represent your wealth, you’re going to want as much as possible. Liberalization preaches free trade, and free trade is the building blocks for a successful business. If you look at the second article in the Declaration of the Rights of Man, you’ll see that you have the right to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. This means that you have the right to trade and barter with whomever you choose. With this freedom you have the opportunity to get the highest asking price when selling your product because you’re not limited to who you can and can not sell or trade with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Article eleven in the Declaration of the Rights of Man states â€Å"The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law.† What that’s telling you is that your ideas and opinions are important to the country.

Jane Campions The Piano - A Metaphor for European Domination Essay

Jane Campion's The Piano - A Metaphor for European Domination The exact nature of the encounters between Captain James Cook and the Polynesian natives of Hawaii as well as all interactions and exchanges between Europeans and native Polynesian peoples of the Pacific while Cook was exploring the islands of Hawaii and after has been investigated by anthropologists and historians for many years. Captain Cook died at the hand of Polynesian natives while he was at Hawaii in 1779. Marshall Sahlins stated that Cook was seen as the god Lono during the celebration of the Makahiki festival taking place at the time of Cook’s visit. Gananath Obeyesekere, in his noted work, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific, argues that Sahlins is incorrect in his conclusions about Cook and his myth models, which are defined as indigenous people not using rationality in the same way as Europeans. They underestimate the flexibility and pragmatism of indigenous cultures and cosmology. Obeyesekere argues that the Prospero myth and the Kur tz myth are evident in the works of Sahlins and other historians as well. The Prospero myth that is of the European explorer who brings forth peace and a "civilized" culture to the native peoples of the lands he or she explores. The name "Prospero" is taken from a character in Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest. The Kurtz myth is that of the explorer, who witnesses the raw nature and "uncivilized" culture and ideology of the native peoples and becomes himself "savage". The name "Kurtz" originated from Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness and is adopted in Francis Ford Coppola’s cinematic masterpiece Apocalypse Now. Obeyesekere’s ideas are prevalent in The Piano, a feature film involving a lov... ...rts Obeyesekere’s arguments by having the savage element awakened, then subdued with force in the supposedly civilized Europeans, as opposed to Sahlin’s denial of European savagery in the explorations of Cook and the denial that Cook was a savage and bloodthirsty male seeking to kill, using "civilization" as an excuse for killing. This idea is seen in the domination of Ada by both Stewart and Baines, and the males’ violence and sexual aggression toward the innocent and mute Ada. The inability to speak on Ada’s part is a metaphor for her domination by the males, a trait of european culture in the ninteenth century. The piano is the means by which she is able to communicate, embodying both the Kurtz persona in the raw, beautiful sound that flows from the piano, and the Prospero persona in the intricate and ordered melody and harmony with that a skilled pianist plays.

My Three Key Stages of Life Essay

Everyone has their own key stages of life. They are the most important parts of your life. Mine, is of course when I was born, kindergarten and when I was in Primary 6. Why are they the most important for me? Well, it is all written here, in this essay. Like most of the babies in the world, I was born a healthy baby. Soon enough, I learnt how to crawl, walk, eat, run, and many other things. By the time I finished learning all those, I was already a toddler. It was one of the most important parts of my life. When I was born, I was the heaviest among my siblings and me. As I looked through all my baby photos, I realized I have changed a lot. Though I don’t recall much stuff, the only memories I had as a toddler were two nightmares. Time flies really fast. In the blink of an eye, I was in kindergarten. I studied in â€Å"Bukit Panjang Methodist Church Kindergarten†. I was excited on the first day of school. All those years, I really enjoyed going to school. It was when classes were much more fun with games and interaction between the teachers and students. I remembered during P.E. lessons the students will play in a playground, while a few were chosen to play with a big tub of water. And when the teacher starts to pick people to play with the water, the class usually will get chaotic. The best memory I had was when I celebrated my birthday in school. It was the best birthday present ever. A few years later, I entered primary school. It’s just an ordinary neighborhood primary school, â€Å"Bukit Timah Primary School†. Then it happened. Primary School Leaving Examination dates. Those dates were the dates where I had mixed emotions. They were the dates where I worked my entire primary school life for. It was the most crucial moments. My life depends on it. Whether I will get into a good or a bad school, all depends on those dates. Once you step into that examination hall, there’s no turning back. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. Though the papers were hard, I managed to complete them and the results I got were higher than I expected them to be. I remember during the day the results were out, many students cried when they saw their results. Some were tears of joy, some were tears of sorrow. Well, for me, I didn’t really cry. I only cried after I saw my best friend cried tears of happiness. I cried tears of joy too.