EKATO Organization Essay

A team is a formal work group whose members work internally with each other to achieve a common objective. A self-managed team is a small group of employees responsible for an entire work process, improve their operation or product, plan their work, resolve day-to-day problems, and manage  themselves. U. S companies including Ford Motor company, Digital Equipment and Boeing report many positive benefits from their experience with self-managed teams including higher productivity, improved quality and lower turnover. Team Development and Evolution EXATO vision it self as a services organization involve in providing solutions for mixing problems, rather than just designing and manufacturing of mixing machines. EKATO objective was to design a flexible and optimized production facility at a realistic cost, while creating an attractive environment to foster innovation. Therefore the new building was designed to support a cell-based, self-managing culture. Before the change to self managing culture, an extensive consultation and participation programme was conducted. This was based around people, process, technological and architectural strategies. A planning groups consisting of both workers and representatives of the workers’ council was formed to discuss any affect on employees due to those changes. The plan is to have 3 person groups. Wide-ranging internal information was made available to employees to support the new-managing, self-optimising approach in EKATO. With self managing teams approach brought good results; The new decentralised system amortized itself within the first 2 years operation Throughput times were reduced by 50% Inventories fell by 50% Spare parts stores reduced by one-third Machine cost fell Changes to plans reduced by 40% Obtaining information and passing it on cost reduced due to its availability and the easy communication Double time work was eliminated Due to the amount of coordination between that large no. of cells, the company reformed the cells into 8-9 persons instead of 3 allocated to three major manufacturing areas responsible for drives, shafts and impellers. Each manufacturing area has a leader who is responsible of that production group. Conclusion Teams can supply the competitive edge. Group pressures can have influence over individual’s behavior. The basic philosophy is â€Å"Entrusting employees with responsibility assures highest quality standards and low costs to the customer’s advantage†. 2. Evaluate the contribution that an effective HRM operation makes to the organization? Maximizing the effectiveness of the human assets of an enterprise is critical. HRM strategies vary from one company to another but provide similar services to the organization. – In EKATO, the HR is decentralized by making the department managers to be responsible for their staff finance and HR matters especially the appraisal and performance. – HRM includes a variety of activities, the key is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs. In EKATO hiring decision vital since staff composition  determines whether the firm has the necessary creativity skills and attitudes. EKATO maintains relationship with universities that specialised in process and involve this expertise on specific assignment. This open doors for universities students to work with the company after they finish their studies and be part of the organisation. – Attracting new employees by rotating them through different sections of the company for few months including assembly to gain the hand on experience in the entire company and be multi skilled. – Improving employees’ skills by providing extensive training programme to allow them to improve the productivity and have high quality performance. EKATO Team skills were improved through training before and after the move to the cell structure, to allow workers to be multi skilled and able to rotate roles to some extent. Coaching assisted individuals in personally adapting to working in teams on day-to day basis. Group members were trained in conflict resolution, problem solving, interpersonal relationship skills, team roles, group dynamics and decision making, as well as setting goals and priorities. – The typically objective of the HR is to provide an atmosphere in which all employees can perform their jobs to the best of their abilities and creatively contribute to the organization. EKATO retains its people by providing interesting work environment. Working there is relatively challenging because employees need to keep up development by attending seminars and read to stay current and keep up with fast technology. It is easier to make the job interesting for R&D staff than sales people. – They motivate their employee by adjusting the reward system to include an individual bonus for works contribution and the group productivity which encourage workers to work as a team to achieve individual goals. Re-training some employees who resisting the new change of the company to be self managing and group process. In addition, human resources management includes 15 methods to improve competitive advantage. 1. Working security: organization gives employees a long-term contract. 2. Carefully interview: managers should be carefully choosing excellent employee. 3. High salary: the salary is higher than another competitor at least. 4. Appropriate compensation: every month choose the excellent employee and give reward. 5. Employee ownership: provide stock of organization or share in project of profit. 6. The salary concentrating: Narrow the degree of the difference of the salary among employees. 7. Participate in management: let lower level employees join management. 8. Term work and working design 9. Symbolic equality principle: treat all employees equally. 10. Internal upgrade: through upgrade a lower level employee to higher position 11. Measurement practicing: Organization should measure employee attitude, different of the scheme and spirit of creation and ability of employee performance level. Notes: Introducing new technology such as expert system to help the company to manage and share solutions and knowledge, thereby reducing duplication. 3. Discuss the extent to which leaders at EKATO have attempted to change the organisation’s culture? Culture represents the unwritten feeling part of the organization. It refers to the set of values, beliefs, norms, attitudes, assumptions, and understandings shared by all members of the organization. It also defines the basic organizational values and communicates to the new members joining the organization the correct ways to think and act, and how things taught to be done. An understanding of organizational culture helps organizations respond and adapt to external environment by changing and solving internal problems. EKATO is a family owned enterprise. The founder Todtenhaupt was very technically oriented and has excellent relationship with his works and people in the chemical industry. The founder passed the organisation culture to his sons. But his sons changed the culture by bringing in an outsider Mr. Zeiler as CEO/President. The CEO, Mr. Zeiler believes that the leadership has to do with the personality style, values and assumptions. The CEO concentrated on the company internal matters and problems. With his sales background, he changed the company from role oriented i.e. bureaucratic to self managing culture. He focused on his workers by delegating responsibility to them and empowering skilled employees. He implemented the trust and openness culture within the organisation by allowing staff to learn from mistakes. To prevent classical labour problem, the CEO implemented communication and sharing the information culture by having open discussion on the company’s numbers, problems and goals. This is done by having two annual meetings between management and employees where the workers council and the CEO report to the staff. Beside that, top managers meet weekly and senior managers engage in cross-functional weekly problem solving meetings. Top management set the company plan and individual departments’ goals. These  goals are communicated to departments’ managers and then discussed within department staff. Senior mangers then meet quarterly to discuss the direction and review the strategy and areas of innovation. Each department manager is required to present results, costs and innovation capability. The outcome of these meetings are fed back to top management and then shared with staff. Hence, the spreading nature of culture will have an effect on organizational processes such as decision making, design of structure, group behaviour, work organization, and motivation and job satisfaction. Management interest in organizational culture to improve performance and increase competition. It is developed and manifests itself in different ways in different organizations, therefore, it is not possible to say that one culture is better than the other. Hence, there is no such thing as an ideal culture, only an appropriate culture.

World War I - 1918 Overview

By 1918, World War I had been underway for over three years. Despite the bloody stalemate that continued to ensue on the Western Front following the failures of British and French offensives at Ypres and Aisne, both sides had reason for hope due to two key events in 1917. For the Allies (Britain, France, and Italy), the United States had entered the war on April 6 and was bringing its industrial might and vast manpower to bear. To the east, Russia, torn by the Bolshevik Revolution and resulting civil war, had asked for an armistice with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) on December 15, freeing large numbers of soldiers for service on other fronts. As a result, both alliances entered the new year with optimism that victory might finally be achieved. America Mobilizes Though the United States had joined the conflict in April 1917, it took time for the nation to mobilize manpower on a large scale and retool its industries for war. By March 1918, only 318,000 Americans had arrived in France. This number began to climb rapidly through the summer and by August 1.3 million men were deployed overseas. Upon their arrival, many senior British and French commanders wished to use the largely untrained American units as replacements within their own formations. Such a plan was adamantly opposed by the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing, who insisted that American troops fight together. Despite conflicts like this, the arrival of the Americans bolstered the hopes of the battered British and French armies which had been fighting and dying for since August 1914. An Opportunity for Germany While the massive numbers of American troops that were forming in the United States would ultimately play a decisive role, the defeat of Russia provided Germany with an immediate advantage on the Western Front. Freed from fighting a two-front war, the Germans were able to transfer over thirty veteran divisions west while only leaving a skeleton force to ensure Russian compliance with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. These troops provided the Germans with numerical superiority over their adversaries. Aware that growing numbers of American troops would soon negate the advantage Germany had gained, General Erich Ludendorff began planning a series of offensives to bring the war on the Western Front to a swift conclusion. Dubbed the Kaiserschlacht (Kaisers Battle), the 1918 Spring Offensives were to consist of four major assaults code-named Michael, Georgette, Blà ¼cher-Yorck, and Gneisenau. As German manpower was running short, it was imperative that the Kaiserschlacht succeed as losses could not be effectively replaced. Operation Michael The first and largest of these offensives, Operation Michael, was intended to strike the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) along the Somme with the goal of cutting it off from the French to the south. The assault plan called for four German armies to break through the BEFs lines then wheel northwest to drive toward the English Channel. Leading the attack would be special stormtrooper units whose orders called for them to drive deep into British positions, bypassing strong points, with the goal disrupting communications and reinforcements. Commencing on March 21, 1918, Michael saw German forces attack along a forty-mile front. Slamming into the British Third and Fifth Armies, the assault shattered the British lines. While the Third Army largely held, the Fifth Army began a fighting retreat. As the crisis developed, the commander of the BEF, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, requested reinforcements from his French counterpart, General Philippe Pà ©tain. This request was refused as Pà ©tain was concerned about protecting Paris. Angered, Haig was able to force an Allied conference on March 26 at Doullens. This meeting resulted in the appointment of General Ferdinand Foch as the overall Allied commander. As the fighting continued, British and French resistance began to coalesce and Ludendorffs thrust began to slow. Desperate to renew the offensive, he ordered a series of new attacks on March 28, though they favored exploiting local successes rather than advancing the operations strategic goals. These attacks failed to make substantial gains and Operation Michael ground to a halt at Villers-Bretonneux on the outskirts of Amiens. Operation Georgette Despite the strategic failure of Michael, Ludendorff immediately launched Operation Georgette (Lys Offensive) in Flanders on April 9. Assaulting the British around Ypres, the Germans sought to capture the town and force the British back to the coast. In nearly three weeks of fighting, the Germans succeeded in reclaiming the territorial losses of Passchendaele and advanced south of Ypres. By April 29, the Germans had still failed to take Ypres and Ludendorff halted the offensive. Operation Blà ¼cher-Yorck Shifting his attention south the French, Ludendorff commenced Operation Blà ¼cher-Yorck (Third Battle of the Aisne) on May 27. Concentrating their artillery, the Germans attacked down the valley of the Oise River towards Paris. Overrunning the Chemin des Dames ridge, Ludendorffs men swiftly advanced as the Allies began committing reserves to halt the offensive. American forces played a role in stopping the Germans during intense fighting at Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. On June 3, as fighting still raged, Ludendorff decided to suspend Blà ¼cher-Yorck due to supply problems and mounting losses. While both sides lost similar numbers of men, the Allies possessed an ability to replace them that Germany lacked. Seeking to widen the gains of Blà ¼cher-Yorck, Ludendorff began Operation Gneisenau on June 9. Attacking on the northern edge of the Aisne salient along the Matz River, his troops made initial gains but were halted within two days. Ludendorffs Last Gasp With the failure of the Spring Offensives, Ludendorff had lost much of the numerical superiority which he had counted on for achieving victory. With limited resources remaining he hoped to launch an attack against the French with the goal of drawing British troops south from Flanders. This would then allow another attack on that front. With the support of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Ludendorff opened the Second Battle of the Marne on July 15. Attacking on both sides of Rheims, the Germans made some progress. French intelligence had provided warning of the attack and Foch and Pà ©tain had prepared a counterstroke. Launched on July 18, the French counterattack, supported by American troops, was led by General Charles Mangins Tenth Army. Supported by other French troops, the effort soon threatened to encircle those German troops in the salient. Beaten, Ludendorff ordered a withdraw from the endangered area. The defeat on the Marne ended his plans for mounting another assault in Flanders. Austrian Failure In the wake of the disastrous Battle of Caporetto in fall 1917, the hated Italian Chief of Staff General Luigi Cadorna was sacked and replaced with General Armando Diaz. The Italian position behind the Piave River was further bolstered by the arrival of sizable formations of British and French troops. Across the lines, German forces had largely been recalled for use in the Spring Offensives, however, they had been replaced by Austro-Hungarian troops that had been freed from the Eastern Front. Debate ensued among the Austrian high command regarding the best way to finish off the Italians. Finally, the new Austrian Chief of Staff, Arthur Arz von Straussenburg, approved a plan to launch a two-pronged attack, with one moving south from the mountains and the other across the Piave River. Moving forward on June 15, the Austrian advance was quickly checked by the Italians and their allies with heavy losses. Victory in Italy The defeat led Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary to begin seeking a political solution to the conflict. On October 2, he contacted US President Woodrow Wilson and expressed his willingness to enter into an armistice. Twelve days later he issued a manifesto to his peoples which effectively transformed the state into a federation of nationalities. These efforts proved too late as the multitude of ethnicities and nationalities that formed the empire had begun proclaiming their own states. With the empire collapsing, Austrian armies at the front began to weaken. In this environment, Diaz launched a major offensive across the Piave on October 24. Dubbed the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the fighting saw many of the Austrians mount a stiff defense, but their line collapsed after Italian troops broke through a gap near Sacile. Driving back the Austrians, Diazs campaign concluded a week later on Austrian territory. Seeking an end to the war, the Austrians asked for an armistice on November 3. Terms were arranged and the armistice with Austria-Hungary was signed near Padua that day, taking effect on November 4 at 3:00 PM. German Position After the Spring Offensives The failure of the Spring Offensives cost Germany nearly a million casualties. Though ground had been taken, the strategic breakthrough had failed to occur. As a result, Ludendorff found himself short on troops with a longer line to defend. To make good the losses sustained earlier in the year, the German high command estimated that 200,000 recruits per month would be needed. Unfortunately, even by drawing on the next conscription class, only 300,000 total were available. Though German Chief of Staff General Paul von Hindenburg remained beyond reproach, members of the General Staff began to criticize Ludendorff for his failures in the field and lack of originality in determining strategy. While some officers argued for a withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, others believed the time had come to open peace negotiations with the Allies. Ignoring these suggestions, Ludendorff remained wedded to the notion of deciding the war through military means despite the fact that the United States had already mobilized four million men. In addition, the British and French, though badly bled, had developed and expanded their tank forces to compensate for numbers. Germany, in a key military miscalculation, had failed to match the Allies in the development of this type of technology. Battle of Amiens Having halted the Germans, Foch and Haig began preparations for striking back. The beginning of the Allies Hundred Days Offensive, the initial blow was to fall east of Amiens to open the rail lines through the city and recover the old Somme battlefield. Overseen by Haig, the offensive was centered on the British Fourth Army. After discussions with Foch, it was decided to include the First French Army to the south. Beginning on August 8, the offensive relied on surprise and the use of armor rather than the typical preliminary bombardment. Catching the enemy off guard, Australian and Canadian forces in the center broke through the German lines and advanced 7-8 miles. By the end of the first day, five German divisions had been shattered. Total German losses numbered over 30,000, leading Ludendorff to refer to August 8 as the Black Day of the German Army. Over the next three days, Allied forces continued their advance, but met increased resistance as the Germans rallied. Halting the offensive on August 11, Haig was chastised by Foch who wished it to continue. Rather than battle increasing German resistance, Haig opened the Second Battle of the Somme on August 21, with the Third Army attacking at Albert. Albert fell the following day and Haig widened the offensive with the Second Battle of Arras on August 26. The fighting saw the British advance as the Germans fell back to the fortifications of the Hindenburg Line, surrendering the gains of Operation Michael. Pushing on to Victory With the Germans reeling, Foch planned a massive offensive which would see several lines of advance converging on Liege. Prior to launching his attack, Foch ordered the reduction of the salients at Havrincourt and Saint-Mihiel. Attacking on September 12, the British quickly reduced the former, while the latter was taken by Pershings US First Army in the first all-American offensive of the war. Shifting the Americans north, Foch used Pershings men to open his final campaign on September 26 when they began the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, where Sergeant Alvin C. York distinguished himself. As the Americans attacked north, King Albert I of Belgium led a combined Anglo-Belgian force forward near Ypres two days later. On September 29, the main British offensive commenced against the Hindenburg Line with the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. After several days of fighting, the British broke through the line on October 8 at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. The German Collapse As events on the battlefield unfolded, Ludendorff suffered a breakdown on September 28. Recovering his nerve, he went to Hindenburg that evening and stated that there was no alternative but to seek an armistice. The next day, the Kaiser and senior members of the government were advised of this at the headquarters in Spa, Belgium. In January 1918, President Wilson had produced Fourteen Points on which an honorable peace guaranteeing future world harmony could be made. It was on the basis of these points that the German government elected to approach the Allies. The German position was further complicated by a deteriorating situation in Germany as shortages and political unrest swept the country. Appointing the moderate Prince Max of Baden as his chancellor, the Kaiser understood that Germany would need to democratize as part of any peace process. Final Weeks At the front, Ludendorff began to recover his nerve and the army, though retreating, was contesting each bit of ground. Advancing, the Allies continued to drive towards the German frontier. Unwilling to give up the fight, Ludendorff composed a proclamation that defied the Chancellor and renounced Wilsons peace proposals. Though retracted, a copy reached Berlin inciting the Reichstag against the army. Summoned to the capital, Ludendorff was compelled to resign on October 26. As the army conducted a fighting retreat, the German High Seas Fleet was ordered to sea for one final sortie on October 30. Rather than sail, the crews broke into mutiny and took to the streets of Wilhelmshaven. By November 3, the mutiny had reached Kiel as well. As revolution swept across Germany, Prince Max appointed moderate General Wilhelm Groener to replace Ludendorff and ensured that any armistice delegation would include civilian as well as military members. On November 7, Prince Max was advised by Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Majority Socialists, that the Kaiser would need to abdicate to prevent an all-out revolution. He passed this on to the Kaiser and on November 9, with Berlin in turmoil, turned the government over Ebert. Peace at Last At Spa, the Kaiser fantasized about turning the army against his own people but was ultimately convinced to step down on November 9. Exiled to Holland, he formally abdicated on November 28. As events unfolded in Germany, the peace delegation, led by Matthias Erzberger crossed the lines. Meeting aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compià ¨gne, the Germans were presented with Fochs terms for an armistice. These included the evacuation of occupied territory (including Alsace-Lorraine), military evacuation of the west bank of the Rhine, surrender of the High Seas Fleet, surrender of large quantities of military equipment, reparations for war damage, repudiation of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, as well as acceptance of continuation of the Allied blockade. Informed of the Kaisers departure and the fall of his government, Erzberger was unable to obtain instructions from Berlin. Finally reaching Hindenburg in Spa, he was told to sign at any cost as an armistice was absolutely necessary. Complying, the delegation agreed to Fochs terms after three days of talks and signed between 5:12 and 5:20 AM on November 11. At 11:00 AM the armistice went into effect ending over four years of bloody conflict.

Training Organizational Performance - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 21 Words: 6232 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Training Organizational Performance" essay for you Create order Training has become a key focus for many organizations wishing to increase their capability, to pursue their strategy and to achieve their goals. It has a great impact not only on efficiency and organizational performance, but also on employees behaviour within the organization. Flexible training programmes may also help an organization to be more responsive to changes in its environment. Therefore, the first objective of this chapter is to explore the meaning of training and of training needs, while the second is to examine the theories dealing with these concepts. It then turns more specifically to an exploration of literature examining training needs in police organizations. 2.2 Developing Countries According to Kinsey (1988), developing country is a term used to describe countries outside the so-called Western bloc of technically advanced nations (North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand) and the communist bloc. However, due to the rapid economic development in some countries (NICs) and the political and economic disturbances in the communist bloc which have resulted in dramatic changes during the last two decades, the above definition must be amended. Other terms which have been used to designate these countries include industrializing, less-developed and underdeveloped. Each tends to have certain connotations, some being more complementary than others, and some gaining popularity while others disappear. Whatever term is used, these countries are distinguished by widespread poverty. Beside this basic characteristic, Kinsey (1988) describes developing countries as having certain similarities, including low income per capita and per worker, small industria l sectors, few economies of scale, primitive technology, lack of specialization, low capital per worker, small savings per head for the bulk of the population, lack of enterprise, inadequate physical and social infrastructure, low volume of international trade per head and low efficiency. The question is: how could developing countries influence our country in management training? 2.3 Organizational Characteristics Organizations may be characterized in many different ways, depending on the reason for the classification. For the purposes of the present research, the characteristics of the Dubai Police must be examined in relation to the need for training; several authors have suggested that organization size, type of ownership and industrial sector are the main variables affecting the management of training needs (Abdalla and AlHomud, 1995). Alternatively, Wright and Geory (1992) connect training needs with management strategy, organizational structure and corporate culture. In theory, organizations can be characterized in many ways, but there is general agreement that the size of the organization is of prime importance, followed by structure, strategy (e.g. short or long term), technology use, environment and organisational culture. These are the theoretical concepts which will be examined in this study as quantifiable conditions and variables in the management of the Dubai Police. Definitions of Training Training is a very important process in any organization, allowing it to develop its employees skills and improve their performance at work. This section considers the definitions of training suggested by a number of authors. Thus, training can be described as a perfect way to learn a job or to develop employees skills. The organization of individual skills is a significant characteristic of business responsibility today, and employee motivation potentially grows in the process (Noe, 1999). The profit from employee development extends further than the concrete skills gained and their effect on an individuals efficiency (Benson, 2002). Among the many important definitions of training, the following selection is organised chronologically for convenience. Training has historical definitions; for example, Schuler and MacMillan (1984) defined it as part of human resource management (HRM) practice which has the potential to contribute to gains in competitive advantage. But this definition was incomplete because in 1984 there was a lack of information on HRM, which was still a new concept for many organizations. There was also a focus on competitive advantage among organizations, ignoring employee development and direct benefit to the organizations business. Rainbird and Heyes (1994) then defined training as employee development via engaging employees in a commitment to the organization. But this definition only involved employees in commitment and did not state how they were to be developed at work, so Heyes and Stuart (1996) refined this definition by adding that training is a development process which evolves through strategic stages. This definition indicates that development in any organization, whether short or long term, involves organizational commitment. Buckely and Caple (1995) defined training as a strategy to develop employees in skills, knowledge and attitude through a learning experience to achieve effective performance in a range of activities. Again, this definition was subject to important refinements, when Montesino (2002) pointed out that many factors may affect the effectiveness of training, including individual employees behaviour, the training programme, the local environment and the amount of support from each trainees immediate supervisor. Earlier, when Smith and Hayton (1999) defined training, they also attempted to show how certain factors impact on training needs and the decision to train employees. First, employee performance is very important and should be improved. Secondly, improvement is needed in the flexibility and adaptability of employees. Finally, training always needs new technology and investment in training needs to achieve high performance in an organization. This definition indicates the importance of high performance for training decisions, of changing the roles within the organization to increase flexibility and adaptability at work and of using new technology to achieve high performance. The authors also claim that it is a more sophisticated system of human resources management. According to Sparrow (1998), training can be managed to elicit the desired attitudes and behaviours in employees and to enhance involvement, motivation and organizational commitment. The main point of this definition is to motivate and involve employees in organizational commitment; the result could be to change employees behaviour, but these processes are controlled by the organization. Bartlett (2001) adds to this perspective by noting that there are many ways to motivate employees, the best being to improve access to training and the motivation to learn from training, as well as emphasising the perceived benefits of training. This definition shows the importance of motivating employees in training programmes and the benefit to be gained from supervisory support for training within the organization. Finally, Palo and Padhi (2003) define training as the process of developing skills, updating knowledge, changing employees behaviour and attitudes in order to improve their performance and abilities and so to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. 2.5 Training Theories 2.5.1 Training and Behaviour Theories Luthans (1998) considers that training can help organisations to change employees behaviour and that one technique of behaviour modification, encouraging desired behaviours and discouraging unwanted ones, is operant conditioning. Such behaviourist techniques were first used for the treatment of mental disorders and phobias, in psychiatric rehabilitation and in recovery from accident and trauma. Applications have since been extended to organisational settings. As developed by Fred Luthans (Luthans and Kreitner, 1985; Luthans et al., 1998), organisational behaviour modification theory has five mains steps. The first step is to identify the critical, observable and measurable performance-related behaviours to be encouraged. The second is to measure the current frequency of those behaviours, to provide a baseline against which to measure improvement. Next, the triggers or antecedents for those behaviours are identified, as are their consequences, positive, neutral and negative. The fourth step is to develop an intervention strategy to strengthen desired behaviours and weaken dysfunctional behaviours through the use of positive reinforcement (money, recognition) and corrective feedback, noting that punishment may be necessary, for example to inhibit unsafe behaviour. Finally, there is a systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of the approach in changing behaviour and improving performance over the baseline. Training can appear particularly attractive to managers, who are often in ideal positions to manipulate the reinforcement of certain employee behaviours. They also tend to find this approach attractive because it argues that what has to be changed is behaviour, and that to achieve this one needs to know very little about the complex internal workings of the people concerned. Desirable workplace behaviours include speaking courteously to customers, attending training to develop new skills and being helpful to colleagues. Undesirable ones include lateness, the production of poor quality items and being uncooperative. Training should eliminate undesired behaviour and increase the frequency of desired work behaviour. Suppose a manager wants more work assignments completed on time and fewer submitted beyond deadline. The behaviour modification options are summarized in Table 2.5.1. Luthans (1998) gives some ideas for improving performance through training, which failed to work. But Luthans argues that behaviour modification should be designed to suit organisational applications. Firstly, training should be applied to clearly identifiable and observable behaviours, such as timekeeping, carrying out checks and repairs, and the use of particular work methods. Secondly, to change organisational behaviour there should be a good strategy of rewards which are contingent on the performance of the desirable behaviours. Thirdly, training should focus on positive reinforcement, which can take a number of forms, from the praise of a superior to cash prizes, food or clothing. Finally, training can lead to sustained modification of behaviour only if positive reinforcement is continued (albeit intermittently). Training and Motivation Theories Smith and Hayton (1999) identify the following theories, which mention the role of training in organizations. i. Human capital theory This theory focuses on training in terms of economic investment. Human capital theory sees training as improving efficiency (Becker, 1964; Mincer, 1974; Strober, 1990). It is concerned with developing ideal training conditions. In the 1980s neo-human capital theory stated that organizations should train their employees consecutively to develop the flexibility and suppleness of the workforce and their receptiveness to modernisation (Bartel and Lichtenberg, 1987). ii. Human resource management theory This theory concerns the commitment of employees to the organization and views training and employee development as a means of engaging it (Rainbird, 1994; Heyes and Stuart, 1996). The early formulation of a hypothetical structure for HRM came from the Harvard Business School in the early 1980s (Beer et al., 1984). Training is seen as a strategy for managing the human resource flow of a venture which, with other human resource policies, creates commitment, competence, congruence and cost-effectiveness. iii. Training and high performance theory This is among the most widely adopted theories in organizations in Britain and the USA. It concerns the skills trajectory and proposes a distinction between those occupations which are becoming increasingly skilful and others which are deskilling over time (Gallie and White, 1993; Cappelli, 1993). Studies of high-performance employment practices and HRM strategies have resulted in the concept of human resources bundles (MacDuffie, 1995; Dyer and Reeves, 1995) which highlight the significance of implementing a number of HRM practices collectively in bundles in order to enhance performance. Training is always cited as a critical measure within the set. Training Needs Analysis Training needs analysis (TNA) is a very important stage in the methodical training cycle of design, delivery and evaluation. The purpose of TNA is to take account of unusual meanings and perspectives depending upon a variety of actors in the process, avoiding misunderstandings about prospects and what can be achieved. In addition, external trainers and consultants are able to acknowledge the importance of a challenge when they rely upon TNA which has been conducted prior to their involvement with an organization. For instance, the excellence of feedback provided by the TNA process might differ significantly, from a very detailed search to a cheap and cheerful canvassing of opinions about what is needed. In addition to the challenges noted above, there are considerations about whose benefit is served: Is the training compulsory? Does it represent the needs of individual people, their managers, the organization, etc? 2.6.1 Definition of Training Needs Analysis Williamson (1993) defines TNA as a systematic approach to determining the real training needs which exist within an organization or department. This indicates that TNA involves collecting information, for example by examining the training programmes of different organizations. A number of managers will refer to the total procedure of identifying the essential training needs, after which the next step is to analyze and address them by the best available method. The pure understanding of the term describes the last procedure simply. Although understanding can differ, it is significant that there is supposed to be constancy of practice within any organization and all employees are assumed to be completely conscious of the sense of local terminology in this field. The term training need can be difficult to define in practice, with serious consequences. On other hand, there are many authors who have defined training needs analysis as the examination or diagnostic portion of the training system. In addition, it seeks to determine whether there exists a case of supposed performance deficiency in many organizations (Camp et al., 1986). This view applies to TNA. That is to say, needs evaluation in a training needs analysis is, in truth, a diagnostic attempt, rather than an effort to identify an apparently deficient performance, because TNA does not have direct access to employees performance. Conversely, Goldstein (1986) defines TNA as an attempt to analyze and diagnose an organization, task or individual, to decide if a cure is required and if so, which is the most likely to produce the desired results. Once more, TNA is seen as a diagnostic process at an organizational level. 2.6.2 Approaches to TNA One of the earliest writers on TNA was Boydell (1976), who planned a methodical approach to training needs that had its roots in analyzing supplies using a method based on organizational objectives. For Boydell (1976, p. 4), A training need exists when the application of systematic training will serve to overcome a particular weakness. He also argues that training needs must be identified before training begins. A similar perspective is presented by Bartram and Gibson (1994, p. 3): Analyzing training needs provides a focus and direction for the investment an organization has to make in its people. Likewise, Bee and Bee (2003) assert that organizations needs are the drivers for training solutions to close any performance gap. Two supporting considerations which influence TNA are also noted by Reay (1994). Firstly, establishing who has ownership of the TNA is likely to determine whether the findings are ignored or implemented. Secondly, the person who really pays for it will point to t he real employees and this is usually senior management. On the other hand, this methodical approach to TNA tends to adopt organizational perspectives. Reid and Barrington (1999) accept these perspectives, but warn that the needs may sometimes conflict, e.g. long-term development for an individual and lack of support opportunities might contradict each other. Similarly, Sloman (1994, p. 24) notes that in the training sphere there can be a singular divergence of interests between the organization and the individual. This viewpoint is shared by Palmer (2006), who warns against assessing training needs solely from the viewpoint of the organization. Many individual employees correctly follow their own training and development agendas and strategies. There are also sound business and motivational reasons for organizations to help employees to complete their self-development needs. Learning and development are continuing and practical (Sloman, 2003). They are supposed not to have to wait for business needs and training objectives to be set before embarking on a programme. Therefore, individuals need to take more responsibility for their own learning, rather than waiting for the organization to lead them. 2.6.3 Important TNA Factors in a Changing Competitive Environment There are important factors which affect TNA in a competitive environment for any organization and which a professional approach to change requires those responsible to consider. These are now examined in turn. i. Cross-competitive environment The abolition of collective differences in vocational results can be maintained by training programmes for diverse employees in a competitive environment, which can produce admiration for individual differences in attitudes, values and behaviours, according to DNetto and Sohal (1999), who recommend certain practices in the field of training. These include identifying exact training needs which are connected to the organizations goals and objectives; assessing individual training needs to facilitate a contribution within the training programme; developing individual annual training strategies which take account of knowledge, operational and interpersonal skills, attitudes to the job and technological skills training; evaluating literacy, language and numeracy to assess the ability to undergo training; connecting training to rewards, project agreements, development procedures and pay scales; and identifying the complementary skills of employees through a review process. ii. Diversity Moore (1999) suggests that a diversity needs analysis is required for the effective integration of diverse group members. Two contrasting approaches to diversity of background are to ensure that the organization is diversity blind or to provide a diversity-negative environment. According to Moore (1999), an important starting point in an environment of diversity in TNA is awareness of different challenges faced by people from different backgrounds within the organization. Training programmes should facilitate the understanding and appreciation of actual differences between people, which can apply in communicating and using language, in learning styles, in methods of dealing with conflict and in task and relationship orientation. Developing and integrating competencies and skills in culturally diverse employees is the next step presented by Moore (1999). It should create a mechanism whereby individuals learn to avoid damaging processes due to dysfunctional interpersonal conflict, miscommunication, higher levels of stress, slower decision-making and problems with group cohesiveness. Moore (1999) states that the development of important communication skills is needed in order to achieve effective integration of competencies. These skills are the ability to consider viewpoints that may differ from ones own, to communicate, to negotiate and to face difficulties appropriately. iii. Leadership According to Silverthorne (2005), leadership plays an important role in decision-making and organizational achievement. In order to develop effectively in a cross-competitive environment, leaders must understand and control their own behaviour, as this affects employees perceptions of leadership. They must also ensure that environmental issues are considered when choosing the best management style. However, appreciating the differences in leadership styles is not sufficient to be an effectual leader, as the necessary insight also varies with the environment. Silverthorne (2005) states that an effectual leader knows which leadership style to employ and when to employ it. There are four contrasting leadership styles: active or involved, supportive, participative and attainment-oriented. Active leaders tell subordinates what is required and put into effect individual systems to direct them; the supportive leader creates a friendly environment and is responsive to her subordinates needs; the participative leader engages them in the decision-making process; and the achievement-oriented leader applies high standards to the decision-making process and appears confident that subordinates will reach them. Silverthorne (2005) argues that an effective leaders choice of leadership style is based on the context of the task and the needs of the subordinates. iiii. Communication Silverthorne (2005) also suggests that one way to achieve better communication between individuals with different competitive backgrounds is to apply TNA to managers on how to work in a competitive environment. He proposes four ways of reducing cross-environment communication problems. First, managers should focus on differences in communication styles. Understanding that employees are different means describing a behaviour, rather than the individual. This will give the manager the time to understand the subject being discussed. Thirdly, the manager should attempt to understand the subject from the employees perspective. Seeing the employees point of view gives the manager an opportunity to better understand what the employee is trying to communicate. Finally, the manager must listen more openly than normal and engage in exercises to improve the communication process. 2.7 Management Training Many organizations today have training programmes for their employees but the reasons for conducting them vary widely. Some provide job orientation for new recruits; others training on new equipment for existing employees or strategic planning courses for managers. Successful managers need multi-skills training and detailed information about the organization. Training programmes for managers should cover different skills than those for employees; examples are functional, administrative, planning and leadership skills. Assessing changes in performance following training is complicated by the fact that while some of these skills can be easily observed in the short term, others will be apparent only from long-term changes in the performance of the manager, the department or the entire organisation. 2.7.1 Different types of training needs All employees should be aware of the types of management training their organization offers, because many will be planning to be line-managers in the future, so will require certain skills. McConnell (2003) lists twelve types of training which are very useful in ones current job and helpful for the future. These are now examined in turn. i. Group Training Group training involves three or more individuals who participate in a common learning activity, generally led by a group facilitator. ii. Coaching Coaching is one-on-one job training. Generally it includes demonstrations, lectures and observation of practice. iii. Mentoring This is a process in which experienced employees are assigned to assist newer employees through guidance. Sometimes it takes a formal approach; at others it is informal. It is also used to introduce employees to a companys culture and environment. iiii. Self-Paced Learning This is any learning activity in which the learner determines the speed at which the material is covered. Generally, it is an individualized form of instruction, but it can be used with groups, the speed being set either individually or by the group. V. E-Learning This is a term used to describe learning activities conducted from the users desktop via the Internet or e-mail. It is generally an individual activity. Vi. Computer-Assisted Instruction This is the delivery of training via a computer. Again it is generally individualized. It can include programmes on modelling, simulation, practice and knowledge. Vii. Distance Learning Training This describes instruction in which the teacher is geographically separated from the learner. Connection can be via satellite or phone line with the instruction delivered to a PC or to a room specially equipped with video or audio conferencing equipment. Viii. Self-Study Self-study refers to learning activities initiated and participated in by an individual. Programmed or computer-assisted instruction and reading assignments can all be self-study activities. Viiii. Simulations These are controlled and standardized representations of a job, activity or situation used as a basis for developing skills in dealing with the simulated situations. VV. Lectures These are structured oral presentations delivered for the transfer of information. VVi. Job Assignments Job assignments place an individual into an actual job, generally for a limited period of time, the primary goal being to learn all or part of the job. VVii. Job Rotation This is similar to job assignment but generally includes several assignments in a planned order or the exchange of jobs with another person. 2.7.2 Different levels of training needs The objective of a training needs analysis is the identification of the training required to meet the recognized needs. In point of fact, while these may be accepted or revised by the employees, a senior person may be assigned to decide what training is necessary. The person conducting the training or assessing the needs is not always the individual who develops or recommends the training. On the other hand, the most important step in TNA is to translate the recognized needs into objectives. Then individual objectives can be used to develop or choose a training approach at individual and organization level. Beside the types of training, McConnell (2003) specifies the levels of needs for individual and organization and the personnel who will conduct the training. i. Supervisors These are the people who manage the people being trained. ii. Human Resources These are the professionals in the human resources department. If training is a function of the HR department, it is treated separately. iii. Operating Department Employees These are the employees of the department for which an individual is to be trained. iiii. Training Department Personnel These are generally training professionals employed by the training department. Their strengths are their skills and knowledge of training techniques and procedures. The most common criticism of such people is that they lack specific job or operational knowledge. Some organizations assign their trainers to specific areas-sometimes even to temporary work in the operating departments-to overcome such weaknesses. V. Operating Department Personnel on Temporary Assignment to Training These are people who usually have excellent job knowledge but often lack training skills. Many organizations use this approach because it gives greater credibility to the training sessions, while the operating personnel on such an assignment benefit greatly from the experience and learning of training techniques. Vi. External Professionals These are usually training consultants, supplier employees, or academics. Generally, they are used when the required degree of knowledge or skill is not available within the organization. These people are usually excellent trainers, but they can be expensive to use. If they offer similar classes on a regular basis, consistency may be lost if the same external person does not conduct all classes. Vii. External Organizations Local schools and professional organizations often conduct registration programmes in general subjects. Knowing the types of training currently being used by an organization and who conducts each training type provides an initial indication of what can be done. However, in some cases the training will have to be designed and/or obtained elsewhere. 2.7.3 The Roles of HR, Trainers and Line-Managers The many roles within the training function can be analyzed and their strengths and weaknesses identified. The training function within an organization should have as part of its mission the meeting of the organizations requirements; its success at accomplishing that will be the basis for the analysis. HR people and line-managers in the training function should help the organization to improve and involve employees in training courses which could be helpful in enhancing their skills and hence their performance, so HR people and line-managers must undertake a number of tasks, summarised below. Training organization: the mission of the training function, its internal structure, and internal and external relationships. Training personnel: the selection, qualifications, and motivation of department employees. Employee training in the requirements of specific jobs or activities. Employee development training in the requirements of future jobs and broadening their abilities in their current posts. Remedial training, conducted to correct inadequate basic skills such as mathematics, reading and writing. Organizational development: improving communication and understanding throughout the organization in order to produce effective, functioning teams; establishing or changing to a desired culture; and responding to changing conditions. Internal and external communication of the training departments abilities, results, and offerings. Training facilities: the physical space and equipment allocated to conduct training. Identifying training needs: determining the training required by individual employees and the organization. Training design and development: creating, structuring, or obtaining a training programme to meet specific objectives or outcomes. Training delivery: implementation of training to meet specific needs and objectives (e.g. courses, programmes, self-study). Assessment and measurement using valid and reliable methods to determine the current abilities of an individual and the results of training activities Previous Studies Related to Training Needs Analysis 2.8.1 Training Needs Analysis in the Dubai Police Force Training needs analysis is a new concept for the Dubai Police and there are few relevant TNA studies, so it is important to base this research on previous studies in developing and other countries. First, however, it is important to consider what type of TNA is appropriate for policing organizations, given their skills requirements and other conditions. This section will consider TNA and police organizations in various developing countries. 2.8.2 TNA and the Police The most important function of the police is to provide security and safety by reducing crime. Its members need training in areas including problem-solving, criminal investigation and finding lost children; TNA is required to specify exactly what kind of training they need. Maguire and Uchida (2000, p. 495) note that police organizations do many things. They make arrests, process offenders, find lost children, quell disturbances, respond to emergencies, solve problems, and form relationships with the community. Consequently, police organizations work within multifaceted environments, which forces them to try to find the training programmes best suited to these environments; TNA is therefore indispensible. Behavioural theories are important in TNA and it is helpful to know if employees improve after training programmes, so Hassell et al. (2003) consider that Wilsons theory is very important, as police behaviour is regarded as one of the most significant theories of police style, founded on the earliest experimental research on police organizations. In an alternative approach to TNA, Langworthy (1986) argues that behavioural studies are not sufficient to assess the results of training, since there are many factors affecting management training, such as environment and technology, which can have an effect on TNA; thus, one should concentrate on the work environments which apply to employees of the organization (Maguire and Uchida, 2000). In police work, the environment is particularly self-motivated and multifaceted; it embraces society, judges, prototypes of crime, management, political culture and other external factors, which therefore influence the TNA and the programmes which are chosen. Each police organization must select the best training programmes for its particular environment (Maguire and Uchida, 2000). Training Needs Analysis in Developing Countries and Elsewhere The relation between TNA and development has been mentioned in many research studies and articles on HRM. On the other hand, the majority of TNA comes within reach of the problem of extra perspective. The focus is on topics such as TNA, training programmes and needs evaluation (e.g. Schlick, 1988; Campbell, 1989; Wright et al., 1992; Harp, 1995; Nelson et al., 1995), trainee motivation (Spitzer, 1995), opportunity trends in organizational training (Golden, 1993) and training and learning procedures (Truelove, 1992; Dulworth and Shea, 1995). These academic approaches provide a comprehensive understanding of this movement within an organization, but they are most helpful for HR managers, rather than for training suppliers. From the latters viewpoint, there are a number of studies on TNA in organizations. For example, Perry (1993) and Bramwell et al. (1994) analyze the advantages and disadvantages of external training programmes and provide information on hiring the best trainers. Kimme rling (1995) conducted an investigation on the training suppliers market. He emphasizes that changing technology affects training not only for organisations but also for employees, who must keep up to date. He predicts that the market for community training is likely to increase in general, while interactive multimedia training will take an increasing share of expenditure. Organizations that are able to combine TNA with just-in-time methods will dominate the market. Watson (1995) also emphasizes the position of domestic TNA. He promotes the idea of a corporate university for large companies, which, despite its considerable expense, appears to be the best model. The above authors, on the other hand, do not focus on TNA and managerial variables affecting practical difficulties. It is significant that very little research has been found comparing results in developed and developing countries. Much research has been conducted in the USA into TNA, training programmes and the evaluation of training needs, which are important for different countries to train employees of organizations. Saari et al. (1988) conducted a comprehensive investigation into managing TNA and education practices. They examined the issues of evaluating needs after TNA to investigate how training effects employees, the management of training needs programmes, reasons for selecting particular programmes, the individuality of participants, how decisions are made concerning who would contribute, TNA and follow-up of participants, the evaluation of training programmes, future trends in management training needs, and the content of training required. Based on the responses of over 600 organizations with more than 1000 employees, they found that size and sector had positive effects on the above issues. Thus, the larger the organization, the more use was made of training evaluation and TNA in its formal managem ent training programmes. Financial firms were most likely to use organization-specific training programmes, while some other industries used fewer than expected. They also reported that the planning of management training, decision-making and HRM were mostly related to employees skills. This research provides many useful findings related to TNA. On the other hand, its findings were based on large organizations in a developed country where the economy is complex. Additionally, the associations between organizational variables, the satisfaction of training needs and the level of interest were not reported. In developing countries, some TNA-related research has been found which assesses the importance in any organization of the provision of special training programmes for senior managers which differ from employee training programmes in addressing issues of leadership, decision-making, strategic planning, etc. For example, Analoui (1995) states that TNA is important to measure the skill levels of managers; he conducted a study of 74 senior managers to assess the level and type of managerial skills training they needed. He hypothesized that more senior managers would have a greater need for employee-related than task-related skills and found that this did indeed appear to be the case. Other research conducted in India by Sharma (1992) sought the best TNA programmes for managers and employees, and found that there was little point in performing management training in India. There were structural differences between those organizations which provided training for their managers and ones which did not. Whether a manager was subject to TNA depended on three factors: his or her level of responsibility, the size of organization and its ownership structure. This research found no significant association, however, between management training and industrial category, which contrasts with the results of Saari et al. in the USA, reported above. There have also been studies in TNA and development in the developing world. In Africa, for example, Perry (1993) found that as government controls are imposed, managers need to appreciate the significance of market research and TNA, which should be aimed to improve performance in a competitive market. One more finding was that managers of major enterprises worked with assistant managers; consequently, greater importance was placed on communication skills, sharing, respect for others, decision-making and self-discipline. In other words, managers need employee-related skills more as organization size increases. Research in China also raises issues of improving TNA and development. Bu and Mitchell (1992) studied the development of Chinese managers and employees. They approached the issue from a macro-environmental point of view, investigating differences in culture, technology, traditional Chinese pedagogy, etc. Their results suggest that the methods and programmes used by Western organizations in training employees and managers are more effective when supported by training needs analysis in China. A comparative study was performed by Abdalla and Al-Homoud (1995) in an effort to find differences in organizational TNA between developed countries (represented by the US research of Saari et al.) and a developing country (Kuwait). They found first that TNA and evaluation were practised less in developing countries than in developed ones. Secondly, TNA is an approach which has proved very helpful in the West, but rarely so in Kuwait. Thirdly, when selecting participants for TNA, the current criteria in Kuwait are little different from those in the US, particularly in government organizations. Finally, similar results were found in the two studies, in that theoretical skills were needed more by senior managers, while there was more need for purposeful skills at lower levels. In sum, the above research findings help to explain some relationships between organizations and TNA in different countries. However, due to the different objectives of the researchers, these relationships have not been comprehensively studied and stated. Conclusion This chapter has reviewed a number of training needs theories and principles which underlie the design of training programmes in organisations. Other topics examined are management training, organisational characteristics, the training needs of police organisations and training needs in different countries. Training theories pay attention to formal organisation. Accordingly, an organisation can have effective training by rigid supervision, the clear definition of responsibility and accountability, and the division of labour. Training theories identify employees behaviour and show how this can be improved by training programmes to provide high performance at work. These theories also show how to improve efficiency, to develop human capital by engaging the commitment of employees to the organisation and to obtain improved performance at work. On the other hand, management and leadership training is an issue where the perspective adopted emphasizes the importance of managers skills, motivation, teamwork, communication and leadership style. All these skills should be improved in managers, because it is important to have excellent performance in leadership skills in order to run an organisation effectively and motivate its employees. Furthermore, the organisation characteristics have been shown to interact significantly with the external and internal environments in which it operates. The focus here is on the size of the organisation, its structure, its strategy and the technology it uses, particularly its adoption of new technology, in relation to its external and internal environments. Thus, the external environment itself can determine the best training needs programmes to assist the organisation to cope with environmental changes. Moreover, in the internal environment, a high level of differentiation and integration can help the organization to respond more effectively to changes. When examined closely, police organizations can be seen to operate in a multifaceted and unstable situation. There are indeed many factors which may jointly contribute to determining the organization of a police force, such as the size of its managerial team, local governance, community characteristics, crime patterns, the age of the organization, political structures, population size, density and heterogeneity, management distance and vertical demarcation. The Dubai Police Force was identified in chapter one as being regarded as a military organisation. However, its training programmes should be oriented towards community policing and crime reduction. Improved performance at work is another aim, as with many different training programmes, in order to respond to and control the changes in its external environment and to implement community policing and a crime prevention strategy. Only then can the Dubai Police play a major role in maintaining stability, reducing crime and promoting reassurance and safety within the community it serves.

Smoothie Business Marketing Plan - 1082 Words

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Music Industry Free Essays

The Ever-Changing (I think it’s hyphenated)Music Industry The 1980s began with the death of two musical icons: John Lennon and Bob Marley. This set the scene for a momentous decade. A lot of artists in the ’80s were inspired politically and that shined through their songs. We will write a custom essay sample on Music Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example, â€Å"19† by Paul Hardcastle and â€Å"99 Luftballoons† by Nena. The ’80s was also the introduction to the CD and revolutionizing the way consumers listen to music, making it more portable. Now MTV has launched the first music video, â€Å"Video Killed the Radio Star† by The Buggles. With visual to accompany artists songs, they have another avenue to captivate consumers with. This led to extravagant production classics like â€Å"Thriller†. A revolution was happening and technological advances have only just begun to shape the way consumers listen to and share music.With revolutionary music comes controversy, and with music artists now having another media to articulate their message, Madonna releases â€Å"Like a Virgin† in 1984. This sent a wave through the decade and the boundaries of what was socially acceptable were pushed to the limits. Some songs were even â€Å"banned† for sexual content despite their immense popularity. The ’80s was also a break through in Hip-Hop with groups like Beastie Boys and Sugarhill Gang. This wider representation and growth in diversity in the commercial aspect of music also led to growth in consumers.The birth of Hip-Hop in the ’80s became a staple of music in the ’90s. Hip-Hop stepped away from the soul and funk themes from the ’80s to be dominated by the East Coast-West Coast Gangster Rap feud. The extreme success of N.W.A. followed by releases from Dr. Dre and Tupac established the dominance power and influence of West Coast rap. East Coast Hip-Hop was led by De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest but was incompetent in their attempt to could never quite match the commercial success of the West Coast. That is until the release of albums from Nas, B.I.G., and Wu-Tang Clan. This feud had everyone loyal listeners buying albums to hear the next low-blow and cultivated an intensely loyal consumer following. Sadly, speculation and business led to the death of Tupac and Biggie and with their death the end of a golden era in Hip-Hop. Again, music was changing and no one could predict the drastic change that was digital. Now at the start of the ’00s, iTunes is born and now anyone with a smart device or computer for pennies per song, instead of buying the whole album. It is now evident that songwriters and artists have to focus wholeheartedly on making each and every song as great as the single. CDs were intensely profitable for artists and (especially) record labels, until the Internet, MP3s, piracy, Napster, iTunes, YouTube and Spotify kicked in over the past 10 years. Over the past couple of recent years, YouTube has grown into a lucrative machine for record labels. Popular videos with millions of hits can be adorned with ads, and YouTube shares that revenue with the copyright holders. Some artists like OK Go have even decided to split from their label and end up making more money from YouTube than they do iTunes. We saw the industry adapt to the digital age of music. Spotify is not just streaming anymore, it is now an authoritative  discovery platform, a network of popular  radio stations, and also the primary way people are listening to music. With the multitude of ways that people can listen to music for free today, now artists are concerning themselves with how to get on every platform and how many streams they can get. You can even put your song on a Snapchat filter now! (New paragraph) As a consumer, it’s great to be able to discover new artists and groups that I would have never found through CDs or word of mouth. However, as an artist I can understand the frustration in a market that is changing so fast and so quickly. How to cite Music Industry, Papers

Strategic Recommendations for Hikma

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Recommendations for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Answer: Introduction The study evaluates specific strategic recommendations to help the executive team members of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC so that the strategic interventions can influence the decision-making of the executives. By identifying the concepts and management principles suitable for long-run sustainability of the business framework of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, the recommended strategy planning activities have been presented in the study paper (Cole, Elliott, 2007). Precisely, the study includes the mission, vision, and objectives of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC providing a brief description of the firm. In the context of the strategic planning activities, a SWOT analysis has been conducted to evaluate the current organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the business structure. Furthermore, the relevant study has focused on four verified strategy planning activities that can be considered for the organisational business perspective. By evaluating each of the strategy, the most convincing strategic intervention has been suggested providing valid justification (Zajas, 2013). To finish, a list of strategic recommendation has been included in the study paper. Organizational Background The study paper has concentrated on the strategic planning activities of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, a multinational pharmaceutical corporation deals in branded and non-branded generic medicines. Comprehensively, the company manufactures medicines for a larger target market and one of the leading pharmaceuticals companies in the UK market (Cartwright, 2010). The London-based medicine manufacturing organisation has got 29 manufacturing plants in eleven countries around the globe. In the underlying section, the mission, vision, and value of the firm have been briefed as follows: Mission Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC is committed to improving the standard of living through the products manufactured by the organisation ("Vision and Values", 2017). The dedicated workforce of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has aimed to deliver high-quality medicines at affordable prices to the target audience in crucial therapeutic areas. Vision Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLCs corporate vision is to introduce modern pharmaceuticals medicines at the international level. Through strategic acquisition and growth in the organic medicine sector, the company has continued to register high standards of business responsibility towards the target consumers. Moreover, the central idea of the business operation is to attain long-run business sustainability providing essential medicines to every section of social public influencing the living standard of people. Values and Objectives Integrity and excellence can be identified as the two leading values for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLCs business. Without compromising the reality, the company operates the business following honesty and honour ("Vision and Values", 2017). Alternatively, quality and excellence of the business have set the trend for the other competitors to be followed. The success model of the business of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC is based on management and teamwork. Through diversified business model, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has wanted to be one of the leading manufacturers of generic branded medicines at the international level. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has been analysed in this section as follows: Strengths Quality Products and Extensive Sales: The supply of quality drugs at the reasonable price range and extensive sales of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC have been the leading strengths of business in the UK, Middle East and North American market. Efficient RD Team: The efficient research and development team of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has largely contributed to the growth of the business formulating latest drugs in therapeutic areas (Shekem, 2013). Attractive drug licensing partners: Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has got numerous drug licensing partners that are increasing the business proposition and internationalisation opportunities adding strength to the business framework. Weaknesses Dependency on the UK market: In the competitive business structure, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC is widely dependent on the United Kingdoms pharmaceutical market for sales perspective. As a result, such single market dependency has been a major weakness for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Limited presence in developing countries: Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has a limited business operation in emerging economies such as India, Russia, etc. Meanwhile, limited business presence in developing nations has been a weakness for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Cartwright, 2010). High reliance on popular medicines: Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has put more marketing value on blockbuster drugs. Therefore, high reliance on leading medicines has been a considerable weakness for the pharmaceutical company. Opportunities Partnership with global pharmaceuticals companies: Through building new business partnerships with leading global pharmaceutical corporations, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has created substantial growth opportunity in the global market (Cole, Elliott, 2007). Strong Product line: Development in strong product line has opened up new business opportunities for the company. Furthermore, new drug patenting and focusing on FDA approval have steadily contributed towards growth model of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Cartwright, 2010). New opportunities in emerging markets: During internationalisation of business, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC has significant opportunities to explore the emerging countries. Thus, the business expansion can support the revenue model of the company Threats Severe drug development guiding principle: The changing principles of drug development guidelines are a major threat for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Hence, it is important for the management to consider the drug development guiding principles to be safe from the legal obligations. Increasing competition: On the other hand, several new companies are entering the pharmaceutical industry with new patents and innovative medicines. Hence, the rising competition in the market is another major threat for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Stringent government policies: Furthermore, the government policies in the pharmaceutical industry are hard and the company needs to follow different rules and regulations. Hence, the changing rules and regulations of the government guiding the operations of pharmaceutical industries can be considered as a primary threat for the business. Strategy planning activities to accomplish the success factors The four identified strategy planning activities have been illustrated herein as follows: Internal Analysis Internal analysis is used to evaluate the core competencies of the firm to observe the factors leading to the competitive advantage of the firm in the market. Different theories and strategic analysis models are used by the modern analyst to conduct the internal environment analysis (Grant, Jordan, 2015). First is the core competency model that is also known as VRIO or VRIN framework used to analyse the competencies of the organisation that are valuable, rare, imitable and non-substitutable (Koumparoulis, 2012). On the other hand, the portfolio analysis is conducted to evaluate the product and service range of the organization. In other words, the portfolio analysis helps the management to judge the success of the products and services in the market by analysing its substitutability and demand in the market. Furthermore, the internal strategy analysis is also used to evaluate the performance of the workforce in order to identify the capabilities of the organisations. Hence, internal analysis is helpful for the management to observe and evaluate the internal strength of the organisation and develop strategies and tactics to achieve the desired goals and targets (Lee, Jose, 2008). On the other hand, the internal analysis activity makes the management aware of the competencies of the organisational structure and the higher level executives of the firm. Conclusively, the internal analysis will help Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC to develop adequate strategies on the basis of their internal strengths. Demand and Competition Analysis The demand and competition analysis is a part of industry analysis that helps Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC to get aware of the current factors in the external market that influence the business of the firm (Grant, Jordan, 2015). The demand analysis helps the firm to analysis the current and future demand for its products by conducting a survey and market research (Pehrsson, 2007). On the other hand, the competition analysis can be conducted to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the rivals to identify the opportunities and threats for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Different external environment analysis tools can be used by the management to conduct the demand and competition analysis. For example, the PESTEL analysis tool can help to evaluate the external market factors such as the political factors, economic factors, socio-cultural factors, technological factors, environmental factors and legal factors that impact the demand for its products (Michael, 2013). On the other hand, the Porters Five Force analysis can be conducted to analyse the market drivers such as the buyers power, suppliers power, current rivalry, substitution of products, and entry of new rivals that impacts the operations of the organisation. Hence, the demand and competition analysis activity is quite essential in planning the strategies of the firm. Analysis of Marketing Strategy In order to increase the efficiency of the business of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, analysis of current marketing strategy will be evident to determine the long-run viability of business operations (Baker, 2014). By including significant corporate vision to the marketing strategy, organisational executives can evaluate commendable marketing activities. By investigating the existing marketing concepts and structure, customer-oriented marketing concepts can be accurately introduced (B. Dent, Bozeman, 2014). On the hand, by conducting a comprehensive marketing audit, review of the developing marketing trends as well as changing consumer behaviour can be recognised. The analysis of marketing strategy will examine the marketing 7Ps so that strategies and objectives can be overridden according to the requirement. Alternatively, the analysis of current marketing strategy can identify the lack of activities associated with marketing and promotion. Precisely, based on consumer behaviour, pricing, advertisements, and distribution channels can be set to get the maximum benefits in the target market (Banerjee, 2016). To achieve sustainable marketing objectives, monitoring of the marketing tactics and corrective measures must be developed to boost the sales in the target market. Financial Analysis Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLCs management must consider financial strategy analysis so that the shareholders values can be maximised in a substantial way. Through financial analysis of the firm, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC can focus on sales margin, costs, and financing. Invariably, the competitive pharmaceuticals industry has got the significant potential to explore (Kim, Min, 2015). Therefore, by increasing the sales margin, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC can support the shareholders value. On a practical term, such strategic move can be impressive for long-run growth (Jain, 2011). Alternatively, by focusing on margin, cost reduction strategy can be formulated so that significant costs i.e. production costs, marketing costs, etc. can be reduced contributing towards the business success of the firm (Duan, 2011). Notably, the strategic financial analysis can deliver significant financing opportunities to the enterprise that can be a substantial cost factor leading to business growth. Comprehensively, the strategic financial analysis will identify the change in the exchange rates and modern trends of industry to maintain the financial obligation in a more effective manner (Zajas, 2013). Justification of the selected strategy planning activities On the basis of the above strategy planning activities, the demand and competition analysis is one of the most effective strategic interventions that can be implemented by the management to influence the role of the executive and better understand the principles and concepts of a well designed strategy process (Shekem, 2013). Furthermore, the internal analysis will be helpful for the executives to evaluate the strengths of the workforce and organisation on a whole. Additionally, the marketing strategy analysis and financial analysis will help the organisation to minimise the marketing and financial risk of the firm (Jain, 2011). Hence, the strategy planning activities will help the management to develop effective strategies to seek competitive advantage in the market (Shankar, 2011). On the other hand, the understanding of the strategic planning activities will help the organisational executives to understand the current status of the internal and external environment to meet the fut ure challenges. Recommendations By considering the above analysis, the following recommendations are provided to the executives of the firm to improve the strategy planning process: Conduct market survey: There is a need of conducting a market survey to analyse the demand of the products. On the other hand, the market survey helps the executives to understand the satisfaction level of the customers and observe their demand. Furthermore, the market survey is the primary data collection tool for conducting the external analysis. Develop strategy making plan: Additionally, the management must develop strategy formulating plan to conduct the strategy planning activities adequately. The success of the strategy relies on the planning process and the information used to formulate the strategies. Hence, understanding of the strategy planning theories is quite important for the executives of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Implement and monitor strategy: The executive must have the idea of implementing and monitoring the strategy. Hence, it is important for the management of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC to communicate the new strategies and objective of the firm to the lower level employees to effectively implement the strategies. The line managers and supervisors must be trained to monitor the strategies. Performance review: Finally, there is a need of performance review to observe the success of the implemented strategies and strategy planning process. A feasibility report can be developed while planning the strategies. On the other hand, productivity metrics, efficiency metrics and goals metrics can be used to evaluate the performance of the strategy implemented by Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Conclusion By considering the above analysis, the management of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC must effectively use the strategy formulation theories in order to successfully implement the strategies. On the other hand, the executives of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC must be aware of the strategy planning activities to develop adequate strategies for improving the performance of the organisation. Additionally, the management need an effective strategy formulation plan to meet the future challenges and develop successful tactics to seek growth in the current market scenario. Furthermore, the executives must take care of the changing legal frameworks and enhance employee engagement to effectively manage the upcoming challenges. References Dent, E., Bozeman, P. (2014). Discovering the foundational philosophies, practices, and influences of modern management theory. Journal Of Management History, 20(2), 145-163. Baker, M. (2014).Marketing strategy and management(1st ed.). London: Palgrave. Banerjee, A. (2016). Modern Trends and Practices of E-Marketing: An Overview.IOSR Journal Of Business And Management,01(01), 16-21. Cartwright, H. (2010). Hikma Pharmaceuticals Reinforces its Global Portfolio with Purchase of Baxter Healthcares US Generic Injectables Business.Pharmadeals Review,2010(10). Cole, M., Elliott, R. (2007). Do Environmental Regulations Cost Jobs? An Industry-Level Analysis of the UK.The B.E. Journal Of Economic Analysis Policy,7(1). Duan, C. (2011). Mapping the intellectual structure of modern technology management.Technology Analysis Strategic Management,23(5), 583-600. Grant, R., Jordan, J. (2015).Foundations of strategy(2nd ed.). Hoboken: NJ: John Wiley Sons. Jain, S. (2011).Marketing planning strategy(1st ed.). Australia: South-Western College Pub. Jeffs, C. (2008).Strategy management(1st ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE. Kim, S., Min, S. (2015). Business Model Innovation Performance: When does Adding a New Business Model Benefit an Incumbent?.Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,9(1), 34-57. Koumparoulis, D. (2012). An Analysis of Modern Business Practises.Singaporean Journal Of Business , Economics And Management Studies,1(1), 51-66. Lee, R., Jose, P. (2008). Self-interest, self-restraint and corporate responsibility for nanotechnologies: Emerging dilemmas for modern managers.Technology Analysis Strategic Management,20(1), 113-125. Michael, J. (2013). Aligning Executive Training with Strategy: Promoting Strategic Change in a Turbulent Environment.Executive Development,6(1). Pehrsson, A. (2007). The Strategic States Model: strategies for business growth.Strategic Direction,23(4). Shankar, M. (2011). Strategic Environment.Strategic Analysis,5(5-6), 229-242. Shekem, D. (2013). Hikma Pharmaceuticals.Green Processing And Synthesis,2(2). Vision and Values. (2017).Hikma.com. Retrieved April 2017, from https://www.hikma.com/en/about-us/vision-and-values.html Zajas, J. (2013). Strategy Formulation: How Customer?responsive Is Your Firm?.Executive Development,6(5).