Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility:

The corporate World and the Governemnt is abuzz with Corporate Social Responsibility phrase and CSR its acronym.

At the Outset the corporate world must realize that Corporate Social Responsibility is about inclusive growth and not about charity.

The concept of all inclusive Growth has been well defined in Shanti mantra in our Kato Upanishad at least FOUR Millenniums back. The Mantra reads as:

“OM SAHANA VAVATU SAHANA BHUNATTU
SAHA VIRYAM KARAWAVAHAI
TEJASVINAVADITAMASTU
MA VIDVISHAVAHAI
OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI OM”
MEANS:
Together may we be protected
Together may we be nourished
Together may we work with great energy
May our journey together be brilliant and effective
May there be no bad feelings between us
Peace, peace, peace

Mr. JRD Tata the visionary and industrialist, much before CSR became a buzz word, observed “ In a free enterprise, the community is not just another stake holder in Business. But it s in fact the very purpose of its existence.



No truer words have been said about CSR, though much before this acronym gained coinage and became a popular jargon. Unlike several other acronyms and jargons parroted this has to be delivered with hard core fundamental work.



There is no particular definition of CSR. It has been defined by World Business Council for Sustainable Development a CEO led institution stated:-

“Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large"

Internationally CSR is the responsibility of the Corporate world towards its customer and several segments of the society, in India it would stand modified to principally cover the under privileged class of society as target beneficiary.

The Corporate World’s three considerations and in that order are Profit, People and Planet. Well Profit generation need not be elaborated upon. The third “P” i.e., Planet is covered under Pollution Control, Kyoto Protocol and several similar legal and quasi legal regulations. For the second and most important “P ” i.e., People there is no legal regulation. The CSR covers that second “P”.

Through Globalization the Corporate India has recorded a healthy 9.4% growth. Yet the Rural Bharat distinct from this Corporate India lives at or below subsistence level. Whereas Economic Capital has had a tremendous growth, the social capital is required to be nurtured through CSR.

The Vision 2020 of India becoming a super power by 2020 as perceived by our ex president Mr. Abdul Kalam is nearly impossible to achieve unless some hard core fundamental work is done amongst the under privileged class and they are brought into the mainstream and made productive and contributors to the GNP

India is a very large country with a mega population of 1.2 billion people. The Corporate world rarely has the infrastructure and professionalism to deliver quality and cost effective CSR projects.

There are several GENUIN NGO’s doing exemplary work in several fields. A marriage between these NGO’s and Corporate world could usher in a very different and vibrant India.

A 2001 survey showed that 80% of the Public believed that the ‘ The Public interest’ could be best served by NGO’s and only 67% believed the Corporate world could do so. Hence as per popular perception and common logic, delivery and execution by NGO’s and Corporate World’s participation in financing and supervision would be an ideal partnership.

The concept of sustained growth and vision 2020 could become a reality only trough this cohesive effort.

Urgent & important Paradigms

Having set objectives the firm now has to work to achieve them. The specific path of action chosen by the firm to achieve its objectives is referred to as its strategy. It is the fundamental means a firm uses to try and achieve its objectives. Any strategy, thus defined, has the following components:

i) A product / market scope: The specific products / services and markets in which a firm operates and which define its limits of activity.

ii) Growth factor: The changes the firm plans to make in its product / market scope for ensuring its future growth.

iii) Competitive advantage: Those specific properties of individual product/market that give the firm its unique position vis-à-vid its competitors.

iv) Distinctive competence: The specific organisational strengths of a firm which help in achieving its objectives.

v) Synergy: The overall or joint effects that are sought from the firm’s various product / market scopes.

Thus, strategy seeks to achieve the firm’s objectives in the context of a specific product/market scope with a future orientation based on its internal strengths and the unique market position that it enjoys.

As an illustration let us review the strategy of a medium-sized company involved in tour operations. In terms of product/market scope the company has restricted itself to marketing of cultural tour packages in the European tourist markets. In terms of future areas of growth, the company’s tours division is involved in designing adventure tour packages for the same market. The company has evolved a competitive advantage in terms of an excellent service not easily matched by any of its close competitors while conducting tours. Most of the key personnel in tour operations have been deployed in such a way that they contribute their maximum in various tours with high degree of autonomy and constitute the company’s distinctive competence. By seeking entry in the adventure tours, in future the company would be using its existing distribution network thus marketing synergy.



There are specific steps involved in the process of strategy formulation. These are:

i) External-Internal Analysis: This analysis helps identify the really meaningful opportunities and threats which can affect the firm in the light of its own strengths and weaknesses.

ii) Generate Strategy Alternative: The next step is to generate all the possible strategy alternatives which can fulfil the objectives. One way of generating and analysing strategy alternatives is presented in Figure I.
Market
Product

Current

New
Current

(a)

(c)
New

(b)

(d)

As per the above figure there are four strategies available here:

a) Current products in current markets: Strategies which help improve the firm’s position in this area should be the first concern of the firm before moving into new, unknown and often risky areas. All those strategies, which aim to increase brand share and increase brand share and increase profitability of existing operations, should be implemented.

b) New products in current markets: The firm is already incurring costs of marketing, distributing and sales operations. Adding on new products is thus a logical way of getting benefits of economy of scale and cutting overhead costs.

c) Current products in new markets: The firm’s experience in a specific market would come in handy when it wants to launch the same product in new markets. New markets may be defined in terms of geographical area or new customer segments.

d) New product for new markets: This is by far the most risky strategy alternative which a firm can choose and it involves high risk. Diversification is the strategy alternative.

iii) Evaluating the Strategy Alternatives: All the strategy alternatives identified (in step II) may lead to achievement of objectives but not all may be realistic or feasible. The firm has to evaluate them in the context of its own aspirations, internal strengths and weaknesses, and the environmental opportunities and threats, and short list all possible strategies for consideration.

iv) Choice of Strategy: The selection of one strategy that best satisfies the objectives of the firm out of the many alternatives considered.

Mission in Planning

The mission is the very reason and justification for the existence of a firm. Mission is always defined in terms of the benefits the firm provides to its customers and not in terms of any physical dimensions of the firm or its products.

A firm exists and functions only in relation to the customer whose need (s) it satisfies. For example if there were no guests to stay there would be no hotels or if there are no tourists there would be no tour operator or travel agency. Thus the starting point for defining the mission of any business is its customer. Since the customer exists outside the business, the mission must be defined from the outside. The firm must ask the questions like “What is our business?” and “What should it be?” However, the firm must seek-the answers to these questions from the customer's viewpoint.

The important thing is to identify the no-so-obvious, but the perceived benefit or value which the customer is actually seeking when buying the product. Correct identification of the real benefit or value to the customer will help the firm to answer the question “What is our business?”

A travel agency may view its business as merely selling air tickets, but the customers buying these may in reality be buying convenience, luxury travel, status or any other value they perceive in air travel.

Further, mission is always concerned with the future. “What should our business be?” The mission should be so described that it remains valid for at least some years to come. Sometimes the mission may be so intelligently described, anticipating future opportunities so well, that the concept may remain valid for even as long as 15 to 20 years. For example a tour operation firm may define its mission as “bringing the tourists dreams into reality.”

However long a mission may remain valid without any change, it must be noted that the concept of mission is dynamic and not static. It must change over time with changes occurring in the environment like changes in technology, social structure, tourism trends, tastes, fashion, etc. A firm which wants to grow and ensure its future must keep pace with these environmental changes and, if need be, accordingly changes its definition of business. But the critical factor which the firm must remember is that its future is determined by the way it defined its business today. There can be many descriptions of the business mission and there is no one right or correct answers. The firm has to make a choice as to how it wants to define what is its business. Making a choice is never easy. It involves examining and evaluating the various alternatives available and finally choosing one which is consistent with top management's perception about the benefits they are providing to the customers today and their aspirations for the future. Thus, the mission has to seek a balance between the present and the future, and avoid being defined too narrowly or too broadly.

Too narrow a definition will prevent a firm from availing many new and profitable opportunities that may come its may. For example a firm involved in distributing films for cinema theatres had defined its business as “seeking to fulfil the entertainment needs of customers through distributing films to theatres for exhibiting to actual customer”. With the increasing popularity of videos and the subsequent decrease in earnings from theatres this firm was soon faced with prospect of dwindling business. On the other hand, if the firm had defined its business as “fulfilling the entertainment needs through distributing means of audio-cum-visual entertainment”, it could have undertaken the distribution of video films along with firms and continued to grow. In this example, the key words are ‘entertainment', the specific need of the customers that the firm is seeking to fulfil, and ‘audio-cum-visual', describing the type of entertainment.

Suppose this same firm had, instead, defined its business as “distributing means of entertainment”. What would they become? The field which the firm had identified is far too broad to be meaningfully able to concentrate on any workable opportunity. Consider that books, magazines, records, music cassettes also constitute means of entertainment. For many people both indoor and outdoor games are a way of entertainment. Should this firm then include hockey sticks, badminton rackets footballs, and chess boards also?

The scope of a firm's business flows from its definition of mission but is described in more specific rather than generic terms. Scope refers to the choice of the specific products/services and markets in which a firm wishes to operate. The definition of product/market scope has a direct bearing on the subsequent decisions regarding choice of objectives and strategy.

A shipping company may describe its mission as fulfilling the transportation needs of its customers. It may, if it so chooses, further qualify the scope by defining whether the transportation is meant for goods (cargo) or for passengers or both.

Steps for Sub-Contracting

Like to share with you my Subcontracting Steps:



1. Define all the materials in your plant (subcontracting and packaging etc).


2. In the material master MRP 4 view there is one field in which you can mention that this material is not relevant to MRP planning, use this field for subcontracting material so that it will not be planned in MRP runs ( generally use this field for re-order point planning).


3. In the BOM for the subcontracting material put the special procurement key as Subcontracting and do not keep relevance for costing.


4. If you're using packaging material of your company and want to capture the cost of these materials in the subcontracting production order then put relevance for cost.


5. Define alternate BOMs for each customer.


6. Generally the routing will be the same but materials will change, define different prodcution versions for each alternate BOM and assign to the routing.


7. Define the activite types for packing and mixing in the work center and assign them to the cost center, use these for your routing.


8. Whenever you recive a sub-contracting order, use the relevant production version depending on the customer.



In my place all the palnts belong to the same client in sap and they want to use the same material code in both plants, so I think my subcontracting scenario might be different from yours but it give you some ideas to go about it.




Note:

To Define Subcontracting Cost Center : Goto - ca02 - double click operation number. It is at the section call External Processing. (Subcontracting will be tick).









Howzitttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







Howzitttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Increase the bid on your site's income

ABSENTEEISM - How to Present/Steps to take

Preventing

You can use these training materials to help teach your supervisors:

 What you can do to prevent absenteeism-related problems:

Adopting a systematic approach.
Creating and coordinating project team.
Administering clear tasks and responsibilities.
Ensuring the support of senior and line management.
Involving employees actively.
Involving the personnel department, company medical service or external guidance.



Steps to take when dealing with absenteeism

Initial Warning
Written Warning
Suspension
Discharge

Verbal Warning
Meet with the employee face to face and talk to them about the problem. Advise the employee that his/her attendance record must improve and be maintained at an improved level. Then let them know that further disciplinary action will be the result. Offer any counselling or guidance that an employee may need only to certain circumstances. Give further verbal warnings as required. Do checks on the employees attendance and make note of noticeable changes. If absenteeism continues then proceed to a written warning.

Written Warning
Meet with the employee again. Show the employee the record that you have been keeping track of, that there has been no noticeable (or sufficient) improvement. Give the employee a chance to give their reason for the lack of improvement. If you do not like the reasoning then issue a written warning. Insure the employee is aware of why this warning was given. Then have to copies made, one will go to the employee and the other will go into the employees files. If warnings are not good enough then you may proceed to suspension.

Suspension (only after consulting with the appropriate supervisors)
If the absenteeism persists, after the next interview period and immediately following an absence, the employee should be interviewed and advised that he/she is to be suspended. The length of the suspension will depend on how server the problem has become and the explanation of the employee. the final step which should only be the resort is dismissal.

Dismissal (only after consulting with the appropriate supervisors)
Dismissals should only be considered when all of the above steps and procedures have been met. The employee, upon displaying no satisfactory improvement, would be dismissed on the grounds of his/her unwillingness to correct his/her absence record.

Cost of Absenteeism

Cost to the Employer



Administrative costs associated with rescheduling staff or hiring staff.

Payroll costs for temporary staff.

Training costs associated with introducing temporary staff to the organisation.

Reduced productivity - managers may have to shut down departments or reduce operations to compensate for a reduction in staffing levels.

Overtime may have to be scheduled to fill positions left by absent staff.

Added cost of training supervisors in the cost of absenteeism.

Many organization average the total number of absent days and schedule extra staff to cover - overstaffing to compensate for the lost productivity.

Insurance claims and legal fees associated with absent employees as a result of an accident at work.

Cost of time - how much does it cost the company every time an employee is away from their desk due to dentist / doctor appointments.

Costs associated with statutory sick pay and the increasing administrative work faced by payroll drive up costs.

The Causes of Absenteeism

The causes of absenteeism may include:

serious accidents and illness
low morale
poor working conditions
boredom on the job
lack of job satisfaction
inadequate leadership and poor supervision
personal problems (financial, marital, substance abuse, child care etc.)
poor physical fitness
transportation problems
the existence of income protection plans (collective agreement )
benefits which continue income during periods of illness or accident.)
stress
workload
employee discontent with the work environment

Most if not all of these causes can be prevented by taking a positive approach to things. By showing the employees that you care, you can help lower absenteeism in the work place.

Absenteeism

Absenteeism can be defined as a constant absence from work. It can lead to suspension from work or termination depending on the circumstances. Managers try to fight absenteeism through disciplinary measures.











Stats about Absenteeism

According to the labour force survey, absenteeism has risen extensively in the past years. It was estimated that 700,000 of full time employees, which is about 7% of the total market, were absent for any given week. The absence of these employees was due to illness, disabilities or family obligations. On average about 8.5 days were lost to absenteeism. In the past years it was only 7 days.

How To Develop Great Conversation Skills

Are you searching for ways to improve your conversation skills? Exceptional conversation skills can be learned andin this article we explore ways to improve conversation skills.While engaging in conversations with friends and co-workers, how often do you feel that the other person has truly heard what you've said? If not, you need to develop your conversation skills.If you want to succeed in social settings, relationships, and business, one way to ensure your success is to be a great listener and to master conversation skills.There are a few simple rules you can follow to help you become a better listener, therefore enhancing your conversation skills.1. Stop talking.It sounds very simplistic but if you are constantly talking, how can others express themselves? Make an effort to shift the focus of the conversation to the other person.There is more to conversation skills than talking...Be aware of your own body language. Match the other person's body language by leaning forward when they lean forward, etc.Attention to small details will give the person you are speaking with a feeling that you truly hear what they are saying and that you are genuinely interested in their opinions. This is a secret of good conversation skills.2. Pay attention to the tone of your voice.Even if you are only giving brief answers or asking short questions, the tone of your voice plays a major part in communicating effectively and displaying good conversationskills.If your tone suggests a condescending attitude, boredom, or anger, you will lose your audience and people will no longer want to spend time speaking with you or listening to what you have to say.Superior conversation skills are based on mutual respect.A respectful, preferably friendly tone will allow you to communicate efficiently and earn you the respect of others.3. In order to move the conversation forward, ask questions to clarify or invite additional information. Questions indicate that you are fully attentive to what is being said and that you have a real interest in the speaker's views.Give your full attention to the speaker. When you show others that you want to hear them, they will automatically grant you the same courtesy. Do this and your conversation skills will improve.4. Engage in light, pleasant conversation as often as you engage in meaningful, direct conversation.If you always guide the conversation in the direction of achieving your goal, you will leave the impression of distance and a superior attitude. This is not a hallmark of great conversation skills.People want to feel appreciated and unique. Make a point to address each person you encounter and do so in a positive, friendly manner. Conversation skills include treating others as you would like to be treated.Good conversation skills include much more than simply speaking with others. Listening, good body language, questioning, pleasantries, and mutual respect are important elements in any conversation and are also personality traits exhibited by successful people.
Want more on conversation skills? Get my $27 value report - free, 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence, apply today because it reveals conversation skills tips and is only available free for a limited time.Just type-in your First Name and Primary Email where shown below and then click the "Click Here Now For Free Report" button you see below and the report onconversation skills will be emailed to you rightaway.

How To Start A Good Conversation

Good conversation is an important skill in almost everysituation. Whether it's on the job, with spouse orchildren, in a social setting or everyday life, goodconversation is important.It's the way we communicate with others and often is thenthe way we are seen or perceived by others. Good conversation is based on a sensitivity to others. Good conversation therefore is a learnable skill once you pay more attention to others.Developing good conversation skills will allow you to feel more at ease when conversing with others and will help you say what you really want to convey.1. Think about your tone, for good conversation it should be pleasing, not too loud or too soft.If you are talking too loudly you might be considered anunpleasant conversationalist and who will want to talk toyou? Good conversation requires you to be agreeable.If you are speaking too softly and people have to strain tohear you, they might get tired of trying to listen. This will of course prevent a good conversation developing.2. Think about some things you might need or want to saybefore you are at that job interview or party if you want toensure a good conversation.It will be helpful to think this through and even practiceout loud. You will come across as being confident andintelligent. You can almost guarantee good conversationby preparing thoroughly in advance of the event.3. Don't feel you need to dominate in order to have a good conversation.Even if you are quite charming it won't be long beforeothers are weary of hearing the same voice. Good conversation does not mean taking over the conversation!Keep this in mind and it will be easier to have a good conversation4. How will you handle unpleasant conversations?Remember not conversations start off looking like a potential good conversation. What will you do if you are criticized or if someonedisagrees with you? Think of ways to face thesesituations before they happen.To have a good conversation you need to be flexible andbe ready to handle difficulties that crop up. The art of having good conversation does not mean everything goes smoothly at all times.If you can remain calm and fairly pleasant during the toughtalks you will improve and acquire good conversation skills. Youwill also earn a reputation as someone who can easily be talkedto.5. Think of your last embarrassing conversation, one that was theopposite of a good conversation.How did you do? Could there be improvement? If the answeris "yes" begin by figuring out why the conversationwas embarrassing. This will help you to develop good conversation skills.Let's say someone asked you when you are planning to havechildren. Even though this may not be anyone's business howdo you want to respond?You do have choices. You can be funny, charming, rude orelusive. Again, plan ahead for some of these questions anddecide how you want to react.As you learn how to start a good conversation and find themmore of the time you can have good conversation your confidencewill soar and you will get better and better.6. One of the most important parts of good conversation islistening. It's a gift and a skill, one that you candevelop if it doesn't come easily for you. Good conversationis impossible without good listening skills.Don't forget to listen because it is essential for good conversation skills! Neglect this key skill and it will bevirtually impossible to have a good conversation.Good conversation is a learnable skill so keep at it andyou will improve. The only way to fail is to expect good conversation to happen without any work on your part.
Want more good conversation starters and tips?Get my $27 value report - free, 10 Simple Steps toDeveloping Communication Confidence, apply today because it reveals good conversation tips and is only available free for a limited time.Just type-in your First Name and Primary Email where shown below and then click the "Click Here Now For Free Report" button you see below and the report will be emailed to you right away.

Managing Poor Performance Checklist

Nothing can be more frustrating than dealing with a poor performer. This checklist was designed to help you do a better job of improving performance, while eliminating unnecessary drama in the process. Remember to come from the highest place possible. How would you like to be treated? Even better, how would you like a loved one to be treated? How would somebody you greatly admire, or put your faith in, handle the situation? How can you manage this situation in a way that would make you proud? You are responsible to other adults, not for other adults. The ultimate responsibility of management is to place people in a position where they can succeed. Whether they chose to do so is a decision for them to bear responsibility for. People usually succeed when they are doing things they can do well, like doing well and have the experience doing well. Dr. Deming (the father of Total Quality Management) stated that one of the biggest problems management faces is that it tends to recycle ignorance. Are you clear about the directives for your position/department/team? Are the instructions and expectations provided to employees well communicated? Or, have you assumed they know what their job is and that they would do it just like you? Is the job reduced to a Standard Operating Procedure? (SOP) Is the system in writing and continually improved? Are there standard benchmarks for performance? (i.e. you are expected to clean 3 rooms spotless per hour). Have priorities been defined? (i.e. if time is short we would rather have one room done well than 3 rooms done sloppy). Have activities been scheduled? Is time being managed well? When an employee does something stupid, or that feels “unfair,” watch your emotional override! Take a deep breath, say “Wow, that was interesting!” and keep your emotions out of it. If necessary, go for a walk and come back. Do not make a bad situation worse! Deal with it now. Ignoring, burying, or denying poor performance will never make it go away. It only enables continued poor performance until it becomes cancerous. Watch your physical state. Ask, “Where would you like to talk about…” Mirror their physiology and gradually bring it to a positive posture. Acknowledge your fears: i.e., inadequate instruction, confrontation, sabotage, villainization, no support from above, the union, not being seen as a “good person”, and so on. Is the fear real? Isn’t the risk of doing nothing even greater? Acknowledge their fears: economic survival, professional reputation, lack of direction, loss of belonging, retaliation, and so on. Is the fear real? Isn’t the risk of continued non-performance even greater? Don’t get caught in emotional gamesmanship. Resist the temptation to play victim, villain or hero roles. Stay on “your side of the line” in the conversation. Focus on the conduct, not the person. Keep “You” out of the conversation. (i.e., “I noticed it is 20 after 9” vs. “You are late again!”) Break the problem down. Is the non-performance the results of the person’s skill, desire or experience? Are they being asked to do too much? Has the job passed them by? If it is skills or experience, will training or mentoring help? Do they need better orientation or instruction? Do you need to hire and promote better? Are valuable skills being ignored or undervalued? If skills or experience is not the problem have they lost their desire? If so, have you demotivated them? Has somebody or something else done so? What “feels unfair” to them? Is it justified? Don’t play psychologist or lawyer. Unless of course you are one. If you suspect there may be a disability affecting performance or third party interference (harassment, discrimination, sabotage), be quick to involve HR. Verbal Warning. “I noticed…” Then document specifically. You can speak of how you or others have effectively addressed the issue of concern. (i.e. “I once had a challenge with daycare too. I knew that if I came in late one more time I would be fired. Here is what I did.”). Written Warning. Again, document specifically. Most importantly, get them to “own” their problems and keep those monkeys off your back! Consider use of the Employee Correction Form. Create the Action Plan. First focus on the effort and then the results. Coax, encourage and inspire them to stellar performance. Once they have enough confidence as a result of their efforts, then you can discuss results. If they leave would you be relieved or upset? If you would be relieved and they are still there…why? Can’t replace them, poor documentation, you don’t care anymore, don’t want to be turned into a bad person? What is the added damaged to you, the organization, and to the employee if you keep them on? If you would be upset, consider suspension, transfer, demotion and other alternatives. Get a second opinion. Nothing is wrong with getting your “head checked.” Perhaps someone has a higher thought or a concern you failed to consider. Terminate with dignity. Mid-week is generally preferred. Keep it private and have somebody join you if necessary. Shouldn’t be much to talk about so don’t go for an employees attempt at a “last chance.” Give yourself a break! Nobody said this isn’t stressful. If necessary, give yourself an hour to take a pleasant walk or to catch up with a business contact. When you are ready, examine what you could have differently or better in managing this employee to avoid similar failures in the future.

Managing Poor Performance Checklist

Nothing can be more frustrating than dealing with a poor performer. This checklist was designed to help you do a better job of improving performance, while eliminating unnecessary drama in the process. Remember to come from the highest place possible. How would you like to be treated? Even better, how would you like a loved one to be treated? How would somebody you greatly admire, or put your faith in, handle the situation? How can you manage this situation in a way that would make you proud? You are responsible to other adults, not for other adults. The ultimate responsibility of management is to place people in a position where they can succeed. Whether they chose to do so is a decision for them to bear responsibility for. People usually succeed when they are doing things they can do well, like doing well and have the experience doing well. Dr. Deming (the father of Total Quality Management) stated that one of the biggest problems management faces is that it tends to recycle ignorance. Are you clear about the directives for your position/department/team? Are the instructions and expectations provided to employees well communicated? Or, have you assumed they know what their job is and that they would do it just like you? Is the job reduced to a Standard Operating Procedure? (SOP) Is the system in writing and continually improved? Are there standard benchmarks for performance? (i.e. you are expected to clean 3 rooms spotless per hour). Have priorities been defined? (i.e. if time is short we would rather have one room done well than 3 rooms done sloppy). Have activities been scheduled? Is time being managed well? When an employee does something stupid, or that feels “unfair,” watch your emotional override! Take a deep breath, say “Wow, that was interesting!” and keep your emotions out of it. If necessary, go for a walk and come back. Do not make a bad situation worse! Deal with it now. Ignoring, burying, or denying poor performance will never make it go away. It only enables continued poor performance until it becomes cancerous. Watch your physical state. Ask, “Where would you like to talk about…” Mirror their physiology and gradually bring it to a positive posture. Acknowledge your fears: i.e., inadequate instruction, confrontation, sabotage, villainization, no support from above, the union, not being seen as a “good person”, and so on. Is the fear real? Isn’t the risk of doing nothing even greater? Acknowledge their fears: economic survival, professional reputation, lack of direction, loss of belonging, retaliation, and so on. Is the fear real? Isn’t the risk of continued non-performance even greater? Don’t get caught in emotional gamesmanship. Resist the temptation to play victim, villain or hero roles. Stay on “your side of the line” in the conversation. Focus on the conduct, not the person. Keep “You” out of the conversation. (i.e., “I noticed it is 20 after 9” vs. “You are late again!”) Break the problem down. Is the non-performance the results of the person’s skill, desire or experience? Are they being asked to do too much? Has the job passed them by? If it is skills or experience, will training or mentoring help? Do they need better orientation or instruction? Do you need to hire and promote better? Are valuable skills being ignored or undervalued? If skills or experience is not the problem have they lost their desire? If so, have you demotivated them? Has somebody or something else done so? What “feels unfair” to them? Is it justified? Don’t play psychologist or lawyer. Unless of course you are one. If you suspect there may be a disability affecting performance or third party interference (harassment, discrimination, sabotage), be quick to involve HR. Verbal Warning. “I noticed…” Then document specifically. You can speak of how you or others have effectively addressed the issue of concern. (i.e. “I once had a challenge with daycare too. I knew that if I came in late one more time I would be fired. Here is what I did.”). Written Warning. Again, document specifically. Most importantly, get them to “own” their problems and keep those monkeys off your back! Consider use of the Employee Correction Form. Create the Action Plan. First focus on the effort and then the results. Coax, encourage and inspire them to stellar performance. Once they have enough confidence as a result of their efforts, then you can discuss results. If they leave would you be relieved or upset? If you would be relieved and they are still there…why? Can’t replace them, poor documentation, you don’t care anymore, don’t want to be turned into a bad person? What is the added damaged to you, the organization, and to the employee if you keep them on? If you would be upset, consider suspension, transfer, demotion and other alternatives. Get a second opinion. Nothing is wrong with getting your “head checked.” Perhaps someone has a higher thought or a concern you failed to consider. Terminate with dignity. Mid-week is generally preferred. Keep it private and have somebody join you if necessary. Shouldn’t be much to talk about so don’t go for an employees attempt at a “last chance.” Give yourself a break! Nobody said this isn’t stressful. If necessary, give yourself an hour to take a pleasant walk or to catch up with a business contact. When you are ready, examine what you could have differently or better in managing this employee to avoid similar failures in the future.

Business Schools: Trouble in Paradise?

Business Schools: Trouble in Paradise? Things have never been better for business schools. College graduates in every country in the world vie for admissions to business schools, after, in many cases, spending months training for the tough entrance exams. Business Schools everywhere have the luxury of picking and choosing among the many who apply. In the United States, at the top business schools, only a small proportion of the applicants are admitted. In India, the choosiness is even more, with the IIMs admitting less than 1% of the nearly 200,000 who take the admission tests. The picture gets even rosier at graduation time with employers scrambling for a chance to make their pitch to students. Starting salaries for MBAs from the top business schools in every country beat that of any other profession by miles and have been in an ever increasing spiral for the last few years. At the IIMs, during the last few years the placement “season” lasts less than a week during which the entire graduating class is snapped up. At the top international business schools like the Harvard Business School and INSEAD in Europe, the feeding frenzy is as much. Why then, has there been a spate of articles in recent times from respected business school professors with titles like “How Business Schools Lost their Way”, and “The End of Business Schools” and “Can American Business Schools Survive?” What trouble do these savants see in the future while the rest of the world continues besotted with an MBA degree? To start with, when lists are drawn up of business leaders who really made a difference, people like Bill Gates of Microsoft or Dhirubhai Ambani closer home, MBAs don’t figure in them. More embarrassing, many (as in these two cases) do not even have a college degree let alone an MBA. When studies are done about the career progression after a few years of work, MBAs do not seem to have made significantly more progress than Non-MBAs. An internal study done by the prestigious US management consulting firm, Monitor, found that “people hired from high-end business schools were no better at integrative thinking than undergraduates …hired from the top-notch liberal arts programs.” Some would-be reformers of the MBA programs, like Jeffrey Pfeffer of the Stanford Business School, believe that much of what business schools teach: analytical tools like statistics and basic disciplines like economics and sociology are readily learned and imitated by any intelligent person. On the other hand, things like communication ability, interpersonal skills, leadership and, most importantly, “wisdom”, the ability to weave together and make use of different kinds of knowledge, are less easily taught. Paradoxically, these are the very skills that lie at the heart of a leadership role in management. Others like Warren Bennis and James OToole, (their article in the Harvard Business Review, “How Business Schools Lost their Way” is much quoted in this debate), say that there is actually a crisis in management education and trace this to business schools attempting to adopt a “scientific model.” This model attempts to treat management education as if it was something like physics or chemistry or biology whereas it is, in their view, more a “profession” like medicine or law. They see this distinction between an academic discipline and a profession as the central issue. Why have business schools adopted the scientific model of physicists and economists rather than the professional model of doctors and lawyers? They believe this arises from business schools attempting to gain scientific respectability and avoid the stigma of a vocational training centre. The scientific model, says Bennis, “advances the careers and satisfies the egos of the professoriate.” Business Schools have always had this conflict: is it their role to impart ‘training’ or is it to impart ‘education’? This is not a trivial distinction. Training is aimed at equipping students with a set of tools that they can immediately apply in their very first job. For example, teaching students to do a discounted cash flow analysis, that trusty tool of financial analysts, would is “training”. “Education”, on the other hand, is supposed to be longer lasting. For example, understanding the nuances of the difference between the law of diminishing returns and the law of increasing returns and more importantly how these two different theories came about may not do much for a student in his first job but would perhaps equip him with a lifelong ability to understand the drivers of business success and failure. The result of all this debate is a worldwide attempt to reform Business School curricula. One direction of this reform is to infuse more humanities in to the curriculum. James March of Stanford, is supposed to have taught his famous Behavioral Sciences course using novels like “War and Peace” as his textbook. There is more to learn about human behavior in these classical novels, he believed, than in articles in business journals. “Business schools”, says Bennis, “need a diverse faculty populated with professors who, collectively, hold a variety of skills and interests that cover territory as broad and as deep as business itself.” If paradise has to be regained in this age of specialization, is a broad-based humanities oriented curriculum the answer for business schools?

BUTTERFLIES IN STOMACH

A personal interview precedes a job whether the incumbent is being interviewed for entry level or for a CEO position. How experienced one may be in his career still there will be some nervousness on the part of the candidates appearing for interview. This we nickname it as “Butterflies in the stomach‿. In this article we are trying to give a few suggestions as to how one should mentally get prepared for the interview so that in addition to the subject knowledge and experience the body language and poise look positive to the panel of interviewers. An interview must be treated just as a conversation between you and the interviewers where you simply narrate sequentially about your work in such a way that you are able to sell yourself for the job. Be determined to enjoy the interview conversation thoroughly and make it an enriching experience. You can enjoy because there is nothing to lose if you do not get the job for the simple reason that you are already having a job or if it is your first job then this experience will make you more confident for another interview. Certainly you will be able to grab the job in a couple of next interviews. If you are well-prepared, you can use a personal interview to your advantage. A personal interview with the recruiter is a chance for you to sell your skills. If you drive the conversation in the direction you want, you will emerge as a winner. We are giving here a few points which can help candidates in appearing for interviews: When appearing for an interview, there are four main areas that you need to pay attention to Personal details, Academic details, Current affairs and ‘What you say’. Another aspect is maintaining posture during an interview which adds to your personality. Being a little conscious on the way you move and communicate helps in the interview. Listen carefully to the questions if not understood properly then do not stop the interviewer mid-way. Let him/her complete the sentence and then if you still have doubts ask him to clarify. Take a pause before answering and answer clearly and properly audible to the concerned. Do not sound too high nor too low. If you do not have an answer for a particular question, be honest and say that you do not know the answer. Interviewers respect honesty and integrity. Talking too much is not advisable because such candidates are disliked and misjudged instantly, so keep it short. Demonstrate enthusiasm but make sure you do not cross the limits. Do not be over confident about achievements. Interviewers misinterpret them as arrogance in your character. Look into the interviewers’ eyes and talk. It exemplifies confidence and honesty. If questions are being asked in English, reply in English only. Do not use other languages. Ask questions if required to the interviewer panel. Interviewers appreciate such enthusiasm but avoid getting into an argument with interviewer. Candidates with pleasant appearance hold interviewer’s interest. Speak in your natural accent. Do not put on an accent for an interview. Ending the interview >>> Before leaving the room, make sure you thank each of the interviewers for the time they have spared to listen to you and do not forget to collect your pen/pencil or any other stationery that you have kept on the table at the time of leaving. The last one place the chair in the original position before moving out.

REFERRALS IN RECRUITMENT

When recruitment is outsourced a single, entry level hire costs a minimum of Rs. 20,000, while this can go over Rs. 50,000 in those with 1-3 years’ experience and even a couple lakhs of rupees in case of senior-level recruits. When the same hiring is routed through employee referrals, the cost comes down by 80%. That’s where referrals – getting employees to recommend their friends—make great financial sense to enterprises.
With the cost of hiring starting to burn deep holes in their pockets, Indian tech corporates are betting high on the ‘Bring your Buddy’ policy.
Indian companies started looking at employee referrals from the end 2001. However, no one was really active till recently. On an average employee referrals account for over 40% of India’s IT hiring and it’s likely to cross 60% in the next couple of years.
Many companies have already put a 40% bar on outsourced hiring, and are busy dishing out attractive bonuses and cash incentives for employees to encourage referrals. Bringing buddies to work fetch employees between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000 depending on the position, profile and package, of the recruit.
SAP Labs India hired 60% of its 3,000 fresh recruits through referrals as against 30% the previous year. Cisco hires 55% to 60% of employees through referrals in India. Employees are the best means to attract new talent because they understand the culture and psyche of the organization.
HR-global head of TCS says the number of those hired through the employee referral channel has increased in the last two years by almost 175% in the company and expect this to increase further by 50% this year despite a higher recruitment base.
Employee referrals account for around 40% of lateral hiring in Infosys. It’s quality and cost-effective way of hiring said the VP & Head of HR Infosys Technologies.
Referrals reduce costs by over 60% and brought in around 2,000 of Patni’s recruits, of the total recruitment of 4,400.
Wipro Technologies, said employee referrals are also an effective tool to stem the tide of attrition. When friends work together, they are seen to be less likely to leave a company soon. Referrals help culture adaptation and tech familiarity

Training

Overview • When and why is training necessary? • How should a training program be conducted? • How are training needs determined? • What goes into the design of an effective training program? • What are some of the commonly used training methods? • How can we determine whether training has been effective? Employee Training Why? • Provide knowledge and skills required to perform effectively. When? • New hires (to complement selection) • Change of jobs (e.g., transfer, promotion) • Change to jobs (e.g., new technology; realignment) • Performance deficiencies detected Employee Development Why? • Prepare employees for future positions • Upgrade general skills for personal growth When? • Internal promotion policy • QWL programs • Team building • Developing/changing organizational culture The Training Process Step 1 Conduct training needs analyses Step 3 Review available training methods Step 2 Develop training objectives Step 4 Design/select training methods Step 5 Design training evaluation approach Step 7 measure training results Step 6 Implement training program Needs Analysis Levels of Analysis 1. Organizational Analysis 􀂾 Identification of short- and long-term goals 􀂾 Identification of human resource needs 􀂾 Evaluation of methods of meeting HR needs (e.g., selection, training) 􀂾 Assessment of resource availability 􀂾 Evaluation of support for transfer of training Needs Analysis Levels of Analysis 2. Task (Job) Analysis 􀂾 Identification of: tasks standards optimal procedures Needs Analysis Levels of Analysis 3. Person Analysis 􀂾 Evaluation of individual against standards 􀂾 Identification of deficiencies 􀂾 Identification of causes (e.g., motivation vs. ability) Needs Analysis Levels of Analysis 4. Demographic Analysis 􀂾 Assess the specific training needs of various demographic groups (e.g., the disabled, or those protected by civil rights legislation). Other Common Reasons for Training • Poor performance (without analysis) “They’re not performing, therefore they must need training” • Fad “Everyone else is doing it” • Reward “They deserve it” • Habit “We’ve always done it. Besides, we have a budget for it” Types of Training Programs On-Site Training • On-the-job training • Apprentice training • Coaching/mentoring • Job rotation • On-line help (as needed) Types of Training Programs Off-Site Training • Lectures/seminars • Multi-media presentations • Programmed/Computer-assisted instruction • Simulation • Cases studies/management games • Role-playing • Behaviour modelling Selection and Development of Training Methods Factors to Consider 1. Purpose (based on needs analysis) Common objectives include 􀂾 Information acquisition 􀂾 Skills development (e.g., motor, interpersonal, problem solving, decision-making) Selection and Development of Training Methods 2. Principles of Learning i. Motivation to learn 􀂃 Relevance and meaningfulness 􀂃 Adequate preparation & self-efficacy 􀂃 Choice/participation (e.g., time, content) 􀂃 Clear goals 􀂃 Reinforcement ii. Feedback iii. Opportunity to practice Factors to Consider Selection and Development of Training Methods 3. Transfer of Training Facilitated by: 􀂾 Similarity of setting and task 􀂾 Overlearning 􀂾 Teaching of general principles 􀂾 Reinforcement of transfer Factors to Consider Selection and Development of Training Methods 4. Individual Differences Should accommodate differences in: 􀂾 Readiness to learn 􀂾 Motivation to learn 􀂾 Preferred learning style Factors to Consider Selection and Development of Training Methods 5. Trainer Qualifications Trainers should: 􀂾 Have knowledge of the organization 􀂾 Be knowledgeable about content 􀂾 Be motivated to train 􀂾 Understand principles of learning 6. Cost Factors to Consider Evaluation of Training Criteria (based on Kirkpatrick, 1976) • Reaction 􀂾 Did employees like the training, think it was useful, feel more confident in their abilities? • Learning 􀂾 Did employees learn anything new? • Behavioural 􀂾 Do trainees behave any differently back on the job? • Results 􀂾 Did the training have the desired outcome? Designing an Evaluation Study Issues to Consider 1. Internal Validity 􀂾 accuracy of inference concerning effect of training 2. External Validity 􀂾 accuracy of inference regarding generalizability 3. Construct Validity 􀂾 accuracy of inference about why the training worked Research Designs Pre-experimental Designs • One-group Posttest Only Design T X • One-group Pre-test / Post-test Design X T X Key X = measure T = training R = random assignment Threats to Internal Validity Threats controlled by Random Assignment • History • Maturation • Selection • Testing • Instrumentation • Attrition (Mortality) • Statistical Regression Research Designs Experimental Designs • Pre-test / Post-test Control Group Design R X T X R X X • Pre-test Only Control Group Design R T X R X Key X = measure T = training R = random assignment Research Designs Experimental Designs • Solomon Four-Group Design R X T X R X X R T X R X Key X = measure T = training R = random assignment Threats to Internal Validity Threats not controlled by Random Assignment • Local history • Diffusion or imitation of treatment • Compensatory equalization of treatment • Compensatory rivalry • Resentful demoralization Research Designs Quasi-experimental Designs • Pre-test / Post-test Nonequivalent Groups Design X T X X X • Alternate Treatments Design X T X X X X T X Key X = measure T = training R = random assignment Research Designs Quasi-experimental Designs • Time-series Design X X X X T X X X X Key X = measure T = training R = random assignment Time Outcome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x x x x training occurs x x x x Threats to External Validity Examples • Interaction of testing and treatment • Interaction of setting and treatment • Interaction of history and treatment • etc. Threats to Construct Validity Examples: • Placebo effect • Hawthorne effect • Pygmalion effect Evaluation of Training: An Example Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of behaviour modelling as a training technique Source: Latham & Saari (1979) Evaluation of Training: An Example Focus of Training: • Orienting new employees • Giving recognition • Motivating poor performers • Correcting poor habits • Discussing potential disciplinary action • Reducing absenteeism • Handling a complaining employee • Reducing turnover • Overcoming resistance to change Evaluation of Training: An Example Length of Training: 2 hrs/wk for 9 weeks Training Procedure: • Initial instructions (learning points) • Videotape of model • Role-playing • Feedback • Monitoring and reinforcement Evaluation of Training: An Example Research Design: • Participants were male first-line supervisors • Randomly divided into two groups 􀂾 Experimental (training) 􀂾 Control (waiting list) Evaluation of Training: An Example Dependent Measures and Results: • Reactions - Survey of attitudes immediately following training & 6 months later - Ratings were found to be uniformly high • Learning - Multiple choice test administered 6 months after training - Exp’t > Control • Behaviour - Role playing 3 months after training - Exp’t > Control • Results - Performance appraisal (standard and BOS) - Pre-training: Exp’t = Control - Post-training: Exp’t > Control

How Do We Curb Sexual Harassment Against Men?

How Do We Curb Sexual Harassment Against Men? [Workforce Management October 04, 2007] Q: I can't find anything on sexual harassment against men. I am the only male in my office and have had to listen to male bashing, slander and other forms of harassment that make me uncomfortable. The boss doesn't want to hear about it but in fact tends to take the women's side. My HR director is also a woman and won't even give me a chance to discuss. Would you give me insight on how to handle this situation? - Anonymous, services, California A: The times, they are a-changin'. It wasn't that long ago that women suffering in the "old boys' network" had limited recourse to pursue claims of harassment and hostile work environment. However, during the transition to today's zero-tolerance environment, it hasn't been easy for men who suffer from the same kind of abuse that women endured for so long. Research indicates that nearly 20 percent of claims of harassment or hostile work environments are made by men, alleging harassment from both men and women. As women take on more powerful roles in organizations, and as gender and sexual preference based discrimination lessens, "male bashing" is more prevalent. But cultural taboos often inhibit men from taking action, fearing they will be negatively labeled and bring even more trouble on themselves. So, what's a man to do? Before taking action, it is important to know that the law is on the side of the harassed. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is indeed filing suits against organizations on behalf of men who allege harassment and have not been able to find relief within their organizations. It's also important to know whether the organization's policies and standards will help. It's often better to resolve the issue internally before resorting to legal action. Many organizations still have slim codes of conduct that don't address harassment or respect. They also may not have detailed policies outlining expected behavior. However, if the organization's code of conduct addresses respect issues broadly, these may influence how a victimized person responds. People who feel victimized also must make pragmatic assessments of the downside risks of raising the issue. Taking action will certainly create new tensions in the workplace. It's hard to say whether the end result will be vindication, or a hard-fought victory that makes it intolerable to continue working for this company (which may in fact be a good thing). You say you are unable to broach this topic with either your boss or HR director. So what's the next step? You can escalate the issue. There are a couple options, each not necessarily mutually exclusive of the other. Nor is one option necessarily better than the other. The first choice might be to go up the chain as far as it takes. If the HR director isn't taking action, go to the CEO. Harassment isn't a matter of whining or complaining. It affects not only the productivity of the harassed individual, but also create a cloud that hovers above the whole organization. Left unresolved, it can bleed over and affect customers and the public. Senior leaders need to be aware of the business risks of failing to take action. State your case in a clam, professional manner. Obviously, this is a very serious issue with the potential for an adverse impact on your company's culture. The issue should be brought to the attention of the highest level of management in the organization. If going up the chain fails to resolve the issue, it may be time to take action that will compel an investigation. If the company is public, it is likely to have an anonymous reporting process, either through a helpline or through contacting the audit committee. In this compliance-oriented environment, raising this issue as an ethics or compliance issue should warrant a serious investigation. If the company is private, the best way to start an internal investigation is to contact the company's legal counsel, whether internal or external. [Source: David Gebler, president, Working Values Ltd., Sharon, Massachusetts, September 20, 2007]

LEADERSHIP TESTS

One-Minute Leadership Check-Up
(Answer true or false)
1. I am feeling relaxed, confident; with no pressures or problems…I have created such an efficient organization there is nothing much more to do. 2. Profits and customer ratings are at an all time high, and going through the ceiling.3. My people line up early to get back into the office after the weekend and say “I can’t wait to get back to this place…I feel so energized and excited about my job”.4. People at all levels of my organization are so driven by my compelling vision for the future that it is very hard to get them to go home at the end of the day.5. I am heralded by my boss and others as being a brilliant leader, and my staff is recognized as “break-through” thinkers who are continually coming up with new, creative ideas.6. Suggestions about needing a “timeout” now to rejuvenate and renew my leadership vision and energy are best ignored.7. Those such as ILGE, who are known for stimulating leadership transformations through their results-driven approach for leadership excellence, have no value for me.
SCORING KEY: Total up your T’s and F’s and use following guidelines: 6-7 t’s = “super-leader” – go celebrate; 3-5 t’s = “challenged leader” – sign up for one
of ILGE’s programs and services now; 0-2 t’s = “leader in crisis” – contact ILGE immediately

Aurat - 1967

This is the story of a hapless woman; the story of a woman’s sacrifice and her trials and tribulation of being born a woman.

Thus Parvati, the eldest child of a poor family had to sacrifice her joyful youth in taking care of her ailing mother and her siblings, remain uneducated to get her brother to pursue his education and dream of becoming a doctor, shun her lover and marry a wealthy man, Manoharlal, father of six, who would take responsibility of her family.

However when everything seemed settled, her brother Suresh falls in love with Manoharlal’s daughter Asha which results in Manoharlal cutting off the financial help to her family. However good samiritan comes in the form of Manoharlal’s estranged brother Ratanlal who along with Asha helps Suresh to take care of his family and complete his education, in the process Asha’s morality is suspected.

How the clouds of suspicion get cleared and how it all ends for these two women makes for an interesting story, Aurat.

Aakhri Khat - 1966

Aakhri Khat is the tale of toddler on the streets of Dehli as he goes on a searching quest for his mother who passed away. The child oblivious to the fact that his mother is no more retraces his steps to the last place where he saw her thinking his mother is playing an elaborate game of hide & seek. In the meantime he survives on the crumbs that he finds on the streets & of the leftovers of others...