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Putting the ‘person’ in personnel Shalini Shukla 18 Oct 2012 With a history of more than 80 years in Singapore, OCBC is a bank centred on people. The Bank has come a long way from its first days of helping rice merchants continue to trade times of war. This is evident in its sterling performance in recent years. In May this year, Bloomberg Markets magazine announced OCBC as the world’s strongest bank. Also, one in two businesses currently operating in Singapore has an account with the Bank. The success of the bank is built on the back of sound business policies and active talent management and development.For instance, within the first three days of a company being incorporated, OCBC will contact them about opening a corporate account with the bank. â€Å"The Bank practises the same proactivity when it comes to managing and developing its people,† says Eric Ong, Head of Emerging Business, Global Enterprise Banking, OCBC Bank. Career framework OCBC takes tra ining and development seriously as human capital is the Bank’s key differentiator. Investment in this area helps to build the capabilities of employees to deliver superior performance. Learning is part of the Bank’s ongoing business strategy and helps to create a win-win situation for us and our staff,† says Ong. â€Å"By aligning employees’ learning objectives with business goals, we help employees succeed in building a career and not just a job with OCBC. † OCBC encourages its employees to take charge of their own careers through the Bank’s ‘Career Best’ programme, launched in 2002. This programme involves helping employees evaluate their strengths and career orientation, and finding the best fit between their talents and OCBC’s needs.The Bank also introduced the ‘OCBC Learning-3’ programme in 2007. A structured three-year development programme for employees, OCBC Learning-3 clearly delineates learning roadm aps for individual employees during their first three years of service with the Bank. â€Å"Underscoring our commitment to training, we have created the OCBC Learning Academy and also dedicated an entire floor at the OCBC Centre, called The Learning Space @ OCBC, for the sole purpose of learning and development,† says Ong.In addition to the typical classroom training, the Bank has also tapped on learning technologies like eLearning and virtual classrooms. Through the use of Web 2. 0 and video conferencing technology the training programmes are now able to reach out to employees in different geographies. Employees are given the first opportunity to learn of and apply for job-openings within the OCBC group through the Internal Job-Application Programme, in which after 18 to 24 months, an employee has the open to move into another role. We want to encourage employees to continually acquire new experiences, knowledge, skills and competencies, and allow individuals to fulfil their career aspirations at different stages of their careers,† Ong explains. This is especially so for Gen Y staff who constantly seek change and want progression – something to look forward to. They need to feel challenged and recognised for the work they do. If they are ‘stuck in a rut’, performance dips. â€Å"In banking, employees need foundation,† says Ong. â€Å"I was once a bank teller. I then moved on to typing bank drafts and the like. Leaders walk the talk too. â€Å"In my business review, one part is financial numbers and business initiatives, while a large part (50%-60%) is based on the human resources,† says Ong. Hi-po attention A mentor to even people who’ve left the business, Ong believes in developing his people’s potential to the fullest. â€Å"I meet with business heads and see if there are vacancies in which we can slot the high potential candidate in,† he says. â€Å"This makes sure these people are given opportunities within the bank before they start looking elsewhere for them. It’s a proactive measure of staff retention. Senior management constantly works to push high-potential talent out of their current roles or comfort zones. This exists at all levels, be it ground sales people to middle and senior management level staff. â€Å"We don’t want staff to be ‘too comfortable’ in their roles. They are not stretching their potential,† says Ong. â€Å"We assign them to other departments for three to six months. My sales folks, for instance, might be posted to risk management or operations. † While there is risk of losing talent to another department due to this job rotation, the advantages outweigh those risks. After coming back from their short job rotation stint, they come back with fresh insights and they can come up with new business ideas leading to increased productivity and business success,† says Ong. Ong cited an example of an em ployee who moved to the operations unit two years ago. When he came back to the Emerging Business department, he gave a new idea which was piloted and resulted in business growth of five times. Hi-potential staff are also given opportunities to travel and explore new markets. Young staff are accompanied by their senior leaders on these trips. ————————————————- There has to be a little risk-taking, be it with the business or with our people,† says Ong. â€Å"Being senior in management, we can give that gentle push, allowing our staff to soar. † ————————————————- You are required to : 1. Find out the strengths of OCBC Bank. Marks:- 2. 5 2. ——————————————â €”—- What do you learn from this case? Marks:-2. 5 ————————————————- Mail me back to abdullah. [email  protected] com By 4:00pm of 17. 04. 13 Write â€Å"Case study – HRM† on the subject line of your mail. All the best

Adolescence and Moral Development Essay

Two major reasons exist for studying moral development during adolescence. First, cognitive changes that occur during adolescence are related to moral development. Formal operational thinking allows the adolescent to interpret the social environment in new and different ways. Second, because adolescents are capable of devising new and idealistic social orders to which all are expected to conform, we may view them as moral philosophers. A number of researchers have noted other changes in moral development that point to the importance of adolescence as a transition stage in moral development. Unlike children, the adolescent is concerned with what is right as opposed to what is wrong. Also, adolescents become more preoccupied with personal and social moral codes. As they gain the competency to understand alternative points of view, they see that the moral codes are relative, not absolute. The above changes result in some conflict between moral conduct and moral thinking during adolescence. Early writing in the area of moral development was left to philosophers, who evolved three major doctrines of morality, each of which is represented in contemporary psychological theorizing. The â€Å"doctrine of the original sin† assumed that parental intervention was necessary to save the child’s soul. Current-day vestiges of this viewpoint may be found in theories of personality structure and the development of the conscience, or superego, which argue that the child internalizes parental standards of right and wrong. See more:  Perseverance essay The â€Å"doctrine of innate purity† argued that the child is basically moral, or pure, and that society, especially adults, are corrupting influences. This view is represented in the theorizing of Piaget, who argues that morality develops from the acquisition of autonomy emerging from the need to get along with peers. Moral thinking develops through peer-to-peer interactions that lead to an understanding of rules, according to Piaget. He also believes that parents do not allow autonomous thinking to develop because parent-child relationships are basically heteronomous, that is, the child is ruled by the parents. Therefore, the parents retard moral development. The last philosophical doctrine is the â€Å"tabula rasa† notion, which assumes that the child is neither innately pure nor corrupt but the product of environmental influences. The current-day representatives of this position are the learning theorists, who believe that development is the result of reinforcement and imitation  mechanisms. In addition to these differing philosophical and theoretical views regarding the origin of morality, we must keep in mind the distinctions between three concepts: systems of morality, moral behavior and moral character. Systems of morality are evidenced in the rules that guide social and interpersonal behavior. That includes rules that are written down and those that are not. This broad definition includes all types of social behaviors, not just those we consider moral behavior. Moral behaviors are those behaviors that are consistent with rules of morality. Like moral systems, moral behaviors include social behaviors of all types. This definition of moral behavior also includes behavior contrary to that expressed in moral code. Immoral behavior is simply a subclass of moral behavior. Moral character is a much more difficult concept to define. It is mostly hard to define due to the fact it involves an individual’s motives for behaving in a particular way. The basic problem in defining moral character is to determine those personality dimensions that determine it and vary as a function of it. Moral knowledge , socialization, empathy, autonomy, and moral judgement are the major concepts defining moral character. In order to have successful peer and adult relationships, the adolescent must learn the rules of the society and act in accordance to these rules. Individuals who successfully master these tasks are said to possess moral character. Among psychologists, the writings of Freud and Piaget have had the greatest impact on research in moral development. Following their early works, there was little written about moral development. In the last two or three decades, there has been considerable research and theorizing about the process underlying moral development. According to the principles of psychoanalytic theory, morality is part of the individual’s conscience, or superego. The acquisition of morality is explained by the information of the superego, which results from resolution of the Oedipal complex and identification with the same-sex parent. Society ensures its survival through this identification process by imposing its cultural standards, as represented by the parents’ behaviors, attitudes, aspirations, on the individual. Although the exact basis is unclear, Freud’s theorizing has stimulated considerable research into the effects of parental behavior on the child’s moral development. The major research concerns have centered on moral character , the consistency of moral behavior across situations, and the role of parental disciplinary techniques in shaping moral behavior.

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Example for Free

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Thousands of refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina have fled to the United States to seek protection from the ethnoreligious conflicts of the region. To best assist these families, service providers must understand their wartime and migration experiences and their culture. The purpose of this article is to review the literature relevant to working with Bosnian Muslim refugees as well as to understand the uruque issues facing this population. The authors’ interest in Bosnian Muslim refugees is a personal one. Between 1992 and 2001, nearly 3,500 Bosnian refugees escaping ethnic cleansing and war migrated to Bowling Green, a small city of 50,000 in rural southcentral Kentucky. The Bowling Green International Center has been a part of the local community since 1979 and actively works with the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). For more than 25 years, the center has assisted thousands of refugees of many nationalities in their migration to the United States and the local community. According to the center’s director, Marty Deputy, Bosnians make up the largest percentage of refugees that have relocated to Bowling Green (personal communication, February 3, 2005). Deputy also indicated that while Bosnian refugees have adapted well to the local community, they still face many challenges because of their experiences in Bosnia in addition to their integration into a new culture. One of the issues that continue to haunt many Bosnian refugees is post-traumatic stress—a result of war and genocide. Post-traumatic stress is particularly an issue for the adult women, who experienced the trauma of rape and sexual assault as well as witnessing the murder of their children and spouses. According to Deputy (personal communication, February 3, 2005), social workers should approach Bosnian families and children with cultural competence. If visiting a Bosnian home, for example, removing one’s shoes when entering is a display of respect and sensitivity. A willingness to drink a strong cup of Bosnian coffee is also appreciated. Social workers also must be sensitive about body language and speech tone. It is also important not to assume that all Bosnians are alike. As with all cultures, there is tremendous variation in the Bosnian culture, along with individual differences in personality and environmental experiences. Bosnian Muslim Experiences in the War The 1991 census for Bosnia-Herzegovina shows that Muslims made up 43. 7% of the total population of 4. 3 million people. Serbs accounted for 31. 3% and Croats 17. 3% (Bringa, 1995). Serbs identified the Muslims’ majority population base in Bosnia-Herzegovina as its strategic strength (Cigar, 1995). In 1992, therefore, the Serbs declared war and began a campaign of ethnic cleansing to eradicate non-Serbs. The term â€Å"ethnic cleansing† stands for the policy of ridding an area of an undesirable national group to create a homogenous region; it represents a type of genocide that is designed to spread terror (Friedman, 1996; Weine & Laub, 1995). Serbia’s initial rationale for its policy was promulgated by the belief that the newly formed state of Bosnia-Herzegovina would create national minorities of the Serb population and eventually destroy the Serb populace as a discrete and unique nation (Friedman, 1996). The prospect of acquiring material goods from the Muslims—land, livestock, houses, cars, and cash—apparently was an additional powerful incentive for many Serbs (Cigar, 1995; Sells, 1998). The indigenous Bosnian Serb population was drawn into a terror campaign of killing and mayhem so the non-Serbian populations would never return. This persecution ultimately led to more than one million Balkan refugees migrating to the United States and other countries. The types of experiences they endured in their homeland before emigrating dramatically influenced their initial adaptation to these new environments. Resettlement and Adaptation Issues As difficult as the war-related experiences were, migration to resettlement countries signaled a transition to new types of struggles for Bosnian refugees. Unlike immigrants who leave their homes for a variety of reasons, refugees leave in order to survive, and they face a new realm of stressors as they attempt to rebuild their lives in exile (Keyes, 2000; Worthington, 2001). Such stressors include difficult transit experiences; culture shock; adjustment problems related to language and occupational change; and disruption in their sense of self, family, and community (Lipson, 1993; Worthington, 2001). Additionally, refugees leaving Bosnia-Herzegovina often have suffered multiple losses, such as severance from family and friends who have been left behind or killed, displacement from their homes and communities, social isolation, and the premature death of their children. Such an accumulation of loss can leave a sense of unresolved grief that can significantly impact mental health and future functioning capacity (Akhtar, 1992; Fullilove, 1996; Sundquist & Johansson, 1996; Worthington, 2001). When refugees cross national boundaries seeking asylum, they typically find themselves in an alien social environment with norms that challenge their traditional patterns of family interaction (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Most Bosnian refugees have a hierarchical familial power structure and clear role definitions; in the homeland, authority was typically gender-based, with males maintaining instrumental roles and females fulfilling nurturing responsibilities. A traditional Bosnian woman’s commitment to her family includes observing strict codes of privacy and public silence on any issue that might bring shame on the family, such as family discord. For many women, this privacy mandate deters them from divulging details about marital strife or child maltreatment by spouses to outsiders such as work colleagues, community members, and mental health professionals. Consequently, Bosnian female refugees continue to be caught between traditional role models prevalent throughout the former Yugoslavia’s patriarchal society in the 20th Century and the expectations of their new culture. The Bosnian family’s patriarchal patterns of behavior tend to be challenged on arrival in the United States, particularly around work-related issues. Women are more likely than men to find jobs in the low-wage labor market, and in becoming the breadwinners exposed to the outside world, they risk upsetting a family equilibrium based on male authority (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). For Bosnian men, key ethnic and social boundary markers of their lives had evaporated; because of their grief over this, many seemed paralyzed in their attempt to move forward in their new life. Bosnian refugee children also face immense acculturation pressures (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). They often are torn between the beliefs, customs, and values learned in their native culture and the often unrealistic expectations of the new one. The pressure to assimilate the cultural norms of their new country can be intense and extremely stressful. Their parents often lack the material resources and support systems to adequately assist them in navigating the complex terrain of foreign school systems, pervasive racism, and intolerance (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Consequently, many feel as if they are alone in a foreign, sometimes unforgiving new cultural milieu. To further complicate the situation, family roles often reverse as children typically become more fluent in English faster and adapt more quickly to the customs of the new country (Potocky, 1996). Because children are thrust into the role of serving as the interpreters and negotiators of cultural norms for their parents, respect for the authority of elders is often undermined (Carlin, 1990; Drachman; 1992). Even though most teenagers in the United States feel a certain amount of intergenerational tension, the adolescents of refugees often experience the pull of two vastly different worlds: those of their American peers and their parents (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). They also feel subjected to the xenophobia of their American peers, who often ridicule others who they label as â€Å"different. † Immigration to the United States has provided Bosnian Muslim refugee families with many challenges as they struggle to adapt to their new lives. At first glance, their experiences may be similar to that of other immigrants, raising the familiar questions about how to perpetuate the faith of their forebears among their offspring or how to best preserve cherished cultural practices (Yazbeck- Haddad & Esposito, 2000). But there are some real differences. With the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the potential for a xenophobic reception of Muslim immigrants and refugees by Americans has intensified. For example, disputes over the building of mosques represent a key source of friction for most Westerners (Pipes & Duran, 1993). While Bosnian Muslim families may encounter the same issues earlier generations of immigrants faced, they also are burdened with the question of whether their children will be accepted in the United States, and whether Islam can ever be recognized as a positive force that contributes to a pluralistic, multicultural nation (Yazbeck-Haddad & Esposito, 2000). Culturally Competent Practice with Bosnian Muslims When working with Bosnian Muslim refugees, service providers need to learn as much as possible about their culture, particularly given the pivotal role that ethnoreligious identity has played in their war-related experiences (Witmer & Culver, 2001). Bosnian men and women tend to adhere to traditional gender roles; connected with this issue is the intense stigma attached to the sexual violation of women. This stigma frequently led women to refrain from disclosing war rapes to their families (Witmer & Culver, 2001). Bosnian Muslims typically act in ways that preserve the positive image of the family’s identity, especially males, who see openly revealing vulnerability or suffering as a sign of great personal weakness (Weine et al. , 1997). Family is the most important social structure across the urban and rural regions of Bosnia (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). Up until the 1970s, adult children commonly lived with their parents and multiple generations lived in the same house. But today, twoparent families predominate in this region with extended family members often living nearby. A cluster of shoes can typically be found outside a Bosnian home (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). This is because it is customary to remove street shoes and leave them at the door. Bosnians maintain a strong social tradition of neighborliness. The drinking of strong coffee or the sharing of food, accompanied by the essential element of lively conversation, is an important aspect of social life. Traditional music and folk dances are an important part of cultural celebrations. A basic principle of generalist social work is that practitioners need to be able to intervene on behalf of various systems, including individuals, families, orgaruzations, and communities. Additionally, the generalist social worker operates within an ecological framework that attempts to improve coping patterns for a better match between the client system’s needs and the characteristics of his or her environment. An empowerment approach to generalist practice assumes that clients can draw from existing competencies and reservoirs of strength. Empowerment indicates the intent and the processes of assisting client systems to discover and expand the tools and resources around them (Furuto, 2004). Swift and Levin (1987) referred to empowerment as an evolution from dependence to independence and interdependence. Gutierrez (1990) described empowerment as â€Å"the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take action to improve their life situations† (p. 140). The strengths perspective enhances the concept of empowerment with its focus on promoting healing. Healing implies both wholeness and the inborn ability of the mind and body to resist and regenerate when faced with disruption, disorder, or disease (Furuto, 2004). Ethnic and religious identity may lead to discrimination when the refugee is seeking a job that requires intervention on a more personal level. Long-term difficulty in finding a job that provides the family with adequate income may cause low self-esteem and family tension culminating in violence (Furuto & Murase, 1992). Various system levels often must be addressed simultaneously (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Western thinking on designing comprehensive mental health services is mostly based on the individual as the primary system targeted for intervention; hence, existing services tend to be designed for a North American population (Mooren & Kleber, 1999). Furthermore, treatment of mental health disorders typically follows a medical model using talk therapy and drugs. Western theories also emphasize intrapersonal processes in isolation from the cultural context. The prevailing view that the responses to trauma are individual centered is in keeping with this tradition. Service providers must use the refugees’ own, indigenous cultural definitions of health and illness when making mental health assessments (Boothby, 1996; Wing Sue, Ivey, & Pedersen, 1996). For example, a Bosnian client who had the Western diag nosis of major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder â€Å"refused medication saying that there was nothing wrong with him that medications could fix, and insisted that the clinician understand that his current condition was a result of the wrongs that had been done to him, and not because of anything that was wrong with him† (Weine & Laub, 1995, p. 255). To address the issue of respecting the client’s definition of the issue, Yuen (1999) promoted a more holistic biopsychosocial model of intervention when working with Bosnian children and their families; hence, the importance of using an ethnically sensitive ecological framework becomes a second principle of culturally competent practice. A third principle is to respect the indigenous strengths and resources within Bosnians that empower them to cope with their own experiences. Chow & Yuen (2000) noted the necessity for an empowerment and capacity building model where refugees become partners in the design and elivery of services within their community. Efforts to design and deliver human service programs should include using indigenous Bosnian religious and cultural organizations, as well as self-help groups (Chow & Yuen, 2000). Conclusion After Bosnians flee their homeland, they need protection in the asylum country. This necessitates supportive policies and macrolevel intervention competence. The main policy that guides refugee resettlement in the United States is Public Law 96-212, the Refugee Act of 1980 (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Based on the goal of helping refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, the act defines self-sufficiency as not receiving welfare benefits (Potocky, 1996). As such, this policy may be ineffective in helping refugees to settle in an optimal manner. To become truly self-sufficient, service providers need to redefine success in more progressive ways, such as helping refugees to effectively deal with resettlement issues relating to acculturation, psychological trauma, and intergenerational conflict—all of which can impede long-term economic self-sufficiency. This new goal requires adequate fiscal resources to develop programs and engage in active community outreach (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Social services must aspire to restore the psychological health and dignity of these families and children, who have seen the worst side of human nature. Helping them establish a positive self-image is critical to their success. While the genocide of family members and violent acts can never be forgotten, surrounding Bosnian Muslim refugees with a network of positive, supportive services can help them establish a solid foothold in the United States. Bosnian Refugee Life in America. (2017, Mar 02).

Why Teachers Deserve a Better Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Teachers Deserve a Better Pay - Essay Example A question of budget cut Teacher’s pay freeze is right for times, read the Star Tribune’s Jan.22, 2011 editorial (Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011). Well, it is not a right time and it will never ever find a right time. The facts are clear, the US economy is still reeling from the woes of an economic recession and grappling with a $6.2 billion budget deficit (Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011). Consequently, there is diminishing subsidy to the whole US educational system , which leave school district’s no better option than either to freeze the salary of public school teacher’s or to distribute another round of pink slips amongst public school teachers. It is unfortunate that a salary freeze is proposed by no less than Sen. Thompson, Representative of ,Lakeville and were favoured by school superintendent’s. The group favouring a salary freeze argues that the current compensation system which provides an automatic salary increase to teacher’s who hav e been in service for a number of years and have taken additional college credits is the culprit for their school districts ‘overspending’ on salaries ( Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011).This is absurd and totally unjust. T... The real question at hand is why can’t the local and national government increase the funding on education? Why does the teacher’s and the students have to shoulder for the budget deficit that they did not create in the first place? It is unjust to ask the teacher’s to carry the burden of the country’s economic problems for the so called greater good. When big and private businesses fold up in the face of recession, government readily bails them out of people’s taxes and tells us that if it’s not bailed out, the economy would further shrink into recession and crisis. Education is a basic social service that government need to put its priority funding, why can’t the lawmakers shells out some more budget for the education. I believe these whole debate on teacher’s pay is a mere ploy to cover the real issue of budget cut which is unjust and uncalled for. Salary Freeze is not good for recession A better option for an economy sufferi ng from a recession is a salary increase not a salary freeze and much more not a salary cut and laying off of teachers. I don’t know why the lawmakers are finding it hard to comprehend that people need to spend more , so the economy would keep on moving. A salary freeze will definitely hinder teacher’s to get that next travel ticket for a much needed vacation. Salary freeze and cuts may result to teacher’s inability to pay for their house mortgages which in turn would hurt further the economy. On the other hand, laying off teachers would mean a dramatic decrease in the teacher’s ability to buy and afford commodities and services, which would further slows down the economy. Salary Freeze ,Cuts and Lay off would hurt the quality of education Salary freeze and cuts creates

Discuss the economic and political motives for European expansion into Essay

Discuss the economic and political motives for European expansion into Africa in the 19th Century - Essay Example However, in the 19th century, European expansion was much greater and had new motives: political, economic and social. This essay discusses the economic and political motives for European expansion into Africa in the 19th century. Common excuses for the19th century colonial expansion were the spread of civilization, education, and Christianity (Colonialism in Africa, slide 5). However, these were only pretexts. There were other economic and political reasons for this expansion, which were mostly concealed. Industrial Revolution is the classic reason given when the economic motive is explored. Industrial revolution created a sharp need for raw materials, new resources, new markets and new investment outlets for surplus capital (Colonialism in Africa, slide 6). There was interplay of various factors, such as unemployment resulting from the large scale industrialisation. Europe dealt with this problem by acquiring new colonies for the purpose of finding an alternative place for such surplus population. These settler colonies served different purposes from the non-settler colonies. The economic motives for colonial expansion are testified by the colonial economic policies that enabled exploitation of natural and human resources. Development of infrastructure for easy access to and transportation of resources and education for the development and eventual exploitation of human resources are examples (Nationalism and Decolonization, slide 3). While the economic imperatives derived from industrial revolution spurred the eventual colonization of Africa, the political impetus was equally powerful in the European expansion and it rose from inter-European competition for pre-eminence and power (Colonialism in Africa, slide 7). Colonies around the globe symbolised power and various European powers competed to acquire colonies, establish stakes and declare exclusive rights in particular territories and waterways across Africa. The scramble for Africa was so that

SUH stage 3 project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SUH stage 3 project - Essay Example Moreover, SUH Company manages a very large amount of data. As discussed in previous stages, taking backups of this data is essential. In such complex working arrangement there is a need for a more reliable solution that can be used to take backups of data. So in case of any disaster, it will be easy for SUH Company to secure and recover its precious data. Through the application of proposed backup and recovery solution SUH Company will be able to ensure information systems security in a much better way. SUH Company requires an efficient solution for data backup and recovery that has the potential to secure business operations through much better business management approach. The basic aim of implementing this solution is to achieve following goals: For SUH Company and its two subsidiaries CarbonTech and MyRentals we need a canalized business backup and recovery solution. The proposed system will offer a lot of benefits and capabilities for secure and protect business data and information in all areas of business. The solution that is proposed in scenario of SUH Company is Symantec Backup and Recovery System, Recovery 2010 Business Server Edition. This application offers cost-effective and simple recovery and business data and information server backup solutions. They can be used at Microsoft Windows based Business Servers. In addition, Symantec Backup and Recovery System reduces downtime and avoids disaster with server backup software that simply improves individual data files/folders or the entire Windows systems in minutes, as compared to virtual environments, hardware or remote locations (Symantec Corporation, 2012). For its business structure, SUH Company can also choose Windows based Backup and Recovery System. This system is simple, free and easy to manage. However, this solution is not much effective in ensuring corporate business transaction security and

Discuss the advantages and and challenges of RFID in logistic industry Essay

Discuss the advantages and and challenges of RFID in logistic industry - Essay Example Therefore, the tracking of goods by the use of an exceptional serial number makes it easy for employees to calculate and find stocks (Jones, & Chung, 2008). RFID also enables companies to reduce stock outs from their warehouses, and this helps to maintain customers especially those who run out of patience easily (Ustundag, 2013). This is because companies are able to determine their reorder levels, and at this point, they order new stock. By the time the new stock arrives at the company’s stores, the buffer stock is used to satisfy the available demand. The technology also helps logistics managers in saving the time that they would use to move from one location to another to check the conditions of their stocks (Ustundag, 2013). This is because RFID does the work of recording and transmitting the condition of goods. If the technology was not there, organizations would have employed people to do this work, and this would consume more time and cost. The major limitation of RFID in logistics is that it is expensive to acquire and use (Jones, & Chung, 2008). The chips used by this technology and the tags that are attached to goods to enable companies in tracking them are expensive. Therefore, most logistics departments do not afford to use the technology in their companies. RFID is also complicated and requires to be used only by skilled workers who have the knowledge of the technology (Ustundag, 2013). However, most of the companies employ lowly skilled workers who require less pay than the highly skilled ones. This causes these workers to mishandle RFID leading to low or no achievement of the main objective of the technology. The high expenses associated with the technology also make it possible only for few companies to acquire and use it. Some companies such as Procter and Gamble argue that the technology is unreliable because it still experiences some errors that would still take

Controls for Information Technology and Reporting and Evaluation Essay

Controls for Information Technology and Reporting and Evaluation - Essay Example ove-mentioned company implements real-time compliance tools to obtain company-wide data through one and only one source of information, which is its database. These tools notify the management about any compliance problems, and tend to provide accurate and timely information, making the company more open to the varying business requirements. These tools also help the management to prepare reliable financial statements. Apart from the real-time compliance tools, my company implements all the five components of internal control: control environment, risk assessment, information and communication systems, control activities, and monitoring. To evaluate the internal controls, it is first important to understand the definition of internal control; organize a project team to conduct the evaluation; evaluate internal control at the entity level; understand and evaluate internal control at the process, transaction, or application level; and, evaluate overall effectiveness, identify matters for improvement, and establish monitoring system. The criteria against which the internal controls of my company are to be evaluated is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which requires that the management must include an internal control reporting assessment with its annual report. My company uses AICPA/CICA Trust Services framework in their IT-based work, as an information systems auditor, to evaluate internal controls over information technology. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that I, as a manager of internal controls, should include a statement of my responsibility for implementing and maintaining proper internal controls, along with a report that should summarize how effective these internal controls have been through the year, in the company’s annual report. The Act also requires me to submit a report that summarizes the framework that I use to evaluate the internal controls, along with a statement or report that states that an external auditor has issued

United States trade policies and their effect on the automotive Essay

United States trade policies and their effect on the automotive industry - Essay Example The desolate outlook for the United States' auto industry comes as no surprise for most everybody.In the beginning of 2006 Ford Motor Company and General Motors, two of the "Big Three" automakers, announced staggering layoffs in the tens of thousands and debilitating year over year losses in the billions of dollars. In addition to these layoffs, both General Motors and Ford have planned for multiple plant closures and the selling off of controlling shares of assets or subsidiaries in their ongoing struggle toward profitability. These announcements come as a blow to the tenuous economic recovery of the United States.The recent trends regarding the economic recovery of the United States remains slow but promising. According to Employment Situations published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the current average unemployment rate for the United States is 4.7%, (2006). The effect the impending massive job loss in the automotive industry will have on the unemployment rate and th e overall health of the nation's economy is uncertain.In the four years between 2000 and 2003, an estimated 5.2 million people lost their jobs. Over 2 million of those lost jobs were in the manufacturing industry ("Employment Situation," 2006). The cause for the ongoing decline in America's auto industry are many and range from increasing fuel prices and the growth of the global economy to poor product design and increased foreign competition. Although all of these issues are contributing factors in the decline of the American auto industry, none are as contentiously argued as issues of United States trade policies. According to Section 2102 Congressional Statement of Purpose on trade, there are 6 defining factors to U.S. Trade agreements (2003): To foster economic growth. Reduce or eliminate trade barriers. Trade 2 The establishment of fair and equal international trade. Provide protection of American industry and labor against "injurious" import competitions. To open market oppoutunites for U.S. commerce in non-market economies. To provide "reasonable" access of products too less developed countries or nations. In the process of attaining these goals U.S. trade polices have drawn harsh criticisms due to the nations' 2005 trade deficit in manufactured goods of $726 billion and to the apparent effect they have on the U.S. economy, its' labor force and worker rights and wages (Scott 2006). As the trade deficit in manufactured goods continues to rise, so too does the loss of jobs in the manufacturing industry. The United States finds itself unable to compete with low labor and production costs in foreign countries. For automakers such as Ford and General Motors, this has lead to the movement of production plants to outside the U.S. as well as the massive volumes of lay offs the industry is currently experiencing. The autoworkers that have been fortunate enough to retain their jobs face the issue of the downward pressure on wages and benefits that is caused by the rising trade deficit and the lower labor costs in foreign countries. Currently, the cost of labor in Mexico is the lowest of any developed nation (Bernard). Labor costs are one of, if not the number one, highest expense of any corporation. While moving U.S. production plants to Mexico creates jobs, increases the standard of living and stimulates the economy for that country, the U.S. labor force cannot compete with these low wages and benefits and therefore, lose bargaining power. The loss of bargaining power is exacerbated by the low level of government enforcement of labor laws in some foreign countries. In the United States this loss of bargaining power often results in the acceptance of lower wages and cuts to benefits and pension programs by U.S employees. Trade 3 While jobs are being exported to foreign countries such as Mexico, auto parts are being imported to the United States at an increasing rate. In 2004, the United States imported $77 billion

A considerate of contemporary management function Essay Example for Free

A considerate of contemporary management function Essay A considerate of contemporary management function of the employer-employee relationship The six journal articles that have been looked at stem from the original Locke, (1982) article. Frederick W. Taylor popularised of scientific management. The essay will discuss 5 aspects of Taylor’s ideas about scientific management and show how understandings of contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship have been developed from Taylor’s ideas. What was Taylor’s idea about the management? Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively. The ideas about the relationship between employer and employee have been developed from a nother. Retain critical employees is important and necessary. According to the Fitz-enz(1997), the company average losses 1 million with every 10 people who is the managerial and professional employees. In addition, the total cost of least a former employee at least a year of wages and benefits, up to two years of unpaid salary and benefits. This is a huge economic loss with a company loses a number of critical employees. As a manager, we must give employees adequate physiological, safety, love, esteem. One of the advice is managers should look into a way to motivate employees to achieve a satisfactory and unmet needs through activities and exercises. Managers have a responsibility to create a suitable environment to inspire employees to their fullest potential. If no such right environment, will lead to a big difference such as lower job satisfaction, lower productivity, lower profit with a company. How to effectively improve the relationship between managers and employees? Taylor given 4 methods. (a) Scientific management: In Principles of Scientific Management (1911)Fredrick Winslow Taylor, the â€Å"Father† of scientific management utilises scientific methods to define th e â€Å"one best way† for a job to be done (b) Scientific selections. Taylor advocated selecting only first class(i.e., high aptitude) men for a given job because their productivity would be several times greater than that of the average man. (c) Money bonus. Taylor claimed that the money is what employees want most, he thinks employees should be paid from 30% to 100% higher wages for to do his job. (d) Management responsibility for training. Taylor thought that most contemporary managers should fully accept the notion that training new employees is their responsibility. My understanding about the  employer-employee relationship has also been shaped by these articles. I have learnt that (1) Scientific management can focus speed of production, low cost production and availability of an unskilled workforce. In addition, today’s use of scientific management can use time and motion studies to increase productivity, hire the best qualified employees and design incentive systems based on output. Equity theory is a theory of social comparison effect on employees. This theory appears to be very common, but it is very important. Equity theory refers to the rate of employees with their work output and input compared with others. Time input includes the time of the work, work habits, work experience, work attitude, and so on. When they found unfair, they usually can’t change the rate of others, can’t change their input, so employees will find ways to change their output. This may mean that they will reduce their work time or effort to work. Then, the manager can use the equity theory to motivate employees. Managers can use a more open system of remuneration paid for employees to understand each position and every effort should position relative to how much salary can be get. (2) Scientific selections: Everybody have their own good aspects, based on each person strengths and rational allocation of work. As a result, not only can bring effectively produce but also can make person enjoy their work. According to the Wren (1979) notes that Taylor focuses on scientific selection can promote the develop ment of industrial psychology and personnel management and other areas. (3) Money bonus: How to influence people? The most common method is money bonus. Such as up wages, bonuses, benefits. These things are the most effective way to influence the work of passion and power of a work. Through the Vroom’s (1946) expectancy theory, we can find that an employee will play his better efforts when he is convinced that his efforts would be better evaluated. And these evaluations will bring him more rewards such as bonuses, salary increases. These rewards will meet staff personal goals. Individual employee attitudes and enthusiasm in their work will determine to a large extent a companys performance. According to the Porter (1968) and Lawler’s expectancy model of motivation, this model proposes two factors that determine spending on a number of tasks energy. The first is the personal rewards from work to get. These returns will be the psychological perception of employees is their own work to be sure. The second is that these returns will be formed job satisfaction. (4) Management  responsibility for training: The staff training is an essential element of human resource management. Managers can’t ignore their training responsibilities. Understanding management system in staff training in this area can help you build an effective training system to help you prepare new employees for their work To sum up, from the six articles considered, scientific management can not only getting the most output from the least amount of inputs but also focus on those work activities that will help the company reach its goals. Taylor’s idea has shaped modern employer-employee relationships. Work is still specialised, personal are still trained. The quality of work is still rewarded in bonuses, as well as other. Reference: 1.Three chapters in The Ideas of Frederick W Taylor: An Evaluation. 2.Wren, D. A. The evolution of management thought (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley, 1979. 3.Towards a unified model of employee motivation / Darren J. Elding, Andrew M. Tobias and David S. Walk [Chichester, West Sussex, England] : John Wiley Sons, Ltd., 2006 4.Kotter, John P. What effective general managers really do / John P. Kotter Boston [etc.] : Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1982 5.Managing in the new millennium : understanding the managers motivational tool bag / Patricia M. Buhl Burlington, Iowa, etc., National Research Bureau, etc.], 2003 6.A review of employee motivation theories and their implications for employee retention within organiz Hollywood, FL : Journal of American Academy of Business, 2004

A Study Of Lewins Model Management Essay

A Study Of Lewins Model Management Essay In the refreezing stage the company stabilized changes by establishing systems that can establish behavioural pattern in the organisation. A new performance appraisal system based on behaviour and results was introduced to encourage customer service. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) 14 It is not easy for an organisation change its structure and business processes since any change may lead to some level of resistance by the employees. One of the main causes for resistance is the fear of the unknown and loss of what is familiar. There are four reasons of resistance from employee to organisational change including 1) Parochial self-interest, 2) Misunderstanding and lack of trust, 3) Contradictory assessments, and 4) Low tolerance for change. (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004) BA tried to change behaviour by changing the management style from authoritative to participative. BA wished employees participate more in management decision but since this was unfamiliar employers would fall back to the old patterns. 15 A tactic that was used in BA to manage resistance to change was the HR policy which included training guidelines. Such an HR policy is important in making the employees understand and react positively to change. There is also an example where resistance to change hindered the organisations goals and objectives. In an attempt to cut down cost can compete with low cost airlines BA tried implementing a new payment system and also hiring workers for lower salaries. This created insecurity among the employees which ended in a strike that cost the company in millions in 2000. Therefore handling resistance and the HR aspects of the company is vital to a successful change process. 15 REFERENCES 16 Wilson, C.D., (1992), A Strategy of Change, Thomas Learning, London 16 British Airways, 2006, Leaders For Business: What are we looking for?, http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info196 (22 December 2006) British Airways, 2006, Our Recruitment Process: The Assessment Process, http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info48 (22 December 2006) 16 Paton, R.A. McCalman, J. (2008) Change Management 2nd ed. Sage Publications, London 16 Cellars, T. (2007), Change Management Models: A Look at McKinseys 7-S Model, Lewins Change Management Model and Kotters Eight Step Change Model, Associated Content, [Online], http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/237685/change_management_models_a_look_at_pg5_pg5.html?cat=3, accessed on 30 November 2009 16 Green, M. (2007), Change Management Masterclass, Kogan Page Limited, Philadelphia 16 Syque. (2007). Lewins freeze phases. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Changing Minds 16 12Manage. (2007, April 9). 7-S framework (mckinsey). Retrieved April 12, 2007, from 12Manage Web site: http://www.12manage.com/methods_7S.html 16 Chapman, A. (2006). Change management. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Business Balls Web site: http://www.businessballs.com/changemanagement.htm 16 Mind Tools. (2007). Lewins change management model: Understanding the three stages of change. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Mind Tools Web site: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_94.htm 16 Morgan, O. (n.d.). Organization management part 1. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Oliver Morgan Web site: http://www.omorgan.info/download/Part%20I/organisation_management_Part_I.pdf 16 Recklies, D. (2007). The 7-s-model. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Recklies Management Web site: http://www.themanager.org/Models/7S%20Model.htm 16 Johnson G and Scholes k (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, 6th ed. 17 INTRODUCTION British Airways Plc, renowned in the world as a leading airline, operates international and domestic scheduled and charter passenger services, freight, mail as well as ancillary services. Including 6 domestic flights, British Airways serves nearly 150 destinations. New code share arrangements agreed with Finnair, Iberia and Cathay Pacific are included in BAs global alliances. The airline operates in geographical areas such as the UK, Europe, America, Africa, Middle and Far East, Australasia and Indian sub-continent. For the year ended March 2009, the company generated revenues of  £ 8,992 million which is an increase of 3.1% on the  £ 8,753 million revenues generated in the year ended 2008. The net loss of the company was  £358 million during the 2009 financial year, showing a major decrease from the  £696 million profit in the previous year. British Airways Plc was formed from the airlines,  BOAC,  BEA, Cambrian Airways  and Northeast Airlines on 1 September 1974 through  nationalisation  by the Labour Government. In February 1987, thirteen years later, the company was privatised. Measured by passenger numbers, British Airways was the largest airline of the UK until 2008. British Airways is listed on the  LSE  and is a constituent of the  FTSE 100 Index. The airline celebrated its 35th anniversary on 31 March 2009. Change management According to cook et al (2004) change management is a set of processes that is employed to ensure that significant changes are implemented in an orderly, controlled and systematic fashion to effect organizational change. One of the goals of change management is to reduce resistance to change in order for organizational members accept the change and thereby achieve the organizations goal of a smooth transformation. Change management can be seen to have five specific stages that must be realized for an organisation to be successfully implementing change. Firstly the organisation must know why a specific change or series should be brought about. Secondly the organisation must be motivated and desire to go through this particular change. Thirdly the organisation must posses the knowledge of how to carry out the change. Fourthly the organisation must acquire new skills and behaviours that are necessary for the change to occur. Lastly the organisation must become sustainable by making these new behaviours their usual practice. Further according to Wilson (1992) change can occur mainly in two dimensions depending on the theories and models used. This view explains that change can be either planned or unplanned. Also change can be described in terms of the process or implementation strategy. The issues of understanding and managing change within an organisation depend on the change approach that is selected by the organisation. Organisational Structure British Airways operates as a group of companies whose main industry sectors are international and domestic scheduled and charter air services carrying passengers, freight and mail as well as providing supplementary services. The group consists of British Airways Plc and a number of subsidiary companies, including British Airways Holidays Ltd, British Airways Travel Shops Ltd etc. The two main operating bases of the company are Heathrow and Gatwick airports and has established in branches around the world. The company is listed in several stock exchanges including LSE, Munich, US etc. British airways together with its partnerships have managed to extend its network thus entering all significant markets. As for the structure of BA, it has suffered a shift from modern to post modern to post modern organisational structure i.e. it has moved from mechanistic to more organic style of operation. The operations of BA can be analysed departmentally into Planning, Distribution and mileage partnerships, Marketing communications, Global contact centres, eCommerce, Triton Programme, Revenue management, AirMiles Travel Company, Travel Shops, BA Holidays, BA travel Clinics, Corporate communications, BA world Cargo, Ground Operations, BA engineering, Information management, BA shares etc. Each division has its own functionalities to perform, goals and objectives to meet which contributes to corporate aims and objectives. Department Responsibility Planning Planning fleet, network, schedule, infrastructure, resources, property Distribution mileage partnerships Ensure that customers can book pay and ticket a booking through the website, contact centres, shops, travel agents around the world Marketing communications Marketing communications, advertising, promotions, gain insight into customer needs Global contact centres Delivers services to customers who prefer using the phone eCommerce Major projects to broaden the range of transactions customers can do on their own, improve quality of online channels Triton Programme The 10 year contract with Amadeus, leading provider of travel industry systems Revenue management Monitors, controls, forecasts sales working to improve profitability AirMiles Travel Company Carries out customer loyalty programmes Travel Shops Provides personal services and expert advise from well travelled consultants BA Holidays Sells holiday packages travel Clinics Offers travel health advice and comprehensive vaccination service Corporate communications Protects and manages the global reputation ensuring that a wide audience are aware of the airlines news and developments. world Cargo Provides freight, mail and courier services Ground Operations Management of Customer services and terminal operations with safety and security Engineering Responsible for aviation maintenance providing full support for the fleets Information Management Responsible for all IT across the BA group and plays a fundamental role in shaping the future of the airline BA shares Responsible for all investor relations Table 1: Departmental Analysis of British Airways Market Environment PEST Analysis The Airline industry has become extremely competitive due to the budget airline and the current unfavourable economic conditions. All player compete for the market share in an environment where the bargaining powers of customer have increased and there is no control over the powers of fuel suppliers and prices. In the current economic conditions there is limited growth in volume and demand for air travel has declined significantly. The PEST analysis shows the external factors that affect the organisation and its change processes. It also reveals the changes the organisation must make in order to remain competitive in adverse market conditions. Thus, this section looks into the external environment of British Airways since change strategies are affected by the factors and changes in the macro environment. Such changes could bring about favourable or adverse effects on the companys turnover and growth. The PESTEL framework has been applied to examine the external factors and its impact on the company. Political and Legal Factors Developments in the political and legal factors can have a high impact on the airline industry. Political developments include changes in governmental policies, international regulations and legislations, government taxes on air travel, political and economical relationships with counties, changes in airport and aviation rules etc. Some of the developments have a favourable impact on the company while some others will have an unfavourable impact. The EU policy has increased air travel and therefore has been a positive impact on the airline industry. On the other hand, increase of government taxes has adverse results on the industry since demand for air travel declines due to high airfare. Economical Factors Economic developments such as increase in fuel prices, unfavourable currency and interest rates, recession, inflation, increase in unemployment has a negative impact on British Airways. In such environments leisure travel declines because people have less disposable income and business travel declines because corporate spending is reduced. Also recession negatively impacts on growth of companies in terms of expansions and buying additional aircrafts. On the other hand, changes such as economic boom, deflation could favourably contribute towards a companys performance. Social and Environmental Factors Airline industry is constantly under pressure for various environmental pressure groups due to high CO emission, noise and the effects on the climate. Also outbreaks of diseases such as such as Swine Flu can decrease air travel. Another aspect that could reduce air travel is safety related issues such as acts of terrorists and crashes. Technological Factors Changes in technology have shown negative and positive impacts on the airline industry. The positive impacts have been safety, cost reduction and ease of booking and planning travel online. On the other hand due to new technological developments such as advanced meeting facilities business travel is not necessary to the same extent as before. BA and Ryanair British Airways aims to operate a high quality service to its customers at a affordable price. It operates long and short haul flights to many destinations around the world and ensures comfort while taking the passengers closer to their destination. British airways mainly operate in three areas, namely passenger transport, cargo and mail services. British airways aim to understand its customers needs and operate accordingly. The company has a strong brand image and the employees are expected to work up to its standards. The organisational structure can be regarded as a flat type because it has only one level of hierarchy that separates Managing Directors at the top from bottom-line employees. On the other hand Ryanair operates on a no- frill strategy which means that the passengers are not provided with any extra facilities and operates simply as a point to point transportation service. It has grown largely in Europe by attracting customers who prefer low ticket prices thereby reducing the market share of British Airways. It mainly operates short haul flights to destinations which are secondary airports. Factors Affecting Change Management According to Paton and McCalman (2008) Change management can be defined as a planned process for changing a core function or organization of an enterprise. Change Management is an organized, systematic application of the knowledge, tools, and resources of change that provides organizations with a key process to achieve their business strategy. (Lamarsh 2000). With the aid of technology the industries and products are congregating which means each firm has to take a very holistic approach to the marketing of goods and services. Paton McCalman (2000). Factors driving change Most organisations change when internal and external environments change. The factors that initiate the need for organisational change can be two fold. The first factor can be called an External Trigger which involves the activities and innovations of competitors, change in customer requirements, legislation and government policies, and so on. Economic change can create the need for change. Also, due to the EU policies many companies had to change their practices and procedures. Environmental pressure groups that impose pressure due to adverse environmental effects can force a company such as BA to change its processes to make it climate friendly. The second factor can be called the Internal Triggers including new product and service design, innovations, appointments of new directors, new ideas on how to achieve service quality etc (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004). The British Airways privatization program that changed the companys ownership was launched due to the impact from such triggers. The aims and objectives of this programme was to improve the organisations performance and gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. According to the change model described by Lewin, organisational change occurs in three stages. The first stage is called Unfreezing which reduces the forces which maintain behaviour as it is currently and recognition of the need for change occurs. The second stage is called Movement which is the development of new practices and the implementation of the change. The final stage is named as Refreezing which is stabilizing the changes that occurred and reinforcement through supporting mechanisms. (Mul lins, J., L., 1999) Involving People It is essential that the organisation manages its human resources in a manner that is favourable to the change process. It is important that the employees understand and support the change in order to have a smooth transformation. If the change managers can make the people involved to see the common objectives and mutual benefits that the change will bring about it helps in making the change more successful (Paton McCalum, 2000). However, each individual will react to change in a different manner. The factors that affect how individuals will react to change are manifold, namely the organisational culture, the reasons for change, factors of change, leadership aspects and organisational structure. The change management style and approach are important aspects with regards to involving the employees of the organisation. Change management requires a considerable amount of skill and previous experience on the management of the organisation. It is important to consider each individuals pe rception and attitude towards the process for it to be a success. For example during the second stage of change, BA developed tactics and programs to bring the vision of the top management-level to the bottom-line employees throughout the organisation. Thus the internal structure and systems were changed and also a permanent training center was established to promote staff training. Stakeholders It is important that the company analyses its stakeholders since the change will have an effect on them. Communication is vital to involve all stakeholders in the process so that the change is successful. It is also important to categorise your stakeholders according to their power and interest involving the change. There are some aspects regarding stakeholders and the change process that should be taken into consideration. Differentiating and grouping employees and deciding how to deal with different types, planning communication in both directions and also looking after the interests off all individuals. There are mainly four types of stakeholders, blockers, sponsors, champions and sleepers Green (2007). Blocker have high power but low level of commitment, while the sponsors have high power and high commitment. Also Champions have high energy and high commitment while sleppers have both low power and low commitment to change. For a successful change it is important to identify the stakeholders with high power and commitment. British Airways has a number of stakeholders who have various interests in the business and from whom the company expects different things. There have been conflicts between these stakeholders due to their differing interests as well as formations of coalitions. It can be observed that most stakeholders have an interest in the organisation performing well. In the above context it is important that the stakeholders are analysed according to the power and commitment grid so that change can be successful. Planning the change The change process must be planned and it is advisable to use models of change and also consider the impacts of resistance to change. Two different change models are discussed in the following section, namely the Mckinsey 7-S model and Lewins Model. The basic principle of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful. The 7S model can be used in a wide variety of situations such as improving the performance of the company. The McKinsey 7S model contains seven interdependent factors which are categorised as hard or soft elements. Hard elements are strategy, structure, systems and soft elements are shared values, skills, style and staff. The Hard elements are easier to identify and influence while the soft elements are more difficult to manage but equally important for a successful transformation. The model depicts the interdependencies of these elements in terms of how a change in one element affects the others. According to the model the seven elements must be aligned. In the case of BA, the model can be used to identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance during other changes in the company. What ever the change is this model can be used to understand the interrelationships. Further it can be used to analyse the current position, proposed position and identify the gaps between the two. It is also necessary to adjust these elements to make sure the company works effectively. Now lets examine Lewins change model. According to Lewin, there are three stages of change in an organisation which are unfreezing, movement, and refreezing. Unfreezing Stage accordingly, the first step for BA is to unfreeze present pattern of behaviour to manage resistance. In this stage change did make an impact on individual level due to the implementation of Downsizing of Workforce policy to restructure the organisation. This policy reduced hierarchy, and allowed worked to be carried out easily thus improving performance. (Shibata., K., 1993) The downsizing was achieved through compassion. BA also introduced training programs such as Putting People First to help line managers and workers understand the change and the requirements of the industry. Movement Stage The second stage of Lewins Model is movement. During this stage BA used tactics and programs to bring the vision of the top management and line employees. In support a number of new systems where implemented. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) Refreezing Stage In the refreezing stage the company stabilized changes by establishing systems that can establish behavioural pattern in the organisation. A new performance appraisal system based on behaviour and results was introduced to encourage customer service. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) Resistance to change It is not easy for an organisation change its structure and business processes since any change may lead to some level of resistance by the employees. One of the main causes for resistance is the fear of the unknown and loss of what is familiar. There are four reasons of resistance from employee to organisational change including 1) Parochial self-interest, 2) Misunderstanding and lack of trust, 3) Contradictory assessments, and 4) Low tolerance for change. (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004) BA tried to change behaviour by changing the management style from authoritative to participative. BA wished employees participate more in management decision but since this was unfamiliar employers would fall back to the old patterns. A tactic that was used in BA to manage resistance to change was the HR policy which included training guidelines. Such an HR policy is important in making the employees understand and react positively to change. There is also an example where resistance to change hindered the organisations goals and objectives. In an attempt to cut down cost can compete with low cost airlines BA tried implementing a new payment system and also hiring workers for lower salaries. This created insecurity among the employees which ended in a strike that cost the company in millions in 2000. Therefore handling resistance and the HR aspects of the company is vital to a successful change process.