INTERNAL HOME ASSIGNMENT

Q1. Write short note on the following:

(a) Workforce Analysis Ans) Workforce Analysis provides information regarding the current workforce across mission critical occupations, including demographic and background characteristics of the current workforce, retirement eligibility, turnover, and various workforce management issues (i.e., recruitment and retention). This information is valuable in understanding the workforce across the organization and identifying trends impacting the workforce as a whole or in part. It informs workforce and succession planning by providing a basis for action to address demographic and employment trends that may impact future mission capabilities. (b) Proactive approach of human resource manager Ans) HRM is a proactive in the sense that it is trying to provide employee of any organization with enabling environment that will allow them to execute their assigned responsibilities, so that, the organizational objective(s) can be achieved. These include things like selection process, recruitment, training, compensation etc. Meanwhile, Personnel Management is a management process that usually deals with complicated issues of trade unions like collective bargaining, mediation, post service issues etc. (c) Employee empowerment

Ans) Employee empowerment is a strategy and philosophy that enables employees to make decisions about their jobs. Employee empowerment helps employees own their work and take responsibility for their results. Employee empowerment helps employees serve customers at the level of the organization where the customer interface exists. Employee empowerment often also calls for restructuring the organization to reduce levels of the hierarchy or to provide a more customer and processfocused organization. Employee empowerment is often viewed as an inverted triangle of organizational power. In the traditional view, management is at the top while customers are on the bottom; in an empowered environment, customers are at the top while management is in a support role at the bottom.

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Q2. Business Process Re- engineering provides an organization an opportunity to have a relook at its various human resources strategies. Elaborate and detail some of the strategies, you feel, may highlight the role of human resource manager.

Ans) Many organizations around the globe are undergoing major changes in their structure and
management in order to stay alive in todays highly competitive environment. Hence, a number of firms are undertaking such Business Process Reengineering (BPR) in order to bring the much needed innovations to change the outdated business processes.

Therefore, it is very much necessary to study about Business Process Redesign (BPR) in order to run any organization efficiently in todays highly competitive business environme nt. Hence, the objective of this article is to analyze the Business Process Redesign (BPR) with its importance and to understand about different methods that we can use for reengineering an organization.

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Before we move forward on BPR; let us clarify the definition as to what a Business Process is, so that we can understand the importance of BPR well.

What is a Business Process? A Business Process is a collection of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market. It implies a strong emphasis on how the work is done within an organization, in contrast to a products focus. A process is thus a specific ordering of work activities across time and place, with a beginning, an end, and clearly defined inputs and outputs: a structure for action.

A Business process:1.Has a goal 2.Has specific Inputs 3.Has a specific output 4.Uses resources 5.Has a number of activities that are performed in some order 6.Many affect more than one organizational unit. Horizontal organizational impact 7.Creates value of some kind for the customer. The customer may be internal or external

PR Business Model BPR develops all its products based on the following business model. The key components of this business model are innovation, organization and achievement. The Three Levels of Process Activities are: 1.Business process improvement

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2.Business process reengineering 3.Business process architecture The most basic process activity is Business Process Improvement and the most complex is Business Process Architecture. As you increase the scope of process activity the investment, the risk and the time requirement also increase. Business process improvement This is equivalent to re-decorating a house. The starting and finishing points of the process are usually within a single department. The effort supports the business departments business plan and annual objectives. The results affect the performance of that department. When the project is finished, the nature of the business, and the organizational structure and boundaries remain unchanged. The departments employees have to modify their routine and new skills are often needed to make the new process improvements work. Business process reengineering Reengineering results in companies being re-modelled: Projects can be expensive in scope. The starting point and finishing point of a targeted process are usually in different departments, making it crossfunctional. Areas involved are those which have an impact on, or are impacted by, the process being reengineered. A reengineering effort supports the companys Business Plan. The focus is to achieve benefits in support of mid-term targets which are three to four years in the future. The results of a successful project contribute to corporate performance and should be tracked to the bottom line within a year of implementation. Business process architecture It is comparable to getting an old building or constructing a new one. You start with a clean sheet of paper, with the objective being to achieve an overall change. Experts are needed, the investment and the risk are substantial, the project can take years to complete and there are no guarantees of achieving the desired returns. This type of effort is unlimited in scope. The focus is on the entire business. Example: The re-architecture of General Electric (GE) is frequently cited in the literature as one of the classic examples of a successful, complete overhaul of a large corporation. An architecture effort is a platform for innovation because there are few restrictions in determining what could be possible. Regan James Crunch Time, How to Reengineer your Organization An overview of Business Process Redesign (BPR) Reengineering is the radical redesign of business processes for dramatic improvement Hammer, M., Beyond Reengineering, NY: Harper Business, 1996

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Role of HR manager in Business Process Re-engineering:Because reengineering involves a myriad of HR challenges, it provides HR with a golden opportunity to put its stamp on a firm. "It's up to HR to take the initiative and define its role," says Janet Caldow, a senior consultant at IBM Consulting Group in White Plains, New York. "In most cases, things aren't clearly defined during a reengineering project. Those who step forward gain the opportunity to blaze the trail." Experts say HR can provide valuable guidance and direction as a project unfolds. HR's expertise can encompass a wide range of areas. They include: 1. Shaping the process: Although senior management may lay down the general guidelines and direction the reengineering effort will take, HR often can play a major role in determining whether it will succeed. At many companiesincluding Minneapolis-based IDS Financial Services, Monterey, California-based CTB and Palo Alto, California-based SyntexHR helped create the selection criteria for members of the steering committee. HR also can interview and evaluate candidates. Even as the process filters down through the organization, HR can play a key role in determining how team leaders and team members are selected. 2. Creating job statements and role descriptions that reflect the new corporate order: It isn't enough to plug existing job descriptions into new positions created from reengineering. It isn't enough to use existing methodology to create new positions. Reengineering requires serious introspection about what the company is trying to achieve and what job and role responsibilities will help realize the goals. "It's a whole new way of thinking. The idea is to write job statements instead of descriptions, to outline roles vs. tasks, and to structure work around the customer rather than a specific function or department," says Mary Layman, vice president of HR for CTB. 3. Working out compensation issues: Pay scales and rewards must be structured to create the desired results. For example, a company that wants to focus on customer service must measure and compensate the work force based on those criteria. Likewise, HR must think about whether it should pay employees for specific tasks they should perform from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or offer skill-based or knowledgebased pay. "Too often, there's a disconnect between the basic strategy and what HR actually does," says Caldow. 4. Training the new work force: "A company may have award-winning training programs, but they probably aren't going to have a lot to do with the overall reengineering strategy," says William A. Wheeler, a partner at the consulting firm of Coopers and Lybrand in New York City and co-author of Business Process Sandeep Kumar 04015903913 Page 5

Reengineering: Breakpoint Strategies for Market Dominance. Experts agree that it's important to provide plenty of training on specific skills employees will need in the newly reengineered company, but that teamwork, decision making and trust building must also be heavily emphasized over a period of time. 5. Molding the new corporate culture: Stories, ceremonies, awards and rituals all have a major impact on how people behave. Caldow insists that human resources can alter thinking by helping form a new ethnography. It must be consistent throughout the organization, and it should be backed by plenty of symbolism. Yet, the change won't occur overnight. It may take weeks or months before a real breakthrough in thinking takes place. 6. Facilitate communication in the work force: Nothing is as frightening to a work force as change, and nothing changes a work force as much as reengineering. Newsletters, videos, letters, E-mail messages, and companywide and departmental meetings are all useful tools in quelling anxiety. Moreover, good communication can help a work force understand how reengineering may benefit it in the future.

Q3. Total Quality management is the technique of doing things right. Explain. Ans.3) Total quality management (TQM) Total quality management is a management approach centred on quality, based on the participation of an organizations people and aiming at long term success (ISO 8402:1994). This is achieved through customer satisfaction and benefits all members of the organization and society. In other words, TQM is a philosophy for managing an organization in a way which enables it to meet stakeholder needs and expectations efficiently and effectively, without compromising ethical values. TQM is a way of thinking about goals, organizations, processes and people to ensure that the right things are done right first time. This thought process can change attitudes, behaviour and hence results for the better.

Total Quality management is the technique of doing things right:

What TQM is not
TQM is not a system, a tool or even a process. Systems, tools and processes are employed to achieve the various principles of TQM.
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What does TQM cover?

The total in TQM applies to the whole organization. Therefore, unlike an ISO 9000 initiative which may be limited to the processes producing deliverable products, TQM applies to every activity in the organization. Also, unlike ISO 9000, TQM covers the soft issues such as ethics, attitude and culture.

What is the TQM philosophy?

There are several ways of expressing this philosophy. There are also several gurus whose influence on management thought in this area has been considerable, for example Deming, Juran, Crosby, Feigenbaum, Ishikawa and Imai. The wisdom of these gurus has been distilled into eight principles defined in ISO 9000:2000.

The principles of quality management:

There are eight principles of quality management:

customer-focused organization - organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations Leadership - leaders establish unity of purpose, direction and the internal environment of the organization. They create the environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives involvement of people - people at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization's benefit process approach - a desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process system approach to management - identifying, understanding and managing a system of interrelated processes for a given objective contributes to the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization continual improvement - continual improvement is a permanent objective of an organization factual approach to decision making - effective decisions are based on the logical and intuitive analysis of data and information mutually beneficial supplier relationships - mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and its suppliers enhance the ability of both organizations to create value

Why should a company adopt TQM?

Adopting the TQM philosophy will:

make an organization more competitive establish a new culture which will enable growth and longevity provide a working environment in which everyone can succeed Page 7

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reduce stress, waste and friction build teams, partnerships and co-operation

When should a company adopt TQM?

TQM can be adopted at any time after executive management has seen the error of its ways, opened its mind and embraced the philosophy. It cannot be attempted if management perceives it as a quick fix, or a tool to improve worker performance.

How should a company adopt TQM?

Before TQM is even contemplated
TQM will force change in culture, processes and practice. These changes will be more easily facilitated and sustained if there is a formal management system in place. Such a system will provide many of the facts on which to base change and will also enable changes to be implemented more systematically and permanently.

The first steps

In order to focus all efforts in any TQM initiative and to yield permanent benefits, a company must answer some fundamental questions:

what is its purpose as a business? what is its vision for the business? what is its mission? what are the factors upon which achievement of its mission depends? what are its values? what are its objectives?

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Q4. Total Quality management is the technique of doing things right the first time, every time and at every stage. Discuss. Also elaborate the key elements of total quality management citing practical examples in the field of human resource management.
Ans.4)

The Eight Elements of TQM

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach that originated in the 1950s and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980s. Total quality is a description of the culture, attitude and organization of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. The culture requires quality in all aspects of the companys operations, with processes being done right the first time and defects and waste eradicated from operations.

To be successful implementing TQM, an organization must concentrate on the eight key elements:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Ethics Integrity Trust Training Teamwork Leadership Recognition Communication

Key Elements
TQM has been coined to describe a philosophy that makes quality the driving force behind leadership, design, planning, and improvement initiatives. For this, TQM requires the help of those eight key elements. These elements can be divided into four groups according to their function. The groups are: I. Foundation It includes: Ethics, Integrity and Trust. II. Building Bricks It includes: Training, Teamwork and Leadership. III. Binding Mortar It includes: Communication. IV. Roof It includes: Recognition.

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I. Foundation TQM is built on a foundation of ethics, integrity and trust. It fosters openness, fairness and sincerity and allows involvement by everyone. This is the key to unlocking the ultimate potential of TQM. These three elements move together, however, each element offers something different to the TQM concept. 1. Ethics Ethics is the discipline concerned with good and bad in any situation. It is a twofaceted subject represented by organizational and individual ethics. Organizational ethics establish a business code of ethics that outlines guidelines that all employees are to adhere to in the performance of their work. Individual ethics include personal rights or wrongs. 2. Integrity Integrity implies honesty, morals, values, fairness, and adherence to the facts and sincerity. The characteristic is what customers (internal or external) expect and deserve to receive. People see the opposite of integrity as duplicity. TQM will not work in an atmosphere of duplicity. 3. Trust Trust is a by-product of integrity and ethical conduct. Without trust, the framework of TQM cannot be built. Trust fosters full participation of all members. It allows empowerment that encourages pride ownership and it encourages commitment. It allows decision making at appropriate levels in the organization, fosters individual risk-taking for continuous improvement and helps to ensure that measurements focus on improvement of process and are not used to contend people. Trust is essential to ensure customer satisfaction. So, trust builds the cooperative environment essential for TQM. II. Bricks Basing on the strong foundation of trust, ethics and integrity, bricks are placed to reach the roof of recognition. It includes: 4. Training Training is very important for employees to be highly productive. Supervisors are solely responsible for implementing TQM within their departments, and teaching their employees the philosophies of TQM. Training that employees require are interpersonal skills, the ability to function within teams, problem solving, decision making, job management performance analysis and improvement, business economics and technical skills. During the creation and formation of TQM, employees are trained so that they can become effective employees for the company. 5. Teamwork To become successful in business, teamwork is also a key element of TQM. With the use of teams, the business will receive quicker and better solutions to problems. Teams also provide more permanent improvements in processes and operations. In teams, people feel more comfortable bringing up problems that may occur, and can get help from other workers to find a solution and put into place. There are mainly three types of teams that TQM organizations adopt: A. Quality improvement teams or excellence teams (QITs) These are temporary teams with the purpose of dealing with specific problems that often recur. These teams are set up for period of
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three to twelve months. B. Problem solving teams (PSTs) These are temporary teams to solve certain problems and also to identify and overcome causes of problems. They generally last from one week to three months. C. Natural work teams (NWTs) These teams consist of small groups of skilled workers who share tasks and responsibilities. These teams use concepts such as employee involvement teams, self-managing teams and quality circles. These teams generally work for one to two hours a week. 6. Leadership It is possibly the most important element in TQM. It appears everywhere in organization. Leadership in TQM requires the manager to provide an inspiring vision, make strategic directions that are understood by all and to instill values that guide subordinates. For TQM to be successful in the business, the supervisor must be committed in leading his employees. A supervisor must understand TQM, believe in it and then demonstrate their belief and commitment through their daily practices of TQM. The supervisor makes sure that strategies, philosophies, values and goals are transmitted down through out the organization to provide focus, clarity and direction. A key point is that TQM has to be introduced and led by top management. Commitment and personal involvement is required from top management in creating and deploying clear quality values and goals consistent with the objectives of the company and in creating and deploying well defined systems, methods and performance measures for achieving those goals. III. Binding Mortar 7. Communication It binds everything together. Starting from foundation to roof of the TQM house, everything is bound by strong mortar of communication. It acts as a vital link between all elements of TQM. Communication means a common understanding of ideas between the sender and the receiver. The success of TQM demands communication with and among all the organization members, suppliers and customers. Supervisors must keep open airways where employees can send and receive information about the TQM process. Communication coupled with the sharing of correct information is vital. For communication to be credible the message must be clear and receiver must interpret in the way the sender intended. There are different ways of communication such as: A. Downward communication This is the dominant form of communication in an organization. Presentations and discussions basically do it. By this the supervisors are able to make the employees clear about TQM. B. Upward communication By this the lower level of employees are able to provide suggestions to upper management of the affects of TQM. As employees provide insight and constructive criticism, supervisors must listen effectively to correct the situation that comes about through the use of TQM. This forms a level of trust between supervisors and employees. This is also similar to empowering communication, where supervisors keep open ears and listen to others. C. Sideways communication This type of communication is important because it breaks down barriers between departments. It also allows dealing with customers and suppliers in a more professional manner.
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IV. Roof 8. Recognition Recognition is the last and final element in the entire system. It should be provided for both suggestions and achievements for teams as well as individuals. Employees strive to receive recognition for themselves and their teams. Detecting and recognizing contributors is the most important job of a supervisor. As people are recognized, there can be huge changes in self-esteem, productivity, quality and the amount of effort exhorted to the task at hand. Recognition comes in its best form when it is immediately following an action that an employee has performed. Recognition comes in different ways, places and time such as,

Ways It can be by way of personal letter from top management. Also by award banquets, plaques, trophies etc. Places Good performers can be recognized in front of departments, on performance boards and also in front of top management. Time Recognition can given at any time like in staff meeting, annual award banquets, etc.

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