Business Law Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Law - Term Paper Example Yes, the surveys of the Coca Cola consumer experts can be admitted to court. According to the Federal Rule of Evidence Rule 702, expert testimonies that will assist the trier of fact based on sufficient facts or data are admissible to court. The survey must be a product of reliable principles and methods applied reliably to the facts of the case. Statement of Facts This office is considering whether to prosecute the Pepsi company for false advertising. Coca Cola company discovered that months ago, Pepsi company distributed a mailer directly to consumers as part of their campaign. The mailer focused on Coca Cola causing obesity and compared it to their own product. The mailer stated how Coca Cola products can make the consumers fat due to excessive sugar content. The mailer was distributed across the country to more than 1 million consumers between January 2011 to March 2011. ... Discussion It is very clear that Pepsi committed false advertising by distributing mailer that claimed Coca Cola’s products can cause obesity. In order to prosecute Pepsi for violating the Lanham Act, the company should be able to prove that the defendant made a false or misleading description in a commercial advertisement. This advertisement actually deceives and should likely influence the purchasing decision which injures the plaintiff as a result. Scotts Co. v. United Industries, 315 F.3d 264, 272 (4th Cir.2002). The challenge in this case is to prove that the advertisement or the mailer is intended to mislead or confuse the consumers upon a claim of implied falsehood. In short, a court may find the mailer statements literally false but absent a literal falsehood, statements can only be said impliedly misleading if presented with evidence of actual consumer deception. PBM Products LLC PBM LLC v. Mead Johnson Company, No. 10–1421 (4th Cir. 2011). In your case, since Pepsi did not literally and expressly stated that Coca Cola is harmful and can cause obesity, the company needs to supply evidence that the misleading statements made through the mailer confused and deceived the consumers. The court must determine if claims are made unambiguous and false. There are times that a literally false message may either be explicit or conveyed by necessary implication only. If advertisement is considered in its entirety, the consumers will know that the claim is clear and unambiguous. In the case of the mailer statements made by Pepsi, there is no express statement that Coca Cola is harmful and can cause obesity. But the relationship of the statements made shows

Digital Textile Printing Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Digital Textile Printing Technologies - Essay Example Product innovation and services would be the assets for competition and the key to growth in the future. International companies can only face the competition by selling know-how intensive products to the Chinese market and by focusing on the quality and technology lead. Technical textiles are likely to develop into a niche market for companies based in Europe and the US. These textiles promise good business potential, with worldwide consumption expected to touch 20.58 million tonnes by 2006 and 24.67 m.t. by 2010. In 2005, consumption of technical textiles stood at 18.69 m.t. Technical textiles find application in several fields such as agriculture, where the worldwide consumption in 2005 stood at 15.81 lakh tonnes, in the building industry (16.48 lakh tonnes), clothing industry (12.38 lakh tonnes), the medical field (15.43 lakh tonnes) and even sports (9.89 lakh tonnes), among others. The last two decades have witnessed substantial effort in improvement of printing technology in the world. Conventional product lines have given way to new automated digital printing technology. The rapidly growing world of digitally printed textiles is a reflection of several exclusive and different business models that create challenges, threats and opportunities to the future of the textile printing market. The challeng The challenges in digital textile printing industries include finding suitable markets and changing their paradigms, limitations of materials, testing requirements, the current pace of technology, and set individual challenges in making digital textile printing technology grow successfully in this new world. The first challenge is to find the right market for the digital printing industry to flourish and grow. Second challenge is understanding the pros and cons and varying characteristics of the materials in the market today. Keeping up with technology improvements and changes is the only way for the potential prospects of the digital textile industry. Product Innovation Product innovation means different things to different people. Some, for example, tend to think in terms of a product which is 'first of its kind'. Such radical innovation is not necessarily more important than the steady, incremental improvements to existing ranges of

Write an essay on globalisation of trade related to economic

Write an on globalisation of trade related to economic globalisation - Essay Example Among the many movements, globalisation had and is also having a major impact on the people worldwide. Globalisation literally means the transformation of local phenomena into a global one. Globalisation is a practice of interacting and mixing or assimilation among people, companies and governments of different countries whose significant feature is international industrial and financial business structure. Globalisation may be thought of as the widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life, from the cultural to the criminal, the financial to the spiritually. More formally, globalisation can be categorized as a process that embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions (Wiley, Nandi & Shahidullah 1998, p. 21). Hyperglobalism conceive globalisation as a new age of economic integration that is characterized by open trade, global financial flows as well as multinational corporations. Hyperglobalism is driven by capitalism, communications and transportation technology, integration into one world market and it is increasingly eroding state power and legitimacy. Howe ver another perspective is, in the past few years, more and more people have been complaining that the new liberty in the form of globalisation have gone too far, giving rise to a hypercapitalism (Roberts and Hite 2007, p.263). Probably the largest body of opinion - and one that spans the entire politico-ideological spectrum - consists of what might be called the hyper-globalists, who argue that we live in a borderless world in which the national is no longer relevant (Dickens 2008, p. 6). The so said social relations and transactions are assessed in terms of their extensitivity, intensitivity, velocity and impact and the rate at which they generate transcontinental or interregional flow and networks of activity, interaction and exercise of power. The purpose of this study is

E-Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

E-Business Strategy - Essay Example Strategic plans are to be made for every vertical of the business and those plans are to be further broken down into smaller ones to guide day to day operations. Every aspect of a strategic plan is well deliberated upon from every aspect and only then is it implemented. The process of formulation of strategies goes through a cycle of different stages and can be seen as the strategic planning cycle (Strategic Planning Cycle, n.d.). The first stage should cover the overall goal of the organization and its basic business viewpoint. This will act as a framework for its operations and decisions. The second stage deals with identification of specific goals or targets which are to be achieved within a certain stipulated period of time. The next phase will focus on the ways of reaching the target, i.e. the action which is required to achieve the goals. Once the firm identifies the action or a set of actions, then it has to analyze the resources it would need to support those actions or whether there is any need for additional resources. Different action would need different types of resources right from man and machine to technology. Only a proper incorporation of these measures would ensure success. Another important step is to establish KPI or key performance indicators. These will help the firm to keep tab of the route that the strategic plan is taking, once it has been initiated. If its course does not adhere to the KPIs then the company should go for course correction. After this the company gets to see the final result of its strategic plans and processes. The final outcome whether successful or unsuccessful always acts as a guiding principle for future processes and helps in rectifying the procedures and strategies. Be it an old economy business or a new economy one the basic principles of strategy and strategic formulations remain the same. In the case

Business Law Essay Example for Free

Business Law Essay Consideration is an essential element of a valid contract. The four main ingredient of a contract is the offer, the acceptance, the consideration and the intention to create legal relation. Consideration refers to what one party to an agreement is giving or promising in exchange for what is being given or promised by the other contracting party. There are certain rules that govern a valid contract.The issue in the case is whether the agreement was legally binding upon Dream Design or whether it failed for want of consideration. If the promise merely fulfils an existing contractual duty to the promisor, he does not provide consideration to buy the buy promisor’s promise. The baskets were to be delivered by A and a rate was agreed upon between the party. After the first delivery A demanded more money from K before making any further deliveries to W. K unwillingly agreed to pay the extra money and A continued with the delivery. Later on K refused to pay the extra money to A and A sued K. It was held that A had not given consideration to K to buy K’s promise of extra money. A could not say that making the delivery was the consideration, as A was contractually bound to make these deliveries under the original contract. With the case of Dream Design the consideration will not be sufficient where a contractually duty already exist. The fact is that Parma Steel and Dream Design agreed on a written contract dated October 22, 2009 for the supply of fabricated steel at a cost of $165 per ton for â€Å"Grade60,000 and $156 per ton for â€Å"Hard Grade. † In this case Parma Steel could not say that making the deliveries was the consideration, as Parma Steel was already contractually bound to make these deliveries under t he original contract. According to Tucker J. there was no consideration for the new agreement. The plaintiff was already obliged to deliver the defendant goods at the rates agreed under the terms of the original agreement. The facts constituted economic duress but the court has to refuse to enforce the new agreement for the increase in the prices or the higher charges as it lacked any fresh consideration from the purchaser, Dream Design. The supplier, Parma Steel claim for the outstanding balance has to be dismissed.

Ethics and Legal Environment Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Legal Environment Essay Something’s Rotten in Hondo is a case wherein a plant manager, George Mackee, needs to decide whether to get rid of the charges inflicted by the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA or to move in Mexico. He is in a dilemma because if he would choose the former, he has very little chance of eliminating the problem since Bill, George boss, refuses to finance the cleaning of the smokestack. On the other hand, if he would choose the latter, he has to lay off his current employees and hire Mexican workers as a trade-off for not being reprimanded about the EPA standards. His boss leaves the decision up to him. The most obvious ethical concerns in this case are two-fold. The first one is that if George would choose the first option – that is to devise a strategy or a technique that would eradicate the problem with the fines imposed by EPA, he would have to follow what his contemporaries are doing – that is by scheduling the heavy emissions of smokestack during nighttime when the EPA is not in patrol. This entails that he would allow the severance of the environmental pollution (particularly air pollution) for the exchange of not paying any fines to EPA. On the contrary, if George would choose the second option – that is to relocate in Mexico, he would have to dismiss most of his current employees in place of the Mexican workers. And such would include the laying off of his friends and extended families. Furthermore, if he would choose the second option, he would be tolerant of the air pollution caused by the plant’s incapacity to reduce air pollutants. In effect, George has also eliminated the problem of the company on fines issued by EPA. Application of Ethical Theories The case presented in this paper suggests particular ethical problems. For this matter, the author presents two distinct ethical dilemmas for George to decide on: Should he decide to relocate the plant to Mexico or should he just follow the strategy used by his contemporaries? But before he could arrive to a decision, he must first analyze the pros and cons of his decision. If he would choose the former, he could really eliminate the problem with the imposition of fines by the EPA since Mexico assure him that it would not reprimand the plant whatever it does. The only thing is that he has to hire Mexican workers that which implies laying off of his present employees including his friends and extended families. Conversely, if he would agree with that proposal he would also have to bear the dreadful effects of the plant’s operations on the environment, particularly on U. S. Nonetheless, if he would choose the latter, he could also get rid of the problem with the fines imposed by EPA because of failure to meet its guidelines. However, he has to take so much risk by doing the same strategy being used by his contemporaries. In addition, he also has to endure the environmental effects of such strategy just to avoid being reprimanded again by EPA and his boss. Kantian Categorical Imperative If he would apply Kantian’s Categorical Imperative that is by doing his duty, he ought not to do the strategy utilized by his contemporaries (his first option). This is for the reason that he has a duty to protect the environment for both the present and future generations. Plus the fact that his workers have to suffer if he would fire them out of their works. Kant’s Categorical Imperative suggests two maxims in which a person could use to examine the morality of his action. The first maxim states that an action is morally right if one could make such action a universal law. This means that if one could make his action universal or applicable to all others by making it a rule then such action is morally accepted thus it is right. The second maxim, in contrast, focuses on the idea of always treating all human persons as ends and never as means to an end. This maxim argues that every human person has dignity to be respected and has rights as a human thus everyone must act in promoting others rights and not promoting harm to them On the other hand, Kant would not also choose the second option because it also implies environmental degradation. Though he avoids being fined by EPA as well as not even being reprimanded by EPA whatever their operation is, for Kant, he would fail to do the maxims under the Categorical Imperative. He could never make his action or decision as a universal law. Likewise, he would treat other people as mere instruments to achieve his goal by inflicting heath hazards due to smokestack emissions. Kant would suggest that George must never make a decision that would tend to harm the environment because such would also cause severe consequences to the people. As evident in the two options, both would result to the degradation of the environment. Thus, Kant would say that George decision, whichever of the two, would be unethical and morally wrong. Kant would recommend that George must be able to find ways that would not lead to the toleration of environmental pollution. For example, George could instead convince his boss that the only way to solve the problem that would not require him to sacrifice the welfare of the environment is to invest for new technologies that would lessen the emission of smokestack. And such would not even require new scrubbers. Such action is a long-term advantage for the company as well as for the environment. Mill’s Utilitarianism JS Mill’s Utilitarianism would even strengthen the position of not deciding on either of the two options since both would result to environmental pollution. Mill’s Utilitarianism is premised on the idea that an action is right if it promotes the greatest happiness for the greatest number. In other words, Utilitarian principle is mainly directed towards the social utility of an act. This means that if an action can benefit or inflict advantages to more people then such action is morally right. In the case of George, either of the two options would make him tolerate the harm done against the environment. Environment is an essential mechanism that is necessary for human survival. If he would choose the first or the latter option as his decision, he could save the company but inflict great harm to more number of people. Mill would say that George must devise a way in which he could settle the crisis in the company without sacrificing the environment because lots people, including him and his family, depend on the environment’s gifts. Thus, Mill would also recommend the same thing as Kant. Convince his boss by arguing that it is risky and detrimental to the environment if he would follow what his contemporaries are doing. If EPA would find out such underground activities, the company could even be sanctioned more than the imposition of fines. The same thing goes with the second option. If the government of U. S. would find out that the company’s operation cause harsh effects to their environment then there is a big possibility that U. S. would inflict undesirable measures against the company. Rights-based Theory on Decision-making The rights-based theories suggest that it is not always the case that the morality of an action is based on the great benefit that it can produce. At the same time, the rights-based theories do not solely advocate the respect of rights of human persons. These theories suggest that while everyone has a duty to recognize and value the rights of other people (negative rights); it is also everyone’s duty to promote for other’s goals (positive rights). In such manner, the contending ethical theories of Kantianism and Utilitarianism are reconciled in a way that both their concerns are being considered. In the first place, rights are inviolable. They are inalienable or cannot be taken away from human persons no matter what the situation is. Thus, there is no sufficient and rational reason to go against their rights without their consent. The rights-based theories are premised on the idea that every person has the right to choose on how he would like to live his own life. It is not only a person’s duty to respect these rights but also to promote the accomplishment of the goals of other people. By doing so, the rights defined earlier are more strengthen and more realized. In the case of Hondo, George, as a manager, has a duty towards the company. Still, he has duty towards other people. Choosing either of the two decisions would disrespect the rights and disregard the goals of these people. For the rights-based theories, such decision is unethical. The more appropriate way to solve the problem is for George to lend money from a bank so as to install new technology that would lessen the emission of smokestack. He does not really need to hire new scrubbers. By having new technology, for instance machines that clean smokestack, he would not have to result to environmental pollution. It is costly in the beginning but its benefits would be greatly appreciated in the long run. Justice-based Theories in Decision-making In justice-based theories, the overriding principle is focus on the idea of fair. According to John Rawls, the morality of an action can only be measured by appealing to the principle of justice. In his A Theory of Justice, he suggests two principles: liberty and wealth. The former is expressed to explain justice by saying that all must have an equal extent in which they can enjoy and practice their liberties. A least extensive curtailment of liberty is advocated on the condition that such would be shared by all. This entails that an act is right is the product of such act is amenable to all. Hence, justice, in such context, is morally right. In resolving the ethical dilemma faced by George, Justice-based theories would advice him to consider if his decision would be fair to all. Obviously, both options are not beneficial to all. And at the same time, these two options are not the only available options which George has. If he would employ either one of the two options, he would not be just; knowing that if he would be in the place of other people who depend on and survive through environment he would not also endure such nor be willing to agree with such idea. It could be the case that the he and the company are amenable to either of the two options. Nevertheless, others are not really disposed to accept such. Hence, George must not employ such decisions. For George, he could, instead, make control-strategies that would monitor and regulate the emission of smokestack before, during, and even after the plant’s operation in order to examine well the problems concerning the smokestack. Furthermore he could meet with his workers and discuss the problem. He may solicit suggestions on how they could lessen the pollution secreted by their plant onto the environment. After that, he may ask for support from banks by lending or getting loan. Kohlberg’s Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg was from the line of Piaget who used moral framework to discuss the psychological development of a human person. His thesis on Moral Development suggests that there are six stages wherein a person passes through before he reaches the ultimate state of being a moral person. This theory will be used to show how Kohlberg’s method would help George in resolving his faced ethical dilemma. The first stage is focus on the idea that one person is initially instructed to obey laws such that he could avoid punishment. This is the primary conception on morality that a person has during his early years. With regards to the case presented in this paper, the appeal to laws and rules concerning environmental protection is the most obvious consideration for George’s decision. He would not decide either of the two options since both would make him violate the law regarding the protection of the environment. On the other hand, if he fails to solve the problem immediately, he might receive punishment from his boss (i. e. termination or demotion). The point is that which of the two punishments could George endure more? More likely than not, he would choose not be imprisoned than being demoted or terminated by his boss. The second stage suggests that every person has his own way of thinking which makes every topic or matter subjective to each person. The thing that works for someone or the thing that is considered right by someone may not be the same for another person. Thus, morality in this stage is relative. George could say that the least that he could that would benefit him and put him out of the dilemma that he is in is by either doing the first option or the second option. Both would mean resolution of his problem yet would cause damage to the environment. If he is a nature-lover he would not go for such decision. But if he is a money-lover, he would employ one of the two alternatives. The third stage is concern on the character in which a person thinks of ways on how he can do good things to the persons close to him (e. . family and friends). This means that his initial moral outlook is directed towards the things that he can do for the sake of his loved ones. In the case, if George is at this stage, he would be more inclined to decide and act so as to promote his family and friends’ welfare. Thus, if he would decide on his problem, he would not choose to relocate since his wife is not in favor of this idea and such will inflict great personal unhappiness to his friends who work in the plant.

Developing a Learning Organizational Culture

Developing a Learning Organizational Culture ABSTRACT Employees of an organization that has a mission of enhancing standards of excellence must have knowledge and skills that best suits their work. This then calls for continuous trainings of employees for an organization to better utilize the existing human resources. Training and Development is a major strategy to accomplish this objective. In this perspective there is need for flexibility which is required to respond effectively to the rapidly changing environment, Human Resource training efforts must enable the employees to perform multiple tasks in multiple roles while enhancing a good organizational learning culture. This paper therefore contributes to the debate by analyzing in detail the creation of a learning organizational culture We also examine the methodologies that enable us to show that even successful organizations do not always implement best practice Human Resource Management, and that there is frequently a discrepancy between intention and practice. conclusion at the individual and directorial levels are intricate and often contradictory; we question the extent to which it is possible or meaningful to attempt to measure the interrelationship between Human resources management, at the level of the formal system, and organizational performance, without taking into consideration the role played by the informal organization in the process and implementation of Human resources training. Introduction The human resource field takes a clear view of workers, supercilious that almost all wish to contribute to the enterprise productively, and that the main hindrance to their actions are lack of knowledge, insufficient training, and failures of process. Human resource management is seen as a more inventive aspect of workplace management other than the traditional approach. It results to the managers of an enterprise expressing their goals with specificity in order to be understood and undertaken by the workforce, providing the resources needed for them to successfully accomplish their assignments. As such, Human Resource management techniques, when properly practiced, are expressive of the goals and operating practices of the enterprise overall. Human Resource management is also seen by many to have a key role in continuous trainings of employees. The employees of an organization that has a mission of enhancing standards of excellence must have knowledge and skills that best suits there work. This then calls for continuous trainings of employees for an organization to better utilize the existing human resources. Training and development is a major strategy to accomplish this objective. In this perspective the flexibility required to respond effectively to the rapidly changing environment, Human Resource training efforts must enable the employees to perform multiple tasks in multiple roles (Adler 1997, p.13) Development and training The aim of the development function of human resources maintenance is to ensure that personnel are adequately trained to enable them to be capable to fulfil their goals, as well as to contribute to enhabnced performance and growth with their work . The development of employees can be regarded as a special field of human resource management that includes planned individual learning, education, organization development, career development and training. Training is an efficient method for altering an employees behavior to prepare the employee for a job or upgrade the employees performance on the job. Development involves the preparation of a person for broader responsibilities and higher-level positions within the company. Preparation and growth can fluctuate from one firm to another, as well as by type or size of service organization (Armstrong 1996, pp. 220 -221). To maximize training effectiveness, it is important to consider how employees learn most effectively. Culture as a factor has a strong impact on training practices in different parts of the world. For example, in the USA, where power distance is small, the interaction between the trainer and employees appears to be equal. The trainer and employees use first names, and the employees therefore feel free to challenge what the trainer says. In another country outside the USA like Malaysia, power distance is large, a trainer receives greater respect from the employee. The trained employees use his/ her surname and title, and he/ she is an expert that students rarely challenge. Defining a Learning Culture A learning tradition can be defined as an organization that knows how to learn, with people who freely share what they know and are willing to change based on the acquisition of new knowledge. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant rudiments of a learning culture are high quality, sound learning programs that are evaluated not only for their effectiveness but also for their potential for really making a difference. That kind of communal appraisal is a self-check on the worth of the program and whether its being endorsed and supported. Organizations that simply make public large catalogs of training courses without consulting their clients or assessing their unique needs exhibit more of a course culture — the more courses, the better — than a learning culture. Instructors that are content only to make public a large e-learning course catalog, and not much more, will be less likely too be seen as business problem-solvers (Galaghan, 1991, p. 43). An extra suggestion of a high-quality education society is higher-ranking management support — and Im not just talking about words, but long-term funding. For learning to hold base, senior executives must do extra than just endorse learning; they must embrace it and become users themselves. This will make them good role representation for the rest of the institute. Good learning traditions involve an savings in good learning depth and evaluation. Its serious to demonstrate that learning makes a variation and that its benefits are not simply conjecture. Some organizations that are just paying attention on plan and liberation tend to miss out on the front end (needs assessment) and the back end (evaluation), which are very culturally specific. Good learning traditions go out of classroom and out of the instructional mode to become involved in the workplace. If the staff gets two or three weeks of instruction a year, thats pretty good. But what is their responsibility for the remaining parts of the weeks? They didnt stop learning; theyre learning on the job. So the ease by which the workforce contacts information, form communities of performance, and use performance support to learn and improve their performance in the workplace is a sign of a good learning culture. An additional attribute of an education tradition is how well and how thoroughly we integrate front-line supervisors into our learning strategy. Do they commend whatsoever training the workers call for but not pay any attention to outcomes, or are they integrally involved in developing their people? Then theres the whole performance assessment and performance analysis scheme. To what degree is learning truly included and embroidered, and to what extent are employees encouraged in the review process to teach one another and share their knowledge? This is where it becomes very important to review not just whether the employee took the requisite number of hours or the requisite number of courses. That becomes very mechanical. Workers — above all managers — have to be weighed up on their coaching and support for learning. Executives must assume that liveliness comes in large part from learning and growing. They must actually consider about their own â€Å"knowledge measure† (their curiosity in, and capacity for, learning new things) and the learning quotient of their employees. Also, a learning society cannot give confidence to knowledge hoarding, but slightly knowledge sharing. If I know that Im going to be rated on the known, why would I share information with someone else — which would give them an advantage in the appraisal system, especially with companies that rate on a curve? If I come up with a brilliant idea and share it with everybody, I should get credit for sharing it, even though the idea then would not be to my exclusive benefit. The blueprint of a outcome evaluation scheme has to equal any kind of required rating and ranking with criteria that focuses on knowledge-sharing, learning and teamwork (Arthur 1994, p. 298). Creating a Learning Organization A learning organization can be described as one that is able to inspire commitment, and cultivate a culture of discovering and acquiring knowledge and experience for continued growth, development and success. The organizational learning process requires some relatively permanent change in behavior of its workers that results in continuous capability to adapt and change as the market, clients or environmental demands. To tackle these changes requires a strong commitment from management and often a significant shift in organization culture. One of the biggest challenges in moving toward the learning model is convincing and enabling employees to develop new ways of thinking about how things are smartly done. To be a learning organization also demands an open culture where information is shared, interdependence is high, collaboration is the norm, and achievement of the organization mission or vision is pursued with cooperation and open-mindedness ( Hofstede 1991, p. 304). A commitment to such a challenging level must offer tangible outcomes. The learning organization can also on the other hand have some distinct advantages, the most significant being the ability to respond to major change much more quickly than a more traditional organization. As well, learning organizations are more likely to embrace processes of systematic problem solving, and to focus on creating new ideas and solutions to optimize outcomes, versus the more traditional approach of trial and error or committing to approaches that have worked in the past. A typical learning organization will learn from past experiences and history, but utilize that experience to pursue more enlightened and future-directed outcomes. The plasticity and compliance intrinsic to a learning institution is determined by the rapid and efficient internal transfer of knowledge. The open culture and communication processes that are indicative of a learning organization are the enablers in this internal knowledg e transfer. Knowledge sharing encourages motivation and commitment from employees, by encouraging employee involvement in the process of creating and developing a learning culture, and by providing continuous constructive feedback ( Huselid 1995). The test for most associations is the shift from a long-established to a learning organization. How does one begin the practice of changing organization ethics, comprising organization acquaintances â€Å"unlearn† the old ways of doing things, and convincing them to embrace a culture that is committed to change, innovation and continuous improvement? The key is a well thought out strategy that is based on an in-depth understanding of the culture, values, market position, and knowledge base across the organization. For advanced organizations to successfully develop continuous learning, they should regard the Initial consultation within the senior leadership team to gain an accurate and detailed view of how the organization functions overall; structure, knowledge base, mission, goals, vision, culture and values, and; the rationale for becoming a learning organization. This information is necessary and invaluable when determining the requirement for and viability of a more detailed needs analysis (Stacey 1996, p. 64). The institutions should also take on a thoroughly need investigation through surveys, focus groups and key stakeholder interviews. It should also undertake a strategic planning and action by senior leaders based upon the in-depth needs analysis. Because contact is serious in organization expansion progression, it is therefore important to ensure all employees are aware of the process, and the targeted outcomes. It is essential to ensure that all employees understand the â€Å"learning organization† concept, the rationale and value, implications for employees, implementation process, and targeted outcomes. Through senior leaders, planning, organization and delivery of information workshops would facilitate provision of survey feedback, â€Å"educate† employees on the â€Å"learning organization† concept, solicit their ideas and concerns and achieve buy-in. An organization should establish a multi-dimensional management development program, which is essential for the successful implementation of a learning organization culture. The two major dimensions of the program would be: a formal management development process with a consulting focus, to prepare managers for their next promotion level, while strengthening performance in their current position and; a dynamic and substantive coaching program developed for each level of management. Both dimensions of the management development program would be aligned with organization mission, vision and goals, and would include a concerted focus on interpersonal skills development, in the learning organization milieu. An evaluation of developmental initiatives, and particularly the management development/coaching process, is necessary, to ensure that the â€Å"learning organization concept† is well entrenched within the organization (Triandis 1995, p. 39). Becoming a Learning Company The aptitude of a corporation to learn, not to be rigid, bright and responsive to sustain itself in the given environment is in the modern world being seen as the only way to manage a competitive advantage. Speculative images of the learning company thrive but there is little research focusing on companies who have actually applied the concepts and made them work. The following case study is concerned with describing a company which has attempted to become a learning organization. Prudential UK The Organization The Company started by giving loans and life insurance to people since 1848. Since then it has become a leading company, as measured by annual premium equivalent sales. Their service has also increased to include annuities, pensions, savings and investments. The company has offered financial services to many enterprises such as Jackson National Life, Prudential Corporation Asia and Egg. Prudential company is found in the United Kingdom, the United States and Asia and has employed over 20,000 people, 7,200 of whom are based in the UK and Mumbai. Globally Prudential Company has assets of 234 billion pounds on behalf of 19 million customers, to whom it promises, â€Å"In an uncertain world, we make it possible for everyone to enjoy a secure future†. The Challenge At the start of the decade the company had to accept a period of profound change to cater for the increasing demands of its highly-competitive and tightly-regulated market. In 2002 the companys leadership team learnt the way it would achieve this in a strategy called the ‘1,000 day plan, the cornerstone of which was best practice in all people policy and procedures. â€Å"We wanted to make sure that we involved our people to transform our business. To do this we harmonised our practices using the People Standard as our benchmark,† says Liane Collins, Human Resources and Learning and Development Operations Consultant. The plan was to provide success and the Standard helped the company to engage its people to succeed. By adopting Andra King from Capital Quality Limited as their external Adviser, the Prudentials aim was to maximise the potential of its people using a number of different tools such as continuous assessment and recognition. Using these tools the y wanted to continue to ensure that their people were at the heart of their business. A further difficulty was to ensure that its workers grasped and applied the brand values to everything they did. â€Å"We are focused to delivering the right services,† explains Liane. â€Å"We want our clients to know that we can be trusted, helpful and easy to deal with. Thats the experience we want them to have. Honest dialogue is the essence of what we believe in.† The Solution Among the first things to be done back at the outset of the 1,000 day plan in 2002 was to align learning materials with a Capability Framework, in which the company outlined the skills it needs to thrive. Since then understanding of the framework has leapt from under 40 per cent to over 90 per cent and there is noticeably more connectivity between company strategy and its people. Having established physical Learning Zones across its head offices in the first year of the plan, the second year saw the company bring learning to each desktop through an online learning management system called Learning Space. As well as providing a way to track learning achievements, it gives access to over 4,000 items of learning material. Nearly every employee has now actively used it, and so has helped put them in control of their own learning and development. At the same time highest achievers were offered access to the Pru University programme, an internal institution designed to develop a group of key managers and specialists committed to achieving our business goals. This concept was extended the following year to an Alumni scheme, allowing those who studied together to work and develop together. A talent management process was also introduced to ensure leaders are properly assessed. â€Å"The Pru University is aimed at influential people, ambassadors and drivers of change, irrespective of grade, who can contribute to the development of the organisation and make a real difference to the business,† says Head of Learning and Development Matthew Starks. More recently the company has started to implement best practice in encouraging healthy lifestyles, which research suggests will reduce the burden of self-reported sickness absence. Although it is too early to say what the results have been, the company estimates that it will lead to a five per cent reduction in absence and a ten per cent reduction in cases of stress reported to Occupational Health. It estimat es that the return will be  £2 for every  £1 spent on the project. The Results Business outcome is usually quantified using performance Indicators (KPIs), an array of measures which come under the headings of cashflow, customer, people, risk and compliance, profit, and shareholder. Absence, employee turnover, and performance remain key human resource measurements that are closely linked to the people indicator. But other variables that are factored include elements drawn from an employee survey and from the Organisation Cultural Index (OCI), a characterisation of a companys culture. Honest dialogue, simplicity and people all close to the companys desired brand values are consistently the highest scoring values, suggesting the aim of developing understanding of these among employees has been successful. Success s due to developments in its Learning, three-quarters of the people now understand how they can access learning and development opportunities and 88 per cent feel personably accountable for their own development. The vast majority of people 98 per cent have also used Learning Space the online learning management system. A group of initiatives has also delivered benefits. Self assessment by managers revealed that the number now rating their knowledge as ‘good has increased from 48 per cent to 92 per cent. Meanwhile an internal audit gave a positive evaluation of the performance review process with 88 per cent of people believing their review meetings to be open, honest and frank. Integrating communications with the strategy has proved an effective approach for Prudential. â€Å"There is now a greater connectivity with the strategy from the top and understanding of why things happen and the connections being made,† says Matthew. As a result one of the primary objectives which include, ensuring understanding of the 1,000 day plan among employees has been achieved. The ‘Living PRU survey found that the percentage of people who said they understood their role within the plan increased from 71 per cent in 2004 to 94 per cent the following year. External recognition has come on a number of levels for the company. Among a survey of 7,500 customers, 90 per cent of them said they were satisfied with the service provided. And on a business level, Prudential is also performing extremely well, posting a 33 per cent rise in pre-tax profits in 2005, well above market expectations. The one thousands day reform process come to an end in October 2005 having inspired a period of profound organisational change and improvement in business performance. One of the most dramatic changes came in June 2003, still the first year of the three year programme, when Prudential opened a $10 million customer service centre in Mumbai, Indias commercial capital. Champion Status To get success is a major endorsement of everything that the company tried to put in place. As Champions, Prudential intended to continue to build on its philosophy of sharing best practice. As well as being involved in forums, the company has worked alongside other organizations, including the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions. It shares many of its activities through awards, articles, case studies and benchmarking forums. But, as a Champion the company looks forward to sharing its experience with other employers and showing how involving people in the business is the key to any organizations success. A human resource manager is involved in performance of the following tasks Planning He or she ensures that a firm has the right number and mix of people at the right times and places varying from long-range planning for large, stable companies to short-range crisis planning for thousands of small companies employing low-skilled and low-paid workers. (Haksever p217). In this case human resource, managers have to consider all of the laws that protect against discrimination and all of the requirements that employees must meet for the company. Effective planning by a human resource manager clearly brings accurate results that a company wants .in a case of staffing, understaffing result to result to the drop of the industries economies of scale and field of specialization, information, customers and the attained profits, while Overstaffing is extravagant and expensive, if continual, and it is costly to get rid of because of contemporary legislation in respect of joblessness payments, cons ultation and minimum periods of notice. Significantly, overstaffing reduces the competitive effectiveness of the business. An assessment of current and future needs of the organization has to be evaluated with present and future predicted resources when considering staffing. When proper steps are used in planning, it brings demand and supply into balance. The future demands of a company are influenced by the predictions of the personnel manager, who examine and adjust the simple delivery of the other managerial staff and also recruitments which depends on the following aspects The predictions of Sales and productivity Impact of technological change on job needs Difference in the competence, output, and suppleness of labor as a training result, job study, organizational alteration and new motivations. Renovation in employment performances by the involvement of subcontractors or organization staffs, hiving off tasks, buying in and substitution. Deviation, countering fresh legislation, for example payroll taxes, new health and safety requirements Adjustment in Government policies Logical staffing demands a plan for varying dates in the future which can then be compared with the crude supply schedules. The associations will then show what ladder must be taken to achieve a balance which involves the further preparation of such enrollment, training, or alteration in labor force operation as this will result to a balance in demand and supply (Claude Johannes 1999, p.115). Recruiting A human resource manager is involved in identifying people who could fill positions within the firm and then securing them as applicants. He has to plan a good job picture for the position and a specification of skills and abilities the candidate should have. A potential applicants list is developed from various sources, depending how the human resource manager decides to advertise the job opening. Managers obtain their recruits sources from internal and external sources. Advantages of internal recruiting The members of staff will not have to undergo basic teaching or learning all of the policies of the company. Disadvantages Inbreeding Results to seldom new ideas brought into the company. Jacuis (1975).An external source for recruiting brings into account the opposite of internal recruiting from outside the company. There are many forms of external recruiting. Some include employment agencies, advertising, Internet recruiting, and word of mouth. He is also involved in the recruitment of employees depending on: An examination of the work to be performed through carefully consideration of the errands to be carried out to establish their essentialities written into a career description so that the applicants know what physical and mental distinctiveness applicants must acquire, what traits and attitudes are attractive and what uniqueness are a certain disadvantage. Where substitution is to take effect, imperative questioning of the need to employ at all should be taken into consideration. Human resource managers have to search for recruitments in the following areas: 1.Domestic promotion 2.Careers advisors 3.Boards of university appointment 4.Unemployed agencies 5.Advertising Selecting Of Employees After applications have been confirmed, the human resource manager then begins the selection process basing on undoubtedly established criterion for performance of the job. The request form ought to be intended to discover the applicants skills and abilities for the job performance. The human resource managers choice reason could also be based on testing, interviews, references, and probationary periods of employment. (Simnett 1995, p.56). An effective selection is considered as buying an employee (the price being the wage or salary multiplied by probable years of service) hence the human resource manager has to carefully select to minimize and avoid in competencies in the company firms may involve external specialist consultants for selection of their employees Some small organizations exist to catch the attention of staff with high status from existing employers to the recruiting employer. Training and Development Training is an efficient method for altering an employees behavior to prepare the employee for a job or upgrade the employees performance on the job. Development involves the preparation of a person for broader responsibilities and higher-level positions within the company. Instruction and progress can differ from one firm to another, as well as by type or size of service organization. (Chaffee 1995, p. 46). Preparation in interviewing and in evaluating candidates is clearly crucial to good recruitment. For the most part the former consists of training interviewers how to draw out the interviewee and the latter how to rate the candidates. For consistency (and as a help to checking that) rating often consists of scoring candidates for experience, knowledge, physical/mental capabilities, intellectual levels, motivation, prospective potential, leadership abilities etc. (according to the needs of the post). Relevance of the normal curve of allocation to scoring g ets rid of freak judgments. Aims of Organization for Setting Reward System In Human Resource Management, the employee reward policy is intended to align employees with organizational strategy by providing incentives for employees to act in the firms interest and perform well over time. Anticipation theory carries a clear significance that workers must sense confident that their effort will affect the rewards they receive. Awareness of equity is therefore crucial in an employees judgment to remain and produce valuable work. Equity is a multidimensional construct, embracing external equity (the degree to which a firm pays employees the rate they would find in the external labor market), internal equity (the degree to which a firm differentiates pay between employees on the basis of performance in similar jobs), and individual equity (the degree to which employees are rewarded proportionately to their individual performance). For the reason that the varying strains of performance on human resources in high- velocity companies, perceptions of equity in its three forms may become confused, as job roles and job interdependence become more varied and flexible. Since employees would expect that as their job changes, so will their rewards, designing reward systems in high-velocity environments presents a major challenge to organizations. In high-velocity environments, a premium is placed on individuals who are able to operate in ambiguous circumstances and who are able to take advantage of loose job descriptions provided by their employers. Organizations in faster-moving surroundings are prepared to pay proportionally higher salaries to individuals who have such skills. We would expect, therefore, that emphasis on individually equitable rewards as a means of recruiting and retaining highly capable employees would be required (Farah 1991, p. 340). Employee Rewards Policy amended by the Human Resource Management can be classified under three broad headings: performance-contingent rewards, which explicitly reward through performance outputs; job-contingent rewards, where pay is contingent on job classification; and person-contingent rewards, in which pay is dependent on the competencies a person has (Dean Snell, 1993). Because both output orientation and job categorization may be complex to determine truthfully in high-velocity circumstances, the prospect of person-contingent rewards, which may encourage the values of learning, flexibility, and creativity, would seem to be best suited to fast-changing conditions. In addition, member of staff Reward Policy can be one of the best foundations of control available to a company in its quest to increase organizational performance and effectiveness, yet remain one of the most underutilized and potentially complex tools for driving organizational performance. The significance and diffi culty of connecting reward strategies to industrial goals in a systematic manner has been a recurrent argument in the study in this field, as has the importance and difficulty of linking rewards to the longer-term view (Hambrick Snow, 1989). In recounting the strongest stage of connection the stress has been placed on Lawlers (1990) description of reward processes which are capable of reinforcing the behaviors crucial to business strategy like long-term versus short-term, customer focus versus financial results. Utilizing This involves arranging the employees work to make them both productive and motivated. The factors that determine the effectiveness of human resource utilization include: 1.The structure of the work that provide an opportunity for â€Å"stretch† performance 2.Contribution in verdicts that have a straight forward effect on the persons job 3.Open interactions and fair setting up of assignments 4.Competent supervision and organizational flexibility 5.Economic and non-economic rewards that recognize achievement and equity 6.Opportunity for growth Role of Human Resource Management in Implementing a Learning Organization culture Human resource management has a strong impact on the organizational culture, it contributes a lot in implementing a learning organization because according to Senge, â€Å"the essence of a learning organization is that people are changing, people are developing w Developing a Learning Organizational Culture Developing a Learning Organizational Culture ABSTRACT Employees of an organization that has a mission of enhancing standards of excellence must have knowledge and skills that best suits their work. This then calls for continuous trainings of employees for an organization to better utilize the existing human resources. Training and Development is a major strategy to accomplish this objective. In this perspective there is need for flexibility which is required to respond effectively to the rapidly changing environment, Human Resource training efforts must enable the employees to perform multiple tasks in multiple roles while enhancing a good organizational learning culture. This paper therefore contributes to the debate by analyzing in detail the creation of a learning organizational culture We also examine the methodologies that enable us to show that even successful organizations do not always implement best practice Human Resource Management, and that there is frequently a discrepancy between intention and practice. conclusion at the individual and directorial levels are intricate and often contradictory; we question the extent to which it is possible or meaningful to attempt to measure the interrelationship between Human resources management, at the level of the formal system, and organizational performance, without taking into consideration the role played by the informal organization in the process and implementation of Human resources training. Introduction The human resource field takes a clear view of workers, supercilious that almost all wish to contribute to the enterprise productively, and that the main hindrance to their actions are lack of knowledge, insufficient training, and failures of process. Human resource management is seen as a more inventive aspect of workplace management other than the traditional approach. It results to the managers of an enterprise expressing their goals with specificity in order to be understood and undertaken by the workforce, providing the resources needed for them to successfully accomplish their assignments. As such, Human Resource management techniques, when properly practiced, are expressive of the goals and operating practices of the enterprise overall. Human Resource management is also seen by many to have a key role in continuous trainings of employees. The employees of an organization that has a mission of enhancing standards of excellence must have knowledge and skills that best suits there work. This then calls for continuous trainings of employees for an organization to better utilize the existing human resources. Training and development is a major strategy to accomplish this objective. In this perspective the flexibility required to respond effectively to the rapidly changing environment, Human Resource training efforts must enable the employees to perform multiple tasks in multiple roles (Adler 1997, p.13) Development and training The aim of the development function of human resources maintenance is to ensure that personnel are adequately trained to enable them to be capable to fulfil their goals, as well as to contribute to enhabnced performance and growth with their work . The development of employees can be regarded as a special field of human resource management that includes planned individual learning, education, organization development, career development and training. Training is an efficient method for altering an employees behavior to prepare the employee for a job or upgrade the employees performance on the job. Development involves the preparation of a person for broader responsibilities and higher-level positions within the company. Preparation and growth can fluctuate from one firm to another, as well as by type or size of service organization (Armstrong 1996, pp. 220 -221). To maximize training effectiveness, it is important to consider how employees learn most effectively. Culture as a factor has a strong impact on training practices in different parts of the world. For example, in the USA, where power distance is small, the interaction between the trainer and employees appears to be equal. The trainer and employees use first names, and the employees therefore feel free to challenge what the trainer says. In another country outside the USA like Malaysia, power distance is large, a trainer receives greater respect from the employee. The trained employees use his/ her surname and title, and he/ she is an expert that students rarely challenge. Defining a Learning Culture A learning tradition can be defined as an organization that knows how to learn, with people who freely share what they know and are willing to change based on the acquisition of new knowledge. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant rudiments of a learning culture are high quality, sound learning programs that are evaluated not only for their effectiveness but also for their potential for really making a difference. That kind of communal appraisal is a self-check on the worth of the program and whether its being endorsed and supported. Organizations that simply make public large catalogs of training courses without consulting their clients or assessing their unique needs exhibit more of a course culture — the more courses, the better — than a learning culture. Instructors that are content only to make public a large e-learning course catalog, and not much more, will be less likely too be seen as business problem-solvers (Galaghan, 1991, p. 43). An extra suggestion of a high-quality education society is higher-ranking management support — and Im not just talking about words, but long-term funding. For learning to hold base, senior executives must do extra than just endorse learning; they must embrace it and become users themselves. This will make them good role representation for the rest of the institute. Good learning traditions involve an savings in good learning depth and evaluation. Its serious to demonstrate that learning makes a variation and that its benefits are not simply conjecture. Some organizations that are just paying attention on plan and liberation tend to miss out on the front end (needs assessment) and the back end (evaluation), which are very culturally specific. Good learning traditions go out of classroom and out of the instructional mode to become involved in the workplace. If the staff gets two or three weeks of instruction a year, thats pretty good. But what is their responsibility for the remaining parts of the weeks? They didnt stop learning; theyre learning on the job. So the ease by which the workforce contacts information, form communities of performance, and use performance support to learn and improve their performance in the workplace is a sign of a good learning culture. An additional attribute of an education tradition is how well and how thoroughly we integrate front-line supervisors into our learning strategy. Do they commend whatsoever training the workers call for but not pay any attention to outcomes, or are they integrally involved in developing their people? Then theres the whole performance assessment and performance analysis scheme. To what degree is learning truly included and embroidered, and to what extent are employees encouraged in the review process to teach one another and share their knowledge? This is where it becomes very important to review not just whether the employee took the requisite number of hours or the requisite number of courses. That becomes very mechanical. Workers — above all managers — have to be weighed up on their coaching and support for learning. Executives must assume that liveliness comes in large part from learning and growing. They must actually consider about their own â€Å"knowledge measure† (their curiosity in, and capacity for, learning new things) and the learning quotient of their employees. Also, a learning society cannot give confidence to knowledge hoarding, but slightly knowledge sharing. If I know that Im going to be rated on the known, why would I share information with someone else — which would give them an advantage in the appraisal system, especially with companies that rate on a curve? If I come up with a brilliant idea and share it with everybody, I should get credit for sharing it, even though the idea then would not be to my exclusive benefit. The blueprint of a outcome evaluation scheme has to equal any kind of required rating and ranking with criteria that focuses on knowledge-sharing, learning and teamwork (Arthur 1994, p. 298). Creating a Learning Organization A learning organization can be described as one that is able to inspire commitment, and cultivate a culture of discovering and acquiring knowledge and experience for continued growth, development and success. The organizational learning process requires some relatively permanent change in behavior of its workers that results in continuous capability to adapt and change as the market, clients or environmental demands. To tackle these changes requires a strong commitment from management and often a significant shift in organization culture. One of the biggest challenges in moving toward the learning model is convincing and enabling employees to develop new ways of thinking about how things are smartly done. To be a learning organization also demands an open culture where information is shared, interdependence is high, collaboration is the norm, and achievement of the organization mission or vision is pursued with cooperation and open-mindedness ( Hofstede 1991, p. 304). A commitment to such a challenging level must offer tangible outcomes. The learning organization can also on the other hand have some distinct advantages, the most significant being the ability to respond to major change much more quickly than a more traditional organization. As well, learning organizations are more likely to embrace processes of systematic problem solving, and to focus on creating new ideas and solutions to optimize outcomes, versus the more traditional approach of trial and error or committing to approaches that have worked in the past. A typical learning organization will learn from past experiences and history, but utilize that experience to pursue more enlightened and future-directed outcomes. The plasticity and compliance intrinsic to a learning institution is determined by the rapid and efficient internal transfer of knowledge. The open culture and communication processes that are indicative of a learning organization are the enablers in this internal knowledg e transfer. Knowledge sharing encourages motivation and commitment from employees, by encouraging employee involvement in the process of creating and developing a learning culture, and by providing continuous constructive feedback ( Huselid 1995). The test for most associations is the shift from a long-established to a learning organization. How does one begin the practice of changing organization ethics, comprising organization acquaintances â€Å"unlearn† the old ways of doing things, and convincing them to embrace a culture that is committed to change, innovation and continuous improvement? The key is a well thought out strategy that is based on an in-depth understanding of the culture, values, market position, and knowledge base across the organization. For advanced organizations to successfully develop continuous learning, they should regard the Initial consultation within the senior leadership team to gain an accurate and detailed view of how the organization functions overall; structure, knowledge base, mission, goals, vision, culture and values, and; the rationale for becoming a learning organization. This information is necessary and invaluable when determining the requirement for and viability of a more detailed needs analysis (Stacey 1996, p. 64). The institutions should also take on a thoroughly need investigation through surveys, focus groups and key stakeholder interviews. It should also undertake a strategic planning and action by senior leaders based upon the in-depth needs analysis. Because contact is serious in organization expansion progression, it is therefore important to ensure all employees are aware of the process, and the targeted outcomes. It is essential to ensure that all employees understand the â€Å"learning organization† concept, the rationale and value, implications for employees, implementation process, and targeted outcomes. Through senior leaders, planning, organization and delivery of information workshops would facilitate provision of survey feedback, â€Å"educate† employees on the â€Å"learning organization† concept, solicit their ideas and concerns and achieve buy-in. An organization should establish a multi-dimensional management development program, which is essential for the successful implementation of a learning organization culture. The two major dimensions of the program would be: a formal management development process with a consulting focus, to prepare managers for their next promotion level, while strengthening performance in their current position and; a dynamic and substantive coaching program developed for each level of management. Both dimensions of the management development program would be aligned with organization mission, vision and goals, and would include a concerted focus on interpersonal skills development, in the learning organization milieu. An evaluation of developmental initiatives, and particularly the management development/coaching process, is necessary, to ensure that the â€Å"learning organization concept† is well entrenched within the organization (Triandis 1995, p. 39). Becoming a Learning Company The aptitude of a corporation to learn, not to be rigid, bright and responsive to sustain itself in the given environment is in the modern world being seen as the only way to manage a competitive advantage. Speculative images of the learning company thrive but there is little research focusing on companies who have actually applied the concepts and made them work. The following case study is concerned with describing a company which has attempted to become a learning organization. Prudential UK The Organization The Company started by giving loans and life insurance to people since 1848. Since then it has become a leading company, as measured by annual premium equivalent sales. Their service has also increased to include annuities, pensions, savings and investments. The company has offered financial services to many enterprises such as Jackson National Life, Prudential Corporation Asia and Egg. Prudential company is found in the United Kingdom, the United States and Asia and has employed over 20,000 people, 7,200 of whom are based in the UK and Mumbai. Globally Prudential Company has assets of 234 billion pounds on behalf of 19 million customers, to whom it promises, â€Å"In an uncertain world, we make it possible for everyone to enjoy a secure future†. The Challenge At the start of the decade the company had to accept a period of profound change to cater for the increasing demands of its highly-competitive and tightly-regulated market. In 2002 the companys leadership team learnt the way it would achieve this in a strategy called the ‘1,000 day plan, the cornerstone of which was best practice in all people policy and procedures. â€Å"We wanted to make sure that we involved our people to transform our business. To do this we harmonised our practices using the People Standard as our benchmark,† says Liane Collins, Human Resources and Learning and Development Operations Consultant. The plan was to provide success and the Standard helped the company to engage its people to succeed. By adopting Andra King from Capital Quality Limited as their external Adviser, the Prudentials aim was to maximise the potential of its people using a number of different tools such as continuous assessment and recognition. Using these tools the y wanted to continue to ensure that their people were at the heart of their business. A further difficulty was to ensure that its workers grasped and applied the brand values to everything they did. â€Å"We are focused to delivering the right services,† explains Liane. â€Å"We want our clients to know that we can be trusted, helpful and easy to deal with. Thats the experience we want them to have. Honest dialogue is the essence of what we believe in.† The Solution Among the first things to be done back at the outset of the 1,000 day plan in 2002 was to align learning materials with a Capability Framework, in which the company outlined the skills it needs to thrive. Since then understanding of the framework has leapt from under 40 per cent to over 90 per cent and there is noticeably more connectivity between company strategy and its people. Having established physical Learning Zones across its head offices in the first year of the plan, the second year saw the company bring learning to each desktop through an online learning management system called Learning Space. As well as providing a way to track learning achievements, it gives access to over 4,000 items of learning material. Nearly every employee has now actively used it, and so has helped put them in control of their own learning and development. At the same time highest achievers were offered access to the Pru University programme, an internal institution designed to develop a group of key managers and specialists committed to achieving our business goals. This concept was extended the following year to an Alumni scheme, allowing those who studied together to work and develop together. A talent management process was also introduced to ensure leaders are properly assessed. â€Å"The Pru University is aimed at influential people, ambassadors and drivers of change, irrespective of grade, who can contribute to the development of the organisation and make a real difference to the business,† says Head of Learning and Development Matthew Starks. More recently the company has started to implement best practice in encouraging healthy lifestyles, which research suggests will reduce the burden of self-reported sickness absence. Although it is too early to say what the results have been, the company estimates that it will lead to a five per cent reduction in absence and a ten per cent reduction in cases of stress reported to Occupational Health. It estimat es that the return will be  £2 for every  £1 spent on the project. The Results Business outcome is usually quantified using performance Indicators (KPIs), an array of measures which come under the headings of cashflow, customer, people, risk and compliance, profit, and shareholder. Absence, employee turnover, and performance remain key human resource measurements that are closely linked to the people indicator. But other variables that are factored include elements drawn from an employee survey and from the Organisation Cultural Index (OCI), a characterisation of a companys culture. Honest dialogue, simplicity and people all close to the companys desired brand values are consistently the highest scoring values, suggesting the aim of developing understanding of these among employees has been successful. Success s due to developments in its Learning, three-quarters of the people now understand how they can access learning and development opportunities and 88 per cent feel personably accountable for their own development. The vast majority of people 98 per cent have also used Learning Space the online learning management system. A group of initiatives has also delivered benefits. Self assessment by managers revealed that the number now rating their knowledge as ‘good has increased from 48 per cent to 92 per cent. Meanwhile an internal audit gave a positive evaluation of the performance review process with 88 per cent of people believing their review meetings to be open, honest and frank. Integrating communications with the strategy has proved an effective approach for Prudential. â€Å"There is now a greater connectivity with the strategy from the top and understanding of why things happen and the connections being made,† says Matthew. As a result one of the primary objectives which include, ensuring understanding of the 1,000 day plan among employees has been achieved. The ‘Living PRU survey found that the percentage of people who said they understood their role within the plan increased from 71 per cent in 2004 to 94 per cent the following year. External recognition has come on a number of levels for the company. Among a survey of 7,500 customers, 90 per cent of them said they were satisfied with the service provided. And on a business level, Prudential is also performing extremely well, posting a 33 per cent rise in pre-tax profits in 2005, well above market expectations. The one thousands day reform process come to an end in October 2005 having inspired a period of profound organisational change and improvement in business performance. One of the most dramatic changes came in June 2003, still the first year of the three year programme, when Prudential opened a $10 million customer service centre in Mumbai, Indias commercial capital. Champion Status To get success is a major endorsement of everything that the company tried to put in place. As Champions, Prudential intended to continue to build on its philosophy of sharing best practice. As well as being involved in forums, the company has worked alongside other organizations, including the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions. It shares many of its activities through awards, articles, case studies and benchmarking forums. But, as a Champion the company looks forward to sharing its experience with other employers and showing how involving people in the business is the key to any organizations success. A human resource manager is involved in performance of the following tasks Planning He or she ensures that a firm has the right number and mix of people at the right times and places varying from long-range planning for large, stable companies to short-range crisis planning for thousands of small companies employing low-skilled and low-paid workers. (Haksever p217). In this case human resource, managers have to consider all of the laws that protect against discrimination and all of the requirements that employees must meet for the company. Effective planning by a human resource manager clearly brings accurate results that a company wants .in a case of staffing, understaffing result to result to the drop of the industries economies of scale and field of specialization, information, customers and the attained profits, while Overstaffing is extravagant and expensive, if continual, and it is costly to get rid of because of contemporary legislation in respect of joblessness payments, cons ultation and minimum periods of notice. Significantly, overstaffing reduces the competitive effectiveness of the business. An assessment of current and future needs of the organization has to be evaluated with present and future predicted resources when considering staffing. When proper steps are used in planning, it brings demand and supply into balance. The future demands of a company are influenced by the predictions of the personnel manager, who examine and adjust the simple delivery of the other managerial staff and also recruitments which depends on the following aspects The predictions of Sales and productivity Impact of technological change on job needs Difference in the competence, output, and suppleness of labor as a training result, job study, organizational alteration and new motivations. Renovation in employment performances by the involvement of subcontractors or organization staffs, hiving off tasks, buying in and substitution. Deviation, countering fresh legislation, for example payroll taxes, new health and safety requirements Adjustment in Government policies Logical staffing demands a plan for varying dates in the future which can then be compared with the crude supply schedules. The associations will then show what ladder must be taken to achieve a balance which involves the further preparation of such enrollment, training, or alteration in labor force operation as this will result to a balance in demand and supply (Claude Johannes 1999, p.115). Recruiting A human resource manager is involved in identifying people who could fill positions within the firm and then securing them as applicants. He has to plan a good job picture for the position and a specification of skills and abilities the candidate should have. A potential applicants list is developed from various sources, depending how the human resource manager decides to advertise the job opening. Managers obtain their recruits sources from internal and external sources. Advantages of internal recruiting The members of staff will not have to undergo basic teaching or learning all of the policies of the company. Disadvantages Inbreeding Results to seldom new ideas brought into the company. Jacuis (1975).An external source for recruiting brings into account the opposite of internal recruiting from outside the company. There are many forms of external recruiting. Some include employment agencies, advertising, Internet recruiting, and word of mouth. He is also involved in the recruitment of employees depending on: An examination of the work to be performed through carefully consideration of the errands to be carried out to establish their essentialities written into a career description so that the applicants know what physical and mental distinctiveness applicants must acquire, what traits and attitudes are attractive and what uniqueness are a certain disadvantage. Where substitution is to take effect, imperative questioning of the need to employ at all should be taken into consideration. Human resource managers have to search for recruitments in the following areas: 1.Domestic promotion 2.Careers advisors 3.Boards of university appointment 4.Unemployed agencies 5.Advertising Selecting Of Employees After applications have been confirmed, the human resource manager then begins the selection process basing on undoubtedly established criterion for performance of the job. The request form ought to be intended to discover the applicants skills and abilities for the job performance. The human resource managers choice reason could also be based on testing, interviews, references, and probationary periods of employment. (Simnett 1995, p.56). An effective selection is considered as buying an employee (the price being the wage or salary multiplied by probable years of service) hence the human resource manager has to carefully select to minimize and avoid in competencies in the company firms may involve external specialist consultants for selection of their employees Some small organizations exist to catch the attention of staff with high status from existing employers to the recruiting employer. Training and Development Training is an efficient method for altering an employees behavior to prepare the employee for a job or upgrade the employees performance on the job. Development involves the preparation of a person for broader responsibilities and higher-level positions within the company. Instruction and progress can differ from one firm to another, as well as by type or size of service organization. (Chaffee 1995, p. 46). Preparation in interviewing and in evaluating candidates is clearly crucial to good recruitment. For the most part the former consists of training interviewers how to draw out the interviewee and the latter how to rate the candidates. For consistency (and as a help to checking that) rating often consists of scoring candidates for experience, knowledge, physical/mental capabilities, intellectual levels, motivation, prospective potential, leadership abilities etc. (according to the needs of the post). Relevance of the normal curve of allocation to scoring g ets rid of freak judgments. Aims of Organization for Setting Reward System In Human Resource Management, the employee reward policy is intended to align employees with organizational strategy by providing incentives for employees to act in the firms interest and perform well over time. Anticipation theory carries a clear significance that workers must sense confident that their effort will affect the rewards they receive. Awareness of equity is therefore crucial in an employees judgment to remain and produce valuable work. Equity is a multidimensional construct, embracing external equity (the degree to which a firm pays employees the rate they would find in the external labor market), internal equity (the degree to which a firm differentiates pay between employees on the basis of performance in similar jobs), and individual equity (the degree to which employees are rewarded proportionately to their individual performance). For the reason that the varying strains of performance on human resources in high- velocity companies, perceptions of equity in its three forms may become confused, as job roles and job interdependence become more varied and flexible. Since employees would expect that as their job changes, so will their rewards, designing reward systems in high-velocity environments presents a major challenge to organizations. In high-velocity environments, a premium is placed on individuals who are able to operate in ambiguous circumstances and who are able to take advantage of loose job descriptions provided by their employers. Organizations in faster-moving surroundings are prepared to pay proportionally higher salaries to individuals who have such skills. We would expect, therefore, that emphasis on individually equitable rewards as a means of recruiting and retaining highly capable employees would be required (Farah 1991, p. 340). Employee Rewards Policy amended by the Human Resource Management can be classified under three broad headings: performance-contingent rewards, which explicitly reward through performance outputs; job-contingent rewards, where pay is contingent on job classification; and person-contingent rewards, in which pay is dependent on the competencies a person has (Dean Snell, 1993). Because both output orientation and job categorization may be complex to determine truthfully in high-velocity circumstances, the prospect of person-contingent rewards, which may encourage the values of learning, flexibility, and creativity, would seem to be best suited to fast-changing conditions. In addition, member of staff Reward Policy can be one of the best foundations of control available to a company in its quest to increase organizational performance and effectiveness, yet remain one of the most underutilized and potentially complex tools for driving organizational performance. The significance and diffi culty of connecting reward strategies to industrial goals in a systematic manner has been a recurrent argument in the study in this field, as has the importance and difficulty of linking rewards to the longer-term view (Hambrick Snow, 1989). In recounting the strongest stage of connection the stress has been placed on Lawlers (1990) description of reward processes which are capable of reinforcing the behaviors crucial to business strategy like long-term versus short-term, customer focus versus financial results. Utilizing This involves arranging the employees work to make them both productive and motivated. The factors that determine the effectiveness of human resource utilization include: 1.The structure of the work that provide an opportunity for â€Å"stretch† performance 2.Contribution in verdicts that have a straight forward effect on the persons job 3.Open interactions and fair setting up of assignments 4.Competent supervision and organizational flexibility 5.Economic and non-economic rewards that recognize achievement and equity 6.Opportunity for growth Role of Human Resource Management in Implementing a Learning Organization culture Human resource management has a strong impact on the organizational culture, it contributes a lot in implementing a learning organization because according to Senge, â€Å"the essence of a learning organization is that people are changing, people are developing w