Auction
Title description: A brief analysis of types and methods
Word count: 1460
Keywords: Surplus maximization, Sealed-Bid First Price Auction, Sealed-Bid Second Price Auction, English Auction, Dutch Auction, Private value auctions, Interdependent value auctions, Common value auctions
Excerpts:
An auction would help in carrying out a ‘market test’ to establish the market value of the item. Auctions have rules that are explained beforehand. These help in avoiding manipulation and back stage deals between selected buyers and sellers.
A typical auction model includes a mechanism for allocating resources to its bidders. A common aspect of auction mechanism is the receipt of information from prospective buyers.
Here the auction starts with the auctioneer calling out a high price. The price may be considerably high such that no bidder is interested in buying it at that price. The auctioneer gradually lowers the price until a bidder is interested.
Change Implementation and Management
Title description: A brief analysis of HR fundamentals and strategies
Word count: 2900
Keywords: Change implementation, Change management strategies, Quantum changes, Man-machine relationships, Science-driven changes, Downsizing, New technology introduction
Excerpts:
To succeed in today’s competitive environment it is important for the organizations to anticipate and predict the future and initiate changes proactively.
The factors necessary for changes are more prevalent and influential today than ever before. Even most manufacturing jobs connected to services like finance, human resources and engineering are highly dependent on such services that changes in them would affect the manufacturing pattern
As such everyone do not respond to change in a similar way. People think differently and even when there is cooperation from them, the time required for them to adapt is different. Thus transitions within an organization cannot occur at a consistent pace for all people.
Perspectives on Organisational Change
Title description: Perspectives on organisational change
Word count: 941
Keywords: Change interventionists, Organisational Effectiveness Profiling (OEP), Complex phenomenon, Total Quality Management, Restructuring operations
Excerpts:
The need to demarcate organisational changes brought in other perspectives of change management too. Several perspectives on organizational change gradually emerged also with respect to the developments in the design of change process.
Several theories, concepts and assumptions evolved with regard to change implementation, given the holistic nature of organisational change. Many hypotheses with regard to the role and competencies of the interventionists or change inducers also emerged.
The Impact of Organizational Changes on Projects
Title description: A brief look into change implementation aspects of project management
Word count: 1321
Keywords: Extensive job changes, Job reorientation, Induction crises, Multinational ideology, Outplacement programs
Excerpts:
When changeover is handled only through written communications, the fears and anxieties of the employees remain unsolved. These hidden feelings are ultimately put forth at latter stages in the form of work disruption or resentment, drastically affecting the project.
Unskilled workers in the project are more affected by technology implementation, as the technology is more likely to replace them than others. For successful change implementation in projects, efforts need to be supported by enabling structures like retention programs, rewards system and outplacement programs.
Each outcome as suggested in the change plan for the project should be acknowledged by the corresponding individual and accepted as his responsibility. The corresponding individuals should welcome and accept the responsibility publicly.
Transformational Leadership
Title description: A brief study on transformational leadership in HR practices
Word count: 1376
Keywords: Organizational behavior, Pseudotransformational leadership, Inspirational motivation, Moral responsibility, Leader effectiveness
Excerpts:
The transformational leaders, who face low conflict and are more effective, have evaded all studies to relate their leadership with demographic, social or personal characteristics. Under transformational leadership a new aspect of employment relationship is developed in which employers feel the need for a mutual understanding of each other’s expectations, with their employees.
An important aspect of transformational leadership is pseudotransformational leadership. These leaders project a particular image of themselves and on the contrary do something else. They support something publicly while opposing it in private.
Transformational leadership has been found to allow women without any hindrance, to perform both, their leadership and gender roles. While males were found to be superior in terms of vision generation, women were more successful in vision implementation, follow-up, employee and team development.
Leadership Qualities, TQM and Employee Empowerment
Title description: Leadership qualities, TQM and employee empowerment
Word count: 4414
Keywords: Modern TQM strategy, Psychological contract, Motivational system, Justice and human rights, Loyalty and fairness
Excerpts:
Much has been written about leadership and total quality. Almost all quality programs of today have leadership programs embedded in it or vice versa. This is mainly because the factors contributing to total quality programs are actually leadership associated.
TQM is effective management together with effective leadership, established over time. Successful TQM implementation is impossible without a strategic and capable leadership.
Although the principles and policies associated with the implementing of TQM may vary among organizations, there is a common understanding that leadership is vital to implementing TQM. Leadership is a basic necessity for strategy and action plans associated with TQM.
Leadership
Title description: The role and importance in organizational development
Word count: 2465
Keywords: Organizational culture, labor shortages, work force diversity, inspirational leader, exertion of authority
Excerpts:
Although it is difficult to clearly explain an organization’s culture, it is not difficult for one to experience that culture and develop an opinion on that. Cultures of organizations may be different depending on their functions, responsibilities, obligations and the population they serve.
Increasingly, the leadership process is becoming identified with an ability to mobilize the energies and gain the commitment of the staff, through the creation of shared values and mutual understandings.
The leaders need to have the strength to improve the performance of organizations beyond expectations and is seen to be the answer to today’s world of organizational instability and uncertainty. As leaders shape social and institutional cultures, organizational transformation must be associated with moral responsibility.
Transformational Leadership
Title description: Transformational leadership
Word count: 3318
Keywords: Pseudo transformational, Fair and transparent, Opportunity structures, Training and development, Induction crisis
Excerpts:
Transformational leaders lead from the front and are at the thick of the action. They are always visible and serve as an example by their attitude and actions, as to how everyone else should behave.
Studies in leadership have revealed a significant correlation between transformational leadership and effective organizational functioning. The success of transformational leadership has been evident across all sectors including hospital, industry, military and business.
Transformational leaders make sure that that the employees are aware of their responsibilities and performance standards. It is also ensured that employees are aware of the functioning methodology of the performance management system.
Work Unions in US
Title description: Union’s role in employee benefits in the US
Word count: 1516
Keywords: National Labor Union (NLU), Fair Labor Standards Act’ (FLSA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Union Learning Representative (ULR), Political and money power, Union membership
Excerpts:
As industrialization caused movement of workers from homes and agriculture to urban places and factories, factory owners increasingly preferred children as they were manageable, less demanding and could be hired for lesser wages. However during the end of the 19th century, there were growing demands to stop child labor (ULIC).
Several unions were attempting to reduce work hours from 12 to 10 in the 1920s. There was also a strong desire among people to form a federation which would facilitate achieving the aspirations of the working people.
By the mid 19th century, a Massachusetts court ruled that the attempts f unions cannot be illegal as long as their objectives were lawful, which was a landmark case for the efforts of the union, as it set the ground for similar hearings for other courts and facilitated growth and development of unions.
Union Involvement in Workplace Learning
Title description: Union involvement in workplace learning
Word count: 4344
Keywords: Vocational education and training system (VET), High involvement management (HIM), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Social partnership, Return to Learn, Union learning representative (ULR)
Excerpts:
This learning agenda is perhaps the fastest growing philosophy of trade union activity, although it is one of the newest. The involvement of unions in learning is a distinct role from its historic activity of organizing and agitating.
Employees succeed in getting more training, only when training is negotiated by the employers, with the union, rather than employers just consulting the union on training issues. Unionised workplaces are more likely to have a training centre and a training plan.
Case studies on the effects of workplace learning led by unions showed that employers saw possibilities of mutual gains from learning, mainly because of earlier positive experiences from formal or informal partnerships. The workplace learning facilitated cooperative methodology with the management for mutual gains.
The role of unions in public administration
Title description: The role of unions in public administration
Word count: 1805
Keywords: Statutory right, Bargaining rights, Dispute resolution mechanisms, Privatization, Downsizing, Contingent employment
Excerpts:
Organizational politics has become an important topic of management portfolio, which until 1970s received almost no attention. With the recognition that organizations too have conflicts, resource allocations and power seats just as in any regional politics; organizational politics started getting growing attention.
Disgruntled public sector employees adopt behaviors like disinterest, negligence and lethargy which are less likely to be noticed or acted upon. Neglect and irresponsibility among public sector employees is mainly due to the fact that there isn’t a link between job performance and benefits.
Strategic options and choices which were crucial for private organizations are now equally important for the public sector organizations too. The public sector seems to be at its early stages of transition, just like the private sector had been through during the 1970s and 1980s. There is clearly pressure on the public sector to learn and incorporate the best practices observed in the private sector.
Retention and Employee Turnover
Title description: A brief analysis of factors affecting retention and employee turnover
Word count: 2333
Keywords: Disposable Employee, Skills gap, Attitude surveys, Employee turnover, Employee demographic profile, Psychological contract
Excerpts:
Most organizations of today and probably of the future face critical labor shortages. Managers have to realize that the era of employer’s market or buyer’s market is no longer out there. The age of the Disposable Employee corresponding to the late 1980s and the mid 1990s has no remnant traces today. The new millennium has seen the emergence of the Indispensable Employee.
Analyzing turnover based on this employee demographic profile would project a lot of useful information on why staff leaves or staff stays (Fields, 2004). Recruitment and retention strategies can be improved using such analysis.
When problems associated with an organization’s turnover is to be resolved, it is primarily necessary to study the underlying causes (IDS, 2006). The attrition level must be viewed against those prevailing in similar organizations. Organizations introduce several initiatives not only to tackle retention but also to be seen as a ‘great place to work’ or an ‘employer of choice’.
Human Resources
Title description: A brief study on HR practices, its need and effects on organization
Word count: 1278
Keywords: Organizational behavior, Biographical information blanks, Competency frameworks, Hierarchy scale
Excerpts:
Management of people is difficult since employees come from differing backgrounds, culture and with varying individual needs. The HR personnel need to observe the behavior pattern and visualize possible future trends of the behavior. The behavior pattern is controlled analyzing the observed and predicted patterns combined with an understanding of skills and process requirements.
Human resource planning can influence strategic business plans by determining ways in which people can be developed and utilized more efficiently. However, when these plans lack clarity, the implementation of these into human resource plans will not yield the intended benefits.
HR professionals take to multiple roles in performing both, strategic and operational functions. They are getting more associated with the qualitative and quantitative goals of the organization in the short and long term.
Issues Facing Today’s Multinational Organizations
Title description: Issues facing today’s multinational organizations
Word count: 1057
Keywords: Human rights violation, Cheap labor, Public welfare, New millennium, Disposable Employee
Excerpts:
Cross-cultural working, managing changes, technological advantages give the much needed edge to set organizations apart. Developments in recent years have reinforced the view that we are moving from a world in which we determined our destination to one in which we must learn to navigate a path between myriad future possibilities.
Advancements in globalization aided by technology development have accelerated the growth of corporations. Corporations grow larger and multinational at an unprecedented pace, carrying with them their influence and interests.
International competition among nation states and corporate firms to dominate the global market has created a struggle for survival, in which constant innovation and continuous improvement play a major role.
Contractual Liabilities Under the Instruments of CISG, UNIDROIT and PECL
Title description: A comparative analysis
Word count: 4110
Keywords: International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), Principles of European Contract Law (PECL), Contracts for the International sale of Goods (CISG), Remedial clauses, Nachfrist Principles, Force majeure
Excerpts:
Among divergences not having relevance to policy considerations are that while in the UNIDROIT Art. 5.7, when a third person cannot or would not fix the price, the price need to be reasonable, while the PECL Art. 6.106 (1) assume the parties have agreed to have the court appoint someone to determine the price.
The term ‘breach of contract’ in CISG is similar in functionality to the term ‘non-performance’ used in PECL and UNIDROIT. Article 7.1.1 of UNIDROIT perceives non-performance by a party as a failure to perform its contractual obligations including late or defective performance.
The three instruments exonerates a party when its failure to perform its obligations, is due to conditions beyond its control. The CISG Art. 79, PECL Art. 8.108 and UNIDROIT Art. 7.1.7 is similar in reflecting flexibility in that it requires only relative impossibility to make it applicable.
Cross Cultural Negotiations
Title description: The role and relevance of cross cultural
Word count: 4364
Keywords: Interpersonal relationships, Monochromic culture, Polychromic culture, Space orientation, Homogenization, Renegotiating
Excerpts:
The ability to negotiate successfully and walk out with favorable outcomes puts an individual at an advantageous position. Our society and culture influences the way we think and talk about everything. Our negotiations are thus influenced by our culture and values.
It is very common for negotiators of one culture to expect compatibility in preferences when negotiating with people of another culture. When they see a difference in priority with their negotiators, they describe the situation as irrational
The concept of ‘saving face’ is important to the Japanese society, where turning down a request of a person is seen as causing an embarrassment or a loss of face. Thus when a request is unacceptable, the Japanese would only say ‘it’s not convenient’ or under consideration’. In Western cultures, unjustified frustration produces anger which then develops to a desire for retaliation.
While negotiating, people from monochromic cultures tend to observe a marked and prompt beginning and an end, with scheduled breaks. On the other hand polychromic culture based negotiators observe flexible timings for meeting start and end. They take breaks whenever it looks suitable and overlap their talks.
Organizational Culture
Title description: A brief analysis of the effects of culture
Word count: 1744
Keywords: Culture formation processes, Strong organizational culture, Ideology, Value system, Moral obligations, Cultural beliefs, Social norms
Excerpts:
The personality of the organization in its entirety constitutes the culture of the organization. Although it is difficult to clearly explain an organization’s culture, it is not difficult for one to experience that culture and develop an opinion on that.
Organizational culture can be managed, say advocates, who feel that organizational culture can improve performance by transforming values and optimising human asset allocation. In fact changing organizational culture can be seen as being a cheap and superior form of control.
An organization’s culture should be directed at monitoring and measuring performance in the areas of business processes, innovation and learning, finance and customer satisfaction. The culture of an organization is evident in the resulting organizational behaviour, product, image and strategies.
Decision Making
Title description: Group decision making
Word count: 1526
Keywords: Homan’s exchange theory, Nominal process, Brainstorming process, Formal group discussion, Group environment
Excerpts:
According to Homan’s exchange theory, people have a tendency to seek the biggest bargain at the lowest cost in all their social dealings. They will therefore always conform to the group decisions, as long as these are secured.
To arrive at a satisfactory decision, it is important for every member to negotiate, keeping in mind their own interests and that of the group’s. One should understand the rationale behind each other’s stand; and determine factors that are in agreement or in conflict with their own.
For good group decisions, it is important that people don’t confuse the issues at stake with their personal relationships. It is difficult to reach a solution, when people are angry on a personal level. When there are any people-problem, it should be dealt independently and not as part of the decision making process.
E-Contracts
Title description: Issues and resolution
Word count: 2801
Keywords: CUECIC, Model Law, Mailbox rule, Click-wrap agreement, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), Dispute resolution
Excerpts:
The ruling also held that the sending and receiving of messages electronically are covered by errors, technology failures, odd hours delivery, either intentionally or unintentionally. No single universal rule can hold good for all situations, which need to be resolved through best business practices, intentions of the parties and sometimes judgment of risks.
The software will only be activated after the buyer had clicked the agree button. However in the shrink-wrap agreements, the conditions are printed in the CD ROM or software box. By opening the box, buyers agree to abide by the contract. The terms of a contract with regard to use of shrink-wrap agreements can thus be enforced even without the formal expressed consent of the user.
Although the ODR is beneficial to both the parties in resolving their issues like being able to communicate across time zones and locations, it also has its own drawbacks. The e-mail and web boards being impersonal, can actually provoke parties when e-mails are read again and again. It is also difficult for the mediator to develop a sense of trust between the disputing parties, as the mediator cannot develop one with his body language or convincing tone, like in the traditional method.
Managing Groups in a Multicultural Setup
Title description: Managing groups in a multicultural setup
Word count: 2804
Keywords: Integrity, Selfishness, Working plan, Roadmap, Task-focused approaches, Potential conflicts
Excerpts:
Lack of positive relationship carries opportunities for development of serious conflicts. These may not only be difficult to resolve, but also decrease team performance, particularly when a relationship conflict is not differentiated from task disagreements.
The planning stage is very crucial for the effective working of the group, however it is also essential that we do not hold on completely to the plan. The group and leader must react to situations impulsively.
As we continued to progress well, it was becoming obvious that some team members missed a hierarchical structure. The more experienced members however, were fine with not having one, while the less experienced ones looked for guidance and at some time even thought that they had turned into leaders as they tried to enforce a hierarchy or assigned themselves tasks such as structuring meetings, etc.
Negotiating NAFTA
Title description: Negotiations and its importance in adoption of NAFTA
Word count: 3562
Keywords: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), Environmental standards, Free trade agreement, Mexican immigration, Realignment
Excerpts:
Sometimes having a strong BATNA or a week BATNA can itself influence the progress of a negotiation. It is always advantageous for a negotiator to reveal a strong BATNA and hide it when it is week. When the BATNA is strong the negotiator has several options, which when the opponent party realizes this, would put up a very flexible and compromising stand, for the fear the party might reject it.
NAFTA is an agreement on trade, negotiated between US, Canada and Mexico in 1993. NAFTA is undisputedly among the most debated and negotiated trade agreements effected in recent US history. The cooperation in trade is directed to achieving a free market without intending to bring a free movement of labor like that of the European Union.
The debate on NAFTA was mainly centered on three issues namely its possible effects on employment in the US, its effect on environment on both sides of the US-Mexican border and Mexican immigration into US. For the Canadian negotiators, financial services were not a priority while it was a priority for the Americans.
One of the most debatable, agreeable and disagreeable international agreements, NAFTA stood out at least for its debate and negotiations. NAFTA and its implementation were indeed controversial from its very basics. When implemented, people soon learnt with time what had been taken away or given to them by their leaders, as a result of their negotiations for NAFTA.
Negotiations
Title description: Understanding negotiations and recognizing personal negotiation ability
Word count: 4057
Keywords: Negotiation theorists, Soft negotiator, Hard negotiator, Distributive negotiations, Homan’s exchange theory, International negotiations, Multicultural negotiation
Excerpts:
Instances of negotiations like negotiating a pay hike with employer, debating a policy in the legislature or even finalizing financial agreements, the ability to get more from the opponent is perhaps a crucial skill.
Trust and power are too broad and complex factors that we tend to overlook them. Power underlines the basic structure of negotiation, with the presumption that negotiation begins with the parties having certain powers distributed among them. This critical distribution of power has a bearing on the entire negotiation process and its subsequent outcome.
Salary negotiation tactics are very important. While negotiation is vital to getting the right salary, you need to avoid it until the employer asks for it. Avoid negotiations through phone or lie about your salary history.
Opportunity Structures
Title description: Opportunity structures and employee development
Word count: 2877
Keywords: Occupational choice, Positive psychological contract, Motivational systems, Employee development
Excerpts:
The ‘opportunity structure concept’ was put forth by Roberts based on survey of about 196 young men. Roberts emphasized that entry into employment is not similar for all groups of people, even in a same society. Roberts opined that different explanatory frameworks are needed to explain entry into employment for differing social contexts.
Thus we see the limitations of the career planning posed by opportunities confronting the individual. Thus no matter how much we encourage individuals to plan their careers and work towards that, at the end of the day it all comes down to opportunity structures available.
The employee resourcing strategy is a vital aspect of the Human Resource Management (HRM) process. The primary aim of this strategy is that the organizations employ more competent people than its competitors. Such people, with their wider skills and knowledge would provide an increased contribution to the growth of the organization.
Perspectives on Organisational Change
Title description: The relevance of different perspectives on organisational change
Word count: 3398
Keywords: Innovation and learning, Change design, Downsizing, Re-assessment
Excerpts:
Crucial to any organisation are its corporate objectives and the strategies it intends to pursue to compete in a given market. Periodic reviews of its goals and progress are vital for an organisation to stay aligned with the demands of the market and the shareholders expectations.
Perspectives on problems that are likely to crop up, under different situations are one of the most exhaustively covered topics among change perspectives. Whenever possible, change occurs along the lines of least resistance.
There are no few givens and absolutes around which we can base our path of change. What is urgently required is a sound understanding of the workings of change, and of what drives it and shapes it within our organisations.
Organizational Culture and Employee Satisfaction
Title description: Organizational culture and employee satisfaction
Word count: 2172
Keywords: Ideology, Manufacturing pattern, Reward system, Healthy organization, Progressive organizations
Excerpts:
The culture of any organization is relevant for its existing systems and processes; therefore when these are changed, the culture of the organization changes. For instance when a new process is introduced to raise the quality level of the product, the quality awareness level in the employee is raised.
It is being increasingly perceived that organizational changes not only include technological, administrative or process change, but also a change in its culture.
If layoff is inevitable, the organization ensures that a comprehensive outplacement services are offered to him, so that the employee holds the organization in high esteem in his further association with the industry.