Roles and Activities of a Manager- Comparison of Theories

Roles and Activities of a Manager- Comparison of Theories Hayley Work    The main roles and activities of a manager are: Managers should run an organisation by organising structures, people and finances. Peter Drucker identified five activities of a manager, these are; Setting objectives- Robin Fraser is responsible for all production and quality assurance he aims to make processes less labour intensive and more automated. In order to achieve this, he has secured a investment from the bank and plans to use these funds to increase automation.[1] Organising- Hazim Khan analyses sales trends of different products and after assessing customer feedback in order to make sure that the company keeps with the changing market. Hazim is in charge of a team of chefs who develop new products and recipes.[2] Motivating and communicating- Hazim also demonstrates this activity, he allows his team of chefs to work independently on their ideas but regularly meets with them to discuss any problems and ideas.[3] Measuring- Laura Bolton is focused on the companys finances and keeps an eye on the cash flow of the business. [4] Developing- Kathryn Hannah encourages staff to undertake training in order the ensure that staff have all the skills that the business requires.[5] Henry Mintzberg identified ten management roles which are then divided up into three categories. Category Roles Manager Interpersonal Figurehead Leader Liaison David Fraser Informational Monitor Disseminator Spokesperson Kathryn Hannah Laura Bolton Hazim Khan Decisional Entrepreneur Disturbance Handler Resource Allocator Negotiator Robin Fraser Hazim Khan Measuring managerial effectiveness Fraser Foods can measure managerial effectiveness by motivation and morale of the staff, this would be put to good use in the shop floor. Here the work is repetitive and can be challenging due to the temperatures needed to produce hygienic food. The teams are set targets but have the freedom to decide how they will achieve this, working this way has increased staff morale and flexibility. [6] Another way to measure managerial effectiveness would be by the level of complaints. Fraser Foods could distribute anonymous feedback forms asking questions about how the staff feel about the manager and why. The company would then be able to grasp how well the manager is performing. Behavioural theory of leadership. Macgregors Theory X and Theory Y both assume the behaviours of different management styles. A Theory X manager assumes that staff dislikes work, need directed, avoid any responsibility, dull, uncreative, have no desire, see money as the only motivation for work and view goals and objectives as caging. [7] David Fraser could be described as a Theory X manager, David also felt it was his role to make all the decisions affecting production. He didnt see the need to involve staff and believed they preferred to be told what to do and didnt want the responsibility that was the managers job, not theirs. He believed staff were motivated by money and should be paid bonuses if targets were exceeded[8] Contingency theory of leadership A contingency theory is based on the belief that there is no style of leadership that is applicable to all situations that may arise within a company. Hersey and Blanchards theory was based on the leader adopting an appropriate style of leadership depending on the members in the team and the situation they have found themselves in. In accordance with their theory a leader can adopt one of four styles depending on how much support the team requires and the amount of direction.[9] The four styles (known as S1-S4) are: Telling- This leadership style is categorised as giving a lot of direction to team members. This style is recommended for use when dealing with new staff or where the work can be tedious and repetitive. Selling- This is sometimes known as the coaching approach. It is used when team members are motivated to carry out the work but dont quite have the needed maturity to complete the task. Participating- This style encompasses high support but hardly any direction, it is used when team members are able to do the tasks required but maybe lack the confidence. Delegating- The responsibility for carrying out the task is given to team members, this style requires high levels of maturity and competence. David Fraser mostly adopts the telling style (S1) as he felt it was his role as the boss to make all decisions. Hazim Khan style of leadership fits into S2-S4 he does this by allowing his team of chefs to use their talents to create new products for the company. He regularly meets with his team of chefs to discuss and help to solve any issues that have arisen. Theories of leadership and the proposed expansion plans Bennis and Nanus state that there is no one right way to being a leader, but that each has to find their own style. They did however, identify common characteristics: A visions to focus minds Communicating the vision Consistency and honesty Awareness of weakness Bennis and Nanus also state that effective leadership can move organisations from current to future state, create visions of potential opportunities for organisations.[10] The managers of Fraser Foods must ensure that they effectively and clearly communicate to the staff, the vision that they have for the company such as reducing their heavy reliance on the supplier, Perkins. [11]Robin must also effectively communicate his vision for increasing automation as the staff feel anxious about the impact this will have on their jobs. He must also be honest with the staff in order to ease their worries and make them feel involved in the process. [12] Bibliography   Case study paragraph 24 2 Case study paragraph 13 3 Case study paragraph 13 4 Case study paragraph 14 5 Case study paragraph 15 6 Case study paragraph 16 7 Student notes 8 Case study paragraph 12 9 Student notes 10 Student notes 11 Case study paragraph 18 12 Case study paragraph 24 [1] Case study paragraph 24 [2] Case study paragraph 13 [3] Case study paragraph 13 [4] Case study paragraph 14 [5] Case study paragraph 15 [6] Case study paragraph 16 [7] Student notes [8] Case study paragraph 12 [9] Student notes [10] Student notes [11] Case study paragraph 18 [12] Case study paragraph 24

Policing Cyberspace on the Internet Essay -- Internet Communication Co

Policing Cyberspace on the Internet The Internet is a method of communication and a source of information that is becoming more popular among those who are interested in, and have the time to surf the information superhighway. The problem with this much information being accessible to this many people is that some of it is deemed inappropriate for minors. The government wants censorship, but a segment of the population does not. Legislative regulation of the Internet would be an appropriate function of the government. The Communications Decency Act is an amendment which prevents the information superhighway from becoming a computer "red light district." On June 14, 1995, by a vote of 84-16, the United States Senate passed the amendment. It is now being brought through the House of Representatives.1 The Internet is owned and operated by the government, which gives them the obligation to restrict the materials available through it. Though it appears to have sprung up overnight, the inspiration of free-spirited hackers, it in fact was born in Defense Department Cold War projects of the 1950s.2 The United States Government owns the Internet and has the responsibility to determine who uses it and how it is used. The government must control what information is accessible from its agencies. This material is not lawfully available through the mail or over the telephone, there is no valid reason these perverts should be allowed unimpeded on the Internet. Since our initiative, the industry has commendably advanced some blocking devices, but they are not a substitute for well-reasoned law.4 Because the Internet has become one of the biggest sources of information in this world, legislative safeguards are imperative. The government gives citizens the privilege of using the Internet, but it has never given them the right to use it. They seem to rationalize that the framers of the constitution planned & plotted at great length to make certain that above all else, the profiteering pornographer, the pervert and the pedophile must be free to practice their pursuits in the presence of children on a taxpayer created and subsidized computer network.3 People like this are the ones in the wrong. Taxpayer's dollars are being spent bringing obscene text and graphics into the homes of people all over the world. The government must take cont... ...Employee Net Postings?" Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 042574. 20 Feb. 1995, 8. Gibbs, Mark. "Congress 'Crazies' Want To Carve Up Telecom." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 039436. 12 Sept. 1994, 37. Horowitz, Mark. "Finding History On The Net." American Heritage. Oct. 1995, 38. Laberis, Bill. "The Price of Freedom." Computerworld. Dialog Magazine Database, 036777. 25 Apr. 1994, 34. Messmer, Ellen. "Fighting for Justice On The New Frontier." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 028048. 11 Jan. 1993, S19."Policing Cyberspace." U.S. News & World Report. 23 Jan. 1995, 55-60. Messmer, Ellen. "Sen. Dole Backs New Internet Antiporn Bill." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 044829. 12 June 1995, 12. "Shifting Into The Fast Lane." U.S. News & World Report. 23 Jan. 1995, 52-53. Taylor, Bruce A. "Memorandum of Opinion In Support Of The Communications Decency Amendment." National Law Center for Children & Families. 29 June 1995, 1-7. Turner, Bob. The Internet Filter. N.p.: Turner Investigations, Research and Communication, 1995. "WebCrawler Search Results." Webcrawler. With the query words magazines and sex. 13 Sept. 1995. Policing Cyberspace on the Internet Essay -- Internet Communication Co Policing Cyberspace on the Internet The Internet is a method of communication and a source of information that is becoming more popular among those who are interested in, and have the time to surf the information superhighway. The problem with this much information being accessible to this many people is that some of it is deemed inappropriate for minors. The government wants censorship, but a segment of the population does not. Legislative regulation of the Internet would be an appropriate function of the government. The Communications Decency Act is an amendment which prevents the information superhighway from becoming a computer "red light district." On June 14, 1995, by a vote of 84-16, the United States Senate passed the amendment. It is now being brought through the House of Representatives.1 The Internet is owned and operated by the government, which gives them the obligation to restrict the materials available through it. Though it appears to have sprung up overnight, the inspiration of free-spirited hackers, it in fact was born in Defense Department Cold War projects of the 1950s.2 The United States Government owns the Internet and has the responsibility to determine who uses it and how it is used. The government must control what information is accessible from its agencies. This material is not lawfully available through the mail or over the telephone, there is no valid reason these perverts should be allowed unimpeded on the Internet. Since our initiative, the industry has commendably advanced some blocking devices, but they are not a substitute for well-reasoned law.4 Because the Internet has become one of the biggest sources of information in this world, legislative safeguards are imperative. The government gives citizens the privilege of using the Internet, but it has never given them the right to use it. They seem to rationalize that the framers of the constitution planned & plotted at great length to make certain that above all else, the profiteering pornographer, the pervert and the pedophile must be free to practice their pursuits in the presence of children on a taxpayer created and subsidized computer network.3 People like this are the ones in the wrong. Taxpayer's dollars are being spent bringing obscene text and graphics into the homes of people all over the world. The government must take cont... ...Employee Net Postings?" Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 042574. 20 Feb. 1995, 8. Gibbs, Mark. "Congress 'Crazies' Want To Carve Up Telecom." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 039436. 12 Sept. 1994, 37. Horowitz, Mark. "Finding History On The Net." American Heritage. Oct. 1995, 38. Laberis, Bill. "The Price of Freedom." Computerworld. Dialog Magazine Database, 036777. 25 Apr. 1994, 34. Messmer, Ellen. "Fighting for Justice On The New Frontier." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 028048. 11 Jan. 1993, S19."Policing Cyberspace." U.S. News & World Report. 23 Jan. 1995, 55-60. Messmer, Ellen. "Sen. Dole Backs New Internet Antiporn Bill." Network World. Dialog Magazine Database, 044829. 12 June 1995, 12. "Shifting Into The Fast Lane." U.S. News & World Report. 23 Jan. 1995, 52-53. Taylor, Bruce A. "Memorandum of Opinion In Support Of The Communications Decency Amendment." National Law Center for Children & Families. 29 June 1995, 1-7. Turner, Bob. The Internet Filter. N.p.: Turner Investigations, Research and Communication, 1995. "WebCrawler Search Results." Webcrawler. With the query words magazines and sex. 13 Sept. 1995.

Disorders in Hawethornes The Birthmark Essay example -- essays resea

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story â€Å"The Birthmark† you find a couple fairly prevalent disorders. Although psychology was as of yet not existence, Hawthorne describes them quite well. Alymer suffered from an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, while his actions caused Georgiana to develop a body dysmorphic disorder. Both of which attributed to the eventual demise of Georgiana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alymer is an older scientist who marries a beautiful woman much younger then himself. Even though Alymer finds his young bride beautiful, he still says that she is â€Å"marked.† Upon Georgiana’s left cheek is a birthmark. The birthmark is small, red, and in the shape of a hand. Alymer believes that this mark takes away from her beauty; even though many other people, men and women alike, thought it to be charming; and those who did not, just â€Å"wished it away.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, Alymer could not wish away Georgiana’s birthmark. He even approached her about it being removed- â€Å"Georgiana,† said he, â€Å"has it never occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek might be removed?† â€Å"No, indeed,† said she, smiling; but perceiving the seriousness of his manner, she blushed deeply. â€Å"To tell you the truth it has been so often called a charm that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so.† (Hawthorne 306)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alymer was afflicted with an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. By definition obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is â€Å"A personality disorder characterized by a pervasive preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and interpersonal control [ . . . ].† (Medical Net) Characteristics of this disorder include the following:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1) Preoccupation with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) Perfectionism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3) Excessive devotion to work to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4) Inability to discard worthless objects of no sentimental value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5) Reluctance to delegate tasks or work with others unless everything is done their way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6) Miserliness in regard to oneself and others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7) Rigidity and stubbornness. (Body Image)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Out of all of the abov... ...their diseases, then Georgiana would have lived. If he had not been so obsessive, Georgiana would not have developed BDD. And if she had not tried to make Alymer happy, she would not have allowed him to give her the deathly liquid. Sadly though, even in the end, Alymer shows no true remorse. After Georgiana dies, he gives a â€Å"hoarse, chuckling laugh.† After all, his wife may be dead, but she looks perfect without any blemish upon her face.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited 1)Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"The Birthmark.† Sixth Edition The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Michael Meyers Ed. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin 1996 p.306-16 2)Body Image and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. 2002. 7 Dec. 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/BDDInterview.html . 3)Medicine Net Medical Dictionary. 2003. 7 Dec. 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=21263 . 4)Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, European Description. 1992. 1 Dec. 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.mentalhealth.com/icd/p22-an05.html .

The Reluctant Receptionist

The Reluctant Receptionist Why was it important to be specific when describing job duties? The importance of being specific when describing job duties is very important. Having a well effectively developed employee job description is a communication tool between the employee and employer and it can determine the success between the employee and employer. Having a poorly written job description can add confusion to the workplace, also a lack of communication from the company. People working for the company may feel as if they do not know what is, to be expected of them.In this scenario not being accurate of the written job description created a problem because it was not written but it became a verbal description and it had nothing to do with what Virginia applied for. Virginia was not hired to be a receptionist, but was to relieve the receptionist for an hour a day. Virginia felt that this company did not take her seriously and felt unappreciated. Even though she has a college degree , and the job she applied for was an HR assistant not a fill in receptionist.The importance of job descriptions Employee job descriptions are written statements that describe the duties, responsibilities, and the qualifications of a particular job. Employee job descriptions are based on information obtained through a job analysis, understanding the skills required to accomplish the task that is needed, and the needs of the company. Having a well written job description can cover legal basis as well, if employment issue's should arise: it will define the ongoing job responsibilities for the employee.It will also identify the required knowledge , skills and abilities needed to be successful. What can be done in the future to prevent these problems, what are the job duties of an HR Assistant? In order from preventing this happening in the future is to be more detailed into what is expected of the job being performed. When writing a job description consider the task, duties, and respons ibilities and define each one if needed. Job Description for Human Resource AssistantHuman Resources Assistants are generally assigned to help Human Resource directors and managers keep track of employee information. This information could include an employee's name, address, job title, compensation, tax withholding information and benefits, such as retirement and insurance plans. Human Resource assistants also help with documentation concerning grievances, terminations, absences and performance reports. Duties of an Human Resource Assistant Human resources assistants may be required to complete a wide variety of duties.Common tasks include answering questions, opening mail, receiving and transferring phone calls, giving directions, creating and distributing documents and providing customer service. Assistants may be required to use either traditional paper filing systems in their work, or more commonly, a computer data entry system. Other functions human resources assistants may fu lfill include setting appointments, arranging meetings, maintaining calendars, copying files, entering data into computer systems and tracking payments or other financial information.Assistants may also be required to write reports for their managers, compile spreadsheets and prepare presentations. Because they work with the public, human resource assistants must be able to present themselves well and have good communication skills. Assistants must also be aware of privacy concerns and the importance of keeping information confidential. References: Education Portal http://education-portal. com/articles/Human_Resources_Assistant_Job_Description_Duties_and_Requirements. html Career Builder http://www. careerbuilder. com/? cbRecursionCnt=1

Physical and Technological resources Essay

These are the resources that the business needs to maintain in order to carry out its activities and it includes things like the buildings, facilities, plant and machinery. Management of physical resources involves planning maintenance and refurbishment and it includes organizing insurance and security to keep those resources safe. For JCC there are different types of physical resources however the main ones are as follows: * College premises and facilities: any business will need to have premises from where it can operate for JCC it’s the college it self which they operate by providing facilities to the students. The premises should be aesthetically pleasing in order to attract customers however for JCC if the premises are pleasing then more students would likely to come and study at JCC. * Materials and waste: The materials that are needed by a business will very much depend on the type of operation it is running and the individual people working there. A car-making factory will need access to steel, paint, plastics, etc. to be able to make cars. However for JCC they will need teachers to teach the students otherwise they would not be able to educate the students. For JCC the materials they use are paper, stationery and printing inks etc while the waste are printer cartridges, plastics , laptops as when they dispose them off. They manage the waste as follows: the computer equipment they can’t just throw throw them or give it to someone because its registered in the college name in this case they dispose computer equipment to a company called WE which deals with the waste and this charges them à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 per item in order to dispose them safely. * Plant and machinery: Like materials and buildings, each business has specific requirements for the type of plant and machinery that it might need. JCC spends large amount of money to purchase the machinery such as projectors, televisions, video machines, computers, table and chairs and many more as without the resources they would not be able to meet the objectives. * Equipment including IT: Equipment is essential for a business to operate smoothly. For example, the teacher is unable to work effectively without a board marker or access to the registrar to check the who is present. Equipment is very vital for JCC such as computers, projectors and printers in order to work efficiently. * Planned maintenance and refurbishment: All buildings, plant and machinery require regular maintenance and updating. Even factories that work using flow production 24 hours a day have to allow time to check that machines are working properly and make minor adjustments to them if necessary. If this maintenance does not take place machines may break down, stopping production and leading to a loss of profits. Building maintenance such as regular cleaning and painting, is also needed to keep buildings in good order, clean and safe. JCC do regular maintenance with the equipment such as computers every summer holidays to ensure everything is working properly. They also paint the building every summer holidays if needed. * Emergency provision: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires organizations to draw up policies and provisions for what should happen in the event of an emergency within a building. This means for JCC they have to change their resources such as the building since the law of disability act came in force they had to install lifts and the ramp in order to cater for disable students. * Insurance: All buildings owned or leased by businesses must have insurance. If the business owns the building it will arrange this cover itself but if the building is leased it is often arranged with the landlord. A fee is paid each month and then protection is given to the business in the event that something happens to or within the building such as floods, fire, and damage to any equipments etc. For JCC they need to insure the building is insured as it will need if any thing happened in the college then the insurance will pay for any claims. * Security: The building must be made secure and looked after, even when employees have gone home. Some businesses will employ full-time security staff to do this and they patrol the building, sometimes using dogs to help them. Other organizations will use security cameras and alarms which are linked to police stations. JCC use a full time security site manager who is responsible for the security of JCC as he monitors via the use of CCTV cameras. Technological Resources Technological resources are more than just equipment. Computer hardware, such as a modem and monitor, is a physical resource and is treated as such. Technological resources in this instance are things like software, music or text. These resources are owned, like physical resources, and have to be managed in the same way. Technological resources can be considered in four main areas: intellectual property, accumulated experience and skill, software licensing and patents and copyright. * Intellectual Property: These are the rights allow people to own ideas and have rights concerning what happens to these ideas, including how often they are used, what they are associated with and if they have permission to be copied. There are considered to be five different types of intellectual property: designs, drawings, text, music and video. This shows us that JCC have to have copy right laws to be followed other wise they can be fined and sued if the breach the law. JCC logo has been copyright protected as no one can copy their logo. * Accumulated Experience and Skill: This means experience gained over a number of years when a person has come across lots of different issues to do with the job. This can mean it protects the business by keeping people in their jobs – so that the level of experience in the business can grow. Experienced employees are more likely to be able to do a good job in an organization and should be managed carefully. Sometimes this might mean paying people more or giving them special conditions. For JCC they have to manage this as the teachers get experienced and the work gets more faster and more accurate, for instance the head of the business department would be responsible of registering students every year and have to meet deadlines as this case would be the teacher will be experienced and unlikely to make mistakes however if another new staff comes in and the experienced teacher goes out of JCC then problems might arise and the work might be done slowly. JCC have to maintain this in order to run the organization smoothly. * Software licenses: Many businesses invest a lot of money into software and its use within the working day. Sometimes bespoke software will be designed for a business or they will use someone else’s software and play a license fee to use it. As any software e.g. Microsoft word you have to pay a license fee to the Microsoft however when we individual buy the software the license fee is already included unlikely for large business organization where they purchase one software and use in more than one computer in which they have to pay extra fee for the license. JCC they have to pay for the license for the use of different software they use, if they not pay the license fee they can be fined as breaking the law. They have to make sure they have purchased the license. * Patents and Copyright: It can be difficult and costly for businesses to protect technological resources. Legislation can help to prove if someone has taken your idea and used it. Patents and copyright are two areas of intellectual property law. Patents- protection for inventions or new and improved products that can be made by industry while Copyright- protects the use of literary or artistic material. This includes songs, software, multimedia and films. For JCC they have to have a copyright logo in order to protect their logo not to be used by others, they have to pay a fee for this copyright protection. While they have to patent their website in order for not others using their ideas and design.

It320 Hmwk 4.1

Wan Technology/ Unit 4 Assignment: 4. 1 1. At what layer of the OSI model does CDP operate? Data Link layer 2. What is the primary use for CDP? To discover information about directly connected Cisco devices 3. What network layer protocols can CDP provide information for? IP, Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX), and AppleTalk 4. When CDP is enabled on an interface, a router (or switch) sends CDP advertisements on a regular basis, which list information about the sending router. Included in the packets are a series of Type/Length/Value, or TLV, data structures. . The show cdp neighbors command can be used to display one line of information about each directly connected CDP-enabled device. List the six pieces of information displayed. Device ID, local interface, holdtime, capability, platform, and port ID 6. In the topology of all Cisco devices shown in Figure 4-1, you are on Host A and consoled in to RTA. What devices can you see in the output from CDP commands? SWA, RTB, and RTC only the directly connected devices that are attached to RTA 7. How would you gather information about other CDP-enabled devices in the network?By Telneting to those devices and using the show cdp neighbors command 8. From RTB in Figure 4-1, what devices can you see in the output from CDP commands? RTA and RTD 9. From RTC in Figure 4-1, what devices can you see in the output from CDP commands? RTA and RTD 10. From RTD in Figure 4-1, what devices can you see in the output from CDP commands? RTB, RTC, and SWB 11. cdp run Global Enables CDP globally on the router. cdp enable Interface Enables CDP on an interface. lear cdp counters Privileged EXEC mode Resets the traffic counters to 0. show cdp entry User or privileged EXEC mode Displays information about a specific neighbor. show cdp interface User or privileged EXEC mode Displays information about interfaces on which CDP is enabled. show cdp neighbors [detail] User or privileged EXEC mode Displays at least six pieces of information a bout the neighbor 12. The cdp run command enables CDP globally on the router. By default, CDP is globally enabled. The enable cdp command enables CDP on a particular interface. 13.Fill in the appropriate commands in the configuration/output that follows: RTC(config)#cdp run_ <– Command that will start CDP RTC(config)#interface Ethernet 0 RTC(config-if)#no cdp enable <– Turn off CDP on this interface RTC(config-if)

Hyten Corporation Essay

Abstract: The structure of this assignment is such that the questions are not just answered directly but that there is a discussion of general premises by the author prior to confronting the complexities of systems re-engineering. The reader is given a few short philosophical insights into the author’s assumption in the â€Å"preferred method† of such organisational change. It is the focus of this assignment to impart how the organisational change will lead to the organisations culture changing. In the second question which is what is to be done to solve the problems and priority I have referred to the problem statements in the first question per number in the first question and then rated them in priority. The author has chosen this method of answering for the sake of continuity and ease of reading. General Discussion:Prior to answering the questions posed in this case study the point of departure will be discussed. Change is ongoing in any organisation and this is to be a managed process. The need for change should be clarified and has to be analysed, the new goal clearly laid out, the change effected and then the whole change measured against the goals initially stated. Then one can see if a new change or further change is necessary. These processes are laid out in Dr. E. Goldratt’s book the Critical Chain as The Theory of constraints. Harvard Professor J.Cotter outlines 8 steps to bridge the change gap. These steps as shown in the following illustration bridge the gap between the current state and the desired state. As in Cotters first step the managers of the company under discussion in the case study are indeed ready to be convinced that current methods are not working effectively and efficiently. The critical mass has been achieved within HYTEN to effect the necessary change. Within HYTEN the emphasis in leading the change should be on the premise that  humans have natural in born strengths and will execute and implement things in a fashion that allows them to express this natural style. The best that managers can do is to take cognisance of this strength and play on those strengths in the individual. To take this assumption a step further in proposing the hypothesis that certain environments and cultural backgrounds assist individuals to develop certain skills. HYTEN has already shown the ability in its past to adapt to changing macro economic climate when it re-tooled and changed production after the first Gulf war. This was very successful in the longer term. This is a positive indication that human resources will change without too much disruption to productivityQuestion 1:Problems1.The company uses an informal project management model and the manner in which new projects are tackled is not as orderly as it could be. (In the complex environment of tight schedules and multi-disciplinary teams the carefully documented and well managed project will mean that ambiguities and duplications will be greatly reduced. The project manager must provided the adhesive force for this team.)†¢This is an architectural problem2.The company has been very successful and managers have been promoted swiftly hence, this relatively young company grew up around the managers. (This has had a positive effect in as much as the managers have become senior manag ers relatively quickly but has also meant that the managers have become complacent and secure in their environment. There also has been no introduction of new blood into the senior management and thus this inbreeding has the effect that cross-pollination with other companies is not happening.)†¢This is a behavioural problem3.The managers for their part are relatively well educated but seem to have become complacent, they have stagnated and failed to study further and thus have not been exposed to some of the newer methods of business structuring/management. The focus of these managers seems to be on technology. (The focus on technology for technology’s sake is not a good thing. In this type of industry it is understandable that managers get caught up in the core function of the business. But the managers can not neglect studies in other fields or fail to focus on neglected areas)†¢This is a behavioural problem4.The business development unit is seemingly ineffectual. The comment that they appear to  be fixing the areas which are not broken seems indicative of the errors they are making. (The business development unit is seemingly not focusing on their core function and is neglecting key performance areas. They are not promoting the efficient running of projects and internal policies. In fact they are having the worst possible effect on the company image by making promises that are unachievable and unrealistic.)†¢This is a behavioural problem5.†The customer has little control over funding, manpower or work done.† This on its own is an over sight as the customer is king. He is the sponsor and as such should demand that the resources and work should follow the projects need as both resource demand and funding are provided by him. This will mean that the production will be a push type and not a pull type.(No further comment or explanation needed here) This is a behavioural problem (Perhaps stemming from the fact that HYTEN was used to â€Å"bit work† for the military.)6.Marketing and sales do not have a say as to what projects will fly and what won’t. (This seems strange as these are the very persons that have front line contact with customers and potential customers and they may see the demand for a particular product.) †¢This is both an architectural and a behavioural problem7.The fact that the authority, role and function of the business development department has gradually expanded means that there are no clear definitions or mandates given to these important project managers. That a charter has not been set up is an indication that senior managers lack the will to tackle functional managers. †¢This is an architectural problem8.No design freeze on products. (This can be very trying for production)†¢This will cause operational problems but the cause is behavioural9.Production items not 100% are being reworked and there seem to be many no-go products being reworked to the determent of products in the system for the first time. (Dr. E Goldratt’s Theory of constraints)†¢This is an operational problem10.There seems to be a big emphasis on the project manager being technically competent and having intrinsic knowledge of technical detail. The other characteristics that are high on the agenda are work assessments of individuals taking part in the project. †¢This is a behavioural problem11.The HR manager is very concerned that the  performance of individuals is correctly captured between the functional manager and the project manager. Sometimes a manager can get a gut feeling about an employee and not be able to document the actual capacity of that individual fully. †¢This is an architectural problem12.The cited problem of an employee at another company not gettting an increase in line with work carried out or that this employee was functioning at a higher level than for which he was employed initially are smoke screens for a basically unsound opportunity and promotion policy at that company and can be avoided by installing proper policies. (Dearth of promotion and training policies) (Quite poignant that the one vocalising these words is the very person who should have the answers. )†¢This is a behavioural problem13.Harold Grimes the plant manager vocalises that internal personnel should be promote to the position of project manager for this new big project as they will have insider knowledge, this is not an on going item like production and as such is a once off situation. His assertions may lead to great unhappiness of the individual placed in such positions. †¢This is not a problem yet as this has not happened but predictions are that this will become a problem in a few years time should this course of action be followed. 14.Herman Hall the I.S. Manager thinks only in terms of what computer package is needed for reporting.( The throwing of software solutions at system problems is very common as the managers attempt to avoid real issues and substitute/relegate control to software.)†¢This is a behavioural problem15.The adaptability of the IS department is very poor as they don’t even consider â€Å"of the shelf solutions† or outsourcing assistance. †¢This is a behavioural problem16.Bub Gustwell Scheduling director for all his good sentiments sees the project management way of managing purely as a vehicle to better schedules. †¢This is a behavioural problemSummaryThe tally of current problems is 15 (One  is a potential future problem) this is not the full tally of all the problems or permutations of problems but the major problems have been highlighted. The score is as follows:Behavioural problems10 1/2Architectural problems 3  ½Operational problems1As is evident from the graphic above the overwhelming problems of HYTEN are behavioural. Having said this the corporation is very successful in a competitive environment. The number of changes are relatively few if one considers the size and extent of the organisation. Question 21-The company not formalising the project management approach is one of the root causes for many of the other ailments, this needs to be addressed as follows:†¢Project charter established for each project†¢Standing of both project managers and functional managers to be clearly laid out†¢All staff working on projects should be briefed on the role that they are to play and duration of their service on that project†¢An exit strategy defined up fount2-The successes of the company and the long serving senior managers: Remedial action to the stagnation of the senior managers could be as follows:†¢Training of existing managers in up-to-date business methods †¢The implementation of a succession policy†¢The introduction of some new managers from other companies†¢Employment of consultants/specialists to re-engineer the corporation3-The failure of managers to keep up to date with studies: This was given a passing mention in bullet point 2†¢Studies in relevant fields other than technology could be arranged by the corporation†¢ Workshops on emergent business methods should be held†¢Subscriptions to relevant business and technology periodicals should be procured for all senior managers and a rotational roster of such periodicals for more junior manages and staff. †¢Establishment of a news server in house where matters can be discussed e.g. troubleshooting, innovations etc.. 4-Ineffectual business unit:†¢The whole business unit needs to scrutinised as to function, this may be outsourced†¢This unit needs to revert to the core function as it has drifted5-The control that customer has over funding and  resources: This needs evaluation and through consultation with stake holders a new level of customer involvement can be reached. The recommendation is that a customer evaluation program be started and that the areas indicated by the customer as high priority be addressed. Not to pre-empt such a program the corporation needs to open communications channels with the client and actively market a positive image to off set the negative one. 6-Marketing and sales not having a say: This ties in with bullet 5 and the marketing and sales should be found to be repeating what the customer is saying. It is not so much a matter that the sales or marketing is not being hear but that the customer is not been heard. Once the customer evaluation of the company is complete the results must be implemented. There after the evaluation forms should be issued with each customer transaction. 7-Expansion of the business development unit:†¢This matter was touched on in bullet 4 with a recommendation that this function be outsourced once it is clearly defined within the corporate structure†¢The right sizing of this department is a second option to outsourcing†¢The outsourced business development unit should be given measurable objectives and clear brief8-Design freeze of products: The fact that there are constant changes in design is a clear indicator that the customer and stake holders are not involved and are not articulating their needs †¢Once better lines of communication have been established with stakeholders design will be reached by consensus, expensive re-tooling for design change will be greatly reduced9-Rework of unsatisfactory items:†¢This can be reduced by continuous quality control. In other words the point of manufacture must be the quality controller thus work pieces would not have to counter-flow to the production line and rework would be immediate†¢Dr. E. Goldratt proposed the critical chain theory where the weakest segment of the chain is targeted and improved this is then repeated till the system is running optimally10-The emphasis on the technically competent project manager: This is just plane nonsense as the team is made up of multi-disciplinary specialists. The only step needed here is to clarify this in the project charter. 11-Concern that staff are to be graded by two managers: On the whole a poor  employee will be seen as such by both managers. The converse being true as well. Having stated this it should be easy enough for each manager to rate the employee and an aggregate be awarded between the two managers on the Key performance areas and the various related weighting for those areas12- Employees not getting equitable increases between plants:†¢This is as described in bullet 11 – The job evaluations and job weighting systems must be overhauled then the system of KPS and weighing need to be put into practice to assess which team is the most productive. It is flawed to award employees differing increases within a work unit. Best practice is the fixed bonus system were there is no separation between rank or individual13-The promotion of only internal staff due to insider knowledge: This is not a problem as yet but may become a problem in future as it may cause a situation of inbreeding. This situation can be remedied easy by correcting the perception early14-The computer package which is the universal panacea:†¢This is yet again a perception that must be corrected early. As any package must follow the real world model and as such the real world model must work first. †¢The systems approach is governed by policies and methods these must be implemented fully and not be sitting on a disused shelf. 15-The adaptability of the IS department:†¢The IS department must be told to evaluate off-the-shelf solutions before considering other alternatives†¢The IS department must ensure that options for roll out of new solutions consider the possibility of out-sourcing16-The perception of persons that project management is only schedules:†¢The only way to change this perception is through educationPrioritization of remedial action and problemsThe first priority is to change the current state of the senior manager studies, once these key persons change their outlook and approach bullet point 3, 2, 5, 6 and 16 will be resolved. The education of managers to a new business approach can not be under stated as they will see the need for customer involvement and even community involvement, the balanced score card will become an intrigue business tool. The changing of the business culture will be then a natural and easy process. The managers will be secure in their positions and will not feel threatened by the change, in fact they will see  the rewards and start to implement the change from within. Second priority is formalisation and implementation of the various company policies which impact on the individuals and structures within the corporation. This must be done in conjunction with the shared vision of HYTEN corp. and thus the corporate strategy will be defined in the process. These are the policies which affect:1-Staffing pay progression and bonuses2-Formalisation and introduction of project management and project charters3-The scope and powers of the business unitsThe systems approach to the documentation and formalisation of the policies and strategic goals will remediate the ills in bullet points 1, 4, 11, 12 and 14Third priority is the resolution of the functional issues such as reworked items, design freeze and others. These issues are of minor concern in relation to the other items which cut right to the core of the problems. The bullet points 8 and 9 are addressed in this priority. The remaining bullet points not dealt with are not preserved to be priority issues but never the less should be dealt with as a matter of course in the manner laid out in the bullet points above. Some are misconceptions others are a lack of insight thus need to be quickly remedied. 4-ConclusionThe over view of this company is that it is in good condition currently but will not stay in that shape if it doesn’t continue to evolve. Many of the points raised as problems are inter-related; this is highlighted throughout the bulleted points. Intervention in some areas will have to be great will in others it is minimal. The one overarching factor needing change is the ongoing education of senior managers. This company is ripe for change and has many eager young individuals who need development. The Policies are basically sound but need to be revisited both for updating content and implementation. If the changes are implemented HYTEN Corp. will go from strength to strength. Bibliography: †¢15th March 2006, The Eight-stage Management Process of Major Changehttp://www.freequality.org/sites/www_freequality_org/Documents/knowledge/ManageChange_MiniTutorial_MT%20_2_.pdf. †¢Program Managing Organizational Transformation, Change and Performance Improvement. Prof. Pieter Steyn and Erik Schmikl†¢The Critical Chain, Dr. E. Goldratt 2nd edition