The phenomenon of globalization has turned the business world into a global dynamic village for business exchanges. Indeed, competition is becoming increasingly fiercer and simultaneously using Learning Organization as a strategy has become a MUST for companies’ success and development. Adopting such strategy helps organizations to innovate and acquire knowledge in order to survive and thrive in the current rapid changing environment. Some key definitions by distinguished writers on Learning Organization are as follows: “The essence of organizational learning is the organisation’s ability to use the amazing mental capacity of all its members to create the kind of processes that will improve its own”- Nancy Dixon “A Learning Organization is one that consciously manages its learning processes through an inquiry-driven orientation among all its members”- Kim D. “A Learning company is an organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself”- M. Pedley, J. Burgoyne andContinue reading
Modern Management Concepts
Three Key Elements of Six Sigma Process
Six Sigma is a widely used Operational Approach towards Operations Management and is frequently applied within Manufacturing Businesses, however the fundamental processes also apply within businesses operating within the Service Industry. The Purpose of Six Sigma is to reduce process variation so that virtually all the products or services provided meet or exceed customer expectations. Six Sigma adopts a very data driven, disciplined method for eliminating defects within processes and promoting business improvement within organisations. Six Sigma is able to show quantitatively how a process is performing and to achieve ‘Six Sigma Status’, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Six Sigma is dissected into three core elements including: Process Improvement, Process Design/Re-Design & Process Management and will be explored below. 1. Process Improvement The Process Improvement aspect of the Six Sigma Model addresses the concept of improving existing processes with the ultimate objective ofContinue reading
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Dr. Greet Hofsted had conducted a comprehensive study and explained how culture influences the values at the work place. He worked as a psychologist in IBM from 1967 to 1973. In the time of working in IBM he has collected the analyzed data from aver 100000 individual from more than forty different countries. To the above study he made some additions and he developed four dimensions and later on he added fifth dimension that is long term outlook. Geert Hofstede’s dimensions investigation can support the trade individual in enhance understanding the intercultural variance within regions. “Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster.” – Dr. Geert Hofstede The different dimensions of the Geert hofstede are explained below they are Power distance index (PDI) Individualism (IDV) Masculinity (MAS) Uncertainty avoidance index (UAI) Long term orientation (LTO) PowerContinue reading
Culture as a Normative Control Tool in Organizations
Proponents of corporate culture as an informal control mechanism regard culture as a management tool that can be manipulated though the actions of top management. Culture is a management tool; however, there is a counter-view that corporate culture is a rather complex construct. People argue that culture should be regarded as something that an organization ‘is’, not as something that an organization ‘has’; it is not an independent variable, nor can it be created, discovered, or destroyed by the whims of management. Despite the academic debate surrounding corporate culture as a construct, for practicing managers, caught up with the need to control and recognizing the flaws in the more formal and bureaucratic mechanisms, the lure of cultural control as a management tool is highly seductive. Significance of Cultural and Normative Forms of Control From the last few years, organisations have become interested in organisational control and employees’ self-hood. This controlContinue reading
Leader’s Role in Being a Catalyst for Organization Change
It takes considerable amount of effort and time to set up an organization and get into particular mode of operation. In order to sustain and continuously climb up the ladder of growth, companies need to be lean, flexible and ready to change constantly to implement new processes, introduce or close down particular product lines, incorporate faster technologies, make strategic shifts and decisions thus stimulating creativity, learning, diversity and growth. While the change is inevitable and its need being clearly understood, resistance and adverse affects are also likely to emerge. The important factor in execution of a successful change is that it should be properly planned/ focused along with a high degree of commitment Leadership. A Leader for any organization can be identified as a Spark plug who, because of high energy, good communication and motivational skills, and a can-do attitude, helps realizing important objectives. The leader is the catalyst thatContinue reading
Fundamentals of Internal Auditing
What is Internal Auditing? Internal Auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. Internal auditing is a catalyst for improving an organization’s governance, risk management and management controls by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. The Institute of Internal Auditors has defined internal auditing as follows: “Internal auditing is the independent appraisal activity within an organization for the review of the accounting, financial and other operation as a basis for protective and constructive service to the management. It is a type of control,Continue reading