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& ideas they can apply in their work, opportunities to network with other
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CONTENTS
1.
Moderator’s Space
2. The LAC Paradigm for Organizational Success by Devashis Rath
3. Humor in a Corner
4.
Reader's Forum
5.
Meet Our New Members
V
Ashutosh Sharma
R Narayanan
6.
Finger Tips (Effective
Inter Personal Relations)
7.
Upcoming HR Training Programs (India)
8.
Best of HR Jobs (India
& USA)
9. How To Contribute Articles, Recommend to Friends, Un/subscribe, & Legal Stuff
Dear Friends,
We have a two milestones this month. First colored issue of H R Era is here for you! And the first article written by a member other than moderator is included. My thank to Mr. Devashis Rath for breaking the ice and I request more of you to try your hand at writing & sharing. It is easy!
Lip
Jagger has requested for posting a vacancy for
Management Development Specialist in USA. Our USA based readers may
find it of interest.
Regards
Rajeev
B Bhatnagar
2. THE LAC PARADIGM FOR ORGANISATIONAL SUCCESS by DEVASHIS RATH
In an era of global markets and hyper competition organisations have three imperatives to address in order to succeed and survive. They are - learn, adapt and change (LAC). From learning emerges new insights and different perspectives which must be followed by experimental and contextual adaptation and finally end in changing the existing systems, structures, policy, procedures, skills and strategy.
The
LAC paradigm can make organisations more open, flexible and agile thus
contributing to overall organisational health. If we use the metaphor of human
beings, then what physical exercise, yoga and intellectual stimulation are to
us the LAC paradigm is to an organisation's health.
Business
of Business is Learning:
But then the question comes - what is there in an organisation that it should
learn? Harision Owen (1991) beautifully captures the importance of learning to
organisations in his book Riding the Tiger: Doing Business in a Transforming
World where he writes "There was a time when the prime business of
business was to make a profit and a product. There is now a prior, prime
business, which is to become an effective learning organisation. Not that
profit and product are no longer important, but without continual learning,
profits and products will no longer be possible Hence, the strong thought
that: the business of business is learning - and all else will follow.
The Need to Learn: Let us face this question about our organisations - Is it not true that market realities are outdistancing our organisation's existing system, structure, style, skill and strategy? Think. For instance decision-making styles prevalent in our organisation - has it changed with changing nature of competition and current market needs and industry demands? Has recruitment strategy changed from attracting talents through paper advertisement followed by a half-an-hour interview to web recruiting and assessment centre techniques? Here is the need to learn.
Perhaps
all these years we have been ignoring our past mistakes, blissfully forgetting
a particular event that cost the company a fortune and brushing our collective
trespasses under the carpet. These are the very sources for an organisation to
learn. Critical reliving, reviewing and recording of past events and
happenings is one of the main source of organisational learning that throws up
new perspectives and purposeful insights.
Adaptation:
However, mere learning will be of little help if the same is not adapted to
organisational settings and directed towards organisational goals. Allowing
the recordings of learning to gather dust will be akin to a donkey carrying a
sack load of books. Therefore, the first step to adapting learning is
organisation-wide dissemination of the same. Organisational members must know
the event, mistakes identified in the same and learning emerging therefrom.
More often than not top management in general and HR professionals in
particular become defensive and hesitate to be transparent. This is a suicidal
tendency. Pertinent adaptation of learning will be possible only when a
culture of tolerance of mistakes, wide-area sharing of learning and respect
for experimentation is appreciated and nurtured. Minus these three,
organisational members will pursue the beaten track and at the most limit
organisational learning to an intellectual time past.
Change:
Finally, adaptation of learning must lead to change. It must not remain
limited to a pen and paper exercise only. Many companies have been able to
procure the ISO series of certification by adapting the ISO standards and
practices. A number of such companies continue the old system of working, yet
manage to do a neat paper work just before the periodic audits to escape NCRs
(non-conforming reports) being raised. Change must be concrete, apparent and
measurable both in letter and spirit. Further, it should be operationalised
not by silencing resistance to it but by overcoming resistance for it.
Silencing resistance to change will keep the embers burning for a fire at a
future point of time and can leave enough scope for organisational members to
relapse to their respective comfort zones at the first available opportunity.
On the other hand overcoming change would not only rule out such
possibilities, but would help in transforming the existing culture itself.
Only through successful change implementation will adaptation of learning be
of use to an organisation.
Conclusion:
Thus to conclude, it may be reiterated that the LAC paradigm can serve a major
tool for organisational success and sustainability only if it is diligently
pursued and rigorously implemented. The paradigm is powerful only when it is
used in its entirety. Laxity in any one of the three phases of learning,
adapting and changing will render the paradigm crippled and limit its
potential.
Contributed
by Devashis Rath, Doctoral Scholar, MDI, Gurgaon.
The
Brain
In
the Hospital the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where their family
member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber.
"I'm
afraid I am the bearer of bad news," he said as he surveyed the worried
faces, "The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain
transplant. It's an experimental procedure, semi-risky, and you will have to
pay for the brain yourselves."
The
family members sat silent as they absorbed the news. After a length of time,
someone asked, "Well, how much does a brain cost?" The Doctor
quickly responded, "$5000 for a male brain, and $200 for a female
brain."
The
moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to smile, avoiding eye
contact with the women, but some actually smirked. A man, unable to control
his curiosity, blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask, "Why is
the male brain so much more?"
The
doctor smiled at the childish innocence and then to the entire group said,
"It's just standard pricing procedure. We have to mark down the price of
the
female
brains, because they've been used."
Car
Stolen
A blonde
dials 911 to report that her car has been broken into. She is hysterical as
she explains her situation to the dispatcher.
"They've
stolen the dashboard, the steering wheel, the brake pedal, and even the
accelerator!" she cries.
The 911
dispatcher says, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way. He will be there
in two minutes."
Before
the police get to the crime scene, however, the 911 dispatcher's telephone
rings a second time, and the same blonde is on the line again
"Never
mind," giggles the blonde, "I got in the back seat by mistake."
Baby
Boy
There was
a middle-aged couple who had two stunningly beautiful teen-aged daughters.
They decided to try one last time for the son they always wanted. After
months of trying, the wife became pregnant and sure enough, nine months later
delivered a healthy baby boy.
The
joyful father rushed to the nursery to see his new son.
He took one look and was horrified to see the ugliest child he had ever
seen.
He went
to his wife and said that there was no way that he could be the father of that
child. "Look at the two beautiful daughters I
fathered." Then he
gave her a stern look and asked, "Have you been fooling around on
me?"
The wife
just smiled sweetly and said, "Not this time."
4.
READER'S FORUM
Any
Reader can e-mail a question on which s/he
AB
replies to Question from Mr R Narayanan
Question: I am looking forward to doing my PhD in Management in the areas of resource management, group dynamics, human relations and welfare etc. I would like to know some universities in India and abroad (Only USA and UK) which offer PhD in Management.
Reply:
Dear Narayanan, You can get a complete list of colleges giving Ph D in USA
& other countries are http://gradschools.com
. The URL of the exact page is http://gradschools.com/listings/menu/bus_phd_menu.html
.
5.
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
I
am a graduate of Delhi University, did Diploma in PM&IR from Punjabi
University, and LL. B from Barakhatullah University.
I
have vast experience of 30 years in H R & related fields. I have worked in
public & private companies viz. Central Electronics Limited, Richardson
& Cruddas Limited, MP State Electronics Development Corporation,
Kirloskars, JKs, & Tatas. I have also served in Indian Armed Forces for 5
years.
I
have authored a book on Industrial Security titled Audyogik Suraksha.
I
am basically a Masters Degree holder in Chemistry from Madras Christian
College with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management. Currently
I am in the final year of the Masters Diploma in Business Adminstration
from Symbiosys Institute of Management Studies, Pune. After this I am
interested in doing research.....
I have more than 3 years of working experience, all in the field of Human
Resources, with exposure to various functions like, Resourcing, Policies,
Training and Development, HR consulting etc...
Currently I am working for a Chennai based company called Global Software Ltd.
Anyone can contact me at r_narayanan16@yahoo.com
6.
FINGER TIPS: EFFECTIVE
INTER PERSONAL RELATIONS
1.
Listen before you talk. Think before you act.
2. Recognize a good work done.
3. Avoid open criticism.
4. Model the behavior you desire.
5. Accept the fact that everyone is different from everybody else.
7. UPCOMING HR TRAINING PROGRAMS (INDIA)
Managing the Knowledge Organisation
By IIM, Bangalore. Course Directors are Mr NM Agrawal & Mr Abhoy K Ojha. Sep 21-22 at Bangalore. For details email edp@iimb.ernet.in
Strategic
Human Resources Management
By NITIE, Mumbai. Faculty is Mr. OB Sayeed. Sep 10 - 14 at Mumbai. Fees Rs 9000, residential. For details email programme@nitie.edu
Organizational
Decline and Turnaround Management
By IIM, Ahmedabad. Sep 24 - 28 at Ahemedabad. For details email to mdp@mdplan.iimahd.ernet.in
Free
Service:
Training
institutes & Trainers can request insertion
Management Development Specialist, Nashville (Tennessee), USA
For:
Industry: Retail/Service Industry
Company:
This
company is an industry leader with over $1.8 Billion in sales, more than 470
locations, and is continuing to expand. The company culture is one that
stresses family values, and the highest corporate performance standards. It is
nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of rustic Nashville, Tennessee in a
corporate office setting, which is as attractive as it is professional.
Job:
The Management Development Specialist designs, develops, facilitates, and
measures Management Development processes. Administers appropriate assessments
and incorporates e-learning technology where practical.
Coaches operations management on career development
and assists in developing individual plans. Is responsible for the
development, maintenance, evaluation and facilitation of workshops and
"Best Practices" initiatives designed to prepare management
employees for promotion. This individual will be the in-house expert on all
Management Development materials and trends.
Reports
to Director, Management Development
Person
Requirements: The
vacancy is for Green card Holders or U S Citizens only.
Compensation:
Salary
is $60k Approx. Bonus is 12%
Manager - Personnel & Administration
For: Mother dairy Fruit & Vegetable Limited. It is a subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board, a Rs. 1000 crores milk & food major. Is promoting a fruit & vegetable market in Bangalore.
Job: Responsible for all Personnel & Administration functions.
Person: MBA (HR) or PG Degree / Diploma in HRD / Personnel Management. At least 8 years’ experience, including 5 years in a senior & responsible & position, in a reputed organisation. Age around 35 years.
Apply to: Email to mddel@bol.net.in . Fax to 011 - 2211991. Snail mail to Divisional Manager (HR & A), Mother dairy Fruit & Vegetable limited, Patparganj, Delhi - 110092.
HRD Executive
For: A leading group of educational institutions based in Chennai.
Job: Responsible for framing good personnel policies and implementing them.
Person: PG / Graduate in HR. At least 8 - 10 years experience. Ability to train and motivate staff.
Apply to: Box No. HB 2095, C/o The Hindu, Chennai - 600 020. Enclose recent passport size photo, indicate salary expected, & supercsribe post on envelope.
Free Service
Organizations
can request insertion of their HR
Suggestion from HR Era
When
emailing your biodata, attach it as a txt file or
9.
HOW TO
Contribute Articles
Contributions
from readers are wholeheartedly solicited. Contributions are the things that
enable sharing of learnings.
Recommend to Friends
All
HR people have lots of friends and colleagues.
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Legal Stuff!
All
information in HR Era is presented in good faith. However, before using,
please consult relevant experts. We do not accept any financial responsibility
Copyright
(C) 2001 by Rajeev B. Bhatnagar