America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle

Introduction The American history is intertwined with a myriad of issues cutting across the plane. However, in most of these cases, leadership played a major role in either finding a solution to an existing problem or worsening the situation. Notably, America’s association with other countries has also been of significance throughout history.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has helped it advance broadly through bilateral and multilateral relationships. These relationships are, however, based on its foreign policy, which principally gives guidelines on international relationships. One of the most fascinating and historic relationships was with Cuba with special reference to the Bay of Pigs Debacle (McCormick, 2010). This research paper gives a detailed coverage of the events that surrounded the unsuccessful attack, key causal factors, aftermath and the involvement of leaders. The Bay of Pigs Debacle The Bay of Pigs Debacle refers to the failed attack that was carried out by the CIA on southern Cuba. These forces were part of Cuban exiles, and they received massive support from the U.S. government to launch the attack. According to Jones 2008, the U.S. support was based on its intention to have the Fidel Castro, the former Cuban president overthrown (Jones, 2008). After several discussions and consultations, the attack was launched in April 1961. Coincidentally, the invasion came when John F. Kennedy had served as the U.S. President for less than three months. Nevertheless, the Cuban forces did not take any chances but fiercely fought back, defeating them in only three days. Notably, the main attack occurred at Playa Giron, at the mouth of the bay. The invasion was later named after the Bay of Pigs, Spanish translation of Bahà ­a de Cochinos (Sasser, 2006). Background Information Prior to the invasion, a series of events had taken place in the United States involving political leaders. The previous year on March 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ratified a document which had been designed by the 5412 committee â€Å"Special Group† during a meeting held by the United States Security Council (Castro Hodge Nolan, 2007). The document was about a secret action that the U.S. government was going to take against Fidel Castro and his ruling regime. According to the document, the action was to bring to an end the reign of Castro, whom the U.S. believed needed replacement. In so doing, the United States was to ensure that whoever was to replace Castro must have the interests of Cubans at heart and possess overall U.S. acceptance. This was also to avoid any form of intervention by America in the affairs of the country if a more acceptable leader took over Cuba from the hands of Fidel (Castro Hodge Nolan, 2007). It is also important to note that the operation was to be accomplishe d with a financial cost. As a result, President Eisenhower agreed on an expenditure of $13 million on 18 August 1960. By October same year, the CIA had failed on several occasions to hit Cuba with guerrilla infiltrations and there was a need for the forces to launch a fierce attack that was to involve not less than 1,500 military men.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After his appointment, President John F. Kennedy was briefed about the secret plan by two senior CIA officials, the director and his deputy (Beisner, 2003). With experience from the Guatemalan coup d’à ©tat of 1954, CIA director Allen Dulles was more than confident that the planned attack on Cuba was acceptable. With President Eisenhower having met several key players in the defense force, there was no single rejection towards the plan as both parties unanimously agreed to execute the underground operation a gainst Castro’s regime. Based on this acceptance, the president approved the plan and targeted to persuade and convince President John F. Kennedy, basing his approval on the perceived merit side of the attack. There was an outline that was presented on 8 December 1960 for the â€Å"Special Group† even though no written commitment records were involved (Beisner, 2003). Further developments were carried out in the plan with an agreement being reached on 4 January 1961 to execute a â€Å"lodgment† that was to involve seven hundred and fifty men with support from the air force. However, no disclosure was made on the exact Cuban point that the attack was to be launched. President Kennedy was briefed on 28 January 1961 by all the major departments, which were involved in the operation planning on the latest developments of an attack in which a thousand men were to be involved in a ship-born invasion (Smith, 2010). In response to the planned attack, President Kennedy g ave an authorization for the continuation of the process and ordered that progress of the events be reported back. CIA’s choice to launch their attack on Trinidad was based on a number of factors, including its location, availability of port services, and its proximity to the Escambray Mountains, which would offer an escape route. However, the proposed scheme was turned down by the State Department, forcing the CIA to draft a refined approach and that would appear workable in achieving the initial objective (Smith, 2010). Following CIAs revised version of the attack, the President approved the operation dabbed â€Å"the Bay Of Pigs† that was also referred to as Operation Zapata. This approval was based on the fact that the operation would not require handling of bomber operations since it had an airfield (Craughwell, Phelps, 2008). Another major reason that contributed to the approval of the plan was that it was not in the neighborhood of Cuban civilians as compared t o the initial Trinidad proposal. As such, U.S. officials believed that it would be used to support future denial of having involved itself directly in Cuba. The landing was also shifted to beaches, which mainly bordered the Bay of Pigs that was located one hundred and fifty kilometers, south-east Havana and to the eastern side of Zapata peninsula (Craughwell, Phelps, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In preparation for the post-invasion Cuba, Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC) was created by Cubans, who were in exile in Miami, with the help of CIA and was chaired by Josà © Mirà ³ Cardona. He, therefore, became the leader-in-waiting as CIA made final arrangements, which were culminated in April 1961 (Wyden, 1979). Anti-Castro in Cuba The Cuban Revolution of 1959 was followed by widespread resistance from millions of Cubans, espec ially in the Escambray Mountains, an area that continuously experienced war until 1965. Prior to the April attack, it is believed that the U.S. funded and supported several rebel groups in the country, although they were never involved in the final invasion due to concerns over the possibility of leaking out security information (Sasser, 2006). Numerous bomb attacks were also witnessed, and brutal treatment by the government continued despite outcries. In March of 1961, Jesus Carreras and William Morgan faced trial and were executed. Other cases included a bomb attack in Bayamo that left four militia men dead. In addition, the Hershey Sugar factory was destroyed on 6 April 1961. On the fourteenth of the same months, guerrillas engaged government troops at Las Cruces, Montembo, leaving several army officers dead and others wounded. A Cuban airliner was flown to Jacksonville after being hijacked. This bred confusion that led to the detection of a planned B-26 defection (Jose, 1999). P rior Warning Through secret intelligence, Cuban security agencies could detect the invasion mainly from brigade members in Miami and through newspaper speculations. As a result, several sabotage actions were carried out like the Havana arson attack that left one person dead and the El Encanto fire (Hodge Nolan, 2007). Additionally, Cuba had received a warning threat from KGB senior agents who died as a result of circumstances emanating from the invasion. Although information about the invasion was with a number of Cuban senior officials, the people of Cuba were not sufficiently informed about a CIA assault on their country that was beckoning except Radio Swan, which was officially funded by the CIA and had direct links with senior personalities of the organ (Beisner, 2003). A substantial reason for this insufficiency of information within the public domain was the control of communication by the government as it owned the public communication sector. Reports in late April also indi cated that the Soviet Union was aware of the planned attack even though it had chosen not to inform President John F. Kennedy (Jose, 1999). The story was also carried by some media houses in Moscow asserting that CIA had planned an invasion on Cuba by use of paid criminals. This broadcast, aired on 13 April 1961 was a true prophesy as the assault was launched four days later (Craughwell Phelps, 2008). On its side, Britain noted that Cubans were behind their leader, Fidel Castro and the planned invasion was not likely to cause major defections. This was made clear by then British Ambassador to the United States, David Ormsby-Gore, who reiterated that the information was already with CIA senior officials.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Casualties The invasion resulted into several casualties, including the death of aircrews. For instance, six Cuban air force crewmen died, ten men who were considered to be Cuban exiles and four American crewmen. Other significant people who died during the operation included Herman Koch, Thomas W. Ray, Wade C. Gray, Riley W. Shamburger and Leo F. Baker (Jose, 1999). In the year 1979, the body of one of the American airmen killed; Thomas Ray was sent to his home country. Following his outstanding contribution, Ray was awarded the Intelligence Star Award in the year 1990. In addition, one hundred and four Cuban exiles died during the attack. These exiles were from Brigade 2506 (Jose, 1999). At the end of the operation, a total of one hundred and seventy six Cuban armed officers lost their lives. Another five thousand were reported to have been killed during the operation or gone missing mysteriously. Aftermath Reaction The unsuccessful invasion on Cuba by the U.S. was a major source of embarrassment on the Administration of President Kennedy. It further made the Cuban President to be more vigilant on possible future attack by the United States. On 21 April of 1961, President Kennedy admitted to being the government officer who was responsible for the failed plan (Jose, 1999). Later in August, Che Guevara sent a message to the President through the secretary of White House, expressing his satisfaction and impact of the Playa Girà ³n which had strengthened Castro’s regime. President Kennedy was highly angered by the failure of CIA and promised to split it into a thousand pieces to be blown away by the wind (Smith, 2010). He resolved that opinions and suggestions given by generals need not to be always honored by feelings. Evaluation From the results of the abortive operation carried out by the U.S. on Cuba, it can be argued that several responsible agencies in America including CIA, JSC, Department of State and the Office of the President failed in the pl anning of an effective invasion on Cuba (Sasser, 2006). Notably, efficacy in integration was principally sabotaged by among others, CIA miscommunication, excessive secrecy with CIA and the State Department and interagency compromises, which were merely based on a minor common denominator. Additionally, there were intertwined factors that contributed to the failure. These included but not limited to landing problems, caused by mechanical failures of machines, insufficient resources, coral reefs and poor ammunition. Moreover, operational failures were contributed by the abandonment of the initial Trinidad plan, which was rejected by the U.S. State Department, raising major concerns that had far-reaching implications. Poor advice from the president and alteration of air strikes also contributed to the abortion of the operation. With regard to the strategic concerns, Kennedy’s lack of experience, CIA underestimations, and ineffective command organization within CIA made a huge co ntribution to the failure of the plan (Sasser, 2006). Coupled with competition among agencies and urgent timeline, failure of the Bay of Pigs debacle was inevitable. Conclusion From the analysis of above, it is evident that the failure of the Bay of Pigs debacle was augmented by several reasons. Although CIA may have had convincing reasons to attack Cuba, agencies involved poorly executed their mandates, leading to an abortive operation that caused embarrassment to the nation. References Beisner, R. (2003). American foreign relations since 1600: a guide to the literature, Volume 1. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. Craughwell, T., Phelps, M. (2008). Failures of the Presidents: From the Whiskey Rebellion and War of 1812 to the Bay of Pigs and War in Iraq. Beverly, Massachusetts: Fair Winds. Hodge, C., Nolan, C. (2007). US presidents and foreign policy. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. Jones, H. (2008). The Bay of Pigs. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Jose, B. (1999). Behind the Debacle at the Bay of Pigs. Newsweek, 133(10), 55-58. McCormick, J.M. (2010). American foreign policy and process (5th Ed). New York, NY: Prentice Hall. Sasser, C. (2006). Cold War: Bay of Pigs Invasion. Weider History Group. Retrieved from https://www.historynet.com/cold-war-bay-of-pigs-invasion.htm Smith, T. (2010). Bay of Pigs Debacle: Failed Interaction of the Intelligence Community and the Executive. Project on National Security Reform. Retrieved from: http://www.pnsr.org/?p=388 Wyden, P. (1979). Bay of Pigs: the untold story. Michigan: Simon and Schuster. This research paper on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle was written and submitted by user Shatterstar to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle Introduction The official goals of the US government foreign policy have been described by the US department of state as â€Å"to create a more secure, democratic and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community† (Evera, 2006, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the approach towards foreign relations which the US government has adopted has become controversial both locally and at the international level. The enduring values and interest of the American foreign policy are identified as peace, prosperity, stability, democracy and defense (Evera, 2006). American foreign relations policy came into existence first with the Olive Branch Policy. This was as a result of the attempts by the newly reformed US to reconcile with the Great Britain. This was during the Era of America Revol ution. US strengthened its economic and political relations with other nations. This was the beginning of foreign relations of the US. There are various other defining moments that followed in the US diplomatic history. Today, only seven nations are known to have no foreign relations with the US. This has made US to be the largest diplomatic nation in the world (Evera, 2006). America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle On the 17th day of April, 1961, 1400 US trained and equipped Cuban exiles went to the beach head of the Bay of Pigs, Cuba. Their objective was to incite rebellion amongst the Cuban people against the communist Leader-Fidel Castro. The US government feared to face vengeance from the Soviets; they therefore took the measure to hide their participation in the organized invasion. However, the ill-planned CIA plan became more dangerous with their exiles facing defeat immediately after invasion. All the blame was shifted on the shoulders of President John Kennedy, who had just take n the US president seat. He accepted the responsibility of his action claiming â€Å"there is an old saying that victory has hundreds fathers and defeat is an orphan; I am responsible for Officer of government† (Kornbluh, 1998, p. 1). From the invasion, sixty eight Cuban exiles were left dead at the Bay of Pigs Debacle; 1209 are said to have been captured. The US government paid greatly for the Bay of Pigs whose effect is still felt up to date. The invasion destroyed US government’s relation with the Cuba government. The cold war still remained even after trying to resolve the matter.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This even deteriorated the US relation with the Soviet Union. Even today, the cold war is still evident. The US government still refuses to acknowledge Cuba as state. The huge irony about the Cuban debacle is that the tailors of the pla n overlooked the many loop holes and intervened to establish the same relations as before (Kornbluh, 1998). The outcome of the Bay of Pigs was a big lesson. It is arguably the most humiliating event in the history of the US. It is said to be the most stupid or ridiculous and psychologically incomprehensible by the world. The long term consequences of the failed invasions were increased damage to the US security and relations with the other nations. This was evident by the relation between Cuba and Soviets become deeper thus putting US security at stake (White, 1999). The lessons the US government learnt was the importance of foreign relations; President Kennedy became a book to many presidents and their role. Their role is described by conducting of their policies with utmost faith and with accordance to the law and the constitution. A president should have a vision and ability to lead by example, and develop good relations with the local and foreign nations. He also established the need to engage diplomacy on foreign policy issues (Kornbluh, 1998). American Foreign Policy in the Current Era The core of the tradition of American policy during the 1917-1991 was seen to fade at high rate. The nuclear revolution is being adopted by many nations as opposed to the past when the information was dominated by few nations. Consequently, this has posed a threat to the US government security more than in the past. Other factors that have put the US and other nation’s security at risk include terrorism. This is especially due to the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) materials and technology and the massive increase of the terrorist groups that aim at mass killing and more particularly at the US. Other threats include global warming and public health concerns (Evera, 2006). These threats have brought about the call for the major power nations to organize themselves into concerts, for instance, the 1815 concert of Europe. This will enable them to be united to fight against the increase of WMD, terrorism and threats to global warming and health issues. US government is actively involved in efforts towards organizing and sustaining these new concerts. Secondly, the US government is re-orienting the national security policies and programs. This is to enable them to counter WMD proliferation and down grade any chances for war against other nations. Lastly, the US government is reorienting its programs towards the protection of the environment and global health concerns. They are being given the upper hand during the US foreign policy making (Evera, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The three new threats to the US government include WMD proliferation, global commons and global public health. The collapse of the Soviet Union brought nuclear weapons and materials closer to the terrorists. The 1990s was conspicuous with counter proliferation successes for nuclear power: for example, South Africa abandoned their efforts to make bombs, Brazil and Argentina dropped their programs to make nuclear weapons. They were followed by the Ukrainian country. However, recent past describes reversion of the efforts. For example, Pakistan tested their nuclear weapons in 1998. Other nations such as the North Korea and Iran have developed nuclear weapons. This has brought about the new breed of WMD terrorist (Evera, 2006). The first emergence of the terrorist was the AumShnrikyo (1994/95) and Al-Qaeda. They used nuclear and other weapons to cause mass killing. This brought a total right turn to the major threats of America’s social security. Second threat is the emergence of the global commons. Global commons includes the global warming and public health. Global warming effects have already been experienced. This has brought a total wreck to the economy. Recently, there were inc idences of emergence of viral and anti-biotic resistant infectious disease. For example, the 1918 flu epidemic in America resulted to 675000 citizens dead. The danger with these infections is because they are consistent interactions between animal and human. These challenges indicate that unilateral action is not sufficient to counter them (Evera, 2006). To handle the situation, the current US policy is focusing on shaping the global opinion on terrorism concerns, efforts to lose and lock down all sources of nuclear weapons and materials such as Russia. The foreign policy of this era also targets at the prevention of the interstate war in the world. It has been noted that terrorist take advantage of warfare to flourish. A good example is the AL-Qaeda who has exploited the Israel Palestinian conflict to proliferate their movement. They are reported to use these conflicts as training for their terrorism acts. The US foreign policy is checking on the failed states to prevent them from failing further and to ameliorate them. This is a strategy to close down all possibilities and chances for terrorism proliferation. The most important policy of all is the strengthening of the homeland security. They have reformed the FBI unit, integrated more local police patrol, improved the fire departments and public health facilities.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More so, the government has imposed tighter control over the US borders lastly, the government has elevated greater protection of the global environment. The global concerns have been given the higher priority in US foreign policy making (Evera, 2006). Conclusion In conclusion, American Government is devoted to seeking all the monsters and terrorist to destroy them, she supports freedom and independence for all nations. American government has been viewed as a supper power by many, whose prominence is very high. Though her devotion towards establishing safe foreign relation has been a controversial topic to many, she still upholds her enduring values and interest of her foreign policy are identified as peace, prosperity, stability, democracy and defense. The American foreign policy keeps on changing with time to accommodate the new developments. References Evera, S. (2006). American foreign policy for the new era: From how to make America safe: new policies for national security. Ne w York, NY: The Tobin project. Kornbluh, P. (1998). Bay of Pigs Declassified: the secret CIA Report on the invasion of Cuba. New York, NY: The new Press. White, M. (1999). The Kennedys and Cuba: the declassified Documentary History. New Jersey, NJ: Ivan R Dee. This research paper on America and the Bay of Pigs Debacle was written and submitted by user Lorelei D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

THE JUNGLE VS FAST FOOD NATION essays

THE JUNGLE VS FAST FOOD NATION essays Literature creates a visual representation of the universal struggle that conquers the human race. Its themes help to improve the laws and regulations that operate our world, so as to benefit every single individual in a positive manner. Sometimes, our minds are too stubborn; as a result, we remain uncivilized and corrupt, even though literature attempts to improve our lives. The Jungle, for example, written by Upton Sinclair, exposes the abuse perpetuated by industries upon the American public. The book illustrates; the trade of tainted meat, workers abuse and corporation abuse on house-buyers. Even though the government created laws to demolish those struggles/abuses, with time, those evil practices diffused into our society, and become incurable. Eric Schlossers, Fast Food Nation, reveals how the problems that were once solved by the Jungle, emerged back into the earth causing corruption and destruction in our society. This essay will analyze abuse of workers, sale of tainted eat, and corporation abuse on home-buyers based on how The Jungle diagnosed those problems, and Fast Food Nations current struggle to terminate their emergence. The Jungle, published in 1907, exposed to the world the unfair and evil treatment of workers and the sale of tainted meat. The purpose of the book was to force the government in creating laws and regulations that will bring safety to the American public. Upton Sinclair described the process of producing spoiled meat. In the novel, diseased cattle and hogs are processed for consumption, including pregnant cows and their fetuses. The sausages are made of a random mixture of animal parts, as well as the dirt, rat carcasses and poison scooped up off the floor. As a result, in 1907, a year after The Jungle was released; the government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act, including a Meat Inspection Act, so as to prevent the industries from selling tainted meat to the public. The workers at the m...

Management and Financial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management and Financial Accounting - Essay Example The management account is a system of Accounting which deals with the information that is useful to the managers and employees with in the organization. Information of M A can be money or non money process. It helps in Management of plan, control and decision making process. It does not require any kind of legal requirement. In simpler words MA is useful in the assistance of planning, controlling, decision making and motivation. On the other hand financial accounting deals with the reporting of the official accounts on demand of the shareholder, government agencies and other parties external to the firm. FA deals with the accounts, records and the performance of the firm over a considered period. FA is limited to some companies and FA must be prepared by law. They are to be produced every year. FA mostly deals with money. It should operate with in the framework determined by law and IASS. FA represents the historic picture of the past operations. Preparing of these accounts gave birt h to the some other standard boards under the authorities of the previous standard boards and the government authorities and the main aim of such standard boards is to build up a firm in which such standards are introduced which are useful all over the world and their principle is to from such standards which are useful all over the world and useful for education and, implementing in the calculation of accounts in the multi nationals. And they hope and try their best to create an international standard so compatible that no other firm can be compared with it.

Eating disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eating disorder - Essay Example The image in the media, which is a construct, proves to be a great influence in deciding the way young girls want to look and hence, I too was influenced by it. To add to it, frequent comparisons are made by people regarding the weight of an individual also proved to be a big factor. As I was on the heavier side, I started feeling that I was unattractive and I could not concentrate on anything but just the ways to reduce weight. Initially, it began with a simple harmless dieting plan to get off the excess carbohydrates, but slowly it became a habit and later an obsession. The goal was to get to the next lower size. Additionally, I started exercising also and soon began to work out in a compulsive manner. By controlling my need to eat, I was got the feeling that I could control my body in the way I wanted to and hence, the initial feeling was that of happiness and euphoria. Later, even though I knew that the habit of not eating was bad, I could not have any control over it. I could st ay without food for days and even after I ate, I would immediately vomit it off. Though I do not recall exactly how many times I would vomit in a day, I knew that it was proving to be very difficult obsession both physically and mentally. Even though, I do not remember how exactly a simple exercise to reduce weight became a big obsession. It is true indeed that memory gets faded and hence, I am not able to recollect the exact details. The notion of memory getting faded holds good even with slave narratives. For example, Emma Crockett admits that she remembers the whippings, but her memory fails her on whether the whippings were good or bad (Tart, 1997). The obsession of not eating and looking thin and lean began to take its toll on me very soon. I realized that I could not eat anything even if I wanted to, because my body began to react and vomit out the food on its own. I started feeling tired and depressed. Even though my weight reduced considerably, I started feeling that it was not enough for me. After some time, I once had a fainting episode and the body became extremely weak and fragile. Depression and anxiety also set in; hence, I was under physical as well as mental stress due to the obsession of losing weight. With the suggestion of my friends, I decided to get in touch with a dietician who could help me get over this obsession. I was put through rehabilitation that was an intensive program that helped me get over my mental obsession with my physical self. There were withdrawal symptoms, but slowly the results started showing and I started recognizing the need to respect the body. The counseling sessions proved to be good revelations. I came across information that showed how stereotyping of female bodies’ results in the mental construct that being slim is beautiful. The obsession of being lean and slim takes away from the notion of healthiness. Even though most women do not have the ambition to become actors or model, they get attracted by the stereotype created by media and hence, get obsessed with weight loss. Though, it is healthy to lose excesses weight, the thin line between maintaining the correct weight and losing weight obsessively should always be drawn (Grogan and Wainwright 1996). More than everything, the one factor that helped me most was acceptance from family and friend and how they supported me throughout the process. Over the

Intro & Conclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intro & Conclusion - Essay Example An estimate taken in 2006 on the consumption of gasoline and diesel by commercial trucks was a staggering 54 billion gallons. The American Trucking Association (ATA) has always been under great scrutiny in the field of research and technology in order to reduce the hazards facing this massive industry. With great support from its intermodal conference, the ATA are making all efforts to bring about a much safer trucking industry through their various programs like the ‘Clean Trucks Program’ and others. The trucking industry has also committed itself in taking drastic steps towards reducing the consumption of fuel by about 86 gallons, thereby lessening the carbon footprint of its vehicles by approximately a billion tons n its agenda for the following 10 years. The ATA also proposes to provide a safer and cleaner environment for its 8.7 employees in its industry by implementing innovative methods that have undergone tried and tested research especially in the areas of energy and fuel conservation, fuel consumption, rules for air pollution, fuel standards, disposal of waste products, standards for vehicle emission and improvements in energy efficiency. The ATA is also striving to find solutions to the various challenges that face them regarding the Traffic policy of the Government and to bring about a more pleasant and harmonious working experience in its trucking

Developing a Learning Organizational Culture

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

Comparing Twelve Songs by W.H.Auden and Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good

Comparing Twelve Songs by W.H.Auden and Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas The two poems I am comparing are 'Twelve Songs' by W.H.Auden and 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' by Dylan Thomas. Two themes run through both of these poems, those themes are grief and death. Although the subjects are the same, the poets each have a very different approach to the subjects. This is shown in many different ways, But although their approach to the subjects are very different, their overall views on grief and death are quiet similar. That being that neither grieving nor death is good, and no one wants it to happen. Someone who has lost a loved one, and feels nothing is important now that they have gone is narrating 'Twelve Songs'. A son is narrating 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night'. The son is telling his father not to die. 'Twelve Songs' is not talking to anyone he is talking about someone. Whereas 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good night' the son is talking to his father rather than talking about him. The tone of each poem is quite similar. They both use orders and commands but they use them very differently. 'Twelve Songs' uses a list of instruction or commands throughout the whole poem. 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' uses two instructions: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" and "Rage rage against the dying of the light". Dylan Thomas uses these two lines throughout the whole poem but only uses those two instructions either at the beginning or the end of each stanza. W.H.Auden uses a lot of Instructions, in fact the whole poem is just instructions:" Stop all the clocks''pack up the moon and dismantle the sun" But none of the instructions are repeated at any other poi... ...ave out that message to the reader. Dylan Thomas did not really give out a message to the reader apart from to put up a fight against death. His aim of begging his father not to die and to create an impact worked. He did use instructions but not in the same way as W.H.Auden, however his instructions did work as he used them to beg his father to 'not go gentle into that good night'. The main difference between these poems is that 'Twelve Songs' is about after death and 'Do Not Go Gentle In to That Good Night' is about before death. The main similarity is that they both use instructions and even though they use them very differently they are still very effective in both poems and are used well. Also both poems talk about personal feelings but only at the end. "I pray do not go gentle into that good night", and "I thought love would last forever I was wrong."