Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous by Berkeley Essay

Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous by Berkeley - Essay Example Further on I will explain the importance of both materialistic and immaterialistic explanations of the objects and trying to find the most persuading argument, either materialistic or sensual one. Part A The main argument of Berkley is that idealism refers to daily practices and is inconsistent with science, while materialism is focused on the identity of the object and is a trigger for studying the laws of nature. Hylas claims that different senses provide individuals with diversity of perceptions and knowledge about the one and the same thing. He is a materialist in his essence and throughout the dialogue he tries to persuade Philonus of the need to be closer to the matter and not to the wanderings of one’s mind. The unity of ideas about a particular thing is an integrative element for delving into the depth of the nature of things.. He introduces a character of Hylas, which is a materialist and Philonous, which is an immaterialist. Hylas claims that from a materialistic poi nt of view to see something with the help of the microscope is to see the same thing, which can be seen with the naked eye. Philonous opposes to him and argues that if to refer to our senses and emotions, we will see different things with and without microscopes. Still, the role of microscope cannot be denied. It plays a role of correlation of different perceptions of one thing. This is one of the strongest points suggested by Hylas. Further discussion between Hylas and Philonous concerns different perception of the word â€Å"same† for philosophers and linguists. Both interlocutors are not focused on the meaning of the word â€Å"same†. There is a deeper discussion about correlation of different perceptions of abstracted ideas of identity. Individuals may perceive diversity or identity in different abstract ideas. In case a correlation of different visions of one thing occurs, then idealistic and materialistic visions are correlated. In other words, empirical evidence found by the scientists refers to idealistic intentions. Both Hylas and Philonous establish the same connections, but for the former different visions of the object do not change its essence and for the latter different visions make the object different. Hylas claims that the naked eye and the microscope are two different means for perception of one thing. On the one hand, there is essence in different subjects and there is a limit of knowledge. Materialists refer to complex explanations and there is no need for this type of deep and profound interpretations, because matter transcends the limits of one’s knowledge. Thus, knowledge about the world cannot be deeper in case of complex knowledge about matter occurs. On the other hand, ideas of matter are opposed to unseen or unperceived ideas. There is a good question: whether these ideas consist of molecules and atoms? The laws of nature and their hidden sides are unseen and Berkeley claims that there are only some assertions t hat God defines. A measure between perceived and unperceived objects or ideas is vague. Philonous claims that different sensations are appropriate for existence of a real object. Moreover, these sensations assure individuals of existence of certain objects (example with a cherry). Berkley underlines that in case an object is unperceived, it does not exist for sure. In the same way he undermines theoretical developments of science. Berkley underlin

Tourism in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

Tourism in Malaysia Essay Tourism, including Malaysian tourism, is a big industry worldwide and many countries have already cashed in on its potential. This article seeks to assess the performance of tourism in Malaysia, its development, impacts and future. Implications for students will also be discussed. Tourism success in any country begins from the priority placed on it by the government. The Malaysian government through its Ministry of Tourism Malaysia (hereafter referred to as Tourism Malaysia) plans develops and oversees tourism policies, projects and other activities to realize its vision of making Malaysia an international tourism destination. The activities of this agency are discussed in more details. Overview of Malaysian Tourism International tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts are the popular indicators used in measuringtourism performance. According to the 2010 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Report, Malaysia ranked 9th in international tourist arrivals, welcoming 24. 6 million visitors through its doors. This good performance represents a 3. 9% increase over 2009 performance. Malaysia achieved a third place in the Asian region after China and Turkey respectively in the world’s top ten country lists of international tourist arrivals. This performance was realized by the governments’ tourism training, incentives and promotional programs. Government incentives include tourism infrastructure fund and special tourism fund to support tourism-related development and projects. Promotional programs include the popular ‘Malaysia my second home’, student tourism programs for secondary schools and education tourism among others. Provision of tourism services according to MS ISO 9001:2000 by the Ministry is an indication of the ministry’s international quality benchmark. The impact of these efforts resulted in international tourism receipt of RM 56. 5 billion in 2010. Therefore, in order to complement this achievement, the government is stepping up efforts in its plan to boost the tourism industry. This was reflected in the 2011 budget where more tourism destinations in various parts of the country will be developed (some are already under construction as of writing), ban of import duties on certain tourism-related products, education promotions and part-funding of tourism related projects with the private sector. Highlights of Tourim sites in Malaysia The developmental efforts of the governments’ tourism agency resulting in the recognition of threeattractions as world heritage sites by UNESCO are truly commendable. Theseattractions are: 1. Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak) 2. Kinabalu Park (Sabah) 3. Melaka and Georgetown, historic sites of the Straits of Malacca Potential sites already submitted for inclusion by UNESCO includes: 1. Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary (LEWS) and Ai national Park (BANP)   2.  Prehistoric Archeological Heritage of Lenggong Valley 3. The Taman Negara National Park of Peninsular Malaysia Consequently, increased tourism benefits other sectors such as increasing hotel development, training of tourism related courses in tertiary institutions, manufacturing, transportation and the aviation industry only to mention a few. Future of Malaysian tourism and implications for students As Malaysia inches closer to its vision of becoming a developed country by 2020, the race is on to ensure its tourism industry is not left behind. Continued liberalization of some government controlled sectors, increased incentives, development of more tourism destinations where possible, increased involvement of the private sector are some of the key strides that will continue to improve Malaysia tourism performance into the future. This has a huge implication for students especially students of Hospitality and Tourism management. As populations increase in Malaysia and in the world and the Malaysian government makes its tourism industry more attractive, more skilled personnel will be required to manage the increasing government functions and private businesses resulting from it. One key recommendation for the Malaysian government will be to factor in the projected skilled workforce and skill sets required to realize its future tourism ambitions while making plans for those skills and workforce today. Students interested in the tourism industry will focus on developing additional skills sets more than a passing grade that will provide the distinction to ensure a place in the ever growing Malaysian tourism industry. Conclusion This article investigated Malaysian tourism in terms of its performance, impact, development, future and implications for students.  It was found that Malaysia ranks in the world’s top ten countries in international tourist arrivals, achieved recognition for three UNESCO world heritage sites, and has a coordinated promotion, incentive and program to propel its tourism industry into the future. The implication for students especially student of the Hospitality and tourism industry werediscussed. Finally, it was recommended that a holistic tourism plan must include the projected skill set and workforce required to manage the increasing tourism projects of the future.

Character Manipulation in The Rise of Silas Lapham Essay -- Rise Silas

Character Manipulation in Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Of all the characters who undergo change in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Lapham's change is the only one looked upon in a positive light by the narrator. William Dean Howells uses the corruption of other characters to promote Lapham's newfound morality and reinforce his ultimate triumph. Before Lapham's financial ruin, he is the only character with fault. Yet as his world crumbles, so does the credibility and innocence of his wife, two daughters, and former partner, Mr. Rogers. At the same time, the very catalyst of Lapham's ruin exonerates him. This allows Howells to reinforce Lapham's ultimate rise in the novel, despite his financial and social failures.    While Silas Lapham's character shines of perfect success in the book's opening interview, we soon learn of the fault that will lead to his ruin. In a time when his company needed help, Lapham used Mr. Rogers for his capital, then pushed him out of the company once back on his feet. Mrs. Lapham holds the strongest position towards Silas' treatment of Mr. Rogers: "No; you had better face the truth, Silas. It was no chance at all. You crowded him out. A man that had saved you! No, you had got greedy, Silas. You had made your paint your god, and you couldn't bear to let anybody else share in its blessings."(45) She believes that his treatment of Rogers is the only fault in his character, and is satisfied when he finally makes good on it by lending money to Rogers when asked. Despite his efforts to resolve the matter, Lapham refuses to admit his guilt. But the narrator tells us he is guilty*, and Silas admits feeling relieved after working it out: "'Well, I don't know when it's done me so much ... ...ng Lapham's upward motion cannot be accidental. Lapham needed his wife to nag at him about Rogers, and needed Rogers to be a "rascal" to start the events which lead to his rise. Lapham needed his daughters' distraction to ensure his lack of support and need for complete self-sufficiency during his hardships, as well as its incorporation of the Corey family to justify his involvement and failure with "society." Howells creates a plot in which Lapham figuratively steps on the other characters in order to rise.    Works Cited and Consulted Carter, Everett. Howells and the Age of Realism. Hamden, Conn.: Arcton Books, 1966 Howells, William Dean. The Rise of Silas Lapham. 1885. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1988 Van Wyck, Brooks. Howells His Life and World. Dutton, 1959. Wagenknecht, Edward. W.D. Howells The Friendly Eye. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969

British American Tobacco

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Any organization regardless of the fact of its size, age needs to run smoothly and achieve the goals and objectives which it has set forth. And thus the organization needs to manage Human Resource Management effectively and efficiently. For it develops and implements its own Human Resource Management concepts. British American Tobacco Bangladesh is one of the oldest and largest multinational companies operating in Bangladesh. At British American Tobacco Bangladesh, the key factor to their sustainable growth is human resource. BAT Bangladesh is a leading business organization in the industrial sector employing more than 1,300 employees directly and a further 40,000 indirectly as farmers, distributors and suppliers. It has always been committed to good employment practices and has set out the framework of its Employment Principles on workplace practices, employee relations and employee human rights. BATB employs more than 852 people directly and about 40,000 people indirectly as farmers, distributers and local suppliers. BATB is one of the most preferred employers in the country. It is their pool of talented people who give this place the wonderful and pleasant working environment that takes the company forward every day. It is a team of different people, different cultures and backgrounds, coming together to form something new, something remarkable everyday. In this report, we have tried our best to exemplify how the basic functions of HRM are exercised in British American Tobacco Bangladesh. We have analyzed BATB’s several functions: planning, recruiting and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and employee. We also discussed the BATB’s goals, mission and vision. BATB wants to attract, develop and retain high caliber talent. It also wants an organization that is constantly learning. This learning culture shares knowledge quickly, learns from its mistakes and replicates success formulas quickly. BATB’s Employment Principles set out BATB’s commitment to good employment practices and workplace related human rights. BATB invests time in these forums because it is committed to developing employees’ career and because in business, individual performance matters. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO History : The  British American Tobacco  Company (BAT or BATCO) is the second largest listed tobacco company in the world, with a market capitalization of over ? 30 billion (U. S. $44 billion). It is based in London in the United Kingdom. It began operating in 1902 as a joint venture of the  Imperial Tobacco  Company and James Duke's  American Tobacco Company, and grew to be the major cigarette company in many countries – but not in the USA or in the UK, where each of the partner organizations had agreed not to compete with the other. During the trust-busting era of President Theodore Roosevelt, the American Tobacco Company was forced to divest its interest, and in the years that followed. Imperial Tobacco also reduced its shareholdings. Eventually BAT became a relatively independent organization that out-grew its parent. BAT Industries : The international remnants of the original company were reorganized into a holding company called BAT Industries in 1976, and it acquired what was left of the American Tobacco Co. after the anti-trust split-up. BAT later acquired  Brown ; Williamson  (B;W) which, at that time, was the largest cigarette company in the USA. BAT's US subsidiary retained a degree of independence from the UK, although clearly it must report to the London office — and occasionally they exerted their own pressure. BAT is based in London and has subsidiaries in the UK, Europe, Asia and the old British colonies. In 1999 it acquired the South African-based company of  Rothmans International  after a long battle with Philip Morris  for control. The company has also diversified into many other industries – owning, for instance, a major life insurance company, food and beverage companies, etc. The acronym BATCO is often used when referring to this larger conglomerate. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO BANGLADESH Beginning the journey as Imperial Tobacco 100 years ago, the company set up its first depotat Armanitola in Dhaka Bangladesh. After the partition of India in 1947, Pakistan Tobacco Company was established in 1949. Then it became Bangladesh Tobacco Company Limited in 1972 immediately after Bangladesh’s independence. In 1998, the company changed its name and identity to British American Tobacco Bangladesh aligning the corporate identity with other operating companies in the British American Tobacco Group. Address : British American Tobacco Bangladesh New DOHS Road Mohakhali PO Box 6069 Dhaka – 1206 Bangladesh Tel: (+880) 2 882 2791 Tel: (+880) 2 882 2786 BATB’S SHAREHOLDERS BATB is among the first companies to be listed on the Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchanges and currently rank amongst the top 20 companies in terms of market capitalization. British American Tobacco Group holds 65. 91% of our shares; 18. 76% is owned by investment Corporation of Bangladesh; Shadharan Bima Corporation, Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Shangstha, Government of People’s republic of Bangladesh, Sena Kallyan Sangstha owns 4. 73% and further 10. 609% is owned by other shareholders. BATB’S OPERATIONS BATB grows tobacco leaves through its registered farmers in Kushtia, Chittagong, Manikganj and Rangpur zones. Both its head office and cigarette manufacturing plant are located in Mohakhali, Dhaka. It has one Green Leaf thrashing plant in Kushtia and a Redrying Plant in Manikganj. RESPONSIBILITIES BATB aims to ensure that it only purchases leaf from responsible and sustainable sources. Its Social Responsibility in Tobacco Production program addresses the social and environmental issues associated with tobacco growing and processing, and reaches more than 300,000 farmers who supply all the leaf it buys. The program covers good agricultural practices for improving soil and water conservation, appropriate use of agrochemicals, environmental best practice and occupational health and safety. It is also active in eliminating exploitative child labor and promoting forestation initiatives for the farmers who need wood for tobacco curing. As part of the program, it provides direct agronomy support and training to some 250,000 of its grower suppliers where it is not otherwise available. BATB’s VISION BATB’s vision is â€Å"to achieve leadership of the global tobacco industry in order to create long term shareholder value. Leadership is not an end in itself, but a company that leads its industry, is the preferred partner for key stakeholders and is seen to have a sustainable business, should be valued more highly. † BATB defines leadership in both a quantitative and qualitative sense. Quantitively, it seeks volume leadership among its international competitors and in the longer term, value leadership. It recognizes that its success will depend on adult consumers and that, therefore, it must be consumer driven. But the hard, quantitative measures do not in themselves address all the things it must do as a company. It takes a long term view, focusing on the quality of its business and how it works. As a result, qualitatively, it seeks to be recognized as industry leaders and to be the partner of first choice for governments, NGOs, investors and potential employees. It will do this by continuing to demonstrate that it is a responsible tobacco Group, with a sustainable business, outstanding people and superior products. In order to deliver its vision, its strategy for creating shareholder value has four elements around which all our efforts revolve – Growth, Productivity, Responsibility and Winning Organization. HR MISSION Embedding winning culture where people always strive to excel. How BATB Works To Achieve Its Organizational And HR Vision : To develop the most vital element of the organization which is the human resource BATB has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department. A key part of BATB’s work is helping nurture an open, confident and winning culture, where all are aligned in delivering consumer satisfaction. It ensures that people have the opportunity to release their energies in a constructive and focused way. It wants its employees to have a clear vision for the business and to foster enthusiasm to drive superior performance. Furthermore, BATB expect its leaders to engage with their teams and to develop their people. BATB’s culture also encourages ongoing development, so its role includes optimizing personal and organizational learning in order to leverage the capability of both the business and the individual to establish the company vision. BATB strives to match the needs of the organization and individual aspirations and encourage personal fulfillments. Therefore, success is recognized in ways which are relevant to the individual. Strategic Human Resource Management The company clearly identified that a strategic approach to human resource management, development and administration was the primary requirement for dealing with the critical issues that it faced, and has been following such an approach since 1996. Under this approach, it has set out to achieve the following objectives: * Create an environment within which all parties could engage each other, build trust and produce satisfactory results. Ensure a stable working environment in which the unions and the workers would become partners in achieving the company’s overall objectives. * Develop leadership among workers and create an innovative environment; * Ensure the virtual absence of disruptive industrial relations issues; * Upgrade the base level of education and skill of all employees; * Achieve significant increases in productivity even while there has been a reduc tion in employment levels; * Create the cultural change from a manufacturing orientation to a service orientation; * Manage the separations that were required; Develop an environment at work that focuses on worker health and welfare, on safety and on the hazards of smoking; * Improve the focus on customer service and product quality; * Develop and maintain a reputation as an employer of choice HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING practiced by BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO BANGLADESH Employment Planning : Human resource planning is a process of determining an organization’s human resource needs through ensuring that it has the right number and kinds of people at the right place, at the right time in order to achieving the organization’s overall objective. Like every other organization BAT also has its own employment planning. This planning includes determining the demands and supplies of labor in their organization. Determination of Demand of Labor : The management of BAT forecasts the company’s employees’ personnel needs based on its mission, strategic goals & objectives & technological and other changes resulting in increased productivity. Although there are several methods to predict personnel needs, but they use managerial judgment because it gives them more real world scenario for personnel needs. They think that the other methods cannot give the accurate situation of the personnel needs. These are basically graphical methods, which cannot measure the actual personnel needs. But managerial judgment method depends upon the change in productivity, market conditions etc. Determination of Supply of Labor : Internal Supply- Increase in Internal Supply – * New hires * Contingent workers * Transfers-in * Individuals returning from leaves Decrease in internal Supply – * Transfers * Layoffs * Voluntary Quits * Dismissals External Supply – BAT searches for fresh graduates among the business schools and other universities for fulfilling the demand of labor. It also targets the experienced workforce who is already working in different organizations. Besides, it offers contractual jobs to the people among who most are students. It also goes through the â€Å"Battle of Mind† competition through which they bring out the best promising faces from the crowd. BAT has recruited 37 fresh students judged through this competition since 2004. Job Analysis of British American Tobacco Bangladesh JOB ANALYSIS A job analysis is a systematic exploration of the activities within a job that provides information about the jobs currently being done and the knowledge, skills and abilities that individuals need to perform the jobs adequately. A thorough Job Analysis can enhance the effectiveness of regular or recurring HR processes like Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Performance Appraisals etc to long-range areas like HR Planning, Succession Planning etc. British American Tobacco Bangladesh does not follow any specific type of method to do the job analysis. Rather it uses a combination of different type of methods. The methods are based on the principles of modern management and of organizational psychology. Purpose of Job Analysis : The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the ‘job relatedness' of employment procedures. A job analysis helps to determine the * Training Needs * Compensation of the employees * Selection Procedures Performance Review Job Analysis Process A job analysis process has three outcomes: Job Description: Job description is a statement indicating what a job entails. It includes what the job holder does, how it is done, under what conditions and why. BATB is comprised by experienced human resources executives who at a first level, with the help of managers; define the needs of the organization assessing the characteristics and obligations of each job post, as well as the organization's cultur e and structure. The focus of BATB lies on preparing a job description accurately, rapidly and in a scientific and effective way. The job description includes information such as the job title, a short job description, the job's place within the organization chart, the immediate supervisor, coactive departments, obligations and authorities, degree of freedom to make decisions and proceed to initiatives, degree of blame in several circumstances, objectives etc. Job specification: Job specification states the minimum acceptable qualifications that incumbents must possess to perform the job successfully. Based on information acquired through job analysis, the job specification identifies prerequisite qualifications such as knowledge, skills, education, experience, certification, necessary personality traits and abilities. BATB’s experienced and specialized collaborators prepare job descriptions for different posts based on a structured guide and specified methodology. Job Evaluation: Job evaluation is a method of determining on a systematic basis the relative importance of a number of different jobs. By sector and size, job evaluation is far more prevalent in the public and private sectors and among larger employers. In BATB it's a useful process because job titles can often be misleading – either unclear or unspecific. IN BATB it's impossible for those in HR to know each job in detail. As a rough guide, job evaluation is very much essential for a huge organization like BATB. Job evaluation is counted as an ongoing process in BATB. According to the company a job evaluation should be transparent, and reviewed regularly to ensure business needs continue to be met. Recruitment Recruitment is a process of seeking sources for job candidates. Recruitment process aims at getting responses from job seekers and avoiding applications from unqualified candidates. BAT searches for fresh graduates among the business schools and other universities for fulfilling the demand of labor. It also targets the experienced workforce who is already working in different organizations. Besides, it offers contractual jobs to the people among who most are students. It also goes through the â€Å"Battle of Mind† competition through which they bring out the best promising faces from the crowd. BAT has recruited 37 fresh students judged through this competition since 2004. Recruitment Policy British American Tobacco Bangladesh has been in e-resourcing since 2002. It focuses on e-based advertisement for more visibility and transparency beside the conventional print media. All recruitment related notices are posted on the www. bdjobs. com website. Candidates are required to fill up the blank resume format provided in the website. A well-structured and systematic selection procedure is followed to get the most suitable candidate. Following the selection procedure, pre-employment medical examination and reference checks are done. * BATB asks for applications from recognized universities from home and abroad. * Applicant must be a citizen of Bangladesh. BATB encourages students with good academic track record to apply. * BATB is not prejudiced against race, sex, religion, age etc. Positions are offered to the candidate on the basis of his/her ability and the requirement of the company. If an application is successful, the applicant is invited to a preliminary interview  which will be taken by a member from the function to which he has applied an d a member of the Human Resource team. This is a chance for him to find out more about BATB, as it is for the company to find out whether he has the competencies BATB is looking for. BATB is committed to keep the applicant informed of the progress through every step of the selection process. BATB now outsources the recruitment process to People Scape. Mid Careers : â€Å"Whatever stage of your career, we can offer new challenges† Talented people join BATB at all points of their career and for many reasons. Some seek a new challenge or an environment where they can prove themselves and where their current skills will be appreciated. Others want to reinvigorate their career or achieve a better work-life balance. And most want to improve their rewards package. BATB doesn’t just offer a dynamic, diverse environment laden with opportunity – people find the company a truly exciting and fulfilling place to work. They enjoy being part of a high profile company with a strong corporate culture that promotes individual and personal flair, while encouraging teamwork and delegation. They're proud of BATB’s commitment to corporate responsibility in a controversial industry. The nature of the tobacco industry contributes to the challenges of our work – and to job satisfaction. Our people need a broadness of vision and understanding not always necessary in other sectors. They need people skills to communicate with diverse and multicultural audiences. They need the intellectual curiosity to try out new ideas and the imagination to ensure our story is told, even when under serious constraint. Selection The selection process of BATB consists of the following steps: * If the application is successful, candidates are invited to a preliminary interview which is taken by members from the functional department for which the candidates have applied and a member of the Human Resource team. The candidates who selected in this interview are invited to a specifically designed British American Tobacco assessment centre. This provides them with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and suitability through their performance in a number of participative and individual exercises. They also have the opportunity to meet managers and to gain firsthand experience of what i t is like to work for British American Tobacco Bangladesh. * If they get through the Assessment Centre, they will be recommended to the respective Heads of Functions for a final Interview. And if a candidate is can prove he is suitable for the job in this interview s/he is selected. British American Tobacco has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department to successfully utilize this large number of employees. BATB has proved that it is functioning very well and that it will continue its operations and will become the trendsetter of the Human Resource Management practices of Bangladesh. Managing performance While managing performance BATB focuses on: * Measuring ; aligning performance * Rewarding performance * Managing ; administering benefits * Managing organizational learning and development * Managing change * Designing ; developing the organization * Managing organizational climate * Learning in the organization Managing careers  and development include: * Assessing competencies and potential * Career development systems * Coaching and mentoring * Training and development Managing employment relations includes: Managing employment legislation * Managing workplace relations * Managing HR customer services BATB’s employment beliefs and principles BATB’s people are its business and its Guiding Principles represent the common values at the heart of its success, shared by employees across the world. Its Employment Principles set out BATB’s commitment to good employment practices and workplace related human rights. Guiding Principles * Strength from Diversity * Open Minded * Freedom through Responsibility * Enterprising Spirit Strength from Diversity  reflects its cultural mix and a working environment that respects employees’ individual differences. BATB embraces different people, cultures, viewpoints, brands, markets and ideas – to create opportunities and strengthen performance. In short, we are interested in what makes you unique. Open Minded  reflects BATB’s openness to change, to identify opportunities and to consider new ideas, including ways of addressing regulatory issues and changing social expectations. People seek to listen without prejudice, actively and enthusiastically considering other viewpoints. Freedom through Responsibility  helps our people to get on with their jobs – BATB believes they should be free to make their own decisions, accept responsibility for them and not be hampered by unnecessary bureaucracy. Employment Principles Like all major international companies, BATB takes its employment policies and procedures very seriously. BATB’s Employment Principles cover topics such as: * Equality of opportunity and non-discrimination; * Internal communications and the free flow of ideas; * Worker representation and freedom of association; Fairness at work and the unacceptability of harassment and bullying; * That we do not condone or employ child labor; * That forced or bonded labor is completely unacceptable; * Performance responsibility; * Health, safety and environmental responsibility; * Community contributions and skills development for employees and communities in markets where our companies operate; * Personal development and learning; * Reasonable wor king hours and family friendly policies; * Fair, clear and competitive remuneration and benefits. Training and development * We recognize that getting the right start is crucial to building a successful career. This is how we approach your early training and career development. * The  Challenge Initiative is structured around the following components: INDUCTION| FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT| MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT| BUSINESS AWARENESS| PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL| The induction gives you the opportunity to learn about our company, objectives, products and markets. | Developing a base of excellence in the function into which you have been recruited. Developing managerial competencies needed in your future roles. | Gaining an understanding of the overall business and appreciating the role played by each function. | Giving you regular and constructive feedback, both formally (every 6 months) and informally (every 6 weeks) to ensure that you achieve the defined standards for the  Challenge Initi ative. | * The  induction  gives the opportunity to learn about BATB’s Group objectives, products and markets. It introduces the corporate guiding principles and culture, the role of each function, and industry issues in your country. It also introduces to the product – and how the company markets it. * The Challenge Initiative programmer includes employees’ functional development  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ development of a base of excellence in chosen function. BATB will clearly explain what it expects from employees. Then, with support from employees coach and mentor, they set their objectives and work towards achieving them in order to meet the needs of the business and their personal development objectives. * Employees will develop the  management skills  they need in their future roles with both formal training and on-the-job experience. And they will have the opportunity to put these skills into practice in preparation for the move into their first management role. * BATB also expects them to develop  business awareness, an understanding of the overall business and the role played by each function. In other words, BATB wants them to understand the business beyond their own functional and geographical area of responsibility. It wants them to question its existing ways of working and to bring positive change to the business. BATB will provide them with opportunities to challenge its practices, a receptive audience and the feedback they will need to build their knowledge. BATB monitors their success through regular  performance appraisal. It gives regular and constructive feedback, formally every 6 months and informally every 6 weeks. This ensures that employees are aware of the standards they should aim for, and also that it can tailor their development to its needs. Training Training is a learning experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his or her ability to perform a job. To make training a success, a BATB takes care of the following points: * Make learning meaningful * Make skills transfer easy and Motivate the learner Employee Training Method followed in BATB ON-THE-JOB TRAINING It means having a person learn a job by actually doing it. Advantages: * Relatively inexpensive * Trainees learn while producing * No need off-site facilities Drawbacks: * Low productivity while the employees develop their skills * The errors made by the trainees while they learn. Apprenticeship Training: It traditionally involves having the learner study under the tutelage of a master craftsperson. Informal Learning: This learning process is not determined or designed by the organization. But the organization may ensure it by creating a learning environment in the organization. Job Instruction Training: Listing each jobs basic task, along with key points, in order to provide step-by-step training for employees. Lectures: The most simple and quick way to provide knowledge to large groups of trainees. Simulated Training: It places the trainee in an artificial environment that closely mirrors actual working conditions. OFF-THE-JOB TRAINING †¢The Case Study Method: Here the manager is presented with a written description of an organizational problem to solve in a discussion with other trainees. Management Game: The manager presented with a computerized decisions regarding but simulated situations. †¢Outside Seminars: Many organizations now are using this popular method on various aspects of business and management. Employee Development BATB’s approach to personal development is based on a simple belief – that the person who best knows your ambition s and aspirations is you. BATB aims to support its development. People will find that BATB invests strongly in people to increase their skills, improve their performance and stimulate them with new ideas. BATB is committed to motivating people so they can also motivate others. But BATB also believes that you're the best person to map out your own evelopment. BATB expects employees to drive regular career discussions. It encourages to assess their strengths and weaknesses honestly and to seek feedback from colleagues. BATB counts on them to make continuous learning and the quest for improvement a part of your personality – to be hungry for new ideas, skills and assignments. Managers play a key role in this and employees play a key role in developing the careers of people reporting to them. The managers assess individual capabilities and place a high priority on development planning. They set stretching performance goals, which are regularly reviewed. The discussions focus not just on what employees have achieved, but how they achieved it and what they've learned along the way. Career development tools Career planning benefits both the employees and the company. It helps build succession that mesh with employees’ own aspirations – making them more accurate, reliable and robust. BATB encourages them to spend quality time thinking about their career and it has highly developed tools to help them. BATB is prepared to invest significant time reviewing their career and meeting their development needs to ensure that their potential is fully realized. BATB holds annual Talent Review Meetings which are chaired by Board members, for all regions and functions around the world. These meetings aim to ensure that BATB has good succession plans in place that take account both of individuals' needs and of the future shape of the organization. BATB invests time in these forums because it is committed to developing employees’ career and because in business, individual performance matters. CONCLUSION British American Tobacco has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department to successfully utilize this large number of employees. BATB has proved that it is functioning very well and that it will continue its operations and will become the trendsetter of the Human Resource Management practices of Bangladesh. Bibliography www. bat. com www. batb. bd-servers. com www. wikipedia. org

Hrm Practice in Banking Sector

[pic] Faculty of Business BBA Program A Thesis on Human Resource Management Practices in Banking Sector: On Southeast Bank Limited Submitted to Md. Ashraful Haq Chowdhury ASA University Bangladesh (ASAUB) Submitted By Mir Tasnuva Tanzin BBA (Major in HRM), Batch #2nd ID: 073-12-0137 Date of Submission August 20, 2011 Submission Report Dear Sir, With due respect I would like to inform you that I have successfully completed my Thesis Program from May 15, 2011 to August 15, 2011 at Southeast Bank Limited and conducted the study on â€Å"Human Resource Management Practice in Banking Sector† A case Study on Southeast Bank Ltd. Thesis Program works as a bridge between the academic and the practical knowledge. I am very much fortunate that I got the opportunity to work with some experienced and devoted professionals. As recommended my work is based on the functional procedure of different desks and different departments of the Bank. I tried my best to put meticulous effort for the preparation of this report. Any shortcoming or flaw may arise. I will welcome any clarification and suggestion regarding this report. Sincerely Yours, Mir Tasnuva Tanzin ID 073-12-0137 Batch #2nd Student of BBA ASA University Bangladesh August 20, 2011 Md. Ashraful Haq Chowdhury ASA University Bangladesh. Reference : Letter of Transmittal Dear Sir, Here is the report that fulfills the partial requirements of Thesis program, which is very helpful for a student to know the activities of an organization. This kind of report also gives an important guideline to do research in the future. Thank you very much for your kind supervision and cooperation without which I could not be able to complete this report. I take every opportunity to express my gratitude to you. Thanking you Mir Tasnuva Tanzin ID 073-12-0137 Batch #2nd Student of BBA ASA University Bangladesh Acknowledgement All commendations go to Almighty Allah, the most merciful, most benevolent to man and his action. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. M. A Mohit the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Southeast Bank Ltd. for giving an opportunity to work on the topic as student. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Md. Hamidul Islam Mia HOB of Dhanmondi Br. And HRD of Southeast Bank Ltd. for providing excellent working environment and his full time assistance in preparing this report. I extend my thanks to Mr. Saidul Islam, Mr. Reza, and Mr. Humayon of Southeast Bank Ltd. Dhanmondi Br. Who have their well hearted cooperation and valuable time in completing this report I am also grateful to all the employees of Southeast Bank Ltd. Of Dahnmondi Branch as they helped me out in explaining the work practice and accompanied me through my research period. Finally, my thanks to ASA University (ASAUB) authority for sincere ooperation and all the faculty members whose integrated effort made me capable of conducting this Thesis. Executive Summery This report is an effort to reflect a clear idea about the Bunker-Customers Relationship, strategies, activities and performance of Southeast Bank Ltd. The researcher was assigned it in the Dhanmondi Branch of Southeast Bank Limited (SEBL) as an intern. The researche r presents this report on the basis of the knowledge and experience gained during the research period. The research report is a partial fulfillment of BBA program. In the report on HRM practices in banking sector: A case study on Southeast Bank Ltd. the overall role of HR managers in a bank and how they play their role is presented. Human resource managers perform an identifiable set of activities that affect and influence the people who work in an organization. These activities include HR planning, job analysis, recruitment, selection, placement, training and development, designing performance assessment and compensation systems, and labor relation Since, the HR department plays a support role within the organization; it interacts with a variety of constituencies. TABLE OF CONTENTS |Page# | |Prefatory parts | | |Title Fly | | |Title Page | | |Later of Submission | | |Acknowledgement | | |Executive Summery | | |Table of Content | | | | | |Report proper | | |Chapter One- Introduction | | |1. 1 Background of the study | | |1. 2 Objective of the report | | |1. Methodology of the report | | |1. 4 Scope of the report | | |1. 5 Limitation of the repo rt | | |Chapter Tow – Overview | | |2. 1 Historical Background of Southeast Bank Ltd. | | |2. 2 Special Features of the Bank | | |2. Board of Directors | | |2. 4 Management of the Bank | | |2. 5 Capital Structure of the Bank | | |2. 6 Deposits Status of the Bank | | |2. 7 Profit and operational results | | |2. 8 Selection Process | | |2. Mission, Vision and Objective of SEBL | | |Chapter Three – Understanding the HRM | | |3. 1 General Concept of HRM | | |3. 2 Objectives of HRM | | |3. 3 Basic Principles of HRM | | |3. Approach of HRM | | |3. 5 Philosophy of HRM | | |3. 6 Standard Organ gram of HR Department in a large organization | | |3. 7 Responsibilities of HR Department in a large organization | | |Chapter Four – HR Planning & Forecasting | | |4. Concept of HR planning & forecasting | | |4. 2 Steps of HR planning | | |4. 3 HR planning and the strategic planning process | | |4. 4 Forecasting HR needs | | |4. 5 Forecasting the Internal HR Supply | | |4. Foreca sting the External HR Supply | | |Chapter Five – Recruiting & Selection | | |5. 1 Concept of Recruiting & Selection | | |5. 2 The Recruiting and Selection Process | | |5. 3 Job Analysis | | |5. Job Analysis Methods | | |5. 5 Steps in job Analysis | | |5. 6 A Comparative Discussion between Job Analysis, Job Description, Job Specification, and Job Evaluations. | | |5. 7 Sources of equipment | | |5. 6 Internal sources | | |5. 7 External sources | | |5. 8 Methods of recruitment | | |5. Advantages & disadvantages of internal recruitment | | |5. 10 Advantage & Disadvantage of external recruiting | | |Chapter Six – Training & Development | | |6. 1 Concept of Training & Development | | |6. 2 Need and important of training | | |6. Objectives of Training | | |6. 4 Guidelines and Framework to Design a Training and Development Plan | | |6. 5 Training method | | |Chapter Seven – Compensation & Employee Benefits | | |7. 1 Concept of Compensation & Employee Benefits | | |7. Co mponents of the compensation system | | |7. 3 Wages vs. Salary | | |7. 4 Establishing Pay rates | | |7. 5 Importance of Job Evaluation | | |7. 6 Types of Employee Benefits | | |7. Employees Benefit Programs initiated by HRM | | |7. 8. Employee Services | | |7. 9 Incentive Plans | | |Chapter Eight – Employee Relationship | | |8. 1 The Meaning of Ethics | | |8. 2 Organizational culture | | |8. Employee Discipline and Privacy | | |8. 4 Types of Disciplinary Actions | | |8. 5 Disciplinary Proceeding | | |8. 6 Disciplinary Appeals Processes | | |8. 7 Disciplines without Punishment | | |8. Managing Dismissals | | |8. 9 Grounds for Dismissal | | |Chapter Nine | | |Conclusion | | |Bibliography | | Chapter 1 Introduction 1. 1 Background of the study There is no doubt that the world of work is rapidly changing. As part of an organization then, HRM must be prepared to deal with the effects of the changing world of work. For them, this means understanding the implications of globalization, technology changes, workforce diversity, changing skill requirements, continuous improvement initiatives, contingent workforce, decentralized work sites and employee involvement. We should look how this change is affecting HRM goals and practices. The current challenge of HRM is to integrate programs involving human resources with strategic organizational objectives. More and more, organizations are under tremendous competitive pressure worldwide. HR managers must find ways to develop effective programs to meet this challenge. Another important aspect of HRM is the need to ensure cost effectiveness of programs and policies through the optimal utilization of human resources. 1. 2 Objective of the report The broad objective of the report is to co-ordinate classroom knowledge with practical situation. Specific objectives of the report are: ? To fulfill the course requirement of MBA program; ? To acquire practical knowledge about HRM practices in banking sector’ ? To have practical exposure in banking environment that will help a lot of to understand the future work life; ? To analyze HRM practices in Southeast Bank Limited with classroom (theoretical) knowledge; ? To recommend for improvement of existing HR policy of Southeast Bank Limited. 1. 3 Methodology of the report Methodology includes direct observation, face-to-face discussion with respective executive of the bank, study of files, circulars etc. and practical work. In preparing this report, only secondary data have been used. The required data have been collected from following sources- ? Employees service book of the bank; ? Annual report of the bank; ? Different publications regarding banking function; ? Reference books from library of Stamford University Bangladesh. 1. 4 Scope of the report This report covers only human resource practices is Southeast Bank Limited. It focuses on overview of the bank including a comparative study about standard theoretical aspect of HRM and the existing banking practices. The report also investigates the perceptions of employees of the bank toward employee benefits and development policy. 1. 5 Limitation of the report In spite of hearted cooperation from the bank officials, I faced some limitation in preparation the report. The major limitations are as follows: Learning of overall HRM practices in banking sector within just three months was really tough. Another limitation of this report is bank bank’s policy of not disclosing some data and information for obvious reason, which could be very much useful. Chapter 2 An Overview of Southeast Bank Ltd. 2. 1 Historical Background of Southeast Bank Ltd. Southeast Bank Limited is a scheduled Bank under private sector established under the ambit of bank Company Act, 1991 and incorporated as a Public Limited Company under Companies Act, 1994 on March 12, 1995. The Bank started commercial banking operations effective from May 25, 1995. During this short span of time the Bank had been successful to position itself as a progressive and dynamic financial institution in the country. The Bank had been widely acclaimed by the business community, from small entrepreneur to large traders and industrial conglomerates, including the top rated corporate borrowers for forward-looking business outlook and innovative financing solutions. Thus within this very short period of time it has been able to create a image for itself and has earned significant reputation in the country’s banking sector as a Bank with vision. It has been growing faster as one of the leaders of the new generation banks in the private sector in respect of business and profitability as it is evident from the financial statements for the last 4 years. The Company Philosophy – â€Å"A Bank with Vision† has been preciously the essence of the legend of bank’s success. 2. 2 Special Features of the Bank a) It has been performing conventional commercial banking activity and striving to introduce Islamic Banking functions. ) It is the pioneer in introducing and launching different customer friendly deposit schemes to tap the savings of the people for channeling the same to the productive sectors of the economy. c) For uplifting the standard of living of the limited income group of the population the Bank has introduced Consume r Credit Schemes by providing financial assistance in the form of loan to the consumers for procuring household durables, which have had encouraging responses. d) The Bank is committed to continuous research and development so as to keep pace with modern banking. e) The operations of the Bank are fully computerized so as to ensure quick, prompt flawless and services to the customers. 2. 3 Profile Southeast Bank Limited was established in 1995 with a dream and a vision to become a pioneer banking institution of the country and contribute significantly to the growth of the national economy. The Bank was established by leading business personalities and eminent industrialists of the country with stakes in various segments of the national economy. The incumbent Chairman of the Bank is Mr. Alamgir Kabir, FCA, a professional Chartered Accountant. Mr. M. A. Kashem a member of the Board and Mr. Yussuf Abdullah Harun were past Presidents of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI). Southeast Bank is run by a team of efficient professionals. They create and generate an environment of trust and discipline that encourages and motivates everyone in the Bank to work together for achieving the objectives of the Bank. The culture of maintaining congenial work – environment in the Bank has further enabled the staff to benchmark themselves better against management expectations. A commitment to quality and excellence in service is the hallmark of their identity. 2. 4 Board of Directors In SEBL the board of directors has been conceived as the sources of all power headed by its chairman. It is legislative body of the bank board can delegate its power and authority to professionals, but can not delegate, relinquish or avoid their responsibilities. The board of directors of the bank consists of 13 members who are reputed business personalities and leading industrialists of the country. 2. 5 Management of the Bank The management team headed by the CEO, Shah Md. Nurul Alam, the President and Managing Director has to take full loan of carrying out the guidelines, rules and regulations and directions given by the board from time to time and provide all the vital information to the BOD for their knowledge and effective decision making. A graphical representation of the hierarchy of the bank is in point. 2. 6 Capital Structure of the Bank The Authorized Capital of the Bank remains unchanged at Tk. 500. 00 million. The Bank went public and floated shares of Tk. 150 million in December of the previous year which was fully subscribed, thereby raising the issued and paid-up Capital to Tk. 330 million. With the increase of paid up capital, the capital base of the Bank has become stronger. 2. 7 Deposits Status of the Bank The Bank mobilized a total deposit of Tk. 38,258. 15 million as on December 31, 2005 as against Tk. 27, 930. 8 million as on December 31, 2004 showing an increase of 30%. The combination of competitive interest rates that offered sustained deposit raising efforts of the Bank and confidence reposed by customers in the Bank resulted in this growth of deposits. Steps are being taken to further increase the deposit base continuously at a Reduced average cost of funds. 2. 8 Profit and operational results The operating profit of the Bank increased to Tk. 665. 16 million in 2003 compared to Tk. 492. 56 million in 2002 recording an appreciable increase which was due to prudent lending and optimum management of funds. The Bank participated in the primary and secondary stock markets and made considerable capital gains during the year. Notwithstanding the tough and cutting edge competitiveness prevailing in the market, the business of this Bank has expanded substantially compared to that of the previous year. This year the management team as well as the workforce is confidently poised to take on newer challenges with a view to reach the ambitious level of performance in respect of accomplishment of the total business activities including attainment of higher profitability of the Bank. 2. 9 Selection Process Southeast Bank Ltd recruits employees on the basis of newspaper circulation & by online e-application on Southeast Bank Limited's web site. At the e-application section candidates are obligatory to drop their CV & on the foundation of Southeast Bank Limited's vacancy & precedence candidates are required to follow their selection procedure as follows: Step 1: Completed application: The application form is given in the online and completely filled applications are carried forward for the preliminary test (employment test). Step 2: Employment test: The Human Resource department mails the admit card to the applicants who have completed the online application successfully via post card. The questionnaire of the test is based on mathematics, English and the respective job questions. It is usually held on 100 marks. The employment test typically holds in any government major educational center. Such as teachers training college of Dhaka, etc. Step 3: Comprehensive interview The applicants passed in the employment written test are called by the bank. They are mailed an invitation for the viva-voce for their post. The applicants have to bring their original educational certificates for producing the same before the interview committee. The certificates are tested here with the application form information. And if any disparity is found the applicant is not allowed confront the interview committee. The passed applicants are given conditional job offer. For permanent job offer they have to pass background examination & medical test steps. Step 4: Background examination: The Human Resource Department scrutinizes the background of the applicant and tries to find out all ins and outs of the respective applicant. The applicants are kept unknown about the background enquiry source. Step 5: Medical test: The applicants are to go for a medical check-up to the authorized medical center Southeast Bank Ltd. Southeast Bank Limited does not carry the medical fees. It is to be carried by the applicant himself. The test report directly goes to the Human Resource Department and the applicants are not permitted to see it. Step 6: Permanent job offer If the 6th, Background examination, and the 7th Medical test, steps are passed successfully, Human Resource Department of Southeast Bank Limited sends an ‘Appointment as Probationary Officer' letter. At the amalgamation day, the applicants are bound to sign up a ‘Letter of Undertaking' for five years continuous service to the bank from the date of confirmation. If he leaves before completion of 5 years confirmed service or during the probation period he will have t refund to the bank 50% of total salary and allowances drawn to him 2. 9 MISSION, VISION AND OBJECTIVES OF SEBL Mission The mission of the bank is to become a highly competitive modern and transparent institution comparable to any of this kind at home and abroad. High quality financial services with state of the art technology. ? Fast customer service. ? Sustainable growth strategy. ? Follow ethical standards in business. ? Steady return on shareholders, equity. ? Innovative banking at a competitive price. ? Attract and retain quality human resource. Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. Vision A Bank with Vision is the motto of Southeast Bank Limited. The vision is to be the most efficient financial intermediary in the country through reducing the investment and savings gap of the economy by savings mobilizations and encourage the pace of industrialization. The relentles s journey to achieve that vision started in 1995, since the very inception of the Bank. The journey still continues and will never stop. SBL sets a high standard for itself and every achievement of the bank is a striving agent to reach a new height. Objectives Whether in treasury, consumer, or corporate banking, SBL is committed to provide the best. Meeting the demand of discerning customers is not the sole objective. The Bank believes that to provide standard financial services is to deliver a quality that makes every transaction a pleasurable experience. The bank also believes that Customer is always right and in the core of everything. So providing them friendly and personalized service, tailor-made solutions for business needs, global reach in trade and commerce at the doorsteps and high yield on investments are the core objectives of the bank. But the bank also tries to do the best in conjunction with achieving the ultimate objective of a business organization – Wealth Maximization. Chapter 3 Understanding the HRM 3. 1 General Concept of HRM HRM deals with the design of formal system in an organization to ensure effective and efficiency use of human talents to accomplish organizational goals. Human Resource Management (HRM) is to refer to the philosophy, policies, procedures and practices related to the management of people within an organization. Hr management functions through which manager recruit, select, train and develop organization members. HRM is the systematic planning, development and control of network of interrelated processes affecting and involving all members of an organization. These processes include- ? HR planning & forecasting Job & work design ? Staffing/ recruitment & selection ? Training & development ? Performance appraisal & review ? Compensation & reward ? Employee protection & representation ? Organization & improvement 3. 2 Objectives of HRM The objective of HRM can be described as follows- ? To hire the right person for the job ? To reduce emp loyee turnover ? To motive people to perform at high effort levels. ? Not to waste time with useless interviews. ? To remove unfair labor practices. ? To maintain a high morale & better human relations inside the origination. ? To maintain organizational peace. ? To attract competent people and retain them in the organization. To recognize and satisfy individual needs. 3. 3 Basic Principles of HRM ? Treat people with respect and dignity; ? Treat people as adults; ? Deal with people as complete individuals. ? Treat all employees with justice. ? Provide people with justice. ? Provide people with opportunities for growth and development. ? Make people feel that they are most valuable asset for the organization. ? Rewards should be earned, not given. ? Not to underestimate the potentials of people. ? Provide people with all relevant information. 3. 4 Approach of HRM Strategic approach People are the strategic asset of an organization. People have core competency, the basis of competitiv e advantage. Human resource approach People are human beings with a lot of potentials and intellectual abilities. Commodity approach People are commodity. They are viewed as a cog of a machine. Proactive approach Anticipate challenge of problem before they arise. Preventive is better than curative. 3. 5 Philosophy of HRM 1) Labor is viewed as a technical factor of production. They are treated as a commodity and they can be bought and sold. They are hired and fired at will. It is consistent with theory X. 2) Labor is viewed as human factor with a lot of positive potentials, so they must be treated with respect and dignity. This is consistent with theory Y of McGregor. 3. Standard Organ gram of HR Department in a large organization In organizations large enough to have a HR or personnel department, the personal director and his or her staff will play a key role in the designing and monitoring of human resources system. Larger organizations are more likely to help design and implement HR system. A f ull-time specialist tends to emerge when organization have about one hundred employees. A standard structure of HR department in a large company of several thousand employees is shown below: Fig: Structure of HR Department in a Large Organization 3. 7 Responsibilities of HR Department in a large organization |Position |Responsibilities |VP , HR |Executive committee, Organization planning, HR planning, Policy, Organization development | |AVP, Recruitment & Employment |Recruiting, Interviewing, Testing, Placement & Termination | |AVP, Compensation & Benefits |Job analysis and evaluation, Surveys, Performance appraisal, Compensation administration, | | |Bonus, Profit sharing plans, Employee benefits. | |AVP, Training & Development |Orientation, Training, Management development, Career planning & Development. | |AVP, Employee Relation |EEO relations, Contract compliance, Staff assistance programs, Employee counseling. | Chapter 4 HR Planning & Forecasting 4. 1 Concept of HR planning & f orecasting HR planning is the first step in the recruiting and selection process. Human resource planning is the process of assessing the organization’s human resources needs in light of organizational goals and making plans to ensure that a competent stable workforce is employed. † – Wendell French. â€Å"Personnel planning is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill, and how to fill them. â€Å"—Gary Dessler. In the words of Colman Bruce (1997) HRP is the process of determining manpower requirements and the means of meeting those requirements in order to carry out the integrated plan of the organization. According to the above definitions, HRP consists of the following elements: ? Establishing and recognizing the future job requirement ? Identifying deficiency in terms of quantity Identifying deficiency in terms of quality& specification ? Identifying the sources of right type of man ? Developing the available manpower and ? En suring the effective utilization of workforce. 4. 2 steps of HR planning HR planning is a process involving few stages: ? Integrate HR planning with corporate planning The first stage of HR planning is to integrate it with corporate planning. All manpower planning stems from business plans in relation to a corporate strategy. ? Forecasting internal & external environment The second stage in HR planning is to forecast of assess the internal and external environmental factors include government influences economic, geographic and competitive condition. Assessment of internal HR capabilities The next stage is the analysis of internal inventory of HR capabilities. Assessment of internal strengths and weakness as a part of HR planning requires the current job and employees capabilities are audited and organizational capabilities are inventoried. ? Predicting & Forecasting HR demand and supply The information gathered from external environmental scanning and assessment of internal strengt hs and weaknesses is used to predict of forecast HR supply and demand in light of organizational objectives and strategies. ? To locate the required HR Once the demand for HR has been forecasted, then their availability must be identified. The fourth stage of HR planning is to locate the sources from where personnel required will be available. The source may be internal and external. ? Allocation of HR The final stage of HRP is concern with allocation of human resources within organization overtime. 4. 3 HR planning and the strategic planning process HR planning should be an integral part of a firms strategic and HR planning process. The effective HR planning and strategic planning process is shown below: Fig: HR Planning Process 4. 4 Forecasting HR needs When a firm makes a plan for employment requirements, the firm usually needs to forecast personnel needs, the supply of inside and outside candidates. Different techniques like trend analysis, ratio analysis, and scatter plot can be used to estimate staffing needs. ? Trend analysis Trend analysis means studying variation in the firm’s employment levels over last five years. ? The scatter plot A Scatter plot shows graphically how to variables; business activity and firms staffing levels are related. For example, a newly established bank, which has 20 branches, expects to expand to 50 branches over the next five years. The HR director wants to forecast the requirement of manpower. The director can analyse the relationship between size of another 5 well-reported banks (in terms of number of branches) and their existing manpower. |Name of banks |Size (number of branch. |Existing manpower | |Prime bank |41 |1024 | |Dhaka bank |29 |688 | |NCC bank |41 |1000 | |Exim bank |28 |934 | |Southeast bank |38 |765 | If the bank carefully draws in a line to minimize the distances between the line and each one of the plotted points, the bank will be able to estimate the optimum number of staff needed for each bank size. Thus, for a 50 branches bank, the HR director would assume he needs nearly 1100 staffs. ? Ratio Analysis A forecasting technique for determining future staff needs by using ratio between, for example, number of customers and employee needed. 4. 5 Forecasting the Internal HR Supply Once the demand for labor is predicted, it is necessary to forecast the supply of labor that the organization will already have available to meet the demand. The internal supply of labor consists of all the individuals currently employed by an organization. The internal supply of labor is discharged. To predict the future supply the organization needs to maintain amanagement inventory chart and Human Resource Information System (HRIS). 4. Forecasting the External HR Supply The firms can’t always get all the empliyees they need from their current staff and some time they just don’t want to. So, forecasting the availability of outside supply is extremely important in human resource planning. Bec ause of the need for continuous and adequate staffing, every enterprise depends on the quality and quantity of human resources external to it. Chapter 5 Recruiting & Selection 5. 1 Concept of Recruiting & Selection Recruiting is the process of discovering potential candidates for actual or anticipated organizational vacancies. It involves searching and sourcing for viable job candidates. Recruitment is the process of finding qualified people and encouraging them to apply for work with the firm. On the other hand, selection is the process of choosing among those who do apply. Once an effective recruitment program has supplied enough applicants’ pool the organization faces the task of choosing the best ones for specific jobs. 5. 2 The Recruiting and Selection Process The recruitment process – putting the right people in the right positions at the right times- is one of the most critical tasks any organization faces. Throughout the recruitment process the organization attempts to â€Å"sell† itself to the more promising candidates – that is, to convince them that the organization is a good place to work. The standard recruitment process of a large organization is – Fig: The Recruiting Process Personnel selection is a process of measurement, decision-making and evaluation. The goal of personnel selection system is to bring into organization individuals who will perform well on the job. The standard selection process of large organization typically consist of eight steps : Failed Failedpassed Failed passed Failedpassed passed Problems passed Unfit Fig: The Selection Process 5. 3 Job Analysis A job analysis is a systematic exploration of the activities within a job. It is a technical procedure used to define the duties, responsibilities, and accountabilities of a job. This analysis involves the identification and description of what is happening on the jib – accurately and precisely identifying the required tasks, the knowledge, and the skills necessary for performing them, and the conditions under which they must be performed. 5. 4 Job Analysis Methods The basic methods that HR manager can use to determine job elements and the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities for successful performance include the following – 1) Observation Method Observation method is a job analysis technique in which data are gathered by watching employees work. 2) Individual Interview Method Using the individual interview method, a term of job incumbents is selected and extensively interviewed. The results of these interviews are combined into a single job analysis. 3) Group Interview Method Meeting with a number of employees to collectively determine what their jobs entail. 4) Questionnaire Method Under the questionnaire Method, workers are sent specifically designed questionnaire on which they check or rate items they perform on their job from a long list of possible task items. 5) Technical Conference Method A job analysis technique involves extensive input from the employee’s supervisor. 6) Diary Method The diary method requires job incumbents to record their daily activities. 5. 5 Steps in job Analysis The steps involved in conducting the job analysis include: Fig: Steps in a job analysis 5. A Comparative Discussion between Job Analysis, Job Description, Job Specification, and Job Evaluations. Job Analysis The procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements of a job and the kind of person who should be hired for it. Job Description A job description is a written statement of what the jobholder does, how it is done, under what condition it is done and why it is done. It is a list of job duties, responsibilities- one product of a job analysis. ? Job Specification The job specification states the minimum acceptable qualifications that the incumbents must possess to perform the job successfully. ? Job Evaluations Job evaluation specifies the relative value of each job in the organization. 5. 7 Sources of equipment There are two sources of requirement: internal and external. Deciding whether the position is to be filled internally or externally is often as early task in recruitment planning for a specific vacancy. Entry-level jobs must be filled externally, but for other positions, internal sources are used. Internal sources are as – ? Hiring relative and dependents of the existing employee; ? By promotion and transfer of existing employees; ? From employees on leave, long course deputation of loan from similar other organization. External sources are as – ? New entrants as fresher from school and colleges; ? Educated unemployed due to lack of opportunities elsewhere; Retired hands with experiences; ? Head hunting. 5. 8 Methods of recruitment There are two methods of recruitment this are – ? Method for internal recruitment ? Job position Job position involves announcing job openings to all current employees. The announcement carry information about the nature of the positio n and the qualifications needs and any employee who is interested may did no the job. ? Employee Referrals Another way to find applicants is through employee referrals by other departments. Informal communications among managers can lead to the discovery that the best candidate for a job is already working in a different section of the firm. ? Skills Inventories Information about every employee’s skills, education, work history and other important factors is stored in a data base, which can then be used to identify employees with the attributes needed for a particular job. ? Method for external recruitment Finding qualified applicants from outside the organization is most difficult part of recruitment. Typically, the external recruitment process uses different methods: ? Advertising Advertising is one of the most popular methods. The most useful advertisement is one that specifies the exact nature of the job, the qualifications required and the salary range. The advertising medium should be selected carefully, with the target audience in mind. ? Employment Agencies There are three types of employment agencies: a) Public agencies; b) Private employment agencies; c) Management consulting firm. Educational institutions generally have placement offices to assist their graduates in finding work. Unfortunately, these kinds of agencies are not popular in our country. ? Campus recruitment Sending an employer’s representatives to college campuses to screen potential applicants and create an applicant pool from the recent graduate is called campus recruiting. It is an important source of management trainees, promotable candidates and professional and technical employees. ? Internship Many college students get their jobs through college internship. Internship is important manpower source for the organization. Internship can be win-win situation for both students and employers. ? Professional Organization Many professional organizations operate placement services for the benefit of their members. These organizations publish of job vacancies and distribute these lists to members. ? Employee leasing Individuals who are hired by one firm and sent to work for a specific duration of time are called leased employees. When an organization has a need for specific employee skills, it contracts with the leasing firm to provide a certain number of trained employees. ? Personal contact Another means of recruiting is the personal contact. Some times personal and good communication can provide an opportunity to get experience manpower as well as better job offer. 5. 9 Advantages & disadvantages of internal recruitment When internal recruiting is used, the vacancy is filled by a person of known ability. There are some benefits of internal recruitment: ? Improve goodwill of the organization; ? Improve morale and motivation of employees; ? Improve probability of better selection since the candidate is better known to the organization; ? Less costly. In the case of internal recruitment, the firm also faces some difficulties ? In breeding prevents injection at new blood in the organization. ? Option in limited in locating right talents. Inhibits innovation and creativity. ? Encourage seniority mire then merit. ? Higher probability of likes or dislikes. 5. 10 Advantage & Disadvantage of external recruiting External recruiting can bring in new ideas and viewpoints. Another advantage are – ? Injection of new blood with new knowledge and creativity. ? Economic in the long run. There are some disadvantages of external recruiting – ? External recruiting is the costly; ? Cause brain drain due to fear of lack of growth potential; ? Hanger probabilities of employee turn over; ? Demoralize existing employee. 5. 11 Practices in the Bank Recruitment Objectives of the Bank: ? To build a jubilant worthy cadre of officers. To provide the bank with an efficient and cost effective human resource setup. ? To keep bank free from unhealthy practice of Trade Union. The bank strictly follows all steps of recruiting and selection process to achieve above-mentioned objectives. The bank recruits from both internal and external sources. The bank makes its applicants pool only by newspaper advertising. Some times they recruit from internship student, where foreign banks i. e. HSBC and Standard Chartered bank, recruit major of their fresh executives from internship students pool. But the bank normally does not go f or campus recruitment as well as other methods. Chapter 6 Training & Development 6. 1 Concept of Training & Development Training is a planned effort by an organization to facilitate employee’s learning of job related knowledge and skills for the purpose of improving performance. Training is the process of teaching new employees the vasic skills they need to perform their job. Training is a learning experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in individuals that will improve their ability to perform on the job. The training function, now popularly called HR development. Employee development, by design is more future oriented and more concentrated with education than employee job – specific training. Development therefore, focuses more on the employee’s personal growth. 6. 2 Need and important of training Training is mainly job-oriented; it aims at maintaining and improving current job performance. The need for the training program may arise due to the following: ? Entry of new recruits ? Promotion ? To increase productivity ? To improve quality ? To met organizational objective ? To prevent accident ? To support personal growth and development 6. 3 Objectives of Training 1. Establish a comprehensive understanding of the target audience community in Partner regions, 2. Identify and agree the target group(s) for the training needs analysis (TNA) within partner regions, 3. Design and implement an analysis of training needs questionnaire, 4. Analysis and document perceived training needs 6. 4 Guidelines and Framework to Design a Training and Development Plan 1. Education for Social Change (Popular and Folk Education) Free Online Lesson Plans, Lecture Notes, etc. 2. Online Resources (each having lists of resources) About Training and Development 3. Online Educational Directories, Learning Portals, etc. About T&D 6. 5 Training method Training methods consider the choice of method for employee training. With training objectives defined and learning principles in mind. Methods of training are basically tow types- ? On the job training The initial stages in the planning and design of an on the job training are: a) Refer to the agreed objectives for the training as produced in the TNA or the initial planning stages. ) Consider the identified target learning population and how they might affect the training design. c) List the ways in which each objective might best be met. d) Decide whether the learning might be best achieved by an on the job or off the job training. ? Off the job training Off the job training:- Off the job training is conducted in a location specifically designated for training. It may be near the work place or away form work, at a special training center or a resort. Conducting the training away from the work place minimizes distractions and allows trainees to devote their full attention to the material being thought. Chapter 7 Compensation & Employee Benefits 7. 1 Concept of Compensation & Employee Benefits Once employees have done their jobs and been appraised, they expect to be paid. Employee compensation refers to all forms of pay or rewards going to employees and arising from their employment. It has two main components: (1) Direct financial payments (wages, salaries, incentives, commissions and bonuses), and (2) Indirect payments (financial benefits like employer-paid insurance and vacations, child care facilities). In addition to compensation in the form of wages and salaries, HRM provides workers with various services and programs known as employee benefits. 7. 2 Components of the compensation system Fig:-Components of the compensation system 7. 3 Wages vs. Salary The words wage and salary are sometimes considered synonymous, but they have slightly different meanings. Wage refers to an hourly rate of pay and is the pay basis used most frequently for production and maintenance employees. Salary refers to a weekly, monthly or yearly rate of pay. Clerical, professional, sales and management employees are usually salaried. 7. 4 Establishing Pay rates The process of establishing pay rates while ensuring external, internal and procedural equity consists of five steps: 1) Conduct a Salary Survey The first step of establishing pay rates is to conducting a salary survey of what other employers are paying for comparable jobs. A survey aimed at determining prevailing wages rates. A good salary survey provides specific wage rates for specific jobs. 2) Job Evaluation Job evaluation is a systematic comparison done in order to determine the worth of one job relative to another. It is a formal and systematic comparison of jobs to determine the worth of one job relative to another and eventually results on a wage or salary hierarchy. 3) Group Similar Jobs into Pay Grades Once has used job evaluation to determine the relative worth of each job, the committee can turn to the task of assigning pay rates to each job; however, it will usually want to first group jobs into pay grades. It could, of course, just assign pay rates to each individual job. A pay grade is comprised of jobs of approximately equal difficulty or importance as established by job evaluation. 4) Price Each Pay Grade – Wage Curves The next step is to assign pay rates to the firms pay grades. The firm can use a wage curve to help assign pay rates to each pay grade. The wage curve shows the relationship between the value of the job and the average wage paid for this job. 5) Five – Tune Pay Rates Five – tuning involves developing pay range and correcting out of line rates. Pay ranges is a series or levels within a pay grade, usually based upon years of service. 7. 5 Importance of Job Evaluation Job evaluation is aimed at determining a job’s relative worth. It compares jobs to one another based on their content, which is usually defined in term of compensable factors like skills, effort, responsibility, and working conditions. 7. 6 Types of Employee Benefits a) Mandatory Benefits Organizations are required to pay these benefits to the employees by law, rules, acts or ordinance. Example: Salary, Bonus. b) Non-mandatory benefits Optional programs and services such as tuition refunds, variety of discount programs, day care facilities for children, credit program etc. 7. 7 Employees Benefit Programs initiated by HRM There are many benefits and various ways to classify them. We can classify them as I. Pay for time not worked II. Insurance benefits III. Retirement benefits IV. Service benefits 7. 7. 1 Pay for Time Not Worked Pay for time not worked – also called supplemental pay benefits- is one of an employer’s most costly benefits, because of the large amount of time off that many employees receive. Common time off with pay periods include holidays, vacations, jury duty, funeral leave, personal days, sick leave, sabbatical leave, maternity leave and unemployment leave insurance payment for laid off or terminated employees. The following figure illustrates a wide rage of such benefits: Fig:- Payment for time not worked. 7. 7. 2 Insurance Benefits Most employers also provide a number of voluntary insurance benefits. Medical or health insurance is a major optional protections benefit offered by employers. Insurance benefits include worker’s compensation, group hospitalization, accident, disability insurance and group life insurance. ? Worker’s Compensation Worker’s compensation provides promote income and medical benefits to work related accident victims or their dependents regardless of fault. Worker’s compensation benefits can be monetary or medical. In the event of a worker’s death or disablement, the person’s dependents are paid a cash benefit based on prior earnings. ? Health and Disability Insurance Health and disability insurance helps protect against hospitalization costs and the loss of income arising form off-the-job accidents or illness. Many employers purchase the insurance from life insurance companies. Most health insurance plans provide at least basic hospitalization and surgical and medical insurance for all eligible employees at group rate. ? Life Insurance Group life insurance provides cower rate for the employer of employee and includes all employees, including new employees, regardless of health or physical condition. In addition to hospitalization and medical benefits, most employers provide group life insurance plans. In many cases, the employer pays 100% or 50% of the basic premium, which usually provides life insurance. 7. 7. 3 Retirement Benefits A very important benefit to most employees is a retirement plans. The major retirement benefits are the social security program and pension plans. ? Social Security Most people assume that social security provides income only when they are over 60, but it actually provides three types of benefits: The familiar retirement benefits- provide an income if the employee retire at 60; survivor’s or death benefits payable to the employee’s dependents regardless of age at the time of death; and disability benefits payable to disabled employees and their dependents. These benefits are payable only if the employee is insured under the social security Act. ? Pension Plans Pension plans provide a fixed sum when employees reach a predetermined retirement age or when they can no longer work due to disability. There are many kinds of pension plan: ? Contributory VS. Noncontributory Under contributory plans, both employees and employers are required to contribute to the pension fund, while under noncontributory plan; pension funding is the sole responsibility of the employer. In noncontributory plans where contributions are based on company profits (deferred profit sharing plans), accumulated funds are usually allocated on the basis of salary. ? Defined benefit VS. Defined contribution plan With defined benefit plans, the employee knows ahead of time the pension benefits he/she will receive. The defined pension benefits itself is usually set by a formula that ties the person’s retirement pension to an amount. Defined contribution plans specify what contribution the employee and employer will make to the employee’s retirement or savings fund. Here, in other words, the contribution is defined, not the pension. With a defined benefit plan the employee knows what his/her retirement benefits will be upon retirement. With a defined contribution plan, the person’s pension will depend on the amounts contributed to the fund and on the retirement fund’s investment earning. 7. 8. 4 Employee Services In addition to the benefits describe above, organization’s offer a wealth of services employees may find desirable. These services can be provided to the employee at no cost or at a significant reduction from what might have been paid without the organization’s support. Services provided to employees may be- ? Wellness Program In an effort to stimulate wellness, many employees can provide recreational facilities for employees or reimburse employees for health club memberships. Other companies provide incentives for employees to participate in exercise programs, ‘quit smoking, lower blood pressure or cholesterol or to take similar steps toward good health. ? Educational Assistance Another important benefit is educational assistance. Some times companies offer monthly stipends for students. Typically, employees are reimbursed for tuition and possibly for books or other associated costs. ? Child-care Assistances It is likely that every major company will soon consider offering child-care assistance as an employee benefit. In most recent year this benefit is being popular in our country because of the number of women in the labor market has increased dramatically. ? Another Services are Another important services, that can be provided by the company are: Social and recreational events, employee assistance programs, credit unions, housing, tuition reimbursement, company paid transportation, free coffee, baby-sitting services or referrals. 7. 9 Incentive Plans Manager may offer group and individual incentive plan those ties pay to some measure of he firm’s overall profitability. Several incentive plans are: ? Piecework Plans A system of pay based on the number of items processed by each individual worker in a unit of time, such as items per hour or items per day. ? Merit Pay as an Incentive Merit pay or a merit raise is any salary increase the firm awards to an individual employee based on his or her individual performance. ? Profit Sharing Plans Profit sharing plan is a plan whereby employees share in the company’s profits. There are several types of profit sharing plans: ? In cash plans In cash plans, the firm simply distributes a percentage of profit as profit shares to employees. ? Deferred profit sharing plans The firm places a predetermined portion of profit in each employee’s account under a trustee’s supervision. ? Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) ESOPs are company wide plans in which a corporation contributes shares of its own stock or cash to be used to purchase such stock of the firm’s stock tor employees. Chapter 8 Employee Relationship 8. 1 The Meaning of Ethics Ethics refers to â€Å"the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group† and specifically to the standards individual use to decide what he/she conduct should be. 8. 2 Organizational culture Organizational culture is the characteristic values, traditions and behaviors a company’s employees share. A value is a basic belief about what is right or wrong, or about what should or should not do. 8. 3 Employee Discipline and Privacy The purpose of discipline is to encourage employees to behave sensibly at work (where sensible is defined as adhering to rules and regulations). In an organization, rules and regulations serve about the same purpose that laws do in society; discipline is called for when one of these rules or regulations are violated. A fair and just discipline process is based on three prerequisite: rules and regulations, a system of progressive penalties and an appeals process. The four main types of employee privacy violations upheld by courts are intrusion, publication of private matters and disclosure of medical records and appropriation of an employee’s name or likeness for commercial purposes. 8. 4 Types of Disciplinary Actions ? Minor Penalties ? Reprimand / censure; Withholding for a specified period or stoppage of increment, confirmation or promotion; ? Stoppage for a specified period at an efficiency bar in the time scale; ? Any other minor punishment. ? Major Penalties ? Recovery fr om salary of the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to the band by the employee; ? Degradation to any lower post; ? Compulsory retirement from service with or without retirement benefits; ? Removal from service; ? Dismissal from service. 8. 5 Disciplinary Proceeding ? Before imposing any penalty as above, the employee concerned shall be informed in writing about the charges and also be given an opportunity to answer to the charges in writing. An inquiry into charges may be held before taking final action in this regard and the competent authority may appoint an inquiry officer senior in rank to the accused to inquire into the charges and to submit his findings before passing final order in the case. ? An employee, against whom disciplinary action is proposed to be taken, may be placed under suspension, or the competent authority may order him to proceed on leave. ? The period of suspension will not exceed 90 days. If an employee, put under suspension, is not found guilty, he shall be entitled to full salary for the period of his suspension. ? If an employee put under suspension, is awarded any penalty in case of compulsory retirement or dismissal from service, the effect shall be from the date of suspension and in the case of any other penalty, the effect shall be from the date of passing of the order by the competent authority. An employee who has been awarded any penalty shall have a right to appeal to the competent authority within 30 days (or any period determined by the authority) from the date of the order. 8. 6 Disciplinary Appeals Processes The disciplinary appeal process consists of following three steps: Steps 1: Management review In step 1, the complainants submit a written complaint to a member of management (e. g. manager, senior manager or managing director) within seven calendar days of the occurrence of the eligible issue. Steps 2: Officer Complaint If not satisfied with that decision in step 1, then in step 2, the complainant submits a written appeal to the vice president or senior vice president of the division within seven calendar days of the step 1 decision. Step 3 Executive appeal Review Finally in step 3, the complainant may submit a written complaint within seven calendar days of the step-2 decision to the employee relations department. This department then investigates and prepares case file for the executive review appeals board. 8. 7 Disciplines without Punishment No one likes being punished. The basic aim of discipline without punishment is to gain an employee’s acceptance of the rules by reducing the punitive nature of the discipline itself. 8. 8 Managing Dismissals Dismissal is the involuntary termination of an employee’s employment with the firm. Dismissal is the most drastic disciplinary step the manager can take. Because of this, special care is required to ensure that sufficient cause exists for it. Managing dismissals is an important part of any supervisor’s job. The best way to handle a dismissal is to avoid it in the first place. Many dismissals start with bad hiring decisions. Using sound selection practices including assessment tests, reference and background checks, drug testing and clearly defined job descriptions can reduce the need for many dismissals. 8. 9 Grounds for Dismissal There are four bases of dismissal – 1. Unsatisfactory Performance Unsatisfactory performance may be defined as persistent failure to perform assigned duties or to meet prescribed standards on the job. Specific reasons include excessive absenteeism, tardiness, and adverse attitude toward the company, supervisor or fellow employees. 2. Misconduct Misconduct is deliberate and willful violation of the employer’s rules and may include stealing, rowdy behavior and insubordination. 3. Lack of Qualification for the Job Lack of qualification for the job is an employee’s inability to do the assigned work although he/she is diligent. 4. Insubordination Insubordination, a form of misconduct, is sometimes grounds for dismissal. It should remember that some acts are or should be deemed insubordinate whe

Valley Archive Collections

Valley Archive Collections The modern world as well as the future needs historical accounts in order to be aware of how events have changed with time. There are a number of ways of learning about the past. However, archives provide very important resources that give an account of the past. It is therefore crucial for communities to be informed about the importance of valuing and keeping their archives containing precious historical documents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Valley Archive Collections specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The archives will protect useful documents, diaries, catalogues, reference books, photographs, music, films, minutes, letters, land records, newspapers, censuses and correspondence which will be invaluable for future generations. The essay discuses the power and potential of the Valley Archive collections, a project which happens to be part of the Virginia Center for Digital History at the University of Virginia. T he modern world has witnessed tremendous information, communication and technological advancements. Virtually all sectors in the society have made efforts to integrate these significant developments. Historians have not been left behind as far as keeping important records that gives an account of the past is concerned. The Valley of the Shadow is a digital archive of very crucial sources of information about the people of Augusta County, Virginia, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania, during the period of the American Civil War between 1859 and 1870. Most archives contain very limited documentation of the past which makes them look like digital books. However, the Valley of the Shadow archive is more like a large digital library that provides an account of thousands of original documents that paints a clear picture of how men and women of Augusta and Franklin counties lived during the Civil War in America. Despite its huge size, the Valley Archive Project is well structured and easy to use. It contains thousands of census and government records which include maps and images, land and church records, official statistics, and tax records, letters and diaries, newspapers and speeches, and they all provide very detailed information about the day to day activities of people in the two counties during the time of the war. The three major sections into which the archive is divided make it easier to browse and access preferred information. The Eve of the War (1859-1861), The War Years (spring 1861-spring 1865), and The Aftermath (1865-1870) are the three sections of the Valley Archive. The click of a mouse on each section of interest enables one to take a tour into this virtual library. As one goes deeper into the library, one gets access to original documentation of most sectors of the society in the two counties at the time of the Civil War. Archives, therefore, are invaluable sources of historical accounts of any given society.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With the nature of the Valley Archive Project, it is evident that historical accounts can be integrated with scientific and technological advancements that make it easier for historians to access various accounts of the past. This ease of accessing historical information helps researchers in conducting investigations through the analysis of original documentations in their digital form. We can conclude, therefore, that without archives, there is no history. Work Cited University of Virginia (2009). The Valley of the Shadow. Retrieved from http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/VoS/choosepart.html