Friday 31 August 2012
Sunday 19 August 2012
Thursday 16 August 2012
Ernst & Young : Quality in Everything we do
Ernst & Young, one of the world's leading professional services organizations, helps companies across the globe to identify and capitalize on business opportunities. Ernst & Young's depth and breadth of service and global reach serves any client, anywhere in the world.
MISSION STATEMENT
“At Ernst & Young, we support you in achieving your unique potential wherever you are in the world – both personally and professionally. We give you stretching and rewarding experiences that keep you motivated, working in an atmosphere of integrity and teaming with some of the world's most successful companies. And while we encourage you to take personal responsibility for your career, we support you in your professional development in every way we can. You enjoy the flexibility to devote time to what matters to you, in your business and personal life. At Ernst & Young, we know it's your point of view, energy and enthusiasm that make the difference.”
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/ernst-young-history/
http://www.ey.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/paramarth/ernst-amp-young-people-amp-organization-advisory-services
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27973948/Ernst-and-Young
http://www.whatsalary.com/us/salary/ERNST-YOUNG-C26143.htm
Creative Problem Solving
Whenever we do work problems are bound to come. Problems can be solved in two ways. First is a complicated way and the other is a simple way. Complex solutions are undesirable and they are the ones we mostly get. But simple solutions are the most creative ones. It takes us to think creatively. This is creative thinking.
Here I would like to recall to you a simple story of a pen. Once the astronauts were faced with a problem of how to write in 0 gravity in space, because ink flows down into the nib due to gravity only which will be absent in space. To address this situation United States developed a pen which would work in 0 gravity spending millions of dollars. At the same time Russian scientists solved the problem by writing with pencil. This how a problem is made or solved in a simple way or complex way.
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS
What is Creative Problem Solving?
Creative problem solving is a form of deliberate creativity: a structured process for solving problems or finding opportunities, used when you want to go beyond conventional thinking and arrive at creative (novel and useful) solutions.
Lord of the Rings..
Recently Prasad Sir introduced us to a strange looking contraption hanging from the ceiling on the Teacher's Terrace, and we were supposed to identify the problem and then solve it.
Often during the course of life a lot of problems present themselves, and then not so often there are problems that really test us. We normally solve these problem through our experience and judgement and move on to the next one in line, 'coz believe it or not, there IS a line, whether we see it or not. So in a sense we all are managers by birth. But a true manager is one who can not only solve the problem presented to him, but can also identify the problem that might not be so obvious, or even anticipate the problem before it comes into being.
I believe that is the sole purpose of the course I am going through here.
Anyways, back to the interesting puzzle. We were taken to the terrace and asked to look around and, no prizes for guessing, people had already noticed the hanging wooden toy from a distance.
To remove the ring:
• Raise the ring as high as it would go and hold it there.
• Move one of the wooden squares to the other side by passing it through the slit in the top part.
• Bring both the squares together by moving the thread.
• One of the balls will still remain stuck after its square block is taken to other side.
• Lower the ring, tilt it and remove through the slit and the ball.\
To assemble the Ring:
• Pass the ring through the slit back onto the square
• Raise the ring as high as possible.
• Pass one of the wooden squares through the slit and to it's correct side.
So it can be said that it's not only important to be a good problem solver, but an excellent analyser as well.
Organisational Structure
Organisation is one important element of the management process. It is next to planning. In management, organisation is both the process as well as the end-product of that process which is referred to as organisation structure. Such structure acts as the foundation on which the whole super-structure of management is built. Sound organisation structure is essential for the conduct of business activities in an efficient manner. It is within the framework of the organisation that the whole management process takes place. The success of the management process will be determined by the soundness of the organisation structure. Organising involves integration of resources in order to accomplish the objectives.
Organisation involves the following aspects:-
- Identifying the activities required to achieve organizational objectives.
- Grouping up of these activities into workable units (Departmentation).
- Assigning duties and responsibilities to subordinates in order to achieve the tasks assigned.
- Delegating authority necessary and useful for the accomplishment of tasks assigned.
- Establishing superior-subordinate relationship.
- Providing a system of co-ordination for integrating the activities of individuals and departments.
Types Of Organisation Structure
Organisation structure is defined as "The logical arrangement of task and the network of relationships and roles among the various positions established to carry out the activities necessary to achieve the predetermined objectives of business". Internal Organisation structure constitutes the arteries and veins through which the blood of work flows in the body of Organisation.
Internal Organisation structures can be broadly classified into the following types/forms:
1) Line Organisation structure.
2) Functional Organisation structure.
3) Line and staff Organisation structure.
4) Product Organisation structure.
5) Committee and Matrix Organisation structure.
Line Organisation Structure
Line Organisation (also called Military/Scalar Organisation) is the oldest and the simplest form of internal Organisation structure.
In the line Organisation, the line of authority moves directly from the top level to the lowest level in a step-by-step manner. It is straight and vertical. The top-level management takes all major decisions and issues directions for actual execution. The general manager, for example, issues order to various departmental managers. Thereafter, the departmental manager issues instructions to works manager. The works manager will issue instructions to foreman. In this manner, the orders and instructions will be issued to the workers working at the lowest level. Thus authority moves downward and also step-by-step. The responsibility, on the other hand, moves in the upward direction.
Line Organisation structure is given in the following chart:
Functional Organisation Structure
In the functional Organisation suggested by F.W.Taylor, the job of management is divided according to specialization. As a result, functional departments are created. For example, the personnel department will look after the recruitment, selection, training, wage payment, etc. of all persons of the Organisation. Similar will be the position of other departments like production, sales, etc. The scope of work of the department is limited but the area of authority is unlimited.
In the functional Organisation structure, there will be separation of planning of work and execution of the plan prepared. The basis of division is the function and naturally the Organisation structure created will be called "Functional Organisation".
In the functional foremanship, there will be eight specialists/functional heads called bosses. Out of eight bosses, four bosses will be at the planning level and the remaining four will be at the slop floor level.
Line and Staff Organisation Structure
In the line and staff Organisation, line executives and staff (specialists) are combined together. The line executives are 'doers' whereas staff refers to experts and act as 'thinkers'. The following chart shows line and staff Organisation structure:
ORGANISATION CHART
Organisation structure of a company can be shown in a chart. Such chart indicates how different departments are interlinked on the basis of authority and responsibility. It is a simple diagrammatic method of describing an Organisation structure. It indicates how the departments are linked together on the basis of authority and responsibility. Such Organisation chart provides information of the Organisation structure at a glance. Organisation chart is like a blue print of a building. It indicates the number and types of departments, superior-subordinate relationship, chain of command and communication.
Facilitating The Transition from Network to Community
For a network to transition into a genuine community requires leadership. It needs people who facilitate and coordinate the interaction that is needed to build a community of relationships. Conversations within these networks need to clarify the shared ideas of purpose and values that are a basis for a shared vision of impact, and a common commitment to share the responsibility for it. Each provides a way for the relationship to transcend superficial connection to one that is meaningful, fulfilling and makes a difference that matters.
This is the future that I see emerging. I see it as the logical evolution of networks of relationships to become more communal than social. That does not mean it will happen in every place. It does mean that it is possible. That it is a choice fueled by our desires for a certain kind of life that transcends the shallow superficiality of much of what we experience each day.
DEMO OF ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE IN POM CLASS WITH
(DIFFERENT TREE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE)
Story of "Three Monks" and learnings of Management
Three Monks is a Chinese animated feature film produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. After the cultural revolution and the fall of the political Gang of Four in 1976, the film was one of the first animations created as part of the rebirth period. It is also referred to as The Three Buddhist Priests.
The film is based on the ancient Chinese proverb "One monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but add a third and no one will want to fetch water." The film does not contain any dialogues, allowing it to be watched by any culture, and a different music instrument was used to signify each monk. The film tells the story from the aspect of the buddhist bhikkhu.
PLOT
A young monk lives a simple life in a temple on top of a hill. He has one daily task of hauling two buckets of water up the hill. He tries to share the job with another monk, but the carry pole is only long enough for one bucket. The arrival of a third monk prompts everyone to expect that someone else will take on the chore. Consequently, no one fetches water though everybody is thirsty. At night, a rat comes to scrounge and then knocks the candleholder, leading to a devastating fire in the temple. The three monks finally unite together and make a concerted effort to put out the fire. Since then they understand the old saying "unity is strength" and begin to live a harmonious life. The temple never lacks water again.
MANAGEMENT LESSONS:
Productivity
We know that productivity = output/ input
We can see that when one monk was carrying two bucket the productivity (output/input) is 1 but when 1 bucket is carried by two monk then the energy per unit share by each monk is 1/2 (as they a equally sharing the load of bucket) due to which the productivity increases to 2.
it overall means that when we are working in a team than total productivity increases.
Innovation
Transition from method 2 to method 3 is innovation. When the monastery is on fire they realise that it is better to think in terms of team goals rather than individualistic goals. The monk at the bottom fills the buckets, the middle monk works on pulley system and the third monk at the top douses the fire with water in the bucket. This shows difficult situation inspires ingenious solutions.
Responsibility
This story teaches a gentle, humorous lesson about responsibility. Three monks allow personal pride to interfere with the performance of daily tasks, each believing that the other two should be the ones to go downhill to fetch water. When a fire breaks out, however, they understand how silly they’ve been and work together to save the temple.
Work for each other, no selfishness
The great Russian writer, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, once wrote "I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea." The story of the three monks teaches us that everyone is capable of being selfish, but doing so diminishes our ability to cooperate with one another. People must rise among themselves and see the group as whole. People must be deliberative in their collective decision making.
Pursuit of Excellence
Increase in excellence directly leads to the increase in effective productivity. Excellence can be defined as the product of efficiency and effectiveness. Moving from method 2 to method 3 is the increase in excellence. In the story there is no dearth of talent as all three monks are equally capable, but still as a team they struggle.
Individual vs Collective approach
· To put off the fire each monk got panicked and tried his best to run down the river and bring the bucket full of water. But this process was very tiring, and also had many glitches on the path. So it proved to be ineffective.
Coordinated effort dosed off the fire easily and without being tired.
Productivity is important.
Productivity determines how well an organization converts its resources into results.
Workplace productivity is all about how firm can utilize its labours and skills, innovation, technology and organizational structure to improve the quantity and quality of their products.
Basically, it is all about exploring the ways that can make working environment much efficient.
FILM
CONCEPTS:
Thursday 19 July 2012
VALLEY CROSSING
Valley Crossing is an best example of teamwork. Teamwork is the ability to work together towards the set targets. The below figure shows the image of Valley Crossing
Exercise
Structuring Task:
Managers will structure task such that it is executed in easier way. They are solution designers. We, NITIE MBA Students, are pursuing M.B.A to learn solving difficult problems not simpler ones. Many out side are there to solve simpler ones. This Task is structured in such a way that
· Every one is at equally risky position at all times.
· Communication and feedback across 3 members are instantaneous
· Interdependence among 3 members is crucial
· Distance between two persons are >1 foot step length and <2 foot steps length
· Maximize Excellence
· Maximize Profitability
Below figure gives positions of all players at each crossing position. Person in red color may give impression that he is completely unsafe and Person in green color is totally safe. But structuring of task is done in such way that every one are at equal risk. Being human, we mostly tend to think and believe things which are visible to eyes. For suppose, when we ask 3 members to select any position among these 3, he is gonna select middle position as he feel he is at safer side. He is in preconceive notion that first position may be risky as he is leading team and he might fallen first in valley and being in last position is also too risky since his team mates might leave him after they cross valley.
The procedure followed is shown below:
At one point of time, each one of them will be in different situation either Safe, Half Safe and Fully Unsafe. There comes 9 steps which they have to follow to cross the bridge. The steps increase once the number of people crossing the bridge increases.
Lessons Learnt:
1. Communication
2. Coordination
3. Performance in the roles
4. Strategy
5. Motivation
6. Support
In any organization, design of work flow, structuring of work, training executives, team work, communication between executives and feedback across them, interdependence and good motivation to do work are equally important. Even if one factor goes bad, whole damn thing will collapse. Goals and objectives are to be designed by high level managers and this work is delegated to low level managers through middle level managers. As this work is assigned to low level executives by low level manager, they should be motivated highly and proper competency should be given in prior to them. It is very important to note that in an organization every one is equally responsible for organization's success or failure. We are not suppose to blame teamwork. Indeed we should eliminate loopholes in earlier stages and strive organization towards goals and objectives.
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