My Private Corner

Hiring For the Organization

janungh — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:18:00 +0000

Diverse firms are hiring employees to fit the characteristics of the organization, not just the requirements of a particular position. This approach is building cultures that rely heavily on self-motivated, committed people for corporate success. The new selection model is most effective when used by organizations that allow employees enough freedom to use their unique attributes to influence job performance. Many companies who have implemented this new selection model are adopting unusual hiring practices to find employees who fit the organization. They are willing to invest substantial resources to assess person-organization fit. These organizations share a set of management assumptions about organizational success. Each is attempting to build a distinctive culture that is intentionally “fragile”, meaning that management relies heavily on self-motivated, committed people for system effectiveness. All of these companies rely to an unusual degree on employees to make the system work effectively. They use sophisticated selection systems to hire the whole person whose skills and personality fit the type of organization, not just a job.

Traditional Selection Model
1.Hire employees whose knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) provide the greatest fit with the requirements of specific jobs
2.Rarely consider characteristics of the organization in which the jobs reside
3.Ignore characteristics of the person that are irrelevant to immediate job requirements
4.In common management parlance, the organization hires new “hands” or new “heads” that is, parts of people i/o the person as a “whole”
5.Managers tend to of individual job performance as the key outcome of the hiring process
6.Job performance is a function of the fit between KSAs and task demands.
7.The traditional selection model is more concerned with finding new employees than to retain them.
8.Less attention to whole person finds the organization’s culture satisfying enough to stay

New Selection Model
1.Geared toward hiring a “whole” person who will fit well into the specific organization’s culture
2.It reflects a fundamental reorientation of the selection process toward hiring “people,” not just KSAs; for “organizations,” not just jobs
3.This leads to hiring practices that seem peculiar, and needlessly extravagant, from a traditional human resource standpoint

How to Succeed in Business: Listen!

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:43:00 +0000

I am very outgoing and love to talk, and my friends have told me that there are times when it seems I’m not really hearing what other people are trying to say.

Nobody ever listened his way out of a job. Listening is a vital skill in any field. Here are some tips to better listening.

1. Ask pertinent questions, Questions are the hallmark of a good listener.

2. Practice empathic listening. Quoting Stephen Covey’s observation that “most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

3. Listen with more than just your ears. body language shows whether you really interest in others or not. Nodding occasionally, making eye contact, taking notes, and being fully engaged all demonstrate genuine concern for the person you’re speaking with. Watch his or her facial expressions, eye contact, and hand gestures” to pick up on unspoken messages.

4. Share personal stories. Telling a short anecdote about something from your own life that’s relevant to the discussion helps to break the ice, and makes you seem “more approachable and down-to-earth.

5. Don’t interrupt, let people finish what they’re saying before you pipe up.

6. Pause before you reply.

7. Eliminate distractions. Don’t try to discuss an important subject while either you or the other person is distracted by other tasks. Suggest setting another time to talk, when both of you can concentrate on the topic at hand.

8. Don’t give unsolicited advice. don’t give advise if you are not asked to give advise.

The role of markets in global economic system

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:41:00 +0000

In most economies around the world, markets carry out the complex task of allocating resources and producing goods and services.
The marketplace determines what goods and services will be produced and in what quantities through their prices.
Markets also distribute income by rewarding superior producers with increase profits, higher wages and other economic benefits.

Types of markets

There are three types of markets:
The factor markets allocate the factors of production to the owners of productive resources.
The product markets are where the consumers after getting income from factor markets are purchasing goods and services.
The financial markets channel savings to those individuals and institutions needing more funds for spending than are provided by their current income.

Types of financial markets

The money market is for short-term (max one year) loans, while the capital market finances long-term investments by businesses, governments and households.
In particular, governments borrow from commercial banks in the money market, while in the capital market, insurance companies, mutual funds, security dealers, and pension funds supply the funds for businesses.

High-Involvement Organization

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:39:00 +0000

High-involvement organizations are characterized by flat organizational structures with product- or customer-focused units rather than functional centers such as marketing, production and research and development. The management systems in high-involvement organizations involve participation in all aspects of the organization. Improved human resource management is an important element, and high-quality involvement by employees in those systems is necessary even though their involvement may be challenging at times. In addition, procedural justice and distributive justice are important elements in the successful implementation of high-involvement strategies.

As suggested by Edward E. Lawler III, there are four keys of involvement management: power, information, knowledge and rewards.
Power means that employees have the power to make decisions that are important to their performance and to the quality of their working lives. Power can mean a relatively low level of influence, as in providing input into decisions made by others or it can mean having final authority and accountability for decisions and their outcomes. Involvement is maximized when the highest
possible level of power is pushed down to the employees that have to carry out the decisions.

Information means data, including information on the quantity and quality of business unit output, costs, revenues, profitability, and customer reactions. A major challenge for managers developing a high-involvement work system is to create an information system that provides employees with data that is timely and relevant to their particular work process, that they can influence personally by either expending or withholding effort, and that they can understand.

Knowledge, or employee skills and abilities, can be distinguished from information, which is the data employees use to make decisions and take action. Improving employees’ knowledge means a commitment to training and development. The training investments are essential in a high- involvement organization because when employees are making important workplace
decisions, it is important that they have the skills and abilities to make the right decisions.

The rewards component of the high-involvement equation means rewarding employees for expending discretionary effort to enhance organizational performance. A key element in the high-involvement equation, rewards for performance ensure that employees use their power, information and knowledge for the good of the firm. Firms with high-involvement philosophies are most likely to introduce compensation strategies that reflect that philosophy. High-involvement firms typically have team-based rewards, strategies that include variable pay programs (skill-based pay, gain sharing, employee ownership) and flexible benefits.

High-involvement organizations are most likely to occur in complex, unstable environments, with a prospector strategy (a focus on identifying and exploiting new opportunities quickly), an intensive nonroutine technology that produces ideas and a highly skilled workforce. Structures within an organization can either aid or constrain the firm’s strategy. In some organizations, their implementation was either not effective or even deleterious.

Generally speaking, best practices in high-involvement management involve the optimization of job security and enrichment, empowerment and autonomy, the development of skills, open communication and less emphasis on status. These characteristics are also supported by compensation strategies that relate to employee skills/competencies and performance. High-involvement strategies are based on the premise that adoption of these practices will increase productivity and output, decrease absenteeism and turnover and generally create a better workplace culture, although this approach is not without challenges and there is no guarantee of success.
When an organization tries to make the transition from control style to a high involvement style, the managers in the organization will likely be seen as the villain who resists the new direction and fails to support the change process.

Often this occurs because the manager’s role gives little ownership over the “new way of managing”. The managers may feel that they can do little to change the management style, as they trapped within traditional system which often makes it impossible to adopt high involvement practices.

Many literatures are making the case that participative management/ high involvement management offers a competitive advantage, particularly to high technology company that face stiff international competition.

Glaucoma, What you should know about it.

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:46:00 +0000

What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. However, with early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.

What is the optic nerve?
The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers. It connects the retina to the brain. (See diagram below.) The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy optic nerve is necessary for good vision.

How does open-angle glaucoma damage the optic nerve? In the front of the eye is a space called the anterior chamber. A clear fluid flows continuously in and out of the chamber and nourishes nearby tissues. The fluid leaves the chamber at the open angle where the cornea and iris meet. (See diagram below.) When the fluid reaches the angle, it flows through a spongy meshwork, like a drain, and leaves the eye. Sometimes, when the fluid reaches the angle, it passes too slowly through the meshwork drain. As the fluid builds up, the pressure inside the eye rises to a level that may damage the optic nerve. When the optic nerve is damaged from increased pressure, open-angle glaucoma—and vision loss—may result. That’s why controlling pressure inside the eye is important.

Does increased eye pressure mean that I have glaucoma?
Not necessarily. Increased eye pressure means you are at risk for glaucoma, but does not mean you have the disease. A person has glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged. If you have increased eye pressure but no damage to the optic nerve, you do not have glaucoma. However, you are at risk. Follow the advice of your eye care professional.

Can I develop glaucoma if I have increased eye pressure?
Not necessarily. Not every person with increased eye pressure will develop glaucoma. Some people can tolerate higher eye pressure better than others. Also, a certain level of eye pressure may be high for one person but normal for another. Whether you develop glaucoma depends on the level of pressure your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged. This level is different for each person. That’s why a comprehensive dilated eye exam is very important. It can help your eye care professional determine what level of eye pressure is normal for you.

Can I develop glaucoma without an increase in my eye pressure?
Yes. Glaucoma can develop without increased eye pressure. This form of glaucoma is called low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma. It is not as common as open-angle glaucoma.

Who is at risk for open-angle glaucoma?
Anyone can develop glaucoma. Some people are at higher risk than others.
They include:
• African Americans over age 40.
• Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans.
• People with a family history of glaucoma.

A comprehensive dilated eye exam can reveal more risk factors, such as high eye pressure, thinness of the cornea, and abnormal optic nerve anatomy. In some people with certain combinations of these high-risk factors, medicines in the form of eyedrops reduce the risk of developing glaucoma by about half.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
At first, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms. It causes no pain. Vision stays normal. As glaucoma remains untreated, people may miss objects to the side and out of the corner of their eye. Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral (side) vision. They seem to be looking through a tunnel. Over time, straight-ahead vision may decrease until no vision remains. Glaucoma can develop in one or both eyes.

Can glaucoma be cured?
No. There is no cure for glaucoma. Vision lost from the disease cannot be restored.

Can glaucoma be treated?
Yes. Immediate treatment for early stage, open-angle glaucoma can delay progression of the disease. That’s why early diagnosis is very important.

10 Ways to manage stress

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Stress is a normal part of life and usually comes from everyday occurrences. Here are some ways you can deal with everyday sources of stress.

* Eliminate as many sources of stress as you can. For example, if crowds bother you, go to the supermarket when you know the lines won’t be too long. Clear up the clutter in your life by giving away or throwing away the things that get in your way. A garage sale is one effective way to do this.
* If you are always running late, sit down with a pencil and paper and see how you are actually allotting your time. Say it takes you 40 minutes to get to work. Are you leaving your house on time? You may be able to solve your problem (and de-stress your life a bit) just by being realistic. If you can’t find the time for all the activities that are important to you, maybe you are trying to do too much. Again, make a list of what you do during the day and how much each activity takes. Then cut back.
* Avoid predictably stressful situations. If a certain sport or game makes you tense (whether it’s tennis or bridge), decline the invitation to play. After all, the point of these activities is to have a good time. If you know you won’t, there’s no reason to play.
* If you can’t remove the stress, remove yourself. Slip away once in a while for some private time. These quiet moments may give you a fresh perspective on your problems. Avoid stressful people. For example, if you don’t get along with your father-in-law but you don’t want to make an issue of it, invite other in-laws at the same time you invite him. Having other people around will absorb some of the pressure you would normally feel.
* Competing with others, whether in accomplishments, appearance, or possessions, is an avoidable source of stress. You might know people who do all they can to provoke envy in others. While it may seem easy to say you should be satisfied with what you have, it’s the truth. Stress from this kind of jealousy is self-inflicted.
* Laborsaving devices, such as cellular phones or computer hookups, often encourage us to cram too many activities into each day. Before you buy new equipment, be sure that it will really improve your life.
* Try doing only one thing at a time. For example, when you’re riding your exercise bike, you don’t have to listen to the radio or watch television.
* Remember, sometimes it’s okay to do nothing.
* If you suffer from insomnia, headaches, recurring colds, or stomach upsets, consider whether stress is part of the problem. Being chronically angry, frustrated, or apprehensive can deplete your physical resources.
* If you feel stress (or anything else) is getting the better of you, seek professional help — a doctor or therapist. Early signs of excess stress are loss of a sense of well-being and reluctance to get up in the morning to face another day.

Personality Plus

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:36:00 +0000

Personality Plus is the name of a book by Florence Littauer (ISBN 1854245090).
This article is intended to understand personality types for improved communication.

What we talk is about four key personality types. They are generalizations – which means they are never exactly right, because people seldom fit into exactly one type of personality. However, when mixing profiles the fit can be accurate.

Here are the principles in practice.

Choleric: This is the commander-type. Cholerics are dominant, strong, decisive, stubborn and even arrogant.
Melancholy: This is the mental-type. Their typical behaviour involves thinking, assessing, making lists,
evaluating the positives and negatives, and general analysis of facts.
Sanguine: This is the social-type. They enjoy fun, socializing, chatting, telling stories – and are fond of promising
the world, because that’s the friendly thing to do.
Phlegmatic: This is the flat-type. They are indifferent, unexcitable and relaxed.

None of these types is specifically positive or negative – the point is they all have their upsides and their downsides.
A Choleric is great at getting things done, but they can run rough-shod over others. They are decisive and stubborn.
A Melancholy is fantastic at planning, and making sure things happen, although sometimes they can paralyse themselves with over-analysis. Lists and “doing things the right way” are characteristics of this personality type.
A Sanguine gets on great with people and can get others excited about goals, but you can’t always rely on them to get things done. They love interacting with others and feel it is their role to keep people entertained. They have a tendency to over-promise and under-deliver.
A Phlegmatic is neutral – they tend not to actively upset people, but their indifference can really frustrate people. They try not to make decisions, and generally go for the status quo.

Understanding which personality profile (or profiles) best describes a person will help you appreciate who they are, and why they react they do. But the real skill comes in understanding the way your type interacts with their type, and taking advantage of that. This is perhaps best covered through examples:
A Choleric might get frustrated by a Phlegmatic who doesn’t seem to want to get things done now. This pairing actually works well, though, because Cholerics tend to tell people what to do, and Phlegmatics tend to do what they are told. This coupling often have relationships with each other – and what is interesting is that although the Choleric will be frustrated by the Phlegmatic’s refusal to make decisions, their own behavious is likely to make the other even less prone to make decisions!
Melancholies might make lists and work through them point by point, and get frustrated by Sanguines who tend to bounce from one idea to the next, often without completing the first.

A simplification might be that a Choleric likes it “my way”, a Melancholy likes it “the right way”, a Sanguine likes it “the fun way”, and a Phlegmatic likes it “any way”.

Secrets to managing workplace stress

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:33:00 +0000

You have a greater ability to shape your office environment than you may realize.

Take breaks throughout the day. It will help clear your mind and relieve pressure. Something as simple as going to the water cooler for a drink may do the trick.
*

Enroll in a noontime or an after-work exercise class. This will give you a chance to unwind and a way to relieve stress.
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To help your workday go smoothly, try pacing your activities: Do more demanding work in the morning, when your energy level is higher, and easier work later in the day, when you may be tired.
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Try listening to music recordings, such as a pounding surf or songbirds, to help you relax. Such tapes are sold commercially. Use headphones if you’ll be listening to them in the middle of the workday.
*

Get to work early or stay late once a week. You may be able to accomplish more when you vary your routine.

If your stress comes from job insecurity, take stock of yourself. Update your resume, and remind yourself of your skills and strengths. Also, make sure you keep up with new developments in your field. This will make you valuable to employers.

Don’t let work rumors, which are usually false, cause you worry. A co-worker may just be thinking out loud about worst-case scenarios.

If your office is less structured (or if you are the boss), consider a company mascot. A cat or dog can do wonders for workers’ morale.

What is CBM-Competency-based management

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:31:00 +0000

Competency-based management refers to the functional knowledge and behavioral skills essential for sound managerial performance. Competency-based management appeals to a wide variety of people including: organizational members assuming greater work responsibilities, supervisors advancing to higher managerial positions, team leaders dealing with a broader range of leadership roles and responsibilities, and professionals who want to become more proficient in supervising and managing functions and processes.

Competence-based Strategic Management is a relatively new way of thinking about how organizations gain high performance for a significant period of time. Established as a theory in the early 1990’s, competence-based management theory explains how organizations can develop competitive advantage in a systematic and structural way. In other words, a competent organization has the ability to structurally and systematically coordinate and commit resources for the realization of the organizations goals and objectives and the creation and distribution of customer value, in order to develop competitive advantage. For developing an integrated system of resources, management needs extraordinary analytic and appraisal skills. Furthermore, the idea behind competence-based strategic management is that the difference of the mix available resources between organizations, the speed with which resources are exploited and are develop, plus the costs which are involved, is determinative for the realization of the organizations competitive advantage. Resources are all elements, which an organization can use for the arrangement of products and bring services on the market. The resources an organization can use may be either organization-specific of organization-addressable. An organization from a competence-based perspective is seen as an open social system. Open social system is a dynamic and complex collection of elements, interacting as a structured functional entity that continuously interacts with its environment.

Five challenges play a central role in the application of competence-based strategic management in order to realize continuous value creation and distribution (strategic logic):

* Recognize market opportunities
* Define product offers that create value for customers with targeted preferences
* Attract, retain and improve the best available resources for creating and realizing product offers
* Manage uncertainties in creating and realizing product offers
* Distribute value created to providers of required resources

When managing these challenges management can choose two approaches: statically and dynamically. The focus of the static approach to competence-based management is at entirely exploiting existing resources to develop competitive advantage in the short term. In this case strategy means a maximum exploitation of the current organizational competences of the organization. Answering the three central questions from the static interpretation the central issue is to maintain the existing resources of the organization in order to develop competitive advantage.

The primary aim of the dynamic approach of the competence-based management is realizing competitive advantage by constantly improving the existing resources and obtaining new resources. In this case strategy means a fit between exploiting the available resources and obtaining and developing new resources. At answering the three central questions from the dynamic interpretation the central issue is not only to maintain the existing resources of the organization but also the replacement or modification of these resources, in order to develop competitive advantage.

Neonatal Jaundice

janungh — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:04:00 +0000

Neonatal jaundice is jaundice that begins within the first few days after birth. (Jaundice that is present at the time of birth suggests a more serious cause of the jaundice.) In fact, bilirubin levels in the blood become elevated in almost all infants during the first few days following birth, and jaundice occurs in more than half. For all but a few infants, the elevation and jaundice represents a normal physiological phenomenon and does not cause problems.

A common condition in newborns, jaundice refers to the yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells.

Normally bilirubin passes through the liver and is excreted as bile through the intestines. Jaundice occurs when bilirubin builds up faster than a newborn’s liver can break it down and pass it from the body. Reasons for this include:

* A newborn baby’s still-developing liver may not yet be able to remove adequate bilirubin from the blood.

* More bilirubin is being made than the infant’s liver can handle.

* Too large an amount of bilirubin is re-absorbed from the intestines before the baby gets rid of it in the stool.

Neonatal jaundice is usually harmless, this condition is often seen in infants around the second day after birth, lasting until day 8 in normal births, or to around day 14 in premature births. Serum bilirubin normally drops to a low level without any intervention required: the jaundice is presumably a consequence of metabolic and physiological adjustments after birth. There are concerns that this condition has been rising in recent years due to inadequate detection and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Neonatal jaundice is a risk factor for hearing loss. High levels of bilirubin – usually above 20 mg – can cause deafness, cerebral palsy, or brain damage in some babies. In rare cases, jaundice may indicate the presence of hepatitis.

There are several types of newborn jaundice. The following are the most common:

Physiological (normal) jaundice: occurring in more than 50% of newborns, this jaundice is due to the immaturity of the baby’s liver, which leads to a slow processing of bilirubin. It generally appears at 2 to 4 days of age and disappears by 1 to 2 weeks of age.

Jaundice of prematurity: this occurs frequently in premature babies since they take longer to adjust to excreting bilirubin effectively.

Breast milk jaundice: in 1% to 2% of breastfed babies, jaundice can be caused by substances produced in their mother’s breast milk that can cause the bilirubin level to rise above 20 mg. These substances can prevent the excretion of bilirubin through the intestines. It starts at 4 to 7 days and normally lasts from 3 to 10 weeks.

Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems): if a baby has a different blood type than the mother, the mother might produce antibodies that destroy the infant’s red blood cells. This creates a sudden buildup of bilirubin in the baby’s blood. Incompatibility jaundice usually begins during the first day of life. Rh problems once caused the most severe form of jaundice, but now can be prevented with an injection of Rh immune globulin to the mother within 72 hours after delivery, which prevents her from forming antibodies that might endanger any subsequent babies.

The cause of normal, physiological jaundice is well understood. During life in the uterus, the red blood cells of the fetus contain a type of hemoglobin that is different than the hemoglobin that is present after birth. When an infant is born, the infant’s body begins to rapidly destroy the red blood cells containing the fetal-type hemoglobin and replaces them with red blood cells containing the adult-type hemoglobin. This floods the liver with bilirubin derived from the fetal hemoglobin from the destroyed red blood cells. The liver in a newborn infant is not mature, and its ability to process and eliminate bilirubin is limited. As a result of both the influx of large amounts of bilirubin and the immaturity of the liver, bilirubin accumulates in the blood. Within two or three weeks, the destruction of red blood cells ends, the liver matures, and the bilirubin levels return to normal.

Jaundice usually appears around the second or third day of life. It begins at the head and progresses downward. A jaundiced baby’s skin will appear yellow first on the face, followed by the chest and stomach, and finally, the legs. It can also cause the whites of an infant’s eyes to appear yellow.

Since many babies are now released from the hospital at 1 or 2 days of life, parents should keep an eye on their infants to detect jaundice. A simple test for jaundice is to gently press your fingertip on the tip of your child’s nose or forehead. If the skin shows white (this test works for all races) there is no jaundice; if it shows a yellowish color, you should contact your child’s doctor to see if significant jaundice is present.

At the doctor’s office, a small sample of your infant’s blood can be tested to measure the bilirubin level. The seriousness of the jaundice will vary based on your child’s age and the presence of other medical conditions.

Your child’s doctor should be called immediately if jaundice is noted during the first 24 hours of life, the jaundice involves arms or legs, your baby develops a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), or if your child starts to look or act sick. (In children under age 5, temperatures should be taken rectally or aurally.) Call your child’s doctor if the color deepens after day 7, the jaundice is not gone after day 15, your baby is not gaining sufficient weight, or if you are concerned about the amount of jaundice in your baby’s skin.

In mild or moderate levels of jaundice, by 5 to 7 days of age the baby will take care of the excess bilirubin on its own. If high levels of jaundice do not clear up, phototherapy – treatment with a special light that helps rid the body of the bilirubin by altering it or making it easier for your baby’s liver to get rid of it – may be prescribed.

More frequent feedings of breast milk or formula to help infants pass the bilirubin in their stools may also be recommended. In rare cases, a blood exchange may be required to give a baby fresh blood and remove the bilirubin.

If your baby develops jaundice that lasts more than a week, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop breastfeeding. During this time, you can pump your breasts so you can keep producing breast milk and you can start nursing again once the condition has cleared.

If the amount of bilirubin is high, your baby may be readmitted to the hospital for treatment. Once the bilirubin level drops, however, it is unlikely it will increase again.