Implementation and Challenges of Lean Concept in Human resources Essay Example for Free

Implementation and Challenges of Lean Concept in Human resources Essay Going lean is the talk of the season. Almost all the big organizations are adopting lean practices; not only manufacturing but management. In this write-up I am going to discuss how HR as an organization’s function can help in lean transformation. A critically important issue in lean success, just now coming into clear view, is the relationship between the human resources (HR) function and lean transformation. It turns out that the HR function, even at its best, is often considered as only a passive supporter of lean transformation. At its worst, it is said to be a barrier to progress. There are two facets to the relationship between lean and HR. First, it is self-evident that the HR function—just like any other department in a company—needs to apply lean practices and principles toward process improvement in its own work. Second, the HR function needs to actively support and enforce lean transformation throughout the company. The HR function, by virtue of its interactions with virtually every part of a company, is actually in an ideal position to be a powerful ally in lean transformation, IF lean leaders make the effort to enlist its aid. Here we are discussing how HR makes a significant contribution to lean success with active support in several key areas. What is Lean (concept) Lean principles come from the Japanese manufacturing industry. The term was first coined by John Krafcik. From its inception Lean was considered as manufacturing tool but today lean has evolved from just a tool to a philosophy of success. The core idea of Lean philosophy is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Simply, lean means creating more value for customers with fewer resources. A lean organization understands customer value and focuses its key processes to continuously increase it. The ultimate goal is to provide perfect value to the customer through a perfect value creation process that has zero waste. To accomplish this, lean thinking changes the focus of management from optimizing separate technologies, assets, and vertical departments to optimizing the flow of products and services through entire value streams that flow horizontally across technologies, assets, and departments to customers. Eliminating waste along entire value streams, instead of at isolated points, creates processes that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less time to make products and services at far less costs and with much fewer defects, compared with traditional business systems. Companies are able to respond to changing customer desires with high variety, high quality, low cost, and with very fast throughput times. Also, information management becomes much simpler and more accurate. Lean for production and services A popular misconception is that lean is suited only for manufacturing. Not true. Lean applies in every business and every process. It is not a tactic or a cost reduction program, but a way of thinking and acting for an entire organization. Businesses in all industries and services, including healthcare and governments, are using lean principles as the way they think and do. Many organizations choose not to use the word lean, but to label what they do as their own system, such as the Toyota Production System or the Danaher Business System. Why? To drive home the point that lean is not a program or short term cost reduction program, but the way the company operates. The word transformation or lean transformation is often used to characterize a company moving from an old way of thinking to lean thinking. It requires a complete transformation on how a company conducts business. This takes a long-term perspective and perseverance. The term lean was coined to describe Toyotas business during the late 1980s by a research team headed by Jim Womack. Lean Thinking Lean transformations think about three fundamental business issues that should guide the transformation of the entire organization: Purpose: What customer problems will the enterprise solve to achieve its own purpose of prospering? Process: How will the organization assess each major value stream to make sure each step is valuable, capable, available, adequate, flexible, and that all the steps are linked by flow, pull, and leveling? People: How can the organization insure that every important process has someone responsible for continually evaluating that value stream in terms of business purpose and lean process? How can everyone touching the value stream be actively engaged in operating it correctly and continually improving it? Just as a carpenter needs a vision of what to build in order to get the full benefit of a hammer, Lean Thinkers need a vision before picking up lean tools, said Womack. Thinking deeply about purpose, process, people is the key to doing this.

Four hours with the CSPD Essay Example for Free

Four hours with the CSPD Essay I want to express my gratitude and share my ride-a-long experience. The first thing I had to do was contact the Colorado Springs Stetson Hills Area Command to schedule my ride-along. I read the departments ride-along program policy and I received instructions on what I had to do to fulfill the necessary program requirements. Once the initial paperwork was done, a few signatures, a waiver and a criminal background check, I was ready to go. On the day of my ride-along while in the waiting room I met another person who was on a ride-along for class credit as well. After newly hour of waiting I finally met my officer. The officer that was chosen to allow me to ride-along was a female officer. Following her introduction we headed out to the Charger. I was giving a walkie-talkie with an earpiece so that I could listen to the communication from the dispatch. We entered the vehicle, buckled up and started on our way. In the cruiser the officer had logged into her laptop to check her files and looked at any updates on her calls. I was informed that my experience would vary just as much as the calls that the officers went out on from day to day. Some of my responsibilities were that I had to be self-sufficient, be able to think ahead, have the ability to know where I was and most importantly enjoy myself. Our first call was about an attempted shoplifting at a Safeway store. I had the opportunity to drive around the neighborhood and see homes were suspected criminal activity was believed to be. We also responded to a runaway from home. The last thing we did was make a traffic stop for an expired license plate registration. The great thing about the day was that I was able to ask her questions about how police procedures work and how they operate. My hope after this experience is that more people will carry themselves in the manner I observed during my ride-along and recognize what an asset and a delight our officers are to our city. I am now a huge fan of law enforcement because all the officers I saw or had contact with were kind, helpful and efficient. They often work alone, in remote areas. What was interesting to me was the amount of conservation the Officer engaged in. It was revealed through the ride-a-long that Officers do much more than enforce laws. An Officers job is much more than writing tickets. They conduct ongoing public relations. What a wonderful experience for me to see officers respond to incidents involving citizens and watch them handle situations in the same way I believe I would. I now have a completely different outlook and understanding of what our men and women in law enforcement must do every day to keep us safe. I was very impressed with the way they all conducted themselves while performing their duties. They were professional and tactful in the way he interacted with the people they had contact with throughout my ride-along. Each person was treated with the same level of respect. Watching the officer perform her duties made me feel completely safe as she showed complete competence. I found this experience to be informative and I saw a side of law enforcement that most of us never see. I recommend that others in our community spend time with our officers, as I did. My ride alone ended up after four hours and it was certainly eye-opening experience. I sympathize so much with the police officers now. Also I think that everyone should go do a ride-along program at least once in their lifetime, it will change the way you think about them. By the time we finished, I didnt witness any arrests or have the opportunity to blow through any red lights with blaring sirens but I was still impressed. For me it was a pretty fulfilling shift. I got to participate in the Colorado Springs Police Departments Ride-along program and I got to ride shotgun with one of the Springs finest. She even offered to let me stay on until her shift ended if I wanted to. The officer said that this ride-along was a pretty run-of-the-mill shift. Fortunately, there was no major violence during my ride. My hope, after this experience, is that more people will do a ride-along and recognize what an asset and a delight our officers are to our city.

Infants Secure Attachment To Different Caregivers Social Work Essay

Infants Secure Attachment To Different Caregivers Social Work Essay Experience of early childhood attachment is at the base of healthy child development and works as the framework for the intimate relationship with others. Early manner of communication between the caregiver and child shapes the attachment relationship. The outcomes of infant attachment considered to be long-term and influences generations of families. According to Bowlby who developed theory of infant-caregiver attachment, attachment security characterizes the confidents of infants in their caregiver, and can be observed through how they interact with their caregiver and how they make use of the caregiver as a secure base to explore their environment (Brown, McBride, Shin Bost, 2007). Attachment theory, therefore, has been regarded as the major structure for the research of mother-child attachment, and it also might offer a practical approach for examining attachment development between other caregivers and infants. Nonetheless, in spite of a number of researches on mother-child att achment has conducted, we still are unfamiliar with attachment relationships between other caregivers such as a father and adoptive parents. Because of the socioeconomic changes that have occurred in the United States during the past three decades, more mothers, with infants, work outside the home and, in many cases, new roles for fathers within the home increased, and many couples with a variety of reasons decided to adopt children also increased. Therefore, this paper explores whether an infant can develop secure attachment to a caregiver other than their primary caregiver, usually mother, and then how father and foster mother-infant attachment relationship different from ordinary infant-mother relationship. Importantly, sensitivity has been considered as a key predictor for secure caregiver-infant attachment. Despite the fact that the relatively few researches studying the attachment relationship with fathers, some studies on father-child attachment suggests that fathers can give sensitive care, an important factor for developing secure attachment, for their children as much as mothers can; therefore, the level of attachment between father and child appears to be comparable to that usually found with mothers (Brown et al., 2007). Moreover, Brown et al. (2007) found that when fathers employed favorable parenting activities, father involvement time does not seem to affect on secure father-child attachment. More specifically, infants tended to form quite secure attachment relationships despite the fact that either their fathers were more involved or disinvolved. When fathers, on the other hand, employed less sensitive child-rearing, increased father involvement was associated to an insecur e father-child attachment (Brown et al., 2007). Therefore, father-child attachment is influenced by fathersà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ parenting quality, and increased involvement is better for building attachment only when it accompanied by positive parenting. In addition, another research showed that fathers who valued the parental role were more tend to have a secure attachment with infants, but this connection was marked only when fathers have positive marriage, conceivably because these fathers are more prone to be given helping hand from their partner (Wong, Mangelsdorf, Brown, Neff Schoppe-Sullivan, 2009). Yet interestingly, fathers who valuing the paternal caregiving role might promote secure attachment of temperamentally difficult infants, for such fathers may be tend to support them with daily child-rearing activities and be adjusted to emotional needs of their infants as well as their other demands. Accordingly, temperamentally difficult babies would be more prone to attach securely to fathers in this circumstance. Even though all adopted children go through a stressful disjointing from their attached figures and are replaced with new attachment figures in the foster family, they are also able to develop and become attached to their fostering families. Jeffer and Rosenboom (1997) examined 80 mothers and their infant from all over the world, adopted between at age of 6 month and 8 month olds, in the Strange Situation when they were 12 and 18 months to evaluate their attachment. According to their study, they found more secure infant-mother attachment than insecure attachment relationship as normally expected. The actual proportion of secure attachment at both 12 and 18 months were approximately 75%, so secure attachments observed this research seemed to be stable over time (Juffer Rosenboom, 1997). Another study of attachment between foster parents and infant also demonstrated that quality of mother-infant attachment in middle-class foster families was comparable to the result of families with only biological children; however, interracial adoption were more likely to have less secure caregivers- infants attachment (Singer, 1985). It might be explained by which families who adopt children of a different race than themselves are less likely to receive hearty support from extended family, friends, and neighbors than are families who adopt children of the same race. Higher rates of insecure attachment also have found among infants who spent as a minimum of 8 months in a Romanian orphanage and then placed to foster families. Infants who adopted at an earlier age, by contrast, do not appear to have an elevated rate of insecure attachment to their adoptive parent (Chisholm, 1998). From these results, although adopted age of infants seems to be a critical factor whether they develop secure or insecure attachment to foster patents, adopted infants are capable of attaching to their new caregiver, and in turn, adoptive parents are responsive enough so that they can meet their adopt ed babiesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ needs and be a their lighthouse as well. Since infants can develop securely attached relationship to other caregivers, the long term effects such as resiliency to new environments and having positive behaviors and expectances are assumed to be similar to which mother-infant relationship likely to have. Even though the comparison of attachment in foster and non-foster families was reasonably resemble, the outcome sometimes do not exclude the potential importance of insecure or disrupted post-infancy family relationships as a source for the adjustment problems of the adoptee. The study showed that when children reached to school age, they faced to the reality of adoption and begins to be aware of their circumstances, including being abandoned by their parents. Consequently, they often feel frustrated, doubtful, and become insecure to their current families relationship (Singer, 1985). Nonetheless, it appears that the higher occurrence of troubles accounted later on in such families cannot be explained only by attachment probl ems of earlier life because early secure attachment counteracts to these problems and buffers the negative emotion to some degree. In conclusion, infants can develop secure attachment not only to their mothers but also other caregivers, including fathers and adoptive parents. It seems that infants can become attached to any caregivers, provided that those caregivers interact with them on a regular basis, provide physical and emotional care, and are emotionally invested in the child. Sensitivity plays crucial role in secure attachment development between caregiver and infant; on the other hand, the amount of time parents involves in parenting appears to be less related to secure attachment development. The similar positive outcome of secure attachment can be expected to the attachment relationship among father- and adoptive parents-infant. Children are born prepared to form relationships with those who care for them, and those early experiences influence the relationships that they develop within the family and in the greater world outside of the home. Consequently, relationships affect childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s healthy development, and childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s development, in turn, transforms their later fine relationship.

Binary Reasoning :: essays research papers

Binary reasoning limits our knowledge for it oversimplifies the subject being studied. Computers operate in binary mode, that is they only can understand a 1 or a 0, and this fact is what makes artificial intelligence so hard to achieve. The fact that humans can work outside of simple duality is what distinguishes us from other animals and machines. Certain issues cannot be studied on their integrity unless they are looked upon without using the â€Å"two-valued logic† system. Two examples would be: whether light is a particle or a wave and whether Adolph Hitler was a Fanatic or an Opportunist. These two examples illustrate a problem of reason as a way to acquire knowledge in the fields of a natural and a human science. Physicists have studied light for centuries and they have always been mystified in deciphering whether it is a particle or a wave. The ancient world believed light was an extremely light and small particle that moved at incredible speeds. More recently, physicists have conducted experiments that proved that light has wave-like properties. In the early 19th century, Thomas Young, a British scientist, conducted a famous experiment in which he proved that light would interfere and diffract. A broad discussion about the nature of light emerged in the scientific world. The theories that light reflected of a surface just like a ball would, was revised because the explanation that it was a reflecting wave was a more convincing one. The fact that light would bend with a large amount of gravity cannot be revoked and this attributed light a certain amount of mass. Since waves are not supposed to have a mass, in the same way that particles are not supposed to diffract, reflect, and refract. The contemporary scientists are intended to abide in the â€Å"wave-particle theory† which combines all the facts of light and place it in a category that does not follow the duality reasoning behind the wave or particle division. Some historians often oversimplify their analysis of historical figures, by stating that they fall under a type of people because of their personality. Alan Bullock does not belong to that group of scientists, which makes him stand out for his originality. Instead of thinking that Hitler was either a fanatic or an opportunist, he is able to view the dictator as both. Furthermore he is able to identify moments in history when Hitler shifted slightly his position.

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Essay -- essay

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Overview of Act: What it entails The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has become a large, nationwide issue, since President George Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002, giving the schools the responsibility to keep every student’s academic achievement at a passing level. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg. 1) Each state had twelve years to have all students proficient in reading and math, which gave each state less than a year to create a plan. (Kim & Sunderman; 2004; pg. 19) Title I, which is included in this act, began in 1965 when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed, which gave federal funds to help academically struggling students. (North Carolina Department of Education; 2004; pg. 1) The main purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act is to use state achievement tests to be sure that all children have an equal opportunity to be exposed to high-level education. A standard called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was created to measure how each school district is attempting ens ure equal opportunities for all of their students. This standard is measured by race, english proficiency, socioeconomic status, and disability. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg.1) Overview of Act: Requirements According The No Child Left Behind Act, ninety-five percent of students in each school district must participate in the yearly state assessment program to make AYP. Each state may set annual goals which the school districts must strive for and must demonstrate one percent improvement each year. Each high school must also show a one percent increase in the number of graduates each year. In the state of Florida, each school district must ha... ...rom http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct--nochild0419apr19,0,7954181.story Discusses Utah's new state law that will be followed rather than the No Child Left Behind Act. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 13). For poorest pupils, access to tutoring. Baltimore Sun. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 19). U.S. education secretary continues campaign for ‘No Child’ changes. Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.spellings19apr19,1,198082.story Spellings speech given in Baltimore about the No Child Left Behind Act. McCarthy, Sheryl. (2005, March 28). Don’t stop now it testing teachers. Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opmcc284193734mar28,0,1426782.column Discussion of teachers certification testing. The Associated Press. (2005, April 20). Details of No Child Left Behind Lawsuit. Baltimore Sun.

Admiral Jarroc as a Traitor :: Star Trek Essays Papers

Admiral Jarroc as a Traitor In the Star Trek episode of "The Defector," Admiral Jarroc betrayed the Romulans by giving out his own empire state's information concerning a base being built in the neutral zone. For the sake of Admiral Jarroc's circumstance, he did not know whether he was being tested for his loyalty. According to R. H. Webster College Dictionary, a traitor is someone who commits treason by betraying his or her country. A loyal person will not reveal vital information to gain his or her personal advantages as Jarroc did to protect his family. Jarroc displayed his dishonesty first when he gave a false name and then destroyed his vessel before the Federation could examine it. This incident causes Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew members to have doubts regarding Jarroc's honesty. Then Admiral Jarroc told the Federation about an illegal base being built. The Romulans are building a military base too close to the Federation and this will cause a war to break out instantly. Jarroc also has no real evidence about the plans of a base being constructed in that area. On the other hand, he told Picard that he saw reports and work orders for the military base being planned out by the chief of the Romulans. Not only did Jarroc commit treason, his emotions played an important role in his decisions. To the Romulans officials, Jarroc is a traitor because he revealed secret information pertaining the illegal base to the their enemy. The reason why Jarroc betrayed his country is to save his daughter. For the safety of his daughter and the other Romulans, Jarroc released the information to the Federation hoping they can stop the construction of the military base that can cause war. Any loyal soldiers would have sacrifice anything for their empire. Jarroc let his emotions interfere with loyalty according to Joe Chung, "The Romulans are a race which the same ancestors as the Vulcans. The main difference between these two races is that the Vulcans are 100% logical and the Romulans act on their feelings." As you can see Romulans react to their emotion too and Jarroc is not any different from the rest of them. This explains why Jarroc's action committed this treason. Emotions can influence a person's decision and Jarroc happens to fallen within the characteristic of a traitor. According to my beliefs, Jarroc is a traitor because he betrayed his country or empire within the boundaries of danger.

Communication Needs

We all have a right to communicate and voice our opinions. If an individual's communication needs are not met, this means they are being deprived of their basic human rights. They will be unable to express themselves and communicate how they are feeling, what they want to do, what they need, etc. If individuals are unable to communicate their needs it will have an impact on their well-being, relationships with family, friends and other members of their community. Explain how own role and practice can impact on communication with an individual who has specific communication needs. In my role as a support assistant it is my duty to ensure that I work in a person-centred way to support, encourage and promote individuals to live independently. This includes treating them with respect and dignity. I speak clearly and not use any jargons, etc. I identify their preferred method of communication. It would be bad practice to not meet the individual's communication needs. The individual may not receive the correct support or assistance. They will be unable to share their views or concerns, or have a say in what happens to them or express how they feel or what they need.They may become frustrated, angry and isolated. They may also become depressed, feel undervalued and have a low self-esteem. Analyse features of the environment that may help or hinder communication Features that may hinder communication may include, poor lighting, lack of privacy, distraction, noise from TV/radio, people all talking at the same time, seating arrangements, not facing individual when talking to them, covering mouth, eating or chewing, talking too fast or too sow, poor ventilation, room too hot or cold. Features that may help communication may include, talking slowly, clearly and concisely, eliminating any background noise, turn TV/radio down or off, sitting individual where they can hear or see what is going on, facing the individual when talking to them, using flash cards, pictures, etc. , not covering mouth, eating or chewing, finding a quiet place to talk, making sure room is well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature Analyse reasons why an individual may use a form of communication that is not based on a formal language system The individual ay be from another country. They may not have been taught a formal language system. They may have developed a system that is easy for them to understand.They may have a hearing or sight impairment or have a learning disability or mental health issues. Identify a range of communication methods and aids to support individuals to communicate A range of communication methods and aids that support individuals to communicate include sign language, body language, interpreters, hearing aids, hearing loops, speech aids, minicom, writing, drawing, pictures, objects, symbols, etc. Describe the potential effects on an individual of having unmet communication needs Unmet communication needs means that the individual is being deprived of their basic human rights. They will not be able to voice their concerns or opinions. The individual may develop mental health problems and may become depressed, frustrated, angry and isolated. This will also have an effect on their relationship with family and friends. Explain how and when to access information and support about identifying and addressing specific communication needs. It is important to take action as soon it has been identified that an individual has specific communication needs. You should establish what the needs are. Talk to the individual, their family, friends or others who are may support the individual to find out how to meet identified needs. Information can be sort from relevant support groups, social services or other professionals with experience in a specific area of communication. The individual's GP can also make a referral to a consultant specialising in the relevant field. Identify specialist services relating to communication technology and aids There is a range of communication technology aids available, including devices known as Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). VOCA are dedicated to communication and may not have any computer functions. AAC devices are either symbol or text based. There are also communication software that can be added to a computer, mobile phone or PDA to enable a person to type what they want to say and play it back so others can hear what was typed. Describe types of support that an individual may need in order to use communication technology aids The device/equipment should be personalised to meet the individual's need and set up correctly. The individual and others supporting them should receive training on how to use the device. The individual should be supported to ead and understand the instructions and to follow any health and safety advice on how to use the device correctly. Explain the importance of ensuring that communication equipment is correctly set up and working properly It is important to ensure that the equipment is set up correctly and working properly otherwise it would be a waste of time and money as the individual's communication needs would still not be met. There could also be health and safety issues if the equipment is not set up or used correctly.