Research Articles Base: UK Sample Papers

The Role of the National Training Awards in Improving Employee Development in the Current Political, Economical, Social and Technical Environment in the United Kingdom

The Role of the National Training Awards in Improving Employee Development in the Current Political, Economical, Social and Technical Environment in the United Kingdom   Introduction             Training and employee development serves to be one of the most beneficial strategies in any organization. This is because employee development, allows individuals in the organization to enhance their skills and talents, gain knowledge and new learning regarding themselves and the organization, and further contribute to the success of the organization. In this regard, employee development strategies would provide realization to any employee that he or she is not considered a commodity, but a valuable and indispensable partner of the organization, in its aim to succeed in the industry. Due to the importance of employee development in all organizations in all sectors of the industry, this paper aims to discuss and emphasize the role of the National Training Awards or NTA in the United Kingdom in terms of the different aspects in the society, including the economy, politics, and technology. Such will be done through the brief description, purposes, and aims of the NTA. In addition, its role in the current system would be stressed through its impacts in employee development, in terms of the different aspects mentioned. Afterwards, a conclusion would be provided to highlight the important points the paper has emphasized.   The National Training Awards             It has been reported that the National Training Awards or NTA are the number one accolade in the United Kingdom, for businesses, organizations, and individuals who have achieved lasting excellence and success through training and learning. The awards serve to recognize and demonstrate the achievements of businesses, organizations, and individuals across a vast spectrum of activities, which could be based in the workplace or in the community. The common factor among winners of the National Training Awards is that they exemplify significant benefits from exceptionally effective learning and skills development, and show outstanding results gained by putting what they have learned into practice (2007). The purpose of founding and establishing this award-giving body in the United Kingdom is to provide opportunity for colleagues and customers of a specific business, organization, or employee to hear about one’s achievements. As such, the NTA serves to be a mark of excellence, thus, being awarded by the NTA would mean building one’s professional reputation and creating competitive advantage. In this regard, the award-giving body helps a specific business, organization, and employee to benefit training and development, enabling one to benchmark achievements (2007). In this sense, the National Training Awards serves to recognize and benchmark the achievements and exceptional capabilities and skills of businesses, organizations, and employees in terms of employee development and training in the United Kingdom. Through this award-giving body, motivation, improvement, and development would then be achieved by organizations and individual employees in different sectors, thus, serving to encourage other sectors to implement changes and improvements in their systems as well. Organizations being awarded and recognized by the National Training Awards include Nando’s, a chicken restaurant chain, Bristol City Council in partnership with Nelson Training Limited, Prime Care Community Services Limited, Flexible Lamps Ltd, Morrison Utility Services ( 2006), FG Wilson, St. Columb’s College, and many others (2007).   The Role of the NTA in the Current System             It has been emphasized that the usefulness of different organizational practices may vary across businesses and corporations because of differing strategies, organizational characteristics, and external factors. However, the use of sound staffing practices should benefit most organizations, regardless of differing internal or external contingency factors (1997). Such sound staffing practices include the provision of training and other employee development strategies, which would emphasize on the potential of employees to enhance their performance and profitability that would contribute to the overall improvement and development of the entire organization. Based on the aims and purposes of the National Training Awards, it can be perceived that it has a significant and purposive role in the current system in the United Kingdom, most especially in terms of a number of aspects, including the economy, politics, society, and technology, which significantly affect the development and improvement of employees in organizations.             Primarily, the purposes of the National Training Awards influence the different policies in the United Kingdom in terms of employee development. It has been reported that intervention takes place through government policy aimed at influencing organizational training and development activity. Three primary mechanisms for implementing government policy, in relation to employee development can be recognized, namely, the promotion of ‘best practice’ through initiatives, such as the Investors in People or IIP and the National Training Awards or NTA; local rather than national delivery of training through training and enterprise councils or TECs and local enterprise councils or LECs to effectively identify skills needed and deliver against that needs; and the adoption of a competence-based approach to vocational education in order to provide nationally recognized skills’ qualifications and meet the demands of employers (1997). Through such policies of the government, skills and performance development of employees in the public sector would be ensured, thus, helping each organization and employee to become qualified for the Awards. Likewise, exceptional training and employee development strategies are also implemented in the private sector, most especially in prestigious and renowned organizations, in order to help preserve and establish their reputations in the industry. In addition, the exploration of new venues of public-private sector cooperation and the measurement of government income derived from different activities (2005) serve to be enhanced through employee development. In this regard, employee development serves to provide benefits in terms of politics, as both the private and public sector in the United Kingdom become improved, thus, contributing to the cooperation, coordination, and harmony among organizations in both sectors. Second, the NTA also influences employee development in terms of the economy. Employee development, which can be observed as having flexibility in relation to job structures, separating work expertise and individuals from job structures, and addressing organizational, process, and individual levels of performance that can be used strategically, not reactively (2004), presents new approaches to marketing, especially in the emphasis to having more complete statistical information, can contribute to a more precise design of marketing policies, strategies and programs, to ensure a more efficient management of the resources allocated to NTAs (2005). In this regard, the influence of employee development through NTAs is evident in the economy through increasing patterns of global trade and finance, through increasing employment opportunities, through attraction of new industries, and through changing the livelihood and economy of the nation.             Third, the role of the National Training Awards is in line with improvement of the society of the nation. Through employee development, the society values the learning and performance of the workforce. Workforce development programs are generally linked to strengthening the environment of the employee, thus, addressing one’s potential labor and skills gaps. Employee development supports individuals in terms of mastering the academic and social skills needed to promote societal interaction. The greater the quality of those skills, the greater is the potential of the employee in today’s marketplace. Yet, equally as important as these skills are, knowledge about careers is essential for enriching skill development (2006). Through employee development, the society changes its perception, paying particular attention to the skills and performance of the workforce, thus, motivating and encouraging each to become qualified in the NTAs. Lastly, the role of the National Training Awards is to improve and develop the technological environment of employees in any organization. Today, the process of globalization has largely contributed to the advancement and development of science and technology, thus, further improving communication and equipments. The influence of the NTAs includes the use of advanced technologies that further develop the skills and expertise of employees and organizations, resulting to the overall improvement of industries in the United Kingdom. As such, trainings, seminars, and other employee development strategies become much more effective, efficient, and appropriate, thus, helping to improve the performance of each employee in the organization.     Conclusion             From the discussion, it can be perceived that the role of the National Training Awards in the economy, politics, society, and technology involves the improvement of employees, organizations, and businesses, to further enable each to achieve success in their respective industries. Because the NTA practically aims to recognize and award the best performing organizations and employees in the United Kingdom, it serves to contribute to the increase in the motivation and encouragement of employees and organizations to perform better in their respective industries. As such, the National Training Awards provides opportunities for businesses, organizations, and employees to excel and exceed their standards to serve as examples for other organizations and employees in the United Kingdom. Through such awards, each would be compelled to follow changes and rules in relation to the improvement and development of their organization, thus, significantly and largely contributing not only to the advancement of themselves and the organization, but on the entire economy, politics, society, and technology of the United Kingdom as well.       Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

The Role of the National Training Awards in Improving Employee Development in the Current Political, Economical, Social and Technical Environment in the United Kingdom

The Role of the National Training Awards in Improving Employee Development in the Current Political, Economical, Social and Technical Env...

UK LIVING STANDARDS

Introduction One group of earlier economic thinkers replicated the sense of mutual obligations of medieval times. That sense meant that although a society is composed of discrete individuals, those individuals combine into a community that is larger than the sum of its parts. To keep that community together, individuals must be held accountable for all actions that can impair the community’s survival and growth. Activities that impair the prospect for growth and survival impose costs on society. This is the social obligations approach. The social obligations approach to the social costs of labor represents an effort to gauge the impact of employment on the worker, the worker’s family and other members of the community. It includes the costs of maintaining the economic system as an on-going entity, including the provision of public services geared to help workers and their families. From this perspective, wages must be conceived as to enable workers to maintain themselves and their families in a standard of living to the community. A social-cost wage allows workers to develop their abilities and contribute to society in ways other than labor. In back of this perspective is an ideal of society as an ever-enlightening social system that encourages all of its members to improve their personal qualities and enhance the goodness of the community. The social obligations approach has a checkered career in economic thinking. When it has been on the wane, the social insurance approach has been recommended as a way of compensating for the social costs of labor. In this approach, the actions of individuals in terms of their impact on society are considered as calculable risks, insurable on the basis of costs and benefits. Economic life in the capitalist system carries with it a number of risks, many of which can be covered with private insurance. If an action causes a high cost to a large number of individuals, the risk becomes too widespread for private insurance, and then governmental social insurance must cover those social costs. The social obligations and social insurance approaches aim to protect workers from the risk of economic harm. The social obligations approach seeks to help workers as part of the web where mutual responsibility inherent to any community; it retains the medieval notion that help, based on the duty, to improve the capabilities of those persons being assisted. The social insurance approach offers help based on the calculation of costs and benefits. It aims at minimizing the sacrifice of helping individuals who are in trouble. The social obligations are much broader concept than the social insurance approach. It holds that efforts to evaluate the social costs of labor through cost/benefit analysis must be framed by its progressive outlook. Socially, responsible programs of assistance must have in their mind the impact on the capabilities of the persons they are help to. Proponents of this method would question whether social insurance can meet this standard of social responsibility. More important, they would wonder whether social insurance schemes will function properly without their beneficiaries having a sense of social responsibility with regards to how they use their aid. Modern economists recognize this lack of responsibility as a problem of moral hazard. Any form of insurance that cover risks will offer incentives to the insured to be careless about avoiding risky situations. Social insurance similarly encourages the insured to be heedless about how they work, since they will be if they lose their jobs. As a result, modern economic thinking gives lukewarm support to social insurance. This reference reflects a choice of values among economists. Which of the two approaches an economic thinker adapts to indicate the degree of balance between the individual and the community he or she regards as essential? Community-minded thinkers will make much of the social obligations approach while those who stress individualism will ignore it. The modern transformation of the older concept of social costs as community obligations into a finely honed tool for examining environmental pollution on a cost/benefit basis manifests the individualistic disposition of modern orthodox economics. The problem with the standard of living was a large welfare issue to these thinkers, and it has social cost implications that kept them restless. This restlessness has been soothed by modern economists, who stress welfare as a function of consumption. The standard living of an average Briton got better in 1939. National income per capita has risen from 44,65 pounds to 252,58 by 1980. Moreover, Britons have access to broader varieties of goods, can buy more exotic foods, travel regularly to other countries, and most own their homes. However, the development was not stable. If one will assess the standard of living in order to keep track of the developments in Britain over the 20th century, according to the Dasgupta-Weale index, this index ranks the welfare and Human Development Index that characterizes the achievements of the desirable level of welfare. UK’s current welfare policy emphasizes individual’s responsibility and biases the role of the state towards promotion of equality on opportunity and the provision of services targeted on specific lower income or disadvantaged groups. However, some policy-makers and professionals in the public services adhere to a different understanding of the operation of state welfare that identifies problems as the outcome of structural inequalities and not as the failure to grasp opportunities. (: 2001) They therefore reject the emphasis on enhancing equality of opportunity promoted by the government. The administration of the welfare state has undergone two major reforms since its inception. The first phase, covering the 1960s and 1970s, saw central government reformed in order to allow the planning and control of public expenditure by the Treasury. The aims of this reform were managerial efficiency and economic planning. The effect was to create a system in which the Treasury allocated resources to departments, and departments to services. In the course of past Conservative administrations, the state provision of housing was similarly thoroughly refurbished with the early inception of “right to buy” and limitations on the capability of local authorities to create new housing in the early parts of the 80s, ensued by devolved legislation in “social housing” to business oriented housing organizations (, 1998). Right-to-buy laws tendered substantial monetary inducements for council tenants to acquire their dwellings from the appropriate local authority at a sizeable price cut which usually brings about the mortgage repayments which were inferior to rental imbursements. Without a doubt, subsequent increases in local authority to market rates presented a further encouragement to acquire. There has been a quick boost in home ownership, and succeeding divergence in tenure trends in United Kingdom since the institution of this law. Housing stock that subsisted within the state division was similarly caused to undergo market-oriented restructuring. (, 2000) Householders were presented with the chance to take part in an election on their aspiration to continue as occupants of their local authority. Local authorities were obliged to search for tenders for the administration of their housing properties, and recently formed housing organizations that had the right to create “social housing” and to throw out tenants.   Progress in Britain is presented by growth in the real income per capita which incarcerates the raises in consumption and command over resources in 1939. It significantly affects the welfare and which can be connected to the national income approach, for example, leisure and inequality. Leisure in 1980 is incorporated in taking clear account of the time spent for labour to generate income and the income level can be adjusted for changes in its distribution. Leisure is incorporated by taking explicit account of the hours worked to generate income and the income level can be adjusted for changes in its distribution.   These measures focus on the material aspects of high standard of living. There were dramatic improvements in life expectancy, infant mortality rates; the incidence of diseases such as tuberculosis and smallpox as well as the proportion of deaths occurring through these diseases, and from maternal mortality and childhood diseases has been achieved in Britain in 1980’s. These variables are incorporated into an indicator of health. Education during the 1980’s has shown significant improvements than in 1939. Compulsory primary education was introduced under Forster’s Education Act in 1870, but compulsory secondary education has been a feature of this century. Increasing numbers staying at school beyond the minimum leaving age has also fuelled increased ability to undertake further and higher education. Changes in the proportion of the relevant age groups in education are used as a measure of this progress.   However, capabilities and opportunities are not just enhanced by health and education. The ability to influence the determination of policy in one country has been recognized as important. This aspect of welfare has been incorporated into comparisons of living standards by  and  (1992) who consider political and civil rights alongside with the previously mentioned indicators. The electorate was widened in 20th century, Britain and the proportion of the adult population with the right to vote in elections measures this aspect of political rights. But some influence on one’s destiny also may be afforded by direct involvement in organizations, for instance, trade unions can exercise influence on terms and conditions of employment. Thus, membership of a trade union may afford greater determination of the day-today welfare experienced at work and this is included as a second measure. Finally, accounts of 19th-century living standards have often emphasized the less tangible aspects of change that impacted on welfare. These aspects of living conditions are considered in this 20th century overview. In addition, some indicators reflecting beneficial changes are incorporated. More travel and communication is assumed to broaden horizons and enable contact with others, and the increased use of energy in households taken to signify greater comfort and the use of machinery to mitigate the arduousness of some household tasks. The six components to assess and evaluate the living standards and evolution are; income and leisure, wealth and income security, health, education, political and workplace rights, and living conditions; and the aggregate over the 20th century.           References Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

UK LIVING STANDARDS

Introduction One group of earlier economic thinkers replicated the sense of mutual obligations of medieval times. That sense meant that ...

Strategic Direction of Barclay

Strategic Direction of Barclay   Barclays was the first UK bank to recognize the potential of credit cards. Barclays Bank negotiated a franchise from Bank of America at the end of 1965. in the following year the bank launch its Barclaycard . In just 6 months, 30,000 retailers signed up. Acceptance of the Barclaycard by the British adult population was evident in the one million Barclaycard holders by the end of 1966. Evidently, Barclays has taken the advantage of being the first mover in the plastic credit card industry in UK. Aside from being the first bank to issue credit card in UK, Barclays is also the first to have an institutional presence in the Internet. In addition, it was also the fist bank to start a loyalty scheme in UK and also the first bank to enable to issue credit card payments over the computer. Moreover, Barclays Bank led the world with the first operation Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in 1967. Clearly, the use of information technology application and computer technology was critical in the Barclays strategy. Barclaycard used electronic processing in its card business to facilitate the transition from paper to electronic processing. In 2003, Barclaycard claim a 27 percent of the total credit card market. Barclaycard was the only bank card which was a card holder issuer as well as acquirer and hence was in a position to gather information about its own and merchants’ customer. However, despite being the initial and for considerable period of time the only credit card issuer in UK, Barclay made losses for the first decade of its operations as it built up its card and merchant volumes. The decade to 2003 reflected a period when competition between UK card issuers intensified and was characterized by extending activities and product development thus increasing the range of products and services available to final consumers. However, eve the emergence of numerous new entrants during the 1990’s, Barclaycard maintained its defection rates below 5 percent annually. In 1995, unfortunately the company suffers dropped in of new cards issued by 15 percent by total new acquired customers which is below their ongoing market share of 30 percent of the market. At the same time, UK government considered that interest rates charged for outstanding credit card balances were still far higher than the level they deemed as acceptable. Another element in the profit equation is the average value of balances settled outside the free interest period. As the number of card issued the greater is the risk of having bad and doubtful dept. Financial performance thus suggest that the aim of credit card managers is to find customers who need roll-over credit but will not default on repayments. Barclaycard’s in-house skills in measuring and monitoring credit risk have been crucial to their strategy. Barclaycard’s strategy aims to develop and maintain market leadership by differentiating its product range. Barclaycard’s strategy in the cards market has been associated of some factors which include continued growth of the credit card market, allow Barclaycard to remain the leader in the UK, and the ability of the Barclaycard’s manager to avoid price competition.             Generally, Barclaycard’s strategy has focused on differentiation. Differentiation has been defined by various literatures (1998). According to  (2003), differentiation requires that business offerings have sustainable advantages that allow it to provide buyers with something uniquely valuable to them. According to (1999), differentiation is a competitive advantage which identifies a valuable, relevant, but overlooked dimension of a product.  (2002) proposed differentiation as business strategy that brings value to your product and to your customer. (2000) suggested the essence of differentiation is offering an option that the competition cannot or does not offer. A successful differentiation strategy allows the business to provide a product/service bundle of perceived higher value to buyers at a “differentiated cost” below the “value premium” to the buyers. If the buyer feels the additional cost to buy the product/service is well below what the product/service is worth compared to other available alternatives, “he’s got a bargain.” The key function of the marketing persons involved is to determine where this “differentiation cost” is versus the buyers’ “value premium” pay point Differentiation usually arises from one or more activities in the value chain that create a unique value important to buyers. Strategists examining their business’s value chain for differentiation advantages evaluate the sustainability of those advantages by benchmarking their business against key competitors and by considering the impact of any differentiation advantage on the five forces in their business’s competitive environment. According to  (2003), sustainable activities that provide one or more of the following opportunities relative to key industry forces should become the basis for differentiation aspects of the business’s competitive strategy: ·         Rivalry is reduced when a business successfully differentiates itself. ·         Buyers are less sensitive to prices for effectively differentiated products. ·         Brand loyalty is hard for new entrants to overcome. ·         Imitation narrows perceived differentiation, rendering differentiation meaningless. ·         Technology changes that nullify past investments or learning. ·         The cost difference between low-cost competitors and the differentiated business becomes too great for differentiation to hold brand loyalty. Buyers may choose to do without some of the frills and opt for a lower cost approach.   In addition  (2003) identified skills and resources the foster differentiation opportunities. These are the following: Ø  Strong marketing abilities Ø  Product engineering-above average Ø  Across the board creative talent and flair Ø  Strong capabilities in basic research Ø  Corporate reputation for quality or technical leadership Ø  Strong cooperation from the channel of activities Ø  Strong cooperation from suppliers of major components   Moreover, there are also some organizations requirements which are required to supped and sustain differentiation activities ( 2003). Ø  Strong coordination among functions in R&D, product development and marketing Ø  Subjective measurement and incentives instead of all quantitative measures Ø  Amenities to attract highly skilled and creative persons at all important levels Ø  Tradition of closeness to key customers and target customers   A business can differentiate itself by performing its existing value activities or reconfiguring in some unique ways. And the sustainability of that differentiation will depend on two things: a continuation of its high perceived value to buyers and a lack of imitation by competitors. There are many alternative strategic directions in which Barclaycard could implement in their current strategy of differentiation. These may include technology innovation or product/ service differentiation.   Product/service differentiation Product differentiation occurs “when, owing to differences in physical attributes, ancillary service, geographic location, information, and/or subjective image, one firm’s products are clearly preferred by at least some buyers over rival products at a given price” (1990). For firms seeking to make their demand curve less elastic, successful differentiation provides an insulated position against competitors by enabling firms to sell a larger quantity at a given price or by allowing the firm to create brand loyalty in customers resulting in lower sensitivity to price. This uniqueness may build an entry barrier for competitors to overcome (1992;1980). However, being unique may require a trade-off with investment if achieving differentiation requires costly effort such as extensive research, product design, high quality materials, or intensive customer support. Thus, the firms employing the differentiation strategy cannot ignore costs and risk ( 1980). Horizontal product differentiation focuses on differences in attribute variety among competing brands. It occurs “when one brand contains more of some attributes but less of some other attributes in comparison to another brand” (). Consumers’ different tastes will exploit differing strong and weak points among brands given identical prices ( 1992). The shift towards consumerism is accelerating with significant implications in many of the markets in which we operate. Fundamentally, our view is that consumerism involves a shift in power from institutions towards consumers. The rapid transformation of the credit card industry – first with the severing of the traditional tie between bank accounts and credit cards and second, with the emergence of credit as a true commodity in the credit card industry – illustrates this so well. Consumers in the past were grateful if they received credit – it was seen as a right granted to a special few by a bank and hence banks held power over individuals. The value proposition was the availability of credit.   Technology Innovation In the case of Barclaycard, it is could improve its operations and competitive advantage through real time design data driven tools. This tool would improve their credit limit strategies and increase their interest earning balances. A Fair, Isaac Model Builder for the decision trees may be used as this tool uses historical data to assist in identifying optimal account management strategies. Fair, Isaac Model Builder for Decision Trees is a PC Windows based application designed specifically to support data driven strategy design. It gives lenders the power to rapidly create new strategies in real time using multiple performance dimensions, to process large datasets rapidly so strategies at any point for greater understanding of the portfolio and transfers strategies to and from production application with ease, putting new strategies into production faster. This real time, highly interactive approach dramatically shortens the time between strategy creation and roll out. With Barclaycard objectives of the new strategies to increase interest bearing balances, increase turnover, control bad debt, and address attrition, Fair, Fair Isaac can be a big help for the organization.             While the average number of cards in a person’s wallet has increased over the last five years, the value to an individual of having multiple cards will diminish in an environment where credit is a commodity. The cards that prevail as a single card of choice will be those that consumers judge to be the most valuable in providing access to new services and actively lowering the cost of living – with or without card fees. That is where the focus needs to be and is a challenge which Barclaycard should take on readily.               Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Strategic Direction of Barclay

Strategic Direction of Barclay Barclays was the first UK bank to recognize the potential of credit cards. Barclays Bank negotiated a f...

eCourier : High-Tech Courier Delivery

Nut Part 4 SWOT Analysis Strengths Ø  High-Tech Courier Delivery eCourier utilizes the latest GPS technology to revolutionize same day and overnight courier services across London and the UK. Using a fleet of motorcycles, small and large vans, coupled with patented software algorithms, we are able to match incoming jobs to the most appropriate vehicle in our fleet based on dozens of factors including time to pickup, courier vehicle type, as well as current temporal, weather, and traffic conditions across London and the UK.   Ø  satellite based tracking system and artificial intelligence in which customers can track their package second-by-second from dispatch to delivery online. Whether it’s a same day or overnight booking, across London or anywhere in the UK   Ø  eCourier are 50% faster than the competition Using a fleet of motorcycles, small and large vans coupled with patented software algorithms we match incoming jobs to the most appropriate vehicle in our fleet, based on lots of factors including traffic and weather conditions, available drivers, vehicle type etc.     Ø  Instant proof of delivery As soon as our courier has delivered your parcel on our same day or overnight services you will receive an instant signed proof of delivery by email, SMS or fax. Ø  Competitive and committed staff Ø  Reliable service Customers and mailroom managers alike are impressed with eCourier. Evidently, in the past year a host of high-profile businesses have converted to what is arguably the country’s fastest-growing courier business. Ben Reardon, Despatch Manager for Harrods in Knightsbridge, commented that eCourier has certainly made a big difference to them. According to him they book on line and a few minutes later the courier turns up. It’s as simple as that. They use eCourier throughout the day, mostly to deliver items for their customers. Booking on line is faster and more efficient, and it has definitely reduced their courier costs. eCourier takes 85 per cent of bookings on line while its nearest rival takes about five per cent. According to , for clients sending them hundreds of deliveries each day, costs are cut significantly and faster and more reliable services is provided. The mailroom manager at one investment bank in particular says eCourier save him and his team three hours a day because his staff never need to phone up to check the status of a delivery. Ø  Competitive pricing The average eCourier delivery charge ranges from £5 to £15, so competitive pricing is added to the benefits of accuracy and efficiency ( 2006).   Weaknesses Ø  GPS limitation eCourier uses a routing system that maps available couriers against their location and the constraint of its client’s time limitations, namely what would be viewed as an acceptable delivery window. eCourier’s drivers have been issued with palmtop computers that use the global positioning system (GPS) to record delivery locations and delivery status every 10 seconds. However, GPS has limitations. In London, it is extremely rare to get a signal from seven or eight satellites, which is the benchmark for a really good signal. There is also interference from tall buildings, and the signal isn’t powerful enough to be used indoors or under cover. Accuracy is also a problem, even though eCourier uses hardware based around the latest GPS device standard, SURF3. Opportunities Ø  Expansion to Manchester and Coventry With the rapid growth of eCourier, opportunities of expansion are viable for the company in the recent position of the company in the marketplace. Ø  Enduring commercial advantages to eCourier’s operations that help explain why it has found raising investment relatively easy. Threat Ø  Rise in oils prices With the nature of courier industry, eCourier depends on mobility. Oil prices increase becomes a threat to them since it would incur them additional costs. Ø  Environmental legislation on gas emission   PEST Analysis In UK, courier and express services are of vital importance to the efficiency and growth of the UK economy.  With UK’s geographical position which is away from the centre of continental Europe, fast and effective delivery services are essential for UK businesses involved in international trade. Despite the recent global economic slowdown, the courier and express industry had a 3% growth rate between 2001 and 2002, with a market turnover of £4.2bn in 2002. In addition, since then the courier services sector has outperformed the express logistics sector in terms of turnover growth. The demand for courier and express services is derived from businesses in the manufacturing and services industries. Therefore, the economic performance of these industries strongly affects the success of the courier and express industry. Advances in technology and the increasing use of e-commerce, combined with the courier and express sector’s commitment to investing in IT, and have cushioned the industry from the worst effects of the recent global slowdown. This is because it has been able to offer added-value services and retain key customers at the top end of the courier and logistics market. The courier services sector has been benefiting from the recent growth in demand for home deliveries generated from Internet retail sales. Rising demand for air courier services to developing economies has also boosted the sector in recent years. However, increased security measures for air freight have increased costs for the sector’s air freight operations. The express logistics sector, through its added-value services, has fared better than the road freight industry. Nonetheless, a raft of government measures to tackle environmental pollution and congestion have increased costs for the, largely road-based, express logistics sector. In the short to medium term, the courier and express industry is likely to grow steadily, in line with the rest of the UK economy. Increasing use of Internet shopping services is likely to boost demand for home deliveries. However, problems of congestion on the UK’s roads and in the skies, along with the range of new environmental controls currently being introduced for road transport, are likely to create extra costs for the industry.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

eCourier : High-Tech Courier Delivery

Nut Part 4 SWOT Analysis Strengths Ø High-Tech Courier Delivery eCourier utilizes the latest GPS technology to revolutionize same da...

Change Management: The Case of Warwick Castle

Change Management: The Case of Warwick Castle   Introduction             Management of change is a course and method which involves a precise comprehension of the need for alterations in the management and also competencies of the establishment which support change and also the course and method to execute and employ change. Warwick Castle which is a UK based company to attain organisational change strategy for the tourist destination, specifically in terms of their operations management and marketing strategy. For this kind of industry, the change plan needs a comprehension of the current status at Warwick Castle. This industry is a part of tourism and leisure industry in UK and it draws about hundreds to thousands of visitors yearly, Nonetheless, because of competency in the tourism tourist industry environment it leads to market saturation which calles for a new marketing and operational management approac.  In this regard, the current condition of the tourism economyc displays a great chance for Warwick Castle to change its management course and method. Primarily, the main goal of this paper is to explore the background to change for Warwick Castle, develop systems for comprehending and involving other individual in the change process and the consideration of strategic plan to initate change models for ensuring ongoing change. Warwick Castle UK             Warwick Castle UK is noted as one of the finest medival castles in England and now consider as one of the sought after tourist destinations.  The castle has been one of the favorites because of its historical roots and backgrounds. Nonetheless, even if the castle is well-known there are still some aspects and features which influence the current situation of this tourism industry. In this regard, the management of the casltle should be able to employ strategic transitions which will adhere to these influenceing asepcts. In addition, with their objective of attaining significant growth in earnings per share, the transformations and reforms in the castle’s present operations woult have to meet the various demands of the highly diverse segments.  While such transitions will benefit this well-recognised tourist spots, specific challenges and issues might arise.  Hence, proper management of change is needed by the company to overcome this.   Background Information             In spite of the success of the Warwick Castle in drawing hundreds and thousands of tourists to visit the tourist hub yearly, the competent tourist industry environment as well as the changing market trends leads the management of specific organisation to change specifically in terms of the leisure and recreation sector.  Warwick Castle is facing issues and problems with all the new amusement and theme park that has been established in England which creates economic losses for the company.  In order to meet such demand, Warwick Castle should introduce transitions in terms of their marketing aprpoach and its operations through a strategic management of change plan to commence in the years to come. The change requires the company to change their operations management course and method and its market strategy through market segmentation In addition, transformations such as site improvement will also be considered. Warwick Castle should also consider change for ensuring quality of the services.               The strategic management of change plan will consider a six-year design service redevelopment plan in terms of marketing course and method and operations management. For this change, the time line will be divided into three stages. The initial stage will be completed in 2010 with the consideration of new marketing aprpoach such as consideringf consumer survey to know the latest trends in the tourism industries and other information. Then the next will be the initiation of their new operations management course and method at the castle and the implementation of service quality course and method to satisfy and meet the needs of their target market.             This change plan has been considered because of the external and internal drivers of change. Accordingly, external drivers are aspects and features external of the establishment which influences business operations as well as marketing operations (Reigeluth 1994; Carlopio 1998). In the case of Warwick, there are two external drivers that influenced and advocate the strategic management of change. The first one is the changing demands of the market since the growth of the younger segments affects the current marketing course and method of the company. And the last one is the heightened competentness in the tourism and leisure market with the entry and development of other tourist spots not only in the locale of england but the entire UK and in the global market as well. Accordingly, argeting the same market segment results to the rapid saturation of the tourism and leisure market and this shows the ability of Warwick Castle to recognise key transitions to attain strategic benefits.             On the other hand, the internal drivers for this change plan are those aspects and features within the establishment which influence the change course and method (Reigeluth 1994; Carlopio 1998).  In this regard, the first internal factor which influenced the strategic management of change plan is the need to improve the market segmentation to obtain consumer satisfaction (Adler 1991) with the higher aim of retaining them. In addition, Warwick Castle needs this to ensure its competentness and secure sufficient revenue to meet the needs of their shareholders and to sustain their operating cost. Such indicates that Warwick needs to increased customer focus of Warwick Castle expressed in the strategic management of change plan.               SWOT ANALYSIS             Giving emphasis on the growth phases of the organisation and the establishment by looking its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is also relative and significant in comprehending the internal as well as external aspects and features which determine strategic management of change (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson 2003).  In this regard, the strengths should be able to support the change and moreover, the chances should be sufficient to make the transformation and reforms worth the threats and risks ahead.             Accordingly, one of the Warwick Castle’s greatest strength is in terms of its brand valie and equity.  Being part of the history, Warwick Castle were able to generate and build the tourist destination as historical, recreational site which advocates conservation of historical elements and modernising the tourist spots to meet the needs of the changing market. By merely encouraging various individuals, specifically those enthusiasts for historical matters, the theme park was able to draw the interest of various individuals and other market segements who in turn brought their families to the tourist destination.  In this regard, the further strengthening of Warwick castle’s brand equity still remains as their future strategy was actually based on the trend of the market. A weakness of Warwick Castle is its weak as well as bureaucratic strategic management aprpoaches. Accordingly, Warwick castle has been able to implement transitions even before, Nonetheless, prior to such new features considered in the last years, , Warwick Castle still remainted to be slow in terms of change management aprpoach,specifically in line with the  preparation and adjustment to transitions in the business tourist industry environment. With the entry of other tourist spots and regeneration of the old ones, Warwick Castle experienced major downturn and loses..  In addition, the board members are also experiencing transitions in the previous years having new memebrs which considers creative and innovative ideas.             In this regard, a great opportunity for the company can be considered in terms of market expansion specifically to attract international and global market through the consideration of strong and effective promotional and marketing agenda which aims on drawing the attention of the people the tourist destination based on distinctive value and historical offering such as the entire castle itself and other changes and development. For this change initiative, a threat to Warwick Castle is the rise of various alternative historical tourist sports in the global market and also other factors such as recreation including online activities and other tourist destinations. Furthermore, the cost of generating new attractions as well as services could challenge the affordable price in which Warwick Castle offers which could in turn influence its competentness relative to its closest rival markets.  Stakeholders             The strategic management of change at Warwick Castle and any other change is said to face major challenges in terms of f resistance as noted by by Fisher’s transition curve (Fisher 2000). Upon knowing the change plan and the benefits that it can give, staffs and personnel would feel anxiety because of questions on the idea of coping with the demands of such change plan.  Nonetheless, by realising the benefits staffs and personnel, the stakeholders will be glad for the enhancements. Then perceptions of fear as well as threat then  happens specifically when staffs and personnel consider the impact of the change to them such as possible curback or cost cutting or increase in their tasks which they feel incapable to do.  Depending on the response of the corporation, staffs and personnel may develop hostility to the strategic management of change or development should consider gradual acceptance before moving forward and cooperation in the strategic management of change. The people/individuials involved in the change course and method include the current staff, marketing management and board or shareholders of Warwick Castle together with other management consultants. The strategic management of change plan involves an increase in the number of staffs and personnel of the tourist destination to give efficient services for their local and international clients. The following table presents the stakeholder analysis to know which among stakeholders will have high involvement, interest, influence, significance and implications on the change process in Warwick Castle.   Table 1 Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholder Involvement in Issue Interest In Issue Influence. Power on outcome Importance to SH Impact on SH Direct Shareholders The shareholders are the main target of the change management aprpoach Medium-High Low Very Relative and significant Medium-high Staffs and personnel in marketing and operational management   They considered as a major stakeholder for this topic. High High Very Relative and significant High Top management They give financial support for the implementation of the improvement High High Very Relative and significant High Interested/Influenceed Educational institution Can help in disseminating information regarding operation management and service delivery improvement for the historical place Low Low Relative and significant Low Consumers and target market Highly influenced for the change process High High Very Relative and significant High   In this proposed strategic management of change enhancements the potential stakeholders include the shareholders of the organisation, staffs and personnel in marketing and operations management, top management, consuemrs and target market and also educational institutions. s. Accordingly, various stakeholders have varying amounts as well as type of power for this course and method, and those with the greatest influence shape a course and method from various decisions (Shafrits & Ott, 2001). It can be noted that in the case of Warwick stakeholders are being gived the outmost authority in tourism industry and market environment, like in this case the implementation of the strategic management of change course and method for the Warwick Castles. Their power and their significance are starting to obtain advantage when compared to other team memebrs. Aside from that, stakeholders give a diverse influence to both kinds of organisations and they are able to guide individuals for the achievement of goals. In this regard, the stakeholders for this strategic management of change can be considered as significant for the decision making of pursuing the new course and method used by the Warwick Castles as a tourist destination. As mentioend by Johnston & Clark (2001), the design of services considers translating the needs and demands of the stakeholders in terms of the service requirements, through the formulation of quality objectives as well as cost target, documenting specifications, refining curent services, and also developing new ones as well.  In line with this. Stakeholder analysis, the management can be able to change the new course and method used by Warwick Castles to give better service delivery to meet the needs and demands of the stakeholders and most specfically provide good income for their shareholders.   Change Model Strategic management of change method is basically referred to as the consideration of transformation in an organised mannet.  The major objective of strategic management of change method is the presentation of innovative manners as well as systems in the operations of the organisation.  In this regard, the company usually undergoes changes so as to evolve to a higher level of organisational capacities, stability, management and even enhanced market position. Establishment and organisations such as theme park or tourist destination change is part of the goal of the company to survived in the tourist market. Aside from that, strategic management of change method is relevant with with endeavouring to handle their competing demands.. It can be said that establishment and organisational change is one of the crucial and very essential and significant determinants in success or even failure of the company (Appelbaum et al 1998).  Studies have shown that the emphasis of successful Establishment and organisations such as theme park or tourist destination is on clients and target markets as well as their changin g demands, that involve investing in manners to enhance and develop market sales and enhanced service to target market (Appelbaum et al 1998).  In order to ensure that the company is able to initiate change effectively, the company must consider the most appropriate change model. For this approach, the change model for the company includes changes power-coercive and also changes in marketing and operations management. To be able for the management of Warwick Caslet to satisfy the demands of its highly diverse market segments, the management should then consider general service context would have to be established.  In this regard, the context of quality service is opted for Warwick Castle. One of the reasons why such ervice context is preferred is because of the growing competition that surrounds the historical and toursit spot. The integration of quality in the products and services of the castle can be of great benefit to the formulation of its strategies. Recent reports showed that the castle is surrounded by other historical and tourist spots that travellers and visitors go to; by means of integrating quality in the strategic change plans, the warwich caslet can be able to develop p manners and means that will make the tourist attraction to be chosen from the rest. Visitors and guests in this generation are very much after the quality of the services. Thus, the inclusion of this service context into Warwick Castle can aid and improve in obtaining high levels of tourists satisfaction.             In order to enhance the profit generation status of this tourist destination, it is essential and significant that it generates and builds a strong market position. The consideraon of quality as part of the services can then be an efficient means for brand-building. In particular, the brand speaks of how the business enterprise works and serves its clients; thus, the brand of  the company suggests the level of quality a business enterprise puts on the tourist services (Kohli & McBahn 1997). Quality service in Warwick Castle is also essential and significant so as to establish a good relation with the clients. The visitors of the castle are essential aspects o future business growth and success. Quality for Warwick Castle iis also significant as the public expects a lot from the castle’s management. As a major player in the leisure and tourism industry in UK as well as in Europe, Warwick Castle had already established a brand name. Now that tourists are considered to be more demanding in terms of quality and in meeting their needs and demands,, Warwick Castle must ascertain the quality of its services in the development of its strategies. Aforementioned, the main objective of the Warwick Castle is to acquire a growth in its earnings per share for their shareholders. To be able to attain such objective, certain transformations will have to be done in the operations of the toursit spot. Since the quality service aspects were preferred for Warwick, the four changes preferred for the case will be based on these aspects. Such changes will include change management approach, employee changes, tourist development and communication systems improvement.               For strategic management of change, the main functions will be the implementation of continuous improvement through service quality development. his strategic management for chan can be applied in Warwick by assigning appropriate management to its various business aspects and by dividing its operations to designated members and staffs. This change can aid and improve in increasing operational efficiency as it promotes employee empowerment and team organisation. .           The courteousness of the employees is also an importan factor for the change.. However, considering the amount of clients that visit the historical and tourist spot, employees that provide client’s assistance should be made more visible. This will somehow adhere to the issues in terms of queues as clients in need of assistance are directed where they intend to immediately go. This change can be done by assigning designated employees for each area and site in the castle and more employees and personnel for popular historical and tourist spots.   Conclusion             Change is a very importnat factors for the organisation to meet their target, may it be in terms of profit or the number of clients and visitors. In the case of Warwick castle, because of the growing number of tourist spots in the global market, the company is forced to consider major changes in its marketing and oeprational management approach. Hence, the management consider changes in marketing strategy, service quality and operational managment.  Based on the discussio, the company should be able to choose efficient stakeholders for  them to achieve the objective. In addition, the management should also ensure that the change goal adheres to the overall needs of the company and the result will eventually benefit the entire organisation.  The company has also been able to consider change model to ensure that the change implement adheres to the needs of the organisation and the stakeholders. Consequently, consideration of change management is important to ensure that the organisation cope with the changes in both the internal and external market.   Reference <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt"> Adler, N. J., 1991. International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. Boston, MA: Kent. </li>   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-autospace: none"> Appelbaum, S H, St. Pierre, N, & Glavas, W (1998) Strategic Organizational Change: The Role of Leadership, Learning, Motivation and Productivity. 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Change Management: The Case of Warwick Castle

Change Management: The Case of Warwick Castle Introduction Management of change is a course and method which involves...