Conclusion

In short, I have learned a lot of new things from these topics. I have learned that HRIS is really a wide used application in HR functions. It does help the HR personnel a lot in work nowadays. The works done in the past are paper-based and is manually. Today, almost every job is done by using computer. The differences between paper-based and computerized-based are paper-based is not as flexible as computerized-based work because we can change or edit information keep in the computer. Besides, we can store a lot of information in a computer than papers. Computer systems can customized the systems and share the information to all the workers in the whole organization. 

In spite of all these high technology information systems, the managers or personnel should know how to operate the systems and fully use the systems in their operation. Training should be provided to all employees so that everyone in the entity will know how the systems functions and fully utilize it.

Actually I have no deep understanding about how HRIS influence in OSH. All the references that I have currently are focus more on OSHA itself but not how information systems help OSH. All I know are about pass accidents records keeping, OSH policies, and calculating the possibilities of accidents. I will continue search for more information in order to have more examples and a wider picture of HRIS application in OSH.

            (237 words)

Web Based Compensation and Planning

Compensation planning involves modelling the costs associated with compensation and benefits. From the notes prepared by Dr. Nur Naha for this topic, I understand that HRIS can influence employees’ compensation planning. Compensation package is a competitive tool used to attract and retain employees with critical job skills, enhance motivation, and improve the quality of work life for employees. Compensation can be categorized into fixed compensation and variable compensation. While for benefits, there are defined contributions plans (DCP), defined benefits, flexible benefits and benefits statement in the notes.

Web-based compensation planning can be applied in other HR functions like job evaluation and pricing, compensation management and COBRA compliance. I have read a book on this topic in library. The book elaborates in details HRIS in compensation and benefits application. Due to job evaluation and pricing is a continual process, large amount of information including variety of compensable factors for each job and wage survey information are collected and must be analyzed. Compensation application can combine and summarize information from job evaluation interviews and studies. Systems can be used to extract wage survey data from various commercial and government data bases. Besides, the system can assist the compensation manager in balancing job worth, as determined by the score on the job, with labor market pay levels.

Compensation management is one of the most common HRIS applications. HRIS supports a major function in the organization by facilitating record keeping and generating a variety of standard and ad hoc reports. Compensation managers have to deal with many time consumed issues and decision makings including government reports. Compensation applications make these sophisticated analyses possible and provide the manager the ability to respond to the information demands of the job.

Benefit statement is a document prepared by the organization to manage employees’ pension or retirement plan. Today’s complicated benefits systems such as cafeteria benefits plans have been made possible in large part by HRIS benefits applications. These systems allow employees to customise their benefits to meet individual needs. Employees are often given a certain number of benefits credits and allowed to spend them on a menu of employer-supplied benefits. These systems require massive amount of records keeping since the potential benefit combinations are virtually unlimited. Without an HRIS such cafeteria benefit systems would be manageable.

For pay and rewards system, Mc Donald implement “pay for performance” philosophy. It means the payment will be increase as the results are becoming better. They offer base pay, short term incentives, long term incentives, recognition plans and company car programs. To provide these rewards to the employees, Mc Donald will need an information system to help it to keep the records of employees’ performance so the employers can evaluate the employees’ performance by referring to the records keep to give payment and rewards to the employees. 

                        (466 words)

References:

Kavanagh, M.J., Gueutal, H.G., and Tannenbaum, S.I. (1990). Human Resource Information Systems: Development and Application. Part III, Chapter 9, pp. 254-262. Massachusetts: PWS-KENT Publishing Company.

Kavanagh, M.J., Thite, M., and Johnson, R.D. (2011). Second Edition Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions. Chapter 14, pp. 457-473. SAGE Publication.

Mc Donald Pay & Rewards, retrieved from McDonald portal website: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/corporate_careers/benefits/highlights_of_what_we_offer/pay_and_rewards.html

Compensation Management at McDonald, retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/49241499/Compensation-Management-at-Mcdonald

Veal, E.T. (2012). Slips of the Pen: When and How May ERISA Plans Correct Scrivener’s Errors? Compensation Planning Journal: Tax Management. Pp. 1-7.

Web-based Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

             From my understandings about this topic, web-based system can assists OSH in keeping the records of past accidents happened in the workplace, the victims and injuries, prevention methods, organizational safety and health act (OSHA), total of workers, types of services and possibilities of exposure to hazard situations and more. By referring to the past workplace accidents records, the management of OSH team can identify and predict which areas have higher accidents possibilities.

As we know, workers are easily exposed to dangerous situations while working, such as spoilt or explosion of chemical substances in the factories or labs, defection of machine in manufacturing factories, fire, construction site, expose to computer for a long period, robbery, and more. Therefore, OSHA helps to reduce these accidents by setting the general industry standards, maritime standards, construction standards, other regulations and procedures, and issues a field operation manual.

It is not only the employers’ responsibility to provide a safety and healthy workplace for the employees, the employees must comply to the act too. Employees should report to employers any occupational injuries and illnesses. These incidents should then be record as a reference for future precautions. Employers should refer to these records and try to do something to avoid the accidents. For example, if there are a few employees reported falling injuries due to the water leakage at the ceiling in their department, employers should hire someone to fix the leakage problem.

The web-based tools that can assists OSH including setting up security system, crime prevention plan, digital technologies and so on. For example, in a science lab, OSH rules and regulations will include wearing appropriate attires, accurate procedures of using tools and equipments, emergency floor plan and more. All these rules will be record in the organization safety online system where the entire entity can always go through it easily.

The additional article reading discusses about the involvement of employees in improving the workplace safety and health. There are four stages to ensure that the employees are committed to improve workplace safety conditions. Firstly, employers should assess the organization for commitment to new project by surveying the employees for their readiness and safety attitudes towards Employment Involvement (EI). Secondly, select and train the suitable committees and facilitators to develop and plan supportive management climate. Next, formulate and implement the proposals and then measure and monitor the progress.                                                                                                                       (392 words)

References:

Bahrin, J.S., Sajahan, M.H., and Hamad, M.N. (2004). Emergency Response Programme in The Petrochemical Industry in Malaysia. Journal of Occupational Safety and Health. Vol.1 No.1, pp. 32-37.

Taylor, G., Easter, K., and Hegney, R. (2004). Enhancing Occupational Safety and Health. Chapter 2: Safety Management and Chapter 14: Health and Safety Management Systems. London: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Reese, C.D. (2009). Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services. Chapter 6: Safety and Health Management. New York: CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group.

Tompkins, N.C. (2006). A Manager’s Guide to OSHA Revised Edition: What Every Manager Should Know. Part 1: Monitoring Injury and Illness. Boston: Thomson NETg.

Erikson, P.A. (1996). Practical Guide to Occupational Health and Safety. Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Elsevier Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780750671279

Web Based Employee Learning and Development (ELD)

            I have learned how web-based technology aids in employee learning and development (ELD) system in the past few weeks. As we know, it is very important that employees know the progression of their work performance so they will have chance to correct their mistakes and upgrade their performance.

During the class, Dr, Nur Naha mentioned about the American Society for Training and Development), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Great Lake Consortium (GLC) which are the three world’s largest associations that focus on workplace learning and development. These three associations are responsible to provide resources required by the professionals, students, and educators.

From my understanding, the process ELD system goes like; the organization will firstly plan and observe their employees’ training, career development and performance. Next, the organization know about the employees’ performance and have the plan for their development, the management can analyze the employee career development. After the analysis, the management can recommend a training program and periodic performance appraisal for the employees to improve themselves. The training program conducted will then be assessed its effectiveness.

One of the examples that I am familiar with is the e-PPP system that is using by University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). E-PPP is a system for the students to rate their lecturers’ teaching performance in the class. During the end every semester, every student in UTM is required to fill up an online form to evaluate their lecturers’ teaching performance by using likert scale for different aspects. The students’ identities will be kept confidential throughout the rating period. After the rating period, the marks for each lecturer will be calculated by the system itself and the results will be sent to each lecturer’s account. The lecturers can view their grades in different aspects. According to the standards set by the university, the lecturers will know they are strong in which areas and which areas they need to improve. They can quickly plan for their remedial plans to overcome their shortcomings.

The components of ELD systems including employee personal information, performance before training (current performance), training courses attended and about to attend, training transfer and program evaluation. So does the e-PPP system. The system contains each lecturer’s general and education background, previous KPI and courses attended. Lecturers can know their performance progression whether have improved as compared to the past records.

                                                                                                            (390 words)

References:

Information about ASTD from ASTD portal website, retrieved from: http://www.astd.org/About

Information about CIPD from CIPD portal website, retrieved from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/about-us/

Information about GLC from GLC portal website, retrieved from: http://www.glcbusinessservices.com/picture_yourself.asp

Kavanagh, M.J., Gueutal, H.G., and Tannenbaum, S.I. (1990). Human Resource Information Systems: Development and Application. Part III, Chapter 8, pp199-249. Massachusetts: PWS-KENT Publishing Company.

Kavanagh, M.J., Thite, M., and Johnson, R.D. (2011). Second Edition Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions. Chapter 13, pp. 409-438. SAGE Publication.

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

            In conclusion, I realise that there are many types of human resources information systems and these systems have contribute success to many organizations in the world. Information systems can help the organization to save time, cost, and energy in their operations and managements. These systems have provided a large database inventory for the organizations to store and maintain all the information.

            Based on the examples that I used for the three topics, I have deeper understanding on how the systems have transformed the way a company manages its human resource functions. However, not every organization turns out to be successful after implementing the information systems in their operations; it is all depend on how well the organization can utilize it. Therefore, in order to fully utilize these systems, it is important that the management of the organizations to deeply understand how the systems work and how the systems match with the organizations’ objectives.

(Total 153 words).

Performance Management System

Blog 3: Performance Management System

            Performance management (PM) system is an internal organization system which the organization used to manage its employees’ work performance. The system usually will link to the rewards, compensation, payroll, staffing, training and development, and career development processes. In order to get deeper understanding on how the system impacts the company, I have decided to use McDonalds as my example.

            According to McDonalds, PM is the process the managers ensure that their employees’ activities and outputs are consistent with the organization’s goals. It is a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams and aligning performance with the strategic goals of the organization.

            In order to drive high performance culture, McDonalds has designed the Performance Development System (PDS). This system helps to align individual performance goals with the business. Performance evaluations are based on ‘what gets done’ and ‘how it gets done’. The distribution of rewards is based on the employees’ individual performance. The process of performance management in McDonalds starts from developing Individual Performance Plan (IPP). During this stage, the managers will work with the employees to create a IPP to line up their objectives with the business objective for the coming year. The objective should be ‘SMART’ and the employees are responsible for meeting their objectives and documenting their achievements. Next is Individual Development Plan (IDP). IDP focuses on the employee’s job scopes and leadership competencies so that they can success in their current position and future positions. The IDP also recognizes the employees’ career aspirations. After IDP, a midyear review will take place at the end of July each year for the employees and managers to review their year to date performance. Besides, the employees and managers will revise their annual goals based on shifting business priorities.

            The next stage is Year-End Review. The employees submit their accomplishments to their managers during a face-to-face discussion around what the employee has done (75% weighting) and how the employee has done it (25% weighting). Then, the manager will present the employee’s accomplishments at the calibration roundtable and rewards are distributed. Based on the employee’s overall performance, the manager will assess the employee’s readiness for promotion.

            With PDS, in 2007, McDonalds is delivering its strongest business results in the last 30 years. PDS has enabled this success by ensuring individual performance goals are congruent with the business strategy. In 2007, McDonalds’s sales have increased by 40%, and they also experienced an increase of $6 billion in revenues.

(Total 411 words)

References:

1.      Levensaler, L. (October 2007). Driving a High-Performance Culture. McDonald’s Leverages Its Global Performance Management Practices. Bersin and Associates.

2.      Aguinis, K. (2007). Performance Management. Performance Management and Reward Systems in Context, Pearson Prentice Hall.

3.      Kramar, Bartam, et al. (2010). Performance Management. Human Resource Management in Australia, Ed 4, McGraw Hill.

4.      Charles H.F and Renato E.N. (2012). Performance Management, Compensation, Benefits , Payroll, and the Human Resource Information System. Human Resource Information Systems, Second edition, Chapter 14, pp 447.

5.      McDonalds corporate website 2011, http://mcdonalds.com.au/about-us/responsibility

Human Resource Recruiting and Staffing

Blog 2: Human Resource Recruiting and Staffing

            Recruitment is the process to get the right person at the right position in an organization. As compared to those days where people search through newspapers, magazines, or mass media for job vacancies, nowadays, people usually just browse through the internet for it. We can directly search the portal website of a company that we want to work in or search the online job vacancies websites like JobStreet or AsiaPartTime and all the qualifications and job specifications are listed there. Therefore, many organizations started to use online recruiting and staffing tools to help them to hire the best quality employees. These web-based recruitment systems can help the organization to reduce the cost of filling the job opening, increase the speed of filling job vacancies, and also to hire diversity of potential applicants.

            For example, Maybank uses myCareer e-recruitment as its online resource tool for potential candidates to apply for career opportunitis in Maybank group or to maintain their CVs in the Talent Pool. This e-recruitment module has made the job opportunities within the Maybank Group visible to all external candidates. HR Managers within the Maybank Group will access to the personal data of the applicants. Short-listed profiles will then be forwarded to the relevant Line Managers for further consideration and then an automatic online reply will be sent to the chosen candidates for face-to-face interview.

            Moreover, this system enables Maybank to collect and retain the applicants’ information and also to secure their personal data for the purposes of administering and managing applicants’ registration, operating and improving the web site. The myCareer system of Maybank not only allow the management to store data, applicants can keep their CV in Maybank e-Recruitment database too. They can keep their CVs in 2 ways: allow it to be searchable by the managers or not. If the applicants are not yet ready for the job application, they can just keep their CVs in the database which is not accessible by the managers. The applicants can always update or delete their information in the system.

            Another example of HRIS in recruitment and selection tools is Applicant Tracking System which helps to screen for candidates according to the qualifications set by the companies. This system can reduce the screening cycle period when there are too many job applicants in one session. However, in order to well utilize the information systems in the recruitment process, managers have to fully understand how the information systems work and ensure that it congruent to companies’ objectives.

(Total 415 words)

References:

1.      1. Kimberly, M.L., et al. (2012). Recruitment and Selection in an Internet Context. Human Resource Information Systems, 2^nd edition, Chapter 12, pp 370-385.

2.      2. Simon, S.D. (2010). Picking the Best Apple: Selection Tools for Recruitment. 

3.      3. Braddy, P.W. , Meade, A.W., and Kroustalis, C.M. (2008). Online recruiting: The effects of organizational familiarity, website usability, and website attractiveness on viewers’ impressions of organizations. Computers in Human Behavior, 24, 2992-3001.

4.      4. Maybank Data Privacy Statement for myCareer e-Recruitment website:
http://mycareer.maybank.com.my/sap(bD1lbiZjPTgxMA==)/bc/bsp/sap/z_bsp_erc_l dpg/zPrivacy_Statement.htm

5. Maybank myCareer FAQs website: http://mycareer.maybank.com.my/sap(bD1lbiZjPTgxMA==)/bc/bsp/sap/z_bsp_erc_lndpg/zfaqs.htm 

Information and Competitive Advantages

Blog 1 : Information and Competitive Advantages

Organizations always seek for competitive advantages in an industry in order to take over competitors in some measures such as cost, quality, or speed as it can determine the success or failure of a company (Porter and Millar, 1985 and Porter, 1996). Hence, a strategic information system can help the organizations to gain competitive advantage through its contribution to the organizations’ strategic goals and its ability to significantly increase the organizations’ performances and productivities.

            Cost leadership, differentiation strategy, innovation strategy, and alliance strategy are the five competitive strategies commonly practice by the organization to gain competitive advantages. I will take Air Asia as my example. Cost leadership means produce products or services at the lowest price in the industry by increasing the prices of competitors and helping customers or suppliers to reduce their costs. Air Asia has been known as the low cost carrier airline in the world. It has less management level, effective, focused, and aggressive management. It also uses single type fleet to minimize its maintenance fee and easy for pilot dispatch.

            Secondly, differentiation strategy means the firm differentiates its products or services from its competitors. It usually focuses on a particular segment of its market. For example, Air Asia differentiates its business from the traditional Low Cost Carrier model by adding customer services or operation as full service airline with low fare.

            Next, innovative strategy means that the firm produces unique products or services which bring radical changes to the business processes. For example, Air Asia offering a wide and innovative range of distribution channels to make booking and travelling easier. Customers can book their air tickets through Air Asia official websites, during Matta Fair, or at any Air Asia kiosk in the shopping complexes.

            Furthermore, growth strategy helps o obtain competitive advantages too. It enables the companies to expand their capacity to produce, expand their business into global markets and diversify into new products or services. For example, Air Asia is using the Computer Reservation System (CRS) suit powered by Navitaire’s Open Skies technology to facilitate its reservation and inventory system. This has satisfied the needs of AirAsia in implementing a low-cost business model to transform the business process to efficiently streamline its operations and helped AirAsia to grow from 2 million passengers to 7.7 millionpassengers in less than two years (Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia).

            Lastly, AirAsia also uses alliance strategy to gain its competitive advantages. I found a news article reported in Singapore on Business Times, titled: AirAsia-Expedia alliance to tap Asia travel mart (Monday, October 22, 2012). Under the alliance, passengers can also book AirAsia and AirAsia X flights on the Expedia website. This partnership will give Expedia exclusive third-party distribution rights for AirAsia and AirAsiaX flights and travel packages, giving the carrier a wider distribution reach.

(Total 463 words)

References:

1.     1. Mahmood Hemmatfar, Mahdi Salehi, and Marziyeh Bayat. (2010). Competitive Advantages and Strategic Information Systems. International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 5, No. 7, pp. 162.

2.      2. Strategic Information Systems for Competitive Advantage. IT in the Organization, Part 1, Chapter 3, pp. 92.

3.      3. Pui Man, W. (2009). Project Studies – Enabling Technology in Airline Industry. Professional Diploma Program in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. AirAsia.com, pp. 4, 7, 8, and 10.

4.      4. Sandy, H.A. (10 April, 2005). Might of Air Asia: Internal Analysis perspective. Strategic Management Individual Assignment. Melbourne, Faculty of Economics and Commerce, University of Melbourne.

5. News at Btimes website: http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/aaexpedia/Article/index_html  

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

            Optimistic, calm, confident, stubborn, and indecisive are best describing me. I usually spend my time listening to music, movies, and sports. I dream to travel to Europe, Taiwan and Hong Kong. I am still ambiguous in choosing my career path for my future but I would like to specialize in one field. I chose Human Resource Development as my undergraduate course because there is not much choice offered by the local universities for art courses. I am not really interested to work in company. However, when time comes, I’ll just suit myself with the trend. 

            I am very glad that throughout the past 2 years, I have learnt a lot of knowledge and skills including how to conduct a training session in this course. I am looking forward to learn more new things before I step into the world of working. This can help me to become more competitive in the job market.

(Total 152 words)