total quality management and job satisfaction in multinational company
169324662
The Nexus Between Total Quality Management, Job Satisfaction And Employee Work Engagement In The Food And Beverage Multinational Company In Nigeria
Adopting total quality management (TQM) program in an organisation may have consequences not only for organisational outcomes but also for employee work behaviour. Therefore, this study investigates the conceptual and empirical link between TQM practices, job satisfaction, and employee work engagement. Cross sectional survey design, quota, proportionate and simple random sampling were used to draw 300 participants from the study population, out of which 190 responded and n 183(61% usable responses to the questionnaire designed for the purpose from employees of a food and beverage multinational company in Lagos metropolis were obtained. Regression and correlation analyses were used to analyse the study data. Significant positive relationship was found between dimensions of TQM practices (leadership and management support, employee participation, training, reward and recognition, and customer focus) job satisfaction and employee work engagement. After controlling for sex, age and experience, job satisfaction and TQM practices construct jointly and independently predicted employee work engagement. Also, job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between TQM practices and work engagement. The implications of soft TQM implementation on employee job satisfaction for achieving highly engaged workforce are discussed.
Olaoluwa J Oluwafemi Samuel Essien Okon
149918977
The Effects of Total Quality Management as Teaching Innovation and Job Satisfaction on Academic Performance of Students in Pakistan
This conceptual paper focuses on the effects of total quality management on students' academic achievement of secondary school students in Pakistan with teaching innovation and job satisfactions. Generally, teaching innovation as part of total quality management is considered as the most important factor in education system. Even though teaching method is an issue in students' academic performance, teachers' capacity building has remained a contested issue in Pakistan. There is a remarkable gap in the provision of quality teachers and students performance in Pakistan; this is as a result of unqualified teachers in the schools. Therefore, this paper discusses the effect of learner centred method of teaching as innovation on students' performance and the influence of teacher capacity development as a factor in academic attainment of the school researches have shown that improvement in teaching methods and little spending on teachers' development training are associated to increase in school achievements.
Waqas Mahmood Siti Noor Ismail
58889600
A CANONICAL ANALYSIS ON THE RELATION BETWEEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND JOB SATISFACTION IN HOSPITALS (CASE STUDY: IMAM REZA HOSPITAL)
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relation between information technology and total quality management and organizational efficiency and job satisfaction. The population of the present study is consisted of the entire employees of Urmiya's Imam Reza Hospital as 260 individuals. By implementing the Cochran formula the size of the sample was determined as 159 individuals. For data collection a questionnaire developed by the author was implemented. Validity of the questionnaires was determined by management professors and respectively the reliability was also determined through Cronbach's alpha. For data analysis, canonical correlation technic and multivariate regression test are used. Results of data's canonical correlation analyses revealed that there is a 99percent assured significant relation among information technology, total quality management and organizational efficiency and job satisfaction (R 2 c=0. 71) On the other hand, regression results indicated that information technology and total quality management are appropriate anticipants for job satisfaction and organizational efficiency. The redundancy coefficient for explanation of variance of the variables of first set (organizational efficiency and job satisfaction) by the second set (information technology and total quality management) is equal to sixty three percent. Also redundancy coefficient of the second set by first set was calculated as fifty three percent.
Mohammad Saeedi Mehran Molavi
169224996
Total Quality Management Its Impact on the Performance of Educational Institutions
The study aimed to Definition the total quality management and its impact on the performance of education institutions in the University of Samarra This study was based on the analytical descriptive approach, which was composed of the top management and middle administration of the university. The study sample was 52 individual. It found a set of results of which, there is a statistically significant effect of total quality management on the performance of education institutions in the University of Samarra. Based on the findings of the study were presented a set of recommendations was the most prominent of the permanent work on the dissemination of comprehensive quality culture at the University, Engaging employees in the process of strategic planning for quality and benefit from their experience in the field of the application of total quality management. KeywordsTotal quality management, Institutional performance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, educational institutions INTRODUCTION oday, institutions are living in various types, especially educational ones, in an environment characterized by dynamism, rapid economic transformation, and technological development, University education has experienced a significant change in recent years by registering a remarkable growth in terms of the student's number enrolled in universities and the number of professors. as well as, the expansion of the number of universities and colleges (Al Khatib,2006) Which had a great impact in the search for everything new And modern to organize the quality management of universities and educational institutions (Al Samarrai and AlNasser, 2012) This is Prompting the institutions of higher education to apply the standards and procedures of total quality management and to keep pace with the scientific development in various fields in order to obtain the standards of academic accreditation in university education and its application to the administrative aspects in order to provide the best service for internal and external audiences (Al Mamouri, 2015) Modern organizations have to achieve total quality in a rapidly changing and highly competitive world of service delivery. Accordingly, these institutions are no longer immune from the face of multiple and diverse challenges but have become a restriction on their performance. Sometimes these restrictions turn into threats in the event of an inability to adapt to (Abu Fara, 2006) Total quality management has become an entry point for a change of organizations and a target for most institutions, including education. As a result, the total quality, which is considered by many organizations as a successful means of bringing about radical developments in the philosophy of quality management and the participation of all participated parties within the organization to face risks and threats (Kayani, 2012) studies and researchers published in the field of total quality have confirmed that there is an interest in the issue of total quality in the education sector. Increasingly, this concern with the growing awareness of the importance of this approach and the important role played by the total quality management in the provision of quality education services when applied effectively (Kerr, 2011) the importance of this study Where is the concept of total quality of modern application topics in the global institutions of higher education field (Al Mamouri, 2015) So this study came in order to contribute to providing Iraqi universities with a new field study on the reality of the application of total quality management at the University of Samarra There is a growing interest in the content of total quality management applications in universities around the world. However, we did not find the concept of total quality in Iraqi universities. In addition to the very slow in its application at the university in question. This is noted by the researcher through field survey of the university under study. also, The researcher identified the problem of the study Through the recommendations and objectives of previous studies Including (fram, 1995) (Mustafa, 1997) (Hilali, 1998) (Nagy, 1998) Gandhi,2015) and (couch, 1997) so this study came to know the impact of the application of total quality management in the performance of educational institutions and in terms of administrative aspects, Therefore, the search problem can be limited by answering the main question " Total quality Management impact the performance of educational institutions a field study of opinions top management middle management at the university of samarra" T International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 8, Issue 8, August 2018 240 ISSN 2250 3153 http:/dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.8.8.2018.p8029 www.ijsrp.org CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK total quality managementHas acquired the concept of total quality management increasing interest by academics in our time today. As well as being one of the contemporary entrances of business organizations And one of the tools of success and continuation of those organizations. total quality is described as an inherent and comprehensive belief in the leadership and operational style of the organization. With the aim of continuously improving long term performance by focusing on the requirements and expectations of customers, shareholders and all other stakeholders (Al Azzawi, 2005) total quality management is an integrated philosophy based on customer satisfaction as the most important goal of the organization in the long term. Through a sharing responsibility between management and staff to pursue continuous improvement of all activities and at all levels of the organization. Which requires constant commitment and strong support from top management to ensure quality in all its aspects and from all sections of the organization (AlSaman and Saleh, 2005) as an organized methodology that ensures the conduct of activities that have been planned in advance, It is the optimal method that helps to prevent and avoid problems by motivation and encourage administrative and organizational behavior in the optimal performance and use of human and material resources efficiently and effectively (alnhway, 2013) A number of studies have contributed to enhancing the current study orientation on About Total Quality Management including "Total Quality Management and its impact on improving financial performance " (aldaeasu, 2010) A practical study in a sample of Jordanian commercial banks" pointed Study "The impact of Total Quality Management practices on competitive advantage and organizational performance"(Munizu, 2013) including The study " the impact of Total Quality Management on the running performance of South Korean companies"(Kouame,2017) The researcher found the current study in harmony with the study " Transnational education and total quality management a stakeholder centered model "(Shams, 2017) also The study " The impact of total quality management on service company performance evidence from Spain"(Psomas and Jaca 2016) And the study " Total quality management performance in multinational companies A learning perspective " (Jimenez el.at,2015) Strategic Planningis one of the most important dimensions of Total Quality Management (Jawad, 2010) Where the strategic plan is developed by the Quality Council With the possibility of adaptation and coexistence with this change the application of Total Quality Management and the course that the institution will pursue in order to achieve what it wants from the goals (krdi, 2011) that strategic planning is the first step to reach total quality Educational institutions that seek to achieve using this type of planning and Contributions to decision making and educates leaders about their goals and determinates the means to achieve them (Fawzi, 2017) Employee participationEmployee participation is a cornerstone of total quality that motivates and encourages Employees to articulate their ideas, and give them sufficient flexibility in their work. They are in fact working directly and they have practical and realistic ideas must take advantage of the optimization processes and solving problems. The introduction of any change must be through them, and therefore the question of integrating them into all operational matters is imperative, necessary and indispensable (Lleo et al. 2017) The human resource is an important part of the total quality of being who will take the leadership process .Therefore, it must be treated as a partner, not as subordinate, and this will deepen loyalty and belong to the organization also create a spirit of creativity, innovation, achieve job satisfaction which in turn will improve performance, achieve total quality (qadat ,2012) Participation is a process of mental and emotional interaction with working groups mobilizing the necessary efforts and energies to achieve the objectives of the Corporation (Irawanto, 2015) Continuous developmentIt has become the continuous improvement and development of permanent core features of total quality management process Using different methods and means of certified and innovative. It is a comparison of reference of the most efficient methods to activate the development and improvement approach (Mamouri 2015) The quality management program is based on continuous development efforts, and that opportunities for improvement do not end no matter how efficient and effective performance. The level of quality that satisfies the desires and expectations of beneficiaries is constantly changing so, the quality of the service provided is continuously improved and developed to achieve the desired goal (Akbar and Hosseinpour, 2016) Performance evaluation The performance evaluation process is essential for Total Quality Management because it's important to give sufficient information about the performance performed by the employees Through feedback this in role will moti
Ahmed AbdulSalam Ahmed Al-Salim
169578449
A Successful Lean Implementation in a Sport Equipment Manufacturer in the United States of America
Abstract: The Company that is studied in this research paper was acquired a few years ago. Unless the company achieves dramatic improvement in productivity and quality, the parent company will have no choice, but to relocate the plant to a lower cost region. Results show that giving workers a voice does more than boosting their ego it seems to improve their perception of increased job security. Findings also show that supervisory support enhanced career satisfaction and effort reward fairness. Although top management support is not related to career satisfaction and effort reward fairness, it does enhance the perception of increased job security for the staff employees. Finally, organizational support may have enhanced employees' perception of increased job security, more effort reward fairness and lastly job satisfaction. Keywords: Lean production, job security, effort reward equity, job satisfaction INTRODUCTION The future of manufacturing in the United States and other advanced industrial countries depends on the ability to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity output per employee while continuously improving quality to meet rising customer expectations. In other words, survival in the competitive global economy requires skillful deployment of scarce resources and many manufacturing firms have moved towards "leaner" operations. Achieving this objective is challenging under any circumstances, but doing so in an organization whose employees and culture have been shaped by traditional work habits is doubly difficult. Overcoming resistance to change requires effective application of human relations and organizational development know how along with skill in the technical aspects of operations management and process improvement. The track record of firms that have made this transition from a traditional to a new method of working can be instructive to organizations that seek to embrace competition with the full engagement of its employees rather than retreating from it. This study provides evidence on the employee's response to the implementation of a lean practice in a manufacturing plant. The firm in this field study is a well respected manufacturer that had created a pre eminent consumer brand. Nevertheless, acquisition of the business located in a highly unionized region of the Eastern United States by a major multinational company put the firm's strategy into bleak perspective. That is, unless the new management team brought in by the new owners could achieve dramatic improvements in both productivity and quality, the parent company would have no choice but to shut down the plant, relocating to a lower cost region and causing the loss of over 700 jobs in an area already suffering from the effects of extensive deindustrialization. This energized the management team with the mission to "save the plant" and demonstrate that a high seniority, unionized workforce could be taught the techniques of lean production and motivated to get behind a comprehensive program of organizational change. The initiative to transform the organization officially began in with the kickoff of a total employee involvement meeting. Within two years, the entire team employees and managers received an achievement award, in recognition for their dedication to the continuous improvement through collaboration and mutual support. In less than 5 years after its initial implementation of "lean" the firm was on its way to becoming a World Class "Best Practices" Manufacturer. Among the key metrics standing behind this achievement were (1) Customer returns decreased by 84% Production cycles reduced from 21 to 5 days Finished goods inventory reduced by $10,000,000 Order lead times for custom products reduced by 44% Employee grievances reduced by 42% Accidents claims down 23.5% with a $400,000 savings in Workers Compensation Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste with savings rising from $3,000,000 in 2006 to $9,300,000 in 2007 In the quest for continuous improvement, the authors of this paper were invited to conduct a study to further understand the perception of the employees.
Khim Ling Sim Anthony P Curatola John West Rogers A Banerjee
153027277
Exploring Employee Relations
Chapter 1. Employee relations and the employment relationship. Definitions of employee relations The employment relationship A psychological contract? Interests and expectations. Forms of attachment, compliance and commitment Compliance Commitment Conflict, cooperation and perspectives Unitarism Pluralism Radical/Marxist A legal contract and the relevance of ideology The quality of employee relations An industrial relations system Processes Criticisms of the Dunlop model A framework for studying employee relations Chapter summary Chapter 2. The nature of work Introduction Taylorism scientific management Fordism Disadvantages of Fordism and the emergence of Post Fordism Flexible Specialisation. The flexible firm Other competitive production strategies Job re design and the search for commitment, flexibility and quality Commitment, intrinsic satisfaction, involvement and functional flexibility Japanization? Quality, involvement and commitment as competitive advantage The quality circle Team Working Total Quality Management (TQM) Just in Time (JIT) Incidence and impact of the new production strategies [en] perceptions and Conclusions Chapter summary. Chapter 3 Globalization, multinational corporations and employee relations. Introduction Globalization Multinational corporations Definition Scale and nature of multinational activity and FDI FDI advantages and disadvantages MNC approaches to the management of employee relations MNCs and the trade unions International trade union organization Global organizations The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) International regulation and control of MNC activities The International Labour Organization (ILO) Chapter summary. Chapter 4 The European Union Introduction History and membership of the EU Institutions The Commission. The Council of the European Union The Parliament. The social partners Legislative forms Decision making processes Subsidiarity Social Policy The social dimension The Social Charter. Different traditions and systems. Social Policy The Treaties. Competence. Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the Union Main initiatives Employee participation Collective Redundancies The Transfers of Undertakings. The European Works Council Directive 94/45/EC Information and Consultation at a National Level. Council Directive 2001/86/EC Statute for a European Company. Financial participation The Organisation of working time. Equality Article 13 Directives. Genuine Occupational Requirements and other exceptions. Positive action. Directive 97/81/EC on Part Time Work Directive 1999/70/EC on Fixed term work Directive on Parental Leave (96/34) Equal Pay. The Europeanisation of social protection and employee relations. Chapter summary. Chapter 5 The Role of Government. Introduction Ideologies and political approaches Liberalism. Corporatism Government and the economy. Keynesian approaches. Monetarism. The UK Government as legislator and the legal context. The legislative context in the UK. The Individual Employment relationship. Trades unions and collective processes. Trade unions. Trade union members. Information and consultation. Industrial action. The law on Discrimination and Equality. Government as employer. The UK. Pre 1979. Post 1979 The state and dispute resolution. ACAS Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service Chapter summary. Chapter 6. Demography, labour force and market characteristics and trends. Introduction Demography Labour force participation By gender Age group Part time work Unemployment By gender Age group Long term unemployment Employment by Sector Factors influencing Female Participation Labour force participation and unemployment by educational attainment. Chapter summary. Chapter 7 Trade unions Introduction Definitions Why trade unions and why do people join? The objectives of trade unions Factors influencing objectives/ orientation Trade union structure Internal government and democracy Trade union membership Problems of measurement Reasons for variations Trade union recognition Challenges and responses Chapter summary Chapter 8 Managing employee relations. Introduction HRM What is it? HRM and implications for employee relations Management's objectives Managerial style(s) Criticisms and developments Managing with or without unions? Employee Involvement and the pursuit of employee commitment. Chapter summary Chapter 9 Employee relations processes. Introduction Employee participation Forms and paradigms. Continuum of participation Which decisions? Collective bargaining Scope Level Joint consultation Bargaining power. Chapter summary Chapter 10 Employee relations procedures. Introduction Procedures what are they and why have them? Disciplinary procedures Rules Procedure Issues and considerations Stages and warnings, number and type Records Disciplinary Procedures and the law in the UK Grievance procedures and handling Definitions Issues and considerations Subject matter coverage/jurisdiction of the procedure Information and representation Stages Time limits Grievance handling Negotiation The hearing/interview Records Grievance procedures and the law in the UK Chapter summary. Chapter 11 Current issues and future trends. ion and participation Employment law Human resource strategy
Mike Leat
33993196
Radiology Employees 'Quality of Work Life in Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals' Radiology Departments
Dear Editor, In looking at Iranian healthcare organizations, one major problem is evident: "lack of strategic human resource management" There may live several factors that result this lack of interest or know how practice of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) Lack of SHRM in Iran might be the result of management definitions and methodologies that have been developed and used in Iran by delay because of their non local origin. Strategic human resource has been used to formulate different models which have not considered uniqueness of the Iranian settings. It is well understood that human resource planning is a long term process that needs long term perspective and planning. The other side of this perspective exists in the current situation of Iran, a certain number of practitioners think that human resource planning is a short term operational program, not a significant power for their strategic plans. It is concluded that if there is a suitable strategy for human resource, designing systems, training, remuneration, promotion and employees' development, an optimal profitability as well as an expert base for long term sustainability could be achieved. In the field of SHRM in Iran, its strategic function has not been considered and implemented by managers; it still is a personal management approach, dealing mainly with administrative functions. However, with the emergence of international co operations and the entrance of multinational corporations, the need and importance of HRM is being felt more in Iranian healthcare organizations [1] One of the most important HRM factors is the Quality of Work Life (QWL) an umbrella term including many concepts. Consequently, concentrating merely on wages or management style, defined as job characteristics, is an inadequate approach for QWL assessment. Although job satisfaction is not QWL, perception of QWL is often assessed using job satisfaction surveys. Previous studies have shown that low job satisfaction is a major cause of turnover among healthcare providers [2] A good employer knows the fact that employees have lives before and after work leading subsequently to creating trust and loyalty among employees, causing peacefulness for both employer and employee and a higher quality world [3] Companies with high quality of work life can also enjoy exceptional growth and profitability [4] In healthcare organizations, QWL has been described as referring to strengths and weaknesses in total work environment [5] The attitudes and behaviors of healthcare workers have a crucial role on the delivery of high quality medical care requiring more analysis of employees programs designed for hospital employees [6] Therefore, the work (task) performed and the supervision received by radiology directors (relationship with supervisor) the opportunity for career advancement, job security, adequate staffing and job stress as QWL factors are significantly related to job satisfaction and productivity [7][8] QWL in Iranian Radiology Employees A cross sectional, descriptive study was conducted by the author among 170 radiology technologists and technicians in Radiology Departments of Teaching Hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) from 2009 to 2010. Respondents were asked to express their attitudes about a range of key factors as the most important issues impacting their QWL. The results of our research showed that most of the Iranian radiology employees were unsatisfied with their lack of job security, job environment and employees retention, career advancement, organizational reward system, job service training, occupational health, especially radiation safety regulations in the radiology departments, lack of clear organizational goals and human relations considerations, job diversity, work overload, job assessment procedure and lack of their participation in organizational decision making. Implementation of SHRM for TUMS Radiology Employees By considering the different levels of problems in implementing the human resource management area, the best recommended way is to apply the Excellence Model of European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) for the systematic implementation of SHRM in TUMS Radiology Departments. This model needs to cover different areas, while it is suited to the cultural characteristics of the country and organization. Based on this excellence model, the result of such approach may be measured through the employees' survey results. In this part, the organization management team will measure how effective their training is. If satisfying results are not obtained, new methods could be performed. For instance, considering an award or promotion for innovative, practical ideas. It seems the concept of HRM in Iranian healthcare organizations that have understood the importance of HRM is new, going back to four or five years. Currently, the trend is more toward strategic human resource management and there is hope in the future that the employees get the greatest benefit from their most valuable asset of their organization. We believe that most of TUMS Radiology Department employees are dissatisfied with most of their QWL factors. Although we think low QWL is a huge problem in most countries, it is more unsatisfactory in Iran. We recommend that radiology care policy makers and leaders should make substantial investments in the development of human resource management by preparing strategic planning based on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis and enhancing three model of EFQM in their sector.
Iranian journal of radiology a quarterly journal published by the Iranian Radiological Society
Hussein Dargahi
151920909
Exploring the Dimensions of Performance Appraisal System in Private Ceramic Tiles Companies in India
Appraisal of the employees is undoubtedly necessity at a continuing basis during the working life. It is very desirable, useful and constantly being done. The HR department is responsible for fixing the qualities and characteristics to be rated in determining appraisal of employees. It is to prescribe the appropriate procedure for performance appraisal. Performance appraisal is very important in planning for the employees' training and development and in assessing their relative strengths and weaknesses. It is the right tool to assess the employee which justifies the selection of a particular employee, training and promotion exercises. The career prospects of employees depend largely on their appraisals. In case of small scale enterprises employee's performance may be evaluated by the superiors or foremen. But in multinational companies, formal systems of performance appraisal are required for a rational judgment of employees' efficiency, performance and capacity. The issues like clarity of performance goals and standards, appropriate resources, guidance and support from management are central focus now. Broadly, performance appraisal is useful in human resource planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, career planning and development, compensation programs, internal employee relations and assessment of employee potential. An organization's long term success in meeting its strategic objectives rests with its ability to manage employee performance and ensure that performance measures are consistent with the organization's needs.Review of literatureEdwards and Williams (1998) conducted research on 'Performance appraisal in academic libraries: minor changes or major renovation? This article addresses the diversity existent in the performance appraisal process and the reasons for these differences. Performance appraisals generally occur to provide documentation for current and future personnel decisions such as promotions, salary increases, staff development, and disciplinary reasons. Lea Prevel Katsanis, and Pitta (1999) examined 'The performance appraisal process of pharmaceutical product managers in Canada: an empirical study. Abstract examines the way in which the perfonnance of the pharmaceutical product manager is evaluated. Attempts to provide a picture of the principal functions on which the Canadian pharmaceutical product manager is evaluated, as well as of performance appraisal systems currently used in the pharmaceutical industry. Matthew and Kirk 1999) conducted a study on 'Teams and performance appraisal Using metrics to increase reliability and validity. Inter rater agreement in a peer performance evaluation system was analyzed using a sample of 44 individuals who rated focal persons in seven teams. Objective information concerning individual perfonnance on multiple choice tests, as well as information gleaned from individual contributions to team testing and team graded exercises, resulted in high inter rater reliabilities (assessed via ICCs) and strong criterion related validity for the performance evaluation instrument. Poon (2004) worked on 'Effects of performance appraisal politics on job satisfaction and turnover intention. In this research the authors found the evidence that performance ratings are often manipulated for political purposes. It further examined the effects of employees' perceptions of political motives in performance appraisal on their job satisfaction and intention to quit using survey data from an occupationally heterogeneous sample of white collar employees (N 127) from various organizations. Soltani (2005) conducted research on 'Conflict between theory and practice: TQM and performance appraisal. A remarkable amount of theory based research is beginning to suggest that, even in organisations that pride themselves on having a quality orientation, the approach driving current policies and practices for human resource (HR) performance appraisal might be in fundamental conflict with essential requirements of total quality management (TQM)
Vijender Pal Saini Suresh Kumar Bhaker
114476908
Knowledge as "quality non conformance" A critical case study of ISO 9000 and adult education in the workplace.
This study examined the rationale behind the adoption of ISO 9000 standards and determined the ways in which knowledge was conceived and used. The study focused on the impact of the process seeking ISO 9000 registration and the way in which learning processes come to be defined as defective. Introduction: Adult educators have increasingly become concerned with the ideological dimensions of learning in the workplace (Briton, 1996; Foley, 1994; Gowen, 1992; Hart, 1992; Howell, Preston, Schied Carter, 1996; Kincheloe, 1995; Rubenson, 1992) Most of these concerns have focused on workplace learning conceptualized as a process of human resource development or, more recently, human performance technology. American businesses have turned to quality measurement processes which formalize and standardize the production of knowledge in the workplace. Interwoven within the various quality management movements and closely tied to so called "postindustrial" forms of production, these processes, as certified by an international quality standards organization, view learning as part of production (Carter, 1994; Hunt, 1993; Rothwell, Sullivan Mclean, 1995) This paper is an overview of a larger ongoing study that examined the role of ISO 9000 in controlling and shaping learning and work processes in business and industry. These standards, identified as the 9000 series in the jargon of ISO, have become increasingly important and influential in shaping educational and training activities for American businesses. Literature suggests that especially for those businesses involved in international trade, ISO 9000 certification will become virtually mandatory early in the next century (Clements, 1993) Indeed, there is every reason to suspect that educational institutions will also begin to adopt ISO standards (Doherty, 1995; Tovey, 1994) Methodology: Since space restrictions prevent a detailed discussion of the project's research design, this is necessarily a brief overview. The study was conducted over a two year period using ethnographic methods of participant observation, informal and formal interviews, and other unobtrusive methods of data collection. The research team first collected and analyzed primary corporation ISO documentation including training manuals, strategic planning documents, and ISO 9000 work procedures. In line with Spradley (1980) the research team's participation ranged along the continuum of degrees of involvement and types of participation from moderate involvement and participation to high involvement and complete immersion. One research team member participated in the ISO training process and implementation over the total period of ISO registration. In a series of visits to the plant, researchers conducted open ended informal interviews on the shop floor. In depth interviews based on phenomenological techniques were conducted off site. Purposeful sampling was used to select the formal interviewees Patton, 1990) Corporate documentation, interviews (both formal and informal) and participant observation provided researchers with a thick and rich description of the plant's climate and worker culture (Seidman, 1991) Taken together these sources provided a holistic picture of the working life at the company during the ISO 9000 registration process. Trustworthiness was ensured by source and analyst triangulation. Data were sorted, coded, and interpreted on an ongoing basis throughout the two year period (Kincheloe, 1991; Patton, 1990; Spradley, 1980) ISO 9000 in the Global Context: ISO 9000 standards, from the Greek 'iso' meaning equal, were designed to equalize quality systems within multi site organizations, multi national corporations, and across national borders. ISO theoretically assisted in the pursuit of high quality products at low costs within a global economic structure. The assumptions behind these standards were that having one basic level of quality worldwide allowed for the interchangeability of parts for multiple vendors, keeping prices low and allowing for flexibility in manufacturing processes. Meeting ISO 9000 standards, it was assumed, meant that an organization, by listening to its customers, would achieve a high degree of customer satisfaction through uniform methods of quality assurance. The standards themselves focused on augmenting the level of quality delivered to customers while pursuing economic efficiency. Thus, if there were good quality assurance processes in place, good quality products would follow. Despite their origins in manufacturing, these standards are rapidly beginning to be applied to all types of non manufacturing environments, including educational and training settings. (Frazer, 1992; Huyink Westover, 1994; Stamatis, 1995; Taormina, 1996) This quality standardization had its origins in World War II. Insights gleaned from failure of munitions and explosives amplified the problems of having different quality and production standards for similar products. Two decades later, the European Community, incorporated those lessons into international trade agreements. In 1987, the International Organization of Standardization located in Switzerland, began to set industrial manufacturing standards for a minimal system of quality assurance that could be applied to trade world wide and released the first of the ISO registration requirements. Dealing with similar issues of quality, the United States adopted parallel standards created by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) (Lamprecht, 1993; Rabbit Bergh, 1994) The European Community justified conformity assessment as a means to ensure that products affecting health and safety that were placed on the market conformed to the requirements of member countries. ISO registration became essential for the seamless passage of goods across European borders. Therefore, contractual agreements between producers and suppliers became increasingly commonplace. To participate in the European marketplace, non European countries have also begun seeking ISO registration (Hoyle, 1994) Proponents of ISO 9000 claim that it is a neutral set of guidelines seeking to develop management systems that standardize quality assurance processes in the workplace. ISO standardizes by codifying how data related to quality assurance are collected and used to improve processes, reliability, business protocols, and other quality characteristics. To become ISO registered, an organization must adhere to a three tiered documentation process. Technical, administrative, and human factors affecting the quality of products and services are systematized so that management can document that it has control of all factors affecting quality. Systems must be oriented toward the reduction, elimination, and most importantly, prevention of quality non conformance (Kantner, 1994; Lamprecht, 1992; Peach, 1995) ISO 9000 in the Workplace: The study took place in a northeastern manufacturing firm of a multinational corporation. The 250 person workforce was composed primarily of line workers supported by a technical group with shift and administrative management, including a quality manager. In 1992 as a part of the corporate business plan to increase trade with the EC, the company began an initiative to achieve ISO 9000 registration. The corporate leadership introduced all workers to the ISO 9000 initiative with a brief fifteen minute overview. Workers in the plant were responsible for producing level 3 work task procedures. ISO 9000 processes required level 1 documentation to describe corporate goals, level 2 to describe corporate policies and procedures, and level 3 to define work tasks in support of corporate goals, policies and procedures. After a pre audit, workers from all functional areas of the plant were given ten hours training on how to write standard operating instructions. Then the trained workers went back to their respective areas to codify work activities and turn them into written procedures able to be followed by new employees. ISO 9000 standards demanded that these procedures be simple, sequential, and written in a transparent manner. Ultimately through a consensual process, a single SOI was agreed upon because ISO 9000 required conformance to a single protocol for each of nearly 600 quality related tasks. The quality manager's directions to workers were, "Do what you say and say what you do." ISO 9000's purpose was to achieve a uniform protocol reflecting how work was actually done. In reality workers composed procedures based on perceived management expectations and the templates provided by ISO 9000. For example, if workers had developed shortcuts or more efficient ways of working, these were not described because as one worker said, "it was not the way jobs were officially performed." Thus where ISO 9000 demanded a single way to do a task, there were many ways individual workers and different shifts actually did their work. Moreover, in trying to achieve consensus researchers found that decisions were made outside of the group, sometimes by the loudest voice, and only occasionally within the group. ISO 9000 required that workers who performed quality related tasks had documentation that demonstrated they were capable of performing a task. In this case, plant trainers certified workers on the SOIs by asking questions and observing performance. Certification became a condition of employment. The two year ISO 9000 registration process concluded with a weeklong review by outside auditors who announced they would recommend registration. Immediately management began a discussion on how to use ISO registration as a marketing tool. The Irony of ISO: For line workers, there was tremendous resistance to giving up their own protocols for getting their jobs done and conforming to sterile processes. Thus for the purposes of certification they would perform the task as expected by the trainer and as sp
Fred M Schied Vicki K Carter Judith A Preston Sharon L Howell
202926415
Sunderban Tiger Reserve: Perspectives in Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable tourism is 'envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological process, biological diversity and life support systems' Based on Lesley France's (ibid. strategic approaches to sustainable tourism and Indian National Ecotourism Policy, the present study has been done in Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) Gosaba and its adjoining regions. The biosphere reserve is one of the core resources for ecotourism, which is fragile ecosystem. Hence, decisions for the development of tourism in such areas have to be based on a thorough understanding of local resources, social and economic factors and other characteristics. Ecotourism in Biosphere Reserve promotes environmental education of the people by exhibiting nature parks and biodiversity. Awareness of natural heritage generates pride and curiosity, awe, pleasure and hopeful protectiveness towards nature. Ecotourism plays an important role in protection of STR and conservation of natural diversity. Meeting tourism demands requires investment in infrastructure that may also meet community needs. Tourism planning must look ahead to infrastructure needs. There is little point in developing attractions if there is a deficienClJ in basic services that will lead to problems for residents or visitors Therefore, the top priority for tourism development is road, health, security, comfort and convenience. Due to introduction of eco tours, the new job opportunities are opened for the local people in different tourism sectors such hotels and lodges, restaurants and tea stalls, shops, tour operators and travel agents, tourist guides, transport, communication, etc. Sustainable development of local people occurs in this way. Sustainable development is the slogan of the 21st century and sustainable tourism is a part of sustainable development. The principles of sustainable tourism were defined by WTO as early as 1988. Sustainable tourism is 'envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that The author is associated with Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata. 140 THE ORIENTAL ANTI IROPOLOGIST economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological process, biological diversity and life support systems' A clear distinction should be made between the concepts of ecotourism and sustainable tourism: the term 'ecotourism' itself refers to a segment within the tourism sector, while the 'sustainability' principles should apply to all types of tourism activities, operators, establishments and projects, including conventional and alternative forms. Management is necessary to coordinate and synchronize the development of different sectors, to balance competing and sometimes conflicting claims on the same limited resource base, to maximize the positive impacts of tourism development and to minimize its adverse effect. A well managerial tourism at all levels is essential for achieving successful tourism development and management. Some of the benefits of tourism management are (Bezbaruah, 2002) 1. Establishing the overall tourism development objectives and policies. 2. Development tourism in a way that the natural and cultural resources are conserved for future. 3. Optimizing and balancing the economic, environmental and social benefits of tourism with equitable distribution of these benefits to society, while minimizing possible problems of tourism. 4. Providing the framework for effective coordination of the public and private sector efforts and investment in development tourism. Strategic approaches to sustainable tourism are discussed below in the following model Ecological maintenance Tourist Satisfaction 3 Local Community Source: Lesley France, 1997. SUNDERBAN TIGER REsERVE: PERSPECTIVES IN SusTAINABLE ToURisM 141 There are four possible strategic approaches for sustainable tourism (Lesley France, 1997) Situation (1) can be demonstrated by small numbers of tourists who visit a relatively remote area, thereby gaining a high level of satisfaction from their visit and leaving their destination relatively unchanged. If such a visit is organized and operated by an external company, perhaps multinational benefits are unlikely to filter down to the local community and therefore will not improve the quality of life of those in most need. Specialized package holidays, like small scale safaris typically satisfy these criteria. A small scale local guesthouse could illustrate situation (2) It would provide accommodation within a physical and social environment that has been modified relatively little. The standard of comfort provided for tourists is likely to be low. Nevertheless, the original environment is preserved and any economic benefits that do accrue will go directly to the local community. Situation (3) can occur when a large tourism enterprise employs many local people. Not all members of the local community will obtain jobs and a large enterprise such as this may well satisfy certain types of tourists but in the process may irreparably damage the environment. Situation (4) Small scales, locally managed tourism enterprises that may spread benefits more widely through the community are the best example. Typical are the Casamance scheme in Senegal and ecotourism developments in Belize, where a measure of satisfaction of a variety of sustainable aims has been achieved, according to participants. The developmental process of Indian National Ecotourism Policy (Bezbaruah, 2002) should meet the following cardinal principles: (i) It should involve the local community and lead to the overall economic development of the area. (ii) It should identify the likely conflicts between resource use for tourism and the livelihood of local inhabitants and attempt to minimize such conflicts. (iii) The type and scale of tourism development should be compatible with the environment and socio cultural characteristics of the local community. (iv) It should be planned as a part of the overall area development strategy, guided by an integrated land use plan and associated with commensurate expansion of public services. Based on Lesley France's (ibid. strategic approaches to sustainable tourism and Indian National Ecotourism Policy, the present study has been done in Sunderban Tiger Reserve (STR) Gosaba and its adjoining regions. 142 THE ORIENTAL ANTHROPOLOGIST Sunderban is the largest delta and also the largest mangrove forest in the world. The mangrove ecosystems are unique. This ecosystem is the interphase between sea and land, which protect the coastlines from natural calamities like soil erosion, cyclonic storms, and strong tidal water current. Sunderban is the only mangrove vegetation in the earth inhabited by 'Royal Bengal Tiger' Sunderban Biosphere Reserve is declared as 'World Heritage Site' in 1987. It was constituted by the Government of India in March 1989 to protect the natural ecosystems and received the recognition of UNESCO in Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) in November 2001. Almost 62 per cent of the Sunderbans is situated in Bangladesh, while the remaining 38 per cent of the region lies within India. Indian Sunderbans are located between 21 deg32' 22deg40' north and between 88deg85' 89deg east. The Sunderban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) extends over an area of 9,630 sq. kms. in the state of West Bengal and presents a unique situation of biodiversity. The total area of Sunderban forests in Indian part is 4262 sq. kms. oat of which 2585 sq. kms. have been reconstituted as Sunderban Tiger Project from the year 1973, (Land area 1680 sq. kms. and water area 905 sq. kms.
Amitava Dinda