Research Korner: Construction Industry

New products for building industry using clay, leather and glass

New products for building industry using clay, leather and glass   One of purest of the clays composed chiefly of the mineral kaolinite usually formed when granite is changed by hydrothermal metamorphism. Usage of the terms china clay and kaolin is not well defined; sometimes they are used synonymously for group of similar clays, and sometimes kaolin refers to those obtained in the United States and china clay to those that are imported. Some authorities term as clays the more plastic of the kaolins. Clays have long been used in the ceramic industry, especially in fine porcelains, because they can be easily molded, have a fine texture, and are white when fired. The clays are also used as filler in making paper. In the United States, deposits are found primarily in Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania; china clay is also mined in England and France. The pressures generated by this movement caused the seabed to fracture and fold. The folding process was accompanied by intense subterranean activity, the masses of molten rock forced their way upwards.   When the rock cooled, it became granite, a rock made of a mixture of quartz, feldspar and mica. The formation of the granite took place between 290 and 270 million years ago and today it forms the rocky backbone of the south-west of England, being exposed in the Scilly Isles, Lands End, Carnmenelis, Hensbarrow near St Austell, Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor.  Granite is one of the commonest igneous rocks, but varies considerably in its composition from place to place. While the quartz is never anything but quartz, the feldspar can be a silicate of alumina with potash, soda or lime and the mica the potash-rich muscovite or the iron-rich biotite. In some parts of the South West, the feldspar in the granite is higher in its soda content than its potash content and these places are where china clay is found today. It came into being through a complex sequence of events. While the molten rock was still cooling, it was attacked successively by steam, boron, fluorine and tin vapour, these acting on the alkali content of the feldspar and converting it into china clay.    In certain locations, the deposits occur in clusters, and here one finds the largest of the clay workings, including Blackpool, Goonbarrow, Littlejohns and Melbur in the St Austell area, Stannon on Bodmin Moor and Lee Moor on Dartmoor. Some of the deposits cover many hectares at the surface, while the deepest of the clay pits currently being worked is some 130 metres deep. To work any pit beyond this depth would mean that the pit would have to be enlarged laterally, as well as in depth.  The clay occurs in the deposits in the form of china clay rock, a mixture of up to 15 per cent china clay and up to 10 per cent mica, and the remainder being quartz. The clay itself varies considerably from pit to pit. In some deposits, such as those at Blackpool, Littlejohns and Goonbarrow, the clay is ideally suited for the filling and coating of paper, while in other deposits, such as Treviscoe and Wheal Remfry, the clay is best suited for the making of ceramics. The manufacture of alum, sulphate of alumina and ultramarine uses up large quantities annually, besides which small quantities are used by manufacturing and colour makers, photographers and others. It has also been used, not avowedly however, as body in the composition of some artificial manure, the utilisation of sewage and even in the adulteration of flour.  Glass, the preferred raw material for introducing alumina to glass compositions for glass fibre manufacture is kaolin.

New products for building industry using clay, leather and glass

New products for building industry using clay, leather and glass One of purest of the clays composed chiefly of the mineral kaolinit...

Construction Industry

I.It’s always been a high risk industry Projects in the construction industry has always been categorised as complex. Such endeavours that embrace complex functions tend to come with numerous uncertainties in operations. (Hood and Jones 1996, 37) These uncertainties then continue to add up to the overall risks that a construction project accrue over time. Aside from these uncertainties, the industry embraces further risks as each and every construction project inevitably involves a whole lot of stakeholders in the process. These include the investors, contractors and the rest of the community on which the project is being erected. In this regard, this manifests a need for the implementation of risk management theories in the process. However, studies have recognised the considerable difference between the dynamics of the organisation in the construction industry. Primarily, the definition of “high risk” has placed itself in a whole new level when it is being used in area of construction; all the more that risk management theories have to be implemented. (Finkel 1997, 153) This is not to say that contractors, construction managers, and supervisors are completely oblivious of this fact. The problem rests on the fact that some of these theories are not properly done by these people. Hence, comments like the one mentioned above would be among the more common ones seen in safety performance in the construction industry.  Studies have shown that risk management is one of the vital elements that managers should consider in the operation of a project. (Hood and Jones 1996, 37) Mitigating, if not totally eliminating, the risks in the project are the primary elements that contribute to the ultimate failure of the project. To this end, one must reiterate the processes involved in the risk management process so as to make managers and even supervisors become aware of the procedure. Some of the phases involved in the management of risk involve risk identification, risk estimation, risk response which includes planning and implementation. It is also important to point out that this process of reducing the risks should take place early on in the conduct of the project. (Meyer 2003, 74) Identification of the actual risks allows the management to pinpoint what courses of action the company should undertake to actually mitigate and consequently manage these risks. Nonetheless, this part of the process should be continuous, and should not be considered as a phase. This is because risks may come up anytime in the course of the project. Personally, this part of the process is possibly the most relevant part of risk management. Once these risks are identified, the estimation and risk response automatically follows. Thus, identification triggers the notion that something should be done right away even before it is too late to deal with it. II.Contractors Can’t Manage Change Commonly, the concept of change management points to the actual pinpointing of the areas on which change is needed and managing the implication of these changes on the culture and other elements related to the human resource of the organisation. In the field of construction, change management is used in an entirely different context. In the case of the construction industry, dealing with change essentially means attempting to reduce the costs and other improvident construction iterations in projects. (Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin 2006, 134) This commission of dealing with the changes in the project is placed on the shoulders of the contractors. Basically, changes refer to the alterations that takes place with the status of the work required, the processes, and even the methodologies employed with reference to the original construction plan of the project. Changes could also be seen as a cause of other subsequent changes in the construction project. Minor changes in the design, for example, may lead to significant changes in other areas of the project such as human resource and the actual operations. Aside from these attributes of change, the construction project will also have to encounter unintended change and managerial change. (Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin 2006, 200) The former consist of unforeseen changes that are devoid of any actions from the management level employees. On the other hand, managerial change is induced by decisions made by managers in the course of the project. These could take in the form of subtle adjustments made during the supervision and monitoring of the project. Looking the crux of this assessment, it appears that managers are not unable to manage change. It is more probable that they are not aware of what exactly they need to do. At some point, managers fail to distinguish changes from rework. Essentially, both concepts do translate added work for the managers in the sense that they have to distinguish whether completely deleting a problem through rework or adding concrete elements on the process through instituting change is required from them by any given situation. At some point one cannot blame the managers for having this kind of mentality, aversion to change in the projects. Looking at the possible tradeoffs of inducing managerial change in the project, it shows major repercussions like the demolition of the erected structure. That translates to added work and wasted time and resources. However, this aversion to change, inability to manage it, and fear of the repercussions of proper change management should not be entertained in anyway by the construction managers or supervisors. To do such a thing will compromise not only the structural integrity of the building but also welfare of the stakeholders of the project.  III.TQM and QA is Needed In this comment on safety, the issue of quality and sustaining this level of quality is deemed imperative in the construction industry. In this regard, the application of the prevailing theories of quality management and the top standard in quality is often referred to in the process: total quality management and quality assurance. Total quality management theories have developed several models throughout the years. Each model points to a specific intent and improve a particular area on which the organisation seeks to develop. For instance, for companies intending to reduce costs, the TQM method that they tend to implement is the Just-in-Time Method. (Vokurka, Lummus, and Krumweide 2007, 14) This often leads to a considerable reduction in the inventory of the company, ergo less costs in storage. This is used in line with the Work-In-Progress which basically reduces the necessity of supervision and consequent maintenance of the operations of the company. (Eom and Karathanos 1996, 8) The essence of such actions is the imposition of continuous improvement on the part of the organisation. The constant presence of a top level quality, especially in the construction industry provides for the greater opportunity for growth and development. On the other hand, quality assurance refers to the standards that provide the bar on which the organisations have to satisfy. For the purposes of the construction industry, the EN ISO 9000 is the more accepted standard for quality assurance. (Barnes 1998, 23) This accounts for a process-based approach in maintaining a viable standard of quality in the company. It is composed of a cluster of standards reviewed by the ISO. These standards include EN ISO 9000, EN ISO 9001, EN ISO 9004, EN ISO 90011. Specifically, these standards measure the fundamentals and vocabulary; requirements; performance improvement; and auditing quality systems respectively. Studies observed that these standards have shifted towards a more process-based approach as compared to its initial intention of primarily being for manufacturing. Construction companies have already implemented the EN ISO 9000 in their operations thus ensuring a level of quality assurance. The problem in this regard is that construction companies find it difficult to integrate both the TQM and QA theories provided for in the earlier parts of the study. The issue lies on the dynamic nature of the industry. Marred with the attribute of high uncertainty with reference to its operations and high risk, companies in the construction industry find it hard to implement theories that depend highly on repetition, predictability and constancy. Hence, it is observed by this paper that in order to use both TQM theories and QA models on the construction industry, companies should possess a high dexterity in the area of managing change. With the significant reductions in the said area of uncertainty, then an unequivocal manifestation of development and growth is more likely to take place. IV.We Need Increased Punishment, Fines and Imprisonment In the field of construction, liability often falls on the legal concept of tort. In its simplest terms, the legal issue of torts refers to a breach of duty that is imposed by law. In a general sense, this duty refers to the responsibility of the common person to act in a reasonable manner and exercise diligence in his/her chosen field. (Berreth 1996, 59) In relation to the field of construction, liability falls on the possible breach of contract between the parties involved. Needless to say that construction companies, managers, and supervisors are covered primarily by some form of indemnity in the instance that they become liable to some actions caused by fault. However, when a third party is involved, the possibility of a tortuous liability is imminent. It is important to emphasise that the presence of liability is essentially established with the actual proof of the existence of duty of care on the part of the contractors. (Gorton 2000, 811) For instance, a contractor that erected a structure that separates the construction site from the surrounding environment may well be held liable if these installations are discovered to be defective. This is similarly true in the case of a designer who have a duty to ensure that his/her design is reasonable such that the welfare of the stakeholders in the community is not compromised by any imminent injury caused by a defective design. Hence, the punishments present for contractors in the construction industry is limited to civil and administrative sanctions. Criminal liability is very unlikely in incidents of defective designs or construction is present. These conditions may well be the case because of the fact that even before the construction begins, the creation of the contracts allows for the allocation of the risks between the parties involved. As mentioned earlier, there is also the possibility that the parties are indemnified in instances of third party claims emerge. However, they could not e covered by such insurances in instances of gross negligence and wilful misconduct are established. Seeing the discussions above, it is not the fault of contractors that there are less punishments, fines and crimes present in the industry. Earlier remarks on the uncertainties present in construction establish the need to protect themselves from any undue or unforeseen liability. Even as simple acts like getting statutory clearances and strict compliance with the guidelines provided by law is a significant reduction of that risk of legal liability. Thus, only those who doesn’t show a level of responsibility required of them by law should be given due punishment. V.We Have a Good System but Bad Managers In the field of construction, everything is planned out from the beginning. The resources to be used, the ways of getting things done, and what is required of the people involved in the project. This is the rationale why the industry have a good system. The problem rests on the management of this system. In the intention of having an advantage over the other players in the industry, managers tend to veer away from what is prescribed. There are several elements that are considered in the process. One of the elements required to improve is to sustain this advantage of the organisation is through its leadership styles employed in the organisation. Studies have indicated that the most strategic post in any company is held by managers. The studies have sustained this claim as managers deal directly with both the top and bottom positions in the organisation. Moreover, managers assist the top management to determine a more precise description of the culture in the organisation. Moreover, the managers are the ones required to confirm which type of leadership approach would suit and set off the requisites of the company and balance the existing culture in the organisation. (Laclair and Rao 2002, 17) It seems that the volume of responsibility is instituted on the managers and those who hold leadership posts in the organisation. Lowry (2006, 313) pointed out in his article that the proper performance of management activities in the organisation tends to be triggered by appropriate supervision and leadership, all of which ultimately points to efficiency of the project. Hersey and Blanchard (1995 in Polleys 2002, 117) indicated in their study that the performance of the leaders in the organisation is openly related to the enthusiasm of the subordinates. The concluding element directly bears a resemblance to the interest of employees in the organisation. (Laclair and Rao 2002, 17) In this manner, it is given to the leaders to show flexibility on their positions as they will  come across diverse situations and different responses regarding the workforce. Unfortunately for construction managers, the task is immensely daunting as they have to contend with high levels of risk, uncertainty and fast paced environment. In the same regard, managers in the construction industry tend to forget the motivational element of work. A lot of motivational theories are used in the structure of the organisational setting. (Lowry 2006, 313) In addition, most of these models have a basic assumption pointing to that development in the motivation level of the employees will successfully set off positive outcomes for the organisation. Examples of these supposed in the appropriate operation of communication systems in the organisation. This assertion thus proposes that the continuation of such effective systems of offer the companies the ability to be closer to their organisational objectives.   VI.Adversarial Relationship The construction industry is known for its competitive nature between the parties involved in an agreement. With the risks of losing massive amounts of capital and possible future investments, no one could blame these contractors and investors if they do engage in an adversarial relationship. (Finkel 1997,) All would be fine if the outcome of this phenomenon is a top level structure that gives way to growth and development to society as a whole. Reports have shown that the outcomes of these incidents often include poor buildings with unsound structural integrities caused by poor performance and belligerent disputes between parties. In an ideal world, parties to a construction contract share the same objectives and are willing to equally allocate the risks involved in the project. However, reports manifest a clear opposition on the said conditions. It all boils down to the lack of trust between the parties involved. Calls for a shift in the overall cultural status in the relationship between the parties have been present in numerous articles and journals. (Finkel 1997) The degree of trust present in a contractual relationship especially in a construction agreement is vital to the better relationship of the individuals. One factor that would improve is the communication between the parties. An improved and non-antagonistic relationship allows for compromise and better judgement in the process. In recent construction literature, the concept of a project culture is advocated. This basically points to the shift from an adversarial culture to a more cooperative and collaborative one. (Finkel 1997) More importantly, the issue of trust is provided, specifically the lack of it. Without the presence of trust in a business relationship, the possibility of success is less likely. On the whole, if a business relationship is devoid of trust, it serves as a barrier for the swift and opportune performance of the parties involved in the industry. This again highlights the importance of the management staff in establishing this culture in the organisation and conveying it to their allies. In addition, a more positive outlook in the relationship between the parties is required. Certain levels of trusts accrue certain levels of success on the project. Thus, the comment indicating that there is an adversarial relationship points to the lack of cooperation between the parties involved in the project. The discussions above have shown the courses of action needed to deal with this issue. In the end, the key to a great contractual and business relationship is trust.    References Barnes, F. (1998) "ISO 9000 Myth and Reality: A Reasonable Approach to ISO 9000." SAM Advanced Management Journal. 63(2), 23. Berreth, C. (1996) "Workers' Compensation Laws Enacted in 1995." Monthly Labor Review. 119(1-2) 59. Dinsmore, P. and Cabanis-Brewin, J. (2006) The AMA Handbook of Project Management. New York: AMACOM. p134. Eom, S. and Karathanos, D. (1996) "The Role of Expert Systems in Improving the Management of Processes in Total Quality Management Organizations." SAM Advanced Management Journal. 61(4), 8. Finkel, G. (1997) The Economics of the Construction Industry. New York: M.E. Sharpe. p153. Gorton, M. (2000) "Intentional Disregard: Remedies for the Toxic Workplace." Environmental Law. 30(4), 811. Hood, C and Jones, D. (1996) Accident and Design: Contemporary Debates in Risk Management. London: UCL Press. p37. Laclair, J. and Rao, R. (2002) "Helping Employees Embrace Change." The McKinsey Quarterly. p17. Lowry, W. (2006) "Potential Focusing Projects and Policy Change." Policy Studies Journal. 34(3), 313. Meyer, D. (2003) The Economics of Risk. Michigan: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. P74. Polleys, M. (2002) "One University's Response to the Anti-Leadership Vaccine: Developing Servant Leaders." Journal of Leadership Studies. 8(3), Vokurka, R., Lummus, R., Krumweide, D. (2007) "Improving Manufacturing Flexibility: The Enduring Value of JIT and TQM." SAM Advanced Management Journal. 72(1), 14.

Construction Industry

I.It’s always been a high risk industry Projects in the construction industry has always been categorised as complex. Such endeavours t...

Self-Mending Concrete

Self-Mending Concrete Introduction             A question was raised as to what is Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and what it can do to the building industry.  The SCC is actually an advancement and new breakthrough in the field of cement and concrete technology.  This SCC has been gathering enough attention and interesting impression to construction companies.              The SCC is highly flowable, non-segregating concrete that can spread into place, fill the formwork and encapsulate the reinforcement without any mechanical consolidation.              Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC), also referred to as self-mending, self-compacting, self-leveling, or self-placing concrete, is a high-performance concrete that can flow easily into tight and constricted spaces without segregating and without requiring vibration.  The key to creating the SCC is a mixture that is fluid but stable in order to prevent segregation.  How does SCC work?             To achieve the desired flowability a new generation of superplasticizers based on polycarboxylate ethers works best.  Developed in the 1990s, they produce better water reduction and slower slump loss than traditional superplasticizers.  The required level of fluidity is greatly influenced by the particular application under consideration.  Obviously the most congested structural members demand the highest fluidity.  However, element shape, desired surface finish, and travel distance can also determine the required fluidity. Generally, the higher the required flowability of the SCC mix, the higher the amount of fine material needed to produce a stable mixture.  However, in some cases, a viscosity-modifying admixture (VMA) can be used instead of, or in combination with, an increased fine content to stabilize the concrete mixture. The flowability of SCC is measured in terms of spread when using a modified version of the slump test.  The spread (slump flow) of SCC typically ranges from 18 to 32 inches depending on the requirements for the project.  On one hand, the viscosity, as visually observed by the rate at which concrete spreads, is an important characteristic of plastic SCC and can be controlled when designing the mix to suit the type of application being constructed.  Advantages General Advantages: ·         SCC places quickly and easily with little or even no vibration to give a smooth surface finish.  ·         SCC can save money by reducing the wear and tear of equipment and improve the working environment for employees.  ·         SCC achieves very high early stripping strengths that will yield a quicker turnaround on you forms. ·         The smooth surface will minimize or eliminate the need for time consuming cosmetic repairs.  ·         More rapid strength development than conventional concrete ·         Fluid consistency measured not by slump but spread ·         Tendency to produce finished surfaces of superior uniformity and smoothness Specific Advantages: ·         Can be placed at a faster rate with no mechanical vibration and less screeding, resulting in savings in placement costs ·         Improved and more uniform architectural surface finish with little to no remedial surface work ·         Ease of filling restricted sections and hard-to-reach areas.  Opportunities to create structural and architectural shapes and surface finishes not achievable with conventional concrete ·         Improved consolidation around reinforcement and bond with reinforcement ·         Improved pumpability ·         Shorter construction periods and resulting cost savings ·         Quicker concrete truck turn-around times enabling the producer to service the project more efficiently ·         Reduction or elimination of vibrator noise potentially increasing construction hours in urban areas ·         Minimizes movement of ready mixed trucks and pumps during placement ·         Increased jobsite safety by eliminating the need for consolidation Placement efficiencies of the SCC can increase by 300% and labor costs can be reduced by 70%.  It is the architects and engineers that will benefit from increased design flexibility without sacrificing performance or increasing placement costs.  Composition             When compared to other conventional concrete, the SCC looks very different.  Usually, concrete that had the fluidity of SCC had a very high water to cement ratio that lowered compressive strengths and compromised durability.  With this, a properly designed SCC can save time and labor without sacrificing performance.              There are two important properties specific to SCC in its plastic state, the flowability and stability.  The high flowability of SCC is generally attained by using high-range-water-reducing (HRWR) admixtures and not by adding extra mixing water.  The stability or resistance to segregation of the plastic concrete mixture is attained by increasing the total quantity of fines in the concrete and/or by using admixtures that modify the viscosity of the mixture.  Increased fines contents can be achieved by increasing the content of cementitious materials or by incorporating mineral fines.  Admixtures that affect the viscosity of the mixture are especially helpful when grading of available aggregate sources cannot be optimized for cohesive mixtures or with large source variations (2004).              A well distributed aggregate grading helps achieve SCC at reduced cementitious materials content and/or reduced admixture dosage.  While SCC mixtures have been successfully produced with 1 ½ inch aggregate, it is easier to design and control with smaller size aggregate to producing a good mixture.  SCC mixtures typically have a higher paste volume, less coarse aggregate and higher sand-coarse aggregate ratio that typical concrete mixtures. Cautions and Disadvantages Despite the conventional idea of using SCC in producing many aesthetically critical projects, it has been also found that it has inappropriateness.  Even though mixes of various levels of strength and durability can be designed to generate smooth, defect-free surfaces, this does not ensure that the finished structure will be unflawed ( 2005).               (2005) added that there are two outside influences greatly affect the appearance of concrete.  The first is forming materials – the most popular are steel and plywood.  The second factor is release agents.  Different types and brands of release agents (form oils) give varying degrees of surface defect.  The method of application of these agents also plays a part in the final product appearance.              Another negative aspect of SCC is the shrinkage.  Given that generally a large amount of fine materials is used in the mixtures and the nominal maximum size is limited, the concrete typically has higher shrinkage.  As shrinkage increase, there will be more cracks in the restrained concrete elements which can accelerate the deterioration of the concrete and the reinforcement (2004).  Assessment of SCC             It would be easier to evaluate SCC through comparison with the conventional concrete.  There are several aspects that make SCC different and more advantageous to use than the conventional concrete.  Conventional concrete meets its setback on the adequacy of consolidation in thin sections or areas of congested reinforcement.  Consequently, this would lead to a large volume of entrapped air voids and compromises the strength and durability of the concrete.  However, the solution to this problem has been answered through the use of SCC.  SCC can minimize the problem in view of the fact that it was designed to consolidate under its own weight.              SCC differs from that of a conventional concrete in the sense that it has a lower viscosity resulting into a greater flow rate when pumped.  Correspondingly, during the pumping, the pumping pressure is lower thus reducing wear and tear on pumps.               After tested and found feasible, SCC was then used in a field application in an arch bridge in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  SCC proved to be appropriate for the bridge since arches were heavily reinforced, thin, curved sections that would be difficult to construct with conventional concrete.  During the construction and application of the SCC, it has been found that the percentages for the individual materials were similar in the top and the bottom which means that no segregation had occurred.  For the reason that there was no segregation, SCC was proven to be possible and more effective in a commercial process and on a larger production scale.              The made several conclusions after the SCC test.  They concluded that (1) SCC that flows into formwork and through reinforcement under the influence of its own weight can be made such that no external vibration is required. (2) With careful adjustments to the mixture proportions and careful batching, SCC can be produced successfully with local materials. (3) SCC can have high compressive strength and low permeability for use in bridge structures. (4) The use of SCC has the potential to provide initial savings because of the reduction in labor required to place the concrete and the speed of construction.             There were actually a number of conclusions made by the after the test but they also come up with recommendations.  (1) Use rheometers to provide data on yield stress and viscosity to describe flow characteristics while mixes are being developed.  (2) Use SCC in transportation structures that can benefit from concretes with high workability, particularly in thin sections and areas with dense reinforcement.  (3) Conduct further research to determine the relationship between viscosity and segregation. Conclusion             SCC brings about advancement in the field of construction and concrete technology.  It can never be denied that SCC took a step higher than its antecedent however SCC has several cautions, as stated earlier, that should not be taken for granted for the purpose of finding where and when SCC will be appropriate.

Self-Mending Concrete

Self-Mending Concrete Introduction A question was raised as to what is Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and what it can d...

Human Resource Management of High Air

High Air   Table of Contents                                                                                                             Page Number Executive Summary                                                                                  3 Introduction                                                                                                 4 Contribution of HRM to the Organization                                            5             Strategic Management                                                                   7             Key Roles of Strategic Management that Add Value                8             New Functions of HRM                                                                  9 Recruitment and Selection                                                                      11             Recommendations for Recruiting                                                            13             Recommendations for Selection                                                  15 Work-Life Balance                                                                                     17 Employee Motivation and Retention                                                     18 Increasing Motivation and Retaining Employees                              19        Career Development, Planning and Management                           22             Recommendations: Career Development                                  23 Employment/Labor Relations                                                                 25        Conclusion                                                                                                  27 Bibliography                                                                                                28               Executive Summary         High Air, a successful construction company is at a crossroads. The path that it will choose will define the future of the company. Human Resource Management issues have never been this pronounced. Employees are expressing their desire for new policies and practices that will benefit them and will make working in the company safe, rewarding, enriching and enjoyable. The management is now considering restructuring its policies and practices regarding its people. The management knows that it needs to attract and employ qualified and talented people who will contribute to the success of the company. Employee motivation and retention is also becoming an issue. Employees are bringing career development issued to the attention of the management. The management knows that in order to retain employees, it must design HR practices and policies in a way that will motivate the employee. Reward and compensation must also be considered, as well as performance management. Because of the changes in the labor market such as the increase of dual-earning families, the increase participation of women in the workforce, and the aging of the population, the company needs to address work-life balance issues. Employee relations also is becoming an area of concern.             In order to survive the company’s present dilemma, the management must acknowledge the importance of human resource management and must endeavor to reap the benefits of aligning HRM policies and practices with organizational goals and objectives.   Introduction: High Air             High Air is a successful construction company based in Los Angeles, U.S.A. The company is famous for its innovative and unique designs. Its office is laid out to resemble a sailboat dock with nautical flags and buoys as decorations. The company has a well-designed recruitment and selection system and the compensation packages that it offers are attractive and competitive. High Air has a reputation of work hard and play hard. The company had been successful in winning bids but in the past six months, the company has experienced various problems primarily resulting from its inability to attract bids. The management is starting to review its HR policies and procedures and thinks that in order to achieve the organization’s goals, HR policies and procedures must be aligned with the company goals.             Perhaps one of the root problems is the management’s low commitment to HRM. The top management does not view the HR department as a strategic partner. Another problem is the ineffective recruitment and selection process of the company. The recruitment and selection process of the company was well designed, however, there is a need to update and redesign the process in order to keep pace with the company’s changing goals and objectives. Another problem is about work-life balance. The employees are reporting high level of stress and they are expressing their concerns about the company’s lack of work-life balance programs to accommodate their personal/family responsibilities. Another problem is the declining employee performance which is caused by lack of motivation. There is also an increasing number of employees who leave or express their desire to leave the organization. Employee relations is also an area of concern for the management. These problems and concerns need to be addressed in order to achieve the company’s goals and objectives.   Contribution of HRM to the Organization             Human Resources Management (HRM) refers to the philosophy, policies, procedures, and practices related to the management of an organization’s employees. Human resources management is particularly related with all the activities that contribute to successfully attracting, developing, motivating, and maintaining a high-performing workforce that results in organizational success (Sims 2002, p. 2-3). Human resources management covers the every aspect of the relationship between the individual and firm including recruitment, contractual obligations, individual training and motivation, corporate planning, performance monitoring, grievance handling and general welfare, dismissal and redundancy (Vernon 2002, p.101). Human resources management involves the establishment and execution of policies, programs, and procedures that influence the performance, capabilities, and loyalty of the employees of an organization. Through these policies and procedures, individuals are attracted, retained, motivated, and developed to perform the work of the organization. It is through these policies and procedures that the organization seeks to mold and shape the actions of its employees to operate successfully, comply with various public policies, provide satisfactory quality of employment, and improve its position in the market place through strengthened ability to compete and serve (Clardy 1996, p.1). HRM is increasingly viewed as a source of competitive advantage and its processes and procedures as contributors to the organization’s success. Over the years, HRM has become an integral part of every organization that deals with HR affairs, policies and processes. Now the HR department is being viewed as a partner and works closely with the top management and the employees. HRM contributes to the success of the organization through the following: 1. It provides the right kinds of talent to the organization at the right time. HRM is expected to assure that a supply of qualified labor in a timely fashion (Clardy 1996, p.20). 2. It ensures that the organization is properly staffed. When done effectively, the staffing, recruitment, and selection process provides a flow of qualified individuals for filling open positions within the organization on a timely and efficient basis (Clardy 1996, p. 41). 3. Using appraisals, the employees are assesses and evaluated. Employee appraisals have very profound implications for both the employees and for the future success of the organization (Clardy 1996, p.58). 4. Using effective pay systems, the management can focus employees’ efforts toward desired organizational goals (Clardy 1996, p.79). 5. Ensures that the employees are properly skilled to perform their tasks and supports the organization’s growth through career development. The goal of training as part of the human resources management processes is to create cost-effective programs that build the skills to perform effectively (Clardy 1996, p.103).   Recommendation: Strategic Human Resource Management             Perhaps one of the most beneficial moves that the management can make is acknowledging the importance of the HR department in achieving the goals and objectives of the company. The management must view the HR department as a strategic partner rather than just a department in the organization. This is where Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) comes into play.             Linking HRM with the strategic goals and objectives of the company is the cornerstone of Strategic human resource management (Buyens and de Vos 1991). SHRM has came into view as a primary approach in achieving improvements in the competitive advantage of the organization (Burke and Cooper 2004). In order to reap the benefits of SHRH, the management must align the goals and objectives of HRM with the strategic plans and objectives of the firm. The role of HRM is to determine the human resources needed to support strategic objectives and to ensure that employees are selected, trained, evaluated, and rewarded in ways that further the achievement of business objectives. Strategic HRM is frequently described as a linear, balanced process that begins with the identification of goals that will guide human resource practices. The integration of the HR programs with the goals of the organization will result to the organization’s increased value. The recruitment, compensation, performance appraisal, promotion, training and other functions are designed and managed so that they work towards the strategic objectives of the firm (p.92). Strategic HRM has the purpose of improving the way that human resources are managed within firms. The main objective of strategic HRM is to improve organizational performance as judged by its impact on the organization’s declared corporate strategy (Brewster et al 2004, p. 29).   Key Roles of Strategic Management that add value           According to Ulrich et al (1995), HR has important value-added roles in the organization. These roles must be effectively delivered by the HR because they are essential to the achievement of the organization’s goals. The HR roles according to Ulrich (1997) are: 1. Management of strategic human resources The focus of this role is on the alignment of the HR strategies and practices to the business strategy. The HR professional becomes a strategic partner that creates a concrete HR practices based on the organization’s strategy. 2. Change and transformation management This role is also seen as a source of added value to the organization. The HR professionals must help to identify and implement the change processes all throughout the organization. The HR professionals act as mediums and guards of cultural changes. 3. Employee management This role address issues such as the daily problems, expectations and needs of employees. Identifying and meeting the specific needs of the employees will result to better employee contribution. 4. Management of the administration of the organization The role of HRM is to make sure that the administrative processes like involving hiring, training, evaluation and promotion are designed and delivered efficiently and correctly.   New Functions of HRM             I cannot emphasize enough the importance of viewing HRM as a strategic partner of the organization. The company needs to develop new functions of HRM and to enlist the HR department in the achievement of the company goals and objectives. Over the years, the functions and responsibilities of HRM has changed. The HR department of High Air must serve the following functions: 1. HR as Human Capital Steward – As a Human Capital Steward, HR contributes to strategic capabilities by developing, leveraging, renewing, and nurturing a firm’s stock of knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, and talents. HR is there to help ensure that every individual is able to make value added contributions by identifying and cultivating individual competencies and capabilities. HR delivers people strategy by ensuring that renewal and rejuvenation are on-going activities. HR contributes to organizational success by initiating training and development activities and by creating a culture of continuous learning (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall 2004). 2. HR as Relationship Builder – The role of Relationship Builder focuses on creating programs and practices that enable employees to encourage, facilitate, nourish, and sustain relationships among fellow employees, customers, suppliers, firms in complementary arenas, and at times, even rivals. HR can deliver people strategy by contributing to a firm’s ability to leverage its resources and develop strategic capabilities and core competencies by helping individuals build a strong web of relationships (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall 2004). 3. HR as Knowledge Management Facilitator – It is not enough simply to hire employees and put them to work. Strategic capability requires a firm to be able to create and disseminate knowledge among its employees. HR can play a vital role in facilitating organization learning and knowledge sharing between employees, among departments, throughout the organization, and with external co-producers. An important aspect of human capital stewardship is identifying people who want to learn. Employees need to be able to learn and unlearn continuously, to teach and be taught (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall 2004). 4. HR as Rapid Deployment Specialist – The rapid pace and constantly changing environment that many organizations and industries confront creates another new challenge and new function for HRM: rapid Deployment Specialist. Strategic capability requires competence in rapidly assembling, concentrating, and deploying specific configurations of human capital in order to achieve mission-specific strategic goals. Rapid deployment of human talent requires adaptable employees. Workers need to be adaptable, versatile, and tolerant of uncertainty to operate effectively in the constantly changing global market (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall 2004).   Recruitment and Selection         The recruitment and selection is one of the problematic areas at High Air. The recruitment and selection process is not aligned with the goals and objectives of the company. The recruitment and selection process fails to provide the company with competitive and qualified employees. The growing dissatisfaction of the employees with the recruitment and selection process must also be considered.             The recruitment and selection process cannot be a success if the job analysis is unclear and not updated. Job analysis is important for recruitment and selection because it is a systematic process for collecting information on the work-related aspects of a job (Gatewood and Field 2001, p. 285). An important part of job analysis according to Sims (2002), is to collect information on the characteristics of a job that differentiate it from other jobs. The categories of information usually obtained in job analysis include work activities, interaction with others, performance standards, financial and budgeting impact, machines and equipment used, working conditions, supervision given and received, and knowledge, skills, and abilities needed (p. 74). Job analysis is the foundation of recruitment and selection and other HR processes. Job analysis can be used in the following: 1. HRM Planning – Job analysis is very important in HRM planning. HRM planning involves the analysis of the organization’s human resource needs. Accurate information about the levels of skills that the organization needs is very significant. Job analysis provides fundamental input to the HRM planning process by helping planners understand exactly what kinds of work must be performed. Job analysis helps define for managers the kinds of general work and specific jobs that the organization will be relying on in the future (Sims 2002). 2. Recruitment – The job analysis specifies the staffing required in completing the job duties. Job analysis can help the HRM specialists generate a higher-quality pool of job applicants by making it easy to describe a job in classified ads in a way that more precisely targets qualified job applicants. Job analysis helps recruiters screen job applicants because it tells them what tasks, duties, and responsibilities the job entails (Sims 2002). 3. Selection - Human resources selection deals with identifying the most qualified applicants for employment. To identify which applicants are more qualified, it is first necessary to determine the tasks that will be performed by the individual hired and the knowledge, skills, and abilities the individuals must have to perform the job effectively. Job analysis information can also be used to choose or develop the appropriate selection devices (Sims 2002).               Recruitment is defined by Sims (2002) as the process in which organizations discover, develop, seek, and attract individuals to fill actual or anticipated job vacancies. Recruitment is concerned with finding applicants, communicating opportunities and information and generating interest. It includes interview screening, and selection of most qualified candidates, filling positions through transfer or promotion, and coordinating temporary employment. The aim of recruitment is to identify a suitable pool of applicants quickly, cost efficiently, and legally. Selection on the other hand is the process of obtaining and using information about job applicants in order to determine who should be hired for short-or long-term positions (Sims 2002).   Recommendations for Recruiting             Recruitment is an important HR process that needs to be prioritized. The employees at High Air complains about the ineffective recruitment process. In order to ensure that the recruitment process is effective and successful the company must: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Develop 	a recruitment policy and system that are aligned with the company’s goals 	and objectives.</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Conduct 	needs assessment to determine the current and future human resource 	requirements of the organization. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Identify the potential human resource pool inside and outside the 	organization.</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Conduct 	job analysis and job evaluation to identify the individual aspects of each 	job and calculate its relative worth.</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Assess 	qualifications profiles drawn from job analysis and job descriptions that 	identify responsibilities and required skills, abilities, knowledge and 	experience.</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Document the actual process of recruitment and selection to ensure equity 	and adherence to equal opportunity and other laws.</li> </ul>                 The company needs to employ more methods of recruiting other than the traditional newspaper advertisements and employment agencies the company can also make use of Internet Recruiting. 1. Advertisements – Advertisements in newspapers and related publications are popular methods of recruiting. High Air can still have its job posting in various newspapers and magazines as it allows the organization to cast a wide net, to publicize and demonstrate an effort to reach every sector of the labor market. 2. Employment Agencies – Employment agencies can still be helpful for High Air. Public employment agencies run by local governments have an up-to-date list of unemployed persons. They also provide service for individuals seeking employment and for business organizations seeking employees. Private employment agencies differ considerably in the level of service, costs, policies, and types of applicants they provide (Sims 2002). 3. Internet Recruiting – Using the internet is faster and cheaper than many traditional methods of recruiting. High Air can post jobs on internet sites for lesser amount that in prints, remain there for longer period of time, and are available twenty-four hours a day. Candidates can view detailed information about the job and the organization and then respond electronically. Given the disperse geographic make-up of Los Angeles, internet recruiting has the potential to reach more job applicants.     Recommendations for Selection             At the heart of any effective selection system is an understanding of what characteristics are essential for high performance. In order to help the organization in choosing the best applicant, the information obtained from the job analysis is used in creating a job specification. The job specification sets the criteria or the knowledge, skills and abilities that an applicant must posses in order to fulfill the job successfully. The selection criteria of the company are the following: 1. Education – the educational attainments of the applicants are assessed in order to identify the individuals that posses the right abilities and attitudes. 2. Experience – experience is another criterion that the company uses in the selection process. Experience refers to the amount of time individual spent working, either in a general capacity or in a particular field of study. Experience is presumably an indicator of an individual’s familiarity with work, his or her ability to work, and a surrogate measure of a person’s competencies as an employee. 3. Skills and Abilities – skills and abilities are another set of selection criteria. Skills and abilities relate more precisely than do experience or education to the specific qualifications and capabilities of an individual to perform a specific job. 4. Personal Characteristics – personal characteristics reflect the individual’s personality and may be in certain kinds of job.                         High Air can use different selection tools in order to ensure that the section process is effective and fair.               In addition to the organization’s current selection method, which is job interview several selection methods can be used to add to the effectiveness, reliability and validity of the selection process. 1. Reference and Background Verification             Reference checking, which involves collecting information from applicant’s previous employers provides a potentially useful means of assessment. Reference checks serves two important purposes. One is to verify information provided by applicants to ensure that they have not fabricated their qualifications and past work histories. Reference checks also provide information about applicants that might predict job performances (Sims 2002). 2. Employment or Ability Tests             Employment and ability tests can also be used by the organization in order to make its selection process more effective. An employment test is a device for measuring characteristics of an individual to include factors such as personality, verbal and quantitative skills, intelligence, o aptitude. Such tests are generally administered before the final stage of interviewing. The testing of applicants offers two advantages: test results seem to be objective and free from personal bias, and they are usually expresses numerically so that they lend themselves to statistical analyses and thus can be validated (Sims 2002)             Work-Life Balance         Work-Life balance has never been more important. Different factors led to the growth of work-life balance arrangements. In the case of High Air, geographic restrictions have caused the company to require employees to come earlier to work. On the one hand, this is advantageous but on the other hand, this is also a potential source of stress and dissatisfaction. The company needs to come up with more accommodating arrangements which will allow the employees to balance their responsibilities at work and their responsibilities at home and their persona lives.   Recommendations for Work-Life Balance 1. Flexi-time - Flextime (flexi-time) is a scheduling option that allows workers to select their starting and quitting times within limits established by management. There are generally core hours when all employees must be present. Although starting and quitting times vary, employee are required to work a standard number of hours within a given time period (Avery and Zabel 2001). There are different forms of flexible working that High Air can offer the employees: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Formal 	Flextime – Formal flextime programs allow workers to vary their starting and 	ending  times, and in some cases, even the number of hours that they work in 	particular weeks (Messenger 2004). </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Time 	Banking – Time banking or working times accounts involve keeping track of 	hours worked in ‘accounts’ for individual workers. Like some flextime 	programs, time banking permits workers to build up ‘credits’ or accumulate 	‘deficits’ in hours worked, up to a maximum amount; however, the periods 	involved are much longer, ranging from several months to a year or more 	(Messenger 2004). </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Annualized Hours –This approach allows firms to increase hours of work 	during periods with a high volume of work, which can then be offset by 	shorter hours of work at other times when the company’s workload is less. 	The number of hours to be worked in any given week is determined by 	employers based on the needs of the enterprise, typically within a certain 	band of maximum and minimum weekly hours, subject to any additional 	conditions that may exist in collective agreements such as minimum notice 	periods (Messenger 2004).</li> </ul>   Employee Motivation and Retention         In an environment where employees are highly mobile, meaning they can transfer from one job to another, the company needs to come up with strategies to keep their valuable employees and at the same time attract talented and qualified individuals. The management must focus on employee retention strategies particularly those that coincide with motivation. Motivation is an important factor is it affects performance and the desire of the employees to stay or leave the company.             According to Sims (2002), motivation is the process of satisfying internal needs through actions and behaviors. It is concerned with a composite of mental and physical drives, combined with the environment that makes people behave the way they do (p.55). According to Adair (2004), motivation is about something within you impelling you to move forwards, to achieve a goal, to make progress in a task. The ‘something’ is the driving force may be a need, or desire, or an emotion but it leads you to act in a certain way. Signs of motivation in a person are an energy and determination to achieve (p. 58).   Increasing Motivation and Retaining Employees 1. Pay for Performance – Pay for performance refers to any compensation method that ties pay to the quantity or quality of work the person produces. For a Pay for Performance plan to be successful, according to Sims (2002), the manager must: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ensure 	that effort and rewards are directly related. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Make 	the plan understandable and easily calculable by the employees.</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Set 	effective standards that will benefit the organization. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Guarantee the program. </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Guarantee a base rate. </li> </ul>   2. Spot Awards - A spot award is a financial award given to an employee literally on the spot as soon as the laudable performance is observed. Spot awards have a sound basis in motivation. For example, to the extent that the rewards are both contingent on good performance and awarded immediately, they are certainly consistent with the expectancy approach, and provide the recognition most people desire (Sims 2002). 3. Job Redesign – Job design refers to the number and nature of activities in a job; the basic issue in job design is whether jobs should be more specialized or, at the other extreme, more “enriched” and no routine. Job enrichment means building motivators like opportunities for achievement into the job by making it more interesting and challenging. This is often accomplished by giving employees more autonomy and allowing them to do much of the planning and inspection normally done by their managers (Sims 2002). 4. Employee Empowerment - Empowering employees is a popular approach to work organizations. It means giving employees the authority, tools, and information they need to do their jobs with greater autonomy, as well as the self-confidence required to perform the new jobs effectively. Empowering is inherently a motivational approach. It boosts employees’ feeling of self-efficacy and enables them to more fully their potential, satisfying high-level needs for achievement, recognition, and self-actualization. Empowerment results in changes in employees’ effectiveness. The result is that people take more initiative and persevere in achieving their goals and their leader’s vision even in the face of obstacles. In order to effectively empower the employees, the manager must: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Make 	sure people understand their responsibilities</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Give 	them authority equal to the responsibilities assigned to them</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Set 	standards of excellence that will require employees to strive to do all work 	“right the first time”  </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Provide 	them with training that will enable them to meet the standards</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Give 	them information that they need to do their jobs well</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Trust 	them</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Give 	them permission to fail</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Treat 	them with dignity and respect  </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Provide 	them with feedback on their performance  </li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Recognize them for their achievements  (Sims 2002)</li> </ul>               The recommendations are based on the belief that a motivated employee does not only perform well but also has an intense to stay in the job. In order to retain valuable employees, the company must first seek to motivate them. I believe that pay and monetary rewards are not the only reasons why employees stay in an organization. More than the financial gains that an employee receives, non-monetary rewards are also important in motivating and retaining employees. Another issue that I will be discussing in the next section (which is one of the cited reasons why employee retention is low at High Air) is the lack of clear training and development opportunities or programs at High Air.   Career Development         Gone are the days when employees only demand for fair salaries. The employees of today also value training and development. Employees look for opportunities to further their careers and they are constantly searching for ways to reach the top of the corporate ladder. Career Development is very important not only for the employees but also for the organization as the quickly changing business environment requires organizations to have a flexible workforce.             The employees are complaining about the lack of development programs that will help them advance their careers. The company needs to focus on Career Development Programs.   Career Development, Planning and Management             Career Development is an organized, planned effort comprised of structured activities or processes that result in a mutual career plotting effort between employees and the organization. Within this system, the employee is responsible for career planning and the organization is responsible for career management (Eggland and Giley 1998 p.48). Career Development is primarily the responsibility of the organization. On the other hand, the employee is responsible for planning his or her career. Career Planning is a process of setting up employee career objectives and developing activities that will achieve them. According to Sims (2002), career planning is the process by which an individual formulates career goals and develops a plan for reaching those goals. Career Management refers to specific human resource activities, such as job placement, performance appraisal, counseling, training, and education. According to Adams and Morrison (1991), career management is a set of programs that represent the organization’s requirements (p.34). Career management emphasizes the recognition and response to the changing interests and needs of employees as they grow and mature within the organization. Career management takes the organization’s point of view in putting together job ladders, career paths, rotation programs, and planned learning activities to improve the supply of talent among current employees (Clardy 1996).   Recommendations for Career Development 1. Effective Performance Appraisal – Performance appraisal plays an important part in career development. The effectivity of a performance appraisal starts with the adequate explanatory material about the performance appraisal system and how it works (Rudman 2003). In addition, the organization should employ the developmental approach in performance appraisal. The organization should use this approach is to motivate and direct individual performance as well as career development efforts. The focus should be on future planning; counseling and interaction between the manager and employees. Emphasis should be placed on goal setting as well as review. This appraisal system allows the manager, supervisor and employee to share responsibility. The basis of this approach is future goals and plans for future development. The organization must use a performance appraisal system that will help in the development of a person’s career as well as enhance communications and understanding (Eggland and Gilley 1998). Walker 1980, provided different techniques that can be used by managers and human resource managers. These are: 1. Narrative appraisals – open-ended interaction regarding individual performance 2. Goal setting and review – identification of goals mentally, followed by comparison of performances against those goals 3. Rating scales – performance is measured against predetermined factors 4. Checklists – performance is rated against a list of normative factors 5. Critical incidents – examples of good and bad performance are identified by the appraiser as they occur and maintain until review 6. Ranking – relative performance is completed by the appraiser Any or all of these methods can be utilized by the managers and human resource personnel in the performance appraisal of employees. 2. Career Pathing - Career pathing is a technique that addresses the specifics of progressing from one job to another in the organization (Sims 2002, p. 228). The formalized career paths lead to precise descriptions of chronological work experiences as well as how the different sequences relate to one another. The organization must use career pathing activities that will enhance skills, competencies, and knowledge of employees. Organizations use three existing career paths (Sims 2002). The organization should develop effective career pathing programs that: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Include 	lateral and downward possibilities, as well as upward possibilities</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Are 	provisional and quick to respond to changes in organizational needs</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Are 	flexible enough to take into account the qualities of each employee</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Specifically define each jobs along the paths in terms of acquired skills, 	knowledge, and other detailed qualities (Jackson 1999) </li> </ul> 3. Career Counseling - Career counseling is the activity that integrates the different steps in the career-planning process. Career counseling may be performed by an employee’s immediate manager, a HRM specialist (or a combination of the two), or outside consultants (Sims 2002). The immediate manager must be the one to conduct the counseling with appropriate input from HRM personnel. The career counseling programs that the organization must employ should address a wide variety of career-related issues and are readily accessible to people in the organization.   Task 5: Employment/Labor Relations             Labor Relations according to Sims (2002) is the process of dealing with employees who are represented by a union. A labor union can be defined as an organization of employees that uses collective action to advance its members’ interests in regard to shared job-related goals, including items such as higher pay, shorter working hour, enhanced benefits, and better working conditions. Collective bargaining, a specific aspect of labor relations is the process by which unions seek to manage their working environment. Collective bargaining is the process by which managers and union leaders negotiate acceptable terms and conditions of employment for workers represented by unions.   In order to form positive relations between the company and its employees, the CEO needs to possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Knowledge of labor relations principles, practices, procedures, strategies, 	and trends including contract negotiation, interest based bargaining and 	dispute resolution</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of private 	personnel administration as applied to labor relations issues</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Knowledge of laws and regulations and guidelines pertaining to labor 	relations</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Knowledge of the principles, practices and trend in benefits administration</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Knowledge of grievance procedures</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> 	Excellent oral and written communication skills</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Good 	public speaking/presentation skills</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to develop, interpret and administer contract provisions</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to represent the organization effectively during bargaining sessions</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to analyze facts and make sound decisions based on evidence presented and 	applicable laws, rules and precedents</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to resolve conflict through persuasion, mediation, and negotiation</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to establish and maintain effective working relationships with company 	officials, employee representatives and regulatory agencies</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%">Ability 	to plan and to direct the works of others</li> </ul>   Conclusion             The case of High Air presents a bird’s eye view of the different human resource management issues that organization’s face today. Like many organizations today, High Air is experiencing a revolution that I would like to call as the human resource revolution. Human Resource Management has emerge as an important organizational department that has the potential to make or break the organization. Now, HRM is considered as a strategic partner – a partner that can help the organization achieve its goals and objectives. High Air faces many human resource management issues that, if dealt with effectively, will make a milestone for the company. In order to achieve its goals, the company needs to restructure the HR processes within its company. From job analysis to employee relations, the management must make sure that it communicates, through its policies and practices, its commitment to its people.   Bibliography Adair, J. E. (2004). The Concise Adair on Teambuilding and Motivation, (N Tomas ed.) London: Thorogood.   Adams, J. and Morrison, R. (Eds.). (1991). Contemporary Career Development Issues. Hillside NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.   Anatasai, A. (1982). Psychological Testing. New York: Macmillan.   Avery, C. and Zabel, D. (2001). The Flexible Workplace: A Sourcebook of Information and Research. Westport CT: Quorum Books.   Brewster, C., Harris, H., and Sparrow, P. (2004). Globalizing Human Resource Management. New York: Routledge.   Burke, R. and Cooper, C. (Eds.). (2004). Reinventing Human Resources Management: Challenges and New Directions. New York: Routledge.   Buyens, D. and De Vos, A. (1999). The Added Value of the HR Department. In Brewster, C. & Harris, H. (Eds.) International HRM: Contemporary Issues   in Europe (pp.31-47). New York: Routledge.   Clardy, A. (1996). Managing Human Resources: Exercises, Experiments, and  Applications Workbook. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.   Eggland, S. A. and Gilley, J. W.  (1998). Principles of Human Resource Development. Reading MA: Addison Wesley.   Gatewood, R. D. and Field, H. S. (2001). Human Resource Selection. Hinsdale, IL: Dryden.   Jackson, C. (August 1999). Career Path. Hospital & Health Networks, 20.   Lengnick-Hall, M and Lengnick-Hall, C. (2004). The HR Function in the New Economy. In R. Burke and C. Cooper, (Eds.), Reinventing Human Resources Management: Challenges and New Directions (pp. 35-53). New York: Routledge.   Messenger, J. C. (2004). ‘Working Time at the Enterprise Level: Business Objectives, Firms’ Practices and Workers’ Preferences’, in J. C. Messenger (ed), Working Time and Workers' Preferences in Industrialized Countries: Finding the Balance (pp. 147 – 194). New York: Routledge.   Olmstead, B. and Smith, S. (1994). Creating a Flexible Workplace: How to Select and Manage Alternative Work Options. New York: Amacom.   Rudman, R. (2003). Performance Planning and Review: Making Employee Appraisals Work. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.   Sims, R. (2002). Organizational Success through Effective Human             Resources Management. Westport CT: Quorum Books.   Ulrich, D. (1997). Human Resource Champions: The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivery Results. Harvard Business School Press.   Ulrich, D., Brockbank, W., Yeung, A. K. and Lake, D. G. (1995). Human Resource Competencies: An Empirical Assessment. Human Resource Management 34(4), 473-95.   Walker, J. (1994). ‘Integrating the Human Resource Function with the Business’, Human Resource Planning. 17(2), 59+.

Human Resource Management of High Air

High Air Table of Contents ...