SOCIAL POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION KNEC NOTES
INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL OBJECTIVES – Click to view POLICY ADMINISTRATION – Click to view EVALUATION – Click to view
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INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL OBJECTIVES – Click to view POLICY ADMINISTRATION – Click to view EVALUATION – Click to view
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INTRODUCTION Human resource management is a process of bringing people and organizations together so that the goals of each other are met. The role of HR manager is shifting from that of a protector and screener to the role of a planner and change agent. Personnel directors are the new corporate heroes. The name of the game today in business is personnel. Nowadays it is not possible to show a good financial or operating report unless your personnel relations are in order. Over the years, highly skilled and knowledge based jobs are increasing while low skilled jobs are decreasing. This calls for future skill mapping through proper HRM initiatives. Indian organizations are also witnessing a change in systems, management cultures and philosophy due to the global alignment of Indian organizations. There is a need for multi skill development. Role of HRM is becoming all the more important. Some of the recent trends that are being observed are as follows: The recent quality management standards ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 of 2000 focus more on people centric organizations. Organizations now need to prepare themselves in order to address people centered issues with commitment from the top management, with renewed thrust on HR issues, more particularly on training. Charles Handy also advocated future organizational models like Shamrock, Federal and Triple I. Such organizational models also refocus on people centric issues and call for redefining the future role of HR professionals. To leapfrog ahead of competition in this world of uncertainty, organizations have introduced six- sigma practices. Six- sigma uses rigorous analytical tools with leadership from the top and develops a method for sustainable improvement. These practices improve organizational values and helps in creating defect free product or services at minimum cost. Human resource outsourcing is a new accession that makes a traditional HR department redundant in an organization. Exult, the international pioneer in HR BPO already roped in Bank of America, international players BP Amoco & over the years plan to spread their business to most of the Fortune 500 companies. With the increase of global job mobility, recruiting competent people is also increasingly becoming difficult, especially in India. Therefore by creating an enabling culture, organizations are also required to work out a retention strategy for the existing skilled manpower. HR Managers today are focusing attention on the following- Policies– HR policies based on trust, openness, equity and consensus. Motivation– Create conditions in which people are willing to work with zeal, initiative and enthusiasm; make people feel like winners. Relations– Fair treatment of people and prompt redress of grievances would pave the way for healthy work-place relations. Change agent– Prepare workers to accept technological changes by clarifying doubts. Quality Consciousness– Commitment to quality in all aspects of personnel administration will ensure success. Due to the new trends in HR, in a nutshell the HR manager should treat people as resources, reward them equitably, and integrate their aspirations with corporate goals through suitable HR policies.
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Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Sustainable exploitation of natural resources for Economic Recovery Strategy for Employment and Wealth Creation is a major challenge for the Government as it endeavors to put in place policies to guide the process in all environment and natural resources sub-sectors. That govern the natural resources exploitation, management and conservation. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Water Supply The Government through the Ministry of Water Resources Management and Development has the responsibility of ensuring that all Kenyans have access to safe drinking water within reasonable walking distance and in achieving the set goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is estimated that about 75.0 per cent of the urban population and nearly 50.0 per cent of rural population had access to safe drinking water in 2003. However, with the increasing population coupled with inadequate resources for expansion and maintenance of water supply programmes, these proportions are deteriorating. In this regard, the government has put in motion a reform process in the water sector and has embarked on implementing the Water Act 2002. The new legislation encompasses commercialization of the urban water programme’s and community participation in the rural water supply. The new policy details Government’s role, including, regulation and supervision of water resources; while welcoming stakeholders and beneficiary communities to participate in the implementation, financing, operation and maintenance of water resources and supply facilities. The purpose is to attract investment in the water sector and provide adequate water and sanitation services to meet the various sectoral demands. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Fisheries Fish continues to play an important role not only as a source of food and income for local fishing communities but also for the expo-market. The Government has directly put in place a task force to develop a comprehensive fisheries policy that will guide the sector towards the MDGs. It will also take cognizance of all environmental issues and within the framework of the Economic Recovery Strategy paper. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Forestry The Department of Forestry has continued to experience difficulties in discharging its mandate due to limitations of the current forest policy and legislation. An emergency tree planting programme is being implemented to address the serious degradation and destruction of the country’s forests. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Mining The Government through the Department of Mines and Geology in the Ministry of Environment Natural Resources and Wildlife has prepared a mining policy and is in the process of enacting a new mining law. The aim is to develop a comprehensive policy framework for regulating the mining sector and an appropriate legal and fiscal framework, which are in line with the current global mining trends. The proposed law once enacted will attract guide and encourage private investments into the sector as well as tap the country’s huge mineral potential. Under the envisaged mining law, a new mining licensing system is to be introduced to provide for among others; a simplified and harmonized licensing of mining operations, considerably curtailed discretion on the part of the Minister in charge of mining and a greater security of tenure for mining investors. The new law also seeks to harmonize mining with the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999 and requires restoration and rehabilitation of mined out areas and cushioning of local communities against adverse effects of mining. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Refuse Management Accumulation of refuse in most urban centers in the country remains serious health and environmental problem. The emergence of such substances as mobile phone scratch cards, polythene bags and plastic bottles have raised concern about the products’ effects on environment, as they do not decompose. The situation is more serious in major towns of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kyushu and Nauru where the daily refuse accumulation out-paces the quantity disposed. This is result of limited resources allocated to most local authorities’ coupled with inefficient waste disposal methods. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Mining Kenya has well-developed cement processing plants that satisfy the domestic market and exports to the regional market. Approximately1.2 million tones of cement are consumed locally each year. Opportunities exist in the production of glass, as the country is not self-sufficient. A few manufacturing units produce ceramic pottery and tiles, however, substantial quantities of ceramic pottery, tiles, sanitary-ware, and insulators are imported. Investment potential exists in prospecting and mining of other minerals such as gold, precious stones and petroleum. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Fisheries Kenya’s water resources of the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria provide vast fishing potential. At present, deep sea fishing, prawn and trout farming are in their infancy but growing rapidly. Opportunity also exists in fish processing (filleting and fish meal production), as well as fisheries-support infrastructure (refrigerated transport cold storage. Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya: Investment in Forestry In order to achieve sustained forest management, there will be a need to carry out a well-focused investment in the following areas: Forest valuation Capacity building in resource assessment, planning and management, impact assessment, geographical information systems, monitoring and evaluation Research in non-wood tree products to enhance their economic potential Development of credit support to private forest investments improving data and information for management planning through regular surveys Role of Development Partners In Resource Management Recently PNG’s development partners and government representatives met in Kavieng and agreed ground rules for more effective cooperation, consistent with the 2006 Paris ‘Declaration on Aid Effectiveness’, which emphasizes local ownership, harmony with national development strategies (notably poverty alleviation), synchronization of donor programmes and recipients’ demands, better programme management and mutual accountability. This INA column has been emphasizing the need for PNG to take full responsibility for its own destiny, notably:- pursuing suitable policies for the country’s long term interest, and not just that of a vested elite; ensuring stable economic conditions, freeing the economy for investment and competition by large and micro enterprises; concentration upon core responsibilities, particularly: maintaining infrastructure, tackling crime and corruption, ensuring
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Nature and Functions of Office Every modern organization is required to have an office. Whether it is a Government department, business firm, school, hospital, or a voluntary organization, the existence of an office is a must to enable necessary clerical and administrative tasks to be performed properly. An office is required for collection, arrangement, retention and dissemination (communication) of right information at the right time and to the right person. Its activities such as mail handling, filing, indexing, copying, telephone handling etc. must be controlled and supervised properly. An office manager controls all the frequently performed duties in an office. The office manager performs the managerial functions, namely planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. In this lesson you will learn about the meaning of ‘Office’, functions of a modern office and the need for and importance of office. Office — Meaning and Objectives If you visit a firm, school or hospital you will find that a number of activities are being performed, such as letters received, dispatched, typing, photocopying, word processing, filing, handling of office machines etc. The place where all such activities are performed is known as office. Thus office is a service department of an organization, which is connected with the handling of records and provision of various services like typing, duplicating, mailing, filing, handling office machines, keeping records, drafting, using information, handling money and other miscellaneous activities. Definition of office Some of the popular definitions of office are as follows: ‘‘Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on’’.—Denier, J.C. ‘‘Office is a unit where relevant records for the purpose of control, planning and efficient management of the organization are prepared, handled and preserved. It provides facilities for internal and external communication and coordinates activities of different departments of the organization’’. The above definitions highlight the following characteristics— collecting information processing information storing information coordinating information distributing information Therefore, an office may be defined as a place where all the activities concerned with collecting, processing, storing and distributing information for efficient and effective management of an organization are carried out. In every modern organization, be it a business concern or a Government department, there has to be an office. It is essential for the efficient management of the organization. Objectives of an office The main objectives of an office are as follows: (1) Aid to Management: The office provides aid to management in performing the following functions: Direction: Direction and guidance of management to various sections and departments are issued through the office. Communication: The office serves as a communication channel between different parts of the organization. It handles mail. Planning: The office helps management in planning for smooth functioning and progress of the organization by providing necessary information and data. Coordination: The office also facilitates co-ordination by maintaining links among departments. (2) Preserving Records The office maintains necessary books and records of the organization. (3) Providing Information It provides the right kind of information to management at the right time. (4) Providing Office Services It provides clerical and secretarial services to different executives. (5) Distribution of work The office distributes the work among various employees and identifies their duties and functions. (6) Selection and Appointment It also handles selection and appointment of employees. In short, the office is an important and indispensable part of every organization. Functions of a Modern Office An office is primarily concerned with collection and supply of information. Accurate and up to date information relating to organization and other agencies affecting the organization is always required for taking decisions and formulating policies. Besides, office has assumed many other responsibilities, such as safeguarding assets, personnel management, and procurement of assets etc., which are incidental to the primary function. Therefore, the functions of a modern office may be classified into two categories: 1. Basic functions, and 2. Administrative functions. 1. Basic functions Basic functions are those functions of an office which need to be performed in all types of organizations. They are mainly related to receiving and giving of information. These basic functions are as follows: Collecting information The office receives or collects information about various activities of the organization. The information may be collected from internal or external sources. Internal sources may be employees and various departments of the organization. The external sources are customers, suppliers and Government Departments etc. From internal sources information may be received in the form of letters, circulars, reports etc., and external sources provide information through letters, orders, invoices, inquiries, reports, questionnaires etc. The executives of the organization may also collect information while visiting other organizations. Recording information The office keeps record of information collected from various sources to make it readily available to the management. The information is kept in the form of correspondence, reports, statements, circulars, lists, charts, registers, books, etc. An office has also to maintain records as prescribed under law. The registered office of a company is required to maintain Register of Members under the Companies Act, 1956. Arranging, analyzing and processing the information The information collected in an office is generally not in the form in which it may be used by the management. Therefore, facts and figures collected have to be arranged, processed, organized and analyzed to make them useful to the management. In these connection financial statements, statistical statements, charts, lists, reports, summaries are prepared. Preserving Information The information is properly sorted out and preserved in the most economic and scientific manner. Various types of equipments, filing cabinets, etc. are used for preserving records. Unnecessary and out-dated records are destroyed to make space for new and valuable records. Supplying information All accumulated and processed information is useless unless it is communicated. The office serves as a two way channel for communication. On the one hand, it supplies the collected, recorded and processed information to the management and on the other hand, the policy decisions, guidelines and instructions issued by the management to the departments are also routed through the office. The
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Logistics Logistics is the management of the flow of goods and services between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of customers. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and occasionally security. Logistics is a channel of the supply chain which adds the value of time and place utility. Today the complexity of production logistics can be modeled, analyzed, visualized and optimized by plant simulation software. Distribution Product distribution (or place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations (go-betweens) involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user. The distribution channel Distribution is also a very important component of Logistics & Supply chain management. Distribution in supply chain management refers to the distribution of a good from one business to another. It can be factory to supplier, supplier to retailer, or retailer to end customer. It is defined as a chain of intermediaries; each passing the product down the chain to the next organization, before it finally reaches the consumer or end-user. This process is known as the ‘distribution chain’ or the ‘channel.’ Each of the elements in these chains will have their own specific needs, which the producer must take into account, along with those of the all-important end-user. COMPONENTS OF LOGISTICS A business logistics system is made up of three main activities: order processing, inventory management, and freight transportation. Order processing is concerned with the information flow in the logistics system and includes a number of operations. The beginning of the process consists of a request from a customer for a particular product via an order form. These orders are then transmitted and checked for completeness and accuracy. The availability of the requested product and the customer’s credit status are verified. Finally, products are retrieved from the stock, packed, and delivered along with their shipping documents. Throughout this entire process, the customers have to be kept informed about the status of their orders. Inventory management is a key issue in logistics systems. Businesses choose to maintain inventories for a variety of reasons, including: 1. Improving service level. 2. Reducing overall logistics costs. 3. Making seasonal items available throughout the year. 4. Overcoming inefficiencies managing the logistics system. The objective of inventory management is to regulate stock levels for minimizing total operating cost while satisfying customer service requirements. Freight transportation plays an important role in today’s economy since it enables production and consumption to take place at locations far away from each other. Freight transportation accounts for two-thirds of total logistics costs and has a major impact on the level of customer service. Therefore, transportation planning plays a key role in logistics system management. A manufacturer or distributor can choose among three alternatives to transport its materials: private transportation, contract transportation, and public transportation. The main modes of transportation used by logistics system management are ship, rail, truck, air, and pipeline. All are combined in numerous ways to obtain door-to-door services. Rail transport is inexpensive especially for long distance shipment and is more energy efficient than the alternatives. Trucks are used mainly for moving semi-finished and finished goods by the truck load or by partial truck load. Air transportation is often used in combination with road transportation to provide door-to-door service. Air transportation is theoretically the fastest mode of transportation but in practice it is slowed down by freight handling at airports. The major advantages of using a logistics system are: 1. It helps capital reduction. 2. It reduces total cost of transportation. 3. It helps improve service level. Logistics is a field that extensively utilizes information technology (IT) to perform daily tasks. In today’s world, logistics play a vital role in transportation of goods and will continue to play a major role in the coming decades. PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES Procurement is the purchase of goods or merchandise by a business, association, organization, or an individual. This simply means buying supplies from suppliers at the lowest possible price. The best way of doing this is to let the suppliers contend with each other so that the investment costs of the buyer are kept at a minimum. Procurement more often than not involves a bidding process in which the bidders or vendors quote their prices and the purchasers agree to the lowest possible bid. This is the most proficient and gainful manner of obtaining supplies or services if the quality of the goods meets the buyers’ conditions. The procedure of procurement usually commences when the purchaser starts to look for bidders in the market. After discovering the suppliers, a request is made for bids, proposals, quotes, and information. However, direct contact with bidders can also be made as an alternative for advertising all the above requests. After choosing the suitable bidders, a quality check is necessary to verify the quality of the goods. The next step would be negotiation of the terms, conditions, and delivery schedules. Logistics and fees are the next two most important processes that decide the safe delivery and the payoff of the goods. The procurement process can be divided into two parts, namely indirect procurement and direct procurement. Indirect procurement is that which deals with operational goods and direct procurement deals with the acquisition of goods that are considered raw material for the company’s manufacturing process. The procurement procedure can differ depending on the merchandise and the uses of the product. Equipment needed for healthcare and other important industries need to be efficient and dependable and the procurement process is carried out carefully in order to shun the purchase of defective apparatus. Another important factor that usually influences the procurement procedure is the quantity in which the product is bought. The procedure for acquiring goods may differ according to the product, price, availability, and market trends. STORES AND WAREHOUSE MANGEMENT Stores Management A store manager is the person ultimately
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Meaning of Energy Resources The use of energy has been a key in the development of the human society by helping it to control and adapt to the environment. Managing the use of energy is inevitable in any functional society. In the industrialized world the development of energy resources has become essential for agriculture, transportation, waste collection, information technology, communications that have become prerequisites of a developed society. The increasing use of energy since the Industrial Revolution has also brought with it a number of serious problems, some of which, such as global warming, present potentially grave risks to the world. In society and in the context of humanities, the word energy is used as a synonym of energy resources, and most often refers to substances like fuels, petroleum products and electricity in general. These are sources of usable energy, in that they can be easily transformed to other kinds of energy sources that can serve a particular useful purpose. This difference vis a vis energy in natural sciences can lead to some confusion, because energy resources are not conserved in nature in the same way as energy is conserved in the context of physics. The actual energy content is always conserved, but when it is converted into heat for example, it usually becomes less useful to society, and thus appears to have been “used up”. Economics Production and consumption of energy resources is very important to the global economy. All economic activity requires energy resources, whether to manufacture goods, provide transportation, run computers and other machines. Environment Consumption of energy resources, (e.g. turning on a light) requires resources and has an effect on the environment. Many electric power plants burn coal, oil or natural gas in order to generate electricity for energy needs. While burning these fossil fuels produces a readily available and instantaneous supply of electricity, it also generates air pollutants including carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide and trioxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas which is thought to be responsible for some fraction of the rapid increase in global warming seen especially in the temperature records in the 20th century, as compared with tens of thousands of year’s worth of temperature records which can be read from ice cores taken in Arctic regions. Burning fossil fuels for electricity generation also releases trace metals such as beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, mercury, nickel, and silver into the environment, which also act as pollutants. The large-scale use of renewable energy technologies would “greatly mitigate or eliminate a wide range of environmental and human health impacts of energy use”. Renewable energy technologies include biofuels, solar heating and cooling, hydroelectric power, solar power, and wind power. Energy conservation and the efficient use of energy would also help. Politics Since now energy plays an essential role in industrial societies, the ownership and control of energy resources plays an increasing role in politics. At the national level, governments seek to influence the sharing (distribution) of energy resources among various sections of the society through pricing mechanisms; or even who owns resources within their borders. They may also seek to influence the use of energy by individuals and business in an attempt to tackle environmental issues. The most recent international political controversy regarding energy resources is in the context of the Iraq wars. Some political analysts maintain that the hidden reason for both 1991 and 2003 wars can be traced to strategic control of international energy resources. Others counter this analysis with the numbers related to its economics. According to the latter group of analysts, U.S. has spent about $336 billion in Iraq as compared with a background current value of $25 billion per year budget for the entire U.S. oil import dependence. Production Producing energy to sustain human needs is an essential social activity, and a great deal of effort goes into the activity. While most of such effort is limited towards increasing the production of electricity and oil, newer ways of producing usable energy resources from the available energy resources are being explored. One such effort is to explore means of producing hydrogen fuel from water. Though hydrogen use is environmentally friendly, its production requires energy and existing technologies to make it, are not very efficient. Research is underway to explore enzymatic decomposition of biomass. Other forms of conventional energy resources are also being used in new ways. Coal gasification and liquefaction are recent technologies that are becoming attractive after the realization that oil reserves, at present consumption rates, may be rather short lived. See alternative fuels. Transportation All societies require materials and food to be transported over distances, generally against some force of friction. Since application of force over distance requires the presence of a source of usable energy, such sources are of great worth in society. While energy resources are an essential ingredient for all modes of transportation in society, the transportation of energy resources is becoming equally important. Energy resources are invariably located far from the place where they are consumed. Therefore their transportation is always in question. Some energy resources like liquid or gaseous fuels are transported using tankers or pipelines, while electricity transportation invariably requires a network of grid cables. The transportation of energy, whether by tanker, pipeline, or transmission line, poses challenges for scientists and engineers, policy makers, and economists to make it more risk-free and efficient. Energy crises Economic and political instability can lead to an energy crisis. Notable oil crises are the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 oil crisis. The advent of peak oil, the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, will likely precipitate another energy crisis. TYPES OF ENERGY RESOURCE SOURCES OF ENERGY Energy is the force that produce motion.It also does work.It is used in the manufactured of products The development of industries depends on the availability of energy to make produce of various. Human apply their anergy even in their daily activities.There are two mjor
Meaning of financial resources Finance is the science of funds management. The general areas of finance are business finance, personal finance, and public finance. Finance includes saving money and often includes lending money. The field of finance deals with the concepts of time, money, risk and how they are interrelated. It also deals with how money is spent and budgeted. One facet of finance is through individuals and business organizations, which deposit money in a bank. The bank then lends the money out to other individuals or corporations for consumption or investment and charges interest on the loans. Loans have become increasingly packaged for resale, meaning that an investor buys the loan (debt) from a bank or directly from a corporation. Bonds are debt instruments sold to investors for organizations such as companies, governments or charities. The investor can then hold the debt and collect the interest or sell the debt on a secondary market. Banks are the main facilitators of funding through the provision of credit, although private equity, mutual funds, hedge funds, and other organizations have become important as they invest in various forms of debt. Financial assets, known as investments, are financially managed with careful attention to financial risk management to control financial risk. Financial instruments allow many forms of securitized assets to be traded on securities exchanges such as stock exchanges, including debt such as bonds as well as equity in publicly traded corporations. Central banks, such as the Federal Reserve System banks in the United States and Bank of England in the United Kingdom, are strong players in public finance, acting as lenders of last resort as well as strong influences on monetary and credit conditions in the economy Sources of finance Sourcing money may be done for a variety of reasons. Traditional areas of need may be for capital asset acquirement – new machinery or the construction of a new building or depot. The development of new products can be enormously costly and here again capital may be required. Normally, such developments are financed internally, whereas capital for the acquisition of machinery may come from external sources. In this day and age of tight liquidity, many organizations have to look for short term capital in the way of overdraft or loans in order to provide a cash flow cushion. Interest rates can vary from organization to organization and also according to purpose. A company might raise new funds from the following sources: The capital markets: new share issues, for example, by companies acquiring a stock market listing for the first time rights issues Loan stock Retained earnings Bank borrowing Government sources Business expansion scheme funds Venture capital Franchising. Ordinary (equity) shares Ordinary shares are issued to the owners of a company. They have a nominal or ‘face’ value, typically of $1 or 50 cents. The market value of a quoted company’s shares bears no relationship to their nominal value, except that when ordinary shares are issued for cash, the issue price must be equal to or be more than the nominal value of the shares. Deferred ordinary shares are a form of ordinary shares, which are entitled to a dividend only after a certain date or if profits rise above a certain amount. Voting rights might also differ from those attached to other ordinary shares. Ordinary shareholders put funds into their company: by paying for a new issue of shares through retained profits. Simply retaining profits, instead of paying them out in the form of dividends, offers an important, simple low-cost source of finance, although this method may not provide enough funds, for example, if the firm is seeking to grow. A new issue of shares might be made in a variety of different circumstances: The company might want to raise more cash. If it issues ordinary shares for cash, should the shares be issued pro rata to existing shareholders, so that control or ownership of the company is not affected? If, for example, a company with 200,000 ordinary shares in issue decides to issue 50,000 new shares to raise cash, should it offer the new shares to existing shareholders, or should it sell them to new shareholders instead? If a company sells the new shares to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholding in the company, we have a rights issue. In the example above, the 50,000 shares would be issued as a one-in-four rights issue, by offering shareholders one new share for every four shares they currently hold. If the number of new shares being issued is small compared to the number of shares already in issue, it might be decided instead to sell them to new shareholders, since ownership of the company would only be minimally affected. The company might want to issue shares partly to raise cash, but more importantly to float’ its shares on a stick exchange. The company might issue new shares to the shareholders of another company, in order to take it over. New shares issues A company seeking to obtain additional equity funds may be: an unquoted company wishing to obtain a Stock Exchange quotation an unquoted company wishing to issue new shares, but without obtaining a Stock Exchange quotation a company which is already listed on the Stock Exchange wishing to issue additional new shares. The methods by which an unquoted company can obtain a quotation on the stock market are: an offer for sale a prospectus issue a placing an introduction. Offers for sale: An offer for sale is a means of selling the shares of a company to the public. An unquoted company may issue shares, and then sell them on the Stock Exchange, to raise cash for the company. All the shares in the company, not just the new ones, would then become marketable. Shareholders in an unquoted company may sell some of their existing shares to the general public. When this occurs, the company is not raising any new funds, but just providing a wider market for its existing
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Meaning of Human Resource Human Resource is a set of practicing policies , practices and programmes designed to maximize both personal and organization goals . It is the process of binding people and organization together so that the objective of each are achieved. Features of Human Resource Management Comprehensive function – Human resource management is concerned with managing people as work. It covers all type of people at all levels, in the organization. People oriented- Human resource management is concerned with employees as individuals as well as group. It is the task of dealing with human relationships within an organization. It is the process of achieving the best fit between individual s, jobs, organizations and the environment. Action oriented – Human resource management focuses on action rather than on record keeping or procedures. Individual oriented – Under human resource management, every employee is considered as an individual so as to provide services and programmes to facilitate employee satisfaction and growth. Development oriented – Human resource management is concern with developing potential of employees so that they get maximum satisfaction from their work and give their best effort to the organization. Objectives of Human Resource To help the organization attain its goals by providing well-trained and well-motivated employees. To employ the skills and knowledge of employees efficiency and effectively i.e. to utilize human resource To enhance job satisfaction and self actualization of employee by encouraging and assisting every employer to realize his/her full potential. To establish and maintain productive, self -respecting and internally satisfying working relationships among all the members of the organization. To bearing about maximum individual development of member of the organization by providing opportunities for training and advancement. To secure the integration of all the individual and group with the organization by reconciling individual /group goals with those of an organization. To develop and maintain a quality of work life(QWL) which makes employment in the organization a desirable personal and social To maintain high morale and good human relations within the organization. To help maintain ethical policies and behavior inside and outside the organization. To manage change to the mutual advantages of individual, group the organization and the society. To recognize and satisfy initial needs and group goals by offering appropriate monetary and non-monetary incentives. Requirements for attaining the above objectives Recruiting the right personnel possessing necessary skills and attitude. Developing clearly defined objectives and policies through common understanding and mutual Communicating and explaining the goals to be achieved and the contribution expected of every ember of the Dividing the tasks properly with clear cut authority , responsibility and relationship of one position with another. Maintaining sound industrial and human relations so as to secure the willing co-operation of all. Providing suitable monetary and non-monetary rewards for the contributions of Importance of Human Resource Management The significance of human resource management can be discussed at four levels – corporate, social, profession and national. Significance of an enterprise Human resource management can help an enterprise in achieving its goals more efficiently and effectively in the following ways. Attracting and retaining the required talent through effective resource planning, recruitment selection , placement , and orientation compensation and promotion policies. Developing the necessary skills and right attitude among the employees through training development . Securing willing co-operation of employees through Utilizing effectively the available human Ensuring that the enterprise will have in future a team of competent and dedicated Process Of Developing Human Resources PLANNING Human resource planning is the process by which management determines how an organization should move from its current manpower position to its desired man power position. Characteristics of Human Resource planning Human resource planning like all planning is forward looking or future oriented. It involves forecast of the man power needs in a future time periods so that adequately and timely provision may be made to meet the needs. Human resource planning is an ongoing or continuous process. It is the primary responsibility in management so as to ensure effective utilization of the organization’s human resource. Human resource planning is an integral part of corporate planning. Human resource planning is a system approach to human resources. Objectives of human resource planning To ensure optimum use of existing human resource; To forecast future requirement s for human resource. To provide control measures to ensure that necessary human resource are available as and when required. To link human resource planning with organizational planning To access the surplus and shortage of human resources. To anticipate the impacts of technology on jobs and human resources. To determine levels of recruitment and training. To estimate the cost of human resources and housing needs of employees. To provide a basis for management development programme. To facilitate productivity bargaining . To meet the needs of expansion and diversification programme. Need and importance of Human Resource Planning; To carry on it s work and to achieve its objectives, every organization requires employees with adequate knowledge , experience and Human resource planning is helpful in selection and training activities. Human resource planning identifies gaps in existing man power in terms of their quantity and talents Provision for replacement of personnel can be through human resource planning that is replacing retired employees who die, resign and become incapacitated due to Human resource planning facilitates expansion and diversification of an organization. Human resource planning creates awareness about the effective utilization of human resource throughout the organization. Human resource planning is helpful in effective utilization of technological To meet the challenge of new technology existing employees need to be retrained and new employees may be recruited . With the help of human resource planning areas of surplus man power can be anticipated and timely action can be taken . Human resource planning is useful in anticipating the cost of human resource which facilitates the budgeting It also helps in controlling human resource costs through effective utilization . Human resource planning facilitates career succession planning in organization. Human resource planning helps in planning for physical facilities. Human Resource
Meaning of man-made resources These are resources that are changed from their present stage that stage that can be utilized by man. These are resource made by man after exploiting the natural resource e.g. dams, roads etc. What you must do Ensure conditions are suitable to carry out maintenance and repairs Identify the items that need maintenance and repair and the work required Choose the hand tools and equipment that are most appropriate for the maintenance and repair that is needed Protect the immediate surrounding areas throughout the preparations and the work Use the appropriate method to prepare damaged areas or surfaces for repairs Use approved safe working practices throughout maintenance and repair, ensuring electrical supplies are safely isolated, where necessary Use the right techniques for achieving maintenance and repairs and make sure that your work does not have an adverse effect on the finished appearance of the items and surrounding area When replacing items check that replacements function the same manner and operate safely Check that the area functions properly following maintenance and repair and that the appearance of the work area matches that of the immediate surrounding area, as far as is possible Report to the relevant person any maintenance and repair requirements that you are not competent to carry out or any cleaning that is required Clean tools thoroughly after use and return them and any unused materials to the right place Knowledge requirements What you must know How weather and other site conditions (such as heat, snow, ice or mud) may influence the way you carry out your work Where maintenance and repair is required and how site conditions can affect your ability to carry out the work The type of maintenance and repair that is required and its extent The tools and equipment available for use and which are the most appropriate for the work Why it is important to protect the surrounding area and the most effective and appropriate method to do this The necessary preparatory work to carry out before conducting repairs and why it is important that this is done Approved, safe working practices for carrying out the work Suitable techniques for carrying out maintenance and repairs to ensure the appearance of the items and surrounding area remains intact The characteristics of items to be replaced and why it is important to retain them How to check that the items function correctly when maintenance and repair is finished and why this should be done Reporting procedures for any maintenance and repair that you are not competent to carry out The correct way to clean tools and equipment and why it is important to do this when you have finished using them The correct place to store tools and equipment and any un-used materials Monitoring policies on how to use resources effectively The legal and policy framework regarding natural resources is still evolving and presents good opportunities for strengthening community rights. However, there are some areas of concern; some important policy instruments still need to be put in place and the application of these policies and regulations has major shortcomings, in terms both of capacity and commitment. Ongoing decentralization processes and devolution of rights and responsibilities to local communities is revealing the tensions in resources where land and natural resource policy mixes a powerful role of the state with the need to strengthen community rights. Devolution of rights policy is being driven more by informal “pilot” and ad hoc approaches than through central level processes, and in fact there are pressures to move in the opposite direction, where powerful interests are involved Educating people on the proper use of man made resource effective or sustainable Man made resources such as historical places, objects and manifestations of cultural, scientific, symbolic, spiritual and religious value are important expressions of the culture, identity and religious beliefs of societies. Their role and importance, particularly in the light of the need for cultural identity and continuity in a rapidly changing world, need to be promoted. Buildings, spaces, places and landscapes charged with spiritual and religious value represent an important element of stable and humane social life and community pride. Conservation, rehabilitation and culturally sensitive adaptive reuse of urban, rural and architectural heritage are also in accordance with the sustainable use of natural and human-made resources. Access to culture and the cultural dimension of development is of the utmost importance and all people should be able to benefit from such access. Actions To promote historical and cultural continuity and to encourage broad civic participation in all kinds of cultural activities, Governments at the appropriate levels, including local authorities, should: 1. Identify and document, whenever possible, the historical and cultural significance of areas, sites, landscapes, ecosystems, buildings and other objects and manifestations and establish conservation goals relevant to the cultural and spiritual development of society; 2. Promote the awareness of such heritage in order to highlight its value and the need for its conservation and the financial viability of rehabilitation; 3. Encourage and support local heritage and cultural institutions, associations and communities in their conservation and rehabilitation efforts and inculcate in children and youth an adequate sense of their heritage; 4. Promote adequate financial and legal support for the effective protection of the cultural heritage; 5. Promote education and training in traditional skills in all disciplines appropriate to the conservation and promotion of heritage; 6. Promote the active role of older persons as custodians of cultural heritage, knowledge, trades and skills. To integrate development with conservation and rehabilitation goals, Governments at the appropriate levels, including local authorities, should: 1. Recognize that the historical and cultural heritage is an important asset, and strive to maintain the social, cultural and economic viability of historically and culturally important sites and communities; 2. Preserve the inherited historical settlement and landscape forms, while protecting the integrity of the historical urban fabric and guiding new construction in historical areas; 3. Provide adequate legal and financial support for the implementation of conservation and rehabilitation activities, in
MAN-MADE RESOURCES Read Post »
Meaning of Natural Resource Natural resources (economically referred to as land or raw materials) occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Natural resources are derived from the environment. This is currently restricted to the environment of Earth yet the theoretical possibility remains of extracting them from outside the planet, such as the asteroid belt. Many of them are essential for our survival while others are used for satisfying our wants. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Different Types of Natural Resources Natural resources are simply the resources that human beings use for their protection, shelter, comfort, etc. Earth is abundant in natural resources, but they should be used judiciously. Natural resources are naturally occurring resources in the environment that have not been disturbed by mankind. By resource is meant any physical entity, which has limited availability. These resources occur in their natural form. Few examples of natural resources are: Air, wind and atmosphere Plants (Flora) Animals (Fauna) Agronomy (the science of using plants for food, fuel, feed and fiber) Wildlife Forestry and Agroforestry Coal and fossil fuels Range and pasture Soils Water, oceans, lakes and rivers Something that people generally aren’t aware of, is that everything we use in everyday life are derived from natural resources, for example, milk which comes from cows – animals are a natural resource. We use water, food and vegetables that come from plants, salt which is a mineral are some of the other natural resources. Wood that we get from tree is a natural resource. It can be used to build a house, make paper, burn in fireplaces and in stoves for cooking, etc. Man utilizes these resources in various ways. These resources are processed further so as to be made suitable for our needs. The table below is an example that shows in what way the resources have been utilized; Here are few natural resources and their uses. Soil Used for growing crops (only 10% of the Earth’s surface). Soil can be used for shelter. Many tribal people all around the world make shelter with the help of soil. Water Used for drinking (only 0.0007% of Earth’s water is suitable for drinking. The rest is salt water, water trapped in glaciers or polluted water. Fresh water is used for irrigation of crops. Water bodies such as oceans, lakes and rivers of the world can be used for transportation. Fishing is a valuable source of food that is provided by water. Water in rivers is be used to generate hydro-electricity. Minerals Minerals can be defined as naturally occurring substances obtained from the ground. They are coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron, copper, gold, etc. They are also absorbed up by plants from the Earth’s surface and transferred to humans through food. They (coal, natural gas and fossil fuels) are a source of energy. Used as ingredients to make other materials like iron ore, is used to make steel and petroleum is used to make a variety of products like gasoline, plastics, etc. Can be used as they are in natural form like salt. Vegetation Land is used for farming from which vegetables and fruits are grown. Wood from trees is cut and processed to make furniture and home Wood is used for cooking and also as fuel to produce heat for warmth. Clothing – clothes are made from cotton. Plants are used as an ingredient in medicines. Animals Animals are used as a food, and their waste is used as fertilizers for crops. We get fur and hides from animals which are used for making clothes. Used for transportation. Natural resources can further be defined as renewable and nonrenewable. Renewable resources are those that can be produced again, for example, plants and animals whereas, nonrenewable resources are those which cannot be produced again, for example, fossil fuels. We need to make serious attempts to use natural resources in an efficient manner because in recent years, natural resources have depleted as a result of their careless use. The seriousness of the problem can be understood from the words of former American president Theodore Roosevelt, “The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem, it will avail us little to solve all others.” Management Natural resource management is a discipline in the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations. Natural resource management is interrelated with the concept of sustainable development, a principle that forms a basis for land management and environmental governance throughout the world. In contrast to the policy emphases of urban planning and the broader concept of environmental management, Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology and the life-supporting capacity of those resources. Depletion In recent years, the depletion of natural resources and attempts to move to sustainable development has been a major focus of development agencies. This is a particular concern in rainforest regions, which hold most of the Earth’s natural biodiversity – irreplaceable genetic natural capital. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of natural capitalism, environmentalism, the ecology movement, and green politics. Some view this depletion as a major source of social unrest and conflicts in developing nations. Mining, petroleum extraction, fishing, hunting, and forestry are generally considered natural-resource industries. Agriculture is considered a man-made resource. Theodore Roosevelt, a well-known conservationist and former United States president, was opposed to unregulated natural resource extraction. The term is defined by the United States Geological Survey as “The Nation’s natural resources include its minerals, energy, land, water, and biota.” Protection Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth’s biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction. It is an interdisciplinary
Meaning of Resource Management In organizational studies, resource management is the efficient and effective deployment for an organization’s resources when they are needed. Such resources may include financial resources, inventory, human skills, production resources, or information technology (IT). In the realm of project management, processes, techniques and philosophies as to the best approach for allocating resources have been developed. These include discussions on functional vs. cross-functional resource allocation as well as processes espoused by organizations like the Project Management Institute through their Project Management Body of Knowledge methodology to project management. Resource management is a key element to activity resource estimating and project human resource management. Both are essential components of a comprehensive project management plan to execute and monitor a project successfully. As is the case with the larger discipline of project management, there are resource management software tools available that automate and assist the process of resource allocation to projects and portfolio resource visibility including supply and demand of resources. HR (Human Resource) Management This is the science of allocating human resources among various projects or business units, maximizing the utilization of available personnel resources to achieve business goals; and performing the activities that are necessary in the maintenance of that workforce through identification of staffing requirements, planning and oversight of payroll and benefits, education and professional development, and administering their work-life needs. The efficient and effective deployment of an organization’s personnel resources where and when they are needed, and in possession of the tools, training and skills required by the work. CATEGORIES OF RESOURCES Natural resource Natural resources (economically referred to as land or raw materials) occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Natural resources are derived from the environment. This is currently restricted to the environment of Earth yet the theoretical possibility remains of extracting them from outside the planet, such as the asteroid belt. Many of them are essential for our survival while others are used for satisfying our wants. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Classification On the basis of origin, resources may be divided into: Biotic – Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere, such as forests and their products, animals, birds and their products, fish and other marine organisms. Mineral fuels such as coal and petroleum are also included in this category because they are formed from decayed organic matter. Abiotic – Abiotic resources include non-living things. Examples include land, water, air and ores such as gold, iron, copper, silver etc. Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to in the following ways: Potential Resources – Potential resources are those that exist in a region and may be used in the future. For example, petroleum may exist in many parts of India, having sedimentary rocks but until the time it is actually drilled out and put into use, it remains a potential resource. Actual Resources are those that have been surveyed, their quantity and quality determined and are being used in present times. The development of an actual resource, such as wood processing depends upon the technology available and the cost involved. That part of the actual resource that can be developed profitably with available technology is called a reserve. On the basis of status of development, they can be classified into potential resources, developed resources, stock and reserves. With respect to renewability, natural resources can be categorized as follows: Renewable resources are ones that can be replenished or reproduced easily. Some of them, like sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not affected by human consumption. Many renewable resources can be depleted by human use, but may also be replenished, thus maintaining a flow. Some of these, like agricultural crops, take a short time for renewal; others, like water, take a comparatively longer time, while still others, like forests, take even longer. Non-renewable resources are formed over very long geological periods. Minerals and fossil fuels are included in this category. Since their rate of formation is extremely slow, they cannot be replenished once they get depleted. Of these, the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them. But coal and petroleum cannot be recycled. On the basis of availability, natural resources can be categorized as follows: Inexhaustible natural resources- Those resources which are present in unlimited quantity in nature and are not likely to be exhausted easily by human activity are inexhaustible natural resources (sunlight, air etc.) Exhaustible natural resources- The amount of these resources are limited. They can be exhausted by human activity in the long run (coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc.) Examples Some examples of natural resources include the following: Air, wind and atmosphere Animals Coal, fossil fuels, rock and mineral resources Forestry Range and pasture Soils Water, oceans, lakes, groundwater and rivers [4] Solar power Management Natural resource management is a discipline in the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations. Natural resource management is interrelated with the concept of sustainable development, a principle that forms a basis for land management and environmental governance throughout the world. In contrast to the policy emphases of urban planning and the broader concept of environmental management, Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology and the life-supporting capacity of those resources. Depletion In recent years, the depletion of natural resources and attempts to move to sustainable development has been a major focus of development agencies. This is a particular concern in rainforest regions, which hold most of the Earth’s natural biodiversity – irreplaceable genetic natural capital. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of natural capitalism, environmentalism, the ecology movement, and green politics. Some view this depletion as a major source of social unrest and conflicts in developing
INTRODUCTION TO RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Read Post »