Strategic Human Resource Management Process

Human resource management (HRM) is that part of management process which makes, enhances, manages and develops the human element of the enterprise measuring their resourcefulness in terms of talents, abilities, total skills, creative, knowledge, and potentialities for effectively contributing to the organizational objectives. Human resources are precious and a source of competitive advantage. Human resources may be tapped most effective by mutually standard policies which promote promise and foster an inclination in employees to act flexibly in the interests of the adaptive organization’s pursuit of excellence. Human resource policies can be joined with planned business and used to reinforce appropriate culture. Human resources play a critical role in enabling the organization to effectively deal with the external environment challenges. The human resource management has been accepted as a strategic partner in the formulation of organization’s strategies and in the implementation of such strategies through human resource planning, employment, training, appraisal Continue reading

Stages of New Product Development

New products are the lifeblood of the organization but they are extremely vulnerable and the majority never reach commercialization. In competitive markets, the best and strongest firms sustain growth through the introduction of new products and services to meet the changing needs of the consumers. All products have a finite life span and this is influenced by the type of product, its innovativeness, the management of the product through its life cycle, as well as the markets in which it is sold. All products will eventually decline and need to be replaced by new ones and companies need to be adept at adapting marketing strategies to respond to the dynamics of the environment, so as to manage the product through its life cycle effectively. New product development is the process of developing a product from initial stage of Design to Physical Reality using concept of Designing, manufacturing processes and other Continue reading

Special Pricing Approaches Used in Business

A variety of approaches are employed by businessmen in setting prices. These approaches are not mutually exclusive but sometimes they complement or supplement one another. Some of them are: Intuitive Pricing: It is a psychological method of pricing in which prices are based on the ‘feel of the market’. The system is more subjective rather than objective in nature. Initially the price is estimated on the basis of cost plus method with flexible mark-up pricing. This method is fairly common. Experimental Pricing: It is a trial and error method of pricing. This method is widely used in pricing of new products especially at retail level. Initiative Pricing: In this method a firm decides to follow a price fixing policy of a price leader. Backward Cost Pricing: Certain industries target price as the starting point for strategic calculations. The selling price is determined first and by working backwards the firm arrives Continue reading

Work-Life Balance: Why it Matters and How to Achieve it

Work-life balance is a concept that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. It refers to the ability to balance one’s professional and personal life without either one interfering with the other. The goal is to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life so that you can enjoy both without sacrificing either one. In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, work-life balance is more important than ever. With the rise of technology, the boundary between work and personal life has become increasingly blurred. Many people find themselves working longer hours, answering emails after hours, and feeling overwhelmed by their workload. This can lead to increased stress and burnout, which can have serious consequences for both personal and professional life. There are many benefits to achieving work-life balance. Some of the most notable include: Improved mental health: When you have a balanced work and personal life, you are Continue reading

Financial System – Meaning, Functions and Services

A financial system is a network of financial institutions, financial markets, financial instruments and financial services to facilitate the transfer of funds. The system consists of savers, intermediaries, instruments and the ultimate user of funds. The level of economic growth largely depends upon and is facilitated by the state of financial system prevailing in the economy. Efficient financial system and sustainable economic growth are corollary. The financial system mobilizes the savings and channelizes them into the productive activity and thus influences the pace of economic development. Economic growth is hampered for want of effective financial system. Broadly speaking, financial system deals with three inter-related and interdependent variables, i.e., money, credit and finance. The financial system provides channels to transfer funds from individual and groups who have saved money to individuals and group who want to borrow money. Saver (refer to the lender) are suppliers of funds to borrowers in return Continue reading

Four Major Elements of the Strategic Management Process

The strategic management process is made up of four elements: situation analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation. These elements are steps that are performed, in order, when developing a new strategic management plan. Existing businesses that have already developed a strategic management plan will revisit these steps as the need arises, in order to make necessary changes and improvements. 1. Situation Analysis Situation analysis is the first step in the strategic management process. The situation analysis provides the information necessary to create a company mission statement. Situation analysis involves scanning and evaluating the organizational context, the external environment, and the organizational environment. This analysis can be performed using several techniques. Observation and communication are two very effective methods. To begin this process, organizations should observe the internal company environment. This includes employee interaction with other employees, employee interaction with management, manager interaction with other managers, and management interaction Continue reading