Case Study of Dell: Employee Training and Development

Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell Computer Corporation, in a recent annual report, summarized where the CEO stands on the role that learning plays in his company. He said it was people who produced results in any business, laying emphasis on how building a talented workforce remained Dell’s greatest priority as well as its greatest challenge. This challenge contained two primary issues. The first being training, developing and retaining their existing employees so they continue capitalizing on the career opportunities Dell’s growth provides them. The second being to actually successfully recruit employees at all levels to support Dell. The CEO said the company progressed pertaining to both issues in the previous fiscal year, adding Dell would continue to keep it a critical area of focus. Dell filled more than half of its executive-level positions with promotions from within the organization, hiring the remaining externally. Dell also modified its core training Continue reading

Effects of Innovative Culture on Organizations

Growth creates a need for structure and discipline, organisation changes which can strain the culture of creativity that is so vital to future success. To sustain competitive advantage, companies need to institutionalize the innovation process; they need to create an internal environment where creative thinking is central to their values, assumptions and actions. Management changes and management generally is about implementation. When the managers of an enterprise feel pressured, the fear-driven response is generally to implement better and which generally results doing more of the same only quicker or cheaper. While this is great for doing more of the same, it is still the same and meanwhile everything else is changing — customer’s needs, technology, society, macroeconomics and geopolitics are all changing. Innovation is the engine of growth. It is also a mindset — meaning it is influenced by beliefs, values, and behavior. Company culture therefore has a huge influence Continue reading

Inventory Management

What is inventory? What are its varieties? Inventory is the buffer between two related sequential activities. Between purchase and production, between the beginning and completion of production, and between production and marketing, buffers are needed. Buffer means a cushion to fall back on. Production should not suffer due to some difficulty in purchase of raw materials. Marketing should not suffer due to some difficulty in production. If the business has some stock of raw materials, a temporary difficulty in purchase will not effect production since the stock of raw materials can be used. If there is a stock of finished goods marketing will not be effected due to any temporary hurdle in production. The stocks of raw materials and finished goods, therefore serve as buffers absorbing the difficulties in purchase and production respectively. So, inventory takes different forms. Stocks of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods are prime inventory. Stocks Continue reading

Case Study of KFC: Establishment of a Successful Global Business Model

By mid 1950s, fast food franchising was still in its infancy when  Harland Sanders began his cross-country travels to market  “Colonel Sanders’ Recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken.” He had  developed a secret chicken recipe with eleven herbs and spices.  By 1963, the number of KFC franchises had crossed 300. Colonel  Sanders, at 74 years of age was tired of running the daily operations  and sold the business in 1964 to two Louisville businessmen —  Jack Massey and John Young Brown, Jr. — for $2 million. Brown, who later became the governor of Kentucky, was named president,  and Massey was named chairman. Colonel Sanders stayed in a  public relations capacity. In 1966, Massey and Brown made KFC public, and the company was enlisted  on New York Stock Exchange. During late 1960s, Massey and Brown turned  their attention to international markets and signed a joint venture with  Mitsuoishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd. in Japan. Continue reading

Mutual Fund NAV Calculation

The net asset value is the market value of the assets of the scheme deducting its liabilities. Simply put, the NAV is what investors are required to pay to buy or sell one share of the mutual fund. Keep in mind any additional fees are not included in this amount. In accounting terms, NAV is also known as the book value of the mutual fund. The net asset value per mutual fund unit on any business day is computed as follows: NAV = (Market value of the fund’s investments + Receivables + Accrued income -Liabilities -Accrued expenses)/Number of units outstanding Rules Governing the Mutual Fund NAV Calculation Accrued Income and Expenses: The correct accrual of all incomes and expenses is a requirement for computing NAV. In practical terms these are just estimates. For example, the investment manager’s fees has to be accrued everyday for computing NAV but the fee is Continue reading

Strategic Role of HRM During Recession Period

Since human resource management is dealing with the implementation of the strategies and policies relating to the management of individuals, the department become one of the most responsible to bring the organisation on the right track during recession time. There are some important steps that a business should follow in order to maintain their competitive position on the market. Some of these vital steps are the improvement of prices in order to grow margins, the increase of the financial and operational efficiency, but also the concentration on the market share. The purpose of the human resource management is to make sure that an organisation is able to perform well through its staff, but also to increase the efficiency and the capability of the business. Furthermore, it also helps the business to reach it goals by using the resources available to their best use.  HRM is one of the most important Continue reading