Sonderkommando

Sonderkommandos http://upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Auschwitz_Resistance_280_cropped. jpg/555px- Auschwitz_Resistance_280_cropped. jpg Table of contents Introduction3 The need of sonderkommandos4 Politics4 gas chamber5 The work of the sonderkommandos8 Revolts within the camps10 Survivors12 Resources16 Introduction When one thinks of concentration camps, the link to the gas chambers will be made without difficulties. However, do people really know how they worked and who where needed to let these killing machines function?The answer is no, some can still tell how the gas chambers worked, but barely anyone knows who worked inside them and that they had to abide the most horrific events that took place in the second world war. This paper is dedicated to those who we don’t know about, the ones we would rather know nothing of, the ones who can never be forgotten. In order to understand what really happened inside these sonderkommandos and their highly unusual workplace, it is vital to obtain some knowledge about the Nazis and their ‘final solution’ first.This paper will try to give a clear overview of the road towards the implementation of the gas chambers, the life of the people that lived inside of these sonderkommandos, the uprise that took place within the sonderkommando of Auschwitz Birkenau, known survivors from sonderkommandos, and the aftermath. There is barely any information available about this topic, I tried to use as many different sources as possible. There are some testimonies made about some of the survivors filmed by the SHOAH foundation, which can be found on Youtube.Some other survivors have written down their story in books, and others drew pictures of the events that they witnessed. All of these sources where extremely important in the creation of this paper because the Nazis never documented anything of these events that took place within the gas chambers. Their primary goal was to extinguish all evide nce created around their ‘final solution’ of the non Aryans. This paper will mostly be focused on Auschwitz and its sonderkommando, since most information available is from this camp. The need for sonderkommandosBefore explaining what the sonderkommandos did and how they operated it is necessary to explain why they were needed. There will be an explanation from the political point of view as well as the invention of the gas chamber. Politics After the first world war, Germany was forced to oblige to the Versailles treaty. This treaty stated that Germany and its allies were fully responsible for the damage and losses during the first world war. This resulted in paying a high sum of money namely, 132 billion marks for reparations, it lost around 20 percent of its territory and it had to minimize the army.The German population was devastated by this treaty but they never saw it as official. During the Weimar government Germany experienced hyperinflation which was the effec t of the Versailles treaty, this was the first time that Hitler tried to get the power in Germany in November 1923, however, it failed but it made him and his party the NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) known with the public. Hitler got arrested for his attempt and was sentenced to 5 years in prison, he got out within one year.While he was in jail he wrote his infamous book ‘Mein Kampf’, in this book he describes his view on the Versailles treaty, the Jews and other minorities, the superiority of the Aryan race, and that Germany needs more territory for the Aryans. Hitler on the cover of his book, Mein Kampf http://www. nazi. org. uk/hitler-racial-state_files/image004. jpg During the elections of 1932 the NSDAP won a significant amount of seats in the Reichstag, it rose from 107 to 230, and it became the largest political party with 37,4 percent of Germany.Hitler became chancellor on the 30th of January 1933 from a government that was quite divided, even though the NSDAP was the largest party the SPD and KPD were also represented in the Reichstag. In this government there were only two ministers from the last named parties whereas all the other ministers were members from the NSDAP, Hitler almost took over all power within one year after the elections. The NSDAP made the ? enabling pact? which basically gave the parliament the power to make laws without consulting the Reichstag.When President von Hindenburg died on the second of August 1934, Hitler became president due to a law that passed one day before. This law stated that the office of president would no longer exist and that the powers of the president would merge with those of the chancellor. Hitler now had all power in Germany and he was able to implement his vision of Germany without any resistance. The Final Solution can be divided in three phases. The first phase was between 1933 and 1939, it affected Jews within the borders of the German empire.As Hitler described i n his book, Germany needed more space for the Aryans to live in and that the German race should be purified, this meant that the non Aryans had to leave. At first mass immigration sounded like the solution, it would be the easiest and cheapest option, however, the non Aryans would not just leave their homes and mother country for no reason, most of these families lived in Germany for generations. Therefore the NSDAP came up with a boycott of Jewish stores on the first of April 1933, this had barely any effect on Germany.Some Jews tried to leave Germany but foreign countries were not eager to let them in, emigration was not an option. The Nuremberg laws was the next step, these laws were written in 1935 and are also known as ? the laws for protection of German blood and German honor?. These laws had a large impact on the life of the Jews. The Jews were deprived from their citizenship, they were not allowed to marry or to have an Aryan, that marriages and relationships between Jews an d Germans were prohibited, Jews were not allowed to show the national flag or the national colors.Besides these new rules, the Nuremberg laws also stated who was considered to be a Jew. Half Jews were considered to be full Jews and were only allowed to marry a full Jew or another half Jew, whereas a quarter Jew was only allowed to marry an Aryan. After the murder on Vom Rath, a member of the Nazi party, by a 17 year old Jewish boy, on the 7th of November 1938. The Nazi? s retaliated on the Jews by destroying Jewish property on the 10th of November, such as stores and synagogue, this night became known as Kristallnacht. Besides the demolishment, 91 Jews were killed, and an estimated 30. 00 Jews were sent to concentration camps. After this event the majority of the Jewish population tried to emigrate away from Europe? s mainland, but again, like a couple of years before, other countries were not willing to let them in and most were deported back to Europe. Gas chambers As said before, Hitler wanted to free Germany from the non Aryans, when it became clear that mass emigration did not work, other options had to be considered. The Nazis had started with the compulsory sterilization of disabled people since 1933, an estimated 360. 00 persons were sterilized between 1933 and 1939. When Aktion T4 started in 1939 it began by killing children with a shot of phenol, who suffered from the down syndrome or another non curable illnesses. The second step was to murder adults with a range of different diseases such as: dementia, syphilis, epilepsy, and others. A lethal injection was a not very effective method because it was time consuming and too expensive. It was Hitler who recommended to use carbon monoxide on adults, the first test with gassing people took place in January 1940.The results were satisfying for the people who were concerned and it was applied to multiple euthanasia centers across Germany. Aktion T4 made 70. 273 victims and was shut down in 1941. Before the Jews and other non Aryans were sent to the gas chambers they were murdered by special SS groups. These SS groups also known as Sonderkommandos, when working on German territory or Einsatzgruppen, when working on foreign ground, performed killings by shooting entire Jewish populations to death. These mass murdering started from 1941 in the western part of Russia as well as in Ukraine, Bulgaria, and other eastern European countries.All victims had to undress themselves and they would be shot or killed by a gas van. The estimated amount of deaths that these SS groups are accountable for is around 2 million, which is 25 to 30 percent of the deaths on non Aryans made by Nazi Germany(approximately 6 million). These large scaled murders were quite hard for the SS men to deal with, the SS soldiers that were selected for these task were not able to keep on doing this without experiencing mental problems. Himmler himself had witnessed the work of one of the Einsatzgruppen in Minsk were a 100 Jews were shot.According to Karl Wollf, his face turned green and vomited after witnessing the event. Killing all Jews by guns was not doable mentally and economically, since gassing disabled people was a ‘success’ during Aktion T4, camps were designed with the implementation of gas chambers. When Germany took over Poland in 1939 all Jews were forced to live together in ghettos in big cities, that were easily accessible by railroads. By having all Jews together in large ghettos it will make it easier for the Nazis to deport them to concentration or death camps.Concentration camps were around since 1933, Dachau was the first official one to open, they were build to house political prisoners of the Nazi regime, they were forced to do intense labor, the living conditions were miserable. Around December 1941, Hitler decided that all the European Jews had to be exterminated, Hitler putted Himmler in charge of his ‘final solution’ which stated that the Jews were forced to work till death and the weak, old and disabled would be killed immediately. The code name of this project was operation Reinhart, and it’s sole purpose was to create extermination camps that could kill all the Polish Jews.Multiple death camps were build such as: Chelmno, Treblinka, Belzec, and Sobibor, even though Auschwitz and Madjanek are considered to be death camps too, they were also functioning as labor camps. Death camps in occupied Poland http://upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/WW2-Holocaust-Poland. PNG The death camps that were designed and build during operation Reinhart all had overall the same layout and were all located near a rail line, this was important in order to get the victims easy in to the camp. Chelmno used gas vans and had no crematoria, the bodies were burned in pits in the woods.Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka all had gas chambers that worked on diesel engines, Auschwitz and Madjanek both used Zyklon B to gas the victims. The f irst test with Zyklon B took place in Auschwitz in the infamous block 11 on Russian prisoners of war, Zyklon B was previously used to disinfect clothes. These tests with this gas were very effective, it was less time consuming that using gas chambers operating with diesel engines and it was less expensive. The work of the sonderkommando When a train would arrive in Auschwitz, a selection was made between the ones who were fit to work and the ones who were assumed not to be able to work.The group of people who did not pass the selection would be sent to the gas chambers. Once arriving in the crematorium, they were told by the SS guards to undress themselves and to proceed to the showers. To make the process faster the victims were told that after the shower they would be provided with a meal. Within the undressing rooms there were little hooks which were intended to hang clothes on, the SS guards would tell the people to remember their number so that they would be able to find their clothes back after the shower. When entering in the gas chamber it didn’t look that suspicious since showerheads were placed on the ceiling.When the whole selected transport was inside the gas chamber, the door would be locked and an SS guard would pour the Zyklon B gas from the roof into the gas chamber trough a little opening. It took a couple of minutes before the gas started to work, it would spread from the bottom to the top of the room, after 20 minutes all the persons inside the room were dead. Once the gas chamber was cleared from the corpses, the whole room had to be cleaned and repainted in order not to look suspicious for the next victims. The bodies were send up to the furnace area, in which they were cremated.The whole process of arriving till death took place within 3 hours, multiple transports per crematorium would be processed during a day. The members of the sonderkommando were forced to participate throughout this whole process, their job consisted out of di fferent tasks. A few would assist in the undressing room where they helped people to undress and to get into the gas chambers, if a member would speak the language of the people who were about to be murdered, he would translate the orders from the SS guard in order to make the process go faster.Two members of the sonderkommando were needed on the roof of the gas chamber were they had to lift off the heavy lid to the opening for the Zyklon B crystals. After the people were deceased, an air ventilator would be switched on the refresh the air, the door to the gas chamber would be opened, after which the members from the sonderkommando had to drag every victim out by using a cane of a string of fabric. The Zyklon B gas had a weird effect on the dead bodies, a person would get rid of all its body fluids when the gas started to work.This meant that all the bodies were covered in urine, blood, vomit and feces. Once the bodies came out of the gas chamber, the members of the sonderkommando h ad to place the bodies on a small elevator which would bring the bodies up to the furnace area. Up in the crematorium other members had to put the corpses on a metal stretcher and throw them into the ovens. Once the bodies were cremated, the large pieces of bones would be crushed by some members in a huge grinder, all the ashes would be collected and dumped in a river close by.Besides working inside the gas chambers, the members of the sonderkommando also had to burn people in massive pits, the crematoriums could not always handle the amount of corpses that needed to be cremated. Another task that they sometimes had to perform was to walk a victim, mostly elderly, up a stair where a SS guard was hiding, who would shoot the victim in the neck. These people were not able to go in to the gas chamber and therefore were murdered in a different way. The members of the sonderkommando were not allowed to communicate with other prisoners within the camp.Their standards of living were higher than in the rest of the camp, they all had a bed and the food supply was better due to what they could find in the victims possessions. Even though they had a bit more advantages from other prisoners, the Nazis did everything possible to make their live harder and more complicated. A member of the sonderkommando dragging people out of the gas chamber, drawn by David Olere http://1. bp. blogspot. com/-GwK8gwHiSn0/TdLwHbiBY5I/AAAAAAAABfo/o5dL0rdbRas/s1600/Sonderkommando. JPGIn the Jewish faith it is not appropriate to touch a body when it is not clean, this is just one example of the methods the Nazis used to make the lives of the Jews inside these sonderkommandos more miserable. Besides witnessing the horrors of their job there was another factor that was a threat to them, the Nazis tried to replace the members of the sonderkommando regularly, they did not want to have survivors who could testify what they had seen and witnessed. In Auschwitz there were approximately 1200 workers imp risoned in the different sonderkommandos spread over the five different crematoriums.Revolts within the camps After news of the revolt in the ghetto of Warsaw and the losses of the German Army in Stalingrad and north Africa, the Jewish prisoners within the death camps got a little more faith in surviving their ordeals. Multiple uprisings against the Nazis took place within the camps. Treblinka After the last transport came into the camp in the beginning of 1943, the Treblinka prisoners were participating in clearing all the evidence from the Treblinka site.Mass graves were opened and all corpses had to be burned, when this work was almost completed, the Jews noticed that once the work was finished they would be killed to erase the last trace of evidence. On the second of August 1943 they revolted against the Nazis by attending a mass escape. Their plan was to take over control of the camp, however it failed, all prisoners stormed to the main gate and around 300 were able to escape. Most of the camp of Treblinka was burned down during the revolt. Sobibor When the prisoners realized that less transports were coming in, like in Teblinka, they decided to take matters into their own hands.Individual escapes were not a good option, since the SS would retaliate against the remaining prisoners, a plan had to be created that could get the whole prisoner population out. When a transport with Russian prisoners of war came in everything changed, one of these inmates was Sasja Petsjerski. He and a Jewish inmate created a plan where the SS guards and Ukranians would be killed, telephone cords would be cut, and the whole camp population would escape at once. The revolt took place on the 14th of October 1943, from the 600 camp population, 300 made it out of the gates alive.The estimated number of survivors is around 50 to 70 people. The 100 members of the sonderkommando of Sobibor did not participate in this uprising and were all murdered the next day. Sobibor closed down aft er this revolt. Auschwitz Within Auschwitz the plan of revolting against the Germans already existed for a longer period of time, there was contact between the polish underground and members of the sonderkommando. Even though members of the sonderkommando were not allowed to communicate with other prisoners, they established contact when picking up the soup in the kitchen in the women’s camp.Besides exchanging information, gun powder which was taken by female prisoners, was given to members of the sonderkommando. When the incoming transports were reducing rapidly in the fall of 1944, the revolt was planned, which was executed on the 7th of October 1944. The plan was that all crematoriums would escape at the same time, however, it started in crematorium IV by accident. The members of the sonderkommando used the gunpowder that was smuggled in to blow up the crematorium. Members of the sonderkommando of crematorium II and IV tried to escape through the fences into the woods.Insi de crematorium III the kapo decided that it would be better not to attend the revolt and to remain inside. The men from the two other crematoriums were either killed in the revolt, or killed after they were captured again. After this event crematorium IV and crematorium III were not in function anymore and they were demolished, the members of the remaining sonderkommando were given instructions to tear down the gas chambers, they were the only ones who were allowed down there. The outer part of the buildings were taken down by normal prisoners.After the revolt the members of the sonderkommando slept in a small building in the men’s camp of Birkenau. When the death marches started in January 1945, the members of the sonderkommando blended themselves into groups of other prisoners who were leaving the camp with these marches. After they mingled with other prisoners it was impossible for the SS to find the members back. These survivors have been important in order to understand how the final solution took place. Survivors of sonderkommandos Known survivor Treblinka: Martin Gray 27-4-1922-Born in Warsaw, he was able to escape from Treblinka, after the war he married a Dutch woman and got four children together, whom all died in a forest fire in 1970. He remarried and is still lecturing all over the world. Known survivor Chelmno: Michal Podchlebnik Worked in Chelmno in the waldkommando, his job was to bury the victims of the Chelmno gas trucks, he also tidied up the changing rooms after the people were gassed. He heard how the people were gassed. He was able to escape from Chelmno in 1942. Known survivors sonderkommando Auschwitz: The highest amount of survivors is from Auschwitz as described in the previous chapter.The list created below, is putted together with the use of multiple websites and books. There are more survivors but some were not willing to share their stories and never wanted to speak their ordeals ever again. Israel Gutman 1923- Born in Wars aw, participated in the Warsaw revolt. He was send to several camps afterwards, he was one of the creators of the sonderkommando revolt. After the war he testified in the Eichmann process. Milton Buki 1909-1988 Prisoner number: 80312 Morris kesselman Prisoner number: 11900 Yosef sackar Prisoner number: 182739 Avraham Dragon 1919-2007 Prisoner number: 80360 Szlamo Dragon Prisoner number: 80359Brother of Avraham Dragon Daniel Behnnamias 1923-1994 Prisoner number: 182477 Greek Jew with Italian nationality who after the war, wrote a book called the holocaust odyssey of Daniel Behnnamias, he died in Oakland, United States. Alter Fajnzylberg 23/10/1910-? Prisoner number: 27675 Arrived in Auschwitz on the 27th of March 1942, he witnessed the gassing of the gypsies. Shlomo Venezia 29/12/1923-1/10/2012 Prisoner number: 182727 Wrote a book about his experiences in Auschwitz called ‘inside the gas chambers’. After the war he found his older sister Rachel back, his mom and two litt le sister were murdered on arrival.Morris Venezia 2/1921-? Prisoner number: 182728 A Greek Jew with Italian nationality, he is the older brother of Shlomo Venezia. Dario Gabbai 1922-? Prisoner number: 182568 A Jew from Greece, he was in the same transport as a lot of other survivors. After the war he shared his story with many others, he believed that his testimony is important to picture the complete story of the horrors that took place. Dario Gabbai, Shlomo and Morris Venezia went back to Auschwitz to participate in a documentary called: Auschwitz, the final witness. Jakov Gabbai 1912-1993 Prisoner number: 182569 The older brother of Dario Gabbai.Henryk Tauber 8/7/1917-? Prisoner number: 90124 A Polish Jew who arrived in Auschwitz at 19th of January 1943, he had a few different jobs in the camp before he was selected for the sonderkommando. After the war he testified for a Polish court. Filip Muller 1922- Prisoner number: 29236 Fillip Muller, born in Czechoslovakia, worked for alm ost 3 years in the sonderkommando, this is an extremely long time whereas most others would not work longer that 3 months to a half a year inside the crematoriums. After the war he wrote a book about his ordeal called ‘eyewitness Auschwitz: three years in the gas chambers’ Henryk Mandelbaum 5/12/1922-17/6/2008 Prisoner number: 181970 After the war, Henryk dedicated himself to teach others about his own experiences of being a member of the sonderkommando. He always kept his tattoo to remind himself what he went through. Leon Cohen 1910-1989 Prisoner number: 182492 Wrote a book from Greece to Birkenau, which is dedicated to the uprising in the crematoriums. While he was working in the sonderkommando, he carried out a job as a dentist, he had to pull out the golden teeth from the deceased in crematorium III. David Olere 19/01/1902-2/8/1985Prisoner number: 106144 David Olere was transported from transition camp Drancy in France to Auschwitz on the 49th transport on the seco nd of March 1943. He worked as a member of the sonderkommando his entire stay in Auschwitz. On the 19th of January he was evacuated from the camp by participating in a death march which led him to Ebensee in Austria, he got liberated on the 6th of May 1945 by the American army. After the war, David Olere used his painting skills to create an image of what happened inside the crematoriums and gas chambers of Auschwitz.No pictures or video material of the gas chambers and the crematoriums was ever shot, therefore his drawings and paintings are considered valuable. Miklos Nyiszli 16/6/1901-5/5/1956 Prisoner number: A8450 Miklos Nyiszli was deported to Auschwitz in June 1944 with his wife and daughter, at arrival he told the staff he was a doctor. He was forced to work as Mengele’s assistant and to perform autopsies in the crematorium. After he got liberated from the Donau camp on may 5th 1945 by the U. S. Army he found his wife and daughter back. He died of a heart attack in 195 6. ResourcesThe need for sonderkommandos http://www1. yadvashem. org/yv/en/education/languages/dutch/encyclopedia/19. asp http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Mein_Kampf http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nuremberg_Laws http://yalepress. yale. edu/yupbooks/excerpts/greif_wept. pdf http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler http://www. duitslandweb. nl/naslagwerk/Geschiedenis/Derde+Rijk+tot+1939/Machtigingswet+en+gelijkschakeling. html http://www. jewishvirtuallibrary. org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0015_0_14977. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Action_T4 http://www. youtube. com/watch? =LJ8ogV5e8co&feature=related http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Karl_Wolff http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Heinrich_Himmler http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Operation_Reinhard uprisings http://www. holocaustresearchproject. org/revolt/sonderevolt. html http://cohen. gr/newsite/index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=2278:-2&catid=69:2011-03-21-15-02-30&Itemid=78 http://www. sobiborinterviews. nl/en/the-revol t/the-revolt http://www. ushmm. org/outreach/en/article. php? ModuleId=10007747 survivors http://fcit. usf. edu/holocaust/ARTS/DOBIO/DOarts. HTM http://www. ewishvirtuallibrary. org/jsource/biography/HenrykMandelbaum. html http://www. go2war2. nl/artikel/2541/Mikl%C3%B3s-Nyiszli-het-Sonderkommando-in- Auschwitz-Birkenau. htm http://www. mazal. org/archive/documents/Tauber/Tauber01. htm http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=P-IinMCbdJA http://www. nytimes. com/2012/10/07/books/shlomo-venezia-auschwitz-sonderkommando-and-survivor-dies-at-88. html? _r=0 http://sonderkommando. info/proces/cracovie/temoins/feinsilber/index. html http://www. schoah. org/shoah/holocaust/greif-0. htm http://www. martingray. eu/ Books used: Sonderkommando Auschwitz Shlomo VeneziaISBN: 9789026321016 Europe reborn Harold James ISBN: 0-582-21533-1 Ooggetuigen van Sobibor Jules Schelvis ISBN: 9789026323140 ————————————— Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [ 1 ]. Official number from the Nazi party, however, the number of deaths is probably much higher. [ 2 ]. Reichsfuhrer of the SS, he formed the SS einsatzgruppen and created the extermination camps. He is accountable for the deaths of millions of Jews. [ 3 ]. SS grupenfuhrer, and Himmler’s ‘ears and eyes’ within Hitler’s headquarters. [ 4 ]. First death camp build. [ 5 ]. Might contain errors, since no real official lists excists.

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Creating a Science Center - Essay Example The following information is derived from assessments that were conducted on three separate elementary classrooms. These evaluations were performed on the science centers of a Kindergarten, Third, and Fifth grade classroom. The first classroom science center that was evaluated was for a Kindergarten class at a local school. Kindergarten The Kindergarten classroom assessed had math centers and writing centers; however, no specified center for science. Even though there were several posters and charts on the wall pertaining to scientific information there were no project tables or observation areas, other than the window sill and a teacher’s work table. Several books on plants, animals, the Earth, and so forth were present; however, they were located in the same area as the other reading materials for other subjects and/or general reading. Materials such as magnifying glasses and measuring cups were in the classroom, but again, not in a specified science area. Although, the science material was minimal in this classroom and there was no science center, the student’s needs were still met by the materials that were brought in by the teacher on an â€Å"as needed†

Advanced HealthCare Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advanced HealthCare Management - Essay Example Conversely, a team may be defined as comprising a group of individuals. In such a way, it can be determined that a group can only develop into a team if there is a drive to reach some form of coordinated consensus or particular goal. Within such an understanding, the reader can come to the appreciation of the fact that the ultimate evolutionary goal of each and every group is to arrive at the â€Å"team† stage of development. Furthermore, an added level of differential exists between formal and informal groups. As one might expect, formal groups are created and/or maintained as a means of fulfilling certain and specific tasks with relation to the needs and demands of a particular entity and/or organization. Such a level of conscious and deliberate creation helps to constrain and formalize them into units that would not otherwise naturally exist or be spontaneously evidenced within the professional/business/or corporate environment. However, informal groups are the result of the spontaneous forces that can encourage individuals to come together while working to develop a variety of goals. Informal groups can be predicated on either useful or un-useful metrics. An example of a useful metric could be the fact that an informal group could come together as a means of tackling an extant problem that all stakeholders had come to notice (Hongseok et al, 2004). Conversely, an un-useful means by which such an info rmal group could be created would be based on a shared dislike for an individual or group of individuals. Although these organizational standards and means of application for teams, formal, and informal groups are all different, it must be understood that they each have their place in seeking to speak to the needs of the individuals and organizations that create and sponsor them. Hongseok, O., Myung-Ho, C., & Labianca, G. (2004). GROUP SOCIAL CAPITAL AND GROUP EFFECTIVENESS: THE ROLE OF INFORMAL SOCIALIZING TIES. Academy Of Management Journal,

The Innovative Entrepreneur Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Innovative Entrepreneur - Coursework Example An example of disruptive innovation was the iPod. I admired the product because it changed how people listen and buy music (Kahney, 2011). I decided that this was an innovation because it created a new platform to get access to music which did not exist before. Starbuck recent market development strategy of â€Å"Skinny Lattes† and low fat/calorie syrup was innovative. I admired the innovation because it was able to address the increasing change in consumption behavior as more people become concerned about their health. This was innovative because it was able to create a product that fits human health through reducing the level of calories. I decided that the idea was innovative because it was able to address an existing problem of obesity (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). However, the current innovative idea might affect the consumption of other foods. This might affect the company’s performance in the market. The change of PayPal business model from a cryptography company to an online money transfer company was innovative. Currently, PayPal enables people to transfer money online from one part of the world to another within a short time. I admire this innovative idea because it was able to identify a gap that existed in the market, an aspect that led to creation of one of the most successful company in the world (Cohan, 2013). However, the disadvantage of the move is that it affected the original idea that led to establishment of the company. Kahney,  L. (2011, October 22). An Illustrated History of the iPod And Its Massive Impact [iPod 10th Anniversary] | Cult of Mac. Retrieved  May  27, 2014, from

Assessment, Management and Reduction of Falls in the Older person Essay

Assessment, Management and Reduction of Falls in the Older person - Essay Example This concept indicates a factual phenomenon that the life span of people aged 60 and above has steadily increased in the past half century. There are over 600 million in 2000; 1.2 billion in 2025 and 2 billion in 2050 (WHO). This phenomenon has created a huge sector in the society, which is comprised by people from age 60 and above. The occurrence of this size of a population of people who are 60 and above is unheard of, throughout recorded history because certain conditions meant that people normally and generally lived only until an average of thirty-five. However, with the advancement of medical technology the increasing number of people who survive to above 60 years old is a commonality (WHO 1999). Moreover, the ageing population phenomenon is a global concern (WHO). This means that almost all countries across the globe except for some countries in Africa are experiencing the dramatic increased of an ageing population (WHO). In this regard, looking into the conditions and concerns of the elderly members of the society has become one of the major interests of both the government, especially policy makers, and some non-governmental organizations (WHO). As governments respond to the phenomenon of ageing population, one concern that has become dominant in their sector is the problem of the results of a fall. This is due to the fact that one of the major causes for morbidity within the elderly population is a fall. Every year, oe third of those over the age of 65 experience a fall with an increase in incidences occurring with the increase in age. More than 50% of women who are over the age of 85 experience a fall within a year. (Pearse 2004: 478). Furthermore, injuries resulting into fall are not only a major cause of death among the elderly but that it â€Å"imposes an enormous public health burden world-wide† (Devroey et al 2002: 113). As well, the issues with falls is a concern where costs of the results of the fall impact the health care

Carrier's Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Carrier's Liability - Essay Example This case study will analyze various aspects of Hague-Visby Rules, which involve group of international laws for the international carriage of goods by sea. Possible Causes of Ship Grounding Ship grounding is a marine accident that may lead to severe damages to the vessel as well as to the carriages. All the ports cannot accommodate all ship sizes since the depth of sea varies from port to port. For instance, although the New York port is one of the world’s busiest ports, it cannot allow ships with higher tonnage to enter the port because of its low draft. Sometimes, accumulation of silt and mud near the ports reduces draft and it may lead to ship grounding. It is also identified that an unpredictable change in tides may also cause such marine accidents. Various past incidents show that human error is the main cause of grounding accidents. Insufficient information about the port and navigational waterways may result in severe grounding accidents. â€Å"Sheer maneuvering negli gence and improper retaliations at the time of grounding has been the root cause of major accidents† (Improved maritime Educatio & Training). ... As reported in nzherald.co.nz (2011), the grounding of the Spirit of Resolution, owned by Pacifica shipping, on 3rd February 2011 can be attributed to power failure. Hague-Visby Rules As Carr (2010, p. 231) points out, the Hague-Visby Rules represent a group of global policies for the international carriage of goods by sea. The official title for the Hague-Visby Rules is â€Å"International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading,† and this set of rules was drafted in 1924. These rules were amended in 1968 and in 1979. The basic idea behind the Hague-Visby Rules is that a shipper has less bargaining power than the carrier. Therefore, the law has to impose minimum obligations on the carrier in order to protect the interests of the cargo owner. From the given case description, it is clear that the carrier (owners of the Sea Chariot) had issued one bill of lading for the entire cargo and this document involves the application of Hague-Vi sby Rules. Possible Arguments for Carrier Since this case comes under the Hague-Visby Rules, the carrier must prove that he has met all responsibilities and liabilities described in the Article III of the Hague-Visby Rules. The Article III contains eight sections which specify different responsibilities and liabilities of the carrier. According to the Article III, before the beginning of the voyage, the carrier must exercise due diligence in order to make the ship seaworthy and to ensure that all precautions are taken to secure the carriages. Hence, the carrier may argue that the ship was seaworthy and he had carried out loading, handling, and discharge of carriage goods properly. Similarly, Article IV of the

How does themed hotels affect the tourism industry Lab Report

How does themed hotels affect the tourism industry - Lab Report Example In case of the local tourists visiting the hotels for their services, the choice of themes to be used should not be of the local culture. It has to be something new since they are used to whatever is in the locality. 7 To sum up the discussion section of this research study, it should be noted that management of any business enterprise is very vital. These hotels if well managed will not only benefit the owners but also the nation in which a given hotel is found. This is through earning the nation foreign exchange, which in turn helps in sky rocketing the country’s economy. This will end up improving the living standards of the citizens. 7 Conclusion/Recommendations 8 References 10 Abstract The main purpose behind conducting this study was to investigate the effect of themed hotels on the tourism industry. The researcher mainly collected information from secondary sources to make the analyses, recommendations and conclusion of this report. The findings of the study outline how the tourism industry is influenced by the type of hotel in question. At the end of it, there are some recommendations, which if put in action, can propel the industry to rise higher and higher. Introduction A hotel can be termed as a commercial place where people, especially travelers and tourists buy meals, pay for accommodation services. A theme on the other hand, despite the various meanings the word bears, in the context of this report, it refers to the hotels having artistic decorations. These decorations can be in form of paintings on the wall that result in to a recurring pattern making the place look more attractive than in the case of ordinary hotels. Another word we need to be familiar with before proceeding with the report is tourism. The definition of the word Tourism can be that it is an activity carried out by either one person or a group of persons. This is usually as a result of people moving from one place to another. It can be from one country to another with the aim of performing a given task or just for the sake of entertainment. This report deals with the facts, discussions, conclusions and recommendations relating to the effect of themed hotels on the tourist industry. As outlined by http://www.unusualhotelsoftheworld.com; Unusual & Unique Hotels of the World, there are various themed hotels worldwide examples being Reino Fungi Lodge and Nothofagus Hotel and Spa ( both located at the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserver), Magic Mountain Hotel situated in the midst of Chilean Patagonian Rainforest, The Pavillion – London in the United Kingdom and many others. Facts/Findings Themed hotels bearing some sort of uniqueness are slightly costly. Though some tourists shy away, a good number of them being the local tourists, the number is incomparable to those who visit the places or else it could be useless to carry on with the business. In the course of this research study, it was evident that these hotels have a notable impact on the tourism industry. Firstly, due to the unique motif they bear in their establishment starting from the decor, dining and the personnel. This is as according to www.wisegreek.com; (What is a themed Hotel?) The choice of the theme to be used should typically connote every little detail be it in the hotel where the visitors get their meals from, the rooms in which

Personal Statement for Master's degree Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

For Master's degree - Personal Statement Example Since then, I have been striving hard to make this passion turn into reality. As such, I have majored in law in my current Bachelors’ studies, which gives me a good foundation to pursue Master’s in Commercial Law. Additionally, I have attended law-themed seminars and workshops, which have given me invaluable experience regarding the application of law career in real world scenarios. Apart from educational achievements, I am a very active individual, and I participate in sports. I hold several trophies owing to my exceptional performance in swimming and basketball. Hence, as I enrol to study in your institution, I would like to continue participating in these sporting activities and develop my potential further. I also possess various personal qualities that have helped me achieve the success I have so far, and will these continue to enhance my successful study and performance in your institution. I am a dedicated individual with good interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, entrepreneurial skills, and leadership skills. In addition, I am a disciplined individual with the ability to work in collaboration with fellow students to achieve a set target or goal. These personal attributes are the core of my success, and will ensure that I survive in the challenging and demanding environment that characterize a graduate school, as well as the professional world. My career objective is to pursue a profession that will give me a thrilling experience, as I help people in need of my expertise while at the same time acquire additional knowledge with every case I handle. We live in a dynamic and quickly evolving world where new things emerge with every passing moment. Consequently, these emergences require new policies, laws, and tactics to handle. As such, I would want to be part of the team that spearhead approaches and solutions to new situations that arise in the field of commercial law. I trust Harvard University will

Fat Tax Essay Example for Free

Fat Tax Essay This report proposes that these costs and problems need to be addressed, and one avenue through which they can be is a junk food tax. This report proposes that there be a federal tax placed on junk food purchases, similar to the taxes placed on gasoline and tobacco products. This tax would dissuade people from purchasing unhealthy food items. At the same time it would help the nation offset some of the financial costs that obesity has generated. The proposition is not a fix-all, but it is a good start. Taxation of Junk Food, A Proposition to Battle the Obesity Epidemic in America Obesity is a condition that can be found in nearly every social class, geographic location, and age group in our society today. Every year there are more people who fit this profile; more people who are obese. While many view this condition as merely a cosmetic one, the truth is that there are serious consequences to being overweight. Some of these consequences include: the health risks such as diabetes and heart disease, early death because of those conditions, economic impacts due to lower productivity, astronomical health care costs, and numerous social problems that arise due to the lethargy and early mortality of obese parents and the inactivity of overweight children. These issues are significant, and need to be addressed in order to solve the problem. First, the causes of obesity must be understood, so that adequate solutions can be generated. Then solutions need to be created and put into effect such that the causes of the epidemic will be addressed at a minimal social cost. The information in this report shows that a large portion of those who suffer from obesity can attribute a large portion of their weight to junk food. This food is high in calories and low in nutritional value. This report also shows that many of these people choose to consume these products due to its convenience and relative low cost. I propose that in order to address this cause, and decrease consumption of junk food due to convenience and low cost, a federal tax should be levied against all foods that fit the profile of a junk food. I propose that this action would decrease economy purchases of less nutritious foods, and encourage consumers to consume more healthy diet options based on economic feasibility. Â  The Obesity Epidemic The issue of obesity is one that is complex and widespread. In order to understand the scope and implications of this condition, one must first understand what it is, and who it affects. Not everyone who is overweight is obese. Scott Ingram describes the difference between obesity and overweight as overweight being anyone who weighs more than the someone in the normal range for how old and tall they are, while in order for a person to be labeled obese, they must have enough body fat to put them 20 percent higher or more than their ideal weight (Ingram, 2005, p. 23). In other words, if a person’s ideal weight for their height and age is 140 pounds, and they weigh 150 pounds, they are overweight; but if they weigh over 168 pounds they are obese. This difference is important, as it indicates exactly how much overweight obese people are. They are all more than 20 percent over their target weight, which is significant enough to cause the problems that are being discussed in this report. The health and social issues caused by the state rest of the population that have not reached the 20 percent mark, but are still overweight are not even considered in this report. However, these issues will be positively affected by this proposal as well. It is also important to note that this problem is not isolated to a specific group of individuals, although there are groups that are higher risk than others.

End of Conventional Oil

End of Conventional Oil End of Conventional Oil Oil is one of the most important fuels that are being consumed these days. Most of the industry depends upon the oil as they sue it as the fuel. The producers of oil are gaining a large amount of money after trading the oil. Thus the importance of oil is also imagined as it is considered as the black gold. It is also referred to as the blood of the earth. Thus the large amount of population that is using a huge amount of oil each year and that is reducing the reserves of oil. Due to various natural hazards like the ozone depletion the chemical reactions that converted the organic material into oil cannot take place properly and that is a hindrance in increasing the oil reserves. Thus there is a huge threat that the oil will be finished soon. There will be a huge impact over our lives with the depletion of the oil. There are some people who refer oil to the excrement of the devil or it is also considered as the black blood or the blood of the earth. Whereas there are a lot of people who would agree that the oil is the blood stream of the economy of the world. This is one reference that can have many contexts and arguments. Thus in some ways the crude oil resembles blood as when it is exposed to the air, it scabs. It is viscous and organic and moves quite easily through the pipes without creating any sort of friction. The cold oil also coagulates. The oil also supports the fungi and bacteria as it is not sterile. The oil carrying pipes might be found cogged with them growing inside. (Mills) At times it is also referred to as the blood of the dinosaur as it has some link to the ancient living creatures. Most of the geologists have the point of view that it is not easy to support this ideology with the strong proof and there was no such link of oil with the living beings. But still there are a number of scientists that believe in the idea that the oil was formed in the water and that later converted into some organism named plankton and that was later dragged into the sea and fed by some sunbeams and then they died and buried in the sea. We are moving form an age of cheap plentiful energy to the age of limited and expensive energy. Thus there is no alternative source for the development of energy that can replace the need of the oil or the natural gas. There is a perception that if the coal is used then we survive for decades is also not correct on the whole because that is only true when the rates of the coal do no change at all. The end of the oil does not mean that it has to dry out completely, thus it also means that if it becomes very expensive then we will not be able to use it. That will be end of the era when we got the cheap fuel and beginning of the era where fuel gets too expensive to be used. (Nersesian) The oil exporting nations have a motive due to which they are pushing the world to be dependent over the oil and thus they are trying to do their business. Oil is the most expensive business and thus the oil trading nations tend to earn a large amount of money in this business that is why they want that the industry should be dependent over the oil so that they should earn a large amount of money. Oil scarcity and the energy crisis will have a huge impact on our lives. Currently entire industry ranging from the domestic use of vehicles to the industrial use and the other machines are all dependent over the oil. The healthcare and the medical centers are also dependent over the oil for the transportation and other services with the oil shortage the price of the transportation and other service will increase resulting in the collapse of many industries. This this will not only kill the employment but will also close many industries resulting in the lack of education and health facilities. The oil is completely different thing then the wheat, wheat is something that can be grown each year resulting in the increase of the amount. The amount of wheat consumed each year is met by growing it the next year. Whereas the oil that was formed in the 4 Billion years, has been used in few centuries. It cannot be grown again as these reactions do not take a day or two to generate oil. Large amount of the engineers are working in the oil industry or industries that are very closely linked or dependent over the oil. So if the oil is depleted then the engineers will be jobless. This will highly affect their career and will cease the career opportunities for the people that are interested in this profession. (Lovins) Oil can be replaced by some alternative sources of energy like using sticks and carrots as a fuel in the cars or the use of the carbon free cars. In the electric production where a large amount of fuel is used for making electricity, the other sources like solar energy, wind energy and the tidal energy can be used to make it. And thus the oil can be replaced but it is hard to provide an equal amount of jobs to these people as well. The most invaluable source of energy ever discovered is rubbing. When the hands are rubbed they form some energy and heat and thus it is of no much use as the energy is very less and it vanishes in a very less time. The product that I enjoy and that consumes fuel too is a car. It is the most essential thing these days. And it costs a few thousand dollars. The cost pf the car will be way more and it might range to a few lack dollars as the cost of construction will increase to a large amount. That is why the construction cost will increase and that will increase the purchase cost as well. The green revolution contains a large deal of fertilizers derived from petrochemicals taken out from petroleum. These petrochemicals are formed from the hydrocarbons and ammonia and thus they are easily available by the plants. Thus the green revolution has a large amount of petrochemicals as these are also not harmful for the plants and forestry. The 9 billion people will have to find the alternative sources of food and they will have to choose the other form of food. They will have to include more fruits and vegetables in their diets that do not contain hydrocarbons. That is the only way the food demands can be met. Without the cheap oil the engineers will find some other source of energy like coal or the gas. That will help them meet the demands of the energy needs in the world. The end of cheap oil will affect all the people and every sector in this world as everything is completely dependent on it and the engineering career will be highly affected as we will not have enough jobs to work in and the wages will also be less. Petroleum is one of the most essential things in the today’s world. The cheap oil is the most important factor of every industry as it is used as a fuel. With the depletion of the resources of the cheap oil it has become very important that the other sources of energy should be found so that the world should keep on working smoothly. The transportation, food, industry everything is based on the oil. The countries that are trading oil prefer to increase the sale and to expand the use in vehicles. With the finishing of the oil the jobs will be reduced and the people will lose their jobs. Oil can be replaced by some alternative sources of energy and in the electric production where a large amount of fuel is used for making electricity, the other sources like solar energy, wind energy and the tidal energy can be used to make it. Alternatives to oil need to be adopted for our benefit. Work Cited Lovins, Amory B. Winning the oil endgame : innovation for profits, jobs and security. Snowmass, CO : : Rocky Mountain Institute, 2004. (124) Mills, Robin M. The myth of the oil crisis : overcoming the challenges of depletion, geopolitics, and global warming. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2008. (76) Nersesian, Roy L. Energy for the 21st century : a comprehensive guide to conventional and alternative sources. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2007. ebook. (102)

Quality Circle Activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited

Quality Circle Activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited A PROJECT ON VALIDATING â€Å"COMPETENCY MAPPING† FOR ATTAINING THE BEST â€Å"QUALITY CIRCLE PRACTICES† AT HZL Executive Summary Successful quality circles offer a wide variety of benefits for businesses. They talk about the perceptions as well as employees awareness, increase managements awareness of employee ideas, as well as employee awareness of the need for innovation within the company. Adding on, quality circles can improve a businesss competitiveness by reducing costs, improving quality, and promoting innovation.HZL with the above motives, implemented the Quality Circles. The Quality Circles lead t self development, mutual development, quality improvement , cost reduction, waste reduction, productivity improvement, improvement in safety, job satisfaction , problem solving opportunities, people involvement and participation in team building. But, at present the Quality Circles are not able reciprocate the same. Therefore the present study aims at two basic objectives Phase I: To understand the Quality Circle activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited. To understand the perceptions of the Quality Circles facilitators and leaders in respect to the formation of the of the Quality Circles So the quality circles being not up to the mark ,the project aims to streamline the Quality Circle activities at Debari and to provide impetus so that the members get onto self-motivated mode. Further, to facilitate the environment for the activities and conduct appropriate guidance structures at Hindustan Zinc Limited .There must be support based on the respect of humanity, aiming at participation by everybody .Also, to develop capabilities and capacities of the Quality Circle members and to make the work place full of vitality. Phase II: The second phase explored Competency Mapping of the employees.Competency plays an important role in shaping up the perceptions of the employees.It is basically a measure to avoid making the mistake of hiring a round peg for a square hole. One of the underlying principles of Competency Mapping is finding the right person for the right job (specially the Facilitators of the quality circles). After the detailed study on reasons behind the non effectiveness of Quality Circles, Competency Mapping Study was taken up. The facilitators competencies were taken into account for the same. An effort was taken up to relate the individual competencies to the competencies required for the best Quality Circle Practices at HZL. Identifying, assessing and linking people competency with the Quality Circle competency from the core mapping. Competency Mapping is a process of identifying key competencies for a particular position in an organization. Therefore, the executives opinion about the competencies required for the Quality Circles was taken into account. The relevance and role of HR Managers is going through a flux. The new generation HR Manager attempts to link their individual competency with those set of competencies, which make them successful in their leadership role. In the present study, executives from various departments were selected randomly and were included in the sample. Questionnaires were filled by only those executives who had a free will. The find outcome of this project is in the development of a suggested framework to unable them to bridge the gap between the prevalent and required set of competencies. Hindustan Zinc Smelter (Debari) at present is not making use of the Competency Mappi ng tool. Therefore the executives were made aware of this tool of HR and to make them know the benefits of Competency Mapping as a tool to help their growth in an organization. Various formats to get the Quality Circles get streamlined are also suggested which include Evaluation Criteria, Format for the meetings and the minutes ,Introduction for of the commandments of QCs, relating awards and recognition to the same. As a result the company organized a Quality Circle gathering with a lunch in which a briefing for the Quality Circles was again given ,besides bags to all the quality circle members were given so as to give them recognition by differentiating them from the non members. Certificate From Industry Guide Certificate From Faculty Guide This is to certify that, Ms Arushi Chauhan from MBA (HR) class of 2009 is a Bonafide student of Amity Business School, Amity University Uttar Pradesh and is presently pursuing a Post Graduate Programme in Management. Under my guidance, she has submitted her project titled â€Å"Validating Competency Mapping for Attaining Best Quality Circle Practices at HZL†, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the summer internship project from Hindustan Zinc Limited, Udaipur, from May 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008 during the Post Graduate Programme in Management. This report has not been previously submitted as part of another degree or diploma of another business school or university. (Date July 24, 2008) Dr. R. Sujatha Senior Faculty (HR) Amity Business School CHAPTER: 1 INTRODUCTION Company Profile Introduction to Quality Circles Competency Mapping Objective Rationale COMPANY PROFILE VEDANTA GROUP Welcome To The Vedanta Group Vedanta an over US $ 8.2 billion, Vedanta Resources plc (â€Å"Vedanta†) is a London listed FTSE 100 diversified metals and mining major. The group produces aluminium, copper, zinc, lead and iron ore and also commercial energy. Vedanta has operations in India, Zambia and Australia and a strong organic growth pipeline of projects. With an empowered talent pool of 30,000 employees globally, Vedanta places strong emphasis on partnering with all its stakeholders based on the core values of entrepreneurship, excellence, trust, inclusiveness and growth. Chairman Mr. Anil Agarwal Deputy Chairman Mr. Navin Agarwal Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kuldeep Kumar Kaura Vedanta Group is a well established name in the corporate world. Vedanta has a strong track record in managing operations and improving costs and output. Its zinc and copper operations rank in the top quartile of global cost efficiency. Its principal operations are located in India, where they have a major market share in each of their main metals: aluminum, copper, zinc and lead. There are also substantial copper operations in Zambia and a copper mine in Australia. Vedanta Resources plc was listed in London in December 2003. At the time of listing, Vedanta set out a carefully structured strategy, to which the board and management remain committed. The group comprises three major businesses: Aluminium comprising bauxite mining, alumina refining aluminium smelting operations in India. Copper comprising smelting refining operations in India, copper ore mining in Australia, an integrated copper production in Zambia. Zinc comprising zinc-lead mining smelting operations in India. Sterlite Industries is an important segment of Vedanta Group. Sterlite Industries (India) Limited was  acquired in 1986, bringing together several metal related activities managed by the Agarwal family.   In 2001 it acquired a 26% stake in Hindustan Zinc Ltd., an integrated zinc and lead producer, from the Government of India and a further 20% through a compulsory open market offer. Vedanta is successfully operating in India in collaboration with Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL). The Zinc business of Vedanta is managed within Hindustan Zinc Limited.   HZL is Indias only integrated Zinc Company, operating from mine to finished metal and supplied around 80% of Indias zinc requirements in 2007-08. Vedanta Resources Plc A Snapshot National presence Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd (SIIL) Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) The Madras Aluminium Company Ltd (MALCO) Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. (VAL) Lanjigarh Sesa Goa Limited Sterlite Energy Limited 2) Global presence Copper Mines of Tasmania, Tasmania Konkola Copper Mines, Zambia 3) Sterlite Group has also strong presence in Optical cables business through Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd. (a non Vedanta Company) 4) A leading producer of key commodities in India FY2007-08 Group turnover : US $ 8,203 million FY2007-08 Group EBITDA : US $ 3,010 million $7.5 billion investment programme. First phase of $2.2 billion completed on time and within budget. The next phase of $5.3 billion under implementation and on schedule. STERLITE INDUSTRIES Sterlite Energy Limited (SEL) is a part of Vedanta Resources plc , a London listed metals and mining major with Aluminium, Copper, Zinc and Iron ore operations in India, Australia and Zambia, and a subsidiary of Vedanta group flagship company, Sterlite Industries (India) Limited. SEL was established to develop, construct and operate power plants and seeks to become one of Indias leading commercial power generation companies. SEL is well positioned to capitalize on Indias economic growth, power deficit and large coal reserves to develop a commercial power generation business. It shall benefit from Vedanta groups experienced and focused management with strong project execution skills, experience in building and operating captive power plants, substantial experience in mining activities and the capacity to finance world-class projects. Various objectives of Sterlite group regarding HZL are: To make Chanderiya Smelter, Rampura Agucha mines known for its world class operations. To make Zawar mines, RDM, ZSP and ZSV internationally competitive HINDUSTAN ZINC LTD. PROFILE Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) is one of Indias leading Zinc-lead producers and exceptional in its extent of its technology coupled with vertical integration in other non-ferrous metals. Hindustan Zinc Limited was incorporated from the erstwhile Metal Corporation of India on 10th January 1966 as a Public Sector Undertaking. Hindustan Zinc is a vertically integrated company with mining and smelting operations located mainly in the State of Rajasthan and in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Hindustan Zinc is Indias only integrated producer of Zinc and Lead and is among the worlds leading integrated Zinc and Lead producers. Its metal production capacity is currently 754000 tones per annum. The smelters are situated at Chanderia, Debari and Visakhapatnam .The mines are situated at Zawar, Dariba and Rampura Agucha VISION OF HZL To be a world-class zinc company, creating value, leveraging mineral resources and related core competencies. MISSION OF HZL Be a lowest cost zinc producer on a global scale, maintaining market leadership One million tones zinc-lead metal capacity by 2010 Be innovative, customer oriented and eco-friendly, maximizing stake-holder value Introduction to Quality Circle A Quality Circle is a small group in which people who work in the first line work place, continually improve and maintain the quality of products, services, job. This small group promotes the activity in such a way as to autonomously administer it, utilize the QC concept and technique and others, display creativity and make self development and mutual development. This activity intent to: †¢Develop workers capability; perform the self-actualization for QC Circle members, make the work place full of brightness and vitality. †¢Enhance customer satisfaction and make a social contribution. The executives and the mangers in order to make QC Circle activities successful, contribute to improving the enterprises, constitute and implement company wide TQM or similar one by themselves. Facilitate the environment for the activity and continually, conduct appropriate guidance and support based on the respect for humanity, aiming at the participation by everybody and positioning the activity as important for human resources development and work place utilization Quality Circles Functioning: A typical quality circle consists of 5 to 10 members from the same working area. A leader is either elected by the members or the senior most people assumes the leaders role. The quality circle meets once every week, usually outside working hours. The meeting lasts for half hour to one hour. The quality circle is assisted by a facilitator or a coordinator, who is from the executive cadre. The facilitator helps in ensuring that the requirements for the quality circle meetings are met. He also is the contact between the quality circles and the senior management. In many cases, the facilitator helps the team in case they face difficult in solving a problem. MANAGEMENT ACTION FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTAION OF QUALITY CIRCLE CONCEPT FORMATION OF APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE. ABOVE COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE TO FORM ZONE WISE STEERING COMMITTEE (TWO TO FIVE SUCH COMMITTEES MAY BE FORMED DEPENDING UPON ORGANISATIONAL SET UP). NOMINATE ZONE CHAIRPERSON FOR EACH ZONE. ZONE CO-ORDINATOR AND OVER ALL CHIEF CO-ORDINATOR. DECIDE DATE/DAY OF MONTHLY AREA STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING. APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MAY BE HELD BI-MONTHLY. PROPOSED AGENDA MAY BE: ADOPTION/FOLLOW-UP OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES. IN APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY HEAD OF PLANT, CHAIRMEN OF AREA STEERING COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT THE STATUS OF QUALITY CIRCLES STATUS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS. STATUS OF CIRCLE ACTIVITIES IN EACH ZONE FOLLOWED BY IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF APPROVED PROJECTS. TRAINING PROGRAMME/REFRESHER PROGRAMME STATUS. PROJECT FOR APPROVAL ANY OTHER POINTS IN CASE OF â€Å"PROJECTS FOR APPROVAL† CIRCLE WILL PRESENT ONE BY ONE. THEY WILL SIMPLY EXLAIN THE PROJECT TAKEN, HOW THEY HAVE SOLVED AND GAINS (WITH IN 5 TO 7 MINUTES). A GROUP OF NOMINATED EXECUTIVES WILL AUDIT THE SAME AT WORK PLACE. THEY WILL ASK FEW QUESTIONS TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THAT AREA TO ENCOURAGE THEM. PROJECT MAY BE APPROVED AFTER SEEING THE IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, IF NO FURTHER MODIFICATION IS REQUIRED. IF PROJECT IS APPROVED, THIS SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN PROPER WAY. A TOKEN GIFT MAY BE GIVEN TO EACH MEMBER INCLUDING FACILITATOR/ DY. FACILITATOR. THIS GIFT MAY BE RESTRICTED TO THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED 60% OR MORE MEETINGS HELD FOR THIS PROJECT DURATION. THIS WILL ENCOURAGE THE MEMBER TO ATTEND MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MEETINGS. AFTER APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT, STEERING COMMITTEE OF THAT ZONE WILL ASK THE HOD OF THAT ZONE, TO MAKE TENTATIVE PLANNING OF IMPLEMENTAION OF PROJECTS IN TOTALITY. EVALUATION OF EACH AREA AND BEST CIRCLE IN EACH AREA MAY BE DONE EVERY SIX MONTHS VIZ. JANUARY TO JUNE AND JULY TO DECEMBER OF EACH YEAR AS PER PRE FIXED CRITERIA. A RUNNING SHIELD TO BEST, AREA AND PRIZES TO BEST CIRCLE IN EACH AREA MAY BE GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF SIX MONTHLY EVALUATION ON 15TH AUGUST AND 26TH JANUARY RESPECTIVELY. QC MELA, QUIZ COMPETITION, KAVI SAMMELAN, POSTER/ESSAY/SLOGAN/POEM COMPETITION ETC. MAY BE ORANISED BY QUALITY CIRCLE INITIATIVE TRAINING/ REFRESHER PROGRAMME, FACILITATORS MEET, LEADERS MEET ETC. MAY BE ORGANISED AT REGULAR INTERVAL. TO CREATE QUALITY CIRCLE ENVIRONMENT, TRY TO ENCOURAGE QC IN HOME, COLONY, HOSPITAL, SCHOOL TEACHER, STUDENT ETC. SURRONDING VILLAGES MAY BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT QC CONCEPT IN VILLAGES Quality Circle Policy at Hindustan Zinc Limited Introduction: This policy provides objectives of the Companys Quality Circle Program and outlines a broad framework for operations of quality circles in the company for its continuity and consistency amongst the units. It provides the strategic direction for the efforts to achieve sustainable operations of quality circles in the company and qualitative aspects embedded in the companys vision and mission statements. It incorporates the basic approach of quality circles concept appropriately to improve the work culture. Objectives: The quality circles will have the following objectives: To enhance employees job satisfaction and belongingness. To provide an effective platform to the employees to contribute through their ideas knowledge in a healthy environment so as to use their full potential. To promote team work and improve communication at all levels. To develop problem solving analytical approach at shop floor to solve day to day problems. To improve work culture through reduced waste and enhanced quality and productivity. To further expand employee development through education and awareness. The Set Up: QC BASICS Quality circles will have four to eight workmen of same work area involved in doing similar kind of activities as members. They will meet as per schedule preferably at least once in 21 days, and identify, select, prioritise the problems. Analyze the causes of problems after discussions in the meetings and then make recommendations of solutions through discussions a nd /or brif Presentations. The QC members will then work together to implement the approved solutions in their work area would be facilitated by the management wherever necessary. Role of QC Leader The leader of the QC will be chosen from the group by the group members only. QC can have different leaders for different problems. The leaders of the QCs will be given necessary inputs by the shop flor facilitator so the leader becomes competent enough to take responsibility for the operation of the QC and can explain proper uses of QC techniques to the circle members. The leader should ensure that the meetings are held as per schedule and a report of each QC meeting is made covering all aspects. Role of Facilitator An executive of shop floor will facilitate each QC.This executive The Facilitator will be responsible in following ways: Be primarily an advisor to the QC of his department /Section/Sub Section. Be active and helpful to the extent the group wants his involvement and keep him informed through interactions / reports of the QC meetings etc. Constantly promote encourage the circle concept extend all facilities to QCs for organizing meeting as per schedule. These facilities will include meeting place, stationary other material for arranging presentations. Maintain liaison, contacts and provide feedback on requests in a timely manner towards ‘Solutions-implementation. Educate encourage other employees of the area to join the QCs /Form new QC. Role of Convenor For overall coordination facilitating jobs at unit level, the HOD of Unit I.E. Dept. will act as the UNIT convenor (s) to expedite the coordination process. He will be responsible for: Smooth and uninterrupted operations of Unit Quality Circle Program. Education / Training to facilitators, Leaders and Members. Coordinating circle operations by acting as an interface between facilitators /circles and Unit Steering Committee Unit Management. Providing feedback to steering Committee and extend help as and when required by the facilitators/circles. Maintaining records of all QCs of the unit based on QC meeting. Helping facilitators /HODs in evaluation of QC performance. Organizing Units Annual QC Convention preferably in the quality month i.e. November and declaration of the best quality circles of the year. Attending circle meetings occasionally and organizing QC leader meetings periodically. Coordinating with Convenor of Corporate QC Steering Group.(CQCSG) Sending a monthly report to the convenor of CQCSG i.e. HOD of Corporate IE Department Corporate office giving all the details regarding Unit Quality Circle operations .The details will include number of QCs ,their strength ,meeting frequency ,areas identified / approved for analysis, Q.C. Techniques employed, presentations made, No. of improvements effected their brief details ,designation of Sr. Level Officers of the unit who extended visible support ,the evaluation sheets of QCs performance etc. Unit Steering Group (USG) USG will be chaired by Unit Head and will consist of HODs of major functions of the unit viz. production, maintenance, personnel, accounts, stores etc. USG will be responsible in conformance to units operational requirements consistent with broad guidelines of QC Policy. USG shall provide guidance direction to QC program within the unit. USG will also publicize the circle activities /achievements within outside the unit .Their objective will be to promote QCs in all areas of the unit. The members of the group will show their visible support by attending meetings regularly with the facilitators and the circle members for encouragement advises. They will also allocate higher priority for attending presentation of quality circles as when requested. CQCSG: Corporate support to all QC activities in the Units would be extended through a Corporate QC Steering Group. The Operative Framework: The membership of the circles will be open to all workmen on voluntary basis QC members will work in coordinated team manner to accomplish the activities taken on their own initiative by sharing responsibilities among themselves. QC members will identify, select, prioritize and analyze the problems. QC members will participate in all QC activities including presentation set for other fellow workmen to emulate. QC members will be in constant touch with the facilitator. QC members will set up schedules for meetings and presentations within the framework of known company work loads in consultation with the facilitator send minutes of meetings promptly to the Unit Convenor with a copy to the facilitator. The circle will maintain continuous communication amongst all members. QC members will present the identified problems along-with alternative solutions to management for acceptance. QC members will pursue to implement the solutions of the problems as approved by management. QC members will make presentation on the progress of implemented solutions to management. Circles will not address the following subjects: Employees Complaints Personal Grievances Personality related issues Role of Unit Steering Group: USG may participate in circles actions and will address to circles requests. USG will also support all implementation activities. USG may also suggest problems to the quality circles for further exploration. USG will encourage formation of quality circles on other areas of the unit. Performance Evaluation: The performance of each quality circle will be evaluated based on following guidelines: Evaluation Period: 1 Year Parameters Weightage % (a) No. of Meetings (Frequency at least once 15(Maximum 17 in 21 days) meetings in a year) Attendance of members 15 (in percentage) Regular submission of minutes of 10 meetings/reports to Unit Convenor No. of new problems identified and their 10 selection process Analysis ,effective use of QC tools, 10 workload distribution among the members Quality of solved problems with respect to 10 potential of the groups (g) No. of solutions implemented 10 (h) No. of presentations made, quality of 20 presentation, participation of members special features in the presentation. Comparison among circles will be done on the basis of the marks scored by different QCs of the unit. Recognition Facilitations Aspects: The efforts of circles attract non -financial awards only which could be in terms of recognition /publicity and the others as outlined below: i) At the time of formation registration of quality circles: Inauguration of QC by Unit Head. Introduction of QC members to Unit Head in presence of their Departmental Head. Displaying the details of newly formed QC on all notice boards of the Unit. Provision of stationary (writing pad, pen/pencil) to QC members. ii) After 10 meetings or completing at least one useful project whichever is later inviting QC members with spouse on a ‘tea† by HOD. iii) After 1st presentation to HOD of Respective Department, a certificate would be given to all QC members on a tea-get-together of the department. iv) Presentation of selected QCs to Unit Head in presence of all QCS of the unit where certificates shall be awarded to circle members signed by Convenor chairman of USG together. v) Honour at important occasions where QC member could be invited with the spouse. vi) QC page will be included in monthly departmental and unit report giving highlights of implemented solutions. vii) After annual performance review of QCs in the unit publication of details of completed projects by QC members with their photographs for circulation in all the units of HZL. viii) Two best QCs will be selected in the unit convention after 1 year of their operations based on performance criteria will be awarded accordingly (Preferably in quality month i.e. November). ix) Awarding QCFI membership to members of best two circles judged by evaluation committee constituted by Unit Steering Group Subject to eligibility. x) Sending Units best two QCs to other units for presentation on some important occasion of the unit. xi) Recognition to QCs standing 1st or 2nd in Unit consecutively for two years by CQCSG. xii) Best quality circle judged by CQCSG at Corporate level matching with corporate image be considered for sending for participation in national competition organized by QCFI when the opportunity comes. Introduction to Competency Mapping In the modern competitive world, business managers are required to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the business operations. As there are several factors that affect efficiency and effectiveness of operations the improvement is required to be carried out in every factor. These factors are required to bring every factor in synchronization with other factors. To improve synchronization between different elements is an important approach to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the operations. Manpower, technical and managerial abilities are the most important resource of any organization .The most important resource is the most difficult to manage as no two persons are similar. Every person has different Qualities, attitude, motives, personality traits, skills, knowledge etc. which has effect on their performance at work. Organizations in order to facilitate excellence in the performance of the people in the organization are required to identify the right person for every job. This matching between jobs and people is an important avenue for organizational improvement efforts. HR professional are entrusted with the responsibility for selection, training and development, administration deployment support, performance appraisal and performance diagnostics of the employees. The most important part of these responsibilities is assessment of the individuals for their superiority for different functional tasks, and development of their potential to be effective and excel in the assigned tasks. Currently most of the organizations are using personal interview, written tests and group discussion for the purpose of assessment. These approaches were mostly based on personality tests/psychometric tests. These tests have improved assessment of candidates but still the reliability of the results is not adequate to forecast effectiveness of the selected candidate for the job. Research conducted by Industrial and organizational psychologists have found that effectiveness of a person to carry out a job depends not only on single or isolated factors but on set of many different factors. Such set of factors that help the possessor to be effective in a particular job is termed as competency for that particular job is termed as competency for that particular job. HR function entrusted with the responsibility of finding right person for every job and development of the employed person to do the assigned job effectively, have found competency mapping assessment as a very effective tool. Definition: Competency mapping is the process of identification of the competencies required to perform successfully a given job or role or a set of tasks at a given point of time. It consists of breaking a given role or job into its constituent tasks or activities and identifying the competencies (technical, managerial, behavioral, conceptual knowledge, an attitudes, skills, etc.) needed to perform the same successfully. Competency assessment is the assessment of the extent to which a given individual or a set of individuals possess these competencies required by a given role or set of roles or levels of roles. Assessment centers use multiple methods and multiple assessors to assess the competencies of a given individual or a group of individuals. In order to enhance objectivity they use trained assessors and multiple methods including psych Quality Circle Activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited Quality Circle Activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited A PROJECT ON VALIDATING â€Å"COMPETENCY MAPPING† FOR ATTAINING THE BEST â€Å"QUALITY CIRCLE PRACTICES† AT HZL Executive Summary Successful quality circles offer a wide variety of benefits for businesses. They talk about the perceptions as well as employees awareness, increase managements awareness of employee ideas, as well as employee awareness of the need for innovation within the company. Adding on, quality circles can improve a businesss competitiveness by reducing costs, improving quality, and promoting innovation.HZL with the above motives, implemented the Quality Circles. The Quality Circles lead t self development, mutual development, quality improvement , cost reduction, waste reduction, productivity improvement, improvement in safety, job satisfaction , problem solving opportunities, people involvement and participation in team building. But, at present the Quality Circles are not able reciprocate the same. Therefore the present study aims at two basic objectives Phase I: To understand the Quality Circle activities at Hindustan Zinc Lilmited. To understand the perceptions of the Quality Circles facilitators and leaders in respect to the formation of the of the Quality Circles So the quality circles being not up to the mark ,the project aims to streamline the Quality Circle activities at Debari and to provide impetus so that the members get onto self-motivated mode. Further, to facilitate the environment for the activities and conduct appropriate guidance structures at Hindustan Zinc Limited .There must be support based on the respect of humanity, aiming at participation by everybody .Also, to develop capabilities and capacities of the Quality Circle members and to make the work place full of vitality. Phase II: The second phase explored Competency Mapping of the employees.Competency plays an important role in shaping up the perceptions of the employees.It is basically a measure to avoid making the mistake of hiring a round peg for a square hole. One of the underlying principles of Competency Mapping is finding the right person for the right job (specially the Facilitators of the quality circles). After the detailed study on reasons behind the non effectiveness of Quality Circles, Competency Mapping Study was taken up. The facilitators competencies were taken into account for the same. An effort was taken up to relate the individual competencies to the competencies required for the best Quality Circle Practices at HZL. Identifying, assessing and linking people competency with the Quality Circle competency from the core mapping. Competency Mapping is a process of identifying key competencies for a particular position in an organization. Therefore, the executives opinion about the competencies required for the Quality Circles was taken into account. The relevance and role of HR Managers is going through a flux. The new generation HR Manager attempts to link their individual competency with those set of competencies, which make them successful in their leadership role. In the present study, executives from various departments were selected randomly and were included in the sample. Questionnaires were filled by only those executives who had a free will. The find outcome of this project is in the development of a suggested framework to unable them to bridge the gap between the prevalent and required set of competencies. Hindustan Zinc Smelter (Debari) at present is not making use of the Competency Mappi ng tool. Therefore the executives were made aware of this tool of HR and to make them know the benefits of Competency Mapping as a tool to help their growth in an organization. Various formats to get the Quality Circles get streamlined are also suggested which include Evaluation Criteria, Format for the meetings and the minutes ,Introduction for of the commandments of QCs, relating awards and recognition to the same. As a result the company organized a Quality Circle gathering with a lunch in which a briefing for the Quality Circles was again given ,besides bags to all the quality circle members were given so as to give them recognition by differentiating them from the non members. Certificate From Industry Guide Certificate From Faculty Guide This is to certify that, Ms Arushi Chauhan from MBA (HR) class of 2009 is a Bonafide student of Amity Business School, Amity University Uttar Pradesh and is presently pursuing a Post Graduate Programme in Management. Under my guidance, she has submitted her project titled â€Å"Validating Competency Mapping for Attaining Best Quality Circle Practices at HZL†, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the summer internship project from Hindustan Zinc Limited, Udaipur, from May 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008 during the Post Graduate Programme in Management. This report has not been previously submitted as part of another degree or diploma of another business school or university. (Date July 24, 2008) Dr. R. Sujatha Senior Faculty (HR) Amity Business School CHAPTER: 1 INTRODUCTION Company Profile Introduction to Quality Circles Competency Mapping Objective Rationale COMPANY PROFILE VEDANTA GROUP Welcome To The Vedanta Group Vedanta an over US $ 8.2 billion, Vedanta Resources plc (â€Å"Vedanta†) is a London listed FTSE 100 diversified metals and mining major. The group produces aluminium, copper, zinc, lead and iron ore and also commercial energy. Vedanta has operations in India, Zambia and Australia and a strong organic growth pipeline of projects. With an empowered talent pool of 30,000 employees globally, Vedanta places strong emphasis on partnering with all its stakeholders based on the core values of entrepreneurship, excellence, trust, inclusiveness and growth. Chairman Mr. Anil Agarwal Deputy Chairman Mr. Navin Agarwal Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kuldeep Kumar Kaura Vedanta Group is a well established name in the corporate world. Vedanta has a strong track record in managing operations and improving costs and output. Its zinc and copper operations rank in the top quartile of global cost efficiency. Its principal operations are located in India, where they have a major market share in each of their main metals: aluminum, copper, zinc and lead. There are also substantial copper operations in Zambia and a copper mine in Australia. Vedanta Resources plc was listed in London in December 2003. At the time of listing, Vedanta set out a carefully structured strategy, to which the board and management remain committed. The group comprises three major businesses: Aluminium comprising bauxite mining, alumina refining aluminium smelting operations in India. Copper comprising smelting refining operations in India, copper ore mining in Australia, an integrated copper production in Zambia. Zinc comprising zinc-lead mining smelting operations in India. Sterlite Industries is an important segment of Vedanta Group. Sterlite Industries (India) Limited was  acquired in 1986, bringing together several metal related activities managed by the Agarwal family.   In 2001 it acquired a 26% stake in Hindustan Zinc Ltd., an integrated zinc and lead producer, from the Government of India and a further 20% through a compulsory open market offer. Vedanta is successfully operating in India in collaboration with Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL). The Zinc business of Vedanta is managed within Hindustan Zinc Limited.   HZL is Indias only integrated Zinc Company, operating from mine to finished metal and supplied around 80% of Indias zinc requirements in 2007-08. Vedanta Resources Plc A Snapshot National presence Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd (SIIL) Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) The Madras Aluminium Company Ltd (MALCO) Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. (VAL) Lanjigarh Sesa Goa Limited Sterlite Energy Limited 2) Global presence Copper Mines of Tasmania, Tasmania Konkola Copper Mines, Zambia 3) Sterlite Group has also strong presence in Optical cables business through Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd. (a non Vedanta Company) 4) A leading producer of key commodities in India FY2007-08 Group turnover : US $ 8,203 million FY2007-08 Group EBITDA : US $ 3,010 million $7.5 billion investment programme. First phase of $2.2 billion completed on time and within budget. The next phase of $5.3 billion under implementation and on schedule. STERLITE INDUSTRIES Sterlite Energy Limited (SEL) is a part of Vedanta Resources plc , a London listed metals and mining major with Aluminium, Copper, Zinc and Iron ore operations in India, Australia and Zambia, and a subsidiary of Vedanta group flagship company, Sterlite Industries (India) Limited. SEL was established to develop, construct and operate power plants and seeks to become one of Indias leading commercial power generation companies. SEL is well positioned to capitalize on Indias economic growth, power deficit and large coal reserves to develop a commercial power generation business. It shall benefit from Vedanta groups experienced and focused management with strong project execution skills, experience in building and operating captive power plants, substantial experience in mining activities and the capacity to finance world-class projects. Various objectives of Sterlite group regarding HZL are: To make Chanderiya Smelter, Rampura Agucha mines known for its world class operations. To make Zawar mines, RDM, ZSP and ZSV internationally competitive HINDUSTAN ZINC LTD. PROFILE Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) is one of Indias leading Zinc-lead producers and exceptional in its extent of its technology coupled with vertical integration in other non-ferrous metals. Hindustan Zinc Limited was incorporated from the erstwhile Metal Corporation of India on 10th January 1966 as a Public Sector Undertaking. Hindustan Zinc is a vertically integrated company with mining and smelting operations located mainly in the State of Rajasthan and in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Hindustan Zinc is Indias only integrated producer of Zinc and Lead and is among the worlds leading integrated Zinc and Lead producers. Its metal production capacity is currently 754000 tones per annum. The smelters are situated at Chanderia, Debari and Visakhapatnam .The mines are situated at Zawar, Dariba and Rampura Agucha VISION OF HZL To be a world-class zinc company, creating value, leveraging mineral resources and related core competencies. MISSION OF HZL Be a lowest cost zinc producer on a global scale, maintaining market leadership One million tones zinc-lead metal capacity by 2010 Be innovative, customer oriented and eco-friendly, maximizing stake-holder value Introduction to Quality Circle A Quality Circle is a small group in which people who work in the first line work place, continually improve and maintain the quality of products, services, job. This small group promotes the activity in such a way as to autonomously administer it, utilize the QC concept and technique and others, display creativity and make self development and mutual development. This activity intent to: †¢Develop workers capability; perform the self-actualization for QC Circle members, make the work place full of brightness and vitality. †¢Enhance customer satisfaction and make a social contribution. The executives and the mangers in order to make QC Circle activities successful, contribute to improving the enterprises, constitute and implement company wide TQM or similar one by themselves. Facilitate the environment for the activity and continually, conduct appropriate guidance and support based on the respect for humanity, aiming at the participation by everybody and positioning the activity as important for human resources development and work place utilization Quality Circles Functioning: A typical quality circle consists of 5 to 10 members from the same working area. A leader is either elected by the members or the senior most people assumes the leaders role. The quality circle meets once every week, usually outside working hours. The meeting lasts for half hour to one hour. The quality circle is assisted by a facilitator or a coordinator, who is from the executive cadre. The facilitator helps in ensuring that the requirements for the quality circle meetings are met. He also is the contact between the quality circles and the senior management. In many cases, the facilitator helps the team in case they face difficult in solving a problem. MANAGEMENT ACTION FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTAION OF QUALITY CIRCLE CONCEPT FORMATION OF APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE. ABOVE COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE TO FORM ZONE WISE STEERING COMMITTEE (TWO TO FIVE SUCH COMMITTEES MAY BE FORMED DEPENDING UPON ORGANISATIONAL SET UP). NOMINATE ZONE CHAIRPERSON FOR EACH ZONE. ZONE CO-ORDINATOR AND OVER ALL CHIEF CO-ORDINATOR. DECIDE DATE/DAY OF MONTHLY AREA STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING. APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MAY BE HELD BI-MONTHLY. PROPOSED AGENDA MAY BE: ADOPTION/FOLLOW-UP OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES. IN APEX LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY HEAD OF PLANT, CHAIRMEN OF AREA STEERING COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT THE STATUS OF QUALITY CIRCLES STATUS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS. STATUS OF CIRCLE ACTIVITIES IN EACH ZONE FOLLOWED BY IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF APPROVED PROJECTS. TRAINING PROGRAMME/REFRESHER PROGRAMME STATUS. PROJECT FOR APPROVAL ANY OTHER POINTS IN CASE OF â€Å"PROJECTS FOR APPROVAL† CIRCLE WILL PRESENT ONE BY ONE. THEY WILL SIMPLY EXLAIN THE PROJECT TAKEN, HOW THEY HAVE SOLVED AND GAINS (WITH IN 5 TO 7 MINUTES). A GROUP OF NOMINATED EXECUTIVES WILL AUDIT THE SAME AT WORK PLACE. THEY WILL ASK FEW QUESTIONS TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THAT AREA TO ENCOURAGE THEM. PROJECT MAY BE APPROVED AFTER SEEING THE IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, IF NO FURTHER MODIFICATION IS REQUIRED. IF PROJECT IS APPROVED, THIS SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN PROPER WAY. A TOKEN GIFT MAY BE GIVEN TO EACH MEMBER INCLUDING FACILITATOR/ DY. FACILITATOR. THIS GIFT MAY BE RESTRICTED TO THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED 60% OR MORE MEETINGS HELD FOR THIS PROJECT DURATION. THIS WILL ENCOURAGE THE MEMBER TO ATTEND MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MEETINGS. AFTER APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT, STEERING COMMITTEE OF THAT ZONE WILL ASK THE HOD OF THAT ZONE, TO MAKE TENTATIVE PLANNING OF IMPLEMENTAION OF PROJECTS IN TOTALITY. EVALUATION OF EACH AREA AND BEST CIRCLE IN EACH AREA MAY BE DONE EVERY SIX MONTHS VIZ. JANUARY TO JUNE AND JULY TO DECEMBER OF EACH YEAR AS PER PRE FIXED CRITERIA. A RUNNING SHIELD TO BEST, AREA AND PRIZES TO BEST CIRCLE IN EACH AREA MAY BE GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF SIX MONTHLY EVALUATION ON 15TH AUGUST AND 26TH JANUARY RESPECTIVELY. QC MELA, QUIZ COMPETITION, KAVI SAMMELAN, POSTER/ESSAY/SLOGAN/POEM COMPETITION ETC. MAY BE ORANISED BY QUALITY CIRCLE INITIATIVE TRAINING/ REFRESHER PROGRAMME, FACILITATORS MEET, LEADERS MEET ETC. MAY BE ORGANISED AT REGULAR INTERVAL. TO CREATE QUALITY CIRCLE ENVIRONMENT, TRY TO ENCOURAGE QC IN HOME, COLONY, HOSPITAL, SCHOOL TEACHER, STUDENT ETC. SURRONDING VILLAGES MAY BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT QC CONCEPT IN VILLAGES Quality Circle Policy at Hindustan Zinc Limited Introduction: This policy provides objectives of the Companys Quality Circle Program and outlines a broad framework for operations of quality circles in the company for its continuity and consistency amongst the units. It provides the strategic direction for the efforts to achieve sustainable operations of quality circles in the company and qualitative aspects embedded in the companys vision and mission statements. It incorporates the basic approach of quality circles concept appropriately to improve the work culture. Objectives: The quality circles will have the following objectives: To enhance employees job satisfaction and belongingness. To provide an effective platform to the employees to contribute through their ideas knowledge in a healthy environment so as to use their full potential. To promote team work and improve communication at all levels. To develop problem solving analytical approach at shop floor to solve day to day problems. To improve work culture through reduced waste and enhanced quality and productivity. To further expand employee development through education and awareness. The Set Up: QC BASICS Quality circles will have four to eight workmen of same work area involved in doing similar kind of activities as members. They will meet as per schedule preferably at least once in 21 days, and identify, select, prioritise the problems. Analyze the causes of problems after discussions in the meetings and then make recommendations of solutions through discussions a nd /or brif Presentations. The QC members will then work together to implement the approved solutions in their work area would be facilitated by the management wherever necessary. Role of QC Leader The leader of the QC will be chosen from the group by the group members only. QC can have different leaders for different problems. The leaders of the QCs will be given necessary inputs by the shop flor facilitator so the leader becomes competent enough to take responsibility for the operation of the QC and can explain proper uses of QC techniques to the circle members. The leader should ensure that the meetings are held as per schedule and a report of each QC meeting is made covering all aspects. Role of Facilitator An executive of shop floor will facilitate each QC.This executive The Facilitator will be responsible in following ways: Be primarily an advisor to the QC of his department /Section/Sub Section. Be active and helpful to the extent the group wants his involvement and keep him informed through interactions / reports of the QC meetings etc. Constantly promote encourage the circle concept extend all facilities to QCs for organizing meeting as per schedule. These facilities will include meeting place, stationary other material for arranging presentations. Maintain liaison, contacts and provide feedback on requests in a timely manner towards ‘Solutions-implementation. Educate encourage other employees of the area to join the QCs /Form new QC. Role of Convenor For overall coordination facilitating jobs at unit level, the HOD of Unit I.E. Dept. will act as the UNIT convenor (s) to expedite the coordination process. He will be responsible for: Smooth and uninterrupted operations of Unit Quality Circle Program. Education / Training to facilitators, Leaders and Members. Coordinating circle operations by acting as an interface between facilitators /circles and Unit Steering Committee Unit Management. Providing feedback to steering Committee and extend help as and when required by the facilitators/circles. Maintaining records of all QCs of the unit based on QC meeting. Helping facilitators /HODs in evaluation of QC performance. Organizing Units Annual QC Convention preferably in the quality month i.e. November and declaration of the best quality circles of the year. Attending circle meetings occasionally and organizing QC leader meetings periodically. Coordinating with Convenor of Corporate QC Steering Group.(CQCSG) Sending a monthly report to the convenor of CQCSG i.e. HOD of Corporate IE Department Corporate office giving all the details regarding Unit Quality Circle operations .The details will include number of QCs ,their strength ,meeting frequency ,areas identified / approved for analysis, Q.C. Techniques employed, presentations made, No. of improvements effected their brief details ,designation of Sr. Level Officers of the unit who extended visible support ,the evaluation sheets of QCs performance etc. Unit Steering Group (USG) USG will be chaired by Unit Head and will consist of HODs of major functions of the unit viz. production, maintenance, personnel, accounts, stores etc. USG will be responsible in conformance to units operational requirements consistent with broad guidelines of QC Policy. USG shall provide guidance direction to QC program within the unit. USG will also publicize the circle activities /achievements within outside the unit .Their objective will be to promote QCs in all areas of the unit. The members of the group will show their visible support by attending meetings regularly with the facilitators and the circle members for encouragement advises. They will also allocate higher priority for attending presentation of quality circles as when requested. CQCSG: Corporate support to all QC activities in the Units would be extended through a Corporate QC Steering Group. The Operative Framework: The membership of the circles will be open to all workmen on voluntary basis QC members will work in coordinated team manner to accomplish the activities taken on their own initiative by sharing responsibilities among themselves. QC members will identify, select, prioritize and analyze the problems. QC members will participate in all QC activities including presentation set for other fellow workmen to emulate. QC members will be in constant touch with the facilitator. QC members will set up schedules for meetings and presentations within the framework of known company work loads in consultation with the facilitator send minutes of meetings promptly to the Unit Convenor with a copy to the facilitator. The circle will maintain continuous communication amongst all members. QC members will present the identified problems along-with alternative solutions to management for acceptance. QC members will pursue to implement the solutions of the problems as approved by management. QC members will make presentation on the progress of implemented solutions to management. Circles will not address the following subjects: Employees Complaints Personal Grievances Personality related issues Role of Unit Steering Group: USG may participate in circles actions and will address to circles requests. USG will also support all implementation activities. USG may also suggest problems to the quality circles for further exploration. USG will encourage formation of quality circles on other areas of the unit. Performance Evaluation: The performance of each quality circle will be evaluated based on following guidelines: Evaluation Period: 1 Year Parameters Weightage % (a) No. of Meetings (Frequency at least once 15(Maximum 17 in 21 days) meetings in a year) Attendance of members 15 (in percentage) Regular submission of minutes of 10 meetings/reports to Unit Convenor No. of new problems identified and their 10 selection process Analysis ,effective use of QC tools, 10 workload distribution among the members Quality of solved problems with respect to 10 potential of the groups (g) No. of solutions implemented 10 (h) No. of presentations made, quality of 20 presentation, participation of members special features in the presentation. Comparison among circles will be done on the basis of the marks scored by different QCs of the unit. Recognition Facilitations Aspects: The efforts of circles attract non -financial awards only which could be in terms of recognition /publicity and the others as outlined below: i) At the time of formation registration of quality circles: Inauguration of QC by Unit Head. Introduction of QC members to Unit Head in presence of their Departmental Head. Displaying the details of newly formed QC on all notice boards of the Unit. Provision of stationary (writing pad, pen/pencil) to QC members. ii) After 10 meetings or completing at least one useful project whichever is later inviting QC members with spouse on a ‘tea† by HOD. iii) After 1st presentation to HOD of Respective Department, a certificate would be given to all QC members on a tea-get-together of the department. iv) Presentation of selected QCs to Unit Head in presence of all QCS of the unit where certificates shall be awarded to circle members signed by Convenor chairman of USG together. v) Honour at important occasions where QC member could be invited with the spouse. vi) QC page will be included in monthly departmental and unit report giving highlights of implemented solutions. vii) After annual performance review of QCs in the unit publication of details of completed projects by QC members with their photographs for circulation in all the units of HZL. viii) Two best QCs will be selected in the unit convention after 1 year of their operations based on performance criteria will be awarded accordingly (Preferably in quality month i.e. November). ix) Awarding QCFI membership to members of best two circles judged by evaluation committee constituted by Unit Steering Group Subject to eligibility. x) Sending Units best two QCs to other units for presentation on some important occasion of the unit. xi) Recognition to QCs standing 1st or 2nd in Unit consecutively for two years by CQCSG. xii) Best quality circle judged by CQCSG at Corporate level matching with corporate image be considered for sending for participation in national competition organized by QCFI when the opportunity comes. Introduction to Competency Mapping In the modern competitive world, business managers are required to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the business operations. As there are several factors that affect efficiency and effectiveness of operations the improvement is required to be carried out in every factor. These factors are required to bring every factor in synchronization with other factors. To improve synchronization between different elements is an important approach to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the operations. Manpower, technical and managerial abilities are the most important resource of any organization .The most important resource is the most difficult to manage as no two persons are similar. Every person has different Qualities, attitude, motives, personality traits, skills, knowledge etc. which has effect on their performance at work. Organizations in order to facilitate excellence in the performance of the people in the organization are required to identify the right person for every job. This matching between jobs and people is an important avenue for organizational improvement efforts. HR professional are entrusted with the responsibility for selection, training and development, administration deployment support, performance appraisal and performance diagnostics of the employees. The most important part of these responsibilities is assessment of the individuals for their superiority for different functional tasks, and development of their potential to be effective and excel in the assigned tasks. Currently most of the organizations are using personal interview, written tests and group discussion for the purpose of assessment. These approaches were mostly based on personality tests/psychometric tests. These tests have improved assessment of candidates but still the reliability of the results is not adequate to forecast effectiveness of the selected candidate for the job. Research conducted by Industrial and organizational psychologists have found that effectiveness of a person to carry out a job depends not only on single or isolated factors but on set of many different factors. Such set of factors that help the possessor to be effective in a particular job is termed as competency for that particular job is termed as competency for that particular job. HR function entrusted with the responsibility of finding right person for every job and development of the employed person to do the assigned job effectively, have found competency mapping assessment as a very effective tool. Definition: Competency mapping is the process of identification of the competencies required to perform successfully a given job or role or a set of tasks at a given point of time. It consists of breaking a given role or job into its constituent tasks or activities and identifying the competencies (technical, managerial, behavioral, conceptual knowledge, an attitudes, skills, etc.) needed to perform the same successfully. Competency assessment is the assessment of the extent to which a given individual or a set of individuals possess these competencies required by a given role or set of roles or levels of roles. Assessment centers use multiple methods and multiple assessors to assess the competencies of a given individual or a group of individuals. In order to enhance objectivity they use trained assessors and multiple methods including psych