Sweden’s Industrial Relations :: Economy Economics Politics Goverment Essays

Sweden’s Industrial Relations Sweden, like the other Nordic countries (Finland, Norway and Denmark) has long been associated with the epitome of the welfare state. This region of the world and Sweden in particular, is well known for its strong labor unions and high union participation. According to the CIA, 91% of the Swedish labor force was unionized in 1998 (Virà ©n 201). The strong unions in turn elect government officials who tend to be leftist and support unionization and union power, thus erecting the welfare state that is modern day Sweden. An analysis of the labor organization and industrial relations of Sweden gives great insight into the fluctuations of the Swedish economy as well as the mindset of the Swedish leaders setting economic policy. Sweden was governed continuously by the Social Democratic party from 1932 until 1976 and the Social Democrats would return to power periodically from the 80’s to the present day. Such a long and continuous period of governance sheds light on two important factors: 1) Swedish citizens are highly in favor of the welfare state to elect officials of the Social Democratic party over and over again and 2) the welfare state is deeply ingrained in the Swedish governance structure. Jan Bohlin agrees that â€Å"the long era of Social Democrat governmental rule has obviously left its imprint on Swedish society and the 1930s can be seen as the initial phase of an economic political model that matured after the Second World War† (160). Bohlin separates Swedish economic history into four distinct periods. The first between 1880 and the First World War saw the Swedish government spend heavily on infrastructure. The second, starting in the 1930’s and ending in the 1960†™s, the government began using policy to influence economic development and prevent economic downturn. The third, between 1960-80, was characterized by more selective yet ambitious government intervention in industrial relations. Finally, the fourth period, beginning in the 1980’s, sees the government returning to more market solutions (152). It is the second of Bohlin’s four periods that labor unions began to make their rise in Swedish society. As Evelyne Huber suggests, â€Å"conditions in Scandinavia have thus been very favorable for social democracy and their affiliated unions: the economics of all four Nordic countries are small; all are religiously homogenous and Proestant; and only Finland is linguistically divided† (116).

Human resource training and development Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION Employees play a vital role in organization performance. Effective training and development are very important because it can help an organization to improve on its performance as well as on its productivity. Gilmore and Williams (2009) pointed out that only the trained workforce can effectively respond to the new challenges as well as to the existing ones in their jobs .Basically, skills are capacities and expertise in particular occupation. Gilmore and Williams (2009) continue saying that higher productivity is increasingly driven by skills. Besides, the degree of competitive advantage of a firm depends increasingly on its skilled labor 1.1 Definition of Training Training is the modification of behavior through learning (Kisire, 2010). The main aim of training progress is to help employees to do things differently for better performance and to increase their level of job satisfaction. Basically, training touches on knowledge, skills and abilities. Thus training should be done strategically in order to meet the long term development of the people and achieve organizational goals. In fact, it is only when employees understand very well the right way to do their jobs that the employer can hope for excellent results. 1.2 Justification for Training by (Armstrong 2011) †¢The knowledge or skills cannot be acquired satisfactorily in the workplace or by self directed learning. †¢Different skills are required by a number of people which have to be developed quickly to meet new demands and cannot be gained by relying on experience. †¢The tasks to be carried out are so specialized or complex that people are unlikely to master them on their own initiative at a reasonable speed. †¢When a learning need to be common to a number of people, has to meet that which can readily be dealt with in a training event or programme e.g. induction, essential IT skills, and communication skills. †¢Training helps the organization to gain competitive advantage. That is, the training practices have to help the business to grow and improve customer service by providing employees with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. †¢Training prepares employees to use new  technologies, function in new work systems such as virtual teams, and communicate and cooperate with peers or customers who may be from different cultural backgrounds. †¢Training helps organizations provide high quality service for example through quick responds to clients needs. 1.3 Development Bernardin (2010) describes development as learning opportunities designed to help employees grow. Developing people in organizational context is to help them to progress within their careers. One key factor in employee motivation and retention is the opportunity employees want to continue to grow and develop job and career by enhancing their skills level of performance and productivity .Gary Dessler (2011) describes training as a process with 4 steps that an employer uses to give new or present employees the skills required for effective performance. Training and development process emphasize on what employees want in training and development opportunities. Providing training to employees benefits both organization and employees themselves. 2.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT †¢Training raises knowledge and skills required for efficient performance of a particular job, while development is a continuous general and dynamic expansion of skills and knowledge, and is aimed at long term career growth rather than immediate performance. †¢Training focuses on short term (basing on the current job) while development focuses on the long term (the future careers) e.g. finding a mentor within your organization to introduce you to the structure and culture at senior levels in your organization and give you more exposure to senior management. 3.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND EDUCATION †¢Purpose of learning: In training the employee acquire new skills and knowledge while in education the purpose is to acquire or deepen mindset or profession. Thus education is general and wider in general purpose than training. †¢Length of the learning process: in education it takes one to four years while in training it takes one to five days or several weeks. †¢Place of delivery: Training is generally imparted at the work place while education is imparted in schools or colleges. †¢Training effect: Training  has immediate effect as compared to education. †¢Change: In education, change program requires one to be skillful at thinking, transformational, deeper and more radical while in training needs to be skillful at doing shallower and more superficial programs 4.0 NEED FOR TRAINING †¢Increases organizational commitment †¢Develops the cognitive, physical and spiritual dimensions of the employee †¢Improves job performance †¢Contributes to flexibility to adapt to changing internal and external factors †¢Develops interpersonal skills †¢Creates an interesting and challenging environment †¢Fosters greater organizational stability less employee turnover and conflicts †¢Helps reduce costs in the secretariat †¢Heightens employee morale †¢Increases knowledge and awareness of the total environment †¢Helps achieve overall organizational objectives †¢Helps retain a competent and efficient workforce †¢Develops creativity and problem solving skills †¢Helps improve and acquire technical skills. 4.1 Aligning Strategy and Training. To be effective, training must play a strategic role in supporting business. Employers today want to make sure their training programs are supporting their firms’ strategic goals. 4.2 Planning and delivering learning events and programs †¢Training Needs Analysis It involves the determination of the types and specific training necessary to improve current knowledge, abilities and skills of the workforce. This can be done through personal, task and organizational level of analysis. The data can come from target participant supervisor’s management, and even from customers, using multiple data gathering methods like survey, interview, observation at work, and performance appraisal results. Other possible sources of training needs are the long-range human resource plans of the company, practices of other organizations, requests for training of affiliate/subsidiary companies, and legislation requirements. The Training Needs Analysis (TNA) results serve as important inputs in designing the  training program. TNA should be done regularly to ensure that training would respond to the needs of trainees. †¢Training Design This pertains to the planning of the entire training program. It starts with the identification of the goals and objectives that should be achieved. The topics or contents to be covered and the appropriate training methodologies for adult learning are then determined. The corresponding visual aids and learning materials are also specified. The training design and the TNA are usually done by the training staff of the organization and sometimes by outside consultants. The services of training consultants are usually availed of the large companies for this purpose. A typical training design will contain these parts: Training Title Venue Date Goal Specific Objectives Sequences of Topics Time Allocation Per Topic Methodology Resources Needed Evaluation The training objectives of the training design are a critical element that should be written properly to be able to decide on the contents, methodology, and the duration of tackling the topics. The preset objectives also become the basis for evaluating the success of the program. The standard criteria for objective formulation is SMART. Whether the training will facilitate the learning of cognitive, affective, or psychomotor skills, it is important that the objectives are specific, measurable/observable, attainable, relevant to training goals, and time-bound. On the other hand, the choices of any or a combination of the following training methodologies will largely depend on the objectives, type of participants, and the duration of the training. †¢Training Implementation Implementation covers the logistical aspects like venue, food, budget,  equipment, resource persons, transportation, and participants. These should be properly attended to during the actual conduct of the training. Therefore, training programs are done within the company or outside depending on the nature of the program and the financial capability of the organization. In cases where the organization has earmarked a sufficient budget for major training program especially for managers, these are done outside of the company with external consultants as trainers. Companies like Fortune Medicare Inc. and Nestle Philippines have this kind of practice. Based on the above-mentioned importance of training, specific training conducted by the organizations may be classified as technical or behavioral training. The skills/technical type focuses on facilitating the learning of competencies related to the employees’ knowledge and skills. The behavioral type, on the other hand, pertains to ensuring the learning of competencies related to the workforce attitudes and habits. †¢Training Evaluation This last phase of the training process requires the assessment of the conduct of the training activity. The evaluation is concerned with the measurement of the training success or effectiveness to establish whether an investment in a particular training has paid off. The training effectiveness is usually determined based on the achievement of the previously set objectives and results, considering the needs, methods, and other areas of training administration. According to Kirkpatrick (1998), there are four levels of evaluating training programs. These are the (1) reaction; (2) learning; (3) behavioral change; and (4) impact to organization. The reaction level measures the participants’ feedback right after the conduct of the training. Feedback are taken related to attainment of objectives, processes, methodologies, time, reading materials, resource persons/facilitators, and other logistics of the training. On the other hand, participants’ learning level determines what specific skills, knowledge or even what they learned is commonly asked at the end of the training period. There are many ways by which the training evaluation can be done. The use of the questionnaire form administered at the end of the training is very often done to measure the reaction level. However, it should be noted that using a questionnaire form is only one of the methods to evaluate training. Other ways to assess training according to Hargraues  and Jarius (2000) are: (1) formal or informal interviews; (2) feedback from line managers; (3) feedback from the Training Unit; (4) meet a cross-section of suppliers or customers; (5) discuss with staff who attended; (6) wander into offices and talk to people; (7) number of requests to attend other events; (8) academic or practical standards reached; (9) formal certification; and (10) a cost- benefit analysis. While the paper & pencil or practical test is used to assess knowledge learning of the participants. A good example of this is the pre-test and post-test method using different designs. The learning is usually also undertaken simultaneously within the reaction level. The behavioural change level assesses the changes on the attitude and/or habits of the trainees after the training that is usually observable at the workplace. This will involve a follow up of the trainees in coordination with the immediate supervisor. Examples of behavioural indicators are attendance, promptness, courtesy, cooperation, and level of participation. The impact to organization level measures the effect of the training on the unit where the trainees belong and on the entire organization. This level can focus on productivity sales profits, and customer satisfaction. 4.3 Identification of Training Needs †¢Appraisal Systems Many organizations see performance appraisal schemes as an integral part of their employee development strategy. Schemes vary considerably from one organization to another, and nowadays may have a variety of names, but almost all of them include the identification of training needs as a key component. Most also consider the longer-term career options available to employees, and allow them to express their preferences. It follows that anyone with responsibility for training and development should influence the design of the scheme and ensure that notice is taken of the information generated by it. This is not always readily achieved. Sometimes the scheme will focus on short-term performance issues, and line managers may not regard the consideration of developmental issues as important. The appraisal may also be considered to be confidential within the department concerned. Sometimes the section covering training and development needs is detachable, so that the training function only gets to see the appropriate information. This approach has its merits, but excludes the underlying performance issues  which contribute towards identifying the training and development needs. There are many issues to be addressed when designing and implementing an appraisal scheme, and some of the aims of the process may conflict with each other. For example, a scheme linked to the determination of pay increases may inhibit the appraisee from being honest about aspects of the job that he or she finds difficult, whereas it is precisely these aspects that must be discussed to identify training needs. Care is required to minimize these conflicts . †¢Survey Methods Surveys can be very useful in the gathering of data, including information on attitudes. People usually participate willingly if the completion of a survey form is not too complex or lengthy and if they think some good will come out of the exercise. When designing a survey you must decide on: 1) the size and nature of the sample 2) the format of the questions 3) exactly how the survey is to be conducted. †¢Interviews Interviewing is a technique that can appear to be very simple when used by an experienced practitioner. Although some people are naturally better at interviewing, the key skills of a good investigative interviewer are all capable of being learned. The first two skills are common to all types of interview – questioning and listening. These two investigative skills are inseparable; one supports and reinforces the other. For trainers these skills are crucial not only at the stage of identifying training needs but also during instruction and evaluation. Many trainers who recognise that the ability to talk well is vital often underestimate the importance of questioning and listening. Hearing, which is an ability that may be difficult to improve, is not the same as listening which is a skill that can be significantly enhanced by training. Questioning is something that everyone can do, but which some people learn to do much more effectively than others. In an interview to determine training needs, the interviewer may be delving into very emotive and sensitive areas. To ensure that the interviewee feels comfortable in talking about these issues, the interviewer must appear to be listening. To ensure that full understanding is attained, the interviewer must not only appear to listen, but must actually do so with real concentration. †¢Job and Task Analysis There are many reasons for analyzing jobs and tasks. One common reason is to provide a basis for job evaluation; another is to be precise about requirements in a selection situation. There are also many different systems of analysis. Some seem to generate a multitude of documents; others use highly involved and sophisticated methodology. Different types of analysis are: Job analysis; Task analysis; Skills analysis and Fault analysis. 5.0 TRANSFER OF TRAINING Be relevant, avoid difficult material. Transfer is more likely if systematic training and just in time training approaches are used. 5.1 Systematic Training We have to ensure that training is specifically designed, planned and implemented to meet defined needs. It is provided by people who know to train and the impact of training is evaluated. Systematic training follows five steps ADDIE) model. Effective training uses the systematic approach with an emphasis on skills analysis. The focus of training should be to develop transferable skills. The training should be evaluated on the basis of the extent to which it has achieved its purpose. 5.2 Just in Time Training It is delivered as close as possible to the time when the activity is taking place. The training will be based on an identification of the latest requirements, priorities and plans of the participants. 5.3 Types of Training Armstrong (2012), indicates that training programs or events can be concerned with any of the following: †¢Manual skills including apprenticeship †¢Information Technology(IT) skills †¢Team leader or supervisory training †¢Management training †¢Interpersonal skills such as leadership, teambuilding and group dynamics †¢Personal skills for example assertiveness, coaching, communicating and time management. †¢Training in organizational procedures or practices such as induction, health and safety, performance management, equal opportunity  or managing diversity policy and practice. 6.0 IMPLEMENTING TRAINING PROGRAMS (TRAINING METHODS) 6.1 On the Job Training On-the-job training is training that takes place while employees are actually working. It means that skills can be gained while trainees are carrying out their jobs. This benefits both employees and the business. Employees learn in the real work environment and gain experience dealing with the tasks and challenges that they will meet during a normal working day. The business benefits by ensuring that the training is specific to the job. It also does not have to meet the additional costs of providing off-the-job training or losing working time. Requirements for effective On the Job Training (OJT) programs by (CIDP 2008a) †¢A policy statement that describes the purpose of OJT and emphasizes the company’s support for it. †¢A clear specification of who is accountable for conducting OJT. If managers conduct OJT, this is mentioned in their job descriptions and is part of their performance evaluation †¢A thorough review of OJT practices (program content, types of jobs, length of program, cost savings) at other companies in similar industries. †¢Training of managers and peers in the principles of structured OJT †¢Availability of lesson plans, checklists, procedure manuals, training manuals, learning contracts and progress report forms for use by employees who conduct OJT †¢Evaluation of employees levels of basic skills (reading, computation, and writing) before OJT. The virtual classroom: This is another training technique as presented by Dessler (2011). It uses special collaboration software to enable multiple remote learners, using their PCs or laptops to participate in live audio and visual discussions, communicate via written text and learn via content such as PowerPoint slides. Informal learning: Informal learning occurs e.g. through capitalizing on work related discussions, for example, to place tools in strategic areas like cafeteria to take advantage of the work-related discussions taking place. Apprenticeship Training: An apprenticeship program combines on-the-job training with academic instruction for those entering the workforce. Also called dual-training programs because of the combined occupational and in-class components, apprenticeships help individuals put their academic skills to practical use in various careers. Whereas internships are often  short-term, rarely lasting more than a year, apprenticeships can last as many as four or five years. Apprenticeships also differ from internships in that most apprentices are paid, with salary increasing as the apprentice completes parts of the program.. Job Instruction Training: (JIT) is a step-by-step, relatively simple technique used to train employees on the job. It is especially suitable for teaching manual skills or procedures; the trainer is usually an employee’s supervisor but can be a co-worker. Lectures: Don’t start out on the wrong foot. For instance, don’t open with an irrelevant joke or by saying something like â€Å"I really don’t know why I was asked to speak here today.† Give your listeners signals if for example you have a list of items, start by saying something like, â€Å"There are four reasons why the sales reports are necessary†¦.the first†¦. Again be alert to your audience, maintain eye contact with your audience during your presentation, and break a long talk into a series of 5 minutes talks Programmed learning: It is a learning methodology or technique first proposed by the behaviorist B. F. Skinner in 1958. According to Skinner, the purpose of programmed learning is to â€Å"manage human learning under controlled conditions†. The medium can be a textbook, Personal Computer (PC), or internet. Programmed learning is a step by step, self learning method that consists of three parts: presenting questions and facts to the learner, allowing the person to respond, and providing the learner feedback on the accuracy of answers. The advantage is that it reduces training time Computer based training (CBT): A type of education in whic h the student learns by executing special training programs on a computer. CBT is especially effective for training people to use computer applications because the CBT program can be integrated with the applications so that students can practice using the application as they learn. Training via the internet and learning portals. The training may include posting videos, written lectures or power point slides or sophisticated simulations. This method may be applied in colleges where the employer use internet based learning to training. Company’s also convey their employee training through their internal internet portals for example by contracting with service providers such as skill soft (www.skillsoft.com) or for health and safety training, pure safety (www.puresafety.com) to deliver online training courses to the firms employees. Mobile learning: This refers to delivering  of learning content on demand via devices like cell phones and i-phones whenever the learner wants to access it. Audiovisual and traditional distance learning techniques: Audiovisual tools including DVDs, films and closed circuit TV e.g. firms’ use various distance learning methods for training which may include traditional correspondence courses as well as video conferencing and internet based classes. Behavior modeling: It involves showing trainees the right (or Model) way of doing something, letting each person practice the right way to do it and providing feedback regarding performance. The basic behavior modeling procedure is: †¢Modeling: first trainee watch DVDs, showing model persons behaving effectively in a problem situation. †¢Role playing: the trainees are given roles to play in a stimulated situation. †¢Social reinforcement: the trainer provides praises and constructive feedback based on the trainee performs in the role play. †¢Transfer of training: finally trainees are encouraged to apply their new skills when they are back on their jobs In summary: Training and development applies both On-the-job and Off-the-Job training methods On the Job Training Methods: On the job training takes various forms including apprenticeships, job rotation, creation of assistant to positions, orientation, delegation, vestibule training, promotion and transfers and self directed training programs Off the Job Training Methods include training by management institutions, lectures, seminars and conference, case study, brainstorming, management games and role playing 6.1 Advantages of Off-the-job Training method †¢Non production error: the employees are trained outside the work environment therefore they are not involved in production process as in on the job training method. †¢Economy: A large group of trainees are trained simultaneously at a time. †¢Free on production: when the trainees are not involved in production process, the production activities can be carried without any interruption hence, it runs freely, moreover, costly errors and injurious can be avoided †¢Less time of training: training will take less time because the trainees are not involved in production. †¢It is free from pressures of working environment †¢Risk free of damaging organization’s valuable equipment. This is because  they are not trained using organization’s facilities. †¢Off- the- job development techniques remove individuals from the stresses and ongoing demands of the work place, enabling them focus fully on the learning experience. In addition they provide opportunities for meeting people from other departments or organizations. Thus individuals are exposed to useful new ideas and experiences while they make potentially useful contacts. 6.2 Disadvantages of Off-the-job training method †¢Lack of feedback: there is lack of feedback to employees because they are trained away from the organization work environment. †¢Expensive: organization has to prepare extra place for training outside the actual environment. †¢No production: employees are kept away from the actual work place, thus the organization bears cost without output. †¢Outside the work station: employees are unknown with actual machines and equipment thus transfer of training is sometimes difficult. †¢Not effective: as employees are trained in an artificial classroom they are unfamiliar with actual environment as result of which it requires long time for them to learn. 6.3 Advantages of On-the-Job Training Method †¢Organization doesn’t have to pay a training company or college therefore it is less costly. †¢Senior highly skilled and experienced staff can teach new staff the exact skills needed for a particular job †¢The business can acquire an experience in house training team hence no need for trainees to adjust to real work situations and trainers †¢It builds relationships/bonds between learner/teacher in the work place. 6.4 Disadvantages of On-the-Job Training Method †¢Productivity can be interrupted †¢Senior highly skilled and experienced staff has to leave their job to teach/train. †¢Skills learned are job specific leaving staff less flexible to changing roles. †¢Working environment can be busy, noisy and not conducive for learning. †¢It may lead to high rate of spoilage of material and damage of valuable equipment 7.0 IMPLEMENTING MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Management Development and training is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting knowledge, changing attitudes or increasing skills. It thus includes in-house programs such as courses, coaching and rotational assignments, professional programs such as management seminars and university programs such as executive MBA programs. The ultimate aim of such development programs is to enhance the future performance of the organization itself. For this reason the overall management development process ideally consists of assessing the company’s needs for example to fill the future executive openings, appraising the managers’ performance and then developing managers themselves (CIDP 2008a). The program should make sense in terms of the company’s strategy and goals. This means involving top management in formulating the program’s aims and in specifying competencies and knowledge outcomes. The most popular development methods include classroom based learning, executive coaching, 360-degree feedback, action learning, mentoring and job rotation. 7.1 The Management Development Process It includes assessing the company’s strategic needs for example to fill future executive openings or to boost competitiveness, appraising managers’ current performance and developing the managers and future managers. Development programs aim to fill specific positions, such as CEO, for example, GE Caterpillar Company spent years developing, testing, and watching potential replacements for CEO before finally choosing Jeffrey Immelt (Dessler 2011). In any case, assessment is usually part of development programs. 8.0 METHODS OF MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS 8.1 On-the-Job Methods On the job methods are usually preferred in management development programs. Often such training is informal. The supervisor trains the worker as he performs the work. David (2009), says there are four major on-the-job development methods: †¢Coaching/understudy Approach: here the trainee works directly with senior manager or with a person he or she is to replace. The training of mangers by his or her immediate supervisors- is by far the most effective management development technique; unfortunately, many managers are either unable or unwilling to coach those they supervise. On- the job  coaching must be tempered with considerable restraint- managers who cannot develop unless they are allowed to work out problems in their own way. †¢Job rotation: It involves shifting mangers from position to position so they can broaden their experience and familiarize themselves with various aspects of the firms operations.The trainee can be a recent college graduate, and spend several months in each department, learning the department’s business by actually doing it. Or can be a senior manager being groomed for CEO by being exposed to a range of domestic and foreign challenges.   †¢Training positions: Trainees are given staff posts immediately under an experienced manager, often with the title of assistant. Such assignments give trainees a chance to work with and model themselves after outstanding managers who might otherwise have little contact with them. †¢Planned work activities: This involves, giving trainees important work assignments to develop their experience and ability. Trainees may be asked to head a task force or participate in an important committee meeting. Such experiences help them gain insight into how organizations operate and also improve their human relations. 8.2 Off-the-Job Methods The most common off the job development methods are in-house classroom instruction and management development programs sponsored by universities and organizations such as American Management association. Almost every management development program includes some form of classroom instruction in which specialists from inside or outside the organization teach trainees a particular subject. Classroom instruction is often supplemented, with case studies, role playing and business games or simulations. For example managers may be asked to play roles on both sides in simulated labor- management dispute. Some organizations send selected employees to university-sponsored management programs. Many major universities have such programs, which range in length from one week to three or more. Off-the-Job Management Training and Development Techniques †¢The case study Method: The case study method presents a trainee with a written description of an organizational problem. The trainee then analyses the case, diagnoses the problem and presents his or her findings and solutions in a discussion with other trainees. E.g. crime investigation, u  can write a script showing all the procedures. The scenario aim is to develop specific training skills, such as interviewing witnesses. †¢Management games: Management games are effective; people learn best by being involved. With computerized management games trainees divide into five or six person groups each of which competes with the others in simulated marketplace. Each group must decide for example how much to spend on advertising, how much to produce, how much inventory and how many of which product to produce. Thus they make computerized decisions. †¢Outside seminars: Many universities and companies offer web-based and traditional classroom management development seminars and conferences. E.g. specialized associations such as Society of Human Resource Management, provide specialized seminars for their professional members. †¢University related programs: Many universities provide executive education and continuing education programs in leadership, supervision etc. these can range 1 to 4 day programs to execute development programs lasting 1 to 4 months. The advanced Management Program of Harvard’s graduate school of Business administration is a well known example according to (Dessler 2011). Students are experienced managers from around the world. The school uses cases and lectures to provide them with the latest management skills. †¢Role playing: The aim of role playing is to create a realistic situation and then have the trainees assume the parts or roles of specific persons in that situation. The role play can trigger the discussions among the role players/trainees. The aim is to develop trainees’ skills in areas like leadership and delegating. †¢Corporate Universities: Many universities particularly the larger ones establish in-house development centers; IBM is one of the examples. In-house development centers typically offer a catalogue of courses and programs aimed at supporting the employers, management training and development program providers and web-based education portals to create packages of programs and materials. For example Brain and Company, a management consulting firm, has such a web based virtual university for its employees. It provides a means not only for coordinating all the company’s training efforts but also for delivering web based modules and cover topics from strategic management to mentoring. †¢Executive Coaches: Firms retain executive coaches to develop their top managers’ effectiveness. An executive coach is an outside consultant who questions the executive boss, peers,  subordinates and sometimes family in order to identify the executive’s strengths and weaknesses and counsel the executive so he or she can capitalize on those strengths and overcome the weaknesses. †¢The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System: SHRM, encourages HR professionals to qualify for certification by taking examinations. The society offers several preparatory training programs. The self-study option includes text and DVD. The college/university option provides classroom interaction with instructors and other students. 8.3 Other Methods †¢Panel Discussion †¢Skill Practice †¢Problem-Solving Activity †¢Questionnaire †¢Role Play †¢Physical Continuum †¢Presentation †¢Synergy Activity †¢Lecturette †¢Observation †¢Project †¢Fishbowl †¢Full-Group Discussion †¢Experiential Activity †¢Feedback Activity †¢Story †¢Inter-group Discussion or Exchange †¢Interviewing †¢Index Card Match †¢Information Sear †¢Anonymous card †¢Demonstration †¢Dyadic Discussion or Exchange †¢Games †¢Group Inquiry †¢Contracting †¢Creative Activity †¢Checklist †¢Closing Circle †¢Brainstorming †¢Case Study †¢Reference †¢Trio Discussion or Exchange †¢Writing Task †¢Self-Assessment and Self-Evaluation †¢Small Group Discussion †¢Whip †¢Peer Consultation †¢Peer Teaching †¢Simulation †¢Read and Discuss †¢Read and Teach Group †¢Mental Imagery 9.0 CONCLUSION Organizations make arrangement for development of its executives so as to improve efficiency of management. Managers need generalized knowledge in lieu of technical skills on particular job. Therefore, training of executives is often known as development. It is good to focus both on Training and development to ensure that our team members are able to perform to the best of their ability, not only in short term (their current job) but also in the long term (their future careers). REFERENCES Bernardin, H. J. (2010). Human Resource Management: An Experiential Approach.5th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Dale Carnegie and Associates (2006), Managing Through People, New York, USA David M.(2009), Human Resource Development. UK. Oxford University Press. Dessler G. (2011), Human resource Management. 12Th Ed, USA, Florida International University Prentice Hall. Dessler, G. (2011). A Framework for Human resource Management. 6th Ed. Delhi: Dorling Kndersley. Kisire, S. J. (2009). Simple Revision Guide Human Resource Management. Nairobi: Bernard Bongo DPW. Noe A.R. (2002), employee training and development 2nd ed. New York, McGraw-Hill. Swart Juani et al (2005) Human resource Development: Strategy and Tactic: UK, Jordan Hill Oxford. Stoner A et al (2009), Management 6th edition, Pearson Education, New Delhi. Williams, S. (2009). Human Resource Management. New York: Oxford University. Wright M. P et al, (2003), Human Resource Management,Ggaining a Competitive Advantage. New York, McGraw-Hill Irwin. CIDP (2008a), Developing Senior Managers’ Fact Sheet (revised in January 2008). CIPD (2008b) Management Development Fact Sheet (revised February 2008)

Alan Mulally’s Restructuring of Ford Motor Company

According to the Nelson & Quick, Manually created one team focusing on ford brand. Ford was accused in the recession time, to keep too many brands under its corporate umbrella so it can't focus on its cash cow â€Å"Ford† Brand. He sold out Jaguar cars, Land Rover brand and Volvo cars to minimize the corporate losses. (wickeder. Com). Following answers focus more on what extent his managerial and structural change decisions helpful to create profitable brand. 1. What are the key structural issues that Alan Manually encountered as incoming president and CEO of Ford? An automobile has about 10,000 moving parts, right?An airplane has two million, and it has to Stay up in the this is the answer Alan Manually provided when he was being asked a question by a journalist â€Å"How are you going to tackle something as complex and unfamiliar as the auto business when we are in such tough financial shape†. It was that tough when Manually came into ford from Boeing. There were sign ificant structural issues were at the Ford. Naming them, financial crisis- while other major car manufacturers filing bankruptcy, according to nelson (2013) â€Å"ford dad to resolve to stand on its own feet and go it alone' (p. 39).Internal culture- when Manually come in ford has a very competitive rivalry culture â€Å"and didn't help much to its profitability. According to Nelson & Quick (2013) ‘those who believe that competitive rivalry brings out the best, others know win lose competition carries costs for everyone involved† (p. 64). Additionally, Ford was famous for world car and mass production people didn't buy ford because it is quality car. Ford is inherently face a challenge in a world of cars to build a culture quality. Nelson & Quick, 2013). Too many brands- when Manually come in, ford is more focusing on other attached brands than ford brand name.At the time ford owned Jaguar, Volvo cars, Mazda, Land Rover and Gaston Martin. Which loss the focus of manag ement towards ford brand. Don't have a right products- Manually saw potential of ford focus as a world car and but they didn't market it as it supposed to be and Ford Taurus Was a successful seller and they already discontinued that product How has Alan Manually addressed structural issues identified in the previous question? When Manually came in 2006, financial crisis was at its peak. He decided not to borrow money from government and stand its own feet.It was a right decision, because, overnight sales went up due to many patriotic Americans decided to switch to ford. He borrowed $24 billion from other parties and Stop dividends to shareholders. He sold all the other brands loosely associated with ford. By selling those brand Manually collected some money to get out of recession. Internal culture- when Manually came in, there was competitive culture. It was not helping the good team. Ford was thinking, by competitive culture best come out and actual result was there are bunch of u nhappy internal customers.So Manually created a culture of applauding openness and problem recognition culture. Quality issue- ford ware coincided by the whole worked as a common car. Manually wanted to create a ford as a quality product what exactly customers looking for. Too many brands so entire ford team work as one. According to Nelson & Quick (2013) ford anticipates consumer needs and delivers outstanding products and services that improve people's lives (p. 315). Loss focus- ford has so many brands under its corporate umbrella those did not help them to focus on ford brand.Manually decided to sell them all to get cash to recover the recession. That was increased attention towards ford brand. Bring back right product- first thing Manually did at the ford was bring back Taurus brand which was discontinues for no reason. Which helped to bring loyal customers back Explain the context that ford strategic goals provide for the design of its organization structure (Figurer : ford mo tor company structure) Ford's strategic goals were 1 . Ford is a global family with a proud heritage passionately committed to providing personal mobility to people around the world (Nelson & Quick, 201 3), 2.Ford anticipates consumer needs and delivering outstanding products and services that improves people's lives. Current ford culture would not help to achieve these targets. Inherently automobile industry is fairly club. According to Nelson & Quick (201 3), â€Å"Ford was known for the feudal infighting about its executives, conflicts consumed time, energy and resources in counterproductive internecine warfare† (p. 349). In order to meet the challenge successfully, ford needs an outstanding team. Eventually Manually able to build the winning team.Nelson & Quick (2013) mentioned that â€Å"Manually became a unifying figure who pulled the entire team together collectively'. Manually introduced large scale system integration in to ford learned from Boeing. Which was challen ging at first at ford. Ford had a linear structure shown above. This kind of system is ideal for manufacturing company. The problem was they didn't use the structure properly. Company culture, and structure wasn't that problem, problem was there are some recesses need to fine tune. Reason given for that was ford never felt a fresh blood so often.Manually had to fine tune corroded systems in general. He created united team, he created open door policy instead of competitive policy, he standardize manufacturing pants, etc†¦ By doing all the repairs for this old system, team was align for their new strategy to conquer the market. Would a network (or lattice) organization be a viable structural alternative for ford? Explain your answer (Figurer: Sample network organization) According to my knowledge, linear organization structure would be better Han network organizational structure for the manufacturing company.

What Make a Good Restaurant

â€Å"This is the worse restaurant I have ever been to! (†¦) † exclaimed Lily, a friend of mine, as we walked out of the restaurant that night. We all, undoubtedly, have had a bad restaurant experience at least once in our lifetime. And if the judgment of the goodness or badness of a restaurant remains very subjective, we can still unanimously find similarities, common criteria between good restaurants. Thus, what makes a good restaurant? A good restaurant first of all , serves fresh and tasty food. Secondly, it offers an exceptional service and finally, it provides a pleasant and agreeable dining ambience. Food is the first parameter of judgment of the quality of a restaurant. Eating out means spending money, and surely, we expect to get the most satisfaction possible as the saying goes â€Å"we get what we pay for â€Å". Thus, we look forward to have tasty meals. And once again, tastes are unobjective: a dish that I find undelicious might be succulent to my companion. However, we are all expecting what we have on our plates to be fresh and made of good ingredients. As far as I am concerned, I have preferences to simple and traditional dishes; authenticity and originality matter. An Italian restaurant that I used to work for previously is a good example of simplicity and originality: we just offer olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Italian bread along with the salads as it is customary in Italy†¦Some innovative restaurants would be tempted to present those Italian salads with new dressings, which could be not very bad, but that would definitely take away the originality †¦And as we talk about food, timing is also an important aspect that needs to be considered. As we go into a restaurant, we anticipate a waiting time, yet this waiting should not be too long to the point that the customers lose their appetite. There should be an appropriate timing not only between entrees, meals and the dessert, but also before getting the bill from the waiter. And of course, the pricing should be reasonable. In all, foods from a good restaurant are fresh and tasty, original and fairly priced. Another important parameter to be taken care of is service. Some customers become clients only because of the friendly and nice service offered by the restaurant. Likewise, others may stop coming to one restaurant just only because of a bad service. Thus, apart from the friendliness and politeness that we naturally expect, what else makes a service exceptional? Well, here again it is subjective: some people like to be taken care of closely while others just want the waiter to take orders and go away†¦And having myself worked in a restaurant, I sensed that difficulty to find the right balance, because some customers may find me not attentive enough while for others I was too overwhelming. But eating out in other restaurants taught me more about appropriate attention: I did not want to be asked, as a customer, every 5mn if everything was alright, but I did not want to wait for 30mn to get a refill for a drink or to ask something†¦In few words, the right service is the one which is friendly and nice, making the customers feel really welcomed in the place. It is also the one that is attentive enough to see if the customers are in need of something but not too overwhelming to the point that the customers cannot talk to each other because the waiter keeps interrupting their conversation or get involved in a long conversation with them. And the last parameter is the ambience that the restaurant offers. Some customers may enjoy the food, the service but not its atmosphere. Since it contributes to the wellbeing of the customers, this third parameter has to be considered closely as well. Different things have to be looked up when talking about atmosphere. I would categorize them just in: music and presentation. Music, which includes the ones played in the background or by an artist as in a cabaret, should have the appropriate volume: loud enough to cover the conversation of the next table but not too loud to prevent people from the same table to hear each other. Presentation includes the design (inside decoration) of the restaurant. It plays a role in the mood of the restaurant. Most of restaurants nowadays have thematic design; for instance, the restaurant that I used to work for previously was centered on local arts. Since the promotion of local artists is the main objective, the restaurant exhibits paintings on the wall, and holds also painting session once a week. That gave a certain enjoyment especially for people loving arts. But the way that tables are organized is a part of presentation as well; they should be spaced enough to allow a better circulation, needless to say that cleanliness is very important. Surely, many other criterions can be taken into an account to affirm if a restaurant is a good one. We notice what good restaurant do so well when we experience the same things going wrong in a bad restaurant†¦but all things considered, one thing that can make a big difference is the proprietor: if he is passionate of food and hospitality, and not too much focused on only making fortune out of his business, the restaurant should be a good one. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THE CONCLUSION,

“Globalization” or “inter-nationalization” Essay

‘Whether we call it â€Å"globalization† or â€Å"inter-nationalization†, very few people, organizations or states stand to benefit’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? Globalization is without doubt it is a â€Å"buzz† word of the time – it is a word that seems to be constantly mentioned in the news on the television or radio. But what does living in a â€Å"globalized† world really mean? As a starting point this essay will attempt to interpret its meaning by applying four main theories and using these theories to discuss the impact of globalization on individuals, organisations and states. It will go on to explore three different perspectives on global change and how each perspective might view its effects including identifying possible weaknesses in their arguments. This will enable a decision to be made as to what extent the question â€Å"whether we call it â€Å"globalization† or â€Å"inter-nationalization†, very few people, organisations or states stand to benefit can be agreed with. Globalization can be characterized by four distinctive features. First it involves a stretching of social, political and economic activities across nation-state boundaries. What is happening on what might be geographically the other side of the world, affects the other and specific local developments can have considerable global consequences. Examples of this would be global climate change, environmental issues such as pollution into the atmosphere and oceans, poverty etc. We are all losers in terms of global problems such as pollution – acid rain, toxic waste etc and it extremely daunting to think that we are totally limitless in our control of them. For example, in April 1986 an accident occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the USSR. This caused a cloud carrying radioactive particles to hit Britain. Ten years on, as a result of the fall-out, 70,000 sheep in Cumbria remained contaminated (Cochrane, A. and Pain, K. (2004), p.18). Second, it is marked by the intensification of flows of trade. Technological developments have accelerated over the past 20 years – the introduction of mobile phones, the internet, satellite television means that communication across the planet is virtually instantaneous. There are hundreds of satellites floating above the earth, each one carrying a huge amount of information. Physical distance is no longer an issue – we are being brought much closer to news/issues/events from around the world – this could be seen as good or bad although for the ones that have it, access to much more information has to be a good thing. Losers would undoubtedly be people without internet access and organisations with a less developed communication infrastructure. The way people work is changing – working from home is now much more viable and this has to be a good thing for individuals and companies because it provides more flexibility all round. Third, it can be linked to increasing interpenetration or the bringing together distant cultures and societies face to face with each other at local level, good examples of this would be Microsoft, Coca Cola, McDonalds and Starbucks. This could be seen as good or bad, many people don’t like the fact that these huge companies put smaller privately owned companies out of business and that everything is becoming so uniformed – local places with â€Å"character† are being lost. Global trade on the whole is increasing which may mean more jobs, better employment prospects for some but on the down sound it may also mean many home communities are devastated when local companies are bought out by multinational ones that cut wages and benefits and/or moves production overseas. This could lead to the inequality gap widening further which will ultimately cause conflict and potentially from this point of view we are all losers here too. And forth, the development of a global infrastructure – the authority of nations is territorially bound therefore international organisations such as The United Nationals, The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation all play a part in regulating and governing the global system and are new forms of agency brought about because of globalization. It could be argued that in this borderless economy, nation states have no option but to accommodate global market forces due to their power, limiting their options. Furthermore, a growth in international trade (often due to lower trade barriers) will encourage more competition. This could be seen as having winners and losers but reducing trade barriers in particular may reduce the role of governments which, in turn, could encourage corruption. There is no doubt that many developing countries have increased their share of world trade as a result of globalization although this may be at the detriment of the poorer countries. There are three positions which all have a different perspective on the term globalization; these are the globalist, inter-nationalist and transformationalist and all three have strengths and weaknesses to their arguments. Globalists on the whole see Globalisation as something that is real and is happening – that changes are happening socially and economically and that it is an inevitable, irreversible development that should not be resisted. But globalists themselves fall into two categories – optimistic/positive globalists and pessimistic globalists. Optimistic/positive Globalists view it as a process that is beneficial. They would probably disagree with the statement that very few people, organizations or states stand to benefit because they welcome the changes that it brings such as improvement on the quality of life, raising living standards and the bringing together of societies and cultures – promoting a better understanding of each other. They acknowledge that globalisation is not all good news, that with it issues such as global environmental pollution, for example, but want citizens to take responsibility for their actions, to look for ways of minimising the damage through their own actions and through the use of new technologies. They may have overlooked however, that local Governments/authorities may be limited in their actions in relation to worldwide/global issues and that globalization is certainly not developing in an even handed way. In Tony Gidden’s Reith Lecture he quotes â€Å"Globalisation some argue creates a world of winners and losers, a few on the fast track to prosperity, the majority condemned to a life of misery and despair and indeed the statistics are daunting. The share of the poorest 5th of the world’s population in global income has dropped from 2.3% to 1.4% over the past 10 years. The proportion taken by the richest 5th on the other hand has risen† (Tony Gidden Reith Lecture â€Å"Runaway World† 1999). Pessimistic globalists regard it with hostility, believing that it increases inequality between nations, threatens employment and hinders social progress. Moreover they believe that globalization is making the world become more homogeneous with the demise of sovereignty and national identities as well as the demise of politicians’ capabilities to influence events. A pessimistic view would probably be that only the giant multi-national companies (usually American) stand to benefit since the US has a dominant economic, cultural and military position in the global scheme of things. They would probably view globalization as nothing more than corporate hegemony and would definitely agree with the statement about very few people, organizations or states benefiting. A weakness of the pessimistic globalist view is that they don’t seem to have a clear solution to the problem, it’s like they want to â€Å"reverse time† and go back to how it was. They undermine the e xisting structure but have no idea about any clear alternatives. According to the inter-nationalists all the talk about globalization is exactly that – just talk. They believe that the world carries on much the same as it ever did that it isn’t especially different from that which existed in previous periods and that increases in global trade across the world is just progression based on world trading links that have been established for many years – a continuation of the past. They argue that a good deal of economic exchange is between regions rather than being truly worldwide, for example countries of the European Union mostly trade among themselves. This whole view seems unrealistic. World financial flows have grown exponentially since the 1970’s and advances in technology have undoubtedly helped with transactions becoming instantaneous with 24 hour global financial markets. International trade has also grown to unprecedented levels and involves a much wider range of goods and services. As a result a weakness of theirs would be that underestimate the power of nation states and possibly put too much faith in the capabilities of national governments. The third – transformationslists – is somewhere in between the two. They believe that something is happening, that changes are taking place and that the effects of globalisation should not be underestimated. Unlike the globalists they believe that nothing is pre-determined or inevitable and that national, local and other agencies still have room for manoeuvre and that maybe new solutions may have to be found. A strength of the transformationalist is that they see sovereignty as having to be shared among other private and public agencies. They would probably sit on the fence as to whether people, organizations or states stand to benefit from globalization. Some people do benefit, some don’t. Some organisations benefit, some don’t, and so on. It might depend on who you are, what you are, where you live etc. A weakness of the transformationalist would be that they are somewhat blinded by the scale of global inequalities that are developing as a result of rationalisation as they tend to have more of a â€Å"regional† focus. The word â€Å"globalization† seems to have come from no where to be almost everywhere. Globalisation is political, technological, cultural and economic, it affects everyone and its effects can be seen everywhere. There are winners and losers but with reference to the original question in the introductory paragraph personally it would have to be a disagreement with this statement. Globalization is not something that should be shirked but the challenges it presents need to be controlled because it is now part of the way we live and it’s not going to go away. Metaphorically speaking it may mean a shrinking world but it is creating something that has never existed before and it is without doubt changing our world, for better or worse, no matter where or whom we happen to be. References Cochrane, A. and Pain, K, ‘A globalizing society’ in Held, D. (ed) (2004) Gidden Reith, A. Lecture â€Å"Runaway World† (1999) Held, D. â€Å"A globalizing world? Culture, economics, politics†, London, Routledge/The Open University

Learning Style and Brain Dominance

When analyzing the three mentioned ways of learning patterns, they portrayed auditory learners as the best listeners, and usually reads out loud which help them recall what they read. People with a â€Å"Kinesthetic† learning pattern are usually hands on, they are described as the people who will take things apart and put them back together in order to recall what they learned. They are also very fond of using body gestures when they talk. â€Å"Visual† was also mentioned as one of the main learning patterns, people who fall under this category usually recall what they learn by recollecting visual images, and they tend to be very detail oriented.As all our fingers are not equal, neither is our personality. Everyone has their own comfort zone when it comes to learning. When taking the brain dominance test, I felt I have a combination of both. My final score said something different; it put me more on the right side. I guess we can say the brain is who we are; it controls your being and portrays your personality. I guess that is why we have choices because if we all use the same part of the brain we would understand each other and get along, I am not sure if that would be a fun world, we need the pros and cons of life that is why we cannot think and do things equally.Left brainers are said to be very logical and detailed oriented, while right brainers always views and analyze things with the bigger picture, they are auditory and sometimes detail oriented. My knowledge of brain dominance and learning style will affect my professional life by directing me toward the professions and roles which would make best use of analytical ability and attention to detail. The one thing I have not done is try to figure out my comfort zone when it comes to learning, but with this study I am going to be able to assess myself better to see where I fall short when it comes to learning.I am going to start making a better judgment call; I think it is very important to un derstand how to be able to help another. I am going to make it a point to use this new knowledge to access my personal and professional life to make it better and less stressful. This assessment will enable me to enhance my personal life by bringing to level of conscious realization not all people view things in the same way that I do and so it will help me ngage them to understand them for better team effort in both personal and career perspective. I believe knowing that everyone thinks and do things differently, as a manager; it will help me control any emotion that gets in the way of my management. As we are all human and have feelings, when it comes to the professional life, emotions are to be set aside which is very hard to do sometimes. Assessing yourself and knowing who you are will help control emotions when it comes to managing employees at the work placeTo conclude, whether â€Å"Visual, Auditory or Kinesthetic†, we are all unique in a way so we just need to find wh o we are and what best works for us and approach life as we learn about ourselves the best way possible. I will utilize this new found knowledge to effectively engage others in an attempt to build better relationships and enhance communication; I will use this knowledge to foster acceptance and understanding of those who view the world from a perspective other than my own Learning Style and Brain Dominance When analyzing the three mentioned ways of learning patterns, they portrayed auditory learners as the best listeners, and usually reads out loud which help them recall what they read. People with a â€Å"Kinesthetic† learning pattern are usually hands on, they are described as the people who will take things apart and put them back together in order to recall what they learned. They are also very fond of using body gestures when they talk. â€Å"Visual† was also mentioned as one of the main learning patterns, people who fall under this category usually recall what they learn by recollecting visual images, and they tend to be very detail oriented.As all our fingers are not equal, neither is our personality. Everyone has their own comfort zone when it comes to learning. When taking the brain dominance test, I felt I have a combination of both. My final score said something different; it put me more on the right side. I guess we can say the brain is who we are; it controls your being and portrays your personality. I guess that is why we have choices because if we all use the same part of the brain we would understand each other and get along, I am not sure if that would be a fun world, we need the pros and cons of life that is why we cannot think and do things equally.Left brainers are said to be very logical and detailed oriented, while right brainers always views and analyze things with the bigger picture, they are auditory and sometimes detail oriented. My knowledge of brain dominance and learning style will affect my professional life by directing me toward the professions and roles which would make best use of analytical ability and attention to detail. The one thing I have not done is try to figure out my comfort zone when it comes to learning, but with this study I am going to be able to assess myself better to see where I fall short when it comes to learning.I am going to start making a better judgment call; I think it is very important to un derstand how to be able to help another. I am going to make it a point to use this new knowledge to access my personal and professional life to make it better and less stressful. This assessment will enable me to enhance my personal life by bringing to level of conscious realization not all people view things in the same way that I do and so it will help me ngage them to understand them for better team effort in both personal and career perspective. I believe knowing that everyone thinks and do things differently, as a manager; it will help me control any emotion that gets in the way of my management. As we are all human and have feelings, when it comes to the professional life, emotions are to be set aside which is very hard to do sometimes. Assessing yourself and knowing who you are will help control emotions when it comes to managing employees at the work placeTo conclude, whether â€Å"Visual, Auditory or Kinesthetic†, we are all unique in a way so we just need to find wh o we are and what best works for us and approach life as we learn about ourselves the best way possible. I will utilize this new found knowledge to effectively engage others in an attempt to build better relationships and enhance communication; I will use this knowledge to foster acceptance and understanding of those who view the world from a perspective other than my own

Our Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan War Term Paper

Our Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan War - Term Paper Example The wars have been compounded by the influence of Al Qaeda and foreign fighters who have infiltrated in the country. These have seriously complicated the war on terror as a result of suicide attacks and kidnappings they employ. These have dealt a big blow to the reconstruction efforts being undertaken in the two countries and also continue to pose a big threat to global security. This is due to extremist tendencies which they seem to have perfected the world over with adverse effects to mankind. Iraq woes started with the discovery of oil and the subsequent scramble for oil by the US and Great Britain in 1930s. Since her independence in 1931, the country's political arena has been characterized by a series of coups and other political upheavals that led to the coming to power of Saddam Hussein in 1979 (The Iraq crisis, n.d, Para 5). Saddam, on coming to power immediately embarked on consolidation of his dictatorial powers and an ambitious territorial expansion campaign that led to on e of the longest battles in Asia involving Iraq and Iran. Iraq later went on to invade Kuwait in 1990 and occupy it which led to its fierce confrontation with the US alongside its NATO allies. Iraq was defeated and withdrew from the country. Saddam later went on to develop nuclear weapon facilities, a move that set him at odds with the international community. Sanctions were imposed on the country after it refused to cooperate with the UN arms inspectors. This protracted competition eventually culminated into the US invasion of the country. The ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003 led to a stream of devastation in the country caused by widespread looting and civilian bombings by pro -Saddam militias. This caused adverse effects to the countries infrastructure and a serious humanitarian crisis that called for urgent remedies. A civilian government was later installed to replace the fallen Saddam government. The move was expected to instill calm but achieved modest success due to lack of acceptance by the Iraqi people. In its counterattacks, the Iraqi forces put up fierce resistance and also attacked bases in Kuwaiti according to Lee (2009, Para. 8). Both the new government and the coalition forces continue to face heavy casualties as a result of attacks by the remaining insurgents helped by al Qaeda fighters.   Afghanistan has also had a series of uprisings since independence the most difficult period being the mujahedeen war against Russian communist occupation in the 1980s. This formed the very foundation of Al Qaeda through the inspiration of then the US-backed Osama Bin Laden. This makes the renegades a creation of US blunders in their strategies. Taliban did not pose a serious threat until they embraced Osama as their financier in exchange of allowing him to set up a base in the country. O