Human Resources and Innovation

Manage Innovation and Continuous Improvement

MANAGING INNOVATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

How does your workplace monitor and evaluate performance and sustainability of key systems and processes?

My organization has a systematic way in which it monitors and evaluates performance and sustainability of key systems and processes. The organization carries out daily auditing processes and activities to determine the progress of the sustainability programs adopted in an organization. The organization has long- and short-term goals and objectives, which must be checked through daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually, and annual auditing processes. The set goals most in the form of records of progress must be tallied with the daily results to indicate progress. Progress is enhanced with the innovative involvement of new approaches and mechanisms so that productivity is sustained. Personnel responsible for this purpose must exist in an organization. Besides, the organization could use software to show progress on evaluation and monitoring: this enhances the understanding of the progress and the formulations of improvement strategies (Ulijn et al., 2010).

1.2 What supply chains, and operational, service delivery systems exist in your workplace?

The organization uses modern supply chains as a link between the suppliers itself. The rotational chains ensure that each chain plays its part. The organization is divided into departments supposed to function within the required standards and measures. The integration of the work delivery and work allocation proceeds to delivery systems guaranteeing one chain of operation.

1.3 What performance measures and assessment tools and techniques do you have in your workplace? Are they effective? Why? Why not?

Performance is measured using standard schemes and determined using mean scores, numerical targets, and assessment based on the data collected. The organization regulates its assessment processes through the semiannual and annual configuration of the set goals and the data representing the current achievements. Assessment is done using data entries analyzed with software materials within the organization. The organization premises its assessment on the summative recordings tallied with the projections initiated before the start of the timeline of performance. These methods are effective although they have to face the challenge of changing needs for improved performances (Kotter, 2012).

1.4 Obtain an example of a performance report that includes documentation on variance from the plan. Briefly, explain the variances

Variances are multifaceted in every scale of production. The variables are either determined or they are influenced. Dependent and independent variances are accommodative of everything to be done. Performances have to link the dependency and independence of the attributes in play. Performances within the organization must be linked to the objectives and the set goals. The variances are useful in expanding the achievement levels of the different performances within the organization (Buckley & Jakovljevic, 2013). They are linked to what is important, what is essential, and what is of immediate importance to the rest of the variances. The variances have to be influenced in some way as a way of determining performances.

1.5 What are the key result areas of your organization?

The key areas of the organization are the production, the sourcing, the packaging, the marketing, and the trading of the organization's products. The variables lie within the interaction of the human and non-human resources in meeting the set objectives. The organization cannot function without equitable sourcing procedures. These procedures have to be working and giving results. The human resource has to be falling within the right timelines of production. Production cannot take place without the involvement of human resources. The interaction between the human and the non-human resources is another important area that ensures that the variances are interacting well (Geyer & Hack, 2016).

1.6 What are some changing trends and opportunities, which are relevant to your organization?

The organization is advancing because of the changes in technology. Technology has brought about innovation and transformed every variance and way of production within the organization. The change in humanitarian management systems has meant that the organization has to deal with human management in a new way, a way that keeps changing. The human expectations are changing, and influencing everything relating to how the organization is working. The transition from the smaller scale to the larger scale is another level of change that benefits the organization. With new technology, new market requirements, and advancing capacity of the currency, the organization is accessing everything that makes it better with time (In Wankel & in Wankel, 2016).

1.7 What are some technology and electronic commerce opportunities for your organization?

With growing technology and electronic commerce, the organization is certain to advance its ways of production. The methodologies of production are becoming more effective, efficient, and of fewer struggles. The organization is accessing the opportunity of being able to involve more because of the fewer expenses involved in the production. New technology offers the business new opportunities to advance to greater heights of success. When marketing strategies are improved, the organization can advance to new markets and even establish itself in the international market. Moreover, the new technology offers the organization the opportunity to grow faster and become competitive in the market (In Wankel & Wankel, 2016).

Topic 2 Questions

2.1 Explain how performance improvement strategies and innovation are an important part of being competitive

Improvement in performance lifts the lid on a greater collection of growth for the organization. Improvement in performance means better ways of production, entry into new markets, improved quality of products, increased number of customers, and improved chances of advancing the business to greater heights like through diversification. Improvement in innovation means the creation of new aspects of production to overcome the challenges of competition that similar organizations and brands face. The improved strategies of production mean that new products with new features to counter the competition in the market are produced. Besides, they refer to increased in marketing, production, and growth power to advance the organization to outdo other players (Kotter, 2012).

2.2 Provide examples of how a creative climate and organizational learning is promoted to work groups in your organization

The organization values learning, training, and education as some of the elements of innovation. The organization appreciates the need to remain focused, educated, and trained to remain competitive in production. The organization encourages internal and external education, as this is one of the ways to let the members become innovative. It has seen the establishment of some programs that go towards training, education, among others. These programs are intended to add knowledge and skills to the learners (Geyer & Hack, 2016). Moreover, it selects and hires top talent as a way of encouraging creativity in the open place of work. The individual freedom gives workers a chance to become creative in their levels.

2.3 How would you suggest organizations should encourage, test and recognize new ideas?

Organizations need to tap into talents to remain competitive regarding innovation and creativity. Apart from taping top talents, it has to take the initiative of developing new talents. To encourage, test, and recognize new ideas, organizations need to give people the freedom to search knowledge and skills, apply them practically, and measure their influence in production. The organization should treat new ideas as sources of information that will assist its production. In doing this, the members will be encouraged to be the immediate sources of these new ideas. The organization should motivate the need to have new ideas. It should see this as a step towards innovation and creativity. Giving people the opportunity to relay these new ideas is a step towards creativity and openness (Kotter, 2012).

2.4 What are some ideas, which have failed in your workplace? At what stage were these ideas identified as 'failures'?

The idea to bring a new communication channel has been a failure in the organization. Moreover, the idea to schedule working hours and rates of work for the members has been another failure. With the new channels of communication, failure was realized with the breakage of communication between the subordinate and the higher authority within the organization. This was realized after a month. The new working rates overworked the workers and yielded less than required. This was realized when the new ideas had reached stages of giving sustainable results.

2.5. You are to complete a cost-benefit analysis and a risk management assessment for the nail bar idea so the salon managers can fully analyze it.

The costs of the equipment are valued at $10,000 while that of the therapist will be $100,000 per year. Besides other costs of advertisement, servicing only one customer for $40 a day working six days a week gives the business a total of $480 per month. In one year, the one act of surviving one customer will yield $5,760. For at least six clients per day, the total collection for the whole year is approximately less than the amount used to pay the therapist alone. The business needs more than 20 clients per day. Thus, the business will have to invest more on customers and cut the cost of spending to manage the balance of its books.

2.6 What is your organization's process for approving new ideas?

New ideas are paramount in the organization. The organization educates and trains its workers as part of tapping into the channel of improving the new ideas. The organization has created an educative program that offers members an opportunity to display their potential by enrolling into the program and making the most out of it. The organization values competency and creativity and hence rewards the same as a way of improving new ideas. New ideas are given capacities to grow and become relevant. New ideas are adopted as part of the need for the organization. Moreover, new ideas are tested to have an understanding of their potentials in the organization. Thus, every new idea is considered. Those that succeed are taken for further testing and analysis as it plays into the production processes of the organization (In Shipton et al., 2015).

Topic 3 Questions

3.1 Why is continuous improvement and sustainability essential for your organization?

Continuous improvement and sustainability are essential for the organization as these are the only strategies that will enable the organization to remain relevant in the market. Improvement is needed for competitiveness and increased productivity. Sustainability is needed for the organization to master what is relevant and continuously satisfy its customers in the market. The organization must be creative and sustain its production to withstand the challenges of the market and the production fluctuations (Buckley & Jakovljevic, 2013).

3.2 What have been some of the consequences of change for individual people in your organization? How could this have been better managed?

Change has not been bad and not good among individuals in the organization. Normally, a change process appears unpleasant especially when employees have to change the ways the work or relate with their superiors in the workplace. Therefore, change requires individuals to be focused and updated in some of the aspects that are not easy to deal with like continuing with education, training, or changing lifestyle among others. It requires members to remain continually practical so that adaptation becomes easy. Normally, people tend to resist, neglect, and sometimes embrace change (In Shipton et al., 2015). Change has altered the behaviors, motivation levels, and intentions of the individual people. Such would not have happened in the case that the organization embraced these changes continually and not making them sudden to the members.

3.3. You are to complete a communication plan for this project

The change of the security details should be done over a course of time. It should not be done suddenly. Every member of the organization needs to be trained on how to operate the new system of entry. Before approving the computer systems, it is important to ensure that all the people involved have been trained and are ready to make use of the new system. The training program should be done over a course of time. The trainer should work on ensuring that as the other member and the mangers fill the online form, they are introduced to the use of the new system. The trainer, who should be part of the security within the organization, should be accorded the responsibility of overseeing the transition. The management should provide extra entry cards to the managers so that they can enter any unit when the individual workers are not around. Furthermore, before the new card is made into a full practice, they should be subjected to a period where they are tested while the use of the old cards is still running. This will mark a smooth transition and quell any form of worries over its effectiveness (Cruz-Cunha & Varajao, 2011).