Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Business Strategy - Essay Example Offering clients ensured settlement of costs , decrease in cost for home purchasers and merchants. The tasks of First American Title are constrained to United States. The principle activities of First American title incorporate arrangement of value administration to the clients, top class results of title protection and title protection rates lower than numerous others. First American Title arrived at statures of achievement all through America. Each third exchange of land in America is shut by First American Title. The administrations are so across the board all through the nation that the use of First American Title administrations and items have become fundamental such a great amount of that out of each ten exchanges the ninth one include First American title. As the rules referenced in coordinate administration impact how the top managerial staff act and settle on choice with respect to the abroad activity of American First consequently it is very certain that collaborate administration assumes an indispensable job in Strategic dynamic. All choices even key will be made under the rules of participate administration. Development of boards of trustees, extensions and so forth all are represented by a structure of standards and the collaboration will undoubtedly tail it. Regardless on the off chance that these are damaged, at that point genuine move will be made which can incorporate terminating and in extraordinary body of evidence lawful activity against the worker aswell. Worker are limited by code of morals shaped by the American First and they will undoubtedly follows the codes referenced. Subsequent to spreading activities to more than 70 nations over the globe First American has kept up a respectable name in giving Title protections. Understanding that assessments and disposition towards protection administrations contrast in each nation a one of a kind technique was adjusted by First American participation. A client driven methodology was given inclination while leading business exercises. Through this methodology an organization with client is shaped and the client esteems our organization with his

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Arthur Miller Crucible Essays

The Crucible by Arthur Miller John Proctor says, I'll mention to you what's strolling Salem, retribution is strolling Salem. Examine the genuine shrewdness in Salem, who added to it and their thought processes who do you fault the most? John Proctor says, I'll mention to you what's strolling Salem, retribution is strolling Salem. Discuss the genuine fiendishness in Salem, who added to it also, their thought processes who do you fault the most? Before I start to disclose to you my assessment on who was to be faulted, and my thinking for saying as much, I will give you a concise knowledge into the genuine purpose of Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible. Arthur Miller first delivered his play in 1953, in the McCarthy political 'witch-chase', despite the fact that the story had applied for writer for some a long time preceding this. This implied the play was viewed as a political anecdote - it spoke to the goings on in genuine political life. Since 1938, an association had existed in America called the House Un-American Activities Committee with the option to explore any development, or any individual who appeared to put in danger America's security. The executive of this was Senator Joseph McCarthy. Under his standard, the advisory group got distrustful as its continued looking for individuals who identified with socialists. Practically any analysis of the administration or its directions was seen, according to McCarthy, as an affirmation of dedication or unwaveringness to socialism convictions. Witnesses were made to show up in court and answer charges that they were supporters of socialist adherents, and made to name others that they saw at these gatherings which occurred as long as twenty years prior. Liberal scholars, movie executives and on-screen characters all showed up before the advisory group and, subsequently, a significant number of them found it difficult to blade... ... attempts to persuade all the others that Mary simply carrying on of dread be that as it may, he comes up short, and John Proctor is blamed for black magic. In the last scene in the entire play, when Proctor is to be hanged, Danforth makes him sign a composed duplicate of his admission with the goal that he can balance it on the congregation entryway. Delegate signs it, however then declines to have his name held tight the congregation that he worked, with such huge numbers of individuals feeling nausea with him. Additionally, seeing the others that are to hang impacts his admission as he feels blame for allowing the others to others by not submitting to lies. He begs Danforth to leave things as they were, stating his admission by mouth was sufficient, however Danforth won't acknowledge anything except if it be composed and marked. Danforth is inhumane in doing this, as he most likely is aware the admission isn't essential, for he has not taken an admission from any other person.

How to Perform an Industrial Analysis and Competitor Analysis

How to Perform an Industrial Analysis and Competitor Analysis An industrial analysis is used to examine the past trends in an industry, the current demand and supply mechanics, and the future outlook of the industry. It also acts as a guide to investors on the viability of investing in a company.The analysis is useful in offering recommendations in case an unexpected  development happened in the industry. An industrial analysis takes time and it is very complicated. © Shutterstock.com | W.ChakkritFor that reason, take note of every step that I will highlight about the process and apply it. Otherwise, the process will be useless and a waste of time and resources. Let us go through the process involved in an industrial analysis.Lets begin.THE STEPS OF AN INDUSTRIAL ANALYSIS1. Review available reportsLook for reports that focus on the industry you are about to enter or are operating in. If you have not yet joined the industry, it will help you make a decision as to whether it is wise to invest in the industry.Understand that  the information that was deemed relevant yesterday might no longer be accurate today. A good example is government taxes which affect the operations of a business. The government may change the tax at any time and if it does, the accuracy of the industry report is affected.2. Approach the correct industryEvery industry has sub-industries and in some cases the sub-industries are further subdivided. Identifying the sub-industry that you intend to deal with will allow you to use the correct industry analysis report.3. Demand supply scenarioThe aim of entering into business is to earn profits. Profitability in an industry is determined by the forces of demand and supply. When conducting an industrial analysis, you ought to consider how the industry has performed in the past and what the future looks like.Future predictions on the viability of the industry will determine whether investors will invest in the industry or not.A really funny and great explanation of supply and demand. Must watch! ?? 4. Competitor analysisFor you to come up with a good strategy to deal with the competition in the industry, you must first understand the industry itself. After this, you can make informed choices on the best competitive strategy to use. By the time you develop a competitor analysis, you should be able to:Know your position in the industryIdentify opportunities and threats within the industryHighlight the strengths and weaknesses of your organizationPinpoint the areas where strategic changes will lead to high returnsCompetitor analysis is the process where you identify your greatest competitors and evaluate their strategies to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are and how they relate to your product or service. This analysis removes you from your comfort zone but also places you on the path to success if you do it well.The information that you receive from the analysis shapes your marketing plan. It will help you identify what makes your services or products unique and what aspects of your products needs to be upgraded to make them more competitive.Example: Let’s say you are in the honey business and you have noticed your honey takes long to move. As you carry out the analysis, you might realize that customers prefer one of your competitor’s brands because of its packaging. So what do you do with this information? You do not have to copy the exact packaging but you can carry out research to see what makes the packaging more attractive. Now you will be better placed to compete with the competitor and your honey will not stay long on the shelves before being bought.To know your exact position in the market for your goods and services, you need to make a competition grid. It is easy to make and it will give you detailed information about your products and those of your competitors. First of all, think about the top four or five products that compete with your products in the market. If you find it difficult to come up with the list, assume you are a buyer and then imagine what products you would prefer other than your products. Next, on the top of the page, write down the characteristics and features of each product and service. The features of a product may include price, target market, method of distribution, extent of customer service, and size.For a service, the price, location of the service, prospective buyers, website and the toll-free number can be us ed. This will give you an accurate position for your product.PERFORMING A COMPETITOR ANALYSISGoal of competitor analysisIdentify competitor strategies and actions plannedDetermine the competitor to compete withPredict a competitors reaction to your actionsHow to use the behavior of the competitor for your firm’s advantagePorters Five Forces: Things we look atCompetitor analysis is important in gathering information about competitors and then using this information to predict the behavior of competitors. It is not enough for you to have casual knowledge about your competitors; you need to have in-depth knowledge that can help you come up with a good strategy. Michael Porter came up with a strategy for analyzing competitors. It is based on four key aspects:Competitor objectivesCompetitor assumptionsCompetitor capabilitiesCompetitor strategy1. Competitors ObjectivesThe objectives of your competitor can be financial or non-financial. They are indicated by the organizational structure, backgrounds of executives, risk tolerance, legal or contractual restrictions, management incentives, the composition of the board of directors, and any corporate level goals that influence competition.The structure of your competitor’s organization can help you to identify their objectives. The unit or departments that report to the CEO are the core departments in the organization.The importance of having prior knowledge of your competitor’s objectives is so that you may predict how they will respond to any competitive move that you make.Example: For example, a company that focuses on being a market leader will not be afraid to lower its prices for some time to increase its customer base. This is because it has a strategy to cover short-term losses to gain long term profits. If your company’s objectives are focused towards short term goals, you might be very unsuccessful if you tried to lower your price as a competitive strategy. You will end up losing which might give your c ompetitor a competitive advantage over you.2. Competitors AssumptionsYour Competitor’s assumptions are based on regional factors, opinion on its competitive position, rules of thumbs, industry trends and past experiences in regards to a product. The assumptions determine the strategy that they apply in the competitive market. The assumptions are founded on facts and some on fear so they can be true or untrue.Example:  Let us assume that your competitor deals in leather shoes. At one time, they had a plan of starting to make leather bags; unfortunately, the plan did not go well for them. This can shape their assumptions on entering new markets; they might have to take a long time before introducing a new product in the market. If you did a good research on leather bags and realized that there is an opportunity for growth, you can be sure that they will not try to copy your strategy. Their assumptions will hinder them from entering the market thereby giving you an opportunity to tak e advantage of the market.3. Competitors Capabilities and ResourcesThe competitor’s objectives, current strategy and assumptions exemplify how your competitor wants to respond to competition but the competitor’s ability and resources determine how quickly and effectively he will respond to the competition.The SWOT analysis is used to examine the strength and weaknesses of your competitor in various functional areas. The ability to adapt to change is hindered by organizational structure, low cash reserve, and heavy investment in fixed assets.4. Competitor strategyFor you to learn what your competitor is planning, you need to listen to what he says and observe what he does. He talks about his strategy during interviews, statements to managers, annual shareholders reports, 10K reports, and press releases.In some case, what your competitor says and does are contrary to each other. Even though he talks about his plans, you cannot rely on that alone, look at the research and developme nt projects he is carrying out, hiring activity, mergers and acquisitions, promotional campaigns, strategic partnerships, and capital investments that he is involved in.That is his real strategic plan. What he says might be something that he plans to do in the future and a bit of what he is currently engaging in.Competitor Response ProfileThe analysis from the four key aspects used to analyze your competitors strength and weaknesses can be compiled into a response profile. By using the profile, you will be able to predict your competitors next move, whether defensive or offensive.In addition, you can predict the specific way he will respond. The aim of carrying out a competitor analysis is to be able to predict the behavior of your competitor then use the information to your advantage.Learn more about competitor analysis from Michael Porter. CONDUCTING AND PREPARING YOUR COMPETITOR ANALYSISConduct researchGather competitive informationAnalyze competitive informationDetermine your ow n competitive positionStep 1. Conduct ResearchConducting research during a competitor analysis sounds like a complicated process that should be carried out by professionals, but it is not true. Some professional commit to carrying out such research in case you want to use their services.The problem is, if your business is new or just in its initial stages, the services of the professional might be expensive at that stage. After your business has grown, then you can incorporate the services of the professional together with your personal research.But since you need to carry out the research, let me show you some things that can make the process easy and doable. To be able to do a thorough research, ask yourself the following questions;Who are my competitors?What makes them my competitors? Is it the products or services that they sell?Do I stand a chance to compete with them?What market share do they hold?Which strategies have they used in the past?What strategies are they using now?W hat are the threats that they face?In what ways do the customers see them positively and negatively? How can I take advantage of the negative customer reviews?How long have my competitors been in business?How do they advertise their products and services and what is the frequency of the adverts?Do they provide me with an opportunity that I can take advantage of?What is the strength or weaknesses of my competitors?How can you rate your competitors regarding;EmployeesPricing incentiveCustomer serviceResourcesQuality of service or productsHours of operation?Step 2. Gather Competitive InformationSecondary sources of information provide accurate information that can be used to prepare an industrial and competitor analysis. In case you may be wondering what secondary sources of information are, they are sources that were developed to meet another purpose apart from your current need, but they contain information that can help you prepare an excellent industrial and competitor analysis.The sources are available to the general public either for sale or free of charge. Secondary information is cost effective to access, and it can be retrieved after publication through electronic means. Some sources of information that you can use include: Sales brochure: A sales brochure will provide you with information about the strategy that your competitor is using. For example, you can learn how the company is positioning itself and its products in the market and the benefits and features they prefer when selling. Make sure you get hold of any new brochures that the company produces as it can tell you if the company has changed its strategies. Your sales team: As a company, you need a team that places you out there and gathers information on how to make sure you take dominance in your market or industry. Train your sales team to be your ears and eyes in the marketplace and gather as much helpful information as they can. The sales team is in direct contact with the customers so the y must learn how to gather firsthand information from them. It should be done in a clever way otherwise, the customers may find it to be in poor taste. Customers are the best marketing and sales people because they do not have anything to lose so they speak the truth, and they do it for free. For that reason treat them nicely when asking for information. A good strategy would be to ensure that you have established a relationship with the customer before asking for the information. That way, they will not feel used which is what you want to avoid. Other employees: Your employees interact and relate with employees from your competitors. Probably they meet when delivering goods to various destinations or when placing orders for supplies. Besides, since you and your competitor are in the same industry, your employees are likely to change employers amongst you. If you have employed employees who were previously employed by your competitor, try to get as much information about your compet itors as possible. Consider the customer service that you and your competitor provide if you both sell the same products at the same price. Call one of their customer care representative and notice how they respond to your complaint or query. Like a good spy, buy one of the products from your competitor. The aim is not to promote them in business, but to learn how you can catch up with them in business. Use the product to check out the technological innovations, mode of manufacturing, manufacturing costs, and any weakness or capability about your competitor that you can pick from the product. Advertising: A company uses an advertisement campaign to tell the potential customers the importance of their product and service and to entice them to buy it. So, as you look at your competitor’s advertisement, think like a customer for a moment. That means, look out for what the company wants you to see. Look at every effort that they have made to attract the customer. Some of the things to look at include the benefit of the product, any special discount, and product features. This information will help you understand why customers prefer your competitor’s products. You also need to view the advertisement from a business person’s perspective so that you can learn how to make your advertisements.   Be keen on how often the advert appears, the most preferred medium of advertising, the tone and design of the advertisement, and try and estimate the budget set for the advertisement. In case your competitor advertises on a medium that none of the other competitors use, you should know that the competitor is looking for a new market. Trade associations: People in the same industry join trade associations which help them in fighting for their rights, provide valuable information concerning the industry, and help sponsor meetings and trade fairs for the industry. In most cases, the trade associations gather and publish reports and statistics on industry news. They also hig hlight the companies that are doing well. As a business person, this gives you an opportunity to analyze information about your competitors. Just by looking at the information closely, you can even predict upcoming businesses that might soon compete with you. Annual Reports: If your competitor runs a private company, you can get the annual reports from friends, family members, and people who own stocks in the company. For publicly-owned companies, their reports can be found on websites or securities commissions. Annual reports have information about the revenues, sales volume, total market share, events like the acquisition of board members, financial information. Newspaper and magazine articles: If you are serious about beating your competitors, you cannot afford to ignore this source. The information contained in the source can move your business to the next level very fast. People go out of their way to deliver your competitors’ strategies without knowing it just by writing art icles, product reviews, and such. Companies uncover their next plan through newspapers and magazines in interviews. Articles give information on how your competitor’s organization is run and any innovation they are working on. Journalists use clever ways to extract this valuable information for you. By being keen on product descriptions, you can discover the strengths and weaknesses of your competitor’s products. Instead of using a lot of time looking for the exact articles, visit any library and request the librarian to help you find the specific articles. It will take them a short time to find, and you will also learn how to do it next time. Direct observation: By using this method, you gather the information for yourself first-hand. You need to use good strategies so that your actions do not backfire and garner your company a bad reputation. If your products are sold in a retail outlet, visit the outlet to find out:The stock available, for your competitor and your company,How the products are arranged or displayed on the shelves,Any additional sales strategy that your competitor is using like discounts or complimentary products. Your competitors: Yes, they can give you information about themselves. It is normal for people to talk about their achievements, success, future plans, and such. Your competitors are not any different; in fact, they might give you a lot of information hoping to intimidate you. Step 3. Analyze Competitive InformationThe reason why you were gathering the information is so that it can help you gain a competitive edge. You should analyze the information to get the market share, your competitor’s weaknesses and strengths, product information, and marketing strategies.We will go over the four areas that the information should help you in and how you can analyze the information to give you a detailed breakdown of each area.Market shareMarket share is the performance of your products when it comes to sales. The leader with the highest market share can:Set the standards of the service or good in the marketControl the perception of the service or good among the customersThe leader is therefore not afraid to spend their resources to maintain the largest market share in the industry.Product evaluationThe goods and services that you provide solely exist to meet the needs of your customers. Therefore, it is important for you to gather information about the features that your customers want and those that would entice future customers.Remember, there is general information about the features and benefits that customers prefer, but that does not mean that you cannot differentiate your service or product by adding more or different features. As long as the added features are beneficial, they will tip the customers to favor your products or services.To get a proper analysis of this information, come up with a list of the benefits and features that customers prefer. Your sales team and employees will provide this informati on. Make a table where you compare your products vis a vis your competitor’s products’ benefits and features. Tick against the feature if your competitor’s product has the same features.The features are easy to identify and quite obvious. A product either does or doesn’t have a feature; there is no gray area, and no explanations are required. The benefits, on the other hand, are tricky. Most businesses use the benefits as a sales strategy.It is only the customer who can give an accurate benefit as they are the end users. For example, your competitor might find it easy to use one of their products, but customers might find it cumbersome and difficult. So in such a case, whose opinion is correct?Since you have the information about how your competitors products compare with the customer’s expectation, the next step is to evaluate your product. Use the same procedure as that for your competitor’s.Now, compare how your product or service compares to your competitors products . Is your service or product unique in any way? How does it compare to your competitors’?The more unique your service or product is, the higher the chances of attracting more customers as compared to your competitor. The evaluation is important in highlighting features that you need to concentrate on and can lead to innovations in your business.Apart from the features, compare the price for your products. Is your price higher than that of your competitors? Is their price higher? What is contributing to the high prices? Are your production costs higher? How is your price affecting your sales? The price that you set should enable you to gain a profit and at the same time attract customers to your products.Even as you compare your prices, you should be aware that your competitor might lower his or her prices for various reasons. First, it may be a strategy to attract customers to his products. You will realize that the prices go up again after some time if your competitor just wanted to increase their market share. At other times, they are going through a hard time financially, and they need the money urgently. So they opt to sell at a lower price to attract more people to clear their stock. Cheeky but true, rumors come in handy in such cases. Though rumors are not always right, they have some grain of truth in them.After the analysis, you might realize that your competitors’ products as well as yours have the same features and even cost the same. You might, therefore, wonder why your competitors are ahead of you in the competition. Well, you need to have a look at their internal operations. They are probably saving some money there or doing things more efficiently.Let me show you how these five factors can greatly make a difference between you and your competitors:Company morale/ personnel motivation â€" How motivated are the employees? Are they committed to their work? How productive are they? The employees drive the vision of your organization. Therefore, if they are not committed to the organization, or they are not efficient; being a leader in your industry might just be a pipe dream.Financial resources How are your competitors regarding financial stability? Financial stability determines how your competitors will react when their market is threatened. If they are stable, they will counter the threat by quickly creating a way out but if they lack the financial capability, it will take them time to counter the threat.Operational efficiencies â€" How are your competitors saving time and reducing costs? In some companies, they offer free delivery for products beyond a particular amount. This strategy will encourage customers who buy in bulk.Strategic partnerships â€" If your competitor produces washing machines, they might collaborate with a detergent company in a promotional campaign. Such collaborations make your competitors better known. What strategies does your competitor apply and what kind of relationships does he keep?Product line breadth â€" This is the ease with which your competitor can increase their revenue just by selling products that relate to their current products. Remember your competition is not only in the number of clients but also amounting to earnings that you get. Your revenues determine your position in the industry just as the number of customers is also important.An interesting lecture with Michael Porter where he walks you through a competitive analysis of different industries. Competitive strategies and objectivesThe objectives set the pace for the strategy to be used. For example, if competitors want to increase their market share, they may decide to decrease the prices for their products for some time then increase it when the number of customers increases. What do your competitors want to achieve? Some objectives include:To create new markets for their productsTo work towards being the market leaders in the industryTo maximize their market share and to increase itYour competitor s might want to enjoy short or long term profitsTo introduce new products in the marketWhen the competition is stiff, your competitor might just want to protect their market shareWith every objective, your competitor has a strategy of achieving it. So, the sooner you identify the objective your competitors are acting on, the sooner you will devise a counter strategy.Remember, the type of strategy that your competitor uses does not harm their revenue otherwise; it will lead to losses. As you formulate a strategy, remember to use one that will not affect or will increase your earnings. Some of the strategies include:Engaging in innovation By doing this, your competitor improves the features and usability of his or her current product or service. If you are in the industry of manufacturing cooking oil, your competitor might change the packaging of the container. To be specific, he might calibrate the lid so the user can weigh how much cooking oil they use every time they cook.Reduce t he price This strategy increases the number of customers. The reduction in price does not result in losses, and if it works well, it does not affect the profits. This is because, if more people buy the product, the profit margins remain the same.Advertising You cannot be in business and fail to advertise. How else will people know that you exist? If your competitor deliberately focuses on advertising, then they want many people to know about their products. This increases the number of individuals who will be willing to try out their products and also increase their customer base. If many people who try the product like it, then many will want to adopt the product or service for use in their daily lives.Buying out or merging with a competitor This increases the number of customers and the market share.  The strategy that your competitor uses can help you establish the position of your business at any time. A competitor that focuses on the current customers without trying to attra ct new customers may as well not be thinking of introducing new products in the market.Step 4. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors / Determine your own competitive positionA good competitive strategy takes advantage of the weakness of your competitors but with the awareness of their strengths. Look at what your company does better than your competitors. Consider their areas of weaknesses as you look at their strengths.Additional factors to look at:New players â€" New businesses come with new ideas and innovative ways of doing things. Initially, their ideas might seem almost worthless, but you might be surprised at how much the customers might respond positively to them. Customers love changes and if the new players offer better solutions, then why won’t the customers follow them?Future competition â€" Your competitor analysis should predict how future competition will look like. Who will be your competitors then? What will make you relevant even in the future ? If you introduce new products, how long will it remain to be competitive in the industry? If the future looks bright for you, your investors will also be confident in investing in your businessShakeups â€" When companies change their management, they experience a shakeup. It can either be felt in the volume of sales, employee turnover, and changes in policies in the organization. When your competitors are going through such changes, make sure you are ahead of how things are taking place. It is an opportunity to overtake them in that moment of instability. Also, employees fear for their jobs, and they are normally ready to change jobs during that period. If you have vacancies, or you can create one, why not hire your competitor’s best employees?Barriers to entry â€" Form of barriers includes;Market saturation â€" When there are already enough people offering the same service in the market, new businesses will fear to enter as the competition is already too high.High investment re quirements  â€" Only businesses who can afford the high investments can penetrate the business. This locks out small companies from entering the market.Patents â€" Any new product or service that has patent rights cannot be duplicated by anyone. It, therefore, protects the company that originally came up with the idea.After the analysis, you should be able to know clearly if you are a follower, new entrant or a market leader. Your position will guide you to identify your key areas of competitive disadvantage or advantage.It should also point out to opportunities and problems that your firm is facing. Look at price revisions, market penetration, product line needs, and distribution coverage.Finally, to come up with and implement a marketing strategy that will secure and strengthen your position in the market, integrate the demographic analysis with your competitor analysis.COMPETITOR ANALYSIS USING PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODELPorter’s five forces were formulated as a starting point for understanding the competitive landscape and coming up with strategies in which companies operate. So today, you can use it in your business to plan to come up with strategies that place you at a better position with your competitors. When you are faced with a lot of competition, the profit margins diminish as you cannot charge more than your competitors are charging but you need to make a profit.The five factor model by Porter was created to help businesses assess the nature of competition in the industry and to come up with strategies to deal with the competition. To have a complete understanding of the model, we will look at the five forces that determine competition, how the model can be used, the dos and don’ts of the model, and the criticism of the model. The five forces determine the profitability in the industry, the rate of competition, and how attractive the market will be to competitors.An attractive industry has high profitability while an unattractive industry has low profitability. However, even if the industry is attractive, not all businesses enjoy the same success; strategies, unique selling propositions and process place one company over the others. The company becomes the market leader. The competitive forces are used to determine the attractiveness of an industry. If one of the force changes, the company will have to realign its business strategies and practices and re-evaluate its environment.The five forces work in different ways for each industry. In the film market, for example, there are many substitutes and the suppliers have a higher power. This is not the same for the airplane manufacturing companies where the threat of new entry is low, and the buyers have a higher bargaining power.Five Forces in Competitor AnalysisThe threat of substitutes, competitive rivalry, and threat of new entrant are classified as horizontal forces. Vertical forces include the bargaining power of suppliers and that of buyers. We will now discuss the f ive forces identified by Porter.1. Competitive RivalryThis is the rate of rivalry among competing firms. If it is high, then the companies’ strategy, profits, and prices are affected altogether. The more the rivalry, the more the pressure the existing firms will experience. If the rivalry is not much, the companies will enjoy autonomy in setting the prices for their goods and products. The customers will not have a variety of choices to choose from so the sellers will dictate the prices as they wish. However as new companies enter the market, the prices are streamlined by the competition.Competitive rivalry is high when there is a low exit or high barriers of entry, when the products in the market have the same benefits and features, when the companies operating in the market area are of the same size, and when the industry is growing slowly. When companies have similar strategies, the rivalry is also high.2. Threat of new EntrantsCompetition is not only limited to existing compan ies; new companies planning to join the industry pose a threat to the existing businesses. Industries with high profits tend to attract many companies.To curb the high entrance, the industry places barriers of entry to limit the number of new entrants. Otherwise, many companies would join the industry and reduce the profits earned. Barriers to entry include:High initial capitalPatents and property rightsGovernment-driven obstaclesAccess to specialized infrastructure or technologyHigh switching costs for clientsDifficulty in accessing distribution channels and raw materials3. Threat of SubstitutesSubstitutes are products that can be used on behalf of others and still serve the same purpose. A good example is Coke and Pepsi which are both soft drinks.When setting prices, the two companies have to be aware of the substitute’s prices. If one sets the prices so high, they will lose customers as they will have an alternative product.In the marketplace, when there are many competing prod ucts and services, it becomes difficult to set the price of the service or good as you wish. You must, therefore, set the price in accordance with the way the other players in the market have set theirs. Trends and fads, relative prices, brand loyalty, and switching costs affect threat to substitutes.4. Bargaining Power of BuyersThe customer is always right and more so when they have the power to influence the prices in the market. In an industry where the buyers purchase goods in bulk or where there are similar products being produced, the buyers control the prices.If a business insists on a particular price, the buyer might as well buy from another company with the same kind of goods.5. Bargaining Power of SuppliersThe production service relies on raw materials from suppliers. The suppliers can influence the competitive edge of business by setting the prices for the materials, determine the availability of materials, and dictate terms of trade.For suppliers who supply goods to man y companies, they can decide to increase the cost of raw materials, and if the businesses do not have much choice, they will have to pay more for the materials. To avoid these inconveniences, maintain a steady and strong relationship with suppliers.You do not have much choice but to pay the high prices if the suppliers are limited in number. Some suppliers have proprietor knowledge or patent rights to supply the raw materials. You cannot also afford to complain about the price if you know that switching to another supplier will be expensive for you.Additional things to look at when using Porters Five Forces ModelFor success when using the model, as you use it;Consider the stage the industry is atWhen there are more than three competitors in the industryBe keen on the changing nature of markets and industriesConsider how the government impacts the industryRemember that it is an industrial analysis; use it to analyze an industry, not an individual company.In as much as the model has b een successfully used, critics, among them Stewart Neil critic the model in three ways. The first criticism was that buyers, suppliers, and competitors were separate entities who never influenced each other directly. The critics also cited the creation of barriers or structural advantage as a source of value. Thirdly, they critiqued the assumption that stated that in an industry, there will always be low uncertainty, and so participants in the market can plan ahead on how to counter the competition.Recent developmentsDevelopments on macro and micro level of the industry affect the industry. So, take a look at the sector valuations, industrial developments, global comparative valuation, and innovations in your industry.Focus on industry dynamicsAn industrial report focuses on a specific industry. Also, the analysis is helpful only if it produces important information about the industry. So, delve deep into the industry and make sure you have a complete understanding of every aspect o f the industry. Be it tax requirement, the demand and supply trends, and the market leaders in the industry. Have it all to come up with a powerful strategy to succeed in the industry.CONCLUSIONAn industrial analysis is not a one-time event; it should take place every once in a while. Just like you do an analysis for your inventory, you should make a point of carrying out the analysis after three months or so. This is because competition in the industry is constantly changing; new businesses are coming up, new technology, and innovations which can render you vulnerable to the competition in the industry. A student intern can carry out the industrial analysis with proper guidance and help.A good industrial analysis saves you from being found unawares by the technological or industrial change. As you cannot carry out an industrial analysis without a competitor analysis, it prepares you or all sorts of competition and keeps your head of your competitors.

Argumentative Essay on Cigarette Smoking - 1812 Words

â€Å"Cigarette smoking in the Philippines should be banned because it poses a great threat to the health of the family members† Argumentative essay I. Introduction A. It has been an increasing concern about the effects of smoking in the family. B. Cigarette smoking not only affects the smoker but also the others around the smoker. II. Body (Discuss the issue) A. Smoking is mostly caused by sociocultural factors. * They smoke to gain adult status. * They smoke to conform to their social group. B. Smoking causes cancer and other respiratory diseases. C. When there is a smoker in the family; it is most likely that the members of the family will be influenced by smoking. III. Cigarette smoking should be†¦show more content†¦It is passive smoking when non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke (â€Å"Secondhand smoke,† 2011).. When they inhale secondhand smoke, they take in nicotine and other chemicals just like the smokers do (â€Å"Secondhand smoke,† 2011). According to the quittersguide, â€Å"secondhand smoke immediately affects the heart and blood circulation, and over time it causes heart disease and lung cancer† (quittersguide, 2008). Smoking is mostly caused by the sociocultural factor. They smoke because they need to fit in with their social group who smoke (Cortes, 2011). It is because some think when you are smoking cigarettes, you would look cool. For teens, they smoke because they want to attain adult status (Cortes, 1998). Some teens think that if you smoke cigarettes, you would look mature because normally, adults smoke but now even teens do it. Sometimes, they learn how to smoke because of curiosity. A Youth Tobacco Survey by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Philippine Chapter has been conducted among grade school and high school students in Metro Manila. Dr. Lopez said that â€Å"the DOH survey found that an estimated 42 per cent students have tried smoking cigarettes, with 15 per cent admitting they smoked their first stickShow MoreRelatedShould Companies Refuse Smokers Hire?871 Words   |  4 Pagessmokers hire? The argumentative essay topic is â€Å"Should companies have the right to refuse to hire smokers† which is about social argumentative essay topics. There were smoking bans in bars and restaurants to create some backlash in the last decade, while now the policies about some hospitals and businesses refuse smokers hire that appeal to a new ethical issue. Therefore, people are arguing it—should companies refuse smokers hire? Additionally, the author of the argumentative essay disagrees the policiesRead MoreShould Companies Want Smokers Hire Smokers?931 Words   |  4 PagesThe argumentative essay topic is â€Å"Should companies have the right to refuse to hire smokers† which is about social argumentative essay topics. 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Ex. 1: â€Å"Smoking causes lung cancer because cigarettes contain nicotine that is very deadly.† Ex. 2: â€Å"Diamonds are formed in a carbon molecule pattern that results in a translucent beautiful rock. Which is why they are so expensive to buy.† Ex. 3: â€Å"Marijuana is illegal in certain statesRead MoreWork: Scientific Method and Exploratory Research1888 Words   |  8 Pagesevaluated for accuracy. Everything should then be meticulously documented. There are many topics that can be used for this purpose. The list includes animal rights, minimum wage, vaccines, climate change, immigration, obesity, overpopulation, spanking, smoking bans, wind energy, and school uniforms. Exploratory research  of  research  conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined. 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The Experimental Validation Of Theory - 1621 Words

3.9 STAGE THREE: EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF THEORY The conceptual framework combines the research carried out at the beginning of the study with the analysis of the use of existing, as well as the demand for new e-assessment instruments for NNES students learning outcome. It directs to develop a diagnostic tool that can be utilised by students and teachers in an e-assessment context which will empower the higher education sector and improve the conditions for continuous learning. On the surveys, giving NNES students the opportunity to put their suggestions forward and get involved to seek opinions on its development to explore learning outcome they want. Generally speaking, when we identify the exact problems from Data Analysis, we can interface with specification, and should be considering how those will map to the tool. The conceptual framework will be used in order to determine the functionality and content of the tool. Tool content structures and sample questions will be created for two competences: Knowledge and Literacy. This tool will be an educational management tool that stays with NNES students from that first, unformed idea all the way through to the final draft. Outline and structure NNES students’ ideas, take notes, view investigation alongside their response on assessment and compose the constituent pieces of students’ text in isolation or in context. The tool would not tell students how to respond—it just makes all the tackles students have scatteredShow MoreRelatedWhat is Production Engineering1499 Words   |  6 Pageshimself. The drawback is that the data could be available in many different forms which makes almost impossible to understand the existing relationships. Thus it is valid to use the objectivism approach to the research example. Epistemology means theory of getting the knowledge. 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Highlighting related work, she mentions previous research efforts to characterize research in human-computer interaction process to research in engineering disciplines through pro-forma abstracts, but argues a broad view of research is more suited for software engineering. Shaw identifies three important characteristics in software engineering research, namely, research questions, research results and their validation. The research questions relate closelyRead MoreEssay on validity reliability1475 Words   |  6 Pagesby a general description of the paradigm that we are dealing with. Most concepts in the behavioral sciences have meaning within the context of the theory that they are a part of. Each concept, thus, has an operational definition which is governed by the overarching theory. If a concept is involved in the testing of hypothesis to support the theory it has to be measured. 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Quantitative research focuses on the statistics, to include analyzing experimental data or survey outcomes, (Creswell, 2014). This method establishes the numeric aspects of research. According to the author, Creswell, (2014), Quantitative was the predominant method of research conducted in the 19th and 20th century. The mixedRead MoreEvaluation Of An Article II Development And Validation Of A Geriatric Depress ion Screening Scale1633 Words   |  7 Pages Review of an Article II â€Å"Development and Validation of a Geriatric Depression Screening Scale: A Preliminary Report† PSYC 1300 Section # 17659 Rishma Bhat 18 June 2015 Introduction: Whereas symptoms of dementia in the elderly are due to cognitive impairment, ‘pseudodementia’ is a classification of depression that leads to psychomotor retardation and passive refusal to cognitive abilities, mistaken for simply dementia. 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This causes flow separation at the corner, i.e. is at leading edge in case of delta wings. The subsonic flow pattern on a delta wing can be shown with the help of the following figure: The figure shows: There are two vortex patterns, i.e. primaryRead MoreTo What Extent Can Economics Be Considered a Science.1591 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy is that of hypotheses validation. The idea is that through observation of a phenomenon, one can hypothesise an explanation of it and also predict other phenomena that follow as a result. Previously, before the formalisation of the social sciences throughout the 19th century, it was commonly accepted that the only approach to validate such hypothesis was through the use of Scientific Method. This process involves performing, repeatable, controlled, experimental tests on a hypothesis in an attempt

Essay Analysis Free Essays

Essay Analysis (Name) (University/Institution) â€Å"And You Will Know Us by the Trail of German Butterballs† By Jonathan Kauffman Many Americans are discovering the value of locally or own grown food. By doing this, they help reduce the carbon print while at the same time supporting local business (Elton). The general concern posed by the writer in this article is how the local-foods movement is gradually becoming a global trend. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now As the author sites how the movement is steadily growing, he also expresses his concerns regarding it. Without proper standards to oversee the movement, the author expresses fear that it will decline sharply. The first section of this article deals with a brief history of locavorism. In this section, the writer goes into some of the history of the movement and how the movement has changed from a small group of friends to be the largest, most influential food trend in the country. From the beginning, of the article we are given hints that the author is in support of the idea of locavorism when he tells us how he favours local foods over certified organic ones and the reasons why, even though he states that the movement still has a long way to go. In the next section, the author talks about how the idea behind the local foods movement is slowly permeating into the wine world. Even though, the phenomenal seems very different from the locavore movement, the passion for specificity is the same. Wine sellers have resorted to import wines from places like Europe and South America as opposed to buying local products. In the final section, the writer ponders over the pros and cons of the locavorism moment. He goes on to compare the number of people behind the ovement at present as opposed to how it was five years ago. He further expounds on the effects of cost and prices on consuming local foods and how Corporate America has its eye on the locavore movement. As the piece comes to an end, the author explores the position of the locavorism movement in the present world and how it is on its way to become a powerful trend. The author’s description of locavorism presents a setting of the story that is essential in understanding the writer’s view with regards to the movement. Even though, he goes ahead and lists reasons why the locavore movement has not caught on yet, he provides subtle hints that he is for the idea. One feature of a good essay is that it should present a logical flow of ideas, especially from one paragraph to the next. The author has taken this into account, and his mastery of this subject is quite impressive. The writer ends the piece by stating that if the locavore movement is to expand, then it should borrow a leaf from Radiohead, one of the world’s largest rock bands. The strength of this article lies in his layout of the characteristics of the local foods movement. Maybe this is one of the best analyses I have read regarding the subject. The writer has in depth knowledge about food, and this is evident from his style of writing. He illustrates this in a clear but concise manner while covering all the main points thoroughly. Work Cited Elton, Sarah. Locavore: from farmers’ fields to rooftop gardens : how Canadians are changing the way we eat. Pennsylvania: HarperCollins, 2010. How to cite Essay Analysis, Essays

Probability Theory Statistics Essay Example For Students

Probability Theory Statistics Essay The Collier Encyclopedias definition for probability is the concern for events that are not certain and the reasonableness of one expectation over another. These expectations are usually based on some facts about past events or what is known as statistics. Collier describes statistics to be the science of the classification and manipulation of data in order to draw inferences. Inferences here can be read to mean expectations, leading to the conclusion that the two go hand in hand in accomplishing what mankind has tried to accomplish since the beginning of time ;#8211; predicting the future. It is the notion of science that this is the most accurate way to predict events yet to occur and this has lead to it being the most widely accepted fortune telling; tool in the world today. Probability and Statistics most widespread use is in the arena of gambling. Gambling is big all over the world and lots of money is won and lost with their aid. In horse racing especially the statistics of a horse in terms of its physical condition and winning history sway numbers of persons into believing that the mathematical evidence that is derived can actually be a good indicator of a races outcome. Usually it is if the odds or probability are great in favor of the desired outcome. However the future is uncertain and races can turn out any of a number of different ways. The field of medicine is another high subscriber to this forecasting technique. Potential diagnoses are frequently made based on a patients history or that of his ancestors and the calculated likelihood of him/her acquiring certain conditions. Statistics and probability aid in the decision making process of which test may be required for a given symptom and how a possible outbreak may be detected and contained. Strategies for isolating and dealing with diseases are often made with the aid of statistics on the percentage of a population that may have been infected and the probability of its escalation. The weather forecasters use probability and statistics just as much if not more than any other field on earth. As weather patterns are not fully understood and are dynamic, analysts have to rely heavily on past weather systems and patterns to guess or estimate the possibility of present weather systems to behave in similar manners. If the probability of its behavior, subject to certain factors, in one manner over another is high forecasters make decisions as to how to advise the public. This is crucial as the wrong advice in a given situation can lead to the loss of life as well as property. Probability and statistics play their most important roles in these fields medicine and weather. Many other facets of life use these tools of prediction, including sports, military planning, schools, police and any area where an anticipation of the most likely occurrence is necessary. One can never be absolutely certain of what the future holds but it is a calculated fact that probability and statistics are the closest things to knowing for sure. .

Badger by John Tripp Essay Example

Badger by John Tripp Essay The objective of this coursework is to compare two poems, based on badgers, by John Tripp and John Clare. In order to do this successfully, it has been recommended that aspects such as the way the poet describes the badger, the attitude of each poet towards the badger and references to what I found effective should be covered. Badger by John Tripp This poem is based on Tripps personal encounter with a badger, during the early 20th Century. The opening lines introduce the reader to the compassionate, gentle nature of a badger. The human stereotype of a badger is that they are harmless, and loveable nocturnal things. They appear so cuddly and cute. Teddy bears or cartoons of badgers often create this image. A badger is also being personified, when it is referred to as being a family man. A vast majority of us would assume that families are a unity that only exist in the human race. This usually consists of a husband, wife and children. It seems so very civilised. Being humans, we would consider ourselves superior to other races. Relating humans to badgers makes them seem to be a more intelligent, and a supreme race in the animal kingdom. We will write a custom essay sample on Badger by John Tripp specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Badger by John Tripp specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Badger by John Tripp specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Some would see badgers as being rather shy and reserved. Tripp describes how he has an old reputation for remaining aloof. In some aspects, this is a positive thing. Badgers mind their own business, and do not interfere with the lives of fellow animals. It almost makes them seem hardworking. They are busy enough wrapped up in their own lives to wonder about others. As the poem develops, the description of a badger gradually becomes more sinister, and more threatening. The first indication that something was wrong is when Tripp writes I thought he stuffed himself on insects and roots The use of the past tense indicates that he used to have this opinion, but no longer does. This makes the reader curious about what made him lower his opinion of badgers. There is reference to the badger baiting him and scratching at the mesh. Him is referring to Tripps rabbit. In the past, badger baiting was an extremely popular sport, and it was a frequent mean of entertainment. In society today, it is no longer accepted, as animals are treated more humanely and with more respect. Yet it would seem rather ironic that a badger would bait an animal, in this case being a rabbit. It makes the reader less sympathetic towards badgers for the ill treatment they received when they were baited. We, as the reader, are made aware that badgers are not herbivores, as most of us would assume. They are omnivores, meaning they consume both vegetable and meat products. In their natural environment, they hunt down their prey, and are designed to do so. This is confirmed when it says he wanted more than a boring vegetable dish. Tripp emphasises this, when the badgers big jaws and bone crushing molars are described. The adjective bone crushing is particularly effective as it makes one aware of the sheer power they have. They are designed to tear flesh apart. This sends a chill down the readers spine, and suddenly, the badger doesnt seem so innocent and adorable. The grizzled snouter suggests that badgers arent so cuddly after all. Their snouter are rough and bristly, giving an unpleasant sensation to ones hand when touched. Since my childhood, animals have often seemed to be rather comical to me, particularly badgers. He scooped a hole under the boxwood hutch, is a typical image I have of a badger doing. I could literally visualise it speedily digging a burrow with its paws, flinging a pile of earth behind him. It seems rather hilarious to me. Yet what motivates the badger into doing this is not in the least bit hilarious. To the bare eye, badgers may appear to be so innocuous and vulnerable, but that is deceiving. Splintered the floor with his ramming head. I would assume that the head is one of the most fragile parts of the body. The brain is very delicate, and can be damaged easily. As it plays such an essential role in an organism, the smallest amount of damage could potentially be fatal. Yet here is the badger using his head to break through touch, strong wood. The power and strength of him is extraordinary, and frightening. The horrific description of the death of the rabbit: the string and red slippery pulp that was the only remains of the creature, is abhorrent. The reader feels a surge of anger toward the badger. No creature ought to die this way. Yet that is what nature is all about. There is no mercy in the jungle. The law of the jungle is rather harsh: eat or get eaten. Yet this still does justify the badgers behaviour and actions, making it acceptable. The final sentence of the poem is rather unexpected: Before a smallholder blew of his head. Although it does not seem very funny, as it is so unexpected, ones initial reaction is to burst out into a fit of laughter. The poem is brought to a swift end. I assume at this stage, Tripps thought that justice had been done, and this was an appropriate place to end the poem. In a way, it follows the clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ the bad guy always suffers. Throughout the entire poem, it is evident that Tripp bears hard feelings towards badgers. At the end of the poem, we find out why. In the opening lines of the poem, the stereotype of badgers is described, but I was under the impression that this wasnt his view on badgers. Harmless they called him. The use of the word they indicate that the statement is excluding him. If it was including his opinion, he would have used the term we. Also, the use of the past tense suggests even the people who thought badgers were harmless initally, no longer do. The way that Tripp describes the badger makes him appear vicious. . Big jaws. bone-crushing molarsgrizzled snouter. These descriptions all focus on the strength of the badger, and suggest that he takes advantage of it. This poem is rather bias, and it is evident that Tripp is against the badger, for what he did to his rabbit. Our poor young rabbit must have died of fright. The adjectives used makes the rabbit seem so vulnerable, and innocent. T he following sentence says but not before the badger minced him, into string and slippery red pulp. The description of the rabbits death is being described and horrific, particularly when the remains of the rabbit are being described as red slippery pulp. This turns the reader against the badger, which I think was what Tripp was trying to achieve. There is also the use of sarcasm. That loveable thing Being sarcastic, it means that the writer thinks that the badger is exactly the opposite of loveable. The final sentence of the poem is when a small holder kills the badger. Tripp does not make any comment on what happened. If he felt that it was unjust, he would have most probably mentioned something about it. Yet he failed to do so. Therefore I would presume that he had no objections of the killing of the badger. The vile and apprehensive description of the rabbits death was particularly effective in persuading the reader that badgers are not kind, gentle creatures. The one line of the whole poem than I cannot forget is the badger minced him into string and red slippery pulp. So generally, when discussing this poem, one of the first things I would refer to is that line, and that does not create a particularly good image of the badger. Also, the general layout of the whole poem is designed to capture the interest of the reader. At the beginning, the stereotype of the badger is given, generally describing it as a gentle creature. Yet you are aware that Tripp himself no longer agrees with this statement. The reader becomes curious why, and wants to read on. As the poem develops, the more harsh and ruthless side of the badgers personality is revealed. At the end of the poem, the badger is killed. From Tripps perspective, it would seem that justice had been done. However I do not agree. The clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ two wrongs dont make a right could be reffered to. I dont feel that humans have the right to judge or punish the badger for what he did. The badger was retreating, and he was of no threat whatsoever to the humans. The badger eats the rabbit. This is all part of nature. Do humans not eat animals that are below them in the food chain? I think it was rather hypocritical to kill the badger, for doing what they do too. Eating meat. By killing the badger, it didnt bring the rabbit back to life, did it? Badger By John Clare This poem was written in the early 19th Century, and is based on badger baiting. The opening lines of the poem introduce the reader to sinister activity. When midnight comes a host of dogs and men. Midnight is often associated with crime, and evil activity. The world is asleep, and it is the perfect time to commit a crime. The presence of the host of dogs confirms this. It seems as thought the dogs are there for protection, or to attack. They are going to track the badger the word track suggests that the badger is being hunted down, being a victim of these humans. The badger is described as being harmless. Old grunting badger indicates the badger was vulnerable and weak, as he is aged. Grunting is a noise that people often make when they are wary, and fatigue. This means that the badger is not in a good state of health, and is even more vulnerable. Yet the badger is still fairly strong. They let the strongest loose. The strongest dogs were set upon the badger, as the men felt that the badger may beable to defend itself against the weaker dogs. Even though, the od ds were unfair. It is impossible that one badger could successfully fight several strong dogs. Human activity in a natural environment often causes disturbance. The fox hears the noise and drops the goose. Foxes are intelligent animals, and perhaps he had seen hunters before, who were armed, and knew they kill animals. Being conscious of the human activity going on, the fox felt he may be attacked, therefore probably went and hid himself somewhere. The men use weapons a forked stick to beat the badger, and get him under control. Getting beaten by one forked stick would be painful, but getting beaten by several would result in excruciating pain and agony. The badger would already be worn out by the dogs, which attacked it. The men clap the dogs, appraising them. They encourage them to attack the badger. It is taken to town. The reader wonders why, what do they want to do with it. The reader in now introduced to what the men wanted with the badger. They wanted to bait him, as a mean of entertainment. In society today, it is recognized as being morally wrong, and many would think it is cruel. Bait him all day with many dogs. The badger is being baitd for a long period of time, and dying is a slow, painful process indeed. Also the fact that the opposition is far more numerous than him makes one angry. There is so much injustice. The fight is not one on one. The atmosphere is also described as being unpleasant. Laugh, and shout and fright the scampering hogs, shout and hollow down the noisy streets and drunken swears and reels. The badger is being tormented and harrased. It is not familiar with the sound of humans, and when they make loud noises, having an emotional impact on the badger. He is being attacked in an unaccustomed place, by large dogs, who are much stronger than him, and humans, being stronger and huge in height, also having a reputation for killing animals i.e. hunters. On many occasions throughout the poem, the badger is defending himself against the crowd that oppresses him. He runs along and bites all that he meets turns about to face the loud uproar, and drives the rebels to their very door and the badger turns and drives them all away drives the crowd and follows at their heels and bites then through The term drives away is used frequently. It expresses how determined the badger is not to be beaten by these people. He does not give up, and even against the impossible odds, continues to repel and fight back. Yet he still does manage to fight the dogs when taking them on one by one. These are bulldogs that have been bred for fighting, and after going through so much pain, he can still beat them. I think he is inspired emotionally, he stubbornly refuses to give in to his tormentors. The bulldog knows his match and waxes cold. By now, the bulldog is aware of the badgers strength, and that he is potentially able to cause harm to him, so is intelligent enough not to fight the badger, knowing he will lose. These dogs are describes as being heavy mastiff, savage in the fray. They have ruthless strength, but no challenge for the badger. In comparison to bulldogs, badgers look so weak, and vulnerable. Though scarcely half as big, demure and small. Comparing the badger and the bulldogs brings out the astonishing difference there i s. Even so, the badger successfully fought the bulldogs. He will defend himself no matter what, and is very strong willed to do so. The reader is proud of the badger, and envies him for having such a quality, that very few humans posses. This is sheer determination, and always working to his full potential. The badger is being extremely ill treated and harshly abused. People armed with weapons and stones are attacking it, additionally to the dogs. The frequent stone is hurled Sticks and curdles quickly stop the chase. Again the harsh and diabolical treatment towards the badger is emphasised. The only weapon the badger naturally posses is his teeth, and he makes his attackers aware of this. The badger grins the difference between a grin and a smile, is that when someone grins, they show their teeth. The badger shows that he will use them if he is forced to, and that they are more powerful than they would think. The badger makes a desperate attempt to go to the woods, his natural environment. He tries to reach the woods, an awkward race. The woods is his natural environment, and feels he will be safe there, surrounded by his fellow animals who will support him, and surrounded by the dense vegetation, where one can easily get lost and lose ones enemy. The final sentences of the statement are those when the badger finally dies. It has been a slow and painful death. He falls as dead and kicked by boys and men. till kicked and torn and beaten out he lies..leaves his hold, crackles, groans and dies. The badger just lost the will to fight for life, and leaves his hold. He was severely abused before he died. The word crackles, suggests that its lungs were weak, as that is how one breathes when ones lungs are not operating properly. It is a sad death, and the reader feels a surge of sympathy for the badger, who was tortured so much. Also, one is angry toward the humans for doing this. What right do they have? What if this was done to them? It is evident that Clare is in favour of the badger, and against the humans and the dogs who are ill treating it. Genarlly the badger is described as being vulnerable and weak in comparason to his opponents. The badger is constantly defending himself, by driving away the crowd. This expresses his sheer determination and mental power. He refuses to give up and let the attackers get the best of him. Generally, the badger is being described as weak and vulnerable in comparison to his opponents. He is constantly defending himself by driving away the crowd. The word defend means to protect yourself, when being attacked. Again, it refers tot the fact that the badger is the victim of the humans, who are causing both physical and emotional damage. He is only challenging his opponents in an act of self-defence. This also expresses the sheer determination of the badger. He refuses to give up and wont let the attackers get the best of him. The comparason between the dogs and the humans with the badger always emphasis how much stronger and more numerous they are than the badger. The unjustice of this sport is highlighted. The fact that the process of dieing was extremely painful and long makes the reader sympathize with it; makes the reader agree with Clare. There is great detail in how the dogs and men attack the dog, physically and mentally. The stenght of the weapons that they hold are clarified the frequent stone, if Clare did not have any objections in badger baiting, he most probably would not have used the word frequent, but woulde have merly stated that stones were thrown, but only occasionally. The specific selection of adjectives and adverbs used make the reader feel any toward the badger opponents, and support the badger. At the end, the ill health of the badger, and his unsuccessful struggle for life is mentioned. It is described as being a lonely, sad death. leaves his hold, crackles, groans and dies. The word crackles gives the impression that the badgers lungs were in a poor state, due to the torture that he had undergone. When ones lungs are damaged, they often do crackle. The badger was desperately struggling for life, but faced impossible odds: leaves his hold, he was clinging, holding onto life. His determination makes the reader be proud on his behalf. Clare has won the readers heart on behalf of the badger. The most effective aspect of this poem is how Clare has managed to persuaded the reader into feeling sympathetic towards the badger and liking it. Also, poems that ryme seem to have the effect of drawing attention, particularly to young audience. However, I tend to find that poems that rhyme dont have such depth in their meaning, as non ryming poems do. This may be because the poet has to adapt the words, and sentence in order to make it rhyme. So in most cases, the most suitable ajective and pronouns cannot be used, to create a certain atmosphere or impression. Yet this poem has managed to obtain both qualities. It rhymes and has a fundimental depth to it. I really appreciate the content of this poem fotr htat reason. In conclusion, the variation between Tripps and Clares poem is that Tripp describes the ruthless and vicious side of the badger, due to what it had done to his rabbit; as a result hates it. It is somewhat ironic that Tripps poem is based in the 20th Century, when people had strong believes about animal cruelty. Yet Tripp does not seem in the least bit disturbed that the badger got killed. Yet, society as a whole certainly would have objected. On the oterh hand, in the 19th Century, people would have mocked and laughed at the idea of there being animal rights. There was no respect in society for animals whatsoever. Yet Clair does have respect for animals. One would expect it to be the other way around. Both poets have the ability to make the reader agree with them, and look onto the events from their prespecitve, by the use of descriptive words creating a certain impression.

Free Essays on Indian Reservations

Native Americans of Today There’s a small town called Mission, South Dakota, a town on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Indian Reservation, which is about thirty miles from my hometown of Valentine, Nebraska. A reservation that gives you some shocking scenes as you drive a long highway 83. Many houses that were just built by the federal government are being wrecked, as the Native Americans have no respect for the houses. But, should they have any respect? It was their land that we took away from them and there isn’t much that can be done to replace that. Valentine is your typical small-town Nebraska with its population close to 3000 and 99 percent of that population being white. But the population grows to closer to 4000 around the first of the month when the Native Americans from the north come to town to do their shopping at the local Alco Discount store with the federal money that they receive. They will go on a spending spree with this money for a few days but then most of them are gone. They head back to the reservation, which starts just nine miles north of Valentine, in a car over loaded and tail pipe dragging on the asphalt. Most won’t return for more than two weeks and maybe longer if that car (referred to by many white people as a res bomb) breaks down on the way back. Well even though the economy of my small hometown wouldn’t survive without these monthly trips by the Native Americans most business people don’t really like doing business with the natives. Most would say that they are dirty and they don’t want them hanging around the store. The storeowners are afraid of theft or vandalism, which probably occurs. But it probably occurs just as much among the white people. It’s just another stereotype that whites make of people with different skin color. Most of the Native Americans come to town as a family. They just don’t come as an immediate family. There may be aunts and uncles, grandparents ... Free Essays on Indian Reservations Free Essays on Indian Reservations Native Americans of Today There’s a small town called Mission, South Dakota, a town on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Indian Reservation, which is about thirty miles from my hometown of Valentine, Nebraska. A reservation that gives you some shocking scenes as you drive a long highway 83. Many houses that were just built by the federal government are being wrecked, as the Native Americans have no respect for the houses. But, should they have any respect? It was their land that we took away from them and there isn’t much that can be done to replace that. Valentine is your typical small-town Nebraska with its population close to 3000 and 99 percent of that population being white. But the population grows to closer to 4000 around the first of the month when the Native Americans from the north come to town to do their shopping at the local Alco Discount store with the federal money that they receive. They will go on a spending spree with this money for a few days but then most of them are gone. They head back to the reservation, which starts just nine miles north of Valentine, in a car over loaded and tail pipe dragging on the asphalt. Most won’t return for more than two weeks and maybe longer if that car (referred to by many white people as a res bomb) breaks down on the way back. Well even though the economy of my small hometown wouldn’t survive without these monthly trips by the Native Americans most business people don’t really like doing business with the natives. Most would say that they are dirty and they don’t want them hanging around the store. The storeowners are afraid of theft or vandalism, which probably occurs. But it probably occurs just as much among the white people. It’s just another stereotype that whites make of people with different skin color. Most of the Native Americans come to town as a family. They just don’t come as an immediate family. There may be aunts and uncles, grandparents ...

Liberal Political Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Liberal Political Theory - Essay Example Liberalism has its roots in the Renaissance and the humanist movement, whilst liberal ideology was inadvertently developed further as a result of the Protestant Reformation, and the rise of capitalism. Prior to the emergence of liberalism it was generally accepted that governments had the power to dictate how their citizens actually behaved. The Protestant Reformation started in Germany but the factors that allowed it to survive effectively prevented the forming of a united German state or the complete success of the Protestant Reformation there. The Reformation though it was primarily about a concern to achieve religious reform had a profound influence upon the emergence of liberal thought and ideology (Chadwick, 1990, pp.63-64). The Reformation was in many respects the unwitting catalyst for both liberalism and capitalism. In the Protestant countries it broke the traditional partnership between the secular governments and the Roman Catholic Church. In the short-term the governments of the Protestant states usually gained increased powers to influence the beliefs as well as the behaviour of their populations. States were not at this point attempting to be neutral, as they wanted to control their people as much as they possibly could. The Medieval and the Early Modern view of the role of government was that the state had the full authority to make its citizens believe or behave in the ways that it wanted them to do (Royale, 2004 p. 5). All people within each country owed complete obedience to their government, which had the theoretical power (if not always the physical presence or military capability) to enforce its norms upon its entire population (Heywood, 2001 p. 29). In England, James I and Charles I found it impossible to maintain the traditionally sound relationships between the monarchy, Parliament, and the gentry class from which the majority of MPs,

Sales Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Sales Management - Essay Example However, such a powerful sales campaign could only be launched successfully provided the members of team obtain respectable and considerable remunerations against the efforts they make while performing their professional obligations. In other words, if the members of sales team are offered a handsome salary package, along with incentives on the sales item they is expected to sell, there would be smile on their faces because of the financial satisfaction they gain in the wake of achieving their goals and targets. On the contrary, if the sales staff is offered low salary package, with no or least incentives on meeting with the targets, the sales staff would remain extremely worried, disturbed and dissatisfied, and hence will not be in a position to demonstrate his professional skills in an adequate manner. According to the motivation-hygiene theory of job satisfaction (1959), articulated by German-American psychologist Frederick Irving Herzberg, pertinently lays stress upon the fulfilm ent of the hygienic or financial needs of the staff in order to let them work under the state of great satisfactions. It not only help the company to make tremendous achievements, but also the sales staff will work more diligently for the progress of the organisation (Stello, 2009:5). On the contrary, lack of financial growth and denial of providing them with sufficient salary package, the sales personnel will undergo dissatisfaction, due to its being a negative motivation. Q1: It has pertinently be observed that sometimes the organisations earn great profits against the investments they have made; similarly, they also undergo losses or low profit margin, which force the management to introduce... According to the research findings sales department is rightly stated to be maintaining central place in every organisation of the world at large because of its imperative significance in the growth and development of the organisation. The researcher states that sales personnel that play front at the behalf of the company and they are actually the reflection of their workplace, where the society gets oriented with the company through their behavior, proficiencies and professional skills. Since every activity performed at corporate scale is made with the purpose of financial benefits and pecuniary gains in mind. Being one of the most dynamic parts of corporate organisations, sales staff also embarks upon the corporate venture for meeting their financial needs. Because of the crucial significance of the sales function, the sales manager occupies a key position in the management hierarchy of the sales organisation. This essay also looks into the exploring the ways for motivating the sales force, different methods are applied for increasing sales volume. Author claims, that one of the most important steps to be taken by the managers for motivating the sales force includes the fulfillment of their physiological needs, along with assuring them of the job security, social respect, and safeguarding the issues related to ego and self-actualizing. As a conclusion, the essay paper highlights, that the selling operation of a business firm does not exist in isolation and sales management has to work in a broader and newer environment.

Best Practice in Staff Training Processes

Best Practice in Staff Training Processes 1. INTRODUCTION People performance is a critical enabling factor that influences the potential of an organisation to achieve its objectives. Successful organisations ensure that they maintain an environment which enables the full potential of their people to be realised. They also ensure that they align their staff management objectives with the organisations objectives. Training is an important activity undertaken to ensure employees at all levels have the necessary skills to carry out their roles effectively and to ensure the achievement of the organisations objectives. Of fundamental importance is the identification of the value that training adds to the performance of the organisation. Specifically this relates to how the organisation decides what training is needed by its staff, how the training is carried out, how the organisation evaluates the effectiveness of its education and training activities and what processes are put in place to improve the delivery and effectiveness of education and training programs. The management of the organisation want to know: what training is required how training should be delivered. how the training improves the performance of the organisation Staff expect: targeted and job related training (for now and the future) to equip them to meet the expectations of the organisation defined outcomes as a result of training quality assurance of training materials and delivery techniques value for time spent in training At the time of the writing of this paper, few organisations in the parks industry: had a quantifiable means of measuring organisational performance outcomes had measured the current competence of employees had agreed arrangements in place to meet all their staff training needs. had a formal strategy for addressing staff training so that maximum cost benefits are attained from training had a quantifiable means of assessing the on-ground outcomes of staff training are innovative with regard to methods of making training delivery more efficient use training systems and expertise available in the wider training industry had accurate costings relating to training (salary, training delivery etc) Over the past 5 years there have been dramatic changes in the training arena. Many companies who once conducted their own training now recognise that training is not their core business and utilize the services of the fast developing training industry. This move is in keeping with the Federal Government Training Reform Agenda, aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Australian industry on the international market. The main outcomes from this agenda have been the development of National competency standards and associated training curriculum for a number of industry groups. Best practice in training staff for park management is required because both Federal and State Governments now require park management agencies to: focus on their core business identify key performance indicators and associated priority outcomes be accountable for the delivery of priority outcomes and direct expenditure accordingly apply sound business planning principles to program planning and budgeting evaluate alternative means of service delivery (such as outsourcing) enhance the sustainable management of the natural and cultural resources of parks provide a high standard of customer service and facilities continually improve performance (both financial performance and service delivery) have competent and effective staff. Park customers require parks agencies to: manage the natural and cultural resources of the park using the best possible techniques provide excellent customer service provide a range of recreational opportunities manage financial resources effectively and efficiently have competent and efficient staff This paper will discuss and explore: Best practice in staff training processes for park agencies The use of benchmarking as a tool in establishing best practice. Relevant terms are defined as: Staff training: the process of developing the skills of employees Competence:the ability to deliver a service to a prescribed minimum standard 2. DETERMINING BEST PRACTICE IN STAFF TRAINING PROCESSES 2.1 Methodology In 1995, ANZECC commenced the National Benchmarking and Best Practice Programs aimed at five key areas. The (then) Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria took the lead responsibility for determining the best practice framework for staff training. The objective of the project was to determine current best practice in training processes to assist agenices to develop training programs to meet their needs. The project scope covered: an examination of guidelines and procedures to guide workplace performance an examination of standards of performance (competency standards) training and development programs strategic framework for program development industrial context (relationship of training to pay/promotion etc) identification of learning outcomes, assessment criteria and delivery standards delivery arrangements (in-house or external) assessment practices relationship to formal training structures (State or National) monitoring of training outcomes (improved performance, cost-benefit analysis etc. The project was to result in a report which could be used by member agencies of ANZECC to introduce best practice training processes and to facilitate the development of quality standards (and common competencies) for training of staff involved in the management of National Parks and Protected areas. The report was also to contribute to the development of national training standards through NCRMIRG. The methodology used was to: Conduct initial research into training processes to produce an appropriate survey instrument. Communicate with, visit with or arrange joint meetings with member agencies of ANZECC to: apply the survey observe training initiatives and process Communicate with or visit external organisations with a record of innovation in delivering training programs Prepare a best practice report in consultation with participating agencies There were several project limitations. The project brief did not include a comparison of the content of training programs(as this has already been done by the Natural and Cultural Resources Management Industry Reference Group in its Curriculum Review) but rather required the examination of staff training processes from a strategic viewpoint. The project leaders time was limited to approximately one week and the report was limited to key points. Figure 1 Location of interviews Location Organisation Adelaide South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources Sydney New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service Melbourne Tasmanian Department of Environment and Land Management, Victorian Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (name at the time of interview), Australian Fire Authorities Council Phone survey Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, ACT Department of Urban Services Parks and Conservation. 2.2 Best Practice in Staff Training Processes Initial research was conducted into findings of previous benchmarking projects on staff training and into current concepts of best practice in staff training. It revealed that most organisations measure and assess training inputs rather than training outputs (or how the training was conducted rather than the benefit gained through training). No park agencies and very few other organisations maintain thorough accounting records of staff training and are able to conduct a comprehensive cost benefit analysis of training effectiveness (although some agencies have conducted a cost-benefit analysis of individual courses. Cost benefit analysis is undertaken in the tertiary education sector but the process used is not valid for measuring staff training in organisations for whom training is not core business. 3.1.1 Organisations vision, mission and key performance indicators. The organisations vision, mission and key performance indicators are determined and programs to meet these objectives are planned. The period over which these apply varies with individual organisations. A common factor is that they are reviewed annually as a part of the business/budget planning process. As the performance of staff is a major influence on organisational performance, it is important that the training process is closely linked with the business planning process. 3.1.2 Identification of required competencies for program delivery The organisations key performance indicators (or critical success factors) set a standard against which the performance of the organisation is measured. Programs to meet these standards are developed. The organisation must have access to specific competencies to effectively deliver the required programs and these are determined. Routine competencies required by individual staff are included. Looking ahead to the long term achievement of the organisations vision and mission, competencies required to deliver anticipated work programs in the future are also identified 3.1.3 Identification of current competence of workforce Having determined the competencies required to meet its objectives, the organisation then determines the competencies that exist within its workforce. These are obtained through two means through an analysis of the current performance of staff (annual performance review) and through the identification of the current skill levels staff. Current performance of staff Most organisations now have a performance review process through which the current performance of staff is assessed. Individual staff and workgroups are now required to deliver defined outcomes. Achievement of satisfactory outcomes usually (but not always) indicates a satisfactory level of competence in the task. The non-achievement of outcomes may be attributed to a number of factors. Lack of competence is one factor (amongst others) which may have caused poor performance. A usual part of the performance review process is the identification (by the staff member or their supervisor) of competencies yet to be attained and a plan for their attainment. Assessment of current competence. For the organisation to effectively manage the deployment of their human resources, it is necessary to assess the current competencies held by staff. Stored on a data base, this information is then readily available for use when assigning tasks. The best means of maintaining this data base is to utilize the type of system recommended through the National Training Reform Agenda, where competencies are defined, staff assessed against these and the information is recorded on a data base Assessment of current competence is only effective if the defined competencies have a standard of performance against which the capabilities of the staff can be assessed. This type of assessment is criterion based where the subjectivity of the assessment process is reduced. The process must be well managed and the data base kept current. The maintenance and use of such a data base has two purposes. If the current competence of staff is ascertained prior to delivery of programs, the likelihood of poor performance in program delivery, as a result of lack of competence, is reduced. In addition, the assigning of staff to tasks for which they are not competent may have legal ramifications (for example, Occupational Health and Safety breaches) at a later stage. 3.1.4 Identification of competency gap. Once the competencies held by the workforce are determined, they are measured against those required by the organisation. A gap is identified between the required competencies of the organisation and the existing competencies of its workforce. Traditionally this was considered to be the organisations training needs. Nowadays a wider range of options for closing this gap are considered. 3.1.5 Plan for bridging competency gap The organisation identifies the means by which it intends to obtain the competencies identified by the gap between the required organisational competencies and those held in the existing workforce. This is usually called a workforce management plan. Options for obtaining the required competencies include outsourcing, job redesign or redistribution, recruitment or the training and development of existing staff. Factors influencing the selection of the appropriate option are the cost-benefit analysis, current management constraints and the current Government direction with regard to workforce management. The organisation also needs to look beyond the current budget/business planning cycle to the long term achievement of its vision and mission. It needs to plan to have the necessary competencies (either within or outside the current workforce) for the delivery of future programs (succession planning). This information is invaluable to staff when making personal development/career choices 3.1.6 Organisations training needs The organisations training needs are derived from the above process. They are the required competencies of the organisation, not held by the current staff, for which the training of current staff has been determined as the best means of obtaining them. Training needs are identified and priorities determined as a part of the organisations normal business planning process and as such are reviewed annually. 3.2 STRATEGY FOR RESOURCING THE TRAINING For the organisations training needs to be met efficiently and effectively, there needs to be a clear strategy which addresses the allocation of resources to provide the training. This strategy indicates the level of commitment of the organisation to meet its training needs. Without this statement and a commitment from senior management, the issue of resourcing often arises to become the major impediment to the organisation satisfactorily meeting its training needs. Training resources can be categorised into financial resources, physical resources and human resources. 3.2.1 Financing the training Determining who pays for the training development and delivery is important and clarification of this issue up-front will reduce the incidence of later issues arising. When preparing business plans/budgets, the responsibility for the delivery of the organisations programs is allocated to a particular part of the organisation. This part of the organisation should also ensure that the required training for the delivery of the organisations program is determined and funding for training allocated appropriately. The continuing debate within a number of the ANZECC agencies relating to corporate versus technical training can be resolved by the application of this model. Where the training need is one identified by an individual or their supervisor, and it relates to a routine part of the persons job, then the funding for training should be built into the budget for that job. Where the training need is identified by management and is one which is aimed to impart a change across the organisation, such as the need to train people following the introduction of new technology or a cultural change, then the funding for training should be built into the budget for introducing the change. Budget issues can arise when corporate change training programs are imposed without making the appropriate funding arrangements. 3.2.2 Physical resources Physical resources required for training include the training materials (curriculum, lesson plans, videos, self paced packages etc) and the physical environment for the delivery of formal training. It must be recognised that training is not the core business of most organisations and substantial investment in the development of training materials and training facilities is not considered a wise investment. Fortunately, in recent years, training has become an established growth industry of its own. In most situations it is now not necessary for the organisation to invest in the development of training material or training facilities as there is a wide range of resources available through organisations for whom training IS core business. These include other like organisations, TAFE colleges, universities, local schools, local community training organisations and the increasing number of registered and non-registered private training providers and consultants. The best way of obtaining the necessary physical resources (materials, facilities etc) for training is to obtain them on a needs basis. By integrating the organisations training requirements with those of the wider training community, training becomes more efficient and duplication of effort is reduced. 3.2.3 Human resources Best practice organisations have a culture of continuous learning and are clear about the level of staff involvement expected in the training process. Rather than being the responsibility of a designated training department, training is everybodys responsibility. A primary motivator for individuals to accept this responsibility is need. Through the competency assessment, the individual has identified a need for training in the routine aspects of their work and is more likely to accept the responsibility for organising or participating in training to meet that need. For corporate change training, the individuals need has not been identified and it should be remembered that that person is therefore less likely to be motivated to organise or participate in the required training. In this case it is unrealistic to expect staff to drive their own involvement. Best practice organisations establish a culture where the individual is responsible to a large extent for identifying their own training needs and organising/enrolling in the appropriate training. Such a culture requires the support of a relevant system. The embodiment of learning organisation culture does not negate the need for training roles and responsibilities to be clearly defined. For the organisations training needs to be accurately identified and the training resources available in the wider training industry to be effectively integrated, an appropriate training specialist or specialist team is required to manage training. The training specialist/team will be able to provide staff with adequate systems and information for them to be able to: integrate training with the organisations business planning/budget development process identify their own training needs and those of their staff access a range of relevant training options develop individual training plans based on identified training needs and career aspirations. 3.3 DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF THE TRAINING Best practice for the development and delivery of training has been well documented. The model below has widespread use throughout the training industry and is used by the National Training Reform Agenda. 3.3.1 Training needs The identification of training needs was identified in Section 3.1. Training needs are identified in terms that are behavioural (measurable or quantifiable). Cultural change objectives are also quantified so that their achievement can be measured. 3.3.2 Modular training framework For each identified competency there is a training module which will train staff in the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to meet the standard prescribed for that competency. A module specification (the written specification of training outcomes, assessment methods and delivery modes) exists for each module to ensure that it is delivered to a prescribed minimum standard. Module specifications are regularly reviewed to ensure that they match the training requirements of the relevant competency standard. The training is accredited, where possible, by a State or National training authority. Accreditation provides quality assurance for content, delivery and assessment. The employee gains formal recognition and other benefits for the training completed. Training delivery is through appropriate providers. If the training delivery is to be contracted out then the training specification is included as a contract specification. Providers are regularly evaluated for effectiveness and cost efficiency of delivery. 3.3.3 Flexible delivery arrangements The training is located as close to the workplace in order to reduce the amount of time spent in travel and off the job. It is delivered in conditions as close as possible to the normal work situation to ensure relevance of the training to the job. The more flexible modes of delivery, such as distance learning packages (self paced), open learning schemes and computer based training packages are used. The different learning styles and speeds of individuals are catered for. The relevance of the content and delivery standards are monitored against the module specification. Delivery is by instructors who are trained as trainers and are also experienced in the subject matter. 3.3.4 Assessment of learning outcomes Assessment of the individuals achievement of the learning outcomes (as prescribed in the specification) is conducted during and following the learning process. Assessment is criterion based and is applied only by those who are competent in its use and who are authorised by the organisation to conduct assessments. 3.4 APPLICATION AND EVALUATION OF TRAINING The trainee is given the opportunity to practice using the new skills on the job under supervision by the supervisor or an appropriate mentor. The complexity of the work situation where the new skills are to be applied is managed so that the application progresses from the simple to the complex. Problems in the application of the new competencies are addressed at an early stage. A final assessment of the application of the new competencies occurs during the performance review phase of program delivery where the delivery of the required job outcomes, to the required standard, is assessed. Where work does not meet the agreed standards, the reason for this shortfall is sought. If lack of competence is the reason, the extent of training required to become competent is determined and the person either referred to further practice under the guidance of a supervisor or mentor or the workforce management planning process revisited. 5. CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISATIONS WHO PRACTICE BEST PRACTICE IN TRAINING PROCESSES Organisations who are leaders in training have the following characteristics: Senior management understanding of and support for the role training plays in the overall business context. A vision, mission and key performance indicators. A formal link between training and the business planning process (priorities, funding and responsibility). A training specialist employed to integrate organisational training requirements with the services provided by the external training industry. Defined competency standards and assessment system. A workforce management strategy which addresses how to bridge the competency gap. Use a modular approach to meet specific training needs (eg National Training Framework). Use flexible delivery methods and measure learning outcomes at the end of the training. Appraise application of competencies on-the-job (performance appraisal system). Evaluate the benefit training provides to both the individual and to the organisation. CASE STUDIES The following are case studies of the application of best practice in training processes and have been selected from a range of suitable case studies. CASE STUDY 1 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia has introduced a Performance Management Program for all Departmental employees as a part of its overall framework for organisational change. The Performance Management Program aims for continuous corporate performance improvement through the following process: The individuals Performance Management Program is directly linked to the Departments broad strategic goals, the Groups (Division) objectives and the District/Branchs action plans. Performance is assessed at each level on delivery of outcomes. Within the Performance Management Plans, responsibility for delivery of outcomes and for determining and acquiring work skills is clearly defined and documented Line managers are required to: help staff to identify the skill and knowledge required to do their job effectively support staff to establish and meet their individual/team development plan Individuals are responsible for: identifying the skills, knowledge and support they need to do their job effectively work out an individual/team development plan that is linked to performance review the plan regularly. Assessment of training outcomes is based on delivery of required job outcomes. Funding for training is program based. CASE STUDY 2 NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE (DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT), VICTORIA COMPETENCY SURVEY AND DETERMINATION OF TRAINING PRIORITIES FOR ROUTINE TRAINING The National Parks Service (Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria) has developed a framework to deal with the routine training of all staff. In the absence of a set of relevant National competency standards, a comprehensive set of in-house competency standards have been developed covering all aspects of work within the Service. The standards were developed from existing Departmental procedural documents which prescribed the standard of most work within the service. They also related to existing relevant National competency standards such as those from the Tourism and Hospitality industry, the Public Administration sector and the Fire industry. The competency standards were aligned with the Departments Performance and Remuneration Management (PaRM) system and with the Australian Standards Framework. Where possible, the standard referred to an existing NPS or NR+E procedure or guideline. All staff were surveyed against the standards selecting those that applied to their job and career aspirations and then, in conjunction with colleagues and supervisor, compared their current performance with that required by the standards. The end result of the process was an individual training plan listing a range of developmental activities the person was required to take responsibility for plus a list of training needs requiring external facilitation (ie courses). The results of the survey were entered on a spreadsheet and, in consultation with management, priorities for training determined for each park, local areas and the State. CASE STUDY 3 AUSTRALIAN FIRE AUTHORITIES COUNCIL NATIONAL FIREFIGHTING COMPETENCY STANDARDS AND TRAINING COURSES The developments of the Australian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) have, since 1992, been at the forefront of training developments resulting from the National Training Reform Agenda. AFAC has developed a comprehensive set of generic competency standards which apply to all work conducted within the fire agencies of Australia, including metropolitan, rural volunteer and land management agencies such as the member agencies of ANZECC. The competency standards are arranged in six levels ranging from recruit level to executive level and align with levels 2 to 7 of the Australian Standards Framework. Individual agencies determine the selection of competency standards which apply to their personnel, recognising that the needs of individuals within each organisation vary according to their geographic location and job requirements. Aligned with five levels of the competency standards are five Nationally accredited courses ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma levels. The courses can be delivered in their entirety or by individual modules, of which there are over 200. Training can only be delivered by registered providers and each fire agency either gained registration, formed a partnership with a TAFE college or arranged to contract in an appropriate provider. Instructors must have completed an instructor module or equivalent and have met the requirements of the relevant module. Recognising that the outcomes of training, rather than the input, are most important, a comprehensive National assessor program was established to ensure that assessment practices both within and across agencies were comparable. The assessment process includes Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL where a person who can demonstrate current expertise in the content of a module may be granted credit for that module. One of the most significant parts of the program is the development of distance learning packages for a range of modules. These packages mean that the training can be delivered in the workplace without added costs for travel, accommodation and time lost from work. The courses were developed with a substantial consultation process and are regularly reviewed for relevance. The development of the competency standards, accredited courses and the distance packages bring significant benefits to the fire industry. Firefighters from a range of agencies are now closer to using similar language and techniques and their qualifications are portable across agencies. The material is flexible in design and is intended to be used on a needs basis by individual fire agencies. CASE STUDY 4 DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE, TASMANIA PARK RANGER CBT PILOT PROJECT The Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage in Tasmania has been involved in the development of a competency-based course of training for park rangers. The project was conducted by the Department of Industrial Relations and Train Best Practice in Staff Training Processes Best Practice in Staff Training Processes 1. INTRODUCTION People performance is a critical enabling factor that influences the potential of an organisation to achieve its objectives. Successful organisations ensure that they maintain an environment which enables the full potential of their people to be realised. They also ensure that they align their staff management objectives with the organisations objectives. Training is an important activity undertaken to ensure employees at all levels have the necessary skills to carry out their roles effectively and to ensure the achievement of the organisations objectives. Of fundamental importance is the identification of the value that training adds to the performance of the organisation. Specifically this relates to how the organisation decides what training is needed by its staff, how the training is carried out, how the organisation evaluates the effectiveness of its education and training activities and what processes are put in place to improve the delivery and effectiveness of education and training programs. The management of the organisation want to know: what training is required how training should be delivered. how the training improves the performance of the organisation Staff expect: targeted and job related training (for now and the future) to equip them to meet the expectations of the organisation defined outcomes as a result of training quality assurance of training materials and delivery techniques value for time spent in training At the time of the writing of this paper, few organisations in the parks industry: had a quantifiable means of measuring organisational performance outcomes had measured the current competence of employees had agreed arrangements in place to meet all their staff training needs. had a formal strategy for addressing staff training so that maximum cost benefits are attained from training had a quantifiable means of assessing the on-ground outcomes of staff training are innovative with regard to methods of making training delivery more efficient use training systems and expertise available in the wider training industry had accurate costings relating to training (salary, training delivery etc) Over the past 5 years there have been dramatic changes in the training arena. Many companies who once conducted their own training now recognise that training is not their core business and utilize the services of the fast developing training industry. This move is in keeping with the Federal Government Training Reform Agenda, aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Australian industry on the international market. The main outcomes from this agenda have been the development of National competency standards and associated training curriculum for a number of industry groups. Best practice in training staff for park management is required because both Federal and State Governments now require park management agencies to: focus on their core business identify key performance indicators and associated priority outcomes be accountable for the delivery of priority outcomes and direct expenditure accordingly apply sound business planning principles to program planning and budgeting evaluate alternative means of service delivery (such as outsourcing) enhance the sustainable management of the natural and cultural resources of parks provide a high standard of customer service and facilities continually improve performance (both financial performance and service delivery) have competent and effective staff. Park customers require parks agencies to: manage the natural and cultural resources of the park using the best possible techniques provide excellent customer service provide a range of recreational opportunities manage financial resources effectively and efficiently have competent and efficient staff This paper will discuss and explore: Best practice in staff training processes for park agencies The use of benchmarking as a tool in establishing best practice. Relevant terms are defined as: Staff training: the process of developing the skills of employees Competence:the ability to deliver a service to a prescribed minimum standard 2. DETERMINING BEST PRACTICE IN STAFF TRAINING PROCESSES 2.1 Methodology In 1995, ANZECC commenced the National Benchmarking and Best Practice Programs aimed at five key areas. The (then) Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria took the lead responsibility for determining the best practice framework for staff training. The objective of the project was to determine current best practice in training processes to assist agenices to develop training programs to meet their needs. The project scope covered: an examination of guidelines and procedures to guide workplace performance an examination of standards of performance (competency standards) training and development programs strategic framework for program development industrial context (relationship of training to pay/promotion etc) identification of learning outcomes, assessment criteria and delivery standards delivery arrangements (in-house or external) assessment practices relationship to formal training structures (State or National) monitoring of training outcomes (improved performance, cost-benefit analysis etc. The project was to result in a report which could be used by member agencies of ANZECC to introduce best practice training processes and to facilitate the development of quality standards (and common competencies) for training of staff involved in the management of National Parks and Protected areas. The report was also to contribute to the development of national training standards through NCRMIRG. The methodology used was to: Conduct initial research into training processes to produce an appropriate survey instrument. Communicate with, visit with or arrange joint meetings with member agencies of ANZECC to: apply the survey observe training initiatives and process Communicate with or visit external organisations with a record of innovation in delivering training programs Prepare a best practice report in consultation with participating agencies There were several project limitations. The project brief did not include a comparison of the content of training programs(as this has already been done by the Natural and Cultural Resources Management Industry Reference Group in its Curriculum Review) but rather required the examination of staff training processes from a strategic viewpoint. The project leaders time was limited to approximately one week and the report was limited to key points. Figure 1 Location of interviews Location Organisation Adelaide South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources Sydney New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service Melbourne Tasmanian Department of Environment and Land Management, Victorian Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (name at the time of interview), Australian Fire Authorities Council Phone survey Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, ACT Department of Urban Services Parks and Conservation. 2.2 Best Practice in Staff Training Processes Initial research was conducted into findings of previous benchmarking projects on staff training and into current concepts of best practice in staff training. It revealed that most organisations measure and assess training inputs rather than training outputs (or how the training was conducted rather than the benefit gained through training). No park agencies and very few other organisations maintain thorough accounting records of staff training and are able to conduct a comprehensive cost benefit analysis of training effectiveness (although some agencies have conducted a cost-benefit analysis of individual courses. Cost benefit analysis is undertaken in the tertiary education sector but the process used is not valid for measuring staff training in organisations for whom training is not core business. 3.1.1 Organisations vision, mission and key performance indicators. The organisations vision, mission and key performance indicators are determined and programs to meet these objectives are planned. The period over which these apply varies with individual organisations. A common factor is that they are reviewed annually as a part of the business/budget planning process. As the performance of staff is a major influence on organisational performance, it is important that the training process is closely linked with the business planning process. 3.1.2 Identification of required competencies for program delivery The organisations key performance indicators (or critical success factors) set a standard against which the performance of the organisation is measured. Programs to meet these standards are developed. The organisation must have access to specific competencies to effectively deliver the required programs and these are determined. Routine competencies required by individual staff are included. Looking ahead to the long term achievement of the organisations vision and mission, competencies required to deliver anticipated work programs in the future are also identified 3.1.3 Identification of current competence of workforce Having determined the competencies required to meet its objectives, the organisation then determines the competencies that exist within its workforce. These are obtained through two means through an analysis of the current performance of staff (annual performance review) and through the identification of the current skill levels staff. Current performance of staff Most organisations now have a performance review process through which the current performance of staff is assessed. Individual staff and workgroups are now required to deliver defined outcomes. Achievement of satisfactory outcomes usually (but not always) indicates a satisfactory level of competence in the task. The non-achievement of outcomes may be attributed to a number of factors. Lack of competence is one factor (amongst others) which may have caused poor performance. A usual part of the performance review process is the identification (by the staff member or their supervisor) of competencies yet to be attained and a plan for their attainment. Assessment of current competence. For the organisation to effectively manage the deployment of their human resources, it is necessary to assess the current competencies held by staff. Stored on a data base, this information is then readily available for use when assigning tasks. The best means of maintaining this data base is to utilize the type of system recommended through the National Training Reform Agenda, where competencies are defined, staff assessed against these and the information is recorded on a data base Assessment of current competence is only effective if the defined competencies have a standard of performance against which the capabilities of the staff can be assessed. This type of assessment is criterion based where the subjectivity of the assessment process is reduced. The process must be well managed and the data base kept current. The maintenance and use of such a data base has two purposes. If the current competence of staff is ascertained prior to delivery of programs, the likelihood of poor performance in program delivery, as a result of lack of competence, is reduced. In addition, the assigning of staff to tasks for which they are not competent may have legal ramifications (for example, Occupational Health and Safety breaches) at a later stage. 3.1.4 Identification of competency gap. Once the competencies held by the workforce are determined, they are measured against those required by the organisation. A gap is identified between the required competencies of the organisation and the existing competencies of its workforce. Traditionally this was considered to be the organisations training needs. Nowadays a wider range of options for closing this gap are considered. 3.1.5 Plan for bridging competency gap The organisation identifies the means by which it intends to obtain the competencies identified by the gap between the required organisational competencies and those held in the existing workforce. This is usually called a workforce management plan. Options for obtaining the required competencies include outsourcing, job redesign or redistribution, recruitment or the training and development of existing staff. Factors influencing the selection of the appropriate option are the cost-benefit analysis, current management constraints and the current Government direction with regard to workforce management. The organisation also needs to look beyond the current budget/business planning cycle to the long term achievement of its vision and mission. It needs to plan to have the necessary competencies (either within or outside the current workforce) for the delivery of future programs (succession planning). This information is invaluable to staff when making personal development/career choices 3.1.6 Organisations training needs The organisations training needs are derived from the above process. They are the required competencies of the organisation, not held by the current staff, for which the training of current staff has been determined as the best means of obtaining them. Training needs are identified and priorities determined as a part of the organisations normal business planning process and as such are reviewed annually. 3.2 STRATEGY FOR RESOURCING THE TRAINING For the organisations training needs to be met efficiently and effectively, there needs to be a clear strategy which addresses the allocation of resources to provide the training. This strategy indicates the level of commitment of the organisation to meet its training needs. Without this statement and a commitment from senior management, the issue of resourcing often arises to become the major impediment to the organisation satisfactorily meeting its training needs. Training resources can be categorised into financial resources, physical resources and human resources. 3.2.1 Financing the training Determining who pays for the training development and delivery is important and clarification of this issue up-front will reduce the incidence of later issues arising. When preparing business plans/budgets, the responsibility for the delivery of the organisations programs is allocated to a particular part of the organisation. This part of the organisation should also ensure that the required training for the delivery of the organisations program is determined and funding for training allocated appropriately. The continuing debate within a number of the ANZECC agencies relating to corporate versus technical training can be resolved by the application of this model. Where the training need is one identified by an individual or their supervisor, and it relates to a routine part of the persons job, then the funding for training should be built into the budget for that job. Where the training need is identified by management and is one which is aimed to impart a change across the organisation, such as the need to train people following the introduction of new technology or a cultural change, then the funding for training should be built into the budget for introducing the change. Budget issues can arise when corporate change training programs are imposed without making the appropriate funding arrangements. 3.2.2 Physical resources Physical resources required for training include the training materials (curriculum, lesson plans, videos, self paced packages etc) and the physical environment for the delivery of formal training. It must be recognised that training is not the core business of most organisations and substantial investment in the development of training materials and training facilities is not considered a wise investment. Fortunately, in recent years, training has become an established growth industry of its own. In most situations it is now not necessary for the organisation to invest in the development of training material or training facilities as there is a wide range of resources available through organisations for whom training IS core business. These include other like organisations, TAFE colleges, universities, local schools, local community training organisations and the increasing number of registered and non-registered private training providers and consultants. The best way of obtaining the necessary physical resources (materials, facilities etc) for training is to obtain them on a needs basis. By integrating the organisations training requirements with those of the wider training community, training becomes more efficient and duplication of effort is reduced. 3.2.3 Human resources Best practice organisations have a culture of continuous learning and are clear about the level of staff involvement expected in the training process. Rather than being the responsibility of a designated training department, training is everybodys responsibility. A primary motivator for individuals to accept this responsibility is need. Through the competency assessment, the individual has identified a need for training in the routine aspects of their work and is more likely to accept the responsibility for organising or participating in training to meet that need. For corporate change training, the individuals need has not been identified and it should be remembered that that person is therefore less likely to be motivated to organise or participate in the required training. In this case it is unrealistic to expect staff to drive their own involvement. Best practice organisations establish a culture where the individual is responsible to a large extent for identifying their own training needs and organising/enrolling in the appropriate training. Such a culture requires the support of a relevant system. The embodiment of learning organisation culture does not negate the need for training roles and responsibilities to be clearly defined. For the organisations training needs to be accurately identified and the training resources available in the wider training industry to be effectively integrated, an appropriate training specialist or specialist team is required to manage training. The training specialist/team will be able to provide staff with adequate systems and information for them to be able to: integrate training with the organisations business planning/budget development process identify their own training needs and those of their staff access a range of relevant training options develop individual training plans based on identified training needs and career aspirations. 3.3 DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF THE TRAINING Best practice for the development and delivery of training has been well documented. The model below has widespread use throughout the training industry and is used by the National Training Reform Agenda. 3.3.1 Training needs The identification of training needs was identified in Section 3.1. Training needs are identified in terms that are behavioural (measurable or quantifiable). Cultural change objectives are also quantified so that their achievement can be measured. 3.3.2 Modular training framework For each identified competency there is a training module which will train staff in the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to meet the standard prescribed for that competency. A module specification (the written specification of training outcomes, assessment methods and delivery modes) exists for each module to ensure that it is delivered to a prescribed minimum standard. Module specifications are regularly reviewed to ensure that they match the training requirements of the relevant competency standard. The training is accredited, where possible, by a State or National training authority. Accreditation provides quality assurance for content, delivery and assessment. The employee gains formal recognition and other benefits for the training completed. Training delivery is through appropriate providers. If the training delivery is to be contracted out then the training specification is included as a contract specification. Providers are regularly evaluated for effectiveness and cost efficiency of delivery. 3.3.3 Flexible delivery arrangements The training is located as close to the workplace in order to reduce the amount of time spent in travel and off the job. It is delivered in conditions as close as possible to the normal work situation to ensure relevance of the training to the job. The more flexible modes of delivery, such as distance learning packages (self paced), open learning schemes and computer based training packages are used. The different learning styles and speeds of individuals are catered for. The relevance of the content and delivery standards are monitored against the module specification. Delivery is by instructors who are trained as trainers and are also experienced in the subject matter. 3.3.4 Assessment of learning outcomes Assessment of the individuals achievement of the learning outcomes (as prescribed in the specification) is conducted during and following the learning process. Assessment is criterion based and is applied only by those who are competent in its use and who are authorised by the organisation to conduct assessments. 3.4 APPLICATION AND EVALUATION OF TRAINING The trainee is given the opportunity to practice using the new skills on the job under supervision by the supervisor or an appropriate mentor. The complexity of the work situation where the new skills are to be applied is managed so that the application progresses from the simple to the complex. Problems in the application of the new competencies are addressed at an early stage. A final assessment of the application of the new competencies occurs during the performance review phase of program delivery where the delivery of the required job outcomes, to the required standard, is assessed. Where work does not meet the agreed standards, the reason for this shortfall is sought. If lack of competence is the reason, the extent of training required to become competent is determined and the person either referred to further practice under the guidance of a supervisor or mentor or the workforce management planning process revisited. 5. CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISATIONS WHO PRACTICE BEST PRACTICE IN TRAINING PROCESSES Organisations who are leaders in training have the following characteristics: Senior management understanding of and support for the role training plays in the overall business context. A vision, mission and key performance indicators. A formal link between training and the business planning process (priorities, funding and responsibility). A training specialist employed to integrate organisational training requirements with the services provided by the external training industry. Defined competency standards and assessment system. A workforce management strategy which addresses how to bridge the competency gap. Use a modular approach to meet specific training needs (eg National Training Framework). Use flexible delivery methods and measure learning outcomes at the end of the training. Appraise application of competencies on-the-job (performance appraisal system). Evaluate the benefit training provides to both the individual and to the organisation. CASE STUDIES The following are case studies of the application of best practice in training processes and have been selected from a range of suitable case studies. CASE STUDY 1 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia has introduced a Performance Management Program for all Departmental employees as a part of its overall framework for organisational change. The Performance Management Program aims for continuous corporate performance improvement through the following process: The individuals Performance Management Program is directly linked to the Departments broad strategic goals, the Groups (Division) objectives and the District/Branchs action plans. Performance is assessed at each level on delivery of outcomes. Within the Performance Management Plans, responsibility for delivery of outcomes and for determining and acquiring work skills is clearly defined and documented Line managers are required to: help staff to identify the skill and knowledge required to do their job effectively support staff to establish and meet their individual/team development plan Individuals are responsible for: identifying the skills, knowledge and support they need to do their job effectively work out an individual/team development plan that is linked to performance review the plan regularly. Assessment of training outcomes is based on delivery of required job outcomes. Funding for training is program based. CASE STUDY 2 NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE (DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT), VICTORIA COMPETENCY SURVEY AND DETERMINATION OF TRAINING PRIORITIES FOR ROUTINE TRAINING The National Parks Service (Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria) has developed a framework to deal with the routine training of all staff. In the absence of a set of relevant National competency standards, a comprehensive set of in-house competency standards have been developed covering all aspects of work within the Service. The standards were developed from existing Departmental procedural documents which prescribed the standard of most work within the service. They also related to existing relevant National competency standards such as those from the Tourism and Hospitality industry, the Public Administration sector and the Fire industry. The competency standards were aligned with the Departments Performance and Remuneration Management (PaRM) system and with the Australian Standards Framework. Where possible, the standard referred to an existing NPS or NR+E procedure or guideline. All staff were surveyed against the standards selecting those that applied to their job and career aspirations and then, in conjunction with colleagues and supervisor, compared their current performance with that required by the standards. The end result of the process was an individual training plan listing a range of developmental activities the person was required to take responsibility for plus a list of training needs requiring external facilitation (ie courses). The results of the survey were entered on a spreadsheet and, in consultation with management, priorities for training determined for each park, local areas and the State. CASE STUDY 3 AUSTRALIAN FIRE AUTHORITIES COUNCIL NATIONAL FIREFIGHTING COMPETENCY STANDARDS AND TRAINING COURSES The developments of the Australian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) have, since 1992, been at the forefront of training developments resulting from the National Training Reform Agenda. AFAC has developed a comprehensive set of generic competency standards which apply to all work conducted within the fire agencies of Australia, including metropolitan, rural volunteer and land management agencies such as the member agencies of ANZECC. The competency standards are arranged in six levels ranging from recruit level to executive level and align with levels 2 to 7 of the Australian Standards Framework. Individual agencies determine the selection of competency standards which apply to their personnel, recognising that the needs of individuals within each organisation vary according to their geographic location and job requirements. Aligned with five levels of the competency standards are five Nationally accredited courses ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma levels. The courses can be delivered in their entirety or by individual modules, of which there are over 200. Training can only be delivered by registered providers and each fire agency either gained registration, formed a partnership with a TAFE college or arranged to contract in an appropriate provider. Instructors must have completed an instructor module or equivalent and have met the requirements of the relevant module. Recognising that the outcomes of training, rather than the input, are most important, a comprehensive National assessor program was established to ensure that assessment practices both within and across agencies were comparable. The assessment process includes Recognition of Prior Learning or RPL where a person who can demonstrate current expertise in the content of a module may be granted credit for that module. One of the most significant parts of the program is the development of distance learning packages for a range of modules. These packages mean that the training can be delivered in the workplace without added costs for travel, accommodation and time lost from work. The courses were developed with a substantial consultation process and are regularly reviewed for relevance. The development of the competency standards, accredited courses and the distance packages bring significant benefits to the fire industry. Firefighters from a range of agencies are now closer to using similar language and techniques and their qualifications are portable across agencies. The material is flexible in design and is intended to be used on a needs basis by individual fire agencies. CASE STUDY 4 DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE, TASMANIA PARK RANGER CBT PILOT PROJECT The Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage in Tasmania has been involved in the development of a competency-based course of training for park rangers. The project was conducted by the Department of Industrial Relations and Train