Physico-Chemical Analysis of Sugar Industry Effluents

Physico-Chemical Analysis of Sugar Industry Effluents Physico-Chemical Analysis of Sugar Industry Effluents of Gayathri Sugar Factory Nizamabad district, Telangana state Bondugula Vanitha, Dr. Nirmala Babu Rao, ABSTRACT Present work is based on the physico – chemical analysis of effluents released from gayathri Sugar Factory. Sugar mills place a major rolling polluting the water bodies by discharging a large amount of waste water as effluent. The sugar mill effluent are having high amount of Suspended solids, dissolve solids, BOD, COD, Chlorides, Sulphates, Nitrates, Calcium and Magnesium. The Continuous use of the Effluents harmfully affects the crops when used for Irrigation. It was found that the sugar industries consume large amount of water and released almost equal amount effluent containing highly toxic material in solid and dissolve form. Sugar Factory effluents was more worst like Average values of lower PH (6.2), high temperature (42Ã ¢-Â ¦c), chloride (862mg/ lit), total hardness (571mg/lit), calcium (362 mg/Lit), Magnesium (211 mg/Lit), total solids (2452 mg /Lit), Total Dissolved solids (1915 mg/Lit), Total Suspended Solids (542 mg/Lit), Nitrate (0.8 Mg/Lit), Phosphate (9.8mg/L it), Sulphate (49.3 mg/Lit) and Oil Grees (87.8 mg/Lit). And finally this water is Unsafe for domestic and agriculture purposes. Therefore it should be recycled and utilized for Industrial purpose only. Key words: Gayathri Sugar Factory, Sugar Factory Effluents, Physico Chemical Analysis INTRODUCTION: Sugar mills play a major role in polluting the water, land and air. Commonly the pollutants are through effluents and hazardous chemicals in the form of air (1). Sugar industry plays an important role in the economic development, but the effluents released will produce a high organic pollution in both aquatic and terrestrial and air ecosystems (2). Metals and non-metallic elements can be useful for the agricultural seed germination and growth, but in high concentration they show a very adverse effect (3). Effluents also affect characteristics like flora and fauna of receiving aquatic bodies, effluent discharged in the environment poses a serious health hazard to the rural and semi-urban populations that use stream and river water for agriculture and domestic purposes. Damage to paddy crops due to sugar industry waste-waters entering agricultural land have been reported (4). It had been reported that the lower concentration of sugar factory effluent increases the seedling growth (56). As sugar factory effluent not treated properly, it will have an unpleasant odor when it is released into environment (7). Farmers using effluents water for irrigation to reduce water demand have found that plant growth and crop yield were reduced and soil contaminated(8). This is also causing deaths of domicile animals of such polluted water have been reported increasingly (9). MATERIALS METHODS: The effluents from Gayathri sugar factory was collected during the beginning of rainy season (2013 July -2014 June) in the glass bottles from the discharge channel and properly sealed. It was preserved by adding chemicals to analyze in the laboratory, for the assessment of various physico-chemical characteristics a standardized protocol of APHA (10) was used. RESULTS DISSCUSSION Color As per the present study, the color of untreated effluent was dark brownish. The photosynthesis activity is found to be reduced due to dark coloration also affecting other parameters like temperature DO and BOD etc. Temperature Temperature plays an important role in certain chemical and biological reactions taking place in water which affects organism’s metabolic activity. It depends upon season, time sampling etc. The effluent which had been released from the industry has generally high temperature and it affects land. The temperature of untreated effluent was recorded 43Â °C. The temperature of the discharge should not exceed 35Â °C. The high tem i.e. 43Â °C of the untreated effluent has adversely affected the process. pH In the present study, pH values of treated and untreated are 5.8 and 6.2 respectively. According BIS standards pH of the effluents should be in the range of 6.5 to 8.0. These low pH values of both treated and untreated samples are due to usage of phosphoric acid and Sulfur dioxide during the process of cleaning of sugar cane juice. If such water is used for irrigation for a longer period the soil becomes acidic resulting in poor crops growth and yield. Dissolved Oxygen The analysis of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is one of the very important factors in water pollution and waste water control. Aquatic ecosystem totally depends on DO only. It effects the metabolic activities of microorganism were very well documented. According to the BIS standards, the DO of effluent should be within the range 4 to 6 mg/lit. In the present study, DO of the untreated effluent sample was recorded 1.16 and 2.23g/lit respectively which is sufficiently low than the BIS Indian standard values. BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is defined as amount of oxygen required by microorganism while stabilizing biological decomposable organic matter in water under aerobic conditions. The BO is a very slow process in oxidation; organic pollutants are oxidized by microorganisms into carbon dioxide, water using dissolved Oxygen. In the present study, the BOD of the untreated effluent was 86mg/lit. According to BIS Indian standard the BOD should not exceed the 50 mg/l. COD The chemical Oxygen demand test describes the amount of oxygen required for chemical oxidation of organic matter with the help of strong chemical oxidant. The COD is a test which is used to measure the amount or quantity of pollution which has been released by domestic and industrial waste. COD is useful to determine the exact toxic condition and presence of biological matters. In the present study, the COD of the untreated effluents was 460 mg/l. In untreated effluent it is appreciably high compared to BIS standard (250 mg/L). This indicates a high amount of organic pollutants in the sample. TDS The total dissolved solids concentration in the effluent represent the colloidal form and dissolved specters. The rate of collision aggregated process is also influenced by pH of this effluent. In the rainy season less concentration of total dissolved solids are obtained due to dilution of waste effluent with rain water. In the present study, the total solids in untreated effluent were 1958 mg/lit. The samples in TDS values are much higher compared to BIS Indian Standards (500 mg/L). TSS Suspended solids are the cause of suspended particle inside the water body influencing turbidity. According the present study, the suspended solids of untreated effluent were542mg/l Chlorides The presence of chloride in natural water is attributed to dissolution of salt deposit, discharge of effluents from chemical industries oil well operations. In the present study chlorides of untreated was 862 mg/l. Sulphate Sulphate can also be produced an oxidizing action as in the oxidation action. Sulphur itself has never been limiting factor in aquatic system. In the present study, sulphate in untreated effluent was 493 mg/l according BIS Indian standard, the sulphate should not exceed 100 mg/l. Oil and grease In the present study, oil and grease present in un-treated effluent showed 87.8mg/l oil and grease values are higher than BIS standards. Table: 1 Seasonal variation in the Physico- Chemical parameters of the un-treated sugar factory effluents (during period of 2013 July -2014 June) Table: 2 The Physico-chemical parameters of untreated sugar mill effluent CONCLUSION The Gayathri sugar industry situated at Nizamabad district, Telangana State is one of the good factories. It has own distillery unit in its own premises for waste which is generated from the sugar factory. The sugar industry needs modification in effluent treatment. Thus the sugar industry effluent which is untreated exhibits high COD, BOD, and TDS content. And low content of DO which is toxic to plants and animals, so it is not permissible for irrigation. The sugar industry effluent is highly polluted and they do not satisfy the BIS Indian standard values

South Park as Parody of Society

South Park began airing in 1997. The commercials that preceded it gave the impression of it beinganother stupid cartoon; however, when I began watching, I realized important issues were being covered through the repeated behaviors and actions of its characters, through the influences these actions could have on the viewers, through the reinforcement and rejections of certain stereotypes, through the long-term effects that could result from watching the program, and through its reflection of social reality. Some of the repeated behaviors and actions of the characters include one of the children (Kenny) dying during each episode (followed by Stan yelling, â€Å"Oh, my God! They've killed Kenny† (South Park); the children ragging the overweight kid; the African-American chef obsessing about sex; and the geneticist performing insane experiments in his spooky laboratory. Kenny has been shot, run over by a train, impaled on a flag pole, beheaded, crushed by Mir, and taken by Death himself–to name a few. Cartman, the overweight kid, has been called â€Å"fat ass,† â€Å"lard ass,† and â€Å"the fat kid† (South Park). There are numerous references to his weight throughout each episode; he eats continuously, thanks to his Mother's cooking and offering cookies, chocolate-chicken pot pies, and Cheesy Poofs. Each time Chef (voice of Isaac Hayes) offers to explain important issues to the kids, he breaks into a song about making â€Å"sweet love† to a woman. This leaves the children wondering just what the heck he is trying to say. There are references to his having sex with every available (and even unavailable) female in the town. There is a take-off of The Island of Dr. Moreau with a geneticist–mimicking Marlon Brando–conducting bizarre experiments: creating monkeys with four asses; creating mutant, militant turkeys; and bringing flesh-eating zombies to life. There are both negative and positive influences these repeated behaviors and actions could have on an audience. One negative effect could be the numbing of the viewer to children's deaths: it is such a common occurrence on the show until it is expected. Another effect could be the instilling of negative feelings toward the overweight; the audience could be learning that it is acceptable to verbally attack a person with a weight problem. Also, in a time of AIDS, promotion of sexual promiscuity is a dangerous thing: never have the writers mentioned the use of condoms by Chef during his encounters. Finally, because of the recent advances in genetic research and its awakening of new fears in the public, South Park's parody of the geneticist could further play on people's fears. Despite the potentially negative influences of these behaviors and actions, there could be a positive influence existing in the form of catharsis. American society has suffered from the rules of political correctness, the fear of AIDS, and the fear of knowledge (the fear of going too far into God's domain–thanks to our Puritanical background). Maybe South Park gives us release from repression by allowing us to laugh at the things we fear the most: death, ridicule of our differences by our peers, the contracting of deadly diseases, and advancements in science. (I am sure that most of us need release from the built-up tensions of daily life; South Park has given us this release. Despite South Park's cathartic influence, it reinforces several negative stereotypes: the promiscuous African-American male, the self-serving public official, and the gun-happy redneck. As I wrote above, Chef has little control over his libido; this is an extremely negative stereotype of the African-American male. If Chef were Caucasian (let us say an Irish-English-German-Swedish-Scottish-etc-American), the stereotype could be avoided entirely. The mayor's decisions are based solely on her looking good in the public eye. For example, when a volcano erupts, she uses fake concern for the children on the mountain to look like a caring person on Entertainment Tonight; she calls for continuous re-takes even though ET is broadcasting live. Uncle JimBo and Ned are the gun-toting Bubba types; when they take the kids on a camping trip, they get drunk and shoot at will. JimBo's philosophies are, â€Å"hunting without drinking is like fishing,† and â€Å"thanks to those damned Democrats, we can only shoot certain animals that impose a threat; therefore, when you see an animal, you have to yell, ‘it's comin' right for us'; then you shoot† (South Park). At least one episode attempted to reject a negative stereotype: homosexuality is a bad thing. Stan's dog, Sparky, turns out to be gay. Throughout the episode we hear the evils of homosexuality preached by the town's people; Sparky runs away. Stan realizes that his love for his dog is more important than society's negative views. Stan is counted on to win the big football game. He does not show up because he is searching for his dog (YES! What a message: football does not fit highly in the great scheme of things. He finds Sparky at Big Gay Al's â€Å"Big Gay Animal Sanctuary† and brings him home. Stan shares his newfound understanding with the citizens, and they accept his view. All the gay pets return from Al's to be with their owners. The owners apologize for being so narrow minded. This episode's message is quite profound. The gay episode is one episode which may be obvious in its message and is quite easy to grasp; however, the long-term effects from watching this program c ould go in two directions. First, there is the possibility that children (and adults) watching this show would imitate the bad language and sometimes antisocial behaviors of the characters without realizing the important subtexts of the episodes. For example, Kyle is labeled a â€Å"fecal-phile† in the Christmas episode. He has a friend he calls Mr. Hankey. Mr. Hankey comes out of the toilet to bring Christmas cheer to all the little Jewish boys. Unfortunately, Mr. Hankey is a piece of feces, and as he dances around, he leaves marks on the walls, floor, and sink; he, also, writes â€Å"NOEL† on the bathroom mirror. Of course, Kyle's parents blame Kyle–they do not believe in Mr. Hankey. Kyle is institutionalized for â€Å"fecal-philia. † Here, the problem could be kids thinking that it is cool to be in love with your own feces and cool to share it with others. They could miss the message found in the subtext: the fact that political correctness has gotten out of hand. This episode allows the inhabitants of South Park to express their dislikes over every aspect of Christmas–mainly, that each person's rights are being infringed upon by someone else's beliefs. The political correctness is what drives Kyle to his belief in Mr. Hankey, not the fun of playing in his own filth. Second, the audience could grasp the subtexts in these episodes and come to terms with their own morals and belief systems. There is a line spoken by Lex Luthor in Superman that makes good sense: â€Å"A man can read War and Peace and come away believing it is a simple adventure story; another man can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe† (Superman). The fact is that South Park is out there; it is ultimately our responsibility to make of it what we will. It may be our responsibility to do with South Park what we will; however, this program reflects what already exists: â€Å"a society full of prejudices and fears which are embedded within its communities and how these human short-comings are passed on to children†( Hatley). Fortunately, in most of the episodes these negative actions and beliefs are dealt with in a manner that seeks to alleviate them. Unfortunately, this manner of lleviation is found in the subtext, and most people are not willing to look that far; it requires too much effort. Frighteningly, the show is a parody of society itself. In film, parody is usually the death-knell of a particular genre. Years ago, I read that Ren and Stimpy (another cartoon) was proof of the decline of our civilization because of its attacks on societal norms. â€Å"Could South Park be further proof of this decline, or is it just a funny cartoon that allows us to laugh at ourselves while dealing with our fears? †( Pineda)

Air Blue

Business Policy & Strategy Projects Guidelines Assignment #1 This is the first project based assignment. The students are required to identify an organization on which they are supposed to complete all upcoming assignments and final report. The first assignment is focused on the Vision and Mission statements of the organization. The group is supposed to first analyze and then recommend the Vision and Mission statements based upon the characteristics discussed in text. Assignment #2 Report on Industry AnalysisThis assignment would encompass the following components: a. Introduction and History of the allocated industry. b. PEST Analysis and conclusion on industry attractiveness. c. Industry scanning using the Porter’s five force model and conclude on prevailing competition level. d. Make a list of opportunities and threats present in the industry emerging out of PEST Analysis and Porter’s Five Force Model in relation to allocated company. e. Make EFE Matrix of the compan y and interpret its result. f. Identify and make a list of CSF’s of the industry . Identify company’s major competitors and make CPM Assignment # 3 Report on Company Analysis On the allocated company from within the respective industry, each group is required to develop: a. Perform Strategic internal audit of the company of the following departments as per the guidelines given in the prescribed text book i. Marketing ii. Finance iii. R&D iv. Accounting v. MIS vi. HR b. Complete internal audit and make list of key Strengths and Weaknesses of the company. c. Make IFE Matrix of the company and interpret its result. . Make SWOT analysis of the company and interpret its overall findings. Assignment # 4 A-Long Term Objectives In light of vision and Mission statement and SWOT analysis develop:- i. Long Term Financial Strategic Objectives of the company ii. Long Term Non-Financial Strategic Objectives of the company a B-Strategic Analysis and Choice I. Inputs stage This stage involves development of EFE matrix, CPM and IFE Matrix that has already been covered in assignment 1 to 3. (Just include findings) II. Matching StageIn this stage it is required to develop at least three out of the five matrices discussed below: i. SWOT matrix so as to develop four strategic scenarios (SO, ST. WO. WT) ii. SPACE Matrix for determining the organization’s overall strategic position. iii. BCG (If required) so as to determine the relative contribution of different divisions in terms of market share and industry growth. iv. IE Matrix using IFE and EFE scores ( done previously) v. Grand Strategy Matrix for formulating alternative strategySet of feasible strategies emerging out of matching tools which company can consider for decision stage ? FINAL PROJECT REPORT &PRESENTATION B-Strategic Analysis and Choice III. Decision Stage i. Compare all strategies included in sets of feasible strategies using QSPM of the allocated company. ii. Use excel spreadsheet for developi ng QSPM in order to evaluate the best alternative strategies set. This would require using the results from the input and the matching stage. Identify most attractive StrategiesUsing QSPM scores identify the most attractive strategies set to be followed by the company under the prevailing circumstances. Strategy Implementation i. Arrange the most attractive strategies sets in order of their priority in implementation to achieve company’s strategic goals ii. Specify the action plan that you are going to work on for implementation purpose for each strategy. iii. In order to implement any strategy you need to develop its annual objectives, policies and focus on the resources and other management issues that you may require your attentionEvaluation and Control i. Specify the steps and measures to be taken for checking the effectiveness of the each strategy set after they are implemented. ii. Specify corrective actions to be taken in case of positive or negative variances for each strategy set. Conclusion i. Write a short note (1/2 Page) on how do you see the future of this company in next 5 years down the road specially with reference to your overall analysis and Strategy set that you have recommended. ii. Write down what Lessons you have learned from this project. Special Note:If required students can easily transfer these assignments and project into final MBA project by adding more articles, updated industry and company data, and surveys about the strategies being pursued by the company. You can round up your MBA project by making a complete strategic business plan of the company for the next 3 years in light of your recommended strategies Reports format and presentation instructions IMPORTANT NOTE : ALL REPORTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED ON DESIGNATED DAY AND TIME WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE INSTRUCTOR –THERE IS NO CONCEPT OF LATE SUBMISSIONStudents are advised to strictly follow these instructions while compiling their assignment or final project re ports, or making presentations (any deviation will result in deduction of marks): †¢Reports should be laser printed on A4 size (white) paper. †¢New Times Roman with font size 12 for the main body, Font size 14 bold for the sub heading, Font size16 bold for the main headings. Line spacing 1. 5 lines. Left justified †¢The title page of the report must contain: 1. Name and Logo of UCP 2. Title of the course and Section 3. Name of Industry 4. Company Name 5.Group members names and registration numbers 6. Name of the instructor 7. Date and Time of submission †¢Due references must be made where required in form of bibliography in APA style. ( Check the details of APA style of referencing on net) †¢Plagiarism would lead to negative marking or cancellation of the project. †¢Check spelling and grammar using MS Word spell check. †¢Presentation time would be 20 minutes followed by Q/A session in which each group member must participate. It should be on PPT sl ides. †¢Presentation should entail a brief summary of the industry and allocated assignments.

Case Study Hunter Douglas Group - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 18 Words: 5470 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Economics Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? This is a case study report to analyse how Hunter Douglas Group manages its human resource planning and how the activities involved in the human resource planning process contributes to the success, as well as to ensure future success, of this large multi-national organisation in line with its corporate vision, mission, core values, strategic planning and objectives. Human resource planning provides the means to accomplish the desired outcomes of the organisation and achieving objectives by ensuring that the organisation has the right number of quality people available to achieve objectives through strategy implementation. This is based on a close working relationship between the human resource practitioners and line managers in each company (business unit) of its decentralised organisational structure. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Case Study: Hunter Douglas Group" essay for you Create order The human resource practitioners serve as consultants to line managers concerning the people management implications of business objectives and strategies. Line managers, in turn, have the responsibility to respond to the business implication of human resource objectives and strategies. We also see that the environmental and contextual changes present a number of competitive challenges to this organization which requires its human resource management to be involved in helping to create and build new capabilities. The challenges include: Globalisation: the challenge is to move peoples ideas, products and information around the world to meet local needs. Technology: the challenge is to make technology a viable, productive part of the work setting Competition: in order to remain competitive and remain as a market leader, Hunter Douglas is aware of the importance of continuous training of its people. Economics: economic growth or lower interest rates cause the increase in spending and often increase in business opportunities. Changes in the labour market has an impact on the organisations ability to find and keep employees Workforce changes and ability to cope with change: these include resignations, terminations, leave of absences, death, change in employment status and retirement The success of a business is directly linked to the performance of those who work for that business and Hunter Douglas Group is fully aware of this as it believes in the power of learning and providing its employees growth opportunities to develop their skills. Hunter Douglas Group acknowledges that its employees commitment is the key ingredient to the Groups continued growth and success. Hunter Douglas Group prides on the diversity and strength of its corporate culture that empowers its employees to build and run the business like their own businesses. The Hunter Douglas Group acts like a federation of entrepreneurial companies who think globally but act locally. The character and creativity of its 21,000 employees in 169 countries worldwide have built the dynamic and entrepreneurial company that the Group is today. With numerous benefits encouraging wellness and a work-life balance, Hunter Douglas Group regards its employees as its most valuable resource which is the key to the Groups success. Background Corporate Mission and Core Values Corporate Mission: Hunter Douglas is the worlds market leader in manufacturing a wide range of innovative and quality architectural and window covering products. Hunter Douglas provides on-time delivery, reliable and friendly service at a competitive price. Its aim is to offer fulfillment to its staff and to secure a reasonable return to its shareholders. Core Values: Customer Oriented Putting customers first Providing reliable and friendly service. Achieving on-time delivery Innovation Seeking continuous improvement and new ideas to create value to our customers Striving for creative ways of doing our work better Teamwork Working together harmoniously to achieve common goals and objectives Integrity Honouring commitments to customers, staff and organisation Being sincere and truthful Communication Showing respect and understanding for each other Being frank, open and receptive Staff Well-Being Providing continuous training and development Recognising good performance Corporate Structure Board of Directors Hunter Douglas Group has a one-tier corporate structure. Under its Charter, the Board of Directors is responsible for the overall management and control of the Company. The Board is appointed by the shareholders at the annual General Meeting. The Board has four regular meetings per year and additional meetings as required. Board members may not be members of more than five boards of public companies. Independence The Board has six Members, of whom four are independent. It acts collectively by majority resolution. Functions The Board reviews the overall strategy, financial objectives, budgets, acquisi ­tions, divestments, capital expenditures, currency and aluminium hedging, port ­folio composition and returns, results and risks in the Companys business. Audit and Compensation Committees The Board has an Audit and a Compensation Committee, whose members are independent. The Audit Committee reviews the Companys accounts, internal controls and meets wit h the Companys external Auditors twice a year. The Compensation Committee reviews the Directors and Officers compensation and stock options. Chairman, President CEO Mr. Ralph Sonnenberg is Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer. Officers The Board annually appoints the Officers of the Company: the President, the Co-Presidents, four regionally responsible Vice Presidents, two Staff Vice Presidents and a Corporate Secretary. The Vice Presidents and Corporate Secretary report to the President. Financial Reporting In accordance with the applicable reporting principles, the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Group. The annual report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal opportunities and risks associated with the expected develop ­ment of the Group. Major Business Processes A business process is a collection of structured, related tasks or activities which produce a specific product or service which serves a particular goal for customers. The main types of business processes observed in this case study report are Management Processes, Operational Processes and Supporting Processes. Management processes: processes which govern the operation of a system in an organisation. Typical management processes include Corporate Governance and Strategic Management. Corporate Governance The Hunter Douglas Group is incorporated in The Netherlands Antilles and has its statutory seat in Curaà §ao. Hunter Douglas is therefore not subject to The Netherlands Corporate Governance Code. However, Hunter Douglas adheres to good Corporate Governance. The Group has the following key internal controls: Conflicts of Interest Policy The Conflicts of Interest Policy is applicable to all key employees covering relations with customers, suppliers and other third parties. Insider Trading Policy The Insider Trading Policy, as prescribed by the Authority Financial Markets (AFM), restricts trading in the Companys shares by Directors, Officers, key employees and related persons. Internal Audit Function Hunter Douglas principal Operating Companies have an Internal Audit Program. Authority Limits Every Manager, including the Regional Vice Presidents, has clearly defined Authority Limits. Whistleblower Policy Hunter Douglas has a Whistleblower Policy in ea ch and every Company within the Group. Compensation Compensation is reviewed by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Company also follows the best practices: Stock options Stock options are granted for five years with vesting starting after two years. Stock It is not the Companys Policy to provide stock at no cost. Loans Loans to Directors, Officers or other employees bear market interest. There is no forgiveness of principal or interest. Investor Relations Hunter Douglas has an Investor Relations Website, regularly issues press releases and holds analysts and investor meetings. Strategic Management Strategic management is a process through which organizations analyse and learn from their internal and external environments, establish strategic direction, create strategies which are intended to move the organisation in that direction and implement those strategies, all in an effort to satisfy stakeholders, as illustrated in the diagram below: External Analysis  (External Environment)  Strategic Controls          Direction Setting:  Generate, Allocate Build Develop Vision    Evaluate,   and   relationships   Control Mission   and Manage  Systems Values   Select, Resources Design   Strategies  Structures Measure and  Evaluate  performance Internal Analysis  (Internal Environment)                   Strategy Formulation Strategy Implementation and Evaluation Hunter Douglas Group has been successful over the long term because the Group has effectively acquired, develop and manage resources and capabilities that provide competitive advantage. The Group has, over the years, achieved strong brand recognition such as the HunterDouglas ® in North America and Asia as well as for Architectural Products worldwide. Luxaflex ® for residential window coverings in the rest of the world. The Hunter Douglas Group, with its 21,000 employees in 169 countries worldwide, takes advantage of its organisational strengths and environmental opportunities. It continues to neutralise or overcome organisational weaknesses and environmental threats by managing its business processes well and applies best practices. Operational processes: processes which constitute the organisations core business and create the primary value stream. Typical operational processes include Purchasin g, Manufacturing, Marketing, and Sales. As a highly decentralised organisation, each company in each region within the Hunter Douglas Group manages autonomous operations with minimum interference and maximum accountability, growing their businesses within the groups entrepreneurial environment following the corporate governance, vision, mission and values. Supporting processes: processes that support the organisations core processes. Examples in this category include Accounting, Recruitment, Technical support. Although highly decentralised, each company in each region within the Hunter Douglas Group has to follow an Internal Audit Program when it comes to financial and accounting matters. Recruitment and Human Resource matters are set in line with the business plan and strategies of each company in each region as well as in line with the directions and corporate governance, vision, mission and values of the Group. Business Strategy Porters Generic Strategies Target Scope    Advantage     Low Cost   Product Uniqueness      Broad   Cost Leadership Differentiation (Industry Wide)  Strategy  Strategy               Narrow   Focus Strategy Focus Strategy (Market Segment)  (Low Cost) (Differentiation)         Hunter Douglas Groups strategy is to grow the market and the Groups market share by continuing to introduce innovative and proprietary new products and by expanding its presence in key geographic markets. It was observed that Hunter Douglas Group has been successful in using the Differentiation Strategy by having the following internal strengths: Access to leading research and development Highly skilled and creative product development team Strong sales teams with the ability to successfully communicate the perceived strengths and benefits of the product. Corporate reputation for quality and innovation Differentiation Strategy A differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or service that offers unique attributes that are valued by customers and that customers perceive to be better than or different from the products of the competition. The value added by the uniqueness of the product may allow the firm to charge a premium price for it. The f irm hopes that the higher price will more than cover the extra costs incurred in offering the unique product. Because of the products unique attributes, if suppliers increase their prices the firm may be able to pass along the costs to its customers who cannot find substitute products easily. The risks associated with a differentiation strategy include imitation by competitors and changes in customers tastes. Generic Strategies and Industry Forces Industry   Generic Strategies    Force Cost Leadership Differentiation Strategy Focus Strategy    Strategy       Entry Ability to cut price in Customer loyalty can Focusing develops core   Barriers retaliation deters discourage potential competencies that can act   potential entrants entrants  as an entry barrier   Buyer Ability to offer lower Large buyers have less Large buyers have less power   Power price to powerful power to negotiate to negotiate because of few   buyers because of few close alternatives     alternatives    Supplier Better insulated from Better able to pass on Suppliers have power   Power powerful suppliers supplier price increases because of low volumes,   to customers but a differentiation-focused     firm is better able to pass on     supplier price increases to       customers   Threats of Can use low price to Customers become Specialised products core   Substitutes defend against attached to differentiating competency protect   substitutes attributes, reducing against substitutes     threats of substitutes    Rivalry Better able to Brand loyalty to keep Rivals cannot meet   compete on price customers from rivals differentiation-focused       customer needs   Relationship With External Entities In order to remain successful and continue to expand its market share, Hunter Douglas Group has learned to develop and manage relationships with wide range of organisations, groups and people that have a stake in their business. The emergence of a fiercely competitive global economy means that the companies within the Hunter Douglas Group have to expand their networks of relationships in their region and cooperate with each other to remain competitive. Education Hunter Douglas Singapore team up with the National University of Singapores Department of Architecture to organise the NUS-Hunter Douglas Award for the innovative use of technology in Architecture. Hunter Douglas Group has developed multi-level training and education programs for its fabricators, retail dealers, professional designers and installers. It holds consumer seminars to help prospective buyers under ­stand the importance of window coverings for home fashions and for light control and energy effi ciency. It provides training seminars and hands-on workshops for retailers, designers and installers, which includes CD-Roms, videotapes and web-based instructions, through ­out the world. It has created the industrys first and only formal Retail Alliance Program, offering its very best dealers a choice of tiered partnership options that reward their brand loyalty with lucrative business-building benefits, including financial incentives and exclusive products and programs. Through Hunter Douglas Group exclusive partnership with Archiprix International, it builds relationships with the next generation of architects as they begin their careers after college. With Hunter Douglas Groups support, Archiprix organises a biennial international com ­petition for the best graduation projects in architecture. Finalists travel to a host city with hundreds of architects from around the world where an independent jury evaluates the student entries and recognizes the most ou tstanding work with the Hunter Douglas award. Hunter Douglas Singapore was conferred the Singapore Institute of Architects Friend of Architecture Award in recognition of the companys contribution to Architecture in Singapore and its continuous support for the Singapore Institute of Architects. Its Windows of Opportunity seminar on the use of window fashions in interior design reaches more than 2,500 design school students and designers in major United States markets each year. At the Fashions Institute of Technology in New York and other leading design schools, Hunter Douglas provides design students with industry overviews and a business perspective through teaching opportunities. At the renowned Pratt School of Architecture, Hunter Douglas has sponsored design studio projects that challenge students to envision new and novel ways to integrate its products and materials into architectural structures. Corporate Citizenship Hunter Douglas Group actively supports the com ­munities in which they live, work and do business. Decisions about which causes to support and the form that support takes are made locally by the management in each country. It provides window coverings to hospitals, research centres and healthcare facilities around the world. It supports educational opportu ­nities for the families of its staff and less privileged members of our communities. In the United States and Canada, Hunter Douglas sponsors Habitat for Humanity, donating custom window cover ­ings for the homes Hunter Douglas has built for low-income families since 1993. Hunter Douglas employees have also contributed thousands of hours in sweat equity assisting with the building of these homes at the local level. Hunter Douglas stimulates students awareness of its products and encourage their creativity through competi ­tions in which they are judged upon the innovative application of its products in their design projects. Hun ter GreenÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ and Keen on Green are important new company-wide environmental initiatives being undertaken by the Hunter Douglas branded compa ­nies to reduce energy consump ­tion, water usage and its overall carbon-footprint. It also includes an ongoing consumer marketing effort creating increased aware ­ness of Hunter Douglas corporate commit ­ment to the cause as well as the superior energy-saving benefits of its products. The Process of Human Resource Planning in the Organisation Manpower Planning Manpower planning is a process of getting the right number of qualified people into the right job at the right time. It is a system of matching the supply of people internally, who are the existing employees, and externally, potential talents to be hired or searched for, with job openings which the Group expects to have over a given time frame. This planning requires the human resource departments in the Group to prepare an inventory of skills and talents already available as well as coordinating and controlling various activities in the Hunter Douglas Group. Manpower planning involves reviewing current manpower resources, forecasting future requirements and availability as well as taking steps to ensure that the supply of people and skills meets demand. It utilises the concept of planning to visualise how the Hunter Douglas Group can go through the allocation and control of its manpower resources in a better manner. It is also a tool for higher management to equip themselves wi th the necessary data on its human resources available immediately within the Group and from outside, when the need arises to meet markets demand. Manpower Planning Model Forecast Demand        Forecast Supply      Considerations:   Internally       Product/ Service demand   Staffing tables  Economics  Balance Supply and Demand  Markov analysis  Technology     Skills inventories  Financial resources/ limitations Recruitment (Shortage)   Management inventories  Absenteeism/ turnover  Full-time   Replacement charts  Organisational growth  Part-time   Succession planning  Management philosophy  Recalls/ transfers       Overtime  Externally Techniques:   Outsourcing         Demographic changes  Trend analysis  Reductions (Surplus)   Education of workforce  Managerial estimate  Terminations   Labour mobility  Delphi technique   Layoffs   Government policies      Leave without pay   Unemployment rate  Outplacement     Demotions   Retirement      Factors Economic             Competition         Government action  Organisational  Divisional  Skills and   Historical Data Objectives Department abilities   Nature of company Objectives required       Skills   Inventory             Net human resource Types, numbers,      requirements  Human Resources   Negative: Layoff, terminations, resignations, retirement Manpower planning, as observed in the Hunter Douglas Group, consists of the following steps: Identify the Groups objectives and strategies which are stipulated in the business plan and from the strategic planning processes of the companies within the Group. Determine the impact of the organisations objectives on specific organisational units. For this purpose the cascade approach can be used, whereby the organisations long term strategies are translated into the shorter term performance objectives and time schedules per division and department. Define the skills, expertise and total number of employees (demand for human resources) required to achieve the organisation and department objectives by using the different statistical methods and managerial estimates. Perform an analysis of the Groups current human resources. By doing a skills inventory will shed light on the number of current employees in terms of their different competencies, skills, training levels, qualifications, work experience, etc. Determine the additional (net) human resource requirements in light of the Groups current human resources. Develop action plans to meet the anticipated human resource needs which may include a comprehensive succession plan for each department, resultant recruitment strategies, the design and implementation of managerial development and other training programs, making available bursary schemes for current participants who may eventually fill scarce positions, designing compensation packages to attract and retain quality staff. The key activities of Human Resource Management carried out by both line managers and the Human Resource practitioners in the Hunter Douglas Group are: Organisation Organisation structuring: developing an organisation which caters for all the activities required, groups them together in a way which encourages integration and cooperation. Job design and role specification: deciding on the contents of the jobs which involve the employees duties and responsibilities and the relationships that exist between job holders and other employees within the Hunter Douglas Group. Organisational development: stimulating, planning and implementing programmes designed to improve the effectiveness with which the organisation functions and adapts to change. The employment relationship Improving the quality of the employment relationship Creating a climate of trust and self propulsion Developing a more positive psychological contract Achieving a highly committed organisation Resourcing Human resource planning: assessing future people requirements in terms of both numbers and all levels of skill and competence. Formulating and implementing plans to meet those requirements through recruitment, training, development, etc. Recruitment and selection: obtaining the number and type of people the organisation needs Perfo rmance management Getting better results from the companies, teams and individuals by measuring and managing performance within agreed frameworks of objectives and competence requirements; assessing and improving performance. Human resource development Organisational and individual learning Skill improvement through systematic approach to training Reward management Job evaluation: assessing the relative size of jobs as a basis of determining internal relativities Pay: developing and administering pay structures and systems Non-financial rewards: providing employees with non-financial rewards e.g. recognition, increased responsibility and opportunity to achieve and grow. Employee benefits: providing benefits in addition to pay which cater for personnel security and personal needs Employee relations Employee relations involving managing and maintaining formal and informal relationships with trade unions and their members Employee involvement and par ticipation which means sharing information with employee and consulting them on matters of mutual interest Communication: creating and transmitting information of interest to employees. Health, safety and employee services Health and safety: developing and administering health and safety programme Employee services: providing welfare services and helping with personal problems. Corporate Objectives The Hunter Douglas Groups objectives are to: Expand its Window Coverings and Architectural Products businesses at a growth rate exceeding that of the market while continuing to be the best company in the industry; Develop and introduce innovative new products; Seek acquisitions that add to the Companys organic growth by expanding product lines or distribution and that meet its return targets; Continue with an efficient decentral ­ised entrepreneurial organisation based on the principle of maximum accountability with minimum interference. Manpower Objectives The objective of manpower planning is to maintain and improve the organisations ability to achieve its goal by developing strategies that will contribute its optimum contribution of human resources. Manpower planning is the responsibility of both line and staff manager. The line management is responsible to give estimate of manpower requirements and staff manager is responsible to take actions on selection and recruitment in association with line manager who needs the manpower. Manpower planning in Hunter Douglas Group serves the following inter-related purposes or objectives: It prepares the organisation for the future in terms of planning its manpower requirement and utilising them properly in order to meet the impact of rapid technical and economic changes and maintain its competitive position. It gives a picture of manpower available within the organisation to undertake any future expansion or set up a new branch or a new plant or develop a new line of production. It a llows for forward planning to fill anticipated skill requirements as well as allows for needed flexibility in day-to-day utilisation of manpower. It allows for adapting to abrupt changes in such factory as technological advances, new markets, political and economic pressures and heightened competition. In other words, manpower planning provides the background information which is necessary to deal with such forces. Another important objective is one of matching or fitting employee abilities to the business requirements with an emphasis on future instead of present arrangements. The ultimate mission is to relate future human resources to future business needs so as to maximize the future return on investment in human resources. Comprehensive manpower objectives play a vital role in the achievement of the organisations overall strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the human resources department fully understands and supports the direction in which the organisation is moving. It will also support other specific strategic objectives undertaken by the marketing, financial, operational and technology departments. The manpower objectives aim to capture the people element of what the organisation is hoping to achieve in the medium to long term, ensuring the following: it has the right people in place it has the right mix of skills employees display the right attitudes and behaviours employees are developed in the right way. The manpower objectives also put into consideration the followings: workforce planning issues succession planning workforce skills plans employment equity plans black economic empowerment initiatives motivation and fair treatment issues pay levels designed to recruit, retain and motivate people the coordination of approaches to pay and grading across the organisation to create alignment and potential unequal pay claims a grading and remuneration system which is seen as fair and giving p roper reward for contributions made wider employment issues which impact on staff recruitment, retention, motivation etc. a consistent performance management framework which is designed to meet the needs of all sectors of the organisation including its people career development frameworks which look at development within the organisation at equipping employees with employability so that they can cope with increasingly frequent changes in employer and employment patterns policies and frameworks to ensure that people development issues are addressed systematically, such as competence frameworks, self-managed learning etc. The manpower objectives show that careful planning of the people issues will make it substantially easier for the organisation to achieve its wider strategic and operational goals. In addition, manpower objectives add value by ensuring that, in all its other plans, the organisation takes account of and plans for changes in the wider environment whic h are likely to have a major impact on the organisation such as: changes in the overall employment market demographic or remuneration levels cultural changes which will impact on future employment patterns changes in the employee relations climate changes in the legal framework surrounding employment HR and employment practice being developed in other companies, such as new flexible work practices. Analysis of the Present Utilisation of Manpower The penalties for not being correctly staffed are costly. Understaffing loses the business economies of scale and specialization, orders, customers and profits. Overstaffing is wasteful and expensive, if sustained, and it is costly to eliminate because of modern legislation in respect of redundancy payments, consultation, minimum periods of notice, etc. Very importantly, overstaffing reduces the competitive efficiency of the business. Planning manpower levels requires that an assessment of present and future needs of the organisation be compared with present resources and future prediction of resources. Appropriate steps then be planned to bring demand and supply into balance. An internal supply analysis is done with the following methods or analysis: Staffing tables/manning charts: which are pictorial representations of all organisational jobs along with the numbers of employees currently occupying those jobs and future employment requirements Markov analysis: sh ows the percentage (and actual number) of employees who remain in each job from one year to the next, thus keeping track of the pattern of employee movements through various jobs. This analysis results in a composite matrix of supply. Skill inventories: list each employees education, past work experiences, etc. Replacement chart: helps the management derive the profile of job holders, department-wise and reveals those who could be used as replacements whenever the need arises. Analysis of the External Environment The Hunter Douglas Groups performance and results are sensitive to external factors of which the following are most influential: Overall economic activity and particularly consumer confidence which affects demand for consumer durables Prices for raw materials in particular, which include aluminium, steel, fabric, synthetics and other oil based products Exchange rates: The majority of the Companys sales and profits are real ­ised outside the Euro zone. Euro rates against the dollar and other currencies can therefore affect the Companys results. Hunter Douglas policy is to generally hedge transactional expo ­sures, to selectively hedge translation of earnings and generally not to hedge balance sheet exposures. Potential Supply of Labour Future manpower planning is directly linked to the strategic business plans of an organisation. The estimation on manpower and budgets are governed by customers demands. Business needs are achieved from effective management of materials, machines, money and manpower. Manpower needs, if planned properly, in terms of profile required, numbers, time and place, will give the company mileage over competitors in terms of consistency in output. Effective human resources planning give optimal productivity in terms of timelines and quality of deliverables. It will not only improve people competency but will also ensure that people grow with the company. An organisation set on the growth path needs competent people to achieve its objectives. Causes of demand for Human Resources in the Future External    Organisational  Workforce       Economic developments   Strategic plans  Retirement  Social-political-legal challenges  Budgets  Resignations  Technological changes   Sales and production forecasts  Terminations  Competitors   New ventures  Deaths    Organisational and job designs  Leaves of absence                  What future demands will be is influenced by the forecast of the human resource or personnel manager whose main task is to scrutinize and modify the predictions of other managers. Future manpower needs derive from: Sales and production forecasts The effects of technological change on task needs Variations in the efficiency, productivity, flexibility of labor as a result of training, work study, organizational change, new motivations, etc. Changes in employment practices (examples include the use of subcontractors or agency staffs, hiving-off tasks, buying in, substitution, etc.) Variations, which respond to new legislation, e.g. payroll taxes or their abolition, new health and safety requirements Changes in Government policies (investment incentives, regional or trade grants, etc.) The management must estimate the structure of the organisation at a given point of time. The number and type of employees needed have to be determined. Many environmental factors aff ect this determination. They include business forecasts, expansion, growth, design, structural changes, management philosophy, government policy, product and human mix and competition Forecasting is necessary for the following reasons: The eventualities and contingencies of general economic business cycles (such as inflation, wages, prices, costs and raw material supplies) have an influence on the short range and long run plans of all organizations. An expansion following enlargement and growth in business involves the use of additional machineries and personnel and a reallocation of facilities, all of which call for advance planning of human resources. Changes in management, philosophies and leadership styles. The use of mechanical technology makes it necessary for changes in the skills of workers as well as a change in the number of employees needed. After estimating what future organization structure should be, the next step is to draw up the requirements of man power, both for existing and new vacancies. For this requirement, details should be obtained from various departments. Vacancies occurring in any department should be notified in writing to the personnel department, stating clearly the number of vacancies to be filled category or job wise, their qualification and experience and the reasons for acquisition. A statement of duties, type of jobs, pay scale and previous experience should also be made. In determining the requirements of manpower, the expected losses which are likely to occur through labor turnover, such as quits, retirement, death, transfers, promotions, demotions, dismissals. Disability, resignations, lay-offs, and other separations should be taken into account. Additional resources are gained through new employment of personnel, promotions, transfers etc. After making all adjustments, the real shortages and surplus may be found. If there is a shortage, efforts are made to fill up the vacancies. If there is surplus , then deal with it by transfers, retrenchments etc. Conclusion To be effective, manpower planning requires careful assessment of the future needs of the Hunter Douglas Group. It involves the development of strategies to match the requirement of employees and availability of positions at a regional as well as a national level. Those in charge of manpower planning within the Group need to have a foresight about the business plans. They need to plan the activities for achieving business growth, estimate the business needs of the organisation and plan for the resources needed to realise the business goals. Manpower planning is referred to as the process of reviewing current resources, predicting future requirements and ensuring that the demand and supply of people and skills is balanced. Manpower planning is useful for both the employees as well as the organisation. The manpower planning process demands the human resource manager to first understand the business requirement. Only when the human resource manager comprehends the nature and scope of the business, will he or she be able to employ those who will deliver the required performance. When it comes to engaging the manpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. It ensures that the workforce is competent enough the meet the targets. Additionally, the existing talent pool in the workplace should be taken into consideration, so that people with the supporting and right skills can be employed. The functions of the human resource manager varied as he or she has to assess the currently employed workforce and their shortcomings. Identifying these shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce. While recruiting the new employees, the human resource manager must calculate the expected workload. In this way, the human resource department can design an accurate job profile and job expectations. Once decided on the job descriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. A good human resource manager is one who has the zeal and passion to motivate his or her prospective employees to perform to their potential. Manpower planning process, thus, can be considered as one of the strategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficient workforce in the hunter Douglas Group or in any organisation.