Free Custom «Human resource policy» Essay Paper

Introduction

Swift global Inc is a privately owned software consulting company in United States of America founded by a group of IT professionals to revolutionize the information communication technology sector in the country and beyond her borders. Swift global is an incorporated limited company. The company is focused on developing software products over a broad range of customer base. Swift global Inc also is a value added reseller (VAR) of various software products of software giants such as Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe Systems. Over the first five years the company has witnessed enormous growth due to the increase in client base. The development of customized software products has opened new avenues for the company’s continues growth.

Requirements for the Overview of the organization

Swift global Inc is open to ideas and delivery of high quality client-centric software and computer based software applications and web solutions across a broad spectrum of domains. Established in 1990, Swift global Inc has successfully completed more than 200 projects in Kenya adopting a unique result driven approach by analyzing the business needs with a clear focus on the client’s overall business objectives.

The company is comprised of a team of well trained personnel in software and hardware to forge excellent technical and business partnership with our clients. Swift global Inc is a young and vibrant organization, ready to understand the business needs of the customer and the world around you. The company is equipped with latest cutting-edge technologies in both software and hardware applications. The latest of these technologies we are introducing in the market being the Printing and Imaging Group of solutions, and Enterprise Applications. A major concern to us is understand the client and subjecting the needs to a rigorous project life cycle and management to ensure on-time delivery maximizing the clients’ return on investment.

What the organization does and organizational structure.

The organization structure of Swift global Inc is greatly influenced by virtualization. According to Fink (2004) opportunities through virtualization come through reconfiguring activities in the knowledge areas and processes time and structure. At Swift Global in order to deal with the challenge of managing and measuring knowledge in an organization, its structure corresponds to the knowledge potential view. In this company experts are highly creative and individual employees who need a structure that enables the creation and innovation of new knowledge and also knowledge sharing with other knowledge workers (Fink, 2004). In order to further facilitate exchange and capabilities among employees within Swift Global Inc the structure emphasizes on teamwork and networking.

The structure of Swift Global Inc is not only focused on the identification of knowledge, but it is also focused on the creation of future knowledge areas and processes. Fink (2004) says that in knowledge there should be a balance between the information about existing products and more importantly a vision and innovation of new products. This factor has been influential in the diversification of swift global products thus encouraging its growth Fink (2004). The company has all through realized that the present allocation of resources especially those residing in the minds of the knowledge workers must be leveraged to the future. This is because software development is one of the most dynamic careers. As a result it is important to note that the view of Swift Global Inc has always pointed to the future invention of new knowledge products and processes.

At Swift Global Inc the structural form of the new type of organization is characterized by interconnectivity and interrelationship among different kinds of organizations. Fink (2004) noted that “in this type of organization structure workers share their capabilities and expertise with other professionals to solve problems derived from customer demands” (p. 148). The company has been able to survive knowledge competition through managing to balance the issues of stability versus renewal and cooperation versus competition (Fink, 2004). Because the company operates in various parts of the world, it also employs the mechanistic structure.

According to Gitman & McDaniel (2008) since Swift Global Inc is also a mechanistic structure it is characterized by a relatively high degree of job specialization, rigid departmentalization, and many layers of management. Due to the complex, dynamic and unstable environments the company has seen the need to organize for flexibility and agility. For Swift Global Inc these forms of structures have helped the company to respond to rapid and unexpected changes in the business environment (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008).

The organizational chart.

How the organization operates?

The approach of operation adopted by Swift Global Inc is reflected in the name, is a modeling approach known as functional information and knowledge acquisition. This ideally enables the company to design a user centric application by capturing knowledge about the end-user. Three concepts of operation are harnessed including: information processing goal, means, and requirements, to help our team of designers analyze, describe and represent knowledge types required by users to achieve task goals. This operation approach has enabled Swift Global Inc to work on classical concepts of means-end analysis resulting in three classes of means- selection of relevant information, analysis of relevant information, and evaluation of analyzed information.

How tasks/work projects accomplished?

In Swift Global Inc research shows that every week employees are allocated a certain number of points and pledge those points to a project or projects that they feel will be the greatest benefit to the company. Gitman & McDaniel (2008) noted that employees can also give their points directly to the people they feel deserve the points. This mode of operation creates a high degree of transparency hence encouraging people to make their own decisions on what to work on. This results to high level of productivity and a higher success rate. Gitman & McDaniel (2008) further says that the company’s highly collaborative and extremely flat structure allows the management of this company to respond quickly and successfully to changes in its environment.

Is the organization domestic or international? Locations?

Swift Global Inc is an international company. With its headquarters in United States of America the company has major offices in London, South Africa, Dubai, France and Netherlands. This growth has been attributed to product diversification. Innovation is seen as one of the key factors behind this growth. Swift Global Inc international presence facilitates the marketing capabilities and provision of support services of its software products. Offices operating outside USA have channeled the needs of the customers therefore helping developers to create products which suit the needs of these clients (Bennet & David, 2004).

Domestically the company has come a long way to fit the presence of other software giants such as Microsoft, oracle Inc and Adobe Systems. Swift Global Inc is partnering with software industry leaders in bringing a fresh and innovative approach to consulting services around the globe. This is through acting as liaison between the clients and the software provider. Our goal is to exceed the expectations of every one of our clients by offering outstanding customer service, increased flexibility, and greater value, thus optimizing systems functionality and improving operation efficiency (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008). Currently with the proven proficiency in project management and solutions integration we are in the process of partnering with HP to offer a wide range of solutions including Imaging and Printing as well as integrating solution that ensure secure printing using Safecom, VentiX is a renowned Electronic Document Management Solutions provider, Laserfiche.

Who are the competitors?

Around the world the software industry is intensely competitive and is characterized by evolving technologies and industry standards, frequent new product introductions and dynamic customer requirements. Swift Global Inc expects continued and increased competition from the current and future competitors, many of them have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than the company. Such competitors include Sage Inc, Adobe Systems, Comp link, Microsoft, Oracle Inc, Linux, HP and Dell Inc. Due to lack of well structured regulatory practices, competition is generally driven by the market forces.

Competitors are favored by a number of industry standards that are very important for quality service delivery are not appropriately domesticated in many parts of Swift Global Inc operations or presence hence low quality of service delivery and support policies. To penetrate the market Fika is in the process of forming alliances with international partners, to resell their competitive quality solutions locally. This is giving the company competitive advantage and ensuring that it delivers quality and satisfactory services to the clients (Bennet & David, 2004).

What are the factors that you believe are critical to success in this organization?

The future success of Swift Global Inc will depend in part upon the company’s ability to enhance its existing services and to develop, introduce and sell services that meet the changing customer requirements. The process of developing, introducing and selling the services we offers is extremely complex and is expecting to be increasingly more complex as well as expensive, in the future as new technologies are invented by our competitors.

The major critical success factors for swift global are the major characteristics and factors working at the tactical level of the organization enabling the forces of the organization to operate at the highest level of effectiveness (Bennet & David, 2004). These critical success factors include team approach, a system approach, continuous learning, sharing, freedom and flexibility, creativity and innovation and managing change.

 What is the culture like?

In Swift Global Inc the culture is manifest in behavioral norms, hidden assumptions and human nature. Witte & Muijen (2000) says that this can be viewed from different levels, namely artifacts and creations, values and basic assumptions. Research shows that the company employs individualism collectivism culture and therefore transformational leadership emerges more easily and is more effective in both cultures (Witte & Muijen, 2000).Swift Global Incuses both individualistic and collectivistic culture which emphasize on assumptions of rationality rather that ascetics, religion or superstition.The company stresses on follower responsibilities rather than rights coupled with motivation and assuming centrality of work and democratic value orientation (Witte & Muijen, 2000).

It has also been noted that at Swift Global Inc team members create excellence. This culture has spurred growth in this company. Since team members have unique skills they lead others along the pathway to excellence, carefully cultivating those who will later assume the controls (Parker, 2000). In order to groom future leaders successfully the company ensures that mentors pass both their gift for strategy and their flair for building a strong corporate culture. Parker (2000) established that “if workers at swift global engage in self surveillance then capitalists will not have to erect a costly bureaucracy to control their behavior” (p. 23).

How is information communicated?

Swift Global Inc organization chart shows information communication within the company. The lines of the organization chart represents channels of communication through which information flows but at the same time information communication may follow paths that cross traditional reporting lines (Griffin & Moorhead, 2009). In this company information moves not only from the top down that is from CEO to group members but also upward from group members to the CEO. At Swift Global Inc downward communication provides directions whereas upward communication provides feedback to top management.

Besides that the company uses communication that flows horizontally which is related to task performance. Griffin & Moorhead (2009) says that the easiest way employees often find that the easiest way to get their jobs done or to obtain the necessary information is to go directly to employees in other department rather than through the formal channels shown on the organizational chart. Guffey, Rogin & Rhodes (2009) on the other hand indicated that information within organization flows through formal and informal communication channels. Guffey, Rogin & Rhodes (2009) further indicated that a free exchange of information helps organizations respond rapidly of changing markets, increase efficiency and productivity, build employee morale, serve the public.

 Why would people want to work for this organization?

The management has a philosophy based on responsibility, integrity and mutual respect. People who work at Swift Global Inc want to work at Swift Global Inc because we have an environment that encourages creativity and achievement. The company is led by a group of seasoned professionals possessing a combined over twenty years in the software development industry. The compensation rates at Swift Global Inc is considerable and above the market rates. Besides the above factors, Swift Global Inc being a company which encourages innovation employees are encouraged and motivated to work in an environment where they can express their ideas freely. In particular, the four founders have served for various companies for the past 5years and improved considerably the utilization of IT-enabled services.

Requirements for Policies  

Present a statement of management philosophy

The management has a philosophy based on responsibility, integrity and mutual respect. It is also has a customer focused strategy that allows consistent growth from products and services as well as introduction of new services within two to three years. The human resource policy insists on flawless operations execution that enables cost effective operations model with a cost reduction target of 5-7% each year. The management of the company is also focused on building an achievement oriented culture through different systems besides constantly building and acquiring human capital.

 Develop the rationale for policies and procedures that you feel are needed to achieve the organizational goals.

The human resource policy at Swift Global Inc aims to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, disability, age, and race, and nationality, ethnic or national origin. The human resource policy at Swift Global Inc is based on staffing the organization with the appropriately qualified people and to bring these people to contribute the best of their skills, talents and creative ability so that they achieve the objectives of the company (Gabriel, 2003). Swift Global Inc human resource policy includes the following, recruitment, retention, promotion, compensation, sexual harassment and discrimination. According to Boella & Goss-Turner (2005)

Recruitment and selection Policy

Since Swift Global Inc deals with software products the job profiles and specifications set out clearly the skills, experiences and qualifications required for the post and should indicate only justifiable requirements for the job. Boella & Goss-Turner (2005) says that the selection criteria used should only reflect the standards required. The recruitment and selection policy should give a consideration to flexible working arrangements such as flexible working hours, part-time and term-time working, job sharing, career breaks.

Training and development policy

The training and development policies and procedures should be examined and monitored to correct any bias or imbalance. At Swift Global Inc all staff should receive appropriate training in the implementation of equal opportunities. Boella & Goss-Turner (2005) also indicates that regarding this policy all staff with the relevant experience and ability should be considered for promotions and transfers.

Promotion policy

The management at Swift Global Inc must realize that there is a big difference between a subordinates current output and his suitability for promotion. According to Gabriel (2003) promotion refers to the attainment of a higher position than the one just held and its consequent greater responsibility. In this company it is important to note that the main criteria for promotion is merit and ability and the personnel manager must formulate a promotion policy that should indicate the procedures to be followed (Gabriel, 2003).

Dismissal policy

The dismissal policy at Swift Global Inc should indicate the procedures to be followed when dismissing an employee form a certain position. This policy should stipulate the number of warnings to be issued before taking the action. It should also indicate the compensation an employee receives after the termination of his or her employment contract (Gabriel, 2003). According to Cornelius (2001) an employee in the company should be entitled to proper notice of dismissal and wages in lieu. In this context only when an employee had committed a serious breach of the employment contract is employer is entitled to dismiss without notice or payment in lieu.

Compensation policy

This policy is the role of the personnel manager to work with top management to formulate a compensation policy for the employees at the company. Gabriel (2003) says that it should seek to attract and retain employees of the required caliber while emphasizing low labor costs, increased production and an acceptable level of productivity. This policy at Swift Global Inc should be flexible enough to pay fair and adequate wages and salaries that take into account skills, training, experience, productivity and other factors that are important to the job.

Discrimination and Sexual harassment policy

This policy should indicate the legal actions of sexual harassment at the company in favor of something. Cornelius (2001) says that these grounds of sexual harassment can take two forms which include direct (favorable treatment) and indirect which applies equal treatment but has a bias because members are protected class. This policy has outlawed sex harassment at the company either in favor for a posting or other matters related to the company’s operation. Cornelius (2001) further says that sexual harassment is outlawed and if an employee or employer is found liable he should legally compensate the victim of harassment both in respect of his own behavior and of his or other employees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the selection of the above policies was based on the need to facilitate continuous improvement for the company. Starting from recruitment to development will help the employee to fit in the company and execute his or her duties as per the regulations and provisions of Swift Global Inc. The human resource policy at Swift Global Inc intends to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, disability, age, and race, and nationality, ethnic or nationality.