British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces Management now are aware of the importance of employees, hence using the correct recruitment and selection methods are crucial part of management functions. The success of any organisation depends largely on acquiring the right balance of employees, with the right skills and abilities. Most companies have an established personnel department responsible for   this function. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Poor recruitment and selection techniques can result in rise in cost, lower morale, and a rise in labour turnover. As a result of these, the aim of management is to reduce cost and maximise productivity. This assignment looks at recruitment and selection methods used in the British Armed Forces, selection methods, reliability and validity. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) However, interviews and its benefits and types are also dealt with in details. The different types and drawbacks of test, and government legislation form the basis of employment and organisation has to follow set procedures as such. These are all discussed in subsequent chapters. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) This assignment focuses on recruitment and methods of selection processes. These systems may be the first formal interaction which candidates have with the organisation. Their impact may extend across a range of stages in the pre-employment relationship with the organisation, not only during the initial attraction, the selection process and the offer of employment, but also in the subsequent attrition, and decision by existing staff to leave.   Example Toyotas recruitment and selection practices are tailored to find the best possible applicants to hire. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) 1.2 Recruitment and selection in the British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces described recruiting as the measures taken in order to attract a pool of candidates for selection. Recruits are then taking in for training in order to prepare them for their careers in the Army. The training is a continuous process throughout a soldiers career. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) 1.2.1 Army Recruiting and Training Directorate (ARTD) This body is in charge of the step by step progress of potential recruits from the initial recruitment through to the selection process, specialist training and deployment in the army field. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) The ARTD has an estimated annual budget approximately  £700m in which they have enlist 13000 potential candidates, and train 100000 soldiers and officers. The ARTD functions operations are categorised into three phases; such are, general training, Specialist training and Career training. (www.bbc.co.uk, 2011) 1.2.2 Soldier Selection The selection process requires all potential recruit to do an entry assessment at the Armys Careers Office.   Here potential recruits will undertake a touch screen British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) test, psychometric test all computer based designed to see which area in the Army is best suited for the recruit. The tests also include a numeric and literacy test.. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) Candidates who successfully passed both the tests and interviews will be booked for further test. This test is normally a two days course at an Army Development and Selection Centre (ADSC). Here candidates will undergo a thorough medical examination, physical assessment tests, and fitness checks to determine the suitability for an Army career. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) At the end of the two days course, candidates will be informed whether they are success or not, hence, if successful candidates can be given a place in any of the trade they wish to undertake, a Phase 1 training, which is a 14 weeks course, designed to give candidates all the required skills to be a soldier.   At the first day of training, recruits will formally enlist in the British Army, and Phase 2 specialised training will begin at the Army Training Regiment, Pirbright, Surrey. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) 3.1 Methods of Selection Selection is the process of identifying the suitability of applicants from a given pool of candidates. The main reasons of carrying out selection are: (Dessler, G. 2011) To gather relevant information about jobs, applicants and organisations in order to ensure a better quality decisions. To change information and predict future behaviour To facilitate cost-benefits for the investment made in an employee To check, recruit and place job candidates in the best interests of organisation and applicants. (Dessler, G. 2011) 3.1.1 Reliability For employers to ensure that selection has been free of any kind of bias the reliability of the tests has to be demonstrated. Reliability refers to the logical coherence of scores collected by the same person when tested over time on the same test. If test outcomes are not consistent, it will be unethical to take any measures on the basis of the test.   It shows the extent to which similarities or differences in scores could be associate with errors. Dunnette (1966) has identified four sources of errors. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Errors due to inadequate sampling of contents indicating that the items for the two tests may have been slightly different. Errors due to chance response tendencies indicating guessing or random responding to the items. Errors due to changes in the testing environment indicating the effect of physical conditions such as light, temperature, time of the day. Errors due to the changes in the person taking the test indicating the influence of health, fatigue, mood, and practice. The different types of reliability can be found in the appendix sections. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 3.1.2 Validity This is the most important requirement of a test. Validity means degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure. A test with a high validity means it is nearly comparable to the tests objective. A test with a weak validity means it does not measure what it intend to measure. As a results, there is no prove to use the test outcomes for their primary objective. There are different ways to establish the validity of a test. The different types of validity can be found in the appendix sections. (Legge, K. 2004) 3.2 Ability Tests These are designed to measure individuals capabilities to carry out a task in a specific and unique manner. There are many different types of ability test; (Milmore, M. 2003) 3.2.1 Cognitive ability tests This measures a persons thinking, memory, reasoning, verbal and numerical capabilities. This can be used to show applicants knowledge of terminology and concepts, word fluency, comprehension, spatial orientation, conceptual reason, general and mutual ability. Organisation should ensure that these tests determine cognitive abilities than a job related. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 3.2.2 Physical Ability Tests This measures what a person can do with his/her strength, endurance, and flexibility. For example 1, the British Armed Forces uses this type of test to assess new recruits to ascertain the suitability for a career in the Army. (www.thearmedforces.co.uk, 2011) Another Example 2 is Ford Motor Company, where line workers regularly lift and carry equipment, climbs ladders and performs other physical tasks.(Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Another example 3, Township Fire Department also uses physical ability test (PAT) in assessing potential applicant and highlighted the importance of physical fitness of fire fighters. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Example 4 Portland police bureau uses this to determine the suitability of professional police officers. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 3.3 Personality Tests This is a unique mixture of individual characteristics that can affect how an individual interacts in his/her work environment. As a result, a large number of organisations use different personality tests that determine the extent to which applicants characteristics suits specific job criteria. (Torrington, D., Hall, L., and Taylor, S., 2008) Example 6, the Finish Line, a large retail chain specialising in sporting products, offers job applicants a web-based test which evaluates their personal tendencies and test scores are use to group individuals for the hiring decision. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Another example 7 is Blockbuster and Sports Authority also uses similar tools in their pre-employment screening. (The Economist, 2011) Example 8 a California based technology firm also found that the use of personality tests enhanced the selection decision made in the company. (Financial Times, 2010) 3.4 Assessment Centres This consists of various selection techniques, and group selection methods which are considered as a major element, as with work simulation programs and presentation. Assessment centres are used to assess, in depth, a group of broadly similar applicants, using a set of competencies required for the post on offer and a series of behavioural statements which indicate how these competencies are played out in practice. Example 5, Cadbury Schweppes. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) Example, Energis utilises a series of assessment centres. 3.5 Honesty tests and Drug test Many organizations formerly employed polygraph tests, or lie detectors, to evaluate job applicants, but this changed with the passage of the Polygraph Act in 1988.   This act prohibited the use of polygraphs in employment screening for most organizations. A new technique known as the honesty paper-and-pencil tests was born. This typically ask candidates directly about their attitude towards theft or their past experiences with theft. (Noe, R.A., et al 2004) For example 9, Nordstorm, the large department store chain, uses Reid Survey to screen for violent tendencies, drug use and dishonesty. (The New York Times, 2010) As with theft, there is a growing perception of the problems caused by drug use among employees. For example 10, Fortune 1000 chief executives cited substance abuse as a significant problem in their organization. (Noe, R.A., et al 2004) 3.6 Polygraphs This is more generally and incorrectly termed as the â€Å"lie detector† which is a mechanical device that measures a persons heart rate, galvanic skin responses and breathing rate. The ideology of this device is that if a person answers a question wrongly, the bodys physiological responses will â€Å"show† that a person gave an incorrect response through the polygraphs recording machine. They play a vital role in criminal investigations and background checks. For examples 11,companies such as Pick n Pay, KFC and First National Bank all uses the polygraph to assess the trustworthiness of potential candidates. (Brown, C. (2010) 3.7 References and Biographical Data References are information that an employer gets from other people who know the applicant, either through friends or previous employer. The evidence on the reliability and validity of reference checks suggests that these are, at best, weak predictors of future success on the job. One major reason for this is that most reference letters are so positive that it is difficult to differential applicants. (Van den Brink, et al, 2010) For example 14,Northwestern Bells district manager of management employment notes â€Å"They all say, ‘This is the greatest individual the world have ever seen, the next president, at least..It is not always accurate. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) For example 15, Intuit Corporation tries to get around these problems by requesting references in bulk sometimes asking for as many as 12 letters of reference. The evidence on the utility of biographical information gathered from candidates is far more accurate. The biographical information form also provides a written document that the organisation can verify via outside checks. (Pollitt, D. 2007) For example 16, APCOA Inc. conducts a battery of checks depending on the position, and such investigation may include driving records, credit history and criminal record. (Ordanini, A., and Silvestri, G. 2008) 3.8 Problems with using test There are a number of problems associated with using tests. (Brown, G. T. L. 2008) In most cases, tests may not always be fair as there may be an element of racial, social and sexual bias in the questions and scoring system. For instance, some cultures may be unused to ‘working against the clock. (Hao, Z., and Liden, R.C. 2011) Validation procedures take a lot of time, but yet still are essential to the use of tests. Issues such as the use of web testing, new types of tests, like emotional intelligence tests, are being developed without sufficient validation. (Tulip 2002) The criteria used in defining good job performance are usually inadequate, hence such criteria are subjective and to some extent for the mediocre correlations between job performance and test results. (Collings, D.G., and Wood, G. 2009) Most tests are job specific and unique. Therefore, when the job for which the test is used changes, then the test can no longer be said to relate with job performance in the same manner. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 4.1 Government Policy and Legislation The final standard that any form of selection method should adhere to is the law. Legislation has a vital role in the recruitment and selection process especially in preventing discrimination on the grounds of disability, sex, race and age. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) The Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 protects individuals from discrimination based on race, colour, sex, religion, and national origin with respect to hiring as well as compensation and working conditions. There are three major differences between the two Acts. (CIPD, 2010). One recent example 12 can be seen at Coca-Cola and this is highlighted in the â€Å"Competing by Meeting Stakeholders Needs† box; (Lavigna, R.J, and Hays S.W. 2004) Sex and Race DiscriminationThe Sex Discrimination Act (1975) was introduced to protect people and made it unlawful to discriminate based on sex or marital status either directly or indirectly in the field of employment. However, the Race Relations Act (1976) also prohibits employers from discriminating individuals on the grounds of race, colour and nationality. (Torrington, D., Hall, L., and Taylor, S., 2008) Age Discrimination In the UK, age discrimination was introduced in 2006 and makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate based on age in recruiting, promotion and training. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) Examples 13 of companies sued under this act include CBS Inc., McDonnell Douglas, Northwest Airlines, Disney, and Martin Marietta. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) 5.1 Selection Interviews An interview is a discussion between and employer and a potential candidate for the benefit of both parties to get to know each other for the purpose of filling a vacant position within a company. There are two major reasons for conducting an interview; as an initial screening, and to ascertain that the individual has met minimum qualifications required, and then an in depth interview with HR staff. (Singh, P. 2008) 5.2 Types of selection interviews 5.3 Structured Interviews This conducted by using standardised questions for all candidates to ensure comparisons can be done easily. It provides the opportunity   for the interviewer to design relevant questions and also to facilitate a standardised interviewee evaluation. It is useful in the initial screening process because many applicants can be effectively evaluated and compared. (Valentinis, L., et al 2009) 5.3.1 Behavioural Interview The interviewers often use an experiential type of structured interview. This is a method in which the interviewer will give applicants a job scenario (in which he/she will be looking for certain skills be it multi tasking, flexibility, diplomacy, patience, marketing tactics, and so on) and ask for the candidates opinion in exact steps. (Holtbrugge, D., et al 2010) Example, ATT and Accenture have been using behavioural interviewing for about 15 years now, and because increasing numbers of employers are using behaviour-based methods to screen job candidates, understanding how to excel in this interview environment is becoming a crucial job-hunting skill. Example 17,Capital one uses tests that assist in the evaluation of important behavioural and cultural-fit job criteria. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Example Century 18, Theatre also made use of this test and finds it to be saving them money and resources. A recent study indicated that â€Å"past behaviour† structured-type interviews are better at identifying achievement at work than are situational interviews, hence showing the efficacy of this interview strategy. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) For example 19,the Struder Group consulting firm, after working with a multitude of health care firms across the nation, identified the use of behavioural interviews as a positive practice in organisations. (Gump, S.E. 2006) 5.3.2 Competency Interview This type of interview is similar to the behavioural interview except that the questions are designed to provide the interviewer with something to measure the applicants response against. Competency-based interviews are structured, with questions that relate directly to the essential criteria and competencies required for the post. Using competencies as a benchmark to predict job candidate success is useful because interviewers can identify the factors needed in specific jobs. (Doherty, R. (2010) However, this interview takes time and sometimes is of more benefit to management-oriented people. However, it is also important that you fit in with the team, and with the employers culture and style. A competency-based interview is designed to ask you additional questions about your character, soft skills and personal attributes that let both you and the employer determine whether you fit their needs. (Cardy. R.L., et al 2002) 5.3.3 Situational interview In situational interviewing, job-seekers are asked to respond to a specific situation they may face on the job, and some aspects of it are similar to behavioural interviews. These types of questions are designed to draw out more of your analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as how you handle problems with short notice and minimal preparation. (Dessler, G. 2011) For example 20, a variation of situational format that is used by companies such as GE and Microsoft is termed the case study interview, which requires a job applicant to find out and correct organisational challenges during the meeting. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) 5.4 Unstructured or Less-structured interview An unstructured interview is one where there may be a script to get the process started, but once the interview gets going the interviewer will start to follow her own points of interest and stop following any script. (Searle, R.H. 2003) An unstructured interview occurs when the interviewer improvises by asking questions that are not predetermined. A semi structured interview is a guided conversation in which broad questions are asked and new questions arise as a result of the discussion. (Searle, R.H. 2003) 5.4.1 Stress Job Interviews The stress interviewing technique is typically used only for positions in which the job-seeker will be facing stress on the job, and the interviewer wants to see how well you can handle the pressure. The key to surviving stress interviews is to remain calm, keep a sense of humor, and avoid getting angry or defensive. (Ball, F.W., and Ball, B. 2010) 6.1 Advantages of interviews The following are the advantages of using interview as a method of selection: Interviews provide opportunities for interviewers to ask probing questions about the candidates experience and to explore the extent to which the candidates competences match those specified for the job; it enable interviewers to describe the job and the organisation in more detail, suggesting some of the terms of the psychological contract; provide opportunities for candidates to ask questions about the job and to clarify issues concerning training, career prospects, the organisation and terms conditions of employment; The interviewer may try to stress you in one of several ways, such as asking four or five questions in a row, acting rude or sarcastic, disagreeing with you, or simply keeping you waiting for a long period. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 6.2 Disadvantages of interview Snap judgments: some interviewers decide whether an applicant is suitable withing the first two to four minutes of the interview, and spend the rest of the time searching for crucial evidence to support their judgement. Negative emphasis: when evaluating suitability, the unfavourable information regarding a candidate is often more emphasised than the information that favours the candidate. Biases and stereotyping: a bias can be describe as a situation where the interviewer favours or select people that they consider to be the same as them based on various personal factors. However, candidates ethnic names and accents can negatively impact personal evaluations. Also, older candidates are most of the time less likely to be interviewed and hired compared to younger applicants. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 7.1 Conclusions A year and a half ago, organisations such as investment banks example HSBC, blue chips and consulting firms were competing with dotcoms companies for example Amazon, and Facebookover recruiting the best people. But in the present environment, there are waves of redundancies hence many are grateful that they have a job. However, boom or bust, good recruitment and selection practices are essential. In conclusions, this assignment agrees with the statement; â€Å"the most efficient solution to the problem of interview is to do away with interview and substitute paper-and-pencil measures† This is because research has demonstrated that interviews are an inefficient method of predicting future success in a job. According to Smart (1983) argues that only 94 out of 1000 interviewee respond honestly in conventional interviews. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Factors such as poor reliability and validity of test scores are also major problems of interviews. Different interviewers have their own different styles and approaches, inconsistent handling of different candidates, variation in assessment criteria, biases, and errors are all factors that limits the use of interviews as a method of selection. (Armstrong, M. 2009)

Quality Management Implementation In The Indian Automobile Industry Management Essay

Quality Management Implementation In The Indian Automobile Industry Management Essay To examine the success level of TQM implementation in an automobile industry by analysing the strengths and weaknesses of its critical success factors. 2. Research Questions What are the critical success factors of TQM implementation in an automobile industry? To what extent have the critical success factors of TQM been implemented in the automobile industry through the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the critical success factors of TQM? 3. Hypothesis 1. In an automobile industry there exists a critical set of success factors for successful implementation of total quality management. 2. The extent of TQM implementation is positively and significantly associated with the strengths of the Critical Success factors. 4. Introduction Total Quality Management is not a destination but a journey toward improvement. V. Daniel Hunt. Quality by no means is a new concept in modern business. In October 1887 William Cooper Procter, told his employees, The first job we have is to turn out quality merchandise that consumers will buy and keep on buying. While working with Daimler Chrysler to improve its quality several decades ago, a Vice President of the United Auto Workers stated the importance of quality: No quality, no sales. No sales, no profit. No profit no job. One of the key elements of Fords 2002 Revitalization Plan was to Continue Quality Improvements. The top two vital few priorities set by Fords president for North America were Improve Quality and Improve Quality. Thus we can see that quality assurance has been an important aspect of production operations throughout history. Although initial initiatives focussed on reducing defects and errors in products and services through the use of measurement, statistics and other problem solving methods, organizations began to recognise the lasting improvement could not be accomplished without significant attention being given to the critical success factors that contribute to the quality of the management practices used on a daily basis. The real challenge today is to ensure that managers continue to apply the basic principles on which quality management and performance excellence is based. The global marketplace and domestic and international competition have made organizations around the world realise that their survival depends on high quality. As the business world becomes more complex, quality must be approached from a system, rather than a process perspective. Quality has transitioned from control, to assurance, futher on to management. Thus it is important to understand the various critical success factors which are responsible for the effective implementation of TQM. 5. Literature Review 5.1 Background The roots of TQM can be traced back to early 1920s when the concept was developed in Japan in the late 1940s and 1950s and pioneered by Americans Scholars Freigenbum, Juran and Deming. Total quality management (TQM), in its total effect is to involve all stakeholders in organization fully in programs that will increase organizational productivity, its profitability, effective work-place efficiency, improved job satisfaction, employee morale, and continuous product quality improvement. Quality is a term that has significant meaning to both the producer and customer. In todays global cut-throat marketplace, the demands of customers are continuously increasing as they require improved quality of products and services. Total quality management (TQM) has become increasingly prevalent as one of the management strategies in companies today with the objective of ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty, besides improving products and service quality and reinforcing continuous improvement known as Kaizen. TQM is the only instrument to either maintain competitive advantage or survive competitive disadvantage (Spitzer, 1995). Total quality management is a major factor in the business quality revolution that has proven itself to be one of the 20th centurys most powerful creators of sales and revenue growth, genuinely good new jobs, and soundly based and sustainable business expansion (Feigenbaum , 1999). 5.2 What is Quality? In todays business there is no single definition for quality. One of the ways quality can be defined is as the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy the given needs (American National Standards Institute, 1978). Quality can be defined as the process to meet or exceed a customers expectation. The term Total Quality Management was developed by the Naval Air Systems Command to describe its Japanese style approach to quality improvement and became popular with business in the United States during the 1980s. Total quality is based on 3 basic principles: To focus on customers and stakeholders Ensure participation and teamwork by everyone in the organization Creating a process focus supported by continuous improvement and learning Total quality management is one of the measurements used in the automobile industry to ensure that the cars manufactured are reliable, satisfying the consumers at large and to ensure competitiveness in the market, as well as conformance to the international standard. All the existing automotive industries have reduced costs, increased process efficiency and strive to improve the quality of their products and services by meeting the needs of the people they serve through the application of total quality management (TQM) principles. As the competition is increasing globally quality management is gradually becoming important to the leadership and management of automotive industry. By implementing the following quality management tools, organizations will produce benefits for owners, employees, customers, suppliers and society as a whole. 6. Concepts of TQM Philosophy Many companies like Ford Motor Company, Motorola and Toyota Motor Company have implemented TQM in order to meet customer requirements. There are six main concepts of TQM philosophy (J Juran, G Merli): Concept Main Idea Customer Focus Goal is to identify and meet customer needs Continuous Improvement A philosophy of never ending improvement Employee Empowerment Employees are expected to seek out, identify, and correct quality problems Use of quality tools Ongoing employee training in the use of quality tools Product Design Quality should be in built in the process, sources of quality should be identified and corrected Managing Supplier Quality Quality concepts must extend to a companys suppliers Measurement Feedback Process performance in financial and non financial terms should be measured and feedback provision should exist. Training Development Training programs along with education for the suppliers and subcontractors are covered 6.1 Customer Focus For every company customer is the king. The automobile industry also depends on their customers and strives to meet their needs and also exceed their expectations (ISO) by providing a perfect product. It is never easy to determine what a client desires due to their changing tastes and preferences for cars. The automobile companies must constantly gather information constantly, by research groups, market studies, and meetings with clients, in order to remain close to clients tastes. Customer Driven Quality Cycle The customer driven quality cycle provides a view of the process in which customer needs and expectations are translated into perceptions during the design, production, and delivery processes (Bruce T. Barkley, James H Sailor, 2001). 6.2 Continuous Improvement The term continuous improvement means incremental improvement of products, processes, or services over time, with the goal of reducing waste to improve workplace functionality, customer service, or product performance (Suzaki, 1987). Customers expectations are always shifting to a higher level due to better and better results. When customers assess quality, not only do they compare companies to their last years performance but also to every other competitor that company has (B. Abohimed, 2001). TQM is concerned with continuous improvement in all spheres of work like strategic planning and decision-making, to detailed execution of work elements on the shop floor. Kaizen as it is referred in Japanese means change or the action to correct while Zen means good implying that Kaizen means a change for good or an action to correct something to make it better. Kaizen aims to eliminate waste by improving standardized activities and processes. One of approaches that help automobile companies is to constantly improve is the plan -do- study act (PDSA) cycle which describes the activities a company needs to perform in order to incorporate continuous never ending improvement in its operation (Deming, 1950). Source: Chicago Tribune PDCA cycles first step is to plan. Management must evaluate the current procedures and make future measures to evaluate performance implementation plans based on any problems they find. The next step is to Do which means implementing the plan by documenting all changes made and collecting the data for evaluation. The third step is to Check, i.e. study the data collected in the previous stage. The data is evaluated to see whether the plan is achieving the goals established in the plan phase or not. The last phase of the cycle is to Act according to the results found in the first three phases. Over the long run, superior performance depends on superior learning. (Peter Senge, 1960). Continuous improvement should be a part of the daily work by being practised at personal, work unit, and organizational levels. 6.3 Employee Empowerment Empowerment as a process of decentralizing decision making in an organization, whereby managers give more discretion and autonomy to the front line (Brymer, 1991). Continual and extensive training in quality measurement tools is provided to the workers in order to empower them to make decisions relative to quality in the production process and their contributions are highly valued. Source: Employee Empowerment: The Rhetoric and the Reality (Pearson, 1995) One good strategy that enhances the feelings of empowerment in employees is expressing confidence in them as well as establishing a realistic high performance for them by creating opportunity for employees to participate in decision making and giving them the autonomy to form bureaucratic constraints. Employees are always in the best position to detect problems and impose improvements if they are equipped to take steps to make improvements (Wilkinson, 1997). 6.4 Use of Quality Tools TQM requires the employees to identify and correct quality problems using certain graphical and statistical methods to plan work activities, collect data, analyse results, monitor progress, and solve. These are also known as the seven means for quality control which are: Cause and effect diagrams Scatter diagram Flowcharts Pareto chart Histogram Control charts Checklist 6.5 Product Design Every company should ensure that while building quality into a product it should meet a customers expectation which is not an easy task as customers often speak in everyday language. A product that is meant to be attractive, strong or safe can have different meanings to different customers. It is necessary to convert customers everyday language into specific technical requirements in order to produce a product that customers want. A valuable tool to translate the voice of the customer into specific technical requirements is Quality Function Deployment (QFD). QFD originated in 1972 at Mitsubishis Kobe shipyard site. It benefits companies through improved communication and team work between all constituencies in the value chain, such as between marketing and design, or between design and manufacturing. For example an automobile manufacturer would evaluate how changes in materials would have an impact on the customer safety requirements. Designing Production Systems for Quality These three are the important production system design objectives. After Ford acquired Jaguar, Jaguars quality improved rapidly due to production system changes. This was due to Ford adopting Toyotas production process at the Jaguar plant which proved that production system affects quality (Smith, 2001). Also Ford analysed incidents when defective purchased parts caused Ford to halt shipments of vehicles which made Ford conclude that manufacturing problems caused 83 percent of these incidents, while design problems caused17 percent. (Wilson and Sedgwick, 2002) QFD is a systematic procedure which is used to help build quality into the upstream processes and also into new product development while avoiding problems in the downstream production and delivery processes. 6.6 Managing Supplier Quality TQM extends the concept of quality to a companys suppliers. The philosophy of TQM extends the concept of quality to suppliers and ensures that they engage in the same quality practices. If suppliers meet preset quality standards, materials do not have to be inspected upon arrival. With the shift in emphasis from price to quality, automobile manufacturers have had to restructure their ties with their suppliers. Spokespeople for the automobile manufacturers generally emphasize how they are trying to build more cooperative relationships with suppliers, based upon long-term contracts, information sharing, and trust (Gardner, 1993). Some of the benefits of developing long term business partnership include: Reduction and elimination of the inspection of supplied parts and materials. Improved product and service quality, and delivery performance and responsiveness. Value for money purchases Security and stability of suppliers Transfer of ideas, expertise and technology between customer and supplier and dissemination and implementation of best practise. Exposure of the supplier to new tools, techniques, systems and business practices. 6.7 Measurement Feedback Deming has given utmost importance to the fact that all business processes should be a part of a measurement system along with a feedback structure. The feedback received should be studied by managers to identify the causes of variation at each step in a process, and then concentrate on improving that subset of processes. (Paul Arveson, 1998) This framework translates the voice of the customer into measures of performance which the organization can identify and improve. It also deals with internal measures of performance, assessment of the suppliers and development of rewards and recognition. 6.8 Training Development Companies committed to quality and high performance invest heavily in training and education as such investments add value to organizational capabilities. The leaders in quality like Deming, Juran, and Crossby actively promoted quality training and education. Training generally includes quality awareness, leadership, project management, communications, teamwork, problem solving, interpreting and using data, meeting customer requirements, process analysis, process simplification, waste reduction, error proofing efficiency and safety. 7. Studies on TQM As the Indian economy is globalising, achieving quality excellence is becoming one of the basic goals of all companies specially the automobile companies. Many companies are trying their best to get their hands on the Deming Award awarded for achieving for quality standards in their manufacturing activities. According to a few studies done around the world by a few companies on TQM, it has been found that TQM has got a positive influence on a companys growth and success. When the financial performance of 600 quality award winner companies was analysed, it lead to the conclusion that when TQM is implemented effectively, the financial performance also improves drastically (Singhal and Hendricks, 1999). TQM also helps companies to increase their market share and improve their competitiveness as found in a study done by Mohrman and Powell in 1995. TQM is considered to be a direct factor in influencing the corporate performance of a company. According to a study carried out on the efficiency levels of TQM in India, it was found out that TQM implementation in Mahindra Mahindra, one of the top India automobile companies considerably improved its performance. A similar survey carried out in Larsen Toubro concluded that TQM has a significant impact on the companys financial performance (Singh, 2000). TQM implementation in Indian industries even though is in its growth stage, is bringing about incredible changes in the performance of the organizational work force and helps in increasing the productivity and reducing costs. Total Quality Management has gained for itself a substantial acceptance in Indian automobile industry with the aim to raise the performance standards if Indian companies to world class level (Dinesh Sethi, Deepak Tripathy, 2006). But implementation of TQM is not an easy task. Many companies still do not commit themselves to its implementation whole heartedly (Downs and Mohr, 1980, Miller, 1993). One of the major success factors for implementation of TQM is a strong level of organizational commitment. Four more indispensible questions required for each company to answer for the successful implementation of TQM are: 1) Is there a presence of top management involvement? 2) Does the company face opposition from workers organizations? 3) Is the middle/upper management involved and interested? 4) Does there exist an organizational quality culture? A Total Quality strategy is effective only through the long-term commitment and devoted appliance by the top and middle management. The top management is held responsible for setting goals, strategically planning and allocating resources to aid implementation of all plans and initiatives. (Deming, 1982 Oarvin, 1987). Another important aspect for successful TQM implementation is employee participation promoted at all levels. Individual responsibility can be discharged only if power is delegated in different degree at all levels across the organization. Also the mission, vision and policies of a company should be consistent with those of TQM. Visionary leadership of the top management and complete involvement of the middle management along with the support of employees results in TQM being a successful endeavour in the company. It is has been found out that 62% of the Indian automobile sector believes to follow TQM as a guiding philosophy while 38% has still not adopted TQM as a guiding philosophy (Caravatta, 1997, Sharma, 1997, Agrawal, 1999). It is estimated that 70 % of the India automobile sector promises on time delivery more than 80 % of times. According to the world standards, Indian automobile industry is lagging behind. Only 52 % of the automobile companies are working towards achieving a cost reduction of more than 5% while shockingly still 48% of the organizations do not consider cost reduction as an important aspect. Unfortunately only 10-15% Indian automobile companies are using quality cost as measure of their quality performance thereby loosing an opportunity to spot critical areas for improvement (Harrington, 1997) 8. Six Sigma Motorola pioneered the concept of Sex Sigma as an approach to measuring product and service quality in the year 1987. Six Sigma provides an outline for implementation of a total quality system. The word Sigma in Six Sigma implies process performance. Six Sigma acts as a differentiator between world class and average manufacturing companies with benefits in scrap and rework costs, reject rates, achieved through teamwork and by removing organizational boundaries. It is a statistical unit used for measuring a units quality, with not more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities which imply achieving a quality standard of 99.99966%. Six Sigma covers the whole organization, including suppliers and customers (Quality Times, 1998). Six Sigma approach focuses on reducing variability and achieving excellence by working on three key strategies: Process optimization, standardization, and control Part standardization and certification of supplier Following a design for Manufacturability Six Sigma Conversion Table Source: Journal of Management Research, 2006 Six Sigma has been applied in product development, new business acquisition, customer service, accounting, and many other business functions. It is not possible for all processes to operate at a Six Sigma level. The appropriate level depends on the strategic importance of the process and the cost of improvement relative to the benefit. It is generally easy to move from 2 Sigma or 3 Sigma level to 4 Sigma levels, but moving beyond that requires much more effort and sophisticated statistical tools (James Evans, 2008). The problem solving methodologies used by Six Sigma are: DMAIC used for projects aimed at improving an existing business process. DMADV used for projects aimed at creating new product or process designs. 8.1 DMAIC Source: wordpress.com Define The first step while implementing Six Sigma is to define the problem in operational terms to facilitate further analysis. A good problem statement identifies customers and the Critical to Quality (CTQ) factors that have the most impact on product or service performance and identify the performance metrics and the cost implications of the project along with defining what is to be done by whom and when (Thomas Bertels, 2003) Measure This phase of DMAIC process focuses on how to measure the internal processes that affect CTQs. This requires an understanding of the relationships between process performance and customer value. Analyse This stage focuses on why defects, errors, or excessive variation occur. Finding the answers requires identifying the key variables that are most likely to cause errors and excessive variation the root causes. One of the tools of identifying the root cause is the 5 Why technique which forces one to redefine a problem as a chain of causes and effects to identify the source of the symptoms by asking why five times (George Patterson, 2003). Improve Once the root cause of a problem is understood, the team needs to generate ideas for removing the problem and improve the performance measures and CTQs. Some of the techniques used to facilitate idea generation are brainstorming, checklists, etc (Osborn, 2003). The ideas generated are then evaluated and the most promising ones are selected, confirming that the proposed solution will positively affect the key process variables and the CTQs. Control This part of DMAIC focuses on how to maintain the improvements, which includes putting tools in place to ensure that the key variables remain within the maximum acceptable ranges under the modified process. Controls might be as simple as using checklists or periodic status reviews to ensure that proper procedures are followed or employing process control charts to monitor the performance of key measures. 8.2 DMADV The DMADV project methodology, also known as  DFSS  (Design  for  Six  Sigma),  features five phases: Source: SixSigmaTraining.net Define  design goals that are consistent with customer demands and the enterprise strategy. Measure  and identify CTQs (characteristics that are  Critical  To  Quality), product capabilities, production process capability, and risks. Analyze  to develop and design alternatives, create a high-level design and evaluate design capability to select the best design. Design  details, optimize the design, and plan for design verification. This phase may require simulations. Verify  the design, set up pilot runs, implement the production process and hand it over to the process owner(s). In India, only 5% of Indian automobile companies seem to implement the Six Sigma rule due to which they have not been able to achieve steady level of quality based on  ±3 Sigma limits around the specified target value. Six Sigma is a tool for continuous improvement making an organization to concentrate on the requirements of customers, process alignment, and timely well planned execution (Skaria, 1995). Thus to be able to compete internationally Indian automobile sector should follow Six Sigma program in order to install the TQM philosophy. This would in turn help them to map their performance overtime and to take required prior measures. Although automobile sector in India implemented Six Sigma to gain competence in its quality aspect, it still failed to implement it in the right direction. This was due to a number of reasons like: Absence of top management involvement commitment Practising an authoritarian behaviour and a hierarchical thinking. Lack of adequate education and training for the employees. No strategic goal setting and a weak system of monitoring. Inadequate knowledge in the field of Six Sigma and its related tools. Lack of passion to be the best in quality. No building up of the practise of Kaizen, the culture of continuous improvement. Not paying enough attention to the needs of the customers. Impatience to develop a new strategy to achieve quality and thus resorting to a quick unreliable way of fixing things. Lack of collaboration, integrity, excellence and respect for each other. During the 1970s and early 1980s there were not many automobile manufacturers in India the growth of this sector was slow. But in 1983 a dramatic change in the scenario occurred when Maruti was taken over by the Indian government and Maruti entered joint venture agreement with Suzuki (Japan) which stirred a revolution in the Indian automobile industry. With the adoption of the policy of economic liberalization by Indian government in 1991, major car manufacturer companies such as General Motors, Fiat and Honda, got a chance to set up their manufacturing bases in India. Even after two decades gone after implementing TQM in the automobile sector, India is still a very small player in the world auto market production. The overall economy of India is a direct factor influencing the growth of the Indian automobile sector and still lot is required to be done by the companies to implement TQM tools like Kaizen, Six Sigma, 5S and TPM. Since growth of automobile in any country is an indication of overall economy, thus lot need to be done by the automobile sector in implementing TQM quality tools particularly 5S, Kaizen, Quality Function Deployment and Business Process Re engineering. 9. Lean Organizations Lean production was a concept developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation to focus on the elimination of waste in all forms, including defects requiring rework, unnecessary process steps, and unnecessary movement of materials or people, waiting time, excess inventory, and overproduction. One of the key tools used in lean production is the 5 Ss : Seiri Refers to ensuring that each item in a workplace is in its proper place Seiton Refers to arranging materials and equipments so that they are easy to find and use. Seiso Refers to a clean working area so as to reduce maintenance problems. Seiketsu Refers to formalize procedures and practices to create consistency and ensure that all steps are performed correctly. Shitsuke Implies keeping the process going through training, communication and organizational structures. 10. Conclusion All types of automotive industries aim to have reduced costs, increased process efficiency and improved quality of their products and services by working towards achieving the needs of their customers through the application of TQM. With growing cut throat competition, TQM has become an important aspect of the management of automotive industry. With the implementation of the quality principles discussed above, companies will produce profits for themselves and also satisfy the needs of owners, employees, suppliers and society as a whole.

Le Creuset :: essays papers

Le Creuset Concentration of Manufacturing: In comparison to the diversified nature of Le Creuset’s approach to export markets, manufacturing in the company is very much concentrated. All Le Creuset’s products are manufactured at the two production sites in France (Fresnoy-le-Grand and Cousances). What could be the reason or reasons behind such a concentration in manufacturing? One reason could be the nature of the production process at the company. It is highly specialised. The products have to meet certain standards and levels. It consists of four distinct stages (production of cast iron; casting; finishing; and enamelling). The process thus is a distinct and orderly method. In addition there is the factor of the presence and remoteness to raw materials (in this case pig iron and recycled iron). Also the production process needs appropriate specialised equipment to support the highly specialised stages of production. Beside Le Creuset’s products have the image of being traditional, made in France with experience for long consecutive years. The production has been going on in France since 1925. This therefore creates or is part of the brand image. All these factors make it difficult for the company to found other production sites for the company in its foreign markets. The company instead concentrated on a more diversified level of marketing, sales and distribution. However this does not mean that production is neglected for still great attention is focused on improving productivity in the company through an on-going investment programme targeted at re-organising and modernising the production facilities and process at Le Creuset. As a result the process has now become more cost-efficient, effective, and automated. In fact automating the casting process for example has proved to be six time more efficient than the labour-intensive method that has been replaced. Culture or the Image of Le Creuset: What does Le Creuset as a brand name suggest a vision or an image of? Above all we should at first point out that it is the very qualities of Le Creuset products that create its image and culture world-wise. Le Creuset cast iron cookware has three outstanding features by which its recognised: its high quality, its superior durability, and the brightness and depth of its colour. These three distinct characteristics guarantee a very up-market product that consumers would highly desire and aspire to buy. The name, image and culture of Le Creuset created by the properties of the company’s products are very unique.

A Summery of the Life and Writings of John Stuart Mill :: essays papers

A Summery of the Life and Writings of John Stuart Mill After reading 100% of the book, New Ideas From Dead Economists, I chose to write a little summery of John Stuart Mill. I did a little outside research on the subject, because his theories and philosophies were intriguing to me. I was impressed by his change in his views as he entered his mid twenties. John Stuart Mill was born in London on May 20, 1806, and was the oldest son of James Mill. His education, as a boy, was carried out by his father, James Mill. John’s discipline was extremely rigid, as a result, he believed it gave him the intellectual advantage of a quarter century on his contemporaries. Later in life Mill recognized that his father’s extreme system of intellectual discipline gave him little time to develop social and emotional relationships with others. He regretted this aspect of his childhood. Mill was considered a leader in thought at the young age of twenty-one. This is when he encountered a mental crisis. The cause of the crisis, extreme mental and physical strain, gave him as he called it, â€Å"a dull state of nerves†. He realized that the goals in his life, that his father had given him, stolen the feelings out of him. After many months of despair, he found that the emotions within him were not dead. One important factor in this emotional realization was a woman by the name of Mrs. Taylor. She was known to help Mill in authoring works of his, and a good friend. While she was married, Mill held a close relationship with her. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Taylor and John Mill were married in 1851. After this he had great success publishing in multiple literary journals. These articles had ranged from those relating to philosophy and social to political and economic. One of his earliest was with The Westminster Review, but were mostly for The London Review. Through these articles, we can trace his gradual development and change in his radical politics. His first real intellectual work appeared in 1843, System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive. This was followed by his, Essays on some Unsettled Questions of Political Economy, in 1844, and, Principles of Political Economy in 1848.

Sleep Deprivation Among College Students Essay -- Sleep Deprivation Es

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sleeping is something that is an essential part of human nature and is a must in order for one to be a functional human being. Sleep is an idea that is accompanied by many wives’ tales, including the ideas that one needs seven to eight hours of sleep each night and alcohol helps one fall asleep and sleep more soundly. One myth about sleep is that during sleeping, one is in a state of nothingness. In truth, however, it has been discovered that during sleep the brain is active, variations in heartbeat and breathing occur, and the eyes and ears are active throughout the time of sleep. These activities during a person’s sleep are important because they help that person be more aware, awake, and alert during consciousness. If all of these important activities occur during sleep, why is it that people are so willing to short themselves of this vital activity? Although much about sleep still remains a mystery, research and experiments continue to show how i mportant sleep is to each and every person. Throughout this paper, I will discuss sleep and the effects that it has on performance and health, especially in college students. A college student’s sleeping pattern is a reliable indicator to their level of performance in the classroom and other school-affiliated activities, as a lack of sleep leads to decreased performance. Sleep is directly related the level of performance and health in an individual; the more rested a person is, the better that person will perform and feel (Dryer, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One question that people seem to be unsure about is exactly how much sleep is enough sleep? In Inside Insomnia: How to Sleep Better Tonight, Dryer tells that the ideal amount of sleep may vary from person to person. She states that while seven to eight hours may seem to be the accepted average, there are no fixed norms. Some people sleep two hours nightly, while others sleep nine to twelve hours nightly without complaint. She goes on to say that as long as the hours of sleep that one has gotten leaves them feeling energetic and alert the next morning, then that person has met their sleep needs. Sleeping in excess does not always allow the person to feel more awake the next morning. Dryer believes that trying to sleep longer than needed will lead to hours of tossing and turning, and not necessarily feeling more awake the next morning. Basically, the ideal amount of sle... ...nied by misperceptions, illusions, and even hallucinations due to the lack of needed sleep (Zammit). Although rare and extreme, cases such as these have been documented. Sleep deprivation can also be detrimental when associated with emotional trauma. When deprived of sleep during a time of emotional distress, people are at a greater risk of becoming psychotic and needing electroshock therapy. While many of these effects are rare, they all have been known to exist. Research shows that sleep is a necessity in order for someone to be able to perform at their maximum potential. College students are no exception to the rule and are often at a greater risk to suffer from conditions that accompany sleep deprivation. Regardless of the time period, a college student must be well rested in order to perform at his or her best in terms of physical performance, memorization capabilities, and test-taking abilities. Also, without adequate sleep, the person will be more susceptible to illnesses, both mental and physical. In conclusion, I believe that sleep deprivation among college students is extremely common and has a direct effect on how well that student will perform or feel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

How do composers use distinctively visual techniques Essay

How do composers use distinctively visual techniques to shape our interpretations of the world? Composers use distinctively visual techniques to shape the audiences interpretations of the world. John Misto’s play ‘The Shoe-horn Sonata and the RTA advertisement ‘Notes’ uses distinctively visual techniques such as dialogue, photographic images, and music to effectively shape the audiences interpretations of the world. Firstly Misto uses dialogue as a distinctively visual technique in his play ‘The Shoe Horn Sonata to shape the audiences interpretations of the world. Misto uses juxtaposition as the dialogue consists of both private and public conversations which create powerful links between the two characters. The first scene shows Bridie re-enacting the kowtow, a tribute to the emperor of Japan. This kowtow was done when a Japanese guard would cry out ‘Keirei’. Stage directions allow the readers to visualise exactly how the composer wants i t to be performed. The audience is able relate in some way and feels engaged with Bridie at this point. Misto then uses photographic images, projected on a screen behind Bridie to support the dialogue. These images consist of several 1940 posters for the womens army, as well as photographs of the Australian army nurses disembarking in Singapore. Not even halfway through scene 1 the use of dialogue and photographic images have raised a concern to the audience of the pain and suffering that many women endured at the hands of the Japanese, yet their stories were not widely known. This has shaped their interpretations of war vastly, as there is much more horror, truth and death involved then just men on the front line. In the RTA advertisement ‘Notes’ the use of no dialogue is so the importance of photographic images is essential for conveying the point of view of the advertisement, which is ‘slow down’. The photographic images show the last message left by each young person and the rush they are in. The images are shown in a slow motion effect which gives the audience time think of the situations and then evokes an emotional response. The images show the surroundings of where how the message was left, this shows that these people come from all different family backgrounds and have a relationship with members of their family. Therefore we realize that these rushing deaths can happen to anyone, regardless of who you are. This shapes the viewer’s interpretation of the world showing that rushing is not worth the consequences of speeding and therefore reinforces the importance of slowing  down. Lastly in ‘Shoe Horn Sonata’ Misto uses music from the period to go with images projected. The use of music adds emotion to the play and It places the audience in the historical context and in some parts it suggests the irony of the situations the women went through. An example is when Bridie criticises the British, the song ‘Rule Britannia’ is played. This song is very patriotic and helps us understand the irony of the situation. The use of music creates emotion within the audience helps shape their interpretation of war, as there is much more horror, truth and death involved then just men on the front line. In the RTA advertisement ‘Notes’ the slow solemn music is used to arouse emotion within the audience. This shapes the audiences interpretations of the world because the slow musical beat actually relaxes the audience therefore causing them to slow down and think about the consequences of speeding and the importance of not rushing. John Misto’s play ‘The Shoe-horn Sonata and the RTA advertisement ‘Notes’ uses distinctively visual techniques to effectively shape the audiences interpretations of the world. This is done brilliantly by an impressive use of dialogue, photographic images, and musi c.

Aviation Information Technology

Technological progress has been going on in the sector of Aviation from time to time. Since the 1980s, Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) has been transforming tourism globally. This essay will be looking into the matter how ICT in the aviation industry has changed the way costumers book their flight through internet, by looking at various sources. The other issue the essay would be focusing at is what customers demand from the websites of the airlines to help make their work easier by helping them to find the right thing for them. The development of the ICT specially the internet has empowered the consumers and is giving them an exceptional value for money and time (Twenty years on and 10 years after the Internet: The state of eTourism research, 2008). Where internet is helping consumers to save their time on the same time internet is helping the companies to reduce their costs’. Consumers are now able book their paperless tickets online. The fares have been reduced as there are no agents wanting their commission. Sometimes consumers also get financial incentives for self-booking online (eAirlines: strategic and tactical use of ICTs in the airline industry,buhalis,2004). No-frills airlines are using their web sites to attract and communicate directly with consumers (E. Jorgensen, Southwest Airlines: Success Story). This enables them to bypass travel agencies and their commissions. In 2003, both Easyjet and Ryanair achieved more than 92% of their bookings through their web sites, whilst Southwest sold 50% of its tickets on its web site (eAirlines: strategic and tactical use of ICTs in the airline industry). Researching the information is a very significant part of a decision process which has revolutionized by the internet. The more the consumer researches about trip, the more information he has, which eventually helps him deciding the best for him. ICT does not only reduce uncertainty and perceived risks but also enhance the quality of trips (Fodness & Murray, 1997). A well informed consumer is able to interact much better with local people, resources and cultures, to find the services and products that meet his requirement and to take advantage of the reduced prices and special offers(Twenty years on and 10 years after the Internet: The state of eTourism research, Dimitrios Buhalis, Rob Law,2008). Global Distribution System (GDS) is a computer reservation system, typically owned jointly by airlines in different countries, that includes reservation databases of suppliers in many countries. Abbreviated GDS. This term has largely replaced â€Å"computerized reservation system (CRS)† as the term of choice within the industry (www. hotel-online. com). Customer’s loyalty towards an airline has become more important and more threatened as a result of heightened competition because of the number of the number of airlines in the industry. Moreover, the increase in competition has increased the cost of loyalty programs that provide a wide variety of benefits to loyal customers or to keep existing customers from moving to other airlines, such as free or discounted tickets, upgrades to premium cabins, separate reservation telephone numbers and check in counters at airports, use of airport lounges, special boarding priority or seating preferences. In order to meet customer expectations, airlines need to track not only the value provided and received from these loyalty benefits but also the costs of providing such benefits. Internet is one of the most influential things that have changed consumers’ behavior. Internet enables the consumers to interact directly with the airline or the suppliers reducing the role of intermediaries. Today consumers want a dynamic package rather than selected few holiday packages, and internet has made this possible by allowing the consumers going directly to the company they want to deal with to customize their products. The internet has been already been influencing the markets of developing countries like China and India by allowing customers to be dynamic. Moving to the choice for the consumers, internet has given consumers a lot of options and choices. Consumers can now look through number of companies who they might want to go with. They can choose from a single journey to a whole customized holiday package. No-Frills airline like ryanair and easyjet focus only on their websites cutting all the unnecessary costs and allowing the customers to book their flights or packages on very low prices. Personal Information is something which a person is very careful about. But, increasingly consumers are willing to provide their personal information in exchange of better services and products that they want. Complain is another very significant issue for a company, in order to provide a way for the customers to provide a feedback and give a complaint, airline companies have a different section on their websites to handle the complains so that there is a proper channel of communication between management and unsatisfied customers. With numerous advantages of the airline websites, comes many problems as it is a computer based system. A computer system can crash any moment which can cause the airline huge losses. A report by Akamai and Jupiter Research has shown that 28% of online shoppers will not wait longer than four seconds for a web page to load before leaving3. Looking at broadband Internet users alone, the number is even higher. A full one third of those abandon a web page if it takes longer than four seconds to load. Needless to say, if a site is down, 100% of the site visitors are turned away. It’s the equivalent of lock ¬ing the door to the store(press. and1. co. uk). Airlines also try to earn more revenue by unfair means. Ryanair has several different hidden costs which increases the cost of a return flight by treble even though it is a low cost airline. ?20 per person per round trip to check in at desk with hand luggage. ?30 / ? 40 per bag per round trip to check in a suitcase with online check in. ?60 per bag per round trip to check in ski or sports equipment. ?10 per person per round trip to pay with cards except an Electron Card. Many sites had multiple problems. The overall trends of problems within the sector are like misleading pricing has emerged as the biggest problem, found in 58% of the sites, irregularities related to contract terms were found in 49% of those sites (missing or wrong language version, and pre-checked boxes for optional services). Problems in which the advertised offers were missing appeared to be in 15% of the sites (europa. eu) This essay has looked into the matter of the role played by internet and the airline websites which help consumers to decide what they want as their option for a single service or a group of services. Internet also provides a consumer a wide range of options as they can go through everything they want to and they want to know about. Consumers can give their personal details to the websites if they are sure that they will get the maximum from the airlines. Internet has been very successful in changing the demands of the consumers, by letting them research about what they want and the airline companies giving them an option to be dynamic. But, there are some problems too with the websites like hidden costs in them or the crashing of the websites. Till now internet has mostly helped and will be always helping the aviation industry. References: europa. eu, 6/11/2009 eAirlines: strategic and tactical use of ICTs in the airline industry,buhalis,2004 E. Jorgensen, Southwest Airlines: Success Story, in www. novell. com, 8/11/2009 hotel-online. com, 8/11/2009 press. 1and1. co. uk, 7/11/2009 Twenty years on and 10 years after the Internet: The state of eTourism research, Dimitrios Buhalis Bournemouth University, Rob Law Hong Kong Polytechnic University,2008