Technology and Training Systems - Essay Example

Technology and Training Systems In today’s world, everything seems to be changing from markets to customer demands to technologies, global boundaries and not forgetting products and processes (Dome, Jarmin & Klimek, 2008). For any company to succeed within this competitive environment, there is a need to make critical competitive decisions that will boost the current positions of their companies install procedures that will guarantee the future success of the company. Wal-Mart is no exception to these changes, and one of the relevant technology requirements they have put in place is the radio frequency identification (RFID), which has increased its employee’s productivity. This has helped replenish shelves up to three times. It has also helped keep tracks on the products and has also helped keep the inventory cost low (Dome, Jarmin & Klimek, 2008). The paper will examine the results of my assessment of the technology and training systems at Wal-Mart. Emphasis will be put on the required technology that is relevant to employee efficiency, staffing systems, career development systems and training systems set up by the organization to manage and increase proficiency and efficiency of employees. The paper will also recommend suggestions for improving the technology requirements, the staffing systems, career development systems and training systems that Wal-Mart needs to put in place in order to handle and increase aptitude and efficiency of its employees. Nonetheless, Wal-Mart requires fresh innovative strategic responses in advancing the technology requirements relevant to increasing competency and productivity of its employees. Innovation entails putting new ideas into commercial use such as creating new products or services, using new production technologies and techniques and the implementation of new ways of organizing work and business processes. In line with this, Wal-Mart needs to improve process quality, speed and flexibility, without incurring crippling cost burdens. It has to compete on new terms by designing the company in new ways. In my assessment, I found that information technology is the driving force that will lead Wal-Mart to this competitive advantage. I found out that customers are increasingly making unique and unpredictable product demands and most of them want the products of services that are right for them instantly. I realized that predicting customer demands and articulating product specifications are becoming very difficult, and; hence, Wal-Mart needs to recruit employees with relevant technological requirements who can adapt to the dynamic product changes in order to enhance their productivity. They also need to institute stable processes that employees can use the rapid and unpredictable technological changes taking place in the world today (Fishman, 2007). This will, in turn, allow the company to build stable and flexible platforms of process capabilities on a continuing basis, and; thus, enhance the employee’s technological knowledge and increase process efficiency, which are clear indicators of a stable process of change. Wal-Mart will also need to design training systems in order to increase competency and productivity of employees. These training systems will help reduce the cost of creating new and varied products by establishing a stable efficient platform of capabilities (Dreher & Dougherty, 2001). Thus, they will need to put in place training systems that enable employees handle a greater variety and range of customer and market needs. Wal-Mart will have to enhance its response to market transformations by both business and information systems staff by creating systems that can be amalgamated and integrated across changing products and markets Wal-Mart’s current staffing system focuses on four key characteristics in assessing employees’ skill potential namely attitude, aptitude, applicability and experience. In assessing attitude, the characteristics required by each employee are a team player, empathy, patience and an active listener. The staff is also required to be professional, resourceful, polite, courteous, friendly, helpful and persevering. They are also supposed to be willing to follow new procedures and eager to learn new skills. Aptitude entails the ability by staff to learn new skills, retain them and integrate them with the old ones (Fishman, 2007). Applicability is the ability for staff to apply knowledge and skills to appropriate use, sharing these knowledge and skills with others, and foreseeing new areas where these skills may apply. In terms of experience, Wal-Mart considers the number of year’s experience an employee has in a given skill, whether it is up to date and the degree of variety of the experience Career development systems are vital in employing and keeping competent employees and in competing efficiently with other relevant companies (Dreher & Dougherty, 2001). An attractive career development system motivates the employees and keeps them committed to the company. The career development systems at Wal-Mart include a promotion policy that has clear regulations based on the reward and the recognition of an individual’s worth and performance. Wal-Mart has opportunities for staff development through mobility, training, work enhancement and growth coaching not forgetting attractive career prospects. Wal-Mart can make their promotion policy more attractive by coming up with a better reward merits that can motivate young employees through accelerating career progression and putting in place less emphasis on seniority (Fishman, 2007). They can also introduce comprehensible criteria that enhance the impartiality and transparency of their current career development systems. Wal-Mart’s career development systems need to be aligned with personal goals and career objectives. Employees’ development must be aligned with the business performance for both parties to succeed. They should also embrace a culture that values, supports and rewards learning. They need to also give employees adequate procedures, information, tools and assets they require to develop their careers. A wide range of development options also need to be offered and made available to their employees. They can include formal courses, seminars, workshops, action learning, conferences and mentoring. Lastly, they need to evaluate regularly their career development systems (Dreher & Dougherty, 2001). As part of the training systems needed to manage and increase competency and productivity of employees, Wal-Mart uses computers to help educate and train their employees. Over 1.2 million of their workforces in the United States are offered e-learning programs. The workforce is also offered classes in time management and goal setting that help to increase productivity both at work and in the employees’ personal lives. In conclusion, Wal-Mart needs to empower their employees technologically and engages them in relevant training systems that embrace a dynamic product and stable process change. This will offer a variety to customers and meet changing product demands through service and product variety and innovation. This will also result in increased efficiencies because the employees will be building on existing long term process experience and knowledge. We can finally conclude by reiterating that technology is a key strategic resource for success in the new competitive environment and is time and again the driving force behind this success. References Dome, M., Jarmin, R., & Klimek, S. (2008). Information technology investment and firm performance in U.S. Retail Trade, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 13(7), 56-65. Dreher, G., & Dougherty, T. (2001). Human resource strategy: A behavioral perspective for the general manager. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Fishman, C. (2007). The Wal-Mart effect. New York: Penguin books. Read More