Toyota's Quality Control Department - Case Study Example

Toyota's Quality Control Department Name Institutional Affiliation Executive summary This report analyzes literature review on career management and networking and recommendations on the right decision when choosing a career. Career management is a continuous activity of preparing, creating, implementing and monitoring career strategies initiated by a person. Investing in employee’s career development is necessary for development and sustaining of the workforce and the organization as a whole. Most important, it helps develop and maintain mutual trust and commitment between subordinates and their leaders who create a caring atmosphere. Career management is usually affected by factors such as changes in the environment, modification of business plans and vision, employee retrenchment, mergers and acquisitions and shifts in technology. Networking is defined as the building, maintaining, and utilizing relationships on career success. Its function is boosting work-related activities by allowing individuals to access resources and maximizing advantages. It is aimed at increasing work-related activities by enabling access to resources and maximizing common benefits. Networking behaviors such going to parties to discuss business issues, attending meetings, or keeping touch with former colleagues are crucial for career growth. It is also linked to favorable performance reviews and provide excellent platform to search for employment. A person can develop and sustain informal contacts through networking. Some of the factors that one should look at when choosing a job include his or aspirations, family/spousal views, compensation, and future prospects. Being contended in a job is far more important than the package offered. However, this does not mean that someone should settle for less since they would be required to satisfy their needs. It is also wise to choose a job that meets one's aspirations such as career and talent growth. Table of Contents 3 Appendices 14 Career Management and Networking Introduction What’s your career path? Unfortunately for some people, they leave their careers to operate on autopilot mode. This means that they do not know where they would want to be in the five years and should their jobs end today due to many reasons, they would take time to be on their feet back again. Individuals who know what they want to become or where their careers should lead them are better off than those who do not. It is advisable that people choose careers that they love or excite them. Equally, organizations that want the best from their employees would have to help them in managing their careers. This could be in the form of guiding them on the latest industry trend and advising them appropriately on the right decisions to make. They could also train on the most recent technological skills or offer refresher courses so that their employees remain relevant in the job market. Once practicing, it is recommended that one attaches value to networking. Networking simply means maintaining active contact with people who can positively influence your career (Goetchius, 2008). They can be employees from organization, ex-workmates, mentors, and friends among others. One can join a professional networking group that meets on regularly basis and attend industry forums. Also, they need to be active on social media since it provides a platform where they can communicate with their friends and previous workmates (Bosch, 2009). Similarly, social media allows professionals to form virtual groups to keep their members updated on latest news. Some of the popular social networks platforms include LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Discussion Career management is a continuous process of preparing, creating, implementing and monitoring career plans. Kumudha and Abraham (2018) defines career management as the process by which individuals develop awareness about their strong points and job opportunities, set measurable career goals and come up with plans that facilitate the achievement of their goals. It includes the actions of the administration in providing a direction to the growth of each of their staff. Career management is usually affected by factors such as changes in the environment, changes in strategy and vision, retrenchment, mergers and acquisitions and technological changes (Adekola, 2011). Effective career management facilitates people to make judgments that are in line with their skills, goals, values. This helps enhance organizational effectiveness. Also, it may give support to people in their efforts to develop the behaviors, skills, and knowledge that will make them achieve their goals. Most organizations take career management seriously. It has become a priority of the companies so as to retain the best employees. Career development programs are crucial to guarantee and facilitate the continuous development of staffs’ skills, knowledge, attitudes, and competencies (Saleem, & Amin, 2013). Investing in employee’s career is essential for sustaining employees and the organization as a whole. Most important, it helps develop and maintain mutual trust and commitment between employees and their leaders. This creates a caring atmosphere for the easier attainment of goals. The potential benefit of career management to companies is that it turns around low employee satisfaction scores which reduce turnover and ensures high engagement. Similarly, it enables staff to be highly productive and innovative which is a requirement for businesses to perform better. Moreover, it is necessary that companies grow future leaders and specialists who are only possible when managers develop their skills and experience the business needs now and in the future. Changing working environment has made it difficult for career management for both employees and organizations. Nowadays companies no longer offer a lifelong employment and staff are aware that at some point, they would be required to seek employment from different organizations. The transition does not come easy for some individuals especially when they have to start their careers in foreign countries. Smaliukiene, Korsakiene, and Tvaronaviciene (2013) confirm that the transitional period an individual embarks on a secondary career in the global labor market is difficult. The author’s advice that the approach to a career should be broad and reflect the current situation that requires a person has transferable skills and multidisciplinary experience. Most importantly, the modern employee should always analyze what the labor market offers and increase their competencies to be relevant in the job market. On the other hand, organizations should prepare their employees in advance for changes such as layoffs to avoid issues with lack of motivation and engagement. Networking has a positive effect on career success. Networking is defined as creating, maintaining, and using connections for career advancements (Wolff & Moser, 2009). It is aimed at boosting work-related activities by giving access to resources and taking full advantage of common strengths. Networking behaviors such attending events to discuss business matters or keeping touch with former colleagues are crucial for career growth. Nelson and Quick (2013) confirms that individuals with networks both inside and outside their employing organization are extraordinary at their jobs. It is also linked to positive performance reviews and may be a perfect opportunity to look for a job (DuBrin, 2009). Networking behaviors are used to create and maintain informal contacts that boost career success. It is different from social capital since it is a personal level construct and it focuses on individual actions. Wolff and Moser (2009) examined how networking affects career success. The study revealed that individuals who networked most are more successful in their careers and earn a higher salary compared to those who do not. Networking was found to lead to higher performance ratings by supervisors. Social media has made it possible for individuals to interact virtually. Ashraf and Javed (2014) investigated the outcomes of social networking on workers. The study established that social networking is now a crucial part of everyone’s life and has a major influence. Individuals no longer request for mobile numbers or email addresses but ask for social media IDs when they want to establish long-term relationships. Social networking was found to affect employees’ knowledge, productivity, and motivation. Social networking enables individuals to build relations and ideas and dispense information. Notably, individuals use different social networking sites in various ways. They could use Facebook for example, for personal motive, Twitter for social networking, and LinkedIn for professional use (Salpeter, 2013). Organizations can use social media for professional benefits that are geared towards making their staff improve their work performance (Bosch, 2009). Managers can post links on how to remain motivated at work or how to acquire particular skills. Businesses that are not using digital social networks are missing a lot. Management should always facilitate online networking. Pickman (2013) argues that employers should encourage their staff to network with others and reward it. He explains that initial success will be more likely and quickly achieved and employees would be encouraged to participate more in similar activities. Networking opportunities are expanding on the web. Many career interests are represented online and people can easily organize for a meeting. It’s even more important as it gives one access to people beyond his or her friends. However, one should carefully evaluate people that they interact with online so as not to be victims of fraud. Case study Clearly, Dave Armstrong has a difficult decision to make on the right job to accept. Job A requires that he invests with Mr. Thorne for a piggyback rail terminal which would cost $1 million. The venture would guarantee him profit sharing and a salary of $50-70K, pay. Job B requires him to set up an oil corporation business with Robert Irwin. In return, Dave would receive an annual pay of $60,000 or one-third of the profits. Job C would require him to work for a pension management company where he would be needed to serve as an interim securities analyst for $45k. The options for Dave have their advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of Job A is that it comes double as employment and investment for Adam. He would invest $300k into the business but would also be paid $50-70k salary to start up and manage the facility. Since it is an investment, it comes as a double sword as it could be successful or it may be a failure depending on market conditions and how it is managed. Should it fail Dave would be risking both his investment and his job. This job guarantees him the best compensation when compared to the other two. Job B also is an investment that seems promising regarding the networks that Adam would create. However, it is a short term deal and highly risky due to the nature of the trade. Job C is a regular job that promises Adam a career growth and stability. However, the pay is lower compared to the Job A and Job B. From this analysis, it is clear that job A is more viable compared to the rest. Career development is a lifelong process of engaging the labor industry through choosing among job opportunities made available to them. The choices that people make are influenced by many factors such as the context in which they live, educational attainment, and their personal attitudes. Ferry (2006) says that most people career choices are influenced by their perception of the “ideal job.” Based on this, they can filter the appropriate job opportunities presented to them and settle for the best. Interest in the job and personally satisfying work is usual given consideration by most people. Being passionate about a job makes them do it to perfection. Staying in a job because of its financial benefits while you experience drudgery day in and out can be taxing. Relationships also play a crucial role in making career choices. Relationships usually affect career mobility and advancement. Fathers, mother, relatives, spouses influence the career choices that one makes (Ferry, 2006). A spouse can have a significant influence on career choice. One spouse may encourage the other to choose a line of work that allows one to stay at home. They may also encourage their better half to aim for higher roles to guarantee enough earnings. It is only natural that Adams wife wants him to settle for Job C since it is less risky. Most people would fear to put their money in investment because of the risks involved. However, when their investments pay off, they derive lots of benefits. Money is also a factor to consider for most people. However, finances have to be evaluated before one makes the decision (Ferry, 2006). Foremost, an individual needs to ask themselves their present financial situation. If they can pay their bills without the job, then are less likely to accept unattractive compensation package. The other factor to consider is how the compensation offered compares with the others options before him or her. Most people would go for a pay that is fair and appealing because it would guarantee them a quality life and make them feel valued as an employee. Job A compensation is a little bit better when compared to Job B and Job C since Dave would derive both compensation benefits and share the profit with Mr. Thorne. Prospects should also guide career choices. While it is common sense that in today’s job markets no position is forever, there are several things relating to what the job offers in future should be considered. Things to look out for when evaluating prospects include whether working at the company would their CV an added credibility and provide training and networking opportunities (Baskerville, & Baskerville, 2010). Another factor is whether it would hone their skills that would make them marketable in the future. Job C prospects look good regarding career advance, networking, and job security. However, it does not guarantee what Job A would offer Adam when the investment picks. Conclusions In general, individuals have to ensure that they manage their careers well. This encompasses having a plan on what they want to achieve and initiating measures to achieve the same. More importantly, they should be flexible for anything and learn to adapt quickly since changes in the business environment such as recession, mergers, and acquisitions may affect their plans. Besides, career management is also a responsibility of organizations as they are required to show direction to their staff. Besides, it demonstrates organizations commitment to their employees which keeps them motivated and engaged. The main advantage of career management is that it guides individuals to reach the best career decisions. For more fulfilling careers, individuals are required to network with others on work related matters with the objective of building and maintaining relationships. Networking has been linked with career success and more pay for people who practice it. These days, it is a lot easier to interact with present and former staff thanks to social media. Individuals can always get to know how their workers are faring or be updated on latest development regarding their profession through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkeldn among others. Besides, these platforms have professional groups where one can become a member and follow on important updates. Some of the factors that one should look at when choosing a job include his or aspirations, family/spousal views, compensation, and future prospects. Being contended in a job is far more important than the package offered. However, this does not mean that someone should settle for less since they would be required to satisfy their needs. It is also wise to choose a job that meets ones aspirations such as career and talent growth. References Adekola, B. (2011). Career Planning and Career Management As Correlates For Career Development and Job Satisfaction A Case Study Of Nigerian Bank Employees. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, 1(2). Ashraf, N., & Javed, T. (2014). Impact of Social Networking on Employee Performance. Business Management And Strategy, 5(2), 139. http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/bms.v5i2.5978 Baskerville, D., & Baskerville, T. (2010). Music business handbook and career guide. London: Sage. Bosch, T. E. (2009). Using Online Social Networking for Teaching and Learning: Facebook Use at the University of Cape Town. Communication: South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research, 35(2), 185-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02500160903250648 DuBrin, A. (2009). Political Behavior in Organizations. London: Sage. Ferry, N. (2006). Factors Influencing Career Choices of Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Pennsylvania. Journal of Extension, 44(6). Goetchius, A. (2008). Career building through social networking. New York: Rosen Pub. Kumudha, A., & Abrahams, S. (2008). Organization Career Management and Its Impact on Career Satisfaction: A Study in the Banking Sector. Journal of Bank Management, 3(4). Pickman, A. (2013). Special Challenges in Career Management. London: Psychology Press. Quick, J., & Nelson, D. (2010). Principles of organizational behavior. Mason, Ohio: South-Western. Saleem, S., & Amin, S. (2013). The Impact of Organizational Support for Career Development and Supervisory Support on Employee Performance: An Empirical Study from Pakistani Academic Sector. European Journal of Business and Management, 5(5). Salpeter, M. (2013). Social networking for career success. LearningExpress, LLC. Smaliukiene, R., Korsakiene, R., & Tvaronaviciene, M. (2014). Career Management Opportunities in International Labour Market: A Theoretical Perspective. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 110, 293-300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.873 Appendices A = Excellent B = Good C = Bad Job Future Prospects Compensation Suitability Job Security Job A A A A C Job B C A A C Job C A B A A Read More