How schools kills creativity Essay

Sir Ken Robinson present about how schools kills creativity in a very interesting way. In other words, he manage to grab people’s attention in all over twenty minutes of the presentation by telling jokes. According to Sir Ken Robinson these days students are educated to be a good workers rather than creators. Sir Ken said â€Å"Creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.† children have a great ability in innovation because they are not afraid to make mistakes. According to Sir Ken if you’re not prepared to be wrong you’ll never come up with anything original. However, being wrong is not the same thing as being creative but you can’t be creative unless you make some mistakes. These days we teach our children that being wrong is the worst thing ever and that kills creativity in them. Every single child in the world is an artist according to Picasso and if they’re frighten to make mistake they won’t be able to create anything, thus we’re educating them out of their creative capacities as Sir Ken said. No doubt that what Sir Ken said is right and I totally agree with him. I think that the way that we are educating people these days is not right at all, because we are putting limits to their minds. In other words, we recruit people to be workers not creators and so people want their degrees just to get a good job. As a result, they get their job and that’s it they do nothing, if we will push all people to study and get their degrees 50 years later degrees will have no value. Many people have talent but they think they’re not as Sir Ken said â€Å"Many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they’re not — because the thing they were good at school wasn’t valued, or was actually stigmatized.†

Manage Performance

As a Human Resource Performance Management Implementer, discuss the prior training you would give to line the four group head with reference to Identifying performance gap? Training Is the most Important factor In order to achieve goals more effectively. Head of groups need to be able to develop a AMPS by setting objectives and standards. They should also be able to monitor these AMPS and Identify the weaknesses.Once these weaknesses Identified, they must have the skill to monomaniac effectively with the staff when Glenn Instructions and providing feedback. B. Determine the possible reasons for Panel's poor performance. What would be your recommended solution to each of these possible causes? 1. Frustration and lack of motivation Pamela has been working as the assistant of the head of department for more than eight years. She had lots of responsibilities and had owned the respect of the other employees.The authority that she had, has been removed and she must be engendering her prese nt secretary Job as not important or too simple for her. Giving her more responsibilities would make her feel more important in the organization. 2. Lack of supervision She has been sharing the same office with Frank for eight years and even if she did not want to work, she was under the close supervision of her manager. A AMPS must be put in place in order to monitor her performance and identify what Is the problem. 3. Poor performance from secretaries The secretaries working with Pamela might not be performing as required.The clapped-out equipment' and errors left In the documents brought down Panel's performance. Training should be provided to the staff of Pamela and appropriate equipment must be bought so that they can work effectively. C. As an HER advisor, what steps would you recommend to Ben that he take In order to lift Pamela level of lob performance? I would recommend Ben to introduce a performance management system which he will have to develop in order to monitor the pe rformance of Pamela. With this system, he will be able to identify the weaknesses and the strengths of Pamela.He must set key performance indicators and explain clearly in a planning discussion what is expected trot near and what are the goals that sane needs to achieve . At the end to the year, she will be evaluated in appraisal discussions and they will see together if the goals have been met and what are the actions to be taken. D. Assuming that the final outcome is the termination of Panel's contract, discuss the measures [setup and documentation that would need to be in place in accordance to organizational policy and law?The first step would be to seek for legal advice before terminating contract. If the performance improvement plan has not brought its results, the collected evidences can be used during the dismissal process. The information obtained must be analyses, and appraised. Pamela should be given a written warning if she has not been able to reach the agreed improveme nt requirement. Upon issue of three written warnings, she must be terminated. The federal workplace relations act 1996 must be taken into consideration so as to avoid unfair dismissal.

IKEA Global Sourcing Challenge Essay

Summary In this case, it is known that IKEA’s procurement model is the mode of global sourcing. IKEA products are shipped to the 26 distribution centres from the trade area after procurement, and then delivered to the shopping malls in the world. IKEA’s procurement philosophy and assessment of suppliers mainly include four aspects: continuous price improvement; strict supplier performance and service levels; good quality and healthy products; and environmental and social responsibility (IKEA Sustainability Report 2011). In the aspect of social responsibility, IKEA does not accept child labour, but also actively prevents the use of child labour when its supplier Indian Rugs is revealed to use child labour (Bartlett et al., 2006). All IKEA suppliers and subcontractors must comply with the special code of conduct on child labour â€Å"The IKEA Way on Preventing Child Labor†. The standard requires that all acts must be done to maximize the protection of the rights and interests of children (Motamed et al., 2010). The code of conduct and monitoring measures must be supplemented by the corresponding program to eliminate the root causes behind child labour. It is for these reasons, the IKEA Foundation actively supports UNICEF and Save the Children Relief Projects designed to protect the rights of children. Key issues resulted in problems and analysis In this case, the key cultural management issue is the corporate social responsibility. IKEA, the world’s largest furniture company has a fairly commendable corporate culture, and an important element of its containing: IWAY. In terms of IWAY, there are strict rules on the procurement of products, materials and services, particularly intolerance of IKEA’s suppliers using child labour or forced labour (Maon et al., 2007). Another prominent feature of it is committed to preventing corruption, fraud and illegal activities, and developing the â€Å"anti-corruption rules†. The business  management researchers can analyse the business grow and even decline and fall from all angles. IKEA fortune in essence is supported by its corporate values. Otherwise, it cannot carry over in numerous fluctuations of economic cycles. A sustainable development of enterprise is largely determined by the corporate culture. The quality of enterprise could also affect competitiveness. This is not an ideal question for entrepreneur, more than a philosophical question, but a question of competition in the market. In fact, almost all first-class entrepreneurs in the business process carry out first-class corporate culture operations. They use the values, philosophy to show a unique quality in business. And this kind of internal but critical competitiveness is the riche class and managers lack of. In the production process, the trade office staffs will keep in contact with the IKEA suppliers, they can take an advantage by this opportunity to observe social and working conditions of suppliers and make efforts to prevent the use of child labour (IKEA Group, 2003). IKEA in the supplier organization encourages workers and subcontractors to discuss the problems they encounter every day. This approach strengthens IKEA’s understanding of the causes of child labour. If IKEA finds child labour, it will require suppliers to take action based on the child’s best interests. The supplier must implement corrective and preventive action plans, including education and training aspects. IKEA will visit the children’s school, and carry out a surprised visit to suppliers. If the supplier does not take action on the scheduled date, or later there’s occurrence of the violations, IKEA will terminate all business relationships with the suppliers. It can be seen that IKEA’s motivation emphasis on corporate social responsibility is closely related to commercial activities. Its primary motivation includes the legitimacy of the business, brand reputation, reduction in business risks, total quality management and marketing environmental analysis, especially the legitimacy of the business and reduction in business risks are becoming increasingly important. In addition, the communication of corporate social responsibility is crucial. It can maintain the attractiveness of IKEA for a new generation of partners. IKEA hopes that the partners in dealing with corporate social responsibility can show independence, but the ability to realize this issue will have to depend on the employees’ management level (Maon and Swaen, 2006). Through this initiative, colleagues at all levels can increase the awareness of corporate social responsibility, so as to achieve the purpose of incentives. Key learning Corporate social responsibility is developed since the 1990s, which is a turning point of corporate social responsibility. IKEA is also in accordance with some of the pressure in this community to adjust its operating way on the requirements of the enterprise. IKEA’s business is constructed in the price and quality environment and work environment (Maon et al., 2007). With regard to a supply and demand model of corporate social responsibility (CSR), it’s assumed that a firm’s size, level of diversification, research and development (R&D), advertising, government sales, consumer income, labour market conditions, and stage in the industry life cycle could estimate the firm’s standard of CSR (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). IKEA as a large multinational Corporation with 26 distribution centres and emphasis on R&D and advertising hopes to establish long-term cooperative relationship with suppliers; looks for more partners who recognize the IKEA culture as the co mmon value; and aim at its development (Maon and Swaen, 2006). Respect for fundamental human rights and fair treatment of labour are the basic requirements for its suppliers. Therefore, child labour is absolutely not allowed. And the cooperation should be based on frankness and respect and it should be put into a gradual and long-term procedure. Under continuous pressure on price and sub-contractors from developing countries, IKEA is positive to face with the accusation of using child labour. It’s shown that how stakeholders can affect the improvement of CSR policies by showing their societal expectations, by publicly criticizing corporate behaviours considered as irresponsible or by building in a collaborative and constructive relationship with the company. This case study focuses on the CSR practices and communication by a complexity of the corporate decisions  and it also reflects the public attitudes have played a key role in enhancing a company’s CSR construction (Maon and Swaen, 2006). References Bartlett, C. A., Dessain, V. & Sjoman, A., 2006, ‘IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs and Child Labor’, Harvard Business School, 9-906-414. IKEA Group, 2003, ‘IKEA: Social and environmental responsibility report’, viewed 1 May2012, . IKEA Group, September 1, 2010 – August 31, 2011, ‘IKEA Sustainability Report 2011’, IKEA, viewed 1 May2012, . Maon, F., Swaen, V. and Lindgreen, A. 2007, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility at IKEA: commitment and communication’, Research Memorandum, F Maon, V Swaen, A Lindgreen. Maon, F. & Swaen, V. 2006, ‘Integration and communication of CSR principles by IKEA: an analysis of the influence of and on external stakeholders’, LGA Working Paper, Louvain School of Management. McWilliams, A. & Siegel, D. 2001, ‘Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective’, Academy of Management Review, 26(1), p.117-127, viewed 1 May2012, . Motamed, M., Ozhusrev, N. & Pena, G. 2010, ‘IKEA and the Child Labor Challenge’, BAHR 509 – Group Project Paper.

Law of Obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law of Obligations - Essay Example In this regard, an offer is terminated if it is not accepted within a reasonable time.4 An offer can be withdrawn at any time prior to its acceptance, although withdrawal must be communicated to the offeree.5 However, if the subject matter of the offer is sold prior to its acceptance, the acceptance is not valid because an offer cannot be accepted for the purchase of property that has already passed from the offerer to another.6However, Contemporary Caravan did not sell the motor home, although it claimed to have sold the property prior to receiving the acceptance from Ideal Homes. Nevertheless, an offer and acceptance will not form a legally binding contract unless there is consideration.7 Since there was no consideration, there is no binding contract and Ideal Homes cannot force Contemporary Caravan to sell the motor home to them. Nathan Nobel The communication between Nathan Nobel and Contemporary Caravans indicates a request for information and a response to that request. There w as no definitive offer and acceptance communicated between the parties. Nobel simply asked for the lowest cash price applicable to the luxury motor home and Contemporary Caravans responded. Nothing more was said, and thus Contemporary Caravans had no reason to assume that the stated lowest cash price was accepted by Nathan Nobel. There must be some indication that there was an intention to form legal relations. A mere inquiry as to price will not be sufficient to substantiate that there was an intention to create legal relations on the part of Nobel.8 Moreover, assuming that Contemporary Caravans made an offer in its response to Nobel’s inquiry, Nobel failed to indicate one way or another that he accepted or rejected the... This essay discusses that In light of the fact that the new arrangements were ongoing for 8 months, Right On had a legitimate expectation that these arrangements would continue for the full 12 months. Since Right On had a legitimate expectation that the new arrangements would continue for a year and acted accordingly, it would be unfair for Contemporary Caravans to withdraw their promise. Since the arrangements were ongoing for 8 months, Right On had a reasonable expectation that the new arrangements were genuine or honest and nature and would continue as promised by Contemporary Caravans.Since there was a consideration in the sense that the new arrangements provide for a new method of discharging the loans, Right On can bring an action against Contemporary Caravans for breach of contract or anticipatory breach. In the latter case, Right On may if it likes, apply to the courts for injunctive relief prohibiting Contemporary Caravans reneging on the new arrangements.Whether or not ther e was a consideration, is immaterial because the doctrine of promissory estoppel can be invoked to prevent Contemporary Caravans altering the terms of the new arrangements unilaterally. It is therefore suggested that Contemporary Caravans continue to keep its promise and to allow Right On to continue to make the reduced payments until the 12 month period expires. Since no reasons are given for the desire to back out of the promise and the new arrangements it is likely that a court would find that Contemporary Caravans were not acting in good faith.

Application of the Scientific Method Research Paper

Application of the Scientific Method - Research Paper Example Consistency of results is sought in order to develop a theory (Gauch, 2003). The scientific method starts with the definition of a problem that cannot be explained readily. Alternatively, the problem may be having an existing explanation but there is a possibility of coming up with another explanation. The identification of such a phenomenon is then followed by a research of what is known about it. Equipped with this knowledge, the scientist then develops a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a calculated guess or prediction as the reason why the phenomenon occurs as it does (Gauch, 2003). An experiment is conducted to test the hypothesis. The accuracy of the results of an experiment depends largely on how it is designed. Observations of what transpires during the experiment are recorded and analyzed. Conclusions made from the results help accept or reject the hypothesis. The scientific method can be demonstrated using the selection of a particular brand of detergent. There are many brands of detergents each having different properties. Consumers have different preferences and uses all of which guide their selection of a brand of detergent. An environmentally sensitive consumer may go beyond the use for which he needs a detergent to considering the impact that the detergent would have on the environment (Bhairi & Mohan, 2007). A viable problem for the application of the scientific method is the selection of a brand of detergent that cleans efficiently and has minimal negative impacts on the environment. A testable hypothesis will be; an efficient detergent is highly soluble (0.5 x 10-5 per liter of water) at working temperatures (250CÂ ±30C), has a low CMC (0.35 x 10-3 at 250C) and is non-toxic. The criteria for determining the success of the actions to be used in testing the aforementioned hypothesis will include; whether or not solubility was measured at a pre-set working

Challenges of Global Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Challenges of Global Leadership - Essay Example Environmental scanning refers to the communication to internal stakeholders on how external issues are likely to affect the operations of a business. The scanning also entails the identification of the specific questions that the company is bound to face due to the continuous changes that are taking place in the different aspects of the external environment. The scanning helps reveal the threats and opportunities to an organization and helps global leaders to overcome the challenges that they are faced with by providing a chance for development of alternative courses of action (Binscoff, Mayer, & Quick, 2015). One of the roles of global leaders operating in a changing environment is the identification of the possible threats to his business. Leaders are charged with identifying the issues that the company may face due to the frequent changes in economic, technological, social and political sectors. Through environmental scanning, the leaders can identify the threats and also define possible solutions. Secondly, the leaders recognize the opportunities that arise for the business as a result of the changes that occur (Lawrence, 2015). Global leaders have to determine new opportunities to ensure that they remain in business regardless of the changes that occur. In this light, there is need to invest in research to identify opportunities that remain unexploited that would help an organization overcome the challenges it faces. Moreover, global leaders should always remind the subordinates of the mission, vision and objectives of the business to ensure that changes and challenges they face do n ot cause them to deviate from their fundamental goals. It is only by doing this that leaders remain on top of a situation and identify changes when they arise (Bennis, 2015). One of the challenges of global leadership is team building, team development, and team management. Due to the frequent changes

The value and impact of information technology investments and the Thesis

The value and impact of information technology investments and the implications of those investements for effective management of the information systems organization - Thesis Example It has been concluded after performing this research that the technological resources are allocated by investing in the field of the information technology. Different firms which are existing and running business want to improve their operations and working systems of the business. Hence the impacts which are measured after the implementation of these technological advancements are known as the intangible benefits. These initiatives are increasing more in the developing countries which is discussed in detail in the report. This factor contributes in the overall economical performance of the organization as well as to the country. Moreover it is beneficial for the competition also. There are several reasons which are present in the thesis for which organization wants to improve the overall operations or few departments with the help of information technology investment. The value that is achieved by the use of IT is also described in paper for having a clear idea about the advantages and uses of these types of investments. The paper concludes with in-depth analysis of the framework discussed and provides some options which can be implemented in organizations looking for IT advancement. Technological advancements in every field are necessary and should be used by organizations striving for their development. Every organization whether big or small needs to be updated and want to invest more in the field of information technology. Every organization works specifically on improving their operations and processes with the help of latest information technology techniques and processes. Large companies focus more on these types of investments in order to get the maximum output from its operations and to earn more revenues.

The Economies Of Italy And Austria Research Paper

The Economies Of Italy And Austria - Research Paper Example The country has a total land area of 301,230 square kilometers, of which land covers about 294,020 square kilometers. The climate of the country is predominantly Mediterranean, characterized by alpines in far north while it’s hot and dry in the south (Signorini, 2001). The terrain of the country is typically rugged and mountainous although there are some plains and coastal lowlands. Among the resources with which Italy is endowed are marble, sulfur, mercury, potash, fish, and coal. Although Italy has some crude oil reserves, the levels have been reported to be dwindling. Agriculturally, Italy uses about 32% of its land for arable farming, 10% for permanent crops, and 17% for meadows and pastures. Forest and woodland cover in the country accounts for about 22% of the land with the remaining portion being placed under other uses (Signorini, 2001). Italy also has several environmental issues including air pollution in the form of sulfur dioxide emission, water and land pollution by agricultural and industrial effluents, acid rain and poor waste treatment among other pollutants (McDonald, 1998). Economically, Italy is a rather diverse country, having a per capita yield almost equaling that of France or Great Britain. Austria, one of Italy’s neighbors, is one of the countries with which Italy’s economy may be compared. With its capital at Vienna, Austria covers an area of approximately 83,857 square kilometers and has a population of 1.71 million and an annual population growth rate of 0.4%, according to 2011 estimates. The other major and populous cities of Austria are Klagenfurt, Graz, Salzburg, Linz, and Innsbruck. Just like Italy. Austria’s terrain is composed majorly of alpines in the northern highlands and lowlands to the east. Interestingly, the most widely spoken language in Austria is German, used by about 90% of the population. This paper, thus, explores the economy of Italy and Austria and how the two countries are managing the economic crisis. Italy’s Economy The diversity in the Italian economy is first evidence in the difference between the economy of the south and that of the northern parts of the country. For instance, in the northern parts of Italy, the economy is quite capitalistic with the private companies representing the total productivity of the region (The Economist (US), 1999). On the contrary, in the south, the economy is less developed than in the north, which is more industrialized. The south’s economy is therefore more agriculturally oriented than in the north. In addition, the southern parts of Italy also experience unemployment rates as high as 20%. Nevertheless, the entire economy of Italy has recorded considerable growth in recent times as indicated by the improved imports of maximum raw materials and about 75% of its energy needs (Signorini, 2001). In this regard, Italy’s economic growth has supported employment, labor flexibility, and the restructuring of the h itherto costly pension systems. There are certain prominent features of the economy of Italy that are worth mentioning. First among these features is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which stood at $1.826 trillion in 2011, making Italy’s economy the sixth richest in the world. The prosperity and economic development of Italy could also be attributed to the fast industrial pace in Italy. In addition, the per capita income of the country

Generational Shifts in the Workplace Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Generational Shifts in the Workplace - Article Example Moreover, as people from the different generations spend more time with one another, they are in a position to remove their differences and build good rapport which is conducive for more work and lesser fuss. Managers should tend to make employees from different generations benefit from one another’s expertise. For example, old employees have more experience and are aware of the traps. They know how to deal with intricate situations and companies benefit from their strategic planning. Likewise, young employees are more skilled in technology, unlike the old employees. They have great knowledge of computer and can operate difficult software with extreme comfort. In order to progress in the contemporary age with so many competitors in the market, companies are in need of both the strategic planning of the elderly and the technological expertise of the young employees. Nevertheless, it is essential to inculcate the skills of decision making in young employees and make the old empl oyees competent enough in the use of technology.

The Boeing 787 dream liner Essay Example for Free

The Boeing 787 dream liner Essay Boeing has tried to keep up with the pace of producing the already late project of the Boeing 787 dream liner. The company have been suffering much inconveniences especially from the overseas companies it had outsourced some parts of the fuselage. The company has invested substantial amount in the production of different parts of the plane. The company was aiming at rolling ten planes in a month though they are unable even to roll seven due to incapability of their production plants and the delays that are being caused by the team players in the production of the parts (Norris et al, 2005). In this research, the qualitative method would be used as it would give the details of why and how the company came on the conclusion of outsourcing the B787 parts to oversea companies. Qualitative method will explain the reason why the company decided to outsource the aircraft parts and how the process has affected the company, either positively or negatively (Denzin Lincoln, 2005). When Boeing Company decided to outsource the parts to Mitsubishi heavy industries in Japan, the company was looking for labor that would give the aspired results in time in order for the company to hit its targeted time. The outsourced parts have failed to meet the company’s prospect and its costing the company more delay and money as well. The delay have already cost the company more than $10 billion and is estimated it might lose more if no quick action is going to be taken (Dominic, 2009). The company identified the weaknesses in the already completed parts by the contracted companies and did not meet the expected standards during the test. The parts were made of composite materials and could peel off if the airplane is exposed in either extreme heat or cold temperatures. The company outsourced 60% of the aircraft to different suppliers which was seen as a brilliant move that could save the company huge money and time. The other reason is because the company wanted to shift from the aluminum technology to composite materials (Corliss, 2009). When the parts were being connected together, there were variations in different aircraft parts which posed a great risk to the safety of the company. The company is continually loosing as more delays occur as the company tries to woo the contracted suppliers to hurry and do amendments to parts that do not meet the quality checks, example, the wings were found to bear less weight that they were designed to support thus bringing the un-uniformity of the initial aircraft design. This has also contributed to the decline of the company’s share prices by about 4. 9% (Susanna, 2010). Boeing Company had made a sound financial decision when it outsourced some parts of the B787 to other companies though they had not calculated the risks that could on the other hand be brought by outsourcing. The delay and fail in quality of the parts paralyzed the Boeing’s sound decision and proofed it wrong and expensive than if it could have made all its parts in its production center. The company is not achieving its targets and could loose the business to its competitor the giant European Airbus company. The company has spent well over the amount it could have spent if it could have used its usual production line as it does with other planes because chances of production of parts that do not meet the standard are rare. Reference: Corliss, B. (2009)Whats new, different about the 787. The Daily Herald, June 21. Denzin, K. Lincoln, S. (Eds. ). (2005). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (3rd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Dominic, G. (2009) 787 ramp-up wont be easy, Boeing partners say, URL http://seattletimes. nwsource. com/html/boeingaerospace/2009352316_airshowsuppliers180. html Norris, G. ; Thomas, G. ; Wagner, M. and Forbes Smith, C. (2005). Boeing 787 Dreamliner – Flying Redefined. Aerospace Technical Publications International. Susanna, R. (2010) Boeing Fails to Resolve 787 Incomplete Parts Delivery (Update2) URL http://www. businessweek. com/news/2010-05-20/boeing-fails-to-resolve-787-incomplete-parts-delivery-update2-. html

Total Quality Management in Higher Education

Total Quality Management in Higher Education Total Quality Management (TQM) has become a frequently used term in discussions concerning quality. TQM is considered to be an important management philosophy, which supports the organizations in their efforts to obtain satisfied customers. However, there exist extensive numbers of examples of failed or badly performed implementation processes of TQM. This is a problematic phenomenon, which negatively affects organizations, irrespective of size, in their development towards excellence and ultimately survival in a competitive environment. Furthermore, diversity among researchers exists regarding the actual benefits of TQM. Total Quality Management (TQM) has been adopted by many organizations worldwide, its implementation in non-profit organizations, such as higher education institutions, presents more challenges and difficulties than those encountered in business organizations. A critical step in TQM implementation is the process of customer identification. In addition to customer identification, there are other issues such as leadership, cultural, and organizational issues that tend to create difficulties for TQM implementation in higher education. In this article it has been tried to bring out a clear status of higher education and emergent needs to enhance the quality of higher education. Globalization of higher educational services has become an area of key focus for many countries. In order to fuel the socio-economic development of the country, higher education is playing a more active role in our country and this requires a paradigm shift in terms of governance and service delivery. These issues along with the role of students from a quality perspective and performance measure for higher education in Pakistan are discussed, and suggestions are made for their resolution. Higher education institutions must become more innovative leading to quality institutions of knowledge production and dissemination. Realizing the importance of higher education, a lot of innovative experiments are being done to improve the performance of this sector. Application of TQM concepts is one of such measures, which will go a long way in revolutionizing the higher education system. The paper attempts to theoretically conceptualize TQM in higher education. BACKGROUND TQM is, compared to other concepts such as quality control or quality assurance, wider since it embraces the whole organization instead of focusing on parts of the product or service. TQM has been acknowledged as an important subject in management theory and practice and has become a frequently used term in discussions concerning quality. The use of TQM among many western organizations has been relatively high during the 1990s, but there exists a diversity of opinion among researchers regarding the actual benefits of TQM. Research results that claim that there exists positive effect on performance can be found in e.g., Allen and Kilmann, for instance, express a more pessimistic view regarding the benefit of TQM investments [3]. INTRODUCTION The application of Deming quality management principles in educational institutions throughout the world as a successful paradigm for school restructuring and reengineering has been widely documented [9]. Multiple positive effects of TQM on increased student achievement tests and teacher made tests, increased student self-esteem, increased teacher morale, and increased parent and community involvement in the institute. Profound knowledge consists of appreciation for a system, knowledge about variation, theory of knowledge, and psychology. Hence, one of the purposes of this article is to study the implementation of TQM in Pakistans higher education. TQM is a management philosophy adopted from industry which has been applied to higher education in many countries throughout the world. TQM, also referred to as continuous quality improvement, is not without controversy and is far from being universally accepted in education. TQM philosophy entails forming quality improvement teams which investigate problems, suggest solutions, and realize quality improvement. TQM strives for continuous quality improvement in organizations. The popularity of TQM, some institutions and companies has found it difficult to implement this program successfully. An examination of the literature suggests that only one-third to one-half of organizations have observed significant improvements through TQM programs [10,11]. This lack of significant success is often not a failure of the TQM concept, but a failure to pay sufficient attention to the cultural and structural variables that influence TQM. Unlike other programs, TQM involves changing the way people interact and work in institutions. As such, it is a context-dependent program, the success of which depends to a large extent on cultural and structural factors. Hence, another purpose of this critical study is to identify the cultural and structural issues involved in implementation of TQM in Pakistans higher education. TQM in the classroom has been successful. The historic role of teacher, lecturer and provider of knowledge has been replaced with a new role: teacher as mentor, facilitator and classroom manager. The goal is no longer simply to impart knowledge to students; teachers and students must design and deploy education together. If students are active participants in the classroom, it is more likely that true learning is really taking place. The study of the Literature suggests to accomplish collaborative learning with technology, new metaphors for teaching e.g. teaching as choreography or teaching as maneuvering must emerge as teachers focus more on structuring the learning and social environment to encourage active participation and group self-reliance in completing team work [2]. The importance of education for the development of excellence, expertise and knowledge leading to overall development in economy cannot be undermined. This has necessitated a sound strategy for the development of higher education in almost all countries of the world. Establishing leadership and educational governance quality in the world is possible only when we have a developed system of higher education in which efficiency and effectiveness remains the sole criterion to evaluate educational, instructional quality and institutional performance. The system of higher education is found efficacious in making available to the society a dedicated, committed, devoted and professionally sound team of legislatures to decide the future of any nation. This is possible only when the principles of quality management are inculcated in the system of education. Total Quality Management (TQM) is inevitably common factor that will shape the strategies of higher educational institutions in their attempt to satisfy various stakeholders including students, parents, industry and society as a whole. The paper is also a theoretical attempt to explain the application of TQM in education. It deals with issues pertaining quality in higher education and moves on to identify variables influencing quality of higher education. Based on the discussed research dimensions and overall purposes, this article focuses mainly on the four concepts TQM, Implementation, Institutional Culture and Change, and Institutional overall performance. Although the aim of this article does not include a formal analysis of these concepts, a general discussion will be held in order to outline the overarching research area within present research. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Total Quality Management Dale, describe TQM as an umbrella of concepts and ideas in various contexts related to the quality field [6]. Furthermore, TQM is described as the mutual cooperation of everyone in an organization and associated business processes, in order to produce products and services which meet, and hopefully exceed the needs and expectations of customers. Oakland describes TQM as an approach to improve competitiveness, efficiency and flexibility for a whole organization [20]. TQM may be defined as an evolving system, consisting of practices, tools, trainings, and methodologies for managing organizations in a rapid evolutionary context. According to the authors, the system provides customer satisfaction and improves the performance of organizations by e.g. eliminating product defects and speeding service delivery. As the definitions of TQM vary, so does the interpretation of the fundamental constituents. Many authors within the TQM area consider values to be elemental for the concept. However, the number of values, as well as the formulation, differs slightly between different authors. For example, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is based on eleven core values and concepts [19]. Furthermore, Sila Ebrahimpour found in their extensive theoretical investigation that the following factors were the most frequently addressed within TQM definitions: (A) Customer focus and satisfaction. (B) Employee training. (C) Leadership and top management commitment. (D) Teamwork. (E) Employee involvement. (F) Continuous improvement and innovation. (G) Quality information and performance measurements. Still, there is a base of values, which seems to be common to most authors, consisting of the six values illustrated in Figure-1 [25]. TQM As A System Some authors have suggested a system approach to the concept of TQM, see e.g. Hellsten Klefsjo, declare that TQM not only consists of values, such as process focus, customer focus or people commitment [13]. The values are supported by techniques, such as process management, customer focused planning, or target-oriented groups, and tools, such as control charts, the quality house or Ishikawa diagrams, see Figure-1. The choice of TQM core values is supported by the findings of Sila Ebrahimpour [25]. Aim: Increase external and internal customer satisfaction with a reduced amount of resources TECHNIQUES Quality Circles Policy Development Self-Assessment Process Management Benchmarking Employee Development Quality Function Deployment TOOLS Ishikawa Diagram Design Matrix ISO 9000 Tree Diagram Control Chats Criteria of MBNQA Process Maps VALUES Top Management Commitment Focus on Processes Improve Continuously Base Decisions on Facts Focus on Customers Let everybody be Committed Figure-1: TQM seen as a continuously evolving management system consisting of values, techniques, and tools. The discussion held by Hellsten Klefsjà ¶ implies that TQM can be defined as a management system that consists of three units, which means a network of dependent units with a joint goal. The three units are the core values, techniques and tools. The goal of TQM is, according to Hellsten Klefsjo, increased customer satisfaction with a reduced amount of resources [13]. This implies that TQM is relevant in all fields of our society, not only in companies but also in health care, educational institutions, defense authorities. Interpretation of the Core Values A strategy for TQM in an organization must be built on the managements continuous commitment to questions concerning quality. According to Bergman and Klefsjà ¶, the management must establish a quality policy and support quality activities economically, morally and by managing resources [4]. But management should also set a good example by actively taking part in the practical work. Successful work towards TQM must be built with the managements continuous involvement as a basis. The core values are important parts of this work. However, the use of core values for managing an organizational change and cultural development is not unquestioned. According to my point view the management can stimulate the individual values by managing resources, supporting quality activities and by systematically working with techniques and tools that support the core values. Top Management Commitment Working with TQM and keeping up the quality improvements demands total commitment of the management [1,5,22]. The management must initiate planning for implementation and participate in the work including evaluation of processes and results. All senior leaders in the organization must create a customer orientation and set clear and visible quality values. The importance of the role of senior managers as advocates, teachers and leaders cannot be overstated. These leaders must serve as role models throughout the organization, thus reinforcing the quality values at all levels in the organization by choosing and applying appropriate techniques and tools. Focus on Customers A central core value in TQM is that all products and processes should always have a customer focus. Quality should be valued by the customers and should always be put in relation to their needs and expectations [20]. This signifies that quality is a relative concept, which, among other things, is set by the market competition. The organizations need to be dedicated to satisfying customers. To focus on the customer means, therefore, that one tries to find out the customers needs and values by conducting market analyses and then trying to fulfill the market expectations while systematically developing and implementing the services. Focusing on the customer does not only apply to the external customers. Every employee has customers within the organization, internal customers, and in order to do a good job their needs also have to be fulfilled. Base Decisions on Facts An important core value in TQM is to make decisions based on facts that are well founded and to not allow random factors to be of decisive importance. This calls attention to the importance of knowledge regarding variation and ability to handle and control variation. The improvement program called Six Sigma, with origins from Motorola in the 1980s, is one approach for considering variation within organizations. The different measurements required to obtain multiple facts can be classified as measurements of customer satisfaction including employee satisfaction, measurements of market position, development process and operating measurements. When the organization receives the described information it is in a position to quickly determine how well it is performing, compare its performance to that of competing or benchmarked organizations, and decide the action that is now convenient. Focus on Processes Much of the work within an organization can be looked upon as a process, which means a repetitive sequence of activities [4]. The goal of the process is to produce services, which should satisfy the customer. The corollary of focusing on processes is that the focus is not on results. Instead the result is the dependent variable. The result comes from whatever process is followed; process drives result. The process generates data that indicates how well the process is satisfying its customers. The process orientation and focus has become even more focused on in the currently dominating improvement program Six Sigma. Continuous Improvement It is not enough for an organization to do better than it did previously. The external demands an organization faces are continuously increasing. Consequently, an organization needs to continually try to improve the quality of its services/products and processes. The continuous improvement of the process leads to customer satisfaction, which results in an external quality improvement. The Deming cycle, or the PDCA-cycle, is a model for process analysis and improvement and serves as a symbol for continuous improvement. The PDCA-cycle consists of the four phases; plan, do, check and act [8]. Everybodys Commitment If the organizations quality strategy should be successful, all of the organizations employees should be engaged in the work of satisfying the customer with a continuously improved quality. Everybodys commitment means that continuous improvement should be practiced everywhere in the processes and that the involvement of all employees at every level should be facilitated. The work is based on the skills and participation of every employee and his or her understanding of what is required. Educating and training all employees provides the knowledge needed on the mission, vision, direction, and strategy of the organization as well as the skills they need to secure quality improvement and resolve problems. Maturity Levels of TQM If we consider TQM as a management system that can be implemented in an organization, we must be able to form an opinion of different levels of adoption to the system. Lascelles Dale describe six different levels of TQM adoption (or lack of it), which they have termed: Uncommitted Drifters Tool-pushers Improvers Award winners World class Figure-2: Levels of TQM adoption. (Lascelles Dale, 1991.) These levels are not necessarily the stages through which organizations pass on their TQM journey; they are characteristics and behaviors which organizations display in relation to TQM (Dale, 1999). The levels described by Lascelles Dale are intended to support organizations in identifying their weaknesses and addressing them, as a part of the continual challenge of continuous improvement throughout the organization [17]. As discussed by Lascelles Dale one level of TQM adoption are quality award winners [17]. Quality awards have been established over the last decades in order to stimulate TQM work and by appointing award recipients honor them for good work. This is used as inspiration for others. Many organizations choose to work towards TQM by means of the award criteria, for instance, by taking part in a quality award process. The types of quality awards extend from international, national, regional, branch-wise and in-company quality awards. An example of an international quality award is the European Quality Award, which was developed in order to sustain business excellence efforts among organizations within a European context. TQM and Organizational Performance Organizational performance is possibly the most widely used dependent variable in organizational research today. However, at the same time it remains one of the most vague and loosely defined constructs. Performance is a multifaceted concept, which can be measured at a organization or system level. While companys performance has its standardized indicators, it is more difficult to select for performance indicators of a system of organization and people. Previous research regarding TQM and performance has covered both soft and hard performance measurements, where hard measurements as accounting variables are in majority. However, one may argue whether financial figures are better at measuring the consequences of yesterdays decisions than they are at indicating tomorrows performance. The importance of soft performance measurements, as the organizations intangible and intellectual aspects, cannot be neglected. Activities may, at times, lead to favorable outcomes on one performance dimension and unfavorable outcomes on another performance dimension. Considering TQM, with its relatively extensive focus on intangible and intellectual aspects, one may argue that a study aiming at linking TQM to performance should include soft measurements. As McAdam Bannister maintain both hard and soft measures of performance are needed within the TQM framework [18]. Logically, the choice of performance measurements relies on the actual interest in what to examine. Furthermore, studying performance development in the context of TQM implementation necessitates a study of the impact of historical management decisions. Consequently, theoretical issues regarding performance and TQM investment will be the point of departure in the forthcoming discussion. One approach to study the relationship between TQM implementation and performance development is to compare quality award recipients with different control companies. However, sometime there was no significant difference between the quality award recipients and control companies during the implementation period. Another approach is to investigate the development of the share price on the stock market for quality award recipients. Implementation and Organizational Change The common standard dictionary definition of the term implementation is plainly to put into effect according to some definite plan or procedure. Based on that definition, implementation can be considered as a deliberate and sequential set of activities directed toward putting a strategy or policy into effect, making it occur. As a consequence one could view implementation as a process of interaction between the settings of goals and actions geared to achieve them. This means that implementation also can be considered as a form of organizational change. The above descriptions discuss implementation as a set of activities or a process. When considering TQM implementation, a definition that implies that implementation is a process of activities seems most suitable. This is due to the fact that the subject in this case, i.e. TQM, is, according to the definition, a thorough management system that includes all parts of the organization, and consequently is a process of activities needed. There must be a starting point when implementing. If no action is started, implementation cannot take place. There must also be an endpoint. Implementation cannot succeed or fail without a goal against which to judge it. Failure to implement may result either from overestimation of what can be accomplished or from underestimation of ability to implement. What Initiates the Change Process The ability for change and renewal is important and necessary in order for the organizations to maintain their long-term efficiency. A condition in this respect is that the change and renewal process brings improvements. Improvements demand changes but all changes do not bring improvements. An important aspect that affects the nature of the change process is the question concerning what factors initiated the change process. In addition to four main causes for strategic change namely environment, business relationships, technology, and people. TQM Implementation in the Organizational Development Context To implement a management system, such as TQM, requires an extensive organizational change, provided that the organization does not unconsciously work according to the system. Organizational Development includes TQM, the Excellence movement, culture management and business process reengineering. As a result, these change initiatives have tended to borrow fragments of the Organizational Development approach. This has had both positive and negative consequences. On the positive side, it has made aspects of Organizational Development more widely known. On the negative side it has tended to misunderstand and misapply much of the underpinning theory, methodology and intervention practices of Organizational Development. This has, according to Grieves, often resulted in radical authoritarianism or radical democratized programmed approaches, rather than culturally democratic or pluralistic approaches to change [12]. The Change Process TQM Related Recommendations and Strategies There has been much written concerning implementation of TQM. The books and articles extend from very tangible and detailed descriptions, e.g. Deming, Juran, NIST, [7,14,19]. The theory describes both obstacles for working towards TQM and several strategies for implementing the concept in an organization. The recognition of quality as a strategic issue in business planning is critical for a successful TQM implementation. TQM implementation should be clearly aligned with the organizations strategic priorities and goals and be planned properly [3,15,24]. The planned implementation appears to incorporate many initiatives that address soft aspects, such as team work, employee involvement and culture. Failure of TQM implementation is, according to some authors, not due to flaws in TQM principles but in inadequate systems for executing TQM properly, implying the importance of tangible aspects. However, Saad Siha maintain that the reasons for failure in implementing TQM are mainly due to h ow it is implemented, i.e. the implementation phase [23]. While TQM principles appear obvious, many organizations have found them very difficult to execute, reportedly due to the fact that the implementation is cumbersome, time-consuming, and frequently lacking focus. Some of the resistance to TQM may be understood as typical resistance to any change. This may be more severe if the organization is successful, if there is a particularly deep-seated culture, if there has been a great deal of change already, or if the change lacks legitimacy, education and communication. A well-defined implementation structure and clear resource allocation are therefore essential. Implementation of TQM is a complex process since all employees, starting with top management, need to accept a fundamental organizational change [18,24]. The issue of management commitment is stated as a critical factor for successful TQM implementation [1,20]. The management is not only obliged to be committed in order to change the organization towards TQM, it is also imperative that the management ensures that the employees are permeated with the same quality commitment and managers therefore need to focus on and work with the intangible aspects to a large extent. TQM applications across developed countries reveal that the tangible aspects, such as technology, structure and strategy, have a relatively small impact on TQM effectiveness compared to the largely hidden and intangible aspects such as values, attitudes and perceptions. The use of teamwork during the quality development process is therefore of major importance. Senior managers may begin the task of process alignment by series distinct but clearly overlapping steps. This recommended path develops a self-reinforcing cycle of commitment, communication, and culture change. The order of the steps is important because some of the activities will be inappropriate if started too early. In the introduction of total quality for managing change, timing can be critical. Organizational Structural and Cultural Impacts on TQM Implementation The impacts of the companys culture and structure on TQM implementation is examined through seven building blocks of TQM: management leadership, employee involvement, responsibility for quality at source, elective teamwork and coordination, focus on customer, benchmarking and continuous improvement [9,14]. Management leadership: In companies with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures, managements role is to plan, organize, direct and control employees. This does not match the TQM concept, which suggests that management should lead and create a vision rather than plan, empower rather than direct, and partner and delegate rather than organize and control. TQM philosophy directs management to create a vision that incorporates quality as integral to the business, and to establish policies, practices and structures consistent with that vision [9, 14]. Employee involvement: Since TQM de-emphasizes status distinctions and empowers employees to make decisions and use their own intelligence [9], It is less likely to succeed in organizations with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures that centralize decision-making authority in managerial hands. Organizations with flexibility-oriented cultures and organic structures, in contrast, show a better fit with TQM practices such as employee involvement, empowerment, teamwork and coordination across functional areas. Responsibility for quality at source: TQM implementation requires employees to identify and diagnose quality problems and take corrective action without going through the management hierarchy [9]. This should be easier to implement in organizations that decentralize decision-making, empower employees and provide employee training in quality control techniques, than in organizations that centralize decision-making and focus on vertical controls. Elective teamwork and coordination: TQM emphasizes horizontal coordination based on flow of work processes across functional areas [9]. Organizations with flexibility-oriented cultures and organic structures have existing horizontal coordination and communication networks, and should be more successful at implementing TQM compared to the organizations with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures that have mainly vertical coordination and control channels. Focus on customer: Organizations with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures have an internal focus and pay less attention to the organizations interdependence with the environment. This does not match the TQM philosophy of obtaining customer feedback, meeting and exceeding the needs of external as well as internal customers, and blurring boundaries between the organization, suppliers and customers [9]. Benchmarking: The TQM concept of benchmarking industry best practices is more likely to be successful in organizations with flexibility-oriented cultures and organic structures that consider themselves interdependent with other entities in the environment, and less likely to succeed in organizations with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures that largely ignore what is happening outside their boundaries. Continuous improvement: Organizations with control-oriented cultures and mechanistic structures focus on permanence, since it increases expectedness which, in turn, increases control. This does not match the TQM emphasis on change and learning through strategies such as benchmarking, employee training, cross-functional teams and experimentation. The `kaizen philosophy of small and continuous improvements finds a better match in organizations with flexibility-oriented cultures and organic structures. Challenges In TQM Implementation In Higher Educational Institutions: The main focus of the article is to identify and deliberate the critical issues and considerations of TQM implementation in the area of higher education. Critical issues in implementing TQM in higher education include leadership, customer identification, cultural and organizational transformation. Unlike business organizations, chancellors and departmental heads of higher educational institution do not enjoy ultimate authority in hiring and firing of personnel, process of allocation of resources and distribution of responsibilities and authorities. Lack of necessary authority makes it difficult to deploy their concepts, opinions, values and goals through layers of higher education institutions. Deep rooted traditions dating back to centuries, a rigid departmental model, inter departmental competition for resources, lack of market focus are the cultural and organizational reasons that makes it difficult to tune in with TQM transformation. Ambiguity in customer identification also crea tes hurdles in TQM implementation. While most administrators tend to perceive students as customers of faculty in classrooms, many faculty staff resent this metaphor as being too commercial. Without a well-defined customer and a customer focus, quality efforts may be easily diffused. Owlia and Aspinwall concludes that customer orientation is a more problematic principle of TQM when applied to universities because of special nature of many academics whose motivation to work is often independent of market issues [21]. The effectiveness of leadership is adversely affected by individualism among academic staff and due to absence of team working. Impact of TQM in higher education is small due to organizational inert