Training and Development at IBM in Australia - Example

Project management plan essay Name of the Student: Name of the Instructor: Name of the course: Code of the course: Submission date: Project management plan-Training and Development at IBM in Australia Introduction Diverse scholars and practitioners have underpinned the fundamental importance of training and development among the employees. The importance of this undertaking is supported by the fact that in any given sector, the achievements of any organizations have tremendous reliance on the employees (Jehanzeb & Bashir, 2012, p. 59). This has seen different individuals and collectives creating a direct relationship between employee development and employee performance (Hameed & Waheed, 2011, p. 224). Diverse theories have been forwarded in the efforts to explain why individuals in a particular organization seek to engage in learning process instigated by training and development projects. This is best epitomized by the motivational theory which was initiated by Houle (cited by Saad et. al, 2013, p. 49) who identified three groupings of learning motivation; activity oriented, goal oriented and learning oriented. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) can be perceived as a multinational technology and consulting company which is headquartered in New York. It has been credited for being a manufacturer and a marketer of computer hardware and software as well as offering hosting, infrastructure and consulting services in a wide alley of areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. In Australia, this company has been in operation for over 81 years and has made significant investments in the local economy. In the year 2012, IBM Australia Limited recorded generated revenues of $A4.527 billion with its total assets in the country being valued at $119.2 billion (IBM Australia Website, 2013, p. 1). This company has in the recent past been marred by extensive issues in its human resource undertakings mostly instigated by technological transformations in the recent past. These dynamics among others have put a spotlight on the need for an employees’ training and development project in this company which is central in this paper and key in addressing some of the issues addressed in the subsequent rationale of the project. Rationale of training and development at IBM Australia It is imperative to note that in 2013, IBM Australia has been reported to be in the midst of retrenching up 1,500 Australian staff, a reshuffle which is bound to culminate in many jobs being sent to New Zealand and Asia. This phenomenon adds up to the already worsening job loss in the Australian ICT sector as a result of offshoring. This step has been preceded by the reported firing of technology workers in the banking industry among other large industries which has been implemented after training of people in India, Philippines and China or workers on 457 visas to do their jobs (Grubb, 2013, p. 1). The above trend in diverse sectors is worrying based on the fact that it continues to culminate in loss of jobs and increasing the burden of unemployment in Australia. In this case, the instigation of a training and development project at IBM Australia will not only curtail the trend of offshoring jobs from this company to other regions but will also be a pilot project which can be implemented by other companies in the country. This will be central in protecting jobs, mostly those which are ICT oriented, from being exported to other countries both in the short and in the long-term. Additionally, the acceleration of new technologies, for instance, cloud computing and software-as-a-service has instigated diverse changes in the ways in which corporate consumers purchase technology. This has left IBM among other traditional vendors scrambling to adapt to these new trends (Fitzsimmons, 2013, p. 1). Thus, a training and development project will be integral in addressing these emerging trends and making the company to effectively adapt. This is underpinned in the contingency theory in project management which emphasizes the enhancement of the fit between the organizational processes and the distinct characteristics of each particular situation (Weaver, 2007, p. 14). The last rationale of undertaking this process is founded on the fact that there is need of the development of an organizational culture founded on training and development at IBM Australia. This will be integral in confronting diverse unforeseen challenges in the future which are bound to be brought forth by the extensively dynamic technology sector which is being revolutionized each passing day. Important issues in relation to training and development project at IBM Australia There are several issues that the formulators and implementers of this project ought to consider before and during execution of this project. Some of these issues are explored in the subsequent section. Stakeholder’s cooperation Firstly, they ought to ensure cooperation from different departments in this company. This as an imperative issue mostly keeping in mind that this project will entail on-the-job training whereby the cooperation of the supervisors, managers as well as the mentors become critical. According to Obisi (2011, p. 83), on-the-job training is usually handled by colleagues, managers, supervisors as well as the mentors which is imperative in helping the employees to efficiently adjust to their work and also central in equipping them with the appropriate job skills. In this case, the implementers of this project ought to source for the cooperation of all the departmental heads, direct supervisors as well as the employees themselves. This is in terms of organizing job schedules which are compatible with the time for the training project. This issue is particularly important because it will be integral in determining the success of the larger project. This can be perceived to be particularly based on the systems theory in project management. From a management view, a system is perceived as an interdependent and interrelated set of elements which function as a whole. In this case, project management has been viewed to be concerned with the management of a complex ‘system’ which has multiple inputs, outputs as well as complex, interrelated processes and as a result benefits from the utility of the systems approach in its analysis (Weaver, 2007, p. 13). Thus, in the case of this training and development project at IBM Australia, the implementers of this project ought to ensure the coordination of all the interrelated and interdependent systems in the organization. The risk factor Another issue which is central to this project is for the implementers of this project to effectively assess the risks which are bound to be posed by the implementation of this project. According to the Association of Project Management (2006, p. 26), all projects have inherent risks, based on the fact they are constrained, complex, based on various assumptions and performed by people. In this case, the implementers of this project ought to consider any inherent risks of this project in terms of their short-term impacts on employees performance as a result of job rotations and alteration of working schedules. In this case, they have to device ideal mechanisms to address these risks before implementing the project. This issue is particularly important based on the fact that it determines the performance of the organization in the course of implementing the project. Managerial support Another important issue is cultivating the support of the larger management in terms of finances to aid in the facilitation process. According to IBM Corporation, (2008, p. 5), the lack of corporate and managerial mandate in diverse training projects often culminates in the failure or begins to decline shortly after implementation. In this case, the implementers of this project ought to ensure that there is sufficient support from the management echelons of the IBM Australia. Thus, they have to take sufficient time to convince the management that its continued support, either financially or through the provision of the necessary human resource is integral to the eventual success of the project and subsequent benefits to the larger organization. This is founded on the long-held belief that the investment by the management in employees’ training and development poses significant benefits for both the organization and its workforce (McDowall & Saunders, 2010, p. 3). Ethical issues The next important issue in this project is ethical considerations. This is founded on the fact that the project managers ought to adhere to particular ethical standards in regard to the cultural background of the trainees, the norms of the organization, the moral values and the legal boundaries among others. According to the Association of Project Management (2006, p. 118), ethical requirements are a critical part of the project manager’s professional behavior and necessitates a fundamental understanding of the expectations in the organization, the legal boundaries, the norms and moral values as embedded in the organization as well as the culture of the larger society where the organization is based. In this case, the project managers ought to be cognizant of the ethical requirements in the course of implementing this program at IBM Australia. This is best epitomized by the fact that some cultural backgrounds might have limitations on the age of the facilitators (mostly societies founded on gerontocracy) or the gender of the facilitator. In this case, the ability of the project manager to be alive to these ethical issues is imperative in ensuring the eventual success of this particular project at IBM Australia. Specific skills and knowledge needs of the employees The other imperative issue is having an understanding of the skills and knowledge requirements of the employees in this organization. This is particularly important in the contemporary working environments which require specific skills and knowledge. According to Benedict et. al., (2007, p. 4), a comprehensive understanding of the skills which are needed by the workers to develop their competencies can be imperative in guiding the implementers in executing the skills training and development programs. In the IBM case, the implementers of this program ought to understand the distinct skills and knowledge needs of the employees based on the current dynamics in the industry. This is best epitomized by cloud computing and software-as-a-service which has instigated diverse changes in the ways in which corporate consumers purchase technology in the industry under which IBM operates in. In this case, the profound assessment by the implementers of this project in regard to the needs of the employees to acquire this technological knowhow will inform the nature of facilitators their will require and the infrastructure needed to support the training and development program This is key in not only ensuring that the employees will get the skills and knowledge they need to remain competent and relevant in the current working environment. Monitoring and evaluation Tache (2011, p. 381) determined that monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities are central in helping the project managers in gaining a comprehensive understanding on whether the project is progressing on the desired schedule or meeting their objectives, activities, inputs and deadlines. Thus, this is a major issue which the implementers of the training and development project at IBM Australia will need to put into consideration. In this case, it is particularly imperative to prime a robust framework which will facilitate M&E being conducted to assess the outcomes of the project on the employees and the overall impacts on the production process. Thus, the issue of developing a robust M&E framework is imperative before, during and even after the implementation of this project at IBM Australia. Moreover, the issues of the timelines and budget will come into play which the project manager ought to put into consideration. All the above are some of the issues which will need to be put into consideration before, during and even after the implementation of this project at IBM Australia. Nonetheless, it is imperative to explore some of the benefits which IBM Australia is bound to derive from this project once it is approved and implemented. Benefits This program is beneficial to the company in diverse ways. Firstly, it can be perceived as a key mechanism towards employees’ retention which is central to sustained competitive advantage. This is against the backdrop of a revelation by the American Society for Training and Development that 41% of the employees who are based in companies which have inadequate training programs often to leave within a year. This is contrary to 12% of employees in companies which provide robust training and professional development programs (IBM Corporation, 2008, p. 2). In this case, the implementation of the training and development project will greatly benefit IBM in retaining its best talents both in the short and long-terms which is core to its future sustained competitive advantage in the market as epitomized by Brum (2007, p. 1). Secondly, this project will be beneficial to IBM based on the fact that it will be in a more suitable niche of confronting future challenges in the highly volatile technology industry. This is based on the fact that the employees in this company will be in a position to understand the current trends, how they have evolved overtime and are able to confront any changes that might emanate from these changes. The above fact is supported by Niazi, (2011, p. 43) who determined that in order to be in a position to meet both the current as well as the future challenges in our businesses, training and development has widespread benefits. This is founded on the fact that it assumes a wide alley of learning outcomes which range from training the employees on their present task coupled with knowledge sharing to enhance the horizons of the business and service to the consumers. Conclusion The preceding analysis has explored the importance of training and development in modern organizations. Additionally, it has analyzed the current state at IBM Australia which necessitates the implementation of a training and development project. This review has also explored diverse issues related to the implementation of this project including the risk factor, stakeholder’s cooperation and managerial support among others. Lastly, it has outlined several benefits which IBM Australia is bound to derive from this training and development project. References Association of Project Management, 2006, APM body of Knowledge, 5th Ed., APM, Buckinghamshire. Benedict, A., et. al, 2007, ‘Critical Skills Needs and Resources for the Changing Workforce’, SHRM & Career Journal, pp. 1-40. Brum, S., 2007, ‘What impact does training have on employee commitment and employee turnover?’, retrieved 6th July, 2013 < http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/research/papers/Brum-Commitment.pdf>. Fitzsimmons, C., 2013, ‘IBM cutting up to 1500 jobs in Australia as cloud computing upsets server market’, retrieved 6th July, 2013 < http://www.brw.com.au/p/tech-gadgets/ibm_cutting_upsets_server_jobs_market_pd67SMPbQzIgF4msTKLfSK Grubb, B., 2013, ‘IBM quietly slashing Australian jobs’, retrieved 6th July, 2013 < http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/business-it/ibm-quietly-slashing-australian-jobs-20130619-2oic6.html>. Hameed, A. & Waheed, A., 2011, ‘Employee Development and Its effect on Employee Performance: A Conceptual Framework’, International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 2 No. 13, pp. 224-229. IBM Corporation, 2008, ‘The value of training’, IBM Training White Paper, IBM, New York. IBM Australia Website, 2013, retrieved 6th July, 2013 < http://www.ibm.com/ibm/au/en/>. Jehanzeb, K. & Bashir, NA., 2012, ‘Training and development program and its benefits to employees and organizations: a conceptual study’, Far East Journal of Psychology and Business, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 58-71. McDowall, A & Saunders, MNK, 2010, ‘UK managers conceptions of training and development, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp. 609-630 Niazi, AS., 2011, ‘Training and Development Strategy and Its Role in Organizational Performance’, Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 42-57. Obisi, C., 2011, ‘Employee Training and Development in Nigerian Organizations: Some Observations and Agenda for Research’, Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, Vol.1, No.9, pp. 82-91. Saad, AM., et. al, 2013, ‘Review of theory of human resources development training (learning) participation’, Journal of WEI Business and Economics, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 47-58. Tache, F., 2011, ‘Developing an Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Flow for Sustainable Investment Projects’, Economia. Seria Management, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 380-391. Weaver, P., 2007, ‘The origins of modern project management’, paper presented at Fourth Annual PMI College of Scheduling Conference, Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, Vancouver, 15 - 18 April 2007. Read More