HRM Activities in Tesco

HRM Activities in Tesco In any organization, the most important asset is its employees though it may or may not be profit-oriented. So the most complicated task is to manage the human resource. Today, in the rapid advancement of technology, Human Resource is unavoidable. No machines can replace Human Resource in utilization the available resources effectively. In this competitive market, every organization ensures that it has an effective and efficient Human Resource Development that supports to achieve every objective. The HR department works very hard in utilization of every available human resource to realize the organizations by linking it with the policies and strategy. The HR department also helps the employs understand and respect the values of the organization by constantly conducting activities that involve the employee from every level in the organization. Every large scale firm activity needs to be supported by different departments integrated into one which leads to as a group activity and finally it becomes a coordinated activity carried out at various levels to achieve the organisational goal. Therefore, these strategic objectives can be achieved only with effective human resources management which is controlled by HR department. In the assignment, we have given to carry out research into the HR policies carried out by Tesco. COMPANY PROFILE Tesco is the biggest super market in UK. It has been dominating in British retail sector with domestic market share and global sales. It initially caters in food and later expanded its area of business like clothing, electronics, financial services and telecom. So the Tescos has set up the store namely Tesco extra, Tesco metro and Tesco express in order to meet the customers needs. Since Tesco is considered a one stop retail outlet that has covered every segment of market in the country and it shows Tesco has a great number of manpower. This shows how the HR strategy has been implemented. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Three key HRM activities carried out by Tesco are: Recruitment and pay revision. Training and development. Providing healthy work atmosphere. (See appendix-1) Recruitment, training and healthy work environment are the three key HRM activities carried out by Tesco which I would like to discuss. Recruitment is the process of new employment which is consists of important steps. Some of the important steps involved in recruitment are call for application, criteria allocation, short listing, interview, salary negotiation and offer of employment. Its all about acquiring more human resource as per requirement which can be met in different ways like open day recruitment, application through own website, from agencies on contractual basis, interview from campus and finally internal job posting (IJP). Every job offer should be incompliance with the rules and regulations. Some of the important rules and regulations are: Equal Pay Act (1970). Sex Discrimination Act (1975), Race Relations Act (1976), Disability Discrimination Act (1995), Employment Protection Act (1978). Tesco plc is one of the organizations in the UK that follows very strict procedure of recruitment with aware of various acts. Every different position has its own unique procedure. Most of the selection is done through online system like customer support agent and its immediate higher level appointments and so on. Before any direct interview the candidate is short listed by an online procedure by general aptitude test. Then those who pass the test are called for interview thereby saving time and energy from both sides. Direct application is also available in store which helps in the same way. For higher management positions, there are a few ways like appointing external agencies and direct reputed institutions and also through internal job posting. Once the right candidate is selected the next process is training where the potential of candidate is transformed with the help of available resource to convert them into standard employee. Generally there are two types of training available namely process training where the candidate is made aware of the process his/her duties. The second is on the job training. This is carried further once management feels that employee is able take his responsibilities. So every step is carefully studied and overlooked by HR department in order to ensure the efficiency. Every large scale organization provides training to their employees so does the Tesco plc. Tesco plc ensures that new employee is carefully nested into the organization. They provide training with a payment options and other facilities to the fulltime employees. Tesco plc always demands proficiency among its employees. It also carries out the different programmes like personality development and career advancement options available from time-to time in order boost their morale. Providing healthy work atmosphere is another challenge for the HR department. As we know the world is global village so we can see multicultural society and it is not easy for them to mix into the crowd that they may feel not welcoming. So the HR department duties to make sure these things are discussed and evaluated among the employees before they come on board. Personal Health and Safety is also important issues which needs to addressed by the HR department very cautiously. Better work environment encourage employees to perform their best and to provide better work atmosphere is another challenge for any organization. Tesco plc is aware of this fact. So it ensures that every single employee is aware of his/her rights within the organization. Tesco plc provides more opportunities like part-time and weekend jobs where most of the students are encouraged to work. Though it can be complicated but Tesco plc ensures that this is carried out carefully with the help of HR department. It is the responsibility of HR department to ensure that proper shifts are allocated and there is no confusion among the employee. So these are the reoccurring issues which HR team have to handle it with great care. Tesco plc prohibited the consumption of alcohol and other related products within the premises in order to ensure the safe working atmosphere. This reflects the capability and vision of Tesco plc to provide better work conditions for its employees. Assessing the effectiveness of the Tesco Approach In the era of globalization, every organization like Tesco plc must keep itself along with other organizations on being globally competitive. So employee involved in the organization must be competitive so that they can achieve competitive advantage. The analysis of HR management is based on the different activities carried out. The different activities of HRM that are going to be analysed here are recruitment, training and safety. Tesco plc is one of those organizations that thrive for customer satisfaction and retention. Providing the best prices to stop the customer going anywhere else is the main objective of Tesco plc. For this, Tesco needs to be aware of prices, quality of products, facilities and most important is customer service. For better customer service, the employees need to be trained time-to time. Not every employee joins the company with ample experience and customer skills. So they need to be developed from scratch for a few. Tesco plc is providing employment to stu dents and other part time employees which could help to regulate cost of production. This is vital factor since Tesco plc trying to reduce cost by introducing customer new low price products. It also encourages employee to work close to their homes in order to save the time which makes life easy for all. In addition to these, employees are allowed to opt for transfer that will help to keep loyal to the organization i.e. low labour turnover. Training employees reveals the involvement and dedication of any HR department of organization. Training is cost incurring process which is difficult to afford once it is not utilised economically. So the HR department has to be careful in providing the right training to the right candidate in the organization. As earlier discussed, training could be of two types i.e. process training and on the job training. The main components of Tesco plc training procedure are: Core skills programme fundamental training which helps to deal with customer. Winning in Europe- designed especially for countries other than UK. Excel programme- ranges from fundamental to manger training programme. Training procedure is carried out to perfection in the Tesco. Training with pay and training alongside senior experienced employees provide the best work atmosphere for the best performances. Tescos long-term strategy is to continue with training to employee and to integrate this into culture of the organization. So it always emphasis on staff training and to integrate this learning in the organization. So when employees are trained and showing a higher commitment to the organization which make them feel as part of the overall strategy. Finally, this leads employees feel valued and results a more committed workforce Safety at work is criteria that Tesco management insists to be accounted for in the best possible means. Disaster management and other safety training are provided to employee at no extra charges. This is the contribution that organization makes to the benefits of employees career, a certain advantage. Prohibition of intake of any alcohol related products or any form or drugs unless prescribed by doctor is another step taken by Tesco plc to ensure safety of fellow employee and the customer. Two HRM model For any organization to perform its task efficiently and achieve its common objectives, the people are the utmost important resources to the management. The two approaches have been developed namely hard approach and soft approach. There are two models of activity has developed which I would like discuss in relation to Tesco plc. They are as follows: Harvard model Michigan model The Harvard model was developed in the year 1984 by group of academics. This model is also referred as soft HRM which emphasizes on more human side. According to this model human are not only resources but also a human. There are four main HR policies which are very important in order to deal with people. Firstly there is employee-influence which is inclusive of power, delegation and responsibility with purpose and interest of management. The second is the element of human resources flow i.e. recruitment, selection, placement and promotion, job security, career advancement and termination of employment. The next is rewarding system such as pay and motivation like bonuses, insurances and flexible working hour. The reward should be always align with the overall organizational strategy. Finally work system which deals with the arrangements of people, information and technology i.e. right man in right job with depending upon the skills. (See appendix-2) The Michigan model was developed by Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna in the year 1984. This model is known as hard HRM which is focus on human resource which should be used and exploited fully in order to achieve organizational goals. Here people are treated as a means of achieving the organizations strategy. It also assumes that HRM will respond to the external and internal environment. Basically this model concentrates on managing human assets by motivating and rewarding them in order to achieve companys goal. (See appendix-3) The Harvard model emphasizes on human formulation with HR elements and is considered as the soft aspects of HRM. The soft aspect of HRM is related with human relation whereas the hard aspect is seen as emerging from the business strategy and policy. On the other hand, the Michigan model focused on the human resources strategies and structures in order to improve the companys performances. It considers human resources as key resource of the organization. These two models are the most commonly use HRM models in business today. Based upon the above analysis it can be concluded that the soft model is advisable to be practiced within the service sector while manufacturing sector would be better to use the Michigan model of HRM for increased production. Tesco and its Approach towards HRM Tescos approach towards its HR policies and practices demonstrated the both approaches i.e. soft and hard version of HRM. Tesco is continuously invest on human resources i.e. employees empowerment, participation of employee in management. Tesco also ensures that each employee has the opportunity to understand his or her individual role in contributing to the its core purpose and values which require commitment with an innovative induction programme. Tescos human-resources strategy revolves around work simplification, challenging unwritten rules, achieving steering-wheel targets. It also emphasise on higher level of training to all employees which results in higher commitment to the organization. This highlights the way in which Tescos business measures are closely linked to hard and soft version of HRM Critical analysis of HR performance at Tesco Analysis of performance of any process plays a key role in the development of any organization. As a result of this analysis, various HR plans and policies can be evaluated in order to find out the effectiveness i.e. drawbacks. Recruitment, training and development of employee calibre and also providing best working condition with suitable growth opportunities has been met with high standard. Apart from these, keeping track of the best performance of employee and providing them with opportunity for overall growth and retaining them has been carried out successfully. The analysis shows that the HR department has been performing to the required level of standard in the existing market. We can see the Tesco plc management style of recruitment is strong enough in order to maintain low cost with highly effective training which consists of senior employees as well. Tesco plc also have been using the external agencies to recruit the employees in order to ensures quality recruitment. Tesco p lc ensures the employee is recruited in lines with the national minimum wages or above minimum wages to pay. They also offer the job to those student who wants to work as a part time or weekends which would meet both i.e. organization and student goal. Every employee is aware of his/ her positions and duties to be carried on which is primary activity of HR department. A job description is handed out in order to make aware of task to be performed by each individual employee. The payment procedure is also responsibility of HR department and Tesco ensures that they follow the national minimum wages act. And also there is an alternative feature that is periodical increment in the payment and evaluation based on the performance. Safety of the employee is the prime concern for the HR of Tesco plc which is met with extreme cautiously. They are trained to help themselves in the event of any unfortunate incidents or accidents like fire or theft. This is all to ensure safety among the employee and establish morale. This kind of Tescos method really helps the individual learning preference. This further complicates the role of HRD, balancing organizational needs with the individuals expectations. Employees will vary from each other. So its HR duty to organize right people in right job and this will help to sustain competitive advantage. CONCLUSION The role of human resources in any organization is very crucial in order to achieve organizational goal. The study of Tescos HR policies has focused on level of training provided to all employees i.e. an effect in the bottom line which leads to more commitment among the employees. The study carried out on the different activities of a general HR department and that of Tescos explain that Tesco has been highly successful in implementing the suitable plan and programme. So this helped Tescos to increase their market share and retail units over the years which have been achieved partly through effective HR department although it is not sole factor in their path to success but it has certainly been a major factor of Tesco plc. APPENDICES Appendix-1 Human Resources Activities C:Usersshahi kingDesktophrm activities.gif Adapted: http://www.bized.co.uk Appendix-2 http://www.africancentreforcommunity.com/Best%20Perspectives%20to%20human%20resource%20management%20by%20Arrey%20Mbongaya%20Ivo-Dateien/image005.jpg Figure 1 Harvard model HRM cycle, source: Beer et al, 1984, it works on commitment, congruence, competence and cost effectiveness Appendix-2 http://www.africancentreforcommunity.com/Best%20Perspectives%20to%20human%20resource%20management%20by%20Arrey%20Mbongaya%20Ivo-Dateien/image007.jpg Figure.2 The Michigan model, source; Fombrun, Tichy Devanna, 1984. HRM cycle; selection, appraisal, rewards development increase organisational performance

The Humanization of Achilles Essay -- essays research papers

Homer illustrates that it is a difficult task to travel down the road of compassion and to overcome rage, but in The Iliad, Achilles achieved it. The ?swift runner? expresses his fury throughout the epic poem. The initial insensitivity and stubborn temper of Achilles in the first books lead to the eventual humanization of Achilles. Achilles was given a gift, the gift of being the best warrior there was, and being the son of a goddess didn?t hurt his confidence either. Achilles had more than confidence he was cocky and thought that the world revolved around him. In his mind nobody, including the Achaean army could survive without him. When an argument occurs between him and Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and leader of the Achaean army, Achilles leaves the army and goes crying to his mother, ...

The First World War (WWI) :: World War 1 I One

WWI Web activity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The propaganda at that time was aimed at was aimed the working class of the U.S. The propaganda was directed to the average person, or people that the government thought would help support the war. My first picture shows a little girl asking her dad to but her a war bond. It trying to imply that every family should go out a get a war bond. That little girl is trying to imply to the world that that buying a war bond is a cute or necessary in order to keep a little girl happy. A father never wants to see his little girl cry so he usually gets her what she wants. The government is trying to imply that everyone has to buy a war bond in order to help the little girl (U.S) in order for it to be happy. So the average person might feel somewhat required to go and buy a war bond to keep the U.S happy. Also the image is trying to show that the little war bond is for a good cause. Little children sometimes try say that they will be good in return for the gift. The reality is that the war bonds weren’t doing anything except letting thousand of soldier die for issue that was happening on the other side of the pacific.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  War is probably something that this little girl didn’t want to promote. But she did and she made it seem like if this was a giant wedding or a happy occasion. But in reality war is this torturous place were one side wins just because they have the better weapons or strategy. But in the process killing thousand s of innocent kids. Also when they die there was no one to give them a proper funeral. They were left there to die in mass graves or were left there for parasites to eat their body.

The Superstring Mystery -- Theory Of Everything? :: essays research papers fc

In 1979 two scientists met at The Center for Nuclear Research (CERN). These men's names are Michael Green and John Schwarz. John Schwarz had been working on the Theory of Superstrings/ Theory of Everything. Michael Green the younger of the two men was studying all research that he could get his hands on, and was fascinated by the Theory. John Schwarz who had been tired of the Theory of Superstrings and the Theory of Everything in 1974 saw a new passion and new data that would be the fuel for Michael and his own research. Very few other scientists wanted to become involved in the Theories and left the Theories to the two men. Green and Schwarz found this perfectly acceptable, because they would now be receiving all credit for their work. The Old Paradigm is that the universe is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. The New Paradigm states that the universe is not made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons but rather tiny Superstrings that vibrate at specific frequencies. ( Like a guitar string.) Using complicated formula's such as E8 X E8 divides in two, in the Big Bang and creates two identical universes E8 and E8 shadow, this allows the theory to explain the four forces of nature, and it even indicates a universe of "shadow matter" that exists in a parallel to our own. The theory also suggests that our universe evolved out of a higher dimensional space during the first instances of the Big Bang. What this means is that during the Big Bang there was an escape of particles and a whole lot of other stuff that created our universe. This 'Stuff' that escaped from the 'bag' was only half of the equation. This acting like twins, or as called earlier a parallel universe that in theory is the same as our own. Evident resistance to the Superstring and Theory of Everything is the fact that the money needed to build a machine (Relativistic Klystron Two Beam Accelerator) that will be able to produce enough energy as at the beginning of creation is near impossible. The coming of a machine as the RK/TBA may present the last thinkable experiment of this sort carried out by scientists. The faith that physicists have that the goal is within reach, is only based on the beauty of their Superstrings Theories. Should the building of the RK/TBA succeed in producing the energies the scientists are intending it to, then it will be decided whether the physicists will find; everything or nothing. The greatest impact that The Superstring Theories will have on society as a

Best Buy Co., Inc. and Customer Centricity Essay

Best Buy Co. , Inc. is a specialty audio retail company that, through its unique marketing methods and willingness to risk and experiment, has expanded unto numerous subsidiaries across and among continents for providing consumer electronic products and services. It adopts the concept of customer centricity, in which a company’s efforts are designed to align their target and potential clients’ needs, wants, feelings, and behavioral patterns. Though they have incurred considerable challenges and losses along the way, Best Buy Co. , Inc. ’s journey to the business accomplishment has been one that has garnered them extensive experience and strong business disposition that has truly worked not only for their principle and processes but more importantly on their development. Marketing Case Study: Best Buy Co. , Inc. and Customer Centricity Best Buy’s Top Concern: Understanding of Consumer Behavior Best Buy Inc. , Co. has made it of great importance to center their business and marketing trade operations on better recognizing and identifying the how’s, why’s, and what’s behind their consumers’ approach dynamics to electronic retail purchasers. Philip Kotler defines consumer behavior as â€Å"the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations select, buy, use, and dispose of good, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants† (Kotler, Keller, Ang, Leong, Tan, 2006, p. 179), which Best Buy has made their top priority through and through. With a humble beginning as â€Å"The Sound of Music† during the mid-nineteen sixties, Best Buy initially suffered a disaster blow which they quickly translated to building a sense of customer relations and, in every extent, better brand recall. As Store Service Manager Joe Brandt emphasized, â€Å"When the tornado hit, we decided to market to the community as a whole, and get electronics out there to everybody. We geared our selves up to win by understanding what consumers want in technology,†Ã¢â‚¬â€Best Buy has not only managed to turn the most unfortunate of circumstances into positive output, but they also exuded their willingness to identify who their consumers were, why they purchase from them, and what would make them happy (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. 139). During the steady growth through the mid-nineteen eighties, Best Buy wanted to keep the customer connection they have started. Thus, they broke away from traditional business sales by â€Å"eliminating commissioned sales representatives† (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. 139). Despite having experienced momentary financial woes, the company pushed through furthering circumstances. Amidst many adjustments, significant acquisitions of Geek Squad and Magnolia Audio and Video were made possible. Today, Best Buy is more equipped to depart from individual selling and is capable of providing better, wider, and more customer-focused services, from in-store, home, and office computer services needs. Focusing on the end-users, the development in understanding the various attributes the customers and clients led to the company’s five segment priority. This meant that discovering more about who their clients really are and how their clients shop for their electronics meant that in-store service processes could be further developed to suit their target consumers and those others in between who do get their electronics needs at Best Buy. The five segment priority not only gave them the opportunity for bettering customer service and knowledge, but also with customers’ and their respective segments as the focal point of all operations, personalization even in a the setting of business relations were made possible and sustainable. The process which Best Buy Inc. , Co. started and revolved centrally on different aspects for their customers, of which they were able to maintain through out and has been key their growth and success which translated to â€Å"1,172 stores, 140,000 employees, and $35. 9 billion in revenue† and world-wide business achievement and recognition (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. 139). Best Buy’s Journey through Customer Centricity With the employment of customer centricity as the company’s foremost business principle, Best Buy has learned many business lessons which they had to accept, adjust, balance, and realize as either forms in reward or drawback. The most obviously beneficial characteristic of customer centricity which provided Best Buy with a strong sustainable business advantage is its soaring customer relations. Creating an atmosphere wherein customers are not only comfortable but also confident that all their electronic needs and concerns shall be tended and answered in any Best Buy store. Through building individual customer rapport, Best Buy creates a business situation where brand retention, customer service, quality product, and service offering are all and more associated with their name and reputation. However, in considering the whole process of adaptation, the company underwent some difficulties. In the early-on stages that led to the principle acclimatization, Best Buy experienced an increase of expenses and a decline of profits when they decided to deviate slowly from doing business via sales representatives. Additionally, this move was critically queried by analysts, but more importantly, it was greatly identified and appreciated by the customers. As the market for consumer electronics slowed down, Best Buy continued to differentiate their style of business from the competition. Hence, risk was its key catalyst that brought success, though accompanied by some hardships. In creating the five-customer segment priority—Barry, the affluent professional, Jill, the soccer mom, Carrie and Buzz, early adopters, Ray, practical adopter, and Small business—Best Buy financially endeavored through the company’s vision of centering on the customer and were prepared to incur loses to better understand the inner-workings of their consumer. Within each segment, all had specific needs and features to which Best Buy fittingly offered solutions both product and service-wise. In the process of appreciating and grasping the purchasing techniques of their customers, Best Buy realized the need for financial pre-requisite that the adaptation entails to substantiate the processes and services to better fit the client, via the trialing of â€Å"lab† stores. These lab stores stood as an evidential gauge on who customers would receive, react, and respond to â€Å"product offerings, store designs and service offering targeted at each segment† (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. 140). In the transition of adopting, Best Buy computed costs up to $600,000 to qualify a specific store outlet as customer centric. However, it all paid off since it was positively acknowledged and received by its customers (relatively performing better, compared to the average chain counterpart). Thus, it spearheaded the formal integration of Customer Centricity throughout all its stores. With this, the identification of customer qualities had to be more specific, as they had fleetingly overlooked the differences between men and women as consumer electronics shoppers. Yet, with extensive research and tuning, consumer markets further distinguished their full potential was explored and utilized. Best Buy’s Pursuit to Accommodate Male and Female Market Shopping Qualities The constricting soccer mom segment seemed to limit the female market. â€Å"Research showed that women spend $68 billion on consumer electronics each year and influence 89 percent of all purchases. † This suggests that there is much potential for profits and improving female customer relations for Best Buy (Author Last Name, Year, p. 140). In addition to this, in terms of their shopping style, â€Å"men tend to be independent, whereas women tend to seek assistance while shopping for electronics† (McGraw-Hill Irwin, n. d. ). With these facts in hand, Best Buy opted to gear their processes even more to better answer the needs of their female market. Incorporating the customer assistant program was also premeditated and established for any and every query the customer has to bring â€Å"personal shopping to the next level† (McGraw-Hill Irwin, n. d. ). The personal shopping assistant not only facilitates the discussion of the clients’ electronic needs, but they also thoroughly explain key benefits on how and why certain electronic products would impact the lives of the customers, relating them on a personal level at each transaction, which favors the more dependent shopping style of women. Also, after broadening the Jill segment, Best Buy modified their in-store design for women, from color theme, lay-out, and displays of kitchen vignettes to packages, to house more appropriately their needs and thus, be more â€Å"female friendly† (McGraw-Hill Irwin, n. d. ). Best Buy Co. , Inc. truly adapted a system in which customer comes first, in every possible business and marketing scenario and circumstance. Through centricity, Best Buy elevated their brand and brand of service which put them in a class of their own, above from competition, beyond traditional marketing, and in the minds of their customers. References Kotler, P. , Keller, K. L. , Ang, S. H. , Leong, S. M. , Tan, C. T. (2006). Marketing Management: An Asian Perspective (Fourth Edition). Singapore: Prentice Hall. McGraw-Hill Irwin. (Producer). (n. d. ). Best Buy: Using Customer Centricity to Connect with Customers [Case Study Video]. Retrieved February 20, 2009 from http://www. mhhe. com/business/marketing/kerin9e/video/Ch05_BestBuy. swf. Last Name, First Initial (Author). (Year). Book Title. (Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Irvin.

Learning Team Deliverable Essay

The assignment for this week focuses on the team’s understanding of the goals and objectives of training program development and delivery. Team C summarizes the following highlights of this week’s discussions: determining organizational development theories and applications; differentiating between mentoring and executive coaching; identifying the major components of employee training; and comparing career development strategies. Organizational Development Theories and Applications Organizational development (OD) focuses on the research, theory, and practices committed to increasing the knowledge and effectiveness of individuals to achieve positive and successful organizational transformations. OD is the continuous process of planning, implementing, and evaluating the goals of the company by the way of â€Å"transferring knowledge and skills to organizations to improve their capacity for solving problems and managing future change† (Organizational development theory, n.d.). The beginning of OD came from studies from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s where the realization arisen about how the structure of the organization and its processes helped shape an employee’s performance and drive. In recent years, OD is helping companies align with the changes occurring in the new business environment. Key to organizational development theories and applications is the organization’s climate, culture, and strategies. The Difference between Mentoring and Executive Coaching Many companies are now beginning to grasp the significance of mentoring and coaching their employees. Although many entry-level jobs do require a college education and a few years’ experience, it is crucial to provide the necessary tools and training to those employees interested in climbing the corporate ladder into managerial or supervisory positions. Now more than ever, companies are realizing the need to provide leadership advancement opportunities to its employees so as to motivate them, stay competitive and productive, which in turn positively impacts the bottom line of the business. Mentoring and coaching programs are now habitually used in many organizations to improve leadership qualities (Watt, 2004). The Major Components of Employee Training Employee training is essential to the both individual and companywide success. Training improves productivity and profitability, promotes a safe and healthy work environment, ensures compliance with laws and regulations, and creates opportunities for career development. There are several major components that should be included in an effective training program, and those components include performing a job analysis and needs assessment, establishing training objectives, conducting a training program, and evaluating training outcomes. Performing a job analysis involves formatting a detailed study of necessary job requirements including skills needed to complete the job and required employee qualifications. A needs assessment identifies training activities that are required in order to achieve company objectives. Before training, an employer must determine what will be accomplished as a result of the training. Training objectives are terms that describe the intended outcome of a training program. The objectives allow for the measurement of success as there are predetermined skill levels and conditions that should be achieved. In order to meet company objectives, the employer must conduct a training program. Training can be carried out through on-the-job training, job rotation, apprenticeship training, classroom training, and many other methods. Regardless of the method(s) of training implemented meeting training objectives should be the focus. It may be necessary to use more than one method of training or revise training if results are not being achieved. In order to determine the effectiveness,  the training outcome must be evaluated. The evaluation of training consists of a reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Results determine how much the trainee liked the program. Learning outlines what facts and concepts were learned. Behavior determines if the program had an effect on the behavior(s) of the trainees. And results highlight what was accomplished as a result of the program, i.e. reduction of turnover or cost. Evaluating a training program allows for an employer to identify and correct areas in which improvement is needed. In order accomplish company goals employees must be trained effectively. Training cannot be an afterthought; it should be planned and implemented correctly. Career Development Strategies Career development is comprised of three main objectives. The first objective is to meet human resource needs in a timely manner throughout the life of the business. The second objective is to provide information about open positions and opportunity for growth to the organization’s employees. The last objective is to use existing programs to develop and manage employee careers to match organizational plans and goals. Three different parties are responsible for professional development within the organization: the employee, the employee’s manager, and the organization itself. Various strategies exist to succeed in the development process. One strategy human resources may use is career pathing. For example, an existing employee would like to apply for a higher position within the company. To acquire the required skills, the employee may work with management and the human resource department to develop a blueprint of the steps required to achieve the necessary skill set or certification. Some organizations offer specialized education or training classes to their employees. Another strategy tool in career development is career counseling. Through career counseling, human resource managers can communication with the employee and the organization’s managers, while â€Å"employees explore career goals and opportunities in the organization† (ExploreHR.org, 2014). Conclusion Organizational development is an essential component in the success of an organization. As discussed above there are various OD theories and  applications that can be utilize to improve the overall effectiveness of company processes and operation. Mentoring and executive coaching are similar methods both used to improve employee performance or correct damaging behaviors. Employee training includes a number of components including, performing a job analysis and needs assessment, establishing training objectives, conducting a training program, and evaluating training outcomes. The primary strategies for career development are meeting human resource needs, providing information about opportunity for growth, and developing and managing employee careers. The above mentioned strategies and methods can be used in conjunction to improve company success. References Elements of Career Planning Programs. (2014). Retrieved on November 30, 2014 from http://www.explorehr.org/articles/Career_Management/Elements_of_Career_Planning_Programs.html Organizational development theory. Retrieved from http://www.med.upenn.edu/hbhe4/part4-ch15-organizational-development-theory.shtml Watt, L. (2004). Mentoring and coaching in the workplace: an insight into two leading leadership development programs in organizations. Canadian Manager.

Total Hospital Information System Hospital Selayng

1. 0 Hospital Information System (HIS) – Overview 1. 1 Definition Hospital Information System (HIS) is an integrated information system which spans through the organization crafted to manage clinical, administrative, financial and operational functions of a hospital. HIS strives to achieve the most effective support for patient care and administration through various different electronic data processing and analyzing tools (Ismail, et al. , 2010). HIS serves as a platform to provide the required information to each level of the management at the correct time, in the correct form, and in the correct place, contributing towards improved decision making. HIS plays a pivitol role in planning, initiating, organizing and controlling the operations of the subsystems of the hospital and thus equips an organization with synergy and integrity required for it to function. More importantly, HIS also enhances patient care and comfort by offering personalized suggestions for care and enables a hospital to move from retrospective to a concurrent review quality (Ismail, et al. 2010). 1. 2 Global Trend in Hospital Information System (HIS) In early 2009, the market value of Hospital Information Systems (HIS) market was $7. 8 billion worldwide and this figure has been predicted to leap to an alarming $18 billion by 2016. The boom is primarily driven by governments’ dynamic motives and hospitals continually trying to increase workflow effi ciency Hence, hospitals are confident that embracing HIS will result in increased efficiency and reduced medical errors, which later translates into uplifting the quality of care provided to patients (Global Data, 2010). Growing evidence has demonstrated that the current systems fail to deliver adequately safe, high standard, efficient and economical healthcare. This can be curbed through computerization, with electronic medical record (EMR) as the fundamental component. This has resulted in clinicians and healthcare organizations around the globe scrutinizing into adopting more EMR technologies in their respective hospitals. France, UK, US, Canada, Finland, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries have proposed plans to construct a fully intergrated computer-based hospital infrastructures with the electronic medical record systems laying the cement work. In the Asia-Pacific region alone, umpteen successful HIS implementations have taken place in various hospitals such as in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia (Global Data, 2010). 1. 3 The Malaysian Outlook The federal government had adopted a national-level strategy to create a paradigm shift in the nation’s healthcare system. The Federal Government aims to revamp the healthcare system so as to produce a county of healthy individuals and communities through the adoption of information technology (IT). Major projects which has been undertaken include Multimedia Super Corridor Telehealth Project and MSC Telehealth Blueprint (1997) (Malaysianmedicine, 2004). Dr. H. M. Goh, secretary of both Malaysian Health Informatics Association and Asia-Pacific Association for Medical Informatics mentioned that it is impossible to provide good, safe and efficient healthcare ignoring IT, thus the the cost of healthcare would rise. He also stated that without computerisation, we won’t be able to retrieve timely information. ( Malaysianmedicine, 2004). Following this, Malaysia has witnessed several significant developments in the health care sector. One such eminent development is the establishment of total hospital information systems in Selayang Hospital (Malaysianmedicine, 2004). 2. Overview of organization – Selayang Hospital 2. 1 Brief History Located along the Kepong Selayang road of Gombak District, Selayang Hospital is a 960-bedded hospital which has been in operation since 1996. Selayang Hospital (SH) is the pioneer in being the paperless and filmless hospital in Malaysia. Though classified as a government hospital, it has sophistication of a luxury private medical center with a leading-edge on technology. The need for this ultra-modern hospital came about as Hospital Kuala Lumpur (KLH) was already bursting to its limits with its overworked staffs. Organized and accurate documentation and archiving was impossible with mislaid or missing patients' records. This had resulted on KLH being entangled in legal matters. Increasing number of patients expressed their displeasure and quality of patient care was deteriorating. These circumstances surged MOH to come up with SH project with proper incorporation of HIS (Yook, 1999) 2. 2 Clinical services at Selayang Hospital Among the services offered at Selayang Hospital are Gastroenterology, Hepatobiliary, Cardiology, Nephrology, Urology, Hand and Micro and Surgery. All the rest are categorised under secondary services, outpatient services and supportive services. The core business of Selayang hospital is providing a exclusive tertiary referral services to patients across Malaysia and a broader range of clinical services to customers who rely on Selayang Hospital as their regional or local hospitals. High quality specialist services in a large number of other fields is also a highlighted aspect of this hospital (Yook, 1999). 2. 3 Vision The Selayang Hospital project was designed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in accordance with the Malaysia’s Vision of 2020, where the country would become a developed the country's Vision for Health was formulated proposed a national health policy. Besides, it was particularly mentioned in the Seventh Malaysian that there will thirty three paperless public hospitals launched in Malaysia. More specifically, eight of these hospitals will be using Total Hospital Information System (T. H. I. S), Selayang Hospital being one of them (Yook, 1999). 2. 4 Mission The mission of Selayang Hospital is to be a role model for Malaysian hospital, in using innovative, dynamic and cost effective technology and delivering a friendly, caring, compassionate and humanistic service. This wiIl be achieved through teamwork in partnership with the community to provide quality care to the satisfaction of our customers (Yook, 1999). 2. 5 Organizational Structure Patients at Selayang Hospital are of top priority so the structure is designed to maximize patients/customers' satisfaction with emphasis on staff efficiency. The Board of Directors (BOD) with the assistance of Total Hospital Information System and a Medical Advisory Board committee oversees the hospital overall operation. There are five distinct divisions in the hospital administration. The total medical and non-medical staffs amounts to 1090 people. The BOD is accountable to the State Health Directors (Image could not be retrieved) (Yook, 1999). 3. 0 Total Hospital Information System (THIS) in Selayang Hospital Selayang Hospital, the pioneer paperless and filmless hospital in Malaysia, uses Total Hospital Information System (THIS) for its fundamental operation. THIS combines aspects of clinical, administrative and financial management, enabling continual data flow between separate areas (Ismail, et al. , 2010). THIS would aid in meeting the objective of enhancing productivity, effectiveness, efficiency, quality and safety. THIS facilitates communication between care providers through sharing of information, enables automation of work processes, integration and interfacing with other components of HIS in addition to providing clinical decision support and maintaining a permanent record as a medico-legal requirement (Abdollah, 2011). For the incorporation and functionality of THIS, Selayang Hospital had opted to vendor solutions like Cerner for electronic medical record, Seimens for radiology department, Spacelabs for critical care unit, Oracle for materials management, finance and administration and Microsoft Office for internet and intranet usage (Li, 2010). Figure 1 depicts the system architecture as well as the technology partners that associate to Selayang Hospital (Abdollah, 2011). Figure 1 : Information Technology System Support and Technology Partners in Selayang Hospital (Abdollah, 2011). Figure 2 illustrates the structure of THIS in Hospital Selayang. Selayang Hospital incorporates clinical, administrative as well as financial processes as their total hospital information system within their hospital operations. There are various information system being deployed to cater specific needs and wants of patients and care providers as described in the following sections (Abdollah, 2011). Figure 2: Structure of Total Hospital Information System in Hospital Selayang (Abdollah, 2011) 3. 1 Types of Hospital Information System 3. 1. 1 Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Clinical Information System (CIS) is thought of as the system that mediates direct patient care. Within it, also lies the mechanical framework for capturing, storing and displaying the data generated by all clinical care activities. A defined portion of patient-specific collected from disparate sources by care-providers working in the various clinical services is put together as the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). EMR essentially provides for the recording of the following groups of data: a. profile of the patient b. information gathered regarding the patient’s illness, allergies and health status c. ctivities performed on the patient d. events that occurred (planned and unplanned) e. results or findings emanating from these activities and events (numeric, text or images) f. communications between care providers i. e. instructions, opinions, referrals and advice g. decisions and plans both immediate and long term (diagnosis, treatment plan) This consolidation is essential for the availabililty of future data for tracking puposes which in turn governs clinical management and patient data mining, in addition to report generating (Abdollah, 2011). EMR largely benefits government and health care providers. The need and requirement to document is both professional and legal as documentation enables care providers to communicate with each other thus facilitating continuity of patient care. Thus, in the form of the EMR, documentation satisfies the legal requirement of maintaining a record of events. It is accessible from multiple access points and units within the hospital and selective access outside the hospital. This largely reduces the time taken to retrieve medical records. Hence, the time taken to retrieve patient records are reduced. This would pave the way for increased productivity and quality of care. In the mean time, it would contribute towards better knowledge in clinical practices. Besides that, administrative benefits include easier report generation, better organization of clinical information, enhanced claiming and ordering processes, reduced billing timings which translates into providing better service to patients. Futhermore, THIS improved clinical decision making and disease management, patient education in addition to better documentation, increased time allocated per patient, and rejuvenated perception of care and quality of a healthcare institute. The incorporation of DSS into drug management, result generation and disease management are essential in good clinical practise. On the other hand, for researchers and policy makers can utilize EMR to device long term strategies for towards development country’s health care and proper allocation of resources (Haslina and Sharifah 2005). The workflow process such as the improvement of data inputting by avoiding duplications of data’s, reduction is transcriptions costs as well as improved communication is also benefited by Selayang Hospital due to the successful implementation of EMR (Erstad, 2003). Hence, in a nutshell, implementation of EMR such as improved decision making, disease management enhanced records and has made it possible to eliminate the use of papers for medical records. As a result, medical records become more trustworthy and easily comprehendable. Figure 3 : Electronic Medical record system . Source : http://level8systems. com/page. php? 3 3. 1. 2 Patient Management System (PMS) This system encompasses Patient Registration, Client-Resource Management and Charging, Billing and Payment system. For example, during patient registration, a identification number unique to that particular person is issued. This would act as the Medical Record (index) Number (MRN). It allows data regarding a single patient to be kept in a single record, shared between systems and used for subsequent visits and encounters without the need for repeated data acquisition and entry of static data. Staff job assignment is be part of the Client Resource Management System. It should enable all categories of staff to be allocated to work areas, rooms, wards, cubicles, beds, machines etc. according to dates and work shifts. Care providers need to sign in to confirm that they are available. The system should allow for constant updating of staff assignment. The Patient Tracking facility through PMS would also provide real-time status display and reports on attendances, location of patients, status of service provision and discharges Next, The Charging-Billing System would be able to calculate charges based on factors according to policies set by the hospital. It would be able to charge differently based on the service delivery such such outpatient service, emergency service and Inpatient service in addition to scrutinization by financial class. Figure 4 illustrates a typical Patient Management System software which stores and updates patient records. Hence, PMS enables patient’s records to be compiled and accessed in an organised manner. Besides that, subsequent processes like patient administration, clinical support tools and generating reports also is made easy. In addition, it also enables quicker diagnosis with proper relevant treatments available (Netripples, n. d. ). Figure 4: Typical Patient Management System. Source http://hpathy. com/software/hompath-classic8. asp 3. 1. Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) Pictures Archiving & Communication System (PACS) is majorly used in medical imaging unit. X-ray, echocardiogram, ultrasound machines capture digital images of a patient’s clinical condition. These images are sent to appropriate destinations using this system. It can be imagined as a pipeline network which carries water, which in this case are the images. Every laboratory at Selayang Hos pital is equipped with a high-end resolution computer screen to view these images captured from the machines. This service is provided by Siemens in Selayang Hospital. With the help of PACS, images are viewed on screens rather than the conventional x-ray images which are as bulky as a spreadout newspaper. More importantly, PACS reduces the radiation exposure in both patients and care providers. This leads to a healthier working environment; better image distribution; timeless retrieving of data and images; image quality improvement as well as easier handling of images Dr. Zaharah (n. d. ). Thus it can be understood that PACS is not a stand alone system but a subsidiary support system of Radiology Information System (RIS) described in next section. 3. 1. 4 Radiology Information System (RIS) The Radiology Information System (RIS) is a system, which enables care providers who to capture, store and distribute images by interacting with the machines that produce these images and also the clinicians who request for the images. The Radiology Information System (RIS) is a system, consists of the following major functional areas: 01. Ordering of examination 02. Scheduling of appointments for examination 03. Creation of work lists 04. Tracking of examination and reporting status of cases 05. Image Tracking and Management 06. Clinical Result Reporting, 07. Storage and retrieval of reports To summarise, RIS which belongs to the radiology department, is a huge database which can be used to perform x-ray imaging, echocardiograms, computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans, positive emission tomography scans (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests when necessary ( Dr Zaharah , n. . ). The RIS creates and schedules the patient order for an image study. The RIS allocates a unique accession number to the order, sends a message to the PACS and the imaging modality to maintain accuracy in patient demographic details (Figure 5). Figure 5: Integration of RIS and PACS in acquiring and processing of images Source:http://www. pukkaj. info/NewsArchive2007/SendingradiotherapyimagestoPACS/tabid/1111/language/en-GB/Default. aspx) In a fully functional THIS system, RIS must be a high degree of integration between with EMR, PACS and PACS. In this sense PACS is a sub-set of RIS. Radiology images are considered as part of each patient`s EMR. Images need to be treated just like other patient data. Images as data are managed by Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS). RIS is also linked with scheduling system to schedule appointments for patients. Figure 6 shows the schematic representation of functions and relationship between RIS, PACS and EMR (Abdollah, 2011). Figure 6: Schematic representation of functions and relationships between RIS, PACS and EMR (Abdollah, 2011). 3. 1. Pharmacy Information System (PhIS) Pharmacy Information System (PhIS) operates in the pharmacy department for numerous activities which includes clinical screening, inventory management, prescription tracking etc. PhIS are elaborate computer systems that were structured to meet the needs and wants of a pharmacy division to function effectively and efficiently. Pharmacists will be able to overlook how medications are used in a hospital usi ng insights from this system (Biohealthmatics, 2010). Clinical screening is one of the most important usage of PhIS. Drug interactions, allergies and all plausible drug-related disorders can be monitored using the assistance of PhIS. When a prescription is issued, the system checks for all possible interactions between all the drugs prescribed together to a patient at one time or with any particular food, reported allergies to the drug, and even if the sufficient and appropriate dosage has been given based on the individual’s body mass index (BMI), age, and other physiological factors. Instant alerts and warning messages are displayed if adverse drug interaction is detected (Biohealthmatics, 2010). Inventory Management is a another major component of the PhIS. Pharmacists need to know the drugs available, usage pattern and balance of stock. This inventory can be separate from or be a part of the Procurement and Storage Information System of the hospital’s integrated Management Information System. Continuous inventory monitoring is an essential requirement of a pharmacy in order to ensure that drugs never goes out of stock. Besides, multiple dispensing locations and manual inventory keeping is not only tedious but can also lead to inaccuracy in inventory management (Biohealthmatics, 2010). In addition, prescription management for both in patients and outpatients is also a vital segment of PIS. For instance, when the issued prescription arrives to the pharmacy, the orders are checked and matched against available drugs in the pharmacy and then dispensed accordingly to respective patients. More interestingly, prescriptions that passes through the system that can track the physician prescribing the drug, date of prescription, to whom was it prescribed and when was it was dispensed. Automated label printing which bears directions on how medication should be followed is also possible (Biohealthmatics, 2010). Besides, patient drug profiling can also be achieved through PIS. These are patient profiles and holds particulars of their present and previous medications history, known allergies, family history and other parameters. These profiles are also during clinical screening. A physican who prescribes a particular drug to a patient would be able to instantly see the patient’s profile and decide on whether or not this drug is appropriate (Biohealthmatics, 2010). Figure 7 shows a typical pharmacy information system modal provided by Siemens. This includes relevant information such as patient name, name of the drug, route of administration, dosage and frequency of administration. PIS works hand-in-hand with EMR to detect contraindications due to drug allergy, streamlines workflow in addition to assisting billing and charging in administrative and financial system. Figure 7: Pharmacy information system modal by Siemens Source:http://www. medical. siemens. com/siemens/en_US/rg_marcom_FBAs/files/presskits/SiemensMAC. pg 3. 1. 6 Laboratory Information System (LIS) Laboratory Information System (LIS) manages all the laboratory faculties which includes clinical chemistry, parisitology, hematology, immunology and microbiology in terms of receiving orders, performing tests and producing results. It also provides modules for sending laboratory trials order to the appliances through its multiple instrument interfaces so that the results can then be anal ysed instantly and a reports can be generated. Patient management is an important aspect of LIS. Patient particulars such as the date of admission, consulting doctor, and respective reference number would be maintained by this system. Data pertaining to the patient’s samples including the consulting doctor, corresponding department, specimen type, method of collection and the technician-in-charge of the collection can also be monitored (Nationmaster Encylopedia, n. d. ). In summary, LIS is used for processing and storage of information generated by medical laboratories. EMR, PMS as well as order management system are customized in order to allow interferences between LIS which supports in-patient as well as out-patient services. Moreover, the system produces barcode sample labels which are therefore used for acknowledgment of test samples. In Selayang Hospital, there are around 150 barcodes readers that are being widely used daily (Abdollah, 2011). 4. 0 Impact of Total Information System (THIS) 4. 1 Benefits of Total Hospital Information System (THIS) Total Hospital Information System (THIS) is an enterprise-wide system which spans the organisaton, designed to enhance clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and to improve financial management for healthcare industry. THIS serves as a secured and dependable meticulously integrated system that allows hospital officials to record, store and selectively disseminate clinical and other patient related information to appropriate entities (Netripples, n. d. ). T. H. I. S. provides effective solutions to hospitals which plan on reducing the administrative burden and clinical transactions, in addition to providing compassionate services to their patients. On a typical day in Hospital Selayang, the inpatient admissions reach 150/day whereas outpatient visits would reach upto 1000/day amounting to 250GB of patient records. T. H. I. S has enabled effective management of such high flow of patients, data storage, processing and retrieval. Figure 8 illustrates the daily usage of T. H. I. S shows the heavy reliance and interdependance between Selayang Hospital and the information systems. Figure 8: Daily Utilization of T. H. I. S (Abdollah, 2011). With the presence of THIS, most of the patient care demands can be met because it computerizes the process of collecting, arranging, filing and retrieving patient information. Furthermore, world class patient care can be provided by the hospital when equipped with good decision support system from THIS. Additionally, T. H. I. S. benefits in various other methods such as comprehensive patient record keeping, much lesser paperwork, quicker information sharing means between various departments, more flexible organization, reliable and timely information and adequate inventory management. A user satisfaction survey conducted in 2003 among staffs of Selayang Hospital revealed that T. H. I. S was appreciated and well received among nurses and doctors followed by allied staffs and clerks as depicted in Figure 9. (Abdollah, 2011) Figure 9: User satisfaction survey 2003 (Abdollah, 2011). Productivity wise, Selayang Hospital has evidently shown higher productivity after the successful implementation of Total Hospital Information System (T. H. I. S. ). As Selayang Hospital had incorporated T. H. I. S. from the start of its operation, studies analysing the effectiveness of T. H. I. S. before and after implementation is not possible. However, a comparative study comparing T. H. I. S. n Selayang Hospital with a traditional government hospital, Hospital Klang is currently being carried out. Few early findings from this study shows implementation of T. H. I. S. has managed to reduced time taken for admission by 40%, patient stay by 10% and discharge processes by a remarkable 70%. Qualitative benefits of this system highlighted in this study include easy availability of data, bett er patient record management and improved workflow (Abdollah, 2011). The ability of Pharmacy Information System (PIS) to keep track of the entire drugs inventory within the hospital is commendable. The PIS head manager is also able to make orders when an alert is raised on a particular drug. This therefore ensures proper inventory management and that all drugs are always in stock. In addition to the privileges that pharmacies’ will get through the implementation of T. H. I. S, doctors of the hospitals are also able to reap off its benefits as well. For the clinicians, EMR and PMS aid in clinical management of patients. A medical officer no longer requires the doctor-in-charge to be physically present but still can receive consults from him/her utilizing EMR and PMS. All these systems has indeed helped Selayang Hospital to manage the hospital effectively with efficient decision making. Moreover, T. H. I. S. aids hospital administrators whereby it significantly improves operational control. Lastly, in addition to enhancing patient care, T. H. I. S also increases the profitability of the respective organization. In summary, there are a number of direct benefits of THIS in hospitals. The most important advantage of this system is the ability to meet patients’ demands in a timely manner owing to the automation involved in data collection. Other uses include great reduction in paperwork and more efficient patient particular collection and management. Considering the unwavering benefits from implementation of Total Hospital Information System, it will soon become a necessity in terms of hospital management. 4. 2 Ethical Concerns The number and the magnitude of challenges faced by healthcare organizations are unprecedented. Selayang hospital is no different. Increasing financial bruden, rising public an payer expectations and increasing number of consolidations have placed these hospitals under immense stress. Heavy usage of information systems have provided record-keeping which is otherwise impossible. However, this leads to rapid and easy access to medical records raising issues of privacy against expediency (Boyle, 2001). In Selayang Hospital, these issues are handled with utmost priority. Patients’ privacy and confidentiality is protected through several measures. Only authorised users are allowed to access these information. Authorised users who are found to be misusing their access would be tracked in audit trails and stringent disciplinary actions would be taken against them. Therefore, patients are assured of their personal data protection (Abdollah, 2011). 4. 3 Drawbacks and challenges of Total Hospital Information System (THIS) Like any other information system implementation, in T. H. I. S. , users’ resistance to change is one of the major concerns. This is largely related to individual acceptance of IT application particularly by doctors and nurses. Though this is now not an issue in Selayang Hospital, failures in HIS has been repeated reported over the years. Unrealistic goals, complex user-interface, lack of clarity on the functionality required and lack of sensitivity to the local systems were some of the key reasons contributing towards failure of THIS in many fledgling hospitals (Cassels, 1995). The developing countries face even deeper problems such as inadequate electricity supply, lack of proper infrastructure, unsustainable funding, and the inadequate educational levels of the hospital staffs who are likely to be the primary users of the system rather than doctors in these countries. Other concerns include slow response time, absence of easy login-procedures, and tedious data entry (Chandrasekhar and Ghosh, 2001). Selayang Hospital though comparatively better in IT receptiveness, initial reluctance was present. Even today, reluctance to change and accept an IT application especially the EMR system in a conventional society still persists. Appropriate strategies like IT training and incentives need to be deviced to make both patients and hospital officials more receptive towards these systems (Haslina and Sharifah 2005). 5. 0 Future Plans Following these victorious execution of T. H. I. S, Selayang Hospital is currently looking a step ahead into developing a entirely automated Pharmacy Information System (PIS) with Decision Support System (DSS). Besides, management is also emphasizing on improving reporting and data analysis, enhance clinical documentation module with decision support and introduce mobile computing function to facilitate better hospital management (Abdollah, 2011). 6. 0 Conclusion It is beyond doubt that T. H. I. S has been the backbone in assisting hospital administration to ensure Selayang Hospital runs smoothly. However, without the staunch commitment from top management, physicians and other users and adequate number of IT professionals, this success would have remained as a dream. Thus, information systems only when coupled with good recipience would prove beneficial. 7. 0 References Abdollah, 2011. Hospital Information System in Selayang. [Booklet] September 2011 ed. Selayang Hospital Information Technology Department. Biohealthmatics, 2010. Pharmacy Information System, [online] retrieved from http://www. biohealthmatics. com/technologies/his/pis. aspx [accessed on the 2nd October, 2011] Boyle, P. 2001. Organizations ethics and healthcare: principles, cases and practical solutions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cassels, A. ,1995. Health sector reform: key issues in less developed countries, Journal of International Development [online] retrieved from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/12290761/ [accessed on the 3rd October, 2011] Chandrasekhar, C. P. and Ghosh, J. , 2001. Information an d communication technologies and health in low income countries: the potential and the constraints, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 79, No. 9, [online] retrieved from