all definitions

human resource management

person that coordinates the relationship between management and employees within a business, with the aim to promote harmonious workplace relations

career advancement

Involved promoting employees to positions that include increased responsibility and challenge

investment in training

The direction of resources into the process of providing staff with the knowledge and skills required to perform a particular job

support stategies

Assistance provided by the business to help employees with any difficulties they may be having to improve their satisfaction at work

management by objectives

collaborative process where management and employees agree on specific objectives for each employee that contribute to the achievement of business objectives

employee observation

employee’s performance is witnessed and assessed from a variety of sources so feedback can be provided

employer associations

organisations or bodies that support employers in understanding and upholding legal business obligations

trade unions

organisation formed to protect the rights of employees in an industry and to represent them in their efforts to improve their pay and  working  conditions

fair work commission

australia’s independent workplace relations tribunal that has the power to carry out a range of functions under the Fair Work Act (2009)

mediation

an impartial or neutral third party, facilitates discussions between disputing parties to assist them to resolve a dispute themselves.

arbitration

an independent third party at the Fair Work Commission listens to arguments from both disputing parties  then makes a legally binding decision to resolve a conflict.

business change

any planned or unplanned alteration to the processes, policies and practices of a business, typically in response to pressures from the external or internal business environments

percentage of market share

measures the proportion of total sales that a business has in a specific industry, expressed as a percentage

net profit figures

show what the business has earned after expenses are deducted from revenue earned over a period of time. This information is shown in an Income Statement.

rate of productivity growth

measures the change ( % increase/ decrease) in the number of outputs produced compared to the number of inputs used in the production process over time.

level of wastage

amount of resources that are discarded by the business during the production process

number of customer complaints

recorded number of customers who report  dissatisfaction in relation to a defect, fault or issue with the product they have purchased in a given time period

number of website hits

 measures how many times a request has been sent to a web server for a file such as a web page or image. The viewing of any of these files on a web page is known as a hit

number of workplace accidents

recorded number of employee related injuries that occur in a business over a period of time

owners

encourage a change that will improve the performance of the business so they will be financially rewarded.

managers df

internal driving force for change as they have a vested interest in the business being successful 

employees df

initiate change that supports their role or workplace conditions, such as work-life balance policies.

competitors

desire to maintain a competitive advantage over competitors is a constant driving force for many businesses.

legislation

business must alter its policies and practices to comply with the new law, to avoid penalties or business closure

pursuit of profit

opportunity to improve the financial performance of the business and increase profits will often initiate business change.

reduction of costs

If costs and operating expenses are increasing over time, it will be more difficult for a business to achieve its objective of making a profit and may drive a business to change.

globalisation

businesses who do not adjust to global considerations may lose their competitive advantage.

tech

will support change if it allows a business to operate more efficiently and to increase its competitiveness. 

managers rf

may resist if they don’t have the skillset to lead the change, are concerned for their employee’s response or believe it will hinder their ability to meet objectives

employees rf

may resist if it concerns job security, changes their workload or requires them to learn new skills

time

lack of time as business must plan, consult, seek feedback and implement change or it may be the wrong time

force field analysis

management theory that determines if a business should proceed with a proposed change

incorporation

legal process of transforming a business into a separate legal entity, distinct from its owners, which gives the business its own legal identity, rights, and responsibilities

increase market share

percentage of total sales that one business has compared to other businesses in the industry

to fulfil a market need

providing goods and services which meet the needs of customers or by satisfying a 'gap in the market' by providing a product that is not otherwise available

to meet shareholder expectations

owners of a company as they have invested money in a business and expect the business will be successful and profitable

delegation

transfer of authority to an employee to carry out a specific task

planning

ability to define business objectives and determine methods or strategies that will be used to achieve those objectives

decision making

manager’s ability to identify available options and then choose a course of action from the alternatives

leadership

The process of positively influencing, encouraging and motivating individuals to achieve objectives

change management

Change management is the process of coordinating and implementing strategies in preparation for an organisation’s transformation

why is leadership important when managing change

Employees are more likely to accept change if they can trust their manager and feel that their manager will support them. An effective leader can reduce employee resistance to change and minimise this significant restraining force.

management strategies

strategies/tools that management can use to take action in response to the data sourced from kpi’s

change in management styles and skills

the behaviour and attitude a manger uses when making decisions, directing and motivating staff and when implementing plans to achieve business objectives.

improved quality in production

Improving quality in production involves a manger implementing quality strategies that increase the perceived value of a good or service.

initiating lean production techniques

business-wide approach that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of operations by eliminating waste and improving quality to increase value for the customer.

learning organisation

a business that facilitates the growth and improvement of its members and continuously transforms itself, to adapt to changing environments and achieve desired results

mental models

the existing assumptions, generalisations and values held by employees about how a business should act, behave and respond.

personal mastery

a discipline that involves encouraging continuous individual development and a commitment to life-long learning.

team learning

encourages individuals to combine their strengths to continually grow together and learn from each other to achieve goals

low risk strategies

an approach that gradually reduces levels of employee resistance by encouraging employees to accept and participate in a change. 

empowerment

managers providing employees with increased responsibility and authority during change. employees feel they have the opportunity for input into those decisions that have a direct effect on what they do

support

The provision of guidance or assistance to encourage employees to accept change and adapt to new practices.

why is it important to review kpi’s

analyse the extent of the transformation where the business has has the most success and the areas which require additional support or further change

how does a business know if the change is successful

they must review kpi’s frequently which should reflect the objectives of the business. otherwise it is unlikely the business will be able to determine whether the transformation was successful

operations management

Coordination of resources and production process within a business to achieve the efficient and effective output of goods and services for customers

tech development

the process of facilitating new methods of production or new equipment to speed up or lower the costs of production

automated production line

Comprises machinery and equipment arranged in a sequence with components added to a good as it proceeds through each workstation, with the process controlled by computers

computer aided design

software program that generates three-dimensional diagrams from a set of parameters.

computer aided manufacturing techniques

use of software to coordinate the manufacturing processes by controlling machinery and equipment through a computer

materials management

coordinating the use, storage and delivery of materials to ensure the right amount of inputs is available when required in the operations system

master production schedule

a plan that details what is to be produced, in what quantities and when to satisfy customer orders.

materials requirement plan

process of developing an itemised list of the types and quantities of materials required in production to meet the production targets of the Master Production Schedule

quality control

process of checking or inspecting the quality standards of work completed or the quality of raw materials or component parts in order to detect defects

quality assurance

process of a  business achieving a certified external standard of quality in its production after an independent body assesses its operations system.

total quality management

A quality strategy where improving quality is embedded into the culture of the business, as all staff are responsible for quality and committed to excellence. TQM has three key principles: continuous improvement, employee empowerment and customer focus. 

waste minimisation

Process involving the reduction of the amount of unwanted or discarded resources produced by a business to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

reduce

Decreasing a businesses use of resources, activities, labour and time to minimise waste in production

reuse

If waste is produced, an effort is made to repurpose it rather than discarding the waste or sending it to landfill

recycle

convert waste or discarded materials into new products.

lean management

An approach that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of operations by eliminating waste and improving quality and customer value

pull

the amount that is produced is determined by customer demand

one piece flow

one product produced or customer served at a time. Each item moves through the production process in an ordered or sequential manner.

takt

relates to the rate of production, the average time spent producing each product to meet customer demand

zero defects

principle which aims to identify errors or defects as closely as possible to where they occur

csr

achieving financial success in ways that honour ethical values, respect stakeholders, communities and the environment, beyond the minimum legal requirement. 

environmental sustainability of inputs

a business making decisions that will ensure that natural resources are not permanently depleted or damaged

amount of waste generated from products

reducing waste produced as a result of the production process and improving the reputation of the business

amount of waste generated from the production of outputs

A business must ensure that the final good or service does not cause harm to the wider community or environment

global sourcing of inputs

acquiring resources from overseas suppliers, often due to more favourable prices or an increased range of products