Elearning Developments and Issues

Every company wants to be able to provide its employees with the best corporate training that they could provide. Giving their employees elearning opportunities will be a win-win situation for any company. In giving their employee adequate training, they boost the employee’s morale because the company is providing a free service.

The company will also benefit from the employee’s additional training since this experience and newly-honed skill will be put to good use by the company. However, there are many critics today that are talking about how the current technologically-enhanced learning solutions are not up to the standards of training and learning that is demanded by the market.

What most companies would love to get is a truly engaging, synergy dependent learning process for their employees and trainees. However, virtual learning solutions and other corporate training avenues are not able to create such an ideal environment. Most training seminars that give out certification afterwards are more or less below the level of quality that the information technology industry needs. This is because such online courses today are mostly an information spoon feeding program. Programmatic is the word that defines them. All that happens is that some digital content is passed on to trainees who are essentially just asked to memorize the information. There is no collaboration; living, passionate encounter with the lesson and thus the knowledge is not ingrained. It is simply programmed.

This is why companies that provide electronic learning solutions are now starting to realize that the key to their success against the crowd of other elearning solutions competitors is to bring up the level of the game. Thus, what the market is seeing are new kinds of techniques or ways to utilize technology in order to create a much more interactive learning activity.

Another development that several providers are doing is the addition of human support. Human support facilitates the interaction between the trainee and the instructional program. This is why several platforms are being invented to create a faster video and chat support for new learning programs. Syncing these new technologies with the old platforms is not as easy as it sounds but the development is clearly gaining popularity.

Keeping trainees and students motivated is a challenge in the virtual learning environment. Solution providers are coming up with creative solutions to address this issueArticle Search, an example is the addition of a social networking
type of platform. Earlier versions of technology assisted learning attempted to replicate the traditional classroom setting. This version proved to be unsuccessful in holding the attention of the students and keep them engaged in long periods of time.

Another factor to consider is the type of learners that will use the system. There two kinds of learners: the dependent and the independent learners. The dependent learners expect to learn when they are told but independent learners take the initiative and are willing to learn because they are self-motivated.

There are a lot of problems and issues the industry have to deal with in this new teaching technology. Examples are questions on affordability and flexibility. Elearning is still at the early stages of growth as industry and analysts see that it is steadily growing at a healthy rate.



SOURCE:
http://www.articlesfactory.com/articles/education/elearning-developments-and-issues.html

Acne Medicine-Top New Developments

Acne medicine is developing as fast as the understanding of what causes acne and how best to treat the causes. The unfortunate truth about acne is that the treatment in the past has usually not been as effective as it could have been because it was not treating the underlying true cause of the condition. For example, eliminating chocolate and cheese from the diet doesn't stop the outbreaks of acne. However, smart nutritional habits are good for your skin health and the overall health of those with acne and those who are acne free as well.

Hormonal Therapy

Fluctuating hormone levels have been found to be a significant factor in the severity of acne formation on the skin, particularly when it is adult acne. This is found quite commonly as a cause of acne in adult females from ages 25 to 35. Acne medicine prescribed with the purpose of inhibiting the stimulation of androgens on the sebaceous glands. Unfortunately, not all acne specialists are familiar with this type of remedy. It requires oral medication and monitoring by blood tests. However, if other treatment isn't working well, you may want to consider pursuing this treatment modality. Even some severe cases have shown surprising results after hormone treatment.

Light Treatment

Light treatment is a nontraditional acne medicine that has become popular in recent years. It is also known as blue light. This is a treatment using high intensity lights that acts in a similar manner to ultraviolet light when it is used in a water purification system. The bacteria population on the skin is bathed in blue light in a series of treatment sessions. This results in a reduction of the number of bacteria. The practice of using UV lights has been discontinued because of its tendency to damage the skin.

Topical Remedies

Dapsone is a typical prescription that is commonly accepted as an effective treatment for severe or inflammatory acne. In addition, the sulfone derivative is effective in treating acne and other skin disorders. The topical form of the antibacterial agent is now used in the treatment of acne blemishes that fall in the range of moderate to mild lesions from acne. The purpose of acne medicine in the topical form is to reduce the number of bacteria found on the skin. Other antibiotics and topical remedies
have the purpose of soothing and healing the skin.

Treating Cystic Acne

Acne medicine focused on the treatment for cystic acne is caused by clogged oil ducts. The clogged ducts typically become infected. Common medications are focused on eliminating or at least reducing the bacteria that is common to the skin. Any treatment must be based on reduction of bacteriaPsychology Articles, slowing or stopping the production of oil through destruction of the glands or controlling the hormone production. The third major component of treating cystic acne is to provide for cleansing of the skin so that new outbreaks are reduced or eliminated. This threefold approach eliminates most of the causative factors for the condition.



SOURCE:
http://www.articlesfactory.com/articles/health/acne-medicine-top-new-developments.html

Management Training and Development – the Role of the Line Manager

The potential advantages of line manager involvement in learning and development has long been recognised.

The line manager is in a unique position to reinforce learning from management training
or other forms of development, by integrating them into an employees working life and promoting a positive approach to these types of activities.

So how should a line manager be involved in their staff’s management training and development?

1. The first area of involvement is for the line manager to set clear expectations with their staff, both in terms of what they need to deliver (job responsibilities, targets etc) and how they are expected to deliver these things (approach, behaviour at work, etc).

2. The next area of involvement is conducting performance appraisals and agreeing personal development plans, i.e. measuring the “gap” between what an individual delivers (and how they do it) and what is needed.

3. In agreeing personal development plans line managers should not just ask “What are this persons weaknesses?” but should also ask “Where will learning and development add the greatest value to their performance?”

4. Line managers should understand the breadth of learning and development interventions that are available to them. For example, too many turn to the ubiquitous “Management Training Course”, or “Presentation Skills Course”, when in reality there are hundreds of development actions that an individual can take from reading a book to learning to play chess.

5. Line managers should also take on more of a coaching role with their staff. Significant relationships exist between the effective provision of coaching and guidance by the line manager and levels of employee satisfaction, commitment and motivation.

6. Finally, to be truly effective line managers need to understand their role as a “sponsor” of an individual’s or team’s learning and development. For example, it sends completely the wrong message to someone if a manager asks them to attend a management training course but then prevents them from attending some or all of it.

As a sponsor, the line manager should:

· Invest time, energy and enthusiasm in their employees development.
· Demonstrate public commitment to management training and development by “walking the talk”.
· Sanction any hindrance or blocking behaviour from employees reference their learning and development.
· Be clear with their teams the importance of management training and development in raising standards and performance.
· Recognise successes.

Too often education and development is the province of HR or the training department but by becoming more involved in their managers training and development, line management will have a greater impact on their teams performance and capability, which will ultimately impact the performance of their organisation.

1. Gibb S (2003) Line Manager Involvement in Learning and Development: small beer or big deal? Employee Relations, Vol 25, No.3, pp 281-293.

2. Latest Trends in Learning Development and Training. CIPD Survey 2007

SOURCE:
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/management-training-and-development-the-role-of-the-line-manager-311680.html

Importance Of Training And Development In A Firm

Training and Development is the framework for helping employees to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers.

All employees want to be valuable and remain competitive in the labour market at all times. This can only be achieved through employee training and development. Employees will always want to develop career-enhancing skills, which will always lead to employee motivation and retention. There is no doubt that a well trained and developed staff will be a valuable asset to the company and thereby increasing the chances of his efficiency in discharging his or her duties.

Trainings in an organization can be mainly of two types; Internal and External training sessions. Internal training involves when training is organized in-house by the Human resources department or training department using either a senior staff or any talented staff in the particular department as a resource person.

On the other hand External training is normally arranged outside the firm and is mostly organized by training institutes or consultants. Whichever training, it is very essential for all staff and helps in building career positioning and preparing staff for greater challenges.

Employers of labour should enable employees to pursue training and development in a direction that they choose and are interested in, not just in company-assigned directions. Companies should support learning, in general, and not just in support of knowledge needed for the employee's current or next anticipated job. It should be noted that the key factor is keeping the employee interested, attending, engaged, motivated and retained.

For every employee to perform well especially Supervisors and Managers, there is need for constant training and development. The right employee training, development and education provides big payoffs for the employer in increased productivity, knowledge, loyalty, and contribution to general growth of the firm. In most cases external trainings for instance provide participants with the avenue to meet new set of people in the same field and network. The meeting will give them the chance to compare issues and find out what is obtainable in each other's environment. This for sure will introduce positive changes where necessary.

REASONS FOR EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

The reasons behind employee training and development cannot be overemphasized. From our discussions so far, one can easily deduce some reasons behind firms engaging in training and developing their staff. We will summarize some of the reasons thus;

When needs arise as a result of findings from the outcome of performance appraisal.
As part of professional development plan.
As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organization.
To imbibe and inculcate a new technology in the system.
Because of the dynamic nature of the business world and changing technologies.

SOME TOPICS TREATED IN EMPLOYEE TRAININGS:

Communications: The increasing diversity of today's workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs, thus staff should be able to be very good in both written and verbal communication.

Computer skills: Computer skills are becoming a necessity for conducting administrative and office tasks. In this era of technological advancement, computer skills are very necessary for almost of departments in an organization.

Customer service: Increased competition in today's global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers. The firm that stands out from the crowd is that firm that puts its customers first before every other goal. Then the need to always train staff on customer service.

Diversity: This includes explanation about people and their different perspectives and views, and how this can be handled.

Ethics: There are divergent ethics in different firms. Some firms attach more importance to certain issues like moral, work period, lateness etc than other issues. Today's society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, today's diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace. This calls for the need for staff to be reminded of these always through training and development.

Human relations: The increased stresses of today's workplace can include misunderstandings and conflict. Training can help people to get along in the workplace with good understanding of each other and the office inter personal relationship to reduce official conflict.

Quality Management: Initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles, benchmarking, etc., require basic training about quality concepts, guidelines and standards for quality, etc.

Safety: Safety training is critical where working with heavy equipment, hazardous chemicals, repetitive activities etc. Staff should be made to understand that despite the fact that they have a safety department, the safety of each staff is in his /her own hands.

BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees.
Better inter personal relationship and customer satisfaction.
Increased employee motivation.
Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in improved financial gain.
Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods.
Increased innovation in strategies and products.
Reduced employee turnover.
Enhanced company image.
Better Risk management and staff safety consciousness.
Increase in productivity.




SOURCE:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-Of-Training-And-Development-In-A-Firm&id=1885451

Training ~ How Online Teachers Should Teach and What Learning Skills Must They Have

Online teachers need training in several areas: 1) teaching strategies and methods suitable for the subject matter and delivery formats, 2) subject matter, 3) online resources, and 4) tools. Learning how to be an effective online teacher should be a top priority. Knowing where to point and click to achieve the desired result is necessary, but it has a lower priority than understanding the principles of effective online teaching. Effective teachers must be prepared for their role as educators. Crucial components of this preparation are knowledge of many teaching strategies, from which teachers select those best suited to their personal style, learners’ needs, and the subject matter. Teachers also need to learn skills in how to teach, such as organizing ideas and materials and clearly expressing themselves, often in many different ways, so that students understand the subject and the tasks they need to complete. Too often training focuses on button pushing and clicking, when it also should emphasize high-quality teaching methods first and tool use later. Training must be ongoing, and it must cover many areas of online education, theoretical and pragmatic.

One of the best investments an institution can make is to train faculty. Anyone who plans to teach an online course for the first time, is going to teach an updated course or a new course, or is working with new tools or technology needs to be trained. Training may take place at conferences, but other types of training should be ongoing for online faculty. The home institution should offer on-site and online versions of the same in-service activities and make them accessible at convenient times. These activities may include discussions of effective teaching methods and ways to implement new technologies in the classroom, wherever it is.

On-site training can be provided in a three-hour workshop or a series of mini-courses—whatever is appropriate to the amount of information that needs to be covered and the amount of time it typically takes to work with new equipment. Online teachers who live far from the physical campus may not be able to attend on-site workshops offered at convenient times and locations for on-site teachers. Therefore, online sessions, such as conference calls, videoconferences, or chats, may need to be offered in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate the needs of online educators.

Online tutorials should also be a part of the training materials, not only to supplement on-site activities, but also to provide guidance and practice for teachers working on the virtual campus. The important consideration is that all teachers be given professional development opportunities. Training activities need to be planned so that the quality of the materials is high, the trainers are qualified and have time to devote to faculty education, and time and space are reserved specifically for training sessions. These activities need to be offered regularly; for example, each online term a new training program can be offered for first-time online teachers. As well, additional sessions should be offered on an as-needed basis when new tools, hardware, software, or course designs are going to be introduced. Training needs to take place before, not at the same time as teachers begin a course using new elements.

Although most institutions offer some type of professional development through training activities, not all employers ensure that teachers have the time or support to take advantage of these events. Training activities should be scheduled at a variety of convenient times. Monetary incentives may be a part of the institution’s training strategy, to ensure that teachers are not only encouraged to attend, but also that their dedication and time are appreciated.

Simply tacking on another job to a teacher’s workload is not a good training incentive. Administrators provide appropriate incentives that ease the way for faculty members and IT specialists to move into online education. Providing well-planned, effective training sessions and giving teachers release time and other benefits to take advantage of training help create a better trained, contented faculty and help faculty members work more closely with IT experts.

That means, of course, that training activities need to be a budget item, not an afterthought. Investing in faculty competency and security is important, and it requires an institutional commitment. Administrators may have to document “before” and “after” statistics to measure the effectiveness of faculty training and students’ evaluations of courses. Showing that training is beneficial to the programs overall, as well as to teachers, is a selling point in favor of investing in training.

There are four approaches to faculty training: 1) training prior to the first online class, 2) support during the first online course, 3) ongoing workshops to cover practical topics (e.g., writing assignments, grading, evaluation, critical thinking, copyright information, Web pages, syllabus preparation), and 4) faculty evaluation and feedback mechanisms. These venues for training not only prepare new online faculty but also help experienced faculty keep up with new technologies and educational methods.

After all, confident, highly trained, and knowledgeable faculty members create a successful learning environment. They know how to interact with learners and encourage such interaction. They develop effective educational techniques that help learners achieve course objectives. Learners ultimately meet their objectives and are satisfied with their educational experience. Developing such a faculty requires administrators to be committed to the idea of ongoing training opportunities for all teachers.



SOURCE:
http://e-articles.info/e/a/title/Training-~-How-Online-Teachers-Should-Teach-and-What-Learning-Skills-Must-They-Have/

Why training and development of employees is essential

Why training and development of an employee are essential.

Hiring a good employee is half the task. Training and developing the skills of an employee to meet the needs of your organization are essential. Even the best employees will not do well without guidance as to what is expected of them on the job. Here are some of the reasons it is essential to train and concentrate on the development of employees.

1. Hiring an employee is a purchase for your company. You will want to spend time training and developing the skills of all of your employees. It will only help your business if you help them develop the skills for optimum performance on the job. Essentially training and development help you to get the most for your dollar.

2. A happy employee will be more productive. If you provide a new employee with the skills or information they need to do the job, they will be more content on the job and will do a better job for your. It's difficult to be the new employee. It makes it more difficult if you are left to flounder around not quite sure of what is expected of you. The wise employer will provide guidance from day one, so the person not only feels welcome, but knows what is expected of him/her and can feel productive from the beginning.

3. Training and development will instill in employees what is expected of them as far as the job is concerned and will at the same time instill in the employees the work ethic of the job. If you let an employee figure out a job without providing training and development, he/she will have no reason to believe that you care all that much about what kind of job he/she does. However, if you give them attention from day one, they will realize that you care about the job and how they act on the job. You will instill in them that their jobs are important and that they should take working for you seriously.

4. Beyond appearances and work ethic, an important reason to provide training and development to an employee is to ensure the job is done correctly.

5. Often other employees have a certain take on the job. To ensure that each employee sticks with the mission of the job that you intended, it is good to provide periodic training and development to remind them what you are all about.

6. Training and development are also important to ensure employee retention. Some employees will be thrilled to receive no training and development. They just want a job and want to fly under the radar. Those who are worth retaining, however, will not be as likely to want to be ignored. Great employees are usually the ones who want to improve their skills and to develop new skills through training and development. If you do not provide training and development, you may lose these employees.



SOURCE:
http://www.helium.com/items/1355390-why-trianing-and-development-of-employee-are-essential

Unlock Sales Training and Development With These 8 Dynamic Learning & Sales Coaching Keys

Sales training will be one of the few training and development areas that will experience an increase in expenditures according to a recent report. With the global market place becoming ever increasingly crowded, learning how to increase sales and building customer loyalty simultaneously is now more important than ever before.

If you, your business or organization is seeking to expand its sales training and development, here are some key suggestions to ensure that you are doing this education the right way meaning you are getting "more bang for the buck."

First, begin with the end in mind. What results do you want from the sales training specific to your sales force? By taking this approach, you can quickly determine the return on investment for your efforts.

Second, construct the learning experience to not only focus on skills and knowledge, but on attitudes and habits. Most performance failure is as much if not more do to bad attitudes and habits than a lack of knowledge and skills. Sales research suggests that almost half of all leads are not followed up on. Sales people know that following up on leads is critical to the goal to increase sales. Therefore, the issue is one of attitudes (beliefs) and habits than deficiency in sales skills training.

Third, construct the learning experience with opportunities for practice both in the classroom (safe environment) and outside the classroom. Remember, you learned 10x10 equals 100 through practice and repetition. Coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers fame only had 5 offensive running plays, but his team learned how to execute these plays flawlessly due to practice, practice and more practice.

Fourth, buy in must come from everyone up and down stream. When sales managers believe that they do not need the sales training or when support staff resent the time being devoted to learning are examples of how you are setting your investment up to deliver a negative return.

Fifth, your sales training activities need to be interactive and should include role-playing. For many role playing is quite uncomfortable, but the opportunity to practice in a safe environment is necessary to immediately correct any missteps.

Sixth, feedback is also required, but should be countered balance with positive remarks. For every constructive remark (critical), there should be at least 3 positive remarks. This way the participants recognize what they do right rather than everything that they may be did wrong.

Seventh, assessments should be part of sales training. Several assessments should be used from both a subjective perspective and an objective one.

Finally after completing these seven key suggestions, the sales training needs to be evaluated at Kirkpatrick's fourth level of evaluations. By pre-determining the desired results helps to align the actual outcomes of the sales training to the organization's desired end results. These 8 keys can help you unlock your sales training and development programs so that you do realize more bang for the buck.




SOURCE:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Unlock-Sales-Training-and-Development-With-These-8-Dynamic-Learning-and-Sales-Coaching-Keys&id=2219859

Intellectual property: Its meaning and development in India

If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. : Thomas Jefferson.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are the privileges given to the owners of works that are created with the help of individual intelligence. These creations can be in the business, technical, fictional and arty domains and can have various forms comprising, of scripts, inventions, software, a suite or a trade name.
The term "intellectual property" was introduced in the case of Davoll et al. v. Brown in October 1845 in the Massachusetts Circuit Court. In this Justice Charles L. Woodbury held that "only in this way can we protect intellectual property, the labors of the mind, productions and interests as much a man's own...as the wheat he cultivates, or the flocks he rears.” Section 1 of the French law of 1791 also stated that "All new discoveries are the property of the author; to assure the inventor the property and temporary enjoyment of his discovery, there shall be delivered to him a patent for five, ten or fifteen years.
The basic purpose of IPR is to guard the rights of an author for his work and simultaneously permit the general public to view his creativity. IPR law also puts time limits on the rights given to these authors so that a balance is maintained. Intellectual property, like any other form of property can become a material of trade, can be owned, sold as well as bought. This type of property is gradually becoming important for ensuring competition in a knowledge based economy.

Intellectual property is divided into the following categories:

1.

Copyright
2.

Patents
3.

Trade Marks
4.

Design Rights
5.

Passing off
6.

The law of Confidential information

Copyrights, are mainly issued for the protection of original expressions of art, literature, music, drama etc. – for example, Pepsi has a copyright on the phrase “Yeh Dil Maange More”

Patents are the rights granted to the inventor on new inventions which are not common – for example, Graham Bell got a patent on his invention of the telephone.

Trademarks are mainly issued for protection of the make or the brand name and symbol that may be used by the brand owner-for example, the name ‘Coca Cola’ is a sheltered trademark and only the makers can use it.

Design is issued for the protection of artistic or visual features in products – for example, a toothbrush with large bristles can get a legal protection for its unique design.

Confidential information and trade secrets can also be protected by imposing restrictions on the physical use of that information and also imposing contractual obligations upon the persons dealing with that information – for example, the formula for making Coca Cola has been kept secret in this manner. There are various organizations that are working towards the protection of intellectual property. Some of them are as follows:

1.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Geneva which sanctions various treaties in the field of intellectual property.
2.

Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (relating to patents, trademarks, designs, etc.) of 1883.
3.

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (relating to copyright) of 1886.
4.

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) through which patents can be obtained in different countries by filing a single application.
5.

World Trade Organization (WTO), which contains the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS). This agreement creates an obligation on all the members to recognize intellectual property rights in their country.

In India the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion is the supreme authority for all matters concerning WIPO. There have been remarkable developments in the field of intellectual property in India which is evident from the statistics shown below:

1.

In the year 1999-2000 there were merely 4824 application for patents that were filed whereas in 2006-2007 a total of 28,882 applications have been filed.
2.

There were merely 2824 applications examined in the year 1999-2000 whereas in 2006-2007 the number has gone up to 14,119 in 2006-07.
3.

There was a backlog of 5 lakh cases which has been brought down to zero now.
4.

The process of renewal of Trademarks certificates is now being done instantly and new applications are examined within a week.
5.

In 1999-2000, 8,010 registrations of trademarks were done which has increased to 109,361 now that is almost 13 times of the earlier figure.
6.

In the last four years there were 3.38 lakh trademark certificates issued, however in the last 64 years there were merely 1.65 lakh marks were registered.
7.

There have been 39 Geographical Indications products registrations since September, 2003. These include Darjeeling Tea, Pochanpally Ikat, Chaddar, Mysore Silk, Chanderi Saree, Kullu Shawl, Solapur Bidriware, etc.
8.

In the field of designs also the filing of applications has increased from 2874 to 5372 in 2006-07. The number of examined applications has also gone up to 5179 in 2006-07. The registrations in designs have also gone up to 4431 in 2006-07.

Current developments in the Intellectual property in India

(a) Establishment of NIIPM

The Government has already approved the proposal for establishment of a National Institute for Intellectual Property Management (NIIPM) at Nagpur. The Institute will perform training, education and research in this field.

(b) Modernization of the IP Offices

To provide additional employees, establish a higher level of computer network to support on-line processing, strengthen the data base and novelty search facilities, to make the people aware of generation activities, and to provide an access to international treaties/conventions easily the government is planning to modernize the IP offices. This proposal will be taken up in the 11th five year plan.

(c) Madrid Protocol on Trademarks

Madrid Protocol, administered by WIPO, is an uncomplicated, facilitative and lucrative system for the registration of International Trademarks. If India becomes a member of this then the Indian companies will have an advantage of registering their trademarks in all the countries which are the members of this protocol by filing a single application. The amendment of the Trade Marks Act is in progress so that our country can be a member of this protocol.

(d) International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA)

ISA and IPEA’s provide search reports on uniqueness and examination reports on patentability of various inventions. In India a scheme is under consideration to get recognition for the Indian Patent Office as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Co-operation Treaty.

(e) Mashelkar Committee

The Indian government has established a group of technical experts to examine the following patent law issues:

(a) Whether it would be compatible to the TRIPS agreement to limit the grant of patent for pharmaceutical substances only to a new chemical entity or to a new medical entity.

(b) Whether it would be compatible to the TRIPS agreement to exclude micro-organisms from patenting.

The bottom-line is that India is one of the most responsible members of the WTO. Besides creating waves in the global software industry India has framed stringent laws for the protection of IPR in the country. Bill Gates, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Corporation, has rated India as one of the strongest pedestals for software development. It is evident from this statement that if a person like Bill Gates who is so much aware of the IPR issues can designate India as one of the upcoming destinations for the software development then the foreign companies should not worry about the protection of their intellectual property rights while investing in India.




SOURCE:
http://e-articles.info/e/a/title/Intellectual-property:-Its-meaning-and-development-in-India/

How to Make Training and Development a Power Agent for Change

Does this sound familiar? With high expectations, you sent your employees or yourself to a training or personal development program. Six weeks later you're not sure if it was worth the investment. What went wrong?

In an ever-changing business environment, it's important that you and your workforce are prepared to handle whatever happens. Very few people will question that concept - so where's the problem? Why doesn't training seem to work for so many people? Most people are sold on the idea of training but aren't really sure how to make it work for them. Let's take a look at 10 factors that will help you get lasting results from training.

1. Conduct a thorough needs analysis.

Make sure that training is the answer. Conduct a thorough needs analysis first. Often the obvious cause is not the real reason for a deficiency. For example, doing skills-related training when it's not a skill problem won't fix anything long term. It will also harm your credibility with your employees and can lead to lower morale.

2. Don't sign up for the next fad.

OK, you know training is the answer. Get the solution for your needs, not someone else's. Make sure a program will satisfy your specific objectives.

3. Don't sign up for every fad.

Don't change your focus with the seasons. If you didn't get results from the other programs, this year's latest and greatest probably won't work either. Again, analyze what you really need. If the other programs didn't work, ask yourself why. Ask yourself what you would be doing differently starting a new program.

This brings us to...

4. Get support.

If you're looking to change a process or behavior, make sure the ones who count in your organization have signed on for the change. To get lasting results, you need people who will back up the training in their positive words and positive reinforcement of new behaviors or processes.

5. Consider delivery.

Once you decide that training is the appropriate solution, concentrate on how you'll bring it to your organization. Here are some questions you should ask: how it is to be conducted? Lecture, discussion, hands-on? You'll want to make sure training is interactive. People learn by doing. How large will the group be? A larger group makes it difficult for much interaction and can also intimidate people from participating fully. Keep number of participants low, perhaps under 12 -15 people. This way, no one gets lost in the crowd. Everyone can equally benefit.

6. Consider the individual.

If you've decided on an in-house solution and there are will be several sessions, consider mixing people and personalities to create synergy. Remember the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. Participants learn from each other. Give plenty of opportunities for discussion.

7. Set class times for maximum learning.

Avoid scheduling training for outside of business hours if possible. Remember people don't work in a vacuum. They'll get more out of the program and concentrate better if they're not worried about children, parents, spouses, pets, etc. If necessary split the difference. For example, office hours are 9-5 and the training class is 2 hours: start at 8AM. If you must schedule outside the regular shift, give everyone plenty of notice.

And finally...

8. Open your mind.

Prepare for the class. What is it about? What are the objectives? If you are an attendee, arrive early for the session if possible. Turn off the cell phone and ignore the beeper. Focus your thoughts on the session ahead.

9. Practice makes perfect.

New skills must be used immediately for best on the job retention. Making a habit is like breaking one. Help this process along by following up with a short training class 2-3 weeks after initial training. One shot training will not give you the results you desire.

10. Reinforce.

Back on the job; make sure that the environment is conducive to implementing the ideas or behaviors learned. Finally, give support and recognition where due.



SOURCE:
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Make-Training-and-Development-a-Power-Agent-for-Change&id=30947

What Is a Technical Training Course for the Writers?

A certificate or an official document of the technical training for the writers is the best evidence of the writing ability and the skill of a person and is an evident proof of the conclusion of an online technical training course for the writers, whether it may be for the aspirant practical writers or for the experienced professionals wishing to maintain their skills with latest developments. The students will definitely fancy a course that is able to educate them about how to design and plan the technical documents. A certificate or an official document can be priceless when approaching the self-employed writing employers, tumbling publishers and requesting to the online industry for the writing projects. Now one would think that how to select the finest technical training course that can suit your individual needs for writing?


First of all, the professional re-trainers would like to list their learning objectives in the technical field. They would also like to consider the technical knowledge, grammar proficiency and the previous writing skill. The finest programs to think about are those that present several alternatives, methods of learning offline and online, training options and authentic state university certification.

The official recognition of the technical training course: You should look for a course provider who can provide you with the technical communicator’s authentic certification and a variety of course durations. A number of them will provide a firm teaching in the number of semesters, the others may grant a technical training certificate in only 10 weeks. A few of these programs have the extra convenience of being online. Be certain to check the qualifications and about the official recognition of the university that is giving you the certificate.


The duration of the technical training course for the writers: A number of programs offer starter lessons for the people who desire to gain knowledge of the trade from the beginning. These are more often than not the projects, basic writing skills and the realistic assignments and classes on how to familiarize you for communicating in the industrial arena. These lessons are the most advantageous for the beginners.



SOURCE:
http://www.a1articles.com/article_892157_15.html

How to Evaluate the Impact of Management Training and Development

In 1959, Kirkpatrick first outlined four levels of training evaluation:

· Reactions – ‘liking or feelings for a programme’.
· Learning – ‘principles, facts etc absorbed by the participants.
· Behaviour – ‘using learning on the job’.
· Results – ‘increased production, reduced cost’s etc’.

Clearly an organisation would not invest in a new product or service if management thought that it would be a flop!

Any evaluation must therefore start at the design stage of a programme.

What is the purpose of the management training?
What issues is the organisation struggling to resolve?
What does the organisation wish to see differently from its people?

For example, does the organisation wish to:

· Increase productivity of staff?
· Reduced mistakes/quality problems?
· Increased sales or market share?
· Have more effective and productive working relationships between managers/functions?
· Improve motivation and reduce staff turnover.

Once the outcomes of a management training and development programme are clear, it makes the task of evaluation much easier.

Building on the principles of Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation, the impact a programme has on individual managers, their teams and ultimately the organisation can be assessed in a number of ways.

· Individual – The impact the management training and development has had on the individuals performance and behaviour can be measured via achievement of personal targets (e.g. cost reductions, sales increases etc) as well as observations from their manager or via 360° feedback appraisals.
· Team – The impact the programme has had on the managers team can be measured via achievement of team targets and performance measures (e.g. customer satisfaction, absence rates etc) as well as observations on team behaviour from external/internal feedback surveys.
· Organisation – Ultimately the impact a management training and development programme has on the organisation can be assessed via the organisations own metrics (profitability, sales growth, market share etc) as well as internal employee satisfaction and motivation surveys.

It is vital that organisations assess the impact their management training and development programmes have to ensure that the investment they make pays off. To achieve this, the purpose and outcomes of the programme must be clearly defined and methods of monitoring set up to collect the relevant data at an individual, team and organisational level.

SOURCE:
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/how-to-evaluate-the-impact-of-management-training-and-development-311683.html

Relevance of Learning Versus Relevance of Training and Development

In today's environment, training organizations are struggling to prove their worth. They are also struggling to keep programs going on smaller budgets with smaller staffs. One way to get ahead of this fray is to know the difference between learning and training and development - and to understand the relevance of each in terms of your organization's environment and the overall environment.

First, training managers should understand the difference between learning and "training and development". Learning, in general, is the absorption of base knowledge about a particular subject, such as an industry. This knowledge will give an individual an understanding of the world around them and how the organization (and the individual) fit together. Training and development, on the other hand, is the act of teaching someone how to do something, such as a job, or teaching them the skills and attitudes that will have a direct impact on job performance, such as operations, human resources policies, or management and leadership. Let's look at some examples of each before we discuss their relevance.

Learning in many organizations is no longer a formal structure. For example, workers in financial services may need to learn about the general things that move their industry, such as the Federal Reserve, the banking system, and the world of investments. But what if those workers are line associates in a bank, processing the items that come in from branches, such as deposits and checks? Do they need the general understanding of the Fed and investment banking to do their jobs properly? In general, we can probably say no. But some organizations want to provide that general knowledge to line workers so that they understand how they fit with the rest of the world. This may, in fact, assist in retention when workers understand how they can progress and what opportunities are available.

Training and development is the usual formal structure. Financial advisors must go through mandatory training for licensing and certification. They must also go through company-specific training on the computer system, customer management, and customer handling. Does the financial advisor need to go through a learning process about the bank's item processing? Again, we can probably say no. If the advisor gets the requisite licenses and can prove that they understand how to service their customers within the law and within an ethical scope, then their training is effective.

But what is the relevance of each type of intervention in today's environment? It can be argued that "learning" is now best left to on-the-job or self-discovery. The bank's item processors may have an interest in how the system works and may find, on their own, the Federal Reserve's website to explain the "how". On the other hand, a financial advisor may already have an understanding of that system, and, if not, he or she may be compelled to find out about on an individual basis. With tight budgets and small staffs, organizations are being forced to "weed out" learning and stick to training and development, that is, those programs that can have a direct impact on job performance and the organization's bottom line. In this sense, training and development is far more relevant than learning.

But is learning over? This is also a point where we can say no. A general, underlying knowledge of one's industry or place in that industry can only be helpful. But can training organizations prove worth with general courses, when budgets are still being considered? Probably not, if you have to pull people away from the job for long periods of time or pay staff to deliver these programs. So how can you provide learning without losing value? One way is to manage learning online. There is cost involved with developing or purchasing courses, but typically costs decline after that. And with online learning, participants do not have to be pulled away for long periods of time. You can also consider obtaining organizational volunteers who are subject matter experts and have them deliver "brown bag" lunch sessions or half-hour programs at the end of the day. Using a volunteer is a great way to impart learning without stressing a financial resource. You can also look for online resources for your industry or organization. As we discussed earlier, some regulatory and oversight agencies such as the Federal Reserve offer interesting online information and even courses that are free to anyone who wants to take them.

We can definitely say that training and development is currently more relevant than learning. But we can also say that learning is not finished. Find creative and cost effective ways to integrate learning into training and development and develop that base of knowledge.


SOURCE:


http://ezinearticles.com/?Relevance-of-Learning-Versus-Relevance-of-Training-and-Development&id=2255045

MLM Training and Companies in the Internet Era

Way back before the coming of the Internet that changed for sure the way we communicate and do business, the training offered from multi level marketing companies was an easy task for them. The things you needed to learn in order to build your downline and start prospecting was pretty much standard and stayed the same for years. Once their best MLM training material was printed there was no need for change since seldom a new way could come to justify it.

Now move fast forward to the present and find yourself glued on your screen reading this on your web-browser through the Internet. The choice of preference for getting information, not only for you, but for million other users all over the world. That change forced thousands of distributors to move to that direction in order to recruit new members for their opportunity, but unfortunately the online MLM training that is offered from the companies is primitive in the best cases.


The web is a place where the only constant is change and it happens way too fast for someone to follow all the new developments. Network marketing companies
, in a similar fashion, weren't able to adapt and catch up with everything new that comes up once in a while on the online world, and changes the methods that someone can use in order to generate leads or conduct his multi level marketing business.

Of course, in order to cover that gap, many solutions from third parties were developed for helping distributors in that area with their MLM success training. Some went even further by providing recruiting tools to help members build their home business
, like magnetic sponsoring from Mike Dillard or renegade network marketer from Ann Sieg.

There are also many Distributors that created their private systems that share with those they sponsor to their downline in the business opportunity they participate. Such individuals reinvested a part of their residual income in order to help those in their organization to make money online, while work from home, in favorable terms compared to the average participant in the industry. These are leaders that care for those they recruit and obviously have the economic resources to do so.


But would the companies adapt and start teaching and educating their members on how to succeed online?

Unfortunately, things are very hard in that direction and it is virtually impossible for them to do it a 100%. They would never manage to do it because by the time they would start telling on their seminars about the next brand new method for recruiting it would already have become history. They are too big and lack the necessary flexibility in order to reach the adequate speed of implementation that would allow them to serve their members on that field.

Of course that doesn't mean that they won't be able to start offering basic Internet MLM training, but to get beyond that point is unrealistic. Clearly much responsibility lies on the sponsor and the team in preparing new members for building their business and to the individual.



SOURCE:
http://www.a1articles.com/article_656926_80.html

Reasons to outsource employee training and development

Sure, why not outsource employee training and development. Greg Johnson, the author of “To outsource or not outsource…that is the question”, had suggested that through a recent study he had conducted, concluded that 57 percent of HR and training professionals outsource all or a portion of their training and development programs. In Canada itself, it has been widely reported that 33 percent of the average total training investment made by any given firm, is devoted to external training providers. [1]

There are numerous of advantages for a firm to outsource their training and development activities. Outsourcing in general connects firms with service providing specialists, who often have a proficient expertise in a particular area, in this case training. External training and development vendors employed can often provide a greater selection of training programs, more effectively, and less costly, than in house development could produce. For small firms that have less expertise in this respect, should employ the services of an external vendor. Through the use of such vendors, employees get trained faster, learn more, and get back on the job once comprehension of the organization and the employees tasks is inherent in the employee. To reiterate, training and development provided by an outsourced specialist will increase employee performance, improve the design and overall delivery of the training program designed, as well the firm will be able to report higher employee satisfaction over the long run.

Reasons often cited for not using an outsourced training provider, is that firms are uneasy about losing control over the design process. Further, issues could arise if the vendor were not to fully understand the roles and tasks of the job, which they are designing a training program for. By building a stronger relationship between firm and vendor can help improve the service provided. When there is a strong client-vendor relation, often the contractual obligations are clearly outlined; as well there exists a level of trust in the vendor etc.

To increase the likelihood that the vendor experience will be a successful initiative, the firm should then take the ensuing steps seriously:

(1) Develop and maintain a trusting relationship with the training specialist(s), and try to convey the hopes that this relationship extends far into the future, for an undetermined time.

(2) Be explicit when outlining contractual obligations, by making them concise, and comprehensive. This should outline any potential penalties that would be enacted on either party for not owning up to their part of the contract.

(3) Work closely with the vendor; communicate with them as frequently as possible in relation to changing employee needs, and wants etc.

(4) Use discretion when outsourcing.

(5) Choosing the right reasons for outsourcing. To obtain the expertise of a training specialist, will improve upon the design of the training program, the delivery of, and quality of the training.

The purchase or design decision is one that should take some considerable time and research to make a more educated and informed choice.


SOURCE:
http://www.helium.com/items/1876483-outsourcing-training-and-development-employee-development

Training and Development - Start With Where You Want to Finish

Much of the training undertaken by business is quite reactive and carried out for some diverse reasons.

The glossy brochure which arrives at a time when Sally has been complaining about the job, or pay, or both. The leadership course which "seems like a good idea". Well, we always want to improve leadership. The reward for hard working staff. The idea that we had better do some training because successful companies seem to do it and we've read that good employees are likely to stay if we provide training.

While we would always be supportive of business developing staff, it seems that much effort and expense is misdirected. How can we avoid this mistake?

If we start with identifying what knowledge skills or behaviour we need after the training, then we are going to stand more chance of being on the right track. These training needs may arise from your business plans, performance management process, recruitment needs or even a systematic approach to identifying the training and development needs of the business. They may also arise from individual requests.

All too often they are listed as vague programs rather than specific outcomes. For example, many performance appraisals will list "Excel skills" as a training objective. A more effective way of addressing this is define exactly what is required e.g. "to be able to enter key statistical formulae and produce graphs showing sales trends by product"

The secret to making sure the training investment is worthwhile is to determine what it is you want to achieve. This is best done by spending time writing very clear training objectives.

These usually take the form of "At the end of the training/development program, the participant will be able to"

For example, a training need may be identified as situational awareness. The objective may then be written as: "At the end of the training program, the participant will be able to describe, in a systematic and objective way, a business situation and list the various factors impacting on it, and their possible consequences."

A training objective for "innovation" may be written as: "At the end of the training program, the participant will be able to use a number of techniques to draw together possible unrelated resources to develop solutions to problems or implement improvements."

Formal training courses are not the only option. Once a need has been clearly defined we may find there a are a number of ways to meet it. Enlisting the help of someone who already has the required skill and ability to coach the trainee is an often overlooked source of development. There are also inexpensive books, CDs/DVDs and other materials available including online courses that can be very effective.

A creative approach to training and development starts with defining what you want and being proactive rather than reactive.

It is also valuable to follow up some weeks or months after the training to review how the outcomes are being put into practice. This reinforces the value put on the training and helps assess how well a particular method has worked and judge whether to use it again to meet a similar need elsewhere.

SOURCE:
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/training-and-development-start-with-where-you-want-to-finish-60031.html

Human resource development: Types of training and development programs

Organizations must develop their people. Organizations must provide training and development programs to groom the next generation of leaders. Without training and development programs, organizations will lose talent. The bottom line will suffer.

There are seven types of training and development programs.

The first type of training and development program is technical training. Technical training can take place in the classroom. However, most technical training sessions are practical training. On-the-job training is part of the technical training.

The benefits of providing technical training is to improve on work performance. Many organizations provide in-house technical training.

The second type of training and development program is quality training. Quality training includes customer service training. Quality training in a manufacturing plant involves knowledge of total quality management.

Quality training involves finding solutions to improve processes and products. Quality training is an on-going effort to instill the philosophy of continuous improvement.

The third type of training and development program is skills training. Skills training involves presentation, selling, languages, public speaking, negotiation, and languages.

Many organizations realize the potential of soft-skills training. They spend money to develop in-house soft-skills training program. They want their employees to develop creative-thinking skills, communication skills, and other skills essential to the long-term survival of the organization.

The fourth type of training and development program is the professional training. Organizations needs professionals in various departments. However, organizations generally do not have the expertise to provide professional training. They send their employees for courses to obtain professional qualifications.

The fifth type of training and development program is functional training. Functional training can take place as part of on-the-job training. Functional training includes diplomas or degrees in the respective field of expertise.

For example, a diploma program in purchasing and material management is a part time academic program.

The sixth type of training and development program is team-bonding activity. The organization pays money to engage employees in team-bonding activities. The purpose of this training is to develop leadership and teamwork. Team-bonding activity usually took place outdoor. Organizations use rock climbing, canoeing, and other outdoor activities as part of a team-bonding program.

The last type of training and development program is managerial training. Some organizations encourage their managers to attend expensive seminars as part of managerial training.

The purpose of managerial training is to learn from the best practices in the industry. The organizations want their managers to widen their networks, and steal ideas from the associates.

Organizations usually apply a top-down approach in administration of training and development program. Organizations do not encourage staff to use the company's resources to learn about cooking or other self-improvement programs.



SOURCE:
http://www.helium.com/items/1548575-training-and-development-human-resource-development