Training Graduated Students in an Industrial Context of a Retail Company

Graduate students are a source of knowledge to companies. Their youth, readiness to show recently acquired abilities, and high levels of motivation to “change the world” are appreciated by human resources hiring teams to complete their purpose: to identify talent that can enhance business areas accomplishing relevant goals. However, “competences” do not always come along with the “full package” of a recent graduate. This chapter describes how a Portuguese retail company developed and implemented a Lean School to (1) upskill internal knowledge, skills, and behaviors about Lean in the existing work force and to (2) prepare the newcomers to use Lean in such a good way as if they had been part of the company for years. The authors will also describe some of the active learning methods used in the Lean School programs and report the evolution on some performance indicators like number of students in attendance and satisfaction levels.

Creating a super effective work force for hotel operation through an effective HR system: Recruit, Retain and Train

Human resource development is becoming increasingly crucial for the tourism industry. Mobilizing our human resource is required to enable them to participate in the task of hotel operations for development and nation building. The mobilization of human resources requires developing their skills, knowledge, and attitudes so that they can accomplish effectively the pre-determined objectives. The successful development of this sector requires efficient and professional management. Having equal importance, however, is the quality of staff training, which is often relatively neglected during the early stages of development this sector. Hotel business basically being a service business, so there is a need to take the necessary steps to build a pool of efficient trained people to occupy various jobs. There is, therefore, a need to pay special attention to the training and qualification of manpower and personnel for the various hotel professions. A special effort has also been made to ensure that services and facilis are expanded to keep up with the competition. In this study, an attempt has been made to create a better work force through a more effective HR system.

Vulnerability and existence theory in catastrophic times

‘Existence theory’ is a bold and imaginative contribution to social theory. Baert, Morgan and Ushiyama (hereafter ‘the authors’) draw on a broad range of existing approaches from Heidegger to Schutz to build a social theory that draws attention to time, the stages of life and the unavoidably precarious nature of human existence. At the same time, they pay careful attention to the social context in which time and existential precariousness combine to form what they call ‘the existential ladder’. Our lives are to some degree measured by the ‘existential milestones’ that we confront over time. These are not invariable stages, but they traditionally included entry into the work force, courtship and marriage, parenthood and maturity, and old age and death. There are in addition norms that attend these transitions. For example, procreation and parenthood are not for the elderly. Old fathers with young children are regarded as foolish if not reprehensible. Failure to pass through the milestones at the appropriate time may result in disappointments, stress and unhappiness.

Evaluation of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management: example of agro-processing enterprises of Ukraine

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to suggest an evaluation method of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management by example of agro-processing enterprises of Ukraine. Methodology / approach. The research described in the article was carried out according to the method developed by the authors for evaluation of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management on the enterprise. This method is based on the self-evaluation of social instruments for human resource management by HR managers together with top managers of the enterprise, comparing these results with the desired indicators of development of each of the social instruments in accordance to strategic guidelines, and development of a Plan of actions on the development of social instrument for human resource management. Results. According to the results of authors’ method approbation of analysis of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management on the agro-processing enterprises of Ukraine it is established that the usage of social instruments of human resource management by these enterprises is estimated as average (41–58 points). The predominant social instruments for human resource management on the enterprises under investigation are the welfare of employees and working life, planning and development of employees’ career, efficiency management and conflict management. The low level of the usage of social instruments of employees’ participation in enterprise management, setting-up of effective social partnership, feedback, counseling and coaching reflect the out-of-date understanding of the staff as a work force rather than the most important resource. On the basis of the conducted analysis it was determined that unsystematic usage of social instruments for human resource management is observed at the enterprises of agro-processing industry of Ukraine. Neglecting of the social instruments as an important factor of formation of human resource of an enterprise and increasing its competitiveness reduces industrial and innovative development of an enterprise in general. Originality / scientific novelty. The methodical provisions for evaluation of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management on the enterprise are improved. For the first time the content of each social instruments of human resource management is offered and a total scale for evaluation of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management on the enterprise and the characteristics of each level are submitted. Practical value / implications. The proposed authors’ evaluation method of the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management of the enterprise is successfully tested at the agro-processing enterprises of Ukraine and it demonstrates its viability and practical usefulness. The evaluation method is recommended for enterprise’s HRM services as a tool to evaluate the level of the usage of social instruments for human resource management.

Climate Change Science in School Curriculum: Solution to Ignorance of Commons in Developing Countries

In developing countries and to a certain degree in developed countries too, either climate change (CC) consequences or drivers of CC are alien to the mindset of commoners, who after High School had with/without vocational skills entered the workforce. This deficit or ignorance can be rectified only by adding CC education in the school system. We present a school appropriate outline of CC learning content spanning Kinder Garten to High School. Adding CC content in school education is immensely warranted, as a large chunk of high schoolers annually joins the work force with or without vocational or skill training. Further, such a knowledge deficit among the generations of working class can be remedied only by providing appropriate and sufficient knowledge on CC consequences, etc., only through a structured adult education campaign.

Towards an Ethics of Unity: An Ecological Approach to Overcoming Dispossession in Academic Libraries

Crisis narratives are stories meant to persuade that one exists in a state of emergency. Under extractive capitalism, crisis narratives frame the scope of ethical behaviour in response to crisis. Once set, these crisis ethics promote conformity in labour practices to avoid catastrophe. Surrendering the means to self-define priorities, values, and identity of the academic library profession creates a more pliable work force. This essay uses critical and philosophical methods to apply lessons learned from landscapes ruined by extractive capitalism to professional library practice fractured by alienation, diremption, and dispossession. A critique of the exploitation of ethics of fear and hope is offered, along with a method for identifying these as they appear in crisis narratives. The essay concludes with a recommendation to pursue an ethics of unity, predicated on promoting flourishing through professional mutualism, dedication to direct action, and a focus on sustainability.

Drilling Automation – Benefits of the New Drilling Model

A pilot program for automated directional drilling was implemented as a part of the roll out plan in Norway to drill three dimensional wells in an automated mode, where steering commands were carried out automatically by the automation platform. The rollout plan also targeted the use of remote operations to allow personnel to be relocated from the rig location into remote drilling centers. The goal of the program was to optimize the directional drilling performance by assessing the benefits of automation using the latest rotary steerable system technologies and machine learning smart algorithms to predict and manipulated the BHA performance, as well as the ability to predict the best drilling parameters for hole cleaning. The automation was implemented on three different rigs and the data was compared with the drilling performance from the last two years, with three dimensional wells drilled in the conventional method. The main benefits between drilling wells in the conventional method versus drilling wells with the new drilling automation model include the following. Reduce the overall cost per meter – Improve the rate of penetration – Improve running casings Consistence process adherence – Reduce human errors – Reduce POB without sacrificing lost of technical experience Optimize workforce resources – Allows continuity of service (COVID-19 restrictions) Drilling automation can drill smoother wells by reducing the friction factors and tortuosity. This is translated in direct cost savings per meter and reduction in the overall well delivery time, with the advantage of performing the execution and monitoring of the well performance remotely. This new drilling model open the door of new opportunities, especially for the challenges where the work force resources, and drilling performance is a priority for the operations.

Holistic Approach In Human Error Management

Despite all safety measures taken in oil and gas plants, serious vehicular accidents happen during maintenance/ shutdown activities, due to human errors such as inadequate planning, improper decision making/ behaviour etc. affecting structural integrity/ process safety, resulting in catastrophic events. In most of such incidents, swift safety measures need to be undertaken to control the extent of damage and limit additional risks cascading from the main event. This paper presents the case study of a vehicle impact incident on an existing main piperack located in the process plant, its root causes and immediate actions adopted in controlling major hazard and ensuring uninterrupted plant operation by maintaining structural integrity. Prime factors considered while arriving solutions to structural damages due to the vehicular impact include, incident cause, extent of damages, availability of restoration material, execution feasibility under plant operating conditions and skillsets of work force that carries out the restoration activities. Due to various constraints, solution arrived are temporary, averting multiple structural failures/ major accident. Further investigation and studies were required to identify root cause of the incident and enhance the implemented solution that would reaffirm long-term integrity of the piperack structure. The vehicular impact loads are generally not accounted in general structural design, since necessary safety measures are considered while finalizing the plant layout. Such unanticipated vehicular impacts on the structural system can result in local/ global structural damages such as failure of critical pipe supports, consequential damage to adjacent pipes, other structural components etc. In this case, although there was a warning signboard (installed on the pipe rack) indicating maximum permissible height, contractor tried to drive the container vehicle having height more than the stipulated height. Since the vehicle passed through first obstruction (beam) located at much higher level, driver negligently moved the vehicle further ahead hitting internal beam located slightly above the limiting height thereby damaging structural beam supporting critical piping. In this incident, site surveys to inspect the damage, data review, structural assessment and details of material in stock are some of the common steps followed for swift restoration of structural integrity. Based on the same, temporary support to prevent further structural damages and restoring operational integrity was designed and implemented in a short time. Other main activities followed were, Walk through the incident to derive the root cause Review work instructions and communication protocol Human factors pertaining to the incident Review the application of management and administrative control Permanent solution for structural restoration Ensuring safety of critical assets is the top most priority for the asset owner. Further, any accident related to safety shall be dealt swiftly to control major hazard, maintain asset integrity and ensure process safety. Such incidents could happen in any industrial facility, oil and gas or other industries. The lessons learnt from this accident and fit for purpose swift actions employed for restoration can be shared with the industry professionals to ensure 100% HSE in projects, operations and maintenance activities.

Recent Advances in Electrochemical Determination of Pesticides

Widespread usage of pesticides in agricultural practice caused their residues to appear in water and food products intended for human consumption. The potential toxicity of these resources has raised awareness about pesticide tracking in the environment. Development of reliable electrochemical sensors for the on-site determination of pesticide concentrations is envisioned as an alternative to conventional chromatographic methods which are robust, expensive and require skilled work force. Modification of the working electrode surface can result in enhanced electrochemical response towards selected pesticide making such electrode convenient sensor for facile and efficient determination of pesticides in low concentrations. New generation of nanomaterials is applied in electrode modification in order to improve its sensitivity and selectivity. The present review summarizes significant advances in voltammetric detection of pesticides for the period of the past five years. The major focus of this review is set to the types of carbon and oxide based materials, metal nanoparticles, composites and other materials employed to upgrade standard electrode configurations such as glassy carbon and carbon paste electrodes, boron doped diamond electrodes, screen printed and film electrodes, metal and amalgam, and other kinds of electrodes.