For All the Viewers!!!

Hello Everyone!!!


This Navy Seals blog is maintained by 5 members who are in University working on an assignment regarding Employability Skills. So all the posts that will be posted in this Blog will be regarding Employability Skills and regarding similar topics.

We are kindly requesting from all viewers of this page for some of your few minutes to read our posts and comment out your ideas so we can be successful in our assignment. We would be really grateful for your helping hands.


Best Regards,
Udeshani.

Employability Tests

 
This is a website where you can take one kind of employability skill test. If you all could try this out when your free and see whether it's good for me to include it our website, I'll be really grateful!!! ^^


http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillstest.html

Improve your Employability

According to (PWC, n,d) Academic study gives you a chance to open the door; employability skills push it open so that you have a far wider range of opportunities. In this way you can make a unique contribution to our business. You may have had various experiences that have added to the skills that make you employable. You might have developed many of these competencies through your studies; others you gained doing part-time jobs or volunteering in your community. You may have become competent in other ways while you were travelling. It is important to recognise the skills we are looking for.
During the interview process, you will be assessed against our 10 Global Core Competencies. These competencies are:

• Demonstrate courage and integrity (being honest, having strong moral principles)
• Acquire and apply commercial and technical expertise
• Manage projects and economics
• Be open minded and practical, and respond quickly to change
• Communicate with impact and empathy (understanding and sharing the feelings of another person)
• Develop yourself and others through coaching
• Be curious: learn, share and innovate
• Lead and contribute to team success
• Build and sustain relationships
• Be passionate about client service

Read through the 10 competencies and make notes of examples to illustrate how you developed them. Remember to start with your preparation long before your interview.
It is also important to improve your business awareness. We want you to demonstrate to us that you can talk about business issues that interest you. We encourage you to:

• read newspapers, business magazines and on-line papers
• watch news broadcasts and keep up to date with what is happening
• get some work experience and volunteer in your community
• ask questions and learn to express your own opinion clearly and briefly

Reference : Improve your Employability skills. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2014, from http://www.pwc.co.za/en/students/improve-your-employability.jhtml

Corporate Social Responsibility

According to (United Nations industrial development organization, n.d) corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. In this sense it is important to draw a distinction between CSR, which can be a strategic business management concept, and charity, sponsorships or philanthropy. Even though the latter can also make a valuable contribution to poverty reduction, will directly enhance the reputation of a company and strengthen its brand, the concept of CSR clearly goes beyond that.

UNIDO identifies key CSR issues:

·         Environmental management

·         Eco-efficiency, responsible sourcing

·         Stakeholder engagement

·         Labour standards and working conditions

·         Employee and community relations

·         Social equity, gender balance

·         Human rights, good governance

·         Anti-corruption measures

A properly implemented CSR concept can bring along a variety of competitive advantages, such as enhanced access to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, efficient human resource base, improved brand image and reputation, enhanced customer loyalty, better decision making and risk management processes.

Reference:

What is CSR? (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2014, from http://www.unido.org/en/what-we-do/trade/csr/what-is-csr.html

ISO 26000 - Social responsibility

Business and organizations do not operate in a vacuum. Their relationship to the society and environment in which they operate is a critical factor in their ability to continue to operate effectively. It is also increasingly being used as a measure of their overall performance.
ISO 26000 provides guidance on how businesses and organizations can operate in a socially responsible way. This means acting in an ethical and transparent way that contributes to the health and welfare of society.

ISO 26000:2010

ISO 26000:2010 provides guidance rather than requirements, so it cannot be certified to unlike some other well-known ISO standards. Instead, it helps clarify what social responsibility is, helps businesses and organizations translate principles into effective actions and shares best practices relating to social responsibility, globally. It is aimed at all types of organizations regardless of their activity, size or location.
The standard was launched in 2010 following five years of negotiations between many different stakeholders across the world. Representatives from government, NGOs, industry, consumer groups and labour organizations around the world were involved in its development, which means it represents an international consensus.

Reference : ISO 26000 - Social responsibility. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2014, from http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso26000.htm

Problem Solving Evaluation

How to Evaluate Problem Solving in a Business?

 Each business day brings new challenges. A primary difference between a top-performing company and an average-performing company is the manner in which the organization addresses such challenges. In order to ensure a company's problem-solving strategy is a strength rather a weakness, the company must not only determine if it was successful in converting a challenge to an opportunity, but also evaluate the manner in which it solved the problem. Evaluating a business' problem solving capability requires consideration of several factors. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 1Determine the degree to which the problem was correctly identified and defined. Consider if the problem was conceptualized in a way that supported the identification of a number of different possible root causes. For example, the problem definition "a decrease in sales" supports the identification of a number of root causes including an increase in the number of competitors, a need to ramp-up advertising, and a lack of appropriate training for the sales staff. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 2Determine if the root problem was correctly identified. Consider if a root problem, rather than a symptom of the root problem, was addressed by the solution. For example, if the root problem is product quality and the symptom is a decrease in sales, a solution of additional sales tools will be ineffective in addressing the root problem. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 3Review project data to determine if pertinent facts were considered in the decision process. Consider the reliability of the data sources and the completeness of the data gathered.

Step 4Evaluate the resources employed to identify the appropriate solution. Find out if key personnel were selected on the basis of expertise rather than staff position. Determine if an appropriate project sponsor was identified, if appropriate stakeholders participated, and if third-party experts were used if internal personnel lacked the appropriate expertise. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 5Review the agreed-to solution to evaluate its feasibility. Determine that the selected solution was ''best-in-class'' in light of other possible alternatives. Consider if a sufficient number of solutions were evaluated in order to develop a quality solution.

Step 6Consider if the potential solutions were appropriately prioritized. For example, determine if the solution was selected simply on the basis of its implementation time-frame or cost. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 7Discover if the set of options was fairly assessed. Determine if experts were consulted in the decision-making process, and if the advantages or disadvantages of the alternative solutions were completely and fairly considered.

Step 8Determine if the decision-making process supported the prompt identification of an appropriate solution. Evaluate intermediate decision deadlines and consider operational costs that resulted from delays in process. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Step 9Consider project responsibilities. Find out if appropriate individuals were assigned the responsibility to conduct particular elements of the solution.

Step 10Evaluate the success measures established for the solution. Discover if the solution was implemented successfully within a designated time-frame and according to plan, and if it addressed the issue without unintended side effects. (Nordmeyer, n.d.)

Nordmeyer, B. (n.d.).  How to Evaluate Problem Solving in a Business: Retrieved on 24th September 2014 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/evaluate-problem-solving-business-20084.html

Nine Steps to Effective Business Problem Solving

Nine Steps to Effective Business Problem Solving

Creating a startup, or managing any business, is all about problem solving. Some people are good at it and some are not – independent of their IQ or their academic credentials (there may even be an inverse relationship here). Yet I’m convinced that problem solving is a learnable trait, rather than just a birthright.( Zwilling, 2011)

 

Entrepreneurs who are great problem solvers within any business are the best prepared to solve their customers’ needs effectively as well. In fact, every business is about solutions to customer problems – no problems, no business. Problems are an everyday part of every business and personal environment.

Thus it behooves all of us work on mastering the discipline of problem solving. Here is a formula from Brian Tracy, in his book “The Power of Self-Discipline” that I believe will help entrepreneurs move up a notch in this category:

1. Take the time to define the problem clearly. Many executives like to jump into solution mode immediately, even before they understand the issue. In some cases, a small problem can become a big one with inappropriate actions. In all cases, real clarity will expedite the path ahead. ( Zwilling, 2011)
2. Pursue alternate paths on “facts of life” and opportunities. Remember, there are some things that you can do nothing about. They’re not problems; they are merely facts of life. Often, what appears to be a problem is actually an opportunity in disguise. ( Zwilling, 2011)
3. Challenge the definition from all angles. Beware of any problem for which there is only one definition. The more ways you can define a problem, the more likely it is that you will find the best solution. For example, “sales are too low” may mean strong competitors, ineffective advertising, or a poor sales process.
   
4. Iteratively question the cause of the problem. This is all about finding the root cause, rather than treating a symptom. If you don’t get to the root, the problem will likely recur, perhaps with different symptoms. Don’t waste time re-solving the same problem. ( Zwilling, 2011)
5. Identify multiple possible solutions. The more possible solutions you develop, the more likely you will come up with the right one. The quality of the solution seems to be in direct proportion to the quantity of solutions considered in problem solving.
   
6. Prioritize potential solutions. An acceptable solution, doable now, is usually superior to an excellent solution with higher complexity, longer timeframe, and higher cost. There is a rule that says that every large problem was once a small problem that could have been solved easily at that time. ( Zwilling, 2011)
7. Make a decision. Select a solution, any solution, and then decide on a course of action. The longer you put off deciding on what to do, the higher the cost, and the larger the impact. Your objective should be to deal with 80% of all problems immediately. At the very least, set a specific deadline for making a decision and stick to it.
   
8. Assign responsibility. Who exactly is going to carry out the solution or the different elements of the solution? Otherwise nothing will happen, and you have no recourse but to implement all solutions yourself. ( Zwilling, 2011)
9. Set a measure for the solution. Otherwise you will have no way of knowing when and whether the problem was solved. Problem solutions in a complex system often have unintended side effects which can be worse than the original problem.
   

People who are good at problem solving are some of the most valuable and respected people in every area. In fact, success if often defined as “the ability to solve problems.” In many cultures, this is called “street smarts,” and it’s valued even more than “book smarts.” The best entrepreneurs have both.( Zwilling, 2011)

 Zwilling,. M. (2011), Nine Steps to Effective Problem Solving. Retrieved on 24th September 2014 from http://www.businessinsider.com/nine-steps-to-effective-business-problem-solving-2011-7#ixzz3EEamlDgQ