Five Elements In The Rhetorical Situation

1. What are the five elements in the rhetorical situation? Use TRACE to help you remember.Text Reader Author Constraints Exigence2. How can a reader use the rhetorical situation to analyze an argument essay? How ca a viewer use the rhetorical situation to analyze an image? How can a writer use the rhetorical situation during the planning phase of writing a paper?They can analyze all objects above by using the TRACE analysis3. Why is the audience important in argument? What types of positions might an audience initially hold?The audience is important because without the audience you have no argument. You will not be able to prove your point with no audience. The audience may initially be a friendly audience, undecided audience, neutral audience, hostile audience, unfamiliar audience, or linked audience.4. What is a discourse community? To what discourse communities do you belong? How does a discourse community help establish common ground for its members?A discourse community is a gro up of people who share a set of discourses, understood as basic values and assumptions, and ways of communicating about those goals. I believe that we all, belong to several discourse communities it would just depend on the situation and what your beliefs are. It establishes common ground by having resources and peers interested in the same beliefs and ideas.5. What is the universal audience? What are the special qualities of this audience? Why is it a useful idea?A universal audience is one with distinct individual differences but also important common qualities. This universal audience is educated, reasonable, normal, adult, and willing to listen.

Political philosophy Essay

1)How does an agent reason about Lock’s options in a single-play dilemma? In the state of nature, there are four preferences. The first preference is to attack and not be attacked. The second preference is to not attack and not be attacked. The third preference is to Attack and be attacked. The fourth preference is to not attack and be attacked. 2)Was Bramhall justified in calling Hobbes’ Leviathan a â€Å"rebel’s catechism†? Yes. According to Bramhall, if everyone where to decide when to obey the sovereign and when to disobey the sovereign, then we would let ourselves be ruled over at our own pleasure. If at anytime we felt it was inconvenient to be ruled over because we felt threatened, then there is no stability, and thus we have a rebel catechism, or a doctrine and reason for us to rebel due to Hobbes rebellion cause of being able to succeed when threatened. 3)Why would agents in a Lockean state of nature want to leave it for a civil society? 4)What does Locke’s law of nature require of rational beings? Locke’s law of nature requires that you a being must preserve yourself at all costs and at all times. 5)How des Locke differ from Hobbes on the question of whether there is property in the state of nature There is no property in the state of nature in Hobbes, it is just man vrs man. For Locke, you can have a property in the state of nature, which is from the labor of your hands. Locke has two conditions which is you must leave as much and as good for others and you must not take more of God’s creations than you need. 6)What is the â€Å"paradox of being governed† and does Locke’s theory suffer from it? The paradox of being governed is how can a group of people being unruly, promote a person to rule them, if that person was original from that group of unruly people. Another point is how the people can be ruled by a ruler if they themselves appoint a ruler. Are you truly being ruled if you can hire an fire a person who is ruling you. Locke does not suffer form this relationship. 7)How does the agent reason about his options in a coordination game? A coordination game is a scenario in which society wins rather people win individual. Driving on the right side of the road is an example. 8)What is Hampton’s notions of a governing convention and how does such a convention come about? The governing convention comes about when you solve the coordination game. It comes of War and Majority vote and maintains unless it is undermined by the majority rule. It comes about when people come together. 9)In Hampton’s theory, what is the difference between convention consent and endorsement consent? Convention consent is I support Obama, he doesn’t win, but I still approve of the government Endorsement consent is I support John McCain, he wins, and I continue to support him. 10) What is Hampton’s Stratification solution to the paradox of being governed?

Wingtip Toys Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Wingtip Toys - Assignment Example Thus, the notion of keeping in touch with all the hardware and software changes all around the globe are the leading driving factors to organizations maintaining their day-to-day updates on Information Technology. One of the major software advancements that go hand in hand with changes in network configurations of several organizations is the Windows Server (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). Windows Server, a server-based operating system provided by the Microsoft Corporation. It offers a significant number of useful services to its targeted users. Among the major uses of Windows Server is the general feature of providing users with a front end where they can perform their daily activities as regards application management and surfing the Internet (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). Furthermore, Windows provides the capability for users to play games or make controls on online applications that are based on other servers usually over the satellite. Over the last few decades, Windows Server 2003 was the most widely used in performing the aforementioned activities all around the globe.... The new one usually focuses on solving major problems that exist in the earlier versions. On the basis of the advancements in features and capabilities in Windows Server 8 Wingtip Toys aims to take a thorough analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) that form the fundamental aspects of this System software. For any network administrator, SWOT analysis of a new hardware or software acts as the focal point to determining the capability of the new feature to meet the expected network security standards in an organization and as per the globally accepted characteristic of a safe networking environment (Dulaney, 2011). As mentioned earlier, Windows Server 2008 is system software of which it will be expected to aid in smoothening the networking activities that go around in Wingtip Toys business organizations and specifically in its need to be connected over satellite based network servers. Thus, the notion of performing a thorough SWOT analysis by a netwo rk administrator is driven solely by the urge of maintaining a secure network environment for the organization (Dulaney, 2011). The (SWOT) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis is basically built on the idea of figuring out whether or not Windows Server 2008 is more feasible compared to Windows Server 2003. It is basically clear that since Wingtip Toys greatly makes use of the internet in the performance of daily activities, then network security is at the forefront in enhancing security of the hardware devices and Software applications that are used by its clients (Dulaney, 2011). Windows Server 2008 comes in as an upgrade to

London ships of historic interest partnership Essay - 1

London ships of historic interest partnership - Essay Example From the fact that Britain is a maritime country, the income of most of the citizens is derived from maritime activity. The London’s ships partnership has a major obligation of increasing the maritime activity and the number of visitors coming to the country. This has to be done through enacting various strategies and ways. The partnership should make the whole world aware of the existence of the historic ships and the uniqueness in them. This paper will explore how the partnership can increase the global awareness of the uniqueness and existence of the historic ships in London, means and ways to tap into the market and PEST analysis in relation to the same. The paper is to explore the best marketing mix in international and global marketing especially during overseas expansion. The main objective is to identify the most appropriate international market place to target to ensure tourists are aware of the brand and will view the member vessels as must see attractions when they visit London. The subsidiary objectives are as stipulated below: Tourism is a major player in the economy of Britain with tourist coming from both local and international markets. This has boosted the economy of the country and efforts to increase the tourist volume are being put in place each and every day. The London ships of historic interest partnership being a major player has also implemented actions to increase awareness among the residents and foreigners of the tourism facilities available. This has boosted the tourism industry in a major way. International tourists are well informed of existence of the maritime tourism and are well aware of the kind of tourism facilities they are to view and interact with when they pay a visit to the city of London. There are various factors both internal and external that have contributed to the success of the organization in response to marine tourism. The coming

Arranging a marriage in india Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Arranging a marriage in india - Essay Example In the event, that either of the partners has not identified their partners then the matchmaker plays a central role in the identification. In this case, the matchmaker must be an elderly who is conversant with many families, as well as the surrounding society (Fenton 193). The caste system in India plays a great role. Marriage happens between couples of the same caste. Moreover, the persons intending to get married must be of the same religion. The other factors that determine marriage between couples are horoscope, status, and in some instances physical appearance. The use of horoscope is vital as it is perceived to determine the likely success of the marriage. Those whose statuses are high in terms of finance, social or profession (especially the boys) are highly valued in the marriage process. Unlike many communities (around the world), In India, the dowry payment is usually remitted by the bride to the prospective groom. Before the wedding, an engagement celebration is initiated where the two families perform traditional rituals to make the engagement official. The wedding is usually held at the bride’s home hence it is the bride family that receives the groom (Fenton

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Pharmaceutical Chemistry - Essay Example A colored compound having a chromophore is known as chromogen. 2. Give an example of an auxochrome and explain how it influences the absorption spectra of the molecule. If we change the pH of the solution how will that influence the spectrum, explain for full credit. In a molecule of nitrobenzene, –NO2 or nitro group is the chromophore. Nitrobenzene absorbs at 400nm and is pale yellow in color. When nitrobenzene is conjugated with the amine group, it froms nitro aniline. The amine group is the auxochrome. Nitroaniline absorbs light at 450nm and is a yellow compound. The longer resonance system decreases the energy gap between the ground state and excited state transition, thus producing visible color. This displacement to longer wavelength is known as bathochromic shift. The auxochrome (ie. amine group), is basic; it will gain a proton and will have a positive charge (electron withdrawing). That positive charge may activate the chromophore for a facile nucleophilic addition of hydroxide (or water) thus converting one pi orbital to a sigma orbital (loss of conguation and less stable pi system/more energy in that pi system) or the electron withdrawing effect pulls electrons away from sparsely populated pi-star orbitals (increases their ener gy) so the energy gap between pi and pi-star orbitals is larger. Larger energy, means larger frequency, means shorter wavelength (red shift or shorter wavelength). At alkaline pH, the absorbing system may be intact and will show red shift, but in acidic solution the amino - H2N group is replaced by - +NH3, which is considerably less efficient as an auxochrome. Thus in acidic solutions, a hypo chromic effect occurs resulting into a blue shift and the solution would appear light in color. 1. Verify the UV/VIS spectrophotometer is in the spectral wavelength range of the analytical method for

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example Recent research on categorization has led to scholars questioning the assumption and trying to test the impacts of two variables which are moderating on the customer needs categorization (Hamilton, 2005). Categorizing Customer Needs in Computer Software Sales Selling computer software is a business to business (B2B) activity. Hence, there is a need of categorizing customer needs for this activity. There is a method provided that helps the organization in the identification and categorization of the customer’s visits or contacts with the customer service center. This means that the organization has been provided with a method of identifying the customer’s problem or goal. The organization has also been using this method to categorize the customer needs into set that are centered on behavior. Hence, the organizations has integrated customer categorization and goal thereby initiating a foundation for optimizing the direction of the customer’s request through an appr opriate center. This method helps the organization in the collection of information that is related to the customer’s behavior. The organization then uses the information in the determination of the optimum manner that customer’s needs can be handled (Gupta, 2001). ... One the customers have been consulted, the organization then interprets the customers’ needs correctly in specs and design. Hence, the organization then provides operational definitions of output (Fader, 2010). Best Measures for Actual and Potential Value for the Customer Base Customer base refers to the grouping of the customers or consumers that an organization servers. The customer base is mainly composed of repeat customers with high ration of purchase over a given period. The best measure for actual and potential value for the customer base is the Eyeball Approach. The Eyeball Approach is based on the assumption that companies need to rapidly acquire customers so that they can grow. This also enhances the chances of the company to gain first mover advantage and also helps in the creation of network externalities which are very strong. For the organization that is involved in selling computer software to other businesses, the Eyeball Approach is also very advantageous base d on the fact that the number of businesses coming into the customer care desk indicates to the organization whether the organization is registering a positive growth. With an increase in the number of customers that are coming to the organization, it means that the organization is developing positively. This also means that its actual value for the customer base is very high. This also indicates that the potential value for the customer base is also very favorable to the organization. Hence, it is important for the organization to use the Eyeball Approach to assess the actual and potential value for the customer base (Hamilton, 2005). Why the Eyeball Approach is Advantageous The assumptions of the Eyeball Approach have been

Analysis Summary of the movie 12 Angry Men using group dynamics Essay

Analysis Summary of the movie 12 Angry Men using group dynamics - Essay Example When the group of jurors first meet during the orientation phase, they are chatting, making jokes and talking about a random list of things such as their jobs and things they could be doing instead of being in a jury room. The orientation phase is characteristic of acquaintance, positive attitudes on similarities and clarity. At this stage, the group is only creating opinions, nothing intense. (Robbins, 1974, para 4). There is a general feeling for most of the jurors that this will be a quick case, nothing intense. However when the foreman of the jury; juror number one takes an initial vote the tone is set for a long drawn process and the development of the group dynamics. In the initial vote eleven jurors have already declared the defendant is guilty. Only Juror number eight votes â€Å"not guilty† on the grounds of reasonable doubt. It is never easy to be part of the minority because it goes against our natural desire to be accepted (Johnson, 2007, p. 153). Out of this minor ity, the true leader begins to emerge and group formation begins. Positioning of power becomes apparent as the jurors biases, backgrounds and personalities begin to unfold. The jury’s deliberation begins when the first vote is taken. Several jurors observe others voting and they raise their hands. It is only juror number eight who has the courage to stand alone and has strong convictions that the defendant is not guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Questions arise as they begin to examine the different parts of the testimony. These testimonies were not initially considered in the first vote. Normative influence by juror eight begins to revert from guilty to not guilty. Through the process, personalities unfold and the pressure of social influence is clear among the jurors. Team members have to create a new social identity and forfeit their own in order for a team to be built. (Levi, 2014, p.

Three Types of People to Fire Immediately Essay Example for Free

Three Types of People to Fire Immediately Essay The article that I read was â€Å"Three Types of People to Fire Immediately† by Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Viton from Bloomberg’s Businessweek. The authors of this article discuss how we are taught to be creative and innovative from the beginning when we are children. They also talk about how another key element to be successful is to teach managers how to fire people. Maddock and Viton talk about how letting someone go can be beneficial to your organization because some employees are part of the problem and not part of the solution. They say that the people who are innovative and willing to learn are the ones who will push your organization to the next level and that there are three types of people that will hold your organization back. These three people are the victims, the non-believers, and the know-it-alls. The victims are the people who say things like â€Å"Can you believe what they want us to do now? And of course we have no time to do it. I don’t get paid enough for this. The boss is clueless† (Maddock Viton 2011). They will often see problems as singling them out and punishing them rather than a challenge that they need to overcome and persevere. Victims are usually angry, annoyed, and always complaining about anything that they can. They are the ones at the holiday parties that are very negative and don’t really want to be there but come anyway just to bring everyone else down. Maddock and Viton say that victims are not looking for opportunities but instead look for problems because that is the frame of mind that they are used to seeing things in. The authors say that the non-believers think like this â€Å"Why should we work so hard on this? Even if we come up with a good idea, the boss will probably kill it. If she doesn’t, the market will. I’ve seen this a hundred times before† (Maddock Viton 2011). Maddock and Viton believe that the only difference between a winning team that is innovative and the losing one that comes up short can be attributed to the lack of willpower within the corporate culture. Good managers are those who can find the believers in the organization and promote them while weeding out the non-believers to make the organization stronger. The know-it-alls will say things like â€Å"You people obviously don’t understand the business we are in. The regulations will not allow an idea like this, and our stakeholders won’t embrace it. Don’t even get me started on our IT infrastructure’s inability to support it. And then there is the problem of †¦. † (Maddock Viton 2011). Maddock and Viton believe that the best innovators are those who are willing to learn and not those who think that they know enough to get by. It is management’s job to make and sculpt the culture in the way that they want. If management wants to have an innovative culture then they must convey a learning culture because that is the best way to be innovative. It is also said that the know-it-alls become very keen in using their knowledge to constitute why things are not possible rather than trying to find a way to make it possible. The authors say that managers should try to retrain or teach the Know-it-alls before firing them because they can be valuable if they can break their bad habits. In my opinion I would have to agree with this article for the most part. I do believe that it is necessary to get rid of certain employees such as the â€Å"Victims† and the â€Å"Non-believers†. The Victims and the non-believers will only bring your organization down with their negativity and poor attitudes. Not to mention the fact that they are usually incapable of seeing anything as a positive opportunity rather than a punishment or waste of time. There are a lot of things in the world that were seen as a waste of time or a crazy idea to people but because of the believers and dreamers we have a lot of new technology and innovation to this day. The part that I would have to disagree with is when they talk about the â€Å"Know-it-alls† and how they are not innovative. I believe that the know-it-alls can be very innovative and can solve a lot of organizations problems. However, I also believe that they might be more realistic in their thinking and this could be a good thing in that it could help keep the dreamers from getting their heads too far in the clouds. So in my opinion I do believe that it is necessary to fire people for the good of the organization but you should always evaluate what the employee brings to the table and how they negatively affect the organization before action is taken.

Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Julius Caesar Essay Cause and Effect Prompt based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar Search the cause and effect of the assassination of Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar by examining Julius Caesar being a Tragic Hero with a Tragic flaw(s), and how this led to his downfall. Your paper must provide description of his tragic hero traits. Cite your literature textbook with at least two examples using quotations from the play that demonstrate this cause and effect. Then compare and contrast this dilemma with another world figure (either from the past or the present) that has been untimely assassinated. Find parallels between your selected figure and Julius Caesar. Analyze their likenesses and differences of the impact of these two deaths on their respective societies. Include another quotation as text evidence for your discussion. * Remember that your examples from the text must be within quotation marks. * Remember that you are demonstrating the tragic flaw that Julius Caesar had through the use of the quotations you find and how this cause his downfall, then you are comparing and contrasting this same situation with another world figure leader who also was lost due to an assassination. * Remember to write a clear thesis for your paper which will give direction for your remarks. Tragic Hero TraitsTherefore * Born into nobility* He/she falls from great heights * Responsible for his/her own fate* Realizes they have made an irreversible mistake * Endowed with a tragic flaw* Faces and accepts death with honor and humility * Doomed to make a serious error in judgment * May meet a tragic death Themes of Julius Caesar Fate versus Free will Public versus Private Self Misinterpretations and misleadings Inflexibility versus compromise Political rhetoric versus Power Essay Requirements: 1. At least 5/6 well-constructed paragraphs 2. A clear thesis within your introduction 3. Two quotations: these must express his tragic flaw in a cause and effect manner (if this- then that). 4. You must compare and contrast the situation and downfall of Caesar to a current or past public figure that has been lost through an assassination. One quotation is required. 5. This is a timed writing piece. Please apply your knowledge of time management through use of prewriting, drafting and revising skills. You must  proof read your own paper before submission. 6. MLA requirements: Neatly written document with proper documentation of your quotations followed by a Works Cited entry of all documented sources at the end of your paper. Do not write on the back of your paper.

Successful malaysian innovators and entrepreneurs

Successful malaysian innovators and entrepreneurs Introduction An innovator or pioneer in a general definition is a person or an organization which is one of the first to do something and often opens up a new area or market for others and achieves an innovation. Meanwhile an entrepreneur is an individual who own a new enterprise, venture or idea and took calculated risk for a good output. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to the type of character who is willing to take risk and taking chances in a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome. A French economist, Jean-Baptiste Say is believed to have coined the word entrepreneur in the 1800. Innovator and entrepreneur do not share the same meaning but indeed, there is a significant relationship between innovator and entrepreneur. A person can be an innovator and entrepreneur at the same time. In Malaysia, there are many innovators and entrepreneurs that manage to gain recognition at the international stage. Most of the entrepreneurs manage to achieve the success by running businesses that sell either products or services. Those successful people are Tony Fernandes, Tan Sri Robbert Kuok and Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar. However, some of them do not get fame by running business. They would think out of the box and be innovative. Some of the successful innovators are Eric Leong, Jimmy Choo and Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing. Their creativity in certain aspects such as interior design, shoes design and knowledge of designing let the whole world see them. Among all these successful local innovators and entrepreneurs, they have their own ways to achieve success. Every one of them goes through different path of life. Some may get it in an easy way, some may be not. They have their own reasons to fight for, different motivation to work things out and various ways to achieve it. For this assignment, we would like to know details about the entrepreneurs and innovators in Malaysia. The reasons and motivation that make them to be so successful is something that we are interested in. The sharing from them about it would be so precious that it would be guidance for us in life. Besides, we would collect feedback and opinion from the public about why and how entrepreneurs and innovators in Malaysia succeed. Hope that we can get the general perspective about it. Background Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary was born in 1951 into a middle class family. His father is in the cow breeding business. His mother is a homemaker. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Due to poverty, he cannot afford education, thus he complete his secondary education without furthering it into university level. He starts to help his father in his business, by managing the account. He helps his mother during his free time by selling agricultural product and also roti canai before leaving for school . Life was a bed of roses for Syed Mokhtar during his childhood. [1,2,3] He is a private man who does not like to show off his luxurious life. For your information, he can get along easily with other people. He is easily approached by everyone. He doesnt splurge on luxury car. For him, status is not something important in his life. There is time when he is up and there is time when he is down. Lifestyle is just like a disease for him that can deteriote people. His ride is a Proton Perdana and 20 years old Mercedes which he use infrequently. [1] Syed Mokhtar is a strong muslim, thus he always hold strongly to the muslim principal of giving out charity with a sincere heart. He helps the needy and even built mosques across the country. His generosity extended when he donated 1 million pound to Oxford University for the Islamic Learning Center in London. He found his love late, especially when his age approaching mid 40s. The marriage was blessed with 2 boys and girls. Career His hardship in 1951 has propelled him to the success that he have today. He and his father sells grocery to their neighbor around their neighborhood. As business grows, they expend from one state to the next, and they event imported cow from the neighboring country, Thailand to sell it in the local market [1,2] . The cow business suffers a setback due to the foot and mouth disease. However this disappointment makes him more determine to succeed. He expend his business to different field to logistics [3] His down to earth and humbleness makes it easier for him to cooperate with business man from other races. He take over a business that seems to fail and turn it around until he earn the profit. From logistics, he turn in trading business. Famous for being know the rice bowl of the nation, he choose to trade rice. His continuous efforts in his trading earn him rice trading licenses from the authority, Lembaga Padi Negara. Due to his reliability, lots of contracts came pouring in [2] He currently holds some stake in various companies like Mining Corporation Berhad (MMC), Bernas, Malakoff Berhad, Johor Port Berhad, , DRB-HICOM and many more others. He normally doesnt give many press interviews and prefer to keep in private life. His low key attitudes still grab media attention as he is passionate about charity and conduct his charity work through his foundation, Al-Bukhary Foundation. [2] One of the milestones of the Al-Bukhary Foundation is the construction of the Rm 70 million Islamic Art Museum valued at RM70 millions. This also along with a few mosques that he build across the country. Hallmark Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar is not only a humble person, but he also is very supportive of national product. He could afford any luxurious imported car, but he still drive around in his Proton Perdana. His generosity also been highlighted by supporting local students who are qualified and eligible to pursue their studies in local over university abroad. He provides scholarship for 1000 Saudi Arabian student to study in Malaysia. The first social contribution from Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary started with his mother asking him to donate half of his first salary as the director of a rice company (RM 750.00) to his poor neighbours. The other half was kept by his mother. Besides, his mother also asked him to send kerosene lamps to the mosques during the month of Ramadhan, so that activities can be carried out at night in the mosques. From that time onwards, that is how Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary was brought up to be a good personality and thinking person. He thinks that when God give us the wealth, we have to help the needy people. The god gives us wealth to us to help the others. There are some Malay businesspersons who do not want to help because they consider money as their priorities. [3] Syed Mokhtar is a down-to-earth person that will share his wealth with the others. He will feel nice when everyone has the chance to enjoy the same benefits together. He will not forget those who help him before. Humble is one of his life philosophies. No matter how great achievement he has now, he will still go back to Alor Setar and help those who really need helps. Sometimes, he will feel upset seeing some people forget their roots after achieving success in life. They should never forget about their roots no matter how. Wealth is meant to be shared. He likes to donate and contribute. He does not have the desire to keep all the wealth for his wife and children. Money will not last. He believes in Karma. Its not money that will protect him but what he is doing now. Theres no secret for success. Syed Mokhtar is only a human being that created by god but the difference is his way of getting mature. He believes that whoever will success if they really work hard for it. It may take some time. There will no short cut for success. There is reason why he works as if there is no tomorrow. Social and society issues are one of the reasons. He wants to make sure that the heritage would last long enough for my next generation. He knows his own strengths and weaknesses. He would ask for help from the other people when he is unable to do it. He go through the hard way but that is the right way. He has nothing at the beginning. However he will learn what he does not know, asks help from the others. He does not feel ashamed for that because he is not stealing. He works on his own. The attitude of being lazy and shame should be changed. He thinks that a person has to be patience and put more effort in order to run a business successfully. He keeps on searching for opportunities and business so that he can keep on helping the others to excel. He is not doing this solely for himself but for everyone. For him, God will only help those who are willing to work hard. Determination, hardworking and never give up easily are his keys in achieving success. Conclusion In a nutshell, everybody have an equal chance to be successful. Nothing can stop us from being successful unless it is you. If you want to achieve something, you have to work for it. We should follow what Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary did in order to gain a wealth for now and here after. He will not forget his own root and keep on helping those who need helps. Wealth is not meant for alone, but to be share around. Al Bukhari Mosque Eric Leong Background Eric Leong is a name synonym to the world of interior decorating. He was born in Kluang, Johore and was raise in the capital, Johor Bahru . He further his studies in the neighboring country, Singapore after completing his formal education in Malaysia. Eric graduate with a double degree in Interior Design and Business Studies. [4] With his cheerful and gleeful character Eric has won the heart of Malaysian and he was voted Malaysia most favorite interior designer. Career Eric make a breakthrough in 2001 through his reality interior design show, Casa Impian. The show help average Malaysia transform their home into heaven on earth with his extraordinary talent, he could turn a normal space into a work of art, which dubbed him as Raja Hias / the Design King of Casa Impian. [4,5] Why and how he can be success? Eric Leong is a creative innovator that leads him to be a successful entrepreneur. He would think out of the box and try on new things. He is never been stopped by new challenges. For him, expose himself in new environment and expose in new things is great. He is good in applying the knowledge that he learn in university in real life. Designing may not be a simple things as everyone has different point of views opinions. It is even hard to please all peoples need. However, Eric Leong sees this as a challenge in life. He would try his best to create a design that can satisfied every each of the people. Multi tasking Eric Leong holds a number of positions: [5] 1. Group Design Director for Designcity Sdn. Bhd. 2. Group Consultant/Acting General Manager for Beverly Home Sdn. Bhd. 3. Creative Consultant for Living Taste (Malaysias first Chinese interior design magazine 4. Associate Producer/Host for Casa Impian (Malaysias first interior design make-over show. 5. Associate Producer for Ratu Sehari (TV Wedding showcase). 6. Appointed stylist for Home Pride and Living Taste. 7. Columnist for leading magazines Home Pride, Living Taste, Health Today, Herba. 8. Product Designer for Lush Living by Eric Leong the furniture series. 9. Product Designer for Playground by Eric Leong the lighting series. 10. Guest DJ @ FM988 Chinese Radio talk show U Stylish Living (A Star RFM radio) 11. Guest DJ @ RED FM104.9 English Radio Talk Show Living With Eric (AStar RFM radio) 12. Guest DJ @ SURIA FM105.3 -Bahasa Malaysia Decor Radio Talk Show Inspirasi DÃÆ'Â ©cor Bersama Eric. 13. Guest DJ @ SURIA FM 105.3 Bahasa Malaysia Lifestyle Radio Talk Show Inspirasi Gaya Bersama Eric. 14. Lecturer @ Raffles International Design Institution (KL Campus). 15. Committee Member for Malaysia International Fashion Award (MIFA 2005) 16. Art Director for Malaysia International Fashion Award (MIFA 2006) 17. Chief Judge (Best presentation award for Malaysia International Furniture Fair (MIFF) 18. Media Spoke Person for Johor Interior Design Association (JiDA) 19. Ambassador of Homedec Malaysia Premier home decoration exhibition. 20. Ambassador of Maxima Thai Branded Walk-in-wardrobe system. 21. Ambassador of SSF Malaysia premier home dÃÆ'Â ©cor mark. Robert Kuok Background Robert Kuok Hock Nien more commonly known as Robert Kuok is the richest entrepreneur in Malaysia and also South East Asia [6]. He is currently rank 33 in the Forbes Richest Man Alive List [7]. Robert Kuok is the youngest son. He is born in Johor Bahru on 6 October 1923[6]. After graduated from the Raffles Institution, he started working in the grains department of Japanese Industrial company Mitsubishi from 1942 to 1945. Career After the death of his father, Robert Kuok founded Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd together with his two brothers in 1949 [8].This business plainly deals with agricultural commodities. He managed to buy cheap sugar from India in the year 1961 right before the sugar price shot up. His business expanded heavily until he managed to control 80% of the Malaysian sugar market. Due to this, he earned his nickname Sugar King of Asia [9]. Robert Kuok expanded his varied his business field by involving himself in hospitality field. In 1971, he built his first ever Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, then he open his second Hotel in Hong Kong called the Kowloon Shangri-La [8]. He also owns a big stakes of the Hong Kong real estate group Kerry Properties. Other than that he also owns the freight interests include Malasian Bulk Carriers Berhad and Transmile Group. Robert Kuoks compnies have investment in many counties. He even has ten bottling company for Coca Cola and the ownership of the Beijing World Trade Centre. On October 31 2009, Robert Kuok has decided to sells his sugar units along with the land used to cultivate sugar cane to Felda for RM1.29 billion. This transaction had directly boosted his companys income as his sugar unit and sugar cane plantation were the second largest segment upon its grain and feed [8]. Robert Kuok has eight children from his two marriages. He has retired officially from the Kerry Group on April 1st 1993. He is currently resides in Hong Kong [8]. Hallmark Robert Kuok has several hall marks which made what he is today. I believe that in order to achieve success, a strong and noble family background is definitely a great advantage. Robert Kuok is famous for his strong noble family background. He was brought up by his mother. Since young, his mother had taught him according to Ru-Jiao which is also known as the teaching of Confucius. His mother is very particular with the values of honesty. That is why he managed to gain respect and trust from others. With this, his business expands smoother and faster than others. Besides having a strong family background, Robert Kuok also has a strong family bond. This is justified as his company, Kuok Brothers Limited was established with the cooperation among his brother and cousins. All of them are very unite in this establishment of the company. They obey to Robert Kuoks mothers order. With a strong bond among them, it is very difficult for others to attack them. This is why the Kuok Brothers Limited can last for such a long period and still standing strong. Robert Kuok also practice good attitude in life. He is a positive, hardworking and sensitive person. Robert Kuok once said that As a young man, I thought there was no substitute for hard work and thinking up good, honest business plans and, without respite, pushing them along. There will always be business on earth. Be humble; be straight; dont be crooked; dont take advantage of people. To be a successful businessman, I think you really need to brush all your senses every morning, just as you brush your teeth. I coined the phrase honing your senses in business: your vision, hearing, sense of smell, touch and taste. All these senses come in very useful [9]. The fourth factor is his way of hiring workers. Robert Kuok hires his workers wisely and he always remembers to acknowledge them. He has never forgets the contributions of all of his colleagues and employee. He even thanked his very first batch of workers personally in hisKuok Groups 60th Anniversary speech. Robert Kuok is very particular in hiring workers. According to him, honesty, hardworking and intelligence are the main criteria that he looks for. When I look candidates in the eye, they must appear very honest to me. I do not look for MBAs or exceptional students. You may hire a brilliant man, summa cum laude, first-class honours, but if his mind is not a fair one or if he has a warped attitude in life, does brilliance really matter? [10]said Robert Kuok. Being humble is a reason that made Robert Kuok a successful man. He has been very humble all this while as he always remembers that once a person is arrogant, the person guard will be lowered. As a result, the person is defeated easily by his rivals. Robert Kuok is very alert with every step he has taken. Most of us will think that if we can capitalize a field, we shall receive a great outcome. However, according to Robert Kuok, sometime capitalism will leads to destruction if we do not inspect it well. He said that Capitalism needs to be inspected under a magnifying glass once a day, a super-magnifying glass once a week, and put through the cleaning machine once a month.[10] He also said that we cannot let greed controls us. Once this happens, the result may be fatal. At the end of the day, despite all the success Robert Kuok has made, he always makes it a point to repay the society. He had set up a foundation called the Kuok Foundation to help out students that are facing financial problem in order to pursue their studies. He even gives out scholarships to students who are studying in either private or public universities. The Kuok family firmly believed in its social responsibility to share its wealth and good fortune with the less fortunate. [11] Achievements Robert Kuok has managed to win several awards for his success in his lifetime. He was honored on the Forbess Worlds Billionaire list, ranking at a respectable number 33. He has also earned the title as Tan Sri in Malaysia. The noblest achievement by Robert Kuok is arguably the Kuok Foundation that was established by the Kuok family. The philanthropists vision is to alleviate poverty and reduce the economic disparities between the rich and poor communities in Malaysia. The foundation offers scholarship for student from not well to do family, to provide them with education that they needed to bring them out of poverty. Picture of Mr. Robert Kuok Hock Nien [10] LIM GOH TONG Background Lim Goh Tong was born in the year 1918 in Anxi. He was the fifth child in his family. When he was born, China was in the period of turmoil as the Xinhai Revolution was just over. However, Lim Goh Tong was lucky as he was brought up in a peaceful environment. He even had the chance to acquire knowledge from school until he was 16, which is when his father passed away [12]. Lim Goh Tong decided to come to Malaya in year 1937 as the condition of China was becoming worse [12]. He worked for his uncle as a carpenter for two years when he first reached here [13]. During that period, he learned to speak the Malay language. After gaining enough experiences, he involved himself in building a double storey secondary school as a sub contractor. Picture of the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong [17] Career Lim Goh Tong is well known as a risk taker. Before the development of Genting, he had involved himself in various fields. During the Japanese Occupation, he had tried working as a farmer, as a petty trader and as a scrap metal and hardware trader. After the Japanese Occupation, he engaged in the second- hand machinery trading. From there, he managed to earn his first fortune. Other than machinery, he also involved in iron mining, and even construction field. His family construction company Kien Huat Private Limited became well known after completed many major projects successfully. One of the biggest deals was the Ayer Itam Dam [13]. However, he also faced difficulties throughout his life as a constructor. He even faced bankruptcy when dealing the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme. Lim Goh Tong had the idea of Genting Highland when he was having dinner in Cameron Highland [14]. Then he started to collect information and decided that Genting Sempah is the most ideal place to build a hilltop resort. For this project, he had dumped in all of his fortune. He even put aside all the negative comments from his friends and relatives. Genting was granted the first ever Casino licence after Tunku Abdul Rahman. The whole Genting project was done in January 1971 and started the business in May 1971. In the next 30 years, Genting has evolved from wilderness to a developed tourist attraction township. Cable car system is provided to tourist as an alternative route. He even built a new township known as Gohtong Jaya on a land around the Genting Skyway cable car system [14]. Lim Goh Tongs company, Genting Group has diversified into various field ranges from plantation to oil and gas and even to cruise boat industry. Lim Goh Tong was married to Lim Kim Hua. They have altogether six children and nineteen grandchildren [12]. He wrote a book titled My Story Lim Goh Tong and it was published in year 2004. Lim Goh Tong passed away on 23 October 2007 in Subang Jaya Medical Center leaving behind a USD4.2 billion fortune and a huge legacy [14]. Achievements Lim Goh Tong had won many awards throughout his extraordinary life [12]. After taking a huge gamble and setting up a hillside resort, and proving all the doubters wrong, Lim Goh Tong was awarded the title Tan Sri in 1976 as a token for his contribution in booming the countrys tourism industry. This is followed by the Malaysian Entrepreneur Award in 1985, his first major award. This is followed by the Manager of the Year award the following year. As his pet project bloom and in 1994 he honored the Business Achiever of the year in 1994. Genting was awarded the Number 1 ranking Malaysian Leading Companies in 1996 and icing on the cake was the Best Employer Award at the same year. Apart from his success in business he still gives back to the society through his foundation, the Yayasan Lim. The foundation helps out those who are in need by providing scholarship for deserving student, and contribute to charitable causes. Hallmark From the start when Lim Goh Tong came to Malaysia, he already shown the hallmark of a true champion. He can only speak hokkien, mandarin, Cantonese and some broken Malay language [16]. He can neither speak nor write English [13]. However, this limitation in language did not stop him in his negotiation of all of his business contracts. Against all odd, he prove that language is never a barrier to success. When Lim first had the idea of Genting Highland, he received many negative comments from his relatives and friends. However, he had successfully put all of these comments aside. On the other hand, he put in more effort into this project. Lim Goh Tong once said that Once the goals have been clearly defined, with the greatest amount of determination and hard work, one can conclusively realise ones goals. [14].He a great determination shown is clearly admirable especially to the younger generation, that when we put our mind to it, we can achieve anything. His humbleness that keep him grounded despite his success and status as a Tan Sri have won applause and was admired among his peers. Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong, president of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia paid tribute and said in Lims farewell word, He had undergone more difficulties and challenges than any other entrepreneur, before he became successful in his business. However, he remained a friendly, sporting and humble person who was actively involved in charitable activities. [12] Lim was well known as a risk taker. The idea of building a resort on top of the hill is very costly and the outcome is not guaranteed. He had spent all of his fortune in conducting this project [12]. However, he foresees that one day, Malaysians will desire for a cool mountain holiday resort. This is due to the countrys weather and also the economy stability. He is very brave yet very careful in conducting this project. Behind every successful man, there is a successful woman. In Lims case, behind Genting Group, there are many workers. Lim always believed that is the people that run the organization. This project will never success if its a one man show. The Best Employer Award that he won in year 1996 has proven that he is a employer who care and look after his employees Lim Goh tong had set up a foundation called the Yayasan Lim which donates regularly to educational and medical institutions and other charitable organization [12]. Lim is never stingy in donating money. As a result of generosity, he gained more respect from others and of course adding his own karma Picture of the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong [17] Tony Fernandes Background The name Tony Fernandes or now, with the Title Dato Sri Anthony Francis Fernandes, is already a household name not only in Malaysia, but throughout the ASEAN region, and beyond especially in the aviation industry. Born 30 April 1964, inKuala Lumpurto aGoanfather andMalacca Portuguesemother, the late Stephen Edward Fernandes and Ena Dorothy Fernandez. When he was young, he used to follow his mother, who is aTupperwaredealer to parties and conventions [18]. Tony Fernandes was sent on a jet plane in 1976 at the tender age of 12 to Epsom College, London. The wishes of his parents on enrolling him into a fancy boarding school that is associated with Medicine, like all great leader, he made a total 180 degree turn and end up graduating in London School of Economics in 1987 [19]. But during his years in the boarding school, young Tony was home sick and pleas to be home, but due to the high airfare, his parents does not allow him to be home even during the holidays. From that day onwards it was his ultimate dream to provide low cost flights. Career Tony Fernandes raise to one of the celebrated and successful entrepreneur and innovator start with unorthodox route. He took the road that is less taken. He start as financial controllerforVirgin RecordsinLondon owned by his current partner in Air Asia X, Sir Richard Brenson.Upon his return toMalaysia, he became the countrys youngest-evermanaging directorfor Warner Music. He was responsible for turning ethnic music and transforms them into the mainstream Malaysian music. He raise to the occasion and got promoted to be theSouth East Asianregional vice-president forWarner Music Groupfrom 1992-2001.During the merging of Time Warner merged with CNN, there are many unrest among the employee,, like many others, Tony protest the merge and resign [20] Tony went back to London to pursue his dream to own a low cost no frill airline. His inspiration came from his friend, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who is the founder of the Easy Group, who made British Airways a run for their money. Flying Barcelona to Paris for less than 10Â £, amaze Tony and he thinks that business model is able to apply in ASEAN, with the capacity of 500 millions, the potential is huge [21]. Tony Fernandes return home, Malaysia to lobby his idea to the then Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir Mohamed who gave his blessing to Tony on the condition he took over an Air Asia, a struggling GLC, with a Rm 40 million debt and only 2 elderly 737s. Tony agrees and took over the company for a token price of Rm 1 [19]. And from there they say the rest is history. From an airline with just a couple of 737s, it currently has 76 aircraft, 25 Airbus A330s . Last year it carried 19millions passengers within the Asia Pacific region [22]. Hallmark Like all successful leader, Tony Fernandes have the all the hallmark that made him who he is today. One of the main trademarks of his success is his vision and his know-how on what actually the consumer wants [23]. His hand on approach is one to be admired. Busy with various venture for example tune hotel, tune talk and Lotus Formula one, Tony Fernandes still find time for his main priority, which is Air Asia, his leadership based on the principal Practice what you preach always apply. Every month he spends his time in various division of Air Asia, from day as a baggage-handler to a cabin crew. He has even established a division to hold gathering among the staffs [19]. A close bond with his staff creates a friendly working environment with equal opportunities for everyone is the main ingredient behind of the success of Air Asia, according to Tony the company works as a family. Achievement With Air Asia, Tony have won a lot of awards, locally and internationally, but the biggest honor arguably when he was inducted into the Aviation hall of fame in2009 for shaping the aviation industry evolve. During the same award ceremony Air Asia and its sister company Air Asia X also was awarded Airline of the year. To add icing on the cake, Tony was the youngest recipient of the award [24]. He quote saying You would be a legend only because of the people behind you, acknowledging the Air Asia team behind his success. Apart from his award, the biggest award for him was gaining the landing right to Singapore breaking years of monopoly on the Kuala Lumpur- Singapore route by Singapore and Malaysia Airlines [25],also the exclusive long haul flight from Kuala Lumpur -London, achieving his boyhood dream [26] . Like his tagline Now everyone can fly , certainly everyone do now. . Background When mention about fashion and design, there are always 5 top places that are associated with. London, Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angles. These are regarded as the fashion capital of the world [27]. Top designers brand like Calvin Klien, Tommy Hilfiger, Prada, Burberry and Versace kept their base. Almost all the human race pick up a magazine like vogue to follow the latest trend. But when mention Malaysia, there is a lot of blur facial expression and question mark. This is because Malaysia is not known to produce a lot of fashion designers, but when mention about Jimmy Choo, Hollywood leading ladies from the fashionista like Sarah Jessica Parker [28], latina beauty Jennifer Lopez [19] and even the English Rose, the late Princess Diana [30]. Thus there is no doubt about this Malaysian innovator have change the fashion industry with his sleek and creative design of hand-made shoe. Born into a family of shoe maker, in Penang Jimmys father Choo Kee Yinis a successful shoe maker himself. Jimmy also describe his mother as as being very good at shoemaking [31]. Jimmy made his first pair of shoe at a tender age of 11 [32]. He is perhaps the most notable of students of Cordwainers Technical College in London Borough ofHackney, Londonfrom which he graduated in 1983. The college is now part of theLondon College of Fashion. Career Jimmy have a humble start, as he graduates, he works in a local shoe factory and slowly opened his own workshop in Hackney, London by renting an old hospital building [31]. His career took off when Vogue magazine featu

Public Relations Contigenct Th :: essays research papers

"Contingency Theory of Accommodation and Advocacy" Contingency theory of accommodation/advocacy is a more realistic depiction of public relation strategies or models based on a continuum. The contingency theory represents the organizations possible stance on a wider range of publics than an individual one fostering rigid and exclusive categorization mostly found in a limited set communication models. Basically what the theory is getting at is opening the spectrum of the public to come to a more rounded synopsis of the issue or product. Amanda Cancel, Michael Mitrook, and Glen Cameron conceptualized the theory to offer a better understanding how the public relations field manages conflict and reaches out to the public in external communication. A study was done by 18 practitioners to see if the contingency theory made any sense to them. The theory itself offers 86 possible factors in the continuum at any given time to any given public. This allows the continuum offered to de pict how an organizations stance toward one given public and not the outcome of the interaction with that public. The theory focuses then on what decisions led the organization to their stance in concern with greater or lesser accommodation to that public. One of the many factors suggests that more accommodation or more advocacy will be effective in gaining departmental and organizational objectives in the short and long term. The contingency theory further goes on to say that an accommodative stance, questionably a part of a two-way symmetrical communication may not be completely ethical, in fact it could be contrary and unethical to morally repugnant publics, for those who hold some positions to be morally absolute. A position of a moral magnitude holds more so than that of any belief in the dialogic process. This also bring into view ethical charges of paternalism and the convictions of an organization that advocacy is morally superior to two–way symmetrical communicati on. Communication processes such as dialogue, compromise, collaboration and cooperation denote agreement, but engaging in these degrees are not always on the highest moral position. In certain cases taking a moral stance means putting the ethical principle above two-way symmetrical communication. The contingency theory attempts to structure a better understanding to dynamics of accommodation and advocacy while institute the ethical aspects of accommodation to the efficacy in public relations. This is one sample method that was used in the study of contingency. The sample test consisted of eighteen different public relation managers, ranging from middle to upper class.

Sharing Music over the Internet :: Digital Media Sharing

In a report prepared by Arbor Networks, a network-management firm employed by over 70 percent of the top ISPs globally, peer-to-peer sharing has reached more than 60 percent of the net traffic in the year 2012. Peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites allow internet users to download music, videos and programs without having to pay for them. Technically, this is described by the law as stealing which makes peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites illegal. Moreover, the government, through the enforcement of certain laws, imposes discipline to its citizens with regard to downloading and sharing music over the internet. Copyright Infringement The Department of Justice of the U.S. government presented a report Task Force on Intellectual Property which clearly imparts the laws protecting intellectual properties of individuals. As stated in the report, an intellectual property is an intangible property which is expressed through ideas and inventions. Copyright is intended to protect these intellectual properties including music—its lyrics and composition. Through the Copyright Act, the creator is given exclusive rights which encompass credit until after 70 years from death and the option of distribution. In peer-to-peer sharing and free downloads where music is used commercially in the internet, copyright is violated. In fact, as the shown in the statistics above, copyright infringement is practiced by millions in just one day. Probably, these people do not know and fully understand the laws and the penalties such as fines and imprisonment if they commit copyright infringement. Piracy The music industry, as represented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), has gone procedures in fighting both copyright infringement and piracy. Accordingly, as shown in the report of Arbor Networks, the overwhelming 40 percent of net traffic that shares music through peer-to-peer connection has rapidly decreased to just 18 percent in the year 2009. RIAA has sued internet fans who commit infringement. Furthermore, the association has also presented piracy surcharges on ISPs which offer an upgrade to peer-to-peer connections for fast downloads at a fee, and websites which provide free searches and downloads for music. Government’s Response To stop piracy and copyright infringement, the Congress commenced the â€Å"Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2003†. As stated in this bill, the Congress appeals to the Department of Justice, along with the FBI, to involve their departments in discovering peer-to-peer file sharers and taking legal actions against them.

Challenges in Hrm

Studies in C ontinuing Education, V ol. 23, N o. 1, 2001 Challenges in Human Resource Development Practitioner Preparation ROBYN JOHNSTON University of Technology, Sydney This article describes some of the challenges that confront designers of programs which prepare or upskill Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners. It surfaces varying perspectives of human resource development and some of the issues that confront organisations in the post-industrial economy which have implications for HRD practice.It also surfaces some tensions and areas of convergence that can be seen in recent studies which have investigated the role of HRD practitioners. The  ® nal section recommends some substantive areas that should be addressed within HRD preparation programs which are designed to equip learners for practice in the current organisational context. ABSTRACT Introduction Organisational learning and skill formation initiatives are increasingly being seen as contributing to the achievemen t of organisational competitiveness in the contemporary economy.As a result, the development of employees has become a more prominent organisational practice. Since Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners are primarily responsible for employee development there is a need for them to become more highly skilled to ensure that their practice meets the changing needs of organisations. Formal educational programs in the practice of HRD provide a way of assisting practitioners to acquire the skills they now need for effective practice.The design of such programs, however, is problematic given the emergent and cross-disciplinary nature of the  ® eld. This paper surfaces some of the challenges associated with program design for the development of HRD practitioners, drawing from discussions in, and pro ® ling research from, the HRD literature. The  ® nal section of the paper proposes several key areas that need to be addressed in preparatory programs for HRD practitioners.Some D e ® nitions In focusing on the development challenges for such an occupational group, this paper is using ? Human Resource Developer? as an umbrella term to encompass those practitioners whose work within organisations is concerned primarily with improving performance through fostering learning in individuals, groups or the organisation more collectively. Whilst the diversity of practice in the  ® eld is acknowlISSN 0158-037X print; 1470-126X online/01/010037-17 O DOI: 10. 1080/01580370120043231 2001 Taylor & Francis Ltd 38 R. Johnston dged, for the purposes of this paper those working in organisations with positional labels including enterprise trainer, training of ® cer, trainer and developer, learning strategist or consultant, performance developer, organisational developer and staff development of ® cer are being collapsed into one occupational category. All of these labels have been or are being used in organisations and in the literature to designate those whose primar y work is to improve performance in organisational settings through fostering learning (Mulder, 1992).The paper also uses the term Human Resource Development as an umbrella term to describe the work of such practitioners. It therefore considers HRD practice as encompassing orthodox forms of training as well as other forms of employee or organisational development. Challenge 1: what is driving HRD practice? A major challenge confronting designers of programs for HRD practitioners is determining what is driving HRD in organisational settings.Certainly those writing about the  ® eld in both journals and HRD methodology texts provide a number of competing perspectives about this question (Kuchinke, 1998; Barrie & Pace, 1997; Garavan et al. , 1995; Chalofsky, 1992; Watkins, 1989). A brief summary of some of the differing perspectives follows. HRD is Primarily About Meeting Business Needs Through Learning There is a body of literature that argues that HRD is  ® rst and foremost about improving performance through learning-based strategies for the purpose of achieving business goals.This perspective, underpinned by human capital and strategic human resource theories, claims that the real value of HRD practice should be measured in terms of its contribution to organisations as opposed to the value of learning for the individual (Kuchinke, 1998; Stace & Dunphy, 1996; Torroco & Swanson, 1995). It emphasises that HRD activity should provide measurable value-added outcomes that are aligned to the mission, strategic goals and business planning processes of organisations.It also argues that HRD practice is proactive and therefore about anticipating imminent business needs and shaping the organisation’s future through contingency plans that  ® rms can deploy when situations warrant (Kuchinke, 1998; Martocchio & Baldwin, 1997; Garavan et al. , 1995). Such a future orientation means that HRD practice should be about improving the ? exibility and adaptability of wo rkforces and business units and therefore should work in close association with other organisational or business systems, and sometimes customers or suppliers, to help achieve business goals.A business-oriented perspective of HRD would suggest that HRD preparation programs should foreground learning activities that increase learners’ understandings of the functioning and direction of their organisations and the pressures these organisations face. Such programs should build learners’ capacities to diagnose immediate and future organisational skill level needs. They should also provide learners with an understanding of a range of strategies for achieving and communi- Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 39 cating measurable and transparent outcomes in terms of performance improvements that are valued by organisations.HRD is About Fostering Individual Employee Growth and Development Through Learning A competing perspective of HRD is that it is primarily about helpin g individuals working in organisations learn and grow. Although there is debate between those arguing that development practice should be driven by an instrumental competencebased approach and those arguing for a more holistic humanistic approach to employee development, advocates from both camps posit that the major concern of HRD is that of helping individuals and groups learn through formal training or some other planned strategy (Barrie & Pace, 1997;Watkins, 1989). As a consequence, the organisation will bene ® t, but this is secondary, as the main concern is always for the people engaged in the learning. This perspective of HRD argues that learning is the mechanism for empowering individuals by equipping them with skills and knowledge required for technological and occupational change. If practice is driven by a humanistic orientation, it often involves learners planning their own development.It also attempts to enhance the capacity of individuals for critical re? ectivity by recognising that individual identity and growth are integral to learning. On the other hand, when skill formation and learning is driven by a more instrumental approach and based on industry- or enterprise-based competency standards, orthodox training classes and on-the-job coaching and assessment of competencies are common.This emphasis on the need for individual employee growth through learning is sustained by recent organisational literature, which argues that individuals should take greater responsibility for their own ongoing development and career management. Such literature suggests that individuals can no longer expect their employers to take sole responsibility for ensuring employee career development given that contemporary employment is often project based and therefore less permanent.In this scenario, individuals need to make opportunities for their own growth and development and hence should seek individual learning and growth opportunities from HRD activities (Arnold, 1997; Wilson & Barnacoat, 1995; Handy, 1995). This perspective of HRD would suggest preparation programs for HRD practitioners should provide learners with sound understandings of the principles of adult development and learning and with capacities to design development approaches which enhance individual learning and development.HRD is About Fostering the Development of a Learning Organisation This third perspective is found in both management and HRD literature, and is frequently associated with high-performance organisations that are utilising new working practices including the application of more sophisticated production technology, more participative approaches to decision making, team-working structures and more ? exible use of labour. It is also a perspective of HRD practice often found in organisations undergoing signi ® cant structural or cultural change (Marquard & 40 R. JohnstonSofo, 1999; Barrie & Pace, 1997; Field & Ford, 1996; Watkins & Marsick, 1992; Jones & Hendr y, 1992). Such organisations frequently identify themselves as learning organisations or at least indicate that they are aspiring to become learning organisations. De ® nitions and descriptions of learning organisations vary. Most de ® nitions, however, suggest that such organisations have characteristics which include the capacities to collect, store and transfer knowledge which enable them to continuously transform themselves and so attain high levels of performance and competitive positioning.These de ® nitions and descriptions also suggest that learning organisations empower employees to learn as they work both individually and collectively, to utilise technology for more productive outcomes, to strive for continuous improvement, and to critically question processes and work practices and their underpinning assumptions (Denton, 1998; Garavan, 1997; Coopey, 1996; Field & Ford, 1996). Thus, this perspective of HRD advocates that a prime dimension of HRD practice should be th e promotion of a form of collective learning that allows organisations to transform themselves.The focus of the learning organisation approach therefore is on the work team, the business unit and the wider organisation rather than the individual, although individual skill development is still recognised as important. In organisations adopting this perspective the HRD practitioner often works as an internal consultant. This role requires the HRD practitioner to advise teams and business units on problems, assist with the management of change and foster continuous improvement processes and attitudes.There is less emphasis in such organisations on formal training in technical and procedural skills and more on development of behavioural skills and learning though collaborative experiences which occur in the workplace and through work roles. Team building and facilitating change through action learning are common practices for such HRD practitioners (Argyris, 1994). This perspective of H RD also acknowledges that the learning that determines organisational achievement is often tacit or attained informally. Hence, HRD practice involves stimulating questioning about current work processes and creating opportunities for critical re? ction on both explicit and tacit knowledge used as part of work. It may also involve working with managers or supervisors to establish more open workplace climates which can provide for participative decision-making opportunities for employees and which recognise the contribution that difference and diversity can make to workplace outcomes. Programs seeking to develop practitioners with this perspective of HRD should provide learners with enhanced capacities to understand the directions and the dynamics of their organisations, including the work of the various subsystems within their organisations.Such programs should develop in learners an understanding of how to network with and in? uence those working in organisational functions other th an HRD in order to collaboratively achieve the sought-after collective learning. Such learners need to acquire skills in promoting individual and organisational change. This may require developing skills in using traditional upskilling approaches but may also involve HRD practitioners acquiring skills in the design and implementation of less orthodox development strategies to assist individuals and groups Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 41 ollectively to develop new frameworks for understanding their roles, responsibilities and relationships in organisations. HRD? a questionable area of work specialisation A more radical perspective, occasionally found in both popular management journals and some more academic critiques of training and human resources, questions the contribution and position of HRD as a separate organisational function or as a specialist role. Arguments used to advance this position are that, in the downsized, team-based learning organisations of today, s eparate HR/HRD specialists are unnecessary for organisations; that all anagers and supervisors should be the trainers and developers and stewards of their staff; that all employees have a responsibility for their own career development; and that developments in technology such as ? just in time? on-line services, computer-based training packages, ? exible and self-paced learning packages, and computerised HR management systems allow learning to occur anywhere, any time without a trainer or HRD specialist needing to be present (Ulrich et al. , 1997; Goldrick, 1996).Stewart (1996) further illustrates this line of argument, positing that since human resource (HR) practice does not increase competitive business advantage, all HR services, including training, can either be abolished, outsourced or absorbed into the normal roles of supervisors, team leaders and managers. The future for HRD specialist practitioners according to this approach would be as specialist consultants or contract t rainers working for a number of client organisations. The emerging body of literature about learning in small enterprises could also be seen as challenging the need for specialist HRD positions in organisations.Several recent studies examining learning in small business have shown that there is considerable learning through development-related experiences occurring in small enterprises, despite the fact that most lack an HRD function or HRD specialists (Harris & Simons, 1999; Field, 1997; Rowden, 1995; Hendry et al. , 1995). In many small enterprises development occurs because an employee needs to know or be able to do something in order to be useful in the organisation. This pervasive form of human resource development is usually provided by a more experienced co-worker or manager or supervisor and informed by a pragmatic common-sense logic.The reported success of such an approach to HRD for small enterprises could be seen as raising questions about the value of specialist HRD skil ls preparation. Some post-modernist writers also critically question the value and the traditional contribution of the specialist HRD practitioner in the development of individuals or organisations. Such critics seek to interrogate many of the cherished truths trainers hold. For example, they question the idea that competence can be clearly de ® ned and that the values of the workers match those of the organisation.Furthermore, they deny that there is a single best practice and are highly critical of training and development activities which inculcate compliance to organisational rather than individual needs (Garrick & Solomon, 1997; Garrick, 1994). While there is some overlap between the competing perspectives presented above, 42 R. Johnston each perspective could be seen as suggesting a need for a different emphasis or focus for attention in designing programs which prepare HRD practitioners. Alternatively, the existence of these perspectives could be seen as suggesting the need for inclusion of each perspective within such programs.Challenge 2: the changing nature of workplaces Further challenges also exist for designers of any programs preparing individuals for new vocational roles when the sites of such vocational practice are subject to signi ® cant change. Such change can render what has previously been seen as essential working knowledge less valuable, and can create an imperative for new knowledge and practice. As a result, it could be argued that any practitioner preparation only achieves relevance if it addresses at least elements of the changing context of work and occupations.The literature addressing the changing nature of organisations contains a number of interrelated themes that have signi ® cant implications for the role of HRD practitioners and their practice. The following section brie? y considers three frequently occurring themes. Organisational Change Responses for Achieving More Competitive Positioning Recent organisational litera ture has examined the structural and cultural changes made by organisations in response to the more competitive global economy. Some common responses to this environment have included: the move to leaner, more ? xible, less hierarchical, more team-based organisational structures which allow more rapid response to the changing economic environment; the establishment of more dynamic, competitive and participative organisational cultures requiring individuals to be more accountable for their own performance, and the use of more powerful information, management and production technologies (Handy, 1995; Senge, 1990; Kanter, 1989). These responses have contributed to the use of more ? exible employment practices within industries and enterprises that are reducing the opportunities for some individuals to secure permanent employment.Flexibility in employment practice has also produced new conceptualisations of both careers and work itself and has required new understandings of the processe s of career planning and development (Arnold, 1997; Handy, 1995; Hilltrop, 1995; Bridges et al. , 1994; Lawler, 1994; Ostermann, 1988). While there is vigorous debate about the nature and effects of such change there is little questioning that these changes have occurred (Casey, 1999; Tessaring, 1998; Rifkin, 1995; Handy, 1995). In such a changing environment the HRD practitioner faces a number of new challenges.Firstly, they may  ® nd themselves responsible for upskilling employees for new roles which require new mindsets about the way work is to be carried out on the part of employees. The HRD practitioner may therefore be involved in motivating learners to accept new organisational roles and structures and imposed organisational cultures at a time when long-established reward and recognition systems are eroding. Secondly, as time frames for achieving desired organisational outcomes are Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 43 educed, HRD practitioners can no longer rely on using HRD strategies that are reliant on well-established calendars of development events which can be implemented over a long time period. Thirdly, HRD practitioners themselves in this context of change and accountability are increasingly being required to demonstrate their own contribution to the achievement of measurable and valued outcomes for the organisation. These are only three changes that place new demands on the HRD practitioners and require them to have new forms of working knowledge.Formal HRD practitioner preparation must therefore be designed to equip these practitioners with capacity to both anticipate change in the global economic environment and assist with the shaping of their organisations’ response. In so doing, HRD practitioners will no longer be able to rely on traditional models for answers and time frames for action. This presents the challenge of how HRD learners can be prepared so that they are more responsive to the changing context of the environ ment of their organisation and in Rhinesmith’ s (1995, p. 7) words, help them to ? reframe boundaries? and ? develop new mindsets? about practice. Core Organisational Competencies for the Information Age Discussions about the core competencies which organisations need for survival in the post-industrial economy are also prominent in contemporary organisational literature. These discussions frequently emphasise the need for organisations to develop knowledge generation and knowledge management competencies.They also advocate that employees from all levels and from most occupational  ® elds need to see themselves as knowledge workers who require enhanced formal and abstract skill sets (Casey, 1999; Ulrich, 1998; Denton, 1988; Rifkin, 1995). Additionally, managerial and learning competencies are seen as essential core organisational competencies for achieving competitive positioning in the contemporary business environment (Stuller, 1998; Ulrich et al. , 1997; Dunphy et al. , 1997; Boxall, 1996; Prahalad & Hamel, 1990; Leonard-Barton, 1992). Dunphy et al. 1997), argue that an organisation’ s capacity to create and embed learning around the strategic tasks is critical for its long-term performance. To achieve this, they claim organisations (and their employees) require engagement competencies (communication, motivating and enthusing, commitment formation, integration, path  ® nding and enaction), business technology competencies (the business-speci ® c technology through which the organisation creates and delivers value) and performance management competencies (1997, p. 232). Dunphy et al. see the task of embedding such competence as resting with managers.It could also be argued that this task is also a responsibility of the HRD practitioner. This therefore requires the HRD practitioner to have an understanding of these core competencies, the skills to develop the needed competencies in others as well as the skills to ensure that the competenci es are practised by employees. The requirement for new skill sets or competencies once again places pressures on HRD practitioners. One pressure is that they must learn to rede ® ne their own roles 44 R. Johnston as part of the knowledge generation/knowledge management process of an organisation.Some evidence of the value of such reframing of the HRD practitioner role to include knowledge management is already emerging in the US literature (Stuller, 1998). Secondly, HRD practitioners need to assist their trainees to see the value of acquiring and using more abstract skills and knowledge. Thirdly, the call for new forms of managerial competence suggests the need for HRD practitioners to increasingly understand the broad range of attributes and skills comprising successful organisational management and once again to design strategies which both develop such skills amongst managers and facilitate their use.Workplaces and Work Roles as Sites and Sources of Signi ® cant Learning A fu rther theme in the organisational change literature of immediate relevance to designers of preparatory HRD practitioner programs is that which advocates the importance of learning for competitive workplaces. No longer is organisationally useful learning being seen as solely that which is delivered in workplace training rooms. It is increasingly being seen as occurring when employees share knowledge gained through collaborative work experiences, or from discussions with competitors, or gained from ? n line? sources or other electronic data repositories (Marquard & Sofo, 1999; Davernport, De Long & Beers, 1998; Denton, 1998; Rowden, 1995). In some organisations the introduction of performance management systems has further reinforced the notion that the development process takes place within the workplace and the work role. As a result, in many organisations the HRD practitioner is a consultant or coach working directly with individual employees and managers to develop the performance necessary to achieve the strategic goals of the organisation (Marquard & Sofo, 1999).An increased recognition of a need for more effective communication, problem solving, team building and con? ict resolution skills on the part of employees has also been part of the discussion associated with the importance of workplace learning. Newer work behaviours being sought are often based on making more explicit employees’ tacit knowledge about how the organisation operates and a range of interpersonal attributes. Smith and Hayton (1999) suggest that development activities to build these forms of work behaviour are particularly evident within organisations that have ntroduced quality improvement processes and new forms of work organisation. Each of the above themes has implications for the work of the HRD practitioner and in turn for the design of preparation programs for such practitioners. These themes suggest the scaling back of traditional bureaucratic organisational structures a nd the emergence of new forms of employment in which employees play differing roles and complete different work. The themes imply the need to equip employees with a broader range of skills and changed mindsets about the nature of work.Similarly, HRD practitioners require understanding of the newer skills required in organisations and the differing delivery formats which may be more appropriate for the new forms of work. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Challenge 3: diverse  ® ndings in pro ® ling studies 45 The previous sections have drawn on those ideas from the HRD, organisation and management literature that have implications for the design of preparation programs for HRD practitioners.This section considers the challenges that arise from the somewhat diverse  ® ndings from recent studies examining the role of HRD practitioners. One of the largest pro ® ling studies of this  ® eld of practice was completed by the American Society for Training and Development ( ASTD) in 1996. From a survey of the membership of this society this study identi ® ed the range of professional competencies that practitioners saw as necessary to meet the demands of a changing society and their changing workplaces.The critical roles that respondents in this study nominated included: providing performance support services (which required competencies in all interventions not just training); using technology for delivery support interventions(which required competencies in technology planning and implementation); managing human performance systems (requiring an ability to apply business system skills); promoting continuous learning at individual, team and organisational levels, and managing change processes (requiring capacities with technologies that facilitate change and change management consulting).The report argued that the critical competencies for practice were: an awareness of industry or corporations including an understanding of vision, strategy, organis ational culture and how to link HRD practice with organisational goals more than ever before; management skills including leadership skills; understanding the customer focus and project management skills; interpersonal skills and technological literacy (American Society for Training and Development, 1996). While this American study would suggest a broadening role for HRD practitioners, some other studies are less de ® nite.For example, Nijhoff and de Rijk (1997) report  ® ndings from a comparative study of HRD practitioners from four European countries. From this study the researchers tentatively reported that training and development and organisational change activities remained the most important parts of the HRD practitioner role. Similarly some Australian studies of the early 1990s also suggested a narrower role than that found in the United States. For example, Moy (1991) analysed position vacant advertisements for HRD practitioners (using a similarly broad de ® nition of this term as used in this paper).Her data revealed that the traditional responsibilities associated with an orthodox training role such as instructing, facilitating, program design and administration continued to rate highly as key responsibilities in advertised positions. She did report, however, a trend towards advisory and diagnostic service and showed that organisational change and development, analysing needs and conducting skills audits, advising on individual career development and strategic HRD planning were amongst the most frequently identi ® ed responsibilities in newly created positions.Another Australian study of the early 1990s, using professional association members from this  ® eld, also found a dominant training orientation for those in this role. This study suggested that there was no indication of a shift towards a broadened 46 R. Johnston HRD role or to role specialisation (e. g. needs analyst, learning evaluator) or to any role transformation as had been pr edicted in some of the literature of the late 1980s (Dunstan, 1993). Later studies, however, have provided some evidence of change in line with the ASTD  ® ndings.In 1997 Anderson and Johnston examined HRD roles and practices, the challenges practitioners faced and the skills and understanding these practitioners perceived they would need for future practice. The sample for this study was very small and may have been atypical in that all participants were completing formal studies in HRD. Nonetheless, the study comprised practitioners with a spread of experience (6 months and 20 1 years of professional experience with a median of 5. 5 years of experience) and from a wide range of industry sectors.Common HRD Practices Findings from this study revealed that the HRD activities were carried out in organisations by both HRD staff from a centralised HRD function and by line staff. HRD activities undertaken centrally included program development, staff induction, career development and m anagement and change management. HRD work carried out by line staff and supervisors comprised mainly individual training and development and performance assessment. Respondents also reported that many others in the more general HR (Human Resources) function had development responsibilities.Other positions with titles such as Capabilities Manager, Performance Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, and Learning Services Manager were further identi ® ed as having HRD responsibilities. The most common HRD activities conducted in respondents’ organisations included: classroom-based group training, assessment of performance or competence, assisting with the implementation of organisational change, program design, HRD budgeting, program evaluation, one-to-one training or coaching.Other HRD activities undertaken in at least 40% of respondents’ organisations included: monitoring organisational change, career planning, facilitating team development, process improvement/quality in itiatives, and internal performance improvement consultancy. Survey respondents themselves were most frequently responsible for group training, program evaluation, one-to-one training, and assisting with the implementation of change. Payroll administration, award interpretation, recruitment, counselling, HRD management, training resource development, and training record systems maintenance were other work tasks nominated by respondents.These  ® ndings could be seen as re? ecting both the broadening in scope of HRD activities and a blurring of occupation role boundaries(especially with generalist HR staff and managers) within organisations. These  ® ndings also re? ect  ® ndings reported by Moy and, to some extent, those of Dunstan of an ongoing reliance on orthodox developmental strategies for many practitioners. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Perceptions of Recent and Anticipated Changes 47 This study also gathered data on practitioners’ perceptions of rece nt role change and anticipated challenges.Several themes emerged. The most common perception of role change was the increased demand for a closer linkage between HRD initiatives and the core business of the organisation. Several respondents indicated that they were now required to devote more energy to developing the performance of business units, to place a greater focus on workplace issues, and to be more accountable for achieving outcomes that related to organisational goals. These practitioners stated that they needed to be more aware of business goals, more strategic in their practice, and to take on broader roles in the new ? exible? workplace. A second theme to emerge from respondents’ perceptions of change was concerned with the HRD strategies being used within organisations. Several respondents reported that there was more outsourcing of HRD provision by their organisations, that learning centres, individualised learning plans, open learning strategies were being inc reasingly used and that there was more involvement by managers and line supervisors in HRD activities than there had been in the past.Other responses indicated changes related to the focus on industry or enterprise competency standards and assessment of such competency, to meeting mandatory statutory requirements (e. g. EEO, Occupational Health and Safety requirements), to multi-skilling and to the facilitation of organisational change. A small number of respondents also suggested that they were being required to work longer hours with reduced budgets.Anticipated challenges nominated by respondents included preparing the organisation for technological change and the need to adapt to changing learning and development technologies (e. g. computer-based, interactive learning technologies, multimedia and open learning). Several respondents also indicated that they anticipated that their role would require them to address the issue of development of part-time and contract employees. Perf ormance-based training, managing organisational change, and the move to team-based organisational structures were other challenges that respondents anticipated facing.Several expected that they would have to justify the maintenance of the HRD department and its existing budget, and predicted the possibility of further outsourcing of the HRD function. Skills and Understandings Needed for HRD Practice The  ® nal question in the study asked respondents to nominate the skills and understandings they felt were most needed to operate effectively as an HRD practitioner. Communication skills were the most frequently identi ® ed, with responses suggesting a need for both general communication skills and more speci ® c skills in areas such as negotiation and group management.A second cluster of responses related to the traditional skills of training, with respondents listing competencies connected with instruction, facilitation, program design and training needs analysis. A third cluste r of competencies was concerned with organisational awareness. Skills here included planning skills, knowledge of corporate culture, manage- 48 R. Johnston ment of projects, time and resources as well as general administration, budgeting and marketing skills. Other respondents indicated the need for well-developed skills in analysis, investigation, problem solving and consultancy.In the following year, Kostos (1998) reported a further set of pro ® ling  ® ndings from a focus group of learning and development professionals with varying levels of responsibility from within both large corporations and small business. This study revealed that there was a de ® nite shift in the skill requirements of people currently involved in the  ® eld with the greatest change being ? in the area of trainer to consultant? (p. 19). Her study also found that the learning and development function equired professionals to be more aware of business issues in order to make the linkages in the delive ry of learning. Skills in consulting, high-level communication, analysis, resource and project management, using behavioural transformation approaches, organisational development and managing change, use of new technologies, and managing cultural diversity were also required. Participants also nominated the need for a re ® ned capacity for knowledge management. To summarise brie? y, the pro ® ling studies reveal some evidence of change in the HRD practitioner role.While the traditional practices of training and development still constitute major tasks of this role, there is evidence of the need for HRD practitioners to have an enhanced capacity to operate strategically. As such, HRD practitioners could be seen as requiring an increased understanding of the organisational drivers and the capability to work with the dynamics that operate within speci ® c organisational settings. These studies also highlight the ubiquity of change in organisations and the need for practitioners t o be able to work within and develop others within a change context.These studies could be seen as presenting the designer of HRD preparation programs with the challenge of providing learners with both the traditional skills associated with training and development using a classroom-based delivery mode as well as the skills to use alternative strategies both to improve performance in line with business goals and to assist both organisations and individuals to manage change. Some Implications for Preparation of HRD Practitioners The preceding sections of this paper have identi ® ed some of the challenges that confront those who are developing programs to enhance the skills of HRD practitioners.These challenges have been identi ® ed from an analysis of recent literature. There is also some convergence in this literature about the skills and understanding that are needed for contemporary HRD practice which can be used as a guide for determining the content of preparation programs i n HRD. This  ® nal section highlights some of the areas that could feature in such programs. HRD Preparation Programs Should Foreground the Context of Practice There is ample evidence, both from the theoretical discussions of the  ® eld and the pro ® ling studies cited, of the importance of organisational awareness for HRD practitioners.Such evidence suggests that this aspect should be foregrounded in Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 49 HRD development programs in order to assist learners to work strategically and overtly align their practice with organisational directions and the achievement of organisational goals. Even though it can be anticipated that many learners undertaking such formal programs will have had some experience within organisations, developing skills in organisational analysis, strategic thinking and planning, translating business objectives into action,  ® nancial awareness and planning would seem valuable.Similarly, there would seem to be a ne ed for students to be able to develop the communicative capacity to establish the alignment between HRD initiatives and organisational goals at both interpersonal and organisational levels to avoid being marginalised at best or replaced at worst. HRD Preparation Programs Should Address Traditional Training Areas Such as Presentation, Program Design, Needs Analysis and Training Evaluation Pro ® ling studies from Australia and Europe clearly show that the more traditional areas of training/HRD practice are still common HRD activities.It cannot be assumed, however, that the technologies associated with best practice orthodox training are well known or well practised, as many practitioners come into HRD practice as a second career resulting from the expertise they have displayed in a technical or functional role. To better equip practitioners who have entered the  ® eld in this way, program designers need to ensure that their learners develop capacities to implement the learning tec hnologies and strategies (including design as well as delivery and evaluation strategies) that are used within organisational settings.These should include, but also go beyond, the traditional classroom-based models of instruction. Skills in developing employees at their work site are being increasingly required as the workplace becomes the source of working knowledge. Similarly, as some of the studies discussed above show, skills in designing electronically provided learning experiences become pivotal as learning becomes a process that is called up when needed rather than an activity attended when directed. Even with the shift in some HRD work from the specialist HRD function to workplace-based supervisor or onsultant/coach (Kostos, 1998) there is still a need within organisations for expertise in accurate training and development needs analysis and in the design of effective development and support experiences that are appropriate for the learner and the task. HRD Preparation Prog rams Should Foster Capacity of HRD Practitioners to Become Managers of Change A theme pervading most current organisational literature is the need to recognise that organisational change will be a continuing and accelerating feature of post-industrial society.Respondents in the pro ® ling studies also indicated that they anticipated playing a role in implementing organisational change as well as confronting change both in terms of the learning and organisational technologies they would be using. Such  ® ndings would therefore suggest there is a strong need for HRD students to gain a sound understanding of the diverse dimensions of change that 50 R. Johnston impact on their role, and to develop the capacity to assist with the design and implementation of individual and organisational change.HRD Preparation Programs, Particularly for the Australian Context, Should Provide Some Focus on Competency-based Training, Workplace Assessment and Performance Assessment The notion of compete ncy-based training and the process of developing industry competency standards were features of industry training and skill formation policies in the early 1990s in Australia. This approach to training subsequently became a major feature of much vocational training conducted in educational institutions within Australia. The level of adoption of this approach within enterprises is not so clear.For example, a large study of enterprise training in Australia in 1996 by Smith and Hayton (Smith & Hayton, 1999) revealed that most of the enterprises in their sample were not using competency standards to guide their training activities, and that the incidence of competency-based training in enterprises was very low. They did comment, however, that there were notable exceptions in their sample. The study by Anderson and Johnston (1997) cited earlier, however, suggests that some elements of competency-based approaches were being enacted in organisations.A number of respondents in this study in dicated that assessment of competencies/capabilities/performance was a common HRD activity in their organisations. More extensive evidence indicating support by Australian enterprises for competency approaches is reported in a study of 350 companies completed in 1999. Seventy per cent of the respondents in this study indicated that they supported a competencybased training approach for their employees, even though not all companies supported the use of formally developed national industry competency standards.Some companies reported developing standards for their own organisational contexts (Allan Consulting Group, 1999). Despite some of the contradictions in these  ® ndings, it could be argued that HRD preparation programs should provide learners with understandings of issues and processes associated with competency-based training and assessment, as elements of the approach are being used to varying degrees within organisations in Australia.Similarly, calls for the use of perform ance management approaches and the need for performance management and improvement competencies in HRD practitioners (American Society for Training and Development, 1996; Dunphy et al. , 1997) could be seen as reinforcing the argument for enhancing skills in developing performance standards and assessing competence in performance in HRD learners. HRD Preparation Programs Should Equip Practitioners to Prepare Employees for New Forms of Career Planning The literature that discusses the changing world of organisations and work predicts the disappearance of career structures as we know them.It has also suggested that the individual employees will need to develop an expanding portfolio of skills for ongoing employment in the contemporary workforce (Handy, 1995; Lawler, 1994). Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 51 This suggests, therefore, that HRD preparation should equip learners with the capacities to understand and utilise the processes of multi-skilling employees as well as f acilitating individual career interventions. Such skill on the part of the HRD practitioner will allow for more ? exible use f organisational workforces as well as enhancing the employability of individuals both within and outside organisations. Career planning emerged fairly strongly from some of the pro ® ling studies as an important competence for HRD practice. This evidence suggests that some of the tools of the practice associated with this area need to be addressed in the preparation of HRD practitioners. Such preparation may also be salient for the practitioners themselves, as their own careers in HRD will also be subject to the same forces of change as many of the employees in the organisations in which they work.HRD Programs Should Recognise that Those in this Field of Practice are not Located Solely Within a Specially Designated HRD Function Employee development is occurring at various levels in organisations and hence students participating in preparation programs may h ave a range of organisational responsibilities and work backgrounds. This could also suggest that in the preparation of HRD practitioners there is a need to provide education in other HR disciplines in order to provide participants with a broad framework for practice.Similarly, there is a need to help participants develop the capacity to work in close association with those in other positions within organisations, as employee and organisational development initiatives are frequently shared. Conclusion This paper has attempted to foreground some of the challenges that confront designers of preparation programs for human resource developers. These challenges arise from the contested perspectives of HRD, the complexity of the sites of HRD practice, and the divergence in  ® ndings in recent pro ® ling studies of the  ® eld.There is also a degree of convergence in the writing and research about the  ® eld which would seem to suggest that the role scope and hence required working knowledge and skill of HRD practitioners is broadening. This convergence provides a basis for determining the substantive content needed for formal preparation programs for practitioners from this  ® eld. There remains, however, a need for further research into the role of HRD practitioners in contemporary organisations and the practice skills and working knowledge HRD practitioners require.Such research will contribute to the development of relevant preparatory educational programs and may also lead to increased recognition of the role that HRD practitioners play in the achievement of effective organisational practice. Address for correspondence: Robyn Johnston, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. E-mail: Robyn. [email  protected] edu. au 52 R. Johnston References ALLAN CONSULTING GROUP. (1999). Training to compete: The training needs of industry. Report to the Australian Industry Group. NSW, Australian Industry Gro up.AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (ASTD) (1996). ASTD report: Competencies for HRD practitioners. Training and Development in Australia, 23(3), 25 ± 30. ANDERSON , G. & JOHNSTON , R. (1997). Human resource development: Developing developers in a changing landscape. Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Post Compulsory Education and Training, Grif ® th University, Qld, Australia. ARGYRIS, C. (1994). The future of workplace learning and performance. Training and Development Journal, 48(5), 36 ± 47. ARNOLD, J. (1997). Managing careers into the 21st century.London: Paul Chapman. BARRIE, J. & PACE, W. (1997). Competence, ef ® ciency and organizational learning. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 8(4), 335 ± 342. BOXALL, P. F. (1996). The strategic HRM debate and the resource based view of the  ® rm. Human Resources Management Journal, 6(3), 59 ± 75. BRIDGES, W. et al. (1994). The future of workplace learning and performance. Training and D evelopment Journal, 48(5), 36 ± 47. CASEY, K. (1999). The changing contexts of work. In D. BOUD & J. GARRICK (Eds), Understanding learning at work. London: Routledge. CHALOFSKY, N. (1992).A unifying de ® nition for the human resource development profession. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 3(2), 175 ± 182. COOPEY, J. (1996). Crucial gaps in the learning organisation: Power, politics and ideology. In K. STARKEY (Ed. ), How organisations learn. London: International Thomson Business Press. DAVERNPORT, T. H. , DE LONG, D. W. & BEERS, M. C. (1998). Successful knowledge management projects. Sloan Management Review, Winter, 43 ± 54. DENTON, J. (1998). Organisational learning and effectiveness. London: Routledge. DUNPHY, D. , TURNER, D. & CRAWFORD, M. (1997).Organizational learning as the creation of corporate competences. Journal of Management Development, 16(4), 232 ± 242. DUNSTAN, B. (1993). Views for the training and development workplace: A report of practitioner survey  ® ndings. Sydney: AITD. FIELD, L. (1997). Training and learning in small business: Issues for research (pp. 1 ± 21). Sydney: Research Centre for Vocational Education and Training, University of Technology Sydney. FIELD, L. & FORD, B. (1996). Managing the learning organisation. Melbourne: Longman. GARAVAN, T. (1997). The learning organisation: A review and evaluation.The Learning Organization, 4(1), 18 ± 29. GARAVAN, T. N. , COSTINE, P. & HERATY, N. (1995). The emergence of strategic human resource development. Journal of European Industrial Training, 19(10), 4 ± 10. GARRICK, J. (1994). Postmodern doubts and ? truths? about training. Studies in Continuing Education, 16(2), 127 ± 142. GARRICK, J. & SOLOMON, N. (1997). Technologies of compliance in training. Studies in Continuing Education, 19(1), 19. GOLDRICK, P. (1996). Don’ t shoot the messenger. Australian Training Review, 21, 8 ± 11. HAMEL, G. & PRAHALAD, C. K. (1994). Competing for the future.Boston: Harvard Business School. HANDY, C. (1995). Beyond certainty: The changing worlds of organisations. London: Hutchinson. HARRIS, R. & SIMONS, M. (1999). Rethinking the role of workplace trainer: Building a learning culture. Paper presented at the 7th International Conference on Post Compulsory Education and Training, Grif ® th University, Queensland, Australia. HENDRY, C. , ARTHUR, M. & JONES, A. (1995). Strategy through people: Adaptation and learning in the small ± medium enterprise. London: Routledge. HILLTROP, J. (1995). The changing psychological contract: The human resource challenge of the 1990s.European Management Journal, 13(3), 286 ± 294. JONES, A. & HENDRY, C. (1992). The learning organization: Review of the literature and practice. Coventry: Warwick Business School, University of Warwick. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 53 KANTER, R. (1989). When giants learn to dance. New York: Simon & Schuster. KOSTOS, C. (1998). Issues facing learning and development profession als. Training and Development in Australia, 25(5), 19 ± 20. KUCHINKE, K. P. (1998). Moving beyond the dualism of performance versus learning: A response to Barrie and Pace.Human Resource Development Quarterly, 9(4), 377 ± 384. LAWLER, E. E. (1994). From job-based to competency-based organizations. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 15, 3 ± 15. LEONARD-BARTON, D. (1992). Core capabilities and core rigidities: A paradox in managing new product development. Strategic Management Journal, 13, 111 ± 125. MARQUARD, M. & SOFO, F. (1999). Building the learning organisation: Best practice from around the world. In F. SOFO (Ed. ), Human resource development perspectives, roles and practice choices (pp. 321 ± 336). NSW: Business and Professional Publishing. MARTOCCHIO, J. J. BALDWIN, T. T. (1997). The evolution of strategic organizational training. Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, 15, 1 ± 46. MOY, J. (1991). Human resource development practitioner roles and com petencies: An analysis of recent research. Asia Paci ® c HRM, 29(4), 7 ± 23. MULDER, T. (1992). Towards a comprehensive research framework for training and development in business and industry. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 1(2), 104 ± 114. NIJHOF, W. & DE RIJK, R. (1997). Roles, competences and outputs of HRD practitioners: A comparative study in four European countries.Journal of European Industrial Training, 21(6/7), 247 ± 255. OSTERMANN, P. (1988). Employment futures, reorganization, dislocation, public policy. London: Oxford University Press. PRAHALAD, C. K. & HAMEL, G. (1990). The core competence of the organization. Havard Business Review, 68, 79 ± 91. RHINESMITH, S. (1995). Open the door to a global mindset. Training and Development, May, 49(5), 35 ± 43. RIFKIN, J. (1995). The end of work? The decline of the global labour force and the dawn of the post market era. New York: G. P. Putman’ s Sons. ROWDEN , R. (1995).The role of human resource development in successful small to mid-sized manufacturing businesses. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 6(4), 355 ± 373. SENGE, P. (1990). The  ® fth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organisation. New York: Random House. SMITH, A. & HAYTON, G. (1999). Enterprise training in Australia. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 10(2), 251 ± 272. STACE, D. & DUNPHY, D. (1996). Beyond the boundaries: Leading and recreating the successful enterprise. Sydney: McGraw Hill. STEWART, T. A. (1996, January). Taking on the last bureaucracy.Fortune Magazine. STULLER, J. (1998). Chief of corporate smarts. Training, 35(4), 28 ± 37. TESSARING, M. (1998). Training for a changing society: A report on current vocational education and training research in Europe. Thessaloniki: CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training. TORROCO, R. & SWANSON , R. (1995). The strategic roles of human resource development. Human Resource Planning, 18(4), 10 ± 21. ULRICH, D. (1998). Intellectual capital 5 competence 3 commitment. Sloan Management Review, Winter, 15 ± 26. ULRICH, D. , LOSEY, M. & LAKE, G. Eds) (1997). Tomorrow’ s HR management. New York: John Wiley. WATKINS, K. (1989). Five metaphors: Alternative theories for human resource development. In D. GRADOUS (Ed. ), Systems theory applied to human resource development (pp. 167 ± 184). Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development. WATKINS, K. & MARSICK, V. (1992). Building the learning organisation: A new role for human resource developers. Studies in Continuing Education, 14(2), 115 ± 129. WILSON, J. & BARNACOAT, M. (1995). The self-managing strategy. Sydney: Business and Professional Publishing.