Bata India Limited - Cc

A Project Report

inThe best possible employee education, executive

training and management development programs for BATA INDIA LTD. that shall improve job

performance and help individuals to progress towards actualization of their potential capacities.

Developed For

B A T A I N D I A L T D. ( Batanagar Unit, Kolkata )

Submitted On 28 / 09 / 2007

By

Chandan ChakrabortyStudent of MBA ( III rd Semester )

Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences ( GGITS )Under Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

CHALLENGE ……SKILL……COMMITMENT……TEAMWORK 1

Founder

of the

Bata Shoe Organisation

M r. T o m a s B a t a( 1876 – 1932 )


A Message from Mr. Tomas Bata

We are not afraid of the future. Millions of human beings know nothing of footgear of any kind whatever and very few of the rest is well shod. This best shows us how little we have accomplished so far, and what an immense task lies before the shoemakers of the whole world.

Tomas Bata started life as a poor boy but he did not dream of making millions, he seems, rather to be obsessed with the idea of helping his country and his people. In the young Bata there quickly ripens the wish and the determination to CHALLENGE ……SKILL……COMMITMENT……TEAMWORK 3

achieve something. He is a shoemaker - a practical man, but with a power of imagination amounting to genius.

Thomas has visions of colossal factories, with the most modern machinery, installed in airy workshops, and a system of the most modern factory-hygiene. In those workshops, people freed from slavery and squalor are working for the realization of his great social ideal : the shoeing of millions.

Tomas Bata remained true to his dreams of " Good and cheap shoes, even for the very poorest, and high wages for all who worked for him ".


He coined the motto

“Our customers are our masters ".

Long Service Medallion


PrefaceBata India Ltd. Is the organisation that has been

ruling the world of shoe manufacturing in India for more than 75

years now and it’s largest plant is situated in Batanagar, 24

Parganas (s) West Bengal, on the banks of the river Ganges. With

manpower of nearly 2400, the unit is producing quality foot

wares hugely in demand all over the world. It has one of the


oldest but excellent systems of day to day operations and record

keeping including production, planning, purchase, costing,

salary, personal audit etc. It also has been instrumental in

starting its own chain of retail stores which has crossed 3000 in

number. Over the year it has become a household home with

millions of customers loyal to it’s brands. It’s motto, “ Challenge

…… Skill …… Commitment …… Teamwork ” is yielding great

results even in this era of fervent socio economic changes that

are taking place globally.

My object here was to study the existing training

and development facilities in Bata India Ltd. And if necessary to

develop a program that shall enhance the potential of its

employees and executives. This program should be in

accordance with the actual situation related to the morals,

ethics, beliefs and practices of the land. It should go a long way

in improving the production, quality, organisational climate,

technological know-how and above all individual personal

growth.

Acknowledgement

I hereby acknowledge the overwhelming help and

support of the personnel department of BATA INDIA LIMITED and


specially Assistant Manager ( Personnel ), Mr. Debabrata Sanyal

whose heartiest co-operation was the major source of inspiration

and motivation behind the completion of this project. I shall also

be thankful to other departmental heads, some of whom are

listed below:

All India Senior Vice-President : Mr. A. H. M. Ehsanuzzaman

Senior Manager (Leather) : Mr. Shubham Kanti Mondal

Manager (Rubber) : Mr. Amar Nandi

Manager (Engineering) : Mr. Samarjeet Ghosh

Manager ( R& D) : Mr. Supriya Kanji

General Manager (Purchase) : Mr. Atish Chandra Chatterjee

Manager (Commercial) : Mr. Sudip Dutta

Manager (Payroll & Accounts) : Mr. Prabhat Kumar Sur

Senior Manager (Accounts) : Mr. Animesh Mukherjee

Manager (Accounts) : Mr. Anjan Kumar Chatterjee

Manager (Assembly Rubber) : Mr. Dilip Kumar Nandi

Asst. Manager (Admin. & Welfare) : Mr. Manoj Kumar Sarkar

Asst. Manager (Procurement Leather) : Mr. Kuharan Mukhopadhyay

Officer (SBU Leather) : Mr. Kartick Chandra Routh

Each and every employee whom I met during this

project, greeted me with open arms and tried to help me out with

whatever he can, and I am grateful to all of them.


At last but not the least, I would like to take this

opportunity to thank Dr. Anil Kumar Dhagat, Director, M.B.A.

department, Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences

( GGITS ) Jabalpur, for providing us with the opportunity of doing

this project. My sincere gratitude to my family and friends, who

have extended their helping hand from time to time, specially in

adverse situations when I needed it the most and all those who

have directly or indirectly helped the cause of successfully

completing this project.

Dated :

CHANDAN CHAKRABORTY


Declaration

I Chandan Chakraborty, student of M.B.A. ( 3rd

semester ), Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences,

Jabalpur (M.P.) , do hereby declare that this project has been done

as a partial fulfillment of the award of post graduate degree in

business administration, under Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur

( M.P.) for the year 2007 -08.

I declare that this project is entirely based upon my

personal findings, analysis, judgements and is thus an original piece

of work, which has not been published before in its present form

any where in India or abroad. The data upon which this project is

based is secondary data collected from various record books of the

organisation, whose preciseness is expected, not guaranteed.

Dated :

CHANDAN CHAKRABORTY


Index

1} Introduction 11

2} The Existing System 29

3} The Outlook 36

4} Suggestions 49

5} Why training fails ? 52

6} Organisation’s training objectives 54

7} The Training Program 55

8} Absenteeism in Bata India Ltd. 78

9} Research Methodology 92

10} Data and Graphs 95

11}Case studies and Experiences in B.I.L.

105

12} Bibliography 114


INTRODUCTION

The Organisation:

Bata India LimitedBata India is the largest company for the Bata Shoe

Organisation in terms of sales pairs and the second largest in terms

of revenues. With 1250 stores across the country, it also has the

widest retail network within the BSO. By the time Bata had come to

India in 1931, it was already recognized as a leading shoe brand. It’s

manufacturing and marketing

operations heralded the rise and the

development of a modern footwear

industry in India. Before Bata, footwear

was produced primarily in the

handicrafts and small enterprise

segments. Bata, over the decades, used

the ‘current knowledge' from its

international experience to create

adaptive and innovative baseline

standards for the shoe businesses in

India.

Incorporated as Bata Shoe Company Private Limited in

1931, the company was set up initially as a small operation in

Konnagar (near Calcutta) in 1932. In January 1934, the foundation


" I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26

times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot...and missed. I've

failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed! "

- Michael Jordan

stone for the first building of Bata's operation - now called the Bata. In

the years that followed, the overall site was doubled in area. This

township is popularly known as Batanagar. It was also the first

manufacturing facility in the Indian shoe industry to receive the ISO :

9001 certification.

The Company went public in 1973, when it changed its

name to Bata India Limited. Today, Bata India has established itself as

one of Asia's largest footwear retailer. It

has cornered around 35 % market share

in the organized sector (and approx. 8.5

% of the total footwear market) Almost

98 % of the company's revenue is from

the domestic market while the rest is

from exports. The company currently

sells over 45 million pairs of shoes

every year and has an annual sales

turnover of more than Rs. 8000 million

(USD 178 million).

Over the years, Bata

India has established a leadership position in the footwear industry

and is easily the most trusted name in branded footwear. Its retail

network of 1250 stores gives it a reach/ coverage that no other


footwear company can match. The stores are present in good

locations and can be found in all the metros and towns.

" The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of

comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy "

- Martin Luther King Jr.

In terms of products, the company has now built a

good, market-oriented collection that is in line with fashion trends and

offers a good quality to price ratio. Its product range now

encompasses classic shoes such as Ambassador for Men and comfort

shoes such as Comfit for ladies, as well as a more trendy collection

for ladies in the Marie Claire range and a sporty fashion collection for

young adults in the North Star range. Bata's smart looking new stores

supported by a range of better quality products are aimed at offering

a superior shopping experience to its customers. And the new face of

Bata India is now visible to the industry as well as its customers.

Today, backed by a brand perception of experience, the company is

working towards positioning itself as a vibrant and contemporary

young brand. It has significantly transformed its retail formats to

become more lifestyle-oriented, which has helped change consumer

perceptions to a large extent.

The 6 Principles : We provide quality for value.

We constantly improve in what we do.

Our strength is people.


We are partners in progress with the communities in which we

deal.

We build respect and loyalty through service.

We practice “ A Step Ahead ” management.

" It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly

and try another. But above all, try something. "

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Bata is Divided into 6 regions:

1. Europe

2. North America

3. Africa

4. Pacific

5. Latin America

6. India

Bata operates in more than 70 countries worldwide with,

3000 retail outlets of it’s own

Producing 10,00,000 pair of shoes per day

Over 50,000 employees speaking 100

languages


BATA Headquarters,Toronto, Canada

" You may deceive all the people part of the time and part of the people all the

time, but not all the people all the time. "

- Abraham Lincoln

Purpose: To serve the whole BATA family of companies round the world.

To have the right shoe, at the right place, at the right time, at

the right price

Mission:With footwear manufacturing and marketing as

it’s core business to achieve success and become the biggest and

most skillful multiple retailing and distributing organisation with a

dynamic, flexible and market responsive approach to present and

future opportunities for profitable growth.

Success will be measured by the Customers,

employees, shareholders, suppliers and community.

Brands :

Hush Puppies

Dr. Scholls


North Star

Power

Marie Claire

Bubble Gummers

Signature Collections :

Ambassador

Comfit

Wind

The New Projects :

While some mega-projects are still awaiting approval,

Calcutta Riverside and a few others have got the nod from the West

Bengal government, the project to develop the 262-acre Batanagar

estate into a modern township, with a nine-hole golf course, high-end

apartments, villas, condominiums, a hotel, mall, IT park, hospital and

school.

To cost Rs.1,200 cr, Calcutta Riverside is perhaps the

most high profile project under Section-14(z) of the West Bengal land

reforms amendment bill passed in August 2005, which envisages that

sick or closed industries, which require investment to become

functional again, may sell of their unused land, if part of their sale

proceeds is used to restructure the units or for the labour's welfare.

Riverbank Holdings Private Limited, the 50-50 joint venture between

Bata India Limited and Calcutta Metropolitan Group Limited (an


alliance between Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority and

United Credit Bellani group), had a master-plan ready combining

commercial re-use of land with socio-economic development of the

areas in the Batanagar estate.

It’s an equitable deal for the workers. The 1,097

families living on the estate now are to be rehabilitated in new

housing, with a built space of 6,40,000 square feet.

" To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and

what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there."

- Kofi Annan

Further, the terms of Riverbank Holdings lay down

that within 30 days after the end of each calendar year, it must

contribute a sum of Rs. 35,00,000 for the benefit of the employees

of BIL employed in the Batanagar factory. The existing Bata girls,

boys and primary school will be upgraded and a separate school on

6.65 acre and a 300-bed hospital will be built. The 1.2 km riverfront

will also be developed with recreation facilities for residents and

visitors. Post completion, Calcutta Riverside will give employment to

30,570 people. No wonder the project was cleared as part of the

state's social infrastructure development programme.


BATA’s Worldwide Network

"The great successful men of the world have used their imagination…they

think ahead and create their mental picture in all its details, filling in here,

adding a little there, altering this a bit and that a bit, but steadily building -

steadily building."

- Robert

Collier

Various departments operant in Bata India Ltd.

Personnel department :Personnel department is the heart of the organisation

and is one of the most important portfolios, dealing with matters

directly or indirectly related to its human resource, that is it’s

manpower. It acts as a connecting bridge between the employees,

trade unions and other external entities and the management.

Personal department plays a vital role in interconnecting various

departments to enable smooth operation of the organisation.

In Bata India Ltd., the Personnel department maintains

individual personnel audit records in its “ kartotek ” and uses it for

important decision makings related to the transfer, promotion,

separation, performance- appraisal, welfare schemes, services and


benefits, labour relations, grievance handling etc. It is also

responsible for the recruitment and selection of “ the right people for

the right job ”.

Accounts Department :

The accounts and payroll department is one of the

busiest department of the organisation, as it has to maintain each

and every transactional records in the book of accounts on a regular

basis, based on commonly used double entry system. The income

statements, profit & loss a/c and balance sheet are prepared on a

quarterly basis for the management as well as shareholders to

analyze the developments. As Bata India Ltd. Batanagar plant is not a

selling unit the profit earned by it is accrued profit not actual

" One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds. "

- Mahatma Gandhi

profit. Accrued profit is acquired when production is completed below

the estimated production limits and it is in loss when production

surpasses this limit. The extent of transactions through this

department can be expressed through these facts:

Bata India Ltd. ( Batanagar plant ) pays property-tax to the

Maheshtala municipality in the volume of nearly Rs. 5,00,000

per month.

Electricity charges for 24 hours 3 phase connection comes

somewhere in the vicinity of Rs. 60,00,000 per month.

Bonus paid to the employees once in every season (6 months)

amounts upto Rs. 1,20,00,000.


The payroll section is in charge of preparing the

fortnightly as well as monthly pay slips for its different types of

employees ( such as fixed, essential, hourly fixed, special hourly

fixed, accord ) payment is made by calculating many factors along

with their basic pay, some of these factors are DA, Night allowance,

Bonus, Production incentive, House rent, Provident fund, insurance,

medical cover etc. the pay structure of Bata India Ltd. is very well

structured in relation to contemporary manufacturing units, in the

state of West Bengal.

Product Development Department :

The actual job of the product development

department starts with collecting the information from the marketing

department about the

" Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages

- Confucius

design or pattern expected to be in demand in the near future.

Accordingly designs are prepared for all types footwears along with

the material to be used in a particular article. This department is

more concerned with providing comfort to its customers rather than

style. Sizes of the shoe to be manufactured are pre-decided region

wise e.g.:

- For eastern region sizes between 5 to 11 (gents)

- For southern region size is 7 onwards gents) and 4 to 5 general sizes for ladies products.


This department consists of a separate CAD / CAM

section, where designs are prepared and cut by a computerized

cutting machine. The software used for this purpose “ Crispin Cad

Suite ” prepares two-dimensional view of designs. These designs

along with the material are tested in the Research & Development

laboratories before reaching the production department.

Production Planning & Control

Department :

Production planning and control section of

management which delivers the estimate for the production of

particular style during a specific period, so that they may serve the

best possible service to the customer without unwanted late in

delivery or unwanted dumping of the produced goods.

The sales department sends the estimate for the

volume of the goods that is likely to sell, on the basis of statistical

method, market

" Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one

has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's

ideas, to take a calculated risk and to act. "

- Maxwel Maltz

research, previous years performance and promotion of selling effort

they actual did. And accordingly volume of goods is projected for the

production department and costing department then the costing and

production department plan for the procurement of all the necessary


materials, machineries, grinderies etc. and their capacities of

production in terms of manpower they are having. Other functions of

this department are:

This department also prepares the records the volume of product

in the production stream daily. This is called workshop production

balance sheet.

Prepares the plan sheet for the different articles that has to be sent

to either the whole-seller or retailer article wise or the number of

pairs of specific size so that the box of packing completes their

capacity. This is called production invoice for whole sales and

retails i.e. distribution of order plan wise.

Manufacturing Department :

Batanagar plant is one of the biggest manufacturing units in the

state. It is a well equipped with the best machines and safety

equipments, most of them imported from Korea and other countries.

Some of the newly installed machines are capable of producing high

quality footwear round the clock. This department is further divided

into the:

1. The leather factory ( producing leather shoes )

2. The rubber factory ( producing rubber and canvas shoes, rubber

chappals )

" Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek”


- Mario Andretti

both within the Batanagar plant itself. Skilled employees known as

rink conveyor (leather) and sandal conveyor (rubber) carry out the

production through a chain of operations. Some of the operations

involved in shoe manufacturing are last-preparation, upper-insole,

Jaro-molding, preforming, force-last etc.. A constant quality check

during the production process reduces the number of defective pairs

getting to the shops.

6 Stages in production:

- Manipulation (leather & other material cut and bundled)

- Prefabrication (stamping, punching, skiving, gimping,

embossing)

- Sewing (components stitched together)

- Assembly (upper & lower components brought together)

- Warehousing (shoes checked, inspected, sorted, stored,

shipped)

- Retail stores (receive goods, check for accuracy damage,

promote)

Research and Development Department :

The research and development department is responsible for

validating the products and designs prepared for production. Various

mechanical properties related to the materials to be used for the

upper and sole of the footwears are thoroughly checked using

electronic machines these include Tensile testing,


flexural testing etc. designs are checked for its durability.

Suggestions to improve the overall quality of the finished products

are sent back to the product development department.

An overview of the company history :

1894 – The T. & A. Bata, T. & A. Bata Shoe Company (T. & A. Bata)

registered in Zlin, Austria-Hungary by Tomas, Anna and Antonín

Bata

1895 – First business crises, Tomas takes over company's control, Antonín

leaves for the army, Anna gets married

1897 – The ”Baťovka”, the first fabric shoe, introduced and with it

production mechanization, first machine from Germany

1900 – First factory building constructed

1904 – Tomas first journey to the USA

1905 – 2,200 pairs per day produced by 250 employees, in two shifts,

sales department founded

1906 – Second factory building constructed, first of the "new type"

1908 – Antonín dies, Tomas takes full company's control

1909 – First export sales, first sales agencies in Germany, the Balkans and

the Middle East; 3,400 pairs per day produced

1911 – Tomas second journey to the USA


1914 – World War I breaks out, large orders by the Austro-Hungarian army

for military shoes

1917 – World War I large scale orders contributed to company's

exponential growth; 2 million pairs per year sold, 10,000 produced

daily by 5,000 employees, advanced production equipment

imported from Germany; "Bata community" around factory with

shops, housing, schools and hospitals

1918 – Second crises of the company, massive losses, non-paid deliveries

for the state (Austria-Hungary, the newly founded Czechoslovakia

doesn't recognize the debt); production down to 1,700 pairs daily

1919 – Tomas' third journey to the USA, getting acquainted with Henry

Ford's mass production

1922 – Currencies devalued due to World War I, consumer purchasing

power at an all time low, Bata cuts shoe prices by 50% to attract

customers and to expand into 160 company shops throughout

Czechoslovakia

1923 – Employee profit & loss sharing introduced

1925 – The “Bata system” organizes operations in autonomous workshops;

the "Bata School of Work" founded, education and practical

training to future Bata managers; 563 company shops throughout

Czechoslovakia

1927 – Assembly line production introduced

1929 – Customs tariffs introduced in the world, Bata builds factories in

Switzerland (Mohlin), Germany (Ottmuth), England (Tilbury),

France (Hellocourt), Yugoslavia (Borovo), Poland (Chelmek),


Holland (Best), the USA (Bel Camp) and India (Batanagar); the

"House of Bata's service" opens in Prague, replacing older

premises

1930 – 100,000 pairs produced daily; five-day, 40 hours week introduced

1931 – Bata a.s. founded, replacing the former "T. a A. Bata"; by the early

1930s, Bata becomes the world’s leading footwear exporter

1932 – After Tomas Bata’s plane crash his half-brother Jan Antonín Bata

becomes head of the company; at this time the company

continues the diversification into the production of tires, aircraft,

bicycles, machineries; the "House of Bata's service" opens in Brno

1939 – Bata operates 63 companies in various industries with footwear

remaining the core business with 60 million pairs sold per year in

over 30 countries; the Bata family leaves to the USA after Nazi

occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia; Jan Antonín Bata "

subdues " to the plans of Nazis to save the business, on the other

hand supports the exile government of Edward Benes and the

Czechoslovak armed forces in Britain, he saves a large number of

countrymen, including Jews by using the Bata worldwide network

1942 – Tomas J. Bata (Thomas J. Bata) starts to operate from Batawa, near

Toronto, Canada. Instead of leading the Canadian subsidiary

1945 – All Bata companies in Eastern Europe "nationalized" by communist

or pro-communist governments, the company starts rebuilding

itself from the remaining entities outside Eastern Europe;


1946 - Two decades of litigation ensue – members of the Bata family begin

to sue one another over ownership of the international subsidiaries

of Bata. In spite of conflicting decisions has never been fully

resolved

1947 - Jan Antonín Bata accused by the Czechoslovak communists of

various

"crimes" and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in absentia and all

of his properties in Czechoslovakia are confiscated.

1960s – Company’s headquarters relocated to Toronto by Thomas J. Bata,

further expansions through new factories in local markets

1970s – Pvt. Labels created: Bubble gummers, Power, Marie Claire, &

North Star

1980s – Bata develops retailing: Bata city stores, large format stores and

sport concept stores

1989 – Thomas J. Bata visits Czechoslovakia to check and negotiate on the

restitution possibilities, sets up his team to do the work, later on

buys some of the leftovers of the former company from the state

and founds Bata a.s., now as Czech retail subsidiary

1990s – Bata enters the high-price segment: Bata Premium collection.

1995 – Partnerships in Eastern Europe, Bata stores in Russia, Poland,

Croatia, and Slovenia

1999 – Bata concentrates on design, marketing and distribution,

manufacturing moves to low-cost countries and subsidiaries


2001 – Thomas G. Bata, Tomas' grandson becomes the Group’s chairman,

restructures the business into regional " 4 meaningful business

units "

2002 – Bata Shoe innovation Centres for shoe development introduced

worldwide

2004 – In China, Bata procurement centre in Guangzhou opens,

distribution

partnership for the opening of Bata retail stores established

2006 – A township construction began to modernize the Batanagar factory

complex (near Kolkata, to be completed by 2011, with 2500

housing for employees, a hospital, a school, an IT park, a hotel and

residential flats along the riverside); Branded Business Division

founded to consolidate all the branded business activities

2007 - Communist Verdict Against Jan A. Bata Overturned. The City Court

in Prague, Czech Republic has re-opened a 60-year-old case in

which an international businessman and Czech nationalist was

falsely accused of collaboration with the Nazis. Jan Antonín Bata,

brother of the world famous shoemaker Tomas Bata, was

sentenced in absentia in 1947 for collaboration with the Nazis by

the National Court in Prague. Thomas J. Bata, 91, nephew of Jan

Bata, testified on Monday in court to achieve the cancellation of

the verdict against his uncle. He said that he believed that justice

would win.

For the last decade his descendants, led by the sprightly 92-year-

old Thomas J. Bata, son of the company's founder, have fought to

clear his name. They say far from being a collaborator, Jan Antonin


Bata financed the Czechoslovak government-in-exile to the tune of

a quarter of million dollars in secret donations or roughly four-

million of today's US dollars. A former Jewish employee also

testified that Jan Bata had helped her and up to 80 Jewish families

escape from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. All of these facts, say

his family, were ignored by the court in 1947. They say the post-

war Czechoslovak state, buckling under Communist pressure, was

primarily interested in seizing the Bata Empire and its assets.

ORGANISATIONAL CHART

Managing Director

Deputy Managing Director

Executive Director Exports and Commercial


Vice President Sr. Vice President Sr. Vice President General Manager Vice President

Faridabad Patna Batanagar Makamahghat Bangalore &

Bata Shatak

Vice President Vice President

Product development Commercial

Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager

Moulds & Purchase Quality assurance Training & Research & Tannery

Equipment Development Development

Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager Senior Manager General Manager General Manager

Service Personnel Costing Procurement SBU (R) SBU (L)

Senior Manager

Manipulation

Source : Quality manual 2006, B.I.L. Batanagar

THE EXISTING SYSTEM

The existing training and development program in

Bata India Ltd. Comprises of specifically designed courses segregated

as under:

1) Technical Courses

2) Concept Oriented Courses


3) Functional Courses

4) Management Courses

5) Industrial Relations Courses

6) Presentation Courses

A more detailed structure has been given below. It

should however be noted that these were developed individually at

various times and places.

A ) Technical Courses :

1. Materials for shoe making

2. Plastics for shoe making

3. Leather selection and grading

4. Manipulant’s Course

5. Tanner’s Course

6. Basic drawing and technical steps

7. Product development

B ) Concept Oriented Courses :

1. Work-Study appreciation

2. Work measurement

3. Work Simplification

4. Effective Presentation

5. Balham Technique

6. Costing and Cost control

C ) Functional Courses :

1. Purchasing Management


2. Maintenance Management

3. Accounting system

4. Quality control

5. Production planning

D ) Management Courses :

1. MANDEVCO ( Managerial Development

Course )

2. COVOSOC ( Connaisses Votre Societe )

3. AMA ( Part - I )

4. AMA ( Part - II )

E ) Industrial Relations Courses :

1. Human relations

2. Industrial safety

3. Interflow management

4. Effective Communication

5. Safety hygiene and First aid

6. Floor administration

F ) Presentation Courses :

1. Post course presentation

2. SEMPROF ( Professional seminar)

Apart from these the operation has a set of 73

operations required in various stages of the shoe manufacturing

process. Every accord employee directly involved in machine

operations or other related jobs has to master a minimum of 6 skills


to be eligible for working in Bata India Ltd. A separate Training and

Allocation department ( TAC ) is responsible for providing these basic

– skills training. It should however be noted that mostly this training is

given when the employee joins the organisation. The list of skill-sets

has been listed below :

1. Last preparation

2. Upper insole

preparation

3. Sole preparation

4. Insole

pre

par

atio

n

5. Counter putt

6. Counter tight

7. Toe puff putt

8. Cement upper

9. Cement insole

10. Cement lining

11. Cement pocket

12. Cement strap

13. Cement toe-tip

14. Cement bottom

/ sole

26.Strap lacing

27.Thong selt

28.Derby lacing

29.Pre-forming

30. Force last

31.Strap last

32.Repairing last

33. Lamp & Transt

34.Sest press

35.Removing staple

36.Wrinkle chasing

37.Unit moulding

38.Toe marking

39.Roughning

40.Sole putting

41.Air pressing

42.Hydraulic press

43.To go press

44.Apply MEK

45.Shank putting

53. Thread cut

54. Hammering

55. Trimming

56. Scouring

57. Bott skiving

58. Vert scouring

59. Clamping

60. Brushing

61. Edge colouring

62. Edge sett

63. Fillering

64. Upper polish

65. Sole polish

66. Spray

67. Filler putt

68. Foam past

69. Sacks putting

70. Lacing shoes

71. Repairing F

72. Packing


15. Cement sole

16. Rand roll

Ce

men

t

17. Counter nail

18. Thumbing

19. Astra pull

20. Schon F part

21. Hand last

22. Heel last

23. Schon B part

24. Knotting

25. Last putt

46.Cleaning

47.Unlasting

48.Rand laying

49.Rand cut join

50.Beating

51. Fimac stitch

52.Sole stitch

73. Supplying

Training and Allocation department ( TAC ) judges the

potential and capabilities of every employee and assigns a rating to

each of them. It’s indicated by colours against their names in skills

register. This is done during their induction training in the

organisation.

Yellow : 50 % to 65 %

Pink : 65 % to 85 %

Brown : 85 % to 95 %

Orange : 95 % and above


MANDEVCO ( Managerial Development Course )

Duration : 12 weeks

Objectives :

1. To equip selected members of the senior / middle

management team with hand on techniques of professional

managerial behavior.

2. To reinforce the knowledge of the product, the

respective work areas and key function aspects of the company.

3. To promote interface and team building

attributes.

Modules : 12 nos.

1) Rubber factory

2) Leather factory

3) Tannery

4) Materials

5) Management of human resources

i) Communication

ii) Leadership skills

iii) Need hierarchy

iv) Motivation

v) Change

vi) Perception

vii) Ethics


6) General awareness

7) Accounts

8) Production planning

9) Sales

10) Designing and Drawing

11) Costing

12) Purchasing

Module Co-ordinator: Each module under a senior manager as

trainer

Methods:

Practical work in departments

Practical shoe making workshops

Chalk-talks

Group discussions

Idea tanking

Case studies

Exercises

Store visits

Criterion for the assessment of trainees :

Written tests – 20 marks

Practical – 20 marks

Concept – 10 marks

Participation – 10 marks

Leadership skills – 10 marks

Attitude – 10 marks


Team spirit – 10 marks

Reliability – 10 marks

A confidential report with remarks is prepared by the

Module -

Co-ordinator on each of the participants.

COVOSOC ( Connaisses Votre Societe )

Duration: 2 hours in a week for 14 consecutive weeks

Objectives: Same as MANDEVCO

Modules: 14 nos.

1. World of BATA ( Know your Organisation )

2. Tannery

3. Leather SBU

4. Rubber SBU

5. Services

6. Product development

7. Costing and efficiency

8. Moulds and equipments

9. Finance and accounts

10. Personnel and welfare

11. Administration

12. Safety and Environment

13. Purchasing

14. Procurement

Methods:


Lectures

Exercises

The OutlookTo motivate employees to learn, one must first realize

the fact that they already know a great deal and some of them have

been successful to date in various organisational positions. There can

be many reasons for them to be hesitant from learning more

material, such as fear of the unknown or not being successful in

learning new material in the past. To deal with such problems the

training should be :

Relevant

Of value

Confident of being successful ( Win – Win situation )

Long lasting effect

Trainee involvement

Interesting

Another concern while developing a training program

should be that it has to cater to individual differences. The diversity in

individual human nature and characteristics is natural and is thus

bound to affect a training group. Here are some suggestions of

minimizing this effect,

1} Identify individual learning strengths and problems.

2} Align learning objectives to organisational goals.

3} Clearly define training objectives.

4} Involve active participation of the trainee.


5} Use systematic logically connected sequencing of learning

activities, moving from lower to higher levels.

6} Use a combination of many training methods.

7} Use training material that provides a picture which is closer to

real life.

8} Allow trainees to share experiences within themselves.

9} Provide a constant feedback through self-assessment.

10} Special care to be provided to senior supervisors and managers,

in accordance with their learning capacity.

Story

The best possible situation

There was this manager of a firm, who

during one of his visits to his production unit, was told by his

personal assistant that, his coat was torn from behind. Seeing no

respite from this frustrating situation he coolly answered, “ Don’t

worry, everyone here knows me, who I am ”.

After a few days, the same manager went

to a meeting with foreign delegates and guess what, much to

everyone’s surprise; he was again spotted wearing a torn coat.

When told about it, he nervelessly replied, “ Don’t worry, nobody

knows me here, who I am ”. This is on of the finest example, of

how to make best possible use of the situation on hand. One

should try to make every situation work or make it better.


" Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. "

- Maya Angelou

Apart from these, there are some other considerations

for which answers have to be sought while designing an optimum

training program. They are:

How should the training material be developed ?

What training methods to be used ?

How much should the training cost ?

How much time to allot for the training ?

How many trainees to be trained at one time ?

Whether training to be on company time ?

Whether training to be voluntary or mandatory ?

Whether training to be located on or off site ?

How to select the trainee group ?

How to select the trainer and support staff ?

How to evaluate the training program ?

… etc….etc….etc….

Let’s now analyze these, one by one and try to figure

out the best possible answers.


" An expert is a man who has stopped thinking he knows "

- Frank Lloyd Wright

1. TRAINING MATERIALS:

It is easier for the trainee to understand and

remember training material in the form of text ( either in hard or soft

copy ) and can be retained for longer duration for future references.

They can be made more meaningful by,

Material should provide a bird’s eye-view of the overall picture on

the program’s objectives and expectations.

The material should accompany a variety of similar examples from

real life and day-to-day operations, possibly related to

organisational functions, which makes them more acceptable.

The material should be split up into meaningful chunks, i.e.

chapters and articles rather than presenting it all at once.

The material should carry terms and concepts that are already

familiar to the trainees.

The material should be organized logically, from simpler to

relatively difficult chapters.

The material should contain tests and exercises for the trainee’s

self evaluation.

As many visual, pictorial aids should be used as possible to

argument

“ theoretical ” material.


"An entrepreneur is a person who doesn't understand what an obstacle is"

- Diksha Keswani

2. TRAINING METHODS :

The basic objective of choosing a particular method ahead of others is

it’s ability to meet the training objectives. Initially, methods are

evaluated on the basis of their outcomes. For example, there are

methods that imparts,

Knowledge Declarative which gives factual information

Procedural tells us how and when to apply

facts

Strategic used for planning and monitoring

Skills Ability to carry out specific technical operations

Interpersonal skills

Attitude Beliefs, opinions, motivation, perception

etc.

Another possible classification of the training methods can be,

Cognitive methods, which provides verbal or written information,

concepts,

rules etc.

Behavioral methods, which stimulate learning through behavior

and practice.


" Where you are headed is more important than how fast you are going.

Rather than always focusing on what's urgent, learn to focus on what is

really important "

- Stephen Covey

Although no training method is sufficient in itself to

provide every possible skills and knowledge, a combination of many

methods are multifaceted in scope and each is suitable for a

particular situation. Thus, all the methods has to be tested for their

KSA ( Knowledge, Skills and Attitude ) and those yielding maximum “

Yes ” shall be selected.

3. TRAINING COSTS:

Training costs or costs incurred to the organisation for

conducting the training program is measured to be used in analyzing,

whether the training cost worth it? Two approaches for doing so are:

1. Cost – Benefit evaluation : It compares monetary costs of

training to non-monetary benefits.

2. Cost – Effectiveness evaluation : It compares monetary costs of

training to accrued financial benefits.

To find out how much does the training cost, the

upper - management has to look into,


Trainer’s preparation cost and time cost i.e. the cost in actual

money spent on preparing the modules and the time spent on

them.

Training facility rental i.e. if training is scheduled to be carried out

outside the factory premises, the rent to be paid for the venue and

furniture, electricity etc.

" The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little

way past them into the impossible "

- Arthur C Clarke

Training material i.e. the amount of money consumed in

preparation of the training material, modules that shall be

distributed to the trainees and retained by them after the training

ends.

Refreshments i.e. food and drinks supplied to the trainees during

the training period.

Participant compensation cost i.e. the cost of total man-hours lost

due to unavailability of trainees at workplace.

Evaluation material cost and time cost i.e. the cost of material and

time spent on the evaluation of the trainer, trainee and the training

process.

4. TRAINING DURATION AND SCHEDULE:

The duration of a training program varies with the skill

to be acquired, the complexity of the subject, trainee’s aptitude and

ability to understand. The medium and aid used for training also


affects the duration. Generally, what’s followed round the world is

that for larger training durations, schedule must be relaxed and vice-

versa. A training period v/s schedule chart has been shown below:

Total training period

Schedule Breaks Actual training days

Total hours

1 day 3 Sessions ( 2 hours - 2 & 3 hours - 1 )

2 1 7

2 days 3 Sessions ( 2 hours - 2 & 3 hours - 1 )

2 2 14

3 days 2 Sessions ( 3 hours each )

1 3 18

5 days 2 Sessions ( 3 hours each )

1 5 30

2 weeks 1 Session ( 4 hours each )

~ 12 48

1 month 1 Session ( 2 hours each )

~ 26 52

3 months 1 Session ( 3 hours each - alternate

days )

~ 40 120

6 months 1 Session ( 2 hours each - alternate

days )

~ 80 160

1 year 1 Session ( 4 hours each - once a

week )

~ 50 200

Note: This table has been designed keeping in view the human

physical and psychological stress limits. Longer sessions tend to

reduce the absorption and retention powers of the trainee that

hampers the very basic criterion of fulfillment of training objectives.

However, according to the factors stated above, training schedules

can be tailor-made.

5. TRAINEE POPULATION:


The trainee batch size depends upon the training

method applied. For example, Lectures and Demonstrations can

accommodate more participants at a time than Sensitivity laboratory

training, Group discussion etc. Other factors like availability of space,

organisation’s ability to spare employees for training purpose i.e.

participant’s compensation, trainer’s capability to pay equal attention

to trainees etc..

Generally, it is believed that keeping in view all these

facts at

" Believe you can do it. Believing something can be done puts your mind to

work for you & helps you find ways to do it "

- George Shinn

a time and for the program consisting of more than one module, The

trainee batch shall not ideally exceed 30. It is also preferable that the

trainees do not belong to the same department or to actual

workgroups, in order to avoid any form of cartel or groupism.

6. TRAINING SITE:

This decision of assigning a location and venue for a

particular training program depends upon a number of factors such

as,

1) Training requirements and objectives

2) Training budget

3) Trainer’s availability

4) Availability of resources etc..


Modern trainers believe that the location of training,

either within the factory premises or outside the factory does not

affect the quality of training as does the training environment.

Attractive locations can be used to motivate trainees to attend the

program but has a tendency to dilute the discipline part.

7. TRAINING ENVIRONMENT:

To create a learner friendly environment for most type

of training programs the following factors should be kept in mind,

" Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to

the dark place it leads. "

- Erica Jong

1. The hall should be large enough to accommodate the trainees and

training staff along with their accessories including computer, OHP

with screen etc..

2. It’s always better if the hall is square rather than rectangular.

3. It’s nice if the room is windowless, in order to avoid possible

distractions.

4. The walls should be painted in plain light colour without

decorations.

5. The halls should be well illuminated with adjustable lights.

6. The hall should be sound proof and echo proof.

7. The temperature inside the hall should be pleasing.

The ideal furniture setup or sitting arrangements for

most type of training programs has been shown here,


8. TRAINER:

An effective trainer should posses the following set of

knowledge, skills and attitude.

About the Subject matter

About the Organisation

About the training objectives

Knowledge About the adult learning process

About the Training methods

About the use of modern technology


Trainer table

Trainee table

Trainee Chairs

About individual trainee’s Desire for

immediate

application of knowledge

Need for logic, evidence

Resistance to change

Attention span

Expectation level

Motivation level

Absorption level

Retention level

Topical interests

Interpersonal skills

Skills Verbal / Non verbal communication

Organisation skills

" Don't get so busy making a living, that you forget to make a life ".

- Anonymous

Commitment

Helpful

Understanding

Attitude Calm

Confidence

Self efficacy

Commanding

Some other important points to consider are:


1) The trainer should wear what the trainee’s wear ( formal or

informal )

2) The trainer should use the language that everybody present there

can understand properly.

9. TRAINING EVALUATION :

Whenever evaluation of any training program is

conducted it’s either,

i) Process evaluation, which examines how training was designed,

developed and carried out.

ii) Outcome evaluation, which determines how well training

accomplished it’s objectives.

Evaluation must always be based on the following

principles:

1) Evaluation must be done by a specialist.

2) It must be a continuous process.

" To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory "

- El Cid

3) It must be specific on it’s observations.

4) It must be based on objective methods and standards.

5) It must consider realistic time frames for target.

6) It must also appraise the trainer.

Outcomes from a training program are basically a

combination of the following 4 categories:

1) Reaction of the trainees


2) Permanent change incurred in the behavior of trainees

3) Learning of skills by the trainees

4) Fulfillment of training objectives.

“ If you leave the smallest corner of your head vacant for a moment, other

people's opinions will rush in from all quarters. "

- George Bernard

SUGGESTIONS

The already existing training structures and modules

are tested and successful in imparting the technical and conceptual

knowledge and skills in Bata India Limited. It has been found to be an

excellent, detailed design promising solution to employee’s technical

problems. However a few suggestions has been made based on a few

studies and research conducted by me in the Batanagar unit. These

are only applicable to the existing system of training given to the


accord employees. A separate training program for the clerical,

supervisory and managerial staff has been designed hereby to go

along with the in-factory courses.

1) For accord employees, the technological and conceptual

developments in shoe making industries round the world should be

provided from time to time.

2) A separate module on safety and hygiene should be given to them

and short term training provided for the same.

3) Along with technical skills, conceptual knowledge related to the

subject should be incorporated in the training.

4) Organisation should reward any employee if he masters, double

the mandatory skills ( 6 ).

5) As the employees operate in Conveyer system, they need to work

in groups, thus the following modules taken from the training

program designed for the

A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against,

not with the wind "

- John Neal

clerical, supervisory and managerial staff can be modified according

to their level of knowledge and understanding. This could be provided

to them in a small 1 – day package.

1. Building blocks game

2. Guess work

3. I want to be _________


6) Exercises such as story completion can be given to them where

every participant sitting in a chain, adds a line to an incomplete story

until it ends. This can make them more aware of working in groups to

achieve a common objective.

7) More importantly, senior managers need to give pep talks to the

employees once in 3 months, just to try and motivate them to

achieve something more, for themselves as well as for the

organisation.

For supervisors and managers, who are above the age

of 45, special care has to be taken while designing a training

program for them, as they tend to learn better when,

1. Working to address a current, real-world problem,

2. They are highly vest in solving the current problem,

3. They actually apply new materials and information,

4. Exchange ongoing feedback around their experiences,

5. From experience, rather than from extensive note taking and

memorization,

6. Pre-reading material must be sent to them ahead of time,

7. Trainer plays the role of a facilitator and counselor, rather

than an instructor or a coach,

8. Trainer has flexibility, spontaneity, empathy and

compassion,


9. Use the Ask, Pause, Call (APC) method while questioning,

10. Training has proper technical as well as emotional support.

" Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next

moment. " - Oprah Winfrey

WHY TRAINING FAILS ?

The following factors have been regarded as the main

reasons for failure of training programs. These shall be considered


before planning the implementation of programs to ensure a better

success rate.

1) The benefits of training are not clear to the top management.

2) The management hardly rewards trainees for participating in

training programs.

3) Without proper scheduling of training programs, production

gets derailed during that period.

4) Psychological skills or soft skills training are often neglected.

5) Training objectives are often imprecise.

6) Training is given on techniques and machines not used in

trainee’s organisation.

7) Implementation of training in actual job situation is faulty.

8) Training methods employed does not affect every trainee to

the desired level.

9) Opportunities to practice after training are not provided.

10) Training environment conclusive to learning are often

unavailable.

11) Training is not planned according to trainee’s past experiences

and background.

12) Active participation of trainees in any training program is often

found wanting.

13) Constructive feedback from trainer as well as trainees is not

taken.


14) The learning caused by the training is often short lived.

15) Expectation of progress of trainees is often set to unrealistic

levels.

16) Behavioral change in a trainee, caused by a training program

does not always convert to organisational progress.

17) Short term refresher courses in the organization are often

neglected which results in the trainee’s loss of learning.

“ Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks

like work "

- Thomas Alva


ORGANISATION’S TRAINING OBJECTIVES

1. Maintain dominant market share through producing high

quality products in large volume within stringent cost

parameters.

2. To change “ Survival of the fittest ” mentality to “ Collective

survival ”. where together we shall make a difference.

3. To help them identify that personal development should

contribute effectively to organisational development.

4. To develop the urge of taking responsibilities without being

assigned for.

5. To develop creativeness and innovativeness in their thought

process.

6. To identify the psychological needs and aspirations of

colleagues and subordinates.

7. To be motivated to thrive for more and ability to motivate

others.

8. To provide active leadership to the work groups.

9. To communicate properly i.e. listen, read, write and speak

effectively.

10. To have better observation, retention and persuasion power.

11. To have better knowledge of decision making alternatives &

skills to use.

12. To be able to set priorities through time management.

13. To be able to control stress related problems.

14. To be confident at grievance handling / conflict resolution.


15. To be able to move ahead from “ failures ” and “ Successes ”.

THE TRAINING PROGRAM

IntroductionA] To start with :

1) Need to change

2) Ice breaker

3) Break your habit

4) Communication effectiveness test

5) Have you seen it ?

B] Phase – I :1) Attention – Retention

2) Building blocks game

3) What can he say ?

4) On the other side of the table

C] Phase – II :1) The solitary judge

2) Parliament

3) Give me the options

4) Guess work

D] Phase – III :1) I want to be _______

2) It’s an emergency

3) It’s the only time you have got

4) Never say “ No ”

E] In the end :


1) Let’s discuss

2) Grid management

3) Know your boss

Conclusion

Introduction:

To begin this training program, the training objectives

should be communicated to the participants along with the schedule.

It should also be made clear, that there shall be no exams on these

modules. The trainer shall introduce himself to the trainee’s in brief

and ask them what they feel about the program and what are their

expectations from him, as well as from the program.

The support staff shall distribute the

acknowledgement form to the participants and get them duly filled

and signed. The acknowledgement form would contain terms like,

1) I will not talk during lectures until asked to.

2) I will refrain myself from influencing other

participants.

3) I will not ask for frequent breaks.

4) I will ask questions whenever required, only to the

trainer.

5) I will not eat, drink or smoke during training.

6) I vow to maintain discipline in the class.

7) I will take success and failure in the true spirit.

8) I will seriously participate in all the exercises given

to me.


This would help participants to feel the

seriousness and importance of this program. Trainer needs to brief

everyone on the fact that he is not a teacher. Knowledge is a free gift

available for everyone and he is just a

“ Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish ".

- Jean De La Fontaine

medium to transfer this to all the trainees. A little bit of humour to

start with, would be wonderful to settle the nerves. Although he

needs them to believe that he is not a strict disciplinarian, but won’t

tolerate any nuisance either. The trainer should spend a few initial

minutes discussing general topics like news headlines, weather of the

day etc. before starting the actual program.

A1] The need to change:

We live in a world that is changing every moment. The

only permanent thing in this world is change. We might not see or

feel this change in a shorter span of time but it becomes evident in

the longer run. All the interdependent factors are changing with

respect to one another. It’s either developing or is degrading. Even if

something ( say A ) is constant and everything else is developing,

then also relatively A is degrading. Thus, in this world of ours, there is

no alternative but to develop or perish.

Permanent change in one’s behavior is known as

learning. Learning has no limit, as can be seen in the following story:

One fine morning, a gentleman sitting on a crowded

table of a restaurant ordered a raw egg. He challenged that if anyone


could make the egg balance on the table with its tip downwards; he

shall give that person Rs. 500 cash. Everyone present there tried their

luck, but in vain. The tip was so pointed that it would fall down and

break each time. Finally, when nobody was left to try, the gentleman

who floated this bet hit the tip of an egg gently against the table, so

that a small crater appeared, in place of the pointed tip. The egg

stood straight over the table.

Everyone watching him shouted, “ Oh, we also could

have

done it this way. It was so easy ”. The gentleman replied,“ Everyone

can do it, but once they are told, how to ”.

A simple act such as this also needs to be taught by

experts. Thus we see that there is always a scope for all of us to

learn, to change for the betterment of ourselves as well as the society

as a whole.

Exercise: Each participant needs to specify 3 such

events in their lives, where they feel that they learned something.

This small segment has been designed to prepare the participant’s

mentally to possible learning opportunities during the program.

A2] Ice-breaker:

This is the perfect way to start any training program.

Although, time consuming it is designed to have fun and at the same

time generate energy that will transfer to the rest of the training. In

this segment, participants are allowed to move freely from one table


to another and during the allotted time ( say 10 min. ) every

participants needs to interview 3 others on questions like,

Q1) Their name?

Q2) Their family?

Q3) What type of work they do?

Q4) How long they are in the present job profile?

Q5) Their hobbies? etc..

" The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat one's self "

- Phillip James Bailey

Once the interviews are complete, each trainee

introduces one of their interviewed person to the group. Apart from

releasing the tension, this also tests the listening and communication

skills of the participants. The whole process needs to be speedy and

the trainer shouldn’t allow the exercise to slowdown at any point of

time.

A3] Break your habit:

Continuing with lighter modules, this segment

specifies on the fact that habits, no matter good or bad, hampers the

adaptability of an individual and proves a hindrance in learning newer

behaviors. Thus, in order to keep your doors open for newer

experiences in the organisation, one needs to be ready and prepared

for breaking their habits of doing things. One example of how many

habits affect the ability of individuals would be demonstrated here.


The support staff should be ready with the following

accessories a paper, a pen, a stopwatch, an apron, a wristwatch and

a belt. 3 volunteers from amongst the trainees should be asked to

come forward. One by one, each of them would be required to

complete the following tasks,

a) Wear the apron,

b) Wear the wristwatch,

c) Write his name on the piece of paper.

" In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process

never ends, until we die. And the choices we make, are ultimately our own

responsibility "

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Their timings are noted. After all 3 have

completed these tasks their timings are disclosed. Again they are told

to perform the same tasks but in different ways,

a) Wear the apron from his wrong side,

b) Wear the wristwatch on his wrong hand,

c) Write his name on the piece of paper backwards.

( Example : Abhishek -------- Kehsihba )

After all 3 have completed, their timings are disclosed.

They are requested to share their experience with the group on how

they felt the effect of this change of doing things and how they

suggest, to minimize this effect.

A4] Communication effectiveness test:


This consists of an exercise to demonstrate the lack of

communication skills in individuals and the volume of distortion it

causes to any information. It stresses the need for effective listening,

reading, writing and speaking in an organisational environment.

A participant is asked to come forward to the dais and

handed a piece of paper with some complex information in it. He has

to read it, go to another table and write the same on another piece of

paper. The second participant then comes forward. He will again read

that information written by the first participant, go to another table

and write it again on another piece of

" You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. "

- Mike Murdock

paper. Similarly one by one every trainee comes forward and repeats

the same process. When the final participant has done his part, the

trainer, in front of the gathering, reads the initial and final papers

loudly. The trainer, specifying which types of information were

communicated properly and which were faltered with, analyzes the

distortions caused.

Communication is usually described along a few major dimensions:

1. Content (what type of things are communicated)

2. Source (by whom)

3. Form (in which form)

4. Channel (through which medium)

5. Destination/Receiver (to whom)

6. Purpose/Pragmatic aspect (with what kind of results)


The same exercise is repeated with another group,

this time the difference being that instead of writing the information;

it should be passed on orally to the next participant. Obviously,

arrangements have to be made so that others cannot overhear the

conversation. For these exercises to be more effective the minimum

number of participants should not be less than 15. An example of the

information to be written on the sheet of paper and given to the

participants has been given here,

“ GENOMAC, An Austrian pvt. Ltd. Company producing

and exporting coolants used in nuclear reactors round the world has

cut down it’s workforce by 40%. 42% of the employees would retire

within the next 18 months. 18 weeks after that, the company

proposes to shut down it’s 8 branches out of 12 and shift it’s head

office to London ” .

This exercise should be followed by a lecture on “

Effective Communication ”, it’s types, Specifying the use and needs of

each of them, Barriers to communication and how to avoid them, etc..

A5] Have you seen it ?

This is basically a module to test individual’s

observation power and to point out the importance of having a sound

power of observation. There are many things in our day-to-day life

that we actually see, but do not register in our memory. These are

things that we believe are not important in the present context but

can indirectly relate itself with our existence. This segment has to be

conducted through a questionnaire which every participant should


answer on there own. The questions are related to things we see on a

daily basis, like some examples given here.

1) How many buttons are there in your shirt?

2) Did the watchman standing at the gate has a

moustache?

3) How many stairs are there reaching your cabin or office

room?

4) How many entry gates are there in the front side of your

factory?

5) How many flower vessels are there outside the General

manager’s chamber?

6) How many pictures are there on the walls of the seminar

hall?

7) What is the colour of the walls in the director’s chamber?

etc..

A short debate can be organized on, “ Arjuna, in

Mahabharata saw only the bird’s eye while shooting his target, others

saw more. Arjuna’s concentration was more but others got more

information on the circumstances”. Which one is more important and

why?

" If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself "

- Norman Vincent Peale

B1] Attention – Retention:


Attention means the ability to concentrate on a

particular subject for longer time periods. As to figures, human mind

processes information at the rate equivalent to 400 – 500 words a

minute while reading or speaking capability ranges between 125 –

200 words per minute.

Generally, attention begins to dip after 15 – 20

minutes and can fluctuate dramatically. To address this concern, the

following steps should be taken:

a) Trainee’s need to practice by talking throughout

about the work, while doing a task.

b) Use the method of symbolic coding which shall raise

the involvement level.

c) Meditate at least 15 minutes per day, just before

going to sleep, by recollecting the events of the

whole day step by step and with details.

Retention means the ability to recall information after

longer durations. The various ways to do this are:

1) Activation of memory from time to time.

2) Symbolic coding of information.

3) Behavioral reproduction.

4) Hypothetical situation rehearsal.

In order to retain a specific skill, the steps involved are:

" To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. "

- Joseph Chilton Pearce

1) Create effective support network


2) Reduce emotional reactions

3) Diagnose support skills

4) Choose a skill to retain

5) Identify likely circumstances for relapse

6) Peer support

7) Plan to apply skills back on the job

Another effective way of checking one’s ability to

retain information is by giving them parts of the same story every day

before training starts and at the last day of training when the whole

story is complete, participants will have to reproduce the whole story

once again in writing. This module should be put forward in the form

of lecture and demonstrations.

B2] Building blocks game:

This game has been designed specifically

involving role-plays, in order to develop a better

understanding between employees in various diversified,

conflicting roles within the organisation. This enables to

judge each others perspective and thought process

involved. This also signifies the importance of collective

decision-making. Each group of 4 participants forms a

department. They need to select a role they want to play,

out of

i. The manager,

ii. The supervisor,

iii. The employee,


iv. The analyst.

With 30 solid wooden cubes ( 4 cms. X 4 cms. ), the

trio of manager, supervisor and employee need to put forward their

achievement targets individually ( first manager, then supervisor and

lastly employee ) of the task, which is to balance the maximum

number of cubes, one over the other with closed eyes. The 3 then

discuss and fix a common target, which everyone thinks and believes

they can achieve at the maximum. The employee is blindfolded and

made to sit in the center with the manager and supervisor on either

side. They can assist the employees on the task, without touching

either the employee’s hands or the cubes. The analyst gives them the

prefixed allotted time along with noting down his observations on

targets ( individually as well as collective ) and actual achievements.

Performance details of every department is compared with their

respective targets & reasons discussed for their “ success ” or “

failures ”, by the analysts in front of the trainees.

B3] What can he say?

This is another role-play exercise, which is again

based on understanding the perspective of the person you are

dealing with. This has been basically designed to enhance one’s

capabilities to facilitate group dynamics by understanding individual

differences. It helps tremendously in conflict resolution and increasing

persuasion power of trainees.

In this module, participants are divided into groups of

4 or 6. Each group is again divided into 2 subgroups having 2 or 3


participants. The group have to choose from the following list, which

role they would like to perform,

(1) Manager – Union representative

(2) Manager – Supervisor

(3) Manager – Employee

(4) Supervisor – Employee

(5) Senior employee - Fresher employee

A topic of discussion is decided ( from organisational

context ) and communicated to the group. Persons representing a

particular role are briefed upon the other’s role and vice-versa. Both

the subgroups are expected to prepare a character description list of

their role as well as the opposite role. The subgroups are then allowed

to meet and put forward their cases and viewpoints on the given topic

for discussion. Finally the trainer judges how much were the groups

able, to guess each other’s views. One participant from each group

will discuss their experience with the gathering.

B4] On the other side of the table:

This is another segment dealing with role reversal

where the stress has been laid upon the agreeableness factor in an

individual, which affects his position in a team. Some are of the view

that this is a trait that comes naturally into the behavior of any

person, from birth. Others believe in the theory that this is a skill and

can be developed through systematic counseling and practice.

In organisational context, agreeableness plays a vital

role in decision-making process. In group meetings, generally a large


number of ideas and suggestions are floated and debated over.

Consensus can only be achieved when everybody is prepared to

accept better ideas, others than their’s. The other factor that goes

with this is persuasion power of individuals that forms the core of any

decision making process. In this exercise participants are made

to carry forward various contradicting ideas ( most of which are not

true ) in a team meet. Participants are expected to open chit with

ideas written on them, which they have to accept without further

questions and elaborate them. They have now have to present this

idea as effectively as they can in strong, influencing manner, to the

rest of the participants. Even cross-questioning is allowed, so that the

extent, to which the trainees can adapt to different points of views, is

tested. The Trainer will judge, which group succeeded the most in

influencing their colleagues sitting on the other side of the table.

C1] The solitary judge:

Here, the in-basket training technique has been

applied in order to develop decision-making skills based on

procedural and strategic knowledge. These skills are primarily

cognitive rather than behavioral. This exercise provides trainees with

2 files each, one containing the cases that are to be solved within a

limited time period, while the other containing written information

and requests such as memos, messages, records, reports etc..

Each participant receives a different but interrelated

set of information. Trainees have to interact with one another to

gather all the necessary data and information from other


counterpart’s file, to solve his cases. But, one thing has to be kept in

mind that prescribed organisational procedure for transfer of data

from one table to another has to be strictly followed. Generally Case

studies are given to the participants to respond to. They are

" Its better to be defeated on principle than to win on lies. "

- Arthur

Calwell

also entitled to ask for additional information for effectively

completing the exercise.

After completion, a discussion with the trainer follows

in which trainees describe the rationale for his decisions. Alternative

ideas are also welcomed from participants on each other’s decisions.

The process of work done is also evaluated.

C2] Parliament :

This is just like a debate or elocution competition but

the systematic procedure involved in it makes it more interesting and

develops a lot of soft skills. The most important part of this game is

the presentation skills. This is the unification process of a variety of

views, some of which might be even contradicting. Generally, very

new and exiting ideas emerge from within the participants, which add

a new dimension to the whole training process.

Say, for a group of 30 participants, 10 topics,

generally related to organisational problems or general business

related problems are given to them on a black board. Voting, by


raising of hands is done for each topic, one by one where the

participants are expected to support the one they can relate to in a

better way. The 8 most voted topics are listed again for the second

round voting. The most voted 6 topics are listed for the final voting

and then 4 are selected. The final group is based on who supported

these 4 topics.

" Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on

outward circumstances.

- Benjamin

Each one is named after some famous political parties,

celebrities, etc.. The game begins where each group has to nominate

3 candidates, who shall represent the party and present their point of

view, on why they support their topic. In the first round of

presentation, one representative from each group gets a chance to

impress others and voting is done after that to see whether someone

wants to shift to another party. Round 2 and 3 also has the same

format.

Finally, an attempt is made to have 51 % of the

trainees, supporting a single topic. If a consensus is achieved upon,

the winner is obvious; else a “ Hung Assembly ” is declared.

C3] Give me the options:

This section is for option hunting in real life situational

problems. The foremost thing in such situations is to decide whether

we can do anything in the given circumstances or it’s out of our

hands. Next step involves looking for possible options and then to


evaluate each of them in a virtual environment resembling the actual

one. Finally, the best option is selected and implemented upon.

Feedback is taken on the result and the decision is evaluated. But,

many individuals have the problem of unavailability of options, while

taking decisions and thus they become one-dimensional. They cannot

create or innovate newer ideas, as their thought process is limited

only to usual ways.

" Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through

experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition

inspired, and success achieved "

- Helen

Keller

To look into this problem the existence of this

problem, the following exercise has been designed. Each participant

is provided with a list of problems for which he has to suggest 5

options (minimum) for solving each of them. He also has to select the

best option out of them and write the logic of doing so. Question

papers are interchanged amongst participants and a list of suggested

options is prepared and debated upon.

C4] Guess work :

This module is a visual illusion test, which provides an

in-depth measure of an individual’s perception of things and events.

Here, every participant is made to sit in a dark room with visual

images on a screen in front of him. These images create sort of

illusions that provide multiple descriptions. The participants are

expected to see the multifaceted images and note down their


characteristics. The outlook of the trainees to analyze these images is

evaluated by the trainer. Individual’s knowledge, prejudices, bias,

likes and dislikes are reflected in his answers. A sample of such an

illusion has been given below. Please refer to the cd supplied along

with this project report, to get more samples.

A

BIRD

IN THE

THE BUSHMost participants when asked to read this would say, “

A bird in the bush ” whereas actually it says, “ A bird in the the bush

”.

D1] I want to be _______ :

This is a self-evaluation technique where participants

analyze themselves with respect to their ideal and feel the urge to

acquire the missing knowledge, skills and attitudes. In organisational

context, self-development is a vital component in any training

program and is supposed to be the best method of incurring

permanent behavioral changes.


Participants in groups of 4 need to suggest names of

individuals from within the factory or department whom they consider

as their ideal and select the best out of them by discussion. The

positive characteristics of that person are listed. Each participant then

individually figures out the difference, while relating those

characteristics with his own. They are directed to write down the

ways by which they can also acquire those KSAs.

D2] It’s an emergency:

This is an adaptation from the virtual reality

technique, where trainees are put in artificial, 3-dimensional

environment that stimulates situation. The trainee interacts with

these situations to accomplish goals. This

" The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of

comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy "

- Martin Luther King Jr

teaching method is much more realistic to actual work environment

and trainees can actually feel the real pressure of the given situation.

Scope of learning increases tremendously, in such methods.

Here, trainees are taken to the factory unit where

machines and other production logistics are kept. Every group of 4

trainees is sent to such different units, where they encounter major

problems, close to real life and an emergency is declared. In such a

situation, the trainees have to take appropriate measures with the

available resources in very less time. This exercise is usually carried

under the supervision of a senior manager of that unit, as they can


create a virtual reality within the unit with their experience. Some

problems to be considered for such programs are,

(1) Machine breakdown,

(2) Accidents,

(3) Lockouts,

(4) Power-grid failure,

(5) Huge order in less time,

(6) Overflow of stocks, etc..

D3] It’s the only time you have got :

This is a course on time management where

participants are taught how to effectively manage the only time they

have got in their hands. It stresses over the need to try to prioritize

their jobs, so as to effectively

" The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones "

- William Faulkner

complete their assignments in time. Here, the participants are

required to list down their assignments to be completed within the

next week. It shall include their organisational, social as well as

personal works. Then, those assignments are to be classified

according to the following features,

(a) Urgent and Important

(b) Urgent but Not Important

(c) Not Urgent but Important

(d) Not Urgent and Not

Important


Important Not Important

I II Urgent

III IV Not Urgent

D4] Never say “ No ” :

This is a behavioral approach that is used on a daily

basis in every organisation. Requests are made to managers whom

they accept or reject based on their merit. We should try to make

every situation better for the organisational point of concern. Thus

while accepting any request we

" Every noble work is at first impossible "

- Thomas Carlyle

should make it clear that under what situation it has been accepted

and the organisation’s expectations from him in return. While

rejecting an offer, He should again state the detailed circumstances

for the decision and say, “ Sorry for now, let’s try to give it another

chance, sometime later. ” This is to avoid saying “ No ” or any

negative sentences, which can at times, prove fatal and damage the

morale of employees, beyond repair.

E1] Let’s discuss :


This uses the brain storming method to find out the

needs of employees in the organisation and to find methods to take

them towards a sense of fulfillment and self-actualization as far as

their work goes. To start this segment, a lecture is given on the

Maslow’s need hierarchy, with detailed examples of every level

specifically. Every participant is made to sit in a single table where

through seminars and creative discussions, they have to decide which

need level do they belong to and the same for their subordinates also

in general.

Everyone is expected to suggest on how they can take

their subordinates to the next need level in the Maslow’s hierarchy.

The trainer here needs to coordinate the discussions, in order to give

it a proper direction. He needs to be aware that the participants

understand human behavior which is directed towards the fulfillment

of aspirations, needs, drives, wants, etc.. So they have to find

answers for, why the employee’s behave in a particular way? and

what motivates them ?

" Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness "

- George Santayana

Lastly trainees need to specify the factors, which

according to them would satisfy the employees in general and what

are the factors that are not motivators as such, but absence of which,

leaves the employees dissatisfied. They should then rank these in

order of preference.

E2] Grid management:


Developed by R. Blake and J. Mounton, the grid shows

the two - dimensions of management ie. Concern for production and

Concern for people.

9

( 1,9 ) ( 9,9 )

Concern for

people

5 ( 5,5 )

( 1,1 ) ( 9,1 )

1

1 5 9

Concern for production

Infact the above chart is divided into 9 X 9 ie. 81

squares. The participants are needed to assess in which block their

organisation currently belongs to and where they would ideally like it

to be. This affects the leadership style of managers and helps them to

acquire a balanced approach that shall in

" Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress "

- Mahatma Gandhi

the long run help the organisation to achieve cent percent

achievement oriented and participative leaders.

E3] Know your boss :


The last segment of this program is an assignment to

be given to the trainees, which they are required to complete within

the next week, after completion of the training. This deals with the

manager’s or employee’s psychological barrier restricting them to

interact with seniors and know them better as individuals. If you know

the person you are dealing with, it becomes easier to cooperate and

move ahead together towards realization of the organisational

objectives.

Here, all the participants have to prepare some

questionnaires

regarding social and organisational issues of concern and interview

his immediate boss to get his views on them. He should also report on

the training program and it’s benefits to him and seek his advice on

implementing them in the job situation. This talk should be one on

one and preferably in an informal environment.

" There are two kinds of people, those who do the work & those who take

the credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less competition there. "

- Indira Gandhi

Conclusion :

After completion of this training process, the trainees

should fill feedback forms on the trainer and training program.


Certificates should be distributed thereafter and volunteers from

amongst the trainees to be requested to say a few words on the

training program.

This training program is basically concerned with

those methods that develop the soft skills of the trainees in a more

participative manner. These behavioral techniques are expected to

stimulate learning through practice. It minimizes the individual

differences in adapting to changes in their behavior and is thus sure

to affect the morale and working standards of the participants. Along

with the existing training programs of Bata India Ltd., this program

shall go a long way in preparing managers and staffs to face the ever-

evolving challenges of the 21st century. I strongly believe in the

contents of this training program and the process of imparting

training and hope it succeeds in the Batanagar plant. I wish this

organisation all the best.

" If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit

in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude "

- Colin Powell

Problem of Absenteeism in Bata India Ltd.


Apart from our regular project work in Bata India Ltd,

Batanagar plant, we were fortunate enough to get an opportunity to

work on the problem of absenteeism which hampering the rat of

growth of the organisation to a great deal. It has been observed that

the phenomenon of absenteeism does not exist only in Indian

industries but it is a universal fact, the only difference is in terms of

magnitude. Reports show that some engineering base industries in

West Bengal suffer from absenteeism in the vicinity of 10.1 % - 17.3

%, which is slightly on the higher side, in the all India perspective.

Random absenteeism data collected by me from a few

departments of the rubber factory ( 321 – 327 ) show a trend of

employees in access of 9 % being absent from work place. The actual

figures in the whole Batanagar unit might be more alarming.

If we add 1 % of the employees coming late ( more

than 10 minutes ) from scheduled start and 2 % of employees taking

one - hour emergency leave, to the absenteeism figure of 9 % the

total man - hours lost, per day stands approximately at 1,900 hrs,

out of 20,400 hrs that is 9.3 %. It should be noted that the figures

given here are not accurate but only approximate indications.

" If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit

in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude "

- Colin

Powell

Week - 1 Week - 2


Working days 5 Working days 5

Dept Absentee Total staff Total Man-days % Absenteeism Dept Absentee Total staff Total Man-days % Absenteeism

321 19 51 255 7.45 321 21 66 330 6.36

322 6 47 235 2.55 322 25 47 235 10.64

323 12 52 260 4.62 323 22 52 260 8.46

324 14 47 235 5.96 324 22 47 235 9.36

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 22 47 235 9.36 326 29 47 235 12.34

327 16 72 360 4.44 327 43 72 360 11.94

Week - 3 Week - 4



321 26 51 255 10.20 321 35 51 204 17.16

322 9 47 235 3.83 322 14 47 188 7.45

323 5 52 260 1.92 323 29 52 208 13.94

324 18 47 235 7.66 324 16 47 188 8.51

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 184 0.00

326 15 47 235 6.38 326 24 47 188 12.77

327 30 72 360 8.33 327 33 46 184 17.93

Week - 5 Week - 6



321 18 51 204 8.82 321 37 51 255 14.51

322 20 47 188 10.64 322 34 47 235 14.47

323 9 52 208 4.33 323 36 52 260 13.85

324 15 47 188 7.98 324 34 47 235 14.47

325 0 46 184 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 23 47 188 12.23 326 40 47 235 17.02

327 18 46 184 9.78 327 38 46 230 16.52

Week - 7 Week - 8



321 31 51 255 12.16 321 16 51 255 6.27

322 24 47 235 10.21 322 17 47 235 7.23

323 24 52 260 9.23 323 16 52 260 6.15

324 16 47 235 6.81 324 18 47 235 7.66

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 37 46 230 16.09

326 29 47 235 12.34 326 28 47 235 11.91

327 39 49 245 15.92 327 21 49 245 8.57

Week - 9 Week - 10




" From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life "

- Arthur Ashe

321 20 51 255 7.84 321 17 51 255 6.67

322 19 47 235 8.09 322 5 47 235 2.13

323 21 52 260 8.08 323 11 52 260 4.23

324 23 47 235 9.79 324 31 47 235 13.19

325 38 46 230 16.52 325 39 46 230 16.96

326 25 47 235 10.64 326 20 47 235 8.51

327 27 49 245 11.02 327 16 49 245 6.53

Week - 11 Week - 12



321 62 71 355 17.46 321 17 71 355 4.79

322 62 47 235 26.38 322 13 47 235 5.53

323 58 52 260 22.31 323 27 52 260 10.38

324 47 47 235 20.00 324 17 47 235 7.23

325 56 46 230 24.35 325 30 46 230 13.04

326 45 47 235 19.15 326 23 47 235 9.79

327 75 49 245 30.61 327 18 49 245 7.35

Week - 13 Week - 14



321 18 71 355 5.07 321 18 71 355 5.07

322 18 47 235 7.66 322 14 47 235 5.96

323 21 52 260 8.08 323 19 52 260 7.31

324 18 47 235 7.66 324 19 47 235 8.09

325 27 46 230 11.74 325 29 46 230 12.61

326 24 47 235 10.21 326 28 47 235 11.91

327 25 64 320 7.81 327 39 66 330 11.82

Week - 15 Week - 16



321 21 71 355 5.92 321 19 71 355 5.35

322 19 47 235 8.09 322 12 47 235 5.11

323 17 52 260 6.54 323 22 52 260 8.46

324 14 47 235 5.96 324 20 47 235 8.51

325 34 46 230 14.78 325 28 46 230 12.17

326 16 47 235 6.81 326 15 47 235 6.38

327 38 66 330 11.52 327 45 70 350 12.86

Week - 17 Week - 18



321 16 71 284 5.63 321 26 71 355 7.32

322 15 47 188 7.98 322 31 47 235 13.19


“ There's no such thing as Perfection. But, in striving for it, we can achieve

excellence "

323 11 52 208 5.29 323 32 52 260 12.31

324 18 47 188 9.57 324 24 47 235 10.21

325 32 46 184 17.39 325 43 46 230 18.70

326 18 47 188 9.57 326 30 47 235 12.77

327 16 70 280 5.71 327 28 70 350 8.00

Week - 19 Week - 20



321 35 71 355 9.86 321 14 49 245 5.71

322 18 47 235 7.66 322 7 47 235 2.98

323 23 52 260 8.85 323 16 52 260 6.15

324 13 47 235 5.53 324 15 47 235 6.38

325 28 46 230 12.17 325 13 46 230 5.65

326 18 47 235 7.66 326 39 47 235 16.60

327 33 49 245 13.47 327 35 70 350 10.00

Week - 21 Week - 22



321 10 49 245 4.08 321

322 5 47 235 2.13 322

323 8 52 260 3.08 323

324 9 47 235 3.83 324 A C P L

325 22 46 230 9.57 325

326 21 47 235 8.94 326

327 24 49 245 9.80 327

Week - 23 Week - 24



321 41 62 310 13.23 321 27 62 310 8.71

322 56 47 235 23.83 322 35 47 235 14.89

323 49 52 260 18.85 323 27 52 260 10.38

324 65 47 235 27.66 324 32 47 235 13.62

325 38 46 230 16.52 325 35 46 230 15.22

326 53 47 235 22.55 326 58 47 235 24.68

327 80 49 245 32.65 327 48 49 245 19.59

" The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. "

- William

Faulkner

Week - 25 Week - 26



321 22 49 245 8.98 321 26 49 245 10.61

322 31 47 235 13.19 322 21 47 235 8.94323 13 52 260 5.00 323 15 52 260 5.77


324 26 47 235 11.06 324 14 47 235 5.96

325 23 46 230 10.00 325 27 46 230 11.74

326 38 47 235 16.17 326 32 47 235 13.62

327 31 66 330 9.39 327 26 66 330 7.88

Week - 27 Week - 28



321 31 46 230 13.48 321 28 49 245 11.43

322 19 47 235 8.09 322 21 47 235 8.94

323 22 52 260 8.46 323 18 52 260 6.92

324 20 47 235 8.51 324 22 47 235 9.36

325 32 46 230 13.91 325 27 46 230 11.74

326 17 47 235 7.23 326 14 47 235 5.96

327 24 46 230 10.43 327 31 46 230 13.48

Week - 29 Week - 30



321 9 71 355 2.54 321 17 49 245 6.94

322 17 43 215 7.91 322 13 47 235 5.53

323 16 52 260 6.15 323 6 52 260 2.31

324 11 47 235 4.68 324 5 47 235 2.13

325 25 46 230 10.87 325 23 46 230 10.00

326 16 47 235 6.81 326 22 47 235 9.36

327 26 46 230 11.30 327 22 49 245 8.98

Week - 31 Week - 32



321 20 49 245 8.16 321 16 49 245 6.53

322 14 47 235 5.96 322 35 47 235 14.89

323 28 52 260 10.77 323 30 52 260 11.54

324 12 47 235 5.11 324 16 47 235 6.81

325 27 46 230 11.74 325 36 46 230 15.65

326 21 47 235 8.94 326 36 47 235 15.32

327 23 49 245 9.39 327 26 45 225 11.56

Week - 33 Week - 34



321 29 51 204 14.22 321 15 46 230 6.52

322 36 47 188 19.15 322 40 47 235 17.02

323 24 52 208 11.54 323 19 52 260 7.31

324 21 47 188 11.17 324 12 47 235 5.11

325 33 43 172 19.19 325 37 46 230 16.09


" Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your

goal "

326 27 47 188 14.36 326 30 47 235 12.77

327 35 51 204 17.16 327 40 40 200 20.00

Week - 35 Week - 36



321 13 46 230 5.65 321 15 51 255 5.88

322 16 47 235 6.81 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 10 52 260 3.85 323 7 52 260 2.69

324 8 47 235 3.40 324 4 47 235 1.70

325 16 46 230 6.96 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 5 47 235 2.13 326 8 47 235 3.40

327 5 49 245 2.04 327 7 49 245 2.86

Week - 37 Week - 38



321 18 46 230 7.83 321 35 71 355 9.86

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 4 52 260 1.54 323 16 52 260 6.15

324 6 47 235 2.55 324 17 47 235 7.23

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 7 47 235 2.98 326 23 44 220 10.45

327 14 55 275 5.09 327 11 44 220 5.00

Week - 39 Week - 40



321 16 71 284 5.63 321

322 0 47 188 0.00 322

323 7 52 208 3.37 323

324 6 47 188 3.19 324 A C P L

325 0 46 184 0.00 325

326 16 47 188 8.51 326

327 6 44 176 3.41 327

Week - 41 Week - 42



321 321 27 71 355 7.61

322 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 323 18 52 260 6.92

324 A C P L 324 42 47 235 17.87

325 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 326 25 47 235 10.64

327 327 25 47 235 10.64


" When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and

when you meet him he will win "

- Ed Macauley

Week - 43 Week - 44



321 68 71 355 19.15 321 21 66 330 6.36

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 34 52 260 13.08 323 15 52 260 5.77

324 73 47 235 31.06 324 28 47 235 11.91

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 61 47 235 25.96 326 18 47 235 7.66

327 63 47 235 26.81 327 32 47 235 13.62

Week - 45 Week - 46



321 21 71 355 5.92 321 15 71 355 4.23

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 11 52 260 4.23 323 5 52 260 1.92

324 22 47 235 9.36 324 13 47 235 5.53

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 20 47 235 8.51 326 23 47 235 9.79

327 20 47 235 8.51 327 11 48 240 4.58

Week - 47 Week - 48



321 17 46 230 7.39 321 23 71 355 6.48

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 13 52 260 5.00 323 11 52 260 4.23

324 12 47 235 5.11 324 22 43 215 10.23

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 31 47 235 13.19 326 27 43 215 12.56

327 24 48 240 10.00 327 24 47 235 10.21

" A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of

nothing. "

- Oscar Wilde

Week - 49 Week - 50



321 17 66 330 5.15 321 85 71 284 29.93

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 188 0.00

323 23 52 260 8.85 323 71 52 208 34.13

324 16 47 235 6.81 324 58 47 188 30.85

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 184 0.00

326 26 47 235 11.06 326 71 47 188 37.77

327 16 46 230 6.96 327 66 46 184 35.87


Week - 51 Week - 52



321 11 66 330 3.33 321 12 66 330 3.64

322 0 47 235 0.00 322 0 47 235 0.00

323 18 52 260 6.92 323 21 52 260 8.08

324 12 47 235 5.11 324 19 47 235 8.09

325 0 46 230 0.00 325 0 46 230 0.00

326 16 47 235 6.81 326 17 43 215 7.91

327 10 46 230 4.35 327 11 46 230 4.78

Absenteeism data Summary 2006 ( Dept 321 to 327 )

WeeksDepartments

321 322 323 324 325 326 327 1 7.45 2.55 4.62 5.96 0.00 9.36 4.44 2 6.36 10.64 8.46 9.36 0.00 12.34 11.94 3 10.20 3.83 1.92 7.66 0.00 6.38 8.33 4 17.16 7.45 13.94 8.51 0.00 12.77 17.93 5 8.82 10.64 4.33 7.98 0.00 12.23 9.78 6 14.51 14.47 13.85 14.47 0.00 17.02 16.52 7 12.16 10.21 9.23 6.81 0.00 12.34 15.92 8 6.27 7.23 6.15 7.66 16.09 11.91 8.57 9 7.84 8.09 8.08 9.79 16.52 10.64 11.02 10 6.67 2.13 4.23 13.19 16.96 8.51 6.53 11 17.46 26.38 22.31 20.00 24.35 19.15 30.61 12 4.79 5.53 10.38 7.23 13.04 9.79 7.35 13 5.07 7.66 8.08 7.66 11.74 10.21 7.81 14 5.07 5.96 7.31 8.09 12.61 11.91 11.82 15 5.92 8.09 6.54 5.96 14.78 6.81 11.52 16 5.35 5.11 8.46 8.51 12.17 6.38 12.86 17 5.63 7.98 5.29 9.57 17.39 9.57 5.71 18 7.32 13.19 12.31 10.21 18.70 12.77 8.00 19 9.86 7.66 8.85 5.53 12.17 7.66 13.47 20 5.71 2.98 6.15 6.38 5.65 16.60 10.00 21 4.08 2.13 3.08 3.83 9.57 8.94 9.80 22 A C P L 23 13.23 23.83 18.85 27.66 16.52 22.55 32.65 24 8.71 14.89 10.38 13.62 15.22 24.68 19.59 25 8.98 13.19 5.00 11.06 10.00 16.17 9.39 26 10.61 8.94 5.77 5.96 11.74 13.62 7.88 27 13.48 8.09 8.46 8.51 13.91 7.23 10.43 28 11.43 8.94 6.92 9.36 11.74 5.96 13.48 29 2.54 7.91 6.15 4.68 10.87 6.81 11.30 30 6.94 5.53 2.31 2.13 10.00 9.36 8.98 31 8.16 5.96 10.77 5.11 11.74 8.94 9.39 32 6.53 14.89 11.54 6.81 15.65 15.32 11.56 33 14.22 19.15 11.54 11.17 19.19 14.36 17.16


34 6.52 17.02 7.31 5.11 16.09 12.77 20.00 35 5.65 6.81 3.85 3.40 6.96 2.13 2.04 36 5.88 0.00 2.69 1.70 0.00 3.40 2.86 37 7.83 0.00 1.54 2.55 0.00 2.98 5.09 38 9.86 0.00 6.15 7.23 0.00 10.45 5.00 39 5.63 0.00 3.37 3.19 0.00 8.51 3.41 40 A C P L 41 A C P L 42 7.61 0.00 6.92 17.87 0.00 10.64 10.64 43 19.15 0.00 13.08 31.06 0.00 25.96 26.81 44 6.36 0.00 5.77 11.91 0.00 7.66 13.62 45 5.92 0.00 4.23 9.36 0.00 8.51 8.51 46 4.23 0.00 1.92 5.53 0.00 9.79 4.58 47 7.39 0.00 5.00 5.11 0.00 13.19 10.00 48 6.48 0.00 4.23 10.23 0.00 12.56 10.21 49 5.15 0.00 8.85 6.81 0.00 11.06 6.96 50 29.93 0.00 34.13 30.85 0.00 37.77 35.87 51 3.33 0.00 6.92 5.11 0.00 6.81 4.35 52 3.64 0.00 8.08 8.09 0.00 7.91 4.78


" We may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. "

- Margaret Thatcher


" Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life

through the wrong end of a telescope, which enables you to laugh at life's

realities. "


- Pinkey

Dangi

In-depth analysis of department wise absenteeism

data and graphs suggests hidden information and their reasons,

which can be of utmost importance in organisational planning and

decision-making. Clearly evident suggestions include:

1. All departments show an increase or decrease in absenteeism in

the same time periods. It can be thus be said that the factors

leading to absenteeism affect most people and most departments

equally. Thus, individual problems go out of the picture.

2. Absenteeism tends to be higher up to alarming levels (above 20%)

3 to 4 times in a year. In 2006, all departments showed a steep rise

in absenteeism during 11th week, 23rd week, 43rd week, and 50th

week.

3. It should be specially noted that weeks following holidays (ACPL)

showed high rate of absenteeism. This suggests that the role of

religious ceremonies and employees going to their hometowns is

significant in determining the causes of absenteeism.

4. It should be specifically noted that in 2006, weeks no. 21st, 29th,

35th, 44th, and 51st showed tremendous decline in absenteeism (less

than 5%) in all the departments. The interesting fact here is that

the difference between these lowest tips is more or less equal (in

the vicinity of 6 to 7 weeks).

Here we have tried to find out a few possible reasons

for the employee’s practice or habit of staying away from his

scheduled work:


" The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little

way past them into the impossible "

- Arthur C Clarke

1. Maladjustment with colleagues coming from different religions

and tastes speaking different languages belonging to different

socio economic status.

2. Social and religious ceremonies.

3. Sickness, accidents and maternity.

4. For those staying far from their homes, frequent visits to their

village are a major cause of absenteeism.

5. Industrial fatigue.

6. Working conditions, heat, moisture, noise, vibrations, dust,

fumes, overcrowding etc.

7. Inadequacy to meet the performance standards.

8. Indebtedness.

9. Alcoholism.

10. Lack of commitment towards industrial growth.

11. Over identification with family affairs.

12. Dissatisfied with the status, importance or authority and

responsibility involved in his job.

Specifically the problem of absenteeism in Bata India

Ltd, Batanagar plant is a mere combination of all these factors. Out of

these points 2, 3, 6, 8, 10 seem to be more effective and deeper

causes for high rate of absenteeism than the others. A few remedies

or measures for control of absenteeism have also been listed below:


" The past is like a river flowing out of sight; the future is an ocean filled

with opportunity and delight "

- Anna Hoxie

1. A well defined recruitment procedure that stresses on the

employee’s adaptability or the ability to change.

2. Study the level of motivation of workers and push them to thrive

for more.

3. Improved communication within various levels of organisation

and prompt redressal of grievances.

4. Education programs for personal developments of individual

employees.

5. Spread awareness of employee’s rights and obligations.

6. Trained the employees in group dynamics along with

interpersonal skills.

7. Take measures to improve employee’s loyalty and devotion

towards his work and work place.

8. Regularity in attendance can be transformed in to monetary

rewards and other pecuniary inducements.

9. Provision for ever-developing working conditions.

Above all, the employees should be communicated

that it is the religion of insects and animals to procure, eat and

reproduce. If we are born as human being, it is our moral

responsibility to do more.


" Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means that you have

decided to see beyond the imperfections "

- Frank Kaiser

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research refers to, the systematized approach to gain

new knowledge, concerning generalization and formulation of a

theory. Research work carried out for this project is basically what is

known as library research, which includes analysis of historical

records and documents, statistical compilations and manipulations.

This is a scientific method of solving the research problem as it,

Is committed only to objective considerations.

Presumes neutrality and aims at nothing but making only

adequate and correct statements about population objects.

Results into probabilistic predictions.

Realize on factual empirical evidence.

RESEARCH PROBLEM

The objective of this particular research work, by

collecting data (secondary in nature) related to performance

achievements, by various departments is to relate them with another

variable, i.e. time. It can then be utilized to draw the learning curve,

which shall again be analyzed with respect to the effect of appraisals

or training programs on them.


RESEARCH DESIGN

The research design appropriate for this particular research problem

involves the following considerations: -

" Motivation determines what you do, attitude determines how well you do it. ”

- Anon

Means of obtaining the information :- Bata India Ltd,

(Batanagar plant), where this research work was based, has a

unique system of maintaining production details in their record

book “ Saldo ” and re-entered to the salary controlling

statements in order to calculate the production incentives. All

data were to be collected from these documents.

Time available for obtaining the information :- The

sampling design as described below made it possible to extract

adequate data in the stipulated time period of 2 weeks.

SAMPLING DESIGN

The items under consideration in this field of enquiry

or the universe (also known as population) stretched over the

production details of 7 departments, 274 employees and 33

months ( 143 weeks ). The volume of data required the use of a

sampling design, which must result in a truly representative

sample, must result in a small sampling error and systematic bias

can be controlled in a better way. The most practical way of

sampling in this specific case is the systematic cluster

sampling, where groups of 6 consecutive months were

considered as the sample. The sample size happened to be 50.35

% of the total population.


DATA COLLECTION

The relevant data were collected from the Salary

Controlling Statement ( Volume - 3B ) of the respective weeks

listed below, all data

There are two kinds of failures: Those who thought and never did, and

those who did and never thought. "

- Laurence

Peter

belonged to the general shift. The payroll department’s record

room provided the said documents. Data were also collected from

the Saldo, provided by the rubber factory. Data were collected for

the durations of:

I. October 2004 to March 2005 ( 6 months )

II. January 2006 to June 2006 ( 6 months )

III. January 2007 to June 2007 ( 6 months )

( Total - 18 months )

MANIPULATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Weekly data obtained for the research purpose, was

converted into a monthly average, so as to reduce the amount of

data for analysis purpose. The weeks containing less than 5

working days were extrapolated to a 5 working days per week

standard. The monthly average basically constituted of the first 4

weeks of that particular month. The external factors effecting

production, were considered to be stable during the period in

question or diversity (if any) being negligible.


Individual department’s ability to cope up with

changing production targets, periodical appraisals and training /

development programs is to be determined by comparing these

data with other events, informations and factual evidences.

Please refer to the segment “ Data and Graphs ” for further

information.

" A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it

seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities

that were somehow absent before we changed. "

- Earl Nightingale

Data and Graphs :

2004 Dept : 321 Dept : 322 Dept : 323 Dept : 324 Dept : 325 Dept : 326 Dept : 327

Weeks %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement

41 128 136 148 145 122

42 110 112 133 120

43

44

45 122 110 130 132 140 122

46 100 100 110 101 110 105

47 134 125 120 136 125 125

48 121 125 138 146 127 127

49 112 117 120 144 131 125


50 121 115 116 125 121 113

51 117 124 143 136 118

52 130 112 125 130 127


Weeks %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement

1 115 105 117 135 120 128

2 129 127 135 145 133

3

4

5 125 120 126 145 145 100

6 130 115 134 134 140 123

7 150 134 140 140 135

8 125 108 124 133 140 121

9 126 115 134 141 147 135

10 124 127 140 150 147 147

11 136 125 143 150 140 147

12 160 122 129 150 143 142

19 132 134 134 150 150 150


20 160 134 134 150 147 142

21 150 113 106 134 120 119

22

23 150 128 128 150 140

24 150 127 123 150 140


Weeks %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement

% Achievemen

t %

Achievement %

Achievement

1 160 130 140 137 140 144

2 172 123 125 130 140 170

3 172 144 134 139 147 160

4 111 115 107 110 116 101

5 120 107 117 118 118 104

6 172 137 145 148 147 134

7 171 139 123 150 141 140

8 180 134 134 148 134 150 150

9 175 123 120 147 128 150 150

10 185 140 134 142 134 150 150


11 180 121 96 136 123 145

12 190 126 110 140 136 150 140

13 195 117 121 112 140 120

14 190 120 112 123 116 134 129

15 170 116 125 130 109 147 188

16 180 132 143 150 122 144 200

17 135 119 100 120 91 101 160

18 150 114 120 140 120 134 200

19 180 134 134 147 137 150 200

20 150 134 134 140 140 134 190

21 118 115 115 134 120 134 160

22

23 135 128 134 134 125 190

24 170 124 128 142 134 205


Weeks %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement %

Achievement

1 170 155 150 150 154

2 200 150 147 150 155

3 190 110 150 140 147 150

4 148 100 118 108 101 120


5 101 90 93 141 90

6 180 147 150 150 204

7 195 150 150 155 215

8 193 152 154 147 215

9 182 152 150 150 215

10 127 147 150 154 177

11 172 143 150 122 170

12 155 150 147 150 155

13 195 130 195 150 158

14 161 166 177 150 166

15 130 139 147 147 143

16 152 166 163 179 169

17 136 130 149 141 140

18 143 120 108 140 140

19 155 117 134 134 140

20 180 134 142 147 113

21 160 120 118 134 106

22

23 165 126 127 115

24 175 136 134 147 134


There are two prisoners shackled to the wall of a

deep dark dungeon. Spread-eagled, they are securely lashed by

manacles and chains and actually hanging suspended, side by

side, a few feet above the damp floor of the dungeon. There is

only one small window high above their heads, maybe thirty or

forty feet up. They are immobile and

alone, pinned inexorably to the wall.

One prisoner turns to the other and whispers, “

Here’s my plan ! ”

Monthly Performance Summary ( Oct 2004 to Jun 2007 )

Departments

Month 321 322 323 324 325 326 327

Oct-04 119.00 124.00 - 140.50 - 132.50 121.66

Nov-04 119.25 115.00 124.50 128.75 126.00 125.00 119.75

Dec-04 121.00 115.25 121.25 137.33 - 129.56 120.75

Jan-05 122.00 116.00 126.00 135.00 - 132.50 130.50

Feb-05 132.50 114.33 129.50 138.00 - 141.25 119.75

Mar-05 136.50 122.30 136.50 147.75 - 144.25 142.75

May-05 146.00 134.00 134.00 150.00 - 148.50 146.00

Jun-05 150.00 122.00 119.00 144.66 - 133.33 119.00

Jan-06 153.75 128.00 126.50 129.00 - 135.75 143.75

Feb-06 160.75 129.25 129.75 141.00 134.00 139.00 132.00


Mar-06 182.50 127.50 115.00 141.25 130.25 148.75 146.66

Apr-06 183.75 121.25 125.25 128.75 115.66 141.25 159.00

May-06 153.75 125.18 122.00 136.75 122.00 129.75 187.50

Jun-06 141.00 122.33 125.66 136.66 120.00 131.00 185.00

Jan-07 177.00 100.50 143.25 136.00 - 137.16 144.75

Feb-07 167.25 - 134.75 136.83 - 148.25 181.00

Mar-07 159.00 - 148.00 149.25 - 144.00 179.00

Apr-07 159.50 - 150.25 170.50 - 156.50 159.00

May-07 153.50 - 125.25 133.00 - 140.50 133.25

Jun-07 166.66 - 127.33 126.00 - 136.00 118.33




These graphs shown here with percentage

performance on one axes and time duration ( in months ) on another

is also known as the “ Learning Curve ” as it represents the effect of

learning through training programs or by sheer experience on the

performance (productivity) of individuals, groups, departments and

even organizations. Analysis of the following graphs suggests that:

1. Departments fail to stick to their performance standards due to

many external factors such as absenteeism, frequent change in

articles to be produced etc.

2. Frequent ups and downs in the curve are visible which indicates

variable levels of efforts from the employees.

3. Pointed peaks and V’s means that increase in level of

performance or decreased are short-lived. This indicates the

involvement of a sense of self-satisfaction at times and

motivation from failure.


4. Unstable productivity levels tend to indicate the absence of

training and motivation programs, which constantly tries to

improve performance of its employees.

5. Curves of all the departments show a more or less similar trend,

more efficient production scheduling is possible when

approximate improvement or decrease in department’s

performance is predictable.

STORY OF A BUTTERFLY WHO NEVER WAS

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a

small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for

several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little

hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared

as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So

the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors

and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a

swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly

because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would

enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would

contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent

the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and

shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste,

did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the


struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny

opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the

butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it

achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

CASE STUDIES AND EXPERIENCES IN B.I.L.

1. Case of Absenteeism :

Mr. NRS ( actual name not disclosed ) is an “accord”

employee of BATA INDIA LTD. Batanagar. He is directly involved in the

shoe manufacturing conveyor. He was known to be a regular

absentee, but at the same time a multi-skilled worker with lots of

experience. The organisation’s personnel department looked at the

possible options to solve this problem. During the first half of 2007,

NRS surpassed his casual and medical leaves available by more than

125 (days), as per organisation’s SOR (Standing Orders and Rules, as

in agreement with Bata Mazdoor Union). Show-Cause notices were

issued under section 15(h), requiring him to explain in writing, the

reasons for his continuous absence from work.

NRS replied within the stipulated time along with a

Medical Certificate proving his illness. An in depth scrutiny of the

Medical Certificate proved that the documents were fake under the

provision of 19(A) of the SOR. The guilty can be terminated from his

present job. However the management decided to give him one last

chance to mend his ways (and not to lose a skilled employee) and

handed him three days suspension without pay. The personnel


manager planned the process to regularize his unauthorized absence

and fraudulent means by creating an atmosphere where NRS should

fully recognize

" Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making

the same one a second time. "

- Josh Billings

what is expected of him in the future.

He was scolded by one manager and was

comforted by another as was planned before to make him aware of

this last golden opportunity, provided to him. As of date NRS is still an

employee in BATA INDIA LTD. And his problem has relatively

minimized to a great deal. This incidence proves that human resource

planning is not only to follow the rulebook but also to invent

complimentary ways to solve such type of problems in long run

interest of the organisation.

2. Case of Misconduct :

A permanent line cutter of a production department in BATA INDIA

LTD, Batanagar plant, Mr. SKR (actual identity not disclosed) was

involved in a particular job for sometime. He was trailing behind his

colleagues working in the same conveyor, hampering the rate of

production, and thus was allotted a new job by his immediate boss

(Asst. officer) Mr. DKB (actual identity not disclosed for obvious

reasons). Unable to mentally adapt to this decision to shift him to


another job, Mr. SKR started abusing his superior Mr. DKB and also

attempted to physically assault him. He also threatened to cause him

harm outside the factory.

The case was reported to the personnel department

the very same day and a show cause notice issued to the defaulter

Mr. SKR, to be answered within 48 hours as per clauses D and K under

section 21 (a) of the

" It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought

without accepting it "

- Aristotle

standing orders and rules (SOR) of Bata India Ltd. and clause 14 of

the model standing orders applicable to all industrial establishments

of India. The said employee pleaded guilty and was ashamed of his

act and promised not to repeat the same. The serious nature of the

offence demanded disciplinary action but considering it as his first

minor offence was let of with a warning and written undertaking.

This case is another fine example that the

organisation provides ample opportunity to rectify their improper acts

and every opportunity provided to him to put forward his version of

the unwanted event. Thus the disciplinary policy is preventive,

corrective, reformative rather than punitive. Although, one important

information missing here is that whether the Asst. officer Mr. DKB was

advised to “ forgive and forget ”, which would have been the perfect

way to conclude this natural justice?

3. Case of Termination : CHALLENGE ……SKILL……COMMITMENT……TEAMWORK 114

(Rise of Absenteeism to an abnormal level)

Mr. PKM (actual identity not revealed) was an employee of Bata India

Ltd. Batanagar plant for more than 19 years. He was terminated for

prolonged unauthorized absence in 1993, but reinstated in 1995

through a special request by the Bata Mazdoor Union ( B.M.U. ). This

opportunity provided to him by the organisation was not fully utilized

as his unauthorized, unexplained, avoidable

" Some succeed as they are destined to, but most succeed because they

are determined to. "

- Anonymous

& willful absence from work continued there after. According to his

leave and absence card 2004 and 2005 :

S No.LEAVE AND ABSENCE CARD – 2004

From To C/L Ordinary leave Sick Leave

1 1/1/2004 20/01/2004 -- 5 15

2 9/2/2004 7/4/2004 -- 62 --

3 23/04/2004 30/04/2004 -- 8 --

4 12/5/2004 25/06/2004 -- 40 --

5 28/07/2004 3/8/2004 -- 6 --

6 31/08/2004 29/09/2004 -- 30 --

7 1/11/2004 31/12/2004 -- 61 --

S No.

LEAVE AND ABSENCE CARD – 2005

From To C/L Ordinary leave Sick Leave

1 1/1/2005 18/05/2005 -- 123 15


2 30/05/2005 23/09/2005 -- 116 --

3 25/10/2005 26/10/2005 2 -- --

4 7/11/2005 31/12/2005 -- 41 --

Mr. PKM once again remained absent without notice

from 7/11/2005 to 17/3/2006 and was issued registered show cause

notices under clause 15(h) of the Standing Order and Rules (SOR). He

was asked to report within 2 weeks, his case was forwarded to the

chief medical officer (C.M.O.),

" We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a

habit "

- Aristotle

who declared him fit to join his duties, but he did not. Further, show

causes were not replied. Finally the management decided to

terminate him with effect from 14/04/2006.

This highlights the peculiar and abnormal magnitude

of absenteeism prevailing in Indian industries. Thus, the importance

of taking such decisions in the longer interest of the organisation

becomes absolutely necessary at times. In order to send a clear

message to the employees that organisation’s tolerance has a limit.

As such serious problems regarding absenteeism involves heavy

expenses, including overhead costs of reserves as well as of the idle

equipments.

My Experiences :


Bata India Ltd, Batanagar plant was the first instance

our career where the practical applications of managerial functions in

an organisation were displayed before us. We got ample exposure to

the versatility of the manager’s role as a figurehead meeting the

routine, obligatory, social & legal duties, as a leader, maintaining,

developing and motivating the human resources, as a disseminator

distributing selected information to others outside the unit, as an

entrepreneur developing the unit, to take advantage of existing

opportunities and anticipated threats, as a resource-allocator

integrating the activities and resources utilization, as a negotiator,

bridging the gap between

" Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter

"

- Martin Luther King Jr.

the management and employee unions and as a spokes person to us,

distributing selected information and conveying the appropriate

image of the unit.

Asst. Manager (Personnel) who guided me throughout

this project was instrumental in providing opportunities to directly get

involved in the day to day functioning of the department. He said “

books make a manager, but practical experiences make them

successful ”. I worked on absenteeism, late-coming, early-going,

union demands on major organisational issues etc. where the

manager acts as disturbance handler and has to take many

aggressive, unwanted decisions at times along with initiating some


creating ideas, keeping in view the long term interest of the

organisation.

I was invited at one of Bata India Ltd. retirement /

farewell party, to get me acquainted with the organisational culture

and management’s perspective towards its human resources. In a

simply organized program in the seminar hall of the personnel

department, the organisation bid adieu to three of its employees after

a long and dedicated service period in the vicinity of 30-35 years. A

soul touching speech was given by one of their long-time colleague,

which touched the soul of everyone present on the occasion. He

said,” This is not only to recognize their contribution over the years,

but also to learn from their experiences ”. Mementos and gifts were

given to the departing employees and refreshments served to the

gathering. The event was significant in specifying the importance of a

formal and planned separation of employees from the organisation.

" If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done. "

- Ludwig Wittgenstein

I cherish the time spend in the leather factory, actually

seeing for the very first time, the step by step evolution of the various

discrete parts transformed into the final product, a shoe. Every shoe

has to pass through many hands, machines setup as a chain known

as Rink conveyors. Experienced hands along with creative brains

have elevated shoe manufacturing up to the level of art. It’s for sure

now, that I shall value, each and every shoe that I am going to buy in

the future. The finished goods after passing the quality checks are

tagged with quality – symbols which Bata people call the ornament of


the shoes. They are then packed and travel hundreds and thousands

of miles to reach your feet.

Another experience worth sharing is visiting the

Batanagar estate. Stretching over 303 acres on the banks of the river

Ganges, the area is 18 kilometers from Kolkata. Developed during the

1930’s under the British colonial powers it has it’s own ferry-ghat,

cinema-hall, sports-stadium, market, hospital, residential colonies,

community halls, auditorium, schools, children-parks etc..

This self-sufficient estate is well connected with public

conveyance facilities to nearby towns. Maintenance of such a huge

fixed asset infrastructure for providing every possible facility to its

employees is worth appreciating & admittingly rarer these days. Just

as a fact, Batanagar once owned a Territorial Army for security

purposes, which adds a sense of nostalgia to the name of “ Batanagar

”.

" All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become. "

- Buddha

STORY : The Window

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same

hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour

a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the

room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat

on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their families,


their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service,

where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the

man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the

time by describing to his roommate all the

things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-

hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened

by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window

overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and

swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.

Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the

rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of

the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the

window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other

side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque

scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window

described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not

hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman

by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly,

an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the

pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It

didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt

ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing

more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him


sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He

should be by that window and

that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the

man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in

his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the

struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for

help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never

pushed his own button, which would have brought the nurse

running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking

stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only

silence deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to

bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the

man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital

attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed

appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the

window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after he was

comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one

elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing

it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window

beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

" No one can read your mind, so what they see, hear & feel from you is

what they will know you for. "

- Anonymous


Bibliography

Books :

1. Kothari C.R., Research methodology

methods and techniques, New age

international publishers, New Delhi,

2007.

2. Mamoria C.B., Gankar S.V., Personnel

management text and cases, Himalaya publishing house,

Mumbai, 2001.

3. Blanchard P.N.,Thacker J.W., Effective training systems

strategies and practices, Pearson education, Delhi. 2007.

4. Sikula A.F., Personnel administration and human resource

management, John Wiley and sons, New York, 1976.

Websites :

1. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Bata_Shoes

2. www.ggits.org

3. www.google.org

4. www.rdunijbpin.org

5. www.bata.com


6. www.bata.org

7. www.bata.in


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Bata India Limited - Cc