Doing Business In The Future - Business Process Management

Business Process Management (BPM) is a set of activities performed by organizations to improve or streamline their business processes. Since software tools are usually used to aid these activities, these software tools are referred to as Business Process Management Systems.

- Business Process Management Systems

Business Process Management has been in place for some time now. Due to the introduction of software tools, however, there has been renewed interest in the body...

Keywords:

business process outsourcing,business process reengineering,business process improvement,business process consulting,business process modeling,business process management tool

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Business Process Management (BPM) is a set of activities performed by organizations to improve or streamline their business processes. Since software tools are usually used to aid these activities, these software tools are referred to as Business Process Management Systems.

- Business Process Management Systems

Business Process Management has been in place for some time now. Due to the introduction of software tools, however, there has been renewed interest in the body of knowledge pertaining to BPM. These software tools make design and implementation of Business Process Management easier, cheaper, and more efficient. There are three categories of Business Process Mmanagement activities - design, execution and monitoring.

1. Design

Designing BPM involves capturing the existing processes in a business environment. These processes must be modeled in a way that they can be simulated and tested. Modeling these processes usually involves graphical representation methods that document the processes and stores this data in repositories.

2. Execution

Traditionally, to implement automation in a business organization, developers would have to be contracted to develop applications that automate certain processes. Unfortunately, the scope of these projects was often too narrow. The result of which is that the automation is not well integrated into the business environment since the automation only deals with a particular department or function. BPMS champions a method that pushes for the development of applications that encompass the entire business process. It aims to fully automate the business environment only stopping to query the user when human intervention is absoultely necessary.

3. Process monitoring

Process monitoring involves observing and taking note of the performance of the individual processes so that evaluation and intervention become more straightforward for the business organization. From the information gleaned from here, the business organization’s leaders can make further decisions on the direction the business process takes. The data from this activity can be used to generate different kinds of statistics that are necessary when having to make critical decisions. Business Process Management is an iterative process.

4. The Future

Although BPM strives to automate the mechanical processes of a business, there has been interest in developing BPMs that move into the territory of human judgment. Some of the processes involved in a business environment are not included in the automation because some sort of human decision is needed. With the growing complexity of information systems - especially studies into decision support systems and artificial intelligence - some human decision-making processes can actually be automated. This is the future goal of BPM, to futher automate previously unautomatable processes.

- The Business Process Management Ideals

In 1920, Frederick Taylor outlined three waves of business ideals in managing processes. These waves represented the ways of thinking business process engineers had.

Wave 1. Processes Set In Stone

They are secured in business policy manuals. The manual is the basis of the process, and the organization has to abide by it.

Wave 2. Processes Changed Once In A While

Using a one-time activity, changes can be made. This means that the business would have to build their processes around a fixed system since change can only come once in a while, and at a great cost.

Wave 3. Processes On-The-Fly

The primary consideration in such systems is flexibility to change. Businesses that adhere to this goal create business environments that can adapt to its changing needs. This setup also allows the business to constantly fine tune its operations. This wave is not about business-process reengineering. It is about maintaining an environment that is constantly on its toes, ready to adapt to the circumstance, and maximize its strengths while downplaying its weaknesses.

Change is the only constant, they say. In this modern day and age, this could not be truer. The survival of a business could very well rely on its ability to constantly tweak its processes according to the whims of change. With the growing body of knowledge concerning Business Process Management, the path towards a sustainable market advantage based on a streamlined, flexible business organization can only get clearer.

Business Selling Process (Simple)

Simple Business selling guide will provide easy simple direction to business seller what to do on business selling process.

Keywords:

businesses for sale, business for sale, small business for sale, buy a business, sell a business, buying a business, selling a business

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Business Selling Process (Simple)

1. Determining the fair market value of the business

2. Set Preparing all books and records for prospective buyers

3. Putting the business on the market

4. Dealing with the potential buyer

5. Recieving an offer

6. Negociation - Price, Terms, and Condition

7. Accepting an offer

8. Provide all necessary books and records to the buyer

9. Work with the buyer to remove all contingencies of the contract

10. Signing the closing statement (1~3 days before the closing date at the escrow)

11. The night before the closing date

Business Process Management

Business process management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims. This basic definition needs to be expanded as manager’s carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. Management applies to any kind of organization. It applies to managers at all organizational levels. The aim of all managers is to create a surplus. Managing is concerned with productivity implying effectiveness and efficiency.

Keywords:

Business Process Management, Business Process Management Software, Business Process Management Systems, Business Process Management Solutions

Article Body:

Business process management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims. This basic definition needs to be expanded as manager’s carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. Management applies to any kind of organization. It applies to managers at all organizational levels. The aim of all managers is to create a surplus. Managing is concerned with productivity implying effectiveness and efficiency.

Many scholars and managers have found that the analysis of business process management is facilitated by a useful and clear organization of knowledge. In studying management, it is helpful to break it down into five managerial functions involving planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. The knowledge that underlies those functions is organized around these five functions.

Managers are charged with the responsibility of taking actions that will make it possible for individuals to make their best contributions to group objectives. Management applies to small and large organizations, to profit and not-for-profit enterprises, to manufacturing as well as service industries. The term enterprise refers to businesses, government agencies, hospitals, universities and other organizations. In business process management, all managers carry out managerial functions. However, the time spent for each function may differ. Top-level managers spend more time on planning and organizing than do lower level managers. Leading, on the other hand, takes a great deal of time for first-line supervisors. The difference in the amount of time spent on controlling varies only slightly for managers at various levels.

Business process management, like all other practices such as medicine, engineering or baseball, is an art. It is know-how. It is doing things in light of the realities of a situation. Yet managers can work better by using organized knowledge about management. It is this knowledge that constitutes a science. Thus, managing as practice is an art; the organized knowledge underlying the practice may be referred to as a science.

Chemical etching - An innovative process for your all nameplate requirements

The article deals with chemical etching as a skilled printing process, method of chemical etching, and different types of metal etchings and varied uses of etched name plates or name tags.

Keywords:

Chemical etching, nameplate, nameplates, custom name plates, industrial name plates, personalized name plates, name tags, custom labels, identification tags, custom name tags

Article Body:

Chemical etching is a skilled practice of engraving your brand name on a nameplate. Texas Nameplate Company etches your emblem directly or indirectly on the metallic or non-metallic base and makes it more pliable to any lacerations. Chemical etching can be a substitute for embossing. The chemical etched nameplates are made by masking certain areas of metal by acid resistant material and then taking off desired amount of exposed material by acid. Widely custom name plates are etched on aluminum, stainless steel, brass, alloys etc and then baked after stuffing with varnishes for a perfect finish. The depth of industrial name plates etching varies from 0.0015 to 0.003 inches, depending on the height and stroke of letters and the type of metal or alloy. Along with chemicals gas and electric processes can also etch these wide ranges of metals.

Etching, also termed as ‘milling’ is of different types like laser etching, abrasive etching in which abrasives are used, photo chemical etching which is quite inexpensive and a high quality etching method. Photo chemically etched metals thus produced can be used as cost effective name tags, custom labels, panel boards, personalized name tags, industrial name plates for commercial uses and personalized name plate. Electro etching in which electric current is used instead of chemicals, dry etching does not use chemicals at all, Reactive ion etching which uses electric circuits and gas having chlorine or fluorine as iodized particles and vapor phase etching which also make use of reactive gases and many others to add to the list.

Chemical etching is preferred for practical applications and product identification tag. Name Tags made by chemical etching are durable items, which withstand even the harsh surroundings. Chemical etching makes your custom name tags withstand toughest
environments, high temperatures and extreme outdoor conditions. Thus solve your purpose year after year. Texas Nameplate Company compliments the etching with screen-printing to avoid splitting or other form of wear and tear. Various adhesives are also added to etched metal name tags according to your specifications for pasting or welding. You can use our chemical etching nameplates on truck, tankers and trailer, control panels, dials and gauges of aircrafts, asset and property plates; and operating and warning signs for numerous electronics, military vehicles, and machinery etc. Chemical etching is also used to create stencils for commercial art and woodworks.

You can always depend upon TNC for any queries regarding the etching of your nameplates and sort out material suiting your specific requirements.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) = Global Fusion

‘Globalism’ Sweeps The World

Increasingly the world of business is coming together to tackles people/business & political issues. This increased focus on collaborative synergies is reshaping corporate strategies and even transforming competition…as even competitors at times come together to collectively grow the markets/lobby for concessions from governments or form business interest groups. All this is the new face of globalisation – called ‘globalism’.

Just like fus...

Keywords:

outsourcing,business process outsourcing, bpo, outsourcing firms,business processes

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‘Globalism’ Sweeps The World

Increasingly the world of business is coming together to tackles people/business & political issues. This increased focus on collaborative synergies is reshaping corporate strategies and even transforming competition…as even competitors at times come together to collectively grow the markets/lobby for concessions from governments or form business interest groups. All this is the new face of globalisation – called ‘globalism’.

Just like fusion releases limitless energy, business fusion through the spread of globalism is releasing unlimited opportunities for growth today and tomorrow. Outsourcing is one of the trends of this globalism as business come together on a shared expertise basis for jointly adding lasting value to their mutual bottom-lines. Outsourcing has also given rise to many new ways of collaborating - like the rise of collaborative marketplaces/portals on the web where outsourcing people eonverge/meet viz. service providers, service seekers, corporate, thought leaders, CEOs, CFOs, Project Managers, Transition Experts, freelancers, consultants, service seekers, BPO analysts/experts/advisors.

BPO & Global Fusion

Today’s consultative BPOs are a unique example of ‘global fusion’ where different cultures and processes ‘fuse’ to release an enormous energy viz. worker enthusiasm and significantly higher revenues too. Many BPO employ expatriate multicultural staff from different countries to deliver integrated BPO i.e. both the contact center as well the IT needs of its global clients. This leads to immense gains to both service providers as well their workforce as people from different cultures enjoy working together towards the same business goal and there are immense cross learnings for everyone in terms of process innovations and cultural bonding.

The other fusion is at the outsourced business process level as it seamlessly integrates with client process & global operations. This is a process of continuous improvement as the outsourcing vendor is continuously re-inventing its operational procedures by introducing innovative processes that significantly enhance revenues of its clients while saving millions too. Being domain focused enables outsourcing project managers to offer consulting to its clients (as it is able to view the clients’ customer needs more objectively/closely) that help them align their competitive strategies more effectively.

BPO vendors are then able to charge their its clients on the value they delivers rather than the usual model of effort based costing. This way the clients do not have to pay for any service/personnel in-efficiencies (as is the case with the usual effort based pricing practiced by other BPOs, where the costing depends on the number of seats/people allocated to a process).Thus client engagements at BPOs consistently grow up the value chain and this business fusion is a great win for clients, great for employees, great for outsourcing service providers and even greater for India as a trailblazing destination for BPO innovations!

Global Transformations

Companies who outsource are those who experience higher pressure to provide global integration. According to a recent report, rising majority of companies currently use outsourcing as a transformational vehicle. A key feature of adopting business process transformation through a BPO model is that the process improvement stages can often be funded by the savings released in the initial outsource , particularly if this involves labour cost savings via a low-cost off shoring location.

The outsourcing initiative is now seen to be more strategic. The business reasons for outsourcing appear persuasive, and the experience to date revolutionary to say the least. Apart from technology optimization, the other outsourcing -improvement levers are: outsourcing economies of scale, labour arbitrage, people-skills optimization and continuous process improvement.

BPO providers with core skills in technology and systems integration take the risk out of implementing automation, and their investment in IT infrastructure is an inherent benefit of BPO. Both CEOs and CFOs are looking for ways to drive benefits beyond cost issues to transform overall corporate performance, competitiveness and shareholder value. For them, BPO is a fact of good business life. It continues to grow and make its mark as a prime mover in cutting costs and generating efficiency.

Going Public: The Process for Small and Mid-size Companies to Go Public.

It’s the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company.

Keywords:

15c211, reverse merger, direct public offering, regulation d, pink sheets

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It’s the dream of every person who starts a business to some day see it trading in one of the stock exchanges even after they are no longer associated with the company. The first step (#1) is simple since most small company are already incorporated and have a board of directors, so we will start with #2.

Step. #2. Engage a consultant but not before doing a background check. This is a must because the consultant who is supposed to be working for you may be the very person to destroy your dream.

Simply type the consultants name in Google and if nothing comes up, try the brokerage firm they were last associated with, to find out if they have been disciplined, or convicted of some crime by the Securities and Exchange Commission or some other regulatory body.

Many individuals when barred from participating in any securities transaction or from acting as consultants still do so in a stealth manner. Hoping that you will be impressed with their sales pitch and not bother looking into their background.

The reason most consultants do not have websites is because they do not want the regulators to find out that they are involved in stock market related activities.

Step. #3. If you are not using a securities attorney, ask the consultant to recommend a good one, he will probably know several. A good attorney is critical since you want him to know the process and has done this many times before.

Step. # 4. Have an audit done, this a requirement and must be done prior to any filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The CEO needs to take an active part in the auditing process since under the new corporate governance laws the he must affirmed the final audited financials as being accurate.

Step. #5. The officers and directors of the company must decide what method they are going to use to achieve their goal of becoming a public company. This can be accomplish through a reverse merger and by doing a Regulation D (504) offering.

A reverse merger is accomplished by the purchase of, and reverse merger into an existing public shell company. This is inexpensive compared with the conventional initial public offering (IPO), this is also a simplified fast track method by which a private company can become a public company.

For more information on reverse mergers visit:

www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com or read my article on www.ezine@articles.com under small business.

Regulation D (504) offering: Under the Securities Act of 1933 any offer to sell securities must either be registered with the SEC or meet an exemption. Regulation D provides three exemptions from the registration requirements, allowing smaller companies to offer and sell their securities without having to register the securities with the SEC.

While companies using a Regulation D exemption do not have to register their securities and usually do not have to file reports with the SEC, they must file what is known as a “Form D” after they first sell their securities.

This offering is not exempt from State securities filing requirements. With an regulation D (504) offering you are permitted to raise up to a million dollars within a year but there is no minimum amount and in order to go public you must sell to minimum of 35-40 investors at least a round lot (100 shares) each.

This offering is not exempt from the securities Act of 1933 anti fraud provision. (No securities are exempt from this provision).

Step # 6. Have a broker dealer file a form 15c211. Again your consultant will introduce you to a broker who will file the 15c211 and be a market maker in the securities of the company.

For more information visit: http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com

D.I.S.C profiling in the recruitment/selection process

Selecting staff by trial and error can be a very expensive experience.

There is a better way!

DISC in the recruitment/selection process

Keywords:

DISC profiling, psychometric profiling, behaviour, recruitment, selection, interviewing

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The fact is that the DISC method of behavioural profiling is one of the most widely used worldwide.

Why?

One reason is that it may be used effectively by middle management. You do not need to employ the services of a psychologist to interpret the results.

The system does that automatically.

True the outputs will vary dependant upon which particular DISC system you use. But then so would the interpretation from one psychologist to another.

However the great value of a DISC report is that it does give the interviewer a track to run on, gives them a base from which their understanding of the interviewee may accurately be developed.

It is a fact that it is unlikley that the majority of folks in middle management who are involved in the recruitment process have had much in the way of interview process training.

The majority of interviews conducted in the hiring of sales personnel in particular are likley carried out by untrained or poorly trained individuals.

They may well be high calibre but if they have had no training then it is likely that they will experience a high fall out rate of their recruits.

The main problem is that such people never stop recruiting, never switch from attract mode to investigative mode. They are usually being pushed from on high to fill the vacancies left by past selection failures.

The interviewee has shown an interest in the position, that is why they are there. What the interviewer should be doing from the start is deselecting, is looking for reasons why the recruit would fail.

Instead they buy at face value the package the interviewee is selling. They do not dig deeper they do not ask the killer questions.

Why?

Because first of all they are desperate to get this person on board and because frankly they do not know how.

OK, so how can a DISC profile help?

The first thing to be clear on is that all people charged with the responsibility of delivering the report to the interviewee MUST HAVE TRAINING.

Not just a one day training course. (they are almost worthless, no matter the quality of the course content), they should have continous training, role playing workshops and be assessed as competent by an in house expert.

The in house expert should have attended an full blown train the trainer course and they themselves been accredited and shown to be competent.

Any management tool is apotential commercial time bomb unless appropriate training has been delivered.

Why is it that some companies will buy management tools but then baulk at the expense of training their people to be effective in their use?

Do you use DISC in your organisation?

Do you conduct recruitment interviews?

Are you responsible for delivering the report to the interviewee?

Are you competent to do so?

If you are in any way unsure then bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate company official

Consultative Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

Outsourcing = Global Momentum

The global business landscape has changed dramatically in the last couple of years thanks to growth of outsourcing. Outsourcing has gained strength as a management strategy for sustaining global growth as well competitive advantage to overcome the challenges of ever growing business complexities. So whether it’s a Fortune 100 transnationals or even a small enterprise, everyone is looking at outsourcing as a key growth engine thanks to the inc...

Keywords:

outsourcing,business process outsourcing, bpo, outsourcing firms,business processes,consultative bpo

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Outsourcing = Global Momentum

The global business landscape has changed dramatically in the last couple of years thanks to growth of outsourcing. Outsourcing has gained strength as a management strategy for sustaining global growth as well competitive advantage to overcome the challenges of ever growing business complexities. So whether it’s a Fortune 100 transnationals or even a small enterprise, everyone is looking at outsourcing as a key growth engine thanks to the increased levels of process specialization and sophistication. Domain specialization and not just economies of scale are key to the success of any outsourcing relationship. Outsourcing has been recognized to save companies and not just costs.

Evolving Outsourcing Relationships

Organisations now regard outsourcing as a key initiative for overall growth and not just as mere cost saving exercise. Hence organizations are increasingly seeking best-in-class outsourcing specialists and not just large best of breed outsourcing service providers. This is especially true in the IT & engineering verticals as organizations even outsource new product development tasks to specialized offshore vendors. Research intensive, customer focused outsourcing relationships now have to include the following to remain competitive:

• Innovation Update. Quarterly, bi-annual, or annual innovation reviews (also known as innovation boards) focus typically on state of the market, industry trends and relevant information, technology updates, solution demonstrations, site visits, etc. Leverage other industry peer groups to understand what is happening in your industry, the outsourcing industry, and other sectors.

• Benchmarking. Clients should always activate their benchmarking clauses and focus on best practice as comparators of innovation—not just cost comparisons. Benchmark both functional excellence and outsourced environments.

• Stakeholder Satisfaction Surveys. Perform monthly, quarterly, and annual customer satisfaction surveys. They should be “360 degrees”—covering multiple dimensions and all internal and external stakeholders.

• Deliver on Partnering Promise. Hold regular collaborative planning sessions. Where people are briefed on the strategic and business objectives. Service providers need to come up with implantable strategies on how best they can meet their clients’ business challenges. This makes the outsourcing vendors to think and act above simple tactical delivery.

• Value sharing framework. A transparent value-from-outsourcing sharing mechanism on a case-by-case basis should be harnessed to pay for business services delivered. Inclusion of regular mutual rewards for both your organization and that of the service provider boosts people motivation at all levels.

• Service Excellence. All SLAs must be tied to process excellence or customer delight will not happen. Project milestones, “go-live” events, and pilots are tangible means of tracking process maturity & excellence. Other measures include customer satisfaction, productivity, Six Sigma (defects), work elimination, etc.

• Outsourcing Management. The internal governance team should have a transformation or innovation owner, sufficient staff & budget to help drive innovation and must hold the provider accountable for innovation. Reassure and demonstrate to the provider that the relationship is long-term; otherwise they will be inclined to disinvest in innovation and the relationship. Your organization must retain process management expertise at a level at which you can clearly articulate future state requirements, evaluate proposals brought forward by the service provider, and work with your organization to get the business case for change.

• Executive Visibility / Support. Senior executives from the service provider side must have high visibility and access. This includes steering committees, reciprocal headquarter visits, joint speaking engagements, regularly scheduled calls, quarterly and annual briefings.

• Behaviour/Communication/Culture. Be prepared to invest in and encourage business process transformations that are aligned to business goals - rather early in any outsourcing relationship. Transformation requires a partnership mindset, not a transactional orientation. Innovation is often not brought to bear because clients do not ask for it, define what they mean by it, and motivate the provider to deliver it, or put restrictions around it. Clients rarely help the provider to understand what is important to them.

Consultative BPO

Outsourcing has now scaled the maturity milestone globally and hence is increasingly consultative in nature rather than being mere business vendors. Outsourcing relationships now proactively meet business challenges as specialist BPO vendors invest to stay ahead of the learning curve.

Outsourcing is often regarded as a change catalyst and hence clients are increasing using outsourcing initiatives in their growth strategies/ employee career planning initiatives. Joint client-service provider partnering is key to this new consultative approach where both invest in transformations and not just fund reactive process management.

Digital Printing + Short Run Process

Short run printing is a great way to print smaller quantities of products that will change occasionally or that are needed right away. This printing technology has been a door opener for many businesses.

Keywords:

short run, digital, printing, services

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When you need brochures, postcards, business cards or posters printing in small quantities and fast turnaround time, who do you turn to? Surely not The Flash, your comic superhero that possess “super-speed” power. In needs like these you need to turn to your modern day super heroes – the short run printing companies.

Short run printing is a great way to print smaller quantities of products that will change occasionally or that are needed right away. This printing technology is also known as “Print on Demand”. With the document taken straight from disc to press, digital short run printing removes the expense of making plates necessary with traditional print. Hence, this means that small numbers of print jobs can be done cost effectively. Additionally, you can save thousands of dollars and enjoy other advantages like shorter lead-time and personalization.

For some people using short run digital printing systems cost much, does little and has no market. But on the other hand, some people claimed that this technology has redefined their business. This short run technology has transitioned their industry into a more profitable company.

So why use short run digital printing? The answer is simple, it is cost effective. This printing technology provides the quality of conventional lithography printing without the need of having to order large volumes to make up for the cost of printing. Because they can also be personalized they are likewise ideal for direct mail.

Digital printing has been a door opener for many businesses. Because printers sell the same thing as everyone else, everyone tries to claim that their service, quality and price are better than others. For this reason, every printer has to find something that would separate them from everyone else. And some business owners find that they have increased productivity after using digital technology and short run processes. Somehow, these gains can be credited to a combination of better pricing and more efficient press performance.

Let’s say you have greeting cards that need to be printed. Obsolete inventory through the use of short run digital press can be eliminated. This is because with this technology you can print only the needed cards, thus, resulting to orders printed in the exact quantity required. But just the same this kind of printing system is not for everyone. There are risks and changes that need to be dealt with.

Nevertheless, the printing industry will continue to change and improve in the years to come. Thus, all business owners and companies have to do is to determine whether this certain printing technique is what they need.