Marketing of Services in Hospital

Health marketing is an approach to public health promotion that applies traditional marketing principles and theories alongside science-based strategies to protect and promote the health of diverse populations. It involves creating, communicating, and delivering messages for the public on prevention, health promotion and health protection. Health marketing is one of the ways advancements in medicine and in health-protecting services, such as insurance, are made widely known.

The marketing strategy would follow the traditional “4Ps” of marketing, namely:

  • The “product” in question in this case the surgical procedure.
  • The “place” which refers to the access to this procedure.
  • “Promotion” refers to creating awareness and hence demand.
  • “Price” refers to the cost of the procedure e.g. money, time, reputation etc.

“Health marketing” is a term rarely used in public healthcare and related disciplines. “Social marketing” or “integrated marketing communication” are more commonly used in public health and other disciplines to refer to marketing-based planning frameworks for public health communication.

Medical marketing in the private sector

Health marketing or Medical Marketing is a specialized branch of marketing. Medical marketing was born from the necessity for private health professionals to attract new patients, the characteristics of the health market makes it a unique kind of marketing. Medical marketing is usually a business to consumer (B2C) services. The primary customers for these medical marketing companies are Generation Z. About 85% of Gen Zers said they are open to alternative healthcare options like telemedicine, dispatch services and membership-based services. Marketers and medobal healthcare provides offline/online medical services for healthcare seekers. Healthcare professionals using this type of marketing usually offer beauty related services, such as aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, dental surgery or dermatology and much more.

Fundamentals

Professional Referral Marketing: A reliable and continuing stream of inbound patient referrals from other medical, dental or other professional sources is the lifeblood of many specialty providers. And whether it’s a primary or secondary channel, professional referral sources can’t be taken for granted. Doctor referrals do not happen by magic or simply because you are a good provider. Success requires a written plan and an unfailing system to preserve and grow the flow of professional referrals.

Internet Marketing: From websites and social media tools, to patient portals and mobile apps, online marketing is a mainstream channel for marketing, advertising and public relations. Exactly how you use the muscle of the digital freeway can be highly effective and profitable, or a huge waste of time and money.

Branding: This is all about standing out from the crowd in a positive way, and it includes virtually everything you do. A powerful, differentiating brand for your healthcare business is part of your reputation. Meaningful and effective branding does not occur without a deliberate effort to shape and express the right message at the right time.

Internal Marketing: This heading includes all the ways and means that you communicate with people who already know you, primarily present and previous patients. Depending on the nature of your practice or situation, this influential audience can be a rich resource for referrals, additional services, testimonials and/or word-of-mouth advertising.

External Marketing: These are the media that reach prospective patients that don’t know you. Advertising in newspapers, radio, television, billboards and the like target an audience that needs to know that you provide an answer for their healthcare need. There’s little margin for error in an external media budget that is expected to produce a measurable return-on-investment.

Public Relations: This heading includes, among other things, planning and generating healthcare publicity and free press exposure, such as newspaper articles or broadcast interviews. The end results look easy, and it can be a positive and powerful influence. But “free press” typically results from careful planning, good timing, a clear message and a deliberate effort.

Marketing of Services in Tourism

Tourism marketing is different because the customer purchases a series of services, but is left with very little concrete value at the completion of his trip. As a result, the marketing initiatives have to emphasize the value of the memories, make the collection of services easily accessible and add value through additional programming and other factors. A key challenge is to convince potential customers that the item they are purchasing provides good value for the price, and that the services will be as described and expected. The 8 P’s in marketing tourism summarize the special approach that is required. Many small businesses market tourism products and employ these marketing strategies.

Product: What You Have to Offer

The product is the collection of services that have features and benefits. Standard features and benefits include the normal amenities of a hotel room, for example. Good marketing adds special features, such as free breakfasts or free Internet.

Price: What Customers Will Pay

The price has to match the product, but good marketing makes the price seem more attractive. The operator can either add features to the product and keep the price the same or give a discount for the same features.

Promotion: How You Sell Your Wares

The promotion gives details of the product and the price. The key characteristics of your travel marketing strategy are the method of communicating the information, the content of the promotion and the cost to the operator. The promotion has a target market, and the method and content of the promotion has to appeal to the people who it reaches. The price the members of the target market are willing to pay has to cover the cost of the promotion.

Place: Where You Do Business

Place refers to the location where the customer buys the collection of services. Ideally, the operator who sends out the promotion uses it to encourage the potential customer to visit the operator’s location and complete the purchase. With the convenience of online payments, the operator may find that the best strategy is to direct potential customers to an attractive website where they can complete the purchase.

People: Your Hidden Strength

Since the product is a collection of services, the people who provide the services are a key to the success of the transaction. Operators must have top-level service to initially complete the sale and to encourage repeat customers.

Planning: Look Ahead

The key service component of the tourism experience is planning. The customer expects that the experience will correspond closely to what he purchased. The only way to ensure that kind of correspondence is to execute according to detailed plans, and have contingency planning in place for problems.

Programming: Cater to Your Clients

One way to add value to the standard product and to distinguish a particular offering from competitors is to offer exclusive programming, a practice known as service marketing. Customers will purchase a product that caters to their particular interests. Special programming can address such preferences and draw in additional customers.

Physical Evidence

If possible, the provision of physical evidence that the customer experienced the particular tourism product can help sales. Providing professional photographs of the customers at key events or the supply of branded products are effective strategies for promoting particular tourism products.

Components of environment & Environmental analysis

Environmental Analysis is described as the process which examines all the components, internal or external, that has an influence on the performance of the organization. The internal components indicate the strengths and weakness of the business entity whereas the external components represent the opportunities and threats outside the organization.

To perform environmental analysis, a constant stream of relevant information is required to find out the best course of action. Strategic Planners use the information gathered from the environmental analysis for forecasting trends for future in advance. The information can also be used to assess operating environment and set up organizational goals.

It ascertains whether the goals defined by the organization are achievable or not, with the present strategies. If is not possible to reach those goals with the existing strategies, then new strategies are devised or old ones are modified accordingly.

Some of the features or characteristics of Environmental Analysis are:

  • Holistic View: Environmental Analysis is a holistic exercise in the sense that it must comprise a total view of the environment rather than viewing a trend piecemeal. The corporate must scan the circumference of its environment in order to minimize the chances of surprises and to maximize its utility.
  • Continuous Process: The analysis of environment must be a continuous process rather than being an intermittent scanning system. It must operate continuously in order to keep track of the rapid pace of development. So, Environmental analysis becomes essential due to the dynamic nature of the environment.
  • Exploratory Process: While the Monitoring aspect of the environment is concerned with the present development, a large part of the process seeks to explore the unknown dimensions of possible future. The analysis emphasizes on “What could happen” and not necessarily “What will happen.”

The Importance of Environmental Analysis are:

  • First Mover Advantage: Awareness of environment helps an enterprise to take advantage of early opportunities instead of losing them to competitors. For instance, Maruti Udyog became the leader in the small car market because it was the first to recognize the need for small cars on account of rising Middle class.
  • Early Warning Signal: Environmental awareness serves as an early warning signal. It makes a firm aware of the impending threat or crisis, so that the firm can take timely action to minimize the adverse effects if any. For instance, A MNC entering in to the Indian market would act as a early warning signal for Indian Firms.
  • Focus On Customer: Environmental Understanding makes the management or Business organization sensitive towards the changing needs and expectations of customer. For instance, Several FMCG companies have launched small sachets of shampoo and other products realizing the wishes of customers.
  • Strategy Formulation: Environmental Monitoring provides relevant information about the business environment. such information serves as the basis for strategy formulation. For Instance, ITC realized that there is a vast scope for growth in the travel and tourism industry in India and therefore ITC planned New hotels in India.
  • Change Agent: Business leaders acts as the agents of change. They create a drive for change at the grassroot level. In order to decide the direction and nature of change, the leaders need to understand the aspirations of people and other environmental forces through Environmental Scanning.
  • Public Image: A business firm can improve its image by showing that it is sensitive to its environment and responsive to the aspirations of public. Environmental understanding enables the business to be responsive to their environment.
  • Continuous Learning: Environmental analysis keeps the organization in touch with the changing scenario so that thet are never caught unaware. With the help of Environmental learning, managers can react in an appropriate manner and thereby increase the success of their organization.

The Process of Environmental Analysis/Scanning consists of the following steps:

  • Environmental Scanning: It means the process of analyzing the environment for identifying the factors which may influence the business. Environmental Scanning alerts an organization to potentially significant forces in the external environment, so that suitable strategic initiatives may be taken before the organization reaches to a critical situation.
  • Environmental Monitoring: At this stage, the information from the relevant environment is collected. Once this information is collected, adequate data is gathered so as to find out the patterns and trends of the environment. Further Monitoring is a follow up and deeper analysis of environmental forces. Several techniques such as company records, spying, publication and verbal talks with the customers, employees, dealers and suppliers are the main sources of collecting data.
  • Environmental Forecasting: Environmental Forecasting is the process of estimating the events of future based on the analysis of past records and present behavior. Further it is necessary to analyze or anticipate the future events before any strategic plans are formulated. Forecasts are made for economic, social and political factors. Several techniques such as Time series, Graph method, Delphi method etc. are used for this purpose.
  • Assessment Or Diagnosis: At this stage, Environmental factors are assessed in terms of their impact on the organization. Some factors in the environment may entail an opportunity while others may pose a threat yo the organization. For this purpose, SWOT analysis and ETOP analysis are used.

Advantages of Environmental Analysis

The internal insights provided by the environmental analysis are used to assess employee’s performance, customer satisfaction, maintenance cost, etc. to take corrective action wherever required. Further, the external metrics help in responding to the environment in a positive manner and also aligning the strategies according to the objectives of the organization.

Environmental analysis helps in the detection of threats at an early stage, that assist the organization in developing strategies for its survival. Add to that, it identifies opportunities, such as prospective customers, new product, segment and technology, to occupy a maximum share of the market than its competitors.

Steps Involved in Environmental Analysis

  1. Identifying: First of all, the factors which influence the business entity are to be identified, to improve its position in the market. The identification is performed at various levels, i.e. company level, market level, national level and global level.
  2. Scanning: Scanning implies the process of critically examining the factors that highly influence the business, as all the factors identified in the previous step effects the entity with the same intensity. Once the important factors are identified, strategies can be made for its improvement.
  3. Analysing: In this step, a careful analysis of all the environmental factors is made to determine their effect on different business levels and on the business as a whole. Different tools available for the analysis include benchmarking, Delphi technique and scenario building.
  4. Forecasting: After identification, examination and analysis, lastly the impact of the variables is to be forecasted.

Environmental analysis is an ongoing process and follows a holistic approach, that continuously scans the forces effecting the business environment and covers 360 degrees of the horizon, rather than a specificsegment.

Developing Pay Structures

The pay structure or salary structure defines the compensation given to the employees. It shows the breakup of the salary into various components. Based on various criteria such as the professional experience or employees, or grades or bands the employees are categorized under, different pay structures may be defined in an organization. One pay structure may be applicable to multiple bands or grades and one band or grade may have multiple pay structures.

Pay structures offer a framework for wage progression and can help encourage appropriate behaviours and performance, while pay progression describes how employees are able to increase their pay within their salary grade or band.

Pay structures can be distinguished by two key characteristics: the number of grades, levels or bands; and the width or span of each grade. For example:

Narrow-graded pay structures, often found in the public sector, typically comprise ten or more grades, with jobs of broadly equivalent worth in each grade. Progression is by service increments, although due to narrow grades employees can reach the top of the pay range relatively quickly, potentially leading to ‘grade drift’ and jobs ranked more highly than justified

Broad-graded structures have fewer grades, perhaps six to nine, and greater scope for progression that can counter ‘grade drift’ problems

Broad-banding involves the use of an even smaller number of pay bands (four or five). Designed to allow for greater pay flexibility, typical broad-banding would place no limits on pay progression within each band, although some employers have introduced a greater degree of structure

Job families group jobs within similar functions or occupations, with separate pay structures for different ‘families’ (e.g. sales or IT staff). With around six to eight levels, similar to broad-grading, job family structures allows for higher rates of pay for sought-after specialist staff

Career families extend the metaphor with a common pay structure across all ‘job families’ rather than separate pay structures for each family. Career families tend to emphasise career paths and progression rather than the greater focus on pay of job families.

Basic Pay

This is the core of salary, and many other components may be calculated based on this amount. It usually depends on one’s grade within the company’s salary is a fixed part of one’s compensation structure. Many allowances and deductions are described in terms of percentage of the Basic Salary.

Basic salary is the base income of an individual. Basic salary is the amount paid to employees before any reductions or increases due to overtime or bonus, allowances (internet usage for those who work from home or communication allowance). Basic salary is a fixed amount paid to employees by their employers in return for the work performed or performance of professional duties by the former. Base salary, therefore, does not include bonuses, benefits or any other compensation from employers. As the name suggests, basic salary is the core of the salary of an employee. It is a fixed part of the compensation structure of an employee and generally depends on her or her designation. If the appointment of an employee is made on a pay scale, the basic salary may increase every year. Else, it remains fixed.

According to experts, the basic salary differs according to the type of the industry. For instance, employees in the information technology industry prefer take-home salary (since the staff turnover is high) while employees in the manufacturing companies get more fringe benefits.

DA (Dearness Allowance)

The Dearness Allowance (DA) is a cost of living adjustment to allowance. It is calculated as a percentage of (Basic pay + grade pay). Dearness allowance is updated every quarter of calendar year to compensate for inflation in consumer price index. It may increase or decrease depending on inflation rate. (Decrease in DA is rare).

House Rent Allowance (HRA)

House Rent Allowance (HRA) is a common component of their salary structure. Although it is a part of your salary, HRA, unlike basic salary, is not fully taxable. Subject to certain conditions, a part of HRA is exempted under Section 10 (13A) of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

The amount of HRA exemption is deductible from the total income before arriving at a taxable income. This helps the employee to save tax. But do keep in mind that the HRA received from your employer, is fully taxable i f an employee is living in his own house or if he does not pay any rent.

HRA Benefit

The tax benefit is available only to a salaried individual who has the HRA component as part of his salary structure and is staying in a rented accommodation. Self-employed professionals cannot avail the deduction.

Gross Pay

Gross pay for an employee is the amount used to calculate that employees’ wages (for an hourly employee) or salary (for a salaried employee. It is the total amount you as the employer owe the employee for work during one pay period. Gross pay includes regular hourly or salaried pay and it also includes any overtime paid to the employee during the pay period.

For both salaried and hourly employees, the calculation is based on an agreed-upon amount of gross pay. That is, both the employee and employer have agreed that this is the pay rate. The pay rate should be in writing and signed by both the employee an employer.

For hourly employees, that pay rate might be negotiated by a union contract. For salaried employees, that rate might be in an employment contract or just a pay letter. In each case, the gross pay rate should be agreed to and signed before the employee begins working.

An example of gross pay calculation for a salaried employee:

 A salaried employee has an annual salary of $47,000 a year. The salaried employees at this company are paid on the 15th and 30th of each month (twice a month). The $47,000 is divided by 24 to get $1958.33, which is the gross pay for each pay period.

Take Home Pay

Take-home pay is the net amount of income received after the deduction of taxes, benefits, and voluntary contributions from a paycheck. It is the difference between the gross income less all deductions. Deductions include federal, state and local income tax, Social Security and Medicare contributions, retirement account contributions, and medical, dental and other insurance premiums. The net amount or take-home pay is what the employee receives.

HRM Training Methods

Many methods of training are available each has certain advantages and disadvantages. Here we list the different methods of training…you can comment on the pros and cons and make the examples concrete by imagining how they could be applied in training truck drivers.

  1. Technology Based Learning

Common methods of learning via technology include:

  • Basic PC-based programs
  • Interactive multimedia: using a PC-based CD-ROM
  • Interactive video: using a computer in conjunction with a VCR
  • Web-based training programs

The forms of training with technology are almost unlimited. A trainer also gets more of the learner’s involvement than in any other environment and trainees have the benefit of learning at their own pace.

Example: In the trucking industry one can imagine interactive multimedia training on tractor-trailers followed by a proficiency test to see how well the employee knows the truck.

  1. Simulators

Simulators are used to imitate real work experiences.

Most simulators are very expensive but for certain jobs, like learning to fly a 747, they are indispensable. Astronauts also train extensively using simulators to imitate the challenges and micro-gravity experienced on a space mission. The military also uses video games (similar to the “shoot-em-up” ones your 14-year old plays) to train soldiers.

Example: Truck drivers could use simulators to practice responding to dangerous driving situations.

  1. On-The-Job Training

Jumping right into work from day one can sometimes be the most effective type of training.

Here are a few examples of on-the-job training:

  • Read the manual a rather boring, but thorough way of gaining knowledge of about a task.
  • A combination of observation, explanation and practice.
  • Trainers go through the job description to explain duties and answer questions.
  • Use the intranet so trainees can post questions concerning their jobs and experts within the company can answer them.

On-the-job training gives employees motivation to start the job. Some reports indicate that people learn more efficiently if they learn hands-on, rather than listening to an instructor. However, this method might not be for everyone, as it could be very stressful.

Example: New trucking employees could ride with experienced drivers. They could ask questions about truck weigh stations, proper highway speeds, picking up hitchhikers, or any other issues that may arise.

  1. Coaching/Mentoring

Coaching/mentoring gives employees a chance to receive training one-on-one from an experienced professional. This usually takes place after another more formal process has taken place to expand on what trainees have already learned.

Here are three examples of coaching/mentoring:

  • Hire professional coaches for managers.
  • Set up a formal mentoring program between senior and junior managers
  • Implement less formal coaching/mentoring to encourage the more experienced employees to coach the less experienced.

Coaching/mentoring gives trainees the chance to ask questions and receive thorough and honest answers; something they might not receive in a classroom with a group of people.

Example: Again, truck drivers could gain valuable knowledge from more experienced drivers using this method.

  1. Lectures

Lectures usually take place in a classroom-format.

It seems the only advantage to a lecture is the ability to get a huge amount of information to a lot of people in a short amount of time. It has been said to be the least effective of all training methods. In many cases, lectures contain no form of interaction from the trainer to the trainee and can be quite boring. Studies show that people only retain 20 percent of what they are taught in a lecture.

Example: Truck drivers could receive lectures on issues such as company policies and safety.

  1. Group Discussions & Tutorials

These most likely take place in a classroom where a group of people discuss issues.

For example, if an unfamiliar program is to be implemented, a group discussion on the new program would allow employees to ask questions and provide ideas on how the program would work best.

A better form of training than lectures, it allows all trainees to discuss issues concerning the new program. It also enables every attendee to voice different ideas and bounce them off one another.

Example: Truck drivers could have group discussions and tutorials on safety issues they face on the road. This is a good way to gain feedback and suggestions from other drivers.

  1. Role Playing

Role playing allows employees to act out issues that could occur in the workplace. Key skills often touched upon are negotiating and teamwork.

A role play could take place between two people simulating an issue that could arise in the workplace. This could occur with a group of people split into pairs, or whereby two people role play in front of the classroom.

Role playing can be effective in connecting theory and practice, but may not be popular with people who don´t feel comfortable performing in front of a group of people.

Example: Truck drivers could role play an issue such as a large line-up of trucks is found at the weighing station and one driver tells another that he might as well go ahead and skip the whole thing. Or role play a driver who gets pulled over by a police officer and doesn’t agree with the speeding charge.

  1. Management Games

Management games simulate real-life issues faced in the workplace. They attract all types of trainees including active, practical and reflective employees.

Some examples of management games could include:

  • Computer simulations of business situations that managers ´play´.
  • Board games that simulate a business situation.
  • Games surrounding thought and creativity to help managers find creative ways to solve problems in the workplace, or to implement innovative ideas.

Example: In a trucking business, managers could create games that teach truckers the impact of late deliveries, poor customer service or unsafe driving.

  1. Outdoor Training

A nice break from regular classroom or computer-based training, the usual purpose of outdoor training is to develop teamwork skills.

Some examples include:

  • Wilderness or adventure training: participants live outdoors and engage in activities like whitewater rafting, sailing, and mountain climbing.
  • Low-impact programming: equipment can include simple props or a permanently installed “low ropes” course.
  • High-impact programming: Could include navigating a 40-foot “high ropes” course, rock climbing, or rappelling.

Outgoing and active participants may get the most out of this form of training. One risk trainers might encounter is distraction, or people who don´t like outdoor activities.

Example: As truck drivers are often on the road alone, they could participate in a nature-training course along with depot personnel to build esprit de corps.

  1. Films & Videos

Films and videos can be used on their own or in conjunction with other training methods.

To be truly effective, training films and videos should be geared towards a specific objective. Only if they are produced effectively, will they keep the trainees attention. They are also effective in stimulating discussion on specific issues after the film or video is finished.

Films and videos are good training tools, but have some of the same disadvantages as a lecture i.e., no interaction from the trainees.

A few risks to think about showing a film or video from an outside source may not touch on issues directly affecting a specific company. Trainees may find the information very interesting but irrelevant to their position in the company.

Some trainers like to show videos as a break from another training method, i.e. as a break from a lecture instead of a coffee break.

This is not a good idea for two reasons. One: after a long lecture, trainees will usually want a break from any training material, so a training film wouldn´t be too popular. Two: using films and videos solely for the purpose of a break could get expensive.

Example: Videos for truckers could show the proper way to interact with customers or illustrate preventive maintenance techniques.

  1. Case Studies

Case studies provide trainees with a chance to analyze and discuss real workplace issues. They develop analytical and problem-solving skills, and provide practical illustrations of principle or theory. They can also build a strong sense of teamwork as teams struggle together to make sense of a case.

All types of issues could be covered i.e. how to handle a new product launch.

Example: Truck drivers could use case studies to learn what issues have been faced in the trucking industry in the past and what they could do if a similar situation were to occur.

  1. Planned Reading

Basically planned reading is pre-stage preparation to more formal methods of training. Some trainees need to grasp specific issues before heading into the classroom or the team-building session.

Planned reading will provide employees with a better idea of what the issues are, giving them a chance to think of any questions beforehand.

Example: Here we may be stretching if we think that truckers are going to read through a lot of material the training department sends them.

Process of Job Analysis and Design

An effective and right process of analyzing a particular job is a great relief for them. It helps them maintain the right quality of employees, measure their performance on realistic standards, assess their training and development needs and increase their productivity. Let’s discuss the job analysis process and find out how it serves the purpose.

Job Analysis Process

Identification of Job Analysis Purpose: Well any process is futile until its purpose is not identified and defined. Therefore, the first step in the process is to determine its need and desired output. Spending human efforts, energy as well as money is useless until HR managers don’t know why data is to be collected and what is to be done with it.
Who Will Conduct Job Analysis: The second most important step in the process of job analysis is to decide who will conduct it. Some companies prefer getting it done by their own HR department while some hire job analysis consultants. Job analysis consultants may prove to be extremely helpful as they offer unbiased advice, guidelines and methods. They don’t have any personal likes and dislikes when it comes to analyze a job.
How to Conduct the Process: Deciding the way in which job analysis process needs to be conducted is surely the next step. A planned approach about how to carry the whole process is required in order to investigate a specific job.
Strategic Decision Making: Now is the time to make strategic decision. It’s about deciding the extent of employee involvement in the process, the level of details to be collected and recorded, sources from where data is to be collected, data collection methods, the processing of information and segregation of collected data.
Training of Job Analyst: Next is to train the job analyst about how to conduct the process and use the selected methods for collection and recoding of job data.
Preparation of Job Analysis Process: Communicating it within the organization is the next step. HR managers need to communicate the whole thing properly so that employees offer their full support to the job analyst. The stage also involves preparation of documents, questionnaires, interviews and feedback forms.
Data Collection: Next is to collect job-related data including educational qualifications of employees, skills and abilities required to perform the job, working conditions, job activities, reporting hierarchy, required human traits, job activities, duties and responsibilities involved and employee behaviour.
Documentation, Verification and Review: Proper documentation is done to verify the authenticity of collected data and then review it. This is the final information that is used to describe a specific job.
Developing Job Description and Job Specification: Now is the time to segregate the collected data in to useful information. Job Description describes the roles, activities, duties and responsibilities of the job while job specification is a statement of educational qualification, experience, personal traits and skills required to perform the job.
Thus, the process of job analysis helps in identifying the worth of specific job, utilizing the human talent in the best possible manner, eliminating unneeded jobs and setting realistic performance measurement standards.

Process of Job Design

Job design is the process of creating identical jobs with sufficient information regarding work activities to be carried out including the skills, experience and qualification required to conduct the job more efficiently and effectively. It designs the sufficient intrinsic and extrinsic reward system associated with the job. A typical job design process consists of following parts:

1. Specification of individual tasks:
At beginning, all the tasks to be conducted are identified. On the basis of nature, special skills or abilities required  to perform the tasks, relation and interdependency with other tasks, complexities etc. of tasks need to be classified. In this step, individual tasks are simplified as far as possible.

2. Combination of task into jobs:
Job is the group of similar tasks in terms of nature and responsibilities as well as skills combined together to form different jobs. Jobs need to be simple in the sense that they need to be scientific systematic. In this step, jobs are prepared and assigned to the concerned department and employees.

3. Specification of methods:
After designing jobs, specific methods to conduct these are identified. Specification of methods not only provides the basic guidelines to perform the job but also helps to get the similar jobs done uniformly. This can be changed with the change in technology as well as advancement in the methods.

Benefits or Objectives of Job Design in HRM:
Job design is the basis of motivation to employees. Scientifically designed job increase the productivity of the organization. This is the very first condition to perform the organizational activities in an effective and efficient way to attain the organizational goals. Following major benefits can be attained because of job design:

1. Organizational structure:
Job design collects the similar activities into a package i.e. job. This helps to prepare the logical relation between different job responsibilities. Job design designs different position in the organization. This ultimately helps to prepare the organizational structure. Job design provides the basic information for designing the organizational structure.

2. Help in HR Planning:
Human resource planning requires some fundamental information regarding the job. Job design not only prepares the jobs but it estimates the minimum skills qualification and experience required to different jobs. It determines the number of jobs available in an organization. This helps to plan regarding the human resource acquisition, development, utilization and maintenance.

3. Human resource acquisition and selection:
Getting right man at the right job is another important purpose of job design. It prepares the information regarding skills, qualification, experience and the expertise required to accomplish the job in best possible way. This determines the things to be done as well as its specification. This helps to search and select right man at the right job. Perfect job design reduces the risk of selecting wrong employees to the job.

4. Employee motivation and commitment:
Job design helps to allocate job responsibilities according to interest, skills, and expertise of employees. This limits the job responsibilities upto skills and expertise. Job design makes the job more interesting and challenging. It provides the avenue of personal growth. All these things provide the motivation to employees and increase the level of satisfaction too. Motivated employees commit for best performance. Productivity and efficiency of such motivated and committed employees remains the maximum level.

5. Good industrial relation:
Industrial relation is being vital in modern business age. Success or failure of organization largely depends upon the relation between management, employees and government. Properly designed job increases the job satisfaction in employees. There will be no conflict in responsibilities and goals in between jobs if they are designed scientifically. Such job decreases the employees grievances, indisciplinary actions, employees and management. This ensures the success of organization.

6. Better quality of life:
Quality of work life indicates the state of working condition. This is one of the most important indicators to increase the job satisfaction. Quality of work life is the relationship between employees and working environment. Better quality work life increases the job satisfaction and helps to create harmonious relationship between employees and management. Properly designed job increases the quality of work life. It provides the interrelationship between different jobs, makes the area of responsibility clear, provides clear schedule of work, creates group of employee right for the appropriate job. All these things help to improve the quality of work life. Positive changes in job design also help to change the attitude and belief of employees to make them favorable for organizational benefits.

7. Easy supervision:
Properly designed jobs become scientific for responsibility distribution, skills requirement and inter job relationship. Job design helps to select right man at right job. Employee job satisfaction and commitment in such case become high. Self motivated and directed employees need less supervision. This helps to reduce supervision cost.

8. Environment adaptation:
Business environment is ever changing. With the change in technology, market segment customer’s expectations, organizational objectives etc. jobs need to be changed. To grab the business opportunities from the competitive market, organizations must change their products, technology, way of doing things, etc. So, job once created may not be effective forever. They need to be improved and empowered. Such activities in job are done through job design and hence organization creates goods and products with greater customer expectation. So, job design helps to adopt the changing environment.

9. Organizational goal attainment:
Job designed scientifically will motivate employees for job commitment. Such jobs reduce the absenteeism, turnover, grievance, frustration and lower productivity. Committed employees pay their total effort for organizational betterment. These things help to attain organizational goal as per planning.

Methods of Job Analysis

Methods of collecting job analysis information include direct observation, work method analysis, critical incident technique, interview and questionnaire method.

These are given below

  1. Direct Observation Method

Direct Observation is a method of job analysis to observe and record behaviour / events / activities / tasks / duties when the worker or group engaged in doing the job. Observation method can be effective only when the job analyst is skilled enough to know what is to be observed, how to analyze, and what is being observed.

  1. Work Method Analysis

Work methods analysis is used to describe manual and repetitive production jobs, such as factory or assembly-line jobs. Work methods analysis includes time and motion study and micro-motion analysis.

  1. Critical Incident Technique

Critical incident technique is a method of job analysis used to identify work behaviours that classify in good and poor performance. Under this method, jobholders are asked to describe critical incidents concerning the job and the incidents so collected are analyzed and classified according to the job areas they describe.

  1. Interview Method

Interview method is a useful tool of job analysis to ask questions to both incumbents and supervisors in either an individual or a group setting. Interview includes structured interviews, unstructured interview, and open-ended questions.

  1. Questionnaire Method

It includes 6 techniques, which are as follows:

(a) Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ Model)

PAQ model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis. It developed by Mc Cormick, Jeanneret, and Mecham (1972), is a structured instrument of job analysis to measure job characteristics and relate them to human characteristics. It consists of 195 job elements that describe generic human work behaviours.

(b) Functional Job Analysis (FJA Model)

FJA model is a technique of job analysis that was developed by the Employment and Training Administration of the United States Department of Labour. It includes 7 scales (numbers) that measure- 3 worker-function scales- measure percentage of time spent with: data, people, things; 1 worker-instruction scale; 3 scales that measure reasoning, mathematics, and language.

(c) Work Profiling System (WPS Model)

WPS model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis, is a computer-administered system for job analysis, developed by Saville & Holds worth, Ltd.

(d) MOSAIC Model

MOSAIC model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis used to collect information from incumbents and supervisors. It contains 151 job tasks rated in terms of importance for effective job performance and 22 competencies rated in terms of importance, and needed proficiency at entry.

(e) Common Metric Questionnaire (CMQ Model)

CMQ model is a technique of job analysis that was developed by Harvey as a “worker-oriented” job analysis instrument designed to have applicability to a broad range of exempt and nonexempt jobs. It includes 41 general questions of background section, 62 questions of contacts with people, 80 items of decision making, 53 items of physical and mechanical activities, 47 items of work setting.

(f) Fleishman Job Analysis System (FJAS Model)

FJAS model is a technique of job analysis that describes jobs from the point of view of the necessary capacities. It includes 52 cognitive, physical, psycho-motor, and sensory ability; each of the categories consists of two parts – an operational and differential definition and a grading scale.

BBA406 Consumer Behavior

Unit 1 {Book}

Meaning and Nature of Consumer Behaviour

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Factors affecting Consumer Behaviour

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Consumer Involvement and Decision Making

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Models of Decision Making

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Unit 2 {Book}

Consumer Perception

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Consumer Attitudes and Changes in Attitude

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Consumer Motivation

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Unit 3 {Book}

Models of Consumer Behaviour

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Consumer Behaviour in India

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Difference between Consumer Buying and Industrial Buying

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Nature and Factors Affecting Industrial Buying

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Unit 4 {Book}

Factors Influencing Purchase Decision of a Consumer

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Personality

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Self-Concept

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Life-Style

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Psychographics

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Reference Group

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