Alok Kumar Goel

Talent management: a paradigm shift in Indian public sector

Purpose – The functioning of an organization largely depends upon several remarkable components, with the talented employee occupying the central role for the accomplishment of organizational goals. In this context, organizations are making more investment into talent development initiatives, which currently is a challenge. The purpose of this paper is to examine the talent retention practices in Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a Navratna PSE of the Government of India.Design/methodology/approach – The investigation is carried out through a case study that discusses BHELs well‐designed talent management strategy.Findings – Effective talent management practices help the Indian public sectors in general to retain their best talent. At BHEL, talent management practices are focused on competencies, knowledge, learning and increased broad group engineering and technology transference.Research limitations/implications – The case study could be enriched further by empirically measuring different factor...

Measuring the level of employee engagement: a study from Indian automobile sector

This paper aims to examine the key drivers for employee engagement within an organisation. It seeks to answer the question: what are the keys for improving the level of employee engagement? This study first examines the theoretical understanding of employee engagement followed by an empirical investigation. The case study illustrates the strategy for employee engagement in Honda Siel Car India Ltd. (HSCI), which is based on research on the key drivers of engagement. Qualitative and quantitative studies on work engagement are reviewed to uncover the manifestations of engagement and reveal its antecedents and consequences. This paper presents practical lessons of employee engagement from HSCI - a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India. This paper ascertains some of the key drivers of employee engagement as illustrated by the case study. This practitioner-oriented paper builds upon a case study, which explores the employee engagement in an automobile industry and integrates the findings with contemporary knowledge on human resource management. The findings of this case study can be used to develop the strategy for employee engagement in todays workplace.

Ethan learns to be a learning organization

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the main human resource management policies at Ethan Power Private Ltd, an Indian design, sales and manufacturing company, and the specific circumstances that led it to become a learning organization. Design/methodology/approach – This paper outlines the company’s origins and growth and its policies in such areas as recruitment, induction, training, remuneration, performance management and industrial relations. Findings – This paper reveals that learning organization concepts have stimulated debate in the business, and there is growing acceptance of self-managed development, empowerment and creativity. Practical implications – This paper explains that there is much more evidence in the company of effective teamwork and the principles of total quality management, while HR specialists are encouraging the processes of reflection and self-improvement that lie at the heart of organizational improvement. Social implications – This paper reveals that, in general, and while f...

Unraveling the Power of Talent Analytics: Implications for Enhancing Business Performance

For years, the human resources function has shouldered much of the responsibility for managing people, but it has often had to do so with too little real information while being too segregated from the business. Talent analytics, which uses advanced technologies to process billions of data points to discern previously unseen patterns of potential value, shows the promise of basing decisions about hiring, training, improving productivity, and retaining talent on hard numbers and even delivering insights that can make a company more competitive. This exploratory study provides an overview of the talent analytics practices of India’s Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., which is a company engaged in a variety of businesses producing products such as steel barrels, industrial greases, specialty lubricants, corporate travel and logistic services with sites throughout India and in Bedford in the United Kingdom. Talent analytics help the company foster and sustain innovation by revolutionizing not only the practices of HR but also how insights about workforce performances can be derived and applied to achieve real improvements in business performance.

How does Work Engagement vary with Employee Demography?: —Revelations from the Indian IT industry

Abstract The purpose of the paper is to determine how work engagement and its components –vigor, dedication and absorption vary with employee demographic factors such as gender, marital status, age, experience, tenure, income and education. Data collected from 303 working adults in the IT industry of India was statistically analyzed. T-tests and ANOVA revealed that work engagement significantly differed with age, education level, and experience. There was no difference in Work engagement as far as gender, marital status, tenure, and income was concerned. Pearson Correlations revealed significant relationships of work engagement with age, education level and experience. However, when regression was done to find out the determinants of WE, gender and education came out to be the predictor variables. The study has managerial implications as employers now know that work engagement is predicted by higher education and that males are more engaged than females in the IT industry.

Knowledge management process at BHEL: a case study

Effective knowledge management (KM) helps an organisation control and institutionalise its knowledge-based processes and create an organisational culture that fosters and encourages continuous learning resulting in a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. This paper seeks to observe the KM practices prevalent in Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, a Maharatna PSE of the Government of India, and includes a case study on the organisation. The KM practices followed by the company have been assessed with the help of a KM performance scorecard (e-map scorecard). The study further examines the in-house knowledge sharing processes and the extent to which information and technology is used to facilitate the exchange of knowledge. Findings reveal that linking KM practices with organisational goals increased the likelihood of the achievement of those goals.

Birla milks its employees for the creamiest leaders of the future

Purpose – This paper aims to describe how Birla creates a strong pipeline of people who are ready to lead the organization in the future. Design/methodology/approach – It explains the origins of the group’s global-manufacturing leadership program (GMLP), the form it takes and the results it has achieved. Findings – It reveals that the program aims to shape the manufacturing leaders of tomorrow through exposing them to world-class technologies and processes, state-of-the-art research and continuous learning and development opportunities. Practical implications – It reveals that of the five GMLP candidates recruited in 2011, three have become independent unit heads, one in China and two in India. Social implications – It outlines the company belief that retaining and developing the skills of its existing workforce is at least as important as importing new talent when faced with increasing competition and growing pressure to cut costs in its main markets. Originality/value – It demonstrates that the program ...

Stars of the future give Bhushan Power and Steel the edge: Systematic program for identifying and developing the talent of tomorrow

Purpose – Consider the various employee-development initiatives at Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL), India. Design/methodology/approach – Underlines the key role of employee development at the firm, and explains in particular how it develops its future managers. Findings – Reveals how employee competencies are mapped and how training is designed around these and the skill needs of the company. Practical implications – Details the benefits of this approach for both individual employees and the company. Social implications – Advances the view that BPSL’s managers are more rounded and knowledgeable than those in comparable Indian companies. Originality/value – Highlights the importance of taking into account the skill needs of the individual as well as the organization as a whole.

Knowledge transfer in Hero Motor Corp Ltd.

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the issues of knowledge transfer in international strategic alliance within Hero Moto Corp. Ltd., an Indian multinational company. International Strategic alliances have been increasing in numbers in the past decades and transfer of knowledge and its transfer in multinational companies is wider debate. The case explores the complex issues involved in cross-organization and cross-country transfer of knowledge. The company has forged a strategic alliance with the US-based Erik Buell Racing for accessing technology and design inputs. Design/methodology/approach – It presents a structured case study that examines a wide range of knowledge transfer issues of international strategic alliance. Findings – It reveals that a major influencing factor is the national culture of the parents and that of the host country which provides the context with in which alliances are operate. It is also explored the ways in which the multi-parentage of strategic alliances influences their Human Resource Management (HRM) policies and practices. Originality/value – It provides plenty of useful information on an issue that affects virtually every employee and organization.

Human Capital Creation: Innovative Practices by an Indian Bank

Employee retention was a big challenge at YES Bank, an emerging Indian bank. The main objective of the study is to identify innovative steps taken by the management in their human resource (HR) practices to enhance employee retention and to create a conducive environment for human capital creation in the YES Bank. The case explores and provides useful insights as to how YES Bank has successfully transformed its working environment for human capital creation through innovative HR practices. The case concludes with questions to provoke discussion to understand the importance of various HR management initiatives. This case is recommended for study and analytical discussion for practicing managers, researchers and management students in HR management, organizational behaviour and industrial relations.