Applicability of Six Sigma in Human Resource Management

The role of HR has become like that of a firefighter, remembered only in emergencies. Their presence is felt only in their absence. HR is seen as a reactive staff function and a cost centre. The message is clear. Despite its best effort to keep organization together with uniform policy, norms, and values, HR is compelled to prove its financial worth to the organization. HR is under constant pressure for showing their results in quantifiable and financially measurable terms. Introducing Six Sigma in processes of HRM functions seems to be a solution to this problem. However, in some of “Total Six Sigma Organizations,” the human resources department has been practically untouched by Six Sigma. The main reason being the difficulty in quantifying and measuring the financial returns of HR processes. But, some others feel that this is as easy as identifying the gaps and using the right formula. The real problem therefore lies in the perception of an individual HR professional. It takes an HR manager to think statistically and analyze how a process can be quantified.

Students’ and Parents’ Perceptions of Barriers to Cycling to School—An Analysis by Gender

Internationally, there is increased emphasis on the need to reduce dependency on cars and to encourage more sustainable forms of travel, including active travel. To encourage increased levels of cycling, the focus has generally been on improving cycling infrastructure and on making cycling safer. While cycling rates have increased in many countries, including Ireland, women are often less likely to cycle than men. While there are some notable exceptions to this (for example, in the Netherlands) this phenomenon of lower cycling rates amongst women is common and research shows that the differences between male and female cycling rates can be seen from an early age. This paper explores the reasons why women are less likely to cycle than men, by examining the modal choices of school-going students, and the attitudes of their parents/guardians to their modal choices. The survey was conducted in the city of Limerick in the midwestern region of Ireland. The results show multi-factorial barriers to cycling to school for girls compared to boys. Uniforms, traffic concerns, physical efforts of cycling, effects on personal appearance, and peer-influences were factors affecting girls more than boys. Male parents/guardians did not significantly differentiate by the gender of their children in relation to factors associated with cycling to school, unlike female parents/guardians who were found to be significantly less supportive of their daughters than their sons. Additionally, parents/guardians were generally more likely to afford their male children greater independence in their school travel choices. While there are many considerations that would affect students’ perceptions towards cycling, an adjustment to the school uniform policy would, at least, remove the most significant barrier for girls. Further research must be carried out to determine how to shift the perceptions of the efforts associated with cycling, especially among girls, and how to encourage female parents/guardians to better support their daughters to cycle to school.

Empowering TGE Students with Inclusive Policies

This chapter begins with the idea of safe people creating safe spaces beyond the classroom and into environments in which co-curricular activities take place. Creating policies through a process of consideration and careful planning can impact student learning. Policies, then, can serve as tools for teacher to advocate on behalf of TGE youth. Readers move through a step-by-step guide for evaluating existing policies and generating new policies to honor and affirm TGE persons in school music settings. Examples of federal policy impact on state and local school policies frame considerations of access equity for TGE students. A discussion of inclusive and gender-neutral school music uniform policy concludes this chapter.

Muslim women, uniforms and dentistry

Julie Bissett considers the options for Muslim women in dentistry and how they can adhere to their religious guidance on dress in line with uniform policy

Do we need a unified uniform policy?

Sam Foster, Chief Nurse, Oxford University Hospitals, considers the question of a single NHS uniform for England, with the launch of a consultation on the idea

An Overview of Educational Policies of Pakistan (1947-2020)

Education is considered as a key to achieve socio-economic prosperity around the globe. The quality of education depends upon country’s educational policy. Countries with a better educational policies and a continued funding can better attain the socio-economic development with an ease. Whereas, countries like Pakistan, despite its several educational policies, is yet to achieve the milestone of socio-economic development. The reasons for such failure may be regarded to partial or complete catastrophe in policy implementation. Moreover, factors like political and bureaucratic reluctance, weaker economy, inconsistency in policy implementation, clash of political ideologies, wars, toppled regimes and above all corruption have been among the major factors of failure. For the attainment of economic and social prosperity, Pakistan needs to introduce a uniform policy along with qualified staff for inculcating the curriculum and either local or national language for more conceptual clarity. Moreover, the most important step is the allocation of funds required minimum 4% budget of GDP for education with serious attitude of bureaucracy, political will and consistency or else the vision of achieving social and economic uplift seems to remain a dream rather than a reality.

FALSIFICATION OF THE HISTORY AND RESULTS OF THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR IN SOME COUNTRIES’ LEGISLATION

The relevance of the problem is that at the present stage of development of public relations between Western countries and Russia, attempts are being made to revise the history of the Second world war and such attempts are becoming more distinct over time. The paper proposes to consider the reasons for such actions and analyze the legal acts that are adopted by countries in some countries in the direction of reviewing the prerequisites, causes and results of the great Patriotic War. The methods used in this work are comparative descriptions of normative legal acts aimed at prohibiting Communist symbols and placing them on a par with Nazi symbols. It is also proposed to understand the reasons for the preparation and publication of such acts on the territory of some countries, using the example of the Baltic States and Ukraine. In the final part of the work, we can draw a conclusion about the similarity of legal acts adopted by these States, their uniform policy in the framework of consideration of historical and legal assessments of the Second world war. The results of the work are recommendations that are proposed to be considered and discussed on these proposals, which are aimed at popularizing Patriotic tourism, preserving historical justice and preventing the reformatting of the prerequisites, causes and results of the great Patriotic War. The value of the work is to collect information from official sources, to structure it and to be able to use it in practice. This work allows us to give our own assessment of the formation of rule-making in some post-Soviet countries in the field of discussing the history of the Second world war. The paper provides recommendations for preserving historical memory and achieving the principles of openness and fairness in the interpretation of the results of the Second world war.

Perception, Attitude and Recommendations for Healthcare Professionals towards COVID-19 Infection: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Survey Based Study from India

We have carried out a survey among Healthcare professionals in the perceptions and attitude towards COVID-19 and also attempted to reach a few conclusions in the form of recommendations. A questionnaire based online survey was conducted between 1st April 2020 and 30th May 2020. 97.20% (p<0.05) participants suggested that protective mask for the patients or attendants should be made compulsory while coming to the Hospitals. 79.33% (p<0.05) think that post COVID-19 the area outside the doctor’s chamber should not be crowded and some measures should be taken in order to reduce the number. In the same line, 83.58% (p<0.05) participants favour, limiting the number of attendants with the patients and making a prior appointment compulsory, 51.97% (p<0.05) wish to switch to virtual counselling. Considering the variation in strains of the virus, different geographical conditions, demography, economic status and healthcare facilities, a uniform policy shouldn’t be implemented all across the globe or even for a country.

The Schengen Area

Abolition of internal border controls—with corresponding harmonization of external border controls and other relevant policies (short-term visas, freedom to travel, control of irregular migration)—has become a cornerstone of the European Union’s (EU) overall integration project, being linked also to harmonisation of asylum policy, external relations issues, and policing and criminal law cooperation, including the ongoing development and extension of justice and home affairs databases such as the Schengen Information System and the Visa Information System. However, the Schengen process has been frequently contested over the past decade, first of all in the context of the Arab Spring in 2011 and subsequently due to the perceived migration crisis of 2015–2016. The EU has responded with a combination of further integration (such as more funding, more harmonization, and more power for EU bodies) along with deference to Member States regarding re-imposing border checks in order to stop flows of asylum-seekers. It may be questioned how well this strategy will work in the long term, but in the medium term it has succeeded in keeping the Schengen policy afloat in this modified form. The research in this field has concentrated on whether the Schengen system has accomplished its objectives and the possible tension between the system and human rights and data protection standards, as well as the overlapping tensions between the attempts to develop a uniform policy at EU level and the divergences in implementation and policy priorities at national level, particularly at times of crisis or intense political debate.