mba report on employee branding

Industry profile

Introduction

India is well known for its large pool of technical manpower, a fair proportion of which

finds employment in developed countries, especially in the West. As a happy sequel to

the story, India has recently witnessed a big boom in the BPO/KPO sector. In order to

sustain this trend, and to ensure that India does not throw away this key advantage, it is

imperative that we continue to produce a critical mass of highly skilled manpower at an

accelerated pace. An enabling academic and economic setting is a key factor

determining the fate of our nation in the wake of the knowledge sector boom. This

study reviews the prevailing policy environment in this context to evaluate its efficacy in

ensuring that India remains ahead of the curve in the knowledge sector.

HIGHER EDUCATION: INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO

1. The New Economic Order and the Role of Higher Education

Two parallel developments in the world economy are worth noting, especially for their

influence on provisioning of higher education: the growth of the Internet and

consequently, e-education and second, the expanding role of World Trade

Organization (WTO) in determining the trends in world economics.

2. Internet in Education

Never before was information so readily available at the press of a button, the Internet

has changed the way the world behaves, does business, and thinks. Even school

children search the web for study material to support their homework.

Today, academicians do not need to spend much time on library research poring over

bulky tomes and taking copious notes. They have the facility of faster and surer access

1

to a much wider range of information through the Internet, not just to read but to print or

save or forward to others as might suit their purpose. . Internet research has come to be

recognized as an essential study tool in all higher education courses in developed

countries.

The Internet has also played a major role in streamlining administrative procedures and

processes of universities worldwide. Any modern university, management school or

institute today has its own website on which courses offered are listed. Students apply

for admission on-line which reduces paperwork and increases administrative efficiency.

They receive e-notifications regarding admission, course schedules, and billing

procedures, which they can pay on-line, as well as their results. Teachers prefer to

receive tutorials on-line, which not only lends itself to faster transmission, but also

avoids the difficulty in reading a manuscript. Similarly, some teachers not only put up

their course material on the web-site, but also their lectures, which can be heard on-line

such that students who were unable to attend can also benefit from them. The faculty

and students remain connected through email on which students receive instructions,

send essays/assignments, fix appointments, etc. All students are expected to have their

own laptop or notebook computer. While a traditional Western university still has face-

to-face lectures, it also offers on-line courses especially during the summer break.

While such courses have the obvious disadvantage of the absence of personal

interaction, they allow for discussion through setting up of chat rooms. Such on-line

courses and discussions have often proved to be more rewarding than regular

classroom interactions as they allow for students and teachers from different parts of

the world to converge.

On-line Universities, which do not require physical infrastructure, have facilitated greater

accessibility to education than ever before.. While popular perception values a degree

from a regular college over one from an On-line college, the greatest advantage of an

on-line university or college, that a student need not

commute or live on campus tilts much of the debate in its favour.. This is especially true

for certain kinds of courses designed to cater to the needs of students who do not have

2

financial backup or family support. As acquiring specialized degrees is directly related to

to better jobs, re-engineering e-education at tertiary level has a great advantage. As

jobs become more and more insecure and mid-life career changes more frequent, the

need for on-line education is increasing overtime.

3. Globalisation and Higher Education

According to the results of a special survey 'Higher Education: Free degrees to fly' (see

Economist, February26th-March 4th, 2005, pp63-65), higher education is already a

global business. The days when higher education was a matter of national policy and

government regulation are rapidly fading. Higher Education provisioning is now

globalised and in many ways, a commercialized affair and the 5 way that the State had

in the goings on is vastly diminished. According to Andreas Schleicher of OECD, a Paris

based ‘Think Tank’ the numbers studying abroad were statistically negligible two

decades ago. (Cited in the same survey in the Economist). According to the

International Finance Corporation (IFC), the growth is now soaring: 2 million university

students-approaching 2% of the world's total of around 100 million studying outside their

home country in 2003 (cited in Higher Education in the same article in Economist).

Since the late 1990s the higher education market is growing by 7 per cent a year. The

Economist Survey on higher education further indicates that annual fee income alone is

estimated at $ 30 billion. While private profit seeking companies have entered the

education business, even government-controlled universities are seeking

independence from governmental authority. However, many countries including India,

continue to control the fee structure of their universities causing financial stress to

foreign students, who are generally made to pay much higher fees than local students.

This has resulted in many universities openly soliciting entry of foreign students. To

facilitate this process they have even tailored their courses to international requirements

besides appointing agents abroad and publicizing the offers widely in the media.

Hence a University is no longer a place where students apply to study. Universities are

now actively pursuing students, especially foreign ones using a wide variety of

3

strategies to market their courses. The student is now the customer or client. With

globalization, Universities are spreading their reach beyond geographical and political

borders. The British, Australian and American Universities are setting up campuses in

Singapore, China and the Gulf. Universities realise that they can examine many more

students than they can teach. Hence many of them are collaborating with other

institutions or franchisees to teach their courses under their brand name without getting

involved in the direct business of imparting the education.

The example of Professional Training Colleges best illustrates this point. The growth of

such colleges world wide shows rising desire for professional 6 qualifications, a new

need for mid career education and finally, the increasing acceptance of professionally

qualified candidature in the job market. In this connection, the example of the US CFA

(Chartered Financial Analyst) is prominent. This professional degree awarded by the

American Association of Financial Professionals has now become so popular that most

students prepare for the qualifying examination with the help of private tuition

companies. Very often the costs incurred in preparing for the examination outstrip the

stipulated entrance fee of $ 1455 for the examination itself. Now about 40 universities

in the US are teaching the course as a part of their post graduation curriculum.

4. World Trade Organization (WTO) and Higher Education

Fundamental to understanding the future role of WTO in education is the question: is

higher education a marketable commodity like an fmcg product or is it a service like

water or electric supply? Is higher education a commercial service or a public good?

While universities and the academic community in general would like higher education

to be viewed as a public good, the prevailing argument in the WTO Secretariat is that

higher education is akin to ‘private consumption’ directly benefiting the consumer by

way of higher income. In April 2002, Universities from Latin American countries,

Portugal and Spain adopted a Declaration at the III Summit of Iberian and Latin

American Universities in Porto Alegre, Brazil in which they declared education as a

4

‘public good’ and requested their governments not to make any commitment on this

issue within the framework of WTO. However, overtime the perception of higher

education as a commercial service is gaining acceptance. The WTO Secretariat in

September 1998 has mentioned that with the rapid changes in higher education

‘education also exists as a private consumption item with a price determined freely by

the providing institutions’. As a result, they have stated that more and more paying

students are attracted to these institutions including foreign students.

In 1994, over 140 countries approved the GATS (Global Agreement in Trade & Tariffs),

the predecessor to the WTO, which was created later in 1995 to expand trade

liberalization internationally. Under Article 3 of WTO the definition of Service is laid

down. It is felt that these rules apply to any service except those supplied in exercise of

governmental authority. Some people feel that this article excludes public universities.

However, the rule further defines that it excludes only those services, which are

supplied neither on commercial basis nor in competition with one or more suppliers.

Amongst the 12 sectors defined by the WTO as service ‘education services’’ also falls

as one.

WTO has also adopted the Principle of Most Favoured Nation.This WTO rule, which is

binding on all members, will have its implications for educational services. The Principle

of the Most Favoured Nation implies that each party ‘shall accord immediate and

unconditionally to services and service providers of any other party, treatment no less

favourable than it accords to the service and service providers of any other country.’

This means that, if a country allows a foreign institution of a country to provide distance

education services, all other countries can request to have the same treatment.

Similarly, if subsidy is given to one, others can request the same advantage.

Another important issue of GATS and WTO, which is fundamental to its principles, is

the notion of National Treatment. This implies an obligation to treat both foreign and

domestic service suppliers in the same manner. It has been contended that this would

imply, if implemented rigidly, that a foreign educational institution of, say, distance

5

education, can demand subsidies similar to those received by public universities in an

individual country.

Box 1: Principal goals in educational services:

• Ensure right of US companies to establish operations in foreign markets including the

right to wholly own these investments.

• Ensure that U.S companies get ‘national treatment’ by getting foreigners same rights

as domestic investors.

• Promote pro-competitive regulatory reform focussed on an adequacy of appropriate

and consistent rules.

• Remove barriers to generate cross border trade.

• Remove obstacles to free movement of people and business information.

In a meeting held in 1992 organized by the US Government along with World Bank

and OECD in Washington, the issue of globalization of education was discussed. It was

felt that globalization should take place with a human face. The efficiency and needs for

market should be balanced by a greater concern for peace, equity, and sustainability.

World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century: Vision and Action

held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from October 5 to 9, 1998 was attended by

nearly 5000 participants representing 180 countries. It adopted an Action Plan for

reforms in the field of higher education. Its main theme was that higher education must

serve the interest of sustainable development and help build a better society. The main

features of the World Declaration on Higher Education adopted in the conference are: 9

Box 2: Academic Community Perception

• Higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit keeping in

mind Article 26.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• Higher Education should uphold education’s role of service to society.

6

• Quality of education is a multi-dimensional concept, which should embrace all

functions and activities, that is, teaching, academic programmes, research and

scholarship, staffing, students, infrastructure, and academic environment.

• Higher education institutions should be committed to transparent internal and external

evaluation conducted openly by independent specialists.

• The potential of Information Communication Technology (ICT) should be fully utilized.

Equitable access to these should be assured through international cooperation and

support to countries that lack capabilities to acquire such tools.

• Higher education should be considered a public service.

• While diverse sources of funding are necessary, public support for higher education

and research remains essential to ensure balanced achievement of its educational and

social missions.

• Partnership should be forged between higher educational institutions and responsible

state authorities.

• The international dimension of higher education is an inherent part of quality.

Networking which has emerged as a major means of action should be based on

sharing, solidarity, and equality among partners.

Education is a trillion Dollar industry worldwide. Education industry groups are,

therefore, attracted by the prospects of liberalization and globalization of this industry.

They seek more international deregulation and generally support WTO efforts. As

demands for higher education grow the world over, the governments are also finding it

difficult to provide adequate budgetary allocation. GATS covers educational services of

all types for all countries whose educational systems are not exclusively provided by

public sector or those systems that have a commercial purpose. Hardly any country

has education exclusively in the public sector domain and therefore, almost all the

world’s educational systems come within the purview of GATS.

The GATS covers four types of services. These are:

• Cross border supply of services from territory of one member to another member.

Distance education falls in this category.

7

• Consumption of a service abroad by the citizens of a member country on the territory

of another member country. The most common example is undertaking studies abroad.

• Commercial presence of service supplier of a member country on the territory of

another member country, enabling the supplier to provide a service in that territory.

This includes activities carried out by foreign universities or other institutions in another

country.

• Presence of natural persons enabling a form of trade resulting from mobility of people

from one member country who supply a given service in another country. In education

this would imply courses offered by foreign teachers.

These are the four categories of services defined under GATS/WTO. Any barrier in its

free flow is considered to be ‘non-tariff barrier’. The goal of free trade is to remove

these barriers in order to gain from further liberalization. In the sector of education

these generally refer to government regulations, exchange controls, nationality

requirements of students and teachers, non-recognition of equivalent qualifications,

and rules regarding use of resources and subsidies.

So far only 40 countries have agreed to the full provisions of GATS. Many have

chosen to limit its scope. Higher education services, however, now figure in India’s

offer on liberalisation in trade in services that the Commerce Ministry has

submitted to WTO in August 2005.

5. e-Education

Not only are commercial business concerns interested in entering the education

industry aggressively but existing universities and colleges as well. Private companies

like Kaplan, BPP and Apollo Group already run successful edu business 11 ventures.

Kalpan is a big education company owned by the same company that runs the

Washington Post newspaper. BPP, its British rival, has entered into deals with British

Universities so that students enrolled into their professional courses can earn degrees

from the Boston Post Graduate University. University of

8

Phoenix, the first University to offer a full time on-line degree is owned by the

Apollo Group. Sixteen of the world’s better ranking universities have got together

and set up a $ 50 million joint venture called Universitas 21 Global, an online

MBA business school. These universities include McGill, British Colombia,

Virginia, Edinburgh, Sweden and Melbourne of Australia. This $ 50 million project

has been established in collaboration with a private company called Thomson

Learning, an educational and training service division of the Thomson Corporation.

Universitas 21 Global aims to tap markets of potential students from UAE,

Singapore, Malaysia, India, Korea and China. It has already enrolled 1000

professionals from 45 countries for its graduate programme. It has also offered an

M.Sc. in Tourism and Travel Management recently. The online degree of

Universities 21 has been well received in the world market and the degree

certificate awarded by it bears the crest of all the 16 top ranked participating

universities.

Insofar as India is concerned, on-line education, which is very crucial for the Indian

population, is heavily dependent on reliable high-speed Internet coverage. As a

pre-requisite to expansion of on-line education services, it is essential that various

parts of the country be connected with high speed Internet. As more and more

cities in India are coming within the ambit of high speed cyber-network, the

concept of e-education, especially at higher levels should be viewed seriously.

Most Indian Universities make little use of the Internet in improving administrative

efficiency. Broadband subscribers currently total to just 0.61 million as compared

to the target of 3 million set for December 2005

United States is now the leader in e-education. Phoenix University, the leading online

University, has the largest number of on-line students enrolled. In the early 12

1990s it became the first university to offer degrees online, and the internet is now

an integral to all its teaching. (see Survey: Higher Education in Economist

September 10th-16th, 2005, after page 50). A number of existing universities have

offered on-line courses, but many have preferred not to use their own names

9

directly as they feel it may reduce their public standing.

E-learning, however, as additional support to existing courses, is already highly

successful in the West. In Beaconsfield, a shopping mall in the UK, Explore

Learning Centres have been set up. While their mothers shop, children in the 5-14

years group can visit the centres within the supermarket area for a new e-learning

experience. There are tuition websites in the UK where over 280 tutors are offering

their services at £ 15 to £ 25 per hour. Internet base e-tutoring or on-line tutoring is

catching up in India as well. Tutor-Vista, a company set up in Bangalore provides

Indian teachers in English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology for 3rd to 12th

grade students in UK and the US charging less than half the local rates. The session

is interactive with use of head phones and micro phone.

E-learning has clearly percolated even to the school level. India’s education policy

has largely missed out on taking advantage of this technological revolution in

education. E-learning is not only inexpensive, but also convenient. It also does not

force the student to relocate or forgo earnings from full time or part time

employment that the student may be engaged in.

Good quality, market based e-learning courses and Internet café/schools with

programme structures that are relevant to the Indian context need to be set up

urgently. Libraries must be equipped with computers that support high speed

internet connectivity . To bridge the digital divide we need all night net libraries or

late night accessibility at least, at a monthly charge, of course.. Such internet cafes

could be provided under private or co-operative licences in residential areas

including slums. Personnel trained in computers and e-learning tools could man

these edu-cafes and help students make better use of the facilities. The cost of e-13

learning, while market driven, could perhaps be subsidized through need based

scholarships schemes.

10

High speed internet connection is an essential pre-requisite to wide spread elearning.

US scientists have revealed details of a US$100 wind-up laptop which

they expect to produce globally and extend computer and internet access to

hundred of millions of world’s poorest pupils. (Times Educational Supplement, 7

October 2005). In India, a cheap handheld computer designed by Indian scientists

was launched in 2004 after a delay of three years (see BBC News, Monday March

29, 2004, 'Simputer for Poor goes on sale'-bbc.co.uk). The Simputer is a low cost

portable alternative to PCs, by which the benefits of IT can reach the common man.

A wind-up computer machine and with a wifi wireless internet connection, may

well be within the reach of the Indian student community even in remote locations

with poor electric supply

6. Academic Community on Globalisation:

While the academic community has not reacted positively to globalization, many

developed governments see it as an opportunity to expand its educational services.

In a report prepared on Globalization & Education, for the House of Lords, it has

been stated that the UK Government is ‘not just concerned with smoothing the way

for the “businessification of education” to the extent the profit making for “edu

business’’ becomes possible but also is concerned to build up an indigenous

edubusiness and to develop export potential for that.’

According to this report a more powerful version of GATS will be a place which

will ensure that educational services will be progressively commercialized,

privatized, and capitalized. The report further says that globalization is already

taking place involving standardization of culture summed up with the concept of

‘McDonaldization’. International brands in consumer products are being embraced

on a global scale with trans-national institutions taking account of local legal codes,

currencies, local tastes, habits, customs and adjusting to a new international order. 14

Communication through Internet and e-commerce has further changed the method

of transacting business. The rise of global authorities like WTO & GATS and their

11

Dispute Resolution Mechanism has far reaching consequences for globalization.

Further, WTO’s ‘enforceable global commercial code’ has made a real impact. As

a result, major corporations have now lobbyists settled permanently at WTO

headquarters in Geneva and Representatives of Corporations sit on some of the

many Committees and Working Groups of WTO. WTO has thus facilitated

incremental freedom for trans-national capital ‘to do what it wants, where and

when it wants’.

For a public service such as education GATS at Doha was a stepping stone so that

there is no discrimination against foreign corporations entering the service market.

Further, after the fizzling of the dot.com bubble, corporations are looking forward

to other service sectors for investments, education being one of them.

The report informs the House of Lords that in the above scenario, the British

Government may look to public services in general as an export earner. It

highlights that this is already happening in the U.K. in education business. North

Anglia is already exporting services to Russia, Ukraine as well as running schools

and local educational authority services in the U.K. itself. Wigan & Leigh has

15,000 students to 26 countries including 10 campuses in India (Hindustan Times

20 November 2005, New Delhi). Many British Universities have franchised

operations and deals with other colleges and universities outside the U.K.

University Schools of Education generate income through consultancies that have

advised countries like Chile, Poland, and Romania on how to restructure the school

system. Britain exported ₤67 million worth of such services. The report does

recommend in the end that the Select Committee of the House of Lords should

consider limits to business take-over of education. It further stated that exempting

education institutions from GATS altogether is ultimately good for education and

democracy.

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: THE INDIAN CONTEXT

12

New Trends in Knowledge Economy

India’s higher education policy of the 1950s , which envisaged schools of

excellence, especially in technology and sciences, has finally paid off rich

dividends. The creation of IITs, IIMs, Schools of Science, Schools of Law, a large

number of advanced training and research institutions have now been well and

widely accepted.

Doctors trained in India have been the backbone of the British Medical Service for

many decades. Indian scientists have found positions of importance in research

laboratories of the US and other developed countries. But it was the IIT engineers

who have finally struck gold during the dot.com boom of the 1990s and brought the

final recognition and testimony for Indian competence. Of about 140,000

graduates of IIT so far, roughly 40,000 have gone to the US. They have been given

the credit of creating 150,000 jobs and $80 billion in market capitalization. It is

said that when a new IT company is launched, investors inquire if there is an Indian

in it. In the second meeting of IIT Alumni in the US, prominent persons like Jack

Welch of GE, Larry Summers, President of Harvard University, and Tom

Friedman, the globalization columnist of New York Times were present. The

states of Virginia and Maryland declared the month of May 2005 as IIT – Indian

American Heritage Month. Further, 55 US Members of the House of

Representatives co-sponsored Resolution 227 honouring ‘the economic innovation

attributable to graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology’.

With so much of admiration and brand equity for Indian technology and knowledge

We need to look at the United States and its economy. The US has been the

undisputed economic leader since the Second World War. One of its great

strengths has been its educational system – especially institutes of higher learning,

as well as its research laboratories. For example, Colombia University is credited

with 47 Nobel Prizes. Companies like Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard (where Silicon

13

Valley really began), Yahoo and Google were each started by University students.

Venture Capital as a financial engine for encouraging pioneering innovation started

in the US. The Patent registration system of the US remains one of the best.

Mainstreaming India

India today is definitely at par with the knowledge sectors of the top economies of

the world. Extensive fundamental and applied research is being undertaken here.

The world’s biggest multinational companies are not only opening their backroom

offices, but also their R&D centres in India. This trend is apparent not just in

software development but in other sectors as well such as financial sector, medical

sector, biotech and others. By mid 1990s, almost 180 of Fortune 500 companies

were outsourcing to India. World famous names like Citicorp, Honeywell,

Motorola, Sprint, Oracle, Digital Equipment, Verizon, Huges, Duet Technologies,

Cisco Systems, Texas Instruments, Computer Associates, Pentafour, Eco Soft,

British Telecom, SAP, Philips, Siemens, Yahoo, Google, Accenture, Sun

Microsystems, Ericsson, IBM, 12 Technologies, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Nortel, etc.,

have all set up R&D facilities in India or have tied up with Indian companies or

academic or research institutions. The cost advantage for higher research is huge.

An Indian chip design engineer costs Rs. 13.5 lakh a year compared to Rs 67 – 90

lakh in the U.S. 20

Professor Jagdish Bhagwati, eminent International Trade Economist of Colombia

University, speaking at the India Today Conclave 2005, stated that with the high

level of skilled diaspora, which grew up at the expense of Indian exchequer, we

should now think of the return of the ‘Brain Drain’. He stated that today the Brain

Drain template has been discarded and we no longer think of skilled migration as a

threat. However, it is certainly an opportunity. He further stated that skilled Indian

Diaspora is huge and growing. Between 1990 and 2000, Indian born residents in

the US doubled to over just one million. But they were rich in human capital

14

earning a total income that exceeded $40 billion in 2000, roughly 10 per cent of

India’s gross domestic product or national income. Indians are next only to the

Jews in affluence as the richest ethnic minority in the US. He then introduced the

concept of ‘Trojan Horse’. We are taking on America from within. You can get

inside and work from within. We, therefore, profit from globalization and we also

need global markets.

What are the advantages to India following the Trojan Horse Principle? The main

advantage is that with people of Indian origin will hold offices in critical decision

making capacities in the US and other developed countries increasing the market

acceptability for outsourcing to India.. Further, this is done by both ethnic Indians

and other nationalities, who see Indians doing well in their countries. It is,

therefore, to India’s advantage to supply skilled manpower to the west as well as

develop our own knowledge-based economy.

Our main concern now should be whether we are capable of continuing support to

such a large influx of R&D, backroom office functions from the world’s service

sector. If India is to be host to the R&D and backroom facilities of the world’s best

and largest companies, we need to gear up our higher education institutions to meet

the growing demand for qualified persons.

India has been lucky, more by accident than by design, that it was able to offer to

the world a pool of skilled, scientific, English speaking manpower immediately

after the communication boom through development of internet and satellite

communications. At a time when India’s higher education policy was under attack

from the traditional advocates of the concept that ‘over-education’ leads to

educated unemployment, this came as a happy and welcome development.

Converting this liability to our advantage through development of new

communication technology has been a triumph to reckon with.

Unfortunately, there is no cogent plan in the Government policy scheme on how we

15

could continue to meet the challenge of providing the skilled manpower that is

required by various sectors of the economy. As India grows into a knowledge

providing superpower, a host of facilities will need to be provided in terms of

ensuring a steady supply of quality knowledge worker with the requisite

qualifications. Some of the features of the Indian Education system and its Higher

Education System are described in this context in the following paragraphs.

Structure of Higher Education in India:

Over the last 50 years, the Government of India has provided full policy support

and substantial public funds to create one of the world’s largest systems of higher

education. These institutions, with the exception of some notable ones, have

however, not been able to maintain the high standards of education or keep pace

with developments in the fields especially in knowledge and technology. Over

time, financial constraints with exploding enrolments, and a very high demand

from primary and secondary education has led to the deterioration in the financial

support provided by the government. On top of this, an overall structure of myriad

controls with a rigid bureaucracy has stifled its development. In terms of higher

education, however, on the science and technology side, India has however built up

the largest stock of scientists, engineers and technicians.

The growth of higher education in India has been phenomenal. Starting with 1950-

51, there were only 263,000 students in all disciplines in 750 colleges affiliated to

30 universities. This has grown by 2005 to 11 million students in 17,000 Degree

colleges affiliated to 230 universities and non-affiliated university-level

institutions. In addition, there are about 10 million students in over 6500 in

vocational institutions. The enrolment is growing at the rate of 5.1 per cent per

year. However, of the Degree students only 5 per cent are enrolled into

engineering courses, while an overall 20 per cent in sciences. The demand for

professional courses is growing rapidly.

16

In India both public and private institutions operate simultaneously. In 2000-01, of

the 13,072 higher education institutions, 42 per cent were privately owned and run

catering to 37 per cent of students enrolled into Higher education, that is,

approximately 3.1 million out of total 8.4 million. It is also likely that most of the

growth in the rapidly expanding higher education sector took place in private

unaided college or in self-financing institutions. Since grant-in-aid to private

colleges is becoming difficult, many governments/universities have granted

recognition/affiliation to unaided colleges and many universities have authorized

new ‘self-financing’ courses even in government and aided colleges. It is felt that

as of now more than 50 per cent of the higher education in India is imparted

through private institutions, mostly unaided.

Main players in Indian Higher Education • University Grants Commission (UGC) set up under UGC Act 1956 is responsible for

coordination,

determination, and maintenance of standards and release of grants to universities and

research

organizations.

• Professional councils that are responsible for recognition of courses, promotion of

professional

institutions and provision of grants to undergraduate programmes.

As of today software development does not have a statutory council. NASSCOM is

generally

accepted as equivalent of a council.

Research Councils: A number of them have been setup under the Central (federal)

government. 23

Government has created 221 Universities of which (6 are central Universities while

156 are state Universities). There is also a concept of Deemed University. This

17

status is given by UGC to colleges of exceptional excellence. There are 39 Deemed

Universities plus seven open universities. There are 9703 colleges in India that

provide mostly bachelors or sometime Master’s level of education. Of these, only

are engineering and technical colleges, 655 medical and 600 management

institutions.

Insofar as Universities are concerned, only the central or State Government can

open a new university and that too by legislation in the Parliament or State.

Universities are empowered to award their own degrees and take affiliate colleges.

But UGC is empowered under its Act to grant institutes of excellence ‘Deemed

University’ status which they have done in 39 cases. There are, however, no private

Universities so far. A Private Universities’ Bill has been proposed in the

Parliament, but has not been approved so far. All self-financing colleges, therefore,

have to also seek affiliation with a University.

All of India’s higher education is thus managed by the UGC and the various

Councils. The UGC, established by a statute 1952, has been empowered to promote

and coordinate university education in India and also approve grants to them. 24

Vocational Education: One of the streams of higher education is vocational

education. For this a network of public and private polytechnics and vocational

institutions exists, controlled and supervised by the Councils specializing in each

discipline. There are nearly 10 million students in 6500 such institutions.

Integration of University and vocational education has been attempted in India as it

was earlier attempted in Australia. In a recent innovation, vocational curriculum

has been introduced at the bachelor’s degree level by permitting one of three

subjects to be a vocational one. A number of subjects have been introduced

including agriculture-related activities. Nearly 1500 colleges have been given

facilities for vocational education.

18

Research and Development: while R&D centres have been established in many

disciplines, the concept of centres of excellence in different subjects has led to the

Accreditation:

• In order to evaluate performance of an institution and bring about a measure of

accountability a mechanism of accreditation has been developed by UGC. This is

an autonomous council under UGC called National Accreditation and Assessment

Council (NAAC) with a purpose to carry out periodic assessment of universities

and colleges. NAAC has evolved a methodology of assessment which involves

self-appraisal by each university/college and an assessment of the performance by

an expert committee. Similarly, for technical education AICTE has established its

own accreditation mechanism for its institutions through the National Board of

Accreditation (NBA). NBA has also undertaken a detailed exercise for bench

Marking the performance of reference for evaluation if performance can be

initiated.

• Both NAAC and NBA are in the right direction and need to be encouraged and

strengthened. However, so far only 47 universities, 75 affiliate college and 20

autonomous colleges have volunteered to be accredited by NAAC. Some more

universities and 25 more colleges are in advanced stage of finalizing self-study

reports. There is a need to link up grants and loans to NAAC and NBC reports.

This can be done when NAAC and NBC is made applicable to all Higher

Education Institutions. UGC has already indicated that development support will

be related to outcome of NAACs report. 25

establishment of Centres of Advance Studies (CAS), Department of Special

Assistance (DSA) and Inter-University Research Centres of internationally

comparable standards. The objective of these centres is to provide quality inputs in

higher education and research areas. Further, to cut costs of undertaking good

research, especially in sciences, Inter University Centres in nuclear science, crystal

growth, astronomy and astrophysics, social sciences and humanities have been

formed.

With India emerging as a global hub for commercial R&D (India Today

19

International, 3 Oct 2005), R&D within the scope of Higher Education has gained

greater importance. It has been stated that 150 international firms have set up R&D

centres in India and in 2004 US patents office granted over 1000 patents to Indian

units of US companies. Indian companies have also started to increase their R&D

budgets. The demand for high quality researchers will require expansion of

postgraduate research and PhDs in Indian institutions of higher learning. According

to Saikat Chaudhory, a Management Professor at Wharton, India needs to improve

its research atmosphere in its universities. This is perhaps, already happening. If we

look at that the CSIR, the number of US patents granted to it has jumped to 196 in

2005 from just 6 in 1990-1. Indian Research Councils should now have the

potential to raise research funds through industry and perhaps, capital markets. A

mention must be made of SPREAD – Sponsored Research and Development of the

ICICI Technology Financing Group which is helping finance commercial R&D.

Similarly, Nirma Labs provides up to Rs 20 lakhs as grant. We need to expand such

support to R&D activities.

Open University System: India has also developed an open university system to

encourage distance learning. Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

was the pioneer and now there are seven open universities in India offering over

500 courses. IGNOU has about 11,87,100 students on its rolls. Modern

communication technology can be harnessed to effectively provide education 26

through this medium. A distance education Council has been set up and a common

pool of programmes is available for sharing.

Open Universities can be highly cost effective as the cost of teaching through

distance education comes down to a third compared to the traditional system. They

also maintain a close relationship with the industry and is specially helpful to those

who cannot afford a regular university degree due to high cost or lack of time as

they are already employed.

Distance education with new information and communication technology promises

20

to expand the frontiers of Higher Education as never before. This is because it costs

66 per cent less and the students need not leave their homes or profession. The

internet and satellite technology are being put to use to further the cause of distance

education. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is launching a

dedicated satellite for educational purposes.

Public Spending on Higher Education:

Public Expenditure on Higher Education in India: India has developed one of

the largest system of Higher Education in the world with over 230 universities and

6500 vocational colleges catering to about 10 million students . Most of these are

publicly funded although some may be privately run. The financing of higher

education, however, is often reprioritised due to competing demands for budgetary

funds from primary and secondary education sectors. As a proportion of GNP

Higher Education was only about 0.19 per cent in 1950-51. By 1980-81 it went up

five fold to 1 per cent but by mid-1990s it dropped to 0.4 per cent. In the

government plan outlay the share of higher education doubled for 9 per cent in the

first five year plan to 18 per cent in the second. It increased to 25 per cent in the

fourth but has now come down to 15 per cent in the seventh five year plan. In the

eight five year plan it was around 8 per cent. It may be stated that the non-plan

expenditure in education is huge compared to plan expenditure. 27

On the source of funding, the share of government expenditure (both state and

central) increased from 49 per cent in 1950-51 to 76per cent in 1986-87. The share

of non-government sector, which in India is largely student fees, declined from

33per cent in 1960s to less then half of what it was in 1950s. The share of ‘other

sources’ that is, voluntary donation, endowments etc also declined. The issue of

raising fees in government aided colleges and vocational institutions remained

enmeshed in politics. As a result, this source which could potentially provide

approximately 20per cent of the funds is currently funding barely 3per cent of the

cost of education.

21

Resource crunch in higher education is being felt in a serious way. Other sources of

financing besides the government have to be developed so that the massive

expenditure required to expand, improve and bring it to world standards could be

carried out. With an expanding middle class and globalization this is possible

provided innovative policies are formulated and implemented.

Regulation in Higher Education

According to Pratap Bhanu Mehta, the debate over regulation of higher

education is highly charged with images of private operators charging

exorbitant fees, poor quality, financial barriers to the entry of deserving

students, etc. (See Regulating Higher Education published in three parts in the

Indian Express, New Delhi Edition on July 14th, 15th and 16th, 2005- also

posted online in www.indianexpres.com). According to him, the executive in

India has abdicated its responsibility of providing sensible policies for

education and judiciary has stepped into the vacuum without fully

understanding the overall objective. On the demand side, we need to have

clear objectives. These are as follows:

• The gross enrolment rate of higher education in India is roughly 6per cent.

This will need to be doubled in the next decade. This involves thousands of

crores of Rupees of investment. Since the Government will not be able to

meet the requirement, all other sources of funds need to be tapped as well.

There is a serious mismatch of demand and supply.

• The size of demand and its projected growth, clearly indicate the need for new

institutions imparting quality education in subject areas of contemporary

relevance and job opportunities. Quality can be ensured only if there is

sufficient competition among institutes to attract talented students and provide

choices and innovative subject combinations. Unfortunately, the Indian

22

regulatory regime tends to stunt supply rather than increase it. 32

• There is no doubt that an ideal education system should be without any

financial discrimination. However, fee caps tend not only to bring down

quality but also reduce overall supply of education. Under these

circumstances, there is a great need to go in for major financial innovations in

education planning both at student financing level and also at the level of

educational institutions.

There is an effort on the part of the Government to block the entry of foreign

universities into India. While Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain and China are

encouraging foreign universities to set up operations in their countries so that

students can have easy access to degrees from those well recognized

universities, there is a tendency to block such entry into India. There is a

statutory requirement of partnership with Indian institutions, which curbs their

autonomy and their standing or ‘brand equity’ in the market. Restriction on

foreign investment in higher education is biased against economically weaker

students, who cannot afford to go abroad and acquire foreign degrees.

Entry of foreign universities into India, like foreign investment, should be

allowed freely, placing restrictions only on universities and institutions based

on religious affiliations. BWe should welcome foreign universities to set up

campuses, with or without their own investment, in India. This would also

make our universities and colleges more conscious of the current global best

practices and more competitive from the demand point of view. 33

Box 4: Regulatory Framework in India

ƒ Universities in India are set up either through state legislation or through the

acquisition of a ‘Deemed University’ status through UGC. While a number of

universities have Deemed University status, institutions offering traditional

undergraduate degrees do not have this option open to them. In a Supreme Court

judgement in the Chattisgarh case, the Court had decreed that each University set up

23

should not only conform to the UGC norms but also be created through a legislation.

This makes setting up of universities not only a long and tedious process but also a

costly one. In a similar way, AICTE used to collect a deposit per course of up to Rs 50

lakh, which was held in a joint account for 10 years. Such measures increase the cost

of setting up institutions.

ƒ There have been some court decisions in India which could be considered regressive.

In a recent decision in the ‘State of Andhra Pradesh vs JB Education Society’(date?

No? reference?) the Supreme Court held that consent of State Government is

necessary

before starting an Engineering College and AICTE cannot give such a consent on its

own. In fact, the judgement has gone out of the way to give quasi-monopoly power

when it states “the State Authorities can alone decide about educational facilities and

the needs of the locality. If there are more colleges in a particular area the State would

not be justified in granting permission to one more college in that locality.” With this,

the Supreme Court has done away with the concept of educational centres. Many

areas

like Boston in the USA have grown as educational centres and provide many common

facilities and an academic environment conducive to higher education. Agglomeration

of education institutions has been well accepted world wide and the State of Haryana

has declared setting up of a ‘Education City’ in its State. All this will go against the

spirit of the Supreme Court judgement. Karnataka, Andhra and Tamil Nadu in India

are examples in this context where many private colleges have found a base in a region

and are doing well.

ƒ Regulation, therefore, needs to be well structured and thoroughly researched to take

full account of relevance, requirements, practical constraints and market realities. The

objective of encouraging growth of educational institutions rather than restricting them

should not be lost sight of. The Honourable Supreme Court has once again been

restrictive in its judgement in Tamil Nadu vs Adhiyaman Educational & Research

Institute in which it has further defused the powers of the UGC. With this judgement,

24

it has gone in for harmonization of education to remove disparities of standards and

also for future occurrence of such disparities. With this judgement, the concept of

distinct quality of each institution gets a blow and should not be accepted.

ƒ Education is no longer a uniform harmonized affair. Higher education offers a wide

variety of subjects and with continuing education it needs to be demand driven. In this

context, while we need to reduce regulation at entry point, we do not need to bring in

the concept of accreditation.

Government Control over Private Education Initiative: Some evidence

There are two types of private higher education colleges/institutes – aided and

nonaided. The aided colleges/institutes are supposed to get up to 95per cent of the

teachers’ salary bill reimbursed. The unaided ones have no access to government

funds and they run their colleges on higher tuition fees as well as grants/donations.

There has been a continuous attempt by the Government to interfere in the working

and admissions policy of even the unaided institution notwithstanding Article 30 of

the Constitution, which provides for fundamental right to “establish and administer

educational institutions of their choice”. This has led to a number of landmark

cases in the Supreme Court. Chronologically, they are as follows:

1. Unni Krishnan case 1993: Supreme Court and its review in 2002 by Full

bench of Supreme Court.

2. TA Pai Foundation vs. State of Karnataka and others Supreme Court 2002

3. Islamic Academy Case 2003: Supreme Court

4. PA Inamdar vs. State of Maharashtra: Supreme Court (7 judge bench)

Appeal

Private Initiative in Higher Education in India

25

Private sector initiatives in the business of providing education in critical

disciplines of contemporary relevance have started making their presence felt.

Business Week of August 22-29, 2005 carries a special feature on the Manipal

Institute of Technology (MIT) in Karnataka, India which is a leading name

among the second tier engineering institutions of India consisting of some

2,240 engineering schools. 55 per cent of them are public institutions and

others privately run but not nearly as exclusive as the IITs. While IITs

produce 3000 engineers annually from its 7 campuses, these second tier

institutes produced 207,000 graduates in 2005 fulfilling an important need.

With overwhelming demand for engineering seats and dismal record of

government expansion, the private sector now accounts for 84per cent of the

seats. Similar increase is taking place in medicine as well. 39

Box 5: The Manipal Academy

Manipal Institute of Technology founded in 1953, is a private effort, which has built

for itself, a tremendous market reputation. It consists of 53 professional colleges under

the

umbrella of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). It now has a 30,000

strong student body, studying all subjects from hotel management to software

development. PSG College of Engineering in Tamil Nadu and Pune Institute of

Advanced

Technologies are in a similar role. Companies like Motorola Inc., and EMC Corporation

often recruit students from Manipal Institute. Infosys, Tata Consultancy, Wipro and

Satyam Computers together employed more than 40,000 engineers in 2004. There are

collaborative efforts with the industry, which provides course material, case studies as

well

as training to lecturers on new areas like chip design, radio frequency identification.

This

collaboration pays off in reducing training time from 76 days to 52 days.

The Manipal Academy by virtue of being a privately run Institution charges a

26

higher fee. While the students at the IITs pay pittance, the Government pays $18,500

per

student for 5 years. On the other hand MIT students pay $ 9000 tuition fees for 4 years

which is ultimately a much cheaper option for the economy as a whole. There are above

100,000 Indians in country’s 975 private engineering colleges. But Manipal

Academy

has been able to build a $7.6 million innovation and research centre to attract likes of

Hewlett-Packard, Philips, EMC and Infosys. The Manipal Academy will invest $23

million in the next three years in new facilities. However, the faculty remains underpaid

and therefore, the academy is unable to attract talented teachers.

Meanwhile, Lancaster University has entered into a collaborative degree arrangement

with

the Manipal Academy. This will enable students of MAHE to earn a foreign degree

sitting

in Manipal. MAHE has also acquired an ISO 9001:2000 Certificate for all its systems

and

practices, benchmarking it with the best in the world. This Deemed University has

undertaken a comprehensive audit and implemented industry specific accreditations

and scalability on quality management systems enhancing its brand value. 18.2 Pune in

India, near Mumbai, is another attractive educational centre for students. Nearly

200,000 students from across India study in its educational institutes that are over a

hundred in number and its nine Universities. It is rapidly developing into the educational

capital of India. However, on the flip side, all this hectic activity has drawn the interest

of Maharashtra’s most powerful politicians to the profitable arena of ‘edu-business’.

There are instances of a single politician running over 140 educational institutes. All

these institutes generate huge amounts of money. There are rampant cases of

malpractice in the form of illegal charges to allocate seats from the management quota.

These institutes have been subject to income tax raids which have revealed that seats

are indeed sold for cash and a seat in the medical institute can fetch a handsome Rs 25

lakh from the candidate. The quantum of black money involved runs into thousand of

millions of 40 Rupees. Clearly, middle class India is willing to pay for educating its

27

children and the private institutes can fill this gap provided proper standards are

maintained. (For a good debate , see Global IIT 2005 special supplement, ' The Global

Indian Education 'India Today International', May 23, 2005).

While private efforts in India are underway, some State Governments have also got into

fray of edu-business. So far the Southern States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,

Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have been encouraging educational institutions in the

private sector to come into their State. Lately, the Government of Haryana, adjoining

Delhi, which is a major educational centre for North India, has announced setting up of

an “Educational City”. Although details of the proposed Educational city have not been

divulged, Canada has already offered to assist. The Canadian High Commissioner to

India has announced that Canada and the State of Haryana would have mutual

cooperation in areas like milk industry and environment technology. She has also

suggested distance learning and exchange of faculties between the two countries. ( see

Web India 123.com dt. June 26, 2005). It has also been reported that the State

Government of Haryana is proposing a Private Universities’ Bill for the State.

Company Profile

Department of Management Studies

Poornima Group of Colleges

• Vision

28

“To equip students with management skills and knowledge to successfully meet the

challenges posed by globalization”

• Mission

“To provide comprehensive management education and necessary technical skills by

developing a professional outlook in every walk of life”

Society

PGC is promoted by Shanti Education Society, a registered society, which came into

existence in 1999 with the aim of promoting technical & professional education in the

state of Rajasthan with state of the art infrastructure and strong academic philosophy.

Shanti Education Society is headed by its founder Chairman Mr. Manohar Lal Singhi, a

noted academician & social worker. Other members of the management board are: Sh

Shashikant Singhi, Secretary; Sh Vimal Kumar Singhvi; Sh Hari Singh Shekhawat; Sh.

B.K. Roy & Mrs. Renu Singhi. Shanti Education Society has 70,000 sqm. of land at

RIICO Institutional Area & Bio-Technology Park at Sitapura in the form of three

campuses: The South-PCE & PSBM (Poornima college of Engineering & Poornima

School of Business Management), The Central-PIET & PSOM (Poornima Institute of

Engineering & Technology & Poornima School of Management) & The North - PGI- (Poornima Group of Institutions). At present PGC has at its disposal a bulit-up area of

one million sqft. Including instructional, administrative, recreational and residential area.

PGC Hostels can accommodate 1300 students in 9 hostels. With such a huge

infrastucture and a strong team of 600+ faculty & staff members SES is marching ahead

in realizing & achieving its mission & vision.

The entry level performance & university results of PGC students have been extra

ordinary. The following features of academic excellence of PGC have made its students

capable of handling global competition:

Longest college duration (42 hours/week)

Motivating & hardworking faculty members

29

Transparent policies towards monitoring of attendance & internal assessment

Output oriented assignment schedule

Best equipped labs & smaller student groups

Stress on practical learning & projects

Incentive schemes for performers

Stress on workshops & hands on training

Self Help groups program

Online exam system

Non syllabus projects and seminars

Infrastructure

The Poornima School of Management has a well-equipped campus, with state-

of-the-art facilities & amenities to facilitate quality in management education.

Labs

Language lab to improve communication skills and personality development.

State-of-the art laboratories equipped with latest and sophisticated equipment.

Licence softwares are being available for Analysis and simulation.

Skill transfer with the help of scientifically designed systems and practices with

most innovative teaching aids.

Additional time for lab practices after the designed periods also.

Internet Lab - audited course.

Communication Lab - audited course.

Seperate Project Labs in each department.

Separate Internet Labs.

Internet Available in All Labs.

Internet Accessibility - 8 MBPS dedicated for 24 Hrs.

30

Fully Air Conditioned Labs.

Online UPS in All Labs for Backup.

Library

Well furnished Library section and Audio-visual room.

Reference and reading sections are separate.

Fully Automated and Bar Coded Library.

Multimedia Library and Book bank facility.

Library open for 12 hours.

24 hours Nucleus Library for hostellers through mentor system.

Additional 21 Library Books to mentors.

More than 28,000 Books with 5300 Titles in Poornima College of Engineering.

247 Journals and Magazines.

Around 11,000 Books with 2400 Titles in Poornima Insitute of Engineering &

Technology.


Around 3000 Books with 750 Titles in Poornima School of Management.


Around 6900 Books with 950 Titles in Shanti Education Society’s Group of

Institutions.


Around 2600 Books with 950 Titles in Poornima School of Business

Management.


Hostel

31

Over the years residential facilities at POORNIMA Campus have grown to create

an atmosphere of co-operation, understanding and community living. The living

pattern and learning processes are based on scientifically designed parameters.

The residents are exposed to realities of life through various activities, which are

helpful in overall growth.

GAYATRI GIRLS HOSTEL I & GAYATRI GIRLS HOSTEL II with double/triple

seated furnished rooms with option for air cooled accommodation in college

campus.

GURUSHIKHAR BOYS HOSTEL I & GURUSHIKHAR BOYS HOSTEL II with

double/Triple seated rooms with option for air cooled accommodation in college

campus.

Origin of one new concept known as MENTORSHIP which produces a variety of

team leaders, team players and improve the skills of students apart from the

academics.

Students from all parts of Rajasthan, More than 300 students from neighbouring

states of U.P., M.P., Bihar, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana

& Gujarat.

Computer lab, tutorial rooms, gym, lecture halls, provisional store, STD/PCO,

canteen and library facility in the hostels.

Cross ventilated, fully furnished rooms.

Reading rooms with Magazines and Newspapers.

Pure vegetarian, wholesome and homely food.

Strict discipline, personnel attention and 24 hours security.

Six books issued for one session/semester from book bank.

Guest rooms for parents.

Weekly visit by expert Doctor.

Vehicles available for 24 hours for emergency purpose.

Summer camp and annual picnic.

Games and audio visual facilities and regular personality development programs.

At least one faculty member of each subject and sports officer reside in Campus.

Personal care of study in hostels through mentor systems.

32

21 Library Books to mentors under nucleus library systems.

Different celebrations like Hostel day, sports week, Lohri, New year etc.

Internet

Eight MBPS Dedicated Leased Line.

Dedicated INTERNET LAB with 68 systems.

Structured program as part of syllabus.

24 hours Internet available at all corners of all campuses through Wi-Fi

Networks.

Transport

Biggest fleet of Twenty Five new swaraj Mazada buses operating from all corners

of Jaipur owned by Shanti Education Society.

Well coordinated punctual and regular service available throughout the year.

Separate buses for staff and students.

Bus facility for Industrial visit.

Bus facility to take students to examination centers.

Full provision of back up service in place to avoid any breakdown.

Free Transport facility to employees.

At POORNIMA, the academic atmosphere is a rare blend of modern day technical &

soft skills and the traditional systems of learning processes, which is displayed in the

following knowledge wheel :

33

Management development program

The Department of Management Studies, Poornima Group of Colleges, besides

conducting regular MBA courses, organizes short-term management

development/training programs/workshops to meet specific needs of the sponsoring

organizations. Such programs, being tailor-made, are useful for executives in enhancing

their skills in different disciplines.

DMS has organized, during the last about three financial years 26 training

programs/workshops on subjects related to lending/credit operations, exports,

technology up-gradation fund scheme and retail management.

34

The continuance of MDPs is favored from the point of view of

development of professional/managerial skills of the faculty involved in the

collection/preparation of reference/reading materials as also in the actual conduct

of the programs;

exposure of students to managerial functions in different industrial disciplines by

way of their actual participation in the programs (some students to be permitted

to attend each program, granting them leave of absence from the classes,

depending on the situation), on the one hand, and taking advantage of special

lectures of senior guest faculty invited for MDPs, wherever possible, on the other;

image building and recognition of the Poornima institutions as growing

management development centers, in Govt./industry circles, which may also help

in the placement of students;

increased utilization of the faculty and infrastructure; and above all

serving the cause of management education in the State to meet specific needs

of the sponsoring organizations.

such programs have been organized during the period February 2007 to November 2010 as under ::-

S.No. Date Place Subject

1 15-Nov-10 JaipurManagement Development/training of RFC

officers

2 22-Jan-10 JaipurTechnology Upgradation Fund Scheme for

Textile Industry

3 July 8-9, 2009 JaipurManagement Development/training of RFC

officers

4 May 28-29, 2009 JaipurManagement Development/training of RFC

officers

35

522-23 October,

2008Jaipur

Workshop on Export Promotion, Procedures

and Documentation for executives of export

oriented units

616-17 October,

2008Jodhpur



oriented units

707-08 August,

2008Chittorgarh



oriented units

8 24-25 July, 2008 JaipurManagement Development/training of RFC

officers

9 18-19 July, 2008 Jalore



oriented units

10 20-21 June, 2008 Sardarshahar



oriented units

1114-15 March,

2008Makrana



oriented units

1229 February –01

March, 2008Jaipur



oriented units

1315-16 February,

2008Abu Road



oriented units

1419-20 December,

2007Alwar



oriented units

36

1514-15 December,

2007Kota



oriented units

1626-27 October,

2007Bhilwara



oriented units

1717-18 October,

2007Bhiwadi



oriented units

1826-27 September,

2007Jodhpur



oriented units

1905-06 September,

2007Bikaner



oriented units

20 11 - 12 July, 2007 Jaipur

Retail Management program for managers

and sales supervisors of state-owned

emporiums and khadi outlets

21 09-10 May, 2007 JaipurWorkshop on Technology Up-gradation Fund

Scheme for textile units/RFC officers

2221-22 March,

2007Jaipur



oriented units

2314-15 March,

2007Udaipur



oriented units

2407-08 March,

2007Ajmer



oriented units

37

2526-27 February,

2007Jaipur



oriented units

2610-11 February,

2007Jaipur

Management Development/training of RFC

officers

JECRC Foundation

Education is the foundation upon which a progressive nation stands and its citizens,

made responsible by that education, are the building blocks of that foundation. JECRC

Foundation, since its inception, has taken the mission of nurturing students into

sensitive human beings.

JECRC Foundation is ascribed as one of the 'most preferred' educational institutions in

North India. The Foundation is a leading education group, with institutes for

engineering, management, pharmacy and pure & applied sciences.

JECRC Foundation is NBA accredited institute whose highly qualified & experienced

faculty, advanced infrastructural set-up and full-fledged hostels offers a comprehensive

learning environment for its students.

The Foundation encourages all-round personality development through extra-curricular

activities and competitive events. Students have also benefited from the Foundation's

strong industry linkages and secured training & career opportunities with leading

organisations.

JECRC School Of Business38

With a vision to infuse the spirit of organisation leaders, the JECRC Foundation offers

Master of Business Administration. Through thoroughly-prepared course content &

preparation which meets industryrequirements, the JECRC School of Management

aims to develop people and groom them to become to able business managers.

Master in Business Administration | MBA

The 2-year MBA Programme by JECRC School of Management is approved by the All

India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi and affiliated to the

Rajasthan Technical University, Kota.

The programme is designed to:

Develop among students knowledge of social, economic, political, technological

& ecological environment of modern society, and their characteristic values

Help students become effective leaders, who can achieve results beyond

expectations & transform organisations

Facilitate lateral thinking to enable a student to come out with innovative ideas,

create alternative solutions and develop entrepreneurial skills

Inculcate values of integrity, justice & fairness, so that students promote and

maintain high ethical standards in management

Nurture a global mindset so that the future managers meet the challenges of

international competition

Promote an all round personal development among the students with an

integration of Indian values

The prescribed courses for the programme include:

16 Foundation Courses in management and allied areas in the first year

A 2-month summer training during June-July in the first year in selected

industries and enterprises

39

6 core courses and 9 elective courses chosen from Marketing, Finance and

Human Resources in the second year

Preparation and presentation of Summer Training during the second year

Admission to the MBA ProgrammeThe Admission to the programme is coordinated through Rajasthan Management

Aptitude Test (RMAT) Coordinating Office, based in Government Mahila Engineering

College at Ajmer, Rajasthan. The minimum qualification for MBA programme is 50%

marks in graduation.

Infrastructure

The JECRC School of Management has a well-equipped campus, with state-of-the-art

facilities & amenities to facilitate quality in management education.

Library

The Institute has an excellent library with 4500 latest books and CD’s on various

academic and applied aspects of the study of management and computer applications,

which include foreign and Indian journals and periodicals, covering all functional areas

in the course. The library proposes to link up with the extensive Delnet library network.

This will give access to an extensive range of reference and research material available

online.

HostelTo provide accommodation to outstation students, the institute has separate well-

furnished hostel for boys and girls. It strives to ensure that the food and living conditions

are wholesome.

Supporting InfrastructureThe institute is well-equipped with a host of facilities that enable and encourage

organising of extra curricular activities & events.

40

Conference & Seminar Halls to convene meetings and knowledge discussions

Indoor & Outdoor Sports & Games to facilitate all-round student development

Faculty

The core full-time faculty presents a rich blend of relevant academic specialisation and

diverse teaching experience in various areas. By combining experts from industry and

faculty from other reputed management institutes, JECRC School of Management

facilitates an all-round exposure to students.

Permanent FacultyProf. M. Sivathanu Pillai

M.Com, PGDHRM (Formerly Chief Technical Advisor, International Labour

Organization, Geneva; Management Development Branch, Consultant to UNDTCD,

USIAD): Business Policy and Strategy, Strategic Human Resource Management,

Organization Development

Dr. C.M.Choudhary

M.Com, M. Phil, Ph.D. : Managerial Economics, Economics Environment of Business

Asstt. Prof. Rishi SharmaM.B.A, Ph. D. (Pursuing): Financial Management, Investment Management and

Security Analysis, Portfolio Management, Finance for Strategic Decisions

Mr. Sundeep S. Dhillon

BE, MBA, LLB: Marketing, Product and Brand Management, Sales and Distribution

Management, International Business Management, Financial Derivatives and

International Financial Management

41

Ms.Rashmi Sharma

M.B.A.: Managerial Accounting, Organizational Dynamics, Marketing of Financial

Services,Organizational Change and Intervention Strategies

Mr. Raj Kumar Kumawat M.B.A.: Operations and Production Management, Research Methods in Management,

Project Management, Quantitative Techniques

Dr. Jitendra Silngh BidawatM.Com., Ph.D. MBA (Pursuing from IGNOU): ABST

Ms. Saguna Chaturvedi M.A., M. Phil.: Economics

Ms. Veenu BhargavaB.Sc., M.B.A.: HR & Marketing

Ms. ReenaB.A., M.B.A.: Marketing & HR

Mr. Parikshit BhargavaM.Sc., M.B.A.: Marketing & Finance

Dr. M. KuruvillaB.Pt., M.B.A.: HR & Strategic Management

Ms. Swadesh TanwarB.Sc., M.B.A.: HR

Ms. Alka Saxena

42

B.Sc., M.B.A.: Finance

Ms. Neha MathurB.A., M.B.A.: Marketing & Finance

Visiting FacultyPadma Bhushan Prof.N.S.RamaswamyFounder Director, IIMB: Chairman, CARTMAN, Indian Heritage Academy, Bangalore

Mr. S.R. PandeyGeneral Manager (P &A), Lakshmi Cement Division, JK Corp Limited

Prof. P K JainM.Com., PhD: Director - Faculty of management studies M L Sukhadia University,

Udaipur

Mr. Shekhar GattaniMBA: Former Manager - International Business - Arvind Mills; currently managing own

enterprise in Jaipur

Mr. Prateek TiwariMBA: CEO, PARAS Precision Organic Farming Pvt Ltd, Jaipur

Prof. Kishore Kumar MoryaBE. MBA: Consultant, Jaipur

Mr. Sushil Kumar MishraM.Com, FCA, MCA: Computer Application in Management, Quantitative Technique

Career Guidance and Placement Services

43

JECRC has centralized HR Division that maintains an all-India roster of reputed

companies where our students receive summer training and are later placed after their

graduation. The Division also interacts continuously with the industry managers to

gauge industry expectations and inputs to design need-based academic curriculum.

Training with our industry partners during the summer is an important source of

student's learning at JECRC School of Management. We maintain a continuous

interaction with the industry managers during the training period and provide meaningful

and practical experience to the students. Students upon completion of training prepare

and present a Project Report in the class.

The Career Guidance and Counseling Cell of the JECRC School of Management

provides the following services:

A Tutor-Guardian Counseling programme to monitor the performance of students

and advise them on appropriate action plans.

Professional Assistance to students in identification of career aptitude and

development.

Training workshops on Interview skills and Group Discussion.

Students' initiated placement search cells.

Regular industry observation is an essential part of our "Classroom without Walls

Learning" strategy. Student groups are encouraged to enrich their practical

learning by undertaking industry visit and one-to-one interaction with industry

managers.

Partners in Empowerment:

Leading corporates in industry and service sectors have been overwhelmingly

supporting our initiatives in providing quality management education. They have

provided valuable inputs in the design of our courses; their managers interact with our

44

students on real practices on management, provide meaningful training to our students

during summer and visit our campus for recruitment.

Aviva Life InsuranceSriram Fertilizers and

Chemicals Ltd.

Bajaj Capital JK Cements

Birla Cements JK Corp.

Dainik Bhaskar Sona Kayo Streering Ltd

Data Infosys Ltd.Basant Wires Industries Pvt.

Ltd.

HDFC Bank Sunil Health Care Ltd.

ICICI PrudentialReliance Industries Ltd.-

Textile Division

Kamdhenu Steels Raj Udyog and Tools Ltd

LG Electronics India Bulls Securities

Fortis Securities Ltd Reliance Infocomm

Net Cradle India Ltd Sahara India Parivar

Everest Industries Ltd Standard Chartered Bank

Godrej Boyce Ltd Videocon

India Mart Wipro

Beacon Insurance Pvt. Ltd. Union Bank of India

Asian Paints Cipla Ltd.

Pfizer Religare Ltd.

STFC (Sriram Transport & Finance

Co.)

Shriram General Insurance

Ltd.

HDFC Standard Life Insurance Reliance Insurance

Outsourcing Partners-International Parle (Bisleri)

Pantaloon (Life Style) India Bulls

Capital IQ Kotak Securities Ltd.

Shree Cements Ltd. Max New York Life Insurance

Shri Vishwakarma, Emery Stones,

Industries Pvt. LtdReliance Money

45

Genus Overseas Ltd

Tie Ups

Industry Support

Students of the JECRC Foundation take up several research projects during their

course. They have been privileged to receive valuable and unconditional support of

industry leaders in completing their research work.

Global Information Visualization Program: Motorola Foundation

Remote Temperature Monitoring & Controlling Using Embedded System:

Department of Science and Technology, Government of Rajasthan

Spiral Structure Formation - A Fluid Dynamic Study: Submitted for funding to

AICTE, Delhi

Study of Geometric Quantum Mechanics and Gravitation: Submitted for funding

to UGC

Robotic Arm with Ultrasonic Vision: Department of Science and Technology,

Government of Rajasthan

Pollution Control: Department of Science and Technology, Government of

Rajasthan

E-Governance: IBME, DoIT

Design & Development of Low Cost Solar Water Lifter using the Principle of

Vapour Pressure: Department of Science and Technology, Government of

Rajasthan

Peer to Peer Wireless Communication Between PCs: Department of Science &

Technology, Government of India

Leibniz University Hannover, Germany

46

JECRC Foundation is associated with the Leibniz University Hannover (LUH),

Germany, through an academic corporation programme. This provides

opportunities for the mutual exchange of students and faculty between the LUH,

Germany and the JECRC Foundation. Some of our students have successfully

completed summer schools and training at LUH. This year also three students

will be going Germany to attend a DAAD summer school on Teaching and

Research for Sustainability organized by Centre of Applied Biotechnology, LUH,

Hannover.

Global Relationship Building (GRB)

GRB, launched in 2010, aims at providing a virtual opportunity to our student

community to connect to the key stakeholders (sister institutions, research

institutes, alumni, professional associations, etc.) of technical education. In

particular, GRB enables the students for intensive global Internet research for

connecting with industry, higher learning institutions, research institutes and

connecting with academic communities of experts worldwide for knowledge

sharing. It also aims at nurturing alumni relations and exploring academic

collaboration with industry for alliances in education.

Industry collaborations

The Foundation is in collaboration with top IT firms, for training of its students on

latest equipment & process methodologies. These firms have also chosen

students of JECRC Foundation for recruitment and placement in their

organisations.

Infosys Campus Connect Program

47

Program for value addition Infosys Offers courseware, methodology and educational experiences

Tata Consultancy Services

JECRC stands accredited by Tata Consultancy Services for recruitment purposes

Hewlett Packard

JECRC joined hands with HP which provides training on latest technologies to our students.

IBMJECRC provides a platform for students to extract benefits from various

workshops & seminars on new technologies by World leaders. In one of the

recent trainings, under the IBM Academic Initiative Program, IBM professionals

trained the students in IBM DB2 v9 and RAD v6 free of cost exclusively for the

students of JECRC Foundation.

EMC2 Academic Alliance Program

The EMC2 Academic Alliance program, a collaboration with colleges and

universities worldwide, was created to address the skills gap resulting from the

growing volume and complexity of data. EMC2 offered a unique 'open'

Information Storage and Management (ISM) course to JECRC. It conducts EMC

Proven Professional Exam on "Information Storage & Management" which is the

leading Storage Technology.

The Great Mind Challenge (TGMC)

The Great Mind Challenge (TGMC) by IBM India is the biggest national level

software development competition asdeclared by Limca Book of World Record.

48

TGMC gives B.E./B.Tech./MCA a platform to make projects using IBM latest

technologies and tools. In TGMC'09, Jaipur Engineering College & Research

Centre, Jaipur was selected as one of the top 30 colleges from which number of

registration was more than 1000. IBM conducted a felicitation ceremony on May

12th, 2010 at Bengaluru and JECRC was also invited to attend the ceremony

and to collect the memento of appreciation and certificate.

International Cooperation Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD)

The Foundation holds a privileged association with the DAAD, a joint organisation

of German institutions of higher education and student bodies, with the aim of

promoting global academic co-operation. The JECRC Foundation is one of the

few selected institutes from India to participate in this prestigious international

project.

Leibniz University Hannover, Germany

JECRC Foundation is associated with the Leibniz University Hannover (LUH),

Germany, through an academic corporation programme. This provides

opportunities for the mutual exchange of students and faculty between the LUH,

Germany and the JECRC Foundation. Some of our students have successfully

completed summer schools and training at LUH. This year also three students

will be going Germany to attend a DAAD summer school on Teaching and

Research for Sustainability organized by Centre of Applied Biotechnology, LUH,

Hannover.

Young Professionals Platform for Agriculture Research for Development (YPARD)The Foundation is actively in touch with YPARD. YPARD fosters exchange of

information and knowledge among young professionals across disciplines to

broaden opportunities. YPARD also facilitates and catalyzes links between young

49

researchers and scientists located worldwide. The YPARD Review Meeting was

organized at JECRC in July 2009 to discuss the next five year plan for YPARD -

India and to strengthen the YPARD network in order to facilitate more resources

to young researchers.

Introduction

Employee Branding

Employee branding is nothing but how employees adopt the organizational culture and

how the culture influence employees in achieving the band image which is the prime

goal of an organization. It is a process of training the employees and makes them

understand their responsibilities and their duties in specific with proper motivational

factors to reach and build good brand image of the organization with customers. In the competitive world of today, every company seeks to have the best talent around.

This is the reason that it has become extremely difficult for the employees to get into

any company. But as far as the best talents from the high-profile universities are

concerned, companies have to come up with exciting packages so as to ensure that the

highly-talented lot can become a part of their functioning. So, as far as the current

research is concerned, an employee brand is what attracts the employees towards a

company. It is actually an image that the company makes of itself in the minds of many

50

that it is the best place to get employed at. An employee brands ensures a sense of

belongingness in the people and this makes the employees play an integral role in the

achievement of success. Hence, one can say that an employee brand is the value of a

company that exists in the corporate. Hence, one can say that in the present scenario,

one of the goals of a company is related to employee branding. This goal is to achieve

customer satisfaction where the customers are nobody but the employees themselves.

One can also introduce employee branding as one of the core values of an

organization. Those companies that this research has seen to have a good image in the

market place are the ones which also have a good extent of employee brand attached

to its name. The most important question that needs to be answered with respect to

brand employer building is that the company has to know as to what they are and what

their vision is. Along with this, they also have to meet the expectations of the

stakeholders in the meanwhile. (Mangold, 2004)

Internal View of Employee branding

One must be able to define the meaning of employee branding to the company. It must

be remembered that employee branding is actually the image of an organization for the

people working in the organization. It is this reputation that the companies make of

themselves inside their premises that are also carried outside to the passive candidates,

the customers, the clients and also the others who are affected by the proceedings of

the company. Hence, one can say that within the company, employee branding is done

to attract the employees, and also for their subsequent retention in times to come so as

to improve the company's image of employee branding. The management of every

country has to understand a very simple fact that it can't lay a narrow focus on the

employee branding. If this is done, it would only be a departmental project and would

not have been entitled to be a part of the overall business strategy of the company. One

must keep another fact clear that if employee branding is only considered to be a part of

the recruitment process and then given the back seat, there will be too many cases of

absenteeism resulting in subsequent resignations at frequent intervals. (Turning staff

into brand ambassadors, 2009)

51

Importance of defining Employee Brand Objectives

Every activity that is regular in a company requires a definition for its subsequent

planning. The reason for the same is that once the objectives are defined, the company

would certainly save a lot of money and time in the process that are carried in the latter

stages. We are all aware of the fact that every company has a different lifecycle stages

and objectives at different times. So, defining the employee brand objectives would be

of help at all these life stages that the company has For example, one of them can be to

establish an employee referral program. These objectives with respect to employee

branding can be to integrate the culture of two companies in process of doing a merger,

or to decrease the turnover rates of the employees, to increase the hire volume for a

particular period of time, training to improve the quality of the employees, and also to

update the career section in the websites to ensure that the company can convey the

idea of employee branding and the importance that it holds in the organization. These

are all the cases that need to be defined with respect to employee branding for better

implementation and subsequent success of the company. (Pickard, 2009)

Relationship between Employee branding and Marketing and Communications

A company must define the ownership of a brand strategy so as to make a reach to the

consensus and also so that the employees of the country remain united in their ways.

The management of a company must always take the forefront in driving employee

branding with the help of education in the organizational premises and also by

awareness building. There are certain employees who stand as unconditional and do

not require a general need for motivation. But for most of the organizations it is a long-

term and also strategic attempt of talent management. These strategies are designed in

order to attract, keep busy, prevent absenteeism etc and these strategies can only be

fulfilled by a collaboration of the employee branding department with the marketing and

communications department. As for example, the marketing and communications

department s can be of extreme help in the case of analysis through websites, or also in

the segmentation of the target market. Research says that wherever this collaboration

52

stays weak, there is certainly a large struggle, or delay in the projects or even the

creativity can be minimized to a large extent.

Modes of Discovering Employee brand

One can develop an employee branding strategy by making a comprehension of the

culture followed in the organization, the work experiences of candidates, the drivers of

talent, external perspectives of the organization, vision of the organization, the

leadership issues and also the management practices. If a company focuses on these

areas for discovering its employee branding, it would be able to make a construction of

its message platform which would have the characteristics of being the most

authenticated, of a compelling nature and also distinguished. This systematic procedure

would also be embraced perfectly in the internal organization. Other than this, the

external reach of the organization would also better as a result.

There are also various ways of carrying the development program of employee

branding. These are both quantitative and qualitative research. This can be in the form

of focussing on groups, conducting interviews of leaders and also meetings and

seminars. One can also gather competitive intelligence in the process. If the company

wants to develop itself externally as well, it can check the online reputation of the firm so

as to find out the views of the organization about what is said about them on the web

through the blogs, or some social networking sites like Facebook and Orkut.

Role of the CEO and the Higher Authorities in Employee branding

It is extremely important for a company to have its top management converse about the

employee brands in the earlier stages of the development of the same. There is an

institute called the Employee brand Institute which suggests that it is highly positive for

a company's future prospects to get involved with the key stakeholders on this issue.

These issues can include the following:

* The support of employee branding in development of the business strategy

* The culture of the organization and its consistency across the globe

53

* The perception of the organization both internally and externally

* The channels of communication for bottom-up and vice versa

* The most critical positions of success and the extent to which the company has gone

in achieving the same

* All the above defined can be with respect to the attraction of the employees towards

the organization, the engagement in achieving the organization's goals and finally the

removal of policies of absenteeism from the organization and achieve maximum

retention of employees (HR faces the challenges of 2002, 2002)

Significance of Employee brand

Many researchers have argued that in spite of following all the characteristics of

employee branding, companies have generally considered it as a shortcut for getting

the best talent available in the surroundings. Many companies also tie up with ad

agencies so as to market their employee branding even if they do not practice them in

reality. These are some of the activities which fall totally against the much valued

significance that employee branding has. It is often said that if one takes good care of

his guests, there is all the probability that the guest will become your own and will

continue to be loyal with you. This is followed by organizations like Google and Marriott.

Every organization must understand this fact very clearly that the organization's core

values are defined by the extent of being productive and responsive towards the

customers. In others words it is a common belief that if a company takes care of the

people it affects, these people would certainly take care of the company. The

competitive world of today teaches a very simple concept which is that every gain is

mutual. Along with the services, it is the employee brand of a company that it would

have to deliver to make the best possible returns.

Employee Branding – Guidelines

1. Organizational messages are supposed to be cautiously planned and designed in

much the similar method mission and vision statements are planned and designed.

54

2. The organizational messages are supposed to be a sign of the organization's mission

as well as standards.

3. Messages aimed at outer public are required to be in line with the messages directed

towards the workforce.

4. Messages intended for outer public must be sent within the organization too.

5. The plan of staffing and selection systems is supposed to include messages that

constantly and cyclically reveal the brand name and organizational image.

6. The reimbursement system is supposed to include messages that constantly and

cyclically reveal the brand and organizational image. Such as, executives in

organizations that give importance to training ought to be held responsible when they do

not succeed to train and develop their workforce.

7. Training and development systems must facilitate executives and workforce to

internalize their organization's mission and values as well as assist them in knowing

how the mission and values are relevant to their responsibilities in the organization. This

should allow them to more successfully draft messages that regularly reflect the brand

name and organizational image.

8. Marketing and public relations systems are supposed to write messages that

repeatedly and without fail reflect the brand name and organizational image.

9. Executives must be taught the significance of sending messages that are steady with

their organization's mission, vision, guiding principles, and practices.

10. Performance supervision systems must concentrate on variations between practices

and strategies to reduce infringements of employees' psychological agreements.

11. Precise as well as unambiguous job samples must be provided to new workers so

that rational hopes are included into their psychological agreements.

55

12. Corporate traditions - such as objects, different activities and behaviors,

administration standards, standards and viewpoint - should strengthen the messages

workforce get.

13. Individual productivity must be considered and evaluated to find out if there are

'message associated' issues on the departmental, divisional, or organizational levels.

14. Individual messages must be repeatedly scrutinized for uniformity with other

messages.

15. Message channels are supposed to be checked to guarantee reliability of message

delivery.

16. During the occasion that messages have to be altered or psychological agreements

changed, organizations are required to take cautious steps in redrafting the messages.

17. Measures should be applied to evaluate results such as clientele maintenance,

service value, revenue, as well as employee satisfaction and performance.

What organizations have to do to make their employees brands

Employee Recruitment

Companies attend many types of functions to recruit potential employees such as job

fairs and campus visits. It's imperative to sell these recruits on your business. The top

recruits will be interviewing you as much as you're interviewing them. What impression

an organization want to give them? How will they remember your business? The

giveaway you choose to give these recruits will tell them a lot about your business. Your

first impression may be your only impression.

Hiring and Interviewing

56

During the interview process consider giving every interviewee a promotional gift

decorated with your logo. It's a great way to break the ice and introduce the candidate to

your brand. Most companies will interview multiple applicants before filling a position.

These people can become positive advocates of your business even when they don't

get the job if properly introduced to your company's brand and culture. These people will

move on to work for other businesses - businesses that could be potential customers of

your business. You want them to remember you, and remember you fondly. The right

promotional giveaway is an excellent way to leave them with a positive impression of

your company.

Training Most applicants will require training once they've been hired. Make sure you spend time

teaching them about your company's mission and objectives. Whether it's a coffee mug

with the company's mission statement printed on it, or a training manual with the

company's logo debossed on the cover, every employee must be included and

integrated into the company culture. An employee who doesn't understand the

company's mission is an opportunity lost.

Awards, Recognition and Incentive Programs

One of the most common frustrations among employees is that they feel unrecognized

and under-appreciated. Creating programs for recognizing achievement and service at

work is a great way to help develop a positive workplace environment. An employee

who truly feels appreciated at work is much more likely to be productive and loyal. One

of my favorite programs involves allowing staff to nominate other employees for

employee of the month, and then vote on the winner. Nothing makes somebody feel

more appreciated than recognition by their peers.

Beyond recognizing your employees, incentives are often a great way to motivate your

staff. Have clear objectives and rules of achievement, and reward your top performers

with promotional gifts.

57

Wellness Programs, Safety Programs and Team Building Events

Wellness programs have become a popular strategy for many progressive companies.

Rewarding employees for improving their health is good for them, and good for you.

Safety programs are another way to recognize desired behavior, and reward those who

engage in safe conduct. Team building may sound cliche, but it's vitally important.

Employees must feel engaged by the company as well as their peers to become true

advocates for your business. Participating in community events is one way to help

solidify your team while building brand awareness. Volunteering time to help non-profit

organizations not only helps the community, but instills employee pride in your

business.

Promotional Apparel

Many businesses utilize corporate apparel and staff uniforms for employees. But what

about businesses that do not require employees to wear company apparel? If your staff

likes your company, they're probably willing to wear corporate apparel whether you

require it or not. One strategy is to pick a handful of items such as polos, hoodies and

windbreakers, and offer them to your staff at reduced prices. Items like these that can

be embroidered can typically be ordered in small quantities, and decorators typically

don't care if you mix and match different types of items if the embroidery is the same.

You can limit options and colors that support your company branding, but allow your

staff to pick sizes and products that best fit them personally. If they won't wear it, it

doesn't do you any good.

Employees have a vested interest in the success of your business. But if you don't

actively engage them with your business, and recognize them for their achievements,

you'll never convert them into true advocates. Commander goes on to explain,

"Employees who actively live the brand create significant benefits for both the customer

and the organization. Customers of organizations with employee brand advocates enjoy

better customer service, greater anticipation of and ability to have their needs met, and

more attentiveness to their voice and feedback. The organization also enjoys the

58

benefits of word-of-mouth marketing, greater profitability and financial results, and a

more differentiated brand."

Best Practices for Developing an Employment Brand

Every organization has an employment brand. It is made up of how people feel about

working there, how potential job candidates view the company and even how the

company is perceived by the market it serves. A distinctive employment brand is

essential to lure and retain the best talent, which is the key competitive advantage for

those organizations winning in today's marketplace.

Leading-edge companies openly articulate their employment brand and market it to

talent as aggressively as they do their product or service brands to consumers or

business customers. Not surprisingly, HR is a logical steward in defining and

communicating a compelling brand with senior leadership's validation.

The Five Pillars of a Strong Employment Brand

"Employment branding is the hottest strategy in employment," said Dr. John Sullivan,

human resource management professor at the College of Business at San Francisco

State University. "It is one of the few long-term solutions to the 'shortage of talent'

problem. Whereas most employment strategies are short-term and 'reactive' to job

openings, building an employment brand is a longer-term solution designed to provide a

steady flow of applicants."

A solid employment brand is a clear and compelling articulation of why an individual

would want to work for an organization and give it his or her best. It's not just about

making employees "feel good" or letting them have fun, but about fortifying the

organization's culture with a set of pillars as a foundation for tangible financial and

competitive benefits. These five pillars are: a clear value proposition, synergy with

consumer brands, authenticity/consistency, loyalty and cultural consistency in practice.

59

http://kissaneasylum.typepad.com/workforce_development/2008/06/best-practices.html

A Clear Value Proposition

What is it about an organization that turns people on? What tangible and intangible

benefits do they derive from working there? Many people are drawn to the clear value

propositions of nonprofits or other organizations in which compensation might not be

highly competitive. These work environments attract people who want to make a

difference.

Others prefer a value proposition that offers more-tangible rewards. Additional value

propositions people find appealing relate to creativity or innovation, such as the

opportunity to keep learning or the excitement that comes from designing new products.

The value proposition should be closely aligned with corporate values. A company that

wants to define itself positively in the eyes of current and future employees has to be

explicit about how it motivates and rewards its people, what kind of culture it wants to

foster and the values it espouses and by which it lives.

Perhaps the most famous demonstration of corporate values in the United States was

how Johnson & Johnson handled the 1980s Tylenol-tampering incident. Although the

company was not responsible for the tampering, which occurred after the product

reached store shelves, it took responsibility and did what countless consumers would

call "the right thing" — the company immediately recalled the product from the entire

country, at a loss of more than $100 million, and created tamper-resistant seals.

The message was clear: "We value the lives of our consumers above all else, and we

certainly care more about them than we care about our profits." "Doing the right thing"

not only saved the Tylenol brand, but it also did wonders for how people viewed the

company — consumers rightly perceive Johnson & Johnson as a company that always

acts with integrity.

Not surprisingly, Johnson & Johnson also is perceived as an employer of choice. The

company's career Web site expresses the relationship between corporate values and

the employment value proposition: "We share deeply rooted values that come from our

60

credo. These values provide a unified vision for ethical behavior among our companies

and their employees around the world. Explore what it means to be part of our credo-

based culture and see how your values align with those shared by our employees."

On the opposite end of the scale, just about everyone has a view of the Enron

employment brand, even without having worked there. The reported excesses and

ethical lapses of Enron executives created a set of associations that defined the

company's employment brand. Of course, no company sets out to achieve a negative

employment brand, but attracting and retaining talent is a much more difficult

proposition when the employment brand is seen as weak or tarnished.

Synergy with Consumer Brands

The employment brand needs to be consistent with the organization's consumer brand.

Such a synergy produces motivated, engaged employees who are more likely to

demonstrate strong productivity and provide excellent customer service. This, in turn,

generates consumer loyalty, which positively influences corporate performance.

Nike is a good example of the convergence between consumer and employment

brands. Its Oregon campus is set up like a miniature sports facility that feels more like a

camp for athletes than a workplace. It conveys a deep authenticity and connection

between its workforce and product consumers — from the aspiring athlete to many of

the world's finest sports competitors.

According to the company's Web site, "Nike does more than outfit the world's athletes.

We are a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of

what can be. We aren't looking for workers. We're looking for people who can

contribute, grow, think, dream and create. We thrive in a culture that embraces diversity

and rewards imagination. We seek out achievers, leaders, visionaries. We love winners.

At Nike, it's about bringing what you have to a challenging and constantly evolving

game."

61

It's not necessary to go that far, however. Procter & Gamble, for example, is well-known

for its popular consumer brands without defining its employees' bonds solely in those

terms. Rather, the strength of Procter & Gamble consumer brands is reflected in an

equally robust employment brand of a great place to work.

The company cares about its employees and their careers as much as it cares about

consumers. People are treated well and have excellent opportunities to learn and

advance. Thus, they and the business world in general view Procter & Gamble the

employer similarly to how consumers view the company's brands: as a leader with an

excellent value proposition.

Authenticity and Consistency

A strong employment brand has to be real, not just sizzle without the steak — the

company has to deliver what it promises. If a recruiter presents a company as

appreciative of diversity and flexible in accommodating people with alternative needs

(e.g., single parents), then new employees had better not report for work the first day

only to be told they must be at their desks from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday,

with a half-hour lunch from 12:30 to 1 p.m. every day. The cognitive dissonance would

be massive, and in all likelihood, the new employee would begin to regard the company

as untrustworthy.

A corollary of authenticity and honesty is consistency of message across the enterprise.

If Department A promises huge starting salaries, and Department B tells candidates

they won't make a lot of money at first but will be promoted quickly, and Department C

says it's all about flexibility, then these phenomena don't add up to a consistent

employment brand.

On the other hand, if a company does have very distinct employment sub-brands (for

example, one division is a new venture that requires entrepreneurially minded people,

and the remainder of the company works in established business units according to

62

long-held traditions), it is necessary to clarify and communicate those differences, as

well as make sure candidates are hired and placed accordingly.

Engender Loyalty

Many factors can engender tremendous loyalty and devotion among employees, often

(but by no means always) involving some extraordinary action beyond the call of duty.

For example, a manufacturing company in the Midwest implemented a no-layoff policy

as part of its employment brand. When it fell on hard times, employees stayed on, even

when they had to take pay cuts and work odd shifts, helping the company weather a

downturn that otherwise might have destroyed it. Another example comes from a

financial services company with a significant number of employees made homeless by

Hurricane Katrina. It arranged for those employees to temporarily stay at the homes of

other employees who were not affected.

These types of actions clearly have an extraordinary impact on people's lives, as well as

the company's employment brand and reputation in general. It's where an employer

ceases to be just a workplace and becomes a part of the family.

Nonetheless, loyalty is a two-way street, and human beings still exhibit a real

connection and affiliation with organizations that demonstrate commitment to them. The

organization's acts don't have to be grandiose to be effective, however. Companies that

promise to behave in certain ways and then demonstrate that (especially when the

circumstances might make that difficult) engender considerable trust in their workforce.

Organizational theorist Chris Argyris describes this as the congruence between a

company's "espoused theory" of behaving and its "theory in practice." Simply put, it's

the level of harmony of people or groups actually doing what they said they'd do.

Certainly, employee loyalty ties into consumer loyalty. Usually, companies that value the

employee experience also value the customer experience and the relationships its

workforce has with shareholders, vendors and the community. Starbucks is one

example of being a good corporate citizen — it respects employees (called "partners"),

63

provides a fun environment for its people and even offers full benefits to part-timers who

work 240 hours a quarter.

In March 2007, the Starbucks Foundation awarded $2 million to help bring clean water

to communities around the world. These funds support Starbucks' goals of contributing

at least $10 million by 2010 to nonprofits that are helping to alleviate the world water

crisis. Employees who want to know their employer cares about larger issues and takes

action on them are impressed by such corporate behaviors.

Corporate Cultural Consistency

For the first time this year, Google made Fortune's list of 100 Best Companies to Work

For, and it captured first place. In its effort to attract and retain the best and brightest,

the company has created a unique culture intended to treat employees so well, they

won't want to leave (the company provides free gourmet meals, laundry facilities and

many other perks). The "Google 15" refers to the 15 pounds people gain when they first

come to Google — until they start taking advantage of the company's gyms, pools and

workout facilities.

All this leads many HR experts to wonder, "Is such a culture sustainable? Or does it

inevitably create a culture of entitlement that eventually becomes financially

unfeasible?"

A couple of decades ago, a new company in the financial services business thrived on a

culture similar to Google's. But today, the free food and video games are gone, victims

to cost-cutting efforts that seem to come to any maturing business. The employees look

and act much more like traditional bankers. Perhaps today's "Googlers" will be wearing

suits and ties in 10 years, as well. Only time will tell.

A less flashy example is the egalitarian culture nurtured at Intel by co-founder Andy

Grove, who served as president and later chairman. It's an employment brand that

64

states, "We're all in this together; we're all smart; we all work hard, and everyone is

treated equally well."

Intel's 2005 Proxy Statement states, "Intel's officers are not entitled to operate under

different standards than other employees. Intel does not provide its officers with

reserved parking spaces or separate dining or other facilities, nor does Intel have

programs for providing personal-benefit perquisites to officers such as permanent

lodging or defraying the cost of personal entertainment or family travel. Intel's office-

building layouts are cubicle-based for all employees, including officers." When the

president and CEO work in a cubicle just like everyone else, the company's declared

values are really on display in a powerful way.

More Value All Around

In a time of talent scarcity, companies can't afford not to compete for the best people. A

clearly articulated and communicated employment brand makes it easier to attract and

keep the best talent. Provided the organization's values and practices are in line with

the brand it purports to have, the benefits are as tangible as those of a strong consumer

brand.

Just as a consumer brand generates customer loyalty, an employment brand fosters

retention. And it always costs much less to retain a customer or employee than to

acquire one. Further, loyal, engaged employees also give more discretionary effort,

which translates into increased productivity, and retaining them safeguards the

company's knowledge base, which promotes competitive advantage.

It all adds up to greater value HR can provide for the business.

The Branding of Higher Education

65

Campbell Soup, Volvo, Xerox, Coca-Cola… What could higher education possibly have

in common with these commercial products and their companies? As objectionable as it

may be to some within the walls of the academy, there are undeniable parallels. We

serve diverse constituencies; the educational experience we provide to students has a

price associated with it; institutional vitality is highly dependent upon the revenue

generated from student enrollments; we have competitors; we compete on price,

quality, service, and reputation; our image is largely determined by the constituents we

serve; and their image of our institutions is influenced by their interactions with us.

However, the concept of branding, as applied to higher education, is somewhat different

from branding in the commercial sector. Most notably, branding in higher education is

about who we are, and is not limited to what a particular product offers the marketplace.

An educational brand is often equated to an institution's academic reputation. But, that

explanation is far too limiting. Think of a college or university brand as being

synonymous with the institution's personality— congruent with its mission, defined by its

values.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of branding in higher education is the focus it brings

to an institution. For example, a student-centered college or university will respond to

changing student needs and expectations, but, in an attempt to be all things to all

people, often it becomes vulnerable to mission drift or a gradual dilution of effectiveness

as the institution becomes increasingly thin, first on the margins and then in the core

enterprise—teaching and learning. The values-centric approach inherent in branding

provides an institution with an anchor to guide responses to constituent needs and

expectations. The brand is defined by where the institution's values and the

constituents' expectations intersect. In this paradigm, the brand becomes the filter

through which everything is vetted (e.g., strategic directions, resource allocations, hiring

decisions, and curriculum development). It serves as a lens to strategically focus the

institution in the midst of fluid internal and external pressures as well as opportunities.

A values-based focus does not mean, however, that we can afford to ignore what our

constituents expect from us. We will not thrive in a vacuum. Ultimately, the value of our

66

brand is determined by those we serve. It is worth only what students and parents are

willing to pay for it, donors are willing to give to support it, and faculty and staff are

willing to contribute to make it real. The brand must have relevance to others.

Within the higher education branding construct, there are two major components: (1)

promotion of the brand and (2) delivering on the promise of the brand. Both are

addressed in this article.

Promotion of the Brand

Before the brand can be effectively promoted, the desired brand identity (how you want

others to perceive the institution) must be defined. A brand rationale, brand attributes,

and brand benefits should be clearly articulated and consistently reflect the institution's

values while aligning with constituent expectations. As previously suggested, the brand

lives in the hearts and minds of those we serve. Consequently, the logical place to

begin defining the brand identity is with an assessment of the existing brand image for

various constituent groups valued by the institution. Though the assessment can take

many forms, the desired outcome is to gain insight into the current reality.

The current reality is then compared against the institution's vision for its brand identity

to determine where gaps between the two exist. Recognized gaps enable marketers to

target a brand strategy—increasing the probability of achieving related institutional

objectives. A targeted brand strategy fosters effective positioning of a school's brand

among competitors along with the management of brand assets such as institutional

image, brand equity, the brand message, and the promise inherent in the brand

message. Too often, the brand strategy is devoid of any assessment data and thus,

positioning and messaging are not grounded in the current reality or a gap analysis

linked to institutional aspirations. The end result is typically a failed promotional

campaign defined by empty or unfulfilled promises.

Brand tactics emanating from a sound brand strategy yield successful promotional

campaigns infinitely more often than the fragmented "flavor of the month" or the panic-

driven "let's try anything" approaches common at many colleges and universities. For

67

example, market segmentation inspired by a brand strategy focuses efforts on target

populations who, if compelled to enroll, persist, advocate for, or financially support the

institution, will impact strategic goals of the college more so than other potential

segments. Likewise, a brand message spawn from a brand strategy is likely to have a

laser focus that reflects the essence of the institution rather than the whims of a

marketer or preferences of current students or administrators.

Assuming that brand tactics are aligned with the brand strategy and that brand strategy

is aligned with the institution's mission and values, there are five universal tactics that

should be employed.

1. Seek to understand constituent needs. Surveys, focus groups, observations, a

review of historical data, and the like are used to collect information for pattern

matching of constituent behaviors and understandings that reflect their needs of

the institution.

2. Identify market segments that are highly valued by the institution. Define

the characteristics of each segment, including motivators and barriers to

supporting the institution's objectives.

3. Determine which brand attributes will remove or lessen identified barriers and exploit motivators. To illustrate, consider the market segment of out-of-

state prospective students. Potential barriers may be distance from home or the

perception that the school is a "suitcase campus." Motivators might include the

reputation of a high profile academic program, tuition reciprocity, or the desire to

experience new places.

4. Use relevant brand attributes to effectively position the institution against would-be competitors. What are your institutional strengths and competitor

weaknesses associated with the needs of a particular market segment? How can

you capture this niche and defend it against all who seek to encroach upon your

market space?

5. Differentiate the institution from competitors through relevant communications. While remaining true to the corporate brand message, spin

the marketing message in a way that differentiates your institution from

68

competitors and is relevant to the targeted segment. Describe how their unique

needs will be met by your institution (often referred to as a value proposition).

Convey to them how your value proposition is different from direct competitors.

Beyond the tactics themselves, practical matters of implementation must be addressed

as well. What communication channels will be most effective in delivering the message?

Who will have the most influence over the targeted population and hence, should deliver

the message? When will the message most likely influence decision-making? What

resources and infrastructure are needed to ensure successful implementation? How will

the quality of execution be monitored? How will effectiveness of the brand promotional

efforts be measured?

The degree to which due diligence is performed prior to launching the branding

campaign determines the success of the campaign. Even with careful planning and

near-perfect execution, brand promotion is a hollow endeavor if a constituent's

experience with the college or university is incongruent with the brand message.

Delivering on the promise of the brand is the single most important aspect of branding a

higher education institution.

Delivering on the Promise of the Brand

Many higher education marketing professionals believe their institution does not have a

brand. Nothing could be further from the truth. A more accurate assessment would be

that their institutions have failed to manage their brand. At colleges and universities

where positive constituent experiences occur by chance or randomly rather than

through a tightly integrated, promise-driven, and planned approach, a brand exists, but

it suffers from benign neglect.

To effectively shape how constituents view an institution, you must begin first by

understanding the promise inherent in the existing brand or the brand the school aspires

to have. Such promises are often subtle and always symbolic. The power of symbolism

should not be underestimated. Put simply, there must be congruence between what an

69

institution claims to be and what its constituents actually experience when they interact

with any individual or unit affiliated with the campus.

Once the brand promise is broadly understood, there are five steps to ensuring

consistent delivery of the promise of the brand.

1. Define the brand promise. The definition must be based on the institution's

personality—congruent with what the institution espouses to be and more

importantly, consistent with institutional behavior. Most colleges and universities

have clearly articulated core values, which should be fundamental elements of

the brand promise definition. These values and thus, the brand promise must be

relevant both to internal and external constituents. Employees, for example, must

passionately believe in and care about the promise for it to be authentically

delivered through the educational experience and student services. Relevancy

does not equate to standardized adoption, but instead it translates to

individualized interpretations and behavior associated with the promise. Hence,

the promise must be malleable enough to be accepted and practiced by different

subcultures within an institution as well as individuals with their own unique

beliefs and values. In the academy, this is the only practical way to strike a

balance between the objective of universal adoption and maintaining a modicum

of autonomy. Collectively, the college or university community must define

desired expectations and behaviors associated with the promise.

2. Live the brand promise. Consider the role of all faculty, staff, and administrators

as "institutional trust agents." In reality, every encounter people have with the

institution is a "moment of truth." You have thousands of institutional "moments of

truth" every day. Whether the encounter occurs in the classroom, in an

administrative office, through a campus event, online, in person, or on the phone,

each experience either fosters or erodes institutional trust. Think for a moment

about your own personal and professional relationships. Is there a single valued

relationship in your life that is not built on a foundation of mutual trust? Our

students, their families, the school's alumni, and others we serve are

70

fundamentally the same. They will desire a relationship with an institution only if

they trust you.

3. Operationalize the brand promise. The promise must be personified through

our services, business transactions, human interactions, information delivery,

and learning experiences. It must be embedded in the culture and become a part

of our institutional DNA. It must be viewed as a covenant between the institution

and those we serve—never to be broken. Finally, it requires an unfaltering focus

on identifying and eradicating promise gaps using some combination of people,

processes, pedagogy, and technology.

4. Deliver the brand promise consistently. To achieve consistency, institutions

must (1) clearly define the desired constituent experience and (2) ensure the

employee experience is aligned with the desired constituent experience. For

instance, if a staff member feels mistreated by the institution, it will be virtually

impossible for that individual to effectively represent the brand promise to the

students they serve. So, to improve consistency of promise delivery to our

constituents, we must first create an environment for employees that is

conducive to feeling passionate about the organization and its promise. The

campus environment must be one that values the contributions of individuals and

proactively enhances human capacity.

5. Convey the brand promise. Too often, higher education organizations permit

their constituents to form impressions of the institution in an information vacuum

—usually based on anecdotes, media coverage, and the negative experiences of

the few. Effectively conveying the promise requires an ongoing internal and

external campaign. It requires careful management of constituent expectations,

the promotion of promise delivery successes, as well as intentional efforts to

build institutional loyalty over time.

Training your frontline organization to deliver the brand experience

Most brand managers spend an inordinate amount of their time and budgets on setting

brand expectations, while neglecting the more important job of delivering a positive

71

http://commons.iabc.com/branding/2006/03/29/training-your-frontline-organization-to-deliver-the-brand-experience/

brand experience. Setting brand expectations is easy and sexy. It involves meetings

with ad agencies, casting calls, photo shoots, and award banquets. Delivering on the

brand expectations, on the other hand, is messy and hard. It involves arduous meetings

with operations people, process mapping, training programs, and field visits. But, the

payoffs can be huge.

Any brand manager who wants to get serious about managing the entire brand

experience should start with the low hanging fruit: employee introduction and training.

Most customer-facing employees don’t receive any training on how to represent the

brand. What most companies call training focuses on product features, work procedures

and compliance, all delivered to the fanfare of polished PowerPoints, soothing

monotone of the training staff, and sterile canned speeches. The situation is so bad that

many frontline managers are refusing to take their people off the job to do training.

With variability between high- and low-performing sales and service reps still greater

than 50% in most organizations, field communication and training is green pasture for

improvements Frontline brand training can deliver tremendous bang for the buck if it’s

more engaging, more fun, more interactive and more like the computer games, blogs

and Podcasts that people of the Pod generation are interacting with on their spare time.

Evidence suggests that adults learn more in courses that incorporate such gaming

elements as competitive scoring, increasingly difficult player level, and role playing.

Revamping the brand experience starts by identifying the performance expectations of

customer-facing employees at each brand contact point. Next step is to develop

opportunities for them to practice customer conversations at each step. Working in front

of the computer, reps can watch video sequences of the customers played by

professional actors, ask them questions about their needs, preferences and concerns,

and watch video sequences of their responses. Using such online customer interaction

simulations, reps get to practice asking the key qualifying questions to diagnose

customer problems, prescribing a complete solution to meet these, responding to the

most common customer concerns, and making condensed “elevator pitches” of their

value proposition.

72

While simulations are formidable sand boxes for practicing new skills, blogs are

emerging as powerful tools to facilitate real-time conversations in far-flung field

organizations. The online logs are increasingly complemented with “podcasted” radio

programs.

We’re at a unique juncture in history where we can use technology to provide our brand

ambassadors with information when they need it where they need it, in context and on

demand. The stakes and rewards are tremendous for any company that wants to

reclaim control over how their field organization delivers the brand experience.

The branding platform should reflect employee participation in the brandOne of the main reasons, from a marketer’s point of view, is that employees reflect the

brand to customers and prospects. And not just salespeople, it includes all employees.

That includes those who will never meet a customer unless that customer or prospect

happens to be family or a social contact. Many companies actively encourage and

incent employees to spread the word about the companies and its offerings.

So as ambassadors of the brand, employees must know the brand. There should be

training. There should be informational meetings. There should be understanding. And

there should be participation.

There is a new term being used, primarily within human relations departments. It’s

Employment Branding. It appears that HR people have taken it upon themselves to

establish and promote certain branding ideas that will make the company attractive and

appealing to employment recruits. These are often, though may not be entirely,

independent of the corporate branding program.

Employee brand image

73

The employee brand image refers to the image employees project to those around

them. The employee brand image is likely to be aligned with the desired company brand

image when employees know and understand the desired brand image, and are

sufficiently motivated to project it to others. An organizational position is created in the

minds of customers, fellow employees, and other stakeholders when this alignment is

consistently attained. Such positioning is difficult to achieve, and few organizations are

successful in doing so. When it is accomplished, however, it becomes a source of

sustainable competitive advantage for the organization.

The Role of HR in Employee Branding in the Public Sector

Private Sector organizations have known for years that both company and employee

branding are essential to keep a competitive work force and to reduce turnover. The

public safety sector has been slow to catch onto this idea, even while police, fire, and

other E.M.S. units have relied on the aura surrounding their occupations to recruit. This

lack of foresight in investing in a well thought out strategy of organizational branding in

recruitment and in operations often has a negative effect on the new employee, and

thereafter, an organization's effectiveness. This was especially true after September 11,

2001, when people rushed to become police officers and firefighters or other EMS

providers. There is a cost paid for hiring and training a person who is not a good fit in an

organization, realized in the form of lower retention rates, increased recruitment,

training, and overtime costs, not to mention potential civil liability for actions taken by a

less committed employee. HR can be a strategic partner with an organization's

command staffs, and with leaders at all levels, to develop a culture that accurately

depicts the vision and values of the organization.

Employee branding begins at the top level of the organization. The aura that surrounds

being associated with public safety organizations is not enough to sustain an individual's

commitment throughout a career. The command structure has a responsibility to ensure

that employees clearly understand the mission and vision of their organization. To

ensure this, frequent, open forums should be held, where questions can be asked,

74

rumors laid to rest, and the vision continued to be reinforced in the minds of the

employees. At mid-level, leaders also have the responsibility to be clear on the mission

and vision of the organization. Through continued emphasis on the mission and

reinforcement of the organization's vision, coupled with the implementation of HR

strategies to successfully meet goals, the employees become branded into the culture

and are focused on exceeding the vision.

Examples of organizational differences in the realm of public safety begin with the

structures and deployment of personnel in field of law enforcement. Each law

enforcement organization has to meet the differing needs of its community, and

requirements of its own vision, mission statements and expectations for its officers for

interaction within that community. Organization are differentiated in their structure and

operations based on the needs of the people they serve, be it at urban level, rural

levels, or other settings. Organizations must utilize different strategies to effectively

deploy its personnel, while recognizing that these actions directly impact an

organization's ability to focus the commitment of the employees to the organization.

Other points of differentiation include deployment of personnel into different divisions,

development of shift policies, promotional opportunities, potential transfers to more

challenging jobs, and the degree of autonomy to make decisions at the first line.

The closer organizational opportunities match the desires of the employee, the more

likely the individual will show total engagement for the success of the vision, improve

overall performance, and increase retention for the organization. An employee who

realizes that the organization does not fulfill his or her expectations will likely leave. If

the individual is committed to working in public safety, he or she will seek out other

organizations that meet their expectations and needs. Simply stated, an agency that

has spent time and money training an employee only to see them leave loses its

investment because the organization did not effectively convey the culture of the

organization before hiring. An organization that is able to attract and retain employees,

who are engaged and committed to the organization's mission, creates a financial

advantage for the community by saving the taxpayer money. In the case of volunteer

organizations such as volunteer rescue and fire departments the savings is in donated

money; funding that is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.

75

With the large numbers of people attracted to careers in public safety, Effective

employee and organizational branding can help recruit the people you want and

dissuade those who you do not want. It is in the best interest of both individual and

organization to ensure potential candidates clearly understand the culture and

expectations of the organization before they apply. In the public sector organizations

use various forms of media to announce job vacancies. The announcements include

basic job descriptions and qualifications but often fail in representing the organization in

the clearest possible light. HR should ensure applicants understand not only the job

requirements but also the culture of the organization they intend to join. Through

organizational and employee branding, organizations will recruit and retain people who

more closely fit the culture of their organizations. Organizations spend thousands of

dollars in recruiting campaigns, just to get people to take the tests, then incur the cost of

the testing process, pay evaluators to participate in interview on selection panels,

background checks, medical and psychological screenings, and finally bear the

expense of formal academy and field training. Developing branding strategies that

differentiate one organization from another ultimately saves the customer-taxpayer-

money.

The branding process begins with the culture of the organization and influences the

recruiting strategies. The new recruit should already have a basic understanding of the

culture arriving at the training center with a set of expectations of the organization. Even

in the training phase the new hire begins the process of deciding if the organization

meets his or her needs. Once deployed to the field, the new employee continues to

develop a cultural awareness of the organization. At this point, he or she will determine

if the organizational branding lives up to expectations. If not, other organizations in the

same field will be investigated to see if there is one that more closely meets

professional expectations. Many public safety employees, to their advantage are

enrolled in the Virginia State Retirement System, and are not penalized if they go to

another organization that participates in that system. However, the organization that is

left behind pays the price for hiring an individual that was not a good fit with the culture

of the organization.

76

Employees who are enthusiastically branded into the vision of their organization are a

great source for recruiting people who will fit the organizational culture, lowering the

chances of an employee misfit. Recruiters should not be only concerned with filling

today's vacancies but be proactive in cultivating the branding image for future recruiting

cycles. Recruiters can begin by visiting high schools, junior colleges, and universities,

and explain to people who are still too young to apply what the organizational culture is

about. With continual contact individuals who believe that the particular organization

meets their interests can further explore the future opportunities within the organization.

Recruiters can arrange ride-a-longs, site visits, and possible volunteer opportunities

which continue to build upon the branding of the organization and employees.

Organizations, that have media relations departments, can also be utilized to

strategically market the organization to the public at large. HR can work with the media

relations departments to develop strategies that accurately represent the organization to

the public. By the nature of their work public safety organizations have a multiplicity of

opportunities to get their branding message out. Through the news at critical incidents,

monthly public service broadcasts on public television channels, and general media

announcements, the media departments can inform the public on the attributes that

separate their organization from the others in the region. The more opportunities the

public has to receive what separates one organization from another, the more the

prospective employee will naturally gravitate to the organization that best fits his or her

needs.

The implementation of a department's vision and deployment strategies has a direct

impact on the organization's culture. Organizations want an individual who fits in well

and can make positive contributions within the organization. The proper branding of an

organization and its employees increases the likelihood of a proper hire. A person who

is hired and does not fit the culture can actually hamper recruiting efforts by spreading

negative information about an organization. HR can recommend strategies to the

command staffs that develop and publicize the organization's culture, which in-turn

helps to attract people who will best fit into the organization.

HR should be employed to play an integral part in developing the culture and

expounding it onto current and potential future employees. HR has the specific

77

expertise to and should be involved in training programs to improve leadership at all

levels. Ineffective leaders can drive people out of an organization. HR should survey

employees and develop strategies to retain the best workers through fulfilling the

satisfiers that keep the employees committed to the organization. Employees who

choose to quit should be exit interviewed by HR for the same purposes. HR should stay

abreast of the changing external and internal environment and prepare for challenges to

the organization's culture and ability to recruit and retain its employees. Utilizing HR,

with its knowledge of organizational and strategic employee development, by the

command structure will have a significant impact on the organization's abilities to meet

its goals for the future and better be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

Branding in public service organizations requires the total commitment of the employees

and the organization to develop the aura that will attract the right candidate and

dissuade others. Branding of the organization helps to drive the culture and focus the

employees on a vision of themselves and the organization for which they work. Having

people who fit the organization culture reduces the number of bad hires, saving cost in

recruiting, training, and efforts to retain the best employees who may otherwise leave

for other organizations. Branding will successfully further the organization in a fulfilling

its mission.

Literature review

Focusing on internal branding it shows why greater staff understanding (intellectual buy-

in) and commitment (emotional buy-in), these two issues are important drivers of brand

success. This paper considers the way that the intellectual-emotional buy-in matrix is

developed, showing how managers can better use internal communication to enhance

employee buy-in and thus achieve better performance. (Thomson, Kevin de Chernatony, Leslie Arganbright, Lorrie Khan, Sajid [email protected] Source:Journal of Marketing Management; Nov99, Vol. 15 Issue 8, p819-835, 17p, 4 Charts)

78

Employer branding has been advocated as an effective strategy for motivating

employees to "live the brand" however, previous research has tended to focus on

recruitment. As a result, little is known about what makes an organisation's employer

brand attractive to its current employees. The specific attributes considered most

attractive by employees were different in each organisation. However the categories of

attribute were almost identical; these were employment, organisational successes,

construed external image, and product or service characteristics. (Maxwell, Rachael Knox, Simon Source: Journal of Marketing Management; Nov2009, Vol. 25 Issue 9/10, p893-907, 15p, 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart)

Brand-specific transactional leaders influence followers through a process of

compliance, leading to an increase in turnover intentions and a decrease in in-role and

extra-role brand-building behaviors. In contrast, brand-specific transformational leaders

influence followers through a process of internalization, leading to a decrease in

turnover intentions and an increase in in-role and extra-role brand-building behaviors. In

turn, both processes are mediated by employees' perceptions of autonomy,

competence, and relatedness with regard to their work roles as brand representatives.

(Morhart, Felicitas M Herzog, Walter Tomczak, Torsten Source: Journal of Marketing; Sep2009, Vol. 73 Issue 5, p122-142, 21p, 4 Diagrams, 3 Charts, 1 Graph)

Focuses on the importance of creating corporate brand identity in the United States.

Relevance of workplace brand for employee commitment and retention; Impact of

business brands on consumers loyalty; Factors essential in building a workplace brand;

Advantages of an ownership culture workplace brand.(Blonchek, Robert M. Source: Executive Excellence; Nov2000, Vol. 17 Issue 11, p7, 2p, 1 Black and White Photograph)

79

A business actually has two brands, a brand as a place to buy and a brand as a place to

work. Brand is all about the choices employees make every day whether they come to

work and how they contribute. Any employer brand must bring the customer brand to

life. This only happens if the employer brand defines how the organization uses

employees to deliver its brand promise to customers.(Schumann, Mark Source:Communication World; Jul/Aug2006, Vol. 23 Issue 4, p29-31, 3p)

Employment branding is about promising potential employees a certain experience and

then actually delivering it. The Audacity Group's Mark Di Somma, see the wisdom of

both HR and marketing working in tandem for employment branding. Sara Clarke of

Hudson describes the problem with New Zealand companies which tap HR to have

control of an employment brand.(Pla, Ruth Le [email protected] Source:NZ Marketing Magazine; Dec2007, Vol. 26 Issue 11, p16-21, 6p)

For any organization, its employees are its first market, as they are the ones who carry

the image of the organization to the outside world. Today, many organizations face the

problem of employee dissatisfaction leading to lowered productivity and high attrition

rates. This article determines the extent of use of various techniques applicable to

employer branding efforts in selected Indian organizations, and whether the use of

these techniques is a conscious and planned effort towards formal HR branding(M Vijaya Sunder and Viney K Thakar, HRM Review August, 2009 )

Minchington (2005) defines an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) as a set of

associations and offerings provided by an organisation in return for the skills,

capabilities and experiences an employee brings to the organisation. The EVP is an

employee-centered approach that is aligned to existing, integrated workforce planning

strategies because it has been informed by existing employees and the external target

audience. An EVP must be unique, relevant and compelling if it is to act as a key driver

80

of talent attraction, engagement and retention.(Minchington, B (2006) Your Employer Brand – attract, engage, retain, Collective Learning Australia.)

According to Burkitt and Zealley, "the challenge for internal marketing is not only to get

the right messages across, but to embed them in such a way that they both change and

reinforce employee behaviour".(Hugh Burkitt and John Zealley (2006). Marketing Excellence: Winning companies reveal the secrets of their success. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.. p. 295.)

At the organizational level, a successful Human Resources Development program

prepares the individual to undertake a higher level of work, "organized learning over a

given period of time, to provide the possibility of performance change" (Nadler 1984). In

these settings, Human Resources Development is the framework that focuses on the

organization's competencies at the first stage, training, and then developing the

employee, through education, to satisfy the organization's long-term needs and the

individual's career goals and employee value to their present and future employers.

(Nadler L Ed., 1984, The Handbook of Human resources Development, John Wiley and Sons, New York.)

Dr. John Hoover points out, "Tempting as it is, nobody ever enhanced his or her career

by making the boss look stupid." Training an employee to get along well with authority

and with people who entertain diverse points of view is one of the best guarantees of

long-term success. Talent, knowledge, and skill alone won't compensate for a sour

relationship with a superior, peer, or customer.(John Hoover, PhD "How to Work for an Idiot: Survive and Thrive Without Killing Your Boss”)

81

The Human Resources Development framework views employees, as an asset to the

enterprise whose value will be enhanced by development, “Its primary focus is on

growth and employee development…it emphasises developing individual potential and

skills”.Human Resources Development can be in-room group training, tertiary or

vocational courses or mentoring and coaching by senior employees with the aim for a

desired outcome that will develop the individual’s performance. (Elwood F. Holton II, James W. Trott, Jr., 1996, "Trends Toward a Closer Integration of Vocational Education and Human Resources Development", Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, Vol. 12, No. 2, p7)

Development is the framework that focuses on the organisations competencies at the

first stage, training, and then developing the employee, through education, to satisfy the

organisations long-term needs and the individuals’ career goals and employee value to

their present and future employers. Human Resources Development can be defined

simply as developing the most important section of any business its human resource by,

“attaining or upgrading the skills and attitudes of employees at all levels in order to

maximise the effectiveness of the enterprise”.(Kelly D, 2001, Dual Perceptions of HRD: Issues for Policy: SME’s, Other Constituencies, and the Contested Definitions of Human Resource Development)

The employee brand is the image presented to an organization's customers and other

relevant stakeholders through its employees. The employee branding process is

predicated on achieving and maintaining message consistency throughout the

organization. Messages emanate from various organizational sources such as the

systems of organizational staffing, performance management, and compensation.

(Sandra Jeanquart Miles "Growing the employee brand at ASI: a case study". Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. FindArticles.com. 30 Mar, 2011. )

82

Every organization has an employment brand. It is made up of how people feel about

working there, how potential job candidates view the company and even how the

company is perceived by the market it serves. A distinctive employment brand is

essential to lure and retain the best talent, which is the key competitive advantage for

those organizations winning in today's marketplace. (Mark Stein & Matt Laughlin,article in the October 2007 issue of Talent Magazine)

The creation of a strong brand and the deliverance of perceived service quality are

premised by employees' ability to deliver on customer expectations. No consideration

has been given, however, to understanding the 'added value' encapsulated in an

organisation's brand as a result of the operant resources (skills and knowledge)

supplied by the organisation's human capital. (Journal of Brand Management (2008) 15, 358–372. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bm.2007.48; published online 7 December 2007)

Believe that employees must understand the purpose of the business ‘what difference

does the business make to its customers. Why you exist and how your business creates

a relationship with its customers’ in order for them to be able to support the customer

strategy and, in turn, feel valued and appreciated.(Sartain, L. and Schumann, M. (2006) 'Brand from the Inside: Eight Essentials to Emotionally Connect Your Employees to Your Business', John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco, CA.)

In order to entice people to do anything that needs some form of persuasion, it is

necessary to find out what creates or reinforces the “need” for them to want to act in a

positive and motivated way’. That is, employees need more information than just

technical competency in order to deliver the brand promise, Exposure to

customer/market information in conjunction with training and exposure to the general

work environment enables that depth of brand knowledge necessary to deliver the

83

brand promise.(Thomson, K. (1990) 'The Employee Revolution—Corporate Internal Marketing', Pitman Publishing, London, UK.)

Getting the right people on board—and then all enthusiastically pulling in the right

direction—has bedevilled organisations since the time of wooden ships, when the most

popular form of motivation left lash marks’. Notwithstanding the cruelty of such a

motivational technique, the essence of the act, that being to, figuratively speaking, ‘kick

someone in the pants (KITA)’, as coined by Herzberg, is believed not to lead to

motivation, but rather to movement.(Reichheld, F. and Rogers, P. (2005) 'Motivating through metrics', Harvard Business Review, Vol. 83, No. 9, pp. 20 and 24.)

‘Human systems’ or employees require ‘glue’—a central theme upon which the

employee can shape their behaviour so as to be consistent with consumer and

organisational expectations. In the absence of such a bonding agent, employees may

be directionless, struggling with knowing when, how and to whom to direct their

energies.(Webster, C. (1992) 'What kind of marketing culture exists in your service firm? An audit', Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 6, No. 2, p. 54.)

Perceived organizational support generates experience which employees feel

comfortable and perceived higher competence. This perceived support from the

organization created positive mood leading to greater organizational affective

commitment.

(Eisenberger, R., & Fasolo, P. 1990. Perceived organizational support and employeediligence,commitment, and innovation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75(1), 51.)

84

43.8% of the respondents have identified an employment brand for their organization,

while 27.1% are using the brand to recruit new hires and 18.8% are using the brand to

retain existing employees. He added that the top benefit of having an employment

brand is the quality of recruit. He added that branding as a competitive factor will help

recruit and retain employees.

(HR Focus; Jul2008, Vol. 85 Issue 7, pS1-S4, 3p, 1 Chart)

The article discusses how to screen employees who will fit in one's corporate culture. It

states that linking the culture to competencies can help deflect hiring discrimination

lawsuits. According to the article, branding serves as an opportunity to tell potential

candidates what a business is about. It talks about the importance of establishing

structured interview procedures. It is inferred that tests should help make the hiring

process fairer.

(HR Magazine; Feb2009, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p46-50, 3p)

The image an employer projects for potential hires must, above all, be honest.

Recruitment brand must start with an accurate assessment and highlight the company's

strength. A company might as well give a realistic job preview. It is also good to show

real-life examples of the company's culture.(Brandon, Carolyn, HR Magazine; Nov2005, Vol. 50 Issue 11, p89-96, 5p)

The article presents the author's ideas on how professional services representatives

can increase the media visibility of their firms by brand-building and using online

marketing programs. He recommends the increased use of social networking sites and

publication of bylined articles which she believes are effective in extending influence. He

also suggests to create op-ed pieces with the help of a public relations resource in

convincing firm members to participate in a media relations program.

(O'Brien, Tim, Public Relations Tactics; May2010, Vol. 17 Issue 5, p14-15, 2p)

85

Despite academics and practitioners alike promoting the positive outcomes of

employees being aware of the organization's brand in the context of their work

environment, there appears to be no evidence thus far to understand the impact of such

brand building efforts from an employee perspective. There is, in fact, a third

perspective of brand equity, that being Employee Based Brand Equity (EBBE). In

particular, a framework of EBBE dimensions is developed herein, thus representing a

significant contribution to the marketing literature and holding strong relevance for

service organizations around the globe. (GRACE, DEBRA, Services Marketing Quarterly; 2009, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p122-147, 26p, 2 Diagrams)

Employees are a critically important constituent of the service brand and being

ultimately responsible for delivering its promise. As such they need a shared

understanding of their service brand's values, along with strong commitment and

identification, to encourage brand supporting behaviour. This internal brand building

process becomes more challenging as services brands expand internationally,

employing staff from different global zones.

(Vallaster, Christine De Chernatony, Leslie, Journal of Marketing Management; Feb2005, Vol. 21 Issue 1/2, p181-203, 23p, 2 Diagrams)

The article focuses on implementing performance improvement strategy. A properly

designed performance improvement strategy requires gap analysis, articulation of

objectives, key performance indicators, and analysis of return on investment and on

objectives. Allowing people to grow and learn leads to improved self-esteem and

satisfaction. It is noted that performance improvement programs impact on permanent

behavior while value-based programs allow internal and customer-facing employees to

know their roles in delivering the company's brand.

86

(Dittman, Jim, Successful Meetings; Dec2009, Vol. 58 Issue 13, p19-19, 1p, 1 Color Photograph)

The successful promotion of the internal branding doctrine may be as dependent on HR

initiatives as on those developed in the marketing department. By involving HR in

internal branding projects, firms can better use internal communications to give

employees a deeper understanding of the brand and the role that they play in

enhancing the brand promise.(Linda, Bishop, Terrence R. Journal of Product & Brand Management; 2005, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p163-169, 7p)

The success of internal brand building depends on the ability to leverage cognitive,

affective, and communicative differences amongst culturally-diverse employees. For

this, two behavioural competencies are crucial: a) defining a clear brand vision, and b)

facilitating verbal and non-verbal social interaction patterns (showing commitment,

trusting employees, and living brand values). This helps build passion, commitment and

organisational identification amongst employees, ultimately responsible for successful

services brands.(Leslie, Journal of Marketing Management; Feb2005, Vol. 21 Issue 1/2, p181-203, 23p, 2 Diagrams)

The article discusses the importance of recruitment brand in attracting and retaining

employees in a company. It mentions that recruitment branding is a decisive aspect for

creating an effective recruitment team. It also presents some guidelines on how to have

a successful recruitment branding which include, considering the educational attainment

of applicants, finding an appropriate location to conduct recruitment, and identifying the

diverse talent of an individual.

(Carey, Deborah, Diversity Factor; Spring2007, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p20-24, 5p)

87

Delivering value to the organization are manifested in brand citizenship behaviors,

employee satisfaction and intention to stay with the organization, as well as positive

employee word of mouth. This article sets the scene for future research within this

important, but neglected, research domain. (KING, CERIDWYN, Services Marketing Quarterly; 2009, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p122-147, 26p, 2 Diagrams)

In spite of well-documented internal branding initiatives, there appears to be room for

improvement among HR departments in terms of successfully delivering the corporate

branding message. However, there does appear to be a strong personal attitude toward

the brand among US professionals, and a strong relationship exists between HR

involvement in internal branding and the incorporation of the brand into work activities.

(Aurand, Timothy W, Gorchels, Linda, Bishop, Terrence R. Journal of Product & Brand Management; 2005, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p163-169, 7p)

Research Methodology

Title of the study

Factors affecting employee branding in education sector – A comparative study of Poornima School of management and JECRC school Of Business.

Duration of the study

It is a semester long project as per the RTU curriculum.

88

Objectives of the study

To find out the factors affecting employee branding.

To find out what the organizations are doing to make their employees as brands.

To find out the perception of employees about employee branding.

To find out the importance of employee branding in education sector.

To find out what challenges the organizations are facing in developing their

employees as brands.

To analyze the impact of employee branding in education sector.

Research Design and methodology

Preliminary Investigation

This phase involved preliminary investigation of the various factors, which could

possibly affect the employee branding and in turn its influence in education

sector.

In comparative study and exploratory research, we found that how both the

institutes- JECRC business school and Poornima School of Management are

working to develop their employees as brands and what the employees feel

about such programs.

Collection of Quantitative data

Questionnaire Design: Questionnaire Design: This phase involved the design of the questionnaire on

the basis of the potential factors identified as influencing the employee branding

process. Research problems were listed and then the information needed was

identified. The questions were then prepared in order to fulfill the information

requirements as identified earlier.

89

Survey:Survey: Survey method was used for collection of data through questionnaires

separately made for both employees and employers or authority.

Sampling ProcessSampling Process

Target Population: The target population is the collection of elements or objects

that process the information sought by the researcher and about which

inferences are to be made. The target population consists of the management

faculty employed by the organizations and employer/authority too.

Sample Size: It denotes the number of elements to be included in the study. In

this study, 10 employers/authority and 20 faculty from each organization is

surveyed that makes a sample size of 60 in total.

Sampling Technique: Sampling Technique: Judgmental sampling technique is used in this study. It is a partJudgmental sampling technique is used in this study. It is a part

of non probability Sampling Technique.of non probability Sampling Technique.

Fieldwork

The survey was conducted keeping in mind that the employees reflects the

image of the organization. The survey was conducted in Sitapura Institutional

Area and surveyed Poornima School of Management and JECRC school of

business.

Methodology/Methodology/ Plan for Analysis of Data

Questionnaire Checking/Editing: The questionnaire is checked for completion

and quality. Editing is the review of the questionnaire with the objective of

increasing accuracy and precision.

90

Coding of the data: The data collected from the employees and the

employers/authority is coded in the form of the total responses of a particular

question in a particular area. It is coded on the basis of the total frequency of the

repetition of the responses. The coding chart was made.

Preparation of charts and graphs: After coding of the data all the collected

responses are coded into the excel or in other words all the collected data are

entered into excel as the work sheet and interpretations were prepared.

Scope of the study

The scope lies in the following areas:

Value addition in organizations image as working for growth and development of

employees.

Retention of employees.

Better and quality services.

Satisfaction among the employees that they are working in an organization which

is providing chances to groom themselves.

Training and development of employees to groom them as brands.

Limitations of the study

The primary data, collected in form of questionnaires, might have inherent

limitations of biasness casual response.

Employee branding is relatively a recent phenomenon especially in education

sector, is evolving and empirical studies for this might not be available.

The small sample size can also be a limitation in the study.

91

Facts and Finding

Every employer considers that the employees represent their organization and

reflects its image in the market.

Majority of authority of both the organizations thinks that the employee branding

is the hottest strategy to build goodwill of the organization and employees plays a

great role in building organizations image.

Both the organizations agree that all most all the factors- organization culture,

values and healthy interpersonal relations are reflected by the employees being a

brand.

92

In both the organizations mostly faculty development programs are conducted

and in Poornima School of Management further study opportunities are also

provided for development of employee.

In Poornima the developmental or training programs are arranged once in a year

but in JECRC they provide at an interval of 6 months too.

Mostly all the factors time, money and ignorance from employees side serves as

a constraint in the arrangement of such programs of employees development.

Majority if employees from both the institutes think that the employees must be

motivated during such activities like training and development exercises.

Majority of employers/authorities from Poornima college consider that age of

employees affects their level and capacity to learn while JECRC employers say

that age has no effect on level of learning of employees.

All most both the organization’s authority has a view that these type of

developmental opportunities plays a great role in controlling attrition rate.

According to Poornima meticulous recruiting is very essential for successful

results and it serves as the first step towards employee branding process while

JECRC employers have a view that participation in decision making should also

be included in the process.

All the employees of both the organizations have a clear concept of relation

between employee and organization and all agree that the employees reflects

the image of the organization they work for.

Employees at both the institutes feel that experience affects the brand value of

an employee representing an organization.

All the employees of both the organizations have a clear concept of relation

between employee and organization and all agree that the employees reflects


93

In poornima mostly the developmental programs for employees are arranged at

the interval of 1 year and also some programs at 6 months interval but in JECRC

the programs are arranged once in a year.

The employees at JECRC look forward for career growth and development and

employees at Poornima along with career growth and development they also

look for brand name they are representing.

One of the important factors affecting employee branding in education sector is

the advanced teaching aids which also helps to groom the employees and help

make them more effective and efficient at work.

Majority of employees of both the organizations considers that the goodwill of

their organization in the market helps them to be recognized as a brand

representing the organization and hence enhance their value also.

Both the organizations employees feel satisfied after such programs but some

feel average benefits only.

Both the organization’s employees consider the infrastructure of organization plays significant role in their development.

The JECRC employees give more importance to the good working environment

helping and affecting the employee branding process while the employees of

Poornima believe that management plays an important role in employee

branding.

A mixed response is there, but most of the employees at Poornima think that

participation in decision making is very important to be included in the employee

branding process and in JECRC the employees think that stress management

programs are very essential to be included in it.

94

Data analysis and Interpretation based on questionnaire designed for Employer/Authority

1. Do you feel that the employee reflects the image of the organization?

No of Authority Yes No Can't sayPSOM 10 0 0JECRC 10 0 0

95

YesNo

Can't say

0123456789

10100%

0.00%0.00%

100%

0.00%0.00%

PSOM JECRC

Interpretation: It is very clear from the graph that every employer considers that the

employees represent their organization and reflects its image in the market.

2. Do you think that employee branding is the hottest strategy to build

goodwill of the organization?


96

YesNo

Can't say

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 80%

20%

0.00%

90%

10%

0.00%

PSOM JECRC

Interpretation: Majority of authority of both the organizations thinks that the

employee branding is the hottest strategy to build goodwill of the organization and

employees plays a great role in building organizations image

3. What do you think is most important to be reflected by the employees as brand?

No of Authority Orgn culture organ values Healthy relations AllPSOM 2 0 0 8JECRC 0 2 1 7

97

Orgn culture organ values Healthy relations All None0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

20%

0.00% 0.00%

80%

0.00%0.00%

20%

10%

70%

0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Both the organizations agree that all most all the factors- organization

culture, values and healthy interpersonal relations are reflected by the employees being

a brand

4. What type of development programs do you arrange for your employees the most?

No of Authority FDP's Diatance learning Training Further studyPSOM 5 0 3 2JECRC 6 0 4 0

98

FDP'sDiatance learning

TrainingFurther study

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

PSOM

JECRC

50%

0.00%

30%

20%

60%

0.00%

40%

0.00%

Interpretation: In both the organizations mostly faculty development programs are

conducted and in Poornima School of Management further study opportunities are also

provided for development of employee.

5. At what time intervals you arrange such programs for your employees?

No of Authority 3 months 6 months Once in a yearPSOM 0 6 4JECRC 0 8 2

99

3 months 6 months Once in a year0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0.00%

60.00%

40.00%

0.00%

80.00%

20.00%

PSOM JECRC

Interpretation: In Poornima the developmental or training programs are arranged

once in a year but in JECRC they provide at an interval of 6 months too.

6. What challenges do you face in arranging such development programs?

No of Authority Time Money Ignorance from employees All NonePSOM 0 0 2 8 0JECRC 2 0 1 7 0

100

Time

Money

Ignorance f

rom employee

sAll

None

012345678

PSOM

JECRC

0.00% 0.00%20%

80%

0.00%

20%

0.00%10%

70%

0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Mostly all the factors time, money and ignorance from employees

side serves as a constraint in the arrangement of such programs of employees

development.

7. Do you think that the employees should be motivated during such various programs conducted for employees?


101

YesNo

Can't say

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

PSOM

JECRC

70%

0.00%

30%

80%

0.00%

20%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Majority if employees from both the institutes think that the

employees must be motivated during such activities like training and development

exercises.

8. Do you think that the age of employees affects their level of learning?


102

YesNo

Can't say

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

PSOM

JECRC

60%

40%

0.00%

50%50%

0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Majority of employers/authorities from Poornima college consider that

age of employees affects their level and capacity to learn while JECRC employers say

that age has no effect on level of learning of employees.

9. Does the attrition rate decreases through these initiatives (developmental programs)?


103

YesNo

Can't say

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

PSOM

JECRC

80%

0.00%

20%

70%

20%

10%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: All most both the organization’s authority has a view that these type

of developmental opportunities plays a great role in controlling attrition rate.

10.According to you what else should be included in the process of developing an employee as a brand?

No of Authority Meticulous recruiting Stress mangt programs Participation in decision PSOM 4 3 3JECRC 2 4 4

104

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.50

0.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

4.5

20%

40% 40%

0.00%

40%

30% 30%

0.00%PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: According to Poornima meticulous recruiting is very essential for

successful results and it serves as the first step towards employee branding process

while JECRC employers have a view that participation in decision making should also

be included in the process.

Data and Interpretation based on questionnaire designed for Employees

1. Do you feel that the employee reflects the image of the organization?

105

Yes No Can't sayPSOM 20 0 0JECRC 20 0 0

YesNo

Can't say

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

PSOM

JECRC

100%

0.00%0.00%

100%

0.00%0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: All the employees of both the organizations have a clear concept of

relation between employee and organization and all agree that the employees reflects


2. How many times you have got a chance to attend any workshop or development program from your organization?

Once in a month 3 months 6 months Once in a yearPSOM 0 0 6 14JECRC 0 0 3 17

106

Once in a month3 months

6 monthsOnce in a year

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0.00%0.00%

30%

70%

0.00%0.00%

15%

85%

PSOM JECRC

Interpretation: In poornima mostly the developmental programs for employees are

arranged at the interval of 1 year and also some programs at 6 months interval but in

JECRC the programs are arranged once in a year.

3. Up to what level you have realized change in yourself, after such development programs?

Average Satisfactory Excellent No changePSOM 6 10 4 0JECRC 7 11 2 0

107

AverageSatisfactory

ExcellentNo change

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

PSOM

JECRC

30%

50%0

20%

0

35%

55%

10%

0

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Both the organizations employees feel satisfied after such programs

but some feel average benefits only.

4. Does infrastructure of your organization has played a significant role in your development?


108

YesNo

Can't say

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

PSOM

JECRC

80%

20%

0.00%

70%

20%

10%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Both the organization’s employees consider the infrastructure of organization plays significant role in their development.

5. To whom you give more importance in order to build employee as a brand?

Mngt of Orgn Education (your) Good working EnvtPSOM 12 2 6JECRC 16 1 3

109

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

PSOM

JECRC

60%

10%

30%

0.00%

80%

5%15%

0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: The JECRC employees give more importance to the good working

environment helping and affecting the employee branding process while the employees

of Poornima believe that management plays an important role in employee branding.

6. Does the goodwill/reputation of your organization help you to be recognized as a brand representing the organization?


110

Yes No Can't say0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2090%

10%

0.00%

80%

5%

15%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Majority of employees of both the organizations considers that the

goodwill of their organization in the market helps them to be recognized as a brand

representing the organization and hence enhance their value also.

7. Do you feel that the advanced teaching aids help in the development of employees also?


111

YesNo

Can't say

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

PSOM

JECRC

85%

0.00%

15%

95%

0.00% 5%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: One of the important factors affecting employee branding in

education sector is the advanced teaching aids with also helps to groom the employees

and help make them more effective and efficient at work.

8. What are the factors that attract you the most towards your organization?

112

Salary Brand name career growth n devp. Any otherPSOM 0 5 12 3JECRC 0 3 17 0s

SalaryBrand name

career growth n devp. Any other

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0.00%

25%

60%

15%

0.00%

15%

85%

0.00%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: The employees at JECRC look forward for career growth and

development and employees at Poornima along with career growth and development

they also look for brand name the are representing.

9. Do you feel that experience affects the brand value of an employee representing an organization?

113


YesNo

Can't say

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

PSOM

JECRC

70%

15%15%

60%

30%

10%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: Employees at both the institutes feel that experience affects the

brand value of an employee representing an organization.


114

Meticulous recruiting Stress mangt programs Participation in decision NonePSOM 3 5 8 4JECRC 5 8 6 1

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.50

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

15%

25%

40%

20%

25%

40%

30%

5%

PSOMJECRC

Interpretation: A mixed response is there, but most of the employees at Poornima

think that participation in decision making is very important to be included in the

employee branding process and in JECRC the employees think that stress

management programs are very essential to be included in it.

SWOT ANALYSIS

115

STRENGTHS Good premier Institutes. Due to the traditional importance placed at higher

education we have a strong system for higher education and the premier

institutes like the IIT, IIM , NIT and other institutes are producing best talents

Large talent pool of educated students

Importance given to spoken and written English makes us a better fit in the

globalized world.

EDUSAT – a satellite dedicated for education sector. It has strengthened the

distance education system in India.

Growth in supporting sectors like the stationeries, educational aids etc

WEAKNESS Quality of the students passing higher education need to be improved to

make them employable

Lack of concentration on the primary education

Lack of infrastructure to educate the economically backward class

Less acceptance of distance education in the industry

Lack of teaching faculty

More Importance given to Rotting than inquisitive learning

Inadequate number of universities. While Japan has 4,000 universities for its

127 million people and the US has 3,650 universities for its 301 million, India

has only 348 universities for its 1.2 billion people.

OPPURTUNITIES Demographic benefit. India is becoming a younger country year after year.

Therefore the market size is bound to expand.

Globalization Impact. Willingness of the foreign universities to set up in India

and Indian universities planning to set up colleges outside India.

Tutoring jobs are being outsourced from the western countries to India.

Use of latest technological aids for education.

116

THREATS Excess concentration on English might cause losing out some of our local

languages in the long run.

Rising costs of the education

Brain drain due to the lack of importance for research and development

Reluctance of educated people to take up the traditional jobs like the ones in

small scale industries.

Conclusions117

There are two key trends that are bringing the need for employee branding to the

forefront. Firstly, in the service economy, the staff is the carriers of the brand. The brand

promise to the customers therefore has implications on staff training, KRAs, reward

mechanisms etc. Secondly, the employee cynicism is on the rise and for the

organization to have a motivated work force, it would have to create a good internal

brand experience as well.

Employee branding is the hottest strategy to build goodwill of the organization and

employees plays a great role in building organizations image.One of the important

factors affecting employee branding in education sector is the advanced teaching aids

which also helps to groom the employees and help make them more effective and

efficient at work.

Training and development systems should help managers and employees internalize

their organization’s mission and values and help them understand how the mission and

values pertain to their roles in their organization. This should enable them to more

effectively articulate messages that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and

organizational image.

To create an environment of growth and Encouraging employees to take on new

responsibilities within their capabilities and Giving employees opportunity to expand

their capabilities through education and training is essential for developing an employee

as a brand.

Recommendations and Suggestions

118

Organizational messages should be carefully thought out and planned in much

the same way mission and vision statements are thought out and planned.

The organizational messages should reflect the organization’s mission and

values.

Messages directed toward external constituencies must be in line with the

messages sent to employees.

Messages directed toward external constituencies should be sent internally as

well.

The design of recruitment and selection systems should incorporate messages

that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image.

The compensation system should incorporate messages that consistently and

frequently reflect the brand and organizational image. For instance, managers in

organizations that value training must be held accountable when they fail to train

and develop their employees.

Training and development systems should help managers and employees

internalize their organization’s mission and values and help them understand

how the mission and values pertain to their roles in their organization. This

should enable them to more effectively articulate messages that consistently and

frequently reflect the brand and organizational image.

Advertising and public relations systems should communicate messages that

consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image.

Managers should be taught the importance of communicating messages that are

consistent with their organization’s mission,vision, policies, and practices.

Performance management systems should address inconsistencies between

practices and policies to minimize violations of employees’ psychological

contracts.

Accurate and specific job previews should be given to new employees so that

realistic expectations are incorporated into their psychological contracts.

119

Corporate culture (artifacts, patterns of behavior, management norms, values

and beliefs, and assumptions) should reinforce the messages employees

receive.

Individual output should be measured and analyzed to determine if there are

message-related problems at the departmental, divisional, or organizational

levels.

Individual messages should be continually examined for consistency with other

messages.

Message channels should be examined to ensure consistency of message

delivery.

In the event that messages need to be changed or psychological contracts

altered, organizations must take careful steps in rewriting the messages.

Measures should be used to assess outcomes such as customer retention,

service quality, turnover, and employee satisfaction and performance.

Find out what parts of their jobs people find the most rewarding. Provide them

with opportunities to perform these tasks.

Acknowledge work that is done well. We all want to be recognized. Employees—

and supervisors—need to know what they are doing is important and

appreciated.

Be enthusiastic. Demonstrate purpose, commitment and inspiration to your

employees.

Create an upbeat work environment. Use patience and understanding when

working with members of your group.

Create an environment of growth. Encourage employees to take on new

responsibilities within their capabilities. Give employees opportunity to expand

their capabilities through education and training.

Lead by example. It’s not what you say or believe. It is about what you do.

120

Be available. Encourage your employees to approach you with their work-related

concerns and suggestions.

Share your authority. Give employees latitude in solving problems and in

performing their tasks.

Share the planning. Include those, responsible for meeting objectives and goals in the process of developing them.

Appendix

Name of Institute:……………………………………………………………….

Name of employer/ authority: …………………………………………………

Age: ……………………………………………………………………………..

Educational qualification: ……………………………………………………..

121

(Above information will be used for research purpose of my project and I assure you that this will not be misused.)

11.Do you feel that the employee reflects the image of the organization?

a. Yes b. No c. Can’t say

12.Do you think that employee branding is the hottest strategy to build goodwill of the organization?


13.What do you think is most important to be reflected by the employees as brand?

a.Organizational culture b. Organizational values c. Healthy relations d. All e. None

14.What type of development programs do you arrange for your employees the most?

a. FDPs b. Distance learning

c.Training d. Further study

15.At what time intervals you arrange such programs for your employees?

a. 3 months b. 6 months c. once in a year

16.What challenges do you face in arranging such development programs?

a. Time b. Moneyc. Ignorance from employee’s side d. All e. None

122

17.Do you think that the employees should be motivated during such various programs conducted for employees?


18.Do you think that the age of employees affects their level of learning?


19.Does the attrition rate decreases through these initiatives (developmental programs)?

Yes b. No c. Can’t say


a. Meticulous recruiting b. Stress management programs

c.Participation in decision making d. None

State the reason for the above answer:………………………………………………………. .…………………….……………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Appendix

Name of Institute:………………………………………………………………

Name of employee: ……………………………………………………………

Age: ……………………………………………………………………………..

Educational qualification: ……………………………………………………..

123

Monthly Salary: Below 10,000 10,000-20,000 20,000-30,000 Above 30,000 (Above information will be used for research purpose of my project and I assure you that this will not be misused.)

11.Do you feel that the employee reflects the image of the organization?


12.How many times you have got a chance to attend any workshop or development program from your organization?

a. Once in a month b. once in 3 months

c. once in 6 months d. once in a year

13.Up to what level you have realized change in yourself, after such development programs?

a. Average b. Satisfactory

c.Excellent d. No change

14.Does infrastructure of your organization has played a significant role in your development?


15.To whom you give more importance in order to build employee as a brand?

a. Management of the Organization b. Education (your) c. Good working environment d. None

16.Does the goodwill/reputation of your organization help you to be recognized as a brand representing the organization?


124

17.Do you feel that the advanced teaching aids help in the development of employees also?


18. What are the factors that attract you the most towards your organization?

a. Salary b. Brand namec. Career growth and development d. Any other

19.Do you feel that experience affects the brand value of an employee representing an organization?



a. Meticulous recruiting b. Stress management programs

c.Participation in decision making d. None

State the reason for the above answer:………………………………………………………. .…………………….……………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Master as per the data collected from JECRC School Business

(Employer/authority)

125

S.No Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q91 a a d a b d a b a2 a a d a b d a b b3 a a d a b a a a c4 a b c c c d a a a5 a a b a b a c b a6 a a d c c d a a a7 a a d a b d a b a8 a a b a b d c a b9 a a d c b d a a a

Master as per the data collected from JECRC School Business

(Employee)

S.No Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q101 a b a a a b a c a b2 a c a a a a a c a b3 a c a a a a a c b b4 a c b a a a a b a c5 a b a b a a c b c a6 a b a c a a a c b a7 a d b c c a a c b a8 a c a a c c a c b b9 a d b a c c a c c c

10 a c a a a a a c b b11 a d b b a a a b a d12 a d b a c a a c a a13 a d b a a a a c b b14 a d b a a a a c a b15 a d b b a a a c a c16 a d b b a a a c a d17 a d b a a a a c a c18 a d c a a a a c a c19 a d c a a a a c a c

Master as per the data collected from PSOM

(Employer/authority)

126

S.No Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q101 a a d a b d a b a c2 a a a a b d a a a b3 a a d a b d c b c b4 a a d c b d a a a a5 a b d d c d c a c a6 a a d d c d a b a a7 a b a c b c c b a c8 a a d a c c a a a c9 a a d a c d a a a b

Master as per the data collected from PSOM

(Employee)

S.No Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q101 a b a a b a a b a a2 a b a a b a a b a b3 a d b a a a a b b b4 a b b b a a c c b c5 a b b a a a c b a c6 a d b b c b a c c b7 a d b a a a a c a c8 a d a a a a a b a b9 a b b a c a a c a b

10 a d a a a a c c a a11 a b a a a a a c a a12 a d a a a a a d a c13 a d b a a a a d b c14 a d b b a b a c a d15 a d c b c a a c a c16 a d c a c a a c a c17 a d c a a a a c c d18 a d c a a a a c a c19 a d b a a a a c c d

Bibliography

127

Books

CR Kothari, Research methodology, edition 2nd

Magazines

HR Magazine; Feb2009, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p46-50, 3p

Websites

www.ezinearticles.com

www.semworks.net

www.authenticorganizations.com

www.employerbrandingtoday.com

www.360inspire.com

www.citehr.com

www.employerbrandinternational.com

128