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Do Soft Skills Matter? – Implications for Educators
Based on Recruiters’ Perspective
--Deepa S and Manisha Seth
Soft skills are very critical in the workplace today. These skills mirror the ability to communicate and interact with others. They are unique because they emphasize on action. They have become indispensable for every person in the present context. This paper deals with the significance of soft skills for getting a job and for further promotions and progress in the workplace. People who are flexible and have the zeal to understand and learn new technologies are sought after by organizations as part of their growth process. The need to provide training in soft skills is seriously being considered today. This study is an attempt to find out the importance that middle to top level executives, who are involved in recruiting employees, attach to soft skills. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Achieving Sustainability Through Internal
Communication and Soft Skills
--Ashu Singh
Internal communication and soft skills are the need of today’s organizations, and sustainability is a major challenge for all. It is the core of branding from the inside out. The internal communication process should address issues related to strategy, processes, people, structure and rewards. The HR function can help in achieving sustainability if the HR strategies for employee development are carefully communicated and integrated with the corporate, business and functional strategies of the organization. The top management has to work closely with all managerial levels. The soft skills, which are as important as hard skills, have a lead role to play in this regard. Measures need to be taken to bridge the gap between managerial hierarchies to leverage the internal knowledge for competitive advantage. Employees have to be motivated to be value creators instead of being workers for the organization. All this requires clear communication between all levels of the management. Only HR people can drive this clarity and bring sustainability by providing the workforce with opportunities for sharing and learning in teams. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Training Evaluation: Various Approaches and Applications
--Mahima Singh
The paper provides a deep insight into the prevalent methods and mechanisms of evaluation of training. It discusses various approaches to training evaluation such as discrepancy evaluation model, transaction model, goal-free model, the Kirkpatrick model and so on. It also presents Paul Kearns’ three-box model that classifies training initiatives. The paper concludes that no single model can cater to all requirements of training evaluation and calls for further research in this regard. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Effective Body Language in Organizations
--Neha Gupta
Nonverbal Communication is an important component of communication. According to most of the social psychologists, nonverbal communication makes up about two-thirds of all communication between two people or between one speaker and a group of listeners. People are more likely to believe that the first things they learn are truths. When the other person or a group absorbs the message, they are focused on the entire environment around them—using five senses in the interaction. According to Deborah Bull, “Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words. Sight makes up 83% of impact on brain from the information gained during a visual presentation. Taste makes up 1%, hearing makes up 11%, smell 3% and touch 2%.” With such a high percentage of body language in the message being communicated, it is almost impossible to neglect or overlook it. Organizations deal with various means of communication. While cyber communications prevail, it does not mean that gestures and body language can be ignored. Proper use of body language leads to proper code of conduct and the development of an individual in an organization. This paper deals with the importance of body language and some usual errors at workplace. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Scientific and Technical Terminology (STT)
for Successful Professional Communication
--S Rukmini
English language and communication skills are gaining importance on a par with technical subjects in higher education and corporate sector. Due to Globalization/Internationalization, English language teaching in Engineering, Sciences and IT education has become mandatory and is accorded equal importance along with other basic and applied sciences. Good command in English language and communication skills has become the mantra for high employability among engineering and management students. Amongst the various language skills, Professional Communication (PC) skills are considered very important for engineers and IT professionals for excelling in their profession. Poor PC skills have been identified by the corporate sector as one of the main factors for the gap between education and employability. Professional communication differs from general communication, in that it requires command over Scientific and Technological Terminology (STT) and domain knowledge. Professional grooming integrates STT along with the required English language and communication skills. The present paper aims to discuss the basics of PC, its importance, the role of STT and how to integrate it into English Language Teaching (ELT). Learning STT serves twin benefits: it not only develops skills for effective PC, but also helps the vernacular medium students to grasp the concepts of basic sciences and technology with complete understanding. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Reinventing Management Education in India:
An Objective Framework
--Radha Mohan Chebolu
The increased purchasing power of the middle-class segment in India has led to a tremendous rise in the number of individuals opting for professional education, specially management education, the roots of which can be traced back to the successful experimentation of economic liberalization and privatization of some Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The key transformation happening across the spectrum of higher education in the wake of the rising demand for technical and managerial personnel is further identified with the active involvement of private entrepreneurs in various forms. Against this backdrop, management education should aim to provide quality education and creative manpower to meet the business demands as per the global standards. This study aims to find solutions to some of the demands emerging in the context of reforming management education. The analysis and findings of the study are based on a critical examination of trends in the management education and student community in conjunction with industrial classes. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
The Importance of Cross-Cultural Communication
--Vitthal Gore
India is a symbol of unity in diversity where people following different cultures and religions live together. It has been a land of hope for many who came from different parts of the world and became its part and parcel. In the course of time, every culture has maintained its identity and protected its interests and uniqueness. The Indian image of unity in diversity has been consistent for years because of the bonding that exists between people of different religions, castes, creed, color, attire, etc., that makes them live in unity, solidarity and firm conviction of oneness. English language, with its own predetermined constraints, has helped Indians to understand one another much better to face the challenges of the 21st century. When it comes to language teaching and learning, the language patterns of Indian languages pose a hindrance for learning English. In fact, none can get rid of one’s past, especially the language. The influence of one’s mother tongue becomes an obstacle in the process of adopting any foreign language. The cultural diversity in India and all over the world is quite substantial and detrimental to the process of successful cross-cultural communication. So it is necessary to train the present and future generations to understand the different cultures of various countries so that communication becomes an exciting experience and leads to better understanding and cooperation. © 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
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