Cross-training

Examples of Cross-training in the following topics:

• Cross-Training and Job Sharing

  • Cross training involves workers being trained in tangent job functions, while job sharing involves two people working together on the same job.
  • Cross-training in business operations involves training employees to engage in quality control measures.
  • Employees are trained in tangent job functions to increase oversight in ways that are impossible through management interactions with workers alone .
  • Increases the employability of staff who have the opportunity to train in areas outside of their original responsibilities
  • Workers on an assembly line, who normally do a single task, benefit from cross-training to develop their skills and be able to work on a variety of areas.

• TQM’s seven basic elements

  • For example, the Red Cross surveys its blood donors to determine how it can make the blood donation experience more pleasant and convenient.
  • By understanding donors' needs and experiences, Red Cross managers can determine strengths and weaknesses of the donation service process and make adjustments if necessary.
  • They are given responsibility, training, and authority to measure and control the quality of the work they produce, they work together in teams to address quality issues, they are cross-trained to be able to perform multiple tasks and have a greater understanding of the total production process, and they have a more intimate understanding of the operation and maintenance of their equipment.
  • Staff, hygienists, and dentists are highly trained to follow proper procedures, the facility is both functional and pleasant, and the equipment and tools are state of the art to ensure that the patient's desired outcome is achieved.

• Alternative Philosophies

  • This, in turn, can lead to similar levels of demotivation and job dissatisfaction at the expense of increased training levels and costs.
  • Surveys show that an increasing number of companies are using job rotation to train employees.
  • These positions may not fit the profile for rotation opportunities because of the costs involved to train the workers.
  • Finally, the utilization of job rotation may have the effect of reducing a workforce because of the cross-training involved.

• Doing business across cultures

  • The objective of training programs is to foster the four characteristics of preparedness, sensitivity, patience, and flexibility in managers and other personnel (Czinkota et al, 2005).
  • Methods of training may range from factual preparation involving books and lectures to experiential training involving simulations and field experience.
  • Some topics to be addressed in training might be, but are not limited to:
  • Installing cultural diversity training programs can help accomplish this by defining what cultural intelligence is, teaching employees to accept and work effectively with others from different cultural backgrounds, and taking advantage of advice from those who have cross-cultural experience.
  • Managers of businesses that conduct operations in an increasingly global environment face a dilemma when selecting and applying ethics to decisions in cross-cultural settings.

• Global marketing: assessing potential markets overseas

  • Cross-cultural marketing occurs when a consumer's culture differs from that of the marketer's own culture.
  • This simple fact proves the importance of culture knowledge in cross-cultural marketing endeavors.
  • In fact, the importance of cross-cultural study has inspired a definition separate from that of international marketing.
  • Cross-cultural marketing is defined as the strategic process of marketing among consumers whose culture differs from that of the marketer's own culture at least in one of the fundamental cultural aspects, such as language, religion, social norms and values, education, and the living style (Tian, 2008).

• Employee training

  • enhanced company image, e.g. conducting ethics training (note that this is not a good reason for ethics training!
  • risk management, e.g. training about sexual harassment, diversity training (Duening & Ivancevich, 2003)
  • Designing and implementing the training systems requires the company to consider a number of things; the method of training, the material the training will deal with, who will provide the training, how to evaluate the effectiveness of the training, etc.
  • Technical training: specialized training that focuses on a specific need of specific employees.
  • Once on site, training takes the shape of training at any other branch of the company (see "Training methods" section).

• Training

  • On-the-job training takes place in a normal working situation, using the actual tools, equipment, documents or materials that trainees will use once they are fully trained.
  • Off-the-job training has the advantage in that it allows people to get away from work and concentrate more thoroughly on the training itself.
  • A more recent development in job training is the On the Job Training Plan or OJT Plan.
  • The sponsors of training and development are senior managers.
  • The clients of training and development are business planners.

• Mistakes in Communication-Part I

  • At these conferences we'd brush up on the Korean language, explore cross-cultural issues, and learn new ways to provide assistance in health, agriculture, or education.
  • These men and women were experienced and dedicated in their areas of expertise, but they didn't necessarily get thoroughly prepared on how to plan lessons or conduct training.
  • It called upon us to assess the quality of the training and to offer suggestions for improving similar future events.
  • In my survey responses, I praised the enthusiasm of the two men who'd led our cross-cultural sessions.
  • The volunteers who trained us, however, said in a later meeting that they felt humiliated.

• Strikes

  • The act of working during a strike – whether by strikebreakers, management personnel, non-unionized employees or members of other unions not on strike – is known as "crossing the picket line," regardless of whether it involves actually physically crossing a line of picketing strikers.
  • Crossing a picket line can result in passive and/or active retaliation against that working person.
  • Salaried employees may be called upon to take the place of strikers, which may entail advance training.
  • Companies that hire strikebreakers typically play upon these fears when they attempt to convince union members to abandon the strike and cross the union's picket line.

• JIT manufacturing principles

  • Employees have cross-functional skill sets that allow them to be assigned to areas which need help, and to help them adopt a broader ("big picture") view of the production process.
  • Managers are charged with hiring employees who can work in a proactive team environment, and provide the training and incentives to build a work culture that is focused on continuous improvement.