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Time management is a subject described and talked about these days. We have heard that there had been seminars and also training programmes on this subject for participants, charging a big sum in five figures.

When this subject was discussed with a Senior Citizen of the country who was a very satisfactory businessman, he expressed that this trend was not in existence during their period. According to him he was able to run his business while attending to all business visits, all transactions were attended by himself, looking after family matters and attending to other social responsibilities. This may be true because his area of operation was limited.

During the 20th Century world activities as a whole developed very rapidly. This took place as a result of the two world wars. With the developing world, development with respect to the Industrial Sector Techniques and Infrastructure also took place.

Thereby the standard of a product also developed. In achieving these the day-to-day activities, involvement's and responsibilities of the Proprietor/Management Personnel also increased and widened. They wanted to act quickly and fast in a short period. For this routine work most of the modern world's inventions like Telex, Fax, E-mail helped to facilitate communications. Fax and e-mail helped easy and fast communication and transfer of documents with any part of the world. Internet and Web site collect information as well as market themselves.

These means of communication has no limits. Further the rapidly modifying computer helped in storing information as well as sorting or analysing the data in no time. It also facilitated the normal office routine work. All these activities are now classified as Information Technology (IT).

Because of these facilities most of the businesses of this era expanded widely. With the expansion their work plans also widened further. In the meantime the time allocation for their family matters and social responsibilities got reduced. After some time they found themselves pushed away from the society. At this juncture they felt like searching for remedies, plans or strategies to overcome this situation and finally end with business consultants and time management.

At the initial stage of time management, proper Office pattern has to be adopted. Proper filing system according to the subjects, according to the products, according to the type of buyers and also according to the types of raw materials has to be maintained whether it is in a filing cabinet or in the Computer. These should have a file number written on the top right hand corner (when it is a file cover). This number itself should identify or read the subject in shortened form.

When this is done it is very easy to search for any document even it is sent to you years ago.

This limits or saves time in communication. For nominal common type of communication a draft letters to be adopted filling only the receivers name and date and other data. This has to be in the computer to call up at any moment. With these types of letters even a semi-skilled newcomer will be able to attend the general correspondence. Labour attendance in the factory, stores position with respect to raw materials and finished products data should be entered into the computer with a software suitable for the factory.

Raw material requirements also could be estimated in advance and orders could be placed in time to get down raw materials without any fluctuations to meet the production target. All these new techniques save time in a production unit.

Whether it is a person, office or a factory understanding the productivity is very essential. In all these instances they have to manage or make use of the time to the best because the time limitation seems to be not sufficient to fulfil their responsibilities. In the personnel division allocation of duties to various people is the simplest solution. For this properly trained, honest, dependable personnel has to be selected. This sort of work assignment would increase the cost with the number of persons.

This has to be the minimum number the industry can afford and also should assign duties & responsibilities to get the maximum out of their capabilities. This is the initial stage to get the good turnover out of their man-hours. Industrialist should get away from as much as possible from unnecessary discussions and dialogues, most of which are only marking time.

First being the productivity of an Industry which always has a production target and the standard or the quality of product according to their undertakings. To achieve this target they have to draw up a plan to suit & making use of each and every unit in the factory and the available labour. This is the primary stage of time management. Operating the plan to achieve the target by proper management is basically adopted here. As time goes on the management leads in search of cost reduction strategies.

At this stage all production units try to employ full strength and to get the output at its maximum, sometimes by fixing production targets and incentives too.

This leads to search for quick and fast processes with new machinery. In installing some new machinery incidents may occur in reduction of available labour force.

The pattern of installing machinery in the factory also sometimes reduces time waste in carrying components from one machine to another, tending to a step by step procedure. In this process machinery can be arranged or designed in a line to suit the speed of the production.

Working with such modern machinery with a minimum number of people has to be organise properly so that the Labour productivity automatically comes into action. To increase this productivity further steps can be taken such as training of machine operators to familiarise with the new machines. This helps to get the good quality products with minimum number of sub-standards or rejections.

All these factors leads to a very satisfactory productivity. In the mean time the administration has to look into the welfare of the people. ie. Job security, health, amusement, recreation etc.

With the pleasant mind the workers tend to work with less stress, in a friendly environment giving the full production. In such an instance the working staff feels the working place as a home away from home and tends to be bound to the management as well as the factory without leaving or resigning. In any factory sudden resigning of skilled labour create problems in dropping of production and find it difficult to resume the previous status for months.

A.N. Chandradithya

www.crescat.com

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