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Current Event: HR Summit in Singapore HR Practice in Singapore Sasha Lee  Though the rapid growth that has characterized the country?s economy has slowed over the last year, Singapore, one of the four "tigers" of Asia (with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan), still offers many attractive opportunities for Western companies. It also presents human resource issues that Western employers must fully understand if they are to successfully pursue the opportunities that Singapore offers. These human resource issues include the nature of the local work force, compensation practices, the most effective ways to recruit skilled candidates for managerial and professional positions, and the business culture of Singapore. Please see the page: Club HR, Far East How to Develop a Job Description?                                                                                                                                       Tan Wiratchada Develop job  descriptions to help you  articulate the  most  important outcomes you need from  an  employee performing a particular job. Develop job descriptions as a communication tool to tell coworkers where their job leaves off and the job of another employee starts. Develop well-written job descriptions to tell an employee where their job fits within the overall department and the overall company. Develop well-written job descriptions to help employees from other departments, who must work with the person hired, understand the boundaries of the person's responsibilities. Finally, develop job descriptions as an integral piece of the performance development planning process. Your goal in hiring is to find the brightest, most competent, flexible, reliable, multifaceted employees you can find. A job description, if not viewed as a straight jacket, helps your successful recruiting in several ways. A job description: - causes the manager of the position and any other employees already performing the job to agree on the responsibilities and scope of the position, - helps Human Resources know the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and capabilities you seek in your new employee, so an effective recruiting plan is formulated, - informs candidates about the duties and responsibilities of the position for which they are applying, - informs employees who are assisting with the interview process about the questions to ask candidates and what you seek in the new employee, - and may protect you legally when you can demonstrate why the candidate selected for a position was your most qualified and culturally suited applicant. Steps to Develop Job Descriptions Use these steps to develop your job descriptions. Gather the appropriate people for the task. The manager to whom the position will report takes the lead to develop a job description, but other employees who are performing similar jobs can contribute to the development of the job description. Additionally, if the position is new and will relieve current employees of work load, they should be part of the discussion. A first position? The manager or company owner can develop the job description on his or her own. Perform a job analysis. You need as much data as possible to develop a job description. The job analysis may include: + the job responsibilities of current employees, + Internet research and sample job descriptions online or offline highlighting similar jobs, + an analysis of the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that need to be accomplished by the employee filling the position, + research and sharing with other companies that have similar jobs, and + articulation of the most important outcomes or contributions needed from the position. The more information you can gather, the easier the actual task to develop the job description will be. Write the job description. Your company may have a format for job descriptions so check with Human Resources. Often, however, all Human Resources expects is a list of the responsibilities and they prefer to develop the final format congruent with job descriptions across the company. These are the normal components of the job description: - Overall position description with general areas of responsibility listed, - Essential functions of the job described with a couple of examples of each, - Required knowledge, skills, and abilities, - Required education and experience, - A description of the physical demands, and - A description of the work environment. Your company and your process may vary, but these components give the employee clear direction. Review the job description periodically to make sure it acurately reflects what the employee is doing and your expectations of results from the employee. Use the job description as a basis for the employee development plan (PDP) An employee's job description is integral in the development of his or her quarterly employee development plan. An effective job description establishes a base so that an employee can clearly understand what they need to develop personally, and contribute within your organization. Develop job descriptions to provide employees with a compass and clear direction. Saudi Education and Human Resources Education is at the forefront of the Saudi Government's priorities. As the bedrock for the progress of nations, the education sector has witnessed important developments since the founding of the first Ministry of Education in 1953. Thousands of elementary, intermediate and secondary schools have been established, i n addition to colleges, higher institutes and seven universities. Education Statistics The number of students at all levels of education rose from 600,000 in 1969 - 1970 (1389 - 1390 H) to some 4 million in 1996. The average annual increase during this period was 7.1% for male students and 13% for female students. The number of schools and colleges run by the Ministry of Education (responsible for boys education) and the General Presidency for Girls' Education increased from 3,283 in 1969 - 1970 (1389 - 1390 H) to 22,000 in 1994 - 1995 (1414 - 1415 H). Schools for boys rose from 2,654 in 1969 - 1970 (1389- 1390 H) to 10,419 in 1992 - 1993 (1412 - 1413 H), an annual increase of 6%. Schools for girls grew from 453 in 1969 - 1970 (1389 - 1390 H) to 10,558 in 1994 - 1995 (1414 - 1415 H), an annual increase of 13.8%. he number of graduates of higher education, male and female, increased from 808 in 1969 - 1970 (1389 - 1390 H) to 5,124 in 1979 - 1980 (1399 - 1400 H) and to 12,812 in 1984 - 1985 (1404 - 1405 H) . In 1994 - 1995 (1414 - 1415 H) the number of male and female university graduates reached 23,074. EDUCATION * Source Ministry of Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The government's awareness of the key role of quality manpower in the social and economic development of the Kingdom has prompted it to give bountiful support to the education sector. The Saudi government provides general education for both boys and girls, through the Ministry of Education, the General Presidency of Girls Education and other specialized agencies. General education in the Kingdom consists of six years of primary school and three years each of intermediate and high school. The government provides free general and higher education (post secondary), and financial help for male and female students in some areas of general education. University students receive financial help and free housing. In addition, meals, books, and transportation are provided at subsidized prices. Female students are provided with free transportation. To meet the manpower needs of the Kingdom in the long term and the increasing demand for higher education, sixteen universities and colleges have been established, offering subjects from engineering, medicine, and geology to social and Islamic studies. During the period 1989-1993 the number of elementary schools increased from 8,370 to more than 10,000; the number of intermediate schools from 2,884 to more than 4000; the number of secondary schools from 1,103 to more than 1,700, and the number of teacher training colleges from 40 to 43. However, the sixth development plan targets for female and male graduates in general education and graduates at bachelor degree level by university are presented in tables 6 and 7 respectively.   Sixth Plan Targets for Male and Female Graduates in General Education (Thousand) Male Graduates Stage 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 PlanTotal Elementary 141 144 148 150 153 157 752 Intermediate 89 92 95 97 101 104 489 Secondary 40 43 47 51 56 61 258 Teacher College** 4 5 5 6 6 6 28 Female Graduates Elementary 135 143 152 163 171 181 810 Intermediate 79 89 95 105 113 125 527 Secondary 51 55 59 64 70 77 325 Teacher College** 6 7 8 10 11 12 48 ** Four academic years after secondary stage; graduates are granted bachelor degrees. *** Two academic years after secondary stage; graduates are granted diplomas. Sixth Plan Targets: Higher Education New Entrants and Graduates at Bachelor Level by University (1995-1999)   New Entrants Graduates University Male Female Total Male Female Total King Saudi University 26,000 14,595 40,595 21,880 9,730 31,610 King Abdul Aziz University 27,176 17,936 45,112 15,002 12,970 27,972 King Fahd University 6,833 4,538 11,371 3,418 3,129 6,547 King Fahd U. of Ptro.&Minrls. 6,000 ------ 6,000 3,322 ------ 3,322 Islamic University 5,990 -------- 6,000 3,322 ------ 4,300 Imam University 33,280 7,285 40,565 24,515 4,085 28,600 Umm AL- Qura University 10,825 9,195 20,020 6,945 6,340 13,285 Girls Colleges ------ 75,396 75,396 ------- 50,885 50,885 Total 116,104 128,945 245,049 79,382 87,139 166,521   Substantial progress has also been made in the field of technical education and vocational training through the establishment of well-equipped and properly-staffed training institutes. The formation of s skilled Saudi labor force raises productivity levels and thereby makes important contribution to economic development. The Saudi government has exerted tremendous efforts to expand the Kingdom’s vocational training system, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to meet the challenges of economic development and technological change. Table (8) shows the sixth development plan targets for graduates of technical education during the plan period 1994-1999.   Sixth Plan Growth Targets for Graduates of Technical Education Field of Study 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Total Technical Colleg 1,945 2,147 2,362 2,653 2,985 3,362 13,509 Industrial Secondary Schools 2,100 2,740 2,952 3,189 3,457 3,758 16,096 Commercial Secondary Schools 2,250 2,927 3,220 3,610