There is a need for a Manual in every organisation inasmuch as it serves as an `Organisation Bible` which inspires the members of the staff to do the right things in a systematic way. Its purpose is to disseminate information, control activities and train personnel at various levels. In view of liberalised economy and globalisation, Indian corporate sector faces keen competition from multinationals, and in order to put its house in order more and more companies have accepted the idea of having a Manual as their basic strength to pave the way towards professionalisation. Modern concept of Kaizen, TQM, Business Process Re- engineering, Bench marking, ERP and productivity are all in one way or the other, reflected in manuals of various organisations. Principles and practices are interwoven and they show the fight path to companies to move ahead. Manual loses its significance if it is not respected and not taken seriously. Time, money and labour spent on it will result into a colossal waste of man- hours and funds if the Manual is not implemented. Implementation of the manual leads to systematic and organised way of working of the company and it enhances its public image. Besides, there are no doubts or suspicions created in the minds of people who come in contact with the company and its staff as the manual contains certain rules and regulations of the company. The company will gain a mileage out of manual`s existence. And so it has come to stay as a window of learning. Once the Manual is mastered, there is no limit to the upward movement of an employee in the organisation as someone has said, “Open the windows of learning and discover how far you can fly.”
The emphasis in this book is on how to prepare the Manual and how to implement it and not necessarily to know what a manual is or is not. The manual may or may not be computerised but still it is necessary to know about its preparation and implementation, which is the crux of all organisational manuals, it is assumed that this book will help corporate executives, professionals, businessmen and other management personnel who might be interested in knowing more about organisation manuals. Why manual? Is a million dollar question which is answered in the chapters that follow.
Contents :
1. Manual – Its Purpose and Objective, Definition and Role
2. Type of Manuals – Objective and Contents
3. Format of a Manual – Technical Points
4. How to Prepare a Manual
5. Styles of Writing Manual
6. Writing of Procedures Manual
7. Writing of Procedures Manual – Problems, Benefits and Uses
8. Advantages and Uses of Manual
9. Objections to Manual
10. Costs to Operating Without Manuals
11. What do manuals achieve?
12. Manual and Computers, ISO 9000 Standards
13. Revision, Review and Implementation of the Manual
14. Procedure from Manual of Organisations and Government Procedure
15. Analysis of Questionnaire on Manual to Companies
16. Annexure 1 Specimen of Objective and Contents of Manual Training Programme Conducted by the Author
17. Annexure 2 Questionnaire Form issued to Companies and to the Participants of Manual Programme
18. Annexure 3 Article on ‘Corporate Manual – the Organisation Bible’ by the Author, Published in The Economic Times.
19. Annexure 4 Answers to Quiz on ‘Organisation Manual’
References
