Business Goals And Training Needs Analysis For Comfort Transportation Essay.

1. Using publicly available information and data, propose business goals for Comfort that will address the challenges the company and industry as a whole is facing.

2. Conduct an organisational training needs analysis to determine the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for realising the business goals proposed in Part (i). Report your findings.

3. Conduct a task (functional) analysis to determine the observable actions and tacit cognitive functions needed for proficiency (and perhaps even excellence) in the identified job tasks. Report your findings.

4. Conduct individual learning needs analysis to determine the employee’s performance gaps as compared against the findings of the task analysis. Report your findings. 

5. Based on the findings of the three (3) levels of training needs analysis conducted, craft the learning outcomes for the training programme to be designed.
 

According to Li (2016), among the several business sectors in the world one of the most advancing and expanding part is the transportation industry. The large scale technological innovations have not only helped the taxi sector but the whole of the industry. With a growth in demand patterns and changes in the macro environment, modernization and creativity in the taxi industry have served as a benefit to some companies and reason of downfall to the others.

Concerning Singapore, introduction of the new business strategies and disruptive mechanisms have resulted in suffering of commuters and companies. (Gan, An & Miao, 2014) The essay deals with two companies namely, Comfort Transportation and Grab Car. A study on several theories has also been included in the project for a better understanding of the current situation prevailing in the industry as well.

1. With a launch of Grab Car in Singapore the well known Comfort and City Cab is confronted with a great deal of competition. An introduction of the car sharing applications in the nation has greatly resulted in the downfall of revenue generation for the traditional firm. Further, the low flexibility and adaptability issues also act as a hindrance to the industry as a whole. In addition to the troublesome innovations and ineffective business models have also contributed to the downfall of business firms. Not only has the inability to match market mechanisms resulted in a disruptive relation with clients and cabbies but also with policymakers.

Comfort managers recognize the need for reframing business goals and objectives in response to the impacting issues. As stated by Lim & Chia (2015), one of the most important targets decided by the board of members is to provide the customers with their demand and also ensure their safety. An aim to stabilise journey prices will also contribute towards mitigating current problems. As compared to Grab Car a non-presence of surge prices will attract more clients. Moreover, providing the people with a friendly 24*7 service would result in increasing profits of the firm. In terms of developing environmental conditions, the drivers need to be provided with adequate training, education on consumer wants and well-maintained vehicles.

Organizational Training Needs Analysis

2. In order to be able to develop and emerge dominant to Grab Car and several other similar companies, Comfort Transportation needs skilled, trained and experienced employees in the organizational structure. Further to fulfil business goals managers highlight the need for performance of the workforce. As opined by Phillips & Phillips (2016), the procedure of organizational training analysis tends to focus on indentifying skill development requirements, its kind and implement strategies among the workforce based on the goals of the firm.

As compared to Grab Car, supervisors in Comfort Transportation focus on making effective decisions in training and development areas. In response to the technological advancements and application by the new firm, the traditional company targets adaptability, analytical skills, communication, customer focus and teamwork. Additionally, for price stability and safety aspects, managers tend to maximise leadership skills, risk management training and project administration. Communication skills are also implied by the organization to develop personal and friendly relationship as compared to the worse connection between Grab Car and their clients. Among every other skill development programs organized by the firm, to operate successfully in Singapore Comfort Transportation largely focuses on undertaking originality training and inventiveness polices in the business framework (Shaheen & Cohen, 2013).

3. Task analysis (TA) is one of the most important topics that are concentrated on by the managers of Comfort Transportation. To overcome hurdles posed by Grab Car in the Singapore market, the supervisors of the traditional firm focuses on manpower, mental attitudes, work frequencies, allocation, task complexity and several other fluctuating factors required to accomplish a task (Hart et al., 2013). With a growth of the modern firm and a consequent downfall in Comfort, managers recognize the unwillingness of workers to put in effort for achieving goals.

In comparison to Grab Car, Comfort supervisors focus on hierarchical task process to organize work and fulfill goals. The company tends to offer better work conditions and abide by the policies of the country to not only maintain legality but also to heighten customer trusts. Unlike Grab Cars, the traditional firm taxis provide service even in harsh conditions. On the other hand, no kilometer and time limit of the new entrant enables it to perform extensively (Zahraei et al., 2016).

On the other hand cognitive process that studies the mental attitude of the workforce tends to indicate their behaviors towards the growing competition. Despite cabbies welcoming rivalry, a presence of inequality forms the main source of reluctance. Unlike Grab Car, a good level of internal and external communication is beneficial to the drivers. Additionally, perpetual skills, mental models, attention, collaboration and multi dimensional behavior also contribute effectively.

Functional Analysis

4. A process of individual learning needs analysis is also carried out by the management of Comfort Transportations to check the individual requirements for training and also for monitoring the implementation of skill development programs in the business structure. Additionally, the analysis also educated managers with employee performance and capability level gaps as well. According to Jonassen & Grabowski (2012), comparing the two tools of analysis it can be seen that the presence of several factors contributes towards a downfall in the cognitive and hierarchal task processes.

Concerning the high return and low limitation in workings of Grab Car, the company is supplied with a highly experienced and quality taskforce. Factors like inefficient communication, over rated prices and unsafe commuter’s results in low quality service which ultimately results in economic downfall and further a mismatch between the learning needs and task analysis levels.

Additionally, increase in per day cost of hiring a taxi ($150), insurance coverage issues, legality problems, and several other factors contribute towards low productivity and attitude levels of employees (New entrants turn the taxi industry on its head., 2016). The economic collapse and low profit levels as compared to Grab Cars of the traditional firm also contributes towards the inefficiency of action and mental plans.

5. The three levels of training needs that are organizational, occupational and individual serve as the basis for developing outcomes and act as the basis for filling gaps between deficiencies and success. Concerning organizational needs, competencies of the traditional Comfort Transportation are the basis for facilitating decision making and success strategy. The traditional firm enjoys a brand value, price stability and professional relation with the customers. On the contrary elements like inadaptability and technological innovations affect productivity levels.

In terms of occupational needs, training, knowledge, skills, behavior and attitudes of the employees plays the key role in achieving goals. Comfort to be able to maximize competitive advantage factors in comparison to Grab Cars and fulfill objectives, the firm involves in training and skill development programs for the workforce. In addition to leadership, risk management, communication development and administration skills, the management focus on ensuring safety and providing the people with large scale benefits.

Regarding individual requirements, the personal requirements of workers are taken into consideration by Comfort Transportations. The firm provides the employees with a job security and insurance coverage schemes unlike Grab Car. Also to maintain the employment structure in response to the increased competition level, the firm offers training programs as well (Agarwal et al., 2015). As compared to Grab Cars, the traditional firm operates benefiting the worker, customers and the policy makers.

Conclusion

Analyzing the various aspects of Comfort and Grab Car it can be inferred that the later company has greatly affect business development off the traditional firm. A study of various analysis tools compares the two firms in the most effective manners. Despite of the people praising the modern innovations and car sharing applications, there still exist comeback chances for the traditional firm.

In comparison to Comfort drivers, Grab Car provides their employees with large benefits, high remuneration and an increased level of profit which acts as one of the most impacting factors in modern times. Scrutinizing several approaches it can be concluded that with proper planning and control Comfort Transportation will be able to regain its position.

References

Agarwal, S., Cheng, S. F., Keppo, J., & Rengarajan, S. (2015). Learning by Driving: Evidence from Taxi Driver Wages in Singapore. Available at SSRN.

Gan, J., An, B., & Miao, C. (2014, May). An efficient algorithm for taxi system optimization. In Proceedings of the 2014 international conference on Autonomous agents and multi-agent systems (pp. 1465-1466). International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems.

Hart, H., Radua, J., Nakao, T., Mataix-Cols, D., & Rubia, K. (2013). Meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of inhibition and attention in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: exploring task-specific, stimulant medication, and age effects. JAMA psychiatry, 70(2), 185-198.

Jonassen, D. H., & Grabowski, B. L. (2012). Handbook of individual differences, learning, and instruction. Routledge.

Li, H. R. (2016). Taxi Positioning in the New Age of Internet and Industrial Development Research. Procedia Engineering, 137, 811-816.

Lim, S. M., & Chia, S. E. (2015). The prevalence of fatigue and associated health and safety risk factors among taxi drivers in Singapore. Singapore medical journal, 56(2), 92.

New entrants turn the taxi industry on its head. (2016). Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 3 November 2016, from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-entrants-turn-the/2214680.html

Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge.

Shaheen, S. A., & Cohen, A. P. (2013). Carsharing and personal vehicle services: worldwide market developments and emerging trends. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 7(1), 5-34.

Zahraei, S. M., Choo, C., Cheema, W., & Cheah, L. (2016). Foresight Study on Singapore Urban Mobility: Methodologies and Preliminary Insights. In Complex Systems Design & Management Asia (pp. 135-145). Springer International Publishing.