Profile of Manager

I am Khor Seow Bei Wen, as a manager in this CSR project. I am responsible to divide works and confirm all the things well done. I also join in my teammates’ works. I have learnt cooperative and time management when doing this project. This CSR Project also exposes me to see, think and care about the community. We should have the awareness to protect our earth, show our care to this community and start doing it from now.

Profile of Editor

Finally, by the time I wrote this column, our creation of this weblog is finished. Hi, everyone! I am Foong Yee Ching with matrix number 96097. I am the Editor of this CSR Project and as you all know, the job as an editor is not easy. However, it is also the same with my fellow teammates. I am grateful to have them as my teammates because they helped me a lot in doing my parts of this CSR project and also gave encouragement to me. Thanks to them and Dr. Ellisha!!!

Profile of Creative/Presentation Manager

I am Lew Chee Leng. As a Creative/Presentation Manager, I know my responsibility very well in order to complete this CSR Project on time. I put in more positive energy into it with speed and higher intensity. I present operation systems and concepts which used to solve problem for my team’s case organization in a creative way. Besides, I also analyze and summarize article related to the paperless topic and use quality improvement tools to analyze questionnaire. I identify cause, effect and find out solution way. My awareness about paperless concept has been great improved and I believe it will guide my daily life.

Profile of Solution-Based Idea Manager

Hi, I am Law Poh Leng. I play a role as a solutions-based idea manager in ATW 223 assignment. When conducting this project, I realize that it is not an easy task. I come out with something that I had never known and learnt it before. It forces me to pay attention in every lecture, share and discuss with others and start to explore IT technology. Although it is quite difficult, I cannot deny that I really learn many new things from it. I know about weblog, think about operations management solution, innovating operation based on CSR perspective and concern about paperless community. Last but not least, I learn that nothing is impossible if I willing to put my effort into it.

Solution Model

Our solution model shows how problem of using many papers can be solved by changing of education system and teaching methods of School of Management. This action required consent and compromise of the Dean and all the staffs including lecturers, administration staff and also students of the school.

First of all, the direct link to changing of education system and teaching methods will also change the requirement of lecturers to students from passing up the assignments and project in the form of papers to uploading them via internet. Students will follow the requirements and upload the assignments and project via internet. E-learning also occurs through this process. There is no cost of printing and photocopy and also carrying costs of papers storage associated with e-learning. Hence, the overall usage of papers by students is reduced.

The second path of the process map shows that changed education system and teaching methods also include implementation of paperless technology such as Electronic Data System (EDI) in the School of Management. Paper is not used in any transactions between students and administration of School of Management. Therefore, papers usage is minimized.

The last path indicates that awareness of importance of paperless system is created among the students through the changing of education system and teaching methods. Students will be more sensitive and concern about sustainable environment. Hence, students will reuse the half used papers and later recycle them along with used papers. Usage of papers by students is reduced to the minimum.

In conclusion, these three paths shown in the process map are the proposed steps to be practiced by School of Management in order to solve the problem of usage of many papers by the students.

Third Concept: Lean System – Paperless Transaction

In the solution model, we also plan to use the concept of paperless transaction which is under the topic of lean system. Electronic data interchange (EDI) is one of the ways which paperless transaction can be done.

EDI is an electronic process by switching from paper invoices to an electronic process. EDI can be used when students are registering for courses. Such costs come from the registration forms, registration slips etc. can be cut off.

Second Concept: PDCA Cycle and Quality Improvement Story

Plan stage

Step 1: Problem Identification and Validation
The problem identified is usage of many papers by students. The existence of this problem is validated by the results of the survey of one hundred respondents who are students of School of Management. According to the survey, 64% students use around 1-5 pieces of papers everyday. This quantity of papers is considered a lot and this can be seen if we sum up the amount of papers for a month which is (3 × 30) = 90 papers.

Step 2: Understanding the Current Situation
Respondents are using many papers in their daily life as USM students. The usage of many papers will increase the burden of students in term of costs of printing and photostating. Furthermore, by using many papers, students are required to store enough papers and this will lead to the reduction of space in their rooms.

Step 3: Analysis of Cause
This step can refer to the cause and effect diagram above. The usage of many papers is due to students’ attitudes which is insensitive and also not concern about the negative impact of usage of too many papers. Therefore, they use a lot of papers in their daily life as students. Another cause of usage of many papers is requirement of lecturers that students need to print out and pass up lecture notes, tutorial assignment and also project. Moreover, technology in USM is incompatible and not in advance if the paperless students life implemented. For example, speed of internet is too slow and cost of buying and maintaining the computers is high. Usage of many papers is due to the students throw the half used papers and also misuse of papers.

Do stage

Step 4: Corrective Action/ Proposed Solution
We can minimize the usage of papers of a student by downloading lecture notes, upload assignment on the internet, e-examination, e-learning and also e-communication. Hence, these proposed solutions should be implemented.

Check Stage

Step 5: Check Results
Based on the survey results, % of students agree that they should download lecture notes, % of students feel should upload assignment, % students agree e-examination should be implemented, % of students agree that e-learning should be implemented and % of students agree that e-communication should be implemented. According to the interview with Dr. Lee Lik Seng, Dr. Lee also agrees that the lecture notes shall not be printed out and should be viewed from the computer screen in order to reduce usage of papers.

Act Stage

Step 6: Standardization
As the students agree that the most effective solution to minimize usage of papers is downloading lecture notes. This statement is also supported by the interview with Dr. Lee as stated above. Therefore, all the lecturers are advised to deliver their materials to their students via internet.

Step 7: Conclusion/ Next Steps
In this last step, a complete report about the problem of usage of many papers and also the progress and improvement of the proposed solutions implemented is to be created. Alternately, a presentation about this to management of School of Management can be made.