Are you talking about Industrial Standing Order or just about Standing Oders?
If you wanna know simply the difference between them just to for you knowledge and understanding, then you need to for your information.
I- Well the Rules are to be made to control and maintain system with their own criterion. However the Rules of Debate, the Agenda, and any local rules concerning the conduct of the meeting are loosely referred to as Standing Orders. Standing Orders have authenticity of law
II- and about Employee Manual and Employee Handbook, there is nothing much difference even both are same which consist of all Organization Policies, (Policies are about specific issues such as internet use, safety and health, family and medical leave, military leave, etc. Some policies need to be signed upon hire so that employees understand what their obligations are to the company as per the specific policy issues) details about companies dress code, how to handle workers comp issues, terminable offenses, holiday pay, bonuses, vacation info, the companies values, etc.
As Employee Handbook itself says about it that it is realted to specifically remployee to know every requied and related details such as Compensation Benefits, Leave and so on however HR Manual is a master which is a collection guidelines, expectations, policies and procedures relevant to the Organization and its employees (Employee Handbook)
to know more about it, I would suggest you to go to our old post/threads/discussion held at this place before. .
https://www.citehr.com/302389-differ...hand-book.html
https://www.citehr.com/2226-differen...-handbook.html
III- if you know about rules and regularion and the purpose of them, you will get the answer of your third question.