Ins Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ins - Essay Example The reason for making senders and receivers in each group is to have clearly defined roles in communication so that the communication can be analyzed from both perspectives. Besides, students’ roles as senders and receivers will be altered from one method of communication to another so that everybody has a fair chance to analyze communication from both roles. Students will be asked to share the requirements of each method of communication, barriers to effective communication in each method, and pros and cons of each method of communication. Having undergone the exercise and tried each method of communication, students will be expected to have a detailed insight into the various methods of communication employed in the contemporary industry. This understanding will help them make informed decisions while deciding the appropriate means and methods of communication in the various business contexts. Students’ reflective reports will be discussed in the class so that everybo dy is equally informed on the various challenges, weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities presented by the different communication

The Sales Force Technology Essay Example for Free

The Sales Force Technology Essay Forbes Firms continue to struggle with the implementation of sales force technology tools and the role they play in sales representative performance. This research expands previous literature in the area of sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) by looking at the consequences after technology adoption by a sales force. Data were gathered from three sources to include 662 sales representatives, 60 sales managers, and ï ¬ rm archival data. Using structural equation modeling, our ï ¬ ndings indicate that SFA usage has a direct impact on effort, thereby reducing number of hours worked, and CRM usage has a direct positive impact on adaptive selling behaviors. Moreover, experience moderates the relationship between CRM usage and adaptive selling. Discussion, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed. As competition increases and technology advances, organizations continue to seek ways to adjust to changing business environments. This is especially true in the personal selling context where salespeople are recognized as the boundary spanners and are expected to be relationship managers (Kotler 1984). Today’s salesperson is constrained to do more in less time, and technological advancements have become an integral part of the personal selling and sales management process. Foreseeing this changing environment, Leigh and Tanner (2004) stressed the necessity for sales organizations to focus on technology-related strategies, business processes, and applications, and called on sales researchers to put forth theoretical models and empirical studies investigating these emerging issues. Notably, sales force technology usage has changed the methods of selling. Salespeople are no longer selling just a â€Å"product†; instead, they are providing a valuable â€Å"solution† to customer problems. Anderson and Dubinsky (2004) discussed the concept of consultative selling, where a salesperson acts as an expert and provides customized solutions. This role requires salespeople to develop a technological orientation to access, analyze, and communicate information in order to establish a strong relationship with customers (Hunter and  Adam Rapp (Ph.D., University of Connecticut), Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business Administration (Market ing), Kent State University, [emailprotected] Raj Agnihotri (MBA, Oklahoma City University), Ph.D. candidate, College of Business Administration (Marketing), Kent State University, [emailprotected] Lukas P. Forbes (Ph.D., University of Kentucky), Assistant Professor of Marketing, Ford College of Business, Western Kentucky University, [emailprotected] Perreault 2007). Sales technology enables salespeople answering the queries of customers to effectively provide competent solutions. This can lead to strong relationships between a salesperson and a customer. Thus, technology tools are used not only for smoothing the work process but they also have strategic utilizations. To this point, numerous models investigating technology acceptance have been postulated in the literature (Compeau, Higgins, and Huff 1999; Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw 1989; Venkatesh and Davis 2000; Venkatesh et al. 2003). These studies focus mainly on ï ¬ nding and examining the variables inï ¬â€šuencing salespeople’s motivation, or attitudes to adopt technology (Avlonitis and Panagopoulos 2005; Jones, Sundaram, and Chin 2002; Keillor, Barshaw, and Pettijohn 1997; Morgan and Inks 2001; Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002; Schillewaert et al. 2005; Speier and Venkatesh 2002). Notably, most existing research has focused on technology adoption with a few notable exceptions. For example, Ahearne et al. (2008) and Hunter and Perreault (2007) investigated the mediating effects of relationship-forging tasks, and Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp (2005) proposed moderating effects of training and support on links between different types of sales technology use (adoption) and sales performance. However, there is still a need to investigate the links between technology use and performance (Sundaram et al. 2007). Within this study, we make two extensions to the prior research. First, we shift the focus from technology adoption to technology usage and consequence (Hunter and Perreault 2007; Sundaram et al. 2007). The rationale for this diversion is that the success of technology acceptance resides â€Å"not simply in whether or not salespeople adopt technology, but whether or not adoption (i.e. use) actually improves performance† (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005, p. 380). For this purpose, we ground our arguments in the technology-to-performance  chain (TPC) m odel, which explores the link between technology and an individual’s performance and postulates that â€Å"performance impacts will depend increasingly upon task–technology ï ¬ t rather than utilization† (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 216). Second, this research focuses on the multidimensionality of the technology usage construct. Hunter and Perreault (2006; 2007) made a distinction between sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) tools and reinvigorated the issue of sales technology and its effectiveness. We extend that distinction. They suggested that SFA and CRM technologies should be considered as two different sales technology tools, and that â€Å"different use of technology have differential effects on various aspects of performance . . . thus, how a sales representative uses technology and on which behavioral tasks (work processes) matters† (Hunter and Perreault 2007, p. 30). Aligning with this logic, we perceive this new research direction as a valuable addition to an already established and rich literature of sales technology. The purpose of this research study, therefore, is to expand research with regard to the different dimensions of technology usage by investigating th eir impact on sales representative’s behavior that inï ¬â€šuences performance. We also investigate the role of salesperson experience within this model. THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT As mentioned previously, examining the relationship between technology acceptance and salesperson performance has only recently gained mainstream attention; however, studies investigating this link report positive ï ¬ ndings. For example, researchers have documented that the growing use of technology tools inï ¬â€šuences salesperson performance positively (Ahearne, Srinivasan, and Weinstein 2004) by enhancing sales efï ¬ ciency and sales effectiveness (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). It has been argued that increasing the use of technology encourages salesperson knowledge  attainment, which further improves his or her performance (Ko and Dennis 2004). More recently, Hunter and Perreault (2006) suggest that salespeople’s technology orientation inï ¬â€šuences their internal role performance. In another study, Sundaram et al. (2007) theorize that technology use and technology impact on performance are directly proportional to each other. They provide empirical evidence suggesting that the extent to which salespeople use technology may improve overall sales performance. Bringing new insights into this subject, Hunter and Perreault (2007) propose new behavioral mechanisms that relate to sales representative performance. Speciï ¬ cally, they suggest that through relationship-forging tasks, salespeople are able to exploit different dimensions of technology utilization (i.e., accessing, analyzing, and communicating information), which in turn, affect different facets of sales performance. Our research builds on the logic presented by previous researchers regarding the consideration of different dimensions of technology use and their differential effects on salespeople’s behavior. To provide theoretical grounding, we base our conceptual framework on the TPC model proposed by Goodhue and Thompson (1995). The TPC model emphasizes that in order to see a positive link between technology and performance, â€Å"the technology must be utilized, and the technology must be a good ï ¬ t with the tasks it supports† (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 213, emphasis in original). Notably, tasks are viewed as activities performed by individuals to achieve outputs and technologies are tools that help them to perform these tasks. The use of certain applications of technology depends on the speciï ¬ c characteristics of the assigned task. Within the sales context, salespeople carry out operational (e.g., learning about existing and new products, generating automated report s) as well as strategic (e.g., identifying most important customers, preparing sales presentations based on customers’ speciï ¬ c needs) activities and need different tools to help perform these activities. Moreover, the TPC model highlights the importance of an individual’s characteristics (e.g., training or experience), suggesting their impact on how â€Å"easily and well† one will use the technology tools (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 216). The current research contributes to this idea by suggesting that the effect of technology use on salespeople’s behavior will  depend upon whether they are using the technology for operational purpose (i.e., SFA) or for strategic purpose (i.e., CRM). Also, our framework incorporates salesperson experience to assess the inï ¬â€šuence of individual characteristics. Dimensions of Sales Technology Usage In a broad sense, technology is deï ¬ ned as â€Å"an ability to act, a competence to perform, translating materials, energy and information in one set of states into another, more highly valued set of states† (Metcalfe 1995, p. 34). In a sales research domain, sales technology describes information technologies aiding or enabling the sales task performance (Hunter and Perreault 2007). In the past, scholars from different research streams have raised the issue concerning the different dimensions and aspects of technology use and proposed several frameworks that support this concept (Goodhue and Thompson 1995; Orlikowski 1992). Although previous researchers build their arguments on different concepts, in essence, they all agree there are different aspects and dimensions of technology use. Considering the fact that different dimensions of technology use should be employed for different purposes, sales managers must develop and support an environment where salespeople use technology in accordance with the required behavior. For example, salespeople involved in operational activities such as exchanging information with colleagues  and managers, taking or tracking inventory levels, or learning about existing, new, and competitive products will employ different technology tools as compared to situations where they execute strategic activities such as identifying potential customers, identifying the most important customers from the list of current customers, or working on improvement of sales presentation skills. Thus, it will be beneï ¬ cial for sales managers, as well as for salespeople, to understand how employing different technology tools will inï ¬â€šuence performance-enhancing behaviors (Hunter and Perreault 2007). Accordingly, we view the use of SFA and the use of CRM as two dimensions of sales technology based on their level of speciï ¬ city for inï ¬â€šuencing different salespersons’ behaviors. SFA usage, with an operational orientation, includes the utilization of technological to ols supporting the routine sales  functions (Jacobs 2006). CRM usage, with a strategic orientation, includes methods and employing technology tools that help salespeople develop sales strategies (Rigby and Ledingham 2004). Importantly, both the routine sales functions and strategic sales activities that a salesperson engages in can develop, sustain, and strengthen customer relationships. Use of SFA Technology Hunter and Perreault suggest that SFA technology includes â€Å"tools that are intended to make repetitive (administrative) tasks more efï ¬ cient† (2007, p. 17). Highlighting its potential beneï ¬ ts, previous research views SFA use as a competitive equivalence (Morgan and Inks 2001) and suggests that it enhances the â€Å"precision† of salespeople’s activities (Honeycutt et al. 2005) by providing fast and reliable information ï ¬â€šow among customers, salespeople, and ï ¬ rms (Speier and Venkatesh 2002). Sales managers and salespeople alike identify SFA as a tool to enhance efï ¬ ciency (Erffmeyer and Johnson 2001) and to improve productivity (Engle and Barnes 2000; Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002). SFA tools assist with routine tasks, allow salespeople to focus on re lationship-oriented activities, and free up time for more customer-centric tasks (Cotteleer, Inderrieden, and Lee 2006). To attain the advantages of SFA, salespeople need to understand the speciï ¬ c purpose of using SFA. Keeping this in mind, we adapt the Rivers and Dart’s conceptualization of SFA that describes it as transforming â€Å"manual sales activities to electronic processes through the use of various combinations of hardware and software applications† (1999, p. 59). We view SFA as a tool that converts repetitive and routine manual processes to automated processes, and assists salespeople trying to operate in an efï ¬ cient and timely manner. Examples of SFA tools could include programs such as quarterly automated sales reports and calendaring tools. The domain for SFA applications includes the attainment and storage of information. However, the information being utilized,  analyzed, and obtained with the help of SFA tools is unlike that from CRM tools. Use of CRM Technology Unlike the routine purpose of SFA applications, CRM technology usage focuses on relationship and st rategy building (Rigby, Reichheld, and Schefter 2002). Day views CRM as â€Å"a cross-functional process for achieving a continuing dialogue with customers† (2001, p. 1). CRM is also described as a â€Å"business strategy that includes information technology  to provide an enterprise with a comprehensive, reliable, and integrated view of its customer base† (Zikmund, McLeod, and Gilbert 2003, p. 3). In essence, salespeople use CRM technology tools for developing and managing customer relationships (Yin, Anderson, and Swaminathan 2004). This characterization is aligned with the analysis aspect of sales technology use suggested by Hunter and Perreault (2007). They deï ¬ ned it as the degree to which salespeople depend on technology â€Å"to study and synthesize data and understand the implications of data relevant to the demands of their sales jobs† (Hunter and Perreault 2007, p. 21). Outlining the functionality of sales technology, Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe (2002) postulate different sales functions (e.g., presentations, informing, communications, sales reporting) that can be supported by sales technology. Importantly, these functions of sales technology can be separated on the basis of whether their strategic orientation is â€Å"customer† centric or â€Å"back-ofï ¬ ce† centric (Geiger and Turley 2006). We characterize the use of CRM as utilizing customer-centric technology tools that help salespeople formulate strategies to achieve effectiveness in their selling methods. Therefore, the optimal utilization of CRM tools will depend on how well salespeople assimilate the information obtained through data patterns in their job-speciï ¬ c behaviors. We believe that the use of CRM technology tools not only accelerates the regular sales operation, but also aids salespeople in developing and managing long-term customer relationships. CONCEPTUAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT In light of the above-mentioned arguments, we propose a model (Figure 1) examining the effects of SFA and CRM on salespeople’s behaviors after technology adoption and how these behaviors can inï ¬â€šuence s alesperson performance. Effort A salesperson’s effort, in general, can be characterized as â€Å"persistence—in terms of the length of time devoted to work and continuing to try in the face of failure† (Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994, p. 40), and it can be assessed via a litany  of measures. Speciï ¬ cally, â€Å"the duration of time spent working and the intensity of work activities† are viewed as components of effort (Brown and Peterson 1994, p. 71); other research studies measure effort by the number of hours invested by salespeople to accomplish their sales goals or the number of sales calls made (e.g., Rapp et al. 2006). Past scholars have conceptualized that the utilization of technology tools improves salesperson efï ¬ ciency (Keillor, Barshaw, and Pettijohn 1997; Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002) and that technology assists salespeople in formulating a professional sales encounter (Marshall, Moncrief, and Lassk 1999). Salespeople can maintain direct contact, even with re mote customers, through e-mails and cell phones, thus saving travel hours. They can receive and manage orders from customers in an easy, timely fashion. Various SFA applications (e.g., calendaring; routing tables) inject activeness in salespeople’s typical sales routines and reduce downtime. Salespeople, in today’s competitive environment, face a great deal of data that include information about distributors, dealers, retailers, and ultimately, the end customer. In addition to this, salespeople need to keep track of competitor’s activities as well as product market situations. Notably, SFA  tools provide answers to salespeople in such complex data utilization and management scenarios. Different application tools, spreadsheets, Web browsers, inventory management software, and other database software enable salespeople to manage the records of products, competitors, and customers in timely manner. Hence, salespeople using SFA tools will be more organized and able to complete their schedules on time (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). One key representation of salespeople’s efforts to realize their job objectives is the activity through which they complete their tasks (Brown and Peterson 1994). The use of SFA reduces â€Å"the amount of time spent on such activities as managing contacts, scheduling sales calls, developing sales plans, and planning sales routes† (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002, p. 190). Also, salespeople using SFA tools can cut down work hours doing paperwork and other reporting-related tasks (Colombo 1994; Parathasarathy and Sohi 1997). Importantly, these administrative tasks (e.g., sales reporting) are non-customer-centric activities (Geiger and Turley 2006);  however, salespeople spend many hours completing them. Thus, reductions in such activities, with the help of SFA, will provide salespeople with an opportunity to reduce their working ho urs. Formally stated,  Hypothesis 1: Relative to salespeople reporting lower use of SFA, salespeople reporting higher use of SFA will report fewer hours of work. Underlining the importance of CRM usage, Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp (2005) argued that such technology tools aid salespeople by managing information about a larger number of customers. Salespeople equipped with such valuable information are able to relate to customers without as much difï ¬ culty and can be more responsive to critical issues, thereby shortening the duration of each sales encounter. They will also complete tasks with less effort (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). Mostly, CRM tools make customers’ cross-referencing possible among different departments within an organization that can generate more sales potential and reduce efforts by evading multiple attempts on the same prospective clients (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002). Moreover, the use of CRM tools will ease the processes of presale planning activities and improve the accuracy of sales forecasts, speeding up the overall sales process (Hunter and Perreault 2006). Parallel to this thought, it is pragmatic to think that salespeople using CRM tools will not ï ¬ nd examining customer data to be an overly complex and time-consuming process. Moreover, they can promptly focus on vital information, which, in turn, enables them to develop winning strategies in shorter time. We believe that salespeople equipped with CRM technology will be able to conserve their efforts by speeding the process of strategy development. CRM use will help salespeople conï ¬ gure product offerings per customer stipulations without showing extra efforts (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002). Under these circumstances, salespeople will be able to decrease their efforts by investing less time in the formulation of customer relationship strategies, reducing backorders, and lessening the number of calls required to ï ¬ nalize a sale (Columbo 1994; Thetgyi 2000). Based on this, we hypothesize: Hypothesis 2: Relative to salespeople reporting lower use of CRM, salespeople reporting higher use of CRM will report fewer hours of work. Adaptive Selling Adaptive selling is  deï ¬ ned as â€Å"engaging in planning to determine the suitability of sales behaviors and activities that will be undertaken, the capacity to engage in a wide range of selling behaviors and activities, and the alteration of sales behaviors and activities in keeping with situational considerations† (Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994, p. 40). In more ge neral terms, adaptive selling can be deï ¬ ned as an approach to personal selling in which selling behaviors are altered during the sales interaction or across customer interactions, based on information about a customer and nature of the selling situation. Acquisition, analysis, and use of customer information are particularly important for salespeople in demonstrating adaptive selling behaviors (Weitz, Sujan, and Sujan 1986). Moreover, if salespeople have precise customer information, they will be more capable of practicing such behaviors (Hunter and Perreault 2006). CRM tools can also aid salespeople in tracking customer purchase patterns and enabling them to recognize potentially viable customers. Salespeople, with the help of CRM technology, can obtain critical customer information to successfully plan an effective sales encounter (Ahearne et al. 2008). CRM tools will be useful for keeping salespeople informed as well as for developing, implementing, or revising sales planning. Such customer database systems provide opportunities to meticulously research customers and design their sales presentations according to particular customer needs and wants (Marshall, Moncrief, and Lassk 1999). Equipped with sound customer information, salespeople will better anticipate customer responses, prepare appropriate ways to meet customer needs, and overcome customer objections. We propose that CRM tools provide access to customer information that enables salespeople to improve or enhance their adaptive selling skills. Based on this argument, we hypothesize: Hypothesis 3: Salespeople’s use of the CRM technology will be positively related with their adaptive selling behaviors. Experience as a Moderator Salesperson’s experience has been deï ¬ ned as a composite of three different areas: the employee’s general sales experience, the amount of time spent working with their current company, and the time spent in their territory (Rapp et al. 2006). Previous studies document the positive relationship of experience with different individual outcomes. For example,  individual’s performance adaptability has been associated positively with greater amounts of rel evant work experience (Pulakos et al. 2000). It has been argued that individuals seeking knowledge usually carry dissimilar wants and expectations (Markus 2001). This idea is especially applicable in a personal selling context, where no single formula or approach can guarantee success of every salesperson. Salespeople with different breadth and depth of experience will have different abilities and expectations. Within this research study, we suggest that less-experienced salespeople, even if they use sales technology tools (i.e., SFA and CRM), will be less likely to exploit such tools in a better way, relative to more experienced salespeople. Importantly, our research differs from the previous work of Ko and Dennis (2004) in that we examine different dimensions of technology use as well as behavioral outcomes of the technology/experience interaction rather than outcome-based performance. Thus, our hypotheses differ according to our proposed arguments.  Sales researchers agree that the uses of CRM technology tools are essential for making customer alliances; however, individual characteristics can affect this process (Jones, Sundaram, and Ch in 2002). Because CRM is used in crafting customer relationship strategies, salespeople’s experience will play a critical role in the relationship between CRM utilization and adaptive selling behaviors. CRM will provide valuable customer information; however, to be successful in utilizing such information, salespeople need to have a â€Å"deep base of organizational, contextual, and domain knowledge† (Ko and Dennis 2004, p. 313) and be well versed in handling difï ¬ cult objections. Salespeople with relatively less experience will have had less exposure to the capabilities of CRM tools, and a lower level of understanding about adaptive selling. With the lack of knowledge regarding various tasks and selling situations, less-experienced salespeople will be less capable of exploiting the rich data available in a CRM repository. Experienced salespeople are more likely to maintain focus on the task-related  activities, identify and realize the link between CRM tools utilization an d adaptive selling behaviors, and smartly engage in activities relevant to task completion. To sum, we argue that more-experienced salespeople will employ information toward formulating plans in a better way that helps them to practice adaptive selling than those salespeople with less experience. Based on these arguments, we propose that Hypothesis 4: The relationship between use of CRM and adaptive selling will be more positive for employees who report higher levels of experience, as compared to those who report lower levels of experience. In the case of technology use, it has been argued that the inï ¬â€šuence of technology is moderated by contextual variables (Orlikowski 1992). It seems especially true in a situation where technology is being used as a tool to formulate strategies or as a medium to support routine tasks. Experienced salespeople are more likely to have created an optimal schedule (i.e., necessary efforts required to accomplish maximum output), and given the strategic utilization of CRM, they can further cut down their efforts to achieve sales objectives. Consistent with the arguments of Hunter and Perreault (2006), we argue that more-experienced salespeople have learned the necessary skills to execute different activities. We also suggest that moreexperienced salespeople have discovered ways to reduce their levels of effort while maintaining their higher levels of performance, relative to those with less experience. Importantly, for those who have already adopted technology, more-experienced sales representatives will feel the greatest inï ¬â€šuence on their behavioral outcomes. Formally stated, Hypothesis 5: The relationship between use of CRM and effort will be more negative for employees who report higher  levels of experience, as compared to those who report lower levels of experience. Salesperson Performance In a general sense, job performance is an outcome of effort and strategy (Bandura 2002). Sales literature has recognized the signiï ¬ cance of salesperson efforts in different theoretical frameworks of performance (Walk er, Churchill, and Ford 1977) and proposed a signiï ¬ cant positive relationship between effort and adaptive selling behaviors and salesperson’s productivity (Sujan, Weitz, and Sujan 1988). Previous literature enjoys a relatively wide consensus about the critical role of effort and adaptability in achieving high performance objectives. To  this point, numerous researchers have examined the links between performance and adaptive selling and effort (Anglin, Stohlman, and Gentry 1990; Brown and Peterson 1994; Goolsby, Lagace, and Boolrom 1992; Holmes and Srivastava 2002; Predmore and Bonnice 1994; Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994). Within this research study, we revisit these links and offer that, parallel to previous ï ¬ ndings, both salesperson behaviors of adaptive selling and effort will demonstrate unique positive relationships with their performance. Hypothesis 6: Salesperson effort will be positively related with salesperson performance. Hypothesis 7: Salesperson adaptive selling behaviors will be positively related with salesperson performance. RESEARCH METHOD Sample Our sample was drawn from the human health-care segment of a medium-sized pharmaceutical company. Data were collected from three separate sources in the form of salesperson surveys, manager surveys, and archival job performance data from company records. Sales representatives in this ï ¬ rm were responsible for marketing directly to physicians within a speciï ¬ c geographical area. All sales representatives were responsible for a particular portfolio of products and completed training for each product line. In sum, 900 sales representatives of the human health-care division of the company were contacted for this study. Usable survey responses were obtained from 662 (74 percent) of the representatives and from 60 different sales managers. There was an average of 11 sales representatives per manager. Respondents completed and returned a questionnaire mailed directly to them by the researchers. Management’s strong endorsement of questionnaire completion via e-mail and telephone, coupled with two waves of mailings, led to the high  response rate. The sample was 40 percen t male, the average age was 34.9 (standard deviation [SD] = 4.6), and 91 percent reported their ethnicity as Caucasian. Measures Use of SFA SFA usage was assessed by the sales representative using a fouritem scale. The scale asked sales representatives the amount of usage on four speciï ¬ c SFA applications. All four items were representative of tasks that helped salespeople streamline or automate some of the basic processes and functions of the sales tasks. Item responses were  anchored by (1) â€Å"I do not use this technology at all† and (7) â€Å"I use this technology to a great extent.† The scale demonstrated acceptable reliability (ÃŽ ± = 0.72). See the Appendix for a complete list of scale items. Use of CRM Similar to the above, CRM usage was assessed by asking the salesperson four questions regarding his or her use of technologies that helped manage customer relationships. These questions were speciï ¬ c to the software and database applications that the ï ¬ rm had in place. Again, item responses were anchored by (1) â€Å"I do not use this technology at all† and (7) â€Å"I use this technology to a great extent.† The scale demonstrated acceptable rel iability (ÃŽ ± = 0.75). Effort Salesperson effort was measured as a self-report item assessing average number of hours worked per week. Although not an ideal evaluation tool, this approach is similar to other research that has demonstrated that self-report evaluations are often representative of objective measures of evaluations (Sharma, Rich, and Levy 2004). Adaptive Selling Adaptive selling was measured using a shortened four-item scale stemming from the adaptive selling scale originally developed by Spiro and Weitz (1990). Items were adapted slightly to ï ¬ t the speciï ¬ c selling context. This measure was assessed by the sales manager and exhibited strong reliability (ÃŽ ± = 0.90). In this setting, sales managers have frequent contact with their salespeople. By meeting with sales representatives, conducting customer follow-up visits, and participating in ride-alongs, we argue that the sales manager can observe the behavior of the salesperson, in this circumstance, adaptive selling tendencies. Experience Experience was a composite measure consisting of three separate measures of sales experience. Sales representatives were questioned about the length of time they had worked in their territory, for their company, and in a sales ï ¬ eld. These scores were each z-scored and then averaged to form an overall experience index. Salesperson Performance We operationalized salesperson performance as the outcomebased measure of percentage of quota. Percentage of quota achieved is deï ¬ ned as the total sales brought to a close by a salesperson relative to the sales organization’s sales targets for that individual. Percent of quota, or total sales divided by expected sales target, is a strong measure of sales representative performance because it controls for some potential contaminating factors such as territory size  (Churchill et al. 1985). Sales representatives’ quotas are annually set by a consulting company, in conjunction with corporate sales management, and are based on market information and company records. Quotas are discussed with sales representatives to ensure that the representatives understand the methods used to set their annual quotas. Analytical Strategy We analyzed our data using a covariance-based structural equation modeling package, AMOS 5.0 (Arbuckle 1997). In evaluating this model, we followed the procedures recommended by Anderson and Gerbing (1988). First, we conducted a conï ¬ rmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the adequacy of the measurement component of the proposed model and evaluate discriminant validity. After ensuring an appropriate ï ¬ t, we then derived the full structural model from our hypotheses. To gauge model ï ¬ t, we report the comparative ï ¬ t index (CFI) (Bentler 1990) and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) (Hu and Bentler 1999). The CFI has been identiï ¬ ed as a strong approximation of the population value for a single model, with values ≠¥ 0.90 considered indicative of good ï ¬ t. SRMR is a measure of the standardized difference between the observed and unobserved covariance and predicted covariance, with values ≠¤ 0.08 considered a â€Å"relatively good ï ¬ t for the model,† and values ≠¤ 0.10 considered â€Å"fair† (Hu and Bentler 1999). Based on an exploratory and follow-up CFA, we determined that all items loaded signiï ¬ cantly on their respective factors and no cross-loadings were present. Each indicator exhibited a highly signiï ¬ cant estimate (p 0.001), which suggests high convergent validity (Gerbing and Anderson 1988). Also, discriminant validity was assessed according to the Fornell and Larcker (1981) suggested approach. By examining the amount of variance extracted for each of the latent constructs and comparing this to the squared correlations among the constructs, we found that the shared variance among any two constructs was always less than the average variance explained by the construct, which suggests that discriminant validity has been achieved. Finally, because four of the variables were collected from the same source,  we conducted checks for common method variance, which could inï ¬â€šate any observed correlations between the dependent and independent variables. As suggested by Grifï ¬ th and Lusch (2007), we used a CFA approach to assess Harman’s one-factor test. To do this, one would create a single latent factor for all same-source indicators as an alternative explanation to our results. Based on our analysis, our measurement model ï ¬ t yielded a χ2 of 295.61 (88), p 0.01; CFI = 0.93; SRMR = 0.04. By ï ¬ tting the same-source factor model, our ï ¬ t was signiï ¬ cantly worse with a χ2 of 789.53 (101); p 0.01; CFI = 0.77; SRMR = 0.08. Second, we employed the partial correlation procedure of including a marker variable (i.e., a variable not theoretically related to at least one other variable in the study). By using a measure of sales ethics as the marker variable, we found no signiï ¬ cant relationships to other variables in the model. These analyses indicate that our structural equation analysis is not as susceptible to an inherent common method bias in the responses to the survey. Table 1 provides descriptive statistics and pairwise correlations for this study. As mentioned, model ï ¬ t for the measurement model was good (χ2 = 295.61 (88), p 0.01; CFI = 0.93; SRMR = 0.04). Next, we ï ¬ t a linear effects model that amounts to the hypothesized model depicted in Figure 1 minus the two interactions (i.e., H4 and H5). This model was ï ¬ t in order to test the linear relationships. This model also serves as a baseline model for tests of the interactions. Notably, the linear relationships between experience and both adaptive selling and effort, although not hypothesized, were included in this model so as to serve as a baseline for the hypothesized model. To test the interaction effects, CRM usage and experience were both mean-centered (by virtue of using z-scores) so as to reduce effects of multicollinearity. We then calculated a multiplicative interactive term between the two variables and ï ¬ t a second model that included this product as an antecedent of both effort and adaptive selling. Because the linear effects model is nested in the hypothesized model, a signiï ¬ cant Δχ2 between them indicates that one or both of the interactions are signiï ¬ cant (Cortina, Chen, and Dunlap 2001). To note, we speciï ¬ ed the relationship between the observed scores and their respective latent variables by ï ¬ xing the measurement error terms for each co nstruct at (1 – rxx) times the variance of each scale score. Following procedures advanced by Mathieu, Tannenbaum, and Salas (1992) and supported  by Cortina,  Chen, and Dunlap (2001), the reliability of the interaction term was estimated using the formula presented by Bohrnstedt and Marwell (1978). RESULTS We derived the full structural model from our hypotheses. Structural model ï ¬ t was within acceptable limits (χ2 = 240.21 (95), p 0.01; CFI = 0.95; SRMR = 0.04) (see Table 2). Although the χ2-statistic is signiï ¬ cant, it is not always the best indication of model ï ¬ t (e.g., Bagozzi and Yi 1988), because it has the drawback of being sensitive to sample size and the number of parameters in the model. Notably, our initial ï ¬ ndings show that SFA usage is negatively related to effort (H1: ÃŽ ² = –0.123, p 0.05) and that CRM usage does not have a negative relationship with effort as originally hypothesized (H2: ÃŽ ² = 0.091). As expected, the linear effect of CRM usage to adaptive selling was positive and signiï ¬ cant (H3: ÃŽ ² = 0.122, p 0.05). Finally, although not hypothesized, the linear effect of experience to effort (ÃŽ ² = 0.166, p 0.01) and adaptive selling (ÃŽ ² = 0.106, p 0.05) were both signiï ¬ cant. Next, we tested the hypothesized model. By adding the interaction terms, we found that the model demonstrated an excellent ï ¬ t (χ2 = 233.53 (93), p 0.01; CFI = 0.95; SRMR = 0.04) and was a signiï ¬ cant improvement over the linear effects model (Δχ2 (2) = 6.68, p 0.05). The moderating effect of experience on CRM usage to effort was not present (H5: ÃŽ ² = 0.083); however, the moderating inï ¬â€šuence of experience on the relationship between CRM and adaptive selling was evident (H4: ÃŽ ² = 0.112, p 0.05). The ï ¬ nal portion of our model examined both adaptive selling and effort as predictors of salesperson performance. We found that both effort (H6: ÃŽ ² = 0.115, p 0.05) and adaptive selling (H7: ÃŽ ² = 0.086, p 0.05) had signiï ¬ cant relationships with performance. As a post hoc analysis, we included experience as an additional predictor of performance and found that it exhibited a signiï ¬ cant relationship (ÃŽ ² = 0.107, p 0.05), while not changing the levels of signiï ¬ cance of the other two variables. The proportions of variance of the endogenous variables accounted for were as follows: R ²Effort = 0.047; R ²Adaptive selling = 0.034; and R ²Performance = 0.031. To interpret the nature of the interaction, we plotted it using standard practices (Aiken and West 1991). Speciï ¬ cally, using the information from the moderated regression analysis, we plotted the relationship between  CRM usage that correspond to the average, low (one SD below the mean) and high (one SD above the mean) values of the experience moderator (see Figure 2). Corresponding to our expectations, we ï ¬ nd that CRM usage has a positive linear effect on adaptive selling and that increased levels of experience enhance this relationship as demonstrated by the steeper slope (more positive) for high-experience salespeople.

Chemical Analysis of Water Supply

Chemical Analysis of Water Supply Introductions This EEI’s purposed is to identify and make justified conclusions to three unlabelled water supply that have been taken from different locations within the Kedron Brook area. Using several tests to find which water supply came from, measuring its pH, turbidity, conductivity and etc. There are other task such as systematic analysis (comparing and contrasting previous year student’s results) and how to make water drinkable. Water is a molecule with one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, bonded by shared electrons. Large differences in electronegativity lead the formation of permanent dipoles. This is what we call a polar molecule. In water its charged positively near the hydrogen atoms and negatively near the oxygen atom. Water molecules are naturally attracted and stick to each other because of this polarity, forming a hydrogen bond. The reason why water is called the â€Å"Universal solvent† is because it can dissolve more substances than any other chemical. This is due to its polarity of the water molecule. The two hydrogen atoms carry a positive electric charge, while the oxygen atom carries a negative electric charge. This helps the water separate the ionic compounds into their positive and negative ions. The positive portion of the compound is attracted to the oxygen ion while the negative side of the compound it attracted to the hydrogen ion. Principle The greater the forces of attraction the higher the boiling point or the greater the polarity the higher the boiling point. In the case of water, hydrogen bonding has a strong attraction. It takes a lot more kinetic energy in an increased temperature to break the hydrogen bonds to free the water molecules as the gas. This is why water has a boiling point of 212 °F (99.98 °C) it is from the result of its strong attraction. The pH (power of hydrogen) of a solution is a measure of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution and as such is a measure of the acidity or basic of the solution. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to beacidicand solutions with a pH greater than 7 arebasicoralkaline. Water has a pH of 7 this makes it neutral. As water has a pH of 7, it can be both an acid and a base but it can be determine what it is. It can be considered an acid in somereactionsand a base in others. Water can even react with itself to form acids and bases. When molecules are put into water, sometimes they break down and release an H+ (hydrogen) ion. At other times, it releases an OH-(hydroxide) ion. When a hydrogen ion is released, the solution becomes acidic. When a hydroxide ion is released, the solution becomes basic. Those two special ions determine whether it is an acid or a base. Sample of an acid Acetic Acid (CH3COOH) into (CH3COO– + H+) The hydrogen ion separates itself from the compound. Sample of a base Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) into (Na– + OH+) The hydroxide ion separates itself from the compound. Dissolved oxygen (O2) isoxygen dissolvedinto the water. Dissolved oxygen can get into water in two ways, through atmospheric oxygen mixing into a stream in turbulent areas or by the release of oxygen from aquatic plants during photosynthesis. The solubility of oxygen is affected by temperature and the partial pressure of the water. The chances of solubility of oxygen are much greater in cold waters than in warm waters. Oxygen slips into pockets that exist in the loose hydrogen-bonded network of water molecules without forcing them apart. The oxygen is then caged by water molecules, which weakly pin it in place. Dissolved oxygen is important to aquatic life as it is the means of breathing to them. Although it could be loss resulting to the loss of aquatic life from: Temperature Turbulence Vegetation Elevation Salinity Turbidity is a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to suspended solids (like dirt). The more total suspended solids in the water, the murkier it seems and the higher the turbidity. As there are suspended particles floating it absorbs the heat from the sunlight causing reduce dissolved oxygen, reducing aquatic life. Conductivity is a measure of how capable water can pass electrical flow. It is relates to the concentration of ions in the water. These conductive ions come from dissolved salts such as alkalis, chlorides, sulfides and carbonate compounds. Salt is important as it dissolves and bonds with the ions in water easily. For the electric current to flow through water, there must be a positive and negative pole. Such as the elements H2O and NaCl bond which create a positive and negative ion. The more ion that is represent the higher the conductivity such as sea water, and water with fewer ions has less conductivity such as pure water. Unlike temperature and dissolved oxygen, small amount of nitrates usually does not have a direct effect on aquatic insects or fish. Though, excess levels of nitrates in water can create conditions that make it difficult for aquatic insects or fish to survive. Nitrates and nitrites are good for agriculture as they contain atoms of nitrogen and oxygen for plants to produce amino acids, but not well for aquatic life. With water containing nitrates and nitrates, algae and other plants can grow faster, as the algae die and decompose; they deplete the water of dissolved oxygen resulting death to aquatic life. Precipitation is the action or process of precipitating a substance from a solution. A precipitate is created by the reaction caused by two different solutions. A precipitate is formed is due to the solubility of the two solutions. The chemical reaction produces a solid when the two solutions, isn’t soluble also known as insoluble. Nitrate (NO3) Chlorate (ClO3) Perchlorate (ClO4) Acetate (C2H3O2) All nitrates, chlorates, perchlorates, and acetates are soluble Chloride (Cl) Bromide (Br) Iodide (I) All chlorides, bromides, and iodides are soluble, except those of silver, mercury(I), and lead(II) Sulfate (SO42-) All sulfates are soluble except those of mercury (I), lead(II), strontium and barium (calcium sulfate is only slightly soluble) Hydroxide (OH) Sulfide (S2-) All hydroxides and sulfides are insoluble except those of calcium and strontium are slightly soluble and barium hydroxide is moderately soluble Oxide (O2-) Carbonate (CO32-) Phosphate (PO43-) Oxalate (C2O42-) All oxides, carbonates, phosphates, and oxalates are insoluble Soluble and insoluble solutions This report also aims to explain how to make water drinkable by considering the standards of drinkable water. Drinking water does not need to be completely pure to be safe. This is because water is a good solvent. Drinkable water should contain no harmful concentrations of chemicals and bacteria; they can easily be recognised from its appearance, taste or colour. Such as saltwater, the reason why saltwater is undrinkable is because the water contains different kinds of salts and other minerals and having an overdose of saltwater in the body could cause serious danger.

Essays --

The Evolution of Warrantless Searches With Alcohol, Blood, And DNA With the creation of the First Congress, framers manifested the Fourth Amendment to provide sufficient privacy standards for the citizens of the United States of America. Framers upheld the 4th Amendment to sustain a functioning government-governed relationship, where officials respect individuals’ privacy and rights. During the First Congress, framers explicitly granted, â€Å"the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized† to the citizens. Moreover, courts have delineated two major clauses from the primary text of the Amendment. The first clause essentially protects the privacy of an individual to be safe in person. The immediate second clause introduces a circumstance which warrants are non-essential. Furthermore, both the expectation of privacy and certain circumstances to preserve government interests have collectively emerged from the two clauses. Consequently throughout court cases in the U.S, the protections of the Fourth Amendment have resulted in disagreement explicitly concerning searches violating a person’s privacy and reasonable searches for where no warrants are required. Recently, blood and DNA extractions embody an indispensable role in modern law enforcement. The advent of blood, DNA, and other technologies are now the most significant scientific advancements in the modern era. Since the first use of forensic DNA identification in 1986, DNA’s role in ... ...forcement has utilized blood and DNA tests to exonerate suspects convicted of crimes and guide officials to convict other suspects. Furthermore, in effect of the Supreme Court cases, blood and DNA tests now promote a superior justice system more effectively and efficiently. The recent cases, which have provided many exigent circumstances where warrants are not essential for a search, have developed excelling tactics and procedures to ensure the integrity of modern law enforcement. After these cases, lower courts and law enforcement teams are now able to act quicker and responsively to enforce governmental interests. In conclusion, the trials Samson v. California, Missouri v. McNeely, and Maryland v. King have established clear boundaries for 4th Amendment and they have facilitated the advancement of efficient and applicative technology in modern law enforcement.

Brand Management Mid Term Study Guide Essay

The exam will have a mix of multiple-choice questions and short answers, with a higher total number of points for short answer questions. NOTE: Anything and everything covered in class (through lectures, discussion, articles, activities, etc. ) and/or posted on Blackboard, are potential exam material. The topics listed below can be used as a Study Guide. However, from an exam point of view, that does NOT preclude the other material covered in class. Introduction to Basic Issues: defining a brand; new challenges; the concept of brand equity; steps in the strategic brand management process. Branding Innovations and New Products: Issues in branding innovations; different options in naming a new product/innovation; becoming brand exemplars; first mover issues; reasons for new branding innovations to succeed versus fail; reasons for branding an innovation. Brands, Branding, and Meaning of Brands: Brands and competitive advantage; brand story/meaning; brands and competitive advantages; brands as signals of product quality; designing branding strategy. Brand Positioning: Defining comparative frames of reference; issues related to PoP and PoD; brand positioning; product category membership; challenges in positioning; core brand values; brand mantras. Brand Extensions and Brand Portfolios: When are brand extensions appropriate? When are they successful/unsuccessful? Advantages/disadvantages of brand extensions; key aspects of brand portfolios; criteria for cutting down brands and brand extensions from a portfolio. Managing Brands over Time: Long-term vs. short-term foci and the related strategies; revitalizing a fading brand; improving and reinforcing brand image over time. HBS Cases: You should be familiar with the concepts/principles that we discussed in class in the context of the HBS cases, such as traditional vs. non-traditional branding strategies and breakaway positioning strategy.

Animal Testing is wrong and cruel essays

Animal Testing is wrong and cruel essays Animal testing is wrong and it is cruelty to animals. Each year about five million dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, monkeys, and other animals die in lethal dose tests performed in many states around the United States. During a lethal dose test, the experimental substance is forced into the animals throats, or is pumped into their stomaches by a tube sometimes causing death by stomach rupture or from the sheer bulk of a chemical dosage. Substances are mixed in lab chows, injected under the skin, into a vein, or into the lining of the abdomen, they are often applied to the eyes, rectum, and vagina or forcebilly inhaled through a gas mask. It can be sometimes a force-fed chemical , that has chemicals applied to bare skin that has had the fur removed painfully and inhale fumes. Experimenters observe the animals reaction which include convulsions, labored breathing, diarrhea, constipation, skin eruptions, abnormal animals will die from this experiment 2 to 3 weeks later. The experiments a re performed in a lab where all the proper chemicals are set up to test the products and make sure they are safe for consumers. All this is done just so people can wear that fur coat or makeup. Does the consumers think about the poor animals who died just so they can wear them items. This issue is created when companies test their products on innocent animals. The company tests on animals making sure the chemicals in products are safe for consumers, but do they think about the sake of animals? What makes this issue worse is the companies want to make their products perfect, and people who care about animals want it to be banned. Animal testing is wrong and takes away the lives of animals just so someone can wear makeup of perfume. There is nothing positive about animal testing. The only thing is that you know when you buy the product that the product is safe for you since it was tested on a animal, but do ...

Fate and Chance as Antagonists in Romeo and Juliet essays

Fate and Chance as Antagonists in Romeo and Juliet essays In V.iii.159, Friar Laurence said, A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our plan. This quote sums up the reason for basically every bad event that occurred in Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet . Fate and chance are the two major elements that brought Romeo and Juliet together as lovers, but chance and fate brought them together with intent to use the lives and deaths of the two as part of a larger plan to reconcile the feuding Capulet and Montague families. Although the wrongs created by chance and fate were used to benefit this greater cause of ending the fight between the families, fate and chance should still be considered the greatest antagonists of the play. The meeting of the star-crossed pair, the deadly street fight that resulted in Romeos banishment, and the failure of the Friars letter to reach Romeo are all instances in which fate played an antagonistic role in Romeo and Juliet. Chance is an enormous factor in the beginning of the chain of events leading to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Without chance, there exists a very high likelihood that the two would have never met. By chance, Romeo got invited to and decided to attend the party. It was also chance that enabled Romeo to attend the gathering. He was simply walking down the street with his friends when he stumbled into an illiterate servant of Capulet who needed Romeos assistance in reading a guest list for the party. In exchange for his services, Romeo was given this invitation to the event (I.ii.80), My master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry. Also, by this same chance, Romeo decided to attend the celebration. If Benvolio had not mentioned in I.ii.84 that, At this same ancient feast of Capulets sups the fair Rosaline, then Romeo would not have had any desire to go to the party. The...

The eNotes Blog One of These Days, None of These Days Why WeProcrastinate

One of These Days, None of These Days Why WeProcrastinate The Science of Procrastination and How to Manage It Sorry everyone, I meant to post this last week Sound familiar? If youre a human being (and Im betting you are) youll have procrastinated at some point in your life. More likely, youll have procrastinated a lot in your life. But why is that? What is there in our genetic makeup that causes all of us to struggle with procrastination? The duo behind AsapSCIENCE answers that very question. Thankfully, they do so in the form of a YouTube video, which means you can procrastinate your procrastination by watching a video on how not to procrastinate Ah, the delicious irony. Though the psychological causes are still debated, theres a human tendency  to over or underestimate the value of a reward based on its temporal proximity. This is often referred to as temporal discounting. Basically, temporal discounting is a fancy explanation behind why youd rather watch that cute video of a Costa Rican sloth orphanage NOW and write that important research paper LATER. And it gets worse the further away your deadline is. Have a deadline at the end of the term, or even the school year? As it turns out, your weirdly-wired brain currently considers that exam or project of less important for being due further into the future. Human motivation is highly influenced by how imminent a reward is perceived to be, meaning the further away a reward is, the more you discount its value. This is often referred to as present bias or hyperbolic discounting. This is why students cram; you dont realize the value of a high grade until you come close enough to the time that grade will be evaluated. And more often than not, procrastinators will have acted too late to achieve the grade they really want. So theres the science of why. Now, how to keep your procrastination in check 1. How can you counteract present bias? Well, if the root of procrastination lies in the distance you are from your eventual deadline, why not bring that deadline closer? Setting smaller deadlines for yourself that line the way to your ultimate deadline is a good method to avoid last minute scrambling. 2. Immediate reward vs. future rewardso, a reward thats far off in time doesnt hold the same weight as some immediate satisfaction.   The best way to prevent the immediate reward being satisfied by  Facebook  or YouTube is to grant yourself another kind of reward. This could be a snack, a study break, or 15 minutes of browsing time. The important thing is that it has to be immediate. Telling yourself youll enjoy sweetmeats and other luxuries after you receive the grade you want is nice, but it wont stop you from procrastinating before then. 3. Related to the above, you might want to try the Pomodoro technique. This involves the use of a kitchen timer, set at 25 minutes, to improve your stamina for studying over time. You spend a little bit of time on, a little off, and in the process you gain the ability to judge the amount of time and effort youll have to put into each assigned task, thus allowing you to manage your future time more effectively. 4. And if all of that still cant peel you away from distractions, well just uninstall the internet. Seriously. Working writers do this all the time. There are even downloadable programs for it, like Concentrate and StayFocused (both for Chrome) and Leechblock (for Firefox). If you need the Internet to study, dont panic; you can use these programs to temporarily block yourself from the sites most offensive to your study time (because theres no way youre using Facebook and Pinterest to study). Furthermore, if you can practice the art of avoiding procrast Oh hey, look,  another cat video!

Sykes Enterprises Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sykes Enterprises - Case Study Example The mission of Sykes is to provide its customers with competitive rates so that it can provide its customers with the lowest rates. Sykes' strategy is to compete with the industry leaders on cost. It has to thus ensure that its operations stay profitable for it to continue its operations. Its mission and objectives are aligned with the amount of competition in the market and allows Sykes to target the same companies its competitors are targeting however, offering the lowest rates in town. There is no need to review the mission and objectives, but the strategy needs re-working. It is obvious that Sykes can take more than one action to improve its revenues and build a profitable business. The closure of its operations in India have resulted in consolidation of its costs in the United States. The competitors of Sykes have resorted to opening up call centers in South East Asian nations such as the Philippines to counter the high turnover costs and possible wage rises in Indian cities due to growing economies. One of the strategic alternatives for Sykes could be to introduce a culture of hiring fresh graduates and providing them training and binding them with contracts to serve Sykes for a period of two years. This would result in a significant drop in turnover for a temporary period. Reduction in the hiring and firing costs will result in lower running costs that will allow Sykes to offer lower rates to its customers. It would be wise for Sykes to continue its contracts with various towns and cities and gather benefits in taxation and other utilities offering employment in return. The reduction in taxes would result in a lower deductions in the revenues. The reduction would improve the profitability, though not necessarily the revenues. The current scenario asks for more involvement in the US rather than other countries. Significant cost reduction in Asian economies is no longer an onus and in countries that still offer lower operation rates, there is always the chance of high turnover costs and bad customer experiences - due to accents of offshore employees. Recommended Strategy Keeping into view the tough conditions of the economy, it would be wise for Sykes to combine the two strategies and work towards reducing its costs. Since Sykes mission and objective is reduction in costs to offer competitive rates in the industry, the two strategies could both be used to reduce the costs in order to provide highly competitive rates to corporate customers. This strategy would result in attraction of more corporate clients. However, Sykes should not close down any further call centers nor should it pursue an aggressive strategy within the US - current operations should be maintained until there is a significant rise in the profits. Implementation It would be wise for Sykes Enterprises to consider more large firms in the market other than SBC

Corruption in the Pakistan Government Research Paper

Corruption in the Pakistan Government - Research Paper Example The primary aim of this study is to review the extent of corruption in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It will also review whether corruption and poor governance have forced its people to seek other forms of assistance, especially those of illegal militant groups. According to Aristotle â€Å"the deviation or corruption of kingship is tyranny. Both kingship and tyranny are forms of government by a single person, but the tyrant studies his own advantage†¦..the king looks to that of his subjects† (Heidenheimer, 1997, P. 3). The journal article ‘Social sciences and the evolving concept of corruption’ provides more connotations or meaning to the term corruption. In Biblical terms corruption is plainly injustice, while current perception of corruption means accepting of bribes. The French have a broader perspective and sees corruption as all acts of crime done by civil servants and includes the judiciary as well as the people who try to corrupt the above two classes (G ´ENAUX, 2004). But, the definition of the term provided by the OECD, apparently covers all the above perceptions as it defines corruption as â€Å"the abuse of public or private office for personal gain† (OECD, 2008, P. 22). This paper will consider the above definition when reviewing the topic of corruption in Pakistan. Pakistan can definitely be classified as a developing economy and studies have shown that corruption levels are higher here when compared to developed ones. Some developing economies have faster growth rate when compared to others, and there is no perceptible differences in corruption levels in both instances (Rose-Ackerman, 2006, p. 218). It has to be seen whether the above two factors hold good in the case of Pakistan as well. In other words, it has to be seen whether corruption in the country is high or low, and also whether it is comparable with a high growth economy like India, China, or Brazil. The three developing economies mentioned here

Critique summary of a research study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique summary of a research study - Essay Example The purpose of the study was further described in the background section which clarified that delirium is a rather common occurrence in frail older adults and there is a need for the development of an understanding concerning the factors which influence recovery. The paper further suggests that the results from this study can be used to influence care management and other procedures at hospitals in order to improve the detection and recovery process. The methods section of the study shows that the research conducted concerning the selection and identification of the patients was excellent. The researchers went to great lengths to get the data they needed about the patients. The patient sampling all had baseline mobility and could certainly show increased dependence for care services if their conditions worsened somehow and this was an important factor for this study. Procedures for the study included an interview at the time of admission to the hospital and a follow-up interview after six months which gave the patients further questions to answer. The primary strength of the study is that it leads to conclusive results which allow hospital managers and working staff to use this study as a part of their operational guidelines. For example, knowing that frailty and a poor diagnosis can lead to worse outcomes, caregivers can be aware that a patient who is frail may have problems such as delirium in tow with other medical conditions. Similarly, the study can also raise the importance of recognizing delirium as a possible cause for the problems faced by a patient. The weakness which is present in the study (which was also acknowledged by the scientists conducting the study) is that the sample size was very small to draw overall general conclusions which are universally applicable. The sample size of 77 of which only 50 could be found after six months is surely too

Position Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Position Analysis - Essay Example In addition, when children get access to guns, it is dangerous in that during their playtime, and they might end up killing others thinking that they are just playing Gun control is ineffective in reducing crime. Research has countless times revealed through their historical, econometric, and criminological studies that gun control does not reduce crime, yet the advocates of gun control fail to recognize these results. Instances of youth brutality utilizing weapons were pointedly expanding. This exploration presumed that between 1985-1998 instances of youth brutality expanded by 154%. Weapon control by age is very important since people in this age tend to be very violent and aggressive. This is attributed to early onset of forceful youth practices and poor child rearing as a percentage of the explanations behind expanded youth wrongdoings. Specifically, the events of the Aurora, Colorado Theater shooting alongside the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre have galvanized public opinion on both sides of the issue (Agresti and Reid, n.p). The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution sought to convey individual gun rights to the citizen. Although the law has long been interpreted to mean just this, the fact of the matter is that when one reads the Second Amendment from a literalist perspective. It is quite clear that the Second Amendment is speaking to the needs of the states and individual regions of the newly formed United States to form a militia as a means of protecting the Republic. In such a way, the Second Amendment can and should be interpreted as little more than admission from the Federal government that it promises not to infringe upon the rights of the militias (National Guard and Army Reserves) to maintain a stock of weaponry for the purpose of defense and securing the borders of the new nation. This particular argument hinges upon interpretation of

Importance of play in the speech and language therapy Assignment

Importance of play in the speech and language therapy - Assignment Example In my opinion, the members of administration team simply do not understand the importance of play in the children’s development and I believe such actions will highly affect our department. Playing is one of the activities that young children often spend the better part of their time doing during the day and it is therefore important to appreciate the significance and impact of playing on the learning and development of children (Pellegrini, 278). First and foremost children often use play to experiment and explore new things as well as use words to express their thoughts and ideas during play. As children grow and become more sophisticated in their play skills, their language development may equally advance. Children use language during play to solve problems and to communicate their desires. During play, children are normally provided with opportunities for social interaction with their peers and therefore learn to express and control their emotions using language. Speech an d language learning is an ongoing process that takes place all day long particularly during the children’s everyday activities such as playing. During such activities, children usually significantly enhance their communication and language skills in a very indirect way. Additionally play materials that allow children with language problems to play imitative and repetitive games may also them to acquire important skills such as those of listening and attention which are necessary for their speech and language development. According to many speech and language experts, play is one of the most effective and natural ways of encouraging the development of speech and language skills in children. This is particularly because small children usually learn many skills such as listening, attention, sharing, building sentences and imagination through play. Another important reason why it is critically for the hospital administration not to affect any budget cut on the play materials in m y department is that play helps the children to develop their concentration ability. For example playing children not only focus on objects and people but they also listen and learn a lot of new names and words and this is necessary for their communication development. Apart from speech and language development, playing also help children to learn about cultural expectations and norms, discover the world around them and learn how to negotiate their ways in their surroundings. Play also support development and learning of children in a number of ways. Recent research suggests that sufficient play not only enhances growth and enrichment of children but their active participation also facilitates control and mastery leading to feelings of self efficacy and competence. On the other hand, play also encourages children to take turns and this is also important because individuals often take turns to speak and listen during normal conversations. Play enhances confidence in children while ex pressing themselves and through this the child develops the art of; listening and attention, naming, building sentences and understanding. In order to learn a language, children need both to hear and see signs. This is why most of the play materials designed for children are usually labeled and described to enable them to make connection between the objects and the words and eventually learn to use such words. Children need very many playing materials and the proposed budget cuts may potentially affect their learning abilities. Right from birth babies should get sufficient playing materials such as dolls,

The Mental Capcity Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Mental Capcity Act - Essay Example The law also applies to common decisions involving personal care, diet, movement and grooming. In practice, the MCA generally provides for making decisions based on the victim’s best interests. In working out what the best interests of a vulnerable party looks like, the proxy must not tamper their decision with other unrelated issues such as the principal’s age, looks, condition or behaviour. Secondly, they should consider postponing important decisions for persons who cannot make decisions due to temporary conditions. Thirdly, they should involve the individual who does not have mental capacity in decision-making processes (Murray, 2013). In contrast, the Act requires decision-making processes to be based on the vulnerable individual’s past principles. It is also important for proxy decision-makers to factor in the perceptions of others, especially care providers and other parties who are interested in the individual’s welfare (Symington, 2007). In addition, any such decisions should not be inclined towards taking the life of the vulnerable party if they still have a chance to recover. The MCA has since substituted an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) with a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). An LPA is a licit document allowing persons to select an individual who can decide about their health and assets in the event that they become incapable. In this case, the attorney is the party mandated to draw conclusions on their behalf. In addition, with the LPA’s property and affairs option and the personal welfare option, vulnerable individuals have, since the MCA was implemented in 2007, enjoyed all-encompassing protection when they become incapacitated. The property and affairs LPA provides the attorney(s) the authority to decide about the victim’s financial and other physical property issues, such as car or managing rental property. In contrast, the personal welfare LPA empowers the attorney(s) to decide on the victim’s health and individual welfare,

Position Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Position Analysis - Essay Example In addition, when children get access to guns, it is dangerous in that during their playtime, and they might end up killing others thinking that they are just playing Gun control is ineffective in reducing crime. Research has countless times revealed through their historical, econometric, and criminological studies that gun control does not reduce crime, yet the advocates of gun control fail to recognize these results. Instances of youth brutality utilizing weapons were pointedly expanding. This exploration presumed that between 1985-1998 instances of youth brutality expanded by 154%. Weapon control by age is very important since people in this age tend to be very violent and aggressive. This is attributed to early onset of forceful youth practices and poor child rearing as a percentage of the explanations behind expanded youth wrongdoings. Specifically, the events of the Aurora, Colorado Theater shooting alongside the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre have galvanized public opinion on both sides of the issue (Agresti and Reid, n.p). The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution sought to convey individual gun rights to the citizen. Although the law has long been interpreted to mean just this, the fact of the matter is that when one reads the Second Amendment from a literalist perspective. It is quite clear that the Second Amendment is speaking to the needs of the states and individual regions of the newly formed United States to form a militia as a means of protecting the Republic. In such a way, the Second Amendment can and should be interpreted as little more than admission from the Federal government that it promises not to infringe upon the rights of the militias (National Guard and Army Reserves) to maintain a stock of weaponry for the purpose of defense and securing the borders of the new nation. This particular argument hinges upon interpretation of

The Mental Capcity Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Mental Capcity Act - Essay Example The law also applies to common decisions involving personal care, diet, movement and grooming. In practice, the MCA generally provides for making decisions based on the victim’s best interests. In working out what the best interests of a vulnerable party looks like, the proxy must not tamper their decision with other unrelated issues such as the principal’s age, looks, condition or behaviour. Secondly, they should consider postponing important decisions for persons who cannot make decisions due to temporary conditions. Thirdly, they should involve the individual who does not have mental capacity in decision-making processes (Murray, 2013). In contrast, the Act requires decision-making processes to be based on the vulnerable individual’s past principles. It is also important for proxy decision-makers to factor in the perceptions of others, especially care providers and other parties who are interested in the individual’s welfare (Symington, 2007). In addition, any such decisions should not be inclined towards taking the life of the vulnerable party if they still have a chance to recover. The MCA has since substituted an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) with a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). An LPA is a licit document allowing persons to select an individual who can decide about their health and assets in the event that they become incapable. In this case, the attorney is the party mandated to draw conclusions on their behalf. In addition, with the LPA’s property and affairs option and the personal welfare option, vulnerable individuals have, since the MCA was implemented in 2007, enjoyed all-encompassing protection when they become incapacitated. The property and affairs LPA provides the attorney(s) the authority to decide about the victim’s financial and other physical property issues, such as car or managing rental property. In contrast, the personal welfare LPA empowers the attorney(s) to decide on the victim’s health and individual welfare,

Quotation essay Essay Example for Free

Quotation essay Essay We never appreciate the value of water until the well runs dry. The words in this quote, written by Benjamin Franklin, invite the reader to take a deeper more insightful glance into how possessions and people arent appreciated until the realization of their importance or value. Through literature, the author uses symbolism, comparisons, and theme to evaluate the importance of appreciation. The author, Benjamin Franklin, portrays meaning throughout the quote which relates to appreciating what you have. People dont realize what they have until its gone. When its gone, then you realize the importance of what you had. In a specific case in which the possession is a valued item, you tend to realize how much better off you were once you had it. Also, if what the quote was referring to specifically was a person, you sometimes realize you love or miss that person more than you expected to. It doesnt necessarily have to be a death, it could be someone leaving a job or moving. For example, I had an apple iPod. I didnt really pay much attention to it. When I lost it, then I realized its value and importance to me. This quote is also based on taking every little chance you get. Taking risks could mean something as simple as trying new things. The author, Ben Franklin portrays different meanings throughout the quote which relates to appreciating what you have and taking risks. The water and the well runs dry are two symbols that represent a friend, family member, or possession that is important to you. Franklin uses the water to represent the value of that specific person or possession to you. The well is used to symbolize the source of your opportunities. Referring back to what I mentioned about the subject being a person, this loved one  could also be the source of your opportunities or education. Until the well runs dry could refer to that person leaving and taking an opportunity with them. For example, the water could be a teacher thats trying to help you get into a good high school. But, you dont think you need their help. If that person leaves and moves on, you might not have as good as an opportunity like you did before when they were helping you. You then start to realize that there help was very important. Other than being a person, the water could relate to a possession. As I mentioned before, when I lost my iPod, I realized its importance. The water and well could symbolize the wealthy versus the poor. In this situation the well, source of opportunities, would be different. Therefore, those two symbols fully symbolize the parting of a loved one, a lost possession, or an important opportunity up until the realization of its true value and meaning you. The author uses the comparison of the value of water to the well. He does this to explain that people take opportunities as well as other people for granted. With this comparison, the subject must be an individual. For example, to a friendship situation, a friend could be taken for granted if you assume that he will always be ready to help you out even if you arent always ready to help him or her. Another example is an employee could be taken for granted by an employer, who makes no effort (such as raises in pay) to reward the employers long and faithful service. The theme of this quote is appreciation, which is basically similar to the meaning. Another theme that can be analyzed from the quote is taking people for granted. Taken for granted is like when you have something really special or important but you dont notice it. Also, grabbing opportunities while you can plays a big part in taking things for granted. For example, I wanted to join the recycling team. But, I kept stalling and not filling out the paper. As a result, the opportunity passed me by and I could no longer join. Franklins words personally relate to human experiences. As I stated earlier, I had an iPod but didnt realize how valuable it was to me until I misplaced it. This quote relates to life in different ways. Taking advantage of a  parent or teacher is one of these ways. For example, I depend on your mom or dad for almost everything. If something happens and Im mad at them, I sometimes wish things you dont mean. If they unexpectedly leave, I will then realize the importance of their role in my life. Franklins words connect to human experiences in various ways. This quote by Ben Franklin does not only relate to personal experience but also connects to the community + world. It connects to the community because people in a community or learning environment could take advantage of a teacher, or appreciate them more when theyre gone. For example, at my dance ministry we have a dance coordinator, Ms. Ferdinand. Sometimes some of the girls dont really agree with her decisions. But, if one day she decided to leave the ministry in the hands of someone else, they may not like it. That person may be very different from what we are used to. Another example could be some students hating a teacher. These examples have the same concept. If the teacher leaves they might not like the one that replaces them. When I was at dream yesterday, a student said Is Mr. Sue, the math teacher, coming back? The English teacher answered Probably not. The student then went on to say I like him better than the new teacher. The class then agreed with him. But, most of the kids in the class didnt really like Mr. Sue when he was around. They then realized that his method of teaching was more understandable than the one we have now. The English teacher then said you never appreciate the value of water, until the well runs dry. Think about that I said to her I am analyzing that quote in ELA. Therefore, they learned that they didnt really appreciate Mr. Sue until he was gone. We never appreciate the value of water until the well runs dry. The words in this quote written by Benjamin Franklin invite the reader to take a deeper more insightful glance into how possessions and people arent appreciated until the realization of their importance or value. A final example could be that when famous singers die, there music gets even more popular. This quote by Benjamin Franklin portrays meaning with relates to grabbing opportunities, appreciation, and taking things for granted.

Introduction Of Smartphones To Business Management Essay

Introduction Of Smartphones To Business Management Essay 3.1 Introduction This chapter discuss about factors that influences the business environment used by PEST model. Then also discuss industry concept of competition, competitor analysis, such as strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. 3.2 Introduction of Smartphone In 1973, Motorola introduced a first cellular telephone, and then no one had imagined that this would ignite a whole new technological change: The Mobile Revolution. Typical cell phones were used only for voice calling and later for text messaging, but with growth in mobile phone adoption, cell phones are now available with a number of different features like e-mail, video and audio facilities, internet access, etc. Thus, a whole new change in this mobile sector happened and the smartphone race began. This race also created competition between operators and handset manufacturers in getting more returns from mobile phone equipment and services. The rise in the smartphone segment accompanies the mobile internet revolution. However, the main reasons are better margins for Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs) and higher Average revenue per user (ARPU) for operators. The smartphone is basically a combination of operating system, application, and handset manufacturers. In addition, due t o the increase in the application market of the smartphone and the growing popularity of OS used for mobile systems, it can be said that the near future will witness the most powerfull application running on phones with high powered operating systems. Considering current growth in the smartphone sector, it is estimated to grow by at least 18-20% by 2011 according to iSuppli. Following table shows sales of smartphones during year 2008 and 2009. Worldwide Smartphone Sales to End Users in 2009 (Thousands of Units) Company 2009 Sales Market Share (%) 2008 Sales Market Share (%) Nokia 440,881.6 36.4 472,314.9 38.9 Samsung 235,772.0 19.5 199,324.3 16.3 LG 122,055.3 10.1 102.789.1 8.4 Motorola 58,475.2 4.8 106.522.4 8.7 Sony Ericsson 54,873.4 4.5 93,106.1 7.6 Other 299,179.2 24.7 248,196.1 20.3 Total 1,211,236.6 100.0 1222,252.9 100.0 Table 1: World Smartphone Sales 3.2.1 Overview of Different Smartphone Operating Systems Before moving to Android and iPhone, it is necessary to understand 3.3 PEST Analysis PEST analysis is stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management Political impact: Whether the diffusion of Smartphone will contribute to information control and national unity, or strengthen information flow and centrifugal forces are question. However, it may enhance individual rights of political involvement by spreading political information and critiques easier and faster than before. As a result, traditional government control of information traffic maybe weakened. Calgary (1994) mentioned that, by using the increasing economic interests of the foreign business in China and Hong Kong, the Chinese government could take advantage of the lobby power of the foreign telecommunications multinationals involved in the diffusion of mobile communications in China as a political card to force foreign governments to make favorable policies toward China. The permission of allowing AT T to sell its used mobile communications system in part of China and Chinas good relation with Motorola are two examples of an indirect political impact from the diffusion. Economic impact: The diffusion of Smartphone communications can help China and Hong Kong economic development. Wireless communications devices can provide convenience to commercial mobility and prompt access to business information in the current social wave of doing business first in China and Hong Kong. Business becomes more mobile than ever in an information age, but chinas still poor wired telecommunications network cannot meet the demand for mobile communications which keep the information sharing and exchange fast to avoid the long time economic bottleneck Chinas limited wired networks and transportation capabilities. There the Chinese people, believing time is money, turn their eyes to pagers and cellular phones as a very useful business tool to make money. As a result, the diffusion of mobile communications adds a new push to Chinas increasing economic activities. China is a unique, large market where a low per capita income combines with consumers desire for advanced communications products. Smartphone in China have created a profitable business in China in the past few years. Benefited by the present demand exceeding supply, sales and operations of pagers and cellular phones can get capital back very fast. Also according to the Western telecommunication professionals, the economics of wireless technology as an alternative to wired services looks even more appealing. Due to difficult terrain, long local loops and the constant need for repairs, the cost of adding a new wired subscriber in China averages around $2k and is often more. But wireless technology cuts this by half. The demand for Smartphone has made the multinationals such as Microsoft, Apple and Android increase their sales and investment in China and Hong Kong. Thus China and Hong Kong can improve its inadequate communication system which has been one of the bottlenecks of its economic development by having the aid of these foreign resources. Also with more foreign players competing in Chinas market for mobile communications, China will be in a favorable position to make better business deals by the way of using one against another. However, the increasing market demand for imported finished products also drains more scarce foreign exchanges out of Chinas reserves. In turn the foreign drain may hurt Chinas economic expansion in other areas such as energy and transportation. Social impact: The diffusion will change the way the Chinese communicate and work. With more Smartphone devices used, the social contacts will increase so much that more social activities will be arranged easily and on time. These objects also provide a convenient channel for the personal dialogue among family members and friends who have been able to get together often like before because of busier individual time schedules and scattered living spaces. Also with more Smartphone adopters, social concerns about health safety, privacy, and intrusiveness will become salient gradually, though some of them are ignored by the Chinese at present time because of the Chinese basically positive attitude toward technological innovations and the relatively small portion of Smartphone users among the Chinese. At the same time, the diffusion, along with other socioeconomic factors, has widened the socioeconomic gap between the early Chinese adopters and the late adopters or have-nots. Smartphone with their unreasonably high cost add a new symbol into the upstart culture which is usually regarded as a negative social phenomenon in Chinas media and a disgusting social habit in most Chinese eyes. A cultural conflict between the haves and the have-nots occurs. The haves want to show their mobile phones in certain public occasions to let others know their social images: they are bus, they are dealing business, they have money, they have more social connections, so they are important. Most users also think the negative social comments on them are form the have-nots jealous psychology; the have-nots hate to see the impudence because they know most of the self-funded Chinese cellular users are dubious people with less education background and less social taste, some of them even are former crimina ls. Sun (1992) mentioned that, the have-lots also believe many of the users can afford a Smartphone because their money is made not through productive activities but through trade, speculation, or gambling on the stock market. The show-off manner of wealth has been accepted by many Chinese interviewees as an eye-catching feature in the Chinese culture though it is never seen as a good behavior. They think, however, that when more Chinese can afford the price lowering Smartphone and accessing mobile communications, the social cultural conflict will be resolved automatically because the present symbol of social status will be worth nothing when more people have Smartphone. This judgment is reasonable, but its prerequisite depends on the diffusion rate of Smartphone in China and Hong Kong. In addition, the diffusion of mobile communications may increase governments social control resource by equipping the police with various wireless devices to locate possible protesters, as one of the government preventive measures showed during the incident anniversaries these years. Technology impact: The diffusion of Smartphone help more Chinese become aware of the technical advances of the wireless innovations. In general, the peoples think natural science and technology are value-free and the continuing technological improvements and adaptations are positive to national development. They see the winners in todays world as determined by economic strengths and technological advantages, rather than ideology and military. So more people usually take a welcome attitude to new technology and like to get more knowledge about the innovations, unless they cannot afford or understand these new technologies. As for the Chinese communication professionals, the diffusion of mobile communications can make them learn more about equipment design, production, and standards either from imported products or from various technology transfer means such as joint venture and cooperative development. Because of their high-education and tech-management background, they have more ability, as change agents, to persuade the decision makers and common Chinese to adopt or reject certain technologies. The diffusion has helped its communications systems to catch up with the mobile communications technological trend in the world. The Chinese accepted the fact of their backwardness in most high-tech fields, but the professionals also know the leapfrogging advantage in a later adopter, having more technological choices after comparative evaluations, saving time and capital. The quick adoption to program controlled switches and optical fibers has provided a successful experience to the improvement of wired networks. So the improvement wireless communication technologies also gives more alternatives among the updated and appropriate innovations to leapfrog its mobile communications system. On the other hand, the diffusion also increases the technology dependence of foreign wireless innovators. Although can take advantage of leapfrogging by importing, it will never obtain the most advanced technology and the key techniques. But the diffusion will stimulate market demands for newer mobile innovations, thus technologically rely on the wireless pioneers from the developed countries for quite a long time, regardless of how strong its national pride is. In short, the diffusion of mobile communications, on one hand, does raise the Chineses knowledge level and enhance Chins communication capability. On the other hand, it also reinforces the technology determinism in the Chinese minds and its technology dependence on the developed countries.

Military Governments Essay -- essays research papers

Military Governments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military governments have been around since the days of feudalism. It is the oldest and most common political state. According to Shively, a military government is one in which a group of officers use their troops to take over the governmental apparatus and run it themselves. Military governments are usually weak in appeasing the masses for they are known to be brutal and power hungry and are also rather fragile, both internally and externally.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In its primitive state, existing as feudalism, the high ranking officials/nobility and the military itself was composed solely of the elite ruling class. But as society became more complex, the role of the elite was slightly altered as technology progressed and the nobility and kings no longer controlled weapons nor could prevent the disintegration of the feudal society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Modern military governments usually occur after the military stages a coup. A coup is the forceful deposition of a government by all or a portion of the armed forces and installation of a new military government. Coups ordinarily take place when the present government poses a threat to the state or the status quo. Because the military controls more armed power than anyone in a state, they have the ability to take over the government at any given time. In Power and Choice, Shively questions the notion of the infrequency of military governments. Yes, they are common, but why aren't they more common? The reason being that as societies advance and become more complex, it is necessary for the ruling elite to be more knowledgeable of the processes by which a government is operated. This explains the recurrence of civilian-run governments. The military may have a few leaders who are skilled politically, but the armed forces are not customarily trained to run governments. Recall that the role of the military is to protect and serve the state, therefore there is usually a cycle, known as the Barracks cycle, in which the military brings about a coup, but later reestablishes civilian control, and is the new state threatens governmental stability, the military stages yet another coup, etc. The longer the military stays in power, the more the political state exists unstably.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Nigeria, for ... ... form of government or evolve to a new sophisticated government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In any case, military governments are weak internally and externally. They pose as forms of transitional governments, not necessarily in times of revolution, but in times when the state itself becomes weak or poses a threat to the status quo. Though some military governments do perservere for years and years without being overthrown, their inability to run the state efficiently forces the military to restore democracy or to stage another overthrow of the government. Also, because the military government itself takes power through no regular process as other, more stable forms of government, but simply seizes it, they encounter the problem of legitimacy. Lastly, coalitions internally are in itself a whole other government. The weakness and competition present between these coalitions usually causes the downfall of the military government and installment of a new civilian-run government decided so by the general consensus. Generally, all military governments will fail in time and return to it previous government or evolve to a whole new governmental system with a revolution.