Technology Evolution in The Modern Society

The modern society is being greatly reshaped by the rapid developments in information technologies where it is evident that computers, telecommunications networks, and other related digital systems have combined to increase people’s capacity to know, achieve, and even collaborate (I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Technology Evolution in The Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The presence of these technologies has motivated people to participate in activities of transmitting information more quickly and widely, connecting distant locations and creating global communities that almost one and half decade ago, such experiences were unimaginable (I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited, 2009). Notable is the fact that information technology is uniting people through different forms while at the same time integrating cultures and creating new social dyna mics. Information technology is further resulting into formation of closely bonded and widely dispersed communities of people who largely are united by their desire to transact business or just sharing experiences and pursuing academic and knowledge goals (I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited, 2009). Numerous areas of humankind world are being transformed and affected by information technology such as the business, media, education, security, and many more. Particularly in business, information technology enabled through IT communication, electronic service networks and multimedia continue to contribute to new and effective means of processing business transactions, integrating business processes, transferring payments and delivering services electronically (I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited, 2009). Thus, E-commerce has evolved to become a unique developmental product of information technology advances in business, which is tremendously changing business fronts and operation in t he entire world.Advertising Looking for term paper on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More E-Commerce Electron commerce is regarded an emerging concept which among other variables involves the process of buying and selling or exchanging pf products, services and information through the use of telecommunication and computer support system networks largely involving the internet. E-Commerce has received numerous definitions as a concept that continues to undergo changes. For instance according to definition provided by I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited (2009) e-commerce refers to, â€Å"the electronic means of conducting commerce between business communications and transactions over the internet† (p.179). Accordingly this definition suggest that e-commerce involves â€Å"buying and selling over the internet, electronic fund transfers, smart cards, digital cash and all other ways of doing business over dig ital networks† (I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited, 2009, p.179). According to Janice Reynolds, e-commerce has evolved as the mainstream that is enabling businesses to sell products and services to consumers on a global basis hence e-commerce can be seen as the platform upon which new methods to sell and to dispense innovative products and services electronically are tested (Reynolds, 2004). Kalakota and Whinston (1997, cited in Bushry, 2005) define e-commerce concept using different perspectives such as follows. Communication perspective- where e-commerce is seen to constitute the delivery of information, products or services, orders and payments over telephone lines, computer networks or any other electronic means. Business process perspective – which on the other hand postulates that, e-commerce is the employment of technology towards automation of business transactions and workflow. Service perspective – which holds that e-commerce constitute a tool that fu lfills the needs and desires of companies, customers and management with aim of reducing the transaction costs while at the same time being able to excel in quality of goods and services and further be able to increase the speed of delivery.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Technology Evolution in The Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lastly, an online perspective on its conviction state that e-commerce possess the ability and capacity to for buying and selling products and information mainly on internet and other related online services (Bushry, 2005). E-Commerce has also been defined by Reynolds (2004) to comprise the paperless exchange of business information by largely using electronic data interchange, electronic mail. Electronic bulleting boards, electronic funds transfer, World Wide Web, and other network-based technologies (Reynolds, 2004). At the same time, e-commerce apart from automa ting manual processes and paper transactions again contribute and helps organizations to move fully to electronic environment thereby modifying how businesses operate. E-commerce has widely affected the world and business in numerous ways and the impacts are likely to accelerate in future as new innovative developments takes place. E-commerce today continue to exert concerted positive and negative influence on world economy, global markets, international trade, financial markets, and many more sectors of business (Bajaj, Nag and Bajaj, 2005). As the world continues to benefit from industrial activities, internet will continue to shape the world in form of e-commerce activities. In general, e-commerce involves moving organizations from dormant traditional environment to full electronic environment that in turn leads to â€Å"change in their work procedures, reengineering their business processes, integrating them with their business partners beyond their traditional boundaries† (Bajaj, Nag and Bajaj, 2005). Observation is that, e-commerce has revolutionalized the way business is conducted, as modern businesses have been intricate and complex.Advertising Looking for term paper on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Transactions at the same time are involving several global trading partners located in different parts of the world, and to effectively handle these complexities and interdependences of business processes, the role of e-commerce has become important since it is able to knit different organizations objectives or goals through a viable electronic environment. From these literatures, e-commerce concept has been summarized by two groups: The Aberdeen Consulting Group and Giga Group. According to the Aberdeen Consulting Group, e-business which is used interchangeably with e-commerce constitutes, â€Å"the application of electronic network technologies to transform business processes† (Bajaj, Nag and Bajaj, p.20), while Giga Group defines e-business as, â€Å"the application of electronic network technologies to transform business processes† (Bajaj, Nag and Bajaj, 2005, p.20). E-Commerce and Business Business organizations both small and large have inevitably embraced intern et for the delivery of numerous information-based services. Due to its numerous potentials and opportunities organization, especially those involved in business activities continue to appreciate the internet in a variety of tasks (Botha, 2004). A business to full benefit from numerous aspects of internet has to go through certain but key stages: first, there is exposure stage, where the organization utilizes the technology mainly for electronic brochure and bulletin board. This is done to provide information to the company’s clients. Second, there is the interaction stage, which is a point where the internet is viewed as the link between the firm and the customer; here, the internet is perceived to be a communication channel and it becomes integral component in the operation of the organization. Third, there is the e-commerce stage, where internet is believed to have evolved and become part of the economic bloodline of the company generating need for new operational procedure s, financial management and marketing skills. In essence, a part from conducting communication with the organization using the internet the customer is at the same time able to purchase goods and services through the internet. The organization reacts to these by ensuring that adequate facilities to facilitate purchased products by customers and subsequent delivery are done effectively using the internet. Lastly, there is the e-business stage, where business is able to expand from its internal-focus role to exploitation of new market opportunities and in this way the internet become vital and useful in influencing the organization and business unit strategy (Botha, 2004). E-commerce constitutes five major types that continue to dominate modern business world: Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B), Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C), Peer-to-Peer (P2P), lastly, Mobile commerce (m-commerce). Primarily, Business-to-Consumer type of e-commerce entails the applications that †Å"provide interface from businesses directly to their consumers† (Sun and Finnie, 2004). Consumers are the main target of the business goals and objectives where electronic transactions in marketing, ordering and paying, and sometimes after sales service takes place more easily without requiring the consumer to move to the physical location of the product (Sun and Finnie, 2004). Most businesses have resorted to B2C e-commerce in order to attract new customers, reach new markets, and promote products and services (Sun and Finnie, 2004). Business-to-Business (B2B) on the other hand comprises the largest form of e-commerce in modern market. Modern companies associate and interact in business aspects of selling, negotiating, and contracting business products and opportunities through the web. E-commerce in this type (B2B) is used to improve communication within the organization and reduce costs while at the same time increase efficiency of business processes (Sun and Finnie, 2004) . Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) form of e-commerce on the other hand benefit consumers as it eliminates the hurdles of intermediaries. C2C Websites have been designed to enable consumers to have that ‘direct’ dealing with other consumers and these websites constitute online communities, free personal classified pages, and auction houses (Sun and Finnie, 2004). In modern world, e-bay found at www.ebay.com is a clear form of C2C e-commerce application that has gained popularity among consumers. Consumers open their own stores at e-bay.com where they are able to display and sell all their products in e-bay stores (Sun and Finnie, 2004). With advances in internet technology C2C traditional distance has become zero and communication largely free, an opportunity regarded to benefit and complement B2B e-commerce and B2C e-commerce in future. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) e-commerce constitutes new form of modern e-commerce concept that in its operation is characterized by lack of centralize d control (Mitchell and Institution of Electrical Engineers, 2005). P2P e-commerce has become popular due to its ability of being file-sharing networks, and providing means of distributing mostly copyrighted materials (Mitchell and Institution of Electrical Engineers, 2005). Nevertheless this form of e-commerce has been drawn back largely by lack of addressing security issues which is further compounded by conflict that arise with requirement to provide anonymity for users and increasing need to provide forceful access control, data integrity, confidentiality and accountability services (Mitchell and Institution of Electrical Engineers, 2005 ). The last type of e-commerce is mobile commerce. Mobile phones have become popular and constitute widely used mobile devices (Lim and Siau, 2003). Mobile phones especially those that are GSM enabled have become vital facilitating mobile commerce. Other mobile devices that are becoming important in mobile e-commerce include palmtops, and PDA, w hich are accelerating mobile e-commerce (Lim and Siau, 2003). Mobile e-commerce enables the users to conduct electronic commerce activities using their mobile devices and the e-commerce activities include obtaining marketing and sales information, receive ordering information, make purchase decision, make payments, obtain the product or service, and finally receive necessary customer support (Lim and Siau, 2003). Mobile e-commerce continues to get acceptance due to its convenience of being available anytime and anywhere. On overall e-commerce role in most businesses cannot be ignored or underrated. It is clear that businesses have grown and expanded as a result of e-commerce. Smaller business have been presented with opportunity to compete bigger and established businesses on equal grounds and business activities and operations have defied geographical barriers to establish in new markets and regions as a result of e-commerce (Botha, Bothma and Geldenhuys, 2008). Therefore, e-commer ce contribution to business has resulted into extended hours of operations for the business, geographical barriers have been broken, online tenders and contracts are enormous, business costs have drastically reduced, competition continue to be transparent, lastly, weak and inefficient middlemen have been eliminated (Botha, Bothma and Geldenhuys, 2008). E-Commerce and Technology As evidences show, it would be impossible to have electronic business without technology. Technology for e-commerce has originated in the use of internet and other computer networks to fulfill goals of online buying and selling, electronic funds transfer, business communications and other activities that involve buying and selling goods and services online (Zhou, 2004). The use of internet and other information technology techniques, which in wide sense constitute e-commerce has become an important part of meeting the needs and wants of consumers while the company benefits by gaining profit. Technology usage by companies has resulted in companies achieving greater value from e-commerce. In essence, companies with appropriate and superior technology infrastructure coupled with efficient human resource adopt e-commerce more easily than those lacking these aspects (Kraemer, 2006). Analysis of e-commerce adoption in developed and developing countries indicate that it is the technological readiness that account as the strongest factor influencing adoption of e-commerce. Technology is seen to be relative diffuse in developing nations while integrated in developed nations (Kraemer, 2006). E-commerce is further influenced and affected by the digital divide where in the past access and utilization of technology was confined in a small group of rich people. The masses especially in developing and least developed countries were left out leading to their inadequate acquisition of technology. This has hampered their effort to be part of the global community appreciating and enjoying the benefits of e-commerce (Wahab, 2003). As such, what is needed is a well-orchestrated scheme that enhances to incorporate the developing and least developed nations into the mainstream of technological learning and training, which in turn possess the capability to transform the larger society into embracing e-commerce. E-Commerce and Society Society is one at the receiving end of technological products. People in the society are the ones facilitating and at the same time benefiting from technology. Nevertheless, people do not just act as passive consumers of technological products but also largely participate in influencing and directing invention and adoption of various technologies. Different people in different regions of the world hold specific and unique values and norms, which has power in shaping and controlling the direction of information technology usages (Thanasankit, 2003). Adoption of technology and to extent e-commerce has been facilitated through language and communication. Techno logy development and adoption tends to take place within the functioning capacities of economy, political, legal, social, religious, and education institutions. On overall these institutions and structures affect or influence the level, propensity, type and period for invention and subsequent adoption of particular technological products. On overall the use of e-commerce has been associated with specific potential problems that emanate from issues to do with customer perception and cultural orientation, fear of loss of personal data, linguistic obstacles, difficult in integrating data and the high cost associated with adopting and running e-commerce technology (Reynolds, 2009). Transparency, global and efficiency of e-markets Electronic markets can be said to be still infant and online exchanges are yet to gain considerable acceptance especially by those in developing and less developed societies. Nevertheless, electronic markets are seen to possess the potential to â€Å"reduce tr ansactions costs, add product and pricing transparency, generate market liquidity, and facilitate bidding by a broad spectrum of potential suppliers in a standardized platform† (Zhu, 2002 cited in The Gale Group, 2004, p.1). Accelerating activities of electronic market, internet is seen to be at forefront in generating improved and flow of information (Kemerer, 1998 cited in The Gale Group, 2004). Electronic markets in this sense is seen to constitute a platform on which information is collected, synthesized, availed and circulated among various suppliers and consumers. The rise of electronic markets has resulted in creation of huge information with regard to products, prices, transactions, and competitors. As a result of this, information in electronic markets has become more transparent as compared to traditional convectional markets (The Gale Group, 2004). According to Zhu (2002), information transparency can be seen as, â€Å"the degree of visibility and accessibility of information† (The Gale Group, 2004, p.1). Benning (2007) notes that, the movement of the markets from their traditional form and location to the screen has been accompanied by numerous key developments. E-commerce in relation to electronic markets is changing the overall markets in the global perspective are organized, analyzed, quoted and priced (Benning, 2007). Transactions costs have been eliminated in turn has led to increase in trading volumes, prices have become more transparent and much easier to obtain and markets further react with increasing speed to new information (Benning, 2007). According to Mandorf (2008), electronic markets have become foundations of e-commerce when the possibilities of internet economy with regard to initiation, negotiation, and handling of contracts have been made easy by informational systems. Electronic markets have been characterized to reflect: virtual meeting rooms where suppliers, customers ‘meet’, and these rooms are indep endent of location and time; electronic markets have greatly contributed to improvement of market transparency since they are able to relieve suppliers and consumers into getting relevant information. Compared to traditional markets where markets were largely full of disequilibrium of information between supplier and consumers, which could in turn be used to gain undue competitive advantage; electronic markets have resulted into reduction of transaction costs as compared to traditional markets; lastly, electronic markets are more open providing a larger international audience (Mandorf, 2008). According to Loebbecke, electronic markets as compared to traditional markets are relatively low in prices that in turn include low margins (Loebbecke, n.d, p.1). As a result of this, the market is further seen to be more transparent exercised by suppliers, customers and products (Loebbecke, n.d, p.1). Electronic markets pool numerous offers from the world and these offers can be found online a nd consumers have the opportunity to sample and compare potential suppliers of products or services on the internet which in turn leads to lower transaction costs (Loebbecke, n.d, p.1). Transparency of the electronic market is further boosted by the utilization of search tools where at the same time competition among suppliers cause constant pressure on market prices and demand for extra services to be delivered (Loebbecke, n.d, p.1). Eugene Fama in 1970 developed the efficient market theory, which in essence is based on the economic theory of price equilibrium that originates from the interface of forces of supply and demand (Grover, Lim and Ayyagari, 2006). Generally, in an efficient market, information in great depth is available in terms of accessibility and cost and is handed to stakeholders at about the same time (Grover, Lim and Ayyagari, 2006). Electronic markets consists of inter-organizational information systems, which support and facilitate seller-buyer information commu nication regarding products and services (Bakos, 1991 cited in Grover, Lim and Ayyagari, 2006). As the internet continue to grow in great measures many expert and analysts’ predictions points to the fact that e-markets will continuously results into reduction of information asymmetry thereby paving way for price convergence operating at the lowest competitive level (Grover, Lim and Ayyagari, 2006). Why much confidence in reduction of information asymmetry? Many authors who have written on e-markets efficiency express that lower search costs and availability of information in great measure through the internet reduction information asymmetry and opportunistic behavior, should be seen to be main reasons leading to efficient e-markets (Alba et al., 1997; Bakos, 1997; Bailey, 1998 cited in Grover, Lim and Ayyagari, 2006). Globalization of e-markets is taking place at a first rate. E-markets are seen to be escalating into interrelated hubs of online exchange that pledge economies of scale that are greater than separate exchanges (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000). Due to expansion of e-markets into global scene, marketplace operators are viewed to be prepared to offer services such as â€Å"automated real-time credit, connections to shipping and logistic providers, and integration with enterprise resource management and inventory systems† (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000, p.1). As such, e-markets are fast becoming global supply-chain centers aimed at ensuring that businesses are all-round efficient; for instance, Oracle has in place Oracle Exchange, which is a horizontal e-marketplace in which majority of companies are able to buy and sell non-production goods and services (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000). Globalization of e-markets has further expanded to initiate and facilitate online financing, supply chain planning, and collaborative design (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000). Global companies such as Daimler Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors have moved numerous steps forward to integrate their online purchasing activities. Through the global e-marketing plan, the companies have formulated their operations in form of business-to-business exchange in which the overall aim is to enable them and other automakers to easily buy materials for constructing automobiles while at the same time collaborate with other partners (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000). The advantages to which most companies are attaching their aim of globalization of e-markets emanate from the numerous advantages e-markets holds. For instances e-markets reduce costs for business buyers as a result of increased choice and price competition while at the same time giving sellers a new and modified profitable channel for delivering inventory (Foley, Bacheldor and Wallace, 2000). E-market rise: role of push or pull factors? E-commerce and to extend e-markets have evolved to permit almost every aspect of human daily life. As from 1990s when internet bec ame more popular among business and individuals, its utilization has is felt in almost all aspects of human sphere. Internet technologies have resulted into increased productivity; maximize convenience and improved communication in most parts of the world (Anonymous, n.d, p.1). Online banking, online payment, online buying, and selling are just some aspects that have been produced by growth of technology. In other words, internet, and to extent technology, has become integral to daily lives of many people and organization. However, few years back the growth of and acceptance of internet technologies was not hot issue as it is today and the likely question that may be asked is why? The answer to this considering the numerous information technology literatures available is that the necessary information infrastructural development that is evident today was not available (Anonymous, n.d, p.1). Put it simple the supportive infrastructural for adoption of internet technologies was limite d by lack of necessary infrastructures. However, as time lapsed, more information technologies gadgets found their way in people’s home, and individuals’ technological knowledge and experience increased. At the same time, most companies acquired more technologies, which apart from addressing the internal business issues and needs were seen to have the capacity of enhancing business operations and growth through e-commerce. Therefore, as consumers’ needs arose for more internet products and services businesses were left with no alternative, except aligning and incorporating consumer needs with the business objectives and capacities. Therefore, the intense pressure for the development of e-markets was a direct response from outside pressure emanating from consumers and internal business pressures to adapt to efficient and more reliable technologies. Push factors emanated internally in form of need to compete effectively in the market with other equally well-placed competitors and this required businesses to adopt efficient and sophisticated technologies. At the same time to leverage competitive advantage companies were forced to become innovative in inventing online business activities, this was due to need to ease consumers need to move to physical locations, expand business with disregard to geographical barriers, reduce costs and largely increase consumer base. These needs prompted most businesses to embrace online markets. On the other hand, consumers were becoming more informed, wanted to reduce transactional costs related to information search, wanted convenience and wanted to be part of global citizens, as a result they preferred and demanded for prefect forms of market they would operate with easiness. This resulted into development of e-commerce and subsequent electronic markets. Today markets are seen to be driven by consumer choice and in turn the consumer choice affects and influences the company’s strategy. What is being observed is consumer need-based business model which is rising in the marketing and replacing the older model which was push-based model (Kalakota and Whinston, 1997). In the push model companies have upper hands in making decisions while the pull model put much emphasis on the customer to make decisions which in turn translate and directs the company’s strategy. Pull model, also known as ‘demand-driven model’ postulate that today technology has empowered a large population to search and utilize information more faster which in turn is used in making key purchasing decisions (Kalakota and Whinston, 1997). Once the information has been searched it is translated into preferences where consumers use it in becoming more conscious about choice. As consumers demonstrates caution in relation to preference it becomes the duty of the company to translate the consumer wants and needs into appropriate products and the company that take early lead in doing this is able to ga in competitive edge over its rivals (Kalakota and Whinston, 1997). The pull model dictates a need for: supporting increased variability; reduced lead times; improved quality and lower unit cost; operation excellence; and comprehensive performance measures for control purposes (Kalakota and Whinston, 1997). In summary today consumers are seen to be pushing sellers to the wall demanding lower processes and prices, better and improved quality, and large selection of in-season goods. In return sellers are reacting to these demands by working hard to improve, reducing operational costs, reducing cycle times, buying more wisely, and making a lot of investments in technology. In short, e-markets have risen and expanded from both internal push factors and external pull factors which are further likely to influence future growth of technology in businesses. Conclusion For the last two decades, technology has transformed humankind world. From its slow development and acceptance in early 1990s to its current vibrant use in the 21st century it can be said with confident that technology will inevitably remain part of human’s society growth and expansion. Notably, information technology through internet has revolutionalized the marketplace through the electronic market (e-markets). Electronic markets are growing at a faster rate, which in turn has resulted into the transparency, efficiency, and globalization of the e-market. Consumers and sellers are able to interact in virtual rooms, anywhere in the world and at any time. This has resulted into convenience on the part of consumers while enabling businesses to increase their product. Nevertheless, e-markets are yet to be embraced by greater population of the world although statistics shows it is steadily increasing as more people become technological-knowledgeable. Therefore, what is suggested is for the digital divide issue to be addressed. This is especially necessary in developing and least developed societies whe re adoption of technology is still low. As globalization continues to influence the world and disintegrate economic, political, and social barriers, digital divide is an issue that should be addressed to realize equal and faster adaptation to e-markets and e-commerce. References Anonymous. (N.d). Types of E-Business Models and Markets. Retrieved from http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/6051.htm. Bajaj, K. K., Nag, D. and Bajaj, K. K. (2005). E-Commerce. New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill. Benning, J. F. (2007). Trading Strategies for Capital Markets. NY: McGraw-Hill Professional. Botha, J. (2004). E-Commerce. Cape Town: Juta and Company Ltd. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=SbSXCmsO5VMCprintsec=frontcoverdq=e-commercehl=enei=rdzsTLOPDMzpOeqJhZ0Bsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=10ved=0CF8Q6AEwCQ#v=onepageqf=false. Bushry, M. (2005). E-Commerce. NY: Firewall Media. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=0Untt_GF8M0Cprintsec=frontcoverdq=e-commercehl=enei=rdzs TLOPDMzpOeqJhZ0Bsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=6ved=0CEgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepageqf=false Foley, J., Bacheldor, B. and Wallace, B. (2000). E-Markets are expanding. Information Week, No.775, pp.22. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=64did=50614703SrchMode=1sid=5Fmt=4VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1290639106clientId=29440. Grover, V., Lim, J. and Ayyagari, R. (2006). The Dark Side of Information and Market Efficiency in E-Markets. Decision Sciences, Vol.37, No.3, pp.297. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3did=1158964821SrchMode=1sid=5Fmt=4VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1290637208clientId=29440. I. T. L. Education Solutions Limited. (2009). Introduction to Information Technology. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. Kalakota, R. and Whinston, A. B. (1997). Electronic commerce: a manager’s guide. NJ: Addison-Wesley. Kraemer, K. l. (2006). Global e-commerce: impacts of national environment and policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press . Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=uDvPfcV2yFgCpg=PA374dq=how++technology+affects+e-commercehl=enei=hRjtTMzfFIGBlAfZnpWPAQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=7ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepageq=how%20%20technology%20affects%20e-commercef=false. Lim, E. P. and Siau, K. (2003). Advances in mobile commerce technologies. PA: Idea Group Inc (IGI). Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=441qCYlVjK8Cpg=PA19dq=Mobile+commerce+e-commercehl=enei=TwrtTJytMIqWOvzBvJABsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Mobile%20commerce%20e-commercef=false. Loebbecke, C. (1998). Business Information Management Conference. Retrieved from http://www.chris-kimble.com/Courses/mis/e-commerce.doc. Mandorf, F. (2008). Processes in the Internet Economy: The View of Electronic Processes. Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Mitchell, C. and Institution of Electrical Engineers. (2005). Trusted computing. London: IET. Reynolds, G. (2009). Information Technology for Managers. OH: Cengage Learning. R eynolds, J. (2004). The complete e-commerce book: design, build maintain a successful Web-based business. CA: Focal Press. Sun, Z. and Finnie, G. R. (2004). Intelligent techniques in E-Commerce: a case based reasoning perspective. NY: Springer. Thanasankit, T. (2003). E-commerce and cultural values. PA: Idea Group Inc (IGI). The Gale Group. (2004). Information transparency of business-to-business electronic markets: a game-theoretic analysis. Management Science Journal. Retrieved from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-4130535/Information-transparency-of-business-to.html. Wahab, M. (2003). The Digital Divide, E-Commerce, and ODR: Constructing the Egyptian Information Society. Proceedings of UNECEF Forum. Retrieved from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:CCPwrj7NnWcJ:www.odr.info/unece2003/pdf/wahab.pdf+digital+divide+and+e-commercehl=engl=kepid=blsrcid=ADGEESj5tm7pLGnOdc1Rip_XMtpVrFDMywj4OF2jZXuWunNdZ5yJ7y16VLwKs6MwTA9xka9hHRnydZ9EBXgco16sAYEUaaA-roWiRSUZF8t7NVo8eOZF-F35 eZATYyWopswwnOTQ9Ca5sig=AHIEtbR_EMNX1ijpSpF2Q6b8kp-BBXSzbw. Zhou, Z. (2004). E-commerce and information technology in hospitality and tourism. OH: Cengage Learning.. This term paper on Technology Evolution in The Modern Society was written and submitted by user Jazmin Sutton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

8 Quick Tips for Writing Under Pressure

8 Quick Tips for Writing Under Pressure You have 25 minutes to compose an SAT essay, two hours to write a final exam paper, less than half a day to finish a project proposal for your boss. Heres a little secret: both in college and beyond, most writing is done under pressure. Composition theorist Linda Flower reminds us that some degree of pressure can be a good source of motivation. But when worry or the desire to perform well is too great, it creates an additional task of coping with anxiety (Problem-Solving Strategies for Writing, 2003). So learn to cope. Its remarkable how much writing you can produce when youre up against a strict deadline. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by a writing task, consider adopting these eight (admittedly not-so-simple) strategies. Slow down.  Resist the urge to jump into a writing project before youve thought about your topic and your purpose for writing. If youre taking an exam, read the instructions carefully and skim all the questions. If youre writing a report for work, think about who will be reading the report and what they expect to get out of it.Define your task.  If youre responding to an essay prompt or a question on an exam, make sure youre actually answering the question. (In other words, dont dramatically alter a topic to suit your interests.) If youre writing a report, identify your primary purpose in as few words as possible, and make sure you dont stray far from that purpose.Divide your task.  Break down your writing task into a series of manageable smaller steps (a process called chunking), and then focus on each step in turn. The prospect of completing an entire project (whether its a dissertation or a progress report) may be overwhelming. But you should always be able to come up with a few sentences or paragraphs without panicking. Budget and monitor your time.  Calculate how much time is available to complete each step, setting aside a few minutes for editing at the end. Then stick to your timetable. If you hit a trouble spot, skip ahead to the next step. (When you come back to a trouble spot later on, you may find out you can eliminate that step altogether.)Relax.  If you tend to freeze up under pressure, try a relaxation technique such as deep breathing, freewriting, or an imagery exercise. But unless youve had your deadline extended by a day or two, resist the temptation to take a nap. (In fact, research shows that using a relaxation technique can be even more refreshing than sleep.)Get it down.  As humorist James Thurber once advised, Dont get it right, just get it written. Concern yourself with getting the words down, even though you know you could do better if you had more time. (Fussing over every word can actually heighten your anxiety, distract you from your purpose, and get in the way of a larg er goal: completing the project on time.) Review.  In the final minutes, quickly review your work to make sure that all your key ideas are on the page, not just in your head. Dont hesitate to make last-minute additions or deletions.Edit.  Novelist Joyce Cary had a habit of omitting vowels when writing under pressure. In your remaining seconds, restore the vowels (or whatever you tend to leave out when writing quickly). In most cases its a myth that making last-minute corrections does more harm than good. Finally, the best way to learn how to write under pressure is . . . to write under pressureover and over again. So stay calm and keep practicing.

Pop Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pop Art - Essay Example Self-referentiality is the situation where a comic inclines to refer to itself in a given manner. Self referentiality is the basis of recursion. This comic makes use of self-referentiality for humor in a way that makes the comic so funny. Without humor, the comic would be unexciting to read. The author uses Clyde in an extreme way to illustrate the humor. Each time Clyde sings ‘sock it to me’, he endures a misfortune, although solemn to him, the events are hilarious to the audience. The fact that Clyde does not sing the words ‘sock it to me’ but still endures a misfortune is too hysterical. At some point, he gives on people who try to sing his song. He even utters â€Å"Gorblimey! It does not matter who sings it. It’s my song!† The extra-diegetic gaze incorporates a comic presentation that engages the audience in a situation of Persepolis. The author has used extra-diegetic gaze in this comic issue to create an emotional connection with the aud ience in an effort to deliver a message with more impact. The hearse owner runs towards Josie and Alex as they are busy chatting and asks them to help him retrieve his hearse that has been stolen. In Josie part three, Sock feels sorry for Clyde when he finds him hit and lying on the floor. The audience, in the drawn style of the emotional aspect tends to get engaged in a more detached way. Dan DeCarlo gives a more realistic experience in the exchange between Clyde and the other characters. Dan DeCarlo also uses the extra-diegetic style to supplement the impact in the scenes.

STRONG LETTER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

STRONG LETTER - Essay Example Without education, it will be impossible for me to get a suitable job that can help me in paying back my loan. I do not want to be dismissed from the university after coming this far. I assure you that I will focus more on my studies now as I have more time for studies now as compared to before. Earlier, I was the only source of income for my family due to which I did not have much time to spend on studies. However, my life has changed recently. My wife has started working due to which I have more time to study now. It will be difficult for me to cut off from studies at this point of time when I have completed the major portion of my degree. I have completed all of my courses and have met all the requirements of becoming a physician. All I need to do is to pass the board exam to complete my medical degree. I understand the consequences of failing my board exam. I know that I will have no chance for residency in this country without this degree. I also know that without this degree, I will not be able to get any job here in the United States. I may have hard time to practice in the United States, but I can return home where my degree will be very valuable. I am taking this exam very seriously. It was just a mistake that I made a wrong choice by writing the clinical skills (CS) part before writing the critical knowledge (CK) part in the board exam. I assure you that I will not repeat this mistake if given a chance to continue my study. I have also registered for a program that I think will be very helpful for doing CK, CS, and NYCSPrep. The program director, Dr. Lakshman Somasundararam, is a practicing physician and he has promised to help me. He wants me to complete CK before doing CS. He has also assigned a mentor who will help me in studying CK for the next two months. He can be contacted on my behalf at (917) 349-2605. Please, I am asking for a chance to allow me to pursue my degree. Having come to this point and

Managing in a global society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Managing in a global society - Essay Example It is therefore the reason why international managers should take their time to study these cultures before introducing new products in the market or opening new subsidiaries (Turner, 2000). Communication, for example, is an important tool, necessary for transmitting ideas throughout an organization. However, it is worth noting that communication does not necessarily entail only the formal aspects such as through writing and speaking but also, it entails maintaining personal etiquette and as per the standards required by the host. The US and UK have English language as their official means of communication. Therefore, it would be easy for a UK entrepreneur to establish himself quickly in the US as opposed to Japan, which has Japanese as the major language of communication (Norbury, 2006). The language barrier present between UK and Japan requires foreign investors to study Japanese as their second language especially due to the fact that Japan scores highly under hofstede’s un certainty avoidance index (Varley, 2000). ... It therefore means that the presenter has to exercise patience before pressing for response, failure to which it would be taken to mean that he is disrespectful thereby risking his success. Worse still is the fact that business negotiations may be hampered by lack of understanding for example due to the Japanese reluctance to say no or to criticize openly (Norbury, 2006). It may therefore be confusing for a foreign negotiator to find that everything he says is met with a positive response, while in the real sense his Japanese counterparts are against his propositions. Experts advise foreigners to concentrate more on their sign languages, which could be for example scratching eyebrows, tone in their voice, teeth clenching, frowning in between a conversation among others. For instance, frowning is a sign of disagreement and therefore, it would be wise to concentrate on the facial expressions or better, phrase your statements in a manner that will demand an outright yes or no as an answ er (Varley, 2000). Coming from a country such as UK where open criticism is considered as normal, it would be taken as an insult and destruction of character to practice the same when negotiating with such people. The high uncertainty avoidance index (UAI) has also been described as a hindrance towards effecting change. This is due to the fact that these people are accustomed to predictability such that introduction of new working environments may not receive a friendly welcome (Hofstede, 1996). This is as opposed to the US whereby UAI is low such that it becomes possible for entrepreneurs to introduce new brands in the market and be able to make profit within short periods of time. This is an important observation, which a person intending to invest in the

Background And Education System Of Tanzania

Background And Education System Of Tanzania Since independence in 1961, the educational system has been passed over different transitions based on the political and economic changes happening over time. These changes can be categorized into three main phases; the first was from 1961 to 1967, which the emphasis of the government was to reform the education system so as to relieve inequalities among the people stipulated by colonial education system which was based upon racial segregation (Nguni, 2005). The second phase started from 1967 to 1990, where education policies were emphasis on the Education for Self-Reliance as one of the government efforts to build a socialist state. Within this period of time the priority was put on attainment of universal primary education (UPE) by engaging in massive enrolment, rapid expansion of schools and abolition of racial based education system (TEN/MET, 2007). In this period the government took several actions to improve education system including nationalized all private schools with excep tion of few schools owned by religious organization. To achieve UPE the government took the following measures as summarized from the handbook Transforming Policy and Practices: A Guide to Education Advocacy in Tanzania by TEN/MET: Universal primary education becomes compulsory and all school fees were abolished. Massive enrolment of children into the newly established and poorly resourced schools. Para-professional teachers were recruited to tackle the massive increase of pupils. (2007:9). In this period Tanzania recorded remarkable achievements in education after becoming one of the countries with high literacy rate of about 80 percent leading other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The third phase covered the period from 1990s to present; it was within this period where the government made major changes on its economic policies from socialist-oriented to free-market economy known as structural adjustment programs (SAPs). These changes resulted into various reforms in educational system including cut-down of government expenditures on social services, allowing private schools and universities and re-introduce of school fees to the public schools. Therefore in order to reduce the impact of this transformation the government decided to start a holistic education sector development program (ESDP). These initiatives led to the introduction of twin education development programs PEDP and SEDP in 2001 and 2003 respectively. In 2002 the government re-introduced free and compu lsory primary education resulting in huge increases in enrolment (Nguni, 2005; Ten/Met, 2007). The impact of these efforts results on the large expansion in students enrolments with net enrolment ratio rose to 97.3 percent in 2007 from 58 percent in 2000 in the primary schools (BEST, 2010). However, there were concerns that the quality of primary school declined of overcrowded classes, high pupil-teacher ratio, para-professional teachers and insufficient school infrastructure and facilities (Komba and Nkumbi, 2008). In Tanzania the structure of the formal education and training system constitutes two years for pre-primary, seven years for primary education, four years for junior secondary education, two years for senior secondary education and at least three years of tertiary education. Specifically, the education system has three levels, Basic, Secondary and Tertiary levels. Alongside with formal education there is non-formal education for adult people who lost the opportunity to get a formal education. Kiswahili is the language of instruction in primary schools and English is taught as a compulsory subject in all classes. But, some of the private primary schools use English as medium of instruction famous known as English Academy. In Secondary Education, English is used as a language of instruction except for Swahili subject; at the end of each cycle the students write examinations which are national standardized examinations before jump to the next level. Similarly, English is the language of instruction at universities, higher learning and polytechnic institutions. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (METV) has the legal mandate for policy formulation, coordination, monitoring, setting standards, quality assurance and quality control of the whole education system. However, local government authorities (districts, town, municipal and city councils) are responsible for management and delivery of primary and secondary education services within their areas of jurisdiction. Also the ministry through its teachers training colleges is responsible for training, recruiting, deploying teachers in the public schools across the country. 3.2: Public School Teachers in Tanzania: Briefly Situational Analysis. The Tanzania agenda for development as it is stipulated in the Development Vision 2025 aims to build up a well educated nation and attain a high standard of living for all citizens (Malkeen and Chen, 2008). Yet now a great progress has been made to achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) number two and three on primary education enrolments. This comes as a result of successful implementation of PEDP from 2001 2006 which enable to increase net enrolment ratio to 97.2 percent in 2009. However, as country still there are challenges facing education sector including the low quality education. Teachers are said to play a central role in the process of provision of quality education services. But still in Tanzania public teachers are encountering problems which affect teaching and learning process. 3.2.1: Administration and Management of the Education System in Tanzania. Several ministries, non-governmental organizations, and communities are involved in the management and administration of formal education system. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training plays principal roles for policy formulation, coordination, monitoring, setting standards, quality assurance and quality control of the whole education system (UNESCO-WDE, 2011). It is also responsible for supervision of the higher education, teachers training and management of teaching workforce; curriculum development, examination management and school inspectorate (Woods, 2007). The management of pre-primary, primary, secondary and out-of school education is confer under the control of the Ministry of Prime Ministers Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG). It oversee the work of the local authorities which are responsible for day to day to the operations of primary and secondary schools such as resources mobilization, management of teachers, financing and payment of school supplies (Woods:2007:12). Teachers are employed as government staffs on the permanent pensionable basis; receiving monthly salary according to fixed scales basing upon specific qualification. Usually there is annual salary increment and three years promotion subjective to his/her job performance or/and career development. According to BEST 2010, there were 165,856 public teachers in primary schools and 30,252 in secondary schools (BEST, 2010). Teacher training is conducted in the teaching colleges, universities and high education institutions both state and private-owned. Basically, teachers training is divided into three main levels: (i) Grade A teachers are the ones who had completed 4 years of secondary education and undergone training for two years in a teachers education college (TTC). After successful completion of two-year course he/she awarded Grade IIIA Teaching Certificate and they qualified to teach primary schools. According to the education policy of 1995, Grade A is the lowest teaching qualification to primary schools in Tanzania. The minimum entrance qualification to Education College is division three in the ordinary level certificate of secondary education examination CSEEÂ  [1]Â  (Komba and Nkumbi 2008; URT, 1995). (ii) Ordinary diploma teachers are those who required to have completed at least advanced level of secondary school (form six) and acquired two-year professional course of teaching training from teachers education colleges or universities. Diploma teachers are trained to teach secondary schools and teaching colleges (Nguni, 2005). (iii) The third level of teachers is university-graduated teachers who are studied education degree with either major in arts or science. The graduates teachers are usually recruited to teach in secondary schools and/or teaching colleges. According to Basic Education Statistics of Tanzania (BEST) report, there were total of 92 teaching colleges where by 34 were publicly owned and 58 privately-owned. For instance, in the 2010 enrolment in government teachers colleges increased by 18.8 percent as compared to previous year of 2009. Out of the total enrolment 63.3 percent are diploma students, 34.95 percent are Grade A and 1.7 percent are taking special education (BEST, 2010). Moreover, in Tanzania public school teachers represents approximately 95 percent of all teachers in primary schools and 75 percent in secondary schools. The government is the main employer of teachers, where teaching staffs constitutes approximately 60 percent of all public civil servants. Currently both primary and secondary school teachers are employed by the local government in respective district councils. 3.3: Challenges facing Public School Teachers in Tanzania. In the Education International Global Monitoring Report 2008 and other studies and papers has confirmed that the practice of teacher recruitment, their working conditions, their appropriate remuneration, as well as the quality of their initial and continuous education are crucial factors if the quality of learning is to become a reality for all (EI GMR:2008:2). However, the EI GMR 2009 asserts that many countries face a crisis of teacher morale that is mostly related to poor salaries, working conditions and limited opportunities for professional development. (2009:10) In Tanzania teachers in public schools are experience a number of challenges when exercising their duties. These includes poor working conditions, low payments and other fringes, limited opportunities for professional development, low motivation and work recognition from the community. 3.3.1: Working Conditions Teachers in public schools has been experiencing unfavorable working conditions hence negatively affecting their work performance in due course the quality of education. The 1990 World Bank study admit that, most teachers find poor working conditions more discouraging than their salary levels.(Bennell and Mwakyanuzi, 2005:20). Presence of overcrowded classes, high pupil-teacher ratios, improper housing; inadequate supplies of textbooks and workbooks is common to most of public schools. The situation is very pathetic in more remote rural areas, where almost 93 percent of schools are located. Teachers experience terrible moment due to the lack of clean water, poor housing and inadequate accommodation; and lack of social amenities like medical care, good roads and access to electricity. Furthermore, some of teachers reluctant to be posted or fail to report to their duty station located in rural areas with a number of reasons like suffering chronicle illness, marital reasons and lack of accommodations. For instance, in the 2008 World Bank report on Teachers for Rural School shows the critical shortage for teachers houses especially in rural areas. In 2005, Tanzania had a total of 32,064 schoolteachers houses; this is only 20 percent of requirements of 161,396 schoolteachers houses countrywide. In rural areas where is difficult to get even a room for rent the shortage is 75 percent (Malkeen and Chen, 2008). Similarly, the study done by SACMEQ II in 2007 indicated shocking results that, only 3 percent of standard (grade) six pupils in schools had use sole mathematics textbooks down from the 7 percent in 2000. This is very far from the country benchmark of 100 percent and SACMEQ countries average of 41 percent. In this situation teachers end up use much time copy the no tice on the board instead of concentrate to teach students especially those slow learners (SACMEQ, 2011). The empirical study affirms that access to books has shown to significantly improve learning. (p116) It is upon such context that the research conducted by SACMEQÂ  [2]Â  in 2007 sought to examine the quality of education provided in primary schools revealed unequal of PTRs between the urban and rural public schools. The study discovered that in the year 2000 the mean pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) in primary schools was 47:1 which was above the countrys benchmark of 40:1. However, in 2007 the country mean had risen to 63 pupils per teacher which is very far from the country benchmark. Nevertheless, the study disclosed the huge variation between the urban and rural schools, whereby the mean PTR for urban schools stood at 46:1 while in rural schools the situation was worse than in urban schools (71 pupils per teacher). The country mean pupil-teacher ratio of 63 was very far above the SACMEQ countries which was 43 pupils per teacher in public schools (SACMEQ, 2011). Likewise, the figure below shows the average number of pupil in standard 6 per class in different zones in Tanzania Mainlan d. Figure no 3.1: Average Number of Standard 6 Pupils per Class in Tanzania (Mainland) Source: SACMEQ (2011:4). From the above figure it obvious that there were huge variations of the number of pupils per class among regions and zones, whereby Southern Highland recorded highest average of 71 and the Central zones had lowest average number of 45. However, the overall mean number of Tanzania was 56 pupils per class which was higher than SACMEQ mean number of 46 pupils per class. Different studies and researches proved that small class size guarantee the maximum teacher-pupil interaction to enable the teacher to attend each individual learners needs (EI GMR, 2008). Poor working environment has also facilitating another problem of uneven distribution of teachers in public schools. Teachers usually tend to move from disadvantages and remote rural areas to more well-off urban areas; normally resulting into acute shortage of teachers that also affecting the learning outcomes. For instance, in the figure below illustrates the pupil-teacher ratio between the peripheral districts, the national average for rural district and national average for urban districts. Figure no 3.2: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTRs) in Primary School in Some Remote Rural District Name of the Districts Pupil/teacher ratio Ukerewe district 129 Chato district 95 Manyoni district 91 Uyui district 89 National average rural districts 60 National average urban districts 43 Source: Basic Education Statistics of Tanzania (BEST: 2010) Source: Basic Education Statistics of Tanzania (BEST: 2010). The situation is more critical still as far as qualified teachers are concerned especially in rural areas where there was acute shortage of qualified teachers. The pupil to qualified teacher ratio (PqTR) ranges from more than 100 pupils per teacher in the remote rural districts (Bahi, Ulanga, Nanyumbu, Ukerewe, Manyoni, Urambo, and Uyui districts) to less than 35 pupils per teachers in some of urban districts. For instance, in 2006 out of 10,510 qualified teachers posted to different district councils countrywide, only 7,271 (69 percent) were reported to their respective duty stations (Curlitz, 2009). This exacerbated the shortage of qualified teachers in rural schools reflected in higher pupil to qualified teacher ratio in rural schools. For instance, Dar es Salaam city (urban) it has 68 percent of qualified teachers as compared to 38 percent in Lindi region which is located in upcountry (rural). 3.3.2: Low salary payments and other fringe benefits In most of developing countries including Tanzania, teachers salary is considerably below the level to ensure their motivation to work hard. Generally speaking as compared with other professions (doctors, nurses, lawyers, accountants) the teachers salaries in Tanzania is relative low and, unfortunately they also lack other fringe benefits that other civil servants enjoys such as adequate housing allowances, transfer allowances, lunch allowances, leave allowances, and hardship allowances. The situation seems to be more terrible in rural schools where teachers they have to travel quite long distance to the district centers where most of banks are located to collect their monthly salary, which is costly in terms of money and time but nobody refunds all these additional costs. This is one of the factor demoralized teachers in public schools and some of them decide to move to private schools which are better off in term of salaries plu s other benefits. In the figure below illustrates the sharp increase of teachers (particularly qualified teachers) in private schools due to attractive remunerations and good working conditions. Figure number no 3.3: Number of Teachers in Primary Schools in Tanzania 2008 2010. Source: Basic Education Statistics of Tanzania (BEST: 2010). This figure shows, from 2008 to 2010 the rate of increase of teachers in private schools is more than threefold (24%) of the rate of increase in public schools (6.5%). Likewise, this may also expected to affect the education system since some of qualified teachers are likely to find another occupation, be absent, or late to work, or not do expected work in the classroom to meet the learning needs of the students hence adversely affecting the quality of education (Bennell Mwakyanuzi, 2005). Empirical studies suggest that, the teachers salaries can influence who enters the field and how long they will remains in the teaching (Vegas, 2008). Though the ratio of salary for primary teacher pay to GDP per capita is 6.1, which is higher almost twice the as compared to the Sub-Saharan average (4.2) and the Field Track Initiative (FTI) benchmark indicator of 3.5 units (UNESCO/URT, 2012). But when comparing with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is evident that public schools teachers in Tanzania are getting minimal salary and other remunerations. Only with the little information, the figures below show the average salaries for teachers in different levels (primary, lower and upper secondary schools) in Tanzania and other neighboring countries in sub-Saharan African. Despite the fact that the cost of living varying from one country to another but the data in the figures below gives overview of teachers salaries in Tanzania as compared to other countries in different categories in public schools (primary, lower and upper secondary). Figure Number 3.4: Teachers Gross Salaries per Month in US$ in Some of African Countries (2005-2006). Source: Sonyolo, D. (2007:56) From the table above, out of the six surveyed countries, Tanzania has recorded the lowest monthly gross salary rate of US dollar 20, 95, and 125 for primary, lower secondary and upper secondary teachers respectively. Figure Number 3.5: Average Monthly Income of Qualified Primary School Teachers in Selected African Countries 2004 2006, (US$ per month) Source: Bennell and Ntagaramba (2008:25). As shown from the figures above it is apparent that, teachers salaries in Tanzania are lowest as compared to other countries with exception of Sierra Leone and Rwanda. Conversely, in neighboring countries like Kenya, Uganda and Zambia teachers salaries are relatively higher than in Tanzania. Additional to this, in Uganda teachers get 20 percent and 30 percent of their salaries as s housing and hardship allowances respectively (Sonyolo, 2007). As a result of low pay, some of teachers are not teaching well, and even cases of absenteeism arise. For instance, in Tanzania the government pays salaries through electronic transfer via banks. Therefore, teachers from rural areas need to travel long distance to collect their salaries from district centers in each month. Sometimes they have to spend three or more days waiting for the salary when it is delayed. In this regards teachers forced to miss a number of classes in every month. In the meantime, students would losing a lot of valuable learning time which eventually affecting their performance. This is said to be one of the major causes of teachers absenteeism in rural schools (Sonyolo, 2007). But on the other hand, this becomes a burden to teachers since they have to incur additional costs which they have to deduct from their little salary. These contribute to disgruntle qualified teachers to join teaching profession or posted in remote schools. According to the study conducted on effects of increase of salary and incentives of the teachers on learning outcomes, the research findings revealed as follows: In Chile, a salary increase of 156 percent associated with 39 percent increase in number of teacher-education applicants and 16 percent increase in average test scores applicants. Similar test-score increase not observed among applicants to other university programs. (Vagas and Petrow: 2008:128). 3.3.3:Limited opportunities for professional development Teacher professional development can be defined as the process of improving both the teachers academic standing, competence and efficiency so as to allow him/her to discharge professional obligations in and outside the classroom.(Komba and Nkumbi, 2008:70). Professional development gives opportunities to explore new roles, increase new teaching skills, improve their practice, and broaden their mindsets both as professionals and individuals (Komba and Mwakyanuzi). In education system teachers education plays a prime role to ensure quality education for all. Nevertheless, in the most of the developing countries education programs usually used to neglect the teacher education and professional advancement. The experience has shown that even in the World Declaration on Education for All in 1990 the continuous preparation of teachers received little attention (Kruijer, 2010). Besides, Vagas and Petrow argue that, the initial educat ion of teachers is only first steps in a series of important steps allow teachers to grow and develop professionally over time.(2008:117). Then the need for teachers professional development is inevitable since it gives teachers competence, confidence and make them improving the standards of the job performance. In this regard Tanzania during the implementation of the Primary Education Development Program (PEDP) from 2001 to 2006 focused on universalization of primary education; the program did not put much attention on development of teacher professional (Komba and Nkumbi, 2008). The government just put more concentration on enrolment expansion, recruitment of teachers, construction of classrooms, and provision of teaching and learning materials. Nothing has been done about provision of in-service training to the existing teachers to equip them with new changes happen within and out of the teaching professional. It is common to hear that a teacher work for twenty or thirty years without get chance to attend even three days workshop to improve his/her teaching skills. In this regard, if as a country in order to improve its education quality should put more emphasis on teaching workforce since teacher is the heart of the classroom instruction. (Komba and Nkumbi, 2008). The effectiveness of the teacher depends on the competence to cope with the changes and challenges happen in the class not even the pre-service training. Therefore, for the short while the best way of improving the existing school performance is to improve the current teaching workforce rather than recruit new teachers. This is due to the fact that, the teacher who is well trained and professionally updated can easily handle class of pupil above the recommended ratio. Consequently, in-service professional development is essential because it gives opportunities for the teachers: to update teachers knowledge of subject matter periodically, in light of new development in the field; to update teachers skills in light of new teaching techniques and educational research; to help teachers apply changes made to curricula; to enable schools to develop innovations in teaching practices; and to help weaker teachers become more effective. (Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning 2011:12). According to Malkeen and Chen (2008), teachers from the rural schools they have less advantage as compared to their fellow from the urban schools though urban schools represent less than ten percent of total schools in the country. It is easier for the urban teacher have to access to further education and training opportunities than their rural counterparts. 3.3.4: Low motivation and job recognition from the community Learning is the process involving interaction between the teacher, students and sometimes parents or community in general. The teacher is the central point required to engineer the teaching and learning process in the classroom. Therefore, learning achievements can be determined in the classroom by motivated teacher who plan for teaching by put in to practice what they have learned in the teaching college. But the teachers motivation remains as ignored factor in all level of policy intervention (Oluech, 2006). Consequently, becomes responsible factor for the rapidly declining of the status of teaching profession among young generation. For instance, in Tanzania nowadays most of bright students do not prefer to join teaching and yet becomes the last resort among applicants. Teacher motivation and job recognition helps to retain teacher in their work places through provision of the material and psychological needs does not necessarily being payments. Such kind of things like bonuses, gifts, and study opportunities can be use as a means to attract bright students to join teaching and even to work in remote rural areas. However, in less developed countries public school teachers motivation is said to be low and it is been detrimental of the quality of education (Oluech, 2006). The situation is more serious in the developing countries Tanzania in particular, where high-quality applicants refuse to join or retain in teaching profession. Many who join profession use it as a stepping stone or stepladder to join other lucrative jobs such as lawyers, accountants. According to the 1990 World report on Teachers Conditions of Service asserted that, in absence of motivation to teachers which can be used to induce them to perform better; the quality of education will deteriorate since de-motivated teachers is the major contributing factor to the poor learning performance of students in primary and secondary schools (Bennell and Mwakyanuzi, 2005). Unlike other neighboring countries, in Tanzania there is no any allowance or bonus is paid to public school teachers as a means to motivate and encourage qualified teachers to work in remote rural areas. In other countries the government attempted to use some incentives to make rural areas attractive to live and work for qualified teachers. They have different forms of incentive such as financial or material incentives (hardship allowance, travel allowances, housing subsidies) and non-material incentives (special study leave, training opportunities). In the figure below shows the different forms of incent ives allocated to the rural schools in the some of the East and Southern Africa countries. Figure number 3.6: Incentives to Encourage Teachers to Work in Rural Location. Source: ADEA Biennale (2006:15). As shown from the above table is only Tanzania where teachers working in rural areas paid nothing as motivation to work in remote rural areas. In Malawi, though no financial incentive offered, but the government provides housing where help to attract teachers to work in rural areas. The EMIS data reveal that there is strong correlation between availability of good-quality housing and presence of female teachers in rural school in Malawi (ADEA, 2006). 4.0: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations. 4.1: Summary of Findings from the Study. The paper has been sets forward to describe the challenges facing teachers in public schools in developing countries and its implications to the quality of education. Specifically, the focus was on the challenges facing the public school teachers and the way it affects the quality of education in Tanzania. The study focused on the four issues: teacher salary payments and other fringe benefits; working conditions; opportunities for professional development and motivation and recognition among the public school teachers and how is affecting their job performance hence the quality of education. In addressing these issues the research study seek to answer the following research questions: (i) what are the problems with low salary payments to public school teachers? (ii) how do teachers poor working conditions affect their teaching performance? (iii) how does the limited opportunities for professional development affecting teachers performance hence poor quality public education? And finally, (iv) what kind of motivations can be provided to teachers so as to improve service delivery in public schools? This research paper is mainly use of the secondary data surveyed from the books, academic journals, articles, working papers, reports, and website. The paper is made to document what have learned after thoroughly surveyed of different literatures aimed at public school teachers in developing countries. The results from the literatures review highlight the following findings: Generally, as other developing countries, Tanzania is experiencing the huge of shortage of qualified teachers in public schools both for primary and secondary levels. This come after implementation of PEDP and SEDP led to rapidly expansion of enrolment in primary and secondary schools in 2000s. The expansion of enrolment does not consider the supply of qualified teachers hence the government end up recruited para-teachers or crash program teachers. Teachers salaries are generally low and unattractive as compared with other profession hence teaching becomes the last resort for many young applicants. In comparison with other neighboring countries, Tanzania teachers in public schools are paid lowest salaries and other fringe benefits. For instance, according to 2005 2006 statistics, the average salaries for public teachers was US dollar 20, 95, and 125 for the primary, lower secondary and upper secondary teachers respectively. In this regard Tanzania recorded the lowest salary rate among East and Southern African countries. Unlike other countries teachers does not get even hardship allowance to enable them to cope with pathetic working environment especially in rural schools. This demoralized teachers working morale and discourage the competent candidates to join teaching profession. Working conditions remain the major constraint for the teachers to exercise their duties efficiently so as to improve learning outcomes. Challenges such as overcrowded classes, inadequate housing, dilapidated buildings with few desks, and lack of relevant textbooks and workbooks are common in public schools in most of developing countries. Findings indicate the terrible situation in rural areas where due to poor water supply, poor roads, electricity supply, inadequate accommodation, and poor health services. Al

Macbeth Essay :: essays research papers

Macbeth Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare in the 1600th Century, when England was under the rule of King James. Shakespeare was born and lived in Stafford upon Avon. Macbeth was one of his famous works, and it is about a man, Macbeth who kills the king, so he can rule England. The plot is complicated and the play develops a character profile of Macbeth showing how his mind and morals change and develop. The play can be analysed from three different perspectives: Prose, Theatre, and Poetry and I will, in all three. I will however only analyse two sections. Act One Scene Seven, and Act Five Scene Five Over View Alone after dinner, Macbeth has the first opportunity to think about the murder of his king. At first this was only a dream, but now it is a real moral problem for him. He knows that the crime must be punished; divine justice in a â€Å"life to come† does not worry him so mush as judgement in this earthly life. Then he considers the duties he owes to Duncan as his kinsman, of a subject to his king, and a host to his guest. Finally he thinks of the character of Duncan, a king of almost divine excellence. Macbeth has a vision of the heavenly powers horrified by this murder; he sees Pity personified as a â€Å"naked new born babe† which is nevertheless â€Å"striding the blast† while â€Å"heaven’s cherubin† are mounted on the winds. The speech builds to a mighty climax then suddenly the power is lost, when Macbeth turns to his own wretched motive for committing such a crime. He can find nothing except Vaulting Ambition. His mind is made up, and tells his wife â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business†. He is not prepared for her rage and abuse. She calls him a coward, insults his virility and declares that she would rather have murdered her child while it was feeding at her breast rather than break such a promise as Macbeth has done. Defeated Macbeth agrees to murder his king. Act One Scene Seven This is the first main soliloquy. It is also the longest. At a glance one notices that most of the ideas are repeated, accented, reinstated. This is because Shakespeare has realised that in theatre the audience will generally only pick up about half of what is said. This section is where Macbeth is pondering over whether or not to kill King Duncan.

Band of Brothers: E. Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle Nest, Book Analysis Essay

Book Report â€Å"Band of Brothers: E. Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle Nest† by Stephen E. Ambrose Band Of Brothers is the history of Easy Company, 506th Parachute†¨Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, from basic training to†¨D-Day. It follows the jump into Holland, the Battle of†¨the Bulge, and finally the occupation of Berchtesgaden and Austria. This is a rarity among military histories, told from the viewpoint†¨of the front line soldier, the privates, non-commissioned officers and officers who†¨carry out the grand strategy of generals. Many books†¨discuss the inner working of commands at Division and Army levels, but few detail the day to day life of the†¨soldier. Stephen Ambrose’s book does that and†¨more. It explores the how draftee citizen soldiers of†¨elite outfits like the 101st Airborne did, in World War II, defeat†¨an enemy like the well trained German Wehrmacht and S.S. In 1942 the Second Battalion of the 506th was formed and started†¨basic training. The recruits volunteered for the thrill, the honor, the extra money, but above all the desire to be better†¨than the ordinary draftee. A description of the physical effort†¨required in basic training explains why a majority of the†¨volunteers never made it as far as the door of the airplane. When†¨the Company finally made it to Fort Benning for jump school, they†¨were in such great physical shape that they outdid the school’s†¨physical fitness cadre. After five jumps in December of†¨1942, the company qualified as Parachutists, and nine-months later†¨they were on a ship to England to train for the invasion of†¨Hitler’s Fortress Europa. Ambrose also details the nine months of training that the company†¨endured in England in preparation for the invasion. He†¨tells it from the viewpoint of both officers and men and explains†¨the final shift in Easy Company hierarchy just prior to D-Day. His†¨description of the night jump of the 101st in the early morning†¨hours of June 6, 1944, with men and officers scattered about the†¨countryside, and the confusion, heroism and chaos that surrounded†¨the successful landings at Utah Beach, is masterful. He†¨explains how the few outer roads from the beach are zeroed in by†¨German artillery, and that the job of the airborne was to nullify†¨the artillery and its defending troops. The efforts of Lt. Richard  Winters to fulfill that mission are one†¨of the high points of the book. As the book reports â€Å"By†¨this time, about 0700, E Company consisted of two light†¨machine-guns, one bazooka (no ammunition), one 60mm mortar, nine†¨rifleman, and two officers.† Lt. Winters was in charge. With less†¨than 100 men assembled in the battalion, the commander could only†¨afford to send Easy Company to attack and overrun a four gun German†¨battery defended by a fifty-man platoon. As the book puts it, quoting one of the men, â€Å"Here the training paid off. `We fought as†¨a team without standout stars,’ Lipton said. `We were like a†¨machine. We didn’t have anyone who leaped up and charged a†¨machine-gun. We knocked it out or made it withdraw by†¨maneuver and teamwork or mortar fire. We were smart;†¨there weren’t many flashy heroics. We had learned that heroics was†¨the way to get killed without getting the job done, and getting the†¨job done was more important.† Three hours after the attack†¨commenced, it was completed successfully. Easy Company went on to fight through Normandy until June 29th when†¨it was pulled out of line and sent to a field camp near Utah†¨Beach. They had jumped into Normandy with an effective†¨strength of 139 men and officers and ended up with†¨79. Ambrose’s description of those few days from the†¨night jump to their last fight at Carentan is magnificent. The book next describes the company’s jump into Holland, near the†¨Rhine River, where they fought through November of 1944, and then†¨on to Bastogne, to again become front line troops in the historic†¨Battle of the Bulge. Easy Company was the first Allied†¨troops to occupy Hitler’s mountain retreat at†¨Berchtesgaden. After occupation duty in Austria, the†¨company and battalion were sent back to a small town near Paris,†¨and on November 30, 1945, the 101st was deactivated. As Ambrose†¨puts it, â€Å"The Company had been born in July 1942 at†¨Toccoa. Its existence essentially came to an end almost†¨exactly three years later. In those three years the men had†¨seen more, endured more and contributed more than most men can see, endure or contribute in a lifetime.† Band Of Brothers†¨describe s those eventful three years in such a way as to make the†¨reader experience them too. I think Ambrose did very well telling the story of Easy Company because, as stated above, I felt that I was able to experience the three years very well. I am not much of a reader, but enjoyed reading the book very much. I love American history and I have an interest in the military. Having participated in JROTC in high school for 4 years and  doing ROTC my first year in college, I was able to understand the roles and concepts presented in the book. One theme I saw a lot in the book was the feeling and thought of brotherhood. The title of the book is Band of Brothers and Ambrose did a very good job of conveying the soldiers’ brotherhood through out the book. Starting at the beginning, when they are training, the soldiers’ trained together, worked together, and suffered together. As a team, working together is key, and the soldiers of the 101st Airborne identified that concept early on and kept it strong. One phrase I saw quite a few times was â€Å"follow me†. I think Ambrose included that phrase so much because it shows the leadership and brotherhood. They helped each other and led each other to success and improvement. From the American history perspective, I loved this book! I have been learning about World War 2 for several years now, i ncluding this year in this American History class with the great Keith Maljean, but this is the first time I learned from the soldiers’ perspectives. Ambrose did a phenomenal job of interviewing the members of the 101st Airborne and recounting their stories. Reading the book, I felt like I was right there with them on their first jump, landing in France, and at the first mention of the Airborne division. Volunteering for something new, not knowing what was going to happen. Literally jumping into an unknown, new division of the Army. I embarked with them on the fight to defeat Germany and bring an end to the Nazis. I feel that I gained a better understanding of the American soldier in the World War 2 era, and it is nothing like the American soldier nowadays. Today, our armed forces are facing things that we have seen before, for the most part. Back in the World War 2 era, the soldiers were facing new ships, vehicles, aircrafts, artillery, rocketry, small arms, and biological, chemical, and atomic weapons. It was a very scary time for the soldiers not knowing what was coming or how bad it is. Through the stories in Band of Brothers, I was able to understand what the life of the soldier was like and how they adapted to the new weaponry. When I first heard that I was going to have to do a book report for this class, I was completely dreading it due to my lack of joy for reading and writi ng, but I am glad that I stumbled across this book because I don’t know if I would have been able to find a book as good as this. Stephen Ambrose is a brilliant writer and recounted the stories of the men from the 101st Airborne with great detail. It was entertaining,  informative, and all around life changing. This book reinforced the concept of brotherhood and gave me a great perspective of World War 2 from a soldier’s point of view. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in American History or just looking for a good read.

American Revloution essays

American Revloution essays Between the years of 1763 and 1776 many acts and new laws were passed by the King of England and Parliment, which angered the colonists, enough to actually pull away from their founding country. The first in a series of direct and immediate events within these years, which eventually destroyed the relationship, was the Proclamation of 1763. By prohibiting settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, England expected to save money by controlling expansion. Even though most colonists ignored this law, it angered them because it tried to restrict them. This act lead into a chain of acts including, in 1764, the Sugar Act and the Currency Act, in 1765, the Stamp Act and the Quartering Act, the Intolerable Acts of 1774, as well as many others that aggravated the colonists. The actions of the King and Parliament towards the colonies soon caused the loyal citizens to begin to hate the King and Parliaments rule. The colonists belived that the king and Pelliccia 2 Parliament were taking advantage of their power over the colonies, is summed up by the Declaration of Independence, "...it is the Right of the people to alter or to abolish ["...any Form of Government (that) becomes destructive of (the natural rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness)..."]... In 1763 Britain attempted to show the power that King George III and the British Parliament thought they had. This began with the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited the settlement of colonists west of the Appalachian Mountains. The colonists were used to the taxes Britain imposed on their trade but when parliament passed the Stamp Act, representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies joined together to form the Stamp Act Congress to take action against the Act. The outcome was the Declaration of Rights which said that they would only be taxed by their consent and they belived "no taxation without representation." ...

Free Essays on Socratic Irony

In his work, The Concept of Irony, S?ren Kierkegaard discusses Socratic irony. This irony, which sees its beginning in Socrates’ claim to complete ignorance, is present throughout Plato’s dialogues. Socrates then uses this irony to bring his interlocutors to a state in which all content has been emptied from their minds- a state that is altogether negative. This negative aspect, in turn, can be seen as an expression of Socrates’ vanity. However, this vanity was commonly misjudged as greatness and even piety, at times. It will be discussed here how Socrates’ reputation of greatness was earned strictly through this vanity. Through his dialectic, it appeared as if Socrates was always in search for an eternal and objective truth. He always began by claiming ignorance, while his interlocutor claimed to possess knowledge. Socrates would proceed by questioning the other, in a rational manner, in order to try to come to some sort of final truth. However, the truth arrived at was always the same one- that the other was wrong- and the other would wind up in a state in which he realised he knew nothing; this state is also known as aporia. Kierkegaard describes this process of emptying one of all one’s purported knowledge as â€Å"negating.† This negation is achieved through irony, which is actually seen by Kierkegaard as the whole essence of Socrates’ character. Socrates is an ironic and negative character because, in his search for knowledge and truth, he is actually seeking to negate everything, or empty it of its positive content. Thus, it becomes possible for one to equate Socrates wit h irony and with the â€Å"negative.† This negative sees, as its goal, the pursuit to empty all things positive of their content and make them negative as well. The reasons attempting to explain this idiosyncrasy of Socrates are numerous, though his ultimate, ceaseless quest for truth is most popular. In this essay, however, vanity will be cited ... Free Essays on Socratic Irony Free Essays on Socratic Irony In his work, The Concept of Irony, S?ren Kierkegaard discusses Socratic irony. This irony, which sees its beginning in Socrates’ claim to complete ignorance, is present throughout Plato’s dialogues. Socrates then uses this irony to bring his interlocutors to a state in which all content has been emptied from their minds- a state that is altogether negative. This negative aspect, in turn, can be seen as an expression of Socrates’ vanity. However, this vanity was commonly misjudged as greatness and even piety, at times. It will be discussed here how Socrates’ reputation of greatness was earned strictly through this vanity. Through his dialectic, it appeared as if Socrates was always in search for an eternal and objective truth. He always began by claiming ignorance, while his interlocutor claimed to possess knowledge. Socrates would proceed by questioning the other, in a rational manner, in order to try to come to some sort of final truth. However, the truth arrived at was always the same one- that the other was wrong- and the other would wind up in a state in which he realised he knew nothing; this state is also known as aporia. Kierkegaard describes this process of emptying one of all one’s purported knowledge as â€Å"negating.† This negation is achieved through irony, which is actually seen by Kierkegaard as the whole essence of Socrates’ character. Socrates is an ironic and negative character because, in his search for knowledge and truth, he is actually seeking to negate everything, or empty it of its positive content. Thus, it becomes possible for one to equate Socrates wit h irony and with the â€Å"negative.† This negative sees, as its goal, the pursuit to empty all things positive of their content and make them negative as well. The reasons attempting to explain this idiosyncrasy of Socrates are numerous, though his ultimate, ceaseless quest for truth is most popular. In this essay, however, vanity will be cited ...

Rene Descartes Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rene Descartes Philosophy - Essay Example In fuller conclusion the issues of doubt are brought up, he says, â€Å"underthought, I embrace all that which is in us so that we are immediately aware of it, a thing which exists thinks is a thing which doubts, understands†¦.† (21). These arguments by Descartes illustrate the need for self-assessment before making conclusions. A person (thinking being) is subject to doubt, hence must first be skeptic about everything in order to end up making the informed judgment. Thus, anything that exists has properties but must be subject to some skeptic before making an informed judgment and acknowledging its, existence. For example, a person sees a bottle of water, and his eyes tell him that it is there. Since this person has the premise that what his eyes sees is in fact real (or existing) it means that he knows that the bottle exists. In a similar way, Descartes explains that man (I) exists because of some attributes like body, soul, and thoughts. He goes ahead to explain that ‘I’ denies, understands, doubts, affirms, is willing, is unwilling, has sensory perception and imagines (19). This shows that an existence comes hand in hand with knowledge of properties that something possesses. Existence without the knowledge of its properties is even more illogical than deriving a conclusion that the existence of self also encompasses the nature of self. When Renà © Descartes says that he thinks, therefore, he exists, it means that he is aware of what he is and what his nature is. Otherwise, there is no existence. Every existence has its properties; be it divine authority like God or as trivial as a plastic water bottle.

GRP Systems Ltd. (GSL) - Supply Chain Management Essay

GRP Systems Ltd. (GSL) - Supply Chain Management - Essay Example This also helps it retain its competitive advantage in the future. Table of Contents About GSL Competitive analysis- SWOT analysis GSL’s competitive advantage and SCM Stakeholder analysis- BCG Matrix Conclusions and recommendations References GRP SYSTEMS LTD. – SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS This report analyzes GRP Systems Ltd. (GSL) market in terms of its competitiveness to assess its ability to cater to a high-end market for 500-1500 pe in the sewage water treatment niche. This analysis is important for GSL’s sustenance in the present market conditions where its core business of catering to 50-500 p.e. (population equivalent) market is soon becoming obsolete with 500-1500 p.e. market gaining importance in the region. The company’s strengths and weaknesses and its supply chain management will be analyzed for this purpose. About GSL GRP Systems Ltd. (GSL) is a South Coast, England based manufacturing company that has grown from providing repair and maintenance ope rations to sailing yachts to suppliers of septic tanks for small properties which are not yet connected to the main sewage system. Over the last 6 years, GSL has become a key player in the ‘package’ sewage treatment services which they identified as a niche market. It provides services to water treatment plants, pubs and hotels among others. It serves its niche market with a 50-500 p.e. with its small ‘package’ sewage treatment solution and has a 25% market share in England and Wales. The solution includes sinking a tank into holes dug in the ground and filling the tank with structured media in which bacteria are allowed to grow that feed off the sewage to neutralize water. Competitive analysis- SWOT analysis Strengths- GSL has a 25% market share in England and Wales for its small ‘package’ sewage treatment solution that offers low cost treatment of water. This segment of the market has few players and the company has a strong hold since 6 year s with potential to expand to the 500-1500 p.e. segment. Its speed of service is its major strength which the company is yet to leverage on to gain a higher market share. Its pricing is also a key strength as it offers cost-saving tanks that can be buried underground unlike the costly steel tanks that are installed above ground which is mostly disapproved. GSL’s technical expertise is also considered on par with the required standards although the tanks are not as robust as the steel tanks. Weaknesses- GSL is short of leveraging its core competencies in expanding its market to the higher-end niche of catering to 500-1500 p.e.. It is also short of manpower as it uses limited manpower who are experts in their respective fields. High lead times for sale and delivery of the services along with low profitability (5%) and high overheads (20%) is a constraint on the company’s business. Procurement of inventory for the tanks along with high cost of labour is another factor res tricting GSL’s growth. Opportunities- GSL can leverage its core competencies in terms of low cost ‘package’ sewage treatment solutions to expand its business to cater to the higher end market of 500-1500 p.e.. GSL can also try to devise effective strategies to address the need to cater to custom design solutions through its expertise that it can leverage along with its effective delivery. The company can also train its staff to meet the