The Role Of Talent Development Programme ( Tdp ) - 1716 Words

DEVELOPING COACHING AND MENTORING Student’s Name The Name of the Class (Course) Professor (Tutor) The Name of the School (University) The City and State where it is located The Date Introduction Developing talents is one of the vital ways of assuring an organization to have leaders it will require for a strong future and easy transition of power. Talent Development Programme (TDP) is a plan that is targeting to improve talents by providing intensive, extra-curricular opportunities for training leadership and problem-solving skills in addressing real world concerns, such as diversity, sustainability, integration or financial regulation (Bailey Morley, 2006, p. 214). TDP activities include seminars by academic or financiers and debates with industrialists or politicians. Students can attend training from a field expert and then organize a follow-up activity. Contemporary companies are turning to mentoring and coaching programs for talent development. These programs tap the value of the internal employee resources in developing other, which saves cost, time, and boosts overall employee satisfaction. Coaching helps an employee to get the best performance from thems elves – the potential that was already there. Mentoring works alongside coaching and it helps to prepare someone moving to a new role, working in a different or new environment, taking on new responsibilities, or building confidence to develop career further. Proposed Talent Development ProgrammeShow MoreRelatedTalent Identification Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pageschance to become great. There are talent identification programs (TIP) which aim to find the future star athletes. Scientists have researched ways to improve such programs and also to introduce new ways of going about recognizing talent. The way most TIP work is that they seek out early adolescent children, some as early as 6, but most between 8-12 years of age (Vaeyens 1368). The factors considered by many TIP programs are: â€Å"height, weight, muscular development, body fat, aerobic capacity, anaerobicRead MoreEmployees Training and Development in Banking Sector12573 Words   |  51 Pages1.Introduction Of Employee Training amp; HR Development You are a DIY person and you want to find out everything about starting and operating a business. There are so many resources out there and you are overwhelmed by the amount of information you need to absorb. Besides, which sources are reliable? After you swim through a sea of â€Å"useful† tips, how do you put them into action? The quality of employees and their development through training and education are major factors in determiningRead MoreMost Basic and Frequently Asked Interview Questions and Answers10148 Words   |  41 Pagesyour college days. 9. Can u explain about Child labour/Corruption/Poverty? 10. Why do you want to leave your current job? 11. Describe the movie you have seen recently. 12. Tell me about a memorable/happiest/saddest day in your life. 13. Who is your role model, and why? 14. What is your favourite colour? Talk about it. 15. What will you do if you are not selected today? 16. What do you consider to be the important element of teamwork? 17. Tell me something about your favourite movie? 18. Who is your

Essay about Literary Technique in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

Mary Shelley genially wrote Frankenstein. A book that has been re-told a countless number of times, a story that almost every child heard as they grew up, becoming almost an American tradition. Various aspects of the story even though fiction were reflections of Mary Shelley’s personal life. Shelley uses tragic and shocking events to develop her characters. The symbolism she uses is that of what happens in the world at all times, mirror images of our true society. Shelley’s writing was odd for her time period. Mary Shelley was the daughter of famous authors. Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the first feminists which reflect somewhat in her female characters. Growing up in Europe it was only natural she base the book about somewhere she†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am by no means indifferent to the manner in which whatever moral tendencies exist in the sentiments or characters it contains shall affect the reader†¦. † (2). The Monster serves as a perfect foil to Frankenstein. Making one almost feel pity for Frankenstein, when in reality Frankenstein deserves nothing less than what he receives. Mary Shelley has perfectly executed the purpose of the Monster as a foil, as Miguel Cervantes uses Sancho Panza for Don Quixote De La Mancha. Their are many likes, as their are differences between Frankenstein and the Monster. In creating the Monster Victor Frankenstein tried to portray the role of God, in which he inevitably wanted the Monster to think as he did. In the short time that the monster lived its life resembled that of Victors in certain aspects. They both were isolated from society either by choice of forced. The Monster due to his lurid appearance was thrust into a hovel. Victor had a very unique outlook on the world, secluding himself so that he could create the Monster. Loneliness for both Victor and the Monster affected their lives greatly. Elizabeth was what gave meaning to Victor’s sad life, at any point of depression he just thought of her. The De Laceys were a family that in a parallel form were related to the Monster, both were outcasts of societies. The tragedy of both the De Laceys and the Monster came to be over good intentions. â€Å"God in pity made man beautifulShow MoreRelatedMary Shelleys Frankenstein1689 Words   |  7 PagesGreat Expectations Fathers and Son, Franke nstein. The novel I have chosen to discuss is Frankenstein. Written in 1818 by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein is classified as a gothic novel, however, Shelly uses both realist and non-realist techniques. I will be looking at her reasons for writing the novel and what influenced her, as well as the realist and non-realist techniques used. I will be looking at some of the contemporary social issues that affected Shelley’s life at the time she wrote her novelRead MoreFrankenstein Analysis Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesKade Gilbert Mrs. Shelley Wisener ENGL 2321: Frankenstein Analysis Essay 2 October 2017 Mary Shelley’s Journal The human brain while complex, initiating every impulse that controls the body, can be simplified. Simple things such as memories, beliefs, or passions can define the decisions that a person makes. The impulses of humanity may cloud a person’s logic, while each person’s logic, in turn, may affect the impulses of humanity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is overflowing with emotionally based decisionsRead MoreTension and Dread in Chapter V2414 Words   |  10 PagesHow does Mary Shelley use elements of the Gothic in Chapter 5 to create an atmosphere of tension and dread? Victor Frankenstein is an obsessed scientist who is trying to make a living human being out of dead body parts. 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However, it asserts Shelley’s belief that, â€Å"Nought may endure but Mutability.† Shelley demonstrates this idea by using various literary devices, diction, and a sombre tone which is reflected through his choice of writing in the lyric form. ‘Mutability’ was written at a time when Shelley experienced significant life changing events; January 1816 saw the birth of his first child to Mary ShelleyRead MoreMary Shelley1066 Words   |  5 PagesMary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, becoming a distinguished, though often neglected, literary figure during the Romanticism Era. Mary was the only child of Mary Wollstonecraft, a famous feminist, but after her birth, Wollstonecraft passed away (Harris). Similar to Mary’s book Frankenstein, both her and Victor’s mothers die when they are at a very young age. 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The author of this masterpiece is Mary Shelley; her complicated life influenced her to write Frankenstein. Most wonder why Mary Shelley chose to write Frankenstein and what influenced her. Mary Shelley’s early life was challenging and it had an impact on her writing. Her trip to Scotland changed her morals and love life inclined the events within her novel. World events within Mary Shelley’sRead MoreEssay on Frankenstein: Development through Romanticism1614 Words   |  7 Pages Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a Gothic and Romantic novel written in the early 1800s. The novel opens with Captain Robert Walton as he is sailing on his ship on the search for new and undiscovered territory. During his exploration, Robert’s ship becomes trapped in ice, and he encounters Victor Frankenstein, who looks miserable. When Robert begins to talk to Victor, Victor starts to explain his life story, which ends up being a complete tragedy. Victor tells Robert of his desire to discover theRead MoreEssay on Comparison: Frankenstein The Rime of the Ancient Mariner1680 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Blake or Percy Bysshe Shelley seen themselves with the capacity of not only write about usual life, but also of man’s ultimate fate in an uncertain world. Furthermore, they all declared their belief in the natural goodness of man and his future. Mary Shelley is a good example, since she questioned the redemption through the union of the human consciousness with the supernatural. Even though this movement was well known, none of the British writers in fact acknowledged belonging to it; â€Å".†1 ButRead MoreTheme Of Baptism In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein964 Words   |  4 Pagesturned good by their faith and by society. Mary Shelley, however, portrays the opposite in her novel through the use of literary devices. Throughout Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, she uses shifts in point of view to develop the theme that people are born good but are then turned evil by society. By changing the point of view in Frankenstein, Shelley shows that the creature is turned evil by those that surround him in society. She begins by using Frankenstein as a narrator, which illustrates his rejection

Performance and Rewards Management Samples for Students †MyAssignme

Question: Discuss about the Performance and Rewards Management. Answer: Summary of what was done As part of the weeks work, I learnt various issues based on determining the structure of a remuneration and performance system, with regards to person and job consideration. It also focuses on determining the structure of a remuneration and performance system, with regards to external considerations, including legislation. The reflection also explores the benefits, recognition schemes, as well as individual rewards. In my view, the areas identified forms that major part of performance and rewards systems in an organization. Basically, rewards systems comprise of systems such as monetary payments and working conditions that employees, seem to receive as part of their jobs. New Learning I learnt about the structure of remuneration and performance system that emphasize on person and job considerations. Essentially, organizations usually deploy skilled based pay or competency-based pay. Basically, a skilled based pay refers to employee compensation system whereby workers are rewarded with additional pay in exchange of their skills, competencies, or expertise. It is an acquired and observable skill and expertise that an individual has to be able to perform a particular task. I learnt that in the skill-based systems, workers will be eligible for additional pay after showing their skills, knowledge, and the competencies, which will be rewarded by the system (Boyett Boyett 2004, p. 4). Therefore, I agree with the view that designing a skill based pay cannot be achieved by imitating another system. However, much can be learned by exploring what has been achieved by other organizations and a better understanding of the variables and principles that are fundamental in the design of a skill based pay system. The main reason why organizations implement the skill based system is to promote learning. However, it should be noted that it is not the only approach that is available to compensate workers, but the best approach to promote organizational learning. Therefore, skill based pay differs from other employee pay systems, because it focuses on the skills and differences in a system of rates of pay, especially for all categories of workers. A such, it is person based pay which rewards a person on merit, and the pay progression is directly linked to individual skills and competencies. I leant that to design a skilled based pay, the system should be underpinned for various opportunities that are available to employees for training, which is very important for an organization. Thus, when introducing a skilled based pay, there are several steps that must be followed with several issues to be addressed (Canavan 2008, p. 22). The most important step is to ensure that the skills requirement is available. In addition, resources must also be available for the system to succeed. Further, individual jobs should be categorized in families on the basis of the similarity in the skills needs. In addition, the skills in each family should be able to perform the jobs that should be analyzed. Further, a process should be developed to describe, certify, and value the skills, and price them. The process should be assessed, accredited, and eventually reward workers for their skills. The other fundamental aspect I learnt is what consider when designing a skill based pay system is its implementation. Therefore, when designing a specific implementation plan, it is necessary to involve communication will all stakeholders and focus on the implementation plan. However, the main benefit of the system is that it increases the average hourly rates. On the other hand, the skilled based system results into lower labor costs. Therefore, it is very critical for businesses to consider adopting the skilled based system and whether better results will be more likely. The other approach that is used by organizations to reward employees is the competency based pay. Basically, firms prefer to use the competency based pay approach based on the skills, as well as experiences in the workplace (Adams 2010, p. 17. It is a structure that is deployed to motivate workers to get inspired, and develop on their skills and competencies and also to apply them, based on the job position or title (Homan 2009, p. 290). It is an important pay structure because the motivated get promotions from their current positions. However, it is necessary to note that the employees are not paid based on the virtue of the positions they hold in the organization, but rather because of their competency. Thus, a competency base structure can be developed for any organizational level, or a specific job role or function or for the entire organization. However, when an organization is going to reward workers for a particular competency, then it must have a measure of such employee comp etencies (Suff 2011, p. 2). Thus, there are several factors that have t be taken into consideration when an organization seeks to fully integrate a competency based pay. It is necessary to have employee performance appraisal process and manager should be trained and be ready to measure the competencies. In addition, the staff should be made aware of the requirements and show them, with regards to their performance appraisals. Notably, competency based systems are determined by performance indicators, and should be quantified through employee interviews or surveys. The system is beneficial because it enables employees to develop their skills on the basis of their experiences and competencies. However, the drawback is that the system is not easy to manage, especially the expectations of the employees. Personal Reflection This is an important area on employee rewards system is remuneration, governance, and the gender executive pay gap in organizations. Thus, the week five discussion focuses on the regulated remuneration cycle, key aspects of the regulatory framework. It also focused on the gender pay gap, relevant legislation to deal with pay inequity, as well as the key findings from the 2016 workplace gender equality agency. Basically, remuneration practice is the actual practice of companies and individual executives in relation to remuneration. It comprise of setting the organizational remuneration policy, writing the remuneration contract, execution of the contract, as well as the final termination of the contract. Basically, remuneration policies are very critical to the delivery of an organizations business strategy and to motivate and mobilize staff to achieve the valued organizational goals. Remuneration plays a fundamental role in increasing the demand for skilled labor. Further remuneration policies used by organizations, are perceived to have a sustained competitive advantage as it makes key employees to keep working in their workplaces, hence reducing employment costs (Amabile 2005, p. 128). I understood that a remuneration disclosure is conducted annually through a remuneration report together with adhoc disclosures that are related ro the remuneration such as company loans. On the other hand, engagement remuneration is that which occurs between the company and the shareholders in remuneration. On the other hand, voting on remuneration refers to the annual advisory vote on organizations remuneration report combined with all kinds of remuneration, as well as related resolutions (Altonji Rebecca 2014, p. 3147). However, with regards to all aspects of remuneration, it is a fundamental aspect, that is used to define employees standards of living. It involves the salaries, benefits, as well as other perks, that are used by organizations to govern the decisions that individuals make (Andrews George 2009, p. 500). In my view, remuneration is important to employees, since it is considered as one of the significant costs they face. Further, remunerations are a major considerat ion for employees to run an effective organization. I also learnt that the key aspects of the organizations remuneration framework. In essence, there are four activities that are involved in the remuneration cycle. These comprise of the remuneration practice, engagement, and voting (Barber Terrance 2008, p. 267). Apparently, it is necessary to understand that each of these activities is regulated to some extent. In addition, there are specific rules that are used in the regulation of the activities and to facilitate the rules. However, there are certain rules that are mandatory whereas others are considered to be voluntary with different consequences attached to them. In order to engage in the best organizational practices, there are certain regulations that govern corporations, which seeks to regulate key aspects of executive remuneration. As such, the main aim of the regulations is to provide disclosure to the executive compensation through listed firms, which form part of the financial reporting process (Barnard 2010, p. 14). In a ddition, it is also necessary to note that the legislation may also specify the duties of the executives, which may be owed to them in common law and equity. The other interesting part discussed during the course is leadership in the private sector (Ledford 2008). As a matter of fact, women represent a higher percentage of degree qualified workers. I understood that the current trends show that women represent a very small percentage of the MBA graduated. However, the number of female CEO;s in the private sector is relatively small. As a matter of fact, top women CEOs is an area that has received very little attention, because the areas has been understudied (Barney 2009, p. 1234). As a matter of fact, women participation in the seniormanagement positions may have a downside, because they tend to be less effective or simply dislike the competitive environments, such as those that are most likely found in the executive suite of many organizations. Some researchers also believe that diversity may also contribute to the diversity of opinion as a result of political or social pressure (Barney 2006, p. 100). In my view, in a competitive and efficient labor market environment, it is important to ensure that the right individuals always get the right position, which suggests that the participation of women in executive jobs would not have any observable effect. As such, this has been attributed to the gender pay gap, which is usually caused by various factors. For instance, in most organizations, mentoring is considered to more critical for the female progressions compared especially in terms of building leadership and self confidence (Barney Edward 2005, p. 4). I support the view that women also still require to move more often to obtain promotion status but should have to wait for some considerable duration in order to be promoted. Therefore, in order to deal with the gender gap, it is necessary to focus on gender pay equity, which is a situation where both men and women receive equal pay based on their work. In real terms, the gender pay equity ensure that men and women performing the same tasks are paid equally. In my view, employee benefits focused on understanding the requirements the requirements for a sound plan. In my view employee benefits is becoming more important for organizations, especially with regards to compensation. However, based on many sources reviewed, many organizations differ significantly in what they include in their definition or employee benefits (Rosenbloom 2005, p. 11). For instance, some of the definitions focus on legally required benefits whereas others are voluntary (Mannion, 2004, p. 6). Nonetheless, the variations in the definition do not provide an organization with the best way to define employee benefits. In the lecture discussion, I observed that the underlying nature of employee benefits comprise of employee retention, satisfaction, and wellbeing. In addition, it also focuses on diversitymanagement and legal compliance, as well as employee engagement or commitment (United States United States 2008, p. 12). In general terms, employee benefits comprise of the monetary rewards, which are not paid directly to the employees, but may also comprise of other non-financial rewards, such as having an office with good furnishings (Beam MacFadden 2001, p. 7). However, the right combinations of employee benefits can enable a company to achieve its strategic objectives. Action to be Taken As a result of the lessons leant, I will be able to use my knowledge provides to provide better employee rewards and compensation, covering remuneration and employee benefits. I believe that when organizations put in place the best mechanisms and implement the most sound pay, remuneration, as well as employee benefits, they will be satisfied and in the long run contribute to the success of the organization. Learning Style I found that the issues leant in the course and the theories on performance and rewardsmanagement are vital to business and will do my best to implement them at the work place. In addition, I wish that the topic of performance and rewardsmanagement should be discussed both in class at organizational meeting. In general, this is a very interesting topic. References Adams K 2010, Re-thinking competency-based pay: ICL, Competency Emotional Intelligence Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 16-19. Altonji, J G Rebecca M. B 2014, Race and Gender in the Labor Market, in Handbook of Labor Economics, Vol. 3c, Orley Ashenfelter and David Card (Eds), Amsterdam: North Holland, pp. 3143-3259. Amabile, T M 2005, A Model of Creativity and Innovation in Organizations, in Research in Organizational Behavior, Barry M. Staw and L. L. Cummings (Eds), JAI Press, pp. 123-167. Andrews, FM George F F 2009, Supervisory Practices and Innovation in Scientific Teams, Personnel Psychology, pp. 497-515. Barber, B M Terrance O, 2008Boys Will Be Boys: Gender, Overconfidence, and Common Stock Investment, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116 (1), pp. 261- 292. Barnard, C I 2010, The Functions of the Executive, Harvard University Press, Cambridge. Barney, J 2009,Organizational Culture: Can It Be a Source of Sustained Competitive Advantage?, Academy of Management Review, 11 (3), pp. 656-665. Barney, J 2007 Strategic Factor Markets: Expectations, Luck, and Business Strategy, Management Science, 32 (10), pp. 1231-1241. Barney, J B Edward J Z 2005 Competitive Organizational Behavior: Towards an Organizationally-Based Theory of Competitive Advantage, Strategic Management Journal, 15, pp. 5-9. Barney, J, 2006, Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage, Journal of Management, 17 (1), pp. 99-120. Beam, B. T., MacFadden, J. J 2001,Employee benefits. Chicago, Ill: Real Estate Education Co. Boyett, J.H., Boyett, J.T. 2004, The Skills Based Pay Design Manual. Lincoln NE: ASJA Press. Canavan, J 2008, Overcoming the challenge of aligning skill?based pay levels to the external market. WorldatWork Journal, 17(1), 18?25. Homan G2009, Skills and competency-based pay, Strategic Reward Systems, Thorpe and Homan (eds), pp. 287-301 Ledford, G 2008, Factors Affecting the Long?term Success of Skill?based Pay. WorldatWork Journal, 17(1), 6?17. Mannion, L. P. 2004,Employee assistance programs: What works and what doesn't. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Rosenbloom, J. S 2005,The handbook of employee benefits: Design, funding, and administration. New York: McGraw-Hill. Suff P 2011, The new reward agenda, IRS Management Review 22, July. United States. United States 2008,Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2009. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.

Trade Secrets Essays - Intellectual Property Law, Secrecy

Trade Secrets This country's economy thrives on its trade secrets and without them the economy would lack its competitive edge and economic value. The trade secret laws date back to Roman law which punished a person who forced another person to reveal secrets relating to his master's commercial affairs. The current trade secret laws evolved in England during the Industrial Revolution and the first reported trade secret case in the United States was Vickery versus Welch in 1837. In 1979 the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Law imposed the Uniform Trade Secrets Act which has now been adopted by a majority of the states. In previous years these laws have been modified to meet the needs of our growing technological society by incorporating such things as the Invention and Nondisclosure Agreement and intellectual property laws. Trade secret laws protect a company's information that is not publicly known therefore allowing a competitive and economic edge over their competition. Intellectual property violations fall under the trade secret laws which are used to determine if a company or individual has compromised any information of another company or individual. The issue of ownership of intellectual property is not only a legal issue but also an ethical issue that engineers face in their careers. In the case of Vermont Microsystems, Inc. (VMI) versus Autodesk, Inc. the court determined that Autodesk violated the trade secret laws despite the warnings by VMI. In doing this they not only compromised themselves legally and economically but also ethically. Otto Berkes developed a Display List Driver while working for VMI. After completing that project he took a position at Autodesk in the fall of 1991. At that time the president of VMI sent a letter to Autodesk warning that Autodesk should be careful because Berkes was privy to VMI's trade secrets. However, in March of 1992, Berkes lobbied the management of Autodesk to include the display list driver in R12 windows. He then became directly involved in working on the specifications for a prototype of the display list driver. In designing this prototype he used two algorithms, the triangle shading algorithm and the BPS algorithm, that he had developed while working for VMI. Soon after, VMI learned Berkes was working on the development of the display list driver for Autodesk. VMI once again warned Autodesk, via a written notification, that they were at risk of trade secret violation. In October 1992, Autodesk and VMI met to attempt to resolve their differences. VMI offered to transfer all technology to Autodesk for 25.5 million dollars. After receiving VMI's proposal Autodesk considered proposals from other company's in order to replace the display list driver Berkes had developed. Autodesk rejected all proposals including the offer made by VMI and apparently for economic reasons decided to go ahead and ship their current version of the display list driver despite the ethical and legal ramifications. The issue the court had to determine was whether or not trade secret misappropriation occurred. It was VMI's responsibility to prove to the court that a trade secret misappropriation had occurred. In complying with these laws, VMI submitted evidence of eleven instances of trade secret misappropriation. The first instance was the issue of the overall architecture. The courts felt that VMI's next eight instances were incorporated into that of the first instance. In comparing Autodesk and VMI's architecture the variables, parameters, structures, and implementation of management functions of the two software programs were almost, if not, identical. The add-on software that Berkes designed, for both Autodesk and VMI, included the same functions and tools. Everything from the management of bounding boxes to the location of entities was identical. There were such similarities between the design of both company's products that the courts could not help but rule that Autodesk had violated the trade secret laws for the first instance. The last two instances of trade secret misappropriation were the triangle shading and BPS algorithms. The triangle shading algorithm was so close to that of VMI's that one expert witness reported that "the resemblance goes right down to the names of variables, names of macros, and even many of the comments. Another pronounced the algorithms ?identical'" (United State District Court for the District of Vermont 1996, 8). Concerning the BPS algorithm, Berkes filed a counterclaim against VMI, claiming that he was entitled to use BPS algorithm even if VMI has the same technology. He argued that he had developed the software on his own time and was therefore entitled to use it as he pleased. It can be argued that an employee has the right

A Jobless Recovery essays

A Jobless Recovery essays In present day America we live in comfort and trust in our nations government to do the right thing for us Americans. Sometimes those decisions must endure hardships to get through to the gold at the end of the rainbow. Since decisions made in office take a long time to come into effect, it is hard to pinpoint problems and where to deal with them when talking about income and jobs. Since the recession of 2000 the distribution of income has become quite uneven. This due to an ever increasing unemployment rate. Well as Americans we would demand something be done top help this. However it is not the sole purpose of the American Government to make sure that every person is employed. Jared Bernstein stated in his article The Jobless Recovery, that a stimulus is needed to correct these problems. Well the stimulus he is looking for cant come from some economic program or grant, but only from the people themselves. In America today the root of most of these problems lies within the people and their unwillingness to follow laws. A lot of government resources are being dished out to immigrant children whos mothers crossed over the border, birthed their children and bounced. Money that could be going to something usefull is being wasted. Another example of wasted Government expenditure is the welfare system. Unfortunately the system that was set up to help those who could not provide for themselves ad their families is now being used and abused. People know how to beat the system and find every loop hole known to man to squeeze every bit of money out of the Government as possible. Why is there a huge loss of jobs and large unemployment? Thank you for asking. It all comes down to the laziness of the American people. Most Americans who are physically able to work just milk off government disability programs and choose not to get a job. These programs pay a pretty penny for those who know how to...

Biography of Hannah Höch, Co-Founder of Berlin Dada

Biography of Hannah Hà ¶ch, Co-Founder of Berlin Dada Hannah Hà ¶ch Facts Known for:  co-founder of Berlin Dada, an avant-garde art movementOccupation:  artist, the painter, especially noted for her photomontage workDates:  November 1, 1889 – May 31, 1978Also known as Joanne Hà ¶ch, Johanne Hà ¶ch Biography Hannah Hà ¶ch was born Johanne or Joanne Hà ¶ch in Gotha. She had to leave school at 15 to take care of a sister and was not able to resume her studies until she was 22. She studied glass design in Berlin from 1912 to 1914 at the Kunstgewerbeschule. World War I interrupted her studies, temporarily, but in 1915 she began studying graphic design at the Staatliche Kunstgewerbemuseum while working for a publisher. She worked as a pattern designer and writer on womens handicrafts from 1916 to 1926. In 1915 she began an affair and artistic partnership with Raoul Hausmann, a Viennese artist, which lasted until 1922. Through Hausmann, she became part of the Berlin Club Dada, the German group of Dadaists, an artistic movement dating from about 1916.  Other members besides Hà ¶ch and Hausmann were Hans Richter, George Grosz, Wieland Herzfelde, Johannes Baader, and John Heartfield.  She was the only woman in the group. Hannah Hà ¶ch and Dadaism She was also involved, after the first World War, with political radicalism, though Hà ¶ch herself expressed herself less politically than many of the others in the group.  The Dadaist sociopolitical commentary was often satirical. Hà ¶ch’s work is known for more subtle explorations of culture, especially gender and portrayals of the â€Å"new woman,† a phrase describing that era’s economically and sexually liberated women.   In the 1920s Hà ¶ch began a series of photomontages including images of women and of ethnographic objects from museums.  Photomontages combine images from popular publications, collage techniques, painting, and photography.  Ã‚  Nine of her works were in the 1920 First International Dada Fair. She began exhibiting more frequently starting in the late 1920s. One of her most famous works was Cut With the Kitchen Knife Dada Through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany,  portraying German politicians in contrast with (male) Dadaist artists. From 1926 to 1929 Hà ¶ch lived and worked in Holland. She lived for some years in a lesbian relationship with Dutch poet Til Brugman, in the Hague first and then from 1929 to 1935 in Berlin.  Images about same-sex love appear in some of her artwork of those years. Hà ¶ch spent the years of the Third Reich in Germany, forbidden from exhibiting because the regime considered Dadaist work â€Å"degenerate.†Ã‚  She tried to remain quiet and in the background, living in seclusion in Berlin. She married the much-younger businessman and pianist Kurt Matthies in 1938, divorcing in 1944. Though her work was not acclaimed after the war as it had been before the rise of the Third Reich, Hà ¶ch continued to produce her photomontages and to exhibit them internationally from 1945 until her death. In her work, she used photos, other paper objects, pieces of machines and various other objects to produce images, usually quite large. A 1976 retrospective was displayed at the Musà ©e dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Nationalgalerie Berlin. More Information About Hannah Hà ¶ch Categories: artist, photomontage, DadaistOrganizational Affiliations: Dadaism, Berlin Club DadaPlaces: Berlin, Germany, HollandPeriod: 20th century Print Bibliography Hannah Hà ¶ch. The Photomontages of Hannah Hoch. Compiled by Peter Boswell.

Biography on elizabeth barrett browning Research Paper

Biography on elizabeth barrett browning - Research Paper Example In The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1897), there is a chronological account of how her love for the Mr. Browning’s poems grew into their friendship, secret courtship and eventually marriage and elopement. These letters provide a kind of an impossible love for a determined couple complicated by illness and an unforgiving father. As such, she was disinherited for choosing to marry Mr. Browning without his father’s consent. Sonnets from the Portuguese (1850) is a collection of love poems which was inspired by the pure and true love of her husband. Although she had suffered a lot in life, her illness, the death of her mother and her closest brother, she expresses love in a very sentimental way especially in the poem How Do I Love Thee?. This poem has attracted a lot of relevance in poetic romance. She expresses spirituality in her testimonies about how much she loves her husband. This poem has surpassed her even after death as it is prevalently celebrated in modern weddings. Elizabeth’s father owned an enormous estate which was founded on slavery as workers were underpaid and worked under very poor conditions. However, Elizabeth was overtly opposed to human slavery and social injustices and spoke about the struggle of slaves in her poem, A Curse for a Nation from the collection Poems Before Congress

Academic freedom in the classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic freedom in the classroom - Essay Example They believe that the instructor’s profession has nothing to do with the social or political issues happening around them and they must strictly adhere to the academic syllabuses. On the other hand, some others believe that the learning of a student would not be perfect if he fail to learn from the surroundings. Students are living in the society and the basic aim of the education is to make the students capable of living a healthy social life and to make them good citizens. For that purpose it is necessary for them to learn about the present things happening around them as well. This paper discusses these two different views briefly. KEVIN BARRETT, a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, who has a one-semester contract to teach a course titled â€Å"Islam: Religion and Culture,† acknowledged on a radio talk show that he has shared with students his strong conviction that the destruction of the World Trade Center was an inside job perpetrated by the American government (Fish, 2006). It is evident that Mr. Barrett has expressed only his opinion about the trade centre destruction. It is a fact that sometimes such premature opinion by a professor would mislead the students. On the other hand, in order to analyze different dimensions of an issue and also to develop critical thinking, such opinions might be helpful. It should be remembered that the topic academic freedom has nothing to do with the content. ‘Critics charge that the professoriate is abusing the academic freedom in four ways: (1) â€Å"indoctrinate† rather than educate; (2) fail to present conflicting views on contentious subjects, thereby depriving students of educationally essential â€Å"diversity† or â€Å"balance†; (3) intolerant to students’ religious, political, or socioeconomic views, thereby creating a hostile atmosphere in the classroom; and (4) interject material, irrelevant to the subject of instruction’ (Report "Freedom in the classroom, 2007) It is a fact

Overview of Marketing and Branding Products of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Example for Free

Overview of Marketing and Branding Products of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay The correct usage of these Lubricants of right quality ensures prolonged and trouble free vehicle operation, providing maximum benefits to the users of present day modern vehicles. Overview In line with the economic liberalisation in India, Lubricants was the first downstream Petroleum product to be totally deregulated with effect from 1991. Since then a large number of players National, MNCs as well as Global Players have entered the Indian Lubricants market. Despite operating in a totally competitive environment, BPCLs Lubricants SBU has been registering a growth in lubricant sales continuously over the past couple of years. In 2007-08, an overall growth of 10% has been registered, with a healthy turnover of Rs. 1680 crores (approx USD 350 million). In 1998, we re-launched our Lubricants in new attractive packs, mainly in Automotive category with three major brands depicting each segment- Mak for Diesel Engine oils, Automol for Petrol Engine oils and Glide for Two/Three wheelers(mainly 2T then). In the year 2003, we decided to go for Umbrella Brand-MAK Lubricants, in subsequent years, branded all our industrial grades with MAK. Retail Channel Our core strength is our retail outlet network across the country, this comprises of about 7530 retail outlets. Our Lubes SBU have undertaken various initiatives in co-ordination with Retail Business to grow our sales volume through this channel. Initiatives undertaken by the SBU are setting up of Hero Honda City Works, Tata Authorised Service Station (TASS) and installation of Quick Oil Change Machines at retail outlets. Bazaar Channel With a network of 190 PLDs, 600 MAK Garages and MAK Mobile Vans established to improve reach and penetration in rural and unrepresented areas of MAK Brand, the SBU could reach to the last mile as far as the customers are concerned! We continue to improve our brand visibility across the network and there by increasing our market share across the segments. Industrial Channel Large number of prestigious customers has been added during the year to our already existing prestigious customer list. We are also suppliers of initial engine oil fill to TATA Motors, TVS, and Hero Honda etc. We also hold respectable share of Railway and Defence business. Infrastructure The Lube Plants at Wadilube (Mumbai), Budge Budge (Calcutta), Loni (Delhi) and Tondiarpet (Chennai) have organised themselves as close-knit teams to maximize levels of production and dispatch. The Plant at Wadilube is an ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 ;amp; OHSAS 18001:2007 certified Plant. As part of the ongoing improvements in packaging, the new series of packages developed entirely in-house have been introduced. Other initiatives To support the business initiatives, a major thrust has been given to improving BPCL’s product offering and increases its market presence. The new R;amp;D Center at Sewree, Mumbai, has developed a number of new products in the automotive and industrial categories. Towards higher visibility, substantial investments have been made in revitalising the brands through product quality and package improvements. The entire distribution system has been revamped with the formation of Supply Chain Management department to ensure that products are more conveniently available and distinctively visible in the market price. Exclusive branded Lube Shoppes have been opened all over the country to improve our reach, as well as many innovative amp; unconventional methods are being used to create brand awareness especially in the diesel oils segments. Another major initiative has been to reach the products to the rural population through the tie-up with ITC – e-choupal network which has spread the MAK brand across the country in rural areas also. Currently this network is available in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh and is likely to extend to other states also shortly. MAK also embarked on another thrust area of enrolling garages across the country in the network of â€Å"MAK Garages† there by providing standardized service across the network. This initiative not only rovides opportunity for the garages to enhance their business opportunity but also provides an assurance to the end customers that their vehicles are getting the right kind of lubricants. Brand Ambassador To promote MAK brand among the youth and improve the brand visibility, MAK signed up M. S. Dhoni as Brand ambassador in the year 2006. The rise of MAK brand in the minds of the consumers as well as market share coincided with the rise of Dhoni also, who today is the Youth icon of the year and also the Captain of the Indian team for all versions of the game – like MAK being the â€Å"Champion of All Engines†. BPCL is confident that it will continue to make substantial and sustained efforts with appropriate investments, synergies business between channels, improve quality and quantity standards, invest in Ramp;D for new product development and aggressively build the brands to result in maximising the value addition for both the business and its customers. Research and Development Vision To create a centre of technical excellence for Product amp; Application Development through pursuit of knowledge and fostering creativity / innovation to be a pacesetter and achieve cost leadership in petroleum industry. Introduction The Research amp; Development Centre at Sewree, Mumbai was established in 1983 and recognized by Department of Scientific amp; Industrial Research, MoSamp;T. The Ramp;D Centre has highly skilled and experienced Scientists amp; Engineers capable of developing various types of lubricant products, innovatively, using modern technology. It is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment / facilities for testing of lubricants, greases and fuels besides certain rig amp; performance tests required for developing new lubricants as well as upgrading the existing products on continuous basis.

The Effects of Government Spending and Borrowing Essay examples -- Gov

The Effects of Government Spending and Borrowing Government borrowing can be inflationary because the government borrows from banks, which increases the money supply. Banks assume that consumers will not take more than 10% of their savings out and on that basis are able to lend to the government. This increases the money supply because the government has borrowed from the bank but the consumer’s savings stay the same and therefore there is more money in circulation. According to monetarist beliefs an increase in the money supply will directly increase inflation. Inflation can lead to unemployment, as people demand less due to higher prices and therefore demand for labor maybe decreased. Inflation also creates uncertainty for entrepreneurs, cost curves increase and revenue can decrease thus squeezing profits. Also when inflation is in the mind of the entrepreneur it can escalate easily as they will take inflationary actions like automatically increase prices and therefore it is imperative government spending/borrowing is controlled. Although government borrowing does increase the money supply, the monetarist view of a direct link between money supply and inflation is wrong, as proved when Britain experienced recession under Margaret Thatcher. In order to control the money supply the government cut borrowing and spending, which in theory would reduce the money supply, inflation and unemployment but interest rates had to rise to stop consumer borrowing, which in turn increased the exchange rate. High interest rates curbed consumer borrowing, which reduces demand for products, along with a high exchange rate ruining demand for exports ... ...ector borrowing is not the enemy of unemployment. If the government borrows too much then there will have to be increases in taxes, mainly corporation tax and this will also contribute to some unemployment, but the public sector does help employment in some ways. Education and training (funded by the government) provides a skilled, desirable workforce, which will encourage British firms to employ British workers instead of looking for other skilled workers in an increasingly globalized world. The National Health Service also reduces the amount of residual unemployed and therefore contributes to keeping employment levels high. Government borrowing should only occur if for investment purposes and if it will be repaid over the cycle, otherwise it destroys entrepreneur confidence and eventually leads to unemployment.

English †comparing 1984 & The Handmaid’s Tale Essay

In The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood puts across the sense of mystery, things that were once there but are no more. She talks about ‘the pungent smell of sweat, shot through with the sweet smell of chewing gum and perfume’ which came from the girls who once watched the basketball matches that were ‘formally played there’. In the first section of this book we get the feeling that the character is quite lost, lost in what once was and not in the here and now. She tells us about the dances that ‘would have been held there’ and the lingering music that she could still hear very faintly. We get the feeling that this women has very little, no personal belongings, no wealth; nothing. The fact that the women in this building were not even allowed to exchange names tells the reader that this is some kind of prison, the women have no freedom they are constantly being watched by the ‘Angels’ likewise in Nineteen Eighty-Four written by George Orwell there is a significant similarity between the ‘Angels’ in The Handmaid’s Tale and the Posters in Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Angels watch over the women and in Nineteen Eighty-Four the poster which is described as a ‘one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move.’ Watch over everyone who passes by it. Beneath it the caption read ‘BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU’ giving off the impression that someone, somewhere is watching this middle aged man. The man described on the poster some might say could only be the description of Hitler; ‘a man of about forty-five, with s heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features’ Winston also tells us that the posters were ‘plastered everywhere’ also revealing, like The Handmaid’s Tale that nowhere is safe. Adding to this is the telescreen, which cannot be switched off again may be a sign that someone or something is always watching you, and that you are never alone. Both the Angels and the Posters in these books are very intimidating figures or ‘objects of fear.’ The Angels did not look or talk to the women just stood with their backs to them to show domination. Correspondingly the ‘enormous face, more than a metre wide’ plastered on the walls with the eyes that followed you when you move is also seen as a sign of domination. The two figures show signs of both aggression and great importance, the fact that the Angles will not talk or look at the women tells us that they are seen as more significant than them. In addition to this the fact that there are so many of these posters and the fixating look on the enormous face also shows great discomfort and stress.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is a 1987 American film, based on the 1973 novel of the same name written by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman also the book’s author. The story is presented in the movie as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson, this technique effectively keeping intact this novel's narrative style. This movie is number 88 on The American Film Institute's (AFI) â€Å"AFI's 100 Years†¦ 100 Passions† listing the 100 greatest film love stories of all time. As said the movie’s novel like feels it done by a grandfather reading a book to his grandson, who would rather be playing his video game, then to listen to a story about love. The story takes place in a fictional world of Florin is about a beautiful woman named Buttercup who orders around a farm boy until the day when she realizes, that she loves him. She wants to live happily ever after with him, but then evil forces intervene. Buttercup learns that her one true love Westley her farm boy was killed. Five years later we find Buttercup ready to marry the Evil prince Humperdinck. She is kidnapped by a trio of bandits, who want to start war between Gilda and Florin. The trio is tallied by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Who is there to save the princess, who is this heroic man in black? This movie is witty and sassy without going too far over the top. Reiner manages a task of creating a movie that at the same time parodies a genre while also celebrating and participating in it. Despite the irony and the fantastic setting we come to care about the individuals even the trio of bandits. The instant the princess is kidnapped by agents of the evil Prince Humperdinck reveals itself as a spoof of sword and sorcery movies, yet the film somehow manages to appeal to all viewers. While the younger viewers will sit fascinated by the thrilling action scenes like the sword fight, and the adults, will be laughing with movie at one scene after another. This film is funny not only because they contain comedy, but because Reiner does justice to the underlying form of his story. And those who search films that can be enjoyed by all members of their family this movie is it. All of them will enjoy it family members ranging from grammar school kid, to teenagers, ,mom and dad, and even grandma and grandpa will have a few laughs. There may be nothing better than this motion picture, which celebrates fairy tales and true love. , The Princess Bride can still be enjoyed on the simple level of the story of a princess being rescued by her one true love. The average family film is targeted mainly at children, with a few elements thrown in to go over the young children’s heads that appeal to their parents. The crafting of The Princess Bride, however, is far finer. Nearly every aspect of the film delights all possible viewers. For example the sword fight between Inigo and Westly, offers equal thrills to the viewers of all ages even though the verbal banter that accompanies the struggle will resonate more with the older viewers. The choice of actors is only another plus for this movie for this already great movie , Robin Wright and Cary Elwes were selected as much for their good looks as for their acting ability, and they prove that. They have great chemistry that just beams off the screen. Wright, despite being California bred, delivers a perfect British accent. Elwes is equally at home with this comedic, action, and drama role. Mandy Patankin, playing Inigo, matches Elwes' athleticism and develops a character that is instantly sympathetic regardless of originally being a â€Å"bad guy†. Andre the Giant represents the mighty Fezzik as a lovable giant, and Wallace Shawn is hilarious as the narcissistic Vizzini, whose end is inconceivable. Chris Sarandon takes Humperdinck's arrogance to amazing levels. Since the release from over 20 years ago, The Princess Bride has often been copied, but never equaled. Perhaps the most successful movie to capture its spirit was the animated Shrek. The Princess Bride is an unparalleled achievement – a modern classic that will be enjoyed for generations to come. All in all the movie is a brilliant with the acting and comic wit is what makes the movie great. All though the movie is over twenty years old with makes the special effects nothing special. This movie has heart that is scene between Westly and his one true love Buttercup. All of the aspects add up to make one hreafelt comedy that will have you repeating lines in no time. This movie gets an inconceivable 4. 5 out of five stars.

The Importance of Accountability Essays

The Importance of Accountability Essays The Importance of Accountability Essay The Importance of Accountability Essay The Importance of Accountability is one of the basic principles that the U. S. Army engrains into its soldiers. From the moment they step out of the bus in basic training, a simple rule is told to soldiers so that they can be successful in their military careers. This rule is, â€Å"Be at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform. † This is all for the purpose of accountability, which is extremely important because no mission can start without it. Any mission with which the unit is tasked from the very small to the gigantic starts with accountability. From preventive maintenance checks and services on Monday mornings, to cleaning the battery, to mowing the lawn, they all begin with taking accountability of the soldiers who are participating in the tasks. Accountability is defined as, â€Å"Obligation of an individual, firm, or institution to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. † The Army is an institution that is very much like a human body, and the soldiers are the veins in that body. In order for the body to operate at maximum efficiency it needs all its veins to be pumping at full capacity. Accountability is also important for other reasons. Every soldier in the unit, after they complete their day’s work goes to do their personal activities. Some live off- post, some in the barracks, others elsewhere on post. Regardless of where the soldier lives, they are always at risk. These risks could be anything: they could be robbed at a gas station, beat up at a club, their house could catch fire, or they could get into a car accident. The dangers are endless, but that does not change the fact that each soldier is the responsibility of the First Sargent and Commander in the unit and they are representatives of the Army. This is the reason behind accountability formations in the morning. Every soldier must report that they are safe and ready to continue working without any issues. It is so important that Personnel Data System reports are sent up daily reporting the whereabouts of every soldier, and every unit does the same procedures daily. It is a soldier’s responsibility to be present at and punctual to these formations for the above reasons. The importance and imperativeness of Accountability extends not only to showing up on time for formations, but also in our actions throughout the day. We are held responsible and accountable for every action or inaction we take in our jobs. For example, doing a bad job on a task affects not only one soldier, but everyone else involved. This basic rule teaches soldiers to take responsibility for their actions so that when they are down range and their actions can mean life or death in any given situation, they will be adequately prepared and know what is expected of them. In addition to being responsible for what we do in the tasks that we’re given, we are also responsible for doing the right thing even when nobody is around to correct our mistakes. We must always do the right thing, whether or not anyone is going to reprimand us. For instance, a soldier might think there is no harm in Facebooking while they are supposed to be working, but a disciplined individual would recognize that this is inappropriate behavior, even if it is not corrected by anyone else. Another solider might think it’s acceptable to slip out and take a nap in the bathroom because nobody is watching. Again, this soldier should know what is expected of them and that part of accountability is doing the right thing even when it interferes with what we want to do. Finally, to be unsuccessful in attending accountability formation shows that the soldier is irresponsible and/or has let his standards drop. These habits must be curbed to prevent the soldier from continuing on and making further mistakes and putting others, as well as himself, at risk in the future. Everybody slips up now and then, but it is important that those around us correct the bad habits we exhibit. We are soldiers, and we are professionals. If we can’t achieve perfect Accountability and responsibility for our actions when we are not at war, then what happens when we are? This reality is often forgotten by soldiers, because it is inconvenient. We are not, however, supposed to do what is convenient, we are supposed to do what is right.

The Fallacy of Division

The Fallacy of Division In critical thinking, we often come across statements that fall victim to the fallacy of division. This common logical fallacy refers to an attribution placed onto an entire class, assuming that each part has the same property as the whole. These can be physical objects, concepts, or groups of people.   By grouping elements of a whole together and assuming that every piece automatically has a certain attribute, we are often stating a false argument. This falls into the category of a fallacy of grammatical analogy. It can apply to many arguments and statements we make, including the debate over religious beliefs. Explanation The fallacy of division is similar to the fallacy of composition  but in reverse. This fallacy involves someone taking an attribute of a whole or a class and assuming that it must also necessarily be true of each part or member. The fallacy of division takes the form of: X has property P. Therefore, all parts (or members) of X have this property P. Examples and Observations Here are some obvious examples of the Fallacy of Division: The United States is the richest country in the world. Therefore, everyone in the United States must be rich and live well.Because professional sports players are paid outrageous salaries, every professional sports player must be rich.The American judicial system is a fair system. Therefore, the defendant got a fair trial and was not executed unfairly. Just as with the fallacy of composition, it is possible to create similar arguments which are valid. Here are some examples: All dogs are from the canidae family. Therefore, my Doberman is from the canidae family.All men are mortal. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. Why are these last examples valid arguments? The difference is between distributive and collective attributes. Attributes which are shared by all members of a class are called distributive because the attribute is distributed among all members by virtue of being a member. Attributes which are created only by bringing together the right parts in the right way are called collective.  This is because it is an attribute of a collection, rather than of the individuals. These examples will illustrate the difference: Stars are large.Stars are numerous. Each statement modifies the word stars with an attribute. In the first, the attribute large is distributive. It is a quality held by each star individually, regardless of whether it is in a group or not. In the second sentence, the attribute numerous is collective. It is an attribute of the entire group of stars and only exists because of the collection. No individual star can have the attribute numerous. This demonstrates a primary reason why so many arguments like this are fallacious. When we bring things together, they can often result in a whole which has new properties unavailable to the parts individually. This is what is often meant by the phrase the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Just because atoms put together in a certain way constitutes a living dog does not mean that all atoms are living - or that the atoms are themselves dogs, either. In Religion Atheists often encounter the fallacy of division when debating religion and science. Sometimes, they may be guilty of using it themselves: Christianity has done many evil things in its history. Therefore, all Christians are evil and nasty. One common way of using the fallacy of division is known as guilt by association. This is clearly illustrated in the example above. Some nasty characteristic is attributed to an entire group of people - political, ethnic, religious, etc. It is then concluded that some particular member of that group (or every member) should be held responsible for whatever nasty things we have come up with. They are, therefore, labeled guilty due to their association with that group. While its uncommon for atheists to state this particular argument in such a direct manner, many atheists have made similar arguments. If not spoken, its not unusual for atheists to behave as if they believed this argument was true. Here is a slightly more complicated example of the fallacy of division which is often used by creationists: Unless each cell in your brain is capable of consciousness and thinking, then the consciousness and thinking in your brain cannot be explained by matter alone. It doesnt look like the other examples, but it is still the fallacy of division - its just been hidden. We can see it better if we more clearly state the hidden premise: If your (material) brain is capable of consciousness, then each cell of your brain must be capable of consciousness. But we know that each cell of your brain does not possess consciousness. Therefore, your (material) brain itself cannot be the source of your consciousness. This argument presumes that if something is true of the whole, then it must be true of the parts. Because it is not true that each cell in your brain is individually capable of consciousness, the argument concludes that there must be something more involved - something other than material cells.   Consciousness, therefore, must come from something other than the material brain. Otherwise, the argument would lead to a true conclusion. Yet, once we realize that the argument contains a fallacy, we no longer have a reason to assume that consciousness is caused by something else. It would be like using this argument: Unless each part of a car is capable of self-propulsion, then self-propulsion in a car cannot be explained by the material car-parts alone. No intelligent person would ever think to use or accept this argument, but its structurally similar to the consciousness example.

Stakeholder in the Information System Assignment - 31

Stakeholder in the Information System - Assignment Example Consulting stakeholders, when it comes to redesigning a new system, is extremely essential in a business (Lejk and Deeks 16). Stakeholders, in system analysis, are the individuals who determine the main requirements, which should be met by the whole system so as to meet the wants of the sponsors, customers, as well as the users. Also, the aim of redesigning a new system is to do away with the inappropriate technologies, which limit the productivity of the current system. Stakeholders, in system analysis, know the best technology, which will work appropriately with the new system (Lejk and Deeks 16). They can help design the proper system, which will assist them in their dealings. (iii) Consider the college-wide IT infrastructure. If you were a systems analyst in the college investigating wireless access, list a non-technical and technical user who you would consult as part of your investigation. For each user, outline three (3) issues you might want to discuss with them in an interview. Some of the issues that I could discuss with the non-technician user are how to interact with customers, who to interact with designers, as well as assisting programmers to during the design of the system. A non-technician user, to information systems, mainly deals with the nontechnical part of the system and who I could be maintained (Lejk and Deeks 27). Therefore, a nontechnical user will assist me in learning how to relate to clients and how to document their requirements, which are mainly used to create business requirements and dealings. Also, a nontechnical user will assist me in interacting with designers in order to understand the limitations of using system analysis (Lejk and Deeks 27). A technical user, in system analysis, on the other hand, would help me understand the technical part of system analysis (Lejk and Deeks 28). Some of the main issues, which I could ask the technical user, are how to plan a system flow from the beginning, how to perform a system testing and how to deploy the completed system.  Ã‚  

Housing prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Housing prices - Essay Example There could be seen different changes in the prices of homes throughout the country and condos were hit lowest comparing to single -family homes. The article gives here an insight about the housing market condition during the year of 2010.The article is very precise and gives a very brief idea about the housing market. The article takes the readers straight away into the market scenario and doest not give much introduction about the topic. It would be very efficient to commence the article with description bit more about the subject in order to attract the readers and create an impact in the minds of the reader. Every article needs an introduction as it is the point where the readers get involved in the reading and continue to remain with the article. The readers must be given more information about the reason for fall in the prices of house. Little more details about the market scenario and the buyer’s behavior could have added some depth to the article. The good part of the writing was that the author has given more statistical details which are very beneficial on economic basis. But if the readers are common men they would look in for more simple explanation about the subject. Another shortcoming of the writing is that there is no conclusion to the article .It ends nowhere and this gives a very poor outlook to the article. The first thing to be done to the article if it is to be given a make over is to write a good introduction. Introduction can be about the housing market and the situation it was in during the previous years. The writing should be a proper one with an introduction a small body and conclusion, only then the article can be regarded complete. The purpose of the article is to give information to the reader about the topic and only a whole article can fulfill this purpose. The body of the article needs to be about the housing sector sales activity and also about the buyers spending behavior. The home income level of the people can also be

Analyze the article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Analyze the article - Assignment Example he LED bulbs but affects the environment owing to a change in food chain from attracting more insects making them easy food for predators and being shipped away in ships. The article is about the use of LED bulbs that use 90%less energy than incandescent bulbs and â€Å"lasts 100,000 hours compared with 1,000 hours for tungsten filament light bulbs† (Zolfagharifard, 2014). However, despite being good for the environment, the article basing on the findings of New Zealand-based institute Scion, states that the LED lights have a problem to insects that are more attracted by LED spectrum of light. Blue light generated by LED lights attract insects and they â€Å"claim the attraction can be fatal, causing flies to be thrown off their usual path and into the jaws of predators, disrupting the food chain† (Zolfagharifard, 2014). The other concern is that LED light â€Å"near ports could attract flying pests, such as the gypsy moth (pictured), that are accidentally transported by ships† (Zolfagharifard, 2014). The article mainly deals with the impact of LED light attraction of on insects including high rate of insects being eaten by predators and transportation on ships and the relation of these on the food chain. The findings of the institute relating to the impact of the LED light is interesting and requires the need for better understanding the new technology to avoid harming the environment and altering the food chain. The impact of article to me is that it changes my view on the LED light that I have always believed to be a worthy invention and there is a need to determine ways to reduce the attraction of insects to LED

E-Commerce Analysis: Online Ticket Purchasing

E-Commerce Analysis: Online Ticket Purchasing CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the background of the research study. It starts by providing an overview of Electronic Commerce, customer satisfaction and service quality, followed by an outline of the current situation concerning â€Å"Online Ticket Purchasing† in Kuwait. The problem of the study is then defined, highlighting the research the study seeks to investigate and its significance alongside the research objectives, questions and methodology used to achieve these desired objectives. The research limitations are then explored and the chapter concludes with an outline of the thesis structure. 1.2 OVERVIEW Unprecedented advances in Information Technology in recent decades, alongside evolving business environments have seen the emergence of Electronic Commerce (E-commerce) as a major economic force. With the increasing number of Internet users and rapid development of network technologies, e-commerce is perceived as an essential application of the computer and communication technologies (Manvi and Venkataram, 2005 cited by Zhang and Tang, 2006). As observed by Gunasekaran and Ngai (2005) e-commerce enhances communication channels and provides a virtual interactive environment where the suppliers and customers can exchange information and products. Moreover, it improves the communications between partners along the value chain and offers an integrated business model by which companies can be more responsive and flexible to the changing markets and customers requirements (Zhang and Tang, 2006). E- commerce therefore replaces or enhances the traditional market channels by opening web-based storefronts, which is known as â€Å"business to customer e-commerce†. Firms present their products and services on the web and generate revenue from the sales of those products and services to their customers (Molla and Licker, 2001). According to Khalifa and Liu (2003) there has been considerable growth of internet based services, both from internet businesses and from traditional companies developing online services. The technology of e-commerce identifies what can be offered to customers, but only customers determine which of those technologies will be accepted (Lin, 2003). As Jamal (2004) has argued, in the last forty years the issue of customer satisfaction has been one of the most important theoretical as well as practical issues for most marketers and customer research. Satisfaction is significant in the success or failure of any business depending on the performance of the perceived service, if the perceived performance is less than customer expectation the customer will be dissatisfied; whereas, if the perceived performance exceeds their expectations then customers will be satisfied. Many researchers agree satisfaction is an attitude or evaluation that is formed by the customer comparing their pre-purchase expectations of what they would receive from the product to their subjective perceptions of the performance they actually experience (Oliver, 1980). Numerous studies on service quality and customer satisfaction present service quality and customer satisfaction as conceptually distinct, but closely related constructs. Satisfaction is defined as the degree of discrepancy between customers normative expectations for the service and their perception of the service performance (Parasuraman et al., 1994; Dabholkar, 1996). Different researchers such as Gronroos (1983) and Parasuraman et al. (1985) have tried to identify features of service more related to quality assessments. The most common measure reveals ten dimensions of service quality: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, communication, credibility, security, competence, courtesy, understanding the customer and access. These were then filtered to 5 dimensions and based on these 5 items a measurement tool for service quality was devised known as SERVQUAL (PUT SOURCE HERE!!!). While Yang (2001) highlighted the rapid growth of online retailing with broadening experiences of consumers online shopping, Santos (2003) believes that e-service quality can increase attractiveness, hit rate, customer retention, stickiness and positive word of mouth. It can also maximize competitive advantages of e-commerce. Numerous researchers have the discussed the dimensions of e-service quality including Cox and Dale (2001), Madu and Madu (2002), Parasuraman (2002), Yang et al. (2003), Parasuraman et al. (2004) and Lee and Lin (2005), yet online retailers appear to fail due to poor quality services provided to their customers. For that reason online service quality is significant for two reasons: (1) it influences customers satisfactions and intentions to shop online and (2) e-service quality plays a major role in attracting potential customers (Cai and Jun, 2003). Zeithaml (2002) points out online companies should focus on all elements of e-service quality before, during and a fter the transaction, as e-service quality is the extent to which a website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchase and delivery. 1.2.1 E-Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a critical element in the success or failure of any business. Web customer satisfaction has been emphasized as crucial by the rising demand for long-term profitability of dotcom companies and traditional companies that are â€Å"Net enhanced† (Pather, Erwin and Remenyi, 2002). An understanding of the factors that influence web customer satisfaction is vital for e-commerce. Satisfaction is a result of an effective evaluation, where some comparison standard is compared to the actually perceived performance. If the perceived performance is less than expected, customers will be dissatisfied. In contrast, if the perceived performance exceeds expectations, customer will be satisfied (Lin, 2003). A broad idea of traditional service quality might not be enough to build the e-service quality dimension, hence amending several variables is important. Santos (2003) discussed the e-service quality dimensions of, ease of use, web-appearance, linkage, structure and layout, content as the incubative dimensions; reliability, efficiency, support, communication, security, and incentive as active dimensions. This paper focuses on achieving a measurement of the service quality of the Jazeera Airways Website as perceived by their passengers, using a conceptual model of e-service quality developed by Santos (2003). 1.3 ONLINE TICKETING Electronic ticketing over the Internet facilitates the buying or reservation of tickets online, by making the process more easily accessible and convenient. Through these services tickets may be purchased from any location and at any time, provided an Internet connection exists. The tickets are ordered from a web site that provides both ticket information and the purchasing or reservation service. Internet booking or online ticketing concentrates on providing a helpful and efficient service to clients. Firms who sell travel tickets, performing arts, game tickets, concerts, movies and many other activities have notably embraced the online ticketing system according to Burford (1998). Convenience is a main advantage of buying tickets via the internet as the service is available at any geographical location, including ones home via laptop and cellular phone and at any time or day. Electronic ticket services have a further advantage by providing relevant information along with the service. This can help purchasing decisions and may encourage future usage (Burford, 1998). Another feature is that apart from maintenance and data updates, no manpower is necessary to offer the service once it has been established. The process of recording the transactions is more automated and overheads are reduced. An essential point is that ticket providers while providing a convenient service are thereby improving their public image and encouraging return customers (Burford, 1998). A number of countries across the globe are already benefiting from electronic ticketing including the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and France. In fact the U.S.A. it has 80% market p enetration, while in Europe it is approximately 40% and in the U.S.A. more than $350 million dollars in event tickets were sold online during 2000 increasing to $3.9 billion in 2004 (Bhatia, 2004). 1.3.1 Online Services and E-Ticketing in Kuwait The internet is a technology with many properties with the potential to transform the competitive landscape in many industries while at the same time creating completely new industries (Afuah and Tucci, 2003). The revolution of the internet continues to excel leading to rapid changes in many fields, at an overwhelming speed. In Kuwait, prior to 1990 internet usage was limited to electronic mail and minor services, however in 1992 a decision was made by the Ministry of Communication to facilitate the public data network. In the same year the National Science Foundation agreed to extend the Internet to Kuwait at a time when it was only available for US institutions and some selected institutions overseas. In recent years with the support of the Kuwaiti government for IT plans, practical steps have been taken in this field with the possibility of payment for mobiles and traffic tickets via the internet and the sale of online airlines tickets for the first time. These advances indicate the growth and development in the IT field in Kuwait as a whole. In 1943, the oil boom opened a new chapter in the modern history of Kuwait as The Kuwait Oil Company Limited (KOC) was founded. By 1947-1948 KOC developed the new Al-Nugra (Al-Mayass) Airport, located in the Nuzha district, operating in daylight only, with airlines opening offices in Kuwait City to handle ticketing and cargo operations for the Arab expatriate community. By 1954, the Kuwaiti National Airlines Company celebrated the arrival of the first airplane, which was called â€Å"Kazma† (http://www.da.gov.kw). The worldwide revolution of low-cost carriers (LCCs) started successfully with Pacific Southwest Airlinesin the United States, which pioneered the concept in 1949. Notable successes which have followed are Irelands Ryanair, which began low-fares operations in 1990, and EasyJet, formed in 1995. These low cost carriers then developed in Asia and Oceania from 2000 led by operators such as Malaysias AirAsia, Indias Air Deccanand Australias Virgin Blue. The low-cost carrier model is applicable worldwide, although deregulated markets are most suited for its rapid spread. In 2006, new LCCs were announced in Saudi Arabia and Mexico (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com). On September 12, 2005 Jazeera Airways owned by Marwan Boodai, Chairman and CEO, announced its first flights were open for booking. Jazeera Airways is the first privately owned airline in the Middle East, established in Kuwait. It offers passengers ticketless flights to Dubai, Lebanon, Damascus, Amman and Bahrain via the web, by phone, SMS or through travel agents (www.jazeeraairways.com). Breaking away from out-dated business models by developing a new model tasked with raising operational efficiency requires incorporating the latest revenue management procedures into the company and installing state-of-the-art technologies. This will ultimately enable travelers to become more independent in their bookings and payment. With tickets sold through a website as the main distribution channel, online booking is a very efficient distribution method for airlines. It reduces the number of back office staff and reduces the payment cycle. Jazeera Airways has worked hard to entice travelers to book through its website by making it the cheapest method to purchase tickets. Many promotional offers made by the company are available only to travelers who book online, therefore Jazeera Airways strategy is rewarding travelers who book online (www.jazerraairways.com) 1.4 PROBLEM DEFINITION Understanding customers requirements is vital to any business enterprise in order for it to remain competitive. Customer satisfaction is of great interest since it has a direct effect on customer retention, loyalty and the prospect of new customers. Retention is a major challenge, as customers can easily switch from one service provider to another considering the internet can facilitate easy access to a wide variety of choices with lesser cost. Acquiring new customers may involve significant cost on the part of the company in terms of marketing, advertising and promotion. Hence it is important to understand the determinants of customer satisfaction and assess the current experience of the customer in order to improve services. Customer satisfaction is a major issue of Jazeera Airways and good online service quality is a key factor that will determine in the long term, whether it will succeed or fail in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. Due to rapid technological advancements in the marketplace Jazeera Airways maintains a close relationship with their customers, as their expectations and perceptions of online service quality may change. This research will therefore be conducted on Jazeera Airways, the first low cost airline in Kuwait. Jazeera Airways offers online ticketing in its website as the main distribution channel. Therefore it is important to take into account the quality of its website and to pay more attention to customer evaluation of the service given. Customers want to make their own bookings in their own time without depending on middlemen; as a result it is necessary that online service quality determinants lead to satisfaction. Dissatisfied travelers may perceive one of the following: Web sites do not seem to have many of the very basic features that experts consider important in forming relationship with customers. Service providers undervalue the attributes that customers use to judge service quality that should be monitored and enhanced to help the service performance. There are other variables of the online service quality that affect the overall travelers satisfaction. Therefore this research aims to address such problematic issues by researching the relevant factors including current opinion of the airline users. 1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES As this research study aims to examine the customer satisfaction of the service of Jazeera Airways in online ticketing through the quality delivered through its website, its main objectives are as follows: To assess the perception of each service of Jazeeras e-service Quality dimensions. To evaluate consumer satisfaction towards e-service quality for online service quality within Jazeera. To determine the important dimensions leading to satisfaction when purchasing online tickets within Jazeera. 1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS In order to fulfill the objectives of this study, the following questions need to be addressed: What key incubative dimensions do online customers perceive as important for their e-service quality? What key active dimensions do online customers perceive as important for their e-service quality? What are the most influential online service quality dimensions of the website as perceived by respondents with a high level of customers satisfaction in the Jazeera Airways website? What are the most influential online service quality dimensions of Jazeera Airways contributing to customer satisfaction when examining the Jazeera Airways website? Are the different socio-demographic variables involved perceiving e-service quality and satisfaction in the same way or differently? 1.7 Research Methodology This research is considered deductive, quantitative, descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory to some extent type of study. The research follows the survey strategy approach and consists of 67 questions composed of a two page questionnaire distributed to the target sample in Kuwait. Data was collected using Arabic and English questionnaires, from a sample size of X passengers who booked online through Jazeeras website. The questionnaire consists of four sections (A, B, C, D). Section A solicits demographic information. Section B evaluates Jazeeras Airways e-service quality using an adapted Santos (2003) model. Section C measures the level of customer satisfaction. Statements of Section B and C are scaled using a Likert type scale from 1 to 5. Section D collects information added by customers that will add value to the research. 1.8 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS Throughout this research conducted in Kuwait regarding Jazeera Airways website service quality a number of limitations were noted as follows: The thesis investigates the customer satisfaction of Jazeeras Airways website service quality and does not include the companys perspective/point of view; therefore the study is limited in its scope to customers and not employees or managers. The study does not include product quality, price, situational factors, personal factors, and other services provided by Jazeera Airways. Using a quantitative approach only towards addressing the research problems, a qualitative approach is lacking. The research scope is limited as it assesses Jazeera online service â€Å"e-ticketing† excluding airport customer services such as check in, luggage, lounge and on board services. There is limited relevant literature concerning service quality in the airline industry in Kuwait and the region, therefore there are no previous findings or frameworks to consult. 1.9 THESIS STRUCTURE This study is composed of five main chapters. Chapter One presents the background details of the selected research area and the experience in Kuwait, followed by the problem definition, the research objectives and questions, the methodology, the studys limitations and the thesis structure. Chapter Two discusses related theories, concepts and models providing a comprehensive review and an insight into the subject area as a whole, followed by an explanation of the research to the country of Kuwait. Chapter Three describes the methodology, research design and techniques used in the collection and analysis of the data. Chapter Four presents the gathered data, their interpretation and analysis. Chapter Five looks at the findings, assessing whether they satisfy the research questions and objectives to draw conclusions from the results. Based on these conclusions, recommendations for management are provided with further suggestions for future research. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter a comprehensive review of available related literature is made concerning website service quality and customer satisfaction. In the process various concepts, models and theories covering customer satisfaction, determinants of customer satisfaction, the relationship between online service quality and satisfaction and online service quality dimensions are presented and explored to give the study a wide ranging theoretical basis. In addition the relevance of the research to the country of Kuwait is also addressed. 2.2 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 2.2.1 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Oliver (1980) explains satisfaction as the summary of a psychological state resulting when the emotion surrounding disconfirmed expectations is coupled with a consumers prior feelings about the consumer experience. In other words, satisfaction is an attitude or appraisal that is created by the customer comparing their pre-purchase expectations of what they would receive from the product or service to their subjective perceptions of the performance they actually did receive. Customer satisfaction has become a key intermediary objective in service operations, because of the benefits it conveys to organizations (Ranaweera and Prabhu, 2003). The importance of customer satisfaction results from the generally accepted philosophy that for a business to be successful and profitable, it must satisfy customers (Shin and Elliott, 2001). While many authors have described satisfaction using various definitions, Table 2.1 presents a few notable explanations of customer satisfaction. Table 2.1 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Definition Author Customer satisfaction is a collective outcome of perception, evaluation and psychological reactions to the consumption experience with a product/service. Yi (1990) Satisfaction is function of consumers belief that he or she was treated fairly. Hunt (1991) Satisfaction is a persons feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a products perceived performance (or outcome) in relation to his or her expectation. Kotler et al. (2000) Source: Research based From the above table we understand that satisfaction is the consumers evaluation of the product and service that meet their needs and expectations. According to Parker and Mathews (2001) there are two main interpretations of satisfaction; satisfaction as a process and satisfaction as an outcome. Whereas Gustafsson (2005) argues satisfaction has a strong positive effect on customer loyalty intentions across a wide range of product and service categories. 2.2.2 Determinants of Customer Satisfaction Zeithaml et al. (2005) argued that satisfaction, as shown in 2.1, is influenced by service quality perception, product quality, and price as well as situational and personal factors. Economists differentiate between two categories of properties of consumer products; search qualities and experience qualities. With search qualities consumers determine before purchasing a product like color, style, price, fit, feel, hardness and smell. Experience qualities, are hard to determine; as a result it can be evaluated after the purchase and until the service is received like vacations and restaurant meals (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Keaveney (1995)ppp.jpg point out that a main reason leading to customers switching services is price, as customers, based on prior experience with the service provider, sometimes felt cheated and believed that price increases were unfair or even deceptive. According to (Zeithaml et al., 2005) comparing the price relative to value and state, research reveals that customers of services will make trade-offs among different service features such as price level versus quality. A number of customers, for example, view price as an important element for their satisfaction more than quality. Perceived service quality is only one factor of customer satisfaction (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Consequently to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction, most researchers suggest that a high level of service quality should be delivered by the service provider as service quality is normally considered an antecedent of customer satisfaction (Cronin et al. 2000). Zeithaml et al. (2005) described a consumers emotional state as a personal factor. Satisfaction will vary due to customers biographical characteristics such as age, gender, education, ethnicity and income (Gilbert and Veloutsou, 2006;Van Pham and Simpson, 2006). Customers take partial responsibility for outcomes and describe those negative feelings that influence how a consumer responds to services, causing a person to overreact negatively to the slightest problem (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Situational factors can notably influence purchase decisions such as social environment, physical environment of the purchase place, time influence and the previous states (Vysekalovà ¡, 2004; Nagyovà ¡, 2001). 2.3 The Evidence of Service (3Ps) Services are intangible; therefore customers are searching for evidence of service in every interaction they have with the organization. The three major factors of service experienced by customers are: people, process, and physical evidence. Together these elements are considered as an evidence of the service. Each evidence or subset is present in each service 2.2. Firms should essentially manage the service quality that will lead to satisfying their customers (Bitner, 1993). 2.4 SERVICE QUALITY Numerous researchers have defined service quality their own ways, including Bitner, Booms and Mohr (1994) who described service quality as the consumers overall impression of the relative inferiority / superiority of the organization and its services. Perceived service quality is only one component of customer satisfaction (Zeithaml et al., 2005). According to Parasuraman et al. (1994) service quality is defined as, the degree of discrepancy between customers normative expectations for the service and their perception of the service performance. Gronroos (1982) stated that total service quality is customers perception of difference between expected service and perceived service. Afterward in 1984, he then explained service quality of the service encounter as two different dimensions: one is technical or output quality and the other functional or process quality. Therefore, service quality has become a well-liked area of academic investigation, recognized as a major factor in differentiating service products and gaining competitive advantage (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Table 2.2 presents the concept of service quality from varied authors viewpoints who combined suggest we can understand that meeting the need and requirements and achieving customers expectations depends on delivering the best level of service quality. Notably with time, service quality takes place before and leads to overall customer satisfaction Table 2.2 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Definition Author Service quality as the subjective comparison that customers make between the quality of the service that they want to receive and what they actually get. Gefan (2002) Service quality can be defined as â€Å"the difference between customers expectations for service performance prior to the service encounter and their perceptions of the service received†. Asubonteng et al. (1996) Service quality is determined by the differences between customers expectations of services providers performance and their evaluation of the services they received. Parasuraman et al. (1985,1988) Source: Research based Gilbert and Veloutsou (2006) determined different approaches to measure customer satisfaction, varying between measuring expectations relative to perception or measuring the performance aspect only, without relating it to the desired level of service. Service quality has been found to be an important input to customers satisfaction (Caruana, 2002). 2.4.2 Dimensions of Service Quality Service quality has been the focus of increased study in recent years as many researchers have tried to reveal features of services that significantly relate to quality evaluation in traditional service environments. In 2001 Brady and Cronin presented a model consisting of interaction quality, physical environment quality, and outcome quality. These dimensions draw on, among others, the work of Gronroos (1982) and Rust and Oliver (1994) who suggest that exploring both what is delivered (Gronroos technical quality) and how it is delivered (Gronroos functional quality) are important aspects of service quality. Table 2.3 Dimensions of Service Quality Quality Requirement Description Reliability Reliability Consistency of service/ dependability, i.e. the ability to provide the service on time, accurately and dependably Responsiveness Responsiveness Willingness/readiness of employees, i.e. the ability to deal effectively with complaints and promptness of services Assurance Credibility The extent to which the service is believed and trusted; involves honesty, trustworthiness and believability Courtesy The politeness, respect, consideration and friendliness shown to the customers by the contact personnel Security The freedom from danger, risk and doubt Competence The possession of staff of the necessary skill, knowledge and information to perform the service effectively Empathy Access The ease of approachability and contact Communication Listening to customer and keeping them informed about the service Understanding the customer Trying to understand the customers needs and specific requirements Tangibles Tangibles Appearance of personnel and condition of equipment Source: Parasuraman et al. (1985); Ghobadian et al. (1994); Curry and Herbert (1998) A most widely used and accepted study done on service quality is by Parasuraman et al. (1985). Having developed ten dimensions through focus group studies: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, communication, credibility, security, competence, courtesy, understanding the customer, and access. These ten dimensions were then filtered and extracted to five: tangibles, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy, which constitute the basis of a global measurement for service quality, SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al., 1988). Based on these five dimensions researchers presented a 22-item service quality scale and on an operational level service quality research has been dominated by the SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al., 1985; Curry and Herbert, 1998). Table 2.3 presents a description of the service quality dimensions. 2.4.3 Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality Service quality has been found to be an important input to customer satisfaction (Caruana and Malta, 2002). Cronin and Taylor (1992) examined the causal relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction, and purchase intention. The results suggested that service quality was an antecedent of consumer satisfaction, service quality had less effect on purchase intentions than did consumer satisfaction, and consumer satisfaction had a significant effect on purchase intentions. Customer satisfaction had a stronger effect on behavioral intentions than service quality did (Dabholkar et al., 2000). As a process in time, service quality takes place before, and leads to overall customer satisfaction. Customers loyalty was affected by product quality, service quality, and retailer image. They also suggested that quality of product and service is directly related to customer satisfaction, and then leads to the loyalty of the customer (Cà ¶ner and Gà ¼ngà ¶r, 2002). Based on empirica l findings in service quality and satisfaction literature, service quality is one of the antecedents of satisfaction (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993; Cronin and Taylor, 1992), and loyalty is one of the consequences of satisfaction. Luarn and Lin (2004) indicated that not only customer satisfaction and perceived value directly affected customer loyalty, but also indirectly affected customer loyalty through commitment. 2.5 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN SERVING CUSTOMERS According to Parasuraman (2000), delivering excellent customer service is vital in case customers have to serve themselves by technology-based systems. With quick penetration of technology-based customer-company interfaces such as online banking and e-commerce, employee-delivered service is being replaced by self-service, reducing the need for face-to-face encounters between customers and company personnel. However, this fundamental shift does not mean that companies can afford to ignore customer service. Development of self-service technologies need to emphasize customer service to ensure the customer-technology interface is user-friendly, putting in place an excellent customer-service infrastructure (including properly tr