A Study of Customer Preference Towards Various Stock Brokerage

RESEARCH PROPOSAL A Study of Customer Preference towards various Stock Brokerage Firms in Indore November 20, 2012 Submitted To : Submitted By : Dr. Yamini Karmarkar Dhwanil Mehta IM 2K9 36 Himanshu Patidar IM 2K9 47 Title A Study of Customer Preference towards various Stock Brokerage Firms in Indore. Index S. No. ParticularsPage No. 1INTRODUCTION03 2RESEARCH QUESTION04 3RESEARCH OBJECTIVE04 4RESEARCH METHODOLOGY05 EXPECTED OUTCOMES09 6LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH09 Introduction This research is regarding the secondary market trading in India and its main objective is to understand customers’ preference towards stock brokerage firms in Indore. In the last decade, India’s GDP has raised from 414 billion dollar in 2001 to 1. 85 trillion dollars in 2012. This growth in size of Indian economy has been complimented by 8 fold increase in the market capitalization of the Indian companies. So people are now investing more in stock market to increase the value of their money.Capital markets are in existence in India since a long time. There are about 11 million DEMAT accounts and 1 million daily active traders in India. Indian stock market is one of the oldest stock markets in Asia with a glorious past that caters to the huge population of India and gives them investment opportunities. In 1875 Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was established by 22 brokers. From that time onwards the Indian Stock market has grown in leaps and bounds, and has become a forceful and competent stock market in the international level.Earlier days a stock was represented by a stock certificate which was a piece of paper that was proof of your ownership. But in today’s computer age, your stock is stored electronically by your broker. This is done to make the shares easier to trade. In the past, when a person wanted to sell his shares that person physically took the certificates down to the broker. But now stocks can be purchased with a click of mouse. Definition of key terms 1. Stoc k Brokerage Firms- A brokerage firm, or simply brokerage, is a financial institution that facilitates the buying and selling of financial securities between a buyer and a seller.Brokerage firms serve a clientele of investors who trade public stocks and other securities, usually through the firm's agent stockbrokers. 2. DEMAT Account- The term â€Å"demat†, in India, refers to a dematerialized account for individual Indian citizens to trade in listed stocks or debentures in electronic form rather than paper, as required for investors by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In a demat account, shares and securities are held electronically instead of the investor taking physical possession of certificates. 3.Trading Account- A trading account works as an intermediary between the savings account and demat account. When you want to buy shares, first the money is transferred from your savings account to trading account. 4. Consumer Preference- A consumer preference ex plains how a consumer ranks a collection of goods or services or prefers one collection over another. This definition assumes that consumers rank goods or services by the amount of satisfaction, or utility, afforded. Research Question What are the factors that influence the customer preference towards choosing a stock brokerage firm?Objectives 1. To study the factors influencing the people at the time of opening a DEMAT and Trading account. 2. To know the personal views of people regarding choices among various stock brokerage firms in Indore. Research Methodology Theoretical Framework Variables Explanatory Variables- 1. Age- This variable is used to get input of age of customers in years. 2. Income Level- This variable is used to get input of annual income level of the customers in Rupees. 3. Gender- variable is used to get input of gender of customers. Dependent Variables- . Stock-call precision- Stock-call precision is a qualitative measure of the accuracy of the advice to buy, h old, or sell the securities to gain maximum possible return according to risk beard by customer. 2. Personal assistance 3. Price charged for the services- Prices include the account(DEMAT and Trading) opening charges plus brokerage charges per transaction. 4. Location of offices- Location of offices for the convenience of the customers. 5. Brand equity of the firm. Relationship between variables Measurement Design Scales of Measurement 1.Age- Interval scale is used with 4 intervals i. e. [18-30, 31-45, 45-60, 60 plus] 2. Income Level- Interval scale is used with 5 intervals i. e. [0-3lacks, 3lacks-6lacks, 6lacks-10lacks, 10lacks plus] 3. Gender- Nominal scale is used with options â€Å"Male† and â€Å"Female†. 4. Dependent variables: Stock-call precision, Personal assistance, Price, Location of offices, and Brand equity are all measured using a 5 point Likert Scale. [Least Preferable, Somewhat Preferable, Neutral, Preferable, Most Preferable] Technique for Data Collect ion Primary data is needed to be gathered for this research.Data will be collected using questionnaire technique. Questionnaire will be filled by customers through two channels- printed hard copies and online over internet. Researcher will personally take the hard copies of questionnaire to the individual sample. Online questionnaire will be filled using various websites. Sample Description Population Population is taken to be the all the investors of Indore trading in securities and having DEMAT and Trading account in any of the stock brokerage firm located in Indore. Sample Size Sample size is taken to be 120.Sampling Technique Non-probability Quota sampling method. 20 customers of each of the top 6 brokerage firms of Indore are taken. This makes 6 quotas with 20 customers in each quota. Data Analysis Technique used for data analysis is ANOVA. Hypothesis Age of the Customer as an explanatory variable. 1. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between age of the customer a nd preference to the Stock-call precision. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Stock-call precision. 2.Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Personal assistance. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Personal assistance. 3. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Price. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Price. 4. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between age of the customer and preference to he Location of Offices. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Location of Offices. 5. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Brand Equity. Alternate Hypo thesis,(H1): There is a relationship between age of the customer and preference to the Brand Equity. Income of the Customer as an explanatory variable. 6. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Stock-call precision.Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Stock-call precision. 7. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Personal assistance. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Personal assistance. 8. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Price. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Price. 9.Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Location of Offices . Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Location of Offices. 10. Null Hypothesis, (H0): There is no relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Brand Equity. Alternate Hypothesis,(H1): There is a relationship between income of the customer and preference to the Brand Equity. Expected Outcomes Age and income level of the customers have significant effect on their choices regarding brokerage firms.Limitations of the study This research might have some minor limitations because of limited sample size and the environment in which data was collected. The data analysis and findings are based on the knowledge and experience of the respondents. It is assumed that at the time of undertaking survey the best available respondent group was chosen and the responses given by each one of them was genuine. If the respondents responded to the questionnaire without any interest, attention or adequate knowledge reg arding stock market, then the conclusions drawn from this research might not become valid in real world.

Aboriginal stolen generation Essay

Given the ongoing and intergenerational effects of being taken away, is it useful to think of the Stolen Generations as something that happened in the past, or as a contemporary issue affecting Indigenous peoples? What implications are there for all Australians in recognizing the need for national healing? The Stolen Generation was a time of grief, sorrow and sadness for many indigenous people. To say that it is something of the past would be distorting the seriousness of the issue, the Stolen Generation was and always will be a contemporary issue affecting indigenous people. Although race relations in Australia have been signified for many decades there still remains a historic distinction between ‘black’ and ‘white’ people and this is why Australians are faced with the implications of recognizing the need for national healing. The immediate impacts of the Stolen Generation left many children feeling incomplete, lost and alone. The Stolen Generation continues to impact upon contemporary Indigenous spiritualties as the removal of a complete generation of children from their families has had a negative effect on the ability of these children to maintain their cultural identities, spirituality and their own sense of belonging to the world. The implications left for Australians in recognizing the need for national healing are extensive, Australians can be seen as the ones who need to continually fix the wrongs of the past, and although the nation strive towards coherence between Indigenous people and contemporary society it will never change what has already happened. The initial impacts of those victims of the stolen generation began with the direct disconnection from family members and the harsh reality that they were now separated from loved ones, which in some cases was forever. This factor in particular is one of the leading reasons that indigenous people are affected by the Stolen Generation as a contemporary issue in today’s society. Family is what provides a sense of closure and connection in an individual’s life. To have been stripped of that at such a young age leads to many complications and developmental issues that still haunt many indigenous people today. Many indigenous people are now suffering and hurting because of what occurred, and what they were faced with. As evidenced in one of many testimonies from victims of the stolen generation Frank Byrne is just one of many who are hurting, as he says that, â€Å"It’s very important to tell people our stories because we are hurting. It hurts. We lost our family and we didn’t bring that on. It was the Government. Why? We don’t know why. We’re just as human as everybody and we’re hurting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The contemporary issue being represented is evident that the Stolen Generation is not something that can ever be put in the past, Frank was born in 1937 and taken away a short time after, if he is still hurting almost 70 years later then that should be enough to prove that the issue of removing children from their families at such a young age is a very serious one. Whilst indigenous people have suffered ongoing pain, there have been developments in addressing their desire for closure, and their need for an apology was finally addressed. However, the negative implications left for Australians in helping them heal can be seen as what really impacts upon the way in which Australians are able to help in the healing process. It can be seen as unfortunate that today’s societies are the ones who pay for the mistakes of the past and for some Australians it may be a burden thrust upon them that’s existence might not ever cease. It is assumed by many that no matter how much is done, Australia will always pay for the occurrence of the Stolen Generation and in a way that can be deemed true. It is more than obvious that suffering did not start and finish for members of the indigenous communities, suffering started many years ago and will remain, the brutality and seriousness of the issue does not simply heal with time or become a memory it is immovable from the world, and most importantly from those who suffered. In saying this however, there are others willing to help in achieving a positive connection with the members of the indigenous community, in particular those affected by the Stolen Generation. This can be seen through various orgainisation who thrive for a better society and aim at helping those in need of healing to heal and be given the closure they deserve. For example, ‘The healing foundation’ is a government run orgainisation with a main goal and belief that ‘We can close the Gap by supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build stronger communities, heal the trauma, and preserve and celebrate our culture and our people’. Various healing programs are run through this orgainisation and they all aim to target different aspects that need to be addressed, eg; holding healing camps on country- This could ultimately help restore the connection to land that was once lost when removed from it, being in a place where you feel most comfortable would in due course enable indigenous people to strengthen that connection to the land, and in affect from that help their pain. The pain of the past, and the impact it has on the present is left with individuals from the Stolen Generation. It is safe to say that up until this present day Indigenous people are frowned upon by many, and are discriminated based on their race and opinions on what kind of people they really are. This in turn leads to the exclusion of individuals from society, and then the feeling of being rejected and neglected. This feeling has then impacted many to resort to violence &crime, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and in extreme cases suicide. However, whilst some resort to these negative responses, most are the victims of abuse and crime. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the crime rate for indigenous people on average, are considerably higher crime victimisation rates. In 2008, around one-quarter (23%) of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over reported being a victim of physical or threatened violence in the last 12 months, and one in seven (15%) had experienced at least one episode of physical violence in the previous year (ABS 2010c). In 2009 in the Northern Territory, police recorded 5,985 Indigenous people per 100,000 Indigenous populations as victims of assault in 2009 compared to 1,150 non-Indigenous people per 100,000 non-Indigenous populations. The figures speak for themselves, being a part of the Stolen Generation may not only be the reason that indigenous people are secluded and victimized, but it does account for the distinction between them and the rest of the community. Being victimized becomes a very serious contemporary issue as it now creates the start of an ongoing chapter, where Indigenous people are targeted based on their race and who they are believed to be. It creates a polluted society where negative connotations are what define people, when it should at no time come down to that. Australians need to recognize the need for national healing, and address such issues like violence so that it sooner or later becomes non-existent. The implications for this that Australians are left with are to help those who are victims of abuse, and support the people of the Stolen Generation who need supporting. As outlined in the ‘Bringing them home report’ many homes that children were placed in were extremely cruel, and most suffered from sexual and physical abuse. It was evident that most in power abused their positions and as a result the Indigenous people were the ones who underwent the constant exploitation. In recognizing the need for healing all Australians are faced with the realization that because of this most indigenous people are sensitive to change, do not adapt well with strangers and as a result are separated from society. In helping break that barrier and minimize these effects it is important to enable space for change and recognition of the rights and needs of the indigenous communities, especially the ones directly impacted by the after math of the Stolen Generation. When they were taken away Indigenous people were not only stripped of their families, homes and belongings but they were stripped of their identity’s. Did not matter what their name was, who they were, or where they came from. Losing your identity and being forced to change so rapidly and harshly carried so many negative consequences for those who fell victim to the change. It is because of this that today, in our society many people are still impacted and lost in finding out who they really are or where their family could be now. Being forced to assimilate into a ‘white’ Australian fell under the ‘White Australia Policy, 1901’ The policy broke important cultural, spiritual and family ties which crippled not only individuals, but whole families and even whole communities. This as a result outlines the need for society today to be understanding and acknowledge the sensitive situation that most people may still be in. There is no greater struggle in life than finding out who you are and to have been broken from any connection which could ever lead you back home will most definitely leave Indigenous people broken for many generations to come. The impact this brings to Australian society is that the issue of social justice arises and again the division between indigenous people and Australians is made evident. The suffering of being separated from family is something that was stowed upon indigenous peoples by the white Australians at the time. The constant questioning of ‘why us?’ is probably such a question left un answered by many, this leads to the implications that some Australians may feel as though it is not their role, nor fault to be the ones to acknowledge and say sorry for what has happened in the past. Although this may cause a stir for some, it is the current nation and generations to come job to ensure that the feeling of displacement and lost identities are retrieved. The separation from family not only meant a lost identity for most, but also a disconnection to their land which thus impacted their spirituality and involvement in practicing their beliefs. The issue of land rights, and the way in which indigenous people present themselves to this day is still an issue in society. Indigenous people are prone to, and enjoy being outdoors to practice their faith, for some this may be seen as intimidating, wrong, or strange but in order for healing to be achieved the Australians of this contemporary society need to acknowledge these needs of practicing their faith, and enjoying their outdoor surroundings. Indigenous people all over the world are suffering with the emotional and physical trauma of being part of the Stolen Generation. It is not something that will fade away with time, nor will it ever be forgotten about, the Stolen Generation was a horrific time for everyone who was involved and it’s the job of Australia today and in the future to right the wrongs of the past and enable the healing process to take place effectively. Bibliography ABS (September 2013). Measures of Australian progress. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20peoples%20(4.4.6.2 Press, R. W. (Septemeber 2013). Stolen Generations Fact Sheet. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://reconciliaction.org.au/nsw/education-kit/stolen-generations/#impact Australian Human Rights Commission (September,2013). Australian Human Rights . Retrieved September, 2013, from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/ Byrne, F. (September, 2013). Testimonies . Retrieved September, 2013, from http://stolengenerationstestimonies.com/index.php/testimonies/1020.htm Australia, H. P. (September, 2013). Healing. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://healingfoundation.org.au/healing-programs/

Marketing Plan for Jos. Fredrick &Sons Research Paper

Marketing Plan for Jos. Fredrick &Sons - Research Paper Example From the targeted $70,000, the marketing system, whose validity will determine the accuracy of the budget, will depend on portfolio planning, i.e. the coordinated planning of the individual services, the 80:20 rule, which makes the plan clear, concise and clear by concentrating on the 20% of services, and on the 20% of the customers to account for 80% of the volume and 80% of the profit, and lastly the 7 P's program that focuses on Product/services, Place, Price and Promotion, Physical environment people and the Marketing Process. Since the three broad services offered by Jos. Fredrick & Sons are the company's pillars, the budget will need to be shared equally and a small portion set aside to oversee the implementation of the marketing plan as follows; The company should maintain the slogan "Our Ability is Your Security", as it is well known by the intended market. However, much more should be done in respect to the wording "leave the repairs and regular maintenance to the pros" into a more eye-catching one such as "the man in town will sort you". This will no doubt go a long way in the company's market positioning as it will instinctively arouse interest in the customers who will want to experience the change that the "new man in town" is out to offer, which could be different from what the company has offered in the last six decades. Such a small change in the wording could mean a lot, and the things that the company would require to do is to inscribe those words in their invoices, paint it in a fancy way on their website, or paint their service vehicles with those words in odd colors that will have a feel of odd works such as plumbing. There should also be some bumper stickers with the Company's name, logo, and the words "the ne w man in town will sort you". The costs for such activities will go to the 10% budget provision as they are aimed at overseeing the success of the plan.  

Are the cooling processes immediately after resuscitation beneficial Research Paper

Are the cooling processes immediately after resuscitation beneficial in the pre-hospital settings - Research Paper Example Are the cooling processes immediately after resuscitation beneficial in the pre-hospital settings? As the research aims to study the success of the cooling process after resuscitation in the pre-hospital settings; thus, researchers have evaluated that hypothermia is induced in pre-hospital setting to deal with the comatose cardiac arrest patients. It has been found that many researches evidenced favorable results concerning induction of hypothermia after cardiac arrest to initiate and effectively practice the efficient method; it promotes the best neurological outcome at discharge suggested by professionals. Authors of the study have included experiences and viewpoints of the participants (population) who had comparable baseline characteristics. Also, to deeply study the experience of the population authors had intended to explore if the body temperature decreases before the arrival of cardiac patient at the hospital; how it will impact the treatment procedure. So, they have explored that a decrease in patient's body temperature is positively effectively, safe and feasible for the health practitioners and also the cardiac arrest patient feel encouraging difference in his/her health condition. Although, researchers have not intended to include adverse influence of induced hypothermia in the findings, but the meta-analysis reveals underpins that in some cases induced hypothermia can cause negative effects on heart rate, blood pressure, pulse oximetry and chest radiograph. Furthermore, from another outstanding piece of medical literature researchers have noted that decrease in core tempera ture of 0.8 degree Celsius can point out a quick infusion of greater volume, ice-cold intravenous fluid decrease temperature as soon as the patient arrived at the healthcare centre (Nichol, Thomas, Callaway, & Hedge, 2008). Also, researchers have included experiences of patients out of the hospital and effectiveness of the cooling process immediately after resuscitation. For the evidence (Kamarainen, Virkkunen, & Tenhunen, 2009) has been analyzed, which stated that hypothermia group was observed to experienced low temperature at the time, when they arrived at the hospital in comparison with the control group. With the analysis of this study, authors observed no negative influences of hemodynamic instability or pulmonary edema and this approach of the cooling process was proved to be safe and effective for better health outcomes of the cardiac patients. Review of Castren (2010) study helps authors to explore data related to pre-hospital intra-arrest transnasal evaporative cooling. Th is study evidenced the safety, feasibility, and cooling efficiency of induced hypothermia within pre-hospital settings. Additionally, positive impact of cooling on neurological experiences of the patient has also been witnessed by Castren (2010). However, Castren (2010) strongly considered that factors identified have adverse effects of the cooling procedures on blood pressures, heart rate, chest x-ray, and pulse oximetry. Other studies such as Kim, Olsufka, & Maynard (2007) also evidenced the safety and feasibility of pre-hospital cooling; however, this study strongly suggested that esophageal temperature is important to note down at randomization and upon the

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 112

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program - Essay Example The therapist is a challenge, enabling people of all ages to lessen to a greater or smaller degree or to completely overcome those disabilities that hamper their ability to live and work independently. I work as a nurse’s aide taking care of patients and assisting them in their daily living. It gives me immense satisfaction to see patients recover and go back to the productive, satisfying and meaningful lives that were impeded by disability. This field has attracted me and I want to get to the next level in my chosen field, hence my application to Harcum College for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Harcum College attracted me because of the student-centric strategies used for teaching and the flexibility of the program. I am also looking forward to the exposure I shall get to new methods that enable occupational therapists to increase their success rates. I should also like to learn to work in different environments that give a broader perspective of the field and e nable me to work with patients with different disabilities and in varied age groups. The exposure that I will get as a result of coming into contact with people who have worked in environments different from those that I have experienced; will I think to improve my understanding and skills in dealing with a wide variety of patients. I look forward to working with settings that I have not worked before that will give me a chance to learn new techniques and hone my existing skills. Health has always been considered man’s greatest wealth. I think good health is the key to a door that opens innumerable opportunities. It will give me immense satisfaction if I can in some measure help people overcome their disabilities.  

Global Economic Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Economic Environments - Essay Example This is to mean that our products are not intended for home use only but also for the large company and factory use. As the director of the company, I would like to ask for authorization for the company to launch and distribute this product. It is our belief that these new refrigerators will cater for each and everyone needs. It is worth noting that the company has used the best technology to ensure that our products cause no pollution. Owing to the subsidy issued, the company is in the first line fight against environmental pollution (Astley, 2004). Resultantly, it has also taken a step ahead and invited the officials from the environmental pollution control unit to come and test the amount of pollution caused by these products. Having complied with all the required rules, we as the company believe that we have all it takes to distribute our products to oversee states. Given this chance, we shall be grateful, and we believe that everyone who gets a chance to purchase our product wil l not be disappointed. In case of any complaints, the company is ready to fix the issues. We look forward to your consideration. By the time of launching of the new refrigerators, 10,000 refrigerators will be remaining in the company’s stock. The reason is that customers in US cannot buy them since they belong to the older version. Therefore, the company has only two options as the remedy. Either, the company searches for new markets from developing countries or it upgrade them. Upgrading them will not be cost effective since it will cost the company more money and the possibility of recovering the lost money is very low. However, finding markets in the developing states can be more cost effective. The only problem is whether the states governments will allow the company to sell these products to them. Researchers have realized that selling a dead stock at lower prices results to the fast moving of that

Research skills assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research skills assignment - Essay Example In order to reach profitability, the dynamics of the consumers and specifically the market segment of the product must play a role. In this proposal, the modality of investigating the roles played by the pricing strategy is investigated. At a more specific level, the effect of reducing the prices of the commodity by 15% on the overall market share is reviewed. The impact of reducing prices could be varied and unknown depending on the specific nature of the market. With the emergence of capitalism, the levels of competition are bound to go very high in any particular sector. The result of this capitalism and competition is a decision to create a strategy that would outdo the competitors and increase the market share and customer loyalty. In porters five forces analysis, the factors that are considered are mainly to deal with the level of competition that is exhibited by the players in the sector or business that a firm is involved. Several dynamics play important roles that are related to the segmentation of the market. An important intervention is the inclusion of an intervention mechanism in terms of pricing. The pricing mechanism employed by a firm in its products can either be beneficial or disadvantageous depending on the reaction of the overall market. The price reduction strategy is aimed at creating a best possible position in order to make the products if the company more acceptable. Its effects on the market segment can be unknown. This paper seeks to provide research into the dynamics occasioned by the prize change of the Daz detergents in the UK market. Pickard (2012) explains aims and objectives in a proposal as the core issues to be resolved in a study. It claims that for a study to be conducted, the presence of an aim or objective is imperative and as such a study cannot exist without the same. The specific definition that this study gives is related to the

One hundred years of solitude draft1 Research Paper

One hundred years of solitude draft1 - Research Paper Example From that Island, Arcadio invents a world according to his perceptions. Soon after foundation of Macondo, it became a town frequented by extraordinary and unusual events involving the generations of Buendia Family. The family becomes unwilling to escape the wrath of their self-inflicted misfortunes. Finally, a fierce hurricane destroys the town. At the end of the novel, a descendant of Buendia deciphers an encryption, which generations of the family have failed to decode. The secret message became an informer to the recipients of every misfortune and fortune. A look at one Hundred Years of Solitude from the theoretical framework of Post Colonial Criticism reveals interesting relationships between the novel and the present day Columbia. From a postcolonial lens, the novel expresses symbolism and metaphors in a way that has much similarity to Columbia. The protagonists in the novel are controlled by the complexity of time and their past. Ghosts throughout the novel follow the characters. The ghosts symbolize the past and the haunting nature the ghosts have over Macondo (GarciÃŒ a194). The displaced repetition and the ghosts evoked are firmly grounded in the development of Columbian history. Ideological configuration of Columbia ensured that Buendias and Mocondo were always ghosts to some extent. The ghosts are estranged and alienated from history. They represent the victims of harsh reality of colonialism and underdevelopment. Additionally, it represents the ideological illusions, which haunt and reinforce social conditions in the postcol onial Columbia. Columbia was colonized by Spain. Post-colonialism critical lens upon Columbia interprets the changes and challenges of the colonized Columbia as the effects of its colonization. The core imperative symbols are power and oppression. The goal of this critical lens is to seek and understand the behavior of the Columbian characters and society as a whole. These behaviors and character traits can be

Choice of Chinese Government on Forest and Resource Essay

Choice of Chinese Government on Forest and Resource - Essay Example Under the Protected Areas, the ecology and biodiversity are to be protected from any form of human interference, thus sustaining such regions as natural conserved regions that represent natural habitat for different kinds of plant and animal species. In his respect, the transnational boundary conservation efforts between China, Nepal, India, and Bhutan have brought a total of 72% forest and mountainous covered region under the designation of the Protected Areas (PAs), offering a natural habitat for plants and animals to the tune of 10,348 km2. In addition, 11% constituting of conservation corridors has also been designated for protection under the PAs, so that the corridors can allow for the continuity and continuity of the natural habitats by connecting the isolated Protected Areas to form one large block of landmass (IUCN, 27). The essence of reconnecting all the protected areas through the conservation corridors is to ensure that habitat shrinkage is eliminated, while at the same time ensuring that the different isolated species of plants and animals in the different regions designated as protected areas can eventually connect and intermingle. This is meant to create a natural habitat for the plant and animal species that is diverse and all-encompassing, as opposed to the formation of separate habitats where each of the habitats carries different species of plants and animals (ITTO, 7). Â  

Professional goals Essay Example for Free

Professional goals Essay Career or profession is a term used to refer to a person’s course or advancement in life. Career involves remunerative work as well as formal education. It also involves consecutive circumstances that make up an individual’s work life and involve commitment to a field of knowledge and skills like human resource management. Some of the career activities that an individual may engage in include; sporting career, musical career, teaching, wrestling career, doctor, nurse, engineering, editor, business manager, accounting, journalist, lawyer e. . c. This essay however involves a discussion on accounting career. Most jobs in accounting career require at least degree in bachelor of accounting or a bachelor’s degree in any other interrelated field. In federal government, beginners in accounting and auditing places necessitate at least four years of college education including twenty four semester hours in accounting and auditing or a corresponding arrangement of education and knowledge (Angus 387). There is however an added advantage for people seeking jobs in accounting career and have acquired a masters degree in accounting or degree of masters in business administration with awareness in accounting, professional recognition through certification or licensure, propensity in accounting and auditing computer software and specialized expertise in accounting. The reason for selecting accounting as my career is that the jobs found in the accounting career are enjoyable, interesting and entertaining to perform. The work may be much and tiring but does not involve boredom as it involves doing interesting activities such as calculating financial statements. It is enjoyable doing accounting activities being my dream career. The pace of work of an accountant depends on the position and responsibilities one has to perform. Generally the work standard for several accountants and auditors is forty hours per week, nevertheless an accountant or an auditor may work for more hours especially if he or she is self employed or if there are many clients. In this situation the pace of work must be very fast. Persons who work within the accounting career have a very good starting salary. For example in most cases the top ten percent of accountants and auditors do earn from 76000 US dollars and above, the middle half of the occupation earn between 29000 and 49000 US dollars while those who are at the bottom earns between 15000 and 23000 US dollars. The directors in the accounting career on the other hand earn between 56000 and 91000 US dollars. There is however a slight difference in the salary ranges between the accountants in urban areas and those in rural areas. Generally the salary for people in the accounting career ranges from 15000 to 91000 US dollars depending on the nature of your work (Eisenbeis Robert 879). The most identifiable challenge faced in this profession is that the accounting career now requires the accountants to perform more technical tasks including implementing, controlling and auditing computer systems and networks as well as developing a business’s technology plans. In addition, accountants take the role of personal advisors i. e. besides giving customers accounting and tax help, they also assist them come up with their personal budgets, handle their assets and investments, plan for retirement and identify and reduce the clients disclosure to risks. Another problem experienced in this profession is that it at times involves a lot of work that at times an accountant is forced to transfer some work to do at home. This however may easily dealt with since it involved only time adjustment and some program change. Accountants usually carry on many activities other than just preparing financial statements and recording business transactions. The additional responsibilities for an accountant include calculating computing costs, calculating efficiency gains for new technologies, participating in the setup for achievements and unions and developing it systems to trail financial performance, tax policy and employee benefit management. As a management accountant working in a big company my responsibilities included having a say in decisions concerning capital budgeting and business analysis. The major activities that I had to engage in included analyzing costs and contracts, participating in efforts to reduce expenses, contributing to major business decisions and working together with marketing and financial managers to establish new businesses (Luck Christopher 78). In management accounting there are several decisions to be made that are major to the business operations. The most difficult decisions to make in this case were those relating to capital budgeting. The management accountant finds it difficult to make decisions on purchases, payments and the amount of capital to be allocated for any expenditure that has to be made. When first considering the accounting career, I thought it was just about gaining a qualification and becoming an accountant. It is true however that one can acquire a degree in accounting and become a general accountant, but this remains only one of the alternatives that an individual may follow in his or her pursuit of accounting career. Other than pursuing a degree in bachelor of accounting, there are several other specialist areas one may pursue. Some of the specialist areas are information systems, computer operations, taxation, and management policy. My strength in this career is that I got a full qualification from my bachelor’s degree in accounting with an added advantage of having professional recognition through certification and licensure, proficiency in accounting and auditing computer software and a specialized expertise in accounting. In addition I had the work experience which I had acquired during summers when I was pursuing my degree. My weakness in this career is that accountants are now required to take the role of personal advisors to clients which I am not very comfortable with. Conclusion Accounting is indeed a very fulfilling and accomplishing career. It is a career that anybody interested in achieving may enjoy undertaking. Even though, the entry in the accounting career requires high academic qualification, it is also well paying which and therefore gives enough satisfaction.

Sociology for social work

Sociology for social work Sociology offers some important social theories, which provide explanations and critiques of human behaviour, social actions and interactions as well as the institutions and the structures of society. The fact that social work is concerned with social change and problem solving is precisely why sociology is important to social work. Nowadays social workers are expected to write their reports in a coherent way, justifying it using theory and research. In this essay I am going to contrast two different sociological theories to the case study of Mrs. B. This will give me the chance to better understand the usefulness of the sociological theories to the Social work profession. For the purpose of this essay I have selected to apply Functionalism theory (macro) and Symbolic Interactionism (micro) approach the Labelling theory. In the first section of this essay I will discuss the Functionalist theory, its application to the case, the limits of this theory when looking at the case of Ms B a nd contrasting it to the other theory I will go on to the second part of this essay where I will be applying the Lebelling theory from the Symbolic Interactionism approach I will then go on and do the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Functionalism views society made up from numerous interconnected parts which together form a system. The basic part of this breakdown is the society, and its variety of parts can be understood in terms of their collective relationship. In the initial stages of this theory Functionalism drew comparisons between society and the human body. Mainly this comparison existed since they viewed society operating in theoretically the same way as the organisms in the human body. Therefore, for one to understand the function of an organ, such as the heart or lungs, it is essential to understand its relationship with the other organs in the human body and especially its contribution towards the maintaining of the organism. Thus, they argued that for one to understand the function of society, an examination and analysis is required in order to determine its relationship with the other parts of society, and most importantly, its contribution to the maintenance of society. For example, in Mrs B case a functionalist analysis to her situation would consider the behaviour of Mrs B as deviant, because it is preventing her from participating in society. She is seen as unable to fulfil her role as a mother and her social interactions are affected. Supposing that she has permit to work it would be unable to find or maintain a job due to her deviant behaviour. Functionalists would consider this as a â€Å"faulty socialisation†. Further more functionalism would view this situation as costing to society therefore not contributing to the maintenance of the society functioning. According to Emile Durkheim (1895), the founder of Functionalism, crime and deviance are normal and necessary. Since they are found in all societies functionalists argue that it is a form of social change, as through deviance the society would learn about the accepted behaviour. However, too much crime can bring on a state of Anomie Anomie, which is a state of normlessness in society. This arises when cultural goals and structural means of achieving those goals is unbalanced. The anomie state would result in conflicting the agreement of the functioning of society. Durkheim described the state of anomie as (Giddens) ‘a feeling of aimlessness or despairtraditional moral controls and standards are largely broken downthis leaves many individuals in society feeling lack of meaning in their daily lives. (2007, P14) Durkheim (1895) suggested that the theory of Merton gives an idea of the individuals who have high expectations and are unable to fulfill them through structural means then ‘strain occurs. Robert Mertons (1938) ‘Strain theory modified the Durkheims ‘Anomie to refer to the strain put on individuals when accepted norms conflict with reality. Linking these to the case of Mrs B, her asspiration to enter paid employment does not coincide with her immigration status. Therefore this disparity between desires and fulfilment will be felt in deviant motivation. Therefore this could be the point where Mrs B feels the strain and as a result deviates from the societis norms. Agnew (1992) in Levinson (2002) shows how the strain theory can lead to other deviant adoptions. Agnew criticises the earlier strain theory and ‘generalises the concept to include all negative relations with others, rather than just the negative relations that are the result of striving from uneatable, but culturally mandated goals. (2002, P:1579). â€Å" It is not so much the unique quality no any single event but the cumulation of several stressful events within a relatively short time span that is consequential† (P:62-63) as cited in Levinson (2002). Mrs B has Agnew placed great importance to the feeling of ‘anger as he argued that ‘anger is the key emotion because it increases the individuals level of felt injury, creates a desire for retaliation/revenge, energizes the individual for action, and lowers inhibitions, in part because individuals believe that others will feel their aggression is justified (P:60) as cited in Levinson (2002)

decriminalize drugs Essay -- essays research papers

One the many controversies in our country today, regards the prohibition of illegal narcotics. Deemed unhealthy, hazardous, and even fatal by the authorities that be; the U.S. government has declared to wage a â€Å"war on drugs.† It has been roughly fifteen years since this initiative has begun, and each year the government shuffles more money into the unjust cause of drug prohibition. Even after all of this, the problem of drugs that the government sees still exists. The prohibition of drugs is a constitutional anomaly. There are many aspects and sides to look at the issue from, but the glaring inefficiency current laws exude is that any human should have the right to ingest anything he or she desires. The antagonist on the other end believes that by doing so chaos would result because of the ingestion of said substances. This purely speculation, and we have seen in the history of man that this has never occurred nor is there reason to believe it will happen this time. Many proponents of the current drug laws claim that legalization and/or decriminalization would in turn increase the number of drug users. If a drug is legalized/decriminalized, the price will fall and the quantity of demand will rise. The evidence from prohibition suggests we can expect two broad patterns of response if legalization occurs. First, there will be a small rise in consumption, which will take place to some extent across the spectrum of consumers. People who had never used drugs may choose to use them. Secondly, there will be a change in the nature of the drugs used and in the way in which they will be used. Specifically, there will be a move toward less intensive drug forms and less abusive patterns of use. When drugs are illegal, more damaging drugs drive out less damaging ones. In jurisdictions that liberalize their drug laws, this process will reverse itself. The evidence on this from Prohibition is unequivocal: as soon as repeal occurred, the consumption of hard liq uor dropped by more than two-thirds. In addition, there was a massive shift from higher potency liquor toward the lower-proof varieties of liquor. The vast majority of all people, addicts and alcoholics included, do not consume drugs as a means of destroying their lives. Nor do they consume them intending to become addicted to them. Abuse and addiction are the adverse consequences that sometimes occur when drugs are ... ...its goal and at this rate we as a nation will run out of money long before it does ever come close. The real tragedy of this situation are those who suffer, and those are the ones incarcerated. From the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 1997 3 out of 4 state and 4 out of 5 federal prisoners may be characterized as an alcohol or drug involved offender. The percentage of those in prison for drug offenses was 54.8% in 2002. Prisons are overcrowding and it seems less money is being put into them. Prison sentences are being handed out everyday and the average length of those put in for drugs has doubled from 1986 to 1999. The rehabilitation of these â€Å"criminals† is almost nonexistent. The culture inside of prison hardly reinforces the recovery of the inmates, instead it breeds a criminal culture from which it s hard to escape. In conclusion, the government’s war on drugs has not been successful to date, and shows no sign of victory in the future. I think it that is about time we reconsider what values we hold high and take a second look at the damage that already has been done by the war on drugs. What it comes down to is personal freedom and the constitutional anomaly that destroys it.

Educating Rita :: English Literature

Educating Rita Willy Russell’s play â€Å"Educating Rita† only uses one main setting and two main characters. Some people may think that these would make the play seem boring. Russell actually makes the play quite interesting and entertaining by using dramatic devices such as the whiskey bottle and the telephone call. He does this to give us as much information as possible about the characters and their personalities. The play, which is set in the early 1980s, deals with the clashes between education and culture. It is about a middle-aged university lecturer called Frank. He is currently in a relationship with Julia. This relationship is not going too well as Frank is an alcoholic and would much rather go to the pub than go home to Julia. There is also Rita a 26-year-old woman who didn’t have a good education when she left school due to her parents’ working class background. She is now keen and eager to learn even though her husband Denny thinks that it is time for her to settle down and have children. Rita has set her sights higher than this. Rita is currently working as a hairdresser, but wants to achieve so much more than that, she wants an education. We get an idea of what sort of personality Frank has got by the conversation he has with Julia when she calls him to see when he was coming home. Although Frank had other Ideas, he was planning on going to the pub. We could see this by, â€Å" Yes I shall go to the pub† and â€Å"I don’t need determination to get me to the pub†. We get the impression that Frank does not care a great deal about Julia although it’s clear she loves him. When Frank was told that he was going to be tutoring Rita who is an open university student he was not very happy, the only reason he had took the job was so that he could make more money to spend on alcohol. Frank guessed that she was going to be â€Å"some silly woman†. This gives us the impression that Frank likes to use stereotypes and thinks that there is not much point. He soon realises that Rita has quite a lot to offer in regard to he uniqueness. The Playwright Russell wants to show how class affects education. When we first meet Rita we see that she is not the normal student Frank was expecting. She swears and uses informal colloquial language. This makes us think that Rita is not at all nervous about starting Open University and also makes her working class background obvious.

The World Is Not Enough Essay -- essays research papers

"The World Is Not Enough" is a great action-adventure movie with exciting stunt scenes, exotic locations, beautiful women and traditional Bond one-liners. Pierce Brosnan carries on the role of the world’s most famous secret agent, James Bond in which was established by Sean Connery in 1962’s "Doctor No". Since it is also the 19th installment to the longest running film series in history, comparing this one to the older movies is like comparing one athlete to another. But hey, I guess that’s the fun of it all.To get more in depth of the film, let’s see if the traditional Bond trademarks live up to their roles.1. Bond†¦James Bond. Pierce Brosnan, in his third appearance as agent 007, has become comfortable in his role and plays it with confidence. He’s now more understanding and has added a more sensitive side, but also a harder side to the role that Sean Connery had as Bond and what Timothy Dalton attempted to achieve. For example, in the scene between Bond and "M", "M" tells Bond the story behind the kidnapping of King’s daughter, Elektra and the reasons for why MI6 was involved. The example of the harder side is near the end when Bond confronts Elektra for the last time and orders her to call off Renard from carrying out his plans. She doesn’t do so; therefore, Bond shoots her in the chest and killing her. Some may argue that this is something that James Bond shouldn’t do since Elektra was unarmed, but I beg to differ because that is part of the mission. In 1971’s "Diamonds Are Forever" Connery’s Bond slapped Tiffany Case (played by Jill St. John) across the face to get her to tell him information.2. Who would ever thought that "Q", the inventor of all of James Bond’s gadgets is retiring. Desmond Llewelyn has played the character in all the Bond films for the exception of "Doctor No" in 1962 and "Live and Let Die" in 1973. After demonstrating his lasted invention to 007, Llewelyn drops out of sight by a sinking platform. I guess that was his way of saying goodbye.3. Well, who could replace "Q"? John Cleese makes his debut to the series as "R", the replacement for "Q". Although "R" is very precise, he doesn’t use the correct terms for his inventions like "Q" did.4. Judi Dench is also back as Bond’s boss and head of the Bri... ...es". I enjoyed watching the stunts that were in the film. The boat scene during the opening sequence was fantastic and reminding James Bond fans of the boat scenes of in "From Russia with Love", "Live and Let Die" and "Moonraker". The ski chase reminded me of "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service" when James Bond and Traci Draco were skiing for their lives down the Swiss Mountains. I liked the way the writers added the title of the movie into the script. When Elektra tells Bond that she could have given him the world, Bond responds, "The world is not enough" then he says that it’s a "family motto". Bond was referring to his family coat of arms that was translated to him in the 1969 movie "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service". And finally the music scores. David Arnold, who was the composer for "Tomorrow Never Dies" comes back again with an excellent sounds and adding a techno or a retro theme to James Bond. "The World Is Not Enough" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, some sexuality, sexual innuendo and old school elements for true James Bond fans. Running time 128 minutes.

Learned Helplessness in the Workplace

Running Head: Learned Helplessness in the Workplace Paper Learned Helplessness in the Workplace Psychology 320 November 22, 2010 Professor: Sprinkle Abstract In the late 1960’s and early 1970s Mr. Martin Seligman began to study what effects surroundings have on not only animals, but human beings. His studies were an attempt to determine what ramifications outside influences could have on a live beings motivation and drive for success. He started his studies by giving rats electric shocks.They were inadvertent and without cause, and this was so the rats had no way of reasoning what could cause or prevent the shocks, and how to avoid them. What he found, was that eventually the rats would give up on trying to avoid or escape the shocks. Seligman eventually applied these studies to human infants and what he discovered was a theory he deemed, â€Å"Learned Helplessness. † Learned Helplessness in the Workplace When Martin Seligman chose to study human infants and the effects of outside influences, he wanted to determine whether a lack of control over one’s surroundings could lead to a lack in motivation.What he found was that just like the rats, humans would learn helplessness, and hence the reason his theory is known as the Learned Helplessness Theory. In short, the theory states that with no control over one’s surroundings, the response will be helplessness. He also found that those who learn this will have an interference with the rest of their development. They may have emotional problems along with anxiety and depression as adults. One of the ways that Seligman believed children learned helplessness was if there was no correlation between actions and there outcome.Just like the rats who tried to escape but where still punished with shocks, they felt that no matter what they did the outcome would be the same. Children who had parents with poor parenting skills or who didn’t recognize their successes, learned that no matter what they did, it didn’t change the outcome. Kids who struggled in school may begin to fail repeatedly as they would feel that even if they did try, they would fail. People who have learned helplessness suffer from low self-esteem, and tend to blame themselves for everythingWhile studying learned helplessness in humans, Seligman found that it also can be associated with different ways of thinking about the events that form person's â€Å"explanatory style. † Seligman believed there were three major components of explanatory style associated with learned helplessness. He termed those as permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization. Permanence pertained to the idea that no matter what happens or the events leading up to them, the outcomes were in fact permanent. Pervasiveness referred to the thought that if something negative happened in one situation it would happen in other situations as well.For instance if a person struggles with math, they then assume they are stupid and struggle in every aspect. Personalization, the third and final component of explanatory style, refers to whether one will attribute negative events to their own flaws or to outside circumstances or other people. Most people with Learned Helplessness will attribute everything to their own flaws or shortcomings. Seligman believes in order to help a person overcome Learned Helplessness; they must strive to Learn Optimism.He believes parents and others who celebrate young kid’s mastery of new subjects can lead to optimism as well as their own attitudes toward life. In my own position as a business owner, I believe I have employed a young woman and possibly a few others with who had learned helplessness. There is one young woman in particular who seemed to struggle with the struggles Seligman outlined in his theory. I felt a daily battle in trying to convince her she could change her life and the outcomes of the events in her life if she became motivated.When I bought my healt h club Cassie was the young woman who was the receptionist at the front desk. What I quickly learned was that Cassie had two drug addicted parents who had spent her entire life beating each other up, a father who was in and out of jail who tried to use her to get drugs, and a mother who tried to get her to do drugs with her. I quickly recognized in Cassie the ability to be different than her upbringing, but I couldn’t see a desire from her to get there. She had an inner voice that told her she never could be successful, as mediocrity was all she felt she deserved.I rewarded her for her work in attempt to motivate her, but it seemed no matter what promotion or reward I offered I couldn’t get her motivated to make changes in her life. She would come to work on time, and do what was asked of her, but I never saw any motivation to rise above and excel to the next level, even though I could see she was naturally intelligent and capable of many things. I felt for Cassie as I am not sure she ever had a chance given her parents, but I couldn’t change her as I so wished I could.No amount of positive praise or reward could convince Cassie that she could change her life, even though her intelligence was high and her ability was great. She just didn’t believe it was possible. I tried for four years to be a role model for Cassie, and there were many days when I thought she was making the choices to change her life, but she never followed through as she really believed change for her was impossible. Cassie had tried for her entire youth rise above both her parents, but eventually she felt no matter what she did the end was inevitable.It’s as if she predetermined her future by thinking it was going to be the worst future possible. In the end it seems she figured if she couldn’t beat her parents, she should join them. I tried very hard to be a positive impact for Cassie and help change her life, but the damage that she had incurred se emed to be too great. No matter what I did, she couldn’t become an optimist or change the way she felt about the outside influences in her life. No matter how hard I encouraged or pushed her in a positive direction, she always wound up back on the bottom because she truly believed that is where she belonged.I often think about her and wonder if there is anything else I could have done to help her crawl out of her life and into one she was worthy up, but in the end I think that she couldn’t change her way of thinking and truly believed the type of life she had was meant to be permanent. She is living somewhere now in a rundown apartment off of welfare with her young daughter who I believe will turn out exactly like her. She has no job because she doesn’t want to lose her food stamps and welfare, and she is back on drugs.My only hope in life is that somebody will be able to walk into her life and tell her daughter that she is smart, and capable of so much in life. I have learned from Cassie the value of celebrating a child’s little successes, and encouraging them to be something in life. It’s sad, but Cassie’s case of Learned Helplessness has taught me about promoting optimism, and I plan on spreading it to any children I come in contact with. References: Learned Helplessness (2001) Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence. Retrieved at: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_g2602/is_0003/ai_2602000349/Theory Name| Major Theorist(s)| Time Period Created| Key Theory Concepts| First Grand Theory: WILL| Socrates, Plato and Descartes| Ancient Greeks and 17th-18th centuries| Socrates and Plato literally broke down the concept into mind and body. Mind over matter. According to Plato there was a way to keep body in check. This could be accomplished by the will. In other words the will was in control of all aspects of intention both bodily needs and that which would be considered spiritual. Descartes was convinced that motivat ion was the will. He believed that the will was in charge of whether to act or not to act.Bodily needs pleasures, pain, impulses were just means to an end. Will had the ultimate say. He and other philosophers at the time were convinced that they had the answer. In the end the will turned out to be something of a mystery. In dealing with just the will to explain motivation, it just proved to be a purpose and it was not universal in its theory because some people had more willpower than others. | Second Grand Theory: Instinct| DarwinWilliam JamesMcDougall| 19th-20th Century| Darwin’s thoughts were dealing with the biology of mankind.His theory is still being dealt with today. Religions and scientists still trying to prove or disprove his theory. His main distinction was between animals and humans. Darwin took away the idea of will when he was able to show that animals were able to use their resources (motivation) to adapt to like humans. So in this sense the will was no longer an explanation of motivated behavior. James’ theory consisted of introducing stimulus into the picture. Reflex and instincts is what makes human motivation. McDougall took the research on a generation after Darwin.Once researchers embraced this idea the next thing to do was to identify the instincts. This became a daunting task. On top of that the instinct theory was exposed as circular. In other words, instinct theory failed because theorists were unable to determine if instincts really exist. | Third Grand Theory: Drive| Sigmund Freud Robert Woodworth Clark Hull | 20th Century| Freud, all behaviors were satisfying needs. Behavior serves bodily needs and drive acted as a guard or middleman to ensure that behaviors occurred when needed for comfort of the body. Satisfaction of the bodily need quieted drive.Freud’s theory was crushed due to three factors (1) overestimation of biological forces (2) overreliance on data taken from case studies of mentally ill individuals a nd (3) ideas that were not scientifically testable. Hull’s drive theory did had one thing the other will and instinct did not have and that was prediction. Drive came from environmental conditioning which marked the beginning of scientific study of motivation. If the answer to the environmental question could be answered as to the motivation created then, one would be able to manipulate or predict motivational states in the laboratory.Eventually though drive met its fate too. It was clear that drive reduction was neither necessary nor sufficient for learning to occur. Robert Woodworth: responsible for the so called â€Å"dynamic: interactional metaphor of nature vs. nurture. He saw the essential task of psychological investigation as ‘the give and take’ between the organism’s mentality and the requirements of its physical and social existence. According to the scientific world of the 21st century these thoughts are holding the discipline back. |Goal Setti ng| Locke| Late 1960s| Mini-theories represented attempts by researchers and theorists to focus on more and more specific aspects of behavior rather than to account for ALL motivating factors by relying on one single theory. As a result of this emphasis, mini-theories were developed to help explain some but not all of motivated behavior. For example, mini-theories might attempt to explain why a student is performing poorly in elementary school or why Mini-theories became popular because they focused largely on cognitive approaches to understanding behavior.They represented a reaction to the idea that humans are inherently passive. They also reflected a growing need for psychology to provide answers to questions that had important social implications or solved problems that were socially relevant. Edwin Locke’s Goal Setting Theory states that people who set goals for themselves will become motivated to achieve those goals, solely as a result of making those goals. Furthermore, those who set specific goals that are more difficult are able to achieve a higher level of performance than those who set easier and abstract goals.The Goal Setting Theory outlines five important principles of goal setting that motivates individuals and they are: clarity(measurable and unambiguous goals with a specific completion time ensure that there is no misunderstanding about what is required to reach the goal), challenge (difficult goals are often more motivating than easier goals), commitment (when there is a strong commitment to the goal, there is a higher level of motivation), feedback (it is important to provide opportunities for clarifying and reassuring), and task complexity (allowing time for people to achieve the goal or learn what is needed to achieve the goal).One important aspect of the goals is that they must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound (SMART). In 1975 the theory was scientifically proven by researchers Latham and Baldes. Common criticisms of this theory are that it is a technique rather than a theory, it can produce undesirable competition, and it emphasizes some aspects over others (quantity over quality). | Cognitive Dissonance Achievement Motivation Learned HelplessnessOthers? | FestingerAtkinsonSeligman| 1950s19641975| The Cognitive Dissonance Theory is based off of the idea of cognitive dissonance.Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable feeling that arises from having two conflicting thoughts at the same time. Dissonance is referred to as the uncomfortable feeling and can often be projected as feelings of guilt, embarrassment or immorality. Dissonance can also be greater in some cases such as with big decisions or decisions that will have a great impact, decisions that are particularly difficult to solve (such as with two similar decisions), and decisions that are concerned with oneself.This theory states that when a person has these conflicting thoughts, then they will be motivated to resolve the conflict as humans tend to seek consistency within their thoughts. Often there are three ways that a person will resolve the conflict. They may change their behavior, justify their behavior by changing the conflicting beliefs to reduce dissonance (such as by reducing the importance), or justify the behavior by adding more beliefs that will reduce dissonance (such as focusing on strengths).It is important to note that one will be more likely to change their attitude or beliefs as there would be less dissonance involved, rather than changing one’s behavior. Atkinson’s theory states orientation is the result of two separate motives: the motive of achieving success and the motive to avoid failure. A persons motivation to achieve success depends on three factors: the need to succeed, the persons estimate of the ability to success and likelihood of succeeding, and the incentive for success.The motive to avoid failure shares the same three conditions, but in relation to avoid ing failure. This theory has been criticized due to the fact that a persons needs must be known before behavior can be affected. The Learned Helplessness theory speculated after testing on dogs, that humans too learn to be helpless when placed in a situation in which their actions seem to not have an effect, leading to depression. It has been criticized for not distinguishing between universal and personal helplessness. |

Media Policy Essay

1.1 Paradigms of communications policy Fourie J P (2008:18) defines paradigms of communications policy as consensus among policy makers as far as the basics are concerned on which they will base their developing of a policy. There are three most popular paradigms of communications policy which originated from the most advanced societies of North America and Western Europe. These paradigms can be adopted to explain the advent and development of communications policy in countries such as South Africa. 1.1.1 Emerging communications industry policy Communications policy during this era (pre 1940s) was dominated by telecommunications policy with emphasis on communication technologies that were new at that time in advanced societies of the Western world. Such technologies included telegraphy, telephone and wireless broadcasting. In South Africa, emerging communications industries such as these were considered as public utilities that could not be left in the hands of private communication players. This view, therefore guided the formulation and implementation of most communication policies leading to state monopoly in telecommunication industries. However there is an argument that in South Africa such monopoly was seen as a tool of colonisation as policy formulation was guided by restricting the masses and entrenching the colonisers’ ideology. The Postal Act(1958) and The Broadcasting Act are perfect examples of emerging communications industry policy in South Africa. 1.1.2 Public service media policy After the Second World War in 1945,most governments changed their communications policy focus from a nationalistic and economic perspective to a socio-political emphasis. Independence, democracy and diversity were introduced as communications policy determinants. However this was not the case in most African countries which were still under the control of their colonisers. South Africa was no different. More so during the time of Apartheid . Media policy in South Africa during this period, was shaped by the political and not by social issues of the time. An example is that of the growth of the SABC in the 1960s and 1970s when a lot of radio stations broadcasting in different languages were established. However, public media policy which determined editorial policy of public media during this time, was seen as turning the same public media into the mouth piece of the Nationalist Party (NP).Therefore, one can argue that the public media policy in South Africa during the period of apartheid was not about social or democratic development but was about furthering the ideas of the NP government. Erasmus F (2004) sums up this view by saying, â€Å" another development in the second half of the 1970s was the introduction of television in South Africa after the government had prevented this for a number of years. This medium was also considered to be controlled by government, thereby promoting the NP’s political ideology.† 1.1.3 New media policy In this paradigm, the latest of the three, there is a swift move from the old emphasis on political and social perspectives being the determinants of media policy. The third element of economic competition is now a major factor in media policy formulation in the 21st century. Privatisation, innovation and demand have changed the views on public media policy. In  South Africa, new media policy is largely responsible for the changes that have occurred in the telecommunications and broadcasting industries since the country attained independence. Telkom’s monopoly was ended by the changes in regulations that allowed new fixed line operators like Neotel to enter the market. The same has happened to the SABC.The monopoly that the national broadcaster enjoyed for a long time ended when policy changes opened up space for new broadcasters like M-net and E-TV. New media policy is driven mostly by demand and economic development rather than by supply and monopolies. 1.2 Freedom of the media Democracy, the freedom of expression and the functions of media in society are three intertwined elements that can hardly be separated. These elements have to co-exist in unison if society is to develop as well as live in peace and harmony. Freedom of speech is a right that is found in a lot of countries’constitutions,South Africa being one such country.However,freedom of expression is not a given. It is a controversial subject that always causes friction between governments and the media. There are a lot of threats to freedom of expression in South Africa and the debates on the need or the lack of it normally hinge on the freedom of the media. Questions are raised as to whether such threats are justified or unwarranted. 1.2.1 The need for freedom of expression Freedom of expression is a right that is enshrined in the constitution of South Africa. This freedom goes hand in hand with the freedom as well as the role of media in society. These elements cannot be separated. In democratic societies like South Africa, the need for freedom of expression cannot be over-emphasised. The media acts as the custodian of society and plays an oversight role when it comes to holding government officials to account. Freedom of expression is a pre-requisite in any democratic society in order to make sure that public officials do not get away with corruption, maladministration and lack of service delivery through silencing or denying space to those that seek to speak out about these social ills. Denying society freedom of expression leads to tension that can boil over into chaos and social unrest. 1.2.2 Threats to it As much as freedom of expression is considered a constitutional right in many democratic countries, including South Africa, this right is always under constant threat from a number of sections of society. The major threat to freedom of expression emanates from the government, with its policies that control the flow of information and regulations that deter the free access to and publication of information. Patriotic media that is under the control and influence of government is also another threat to freedom of expression. In South Africa, the SABC as a national broadcaster, is expected to be non-partisan and impartial. However due to the broadcaster being under the control of the government, there have been a lot of questions asked with regards to its impartiality. Freedom of expression has been supressed in the way in which the SABC executes its editorial policy. Views that are deemed to be in contrast with the current government’s ideology have been prevented from being broadcast on SABC TV and radio platforms. Journalists have sometimes been forced to tore a certain line of ideology and have been prevented from doing their jobs in an objective and impartial manner. An example is that of a journalist on Metro FM, Sakina Kamwendo,who was forced to cancel a discussion on the ANC’s Mangaung Conference on her show by her employers at the SABC as they claimed the show lacked balance and fairness. Julie Reid sums up this point in her article in the Daily Maverick by saying, â€Å"Last year the SABC banned the Big Debate talk show, an excellent current affairs programme that earned a reputation for holding government officials  to account on thorny issues like corruption or non-delivery of services†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Hlaudi Motsoeneng, infamous for his insistence on the production of 70% good news remains at his post, continuing the facilitation of the Hlaudification of news† 1.2.3 If , how and why such threats can or cannot be motivated The issue of the freedom of expression, especially in the media, and threats to its execution within democratic societies is a contentious one. The discussion around it, is dynamic and never ending. Some sections of society especially those in power, who are normally the ones who seek to monitor and regulate the media, believe that it is necessary not to allow the media to have free reign where the nature and flow of information will go on without any regulation by the government. On the other hand, the media itself, especially private media, is against the idea of strict policies being introduced to regulate the flow of information as this is seen as a direct attack on the freedom ,not just of the media but that of expression as well. However, the media as an industry and platform upon which freedom of speech is manifested, does understand and appreciate that some form of regulation has to take place in order to preserve the validity of the media being the â€Å"fourth estate† and prevent national security threats as well as invasion of privacy. It is in this light that the issues of external and internal regulation come into play. In dealing with arguments that explain why the threats to media freedom cannot be motivated, one has to do so within the context of freedom of expression being a constitutional right.Democraticy as a system is mostly reliant on how society thrives socially, politically and economically. For this to happen, freedom of speech has to be taken  as a fundamental element that has to be seriously considered in policy formulation. Stifling freedom of expression through draconian and authoritarian policies and regulations is a recipe that culminates in a failed democracy. For democracy to function, freedom of expression and more so, freedom of the media has to exist.Roelofse (1996:51-53) in Fourie (2008:34) clarifies how freedom of expression enhances developments such as the rise in democracy, religious freedom and economic emancipation through the press that assumes a role of mass medium. It is worth noting that out of the three theories used in studying the role of the media in society, the libertarian theory insists on viewing people as rational beings capable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood and between good and evil (Fourie 2008 : 34).Therefore, the issue of strict policies to regulate the media and stifle freedom of expression are needless and cannot be justified and motivated. As McQuail (1987:89) in Fourie (2008:34) notes in the basic assumptions of the libertarian theory, the media should be free from any external censorship and there should be no force or intimidation to publish anything. The behaviour of the SABC bosses in the Metro FM story can therefore not be justified if this theory is applied because intervening and gagging the talk show was tantamount to denying the public their right to air or listen to different views on the Mangaung conference. In dealing with this contentious matter of media freedom and regulation, it must be noted that the freedom of expression that is incorporated into the freedom of the media, cannot be viwed as an unlimited right. There are responsibilities that go with it.It is at this juncture that the regulation of the media can be motivated and justified. This regulation can emanate from outside media organisations therefore being called external or it can be internal which means the regulation comes from within the media institutions themselves. Fourie  (2008:73) explains that in South Africa, media regulation has gradually moved away from being more externally regulated and has shown a more emphasis towards internal regulation. Internal regulation takes place in different ways. It can be through the involvement of gatekeepers, regulators, directorates and boards of media organisations or institutionalised internal regulation by non-governmental as well as professional bodies. Gate keepers and regulators are people or groups of people that decide on the content of particular media and determine which content is relevant and how it is going to be published or broadcast. Fourie (2008:78) refers to internal regulation by gatekeepers and regulators as â€Å"implicit internal regulation†. This regulation occurs through the medium itself. Implicit internal regulation happens when different sections within or sectors involved with the medium influence the publication or broadcasting of information. Such sections include boards of directors of media institutions, editors, advertisers, consumers, journalists, etcetera.These regulators cannot be ignored as they have the power to influence content substantially. A good example is that of acting SABC operations chief and radio group executive who took a decision not to allow a live talk show hosted by Sakina Kamwendo on Metro FM to go ahead.

Intellectual Property Rights and software Essay

Moral theories such as utilitarianism are used to defend Intellectual Property Rights of software produced by companies such as the Microsoft. It is important to differentiate between physical property rights and intellectual property rights. The government needs to analyse pros and cons of protecting rights of companies such as the Microsoft. Intellectual Property Rights or IPR is generally defended based on the assumption that they are similar to physical property rights. The ethical argument is that legal experts have upheld the need to protect property rights of individuals. Consequently, due to such rights individuals are able to protect their ownership rights, as they are allowed to approach court of law when their property is encroached. It is not possible to accept this argument in the context of intellectual property. This is due to basic differences that persist between physical property and intellectual property. Physical property allows purchaser to use property and alienate or dispose property at the later period. (Lea 2006) Software patent rights gives the right to use, but does not allow the user to either modify or alienate. This is because software can be produced in large quantities with the assistance of modern technology. Property, on the other hand, cannot be produced in large quantities. Reproduction and duplication of software can affect profitability of a company like Microsoft or author of the program. (Lea 2006) IPR in the context of software cannot be justified on two counts. First, it cannot be compared with physical property. There is no moral justification to protect rights of the creator of software. It is true that it is important to protect rights of individuals who author a computer program. But, at the same time, it is important to protect rights of consumers as well. Based on this reasoning, Wright brothers were not able to patent Airplane. Patents can sometimes discourage creativity. Consequently, modern scientists were able to produce airplane designs and contribute to enhanced facilities to people. The major purpose of patents and copy rights is to encourage people to contribute to scientific knowledge. (Lea 2006) Patents can be considered as recognition of talent of individual. Innovative products can inspire other individuals to produce similar or other products. As software is protected by IPR, it cannot be modified. One needs to differentiate between copy right acts and software patents. Copy right acts protect interest of authors. Generally, mass production of a book involves huge expenditure as it requires investment in printing and machinery. Software production, on the other hand, does not involve such huge investment. This argument is used to defend software patents. But, this argument alone cannot be used to defend right of a person who authors computer programs. (Lea 2006) Utilitarianism believes in welfare principles. Property rights are essential to achieve general welfare. Lack of property rights can affect large numbers of individuals. Non-software copy rights have encouraged producers to enhance production. They are able to obtain recognition for their contribution to their sector. On the other hand, software patent has affected large numbers of individuals, as they are not able to modify source code of a computer program. Duplication of software will affect income rights of a person or organization that produces software. The author will continue to enjoy the right to control the product. At the same time, additional features can be created by tweeting source code. This can benefit large numbers of people as they use free and modified software. Lea 2006) One needs to appreciate the fact that computer programs cannot replace essential goods required by large numbers of world population. In the 1990s, American population depended on computer revolution, which created employment opportunities for large numbers of individuals. At the same time, a country cannot solely depend on computer programs. This is because comp uter programs cannot replace other economic activities such as agricultural and industrial production. (Lea 2006) Protection of monopolistic companies such as Microsoft has created disparity between rich and poor nations. It is not possible to defend high price charged by companies for their software. This is because companies do not invest heavily in R & D, unlike non software industry. From utilitarian perspective, it is not possible to defend IPR of software. This is because the aim of world leaders should be to reduce disparity between rich and poor. IPR in software, on the other hand, has enhanced gap between rich and poor. This is because countries such as the US depend heavily on software export. The US enhanced its software trade surplus which crossed $20 billion in 1999. (Lea 2006) Second, from libertarian perspective also one cannot defend IPR. This is because IPR does not allow freedom to individuals as they are not able to modify and sell software. This can affect their creative abilities. IRP affects autonomy and freedom of individuals. In a free and democratic country such as the US it is not possible to justify protection of organizations such as Microsoft. Free software movement emerged in order to defend the right of individuals to freely distribute software. In the 1960s, computers had to install software as a distinct bundle. Aim of such measure was to avoid monopoly of a particular company. Microsoft believes in protection of its IPR. In actuality, the main attempt of this organization is to protect its commercial interest. Lack of IPR rules in the context of software will erode profitability of this company. By the use of cyber laws, the company is able to reach a monopolistic position. This has contributed to inflated price of software produced by this company. It is interesting to note that the company hired services of professional detectives in Europe to identify people who used unlicensed company products. Microsoft has faced criticism from European countries due to its monopolistic position in the international software market. Lawsuits are filed against this company for discouraging competition from other companies. (Lea 2006) Computer consumers are expected to purchase legal software from designated commercial areas. At the same time, one needs to note that absence of IPR in software would not affect company profitability. This is because it is not possible for individuals to use different free or licensed computer programs. Today, most users depend on Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer. Other products are not used due to compatibility issue as these programs are not compatible with Microsoft products. This shows that even if Microsoft products are not protected by IPR, consumers will continue to use them as they are accustomed to this company product. In the year 2001, the government compromised with Microsoft by structuring IPR in such a way as to protect interest of this company. (Lea 2006) Data shows that 90 percent of computers use Microsoft products including Windows and Internet Explorer. (Lea 2006) This has affected competition in this sector. Consequently, large numbers of people are compelled to buy products from Microsoft. The solution for this problem is that Microsoft should be divided into two sections. One section can deal with legal and licensed software, which can be sold at a particular price, while another section can concentrate on products such as video player, which can be freely downloaded. This implies that government is taking sufficient measures to protect interest of consumers who in the IPR regime tend to buy software at inflated price. Another alternative is to abolish IPR of software so that it becomes equivalent to mathematical formulae or a scientific law, which consumers can use and modify based on their subsequent research. This can encourage creativity and innovation and achieve welfare of a large section of world population. (Lea 2006) Utilitarian and libertarian perspectives show that software patent rights do not achieve social welfare, as they aim to protect interest of companies such as Microsoft. Software patent rights have affected autonomy and freedom of individuals who are not legally allowed to modify computer programs. The government needs to introduce regulations restricting software prices. This can encourage companies to offer free software, which can be modified and redistributed for non commercial use.

Creativity and Innovation in Indian Banks

Topic: Innovative products by Indian organizations in the Banking Sector Akshita Shetty Student K J Somaiya Institute of management studies and research PGDM (RM) Roll no: 56 Email id:[email  protected] com Abstract During the past one decade, one of the sectors which underwent visible sea-change through innovative strategies is undoubtedly the banking sector. The sector has been growing at a fast pace in India and is challenged with several aspects like new regulations from time to time, changing customer needs and perceptions, changing technology and changing operations.Technology has been playing a crucial role in the tremendous improvement of banking services and operations. Indian banking industry has moved way ahead both in terms of offering value added services and delivering quality service. It was thought that the world financial crisis would impact the Indian banking sector in a serious manner. But, because of the strong foundations of Indian banking system with the suppo rt from well structured financial systems, the anticipated impact of the world crisis was almost insignificant. Instead, it helped the banks to get strengthened further and become closer to the customer with innovative approaches.Banks appear to be on the path of achieving sustainability and a long-term survival because of innovation. Keywords: Innovation in banking, technology in banking, changes in banking, transformation in banking, IT in banking, Indian banking. Introduction Technology has brought about a complete paradigm shift in the functioning of banks and delivery of banking services. Gone are the days when every banking transaction required a visit to the bank branch. Today, most of the transactions can be done from the comforts of one’s home and customers need not visit the bank branch for anything.Technology is no longer an enabler, but a business driver. The growth of the internet, mobiles and communication technology has added a different dimension to banking. T he information technology (IT) available today is being leveraged in customer acquisitions, driving automation and process efficiency, delivering ease and efficiency to customers. Many of the IT initiatives of banks started in the late 1990s or early 2000 with an emphasis on the adoption of core banking solutions (CBS), automation of branches and centralization of operations in the CBS.Over the last decade, most of the banks completed the transformation to technology-driven organizations. Moving from a manual, scale-constrained environment to a global presence with automated systems and processes, it is difficult to envisage the adverse scenario the sector was in the era before the reforms, when a simple deposit or withdrawal of cash would require a day. ATMs, mobile banking and online bill payments facilities to vendors and utility service providers have almost obviated the need for customers to visit a branch.Branches are also transforming from operating as transaction processing points into relationship management hubs. The change has been very productive for banks bringing in an increase in productivity and operational efficiency to be more competitive. Better risk management due to centralization of information and real time availability of critical data for decision making. With most of the banks being technology-enabled, the focus is shifting to computerizing regional rural banks (RRBs).In addition, banks are moving toward decision making and business intelligence software and trying to optimize the IT infrastructure created The banking system in India has created a niche for itself in the current competitive global arena where adoption of new and innovative technological developments carries the key to expansion of business and its future development. The Indian banking system has come a long way from being a player restricted to domestic boundaries to a leading giant in the world of financial services across the globe.Credit for this progress goes to a mix of factors like, the introduction of various economic reforms which gave a boost to the banking sector, adoption of new technology by banks in order to streamline their line of businesses and increasing profits by improving cost efficiency and offering doorstep banking convenience to their customers. Banking ‘Then' and ‘Now' Indian villages were deprived of various financial products like mutual funds, insurance and equity trading hitherto, which are now accessible through proxy banking in the form of Internet kiosks and ATMs.The alias given to banking which is not routed through branches is ‘Channel Migration'. Through this route, a bouquet of services is at the customers' disposal in today's banking system. This is possible because banking transactions are stored in a centrally located server with which all other branches of a bank are connected. The technological systems in India are considered far more advanced than those of Russian and Chinese banking sy stems but are lagging far behind the UK, USA and Singapore.Connectivity takes root Today almost all scheduled commercial banks are connected to all the branches on a real time basis extending the anywhere banking facility to the customers, which means that it is not necessary for a customer now to visit the branch personally in order to conduct transactions. Now a customer has various other options available with him like internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs (automated teller machines), phone banking which offers 24 X 7 banking, etc.Whenever and wherever a transaction is done in a bank account, the updated status is reflected in all the branches, thus making anywhere banking possible. ATMs have revolutionalized the banking sector by making cash and other banking services available to customers at all times. Future Outlook The future of Indian banking lies in increased investment in technology platforms and a greater focus on end-to-end solutions provided by IT majors like core ban king products, vertical specific CRM and risk management software. Body scopeInnovation by Indian banks in aspects such as: Service banking ATMS’s Net banking Mobile banking ECS/RTGS/NEFT Debit card/credit cards CRM (customer service) Case studies: (for example) South Indian Bank: The salary disbursement of corporates , firms and such others who maintain accounts with any of the 511 CBS branches would be managed by the Bank, hassle-free and free of any bank charges. The employer would be benefited in that the salary could be disbursed to any employees/any single employee who are/is working even in far-off places where SIB has no presence.Dr. V. A. Joseph ,Chairman & CEO of the Bank and Mr. M. P. Gopalakrishnan,President ,CMS Trust jointly launched the product . In his inaugural address Dr. Joseph said, †This convenience banking product, which is designed for the convenience of both employers and employees, leverages the bank's strong technology platform, which connects all the 511 branches and 26 extension counters of the Bank under Core Banking Solutions network offering anytime banking to its customers. GSSA can be opened with zero balance†.The Chairman and CEO of the Bank also stated, â€Å"South Indian Bank, being a customer – oriented Bank is striving hard to render personalized customer service using the latest technological capabilities. The technological capability of the Bank was recognised when the Bank could bag the banking technology excellence award from IDRBT which is the technical arm of RBI. The service quality of the Bank has also been recognized when the Bank was selected in the ‘Outlook Money – C Fore’ survey as the best private sector Bank in India in the service quality segment. . Dr. Joseph also referred to the facility recently started for online booking of offerings, free of bank charges , through South Indian Bank payment gateway-the first bank to go online booking -by the customers of the bank who are devotees of Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple which is described as the Dwaraka of South India. This facility is being utilized by the NRIs also to effect offerings, hassle –free with greater transparency and security at the click of a button ,either for themselves or their aged parents resident in India.. South Indian Bank had completed on 26. 03. 07 the project ‘SIBertech’ by introducing a centralised Core Banking Solution in technology partnership with Infosys Technologies when many banks had not even started implementation of CBS . SIB, had started this project in 2001 to render personalized customer service. The new product now launched would confirm this belief†, the Chairman concluded his inaugural address.With the following carefully thought-out value additions of this innovative convenience banking product , banking for employers and their employees, is made extremely easy and comfortable: – * ;Free International ATM-cum-Debit Card for which annual maintenance charges are not collected * Online booking of offerings for Lord Sri Guruvayurappan, free of bank charges * O  Withdrawal of cash from the ATMs of other Banks free of bank charges (As charges would be borne by SIB) * O  Free utility payment and e-commerce services * ;No stipulation on minimum balance ;The depositor enjoying many freebies can earn the usual SB interest * ;The depositor can operate his SB account –during his travel/temporary transfer /transfer- hassle-free * ;The account can be closed /transferred to another branch with out any charge * ;Free of cost cheque leaves (subject to limits in each category ) * ;Free fund transfer facility through RTGS/NEFT/Fast Money /DD Customers of this feature-rich Savings Bank account are also provided with facilities to open Depository account and also enjoy mobile banking facility. Indian bank:Indian Bank has won the ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Products/Service Award' for 2011. The award was received by the bank's Chairman and Managing Director, Mr T. M. Bhasin, at the World Congress on Total Quality, held in Bengaluru on Saturday. The award was given to the bank â€Å"in recognition of its contribution to promotion of self help groups (SHGs)†. SHGs have turned out to be major vehicles of women empowerment. In the current year, Indian Bank has so far disbursed Rs 1,360 crore to 55,391 SHGs, taking the total exposure under the SHG portfolio to Rs 2,336 crore, benefiting 175,390 SHGs, says a press release from the bank.State Bank of India: State bank of India, the largest public sector bank in India, offers the following innovative services. 1. SMS Unhappy This innovative idea was initiated by Mr. Siva Kumar, Dy. Managing Director of SBI. Any customer who wants to lodge a complaint sends the message â€Å"Unhappy† to a specified number (8008202020). The Happy Room then calls the customer and records the details of the complaint. The complaint is then forwar ded. SBI has received thousands of such messages since its commencement and this service is a great success.Other banks have also started imitating this service. 2. Crorepati Only Branch SBI has launched first of its kind branch for High Networth Individuals (HNI) where it takes minimum Rs 1 crore to open an account, and that too on invitation only. This branch offers specialized banking facilities like relationship managers, 24/7 lockers, extended banking hours, doorstep pick-up and drop facilities, in addition to pampering customers five-star amenities at the branch. â€Å"We have opened as many as 50 accounts so far.We are confident of opening another 150 by the end of the current fiscal,† as per Mr. Shiva Kumar, Chief General Manager, SBI4. According to SBI, an attractive feature of the branch is 24 hour open lockers. The bank also is providing special dressing rooms for customers to cater to the needs of late night function goers segment. References -Y. Ramakrishna, Serv ice Innovation in Banks for Sustainability, IJMBS Vol. 2, Issue 2, April – June 2012 -Indian banking System: Epitome of continuous innovation, 2008. -Process innovation in the Indian banking industry, 2009 Indian Banking Sector: Challenges and Opportunities -Keertiman Sharma, Innovations in rural financial products and services, VOL. 2(1) – 2011: 35-37 -Outsourcing in the Indian banking sector: gaining momentum, 2008 -Innovation in retail banking -India PRWIRE, South Indian bank launches another innovative convenience product, 2008 -Vortex engineering, Solar power to enable banking and ATM facilities for rural india, 2011 -J U Ahmed, Services Rendered by Commercial Bank: A Customer Oriented empirical Evidence from State Bank of India, Vol. I No. – 2, Jan-2011 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Service Innovation in Banks for Sustainability [ 2 ]. technology in banking: I nsight and foresight [ 3 ]. Indian banking system: epitome of continuous improvement [ 4 ]. Solar power to enable banking and ATM facilities for Rural  India [ 5 ]. Y. Ramakrishna, Service Innovation in Banks for Sustainability, IJMBS Vol. 2, Issue 2, April – June 2012