Qualitative Data Essay Example for Free

Qualitative Data Essay VOCABULARY – I consider vocabulary as the easiest because with the use of context clues, I can easily understand the meaning of the word. – 7 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the easiest because you only have to be familiar with words. – 2 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the easiest because I’m a wide reader at a young age. – 2 respondents have the same reason SENTENCE/SYNTAX I consider Sentence/Syntax as the easiest because you just have to familiarize grammatical rules. 2 respondents have the same reason GETTING THE MAIN IDEA I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because by understanding the passage, you can get the whole idea. 9 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because there are no rules on understanding the passage I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because it is mainly asking what the text is all about. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because it is mostly found at the beginning of the paragraph. COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the easiest because by simply reading. I can comprehend what the paragraph is all about. DIFFICULT: VOCABULARY – I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I have limited words stocks. – 4 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I still need to consult the dictionary to know the meaning of the. – 2 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I have a poor memory to retain word meanings. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I’m not a wide reader. SENTENCE/SYNTAX I consider Sentence/Syntax as the hardest because it’s hard to analyze sentence structures and grammatical rules. 2 respondents have the same reason GETTING THE MAIN IDEA I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because it’s hard to deal with the writing styles of the author and confused if I have to dwell with my own understanding. – 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because words are confusing. I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because it is requires comprehension and focus. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest you have to identify the specific details of the story. COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the hardest because there are articles that are difficult to understand. 3 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because you have to check the deeper meaning of the text. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because you have to consider everything (sentence structure, grammatical rules, vocabulary etc.) to get the meaning. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it’s difficult to retain everything I’ve read. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because of the unfamiliar words. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it requires prior knowledge. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because of the author’s ambiguous ideas. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it needs fast digestion of the contexts. 3. What possible intervention could have been done to help you develop your reading skills at the point of your education? The following are recommended reading interventions: to become a wide reader 19 respondents have the same suggestion study more vocabulary words 6 respondents have the same suggestion involve in more reading activities 12 respondents have the same suggestion watch more films 2 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should stimulate motivation 3 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should conduct more tutorial 3 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should unlock difficulties before starting the lesson proper practice reflective reading COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I’m having a hard time to understand texts heard. – 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I consider myself as a visual learner. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I easily lose focus 3. What possible intervention could have been done to help you develop your listening skills at the point of your education? The following are recommended reading interventions: get acquainted with correct pronunciation through practice – 3 respondents have the same suggestion learn different kinds of accents watch more films 3R’s- Read, Read or Read stay focused and listen keenly – 6 respondents have the same suggestion engage in more listening activities– 14 respondents have the same suggestion tele-conferencing with someone who has a different accent educators should encourage developing listening skills

The Concept Of Youth So Difficult To Define Sociology Essay

The Concept Of Youth So Difficult To Define Sociology Essay The concept of youth could be seen as difficult to define, as it covers such a diverse area, Pierre Bourdieu (1978)(In Jones 2010) suggested that youth is just a word and that it has been an evolving concept which has developed over the centurys into a social construction. Youth could also be defined by some, especially in western societies as the life stages between childhood and adulthood and becoming independent from dependent (Kehily 2007). Some favour biological markers, in which youth is the period between puberty and parenthood, while others define youth in terms of cultural markers a distinct social status with specific roles, rituals, and relationships (USAID/CMM 2005). Definitions of youth by age vary drastically across different institutions; the UN has defined youth as person from 15 to 24 years of age, whereas the National Youth Policy of Nepal defines youth as persons from 16 to 40 years of age. Therefore in understanding the difficulties in defining youth, it is impor tant to look at the many different ways , as to why age from the earliest of ages, industrialisation, cultures and the biological concept, to identify some of the key issues as to why the concept of youth is so difficult to define as it has such a diverse range of ideas and notions. The term youth is defined by sociologists as a transition between childhood and adulthood (Roche et al 2004) the alternative is the term adolescence which is often: Used within psychology to describe the common biological, psychological, emotional and sexual maturation phases associated with the onset of puberty and the teenage years From this notion it appears that some perceive youth as a sociological category rather than a biological one (Frith 2005, in kehily 2007) in that youth is a social construct rather than a biological and psychological concept as G Hall (1904) (In Kehily 2007p.57) noted that the biological side changes can have an effect on different people at different times in their lifes through hormonal and psychological changes from which they are not in control over and can have effect over their feeling and behaviour. However the sociologist Margret Mead1972 disregarded Halls concept that adolescence was brought on by biological changes which hall suggests occurs during puberty, from her own study concluded that this period in a young persons life was the effect of sexual repression in society and of societys handling of young people (kehily 2007). However as these studys by Hall and Mead were carried out in a specific area of Samoa, this study maybe relevant to this area but it cannot be genera lised to the rest of the world. Social anthropologists on the other hand try and understand the concept of youth from a cultural perspective for instance rather than seeing it from biological view, they study their behaviour, cultural beliefs, family lives, social, political organisations and their relationships with each other (kehily 2007, p.47) although it must be noted that most cultural studies are based upon non-western and traditional societies (keily 2007). Van Gennep 1960 (in kehily 2007 p.62) studies the rites of passage, and states there are three stages: the leaving behind of the familiar, living away from the community and thirdly reintegration, he backs this up with the study of Nelson Mandelas ignition of becoming a man, Gennep 1960 re-enforces this idea with the ritual of circumcism as some countries carry out rituals in order to publicly show the transition from one stage of a life to another (kehily 2007, p.63). although rites of passage can be observed in western countries it can be interpreted i n different ways, for instance, celebrating a birthday, leaving school, going on to university and getting married can be seen as an initiation process into either the passage to youth or the transition into adulthood as Gennep notes rites of passage were similar in structure and function wherever they occurred in the world. Aries (1962) (In kassem et al 2010) suggested that the concept of youth did not exist in the middle ages and that it has been socially constructed over the centuries, as Aries states, in medieval society the idea of childhood did not exist, and that from the age of 7 a child would be classed as an adult, as Heywood (2001 p.11) noted that the transition into adulthood took place when a child no longer needed their mother and could survive without them, which was somewhere between the ages of 5 and 7, he states they were launched into the great community of men, although some would argue with this concept, as kassem et al (2010) suggests that Aries work is only based upon the ideas of childhood and not children themselves. Pollock (1983) (In kassem et al 2010) also criticises Aries and suggests that from studying first hand accounts from diaries and autobiographies that this was not the case and that families in the 1500s did acknowledge childhood as kassem (2010) notes that Pollock q uotes numerous examples of grief at infant death, from mothers and fathers and that Aries work in only based upon secondary sources rather than actual accounts. Although some researches would agree with Aries that the term childhood has only arisen from the 1700s due to it being something which has been constructed (kassem et al 2010,p.3) from the growth of the middle class and the Industrial Revolution (Stone 1977 in kassem et al 2010) as this conctrucuralism could be seen as to arise after the era of industrialisation, for instance from the early age of around 6 years old children were working , which was reported by the Royal Commission on the Employment of children (1843) that children began work at around the age of 6 (Heywood 2001,p.130). By the late eighteenth century it was emerging that children needed a childhood as it was noted by Hendrick (in Heywood 2001 p.142) that it was emerging that the young was in need of a childhood and that we needed to start taking note of this , as Hendrick noted that children were now being seen as innocent, ignorant, dependent, and vulnerable. However some may only define youth, especially by age as they can be seen to have a vested interest for their own personal gain, their motivations may be different as the media for instance may have an interest to inform, whereas connection service see youth at the age of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as they have an interest in improving the lives of youth by ways of empowering them into looking for work or improving their educational needs to enable them to work, wheras the high street stores such as newlook, topshop/topman aim their establishments at youth as for private gain in making money from them. In conclusion as to why youth is so difficult to define, as it is quite diverse and complex and there are numerous reasoning behind the concept of youth from nature v nurture to cultural and sociological explanations it also varies globally as their values and beliefs differ from others therefor as jones notes (2010) when youth is taken to mean age, then it really is just a word. Therefore the concept of youth will always be difficult to define as there is no neutral definition and we all define the concept of youth in many different ways. Word count:References Social and Human Sciences http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/youth/ the concept of youth http://www.allenandunwin.com/publicsociology/files/ch6RETHINK.pdf Heywood, C. (2001) A history of childhood, Cambridge: polity press. Kehily M.J. (2007) Understanding Youth: Perspectives, Identities and Practices. Milton Keynes:Open University Press. Roche, J, et al. (2004) youth in society, 2nd ed, London: sage publications. Kessem, D, et al (2010) Key issues in childhood and youth studies. Oxon: Routledge. Jones, G. (2009) Key concepts: youth. Cambridge: polity press.

Comparing A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Midsummer Night's Dream is, in a way, Romeo and Juliet turned inside out--a tragedy turned farcical. The tragedy both are based on is the story of "Pyramus and Thisbe." In one, Ovid's story is treated as a melodrama (in Romeo and Juliet) and in another, it is fodder for comedy (in A Midsummer Night's Dream). The tale of "Pyramus and Thisbe" is simply told in Book IV of Metamorphoses. The title characters are in love with one another, but they cannot be together because they are separated by a wall. More importantly though, they are separated by their parents who forbid the relationship to progress. The two lovers will not be denied and so plan to meet in secret one night. However, each arrives at the arranged rendezvous point at different times, and this complicates things. Pyramus arrives after Thisbe, but she is hidden from sight at that moment, and he believes she has been eaten by a lion because he finds a bloody scarf of hers, so he kills himself. When Thisbe comes out of hiding, she finds her beloved dead and, too, commits suicide. All this is certainly very sad and pathetic. So what better story to base a melodramatic play on? Shakespeare does just that in Romeo and Juliet. He uses Pyramus and Thisbe, borrowing their plight of being separated by parents, their clandestine relationship, and their suicides. Through this, he satisfies the qualities of melodrama. Romeo and Juliet wrings a good cry out of audience members probably every time it is performed. That is because it is easy to identify with the "star-crossed lovers" and the fact they are kept from what they want most. Empathy plays a major role, as much as any of the characters. It almost makes the audience part of the play. The spectator is part of the action in essence, rooting for the good guys, for "us," and not "them," the bad guys. However, the protagonists do not win in the end. This is yet another melodramatic quality found in both "Pyramus and Thisbe" and in Romeo and Juliet. It seems that they should, and will, be together in the end and be allowed to love each other freely, but that is not the way it turns out. Instead, the young lovers are dead by play's end because of pride and hate. The entire audience watching this spectacle is left feeling the same way and asks, "But why couldn't they just be together?

Science Technology Company Essay -- Science Technology Company Busines

Science Technology Company Bill Watson of Science Technology Company (STC) should not discuss the current 5-year financing plan prepared by Harry Finson, the chief financial officer, at the forthcoming board meeting. The industry that STC is in has short product life cycle, rapid technology obsolescence and fast growth with increasing competition. In fact, STC’s strategy to survive the competition is to maintain leadership in ATE segment and to further compete in the large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits segment by chasing market share and spreading high R&D cost over large sales. However, the large sales growth seems to be more difficult to obtain with the newly added competition. Based on historical trend, level of competition, and other related industry figures; It is suggested that a more reasonable 12.8% annual growth projection be used. STC is losing cash flow in both its operating and investing activities; therefore projections of 30% sales growth are overly optimistic and unreliable. When STC began they only competed against a handful of companies, and although they currently hold the dominant share of the market, this increase in competition could upset future revenue. Increasing competition in the ATE segment will inevitably induce price wars, which will further deplete the profit margin of the company. If price wars were to take place, Teradyne seems to be the reasonable winner. In fact, over the last 5 years, Teradyne has amassed a tota...

Police Operations Essay

There are many types of Police operations. Policing in general has a wide range of different kinds of strategies and areas. To begin with one of the most important, in my opinion in police operations is the dangers of policing. The main principle that contributes to policing in general is the danger that comes with this sort of job. As police officers they are putting their lives at risk each and every single day. They are never certain of what will happen. The minute they start their duty they can encounter all sorts of problems with all sorts of people. They deal with some of the most violent people and not to mention dangerous people as well. There have been numerous occasions in when officers have lost their lives after responding to a crime call. It happens very often, these officers are never guaranteed that they will be safe when the respond to a crime call. The dangerous of policing can start as simply as pulling someone over for running a stop sign or simply for a light they have off, or a suspended license registration. Over all, the reason for an individual getting pulled over in unbearable. Bottom line is that if an individual gets pulled over for any of the above mentioned reasons does not mean that the person is not capable of having a criminal background, a warrant, or violent past. When officers pullover an individual they really have no clue what kind of person they are about to encounter. As officers it is very important that they are cautious and alert at all times. There have been stories when officers respond to calls and the individual retaliates on the officer, this issue has cost officers life in the past. It is a very unfortunate situation but that is the job as a police officer. The dangers that cause over half of all police deaths are traffic incidents. In 2009, 56 officers died in the line of duty by traffic incidents. According to data from the National Law Enforcement Officers  Memorial Fund reported traffic remains the largest cause of death for 12 years running. In 2009, 47 officers died by intentional gunfire up 24% from the previous year and gunf ire claimed the lives of 38 officers. These are the two major cause of death in policing and an increasing concern for different tactics which require more effective means, such as body armor for example. (Keating, M.2012). Police operations are extremely demanding activities that challenge policemen by strict load, working memory, and fast rational thinking. Such activities should never be underestimated as human life is in jeopardy every time police operations take place. Police operations task demands are to great extent dependable on task complexity due to the fact that the performance becomes better when the task is less complicated and may get worse during difficult tasks Although the latter challenges human factor in terms of intellectual intensity, time pressure, and enormous responsibility, it does develop profound professional skills if only thorough training aimed at self-discipline and self-organization is carried out. Dangers of policing Each day an officer awakes to go to work his or her life is in danger. The dangers can range from getting into a car wreck on the way to work, while responding to a call, poor nutrition, assaulted on the scene of a call, and from handling of apprehend suspects. Driving is part on an officer’s daily duty; however, that does not make him or her immune to a car crash. Physical harm is one of the greatest dangers to any and all police officers. An officer could be assaulted or attacked by an armed criminal at any time or place. A lack of adequate back up is another prime example of a dangerous situation for a police officer. Although a police officer should not pursue any situation in which he or she is widely outnumbered, and without back up, this is always a possibility. (Copblock.org 2010). Police officers never know when a person will attack, so transporting a person to a jail or prison can be a very dangerous position to be in. Not only do police officers have to pay attentio n to what they are doing but also must be aware of the other hundreds of vehicles to who they are sharing the roadway. When an officer gets into a police chase, the likelihood of a wreck increases significantly. Therefore, an officer must have a valid reason to initiate a car chase.  Another danger to an officer is the issue of his or her health. Police officers normally work rotating shifts and eat large amounts of fast food. The rotating shift alone can make someone’s health fail, let alone adding the fast food to it. Shift work can have terrible effects on one’s circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms, also known as the body’s internal clock, are a 24-hour cycle. The rise of the sun and nightfall affects the rhythms (Copblock.org 2010). When the rhythm is interrupted by rotating shifts, this can cause sleep disorders and very unhealthy eating patterns. Another danger would be that both police workers and officers experience various tasks, interpersonal and physical demands during police operations that the majority of ordinary people never come across at their work or in their families. These requirements and stressors negatively influence a physical and psychological condition that may lead to more serious physical or mental damage or interruption. Role and physical demands for policemen can develop a condition of constant overload called hyper stress. Typically, the number of queries concerns and emergency calls exceeds the time assigned to a particular police worker. Therefore, not only is the quality of the time given to each separate case and that’s why each case at risk, the mental and physical condition of the police worker is in constant jeopardy. Regarding investigators, they experience heavy caseloads for which they are expected to follow prescribed case management criteria. Also, they find themselves within very limited time framework set by prosecutors who may keep them under the pressure to finish the process as fast as they possibly can, so that the case can reach the trial. Insomnia or permanent tiredness is often caused by hyper stress, as well as weight loss /gain and different degrees of impairment of mental processes. On the contrary, hypo stress may emerge from input under loads for police workers who work a 3rd shift and accept few or calls during night hours. One of the most influential task demands is resistance to stress and ability to cope with sudden interruptions. Experts say that highly indicated factors may have negative effect on police operations outcome as they develop more frequent forgetting on the planned action. Also the activity of working memory is very vulnerable to all external factors accepted by the human body through sight, hearing, smell, etc. Less than Lethal weapons Less-Lethal weapons defined as weapons or any devices that are intended to be less likely to kill a living target than are traditional weapons. Such weapons are also termed as non-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons. Non-lethal weapons may be used in circumstances where conventional weapons are restricted or lethal force is prohibited or undesirable. (USLegal.com 2012). They are also used in combat situations to limit the escalation of conflict. According to California standards, these weapon includes the frame or receiver of any weapon described as but does not include any of the following unless the part or weapon has been converted as described in subdivision as any device that is designed to or that has been converted to expel or propel less lethal ammunition by any action, mechanism, or process for the purpose of incapacitating, immobilizing, or stunning a human being through the infliction of any less than l ethal impairment of physical condition, function, or senses, including physical pain or discomfort. For example, non-lethal weapons may be a destructive devise, tear gas, a bow or cross bow, or something as simple as a slingshot. Technology used in policing The rate of technological change in recent years is so fast that one could reasonably suggest that the top 10 jobs 10 years from now, those jobs might not even exist today. (Schultz, P. D. 2008). Technology is changing the way police departments operate, how criminals are processed, how crimes are investigated, and how trials follow through. Technologies funded today were not even common knowledge just a few years ago. Some technology that police use to assist them with crime investigations start with the very car or vehicle they drive. From crime lights to in-car camera systems, to having an on-board computer right at the disposal of the officer has changed the way the police follow through with crimes. When a crime has been process the evidence goes to the forensic labs where technology of today and the future shows its face. The technology that the labs use today and possible will enhance as the years go by are anything from Photo enhancement systems, graffiti cameras, thermal imaging, and the ability to search for individuals using finger prints and DNA samples. On the other hand, the use of thermal imagers can assist police officers with drug and marijuana arrests. Sometimes even the use of a K9 unit is sometimes used to  assist in drug arrests. The next other forms of technology that are used to process and assist police officers is the CIRS Criminal Investigations Records Systems) which are used to search, match and identify any suspect that the police seem fit. Radios are almost always used with any officer both on the streets and in the car. The radio allows the officer to stay in contact with other officers, call for back up, signal for help, and request a transfer of a suspect. Some other technology that are sometimes used are lasers, mainly used for terroristic threats and attacks, language translators, that are used for the many citizens who speak other languages, Cameras for K9 Units, an automatic license plate recognition, and finally a global positioning devise.( Schultz, P. D. 2008) Issues of Homeland Security and law enforcement relationships Many people in all levels of the government are now taking a hard look at how best to protect their communities from terrorism and crime. (Cooke, L. G., & Hahn, L. R. 2006). Following the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001, a revolution has been underway in the relationships of federal, state, and local homeland security, law enforcement, and intelligence organizations. At the federal level, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been created, the â€Å"wall† between law enforcement and intelligence has been nearly obliterated, some law enforcement organizations are being directed to become more like intelligence agencies, and the foreign intelligence community is being fundamentally reformed. Right now public law enforcement is facing a major crisis, with the activation of military reservists, which hurt police staffing, jurisdictions lack resources to hire additional officers, and local communities, cities, countries, and states face tight budgets. (Cooke, L. G., & Hahn, L. R. 2006) Although there are many problems in the homeland security, the police officers still manage to keep a solid relationship with the community. By keeping those safe from crime, and keeping crime off the streets, and developing relationship with the citizens of the community, our society will once again be able to battle the war of crime. The Future of Policing Some police forces believe that 20 years from now they will operate much as they do today, but advances in technology and operating concepts are driving  significant changes in day-to-day police operations. The potential visions of the future of policing, based on the concept of jurisdiction, technology, and threat, and include concrete steps for implementation. This idea is based on a review of policing methods and theories from the 19th century to the present day. Recommendations include educating personnel and leaders to build internal support for change, transitioning to share technical platforms, and leveraging winning technologies. Because criminals will also use new technology that becomes available, the key to the future of policing will not be the technology itself; it will be the ways in which police forces adapt the technology to their needs. Conclusion There are many types of Police operations. Policing in general has a wide range of different kinds of strategies and areas. All of which are used today to keep our streets and community safe from crime and terrorism. There are many different kinds of relationships in which police officers have with the community to this day, in order for the community to assist the police in any way they can. The use of technology that is used with in the many different branches of police, military and government are all sign that paint the way to the future of what the police force and military and government will become as the years go by into the future. References Cooke, L. G., & Hahn, L. R. (2006, November). The Missing Link in Homeward Security. Retrieved from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1048&issue_id=112006 Keating, M. (2012). Big Drop in Police deaths last year. Retrieved from http://govpro.com/public_safety/law/poice-deaths-low-20100112 Schultz, P. D. (2008, June). Technology in Police Departments. Retrieved from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&article_id=1527&issue_id=62008 USLegal.com. (2012). Less-lethal weapon law & legal definition. Retrieved from http://definitions.unlegal.com/I/less-lethal-weapon/ Copblock.org. (2010, September 13). How dangerous is Police Work? Retrieved from http://www.copblock.org/923/how-dangerous-is-police-work/

At&T vs Skype Essay

This analysis provides an overview of the current and prospective opportunities for Skype, a Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) company. The report finds that Skype’s revenue has decreased dramatically in the last three years mainly due to the increase in competition. Josh Silverman, president of Skype, realizes some decisions must be made in order to remain an industry leader. The company’s current growth plan strategy includes three phases. Phase 1 though already completed, was to become operational on at least one platform, with one revenue system, and focus on one market with one primary service. Phase 2 consist of developing many platforms, diversified revenue streams, many conversation modes, many regions and market targets. Phase 3 encompasses multiple market segments, established products, regional ubiquity, and mature target markets. Though Skype is well developed there are still potential growth opportunities. These opportunities include expansion of existing calling plans and prices, incenting existing users to ‘sell’ Skype to new users and collaborating with cell phone providers. With the market growing rapidly the next phase taken by Skype is crucial in their development. By using the current opportunities Silverman can advance the company as well as attack other providers in the industry. SYNOPSIS OF CASE FACTS Skype is a software application that essentially allows users to use any telephone or videoconference services over any internet connection. This transmission is called VoIP (as shown in Appendix A) and because of the reasonable long-distance and local call packages this option has become an attractive economical alternative to landline or traditional cell phone plan. Josh Silverman, president of Skype, is faced with making the next strategic move that will put Skype in a better position to successfully compete in the telecommunications industry. In order for Silverman and his leadership team to proceed with the next steps it is recommended that they first assess the economic environment. It is important to understand the economic environment that it currently has, as well as the predictions for growth within the industry. Finally, Skype’s key success factors (KSF’s) include cost, building relationships with mobile operators, globalization and word of mouth promotion by existing users. If Skype can focus on one of these KSF’s and be uniquely different where it sets them apart from rivals then Skype will continue to see growth in users and revenue. In terms of market size and growth rate, The VoIP market increased 66% from 2005-2006 with a projected continual increase of growth for decade upwards of 150%. This growth was due to the inclusion of an expansion to other ways of utilizing VoIP services. From internet to cell phone usage, the forecasts called for VoIP applications to create $32.2 billion in profit with over 270 million users. As of 2009, Skype would not be considered a major competitor within the VoIP Market. Comcast Corporation, which held 31.5% of the market, was the leader by 15.3%. Time Warner was in second with 16.2%, and Cox Enterprises, Inc. at 9.6% was only 1.3% ahead of Vontage Holdings Corp. with 8.3%. The rest of the market, which was considered as â€Å"other†, encompassed 34.4% in which Skype captured a small share. All of the major competitors growth rates from 2005-2009 were declining rapidly. For Skype, this was good news because the projections in growth of U.S. and Europe users from 2005-2011 showed 17% increase in the U.S. and 37% increase in Europe. ​Although major players had a traditional stronghold on the telephone industry, Skype services created a substantial technological pull that provided a major shift in the macro environment for these majority companies. In addition, the transition from PTSN to VoIP technology also sparked regulatory and social conversations of change. And according to our textbook, â€Å"since macroeconomic factors affect different industries in different ways†¦it is important for managers to determine which these represent the most strategically relevant factors† (Thompson, Peterraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012). For Skype, this environment was ripe with opportunities for growth, and the company decided to strategically chart their progressive growth into diversification through a phased plan incorporating the one to any platform functionalities. In addition, Skype would need to be concerned about new technology which provided potential new entrants an opportunity to gain market share . ​ The VoIP industry is in the growth stage of the lifecycle process in 2009. The landline telephone market is in decline due to f the attractive and less expensive option of VoIP technology, which can utilize the increasing amount of cheaper internet connectivity. Other markets such as the cell phone market are starting to introduce technology that based on current projections over half of the cell phone market will be VoIP based technologies by 2019. ​Skype’s virtual market encompasses a global strategy due to the unlimited potential and increasing deployment of fiber optic networks internationally. The barriers to entry are reasonable because they already have achieved substantial growth and success within one platform. Additionally, gaining access to technologies through innovation, acquisitions, and mergers are ways to go from their one to any platform in the future. The Company to work to establish itself in markets that are emerging, and where other players have not focused. STRATEGIC ISSUES AND KEY PROBLEMS SWOT analysis, see Appendix B was performed highlighting the positives and negatives within the company. Skype has succeeded in the market primarily due to aggressive pricing. However, the competitive pricing also puts Skype at a disadvantage. Although Skype’s growth numbers show a 47%, 72% and 61% increase in registered users, Skype minutes and Skype out minutes, respectively, in fourth quarter of 2008, Skype witnesses a decrease in revenue growth, 46% to 26% from Q308 to Q408, respectively. The company uses a broad differentiation strategy to appeal to buyers and offers competitive pricing, suggesting that buyers can reduce fees associated with long-distance and local calls that are incurred with their current telephone provider. A defined strength is word of mouth advertising which has ultimately kept down operating costs. Everyone loves Skype because it is largely free. The executive team at Skype is faced with crafting a strategy that will put Skype in a position to compete with heavy hitters in the market like Comcast (31.5% of the market share), Time Warner Cable, Cox Enterprises and Vonage Holdings. A key strategy for Comcast was the acquisition of AT&T’s cable operations. This move increased Comcast’s membership by expanding business geographically into 6 other states. Please refer to Appendix C for competitive matrix. DRIVING FACTORS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Skype has several driving factors for the recommended solutions. One, the ‘fan base’ is instrumental in promoting the application. According to the executive outlook, ‘Skype becomes more valuable as more people use it, thereby creating an incentive for existing users to encourage new users to join’ (Thompson, Peterraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012). Secondly, Skype offers competitive pricing and plans which has attracted many users but a slight modification of addendum to the plan would promote profitability. Finally, acquisitions of competitors have been successful for other rivals, yet it could be expensive and not something that Skype could afford to do now. An alternative would be to continue to collaborate with cell phone providers. RECOMMENDATIONS The leadership team at Skype should focus on modifying and building out the calling plan to boost revenues. Skype-to-Skype minutes has seen the greatest growth between Q307 and Q408, 72%, however this plan is free. The addition of a small fee to this service or offering a prepaid bundled package could dramatically increase revenue in this area. Another strategy is to continue collaborating with cell phone providers making it easier for users to access Skype from mobile devices, not just desktops or laptops. Market penetration with mobile devices could increase membership and revenue. Also, Skye could partner with major W-Fi hotspot providers to have a â€Å"Skype Here† promotion where places like Starbucks would partner with Skype to encourage people to Skype from their stores. This would increase the time that a customer could spend in the store, and refresh the idea of Skyping from with a pleasure activity like getting a cup of coffee. This could lead to promotions with Skype as well. For example, if a member spends 300 minutes Skyping at a certain Starbucks then they would get a coupon for a free coffee at that location. With IM, Facetime, and other Communications applications the struggle is to keep Skype in the consumers mind as the preferred method of making communication, as opposed to the other methods. Lastly, offer incentives to existing users to encourage new users to join Skype. The incentive payout would have to line-up with the price points of the calling plans. ​Another area that Skype should explore is the corporate or B2B communications, companies spend thousands each year using conference calls, or virtual meetings. Skype should design a simple method for business to offer a fixed price conference calling plan on a per employee basis. The corporate market is largely untapped and corporations typically have a robust IT infrastructure that lends itself well to Skype. ​

The effects of Information and Communication Technologies Essay

In the last few years India has made rapid strides as a developing nation. Education has played a key role in that. Educational institutions, which lay down the foundation for learning and understanding, have reached out to the corners of the country. The purpose of this paper aims to bring together the findings and key points from a review of significant part of the available literature associated with ICTs for Education and ICTs in Education. This review set out to identify and evaluate relevant strategies in national and international research and initiatives related to measuring and demonstrating the effective use of ICT for education. Schools, colleges, IIMs, IITs and other professional institutions are no longer confined to the metros but are reaching out to the fringe areas as well. What has been critical in this regard is that not only the sources of education have increased, but the manner in which knowledge is imparted has also gone a sea change, courtesy the information an d communication technology. Summary: Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become commonplace entities in all aspects of life. The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centred learning settings. Effective use of ICT for Education, along with ICT use in the teaching learning process, quality and accessibility of education, learning motivation is shown in this paper. The introduction of the term ‘ICT’ (information and communication technology) around 1992, when e-mail started to become available to the general public (Pelgrum, W.J., Law, N., 2003). The concept of mobile learning was emerged about a decade ago and got recognition as a new research field. Many countries now regard understanding ICT and mastering the basic skills and concepts of ICT as part of the core of education, alongside reading, writing and numeracy. The world moving rapidly into digital media and information, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the 21st century. According to a United Nations report (1999) ICTs cover Internet service provision, telecommunications equipment and services, information technology  equipment and services, media and broadcasting, libraries and documentation centres, commercial information providers, network-based information services and other related information and communication activities. According to UNESCO (2002) information and communication technology (ICT) may be regarded as the combination of ‘Informatics technology’ with other related technology, specifically communication technology. The 1990s was the decade of computer communications and information. ICTs for education refers to the development of information and communications technology specifically for teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process. ICT enhancing teaching and learning process: The field of education has been affected by ICTs, which have undoubtedly affected teaching, learning and research (Yusuf, 2005). Teachers generate meaningful and engaging learning experiences for their students, strategically using ICT to enhance learning. ICT enhancing the quality and accessibility of education: ICT increases the flexibility of delivery of education so that learners can access knowledge anytime and from anywhere. ICT enhancing learning Environment: ICT presents an entirely new learning environment for students, thus requiring a different skill set to be successful. ICT enhancing learning motivation: ICTs can enhance the quality of education in several ways, by increasing learner motivation and engagement, by facilitating the acquisition of basic skills, and by enhancing teacher training. ICT enhancing the scholastic performance: Based on the extensive usage of ICTs in education the need appeared to unravel the myth that surrounds the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as an aid to teaching and learning, and the impact it has on students’ academic performance. Scope of Mobile Learning: Information and Communication Technology is playing a vital role to shaping the learning method, by providing better resources to learn remotely. Mobile technology was presented in 1990s and become the most popular way of communication. Mobile learning facilitates learners to move effortlessly over varied positions and to connect up learning in different localities. CONCLUSION: Education has become one of the most important issues not only for the individuals but for organizations and governments around the world. Since the world is changing rapidly with the advancement in technology informal ways of learning are also required for that purpose. ICTs for education refers to the development of information and communications technology specifically for teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process. This literature review has sought to explore the role of ICT in education as we progress into the 21st century. Mobile enabled technology has played an important role to build and implement new solutions for informal learning. The adoption and use of ICTs in education have a positive impact on teaching, learning, and research. The overall literature suggests that successful ICT integration in education. References: An Effective use of ICT for Education and Learning by Drawing on Worldwide Knowledge, Research, and Experience, ICT as a Change Agent for Education (A LITERATURE REVIEW), Syed Noor-Ul-Amin, Ph.D Research Scholar, Department Of Education, University Of Kashmir e.mail:syd_aman@rediffmail.com. Volume 4, No. 8, May-June 2013 International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science RESEARCH PAPER, Available Online at www.ijarcs.info