Comparison of Two Flood Stories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison of Two englut Stories - Assignment voiceIt is worth mentioning that The Flood of Noah is the older story of the Bible, wherein all manhood got destroyed by the flood merely the family of Noah. On the other hand, in case of The Flood of Gilgamesh, all mankind of the civilization got destroyed excluding the family of Utnapishtim (Lorey, The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh).Noah was quite spiritual in nature and he lived with his family. When the age of Noah was 500 years, the God tell him to make an ark for his family. God also said Noah that after 120 years, a flood go away occur, which will destroy the entire mankind and give him instruction to live in the ark with his family. Later, the flood took site, which continued for 40 days. Notably, Noah along with his family stayed in the ark for full one year. After the completion of one year, when Noah found a reduce and left the ark, God blessed him and his family with the power of immortality (Davidson 49-77) .With regards to the story of The Flood of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was the king of Samaria. The Sumerian hero journeyed the hale world and met an old man named Utnapishtim. The Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh about the disaster flood story of the Sumerian civilization. The flood took place for six days, which was a short duration, but resulted in destroying the entire civilization (Davidson 49-77). Identifiably, there lay sure differences between the above discussed two flood stories. In this context, the announcement of Noahs flood was made by the God directly, but in relation to the case of Gilgamesh flood story, the announcement came from God via dream. The cause loafer the flood of Noah was the increasing mischievousness of the people, however, in case of Gilgamesh, the reason was mans sins. The landing piazza of the ark in Noah was Mountain Ararat and the landing spot of the boat in Gilgamesh was Mountain Nisir (Lorey, The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh). by from the abov e identified

Case Study of the Credit Card Processing Industry Term Paper

Case Study of the Credit Card treat Industry - Term Paper ExampleThe course faith instrument panel processing industry has been in the headland in adopting new technology. Credit vizor processing is chief(prenominal)ly done through electronic processing. The faith poster associations and companies defecate laid down policies and procedures for commendation card processing. The system of processing accredit cards is very complex as it involves processing transactions hypothetically throughout the payment process system. mutual credit card transaction in involve the following participants the node, merchandisers, payment gateway, acquiring avows processor, credit card central, customers credit card issuer, and merchant acquiring bank. The settlement for the credit card interchange institutions is done electronically. The computerized transaction settlement systems atomic number 18 apply to make payments to the credit card interchange institutions. Today, the main cr edit card interchanges include MasterCard and Visa .MasterCard and Visa have agents all over the world that shake merchants to accept transactions victimisation their cards. When a customer makes a purchase at the point of sale, the merchant forwards the transaction at the end of the day to the merchants bank. The merchants bank pays the merchant for the purchase after deducting a fixed fee before forwarding the purchase to MasterCard or Visa. After receiving the transaction money, MasterCard or Visa forwards the transaction charge to the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer indeed makes payment of a fixed fee to MasterCard or Visa. MasterCard or Visa then makes payment to the merchant bank. MasterCard or Visa collects fees for both the card issuer and the merchant bank. Then the issuer of the card charges the customer for the amount of purchases made. The card holder finally pays the bank a minimum amount at an engage or pays the whole amount. The credit card processing s ystem uses point of sale electronic authorization, which has replaced the handed-down paper work and telephone costs. The electronic data capture used in credit card transaction today has helped the banks to process and accept transactions much faster. The retail systems in the supermarkets and major hotels have been changed in order to fit the changing needs of using credit cards. The main advantage of using a credit card for the customer is that it is convenient. One disadvantage is that the customer is most likely to come into a debt that will not be easy to get out of. The whole of the credit card processing system is based on trust. Today, the credit card processing industry has been marred with fraud. The credit card processors have come up with tools to help merchants to identify fraud. These tools are web based and used by merchants to avoid scam. Model relationships capture system for the transactions will affect the customers loyalty of using credit cards. The model rela tionship capture is used to determine risk of effect a credit card in the incoming. The credit card scoring points will assess the futurity business opportunity. The economic crisis has hit the credit card industry so hard that many customers are opting not to use credit cards. Many credit card holders have submerged in the credit card debts and are opting to use debit cards instead of credit cards. Following these dwindling fortunes, the credit card processing industry has to improve their operations in order to maintain customers in the future .The

Forbidden Foods and Drinks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Forbidden Foods and Drinks - Essay ExampleThese prohibitions have origins that ar varied. In other situations the forbidden food is due to some considerations of health, others come about because of the symbolic form of humans (Gebhardt 21). Different foods could be prohibited in certain festivals, specific times in life, and distinguishable classes of people. This paper explores different types of forbidden food and drinks.Religion prohibits the intake of some specific foods. For instance, A fastidious rule is set by Judaism concerning whatever could and could not be eaten. Similar laws are observed in Islam who divide food in the form of halal and haraam. On the other hand, Jains strictly follow their morality hence only consume vegetarian. Hindus also prohibit the consumption of cow meet since they take awe as being that is sacred (Mike 6). Apart from this, some communities scrutinize the cooking process instead of corporeal food. For example, in Christianity of early medie val specific uncooked of fast food were considered to be of dubious status. In this case, the consumption of canned, as well as other fast foods, is forbidden to this group of individuals. This can be attri plainlyed to the fact that the canned foods and other fast foods are sweeter and consumption-ready they can be directly taken without requiring farther preparations that other food substances require. It is also because the cost of these types of food kinds of stuff has been reducing drastically making the affordable. Examples of ordinary canned and fast foods that are widely consumed include beef jerky, yogurt, jam, canned tea, and canned meat, just but to name a few. In spite of the large markets that they command, the foodstuffs are considered to be harming the society in unlike ways, but what are these various ways that the canned foods are considered to harm the society? This paper discusses the ways in which the canned foods are harming the society.To begin with, the ca nned food manufacturers are hurting the

Organisational Culture and Change Management Research Paper

Organisational coating and Change focussing - Research Paper ExampleThe above changes are dealt in with a peculiar(a) focus on the impacts of the same on employees and intervention procedures enabled by the business managers. Organisational Culture and Change Management General Understanding Organisational culture is loosely held to be a system of beliefs or values reflected by the employees, staffs, and managers cerebrate to a dread that in turn contributes in distinctively separating it from other concerns in the related or other industries. Seven tilts are studies that contribute to the development of such distinct organisational cultures in different brasss. Firstly the culture sets of an organization are dominated by the attribute of risk-taking or the parameter of creativity and innovation ingrained in the employees. Secondly, the behavioral attributes of the people pertaining to the study of an event in a precise or detailed fashion also amount to the development of org anisational culture in the concern. Thirdly the cultural parameters of an organization are also developed depending on the management styles of whether to study the processes to fulfil a desired set of outcomes or to be focused on observing the outcome only. fourth again the organizational culture also depends on the degree to which the management body of the concern endeavors to show the effects of the outcome gained on the people or the human resources of the specific concern. Fifthly the development of the organizational culture also earns analogy to the degree of patronage rendered in the cultivation of effective teams. Sixthly organizational culture is also ruled by the degree of aggressiveness or passiveness involved in the pursuit of organizational conducts. Finally in the seventh case organizational culture also earns relation to the fact in whether the concern focuses on stability or whether it focuses on gaining significant growth (Roodt, Odendaal and Robbins, 2009, p. 424). The presentation and management of organizational change in a specific cultural context are generally dealt into two essential types. The first type relates that change factor within organizations is a spontaneous or continuous process such that the managers need to focus on planning beforehand to help enable the effective implementation of the process thereby adopted. However, the first thought failed to hold good owing to the ever-changing circumstances in the external organizational environment that in turn required the organization to justifiedly welcome an emerging technological transition or transformation. New changes in the technological environment of the concern stand as an emergent process in contrast to the pre-planned environment. Adaptation to emerging technological changes helps the organization to stand the test of times and render effective customer and market-driven services.

Listening Log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Listening log - Essay ExampleFurthermore, it is beautiful to hear a single unaccompanied instrument, which re ally brings the focus brush up to the skill of the individual musician and the abilities of the instrument. The second piece is a piano piece entitled slow Sostenuto performed by Daniel B arnboim It is by enlarge soft and delicate. The perpetual melody of only three notes bring all of the other elements of the composition into incredibly sharp focus. This piece is too al close entirely in a minor key, underscoring a sad or somewhat mournful attitude. This is an amazing piece that I akin quite a lot. One of the things I like about it is its huge amount and variety of textures, and axial rotation mini climaxes without that show that you can create a peak in music without going overly-loud or increasing tempo overly much. I also like that it is soft and delicate without world in any way tentative, ein truth stroke is done with precision and determination, and even after a flash of hesitancy the stroke comes down in a powerful way. The next melodic line is the classic politic Criminal by the ever-famous (even posthumously) Michael Jackson. Its genre is, strictly speaking, pop. It is incredibly danceable, in a strict and somewhat inevitable four-four time. It also has an incredibly catchy and single-able chorus. It incorporates a wide variety of influences, however. There are touches of proto industrial music in the percussion, which sound like they may be clanging on metal pans or the sides of a building. Furthermore, rap has a significant influence on the pains, with its tersely spoken-word style narrative, as does blue funk finished a wide use of synth and base. So while this is a pop song through and through, it has a wide variety of influences. This song is a really enjoyable one to listen to for a wide variety of reasons. Firstly, Michael Jackson has an incredibly interesting voice, which he layers and uses to great effect in this song. I t also is a great representative of 1980s pop, almost over using synth while somehow being able to pull it off effectively at the last minute. This is a song by dust-covered Play. It is definitely a pop-rock song, falling into four-four time with emphasis on the two and four, though it interestingly has a base drum on every beat. Unlike many pop-rock songs, this forgoes traditional insturemenation, choosing to augment the classical base-guitar-vocalist-drummer set-up with at least a quartet of string instruments (the cello carries the melody for much of the song, plainly there are places one can definitely hear a viola and or a violin as well), along with a wide range of non-traditional (for the genre). I am indifferent to this song, because it does some things well but some things poorly. I think the choice of instrumentation is very interesting to listen to, and carry the song very well. The problem, however, is that I do not feel that the lyrics are very evocative, and fail to carry the song properly. The final song is Back to Black by the gone-all-to-early Amy Winehouse. This is an incredibly interesting songs. By far the most important instrument in this composition is vocals, with Amy Winehouse providing a powerhouse performance. It also has a string section, a drum kit and possibly some horns kicking in the back, which all lead to a very layered and rich sound. This song harkens back to Motown Era R&B, with a heavy influence from soul.

Analysis of Sprint PCS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of dash PCS - Essay ExampleWhile in services main cost are connected to equipment maintaining those services and puzzle little impact on prices (which are mainly formed by clients demands), brisk phones have a lot of issues on manufacturing and in particular testing product costs. One hundred percent of mobile phones are tested to ensure regulative and standard compliance, where many other consumer electronic products are merely sample tested. (Strickler, 2004). Additionally, mobile phones have ultra-short brio cycles comparing to other consumer electronics, which is followed with more funds spent on designing new models. As about of the manufacturing of Sprint is outsourced to China manufacturing labor costs are considered to be low. Still in the context of obstreperous competition in the wireless industry they must be taken into account.Recent years have been regarded as productivity increasing due to technological innovations in manufacturing. Raw materials needed for production of cellular phones are the industry without a clear cut leader, which on with decreasing overall waging costs and at the same time slight increase in average wages had a positive invite on productivity and average total costs of cellular phones as labor productivity growing settles in near its longer-run trend of 2 to 2-1/2 percent, increases in unit labor costs may begin to put some upward pressure on prices, offsetting possible moderation in nonwage costs (Bernanke 2005).As iMarket StructureAs it was stated earlier cellular phone industry is very expectant leaving no free space to possible new contenders. Market structure in mobile services is an oligopoly, when power is concentrated in the hands of several key players, that is Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon etc. Position of Sprint in mobile phones industry is comparatively weaker, major players are Nokia, Motorola, Siemens, Alcatel and Sony Ericsson.Such heavy competition along with the wide choice of ve ndors available to clients creates implications on pricing. Simply there is very little space for adjusting prices because a company has to stay close to its main pricing curve. Cellular phones have evolved from a hi-tech thingamabob to an everyday life commodity negatively affecting prices, which continue to decrease. On the other side exceedingly wide audience of consumers and further shortening life-cycle increases amounts of cell phones sold.Recent performance of Sprint shows that while the customer beggarly of the company continues to increase its revenues are the same as two years ago. Sprints subscriber base grew 110% but its market share has barely changed since June 2002. Price erosion and competition has reduced service revenue by 19% (Alexander Resources, 2005) Moreover the company experiences low customer satisfaction recently gear up by Strategy Analytics Sprint PCS posts below average ratings on many measures, though the carrier does redeem itself somewhat with a well-received product and service range (Wi-fitechnology.com 2004).Therefore Sprint PCS needs changes in its dodging for further development. First of all, if bigger is not better Sprint needs to reduce the distance surrounded by the company and a certain customers group. Secondly it should pay more attention to the quality of its products to increase customer satisfaction with more added value.Economic ForecastBasing on the macroeconomic forecast presented by the learning group (Hahn et al 2005) I have selected the following factors that will affect the demand of

Events management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Events counselling - Assignment ExampleSome of the temporary facilities include Horse Guards Parade and Hyde Park (Rosner & Shropshire 2010). The new facilities that were employ as venues have been maintained, some have been resized, and others relocated.In order to have a successful event, a committee known as capital of the United Kingdom Organizing Committee of the surpassing Games was formed in order to wield the whole process of conducting the Olympic Games (Rhatigan & Haley 2012). This team was charged with the responsibility of building infrastructures and venues of the event. On the other hand, the establishment had its own body known as Government Olympic Executive that was responsible for supervising the vast billions of pounds that were poured to fund the event. It is worth noting that the committees did an exemplary job in making the London 2012 a success.Several companies bankrol conduct the London 2012. Some of the main sponsors of the event included Coca-Cola, Ace r, Adidas, Atos, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung, McDonalds, P&G, among others (Cotgreave 2012). Lastly, London 2012 had a tight security led by the police. There were over ten thousand officers who received support from thirteen thousand 5 hundred members of the armed forces. The police officers ensured that the participants as well as the members of the public who attended the event were unspoilt (Barden 2008). It is reported that massive funds was pumped to beef up security during the Olympic Games.Cotgreave, A., 2012. London 2012 Olympic sponsors list who are they and what have they paid? The Guardian. Available at

Managed Care and Psychotherapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managed C atomic itemize 18 and mental hygiene - Essay ExampleIt rapidly spread to health insurance industry in private sector. It relies upon and reason to control ever increasing health c be costs by health insurance industry, which fixes a reasonable fee. wellness attending provides charge for their services. Thanks to managed care facilities provided by health insurance industry, medical inflation rate decreased drastically in 1990s in U.S. But right now the encumbrance looks same it has ended abruptly and U.S. medical inflation is beginning to rise steeply. Psychotherapy in its traditionalistic form is being challenged due to managed care pressures.Managed care is not needful for psychiatric patients as it creates many hindrances to the consumer in the early steps of treatment. Managed care makes the psychotherapy sessions completely transparent, when it is supposed to be undisclosed.There are pros and cons. Managed care in psychotherapy is significantly a bane to the con sumers. Psychotherapy always requires long number of sessions but due to pressure from insurance companies, psychotherapists reduce the number of sessions. It is the indirect supervision of the financial focus of a consumers medical care performed by the ultimate reimbursement entity, commonly known as the payer. Payers use use of goods and services review-a medical professional oversees the treating physicians decisions to determine if the most financially efficient method is being used. In the rosy view, managed care offers coordinated, integrated systems of care that emphasize prevention and cost restraints. But actually managed care leads to control access, lack of choice and, sometimes, limitation of care. OHara, M. (1997) reportsNowhere are the concrete consequences of the rising levels of cultural incoherence more than visible than within the community of psychotherapists. Therapeutic psychology and its spin-offs, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, psychi atric nursing, and organisational behavior, are disintegrating as academic disciplines and as fields of professional practice. The field of psychology and the individuals who inhabit it are in the midst of theoretical, epistemological, methodological, and ethical meltdown. Pluralism in graduate school training, discussions about licensing and credentialing, variations in clinical guess and practice, debates about the status of psychological knowledge as science and as evidence in courts of law, fracture definitions of ethical and unethical behavior, and proliferation of antitherapist consumer protection laws are just some of the ways the postmodern crisis is already modify the field. And it will get worse.Psychotherapists get into prescription business and provide pills. They are likely to have very(prenominal) less interaction with consumer and hinder the normal process of psychotherapy. Managed care minimizes the professional secrecy. As primary care physician refers the consu mer to a specialist psychotherapist. Managed care programs that are commonly used are, as listed by Kuhl, V. (1994)Health Maintenance organization (HMO) In this a federally qualified HMO in exchange for a subscriber fee (Premium) allows members to access to a panel of employed physicians and facilities, including hospitals. In return HMO receives mandated foodstuff access and receives federal development funds. In HMO plan, a member is assigned a door guard, a primary care physician (PCP) who takes care of members assigned to him. To avail specialty services like a specialist

The Roles of the Colonial American Woman in the Revolutionary War Essay

The Roles of the Colonial American Woman in the revolutionary War - Essay eccentricIn the common days, the man was the headmaster of the household and women is assigned to take c are of their barbarianren. If women have no husbands, or they became widows, or they come out to a decision to end up their relationship by which it resulted to a divorce but it was difficult to be granted at that time. However, the court finds a mien to solve this variety of status of widows and spinsters and allows them to live apart. Although, this is not an easy situation to women because they must be get hitched with first before they can manage and own the property of her deceased husband. The womans role was presumably as a single parent and also the head of the family if the woman is not sedentary married. The women must render her family with food, made clothing, domestic essentials, cleaned house, and supervised the children. (Norton, M.B., pp. 196). The wife has some legal rights that enfor ced the ordinary law on the era of revolutionary. It was mentioned that the women could not hold any property of her husband until they are not separated by the law. The husband has the legitimate right to beat her wife for being disobedient. These were the times that women are inured well(p) servants by their master or even by their husband. The woman had no privileges to marry without the prognostication of her master. The punishments on their unfaithfulness may subject to fines or even the extension of their service to their master. When a child was born during in the time of service of her mother, that child will also suffer the same good-natured of mistreated of what her mother suffered and could possibly be publicly abused. In other half, women are separated into two kinds in the years of Revolutionary Era which includes the White Women and Black Women. White women are always located in city. They could find some jobs such as being a maid, cook, and babysitter without an y obstacle on the community and even in the Government of Revolutionary War. Unlike with the white women, black women are treated as the servant. A kind of women who serves on the house as well on the field. (Lerner, G, 1988) The Revolutionary Era has the law that involves about the Interracial Marriage by which the black slave women experienced sexual exploitation and was also abused in which thither was no legal reason for them to experience this kind of abuse. These mistreated natures that only the black women who have been always the victims happened in the countries of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts but shut away black women survived and they underwent all the kind of jobs as possible. Being barbers, midwives, sextons, and blacksmiths are just some of the common jobs they encountered. Again, there are few women who are being mistreated. Women should not be handled in this way. They should be treated just like with the ordinary people should. (Lerner, G,1988) Meanwhile, Colon ial American Women had different major groups the Native Indian Women, the African Women, and the European Women in the Era of Revolution. Each group has very different cultures and the roles played in their communities and to their families.

To what extend does Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation Essay - 1

To what extend does Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation standards improves healthc atomic number 18 facilities(2) - Essay ExampleScientific doubtfulness or look involves a series of steps that begins with defining the problems through proper investigations using a scientific approach and devise methods to reach a suitable solution. Experts have divided this unconscious process of scientific look for under eight sub-divisions. The first characteristic is purpose, which implies that every enquiryer should have a specialised purpose for undertaking the research. This is the initial step that would enable the researcher to find suitable answers and methods to solve the problem. The following important requirement is rigor by which researchers need to be attentive and scrupulous during the research process in order to avoid any errors or bias that may affect the end results. The beside requirement is testability by which a hypothesis should be subjected to proper tes ting processes after collection of the require data. Following the testing process the researcher should also ensure that the results obtained are replicable every time the research is conducted under similar conditions as this will ensure that the hypothesis is reproducible. The next requirement for any research is precision and confidence. Precision ensures that the results obtained from the research are relevant to the hypothesis make and the confidence levels reveal the consummation to which the results are correct. In addition to the above factors, every researcher should be objective in their research by which any subjective or emotional bias should be eliminated and the assume interpretation should be based on the data alone. Another important requirement is generalization of the study by which the study could be applied to any setting. Finally the study should also be simple to perform and see to it rather than complex.(Sekaran, 2003). The following chapter begins with t he definition of the research problem and then describes the purpose of this study, following which the study objectives are detailed and in turn the study setting is described. The research methodology that includes the sampling methods is explained and the types of data to be used, data collection and analysis are then explored. The contribution of the study is described finally. The method sedulous in the study is telephonic interview and use of an executive staff questionnaire with the IMC staff members. The IMC has entered into an agreement with the JCI, which has made it the first hospital in Gulf to be involved with the acclaimed organization right from the inception of a project. 3.2 Research problem Following the implementation of the JCI standards within the TQM department, several manufacturing industries have shown marked improvement in quality in different sectors across the country. Given this increase in quality improvement, the service industry, particularly the he althcare industry has shown interest in implementing this concept within its purview. The Saudi health sector, both human race and private, faces a variety of general challenges such as resource allocation and other challenges related to its genius such as the quality of services provided, cost containment and medical errors. Considering the

Why Do Good Guys Finish Last and Good Girls Like Bad Boys Research Paper

wherefore Do Good Guys Finish Last and Good Girls standardized Bad Boys - Research Paper ExampleThe Dark Triad personality is a highly visible, extroverted, charismatic, and antisocial personality that preys on normal people to feed their egotistical imbalances. This creates maladaptive relationships that cause great activated pain and suffering long after the relationship is ended. Dark Triad personalities be particularly gaunt to co-dependent personalities that take care of them and feed their egos. What the media glorifies as the most desirable type of partner is, in reality, a dysfunctional one. Healthy relationships that are emotionally fulfilling and long lasting depend on them being calm of healthy partners not dysfunctional ones. Why Do Good Guys Finish Last and Good Girls standardised Bad Boys It always seems like the good guy cables finish last and the good girls like the bad boys why is that? Throughout history there are so many accounts of relationships where one was destructive and the other was about sainted. Its oft said that opposites attract, yet how is it that those opposites also nearly destroy each other in the relationship process? The dating process is aimed at bringing compatible people together, yet what practically happens is that compatibility is based on something other than normal relations. The fact that good guys finish last is largely collectible to the fact that good girls like bad boys. Whats the attraction? What makes a nice girl consume someone who either cheats on her or hurts her in one way or another? Why do so many women put up with that? It almost seems like a nice guy cant win. There is a term, the Dark Triad of Personality, (Paulhus, Williams, & Hare, 2002) that was created in the late 20th deoxycytidine monophosphate to describe a group of three distinctly different, yet related personality traits Machiavellianism, conceit, and subclinical psychopathy. every last(predicate) three are exploitative, short -term and socially negative. People with this personality triad are very attractive, charismatic people who, for some reason, never seem to lack for either excitement, or someone to share it with. They are people who view the world in terms of how it benefits them, favoring immediate gratification over the sacrifice of hold for long term gains. This relationship personality is described as having an arrogant and deceitful interpersonal style, insufficient affective experience, and, impulsive and irresponsible behavioral style. (Jonason, Kavanaugh, 2010) Individuals who create the Dark Triad personality prefer a short-term style of relating they keep people at an emotional distance through game playing and cerebral approach to personal relationships. The game playing approach is what is known as ludus these relationships are label by high turn over of partners a cat and mouse kind of game. The pragma approach is a cerebral style where relationships are mind or head oriented inste ad of involving the heart. People in these kinds of relationships have limited abilities to show empathy their emotional systems dont process the flow of the relationship. These relationships are superficial, often practical, and usually based on eros as opposed to agape. They are not long lasting, fulfilling relationships, hardly a means to an end. There is very little closeness, selflessness, or intimacy. It is thought these individuals experienced little empathy and caring, as well as having inconsistent early childhood interactions with caregivers. Twin studies have shown moderate-to-large inherited traits for both narcissism and psychopathy, and a smaller genetic influence on Machiavellianism largely due to environmental factors. (Jonason & Kavanaugh, 2010) Numerous researchers have agreed that there are five common personality indicators through which all personalities can be described they

Group Dynamics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

root word Dynamics - Term Paper ExampleBut there some who argon more ill and be aggressive about their defense. The best example for this is when Gerry acted superior to tutor Boone before he got on the bus for football camp. It is well established that the team member is a subordinate to the coach unless Gerry felt the need to protect his comfort zone as the teams star player.Coach Boone, as a reaction to the insult, embarrassed Gerry and reminded him of his place. He could go just given him a simple reminder simply instead he asked him whos your daddy Of course this was effective, but the main point is that that particular phrase assume among blacks. This was also a reminder for Gerry that he is a subordinate of a black coach.There are multiple reasons for the prejudice against the African American coach and players. One of which would be the norm. This is what the whites were use to. For years, blacks are considered as second class individuals and this cannot be changed ov ernight. The whites have experienced the life where the blacks would bow down to them and would follow some(prenominal) they wanted them to do. To some degree they still think this way and it is irritating them that the black would no daylong do as they are told.The next theory is that the blacks have a account of rebellion and violence. They have fought for freedom and by doing so have ignited the assumption of being brute. This too is recent history and is still fresh to the memories of whites. Both the theories for the cause of prejudice stated above have something in vulgar the memories and experiences of the people. It all hinges in the fact that recent history is very difficult to erase.c. How did the new head coach maturation group cohesiveness on the team and reduce the level of conflict between the groupsTo increase group cohesiveness, the separation should first be dissolved. The new head coach did this by pairing up one black player with one white. They were overstre tchd to sit together in the bus and afterward became room mates in the camp. This was a success in terms of them having to do things together and in some manner broke the tension between the racial groups.For some time this was a conducive situation for kind interactions they may be of different races but now they were talking. This was until they imbed out that they had conflicting interests. The coach found this absurd because they had very similar cultural backgrounds, different but similar.The next step that he did was to force them to make deeper social interactions. Having them talk to each other and discover the similarities that they have. This may seem an effective set about but they just found out that they had less and less commonalities.Finally, one morning to took them out for a run in the woods and showed them the place when the battle of Gettysburg. He told them the story of how many have died for the corresponding battle that they are fighting that time. This w as an eye opener for all of them. From then on the team members are more active about establishing good rapport between races.This change is clearly shown in the place setting where Gerry and Julius had an argument about their teams tactics. This argument

FIELD TRIP REFLECTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FIELD TRIP REFLECTION - Essay Example nigh mess keep themselves busy by playing chess and entertaining visitors while others spare term to watch people and appreciate the looker of the urban center (Grimm et al. 265).Denver city has in place national transportation, which has reduced the issue forth of traffic on the roads since people prefer this mode of transport as it is cheaper and reliable. The amount of carbon emissions into the atmosphere has reduced since few people use private vehicles reducing the amount of fuel consumed. The hotels and restaurants are highly maintained hence, sanitation and public health standards are observed. The presence of the park providing a good resting place for the town dwellers and provide a good opportunity for them to enjoy and appreciate their town (Grimm et al. 266).On the other hand, the city planners and managers failed to device and implement laws and policies governing operations of the city (Grimm et al. 267). For example, the nu mber of homeless people is increasing each day where these people put up illegal camps deep down the city. The homeless and other idlers disrupt the peace of the town because they make it difficult for normal functioning of the town. These groups of people also pollute the environment since they drop litter around the place, the sleeping bags, and tents lower aesthetic beauty of the town.Public transportation should be maintained and many people encouraged to adopt it as it reduces traffic, reduces taint and the amount of fuel consumed also reduces. The town planners and municipal council should urgently plan the town properly. Laws and rules should be strongly implemented to scrap out illegal camping within the middle of the town. Housing system should be strengthened so that the homeless can be safe and secure. In addition, resources should be distributed to areas outside the city so that migration to the city is reduced (Grimm et al. 268).Grimm

Athens State Information Systems and Information Technology Research Paper

capital of Greece State Information Systems and Information Technology - Research reputation ExampleStudent Advising Module is an element that is provided by Athens State University through Banner. SAM is the students authorised plan of the study which gives students chances to view courses according to year. It also allows the students to view unofficial transcripts, spot plans, as hearty as grades from the courses, completed recently. SAMs applicability is the matter to the accurateness of the academic history of students as well as the programs that are installed in SAM. It allows the students to receive the updated transcripts regarding the raises as well as promotions after completing the degrees or courses. This means that the students get information directly from the instructor posts the grades. The degree planner offers students guarantee for coursework pertinent to degree plan as well as the updated grade for expected graduation. SunGard Banner has utilized by the Athe ns State University. It has helped the University in analyzing, measure as well as improves academic programs and student victory projects. This is an automate self-service software package that connects the whole institution. Banner provides, as well as grades from the courses, s, account information, and take of course material and individual information control ability to students of Athens States University. This system assists the students who in fewer years ago had to travel to the institution in order to get and fill the forms, and move from ace campus to another in order to finish the required tasks.

Answer questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Answer questions - Coursework shellThe acquisition cost of seed or cuttings should also keep in mind. Planting of most return trees, for example, are expensive. Some species are harder to adjust than others. Farmers should consider in advance how long they should take tutorship of trees. If they need additional skills and knowledge to grow a particular species should be training or manifestation will be organized. Seeds or localises of the species considered easy. If asexual reproduction is necessary, farmers should receive training on how to do it. The seeds of Gliricidia sepium and Sesbania spp. For example, could not be readily available. Farmers need help with how to distribute the trees using root cuttings. They may not purge enough time for the harvest of cuttings. Question 2 Role of trees or roots of figure trees is no different than any other plant. Edible fig (Ficus carica) roots, for example, grow best in fertile territorial dominion rich in organic matter that is m oist but never soggy. Roots have quatern functions. Anchoring the plant figs, absorbs water and nutrients for plant growth and flowering and fruiting activities, in the case of tropical fig trees, aerial roots hanging from the branches to improve weight distribution of the structure.Picture of the roots can grow to a diameter of branches to see above the ground. Fig trees do not grow the carrot-like tap roots, but the gentle array, or weaving roots penetrated the body of at least two or three multiplication as much as the diameter of the crown of the plant. Like when you snap a branch of plant leaf figs, or milky sticky sap oozing from broken roots Fig. Some species tropical fig tree roots are growing rapidly and are known to lift sidewalks or pavement, which spread across the landscape. Question 3 Carbon sequestration in the agriculture sector refers to the subject matter of agriculture lands and forests to remove degree Celsius dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is ab sorbed by trees, plants and crops through photosynthesis and retentivityd as deoxycytidine monophosphate in biomass in tree trunks, branches, foliage and roots and taints. Forests and stable grasslands are referred to as carbon sinks because they can store large amounts of carbon in their vegetation and root systems for long periods of time. Soils are the largest terrestrial sink for carbon on the planet. The ability of agriculture lands to store or sequester carbon depends on several factors, including humor, crap type, type of crop or vegetation cover and management practices. The amount of carbon stored in soil organic matter is in?uenced by the addition of carbon from dead plant material and carbon losses from respiration, the decomposition process and both natural and human disturbance of the soil. By employing farming practices that command minimal disturbance of the soil and encourage carbon sequestration, farmers may be able to slow or even reverse the loss of carbon f rom their ?elds. In the United States, forest and croplands currently sequester the same of 12 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the energy, transportation and industrial sectors. Question 4 Major reasons of the changes in the set land due to human reasons include industrialization, suburbanization, land trust movements and settlements and agriculture. Question 5 Pleistocene climate was characterized by repeated glacial cycles where continental glaciers pushed to the parallel 40 in some places. It is estimated that glacial

Traditional versus Online Shopping Essay Example for Free

Traditional versus Online obtain EssayThrough the innovations of technology, human activities changed. Technology has therefore influenced the daily lives of men. Impossible things were made possible. Complicated and tiresome jobs were made easy through technological gadgets and internet. whatchamacallit and efficiency are indeed the end purpose of these technological innovations. One aspect of life that is importantly influenced by internet is shopping or purchasing. In shopping people can now make out between tralatitious and online shopping. Traditional shopping is the usual track people buy their items which is in supermarket or stores, fleck online shopping is done through internet. Meanwhile, traditionalistic shopping is also referred as brick-and-mortar store (Olsen, 228) some(prenominal) serves a purpose of catering the needs of buyers and at the same period profit from the transaction. In addition, both kinds of shopping offers advantage and disadvantage to th e buyers. There are some similarities of the brick-and-mortal and online stores. As to availability, buyers can buy at any time of the day and night. Due to competition some stores open and serves 24/7, even during holidays. Shopping online can also be done at any time by simply shop through the website. However, they differ in many ways. As to physical location, a put, store or warehouse is very important for traditional shopping, while online store do not need such(prenominal) space (Olsen, 235). For the buyers convenience, online shopping offers much than traditional shopping. In traditional shopping, the buyer need to go to supermarkets or stores, while in online shopping, the buyer just need to go to the URL or marketing site of the seller. Moreover, as to availability, some stores are open only within opening hours, while online shopping is getable at anytime and anywhere (Olsen, 235). Besides online shopping do not require transportation to the advantage of the customer. In traditional shopping, the buyer can see, hold, try, and test the items while online shopping only offers the buyer to see and read the rendering of the produce (Olsen, 235). The products will directly be presented to brick-and-mortar store while it is done indirectly in online shopping. In addition to online shopping, customers are able to easily browse the types of the products, compare the features and prize to others, and check its availability (Grewal, 5). Thus, inquisitive is made easier, convenient, and effective. Moreover, time and effort of the customer is saved in online shopping. As to product information, the buyer needs the service of a staff to answer his queries. However, in online shopping, any additional information or inquiries is available on page or by hypertext links (Olsen, 235). Payment method also differs. In traditional shopping, payment is done manually and can the products are paid in cash, check, creed card or store card (Olsen, 235). In online shop ping, the transaction is done automatically and is paid through a credit card (Olsen, 235). In delivering the product, the buyer in traditional shopping usually gets the product at the time he purchases it. In online shopping, the customer has to wait for days before he would really enjoy the product he bought. For impatient people, online shopping is not suited for them (Olsen, 235). Sometimes, in online shopping, the customer receives a copy or similar to the description he required. Furthermore, online shopping can be stressful because the customer pays additional fees such as shipping and bank charges. In a customer and seller relationship, traditional shopping is more beneficial. In online shopping, the merchants cannot be seen by the merchants (Philosophe.com, n. pag.). Customers cannot wander in stores, and they only have access to the presentations in the website (Philosophe.com, n. pag.). On the other hand, in traditional shopping, the customers can build relationship with the staff of the store and trust that the products they make are quality guaranteed. In ascertaining the type of shopping needs, it is important to weigh the benefits to be gained. It is also substantial to consider the practicality of each type of shopping. These are merely alternatives but the buyer has his freedom to purchase the way he wants.Works citedGrewal, Dhruv, Iyer, Gopalkrishnan. R., Levy, Michael. Internet retailing enablers, limiters and market consequences. Journal of Business Research 57 (2002) 703-713.Olsen, Kai, A. The Internet, the Web, and Ebusiness Formalizing Applications for the realistic World. Scarecrow Press, 2005.Online vs Traditional Shopping. Philosphe.com. 5 July 2008 http//www.philosophe.com/commerce/traditional.html

Curriculum as Influenced by Society and Technology Essay Example for Free

Curriculum as Influenced by Society and engineering EssayThe current crook of engineering science in the classroom cease be traced back to the early1900s when give instructions and m practiseums, as a complement to verbal instruction, began to uptake visuals aids including d love mostings, paintings, and slides. In the 1920s, as photo became wide using upd, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was organize to attention greet between films that were for entertainment or developmental value. As engineering science progressed and the television was introduced, the educational activityal frame began to using up instructional television. During the 1970s and 1980s the biggest influence in the classroom, to date, came in the form of information processing systems. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment proceed to become more eachowable and they began to be utilise crossways the world. The sheer of technology in the classroom currently co nsists of multiple categories including Multimedia, net profit and Networking, Computer-assisted instruction (CAI), Computer-managed instruction (CMI), and instructor training. As the current trend of technology in the classroom continues to be cente rose-cheeked on the inclusion of computers and early(a)wise mediums, it only awaits to incorporate the next big step in technology.The Ever-changing applied science Trend The abacus, the slate, the red pad of paper, it is amazing to view the ever-changing technology in education today. As a society, non only has our language and communication developed, only when the way that language and communication ar expressed has changed drastically. In Mathematics an abacus was apply to solve problems, now a learner can program a graphing electronic computer to solve problems for them. Some schoolho drills cease children to bring laptops into class with them, in early(a)(a) schools it is mandatory that all students stomach a lapt op to bring to school.From having no computers in the classroom to having dozens of computers in the classroom has been an ontogenesis of the educational system. Technology in the educational system consists of m any mediums, and the history to the current educational system is kinda fascinating. What remains to be seen is how the ever-changing, ever-evolving technology bequeath equal the schools today, and how technology will hit our schools in the future. The view of a teacher as the possessor and transferor of info is shifting to a new trope in which the teacher is now a facilitator or a coach.These new teachers provide appropriate nurture environments that engage students in collaborative activities that require communications and access to information that only technology can provide. Technology engages students, and as a result they spend more quality time on rudimentary elateing tasks than students who use a more traditional approach. Students who shake the opport unity to use technology to originate and organize information say a higher(prenominal) level of comprehension and a big(p)er likelihood of exploitation what they turn back later in their lives ( pertain, 2005).The integration of technology into the curriculum has been shown to decrease absenteeism, lower drop pop out rates, and prod more students to continue on to college. This current trend of technology in the classroom consists of multiple categories including multimedia, Internet and networking, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training Multimedia Interactive multimedia combines text, graphicals, sound, animation, and picture show into a wholeness training environment. The hardware of multimedia can include Macintosh computers, audio digitizers, CD ROM players, graphic scanners, and videodisc players.Since information is presented in visual and verbal modalities, individualist breeding bearings of students are easi ly accommodated. It is non only a presentation tool for the teacher, becoming the basis for classroom lectures, discussions, and simulations, but it is also a reporting and reference tool for students in preparing class assignments. Example of use There is an ongoing multimedia project that is part of the seventh grade science curriculum at the Baker Demonstration crop at National-Louis University. Students choose a mammal to study at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL.They then spend several sessions at the zoo observing this mammals corporal characteristics, behavior, locomotion, and its zoo habitat. These observations become the raw data for constructing a multimedia presentation about their mammal. Internet and Networking There is a clear command towards using the Internet to open education to students e very(prenominal)(prenominal)where. The use of the Internet ranges from making course materials available on-line, to using the Internet as the communication tool for the cours e. With the vast capabilities of the Internet, computers are being networked for communication, research, and remote collaboration.Networks can help to break down communication barriers and connect students and teachers with the outside world. Access to a computer, a modem, and phone lines frees students and teachers from the physical limits and time constraints of the school environment. Networking also allows them to send electronic mail, participate in computer conferencing, and access information from remote sources. Example of use Students studying the solar system can send questions directly to NASA scientists. Classes from contrasting parts of the world could read the same book and share vagarys and conclusions finishedout the reading of the book.A nonher idea is for one class to write cliff hangers and have the other class finish the stories. In some cases, classes have done parallel science essays or exonerateed surveys and then compared results with the other class. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and Computer-managed instruction (CMI) (CMI) is the use of the computer to maintain records associated with student performance. This usually includes, but is not limited to, the results of particular Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) packages.As the student completes each lesson, the computer stores the progress, scores, records the results of all tests or quizzes completed, and it provides progress reports to the teacher. These reports, either individual or class-wide, whitethorn be used to rapidly identify unsatisfactory progress or weak areas (Harrison 1983). Example of use An individualized curriculum could be written for each student allowing the teacher to more powerfully give the limited class time available. These tools can help remediate students lacking in certain skills and allow students access to information presented in multimedia formats.Teacher Training Tremendous increase in technology-related in-service teacher training is taki ng place. Teachers are disciplineing how to use electronic grade books and other teacher utilities to crap puzzles, tests and quizzes, and other materials in array to assist them. Examples of training After-school workshops conducted by the computer enrichment instructor and/or volunteers is one form of teacher training available, another is one-on-one tutoring carried out by volunteers or a computer enrichment instructor.Technology conferences attended by selected members of the faculty and teacher-to-teacher instruction utilizing those faculties with advanced technology skills also provides deservingy teacher training. In addition to the technologies mentioned, the Education Coalition (TEC) considers the merger of computing, television, printing, and telecommunications as the most significant trend in education and technology. Bringing them together results in the whole having greater bear on than each individual part (Lane Portway, ND).Technology is abundant in the classr oom today in many forms much(prenominal) as computers, the internet, DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc. However, technology in the classroom can be traced back to the early 1900s, when schools and museums began to include visuals much(prenominal) as drawings, paintings, slides, films, and models as a complement to verbal instruction (Summary of Major Events in the Field, 2005). In the early1900s, forbid mum and video cameras were considered to be the technology of the future, the likes of which had never been seen before.It was hard to imagine, at this time in history, that they would be used on a unremarkable basis in the home, let alone in the schools. Contrary to usual belief, the history of technology within education goes back a lot further than obviously the accounting entry of computers and televisions into the classroom in the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout history, many people have had high hopes of how technology would affect education in the future. doubting doubting Thomas Edison said, books will presently be obsolete in the schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture.Our school system will be completely changed in ten years(Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Thomas Edison was working on perfecting his invention, a kinetophone, which synchronized sound on a phonograph cylinder with pictures on a screen (Life of Thomas A. Edison, 2005). Edison dreamed that films would one day revolutionize education. In 1911, he released a series of historical films about the American Revolution, becoming one of the first producers of films for classroom use (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). magic spell his invention did not exactly revolutionize education, the modern version of inventions like the kinetophone is used on a regular basis in the classroom via television, video, and DVD. In the 1920s, film was seen as a progressive style of teachin g, and was used in only a few select classrooms crosswise America. To aid in the touch on of incorporating film into education, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed in order to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment and films that had educational value (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005).During this time, there was also an attempt to use radio broadcasts in the classroom however, this trend died out within 15 years as there were often good problems that could make teaching unpredictable. As film began to be used more often in classrooms across the world, the United States government had to prepare teachers for the advancement of technology in order to keep up with other advancing countries throughout the world. This was hard to do as many teachers worried about the fire hazards from film projectors and also feared that technology would one day replace them and they would no longer have jobs (Major Trends of the Decade).Classrooms would continue to experiment with this new technology for years to come, in hopes of keeping up with the changing times. In the 1950s and 1960s, the pick out for instructional television reached its height due to a shortage of teachers and overcrowded classrooms. In 1959, the Midwest Program of airborne Television Instruction (MPATI) was created and 34 courses were televised to 2,000 elementary and secondary schools in six states (Saettler, 1990).Students were able to watch and learn from their classrooms, and many schools that were unable to participate in the program tried to acquire it by borrowing from other schools across the nation. It was a big step forward for the educational system and later in 1990, Christopher skin created a more advanced version of this known as Channel One, a show that aerate in almost 12,000 universal and private middle and high schools nationwide, while reaching 7. 7 one thousand thousand students (Borja, 2005).Studies done on MPATI showed that teachers disliked the program and found it interrupted their classes, so it lost much of its attractive force to schools. While teachers did come to understand the importance of bringing the world into their classroom, the same point evolved later with the classroom interruptions and Channel One in the 1990s and it has steadily nightfalld in its use in classrooms. The decade of 1960 aphorism the introduction of computers into the educational setting, although it was not in many schools as the costs to supply them was too great for most school systems.The development of computers would continue to grow in the 70s and 80s, when microcomputers became available more convenient for schools and somewhat more affordable. These decades saw rapid advancement in the way of computers, television, and video recorders, making it hard for schools to keep up with the latest equipment. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and were widely used in many c lassrooms spanning the globe.While in the past students were content and head supplied by having a set of crayons, pens, pencils, books, and a chalkboard, technology has quickly advanced over the years to a point in which no classroom or student is complete without sophisticated sets of computers, DVDs, scanners, and the Internet. Technology has had a great impact on education in recent years. The trend to modernize schools and increase the amount of technology in the classroom has become apparent with the passing of new educational legislation and an increase of electronic devices in classrooms.Studies by major universities have also been undertaken to require at the use of computers and other items in learning and the effect that they have on students. The impact of technology on schools has been both positive and negative. While educators stuff the idea and the opportunities that new technology provides students, the trend has caused an increase in costs for an already under-f unded system. Keeping up with such advances will be increasingly more expensive as time goes by. This cost is worth haveing however, as the trend in the workplace has also been moving toward technology as well.Studies have been undertaken by universities and researchers to learn the impact and necessity of technology in schools. A research project at the University of Georgia focused not only on the United States, but on many other English speaking countries as well, including Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. This study focused on the incorporation of media and technology in schools and the impact to which it has had on students and learning. The researchers found that these tools are effective in schools as phenomena to learn both from and with. (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools) The results of this effort point towards the importance of technology in school, and make an argument for its continued and increased use. Legislators, voters, and school o fficials have also realized the benefits of giving students an education involving technology. In recent years, the crook of computers and other devices in schools has increased drastically. According to a study done by the calcium plane section of Education in 2004, there were 1,181,649 computers in classrooms across the state.At that time, this was approximately 1 computer to every 5. 3 students. (California Department of Education, 2004) The number of computers in classrooms is expected to increase yearly, although the data has not yet been released for 2005. As these electronics do not come to schools cheaply, unless through donation, the State of California, as well as other states across the Union, have passed legislation to assist schools in purchasing the items. An example of this is Californias SB 1863, which was a bill signed into law by Governor Davis in 2002.This act grants non-profit organizations, such as public schools and hospitals, the ability to purchase computer s and telecommunications systems at a discounted price (Bowen, 2002, SB1863). With legislation such as this in place, it is easier for schools to afford the necessary items they need to keep up with changing technology. As computers and other items are introduced into classrooms across the nation, teachers are being forced to learn how to use the technology and software in order to incorporate it into their lessons. For some, learning to do this can be difficult, while for others it whitethorn be simple.The amount of time it takes to learn the information and skills needed cuts into personal lives, taking away from family events and other activities. These hours are often unpaid, and are done from the teachers own desire to better instruct students for the future. Educating oneself to use computers and other devices is also expensive. Computers and their components are quite pricey. Many teachers have to afford to buy the computers themselves. Teacher salaries are not exceptionally high, and purchasing such items is not always feasible. According to the American Federation of TeachersThe opine(a) teacher salary in the 2003-04 school year was $46,597, a 2. 2 percent increase from the year before. This falls short of the rate of ostentation for 2004, this was 2. 7 percent. When adjusted for inflation, the 2003-04 salary actually drops 0. 4 percent from 2002-03. (American Federation of Teachers, 2005, Teacher Salaries Lag arse Inflation) Teachers are also placed in another predicament as workplace trends are requiring computer and technology skills be incorporated into everyday business. A teachers job is to prepare their students for the future.In order to accomplish this goal, educators must(prenominal) be able to instruct their pupils in the areas of technology. To do this, teachers must be educated themselves, and in such a fashion that the teachers are forced to purchase nearly unaffordable items out of their own salaries. Including technology into the classrooms is important. Teaching students to use these items is beneficial to them and their futures. However, getting the tools to all students is difficult as patronage is limited. Underprivileged schools tend to be less likely to have the computers that they need as funding is simply not available for them.This contributes to the problem of the techno lawful divide, in which students from lower income areas do not have the equipment or skills to keep up with students in better neighborhoods and situations. In 1998, the incorporation of technology in schools cost or so 16 billion dollars (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools). This money comes mostly from federal funding, but fit in to the study at the University of Georgia, it will not be enough to keep up with future needs. Technology in the schools is important.The inclusion of computers and other media in education of students will have a drastic impact on their future. These items are expensive but needed. Legislators are passing actions that will allow for funding to be available to purchase these items and place them into classrooms. In order for teachers to keep up with advancements in education, they have to learn to use the technology themselves. This takes their time away for other activities which they participate in and it can be costly in itself. The monetary cost of the inclusion of this trend in education is the biggest impact to which the system faces.Affording to pay for such material is difficult, as funds are hard to obtain. So, where will classrooms be in 10 years, 20 years? The question becomes where will teachers be? There are many proponents for online and realistic(prenominal) classrooms where a school room is not required, but there are many who object to this because school is not only where a child goes to learn, but it is also where a child goes in order to learn how to function in society. Currently in California, a new program has been consumeed in to high schools, it is the virtual endeavour, which gives students the opportunity to learn about business.However there are no textbooks in the virtual enterprise (VE) programs. The classrooms dont have the average-looking furniture the furniture generally consists of cubicles, office desks, computers, fax machines and telephones. The teacher is called the coordinator, and the daily instruction is conducted with direct input from appoint company officers (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). This form of environment is giving children a look into a more corporate environment, and for those students interested in a corporate world it is a very interesting form of education, and it is giving students a heads-up into how the real-world functions.Often, it takes a lengthy period of time for schools to implement new technologies because of the money constraints, however a unique component of VE is the fact that it is very cost effective for the respective sites (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). Many businesses do nate the computers and other supplies that are needed in order to make the virtual enterprise environment work. This is an innovative approach that is giving the teacher a different role, but it may take on force because it is so much more cost effective. It seems that the goal of the future is to show children how to integrate technology into their lives effectively.Another aspect of technology is how small it makes the world, everything is so much closer through computers now, and students are going to be taught how best to interact and learn about different cultures, but schools in the United States are also going to need to compete more thoroughly with technologies in schools worldwide. Currently, 90 percent of schools have Internet connectivity and more than 33 percent of teachers have Internet access in their classrooms (Gahala, 2001). So yes, technology availability is there, but how to use it effectively is going to be the constant conflict between teachers and technology ex perts.This country has developed in technology gradually over the years, even though sometimes it seems like it has been overnight. The growth of technology has been an ever-adapting process, and it is constantly changing. Technology is not transformative on its own. Evidence indicates that when used effectively, technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in authentic, complex tasks within collaborative learning contexts (Means, Blando, Olson, Middleton, Morocco, Remz, Zorfass, 1993) (Gahala, 2001).But, will technology change the role of a teacher is what concerns many teachers today, and the answer is possibly. As students become more self-directed, teachers who are not accustomed to acting as facilitators or coaches may not understand how technology can be used as part of activities that are not teacher-directed. This situation may be an excellent opportunity for the teacher not only to learn from the student but also to model being an informat ion seeker, lifelong learner, and risk taker (Gahala, 2001).So, even though the process of education may change, the traditional principles still hold, teachers are there to be a guide and a facilitator for education and knowledge. It is a teachers responsibility to incorporate current technologies into the history of teaching in order to give students the best possible education they can receive. Technology use impacting student grades All four-spot research questions considered how technology use (low/high) as defined by overall use, teacher use and student use in the classroom effected at-risk students classroom grades.Inferential statistics showed no significant affect on at-risk student grades for any of the independent variablesteacher use, student use or overall technology use. For all the independent variables of teacher use, student use and overall technology use, the 1st quarter grades are higher for high technology using teachers. But that trend did not continue into sec ond quarter for any of the independent variables. Since low GPA is a criterion for being identified at-risk at the studied school, it is logical that these students had low grades.However, some of these students had no passing grades, which is equivalent to a GPA of zero. The grade point average mean for the 66 at-risk students is 1. 52 at the end of the school year 20002001. Any grade mean above a zero is an improvement for some of the identified at-risk students. A possible explanation for this decline in grades is a greater use of technology in the 1st quarter. The researcher informally discovered that students are immersed in technology in many of the classes Power Point slide shows, travel brochures, postcards and video interviews are being created for presentations.During the 2nd quarter the classrooms slowly returned to a more traditional style. Some teachers, in informal discussions with the researcher, said they are using drill and practice, word processing for writing, an d Internet for research projects. Without the use of technology infused in the classroom teachers would never know that with more constructivist methods students could achieve at higher levels. From research on the ACOT classrooms, students use technology as a tool to collect, organize, and analyze data to enhance presentations to conduct simulations and to solve complex problems.One of the changes seen over this 10-year study is the change in the lower-achieving students the ones teachers could not reach with the teacher-centered learning. These students began to react positively given the alternate ways of expressing their knowledge, which not only raised their self-esteem but their stead with the teachers and their peers. The at-risk students are likely to show improvement in academic achievement when technology is used in the classroom appropriately.The conditions needed for appropriate use of technology to improve education are first, the successful use of technology requires teachers to face their beliefs about learning and the efficacy of different instructional activities. Second, teachers view technology as one possible tool that must be used in the curriculum and instruction role model with meaning. Third, teachers need to become risk takers, experiment with technology, help and share with peers. Fourth, technology can be a catalyst for change, but the process of integrating technology is a long-term challenge for the teachers.In stoppage on student grades and technology, from the ten-year study conducted by ACOT comes this statement teachers also discovered that students who did not do well in a typical setting frequently excelled when working with technology. Low achievers had a chance to figure success and began concentrating and applying themselves to their projects (p. 95). This study supports the findings in the present study indicating that the technology should be incorporated into the curriculum in meaningful, student-centered methods. C onclusionThe impact of technology in schools is somewhere between its the only way to make a positive change in schools to its a new fad. They see technology as a arduous tool for positive change but it must be presented in the right ways. Steps must be taken for technology to make a difference. Leaders of the schools must include everyone at the beginning of the plan, not after technology arrives. Leadership in the school system must plan for technology. remove a full time technology director, involve the school in the changes, and provide the services that are needed for technology to succeed in the schools.Teachers must change the way they teach. Classrooms must take on the student-centered learning methods. Teachers need to become facilitators. Students need to be allowed to use technology as a tool, which will enable them to collect, analyze, and create major projects. When schools are prepared for technology, the entire school benefits. The quality of the time for technolog y to be integrated into the curriculum is the key to student learning, not the quantity of time with technology. Technology is not the entire solution for keeping at-risk students in the classroom, but it is a start in the right direction.References Aitoro, J. R. (2005). No Child Left Behind. VAR Business, 21, 1-2. American Federation of Teachers, (2005) Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation. Retrieved from http//www. aft. org/presscenter/releases/2005/100605. htm on celestial latitude 15, 2006 Borja, R. R. (2005). Channel one struggling in shifting market, Education Week, 24(43), 3-14. Bowen, D. (2002). SB 1863. Retrieved from http//info. sen. ca. gov/cgi-bin/postquery? bill_number=sb_1863sess=0102house=Bsite=sen on declination 15, 2006 California Department of Education, (2004). Number of Computers designd for Instruction. Retrieved from http//www.cde. ca. gov/re/pn/fb/yr04numbcomp. asp. on December 15, 2006 Gahala, J. (2001). Critical Issue Promoting Technology Use in School. R etrieved from http//www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200. htm. on December 15, 2006 Harrison , J. and M.. (October 1983). How computers can help the schools. Education Flip Side. 2(7) page 70. Impact of Technology on Student Achievement, The. Apple Education K-12 Education. Retrieved from http//www. apple. com/education/research. on December 15, 2006 Lane, C. , Portway, P. (No Date). Trends. The Education Coalition. Life of Thomas A.Edison,The. Retrieved from http//memory. loc. gov/ammem/edhtml/edbio. html. on December 15, 2006 Miller, M. and Cruce, T.. A 20th Century Timeline Classroom Use of Instructional Film, Radio, and Television, retrieved from http//www. arches. uga. edu/mlmiller/timeline/timelineintro. html. on December 15, 2006 Reeves, Thomas C, (1998). The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools. Retrieved from http//www. athensacademy. org/instruct/media_tech/reeves0. html. on December 15, 2006 Saettler, Paul (1990). The Evolution of American Educat ional Technology. Englewood, CO Libraries Unlimited.

The Sales Force Technology Essay Example for Free

The gross revenue Force Technology EssayForbes Firms continue to struggle with the implementation of gross revenue force engineering science tools and the role they embolden in gross deals puzzle performance. This research distends previous literary civilizes in the area of sales force automation (SFA) and client kin management (CRM) by facial expression at the consequences after applied science adoption by a sales force. Data were gathered from trey sources to include 662 sales representatives, 60 sales managers, and rm archival data. Using structural equation instanceing, our ndings imply that SFA routine has a manoeuver impact on lying-in, thereby reducing number of hours manoeuvered, and CRM enjoyment has a direct imperious impact on adjustive commercializeing behaviors. Moreover, see moderates the consanguinity amid CRM habit and adaptational merchandising. Discussion, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.As c ompetition increases and engine room advances, organizations continue to seek slipway to adjust to changing business environments. This is especi every(prenominal)y true in the personal merchandising context where salespeople are recognize as the boundary spanners and are expected to be relationship managers (Kotler 1984). Todays sales representative is constrained to do to a greater extent than in less clip, and technological advancements crap become an integral fracture of the personal selling and sales management edge.Foreseeing this changing environment, Leigh and Tanner (2004) stressed the necessity for sales organizations to concentre on engine room- connect strategies, business actiones, and applications, and called on sales researchers to put forth theoretical models and empirical studies investigating these emergent issues. Notably, sales force engineering science usage has changed the methods of selling. Salespeople are no longer selling just a product ins tead, they are providing a valu equal solution to client problems. Anderson and Dubinsky (2004) discussed the concept of consultative selling, where a sales representative acts as an expert and furnishs customized solutions. This role requires salespeople to let out a technological orientation to access, analyze, and communicate info in order to establish a significant relationship with customers (Hunter andAdam Rapp (Ph.D., University of Connecticut), Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business memorial tablet (Marketing), Kent State University, emailprotected Raj Agnihotri (MBA, Oklahoma City University), Ph.D. mountaindidate, College of Business Administration (Marketing), Kent State University, emailprotected Lukas P. Forbes (Ph.D., University of Kentucky), Assistant Professor of Marketing, Ford College of Business, westward Kentucky University, emailprotectedPerreault 2007). Sales engine room enables salespeople answering the queries of customers to effect ively pass on competent solutions. This can lead to strong relationships among a salesperson and a customer. Thus, technology tools are utilizationd not yet for smoothing the work process but they also have strategic utilizations. To this point, m both(prenominal) models investigating technology acceptance have been postulated in the literature (Compeau, Higgins, and Huff 1999 Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw 1989 Venkatesh and Davis 2000 Venkatesh et al. 2003). These studies focus mainly on nding and examining the variables inuencing salespeoples motivation, or attitudes to adopt technology (Avlonitis and Panagopoulos 2005 Jvirtuosos, Sundaram, and Chin 2002 Keillor, Barshaw, and Pettijohn 1997 Morgan and Inks 2001 Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002 Schillewaert et al. 2005 Speier and Venkatesh 2002). Notably, or so existing research has foc engrossd on technology adoption with a few notable exceptions.For example, Ahearne et al. (2008) and Hunter and Perreault (2007) investigated the mediating effects of relationship-forging lying-ins, and Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp (2005) jut outd discuss effects of training and support on golf links among contrary types of sales technology role (adoption) and sales performance. However, there is still a occasion up to investigate the links mingled with technology social function and performance (Sundaram et al. 2007). within this study, we consecrate two extensions to the anterior research. First, we shift the focus from technology adoption to technology usage and consequence (Hunter and Perreault 2007 Sundaram et al. 2007). The rationale for this diversion is that the achiever of technology acceptance resides not simply in whether or not salespeople adopt technology, but whether or not adoption (i.e. recitation) actually improves performance (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005, p. 380). For this map, we ground our arguments in the technology-to-performancechain (TPC) model, which explores the link between techno logy and an individuals performance and postulates that performance impacts exit depend change magnitudely upon tasktechnology t rather than utilization (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 216).Second, this research foc aims on the multidimensionality of the technology usage construct. Hunter and Perreault (2006 2007) made a bank note between sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) tools and reinvigorated the issue of sales technology and its effectiveness. We extend that distinction. They signaled that SFA and CRM technologies should be considered as two diverse sales technology tools, and that different give of technology have differential effects on various aspects of performance . . . thus, how a sales representative uses technology and on which behavioral tasks (work processes) matters (Hunter and Perreault 2007, p. 30). Aligning with this logic, we perceive this new research direction as a valuable addition to an already established and rich li terature of sales technology. The purpose of this research study, therefore, is to expand research with regard to the different dimensions of technology usage by investigating their impact on sales representatives behavior that inuences performance. We also investigate the role of salesperson experience at bottom this model.THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENTAs mentioned previously, examining the relationship between technology acceptance and salesperson performance has only recently gained mainstream attention however, studies investigating this link report confident(p) ndings. For example, researchers have documented that the growing use of technology tools inuences salesperson performance positively (Ahearne, Srinivasan, and Weinstein 2004) by enhancing sales efciency and sales effectiveness (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). It has been argued that increasing the use of technology encourages salesperson knowledgeattainment, which further improves his or her performance (Ko and Dennis 2004 ). More recently, Hunter and Perreault (2006) suggest that salespeoples technology orientation inuences their internal role performance.In another study, Sundaram et al. (2007) theorize that technology use and technology impact on performance are directly pro flockal to individually other. They tender empirical evidence suggesting that the extent to which salespeople use technology may improve overall sales performance. deliverance new insights into this subject, Hunter and Perreault (2007) propose new behavioral mechanisms that relate to sales representative performance. Specically, they suggest that by dint of relationship-forging tasks, salespeople are able to exploit different dimensions of technology utilization (i.e., accessing, analyzing, and communicating training), which in turn, hit different spunkts of sales performance.Our research builds on the logic presented by previous researchers regarding the consideration of different dimensions of technology use and their differential effects on salespeoples behavior. To provide theoretical grounding, we base our conceptual framework on the TPC model proposed by Goodhue and Thompson (1995). The TPC model emphasizes that in order to see a positive link between technology and performance, the technology must be utilized, and the technology must be a sober t with the tasks it supports (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 213, emphasis in original). Notably, tasks are viewed as activities performed by individuals to achieve outputs and technologies are tools that dish up them to perform these tasks. The use of certain applications of technology depends on the specic characteristics of the assigned task. Within the sales context, salespeople carry out available (e.g., learning about existing and new products, generating automated reports) as hearty as strategic (e.g., strikeing most important customers, preparing sales presentations base on customers specic needs) activities and need different tools to he lp perform these activities.Moreover, the TPC model higher(prenominal)lights the importance of an individuals characteristics (e.g., training or experience), suggesting their impact on how easily and well one ordain use the technology tools (Goodhue and Thompson 1995, p. 216). The current research contributes to this persuasion by suggesting that the effect of technology use on salespeoples behavior leave alonedepend upon whether they are utilise the technology for usable purpose (i.e., SFA) or for strategic purpose (i.e., CRM). Also, our framework incorporates salesperson experience to assess the inuence of individual characteristics. Dimensions of Sales Technology Usage In a broad sense, technology is dened as an ability to act, a competency to perform, translating materials, energy and breeding in one find out of states into another, more(prenominal) highly valued set of states (Metcalfe 1995, p. 34). In a sales research domain, sales technology describes information te chnologies aiding or enabling the sales task performance (Hunter and Perreault 2007).In the past, scholars from different research streams have raised the issue concerning the different dimensions and aspects of technology use and proposed several frameworks that support this concept (Goodhue and Thompson 1995 Orlikowski 1992). Although previous researchers build their arguments on different concepts, in essence, they all support there are different aspects and dimensions of technology use. Considering the fact that different dimensions of technology use should be use for different purposes, sales managers must start and support an environment where salespeople use technology in conformism with the required behavior.For example, salespeople involved in operational activities much(prenominal) as exchanging information with colleaguesand managers, taking or track inventory levels, or learning about existing, new, and matched products leave alone employ different technology to ols as compared to situations where they execute strategic activities such as identifying potential customers, identifying the most important customers from the advert of current customers, or working on improvement of sales presentation skills. Thus, it exit be benecial for sales managers, as well as for salespeople, to infer how employing different technology tools pass on inuence performance-enhancing behaviors (Hunter and Perreault 2007). Accordingly, we view the use of SFA and the use of CRM as two dimensions of sales technology based on their level of specicity for inuencing different salespersons behaviors. SFA usage, with an operational orientation, includes the utilization of technological tools supporting the routine salesfunctions (Jacobs 2006). CRM usage, with a strategic orientation, includes methods and employing technology tools that help salespeople develop sales strategies (Rigby and Ledingham 2004).Importantly, both the routine sales functions and strategic sal es activities that a salesperson muster ins in can develop, sustain, and strengthen customer relationships. Use of SFA Technology Hunter and Perreault suggest that SFA technology includes tools that are intended to make repetitive (administrative) tasks more efcient (2007, p. 17). Highlighting its potential benets, previous research views SFA use as a competitive equivalence (Morgan and Inks 2001) and suggests that it parents the precision of salespeoples activities (Honeycutt et al. 2005) by providing fast and reliable information ow among customers, salespeople, and rms (Speier and Venkatesh 2002). Sales managers and salespeople alike identify SFA as a tool to enhance efciency (Erffmeyer and Johnson 2001) and to improve productivity (Engle and Barnes 2000 Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002). SFA tools assist with routine tasks, capture salespeople to focus on relationship-oriented activities, and free up time for more customer-centric tasks (Cotteleer, Inderrieden, and Lee 2006).To attain the advantages of SFA, salespeople need to sympathise the specic purpose of using SFA. Keeping this in mind, we adapt the Rivers and Darts conceptualization of SFA that describes it as transforming manual sales activities to electronic processes through the use of various combinations of hardware and software system applications (1999, p. 59). We view SFA as a tool that converts repetitive and routine manual processes to automated processes, and assists salespeople trying to operate in an efcient and seasonably manner. Examples of SFA tools could include programs such as quarterly automated sales reports and calendaring tools. The domain for SFA applications includes the attainment and storage of information. However, the information being utilized,analyzed, and obtained with the help of SFA tools is unlike that from CRM tools. Use of CRM Technology Unlike the routine purpose of SFA applications, CRM technology usage focuses on relationship and strategy building (Rigby, Re ichheld, and Schefter 2002). Day views CRM as a cross-functional process for achieving a chronic dialogue with customers (2001, p. 1).CRM is also described as a business strategy that includes information technologyto provide an enterprise with a comprehensive, reliable, and integrated view of its customer base (Zikmund, McLeod, and Gilbert 2003, p. 3). In essence, salespeople use CRM technology tools for developing and managing customer relationships (Yin, Anderson, and Swaminathan 2004). This characterization is aligned with the analysis aspect of sales technology use suggested by Hunter and Perreault (2007). They dened it as the degree to which salespeople depend on technology to study and synthesize data and understand the implications of data relevant to the demands of their sales jobs (Hunter and Perreault 2007, p. 21). Outlining the functionality of sales technology, Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe (2002) postulate different sales functions (e.g., presentations, informing, commu nications, sales coverage) that can be supported by sales technology.Importantly, these functions of sales technology can be separated on the instauration of whether their strategic orientation is customer centric or back-ofce centric (Geiger and Turley 2006). We characterize the use of CRM as utilizing customer-centric technology tools that help salespeople formulate strategies to achieve effectiveness in their selling methods. Therefore, the optimal utilization of CRM tools give depend on how well salespeople assimilate the information obtained through data patterns in their job-specic behaviors. We view that the use of CRM technology tools not only accelerates the regular sales operation, but also aids salespeople in developing and managing long-term customer relationships. CONCEPTUAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT In light of the above-mentioned arguments, we propose a model (Figure 1) examining the effects of SFA and CRM on salespeoples behaviors after technology adoption and how these behaviors can inuence salesperson performance.Effort A salespersons effort, in general, can be characterized as persistencyin terms of the length of time devoted to work and continuing to try in the face of failure (Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994, p. 40), and it can be assessed via a litanyof handbills. Specically, the duration of time spent working and the intensity of work activities are viewed as components of effort (Brown and Peterson 1994, p. 71) other research studies prevention effort by the number of hours invested by salespeople to accomplish their sales goals or the number of sales calls made (e.g., Rapp et al. 2006). Past scholars have conceptualized that the utilization of technology tools improves salesperson efciency (Keillor, Barshaw, and Pettijohn 1997 Pullig, Maxham, and Hair 2002) and that technology assists salespeople in formulating a professional sales encounter (Marshall, Moncrief, and Lassk 1999). Salespeople can withstand direct contact, even with remote c ustomers, through e-mails and cell phones, thus saving travel hours.They can baffle and manage orders from customers in an easy, timely fashion. Various SFA applications (e.g., calendaring routing tables) inject activeness in salespeoples typical sales routines and reduce brush uptime. Salespeople, in todays competitive environment, face a great deal of data that include information about distributors, dealers, retailers, and ultimately, the end customer. In addition to this, salespeople need to keep track of contests activities as well as product market situations. Notably, SFAtools provide answers to salespeople in such multifactorial data utilization and management scenarios. Different application tools, spreadsheets, Web browsers, inventory management software, and other database software enable salespeople to manage the records of products, competitors, and customers in timely manner.Hence, salespeople using SFA tools will be more organized and able to sub their schedules on time (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). One key representation of salespeoples efforts to realize their job objectives is the military action through which they complete their tasks (Brown and Peterson 1994). The use of SFA reduces the amount of time spent on such activities as managing contacts, plan sales calls, developing sales plans, and planning sales routes (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002, p. 190). Also, salespeople using SFA tools can cut down work hours doing paperwork and other coverage-related tasks (Colombo 1994 Parathasarathy and Sohi 1997). Importantly, these administrative tasks (e.g., sales reporting) are non-customer-centric activities (Geiger and Turley 2006)however, salespeople spend many hours completing them. Thus, reductions in such activities, with the help of SFA, will provide salespeople with an opportunity to reduce their working hours. Formally stated,Hypothesis 1 Relative to salespeople reporting trim back use of SFA, salespeople reporting higher use of SFA will report fewer hours of work.Underlining the importance of CRM usage, Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp (2005) argued that such technology tools aid salespeople by managing information about a larger number of customers. Salespeople equipped with such valuable information are able to relate to customers without as much difculty and can be more responsive to critical issues, thereby shortening the duration of each sales encounter. They will also complete tasks with less effort (Ahearne, Jelinek, and Rapp 2005). Mostly, CRM tools make customers cross-referencing possible among different departments within an organization that can generate more sales potential and reduce efforts by evading multiple attempts on the same prospective clients (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002).Moreover, the use of CRM tools will ease the processes of presale planning activities and improve the accuracy of sales forecasts, speeding up the overall sales process (Hunter and Perreault 2006). Parallel to this thought, it is pragmatic to think that salespeople using CRM tools will not nd examining customer data to be an overly complex and time-consuming process. Moreover, they can promptly focus on vital information, which, in turn, enables them to develop winning strategies in shorter time. We believe that salespeople equipped with CRM technology will be able to conserve their efforts by speeding the process of strategy development.CRM use will help salespeople congure product offerings per customer stipulations without demo extra efforts (Widmier, Jackson, and McCabe 2002). Under these circumstances, salespeople will be able to decrease their efforts by investing less time in the formulation of customer relationship strategies, reducing backorders, and lessening the number of calls required to nalize a sale (Columbo 1994 Thetgyi 2000). Based on this, we hypothesize Hypothesis 2 Relative to salespeople reporting lower use of CRM, salespeople reporting higher use of CRM will repo rt fewer hours of work. Adaptive Selling Adaptive selling isdened as engaging in planning to determine the suitability of sales behaviors and activities that will be undertaken, the capacity to engage in a wide range of selling behaviors and activities, and the alteration of sales behaviors and activities in retention with situational considerations (Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994, p. 40). In more general terms, adaptive selling can be dened as an approaching to personal selling in which selling behaviors are altered during the sales interaction or across customer interactions, based on information about a customer and nature of the selling situation.Acquisition, analysis, and use of customer information are especial(a)ly important for salespeople in demonstrating adaptive selling behaviors (Weitz, Sujan, and Sujan 1986). Moreover, if salespeople have precise customer information, they will be more capable of practicing such behaviors (Hunter and Perreault 2006). CRM tools can als o aid salespeople in tracking customer purchase patterns and enabling them to recognize potentially viable customers. Salespeople, with the help of CRM technology, can obtain critical customer information to successfully plan an effective sales encounter (Ahearne et al. 2008). CRM tools will be useful for keeping salespeople informed as well as for developing, implementing, or revising sales planning. Such customer database systems provide opportunities to meticulously research customers and design their sales presentations fit in to particular customer needs and wants (Marshall, Moncrief, and Lassk 1999).Equipped with unplumbed customer information, salespeople will better anticipate customer responses, prepare appropriate ways to meet customer needs, and overcome customer objections. We propose that CRM tools provide access to customer information that enables salespeople to improve or enhance their adaptive selling skills. Based on this argument, we hypothesize Hypothesis 3 Sal espeoples use of the CRM technology will be positively related with their adaptive selling behaviors. Experience as a Moderator sales reps experience has been dened as a composite of three different areas the employees general sales experience, the amount of time spent working with their current company, and the time spent in their territory (Rapp et al. 2006). preceding(prenominal) studies document the positive relationship of experience with different individual outcomes. For example,individuals performance adaptability has been associated positively with greater amounts of relevant work experience (Pulakos et al. 2000). It has been argued that individuals seeking knowledge usually carry dissimilar wants and expectations (Markus 2001).This idea is especially applicable in a personal selling context, where no single formula or approach can guarantee success of every salesperson. Salespeople with different breadth and depth of experience will have different abilities and expectatio ns. Within this research study, we suggest that less-experienced salespeople, even if they use sales technology tools (i.e., SFA and CRM), will be less likely to exploit such tools in a better way, comparative to more experienced salespeople. Importantly, our research differs from the previous work of Ko and Dennis (2004) in that we examine different dimensions of technology use as well as behavioral outcomes of the technology/experience interaction rather than outcome-based performance. Thus, our hypotheses differ according to our proposed arguments.Sales researchers agree that the uses of CRM technology tools are essential for making customer alliances however, individual characteristics can affect this process (Jones, Sundaram, and Chin 2002).Because CRM is used in crafting customer relationship strategies, salespeoples experience will play a critical role in the relationship between CRM utilization and adaptive selling behaviors. CRM will provide valuable customer information however, to be successful in utilizing such information, salespeople need to have a deep base of organizational, contextual, and domain knowledge (Ko and Dennis 2004, p. 313) and be well versed in intervention difcult objections. Salespeople with relatively less experience will have had less exposure to the capabilities of CRM tools, and a lower level of understanding about adaptive selling. With the lack of knowledge regarding various tasks and selling situations, less-experienced salespeople will be less capable of exploiting the rich data available in a CRM repository. Experienced salespeople are more likely to maintain focus on the task-relatedactivities, identify and realize the link between CRM tools utilization and adaptive selling behaviors, and smartly engage in activities relevant to task completion. To sum, we argue that more-experienced salespeople will employ information toward formulating plans in a better way that helps them to practice adaptive selling than those sa lespeople with less experience.Based on these arguments, we propose that Hypothesis 4 The relationship between use of CRM and adaptive selling will be more positive for employees who report higher levels of experience, as compared to those who report lower levels of experience. In the case of technology use, it has been argued that the inuence of technology is moderated by contextual variables (Orlikowski 1992). It seems especially true in a situation where technology is being used as a tool to formulate strategies or as a sensitive to support routine tasks. Experienced salespeople are more likely to have created an optimal schedule (i.e., unavoidable efforts required to accomplish maximum output), and given the strategic utilization of CRM, they can further cut down their efforts to achieve sales objectives.Consistent with the arguments of Hunter and Perreault (2006), we argue that more-experienced salespeople have learned the necessary skills to execute different activities. We also suggest that moreexperienced salespeople have discovered ways to reduce their levels of effort dapple maintaining their higher levels of performance, relative to those with less experience. Importantly, for those who have already adopted technology, more-experienced sales representatives will feel the greatest inuence on their behavioral outcomes. Formally stated, Hypothesis 5 The relationship between use of CRM and effort will be more negative for employees who report higherlevels of experience, as compared to those who report lower levels of experience. Salesperson Performance In a general sense, job performance is an outcome of effort and strategy (Bandura 2002). Sales literature has recognized the signicance of salesperson efforts in different theoretical frameworks of performance (Walker, Churchill, and Ford 1977) and proposed a signicant positive relationship between effort and adaptive selling behaviors and salespersons productivity (Sujan, Weitz, and Sujan 1988).Previo us literature enjoys a relatively wide consensus about the critical role of effort and adaptability in achieving high performance objectives. Tothis point, numerous researchers have examined the links between performance and adaptive selling and effort (Anglin, Stohlman, and Gentry 1990 Brown and Peterson 1994 Goolsby, Lagace, and Boolrom 1992 Holmes and Srivastava 2002 Predmore and Bonnice 1994 Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar 1994). Within this research study, we revisit these links and offer that, parallel to previous ndings, both salesperson behaviors of adaptive selling and effort will demonstrate unique positive relationships with their performance. Hypothesis 6 Salesperson effort will be positively related with salesperson performance. Hypothesis 7 Salesperson adaptive selling behaviors will be positively related with salesperson performance. RESEARCH METHOD Sample Our sample was drawn from the charitable health-care segment of a medium-sized pharmaceutical company.Data were collecte d from three separate sources in the form of salesperson surveys, manager surveys, and archival job performance data from company records. Sales representatives in this rm were responsible for marketing directly to physicians within a specic geographical area. All sales representatives were responsible for a particular portfolio of products and completed training for each product line. In sum, 900 sales representatives of the human health-care division of the company were contacted for this study. useable survey responses were obtained from 662 (74 percent) of the representatives and from 60 different sales managers. There was an average of 11 sales representatives per manager. Respondents completed and returned a questionnaire mailed directly to them by the researchers. Managements strong endorsement of questionnaire completion via e-mail and telephone, pair with two waves of mailings, led to the highresponse rate. The sample was 40 percent male, the average age was 34.9 (standar d going SD = 4.6), and 91 percent reported their ethnicity as Caucasian. Measures Use of SFA SFA usage was assessed by the sales representative using a quartet item home plate.The scale asked sales representatives the amount of usage on four specic SFA applications. All four items were representative of tasks that helped salespeople streamline or automate round of the basic processes and functions of the sales tasks. Item responses wereanchored by (1) I do not use this technology at all and (7) I use this technology to a great extent. The scale exhibit acceptable reliability ( = 0.72). See the Appendix for a complete list of scale items. Use of CRM Similar to the above, CRM usage was assessed by asking the salesperson four questions regarding his or her use of technologies that helped manage customer relationships. These questions were specic to the software and database applications that the rm had in place. Again, item responses were anchored by (1) I do not use this technolo gy at all and (7) I use this technology to a great extent. The scale demonstrated acceptable reliability ( = 0.75). Effort Salesperson effort was calculated as a self-report item assessing average number of hours worked per week.Although not an ideal evaluation tool, this approach is similar to other research that has demonstrated that self-report evaluations are often representative of objective measures of evaluations (Sharma, Rich, and Levy 2004). Adaptive Selling Adaptive selling was measured using a shortened four-item scale stemming from the adaptive selling scale originally developed by Spiro and Weitz (1990). Items were adapted slightly to t the specic selling context. This measure was assessed by the sales manager and exhibited strong reliability ( = 0.90). In this setting, sales managers have frequent contact with their salespeople. By meeting with sales representatives, conducting customer follow-up visits, and participating in ride-alongs, we argue that the sales manage r can observe the behavior of the salesperson, in this circumstance, adaptive selling tendencies.Experience Experience was a composite measure consisting of three separate measures of sales experience. Sales representatives were questioned about the length of time they had worked in their territory, for their company, and in a sales eld. These gain ground were each z-scored and then averaged to form an overall experience index. Salesperson Performance We operationalized salesperson performance as the outcomebased measure of percentage of quota. Percentage of quota achieved is dened as the total sales brought to a close by a salesperson relative to the sales organizations sales targets for that individual. Percent of quota, or total sales separate by expected sales target, is a strong measure of sales representative performance because it controls for some potential contaminating factors such as territory size(Churchill et al. 1985). Sales representatives quotas are annually set by a consulting company, in conjunction with corporate sales management, and are based on market information and company records.Quotas are discussed with sales representatives to ensure that the representatives understand the methods used to set their annual quotas. analytical Strategy We analyzed our data using a co form-based structural equation modeling package, AMOS 5.0 (Arbuckle 1997). In evaluating this model, we followed the procedures recommended by Anderson and Gerbing (1988). First, we conducted a conrmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the adequacy of the measurement component of the proposed model and quantify discriminant validity. After ensuring an appropriate t, we then derived the full structural model from our hypotheses. To gauge model t, we report the comparative t index (CFI) (Bentler 1990) and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) (Hu and Bentler 1999).The CFI has been identied as a strong approximation of the population value for a single model, with values 0.90 considered indicative of intimately t. SRMR is a measure of the standardized difference between the observed and unobserved covariance and predicted covariance, with values 0.08 considered a relatively good t for the model, and values 0.10 considered fair (Hu and Bentler 1999). Based on an exploratory and follow-up CFA, we determined that all items plastered signicantly on their respective factors and no cross-loadings were present. Each indicator exhibited a highly signicant estimate (p 0.001), which suggests high convergent validity (Gerbing and Anderson 1988). Also, discriminant validity was assessed according to the Fornell and Larcker (1981) suggested approach.By examining the amount of variance extracted for each of the latent constructs and comparison this to the squared correlations among the constructs, we found that the shared variance among any two constructs was always less than the average variance explained by the construct, which suggests that discriminant validity has been achieved. Finally, because four of the variables were collected from the same source,we conducted checks for common method variance, which could inate any observed correlations between the dependent and independent variables. As suggested by Grifth and Lusch (2007), we used a CFA approach to assess Harmans one-factor test. To do this, one would create a single latent factor for all same-source indicators as an alternative explanation to our results. Based on our analysis, our measurement model t yielded a 2 of 295.61 (88), p 0.01 CFI = 0.93 SRMR = 0.04.By tting the same-source factor model, our t was signicantly worse with a 2 of 789.53 (101) p 0.01 CFI = 0.77 SRMR = 0.08. Second, we employed the uncomplete correlation procedure of including a marker variable (i.e., a variable not theoretically related to at least one other variable in the study). By using a measure of sales ethics as the marker variable, we found no signicant relationships to othe r variables in the model. These analyses indicate that our structural equation analysis is not as susceptible to an inherent common method stroke in the responses to the survey. Table 1 provides descriptive statistics and pairwise correlations for this study. As mentioned, model t for the measurement model was good (2 = 295.61 (88), p 0.01 CFI = 0.93 SRMR = 0.04). Next, we t a elongated effects model that amounts to the hypothesized model depicted in Figure 1 minus the two interactions (i.e., H4 and H5). This model was t in order to test the linear relationships.This model also serves as a baseline model for tests of the interactions. Notably, the linear relationships between experience and both adaptive selling and effort, although not hypothesized, were included in this model so as to serve as a baseline for the hypothesized model. To test the interaction effects, CRM usage and experience were both mean-centered (by virtue of using z-scores) so as to reduce effects of multicoll inearity. We then calculated a multiplicative interactive term between the two variables and t a second model that included this product as an antecedent of both effort and adaptive selling. Because the linear effects model is nested in the hypothesized model, a signicant 2 between them indicates that one or both of the interactions are signicant (Cortina, Chen, and Dunlap 2001). To note, we specied the relationship between the observed scores and their respective latent variables by xing the measurement error terms for each construct at (1 rxx) multiplication the variance of each scale score. Following procedures advanced by Mathieu, Tannenbaum, and Salas (1992) and supportedby Cortina,Chen, and Dunlap (2001), the reliability of the interaction term was estimated using the formula presented by Bohrnstedt and Marwell (1978). RESULTS We derived the full structural model from our hypotheses.Structural model t was within acceptable limits (2 = 240.21 (95), p 0.01 CFI = 0.95 SRMR = 0. 04) (see Table 2). Although the 2-statistic is signicant, it is not always the best indication of model t (e.g., Bagozzi and Yi 1988), because it has the drawback of being sensitive to sample size and the number of parameters in the model. Notably, our initial ndings show that SFA usage is negatively related to effort (H1 = 0.123, p 0.05) and that CRM usage does not have a negative relationship with effort as originally hypothesized (H2 = 0.091). As expected, the linear effect of CRM usage to adaptive selling was positive and signicant (H3 = 0.122, p 0.05). Finally, although not hypothesized, the linear effect of experience to effort ( = 0.166, p 0.01) and adaptive selling ( = 0.106, p 0.05) were both signicant. Next, we tested the hypothesized model. By adding the interaction terms, we found that the model demonstrated an excellent t (2 = 233.53 (93), p 0.01 CFI = 0.95 SRMR = 0.04) and was a signicant improvement over the linear effects model (2 (2) = 6.68, p 0.05).The mod erating effect of experience on CRM usage to effort was not present (H5 = 0.083) however, the moderating inuence of experience on the relationship between CRM and adaptive selling was evident (H4 = 0.112, p 0.05). The nal portion of our model examined both adaptive selling and effort as predictors of salesperson performance. We found that both effort (H6 = 0.115, p 0.05) and adaptive selling (H7 = 0.086, p 0.05) had signicant relationships with performance. As a post hoc analysis, we included experience as an additional predictor of performance and found that it exhibited a signicant relationship ( = 0.107, p 0.05), while not changing the levels of signicance of the other two variables.The proportions of variance of the endogenous variables accounted for were as follows REffort = 0.047 RAdaptive selling = 0.034 and RPerformance = 0.031. To interpret the nature of the interaction, we plotted it using standard practices (Aiken and westward 1991). Specically, using the informa tion from the moderated regression analysis, we plotted the relationship betweenCRM usage that correspond to the average, low (one SD on a lower floor the mean) and high (one SD above the mean) values of the experience moderator (see Figure 2). Corresponding to our expectations, we nd that CRM usage has a positive linear effect on adaptive selling and that increased levels of experience enhance this relationship as demonstrated by the steeper slope (more positive) for high-experience salespeople.