Roles and Responsibilities of Employees in Bpo

SUSEE I. SYS PVT LTD ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES Roles and responsibilities of employees in BPO Manoj Mathew * What is MANAGEMENT Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims * Characteristics of Management Goal Oriented : It coordinates the efforts of workers to achieve the goal of the organization * Result through others : The Manager cannot do everything themselves, they must motivate the subordinates for the accomplishment * System of Authority : a hierarchy of command and control should be followed * Multi-disciplinary Subject : Management has grown taking the help of so many other disciplines such as Technological engineering , sociology and psychology * Classification of Our business activities * Technical Activities * Commercial Activities * Financial Activities * Security Activities * Accounting Activities Managerial activities * Qualities of a Manager * 1. Physical ( Healthy and energy ) * 2. Mental ( ability to understand ) * 3. Moral ( Willingness to accept responsibilities and Loyalty ) * 4. General Education ( Awareness in all areas ) * 5. Special Knowledge ( high knowledge in working area ) * 6. Experience (Knowledge arising from Work Proper ) * Different Managerial skills * Technical skills enable people to perform an operational activity involving methods, processes or techniques * Human skills enable people to communicate, persuade, manage conflict, motivate, coach, negotiate and lead. Conceptual skills enable people to come out with new ideas & creative thinking especially during uncertainty * Steps involved in Successful Delegation * Establishment of definite goals : Set goals for the BPO process * Developing Personal Discipline for Supervision : Every subordinate get the attitude to take responsibility * Establishment of Definite responsibilities : Tell what are the responsibilities to be performed * Training : Before Delegation giv e proper training to the subordinate * Report : Delegation Report should be submitted Control : Even after delegation supervisor should monitor * Organising the activities * Organisational Structure in susee BPO * It includes different organizational level and duties and responsibilities of the people at different level. * It is the framework or structure of an organization * Line functional Heads are which have direct responsibility and relation for accomplishing the primary objectives of the enterprise * Staff functions refer to those who ultimately responsible to work most effectively in accomplishing the primary objectives of the enterprises OPERATIONS MANAGER MR J. SUKUMAR) QUALITY ANALYSERS NAGALAKSHMI RANJINI NALINI TEAM LEADERS ARULKAMU SOUNDARI K. SARAVANAN DATA ENTRY TRAINEE DATA ENTRY TRAINEE DATA ENTRY TRAINEE DATA ENTRY OPERATORS DATA ENTRY OPERATORS DATA ENTRY OPERATORS DATA ENTRY OPERATORS PROJECT LEADERS/HEADS SHIFT1 (SANGEETHA. T) SHIFT2 (K. VEERAMANIKANDAN) OPERATI ONS SUPERVISOR SHIFT 1 Mr.A. D. VINOTHKUMAR OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR SHIFT2 (Mr. V. MAHINDRAN) M ASST MANAGER (MR MANICKAM) Responsibilities of Operations Manager * Policy Formulation: Formulating policy is one of the core duties of an operations manager. Companies must operate and function on a daily basis within a prescribed set of guidelines. These guidelines are generally established by operations managers * Planning: The planning of various company operations and activities is another major concern of the operations manager.Operations managers tend to determine which products are bought and sold the operations manager also helps plan and coordinate activities between various departments such as determining what types of sales promotions the company will engage in. * Controlling Resources: Controlling major company resources is yet a third major function of an operations manager. Operations managers oversee the implementation of payroll policies and procedures, how much employees a re paid, how funds are allocated for benefits packages and how other funds are spent to keep the company operating smoothly on a day-to-day basis.Operations managers regularly review financial statements to ensure that the company is operating as efficiently and as profitably as possible. * Communication: A final core responsibility of an operations manager is communicating with other management professionals within the organization to keep the company running smoothly, and communicating with other companies and organizations with which the company does business. Operations managers are responsible for putting together reports and financial statements that are essential for other top executives within the company or organization. Improving the performance of operation:  Operations managers are expected to continually monitor and improve the overall performance of their operation. * Responsibilities of Assistant Manager * To be responsible for implementing the assigned areas of res ponsibility within the HR function. * To maintain the database and updates regularly * To generate reports based on database and updates * To clarify employees (internal customers) policies, procedures and processes * To assist in quality improvement initiatives of the areas of their work * To run the Performance Measurement Cycle is the key Responsibility Areas for Assistant Manager To coordinate and manage recruitment at various levels and finding ways to meet the ramp up plans for the organization. * To be accountable for delivery of expected assignments/results * To handle training (as and when required) Common Points for both Assistant Manager * To take initiative for improving systems and processes * Should have excellent knowledge of the market conditions * Should have appropriate knowledge about benefits administrators (PF, Gratuity, Superannuation, Insurance, etc) or training consultants, recruitment consultants, etc Responsibilities of supervisors – Assign work: Ass ign certain duties to the employee, explaining how those duties are to be done (i. e. what level of performance will meet the supervisor’s expectations) and communicate how the successful performance of those duties will be measured. Ensure that the employee is working under a current job description – Orient and Train: Provide appropriate orientation for the employee addressing such topics as are listed on the  new employee orientation checklist  at the end of this document.Give employees the information, technology and reference materials necessary to perform jobs – Evaluate Performance: Be sure your employee is familiar with the format of the appraisal form you will be using and is clear about the evaluation process. – Resolve Complaints:  Help employees address and resolve a wide variety of concerns and complaints. These typically involve job duties and job descriptions, performance standards, relations with co-workers, relations with supervisor s and managers. * Responsibilities of Project Leaders role as a Project Leader (PL) is extremely vital in assuring the successful implementation of your project with volunteers * To be responsible for co-ordinating your project volunteers and your project * To act as a source of information between the management, the staff and the DEO’s through meetings * Monitor Progress: During the course of the project, the lead is responsible for monitoring progress on a regular basis. This could be daily or weekly. * Responsibilities of Team leaders * 1. Provide your team with the company’s vision and the objectives of all projects. . Create an environment oriented to open communications, creative thinking, cohesive team effort and workplace trust. 3. Lead by example (be a role model) – make your behaviour consistent with your words 4. Manage, train, and help the development of team members; help resolve any dysfunctional behaviour 5. Attempt to achieve team consensus and create win-win agreements wherever possible 6. Lead problem solving and collaboration 7. Keep discussions focused and ensure decisions lead toward closure 8. Build and foster healthy group dynamics . Assure that all team members have the required education and training to effectively participate on their assigned project. 10. Acknowledge and reward team and team member accomplishments, as well as exceptional performance * Responsibilities of Quality analyser 1. To audit the number of jobs given by the client on a daily basis 2. Record feedback and to let the Customer service Executives know about his/hers areas of improvements. 3. Bring in necessary changes to the process and constant updating of BPO core process 4.Attend EPUB calibrations 5. To check and validate the project through final quality check * Process Workflow in susee BPO Allotment of jobs . XLS to project leader Checking priority and validate Input mail- Job receiving from clients Receiving Payment for job done Invoici ng Production Sheet Submission Upload the completed project through mail or FTP Final Quality check through analyst Final process and scrutinising the project Work in progress with stipulated duration to complete the assigned job Allotment of jobs to DEO’s

Leadership Style

Finding a role model to evaluate his or her style of leadership and identifying ones own characteristics as a leader are he starting point for creating a personal development plan to work toward becoming the type of leader one wishes to be. Mary Kay Ash According to Hulk, transformational leaders, â€Å"seek to raise the consciousness of followers by appealing to ideals and moral values such as liberty, justice, equality, peace, and humanitarianism, not to baser emotions such as fear, greed, jealousy, or hatred† (2013, p. 347). Mary Kay Ash was a transformational leader.During a time period where women were not viewed as equal to men, she started a new business that empowered women. Not only did she build a business for women, she established a charitable foundation to support cancer research and later expanded its purpose to fighting violence against women (celebrating Mary Kay Ash†, n. D. ). It would take a huge amount of courage, confidence, and drive to accomplish th e things she was able to. To have this type of impact on such a large group of people even would provide a person with an enormous sense of accomplishment.Strengths of Self Qualities necessary to be a positive leader that are possessed by the author include respectful, good communicator, resourceful, rewarding, an openness to change, organized, delegated, takes initiative, listens to and responds to feedback as well as provides constructive feedback to others (University of Oregon, 2009). Treating others with respect will lead to them giving respect. Communicating is an essential function of leading. The leader must be able to share the goal and vision as well as provide direction. People also have a need to be heard, so it is important for a leader to listen to others and their ideas.Weaknesses Of Self Qualities that may hold a person from reaching his or her goal of being a transformational leader are being task oriented instead of people oriented. A transformational leader change s the lives of others and this is harder to accomplish if the main focus is the task not the person. A need to control has its strong points as well as its weaknesses. It is important to know when to allow others to take control. Characteristics that are Transformational To become this type of leader would not only transform the lives of others but of the author as a leader herself.Being a motivational leader is a positive starting point in working toward becoming a transformational leader. Knowing one's abilities is important but constantly striving to improve learning to do more and better can inspire others that they can do the same. Seeing an organized leader who thrives under pressure, using planning as a tool to succeed will show others they are capable of overcoming their stress and do better. The most important quality a person needs to become a transformational leader is a belief in and desire to developing others both personally and professional.Development Plan Having a m entor is an excellent way to identify a person's qualities as a leader and develop a plan that will help that person become the leader he or she desires to be. Working toward becoming a transformational leader is an enormous goal. The first step in reaching this goal is identifying the needs of others and how they are motivated. Then setting personal goals that work toward the development into a transformational leader. It is important to begin with smaller goals, such as encouraging coworkers to do more and do better.If they take pride in their work and their job it will reflect in the equines. By setting smaller, reachable goals a person will be encouraged and inspired to continue to work and reach the final goal. Conclusion Being in a position to empower, motivate, and uplift women is only part of what it would take to be a transformational leader. Taking action and taking charge of her life and future is what Mary Kay Ash did, and showed other women they could do it as well. To change a person's leadership style it is necessary to identify that person's characteristics as a leader. Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding). Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding). Leadership Style Finding a role model to evaluate his or her style of leadership and identifying ones own characteristics as a leader are he starting point for creating a personal development plan to work toward becoming the type of leader one wishes to be. Mary Kay Ash According to Hulk, transformational leaders, â€Å"seek to raise the consciousness of followers by appealing to ideals and moral values such as liberty, justice, equality, peace, and humanitarianism, not to baser emotions such as fear, greed, jealousy, or hatred† (2013, p. 347). Mary Kay Ash was a transformational leader.During a time period where women were not viewed as equal to men, she started a new business that empowered women. Not only did she build a business for women, she established a charitable foundation to support cancer research and later expanded its purpose to fighting violence against women (celebrating Mary Kay Ash†, n. D. ). It would take a huge amount of courage, confidence, and drive to accomplish th e things she was able to. To have this type of impact on such a large group of people even would provide a person with an enormous sense of accomplishment.Strengths of Self Qualities necessary to be a positive leader that are possessed by the author include respectful, good communicator, resourceful, rewarding, an openness to change, organized, delegated, takes initiative, listens to and responds to feedback as well as provides constructive feedback to others (University of Oregon, 2009). Treating others with respect will lead to them giving respect. Communicating is an essential function of leading. The leader must be able to share the goal and vision as well as provide direction. People also have a need to be heard, so it is important for a leader to listen to others and their ideas.Weaknesses Of Self Qualities that may hold a person from reaching his or her goal of being a transformational leader are being task oriented instead of people oriented. A transformational leader change s the lives of others and this is harder to accomplish if the main focus is the task not the person. A need to control has its strong points as well as its weaknesses. It is important to know when to allow others to take control. Characteristics that are Transformational To become this type of leader would not only transform the lives of others but of the author as a leader herself.Being a motivational leader is a positive starting point in working toward becoming a transformational leader. Knowing one's abilities is important but constantly striving to improve learning to do more and better can inspire others that they can do the same. Seeing an organized leader who thrives under pressure, using planning as a tool to succeed will show others they are capable of overcoming their stress and do better. The most important quality a person needs to become a transformational leader is a belief in and desire to developing others both personally and professional.Development Plan Having a m entor is an excellent way to identify a person's qualities as a leader and develop a plan that will help that person become the leader he or she desires to be. Working toward becoming a transformational leader is an enormous goal. The first step in reaching this goal is identifying the needs of others and how they are motivated. Then setting personal goals that work toward the development into a transformational leader. It is important to begin with smaller goals, such as encouraging coworkers to do more and do better.If they take pride in their work and their job it will reflect in the equines. By setting smaller, reachable goals a person will be encouraged and inspired to continue to work and reach the final goal. Conclusion Being in a position to empower, motivate, and uplift women is only part of what it would take to be a transformational leader. Taking action and taking charge of her life and future is what Mary Kay Ash did, and showed other women they could do it as well. To change a person's leadership style it is necessary to identify that person's characteristics as a leader. Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding).

External and Internal Environmental Analysis Paper Essay

The purpose of the paper is to scan, â€Å"the internal and external environmental factors of AT&T internet access technologies for the consumer market. It further identifies and discusses the AT&T’s core competencies and sources of competitive advantage. Lastly, AT&T’s business model and its impact on the organizational performance† (UOP, 2013). AT&T uses the most common tool (i.e. SWOT analysis) to analyze its progress in the market and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and, threat. External environment analysis is important in determining the strategy that should be adopted by a business and internal environment analysis is critical to identify the core competencies of the business. External environment AT&T very well understands their competitors and external factors and hence, to better meet its customer needs, it formed the Broadband & Internet subsidiary. â€Å"The external environment consisting of all the conditions and forces that affect its strategic options and define its competitive situation† (Pearce & Robinson, 2013, p. 12). External environment can be broadly classified into three types: Remote, Industry and, Operating. 1. Remote environment consists of the forces like â€Å"economic, social, political, technological and ecological factors that originate beyond, and usually irrespective of, any single firm’s operating situation† (Pearce & Robinson, 2013, pg. 87). 2. Industry environment; â€Å"The general conditions for competition that influence all businesses that provide similar products and services† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 97). â€Å"Operating environment also called the competitive or task environment comprises factors in the competitive situation that affect a firm’s success in acquiring needed resources or in profitably marketing its goods and services† (Pearce, 2013). They also control a major portion of the Tier 1 backbone of the internet. Remote  Environment (RE): See more: how to write an analysis of a research paper With each environmental factor exerting its effect individually, the analysis in these three different kinds can be done separately. Some of the main remote environmental factor that affects AT&T are economic, political and technological factors. Economic factors affect because more and more consumers can afford excellent internet service in a good economy and, the number declines as the economy slows down. Political factors do affect the day to day functioning of the service and, regulation in the internet/ cable industry is very stringent. Any changes in the government policies/ regulations will directly or indirectly impact AT&T’s business and, consumers inflow. Technological factors also affect the company because there is always a need to adapt the latest technology in the industry. The ever changing technologies, apps, products and, services will alter consumer’s attitude and buying behavior. Industry Environment (IE): The IE factors that impact AT&T are buyer power, substitute availability and competitive rivalry. The internet users have increased dramatically in the recent years. Providing great service and technology requires a large investment, but when customer switches their internet carrier, it result in high loss (bad debt expense from this trend). While Time Warner and AT&T have attempted to combat, these losses by charging one month bill in advance. Though a huge amount was recovered before the customers were gone but didn’t guarantee, customer loyalty. New entries are always a threat, mainly if they provide services in rural areas, where AT&T is still trying to make a mark. Operating Environment (OE): The OE factors affecting AT&T are customers and creditors. With the slowed economy in the country, the â€Å"assessment of suppliers and creditors is critical to an accurate evaluation of a firm’s operating environment. Question like: Does the creditors fairly value and willingly accept the firm’s pricing strategy for the service AT&T provides? Do the creditors perceive the firm as having an acceptable record of past payment?† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 114). â€Å"Operational indicators, which measure performance in planning and implementing organizational strategies, are internal, and  external customer satisfaction, quality metrics, internal processes, internal innovation, and continuous improvement efforts tend to drive future financial performance† (Curtright, 2000). Internal analysis To analyze the internal environmental (IE) factors for AT&T, one will have to first identify the strength and weakness of the organization. AT&T is amongst the largest cable companies, serving every Fortune 1000 company, as well as neighborhood businesses around the country. â€Å"AT&T serves 17.8 million broadband customers, including wireline (DSL, U-verse High-Speed Internet and, Satellite) and wireless mobile broadband LaptopConnect subscribers† (att.com, 2015). AT&T’s services and competencies are well matched with their strength to meet the market needs. â€Å"The major internal environmental changes, or areas for change, that could be expected to impact AT&T include: Marketing: new product offerings, new technology and, market trends. Financial: ability to acquire other firms and, corporate resources, capital expenditure. Operations: network management and partner relationships. Personnel: key executive management positions.   Quality: integration of controls on projects, monitoring of quality, system modernization and, operational support systems. General Management: performance and strategic planning† (Delahunty.com, n.d.) The external environment factors that are being discussed cover most of the strengths of AT&T versus weaknesses. But addressing the ethical obligations and exceptions of the consumers will always help (Team’s feedback). Core Competencies and Resources â€Å"Core competence is a capability or skill that a firm emphasizes and excels in doing while in pursuit of its overall mission. Core competencies that differ from those found in competing firms would be considered distinctive competencies† (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). The basic resources include; tangible assets, intangible assets and,  organizational capabilities. Some of the tangible assets of AT&T are inventory, cash reserves. The financial resources and physical resources; property, plant and, equipment net. The assessed intangible assets at AT&T are its brand name, (Goodwill) reputation, trademarks, licenses, trade secrets and, copyright. All the resources available at AT&T are valuables, and they provide the customer needs better than other alternatives. The resources are scarce and drive a key portion of overall profit. This makes the service provided by AT&T sustainable over a long period, which help in making better strategic plan for the organization. Competitive position and possibilities â€Å"Distinctive competencies that are identified and nurtured throughout the firm, allowing it to execute effectively so as to provide products or services to customers that are superior to competitor’s offerings, become the basis for a lasting competitive advantage† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 164). AT&T stands strong and gives very tough competition in its current competitive position. â€Å"AT&T Government Solutions provides professional services so agencies can better serve their customers and meet mission object† (Pragmatics, 2007). AT&T’s pending acquisition of DIRECTV will give more customers more opportunities to enjoy their favorite movies, TV shows, music and, sports. â€Å"Final regulatory approval of the merger will enable the combined companies to deliver more content to customers across multiple screens – mobile devices, TVs, laptops, and the backseat displays of connected cars. It’s commitment to expand and enhance its deployment of high-speed Internet service to cover at least 15 million customer locations across 48 states – most of them in underserved rural areas† (att.com, 2015). Structure of the organization and how it affects organizational performance AT&T has departmentalization structure as seen â€Å"in the division of labor as well as the decentralized decision-making assigned to teams, it shows that the existing policies, rules and regulations are directory in nature.  Apparently, the chain of command in the business unit is rather limited to the team leaders and the Chief Operations Officer. Since the organizational structure is rather flat, the business faces the adverse attitude of the employees with reference to the change in the organization. This indicates that the informal structures of the organization tend to have a great influence on the actual behavior of the employees† (Management Paradise, 2011). Conclusion By focusing on the SWOT analysis (external and internal environmental factors), AT&T can identify its strengths, weaknesses, threats and, opportunities. This can help the company to improve its competitive position in the internet market that will in turn generate additional revenues. References AT&T. (2015). AT&T Company Information. Retrieved from http://www.att.com/gen/investor-relations?pid=5711 Coppola, J., Delahunty, S., & Keune, G. (n.d.). The Internet Connection War-AT&T Internet Services for Consumers, a Strategic Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.delahunty.com/cv/paper_att.doc Curtright, J. W., Stolp-Smith, Steven. C., & Edell, E.S. (2000, January). Strategic performance management: Development of a performance measurement system at the Mayo Clinic. Journal of Healthcare Management, 45(1), 58. Management Paradise. (2011, February 2). Organizational Structure of AT&T. Retrieved from http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/human-resources-management-h-r/214644-organisational-structure-t.html Pearce, J.A. & Robinson, R. B. (2013). Strategic Management: Planning for Domestic and Global Competition (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Pragmatics, Inc. (2007). AT&T Government Solutions. Retrieved from https://ites-2s.pragmatics.com/metadot/index.pl?op=show&iid=223 1 UOP. (2013). External and Internal Environmental Analysis Instructions. Retrieved from https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/OSIRIS:48364100/context/co/view/activityDetails/activity/df4da69c-3472-494d-952c-e99cc3619b2d/expanded/False/tab/Instructions

How can Playstation3 sustain the dominance in the video game console Essay

How can Playstation3 sustain the dominance in the video game console war - Essay Example Successful brands achieve higher customer loyalty- success being in the context of differential advantage. Brand names that have managed to monopolise their differential advantage will create strong brand name images in the minds of their consumers in terms of physical characteristics, name, symbols, and reputation. And loyal customers prove their commitments to a specific brand by spending more money and time and effort in order to obtain the brand of their choice. Successful brand names have differential advantages that result in profit and good market performance. The international games consoles market manifested a growth of 14.1% in 2007 and has attained $14.2 billion. In the next 3 years, this international market is projected to reach $24.6 billion, which represents nearly 75% growth from its value in 2007. In 2007, the market has grown by nearly 20%, registering a volume of 74 million pieces. This number is anticipated to reach 96.6 million pieces, which is about 30% of its value in 2007 (Reuters 2009). Moreover, the US Console Games Forecast 2005: Analysis of Alternate Launch Scenarios projects that the US console market shall have a growth of $11.7 billion next year. Moreover, the report says that the game console industry has become quite competent at product diversification to be able to address the varying wants of their target market. There are products that appeal to the majority and those that are particular to certain audiences. The biggest driver of ambiguity in this industry is when players shall introduce novel products and systems (Softpedia 2005). Sonys Playstation 3 and Microsofts Xbox are selling premium performance, while Nintendos Wii is leveraging on fun games which are more dependent on peculiar, nice controllers and effectual graphics. PS 3 remains to be the most expensive, and is projected as a PC option. Microsoft Xbox 360 packages the

Growth in Health Expenditures Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Growth in Health Expenditures - Article Example Apparently, between 1993 and 2003, the health care expenditures in the US grew from a total of $900 billion to $1.7 trillion which was equivalent to an increase from 13.3% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) to 15.3%. When these values were compared to the health expenditures in Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK, it was realized that the US had the highest health care costs and expenditures (Zuckerman and McFeeters, 2006). The table below summarizes the trends in health care expenditures. As noted by Rettig (1994), new and improved medical technologies have been seen in areas such as: the development of new treatments for terminal conditions such as AIDS, cancer and diabetes; treatments related to untreatable acute conditions such as coronary artery bypass graft; clinical progress for patients with mental illness and/ or substance abuse; procedures for treating secondary diseases within a disease, for example erythropoietin which treats anaemia in dialysis patients. Moreover, technological equipments such as sonogram machines and dialysis equipment together; new procedures such as laproscopic gall bladder surgery and new treatments such as statins to control cholesterol and cardiac catheterization have also contributed largely to the total health care spending. Despite that, it was noted that technology can equally increase the standard costs for treatments and it can also lower the standard unit costs of treatments so as to allow more people to benefit from the treatments being offered. For example, cardiac catheterization has increased the standard cost of treatments since it is highly used to treat and monitor heart attacks while laproscopic gall bladder surgery has lowered the unit cost of treatment so as to allow more patients to undergo the procedure as compared to using the open gall bladder surgery (Zuckerman and McFeeters, 2006). The aging population has been increasing rapidly over the past few

Edward Hopper's paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Edward Hopper's paintings - Essay Example His paintings did not gain any recognition or income, as most of the people during his period were not interested in the realistic style paintings. He struggled to gain identification but was less successful in his attempts of exhibiting his artworks to the people. In 1923, he met Jo Nivison, who was an artist and later his wife, brought a breakthrough into his life. She modeled for nearly all of his paintings, and acted as a strong moral support to him in his career. Soon, he began his second gallery show at New York, a one-person exhibition, where he was far more prosperous and his works became more prominent, making it a commercial success. The reputation of his paintings soared in the coming years and in 1930, his painting, House by the Railroad, was placed among the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art. In his lifetime, he created more than 800 paintings, watercolor prints as well as many drawings and illustrations. Most of his works presented New York City architec ture, with stark interpretations of American life. â€Å"Hopper sought and explored his chosen themes: the tensions between individuals (particularly men and women), the conflict between tradition and progress in both rural and urban settings, and the moods evoked by various times of day.† Even though most of Hopper’s works were done with oil painting, he also mastered the technique of etching, which brought him commercial success. His works embodied an eerie mood of stillness and a sense of estrangement.

Black reparations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Black reparations - Essay Example The central claims and organising and legal principles of the reparations movement are laid out in the Black Manifesto. The Manifesto is premised on the historical fact that the United States was constitutionally founded on slavery and that the persistence of racial inequality and injustice in American society is derived from slavery. The Manifesto articulates the legal principle for reparations for African Americans. According to Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, this principle affirms that for every wrong there is a remedy, and ... that remedy is not extinguished by time itself, particularly when the manifestations of the problem are current day and visible to all1. Judiciously, the Manifesto does not specify how to assess the damage for reparations, calling for congressional hearings to determine the basis for compensation. While the Manifesto implicates the US government as a principal benefactor and enforcer of slavery, it intentionally does not specify the form or forms of reparations, except to call for the establishment of a 'private trust', which may imply financial as well as other forms of restitution. Mazrui has delineated three categories of reparations considered during his membership of the Group of Eminent Persons. The Group was established by the Org anisation for African Unity (OAU) in 1992 to address reparations in the larger context of African slavery and colonisation. The categories, broadly defined, are 'capital transfer', 'skill transfer' and 'empowerment'. The first of the three is self-evident, implying financial compensation; the second concerns the acquisition of skills and presumably knowledge to compensate for the deprivation and underdevelopment caused by slavery and colonisation; the third, 'empowerment', calls for the apportionment to Africa of 'out of proportion power' in institutions like the World Bank and for veto authority in the Security Council of the United Nations. Within these three categories, reparations can take several forms. Historical context The call for reparations in the US is not of recent vintage. On his match through Confederate territory in 1865, General William Tecumseh Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15 on 16 January which reserved land largely in the Sea Islands and on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts for the settlement of freed blacks. That year, nearly 40,000 former slaves settled on 400,000 acres in the 'Sherman Reservation ( Levitt, 1997). Although Sherman (and his contemporaries who advocated land distribution) did not define this as reparations, he ordered that each family of ex-slaves be given not more than forty acres of tillable land' and 'subject to the approval of the President of the United States, a possessory title in writing ( Matsuda, 1987). However, the terms of the land distribution were unclear. Was the federal government leasing or giving title of the land to the ex-slaves When the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Land (aka the Freedmen's Bureau) was established in March 1865, Congress authorised it to lease confiscated or abandoned lands to former slaves who would have the option to 'purchase the land and receive such titles thereto as the United States can convey'. But President Johnson undermined the Bureau's efforts by ordering the restoration of property to the former Confederates he had pardoned. In

History 1010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History 1010 - Essay Example The 1866 Congressional elections allowed these Republicans to take control of the Congress and continue the process of reconstruction in the south (Henretta, and Brody). This process became known as Radical Reconstruction and began the process of freeing and emancipating black Americans. After gaining control in 1866, the new Radical Republican Congress began instituting new policies that not only hindered the power of President Andrew Johnson but also helped reconstruct the south so that black Americans could gain freedom. In order to establish their plan, Radical Republicans had to work with their moderate Republicans to gain enough power in both the House of Representatives and Senate that President Andrew Johnson could not veto aspects of their plan (Henretta, and Brody). The plan started with the First Reconstruction Act of 1867. This first act named the seceded states as territory that could be controlled by the military under marital law. The troops kept peace in the region and protected the former slaves while Congress compelled the southern states to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment in order to reintegrate with the Union states. This amendment provided blacks with the rights to vote, but in order to guarantee their suffrage, Congress passed the Second Recons truction Act that put the military in charge of voter registration. In order to establish order in the South, Congress used the military to enforce the previously desired reconstructive techniques. Although they were unpopular with the people, they proved to be effective because by 1870 all the states were reabsorbed by the Union (Henretta, and Brody). The effect of the new legislation is, however, debatable. Nevertheless, Congressional Radical Revolution did not necessarily change the way black Americans were treated by society. The institution of the First and Second Reconstruction Acts, with the help of the

Subiaco Centro Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Subiaco Centro Project - Term Paper Example There are non-transportation objectives and they include provision of affordable and desirable housing choices, support revitalization or economic development, enhance quality of life and the sense of community, minimize infrastructure costs, shift the development from the sensitive areas, and reduce sprawl. The motivating factor for most of the stakeholders and in some cases the transit agencies is the financial return associated with TODs. For example, rents are a major supply of non-farebox revenue that is accrued from the development of system-owned land that is adjacent to the transit stations . Research conducted indicates that the number of the no-car households in regions where public transport is reducing and the high earning households who have cars is increasing. The trend undermines the same findings by Affleck and Haslam Mackenzie. They were able to find out that the TODs attracted the affluent population cohort and squeezed out the people who depended on the public transport and those who would benefit from living closer to the transit oriented development . Theories Relative to Subiaco TOD The success of Subiaco Centro Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is a factor of the the underlying TOD principles on which it was based. The structure of the project was modeled along a wide range of these principles among them the principle of Diversity of Use. This principle generally means that the program makes use of market synergy of balancing functions so that more people are attracted and retained within the structure of the TOD.... For example, rents are a major supply of non-farebox revenue that is accrued from the development of system-owned land that is adjacent to the transit stations4. Research conducted indicates that the number of the no-car households in regions where public transport is reducing and the high earning households who have cars is increasing. The trend undermines the same findings by Affleck and Haslam Mackenzie. They were able to find out that the TODs attracted the affluent population cohort and squeezed out the people who depended on the public transport and those who would benefit from living closer to the transit oriented development5. Theories Relative to Subiaco TOD The success of Subiaco Centro Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is a factor of the the underlying TOD principles on which it was based. The structure of the project was modeled along a wide range of these principles among them the principle of Diversity of Use. This principle generally means that the program makes use o f market synergy of balancing functions so that more people are attracted and retained within the structure of the TOD. In the Subiaco case, the implementers condensed a multiplicity of services from a wide range of sectors for the purposes of efficiency and harmony. Partnerships were created to enable the active participation of the public and the policy implementers to ease the disconnection that had existed before. The second principle on which this project was created was one of compactness. This principle as understood within the context of TOD basically means that the structure of the place is made in a walkable design. This means that the physical structure must be tight and precise to

The Quality of Service Provided by the Accounting Department Essay

The Quality of Service Provided by the Accounting Department - Essay Example The idea that non-managerial employees should not be involved in the interviews and instead limit the interview to the list of managers whom he or she perceived to be useful to the interview is inimical to the research because the exact identification of respondents is tantamount to pre-selecting the subjects that would represent the population. It is important to point out that the internal customers of the accounting department that perceives them include all employees in the company and that includes both the rank and file and managers. Limiting the samples that are supposed to represent the entire organization in the study among managers would make the study anecdotal in evidence because the small sample does not represent the entire organization. Hoeken and Hustinx stressed that anecdotal evidence is never superior to statistical evidence in any study. Statistical evidence is also far more persuasive than cherry picking the samples (Hoeken and Hustinx, 2008). In addition, the pr ofessor would also like to be present during the interviews of the members of the accounting department under the pretext that this will be an ideal opportunity to understand the operations of that department. The intent to study the operations of the accounting department is a terrific initiative given the issue that besets the accounting department. It is not however advisable in the context of a study because studying its operation by a third party is not part of the objective of the research and therefore does not contribute to the purpose of the study. I would beg the professor for us to discuss our methodology first that would allow me an opportunity to air my concern about his presence during the interview and to air my disagreement about the inadequacy of the focus group discussion that will be limited among pre-selected managers. I would suggest that he can instead have the transcript of the interview and to include rank and file staff in the focus group discussion where th e selection is random. I will also include a survey to have a wider sampling since the population of study is too large (the whole company) to be represented by a mere focus group discussion. 2. What are the likely outcomes if the research goes ahead as suggested by your professor? Having anecdotal evidences as primary data will result to an invalid study because it cannot answer the intent of the research which is to determine the extent of the match of perceptions between accounting department and internal customers. It only has the perceptions of the managers as input which does not compose the entire internal customers of the company. In addition, the professor’s insistence to be present during interview of the staff of the accounting department may also have distorted the outcome of the study due to the Hawthorne Effect. Hawthorne Effect is â€Å"the tendency for people to behave differently when they know they are being studied...’ (Davis & Shackleton, p. 55 cit ed in Chiesa and Hobbs, 2008 pg. 69)†. There is a chance that the presence of the professor may influence the answer of the staff of accounting department during the interview that could distort the outcome of the interview. 3. Negative impact on people can occur in research. What is the prospect of this kind of consequential impact on participants in this case? Participants may be tagged as trouble makers

Crime and criminal justice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crime and criminal justice - Assignment Example y garnishment of earnings fits the crime except the crime is robbery.  Day fines might not be the mainly useful sanction in discouraging or preventing crime but it is an immense method to secure the citys budget shortfall! An entity who commends a crime may be verdict to penitentiary or contracted a term of try-out by the courts. Electronic Monitoring is an electronic scheme that supplies the probation bureaucrat or bail representative a statement about whether the lawbreaker was obtainable at abode when the wrongdoer was requisite to stay put at his/her abode. Home detention (HD) is a verdict that requires a wrongdoer to stay put at an approved dwelling at all epoch under electronic scrutinizing and close control by a try-out bureaucrat.  It can aid offenders to uphold family affairs, keep effective or vigorously seek work, go to training or rehabilitative programmer. Sentences might range in extent from 14 days to 12 months. Day exposure center a place where select lawbreakers must report whilst on try-out or parole and where the lawbreaker receives an augmented concentration of services. Preparing lawbreakers for triumphant transition rear to their families and reentry to the society is the focal point of the Boards society reentry dissection. Successful reentry can augment public wellbeing, improve the vigor of the society, maintain families, perk up the advantage of kids and lower pricey criminal justice operating cost. That’s why reentry into the society is so vital. The PBPP has made sizeable savings in it is condition reentry scheme through the preparation of agents to extra successfully work with crooks, the maturity of society relationships with associations that can aid lawbreakers to be successful, and the perfection of it is reentry practices. 3- Please explain in detail the supervision of juveniles in the community. Please be sure to discuss probation, the juvenile court system, the role of juvenile records, child protective services,

Thesis Statement Essay Example for Free

Thesis Statement Essay This essay is based on three films. One, â€Å" All that heaven allows†, which was directed by Douglas Sirk and made in 1955 in the USA. The Second is an animation film â€Å" Neighbours†, directed by Norman Mclauren and made in Canada in 1952 and the third is â€Å" Bicycle thieves†, directed by Victorio De Sica, and made in Italy in 1948. These films primarily deal with the human behaviour towards his own fellow humans. In different styles and settings, they unanimously point towards the animal instincts lying within each one of us. The human race, though pretending to be so civilized, learned and developed, is still no better than the animals of the jungle. Something is primarily wrong with the human race. The essay that follows will derive from the plots of each film, and try to justify that in each case, that each one of us, always wants to snatch away or attack on the freedom and facilities of our own fellow human beings. In this race, the might and the power wins. The polished world of today is still an uncivilized jungle, where the likes of Nigeria, Peru and Chilie are helpless cows and buffaloes, and USA and Britain are the Lions and Tigers. It will, derive from individual cases and argue that the same scenario exists in the international politics of today. Can USA live without poking its nose into the internal affairs of each and every other country of the so called third world? True independence of any nation or any individual simply does not exist, and that is what these films try to prove. On a broader scale, the discussion would also stretch to the loop holes of the two major faiths of this world, Christianity and Islam. When the religion itself promotes violence, how can ‘peaceful co-existence’ exist ? The cinematic brilliance of the three films will also be discussed.

Types And History Of Heat Detectors Engineering Essay

Types And History Of Heat Detectors Engineering Essay Fire is one of the biggest threats people are facing in our society these days. Many methods are being used to prevent such danger on the citizens, such as making sure that every house has a fire extinguisher incase of fire starting in a persons house. These methods are improving by time and are getting more advanced and safer for the protection of people. Many changes were made to a fire alarm, yet the most recent and favorite ones are the fire detectors with all its types. However, to avoid danger most latest buildings provide each flat with a fire detector that can detect any hazard that will be caused by fire caused unintentionally. Fire alarms consist of many different types mainly smoke alarm detectors and heat detectors. We chose to build our own heat detector that detects any change in the temperature of the room. This experiment will include mainly a heat sensor and a temperature detector, and a buzzer that turns on when the temperature changes. The report includes a search on different types of fire alarms and their use. Types of fire alarms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It is definitely hard to get robbed and lose your belongings, yet a thief will leave your home where you live with your family and are considered your shelter. Fire will leave nothing except ashes of what was before a house. However, fire can be a very destructive force. Acting too late in the instance of a fire can not only entail the loss of your property, but of your life as well. This is the reason is why having a fire alarm in your home is necessary. Brief historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The first automatic electric fire alarm was invented n 1890 by Francis Robbins Upton. In late 1930s the Swiss physicist Walter Jaeger tried to invent a sensor for poison gas. He expected that gas entering the sensor would bind to ionize air molecules and thereby alter an electric current in a circuit in the instrument. Francis Upton His device failed (small concentration of gas had no effect on the senors conductivity). When Jaeger lit a cigarette he was surprised to notice that a meter on eh instrument had registered a drop on current. Therefore, he discovered that smoke particles had done what poison gas could not do. Jaegers experiment was one of advances that paved the way for the modern day smoke detector. Smoke detectors started off with a generally high price that people couldnt afford, except for major businesses and theaters. The first affordable smoke detectors were invented by Duane D. Pearsall and Stanley Peterson in 1965, featuring individual battery powered units that could be easily installed and replaced. The first units for mass production came from the manufacturing mind of Stanley B. Peterson in 1975 at Duane Pearsalls company in Lakewood. These first units were made from strong fire resistant steel and shaped much like a bees hive. The battery was a rechargeable specialize unit created by gat es energy. We all know that fire alarms are designed to alert people to the possibility of a fire in their homes. Although any smoke alarm can be useful, it is often recommended that you choose a specific type of fire alarm for your home. This is because certain types of fire alarms can be more suited for certain places and for certain people. There are different types of fire alarms that people usually choose from to use in their houses for protection. Smoke detector 1) Smoke alarm detectors These are the most common types of fire alarms. Often, the term smoke alarm is used interchangeably with fire alarm. Smoke alarms actually detect smoke, not the actual fire. There are generally two types of smoke alarms: A) Photoelectric This type of fire alarm sees the smoke. This fire alarm is particularly responsive to smoldering fires or the type of fires that give out a lot of smoke. These are ideal for places where there are things like PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) or foam. This fire alarm, though, is slightly more expensive than ionization alarms. This fire alarm must also be kept clean since it can give off false alerts due to dust and insects. In one type of photoelectric device, smoke can block a light beam. In this case, the reduction in light reaching a photocell sets off the alarm. In the most common type of photoelectric unit, however, light is scattered by smoke particles onto a photocell, initiating an alarm. In this type of detector there is a T-shaped chamber with a light-emitting diode (LED) that shoots a beam of light across the horizontal bar of the T. A photocell, positioned at the bottom of the vertical base of the T, generates a current when it is exposed to light. Under smoke-free conditions, the light beam crosses the top of the T in an uninterrupted straight line, not striking the photocell positioned at a right angle below the beam. When smoke is present, the light is scattered by smoke particles, and some of the light is directed down the vertical part of the T to strike the photocell. When sufficient light hits the cell, the current triggers the alarm. Figure 1 -In this type of detector there is a figure 2- When sufficient light hits the cell, T-shaped chamber with a light-emitting the current triggers the alarm. Diode (LED) that shoots a beam of light across the horizontal bar of the T. B) Ionization This type of fire alarm detects the invisible particles caused by combustion. As opposed to the photoelectric fire alarm seeing the smoke, this type feels the smoke. This can best detect flaming fires with no visible smoke. However, you should not place this type of fire alarm in the kitchen as it is susceptible to false alarms. It is also cheaper than other types of fire alarms. Ionization detectors have an ionization chamber and a source of ionizing radiation. The ionization chamber consists of two plates separated by about a centimeter. The battery applies a voltage to the plates, charging one plate positive and the other plate negative. Alpha particles constantly released by the americium knock electrons off of the atoms in the air, ionizing the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the chamber. The positively-charged oxygen and nitrogen atoms are attracted to the negative plate and the electrons are attracted to the positive plate, generating a small, continuous electric current. When smoke enters the ionization chamber, the smoke particles attach to the ions and neutralize them, so they do not reach the plate. The drop in current between the plates triggers the alarm. Which Method is better? Both ionization and photoelectric detectors are effective smoke sensors. Both types of smoke detectors must pass the same test to be certified as UL smoke detectors. Ionization detectors respond more quickly to flaming fires with smaller combustion particles; photoelectric detectors respond more quickly to flaming fires. In either type of detector, steam or high humidity can lead to condensation on the circuit board and sensor, causing the alarm to sound. Ionization detectors are less expensive than photoelectric detectors, but some users purposely disable them because they are more likely to sound an alarm from normal cooking due to their sensitivity to minute smoke particles. However, ionization detectors have a degree of built-in security not inherent to photoelectric detectors. When the battery starts to fail in an ionization detector, the ion current falls and the alarm sounds, warning that it is time to change the battery before the detector becomes ineffective. Back-up batteri es may be used for photoelectric detectors. Ionization chamber Heat detector Smoke alarms in homes can go off whenever theres smoke present. If a person smokes cigarettes, burns food or lights incense, a smoke alarm might go off. A heat detector, on the other hand, is indifferent to how much or what type of smoke is in the air. It will only react when it detects a change in heat, associating that heat change with the possibility of a fire in the area. 2) Heat alarm detectors- are devices that respond to changes in temperature of the surrounding area. If the ambient temperature rises above a predetermined threshold an alarm signal is triggered. In the case of sprinkle systems, water will be released to extinguish the fire. Heat detectors can also be further broken into two main classifications: Rate-of-rise heat detectors- ROR heat detectors react to the sudden change or rise in ambient temperature from a normal baseline condition. Any sudden temperature increase that matches the predetermined alarm criteria will cause an alarm. This type of heat detector can react to a lower threshold condition than would be possible if the threshold were fixed. A typical alarm may sound when the rate of the temperature rise exceeds the rate that was chosen as the normal safe rate of the temperature per minute. However, it detects fires that rapidly grow in intensity. This method responds to abnormally fast temperature increases. Fixed temperature heat detectors- this type of detector reacts when the ambient temperature reaches a fixed point. The most common fixed temperature point is 136.4 F (58C). Recent technological developments have enabled the perfection of detector that activate at a temperature of 117 F (47 C), providing increased time to escape. This method detects fires that build temperatures to a high level at a slow rate. This method responds to a specific temperature setting. A fixed head detector must be completely heated to alarm temperature and therefore a disastrous interval in time may occur with a fast rate fire. Which method is better? Heat detectors commonly have a label on them that says not a life safety device. That is because heat detectors are not meant to replace smoke detectors in the bedrooms or in the hallway outside of the bedrooms. A heat detector will nonetheless notify of a fire in a kitchen, where smoke detectors should not be installed. This will allow more time to evacuate the building or put out the fire if possible. Each type of heat detector has its advantages, and it cannot be said that one type is better than the other. If we placed a rate-of-rise heat detector above a large, closed oven, then every time the door is opened an alarm could be generated due to the sudden heat transient. In this situation the fixed threshold detector would probably be best. If a room filled with highly combustible materials is protected with a fixed heat detector then a fast-flaming fire could exceed the alarm threshold due to thermal interval. In that case the rate-of-rise heat detector may be preferred. The secret of the heat detection units sensitivity is in the design. The outer shell is made of a rapidly expanding alloy which closely follows changes in surrounding air temperature. The inner struts are made of a lower expanding alloy. Designed to resist thermal energy absorption and sealed inside the shell, the struts follow temperature changes more slowly. A slow rate fire will heat the shell and struts together. At the set point, the unit will trigger, actuating the alarm or releasing the extinguishment. A transient rush of warm air up to 40 °F /min. may expand the shell, but not enough to trigger the unit. By ignoring transient warm air excursions, the DETECT-A-FIRE unit virtually eliminates false alarms prevalent with rate-of-rise devices. If a fast rate fire starts, the shell will expand rapidly. The struts will close, actuating the alarm or releasing the agent. The faster the fire rate of growth, the sooner the DETECT-A-FIRE unit will react. Why Heat Detectors? No annoying beep when the battery is low Best loop capability Affordable compared to other detectors Immunity towards electromagnetic interference Resistive against contagion like UV and IR rays No necessity to change batteries Inherently secure and reliable