Understanding Movies - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 318 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/09/20 Category Advertising Essay Type Argumentative essay Tags: Movie Essay Did you like this example? Understanding movies was the most interesting class which I have ever taken. People expect many advantages from taking various classes. Some people want to take a sports class to have fun while other people like a science class to enlarge their knowledge. In my case, I could get both entertainment and knowledge form the movie class. Through the use of a couple of examples and specific explanation, I will demonstrate why I liked the movie class most. First, Understanding movies was enjoyable. School life was always stressful. Whenever I was sick and tired of my major classes such as math, economics and so on, I could relax myself in the movie class. One day, I was so stressed out because I failed a quiz in my math class. But the movie class showed Dead poets society, which gave me a lesson. While I saw some young high school students trying to find the real value of lives, my stress had done away. Movie class entertained me whenever I felt bad during my university days. Sec ond, the movie class allowed me to have much valuable knowledge. In the movies, there are so many kinds of people, history and culture. When I saw the movie, Modern times by Charlie Chaplin, I could learn the situation of the United States in the early nineteenth century. Before I saw the movie, I did not know what exactly happened during The Great Depression in the U. S.. The movie class was one of the best sources of my knowledge. I really loved that movie class not only it was enjoyable but also it enlarged my knowledge. Since I found some advantages of watching movies, I have seen so many films that changed my major to film making. I hope that I can take one more chance to attend a movie class in the Unite States. The movie class was the most exciting class Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Understanding Movies" essay for you Create order

Coming Back to Cultural Imperialism - 623 Words

Coming back to Cultural Imperialism. We would like to start with the most rudimentary questions. What is culture. Why do we need to talk about it. What does Imperialism have to do with culture. And what is Cultural Imperialism. When Steger talks about the cultural dimension of globalization, he uses the words â€Å"symbolic construction, articulation, and dissemination of meaning† (90). Culture can define an individual, a group, a society, a nation or even the globe. Humans are social beings and since pre-historic times humans have been inquisitive and have embarked upon journeys to find new civilization. Today we are looking for life on other planets. When a person interacts with another, the first judgment he makes is about his nature. Similarly when we find ourselves in a new atmosphere, a new culture, the first few things we pick up are the culture not the economic status or the political scenario. It could be as simple as a greeting in the native language, or knowledge ab out the local cuisine, clothes or traditions. We all know that Vasco Da Gama brought along spices from his visit to India. What intrigues us so much, must be of huge importance. Culture exists in the form of ideas, language, identity, images and everything the human mind can perceive. Cultural is the inherent reactions, the way we behave socially, what we believe in and what makes us stand apart or defines us as a group. An interesting term at the heart of our discussion is ‘cultural products’. According toShow MoreRelatedBrionna Johnson. Mr. T.Kemiksizgil, Period 4. Mrs. K. Prinzo,1310 Words   |  6 Pages Period 4 Mrs. K. Prinzo, Period 6 03 March 2017 European Imperialism Good for Colonized Countries? Imagine you re in the 1700s and live in South Africa or another colonized country. You’ve gotten used to the new lifestyle, but then the Europeans come in and force imperialism onto you and your country. Being obliged to do something is what happened in South Africa. South Africa got colonized by Britain in 1795. Imperialism spread in the 1900s to Africa. So Africa was forced into havingRead MoreCultural Imperialism And The United States1475 Words   |  6 PagesDuring my time in Guatemala, I believe that the social issues I came in the most contact with were hegemony and cultural imperialism, or in other words, the influence the United States has over Guatemala. No matter where I was, whether it be the streets of the small town of San Miguel or the larger, more developed city of Guatemala City, I could not help but notice how much of an impact the United States has. Throughout the course of a month we learned a lot about the root causes of poverty- AmericaRead MoreThings Fall Apart916 Words   |  4 Pageschange virtually all of our ways by a foreign nation. Unfortunately for the Ibo society, imperialism was forced upon them. All they could do was sit back and watch as the English changed all aspects of their life. Everything from religion to family life was changed by imperialism. The title, Things Fall Apart, suits the book very well because that is essentially what happened to the Umuofia village. The cultural traditions of Umuofia eventually fell apart. The main points of focus in Things FallRead MoreImperialism And Colonization : The Heart Of Darkness1501 Words   |  7 PagesImperialism and Colonization The Heart of Darkness’ author Joseph Conrad’s idea that imperialism has an extensive impact on African natives and their ways of life is entirely correct; along with the idea that imperialism and colonization are simply a guise of a somewhat â€Å"noble cause,† used as a veil to shield underlying problems. This idea is portrayed through Conrad’s use of touching on the time before, the period of, and the era following the harshly imperialized and unnecessary colonizationRead MoreEthical And Ethical Ethics Of The International Arena Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pagespractices and the social norm is different in each country. In the article, Donaldson debunked previous theories like cultural relativism and ethical imperialism while coming up with a guideline that can help companies proceed in understanding cultural difference while still being ethical. (Donaldson, 1996, pp. 48-52) As I read through the article, it made me remember past events that had cultural dilemma while helping me find new ways to help my ethical decision making skills. Key lessons from the articleRead MoreEssay On Power In Heart Of Darkness1517 Words   |  7 Pagespossess. In this case, Conrad suggests one way an individual reinforces his or her power on others is through annihilation. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad implies an individual develops a â€Å"need† to fulfill his or her â€Å"role† as the superior, through cultural values. During the South African wars, Europeans were granted the title as the â€Å"superior group† and glorified more than any other race (Reybrouck 109). Reybrouck says because of this, Kurtz developed a sense of self through the â€Å"great tradition†Read MoreThe Cultural Dynamics Of Globalization1062 Words   |  5 Pagesconcept of globalization, especially through a cultural lens. Large scale globalization is something that historians have traced back to the early 19th century, but it has developed increasingly quickly and continually in the 20th century. (Ritzer and Dean, 2015) When studying globalization, it is impractical to view it a question of being simply something new or old, but rather as a process that constantly affects the world and can be understood through cultural changes. This paper will discus s, throughRead MoreThe Scramble for Africa Essay1032 Words   |  5 Pagescolonial powers managed to conquer and control almost the entire continent of Africa in a short, twenty-five year period from about 1875 to 1900. Some of the European states involved were already well-established global powers; the others were up and coming nations that desired to emulate and compete with the dominant imperial states. Various factors allowed for and contributed to the conquering of the whole of Africa by European states. The slow, but ever-growing European presence on the perimeterRead MoreSignificant Events that Shaped America between 1940 and 19801499 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant news? News comes through media outlets such as radio, newspaper and television. Americans especially tend to take things at face value. â€Å"This information must be true, I read it in a newspaper.† In 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and in the coming weeks thanks to newspaper, men and underage boy s were lined up in a fury ready to serve their country and the United States declares war on Japan. In the same year Hitler declares war on the United States. The United States drops the Atomic bombRead MoreThe Battle Of The Imperial System1316 Words   |  6 PagesWants to Marry an Emperor† that being married to an emperor is a fool’s errand; women are the ideal candidates of an noble emperor. Despite her trivial attacks on male emperors, men are undoubtedly far superior in ruling justified by their extension back to antiquity rulers, capability, and traditional essence. The imperial system has extended across thousands of years of Japanese history; it’s pitiful to say that it’ll come to a closing fairly soon. The imperial system demands a male to be the successor

Influence Of The Modern City - 1905 Words

Movements such as Futurism, Cubism and Impressionism saw Artists such as Umberto Boccioni, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso use the speed, and compression to reference the leisure filled Modern City, while trying to keep pace with the advances(Technological and Theoretical), which were breaking the Traditional way of life. Examples of this include; Umberto Boccioni’s, The City Rises (1910); Claude Monet’s, Boulevard des Capucines (1873); and Pablo Picasso’s, Absinthe Drinker (1901). By embracing the technological and theoretical changes of the Modern City, artists transitioned away from what was known as the conventional creation of Art. Meaning the way of depicting and portraying figures, and scenes within an image. Things were no longer idealised, and artists strived to paint images the way they were rather than the way people wanted them to be. It is in this way that Artists transitioned away from that which they had been taught, and as such, were able to effectively, experiment with different ways of representing the meaning of the Modern City. The adaptation from the traditional city, to the modern city, therefore contains a history of rejection of the traditional limitations and definitions of art. In the following analysis, it becomes apparent the Artists reference to the Modern City was based heavily on their contemporary urban environment. As such they were often influenced by the way the city had effect them. For example, Picasso’s Blue Period, in which heShow MoreRelatedThe Roman And Greek Civilization940 Words   |  4 PagesIt is truly fascinating how two different civilizations could fabricate almost every inch of society as long as humans can remember for thousands of years into the future and beyond. From the calendar and toilet to modern roads and concrete, both the Roman and Greek civilization terraformed the world and our homes. Both civilizations also introduced a wider variety of religion, mathematics, science, art and architecture concepts, machinery, military technology and strategy, astronomy, agricultureRead MoreEssay on The Roman and Grecian Effects on Society1261 Words   |  6 Pagesempires from early in human history. Much influence can be found from the Roman and Grecian empires, more than from any other sources. The basic forming of our own government can be traced back to the ideals that formed the Roman and Greek governments, paying attention their strengths and also to what caused the demise of t hose societies as well. (teachergenius.teachtci.com) Let us examine the Roman influences and facts first. Roman Governmental Influence: There was almost a caste system of sortsRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1503 Words   |  7 Pagesexamining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In scrutinizing the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideasRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1498 Words   |  6 Pagesexamining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient R ome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideasRead MoreA Smart City Is Not Just About The Good Things905 Words   |  4 Pagestaken from author Anne-Marie Aguilar emphasizes this paper’s argument that the concept of a smart city has positive, but also negative impacts, such as generating class division and social inequality. However, because attention is directed towards the positive effects, this often leads one to overlook the primarily negative influence of this phenomenon. To start with, we define a smart city as a city in which ICT is merged with traditional infrastructures, coordinated and integrated using new digitalRead MoreUrban Planning And Design Of Urban Cities Essay1643 Words   |  7 PagesCities are characterized b y the patterns of streets and squares that define their arrangement, a concept that undergoes frequent changes since the establishment of cities 10,000 years ago. There are multitude factors that influence such changes with system of government, values, population size, values, artistic sensibility, building methods, design techniques, paving techniques, military considerations, and transport technology being the main determinants. Medieval architectural designs emphasizedRead MorePerpustakaan Negara and Pusat Sains Negara1012 Words   |  4 Pagesconcept of a traditional Malay men head gear called ‘tengkolok songket’ which can be seen exteriorly. Most of the public building as mentioned above used a ‘traditional’ approach in it’s design concept. This indicated that part of the traditional influences is still being use locally in the progress of forming the urban characteristic of Kuala Lumpur. Other than all the mentioned buildings in previous pages, the other major components in contributing urbanism in Malaysia is the old local shophousesRead MoreNo More Weird Architecture And Its Effect On The Construction Industry1369 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction All kinds of strange landmarks in China has exceeded â€Å"the Tyrant city: Dubai† where its was also described as the contemporary architectural museum. Chinese cities are entering the era of the craziest, however, its soon coming to an end. Last month Xi Jinping’s comment, â€Å"No more weird architecture has caused an uproar in the construction industry: the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development is organising expert discussions will likely strengthen the construction of publicRead MoreHistorical Events That Took Place During The Classical Period1458 Words   |  6 PagesTroy O’Donnell Professor Roberts April 27, 2015 World Literature I Historically Significant Influences of Aristotle During the Classical Period, 500-232 BCE, Greece was at the peak of its political and cultural achievement. This was also a time of war, most noteworthy being the vast empire created by Alexander the Great. In a period containing such an immense amount of historical significance there is no doubting that it had influenced the people born. Notorious philosopher Aristotle is no exceptionRead More Architecture Set In Motion Essay1570 Words   |  7 PagesVersailles, in revolt against the palace and after the death of Louis XIV, French women who had city houses in Paris inspired a new lightened airy style of decor and architecture. As seen in the Salon de la Princess, the structure of the room has virtually been covered up by white walls of wood and mirrors, and it only contains hints of the classical orders and conventions, while conveying the modern concept of space free of major structural forms. The predominate feature in the room is the gold

Organized Being in Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics...

Kants argument that good will is the supreme purpose of mans existence based on observations of the influence that reason exerts on the will is inconsistent with what may be observed in nature. It presupposes an intentional cosmos wherein an organized beings purpose, and thus its standard of value, can be extracted from an examination of its constitution and faculties. While this presupposition is logically consistent with the rest of Kants moral theory it does not coincide with what we can actually observe in nature. The following essay will examine, one, the idea of an organized being, secondly, why Kant proposes it, then we will contrast this idea with what we observe, and finally, analyse the extent of the harm done to the†¦show more content†¦Kant proposes that the distinction of purposes between reason and instinct is apparent because if mans sole purpose was his own well-being then the only factor that nature would allow to leverage his will would be instinct, the desires and inclinations thereof being entirely sufficient for that end. However, that man must have some other purpose beyond his own happiness is evident from the influence that reason exerts on the will. If mans object were his happiness alone then should reason have been communicated to this favoured creature ...it must only have served it to contemplate the happy constitution of its nature...but not that it should subject its desires to that weak and delusive guidance and meddle bunglingly with the purpose of nature. (6) Reason, in Kants view, could not have been intended by nature as an auxiliary for enhancing mans pursuit of happiness. He points out his observation that those who attempt to employ reason in pursuit of this end often achieve results contrary to it. So long as we do not doubt the capacity of reason to compel man to set aside his inclinations we must also accept that nature has intended him for a secondary purpose as well. Otherwise, Nature would not only have taken on herself the choice of the ends, butShow MoreRelatedKant s Categorical Imperative And Morality1297 Words   |  6 Pagespeople in general, from the bounds of a religious authority or moral absolute to judge them. Working during the Enlightenment, he contributed to the flow of similarly progressive ideas during this pivotal era in human development and knowledge. Brought about by his deeply religious upbringing and social environment, Kant’s categorical imperative was an attempt to rationalize religion, a central goal of the Enlightenment. Immanuel Kant’s upbringing certainly affected his thoughts on religion and moralityRead MoreImmanuel Kants View on Human Nature and the Relationship between Nations2105 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Immanuel Kants View on Human Nature and Relationship between Nations Immanuel Kant (1724 1804) was born in Kaliningrad in East Prussia. Kant spent his working life there and also produced work on various subject matters including ethics metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics etc. He published his three famous critiques and wrote on religion, eternal peace and politics. All of the above, Kant was the philosopher of human autonomy. He was of the view that human beings can determine and manageRead MoreThe Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility of the Affordable Care Act and Florida Blue.5116 Words   |  21 Pagesthe size and power of the federal government and it is one of the largest tax increase in the history of the world,† despite it being almost equally in size to President Clinton 1993 tax increase (â€Å"‘Obamacare’ isn’t the largest†, 2012). There is an abundance of questions surrounding the new healthcare act ranging from the constitutionality of Act to the ethical and moral ramifications of such wide sweeping legislation. This paper will attempt to answer some of these questions as they pertain to healthcare

Discrimination and Special Educational Needs Free Essays

string(71) " Inform Ofsted and get additional advice/support from relevant bodies\." HOME BASED CHILDCARE CYPOP5 TASKS 1-3 TASK 1 (Produce an information sheet which outlines the following: the current legislation for home based childcare and the role of regulatory bodies. ) The current legislations are as follows: * Sex Discrimination Act (1975) This backed by the Equal Opportunities Commission and its aims is to make sure people are not discriminated against on the basis of their gender. * Race Relations Act (1976) which has been amended in (2000) This is to ensure individual are given a fair opportunity and the appropriate measures are put into place to achieve that goal. We will write a custom essay sample on Discrimination and Special Educational Needs or any similar topic only for you Order Now Education Act (1981) This brought a significant change in through the wishes of parents ‘rights’ so that children with disabilities could be educated in ordinary schools. * Public Health (Control of Disease) Act (1984 This explains in great detail the notification and exclusion periods for certain infectious diseases. * Education Reform act (1988) This brought about the process of the (National Curriculum) in schools. * Education Act (1993) This made some very important changes to the Education Act 1981 and the law relating to children with special educational needs. These changes are now consolidated in the Education Act 1996. The Code of Practice and the SEN Tribunal were the major innovations as was the enforcement of strict time limits for completing assessments of special educational needs by Local Education Authorities. * Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Children with Special Educational Needs (1994 which was revised in (2001) This is guidance specifically aimed at children who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) for the Local Authorities and the aim was designed to promote a high level of standards for all pupils through inclusive education. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (RIDDOR) (1995) Outlines certain incidents or accidents that must be reported by law; For e. g. A Fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes. * Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations (1995) This is about Food Temperature control and general food safety; this is not yet applicable to childminders to register for although good hygiene practices must be adhered to. * Family Law Act (1996) Guidance relating to safeguarding children. * Disability Discrimination Act (1995) This was established by the Parliament for to ensure the rights of disabled individuals in the United Kingdom. * Education Act (1997) This combined all the Acts since 1944 into one Act. This entailed a full framework of identifying and assessing a child’s particular needs as set out in the (The Code of Practice) * Code of Practice for First Aid (1997) Gives guidance on detailed specification for trained First Aiders and First Aid Requirements. * Human Rights Act (1998) This came into force in (2000) and was set out by the European Convention on Human Rights, this outlines basic rights. (I. E. The right to life) * Protection of Children Act (1998) A Private members bill, which was introduced by Debra Shipley (MP) its provisions are designed to help strengthen procedures for vetting people who work with children. * Data Protection Act (1998) The Act covers any data about a living and identifiable individual and prevents confidential information being passed on without the individuals permission. In practice it provides a way for individuals to control information about themselves, in the case of children parents must give permission. * Special Educational Needs Disability Act (2001) The act required schools, colleges, universities, adult education providers, statutory Youth service and local education authorities to make ‘reasonable provisions’ to ensure people with disabilities or special needs were provided with the same opportunities as those who were not disabled. For e. g. wheelchair access if required Although was replaced by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. * Care of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (2002) This deals with identification by risk assessment, control of exposure, health surveillance and incident planning, storage of cleaning fluids. * Health Protection Agency Act (2004) The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards and it does this by providing advice and information to the General Public, Health Professionals such as Doctors and Nurses and to the Local/National government * Children Act (2004) This Act’s ultimate purpose is to make the UK better and safer for children of all ages the idea behind the Act is to promote co-ordination between multiple official entities to improve the overall well-being of children. Every Child Matters’ 5 Outcomes are Identified: * Be Healthy * Stay Safe * Enjoy and achieve * Make a Positive Contribution * Achieve economic well-being * Childcare Act (2006) Introduced the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England. TASK 2 (In order to operate a registered home base childcare service the following policies and procedures must be in place: acciden ts, illness and emergencies; behaviour; safeguarding; equal opportunities. ) Write a policy for each of the above, and write a procedure to explain how each of the policies will be implemented. policies and 4 procedures are required ACCIDENT POLICY The safety of your child is paramount and I will take every measure I can to protect your child from hurting themselves. My premises have been checked and they meet the EYFS Welfare Requirements for childminding outlined by Ofsted. I also regularly review, update and practice safety routines. As a registered childminder, I am legally required to have a valid first aid certificate. I can administer basic first aid treatment, and my first aid box is clearly labelled and easily accessible. It is stored in the kitchen. Parent contact numbers are with the first aid box. I hold written permission from parents to get emergency treatment for their child if it is needed If an untoward incident occurs I will follow the following process: ACCIDENT PROCEDURE * Comfort and reassure the child Carry out First Aid if necessary. * Call an ambulance if necessary and attend hospital with the child. * I will also contact you immediately if a serious accident has occurred or if a minor accident has happened will contact you once the child has settled down. Fill in an accident report sheet and give you a copy of this. * Inform Ofsted and get additional advice/support from relevant bodies. You read "Discrimination and Special Educational Needs" in category "Papers" * Other children in my care will be looked after by another child minder Details are as follows Atia Begum or in exceptional circumstances where Atia is not available my sister Aisha Qamar will take over. * Ask you to keep me a dvised of your child’s condition following an accident if we have had to seek medical attention ILLNESS AND EMERGENCIES POLICY There is no charge for any period of non-attendance due to childminder illness. Although Full fees apply for any period of non-attendance due to child or parent illness. Unwell children are welcome to attend their scheduled hours so long as they meet the following criteria, based on Ofsteds national standards. Your child is welcome to attend so long as he/she 1. Does not have a contagious or infectious illness 2. Has not had vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours 3. Has eaten within the last 12 hours. 4. Is not coughing. 5. Does not have a raised temperature 6. Is not restless, irritable or over-tired 7. Is not bunged up or congested, or has thick and permanent runny nose. ILLNESS ND EMERGENCIES PROCEDURE Children who are coughing may attend so long as the cough is non-productive and they are being treated with a cough medicine. Children with runny noses may attend if they are being treated with medicine to treat their cold. All medication required by the child must be signed for, prior to the child’s attendance. If a form is not signed, no medication will be administered. A signature is required for all medication administered during the child’s scheduled hours. If the child becomes unwell, or does not meet the above criteria during their attendance, it may become necessary to send the child home. If you are in any doubt about a child’s ability to attend childminding hours, please telephone to discuss. If the child is not attending, please give as much notice as possible. If the child is unwell but able to attend, please mention this when they are dropped off so that plans may be changed if required. If you are unsure about a child’s health, or if medication is required, please speak to the child’s doctor, health visitor or a pharmacist. BEHAVIOUR POLICY * Do not feed or play with the animals without permission. * Keep coats, shoes and belongings tidied away. * Always sit when eating, ideally at the table. * No aggressive behaviour, biting, hitting, calling names. * Do not pick up babies or toddlers. * Always wash hands after going to the toilet or touching the animals. No jumping on the furniture. * Always wash your hands before eating. * Flush the chain after using the toilet, and replace the lid. * Treat other children and adults with respect and good manners. Handle toys with care. * Always remove shoes when upstairs. * No running ahead when out walking. * Always ask permission before removing car seat belts or opening car doors. * Never hang toys or limbs out of car doors or windows. BEAVIOUR PROCEDURES The NCMA (National Child Minding Association) recommended method of dealing with ‘naughty’ behaviour is through a time out session lasting only one minute per year of age. This involves encouraging t he child to sit quietly until the period is over. No child will be smacked or excluded from the room. Ongoing disobedience will be brought to your attention so a suitable solution can be reached. If it becomes necessary to restrain your child (For example a temper tantrum by the road side) you will be notified in writing. Good behaviour will be rewarded and encouraged by the use of praise, certificates and gold stars. The house rules are laid down to help children know what is expected of them while within the childminding setting. These rules are for the safety of your child and the other children around them, as well as the house and pets. Your child will not be punished for breaking the rules but will be encouraged not to. Please help with this, even if you do not follow the same rules within your own home. SAFEGUARDING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Omar I wouldn’t put the Safeguarding procedure and Equal opportunities together, they need to be separated. The safeguarding policy needs ,more information in regards to what you would do if you suspected a child had been abused – recording, speaking to parents if appropriate, making a referral if necessary I have given you some information with this on. I understand that child abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional and neglectful, or a mixture of these. I must notify Ofsted of any allegations of abuse that are alleged to have taken place while the child is in my care. Signs of abuse can vary widely and require professional involvement, which is why all childminders and anyone who had regular contact with another person’s child, must be aware of child abuse and report any suspicions. Under the Child Protection Act I am required, by law, to keep a record of any accidents or injuries which occur within my care or outside of my care. I have accident report forms which I will complete for any injury which occurs in childminding hours, which will require your signature. I also require you to fill in ’existing injury forms’ for any bumps and bruises received at home. In addition to being an equal opportunities environment, no child will be turned away due to ethical background or religious beliefs. Every attempt will be made to respect any cultural beliefs and wishes. Children with disabilities are welcome, providing their needs can be catered for. Children within my childminding setting will be exposed to and educated about a wide range of different religious and cultural beliefs. This will be used to teach all children to appreciate cultural diversity and to respect the beliefs of others around them. It will also help children feel confident and proud of their own background, whatever it may be. As part of their voyage into equality and diversity, children will be encouraged to join in celebrations into other country’s culture, religious festivals,  charity events and their own family background. It is important to remember that equal opportunities are not about treating everyone the same, but to understand their differences with an open and tolerant mind. Children will learn through positive awareness that differences are good things and should be celebrated and respected. SAFEGUARDING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES PROCEDURES As a registered childminder, I have an obligation to report any suspicious incidents or accidents to the relevant authorities following the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. I keep up to date with child protection issues and relevant legislation by taking regular training courses and by reading relevant publications. This helps me be aware of the signs of abuse or neglect and what to do if I have a concern. I have a copy of and am familiar with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. If I am concerned about a child’s welfare, I will contact the local authority, the NSPCC, NCMA or other relevant support services for advice, confidentially will be assured only when it is clear that there is no risk of harm to a child. The following numbers will always be to hand Ofsted (08456 404040) NCMA Information Line – for help and support for with all areas of childminding, including allegations of child abuse. 0800 169 4486 NCMA Legal advice line – offers free, professional advice to NCMA members on any legal problem related to their childminding business. (01253 777468) NSPCC child protection helpline – 24-hour helpline for people worried about a child (0808 800 5000) POLICY FOR ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AGAINST A CHILDMINDER As a Childminder working alone I may be vulnerable to allegations of abuse being made against me or another adult in my home. I will take precautions to protect myself from this happening by: * Ensuring all household members aged 16 and over are CRB cleared. * Ensuring all visitors to the house do not have unsupervised access to the children under any circumstances. * Ensuring, where possible, that no workmen/women are in the house during minded hours, unless it is to repair an emergency service or for health and safety reasons. Documenting every accident and incident that occurs whilst children are in my care, informing parents of such events and requesting them to sign my records. * Noting any noticeable marks on the children when they arrive and asking parents to inform me of any accidents that have occurred whilst outside my care. * Ensuring the children are within sight and/or hearing at all times according to the child’s age stage of ability. * Keeping accurate records on each child. * However, if an allegation is made I will then follow the procedure detailed below in order to gain support and professional advice: Contact : The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) immediately to discuss the nature of the allegation and the appropriate action to be taken. 01274 434343 * Ofsted to advise them of the allegation 0300 123 1231 I will write a detailed record of all related incidents, including what was said and by whom, with times and dates. After seeking advice/approval from the LADO I will ask witnesses (if there were any) to also write a statement detailing the incident they witnessed and giving their contact details in case it needs to be followed up by the authorities. Task 3 Confidentiality and data protection are vital when running a home based childcare service. Write an explanation of the importance of both. * Confidentiality-privacy, discretion keeping information secret. * Data Protection Act (1998)- This is designed to prevent confidential and personal information being passed on without a person’s consent. This now includes not just information stored on computers but also on paper and screen, including photographs. It is paramount for me as a childminder to safe guard the children in my care from any form of vulnerability, in order to achieve this I must be highly vigilant in my approach, I should never discuss issues of children with different parents. * Password protect my computers * Have a secure locked cupboard where I can keep personal information about the children in my care. The ultimate manner in which to run a successful business is to be professional at all times, this is a key focus as this can not only endanger the children but can also give out the wrong impression to parents. In addition to having confidentiality this is expected on both sides, as there will be information I will be sharing with parents i. e. contract details, fees, contact details, my experience etc. This will be a mandatory requirement on both sides, although my primary goal is to keep the children safe and healthy by implementing the good practices that the NCMA recommend, which is to have a lockable separate business filling system that cannot be accessed by the rest of my family or other visitors to my setting. How to cite Discrimination and Special Educational Needs, Papers

Icici Bank

Icici Bank- Strategy Analysis Essay ICICI Bank : Strategy Analysis Table of Contents ICICI Bank : Strategy Analysis1 ICICI Bank4 Brief History: Evolution of the Entity with respect to Time4 Inception4 Establishing Synergy: Consolidation5 ICICI Bank in the Retail sector6 How it all began6 ICICI’s perspective of the retail market and the elements of strategy7 Corporate relationships7 Technology8 Operational excellence8 ICICI and International Business9 International remittance key corridors for India9 Business Model10 ICICI Bank Approach10 Agri and Microfinance sector12 Rural, Micro-Banking Agribusiness Group (RMAG)13 Mapping the Possibilities14 The Distribution Network15 ICICI and Corporate Division16 Leveraging Technology17 Focussed Group Approach17 Leveraging relationships18 E- Finance In ICICI Bank19 The Way Ahead19 Corporate Social Responsibility: ICICI Bank19 The Core Social Values of ICICI and The Strategic Approach to Achieve them20 Alignment of the Firm’s Objective with its CSR21 Tools for Firm Analysis21 Value Chain25 Generic Competitive Strategies26 BCG Matrix:27 Resource Based View(RBV)28 Porter’s 5 Force Model:32 ICICI Bank Brief History: Evolution of the Entity with respect to Time Inception ICICI Bank traces back its origin to 1955 when, at the initiative of World Bank, the Government of India and representatives of Indian industry, The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India Limited (ICICI) was incorporated with the objective of providing long-term and medium-term project financing to Indian businesses (Exhibit 1). In 1955 ICICI acted as a primary source of foreign currency in the Indian Market. Funding from World Bank, GOI, and other multilateral sources not withstanding ICICI was also one of the first Indian companies to raise funds from international markets. In 1956 itself the company declared its first dividend of 3. 5%. Spreading Wings: Developing a Diverse Product and Market Portfolio In 1967 ICICI made its first debenture issue for Rs. 6 crore, which was oversubscribed and in 1969 the first two regional offices were set up in Calcutta and Madras. In 1972 the company set up merchant banking services and became one of the first two Indian entities to do so. In 1977 the formation of Housing Development Finance Corporation was sponsored by ICICI, and the company also managed its first equity public issue. In 1982 the bank raised European Currency Units, the first Indian borrower to do so, and also commenced leasing business. In 1986 ICICI received ADB Loans, again the first Indian institution to do so. In the same year, ICICI, along with UTI, set up Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited. In the same year ICICI promoted Shipping Credit and Investment Company of India Limited. The year 1987 saw ICICI making a public issue of Swiss Franc 75 million in Switzerland, marking the entry of an Indian entity in the Swiss capital market. In 1993 it Promoted TDICI, Indias first venture capital company. ICICI Bank Established It was in 1994 that ICICI Bank started as a wholly owned banking subsidiary of ICICI Limited. And in 1996 when K. V. Kamath took over ICICI Bank, ICICI, and its other group companies had largely complementary services, and though legally not a single entity, operated as a â€Å"virtual universal bank† in unison. Establishing Synergy: Consolidation The process of achieving synergy across the different areas of operation began formally with the year 1998 when the name The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India Ltd was also changed to ICICI Ltd and subsequently in 1999 a new logo symbolizing a common corporate identity for the ICICI Group was introduced. The Merger: It was in 2001the Boards of Directors of ICICI and ICICI Bank sanctioned the amalgamation of ICICI and two of its wholly-owned retail finance subsidiaries, ICICI Personal Financial Services Limited and ICICI Capital Services Limited, with ICICI Bank. In the following year, the merger was approved by its shareholders, the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmadabad as well as the High Court of Judicature at Mumbai and the Reserve Bank of India. In the merger process one fully paid up equity share of ICICI Bank stood for two fully paid up equity shares of ICICI. The share exchange ratio was determined by two separate financial advisors and an independent accounting firm, on the basis of the valuation process carried out by them. The shares held by ICICI in ICICI Bank were not cancelled. They were delivered to a trust to be divested in future, the benefits of the divestments accruing to the merged entity. (Exhibit2) Why: The growing competition in the industry, and the structural changes, happening very fast with changing regulations, initiated such a decision. The merger of ICICI Bank and ICICI, and two subsidiaries formalized the potential synergy that existed between them because of complementary services, products, and similar operational processes and ideology. The merger resulted in a winning combination of the deposit raising capability of the ICICI Bank with the large capital base of ICICI. It made the corporate relations built by ICICI easily accessible to ICICI Bank. It also integrated the retail operations of ICICI, and its two subsidiaries, with ICICI Bank. Thus the merger helped in creating a seamless line of services to both the corporate and the retail sectors. Present Situation: An Overview ICICI Bank presently is one of the most reputed financial companies in India. The second largest bank in India, it is also the largest private sector bank in terms of market capitalization. It is also the largest issuer of credit cards in India. With more than 24 million customers, about 5,219 ATMs and a network of 2,016 branches and 17 subsidiary companies (domestic and international included, Ref. Exhibit. 3,as on 31 March 2009), ICCI is not only one of the four major players in the Indian market, but also boasts of presence in 19 different countries ( Ref. Exhibit. 4) , including India. Its shares are listed in stock exchanges of Kolkata, Vadodora, The BSE, The NSE and its ADRs trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Its main competitors are State Bank of India,  Axis Bank  and  HDFC Bank, the other three of the four major players in the sector The bank caters to a wide range of both corporate and retail customers with its various banking and financial instruments in the areas of investment banking, life and non-life insurance, venture capital and asset management. The bank is one of the firsts among the Indian banking companies to expand overseas, keeping in mind particularly the NRI population, and presently operates in its different markets through wholly-owned subsidiaries (for e. g. n Canada, Russia and the UK), branches (for e. g. in Belgium, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka) and representatives offices (for e. g. in Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and USA). This case will be dealing with the banking sector of the ICICI Bank. ICICI Bank in the Retail sector The retail banking business is often regarded as the bread and butter of the ICIC I bank among all its other portfolios of businesses. ICICI is the largest provider of retail credit in India. As of March 31, 2008, its total retail portfolio was Rs. 316. 63 billion. And even more astonishingly, retail business single-handedly accounted for 58% of its total loans in the same year of 2008(for reference see Exhibit 5). Its current and savings account (CASA) deposits as a percentage of total deposits increased from 22% at March 31, 2007 to 26% at March 31, 2008, with savings account deposits increasing by 36% during fiscal 2008. Also its CASA ratio took a dip in 2009 when savings increased after the downturn but soon underwent a recovery in 2010(see Exhibit 6). How it all began Deputy MD Chanda Kochhar says â€Å"When we rolled out the retail strategy in a big way that was again a huge change and therefore a hugely enriching experience because at that time, the entire consumer finance business was very nascent for the country as a whole. So, we really had to create a vision of what this business is going to be like for the country and of course it was absolutely new for ICICI. One was really moving in uncharted territories and taking decisions, taking a call as one moved along and learning alongside. In 1996 when K. V Kamath joined ICICI bank as the new MD and CEO, he immediately initiated strategic initiatives and structural changes across the ICICI Group that helped redraw its boundaries and take it to the next level. Retail financing in the mid-1990s was an open field, with no major players and Kamath recruited a young bunch of strikers who would score winners for him. In 1997, ICICI became the first Indian financial institution to go online. At a time when word was experiencing the dotcom boom, Kamath was quick to sense the shift in customer demands. Whereas the opportunity was the vast untapped potential, he achieved this by adding a new weapon to his armoury technology. It is worth mentioning here that ICICI has been investing in technology since many years, even much before other banks had started thinking this way. So ICICI bank leveraged on this technology resource to a lot of extent to emerge as a leader in this space. It was K. V Kamath’s idea that introduced ATMs across the country using current technology as an enabler. ICICI Bank had experienced a growth rate of more than 180% in its very first year and a separate majority owned company called ICICI Infotech supported the IT operations of the banking section. But it was the innovative idea of introducing ATMs, which gave them the special headstart. The competitors present in the then retail banking sector were the State Bank of India and other foreign banks who had an excellent presence in the retail sector. What ICICI lacked then was a resource that these banks had in plenty. SBI in particular had huge number of branches that helped it reach out to its customers. ICICI back then had only 50 branches across the country. It compensated for this lack of resource by setting up ATM’s all over the country. ICICI’s perspective of the retail market and the elements of strategy In exhibit 8, the year wise comparison of mortgage loans to that of other retail loans for three consecutive years of 2000- 2002 is shown where the loan units are in billions of rupees. Despite the fast growth, the Indian retail market continued to be under-penetrated in comparison to its peers. This was the perspective that ICICI took in looking at the retail market. Corporate relationships ICICI bank’s strategy to capture the untapped market potential can be said to revolve around four elements, they being strong corporate relationships, brand, technology and operational excellence. Coming to the first element of strong corporate relationships, ICICI has undergone a series of mergers to enhance its capital base. For example, In May 2002, the merger of ICICI, ICICI PFS and ICICI Capital with ICICI Bank was realized, creating what is now referred to simply as ICICI. According to the ICICI’s 2001-2002 Annual Report, the merger of ICICI and its subsidiaries with ICICI Bank created a combined entity with complementary strengths and products and similar processes and operating architecture. The merger has combined the large capital base of ICICI with the strong deposit raising capability of ICICI Bank, giving ICICI Bank improved ability to increase its market share in banking fees and commissions, while lowering the overall cost of funding through access to lower-cost retail deposits. ICICI Bank is now able to fully leverage the strong corporate relationships that ICICI has built, seamlessly providing the whole range of financial products and services to corporate clients. Then delving into the second decider of strategy for ICICI’s growth, ICICI has built up its brand and has been able to position it in the minds of the retail consumer in such a way that it helps drive its business. After 2002 ICICI has more consciously started its brand and has been successful to a great extent. Technology Technology has always been the key driver in most of the growth strategies of ICICI bank. Technology is a very important aspect of ICICIs innovations, as the firm has taken advantage of the affordability of technology to enhance its business. The financial services company has allied itself with a number of other companies in order to offer innovative services. They have partnered with Orange and Airtel to provide WAP-based m-commerce (mobile/telephone banking), with Compaq to develop a payment gateway, with Yahoo! to provide on-line financial information, and with Satyam Infoway to offer retail financial products over the Internet. ICICI and its subsidiaries have portals that allow its customers to access accounts and products on-line, offering cutting-edge web-based tools. ICICI was the first of the Indian financial services firms to aggressively pursue an e-commerce strategy and has established a reputation as the leader in this area. The firm has invested in the development of its e-commerce group and has dedicated resources to using their technological advantage to great better customer service and increased internal efficiencies. ICICI bank has been able to successfully go for technology that has immense utility in its industry context yet quite affordable also thereby enabling it to attain scale economies (see exhibit 9). Operational excellence ICICI bank has also built its strategies around operational excellence. They have applied innovation very well to develop competencies in reaching the customer. For example, they have developed a successful third party distribution model with a growing market share in distribution of mutual funds, Reserve Bank of India relief bonds and insurance products. This allows them to meet all customer needs through products that are complementary to those that they offer directly, while leveraging their distribution capability to earn fee income from third parties. They also provide online trading facilities through www. ICICIdirect. com. ICICIdirect provides complete end-to-end integration for seamless electronic trading on the stock exchanges and has been rated â€Å"TxA1† by CRISIL, indicating highest ability to service broking transactions. ICICIdirect has also launched India’s first Digitally Signed Contract Notes (DSCN), which allows a customer to view and print their contract notes online. ICICI Bank has pioneered a multi-channel distribution strategy in India, giving its customers 247 access to banking services. The enhanced convenience that this offers the customer has supported its customer acquisition efforts and migration of customer transactions from branches to lower-cost technology-enabled channels. During the year, ICICI Bank continued to expand its non-branch channels aggressively and successfully migrated customer transaction volumes to these channels. Only 35% of customer induced transactions now take place at branches. ICICI Bank set up over 500 new ATMs during fiscal 2002, taking the ATM network to over 1,000 ATMs. Another very innovative and important feature here worth mentioning under operational excellence is the concept of cross-selling that ICICI has implemented to acquire as well as to retain its customer base in retail banking where it has offered different products to the same clients or made one product popular among different kinds of clients. See exhibit 10 for the share of various channels ICICI bank has made use of to reach the end customer. ICICI and International Business Flushed with its success in the retail sector, ICICI decided to foray into the international market in 2001. But it needed a well planned strategy to venture into this new sector. One of the top executives -Lalit Gupte was chosen to head over the international business. But it still had greater issues to resolve like- Which countries to enter into? Who will be the target customers? What products and services would ICICI offer? Which technology to use to automate the process? International remittance key corridors for India International remittance from migrant workers to their home countries have been a significant source of income for many developing countries (Exhibit 11). Unlike FDI and developing aids, remittance tends to be a more stable source of income for these countries. Based on the remittance flow pattern top 10 remittance corridors have been identified (Exhibit 12) and India is one of the major recipients of these remittances. The figures exceeded a little over 22 billion USD in 2004. (Exhibit 13). What drives the huge remittance flow to India? Maybe it is the huge Indian Diaspora spread across the world (Exhibit 14). Before the IT revolution in 1999 much of the India bound remittance used to flow from the Gulf countries – Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, Bahrain etc. These migrant workers received little political rights in these countries and their sole motive was to earn as much as possible and return home. They were then replaced with a fresh set of migrant workers. The money remitted home was used for a variety of purpose like meeting day to day needs, vehicle purchase, real estate etc. With the IT business emergence the blue collared workers in US, UK, Europe also began to remit on a regular basis. While the white collared workers used to remit small amounts at a time, were under-banked in their source countries and preferred traditional transfer methods; the blue collared workers remitted large amounts, were highly banked in the source countries and preferred online methods. ICICI made note of these patterns and decided to develop its products accordingly to cater to the varied customer base. Business Model The remittance business was initially dominated by Money transfer Operators (MTOs). The major source of revenue in this business comes from three sources- * Transactions Fees-Depends on the transactions amount and the destination place * Exchange rate-Applicable when the remitter’s currency is not the same as destination currency. * Float revenue- revenue earned from lending or transmitting overnight When banks saw the opportunity in this business they ventured into the sector offering services at a much cheaper rate (Exhibit 15). By providing remittance as a value-added service banks were able to gain market share and customer loyalty. ICICI Bank Approach ICICI saw an opportunity to focus on inwards remittances towards India from anywhere in the world. But to become a serious player in this field it needed to focus on the following issues- * Understanding regulatory compliance –‘Know your Customer’, ‘Fraud Detection’ and ‘Anti-Money Laundering’ rules in different countries; * Establish correspondent network in the source and recipient countries; * Cater to customer requirements- ease of transfer, transparency in fee structure, in –time and safe delivery of remittance. Also ICICI studied that the major players in this sector –viz SBI, HDFC, Citigroup had strong international presence in the form of branch network. Hence it adopted the following strategies to capture the money transfer market. Product Innovation: ICICI formulated different products and service delivery mechanism for different customer segments. In order to cater to the blue collared workers is used traditional approach viz partner bank based products and bank branch based products. For the white collared workers is adopted the innovative model-Online web based products and alliance with partners offering both online offline services (Exhibit 16). Its direct banking facility through Hi-Save accounts offers attractive interest rates Exhibit17 compared to other banks Partnership Strategy: ICICI had a huge customer base and extensive distribution network in India. But it also needed its presence in the source countries. Hence ICICI went on to establish presence in key geographies through partnership with banks in the source countries. The partners enjoyed high business volume through their alliance with ICICI and hence readily contributed to the partnership. Some of the key alliances formed by ICICI are as follows: * UK- partnered with Lloyd TSB Bank. ICICI customers can open current and saving account through 2,200 Lloyd’s branches in UK. * US-alliance with Wells Fargo Bank. Customers get the facility to initiate transactions from their remittance accounts with Wells Fargo using both online and offline (branches and ATMs) method. Gulf- ICICI follows multiple methods here. It has its own branches in the region, also it has tied up with Emirates Bank, Commercial bank of Qatar and some exchange houses. * Singapore – ICICI has alliance with DBS bank Technology Strategy: ICICI has used technology to provide dedicated infrastructure and improved customer service levels. Also technology provided it with alternate transaction and payment channel, provided scalability and reduced cost. The transaction flow h appening in the remittance process is given in Exhibit 18 and 19. ICICI offers international remittance services through two accounts-Vostro account and Nostro account. Nostro account is an account one bank holds with a bank in the foreign country usually in the foreign country currency. Vostro account on the other hand is held by a bank as a correspondent account of an overseas bank. ICICI uses a channel middleware (SMART software) as a customer interface . The commission charges are between 0. 125% and 2. 5%. The details of the commission charges by ICICI are given in Exhibit 20. For every transaction a SWIFT code is generated. New Jersey Vs. T.L.O. EssayThe emphasis lies not only in providing financial support, but also on an active involvement to research into the needs of such underprivileged children, to design a suitable curriculum for them. It also takes interest in providing proper training to the teachers, and 45000 teachers have received training so far through its partnership with the state governments of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and  Gujarat. Sustainability: To address this concern the bank has entered into a partnership with Environmentally Sustainable Project Finance (ESPF) at the Centre for Development Finance at IFMR. The aim is to develop environmentally sustainable goods and services through improved infrastructure. It carries out a mentoring role to CSO Partners that is engaged with various organizations such as Gram Panchayats and other self help groups to bring about social change in terms of organizational governance, resource usage, fund raining, voluntary activities etc. Alignment of the Firm’s Objective with its CSR ICICI is one of the few companies that have attempted to align their CSR activities with their business objectives. Reaching out to the Bottom of the Pyramid: The inclusive growth philosophy, guiding its CSR activities, provides the scope to expand the customer segment of the company by reaching out to the bottom of the pyramid, establishing an immediate and effective symbiotic relationship between the business objectives and CSR objectives. Developing a Talent Pool: The alignment of this business objective with the CSR objective of developing human capital is not as immediate as the one mentioned before. And yet, it does have a bearing give the movement towards the knowledge base economy that India is experiencing. Addressing Stake Holders Concern: This business objective is directly aligned with the CSR objective of achieving sustainable growth I a world that is increasingly becoming aware of the negative repercussions of today’s growth on future generations. This is especially significant keeping in mind the steady inroads made by ICICI into overseas customer base. Tools for Firm Analysis With a range of banking and financial services to its customer, ICICI bank has diversified into various fields within the domain of financial services. Having seen the various sectors of ICICI Bank, the following section presents a holistic view of what is the current status of the bank and how is it formulating strategies to match the environment. In order to analyze the external environment, it is very necessary to scan the internal and the external environment and thus formulate your strategy. VISION STATEMENT To be the preferred bank for total financial and banking solutions for both corporate and individuals. MISSION STATEMENT * Be the banker of first choice for our customers by delivering high quality, world class products and services * Expand the frontier of our bank globally Play a proactive role in full realization of India’s potential * Maintain a healthy financial profile and diversify our earnings across businesses and geographies * Maintain high standards of governance and ethics * Contribute positively to the various countries and markets in which we operate * Create value for our shareholders SWOT ANALYSIS Thi s is the first stage of any analysis and helps to focus on the organization’s key issues. Strength (S), Weakness (W), Opportunity (O) and Threat (T) analysis tool is thus used for auditing the organization’s internal and external environment. Strengths: Brand Name: With the merger of ICICI along with the other ICICI group of companies have led to the creation of a massive brand. This merger has combined the large capital base with the strong deposit raising capability of ICICI Bank. This has infact helped it to raise its market share while lowering the overall cost. This has provided ICICI Bank to leverage upon the strong corporate relationship and to offer a portfolio of financial products and services. This merger has resulted in the integration of many subsidiaries into one entity thus creating huge growth opportunities for its range of products. Technology Integration: Early mover’s advantage to bring in technology into the banking sector. All the while ICIC I has laid stress upon product innovation and technology integration. After having adopted this strategy it was able to set a new industry bench mark which later on went on to become industry standards. The FINO smart cards have been a successful endeavor to reach out to millions of under-served masses. The state of the art infrastructure is one of its biggest strength. * Online Transaction: Its online banking facilities have not just improved its response time but also been able to cater to a huge audience. The need for real time online processing transaction would require very high performance and responsiveness. The use of Veritas i3 software has helped in a catering to this need of the people. This not ensures 99. 9 percent application availability but also 99. 99 percent uptime of the server infrastructure. Data protection is yet another offering of this technology. * Rural Expansion: An underlining emphasis on providing financial services to the bottom of the pyramid has not just created good will for the company but also helped it venture into an untapped domain. In an attempt to facilitate universal access to the basic financial services, the bank has included many initiatives like micro credit and business correspondence model which acted as a medium to reach to the poor, micro insurance and micro systematic investment plan, farmer financing and finally the icici foundation that was an endeavor to improve the social, economic, and human development outcomes at a much broader scale. * Human Resource Capitalization: ICICI views its human resources as a key source in drawing its competitive advantage. It focuses on the smooth integration of its employees with its human resource management system. With a robust ability testing and competency profiling tool, it has been able to attract a huge mass of talented individual with whom the customers find pleasant to interact with. They provide faster service along with bonding and personal relationship. Weaknesses: * Expensive Service Charges: Equipped with state of the art technology, the cost of service provided is automatically high and this in turn is reflected on the price that the customers are asked to pay. Due to this fact it is capable of reaching to only a particular section of the society. The increased service charges per transaction have been acting against the ICICI intention of reaching to the general masses. * Cash Crunch: In terms of scale up both the self help group bank linkage model and the micro finance institution intermediation model have been soaring high in terms of scale up. Lack of incentive alignment have been a set back for the SHG Bank Linkage model. Also in case of MFI intermediation, there has been serious cases of cash crunch and eventually there was ‘no capital’ on the balance sheet of MFI to lend on. Non Performing Assets Going Forward: The large portfolio of products may breed the non performing assets going forward. Since ICICI bank has a range of products, it becomes very difficult for the bank to manage it. They have been increasingly dependent upon each product but it becomes hard to let go off any such non performing asset that have been de faulting for the past 3 months. This plethora of products may thus encourage the non performing asset to be taken forward. Less Credit Period: ICICI has a very big weakness of allowing credit facilities for a very short period. This has been the practice of the bank to avoid defaulters. And after the period is over it charges huge penalty for default. This usually annoys the customers. They also get annoyed when the bank sends them reminder letters to the customers even before the credit period is over. Opportunities: * Huge Rural Set Up: With growing advances towards the bottom of the pyramid and with the increase in the disposable income of this section the bank can have a huge market share. All it need to is to capitalize on its core competency and innovate product offerings specially tailored for this segment of the society. * Diversified Product Portfolio: With the increase in the disposable income of the masses they are demanding for more and more products that are specially designed to suit their needs. ICICI Bank can capitalize on the increasing demand and diversify into many such products which can be helpful in increasing the market share. * Reduced Cost of Services: The bank should also target to reduce its cost of services. This is possible only when the product offering are reduced. Resources available can be bought in bulk and this bulk purchase may again help in reducing the price offerings * Corporate Social Responsibility: The establishment of the ICICI foundation may be helpful in creating good will amongst the customers. It was established to promote inclusive growth amongst the low- income section of the society. This aims at creating a ‘just’ society in which everyone has the equal right to develop and grow. Threats: Credit, Market and Operational Risk: ICICI Bank is exposed to specific risks that are particular to its business and environment within which it runs and that includes credit risk, market risk and operational risk. The risk that a borrower is unable to meet its financial obligations to the ICICI is credit risk. Also it is exposed to the losses resulting from changes in interest rates, currency fluctuation, commodity pricing, etc. This is market risk. While the risk res ulting from failure of hardware like security procedures, computer system, documents etc is the operational risk. Such external threats are to be looked upon very meticulously. * Increasing Competition: Bank has been facing competition from local as well as international banks like Citi Bank, HDFC, Standard Chartered, etc. These banks provide equivalent facilities like ICICI do at a much lower rate. They have consistency in both national and international operations. * Cyber Crime: These days with the increase in the amount of net transactions, there have also been increase in the amount of Cyber crime. Lots of data and information are available over the internet with almost no supervision. This has inturn magnified the seriousness of the crime. Customer information and their profile is easily available and can be exploited by the competitors as well. * Decentralized Management: With extensive liberty given to the branch managers, the strategy may even back fire due to lack of coherence among the operation of the various branches. Any wrong decision taken by a manager may lead to heavy losses. Value Chain As bankers work to build winning strategies they often call the value chain model to be one of the most important breakthroughs in management. The value chain concept was first introduced about 20 years ago, and most recently it is embellished by Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard. The value chain was originally designed for, and is best suited to, manufacturing businesses. But it is a widely used concept, and has some appeal to bankers as well. The purpose of a value chain is to break a business down into its individual steps, ascribe a value to each, and determine how well the company performs each of the steps. There exists a problem with using the manufacturing value chain on banking. This is because it assumes that productive operations are performed on some physical goods and financial services do not feature such goods. The raw materials which are used in financial services money, information, transactions are not as concrete. Moreover, the definition of supplier is a little more amorphous in banking for instance, when a customer has both a checking account and a credit card, he acts as a customer and a supplier simultaneously. Financial services and banking sector need a radically different kind of value chain. The following is what that chain for ICICI bank should look like: Infrastructure: General Management, planning management, Legal, Finance, accounting| Human Resource Management| Recruitment, Retention| Training and RD| Technological development| * Design new services * Program service routines| * reconfigure branch office infrastructure * expand communication network * set standards| Procurement| | | Generic Competitive Strategies A firm’s positioning determines whether a firm’s profitability is above or below industry average. Even though a firm may have myriad strength and weaknesses, there are basically 2 types of competitive advantage that is low cost or differentiation. These 2 basic types of competitive advantage combined with scope of activities lead to 3 generic strategy. Following are the generic strategies followed by ICICI Bank in order to achieve the market share it is enjoying today: 1. Cost Leadership: Though ICICI Bank is not focused on this strategy for the upper segment of the society, but when it comes to the bottom of the pyramid it is known for it low cost products. It provides help to the farmer at almost throw away price. With this strategy it intends to broaden its market reach. ICICI Bank in order to focus on this majority section has have create several product portfolios that would complement the need of these people and also direct its corporate social responsibility towards these people. 2. Differentiation: ICICI Bank is known for its product innovation and application of technology in this regard. Though the differentiation in a bit restricted in the bottom of the pyramid but when it comes to the higher segment of the society, they design product that specially tailored to suit the needs of these individuals. With the increase in the disposable income of these individuals their demands have changed. ICICI has been a bank that has quickly identified this need and have been working to cater to such needs. 3. Focus: Now this focus strategy has 2 variants as shown in the above figure. They are cost focus and differentiation focus. They aim at cost advantage in the narrow segment. For ICICI it has been extensively differentiation focus where it seeks differentiation in its target segment. They try to exploit the differences in the special need in the target segment. With numerous product offering at a relatively higher price they have been able to gain competitive advantage from their broadly targeted competitors. BCG Matrix: Power Transfer (Wire Transfer) Branch – based remittance Net Express (Direct Debit), ACH Transfer, Personal Loans and Credit Cards (After recession) Money2India. com, HiSave Accounts, Wells Fargo Express Send Service, Mortgages Boston Consulting Group matrix focuses on the product life cycle. The above figure shows a graph between market share and market growth. Marketers are supposed to study this curve and arrive as conclusion that which are the products that are star performers and should be held upon and which are the dogs that should let gone. Keeping into mind the product portfolio of ICICI Bank the following matrix has been designed. It is good for the company to liquidate the product that falls under the dog category. Few products falling in the question mark area can be selected for investment and the rest are supposed to be divested. Resource Based View(RBV) Customer Insight Smart Card Credit KissanCredit Cards Money2India. com Innovative Products Multiple channels-Branch, ATM, POS Networking ability HiSave Account Corporate InternetBanking M A advisory Credit/Debit/ATM Cards DirectConnect. com End Product End Unit Resource Competence Technological expertise Partnership with international banks State-of-art network architecture In-house technical team Retail Automobile/ Personal Loans Corporate Partnership with vendors leasing network lines International Micro-Finance AgriCredit Line The resource based view (RBV) is management tool to identify the core competencies and resources available with a firm. The tool is based on the principle of competitive advantage where the core competencies of a firm help it to develop a pool of resources. These resources can be deployed by the firm to develop a variety of end products which are not easily imitable. Consequently the firm is able to enjoy sustained competitive advantage. ICICI Bank has core competencies such as technical expertise, networking ability and ability to gain customer insights. Each of these competencies help ICICI to develop a huge resource pool some of which are- In-house technical team- ICICI had realised as early as 1998 the need to maintain a strong technical team in order to provide services to its customers at low cost. ICICI Infotech (company promoted by Infotech) helped the bank transform its standalone legacy systems to integrated application network. There was a lot of additional cost being incurred due to the duplication of the backend procedures at the branch offices, Manoj Kunkalienkar, Joint President ICICI Infotech Services Limited The technical team enables the bank to maintain its extensive network of branches, ATMs and data centres (Exhibit 1). The network is upgraded and maintained on a regular basis in order to provide 24*7 services to all its customers. State-of-art network architecture- The ICICI network is a spoke and hub architecture. It uses a mix of 600 VSATs , 800 ISDN , radio links and 800 leased lines to connect the ICICI banks, branches and around 1000 ATMs(Exhibit 2). There is a primary site and a secondary site for disaster recovery. Connected to the primary site are 8 hubs that are in turn linked to the regional branches (Exhibit 3). High end Cisco switches and routers are deployed; the network is maintained by HPOpenView and CISCO; no. f security features, firewalls are installed. Most of the hardware have UNIX as the operating system whereas most of the databases are supported by Oracle while some of them are Sybase and MS SQL. There are over 200 databases doing 24 * 7 processing. The security system is monitored by KPMG. This state-of-art architecture has enabled ICICI to transform itself into a virtual ba nk providing modern banking services to its customers. Partnership with international banks In order to have a global presence ICICI has formed alliances with a number of international banks. While the international banks gain from high volumes of transactions ICICI can cater to its customers without having actual physical presence in all geographies. Some of these alliances are Lloyd TSB Bank (UK), Wells Fargo Bank(US), Emirates Bank, Commercial bank of Qatar and DBS bank (Singapore). Partnership with VSAT, ISDN vendors ICICI has a huge network of branches, offices, ATMs and databases all connected by VSATs , ISDN lines and leased lines. ICICI has formed alliance with these vendors in order to provide uninterrupted service to its customers. By incorporating vendors in the its value chain it is able to provide better service levels compared to its competitors. Multiple channels to cater to customers The customers want easy accessibility to their accounts. To cater to the customers’ needs ICICI delivers its services through a variety of channels. It has a network of 1367 branches, more than 1000 ATMs and POS terminals. Since its impossible to have physical presence everywhere it has online facilities that handles the requests of more than 1. 4 million customers everyday. This network enables ICICI have both physical and virtual presence as its asset. Innovative products The primary activity for any service industry is to understand the customers’ needs. ICICI has developed its product lines to cater to the various customer segments. It has designed products for each of its sectors viz –retail, corporate, international, microfinance keeping in mind their specific needs. While the NRIs finds its convenient to transfer remittances on its portal Money2India. com ; the bank also has products like KissanCredit card and Agri Credit Line for the farmers. Thus it able to service both HNI clients and well as the bottom of pyramid clients in the process. The same resources can be reused in whatever sector ICICI operated to develop end products and services. The reusability makes it cost efficient in the service delivery process. Porter’s 5 Force Model: Threat of New Entrants (LOW) With increase in the competition, the customers bargaining power has increased. They have become extremely price sensitive and demand more variety tailored to suit their choice. Increase in the bargaining power of the various service providers like technology, software, equipment, etc. Lesser suppliers and more buyers gives them the edge. Threat of Substitutes (MODERALY LOW) Bargaining Power of buyers (MODERATELY HIGH) Bargaining Power of suppliers (MODERATELY LOW) Existing private banking sectors like Citi Bank, HDFC, HSBC, etc. pose a serious threat to ICICI Bank. They have a range of product offerings at a relatively low price. Rivalry among existing competitor (HIGH) Potential new entrants could be foreign player or new player with a competitive advantage much better than that of ICICI. But high entry barrier and stringent government policies might act against it. With the increase in technology and advances in the financial products this threat has also been increasing. One such th

Computerized Payroll System free essay sample

This has been very rewarding and fruitful work on the part of the researchers despite the crucial experiences along its way to completion. What better rewards could one still ask with the professional enrichment gain in this endeavour and the friendship, generosity and concern of countless people? They know the researchers could not thank them enough for their caring contributions to the completion of this study. The researchers would like to acknowledge those who had given their unconditional efforts and assistance to the development and for the compilation of this study. The researchers wish to express their warm thanks to Dr. Susan Aguilan-Lopez, our instructor in Project Study for her constructive criticism and excellent advice throughout the completion of this study. The researchers wish to convey their sincerest gratitude to Mr. Philip L. Balagtey, their adviser, for the knowledge, guidance and friendly advices he imparted. The researchers are deeply grateful to our instructors and panels during our defences, Ms. Joanne Pating (Chairman of the panel), Mr. CharloS. Kiat-ong and Mr. Hailley T. Chakas for their valuable advices, suggestions, comments, encouragement and guidance for the development of this study. They also wish to convey their warm thanks to the Administrative officer of DAR, Ms. Cyrila Alcon for allowing them to choose their respective office as an area of their study. They also wish to thank all the staffs’ of DAR for providing us the information we needed for the completion of our study. They also wish to extend their warm thanks to Ms. Ivy Guting and Mr. HazimGomer for their advices and the valuable knowledge they imparted for the progress of this project. Special gratitude is due to Ms. Elvira Apongao for her friendly advice and countless help for the completion of this study. The researchers wish to express their sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to their friends for the help, encouragement, cooperation and willingness, although words may not enough, countless thanks for their help. Indebtedness gratitude is also due to our parents, and other family members for their understanding and financial support throughout this study. Above all, utmost to the ALMIGHTY GOD who is the source of countless and bountiful blessing of knowledge, strength, good health, divine grace and love which help the researchers accomplished this study. C. Y. C. H. A. D. N. S. G. DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to our parents for their love, endless support and encouragement. ABSTRACT Title: Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Computerized Payroll System Researchers: Clifford Y. Cacap, Herwin A. Daysa Nelson S. Genora Type of Document: Project Study Type of Publication: Unpublished Institution: Mountain Province State Polytechnic CollegeBontoc, Mountain Province Keywords: Computerized Payroll System, CPS, Department ofAgrarian Reform (DAR) Rationale As the impact of computerized systems are more than realized, computerizing systems used in offices has already become a need to enable the overall office operation perform their tasks faster, accurate and more reliable compared to manual processes. It automates many functions which save both time and effort. It enables the personnel and staffs manage data and information electronically as needed keeping records up-to-date. The Department of Agrarian Reform is the lead implementing agency of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). It undertakes land tenure improvement, development of program beneficiaries, and agrarian justice delivery. This means there are a number of personnel being employed to do these tasks. However, basing from the information gathered by the proponents, the DAR is having a problem in preparing and managing their payroll because they are still using the manual process (MS Excel) see statement of the problem. This motivated the proponents to design a computerized payroll system to lessen or even eliminate the problems being encountered on the present system used by the Department of Agrarian Reform. Summary After a thorough observation and careful analysis basing from the information gathered, the following findings and problems has been observed. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is still using Microsoft Excel in preparing their payroll. Problems will surely be minimized using the proposed computerized payroll system. The proposed system will certainly give accessible, accurate, efficient, and reliable information to the user. In addition, it also aims to improve the time management in order to obtain a faster completion of the overall operation of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Conclusions In the light of the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The encountered problems on the Department of Agrarian Reform office were; computations of the salaries are not accurate and are prone to errors and complexities, files are not organized, technical errors due to manual processes. These errors require a lot of time and effort which makes the process slow and gives a tiring day to the personnel in charge. 2. The proposed system will eliminate the problems encountered in the existing payroll system. It will speed up the process involved in payroll preparation; Filing, retrieving, tracking and updating of employee records. Furthermore, it will produce accurate data. In addition, the personnel in charge can eventually generate reports and manage records on time. 3. Security of Data is assured if the proposed system will be implemented. Recommendations The researchers recommend that the Department of Agrarian Reform shall implement the proposed Computerized Payroll System to speed up the process of preparing payroll. Some of the concerns of this automation of the process are directly channelled by the person involved in the system. Personnel involved shall be trained for a better and fast implementation. The researchers recommend that employees that are involved in payroll preparation should be oriented for them to fully understand matters concerning the proposed system.? TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Title Page Approval Sheet i Acknowledgementii Dedicationv Abstract vi Table of Contentsx Chapter I: INTRODUCTION Background of the Study1 Statement of Objectives4 Scope and Delimitation5 Importance of the study6 Definition of Terms7 Chapter II: DESIGN ANDMETHODOLOGY Software DevelopmentMethodology 10 Data Gathering Techniques14 Sources of Data15 Chapter III: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS The Existing System16 The Proposed System20 Features of the Proposed System22 Security Measures23 Chapter IV: SUMMARY, CONCLUSSION, and RECOMMENDATION Summary24 Conclusion24 Recommendation25 REFERENCES 27 APPENDICES Cost Benefit Analysis31 Interview Guide Questions32 Gantt Chart33 Screen Shots35 Table of Specification42 Entity-Relationship Diagram43 Curriculum Vitae44