Ict and Banking Industry

A PROJECT REPORT ON THE EFFECT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE EFFECIENCY OF BANKING INDUSTRY (IN UDAIPUR CITY) IN THE PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA) 2007-2009 PACIFIC INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, UDAIPUR Post Box No. 12, Pratap Nagar Extension, Airport road Udaipur-313003 Ph: 0294-2491340 E mail: [email  protected] om,[email  protected] com Submitted by: Submitted to: Chanda Joshi Mr. Dhiraj Jain MBA Part-2 Asstt. Professor, PIM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Industrialists in professional life are likely and keenly aware of their sense of indebtness to many people who have stimulated & influenced their intellectual development in ordinarily.The feeling is formally expressed in customary gestures of acknowledgement therefore it seems only right to acknowledgement my gratitude with sense of veneration to the almighty & various people helped me to work in systematic & smoother manner. I would like to express my profound thanks to all the respondents who were co-operative enough and spared their valuable time in filling up the questionnaire. Words are not in lexicon to express my sincere sense of gratitude for my mentor, elite guide and path Mr. Dhiraj Jain and, Prof. B.P SHARMA (Director, pacific institute of Management) whose valuable guidance instigating encouragement creative thoughts & constructive criticism had helped me to accomplish this research work successfully. CHANDA JOSHI PREFACE The explosive growth of information and communication technology (ICT) is swiftly changing the banking industry and stern competition between the increasing numbers of banks has resulted in high investment on ICT. This report discusses the effect of ICT on banking industry (service) in Udaipur city with reference to public and private banks.Two Questionnaires were used to collect data from diverse customers and bank employees separately; the customers and bank employees accept as true that ICT has an effect on bankin g industry in India. The results of study undoubtedly show the massive impact of ICT on the performance of the banking industry in India. INDEX PARTICULARS DESCRIPTION 1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 2. PREFACE 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4. INTRODUCTION 5. INDUSTRY PROFILE 6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 7. DATA INTERPRETATION 8. FINDINGS,CONCLUSIONS . RECOMMENDATIONS 10. QUESTIONNAIRE 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Advances in the banking sector have ushered in an era of multi – product and multi – service being delivered using multiple yet integrated channels. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) is on the increase and encompasses nearly the entire gamut of banking operations. Rising competition and customer expectations have compelled top management implement, and continuously upgrade, agile scalable ICT practices and solutions.The enormity and range of banking services combined with the complexity of integrated and ICT – enabled delivery mechanisms require com prehensive partnerships to be forged between banks and providers of ICT solutions. ICT has a crucial role to play in the financial sector in at least three main areas: improving the range and efficiency of banking services available to customers, lowering costs increasing the efficiency of capital markets, and allowing for more effective regulations of all types of financial markets and related transactions.The use of ICT enables a better delivery of banking services to both depositors and borrowers within a country and between countries. ICT has a central role in the operation of various capital markets such as stock markets, bond markets and foreign exchange markets, and it is intensively used by market organizers, market professionals and investors in this markets. ICT is also an essential tool for supervisory or regulatory bodies of these markets at both national and international levels.This research presents the preliminary findings of a research study to identify the effect o f implementation of ICT on the efficiency of banks in Udaipur. The methodology includes the collection of data by the questionnaire survey. Two types of questionnaires are to be prepared for the data collection- One questionnaire has been distributed among the customers to know the efficiency of the banking services by using ICT. The second questionnaire is to be filled by the officials of the banks, which will provide information about the need, & importance of the ICT for the efficiency of the bank.Chapter 1 INDUSTRY PROFILE INDUSTRY PROFILE What is banking? Bank may be defined as a financial institution which is engaged in the business of keeping money for savings and checking accounts or for exchange or for issuing loans and credit etc. A set of services intended for private customers and characterized by a higher quality than the services offered to retail customers. Based on the notion of tailor-made services, it aims to offer advice on investment, inheritance plans and provid e active support for general transactions and the resolution of asset-related problems.The essential function of a bank is to provide services related to the storing of deposits and the extending of credit. Basic function may include Credit collection, Issuer of banking notes, Depositor of money and lending loans. Now a days banking is  not in its  traditional way, with the advancement of technology its focusing  on more  comfort of customer  providing services such as: †¢Online Banking †¢ Investment Banking †¢ Electronic Banking †¢ Internet Banking †¢ PC Banking /Mobile Banking †¢ E-Banking The importance of banking sector is immense in the progress and prosperity of any State or country.INDIAN BANKING INDUSTRY The growth in the Indian Banking Industry has been more qualitative than quantitative and it is expected to remain the same in the coming years. Based on the projections made in the â€Å"India Vision 2020† prepared by the Plann ing Commission and the Draft 10th Plan, the report forecasts that the pace of expansion in the balance-sheets of banks is likely to decelerate. The total assets of all scheduled commercial banks by end-March 2010 are estimated at Rs 40, 90,000 crores. That will comprise about 65 per cent of GDP at current market prices as compared to 67 per cent in 2002-03.Bank assets are expected to grow at an annual composite rate of 13. 4 per cent during the rest of the decade as against the growth rate of 16. 7 per cent that existed between 1994-95 and 2002-03. It is expected that there will be large additions to the capital base and reserves on the liability side. Banks in India can be categorized into non-scheduled banks and scheduled banks. Scheduled banks constitute of commercial banks and co-operative banks. There are about 67,000 branches of Scheduled banks spread across India. During the first phase of financial reforms, there was a nationalization of 14 major banks in 1969.This crucial s tep led to a shift from Class banking to Mass banking. Since then the growth of the banking industry in India has been a continuous process. The Public Sector Banks (PSBs), which are the base of the Banking sector in India account for more than 78 per cent of the total banking industry assets. Unfortunately they are burdened with excessive Non Performing assets (NPAs), massive manpower and lack of modern technology. On the other hand the Private Sector Banks are making tremendous progress. They are leaders in Internet banking, mobile banking, phone banking, ATMs.As far as foreign banks are concerned they are likely to succeed in the Indian Banking Industry. Indus land Bank was the first private bank to be set up in India. In the Indian Banking Industry some of the Private Sector Banks operating are IDBI Bank, ING Vyasa Bank, SBI Commercial and International Bank Ltd, Dhanalakshmi Bank Ltd,Karur Vysya Bank Ltd, Bank of Rajasthan Ltd etc are some private sector banks. Banks from the P ublic Sector include Punjab National bank, Vijaya Bank, UCO Bank, Oriental Bank, Allahabad Bank , Andhra Bank etc.ANZ Grindlays Bank, ABN-AMRO Bank, American Express Bank Ltd, Citibank are some of the foreign banks operating in the Indian Banking Industry . CHAPTER-2 INTRODUCTION ————————————————- Meaning of ICT The term â€Å"ICT† describes the use of computer – based technology and the internet to make information and communication service available to a wide rang of users. The term is used broadly to address a range of technologies, including telephones. Central to these is the Internet, which provides the mechanism for transporting data in a number of formats including text, images, sound, and video.Additionally, ICT deals with the application layer, the systems that enable information to be collected and distributed, analyzed, and processed. However, whi le ICT is generally adaptable to different information. Needs and circumstances, its effectiveness in solving development issues still depends on the content it carries. ————————————————- The New Era The 21st century will bring about an all – embracing convergence of computing, communication, information and knowledge. This will radically change the way we live work and think.The growth of high – speed networks, coupled with the falling cost of computing power, is making possible application under dream of in the past. Voice, data, images, and video may now be transferred around the world in microseconds. This explosion of technology is changing the banking industry from paper and branch banks to’ digitized and networked banking services. It has already changed the internal accounting and management systems of banks. It is now fundamentally changing th e delivery systems banks use to interact with their customers.All over the world, banks are still struggling to find a technological solution to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. It is clear that this new technology is changing the banking industry forever. Banks with the ability to invest and integrate information technology will become dominate in the highly competitive global market. Bankers are convinced that investing in IT is critical. Its potential and consequences on the banking industry future is enormous. ————————————————- Technology and Banks Transformation ————————————————-Computers are getting more sophisticated. They have given banks a potential they could only dream about and have given bank customers high expectations. The cha nges that new technologies have brought to banking are enormous in their impact on officers, employees, and customers of banks. Advances in technology are allowing for delivery of banking products and services more conveniently and effectively then ever before- thus creating new based of competition. Rapid access to critical information and the ability to act quickly and effectively will distinguish the successful banks of the future.The bank gains a vital competitive advantage by having a direct marketing and accountable customer service environment and new, streamlined business processes. Consistent management decision support system provides the bank that competitive edge to forge ahead in the banking market place. ————————————————- ————————————————- Major app lication: – The advantage accruing from computerization are three-directional – to the customer, to the bank, and to the employee. ————————————————- ———————————————— For the customer ————————————————- ————————————————- Banks are aware of customer’s need for new services and plan to make them available. It has increased the level of competition and forced them to integrate the new technologies in order to satisfy there customers. They have already developed and implemented a certain number of solutions among them: —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- * ————————————————-Self – inquiry Facility: ————————————————- Facility for logging into specified self – inquiry terminals at the branch to inquire and view the transaction in the account * ————————————————- Remote banking: ————————————————- Remote terminals at the customer site connected to the respective branch through a modem, enabling the customer to make inquires regarding his accounts, on-line, without ha ving to move from is office. * ————————————————-Anytime banking- Anywhere banking : ————————————————- Installation of ATMs which offer non-stop cash withdrawal, remittances inquiry facilities. Networking of computerized branches inter-city and intra-city, will permit customers of these branches, when interconnected, to transact from any of these branches. * ————————————————- Telebanking: ————————————————- 24- Hour service through which enquiries regarding balances and transactions in the account can be made over the phone. ——â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Electronic banking : ————————————————- This enables the bank to provide corporate or high value customers with graphical user interface (GUI) software on a PC, to inquire about their. Financial transaction and accounts, cash transfers, chequebook issue and inquiry on rates without visiting the bank: Moreover, the customer can send LC text and details on bills, and the bank can download the same. The technology used to provide this service is called electronic data interchange (EDI).It used to transmit business transaction in computer – readable from between organization and individuals in a standard format. * ————————————————- As information is cen tralized and updates are available simultaneously at all places, single – window service become possible, leaving to effective reduction in waiting time. For the bank:- During the last decade, banks applied IT to a wide range of back and front office tasks in addition to a great number of new products. The major advantages for the bank to implement IT are: Availability of a wide range of inquiry facilities, assisting the bank in business development and follow – up. * Immediate replies to customers queries without reference to ledger-keeper as terminals are provide to mangers and chief mangers * Generation of various MIS reports & periodical returns on due dates.. * Automatic and prompt carrying out of standing instructions on due date and generation of reports. * Fast and up-to-date information transfer enabling speedier decisions by interconnecting computerized branches and controlling offices.For the employees – IT has increased this productivity through the followings: * Accurate computing of cumbersome and time – consuming jobs such as balancing and interest calculation on due dates. * Automatic printing of covering schedules, deposit receipts, passbook / pass sheet, freeing the staff from performing these time – consuming jobs, and enabling them to give more attention to the needs of customers. * Signature retrieval facility, assisting in verification of transactions, seating at their on terminal. * Avoidance of duplication of entries due to existence of single – point data entry.A search of the banking literature reveals that banks are moving rapidly to take advantage of recent and new customer service and cost reduction opportunities that new technologies offer. IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY The internet is rapidly becoming the information superhighway of a global electronic marketplace. The rising commercial interests in the internet are especially evident in â€Å"front-end† appl ication such as electronic catalogs, yellow pages, storefronts, malls, and customer support centers.All this application are based on the world wide Web (WWW) – the fastest growing segment of the Internet. Although â€Å"back-end† applications such as electronic data interchange (EDI) are equally important, their adoption has not been as rapid. One major concern is security:: the Internet is generally perceived as not secure enough for transmitting sensitive data such as payments. Upon a closer look, however, this view is not warranted, since technologies such as public key encryption and firewalls address essential security concerns.Moreover, such technologies are already available. The only remaining barrier is the lack of real world users of those technologies. Investing in technology According to a survey conducted by the American Bankers Association, US banks expenditure on information technology grew from $ 16. 3 billion in 1994 to $ 18. 7 billion in 1995  œ an increase of 14. 7%, and $ 1 billion more than the same bankers forecasted they would spend in last year’s survey. By 1998, the banks expect to spend $ 21. 2 billion (an increase of 7. 1%) The New Delivery Systems.The increasing cost of building brick-and-mortar branches, decreasing cost of computers, high delivery costs and slow revenue growth force a relook at the conventional delivery systems. Moreover, growing comfort of technology usage by the customer is rapidly fostering usage of non – branch channels for routine transactions. The new strategy changes the focus of the branch from being a high cost transaction center to a provider of a wide range of services like telebanking, customer service kiosks, ATM’s, and remote electronic banking.New Marketing Opportunities As the new technology is so expensive banks need to use the new systems to do more than deliver information and basic services. Banks need the ability to also sell insurance and investment pr oducts to get a better return on this investment. Telephone banking can bring financial services to the home or office, especially if they are affordable screen phones. By noticing how much interest the customer expresses, the bank can market stock quotes and insurance quotes.Interactive videos are new technology that banks can make available to the customers to maintain personal contact while still lowering the expenses of delivery service. With an interactive video an expert employee is not needed in each branch. Complex life insurance products, open brokerage accounts, customized product illustrations can be widely available where needed. The interactive videos will be cost effective expertise. The internet is a medium to allow banks to offer products to customers outside the normal customer base of a branch.Banks are aware of the customer’s need for these services and plan to make them available before other sources do. THE EFFECT OF ICT ON BANKS Banks is an unusual firm because it does not produce any object or tangible product, like a farmer producing rice or Cement Companies producing bags of cement. On any business day, a bank receives information, stores information, processed information, and distributes information. A saving deposit is recorded, an entry is made in someone’s account, at the right time interest is added, and the customer is periodically provided with a ummary statement. A loan application is received, a file is started, the application is assessed by a loan officer, and the client is either rejected or provided with a credit. Each of these functions can be handled by hand with ledger and pens or, today, they can be handled entirely by data entry, computers, and information systems. What ICT does for a bank is to make a dramatic reduction in the costs of handling information and in the transaction costs to the bank and customer of handling a deposit or loan.Clearly, this reduction benefits both the bank and its customers . The impact of high transaction costs is even more acute in rural areas and gravely Inhibits access even to basic financial services. Out on-going field work shows that a formal lending rate for a farm loan of, say, 15 percent is not sufficient to switch business away from informal lenders who charge a rate of 40 percent or higher. ICT not only increase the efficiency of bank operations but permits banks to offer a wider array of services such as ATMs, telephonic banking, and computer banking.ICT facilities the deeper penetration of credit card services, thereby expediting business transaction. Behind the scenes an ICT system would permit banks to speed up inter bank check clearing and engage in electronic funds transfer such as direct debiting or salary deposits. A credit bureau would enable banks to obtain accurate and immediate information about a customer’s credit history and rating, thus lowering risks, costs, and interest rates. What is perhaps less well – known , is that ICT dose not merely lower information and transactions costs and improve bank efficiency and services.With the development or proper accounting and reporting standards, an ICT system also improves the ability of bank and capital market regulators to track the information they need to regulate financial markets . ICT can help takes and customs authorities to expedite revenue collections and if properly handled it can greatly reduce the potential for unwarranted side payments. Role of information technology in banking industry I. T. in Banking: 1). Technology has opened up new markets, new products, new services and efficient delivery channels for the banking industry.Online electronics banking, mobile banking and internet banking are just a few examples. 2). Information Technology has also provided banking industry with the wherewithal to deal with the challenges the new economy poses. Information technology has been the cornerstone of recent financial sector reforms aimed at increasing the speed and reliability of financial operations and of initiatives to strengthen the banking sector. 3). The IT revolution has set the stage for unprecedented increase in financial activity across the globe.The progress of technology and the development of world wide networks have significantly reduced the cost of global funds transfer. 4). It is information technology which enables banks in meeting such high expectations of the customers who are more demanding and are also more techno-savvy compared to their counterparts of the yester years. They demand instant, anytime and anywhere banking facilities. 5). IT has been providing solutions to banks to take care of their accounting and back office requirements. This has, however, now given way to large scale usage in services aimed at the customer of the banks.IT also facilitates the introduction of new delivery channels–in the form of Automated Teller Machines, Net Banking, Mobile Banking and the like. Further, IT deployment has assumed such high levels that it is no longer possible for banks to manage their IT implementations on a stand alone basis with IT revolution, banks are increasingly interconnecting their computer systems not only across branches in a city but also to other geographic locations with high-speed network infrastructure, and setting up local area and wide area networks and connecting them to the Internet.As a result, information systems and networks are now exposed to a growing number. Technology Products: (1). Net Banking (2). Credit Card Online (3). One View (4). InstaAlerts (5). Mobile Banking (6). NetSafe (7). e-Monies Electronic Fund Transfer (8). Online Payment of Excise & Service Tax (9). Phone Banking (10). Bill Payment (11). Shopping (12). Ticket Booking (13). Railway Ticket Booking through SMS (14). Prepaid Mobile Recharge (15). Smart Money Order (16). Card to Card Funds Transfer (17). Funds Transfer (ECheques) (18). Anywhere Banking (19). Internet Banking ( 20). Mobile Banking (21). [email  protected] (i) Express Delivery 22). Cash on Tap: (ii) Normal Delivery Chapter 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research in common parlance refers to the search for knowledge. It can also be define as scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation research is a voyage of discovery . it is also said to be the pursuit of truth with the help of study , observation , comparison and experiment. The rule of research in several fields of applied economics weather related to business or to economy as a whole, has greatly influenced in modern times.The increasing complex nature of business and government has focused on the use of research in solving problem. According to Kiplinger â€Å"research is a systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relation among natural phenomenon. Characteristic of Research : ? Research is a systematic and critical investigation into a Phenomenon ? Research is not a mere compilation, but a purposive investigation. ? It aims at describing, interpreting and explaining a phenomenon. ? It adopts scientific method. ? It is objective and logical. It is based upon the observable experience and empirical evidence. ? It is directed towards finding answers to pertinent question and Solution. Stage in Research Process : ? formulating the research problem ? Choice of research design ? Determining sources of data ? Designing data collection forms ? Determining sampling design and sampling size ? Organizing and conducting the field survey ? Processing and analyzing the collected data ? Preparing the research report RESEARCH OBJECTIVES : Objectives of the proposed study are as under:- 1) To study the effectiveness of ICT in banks of Udaipur city. (2) To study the effect of the ICT on service delivery of banks. RESEARCH DESIGN :- A Research Design specifies the methods and procedures for conducting a particular study. The researcher should specify the approach he intends to use with respect to the proposed study. Broadly speaking Research Designs can be groped in to 3 categories: 1. Exploratory research 2. Descriptive research 3. Casual Research For achieving the research objectives which are already stated clearly, The Descriptive Research method was adopted. SAMPLE SIZE :-It describes how many employees and customers of the bank should be surveyed 25 employees and 25 customers of private as well public banks were surveyed. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE:- Respondents were selected on the basis of convenience sampling in the certain private As well as public banks of Udaipur city SAMPLE UNIT :- For the study two types of samples are to be selected – (a) Customers of the banks (b) Bank Employees TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION :- The following tools were used for the data collection: 1. Structured questionnaire: By asking the structured questions to the employees and customers by interviewing. . Review of written document: some part of this study was collected from the journals and books. CHAPTER-4 DATA INTERPRETATION Various banks in which these employees are working Various banks in which customers are having their accounts A. FOR THE CUSTOMERS Q. 1 TYPES OF ACCOUNTS? Interpretation: The above graph shows about the types of accounts of the customers in the bank. In it 76% have saving account ,12%of customers are having current & 12% 0f customers are having both type of account in the banks. Q. 2 Awareness of the changes due to ICT? Interpretation:The above graph shows the 98% of the customers are aware of the changes due to ICT, but very less ( 2% ) of customers were unaware of it. Q. 4 For last how many years is your bank using ICT? Interpretation: The76% customers respondents their bank using ICT for last 5 & above years and 24% of customer said that their bank is using ICT for the 0-5 years. Q. 5 is every department com puterized? Interpretation: 92% customers respond that every department is computerized in their bank but very few customers i. e. 8% said that every department is not computerized Q. Do you find any problem while using ICT? Interpretation: The above graph shows that 60% of customers find no difficulty while using ICT, 32% said it is very difficult to understand and 8%% find it difficult to operate. Q . 7 Do you find bank staff co-operating ? Interpretation: 97% of customers said that there bank staff is co-operating but 3% respond negatively. Q. 8 Do you think ICT has improved the service delivery of the bank? Interpretation: Above graph shows that the 82% of customers were strongly agreed and 18% were agreed that ICT has improved the service delivery of the bank. Q. Are you satisfied with the banking services providing you after using ICT? Interpretation: Above graph shows that the 82% of customers were strongly satisfied, 16% were agreed satisfied but only 2% were dissatisfied wit h the services providing to them after using ICT. Q. 10 Is any improvement required in this type of services? Interpretation: Above graph shows that the 84% of customers needed improvement in ICT, 16% said that no improvement is required. B. FOR BANK EMPLOYEES Q. 1 Awareness of the changes due to I. C. T. ? Interpretation: The above graph shows that awareness level of the respondents due to the hanges of I. C. T. 100% are aware with the changes due to the I. C. T. in the banks. Q. 2 Is your bank using I. C. T.? Interpretation: The all respondents said that their bank is using information and communication technology. Q. 3 For how long I. C. T. is used in this bank? Interpretation: The Above graph shows about the year of ICT using being used in banks . In it78% of the banks are using ICT from past 0-5 years. After that 22% of the banks are using I. C. T. from past 6-10 year. And no bank has experience to use the I. C. T . more than 11 years. Q. 4 Do you think that implementation of I . C.T. in banks is essential and effective in banks? Interpretation: The above graph shows that the implementation of I. C. T. in banks is very much essential and effective . 66% of employees are strongly agree with it & 34% of employees were agree. Q. 5 Has I. C. T. brought positive changes in your way of working? Interpretation: The above graph shows that the information and communication technology has brought very positive changes in the working way of doing job 68% respondents were strongly agree with it but the very least i. e. 2%of respondents were strongly disagree with the statement.Q. 6 Has I. C. T. brought the positive changes in this bank? Interpretation: 68% of employees accepted that I. C. T. has brought positive changes in their bank ,28% were agree with it but 4% of respondents were disagree with fact. Q. 7 Do you face any problem while using I. C. T.? Interpretation: 82% of the employees do not find any difficulty in using the new system. 10% of the employees find t he new system difficult to understand . 8% of the employees find difficulty in operating the new system. Q. 8 Has training been provided to the employees to use the new system tech. ?Interpretation: The above graph shows that 42% 0f employees were strongly agree that they got the training to use the new system technology, 36% were agree but 20% were disagree & 2% were strongly disagree about the getting of training for using the technology. Q. 9 Has I. C. T. improved the performance of the bank employees ? Interpretation: 66% of respondents were strongly agree that the I. C. T. has improved the performance in their bank, 30% were agree but the rest were disagree with this. Q. 10 Has I. C. T. lead to loss of jobs in banking sector? Interpretation:The above graph shows that 64%0f employees were strongly agree that I. C. T has lead to loss of jobs in banking sector,16% of employees were disagree with the statement. Q. 11 Has I. C. T. affected efficiency in banking services? Interpretat ion: The above graph shows that 68% 0f employees were strongly agree that I. C. T. has affected the banking services,30% were also agree & 2% were disagree with it. CHAPTER- 5 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS Findings : 1. 66% of the customers respond that they are getting better services after using Information & communication technology. 2.It was found that 98% of customers & 100% of employees a were of the Changes due to new system technology. 3. It was found that 82% of customers strongly agreed that ICT has improved the Service delivery of the bank. 4. 98% of employees of employees accepted that the information & Communication technology has affected the banking service in positive Manner. 5. This was found that because of ICT has lead to the loss of jobs in banking sector. 6. During the study it was found that because of lower network connectivity Employees as well as customers were getting problem in service. . 100% of Employees as well as customers said that the imple mentation of I. C. T. is essential & effective in banks. Conclusion * Banks offering internet-based products and services should have reliable and secure methods to authenticate their customers. * The level of authentication used by the financial institution should be appropriate to the risk associated with those products and services. * Financial institution should conduct a risk assessment to identify the types and levels of risk associated with their internet banking application.Where risk assessments indicate that the use of single-factor authentication is inadequate, financial institutions should implement multifactor authentication, layered security, or other controls reasonably calculated to mitigate those risks, the agencies consider single-factor authentication, as the only control mechanism, to be inadequate in the case of high risk transaction involving access to customer information or the movement of funds to other parties. * Most of the customers are satisfied with the services provided by banks. The objective of the study was to find out the effect of information & communication Technology on the efficiency of banking sector in certain private as well as public banks, It was to find out how service delivery is effected after using the ICT in banks. * The study concludes that information & communication technology plays more significant role in the increasing of the banking efficiency in both, private as well as public sector banks. RECOMMENDATIONS:- ? Raise awareness and promote the concept of information &Communication technology among the customers as well as bank Employees. The method of authentication used in a specific internet application Should be appropriate and reasonable, from a business perspective, In light of the reasonably foreseeable risks in that application. ? Conduct training programme once in the month. ? Encourage the use of E-Commerce by providing the better & fast Services. ? An effective authentication method should have c ustomer acceptance, Reliable performance, scalability to accommodate growth, and Interoperability with existing systems and future plan . With the growth in electronic banking and commerce, financial Institutions should use reliable methods of originating new customer accounts online. ? Financial institutions should rely on multiple layers of controls to prevent fraud and safeguard customer’s information. ? Recognize the needs of employees while using the ICT. ? should provide the fast & regular ICT services so that employees can deliver the fast services & customers can gat the better services. ? The daily updating & awareness of new changes in ICT must be in Practice.LIMITATIONS ?The research conducted was limited to Udaipur City only. ?Findings of the study are based on the assumption that respondents have Divulged the correct information. ?The study is confined to selected groups of employees & customers in banks of Udaipur city. ? Few respondents were so much occupied wi th their work that they could not Spare time to fill the questionnaire. ?Due to unwillingness of providing any information, the respondents Filled the questionnaire casually which might have affected the conclusion.BIBLIOGRAPHY www. google. com www. rediff. com Kothari. C. R Research methodology; methods & techniques Questionnaire – 1 FOR BANK EMPLOYEES Contact Person________________________________________________ Age______ Gender_____ Designation_______ Phone No. _____________ Official Address_______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Q. 1Are you a were of the changes due to information and communication Technology in banking system? Yes [ ] No [ ]Q. 2 Is your Bank using I. C. T.? Yes [ ] No [ ] Q. 3If yes, for how long I. C. T. is used in this bank? 0 – 5 [ ] 6 – 10 [ ] 11 and above [ ] Q. 4Do you think that implementation of ITC is essential and effective for Banking sector? A) Agree [ ] B) D isagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral Q. 5Has ICT Brought Positive changes in your working way of doing job?A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral [ ] Q. 6Do you think that ICT has brought Positive changes in this bank? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral [ ] Q. 7What problem do you face while using this new system technology? A) Difficult to operate [ ] B) Difficult to Understand [ ] C) Easy [ ] Q. 8Did you get training to use the new system technology?A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral [ ] Q. 9Do you think ICT has improved the performance of employees in this bank? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral [ ] Q10Do you think ICT has lead to loss of jobs in banking sector? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutra l [ ]Q. 11Has ICT affected the productivity / efficiency in Banking services? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] E) neutral [ ] Q. 12Is any improvement required? Yes [ ] No [ ] Questionnaire – 2 FOR CUSTOMERS Contact person_________________ Age ____________ Gender__________________ Educational Qualification: Under Graduate Graduate Post Graduate Other specify Q1. What type of Account do you operate?A) Saving [ ] B) Current [ ] C) other specify [ ] Q. 2For how long have you been using this bank? A) 0 – 5 [ ] B) 5 – 10 [ ] C) 10 – 15[ ] 15 and above Q. 3Are you aware of the changes due to information and communication Technology in banking system? A) Yes [ ] B) No [ ] Q. 4For last how many years your bank is using I. C. T.? A) 0 – 5 [ ] B) 5 and Above [ ] Q. 5Is every Department is computerized? A) Yes [ ] B) NO [ ] Q. Do you find any problem while using this new system technology? A) Difficult to operate [ ] B) Difficult to understand [ ] C) Easy [ ] Q. 7Do you find Bank staff co-operating? A) Yes [ ] B) NO [ ] SQ. 8Did you get any help services to use new system technology? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] D) Neutral [ ] Q. 9 Do you think ICT has improved the service delivery of the bank ?A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] D) Neutral [ ] Q. 10Are you satisfied with the Banking services providing you after using I. C. T.? A) Agree [ ] B) Disagree [ ] C) Strongly Agree [ ] D) Strongly disagree [ ] D) Neutral [ ] Q. 11Do you have account in both public sectors Bank as well as in private sector Bank? A) Yes [ ] B) No [ ] Q. 12if any improvement required? A) Yes [ ] B) No [ ]

Manager Roles Essay

1. â€Å"A Manager’s role is dynamic and complex.† Discuss this statement, supporting your answer with reference to appropriate theory and practice. Manager’s role is to allocate resources and directs the operations, by making the best use of human and financial and material resources to the organization. Managers are required to do planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Fayol’s theory of a management function which is the POCCC allows the organization to have more effective and efficient in goods and services than other competitors. The dynamic and complex work of a manager is based on interpersonal, informational and decisional roles. Given the above roles according to Henry Mintzberg, the managers are placed in different areas to perform individual task or multiple tasks. Interpersonal roles require a manager to deal outside business like as figurehead who represent as a representative of the company to attend outside meetings a nd gathering. Commanding is required in manager to direct the department to meet its requirement and coordinating the events to ensure the process of the movement. A good manager spends more time outside his office than in his office, allowing himself to liaise to outside and deemed helpful to the organization. A manager monitors his/her own department by understanding the people involving him/herself to the conversation and receiving the information. Being a the head person, allow the first-hand news or information to receive and screen, hence given the choice of disseminating down to the people in the organization. A good manager will decide whether is appropriate to share and distribute information which is useful to others. Company spokesperson can be a manager to relate official company information to inside and outside of the organization like publicity and benefits of the company. Mainly managers are in this role which is the decisional role; allow him/her decision to plan the changes in th e good and services. Restructuring of the entrepreneurial maybe heavily depends on the managers which refer to the top management. Managers must have the power to control the internal factor like strikes, which company cannot afford stoppage of work. Important factor of dealing customer is required to ensure satisfaction of the customers. Manager must be reasonable to determine the pricing of their products sold to the customers and negotiating with them in a professional way. A good manager take cares of their people by allocating sufficient time and personnel in the organization. Pay has to be determined accordingly to individual’s work and ensuring the fairness among the fellow workers.

John edwards case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

John edwards case - Research Paper Example onspired to violate campaign finance laws by accepting and not disclosing hundreds of dollars in an attempt to cover Edwards’ extramarital affair and mistress’ pregnancy with his child. John Edwards was convicted on criminal charges that he broke campaign finance laws with the intention of covering up his extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter. This affair and the violation of the campaign finance law had the ability to ruin his chances of winning the 2008 presidential campaign. Edwards had an obligation to the public to be present and conduct himself like a respectable public official. He, however, engaged in activities that were unethical for the public office and his title as a lawyer. According to Rule 8.4 of the lawyer’s code of ethics, it is unethical and wrong for a lawyer to engage in misconduct as dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. It is not required that a lawyer should be practicing law during the time they engage in such conduct, since they represent the legal profession in everything they do, whether private or public (Ethics Alarms, 2010). Ethics Alarms further state that Edward repeatedly lied to the public and the media, even saying that he would willingly take a lie detector test to reveal that he is not the parent of Hunter’s child. Data that was later proved to be true that he did father Hunter’s child. Edwards unethical behavior continued to shock the public as He attempted to avoid his responsibilities as a representative of the legal profession, candidate, father, leader, husband, and placing his Party at risk and convincing others to practice in bribery and fraud on his behalf. His unethical behavior led to his deceiving his supporters and the Democratic Party with false pretenses. According to (Cooper, 2012), ethics is critical for public officials as they have multiple roles to play and obligations and they need discretion. Ethics helps them in the useful use of this discretion. Cooper continues to say that

MedTerm Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MedTerm Question - Assignment Example You should ask yourself questions that will lead to the body formation (Beach, 2010). An inquiry essay begins with a topic or an idea then the summary of the information learnt from the topic (Beach, 2010). After researching on a topic you want to write on, an outline should follow (Beach, 2010). The introduction should be written using facts, statistics, anecdote, or a question (Beach, 2010). The question will enhance the heart grabbing of the reader (Beach, 2010). The thesis should tell the purpose of the essay (Beach, 2010). A thesis is a short sentence or roadmap that defines the information in a sentence inquiry (Beach, 2010). Using the correct terminologies will enhance the understanding of the reader (Beach, 2010). Use personal experience and research information so as to come up with a good essay (Beach, 2010). Give background information on the essay so as to enhance more understanding (Beach, 2010). When writing this essay it should be based on strong arguments (Beach, 2010). Writing the essay, you should proofread for grammatical errors and spelling mistake (Beach,

Marketing Conference - Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Conference - Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Interaction, responsibility to the community and employee satisfaction Competition analysis: Understanding where our products rank in the market place is important to better determine how to improve our market share among consumers thus improve our revenue. A comprehensive analysis of the activities of our potential competitors is an ever going business objective. Government grants are funded by tall money. They therefore require very strict compliance and reporting measures to ensure that the money given is well spent. Unfortunately grants are never given away indiscriminately. However, other sources of funding are available. Nonetheless, it is still important that to research the target market, in order to ensure that customers will pay for the product. The cost of starting up of a business can be mitigated through: Bank Loan: This is another option for funding once target market is ascertained. The bank will need a realistic cash flow forecast, and proof that the loan will be paid back with interest. The bank may require provision of securities against the loan such as a house or car in case you don’t pay. This requires stringent risk analysis. The targeted market is often defined in terms of demographics and psychographics. In demographics, the target market is considered using variables such as gender, age, education, house-hold income, marital status, employment status, residence and the number of children in the house-hold. For example, Kick Covers could target consumers aged between 26-to-50 years old with yearly house-hold income of $50000 or more, or house-holds with children aged six years or younger. Psychographic: This is a general term for consumer’s personality traits, beliefs and attitudes about social issues (opinions) personal interests (sports, music or movies),and shopping orientations(price sensitive shoppers, recreational shoppers, convenience

Research and critically evaluate the context of addiction, Essay

Research and critically evaluate the context of addiction, (multi)generational trauma, and social determinants of health in rela - Essay Example Many theories have been put forth to explain the context of addiction, but only a few have linked the individual experiences and relationships in the society to the context of addiction. This paper will address how family life, social structures, and other socio-economic factors contribute to substance abuse resulting in addiction. More specifically, the paper will analyze how an individual’s experiencein early childhood as well as multi-generational trauma contribute to the development of addiction. First Nation’s People in Canada The First Nations people are the aboriginal groups in Canada such as Inuit and Metis that suffered acculturation, after the Europeans imposed a new culture, replacing the people’s traditional culture. This occurred via compulsion, with the people losing their cultural identity. These communities exhibit a form of social disability that has defined the society since the acculturation. These communities have lagged behind the rest of Can ada, aw exhibited by the socio-economic factors of the society (Satzewich & Wotherspoon, 2002). Substance Use and Addiction among First Nation’s People As described above, the socio-economic factors of these communities exhibit the need for intervention. ... The Inuit community experiences a high prevalence of substance abuse with the most commonly used substances being cocaine, marijuana, and solvents. Among the Nunavik, cannabis is the leading drug abused by the people (Satzewich & Wotherspoon, 2002). Males form the high population of the people using substances, although this does not exclude women, who also report a high level of substance use. In addition, smoking is very prevalent among the First Nation’s people, with pregnant women indulging in the habit posing serious health risks to the child. Other statistics indicate that two thirds of the population indulges in smoking compared to lesser statistics in the rest of the Canadian society. Previous understanding of addiction Many researchers have attributed addiction, which is the term used to denote the compulsive urge to use drugs to the molecular structure of the substances used. For example, nicotine in tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol contain certain compounds that trigger addiction. Many studies have been carried out with the aim of demonstrating how the molecular structure of these substances has contributed to addiction (Dube et al, 2002). Many of the other theories surround the availability of drugs in the society as well as peer pressure. Only a few studies have sought to establish the roots of substance abuse. As the sections below will indicate, the cause of addiction may lie deeper into the societal make-up and the experience of individuals in the society. Causes of adverse Childhood Experiences and Multigenerational Trauma This is kind of trauma that transcends different generations, emanating from the family or

What roles do religions play in Appiah's analysis How is your approach Essay

What roles do religions play in Appiah's analysis How is your approach similar to or different from his - Essay Example Let me highlight that most people have always sought the assistance of religion when cumbered with spiritual and social problems. This paper will therefore give a vivid explanation of Appiah’s story. Appiah has given a vibrant explanation of importance of religion. The following are the importance of religion according to Appiah. I will keenly observe the points raised by Appiah. In so doing I will criticize, such points to ascertain whether they are true. The importance of kingship is highlighted by Appiah to be very important. The arrival of the king at the palace is described as horrific. It is noted that the king wore quill of porcupine looking like a worrier ready to devour. In this way, the importance of the king in the Asante kingdom is very significant. This shows that kingship plays an integral part of Asante religion. Appiah highlights that when the king arrived, everyone remained standing until the king settled on the throne. This shows that the people had high degr ee of respect for their king (Furness 2009). The importance of modern religion has been highlighted in Appiah’s story. He was able to notice the picture of the king greeting the pope on the wall of the palace. This shows that the Asante people had respect and value for God. In this way, people are seen to have their own freedom of worship. Appiah has also highlighted that modernity has intruded in to acts of religion in the kingdom. In this case, most people have tried to embrace modernity. This has weakened the contemporary Asante religion. Appiah has noted that intrusion of western culture and way of life has tended to weaken the native Asante culture and religion (Kepler 2011). Appiah has highlighted vividly that religion is meant to unite people. For instance, people of Asante kingdom were seen to be united by this factor. They had common places for their worship. It has been noted that most people have embraced modern ways of religion. Most of the Asante elites are Catho lics. Modern religion has resulted in unity of different people. In this case, people are able to work together as a team. I must highlight that I have agreed with Appiah statement on unity. In fact, the ultimate reason for religion is to foster unity among different people (Schieman 2011). This is because people from different backgrounds always come together to worship one GOD. Another importance of religion is to foster growth and development among the people. Appiah has highlighted that missionaries came to transform Africa. Through their new religion, they brought Christianity. In this case, most Africans were able to condemn their native way of life. The rise of Pentecostal messengers has even developed this view farther. The Pentecostal preachers are currently challenging the churches and condemning the old rites of idolatrous. This shows that religion is responsible for condemning of vices in the society (Anthony 2011). The preaching of the bible is based on the Ten Commandm ents that are meant to guide people on their relationship with GOD and others. Religion has a role for ensuring spiritual fulfillment. It is important to note that Appiah highlights that different people always need different conditions for spiritual fulfillment. In this case, such people can no more exist better in the same moral as compared to the manner plants can exist in same physical and climate. I have to agree with Appiah that spiritual fulfillment is always achieved through religion. This is the reason most people with different problems always go to church. In fact, nowadays, most people believe that their problems can be solved through prayers rather than traditional and cultural interventions. The increase in the number of people who go to

Reflective journal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Reflective journal - Research Paper Example Nonetheless, I was pleased at being able to widen my area of experience and I had a positive outlook at joining the hospital. The use of the fieldwork learning framework helped me a lot in the previous placements that I had undergone so I used it to set my goals and the targets I would achieve while undergoing this hospital placement. I find this framework is especially useful in setting ones goals as it helps one apply both personal and professional resources that are available in order to continually develop a persons skills in the work place (Larkin & Hamilton, 2010). The continuous cycle allows one to go back reevaluate the progress that they have made as well as examine the different aspects that have room for improvement. The main goals I set for myself were to improve my manual hand skills as well as my documentation and interviewing skills. I spent the first day familiarizing myself with my surroundings and getting to know the other members of the staff and I got the opportunity to meet with my supervisor and formally introduce myself. I was formed on what my role as an Occupational therapist in the hospital would be and that we would mainly be focusing on the Oncology and General Surgery areas although there were many other areas that Occupational therapists could be involved in. I was a bit nervous as my knowledge on Oncology was not as thorough as I would have liked it to be and I hoped that things would go well but as the fieldwork learning framework suggests, learning is a continuous process that happens over time (Larkin & Hamilton, 2010). Once we began working, I was amazed at how busy the hospital was and the number of patients that we met on just the first day. I now believe that this plac ement will be harder than my previous ones but all in all I truly enjoyed my first day at the hospital. I have now finished my first week in the hospital and I have found it to be continually challenging. I have had to deal

Gender, ethnicity and social class issues in higher education Essay

Gender, ethnicity and social class issues in higher education - Essay Example Most governments emphasize on equal opportunity for all in education attainment and stern actions are taken against those found discriminating students. The question that begs answers is therefore, if there is equal education opportunity, why do issues of gender, ethnicity and social class matter or why do they continue to bog down the education system? According to Ball (2006) such education policies just contribute to a meritocratic education system. This view is supported by the Virginia university teaching resource center (2004) which believes that such classifications influence â€Å"what we teach, how we teach and how students learn’ and that â€Å"gender equality is taken for granted but it is not yet a reality.† In view of this, this paper will discuss how socio-economic, national identity, gender and English proficiency affect student behavior or faculty behavior towards students. To start with, the socio-economic factors will be discussed. These include the c hallenges faced by students from low socio-economic background such as emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags and health and safety issues that affect participation rates and educational achievement. It will then look at gender issues such as gender stereotyping and their effects on education after which it will look at issues of national identity and language proficiency faced by international students and their effects on students as well as faculty behavior. Lastly, a short summary will be made. Society is divided into various classes of citizens; the upper, middle and lower class. These represent the hierarchical ordering of society especially due to the emergence of the capitalistic mode of production. Karl Marx often criticized this mode of production for many societal problems and for bringing about exploitation of some people by others, that is, exploitation of working class by the dominant ruling class or capitalists (Morrison, 2006). Emile Durkheim on the other hand, blamed this system for eroding family values and morals but he believed the division of labor in society was the key to enhance social solidarity which had been dismantled by the system. It helps to move from mechanical to organic solidarity but at the same time division of labor may also result in classification of people into high class and low classes depending on their occupations (Morrison, 2006). For examples, professionals such as accountants or lawyers are considered as from high classes while cl erks are in the low social class. Individual identity in modern system is defined by what one does rather than what one is. Paid employment is thus very crucial in defining identity and determining the future of individuals especially where work ethic is emphasized. Education being the key to employment is thus very vital in society and determines what people become in future and can also affect social mobility. This is the reason why issues of equality and equity in education provision are the center of education policies. According to Weis and Dolby (2012) social class determines most aspects of our lives such as which schools to attend and even influences participation in education, academic achievement and student interactions. This view is supported by Jensen (2009) who asserts that students from different socio-economic status bring into the education system their experiences which

Freedom of Press Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Freedom of Press - Term Paper Example Indeed, the political rights, which encompass the right to participate freely in the political process, depend on how freely communication and expression through the electronic and printed media is guaranteed. Freedom of the press also makes political leaders and public office holders to be responsible and accountable to the citizens. Furthermore, the civil liberties that allow for freedom of expression and belief, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, and personal autonomy without government control are intrinsically linked to the degree of freedom of the press. Thus, the political stability of any state is strongly dependent on freedom of the press and as a result, freedom of the press is a politically relevant issue. The political rights, which include the right to vote and be voted for, depends on the degree of freedom of the press. The right to vote and be voted for is the distinguishing factor between democratic governments and their undemocratic counterparts. D emocracy involves free, fair and regular contestation for political offices and freedom of the press is an implicit requirement for free and fair elections (Sachs, 2007, 2). For an election to be free and fair, the electorate must communicate and express themselves freely without fear, favor, threats or domination from government and other parties of potential domination. Indeed, freedom of the press ensures free communication and expression that eventually leads to free and fair elections. It is noted that governments that suppress the media are notorious for conducting flaw elections. This was the case with the Iranian government. In fact, the Iranian government aggressively crackdown on the media in the wake of its flaw presidential elections. Furthermore, authoritarian states such as Russia and China notorious for their molestation of journalists in the bid to restricting the flow of information and thereby maintaining the political structure are also excellent examples of state s that conduct flaw elections (Karlekar, 2010, 1). In addition to promoting political rights, freedom of the press ensures that the elected government officials and other public office holders are responsible and accountable to the citizens. This is particularly true in states that have freedom of information legislation, an extension of the freedom of the press. Under this legislation, request can be made of government to make public, information otherwise classified as sensitive or secret. This promotes openness and responsibility on the part of government officials since they will be requested to provide information on how the government is run. Over 85 countries have implemented some form of the freedom of legislation. There is a good-to-excellent correlation between corrupt governments and countries that do not have this form of legislation. For instance, countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway that have some form of the freedom of information legislation (Staples, 2007) have been consistently rated as the world most corrupt-free states. While African and Middle East countries that do not have forms of this legislation have consistently be rated as corrupt states. Thus,

Apple Swot Essay Example for Free

Apple Swot Essay Apple is a brand which is being recognized for good reasons through out the world. â€Å"Brands are unlikely to become successful if their end motive is simply to be different, consumers demand that brands become different in a meaningful way which means delivering on that difference† (Helen Fern 2010). Apple has a great sense of creativity especially in connecting with consumers and this can be seen from the fact that even the most generic products can still be perceived to be different. There are many smart phones out there in the market but the iphone is the most recognized today. From the fact that Apple maintains a good range of products which compliment each other from the itunes online store which is an excellent source of revenue derived from sales of music and applications for Apples iphone, ipod and ipad touch devices, this is bound to bring good customer loyalty buying multiple products from Apple, some of whom may well be influenced by other people as Apple seem to have an aggressive presence on the social media networks such as facebook and twitter where the majority of consumers spend a lot of their time these days. This increases further awareness and adds strength to the brand. Apple has not in many years use celebrities to strengthen its brand which is a great deal in saving money. Instead it is the celebrities who tend to use Apple now in order to increase their income and diversify their business. This in return increases the strength of the brand almost effortlessly. A good example to this will be the Will i.am iphone cases. â€Å"Will.i.am has officially unveiled four â€Å"i.am † iPhone cases, designed to improve the Apple smartphone’s camera capabilities. The Black Eyed Peas frontman took to London’s Selfridges department store to show off the â€Å"foto.sosho† range, with the press release claiming the device, which comes in several variants, to be â€Å"the world’s first digital camera accessory and app combination designed to turn an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S into a sophisticated point and shoot digital camera.† http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/will-i-am-launches-i-am-foto-sosho-iphone-cases Apple has won several awards in recent years and has been â€Å"voted the  overall winner of the 2012 CMO survey awards for marketing excellence, yet again Apple has been selected as a winner or co winner for five consecutive years by the sample o0f top marketers†. Christine Moorman 2012. Apple had originally followed the following points in order to create success. * Epathy – Making sure that customers needs are truly been understood more than any other company in this competitive industry. * Focus – Time management in terms of eliminating unimportant opportunities therefore a good job can be done on the chosen tasks for example deciding what to produce and then focusing on product differentiation from other producers. * Impute – Product presentation is of high importance since people always judge a book by its cover therefore, high quality product and most usefull software has to be presented in a creative proffessional manner. Apple is an innovator and technology leader Strategic Management Assignment references. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/24/tech/mobile/heart-monitor-smartphone-app/index.html Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://techpinions.com/apple-as-innovator-three-contributions-that-changed-computing/9863 Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/StraightTalk.aspx http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0312/why-pay-the-high-price-for-apple.aspx#axzz2HJhClMRf Accessen on 29-12-2012 Price http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/will-i-am-launches-i-am-foto-sosho-iphone-cases. Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254300/Has-Google-finally-taken-bite-Apple-App-developers-switching-allegiance-search-giants-Android-software-dominates-Christmas-sales.html Accessed on 29-12-2012 http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/Post/2012-11-14/Apple-tablet-wars-and-the-Red-Queen-Effect.aspx http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/Post/2012-11-14/Apple-tablet-wars-and-the-Red-Queen-Effect.aspx Steve jobs being a good leader.

How the arts relate Essay Example for Free

How the arts relate Essay The arts are inter-related because they rely and complement one another. It will be absurd for any of the arts to stand alone. They are all inextricably linked- for example, can anyone dance without music? The simple answer to this is â€Å"no. † Music gives direction to dance. In other words, music inspires the movement involved in dance. The dance steps are in line with the rhythm of the music. Dance is performed in theatres before live audiences or recorded on film so that the people who are not present can view the performance later. Theatre is a special face to face type of communication with a limited audience. However, when productions in the theatre are placed on film, the audience is broadened. Relationship between dance and music Dance involves a lot of body movement. Much of this body movement in dance involves the use of various parts of the human body. These various body movements need to be properly done in order to have an effect on a theatrical audience. Highlights this point when they write that, The dramatic effectiveness of a dance, however, invariably depends on myriad factors-movement dynamics of body parts and torso, movement in space, location on stage, direction of focus, use of weight, muscle tension, and so on (2). As a performance, dance is often creative and novel. When dance fulfils these attributes, it sparks interest in the minds of the audience. These audiences can either be at home or live. Live performances are often held in theatres while recordings on film extend the experience to people who were not present at the time. Dance is often directed by choreographers, while music is written by composers. Over the years, the work of these two groups (choreographers and composers) has been studies in order to unearth the innate relationships between the two. In their analysis of choreographers and composers, Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss find that, In the past, traditional models of collaboration between composers and choreographers have subjugated either dance or music, or sidestepped the question altogether by removing all correlation between movement and sound. †¦one that avoids this conflict entirely by making the work of choreographer and composer interdependent rather than dependent; fused instead of segregated (5). The fusion between dance and music which Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss state above is also reiterated in computer animations. In the real world music and dance are complimentary. Thus in animations as well, these two forms of art stick together. It is absurd to hear of someone who dances amidst silence, instead of taking step and making body movements according to music playing in the background. Takaaki Shiratori, Atsushi Nakazawa and Katsushi Ikeuchi present an amazing analogy of the relationship between music and dance when they write that, The ability to dance to music is a natural born skill for a human. Everyone has experienced a desire to move their bodies while listening to a rhythmic song. Hip-hop dancers can simultaneously compose a dance motion to the musical sounds they are listening to†¦. Considering this ability, we are led to believe that dance motion has strong connections with music, (1). Naturally, music moves people to dance. It is often difficult to ignore music especially when it is interesting. Over the years and across many cultures in the world dance steps have evolved according to various types of music. In many places dance schools are set up and certain pieces of music and dance steps have become very popular across the world. Relationship between theatre and film The similarities and differences between theatre and film have been a subject among scholars for a while. According to Susan Sontag, there was a need to ensure, †¦the maintaining and clarifying of barriers between the arts (256). Toward this end Susan Sontag embarked on the task of unearthing the relationship between theatre and film. In a bid to accomplish this task, she raised questions which were meant to challenge, unbridgeable division, even opposition between the two arts (249). However, it is important to note that Susan Sontag was limited by the realities that were present when she undertook the study. A lot has changed since then. Agreed, theatre and film have a lot of similarities and differences but they often go together in many ways. For example, in marketing of artistic productions, theatre box office sales are an important source of revenue. Apart from this source, sales of recorded copies of the production too bring in a lot of money. This analogy raises the question whether there can be a struggle between theatres and film for audiences? In truth there can be a struggle especially when managers and producers do not manage the two effectively. Usually, in marketing, theatre and film complement each other. In theatre, the performance is live, thus there is an intimacy between the performance and the audience. However, in film, the performance is recorded, thus there is no direct connection with the audience. With film, producers are able to include certain effects which may not be possible on a theatrical stage. While live performance in theatres has its advantages, recorded performances too are beneficial in various ways. In this way both theatre and film are complementary. The complementary nature of theatre and film is highlighted when Ralph Hammerthaler talks about the concept of the â€Å"theatre movie. † He writes that, â€Å"If there is a trend in the theatre of the 1990s, then it is the trend to the theatre movie. † According to him the concept of theatre film encourages the incorporation of various forms of art into film such as music films, filmed plays, etc. Apart from the fact that theatre is a recorded performance, it uses a lot of devices and techniques that are used in film production such as sound track, rhythm, fade overs, clips, etc. The relationship between dance, music film and theatre Music is inevitable in film and theatre because it is often used as sound track. Sound tracks have special significance in film and theatrical productions because they heighten the mood. Depending on the sound track used, the audience can feel a sense of shame, fear, pity or suspense. Furthermore, Simon Frith adds that music structures time in film productions. Music performs the same function in theatre as well. Dance on the other hand is often accompanied by music and performed on stage or recorded for a wider audience. Conclusion The arts are inextricably related- each plays an important part in order to yield a wholesome result. Due to this reason, none of the arts can stand alone. It will be absurd to dance without music and where will music and drama be performed if not in a theatre? Furthermore, what happens when other people besides the audiences in theatres are interested in viewing a production? They definitely join the larger body of audiences by viewing the production on film.

Describing The Assessment Process For Hospital Ward Patient Nursing Essay

Describing The Assessment Process For Hospital Ward Patient Nursing Essay The purpose of this assignment is to describe how a nurse assesses a patient admitted to a hospital ward. It will discuss the history of the patient, any pre-existing medical conditions and the reason they were admitted to the ward. It will also describe the hospital setting, the nursing model used, the risk assessment tools and the information collected from the assessment including the needs identified and what can be and will be done. For the purpose of this assignment the patient, healthcare professionals and the trust must remain anonymous, and will be referred to by pseudonyms. This is in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code, where it clearly states you must respect peoples right to confidentiality (NMC Code, 2008). The patient receiving assessment and care will be referred to as Mrs Ethel Morris. Mrs Ethel Morris was admitted to an orthopaedic trauma ward within the North West. Orthopaedics is the correcting of deformities to the skeletal joints and bones, which have been caused by damage or disease (McFerran, 2008). The ward consisted of many staff, including, nurses, health care assistants, a house officer, medical consultants and physiotherapists. It had three bays, 2 being female, with 8 beds in each and one ten bedded male bay. Also, there were 4 side rooms for patients that needed to be isolated. This was an acute setting with various Orthopaedic conditions, including fractures of all types. The ward admits patients twenty-four hours a day from Accident and Emergency (AE) and transfers from other hospitals. Many of the patients admitted have pre-existing medical conditions, which have to be taken into account alongside their fractures. Ethel was an 82-year-old lady who had fallen whilst she was out shopping with her daughter. She usually walked with a walking stick to aid her balance, but with a previous history of dementia she had forgotten it. Dementia is a progressive deterioration of the brain, caused by structural and chemical changes within the brain. Symptoms include, memory loss, disorientation and changes in personality (Ouldred, 2007). Ethels friend had called an ambulance immediately after the fall, and she was admitted to the ward through accident and emergency. Ethels fall had resulted in a fracture to the neck of femur in her left leg. Marieb (1998) states that the femur is the strongest and largest bone in the body. It consists of a ball, which is known as the head of the femur, which is carried on the neck of femur to the long bone. The neck is the weakest part of the femur. Elderly people are more at risk of falls as their muscles become weaker they become less flexible. This then interferes with their movement and balance, they become more inactive and this increases the risk of falls. (Skelton et al, 1999) Ethel also has osteoporosis, which may have contributed to her fracture. Liscum (1992) states this is the formation of the bone having decreased. Elderly women suffering from osteoporosis, who subsequently sustain a fractured neck of femur, face a fifty percent chance of not walking again. Ethel appeared confused when she arrived on the ward, not knowing how she had come to be in hospital, apart from being aware of the pain and discomfort she was suffering with her hip. The nursing staff reminded Ethel what had happened and checked her drug kardex immediately for pain relief. The doctor who had seen Ethel in AE had written her up for 5ml of oromorph every three hours to control the pain. As oromorph is a controlled drug the nurse checked the dosage with another registered nurse and give it to Ethel orally. Once Ethel was comfortable, the nurse in charge of the bay began the nursing assessment. An assessment is the collection of information from an individual, to establish their needs and develop a clear prospective of their situation. The nursing process relies upon complete and thorough assessments to be a success. A key nursing skill is observing a patient, using all five senses, from listening to gain information, to touching them, assessing their temperature and the condition of their skin (Brooker and Waugh, 2007) Holland et al (2008) also states that an assessment identifies the priority amongst the problems. Data can be collected in a number of different ways, from observing a patient, communicating with them and through their clinical notes. Collection of information can also be made through a secondary source (a relative), if, for example, the primary source (the patient) was unconscious. A named nurse approach was used on the ward; this provides individualised care for the patient from admission to the point of discharge. Named nursing has been developed from primary nursing and is very closely connected to team nursing. (Dawe, 2008) The ward follows a philosophy of care to meet individual needs. Providing patient centred care, meeting individual needs whilst respecting their privacy, dignity, religious and cultural beliefs. They strive to provide high quality care and aim to maximise the potential of individuals to adapt and cope with their conditions. The wards philosophy reflects the National Service Frameworks (NSFs) quality of care. NSFs are in place to improve care in twelve specific areas, including blood pressure, diabetes and mental health. The standards have been implemented nationally and they have all been set certain time scales. (Department of Health (DOH), 2008) The ward uses most of the NSFs depending on which patient they are dealing with. In Ethels case the main ones being blood pressure and older people, which has eight different standards of its own. The nurse firstly recorded Ethels clinical observations, and her saturations appeared to be very low at only 89%. Oxygen saturations are monitored through an electronic device called a pulse oximeter. This reads the oxygen levels of haemoglobin in the arteries and is updated with each pulse (Jevon, 2000). The nurse immediately put her on four litres of oxygen through a nose cannula. A Nose cannula is two small plastic tubes that are inserted into each nostril to administer oxygen. This allows room air to be breathed in at the same time and is secured by tubing over the ears, which fits onto the oxygen cylinder (Brooker and Waugh, 2007). The nurse carried out Ethels assessment by her bedside with the curtains drawn to respect her privacy. As Ethel had dementia her daughter was present for the assessment, to confirm details and help with the process. Barrett et al (2009) states that nurses who carry out disorganized, incomplete assessments, may fail to notice a major concern, or recognize an underlying problem. Nursing models are used in the assessment process in most care settings. They are in place to establish the information that is required, ways it can be gathered for the best results, and the detail that is likely to be more helpful. (Aggleton and Chalmers, 2000) Roper et al (2000) says that models are used to help organize thinking by creating theory. They are global views that have been summarised into systems. There are many different Nursing Models used in clinical settings from Orems self care model to Hendersons model of nursing. Nursing models are used to provide a distinctive framework, to highlight what the patients needs are (Fawcett, 1989). The nursing model used on this ward was Roper Logan and Tierney, Activities of living model. Roper et al (1996) activities of living consists of twelve activities that ensure survival, these are, maintaining a safe environment, communicating, breathing, eating and drinking, eliminating, personal cleansing and dressing, controlling of body temperature, mobilising, working and playing, expressing sexuality, sleeping and dying. These activities are all as important as each other and one cannot be done without another. The impact of illness will affect more than one of these activities. Roper et al (2000) activities of living was first written in 1980 for nursing practice to be introduced to students. At this time there were five concepts in the model that included activities of living, lifespan and individuality in living. The model became the United Kingdoms most popular model and was also widely used throughout Europe. The nurse used a number of risk assessment tools when assessing Ethel. These were, the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST), waterlow score, falls risk assessment score for the elderly (FRASE) and the Abbey pain scale. The MUST tool is a nutritional screening tool that recognises over nutrition (obesity) and under nutrition (BAPEN, 2008). The MUST tool was developed so nutritional care would improve in all care settings, by the malnutrition advisory group (MAG) of BAPEN. This tool can be applied to all adult patients, even those who are bed bound (BAPEN, 2008). As a result of the MUST screening tool, Ethel was commenced on a fluid balance chart. This measures the quantity of liquid intake, including Intravenous (IV) fluids and drinks, against the total urine output. Also to be monitored was Ethels food intake, this was to be done on a food chart. This needed updating after every mealtime to show how much was being eaten at different times. The waterlow score is to determine whether a patient is at risk of developing a pressure ulcer (Waterlow, 2005). This tool uses a scoring system, based on patients data. The categories include skin type, age, and continence. (Thompson, 2005) Ethels score was sixteen and she was at high-risk of pressure sores, this was due to her age and mobility. Waterlow (2005) first designed this tool for students use in 1985. It is the most frequent risk assessment tool in the United Kingdom (UK), and is used throughout hospitals, nursing homes and within the community. Pressure ulcers are most common in people with bony surfaces, thin skin and an unhealthy diet. Ethel was found to be a high risk of developing a pressure sore, as she was immobile and had tissue paper skin. The nurse commenced her on a turns chart so she would be rolled or moved every three hours to check and relieve her pressure areas. Also a pressure-relieving mattress was ordered for Ethel, this alternates the body areas under pressure by rotating the air throughout the mattress. (Collins, 2004) The FRASE assessment tool is to assess if a patient is at risk of a fall, taking into account their history and their current state. (Bolton NHS, 2003) Connard developed a fall risk assessment for the elderly in 1996; this was then adapted into a hybrid tool, known as the FRASE tool. It is in similar context to the waterlow score as they both use a points scale to assess the patients level of vulnerability (Kinn and Hood, 2001) The nurse carrying out the assessment began Ethel on a falls care plan, as she was at high-risk from having another fall. A member of staff was to update the care plan each day, noting any unsteadiness or falls. This was going to play a greater part after Ethels operation, as for the time being she was bed bound. The Abbey pain scale was developed in Australia to assess patients pain levels. It was used for individuals who had trouble communicating effectively and who suffered from dementia (Turner-stokes and Higgins, 2007). Abbey (2004) researched and developed the abbey pain scale between 1997 and 2002, and wanted it to be a straightforward and effective tool, used by all health care staff. It consisted of six scales to measure pain including physiological changes to changes in body language. Ethels score was seven and her pain level was acute to chronic during the assessment. The nurse had previously administered 5ml of Oromorph, and because of this the abbey scale was to be updated every hour to monitor the success of the pain relief. During the assessment the nurse collected various information from Ethel, including objective and subjective data. Newson (2008) states that objective data is information collected that can be measured such as temperature and blood pressure. The MUST tool was used to measure Ethels weight, and other observations were recorded, including blood pressure which was 142 systolic and pulse of 84; these were all in satisfactory limits. Any data collected outside the normal range would have been given an early warning score. A doctor and the outreach team need informing if a score totals three or above (Baines and Kanagasundaram, 2008). Also collected was Ethels details that included her, address, date of birth, and her medical history. This can be obtained through medical notes. as original records cannot be tampered with and all records made must be clear and accurate (NMC Code, 2008). Subjective data is information that cannot be measured, for example, information that the patient has given about him or herself, or the nurses insight on the patient (Newson, 2008). The nurse asked Ethel questions to gain this information, if she felt nauseas, or in pain and how she felt about what had happened. Also observed was Ethels behaviour to see if she was agitated or frightened, closed body language showed she was as her arms were wrapped around herself. The nurse also looked at and noted the condition of her skin, nails and hair. Due to Ethels dementia she didnt understand very much of what was going on and didnt know how she had ended up on a hospital ward. Short-term memory is affected alongside some long-term memory loss. This affects the ability to communicate with people and can result in the patient asking the same question repeatedly (LEHR, 2006). The nurse had to keep reassuring Ethel about what had happened, how she ended up on the ward and what her plan was. Communication is a key skill in nursing and it is an essential part in building the patient-nurse relationship. The nurse has to gain lots of information from the patient so it is important to know whether there is a communication barrier, such as a hearing problem or if the patient cannot read or speak the same language. They may need to speak more loudly or slowly so the patient can lip-read (Holland et al 2008). McCabe and Timmins, (2006) states that communication should be focused on the patient, rather than task centred. Listening, empathy and support are essential communication skills in nursing, but the main being to develop a relationship with the patient, and nurses should make time to spend with them. Ethels daughter stayed during the assessment process to help the nurse gain accurate information and communicate effectively with Ethel. The nurse had to speak slowly so she understood, and if she looked confused the nurse would reassure her and repeat the question. This process took a long time but it was necessary so Ethel could gain trust in the nurse. This made her feel more relaxed and comfortable as she could feel the warmth that had developed between them. This assignment has shown how a nurse has an important role in assessing, planning and the implementation of patient care. It has shown that nurses have to obtain data by using a various number of different sources, from assessment tools to observing patients behaviour. The nurse must also use a nursing model to help complete full and accurate assessments of patients and their needs. If there is a communication barrier, nurses must be able to overcome it by using an interpreter or picture cards. The needs identified during the assessment process have to be implemented and care plans introduced. Nurses then have a responsibility to keep regularly updating the care plans by re-assessing the patient on a regular basis.

Drug Use in Sports Essay example -- Athelets Drug Use Sports

Drugs in sports can cost a player his or her scholarship(s) and more seriously, their lives. Everyday athletes that you may not think are doing anabolic steroids or the human growth hormone are the athletes who are the big users. 1. There are three major performance enhancing drugs that are used by the super star athletes: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone pills. 2. These performance enhancing are found in just about all fifty states and the problem is rapidly growing. 3. In almost every type of sport there is one form or another of performance enhancing drugs. Some of the most common sports you will find them in are the power/strength sports and the endurance sports. 4. Athletes may come up with the strangest ways of using the drugs that can sometimes be a major threat to their lives. 5. Drug testing is a way for the sports officials to weed out the users and severally punish them by throwing them off the team and sometimes expelling them from school. Perf ormance enhancing drugs have a major impact on sports and athletes. The sports of today are experiencing more problems with performance enhancing drugs mainly because of the popularity of the three most common drugs: anabolic steroids, amphetamine, and the human growth hormone. Many of the so called jocks that play the rough and tough sports like football are the ones who are using anabolic steroids. There are different effects for men and women but all of the problems are very serious. Males are subject to hair loss, acne and liver cancer which can be a life threatening disease. Females are exposed to growth of body and facial hair and they are also liable to contract deepening of the voice. Gaining that little bit of competitiveness can lead to greater increases in performance. Steroids increase muscle mass and strength which helps athletes recover quicker from injuries. The most common sports where you would find the anabolic steroids are in body building, football, track & field power events and weightlifting. Another (1) performance enhancing drug is amphetamine. Amphetamine also has very serious side effects in the male and female body. Both males and females can experience feelings of anxiety and restlessness along with a rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. Amphetamines, as with any other performance drug, can become addictive. Athletes use the drug amphetamine to boo... ...g for steroids on a random basis. Any player testing positive on the first offense is faced with suspension for a year and on the second (6) offense the player is handed a lifetime suspension from NCAA competition. At one time Stanford University was able to compete in sports with disregard to collegiate rules about the mandatory drug testing. Conrad Rushing a California judge said, "drug testing is invasion of the athletes privacy" (Worsnop, 528). I think that statement is very wrong because drug testing should be a mandatory event in every college whether or not it is an invasion of their privacy. It is a policy and every school should abide by the rules no matter what. Drugs in schools ruins the reputation of the school and if it continues, schools will have less kids applying and they will have no other options but to get rid of the problems of drugs. Sooner or later the drug problem will just keep growing and growing and all sports are going to lose attention. Most important , sports are going to lose the support of their fans which effect the finances of the players and organizations. Without enough financial support sports cannot survive and sports would be ruined forever.

Nursing Practicum Proposal Essay -- nursing educator, practicum experi

Nursing students today are diverse with different learning styles. Nursing educators must shape students to become critical thinkers and there are a host of approaches for instructors to develop needed teaching skills (Kostovich et al., 2007). There are many models of education styles; one to fashion teaching after is from Kolb’s model in 1985 which suggests matching learning methods to teaching approaches. However, educators need to become proficient in identifying individual student learning styles. Nursing educators should also recognize their own teaching style and the effect it has on learner development and socialization (National League for Nursing, 2007). The National League for Nursing (NLN) has developed eight core competencies for nurse educators. The NLN proficiencies serve as a guide for faculty to follow in order to provide high quality education for nursing students (NLN, 2007). This paper is aimed at proposing a student teaching practicum at North Central M ichigan College (NCMC) in the nursing high fidelity simulation/skills lab for the winter 2014 semester. Scholarly Practicum Proposal The NLN has developed eight core competencies for nurse educators. The NLN proficiencies serve as a guide for faculty to follow in order to provide high quality education for nursing students (NLN, 2007). With a diverse student population, educators must be able to incorporate varied teaching strategies into curricula to meet the needs of each student. Older students have a tendency to prefer on line discussion and problem-based learning, while younger students prefer simulations and skills demonstration (Pettigrew, Dienger, & King, 2011). Used as a teaching tool, simulation promotes clinical skills, interperson... ...eved from http://www.nln.org/profde/corecompetencies.pdf . North Central Michigan College. (2013-14). Nursing program handbook. Retrieved from http://www.ncmich.edu/ Penn, B., Wilson, L., & Rosseter, R. (2008). Transitioning from nursing practice to a teaching role: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 13(3):3 Pettigrew, A., Dienger, M., & King, M. (2011). Nursing students today: Who are they and what are their learning preferences? Journal of Professional Nursing, 27(4), 227-236. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2011.03.007. Rattray, J., & Jones, M. (2007). Essential elements of questionnaire design and development. Journal of Clinical Nursing 16, 234-243. Wayne, D., & Lotz, K. (2013). The simulated clinical environment as a platform for refining critical thinking in nursing students: a pilot program. Nursing Education Perspectives, 34 (3), 163-166.

The Urban Legend of a Witch in Maryland Essays -- Urban Legends Ghost

The Legend of Moll Dyer: A Witch in Maryland The first time I heard this story was in Maryland. It was told by a woman in her thirties, who identified herself as being of Irish heritage, which made the story of Moll Dyer more close to her heart. She was also an anthropology major who has had contact with local folklorists in the past. This is where she first learned of the story of Moll Dyer, which she recounted to me as follows: Moll Dyer was an Irish immigrant to Saint Mary’s County, where people began to think she was a witch. When all of the children of the town became sick, the people blamed her and tried to kill her. She ran away from them and they chased her to a large rock. She placed one hand on the rock and raised the other hand towards the sky [gestures with one hand lowered, flat, as if on the rock, and the other hand raised towards the sky], praying. She froze like that and you can still see her hand print on the rock. I’ve actually seen it and put my hand in the place. It’s pretty freaky since it really does fit a human hand. It’s at the courthouse in St. Mary’s County if you want to go see it. Although most of the stories are relatively similar to this version, there are slight differences or additions. In one of the other versions collected, it is said that Moll Dyer lived in a remote cottage outside of Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County in the 1700s. This version stated that, while most of the townspeople knew nothing of her past, they believed Moll Dyer was from a wealthy family and came to this country to escape some mysterious event. This version also gave more details of the history of the townspeople’s interactions with Moll. According to this version, she was given the label of witch bec... ...parainvestigator/Maryland/Maryland.html. Maryland Ghost & Spirit Association. â€Å"Maryland Hauntings—St. Mary’s County.† Access date: 6 April 2005. 2000-2005. http://www.marylandghosts.com/locations/stmarys.php. Maryland Women’s Heritage Trail. Access date: 6 April 2005. http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/3DB5F819-6E1C-4917-8F43-5251C2D49C52/2474/MD_Heritage_41_50.pdf>. MDP. â€Å"Maryland, the old Supernatural Stomping Ground.† Access date: 6 Apr 2005. http://groups.msn.com/marylandtheoldsupernaturalstompingground/comingsoon.msnw Shoemaker, Sandy. Tobaccor to Tomcats†¦ St. Mary’s County since the Revolution. StreamLine Enterprises: Leonardtown MD. Circa 2002. http://access-somd.org/tobacco_to_tomcats/tobacco_to_tomcats.htm. United States Work Projects Administration (Md.). Records microform. Reel #23, frame 034037. 1933-43.