Performance of Telecom Service Provider

ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Performance of Grameenphone and Robi in Telecom. Sector of Bangladesh: A Comparative Study S. M. Akterujjaman* Md. Rouf Biswas* Md. Nur-E-Alam Siddique** Abstract The last decade has brought the first wave of the truly mobile generation which is built around mobile phones, short messaging service (SMS), and portable electronic assistants. The mobile communications industry has been one of the most flourishing sectors within the ICT industry and, in general, within the economy.Grameenphone and Robi are the biggest mobile phone operators in our country and their contribution is very great to our economy. The prime objective of the study is to compare the performance between Grameenphone and Robi in the telecommunications sector of Bangladesh. This study is based on the basis of both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected from relative mobile phone companies’ customers from Khulna city. Total 200 customers (100 customers of Grameenphone and 100 customers of Robi) were surveyed through the judgmental sampling method with questionnaire from March to June 2011.The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions. After collection of primary data, hypotheses were formulated and paired samples T-test was used to test the hypotheses with 0. 05 level of statistical significance. The statistical computer package SPSS version 16. 0 was used to analyze the data. The recommendations were provided based on the findings and analysis. Key words: Performance, Telecommunications sector, Grameenphone, Robi, Customer satisfaction, Network, Hypotheses. Introduction The people of Bangladesh are now dreaming of a digital Bangladesh.Faster development of telecommunications network coupled with improved quality of service in line with the national development is a must for the fulfillment of the vision and aspiration of digital Bangladesh and also to take her to a position of honor in the community of nat ions in the 21st century. Mobile phone operators have been playing an important role in this regard (Rahman, 2010). The last decade has brought the first wave of the truly mobile generation which is built around mobile phones, short messaging service (SMS), and portable electronic assistants.But now there is strong evidence to suggest that there is an even bigger wave to come driven by the increasing worldwide technological trend towards mobility and technology integration. This is evident through the plans and strategic directions of many of the major players in this field (Mahmud and Chowdhury, 2010). * ** Senior Lecturers, Department of Business Administration, Northern University Bangladesh Lecturer, Faculty of Business, ASA University Bangladesh 160 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011The telecommunication services in Bangladesh were provided until 1989 by the state-owned monopoly provider Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), telecommunica tions services. In 1989, the Government of Bangladesh opened the telecom sector by awarding licenses to two operators; one to operate fixed telephones in rural areas (Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority); and the other to operate cellular mobile phone and pager (Bangladesh Telecom LtdBTL) services. In 1992, Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (PBTL) bought the mobile part of the BTL (Khan 2003).The telecommunications market in Bangladesh, particularly the mobile phone sector consists of six mobile phone operators. These are Grameenphone Limited (GP), Orascom Telecom Bangladesh Limited (Banglalink), Robi Axiata Limited, Airtel Bangladesh Limited, Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (Citycell), and Teletalk Bangladesh Limited (http://www. btrc. gov. bd). Since its inception Grameenphone has built the largest cellular network in the country with over 13,000 base stations in more than 7000 locations. Presently, nearly 98 percent of the country's population is within the coverage area of th e Grameenphone network.Grameenphone has always been a pioneer in introducing new products and services in the local market. GP was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh when it launched its services in March 1997. Grameenphone was also the first operator to introduce the pre-paid service in September 1999. It established the first 24-hour Call Center, introduced value-added services such as VMS, SMS, fax and data transmission services, international roaming service, WAP, SMS-based pushpull services, EDGE, personal ring back tone and many other products and services.The entire Grameenphone network is also EDGE/GPRS enabled, allowing access to high-speed Internet and data services from anywhere within the coverage area. There are currently nearly 2. 6 million EDGE/GPRS users in the Grameenphone network. Today, Grameenphone is the leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh with more than 33 million subscribers as of May 2011 (http://www. grameenphon e. com). The shareholders of Grameenphone contribute their unique, in-depth experience in both telecommunications and development. It is a joint venture enterprise between Telenor (55. %), the largest telecommunications service provider in Norway with mobile phone operations in 12 other countries, and Grameen Telecom Corporation (34. 2% ), a non-profit sister concern of the internationally acclaimed micro-credit pioneer Grameen Bank. The other 10% shares belong to general retail and institutional investors (http://www. grameenphone. com). Robi Axiata Limited is a joint venture company between Axiata Group Berhad, Malaysia and NTT DOCOMO INC, Japan. It was formerly known as Telecom Malaysia International (Bangladesh) which commenced operations in Bangladesh in 1997 with the brand name AKTEL.On 28th March 2010, the service name was rebranded as ‘Robi’ and the company came to be known as Robi Axiata Limited. Robi is truly a people-oriented brand of Bangladesh. Robi, the pe ople's champion, is there for the people of Bangladesh, where they want and the way they want. Having the local tradition at its core, Robi marches ahead with innovation and creativity. To ensure leading-edge technology, Robi draws from the international expertise of Axiata and NTT DOCOMO INC. It supports 2G voice, CAMEL Phase II & III and GPRS/EDGE service with high speed internet connectivity.Its GSM service is based on a robust network architecture and cutting edge technology such as Intelligent Network (IN), which provides peace-of-mind The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 161 solutions in terms of voice clarity, extensive nationwide network coverage and multiple global partners for international roaming. It has the widest International Roaming coverage in Bangladesh connecting 600 operators across more than 200 countries. Its customer centric solution includes value added services, quality customer care, easy access call centers, digital network security and flexible tariff rates (http://www. obi. com. bd). Robi Axiata Limited is a Joint Venture company between Axiata Group Berhad (70%) and NTT DOCOMO INC. (30%) (http://www. robi. com. bd). Objectives of the Study The prime objective of the study is to compare the performance between Grameenphone and Robi in the telecommunications sector of Bangladesh. The more specific objectives are as follows: 1. To determine the factors that influence consumers to choose a mobile phone operator. 2. To find out different types of facilities that both companies are offering to grasp new customers and to retain the present one. . To know about the specific area where subscribers are satisfied or dissatisfied. 4. To find out the level of customer satisfaction towards the services provided by Grameenphone and Robi. 5. To provide some recommendations to increase the performance of Grameenphone and Robi. Methodology of the Study The methodology adopted for the current study is presented below in a sequential manner: Sour ces of Data: This study is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through personal interview with a structured questionnaire and direct observations.Secondary data were collected from the published official statistics, report documents, laws, ordinance, books, articles, periodicals of different domestic and international agencies, annual reports of concerned cell phone operators, ministry of posts & telecommunications, websites etc. Questionnaire Design: The primary data were collected from relative mobile phone companies’ customers from Khulna city. Total 200 customers (100 customers of Robi and 100 customers of Grameenphone) were surveyed through the convenience sampling method with questionnaire from March to June 2011.The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions. The questionnaire was pre-tested (piloted) on a convenience sample of 30 respondents of both cell phone companies from Khulna city. The aim was to check that the issues were pertinen t and the questions were clear, understandable, and comprehensible. The layout of some questions was modified and further improvements were done as a result of the pilot study. Data Analysis Methods: A five-point Likert type scale statements were used to measure the variables where 1 stands for strongly disagreed and 5 stands for strongly agreed effect on the statements (Luthans, 2002).After collection of primary data, hypotheses were formulated and paired samples t-test was used to test the hypotheses with 0. 05 level of statistical significance. The statistical computer package SPSS version 16. 0 was used to analyze the data. 162 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Hypotheses Formulation: Research hypothesis is an unproven statement, which helps the researcher to draw the suggestion on his hypothetical assumption whether it is true or false based on some specific statistical test (Alam and Neger, 2009). For the convenience of the study the following hyp otheses are developed which are to be tested.Table 1: Developing Hypotheses for Different Factors Alternative hypothesis Factors Null hypothesis (H0) (Ha) Network Coverage x ncm? 0 x ncm* =0 Effectiveness of Network x enm? 0 x enm=0 Low Call Rate x lcrm=0 x lcrm? 0 Availability of SIM Card x ascm=0 x ascm? 0 Low Price SIM Card x lpscm=0 x lpscm? 0 Solution of the Problems Related to x sprsrm=0 x sprsrm? 0 SIM Replacement Special Offer to the Customers x socm=0 x socm? 0 Free Talk Time & Bonus Facilities x ftbfm=0 x ftbfm? 0 Pulse Facility x pfm=0 x pfm? 0 Availability of Flexi Load/Easy Load x aflelfm=0 x aflelfm? 0 Facility Friends & Family Number Facility x ffnm=0 x ffnm? Internet & GPRS Connection x igcm=0 x igcm? 0 Location of the Service Center x lscm? 0 x lscm=0 Value Added Services Facilities x vasfm? 0 x vasfm=0 *m= Two Mobile Companies (i. e Grameenphone and Robi) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Empirical Findings and Analysis An analysis is generated from th e questionnaire to fulfill the objectives of the study. In order to analyze the collected data a 5-point Likert type scale has been used. 5 stands for highly satisfied customers, 4 stands for only satisfied customers, 3 stands for neutral customers, 2 stands for dissatisfied customers, and 1 stands for highly dissatisfied customers.Several judgments are being made from the responses of customers to validate the objectives of the study. The results are presented below: 1. Network Coverage Network availability is an important factor to the customers. They give more emphasis in this particular point in purchasing the brand. The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi Table 2: Satisfaction Regarding Network Coverage Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 163 Value 5 4 3 2 1Frequency Grameenphone 34 55 11 0 0 100 4. 23 . 63333 14. 97 Robi 15 46 29 8 2 100 3. 64 . 90476 24. 86 From the above table, it is found that 34% respondents of GP are highly satisfied and 55% respondents are satisfied regarding network coverage. On the other hand, 15% respondents of Robi are highly satisfied and 46% respondents are satisfied and 29% respondents showed their neutrality regarding network coverage. Here mean value of GP and Robi respondents regarding network coverage are respectively 4. 23 and 3. 64 and the coefficient of variation are respectively 14. 97 and 24. 6, which indicate that GP is in a very strong position than Robi. 2. Effectiveness of Network When the customers have the information in their hand about the different network facility of the different cell phone operators then they give the priority to buy the connection of that operator which has the best coverage. Customers also give importance on the effectiveness of the network. Table 3 shows that 62% customers are satisfied and 25% customers are highly satisfied about the effectiveness of network of GP. On the other hand, 32% customers were neutral in their opinion towards the effectiveness of network of Robi.Of whom 26% customers were satisfied and 18% customers were highly satisfied. The mean value of customers response towards the effectiveness of network of GP is 4. 12, which lies in satisfied category, while mean value of Robi is 3. 29 which lies in neutral category of customers opinion. Table 3: Effectiveness of Network Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone 25 62 13 0 0 100 4. 2 . 60769 14. 75 Robi 18 26 32 15 9 100 3. 29 1. 19168 36. 22 164 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 The coefficient of variation of GP and Robi are respectively 14. 75 and 36. 22 which indicate that the opinion of the customers of GP is less deviated than Robi. 3. Call Rate From the table 4 it is found that 48% respondents of Robi showed their neutrality and 31% and 18% respondents were respectively satisfied and highly satisfied. On the other hand, 73% GP customers are dissatisfied and 15% are highly satisfied towards the call rate.Table 4: Satisfaction Regarding Call Rate Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 0 18 0 31 12 48 73 3 15 0 100 100 1. 97 3. 64 .52136 . 81054 26. 46 22. 27 Here mean value of GP and Robi respondents are respectively 1. 97 and 3. 64 indicate that Robi is in strong position than GP regarding call rate. The value of CV of Rabi and GP are 22. 27 and 26. 46 accordingly. It is observed that the CV of Robi is lower than GP.That means the customers of Robi perceived low call rate than that of GP. 4. Availability of SIM Card From the table 5 it is found that GP customers enjoy availability of the SIM card. That’s why about 47% respondents of GP are in highly satisfied level and 38% are satisfied regarding availability of SIM card. On the other hand, 28% Robi customers were neutral and 31% were satisfied towards availability of SIM card. Table 5: Availability of SIM Card Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 47 15 38 31 15 28 0 19 0 7 100 100 4. 32 3. 28 . 72307 1. 14662 16. 74 34. 96 The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 165 Here mean value of GP and Robi respondents regarding availability of the SIM cards are respectively 4. 32 and 3. 28 and the coefficient of variation are respectively 16. 74 and 34. 96, indicate that GP is in a strong position than Robi. 5. Low Price SIM Card Customers al ways expect that when they will feel the necessity for the SIM card of nay mobile phone operators, at that time they will get the SIM card in low price.Table 6 shows that 40% respondents of GP are dissatisfied and 35% respondents are neutral in their opinion regarding low price SIM card. On the other hand, 32% Robi customers were satisfied and 29% were highly satisfied about low price SIM card. The mean value of customers’ response regarding low price SIM card of GP is 2. 57, which lies in neutral category, while mean value of Robi is 3. 79, which falls in satisfied category of customers responses. In this regard, the value of CV of Robi is lower than that of GP. It is found that the opinion of the customers of Robi is less scattered than GP i. Robi offer low price SIM card. Table 6: Low Price SIM Card Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, M arch-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone 5 9 35 40 11 100 2. 57 . 97706 38. 02 Robi 29 32 28 11 0 100 3. 79 . 98775 26. 06 6. Solution of the Problems Related to SIM Replacement Table 7 shows that 54% respondents of GP are satisfied and 21% respondents are neutral in satisfaction regarding solution of the problems related to SIM replacement.About 54. 00% of the respondents of GP are above the satisfied level. On the other hand, 47% Robi customers are satisfied and 24% customers showed their neutrality. 166 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Table 7: Solution of the Problems Related to SIM Replacement Options Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 16 13 54 47 21 24 9 11 0 5 100 100 3. 77 3. 52 . 82701 1. 01980 21. 94 28. 97 Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011Here mean value of GP and Robi resp ondents about satisfaction regarding solution of the problems related to SIM replacement are respectively 3. 77 and 3. 52 and the CV is 21. 94 and 28. 97 accordingly. It is observed that the CV of GP is less than the CV of Robi. So, the researchers can conclude that the customers GP are more satisfied than that of Robi towards satisfaction regarding solution of the problems related to SIM replacement. 7. Special Offers to the Customers: Customers always expect that their operators will give some special offers to them regularly.The operators who are providing special offers to customers, are getting more customers. Table 7 reveals that about 39% respondents of Robi are satisfied and 26% are neutral. On the other hand, 37% GP customers are showing their neutrality and 32% was dissatisfied regarding special offers to the customers. Table 8: Special Offers to the Customers Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviat ion (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 9 21 12 39 37 26 32 14 10 0 100 100 2. 78 3. 67 1. 7853 . 96457 38. 80 26. 28 Mean value of GP and Robi respondents regarding special offers to the customers are respectively 2. 78 and 3. 67 and the coefficient of variation are respectively 38. 80 and 26. 28. It indicates that Robi is in a better position than GP in providing special offers to the customers. The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 8. Free Talk Time & Bonus Facilities 167 Free talk time & bonus facilities are very important for the customers to choose a particular mobile phone service provider. So, they always like to use the connection of that operator who will offer them free talk time & bonus facilities.Table 9: Free Talk Time & Bonus Facilities Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV ) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 0 26 0 39 7 25 51 10 42 0 100 100 1. 65 3. 81 . 60927 . 93954 36. 93 24. 66 Table 9 shows that 51% customers are dissatisfied and 42% customers are highly dissatisfied about free talk time & bonus facilities of GP. On the other hand, 39% customers were satisfied in their opinion towards free talk time & bonus facilities of Robi.Of whom 26% customers were highly satisfied and 25% customers were neutral. The mean value of customers’ response towards free talk time & bonus facilities of GP is 1. 65, which lies in dissatisfied category, while mean value of Robi is 3. 81 which lie in satisfied category of customers’ opinion. The value of CV of Robi is lower than GP and it denotes that the customers’ opinion of Robi is less deviated than GP. So, it can be concluded that the customers of Robi are enjoying more free talk time & bonus facilities than GP customers. 9. Pulse Facilitiy The c ustomers who want to talk in a short time desire for pulse facilities.There are some operators in our country who are providing pulse facilities to the customers. Table 10 reveals that about 49% respondents of Robi are dissatisfied and 22% customers are satisfied. On the other hand, 68% GP customers are dissatisfied and 23% were highly dissatisfied regarding pulse facilities to the customers. 168 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Table 10: Satisfaction Regarding Pulse Facility Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 0 5 0 22 9 17 68 49 23 7 100 100 1. 86 2. 69 . 55085 1. 05117 29. 62 39. 08 Here mean value of GP and Robi respondents regarding pulse facility to the customer are respectively 1. 86 and 2. 69 indicate that Robi is in a strong position than GP. 10. Av ailability of Flexi Load/Easy Load Facilities It is more important to the customer. Every customer wants these facilities in a convenient location. The operator who provides this facilities the customers are more satisfied on that operator than that of others.Table 11: Availability of Flexi Load/Easy Load Facilities Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 63 12 32 20 5 32 0 29 0 7 100 100 4. 58 3. 01 . 58913 1. 12362 12. 86 37. 33 Table 12 shows that 63% customers are highly satisfied and 32% customers are satisfied regarding availability of flexi load facility of GP.On the other hand, 32% customers were neutral in their opinion towards Easy Load facility of Robi of whom 29% customers were dissatisfied and 20% customers were satisfied. The mean value of customers response towards availabilit y of flexi load/easy load facilities of GP is 4. 58, which lies in highly satisfied category, while mean value of Robi is 3. 01 which lies in neutral category of customers opinion. The coefficient of variation of GP and Robi are respectively 12. 86 and 37. 33 which indicate that the opinion of the customers of GP is less deviated than that of Robi.The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 11. Friends and Family Number Facilities 169 Every customer has some special number which is very much essential to him. He or she needs to talk with these numbers frequently. So he or she expects a lower tariff for these numbers. Cell phone operators provide some facilities for these FnF number. The operator who provides lower tariff and gives opportunity to more FnF number the customers are more satisfied with that operator. Table 13 reveals that about 53% respondents of Robi are highly satisfied and 28% customers are satisfied.On the other hand, 49% GP customers are highly satisfied and 33% were satisfied regarding friends and family number facilities to the customers. Table 12: Friends and Family Number Facilities Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone 49 33 14 4 0 100 4. 27 . 85108 19. 93 Robi 53 28 12 7 0 100 4. 27 . 93046 21. 79 Here mean value of GP and Robi to the customer satisfaction regarding friends and family number facilities are respectively 4. 7 and 4. 27 and the coefficient of variation are 19. 93 and 21. 79 indicate that both the operators are near about equal position. 12. Internet and GPRS Connection Internet and GPRS connection are very important for the young cell phone users. They want to get these facilities within low cost. Table 13: Internet and GPRS Connection Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Stan dard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone Robi 11 8 28 25 35 31 16 22 10 14 100 100 3. 15 2. 91 1. 2254 1. 16424 35. 64 40. 01 170 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 From the above table, it is found that 35% respondents of GP are neutral and 28% respondents are satisfied regarding Internet and GPRS connection. On the other hand, 31% respondents of Robi showed their neutrality and 25% respondents are satisfied and 22% respondents are dissatisfied regarding Internet and GPRS connection. Here mean value of GP and Robi respondents are respectively 3. 15 and 2. 91 and the coefficient of variation are respectively 35. 64 and 40. 01, which indicate that GP is in a good position than Robi. 3. Location of the Service Center Table 15 shows that 40% customers are satisfied and 29% customers are highly satisfied 24% customers showed their neutrality regarding location of the servic e center of GP. On the other hand, 37% customers were satisfied towards location of the service center of Robi. Of whom 28% customers were neutral and 26% customers were highly satisfied. Table 14: Location of the Service Center Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone 29 40 24 7 0 100 3. 91 . 90000 23. 02 Robi 26 37 28 9 0 100 3. 80 . 93203 24. 53 Here mean value of GP and Robi to the customers satisfaction regarding location of the service center are respectively 3. 91 and 3. 80 and the coefficient of variation are 23. 02 and 24. 53 indicate that GP is in a better position than Robi. 14. Value Added Services Facilities Cell phone operators provide some value added services such as SMS, MMS, and VMS etc. which is very important to the customers. The Performance of Grameenphone and RobiTable 15: Va lue Added Services Facilities Options Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied Total Mean Value ( x ) Standard Deviation (SD) Coefficient of Variation (CV) Source: Field Survey, March-June 2011 171 Value 5 4 3 2 1 Frequency Grameenphone 10 45 36 5 4 100 3. 52 . 89307 25. 37 Robi 8 44 39 6 3 100 3. 48 . 84662 24. 33 Table 18 indicates that 44% respondents of Robi are in satisfied level and 39% are neutral in their opinion regarding value added services. On the other hand, 45% GP customers were satisfied and 36% expressed their neutrality.The mean value of customers’ response towards value added services of GP is 3. 52, which lies in satisfied category, while mean value of Robi is 3. 48 which lie in neutral category of customers’ opinion. The value of CV of Robi is lower than GP and it denotes that the customers’ opinion of Robi is less deviated than GP. In fine it can be said both the companies tried to reach their best position by offe ring various opportunities. Both the companies are staying a strong position. But their initial investment, customers, registration number of customers is different from each other.It is also seen that some of the customers are satisfied with the specific sectors of Grameenphone and some of the customers are satisfied with the specific sectors of Robi. Test of Hypotheses and Results Test of hypotheses and results have been presented in the below table 20 by the help of the statistical package SPSS version 16. 0. The interpretations of the hypotheses testing have been given after the table 20. Table 16: Paired Samples Test between Grameenphone and Robi Paired Differences Variables Mean 1. Network Coverage 2. Effectiveness of Network 3. Call Rate 4. Availability of SIM Card . 9000 . 83000 . 50000 1. 04000 Std. Std. Error Deviation Mean . 53362 . 05336 . 73930 . 07393 . 50252 . 05025 . 58465 . 05847 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower . 48412 . 68331 . 40029 . 92399 Upper t df 99 99 99 99 . 69588 11. 057 . 97669 11. 227 . 59971 9. 950 1. 15601 17. 788 Sig. (2tailed) . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 Cont. Table 172 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Paired Differences Variables Mean 5. Low Price SIM Card 6. Solution of the Problems Related to SIM Replacement 7. Special Offer to the Customers 8. Free Talk Time & Bonus Facilities 9. Pulse Facility 10.Availability of Flexi Load/Easy Load Facility 11. Friends & Family Number Facility 12. Internet & GPRS Connection 13. Location of the Service Center 14. Value Added Services Facilities -1. 22000 . 25000 -. 89000 -2. 16000 -. 83000 1. 57000 . 00000 . 24000 . 11000 . 04000 Std. Std. Error Deviation Mean 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper t df 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 Sig. (2tailed) . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 1. 000 . 000 . 001 . 103 .52378 . 05238 -1. 32393 -1. 11607 -23. 292 . 43519 . 04352 . 37322 . 03732 . 16365 -. 96405 . 33635 5. 745 -. 81595 -23. 847 . 58119 . 5812 -2. 27532 -2. 04468 -37. 165 . 77921 . 07792 -. 98461 -. 67539 -10. 652 1. 71451 21. 557 . 05640 . 32517 . 17240 . 08819 . 000 5. 591 3. 498 1. 647 .72829 . 07283 1. 42549 . 28427 . 02843 . 42923 . 04292 . 31447 . 03145 . 24288 . 02429 -. 05640 . 15483 . 04760 -. 00819 Table 16 shows that in case of the factor ‘network coverage’ the calculated value of t (11. 057) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted. Regarding ‘effectiveness of network’ the calculated value of t (11. 227) is more than the tabulated value of t (1. 6) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted. For the factor ‘call rate’ the calculated value of t (9. 950) is higher than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That is, Ha is supported. Under the variable ‘Availability of SIM card’ the calculated value of t (17. 788) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted. In case of ‘low price SIM card’ the calculated value of t (-23. 292) is less than the table value of t (-1. 96) at 5% level of significance.So, H0 holds true. That means, H0 is accepted and Ha is rejected. The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 173 Regarding ‘solution of the problems related to SIM replacement’ the calculated value of t (5. 745) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That is, Ha is accepted. Under the variable ‘special offer to the customers’ the calculated value of t (-23. 847) is less than the table value of t (-1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 holds true. That is, H0 is supported. In case of ‘free talk time & bonus facilities’ the calculated value of t (-37. 65) is less than the table value of t (-1. 96) at 5% l evel of significance. So, H0 holds true. That means, H0 is accepted and Ha is rejected. Under the variable ‘pulse facility’ the calculated value of t (-10. 652) is less than the table value of t (-1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 holds true. That means, H0 is accepted and Ha is rejected. For the factor ‘availability of flexi load/easy load facility’ the calculated value of t (21. 557) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted. In case of ‘friends & family umber facility’ the calculated value of t (0) is less than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 holds true. That means, H0 is accepted and Ha is rejected. For the factor ‘Internet & GPRS connection’ the calculated value of t (5. 591) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted. Regarding â €˜location of the service center’ the calculated value of t (3. 498) is greater than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 is rejected. That means, Ha is accepted.Under the variable ‘value added services facilities’ the calculated value of t (1. 647) is less than the table value of t (1. 96) at 5% level of significance. So, H0 holds true. That means, H0 is accepted and Ha is rejected. Summary of Findings †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Grameenphone spent a large amount of money in the establishment year for the tower purpose and is doing better for the network coverage than that of Robi. Most of the customers of GP have given their opinion in favor of effectiveness of network. The customers of Robi perceived low call rate than that of GP. GP is in a strong position than Robi regarding availability of SIM card.It is found that the opinion of the customers of Robi is less scattered than GP i. e Robi offe r low price SIM card. GP is in a better position in providing solution of the problems related to SIM replacement than Robi. It is observed that Robi is in a better position than GP in providing special offers to the customers. The customers of Robi are enjoying more free talk time & bonus facilities than GP customers. 174 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 It is found that most of the customers’ of GP and Robi are dissatisfied regarding pulse facilities.But in comparison between these two operators, Robi is in a better position. Flexi load facility of Grameenphone is more available than that of easy load facility of Robi surrounding the country. The performance of both GP and Robi are satisfactory regarding friends and family number facilities to the customers. It is found that most of the customers’ of GP and Robi are showing their neutrality regarding Internet and GPRS connection. But in comparison between these two operators, GP is in better position. The customers of both the operators are satisfied in case of location of the service center.It is found that the customers’ opinion of Robi is less deviated than GP in case of value added services. That is Robi provides more value added services than GP. †¢ †¢ Conclusion Quality of telecommunications service depends on both the telephone network and the supporting services. The first is known as ‘equipment and system oriented quality’ and the second as ‘people and process oriented quality’. Equipment and system oriented quality consists of activities directly related to the network while people and process oriented quality consists of activities provided over the telephone network or face to face (Yusuf and Alam, 2010).The quality of service of mobile telecommunications is usually measured in terms of some common parameters such as call completion rate, call drop rate, voice quality, percentag e of complaints resolved within a stipulated time and customer service etc. (TRAI, 2008, Sutherland,2007, Australian Communications and Media Authority 2008). Accessibility and connectivity needs to be further improved. This can be achieved through the upgrading of technological infrastructure as well as the lowering of the internet usage costs through mobile phones to a more affordable level (Mahmud and Chowdhury, 2010).The research has provided insights like what are positive and negative aspects of both of the operators. For instance, the total number of customers of Grameenphone are very high than Robi. Grameenphone Company spent a large amount of money in the establishment year for the tower purpose and is doing better for the network facilities. On the other hand, Robi is doing better in case of call rate, low price SIM card, friends and family number facilities, bonus system etc.Robi needs to improve its poor network coverage, problem related to SIM replacement, insufficiency of the scratch card and easy load facilities, lack of convenient location of the service center and discount facilities etc. On the other hand Grameenphone is in a better position in comparison to Robi. It is doing better in case of following services like network coverage, effectiveness of network, solution of the problem related to SIM replacement, reconnection and migration, availability of the scratch card and flexi load facilities, location of the service center etc.But it can not be said that its services is much attractive to the customers. It has some other problems like lack of limited friends and family (FnF) number facilities and lack of bonus system (Free talk time, SMS), high call rate, lack of special offers to the customers, lack of pulse facilities etc. If GP takes initiative to remove or reduce these drawbacks, then it will be more successful in the telecommunications industry of Bangladesh. The Performance of Grameenphone and Robi 175 RecommendationsRecommendation s for Grameenphone: The authors have suggested some recommendations for improving the performance of Grameenphone are as follows1. The authority of Grameenphone should reduce its higher call charge. At the same time, the reduced call charge should be applied for all operators, not only for GP to GP, but also from GP to other operators. 2. It should provide more friends and family number facilities with GP to GP and other operators. 3. The Company should focus more to the prepaid subscribers than the post-paid subscribers. 4. SIM replacement (in case of lost or damaged SIM) charge should be reduced. . Most of the value added services (VAS) are not friendly for general handset users. GP should take some steps so that general handset users get an opportunity to have that VAS. Recommendations for Robi: The following are the provided recommendations by the authors to improve the performance of Robi1. Customers have been switching to other operators as a result of their poor network infra structure. So, Robi should have quick expansion in network development all over Bangladesh if it wants to keep its customers to stay with it. 2. Time duration of easy load and scratch card should lengthen.Easy load facility should be made easily available. 3. Charge should be reduced than the existing charge to take a new SIM if it is either damaged or lost. 4. The privilege services of the customer retention scheme of Robi should be launched as soon as possible as ‘djuice’ of Grameenphone has already started to saturate a certain segment of the market through its ‘X-tra Khatir Card’. 5. The Value Added Services (VAS) department should be coming up with more ideas to entertain its customers. This department has its potential but should be using it to the full range to provide more useful services to customers’ needs. . Customer Care has turned out to be one of the most focused points in the telecom industry. Survey results show subscribers expect a l ot of it and would appreciate special care facilities. References Agar, J. (2003) ‘Constant touch: A global history of the mobile phone’, Journal of Service Marketing, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 21-27. Alam, M. J. , and Neger, M. (2009) ‘Measuring consumer attitude towards beautification products: A study on some selected brands in Bangladesh’, Journal of Business and Technology (Dhaka), vol. 4, issue 2, p. 61.Australian Communications and Media Authority (2008) ‘Telecommunications Today’, Report 4, Customer Satisfaction, February. Balasooriya, A. F. , Alam, Q. , & Coghill, K. (2007) ‘Ownership, competition and regulation under privatization policy: the Sri Lankan experience’, International Review of Administrative Sciences, vol. 73, no. 4, pp. 611-628. 176 ASA University Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, July–December, 2011 Bolton, R. N. (1998) ‘A dynamic model of the duration of customers’ relationship with a continuous service p rovider: The role of customer satisfaction’, Journal of Marketing, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 5-9. Camp, L. J. & Anderson, B. L. (2001) ‘Deregulating the local loop: The telecommunications regulation path less chosen as taken by Bangladesh’, International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 100-114. Coldwell. (2001) The Practice of Management, 4th edition, New York: Harper & Row. Gupta S. P. and Gupta M. P. (2006) Business statistics, 11th ed. , New Delhi: Sultan Chand & Sons. Hasan, Mahmud. (2008) ‘Mobile phone operators in Bangladesh’, The Daily Star, 7 January. Heinonen, K. and Andersson, P. (2003) ‘Swedish mobile market: Consumer perceptions of mobile services’, Journal of Service Marketing, vol. , no. 1, pp. 33-36. Hess, D. J. (1997) Science Studies: An Advanced Introduction, New York: New York University Press. Khalil, M. (2000) ‘Ministerial support for mobile: Middle East Times’, Journal of Europ ean Business Management, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 54-81. Khan, M. A. S. (2003) ‘Privatization in the telecommunication sector: An overview of comparative Bangladesh situation’, The Bangladesh Accountant, 41:14 pp. 29-36. Luthans, F. (2002) Organizational Behavior, 9th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill International Companies Inc. Mahmud, K. and Chowdhury, S. M. R. 2010) ‘Prospects of mobile learning for digital Bangladesh’, Journal of Business and Technology (Dhaka), vol. 5, issue 1, January-June, pp. 50-61. Mitchell, K. and Whitmore, M. 2003. Marketing Management: In Book-Location Based Services, Journal of American Business and Economics, 41(2):85-91. Rahman, M. T. (2010) ‘Making Teletalk a healthy competitor among the mobile phone operators in Bangladesh’, Journal of Business and Technology (Dhaka), vol. 5, issue 2, July-December, p. 133. Silva, H. D. , & Khan, A. S. (2004) ‘Regulation and investment: Case study of Bangladesh’, WDR Dial ogue Theme Discussion Paper WDR 03111-33.Sutherland, E. (2007) ‘The regulation of the quality of service in mobile networks’, Info 9(6), pp. 17-34. Symeou, P. C. (2009) ‘Does smallness affect the liberalization of telecommunications? The case of Cyprus’, Telecommunications Policy 33 (3-4), pp. 215-229. TRAI. (2008) ‘Quality of service assessment: Report of survey for basic service (Wireline)’, Cellular Mobile (Wireless) and Broadband, New Delhi: TRAI. Wang, Y. , & Lo, H. P. (2002) ‘Service quality, customer satisfaction and behavior intentions: Evidence from China's telecommunication industry’, Info, vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 50-60. Yusuf, M. A. and Alam, Q. 2010) ‘The influence of regulatory environment on mobile phone service quality: The case of Bangladesh’, Annual Asian Business Research Conference 2010, p. 5. Web References 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. http://www. grameenphone. com/about-us (Retrieved on 11 August 2011) http://www. gr ameenphone. com/about-us/corporate-information/ownership (Retrieved on 11 August 2011) http://www. btrc. gov. bd/licensing/operators/mobile_operators. php (accessed on 11 August 2011). http://www. robi. com. bd/index. php/page/view/98 (Accessed on 12 August 2011) http://www. robi. com. bd/index. php/page/view/99 (Accessed on 12 August 2011).

Patrick Henry Essay

What do you think started the spark for the American Revolution? In the state of Virginia where all the great minds of the time met. Our forefathers where at a convention when a speaker of the name Patrick Henry speaks to the great patriots about what they should do about the war against Great Britain. The audience was full of patriots just like Henry that would die for their country in a heartbeat if it was needed to save their freedom and liberty. In a way to persuade the members of the Virginia convention to go to war with Britain Henry uses logical and emotional appeals. Why do you think Henry begins his speech with the statement â€Å"Mr. President: No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights† (101). Here, Patrick Henry is showing that he is true patriot just like the patriots that are opposing the same views. This could be regarded as a concession to the opposing view that patriotism is important, but also a rejection to the opposing side who may say that only those who are not patriots would fight the British. He is also show respect for those who hold opposite views that he has. The time that the speech took place was when the revolution was coming for the Americans. They knew that war was coming so Henry uses emotional appeal to the convention so that he can get there side on to go to war instead of waiting around and Henry says â€Å"Their changing may be hear on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come I repeat, sir, let it come† (103). Henry is showing emotional appeal by wanting war to come so they can fight for their freedom. As a patriot he wants what is best for his country and he knows that war is coming. He embraces the war by telling the convention let it come because why wait for a war to happen and for their future generations to fight the war for them when it at their door step and as patriots they need react now or never. The Britain’s are the world power and they controlled the colonies, and the patriots of the 13 original colonies wanted the freedom now, but they were told they are weak. Henry states this to get the hopes up of his fellow patriots. â€Å"They tell us that we are weak- unable to cope with formidable an adversary but when be strong it will be next month or next year† (102). He raises the hopes using emotional appeal that they will the war easily because they are patriots and patriots stand up in what they believe in that they needed to be free from Britain’s Kings, taxes and rules so they could to become stronger. By using emotional and logical appeals Patrick Henry speech to the Virginia Convention he persuades them to go to war with Great Britain. He does this by making then patriots think about going to war for good reason. He also uses emotional appeals to get on the Convention side in the speech which influence their decision made by the forefathers. If not for this speech we could have all still been ruled by Great Britain.

By 1918 there was general agreement that a League Essays - Structure

By 1918 there was general agreement that a League of Nations should be established. The key articles of the actual covenant (constitution) spelled out the role of the league in identifying and addressing threats to peace, the settlement of disputes, and the imposition of sanctions against states violating international agreements. These articles occasioned limited disagreement. Participating nations also generally agreed that the league should be made up of an executive council, a deliberative assembly, and an administrative secretariat, but they disagreed over the exact function and makeup of these bodies. In an early draft of the covenant, membership of the council was restricted to the Great Powers and any smaller nation-states that the Great Powers chose to invite. However, the formulation that eventually prevailed designated the Great Powers as permanent members of the council while small powers had nonpermanent membership. The operation and membership of the assembly, which was the model for the General Assembly of the United Nations after 1945, was also a subject of some debate. In fact, its overall operation and significance was really only worked out in subsequent years. The administrative secretariat, set up as a coordinating and administrative body, was a less divisive issue. Its power was grounded entirely in the council and the assembly. The headquarters of the league were in Geneva, Switzerland, where the secretariat prepared reports and agendas. The assembly, which was made up of representatives of all the member governments, set policy and met on an annual basis. Britain, France, Italy, and Japan held permanent membership in the council, which met more regularly than the assembly. All decisions taken by the council and the assembly had to be unanimous if they were to be binding. The league also included a number of subsidiary organizations. One of these, the International Labor Organization (ILO) was a specific response to the Russian Revolution . It was hoped that the ILO would appease some of the more radical tendencies within the trade union movement in various parts of the world and curtail the attractions of international communism. A Permanent Court of International Justice was also set up, as well as a range of commissions that dealt with issues such as refugees, health, drugs, and child welfare. At the time of its foundation in 1919 the league had forty-two member governments. This increased to fifty-five by 1926; however, the failure of the United States to become a member contributed significantly to the decline of the organization by the 1930s. Meanwhile, Germany only became a member in 1926 and withdrew in 1933, while the Soviet Union was only a member from 1934 to 1939. The Japanese government departed in 1933, and the Italian government ended its association with the league in 1937.

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Business law - Essay Example Such advice is provided by The Learned Wig without constituting any representation or guarantee of any kind, express or implied, as to the information, content, materials, or products being sold in this store. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, The Learned Wig disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to, implied warranties or merchantability and fitness for purpose, even any liability arising from the negligence of its employees. In the same way, the Learned Wig excludes any liability for any type of damage or injury that the costumer may suffer when visiting the store, even in the case of negligence of its employees or management†. Using relevant case law and statutory provisions, explain whether the store has any liability for negligence in relation to Henry’s injury and property damage AND whether the notice on the door discharges its liability. Yes. The store â€Å"The Learned Wig† has to take responsibility for the damage caused to Henry. It is because of the negligence of the store, the books were not arranged properly that led to injury of Henry. It is the minimum duty and responsibility of the store to maintain proper records and arrangement of other articles and thorough supervision. Sufficient number of persons should be arranged for showing the required books to the customers. Had â€Å" The Learned Wig† followed these basic duties properly, Henry wouldn’t have experienced any injury. Moreover, the maintenance of basic facilities in the store should be the main duty of â€Å"The Learned Wig†. Hence, Henry should be paid compensationfor the damage he sugjected due to negligence of store keeper. However, Henry has to proceed legally to get the compensation. Henry has to seek the justice under â€Å"The unfair contract terms act 1977†in which if the act of any person or business organization is unreasonable in terms of the safe and quality supply of the products, the supplier may be

Letter of Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Letter of Advice - Essay Example It is important to note of the barriers that hinder effective communication and relationships. Most barriers in communication stem from self-protection. However, there are unavoidable circumstances, especially, if partners come from backgrounds that possess disparity (Wood, 2012). The intensity of the situation regards the level of disparity. The crucial thing for partners is that they realize these differences. In turn, they should be aware of how the same affects their communication. Individuals possess fears and insecurities that hinder one from wholly experiencing the benefits of a relationship. The light thing about these fears is that people learn about the same. This comes from the fact that partners may fear judgment from the same. Besides, they fear ridicule and appearing stupid in front of partners. This fear is coupled comes with the view that someone is sensitive of being overpowered. In this sense, fear impairs communication in notable ways. To begin with, a partner woul d not communicate true thoughts because one preempts what the other partner would like. This creates a situation where an individual stifles one’s emotions and thoughts. Another barrier of proper communication concerns with the case of insensitivity. It relates to inadequate care for a partner’s feelings. In addition, it entails inaccurate perception and portrayal of one’s feelings (Allen, 2002). It relates to detachment of an individual in the relationship until one becomes only preoccupied with oneself. It articulates as a case of personal insulation. Insensitivity expresses in notable ways. For instance, it comes as a method of diverting others’ concerns. In typical instances, one would turn a mutual conversation towards oneself. It deviates from the person who engages in talking. This occurs when a partner does not have proper listening skills. In certain instances, it comes as

Financial Analysis of Coca-Cola Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Analysis of Coca-Cola - Research Paper Example The four financial statements of a company are included in its annual report. The four financial statements are the income statement, balance sheet, statement of retained earnings, and the statement of cash flow. This paper will analyze the financial performance of Coca-Cola to determine if the company is a good investment option. Two financial tools that are going to be used to analyze the financial performance of Coca-Cola are horizontal analysis and ratio analysis. The Coca Cola Company is the largest soft drink company in the world. The company has a long history of success in the market since it was founded 127 years ago. The flagship product of the firm is the Coca Cola drink. Other brands that the company owns include Sprite, Fanta, Diet Coke, Coca Cola Zero, and Danasi. The company has a product portfolio of 3,500 products. The organization is a global company that operates in 200 countries worldwide. The mission of the company is to refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, and to create value and make a difference (Coca-colacompany). The values of the company include leadership, collaboration, integrity, diversity, and quality. The company is a publicly traded firm whose stocks are sold in the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol KO. The price of Coca Cola common stocks as of April 19, 2014 was $40.72 (Yahoo). The market capitalization of the firm is $178.84 billion. Horizontal analysis measures the year to year difference in all the accounts of the income statement and balance sheet. The revenues of Coca Cola decrease by 2.42% in 2013, while its net income went down by 4.82%. The cash of the firm went up by 23.36% in 2013. Coca Cola’s total assets increase by 4.5%. In 2013 the enterprise had a 0.82% increased in total equity. The total liabilities of the firm increase by 6.81%. The gross margin is a measure of the broad profitability of a company. Coca Cola Company had a gross margin in

Australian contract law problem question Case Study

Australian contract law problem question - Case Study Example The offer may be oral, written or implied from conduct. Offers are of two kinds: a specific offer is made to a specific offeree. No one else can accept it. 'If you propose to make a contract with A, then B cannot substitute himself for A without your consent and to your disadvantage, securing to himself all the benefit of the contract': see Pollock, CB, Boulton v Jones (1857)1. A general offer can be accepted by anyone, and usually without prior notification of acceptance: Carlill v Carbolic Smoke ball Co. (1893)2. It was found in Carlil that there was: 'an offer made to all the world'; 'to ripen into a contract with anybody who comes forward and performs the condition'; and that 'as notification of acceptance is required for the benefit of the person who makes the offer, the person who makes the offer may dispense with notice to himself if he thinks it desirable to do so.' In the given situation, Elaine's statement 'I will give that bike to anyone who can fix my neck', was clearly a general offer. However, neither it was shown that Kramer has validly communicated his acceptance to Elaine nor it was shown that the latter has dispensed with the notice of acceptance. Clearly, there was no valid and enforceable contract between Elaine and Kramer considering that there was no agreement between the parties. However, it can be argued that acceptance may be done by positive conduct of the offeree as long as the acceptance must be active and that there must be some positive act by the offeree: Felthouse v Bindley (1862)3. Hence, Kramer may argue that by massaging Elaine, he has communicated his acceptance by positive conduct to Elaine. Furthermore, a valid offer has certain characteristics: certainty (a promise to pay an extra 15 or 10 buy another horse if a horse 'proves lucky to me' is too vague to amount loan offer: Guthing v Lynn [1831])4 and communication (an offer must be communicated to the offeree before it can be accepted.) Thus, if a seaman helps to navigate a ship home without informing the owners in advance, he cannot insist on payment, since the owners have not had notice of his offer, and, therefore, no opportunity to accept or reject it: Taylor v Laird (1856)5. Thus, in the given situation, the promise 'I will give that bike to anyone who can fix my neck' lacks the requirement of certainty. Such promise is similarly too vague as the promise to pay an extra 15 or 10 buy another horse if a horse 'proves lucky to me' to amount to a loan offer: Guthing v Lynn [1831]) In several cases, it has been ruled that preliminary statement may not amount to an offer. An invitation to treat which is a statement that is intended to elicit an offer from someone else has been ruled to have no legal force as the offer it elicits can be accepted or not without obligation: Gibson v Manchester City Council (1979).6 Moreover, a statement of the price at which one is prepared to consider a selling a piece of land or any communication of information in the course of negotiations is a mere preliminary statement which were held not to be an offer. In the given situation, it can be argued that Elaine's statement was a mere preliminary statement which does not constitute a valid offer. Moreover, another requirement in the creation of a valid and enforceable contract is an intention to create legal relations. In an agreement between friends in a domestic arrangements, there is a presumption

Critical Issues in Community Care and care management,In the Assignment

Critical Issues in Community Care and care management,In the perspective of Learning disability - Assignment Example Learning disability is defined as a condition or a label by different societies, showing the discrepancy and conflict in the term itself. In essentiality, it indicates a condition where the affected person has reduced capacity to learn new skills and inability to perform independently and live a life in such a way. Again, the term learning disability lends itself to much debate. Learning disability remains a very different set of conditions in social and medical literatures. The primary difference can be said to exist in the level or severity of learning disability present. Individual assessment needs to take place and each case may vary from another. Other factors that come into play include bodily factors, social, emotional and cultural factors respectively. There are two reasons why learning disabilities occur. These are either the result of syndrome acquired at birth, or due to some form of trauma to the brain during early developmental years. Social inclusion is a primary aspect in diagnosing the condition. The British Institute of Learning Disabilities claims that the term learning disability is a label, and should be avoided. The new emphasis is on creating equality for such persons and giving them an equal social standing in the society. This new emphasis is to reduce the discrimination still held by the UK public against people with learning disabilities. Current statistics state that there is 2% of the population in UK that have some form of learning disability. The statistics are expected to rise with time. More accurate assessments are needed regarding the correct number of persons with learning disabilities. Higher proportion has been found among the South Asian minority groups. Persons with learning disabilities demonstrate difficulty in understanding and comprehending complex information. There is direct relation between the severity of disability and reliance on social support. various social systems are available for this purpose, however, its liking and acceptance is based on many personal factors for the persons with learning disabilities. Most people still personally prefer to have independent accommodation. This is primarily based on the neglect and abuse that is meted out to them in such social accommodations. The health care challenges of such persons are both numerous and large. To highlight these challenges, various papers have been published, most noticeable of these including Valuing People and Treat Me Right respectively. These papers emphasize the role of nurses and how they should be trained to manage persons with disabilities. Inequalities in the delivery of care remain for persons with learning disabilities. This is an issue that must be placed in the policy plans. Laws and regulations have now emerged that provide protection to persons with learning disabilities. Alongside, proper plans and methods should be applied that allow for care of persons who take care of persons with learning disabilities. Social inclusion is another aspect that needs to attention. Persons with learning disabilities need to be given positive environment to ensure they become productive members of the society. the concept of dignity takes more meaning and deeper roots in case of persons with learning disabilities. While many papers and policies exist, there is very little that is practically carried out to respect the dignity of such

Research Question Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Question - Research Paper Example Even though relationships between mothers and their children serve as a relevant source of support and protection even if they are not of the best quality, parents are not the only people who support children and help them deal with difficult life situations. Relationships between siblings and children are extremely important in the early childhood because children cannot take care after themselves and their parents ask siblings to help them by staying with the child for some short period of time. In the middle childhood siblings mediate conflicts in family relationships and become the source of protection for children. Gass, Jenkins and Dunn say that relationships between children and siblings become even more protective when there is a conflict in the marriage or parents make a decision to divorce. Overall, the article provides a deep insight into relationships between children and their relatives confirming the thesis that their relationships are of protective nature and they matt er a lot for creating supportive climate inside the

Examining switching costs as a moderator in the relationship between Essay

Examining switching costs as a moderator in the relationship between service personalization, customer satisfaction and customer - Essay Example Web presence with low price, low search costs, high power obtained and convenient with the appearance of the internet. The incredible growth of the internet is significant changing the way of business model. This is no exception that internet technology that significant influence and changing the global banking industry. Internet banking is fairly considered as one of the major achievements in global finance. Financial organizations and facilities invest heavily in the development of sophisticated internet technologies, to improve their daily operations. The internet exemplifies a new channel for expanding the customer base and raising customer satisfaction for banks. Today, a mere click of mouth can turn the world of financial services upside down, giving consumers unprecedented freedom in choosing the best provider of high-quality financial services (Chong Soo, Scruggs et al. 2002). Internet banking has recently become one of the most frequently discussed topics in professional l iterature. Numerous studies shown that internet has become the most popular electronic delivery platform for banking (Karjaluoto, Mattila et al. 2002). Open-access networks are studied and further used to deliver high-quality banking services directly to customers. Efficient provision of various information technologies and online financial services to customers has already become an inseparable component of the banks’ daily routine (Daniel 1999). Non-human interaction and extensive use of the internet operation are no longer surprising to anyone but, on the contrary, serve the principal channel for delivering financial services to customers all over the world. (Minjoon and Shaohan 2001). The Hong Kong financial services sector has changed significantly during the past decades. Previously, the banks used conventional, branch-based systems and organizational networks, to deliver financial services to customers. After then the banks have come to realize the need for lower cost methods of financial services delivery to customers, which would help them to develop new ways of attracting customers. Banks started to improve and restructure their product delivery mix, to include various technology elements and develop new approaches for financial services and business operations in the banking sector. An early breakthrough was ATM and 24 hours telephone banking services. To rapid development of internet and telecommunication technologies, most of banks was migrated the financial services to internet platform. Nowadays, online banking services exemplify one of the most successful achievements in the global financial services industry. The internet turns into the principal channel for enhancing customer service, as well as improving integration and interaction with their clients. Through the simplest form, the internet bank can use one single web-page in the Internet, to provide customers with high-quality banking services. (Jones, Mothersbaugh et al. 2002 ). Therefore, these are technologies that lead banks to acquire better opportunities to control their profit structures, costs, manage and possibly reduce operating expenses, as well as develop and sustain efficient systems of profitability management. The simplest website can provide customers

Computerised quotation system Essay Example for Free

Computerised quotation system Essay The task that I am going to provide a solution for is to produce a computerised quotation system for S S Insurances. EXISTING SYSTEM: Thomas Davidson is currently a broker providing insurance for cars. At present he insures through a financial institution, S S Finances. He is a broker working for the insurance company S S Insurances. He has worked with many insurance companies in the past trying to find the best deal so that he can earn a good amount of profit. He finally made a deal with S S Insurances in which he can gain a good amount of commission. His job is to find customers who would like to buy insurance for their cars and he gains a commission of 7.5% for each customer to whom he sells a quote. He started his career as a broker approximately three years ago after being made redundant as a factory worker assembling car parts. He has no employees working for him at the moment. However his wife helps him with the paperwork when she can. Thomas works full- time from his home study, which is located in the heart of Streatham. In the past Thomas has had a lot of experience dealing with customers and clients. He now has a number of devoted customers who frequently contact him when the renewal for their car insurance is due. Thomas usually interacts with his customers over the phone from his study; sometimes however he does conduct business at the home of his customer to their convenience. When Thomas finds an interested client he firstly explains to the client everything that is involved in the quote. In order for Thomas to calculate the insurance quote, he uses a calculator, a record of tables with the insurance ratings provided by S S Insurances and his diary where he notes all the information down. The insurance ratings show a different variety of things the first table is the insurance group, which shows the basic cost for a car depending on the cars make, price and power. The more expensive and powerful the car, higher the basic cost. Thomas then adjusts the basic cost by multiplying it by various factors, which could affect the insurance. Age is also a factor, the older the driver is, the less they are considered as a risk. Sex is also a factor; a female is considered as a less of a risk than males. The area you live in is also a criterion which Thomas considers before issuing an insurance quote, if you live in a high risk sensitive area you are likely to pay more. The customer can then choose what type of insurance he would like; third party only, third party fire and theft or fully comprehensive. The insurance also offers an extra driver criterion, which can be added at an increased cost. Thomas then offers a discount to the customers if they have had no claims varying from the past year or five years. Thomas then calculates the quote by multiplying the basic cost with all the factor multipliers and seeing if they can get a discount and then giving the customer the final result. Thomas writes all of the things discussed and quotations in his diary. If the client agrees to go ahead with the quote after hearing the final cost, Thomas makes a word- processed quote, which he then sends to S S Insurances. From there S S Insurances make the actual policy and then send it directly to the customer. Thomas does possess a computer and laptop at home, which his children use for educational purposes. Thomas has very little knowledge about using computers, however to produce the insurance quotes which are word-processed his daughter helps him and recently Thomas has started to produce the quotes by himself since he is gradually learning to use a computer, even though he is slow with the typing. Thomas makes hand-written notes about all his clients, their details and policies, which is time consuming and can get tiring and boring despite having a computer due to his lack of computer skills. Furthermore sometimes Thomas wife also helps him with the paperwork, if there are too many customers wishing to have a quote ready. Thomas says that most of his customers find out about his business by word of mouth or from the consequence of the advert he has placed in the local newspaper, if he could he would also like to attract more customers to increase the standard of his living. Thomas Davidson finds the existing manual way he issues quotes prolonged and exhausting and would like to automate the system. He would also prefer to make more use of his laptop, however his lack of computer skills is a problem and therefore would like to be able to issue quotes on a simple and straightforward system. He would also like to automate the system so that it would be much faster to issue quotes and therefore would not have to spend too much time doing things manually. At the moment he hardly gets anytime to spend with his children especially when there is a heavy workload. Thomas feels that if he were able to get the system to be computerised he would like to employ some staff and expand and preferably shift into an office. He would also like to work with more than one insurance company at the same time if possible in the near future. CONSTRAINTS: There are not many constraints however there are a few which are important. My user Thomas Davidson has no experience of using a computer except for possessing basic typing skills. This means the system will have to be easy and simple to use and understand. Another constraint is time, although my user does not want the system to be made immediately or as soon as possible. However he would like the computerised system to be created soon so that he can use it and update all his handwritten manual notes onto the system and be able to use it with future clients. USER REQUIREMENTS: My user is Thomas Davidson, who is a broker for S S Insurances for whom I will be creating a computerised quotation system. He would like the following requirements to be taken into account. * To be able to see the total cost of the insurance quote. * To be able to see the total cost of the insurance quote before a discount is given. * To be able to print the quotation. * To make sure that system is safe and secure. * To be able to see the details of all the customers such as; forename, surname, age, and the type of insurance they would like. * To be able to store the issued quotes so that they can be used at a later date. * To enable phone enquiries to be dealt much quickly. * To make the system user- friendly. * To make sure the data entered is accurate. * To make the system look professional, systematic and organised. QUANTITATIVE OBJECTIVES: * To use a formula to work out the total cost of the insurance quote. * To use another formula to work out the cost of the quote excluding the discount. * To be able to print multiple copies of the quotes. * To make the system password protected so a password will be needed in order to enter the system. * To make sure the details about the customers names, surnames, addresses, age and other details can be seen. * To be able to use a command button so data can be stored. * To use drop down boxes to be able to select options. QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVES: * To make the system user- friendly I will create a user interface so that it is easy to move around the system. * To make the system look professional and organised. PERFORMANCE CRITERIAS: * The system should be able to use a formula in order to work out the total cost of the insurance quote. * The system should be able to use a calculation in order to work out the cost of the insurance excluding the discount. * The system should be able to print multiple copies of the insurance quotation. * The system should be password enable, so a password will be needed in order to access the system to make sure the system is safe. * The system should show all the details about the customers such as names, surnames, addresses and other details. * The system should be able to store the issued quotes so that they can be used at a later date. * The system should have drop down boxes so the user can select options quickly and easily. NEW SYSTEM: HARDWARE: In order to computerise the quotation system I will need a Windows XP computer. I will also need a QWERTY keyboard and a mouse in order to input the data into the spreadsheet. I will be using the hard drive to save the spreadsheet on an internal storage. I will also be saving the spreadsheet on an external storage such as CR-RW so that I have a back- up copy of the data in case the original copy is deleted I will still have another copy. I will also be using a VDU (visual display unit) to see the spreadsheet. I will also be using a printer to print out the quotes so that the user can see them and then send them to S S Insurances. SOFTWARE: In order to produce the car insurance quotation system I will be using spreadsheet software for many reasons. In a spreadsheet I can use many of the features which will enable me to produce an efficient quotation system. I can use macros, list boxes, combo boxes, V Lookup, IF statements and other features in the system. There is other software such as a word- processor or a database but they are not suitable for this quotation system. Although you can make tables and do basic calculations they are only limited as they are not mainly designed for that purpose. I will be using Microsoft Excel 2003 as I do not have any other spreadsheet software available on my computer. I will also use it as I am more familiar with it as I have used it many times in the past. SECURITY: I will need to make sure the spreadsheet I create will be kept safe and secure. I will need to make sure the data is secure as I will need to follow the Data Protection Act 1998. In order to comply with the law I will keep the data safe by having cell protection so if anyone other than me or the user accesses the data he will need to enter the password in order to alter the information. I will also keep a backup copy of the system so if the user loses the original copy he will still have another backup copy. INPUT, PROCESSES AND OUTPUT: Input: I will input all the data required using a keyboard into the spreadsheet. The input data I will need in order to produce the quotation system are all the customer details and the headings. I will require the following specific data about the customers: forename, surname, address, sex, model and make of the car. I will also need the age of the driver, which will be in a grouped arrangement e.g. 17- 19 or 60- 65. The type of insurance the driver wants will also be required whether it is, fully comprehensive, third party only or third party fire and theft. I will abbreviate the type of insurance to make it shorter so it would be much quicker to type and also easier. I will also need to know what type of area the driver lives in, as this could be a risk factor, low, medium or high. I will also need to know if the driver would like to state an extra driver or not. I will also need to know the number of claims the driver has made in the past 4 years and whether he is eligible for a discount. The other details I will need to know is about the insurance and which rating the cars are allocated according to their power and cost. I will also need to know about the multipliers so that I can work what I need to multiple the costs, these will be allocated to the sex, age of driver, risk of area and insurance and type. The final detail I will need to know are the number of penalty points the customer has, as having more conviction point will increase the cost of the insurance quote. Processes: In order to create the quotation system I will need to carry out a number of processes with the input data in order to produce the output. The fixed data will be the data that I will not change on the spreadsheet such as the main headings e.g.: forename, surname, address. The variable data will be the data that will change. The data that will need to be changed are all the details about the customer and his car. In order to fulfil the following user requirements I will carry out a number of processes: * To be able to see the total cost of the insurance quote and to be able to see the total cost of the insurance quote before a discount is given. I will be using a formula to calculate the total costs of the quote and also to work out the cost excluding the discount. I will be using a simple Auto sum calculation in order to do this. In order to work out the total cost I will need to use a V Lookup formula. A V Lookup searches for a value in the leftmost column of a table, and then returns a value in the same rows from a column you specify in the table. I will be using a V Lookup formula since I will having different things on different sheets it will need to lookup the values in other cells. * To be able to print the quotation. In order to do this the user can use the menu options on the toolbar however to make it easier for the user I will have a macro. * To make sure that system is safe and secure. In order to keep the data safe I will be using cell protection. I will be keeping a password so when someone accesses the file he will be prompted to enter the password. If the password entered is correct he will gain access and be able to change the data. However if an incorrect password is entered an error message will appear informing the user he cannot gain access. * To be able to see the details of all the customers such as; forename, surname, age, and the type of insurance they would like. In order to do this I will have a sheet where the details about the customer can be seen. * To be able to store the issued quotes so that they can be used at a later date. In order to do this I will be using macros. Macro is a feature that stores a series of commands so that the user can use them with a single command. I will be using macros for various things such as printing the quote, storing the quotes, to view the quotes and other tasks. * To enable phone enquiries to be dealt much quickly. In order to fulfil this requirement I will be using a variety of buttons to make it easier for the user. Option buttons are used for choosing one item from a list of options, where you can select one option button at a time. I will be using them so the user can select the sex of the driver, either male or female. Combo boxes can also be called drop- down boxes, which offer a number of choices to the user, one of which maybe selected. I will be using a combo box so that my user can select the drivers car. By selecting on the drop- down arrow will provide the models of the cars. A list box and combo boxes are alike however a list box shows the choices available without having to click on the arrow. I will be using a list box for the risk assessment of the area and type of insurance, as there are only three options from which the user can select. A check box is a box, which can either be selected or unselected, when you click on the box a tick appears in the box. I will be using a check box for the declaration of the extra driver. A spinner is made up of two arrows, one point up and the other down. By clicking on the up arrow increases the value and the down arrow decreases the value. I will be using the spinner to choose the number of years the driver has made no claims. I will also be using IF statements in order to see the values of the check box which will check whether the customer would like an extra driver. * To make the system user- friendly. In order to make the printed quote professional and organised I will be adding the name of the company, address, telephone numbers and the company logo at the top. I will also arrange all the information into sections and add colour to make it look more attractive. I will create the macros into buttons so the user can quickly carry the tasks. I will also add a front end to the system. A front end is the name given to the user-friendly interface that will appear on the screen when the file is loaded. It will provide the user with a number of options. Once the data has been entered I will need to rename the worksheets and insert a defined name for certain data which will be used in calculations. Output: The output will be the full quote details, which will be on the screen of the computer showing the customer name, address, car details, and the cost of the insurance and without the discount. The output on the screen will also show the macros, which can be used to navigate around the system. The other output will be the fully modified and professional printed quote that will show the company logo along with the companys address and contact numbers. It will also show the issue date, all the details about the quote and the expiry date of the quote.

Race-Ethnicity and Diagnosis as Predictors Essay Example for Free

Race-Ethnicity and Diagnosis as Predictors Essay The purpose of this article was to understand and examine the number of outpatients for patients with substance abuse or mental health problem. The data was collected from 12 outpatient mental health and substance abuse facilities in four U. S. Census Regions. The authors put forward three hypotheses that guided the way that they will approach the research problem. The first hypothesis was by keeping all social-demographic information constant e. g. , sex and age, the condition of non-Latino blacks and Latinos was worse when compared with non-Latino whites. The second hypothesis was that the patients with dual medical conditions e. g. mental problems and substance use disorders could be expected to visit the hospital more times when compared with patients with single medical condition. Lastly, the third hypothesis was that the number of non-Latino blacks and Latinos would have visited the hospital less frequently when compared to non-Latino whites. The target population was outpatients in the United States. The study sample of 1,899 patients with mental health and substance abuse problems was obtained from 12 outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment centers within a period of two months (May 2001 – June 2002). Out of this number, diagnoses for 1807 patients were obtained from the medical facilities. Patients who had substance and psychiatric problems were included in the study factoring the racial-ethnicity criterion: non-Latino black, Latino and non-Latino whites. The response rate of the study was 95. 26%. This rate of success may be attributed to the fact that information was retrieved from health facilities databases. Nevertheless, specifying that the sample come from only health facilities reduces the relevance of the study because there are patients with medical and substance abuse problems and they do not visit the health facilities. External validity plays a crucial role in defining the extent of success of the project. Some information and data were missing and thus the authors had to approximate the missing data utilizing technological capabilities. However, since the data was obtained from both the public and private medical facilities indicates that all social class population was factored into the consideration. The data that were utilized were obtained from records that the medical facilities keep; hence, the data was specific and applicable in solving the hypotheses. This means that the sampling plan was appropriate to some extent (because they analyzed hospital records and not analyzing the entire community) for analyzing the effect of substance abuse and psychiatric problems. Nevertheless, the sample was not fully representative of the entire population because the sample was only picked from only 12 health facilities. Some people with psychiatric problems and substance abuse do not visit medical facilities. In the case of substance abuse, the authors could have picked additional sample from counseling and other corrective facilities such as jails. The type of study was descriptive because it tries to show the link that exists between race-ethnicity and medical conditions: mental health and substance abuse. The main threats to external validity are the extent of analysis and acquisition of the sample. The data of 92 patients was missing. However, through calculations and approximations these data was obtained, which to some extend jeopardize validity of the research. The study shows that there is some racial and ethnicity difference in substance abuse and psychiatric problems in population of non-Latino black, non-Latino white and Latinos. The study should have extended to other population type such as Hispanics and African-Americans to understand the real extent of mental conditions and substance abuse to the entire population. The independent variables were the group of the targeted population e. g. Non-Latinos white, non-Latino black and Latinos. The dependent variables are the medical conditions that were being analyzed e. g. substance abuse and psychiatric conditions. The intervening variables are the link and relationship that exists between the medical conditions and patients who accessed the medical facility. The authors were able to balance and analyze dependent, independent and intervening variables in achieving the goals of the study. The authors collected the data from outpatient facilities in twelve medical facilities. The data was obtained from the hospital databases and other recordings. Moreover, additional data was obtained through approximation of missing sample data. The authors were able to visit both public and private facilities to ensure for some external credibility. This strategy ensured that specific data was utilized in the study. Obtaining the data from medical facilities increased its validity and reliability. However, the approximation of the missing data was the main weakness and specifying the population that is analyzed e. g. obtaining data from medical facilities rather than obtaining additional data from other agencies. The data that was obtained was grouped into six parts utilizing the BASIS-24 domains with the help of PROC MI in obtaining the missing data. The authors obtained diagnosis for 1,807 patients out of the 1,899 patients. From the analysis, the authors found out that Latino and Non-Latino black patients reported worse symptoms of substance use disorders and psychiatric disorders when compared with non-Latino white. The authors found out that there was no relation between race-ethnicity with medical conditions. The study also showed that Latinos reported greater emotional liability, self-harm symptoms and interpersonal functioning compared with non-Latino blacks and non-Latino whites. Additionally, the study found out that self-harm symptoms were greater in non-Latino black when compared with non-Latino whites. The unique difference that existed between the Latinos and non-Latino blacks is that the severity of substance use disorders in non-Latino blacks is greater than that of the Latino. The authors found that the relationship that exists among the three populations types was depressive symptoms and their (population) functioning capabilities. The findings of the study differed with evidence that indicates lower rates of mental health problems between the Latino and non-Latino black populations in the treatment of substance abuse. The authors have clearly explained strengths and shortcomings that may occur. The strength of the methodology was the ability of the authors to pick specific data in hospitals and utilizing it to understand the medical condition of the population. The methodology that was utilized had various weaknesses, especially in collecting the data and analyzing it. The population that was utilized did not define the entire population because the authors utilized medical records. They could have incorporated other institutions in understanding substance abuse and psychiatric conditions. Moreover, they obtained some missing data through utilization of technological machines. This increase chances of errors in the final analysis. The authors were able to compare their findings with previous research and the conclusion indicates the entire study has achieved its goals.

Safety Report on Pipelines

Safety Report on Pipelines This report is intended [NH3]to let readers know that pipelines are not [NH4]simply put into the ground and ignored. It will briefly describe some of the procedures and practices that are in place today to ensure that pipelines are operating safely. The medias influence often drives a negative perception about pipelines and this report will provide a more facts-based approach to educate the reader as they draw their own conclusion on pipeline safety. Background The safest and most effective way to remove[NH5] our natural petroleum [NH6]resources is by way of pipelines. Pipelines in Alberta have been around since the early 1900s(CEPA, 2016a). Over the past few years there has been a lot of controversy over pipelines. A big factor driving this controversy is the medias methods in providing information to people who are often not well-educated on pipelines or their safety systems. The reality is that media outlets will often use sensationalism to engage their audience. News stories about petroleum products getting safely to market or updates on companies practicing their emergency response plan drills are not exciting! However, a rare glimpse [NH7]at a company spilling product by way of an oil spill, paired with images of coated birds-that is what the media wants to show. That fear-driven reality is what our society believes to be common. Research for this project involved looking for facts on non-biased websites. Prior to attending college, I worked in the oil gas industry educating residents in rural areas about pipelines, the systems in place to protect the public and what to do in the unlikely event of an incident. The majority of my knowledge about pipeline safety comes from AER Directive 71: Emergency Preparedness and Response Requirements for the Petroleum Industry Control Centers [NH9] Large midstream pipeline companies operate their own control centers (CEPA,2016b). These control centers are operational 24/7, 365 days a year (CEPA, 2016b). Control rooms are equipped systems that collect information from the pipeline and associated facilities along the pipeline route. Some of the data that is monitored is temperature, flow rate and pressure from sensors along the route (CEPA, 2016b). If a leak is detected, alarms are triggered to indicate a possible problem. Block Valves A block valve is defined as a mechanical valve device installed in a pipeline that can be closed to block the flow of oil or gas through the line (Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, 2013). These valves are placed at various lengths along the pipeline route. If there was a leak along a section of pipeline, the block valves at either end of the leak would be closed. This would ensure only the product between those two block valve points emptying from the pipeline. Pipelines that cross rivers or creeks are equipped with block valves at both sides of the crossing that can close quickly to stop product flow (CEPA, 2016c). These block valves may be equipped with an emergency shut down (ESD) device that can close automatically with a decrease in pressure. The closing of a block valve by ESD would send an alarm back to the control center. Cathodic Protection When a pipeline is built, laid into the ground, and covered up with soil, corrosion can happen over a period of time. Before burying the pipeline, a protective coating is applied to the pipeline. As a back up to the protective coating, another form of protection is utilized called cathodic protection (Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, 2013). Through replicating an electrolytic action, additional corrosion prevention can be achieved via electrochemical processes (Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, 2013). This safeguarding helps to ensure the pipeline does not leak underground. [NH10] Emergency Response Plans While control centers, valves and protective coatings are all important to the pipelines safety systems, incidents happen and its vital to have a plan to address issues before they occur. The Alberta Energy Regulators (AER) Directive 071: Emergency Preparedness and Response Requirements for the Petroleum Industry Section 2.1 dictates that The licensee must have a corporate level ERP with preplanned procedures that will aid in effective response to an emergency. (2017, p. 12). Aerial Surveillance[NH11] A quick way to conduct a visual of a pipeline right of way is by use of aircraft. Great distances can be covered in a short amount of time. Depending on the product in the pipeline and classification of pipeline, that will depict how often aerial surveillance will have to occur[NH12]. While conducting this patrol, the pilot or spotter is looking for any visible signs of a possible leak, such as a sheen on the water or dead vegetation[NH13]. Spotters also look for encroachments to the pipeline [NH14]or any activity near or on the pipeline right of way. Training Exercises Companies operating pipelines in Alberta must[NH15] conduct annual training exercises (Alberta Energy Regulator, 2017). Oil companies must test its emergency response plans annually with a tabletop or communications exercise (Alberta Energy Regulator, 2017). Every three years a major exercise must be conducted. In this exercise, resources are usually deployed to the field in a mock incident (Alberta Energy Regulator, 2017). [NH16]Spill Response Cooperative In western Canada, a spill response cooperative was established. The name of this cooperative is Western Canadian Spill Services. The cooperative owns equipment that can be deployed to a spill. The equipment is strategically placed throughout western Canada in ready to go trailers. Some of the equipment in the trailers includes booms, skimmers, and wildlife deterrents (Western Canadian Spill Services, 2017). In addition to this equipment the cooperative also owns barges and airboats (Western Canadian Spill Services, 2017). The spill cooperative holds training exercises with its members to ensure a quick response to the spill and to stop further environmental impacts as a result of a spill. Though it is not mandatory for companies to join the spill cooperative, the AER highly recommends it (Western Canadian Spill Services, 2017). If a company wants to opt out of the cooperative, under AER Directive 071, Section 10.3.1., they will have to provide their own spill response plan to the AE R for their approval (Alberta Energy Regulator, 2017). Conclusion From my years working in the oil and gas industry, and from my research for this project, I feel pipelines are still the safest way to move petroleum products. There are approximately 3.4 million barrels [NH17]of oil moved through pipelines daily in Canada (CEPA,2016d). Between the years of 2002 and 2015, 99.999% of all product (crude and natural gas) was safely transported via pipelines (CEPA,2016d). With the safety protocols that were briefly discussed in this report, the oil and gas industry works hard to ensure that there are no pipeline leaks. These practices, coupled with the regulations, ensure pipeline spills are a rare occurrence. [NH19]Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). (2016d). About pipelines. Retried from https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/pipeline-101/pipeline-facts/ Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). (2016c). Environmental protection. Retrieved from https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/environmental-protection/water/ Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). (2016b). Pipeline control rooms and safety. Retrieved from https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/blog/pipeline-control-rooms-and-safety/ Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). (2016a). Pipeline history. Retrieved from https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/pipeline-101/pipeline-history/ Government of Alberta[NH20]. (2015). Pipeline Act; Pipeline Rules. Queens Printer. Pipeline Association for Public Awareness. (2013). Glossary of terms. Retrieved from http://www.pipelineawareness.org/residents-businesses/glossary/ Western Canadian Spill Services. (2017). The WCSS Purpose. Retrieved from http://wcss.ab.ca/index.asp [NH1]I changed your font to Calibri because I have a personal hatred for Times New Roman à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ LOLà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ you can change it back if you want. [NH2]Main headings are centered and bold. [NH3]Too passive, so I changed it [NH4]Never use the word just. Ever. [NH5]Move or remove? MOVE [NH6]Added petroleum because all I could think about was giant ass trees being fed into a pipeline for transport. [NH7]I took some liberties with your wordingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ hope thats okay! I used track changes, so just decline anything you dont like, or if I misinterpreted it. YOURE THE BEST SWEETIE [NH8]Can that part be deleted? YUP [NH9]Secondary headings are left-adjust, and bold. [NH10]Yiiiiiikes, what was all that? The rest of your paper is not quite this scientificà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ so it kind of stands out like a sore thumb, I took a stab at summarizing what those deleted sentences were saying. But thats too much detail for your paper, I think!! [NH11]You have no references for this sectionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ PIPELINE ACT [NH12]Pretty specific to leave without a citation. [NH13]These specifics need a citation. THIS WAS MY KNOWLEDGE [NH14]Again, citation required. THIS WAS MY KNOWLEDGE [NH15]This sentence indicates an obligation, thus needs a citation. Is it AER Dir 071? YES D71 14.10 [NH16]I think youre implying that the training exercises are a requirement of the Dir. 071 so I cited that. [NH17]Facts need citation. Always! https://www.aboutpipelines.com/en/pipeline-101/pipeline-facts/ [NH18]This always goes onto its own page. [NH19]Make sure none of your hyperlinks are active when you submit your page. Thats a no-no. [NH20]This doesnt show up in your paper anywhere? THE AERIAL SURVEILLANCE