The Evolution Of The Mauritian Economy Information Technology Essay

The Evolution Of The Mauritian Economy Information Technology Essay In the past two decades, the world scenario has considerably changed with one of the pioneering factors leading such changes as globalisation being information technology (IT). The pervasiveness of information and communications technologies (ICTs), may it be at home, within offices, or at schools cannot be denied today. The phenomenal growth of ICTs worldwide has had economic, social, political, and legal implications. For instance, businesses operate in more competitive environments today while others have closed down due to unforeseen pressures. ICTs have also been the foundation blocks for globalisation. Global network systems are today considered as being the new basis for power. The core elements propelling developing and developed economies to surface have been free trade, unrestricted investment, deregulation, balanced budgets, low inflation, privatisation of state owned institutions and infrastructure among others (APC, 2003). Few multinationals are dominating a large part of the market share in the majority of countries. ICTs have been contributing largely to such encroachment in the social and economic conditions of states. With the advent of ICTs instantaneous, global and electronic information is widely available to all. Today, a world without ICT cannot be fathomed. Increased dependence on the new forms of information has marked the whole world: financial markets, competition, research and development, educations and innovation are all sustained by the recent developments in ICT. According to Castells (2000) ICTs are the equivalent to the importance of electricity in the Industrial Era. Various other authors have appraised ICTs as being the tool to leapfrog economic growth through modernisation of production systems and increase competitiveness. Economies ignoring the developments in technology will only remain poor, marginalised and cast aside while those taking advantage of it will simply gain further by going beyond the traditional restrictions of space and time (ITU, 2004). The Mauritian Economy has not been left unscathed by phenomenal changes brought about by globalisation. Reduction in trade barriers and the erosion of trade preferences enforced by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has exposed the economy to diverse hazards on the world market. Fiscal measures are currently being tightened with a view to sustain the economy in the long-term; increased dependence on local quality products is being encouraged. Consultancy services are being sought from knowledgeable persons with a view to identifying means as to how the economy can survive the impact of globalisation. Among the long-term strategies put forward, lies the development and progress of the Mauritian ICT sector as a means of reducing reliance on other pillars. The ability of ICTs to counter the effect of globalisation has been proven by countries such as Singapore as a reliable path towards sustaining competitiveness in the world market. Indeed, several years have elapsed since Mauritius has engaged itself in a new vision of transforming the country into a cyber-island. As such, numerous changes and developments have been achieved taking from infrastructure to the legislative framework for ICTs. Contribution of established pillars to economic progress Agriculture Manufacturing Tourism Financial and Services The ICT Sector Contribution to the economy Given the lack of figures for GDP contribution, the main emphasis has been on the level of employment generated in the ICT sector to describe its growth. However, in 1997, the ICT sector has been reported to have generated 3.3% of total sales to the economy and by 2002 this figure had grown to a total of Rs.4.1 Billion (2.9% of the Gross National Income). The Mauritius IT Industry Association (MITIA) estimated the ICT sectors turnover to be around $70 Million for the 2001/2002 period. The telecommunications sector has been accredited with bringing in the major contribution from the ICT sector to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This result is due to approximately 300 companies operating in the ICT sector, involved in a wide range of activities including software development, call centre, Business Process Outsourcing, IT Enabled Services (ITES), training, hardware assembly and sales, networking and other support services. World leaders such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, Infosys, Accenture, Hinduja Group have started operations on the island. ITES-BPO so far is the strongest segment of the local ICT industry, experiencing a robust growth recently. These ITES-BPO companies have already invested some MUR 727 M and were employing around 5513 people at the end of September 2006. This figure includes an increase of 27.2% from January 2006 to September of the same year. Call centres contributes most to ICT sector employment in Mauritius with 42% of the workforce pooled into their activities (2338 persons). A remarkable increase of 158% should also be noted with regard to software development where employment incre ased from 277 to 716 lately, indicative of a rise in demand for software developers as well (BOI, 2008). Furthermore, with respect to encouraging small local entrepreneurs to invest in ICT, some 18 start-ups have benefited from the National Computer Board (NCB) Incubator Centre. These start-ups have in turn contributed towards the creation of 86 jobs and an investment of MUR 12.75 M. When it comes to IT Export, companies like Blanche Birger, DCDM Consulting, State Informatics Limited and Mauritius Telecom have extended their operations to the regional market (NCB, 2006). Investment The Mauritian government has realised the huge potential of ICT, in boosting the economy. It wants ICT to offer efficient, effective and citizen-focused public services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (ITU, 2004). Mauritius is presently ranked 32nd worldwide as an easy and attractive location for business (BOI, 2008). Foreign investment being constantly sought; the government offers a range of facilities and incentives aimed at creating a favourable climate for FDI; for both the Individual and Corporate Investor. At the international level the government maximises on its political, economic and diplomatic endeavour to secure market access and investment guarantees (NCB, 2006). Mauritius has been a leader in Africa in making tax concessions and giving other investment incentives, dating from 1970. All of these benefits have now been extended to the ICT sector. It is now emphasising a targeted promotion project instead of an incentive driven approach. The government has, in that respect, given many facilities regarding FDI. The package of incentives as listed in the ICT Incentive Regime is as follows: low corporate tax of 15% instead of 25% VAT at 15%, refundable No capital gain tax 100% foreign ownership Free repatriation of profits, dividends and capital No minimum foreign capital required 50% annual allowance on declining balance for the purchase of electronic and computer equipment Streaming of all administrative procedures exemption of customs and excise duties on the import of materials and equipment exemption from tax on dividends FDI is governed by the Non-Citizen (property restriction) Act of 1975. This investment regulation is in line with WTOs agreement on TRIMS. A World Bank study conducted in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) indicated that delays in the issue of business licenses and operating permits severely and negatively affect investment. Consequently, recent developments have led to the creation of business within three days. Most activities in the ICT sector are undertaken by a few big groups and governmental entities. The latter fare fairly well, as compared to other regional countries. Most of our investment in 2005 has been obtained from Indian companies with the objective of using the island as a channel to the African market. For example Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Limited (MTML) has started operation in July 2005 with international long distance telephone services. As from this year, it has launched fixed phone services and will soon be offering cellular phone services. It was estimated in 2005 that MTML would have invested $25 million in its network. Many European companies are also reported to have entered into joint ventures with Mauritian organisations in the ICT sector. The potential for BPO, call centre services and offshoring is increasing. Many foreign-owned call centres have invested in Mauritius, such as V-Lines from France, and Infinity; joint venture between French and Mauritian organ isations. As such, the potential for BPO, call centre services and offshoring in particular are increasing. In fact, BPO is the most thriving activity at the moment. Investment in BPO activities has increased by 38.3% (to the number of 148) over seven months (January 2006 to September 2006). Following Mauritius, France brings the most funds in the sector (forecasts indicate a figure of MUR 529 million). India is the next big investor in BPO, with a forecasted investment of MUR 440 million (BOI, 2006). The ITES-BPO sector is actually intended to bring investment of MUR 1.94 billion in the island. So far, MUR 1.01 billion has already been pooled in the economy. By September 2006, ITES-BPO activities were distributed as follows: Figure 1: ITES/BPO Activity in Mauritius (In Numbers) Many foreign-owned call centres have invested in Mauritius such as V-Lines from France, and Infinity; joint venture between French Mauritian organisations. Software Development companies are coming in larger numbers, with a 43% growth rate, followed by BPO (40%) and Multimedia Companies (33%). By end September 2006, the BOI has approved of 29 ITES/BPO investment projects. 24% of these come from call centres and 21% from Software Developers. The main target markets of investing companies are France, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and India. Legislations Given the increasing growth of the ICT sector, there has been a shift in the paradigm of regulation during the last decade. The development of the ICT sector is not solely dependent on the technological advancements but also on a strong and supportive regulatory and legislative environment. The ICT Authority (ICTA) has identified seven major market segments where regulation is deemed to be imperative. The market segments are as follows: 1. Fixed telephony a. Local b. International i. Conventional ii. Internet Telephony 2. Mobile telephony 3. Services related to fixed and mobile telephony 4. Dial-up Internet 5. Broadband Internet 6. Wholesale 7. Sale of Equipment Mauritius has been accredited with having a sound and an impartial legal system based on the Napoleonic Codes and the British Common Law. Intellectual Property rights have been strengthened by recent trademark, patent and industrial design laws which comply with the WTOs TRIPS agreement. Furthermore, Mauritius is also a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and party to the Paris and Bern conventions for the protection of industrial property and the Universal Copyright Convention (Bank of Mauritius, 2006). Over the past decade, the Government of Mauritius (GOM) has taken a proactive role in the regulation of the ICT Sector and has passed five laws to deal with issues such as recognition of digital signatures, protection of copyrights and combating cyber-crime. A brief description of each act is provided below: Table 1: Overview of Main Legislations for the ICT Sector Regulation Law Description Date Passed The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Bill Provides for repression of criminal activities perpetrated through computer systems and protection against computer misuse and new forms of Cybercrime May 2003 Information and Communication Technologies Act Provides for the establishment, management, regulation and promotion of ICT sector December 2001 Electronic Transaction Act (ETA) Covers electronic records and electronic signatures and the security thereof. (ICT Sector in Mauritius, ICT Authority, 2004) July 2000 Information Technology (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Deals with admissibility of electronics documents as evidence in court cases; data protection and security, computer misuse and patenting of software. December 1998 Copyright Act Pertains to the protection of software and electronic databases. September 1997 Data Protection Act 2010 As per the provisions of the ICT Act, a number of institutions, namely the ICTA, the ICT Appeal Tribunal, the ICT Advisory Council and the Internet Management Committee have already been set up. This regulatory framework has encouraged and allowed international ICT players such as Microsoft, Infosys and so on to successfully conduct their business from Mauritius while allowing the state to meet its social and economic goals. The GOM has also proposed one more bill, entitled the Data Protection Act, which is planned to reassure the ITES companies and their customers on the safety of their data (BOI, 2008). This bill has been in the pipeline for the past 2 years now. Liberalisation There has been a marked difference in the ICT sector structure as from 2000 to 2004. The international long distance and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have changed from having a monopolistic structure to a highly competitive one. The mobile operators have also drifted into full competition, as compared to a previous situation characterised by partial competition (World Bank, 2004). As per the WTO agreement, in 1997, to liberalise the telecommunications sector, the ICT Act was laid as a foundation for proper legal framework governing and enabling liberalisation to take place (ICTA, 2001). It was agreed that all state monopolies and exclusivity rights in domestic and international services would be terminated by 2004. This date was however advanced to the 1st January 2003 as the legislative environment was then deemed insufficient to meet the development of the ICT Sector as regards to foreign investment. Prior to 2003, Mauritius Telecom (MT) held exclusive rights on most national and international services. However, with liberalisation, the Mauritian population has seen the emergence of several new entrants in the sector to their benefit. In 2001, the ICTA replaced the MT Authority as per the ICT Act of 2001. It oversaw the full liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and in its first year it granted several licenses. The liberalisation of the telecommunications services since 1st January 2003 has given a major impetus to the ICT sector (African Economic Outlook, 2006). Exclusive rights of ownership of the SAFE cable have been given to MT however. The mobile market on the other hand, involves two major competing firms: Emtel and Cellplus, and a third likely in the near future: MTML. Current State of Information Technology in Mauritius People Mauritius is a highly erudite economy with 88% literacy rate (BOI, 2006). The island is on the go towards increasing its IT literacy rate. For this purpose, it has started at the ground level i.e. from schools. Another project launched in 2001, was the School Information Technology project, where primary and secondary schools will have computers, with at least one computer lab. In 2002, 100% of schools in Mauritius had a computer but only 18.7% of these had access to the internet (ITU, 2005). All the universities have LANs and high speed internet access. In 2004, 48% of the secondary schools and 4% of the primary schools had internet access (BOI, 2006). With regard to the distribution of the educational level in Mauritius, in the year 2005, there were a total of 11,814 school leavers in S.C. and 5555 school leavers in H.S.C. Only 4444 tertiary students enrolled in Mauritian institutions of which 2,020 enrolled for IT Courses taking from Diploma to Master degrees (BOI, 2006). Adding to the tally of developing IT skilled professionals is the high number of students who are returning to Mauritius each year with degrees from leading universities in Europe, Australia, India, Canada and South Africa. There are five main institutions offering courses leading to certificates, diplomas and degrees in IT. These include the University of Mauritius (UOM), Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Swami Dayanand Polytechnique, De Chazal Du Mee Business School (DCDM) and University of Technology Mauritius (UTM). Other institutions include Formation, Recruitement et Conseil en Informatique, State Informatics Limited and NIIT Computer Education and Training Centre (NCB, 2006). However, the Mauritius College of Air (MCA), which is the countrys leading public distance learning institution, has very few Computer Science courses and in the year 2002 only 3.6% were enrolled in the Computer Science field. Nevertheless, there are many other international universities which provide distance learning courses. Distance learning accounted for the largest share of tertiary Computer Science students with a total of 1,962 students in 2002 (ITU, 2004). The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and the Task Force on E-Education and Training projected the number of graduates to join the ICT labour market up to 2005 at around 4000 (NCB, 2006). The following diagram illustrates this distribution by the type of institution: Figure 2: Enrolment in Tertiary Computer Science Courses by Institutions (2001) [Adapted from ITU (2004)] However, the forecasted demand of IT workers and/or IT specialists far exceeds the forecasted supply. It was forecasted, in 2003, that if GOM accelerated training accompanied with a low demand for IT professionals, Mauritius will just meet the demand for IT professionals in 2006. If the contrary was to be true, then Mauritius would face an acute shortage of capable labour which was forecasted to be around 8000 IT professionals. In the year 2000, there were approximately 1,900 IT Professionals according to a survey carried out by the NCB. Three years later that figure had increased to 3,200 professionals. Furthermore, an annual growth rate of 15% per annum of newly trained IT graduates is estimated by the TEC. However, as stated earlier, it would prove to be grossly inadequate to meet the demand if there is the expected and the desired growth of the ICT sector. The GOM is providing incentives to attract internationally renowned institutions and universities to set off-campus branches in Mauritius (ITU, 2004). Due to Mauritius relatively poor adoption of the internet, the GOM has sharpened its focus on education at all levels. Promotion of an ICT Culture at the national level has been acknowledged through operation of: An IT Coach Project (Cyber Caravan) to raise ICT awareness around the country A Computer Proficiency Program a joint Government Private-Sector initiative by the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) on basic computer skills is available to the community at large at a subsidised fee of Rs.700. Also, the GOM has recently launched an ambitious and enormous training programme of 400,000 Mauritians in ICT over the next four years on the 4th September 2006. Commonly known as the IC3 programme, it aims to dispense a series of training sessions under the Universal ICT Education Programme (UIEP) which will eventually lead to the highly recognised Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3). In that respect, the NCB has been delegated the task of implementing the project which will include people from various background, be it educational, social, or work. The IC3 Certification which was developed by Certiport Incorporation (USA) is the first globally accepted, standards-based, validated certification program for basic computing skills. It consists of three modules, namely: Computing Fundamentals, Key Applications, and living Online. IC3 being a foundation course for ICT studies, the trainees can further evolve in the sector by going as far as the MCSE (Microsoft Computer Softw are Engineer) qualification. IT Penetration among the Mauritian Population Since it has adopted a vision of becoming a cyber-island, the state has been strongly emphasising the need to bring the technology to the reach of one and all. On one hand, the younger generation has been heavily benefiting from the inclusion of ICT in their curriculum. 2004 reports confirm that around half of all secondary school and a number of primary institutions benefit from internet access. A large portion of the educational institutions have been equally fitted with computers for students use. On the other hand, the government has also been providing training in IT. As per October 2004, 2500 civil servants had already been trained. The table below illustrates some economic and ICT indicators for 1999-2004: Table 2: Economic and ICT-related indicator (1999-2004) Year Indicators 2003 2004 Estimated Population (Millions) 1.186 1.196 GDP per capita (MUR at Market Price) 128,288 141,826 GDP Growth at basic prices +3.7 +4.5 Mobile Subscribers/100 inhabitants 38.13 47.58 Fixed Telephone Penetration (%) 91 92 Estimated Internet Users 180 000 230 000 No. of Internet Subscribers (dial up) 60 052 77 558 Estimated Household Internet Penetration (%) International Internet Bandwidth (Mbps) 45 61 Estimated Internet Hosts 3985 4836 Source: Central Statistics Office, Mauritius A survey conducted by the NCB in 2002 showed that the main reason why people did not have a PC at home was that they already had one at work and the second reason was cost. The government started a Computer in Every Home campaign and also provided subsidised loans to civil servants for buying PCs; but CSO figures claim that people did not know about these initiatives. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health had implemented the National Health Information System, so as to make health care more efficient. By 2002, seven health centres had been computerised. Mauritius also has the cheapest internet access rates in the African Continent. However, on a global basis, the price of internet connection is relatively high. Indeed, in July 2004, there was a 15% VAT charge on internet services. Such diverging strategies directly hinder the governments policy of spreading internet use throughout the island. With prospective competition from MTML, the internet tariffs were expected to fall by the end of 2006. This would have rapidly increased the number of internet users. Nowadays, post offices also provide electronic services, namely for payment of bills and the sale of telephone services. Mauri-Post is further expected to launch online banking services. Conclusion The ICT Sector in Mauritius has undeniably emerged as a sector in its own right today. The vision of the Mauritian government to make it the next engine of economic growth is in its making as ICT starts to make important inroads to the contribution of GDP. An analysis of 18 economies on their abilities to effectively implement ICT putting Mauritius in 5th position clearly supports this view. The Mauritian government has taken several steps to make the islands outlooks more favourable to investors in the ICT Sector. Additionally, infrastructural developments, especially in the physical terms, are highly conducive to the foreign investment and the GOM is taking pro-active measures to attract further FDI in the ICT Sector. The legislative framework for the sector clearly demonstrates the countrys willingness to foster competition, openness, and an attractive business environment as well as the provision of universal service with efficient interconnectivity. With the liberalisation of the local telecommunications market, investors can expect lower rates of internet access as well as better services from international brands in the future. The liberalisation is also attracting investment in the telecommunications field. To complement the above, several unprecedented initiatives, with the IC3 programme being the latest, have been undertaken to create a first-time-ever educated population in respect of information technology. The combination of the discussed issues, projects, and factors in this chapter will irrefutably link Mauritius firmly to the global information highway in the near future. Yet, development cannot happen in a vacuum, and Mauritius will need to keep pace with the fast changing environment of ICT as it develops the sector further. Pro-activeness, responsiveness, and flexibility represent key requirements for the ICT sector development to prevent the country from losing its position. Literature Review This chapter describes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the Mauritian ICT industry. The following diagram illustrates the main elements of the analysis: STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Language- Bilingual Workforce Political Willingness Infrastructure Physical Telecommunications Attractive Fiscal Incentives Sound Legal Framework Geographical Location Political Stability and Low Risk of Terrorism Infrastructural Weaknesses Poor education system Deteriorating economy Lack of Research and Development (RD) OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Membership in major Regional Trade Blocs Indian Government support Rapid Development Pace Brain Drain Competing ICT economies in the region Risk of natural disaster/s Table 3: SWOT for the Mauritian ICT Industry Strengths Bilingual Workforce Mauritians are bilingual being conversant in both French and English and can therefore service both English-speaking and French-speaking markets (Novatech, 2008). The Industrial Vocational Training Board (IVTB) furthermore organises the training of call centre and BPO operators (which currently constitute a high proportion of the ICT sector) on a regular basis. Additionally, ten public and some thirty private institutions, in collaboration with reputed foreign universities and international training centres provide professional training courses in the IT sector. Key players operating in Mauritius include NCC, NIIT, Aptech, University of Surrey, University of Birmingham, University of Witwatersrand, Università © of Poitiers, Dale Carnegie, BCS, ACCA, CIMA. Additionally, Mauritian employees are commended for their loyalty by Indian, French and British firms. This, according to them, improves the quality of the Mauritian workforce. Infrastructure Telecommunications The SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine optical fibre cable links Europe to the Far East through Mauritius and provides connectivity to worldwide destinations through ADSL, ISDN and high bandwidth international leased lines (IPLCs). Government has equally accelerated the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector by an early termination of the exclusivity of the incumbent operator, Mauritius Telecom (MT) as mentioned earlier. As such, new operators have entered the local telecommunications industry offering value added services in the field of International Telephony, Internet Service Provider and Voice over IP. The market has become highly competitive and new entrants compete mainly on prices to gain new clients. A further asset is possessed by Mauritius Telecom, the national operator, with a Point of Presence (PoP) in Telehouse, Paris where major international bandwidth providers and key telecom operators are present for interconnection, thereby providing end-to-end service at very competitive rates (BOI, 2008). Another underwater cable of East Africa, EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System), will soon add to the bandwidth provided by the SAFE cable. The cable of a length of more than 8000 km will link Mauritius to around 20 countries of the Eastern coast of Africa including Kenya and Madagascar. As such, telecommunications and internet costs, which have already been reduced substantially over the past few years, are deemed to further decrease. The Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, has signed the protocol for linking Mauritius to the EASSy project on the 20th November 2006. This will give Mauritius a competitive edge in telecommunications costs. Physical The Ebene Cybercity is the first IT Park in the African region. It is spread over an area of 172 acres and with consist of various facilities such as video conferencing, conference halls, 24/7 restaurants and banks. The first Ebene Cyber Tower has already been constructed with many international ITES-BPO players are already operating within the most intelligent building in Mauritius. A second cyber tower is also now operational and has already been booked up to 70%. Among the operators are the French company, Phone Sales Experts, which has already started its activities with 50 employees and an American BPO which has booked five floors and is expected to employ around 600 employees. Political Willingness The dedication of the Mauritian government to achieve its goal of making Mauritius a cyber-island has also been reflected over the past few years by its e-government initiatives (e-government, 2004). E-government is the use of ICT to deliver public services which provides greater convenience for citizens (G2C) and to businesses (G2B), as well as between different ministries (G2G). Such initiatives include: The setting up of a Government Online Centre (GOC) as a point of interaction with citizens and businesses. The setting up of a Government Intranet System (GINS) as a medium for collaboration between civil service departments. The designation of Chief Information Officers to champion IT developments and for the provision of learning materials. The approval of international standards to benchmark the internal level of security. Indeed, the government took the initiative to invest in an e-government scheme gearing towards e-management, e-services and e-democracy. E-management consists of computerising all governmental departments while E-services are a platform for the exchange of information between the population and the state. E-democracy on its part is a concept that allows citizens to participate in government decision-making through the posting of queries. Citizens are also provided with e-services such as Application for Lump Sum, Drivers License, Scholarships and Passports are offered online (Govt. Mtius, 2010). The enactment of various legislations for regulating the ICT sector equally reflects such willingness at top level. Attractive Fiscal Incentives Fiscal incentives are being used as a means to increase FDI and investment potential in the island. Such differing tax

Hefty Hardware Essay

After reading Hefty hardware case study, I came up with the following analysis for this case: It is very clear that there is communication issues between the business and IT, there is no connection between the IT department and other business departments. To build good relationship between the IT Department and the Business department, the four foundation blocks needed, Competence, credibility, interpersonal interaction, and trust, which all are not considered between the departments. (McKeen & Smith, 2012). The business manager feels that the IT don’t have the enough competence for finding solution for solving business problems. And this is normal because the IT do not have the enough knowledge about Hefty Hardware business process and goals. The very important block in building good relationship between the IT and business department which is the interpersonal interaction is not available and usually the meetings getting failed because the IT people don’t understand the business talk and not ready to understand, also the business managers do not understand the technical talk when the IT start explaining the technical aspects of the solution. Hefty Hardware do not has solid foundation and good relationship between the IT and the Business department, and this issue became the main problem that Hefty should deal with it to make sure that the current and future projects will success. Also it is important that the IT department spend the enough time to explain their plan to support the business functions and make sure that they will work to achieve the organization goals. There is no information sharing between the departments or even between the executives because of the lack of communication. Information sharing will help in reach common goal which will help the organization to be more efficient and productive. Mr. Vogel suggestion was very good to have two from IT and business department travel together as this will improve the relationship between the two departments and make better understanding for the organization goals and will give them the chance to see how Hefty stores operate. The IT department seems to be understaffed and under budget, as Farzad was complaining that he cannot send some IT staff because they have a lot of work to do at the head quarter, the IT department is mainly to perform the support and keep the network and the systems stable but they don’t have the ability to think strategically. In order for the IT and the business can work collaboratively to deliver the Savvy Store program  successfully the below recommendations need to be considered: 1- Hefty Hardware should invest in building a good relationship between the IT and Business department this can be achieved by conducting team building training program where both department can interact and work together. As this will build a trusting and functional environment. 2- Developing the communication skills for Hefty employees and between the different departments, which will help in implementing successful projects. 3- IT and Business managers should work together for removing any communication obstacles to have a successful communication going. (Gartenstein, 2012). By having a weekly meetings which will strengthen the communication more . 4- Interpersonal interaction between the IT and business departments should be improved in the meetings, as most of the time the business team feel that they are lost as then don’t understand the technical points, this can be achieved by train the IT team to improve their communication skills and let then have the ability to communicate with non-technical people (which is not easy) and explain to them in simple way. Visual presentation may help in explaining the technical concepts . 5- Business team should also share the organization business needs and goals with the IT team to let them understand how is the business going and what is the goals of the company. By this cooperation, the gap between the two departments will be bridged and both teams will be able to think more efficiently in finding solutions that will enhance customer experience and will implement competitive solutions. 6- Outsourcing the projects that need to be immediately implemented and do not trouble the IT department while they are overloaded and don’t have enough staff. 7- The Time management & Planning is very important for both departments, the organization should invest in having them trained in time management and planning, which will help them in doing the work efficiently and on time. 8- Do a market research for the same industry and try to implement a competitive solutions that will be a very good advantage for the organization. 9- Hiring more IT staff as the CIO is understaffed and has no ability to accept any new system development, so as to be able to work on Savvy store program. 10- The corporate should not be disconnected from the retail shops. References: McKeen, J. and Heather, S. (2011) IT Strategy – Issues and Practices. 2nd Edition. ISBN-10: 0132145669. Boston: Prentice Hall. Gartenstein, D. (2012, January). Solutions for effective communication. Retrieved from eHow Family website: http://www.ehow.com/way_5765631_solutions-effective-communication.html. Baum, J. (2011, March 18). Team building exercises in the workplace. Retrieved from Livestrong website: http://www.livestrong.com/article/221732-team-building-exercises-in-the-workplace/.

An Analysis of Jose Corozon De Jesus Essay

Isang aklat na maputi, ang isinulat: Luha! Kaya wala kang mabasa kahit isa mang talata; Kinabisa at inisip mulang ating pagkabata; Tumanda ka’t nagkauban, hindi mo pa maunawa. Ang Pag-ibig, isipin mo, pag inisip, nasa-puso! Pag pinuso, nasa-isip, kaya’t hindi mo makuro. Lapitan mo nang matagal ang pagsuyo’y naglalaho; Layuan mo at kay-lungkot, nananaghoy ang pagsuyo! Ang Pag-ibig na dakila’y aayaw nang matagalan, Parang lintik kung gumuhit sa pisngi ng kadiliman. Ang halik na ubos-tindi, minsan lamang nahalikan, At ang ilog kung bumaha, tandaan mo’t minsan lamang. Ang Pag-ibig kapag duwag ay payapa’t walang agos, Walang talon, walang baha, walang luha, walang lunos! Ang Pag-ibig na matapang ay puso ang inaanod, Pati dangal, yama’t dunong nalulunod sa pag-irog! Ang Pag-ibig na buko pa’y nakikinig pa sa aral, Tandang di pa umiibig, nakikita pa ang ilaw, Ngunit kapag nag-alab na pati mundo’y nalimutan — Iyan, ganyan ang Pag-ibig, damdamin mo’t puso lamang! Kapag ikaw’y umuurong sa sakuna’t sa panganib Ay talagang maliwanag at buo ang iyong isip: Takot pa ang pag-ibig mo, hindi ka pa umiibig: Pag umibig, pati hukay aariin mong langit! Ang Pag-ibig ay may mata, ang Pag-ibig ay di bulag; Ang marunong umibig, bawat sugat ay bulaklak: Ang pag-ibig ay masakim at aayaw ng kabiyak; O wala na kahit ano, o ibigay mo ang lahat! â€Å"Ako’y hindi makasulat at ang Nanay ay nakabantay!† Asahan mo, katoto ko, hindi ka pa minamahal! Ngunit kapag sumulat na sa ibabaw man ng hukay, Minamahal ka na niya nang higit sa kanyang buhay! Kayong mga kabataang pag-ibig ang ninanais, Kayong mga paruparong sa ilawan lumiligid, Kapag kayo’y umiibig na, hahanapin ang panganib, At pakpak ninyo’y masusunog sa pag-ibig! Author’s Biography Jose Corazon de Jesus or â€Å"Pepito† was born in Trinity Road District of Sta. Cruz, Manila, on 22 November, 1894. He was the second son of Dr. Vicente de Jesus who was the first director of the Kawanihan ng Kalinisan, and his  mother was a kapampangan namely Mrs. Susana Pangilinan. He had twins, Vicente Jr, the elder and Rosa, the younger. In their family, Jose Corazon de Jesus is closer to his mother because he is sickly. Since childhood, Corazon de Jesus was aware in Tagalog tula, awit, korido and the books that was famous in those days like â€Å"Florante at Laura† and â€Å"San Raymundo†. And because of these literary works, the skills of Jose Corazon de Jesus in poetry began. He was also fond of singing, playing the piano, and various physical games.He attended his first schooling in the town of his father. The childhood of Jose Corazon de Jesus was full of enjoyment. After graduating in the primary level, he was transferred in Liceo de Manila, one of the most popular schools in Manila then, to continue his secondary level. When he graduated, he studied law at Escuela de Derecho. When he finished his degree in 1919 he did not take the bar exam. Instead, he continued his passion in poetry. In October of 1918, Jose Corazon de Jesus elope his girlfriend Asuncion Lakan. Their relationship brought three children; they were Teresa, Jose and Rogelio. Jose Corazon de Jesus is not only a poet and writer but also journalists. He became the writer of the newspaper â€Å"Demokrasya†, â€Å"Pagkakaisa†, â€Å"Taliba†, â€Å"Mabuhay†, at â€Å"Sampagita.† But he was well known in the field of â€Å"balagtasan† and â€Å"pagbigkas†. Until now, he is still very well known in this field. Jose Corazon de Jesus, or Huseng Batute, died at 12:02 in the afternoon, on May 26, 1932 in General Hospital because of intestinal disease. Analysis Love is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection to pleasure. It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection—†the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another†. It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one’s self or  animals. Ancient Greeks identified four forms of love: kinship or familiarity (in Greek, storge), friendship (philia), sexual and/or romantic desire (eros), and self-emptying or divine love (agape). Modern authors have distinguished further varieties of romantic love. The question, â€Å"What is love?† has been discussed widely by those who are puzzled by this existential phenomenon. Indeed, what is love? Nowadays a lot have their own idea about love. Each has his own convictions and beliefs about love. There is love at first sight, love is sweeter in the second time around, some even describe it as blind, others say that love is in the air and love is you. Love is a word that has a broad meaning. We cannot elucidate it in just simple terms; we can just give the characteristics but not the meaning of it. Only the person that feels that he/she is in love can give the interpretation of it not by the words but by the action. In his encyclical Deus Caritas Est (2005), Pope Benedict XVI writes, â€Å"Today, the term ‘love’ has become one of the most frequently used and misused of words, a word to which we attach quite different meanings.† Love is emotions that cannot be understand by human reason but only by heart. Defining love is very hard for everyone but feeling in love is common to all men. That is why Corazon De Jesus put in his poem â€Å"Ang Pag-ibig, isipin mo, pag inisip, nasa-puso! Pag pinuso, nasa-isip, kaya’t hindi mo makuro.† In our times today, the word love is very common but somehow different in meaning when we refer to the oldest time when our lolo courting our lola. That is why many old persons are complaining about the issue of love in our new era. They say that the true meaning of the love is being destroyed. Corazon De Jesus wrote his poem about Pag-ibig to show his point of view about love in a poetical way. He has the imagery of love in his mind expresses through words. When a man is truly in love with a woman, he will do everything to get her sweet answer. Courting a girl in the older times is very difficult. To have the hand of the girl, a man must know how to get water from the well, get firewood in the forest or in the mountain and giving the girl some fruits or vegetable from his farm. However, this culture is being forgotten by the youth of today. Courting a girl in our times is very basic. It will start  from getting the cellphone number followed by date and then without a year, a boy can get the girl. Ang Pag-ibig na buko pa’y nakikinig pa sa aral, Tandang di pa umiibig, nakikita pa ang ilaw, Ngunit kapag nag-alab na pati mundo’y nalimutan — Iyan, ganyan ang Pag-ibig, damdamin mo’t puso lamang! True love is self-denials love. We cannot say that it is love if it is still in our heart, if we do not express it. A quotation says a bell is not a bell until you ring it; a song is not a song until you sing it, and love in your heart is not love until you give it away. Some of us are just contended that we are in love. We are afraid to share it in our love ones not because we do not love him/her but we are afraid of rejection. We are satisfied of being in love but we are scared to stay in love. Corazon de Jesus mentioned in his poem, â€Å"Ang Pag-ibig kapag duwag ay payapa’t walang agos, Walang talon, walang baha, walang luha, walang lunos!† We are very futuristic. We always think what will happen for tomorrow that is why we are being terrified. We think if the person we love today is still in love with us in the next day. If the lover would deny his need for affection, expressing love would soon become a burden and it would only result to different form of isolation . Man has a natural longing to complete himself by personally relating with other men, for without love, there can be no true interpersonal relations among people.1 There is often little evidence for loving; we have to trust the person we love and without faith we cannot love either God or other people. And without love, life is not worth living. As Corazon de Jesus said in his poem Kayong mga kabataang pag-ibig ang ninanais, Kayong mga paruparong sa ilawan lumiligid, Kapag kayo’y umiibig na, hahanapin ang panganib, At pakpak ninyo’y masusunog sa pag-ibig! Conclusion As a seminarian, being in loved is very important. As what Fr. Lloyd Cinco said to us in our retreat, â€Å"You cannot be a priest if you do not know how to love.† Love is a duty. Only when it is a duty to love, only then is love eternally secured against every change and happily secure against despair.  There are three things that destroy love. First are the changes in our inclinations and feelings. Second are the changes in the person we love. The last is the unhappiness, pain and suffering that can lead to despair. That is the cause why people are afraid to stay in love, because of the tribulations and hardships in the relationship. They are just contented in falling in love. People are also terrified of their obligations because love seeks security. Therefore swear an oath, swear fidelity to each other. However this oath offers nothing but a false security because the two persons who swear to love each other forever, swears by something that is lower than love itself. The two swear by their love to each other forever, instead of swearing love to each other by eternity. Therefore, both of them swear by something that could change over time. If what one feels changes, then there would be nothing that would bind their love. The only way to find true security if one is to make an oath is to swear by the duty that shall love. Spontaneous love is still subject to change because it is not consciously grounded upon eternal but depends entirely on one’s emotion and feeling. It could change into its opposite, into hate or it can become the sickness of jealousy.

Motivation Leads to Behavior, Consequences, and Go

Motivation Motivation is derived from the Latin word movere, meaning â€Å"to move.† It is â€Å"the tendency for the direction and selectivity of behavior to be controlled by its connections to consequences, and the tendency of this behavior to persist until a goal is achieved.† (Anshel, 1948) An athlete with motivation is energized to participate in a purposeful and meaningful task. Motivation is fueled by motives, which are an individual’s anticipation of reaching a goal. The purpose of motivation is to prolong desirable feelings and actions of athletes. (Straub, 1984) Athletes are motivated because they want to improve their performance in a sport. Athletes can improve their motivation by engaging in activities that they find pleasant and have†¦show more content†¦(Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., 1995) An athlete becomes determined to earn external rewards, rather than satisfy their internal drive for the sport. Typically, an athlete begins their sp ort for intrinsic reasons. Athletes love their sport and want to compete and improve because they feel pleasure when they succeed. When they begin to receive external rewards the intrinsic motivation decreases. If the extrinsic rewards stop, an athlete typically does not see any reason to continue competing. Amotivation The last type of motivation in the brain, Amotivation, occurs when an athlete no longer wants to compete. Typically these athletes only continue to compete because they feel they are trapped and cannot escape. They experience feelings of incompetence and lack of control over their life. These athletes have neither intrinsic motivation no extrinsic motivation. (Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., 1995) They can no longer find a good reason for continuing to train and compete. Usually these athletes stop playing their sport because they feel no need to continue. This lack of motivation causes many athletes to quit their sport at young ages. 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