Consider Criminal Liability Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consider Criminal Liability - Case Study Example Similarly in the case of Jane, under s3 Theft Act 1968, she innocently or intentionally is keeping the money with her, however in the case of candles which Jane borrows refers to the s2 (1) (b) where Jane is not considered under Theft Act s 3 as she has borrowed them and is in intention to gave them back. (Harvey et al, 1998, p. 43) But then she uses the candles which comes under the case of an offence under the Theft Act 1968, where the property in question is recovered, any damage to the property occurring while it was out of the owner's possession shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (1) as having resulted from the offence, however and by whomsoever the damage was caused. This is similar to the case Jackson v. Horizon [1975]2 It is now possible to commit the crime of false pretences in many jurisdictions by borrowing money with the intent not to repay it. Receipt of the money satisfies the element of acquiring title. Though the borrower falsely promises to repay the loan, he engages in no deception about the external world that is subject to proof at the time of his act. His deception, if any, is about his plans for the future, and the best evidence of that is what he does when the debt falls due. Though the crime is technically committed at the time the loan is received, the critical evidence of liability is furnished by his failure to repay at some future time. (Fletcher, 2000, p. 11) Although the result of Jackson's case is sensible and probably correct, Lord Denning's reasoning has since been disapproved in the House of Lords in Woodar Investment Development Ltd v Wimpey Construction UK Ltd [1980] 1 All ER 571, [1980] 1 WLR 277, HL. As a rule of Law, Lush LJ as an insurance broker may sue on a contract which is made by him on behalf of the principal provided the contract gives him such a right and is no authority for the proposition required in Jackson's case 3. However if a person X made a contract for a sum of money to be paid to Y, X can, without notifying the loss he has suffered can sue for damages for non-payment of that sum which would certainly not be an established rule of law, nor was it quoted as such authority by Lord Pearce in Beswick v Beswick4. A similar view was expressed by Lord Russell. Whether the disapproval will make any difference in practice to the quantum of damages awarded in family holiday cases is unclear. A sympathetic judge might choose to place more emphasis on the distress of the contracting party in witnessing the family suffering. (Harvey et al, 1998, p. 44) Jane situation is critical as she receives 70.00 instead of 50.00. Under this situation the law states a person who receives a gift has no right of redress against the donor merely because the gift is of unmerchantable quality or does not correspond with the donor's description of it. The person receiving the gift may have a remedy in tort if the gift causes injury or damage which is attributable to negligence on the donor's part. But that is another matter: he has no remedy in contract against the donor for the simple reason that there is no contract between them. To the extent that the offer of worthless goods, without charge, as part of a sales promotion, is against the public

Knowledge Management within the Education Profession Essay

Knowledge Management within the Education Profession - Essay Example This report discovers the practice of knowledge management within the education profession as a tool for improving the efficiency of the administrative services and the effectiveness of academic programs. Knowledge management within the educational profession refers to a set of procedures that makes eminent sense through a combination of practical expertise gained through experience, good intuition, and a feel of what can be likely described as a set of emerging theories that focus on effective knowledge management continuum within educational institutions (Hansen, 2000). Pertinent to the field of education with regard to knowledge management entail two fundamental aspects; how to embrace and integrate knowledge management principles and how to avoid misunderstanding of such principles. Evidently, application of such knowledge management principles is in essence important with regard to improving educational efficiency. In the recent past, educational administrators have attempted to improve the efficiency of their tasks through knowledge management. Therefore, this report aims at investigating how knowledge management enables educators in an institution to develop and set effective practices to collect information and share what they know will ultimately lead to improved educational outcomes. In making this attempt, however, this report explicitly clarifies that people, in this regard educators, processes, and technology are important aspects in ensuring effective knowledge management.... 1. Educational administrators have been improving the efficiency of their task through employing knowledge management tools. Instructors within the education profession have been utilizing management tools for a considerable number of years to improve the efficiency of administrative services and the effectiveness of academic programs. From the past, the practice of knowledge management within the education profession has primarily been focusing on the technical systems that are implemented to collect, organize, and disseminate the institution’s expanse of quantitative data in areas such as accounting, finance, and enrolment planning. With the increasing number of trustees, state legislatures, teachers, administrators, faculty members, students, and parents begun to seek better education outcomes or at least have a better sense of what current outcomes measure, in the case of higher education, most educational institutions and systems have invested in technology to generate da ta that can provide answers to those seeking improved performance. Among the primary benefits of knowledge management underpins the fact that it actively addresses both the information culture and technology culture unique to the organizational context of the college, school, or university (Kellick, 2011, P. 150). The technology culture can be thought of as the institution’s use and integration of technology in planning, development, operations, and assessment. The information culture, on the other hand, involves information processes and politics for sharing information within and across the organization. 2. Knowledge management enables educators in an institution to develop and set practices to collect information and share what they know, leading to action

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay This study will argue against the neoclassical view of Milton Friedman on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). First of all it is essential to familiarise with the concept of CSR, this includes background information on the topic, than discuss the transformation of CSR over the years and the reasons for the changes. Than defining the concept as it is seen now. Additionally to familiarise with the literature used, two sources used in this study were evaluated under origins, values and limitations. Later the study will introduce the main argument of the study on the CSR, which will be separated into two parts. First part will analyse the traditional view of Milton Friedman and other economists and try to find out if the main responsibility of the company is to maximize profits. The second part will talk about the traditional view of the CSR which is opposing the neoclassical view. In conclusion I will try to argue Milton Friedmans case of neoliberal position on CSR. Background on Corporate Social Responsibility The concept of social responsibility was traced back to the ancient times. The first stage of the CSR development happened thousand years BC where authorities introduced different rules and regulations where the workers were severely punished for being careless and injured someone during their work. Or In Ancient Rome senators grumbled about the failure of businesses to contribute sufficient taxes to fund their military campaigns.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) During the industrial revolution the concept grew to a whole new level and the significance of business in society started to increase exponentially. By the 1920s the new stage began that social responsibility was not seen as an ethic but became a whole new concept, however the magnitude of the concept was undervalued. As Dean of Harvard Business School Wallace B. Donham: Business has not learned how to handle these changes, nor does it recognise the magnitude of its responsibilities for the fut ure of civilisation.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) The ideology of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a response to pressure from the business side of growing leftist sentiment and the trade union movement in the last third of the XIX century. Incurred if the institutions of civil society demanded from businesses providing social guarantees to the workers and to ensure protection of their labour and the decline of trade unions in the mid XX century for business owners updated the task of preserving and maintaining the loyalty of motivation of subordinates, which again forced them to turn to CSR. It was then that the concept has become firmly established in the theory and practice of corporate governance in the U.S. However the effect of globalization cannot be under estimated as it played a significant role in CSR, which forced companies to look for more creative ways of positioning information in a crowded world. Thus, CSR was the result of deep transformation of relations of private business and society in a post-industrial economy. Definition Searching for the most precise definition in the least amount of text, the definition by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense (Baker 2004) they defined Corporate Social Responsibility as: the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large (Baker 2004) In essence CSR is a concept that reflects the companys voluntary decision to participate in the improvement. An important remark to make before defining CSR is that it is a very broad topic with no clear-cut definition; this creates a lot of uncertainty. In order to reduce some uncertainty it is essential to divide CSR into two different parts and look at it in a more detailed manner. First part that will be looked at is the internal CSR, which is limited by the scope of the company, it deals with social policies of the employees. The second part is the external CSR, which is responsible for the outside framework and therefore deals with a much broader spectrum than the internal, as it takes into the account all the social and environmental factors, in some cases it helps eliminate the failures of the authorities in the social sphere, shifting a significant share of burden to the corporations. Additionally there are different principles of the CSR that will be mentioned later in the study including: Transparency this deals with publicity and the reliability of the company, significance deals with the scale and the effectiveness of the policies and prevention of conflicts among other parties. Evaluation of Sources In order to examine the two sides in more depth sources with different views and opinions were used. For a more critical evaluation two books have different perspectives on the case of CSR which helps the study answer the question from different viewpoints. First book, The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility, by Steve May, George Cheney, and Juliet Roper answers the question in a theoretical and practical perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. The books value lies in the fact that this book is based primary on facts and is independent from views, which is perfect for this study. Another important aspect to mention is the relevance of the book to the current situation in business as it was published 5 years ago which is relatively recent. The Second book Corporate Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Paradox of Social Cost  by Moses L. Pava and Joshua Krausz. This book is very different from the first one as it focuses more on the performance of the company based on CSR. It contains empirical studies on the correlation between the CSR and performance that will be used further in the study. The limitation of this book is that it was published in the 1995 and the concept of CSR changed since then. Introduction Currently the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility is a subject of debate and criticism. Defenders argue that it has a solid business case, and corporations receive many benefits because they work for a broader and more long-term than their own short-term gain momentary. Critics argue that social responsibility moves away from the fundamental economic role of businesses, and distracts the company form its main goal. Thus, there are two main approaches to the study of corporate social responsibility. On one hand we have the notion of M. Friedman, who relies on formal rationality. On the other hand, we have representatives of the second approach, the liber idea of CSR. The researchers are relying on objective research. They recognize that the social responsibility of business is complex and cannot be reduced to the bare economic interest of profit maximization. In analysing both views this study will find out to what extend does Milton Friedmans traditional view of the CSR increase financial profits of the company. Before we elaborate on these two opposite approaches to the study of corporate responsibility, it should be noted that the leaders and managers of todays companies are increasingly aware of the positive impact of socially responsible behaviour to achieve not only strategic but also financial goals of the business. Milton Friedmans view on Responsibility of Corporations Nobel Prize winner, a supporter of the policy of monetarist Milton Friedman in his book Capitalism and Freedom published in 1962 there is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.. Similarly,  the social responsibility of  labor  leaders  is  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  members  of  theirunions.  It  is  the social responsibility  of  the  rest  of  us  to  establish  a  framework  of  law  such that  an  individual  in  pursuing  his  own  interest  is,  to  quote  Adam  Smith  again,  led  by an  invisible  hand  to  promote  an  end  which  was  no  part  of  his  intention (Friedman Friedman, 1982, p. 133) The essence of this argument is that the direction of the profits for social goals reduces the volume of profit, which violates the principle of profit maximization, which is fundamental to the business. Note that in the short term deductions from profits related realization of a social responsibility goal in business does reduce profits. Additionally if, for example the price of a companys products would be reduced, this would really cheer the consumers who can buy more for lower price thus increase purchasing power; it will have the same effect on the shareholders if the value of dividends grow. Therefore, installation of additional environmental equipment, of course, is a positive impact on the environment and the society; however who will have to pay for this? Eventually, the consumers as the improvements will increase the cost of production and consequently, the prices of goods and services, reducing the purchasing power of the consumer. Milton Friedman backed his arguments with a number of arguments. For example he used the concept of comparative advantage in order to argument the fact that social programs should not be implemented by the managers as they do not have the comparative advantage and the know-how in that field, instead they should be engaged in maximizing profits for the company. Friedmans argument was based on one of the most influential classical economists David Richardo who argued that the flow of goods should not be interrupted by the government and should flow freely across the country and the boarders and therefore will be most efficient. In the book by Friedman makes a strong argument stating that corporate responsibility was initialised by leftists and socialists and any sign in directing the business in socially responsible direction will be seen as destruction of capitalism because evidently: the  manager  who  reduces  profit  for  social ends such as reducing pollution or  hiring  members  of  disadvantaged  groups  takes  over  the functions of government because  he  is  in  effect  imposing  taxes  and  deciding  how  to  spend the proceeds. The  corporate  executive  thus  becomes  a  civil  servant,  a  public  employee.  The result  is  thus  full blown socialism, the rejection of the market mechanisms in favor  of  political mechanism (Aune, 2007, p. 212) Moreover Friedmans financial statement analyst criteria characterises companies investments in the social field as inferior investments (Aune, 2007, p. 212) due to that Friedman increased his influence in the 1975, after the decline of support in Keynesian economics and increase in Milton Friedmans monetarist movement in the field of inflation and unemployment. This improved his position in the battle against CSR. And increased support from other economists including Henderson who backed Friedman on his arguments against CSR and based on his principles wanted to implement Friedmans idea to the new globalized economy. In addition many organizations were created in order to oppose the traditional idea of CSR. Here are some examples of the organizations mentioned above: Competitive Enterprise Institute or the Free Enterprise Action Fund. These organizations based on Friedmans arguments try to prove that CSR is a smokescreen for socialists and collectivist theme. (Aune, 2007, p. 208) which was a very strong argument after the Cold War bringing up the idea of Soviet Collectivisation policies. As mentioned before, Friedman was not the only advocate of the neoliberal view on CSR. Also people like J. Roberts argue that the corporation is an idea, an imaginary, without substance or sensibility and therefore incapable of anything like responsibility. Instead, corporate responsibility will always depend upon people using their frail and vital sentience and following the path that this assigns. (Christensen, 2007, p. 449) Or Greider states that business should be making money otherwise they will be less efficient if they will engage in CSR and take societys interest into consideration. Not only because of the opportunity cost of investing that money into something more profitable but also because they are no specialized in the area and therefore will waste the resources due to inefficiency. Furthermore presents Hawleys study in 1991 where he conducted a survey from 22 business textbooks to find out what is goal of the corporation his finds came to a common conclusion that The  typical  Introductory  Corporate  Finance  course  begins  with  the  instructorposing  the  following  question  to  the  students:  What  is  the  primary  objectiveof  financial  managers  and  the  corporation?  The  answer,  of  course,  is that corporate managers should seek  to  maximize  the  wealth  of  owners  by maximizing the price of the shares. That any government or corporate interference with the natural workings of the market prevents resources from flowing to their most valued uses. Government  intervention, beyond punishing fraud, introduces unnecessary friction  into  the  natural  and  smooth workings  of  the  market. (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 17) In summary the first part of the study presents the main arguments of the neoclassical view on the Corporate Social Responsibility and on how the corporations should operate in order to be prosperous. First of all Milton Friedman argued that the only thing that should be of concern to the corporation and its managers are the profits. His arguments were based on the fact that the managers were hired by the shareholders to maximize profits and not to take over governments role and act like civil servants. In essence everyone has their own role in the society and everyone should do their role as best as possible as they are most efficient in doing that role and when someone from society tries to do the role that they are not designed to do than the denial of capital market mechanism occurs and what Friedman refers to this as is leftism and socialism. Further in the essay in order to validate the arguments presented by Friedman, other economists like J. Richards argued his notion on corp orations as being an idea and therefore not able to have responsibilities. Moreover Greiders and Hawleys counter CSR arguments were included in order to show the full scope of arguments against CSR. Limitations of Milton Friedmans Arguments There are many critics of the neoclassical view on CSR and Friedmans arguments. Number one is that Friedmans arguments are very subjective and are based on assumptions without any scientific facts or evidence that back his argumentation. This is a big disadvantage for his side as the lack of information and evidence that would act like a backbone and strengthen his position acts against him. As a result questions like does CSR really reduce the performance of the corporation? arise. Moreover, according to Friedman if corporations with money do not invest into the improvement of society and its employees, than who will? The main disagreement here between the two sides is that Friedman refuses to admit the fact that the economy, society, environment and the government are all interlinked between each other especially in the globalised economy, and you cannot view economy on its own without considering the other 3 factors. Friedman and many other economists tend to use of various economic theoretical models in order to illustrate their theories, however the models that apply to the economy usually do not apply to the real world as they tend to ignore many other factors like the government. In consequence he sees economy isolated from the society. Friedman stated that the corporation is doing well as long as they are conducting their business legally and are operating at profit maximizing level. The author in the book makes a very strong argument against Friedmans position as he states that his account on CSR in 1970 does not take the changing preferences of consumers and shareholders into account. What if the company is operating legally and maximizing profits indirectly with an enemy state during wartime? For example number of biggest U.S. Companies traded with Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya, due to the sanctions set by the Government they exported the goods to Dubai that were further re-exported the goods to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya. (Aune, 2007, p. 215) Michael Scherer conducted a research on a number of US companies, he found out that for example: That the Canadian GE works on four new hydroelectric power generators at the Kurun River dam that will benefit the Iranian oil sector. Additionally they provide the Iranian oil sector with the latest equipment including pipelines, compressors and turbines. However the trade is not done directly, as they have an Italian company called Nuovo Pignone that acts like a middle man. Or another example: one of the largest oilfield companies Halliburtons subsidy helped building in one of the largest fertilizer plants near Iraq. They also provide Iranian National Oil Co. with $226 million drilling equipment, the CEO of Halliburton Richard Cheney also stated that U.S. the sanctions against Iran and Libya hurt business and failed to stop terrorism. There are number of other examples of the worlds largest companies including ConocoPhillips or ExxonMobil that at the end of the day trade with the Axis o f Evil (Aune, 2007, p. 215) According to Friedman and his idea of corporate capitalism as it should be all the companies that were listed above in the example are doing nothing wrong, as at the end of the day they first, maximizing profits for the shareholders and second, they are doing nothing illegal. (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Therefore, according to Friedman all that matters is profit maximization, even over consumer interest and the public. Friedmans logic is irrational; as we have seen from the example some profit-maximizing actions might threaten the security of the society which is far more important than the prosperity than any corporation. Summarizing the limitations of Milton Friedmans with globalisation developing the role of corporations changed since the time Friedman was studying economics, now with globalization it is far more integrated into the society and both of them have to work together in order to prosper as a whole, because a business will never be successful if the employers are unhappy and vice versa. Moreover, as specified above Friedmans arguments are based on assumptions and as in James Aune states the opponents of CSR [should] argue for their assumptions as well as their conclusions (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Or his assumption that Market capitalism working by managers of corporations doing their role of satisfying the shareholders by creating profits. However at the same time he discounts the fact that social justice as an essential part of the utility many consumers or shareholders may wish to maximize (Aune, 2007, p. 213), again assuming that all shareholders do not wish to maximize utility but instead want to make profits. Traditional View of Corporate Social Responsibility Expectedly not everyone agrees with the views of M. Friedman on CSR among scientists, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, the social responsibility of business is seen as social advantage of the company. This idea was first suggested a professor at Harvard Business School, author of the theory of competitive advantage by Michael Porter in his article in the Harvard Business Review  «New issue of philanthropy the creation of value in 1999 Porter points out that social programs are now used mainly by companies as a form of  «public relations » or promotional purposes. For example, the tobacco digging Philip Morris (USA) in 1999, has spent $ 75 million to various donations, and then spent another $ 100 million on their advertising campaign. However, there is another way in the implementation of socially responsible business: companies can also strengthen their competitive position by improving the quality of the business environment in the places where their activities are unfolding. As noted by M. Porter, using philanthropy as a competitive advantage of the company allows you to link social and economic goals and improve the long-term prospects of its development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Performance Friedman argues in his essay that companies are better off when they are maximize their profits, however this is not always the case. The image of a socially responsible company an investment in its business reputation. In fact, all other things being equal, people are more willing to go to work in a socially responsible than a socially irresponsible company, will buy its products, services, or actions. Suppliers and business partners will also be more interested in cooperation with the firm, which has a high reputation. Thus, in the long term, when various groups, ensure the correct behaviour of the company, it is likely to increase its income. As written before, economy is interlinked not only with the society but also with the government and the fact that companies that behave in a socially responsible economic manner, not only improves the society, but also has some other benefits, such as, participation in the implementation of government orders. Additionally, due to growing environmental and social problems CSR will always be a big topic, therefore more and more enforced regulations will be implemented like for example production standards or service quality or pollution quota, companies that are more socially responsible will therefore be prepared and would not need radical structural changes like the companies that did not engage in socially responsibility. Finally, company that is socially responsible towards its employees will benefit from the favourable working climate and higher motivation that will further increase efficiency and output of the company. Moreover many texts argue that companies, especially large MNC have the financial resources to be more socially responsible. However in my opinion this argument is flawed as the availability of the financial resources does not necessary indicate the incentive to spend them. Finally an example where CSR and Performance are positively correlated is in an article on Corporate Social Responsibility (Todd, Kristin, Baylor Business Review) Hollender CEO of Seventh Generation who was voted the best Social CEO of the year talks about transparency of the companies as the main stepping-stone towards social responsibility, he says that Greater transparency is just the first step towards taking greater responsibility for the future that all of us are creating and Whats  true  of  transparency  is  likewise  true  of  Seventh  Generations  effort  to  not  onlysucceed  in  the  marketplace  and  contribute  to  society,  but  to  influence  others  to  contributeas  well,  he  writes.  Its  a  challenging,  sometimes  even  bewildering  odyssey  that  tests  thespirit  and  will  of  each  and  every  one  of  us. (Todd, 2009) There are limitations with defining CSR and there is no specific line that can be drawn to separate socially responsible and non-socially responsible companies, and the extent to how socially responsible the companies are. Therefore it is very difficult to see the effect of CSR on the performance on the company. Table 2.1 (Corporate  Social  Responsibility  and  Traditional  Financial  Performance:  Summary  of  21Empirical  Studies  Ã‚  Principal  Findings) (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 21) below, however, tries to demonstrate the effect of CSR on the financial performance. A study of 21 companies was conducted to see the correlation, if there is any, between CSR and financial performance. TABLE  2.1   Direction  ofAssociation 1993  Results* Ullmann  (  1985)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   Positive  Association 12 8 Negative  Association 1 1 No  Association 8 4 Totals 21 13 From the following the main observation that is visible is that from the 21 one studies conducted more than half, 12 studies showed a positive association between CSR and financial performance, only 1 showed a negative association and 8 showed no correlation between the two. From this table we can conclude that CSR Firms do not perform worse than non-CSR this already goes again Milton Friedmans theory that firms maximizing profits would do better than firms engaged in CSR. As he argues that any action that benefits the company cannot be socially responsible. However we have a different view from a professor of University of California in his article: CSR Doesnt Pay, he looks at we have previously discussed in the essay, the correlation between CSR and performance of the corporation. He writes that The  good  news  is  that  firms  with  superior  CSR  performance  have  notperformed  any  worse  than  their  less  virtuous  competitors.  But  the  disappointing  news  isthat  neither  have  they  done  any  better.  For  most  firms,  most  of  the  time,  CSR  is  largelyirrelevant  to  their  financial  performance. Vogel  gives  Starbucks  as  an  example.  Starbucks  provides  an  example  of  the  limitedimportance  of  CSR  to  financial  performance,  he  writes.  The  firm  enjoys  a  strong  CSRreputation  due  to  its  generous  labor  policies  and  its  commitment  to  i mprove  the  earningsand  environmental  practices  of  coffee  growers  in  developing  countries.  Yet,  since  thebeginning  of  2008,  its  shares  have  recently  declined  nearly  50  percent. (Todd, 2009) ,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  The  market  has  many  virtues,  but  reconciling  corporate  goals  andpublic  purposes  is  unfortunately  not  among  them. (Todd, 2009) What Vogel says in this example is that CSR is completely irrelevant with the performance of the company and has no effect on the stock performance. Finally Vogel states that there is no karma in business and that good things will not happen to those who do good Managers  should  try  to  act  more  responsibly.  But  they  should  not  expect  the  market  tonecessarily  reward  them-  or  punish  their  less  responsible  competitors. (Todd, 2009) Summarizing the part performance and CSR, first the study talked about the positive aspects of the CSR and how it could help the corporations improve. Second part presented a study that demonstrated that companies involved in CSR do not do worse than companies that maximize profits. Finally the third part shows Vogels interpretations of CSR in terms of financial performance and that showed us that there is no correspondence with between the two. (Todd, 2009) Conclusion Social changes in society are successful when they consciously and responsibly involved the most significant force. Interaction of political, social and economic subjects, based on the principles of social partnership, ensures stable and gradual development of the state. With the increasing importance of non-financial factors of sustainable development, such as social stability, environmental safety, updated theoretical and practical aspects of social responsibility. Relevance of research associated with the processes of globalization, reinforcing the role of large companies in the economic development. Nation-states are gradually yielding to pressure multinational corporations and economic independence, and social policy. Counter this trend is to be co-ordinated action, ensuring the achievement of indicators of social responsibility, which comply with international standards and principles of sustainable development. Market globalization, the transformation of the national in the world, identifies the need for an economic entity of innovation in engineering, technology, labor and management, based on the use and application of science and best practices. At the center of all these phenomena is the intellectual capital the quality of the labor force and motivation. The lack of comprehensive scientific developments in the field of modern management, social technologies complicates the interaction of domestic enterprises, government and society. In the implementation of socially responsible policy, the role of corporate governance, ensuring the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals of the enterprise. Science-based decision management problems can provide an enabling social and psychological conditions of the enterprise, to influence the development of relations with stakeholders in a timely manner to prevent social tensions, without violating the principles of economic efficiency. Social responsibility is also manifested in the implementation of commitments made at the level of functional units of the organization, especially top management. Develop procedures for social policy, social programs, the performance criteria must comply with the rules and principles of public law. One way of forming objective information about the social impact of the company is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-financial risks, including social. Actual development of common approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of socially responsible policies. Evaluation of the quality management affects the position of the company in the financial markets, maintaining a conflict-existence of society, sustainable development. (CSR)Vogel  says,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  

Economic Injustice in America :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Economic Injustice in America "Class is for European democracies or something else--it isn't for the United States of America. We are not going to be divided by class." -George Bush, the forty-first President of the United States (Kalra 1) The United States of America was founded on the basis of a "classless society of equals," committed to eliminating the past injustices imposed on them by Great Britain. A hundred years later, Alexis de Tocqueville, a prominent sociologist of France, claimed that the nation was the most democratic in the world, a model for the rest of mankind, distinguished by the "equality of condition" ("Tocqueville in..." n. pag.). Today, however, there does exist perceptible classes in this country, and, because of differences in material wealth, Americans have unequal opportunities in politics, education, health care, justice, security, and overall happiness. The distinct class structure of current-day America is the greatest cause of inequality in the United States today. This inequality in America is not recognized. The subject is either trivialized or dismissed as untrue. Though the economic injustices of other nations can be easily recognized, their own situation, which is comparable or worse, is free of criticism. Michael Parenti, a sociologist from Yale, states, "If the subject of class is introduced, it is usually dismissed as an outworn Marxist' notion having no relevance to modern America" (Parenti 55). America still represents to many a place of equality where success is determined by chance and choice, ignoring that if this was the case, income would be distributed more evenly than the current imbalance towards the upper class. Thus, while overtly acknowledging and emphasizing the discriminations based on race and gender, the American public accepts unfair social stratification as very legitimate. The reality is that the economic gap within the classes is great and growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the gap between the richest and "everyone else" in America is the greatest it has been since the end of WWII. Professor Edward N. Wolff of N.Y.U. states that the current era represents "the most extreme level of wealth concentration since the late 1920's" (Gates 17). "Paul Samuelson explains that the present income structure is grossly unfairly distributed. If we made an income pyramid out of a child's blocks, with each layer portraying $1,000 of income, the peak would be far higher than the Eiffel Tower, but almost all of us would be within a yard of the ground'" (Kalra 10).

Designing and Managing the Supply Chain, Chapter 1 Questions

PROC 5850 Week 1 Homework: Ch1 Question 1,2,6 1. Consider the supply chain for a domestic automobile. a. What are the components of the supply chain for an automobile? The components of the supply chain for an automobile are as follows: First you have the supplying industries. These include components such as steel and other metals, rubber, electronics, plastic, glass, and textiles. These raw components are fabricated into car bodies, mechanical and electrical subcomponents as well as engines and transmissions.These subassemblies are assembled during final assembly and then distributed to dealership for the consumer market. b. What are the different firms involved in the supply chain? The following are a selection of firms involved in the supply chain: Suppliers, Manufactures, Transportation companies, Warehouses and distributions centers, sub-contractors, dealerships, and customers. c. What are the objectives of these firms? The simple objective of these firms is to maximize market share and make a profit. Socratic Seminar QuestionsEvery challenge to operate the supply chain supports these two primary goals. d. Provide examples of conflicting objectives in this supply chain? The supplying industries would like the automobile manufacture to commit themselves to purchasing large quantities with stable volumes with flexible (long-lead) dates. On the manufacture’s side, they need to be flexible to their customers’ need and the change in demands. So what we have is a direct conflict of interest between the suppliers’ and manufactures’ desire for flexibility.The ability to optimally match supply and demand is just as much an art and it is a science. Other conflicts arise with transportation of smaller batches versus larger batches of supplies. Usually the smaller and faster a batch of supply is required, the cost of transportation increase; another conflicting objective. e. What are the risks that rare or unexpected events pose to this supply chain? An unexpected risk such as a natural disaster can bring the supply chain to a stand still. However, such events can almost never be managed.There are some challenges such as matching supply and demand risks, lead times, forecasts, transportation times and costs, which can be â€Å"managed† or operational risk management used to minimize risks. 2. Consider a consumer mortgage offered by a bank. f. What are the components of the supply chain for a mortgage? There are several components of the supply chain for a consumer mortgage offered by a bank. First, there are marketing companies that solicit to prospective customers. Secondly, the bank needs to be able to evaluate potential customers by using credit-reporting companies.Thirdly, usually a third party bank that extends the mortgage loans. Lastly, the bank requires mortgage brokers that distribute the loans. g. Is there more than one firm involved in the supply chain? What are the objectives of the firm or firms? Marketing companies try to increase the responses from prospective homebuyers to maximize their returns. The banks try to find customers that are a relatively low risk, on-time payments, and low average maturity date; i. e. , maximize profits. The mortgage broker is all about maximizing his commission of the sell of the property. . What are the similarities between product and service supply chains, what are the differences? Both product and service supply chains provide a need. The difference is the type of service, instead of the physical product†¦ faster, better, cheaper all apply. Some of the differences between the two types of supply chains are as follows: * With the product supply chain there is both the flow of physical and informational products. However, in the service supply chain, the product is mostly information. Unlike the service supply chain, inventory and transportation of goods are a major costs of product supply chains. * Since service supply chains usually don’t carry invento ry, coordinating capacity with demand is usually more important. * The cost of information is more often higher than in a product supply chain. Consider the cost of a credit report or hiring a consultant. 6. Consider the supply chain for canned peaches sold by a major food-processing company. What are the sources of uncertainty in this supply chain? Some of the sources of uncertainty are as follows: The first factor to consider is the peach crop and the factors that effect it†¦ weather, disease, and disasters. * Number if migrant workers available to harvest the crop†¦ spoilage. * Lead times from field to processing plant†¦ spoilage. * Processing time, storage, and transportation times and costs. * Demand is not know beforehand. CASE: Meditech Surgical 1. What are Meditech’s problems in introducing new products? In manufacturing ALL products? Meditech has two major issues with introducing new products. * It has poor service levels for new products The inventory levels are higher than necessary for all of its products 2. What is diving these problems, both systematically and organizationally? There are seven major areas in which Meditech is driving these problems: * In the planning system, there are too many built-in delays and monthly buckets. This leads to inefficacies, unneeded delays, and high inventory levels. * There is no tracking of forecasting errors. * Product demand is poorly studied. * The Info Systems used to record and monitor & inventory are not integrated and inadequately designed. Because Meditech does not normally see the end-customer, it has to overcome failures of communications with them†¦ hording/panic orders is one example of this failure to communicate with end-customers. * The poor planning system is use magnifies variations in demand. * Panic ordering. 3. Why is the customer service manager the first person to recognize the major issues? He was the person who directly received customer complaints. In his posi tion he was able to determine the scope of the problems. Other managers were not in positions to be aware of customer satisfaction. 4. How would you fix these problems?There are several ways to fix the problems Meditech is facing. The first and most important is improving communications with customers†¦ Five â€Å"Y†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s. Another way to improve their SCM is to develop better demand forecasting systems and accountability for their forecasts. Furthermore, Meditech needs to integrate, implement, and improve their information systems. They could easily eliminate bulk inventory by putting assembly within the pull system; i. e. , get rid of the â€Å"push-pull† system. Lastly, they could implement a planning system to decrease planning delays (or just use M. S. Project) and reduce system time buckets.

My Project Work,

CHAPTER ONE 1. 0 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background Organisations, both private and public, in today’s dynamic marketplace and market space are increasingly leaving antiquated marketing philosophies and strategies to the adoption of more customer-driven initiatives that seek to understand, attract, retain and build intimate long term relationship with profitable customers (Kotler, 2006; Gronroos, C 1994; Paradise-Tornow, 1991; Narver and Slater, 1990).This paradigm shift has undoubtedly led to the growing interest in customer relations, management initiatives that aim at ensuring customer identification and interactions, customisation and personalisation that unreservedly lead to customer satisfaction, retention and profitability, among other things (Thompson, 2004; Gronroos et al. , 1996; Xu et al, 2002; Dyche, 2001; Ryals & Knox, 2001; Stone, 2000). Organisations are therefore increasingly being more customer-centric and are much interested not just in acquiring new customers, but more importantly, retaining existing customers.This is perhaps because it costs more to attract new customers than to retain existing ones. It is believed that the average business spends six (6) times more to attract new customers than to retain old customers. Again it is more profitable retaining an old customer who is more likely to re-purchase or re-use a company’s products/services and recommend them to others. Customer retention is, therefore, basically a product of customer loyalty and value which in turn is a function of the level of customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Reichheld, 1996).Customer satisfaction is central to the customer-centric paradigm shift, and has gained much attention from scholars and practitioners as it has become one of the cardinal means for achieving quality improvement programmes, and one of the crucial foci of strategic marketing management in business organisations that have long-term perspective for growth. This is because of the int riguing findings, that satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal and committed to an organisation which eventually leads to profits as opined by the popular service-profit-chain proponents (Heskett et al. 1994; Heskett et al. , 1997; Reichheld and Sasser, 1990). In this regard, it is a fact that a very satisfied customer is nearly six times more likely to be loyal and to re-purchase and/or recommend a product than a customer who is just satisfied. It is again believed that satisfied customers tell five other people about their good treatment, and that five-percent increase in loyalty can increase profits by 25% – 85%. Conversely, the average customer with a problem eventually tells eight (8) to ten (10) other people (SPSS White paper 1996; Limayem M. , 2007).Consequently, organizationsattempt to adoptmeasures to ascertain customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Some organisations traditionally rely on customer complains to ascertain customer satisfaction. Unfortunate ly the average business firm never hears from 96% of their unhappy customers and 91% will never come back; they get back; only 4% of dissatisfied customers will complain (SPSS White paper 1996). Consequently, the shift toward the recognition of effective customer satisfaction and its measurement has led companies to change their paradigms about satisfying customers.Many organisations no longer use only customer complains; rather they adopt rigorous qualitative and quantitative mechanisms to measure customer satisfaction. In this regard, measuring customer satisfaction provides the feedback of how successful an organization is at providing products and/or services to the satisfaction of customers at the marketplace and market space. This makes it imperative for organisations to take pragmatic and reliable steps towards improving the quality of service delivery, managing customer value and satisfaction more effectively.The shift to devoting considerable attention and resources to cust omer acquisition and retention through customer satisfaction is not different with the six mobile telecommunication networks in Ghana, namely MTN of Scancom Ghana Ltd, Tigo of Millicom Ghana Ltd, Airtel of Airtel Ghana Ltd, Kasapa of Kasapa Telecom, Glo of Glo Ghana Ltd and Vodafone of Vodafone Ghana Ltd. Though competition has been keen in the industry, each of the five operating mobile networks (MTN, Tigo, Vodafone, Airtel and Kasapa) has been growing in customer acquisition since Ghana deregulated its telecommunication sector in 1994.According to NCA statistics, (December, 2011), the number of registered mobile phones and fixed lines in Ghana is 21,450,564 which represents 89. 4% of Ghana’s estimated 24 million people comprising of 88. 2 mobile penetration and 1. 2 fixed line penetration. Going by the NCA figures in December, 2011, MTN commands 48% market share, Vodafone 20. 2%, Tigo follows with 18. 53%, Airtel comes in at 12. 4% and Expresso trails with a relatively insi gnificant 0. 88%. Each of the telecom network companies is continually improving upon the quality of their service delivery in order to survive the high competition in the industry.Since survival and growth or financial outcome is driven by customer loyalty and retention which is in turn is driven by customer satisfaction and value (Rust and Oliver, 1994; Wang and Hing-Po Lo, 2002), delivering quality service and customer satisfaction have been important goals and pursuit for each of the four expanding Mobile Telecom Networks as well as the regulators of the industry 1. 2Problem Statement Tanina is a community in Wa West District of the Upper West Region with a population of 2194.With six (6) registered mobile telecommunication network nationwide, Tanina is privileged to have four (4) available networks; MTN, Vodafone, Airtel and Tigo with MTN having the highest subscribers. The problem of this study is propelled by the numerous complaints by MTN users about the bad nature of their networks in rural areas in the Upper West Region which Tanina is part of. The state of customer satisfaction with service delivery is not clear as there is scanty documentation of the issue. According to a discussion paper on telecom developments and investments in Ghana (Frempong & Henten, February 2004, p. ), the authors noted that â€Å"the goals set by government have only partly been met – especially with respect to the development in rural areas – and the quality of service is still low and has even deteriorated on some indicators. There is, therefore, a widespread dissatisfaction with the general telecom development in Ghana among users as well as policy decision makers and administrators. † Since the past decade, the industry has witnessed a tremendous increase in subscriber growth rate for all the mobile telecom operators (ITU 2008; Africa ICT indicators 2007).This growth trend could not be attributed to customer satisfaction; it is fundamentally due to the substantial growth in investment and expansion of network access during the last decade. This seems a success story, and there are high hopes that the service quality delivered by the Mobile Telecommunication Networks meets customer expectations, ideal service, or satisfaction. However, since 2006, there had been many complaints from customers about the service delivery of the mobile telecom networks in Ghana (BIZ Community. com October, 2007), notably MTN Ghana Limited.As a result, a statement released by the National Communications Authority (NCA) in Ghana profusely lamented that in spite of the appreciable growth and expansion recorded in the industry, â€Å"the quality of service is anything but good† (BIZ Community. com, October 19, 2007). The NCA further gave some Mobile Telecommunication Networks an ultimatum to improve upon their services within thirty-days. Evidently, the growth trend in the mobile telecom industry in Ghana does not provide empirical support for the claim that customers are satisfied with the service delivery of the telecom providers in Ghana. 1. 3General ObjectiveAssess the level of satisfaction among MTN subscribers in Tanina. 1. 4Specific Objectives * To find out how MTN to MTN calls or MTN to other networks or other networks to MTN calls effective in Tanina. * To ascertain what MTN product(s) or service(s) is/are most preferred. * To examine how convenient MTN subscribers have access to their helpline (111) in Tanina. * To find out whether users of MTN internet broadband are satisfied with the service or not. 1. 5Research Questions * Are MTN to MTN calls or is MTN to other networks or other networks to MTN calls effective in Tanina. * What MTN product(s) or service(s) is/are most preferred. How convenient do MTN subscribers have access to their helpline (111) in Tanina * How satisfied are MTN users with their internet/ broadband service in Tanina? 1. 6Research Methodology 1. 6. 1 Sample Size Target Population: the targ et group was both MTN users and non-users in Tanina. Out of the total population of 2194, it was assumed that 658 people representing 30% of the total population are mobile phone users who are our sample size. A sample size for the study comprised 130 respondents representing 20% of the targeted population. 1. 6. 1 Sampling Techniques Purposive sampling was the technique employed by the group.This enabled the group to identify MTN and non MTN subscribers because they have the necessary knowledge needed for the study. 1. 6. 2 Sources of Data Collection The data was obtained from both primary and secondary sources. In this study the primary data was obtained from our targeted group (1300 respondents). Secondary data on the other hand was collected from current and previous report at MTN Regional office in Wa, 1. 6. 3 Methods of Data Collection Separate focus group discussion comprising of 10 people each and interviews was used to collect data from the illiterates and literates respect ively. 1. 6. Tools of Data Collection A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. 1. 6. 5 Techniques of Data Analysis Data collected was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Quantitative data analysis was used to assess figures whiles qualitative would be used to assess the level of customer satisfaction. 1. 7Significance of the Study The study will lay bare the problems of MTN service delivery to its customers and stakeholders in rural areas and the nation at large. To step up the quality of service delivery in Upper West Region especially in rural areas like Tanina. 1. 8Anticipated LimitationThe anticipated limitation that would be encountered during this research includes; Language barriers: the translation or explaining questionnaire into their local dialect perfectly will be a problem since none of the group members can speak the language and limitation of vocabularies in the dialect. Finance: The finance and material resource needed for a lar ger sample size for this study is inadequate. 1. 9Organisation The organization of the study would be centered on five chapters Chapter One (1) and two (2) would consist of introduction, background, problem statement, main and specific research objectives, significance of the study, esearch methodology, limitation, references as well as physical resources base, the socio-demographic characteristics, spatial distribution of settlement among others. Chapter three (3) and four (4) would also consist of literature which involves the review of document relevant to the area of study and data presentation and analysis on sources, types and techniques of data collection and analysis respectively. The final chapter will talk about the conclusion, summary and recommendation. CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 PROFILE OF TANINA COMMUNITY . 1 Physical and Resource Base 2. 1. 1 Location Upper West is one of the ten administrative regions in Ghana. The region is located at the north-western corner of Ghana and it is boarded by Burkina-Faso to the north, Ivory Coast to the west, Northern region to the south and Upper East region to the east. Wa is the capital of Upper west region of Ghana and it is mainly inhabited by the Wala people with a majority of the inhabitants being Muslims. Wa East district is one of the eight administrative districts of the Upper West region.The district shares boundaries with west Mamprusi to the north-west, West Gonja to the south-east and the Sisala East district to the north. It has a land mass of about 1078km2, which lies between latitude 905511N and 1002511N and longitude 101011W and 20511W. Tanina is one of the communities under the Bulenga Area council under the Wa West district. It is located in south-western corner of the district and it is about eighty-seven miles from the district capital, Funsi. It shares boundaries to the north with Piisi, Poyentanga to the south, Polee to the west and Loggu to the east. . 1. 2 Relief and Drainage The landform in the c ommunity is gently sloped towards the east and undulating in nature. The soil is clayey and due to the gentle sloppy nature of the land, drainage is fairly good. The nature of the soil and rock formation in the community makes water seepage a bit hard resulting in run offs in to water bodies which has contributed immensely to the expansion of irrigation farming in the dry season. 2. 1. 3 Climate and Vegetation The climate is the tropical equatorial which prevails throughout the Northern part of Ghana.There is a single rainfall period which spans between the months of May and October supporting farming activities in the area. The other season which is between the months of November and April usually is dry and accompanied by harmattan winds which reduces farming activities since these activities are mostly rain fed. The community falls within the guinea savanna zone which is associated with short thick trees, shrubs and grasses of varying heights. It is also endowed with economic tre ss like dawadawa, baobab, shea and nim trees which contain medicinal properties. 2. 1. 4 Soil and GeologyThe soil found in most parts of the community is clayey in nature with trace amounts of gravel whilst the farming areas are clayey loam. Soil associations that exist are the Wenchi-Varempere, Wenchi-Baleufill, Wenchi-Tafali, which are fairly distributed to marginally suitable areas for crop production. These series have similar characteristics to the S-rated soils and are thus suitable for mechanized irrigated cultivation of some export and food crops. The community is surrounded by extrusive an igneous rock which is believed to contain traces of granite. 2. 2 Socio-demographic characteristics 2. 2. 1 Population SizeAccording to the 2000 population and housing census, a population of 1922 was realized; the district had a project population of 2191, 2234 and 2277 for 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. However it was realized from the groups study that the total population of Tanina is currently 2194 and out of this, the males were 1047 representing 48. 8% and females were 1145 representing 52. 8% of the total population. This increase in population could be as a result of high birth rate and low death rate. 2. 2. 2 Age Distribution AGE GROUP| NUMBER OF PEOPLE| PERCENTAGES(%)| 0-17| 980| 44. 7| 18-54| 827| 37. 7| 55+| 387| 17. 6| TOTAL| 2194| 100|Table 2. 1. 1 Age Distribution 2. 2. 3 Ethnicity, Religion, Kinship Inheritance and Marriage Tanina is inhabited by two major tribes namely the Walas who represent 94% of the total population, the Dagaabas who represent 5% and other tribes namely Akans and Fulaanis taking up the rest of the 1% of the total population. Information also gathered revealed that there are three main religions being practiced in the community, namely; Islam, Christianity and the African traditional religion with Islam being the most dominant. 92% of them practiced Islam, 6% were Christians whilst the remaining 2% belong to the African tradi tional religion.The patrilineal system of inheritance is practiced by the inhabitants with majority of the people practicing Polygamy as a system of marriage. 2. 2. 4 Economy The economy of the community is mostly driven by agriculture with commerce and industrial sectors being least developed. Out of a sample of fifty houses that was studied, 90% of the people were engaged in agricultural activities like farming and the rearing of animals, 6% were in to trading whilst the remaining 4% were engaged in the local industries and service sectors available in the community. . 2. 4. 1 Agriculture Tanina is endowed with fertile soil which makes the cultivation of crops very productive so it is therefore not surprising that it is the backbone of the economy. The people are both commercial and subsistence farmers but dominantly subsistence. Mixed cropping, mixed farming and mono cropping are some of the farming systems adopted by the people to yield positive results with the help of simple f arm tools like hoes, cutlasses, dibbers and many others, only a few farmers use tractors and bullocks for cultivation of crops.The chief is the custodian of the land so he has the sole power to give out land to individuals who want to undertake farming activities in the community but however, some individuals own family lands which they could use for this purpose. Agriculture in the community like all communities in the three northern regions is mostly rain-fed which results in seasonal unemployment in the dry season. However, there are two dams that have been constructed in the community to serve domestic and irrigation purposes during the long dry season.Productivity is affected mainly by the lack of ready market for perishable crops, small farm size, and absence of a community market and high cost of transportation. Since there are no markets in the community, marketing of agricultural produce and livestock is carried out in nearby community markets and at home. When it comes to the issue of financing agriculture in the community, the people rely mainly on their personal savings and sales from their previous harvest. They also relied on family labour as well as hired labour to support their agricultural activities.The industrial sector of the community is comprised of several activities such as soap making, shea butter processing, dawadawa processing, rice processing and charcoal burning and all of them are undertaken and dominated by the women. The community is abound with the necessary raw materials needed to power these industries but these activities sometimes have a negative impact o the physical environment, for instance bush burning caused by the charcoal burners, indiscriminate felling of trees, pollution and many others. 2. 2. 5 CommunicationIn the traditional institution, information flows from the chief through the sub-chiefs to the council of elders, then to the family heads and finally to the community members and vice versa. With regards to th e modern institution, information flows from the district assembly through the assembly man who discusses it with the unit committee and then to the entire community members and vice versa. There is a cordial and cooperative relationship existing between the two institutions as a result of mutual understanding and respect for each other’s views.The flow chart below depicts the flow of information in the community. TRADITIONAL MODERN CHIEF DISTRICT ASSEMBLY SUB-CHIEFS ASSEMBLY MAN COUNCIL OF ELDERS UNIT COMMITTEE FAMILY HEADS COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMMUNITY MEMBERSIn Tanina community, the modern political institutions take decisions in consultation with the traditional authority dominated by men with the exclusion of women. The political institutions consults with the social institutions for prayers and the social institutions in turn rely on the political institutions for protection an d maintenance of law and order in the community. Special preferences are given to men than wom en in the community; this is evident since women are not allowed to hold certain positions like family heads, clan heads and also to play leadership roles in major decision making activities for the community.However, the women work hard by playing an assisting role by providing labor on farms aside their numerous domestic chores. 2. 2. 6 Health and Education Tanina lacks a health facility so the people usually rely on the expertise of traditional healers based in the community. These herbalists cure a variety of diseases and ailments like stomach ache, headache, epilepsy, snake bites, fever and many other common illnesses. Due to the vantage location of the community, most serious illnesses are either referred to the Poyentanga clinic or the Wa regional hospital.In some cases, the people patronize the services of chemical stores in the community in order to acquire drugs to cure their health conditions which are usually without a doctor’s prescription, this leads to the inci dence of self-medication which only causes harm than good. The people have been able to practice good food nutrition by balancing their meals to contain all the necessary components of a balanced diet. They eat plant and animal protein as well as vegetables which are prepared under hygienic conditions.From studies conducted in the community in 2011 by UDS students in the community, it was realized that the percentage of trained teachers in the school is encouraging, that is 58. 35% as against 41. 35% untrained. Moreover, the teacher –pupil ratio in the school was 1:35 which is below the national ratio of 1:45. The school lacks a library facility, electricity to facilitate night classes, funds for renovation of deplorable infrastructure and inadequate staff, furniture, teaching and learning materials which has contributed to poor academic performance on the part of the students. . 2. 7 Water and Sanitation The main source of portable drinking water in the community is bore-hol es. Even though, they get access to the Zoomlion service which is not effective, the sanitary conditions of the community is not the best, there exists no sewage disposal systems. Solid and liquid waste from local industries and houses are disposed of in to the open environment. Places used as refuse sites have become heaped and produce foul scents which pose harm to human health. CHAPTER THREE 3. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW . 1 Development of Mobile Telecommunication 3. 1. 2 Definition and Brief Historical Perspective Mobile Telecommunication refers to the exchange of information, ideas and thoughts through the medium of a mobile phone, telephone or wireless network. According to the World International Property Organisation (n. d), ‘‘a mobile communications system/network refers generally to any telecommunications system which enables wireless communication when users are moving within the service area of the system.A typical mobile communications system is a Public Land Mobil e Network (PLMN). ’’ Until the invention of modern technology, the use of semaphore, flags, heliograph, relay runners; riders and criers, smoke signals, drum, and light signals; message-carrying pigeons, and even the postal system were the traditional long-distance communication media (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Telecommunication, downloaded on 10th August 2008). According to Balasubramanian et al. , (2002, p. 49), ‘‘the first transmission involving a single mobile platform occurred in June 1898, when Marconi transmitted a radio signal over 42 miles between a French naval vessel and the Wimereux shore station. The first transmission between a mobile transmitter and a mobile receiver occurred in July 1898 when aboard the Royal Navy warship Juno, Marconi received messages from the warships Alexandra and Europa at ranges of up to 45 miles. The first mobile telephone call occurred in June 1946, when a truck driver in St.Louis, Missouri, placed a telephone c all using a handset from under his vehicle’s dashboard. Utilities, truckers, and news reporters rapidly adopted this technology and nearly 100 cities and highway corridors and access to mobile telephone service by 1948. The technologies were very expensive then. The cellular phone concept that currently supports the bulk of mobile communication was developed in 1947 at Bell Laboratories. ’’ Today there are many different types and kinds of mobile phones that are used with supporting network for communication.These mobiles have different features and powerful capabilities. Apart from the basic use of making and receiving calls and messages; some can be used to play music, video, games, store considerable amount of personal data, access banking services with internet capabilities (e-mails, e-order/procurement etc), among other uses. Mobile communications systems have been developed because of the increasing need to free users to move away from fixed telephone term inals without impairing availability of users.Mobile technology has rapidly developed from first generation (1G), second generation (2G), third generation (3G) to beyond third generation (3. 5G and 4G) mobile technology that uses digital wireless technology that supports faster display of multimedia and global roaming 3. 1. 3 Players and Role of Mobile Telecommunication Mobile communication network providers, in delivering services to customers, operate in an environment that involves purposeful relationships and interactions between several actors in many activities and with different resources.Some of the players in mobile telecom industry providing services to the customers at their various locations are: the mobile operator who provides the location positioning infrastructure that tells where the customer is; the content provider that delivers the information; the supplier that combines the information with the location information and makes it location relevant; and the platfor ms through which the customers can access the services (Harter 2000). Therefore it appears that any mobile telecom network needs to have several key players along its value chain in delivering services to its customers (Pura M. 005). Mobile telecommunication plays a major role in today’s information technology-driven world of business. Nigel Scott et al. , (2004, p 14 &15) observe that ‘‘one might expect most calls to be related to economic issues; research confirms that at present in Africa, it is social uses that drive phone use amongst the poor. â€Å"Chatting† and â€Å"keeping in touch† are the most common use of phones. This is of value because it strengthens social capital through improved networking with friends and family. Other social calls concerning urgent matters (e. g. funerals and festivals) and financial matters (e. . call to family members working in cities to ask for money) rank highly and business and official/government matters cu rrently rank the lowest. Calls enable people to save time, increase production (business), diversify (e. g. crops, goods in shops), and to get news. Together this means that phones have a positive impact on improved incomes, reduced risk, and an improved sense of well-being. ’’ Some of the roles played by mobile telecommunication are: †¢ It is an enabler of Mobile commerce and promotes dissemination of useful information to entrepreneurs and enhancing business creation (Adjei Boadi R. amp; Gause Shaik A. 2006; Sahlfeld M. 2007; Nodh & Nodh 2007). †¢ It is a source of employment for many people whose jobs are created and/or facilitateddirectly or indirectly by the existence of mobile telecommunication (Adjei Boadi R. & Gause Shaik A. 2006). †¢ It is a significant source of revenue not only for its business operators but also to governments through taxes paid by income earners in the mobile telecom industry (Adjei Boadi R. & Gause S. A. 2006). †¢ It i s a cheap means of communication and therefore cost-effective since it reduces the cost of travel. Nodh & Nodh 2007) †¢ It enhances the convenience of instantaneous communication. Mobile phones were introduced so we could communicate when â€Å"on the move† and the capabilities have now expanded beyond their initial function for talk: you can now use mobile phones to access/receive a range of information wherever you are. A mobile phone allows you to be accessible at all times, wherever you are. It can help improve communication between staff and customers, particularly business to business customers that may involve travelling (Adjei Boadi R. amp; Gause Shaik A. 2006). Some of the arguments raised against the use of mobile phones are that: †¢ It elicits more unwanted calls as a result of being accessible from anywhere in the country. †¢ There is a potential cost of using a mobile phone for business, and the costs will be so high as to damage their business. Th is is a potential danger, particularly when employees are using business mobiles, as there is a risk that some employees could misuse the phone raising bills massively. It is hazardous to the human health in that it causes difficulty in concentration when driving, fatigue, and headache; cancer, increase reaction time in a time time-dependent manner, infertility in man, and many other diseases. The use of mobile phones increases the risk of road accidents that couldhaveneverhappenedwithoutphones. (http://www. controlyourimpact. com/2008/03/disadvantages-of-mobile-phones/phones/) 3. 2 Description of Telephone Service Providers in Ghana Telecommunication service providers in Ghana over the years have increased from three to six in the last ten years.Most of the service providers in the mobile telecom industry, particularly the GSM service providers are all multi-national companies. It has been revealed that the main reasons of their coming to Ghana is either a complete buy out of local interest or they go in for a foreign-local partnership in which they are going to be the majority shareholders. (www. nca. org. gh) According to NCA statistics, (December, 2011), the number of registered mobile phones and fixed lines in Ghana is 21,450,564 which represents 89. 4% of Ghana’s estimated 24 million people comprising of 88. 2 mobile penetration and 1. fixed line penetration. Going by the NCA figures in December, 2011, MTN commands 48% market share, Vodafone 20. 2%, Tigo follows with 18. 53%, Airtel comes in at 12. 4% and Expresso trails with a relatively insignificant 0. 88%. Each of the telecom network companies is continually improving upon the quality of their service delivery in order to survive the high competition in the industry 3. 3 Licensing The National Communication Authority (NCA) is the only institution mandated by the Government to give license to prospective telecommunication firms wanting to operate in Ghana.The main reasons for the licenses are t o check unauthorized firms operating without the knowledge of the Government. The licensing is done in an open, non-discriminatory, and transparent manner. The NCA in consultations with the Ministry of Communication determines the application criteria, procedures and terms of conditions associated with the license. The National Communication Authority (NCA) has the right to withdraw the license of firms. Licenses fees are determined by the National Communication Authority in consultation with the Ministry of Communication’s.Licenses for Mobile phone service providers are based on the usage of the national resources like the electromagnetic spectrum. (www. nca. org. gh) 3. 4 Competition Policy The National Communication Authority has the competition policy in place to make sure there is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory telecommunication market environment. In every society where there is more than one firm operating in the same field there is always competitions among them and one will be better than the other. In the telecommunication sector of Ghana there are five active different service providers that operate in the country.The policy is to ensure that these service providers work in harmony with each other. The National Communication Authority has the mandate to determine specific procedures, rules, regulation and administrative structures to ensure the competitiveness of this policy. The policy makes sure that small and big service providers are all treated in an equal and fair manner. (www. nca. org. gh) 3. 5 Customer Protection Strategies Companies need to know the factors that lead to satisfaction or dissatisfaction of a product with their existing and past customers to define future plans for operation and marketing.Getting a real insight about the customer views on MTN products or services requires efficient and in-depth market research covering all aspects of general customer behavior attributes. MTN Company conducts personal intervie ws, suggestion surveys, feedback forums etc. to gain the customer behavior for the product and the company. (www. mtn. com. gh) 3. 6 Building Customer Satisfaction Customers has become quality conscious and companies have started quality control programs in their manufacturing and retailing operations.The products offered need to meet the expectations of the customer. In certain cases of relationship marketing, telecommunication companies try to overwhelm the customers with so much value that he does not think of going for a competitive product. In the competitive business environment, a business transaction does not end with a sale. The company tries to constantly update the customers regarding new product offerings and discounts to the privileged customers. Customers are the king, understanding their expectations and behavioral patterns is the key to business success. www. mtn. com. gh) 3. 7 Marketing Mix Component The Internet has changed the way business is done in the current w orld. The variables of segmentation, targeting and positioning are addressed differently. The way new products and services are marketed have changed even though the aim of business in bringing economic and social values remain unchanged. Indeed, the bottom line of increasing revenue and profit are still the same. Marketing has evolved to more of connectedness, due to the new characteristics brought in by the Internet.Marketing was once seen as a one way, with firms broadcasting their offerings and value proposition. Now it is seen more and more as a conversation between marketers and customers. Marketing efforts incorporate the â€Å"marketing mix†. Promotion is one element of marketing mix embraced by MTN Company. Promotional activities include advertising (by using different media), sales promotion (sales and trades promotion) e. g. MTN promotion phones with free airtime, and personal selling activities e. g. MTN sales boys and girls moving about with MTN phones, sim cards , modems etc .It also includes Internet marketing, sponsorship marketing: E. g. MTN has sponsored a lot of events and programs (such as: FIFA World Cup 2010, and MTN direct marketing, database marketing and public relations. Integration of all these promotional tools, along with other components of marketing mix, is a way to gain an edge over a competitor. (http;//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/marketing mix) 3. 8 MTN and Customer Feedback MTN Company either directly or through a consultancy firm involve in understanding the customer behaviour which decides the success of their product offerings.It conducts personal cross-section interviews with current customers, previous customers and prospective customers to arrive at the vital reasons and facts on the part of the firm in providing customer satisfaction. This feedback helps the company in rebuilding their operational strategies and marketing techniques by improving service standards, delivery systems and payment terms and methods. (www. mtn. com. gh) 3. 9 Role of Ghana Government The Government of Ghana has a very important role to play on how telecommunication and other business group go about their business in the country.Though most telecommunication firms are owned by private investors like MTN, there are rules and regulations they must follow to make work easier and create a very good working environment for other potential investors. The government has to make sure there is equal level field for competitions among various telecommunication service providers. (www. nca. org. gh) The National Communication Authority as a government machinery is mandated to sanction mobile telecommunication companies for poor service delivery or failure to meet core requirements of NCA.On November8, 2011 the NCA issued a statement imposing a fine of GH? 1. 2 million on five mobile telecommunication companies in Ghana. The five; MTN, Vodafone, Airtel, Expresso and Tigo – were penalised for rendering poor services to their clients. The punishment of the five telecommunication companies covers the third quarter of this year and formed part of measures by the telecom regulator to sanction poor quality service delivery offered to clients of the telecommunication companies and also ensure that consumers have value for money.Airtel suffered the heaviest fine of GH? 350,000. According to an NCA report, the network, which has approximately 10 per cent of the market with a total customer base of two million as of the end of August, experienced a lot of traffic channel congestion in Tamale, Sekondi-Takoradi and the Upper East and West, and Greater Accra regions. MTN and Expresso were fined GH? 300,000 each. The former was punished for the same offense as Airtel. Vodafone, which also defaulted in its service quality in three regions – Western, Greater Accra and Brong Ahafo regions – was fined GH? 50,000. Tigo received the least fine of GH? 100,000 after having defaulted in the Western and the thr ee northern regions. (ghanabusinessnews. com/2011/11/08/five-telecom-firms-in-ghana-fined-1. 2m-for-poor-services) The National Communications Authority (NCA) recently fined telecom giant Glo Ghana, US$200,000 for failing to meet a deadline to launch its commercial operations. The Nigeria based telecom giant received the license to operate in Ghana in 2008. It has since been unable to launch commercial activity in the country after a number of announcements to do so.The NCA issued a Mid-April 2012 ultimatum to Glo Ghana to launch or face sanctions ranging from penalty fines to complete withdrawal of license. It launched its commercial operation on 30th April 2012 making it the sixth and last telecom company to operate in Ghana. (businessdailyonline. com/NG/inder. php/media-business/36776-glo-molbile-starts-operations-in-ghana) 3. 10 MTN Ghana Foundation Corporate Responsibility The MTN Ghana Foundation is being set up to manage the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.Th e philosophy of MTN is closely linked with the principles of Sustainable Development which argue that enterprises should be obliged to make decisions based not only on financial or economic factors, but also on the social, environmental and other consequences of their activities. The MTN Ghana Foundation was launched in November 2007 in Accra, Tamale and Sunyani. The Foundation has been established to direct and manage the corporate social responsibility activities of MTN. The objective of the Foundation is to enhance the socio-economic development of communities where MTN operates.The focus areas for this first year are health and education. These two areas are aligned with national priority and development programmes. (www. mtn. com. gh) With education, MTN Ghana Foundation supported Tsito and Akatsi with educational infrastructure. The foundation commissioned a three (3) unit classroom block and a library for Akatsi D/A Basic School and Tsito Senior Technical High School respecti vely. Prior to the provision, the Akatsi D/A Basic School held classes under trees and Tsito Senior Technical High Schoolalso lacked a school library for student. (www. news. peacefmonline. com/education/201203. hp) MTN Ghana Foundation refurbishes Kpedze Health Centre. the MTN Ghana Foundation, has launched the refurbishment of the Kpedze Health Centre in the Volta Region. The over 30 year old health facility has been struggling with severe structural defects after parts of the building were destroyed through a fire outbreak some few years ago. MTN is investing GH? 160,000 towards the project. The project is expected to be completed within a period of 12 weeks and involves the refurbishment of the physical structure of the main Out Patient Department (OPD) and the maternity block. (www. mtn. com. gh/NewsArtDetails. sp? AID=145&ID=11&FirstParentID=1) CHAPTER FOUR 4. 0 DATA PRESENTATION 4. 1. Background of Analysis 4. 1. 1. Respondents Characteristics Table 4. 1. 1 Respondentsâ€℠¢ Gender Gender| Frequency| Percentage| Male| 84| 64. 62| Female| 46| 35. 38| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) The respondents’ gender as displayed in Table 4. 1. 1 indicates that the males (66. 62%) were more than the females (35. 38%). Table 4. 1. 2 Age of respondents Age/Years| Frequency| Percentage| Below 20| 13| 10| 20 – 29| 36| 27. 69| 30 – 39| 52| 40| 40 – 49| 20| 15. 38| 50 and above| 9| 6. 93| Total| 130| 100|Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 1. 2 indicates the respondents’ age. It is obvious that most of them were in the young adult age and economically active group, between the ages of 20 and 39 constituting 67. 69% (27. 69% and 40%), while the rest constitute 30. 31% made up of respondents below 20, between 40 and 49, and 50 years plus. Table 4. 1. 3 Respondents’ Occupation Occupation| Frequency| Percentage| Civil servant | 4| 3. 07| Student| 11| 8. 46| Businessman/woman| 31| 23. 85| Other profession| 8 4| 64. 62| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 1. 3 depicts respondents’ Occupation.Most of the respondents were farmers (other profession) representing 64. 62% followed by businessman/woman 23. 85 %, while 11 % and 4% were students and civil servants respectively. Table 4. 1. 4 Respondents’ Education Level Education Certificate| Frequency| Percentage| BECE| 43| 33. 07| WASSCE| 40| 30. 76| Diploma| 4| 3. 07| Bachelor’s Degree| 0| 0| Post Graduate| 0| 0| Uneducated| 43| 33. 07| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Figure 4. 1. 4 depicts respondents’ level of education. This shows majority of the respondents are BECE holders and uneducated representing 86%, followed by WASSCE 30. 6% and Diploma 3. 07%. 4. 2 Analysis of MTN to MTN calls or MTN to other networks or other networks to MTN in Tanina. The research used â€Å"satisfied†, â€Å"very satisfied† and â€Å"dissatisfied† to analyze how effectve MTN to MTN, MTN to other networks and other networks to MTN calls were in the community. The table below reveals how respondents felt about MTN to MTN calls in the community. Table 4. 2. 1 MTN to MTN calls MTN to MTN calls| Frequency| Percentage| Satisfied| 22| 16. 92| Very Satisfied| 32| 24. 61| Dissatisfied| 76| 58. 47| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) The research revealed that 58. 7%, representing majoring of the sample size were not satisfied with calls from MTN to MTN sighting situations like call drops, speech mutation, poor voice signal quality and calls not going through. The remaining respondent 41. 53% gave no complaints about the network as they were satisfied and very satisfied with their service. When the group contacted the regional office in Wa, they sited reasons like congestion of calls made at a particular time due to the vast number of subscribers, due to rampant fiber cuts during road construction and other development activities near the comm unity.Fig 4. a showing results of MTN to MTN calls Table 4. 2. 2 MTN to other networks calls MTN to other networks calls| Frequency| Percentage| Satisfied| 21| 16. 15| Very Satisfied| 11| 8. 46| Dissatisfied| 98| 75. 39| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) During the research it was revealed that 98 out of 130 respondents representing 75. 39% were dissatisfied with calls from MTN to other local networks. This they noted is as a result of call drops, poor voice signal. The remaining 16. 15% and 8. 46% were â€Å"satisfied† and â€Å"very satisfied† respectively. This is tabulated in the tale above.The MTN Regional Office attributed this to maintenance in their network equipment, poor network signal and technical difficulties other networks might be experiencing, Fig 4. b showing results of MTN to other networks Table 4. 2. 3 other networks to MTN calls Other networks to MTN calls| Frequency| Percentage| Satisfied| 32| 24. 61| Very Satisfied| 9| 6. 92| Dis satisfied| 89| 68. 46| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 2. 3 revealed that majority of the respondents 89, representing 68. 46% were dissatisfied with calls made from other networks to MTN.This, according to respondents, is as a result of call drops, poor voice signal. Four non MTN users also stated that they find it difficult and sometimes impossible for their calls to go through when trying to call MTN numbers. The remaining 32 representing, 24. 61% and 9 representing 6. 92% recorded â€Å"satisfied† and †very satisfied† respectively. The MTN Office attributed this occasions to when activities are carried out on the network, poor network signal and technical difficulties other network might be experiencing, Fig 4. c showing results of other networks to MTNThe implication of the above analysis indicate that mobile phone users (MTN users and other network users) are dissatisfied with their call service as a result of the following I Call drops II Poor voice signal III Speech mutation, IV Calls not going through 4. 3 Analyzing MTN most preferred product(s) or service(s) The research with the help of the questionnaires found out the following product(s) and service(s) were known to respondents: I MTN Callback II MTN Pay4me III MTN Mobile money IV MTN internet/broadband V MTN Me2u VI MTN internet bundleThe table shows the number of respondents who were able to list the number of product(s) or service(s) known to them. Table 4. 3. 1 List of Product(s) or Service(s) known to Respondents Product(s) or service(s)| Number of respondents| Percentage| MTN Callback| 84| 64. 61| MTN Pay4me| 63| 48. 46| MTN Mobile money| 77| 59. 23| MTN internet/broadband| 62| 46. 92| MTN Me2u| 44| 33. 85| MTN Zone| 23| 17. 69| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 3. 1 illustrates the number of respondents who listed MTN product(s) or service(s) known to them. Out of 130 respondents 84 representing 64. 1% listed MTN Callback as the produc t or service known to them, trailed by MTN Mobile money with 77 respondents representing 59. 23%, MTN Pay4me with 63 respondents representing 48. 46%, MTN internet/broadband with 62(46. 92%), MTN Me2u 44(33. 85%) and MTN Zone with 23 respondents constituting 17. 69%. On the other hand, the research also revealed the most preferred MTN product(s) or service(s) by respondents. Table 4. 3. 2 Most preferred product(s) or service(s) PRODUCT(S) OR SERVICE(S)| Frequency| Percentage| MTN Callback| 37| 28. 46| MTN Pay4me| 32| 24. 61| MTN Mobile money| 41| 31. 53|MTN Internet/broadband| 16| 12. 30| MTN Me2u| 4| 3. 07| MTN Zone| 0| 0| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 3. 2 shows the order of preference for the product and service; MTN Mobile money with 31. 53%, followed by MTN Callback 28. 46%, MTN Pay4me 24.. 61%, MTN internet/broadband 12. 30%, MTN Me2u 3. 07% and MTN Zone 0% Fig 4. e show results of respondent most preferred MTN product(s) or service(s) The reasons behind respondents preferring MTN product(s) or service(s) to others is as a result of the following benefit they accrue from the use of it: * MTN Mobile moneyThis service enables users to send money to their love ones in any part of the country through the use of their mobile phone. This respondent say is easier as compared to making transaction in the bank as one does not need to have bank accounts to receive or send money. The research revealed that most of the people who use this service have their families in the big cities that send them money through this service. However, this service is faced with setbacks like poor network signals making it difficult to access the services sometimes. * MTN CallbackThis is a free service that enables MTN users to send messages like â€Å"please call me†, â€Å"I’ve missed you, please call me† and â€Å"can’t talk now please text me† to fellow MTN users even when they don’t have credit. According to respondents, they like the use of this service because even when they don’t have enough credit to make calls, it allows them to send messages to the intended person for him/her to call them back. * MTN Pay4me The pay4me service allows MTN users to call other MTN numbers even when they don’t have credit. As a collect call service the receiver agrees to pick the call and bear the cost instead of the caller.Respondents revealed that they benefitted from this service mostly in times when they face hardship/money crisis. * MTN Internet/broadband This is an internet/broadband service that allows users to have internet access. The research revealed that students, civil servants and businessmen/women are mostly people who use this service. It enables one to have easy access to information by surfing the web. Some of the respondents complained about the poor nature of this service like poor internet speed and abrupt interruption in the connection. * MTN Me2u This allows MTN us ers to send or receive credit/airtime to/from other MTN users.Only four (4) respondents use it and were satisfied with the nature of the service. The group used a 5 point scale (where 1 is the lowest and 5 is the highest) to rate the level of customer satisfaction in relation to the most preferred product(s) or service(s). Table 4. 3. 3 Rating| Frequency| Percentage| 1| 12| 9. 23| 2| 73| 56. 15| 3| 22| 16. 92| 4| 21| 16. 15| 5| 2| 1. 54| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 3. 3 shows that, 56. 15% respondents chose 2, followed by 3, representing 16. 92, 4 representing, 16. 15%, 1, representing 9. 23% and 5, representing 1. 4%. In conclusion majority of the respondents, 56. 15% rated 2, indicating their dissatisfaction about the quality of MTN product(s) and service(s). From the analysis, it is clear that the most preferred MTN product(s) or service(s) is MTN Mobile money with 31. 53%, followed by MTN Callback 28. 46%, MTN Pay4me 24.. 61%, MTN internet/broadba nd 12. 30%, MTN Me2u 3. 07% and MTN Zone 0%. 4. 4To ascertain how convenient MTN subscribers have access to their helpline (111). The table below shows the number of respondents who the MTN customer helpline number Table 4. 4. Number of respondents who know MTN customer helpline number Responds| Frequency| Percentage| Yes| 92| 70. 77| No| 38| 29. 23| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Table 4. 4. 1 shows that majority (92), representing 70. 77% of respondents knew MTN customer helpline number 38 representing 29. 23%. Fig 4. f showing results of respondents who know the MTN customer helpline number The table below depicts results of respondents who were in one way or the other not satisfied with the services of MTN customer helpline Table 4. 4. 2 Problems| No. of respondents| Percentage|Calls don’t go through | 67| 51. 53| Complaints/problems are not addressed| 97| 74. 61| Takes a longer time for calls to be answered | 103| 79. 23| Other| 56| 43. 07| None of th e above| 32| 24. 61| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) With respect to 130 respondents, there were multiple answers with how they expressed their dissatisfaction with the service of MTN customer helpline. 103 respondents chose â€Å"Takes a longer time for calls to be answered†. This represents 79. 23%, followed by â€Å"Complains/problems are not addressed† with 97 (74. 61%), â€Å"Calls don’t go through† 67 representing 51. 3%, other 56 (43. 07%) and â€Å"none of the above† with 32 (24. 61%) respondents. Satisfied, very satisfied and dissatisfied were also adopted to analyse the extent to which customers were satisfied with MTN customer helpline Table 4. 4. 3 Level of satisfaction with customer helpline Level of satisfaction| Frequency| Percentage| Satisfied| 27| 20. 76| Very satisfied| 11| 8. 46| Dissatisfied| 92| 70. 78| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Fig 4. g showing results of respondents with their level of satisfaction with respect to MTN customer helpline.The analysis of the above results indicates that majority of the respondents 92 (70. 78%) expressed their dissatisfaction with the service of MTN customer helpline, 27 representing 20. 76% said they are satisfied with customer helpline and very satisfied with 11 respondents constituting 8. 46%. 4. 5 To ascertain the satisfaction level of MTN internet/broadband service by its users Table 4. 5. 1 shows the results of respondents who have or do not have MTN internet/broadband Responds| Frequency| Percentage| Yes| 12| 9. 23| No| 118| 90. 76| Total| 130| 100|Source: Field survey (June, 2012) During the research, 12 out of 130 respondents, constituting 9. 23% were having or using MTN internet/broadband and the remaining 118 respondents, representing 90. 76% were either not having or using MTN internet/broadband. Those who were not having or using the product/service gave the following I The MTN internet/broadband modem is expensive II MTN internet spe ed/connection in the community is slow/poor III Discouraging remarks about the modem by its users. IV Scarcity in getting one to purchase V Don’t have the computer to use it with.The twelve (12) respondents who were using the product or service were asked about their level of satisfaction regarding the product/service. Table 4. 5. 2 Level of satisfaction with MTN internet/broadband service Level of satisfaction| Frequency| Percentage| Satisfied| 6| 50| Very satisfied| 4| 33. 33| Dissatisfied| 2| 16. 67| Total| 12| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) Out of the 12 respondents who were using the product/service 6 representing 50% were satisfied with quality of the service in the community, Four (4) chose for very satisfied representing 33. 3% and with 2 representing 16. 67% indicating dissatisfied Fig 4. h showing results of MTN internet/broadband user with their level of satisfaction. Respondents who were using the MTN internet/broadband service expressed their level of sat isfaction regarding the product/service. 6 out of the 12 respondents representing 50% showed they were very satisfied with MTN internet/broadband, followed by 4 representing 33. 33% showing they were satisfied and dissatisfied with 2 representing 16. 67%. 4. 6Overall Satisfaction Level from Respondents Table 4. 6. Overall Satisfactory Level from Respondents Satisfactory Level| Frequency| Percentage| Very satisfied | 0| 0| Satisfied| 9| 6. 92| Neutral | 37| 28. 46| Dissatisfied | 78| 60| Very dissatisfied| 6| 4. 62| Total| 130| 100| Source: Field survey (June, 2012) The above table indicates that majority (78 respondents out of 130 representing 60%) of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the overall MTN customer satisfaction with respect to their product(s) and service(s) in t community. Fig 4. i showing results of overall satisfactory level of respondents. . 7 Plans by MTN Ghana to improve customer satisfaction in rural areas of Upper West Region. * Widen their network co verage from the length and breadth of the country which rural areas in Upper West is part of. * Improve the quality of their product(s) and service(s) to meet customers’ needs. * Continue to deliver and provide better services to their dedicated customers. * Perform other developmental activities through heir Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation. CHAPTER FIVE 5. 0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5. 1 Summary and Major FindingsThe research major findings cover the four thematic research objectives. 5. 1. 1To find out how MTN to MTN calls or MTN to other networks or other networks to MTN calls effective in Tanina The research revealed that 58. 47% representing majoring of the sample size were not satisfied with calls from MTN to MTN sighting situations like call drops, speech mutation, poor voice signal quality and calls not going through. The remaining respondent 41. 53% gave no complaints about the network as they were satisfied and very satisfied with their se rvice.During the research it was revealed that 98 out of 130 respondents representing 75. 39% were dissatisfied with calls from MTN to other local networks. This, they said is as a result of call drops, poor voice signal. The remaining 16. 15% and 8. 46% were â€Å"satisfied† and â€Å"very satisfied†, respectively. Finally, the research revealed that majority of the respondents 89 representing 68. 46% were dissatisfied with calls made from other networks to MTN. This according to respondents is as a result of call drops, poor voice signal.Four non MTN users also stated that they find it difficult and sometimes impossible for their calls to go through when trying to call MTN numbers. The remains 32 representing 24. 61% and 9 representing 6. 92% recorded â€Å"satisfied† and †very satisfied† respectively. 5. 1. 2To ascertain what MTN product(s) or service(s) is/are most preferred. In the course of the research, respondents most preferred MTN product(s ) or service(s) was MTN Mobile money with 31. 53%, followed by MTN Callback 28. 46%, MTN Pay4me 24.. 61%, MTN internet/broadband 12. 30%, MTN Me2u 3. 07% and MTN Zone 0%. . 1. 3To examine how convenient MTN subscribers have access to their helpline (111) in Tanina. The research indicates that majority of the respondents 92 (70. 78%) expressed their dissatisfaction with the service of MTN customer helpline, with Satisfied 27 representing 20. 76% and very satisfied with 11 respondents constituting 8. 46%. 5. 1. 4To ascertain the level of satisfaction of MTN internet/broadband service by its users. Respondents who were using the MTN internet/broadband service expressed their level of satisfaction regarding the product/service.Six (6) out of the 12 respondents, representing 50% showed they were very satisfied with MTN internet/broadband, followed by 4 representing 33. 33% showing they were satisfied and dissatisfied with 2 representing 16. 67% 5. 2Conclusion It can be concluded from the study that majority of the respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with the overall MTN service. The main reasons given by the respondents are: a Some of the respondents are of the view that, MTN products and services is expensive. b The network in the community is unstable which causes; I Call dropsII Poor voice signal III Speech mutation IV Calls not going through c Various MTN product and services were unknown to respondents d The services provided by the customer helpline are unsatisfactory. The study also found out that the following with respect to MTN service which are worth mentioning: * The quality of MTN internet/broadband was satisfactory * The nature of MTN Mobile Money service was also satisfactory to those who used it 5. 3Recommendations The research has come to conclude that MTN offers varieties of products and services to its valued customers.However, some of the products still remain unknown to majority of respondents. Among these products and service include; MTN video calling, MTN Blackberry, MTN Backup, MTN Play, Eselfcare and call management services like: call divert, call barring and, hide number. * MTN should strengthen their advertising/publicity mechanism to create awareness about their products to its subscribers in rural areas like Tanina. * Since majority of the respondents were not satisfied with MTN product and service, the research recommend that MTN Ghana should improve the quality of their product(s) and service(s) in rural communities. MTN should cut down the prices regarding their product and service to make it affordable to rural people * MTN should improve upon their customer helpline service to retain customers since majority expressed their dissatisfaction about this service. * Upgrade and improve on their network coverage in rural communities. * MTN Ghana Foundation as part of it Corporate Social Responsibility should extend it their corporate responsibility programs to rural communities like Tanina. * MTN should m ake available the 3. 5G Network to enable fast and uninterrupted internet connection in the community.UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES FACULTY OF INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN AND GENERAL STUDIES (DAGS) DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION OPTION AN ASSESSMENT ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH PRODUCT AND SERVICE DELIVERY OF MTN GHANA IN RURAL AREAS OF THE UPPER WEST REGION. (A CASE STUDY IN TANINA) QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESPONDENTS Dear mobile network subscriber, we are students of University for Development Studies, Wa Campus and this questionnaire is designed to collect information about how you feel about the service delivery of your mobile network in Tanina, Upper West Region at least for the last 12 months.Your responses will be treated as confidential and will be used for only academic purposes, Thank you. Please tick [v] the appropriate box for your answers. RESPONDENT’S IDENTIFICATION 1. Please what is your gender? [ ] male [ ] female 2. Please select your age group. [ ] below 20 years [ ] 20 – 29 [ ] 30-39 [ ] 40 – 49 [ ] 50 and above 3. What is your occupation? [ ] civil servant [ ] student [ ] businessman/woman [ ] other†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4. Select your highest academic or professional qualification?Select only one [ ] WASSCE [ ] Technical/Post-secondary [ ] Diploma/HND [ ] Bachelor’s degree [ ] Post-graduate Diploma/Masters [ ] PhD [ ] Uneducated CUSTOMER RESPONSE TO SERVICE DELIVERY 5. Are you a subscriber to a telecommunication network? [ ] Yes [ ] No 6. Which mobile telecom network(s) do you use? [ ] Vodafone [ ] MTN [ ] Tigo [ ] Expresso [ ] Airtel [ ] Glo 7. Are you a multi-SIM card user (MTN and any other)? [ ] Yes [ ] No 8. If Yes, give reason