Lean Management Solve Bank Dhofar Proplems Information Technology Essay

Lean Management Solve Bank Dhofar Proplems Information Technology Essay Number of Banks and financial institution in the word and spicily in Oman implement such management standard of lean to achieve best business process; going through transition need more of banks secured. That strength comes from, speed of operation activities, reduce the cost, good product and increase customer knowledge. A leading bank in Oman called Bank Dhofar involve in many IT activities and steps to improve customer satisfaction. Report will go through the finding and gives recommendations. Key words: ATM Automatic Teller Machine SDM Smart Deposit Machine HSP High Payment Systems WISAL- One of Call Center service- customer inquires ISO International Organization for Standardization IT Information Technology EMV Europay / MasterCard/ Visa 1.0 Introduction Bank Dhofar is moving forward to offer many services effectively. Excellent service may not achieve or reach unless bank successfully implements such activities to provide the quality in best way of Bank service offered. To satisfying Bank customer through providing high service it will improved the out come in productivity side and will increase Operation value. It is hard to achieve this delivery of services because it request basic background in the organization. On the same hand Bank Dhofar need to offer fast, best and high quality services more to their customers. It needs to be reliable when such services lunch because it needs to succeed the organization. ISO 9001 has defined the service as leaning activities (Noor Aida Idris. 2008). Bank Dhofar is offering many kind of service to his customer and prefers the IT channel. TI services are high technology of Bank process, tool and information offered by Bank to their staff as well as customers. Focusing on profitability is the main objective for any commercial organization such as Bank dhofer to achieve maximum profits and improve shareholder return. Globule banks specially the large of them believes that if e-banking delivery channel such as ATMs, SMS banking, internet, deposit machines (CDM) and call center if deployed in good manner will deliver to reduce the cost of operation activates which tend to enhance the bank profitability. According to Nsouli Schaechter (2002) in 1996 a survey published by Booz-Allen Hamiltoan addressed e-banking come out with the estimated cost of daily transitions in united state of full branch service is 1.07 US dollar per transaction, while telephone banking cost 54 cent, ATM 27 cent and internet banking 1.5 cent. Forester (2003) has come out with research cover most largest bank in Europe state that the cost of any simple transaction that branch teller made is more costly by 14 times if we comber it with online transaction cost. This rese arch found that if customer made transaction in bank branch will cost them about 1 dollar cumbering with 60 cent if he made it through telephone call, while using the same transaction online will reduce it to 0.02 cent. Moreover improving e-channel will develop customer relationship by providing 24/7 online excess of banking services on time and whenever he need. E-banking has direct benefit and indirect. Direct benefit through reducing operation cost, overhead cost, faster transactions, less work loading, reduce customer waiting queues and allow staff more free time which may used for marketing purpose. Here are some good examples of Bank Dhofar e-banking channels 2.0 ATM Bank Dhofar is increasing dependent on use of information technology (IT) in carrying out business operations. The management of IT function has become very critical (Okunoye et al, 2007) due to implementation of IT based banking and ATM system as rapid use of advanced communication net work for connecting multiple location across the country. The latest of last century was the age of processing engineering (D.Dilijonas D. Zavrid, 2008). The growing dependence on technology for managing business also exposes the organization to substantial IT security risks. 2.1 Before ATM ATM is net work Technology offer high speed (T.Pham, 1998). Before ATM invented all commercial Banks and spicily Bank Dhofar were facing allot of difficulty those problems brought a headache to all Bank staff spicily cashier when salaries has been credited in customers accounts a long queue of customer stretching in front of cashier window waiting for their salaries and they feel uncomfortable with Bank services. Also cahier in trouble he/ she should work faster than he could which made him makes mistakes, this mistakes either shortages or access, it need a lot of time to discover it and some time cashier pay that deference. Some time customer need to know their account balance, have statement or small inquire about their account situation they should reach the Bank or any branches. In the same time if customer needs an urgent liquidity when Bank close, there is no way to have it and this problem become bigger if the next day is holyday, which may make a big loss to that customer. But after ATM is coming up every thing has change to good a lot of problems disappear and customer served will, cost reduced, quality of service improved and money reachable for 24 hours / 7 days a week only it need to insert your ATM cards. 2.2 Objectives The ATMs and SDMs play an important role in the Banks retail and corporate banking strategy by: Providing a 24 hours / 365 days a year (S.Yoshizawa J.Makiwo, 2001) automate service comprising cash deposits withdrawal, cheque deposits, utility bill payment, credit card payment, transfer of funds, mini statement, cheque request, etc. Reliving pressure at the cash counters and ensuring that all transitions are processed online, real time so no further back end processing is required. Reducing the risk of forged currency notes being deposited, since SDMs are programmed to detect counterfeit notes. Enabling the Bank to protect both its retail and corporate customer base. Offering customer the convenience of choice of locations from which they can carry out their basic banking activities. Displaying to the public a progressive image of the Bank. Although set up primarily to provide a vital customer service, cost effectiveness of ATMs and SDMs improves progressively in proportion to their utilization. The aim must therefore be: To make every personal accountholder a debit cardholder and, To direct all corporate customer to the CDMs for their cash / cheque deposit. 2.3 Challenges One of the most challenges that effect ATMs as will as CDMs is security. The global problem of ATMs / CDMs fraud is constantly evolving word wide, while the industry is trying to battle in all fronts. Fraudsters have been innovative and evolve new techniques starting from a simple card trapping, cash swap to sophisticated techniques like skimming, card trapping, cash tapping etc. and brute force attacks. Fraudsters have been moving to markets which are considered less non-EMV or non-CHIP markets. The card associations, ATM Vendors, financial institution all have been working together to combat this fraud. By taking a few measures Bank Dhofar could do a bit in combating this menace and improve customer confidence in the popular ATMs / CDMs channel. 3.0 HPS Power Card 3.1 Introduction One of the main things that Bank Dhofar is trying to achieve is improving the existing product and this we can find it clear when Bank Dhofar introduce the Power Card. Power Card is an ATM Switch and Debit Management System supplied by High Tech Payment Systems (HPS), Morocco. It will replace the existing legacy system call Sparrow from CR2. Power CARD can be accessed using Internet Explorer. It will be initially accessible Card Center, Operation Department, Call Centre, Retail Banking, IT and branches. 3.2 What are the primary objectives of this project and implementation? Improving customer service at Card / Call Center, improved operations and MIS such as SMS alerts for ATM customers, new services like EMV acquiring, EMV issuing, Balance Enquiry on international ATMs outside GCC, enabling of debit cards on Internet, security and compliance with International Payment Network mandates. The new system is already certified for EMV (Europay / MasterCard/Visa) which would enable Bank Dhofar to issue CHIP based debit card and also accept CHIP based international VISA Card on our ATMs. A Debit / Credit Cared is a bank card used to make electronic withdrawal of cash through Automated Teller Machines (ATM) or pay for goods and services at point-of sales terminal or on the world- Wide web (internet) or obtain cash advances from ATM, up to- agreed credit limits. 4.0 New Call Center Service WISAL The field of relation design has increased its concentrate to know how systems of technology-based products are implemented (Forlizzi, J. 2007). Life become fast and Bank Dhofar focus on that by offer new service that helps his customers to reach the Bank and finish his need on faster way, so they introduce new service all Wisal. Wisal is a toll free service offered by Bank Dhofar Call Center it allows the customer to contact Call Center using special identification number to request some services It is a latest offering comes in line with the banks strategy to move closer to its clients and provide convenient, fast and customer friendly services. WISAL is backed by state of the technology to enable it to become an efficient and effective touch point and deliver channel. The staffs of WISAL are highly trained to deliver the kind of quality services that hopefully will help bank to gain more customers and retain existing ones. WISAL Services will include: General Inquiries Loan Inquiries Chaque Book Request Product Service Information Credit Card Balance Other Related Inquiries Complaint Handling Resolution Money Transfer ATM Transaction Inquires And moreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. 5.0 Internet Banking Bank Dhofar is one of a leading banks in Oman that introduce Internet banking to reduce the transaction cost and improve customers satisfaction, where there is combined relationship between customer and internet banking affecting the bank achievement. Bank Dhofar and other banks in Oman introduce internet banking to fulfill customers different requests specially when technology allow that aiming to enhance customer satisfaction, attracting those new customers and bring back existing ones. Majority of world banks and local especially in Oman like bank Dhofar are provide their customers by variety internet free service in order to promote the customer to transfer to electronic method rather than using the traditional one. In 2002 a research on Internet bankers shone that 37% of online banking services directive to 18 % of European peoples. Research also expected the number will reach the double bringing new generation of self services while such research was absent in my country. Bank Dhofar online services have design to satisfy customers by offering Varity of services like:- Paying utility bills Order cheque book Have account statement Check the balance account Check payment and receiving See the bank product Recently, bank dhofar tend to educate his customers by deploying his staff across Oman to satisfy them and meet bank expectation. 6.0 Self Service Module of Helps Desk The bank has installed IT Help Desk Software in the IT division (ITD) to track and control the software, ATM, Network and hardware related support request received by IT Department from branches and head office departments. This will further improve the quality of service from ITD to IT users in the bank. The IT Help Desk system is an internal software application used to track all support calls / request received by ITD in a centralized, searchable database for easy reference by IT staff, enabling quick resolution to issues and simplifying the tracking of issues. The staff branches and head office will be able to input their support call / requests using Web based system. As the request is input by the user staff, the system generate a work order history for future reference. 7.0 Finding Many financial institution may facing some technical problems in designing new systems or product that enhance operation activities but Bank Dhofar has achieve good performance in introducing new IT technology to serve his customer very will, offer new and chosen product and concentrate on IT Technology aiming to provide better service, reduce the cost, improve productivities and satisfied the customers. As a branch manager with 14 years in banking sector I observed that e-channel especially like ATM has played most important role to improved customer satisfaction, display e-banking knowledge and develop customer attitude from banking services. Recently customer has improved his knowledge about bank product and services through understanding the important of e-channel and how it make easy of banking transaction to save customer time meanwhile, bank dhofar has deployed ATM and other e-channel in Oman to satisfied itself through reducing bank expenses on transaction and satisfied his customer by reduce waiting time in branches. 8.0 Conclusion Report has focused on Bank Dhofar experience in implementing the successful of one operation management aspect Lean Management and how it solve many operational problem which lead to enhance the Bank productivity and achieve customer satisfactions. 9.0 Recommendation One of good thing that Bank Dhofar planned to achieve is introduce new IT technology to maximize the benefits and meet new business challenges, this true but during this investigation I find that Bank Dhofar still need to focus on the technology of this century Like using internet banking to provide faster communication that enhances Bank success. Because its the latest technology that occupied the country last deceit and number of using internet is expanded daily.

Sociology and Anticipatory Socialization

Dayana’s Group Case Study The Church Search 1. ) How have Marsha’s experiences so far represented aspects of the anticipatory socialization process? Is it also possible to consider anticipatory socialization from the point of view of the church searching for a new pastor? What does anticipatory socialization look like from the organization’s point of view? * There are a couple experiences Marsha went through so far that represent aspects of the anticipatory socialization process.The first is when she is in her living room reading through the profiles of churches, when she stubbles upon Nancy’s church she knew their values and mission matched her commitments. That’s where she got a general idea of Nancy’s congregation. Secondly when Nancy and Marsha meet up at the restaurant, is where Marsha would get a real good feel of the organization through what Nancy is discussing.With Nancy arriving with a long step process of things to do it shows Mars ha how enthusiastic the church is and gives Marsha a good idea of what it would be like to work as a pastor there before actually starting. * Yes, it is possible to consider anticipatory socialization through the point of view of the church. By the search committee reading the pastors’ profile of past, values, goals, strengths, and etc. they can get a good idea of who would make a good fit for their organization. The anticipatory socialization looks at the prospected employee just as she looks at the church. The organization looks at their resumes and interview processes to get a general idea of what kind of person and worker the employee might be before their start with the organization. 2. ) During the weekend ahead, what questions should Marsha anticipate during the interview process? What questions should she ask? What are the various functions that the interview will serve for both Marsha and the congregation? Some questions Marsha should be anticipating during the inter view process are questions about her personality, how motivated she is toward the occupation, and communication skills. Here is where the organization can get a glimpse of the work quality of the prospective employee. * Some questions Marsha should ask are questions to dig a little deeper into the organization where she can get a general since of what it would be to work as the pastor for Nancy’s church. Probably asking overt questions to get direct answers about her concerns or curiosities. The interview will benefit both parties in the way that they will both gain more knowledge of each other. Marsha and the congregation will get asked questions and get to ask questions where they will gain more knowledge of each other’s values, goals, ambitions, motivation, personality, environment, and socialization. With more information learned from one another they can determine if the match with benefit each party. 3. ) Assuming that Marsha eventually takes on the role of pasto r with this church, what should she anticipate during her first few months in her new role?Are there steps that she can take before and after moving to Michigan to ease her transition? Are there steps the congregation can take to help her â€Å"makes sense† of life in the new church? * Marsha should anticipate her superiors giving her different tasks, to learn about her skills and motivation to help her find her role. Then it will continue on to making her roll through exchange resources with superiors to develop her role definitions. * In the metamorphosis phase is the final stage of socialization where there might be job transfers which might entitle a new location.She should keep high communication with her supervisor and coworkers to help ease the transition experience. * There are no specific steps to help her â€Å"make sense† of the new church but Marsha can use the newcomer information-seeking tactics and the church be supportive with her questioning. With the congregation helping Marsha with here questions and concerns she can get into routine where she starts to feel as an insider. 4. ) A pastor’s role is one in which the â€Å"supervisor† could be seen as the congregation.How could the leader-member exchange model be adapted to account for these kinds of organizational positions? * The role routinization phase there would be a little adaptation to the in-group stage for organizational positions like a pastor. The in-group would be characterized by high trust where the congregation has trust for on another. High influence due to â€Å"what the people want† with the majority of superiority through the people of the congregation, might lead to an out numbering with decisions.Mutual rewards, high rewards coming from morality with having the ability to spread the â€Å"word of god†, and the community itself and the low rewards would come from the church isn’t built to turn a profit. High support with the a mount of people who are members of a congregation there would be a lot of support with the pastor to make sure things go as planned and smooth. Latitude in task development where everyone would most likely all have the same outlook, goals, and pace of development for the church.

Participant’s development Essay

With this model in mind, the author of this essay, who represented the coach in the coaching session, will consider back to the session and reflect what planning had to be involved and why, and what was intended and included.  The author of this essay is herself a passionate Badminton player, exercising regularly for the University and a local team. From her own experience in these teams, she knew that many players struggle with the tactical positioning in this sport, particularly in the doubles’ game. Tactical positioning is a crucial element to succeed in Badminton (Grice, 1996). For this reason, the coach had chosen the following aim for the session: raising awareness of tactical positioning in the doubles’ game of Badminton, therefore the objective was accurate defensive and attacking positioning. To achieve these aims and objectives, the author invited four players, two men and two women, from the above mentioned teams to take part in the Badminton session (see Appendix 1). The participant’s level of play can be stated as advanced, hence gender was not showing a significant impact on the later performed exercises and match situation. According to training guidelines stated by Martens (1997), the participants had to be and were able to match necessary requirements of the conducted training program, which included knowledge of specific skills and shots like ‘the ready position’, footwork, drop shot, smash etc..  The 45 minute lasting session itself consisted of four parts: a brief introduction, a 10 minute warm-up, a 28 minute long main part and a short cool down. The intention of the introduction was to give the participants a concise overview of the session’s aims and objectives aswell as informing about potential hazards and dangers. The sports hall policy about appropriate sports wear and shoes was already mentioned in the invite (see Appendix 1). ‘To produce the safest environment possible for the athletes and the coach’ (Martens, 1997), further essential risk management, within the introduction, included the explanation of emergency exits and the procedure of raising the alarm and informing the University Security Office through the Emergency telephone. The coach herself had identified, evaluated and made herself familiar with potential risks and dangers as well as appropriate behaviour in case of an emergency by a pre-session risk management through inspecting the venue a day before the actual session. Before the start of the session, the floor was examined to avoid injuries caused by potential trip hazards like whol es or dirt. As stated by Martens (1997), the intention of a warm up is not only preventing respectively reducing the likelihood of potential injuries but to improve the athlete’s performance (Sports Coach – Warm Up and Cool Down). Moderate jogging including ballistic stretching of specific arm and leg muscles was used to raise blood circulation and the respiratory rate as well as increasing the body temperature (Martens, 1997; Sports Coach – Warm Up and Cool Down), followed by more specific Badminton movements including side walks and side steps (Grice, 1996). To progress on, the next warm-up exercise included movement on court, simulating game play without a shuttle. This is called shadow Badminton and allowed the participants to perform key elements of Badminton like positioning to the ‘central position’ (CP), accurate footwork and performing different shots. All six key positions of the court had to be reached in a specific order within timed 30 seconds (see diagram 1). After a following 30 second break to regain stamina, the exercise was modified to a more realistic game play by giving the athlete the choice of which position to chose. A further 30 second break was followed by the last shuttle and included a realistic game play with a free order of positions to reach, this time with increased speed. Along with Givemefootball – The professional footballers association, this ghosting exercise showed full characteristics of ballistic stretching: specific and related movements as well as increased effort to prevent muscle stiffness and muscle injury (Sports Coach – Warm Up and Cool Down). To conclude this Badminton specific warm-up, Grice (1997) suggests 5 minutes of gentle knocking with a shuttle. This was performed by the participants, including all possible Badminton shots like Clear, Drop, Drive, Smash and net play. The main part consisted of 2 appropriate exercises to achieve the session’s objectives as well as implementing newly acquired skills into a realistic match of doubles. Exercise 1 was training the defensive positioning and allowed one pair to play against the other, attacking couple. Due to the advanced level of play of the participants, the coach could assume that basic skills and knowledge of defence as well as attacking positioning were existent. The new main idea introduced now was, that the defending player had to follow his/her long line shot to the side including the partners movement to the middle line maintaining the basic concept of being level with the partner. A cross court shot resulted in following the defender to the middle line, the partner to the side line (see diagram 2). Moving according to one’s own shot will allow the defending pair to quickly respond to the opponents’ attacks. If the defender plays a long line shot and follows to the sideline, a long line attacking smash can quickly enough be responded by another defensive shot. If the opponents play a cross attacking shot like a drop, the defender’s partner at the middle line will still have enough time to reach this shot as a cross shot will take more time to reach the corner. Hence it is to advise hardly ever to play a cross attacking shot in Badminton as this will allow the defending opponents to quickly enough place themselves into the appropriate defending position and possibly even counter attack the shot. The positions of player A and B as well as the positions C and D were changed within the exercise to guarantee experiencing both the left and the right, respectively the front and the back side. After 5 minutes the couples changed playing from defence to attack and vice versa. Exercise 2 intended to empower an attacking couple to perform the rotation system while attacking. The coach, assisted by player C ‘feeding’ the coach with shuttles, provided a rally of 20 shuttles played into the key positions shown on diagram 3. The positions were targeted in order from 1 to 8. Starting position for attacking player A is shown on the diagram 3 as well as the position for Player B. Player D was first observing, then helping to pick up the shuttles on the ground. Key elements of this exercise included ‘being in line’ with the partner though positions changed. Therefore the coach used the racket as demonstration material, the head of it representing the attacker at the net and the grip the attacker at the back. By rotating the racket like the players had to rotate on court, it was made visible that rotation includes the partner’s movement according to one’s own movement (see diagram 3). To provide a realistic game situation, the coach had to quickly target all key positions as the doubles’ game is a fast game requiring quick movements (Grice, 1996). The following 5 minutes lasting doubles’ match gave the opportunity to implement the newly acquired skills.  A contingency plan was not needed as all exercise could have been performed even though one respectively two participants wouldn’t have arrived. Then the coach would have played in their positions respectively played as a single attacker in exercise 1, however making it more difficult to observe the progression of each participant’s development. To conclude the session, a brief cool down was conducted allowing the body to return to normal pace, reducing its temperature and to remove lactic acid build up during the vigorous exercises (Grice, 1996; Sports Coach – Warm Up and Cool Down). Gentle jogging as well as a static stretching was performed. According to Sports Coach – Warm Up and Cool down, a static stretching should be preferred within a cool down compared to a ballistic stretching in the warm up, as this will increase the range of movement as well as helping to relax the muscles. When planning a coaching session, it is important to identify resources (Ewles and Simnett, 1999). Within this case, the coach was given the opportunity to use the University sports hall as well as their posts and nets. Two courts to perform the warm up and exercises were needed. Each participant was advised to bring his/her own racket(s), shuttles were provided by the coach (see Appendix 1). A stopwatch, to ensure accurate timing and time management of the session, which is important according to Martens (1997), was borrowed from the technicians room in Ramsden’s building one day in advance.

Time to Reduce Nuclear Dangers by Garwin and Gronlund

According to the Arms Control Association, as of 2013 there was roughly 15,494 deployed and non deployed nuclear warheads between the five nuclear weapon states. The argument of whether or not nuclear weapons should be reduced in the United States is starting to arise. Nuclear weapons have the power to kill millions of people and lots of land. This is an issue that can’t be ignored. Nuclear weapons should be reduced in the United States because it’s a danger to the world and could ruin this Earth and eventually its people. The United States can have fewer nuclear weapons without putting our nations security in jeopardy. If we have just a little less nuclear power we could still have power over other countries but not too much power. However, some may argue that having a lot of nuclear weapons on and keeps the United States safe from harm. Robert Spalding said, â€Å"The U.S. nuclear force exists to keep a threshold on the level of violence.† While nuclear weapons are a useful source of defense, it’s still overdone to the point where it’s too much. The Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States defense, even thinks the nation should reduce its nuclear weapon number. Garwin and Gronlund said in their article, â€Å"According to news reports, the Pentagon has concluded that the United States can meet its security needs with fewer deployed weapons - perhaps 1,000.† If our country isn’t using our extra nuclear weapons, we could afford to get rid of only 1,000 of them . As of November,