Research Topics: Technological Outputs

Technological Outputs of the company

OPTION # 1: Continue to focus on improving output in the existing line. POSITIVE IMPACTS: This move will significantly increase the technological outputs of the company, although it must come with appropriate production planning. Production planning is a necessary function within the company if it aims to improve output. In manufacturing and technological companies this process is often very difficult because of the fast rate of change and the occurrences of unplanned events. This company uses several methodologies depending on the rate of demand of the customer and the price of the technologies. Nevertheless, the objectives of the company for every transaction do not change: efficiency and effectiveness. Production planning must be implemented by this company in order for its activities and resources to be coordinated over time. This enables the company o achieve its goals with minimal resource utilization. Production planning also enables the company to monitor the progress of their plans at regular intervals and maintain their control over operations. Production planning within the company must involve four elements: scheduling, labor planning, equipment planning, and cost planning. <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Scheduling involves the specification of the beginning, the length or the duration, and end of the planned activities. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Labor planning involves allocating the necessary personnel and delegation of responsibilities and resources </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Equipment planning involves identifying the types and needs in terms of equipments. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Cost planning involves determining the costs and the possibility of their occurrence. </li> </ul> NEGATIVE IMPACTS: Definitely, this move will entail millions of dollars in expenses in terms of purchasing new machineries and technologies as well as hiring the competent personnel in the job market. It is definitely a risk, but it is worth taking since the increase in output will be gradual and well-planned. In one to two years, the overall expenses will eventually be recovered. OPTION # 2: Duplicate the existing production line. POSITIVE IMPACTS: This is the most practical move, because there is very little risk involved. Since the existing production line of DTI has been very much accepted by their clients, there is a high probability that the current production line will still continue to deliver revenues for the company for the next 1-2 years. As the saying goes, “why fix it if it ain’t broken?” It is important for the company to exhaust all revenues that it can get from the existing production line while the new production line is still being conceptualized. This will give ample time for the company and its production team to fully prepare for the release of a much improved production line without prematurely shipping out in the market the existing production line. NEGATIVE IMPACTS: Shima himself admits that the company’s workforce is still not ready to work with the new and current production lines at the same time. Their concentration will be affected by intense pressure once the improvement of the current production line and the development of the newer production line comes at full circle. Also, there will be financial risks that the company will have to endure once the new production lines take over the current production line. Hopefully, the revenues would outweigh the costs in the long run. OPTION # 3: Invest in a radically new line employing new technologies. POSITIVE IMPACTS: This is the riskiest option among the three but certainly worth the look. Surely, investing on new technologies is not an easy thing to do, but this is what every starting company does. However, to enjoy success is in this incredibly risky option, DTI must implement consumer research within the industry to help them get a reflection regarding the effective use of valuable resources such as money, materials, equipments, and people. Consumer research will help the company determine the most effective ways to coordinate these resources through the application of analytical methods derived from fields of studies such as mathematics, science, and engineering. Through this process, problems will be solved in different ways and alternative solutions are then relayed to the company’s management. The management then selects the appropriate course of action in line with the company’s goals, in this case investing in a radically new line employing new technologies. More often than not, consumer research analysis is concerned with complicated issues such as top-level strategy, resource allocation, designing of production facilities and systems, pricing and the analysis of large databases. Consumer research analysis actually may vary according to the structures and philosophy of the company. But in the case of DTI, it centralizes consumer research analysis in one department. Consumer research analysis may also have the possibility of working closely with top level managers in order to identify and solve a variety of problems. No matter what the type or structure of the company is, operations research analysis operates under similar sets of methodologies in order to carry out the analysis to support the company’s goal to improve its overall performance. The process is started by the description of the symptoms of a problem, followed by the formal definition of the problem. For example, a consumer research analyst for DTI might be questioned regarding the most cost-effective new line employing new technologies. NEGATIVE IMPACTS: The main risk in this option is the fact that the company will be investing a huge amount of money on an untested, new line of technologies that the public hopefully will embrace. Basically, the consumers will look at the name of DTI and trust the quality and convenience of its previous products. However, it will be hard to convince the consumers who do not entertain their previous products much more the new line of technologies. DTI would have to do some impressive advertising of these new technologies so as to persuade consumers to buy their new products or else, they would be facing financial handicap in the future.     RECOMMENDATIONS The author strongly recommends that the Management pursue Option # 2 (Duplicate the existing production line). Along the process, a tie-up or merger with various local technological companies may offer tremendous benefits in terms of access to their operations management policies, infrastructure and even its resources. However, DTI must not lose sight of its core competencies while pursuing these tie-ups. Otherwise, the image of this company might be put in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the collaboration of DTI with its major competitors can be seen as a ridiculous move at first.  However, upon close examination, this move could pave the way for this company to improve even more its operations management, leading to the duplication of their existing production line. The bottom line is both sides would be able significantly gain in such an alliance. DTI’s strengths in product development combined with the operations management capabilities of their competitors can transform them suddenly into an unbeatable force to reckon with. One possible setback, however, is the differences in the cultures of the companies involved. Another possible setback could be whether any of DTI’s competitors has the need to form alliances. The third option also focuses on alliances, but this time with either one of the suppliers specializing in their products. The benefits of these alliances should outweigh the costs in the long run.   CONCLUSION The results of the analysis carried out on the three options available for DTI indicated very significant effects, even amidst the threats of unrest. Therefore, we could conclude that the operations management of the company could still be expected to improve faster than average. The review of the three options revealed very little inconsistencies regarding the company’s strategies. This is coherent with their traditional inside-out approach. However, the need to reconcile both the inside-out and outside-in approaches becomes imperative now for DTI. The analysis of the company environment as well as the operations management and capabilities of DTI revealed certain gaps, most of which are biased towards the environment. However, these gaps paved the way towards determining a number of recommended strategic options to secure the company’s competitiveness. Also, DTI and Toru Shima has to find a balance between adherence to internal forces within the management and to the changing forces of the environment in order to implement such strategic options.       Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Technological Outputs of the company

OPTION # 1: Continue to focus on improving output in the existing line. POSITIVE IMPACTS: This move will significantly increase ...

iPods. Podcasts

Introduction Podcasting is a means of putting out audio files (usually MP3s) to the internet, which are then provided by means of subscription and automatically downloaded to a computer or iPods. Podcasts are not intended to be heard on a live feed, but at any time and wherever is most fitting for the listener. (Kay, 2005) Even as the term is a reduction of “iPod” and “broadcast,” an iPod is not necessarily needed to subscribe and heed podcasts. Actually, podcasts can be employed with a diversity of digital audio arrangements and play on just about any MP3 player or portable digital audio gadget, in addition to any kind of desktop computer or laptop.   Technically, podcasting is the method of acquiring an audio event, song, speech, or mixture of sounds and then redistributing that digital sound item to a Website or “blog” in a data arrangement labeled as an RSS 2.0 envelope. (Smith, 2005) This RSS means Real Simple Syndication and is an arranged requirement of XML tags employed to describe articles which can be subscribed to by means of a “RSS news reader.” Utilizing particular news readers, users can pay a regular contribution to a Web page with RSS 2.0 tagged audio files on selected web pages and routinely download these files openly into an audio management program on their PC. Such audio management programs include iTunes, or Windows Media Player. When a user coordinates their portable audio device with their CPU the podcasts are mechanically conveyed to that device to be heard at the instance and place most opportune for the user. A lot of individuals have contrasted podcasting to a DVR (digital video recorder) for the reason of it’s time-shifting capability. In a number of features it is alike, but it is similarly dissimilar in that the recorded substance is delivered in its last arrangement to a portable gadget that is self-sufficient of the recording apparatus. (Kay, 2005)   Key Research Questions   The study intends to look into the phenomenon of podcasting in the academic field. Specifically, the study wants to investigate the effects of podcasting to college students. To clearly acquire the possible outcomes of the study, the research will try to answer the following key questions:   1.      What are the ways that the medium of podcasting assist college students in their academics? 2.      How does the use of podcasting among college students improve their performance in their academics? 3.      What are the adverse effects of podcasts on college students? 4.      What are the factors that affect the use of podcasts among the college students? 5.       What are the effects of podcasting on the students in the collegiate level?   Theoretical Framework  One understandable employment of podcasting in an educational situation is to generate an archive of class lectures that students can have access to at their own convenience. Nevertheless, provided the distinguishing characteristics of podcasting, its possibility transcends reproducing course materials and making them accessible for review. As podcasting is somewhat new, instructors and professors are still trying to discover other potentials for the said medium. The figure below presents the theoretical framework of the study.   Literature Review  In order to fully understand and grasp the full view of the study a proper review of related literature is needed. Books and magazines related and in connection with the whole topic were read and studied. A further review of various articles and papers published disclosed that to date, no study has yet been made with exactly the same purpose and in the manner as the present study. However, findings and results which are aligned to this study is presented.   The current medium of podcasting has been triggered by an upsurge of mp3 players and other technologies that has sprung out via the emergence of the iPod. The iPod is a product of Apple which could store more than a thousand high quality songs as well as other digital files in its memory. (Miller, 2002) With at least five gigabytes on its hard drive, it enables the user to use it as a device for storing presentations, images, films or even much larger files that a conventional CD or floppy disk would not be able to accommodate. Because of the convenience that it provides, it has been among the favored devices for the young generation. Its “ultraportable” feature with its 6.5 ounce powered by a light lithium polymer power source, provides the ease of carry that could not be provided by other hardware technologies like the laptop or palm tops. (Miller, 2002)   For educators, it could be employed as an effective hand held device that would be able them to store and eventually listen to audio books in addition to using it as a means of carrying loads of digital files from the classroom to other places they desire. (Miller, 2002) There are yet to be a considerable amount of literature available for podcasting as a medium given its notable freshness of the said technology. However, there is still a handful that could be uncovered regarding the said technology. According to the work of Godwin-Jones (2005a) the technology of podcasting was initially been considered as an obscure activity of a small number of individuals, “computer geeks” to be exact. More particularly, this activity was initially been regarded to Mac users in general particularly because the scripts in this type of medium ran on the applications present in Mac. Nowadays, the medium is still available and is used by techies and other computer “junkies” however the said medium is similarly accessible to other social institutions like schools and churches. (Godwin-Jones, 2005a)   In the context of schools, there have been experimental studies that took into account the impact of iPod technology on the students. Another work of Godwin-Jones (2005b) presented the peer-to-peer sharing phenomenon provided by the iPod technology. In the said study, the investigation looked into the context of Duke University as it provided iPods in the entering class of 2005. The said study took particular note on the use of iPods on the language lessons of the students. Specifically, the students’ use of the technology in their Spanish classes provided the assistance they needed. The study claimed that students were able to pay attention to audio adaptations of texts they are required to read, play teachers’ remarks on projects and evaluations, assess new vocabulary and its pronunciation, and to Spanish language songs. The study further claimed that the use of iPods has become equivalent with cellular phones with regards to the most portable piece of technology regardless of the environment that the user prefers. (Godwin-Jones, 2005b)   Research Method To be able to provide a necessary and a solid base for the study, a proper plan of investigation and an appropriate methodology can help the project in achieving the optimum result and conclusions. The researcher will utilize a descriptive approach in gathering information on the need to provide an interactive medium that will suit the changing needs and demands of end users. To illustrate the descriptive type of research, Creswell (1994) will guide the researcher when he stated: Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition.  The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena. The researcher opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the researcher to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study. The respondents of this study will be selected college students who own a digital player, an iPod, or an MP3 player. First, a self-administered questionnaire containing 18 to 20 questions and shall be filled out by the respondents. Another set of questionnaires will be prepared for the interview of professors and instructors in the said college. Ideally, the respondents will grade each statement in the survey-questionnaire using a Likert scale, with a five-response scale wherein respondents will be given five response choices. The equivalent weights for the answers will be: Range                                                            Interpretation       4.50 – 5.00                                                    Strongly Agree 3.50 – 4.00                                                    Agree 2.50 – 3.49                                                    Uncertain 1.50 – 2.49                                                    Disagree          0.00 – 1.49                                                    Strongly Disagree   The researcher opted to use the questionnaire as a tool since it is easy to construct having the rules and principles of construction are easy to follow. Moreover, copies of the questionnaire could reach a considerable number of respondents either by mail or by personal distribution. Generally, responses to a questionnaire are objectified and standardized and these make tabulation easy. But more importantly, the respondents’ replies are of their own free will because there is no interviewer to influence them. This is one way to avoid biases, particularly the interviewers’ bias.   Uses of the Findings   The findings on this study will be used for recommendations on whether podcasting would be a viable medium for government and educational institutions in assisting students with regards to their study needs. The findings in this study will be able to allow the government look into the possibility of regulation and support in such a way that students will have more access on audio and video materials that they could use in their academic purposes. In the situation of educational institutions, the use of podcasting in the university would be place the use of iPods, portable MP3 players, and other digital devices into proper context. It will establish that the said instruments have other constructive uses aside from being an object that students use for listening to music, a distraction of sorts.     Ethical Issues   As a researcher and an interviewer, ethical considerations must be faced when working with students. Care should always be given so that the respondent can be comfortable and is in an excellent condition when doing an interview or is answering a questionnaire. As a researcher, his/her prime role is making the patient/respondent feel at ease during the interview and answering process.  An interviewer therefore should refrain from pestering the respondents with regards to his/her answer.   The interviewer must also see to it that confidentiality is fostered between the interviewer and the respondent. It must be made clear to both respondent and the interviewer that any information exchanged and stated by the former will remain confidential. Care should also be observed so that the interviewer would not obstruct the academic works and other obligations of the respondents in the university. A properly documented letter of intent and permission must be made and mailed to the individual professors or the administration of the university in seeking permission to conduct the mentioned study inside the institution’s premises.     Resources Required  The researcher is going to utilize both primary and secondary data in order to profoundly analyze the situation. The primary source of data will come from the data acquired from researcher-made questionnaire as well as interviews conducted by the researcher. The primary data frequently gives the detailed definitions of terms and statistical units used in the survey. These are usually broken down into finer classifications. The secondary sources of data will come from published articles from social science journals, theses and related studies on hand-held technologies, iPods, and podcasting, particularly its effects on the college students in general. Acquiring secondary data are more convenient to use because they are already condensed and organized. Moreover, analysis and interpretation are done more easily.   References     Creswell, J.W. (1994) Research design. Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage. Godwin-Jones, R. (2005) Skype and Podcasting: Disruptive Technologies for Language Learning. Language, Learning & Technology. 9(3) 9 Godwin-Jones, R. (2005b) Emerging Technologies: Messaging, Gaming, Peer-to-Peer Sharing Language Learning Strategies & Tools for the Millennial Generation. Language, Learning & Technology. 9(1) 17 Kay, R. (2005) Podcasting. Computerworld. 39(40) p34 Miller, M. (2002) Hands-On Reviews. T H E Journal 29(9). 56 Smith, B. (2005) Podcasting goes mobile: mobile podcasting, an off-shoot of the internet craze, has started to take off. Whether it will reach a huge audience remains to be seen. Wireless Week.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

iPods. Podcasts

Introduction Podcasting is a means of putting out audio files (usually MP3s) to the internet, which are then provided by means of subscri...

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