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Posts Tagged ‘Technology’

It is a significant fact that we are in the focal point of a deep-seated change in both technology and its application. Any institutions in our day expect to get more value from their investments in technology. In the “Post dearth era of calculation” the user-friendliness of dispensation power is not a check where cost of platform technology has become a minor factor in selecting among alternatives to build the business solution and as such the constraining factors are the managerial impact of reengineering the business process and the costs and time required for system development. Additionally, the need to re-educate personnel to the compulsory level of expertise can be an extremely expensive scheme. Open systems enable organizations to buy off-the-shelf solutions to business problems. Open systems standards set apart the design in which data is swapped, remote systems are accessed, and services are attracted. The receipt of open systems standards supports the creation of system architectures that can be built from technology components. These standards enable us, as follows:
• To build reusable class libraries to use in object-oriented design and development environments.
• To build functional products those interact with the same data which are bedded on object oriented as well as bedded on full integrity.
• To modify a correspondence at an individual desktop workstation to include data, addressing and graphics input from a word processor, a personal spreadsheet, a workgroup database, and an existing project host relevance to be propelled by electronic mail to someplace in the world.
It is worth mentioning that opposing to the claims of groups variety from the Open Software base to the user consortium Open User Recommended Solutions, open systems are not exclusively systems that conform to OSF UNIX specifications. The client/server model makes the enterprise available at the desk. It provides access to data that the previous architectures did not. Standards have been defined for client-server figuring. If these principles are understood and used, a society can rationally expect to buy solutions today that can grow with their business needs without the constant need to revise the solutions. Architectures based on open systems standards can be implemented throughout the world, as global systems become the norm for large organizations. While a supportable common platform on a global scale is far from standardized, it certainly is becoming much easier to accomplish. From the desktop, enterprise-wide applications are indistinguishable from workgroup and personal applications. Powerful enabling technologies with built-in conformance to open systems standards are evolving rapidly. Examples include object-oriented development, relational and object-oriented databases, multimedia, imaging, expert systems, geographic information systems, voice recognition and voice response, and text management. These technologies provide the opportunity to integrate their generic potential—with the particular necessities of a business—to create a cost-effective and personalized business solution. The client/server model provides the ideal platform with which to integrate these enabling technologies. Well-defined interface standards enable integration of products from several vendors to provide the right application solution. Enterprise systems are those that create and provide a shared information resource for the entire corporation. They do not imply centralized development and control, but they do treat information and technology as corporate resources. Enterprise network management requires all devices and applications in the enterprise computing environment to be visible and managed. This remains a major challenge as organizations move to distributed processing. Standards are defined and are being implemented within the client/server model. Client/server applications give greater viability to worker empowerment in a distributed organization than do today’s host-centered environments.
Prospects are accessible to society and populace who are equipped and capable to compete in the global market and there is no denying the fact that a competitive global economy will ensure obsolescence and obscurity to those who cannot or are unwilling to compete. All organizations must look for ways to demonstrate value. We are in conclusion bearing in mind that an enthusiasm has to rethink upon existing managerial structures and commerce in putting into practice. Organizations are aggressively downsizing even as they try to aggressively expand their revenue base. There is more willingness to continue improvement practices and programs to eliminate redundancy and increase effectiveness. Organizations are becoming market-driven while remaining true to their business vision. To be competitive in a global economy, organizations in developed economies must employ technology to gain the efficiencies necessary to offset their higher labor costs. Reengineering the business process to provide information and decision-making support at points of customer contact reduces the need for layers of decision-making management, improves responsiveness, and enhances customer service. Empowerment means that knowledge and responsibility are available to the employee at the point of customer contact. Empowerment will ensure that product and service problems and opportunities are identified and finalized. Client/server computing is the most effective source for the tools that empower employees with authority and responsibility. The following are some key drivers in organizational philosophy, policies, and practices. Competitiveness is forcing organizations to find new ways to manage their business, despite fewer personnel, more outsourcing, a market-driven orientation, and rapid product obsolescence. Technology can be the enabler of organizational nimbleness. To survive and prosper in a world where trade barriers are being eliminated, organizations must look for partnerships and processes that are not restrained by artificial borders. Quality, cost, product differentiation, and service are the new marketing priorities. Our information systems must support these priorities.
Contesting demands that information systems organizations justify their costs and it is evident that business are in the way to question the return on their existing investments and as such Centralized IS an operation in particular are under the microscope. Manufactured goods obsolescence has never been so vital a factor. Purchasers have more options and are more demanding. Technology must enable organizations to anticipate demand and meet it. Quality and flexibility require decisions to be made by individuals who are in touch with the customer. Many organizations are eliminating layers of middle management. Technology must provide the necessary information and support to this new structure. If a business is run from its distributed locations, the technology supporting these units must be as reliable as the existing central systems. Technology for remote management of the distributed technology is essential in order to use scarce expertise appropriately and to reduce costs. Each individual must have access to all information he or she has a “need and right” to access, without regard to where it is collected, determined, or located. We can use technology today to provide this “single-system image” of information at the desk, whatever the technology used to create it. Standardization has introduced many new suppliers and has dramatically reduced costs. Competition is driving innovation. Organizations must use architectures that take advantage of cost-effective offerings as they appear. Desktop workstations now provide the power and mainframe capacity that mainframes did only a few years ago. The challenge is to effectively use this power and capacity to create solutions to real business problems. Downsizing and empowerment require that the workgroup have access to information and work collectively. Decisions are being made in the workplace, not in the head office. Standards and new technologies enable workstation users to access information and systems without regard to location. Remote network management enables experts to provide support and central, system-like reliability to distributed systems. However, distributed systems are not transparent. Data access across a network often has unpredictable result sets; therefore, performance on existing networks is often inadequate, requiring a retooling of the existing network infrastructure to support the new data access environment.
Standards enable many new vendors to enter the market. With a common platform target, every product has the entire marketplace as a potential customer. With the high rate of introduction of products, it is certain that organizations will have to deal with multiple vendors. Only through a commitment to standards-based technology will the heterogeneous multiple vendor environment effectively service the buyer. Workstation power, workgroup empowerment, preservation of existing investments, remote network management, and market-driven business are the forces creating the need for client/server computing. The technology is here; what is missing is the expertise to effectively apply it. Organizational pressures to demonstrate value apply as much to the information systems functions as to any other element or operating unit of the business. This is a special challenge because most IS organizations have not previously experienced strong financial constraints, nor have they been measured for success using the same business justification “yardstick” as other value-creating units within the business enterprise. IS has not been under the microscope to prove that the role it plays truly adds value to the overall organization. In today’s world, organizations that cannot

1, the state of special metal materials tantalum and niobium Engineering Research Center to start construction of a comprehensive August 8, 2005, the state of special metal materials tantalum and niobium Engineering Research Center for the opening ceremony! In Ningxia Orient Nonferrous Metals Group, was held. Ningxia Autonomous Region to Vice Chairman Zhang Wu, Science and Technology Department Director Liu Huan, Shizuishan City Acting Mayor Tian, as well as Ningxia Orient Nonferrous Metals Group Chairman He Jilin, inaugurated the center, marking the special state of Tantalum and Niobium Metal Material Engineering Technology Research Center building has already started.

National TantalumNiobium Special Metal Materials Engineering Research Center by the National Science and Technology approved the formation of the Chinese materials, tantalum and niobium metals beryllium areas and industrial areas in Ningxia Autonomous Region No. 1 National Engineering Research Center. Engineering Center of Ningxia Oriental Nonferrous Metal Group Company will be relying on marketoriented, focusing on breakthroughs in metal smelting and processing of special key technologies, continuous research, development and engineering achievements, to build platform for industry innovation to drive industrywide scientific and technological progress and new product development, to raise China’s specialty metals industry technology.

Ningxia Orient Nonferrous Metal Group Company is a research, production and technology development as one of national largescale enterprise group metals, in tantalum, niobium, beryllium and its alloys and specialty metals is strong in areas such as research and development capacity in the domestic same industry in the leading position in technology. Ningxia Orient TantalumNiobium Nonferrous Metals Group, the country will be special metal Material Engineering Technology Research Center set up as a turning point. The formation of the Engineering Center and the Group’s restructuring, resource optimization, combining full use of group 40 years and accumulated rich experience and preliminary scientific research and development of science and technology innovation platform built as far as integration of advantageous resources center construction works carried out in all members of the unit technical, research and development institutions and other resources, equipment, facilities and conditions for integration, and improve various facilities, to establish a rational engineering research environment for research and development and scientific research to provide a good environment and a strong guarantee, and strive to improve the overall technological innovation capability, so that the project the center into a tantalum, niobium, beryllium specialty metal smelting and processing technologies, and supporting the development of innovative equipment, the main results promote the use of an incubator of new technologies into the market and promoting China’s special metal materials technological progress and industrial upgrading .

2, Ningxia Orient Tantalum colored targeting the international market to open up new areas of application of niobium beryllium Commissioned by the State Science and Technology, Ningxia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Department recently held an expert on the northwest Ningxia Oriental Nonferrous Metal Group Companyowned Rare Metal Materials Research Institute “with niobium superconducting cavity plate production technology development” project was carried out onsite inspection. The project is a total investment of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars level for the hundreds of millions of electron volts of the world’s largest superconducting linear accelerator project will require superconducting niobium plate manufacturing process technology research and development be implemented. Superconducting linear accelerator project is a multicountry crossborder cooperation projects, built in Hamburg, Germany, total length of 33 km, engineering, need to consume about 500 tons of niobium sheet. The project is completed, it will greatly facilitate the physics, chemistry, materials science, environmental and earth sciences, structural biology and many other fields of scientific and technological progress to solve the nuclear waste disposal problem.

Experts believe that with the niobium superconducting cavity plate production technology research and development success, has opened up new applications of our areas of niobium material to fill gaps in the study of China so that China’s new materials, manufacturing techniques quickly with international practice. Through participation in international cooperation projects, so that the formation of tantalum powder in Ningxia, tantalum wire, tantalum and tantalum strip products, and superconducting materials such as tantalum a wide range of hightech products system, and full access to international markets, stabilize the country tantalum and niobium in the world top three position.

Through “with niobium superconducting cavity plate production technology development,” implementation of the project, the Northwest Rare Metal Materials Research Institute formed a stable performance superconducting niobium plate manufacturing process technology, impurity control, control of residual resistivity, grain size control, control of yield strength and hardness of control to achieve innovative results. In the manufacturing technology, product performance reached the international advanced level, to become the material basis for linear accelerator.

As a set of scientific research, production and technology development as one of the nation’s largest tantalum, niobium production base and the only scientific research and production base of berylliumNingxia Orient Nonferrous Metal Group Co., Ltd., based on independent innovation, to achieve the innovation and development.

In recent years, after a continuous selfdevelopment and technology research to develop a number of tracking international development, technology leadership to meet the needs of domestic and international market of new products to achieve a tantalum powder and tantalum wire of high grade and technological upgrading. Tantalum powder of its flagship product, the market has reached 70,000 hematocrit application level, hematocrit level of research to reach 15,000 or more into the international leading ranks. They developed new products, the semiconductor target with tantalum and niobium, nickel hydroxide, magnesium alloy and processing of special materials and so on, has become the promotion of economic growth in Ningxia, a new bright spot. The company has 14 national patents, 3 international patents. Last year, the Ministry of Science and formally approved Ningxia Orient Nonferrous Metal Group Co., Ltd. as “special statelevel TantalumNiobium Metal Material Engineering Technology Research Center” group also established a “demonstration base of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of international scientific cooperation.”

In recent years, they study, and research, focusing on innovation and team building for enterprise development to provide a strong technical support. They coorganized with the Nankai University, “lithium niobate crystal and device research and development of the Commonwealth” and the Beijing University of Science and Technology jointly launched a “Nanopowders Prepared by Homogeneous Reduction Research”, and Tsinghua University jointly launched a “Welding of Beryllium Research Laboratory , “has made substantial progress. While taking advantage of postdoctoral stations, the National Engineering Center, enterprise technology center platform with strong technical innovation to attract talented people to carry out joint research in the “stress of Beryllium study” and “beryllium deuteride and beryllium hydride preparation of technical studies,” etc. breakthroughs.

In addition, they light alloy with the Russian Academy of partnerships, the introduction of magnesium alloy melting and casting technology and some key equipment, through digestion and absorption of annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of magnesium alloy and processing of material production line. The “superconducting niobium cavity with the sheet production technology development” project was carried out with the German Electron Synchrotron Institute of the good cooperation the success of acceptance of this technology to enhance the technological level of China’s metal niobium and production capacity for our metal niobium and their processed material to enter the international market and lay a solid foundation of technology and market.

3, tantalum niobium new trend in the development of new materials, Rare Metal Materials technology is the new century, the field of materials science and engineering disciplines, one of the most attention is the hightech development of key materials, tantalum, niobium and new materials which play an important role. Modern hightech such as information technology, new energy technology, space technology, biotechnology, the development of superconducting technology, especially with the rare metal material is closely related to new materials, tantalum and niobium. Tantalum and niobium in hightech field of new materials, more and broader space for development, above all, tantalum and niobium capacitors to the highvolume areas of expansion; Second, the carbide cutting tool towards superhard, microfine sharp direction, the application market is expected to will remain steady climbing; again is a tantalum and niobium used in the aerospace industry, tantalum, niobiumbased alloys and other specialty alloys will continue to develop steadily.

In recent years, specialNb steel

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TECHNOLOGY MARKETING – P’s and Q’s

 

By

 

VIKRAM KARVE

 

 

 

The Law of the Hammer

“Give a child a hammer, and the child will use it on everything encountered.”

 

This is the law of the hammer and this seems to be the leitmotif of the technology marketing scene in the Indian context today. And, in many cases, this approach seems to be succeeding, at least in the short term.

 

The premise is that the customer is buying technology for technology’s sake, simply as a gimmick or to satisfy a perceived hedonistic need for novelty.

 

Addressing the human need for novelty is just one aspect of technology marketing, albeit an important one, and may yield rich dividends in the short term. However, a technological marketing strategy based solely on this approach is likely to be characterized by short market cycle, fast but unpredictable market penetration, and quick product obsolescence.

 

Success with high-tech products requires a confluence of technical understanding and marketing skills.

 

 

 

The P’s and Q’s of Marketing

Marketing is something which the producer or manufacturer has to do, or get done; it is not conferred on his product as if by right.

 

Marketing can be defined as “getting into the heads of your customers, identifying what they want, and giving it to them”.

 

Marketing, therefore, is addressing a need or a desire.

 

In the case of conventional products, the general need or desire is well known.

 

With new technological possibilities, the need or desire that is addressed is not always obvious. Therefore, in the care of new technology products, the technological marketer may have to take one step backwards to identify the fundamental role that his product can fulfill in the marketplace.

 

This fundamental approach can be modeled as “The P’s and Q’s of Marketing”.

 

The six P’s are: People, Product, Place, Price, Packaging, Promotion.

 

The three Q’s are: Quality, Quantity, Quickness.

 

The first step in technological marketing is to identify the role of technology in the new product, and hence how the PRODUCT relates to PEOPLE.

 

Technology can have four roles in new products. It can be the product itself, it can increase availability, can enhance distribution, and it can be present in the promotion.

 

•       The technology can be the Product itself. Technological inventions or innovations may lead to a revolutionary or exclusive which creates a dominant niche in the market [Examples: Mobile Phones (cell-phones), PC, Laptop, Walkman, Radial Tyre, Digital Technologies]

 

•       The technology can be in the Availability. A historical example is the gramophone record, which made available to the masses the virtuoso performance of the musical masters. People bought music. The technology is simply an enabling mechanism. Previously, the masses could have had access to some of the music only by attending live performances which was neither always feasible nor affordable. A more recent example Direct to Home (DTH) Television services. Thus, modern technologies make available desires that previously could not be met economically or practically.

 

•       The technology can be in the Distribution. For example, Internet has revolutionized the whole approach of marketing, banking [with instantaneous electronic transfer of money], with increasing online sales. Hence, it is imperative today that manufacturers design their marketing strategy keeping the Internet in mind.

 

•       The technology can be in the Promotion. The image of a traditional product can be subtly changed by the means of presenting it, using modern packaging and design technologies, combined with high-tech advertising, promotional, marketing and sales techniques.

 

 

The Q’s relate to the ways in which technology can transform the availability and distribution of products aimed at fulfilling existing human needs.

 

•       For example, in the Indian context, the advent of Japanese and Korean technology made possible greatly increased QUALITY of automobiles and two wheelers (motorcycle, scooters) and therefore has expanded the availability of efficient quality cars and two wheelers in the Indian Market. The same is the case with most consumer, entertainment and household items. The technological marketer can often identify an existing need or desire for quality goods, and use technology to develop a quality product for this wider market.

 

•       The QUANTITY of attractive jewelry has been expanded with technological developments in the production of diamond simulants like cubic zirconia. Other examples include Digital Storage Technologies, Digital Quartz Watches, Automation Technologies, Agriculture, Dairy and Food Processing Technologies. Technology can often make possible products for that mass market that emulate up-market consumption without threatening the elite market place.

 

•       Today, satellite technology allows sports events to be simultaneously observed on television throughout the world; in fact, it facilitates instantaneous worldwide video, telephone, or data transmission, which evidence the way in which technology can improve QUICKNESS. At first, messages could be transmitted and received by the postal service (transportation technology), then telegram (telecommunication technology) and now Satellite and Information and Communication technologies [ICT] have made the communication process instantaneous [real-time].  Microwave Ovens are another example of how technology can improve QUICKNESS.

 

 

 

A Model for Technological Marketing

Technological Marketing focuses on inducing substitution, or seducing the buyer to purchase the new product or service.

 

However, it would be wise to remember that seductive propositions can cause unplanned babies. In the technological marketplace unplanned babies take the form of unexpected outcomes that offer new and potentially exciting product and service opportunities.

 

“Unplanned Babies” come out of using technology to ‘modernize’ something that has a well-established place in everyday life. One very common example is the use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). The original idea was that machines would carry out the age-old cash dispensing function more efficiently [The initial aim of the ATM was to use new technology to automate an old function carried out manually by bank tellers – cash dispensing].

 

A new way of doing things is always subtly different from what has been done before.

 

ATMs changed two things – where the cash was available, and when. These two aspects caused a fundamental change in the utility of the service received by customers. For the first time they could get cash 24/7 round the clock, off working hours, and away from bank premises. This indeed was a major new bank service. The customers were so delighted, demanded more and more and the banks were totally taken a back – they had not foreseen that automated cash dispensing machines could in fact produce a new service and they kept on enhancing value-added-services to the ATMs.

 

ATMs are now seen to be more than mere cash dispensing machines. Customers use ATMs to recharge their mobile phone pre-paid connections, pay their utility bills, even mutual fund transactions – making them at par with flexibility given in internet banking – only more secure.

 

This is an example of a new technology used for the old purpose giving rise to a new market situation. Microprocessor technology, VLSI and Nano Technologies are other examples of unexpected multi-dimensional changes leading to a large range of new products embodying multifarious market desires.

 

The progressive marketer stands back, looks at such a situation from a distance and reappraises it objectively, since it gives him the opportunity to get a much deeper understanding of the real needs and desires of the market-place.

 

In a nutshell, technology marketing comprises analyzing existing market demands, addressing these existing demands through technology, reappraising and redefining market needs and desires in the light of response to new technology, and accordingly fine tuning products for the developing market-place.

 

 

 

VIKRAM KARVE

 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Introduction

Myths around educational technologies are to be found in any higher education institution.  These myths are perpetuated among administrators, academic staff and students.

The incorporation of educational technologies requires a strategic plan that envisions educational technology as integral to curriculum development.  In many aspects educational technologies are underutilised and need to become better integrated with the curriculum if students are to be better prepared for the workplace.  All higher education institutions do have a strategic plan, or maybe, should have a strategic plan, for technology integration, but to which degree are the administrators incorporating the academic staff in the planning and strategizing phases?

Lecturers are the key to effective incorporation of educational technologies, not support services like the IT department and development services, although all these parties play a vital and irreplaceable role in the whole planning process.  There is concern over the lecturers’ involvement because of all the myths that are perpetuated among these staff members.

The great promise of educational technology is that it can improve student achievement, motivation, critical thinking and cooperation, but lecturers need to improve their own educational technology literacy levels and need to learn how to adapt their classroom teaching styles and extend their instructional strategies to include greater use of educational technologies.

Educational technology is not an end in itself.  The high costs of technology require a justification for technology planning that is visionary and comprehensive.  A successful educational technology plan must also focus on improving learning and communication.  This necessitates the continuous allocation of resources to equipment and software upgrades; a commitment to ongoing lecturer training by the Instructional Designers and Curriculum Practitioners; and a desire to provide access to global resources.

Unfortunately, because of the complexity of technology and the rapid changes, the use of educational technology can be misguided by myths fostered by a lack of knowledge.  Has the institution’s development and support services made the academic staff knowledgeable about technology integration in the university classroom?

Dichotomies, Advantages and Barriers

Research exposes some of these myths, but more importantly, points back to the fact that lecturers and students have myth busting attitudes.  All of these myths can create potential dichotomies between lecturers and students, lecturers and the higher education institution, lectures and the higher educations’ support services, and between educational technology and curriculum.

These myths alert one to the risks of the use of educational technology in student success, but potentially also undermine a student-centred focus.  A student-centred and learning-centred perspective can bust some of these myths and create an attitude of going back to the future in the face of barriers to learning in higher education institutions.  It is best to investigate these myths under the headings of technology planning, professional development, and technology utilisation.

Technology planning

Some higher education institutions have technology plans in place that provide the flexibility needed to respond to changing needs and equipment.  Others have plans that are never used or their plans are so restrictive that they defeat their purpose.  The question that every higher education institution must ask is: “Is our technology plan flexible or is it restrictive that it defeats the purpose of educational technology integration?”

Myth 1: technology planning is useless because educational technology changes rapidly

The fact is that many plans fail because of a lack of strategic planning.  Higher education institutions might attempt to be too specific about hardware and fail to consider in depth how educational technologies can benefit teaching and learning.

Myth 2: the development and support staff (i.e. IT, ICT, Instructional Designers, Curriculum Practitioners) should design the technology plan

The fact is that technology by nature is complicated.  Increased specialisation among professionals forces them to cooperate and to plan under complex conditions.  Therefore, decision makers must rely on input from administrators, librarians, administrators, support staff, curriculum designers and practitioners, Instructional Designers and IT specialists.

Myth 3: higher education institutions should buy what the workplace is using

The fact is, given the rate at which technology changes, purchases made today are not what students will be using in the workplace in 1 or 5 years time. When planning and strategizing the powers to be mustn’t be overly concerned about what platform and software to purchase, but to rather ask the question: “How will educational technology be used and with what impact?”  If the priority is for students to learn more effectively subject-specific content, via educational technology, then software should be chosen that accomplishes that goal and equipment purchased that runs that software.

The technology planning committee should also consider the longevity of a type of software.  They should also consider the amount and type of technical support that is provided with equipment warranties.   More expensive, high-quality equipment that includes competent technical support and fast on-site repairs will save time and money over less expensive equipment that lacks the level of support.

Myth 4: educational technology means computers

The fact is that higher education institutions need to consider how to incorporate the many varied forms of educational technologies.  Various educational technologies are available to higher education institutions. Examples include audio CDs, data CDs and DVDs, bulletin boards, posters, photos, radio, PowerPoint slides, telephones, mobile phones and other mobile technologies, television, integrated Learning Management Systems, Internet, computer-based tutorials, computer-based and paper-based drills, role-play and simulations, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, social networks like Facebook and Twitter, Audio and Video Conferencing, voicemail, and screen capturing software like Camtasia, etc.

The focus must be on the information that educational technologies enable students and lecturers to access, and on the connections that will support that information’s flow.

Myth 5: do not invest a lot of money in computer labs because it will be obsolete shortly

The fact is, just because new hardware models and educational software arrive on the market weeks after equipment were ordered does not mean that a purchase cannot meet learning needs and accomplish desired objectives for years to come.  Educational needs should dictate the extent to which technology is replaced, and not the other way around.  Higher education institutions need to consider how they can repurpose older equipment.  There are ways of integrating the use of both old and new educational technologies.  The technology plan should include ways and means of utilizing both.

Myth 6: complete the technology plan, build computer labs, then reallocate the funds

The fact is that a good technology plan will consider that educational technology use may and will increase over time as lecturers and students become more comfortable with and knowledgeable about educational technology. The technology plan will also recognise that the ongoing use of educational technology necessitates upgrading hardware, software and skills, planning for repairs and maintenance, and investing in telecommunications access.  This is an absolute requirement of the information age.  To ensure funding for long-term maintenance and growth, the strategic plan must integrate the workplace needs with curriculum goals.  So, the funds should/must not be reallocated to other projects!  Are higher education institutions guilty of such practices?

Professional development

Lectures are the key to effective and efficient educational technology utilisation, and not so much the Instructional Designer or the curriculum practitioner, although they also play a very important role.  It is safe to say when educational technology is available it is frequently used with styles of teaching that fail to maximise its full potential.  This could be the result of inability, improper training, technophobia, or a lack of practice using alternative teaching strategies.  Therefore, adequate professional development is needed if educational technology is to help higher education institutions improve learning.

Myth 7: lecturers don’t take advantage of training opportunities

The fact is that some lecturers are technophobic, afraid to try to use educational technology with their students, due to a lack of exposure or to prior bad experiences.  To help overcome resistance, professional development efforts can start by concentrating on those areas that make the lecturers’ job easier, more efficient, or more effective and should address the needs and concerns of the lecturers and the students.

 The timing of professional development activities, training opportunities and workshops should also be carefully coordinated.  Too frequently, there is a long time lag between training and the opportunity to use what was learned.  Equipment may be installed weeks after training is conducted, or vice versa.  Lecturers become discouraged by the delay.  This might be detrimental to a higher education institution’s effective use of educational technologies.

Furthermore, training needs vary among lecturers according to their skills and

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As news of a weakened economy continues to saturate the media and bombard business owners with negative messages, one company has found a creative way of adapting its services to fit within the current economic conditions and help businesses succeed.    

Miles Technologies, a provider of business technology solutions, has created Monthly Budget Plans that allow customers to budget their technology-related expenses without having to commit to a long term contractual agreement. 

According to Chris Miles, Chief Executive Officer of Miles Technologies, the company’s Monthly Budget Plans integrate separate services into one managed services package.  In a single plan a customer can select business services that include IT Help Desk & Support, Business Software Support, Website Updates, and Online Marketing and Public Relations, as well as strategic consulting for all services. 

Miles says that the Monthly Budget Plans were developed as a way to help customers continue productive business operations within the unsteady economic conditions by making managed services more cost effective.

“The Monthly Budget Plans were specifically designed with flexibility in mind,” explains Miles.  “Most managed services providers require that customers sign a contract committing them to a certain monthly fee with a two to three year contract term.  They lock in the customer which lowers the need to provide exceptional service in order to retain the customer. We’re different in that we do not require any specified length to the contract and they can cancel at any time. This way, the customer is using our services because we add value and not because of a contract term. We also allow for month-to-month flexibility in the plans in terms of both the level of services provided and the costs for those services.”

To further ensure the practicality of its monthly budget plans, Miles Technologies offers a one hour guaranteed response time for all budget plan customers 24 hours a day and seven days a week.  In addition, customers may roll over any unused monthly budget time from month to month.  

“We customize each budget plan in order to empower our customers with the best technology available for their businesses,” says Miles.  “These plans are meant to provide a complete realm of services, from supporting a custom software application to identifying and resolving network issues before they result in downtime.” 

According to Miles, the costs of outsourced IT services are easily justified when compared with the costs of a full time IT staff or the costs of unnecessary system downtime.  He emphasizes that the predictability of the newly developed Monthly Budget Plans make the services especially realistic in the current economy. 

Miles reports that the Monthly Budget Plans have been met with significant enthusiasm from customers.  “Our main goal is to exhaust all possible options for helping our customers thrive in these conditions,” Miles says.  “We are looking out for their businesses and trying to help them understand technology’s full potential so that they can make the best business decisions possible.  In short, if our customers succeed, then we have succeeded.”

T – Training

TOPS Technologies is a Technology Training, Outsourcing and Placement Company, offering a wide array of solutions customized for a range of key verticals and horizontals in the Software Technologies segment. From customized corporate training in .Net, PHP, Java, Software Testing, and Soft-skills to Live Project Training for the implementation of the right tools for enterprise wide planning, software development and Testing, TOPS service portfolio encompasses the entire range of solutions required by the IT industry. Our training methodology in ASP.Net, PHP, Java, and Software Testing (Manual, QTP, Loadrunner, Winrunner, Selenium) includes intensive theory and live project training for all students. We also offer placement services to fresher and experienced professionals in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat and Rajkot. We have offices in Chicago, Ahmedabad and Baroda (Vadodara), Rajkot and Surat Gujarat. We get students from all Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, Baroda, Dahod, Udaipur (Rajasthan), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Indore (Madhya Pradesh).

O – Outsourcing

We are an information technology services company that leverages deep industry and functional expertise, leading technology practices, and an advanced, global delivery model to help clients transform their highest-value business processes and improve their business performance. TOPS defines, designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions that help Global companies win in an ever-competitive world. TOPS provides a complete range of services by leveraging our domain and business expertise and strategic alliances with leading technology providers. The company’s professionals excel in enterprise solutions, supply chain management, client relationship management, business intelligence, business process quality, engineering and product life cycle management, and infrastructure services, among other key capabilities.

P – Placement

You can count on TOPS Technologies for software professional you might need. We always have .Net, PHP, Java, Software testing, SEO and Web Designing professionals waiting for their next job. From .Net, Java, PHP, Testing SEO and Web Design freshers to experienced professionals we can provide all at reasonable rates. Whether you need additional support for a week or for a year, we understand you need more than someone who simply has the software development ability to get the job done.

S – Services

TOPS takes over the support, maintenance, enhancement and evolution of your entire application portfolio, in addition to delivery of some or all infrastructure functions.

The four most important renewable energy technologies – solar, wind, hydrogen and biomass have lots to offer. Wind power is seen as having the maximum potential in terms of development and investment. It has generated interest in the governments and people because if its cost-effectiveness in producing electricity. Some of the countries which are embracing wind power on a huge level are Spain, Germany, India, America and China. The renewable energy sources are replenish-able and will never run out. The maximum amount of renewable energy comes from sun and the solar energy can be directly used for heating and lighting the houses and even business premises.

Did you know that sun is also responsible for varying patterns of wind, which is then captured by the wind turbine? In present scenario where pollution is at its peak and we are breathing polluted air along with coping with the global warming effects, using renewable energy technology is important as not only it has environmental benefits, it also saves you tons of money.

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If you want a detailed plan you can go on the Internet and get one. There are many manuals which have these instructions. Buy that manual which gives clear instructions.