Enhancing the Patient Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Enhancing the Patient Experience - Essay Example Specifically, the patient journey and challenges incorporated the actual healthcare experiences with the textbook knowledge. The experience adds a new aspect to nursing care learning. The new knowledge delves into the importance of â€Å"person-centred care† (http:learn2.open.ac.uk 2012). Further, the journey experiences convince the nurse that learning includes gathering inputs from the healthcare environment (http:learn2.open.ac.uk 2012). The inputs include the patients’ inputs. The healthcare environment indicates that the patients have different culture-based inputs. The nurse compares the patients’ inputs with current medical databases. Tiago (2011, p. 268) reiterated â€Å"With the synergies and differences between the different theories and models that analyze and predict the acceptance of technology, its explanation identifies the advantages and disadvantages associated with them as well as a clear identification of variables that interpret end-user moti vation to accept IT/† Tiago (2011, p. 268) that a research of 43 Portugal medical doctors used the Electronic Medical Database system for their diagnosis and prescription activities. The doctors have different specializations. Consequently, the doctors tailor their database on their medical expertise. For example, the oncology expert keeps a cancer-related database Furthermore, the experience lessons persuade the nurse to search for references that will ensure positive outcomes from the patient-centred healthcare approach (http:learn2.open.ac.uk 2008). Positive output includes client’s receiving significant psychological benefits. Ella Stiles (2011, p. 35) theorised â€Å"To achieve best outcomes, patients must have a good understanding of the condition and should adopt a vigilant self-care approach. However, this may be difficult for patients with low health literacy because they may struggle with obtaining, understanding and applying health information.† The nu rses must encourage the patients to do their share in the healing process. The nurses cannot fully implement the healing process without the patients’ voluntary implementation of the medical doctor’s prescriptions. For example, the nurses should persuade the hypertensive patients to avoid fatty foods because fatty foods trigger the hypertension attacks. In addition, the positive outputs of the patient journey learning experiences include the nurses’ gaining psychological advantages from the patient-centred hospital experiences. Arturo (Bustamante, 2011, p 1921) states â€Å"physicians with 50 percent or more Latino patients were more likely than the reference group to report inadequate time with patients, patients' inability to pay, the lack of qualified specialists in their areas, not getting timely reports from other physicians, difficulties communicating with patients, and patient noncompliance with treatment.† ‘ The quote clearly shows that the language barrier reduces the implementation of a favorable communication between the Spanish-speaking Latinos and the English-speaking healthcare professionals. The research indicated that medical professionals serving more than 50 percent Latino patients’ medical needs had lesser confidence in their ability to communicate with the Latino patients, reducing the required healthcare quality service. Further, the patient journey experiences enrich the nurses’ knowledge that the healthcare practitioners, especially the nurses, must

Case study ( Examining Students Learning Development )

( Examining Students Learning Development ) - Case Study Example This helps the instructor plan for the activities in the lesson and the form of assessment that he will use to gauge the student understanding (Vinson, 2015). The domain chosen here was the science domain in the broad academic domain. Different children have different qualities and abilities. The term exceptional or special, therefore, covers both of the two groups and is a huge factor in teaching planning (Heward, 2006). It is unavoidable that in the process of teaching every instructor has the chance of working with some exceptional or low ability students or students with special needs. There is a need to provide for a package designed for these diverse students. Different characteristics of students with extraordinary needs and characteristics that influenced my planning included a child with dyslexia, who had difficulty in acquiring the literacy skills and felt abused by the other students due to her inability to learn. The result was that she felt demoralized and unable to participate in class since she felt intimidated by the others. The other student who influenced my planning was a child with Downs syndrome. Children with Downs syndrome usually take longer to learn in class and introduction of new concepts need to be done in steps. This child with Downs syndrome had difficulties in expressing himself verbally, which was also a necessary aspect to look at in planning my class. In teaching my science lesson, I chose an afternoon where we could have a long session in the lab. The lab was a necessary resource. The main reason for choosing this reaching context is its relevance in teaching science. In this context, I divided my students into groups. The student with Downs syndrome and the student with dyslexia were also grouped. The other reason for my choice of teaching context was the ease of using charts and hands-on learning in the lab compared to the class environment. The lab also

Going Digital With Email Marketing Marketing Essay

Going Digital With Email Marketing Marketing Essay Nothing has affected our society over the past two decades more than the continued development of computing technology and the internet. Internet-based tools such as websites, social media, e-commerce, and email touch our everyday lives in some way, both personally and professionally. As a result, the business community has recognized the reach of the internet throughout the world and is aggressively seeking ways to harness the power for greater financial gain more than ever. Despite the rapid enhancements of internet-based business, email remains a consistent element of marketing campaigns and is considered the most mature of the web-based marketing platforms. The possibilities and effectiveness of email are limitless when reviewing these 2009 email statistics posted by Pingdom.com (http://royal.pingdom.com). With over 1.4 billion email users worldwide, firms have the ability to expand and target potential customers globally. The significant factor about this medium is that it continues to grow. Joe Soltis (2007), with Fathom SEO, stated that email has shown a 14.6% growth rate from 2002 to 2007. Pingdom.com (http://royal.pingdom.com) expounds on the growth statistics by saying that the number of email users grew by 100 million from 2008 to 2009. Although email has been around since the earliest days of the internet, it continues to hold value and relevance in the marketplace. The prospect of growth and market reach is only one advantage of an email marketing program. Transitioning your collateral from the traditional printed piece to an electronic format distributed via email can produce cost savings of 50% or more. One of the most important aspects of an email campaign is your ability to measure the deliverability and response of each individual as well as their actions, also known as conversions, within your media. By analyzing your readers actions, you have the ability to refine your email approach and provide your reader with more relevant and diverse forms of content in a fast and timely fashion that print cannot replicate. The ease in which email can engage a readers response only solidifies this creation of a mutually beneficial relationship between the firm and client. What firm would not be thrilled to have a mutually engaging relationship with their client? Providing timely and relevant content to your readership comes with quite a few challenges. Managing a recipient database with accurate information while attempting to expound on the various demographic traits recorded for each recipient requires technical and marketing expertise. Evaluating responsiveness and website traffic is a continuous process that will challenge the discipline of any firm. Creating a mindset of a willingness to change at a moments notice can be difficult and affect the morale of your employees. Developing a content tagging, labeling the content type or subject, storage, and retrieval system is crucial to providing personalized, unique content to a reader. Once entering the digital world, a firm must stay apprised of the latest technology and trends, which change frequently. These changes could negatively affect your marketing campaign if you fail to identify and alter your plan accordingly. Once a decision has been made to implement email marketing into your campaign, the search begins for an Email Service Provider (ESP). A key element in the success of an email marketing campaign is finding an ESP with proper electronic storage file for customer information. A database is used to store customer information ranging from name and address to method of contact preference and special interests. Many ESPs on the market offer similar capabilities. Ranked by Pivotal Velocity as an industry leader in deliverability, iContact offers 250 templates, 500kb image hosting, unlimited email lists, autoresponder and blogging for a minimum $9.95 per month, while Bronto offers 148 templates, 10mb image hosting, limited email lists and responders and blogging for $100.00 per month (http://www.icontact.com). There are also free database management downloads for those that prefer to maintain the database themselves. Databases and servers are nearly synonymous in that you will need to confirm that the database program you have chosen is compatible with your server. While Microsofts SQL Server is the most recognizable, other types of servers such as Oracle, IBM, and Pervasive will perform most of the same functions and to nearly the same capacities (Rzero, 1999-2008). Depending on the type of data you are trying to secure and what operating system you are currently running, you will want to determine which server is the right fit for your business. In addition to a powerful database, you want flexibility of design from your ESP. Depending upon your internal resources, ESPs offer design modules that provide standardized templates for firms with limited creative resources. Companies with design expertise on staff should have the flexibility to customize their design, within the system, to fit their goal of providing unique and dynamic (changing) content. The system should be able to handle all types of media like audio, video, and animation giving the opportunity to offer value beyond a printed piece. Despite limited resources in the beginning, it is advisable to partner with an ESP poised to handle growth as your firm evolves and adds resources to provide one to one marketing. Providing unique and relevant content would not be possible without the proper analytic and metric reporting needed to identify specific demographic content. The process of identifying demographics and providing content relevant to that demographic is called segmentation. This concept is the basis of all internet-based marketing due to the extensive trackability available on all users. The latest mobile devices are centered around this ability to segment an audience and provide specific content relative to each segment. Starting an email campaign begins with acquiring an accurate list of recipients. Most companies already have a database of their current customers, which can serve as a foundation for the event. Understanding that marketing campaigns usually attempt to gain audience share, it is important to add potential subscribers from your prospect lists created from your companies diverse marketing efforts. Begin by verifying the information in your current list is accurate. Companies like Freshaddress will analyze your data and compare it with their and their partners databases to check for raw matches. They obtain secure permission statements from your customers then re-analyze the data and return the list to you with the most current and reliable information available (http://biz.freshaddress.com). Should a customer list or prospect database not exist, the options of purchasing a list from a list management company or building your own are available. When purchasing a list, be sure to read the fine print. Many list providers cross- reference or sell their lists to others. If your business involves sensitive customer information and nondisclosure agreements are in place, you may want to consider compiling your own data. Building your own will require creativity and resourcefulness. One option would be to set up a quality opt in website that will capture data from every customer or potential customer that enters the site, offer possible prizes for referring a friend or host a focus group and capture relevant information from the attendees. Once an accurate database of customers and leads are in place, the segmentation tools provided by the ESP can be utilized. Analyze the demographic information for common denominators leading into a particular category of product or service provided by the firm. Focus your efforts on identifying the groups who would view your content as relevant. This will allow you to build rapport with your customers and prospects, which might inspire them to confirm membership and return to your site. If a customer is a single mother, offer advice, information or coupons that will peak their interest. If the customer is a senior citizen, offer information about retreats, retirement, and vacation homes. Strive to provide information about your business, products, and services that is relevant and interesting to your readership. Your ultimate goal is to engage with your reader in hopes of drawing them back to your site for purchase or use of your service and goods. As you continue to build and grow your database, website maintenance and regular updates are critical. Customers want to be informed and previously read or outdated information will deter them from returning. Keep your customers engaged by items that can only be accessed through your site such as animation, video, web-only reports or articles, and links. Offering access to these value-added elements in exchange for traits or trends provided by the reader is an excellent way to acquire additional information about the reader. With information acquired over time, the degree of segmentation capability grows making your relationship stronger. With 247 billion emails sent in 2009 and 81% of those identified as spam, which is unsolicited email, the design and content of your email is crucial as you want to be identified as a requested, relevant message (Publishers Playbook, 2010). Two specific items that will separate you from the spammers would be to offer a double opt-out option and maintain a proper balance of sending emails and not sending emails. If you overwhelm the recipients with numerous messages, you run risk of being an annoyance and alienating them. The double opt-out option gives the reader the opportunity to acknowledge and confirm their request for your information. This insures that the initial opt-in was intended while also protecting your sender ratings, which trend downward with extensive amounts of opt-outs. In addition, you are legally obligated to offer readers the opportunity to opt-out. If that option is not provided within your email, you could be penalized up to $16,000.00 for non-compliance to the CAN-SPAM Act which regulates commercial email activity in the U.S. Giving two options to unsubscribe protects the firm legally helps insure the efforts are not going to waste (http://www.ftc.gov, 2010). The renderability of emails is a crucial aspect in the design process. With numerous browsers, operating systems, and equipment capabilities, emails produced in HyperText Markup Language, also known as HTML, have the greatest success of being functional across all internet related platforms. HTML also provides extensive flexibility of design by supporting all internet related mediums such as video, animation, or audio. Having the ability to apply HTML code provides you endless opportunities to customize every email effort you produce. Not unlike any other marketing product, the design and content of the email must grab the readers attention and encourage their interaction. Make sure you store the content on your company website and let an alluring email provide the link for the recipient. Once the reader is on your website, they have full access to all of your information, which gives you a better opportunity to spark a continued, interactive relationship. Make sure the email provides links to information that can only be obtained via a link to your website. This is your opportunity to offer content in ways that a magazine, newspaper, and even television cannot offer. There are numerous ways to draw engagement as long as the method offers some form of value to the recipient. However, the value of your email does not have to be centered on the reader relationship. You have the ability to market your communications to others who would benefit from being in touch with the same people. A specific product vendor may be willing to pay you to promote their product video through your email campaign. Maybe that famous industry expert would like to promote their new book by posting a book trailer in your message. Numerous revenue opportunities exist if you review and compare your demographic attributes to your vendor or service providers. Analyzing the results of the email campaign, enhances your ability to add value to your customer relationship as well as provide further revenue gaining opportunities. Business has always been about identifying the needs of the public and offering a product or service to fill that need. Email marketing provides firms with the ability to look deeper into the lives and needs of their clients by monitoring their engagement levels. Through your ESP and web site analytics, you can verify, by recipient, if they opened the email, clicked beyond the email, identify where they clicked, determine the content of where they visited which implies their interest in that topic. For example, if you are an auto parts supplier and you just emailed a newsletter link to Joe Smith. Joe opened the email and clicked through to the newsletter hosted on your company website. You can see that Joe was interested in your newsletter article regarding the restoration 1960s model muscle cars. After reading the new sletter article on your website, Joe searched your parts database for a door handle on a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. Take this opportunity to provide Joe with information relative to restoring cars and more specifically, restoring late 1960s model Chevrolet Camaros that exists in a special muscle car restoration piece on your website. Now that you have identified with Joe Smith, Joe will be more likely to purchase products from you and support your advertisers by returning to the site giving advertisers greater exposure. Email marketing not only drives revenue through the message itself, but also has the ability to increase traffic on your website. The great thing about email versus a printed product is that emails can prove, statistically, the extent and habits of their readership. Advertisers base their ad dollar spending decisions on where they will receive the most exposure. Knowing that you cannot only identify the quantity of readers, but the habits of those readers as well, your ability to draw in ad revenue is strong. Through the analytic module on your ESP, an advertiser can receive feedback, by campaign, on the response to their advertisement based on open and click through rates to their website link within their ad. The statistical information available because of internet trackability is rapidly changing the advertising price model that has been in place for decades. The days of purchasing ad space in a piece for a predetermined amount of money is losing ground. Using the statistical information, software developers have already formed advertising networks. These networks provide ad placement services throughout various relevant web entities on behalf of the advertisers. Their goal is to advertise with sites that will offer the best opportunity to sell their goods or services. The networks use demographic and traffic information of the websites they use. The benefit to the advertiser is that they pay a fee per unique visitor, which allows them to pay for what serves to benefit their business. The model is comparable to what exists today with other media related sites which are based on a per view, hit, or click basis. This same model is also in the process of being replicated for all forms of c ontent beyond advertising. The internet continues to perpetuate significant change in the business community and our personal lives. Advancements in the mobile service and device arena are just a sign of what to expect in the near future. The combination of technology coupled with the advertising and content networks, our mobile devices are going to become our personal concierge. The pending change in internet-based marketing is going to be the advent of consumer generated marketing. This is where the consumer will have the opportunity to select the things that interest them and have those served directly to them. As tracking and segmentation capabilities expand, this content will become more personalized and unique than ever before. The growth of email use over the past decade indicates that email will remain a powerful means to deliver information. The ease of integration into various systems, networks, and media types helps us realize and understand the sustainability it has shown throughout the last two decades. With the rapid pace of change and advancement technologically, the best way to keep up with the internet world is to come aboard and grow with it. Otherwise, your firm will run the risk of falling far behind with no hope of catching up. The opportunity to market your business to the specific people and businesses in need of your services has never been better and will only improve with time. The advancement of internet trackability is a marketing specialists dream as they can maximize marketing dollars with optimum results. The tools are available, so why not harness the power and embrace going digital!

Essay --

On September 29, 2013 10.3 Million people tuned in to watch the final episode of Breaking Bad. The show was a huge success for AMC and grabbed million’s of people’s attention to the drug that the show was based around; Methamphetamine. Although Breaking Bad heavily influenced the popularity of Methamphetamine, it is not a new drug. However, Methamphetamine has become more potent in recent years due to technology and manufacturing that has become easier and more advanced. The origin of Methamphetamine comes from a drug called Amphetamine; which was first produced in 1887 in Germany. Later, Methamphetamine, which was easier to make and stronger than its predecessor, was created in Japan in 1919. Due to the crystalline powder being able to be soluble in water, injection of the drug became very popular in its early days. Methamphetamine first got put into huge use during World War II. Methamphetamine was used to keep troops from falling asleep, and was used by both sides of the war. A strange and depressing fact is that Methamphetamine was actually given to kamikaze pilots before their...

Traffic Jam in Dhaka City

EXAMINATION OF PROFITABILITY IN THE CONTEXT OF BANGLADESH BANKING INDUSTRY Nadim Jahangir', Shubhankar Shill2 and Md. Amlan Jahid Haque3 Abstract Loans are the riskiest asset of a bank, but these loans play a pivotal role in banks' profitability. Banks ‘profitability depends on the results of some parameters and among them Bank b Return on Equity, Market Size, Market Concentration Index, and Bank RiskMeasure are widely used and the same are investigated in the Bangladesh Banking Industry in this study for a period of the last six years. The data comes from the annual reports of individual banks listed in Dhaka StockExchange (DSE) and from the Bangladesh bankb published statistics book (Scheduled Banks Statistics). Correlation matrix and stepwise regression have been used for the purpose of data analysis. The analysisfinds that market concentration and bank b risk do little to explain bank b return on equity, whereas bankb market size is the only variable providing an explanatio n for banks return on equity in the context of Bangladesh. Introduction The tmhtional measure ofprofitabilitythrough stockholder's equity is quite different in banking industry ffom any other sector ofbusiness, where loan-to-deposit ratio works as a very good ndicator ofbanks' profitabiJity as it depicts the status of asset-liabilitymanagement ofbanks. But banks' risk is not only associated with this asset- liability management but also related to growth opportunity. Smooth growth insures higher future returns to holders and there lies the profitability which means not only current profits but future returns as well. So, market size and market concentration index along with return to equity and loan-to-deposit ratio seize the attention of analyzing the banks' profitability. The banking industry of Bangladesh is a mixed one comprising nationalized, private and foreign ommercial banks. Many efforts have been made to explain the performance of these banks. Understanding the performance ofbanks requires knowledge about the profitability and the relationshps between variables like market size, bank's risk and bank's market size with profitability. Indeed, the performance evaluation of commercial banks is especially important today because of the fierce competition. The banking (1) Dr. Nadim Jahangir (Associate Professor) holds a Ph. D. in Management from Australian Catholic University and now is teachmg in the Independent University of Bangladesh. (2) Shubhankar Shill (Lecturer) holds Master degree in Finance from Dhaka University (Bangladesh) and now is teaching in the School of Business, Independent University of Bangladesh. (3) Md. Arnlan Jahid Haque (Lecturer) holds a Master degree in Management from Rajshahi University (Bangladesh) and now is teaching in the School of Business, Independent University of Bangladesh. 36 ABAC Journal Vol. 27, No. 2 (May – August, 2007, pp. 36 – 46) Examination of PI .ofitability in the Context ofBangladesh Banking I ndusqr industry is experiencing major transition for the last two decades. It is becoming imperative for banks to endure the pressure arising from oth internal and external factors and prove to be profitable. Until early 1985, Bangladesh had a highlyrepressed financial sector (Chowhdury, 2002). Banks and other financial institutions were fully owned by the government. In the early part of 1980, Bangladesh entered into the IMF and World Bank adjustment programs and the process of privatization and liberalization gained momentum under the influence ofthe World Bank and the IMF. Since then the banking industry of Bangladesh has become an attractive ground for both domestic and foreign investors to take part in the game. It is of utmost importance that these layers prove themselves profitable. Andrews (1975) noted that it is essential to understand the strategies to achieve greater profitability. In line with this, the current study makes an effort to unearth those pillars which are maj or constituents of strategies and goals. This paper intends to analyze the importance of internal and external factors for banks return on equity. Specifically, the purpose of the study is to closely examine the relationships of bank's market concentration, market size, and bank's risk with return on equity. The intention is to decide which amongst the potential determinants appear to be mportant. Hassan, Khan, and Haque, (1 995) previously examined banks' profitability considering monetary affect and concentration in context of Bangladesh. However Fraser, Philips, and Rose (1974) stated that performance of commercial banks should not be measured by a single proxy but by a set of variables which are jointly determined by market structure, demand, and other factors. Therefore, the current study aims to propose and examine a framework incorporating bank's market concentration, bank's market size, bank's risk, and identify the relationships of these variables with bank's return on equi ty in context f Bangladesh. Literature Review Market Size Cravens (2000) elaborated that, market size is usually measured by currency, sales andlor unit sales for any product market and also in specified time period other size measurement include the number of buyers' average purchase quantity, frequency of purchase for any product oriented market. As a result the key measures of market size are market potential, sales forecast, and market share. In another study on banking reformation Thorsten and Ross (2002) measured the market size ofbanks against the GDP and to measure bank size, Thorsten and Ross (2002) used bank credit to he private sector as a share of GDP. Demirguc-Kunt and Maksimovic (2002) suggested that the extent to whichvarious financial, legal, and other factors (e. g. corruption) affect bank profitability is closely linked to size. In addition, as Short (1 979) argued, size is closely related to the capital adequacy of a bank since relatively banks tend to raise less expensive capital and, hence, appear more profitable. Luthria and Dhar (2005) defined market size as the scale of economic activity over which agents can contact. They tried to measure market size or space by national borders. Large space creates the potential or reaping economies of scale and the scope for specialization as well. It requires specific investments in physical and human capital, as well as marketing channels, constrained by slow- moving economic activity. Market Concentration The concentration aspect is particularly important for the transition economies and it has been very commonly used as the measurement of Nadim Jrrhangir. Shubhankar ShiN and 1Mn. Amlan Jahid Haque profitability ofbanlung industry. Atbanasoglou, Brissims, and Delis (2005) argue that banking systems are highly concentrated, with little separation between central and commercial banking ctivities in order to facilitate the banks' role in the planning process. Ahighly concentrated banking sector resul ts in market power for the banks. As opposed to perfect competition, banks having monopoly power would lead to an equilibrium characterized by higher loan costs and a smaller quantity of loanable hnds (Cetorelli & Gambera, 2001). According to Alzaidanin (2003) when a large share of the business of a given industry is controlled by few large firms or concentrated in a few pockets the situation is usually termed as a slate ofconcentration. However, Deidda and Fattouh (2002) showed theoretically as well as mpirically that the relationship between banking concentration and return on equity depended on the level of economic development. More specifically, banking concentration had an adverse impact on return on equity only in low income countries. For high income countries, there was no significant effect between the two variables. Additionally, Beck, Maksimovic, and Vojislav (2003) found that this effect is especially strong if a state has a weak legal system, high level ofcorruption an d a low level ofeconomic and financial development. Since these factors are true for at least some of the economies under consideration, ne would expect low banking concentration to foster return on equity. Bank Risk According to Allen (1 997), banks tend to focus on areas where they believe they have a comparative advantage to maximize efficiency in making loans. This approach makes banks give attention to geographic, industry specific demographics, and other market characteristics to operate. Calomiris and Karceski (1 998) noted that diversification and different levels ofriskyness is the result ofdifferences across banks in the scale oftheir operations. As economic conditions vary across different regions and industrial sectors, therefore ank riskyness and return on equity also vary across different regions. Gerlach, Peng, and Shu (2004) took a different approach in defining Banks' risk. Poor management qualities in inefficient institutions have a tendency to cany higher risk (cr edit risk, operating risk, & liquidity). The credit risk on any individual loan can be broken down into two components, the probability that the borrower will default, and the losses incurred in the event ofdefault. In an earlier study on asset quality of commercial banks Stafon (2000) found that bank return on equity driven mainly by changes in Net Interest Margins NIMs) and loan provision which in turn were determined by asset quality. However, Greusning and Bratanovic (2003) revealed that return on equity is a revealing indicator of a bank's competitive position in banking markets and of the quality of its management. The authors further elaborated that the income statement ofa bank is a key source of information on a bank's return on equity, reveals the sources ofa bank's earning and their quantity and quality as well as the quality of the bank's loan portfolio and the focus of its expenditures. Relationship between market concentration and banks ‘return on ecjuitv The mpi rical findings on the relationship between market concentration and return on equity are as diverse as the theoretical underpinnings. Parsley and Wei (1 985) found that young firrns in concentrated markets receive more credits than in competitive markets, with no difference for older firms, which results in a positive effect on return on equity. In contrast, Examination of Profitability in the Context of Bangladesh Banking Indust, Cetorelli and Gambera (2001) concluded that banking concentration leads to an overall depressing effect on return on equity. The authors suggest that increased competition (thus less oncentration) causes a rise in entrepreneurship and thus a higher rate of new firm creation. Very convincing is the recent work of Deidda and Fattouh (2002) showing theoretically as well as empirically that the relationship between banking concentration and return on equity depends on the level of economic development. More specifically, banking concentration has an adverse im pact on ROE only in low income countries. For hlgh income countries, there is no significant effect between the two variables. Therefore, the following hypothesis can be proposed: Hypotheis1 : There is a significant relationship between Bank's arket concentration and Bank's return on equity of commercial banks in Bangladesh. Relationship between market size and banks' return on equity Shepherd (1972) mentioned a positive relation between the market size and return on equity. Such a nature ofrelationship continues to receive a great deal of attention. Seedier and Gee (1 96 1) suggested that the variability ofthe growth rate ofbank assets declines with the market size. Demerguq- Kunt and Huizinga (2001) noted that growth ofmarket size, in contrast, is positively and significantly related to profit growth. Again by following the same path of Smirlock (1 985),Alzaidanin (2003) mentioned a positive and significant relationship between banks' size and banks' return on equity based on prod uct differentiations. Therefore, the following hypothesis can be proposed: Hypothesis 2: There is a significant relationship between Bank's market size and Bank's retum on equity of commercial banks in Bangladesh. Relationship between banks' risk and banks' return on equity Gizycki (2001) stated that even though return on equity is influenced by bank's credit risk, the relationship between the two is not straightforward. Movements in the retum on assets will reflect not just credit risk, ut the full range of risks, including bank's exposures to movements in interest rates and exchange rates, liquidity risk and operational risks. Moreover, banks return on equity reflects not just risk-taking, but also other factors such as the mix ofon and offbalance sheet business, operating efficiency, the level of competition within the banking market, and regulatory constraints. Banks earn higher returns by taking on riskier business, this will boost the return on equity. However, if a bank exper iences losses beyond what it had provisioned for, such losses will reduce return on equity. Bourke (1 989) reports hat the effect of credit risk on retum on equity appears clearlynegative. This result may be explained by taking into account the fact that the more financial institutions are exposed to high- risk loans, the higher is the accumulation ofunpaid loans, implying that these loan losses have produced lower returns to many commercial banks. Therefore, the following hypothesis can be proposed: Hypothesis 3: There is a significant relationship between Bank's risk and Bank's return on equity of commercial banks in Bangladesh. Conceptual framework It is proposed that bank's market concentration, bank's market size, and ank's risk are important in the context oftheir relationships with bank's return on equity. Based on the preceding literature review, the following framework was proposed. Nadim Jahangir, Shubhankar Shill and Md. Amlan Jahid Haque The conceptual Mework (figure 1) depicts sample size is trimmed down to 15 because of the measured variables and their relationships in inaccessibility of data. To run the analysis data the present study. fiom the year 2000 to 2005 data were used. Measures Methodology Research setting To calculate profitability of selected banks, the following ratios were used: Only the listed banks n the Dhaka Stock . Bank's return on equity (ROE) = Exchange were selected for this study. The Net Income / Total Equity researchers collected secondary data from the annual reports of these banks. Market size= Individual bank's deposit / Total banks' deposit Srrr~lpliilg nlethod Market Concentration index = Market size Currently the Dhaka Stock Exchange has 23 listed banks. Therefore, the researchers have . Bank Risk Measure = selected 23 banks in Bangladesh. However, the Bank's total loan / total deposit Bd's Market Concentration Bank's Market Size. B'd's Risk Bank's Return on Equity Figre1 : Conceptr~lFramework of proposed variables and their relationshps. Examination of Profitability in the Context of Bangladesh Banking Industry The relevant reasons and credentials behind the above measures ofprofitability ofbanks are as follows: According to Al-Shamrnari M. and Salirni A. (1 998) profitability ratio especially ROE signals the earning capability of the organization. They also suggest that higher return on equity (ROE) ratio is appreciable as it is the primary indicator ofbank's profitability and functional efficiency. Besides that the authors pointed out that higher liquidityratio pulls strength of peration up. Thus, fiom their view it can be stated that bank risk can be offset through lower loan-to-deposit ratio. For bank, the capital sufficiency is important to fiu-ther growth as well as profitability. Conversely, more loans derive higher credit risk, higher rate of nonperforming loans, and lower return on asset as well as equity. They provided a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to explore the financial position ofcommercial banks in Jordan. Therefore, ROE is used here to measure the profitabilitywhich is the most sought after measure among all. Philippatos andYildlrim (2007) recommended that the arket attractiveness and profitability has a positive relationship in the context of monopolistic banking business. Force of lending can pull up through increase efficiency of own capital and competency. However, earlier in 1977, Heggestad explained that if the individual bank has higher market share it is sure to enjoy monopoly which helps the bank to extend market concentration and reduce risk. The ultimate result is the increase ofreturn on equity (ROE). He also said that risk is a fimdamental factor in pulling up profit. But, market size diverts risk hm business and confirms smooth growth and secured ROE.

Charecteristics of Effective Team

TEAMWORK in Cooperative Extension Programs Home Go To Page†¦ Acknowledgements This booklet has been prepared as part of a national project on â€Å"Teamwork in Cooperative Extension Programs. † The project was conducted by the Division of Program and Staff Development, University of Wisconsin-Extension, under a grant from the ECOP 4-H Subcommittee's Standing Committee on Staff Development. As authors, we wish to express appreciation to those who have offered support and valuable insights by serving as consultants for the project-especially our colleagues in Wisconsin, Virginia and Iowa; graduate students-Deb Russler and Linda Parker; Dr.John Banning and Dr. Scott Soder. A special ‘thank you' is extended to the many Extension agents across the country who attended the Regional Association Presidents' Workshops, 1980. Their reactions to draft materials and suggestions for further project development were most encouraging and helpful. Terry L. Gibson Jeanne Moore E. J. Lueder September, 1980 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Gale L. VandeBerg, Director, in Cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts of Congress and provides equal opportunity in employment and training.Home Home Go To Page†¦ Introduction This booklet is intended specifically for use by County Extension professionals including secretarial staff, but is appropriate for all individuals interested in strengthening their Extension teamwork relationships (4-H committees, home economics committees, Agricultural Extension councils, advisory groups, area/state or national staff, etc. ). Although many examples of positive teamwork relationships can be identified, there is always an opportunity for staff to improve their understanding of and support for a teamwork approach to programming.This booklet is designed to do just that. It is our hope that ideas and activity suggestions prese nted will promote and/or strengthen positive attitudes on your part toward team efforts in Extension programming. This booklet attempts to answer the following questions about teamwork, as well as suggest numerous activities that will help you begin to assess your attitudes and working relationships. This is however, just a beginning. Actual development of your teamwork skills will require additional time and effort, so we leave that up to you!Teamwork †¦ What Are Your Beliefs and Attitudes? Team Building Opinionaire — Provides the reader with an opportunity to become aware of his/her own attitudes and beliefs about teamwork Teamwork †¦ Why? Rationale for a Team Approach — Describes the importance of and need for teamwork in Extension Teamwork †¦ What Is It? Dimensions of Involvement — Defines teamwork as a continuum of alternative relationships among Extension professionals Home Home Go To Page†¦ Teamwork . . . What Influences It?Variables I n the Current Extension Situation That Influence Teamwork EffortsIdentifies organizational and individual variables in brief outline form, as cited from interviews with selected Extension personnel Factors That Promote and Hinder Working Relationships — Lists factors which Extension personnel feel promote or hinder positive working relationships Teamwork †¦ Is It Effective? Attributes of Ideal Teamwork Relationships — Describes characteristics and skills necessary for effective team relationships Team Building and Working in Groups-Offers a series of questions to guide a group in organizing for teamworkTeamwork †¦ How Does It Develop? Stages of Team Development — Explains seven stages through which staff units pass as they become effectively functioning teams Teamwork †¦ How Does Your Team Rate? Team Assessment Too/ — Series of 35 statements to help a group assess its teamwork relationships in seven key areas Home Home Go To Page†¦ Tea mwork †¦. What Are Your Beliefs and Attitudes? Let's begin by considering the most important element of teamwork-how you feel about it! Teamwork depends not only on your skills, but on your attitudes as well.Completing the following Team Building Opinionaire should help you become more aware of your own thoughts before looking at other ideas presented in this booklet. Team Building Opinionaire Instructions: Read each statement once. Indicate whether you agree (+) or disagree (-) with it. It should take you no more than 5- 10 minutes to complete this exercise. There are no right or wrong answers. If you wish, share and compare your answers with other team members. Try to arrive at a consensus with them on each statement. You may change the wording to aid such agreement, if you desire.Such an activity may initiate a â€Å"lively† discussion and help your team become openly aware of individual members' beliefs and attitudes. 1. Teamwork stifles creativity and individuality. 2. Members should be required to attend meetings to set team goals and discuss team problems. 3. Personal goals can be accomplished through teamwork. 4. It is sometimes necessary to ignore the feelings of others in order to reach a team decision. 5. In teamwork, conflict should always be avoided. 6. A silent member of the group is not interested in working as a team. 7. The person in the group with the highest status in the rganization should always take the leadership role. 8. In teamwork, it is important and necessary to allow time for discussion and agreement on operating procedures. 9. Every team member has a contribution to make toward the group task. 5 Home Home Go To Page†¦ 10. In teamwork, â€Å"majority rule† applies. 11. Teamwork always involves working toward a common goal. 12. A good team member provides emotional support to all other members. 13. Every team needs a leader/coordinator. 14. Teamwork accomplishes a task more effectively and efficiently than in dividual efforts. 15.Every team member should contribute equally toward accomplishing the task. 16. If a team fails to accomplish a task, it is the fault of the leader/coordinator. 17. A primary concern of all team members should be to establish an atmosphere where all feel free to express their opinions. 18. Final power in teamwork always rests with the leader/ coordinator. 19. There are often occasions when an individual who is part of the team should do what he/she thinks is right, regardless of what the team has decided to do. 20. All members must be committed to the team approach to accomplish the task.Teamwork †¦. Why? Rationale for a Team Approach Teams are a part of everyone's life. You're a member of a family team, an Extension staff team, church, school, and community teams. So it's appropriate that you understand how to function effectively as a team member. In Extension especially, there is a need for teamwork. Extension clientele are confronted with increasingly co mplex problems with many dimensions. For example, the energy problem has implications for Extension programming in agriculture, family living, community development and youth development programs for both rural and urban people.Home Home Go To Page†¦ The multi-dimensional and thus multi-discipline nature of many problems requires a team approach. This approach encourages you as staff with complementary skills and competencies, to coordinate your efforts. By establishing priorities, concentrating financial resources, and combining knowledge and expertise, you can have greater impact on serious problems through your program efforts. Such efforts can serve to 1) lighten your work load, 2) reduce duplication of efforts, and 3) produce a result greater than all of your separate efforts. Teamwork †¦.What Is It? In Extension programming, a variety of working relationships exist among staff. You might view these relationships as dimensions (levels) of involvement or as a continuum of relationships among agents. As you move along the continuum, the degree of communication, integration and commitment seems to increase. Greater interpersonal skills are necessary if you are to work together effectively at more complex levels. As your skills develop, more options become available to you regarding the dimension of involvement which you might select for any particular program effort.There is no intent to place a value judgment upon this continuum, but merely to suggest that alternative working relationships exist. Not all programs should be planned and conducted by the total county staff. Other options are available. Some programs may be more effective if planned by individuals, some may require the resources of several staff members, including state specialists and volunteers, and still others may be most effective if planned and conducted by the entire staff. These dimensions of involvement should be considered a part of our definition for teamwork.Too often we t hink Home Home Go To Page†¦ Home Home Go To Page†¦ of a team as a group (a collection of people) who interact to achieve a common goal, but an effective, well-functioning team is much more than this. Participants in an effective team care about the group's well-being. They skillfully combine appropriate individual talents with a positive team spirit to achieve results. Regardless of whether the program effort is that of an individual, several individuals or the entire county office unit, a climate of teamwork can exist. Viewing teamwork in this way encourages a broader nderstanding of the concept. It not only suggests that there are alternative working relationships for agents in their programming efforts, but that regardless of the approach selected, a climate of teamwork can be created. Can you identify dimensions of the continuum that you have used in your programming efforts? Are there some you have never considered? Are there some you might try? Teamwork †¦. What Influences It? As a part of this national project on teamwork, extensive interviews were conducted with selected Extension personnel to determine what influences their teamwork efforts. People nterviewed included district directors, state program leaders, state 4-H youth specialists, and county staff from both rural and urban situations in Iowa, North Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, Virginia, and Canada. As a result of these interviews, the following variables were identified as elements that affect teamwork efforts. Although they have been separated into two general categories -organizational and individual –there are interrelationships among all the variables described. How do some of these variables affect your working relationships? Do they influence them positively or negatively?Home Home Go To Page†¦ Variables In the Current Extension Situation That Influence Teamwork Efforts A. Organizational 1. Approaches to programming-vary among program ar eas 2. Continuing professional development-philosophy of organization 3. Administrative support 4. Staff turnover 5. New staff orientation 6. Number of staff within working unit (team) B. Individual 1. Understanding of and commitment to a teamwork philosophy 2. Personalities and attitudes of agents 3. Climate of openness and communication 4. Procedural guidelines for staff functioning 5. Leadership and management skills within county off ice . Degree of familiarity with alternative approaches for effectively working and programming together 7. Perceptions of roles/responsibilities/functions among team members 8. Time available as a resource Home Home Go To Page†¦ Factors That Promote or Hinder Working Relationships Other factors also promote or hinder teamwork relation ships among Extension personnel. Perhaps they will help you begin to think more critically about your team. Factors that promote good working relationships †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Staff meetings-with agenda and sufficient time to discussJob descriptions with annual review Knowledge of others' job descriptions and responsibilities Common criteria for personnel evaluation Openness and willingness to communicate-listening Trust Loyalty Respect for others in spite of professional differences Courtesy Respect for professionalism regardless of person's sex, age, race Recognizing talents of the others Giving credit Recognizing a job well done Pride in work of total staff Understanding and supporting others' programs. Agreed upon priorities Coffee-making shared by everyone Shared coffee breaks Circulation of pertinent information Willingness to talk over problemsAdequate facilities and supplies Cooperation Sincere caring for others with a respect for privacy Constructive criticism Home Home Go To Page†¦ Factors that hinder good working relationships †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Lack of understanding of others' jobs and responsibilities Lack of concern about total staff efforts Disregard for feelings of others Unwillingness to compromise Poor communication Competition among staff for individual prestige and recognition Negative and destructive criticism No involvement in administrative decisions Lack of leadership Over- sensitivityLack of privacy Disregard for talents of others No job descriptions No opportunities for staff meetings Gossip, rumors Putting off decision making Inequities in facilities and supplies Lack of trust Negative and sarcastic remarks Lack of common goals and philosophy Disloyalty to staff and organization No evaluation and/or feedback from supervisors Limited understanding of total program Hol ding a grudge Poor job attitudes Uneven work loads Lack of confidence in fellow workers Prejudice, racism, sexism Home Home Go To Page†¦ Teamwork †¦. Is It Effective? In the literature on teamwork, the following factors are dentified as contributing to an effective teamwork approach. They provide the means for a team to begin to analyze its working relationship. Attributes of Ideal Teamwork Relationships †¢Participants believe in and are committed to the value of working together in a spirit of cooperation. †¢Team size is appropriate for effective communication (2-5 members are ideal, a group of 5-10 is workable, a group of 10-15 is difficult, and more than 15 may be impossible unless divided into subunits). †¢Participants understand the overall objectives of the organization and of the phase of the program each represents. Participants understand individual roles and responsibilities, as well as relationships to other staff members and to the total Extensio n program. †¢Participants take the time to establish and clarify guidelines and procedures for a working relationship; they are committed to making plans and achieving them. †¢Participants define and agree upon meaningful and measurable objectives that meet both group and personal needs; individuality and creativity are not stifled. †¢Someone within the group assumes leadership to coordinate each task or program effort. †¢Participants function well in a variety of roles (initiating, informing, ummarizing, mediating, encouraging) and know when appropriate roles are needed. †¢Participants know each other-are aware of each others' resources, skills and areas of expertise; they know what each can contribute to the group. †¢The group allows sufficient time for the teamwork effort. †¢The group places work orientation first, but allows social interaction, too. Home Home Go To Page†¦ †¢ Participants communicate openly and non-defensively; they li sten attentively. †¢ Participants respect and trust each other, have confidence in each others' abilities, and are supportive of one another. †¢Participants allow and encourage equal participation and sharing of ideas, including expression of dissenting views. †¢ Participants confront conflicts and problems; they use disagreement and conflict productively. †¢ Participants are skillful in decision- making, problem solving; decisions are understood and supported by all members of the team. These attributes are important regardless of the ‘dimension of involvement' described in our definition of teamwork. How many of these attributes describe your team? Are there some areas which need improvement? Extension structures and processes vary from state to state nd from county to county. There is no single definition for teamwork, nor is there one model or one best way for staff units to operate. Rather, it is the responsibility of each team to develop procedures an d approaches, based on the personalities, skills, and attitudes of individual members, as well as on the nature of the task to be accomplished. Perhaps the following questions will provide some beginning guidelines for establishing your team's working procedures: Home Home Go To Page†¦ Team Building and Working in Groups A. Belief in Teamwork Approach †¢ Do you believe in the value of working together in a eam effort? Do you believe that a team decision or product can be superior to the work of a single individual? Have you made a personal commitment to work with your colleagues in a team effort? Has the collection of individuals made a commitment to work together in a team? B. Size of Team †¢ Is your team small enough to make effective communication possible? A team of 2-5 is ideal, a group of 5-10 is workable, a group of 10-15 is difficult and more than 15 may be impossible. C. Resources Available †¢ Do you know every member of the group and what they can offer to the group? Are your expectations ccurate or have they been blinded by past experiences? Do you perceive certain individuals as playing only certain roles, having certain skills, and limited knowledge? †¢ Is the group a collection of individuals assembled because each member of the group has a different area of expertise? Is that expertise accepted by all members of the group? What are the areas of overlap and thus potential conflict in the areas of expertise? D. Organization for Task Accomplishment †¢ Does the team take time to establish ground rules for the operation of the team, or is the team anxious to get on with the task? Has the group agreed upon: – goals and objectives – individual and team timetable – procedures for establishing an agenda – priority of efforts – individual and team – methods of conflict resolution – length of meetings – location of meetings – allocation of resources – leader ship requirements Home Home Go To Page†¦ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Does the group understand that any team usually goes through several stages of development before a team spirit emerges? Do you have enough time – realistic deadlines – to enable you to operate as a team? It takes time for a collection of individuals to become a team.Has the group designated a team leader? A group of peers can still benefit from a leader. The group can make more progress if they will let someone guide the efforts of the team. A group lacking a formal leader will usually waste much time in a struggle for power among group members. Does the group take minutes for the meeting? Are accurate notes kept to avoid losing group decisions? Do you proceed on the basis of specific conclusions and delegation of responsibilities rather than on the basis of general understandings? E. Maintaining the Team Effort †¢ †¢ †¢ Does the team have an open climate of trust and espect f or all group members and their ideas? Has the group achieved an appropriate balance between the requirement for group productivity (task) and the satisfaction of individual needs? Do people in the group avoid breaking into subgroups of trusted friends to share rumors, complain, or form alliances that will affect the productivity of the team? Home Home Go To Page†¦ †¢ †¢ Does the group concentrate on the mission of the team rather than spend all the time socializing? As a member of the team, do you assume a variety of roles? – Task Roles Initiating activity, seeking information, eeking opinion, giving information, giving opinion, elaborating, coordinating, and summarizing. – Team Building Roles Encouraging, standard setting, following and expressing group feelings. – Task and Team Building Roles Evaluating, diagnosing, testing for consensus, mediating, and relieving tension F. Decision-Making and Conflict Resolution †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Do all members of the group have an equal opportunity for participation or do dominant personalities and people with status and power control the participation? Have you identified your vested interests and the vested interests of other group members that may ause conflict in reaching a group decision? Are dissenting or minority viewpoints treated with respect? Is there an effort by the group to understand the reasons behind a dissenting opinion? Can the group work through differences of opinion rather than ignoring them? Can team members separate criticism of an idea from criticism of the person who had the idea? Are group members willing to discuss areas of conflict or do they try to ignore the conflict or pass it off as being of only minor significance? Does the group avoid a â€Å"wait until next meeting† attitude toward decision making and conflict resolution? Home HomeGo To Page†¦ †¢ Does the team make an effort to understand the problem before finding solutions? Is the team cautious about proceeding on the basis of premature conclusions? Have problem-solving procedures been identified? †¢ Are group members good listeners or are they busy preparing a rebuttal to ideas being presented? †¢ Is the group willing to accept a dissenting opinion and reduced level of commitment as a natural consequence of a group effort? Are individual members of the team willing to compromise their personal objectives for the sake of team objectives that are universally accepted by all group members? Are all members of the team required to adhere to the group decision? Can individual members â€Å"opt out† of the group decision? †¢ What criteria will you use in determining your personal level of acceptance of the team product? Do other members of the team know, understand, and accept the criteria that you are using? Are you really honest about the criteria you are using? Are other group members aware that a threat to your c ompetence and self-esteem will reduce your level of commitment? †¢ Is the team willing to take the time to reach a totally acceptable decision?Is it possible to reach a decision with a uniform level of acceptance and consequent commitment? Is it better to have several members with a high level of acceptance-commitment and several members with a low level of acceptance-commitment than to have all members with only a medium level of acceptance-commitment? What is the trade-off? Assume five persons with a possible level of 100% acceptance-commitment–Which results yield the best investment of time and energy? 1. 2. 3. 5 persons at 95% requiring 10 hours of extra meetings? 5 persons at 75% requiring 3 hours of extra meetings? 2 persons at 90% – 2 at 60% – 1 at 25% = Average of 650, Are conflicts handled openly in meetings or negotiated privately in a â€Å"me and you† against â€Å"them† manner? †¢ Are conflicts handled on the basis of logic a nd agreed upon criteria or are they determined by loyalty to individuals? †¢ Does the team use voting as a means of resolving conflicts only when they are dealing with simple operational concerns? Conflict that is resolved by voting tens to encourage an argumentative atmosphere in which members commit themselves too quickly and may not examine the possibility of finding a settlement agreeable to all. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Teamwork †¦. How Does It Develop?It's important to realize that the development of effective working relationships among staff is a gradual process which requires considerable time and skill. This is not meant to discourage you, but to help you realize that teams aren't created overnight. A certain amount of frustration and conflict are normal. Team development is often viewed as a series of stages, described below. Although all the attributes and skills needed for an ideal working relationship (as listed in the preceding section) are important at e very stage, some become more crucial as the team develops and staff members increase their level of involvement.At a minimum, it's important for individual staff members to realize the benefits of teamwork and to have a commitment toward working together. Without such elements, further team development will be less likely to occur. Conflict, a natural part of the development process, will overpower or dominate the situation, preventing the team from ever reaching its full potential. With a positive attitude toward team efforts, and with increased opportunity and time to practice teamwork skills, staff members can develop as an effective working team, and consequently have greater impact upon clientele problems.Stages of Team Development Stage 1: Hello, I Am†¦ Getting acquainted is of most concern at this initial stage of team development. It usually includes polite dialogue of a superficial, information-sharing nature. Based on first impressions or past experiences, group membe rs develop stereotypes in an attempt to categorize each other and anticipate future responses. Ideas are simple; emotions and feelings are kept in tight control, and controversy is avoided. There is an unspoken agreement not to disagree-a feeling that all members think and feel alike.Items on the hidden agenda stay hidden, and there is a shared ambiguity about the specific task to be undertaken by the team. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Stage 2: What's Our Destination? Members begin to question the team's goals and objectives. They want to discuss reasons for the group effort. If external forces have specified the destination of the team, members may want to discuss why each was placed on the team, and the purpose of the specific group task. As members begin to express divergent opinions, hidden agendas are sensed and poor listening develops. Team members may be quick to agree in an effort to avoid confrontation.A desire to move ahead without â€Å"real† understanding and commi tment results. A tentative timetable may be developed that probably overestimates the contribution of each team member and underestimates the amount of time for each phase of the project/task. Stage 3: What Are the Costs/Benefits as Perceived by the Individual/Team? With first notions of a team effort emerging, members perceive that there are costs/benefits of their involvement in the team effort. Members may ask themselves such questions as: Will the team effort have value for me? Can I use the team to help me achieve individual goals?Will my individual contribution be large and the benefits small? Will I do all the work and have the team receive the recognition? Will nonproductive members get some of the rewards I deserve? OR: Will others on the team make comparable contributions? Will individuals share the workload? Can the team benefit from such an effort? As individual agendas are identified and expressed, members with similar needs and viewpoints begin to form private alliance s. Stage 4: What Skills Do We Need? In the struggle to determine the costs/benefits of team efforts, the resources of team members are explored.Home Home Go To Page†¦ Attention is given to the talents and skills which each member might contribute to the effort. Hidden talents may go undiscovered as the group is still dealing at a superficial level and still blinded by stereotypes and labels, If talents overlap, if there are too many experts on the same subject, or if additional skills are necessary, decisions are made about whether to add or drop members or develop the skills of existing members. When members are added or subtracted from the team, the team development cycle begins again. Stage 5: What Is the Best Route?With the â€Å"end† goals agreed upon, team members begin negotiating the â€Å"means. † There is a strong need for structure, which includes a bid for power and struggle for leadership. As a result, competition develops. Individual agendas are made public. Emotion and alliances to each other, rather than logic, influence judgments of team members; members listen poorly and are close-minded about others' opinions/ideas. The team may prematurely resort to voting as a means of making decisions, which causes some individuals to feel they have not been given adequate opportunity to express their viewpoints.There is a lack of team spirit in this stage. Many members feel uncomfortable with the group struggles. Some are silent and others tend to dominate the group. Commitment to this team effort will vary significantly. Individual priorities seem to block the work of the team as some members place personal commitments â€Å"first. † The team may be difficult to assemble as members are unwilling to change their schedules to accommodate the work of the team. Extreme frustration with indecision may impede progress such that the team will never get beyond this stage.It may still fulfill its task, but not to the satisfaction of all members. Home Home Go To Page†¦ However, if the team persists in its task and at least a few members are willing to sacrifice individual agendas for the benefit of the team, a compromise approach may begin to emerge. Stage 6: How Can We Compromise and Work Together? Team members' attitudes change as they realize that working together can produce a product greater than the sum of their individual efforts. Individual agendas are adjusted to accommodate the needs of the group. Members begin to share leadership responsibilities.Individuals continue to disagree but their ideas are heard; members listen actively and differences are dealt with honestly and openly. Understanding results. Alliances remain, but they are built on ideas rather than personalities and loyalties. Logic rather than emotion guides the decision-making process. Competition gives way to compromise, for conflict is now viewed as a mutual problem. As team members begin to relax in an atmosphere of trust and opennes s, creative ideas emerge, and the team feels that progress is being made. Stage 7: We Are †¦High group morale and loyalty, empathy, and an open climate of trust and acceptance characterize this final stage of team development. Even though one member may be identified as the â€Å"coordinator† for a particular group task, leadership roles are shared among all members. There is freedom to select from the variety of working relationships outlined by the earlier description of the dimensions of involvement. Group members agree to disagree; they agree to settle conflicts, to make decisions, and to proceed to work together on the basis of criteria identified by the group.The team is both effective and efficient in meeting deadlines and accomplishing its objectives. Productive results are most evident. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Because of an intense feeling of â€Å"group spirit,† new members are reluctantly accepted. If new members join, the group must regress to an e arlier stage and grow again to this final phase, together. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Teamwork †¦. How Does Your Team Rate? A continual process of assessment is necessary for effective team development. Hopefully, the ideas and activities presented in this booklet have helped you begin such a process.The following tool can be used to provoke further thought and discussion among team members. As you read the statements under each of the specific areas, think about the working relationships among staff members within your immediate county office setting including secretarial staff. Record your responses on the answer sheet provided. Team Assessment Tool Work Orientation / Work Methods: 1. We accomplish much in our team meetings. 2. Team meetings are unorganized and chaotic. 3. At team meetings, we spend more time socializing than accomplishing the task at hand. 4.As a team, we spend time reviewing our working procedure, how it works, and how to improve it. 5. All members of the team are involved in decisions when appropriate; participation is real, not tokenism. Communication / Active Listening / Interaction: 6. People on our team communicate openly and frankly with each other. 7. In group discussion, team members are guarded and cautious. 8. We listen to each other in an effort to really hear and understand what is being said. 9. Communication among team members is poor (â€Å"catch-ascatch can†). 10. Disagreements between team members are worked through horoughly; individual viewpoints are fully heard. Home Go To Page†¦ Leadership: 11. The county chairperson makes decisions for the team without asking members' opinions when appropriate. 12. The county chairperson adapts his/her leadership style to changing circumstances. 13. The county chairperson ignores the different needs of team members. 14. Leadership for group tasks is passed around and shared by various team members depending on the situation. 15. Levels of authority and responsibility for the county chairperson and team members are clearly defined and understood.Resource Utilization: 16. Team members are unable to handle the current requirements of their work. 17. The mix of expertise and skills among our team members is appropriate for the work we are doing. 18. Members adapt well to the needs of the team. 19. We know the skills and resources that each team member can contribute to our county program. 20. We involve volunteers/state specialists/other resource persons when appropriate to our program needs and if they are available. Objectives/Goals: 21. We have an adequate way to establish our team's objectives and work strategies. 22.Objectives for team efforts are imposed by one staff member or by administration. 23. We lack understanding about our individual responsibilities in relation to each other and to the organization. 24. Our objectives for team efforts are vague and unclear to all team members. 25. Members seem to understand how personal needs/goals c an be met through group work. 26 Home Home Go To Page†¦ Group Commitment: 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Members feel that teamwork is worthwhile. As an individual, I feet a strong sense of belonging to the team. Team members are reluctant to commit themselves to team efforts.I feel very motivated to work as a team. If a team member gets into difficulty, she/he is supported by other team members. Group Climate / Environment: 31. Our team respects the individual, as well as the innovative, creative ideas of members. 32. Individuals in our team get to know each other as people. 33. 1 feel uncomfortable expressing my thoughts and opinions with team members. 34. We compliment each other on our work when appropriate. 35. The climate of our relationships within the team is one of mutual trust rather than hostility, suspicion, fear or anxiety. Home Home Go To Page†¦Indicate your response to each Team Assessment statement by selecting from among those presented. Place an X in the blank under the appropriate column. Note that the statements are divided into two columns (for analysis purposes). Do check the statement number carefully before marking your response. (instruction for analysis and coding follow. ) Home Home Go To Page†¦ Analysis and Team Coding Instructions Analysis The statements have been divided into two columns. Note the reason: some statements on the tool are positive and some are negative. Thus, adjustments must be made when interpreting the results.As you look over the entire coded sheet, â€Å"never† and â€Å"occasionally† responses to statements in the left column suggest a need for improvement in those areas (Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, etc. ). Whereas, â€Å"never† and â€Å"occasionally† responses to statements in the right column suggest favorable working relationships, and less need for improvement as perceived by you, the respondent (Nos. 2, 3, 7, 9, etc. ) Team Coding Coding the responses of all team members onto a single answer sheet allows you to further analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your team's working relationships.For each statement, tally (on a clean answer sheet) all team members' responses by making a mark under the column which corresponds to each member's response. (Example: For question No. 1, three members responded â€Å"never† and two members responded â€Å"occasionally. â€Å") Never 1. 3 Occasion- Some- Most of ally times the time Always 2 Continue in a similar manner for all statements. Each team member may want to do this so as to have a copy, or one such coded sheet per team may be sufficient. If there is a wide variation in response on a statement by eam members, it may be especially beneficial to discuss such a statement and attempt to clarify reasons for the varied perceptions. This analysis should help team members identify particular areas of concern. Additional time/activities could be planned for team members to further explore and develop their attitudes and skills in working together. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Conclusion Keep in mind that the development of an effective team requires a positive attitude and commitment toward teamwork, coupled with an understanding of what teamwork involves. Secondly, it requires practicing teamwork skills.This booklet of ideas has attempted to promote the former; it is up to you to pursue the latter. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Annotated Bibliography 1. Dyer, William G. , Team Building: Issues and Alternatives, Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1977, 139 pp. This book is highly recommended for its practical focus upon how to design and conduct a program in team development. A range of design alternatives are suggested for both improving a unit's effectiveness, as well as for developing a new team. Dyer emphasizes the need for individual team diagnosis with the creation of a program suited to a team's particular needs.Instrumental checklists, an index of characte ristics essential for team effectiveness, and need assessment tools are included. Problems such as role clarification, suppression of disagreement, revitalizing the complacent team, and reducing team-conflict are discussed. 2. Filley, Alan C. , Interpersonal Conflict Resolution, Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1975, 175 pp. A manual for people who are working in groups, this book speaks of changing conflict situations into problem solving challenges. It presents an analysis of the conflict process, how it develops, and methods of resolution.It relates the various effects of language, personal behavior, attitudes, and situational conditions upon problem-solving. Also included for groups are a series of exercises demonstrating issues and behaviors discussed. Home Home Go To Page†¦ 3. Francis, Dave and Don Young, Improving Work Groups: A Practical Manual for Team Building, La Jolla, California: University Associates, 1979, 261 pp. This book is a practical, easy-to -read guide to building an effective team. Teambuilding is explained in depth; the book includes a questionnaire for use in identifying team strengths and weaknesses.It explores many learnable skills for team members to develop in working through their problems; suggested structured experiences are described in detail. 4. Lawson, John D. , Leslie J. Griffen, and Franklyn D. Donant, Leadership Is Everybody's Business (A Practical Guide for Volunteer Membership Groups). San Luis Obispo, California: Impact Publishers, 1976, University Associates, 1979, 261 pp. This book combines group dynamics theory, philosophy, activity suggestions, and resources for task-oriented groups or organizations of volunteer memberships. Part I focuses on individual values and motivations for joining groups.Part II describes organizational ski[ Is and competencies necessary for leaders. Part III discusses in more depth such leadership concepts as the cycle of organization involvement, leadership styles, role conflicts and suggestions for overcoming them, improving individual motivation and interpersonal communications. 5. Robinson, Jerry W. and Roy A. Clifford, Process Skills in Organization Development, University of Illinois: Board of Trustees, 1972, 212 pp. This text was created for use with Extension professionals and local leaders. It emphasizes personal behavior and process skills within an organization.Five concepts important to organizational development are developed and discussed-organizational styles, leadership styles, team skills, conflict management, and change implementation. Team activities and additional references are included. Home Home Go To Page†¦ Dr. Terry L. Gibson, Project Director and Co-Author, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, and Chairperson of the Personnel and Professional Development Unit of the Division of Program and Staff Development, University of Wisconsin-Extension. Jeanne Moore, Associate Project Director, Co-Author , andEditor, is a former Extension 4-1-1 and Youth Leader from Iowa, and graduate student in Continuing Education, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dr. E. J, Lueder, Project Consultant and â€Å"Reality Tester,† is a Professor in the Department of Youth Development, and a Youth Development Specialist in the 4-H Youth Development Program Unit, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Published by: Division of Program and Staff Development University of Wisconsin-Extension 432 N. Lake St. Madison, Wisconsin 53706 T ypist: Julie Harper Artist: Dale Mann Editorial Consultants: Sheila Mulcahy Rick Crowley Home Home Go To Page†¦