Lay Leader Participation in Extension Work in the Philippines.

The need for research on people participation in development, particularly by extension lay leaders, is especially important in the Philippines where, paradoxically manpower in agricultural extension is limited but abundant in the rural areas. This study, therefore, was conducted to analyze empirically the participation of lay leaders (LLs) in the local agricultural extension programs in two Philippine provinces. Basic data were developed by personal interview of 107 LLs and 79 extension agents (EAs) in these provinces. Participation of LLs was primarily in program implementation, quite minimal in planning and evaluation. In implementation, participation by the majority of the LLs was principally in the areas of: technical assistance, attending to project visitors, and communicating notices and directives to other people. Participation in planning was directed toward the identification of barangay needs and problems and the formulation of project objectives. The few who participated in evaluation basically monitored project activities. The LLs were highly favorable to participation especially in planning and implementation. Practically all of them favored participation in identifying barangay needs and problems, in furnishing information about the barangay, calling and presiding over meetings, attending to project visitors, and monitoring of project activities. The EAs perceived higher participation by their LLs whether it was in planning, implementation, or evaluation. However, they were not as enthusiastic as the LLs concerning LL participation in program development activities particularly in evaluation. The two groups of respondents also differed in the activities favored for LL participation. The correlation tests showed highly significant relationships among levels of participation in planning (LOP(,p)), implementation (LOP(,i)), and evaluation (LOP(,e)). Using the multiple regression analysis, the variance in LOP(,p) was best explained by organizational affiliation; that of LOP(,i), by age, organizational affiliation, family responsiveness, and preparation for work, these last two giving negative beta values; variance in LOP(,e) was explained by organizational affiliation; and variance in overall level of participation by organizational affiliation, family responsiveness, and preparation for work, again these last two variables giving negative beta values. It was concluded that lay leader participation in the local extension programs in the two Philippine provinces is apparent only in implementation

CTSI Logistics (Philippines) Inc.

This strategic management paper is for CTSI Logistics (Philippines), Inc. This paper ultimately attempts to provide CTSI with a strategic plan through the recommendation of competitive strategies that, on basis of various frameworks used, will allow the company to compete in the local market for its services. In terms of addressing market needs, the company is under the logistics services industry. The general need being addressed is the need for of having an inventory management, transport which includes freight forwarding, warehousing and, process planning and design. Through the use of Porter\u27s Five Forces Model, the paper provides an analysis of the company\u27s task environment by examining the competitive forces affecting the industry. As discussed in this paper, this industry is currently characterized by the customers, suppliers, threat to entry with high barriers to entry, threat of substitutes, and intensity of rivalry. The paper listed the following opportunities: the improvement in income as indicated in the growth of GDP and GNP the increasing number of SME that needs logistics services the lifting of the garment quota under the trade liberalization in Asia. On the other hand, the following threats were cited: the inflation in the economy the prudent spending due to economic uncertainties and political instability increasing number of businesses the same with CTSI Logistics, Inc. that are being established near the airport and seaport In attempting to determine the various strategic groups existing within the industry, we have identified geographical coverage and scope of logistics services as the two most important strategic dimensions that influence players in the formulation of strategies within the industry. The strategic map reveals that the industry players may be categorized in five (5) strategic groups in terms of the aforementioned strategic dimensions. An internal analysis of the Company was likewise performed. Using financial analysis, the company has sufficient equity and resources to finance its planned activities in 2005 onwards.. Using Value Chain Activities, the following Primary Activities need to be improved on its infrastructure

Wearable sensors: modalities, challenges, and prospects

Wearable sensors have recently seen a large increase in both research and commercialization. However, success in wearable sensors has been a mix of both progress and setbacks. Most of commercial progress has been in smart adaptation of existing mechanical, electrical and optical methods of measuring the body. This adaptation has involved innovations in how to miniaturize sensing technologies, how to make them conformal and flexible, and in the development of companion software that increases the value of the measured data. However, chemical sensing modalities have experienced greater challenges in commercial adoption, especially for non-invasive chemical sensors. There have also been significant challenges in making significant fundamental improvements to existing mechanical, electrical, and optical sensing modalities, especially in improving their specificity of detection. Many of these challenges can be understood by appreciating the body's surface (skin) as more of an information barrier than as an information source. With a deeper understanding of the fundamental challenges faced for wearable sensors and of the state-of-the-art for wearable sensor technology, the roadmap becomes clearer for creating the next generation of innovations and breakthroughs