The development of service provider's BPO-IT framework

Purpose The decision to operate BPO-IT organisational model by a business process outsourcing (BPO) service provider has far reaching benefits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a service provider’s BPO-IT framework that provides in-house IT function (software) required to process client services. Design/methodology/approach The multi-case study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed method research approach. In the first instance, seven BPO service provider organisations were investigated in the qualitative phase and 156 in the quantitative phase, respectively. Findings The adoption of the developed framework indicates that it could reduce failures in BPO relationships through reduced turnaround time in processing client services, improved quality of service, reduced cost, improved client and provider’s competitiveness, and confidentiality of client operations. Outsourcing clients could lay the foundation for a successful relationship by adopting a selection process that could choose the right provider. Originality/value The paper reveals BPO-IT organisation’s operation towards in-house provision of software required to process client services. A research exploring BPO service providers from a top outsourcing destination like India could provide offshore outsourcing clients the information to move towards onshore outsourcing. </jats:sec

Le « panafricanisme » expliqué à mon fils

Au moment où l’Afrique en général, et le Ghana, en particulier, s’apprêtent à célébrer le centenaire de la naissance d’un des grands hommes politiques de l’Afrique contemporaine, je voudrais, en réponse à mon fils, examiner ces questions : quelle réception peut-on faire aujourd’hui du panafricanisme ? Que sont devenus les grands idéologues de ce mouvement ? L’Afrique a-t-elle encore une chance de rayonner un jour ? Chacun peut continuer la liste des questions. Comme chacun sait, du moins, je suppose, Kwame Nkrumah est né le 21 septembre 1909 et est incontestablement une des figures centrales du panafricanisme. Pendant que j’étais en train de parcourir un journal, mon fils me demande après avoir lu le mot « panafricanisme » : « Qu’est-ce que le panafricanisme ? » Ce terme échappe à toute définition évidente, je veux dire claire, nette et précise. Lors du 7ème congrès de ce mouvement panafricain réuni à Kampala, en Ouganda en 1994, les congressistes n’ont pu livrer une définition univoque. « Deux tendances [se sont affrontées] : celle inspirée de Kwame Nkrumah et des luttes de libération anti-impérialistes, l’autre, plus modérée, prônant une relation ‘’amicale’’ avec l’Occident ». Pour ma part, ne laissant place à aucune ambiguïté je choisirai naturellement la première, non sans relativiser l’importance accordée à l’anti- impérialisme. L’Afrique ne souffre plus du colonialisme mais de ses propres fils. (...) Le panafricanisme de Nkrumah et ses amis est « mort » et notre Afrique contemporaine continue de le tuer. Pour mieux te faire comprendre ce que je veux te dire, je voudrais que tu suives avec moi 3 idées fortes qui vont peut-être te convaincre ou te dégoûter, peu importe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CRELAF (Cercle de Reflexion des Etudiants en Littératures Africaines), Département de Littératures Africaines, Université Omar Bongo, Gabo

An analysis of commercial bank participation in the Farmer Mac II loan sale program

This dissertation\u27s objective was to provide a descriptive and empirical analysis of commercial bank participation in the Farmer Mac II loan sale program for guaranteed portions of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guaranteed Farm Loan Program loans. The descriptive analysis summarizes reasons for participation cited by bankers responding to a series of survey questions. Participants indicate the following factors as important in their decision to sell loans: enhanced liquidity, improved profitability, reduced interest rate risk, added capacity to meet heavy USDA guaranteed loan demand, and ability to pass on better loan rates and terms to their borrowers. Nonparticipants say loan sales are unnecessary because of weak USDA guaranteed and overall loan demand, sufficient deposit and capital levels to fund USDA guaranteed loans, and a preference to hold the loans they originate. In general, they do not sell guarantees to buyers other than Farmer Mac. The empirical analysis uses a logit regression analysis to predict the probability of a commercial bank participating and to identify the factors useful in making that prediction. Five models are estimated. The first determines the probability of a bank selling any type of USDA guarantee to Farmer Mac, be it a newly originated Farm Ownership (FO) or Operating Loan (OL) loan or a seasoned FO or OL loan. The other estimations look at participation by each loan type. Experience selling loans into other secondary markets always has a large positive effect on the probability of participating. Banks that hold a larger volume of USDA guaranteed loans in their portfolio also have a greater chance of participating in each estimation. Greater USDA guaranteed FO and OL loan demand and reduced competition among USDA FO and OL guarantee lenders increase the probability of selling new originations. These two variables are less effective in distinguishing between banks that sell seasoned loans and those that do not. No rule of thumb applies for the other independent variables\u27 effects on the probability of selling newly originated or seasoned FO or OL loans. The reasons for selling FO and OL loans appear quite different aside from the variables discussed above

The schlemiel and anomie : the fool in society

This thesis examines the character of the schlemiel in comparative Jewish and Gentile American literature and cinema. It is the central claim that whilst the schlemiel is a strong Jewish character type this figure also appears in the texts of other socio-cultural groupings to an ever increasingly degree. With this is mind the character is examined in relation to the contemporary Western world, or Postmodern society.To achieve this aim the study is divided into three sections. The first deals with traditional perspectives on the schlemiel, examining prior definitions and gives a brief historically linear overview. Key examples are given to provide `case studies' in both literature and film. The examples chosen represent those characters considered to be archetypes, specifically Hyman Kaplan and the characters created by Woody Allen. Section Two examines processes of characterisation in literature and film to investigate whether there is anything at the most basic level of the text which identifies the traits and attributes of a schlemiel or from where an audience may derive information. This section examines a range of Jewish and non-Jewish texts via Structuralist and Narratological analysis. Section Three looks at the contemporary social function of schlemiels. Even if it is possible to clearly identify what schlemiels are their socio-cultural function remains important. The character is placed in a `postmodern' context. The final chapter develops from this into looking at the function of the schlemiel as a comic character and theories of comedy.Whilst the theoretical approaches utilised are there to test the character it is inevitable that the schlemiel will test the theories. It is the irrational and illogical nature of . schlemiebthat dictates that they will have problems fitting into the rigid patterns created by any neo-Structuralist approach such as Narratology. The character also tests rationalist responses to the `Postmodern condition' and this in turn provides a critique of the Aristotelian principles of Section Two and the socio-temporal definitions of Section One. This work attempts to provide a re-evaluation of a historically entrenched character for the late twentieth century and to provide a critique of theories, which purport to provide universal answers

Is There A Difference In Motivation And Mathematics Self-Efficacy Among Online Mathematics Instructional Video Viewers

Researching US K-12 STEM proficiency reveals severe and widespread consequences, for post-secondary and vocational environments. Sources in both environments cite lack of skills and competency as the major cause of increasing remedial mathematics enrollment and growing unemployment. One reasonable and simple method of better preparing students is the viewing online mathematics instructional videos. Online mathematics instructional videos are widely available, efficacious, and free to access via KhanAcademy.org and YouTube’s Education portal. Mobile, personal, and desktop technology device ownership and free WIFI or reduced price Internet service is increasing dramatically each year, so means of access are not a problem. This study sought to determine if there were differences in three key learner characteristics: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and mathematics self-efficacy among instructional video viewers. The study’s purpose was to begin to understand the mindset of video viewers in attempts to increase viewership and thereby increase mathematics proficiency. Utilizing an online anonymous questionnaire at a suburban low SES predominantly African American school, an ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test determined differences in intrinsic motivation (IM) and mathematics self-efficacy (MSE) among video viewers. The statistically significant difference in intrinsic motivation occurred between viewers who never watch videos and those who often view them. Also, a statistically significant difference in intrinsic motivation and mathematics self-efficacy occurred between viewers who rarely watch videos and those who often view them. The difference in MSE was significant at the .05 CI, and the differences in IM were significant at the .01 CI