Monday, February 28, 2011

Telecommunications Workforce-Blog 5

http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs020.htm#related

According to BLS, in 2008, majority of workers (52%) associated with the telecommunication industry is employed in either installation, maintenance, and repair occupations or Support occupations.

Under the Installation, Maintenance and Repair Occupations, we talk about the Line Installers, and other telecommunication installers and repairers, Station Installers and Cable installers.

Line Installers and repairers are also known as outside plant personnel. They connect lines from central offices to costumer buildings by laying wires and cables that lead to a consumer’s premises. Cable splicers merge two telecommunication lines.


Telecommunication installers and repairers (with the exception of line installers) install, repair and maintain the complex communication equipment. They set up, rearrange and move switching and routing equipment used in central offices and solve network related problems.

Station installers and repairers install service and repair telephone systems and other communications equipment on costumer’s property. They connect telephone, internet, and TV equipment, to services wires outside., sometimes climbing poles and ladders to make these connections when a costumer first purchases a service or move to another home or office.

Cable installers travel to a costumer’s location and set up any television service so that costumers can receive programming. Wireless satellite service installers attach antennas or satellite dishes to the side of s the costumer’s houses to provide clear line of site to satellite locations.

Under the Office and administrative support occupations, we talk about the telephone operators and the costumer service representatitives. They make up the majority of the workforce under this category. Telephone operators make telephone connections, assist costumers with specialized services, and provide needed telephone numbers. Costumer Service Representatives help costumers understand the new and varied types of services offered by telecommunication providers.

Other administrative workers include: financial, information, administrative assistance, supervisors, managers, administrative support workers. They keep records of services, send bills to costumers and prepare company reports among other duties.

RTsmith

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Worldwide expansion of ZTE Corportation, Blog # 5

            China’s ZTE Corporation has dramatically grown within the last few years since they sell low cost telecommunication equipment to people in China and now are looking to expand in emerging markets. This corporation has become the world’s number 4-phone supplier by units and expanded their market to North America this year by selling 14 models of handsets.
            They are expected to continue expansion this year, 2011, with the goal to raise revenue growth further than last year’s of 16%-17%. However, this corporation has faced problems with Europe and U.S. governments since they fear ties to the company to the Chinese governments. They say their growth of 16% to 17% last year was due to their expansion in global markets. They are sincerely hoping that the U.S. will allow them a fair chance to due business in the U.S. since their goal is to sell equipments.
            With their hopes to sell in global markets it raises concerns over the dollar exchange. However, Mr. Wei stated, “Telecom-equipment prices should be at the same level for everyone. It's more your products and service that determine your competitive status. Price is not a competitive factor we are relying on in the global market. The yuan's appreciation will cause your prices to rise. But more important is your status in the market.” I think this quote is important since Mr. Wei believes that products and service determine their competitive status with other companies over the price of their products.
            This company is now looking to expand in the global markets by:
            -building handset factories in Europe
            -increasing investment of smartphones
            -advancing from middle to low end buying to middle to high end buyers
            -overseas hoping to build the ZTE brand phones

            The importance of this article is how Mr. Wei is a good leader for this company. He is setting high goals for them to reach but through this interview I believe he is confident that these goals are attainable. I think many years from now it is possible that this corporation will be able to compete in the U.S. and European markets with other telecommunications industries. I wonder if they can truly be successful in the U.S. since we already have Verizon and AT&T who are the main sellers of the Iphone and Droid. In my opinion, they are going to need to invent a smartphone that no other corporation has created so that they generate a want for their product by the consumers worldwide.


Article:

Friday, February 25, 2011

‘Antenna-gate’ Returns on Verizon iPhone

This article is about the new version of Verizon Wireless for the iphones. This new version contains a metal wraparound antenna, which was expected to attract the signal to the phone.
Many customers complained because they were losing signal while they were on the phone. This problem was caused because the antenna is in direct contact with the user’s hands, which changes the way the antenna behaves.
Although Verizon Wireless denied any kind of problem and said "We do know the product is performing well on our network" This antenna issue is a big disadvantage for Verizon Wireless.
They also tried to defend the reputation of the company by saying that the product has better performance in major cities.
The company has sold many iphones, until now the new product has been a success for the company. But if this antenna issue results true, the Verizon Wireless will have potentially a lot to lose.
Sapir


http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/02/25/antenna-gate-returns-on-verizon-iphone/

Blog Assignment5 "Human Resources and Leadership"



According to the List of World Mobile Network Operators provided by Wikipedia, China Mobile is now the largest Mobile Operators in the world. The total numbers of Chinese subscribers are almost approaching 570 million people. Following up is Vodafone, a British career company that also cooperates with other companies in the world as well. In America, the largest mobile network operator is Verizon Wireless, with 101 million subscribers.

Apple, one of the largest telecommunication providers in the industry has just offered the New MacBook Pro in the market. While, Apple provides mobile phone devices, its computer software and hardware have caught people’s eyes and tastes from all over the world. Steve Jobs, Apple’s Chief Executive Operator has been providing innovative ideas in creating Apple products. In fact, Apple and Macintosh products are now a modern trend of the American culture. Moreover, he is working on new products to improve the iPhone, and iPads. Though he has recovered from cancer, his health conditions are deteriorating; and yet this is important because it will affect the future of Apple Inc. without Steve Jobs, it will be a challenge to overcome the customer’s desperate desire for new products and features.

Apple has successfully launched new demands in foreign markets over the years. Although in some countries, Apple’s Macintosh computers aren’t as popular as in America, China is in a craze with the use of iPhone and iPad. Every one is pursuing new fashion, new technology, new network. This gave the opportunity for Apple to develop Human Resource Development overseas.

Apple is promoting corporate jobs for those who are looking and preparing for a great job experience. Apple encourage those who are willing and wanting to be inspired with their unique open minds, collaboration, and innovation. “Human Resources is responsible for recruiting and developing the best and brightest employees in every division, and supporting them throughout their careers.” Furthermore, Apple offers a great number of jobs in Human Resources Management. There are training and development programs as well as employee benefits. They offer good compensation and staffing programs to maximize the employee’s job experience.

What is more, there is a strange mixture of the workforce. While some are part-time interns who have just graduated or employed seasonally, almost 70% is full-time employed. New Grad Programs, Apple Campus Reps, Student Developers target those who are interested in Apple to have a little taste in working at Apple. It is also an opportunity for them to seek for the talented and who are seeking for jobs after their university careers.

http://www.apple.com/jobs/us/corporate.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704629004576136383642742472.html

http://topics.wsj.com/person/j/steve-jobs/605

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_the_Americas


Miki

Monday, February 21, 2011

Entrepreneurship: France Telecom Launches its own Branded Tablet –Blog 4

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110215-702203.html?mod=wsj_qt_latest_wsj

France telecom initiated a new approach in their business by launching its own branded tablet for low income earners in Southern and eastern European countries. There is an opportunity niche among these potential consumers and the aim is to attract these consumers into the rapidly growing tablet market.

The 7-inch tablet is being launched in Spain, Romania, Poland, and Slovakia and will be cheaper than Apple Inc’s Ipad, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab—two tablets France telecom already sells.

According to the Executive Vice President Anne Bouverot, France telecom is also working on launching new offers that would combine smartphones with tablet packages.



RTsmith

Corporate Social Responsibility—Blog 2


http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/98649/7292824.html#

Corporate Social Responsibility is a company’s obligation to strive for achieving social environmental and economic development. In order to achieve such development, one of the responsibilities of a company is to ensure the safety and health of their workers. Recently, authorities have accused Apple of failing to accomplish this.

It is said that Apple has recently forced 137 injured workers to leave their jobs at their factories following their exposure to a strongly toxic chemical cleaning agent, N-hexane. Workers were using this chemical to clean the Apple logo. The workers were from Suzhou Facility of Wintek, one of Apple’s touch screen suppliers.

One of the affected workers was located. His name’s Jia JingChuan, a 27 year old worker. According to him, “They [Apple] promised to give me 140,000 Yuan or 21,253 U.S Dollars, in compensation of my [Jia’s] departure, but only on one condition that I sign an exemption agreement, which means the company would not take any responsibility if my health worsens in the future.” Eight workers already left, but Jia has struggled to stay since he has no idea how he could be able to pay for the medical fees if he leaves.

Tradtionally, the public has known Apple for meeting up to the public standards as being socially responsible as a company. However, this exposure has surely tainted its image even as the administrative staff denied the events. Whether or not this would affect the sales of their product is yet to be determined. But Apple does need to revise their ethics in order to gain back their once privileged reputation.


RTsmith

Growth of the Advertising Industry—Blog 1


http://tribune.com.pk/story/117227/advertising-expected-to-grow-by-20-in-2011/

According to the International Herald Tribune, the advertising industry in Pakistan is expected to grow by 20% this year. This percentage growth is said to be higher than the global average. In 2010, the industry spent 28 billion Rupees in both print and electronic media.

The ethical issue this industry will have to face would be misinformation. The advertising industry can easily misinform their consumers into buying certain goods or services. This form of manipulation will be thwarted by the Pakistan Advertisement Society (PAS).

The PAS takes ethical practices within the industry very seriously. Their main objective is to ensure that as the industry expands, ethical practices and moral values will not compromise.
Although the PAS does not have the technological resources that would allow them to monitor advertisements before they’re aired, according to PAS chairman Aly Mustansir, “PAS does look out for advertisements that may be misleading or unethical, and then issues them a warning or asks the firm running the advertisements to discontinue them.”

There are ways to prevent the advertising industry from unknowingly taking part in unethical practices. Managers can make sure their company’s mission statement is clearly communicated throughout the business; they can focus on ethical practices themselves setting an example to the employees; and they can implement ethics training programs for new and old employees. These programs will allow the employees to have greater awareness and understanding on ethical issues.

RTSmith

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Blog # 4: Nokia


Blog # 4: Entrepreneurship

Nokia's new innovative changes by working with Microsoft Windows
           
            The competitive aspect of the telecommunications industry has lead to Nokia to work with other companies. Nokia is the largest maker of mobile handsets. Nokia will begin to work more with Microsoft Windows phones (announced on February 11, 2011) and cut research and development with their current company they use, Symbian. This is because Symbian has been unable to provide products that compete with Apple Inc.’s Iphone and  Google Inc’s Andriod. With this switch many people will unfortunately lose their jobs. However, Nokia is being very ethical by working with more international companies as well as their competitors to provide new job opportunities. How many jobs will be terminated is unknown; however, it is stated that it threatens a lot of jobs in Finland.
            This change in direction the company is implementing is most likely necessary. The telecommunications industry is constantly changing due to new technology and Nokia sees the opportunity to enhance; therefore, it is desirable to take that enhancement. I wonder if Symbian knew Nokia was seeking to work with another company. I also wonder if Symbian tried anything to ensure Nokia that they will try to better compete with other companies available.
            In this area of the industry the opportunities for innovation are through having the best technology available. It is also through having the best product at the perfect price. Each company has to make constant changes due to the competition. It is sad that many people will lose their jobs, but it also is admirable that Nokia is trying to provide new job opportunities for their employees.
            From doing more research, in the second article, it states that Nokia made this switch due to a sharp slide in the market share. With this sharp slide to bring it back up they will be using Microsoft Windows Phone 7 as their main smartphone platform. In my opinion, it is better for them to make a switch to work with another company causing job loss, than fully go out of business causing many more jobs to be terminated.
-Rachel Koretsky


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704900004576152174269146708.html?KEYWORDS=telecommunications

            

Monday, February 14, 2011

"Is Your Cellphone Hurting You? Hard to Say "

This WSJ article is discussing what many people in the world question. "Is the cell phone affecting people's health ?"
Many people have complained on having symptoms after using the cellphone for a large period of time.
Reporters are trying to inform the public on how there are no concrete evidence whether or not the cellphone causes health disorders. Such as: burning and tingling sensation in the skin of the head, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dizziness, cancer, between others.
The report also mentioned that the tropical weather of the country (in this case India) and scarcity of energy can possible correlate the effect of radiation produced by the cellphone to people. This possibly could be a reason by which people feel health disorders.
But the report wasn't conclusive, so nowadays we are unable to know the truth about this issue.
The report was informing to sides on the issue, the first one is telling us that there's no relation between health disorders and cell phones, and the second one is communicating to us a reason that can cause health disorder after using the cell phone.
Many people are scare, and are trying to be cautious by keeping cell phones away from children.
Are people just exaggerating? or should we all be worried about it?

Sapir.

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/02/07/is-your-cellphone-hurting-you-hard-to-say/?KEYWORDS=telecommunication