Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee - 1407 Words

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ takes place in Maycomb, a tired town in Alabama where ‘There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with’. Based on Harper lee’s hometown, Maycomb is fictitious, a microcosm of society in America’s deep south. Through Maycomb Lee presents the issues she sees in society such as the flawed education system, prejudice towards outsiders, racism, and ultimately the dire need for courage, in order to change these problems. The reader is introduced to Maycomb’s flaws through the narrator Scout, who faces her first real adversity from her school teacher. Scout presents her aptitude for reading and writing to Miss Caroline Fisher who issues a rebuttal, now you tell your father not to teach you anymore , thus revealing her rigorous submission to a narrow way of teaching. The system also neglects those who could benefit most from education. Walter Cunningham explains ‘reason I can’t pass the first grade, Mr Finch, is I’ve had to stay out ever’ spring an’ help papa with the choppin’, but there’s another’n at the house now that’s field size’. The declarative sentence shows how this seems entirely normal to Walter, because the system’s flaws seem inevitable. The connective ‘but’ implies hope that his education may progress due to a younger sibling taking over his jobs. However it also shows his place in a cycle which prevents children like Walter from receiving an education, as it is veryShow MoreRelatedKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1049 Words   |  5 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird: How a Story could be based on True Events in Everyday LifeDaisy GaskinsCoastal Pines Technical Collegeâ€Æ'Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama. Her father was a former newspaper editor and proprietor, who had served as a state senator and practiced as a lawyer in Monroeville. Also Finch was known as the maiden name of Lee’s mother. With that being said Harper Lee became a writer like her father, but she became a American writer, famous for her race relations novel â€Å"ToRead MoreTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee1000 Words   |  4 Pagesworld-wide recognition to the many faces of prejudice is an accomplishment of its own. Author Harper Lee has had the honor to accomplish just that through her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a moving and inspirational story about a young girl learning the d ifference between the good and the bad of the world. In the small town of Monroeville, Alabama, Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926. Growing up, Harper Lee had three siblings: two sisters and an older brother. She and her siblings grew up modestlyRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1290 Words   |  6 PagesHarper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird during a rough period in American history, also known as the Civil Rights Movement. This plot dives into the social issues faced by African-Americans in the south, like Tom Robinson. Lee felt that the unfair treatment towards blacks were persistent, not coming to an end any time in the foreseeable future. This dark movement drove her to publish this novel hopeful that it would encourage the society to realize that the harsh racism must stop. Lee effectivelyRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee873 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates that â€Å"it’s a sin to kill a mock ingbird† throughout the novel by writing innocent characters that have been harmed by evil. Tom Robinson’s persecution is a symbol for the death of a mockingbird. The hunters shooting the bird would in this case be the Maycomb County folk. Lee sets the time in the story in the early 1950s, when the Great Depression was going on and there was poverty everywhere. The mindset of people back then was that blackRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee963 Words   |  4 Pagesgrowing up, when older characters give advice to children or siblings.Growing up is used frequently in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Harper Lee uses the theme growing up in To Kill a Mockingbird to change characters opinion, develop characters through their world, and utilizes prejudice to reveal growing up. One major cause growing up is used in To Kill a Mockingbird is to represent a change of opinion. One part growing up was shown in is through the trial in part two of the novelRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1052 Words   |  5 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in Maycomb County, Alabama in the late 30s early 40s , after the great depression when poverty and unemployment were widespread throughout the United States. Why is the preconception of racism, discrimination, and antagonism so highly related to some of the characters in this book? People often have a preconceived idea or are biased about one’s decision to live, dress, or talk. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee examines the preconceptionRead MoreHarper Lee and to Kill a Mockingbird931 Words   |  4 PagesHarper Lee and her Works Harper Lee knew first hand about the life in the south in the 1930s. She was born in Monroeville, Alabama in 1926 (Castleman 2). Harper Lee was described by one of her friends as Queen of the Tomboys (Castleman 3). Scout Finch, the main character of Lees Novel, To Kill a Mockinbird, was also a tomboy. Many aspects of To Kill a Mockingbird are autobiographical (Castleman 3). Harper Lees parents were Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Finch Lee. She was the youngestRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1695 Words   |  7 PagesIn To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee presents as a ‘tired old town’ where the inhabitants have ‘nowhere to go’ it is set in the 1930s when prejudices and racism were at a peak. Lee uses Maycomb town to highlight prejudices, racism, poverty and social inequality. In chapter 2 Lee presents the town of Maycomb to be poverty stricken, emphasised through the characterisation of Walter Cunningham. When it is discovered he has no lunch on the first day of school, Scout tries to explain the situation to MissRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1876 Words   |  8 PagesThough Harper Lee only published two novels, her accomplishments are abundant. Throughout her career Lee claimed: the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fiction, and Quill Award for Audio Book. Lee was also inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This honor society is a huge accomplishment and is considered the highest recognition for artistic talent and accomplishment in the United States. Along with these accomplishments, herRead MoreKill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee1197 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as crops, houses, and land, and money was awfully limited. These conflicts construct Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird. In To Kill a Mocking Bird, Lee establishes the concurrence of good and evil, meaning whether people are naturally good or naturally evil. Lee uses symbolism, characterization, and plot to portray the instinctive of good and evil. To Kill a Mocking Bird, a novel by Harper Lee takes place during the 1930s in the Southern United States. The protagonist, Scout Finch,

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Essay on Sensitive Periods in Developement - 1258 Words

Sensitive Periods in Developement The child does not grow uniformly and homogeneously like a crystal or a carrot, but by stages or phases, which succeed one another and which, differ from one another. For proper growth and development it is necessary that the potentialities for developing human relationships with which the infant is born be exposed to the organizing influences of another human being. Accumulating evidence indicates that there exist critical developmental periods during which the organism is ready for differential development, within which periods it must receive the proper stimulations if it is to develop adequately. These critical developmental periods may be broadly outlined as follows: 1) The period during†¦show more content†¦2) Maternal deprivation for a period varying for days within the first and second years, and weeks or months during the third and fourth years. 3) Changes from one mother-figure to another during the first four or five years. With respect to the reality of the critical developmental periods, it is, of course, well known that such critical developmental periods exist in the development of the body, with the principle well established that the earlier the interference with their development the more widespread will the disturbance in growth be. Tissues must reach a certain stage of differentiation before they can respond; later such tissues achieve a certain relative fixity, so that they can yield. Prenatal environmental influences For many years , in fact, it was believed that the baby in the uterus was completely insulated form all outside influences, but now we know that is not entirely true. Environmental influences ranging from radioactivity and stress in the outside world to drugs, chemicals, hormones, and viruses in the mothers bloodstream can affect prenatal development. Even though the placenta acts as a filter, keeping the blood of the mother and the fetus from mixing, a number of potentially dangerous substances can pass through it. And, of course, if theShow MoreRelatedApproaches to Care for Hypertensive African Americans2389 Words   |  10 Pagesother chronic problems, it can be understood that a person can develop hypertension and go living with his or her normal routine life without clearly noticing its occurence and growth. In this manner, hypertension tends to go undetected for longer periods of time until it causes other chronic diseases in the body. Sinc e African Americans are more prone to hypertension, the development of chronic issues such as kidney problems and heart diseases is more common in them as compared to their white counterpartsRead MoreAlphabet Swoth and Pestel Analysis2061 Words   |  9 Pagesdeficiencies in present resources of the organisation, as they limit its effectivness, prgress, developement and expansion. All issues has to be resolved as soon as possible, actions have to be taken to minimise any possoble harm cause by them. This includes only internal factors. Opportunities are external elements which create an advantage for the company. The organisation must be extremly sensitive to changes on market to be able to use all these changes in its profit. This includes externalRead MoreDols of Mattel - Challenges on the Global Markets2134 Words   |  9 Pages  The  future  of  the  Star  brands  are  hard to  estimate,  as  these  have  a  short  history  so  far. Mattel  acts  well  in  the  pre ­school  market,  thanks  to  Fisher  Price  (acquired  in  1993,  and  also  HIT  was  aquired  in 2011).3 Looking  on  the  brands  above,  a  change  can  be  detected  on  the  brand  developement  appeared  in  the  last  years. Before  2000  toys  used  to  spring  from  entertainment  (Batman,  Simpsons,  etc.).  Nowadays  (as  the  example  of  Max Steel  represents  it)  entertainment  is  made  to  supports  the  toys.1  This  new  communication  approach  was  also  appliedRead MoreGlobal Pollution4546 Words   |  19 Pagesconstruction contaminants (listed at air pollution) as well as water runoff of construction contaminants (as listed for water pollution). Soil may constitute a sink for pollutants and some of those may accumulate in soil and persists over longer periods of time (e.g., PAHs). * Noise Pollution – noise is usually associated with construction work although modern preventive measures may substantially reduce the amount of noise (in the neighboring community). Noise may adversely affect your healthRead MoreCredit Appraisal20118 Words   |  81 Pages INTRODUCTION The Banking industry in India has a huge canvas of history, which covers the traditional banking practices from the time of Britishers to the reforms period, nationalization to privatisation of banks and now increasing numbers of foreign banks in India. Therefore, Banking in India has been through a long journey. The  Banking Industry  was once a simple and reliable business that took deposits from investorsRead MoreEssay on Virtual Child16751 Words   |  68 PagesA: Your partner will spend more time changing diapers, feeding, and playing with Preslee. 9) How does your babys eating, sleeping and motor development compare to the typical developmental patterns? Preslees eating, sleeping, and motor developement has gone quite well lately. Ive made it to where she is able to try new foods such as meats, fruits, and vegetables. She is sleeping at night to where Ill get up maybe every now and then to soothe her. She is able to crawl and search around forRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesMoran. This edition brought additional insight, expertise, and depth to the discussions. With the fourth edition, published in 1993, the two authors expanded the coverage to include themes of importance for an international audience. Over that 15-year period, the previous editions had been translated into several languages—some without prior knowledge of the authors and publisher. That edition also changed its title to Library and Information Center Management to more accurately reflect a broader focus

Monday, December 9, 2019

Risk Analysis and Management Plan †Free samples for Students

Question: Discuss About the Risk Analysis and Management Plan? Answer: Introducation The risks facing the Store has been identified as banking risk, compliance risk, and Mangers risk. The next step is to classify them in the probability/ likelihood of their occurrence. According to the probability of occurrence, risks are classified as; Rare risks Unlikely risks Possible risks Likely risks And, frequent risks Our case can be classified as shown below; Banking Risk- This is considered as possible risks because the $4000 was kept in the cash register every day without being banked. Thieves can break into the Caf and steal the money (CMC, et al., 2003, p. 45). Travel Risk- This is an unlikely risk. Although the manager will be driving in a steep and narrow road used by trucks as well, it is difficult for an accident to occur during the day. Note that the manager travels during the day. Compliance By-Law Risk- Manger and employees cannot be fined for using more water than estimated or breaching the existing by-laws. Therefore, this is an unlikely risk (Rejda McNamara, 2013, p. 67). Consequences Failing to control/ solve these risks, would lead to inconveniences besides grave danger to the Company. Consequences are classified as Insignificant, Minor, Major, and Catastrophic (Kamiya, et al., 2007, p. 109). The risks facing the Company can be classified as shown below (based on their merits). Banking Risk- Not banking the money every day, is likely to attract thieves to the Store. If theft occurs, the lives of the employees would be endangered. Therefore, this is a major risk if not addressed. Travel Risk- There is a probability for an accident to occur when the manager is traveling to attend the meeting. The possibility of the accident occurring is high when navigating the steep and narrow road. The can would insure the manager in the occurrence of an accident (Coleman, 2011, p. 78). Likewise, the Company will have to find another personnel plays the role of a manager which would slow its operations. Therefore, the risk arising from traveling is a major one. Compliance By-Law Risk- According to the current water compliance by-laws, the company can pay a fine of up to $500,000 if it does not use water effectively Likewise, the company will suffer a loss which is a drawback to its profitability. This is a minor risk (Crouhy, et al., 2014, p. 93). Priorities Priorities are used to rate the risks by creating a risk matrix. To create a risk matrix, likelihood is multiplied with the consequences. Based on our situation, the risks are prioritized as; Extreme for banking risk Leaving a total of $4000 days sales at the Cafs safe should be treated as an extreme risk. This creates a possibility for theft as well as endangering the lives of the employees. High for managers travel risk The traveling risk for the manager is considered to be a high risk. If an accident occurs, the company will spend money to insure the manager as well as temporary filling the position of the manager with another person leading to extra expenditure (Rejda McNamara, 2013, p. 93). And, medium for failing to comply with water usage by-laws. Using water efficiently is crucial. If the company fails to comply with the current by-laws, it might attract a fine of $50,000. Therefore, this is a medium risk. Management Options The next step is to come up with effective management options to mitigate the risks. The risk management plan for the Company comprises of the risk under consideration, rating, control, stakeholders responsibilities and roles, timeline, and monitoring (Newton, 2013, p. 145). Risk Risk Assess Controls Monitoring Timeline Role Player Banking Risk Extreme The Company should one a bank account and deposit the $4000 every day. Obtaining a weekly statement from the bank. Between 2 to 3 weeks Financial manager. Travel Risk High The meetings attended by the manager should end by 3pm. This would allow him time to travel back and avoid travelling at late hours Check the time the manager finishes the meetings and try to adjust the time he finishes his shift before attending the meeting. Between 1 to 2 weeks New policy CEO. Compliance with bylaws Medium The employees need to be educated on current bylaws and the importance of compliance. Check the monthly bill on water usage. 2 weeks Store Manager Goldsmith Partners. Efficient water usage Medium The Company should educate its employees about the procedures and policies governing its operations. Specific attention should be put on right water usage. Supervising the employees while performing their work. Check the monthly water bills Between 1 to 2 weeks CEO Store Manager. References List CMC, CPCM Conrow, P. E., 2003. Effective Risk Managemen. New Jersey: AIAA; 2nd edition. Coleman, T. S., 2011. A Practical Guide to Risk Management. New York: Research Foundation of CFA Institute. Crouhy, M., Galai, D. Mark, R., 2014. he Essentials of Risk Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Kamiya, S., Shi, P., Schmit, J. Rosenberg, M., 2007. Risk Management Terms. University of Wisconsin-Madison: Actuarial Science, Risk Management and Insurance Department. Newton, P., 2013. Managing Project Risk. New Jersey: Bookboon.com. Rejda, G. E. McNamara, M., 2013. Principles of Risk Management and Insurance. Paris: Pearson Series.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Prime Bank Essay Example

Prime Bank Essay 1. 1 Introduction of the Report In the modern competitive environment, the pursuit of service quality is now considered to be an essential strategy. Offering a superior product is no longer sufficient, as firms in the 21st century economy compete on a much broader platform. In terms of the banking sector, service quality has become an increasingly important factor for success and survival (Cui, Lewis, Park, 2003). Provision of high quality service aids in meeting several requirements such as customer satisfaction and its consequent loyalty and market share, soliciting new customers, improved productivity, financial performance and profitability (Collet, Lancier, Olliver, 1990; Julian Ramaseshan, 1994; Lewis, 1989, 1993; Llosa, Chandon, Orsingher, 1998). It has also become an important research topic because of its important relationship to corporate marketing and financial performance. In the current study the researcher intends to find out the customer service performance of Prime Bank Limited and also compare the performance with other private sector banks. The Prime Bank Limited is a national banking group that is incorporated on the 12th February, 1995 as a consequence of relentless and decided efforts of a group of entrepreneurs having excellence of experience exposure in the different fields of industry, trade and commerce of Bangladesh. We will write a custom essay sample on Prime Bank specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Prime Bank specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Prime Bank specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer To prepare a specific and precise analysis on service quality performance, the researcher will consider the SURVQUAL model proposed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988) which consists of five key dimensions like reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. 1. 2 Origin of the Study This report has been prepared as a requirement of the internship program of School of Business, North South University (NSU). The organization attachment started on 24 January 2010 and ended on 24th April 2010. This project on â€Å"Comparative Analysis of Customer Service Quality of Prime Bank Limited with other Private Commercial Banks† is assigned by Kazi Tozammel Huq, Assistant Vice President, Motijheel Branch, Prime Bank Limited (PBL) and it was approved by institution supervisor Mr. Muntasir Alam, Lecturer, School of Business, North South University (NSU). 1. 3 Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to make a comparative analysis of customer service quality of Prime Bank Limited with other private commercial banks. This study attempted to understand the customer perceptions on different service quality dimensions while dealing with these banks. The purpose is also to make recommendations for improving the quality and soundness of different services provided to the customers by Prime bank Limited. 1. 4 Statement of the problem In the current study, the researcher will use five important dimensions like reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles to find out the customer service quality of Prime bank Limited and thus compare the service quality with other private commercial banks in Bangladesh. The problem statement, then, is stated as follows: The current study will identify the customer service quality of Prime bank Limited considering key dimensions such as reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles and compare the performance with other private commercial banks in Bangladesh. 1. 5 Research Methodology 1. 5. 1 Research design As the purpose of this study is to make a comparative analysis of customer service quality of different private commercial banks, therefore descriptive research was undertaken to fulfill the main purpose of the study. The current study will compare the customer perceptions of service quality of Prime Bank Limited with the private commercial banks such as Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd under five key dimensions like tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. This research will use a descriptive study to discover the ideas and insights of these different service quality dimensions. Therefore, the current study will be characterized as a descriptive study. 1. 5. 2 Sampling method For the current study, the researcher will use the customers of four ifferent private commercial banks such as Prime Bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd as the sample for the study. For this proposed study, the population will be the customers of different private commercial banks in Bangladesh. The researcher will use stratified random sampling to collect the sample for this study. In a recent study Sureshchandar, Rajendran, and Anantharam an (2003) have also utilized this sampling method to make a comparative analysis of customer perceptions of service quality in the banking sector. The stratification will be done based on the four different banks. From each of the banks, about 20 customers will be randomly selected and thus the sample size will be 80. Data have been collected using the â€Å"personal-contact† approach, i. e. the respondents have been approached personally and given a detailed explanation about the survey. 1. 5. 3 Survey Instrument In the current study, the researcher will use a questionnaire to collect the data from the sample. Structured questionnaire will be used in this research. The questionnaire used in this study is comprised of two parts. The first part contains questions about personal profiles of the respondents including age, occupation and types of accounts currently holding. Then the next and final part includes expectations of respondents according to five dimensions. These dimensions are reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. A seven-point Likert scale ranging from â€Å"strongly disagree = 1† to â€Å"strongly agree = 7† was used to measure the 21 items. This 21-item SURVQUAL scale is developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988). Since Parasuraman et al. 1988) introduced the SERVQUAL instrument, many researchers have also used, extended and developed this scale to study service quality in different sectors of the services industry (Fick Ritchie, 1991; Babakus Mangold, 1992; Coyle Dale, 1993; Cronin Taylor, 1992; Lewis Pescetto, 1996; Smith, 1995; Buttle, 1996; Lam, Wong, Yeung, 1997; Lim Tang, 2000; Oldfield Baron, 2000; Gounaris, Stathakopoulos, Athanass opoulos, 2003). 1. 5. 4 Data Collection The study was conducted on the basis of both the primary and secondary ources of information. Primary data Primary data were collected through questionnaire from the customers of Prime Bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd. Secondary data Annual reports of PBL, Instruction circular of Head Office, Brochures of different Banks, online articles. 1. 5. 5 Data analysis procedure In the current situation, the proposed study is a comparative study which intends to analyze the customer service quality of Prime Bank Limited with other Private Commercial Banks. As a result, after collecting the data the researcher will use Mean value to make the comparison among the banks considering the five dimensions of service quality measurement. Several studies have utilized the mean value to analyze the service quality dimensions (Joseph Stone, 2003; Dotchin Oakland, 1994; Cuthbert, 1996; Allred Addams 2000). In this study, the researcher will also use factor analysis to analyze the data for the proposed study. The researcher intends to check if the scale items included in the questionnaire constituted a single dimension in the specific context of the different private commercial banks and then make a comparison between the banks. Some previous studies have also utilized factor analysis to study service quality of different service organizations (Cui, Lewis, Park, 2003; Cuthbert, 1996; Arasli, Mehtap-Smadi, Katircioglu, 2005). To analyze the data gathered from the survey Microsoft Excel 2003 and SPSS 12. 0 is utilized. 1. 5. 6 Survey Time The survey time for the current study is April, 2010. 1. 6 Limitations of the Study The major limitations of this study are given as follows a. There were some restrictions to have access to the information confidential by concern authority. b. For the comparative analysis only the branches of the four private commercial banks which are located in Gulshan, Banani and Mohakhali areas are selected to collect data for the research. c. In the current study only the perceptions of the customers regarding the service quality is measured. The expectations of the customers regarding the five dimensions of service quality could be measured in such study to evaluate the gap score between perceptions and expectations. . Sufficient records, publications regarding customer service were not available as per requirement. e. Non-cooperative behavior of some officials from few branches. 2. 1 Introduction of the Organization The Prime Bank Limited (PBL) is a national banking group that is incorporated on the 12th February, 1995 as a consequence of relentless and decided efforts of a group of entrepreneurs having excellence of experience exposure in the different fields of industry, trade and commerce of the country. It started operation as a commercial bank on the 17th April 1995 with a branch at Motijheel. At present the bank has 36 branches spread all over the country. It renders all types of commercial banking services to the customers of all strata in the society within the stipulations laid down the bank company act 1991 and rules and regulations formed by Bangladesh from time to time. Diversification of products and services and innovation of products suited to the needs of the customers in keeping with relevant rules and laws have made it different from other commercial banks of the country. PBL’s national business in personal banking, corporate banking and its markets are its special strengths. It maintains correspondent relationship with all over the banks in countries. Prime Bank Limited is a forward looking and modern local bank with a record of sound performance. It is discarding its erstwhile conservative mould and in response to the current dynamic trends in locally financial activities, adopting an aggressive customer focused system. The effort that Prime Bank makes in order to portray the bank as a brand image is very strong and successful. The general image is that it is â€Å"trustworthy, efficient, helpful and committed†. The logo of the bank depicts the merger of confidence. Prime Bank Ltd. has already made significant progress within a very short period of its existences. The bank has been graded as a top class bank in the country through internationally accepted CAMEL rating. The Bank made satisfactory progress in all areas of business operation in 2004. Prime Bank offers all kinds of commercial corporate and personal banking services covering all segments of society within the framework of banking company Act and rules and regulations laid down by our central bank. Diversification of products and services include Corporate Banking, Retail Banking and Consumer Banking. Prime Bank Ltd. was designed to provide commercial and investment banking services to all types of customer ranging from small entrepreneur to big business firms. Besides investment in trade and commerce, the Bank participates in the socioeconomic development through the participation in priority sectors like agriculture, Industry, housing and self-employment. Prime Bank Ltd. want to establish, maintain, carry on transact Undertake and conduct all types of banking, financial all investment and trust business in Bangladesh and abroad. 2. 2 Mission of PBL To build Prime Bank Limited into an efficient, market driven, customer focused institution with good corporate governance structure. Continuous improvement in our business policies, procedures and efficiency through integration of technology at all levels. 2. 3 Goals and Objectives of PBL Maximization of Profit through customer satisfaction is the main objective of the Bank. In addition, the others relevant objectives are: ? To be market leaders in high quality banking products and services. ? Active excellence in customer service through providing the most modern and advance technology in the different spheres of banking. To participate in the industrial development of the country to encourage the new and educated young entrepreneurs to under take productive venture and demonstrate their creativity and there by participate in the national development ? To provide credit facilities to the small and medium size entrepreneur located in urban sub-Urban area and easily accessible by our branches. ? To develop saving attitude and making acquaintance with modern banking facilities. ? To inspire for undertaking small projects for creation employment through income generating activities. To play a significant role in the economic development of the country. 2. 4 Organogram of Prime Bank Limited 2. 5 Hierarchy of Prime Bank Limited 2. 6 Business Activities of PBL Prime Bank Limited provides a full range of products and services to its customers, some of which are mentioned below with a brief overview of the major business activities. Consumer Finance There are branches and finance centers under this division with a qualitative workforce of employees. Some of the services provided by this division are unsecured personal loans, credit cards, and vehicle related lease etc. Personal Banking There are branches with highly qualified workforce provide various kinds of loans, various types of accounts, cheques, card money etc. Corporate Banking institutional Banking There are some branches under this division. The services provided by this division are International Trade Management, Institutional Banking, Custody and Cash Management. Custodial Service PBL equator fulfills its strategic commitment to provide custody and clearing services. Equator’s main focus is on the following: ? Commitment to quality ? Dedication to customer needs Sustained investment in people and systems International Trade Management This division is operational throughout the group and PBL’s core strength is trade finance and services. With an experience Prime Bank has developed knowledge of trade finance, which is world class. Principle services to importers include imports letter of credit, import bills for collection and back to back letters of credit facilities. Se rvices provide to exporters include export letters of credit, direct export bills for collection, bulk letter of credit collection, bonds, and guarantees. Cash Management Prime Bank recognizes the importance of cash management to corporate and financial institutional customers, and offers a comprehensive range of services and liquidity management. Institutional Banking Through Prime Bank it is very well positioned to provide a wide range of services to institutional clients, commercial, merchant and central banks; brokers and dealers; insurance companies; funds and managers, and others. It provides relationship managers who are close to their customers and speak local language. This wide network of institutional banking facilities includes transaction, introduction, problem solving and renders advice and guidelines on local trading condition. Treasury Treasury operations had been consideration as an important avenue for income generation purpose within Head Office. In fact, in the past, income from treasury operation was quite sizable and significant to the total income generated by the bank. The treasury division publishes daily and weekly currency news letters, which provide analyses of currency trends and related issues. Seminars and workshops are conducted for customers from time to time on foreign exchange related topics. Customers can also have access to bank’s information database round the clock through phone banking. Prime Bank is one of the first local banks in Bangladesh to integrate treasury dealings of local money market and foreign currency under one Treasury umbrella. The bank has handled significant volumes of treasury over the last several years. Prime Banks Dealing Room is connected with automated Reuters Terminal facility thus enabling the bank to provide forward/future facilities to its corporate clients at a very competitive rate. In 2004 the treasury operation recorded an income of TK 180. 12 million excluding money market income of TK 72. 25 million. Electronic Banking Electronic Banking provides various types of support through a wide range of operating systems, sweeping transactions accessions with the provisions of reporting features or other special functions. Foreign Exchange Business Over the years, foreign trade operations of the bank played a pivotal role in the overall business development of the bank. The bank has established relationship with as many as 110 new foreign correspondents abroad thereby raising the total number of correspondents to 350. The total import business handled by the bank during the year 2004 was tk 19564 million against taka 13428 million of the year 2003. The growth rate was 46%. The bank has also entered into remittance arrangements with several banks and exchange houses and expects to handle increased volume of remittance business over the near future. Online Branch Banking The bank has set up a Wide Area Network (WAN) across the country to provide online branch banking facility to its valued clients. Under the scheme clients of any branch shall be able to do banking transaction at other branches of the bank. Under this system a client will be able to do following type of transactions: ? Cash withdrawal from his/her account at any branch of the bank irrespective of the location. ? Cash deposit in his/her account at any branch of the bank irrespective of the location. ? Cash deposit in other’s account at any branch of the bank irrespective of the location. ? Transfer of money from his/her account with any branch of the bank. SWIFT Prime Bank limited is one of the first few Bangladeshi banks, which have become member of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) in 1999. SWIFT is a member-owned co-operative, which provides a fast and accurate communication network for financial transactions such as Letters of Credit, Fund Transfer etc. By becoming a member of SWIFT, the bank has opened up possibilities for uninterrupted connectivity with over 5,700 user institutions in 150 countries around the world. Information Technology in Banking Operation Prime Bank limited adopted automation in banking operation from the first day of its operation. The main objective of this automation is to provide efficient and prompt services to the banks clients. At present all the branches of the bank are computerized. At branch level, the bank is using server-based multi-user software under UNIX operating system to provide best security of automation. Profitability and Shareholder Satisfaction The bank had been one of the most profitable in the banking sector. The banks return on assets (ROA) crossed 3. 75 percent in the year 2004. Even though the capital market of the country has been suffering over the last few years, the good performance of Prime Bank made sure that the banks share price remained in a respectable position. 2. 7 Products and Services of Prime Bank Limited Prime bank Limited offers various kinds of deposit products and loan schemes. The bank also has highly qualified professional staff members who have the capability to manage and meet all the requirements of the bank. Every account is assigned to an account manager who personally takes care of it and is available for discussion and inquiries, whether one writes, telephones or calls. Deposit Products ? Monthly Contributory Savings Schemes(CSS) ? Monthly Benefit Deposit Receipt(MBDR) ? Special Deposit Receipt Scheme(SDR) ? Education Savings Scheme(ESS) ? Fixed Deposit Receipt Scheme(FDR) ? Current Account ? Savings account ? Short Term Deposit ? Multi Currency Account Loan Schemes: ? General Loan Scheme Consumer Credit Scheme ? Lease Finance ? House Building Loan Apartment Loan Scheme ? Advance against Shares ? Custodial Services for investors (both individual institutional) investing in through Stock exchange ? One stop services for payment of utility bills. ? Credit card 2. 8 Financial Position of Prime Bank Limited The financial position for the last three y ears of Prime Bank Limited is given below: (Taka in million) |Particulars |2007 |2008 |2009 | |Total Deposits |16481. 0 |20483. 23 |28069. 24 | |Loans and Advances |12686. 85 |16492. 22 |23219. 67 | |Investment |1996. 23 |2749. 71 |3083. 81 | |Foreign Exchange Business |31753. 70 |41930. 80 |56248. 80 | |Operating Income |1196. 20 |1593. 9 |1970. 37 | |Operating Expenditure |448. 36 |592. 28 |824. 23 | |Operating Profit |747. 84 |1001. 41 |1146. 14 | |Total Assets |19358. 93 |24249. 13 |32361. 62 | |Market value per share |307. 51 |374. 25 |879. 0 | |No of Branches |27 |30 |36 | |No of Employees |730 |777 |894 | |No of Shareholders |1727 |1993 |2620 | |No of Foreign Correspondences |422 |441 |501 | 3. 1 Literature Review . 1. 1 Service Quality Lehtinen and Lehtinen (1982) defined service quality in terms of physical quality, interactive quality and corporate (image) quality. Physical quality relates to the tangible aspects of the service. Interactive quality involves the interactive nature of services and refers to the two-way flow that occurs between the customer and the service provider, or his/her representative, including both automated and animated interactions. Corporate quality refers to the image attributed to a service provider by its current and potential customers, as well as other publics. Lewis and Booms (1983) definition clearly states that service is a measure of how well the service level delivered matches customer expectations and delivering quality service means conforming to customer expectation on a consistent basis. In some earlier studies, researchers define service quality as the extent to which a service meets customers needs or expectations (Lewis Mitchell, 1990; Dotchin Oakland, 1994; Asubonteng, McCleary, Swan, 1996; Wisniewski and Donnelly, 1996). Zeithaml (1987) defined that service quality is the consumers judgment about an entitys overall excellence or superiority. It is a form of attitude, and results from a comparison of expectations to perceptions of performance received. Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman (1990) on the other hand, have chosen to define service quality as the extent of the discrepancy between customers expectations or desires and their perceptions. Service quality has been also defined as the consumers overall impression of the relative inferiority or superiority of the organization and services (Zeithaml et al. 1990; Taylor Baker, 1994). Christopher, Payne, and Ballantyne (1993) have defined service quality as the ability of the organization to meet or exceed customer expectations. Service quality is believed to depend on the gap between expected and perceived performance (Anderson, Fornell, Lehmann, 1994). Gitlow, Oppenheim, and Oppenheim (1989) also stated that service quality is the extent to which t he customer or users believe the service surpasses their needs and expectations. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985) proposed that service quality is a function of the differences between expectation and performance along the quality dimensions. Service quality has been also defined as a consumer attitude reflecting the perceived overall superiority and excellence in the process and outcome of a service provider (Parasuraman et al. , 1988). Gronroos (2001) recently defined service quality as a mixture of three elements: quality of the consumption process itself, the quality of the outcome of the process; and image of the provider of the service. Service quality has become an increasingly important factor for success and survival in the banking sector. Provision of high quality service aids in meeting several requirements such as customer satisfaction and its consequent loyalty and market share, soliciting new customers, improved productivity, financial performance and profitability (Collet et al. , 1990; Julian and Ramaseshan, 1994; Lewis, 1989, 1993; Llosa et al. , 1998). Bank Service quality has become an important factor in determining market shares and profitability (Andereson et al. , 1994; Spathis, Kosmidou, Doumpous, 2002). . 1. 2 Service Quality Dimensions Since a conceptual model concerning perceived service quality was proposed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985), service quality dimensions have become an area of interest in marketing research (Bolton Drew, 1991b; Brown Swartz, 1989; Carman, 1990; Cronin Taylor, 1992, 1994; Parasuraman et al. , 1988, 1994; Teas, 1993, 1994; Zeithaml et al. , 1996). One o f the important issues related to service quality is the dimensions of service quality, and the measurement tool, SERVQUAL developed by Parasuraman et al. 1988) has been the starting point of the controversy in this area. Parasuraman et al. (1988) identify five quality dimensions which link specific service characteristics to consumer expectations of quality. These five basic dimensions are: (1) Reliability: Reliability is defined as the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately (Parasuraman et al. , 1988). Reliability involves consistency of performance and dependability. It means that the firm performs the service right first time. It also means that the firm honors its promises. Specifically it involves: accuracy in billing; keeping records correctly; performing the service at the designated time. (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, Berry, 1985) Reliability basically refers to the extent to which the retail service provides what was promised when it was promised (Dabholkar, Thorpe, Rentz, 1996). Zeithaml et al. (1990) defined reliability as the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. (2) Responsiveness: It is defined as the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service (Parasuraman et al. , 1988). It Concerns the willingness or readiness of employees to provide services. Responsiveness involves timeliness of service like: posting a transaction slip immediately; returning a phone call quickly; giving prompt service; setting up appointments quickly. According to Zeithaml et al. (1990) responsiveness refers to the motivation to help (internal) customers and provide prompt service to them. (3) Assurance: Parasuraman et al. , (1988) defined assurance as the knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence. Assurance involves trustworthiness, believability, honesty. It involves having the customer’s best interests at heart. Contributing to credibility includes company name; company reputation; personal characteristics of the contact personnel; how much a hard sell is employed in interactions with the customer (Parasuraman et al. , 1985). Zeithaml et al. (1990) defined assurance as the awareness and good manners of the employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence to the customers. 4) Empathy: According to Parasuraman et al. , (1988) empathy is defined as caring and individualized attention provided to customers. Empathy refers to graciousness, respect, consideration and friendliness of contact personnel including receptionists, telephone operators, etc. It includes: consideration for the consumers’ property; clean and neat appearance of the contact personnel. (5) Tangibles: Tangibles are the physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of personnel in servic es (Parasuraman et al. , 1988). It includes all the physical evidence of the service: facilities; appearance of personnel; tools or equipment used to provide the service; physical representations of the services (e. g. statements); other customers. Zeithaml et al. (1990) stated that tangibles are the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials. Tangibles of service are the tangible facets of the service facility (equipment, machinery, signage, employee appearance, etc. ) or the man-made physical environment, popularly known as the â€Å"servicescapes† (Sureshchandar, Rajendran, Anantharaman, 2003). . 1 Comparative Analysis on Service Quality For comparative analysis, the data retrieved from the perception score given by the customers of Prime Bank Limited, Dhaka Bank ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd are analyzed in the current study. By analyzing the mean value of the results the researcher intends to find which Banks customer service quality is more a ppreciable to the customers. The comparative analysis is based on the mean score of the actual score given by the customers on the items of each of the service quality dimensions. 4. 1. Comparative Analysis on Reliability dimension: In reliability dimension the customers were asked to give score about their perception on the basis of five scale items. The following Table 1 shows the comparative results in the reliability dimension for Prime Bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd. The result shows that Prime Bank receives maximum scores in four scale items except the one which asks whether the bank provides its services at the time it promises to do so. For that particular scale item Prime Bank receives a mean score of 4. 95 whereas the mean score for Dhaka Bank is 5. . Table 1: Mean Quality Scores of Prime bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd and Mercantile Bank Ltd for Reliability dimension |Perception Statements in Reliability Dimensio n |Prime |Dhaka |Southeast Bank |Mercantile Bank | | |Bank |Bank | | | |1. When your bank promises to do something by a |5. 7 |5. 3 |4. 75 |5. 3 | |certain time, it does so. | | | | |2. When you have a problem, your bank shows a |5. 2 |4. 95 |4. 3 |4. 45 | |sincere interest in solving it. | | | | | |3. Your bank performs the right service at first |5. 2 |4. 45 |4. 7 |4. 80 | |time. | | | | | |4. Your bank provides its services at the time it |4. 95 |5. |4. 55 |4. 6 | |promises to do so. | | | | | |5. Your bank keeps you informed about when services |5. 2 |4. 4 |4. 45 |4. 6 | |will be performed. | | | | | In terms of scale item 1 the customers of Prime Bank have relatively high perception than the customers of other banks as the bank does the work within the promised time. Prime Bank receives a mean score of 5. in this aspect while Dhaka Bank, Southeast Bank, and Mercantile Bank receive 5. 3, 4. 75, and 5. 3 respectively. Prime Bank also receives a mean score of 5. 2 as the bank show s sincere interest to solve the problems of the customers than the other banks do. Prime Bank also receives a comparatively high mean score in the aspect of that the bank keeps customers informed about when services will be performed. 4. 1. 2 Comparative Analysis on Responsiveness dimension: The responsiveness dimension consists of three items. The following Table 2 shows the comparative results in the responsiveness dimensions for the banks. The result shows that Prime Bank receives comparatively low scores in all three items of the dimension. The mean score of Prime Bank for scale item 6 is 4. 65 which is lower than Dhaka Bank and Southeast Bank. Table 2: Mean Quality Scores of Prime bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Ltd, Southeast Bank Ltd