Information Technology (IT) - An Overview

This present era is an era of information technology. This article is dealing with development of information technology in different facet of our life"

INTRODUCTION

In today's world (IT) is all pervasive, everywhere, and in every facet of our day to day life. Prominently service sector involving railway, airlines, scientific and businesses establishments, banks, universities, schools, and most definitely in our homes. The phrase 'information technology' has many varying connotations in the same way as it has a wide spread presence. From the most mundane of things which a common person does to the most complex wizardry which only a techno savvy geek comprehends. Information technology can be seen and experienced in processes improving services to citizens and consumers (online transactions, bookings, university admissions, professional consultations, telecommunications, consumer products etc), increasing the productivity and efficiency of governments (computerization of government records, departments, e-cops), strengthening the legal and law enforcement systems (Judicial administration and Court Management) and in promoting the priority economic sectors (banking, agriculture, industry, marketing and the like), involving processes of manufacturing and production chain. Possibly the greatest impact Information technology has had is on blurring the time and geographical divide.

The penetration of the home computer or the personal computer phenomenon along with the Internet has increased the impact of information technology beyond our own imagination. Thus use of Internet has given the globe a shrinking effect. Every kind of information is only a few clicks away. In today's world of competition -"information" is the key word to success. Availability of right information at the right time can make all the difference. Today relevant information outweighs the price of gold. The graphical user interface has simplified one of the most complex issues in the world. Indeed, the world is undergoing a second Industrial Revolution.

Information technology today touches every aspect of life, irrespective of location on the globe. Everyone's daily activities are affected in form, content and time by the computer. Businesses, Governments and individuals all receive the benefits of this Information Revolution. While providing tangible benefits in time and money, the computer has also had an impact on everyday life, as computerized routines replace mundane human tasks. More and more of our businesses, industries, economies, hospitals and Governments are becoming dependent on computers. With the computer, the heretofore impossible has now become possible, The computer has allowed large volumes of data to be reduced to high-density, compact storage, nearly imperceptible to the human senses. It has allowed an exponential increase in speed, and even the most complex calculations can be completed in milliseconds. The miniaturization of processors has permitted worldwide connectivity and communication.

WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?

The broad subject concerned with all aspects of managing and processing information, especially within a large organization or company. Because computers are central to information management, computer departments within companies and universities are often called IT departments. Some companies refer to this department as IS (Information Services) or MIS (Management Information Services). The penguin dictionary of computers defines it as "a portmanteau phrase to cover all aspects of the art or science of processing data to produce information". It includes computer software, hardware, programs, and databases, semiconductor chips that put together process and produce the output. Output can be expressed in human readable form (printouts) or in machine readable form (series of electronic pulses) which are further used to control a any other machine, tool or device. Information technology also includes networking of computers and databases exchanging and feeding information between one another.

Basic understanding of and about technology law warrants proper grasp and appreciation about technology itself. Inherently technology law, like any other emerging facts of law, is purely inter-disciplinary in nature. Hence, it is now proposed to explain and introduce some of essential and relevant aspects of information technology.

Importance of information technology

The importance of information technology cannot be ignored by banking and insurance sectors, except at the cost of elimination from the competition. This is so because the use of information technology produces certain advantages, which are not available when the traditional and conventional methods of doing business are used. The use of information technology generates the following advantages and benefits:

Ø easy handling of day to day affairs of an organization,

Ø speedy disposal of routine and daily works,

Ø assurance of authenticity, integrity and confidentiality in the functioning of the organization,

Ø cost economy,

Ø integration and interaction with the global institutions and organizations,

Ø better communication and presentation facilities,

Ø assurance of safety and sound security of the sensitive and valuable information, like trade secrets,

Ø instant transfer of data and information where the situation demands,

Ø it provides access to public documents which are digitalized by various department s of the Government,

Ø for making online payments of various bills and dues,

Ø to file statutory documents online , etc.

These benefits development of information technology can be claimed by all business ventures, including banking and insurance sectors, but apart from that its advantages are claimed by various other sectors which are discussed as follow :

1. Development to Banking business,

2. Development in Forensic Science and Police Wireless

3. Development in Railways

4. Development of IT in Agriculture

5. Role of Information Technology in Alternative Dispute Redressal & Judicial recognition

6. Development of IT in Health and Medicine

1) Development to Banking business

The benefits and advantages of information technology for the smooth and efficient functioning of the banking business cannot be disregarded and sidelined. This is more so when a bank proposes to deal in "Internet banking " which is an important offshoot of information technology. Its proper and methodical use can bring the following advantages.

(A) Sound Payment System:

The usage of electronic means of funds movement and settlement is still in its stages of formative years. The various forms of electronic based payment, such as credit cards, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Stored Value cards, Shared Payment Network Service (SPNS) etc, are emerging at an incredible speed. Many banks have made initiatives aimed at electronic modes of funds movement. While this is a positive development, it needs to be ensured that such funds transfers are made in a high level of security so that no unauthorized usage occurs in the newer modes being implemented by banks. It is this area, which has been the focus of attention by the Reserve Bank - and the efforts have now resulted in the form of the Structured Financial Messaging Solution (SFMS).

The SFMS incorporates adequate security measures, including that of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), with encryption software equivalent to some of the best security measure in the world. The use of the SFMS over the INFINET would automatically provide safe, secure and efficient funds transfers with the added benefit of the settlement of inter-bank funds transfers taking place in the books of account of banks, maintained with the Reserve Bank, thereby providing for finality of the settlement. Further, the message formats used in SFMS are very similar to those used by SWIFT, resulting in ease of usage by the banking community in the country. This secure messaging backbone can be used for a number of intra-bank applications also.

(B) Effective Currency Management

The impact of technology on the issuances of Bank Notes and Currency Management by Central bank is apparent. The technology offers us immense opportunities to significantly improve our performance of this core function. Given the high value and volume of currency in circulation, the vast geographic spread of currency operations, the largest distribution channel for the supply of currency, prevalent marked preference for cash and currency handling practices, currency management in India is a challenging and strenuous task. In 1999, the Reserve Bank of India announced a "Clean Note Policy" to bring about improvements of the quality of notes in circulation and technology has played an indispensable role in enabling the Bank to provide better quality notes to the general public. The information technology makes the task of currency management easy, effective, economical and speedier.

2) Development in Forensic Science and Police Wireless

The modernization and manpower development of Information Technology in the Central Forensic Science Laboratories and GEQDs, which were started in the Seventh Plan, has had an immense development . The research areas envisaged pertain DNA finger printing; cadaver entomology; immuno-assay techniques; classification of handwriting characteristics; instrumental techniques for examining writing materials; computerized image processing of firearms and ammunition; development of computerized system for superimposition; immuno diagnostic technique, hair identification, range and time of firing and explosive analysis, etc.

It is thus expected that rapidity and sophistication would be introduced by way of video- fit techniques, laser-tracing, holography, image processing, computer aided automatic finger print identification system and initiatives taken in new frontier areas like forensic psychology. Suitable structure and mechanism would be evolved for the formulation, implementation and monitoring of S&T schemes under the Forensic Science.

In the area of police wireless, the main thrust has been to achieve communication link from the national capital up to rural police station through State Headquarters, Range Headquarters, and District Headquarters. This is proposed to be achieved through the development of high speed message switch, micro processor based specifically designed computerized connectors, pocket radio system, micro earth station and secrecy devices and multi-access radio telephone.

3) Development in Railways

Indian Railways is one of the largest systems in the world. It is said that information technology (IT), which is being introduced into various fields, is a key to the development in the 21st century. Technology innovative provider of the In Rule(TM) business rules engine for automating application decision logic that involves rules, calculations and dynamic user interfaces, today announced the expansion of its partner network in response to the needs of its growing customer base. The development of information and technology shows that safety, efficiency and convenience have been improved in the areas of railway use, operations and maintenance.

This is followed by a section on a new train control system for high-density lines that uses methods for transmitting information to the train about the distance to the position at which the train must stop, which is necessary for train control. This system is realized through the advanced application of information technology. Until now, it has been impossible to realize efficient operations in high-density lines due to limitations of existing signal technology. Further information technology has been used for train operation, security and ticket booking/issuing systems, must more actively apply information technology to improve safety, comfort and convenience.

Therefore, we are committing research and development to prevent accidents and dramatically improve passenger services by utilizing information technology to the maximum extent, to the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI). As a means to introduce information technology into various fields of transport service, we are promoting researches to construct a "Comprehensive Transport Information Providing System." and will continue to implement the policies to utilize information technology.

4) Development of IT in Agriculture

Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. It accounts for 27% of GDP, contributes 21% of total exports, and raw materials to several industries. About two third of Indian population depends on the agricultural sector for their means of livelihood. Therefore IT has a major role to play in all facets of Indian agriculture. In addition to facilitating farmers in improving the efficiency and productivity of agriculture and allied activities, the potential of IT lies in bringing about an overall qualitative improvement in life by providing timely and quality information inputs for decision making. The personnel who work for the welfare of Indian farmers, such as extension workers, do not have access to latest information which hinders their ability to serve the farming community effectively. In the context nonagricultural, the potential of IT can be assessed broadly under two heads:

a) as a tool for direct contribution to agricultural productivity

and

b) as an indirect tool for empowering farmers to take informed and quality decisions which will have positive impact on the way agriculture and allied activities are conducted.

5) Role of Information Technology in Alternative Dispute Redersal and Judicial Recognition

Information technology provides opportunities to facilitate communication and so assist in prevention and management of disputes. ADR services can use information technology to provide information to parties in case of disputes arise between the parties and also to complement and substitute for, traditional information system. Information technology can also play a valuable role in supporting the quality of ADR practice through more effective supervision, assessment, training, information management, research and evaluation.

The Environment - A Global Overview

It is not difficult to become a believer in global warming. According to the U.S. National Climatic Data Center 2001 was the second warmest year on record and it was the 23rd consecutive year of above normal temperatures. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the rate of temperature increase is accelerating. Add to this the data just released from insurer Munich Re stating that deaths from natural disasters were more than double in 2001 versus 2000 and insured losses were up more than 50%.UNEP estimates that the extra economic costs of disasters attributable to global warming are running at more than $300 billion annually.

Some 180 countries are proceeding toward an expected ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year. Of the six gases it will control CO2 is by far the largest contributing nearly 90% of the global warming impact. The primary source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore the focus on energy will continue to increase.

Throughout the world different methods are being used to encourage reduced energy use. Japan has enacted the Energy Conservation Law in 1999 mandating huge efficiency improvements by 2004 for nearly all air conditioning products. The U.S. has revised ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for buildings to raise the minimum COP level for centrifugal chillers from the current value of 5.2 to 6.1 effective in October 2001. DOE and Green Seal have revised their recommended efficiency levels to an even higher level of 6.27.

Some countries use laws. Others use codes and standards. An increasing number of countries are using environmental costing which increases the price of energy thereby increasing the financial attractiveness of high efficiency products. European countries have been using such "carbon taxes" for more than a decade. However a rapidly growing trend in developing countries is the reduction of subsidies to energy industries "so prices more accurately reflect environmental impacts" according to OECD's Environmental Strategy for the First Decade of the 21st Century.

China has shown leadership by reducing subsidies to the coal industry from $24.5 billion in 1990 to $10 billion in 1996 resulting in 7% emissions reduction while seeing a solid economic growth of 36%! China is now moving aggressively into environmental costing with the just announced (1/13/2002) 5-year environmental plan that commits 700 billion yuan ($84 billion) to help protect the environment. The government will provide the fist 65 billion yuan to initiate the project but will apply the "polluter pays" principle for the rest. The "environmental protection authorities will collect funds from the pollution-producing companies". The impact on the price of energy is not known at this time. However it is clear that the addition of environmental costing will increase energy prices. According to a European Research Commission Report of July 2001 "The cost of producing electricity from coal or oil would double if costs such as damage to the environment and health were taken into account".

The global movement to high efficiency is accelerating just like the rate of temperature increase. But this is not all that is changing. This second environmental threat of global warming is making it clear that we need to give combined consideration to ozone depletion and global warming. But more important is the need to focus on the real issue which is the total environmental impact not address each individual environmental threat in isolation. This includes the concept of environmental risk exposure, which recognizes that there are other environmental threats that are less well understood today. However, there are "no regrets" decisions we can make today (such as minimum refrigerant charge, minimum atmospheric life refrigerants, etc.) to minimize these risks.

Combined consideration would place more emphasis on reducing the use of CFCs, which are still being produced in developing countries until 2010 in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. Little attention is being given the large contribution to global warming from CFCs. Actions which cause confusion and delay the phaseout of CFCs cause increased environmental damage rather than lessening the environmental impact.

The other rapidly changing factor in the HVAC industry is the shift to becoming a hermetic industry, where refrigerant is contained throughout the life of a chiller and recycled for further use when the chiller is replaced. This simple understanding that "if it doesn't get into the environment it does no harm" is a powerful argument, which will lead to the continued use of the most efficient refrigerants in such closed hermetic applications as chillers. In just 15 years annual refrigerants emissions from chillers have been reduced from 25% to well below 1% today. This defines a whole different world than that which existed when the Montreal Protocol was crafted some 15 years ago.

But perhaps the most important change coming to our industry is the realization that there are no new or "perfect" refrigerants waiting to be discovered. There are eight elements that can be combined for use in a vapor compression cycle. All feasible combinations of these eight have been evaluated. The reality is "what we have now is all there is".

This recognition is why we are now seeing a shift from the search for a perfect refrigerant to a search for the right refrigerant(s) for the right application. Said another way, the highest efficiency refrigerants for the lowest emissions applications. Many in our industry call this "Responsible Use".

Larry Butz is a business globalization and energy efficiency expert for GEA Consulting. GEA Consulting is a global resource dedicated to developing practical solutions that drive client revenue, efficiency, and operational productivity. GEA Consulting can be found online at www.gea-consulting.com

Overview of Bangladesh Garment Industry

Agriculture, as the case in India, has been the backbone of economy and chief source of income for the people of Bangladesh, the country made of villages. Government wants to decrease poverty by getting highest productivity from agriculture and achieve self-reliance in food production. Apart from agriculture, the country is much concerned about the growth of export division. Bangladesh have accelerated and changed her exports substantially from time to time. After Bangladesh came into being, jute and tea were the most export-oriented industries. But with the continual perils of flood, failing jute fibre prices and a considerable decline in world demand, the role of the jute sector to the country's economy has deteriorated (Spinanger, 1986). After that, focus has been shifted to the function of production sector, especially in garment industry.

The garment industry of Bangladesh has been the key export division and a main source of foreign exchange for the last 25 years. At present, the country generates about $5 billion worth of products each year by exporting garment. The industry provides employment to about 3 million workers of whom 90% are women. Two non-market elements have performed a vital function in confirming the garment industry's continual success; these elements are (a) quotas under Multi- Fibre Arrangement1 (MFA) in the North American market and (b) special market entry to European markets. The whole procedure is strongly related with the trend of relocation of production.

Displacement of Production in the Garment Industry

The global economy is now controlled by the transfer of production where firms of developed countries swing their attention to developing countries. The new representation is centred on a core-periphery system of production, with a comparatively small centre of permanent employees dealing with finance, research and development, technological institution and modernisation and a periphery containing dependent elements of production procedure. Reducing costs and increasing output are the main causes for this disposition. They have discovered that the simplest way to undercharge is to move production to a country where labour charge and production costs are lower. Since developing nations provide areas that do not impose costs like environmental degeneration, this practice protects the developed countries against the issues of environment and law. The transfer of production to Third World has helped the expansion of economy of these nations and also speed up the economy of the developed nations.

Garment industry is controlled by the transfer of production. The globalisation of garment production started earlier and has expanded more than that of any other factory. The companies have transferred their blue-collar production activities from high-wage areas to low-cost manufacturing regions in industrialising countries. The enhancement of communication system and networking has played a key role in this development. Export-oriented manufacturing has brought some good returns to the industrialising nations of Asia and Latin America since the 1960s. The first relocation of garment manufacturing took place from North America and Western Europe to Japan in the 1950s and the early 1960s. But during 1965 and 1983, Japan changed its attention to more lucrative products like cars, stereos and computers and therefore, 400,000 workers were dismissed by Japanese textile and clothing industry. In impact, the second stock transfer of garment manufacturing was from Japan to the Asian Tigers - South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore in 1970s. But the tendency of transfer of manufacturing did not remain there. The rise in labour charge and activeness of trade unions were in proportion to the enhancement in economies of the Asian Tigers. The industry witnessed a third transfer of manufacturing from 1980s to 1990s; from the Asian Tigers to other developing countries - Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and China in particular. The 1990s have been led by the final group of exporters including Bangladesh, Srilanka, Pakistan and Vietnam. But China was leader in the current of the relocation as in less than ten years (after 1980s) China emerged from nowhere to become the world's major manufacturer and exporter of clothing.

Bangladesh Garment Sector and Global Chain

The cause of this transfer can be clarified by the salary structure in the garment industry, all over the world. Apparel labour charge per hour (wages and fringe benefits, US$) in USA is 10.12 but it is only 0.30 in Bangladesh. This difference accelerated the world apparel exports from $3 billion in 1965, with developing nations making up just 14 percent of the total, to $119 billion in 1991, with developing nations contributing 59 percent. In 1991 the number of workers in the ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh was 582,000 and it grew up to 1,404,000 in 1998. In USA, however, 1991-figure showed 1,106.0 thousand workers in the apparel sector and in 1998 it turned down to 765. 8 thousand.

The presented information reveals that the tendency of low labour charges is the key reason for the transfer of garment manufacturing in Bangladesh. The practice initiated in late 1970s when the Asian Tiger nations were in quest of tactics to avoid the export quotas of Western countries. The garment units of Bangladesh are mainly relying on the 'tiger' nations for raw materials. Mediators in Asian Tiger nations build an intermediary between the textile units in their home countries, where the spinning and weaving go on, and the Bangladeshi units where the cloth is cut, sewn, ironed and packed into cartons for export. The same representatives of tiger nations discover the market for Bangladesh in several nations of the North. Large retail trading companies placed in the United States and Western Europe give most orders for Bangladeshi garment products. Companies like Marks and Spencers (UK) and C&A (the Netherlands) control capital funds, in proportion to which the capital of Bangladeshi owners is patience. Shirts manufactured in Bangladesh are sold in developed nations for five to ten times their imported price.

Collaboration of a native private garment industry, Desh Company, with a Korean company, Daewoo is an important instance of international garment chain that works as one of the grounds of the expansion of garment industry in Bangladesh. Daewoo Corporation of South Korea, as part of its global policies, took interest in Bangladesh when the Chairman, Kim Woo-Choong, offered an aspiring joint venture to the Government of Bangladesh, which included the growth and process of tyre, leather goods, and cement and garment factories. The Desh-Daewoo alliance was decisive in terms of getting into the global apparel markets at significant juncture, when import reforming was going on in this market following the signing of MFA in 1974. Daewoo, a South Korean leading exporter of garments, was in search of opportunities in nations, which had hardly used their quotas. Due to the quota restriction for Korea after MFA, the export of Daewoo became limited. Bangladesh as an LDC got the chance to export without any constraint and for this cause Daewoo was concerned with the use of Bangladesh for their market. The purpose behind this need was that Bangladesh would rely on Daewoo for importing raw materials and at the same time Daewoo would get the market in Bangladesh. When the Chairman of Daewoo displayed interest in Bangladesh, the country's President put him in touch with chairman of Desh Company, an ex-civil servant who was seeking more entrepreneurial pursuits.

To fulfil this wish, Daewoo signed a collaboration contract with Desh Garment for five years. The contract also incorporated the fields of technical training, purchase of machinery and fabric, plant establishment and marketing in return for a specific marketing commission on all exports by Desh during the contract phase. Daewoo also imparted an exhaustive practical training of Desh employees in the working atmosphere of a multinational company. Daewoo keenly helped Desh in buying machinery and fabrics. Some technicians of Daewoo arrived Bangladesh to establish the plant for Desh. The end result of the association of Desh-Daewoo was important. In the first six years of its business, i.e. 1980/81-86/87, Desh export value increased at an annual average rate of 90%, reaching more than $5 million in 1986/87.

It is claimed that the Desh-Daewoo alliance is a significant element for the growth and achievement of Bangladesh's entire garment export industry. After getting linked with Daewoo's brand names and marketing network, overseas buyers went on with buying garments from the corporation heedless of their origin. Out of the opening trainees most left Desh Company at several times to erect their own competing garment companies, worked as a way of moving knowledge all through the whole garment sector.

It is essential to identify the outcomes of the process of moving production from high pay to low pay nations for both developing and developed nations. It is a bare fact that most of the Third World nations are now on the way to industrialisation. In this procedure, workers are working under unfavourable working environment - minimal wages, unhealthy place of work, lack of security, no job guarantee, forced labour etc.

The route of globalisation is full of ups and downs for the developing nations. Relocations of comparatively mobile, blue-collar production from industrialized to developing nations, in some circumstances, can have troublesome effects on social life if - in the absence of efficient planning and talks between international organisations and the government and/or organisations of the host nation - the transferred action encourages urban-bound relocation and its span of stay is short. Another negative result is that the rise in employment and/or income is not expected to be satisfactorily large and extensive to lessen inequality. In connection with the negative results of relocation of manufacturing on employment in developed countries, we realize that in comparatively blue-collar industries, the growing imports from developing nations lead to unavoidable losses in employment. It is held that development of trade with the South was a significant reason of the disindustrialisation of employment in the North over past few decades.

After all employees who are constantly working under unfavourable circumstances have to bear the brunt. Work is under-control across the Bangladesh garment sector. Appalling working atmosphere has been brought to light in the Bangladesh garment industry.

A research reveals that 90 percent of the garment employees went through illness or disease during the month before the interviews. Headache, anaemia, fever, chest, stomach, eye and ear pain, cough and cold, diarrhoea, dysentery, urinary tract infection and reproductive health problems were more common diseases. The garment factories gave bonus of different diseases to the employees for working. With a view to finding out a link between these diseases and industrial threats, health status of employees has been examined before and after coming in the garment work. At the end of examination, it was come out that about 75 percent of the garment workforce had sound health before they entered the garment factory. The reasons of health declines were industrial threats, unfavourable working environment, and want of staff facilities, inflexible terms and conditions of garment employment, workplace pressure, and low wages. Different work-related threats and their influence on health forced employees to leave the job after few months of joining the factory; the average length of service was only 4 years.

The garment sector is disreputable for fires, which are said to have claimed over 200 lives in the past two years, though exact figures are tough to find. A shocking instance of absence of workplace safety was the fire in November 2000, in which almost 50 workers lost their lives in Narsingdi as exist doors were closed.

From the above analysis of working atmosphere of garment sector, we can state that the working environment of most of the Third World nations, particularly Bangladesh remind us of earlier development of garment industries in the First World nations. The state of employment in many (not necessarily) textiles and clothing units in the developing nations take us back to those set up in the nineteenth century in Europe and North America. The mistreatment of garment employees in the birth period of the development of US garment factories reviewed above is more or less same as it seen now in the Bangladesh garment industry. Can we state that garment employees of the Third World nations living in the 21st century? Is it a return of the Sweatshop?

In a way, the Western companies are guilty of pitiable working atmosphere in the garment sector. The developed nations want to make more profit and therefore, force the developing nations to cut down the manufacturing cost. In order to survive in the competition, most of the developing nations select immoral practices. By introducing inflexible terms and conditions in the business, the global economy has left few alternatives for the developing nations.

Right Time to Make a Decision

There are two alternatives to tackle the challenge of the competitive world initiated by the continuous pressure of global garment chain. One can continue to exist in the competition by adopting time-honoured work systems or immoral practices. But it is uncertain how long they can continue to exist. In connection with the garment industry of Bangladesh, we can say that this is the right time to follow a competitive policy, which improves quality. If the MFA opportunities are eliminated, will it be feasible to keep the competitiveness through low-wage-female labour or through further drop in female wages? Possibly not. Since the labour charges are so minimal that with such wage, a worker is not able to maintain even a family of two members. Enhancing the efficiency of female workers is the only solution to increased competition. Proper education and thorough training can help achieve these positive results. To rule the global market, Bangladesh has to come out of low wage and low output complex in the garment industry. Bangladesh can enhance labour output through constant training, use of upgraded technology and better working environment. Bangladesh should plan a strategy intended for promoting skill development, speeding up technology transfer and improving productivity height of the workers.

Another method is to adopt best system or ethical course. Those companies, which react to heightened competition by stressing quality, speedy answer of the customers, fair practices for labourers should have the most innovative practices. We think that we are now living in the age of competition in producing improved quality over cost-reduction policy. The objective of change efforts at the workplace has been modified over the time - from making the job humane in the 1960s, to job satisfaction and output in 1970s, to quality and competitiveness in the 1980s. It is necessary for a company to pursue a competitive policy that improves quality, flexibility, innovation and customer care. If they rely on low costs by dropping labourers' wages and other services, they will be bereaved of labourers' dedication to work.

Strength

. Considerable Qualified/keen to learn workforce available at low labour charges. The recommended minimum average wages (which include Travelling Allowance, House Rent, Medical Allowance, Maternity Benefit, Festival Bonus and Overtime Benefit) in the units within the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones (BEPZ) are given as below; on the other hand, outside the BEPZ the wages are about 40% lower:

. Energy at low price

. Easily accessible infrastructure like sea road, railroad, river and air communication

. Accessibility of fundamental infrastructure, which is about 3 decade old, mainly established by the Korean, Taiwanese and Hong Kong Chinese industrialists.

. FDI is legally permitted

. Moderately open Economy, particularly in the Export Promotion Zones

. GSP under EBA (Everything But Arms) for Least Developed Country applicable (Duty free to EU)

. Improved GSP advantages under Regional Cumulative

. Looking forward to Duty Free Excess to US, talks are on, and appear to be on hopeful track

. Investment assured under Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act, 1980 which secures all foreign investments in Bangladesh

. OPIC's (Overseas Private Investment Corporation, USA) insurance and finance agendas operable

. Bangladesh is a member of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) under which protection and safety measures are available

. Adjudication service of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) offered

. Excellent Tele-communications network of E-mail, Internet, Fax, ISD, NWD & Cellular services

. Weakness of currency against dollar and the condition will persist to help exporters

. Bank interest@ 7% for financing exports

. Convenience of duty free custom bonded w/house

. Readiness of new units to enhance systems and create infrastructure accordant with product growth and fast reactions to circumstances

Weakness

. Lack of marketing tactics

. The country is deficient in creativity

. Absence of easily on-hand middle management

. A small number of manufacturing methods

. Low acquiescence: there is an international pressure group to compel the local producers and the government to implement social acquiescence. The US GSP may be cancelled and purchasing from US & EU may decrease significantly

. M/c advancement is necessary. The machinery required to assess add on a garment or increase competence are missing in most industries.

. Lack of training organizations for industrial workers, supervisors and managers.

. Autocratic approach of nearly all the investors

. Fewer process units for textiles and garments

. Sluggish backward or forward blending procedure

. Incompetent ports, entry/exit complicated and loading/unloading takes much time

. Speed money culture

. Time-consuming custom clearance

. Unreliable dependability regarding Delivery/QA/Product knowledge

. Communication gap created by incomplete knowledge of English

. Subject to natural calamities

Opportunity

. EU is willing to establish industry in a big way as an option to china particularly for knits, including sweaters

. Bangladesh is included in the Least Developed Countries with which US is committed to enhance export trade

. Sweaters are very economical even with china and is the prospect for Bangladesh

. If skilled technicians are available to instruct, prearranged garment is an option because labour and energy cost are inexpensive.

. Foundation garments for Ladies for the FDI promise is significant because both, the technicians and highly developed machinery are essential for better competence and output

. Japan to be observed, as conventionally they purchase handloom textiles, home furniture and garments. This section can be encouraged and expanded with continued progress in quality

Threat

. The exporters have to prepare themselves to harvest the advantages offered by the opportunities.

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Truck Insurance Made Easy: Cargo Insurance Overview

If you ever talk to anyone really familiar with the trucking industry, you'll realize that it's intensely regulated and specialized.

This becomes a bit easier understood when you think in terms of how dangerous commercial trucking can be to employees and the general public-we're talking millions of pieces of heavy machinery circulating the highways daily.

Not to mention how vital the industry itself is-without commercial trucking, our economy would halt, (kind of scary when you think about how volatile the world's oil situation is becoming...)

As a result, the commercial truck insurance industry is also intensely regulated.

Coverages are often dictated by state or federal law when dealing with trucks of specific application, and even more so when you start looking at specific cargo. Tons of dangerous payloads such as gasoline, other fuels and hazardous materials like chemicals and pesticides are driven by commercial trucks everyday.

Cargo is largely what regulates much of the truck insurance industry. Here are a few of the most common types of cargo insurance:

General Freight

Many trucking companies do deal with hazardous materials, but there are many that exclusively deal with shipping common everyday goods. For these shippers, general freight policies exist anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 commonly, that blanket most of their usual shipments with adequate coverage.

Moving Truck Insurance or Household Goods Haulers

Both of these types of cargo insurance mean the same thing-moving vans have special privileges in many states since the nature of their business requires them to operate commonly within residential streets-places where most commercial trucks are restricted from driving.

Additionally, moving van loads can vary dramatically in value based on the customer, so special moving truck insurance policies allow fluctuated coverage so moving companies don't continuously find themselves under or over-insured.

Produce Haulers Insurance

Produce is a highly regulated commodity as it's vital to the nation's food supply and will almost always contain a degree of spoilage per load.

Produce trucks are often refrigerated as well, so produce hauler's insurance typically accounts for extra equipment as well as frequent spoilage possibilities.

Hazardous Materials Haulers

Hazardous materials haulers is really high-dollar truck insurance and it has to be by law. While general freight policies are usually under the $100,000 mark, hazardous materials haulers are almost always in 7-figure coverage levels.

Aggregate Haulers or Dump Truck Insurance

Aggregate is a construction term used to describe what you see in most dump trucks cargo-loose gravel, pavement supplies, concrete or other building materials. Dump truck insurance is highly specialized because their cargo is usually less valuable, but also looser and subject to loss. The mechanisms by which dump trucks operate are considerably more dangerous than trucks that are unloaded manually.

Related policies are sometimes called dirt, sand and gravel haulers or building materials haulers, though building materials usually encompasses tractor-trailer construction trucks more than dump trucks.

Tow Truck Insurance

Tow trucks are always used in pretty dangerous areas-either the top of a mountain, in embankments or on the sides of busy highways and freeways. Plus, their "cargo" is always another automobile that can fluctuate drastically in value. As such, tow truck insurance is its own entity, accounting for these dangerous situations and variable value of cargo.

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Patrick Winchester is a commercial truck insurance writer who knows stuff. Want to know how to save on your truck insurance rates? Visit http://www.royaltytruckinsurance.com