Advances in computing and information technology are changing the way people meet and communicate. People can meet, talk, and work together outside traditional meeting and office spaces. For instance, with the introduction of software designed to help people schedule meetings and facilitate decision or learning processes, is weakening geographical constraints and changing interpersonal communication dynamics. Information technology is also dramatically affecting the way people teach and learn.As new information technologies infiltrate workplaces, home, and classrooms, research on user acceptance of new technologies has started to receive much attention from professionals as well as academic researchers. Developers and software industries are beginning to realize that lack of user acceptance of technology can lead to loss of money and resources.
In studying user acceptance and use of technology, the TAM is one of the most cited models. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was developed by Davis to explain computer-usage behavior. The theoretical basis of the model was Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA).The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is an information systems (System consisting of the network of all communication channels used within an organization) theory that models how users come to accept and use a technology, The model suggests that when users are presented with a new software package, a number of factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it, notably:Perceived usefulness (PU) – This was defined by Fred Davis as “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance”.Perceived ease-of-use (PEOU) Davis defined this as “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort” (Davis, 1989).The goal of TAM is “to provide an explanation of the determinants of computer acceptance that is general, capable of explaining user behavior across a broad range of end-user computing technologies and user populations, while at the same time being both parsimonious and theoretically justified”.According to the TAM, if a user perceives a specific technology as useful, she/he will believe in a positive use-performance relationship. Since effort is a finite resource, a user is likely to accept an application when she/he perceives it as easier to use than another .As a consequence, educational technology with a high level of PU and PEOU is more likely to induce positive perceptions. The relation between PU and PEOU is that PU mediates the effect of PEOU on attitude and intended use. In other words, while PU has direct impacts on attitude and use, PEOU influences attitude and use indirectly through PU.User acceptance is defined as “the demonstrable willingness within a user group to employ information technology for the tasks it is designed to support” (Dillon & Morris). Although this definition focuses on planned and intended uses of technology, studies report that individual perceptions of information technologies are likely to be influenced by the objective characteristics of technology, as well as interaction with other users. For example, the extent to which one evaluates new technology as useful, she/he is likely to use it. At the same time, her/his perception of the system is influenced by the way people around her/him evaluate and use the system.
Studies on information technology continuously report that user attitudes are important factors affecting the success of the system. For the past several decades, many definitions of attitude have been proposed. However, all theories consider attitude to be a relationship between a person and an object (Woelfel, 1995).In the context of information technologies, is an approach to the study of attitude – the technology acceptance model (TAM). TAM suggests users formulate a positive attitude toward the technology when they perceive the technology to be useful and easy to use (Davis, 1989).A review of scholarly research on IS acceptance and usage suggests that TAM has emerged as one of the most influential models in this stream of research The TAM represents an important theoretical contribution toward understanding IS usage and IS acceptance behaviors. However, this model — with its original emphasis on the design of system characteristics – does not account for social influence in the adoption and utilization of new information systems.
Technology Acceptance Model
Is Outsourcing SEO Offshore a Good Business Decision?
Outsourcing SEO offshore is becoming increasingly popular as a practical option for retrenching businesses. SEO companies in India and the Philippines, among developing countries, are the favorite choice from where SEO is outsourced. This is no surprise considering the fact that both countries have abundant supply of skilled laborers in the field of information technology.Naturally, projects offered to western SEO companies have significantly declined crippling their operations. Western SEO companies go out of business while the opposite happens in the east. Unfortunately, some western SEO companies responded by maligning the quality of SEO services provided by offshore companies. To some extent, their sentiments are understandable but if you pay a close attention to their logic, you will realize just how self-serving it is.Offshore SEO Service Equals Poor in QualityThis is the first attack you will commonly hear from western SEO companies. Somehow this is true, in the same manner that it is also true in the west. What I’m trying to say is, not all offshore SEO companies deliver crappy services and not all SEO companies in the west are reputable.On the contrary, offshore SEO companies are in fact better than their western counterparts. In the west, SEO is mostly done as a part-time, home-based job. In India and the Philippines, SEOs work full-time in an office where SEO is their core business. They are not just housewives with minimal SEO training but they are highly skilled professionals with in-depth knowledge of SEO that has been acquired from intensive trainings.In the Philippines, SEO professionals need to stay on top of their games. They go through a lot of trainings, seminars and workshops to have an edge over their peers, which explains why most of them have other skills like web design, graphic design, programming etc. This is a must if they want to keep their job. Why? Because competition is fierce. There are a lot of skilled SEOs but there’s a few position to fill. In essence, when you work with SEO businesses in India and the Philippines, you are working with the bests.Language BarrierOne of the biggest challenges that SEO companies in the Philippines and India face is language. As most of their clients are coming from the US, UK, Canada and Australia, they need to use English in their SEO campaign. Since English is not their first language, you would expect problems with their grammar. Fortunately, this is not the case for all offshore companies. A considerable number of SEO organizations in India and the Philippines employ professional writers for their content needs. Some western companies resort to providing their own content to SEO companies to ensure correctness in grammar.And to assume that these companies in the Philippines and India don’t know your objectives and don’t understand your priorities, simply because English is not their first language, is too much of an assumption. You don’t need to be an English speaker to understand that businesses operate for the same reason – to make profit. Proper realignment of your SEO strategies to achieve your client’s goals and objectives do not depend on your comprehension of the English language.ExploitationThe main selling proposition of SEO outsourcing companies offshore is cost-cutting. This is made possible because offshore companies in general operate at a much cheaper cost. Employees are paid a meager salary, almost a third of what an American SEO is paid. Or is it really meager?To compare two professionals from two countries based on their salary without taking into account their country’s standard of living is not fair. Similarly, saying that SEOs in India are exploited because they receive just a quarter of the salary paid to an American SEO, is moronic. The cost of living in India is much cheaper compared to the US, which means even if their salary is smaller, their purchasing power compensates for the difference.ConclusionClearly, there are a lot of misconceptions about offshore SEO companies. Problems have been identified which are mutually exclusive to western SEO companies. Results from your SEO campaign is not correlated to whether you outsourced your SEO offshore or not. It’s more of how you chose your SEO company. Hence, we conclude that outsourcing your SEO offshore is not a bad decision, in fact, it can provide lots of benefits to your company.
Disaster Insurance
You could be faced with financially ruins if you needed but didn’t have disaster insurance.Having Disaster Insurance Coverage to soften the effects of a loss is not only a smart decision but is also a requirement by lending institutions like Banks and Credit Union. Insurance providers form the backbone of modern civilization. You wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage to buy a house or a car or in some cases a business loan without insurance.Homeowner Insurance:Your homeowners Insurance will cover a multitude of things that can happen to your home including fire, burglary etc. Both the structure and contents are covered. Since there are as many if not more losses for which you also will not have coverage it is important to take the time to read your policy and understand what is excluded.Renters Insurance:I am willing to bet you that if you ask the people you know who are renting if they have Renters Insurance, most of them will answer that they don’t.Renters insurance is probably the “best buy for the buck” as far as insurance is concerned. For an annual payment that’s probably less than a weeks’ salary most renters can buy renters Insurance and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that their furniture, clothes and other personal effects are covered.Let me encourage you wholeheartedly to buy some renters insurance and if you are a homeowner renting out a part of your house you should encourage your tenant to buy renters insurance.Find out from your attorney if you can insist on renters insurance as a condition of leasing or renting out your house or apartment. It’s that important.Flood Insurance for Homeowners:Floods are caused from rising water and should not be confused with water damage caused by roof leaks or wind driven rain. Remember also that the President does not have to declare a disaster for you to claim payment from your flood policy.Floods are not covered by your homeowners’ policy and so if you want flood coverage you will have to purchase a flood insurance policy.When you are shopping for a house it’s a good idea to do some research on the area in which you plan to buy your house to see if it is in a flood zone.Though you do not have to be in a flood zone to buy flood insurance, the cost will be much higher if you are in a floodplain otherwise called “Flood Hazard Area” (SFHA).Your Insurance agent can check the flood map to see if your area is in a high risk, medium risk or low risk area.The maximum amount of coverage that you can buy for your house of $250,000 and contents of $100,000. This will be different if it’s a two family house. Will this be enough to rebuild your house if it got swept away in a flood? Take this in account as you shop for your dream home.Flood Insurance for Renters:Just as renters insurance will provide peace of mind for you and your family you should be aware that it does not cover floods and your landlords’ flood policy will not cover your stuff either.Take my advice and also purchase flood insurance, its inexpensive and will be one of your best buys. The maximum you will be able to purchase is $100,000 and will afford you peace of mind knowing that there will be financial help for you if you had a loss…Hurricanes Disaster Insurance:Most Insurance companies if not all will include a very large deductible into your homeowners’ policy for hurricane damages. This is usually a percentage of the amount of your insurance coverage on your house and ranges from 3% to 7%.Here is an example: Let’s say your house is insured for $200,000. Your deductible is 5% ($10,000), Hurricane damages to your house is $50,000. You will only be paid $40,000.Are you able to come up with a deductible of $10,000 to repair your house if it was damaged? What if the damages were less than your deductible? You would not be paid anything by your Insurance Company. Your disaster insurance emergency fund should be an amount at least equal to your deductible but certainly recommended to be more.Earthquake Insurance:Are you living in an area that’s known to have earthquakes? If so then your disaster insurance plans should include Earthquake Insurance. Be aware that your Homeowners Policy will not cover you for an earthquake.Many Insurance companies offer special “Earthquake Insurance” and though coverage is not mandatory unless required by your mortgage holder, the deductible can go as high as 15% and sometimes more. This is important to know when shopping for a house as you put your house maintenance budget together.Tornado Insurance:This is the most devastating of all natural disasters. Tornadoes can rip through a neighborhood like a shredder leaving nothing but unrecognizable rubble behind. Unfortunately there is no “Tornado Insurance” available. You will have to depend on your homeowners insurance to cover you.I have spent some time on flood, hurricane and earthquake Insurance because they are the most common natural disasters. However this is by no means meant to ignore the other many natural disasters to which you might be exposed if you are living in such areas.Speak to your Insurance company or agent about the extent to which you are covered and if there is a mandatory deductible that’s being applied to a claim if there was damage to your house.Having spent some time in as an insurance agent and also as a real estate agent I would caution my clients on the importance of adequate insurance. As a real estate agent I would remind them as much as I am reminding you that before you buy “Think about how easy or difficult it would be to sell your house if it’s in an area known for a special kind of disaster.”Having the right equipment at hand also will go a long way in your preparations
Online Education Program – The Path to a Brighter Future
At one time, online education was hard to come by. It was considered, by some, as something only technical savvy individuals could do. However, with the tremendous advancements in computers and the Internet, online education has become widely available to anyone with access to a computer and the World Wide Web.A few years ago, very few schools offered the online education option. Now, things have changed. A through a combination of student demand and competition, there are now many schools that have classes available online. Many schools have even done away with the requirement that you earn so many credits at the school itself. Degrees can be obtained entirely online. In fact, students can earn their certification or degree entirely online, avoiding the traditional classroom setting all together.Online education classes are no longer restricted to a few classes. Classes are available on a wide range of topics. Classes and degrees can be taken in nursing, criminal justice, computer information systems and in subjects such as hotel and restaurant management. It seems that whatever a person wants to study it can be found online at an accredited school.Online classes have many benefits to both the students and those who teach the classes. The student can work on an online class whenever they have a few moments. There is no set schedule of when to show up for a class. Lecture and materials are all available when the student sits down to their computer. Instructors also are granted more latitude. They can be anywhere. They no longer have to teach at a location. They can be in California while their students are in New York, or even across the world in Europe or Korea.Online schools offer specified training for certification classes. They can also offer associate’s, bachelor’s or even master’s degrees. All of this training can now be done online. A person can learn to become a medical transcriptionist or pursue their bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Anyone can obtain these degrees no matter where they are, what jobs they are in currently or if they are seeking employment. Online education is open to anyone.Online education has opened up worlds of opportunity. Those working professionals that thought they didn’t have time for school, now have the benefit of being able to take classes on their time frame where ever they are. A working woman who travels frequently for business can now be working on her bachelor’s degree from the hotel room while she is away from home on business. A LPN can be working on taking advancement classes even though she works twelve hour shifts different days of the week. Online education is the answer to higher education for many people.
Online Education Made Easy And Fun For High School Students
Learning should be fun, but this is not true in all situations. The SSC and CBSE syllabi are quite comprehensive making it hard for students to have any fun while learning. With everything going online nowadays, there is a possibility of delight through instruction. This can be done through education-based sites. Online education is handled in such a way that apart from helping children realize their dreams, they gain access to quality education that is presented in an engaging and fun manner. Learning becomes interesting for the students and easier for parents as well.The Features The sites that offer online learning come up with educational videos, examinations and class notes. They all contain comprehensive educative content to make sure that high school students get only relevant and important information. To keep the student motivation running high, integrated game mechanics are incorporated into the experience. Gamification in form of levels, badges and points motivate the students to aim higher and higher to enjoy credits. It is always easier for students to learn when they have targets and goals and this feature does just that for them.With online education sites, students enjoy an online learning platform complete with examinations, class notes, videos and analytical tools that assess skills for success. The platform is a device agnostic making it possible to gain access using a tablet, computer or a mobile phone. This means that students can learn anywhere and at anytime. The analytics are easy to understand so that students can identify their strengths and at the same time eliminate their weaknesses.The gamification feature of online education is probably the most outstanding. It is a form of motivation that every student is bound to enjoy. The badges, levels and points keep the motivation levels high and therefore students give their best to get the rewards. Besides individual learning, the platforms offer collaboration possibilities so that students can handle group tasks as a way of honing team-building skills. They also take part in competitions such as regional, state and national level examinations.The Benefits Online education has benefits for parents, students and schools.Parents can spend more time with their children and have quality education delivered right at home. They also get reports to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of their children and remediation reports to guide children on eliminating their weaknesses.Students, on the other hand access integrated CBSE and SSC syllabi and content developed by the best teachers in each field. The content is diverse and easy to understand and examinations give instant results including badges and scores.Schools gain rich reports and analytics to customize study plans for every student and get performance reports for every class as well as detailed assessment reports for topic levels so that gaps can be identified and remediation classes organized. School performance comparisons with competitors can also be enjoyed.
Medical Billing Software – How to Choose the Right One for Your Needs
Like any other business the survival of the medical centers depend on the in-time collection of the bills. How efficiently you do that is dependent on the proficiency of the medical billing and coding process. It is a misconception that medical billing software is an expensive investment, but if seen from the point of view of the management; you won’t regret that because it reduces the chances of human error and integrates the whole system at one place. From the insurance payment to the payroll; it does not skip any collection of reimbursement of the service.The practical experience of some medical practitioners shows that revenues have been increased by 25% by collecting the reimbursements on time. Medical billing software is useful from small to large medical centers, hospitals, institutes and even to insurance companies. It is made compatible for your PC or Mac. The features of the software are scalable and can be customized according to the requirements of the customers. Even some vendors’ offer specialized features for the claims of orthodontists or chiropractors. With the help of the medical billing software, even the first pass claim acceptance is also raised. It means that less till will be spend for money reworking claims to fit the HIPAA or insurance requirements.The healthcare industry recognizes that current paper method system is no more manageable for them. Like a typical hospital, there are almost 200 million individual papers that must be organized in a searchable manner. For this reason many employ the services of automated integrated systems which makes the process of management hassle free. The billing work is quite stressful to ensure that all payments are made or collected. The automated solution is a convenient way of dealing with the medical claims or invoices. With its help the information about the patient or any insurance claim can be pulled out any time when required.The paperwork can be reduced drastically. You can keep up with the entire patient’s records, billing, claims etc. The biggest is the advantage of cost reduction. The cost of billing software when compared with the hiring of new employees is far less as it won’t use the additional space, resources or payroll. The nest choice could be made through comparing the prices and features of the various billing software. Another advantage is the easy access from anywhere. If you want to know the medical details of your patients, the information can be accessed from anywhere you like. The information can also be updated either from the office location or elsewhere.With the help of such updated automated medical billing software, there are less chances of human errors while computing information of sensitive issues like payments. The common faults are avoided and thus save time and money in the long run. Thus it shows that benefits of using medical billing software are more than expected.
Keep These 5 Rules in Mind for Successful Commercial Designing
Who doesn’t want an excellent commercial design? Excellent commercial design is important to maintain the reputation and brand image of the company. As it is said, the first impression is the last impression, a good impression always attracts potential customers. It’s obvious no one would ever love to walk in a congested environment with bad lighting.
Bad design and interiors deteriorate the productivity of the employees. It can be a confusing task when planning a commercial designing project for the first time, hiring expert Commercial Architects Melbourne can be the best option to know about the latest trends and perfect matching designs.
This blog is about some basic rules to consider for making the commercial project successful.
Keep structures versatile
When it comes to transforming any commercial space, focusing on convertibility and keeping office interior decor versatile can be the best option. It can be done by implementing a versatile structure to spaces such as cafeterias, offices, and many more. Everyone gives preference to comfort hence, focusing on spatial and versatile design will help to complete commercial designing projects in an optimal way.
Consider the latest technology implementations
Technology plays a supportive role to enhance the commercial designing project. Moving forward with the latest technology is important to execute any business smoothly because technologies make the work much easier and comfortable for the employee as well as organizations. Implementing centralized and decentralized digital control is much needed in any commercial design.
Keep office aesthetics updated
Good aesthetics and interiors impact the overall representation of the office and make the place functional and attractive. Hire a reputed designer for modern décor and furniture ideas. Hiring a designer reduces half of the project stress and helps to meet the contemporary fashion and latest trends. They can help to choose the perfect theme that blends well with the office decor, atmosphere, and colour.
Provide personalized space to prevent congestion
Majority of customer prefers personalized space such as different seating to seat comfortably and do the personal work. Personalized space is one of the crucial factors for customer-based service offices such as hotels and cafeterias to provide an ambient and comfortable place.
Always keep safety first
Safety is the central feature of every construction and designing project. Hence, it’s the high-priority factor to keep the aesthetic and functional safety at the working place. It can be compromised for interior decoration and design purposes but it’s not at all affordable to compromise for safety purposes.
Following the above useful ideas can easily help in the successful completion of a commercial designing project in a safe and pleasing way. In today’s, modern construction, reliability, and comfort is also an equally important factor.
Final words,
It’s important to hire the experienced Building designer Melbourne to make the commercial designing project worthy. Hope the above rules helped you to scale up your interior designing projects with a better outcome. Follow the above tips for any renovation or remodelling project and surely you will get award-winning and achieve a better office experience.
How Long Should A Laptop Battery Last And How To Increase the Battery Life
No matter how expensive your laptop is, its battery won’t last more than four years. According to experts, a new laptop battery gives you as many as 1,000 cycles. In other words, you can charge and recharge the battery up to 1000 times. However, many factors play their role to increase or decrease the lifespan of a laptop battery. For instance, the material used for producing the battery substance. So, if you want to ensure that your battery stands the test of time, given below are some of the tips that can help.
1. Install a good battery monitor
If you are looking for an alternative, you can choose from tons of third-party utilities. Basically, the software programs help you monitor your laptop battery. These programs have no compatibility issues with any type of laptop.
Using these tools, you can find out which programs are using most of the battery power. You can then close the unwanted programs to save battery power.
2. Install maintenance apps
You can use some manufacturer-recommended maintenance tools for maintaining your laptop battery. Based on the type of your battery, you will receive different suggestions. Apart from this, your operating system will come with a built-in utility that can help you keep an eye on your battery condition.
3. Maintain your device temperature
You should try your level best to ensure your laptop maintains its temperature. In summer, electronic devices tend to heat up, which negatively impacts the life of the battery packs.
Therefore, you should make sure that there is a little bit of space between the bottom of the device and the table you have placed your device on. Besides, the ventilation system of your device should be working properly. For this purpose, regular cleaning of your device is quite important.
4. Don’t use maximum brightness
When your screen brightness is at maximum level, your device will use the maximum power. So, turning down the brightness is the first thing you can do to save power. Also, it is not a good idea to keep the brightness at max level as it can have a negative impact on your eyesight.
So, by following these simple tips, it will be easier for you to extend the life of your laptop battery.
5. Change the power-saving settings
Before you do anything, go into the power options of your laptop. If you are using Windows operating system, you can go to the control panel to access the power options. The control panel can be accessed from the Start Menu.
Some users have MacOS. If you are one of them, you need to access Energy Saver, which is found in the System Preferences. If these values are set to default, your computer will use the least amount of power.
So, what you need to do is make small changes to the settings so that you achieve a balance between power and performance. For best performance, there is always the choice to connect your device to the AC outlet.
The Best Ways I’ve Found To Make Money Online From Home
Have you been looking for a way to make money online without having to know much of the internet stuff? Wanting to work at home but don’t know how to do it? Here is the key gem: Between all the tricks on joining the craft beer movement, opening a gallery or being a tour operator, you will find clever advice that anybody can apply to make money online quickly.
The most basic way to make money online is through affiliate marketing. It is really easy. Basically you set up an ad for someone she is selling something and when they click through and buy it, you make money! Simple enough if you have no technical skill at all. Here are some simple tips on how to earn using affiliate marketing:
Drop-shipping is one of the most useful methods. You select a product in which you believe there is a demand and then drop-ship it to your customers in small quantities. You make money from the difference between what the stock costs and what you sell it for. For this method, it is important to note that you may need to make space for your inventory on your premises or perhaps wait until you have a build of an inventory before you can start drop-shipping; but the advantages make it a good choice for those seeking to make money online from their spare time.
Paid surveys are a great way to earn some extra cash. These can be accessed easily and there are many sites where you can get paid from spending your spare time. There is one site, though, which is said to pay $200 a week for twelve weeks straight – you can’t beat that kind of money making potential. With paid surveys, it is important to note that the sites are generally scams, and that you need to do some research to ensure you are making good money making opportunities.
Finally, a passive income generating method that can bring in money on autopilot is eToro’s Forex trading. This works by allowing you to invest on a demo account and earn money from the performance of the currencies being exchanged. The best thing about this system is that it allows you to do virtually anything and still see profits coming in. eToro has an average starting price of less than $50 and can generate an income of five figures in just a few months.
These are the best things I have found for making money online from your home. Though none of them are as good as, say, a paid-online course, they are much more affordable and can provide a valuable education to start earning money immediately online. With just a little research, you should be able to find a legitimate opportunity to get paid to learn the basics of making money in the currency markets. This is a truly remarkable opportunity.
Finding the Best Business Idea For Your Home Based Business
How many home based business opportunities are available to you? If you want to make money online at home, you really have many options to choose from. The big question is – which one will give you the biggest chance of success? Is there a ‘one size fits all’ answer? The simple truth is that not every opportunity is right for everyone, and not every opportunity will bring you the greatest amount of profit.
So, what are some home business ideas that can make money online for you? The quick and dirty answer is: the one that best suits your particular set of needs. Make a list of your priorities, including a high income; a low-risk schedule; freedom; flexibility; work-life balance; independence; something in your range of skills and expertise; and interesting work that you have an interest in… You can take this list with you and talk to people who are working from home on the same things that you would be considering. Chances are that you will find some great niches that fit your standards and your desires.
But what if you want to get started right away? It’s easy to think that you can jump into a new business idea and be successful immediately, but this often isn’t the case. It takes many different things to make sure that you will be able to get through the hurdles and actually make it to a point where you are seeing profit. If you don’t work at it slowly, you will be setting yourself up for failure. Here’s the lowdown on some different things that you should consider as you create your own business idea:
First, you need to think about what you have to offer. If you don’t have any ideas as to what to do as a freelance writer, a lowdown on finding a niche is very important. Many beginners go into this completely clueless. But if you know that you have a skill that others are desperately seeking, you may be able to provide them with the service they are looking for without having to spend much time building up a website or getting traffic to it.
Another thing to consider is what kinds of products or services would best fit a niche that you would like to get started in. In this case, the lowdown on finding the best business idea for you would include taking a look at what you love to do and what you can offer others. If writing is not your strongest point, but you love to get creative, consider freelance data entry. Freelance data entry does not require a lot of startup capital, but you still need to have the skills that will allow you to be successful in this area. The best lowdown on finding the best business idea for you is to simply start looking at what you like to do and what you can offer others.
There are many other areas of freelance writing that you can explore in order to make the most out of your home based online business. Freelance writers are in high demand online. If you have the skills that are needed to do well in this field, there is no reason that you should not be able to find a great home-based online business that will give you the income that you want.