1. Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short
statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound
rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise.
Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to
the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest
back and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major
problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers
or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep
smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an
opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking
reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for.
If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good
explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are
on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific
statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith
Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It
is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization
before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are
going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement.
Have some good ones handy to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus
on this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else is
a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the
research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremely
important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term
career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This
can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not
relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought
of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if
you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like,
That's a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position?
In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not,
say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide
range.
12. Are you a team player?
You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready.
Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather
than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag,
just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I'd like
it to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you
like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the
right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the
individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the
organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in
force.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here.
Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That's the
type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a
benefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type
of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying
negative things about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to
highlight your best points as they relate to the position being
discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not
mention any other candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted
and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work
applied for is a real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with
anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get
along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability
to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your
professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude
23. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you
are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another
job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with
this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something
like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and
can't wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?
See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization,
violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections will
label you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is
no better answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,
Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of
your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a former
boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and
develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?
Don't get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an
example that relates to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want
another job more than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a
success.Your boss tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if
you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get
the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems
later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself
future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead ofyour own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about
the deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive,
salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions
depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational
style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the
situation, instead of one size fits all.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make
it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An
example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind
spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do
their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well
qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about,
bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working
quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of
humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All
bosses think they have these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute betweenothers.
Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique
and not the dispute you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.
Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to
get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show
acceptance and no negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will
be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be
productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? are
examples.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Marketing Communication and Price Promotion
The impact of marketing communication and price promotion
on brand equity
Abstract
This paper establishes a theoretical and empirical basis that shows the impact of marketing communications and price promotion on brand equity. The theoretical review supports applying analysis techniques based on structural equations models to confirm empirically the relationship between marketing communication efforts and the dimensions of brand equity: perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand awareness and brand image. This measurement model is verified on a sample group of families which purchased durable goods — in this case a washing machine. The results indicate the positive effect of marketing communication on brand equity, and offer strong support
for the measures of perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand awareness and brand image as antecedents of brand equity.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
This paper starts with the proposal formulated by Aaker7 on the brand equity concept and the components that integrate and explain it: perceived quality, brand loyalty and brand aware- ness. In this context, brand equity is defined as a set of assets and liabilities linked to the brand, which add value to or subtract value from a product in its relationship with customers. Various authors (Leuthesser,8 Farquhar9 and Nomen10) indicate that brand equity is
a strategic aspect of marketing manage- ment and can be created, maintained and intensified by strengthening one of its dimensions. Likewise, it is recog- nised that any marketing action has a potential effect on brand equity, since brand equity represents the accumu- lated impact of investment in the brand.
Establishing the hypotheses for verification
The proposed structural model recog- nises that brand equity is influenced by thedifferent marketing efforts
made by companies. These causal
relationships condition the formulation of hypotheses that explain the direct effect of previous marketing com- munications on brand equity, and the effect of marketing communications tools on the dimensions of brand equity.
In the current research, two marketing communications variables were collected from the marketing mix that measure the positive effect of perceived advertising spending on brand equity, and the negative effect on this value of offering price deals. The perceived advertising spending contributes to the successful creation of brand equity, as stated in some studies (Maxwell,11 Chay and Tellis,12
Simon and Sullivan,13 Boulding et
al.14). For its part, the use of price deals has a negative effect on brand equity, since it is considered that the consumer perceives a negative relationship between brand equity and the need to use incentives for sales that affects the established level of prices.15,16 Therefore, brand equity is influenced by two marketing com- munications tools used by the company: advertising and price deals
METHODOLOGY
Proposed measurement scales
The complete formulation of the measurement scales used in the re- search can be seen in Table 1.
In order to develop the measure- ment process for the different elements involved, Bollen’s recommendation45 has been followed: (1) identify the dimensions and latent variables that represent the concept to be measured;
(2) create indicators based on the past theoretical position; and (3) specify the relationship between the observable indicators or variables and the latent concepts or variables that they ex- plain.
The consumer normally has a per- ception of the brand in terms of the marketing communications spending made on it by the company. Advertis- ing expenditure, as the main marketing communications tool in the consumer market, should be considered when determining the effects of marketing
communications on consumers, and the perceptions that the messages are provoking among different tar- get individuals. The scale developed to measure the advertising spending perceived by the consumer consists of seven indicators. Price deals are measured with a very similar scale to that used to measure the effect of advertising.
Perceived quality is defined as a subjective judgment made by the consumer regarding the excellence or superiority of a product.46 The con- sumer’s opinion about the product’s quality and its attributes with regard to its expected performance forms the measurement scale indicator of the brand quality perceived by in- dividuals.
Brand loyalty plays an outstanding role in generating brand equity, not only because of its capacity to keep customers loyal,47,48 but also because that customer loyalty extends to other brands in the company’s portfolio.49
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH AND FINDINGS
This paper attempts to test a measure- ment model for brand equity. There- fore, in order to test the effectiveness of
the proposed method, research should
focus on one product category and the brands that operate in this market. The choice of washing machines as the product category is justified based on three criteria: (1) the influence of brands in the consumer market for washing machines and the buyers’ sen- sitivity to brands are higher; (2) there is tough competition between washing machine brands in Spain, with none of them having significant differences from the others; (3) the high rate of use
(between 98 and 99 per cent) of wash- ing machines in Spanish homes.
The technical data sheet for the
research, included in Table 2, sum- marises the design of the empirical work performed. The proportional af- fixation was performed based on the different urban areas of the city.
Analysis and evaluation of the measurement tools
This section evaluates the measurement scales used in the research (Likert,
1–7). The validity and internal consis- tency of the measurement scale were estimated. To evaluate the measure- ment scales: (1) Cronbach’s alpha was applied — this statistic is considered an adequate index of the inter-item con- sistency of independent and dependent variables50 as supplied by the SPSS program; and (2) confirmatory factor analysis was performed to, first, test the one-dimensional qualities of the scales, secondly, test the construct validity of each of them, and, thirdly, provide a more robust reliability measurement through internal consistency.
RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS
Managerial and theoretical implications
A company’s advertising spending was represented by the perceived advertis-
ing spending as an exogenous variable
in the structural model. A positive relationship was established between this spending and perceived quality, so that the more resources a com- pany dedicated to enhance a particular brand, the higher perceived quality the brand was seen to have. Also, spending on advertising affected the perceived quality, because it increased the as- sociated value of the brand, which helped in the purchase decision.53
It has not been demonstrated that the intensity of the marketing com- munications and a company’s high per- ceived advertising spending on a brand have a positive effect on consumers’ professed loyal behaviour towards the brand. This situation can be explained due to, first, the product in question being durable goods with a low buying frequency, and, secondly, the validated indicators for measuring brand loyalty mainly refer to the purchase intention.
Likewise, in the case of durable goods,
it was seen that the level of brand satisfaction can affect perceived adver- tising spending. When brand satisfac- tion was low, the perceived spending acted in the opposite way to that noticed in the structural model.
Brand awareness is reached through
a company’s marketing communica- tions efforts towards brand equity. Per- ceived advertising spending favourably conditions and affects brand awareness. In fact, brand recognition and aware- ness can imply a rise in the level of confidence regarding the product’s expected performance. When buying durable goods, it is normal to look for
a recognised brand with a high level of brand awareness to reinforce the pur- chase.
The associations that consumers make regarding a brand and its image are configured by their own ex- perience, the non-formalised informa- tion they receive about the product, and also by the information transmitted by the companies with regard to their product’s quality and excellence. Espe- cially in the consumer market, this information is transmitted through a company’s advertising.
To summarise, perceived advertising spending showed a favourable causal relationship for three of the four dimensions of brand equity. The higher the spending on advertising for the brand, the better the quality of the product as perceived by the consumer, the higher the level of brand aware- ness and the more associations linked to the product, forming its brand image.
Regarding theoretical implications, the positive effect of brand aware- ness on the perceived brand image for consumers was presented. The
group of associations linked to the
brand increased the favourable attitude towards the product as its recognition and the level of awareness increased. This causal relationship is significant and quantitatively important for the researched goods, leading to the con- clusion that brand awareness and name recognition for washing machines en- hance consumers’ attitudes towards a brand and improve its image.
Price deals as incentives to increase sales have been shown to have a negative effect on brand equity. Al- though they can cause a short-term benefit to the consumer,54 from a strategic perspective (when the brand was evaluated) they showed negative effects. These effects can affect the perceived quality of the product ad- versely, since benefits gained through price promotion are not enduring, and
do not transmit the security or the confidence that a brand should inspire with regard to its expected utility.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Level of Acceptance in Applying E-Learning for Courses
Abstract
This research is an attempt to find the acceptance level of Applying E-Learning for MBA Courses in India. Today is a world of Information and knowledge. Many changes have occurred in this world in the field of E-learning Technical developments in ICT (information and communications technology) are influencing organizational structures, processes and business model in manners not seen before. Its impact in education and training is visible in the form of anytime – anywhere learning and educational programs addressing students in territories beyond their traditional zone. MBA schools, specially the top notch appear to be cautious and slow in embracing the new technology. As per the well-known management guru, Michael E Porter businesses have no choice in adoption of internet technologies. Only question before them is how to deploy it. Schools need to figure out how to blend new technologies in their residential MBA programs. Proper design has potential to prepare students better for modern organizations. Through this study it has been tried to find out the level of acceptance among students for applying e-learning in MBA courses.
Introduction
Today world is known as technological era, where e-Learning is an emerging technique with great potential. The main reasons for the need for e-Learning are: rapid changes in technology; high demand for skilled practitioners and the dearth of experts in several fields of research and knowledge. The availability, scalability, and inter-operability of information technologies make e-Learning a viable alternative to traditional teaching methodologies.
The tremendous growth of the economy in the recent past has also helped in the growth of online education in India. There is a possibility to increase the people will like the course and will be interested in such courses. E-learning in India is especially popular with the young professionals who have joined the work force quite early but still would like to continue their education that may help them move up their career ladder quickly and safely. They find online education in India very convenient, as the nature of the course work does not require them to attend regular classes. Lots of reputed institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade e.t.c are today offering e-learning courses. Thus e-learning in India makes it possible for the learners to pursue their education from reputed institutes without much hassle.
The demand of e-learning is large and is predicted to grow as the use of networked multimedia software’s learning management systems fulfils many corporate requirements for work based training which can be delivered anywhere and at any time [6–8]. Many organizations are making use of third party vendors to provide in-house training using customized Learning materials often supported by access to large databases of electronic resources and delivery support controlled and monitored using learning management software.
My reason of doing this research in India is that e-learning has shown success in many parts of the country and in many areas with the growth chart is going up. India is a vast county and the education system is not as well worse as it is in US, UK, Canada and many more are there. E-learning has a potential in India and e-learning in many of the MBA courses has not been implemented. And the learning is provided by top notch colleges and is basically for correspondence courses. I want to do a research that if the e-learning is applied in full time colleges what will be the findings.
In this research Business course has been used as MBA Course.
Thus, this research aimed to survey students’ level of acceptance regarding applying e-learning for MBA courses.
METHODOLOGY
I. The Design of the Research:
This research adopted a questionnaire survey in three stages:
1. Stage One:
Based on the purpose of the research, literature was reviewed regarding the designing of the questionnaire content with a view of attaining the goal of the research. After completing the design of the questionnaire, input and opinions from professional scholars in the related field were obtained.
2. Stage Two:
In this research we have taken a sample of 107 people. The people taken into consideration were selected by ‘purposive sampling’ technique. All 107 students had taken from Engineering College. The sample consisted of both males and females. 6 respondents were taken from a school and the rest were taken from Engineering College. All the respondents were informed about the research and its objectives and then they were asked to fill the online questionnaire.
II. Research Tools:
1. The Content of the Questionnaire:
The questionnaire was designed to have two parts:
(1) Relevant Personal Information:
For this part, the content of the questionnaire sought basic information, such as the interviewee’s gender, school system, computer skills, and whether they have applied e-learning for MBA courses. This information became the foundation for the statistical analysis.
(2) Survey into the Students’ Level of Acceptance in Applying E-learning for MBA Courses:
Students’ opinions played an important role in the success in applying e-learning for MBA courses. For this part, structured questionnaire including multiple-choice questions was developed, the content of the questionnaire focused on exploring the students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. Based on the purpose of the research, the items of the questionnaire covered three dimensions i.e. Individual Perspective, Learning Effects, and Class Management. The 15 items listed (See table 1) constitute “the rating scale for the students’ level of acceptance for applying e-learning to MBA courses”. This questionnaire adopted Likert’ s five-rating-scale pattern of response, ranking responses from “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neutral”, “disagree”, “strongly disagree” and scoring the responses from 5 to 1. However, if the statement was negative, the scoring was reversed. For example, if the student marked “strongly agree”, the score would be 1. In contrast, if the student ticked off “strongly disagree”, the score was 5.
For the study, 107 copies of the formal questionnaire were distributed by me personally and all were retrieved, so the rate of retrieval for valid questionnaires reached 100%.
DISCUSSION
The respondents are taken from MIET engineering college. The respondents are taken from 2nd and 4th year batch and 6 students from 12th and questionnaire has been filled by them. The response rate was pretty good and all the questionnaire were filled without any failure. The final result came out to be positive as in India e-learning acceptance is very high and male female does not make any difference in e-learning acceptance. School system does make little effect on the acceptance level as those who had been exposed to e-learning.
Based on the research results, analysis, and discussion these are the finding:
i . The students’ level of satisfaction in applying e-learning for MBA Courses is high as a whole, so some more efforts must be applied in Applying e-learning for MBA courses.
ii. Gender, school system, and computer skills do not affect students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. The results tell that computer skill have nothing to do with students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses.
iii. The results shows that those students who had the experience of e-learning shows some affect in the students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. The experience of applying e-learning greatly enhances students’ level of acceptance in reapplying e-learning for MBA courses. There is true that who has applied e-learning for MBA Courses hold a positive attitude toward the general effect of e-learning and even they some what predetermined that they will go for e-learning. So, if e-learning is applied for MBA Courses is definitely going to benefit the Courses and students.
iv. The school system give little information for those students those had some experience of e-learning for MBA courses. Although the effect is not statistically obvious, students in 2-year technical and 4-year technical colleges indeed have more opportunities in applying e-learning for MBA courses than do students in 2 year degree college(till 12th). This research suggests that if e-learning is applied to schools this will benefit the students.
Limitation
1. Convince sampling has been done because of time constraint and money constraint.
2. Pre-testing has not been done due to time constraint.
This research is an attempt to find the acceptance level of Applying E-Learning for MBA Courses in India. Today is a world of Information and knowledge. Many changes have occurred in this world in the field of E-learning Technical developments in ICT (information and communications technology) are influencing organizational structures, processes and business model in manners not seen before. Its impact in education and training is visible in the form of anytime – anywhere learning and educational programs addressing students in territories beyond their traditional zone. MBA schools, specially the top notch appear to be cautious and slow in embracing the new technology. As per the well-known management guru, Michael E Porter businesses have no choice in adoption of internet technologies. Only question before them is how to deploy it. Schools need to figure out how to blend new technologies in their residential MBA programs. Proper design has potential to prepare students better for modern organizations. Through this study it has been tried to find out the level of acceptance among students for applying e-learning in MBA courses.
Introduction
Today world is known as technological era, where e-Learning is an emerging technique with great potential. The main reasons for the need for e-Learning are: rapid changes in technology; high demand for skilled practitioners and the dearth of experts in several fields of research and knowledge. The availability, scalability, and inter-operability of information technologies make e-Learning a viable alternative to traditional teaching methodologies.
The tremendous growth of the economy in the recent past has also helped in the growth of online education in India. There is a possibility to increase the people will like the course and will be interested in such courses. E-learning in India is especially popular with the young professionals who have joined the work force quite early but still would like to continue their education that may help them move up their career ladder quickly and safely. They find online education in India very convenient, as the nature of the course work does not require them to attend regular classes. Lots of reputed institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade e.t.c are today offering e-learning courses. Thus e-learning in India makes it possible for the learners to pursue their education from reputed institutes without much hassle.
The demand of e-learning is large and is predicted to grow as the use of networked multimedia software’s learning management systems fulfils many corporate requirements for work based training which can be delivered anywhere and at any time [6–8]. Many organizations are making use of third party vendors to provide in-house training using customized Learning materials often supported by access to large databases of electronic resources and delivery support controlled and monitored using learning management software.
My reason of doing this research in India is that e-learning has shown success in many parts of the country and in many areas with the growth chart is going up. India is a vast county and the education system is not as well worse as it is in US, UK, Canada and many more are there. E-learning has a potential in India and e-learning in many of the MBA courses has not been implemented. And the learning is provided by top notch colleges and is basically for correspondence courses. I want to do a research that if the e-learning is applied in full time colleges what will be the findings.
In this research Business course has been used as MBA Course.
Thus, this research aimed to survey students’ level of acceptance regarding applying e-learning for MBA courses.
METHODOLOGY
I. The Design of the Research:
This research adopted a questionnaire survey in three stages:
1. Stage One:
Based on the purpose of the research, literature was reviewed regarding the designing of the questionnaire content with a view of attaining the goal of the research. After completing the design of the questionnaire, input and opinions from professional scholars in the related field were obtained.
2. Stage Two:
In this research we have taken a sample of 107 people. The people taken into consideration were selected by ‘purposive sampling’ technique. All 107 students had taken from Engineering College. The sample consisted of both males and females. 6 respondents were taken from a school and the rest were taken from Engineering College. All the respondents were informed about the research and its objectives and then they were asked to fill the online questionnaire.
II. Research Tools:
1. The Content of the Questionnaire:
The questionnaire was designed to have two parts:
(1) Relevant Personal Information:
For this part, the content of the questionnaire sought basic information, such as the interviewee’s gender, school system, computer skills, and whether they have applied e-learning for MBA courses. This information became the foundation for the statistical analysis.
(2) Survey into the Students’ Level of Acceptance in Applying E-learning for MBA Courses:
Students’ opinions played an important role in the success in applying e-learning for MBA courses. For this part, structured questionnaire including multiple-choice questions was developed, the content of the questionnaire focused on exploring the students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. Based on the purpose of the research, the items of the questionnaire covered three dimensions i.e. Individual Perspective, Learning Effects, and Class Management. The 15 items listed (See table 1) constitute “the rating scale for the students’ level of acceptance for applying e-learning to MBA courses”. This questionnaire adopted Likert’ s five-rating-scale pattern of response, ranking responses from “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neutral”, “disagree”, “strongly disagree” and scoring the responses from 5 to 1. However, if the statement was negative, the scoring was reversed. For example, if the student marked “strongly agree”, the score would be 1. In contrast, if the student ticked off “strongly disagree”, the score was 5.
For the study, 107 copies of the formal questionnaire were distributed by me personally and all were retrieved, so the rate of retrieval for valid questionnaires reached 100%.
DISCUSSION
The respondents are taken from MIET engineering college. The respondents are taken from 2nd and 4th year batch and 6 students from 12th and questionnaire has been filled by them. The response rate was pretty good and all the questionnaire were filled without any failure. The final result came out to be positive as in India e-learning acceptance is very high and male female does not make any difference in e-learning acceptance. School system does make little effect on the acceptance level as those who had been exposed to e-learning.
Based on the research results, analysis, and discussion these are the finding:
i . The students’ level of satisfaction in applying e-learning for MBA Courses is high as a whole, so some more efforts must be applied in Applying e-learning for MBA courses.
ii. Gender, school system, and computer skills do not affect students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. The results tell that computer skill have nothing to do with students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses.
iii. The results shows that those students who had the experience of e-learning shows some affect in the students’ level of acceptance in applying e-learning for MBA courses. The experience of applying e-learning greatly enhances students’ level of acceptance in reapplying e-learning for MBA courses. There is true that who has applied e-learning for MBA Courses hold a positive attitude toward the general effect of e-learning and even they some what predetermined that they will go for e-learning. So, if e-learning is applied for MBA Courses is definitely going to benefit the Courses and students.
iv. The school system give little information for those students those had some experience of e-learning for MBA courses. Although the effect is not statistically obvious, students in 2-year technical and 4-year technical colleges indeed have more opportunities in applying e-learning for MBA courses than do students in 2 year degree college(till 12th). This research suggests that if e-learning is applied to schools this will benefit the students.
Limitation
1. Convince sampling has been done because of time constraint and money constraint.
2. Pre-testing has not been done due to time constraint.
Monday, February 8, 2010
THE INTERVIEW GUIDANCE
THE INTERVIEW GUIDANCE
The interview is one of the most important events in your experience because the thirty minutes to one hour spent with the interviewer may determine your future.
Interviewers are continually amazed at the number of candidates who come to job interviews without any apparent preparation and only the vaguest idea of what they are going to say. Some candidates create an impression of indifference by acting too casually while others work themselves into a state of nervous fright.
These marks of inexperience can be avoided by knowing a little of what is actually expected of you and by making a few simple preparations before the interview.
With the guidance provided by your consultant, we will show you the best way to get the position you want.
PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Preparation is the first essential step towards a successful interview. It is important to:-
• Know the exact place and time of the interview, the employer's full name and correct pronunciation and the employer's job title.
• Do some research on the company. It will be helpful to know how old the company is, what its products or services are, where its plants, offices or stores are located, what its growth has been and what its growth potential is for the future.
• Prepare the questions you will ask during the interview. Remember that an interview is a "two way street". The employer will try to determine through questioning if you have the qualifications, experience and personality necessary to do the job. You must determine through questioning whether the company will give you the opportunity for the growth and development that you seek.
• Some probing questions you might ask include:-
a. What does the position involve? Obtain a detailed description.
b. Why is the position available?
c. What induction and training programmes do the company provide?
d. Are there advanced training programmes available for those who demonstrate outstanding ability?
e. What plans do the company have for growth over the next 5 years?
f. What is the next step in the hiring process?
• Dress Formally
BE PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SUCH AS:-
• Why did you choose this particular vocation?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• What do you know about our company?
• What qualifications do you have that make you feel that you will be successful in your field?
• What do you think determines a person's progress in a good company?
• Can you get a recommendation from previous employers?
• What contributions to profits have you made in your present or former position to justify your salary level there?
• Can you take instructions without feeling upset?
• What is your major weakness?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• How do you spend your spare time? What are your hobbies?
• What type of books do you read? How many books per year?
• Have you saved any money? Do you have any debts?
• What job in our company do you want to work towards?
• What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why?
• What are your special abilities?
• What types of people seem to rub you up the wrong way?
• Do you like regular hours?
• What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
THE INTERVIEW
You are being interviewed because the employer wants to hire someone - not to trip you up or embarrass you. The employer will be evaluating your strong and weak points - your qualifications, skills, intellectual qualities, attitude, aptitudes, stability, motivation and maturity.
Some "Dos and Don'ts" concerning the interview:-
• DO plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
• If the employer presents you with an application form to complete, DO fill it out neatly and fully. DON'T relax and rely on your application or C.V. to do the selling for you.
Employers will want you to speak for yourself.
• DO greet the employer by his surname if you are sure of the pronunciation. If you aren't sure ask him to repeat his name.
Create a positive first impression by giving the appearance of energy as you walk, smiling and shaking his hand firmly.
• DO wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright in your chair. Look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile.
• DON'T smoke even if the employer smokes and offers you a cigarette. DON'T chew gum or eat.
• DO look an employer in the eye while you talk to them.
• DO follow the employer's leads, but try to get them to describe the position and duties to you early in the interview so that you can relate your background, skills and achievements to the position.
• DON'T answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no". Explain wherever possible.
• DO make sure that your good points come across to the employer in a factual, logical and sincere manner. Stress achievements e.g. - sales record, processes developed, savings achieved, systems installed and so on.
• DON'T lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and as "to the point" as possible.
• DON'T ever make derogatory comments about your present or former employers or companies.
• DON'T over-answer questions. The employer may steer the conversation into politics or economics. Since this is a ticklish situation it is best to answer the question honestly, trying not to say any more than is necessary.
• DON'T enquire about the salary, holidays, bonuses or other benefits at the initial interview unless you are positive the employer is interested in hiring you. If the employer asks what salary you want, indicate what you have earned but that you are more interested in the opportunity than in a specific amount at the present.
• DO always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job. Never close the door on an opportunity. It is better to be in a position where you can choose from a number of offers rather than only one.
NEGATIVE FACTORS EVALUATED BY AN EMPLOYER
During the course of your interview, the employer will be evaluating your negative as well as positive factors. Listed below are negative factors which most often lead to the rejection of the candidate:-
• Poor personal appearance.
• Overbearing - too aggressive - conceited - "Superiority complex" - "know it all".
• Inability to express thought clearly - poor poise, diction or grammar.
• Lack of planning for career - no purpose or goals.
• Lack of interest and enthusiasm - passive or indifferent.
• Lack of confidence and poise - nervousness.
• Over-emphasis on money - interested only in the best money offer.
• Lack of tact - maturity - courtesy.
• Condemnation of past employers.
• Failure to look employer in the eye.
• Limp, fishy handshake.
• Lack of appreciation for the value of experience.
• Failure to ask questions about the job.
• Persistent attitude of "What can you do for me?"
• Lack of preparation for the interview - failure to get information about the company resulting in an inability to ask intelligent questions.
CLOSING THE INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB OFFER
• If you want the position or a second interview say something like this:-
"Mr. Employer, I am very impressed with what I have seen here today - your company, its products and the people I have met.
• For a Sales Type position
"I am confident that I can do an excellent job in the position you have described to me. [ How soon will I be able to start? ] or [ When can I arrange a second interview? ]".
• For Positions requiring less assertiveness / sales techniques
"I have enjoyed talking with you. The job sounds excellent. [What are your thoughts about me? ] or [ Do I have the right sort of experience that you are looking for?]"
• This gives you a chance to hear the interviewer's impressions and to respond to any negative thoughts or misunderstandings that may have arisen.
• Don't be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The employer will probably want to communicate with his office first or interview more candidates before making a decision.
• If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected don't let your discouragement show. Once in a while an employer who is genuinely interested may seem to discourage you in order to test your reaction.
• Thank the employer for his time and his consideration of you. If you have answered the two questions uppermost in the employer's mind, namely:-
• a) Why are you interested in his company?
b) What can you offer?
then you have done all that you can.
• If you are interested in the position then immediately after the interview write a letter to the employer expressing your thanks for the interview and your interest in the company.
Restate briefly why you think you can make an exceptionally strong contribution to the company.
• Lastly, but most importantly, call your consultant immediately after each interview and tell him what happened. He will want to talk with you before the employer calls him back. If you are interested in the position, your consultant will help you get it.
The interview is one of the most important events in your experience because the thirty minutes to one hour spent with the interviewer may determine your future.
Interviewers are continually amazed at the number of candidates who come to job interviews without any apparent preparation and only the vaguest idea of what they are going to say. Some candidates create an impression of indifference by acting too casually while others work themselves into a state of nervous fright.
These marks of inexperience can be avoided by knowing a little of what is actually expected of you and by making a few simple preparations before the interview.
With the guidance provided by your consultant, we will show you the best way to get the position you want.
PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Preparation is the first essential step towards a successful interview. It is important to:-
• Know the exact place and time of the interview, the employer's full name and correct pronunciation and the employer's job title.
• Do some research on the company. It will be helpful to know how old the company is, what its products or services are, where its plants, offices or stores are located, what its growth has been and what its growth potential is for the future.
• Prepare the questions you will ask during the interview. Remember that an interview is a "two way street". The employer will try to determine through questioning if you have the qualifications, experience and personality necessary to do the job. You must determine through questioning whether the company will give you the opportunity for the growth and development that you seek.
• Some probing questions you might ask include:-
a. What does the position involve? Obtain a detailed description.
b. Why is the position available?
c. What induction and training programmes do the company provide?
d. Are there advanced training programmes available for those who demonstrate outstanding ability?
e. What plans do the company have for growth over the next 5 years?
f. What is the next step in the hiring process?
• Dress Formally
BE PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SUCH AS:-
• Why did you choose this particular vocation?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• What do you know about our company?
• What qualifications do you have that make you feel that you will be successful in your field?
• What do you think determines a person's progress in a good company?
• Can you get a recommendation from previous employers?
• What contributions to profits have you made in your present or former position to justify your salary level there?
• Can you take instructions without feeling upset?
• What is your major weakness?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• How do you spend your spare time? What are your hobbies?
• What type of books do you read? How many books per year?
• Have you saved any money? Do you have any debts?
• What job in our company do you want to work towards?
• What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why?
• What are your special abilities?
• What types of people seem to rub you up the wrong way?
• Do you like regular hours?
• What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
THE INTERVIEW
You are being interviewed because the employer wants to hire someone - not to trip you up or embarrass you. The employer will be evaluating your strong and weak points - your qualifications, skills, intellectual qualities, attitude, aptitudes, stability, motivation and maturity.
Some "Dos and Don'ts" concerning the interview:-
• DO plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
• If the employer presents you with an application form to complete, DO fill it out neatly and fully. DON'T relax and rely on your application or C.V. to do the selling for you.
Employers will want you to speak for yourself.
• DO greet the employer by his surname if you are sure of the pronunciation. If you aren't sure ask him to repeat his name.
Create a positive first impression by giving the appearance of energy as you walk, smiling and shaking his hand firmly.
• DO wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright in your chair. Look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile.
• DON'T smoke even if the employer smokes and offers you a cigarette. DON'T chew gum or eat.
• DO look an employer in the eye while you talk to them.
• DO follow the employer's leads, but try to get them to describe the position and duties to you early in the interview so that you can relate your background, skills and achievements to the position.
• DON'T answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no". Explain wherever possible.
• DO make sure that your good points come across to the employer in a factual, logical and sincere manner. Stress achievements e.g. - sales record, processes developed, savings achieved, systems installed and so on.
• DON'T lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and as "to the point" as possible.
• DON'T ever make derogatory comments about your present or former employers or companies.
• DON'T over-answer questions. The employer may steer the conversation into politics or economics. Since this is a ticklish situation it is best to answer the question honestly, trying not to say any more than is necessary.
• DON'T enquire about the salary, holidays, bonuses or other benefits at the initial interview unless you are positive the employer is interested in hiring you. If the employer asks what salary you want, indicate what you have earned but that you are more interested in the opportunity than in a specific amount at the present.
• DO always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job. Never close the door on an opportunity. It is better to be in a position where you can choose from a number of offers rather than only one.
NEGATIVE FACTORS EVALUATED BY AN EMPLOYER
During the course of your interview, the employer will be evaluating your negative as well as positive factors. Listed below are negative factors which most often lead to the rejection of the candidate:-
• Poor personal appearance.
• Overbearing - too aggressive - conceited - "Superiority complex" - "know it all".
• Inability to express thought clearly - poor poise, diction or grammar.
• Lack of planning for career - no purpose or goals.
• Lack of interest and enthusiasm - passive or indifferent.
• Lack of confidence and poise - nervousness.
• Over-emphasis on money - interested only in the best money offer.
• Lack of tact - maturity - courtesy.
• Condemnation of past employers.
• Failure to look employer in the eye.
• Limp, fishy handshake.
• Lack of appreciation for the value of experience.
• Failure to ask questions about the job.
• Persistent attitude of "What can you do for me?"
• Lack of preparation for the interview - failure to get information about the company resulting in an inability to ask intelligent questions.
CLOSING THE INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB OFFER
• If you want the position or a second interview say something like this:-
"Mr. Employer, I am very impressed with what I have seen here today - your company, its products and the people I have met.
• For a Sales Type position
"I am confident that I can do an excellent job in the position you have described to me. [ How soon will I be able to start? ] or [ When can I arrange a second interview? ]".
• For Positions requiring less assertiveness / sales techniques
"I have enjoyed talking with you. The job sounds excellent. [What are your thoughts about me? ] or [ Do I have the right sort of experience that you are looking for?]"
• This gives you a chance to hear the interviewer's impressions and to respond to any negative thoughts or misunderstandings that may have arisen.
• Don't be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The employer will probably want to communicate with his office first or interview more candidates before making a decision.
• If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected don't let your discouragement show. Once in a while an employer who is genuinely interested may seem to discourage you in order to test your reaction.
• Thank the employer for his time and his consideration of you. If you have answered the two questions uppermost in the employer's mind, namely:-
• a) Why are you interested in his company?
b) What can you offer?
then you have done all that you can.
• If you are interested in the position then immediately after the interview write a letter to the employer expressing your thanks for the interview and your interest in the company.
Restate briefly why you think you can make an exceptionally strong contribution to the company.
• Lastly, but most importantly, call your consultant immediately after each interview and tell him what happened. He will want to talk with you before the employer calls him back. If you are interested in the position, your consultant will help you get it.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
LIVE ISSUE IN WINDOWS
1. Exchange 5.5 Server
Is it possible to restrict users of either a mailbox or public folder from
replying or forwarding emails in the mailbox or folder? We have a
department which needs some users to be able to view the contents of mailbox
or public folder without being able to do anything with them. The most
control I can get with the standard permissions is "read" but this still
allows users to reply and forward.
Also, I keep seeing references made to being able to publish the contents of
a public folder to a website. This would probably work, unless they are
just referring to OWA. Anyhow, I can find documentation that this can be
done, but cannot seem to find instructions on doing so.
2. Exchange 5.5 system and an Exchange 2000 system
I've got an Exchange 5.5 system and an Exchange 2000 system connected by
X400 connector. I have added the appropriate X400 address space on each side
of the connector to route mail to/from each system correctly. I am using an
in-house written app to maintain directory information. It creates custom
recipients (Ex5.5) and contacts (Ex2000) in each directory with an X400
target address corresponding to mailboxes in the remote directory.
My problem is how recipient addresses are recognised by the Exchange 5.5
system. For example:
User on Exchange 2000 system chooses my contact from their address list and
sends mail. The target address is the X400 address of my mailbox. The mail
is routed over the X400 connector to my mailbox. When I open the mail and
look at the properties of the sender, it correctly resolves to the custom
recipient that we have in our directory (because the sender X400 address
matches to the custom recipient) When I look at properties of the recipient
however, they just show the "legacyexchangedn" value from the contact on the
exch2000 system. It doesn't resolve to any object from our directoy.
So it appears that the sender field is received as an X400 value, which we
can resolve to our directory, but the recipients field is received as an
X500 value, which we can't.
Can anyone explain the reason for this behaviour to me? Why aren't the
recipients addresses also seen as X400?
This becomes a problem where the the original mail is sent to multiple
recipients on the Exch5.5 system. If any of the recipients chooses to
"reply-all", only the sender address is resolved correctly. The other
original recipients are not then properly addressed.
Apologies for the ramble, but I hope it makes sense. Thanks in advance for
any insight.
3. OWA Login Problem
We have one user that can not logion into OWA. When they login using
domain\user and password they get the 404 page not found. This is a E2K
2000 Front end server. Funny the page that pops up shows the outline of
the two panes for OWA with the error message listed twice. This is the
only user having this issue and it does not matter what desktop she
uses. Other people can login using her PC ok. However if I have her use
the https://webmail.domain.com/exchange/username/ it works fine. I have
looked on the IIS server and didn't see anything. Seems I saw this on
this list before and I do not remember what the problem was.
4. Outlook 2000
I have run into a problem with some of my Outlook 2000 clients. I have
Exchange 2003 running with 3 front-end servers and 7 backend servers.
When I configure the Outlook profile it can not resolve the name on 9 of
the 10 servers. The 1 server that does work was the first server in the
organization. Any ideas what could cause this?
5. Xchange 200 on 2000
I am running exchange 200 on 2000 server fully spack'd.
I would like to add a disclaimer to every email that leaves this
building.
How do I do this ?
I am searching on my own as well.
6. One:
AAdmin pack installed on an XP workstation with SP1. Connecting to a 2000
domain with an Exchange 2000 server. Very often when I use AD U&G to modify
Exchange addresses of a user when I hit apply/ok I get:
RPC Server Unavailable
MS Active Directory - Exchange Connector
This happens even if I point AD U&G at the Exchange server, which is also a
DC. Using AD U&G directly on the Exchange server and I never get this error.
7. Two:
The brought up a new server (Exchange 2000), moved the mailboxes, GAL's and
public folders over to the new server no problem. Then at some point the old
server either smoked or they just shut it down without removing it from the
site. So there is a server in there that does not and will not ever be back.
So extra routing containers everything for it. Can't right click and delete
it as it errors with server can not be contacted. Would really like to clean
this up before I bring up another and migrate to 2003.
8. Windows 2000 Active Directory, Exchange2000, Outlook2003 and OWA
clients
I have to hide a common Active Directory attribute (Office) from
displaying in the Global Address List. Is there any way to do this? I
have tried removing it from the details template and I have tried
modifying the permissions in the AD schema using ADSI Edit but neither
of these seem to work.
9.Has anyone used the Recover Mailbox Data Feature from EX2K3 on SP1
successfully on a Recovery Storage
Group where the names of the mailboxes include a comma? Evidently there is a bug in the program so that it fails if there is a comma in the display name. I was wondering if anyone had figured out how to get around this or had heard of a hot
fix?
I thought maybe I could use the ADSI Viewer (ADSVW.exe) to fix the comma
issue, but it doesn't appear that the RSG mailboxes are available in
that interface.
10 Automatically start perfmon alerts
I am trying to find a way to automatically start perfmon alerts on Windows
2000 server (if the perfmon service is restarted or if the server is
rebooted, all alerts are stopped and I have to start each one manually)
Is there a way?
11. All inbound
Is there a way to accept all inbound mail to a given domain that doesn't
match another directory entry into one maibox in Exchange 5.5? We've a need
to accept wildcard inbound mail - i know, not a pretty idea, but there's a
'business need'. Is it doable in Exchange or do I need to rewrite the mail
at the gateway?
12. Post Appointments
I can't figure this out. When I post appointments to our
shared calendar the appointment times that display on my
version of the shared calendar are correct, however, on
anyone else's instance of the calendar all the
appointments appear to be one hour later. All machines are running
XPPro With outlook 2003
13. The Checkbox
On a W2K workstation, the checkbox "Manager can update membership list"
is missing. This checkbox should be available for distribution groups
on the Managed By tab.
How can I enable this checkbox?
Solution :-
Install Windows 2000 adminpak on that workstation.
14. Create a single email that contains the addresses for all NDRs
Is there any way to configure Exchange 2003 to create a single email
that contains the addresses for all NDRs to messages? The goal is rather
than receive an individual email for each recipient that is not
reachable to instead have a single email that contains all the addresses
that failed. That single email could then be used with GREP to pull all
the email address and scrub the database or email addresses that are not
valid. Anyone have a way of doing such a thing?
15. NT4 domain (FOO) to Active Directory running on Windows Server 2003
In our organization (say foo.bar.com) we have recently upgraded our single
NT4 domain (FOO) to Active Directory running on Windows Server 2003
Enterprise Edition, with two domain controllers (server names: DC-1, DC-2),
running DNS (AD-integrated).
We also have Ex 5.5 running on NT4SP6 (originally member of the old NT4
domain, now member of the AD domain) that we wish to migrate to Exchange
Server 2003, also running on Windows Server 2003 (server name: ES-1).
We've been using the ExDeploy tool to migrate the Ex5.5 server. After
successfully finishing the required steps for Phase-1, we tried to run setup
/ForestPrep. Having reached to the component selection screen, ForestPrep
does not appear selected in the Action combo (filled with ...) and when we
tried to select it, we got the following error message: " The component
"Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation" cannot be assigned the action
ForestPrep because:
- Either you do not have permission to update the
Active Directory schema or Active Directory service
is currently too busy.
"
However, the account under which the tool has been run actually has the
required permissions, since it is member of the following groups in the
domain:
Domain Admins
Enterprise Admins
Schema Admins
and the Administrators group of the ES-1 machine.
Any ideas? Are we missing something?
Additional Notes:
- The file LDIF.ERR referenced in the log does not exist.
- NTDS Service Parameter (registry) value "Schema Update
Allowed" is set to '1'.
- All OS hot-fixes up to MS04-25 have been installed on
all new WS2K3 servers.
- All machines mentioned form an isolated lan using a 100Mbps
switch, for testing purposes (not connected to the internet.)
- Test mentioned in Q319944 (DCDIAG /test:KnowsOfRolesHolders /v)
succeeds.
- Potentially interesting excerpts from the Setup Progress log file follow.
Is it possible to restrict users of either a mailbox or public folder from
replying or forwarding emails in the mailbox or folder? We have a
department which needs some users to be able to view the contents of mailbox
or public folder without being able to do anything with them. The most
control I can get with the standard permissions is "read" but this still
allows users to reply and forward.
Also, I keep seeing references made to being able to publish the contents of
a public folder to a website. This would probably work, unless they are
just referring to OWA. Anyhow, I can find documentation that this can be
done, but cannot seem to find instructions on doing so.
2. Exchange 5.5 system and an Exchange 2000 system
I've got an Exchange 5.5 system and an Exchange 2000 system connected by
X400 connector. I have added the appropriate X400 address space on each side
of the connector to route mail to/from each system correctly. I am using an
in-house written app to maintain directory information. It creates custom
recipients (Ex5.5) and contacts (Ex2000) in each directory with an X400
target address corresponding to mailboxes in the remote directory.
My problem is how recipient addresses are recognised by the Exchange 5.5
system. For example:
User on Exchange 2000 system chooses my contact from their address list and
sends mail. The target address is the X400 address of my mailbox. The mail
is routed over the X400 connector to my mailbox. When I open the mail and
look at the properties of the sender, it correctly resolves to the custom
recipient that we have in our directory (because the sender X400 address
matches to the custom recipient) When I look at properties of the recipient
however, they just show the "legacyexchangedn" value from the contact on the
exch2000 system. It doesn't resolve to any object from our directoy.
So it appears that the sender field is received as an X400 value, which we
can resolve to our directory, but the recipients field is received as an
X500 value, which we can't.
Can anyone explain the reason for this behaviour to me? Why aren't the
recipients addresses also seen as X400?
This becomes a problem where the the original mail is sent to multiple
recipients on the Exch5.5 system. If any of the recipients chooses to
"reply-all", only the sender address is resolved correctly. The other
original recipients are not then properly addressed.
Apologies for the ramble, but I hope it makes sense. Thanks in advance for
any insight.
3. OWA Login Problem
We have one user that can not logion into OWA. When they login using
domain\user and password they get the 404 page not found. This is a E2K
2000 Front end server. Funny the page that pops up shows the outline of
the two panes for OWA with the error message listed twice. This is the
only user having this issue and it does not matter what desktop she
uses. Other people can login using her PC ok. However if I have her use
the https://webmail.domain.com/exchange/username/ it works fine. I have
looked on the IIS server and didn't see anything. Seems I saw this on
this list before and I do not remember what the problem was.
4. Outlook 2000
I have run into a problem with some of my Outlook 2000 clients. I have
Exchange 2003 running with 3 front-end servers and 7 backend servers.
When I configure the Outlook profile it can not resolve the name on 9 of
the 10 servers. The 1 server that does work was the first server in the
organization. Any ideas what could cause this?
5. Xchange 200 on 2000
I am running exchange 200 on 2000 server fully spack'd.
I would like to add a disclaimer to every email that leaves this
building.
How do I do this ?
I am searching on my own as well.
6. One:
AAdmin pack installed on an XP workstation with SP1. Connecting to a 2000
domain with an Exchange 2000 server. Very often when I use AD U&G to modify
Exchange addresses of a user when I hit apply/ok I get:
RPC Server Unavailable
MS Active Directory - Exchange Connector
This happens even if I point AD U&G at the Exchange server, which is also a
DC. Using AD U&G directly on the Exchange server and I never get this error.
7. Two:
The brought up a new server (Exchange 2000), moved the mailboxes, GAL's and
public folders over to the new server no problem. Then at some point the old
server either smoked or they just shut it down without removing it from the
site. So there is a server in there that does not and will not ever be back.
So extra routing containers everything for it. Can't right click and delete
it as it errors with server can not be contacted. Would really like to clean
this up before I bring up another and migrate to 2003.
8. Windows 2000 Active Directory, Exchange2000, Outlook2003 and OWA
clients
I have to hide a common Active Directory attribute (Office) from
displaying in the Global Address List. Is there any way to do this? I
have tried removing it from the details template and I have tried
modifying the permissions in the AD schema using ADSI Edit but neither
of these seem to work.
9.Has anyone used the Recover Mailbox Data Feature from EX2K3 on SP1
successfully on a Recovery Storage
Group where the names of the mailboxes include a comma? Evidently there is a bug in the program so that it fails if there is a comma in the display name. I was wondering if anyone had figured out how to get around this or had heard of a hot
fix?
I thought maybe I could use the ADSI Viewer (ADSVW.exe) to fix the comma
issue, but it doesn't appear that the RSG mailboxes are available in
that interface.
10 Automatically start perfmon alerts
I am trying to find a way to automatically start perfmon alerts on Windows
2000 server (if the perfmon service is restarted or if the server is
rebooted, all alerts are stopped and I have to start each one manually)
Is there a way?
11. All inbound
Is there a way to accept all inbound mail to a given domain that doesn't
match another directory entry into one maibox in Exchange 5.5? We've a need
to accept wildcard inbound mail - i know, not a pretty idea, but there's a
'business need'. Is it doable in Exchange or do I need to rewrite the mail
at the gateway?
12. Post Appointments
I can't figure this out. When I post appointments to our
shared calendar the appointment times that display on my
version of the shared calendar are correct, however, on
anyone else's instance of the calendar all the
appointments appear to be one hour later. All machines are running
XPPro With outlook 2003
13. The Checkbox
On a W2K workstation, the checkbox "Manager can update membership list"
is missing. This checkbox should be available for distribution groups
on the Managed By tab.
How can I enable this checkbox?
Solution :-
Install Windows 2000 adminpak on that workstation.
14. Create a single email that contains the addresses for all NDRs
Is there any way to configure Exchange 2003 to create a single email
that contains the addresses for all NDRs to messages? The goal is rather
than receive an individual email for each recipient that is not
reachable to instead have a single email that contains all the addresses
that failed. That single email could then be used with GREP to pull all
the email address and scrub the database or email addresses that are not
valid. Anyone have a way of doing such a thing?
15. NT4 domain (FOO) to Active Directory running on Windows Server 2003
In our organization (say foo.bar.com) we have recently upgraded our single
NT4 domain (FOO) to Active Directory running on Windows Server 2003
Enterprise Edition, with two domain controllers (server names: DC-1, DC-2),
running DNS (AD-integrated).
We also have Ex 5.5 running on NT4SP6 (originally member of the old NT4
domain, now member of the AD domain) that we wish to migrate to Exchange
Server 2003, also running on Windows Server 2003 (server name: ES-1).
We've been using the ExDeploy tool to migrate the Ex5.5 server. After
successfully finishing the required steps for Phase-1, we tried to run setup
/ForestPrep. Having reached to the component selection screen, ForestPrep
does not appear selected in the Action combo (filled with ...) and when we
tried to select it, we got the following error message: " The component
"Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation" cannot be assigned the action
ForestPrep because:
- Either you do not have permission to update the
Active Directory schema or Active Directory service
is currently too busy.
"
However, the account under which the tool has been run actually has the
required permissions, since it is member of the following groups in the
domain:
Domain Admins
Enterprise Admins
Schema Admins
and the Administrators group of the ES-1 machine.
Any ideas? Are we missing something?
Additional Notes:
- The file LDIF.ERR referenced in the log does not exist.
- NTDS Service Parameter (registry) value "Schema Update
Allowed" is set to '1'.
- All OS hot-fixes up to MS04-25 have been installed on
all new WS2K3 servers.
- All machines mentioned form an isolated lan using a 100Mbps
switch, for testing purposes (not connected to the internet.)
- Test mentioned in Q319944 (DCDIAG /test:KnowsOfRolesHolders /v)
succeeds.
- Potentially interesting excerpts from the Setup Progress log file follow.
How to find an ip using Yahoo! Messenger
I've been “testing” Yahoo! messenger with some friends and I have found many interesting things. I DON’T CARE if you do any damage with the stuff you will learn below. Everything you do is with YOUR responsibility.
Method A: The classic one
First, close all the programs that use internet. Open a dos-prompt and type netstat -n. This command will show you all connections with your pc and the ip you connect to. Send a file (prefer a big one) and while it is being send type netstat -n once more. The new ip that will appear will be the “victim’s” one.
Method B: Make the “victim” your friend
I'm not talking for social engineering, although it's a good method too. I’ve noticed that when you add sb in your friends list, a packet is send from their pc to yours and from yours to their. Once more, just to be sure, close all the programs that use internet. If you are using two firewalls (and you should) close the one. In this case I prefer using BlackIce firewall which I found more accurate. Then add the “victim” in your friends list. Soon will appear a blocked packet from the firewall with the source ip...
Method C: Just talk
If you talk with someone for a long time you will notice a direct connection between you and your “victim”! But I doesn't happen all the time :p . You can use netstat but I prefer to use eStop 3.3. This is a fine program that shows you all connections every sec.
In all the above methods, to confirm the ip use a tool for ip lookup, like NeoTrace or download one from www.toolsforselling.com .
I' m working on a couple of stuff I recently found. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me with Yahoo! messenger, what else? My Yahoo! id is legionaire_7
Extra thanks to jonny_metaxas.
Method A: The classic one
First, close all the programs that use internet. Open a dos-prompt and type netstat -n. This command will show you all connections with your pc and the ip you connect to. Send a file (prefer a big one) and while it is being send type netstat -n once more. The new ip that will appear will be the “victim’s” one.
Method B: Make the “victim” your friend
I'm not talking for social engineering, although it's a good method too. I’ve noticed that when you add sb in your friends list, a packet is send from their pc to yours and from yours to their. Once more, just to be sure, close all the programs that use internet. If you are using two firewalls (and you should) close the one. In this case I prefer using BlackIce firewall which I found more accurate. Then add the “victim” in your friends list. Soon will appear a blocked packet from the firewall with the source ip...
Method C: Just talk
If you talk with someone for a long time you will notice a direct connection between you and your “victim”! But I doesn't happen all the time :p . You can use netstat but I prefer to use eStop 3.3. This is a fine program that shows you all connections every sec.
In all the above methods, to confirm the ip use a tool for ip lookup, like NeoTrace or download one from www.toolsforselling.com .
I' m working on a couple of stuff I recently found. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me with Yahoo! messenger, what else? My Yahoo! id is legionaire_7
Extra thanks to jonny_metaxas.
How Active Directory Replication Topology Works
• Active Directory KCC Architecture and Processes
• Replication Topology Physical Structure
• Performance Limits for Replication Topology Generation
• Goals of Replication Topology
• Topology-Related Objects in Active Directory
• Replication Transports
• Replication Between Sites
• KCC and Topology Generation
• Network Ports Used by Replication Topology
• Related Information
Active Directory implements a replication topology that takes advantage of the network speeds within sites, which are ideally configured to be equivalent to local area network (LAN) connectivity (network speed of 10 megabits per second [Mbps] or higher). The replication topology also minimizes the use of potentially slow or expensive wide area network (WAN) links between sites.
When you create a site object in Active Directory, you associate one or more Internet Protocol (IP) subnets with the site. Each domain controller in a forest is associated with an Active Directory site. A client workstation is associated with a site according to its IP address; that is, each IP address maps to one subnet, which in turn maps to one site.
Active Directory uses sites to:
• Optimize replication for speed and bandwidth consumption between domain controllers.
• Locate the closest domain controller for client logon, services, and directory searches.
• Direct a Distributed File System (DFS) client to the server that is hosting the requested data within the site.
• Replicate the system volume (SYSVOL), a collection of folders in the file system that exists on each domain controller in a domain and is required for implementation of Group Policy.
The ideal environment for replication topology generation is a forest that has a forest functional level of Windows Server 2003. In this case, replication topology generation is faster and can accommodate more sites and domains than occurs when the forest has a forest functional level of Windows 2000. When at least one domain controller in each site is running Windows Server 2003, more domain controllers in each site can be used to replicate changes between sites than when all domain controllers are running Windows 2000 Server.
In addition, replication topology generation requires the following conditions:
• A Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure that manages the name resolution for domain controllers in the forest. Active Directory–integrated DNS is assumed, wherein DNS zone data is stored in Active Directory and is replicated to all domain controllers that are DNS servers.
• All physical locations that are represented as site objects in Active Directory have LAN connectivity.
• IP connectivity is available between each site and all sites in the same forest that host operations master roles.
• Domain controllers meet the hardware requirements for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.
• The appropriate number of domain controllers is deployed for each domain that is represented in each site.
This section covers the replication components that create the replication topology and how they work together, plus the mechanisms and rationale for routing replication traffic between domain controllers in the same site and in different sites.
Top of page
Active Directory KCC Architecture and Processes
The replication topology is generated by the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC), a replication component that runs as an application on every domain controller and communicates through the distributed Active Directory database. The KCC functions locally by reading, creating, and deleting Active Directory data. Specifically, the KCC reads configuration data and reads and writes connection objects. The KCC also writes local, nonreplicated attribute values that indicate the replication partners from which to request replication.
For most of its operation, the KCC that runs on one domain controller does not communicate directly with the KCC on any other domain controller. Rather, all KCCs use the knowledge of the common, global data that is stored in the configuration directory partition as input to the topology generation algorithm to converge on the same view of the replication topology.
Each KCC uses its in-memory view of the topology to create inbound connections locally, manifesting only those results that apply to itself. The KCC communicates with other KCCs only to make a remote procedure call (RPC) request for replication error information. The KCC uses the error information to identify gaps in the replication topology. A request for replication error information occurs only between domain controllers in the same site.
Note
• The KCC uses only RPC to communicate with the directory service. The KCC does not use Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).
One domain controller in each site is selected as the Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG). To enable replication across site links, the ISTG automatically designates one or more servers to perform site-to-site replication. These servers are called bridgehead servers. A bridgehead is a point where a connection leaves or enters a site.
The ISTG creates a view of the replication topology for all sites, including existing connection objects between all domain controllers that are acting as bridgehead servers. The ISTG then creates inbound connection objects for servers in its site that it determines will act as bridgehead servers and for which connection objects do not already exist. Thus, the scope of operation for the KCC is the local server only, and the scope of operation for the ISTG is a single site.
Each KCC has the following global knowledge about objects in the forest, which it gets by reading objects in the Sites container of the configuration directory partition and which it uses to generate a view of the replication topology:
Detailed information about these configuration components and their functionality is provided later in this section.
The following diagram shows the KCC architecture on servers in the same forest in two sites.
KCC Architecture and Process Components
Component Description
Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC)
The application running on each domain controller that communicates directly with the Ntdsa.dll to read and write replication objects.
Directory System Agent (DSA)
The directory service component that runs as Ntdsa.dll on each domain controller, providing the interfaces through which services and processes such as the KCC gain access to the directory database.
Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
The directory service component that runs as Esent.dll. ESE manages the tables of records, each with one or more columns. The tables of records comprise the directory database.
Remote procedure call (RPC)
The Directory Replication Service (Drsuapi)
RPC protocol, used to communicate replication status and topology to a domain controller. The KCC also uses this protocol to communicate with other KCCs to request error information when building the replication topology.
Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG)
The single KCC in a site that manages intersite connection objects for the site.
The four servers in the preceding diagram create identical views of the servers in their site and generate connection objects on the basis of the current state of Active Directory data in the configuration directory partition. In addition to creating its view of the servers in its respective site, the KCC that operates as the ISTG in each site also creates a view of all servers in all sites in the forest. From this view, the ISTG determines the connections to create on the bridgehead servers in its own site.
A connection requires two endpoints: one for the destination domain controller and one for the source domain controller. Domain controllers creating an intrasite topology always use themselves as the destination end point and must consider only the endpoint for the source domain controller. The ISTG, however, must identify both endpoints in order to create connection objects between two other servers.
Thus, the KCC creates two types of topologies: intrasite and intersite. Within a site, the KCC creates a ring topology by using all servers in the site. To create the intersite topology, the ISTG in each site uses a view of all bridgehead servers in all sites in the forest. The following diagram shows a high-level generalization of the view that the KCC sees of an intrasite ring topology and the view that the ISTG sees of the intersite topology. Lines between domain controllers within a site represent inbound and outbound connections between the servers. The lines between sites represent configured site links. Bridgehead servers are represented as BH.
KCC and ISTG Views of Intrasite and Intersite Topology
• Replication Topology Physical Structure
• Performance Limits for Replication Topology Generation
• Goals of Replication Topology
• Topology-Related Objects in Active Directory
• Replication Transports
• Replication Between Sites
• KCC and Topology Generation
• Network Ports Used by Replication Topology
• Related Information
Active Directory implements a replication topology that takes advantage of the network speeds within sites, which are ideally configured to be equivalent to local area network (LAN) connectivity (network speed of 10 megabits per second [Mbps] or higher). The replication topology also minimizes the use of potentially slow or expensive wide area network (WAN) links between sites.
When you create a site object in Active Directory, you associate one or more Internet Protocol (IP) subnets with the site. Each domain controller in a forest is associated with an Active Directory site. A client workstation is associated with a site according to its IP address; that is, each IP address maps to one subnet, which in turn maps to one site.
Active Directory uses sites to:
• Optimize replication for speed and bandwidth consumption between domain controllers.
• Locate the closest domain controller for client logon, services, and directory searches.
• Direct a Distributed File System (DFS) client to the server that is hosting the requested data within the site.
• Replicate the system volume (SYSVOL), a collection of folders in the file system that exists on each domain controller in a domain and is required for implementation of Group Policy.
The ideal environment for replication topology generation is a forest that has a forest functional level of Windows Server 2003. In this case, replication topology generation is faster and can accommodate more sites and domains than occurs when the forest has a forest functional level of Windows 2000. When at least one domain controller in each site is running Windows Server 2003, more domain controllers in each site can be used to replicate changes between sites than when all domain controllers are running Windows 2000 Server.
In addition, replication topology generation requires the following conditions:
• A Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure that manages the name resolution for domain controllers in the forest. Active Directory–integrated DNS is assumed, wherein DNS zone data is stored in Active Directory and is replicated to all domain controllers that are DNS servers.
• All physical locations that are represented as site objects in Active Directory have LAN connectivity.
• IP connectivity is available between each site and all sites in the same forest that host operations master roles.
• Domain controllers meet the hardware requirements for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.
• The appropriate number of domain controllers is deployed for each domain that is represented in each site.
This section covers the replication components that create the replication topology and how they work together, plus the mechanisms and rationale for routing replication traffic between domain controllers in the same site and in different sites.
Top of page
Active Directory KCC Architecture and Processes
The replication topology is generated by the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC), a replication component that runs as an application on every domain controller and communicates through the distributed Active Directory database. The KCC functions locally by reading, creating, and deleting Active Directory data. Specifically, the KCC reads configuration data and reads and writes connection objects. The KCC also writes local, nonreplicated attribute values that indicate the replication partners from which to request replication.
For most of its operation, the KCC that runs on one domain controller does not communicate directly with the KCC on any other domain controller. Rather, all KCCs use the knowledge of the common, global data that is stored in the configuration directory partition as input to the topology generation algorithm to converge on the same view of the replication topology.
Each KCC uses its in-memory view of the topology to create inbound connections locally, manifesting only those results that apply to itself. The KCC communicates with other KCCs only to make a remote procedure call (RPC) request for replication error information. The KCC uses the error information to identify gaps in the replication topology. A request for replication error information occurs only between domain controllers in the same site.
Note
• The KCC uses only RPC to communicate with the directory service. The KCC does not use Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).
One domain controller in each site is selected as the Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG). To enable replication across site links, the ISTG automatically designates one or more servers to perform site-to-site replication. These servers are called bridgehead servers. A bridgehead is a point where a connection leaves or enters a site.
The ISTG creates a view of the replication topology for all sites, including existing connection objects between all domain controllers that are acting as bridgehead servers. The ISTG then creates inbound connection objects for servers in its site that it determines will act as bridgehead servers and for which connection objects do not already exist. Thus, the scope of operation for the KCC is the local server only, and the scope of operation for the ISTG is a single site.
Each KCC has the following global knowledge about objects in the forest, which it gets by reading objects in the Sites container of the configuration directory partition and which it uses to generate a view of the replication topology:
Detailed information about these configuration components and their functionality is provided later in this section.
The following diagram shows the KCC architecture on servers in the same forest in two sites.
KCC Architecture and Process Components
Component Description
Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC)
The application running on each domain controller that communicates directly with the Ntdsa.dll to read and write replication objects.
Directory System Agent (DSA)
The directory service component that runs as Ntdsa.dll on each domain controller, providing the interfaces through which services and processes such as the KCC gain access to the directory database.
Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
The directory service component that runs as Esent.dll. ESE manages the tables of records, each with one or more columns. The tables of records comprise the directory database.
Remote procedure call (RPC)
The Directory Replication Service (Drsuapi)
RPC protocol, used to communicate replication status and topology to a domain controller. The KCC also uses this protocol to communicate with other KCCs to request error information when building the replication topology.
Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG)
The single KCC in a site that manages intersite connection objects for the site.
The four servers in the preceding diagram create identical views of the servers in their site and generate connection objects on the basis of the current state of Active Directory data in the configuration directory partition. In addition to creating its view of the servers in its respective site, the KCC that operates as the ISTG in each site also creates a view of all servers in all sites in the forest. From this view, the ISTG determines the connections to create on the bridgehead servers in its own site.
A connection requires two endpoints: one for the destination domain controller and one for the source domain controller. Domain controllers creating an intrasite topology always use themselves as the destination end point and must consider only the endpoint for the source domain controller. The ISTG, however, must identify both endpoints in order to create connection objects between two other servers.
Thus, the KCC creates two types of topologies: intrasite and intersite. Within a site, the KCC creates a ring topology by using all servers in the site. To create the intersite topology, the ISTG in each site uses a view of all bridgehead servers in all sites in the forest. The following diagram shows a high-level generalization of the view that the KCC sees of an intrasite ring topology and the view that the ISTG sees of the intersite topology. Lines between domain controllers within a site represent inbound and outbound connections between the servers. The lines between sites represent configured site links. Bridgehead servers are represented as BH.
KCC and ISTG Views of Intrasite and Intersite Topology
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
1. Exchange 5.5 Server Is it possible to restrict users of either a mailbox or public folder from replying or forwarding emails in the mailb...
-
Silverlight XAP Files Silverlight applications are downloaded by the browser in XAP files. These XAP files are essentially .zip files that c... -
Take a few days or weeks to look at yourself and how you present yourself to others . You know your friends like you but how are you seen ...