Saturday, March 10, 2012

The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy



Why you’re going to create a strategy or why is it that strategy is needed? In my case as an instructor, I need to create a strategy on my teaching and instructions to my students. The fact that I didn't earned any education units is I really need to apply good strategies that would be needed to be an effective teacher.

According from the dictionary, strategy is a planning in any field, a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan. I plan that my students acquire some knowledge from me through my teachings and instructions. The strategy for them to listen on me and not be bored in my class, rebut questions to my students to provoke their critical thinking and after the lectures, I have to think of a synthesis instruction. A synthesis level of instruction wherein they can create, construct or design in relation from the learning that they have, so from theory to actual real world hands-on applications. So I really have to prepared instructions or requirements in a Hands-on manner for them to learn or not to be bored on their course subjects. Because students nowadays in any computer studies discipline, whether an IT, ComSci or ComEng, they want to learn, enhance and develop their skills in relation to the computer applications. They were sick of theories, they want hands-on. Honestly, sometimes it’s very difficult for me to think of an instruction that I will have to give to my students. First part is to research for a course outline for that subject that you will be going to teach, and look for a certain topic and references that you are going to teach them through lectures, added from that is you have to think also of the laboratory applications, especially for those subjects that has laboratory. A lecture subject also in IT is you have to think of an innovative instruction, project or requirement that would relate to the course subject. So library and Internet would be of great help.

Subjects in IT are not just easy as ABCD. So I have to research in the library, review and borrow some books and recall for my past projects or requirements in college and innovate, innovate, and innovate. Indeed, curriculum is changing. Just like in information technology that is also changing- always changing. There will be new software’s that you have to explore and programming languages that you have to learn- and orient it to your students. I consider myself as an open minded person that is open to change and learning’s. How I wish, I will undergo more trainings, learning’s and workshops in any field in IT that is very needed to supplement my teachings in the academe and to develop my skills as an IT educator. That is for me to impart more knowledge and learning’s to my students. But in my case now, I had undergone free online tutorials from the web, YouTube, research and other relevant sites that would be of great help that would answer my curiosity and questions for that certain topic in IT.

According from the report, Michael Porter is a leading authority on strategy and competition in business. His five forces analysis has been one of his largest contributions to his field. Porter defines them as: The threat of the entry of new competitors, the intensity of competitive rivalry, the threat of substitute products or services, the bargaining power of customers and the bargaining power of suppliers.

Indeed, academic institutions do have competitors outside. There were many schools who were offering information technology courses aside from us. But I think our edge from the other schools that we can proudly say is we received our recognition from CHED. We have the facilities, 2 computer laboratories and 1 internet laboratory that are already networked. There were some problems in the computer laboratory from the past (in relating to the computers), but now it’s already fixed. Thanks to our new network administratorJ, that he’s the one who fixed the problems on those computers that needed some troubleshooting. We have also the updated information technology books, journals and magazines that supplement and very needed as a reference on our teachings. Our program head is an MIT graduate already, part-time instructor who also teaches computer subjects in high school were an experienced one in teaching and had networking and troubleshooting skills. Our network administrator also teaches course subjects in college and a very skillful one in programming, computer hardware servicing and networking.  I’m proud to say that they are one of the assets of the academe.

And I'm continuing my masters’ degree and proud to say that my students also learn as well as amuse from me, the way I handle my class J. I received feedbacks from my students that they rated me as an excellent teacher from the past evaluation that they have. (weh, ma overwhelm man pud ta). I responded my students “atik”. But still they insisted that it’s true. They say that I’m a jovial teacher, from my strategies, teachings and instructions they really learn and also some words of wisdom that I share and advise to the class. There were also times that I’m strict in my class but it’s for them to discipline. Especially on this generation, students nowadays were different from our time (Indeed!). They say that they never get bored, even if the way I speak sometimes is very fast but they really learn if they have to listen. They say that I’m a good teacher but when it comes to discipline, requirements, examination or quizzes, I’m very authoritative and also a disciplinarian one. Well, that’s their feedback but all I can say if this is true, I’m overwhelmed and thank them that they notice or appreciate me as their “teacher”, even if I do have many concerns and preparations both here in this academe and in my post graduate class. I really have my time management and discipline, discipline, discipline that would lead me to prioritize and balance my time in my 10 preparations in school and the bunch of requirements, research and study in post graduate.  Thanks to God that I do have this character and courage.

Back to the academe competition from the other schools that were offering the same courses from us, I do believe that the graduates had their feedback from this academe. HCBC   practice the life of mother Ignacia that is done through and still continuing reach outs and feeding programs every semester in hospitals or in public schools.  When we say the bargaining power of customers or shall I say if I’m going to relate that in my academe, The bargaining power of students are they have convictions, contradictions, comments and suggestions that’s why our school is trying to be a student-centered because students are the one who were investors in this institution and will be the priority. There were also some negative issues that the students had observed in the administration, for example those questionable miscellaneous fees that were implemented in this school. But still remains unsolved. But I do believe that if these issues can be overpower by the Christian education, quality curriculum and services that we have given to our students. The evidence speaks for itself, every year we have an increase number of enrollees. We have the best of non-teaching personnel’s, masters and experienced faculties both full time and part time instructors in college. And HCBC is a sectarian school that owned and managed by the RVM sisters. So if they do believe in Holy Cross of Bansalan College, they would enrollJ and be satisfied.