Scientific Management and its Application at Microsoft - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2162 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Introduction The concept of scientific management, developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor, revolutionised many workplaces, increasing efficiency and control for employers while concurrently lowering costs (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011; Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013; Taylor, 2012). Taylors book The Principles of Scientific Management, has been identified as the most influential management book of the twentieth century (Bedeian and Wren, 2001). However, despite the benefits for employers, and popularity of the idea, implementation was often associated with poor outcomes for employees, including lowering job satisfaction, increased attrition, and low levels of motivation (Parker, 2014; Pettinger, 2010). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Scientific Management and its Application at Microsoft" essay for you Create order However, despite the perceived negative effects, scientific management remains popular (The Economist, 2015; Parker, 2014; Vidal, 2013). This paper examines and evaluates the concept, and then applies it to a modern organisation; Microsoft. The Concept of Scientific Management The development of scientific management was based on previous ideas regarding workplace efficiency which emerged during the Industrial Revolution (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). Prior to the Industrial Revolution, labour division was based on skills and knowledge, with craftsmen having a significant level of discretion regarding how a task was performed or job completed (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). The Industrial Revolution changed workplace practices, with the division of labour, where individual employees are given responsibility for a predetermined portion of any task (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). The economist Adam Smith credited this division of labour as creating the UKs wealth, developing the concept of economic man, believing workers primary motivation was money (Smith, 1904). Charles Babbage referred to this as The Great Principle of Economical Reproduction (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011; Smith, 1904). However, while this division of labour created efficiencies, Taylo r believed further efficiencies remained, and while workers still retaining performance discretion they could use it to their advantage (Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013; Taylor, 2012). Taylors approach improved efficiency was based on the standardisation of job design, breaking jobs down into component tasks, with performance requirements based on scientific studies identifying the most efficient workplace practices (Taylor, 2012). This approach increases the level of management control, reducing reliance on worker skills and discretion. By breaking jobs down into their smallest components, employers could hire and train cheaper, unskilled workers, replacing them as necessary (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011; Pettinger, 2010). Child (1972), referred to this process of job design as the 3 Ss, specialisation, standardisation, and simplification. The focus of job design was based on the task assessment, examining the best way any individual task could be performed (Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013; Taylor, 2012). This was seen at the Bethlehem Steel Works, where a study of the workers shovelling pig iron resulted in a job redesign reducing the number of workers required from 500, to 140, without productivity loss (Taylor, 2012). The workers that remained benefited from higher wages based on performance-related pay; wage increases of approximately 60% followed the implementation (Taylor, 2012). However, this did not mean his methods were welcomed by workers, in addition to creating redundancies, there was resistance to the change, also evidenced earlier at Midvale Steelworks (Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013). When Taylor first introduced scientific management approaches at Midvale, initially workers purposefully broke machines to resist work standardisation (Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013). Taylor overcame resistance by fining workers for broken machines, using an application Smiths economic man, which appeared to work, as resistance decreased as workers complied to avoid the fine s (Grachev and Rakitsky, 2013). Effectively, Taylor was treating workers as components of a production process, dehumanising them, considering only their labour input and labour output. The resistance seen at Midvale steelworks was not isolated. A significant factor in the uptake of scientific management was the implementation at Ford, resulting in productivity increasing exponentially (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011; Taylor, 2012). However, worker dissatisfaction also increased and attrition levels reached 400% (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). Again, using the concept of economic man, Taylor overcame this problem by introducing a $5 day, paying workers $5 for each day worked (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011).The $5 day was successful, and workers remained, adopt an instrumental approach (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). It may be hypothesised, that if the implementation at Ford had been less successful, the idea may not have gained such wide scale support. The concept of scientific m anagement has continued in the modern workplace, not only in traditional manufacturing sectors, but many new sectors, e.g. call centres and fast food outlets (The Economist, 2015; Buchanan Huczynski, 2011). If implemented, in line with the above findings and previous experience, it may be expected workers in these jobs would be dissatisfied, due to the dehumanisation processes demonstrated as present in scientific management techniques, such as Midvale and Ford. However, frequently dissatisfaction does not manifest. In research undertaken at the Vauxhall car manufacturing facility in Luton, Goldthorpe et al., (1980) found work conditions, based on scientific methods, were poor, with little opportunity for discretion, and a high level of disempowerment. However, with higher than average pay, the researchers found that workers remained motivated, adopting an instrumental approach, gaining satisfaction from utility provided by wages (Goldthorpe et al., 1980). It may also be argued, that although implemented in a fashion which appears dictatorial and dehumanised, that Taylor may not have intended this approach. When describing the concept of scientific management, Taylor argued that although governed by rules developed through experimental processes, there should not be an old-fashioned dictator (Taylor, 2012). Furthermore, he also believed workers and management should operate in hearty cooperation (Taylor, 2012). When examining modern implementations, additional knowledge and subsequent motivation research, facilitate implementation processes more aligned with Taylors idealistic cooperative concept, rather than rigid implementations. For example, under the human relations school of thought based on research of theorists such as Mayo, Maslow, and Herzberg, it was found social influences and desires impacted on motivation (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011; Herzberg, 1968; Maslow, 2014). Strategies satisfying these needs/desires, include work variety to induce i nterest, empowerment demonstrating trust, and other enrichment strategies (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2011). If social satisfaction strategies can be used to improve working conditions and worker motivation where scientific methods are utilised (The Economist, 2015). With a high level of potential value in terms of creating internal efficiency, as well as providing for consistent practices and standards, it is unsurprising that the practice still continues. However, in organisations that need to both operate on a massive scale, as well as support practices associated with innovation and change, not generally associated with scientific management, the question is whether or not this management concept is still relevant. Scientific Management and Microsoft Microsoft, founded in 1975, is a U.S.-based multinational technology organisation based in Washington. The basic operations include the development, manufacturing, licensing, and support of computer software, electronics, and the provision of computer services (Microsoft, 2015). The company, which is the worlds largest software organisation, offers a range of products and services to both the consumer and businesses, with the most well-known products and services including the Windows operating system and associated software, such as the Microsoft Office Suite, with additional interests technology and Internet-related businesses, including the acquisitions of Skype and Nokia, a presence in the game industry with the development of the Xbox (Microsoft, 2015). An initial consideration of the scope and range of products, and the pace at which they change, indicates the need for adaptability and innovation (Dodgson et al., 2008). Innovation may not inherently be associated with scienti fic management, the process requires those involved to undertake original thought, and non-standardised approaches towards identifying developing new ideas (Dodgson et al., 2008; Kontoghiorghes et al., 2005; Ziesak, 2009). In this context, applying the scientific management processes, as defined by Child (1980), would be a constraint on the potential development of new ideas, which would potentially hinder Microsoft as many of their competitive strategies are based on differentiation through first mover advantage (Nicholson, 2014). Therefore, in some areas it would appear that it is unlikely scientific management is taking place, especially in areas where there is a need for original thought innovation. However, it may be noted that in areas such as research and development, where innovation is important, there is the concept of specialisation, as the development teams conceive and undertake initial development only, with later development and manufacture undertaken elsewhere (Micro soft, 2015). However, while there is a need for the organisation to adapt to change, the organisation is also required to provide a high level of standardised products and services, where workers operate in the same manner, to provide the same output, a process which is highly associated with scientific management. Therefore, in some areas of the organisation scientific management will be applicable. For example, the company operates a number of call centres, and while a number are outsourced, there are also some provided in-house in the United States (Thibodeau, 2010). The processes utilised within call centres are invariably based on scientific management, where the components of dealing with customer issues are broken down into component parts, with various employees focusing on different issues, and providing advice only on specific areas, based primarily on scripts rather than their own knowledge, with comprehensive scripts developed by the company (Thibodeau, 2010). Unsurpr isingly, the approach adopted, with the provision of scripts to guide the customer support process, is based on the companys own customer care framework, a software solution designed for medium to large enterprises, facilitating dynamic scripting based on customer responses (Microsoft, 2015). Therefore, within these type of operations it is clear that scientific management processes may be used, although, based on the reviews of Microsoft as an employer on the job review site Glass Door, it also appears that the organisation adopts the concept with in a modern interpretation, with different elements of empowerment and support motivation, as job satisfaction does not appear to be low (Glass Door, 2015). The conditions in the outsourced sector also display the characteristics associated with scientific management, but with the lower labour costs, higher cost savings, and higher levels of attrition with in outsourced suppliers (Thibodeau, 2010), the implementation of scientific managem ent techniques are more likely to be based on the traditional rigid approach, rather than implementing the empowerment strategies, and embracing the concept of hearty cooperation. Similar arguments may be made for the presence of scientific management in many of the manufacturing processes, although notably these are outsourced to third-party offshore suppliers (Microsoft, 2014). Conclusion There is little doubt that scientific management is thrives in 21st-century, adopted by many organisations. The method of management may not be found across all areas of large organisations, it does appear to be a concept which is applicable Microsoft, particularly in the areas where there needs to be standardisation of products and/or services, such as the call centres. However, internally within the organisation, not at the outsourced suppliers, it is not the original rigid approach towards scientific management is implemented, but a softened with the provision of enrichment strategies. This is a version of scientific management in which employees are not seen as only motivated by economic interest, but also by social interest, effectively embracing the ideas of Mayo, Herzberg, and Maslow, as well as the ideas of Taylor. Therefore, scientific management may be seen as applicable at Microsoft, manifesting in different ways across different divisions. References Bedeian, A.G. and Wren, D.A. (2001), Most influential management books of the 20th Century, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 221-225. Buchanan, D. and Huczynski, A. (2011), Organisational Behaviour, FT/Prentice Hall, Harlow. Child, J. (1972), Organizational Structure, Environment and Performance: The Role of Strategic Choice, Sociology, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 1-22. Dodgson, M., Gann, D. and Salter, A. (2008), The Management of Technological Innovation: Strategy and Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Glass Door, (2015), Microsoft, retrieved 13 October 2015 from https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Overview/Working-at-Microsoft-EI_IE1651.11,20.htm Goldthorpe, J.H., Llewellyn, C. and Payne, C. (1980), Social Mobility and Class Structure in Modern Britain, Clarendon Press, London. Grachev, M. and Rakitsky, B. (2013), Historic horizons of Frederick Taylors scientific management, Journal of Management History, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 512-527. Herzberg, F. (1968), One more time: how do you motivate employees?, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 53-62. Kontoghiorghes, C., Awbrey, S.M. and Feurig, P.L. (2005), Examining the Relationship Between Learning Organization Characteristics and Change Adaptation, Innovation, and Organizational Performance, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 185-211. Maslow, A. (2014), Toward A Psychology of Being, Sublime Books, London. Microsoft, (2015), retrieved 13 October 2015 from www.Microsoft.com Microsoft, (2014), annual report, retrieved 13 October 2015 from https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar14/index.html Nicholson, M. (2014), When Computing Got Personal: A history of the desktop computer, Matt Publishing, Chelmsford. Parker, S.K. (2014), Beyond motivation: job and work design for development, health, ambidexterity, and more, Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 65 No. August, pp. 661-691. Pettinger, R. (2010), Organizational Behaviour, Routledge, Abingdo n. Smith, A. (1904), An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Library of Economics and Liberty, available at: https://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smWN.html Taylor, F.W. (2012), The Principles of Scientific Management, Dover Publications, Mineola, NY. The Economist, (2015), Digital Taylorism, The Economist, retrieved 13 October 2015 from https://www.economist.com/news/business/21664190-modern-version-scientific-management-threatens-dehumanise-workplace-digital Thibodeau, P, (2010), Microsoft Signed Outsourcing Packed with Indian Giant Infosys, Computerworld, retrieved 30 October 2015 from https://www.computerworld.com/article/2517205/it-outsourcing/microsoft-signs-outsourcing-pact-with-indian-giant-infosys.html Vidal, M. (2013), Low-autonomy work and bad jobs in postfordist capitalism, Human Relations, Vol. 66 No. 4, pp. 587-612. Ziesak, J. (2009), Wii Innovate How Nintendo Created a New Market Through the Strategic Innovation Wii, GRIN Ver lag, Munich.

B. Du Bois Essay - 1447 Words

W.E.B. Du Bois was a major force in twentieth-century society, whose aim in life was to help define African-American social and political causes in the United States. History writes that W.E.B. Du Bois was a sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and Pan-Africanist. However, white people who feared him labeled him a trouble maker and some black people saw him as an outcast. No matter what Du Bois’s critics thought about him, Du Bois was the voice of African-American fight for equality. As a prolific writer and speaker he was regarded by many as a prophet. Historical record researched and documented revealed, Du Bois is mostly â€Å"known for his conflict with Booker T. Washington over the role of blacks in American society. In an essay on Booker T. Washington, Du Bois praised Washington for preaching Thrift, Patience, and Industrial trainee emasculation effects of caste distinctions, opposes to the higher training of young African-American minds†. 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Observing Argumentation Free Essays

Argumentation In the 21st century, people are very set in the stereotypical thoughts that society implants in their heads. Many people don’t like to step out of their comfort zone when it comes to values and stereotypes. In both stories, I personally think the theme is that everyone should step out of the thoughts that they are used to and be more open-minded about the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Observing Argumentation or any similar topic only for you Order Now In Fatima Merrill’s article â€Å"Digital Scheherazade; The Rise of Women as Key Players In the Arab Gulf Communication Strategies† she Is ring divert the attention of Spanish reporters away from the stereotypical mindset that the Arab world just consists of terrorism and women in veils. Merriness is trying to get the reporters to focus on the positives of the Arab world and give women the credit that they deserve. In Richard Rodriguez story â€Å"Family Values† the author is trying to emphasize what â€Å"family values† really means and the open-mindedness of having a gay family member. Within different cultures there are deferent standards, expectations and reactions, but In the end It Is all about acceptance and looking beyond the customs you are used to. Fatima Merriness uses facts and statistics to tell her story about how the digital revolution, called alfalfa racial, has been a big influence in the Arab states. Merriness tries to inform the reader on how ignorant the outside world is towards the reality of the Arab community. Some citizens look at the revolution as something to be worried about when their kids are sitting at home, watching videos that they don’t mind appropriate. All they want to do is find a way to ban it, when there are actually many upsides. Merriness uses real life examples, such as Maim Al-Kalmia, to emphasize how women are taking advantage of the advance in technology. She relates the story to her personal experience in Spain and how they didn’t have a TV that featured the usual channels she would watch at home. Merriness shows how the Spanish reporters are Ignorant to the reality of the Arab world because of stereotypes, but also because of lack of knowledge. In Richard Rodriguez story â€Å"Family values† he focuses on the meaning of â€Å"family values† and how it is different in every culture. He uses stories to be able to explain himself and get his point across. American culture is defined as being very independent in the way children are raised, Asian culture is described as the â€Å"whiz kids† and Hispanic culture is described as the people of family. There are stereotypes for every culture and that Is why Rodriguez explains that there Is not one set deflation for â€Å"family values†. When speaking of the gay culture, Rodriguez opens up bout his personal experiences and how gays are rejected in this world. He tries to explain the inner workings of each cultures â€Å"family values†, but ends with the statement that â€Å"family values† are acceptance. People need to step out of the stereotypes in the world and accept the change that is occurring around them. While both authors try to represent open-mindedness and acceptance throughout their stories, I believe that Merriness did a better Job getting her point across. Hill in Merriment’s story she uses her personal experience, statistics and facts to inform the reader of her argument. It was easier to understand what she was trying to convey with her piece. In my opinion it was more of a straight forward piece that doesn’t leave the reader thinking â€Å"what is she trying to say? â€Å". She started with the reporter’s stereotypical mindset of the Arab world, went on to describe the evolution of Arab women and ended with how the outside world needs to focus on the advancement in technology. Her argument is clear from beginning to end and there is never any confusion. How to cite Observing Argumentation, Papers

Understanding Oil and Gas Petroleum Products

Question: Describe about the Understanding Oil and Gas forSupply Chain of Petroleum Products. Answer: Introduction The oil and gas industry of the UK benefits the lives of citizen in various ways. The products are catered to the modern society, energy supply to power industry and transport fuel (Ruqaishi and Bashir 2013). By the help of extensive usage of supply chain, this sector employs numerous people to contribute in the UK economy relating to tax revenues, exports and technology. In this report, a description of the history and structure of the oil and gas industry will be presented. The difference between the supply chain of petroleum products and natural gas will be discussed along with a comparison to contrast the characteristics of National Oil Companies, International Oil Companies and Government-Sponsored Enterprises. Finally, a brief reflection will be provided in relation to self-career aspirations in the oil and gas industry. Oil and Gas Industry History In the year 1908, Newton Abbot discovered oil in the Persian Gulf and from there by the influence of Britain the oil and gas industry has transformed itself largely (Arapostathis et al. 2013). In the 17th Century, the owner of Kimmeridge oil shade started utilizing oil as fuel for boiling seawater and glass making (Pollitt and Haney 2013). After that, in the year 1848, Bituminous Shale Company started exploring and exporting oil, which helped in feeding 130 gas lamps in the UK street (Kern, Kuzemko and Mitchell 2014). From then, the importance of oil and gas industry started to grow over 3 million oil shale tons, which was further contributed in constructing the Heathfield Railway Station. In this way, the United Kingdom Oil and Gas (UKOG) Industry accelerated to serve for 250 operating wells in 120 onshore oil and gas sites. From late back, the UKOG industry produces 1.4 oil equivalent barrels of which 59% is oil or liquids (Ghandi and Lin 2014). Structure The Oil and Gas industry structure is composed of the following: Serial Number Structure Composition 1 Power generation Rivalry between power plants; regulation and deregulation. Access to distribution network and transmission as a necessity. 2 Transmission Networks 220 Kv and 400 Kv trunk network. Regulation requirements. Network Monopoly. Profitability determination. 3 Distribution 110 kv- owned by distributors. Regulation can be restructured if sales competition increases. 4 Trade Total competition allowed. Regulation necessity with each segment is interlinked. Table 1: Distributive Structure of Oil and Gas Industry in UK (Source: Tordo et al. 2013) The Oil and Gas structure for business is composed of electricity and natural gas, which can be simplified with the following diagram. Figure 1: Oil and Gas Industry Structure (Source: Shuen, Feiler and Teece 2014) From the above structure, it is evident that the UKOG industry supports the two most important sectors, which are electricity and natural gas. Natural gas is both stored and traded in other nations so that sustained economy is persistent in the UK. Supply Chain Petroleum products The supply chain of petroleum products consists of purchasing crude, crude storage and refining. Crude is purchased from top suppliers such as the UK Universal Group, Prax petroleum and Exxonmobil (Yusuf et al. 2014). After that, separate stakeholders ensure storage of the products. Distribution planning is the final stage after the manufacturing process of petroleum, which is distributed through the transport department to the respective countries. (Demski, Poortinga and Pidgeon 2014). The petroleum supply chain is consisted of four factors, which are: Exploration Geological, geophysical and seismic operation Production Engineering process through drilling, reservoir, production and facilities Refining Complex operation resulting to output for marketing Marketing Retail sale consisted of engine oil, gasoline and other refined products Table 2: Supply Chain Factors (Source: Yusuf et al. 2013) Figure 2: Supply Chain of Petroleum Products (Source: Yusuf et al. 2013) Natural Gas The natural gas supply chain consists of three stages, which are production and processing, transmission and storage and distribution. Serial Number Stages Underline processes 1 Production and processing 1. Well and drilling Completion. 2. Gathering lines. 3. Producing wells. 4. Gathering stations. 5. Gas processing plant. 2 Transmission and storage 6. Transmission Compressor Stations. 7. Pipeline Transmission. 8. Storage (Underground). 3 Distribution 9. Distribution Mains. 10. Regulators and meters. Table 3: Supply Chain Process of Natural Gas (Source: Yusuf et al. 2014) From the above table, it is understood that processing, transmission and distribution are the three stages, which are quite different from the petroleum products supply chain. Crude oil is purchased, stored and then refined in the petroleum industry, whereas in natural gas industry, oil is liquefied and then transmitted through the pipeline (Yusuf et al. 2014). There is no refining process in natural gas but only liquefying process, which is quite different from the petroleum industry. The supply chain process of natural gas is produced in Appendix 1, where it can be found that gas is produced from wells and are then processed in gas plants. On the contrary, in petroleum industry, crude is purchased and finally refined and only after that, it is transferred through road or tanker transportation (Logan et al. 2013). Natural gas is processed through liquefaction and then is transferred for marketing. Characteristics National Oil Companies (NOC) NOCs are the strong energy sector, which act as the net hydrocarbon exporter. High differences prevail in NOCs regarding their performance to achieve commercial and non-commercial objectives. NOCs are rapidly becoming commercial in nature. NOCs are operating to compete against each other to set a competitive benchmark. Such companies are trying to position operators and partners. Highly competitive in global business. They act as the partner of IOCs. Has to face a lot of issues related to environmental protections and transparency. Certainly impact on the operations of International Oil Companies (Fidler and Noble 2012). International Oil Companies (IOC) IOCs are pressurized by broad social and economic participations from the developing countries. Act as the part of upstream oil and gas companies. Consist of full cycle of operation including exploration, production, transport and storage and finally marketing and sales. Vertical Integration is the vital characteristic of IOC. Operation requires huge investment for new market entry, including gas-to-liquid and liquefied natural gas (LNG). IOCs are confronted by the turning down of their reserves substitution ratios from their accessible oil fields. Operations are highly risky and sensitive and therefore, investments are unstable. Production costs rise with the rise in risk. IOCs usually invest more in the RD category so that in-house investments are boosted (Cruz and Krausmann 2013). Government-Sponsored Enterprises Such companies are not highly competitive. Companies are mainly financial service corporation. Main function is to enhance credit flow to targeted economy sectors. Such companies reduce the risk of capital losses. These companies are quite different from oil companies and the operation is related to only the government bodies (Tang, Snowden and Hook 2013). Thus, from the discussion, it is sure that all the three sectors are quite different from each other in terms of operation and services. NOCs are competing with each other, whereas IOCs are facing challenges while operating in different countries (Dholakia et al. 2015). NOCs are facing competitive challenge and IOCs are facing financial challenges and investment risks. On the other hand, Government-Sponsored Enterprises are completely different in terms of operation and services, as they are linked with financial services (Merrill and Schizer 2013). Furthermore, it can be said that Government-Sponsored Agencies are providing financial services to the oil companies so that investment related considerations are made. Reflection Oil and gas companies are rapidly increasing their operation in the UK and in other international developing countries such as India (Bergh et al. 2014). Therefore, I find a huge prospect in establishing my career in the oil and gas industry. With the advancement of technology, natural gas has become the perfect energy resource in industry related to power generation. The Oil and Gas sector is wide range and highly sophisticated in numerous countries in the world (Mitchell and Mitchell 2014). Therefore, for me it will be the opportunity to experience wide range of domains and trainings from experts, which will be accompanied by pastures and better jobs along with wide range of workers. Finally, to be specific, for my career growth, I found that the following points would be highly promising: Ongoing education and training in the most advanced sector. Rapid opportunity to enhance my skill with the organization. A well trained management team for career growth of employees. Great opportunity to get mentored and monitored by industrial experts. Safety, health and insurance plans. Specialization and education support. Employee assistance programs which are multifaceted. Onsite fitness facilities. Conclusion While concluding, it can be said that the Oil and Gas industry is largely contributing in energy resource for a developed country like the United Kingdom. From its structure, it has been identified that power generation, transmission networks and distribution are the core operations. On the other hand, from the types of supply chain it is evident that refining and liquefaction are the distinguishing factors between petroleum industry and natural gas industry. While comparing and contrasting the characteristics of NOCs and IOCs, it has been found that one sector is trying to create competitive essence through benchmarking and the other sector is associated with risk determination in terms of investment. 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