Conflict Resolution Assignment

Finally they do the same job therefore there s a possibility of workplace competition causing conflict. Although the most obvious sign of the conflict is the argument between the colleagues there may have been signs before this. Unfortunately there is not enough background information given about the history, however it could be speculated that someone could have left the role before John and therefore was unhappy in their role and relationships at work. I would hope as a manager would have been able to identify and resolve this conflict before it got to this stage.However the role might also be new, if this is the case Mike eight be used to working on his own and therefore might feel he does not need any help. This could have included a meeting that turns into a stand- off or angry emails to each other. However due to Mikes personality the conflict could have been harder to discover – for example, Mike have withdrawn from contact with John however from John perspective this i s normal behavior from Mike. Any change from normal behavior could be a sign of conflict or an issue therefore would consider this as a sign.Sign of conflict ;When John finally appears, Mike tells him he's not going to cover for IM anymore and there is an argument. The cost of this conflict might already be taking place through a loss of productively, motivation and them not willing to work for each other. John stating ‘Just do your Job' could be a sign this is already hipping. Dealing with employee conflict in a timely manner is important to maintaining a healthy work environment preventing the situation getting worse resulting in staff sickness or even one member of staff leaving.By spotting signs of conflict early, you have a better chance of identifying the cause, reaching an agreement, resolving the conflict. It is important to deal with the situation rather than the person, be a calming presence and that you try to build mutual respect and understanding between Mike and John. Being courteous to each of them and remain constructive. Sometimes it might be better to speak to them individually to get the facts before exploring the options together and negotiate how they are to work together.Through this process active listening is important to understand both Johns and Mikes position as well as them understanding each others. My role would be to Restate, paraphrase, summarize. This verbal approach is called the â€Å"Interest-Based Relational (FIR) Approach†. This will be particularly important in John and Mike's situation because it respects individual differences and focuses on the mutual problem rather than the person. It is important look at the circumstances, and think about the style that may be appropriate.Then use a process to resolve the conflict. The Thomas-Killing Conflict Resolution model could be used to do this. It is important understand a person's natural style. From the information in the narrative John is likely to take a compe ting approach this is assertive and uncooperative an individual pursues his own concerns at the other person's expense. This approach is unlikely to be effective for John to use because it is a power-oriented mode where John holds no rank. However it is an approach that could take as a middle manager with supervision responsibilities.This is not an approach I would initially take, but could do if other methods fail. The other approach could be to be accommodating, the individual neglects his own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person. If any of the party did this it is not likely to resolve the issue. The accommodating party might feel the situation has not been dealt with and the conflict still remain. Mike had been Avoiding the issue for a while which had caused anger to build up and the argument to erupt.If took the same approach due to the differences in value and personalities they are not likely to resolve the issue themselves and the problem is not likely to go away. A more appropriate approach might be to collaborate to work with others to find a solution that fully satisfies their concerns. For example Fijian arrives late John might agree to stay on later. The final option could be to compromise. For example an agreement might be made where John arriving 5 minutes late is not an issue, but John might agree not to arrive 20 minutes late.Thus finding a middle ground. Having an open discussion with Mike and John might help identify other problems that need to be resolved, but also promote understanding and motivate them to work more efficiently. It is important to keep a close eye on the situation including having formal one to one meetings, receiving feedback from other employees, but also ensuing they value each other's difference to the extent they can work with each other threaten to improve the work environment and the performance of the business.

Reintroduce death penalty Essay

Death penalty is a legal process through which, as a punishment a person is sentenced to death for a criminal offense by the state. Criminal offenses punishable through death penalty are referred to as capital offenses or capital crimes. The death penalty proponents, pro-capital punishment argues that it is an important aspect for deterring crimes, preserving law and order, and is less expensive compared to life imprisonment. They also claim that it is in the honor of the victim to award the death penalty. This is because it ensures the offenders of the heinous offenses do not get another chance to commit such crime again. In addition, the death penalty consoles the victims grieving families. Those opposed to death penalty, abolitionists argue that there is no deterrent effect on crimes, and government wrongly uses it as power to take life. They claim that it is the death penalty is a means to bring about social injustices through targeting people who cannot afford good attorneys, an d people of color disproportionately. They argue that life imprisonment is less expensive and more severe than the death penalty. With all these arguments, we are left to decide on what course to take, assess the pros and cons of capital punishment and decide to support or oppose it. Questions relating to who deserves the death penalty and who does not have been raised by both the advocates of death penalty and those opposed to the death penalty (Zimring 91-93). Should death penalty be introduced? This is the argument of this paper. Capital punishment, in many countries, cultures and societies, throughout the human history has been applied in the justice system; the question that arises is that is it morally acceptable? Is it justified? Both the advocates for death penalty and the opponents of death penalty have valid arguments to back up their reasons. Those for the death penalty argue that the act of capital punishment is a deterrent to crime. However, those against argue that the death penalty is only a life imprisonment and not a deterrent to crime. It is however evident that the deterrence from the perspec tive of capital punishment is about the murderer’s mind involving the existing psychological processes (Haag 70-71). Not everybody deserves the death penalty. However, some people earn capital punishment. A person who breaks into a grocery store and steals bread definitely does not deserve the death penalty. In addition, people who commit murder for self-defense or during moment of  passion. Such people according to me do not deserve death. On the other hand, a serial killer after the lives of innocent people for fun and personal gains deserves capital punishment. I support the proponents of capital punishment. This stance is informed by a number of facts and reasons. Death penalty is a deterrent to crime. Even though the death penalty is irreversible, convicted persons are often given numerous chances to prove their innocence. Capital punishment assures societal safety through elimination of criminals. A life for a life is a sensible and credible assertion. Deterrence is punishing someone to create fear among people for punishment. Capital punishment is a punishment creates fear, especially in the minds of sane persons. Haag (2003) in his article On Deterrence and Death Penalty, people refrain from dangerous and harmful acts because of inchoate, vague, habitual, and most importantly preconscious fear (Haag 72). Everyone fears death, and most criminals would have a second thought if they were aware their own lives would be on the line. There are not so many justifications and evidence of death penalty to effectively deter crime than the usual long term imprisonment. The countries or states with the capital punishment has no lower rates of crime or rates of murder than those countries and states without those laws. On the other hand, the states or countries that campaign against capital punishment have not shown any significant deviation in the rates of murder or crime. The indicates that capital punishment has no defined deterrent impact. Claims that the executions dissuade particular number of murders have been discredited thoroughly by the researches of social sciences. In fact people do commit murder widely in the heat of passion basically under drug or alcohol influence, or because of mental illness, without thinking about the implications of the act. Those murderers who make plans of their murder crimes expect and intend to escape punishment by avoiding getting caught (Haag 70-73). On the other hand, some social research has found that execution has a significant deterrence to incidents of murder. In addition, the implementation of the capital punishment is related to the increased murder incidences, while those against the death penalty argue that the capital punishment is used unfairly against the African Americans, every extra execution prevents murder of 1.5 African Americans. In moratoria, death row, and commuted sentences removals tend to increase murder  incidences. Americans have emerged to support the capital punishment for reasons such as; the existence of minimal justification that suggest unfair treatment of the minorities, and that the death penalty results into a reduction or deterrent to crimes and saves life. Those for capital punishment believe that the death penalty ultimately deter murderers from killing more innocent people. No concrete evidence justifies this assertion. Therefore the supporters suggest that the capital punishment is a basic reminder to the general public that there is no reward for crimes. It gives people a notion that if you engage in killing innocent people then you are forced to pay a quite high price (Zimring 95-96). Abolitionists, opponents of the death penalty argue that there is no need to take the life of a criminal to deter life, and that imprisonment in itself is a deterrent to criminal activities. Zimring (2004) asserts that deterring crime is only possible by frightening the would-be criminals by arrest, conviction, and punishment. However, imprisonment may not be enough for some criminals to stop committing more crimes. A number of criminals such as serial killers believe that they would never be caught and brought to justice. For these kinds of criminals, the death penalty should be warranted to teach others a lesson and instill fear in them. The advocates of anti the death penalty argue that capital punishment is irreversible, and may lead to making irreversible mistakes. I accept this fact because once someone is awarded the death penalty; there is no reverse even if they only failed to prove their innocence (Haag 77-78 ). However, the probability of making a mistake with the death pe nalty is very minimal, extremely low. Capital punishment is very extreme. Therefore, the judicial system exercises it with a lot of care and caution. Because of the various guaranteed rights protection of people facing capital punishment, guilt must be determined by convincing and clear evidence that leaves no room for alternative justification of facts. The right to appeal is also protected for the convicts, and other privileges that ensure only rightly accused persons are awarded the death penalty. According to Haag, whenever life is at stake, trials are often more likely to be fair, and the death penalty is less often inflicted unjustly than others. Therefore, the abolitionists’ argument of making irreversible mistakes is unjustified. People have argued that the death penalty theory is correct since people are deterred from doing crimes by what they fear most,  that people fear death more than any other punishment, that the death penalty is a deterrent to crimes that any other punishment possible, and that the capital punishment is humane enoug h and the law supports it. They also argue that because those sentenced to death normally do much to have the day postponed, it proves that people fear death and therefore will avoid it (Zimring 97). Others have also said that the televised executions are more effective as people exercise more reaction to what they see than that which they imagine. It is hence hard to threaten murderers with something basically invisible, but in their minds, the death penalty is a major deterrent option. These are justifications that the death penalty is effective. The U.S establishment of the death penalty was due to capital crimes and murder. State or congress legislature may recommend the death penalty for capital crimes. According to the Supreme Court ruling, the death penalty does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban per se on unusual and cruel punishment. However, the Eighth Amendment shapes certain aspects of procedures regarding where a jury may prescribe the death penalty and the way it must be conducted. Analyses of Eighth Amendment demand courts to consider the evolution of decency standards. This is important in ascertaining that a particular punishment constitutes an unusual or cruel punishment. It is required that when considering evolving decency standards, objective factors that show a change in standards of the community must be observed and independent evaluations made concerning the reliability and/or essence of the statute in question. Although the death penalty is being considered effective in deterring capital crimes, the Supreme Court ruling discredited capital punishment for juvenile offenders. Majority opinion indicated that juveniles are irresponsible and immature. They have incomplete character development and are greatly vulnerable to negative influences. The Supreme Court deduced that adolescent offenders assume reduced accountability for their crimes. However, social science researchers point out that people do commit murder widely in the heat of passion. The reas on for this may be influence from drug or alcohol, mental illness. This renders little or no thought to the consequences of the act. Those murderers who make plans of their murder crimes expect and intend to escape punishment by avoiding getting caught. Therefore, the death penalty may be appropriate in such cases (Zimring 98-101). In conclusion, I support the arguments given  by the proponents of the death penalty, the pro-capital punishment. I think death penalty should be reintroduced. I take this stance because I believe the death penalty serves a definite purpose of deterring crime and bringing criminals to justice, as well as honoring the victims. For capital punishment to rightly serve this purpose, it must be made efficient and more effective. The system of justice has gone through a drastic transformation to ensure only rightly accused persons are brought to justice. I believe the death penalty ensures societal safety, brings criminals to book, brings justice to the victims, and deter crimes and reduce the number of criminals. From these illustrations, I believe capital punishment should not be abolished. Capital punishment is necessary to maintain public safety and keep justice shining in the society. It also cuts down the number of convicts on death row. The death penalty relieves families and friends who lose their loved ones in the merciless hands of criminals. It also solves the problem of overcrowding through a humane action. From this account, the death penalty aids in resolving a number of societal criminal issues. Therefore, I take the stance of the pro-capital punishment: I support the reintroduction of death penalty. Works Cited Haag, Ernest Van Den. On Deterrence and Death Penalty, Reserved reading for Philosophy, 2(3) 2003; 44-78. Zimring, F. E. The Contradictions of American Capital Punishment, New York: Oxford University Press. 2004. Print.

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Around 12% of all pregnancies occur to women who continue to smoke throughout their pregnancy. Two thirds of those involved in maternal smoking during pregnancy are Caucasian. More than 500,000 infants each year are exposed to cigarette smoke in utero. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been heavily linked to many infant and toddler health issues. Health issues are also apparent in women who do not smoke during pregnancy, but are regularly exposed to smoke during their pregnancy.   This applies most to those who live with a smoker, or those who work in smoking environments. It is a known fact that maternal smoking during pregnancy produces more premature births and babies with lower birth weights. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has also been associated with babies who have colic. It has been found that tobacco smoke raises levels of motilin in the blood and intestines when maternal smoking during pregnancy is apparant. These raised levels causes contractions of the stomach and intestines to increase. The increased levels of motilin can cause colic in infants, which can cause the infants pain and discomfort for months. Studies show that infants who had colic at 3 months of age had more sleep difficulties and temper tantrums at 3 years of age in comparison with those children without colic. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy leads to more rebellious and aggressive infants and toddlers, helping to link smoking during pregnancy to behavior in infants and toddlers. Mothers who smoked during pregnancy also reported more negative behavior from their infants and toddlers than mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy can have behavioral affects on the infant well into adulthood. Question Does maternal smoking during pregnancy affect the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continue to have an affect into toddler hood? Hypothesis It is suspected that maternal smoking during pregnancy does indeed have an affect on the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continues to have an affect into toddler hood. Conducting a study on the behavior of infants born to mothers who smoked during their pregnancy, and continuing the study through their toddler years can provide adequate research for this question. This study would need to monitor the child in his or her normal environment as well as in typical social environments. The child’s behavior would then be compared to the behavior of children of the same age and developmental stage that were born to mothers who did not smoke during the pregnancy. By collecting all of the data and analyzing it, there may be a pattern of behavior differences between the children who were born to smoking mothers and those who were born to non-smoking mothers. Problems It may be difficult to pinpoint aggressive or negative behavior from children on the sole fact that their mother smoked during their pregnancy. It will be difficult to factor in behavioral and discipline techniques used by guardians of these children. It may be difficult to get mothers to admit they smoked during their pregnancy, as they may be embarrassed of their lack of attention to the health issues that may have been affected. It may be impossible to set a standard and determine what is normal rebellious behavior for an infant and toddler and what is abnormal behavior. Sources Hitti, Miranda. â€Å"Tobacco Smoke May Increase Colic†. 4 October, 2004. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/94/103060.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Infant Deaths Tied to Premature Births†. New York Times. 1 March, 1995. http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/users/statlabs/papers/sample.pdf.   Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Prenatal Smoking Data Book: Smoking and Reproductive Outcomes†.   www.cdc.com. Acquired on 22 June 2005. Schonfeld, Amy Rothman PhD.   â€Å"Dreading the ‘Terrible Twos'? Don't Smoke, Mothers Warned†.   13 April, 2000. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/23/1728_56585.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. ; ; Maternal smoking during pregnancy The Research Question would be â€Å"Are babies born from mothers who smoke during the pregnancy have greater chances of developing low-birth weight, compared to those born from mothers who do not smoke?†A study was conducted on pregnant women that belonged to a Maternity Hospital in Haguenau, France, in 1974.   248 pregnant women that smoked at least five cigarettes a day were defined as ‘cases’, and 196 pregnant women who did not smoke were defined as ‘controls’.Tests conducted on the placenta demonstrated higher incidences of defective trophoblasts in smokers compared to non-smokers.   The signs of intrauterine hypoxia, low birth-weight and low placental weight, were also higher in smokers compared to non-smokers.   However, the study was not able to establish a relationship between low birth-weight and low placental weight or intrauterine hypoxia (Shipra, A. Et al, 1977).Another study conducted demonstrated that mothers who smoked during one pregnancy had produced infants with lower birth-weight, compared to those infants born during pregnancy when they did not smoke.   This was irrespective of the birth order and other factors that affect the growth of the unborn baby in the utreus.   The reduction in the birth weight was directly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked.Mothers, who smoked less, produced infants on an average 90 grams less than normal, whereas those who smoked heavily developed babies on an average 533 grams below normal.   Smoking brought about the development of several lesions in the placental due to under-perfusion (which was usually periodic).   Besides, pregnancy during smoking was on an average 1.5 days shorter than without smoking (Naeye, R.L., 1978).A study was also able to demonstrate that women who quit smoking during pregnancy are able to reduce the several risks associated with pregnancy such as low birth-weight, preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, etc, and period of brea stfeeding also improved (Giglia, R.C. Et al, 2006).A study conducted in Johannesburg and Sweto, in 1990, demonstrated that women who smoked (6.1%) and used snuff (7.5%) during the pregnancy, produced babies who weight an average 2982 grams compared to babies of non-smokers who weighted 3148 grams, on an average.   However, environmental pollutants (such as passive smoking) did not significantly adversely affect the birth weight (Steyn, K., Et al, 2006).Another study conducted in Pelotas, Brazil, in 193, demonstrated that smoking in mothers produced babies on an average 142 grams below that of the non-smokers average.   The study also demonstrated that the risk of fetal retardation was higher with the extent of smoking.   However, the study did not find any relationship between preterm delivery and smoking (Horbta, H.L. Et al, 1997).Hence, it is obvious that birth-weight of the baby is directly affected to the extent of smoked (number of cigarettes) by the mother during pregnan cy.   Further studies need to be conducted on the exact manner in which smoking causes a reduction in the birth-weight of the child.References:Giglia, R.C., Binns, C.W., & Alfonso, H.S. (2006). Which women stop smoking during pregnancy and the effect on breastfeeding duration. BMC Public Health, 2696Z), 195.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16869976?dopt=AbstractPlusHorta, B.L., Victora, C.G., Menezes, A.M., Halpern, R., & Barros, F.C. (1997). Low birthweight, preterm births and intrauterine growth retardation in relation to maternal smoking. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 11(2), 140-151. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9131707?dopt=abstractplusNaeye, R. L. (1978). Effects of maternal cigarette smoking on the fetus and placenta. Br J Obstet Gynaecol, 85(10), 732-737.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/708656?dopt=abstractplusSpira, A., Philippe, E., Spira, N., Dreyfus, J., & Schwartz, D. (1977). Smoking during pregnancy and placental pathology. Biomedicine, 27(7Z), 266-270.http s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/588667?dopt=AbstractSteyn, K., de Wet, T., Saloojee, Y., Nel, H., & Yach D. (2006). The influence of maternal cigarette smoking, snuff use and passive smoking on pregnancy outcomes: the Birth to Ten Study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 20(2), 90-99.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16466427&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_DocSum

PHY 131 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PHY 131 - Assignment Example Sources of errors include; One procedure during the experiment involves measuring the horizontal distance travelled by the block after being released from the top of the inclined plane. In this context, there were possibilities of parallax error. Parallax error results from the distance between the observer’s eye and the measuring scale. Parallax error occurs whenever the observer’s eye fails to squarely align with the scale. Therefore, there is a possibility of parallax error when measuring distance ‘x’ travelled by the block. Systematic errors usually occur whenever observation features as one procedure used in collecting experimental data. Technically, it is almost impossible to start and stop the watch at precisely the ideal moment in time throughout the experiment. With respect to the experiment, stop watch error may have affected all the five entries of time. In this regard, it will be accounted as a constant systematic error throughout the experiment. Typical instruments like rulers will not lack resolution errors. In the energy and kinematic experiment, values obtained for distance ‘x’ contains instrument resolution errors. The ruler used had finite scale, thus limiting the ability to precisely obtain small measurements. Conventionally, electronic meters would measure slight adjustment in distance (Arlene 41). However, precision and resolution of rulers are limited by the finite scale, and cannot measure fractions of a millimeter. In physics experiments, precision of procedures is important in ensuring accuracy of data obtained. For repetitive procedures, changing a physical aspect like reversing one side of the block will cause a substantial error in reproducibility. When combined with other errors, physical variations cause considerable imprecision of empirical values. In conclusion, it is undeniable that numerous types of errors are responsible

Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea influence by Charlotte Bronte's Jane Essay

Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea influence by Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre - Essay Example The Caribbean fashioned Rhys's sensibility and she remained nostalgic for the emotional vigor of its black people. But the conflict between its beauty and its cruel history became internalized within her own self destructive personality. In the 1960's Rhys gained international recognition with the publication of her most admired novel, Wide Sargasso Sea. The novel had its origins early in life. As a young girl when Rhys read Charlotte Bront's Jane Eyre, she began to imagine the Caribbean upbringing of the character Rochester's infamous Creole wife, Bertha Mason. The result is one of literature's most famous prequels, an aesthetic experiment in modernist techniques and a powerful example of feminist rewriting Wide Sargasso Sea gives voice to a peripheral character and transforms her tragic demise into a kind of victorious heroine. But this is un-typical of the feminist writers of the by-gone era where literature writing and reading by women was quite to the contrary where heroines were depicted in a more positive light. Feminist writing has had a long development. Nineteenth-century English women writers sought and created the sense of literary community by reading one another's books (Shattock p.8). They studied clo sely books written by their own gender and developed a sense of comfortable familiarity with the women who wrote them. There were very intelligent women reading other intelligent women who were also perceptive critics of each other's work and conveyed their views sometimes in personal correspondence and other times in published reviews. Those reading the books felt they knew the authors. There was a sense of community with women readers of fiction and the emergence of female heroines as role models. Even so, there was a certain fascination in searching for the women behind the books since very few people knew them personally and the professional writers did not live in the public domain. They were not university members and did not visit social clubs and societies, gave no lectures, their association with politics were minimal, travel opportunities were limited and their personal lives were the subject of gossip mainly derived from the work they produced. In the nineteenth century a lthough their contribution to journalism was increasing, they conducted the work from home. The twentieth century female writer was much more emancipated, free to characterize her heroines in any way she chose. They portrayal of male characters had no restrictions. Rhys does not hesitate to depict her protagonist and her husband in extreme ways. Returning to the theme of dominance and dependence, ruling and being ruled, Rhys narrates the relationship between a self-assured European man and a powerless woman. The character of Antoinette Bertha Cosway, a West Indian, provides a vehicle for Rhys to examine the conflicting cultures. Her black playmate called her a "white nigger" during her childhood. She marries Edward Rochester a domineering Englishman and follows him to his native country. In the same way Bertha in Charlotte Bront's Jane Eyre ends up confined in the attic of a her husband's country house Antoinette too finds herself in similar circumstances. Many reviewers have examined the "feminine" and "masculine" aspects of Jane Eyre. The novel has been found to evoke 'charm' and 'power' (Boumelha p.2). Some consider its strengths

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Research Paper Example The study comprises an evaluation of the existing literature to understand the current status of the use of technology and the benefits that derive to learners and teachers. Besides, it also attempts to delineate the improvement that emerging technology can bring to this field. The study, further, encompasses a survey of a sample population to ascertain the effectiveness of the use of technology, which confirm that technology creates an interesting environment for learners and make the learning process easy for them. Language acquisition is a significant activity in human life as proper language skills are crucial not only for every day communication but also for academic careers and profession. Language is the basic tool of communication and without adequate language skills people cannot attain success in their studies or jobs. Most of the educational systems across the world prescribe the study of one or more language, other than the mother tongue of the country, as part of the academic curriculum. Second language learning aims at expanding the knowledge of students in an additional language so that they can understand and appreciate another culture. Besides, it can also help them get job opportunities in other countries as well as communicate with people from other regions. Thus, in the modern world, where humans are living in a globalized environment, the learning of at least one second assumes high significance. Words are the most important component of language and, therefore, in order to attain adequate skills in the use of language a person needs to develop vocabulary in that language. So far the learning of words and their context occurs in the first language incidentally as people receive the opportunity to interact with others right from their childhood. On the other hand, second language cannot be learned in this manner as it may not be in use in the social environment of the person who learns that language. Second language

Disability Case Studies Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Disability Studies - Case Study Example Students with bodily challenges can access learning materials through the intervention of these technologies. Children with behavioral and cognitive impairments can utilize modeling technologies that improve their social and communication abilities. These technologies can be used both in school by teachers and at home by parents or special tutors. The devices range from low cost to highly priced high-tech devices that are adapted to different learner capabilities. The following case studies present technologies that can be used for students with low vision, learning disability, autism, and cerebral palsy. Case study #1 Assistive technology gives blind and low vision students support in academic areas as well as in expanded curriculum. Students with low vision have difficulties reading regular print or the blackboard. Assistive technologies help enlarge book prints and blackboard writings enabling these students to attend regular classes and use ordinary books. Learning activities may involve interaction with pictorial information that may require magnification. Students with low vision have difficulties in interpreting pictorial information. Students with poor vision have problems in hand-eye coordination. They have the ability to write, but the shape and size of their letters may lead to ineligible handwriting (Beard, Carpenter and Johnston, 2011). This creates a necessity for Braille technologies or typing assistance. Students with visual impairment require different operating systems when dealing with computer-based assignments. Some students require full-fledged specialized software and built-in accessibility. Assistive technologies enable these students navigate computer systems independently. This improves their participation in class and provides equal abilities compared to normal-vision students. Screen and text magnifiers can improve the visibility of prints and text displayed on computer screens. The magnifiers present the text in large formats, bring the text closer to the student, and improve the angle and projection of the text. A screen magnifier is software installed in the computer that the student can use to improve and manipulate text on the screen. Text magnifiers can be handheld and are used to improve text in print books. The magnifiers give the student control over the size of text, color, icons, and images. This gives the student the ability to read fluently and he can compete with others in the class. Students can also participate in class texts due to improved ability to read, interpret, and answer questions. Screen and text magnifiers are also used in extra-curricular activities such as interclass and interschool competitions where low vision students can participate (Wiazowski, 2009). The high contrast (20/20) pen is a writing tool that makes letters visible due to the high contrast ink. Students with low vision having poor eye-hand coordination may produce illegible handwriting. These pens have extra wide tips and the bold ink creates high-contrast, easily visible hand writing. The pens have a thick diameter that makes them easy to grip. The school can provide students with high contrast pens to improve their handwriting. These pens are quite cheap, and parents can buy them for home use. They are sold in several bookshops, which make them easily available. The pens will improve the

Management of Technology in Organization Assignment

Management of Technology in Organization - Assignment Example The sources of change can be categorized in two main criteria; internal and external sources. These sources are the factors that prove to become the driving forces for change in any organization. Lunenburg (2010) explained that internal sources are the factors that emerge from within the organization and stimulate a change. Few internal sources of change can be downsizing, restructuring the organizational hierarchy to achieve greater efficiency and introduction of new technological systems and processes. External sources of change are the ones that affect the organization from the external environment. Such sources include government laws and regulations, adoption of latest technological systems by the competitors, economic changes in the environment etc. Gomes (2009) stated that there might be different nature of changes in an organization, namely structural, technological, strategic and people-centered changes in an organization. Technological change may include the introduction of newer systems and replacement of the old conventional forms of business operations with innovative technologies. Strategic changes may include a shift in strategies that may include downsizing, relocations, changes in the hierarchy of the organization etc. People centered changes may involve the replacement of a CEO with another one; such changes may involve changes in mode of business operations and execution of tasks since the new management will possess a different vision. Introduction of changes in an organization bears great obstacles and hindrances before it becomes a part of the system and people accept it in their routine business operations. Agboola (2011) stated that resistance to changes is one of the most common obstacles in the transition phase. Employee’s attitudes, behaviour and emotions tend to have an impact on the change being introduced in the organization. Lunenburg (2010) explained the Lewin’s model of change

The Events That Led To the Collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce Essay

The Events That Led To the Collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce (BCCI) - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) was an international bank founded in 1972 by Agha Hassan Abedi. Agha was a Pakistani financier who had previously set the United Bank of Pakistan in 1959. Before the United Bank was nationalized in 1974, he created another supranational banking entity, the BCCI. The bank was registered in Luxemburg with head offices in Karachi and London and Swaleh Naqvi became the banks chief. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates provided capital that was used to start BCCI. It was structured in a way that no country had overall regulatory supervision over it so as to allow potential growth and expansion of opportunities. It expanded rapidly in the 1970’s and by 1980; BCCI was reported to have assets of over $4 billion with over 150 branches in 46 countries. The BCCI scandal and criminality included fraud which involved millions of dollars from the customers, money laundering in different continents, support of terrorism, trafficking of arms and sale of nuclear technologies, management of prostitution, commission and facilitation of income tax evasion, smuggling and illegal immigration and illicit purchase of banks and real estate. BCCI was focused on serving Muslims and third world clients and the quadrupling of oil prices in 1973- 1974 led to huge deposits by Arab oil producers. However, its complex registration that involved Luxemburg registration, London headquarters, Middle East shareholders and worldwide operations made it impossible for outsiders to grapple what was going on within the bank. The structure was conceived by Abedi and managed by Naqvi with the specific purpose of evading regulation or any control by governments of the concerned nations. From its earliest days, BCCI was made up of multiplying layers of entities, related to one another through an impermeable series of holding companies, affiliates, subs idiaries, banks within banks, insider dealings and nominee relationships. Activities such as corporate structure, record keeping, regulatory review, and audits were fractured so that they can evade ordinary legal restrictions and movement of capital and goods.

Film and Photographic Equipment Essay Example for Free

Film and Photographic Equipment Essay As of the time of the case, 2007, although IMAX was involved in three different industries, the case suggests that it was primarily in Photographic Equipment and Supplier industry primarily because about 51 per cent of its total revenue of IMAX was system sale. Therefore, the following analysis will focus on that industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Major suppliers of photographic equipment and supplier industry may include manufacturers producing relevant components of any kind of equipment, contractors making the complete equipment, and so forth. From my viewpoint, the suppliers’ bargaining power is low because of several reasons. First, along with the development of photographically relevant equipment, although the products firms provide are technically concentrated, there are certain standards recognized and adopted, such as film size of 35 mm or certain sizes of lens filter, in the industry. Therefore, the switching cost for their buyers is low. Second, photographic equipment and supplier industry is an important customer to its supplier group. Specifically, the usage of the products that the supplier group provides is limited to machinery or equipment in other industries. Besides, although there are few substitute products, which situation generally increases supplier group’s bargaining power, firms in photographic equipment and supplier industry still can easily find other manufacturers with lower cost. Bargaining Power of Buyers The buyer group of photographic equipment and supplier industry is enormous, ranging from B2B buyers like motion picture production firms to B2C buyers like customers who purchase digital single lens cameras. Considering the difference of consuming difference of buyers and following reasons, the bargaining power of buyers is medium. First, sales volume varies among different segments. For example, motion movie production studios or chain multiplexes may have high bargaining power because of high purchasing volumes; on the other hand, customers who go to Staple to purchase a copy machine have little or no bargaining power. Second, the products in photographic equipment and supplier industry are generally undifferentiated because of aforementioned regular standard existing, and therefore bargaining power increases. However, exception could be that once new products are launched with attracting feature and highly accepted by buyers, such as IMAX format, the bargaining power decreases. Moreover, because of the great scope of photographic equipment, switching cost varies extremely, taking the difference between cameras shooting in IMAX digital format and little digital cameras from all brands in the market as example. Besides, backward integrations are less likely to happen compared to forward integrations from supplier group. Threat of Substitute Products In photographic equipment and supplier industry, treat of substitute is low primarily because products from this industry has been evolving for decades and has become essential goods. For instance, copy machine, also provided from the industry, has become essential equipment in firms and institutions. Although the substitute products to this example could be pens and paper, few people really would do that for efficiency concern, and therefore the switching cost is high. Intensity of Rivalry Competition in photographic equipment and supplier industry is intense for reasons. Because of the specialized nature of the products, generally exist barrier is high for big companies like Cannon, Nikon, and Xerox, and those major competitors are highly committed to the industry by providing products with advanced technology and competing against each other intensively. Although some products in the industry can differentiate themselves from others and protected by patents for a period of time, new film format from IMAX for example, once competitors foresee the great potential profitability, it is not difficult for them to produce products with similar features to split the market share. Threat of Entry From my viewpoint, the threat of entry in the industry is medium. Take multi-business electronics suppliers such as Sony and Samsung as example, they supply various lines of products and compete against each other. Even photographic equipment is not their primary selling product, supported by strong capital and experienced RD departments, those companies are able to enter photographic equipment and supplier industry and split a piece of market share, primarily because of their existing reputation from relevant electronics industry. To deal with new coming competitors, current suppliers are less likely to have continuous price cutting battles because of high fixed costs; instead, it is more likely to increase investments, like RD, and product lines to keep market share in every targeted segment. An obvious example is that when Sony entered digital single lens camera market with cheaper price, other major suppliers like Nikon and Cannon did not cut price on existing premium products but expanded product lines to launch cheaper products competing directly to Sony. In short, the barrier is not so high for certain new competitors to come into the industry, but because of the intense reaction from existing players, the impact and threat new comings bring in is moderate. Competitive Advantages Advanced Technology One of the competitive advantages of IMAX and the most distinguishing characteristics that differentiate the company from its competitors is its advanced and unique technology that brings new formats, and other associated system equipment like screen and projector into the industry. The key element contributes to this advantage is that the company was committed to invest in RD. In return, the company was granted many patents that would keep the company in a unique position and from direct competition in the industry. Products Quality Control and Relationship Another IMAX’s competitive advantage is its quality control of products and system implementation. With its distinguishing technology, IMAX had been implementing the system into multiple locations, including multiplexes and education institutions, and because of its strict quality control and maintenance service, the company could maintain good relationship with diverse customers. The agreement of theatrical system implementation and service is an advantage for IMX to generate revenue not only from one-time transactions but long term profit splitting. Brand image and Product Distribution Diversity IMAX has built a unique brand image both from hardware and software perspectives and that also remains the company competitive. First, people would recognize IMAX as a prestigious theatrical system supplier based on their experience from multiple locations. Especially when major multiplex brands and education institutions carry its system, it’s very likely that people would naturally feel IMAX credible. The consequence is beneficial for IMX to expand business later, such as entering home theater system market. From the software perspective, especially the company’s educational entertainment production, not only create revenue other than just from commercial production but catch the trend of increased consumption of educational entertainment. The situation help IMAX build up a unique brand image that its production is not only commercial but educational so that people would have more trust in the company’s future motion picture production. To sum up, although IMAX has several competitive advantages, not all of them will last for too long. For instance, competitors could match up with its advances technology by inventing other formats and once they are accepted by end consumers, it will become a big threat for the company; On the other hand, some advantages could last for a long time once IMAX take good care of them. For example, the brand image being as a well motion picture production supplier is one that can remain in consumers’ minds for a long time and that’s not what new competitors can achieve in a short time. Corporate Advantages From my viewpoint, IMAX has corporate advantages because of its diverse productions from equipment supplier, motion picture production, and distribution industry. However, the most important issue is how to leverage those segments to increase the company’s growth. Business Resources  IMAX’s core business, photographic equipment and supplier, provides capabilities to enhance all its business. The company has created competitive advantages as mentioned and those advantages enhance the company’s business across industries. For instance, for its motion picture production business, all the films are shot in new IMAX formats, film or digital, by the equipment its own supplier segment produces, it reduce huge cost for format conversion compared to other films shot in different formats y other studios. Organization Because of the narrow scope of the business, coordination among different sectors in the organization is critical for IMX. For instance, the vertical integration of the business allows the company to share resources such as instant feedbacks for its RD department from motion picture production sector. By sharing these experience and information, the company will have the ability to forecast and adapt to new opportunities sh ortly in the future for every sectors in its value chain. In short, IMAX’s corporate advantages come from its competitive advantages and vertical integration. Because its business is based on unique technology and coordinated the whole value chain, it is not easy for competitors to imitate and therefore time for its corporate advantages is expected to last. Recommendations Keep Diversity of Production To answer the question that if IMAX would lose its differentiation because of numerous Hollywood films, my recommendation is that IMAX should keep doing converting Hollywood films and at the same time producing educational films. One reason is that format conversion brings good revenue for IMAX and people would be able to tell the difference between Hollywood movies in IMAX format and its own production. On the other hand, IMAX should keep catching on the trend of the increasing consumption of educational entertainment, because the company has been building up a good image distributing films in educational institutions and such would also prevent the erosion of its brand image. Not Sold to Larger Studios  Another recommendation for IMAX is that it should not be sold to a larger studio, and the main reason is that IMAX has already created its own competitive and corporate advantages and they are not easy to imitate. What IMAX should do is properly exploiting its assets, both tangible and intangible. Although the company in motion picture production industry is small and face competitors like Pixar, it should still stay on the track catching the trend by coordination and support from its other business ectors. Expanding Market Production Diversity IMAX’s new technology is standing in a niche market without sustainable growth. Even though the company is able to keep generate great revenue from equipment sales, saturation in USA will become an issue someday. To deal with that, IMAX has to make a short term strategy doing business in USA and expand to global market, because from Exhibit 11, we can see that films generated revenue approximately two time s overseas more as those in USA. However, for long term strategy, IMAX has to find a way to expand its business in a slow-growing market. For instance, the company can expand its product lines into home theater system because the case indicates a high usage rate of DVD, and the system is still highly relevant equipment to the current product lines. By doing so, IMAX can benefit from creating potential revenue from new sources and from keeping its brand image as a innovating company in the equipment supplier industry.

Customer Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry: Nandos

Customer Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry: Nandos Topic: How customer loyalty can be increased in the restaurant industry? The case of Nandos. Why customer loyalty is important? What Nandos is doing and how it can be better develop? Loyalty marketing, loyalty programs, how to manage it? Techniques? Benefits? Problems? Conclusion. Loyalty Marketing: Definitions Of Customer Loyalty The main change concerns in the organization of marketing activities are certainly one of the more remarkable doctrines marketing. The concept of traditional marketing put at the centre of its priorities the creation of a preference for the service, the needs and desires of consumers. The marketing approach, as observed in the theory and practice in recent years focused more on the notion of exchange and the relationship is the focus of analysis. More recent approaches of marketing focus on the customer and make the quality of the relationship the key to loyalty. Indeed, a quality relationship inhibits choice and represses the effect of preferences. Thus, the relationship with the client becomes a primary concern managerial and academic. The market-oriented generates necessary behaviours to create superior value delivered to customers (Kohli and Jaworski 1990) and place the interests of the client first (Deshpande et al. 1993) for a continue satisfaction, permanent, which undergone constant refinement. This satisfaction is no longer about the only service provided by the company, but includes elements of the relationship, such as trust and commitment. For this, we seek an ongoing relationship and oriented in the long term in the context of a relationship marketing (Dwyer, Schurr et Oh 1987, Sheth et Parvatiyar 1994) and in this context that develops loyalty policies (Dawkins and Reichheld 1990). Kyner and Jacoby (1973) define loyalty as follows: Loyalty is defined as a behavioural response bias because non-random (not spontaneous) expressed over time by an entity decision, finding one or several brands taken in an overall, according to a decision process.† In this definition, loyalty requires: A repeat purchase behaviour resulting from several background variables and complement each other; A positive attitude of consumers that must be controlled or directed. This attitude reveals a favourable perception towards the brand, service, differentiating it to the loyalty from routine behaviour. For others loyalty rooted quality and delivered on the positive gap between perceived expectations and post-purchase evaluation. For Shapiro and Varian (1999) loyalty is to the consumer when efforts to change brand, product or supplier are too large to expect a significant gain change. The authors of this school of thought attempt to explain loyalty by exit barriers that prevent a kind of free choice of the client (a client may be considered faithful to a company only because it has characteristics of geographical proximity). Another school of thought on the loyalty is that which gave birth to the management of customer relationship management (CRM) with the emergence of ideas of Life Time Value. It aims to analyze the lifetime value of its current contribution but also on the basis of its potential to better allocate the resources of the company. It is now for an analysis in terms of portfolio of clients (each client has a value for the company that can be measured by the margin gen erated). Customer loyalty can be defined as the tendency of a customer to choose one company or product/service over another for a particular need. Customer/s can be described as being brand loyal because they tend to choose a certain brand of product more often than others. Customer loyalty is evident when it is the customers who make choices and take actions. Customer may express high satisfaction levels in a survey with a product or company, but there is a big difference between satisfaction and loyalty (Kumar (2008). Loyalty is shown by the actions of the customer, who can be satisfied and still not be loyal. The satisfaction with the product is ultimately a condition for loyalty. In fact, satisfaction is necessary for loyalty but not sufficient. It is true that the satisfaction is not only based on the product and service but also the relationship with the staff. Satisfaction towards the product concerns intrinsic attributes: quality, features, design, durability, benefit. Ultimately, th e quality-price emerges as a global assessment. The service specifically covers guaranteed delivery, solving problems and handling complaints. It introduced the relational aspects of accessibility, courtesy, competence and communication. Experience has shown that the first reason why customers leave a company with whom they do business, is that they do not feel that their needs are important to the company, and vice versa for the remaining loyal to the company for a long time, they feel valued and important. This perception and feeling to be considered is the emotional bridge between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (Ghaury and Cateora 2006). Companies use a series of programs as relationship marketing, Database marketing, permission marketing or customer relationship management (CRM). Loyalty has a direct effect on sales of a company, and even better on its profits. However, the increased level of loyalty stems directly from the attitude and behaviour staff to clients. Motivation staff is the most powerful vector loyalty which itself contributes to profits. Meanwhile, business processes influence largely on how the staff behave with customers. It is in the interest of the company to develop a long-term relationship with clients where both parties benefit each other. It is much less costly for the company to keep its existing customers than to seek new ones. The scale of customer loyalty has 5 types of customers starting with: Suspect: A suspect is someone who comes across the companies promotion. They are a potential suspect for the company. Prospect: If the person is interested in the promotion they become a potential prospect. Customers: A customer is someone who purchases either the product or service. Clients: Clients are those who come back to the company. Advocates: Promotes the business on the companys behalf. They are so happy about the product/service that they tell others. (http://www.learnmarketing.net/ladder.htm Accessed on 02/08/2009) Marketing And Loyalty There are many definitions of marketing applying to loyalty programs. Several of them have focused these objectives in view of the value of the customer more profitable for the company. Today, programs and loyalty cards are found everywhere on standard credit cards, restaurants, etc Loyalty programs are widespread in all sectors that deliver goods or services used. They rely on marketing databases built from information from the loyalty cards that identify the client and record information about its behaviour. Their rules often refer to the use of methods from the traditional promotional techniques, encouraging consumers to increase and sustain their purchases in order to obtain a reward. In this context, they can be distinguished from the sales promotion of their defensive focus to longer term. The objective of the promotion is offensive, and when it stops, there is nothing that prevents consumers to come back to their old habits (Ehrenberg et al. 1994). In contrast, a loyalty progr am seeks to preserve market share by locking consumers through tangible benefits deferred (promotional techniques) or intangible (individualization, privileges, etc) and acts somewhat like a permanent promotion in the long term. The effectiveness of a loyalty program thus depends on its characteristics and tangible benefits but also intangible, that is to say, the expected value of the potential relationship that is likely to generate and develop. The consumer joining a loyalty program seeks, in making their purchases at shopkeepers, obtaining dividends, gifts. The trader in investing in this program seeks to seduce and imprison the consumer. This method, better known as retention, is actually a rather simple technique by which the consumer is faced with the efforts invested in the bonus points and is losing everything in case of abandonment of the program. A loyalty program is a relationship between the customer and the merchant in which, technically, the 2 parties have benefits. I n promoting their businesses, traders undertake several actions to attract customers. For the management of immediate rewards, they offer special discount store. By managing customer loyalty program, they offer rewards delayed. In contrast to the sales promotion where earnings appear at the same time as the cost or effort, this ratio is reversed in the context of delayed rewards, since an individual must first make an effort to more or less long term for earnings in the future. Investigations on human behaviour have shown that some individuals possess a strong motivation to engage in efforts leading to the award of future earnings (Atkinson 1957, Nicholls 1989). It is this aspect that loyalty programs appropriated in the construction of systems with delayed gratification the aim of managing the length of the relationship (retention) and discrimination. (Meyer-Waarden (2002). P. 2-88). Curiously this strong motivation is akin to the quest for a reward. In other words, the effort is motivated by greed. Some experts say that consumer motivation fades over time as more becomes aware that the bonus is spaced in time, the more likely he become discouraged with the efforts required for obtaining the reward. (Meyer-Waarden (2002), P 2-89) Thus, programs must allow consumers to obtain the benefits of the program while also locking in this program. To counter this behavioural aspect, 2 types of programs are offered: proportional and landing. The first principle is to proportionately reward the best customers. The second system encourages them to consume more to reach the next threshold points providing more benefits. Thus, it offers a minimum of points to small unprofitable consumers, maximum points for customers who are very profitable, and few points to very large consumers who buy anyway. (Meyer-Waarden (2002). P. 2-89) Greed is thus increased to obtain a value of gift supported by the consumers effort. The number of points necessary for obtaining a reward is related to the amount invested in the market by the consumer. By cons, consumer choice to join or not this kind of program that demonstrates the lure of gain accessible to long-term investment requires not only money but also time. There are several types of loyalty programs. Some programs offer a specific product free after a number of agreed purchase (coffee, compact disk, etc..) Or reductions applicable on each purchase while the issuers of credit cards offer privileges such as trave l insurance and car insurance during a rental. Some cards also allow a percentage discount or return money. In practice the system of loyalty cards is simple. It is generally sufficient to consumers to use when buying the card issued or accepted by the merchant to qualify for benefits. The card companies also offer credit to their customers bonus points programs. Unlike cards issued by participating merchants, using credit cards leads automatically, no matter where it is used, the accumulation of points and can sometimes match the accumulation of these points to another program loyalty. It is important to mention the strategy department stores growing strongly consumers use their credit cards to earn double the points they would get by paying cash or get loyalty points better at the price of an interest rate up to 28.8%. More specifically, programs that offer frequent flyer points accumulated encourage consumers to use the card as often as possible when making purchases to earn poin ts available for every penny spent, which will be redeemable against products or services available through a catalogue of premium or cons of coupons or discounts available with designated partners. (Benavent. Christopher. and Lars Meyer-Waarden. 2001. Loyalty Programs: Strategies and Practices). Some loyalty card segment their customers by offering them the opportunity to pay an additional fee to join an enhanced program that offers them a better ratio spent pounds / points accumulated. The holders can be considered as incidental to their privileged relationship with the issuer of the card. From the outset, the consumer, by joining the loyalty program, provides data that feed the database of the issuing company. Subsequently, all transactions for which the loyalty card is used by the consumer are stored in this database comes to prepare a record of its habits. The program relies on both the declarative, where the consumer fills out the questionnaire affiliation, but also on buying behaviour, thanks to its history. (Frenove, A.S. Hivet, N. Joly, P and Josquin, C. 2003. Topic: The Ethics of supermarkets). The ultimate goal of these programs, in addition to customer retention is to allow traders to analyze the data collected in order to increase the value of the customers shopping cart. The Concept Of Customer Life Cycle And Types Of Loyalty The Concept Of Customer Life Cycle: One of the key concepts of customer-oriented marketing is the life cycle dynamics of the customer, based on the idea that the flows of revenues and costs vary over time as requirements change in customer / business relations, contrary to the classical analysis and static demand. The first feature of the approach is that it is done individually and not aggregated, underscoring again the importance of marketing database, made possible thanks to the performance of information technology. Another interesting aspect is that the analysis is performed dynamically. The main idea is that the opinion of a client may occur more or less intense, and we can assume that it is forming a cycle. Practically, these cycles represent changes in purchasing power, but also modes, changing preferences, the phenomena of learning and forgetting. These cycles depend on several factors: the first is age. During the aging characteristics of opinion trends, tastes and attitudes can occur. Aging is characterized by a higher loyalty, more conservative, more risk aversion. Another factor is the generation based on the assumption that successive generations have value systems and own beliefs relatively distinct from others. This generation effect partially covers the different types of experiences. This manifests itself in innovative behaviours that vary with the gap between innovation and generation. This management based on cycles of life is clear to solve three problems: acquiring the customer, maintain, expand consumption and profitability. According to Dwyer, Schurr and Oh (1987), in the sense of relationship marketing, the life cycles of the relationship between a brand, product and a consumer have three distinct phases characterized by changes over time the amount used: (1) initialization or acquisition, (2) maturation or development and (3) breaking. The beginning of the cycle is quite understandable and is in customer acquisition, with a time of discovery of the other as a potential partner. Both parties calculate the attraction of the relationship, the costs and benefits of continuing it. Marked by the process of adoption and learning, this phase is characterized by a positive rate of consumption growth, but with high costs. In a second phase, presumably the consumers level of consumption stabilizes after having fully explored the use of the service. The expectations of the relationship and its benefits are confirmed, which leads to a continuation trade and then the notion of commitment, which results in the ignorance of competitive offers. Incomes of the company increase first and then level off as costs decrease. Finally, a third cycle is where a revival / reactivation, retention or separation from the client must be considered because the contribution weakens. The decrease in sales of service may occur at any time or gradual ly, indicating a process of wear or a more brutal, reflecting the substitution phenomena. Indeed, the dissolution occurs when the unmet expectations of increased transaction costs, the weakening of the switching costs of changing needs. Both partners must make a trade off between the benefits and costs brought by the relationship to decide whether or not its continuation. Any company engaged in the marketing approach dynamic client needs to adapt its strategy according to these phases. Three types of strategies should be considered in terms of life cycles that match: The customer acquisition, The loyalty and customer retention, And the augmentation of customer loyalty which represent a real challenge. Abandonment is considered when the costs of retention are higher than income generated by the client. (Abandonment=Costs loyalty > Income generated by the client). Once the company has determined the position of the life cycle by customer segment, it becomes clearly evident that this strategy must lead to an individualized approach to lead to a balanced allocation of resources. The problem is that each individual has a different value each time t for the company, which requires segmentation based on the potential and value of customers. Types Of Loyalty Customer loyalty is the result of well-managed customer retention programs. Before developing these successful programs, its important to know there are two types of loyalty: behavioural loyalty and the emotional loyalty. Behavioural loyalty is the loyalty to a brand demonstrated by repeat sales and responses to marketing campaigns by the customer. He behaves exactly like the company wants, by purchasing good or service. Behavioural loyaltys measures include response rate to direct marketing to the customer base. Emotional loyalty is the loyalty to a brand driven by favourable perceptions, opinions and giving recommendations. The customer feels empathy and attachment to a company or brand and he is willing to recommend it around him. It is better for the company if the customer has the both types of loyalty, but when its not the case specific strategies are developed to achieve both. (Chauffey, Chadwick, Mayer, Johnston (2006)). Benefits Of Efficient Customer Loyalty Management First, a loyal customer will continue its purchases over the years. Its purchase volume should also normally increase simply by economic growth and inflation. It should accept offers for complementary products and additional (Cross-Selling and Up-Selling). In any event, transaction costs should not increase proportionately. Consequently, they will decrease as a percentage of the cost and improve profitability (Kumar (2008)). Finally, a satisfied customer refers an average of 3 customers should in the best case follow the same progression. A study by the Harvard Business School published in the journal of the same name, shows an improvement in the percentage of loyal customers by 5% per year for 5 years to double, not sales, but profits.(CRM Odyssey Inc (2003)www.crmodyssey.com Accessed on the 09/08/2009 Another benefit from customer loyalty is it creates allow to the company to protect its markets from competitors; the more the customer is satisfied, the less he will be to buy to another product or service to the competitors. Automatically barriers are created against the competitors trying to enter in the market(s) (Ghaury and Cateora (2006)). Finally the word of mouth behaviour of loyal customer increase brand awareness. Customer share their positive feelings and experiences with their friends, family or mates when they are loyal to the company or product. They still purchase to the company and recommend it to others. It means a reduction of advertising cost; the money can be used to boost the word of mouth by making strategies to reward loyal customers. Reichheld goes even further in 1996 in his book The effect of loyalty by writing: the benefits of loyal customers are increasing over time and can recruit new consumers at reduced cost by using the legal Customer faithful because it is supposed to be a good speaker for the company.† It also shows in his work as a loyal customer makes purchases more often, he tends to buy for a higher amount and is less sensitive to the variable price. He becomes a captive of the company and therefore gives a kind of barrier to entry for potential competitors. The work of the TARP (Technical Assistance Program Reseach) supports these observations. They show that winning a new customer returns four to five times more expensive than keeping a customer is already active. Jones and Sasser (Jones 1995) focused on the relationship satisfaction / loyalty and showed a sense of satisfaction may not necessarily result fidelity as a loyal customer may nevertheless want to take advantage of a promotion with another supplier, test another product or refer to another offer. By cons, they also show a sense of dissatisfaction may cause disloyalty if dissatisfaction is not taken into account by the company. These gains must obviously be taken with caution because they rely heavily on industries. There is however no doubt that customer retention can benefit a significant leverage effect on profitability. The main reasons are: lower costs for customer acquisition, the net margin updated on the life of the customer to cover these costs; reduced management costs, a loyal customer knows the business better and less prone to use his front office to make purchases (reservations) effect of recommendation; Increased revenue per customer The Cost Of Lost Customers: A defensive marketing is cheaper than an offensive marketing, which often requires a direct confrontation with the competition. The cost of keeping a customer is five times less than the cost of converting a prospect, and it can cost up to sixteen times more to achieve with the new customer, the profitability of a customer acquired. So its the rate of customer retention rate that is essential, and not the attraction. The company must carefully monitor the defection of customers and minimize the amplitude. There are four stages: Define and measure retention. This may be the reuse of the services. Know the different reasons for discontinuation, and identify those which can be remedied. Estimate the lost profit per customer lost. Calculate how much it would reduce defections. Profitability: We have already mentioned the theory of Reichheld and Sasser that a company can improve profitability by 25% to 85% by reducing its rate of defection by 5%. Thus, loyal customers are often more profitable than occasional customers. Specifically, in the service activities and the Business to Business, customers of a company tend to increase their purchase from the company as they know it and appreciate it better. A positive word of mouth: In many cases, loyal customers of a business will spontaneously promote to their surroundings, and become, through word of mouth, very effective recruiters because disinterested and credible. For all these reasons, the loyal customer service of a company is considered a real capital, called the customer capital. Retention and its challenges: This new focus puts the customer and his control in centre of our concerns. Given the incredible proliferation of professional works in the field, it seems essential to discuss strategic issues and objectives of retention, by reviewing customer orientation and loyalty policies to give a definition and a clear positioning of loyalty. The retention strategy: Loyalty, recognized as indispensable goal of any customer relationship strategy, not confined to mere promotional programs: Some rules must be respected. Rule 1: Be selective: Customers do not all contribute equally to the profitability of the company. Therefore, retention should be selectively adapting any loyalty action from an analysis of customer value. Rule 2: Propose an attractive loyalty offer and truly innovative. The loyalty offers are numerous, but not all have the same impact. The company can arbitrate according to its objectives between different options: Immediate benefits often focus on value and price (price preference ); Privileges, providing intangible benefits to customers (priority systems, assistance ); Rewards delayed in time, seeking to establish lasting relationships with customers the most profitable and likely to extend their relationship with the company. Whatever the choice of the selected offer, interest for customers is based on five attributes, determining its overall perceived value: The perceived value of any premium or net worth; Attractiveness; Accessibility through time; The freedom given to the customer in the choice of options; Simplicity of the offer. Rule 3: Anticipating the costs: The need to assess the costs in advance of any approach to loyalty is essential. Too often, a company focused on profits resulting from the proposed strategy, without taking into account the costs generated before and repeatedly. These costs may be related to both the growing number of customers affected, and ways and means of dealing with relationships with clients, sometimes completely new to the company. Rule 4: Consolidate and exploit customer information: The challenges that the company have just highlighted described the need to build its strategy of strong customer loyalty for the company. Two main lines of action are considered: †¢ The opportunity to integrate operational databases (sales / billing, marketing ) in a baseline. †¢ The interest of exploiting every opportunity to contact customers to gather information about them. This database will allow the tracking of the customer relationship over time, and identification of customer profiles profitable and unprofitable, which will determine the choice of targets to retain. Problems Linked To Customer Loyalty Difficulties In Marketing: Obtaining a good efficiency requires a good understanding of customer behaviour and causes of abandonment. One must distinguish the causes of termination which are inevitable (and often unpredictable) from other, more or less predictable and can be combated. The causes are unavoidable, for example: a change of personal or professional lifestyle, financial problems, death Preventable causes are: inadequate tariff, a history of poor service and complaints. The challenge is to build something, based on information often dispersed. In anticipation of the termination for inadequate tariff, must be able to say what was the invoice for each client if they had chosen the optimum rate? How much would he have saved? From what current difference between invoice and optimum bill is there a risk? To anticipate the claims for termination, you must classify all types of call to customer service (there are easily hundreds) and identify those that increase the probability of termination. We must also take account of differences in behaviour related to age, family status, and place of residence and recover to the extent possible this information. Difficulties In Management Retention also poses problems of management, for example the coexistence of a culture of acquisition and a culture of loyalty: In a young market, corporate culture is naturally directed towards the acquisition. This orientation manifests itself in several ways, for example, budgets are allocated primarily to sales, what is important here is the market share of sales. In these circumstances it is difficult to make a place to loyalty because it is cultural opposition on both fronts: its budget is in competition with the acquisition, because what is important here is the retention of customers and not flow of customers. Difficulties In The Organization: When the market is young, the sales should be focused on conquering, the measure of the rate of effectiveness is still difficult, and loyalty is part of the Marketing. Then improving customer knowledge, customer service records terminations, understand the causes, loyalty becomes profitable and worthy of large budgets, customer service becomes legitimate to ensure loyalty. In consumer, all sale actions are public, as far as loyalty is confidential. Loyalty is indeed a clear competitive advantage. It allows to keep or to take market share in all discretion. Confidentiality is necessary for a second reason: do not create perverse behaviour on the part of customers, who know the rules of the game could benefit for future benefits. (Jean Baptiste COUMAU and Henri WIDMER, La Jaune et la Rouge,2002) Rejection Of Customers: The approach of loyalty can lead to bias by virtue of its objectives: there is concern that the benefits accorded to consumers more loyal to the product or service concerned and not the enterprise. There is a risk of great loss of power marketing consent. Moreover, the strong competition leads to a generalization of loyalty operations that can not only cause fatigue but also a rejection of the approach by customers. The multiplicity of material resources such as loyalty cards generalized in various companies in portfolios causes both a reaction to the trivialization of operation for the customer and a loss of power to the business on target. The implementation of a loyalty operation is tricky: the company must choose carefully because the target must be loyal customers, those holders of profits. This targeting is difficult and requires the development of a database of well-informed. This base is also used to monitor quantitatively and qualitatively loyal customers. These are consider ations of costs related to these investments in information that may be a limit. (Fotso Tagne Achille Rostand, La fidelisation client http://www.ougagner.fr/fidelisation.html Accessed on the 09/09/2009) Means And Factors Influencing Loyalty Factors Influencing Loyalty If they are well structured and well implemented, customer loyalty programs cited above can bring measurable benefits to the company that would stand out positively of competition by reducing costs and in the same time increase its income. This situation is favoured by: Attracting new customers; A high retention rate of existing customers for a long period; Increasing the frequency of visits by the existing customers; Increasing expenditure on new and existing customers; Making customers in good conditions so they feel appreciated and satisfied then they promote products or services through word of mouth around them. (Memberson (2008) http://www.memberson.com/Loyalty/CustomerLoyalty.aspx Accessed on 01/08/2009) Some factors are essential to create and maintain the Customer loyalty. Showing 6 success factors that make some companies

Innovation marketing proposal for jcu food court

Innovation marketing proposal for jcu food court To establish a food court on Townsville campus, James Cook University is in quest of collaboration with takeaway restaurant chains. The restaurants that will be engrossed with the well known university will have a large potential market which would function in areas like brand recognition, brand loyalty and maintaining consumer relations. These areas serve as key to the marketing strategy which in turn drives the restaurants to maintain stability of revenue resulting in making profit for the food court. Due to a saturated market, competition is stern. However, competition can arise in the immediate area. Therefore, there will be a quick growth in the market. It is well determined from SWOT analysis that weaknesses and threats of the food court are overcome by its internal strengths and the external opportunities and hence the impending business prospect for the restaurants. In addition, there have been positive estimations that will be achieved with a profit increment of 10% in three years in terms of financial controls, such as advertising budgets, contracts, expense and rental income etc. Therefore, the JCU Food Court seeks to grow as a potential market and is a sound investment. Introduction James Cook University has approximately 11,000 students including 1,300 international students studying at the Townsville campus (JCU Townsville, 2009). The 386-hectare Townsville campus consists of 364 buildings that includes housing units, student mall, library, fitness centres and excludes refectory and cafes that opens in week days for limited time (JCU Townsville, 2009). Adjacent to the University is Townsville General Hospital which is situated on the outskirts of town, approximately 11 kilometres from the city centre. Despite of being a favourable environment for education, its remoteness to food outlets and entertainment creates a logistical challenge for students. The food facilities provided to the students is limited and restricted to Western styles that ultimately offer fewer options for the vegetarians. Situation Analysis The proposal of JCU food court is new to the market and lies in the introductory phase. Although there is a large competitive market of takeaway restaurants but there will no close competition in the vicinity area. However the few exceptions being the Refectory and Rococos bar Restaurant. There will be a significant growth in the development of food court and gain in substantial business. Hence, the food court will enter the market with rapid growth and will emerge as a profitable business. Market Summary As described earlier, there are no close competitors in the immediate area of the food court so the market to be targeted would be the vast market of fast-food and takeaway restaurants. Target Market Fast-food / Takeaway restaurant chains Market Demographics A typical customer profile consists of geographic, demographic, and behaviour factors. Geographics The geographic target area inculcates local (e.g. Eagle boys, real pizzas), national (e.g. Noodle box) and global (McDonalds, KFC etc.) restaurant chains. Demographics The food court is not limited to any type of consumer/customer and is likely to favour all the students studying at Townville campus. Another factor is the cost of meals under $12. Behavioural Factors The food court would serve the university, hospital and surrounding residential areas. The market can be expanded to the restaurant chains who see a potential market within JCU. Market Needs The market needs would be fulfilled by university students, staff, hospital visitors and people residing in residential areas. The JCU food court will offer a convenient and economical consumption. The restaurants that tend to be interested will have a large potential market within the grounds of the university. The food court will come up with the following market attributes Convenience JCU food court will serve as a convenient option for consumers making easy for them to get to the restaurants and will be an economical place. Maintenance The food court will be well maintained taking care of the surroundings areas too. Customer Retention As there is little competition in the immediate area, customers are likely to retain and welcome to a place that provides quality food and service at reasonable prices. Brand credit While off campus, customers will recognize the brand they know from JCU Food Court, which promotes the business. Market Trends JCU is situated in a heavy passage environment/area with students studying both onshore and offshore, hospital visitors, the army base, and residential areas. The leasing space to five different takeaway restaurants will appeal to the needs of a market that has not been presently met. JCU being a well-known university, the restaurants will tend to let on JCU possessions. With advent of food court, people would seek a fair quality and convenient meals at reasonable prices. Market Growth Due to market saturation, there is a strong competition in the restaurant/takeaway business. Statistics reveals that by June 2007, there were 15,423 restaurant businesses in Australia, and takeaway rates growing 18.3% respectively, making approximately $646.1m (Statistics, 2008). There will be less competition in vicinity of the food court at which puts the business on to an advantage of being profitable and will mark a rapid growth strength in market. SWOT Analysis To evaluate and assess the potency and limitations, opportunities and challenges for foot court on JCU, a SWOT analysis was performed. The analysis revealed some key factors of the internal and external marketing of JCU Food Court. Figure 1 describes the detailed SWOT analysis (Appendix 1). Potencies The University has an advantage of own land so there is no land purchase requirement. The food court will focus on offering varieties of food at cheaper deals. There will be no external competitiveness among the restaurants of the food court. Being a well established university, the restaurants will likely to be interested to be its part. Trading hours will diversify from the on-campus cafes and restaurants. Limitations The university has to provide resources for maintenance and other related services. Limited space to accommodate. Less space than regular restaurant. Prospects The Townsville campus is likely to have a potential expansion. More students enrolling drives the profitability of food court. Availability of parking and loading area. Growth and development in other JCU campuses. Less expenses on construction and labour. Challenges Labour hire for construction and maintenance. Economic downturn ongoing at present. Future growth and development of nearby shopping centres. Competition There will be less or no competition in the immediate surroundings of the food court. The food court will be situated on Townsville campus. There will be no opposition for the food court because at present there is only Rococos Bar Restaurant and refectory offered to the students in student mall. Due to limited opening hours, they are not open on weekends. There is a limited range of restaurants in the hospital and the nearest food courts are in Willows and Stockland. Thus, the students and staff would be more directed to the JCU food court. It will be more convenient for people to walk to the food court to purchase quality meals at cheaper prices which will be economical for them. Therefore, competition will not be a major concern for businesses interested in leasing space with JCU Food Court. Product Offering JCU will offer quality food at reasonable prices. The food court will serve as a convenient option for people to get their meals from there. Also, it will open for business to restaurants to lease for space in the food court. The space will accommodate a counter and kitchen. In addition, the university will provide maintenance and other janitorial services. Keys to success The keys to success would be offering quality food, reasonable deals, and convenience to customers, delivering products that are user friendly and offer customer satisfaction at affordable prices. Critical Issues Since JCU food court will be new to market the critical issues will be Potential expansion to other campuses of university. Business on a contract basis, lease with the restaurants. Growth and expansion of business through lease sales of counter space. Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy mainly focuses on the services provided meet changing customer needs, while still maintaining the product quality and commitment to excellence. The key marketing strategy will focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty and at the same time maintaining brand quality. Moreover, the food court will focus on the overall market segments and the associated customers. It will also concentrate on gaining a partnership with the restaurants in order to expand the business in the market while maintaining the product stability. Vision mission To provide a means of personal satisfaction by improving its service delivery. To promote and spread the benefits it provides to people. To provide premium customer service by guaranteeing the customers a clean, comfortable and well maintained counter space at reasonable leasing prices. To expand the success of food court to other JCU campuses. Marketing Objectives JCU food court is concerned about maintaining the food quality and increasing the services so as to create a brand name, which could encourage and sustain optimistic and steady growth. The food court will be expanding its limit each year and extend the counter spaces depending on demands and needs of the customers. Once established, JCU will introduce loyalty/value cards to offer discounts thereby increasing profit from additional revenue. Therefore, the objective is to establish competitive superiority in target market, guarantee stable profit to customer and pursue up growth profit. Financial Objectives Seek to boost the profit margin by efficient use of strategies and commitment to deliver good services. To increase the profitability to 10% in three years. To repay back the loan at the earliest in order to evade the interest that downgrades the income. To maintain the contacts associated with restaurants on lease. Reduce liability by using less of the loan and using more funds. Target Markets The market of restaurant chains and takeaways business is quite outsized with diversity in foods and services they offer. The food court will focus on takeaway business offering food with different varieties and quality. The major target market would be the restaurants in the market that offers quality services and varieties of food at reasonable prices. The bureau of statistics Australia stated that during 2006-07, cafes, restaurants and catering businesses generated a total income of $13,673.2m, signifying an average of $886,500 per business. The total expenses incurred during the same period were $13,108.3m and the total industry value added by these businesses was $5,695m, which represented 0.5% of Australias gross domestic product for 2006-07. During the same year, the operating profit before tax for these businesses was $576.4m and their operating profit margin was 4.2%. Positioning As JCU is a well-known and established university, the concept of introducing food court will represent as an innovative and demanding move for the convenience of people who are part of the university. Being a reputed education hub, JCU will perceive great customer retention and will incur a successful business in the market. Overall strategy The main objective of JCU food Court is to create awareness among customers to recognize food court as an innovator and a potential investment. The overall strategy is to provide people with best possible services and quality thereby making food court as a profitable and stable investment. The beginning phase and the upcoming growth stages will not be supportive without the lease of the potential restaurants (Kotler, Keller, Burton, 2009). Introductory phase is like a start up business (Kotler, Keller, Burton, 2009). Once the initial phase of contracts and leasing agreements are accepted and passed, growth will continue leading to maturity phase. In order to establish the business in market, the main focus will be to maintain customers, their satisfaction and potential expansion of food court to other campuses of university. Market research will be done in terms of sales, promotions, communications, advertisements and brand development. JCU will be looking for specific businesses they feel will provide variety and quality products at reasonable prices for the consumers. Advertisements in newspapers and over internet will provide a rich source of information and contact details to people thereby creating awareness among them and promoting the business. Marketing Mix the Customer Five Ps of the Marketing Mix Product Restaurants interested to spread their business and take lease with the university. Price: Price includes the rent which will be based on square metre of space, restaurant location and other utilities. The food and related services of the restaurant would be charged as own franchise. Promotion: Advertisement will be made in leading newspapers all over Queensland and over internet for lease and contracts. JCU website will incur a link for services offered by the food court. Place: The food court will be located on the campus with massive free parking areas on campus and short-term free parking near food court for other customers. Packaging: JCU Food Court will provide healthy high quality food and a clean atmosphere. Other services include maintenance and janitorial services provided by the university. Four Cs of the Customer Customer Solution: The business is in the immediate area of the target market with high number of consumers students and faculty in JCU. Customer cost: The prices are cheaper and inexpensive due to size and location. Consumers are offered value/discount cards. The companies are responsible for other costs that include leasing prices, utilities, major renovation, appliances and fittings. Promotion Pros for customer: Promotions will be done as advertisements provided across campus at different specified locations which will be a part of rent. Convenience: The location will be convenient and suitable for the customers and will offer a large number of employments. Other considerations like maintenance and janitorial services will be provided by JCU food Court. Marketing Research Marketing research will focus on consumer retention, stability and satisfaction, market segments and the target markets. Market research would therefore include the following Consumer eating habits, student movements. Motivation for the food court began after receiving grievances about the lack of food options within the proximity of the campus. Market sampling comprise of local restaurants and cafes. Sampling will determine to gather the leasing space in food court of university. Survey consists of dichotomous, Likert scale and intention to buy questions to convert into quantitative data (Kotler, Keller, Burton, 2009). Preparation and circulation of survey by email with completion online as primary method. Students, faculty, hospital staff and other customers are all inculcated in the sampling procedure. Sampling procedure will take into account some questions to evaluate behaviour of the customers and their interest in food court. Online surveys will be available for students and staff to give their feedback on performance and services provided by the food court. Drop box will be set up at various points within the university area and the hospital so that people can feel free to give their comments and suggestions. Results and percentages assess the interest in JCU Food Court; the cost to profit finances; how to promote to target market; narrow specific target market groups. The information from all the above mentioned sources will be compiled and computed to generate quantitative data which further will strengthen the development of frequency distributions which can be charted in order to clearly view the statistical findings and determine whether it rejects or accepts the hypothesis (Kotler, Keller, Burton, 2009). Financials Financial Controls This section will deal with some of the relevant financial situations regarding marketing the food court in the market. This section include Break even analysis, sales forecast, expense forecast and indicate how these activities are related to the marketing strategy of the firm. Break Even Analysis The break-even analysis indicates that as to reach break-even point the income required is $ 500,000 Figure 1 Break Even Analysis Controls Procedures JCU Food Court incurs a marketing plan to start up the business as a guide for creating interest from restaurants giving the best performance by providing customers with best quality and quantity. The control procedures will take into account the initial expenses and revenues, cost of maintenance and other janitorial services, lease contract agreements, leasers and customer satisfaction. Contingency Planning Difficulties and Risks Turn down of the secondary target market Risk of entering into saturated market Promotional failure and lack of awareness among customers Closure of restaurants in the food court Power outage Worst-Case Risks Risk of business failure due to lack of profits and inability to cover liabilities. Financial instability during the course of growth phase.