Brief History and Geography of Tibet

The Tibetan Plateau is a huge region of southwestern China consistently above 4000 meters. This region that was a thriving independent kingdom that began in the eighth century and developed into an independent country in the twentieth century is now under the firm control of China. Persecution of the Tibetan people and their practice of Buddhism is widely reported. History Tibet closed its borders to foreigners in 1792, keeping the British of India (Tibets southwestern neighbor) at bay until the British desire for a trade route with China caused them to take Tibet by force in 1903. In 1906 the British and Chinese signed a peace treaty that gave Tibet to the Chinese. Five years later, the Tibetans expelled the Chinese and declared their independence, which lasted until 1950. In 1950, shortly after Mao Zedongs communist revolution, China invaded Tibet. Tibet pleaded for assistance from the United Nations, the British, and the newly independent Indians for assistance to no avail. In 1959 a Tibetan uprising was squelched by the Chinese and the leader of the theocratic Tibetan government, the Dalai Lama, fled to Dharamsala, India and created a government-in-exile. China administered Tibet with a firm hand, prosecuting Tibetan Buddhists and destroying their places of worship, especially during the time of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). After Maos death in 1976, the Tibetans gained limited autonomy although many of the Tibetan government officials installed were of Chinese nationality. The Chinese government has administered Tibet as the Autonomous Region of Tibet (Xizang) since 1965. Many Chinese have been financially encouraged to move to Tibet, diluting the effect of the ethnic Tibetans. Its likely that the Tibetans will become a minority in their land within a few years. The total population of Xizang is approximately 2.6 million. Additional uprisings occurred throughout the next few decades and martial law was imposed upon Tibet in 1988. The Dalai Lamas efforts to work with China toward solving problems to bring peace to Tibet earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Through the work of the Dalai Lama, the United Nations has called upon China to consider giving the Tibetan people a right to self-determination. In recent years, China has been spending billions to improve the economical outlook for Tibet by encouraging tourism and trade to the region. The Potala, the former seat of the Tibetan government and the home of the Dalai Lama is a major attraction in Lhasa. Culture The Tibetan culture is an ancient one that includes the Tibetan language and a specific Tibetan style of Buddhism. Regional dialects vary across Tibet so the Lhasa dialect has become the Tibetan lingua franca. Industry Industry was non-existent in Tibet prior to the Chinese invasion and today small industries are located in the capital of Lhasa (2000 population of 140,000) and other towns. Outside of cities, the indigenous Tibetan culture is comprised primarily of nomads, farmers (barley and root vegetables are primary crops), and forest dwellers. Due to the cold dry air of Tibet, grain can be stored for up to 50 to 60 years and butter (yak butter is the perennial favorite) can be stored for a year. Disease and epidemics are rare on the dry high plateau, which is surrounded by the worlds tallest mountains, including Mount Everest in the south. Geography Though the plateau is rather dry and receives an average of 18 inches (46 cm) of precipitation each year, the plateau is the source for major rivers of Asia, including the Indus River. Alluvial soils comprise the terrain of Tibet. Due to the high altitude of the region, the seasonal variation in temperature is rather limited and the diurnal (daily) variation is more important—the temperature in Lhasa can range as much as -2 F to 85 F (-19 C to 30 C). Sandstorms and hailstorms (with hail of tennis-ball size) are problems in Tibet. (A special classification of spiritual magicians was once paid to ward off the hail.) Thus, the status of Tibet remains in question. Will the culture be diluted by the influx of Chinese or will Tibet once again become Free and independent?

The Constitution And Declaration Of Independence - 1793 Words

The US government was founded, as described in documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, upon the principles of equality and the power of the people. The documents explicitly express and imply people’s rights, which include Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness among many others (Declaration of Independence). American citizens are constantly reminded of the rights they do have – speech, religion, protection against cruel or unusual punishment, to name a few – but are not reminded of responsibilities nearly as much. Among citizens’ responsibilities is the duty to participate in the democratic process, which involves staying informed of local and national events and issues. Citizens who do not want to take†¦show more content†¦In and of itself, the assembly of special interest groups is political participation, as citizens involved are actively attempting to interact with government. However, the population has since grown exponentially and the need for vast numbers of people to participate directly in protest movements has diminished since actions geared toward equality have been taken. Additionally, many people are not inclined to become government representatives or leaders in protest movements. Since political participation is a responsibility of the people, many of them handle this duty by voting to elect officials based on their beliefs and lending support to organizations that ally with their causes and values. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is one of the largest and most revered lobbyist groups in America. Founded in 1909, the NAACP’s mission was to bring attention to inequality and problems with civil rights. At the time of its founding, the NAACP was responding to horrific violence against blacks, which continued throughout the Civil Rights Movement as blacks across the country moved against injustice and a distinct absence of fair treatment (History.com Staff). During its time as a leading organization for people’s

Split Cherry Tree Free Essays

Split Cherry Tree by Jesse Stuart is a story that takes place in a time when people thought more about farming and less about education. This story addresses conflicts concerning â€Å"rich vs. Poor† as well as â€Å"educated vs. We will write a custom essay sample on Split Cherry Tree or any similar topic only for you Order Now uneducated†. Dave Sexton along with five of his classmates climbs a neighbor’s cherry tree to capture a lizard while on a field trip with his high school biology class. The cherry tree is broken and the owner wants the six boys to each pay a dollar for the cost of the tree. Dave does not have the dollar need, so Professor Hubert pays for him in exchange for doing chores around the school. This causes Dave to be late for his farm work, which his father Luster is expecting his help with. Professor Hubert, not being from the hills doesn’t fully understand how hard farm life was for some families in the area. Luster was very upset because the professor made Dave stay after school to work off the debt while letting the other boys go just because they had the money to pay. He states he will get it straightened out with the help of his gun, which has settled disputes before. . Luster tells Dave that he will be going to the school with him in the morning to get the matter settled. Luster fails to realize that education is different than what he remembers and gets very upset over the boys and girls being able to go on field trips together, and the subjects in which they are learning. Luster confronts the professor over the idea of letting the kids go on the field trip as well as letting the other boys go and the professor states â€Å"I was right with these students† and that this is the new way of learning. He then asks Luster to stay and see what Dave is learning about and why they were on the field trip. After learning about how a black snake has the same germs as a person’s teeth and seeing them under a microscope, Luster sees the importance of this new way of book learning. He wants better for Dave than he had and sees that his time of learning has passed but it’s not too late for Dave. After spending the day with Luster, Professor Hubert also has a better understanding of life in the â€Å"hills† for farm families, and the importance of having pride in one’s self. Professor Hubert offers to let Dave have the fifty cent still needed to pay the debt to him. Luster being an honorable man offers instead to help Dave work off the last fifty cent in an hours’ time, so that they can both go and finish the farm chores. How to cite Split Cherry Tree, Essay examples Split Cherry Tree Free Essays The short story, Spilt Cherry Tree, was written by Jesse Stuart. In the beginning of the story, Dave and his classmates went with Professor Herbert on a field trip for biology class. They were all searching for lizards, bugs, snakes, frogs, flowers, and plants. We will write a custom essay sample on Split Cherry Tree or any similar topic only for you Order Now Dave and five of his classmates had spotted a lizard in the old cherry tree up the hill, so all six of them ran up the tree after it, and the tree broke down. Eif Crabtree, the owner of the tree was plowing when it happened and he ran up and go tall the boys’ names. Dave’s five classmates who broke the tree with him were all able to get the dollar that they owed Mr. Crabtree, but Dave knew he wouldn’t be able to get his. Professor Herbert kept Dave after school and told him that he paid Dave’s dollar, but he would have to work four hours at the school to earn the full dollar, which means he would be getting paid twenty-five cents and hour to help the janitor. Dave really didn’t mind staying after school, but he knew that he would get a whipping from his father if he was two hours late getting home. Dave told Professor Herbert that he would rather have the professor whip him with a switch so he could go on home and help his dad with chores because he knew his dad would whip him if he was two hours late. Dave was also afraid that his father would make him quit school because he was a little old fashioned and didn’t understand the school system of that time. How to cite Split Cherry Tree, Papers

Fiction and the Worlds Judgements free essay sample

This 20-page paper takes the reader on an extensive exploratory journey through the theory of the novel. The reader is shown the difference between the schools of thought regarding romances vs novels. This paper shows the reader the difference between the schools of thought regarding romances versus novels. The author explains the foundation for those with proletarian beliefs who disdain certain texts as romance while embracing others as novels. The writer uses several novels as examples to illustrate the various points and critically analyzes the schools of thought, the novels themselves and the political involvement that decides where the text fits in. From the paper: Since the beginning of time we have had storytellers in our midst. Many years ago the storytellers produced the stories by inventing them in their minds and performing them for an audience. The only way a story was passed around is when someone in the audience devoted the time to memorize the story and then perform it in other places. We will write a custom essay sample on Fiction and the Worlds Judgements or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This caused many stories to be changed as each person added or forgot parts, as they believed it to be. Naturally because the stories were being memorized and carried to other locations they were short in length.

Crucible Essays (238 words) - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

Crucible Notes for an essay on human weaknesses that are prominent in the Crucible Lying (pg. 10 - Abigail Williams) Abigail lied to Parris when he asked if she had slept with Proctor. (pg. 17 - All the Girls) They all agreed to say that they had only danced, nothing more. (pg. 109 - Elizabeth Proctor) Goody Proctor lied in court and said that her husband had not committed lechery. Greed (pg. 29 - Thomas Putnam) Mr. Putnam got angry with John Proctor for taking wood from what he thought was his own land when really Proctor bought it from Goody Nurse's husband five months ago. (pg. 63 - Reverend Parris) Parris thought he needed golden candlesticks for the church so he had preached nothing but golden candlesticks until he had them. (Abigail Williams) Abigail wanted to marry John Proctor and when he let her know he only loved Elizabeth, Abigail tried to get rid of Elizabeth. Lack of Strength (pg. 42 - Tituba) Tituba could not take the abuse she was getting any longer so she gave in and confessed to compacting with the Devil. (pg. 113 - Mary Warren) Mary was not strong enough to stand up to the girls and she turned on John Proctor and said that he was the Devil's man. (Deputy Governor Danforth) Danforth could not stop hanging people when he knew they were innocent because he had already killed so many, he was not strong enough to take responsibility for his error. English Essays

Getting a Job Isnt Hard...If You Prepare For These 4 Things

Getting a Job Isnt Hard...If You Prepare For These 4 Things Landing a job, as it turns out, is about four major things- at least with most corporations. The resume is worth just over 10%, enough to get you through the door, but then your interview performance and company fit are each worth about two-thirds of the equation. And the last little bit of magic has to do with your personality- at least how they perceive it. So start focusing on these, in the appropriate proportions. 1. ResumeBy now, you know what you need to do. And if you don’t, there are some great examples and suggestions and strategies to be found that will make it easy to develop your resume.2. InterviewLike a movie star’s screen test, or a Broadway actor’s audition, the interview is your first major hurdle, and worth about a third of the weight in the hiring process. Don’t just pick a snazzy outfit:Â  do your homework, practice, practice, practice, and come prepared. The more work you do before you walk into that interview, the easier it will be t o sell them on your strengths and how you can deliver across all of their unique needs for your position.3. Cultural FitIt seems a little like getting invited to sit at someone’s lunch table, but so it goes. This is also weighted at about a third of the equation. They want to make sure you’re a good fit just as much as you want to make sure you’ll get along with your co-workers and not be miserable coming to work each day.Does everyone wear power suits and sit in cubicles, when you’re accustomed to standing desks and jeans and open plan offices with empanada carts? These things are worth considering, and your hiring manager will be just as interested in figuring out how well you’d fit as you are.4. Personality AssessmentMore and more companies are using specially designed assessments to determine what your unique personality would be as an employee, given the environment at that particular company, what your job will be, and who you are. These are the final chunk of the pie, and probably weighted at less than 10 percent of the overall impression you will make. Sometimes they can prove disastrously wrong, but sometimes they can really show a perfect match. Try to be yourself- rather than attempting to outsmart the system, and you should be fine.Remember, the best and only thing you can do is be prepared. Knowing what your future employers might be looking for is just another tool in your job search toolbox. Know before you go.

LAND GRABBING KEEPS ME AWAKE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LAND GRABBING KEEPS ME AWAKE - Essay Example With global reports confirming the world’s peaking oil, among other greater risks such as persistent hunger partly contributed by anthropogenic climate change, the putative existence of ‘reserve agricultural land’ in the global south, particularly in Africa and the Latin America, has been labeled the lifeline, thus the dramatic revaluation and the subsequent haste to acquire and control large swathes of land for agro-industrial, large-scale resource extraction initiatives and food security (McMichael, 2012). Buoyed by the idea that long-term landholdings are the only avenue to assuage continuous supply of their needs, ‘finance-rich, resource-poor’ countries are aggressively funding the acquisitions in government to government deals that leaves the poor even more worse off than ever. While the surge in the transnational commercial land deals ringing in massive ‘private and non-private’ lands to the dispossession of the global poor are guid ed by the neoliberal policies under the supervision of WTO, the trade-offs seem far off a just order, for the rules only but favors the big Brother, thus the accelerated land grabbing, more so in Africa where unutilized land is considered plentiful and labor are relatively cheap. In spite of the title deeds issued by most African, Latin American and Asian countries indicating ownership, land remains the property of the state. Accordingly, the state possesses all the rights to do whatever it desires, including utilizing as a bait to attract foreign investments (Houtart 2010). Ironically disturbing is the very fact that Africa, a continent that faces hunger the most, takes the lion’s share of the dubious land deals that exacerbates their local food insecurity further, for arable lands leased in large scale to foreigners only produce food and other products for export purposes. Small scale farmers hitherto

How technology is changing the way people commicate with one another Research Paper

How technology is changing the way people commicate with one another and conduct business - Research Paper Example Communication is one of the most important aspects in every society and it has been made easier and flexible by technology. Moreover, many people have been attracted to the business world because technology has made business transactions to become flexible and easier. Today, individuals can easily communicate or conduct business with anyone from any part of the world. This paper explores about ten academic sources to provide a thoughtful discussion on the possible impacts of communication and information technology on communication and business transactions. The first section of this paper is the introduction, and then the focus is on the how technology has changed how societal members communicate and conduct business followed by the conclusion. Today, smartphones, computers, laptops, and internet have formed part of our lives due to the development and advancement in technology. Advances in communication technology including computers and some software have enabled a significant shift in the way individuals or businesses communicate (Sinnreich, 2010). Technology is everywhere and it has completely revolutionized almost all aspects of our lives including the way we work, communicate, interact, and conduct business among others. It is the greatest change agents of the civilization of mankind since its development. Most people depend on various technological devices in order to perform their duties in the business environment. The most important aspect about technology is how it has helped us stay in touch with each other. For instance, today people can easily engage in various conversations at the same time and also individuals can communicate with others in the external world. This is a good thing especially for the busines s environment because it makes business transactions to be carried out faster and easily. There is rapid change in the social media and is establishing new trends

The contribution of black women to the African American freedom Essay

The contribution of black women to the African American freedom struggle between 1865 and 1940 - Essay Example Gates et al. (2012; p.492) state that â€Å"political participation has been a fundamental constant in the lives of African American people† and this statement is verifiable by the great testaments of the struggle for freedom and justice that black men and women have portrayed and displayed with relentless and enduring determination in the past. Sheriff et al. (2011; p.432) observe that the beginnings of the African American struggle are outlined in the people’s quest for independence from dominance, supremacy of the other and slavery. Certainly, the role of black women in carrying this vision, guiding it towards its realization and ensuring that the struggle for independence evolves into the achievement of equality has been critical and of immense importance. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contributions of black women to the African American freedom struggle by directing specific focus towards the analysis of the period lasting between 1865 and 1940. The discussion in the succeeding sections of the paper aims to establish a critical view of the role that black women played in achieving the aims that were advanced by early writers, journalists, historians, leaders and freedom fighters between 1865 and 1940. ... The adoption of this framework throughout the progress of the analysis essentially enhances the comprehensiveness and depth of the research by suggesting that the actions of a human being cannot be understood in their entirety unless the fundamental role that various systems, entities and organizations play in dictating those behaviors and decisions is fully acknowledged and realized (Gates 2012; p.493). Therefore, in comprehending the actions of black women that were fundamentally motivated by their desire for freedom, equality and independence their intersectional positioning within the wider context of society is of the utmost importance. Consequently, by implementing the foundations of this approach the one-dimensionality and generality of exclusively assessing a single individual is removed such that the individual does not essentially depict the true story of the black women’s role in the African American struggle for freedom and the hardships they had to suffer during t he course of their journey. In accordance with the observations of this framework of analysis the foundations of black women’s historical role in the political advancement of African American agenda is said to be an amalgamation of racism and sexism (Gates 2012; p.494). Collier-Thomas and Franklin (2001; p.2) suggest that even though, stories which reflect the selfless participation of African American women in the civil rights movement have only come to light by writers and researchers in recent decades these assessments have provided a comprehensive view of the state of black women in various epochs which is indicative of their tremendous progress to the present day. The foremost aspect in the critical evaluation of the contributions of black women in the African American freedom struggle

Definition And Scope Of Relationship Marketing Marketing Essay

Definition And Scope Of Relationship Marketing Marketing Essay This chapter aims to evaluate the theoretical opinions of different theorist towards relationship marketing (RM) based on the objectives of determining the definition and scope of RM as well as understanding the different determinants and strategies used in RM and understanding current academic and industrial views and opinions on the values and effectiveness of RM. 2.1 Definition and scope of Relationship Marketing Relationship Marketing (RM) has been defined by various theorists and each has given their respective viewpoints about RM. In order to simplify and understand RM, an analysis by Palmatier (2008) of some well-known definitions by various theorists is illustrated to narrow down and obtain the essence of what is RM. The analysis is based on two key aspects found in RM (e.g. Gronroos 1997; Sheth and Parvatiyar 2000). The first aspect deals with strategies across stages of the relationship lifecycle and thereby suggests that a relationship is a process that develops over time through typical strategies (Dwyer and Oh 1987; Wilson 1995). The second aspect is the scope of RM activities; as some definitions only include customer relationships, and others include relationships with different stakeholders such as internal departments, competitors, customers and suppliers. The table below illustrates the common RM definitions by different theorists and identifies the stages the respective defini tions cover as well as the scope of the definition. Definition Stages/ Strategies Scope Attract/ Create/ Establish Enhance/ Develop Maintain Customers only Stakeholders Attracting, maintaining, and enhancing customer relationships. Berry (1983, p. 25) RM refers to all marketing activities directed toward establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relational connections. Morgan and Hunt (1994, p. 22) To establish, maintain, enhance relationships with customers and other stakeholders, at a profit, so that the objectives of all parties involved are met, where this is done by mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises. Gronroos (1997, p. 407) Based on synthesis of 26 definitions of RM: organization engaged in proactively creating, developing and maintaining committed, interactive and profitable exchanges with selected customers [partners] over time. Harker (1999,p. 16) RM is the ongoing process of engaging in cooperative and collaborative activities and programs with immediate and end-user customers to create and enhance mutual economic value at reduced cost. Sheth and Parvatiyar (2000,p. 9) RM is a philosophy of doing business, a strategic orientation that focuses on keeping and improving current customers, rather than acquiring new customers. Zeithaml and Bitner (2000) As illustrated above in the table all definitions excluding Sheths and Parvatiyars have covered all the relationship lifecycle stages in their respective definitions of RM which are:- Establishing, is the stage of RM or marketing process of advertising and attracting new customers towards a brand or product, Little Marandi (2003). Enhancing is the process differentiating from competitors offerings where more attractive offers and benefits are offered to customers (e.g. sales and price drops), Coyles Gokey (2002). Maintaining is the extra effort taken by sellers to retain and ensure that their existing customers obtain continuous benefits from the product or service they have to offer (e.g. loyalty scemes), Morgan Hunt (1994). Morgan, Hunt and Gronroos have explained RM to cover the scope of not only customers but other stakeholders as well; however the scope of RM in this research study will only consider customers. Therefore the analysis of RM definition suggested for this research study is RM is a continuous marketing activity which involves establishing, enhancing and maintaining customers loyalty towards a certain product or service that is being offered by the seller involved. 2.1.1 Relationship Lifecycle The relationship lifecycle consists of the different stages (establishing, enhancing and maintaining) as aforementioned in the definitions of RM. Various RM theorists such as (Kotler, 2000; Jap Ganesan, 2000; White, 2000; Zineldin, 1996) illustrated the relationship lifecycle according to the respective stages and definitions of RM. Therefore the relationship lifecycle differs with additional stages in certain RM lifecycles by different theorists of RM (Little and Marandi, (2003: 69)). A suitable relationship lifecycle according to the agreeable definition of RM for this research study is illustrated below:- Figure 1 Relationship Lifecycle Source: Adapted from Little Marandi (2003) Relationship Marketing Management. The cycle above illustrates up to the stage of maintaining a customer relationship. However several definitions for example White (2000) Jap; Ganesan (2000) suggest that relationship lifecycle declines after the maintaining stage. Morgan Hunt (1994) argued that, due to carelessness in handling the relationship it may decline but there is also a possibility of the relationship between the buyer and seller remaining constant, in cases where customers are continuously rewarded for their loyalty towards a certain company or continue to perceive value, (Morgan and Hunt (1994:22); Little Marandi (2003:70)). 2.1.2 Understanding Perceived Value Baines, Fill and Page (2008) explains value is the customers estimate of the extent to which a product or service can satisfy their need. Customers determine a products value by considering alternative solutions and the costs associated with satisfying their need. For example if a customer is to purchase a shower gel, there will be many alternatives of purchase, however a customer will chose from a seller that provides additional value to its product, for example a 20% extra amount of the shower gel for the same price. Added value to a product such as, a good price, special offers, and good customer service will lead to high customer satisfaction, (Baines, Fill and Page (2008:672)). History of Relationship Marketing Research on the history of marketing suggest that marketing emerged in the beginning of the twentieth century, however there is no evidence as to when the theory of marketing actually emerged. During the industrial age, exchange occurred in the local markets, where farmers and craftspeople (producers) sold their products directly to end users. Producers represented both manufacturers and retailers, and embedded relationships between producers and consumers provided the trust and business norms necessary to conduct the transaction because few institutionalized protections existed, (Palmatier (2008:8)). Gronroos (1994) argues that RM is a paradigm shift in marketing from the previous concept of the marketing mix and the Four Ps of marketing (product, price, place place) which was introduced to the academic world in the 1950s by Neil Bordan. Groonroos also states that the marketing mix is a list of marketing variables that has become obsolete therefore the marketing academic occasionally offers additional Ps to the list, thus this proves that the marketing mix is very limited. Type of Model Theorist (Year) Scope 4Ps McCarthy (1960) Product, Price, Promotion, Place 5Ps Judd (1987) Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People 6Ps Kotler (1984) Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Political power, Public perspective 7Ps Booms Bitner (1981) Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Participants, Physical evidence, Process Source: Gummesson, E. (1994) Making Relationship Marketing Operational, International Journal of Service Industry Management. The changes in the marketing environment and the various factors that contributed to customer sophistication are; globalisation internationalisation of markets; continuous development of technology; increasing brand competitiveness among customers and fragmentation of media, Little Marandi, (2003). These factors have contributed a gap in the market which became a need for a new approach to retain customers, to gain their loyalty and to establish competitive approach. Therefore Gronroos (1994) states that RM can be said to be an evolved strategy to the marketing mix approach, which assists in obtaining sustainable competitive advantage and retain customers in the long run. However there is no evidence to when it was actually implemented but research by Palmatier (2008) suggest that RM emerged as a separate academic domain of marketing in the 1980s and it became more comprehensible in the 1990s from a historical perspective. Among those who were contributory in developing the concept of RM were Evert Gummesson at Stockholm University and Christian Gronroos at the Swedish School of Economics in the early 1980s (Gronroos (1994;4); Little Marandi (2003;11); Palmatier (2008;9). Effectiveness of Relationship Marketing Many theorists have researched on the subject and made different judgments on the effectiveness of RM, some of whom are Reichheld (1996) who argues that the smallest efforts in customer maintenance can increase company profit because it costs less to serve long-term customers; loyal customers will pay price premium as well as generate word-of-mouth recommendations to other potential customers. A study by Reinartz and Kumar (2000) claims that loyal customers cost less to serve and are usually willing to pay more for product varieties than non-loyal customers, as well as acted as word-of-mouth marketers for the company. While McKenna (1993) claims that long-term customer relationships helps gaining competitive advantage which leads to higher lifetime profit for firms. Correspondence of RM with other marketing concepts RM shares some similarities with other marketing concepts such as, customer relationship management (CRM) and brand equity. Williams (2006) defined CRM as an information industry term for software, and Internet capabilities that help an  enterprise  manage customer relationships in an organized way. While Payne Frow (2005) stated that CRM is a management approach that seeks to create, develop and enhance relationships with carefully targeted customers using the potential of information technology. Kotler Armstrong (2009) maintains that CRM involves building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction. It deals with all aspects of acquiring, keeping and growing customers. From the various definitions of CRM above Palmatier (2008) concludes that if RM is the skill of relationships, then CRM represents its application. Keller (1993) argues that brand equity represents different effects of brand knowledge on customer action, for example customers behave more favorably towards a product when they can identify the brand. While Rust, Lemon and Zeithaml (2004) maintain that brand equity is a product-centered concept that does not capture drivers of customer behavior completely. Although RM and branding activities similarly focus on building intangible customer assets that positively influence customer loyalty, purchase behaviors, or financial performance while reducing marketing costs, they differ fundamentally where branding focuses on products with extensions to firms whereas RM focusses on relationships and their extensions to firms. However the effect of brands and relationships on a customers attitude towards the firm is difficult to distinguish, Palmatier (2008). Strategies of Relationship Marketing A strategy is a senior managements plan of action with which the effort of the staff is coordinated, Waterman et al (1980). Little and Marandi (2003) argues that RM strategies assist to manage the assortment of the customer to ensure an even flow of profits in the long term, and to determine when relationships should be established, enhanced and maintained. As Groonroos (1996) points out, however, the essence of RM is in the organisations processes, rather than its planning. Little and Marandi (2003) illustrates the key strategies as follows; establishing relationships involves target marketing techniques and advertisement programmes that are able to communicate relevant value. It is also established by simplifying the service offer by giving clarity regarding the benefits and terms and conditions of payment and use as well as encouraging trial. Relationships with customers can be enhanced by differentiating among competitors offerings. Relationships are maintained by not neglecting existing and safeguarding the customers satisfaction with and trust in supplier. It is also done by communicating with customers for building successful long-term relationships, by fostering trust and creating customer satisfaction as well as rewarding loyalty as customers remain loyal for as long as the perceived benefits outweigh the perceived sacrifice. Determinants of RM Outcomes Several theorist have mentioned different determinants of lengthening the lifetime value of an existing customer, such as Olivers (1981) model of customer satisfaction suggests that quality of the product or service offered by the seller is one of the most essential to obtain customer satisfaction which will later attract the buyer to return and buy the same product again. Whereas Hennig-Thurau et al. (2002) proposes that loyalty benefits are essential to obtain customer long term relationship, as every giving expects a return, even customers expect their share of return after shopping from a particular seller. An example of a loyalty scheme is the loyalty card which helps hooking up customers to buy from a particular seller to obtain benefits such as discounts from that particular seller. Hennig-Thurau et al. also stated price, customer service and convenience as other factors that drive relationship marketing outcomes. The relationship between price and quality are parallel to each other. Customers are willing to pay extra to obtain better quality products, however customers naturally get attracted to lowest prices that offer a reasonable quality and quantity for the amount paid for. Another essential part of retaining an existing customer is during and after sale service. This gains customer trust and satisfaction as they are given the liberty and ease to exchange, return and obtain additional information about the product or service they purchased. Convenience created for customers such as a strategic location (nearby their housing arrears) and is accessible at any time makes customers to frequently return. Dibb et al. (2006) argues that CRM systems which uses technology that allows marketers to practice effective customer maintenance strategies by monitoring, rewarding and reminding them about goods and services, is a major factor for developing RM outcomes. Technology is also used to ease the process of buying for customers, for example, having an online site that allows customers to purchase, refund, review and complaint at anytime and anywhere and having self-service cashier machines at stores and etc. Humby et al. (2007) also recognize product range as a determinant because it influences daily and frequent business transactions, which also influences the convenience factor aforementioned. Outcomes of Relationship Marketing RM determinants that are applied in a certain company to eventually obtain outcomes that bring an overall increase in the profit margin of a company, Little and Marandi (2003). These outcomes are classified into two key main RM outcomes that lead to customer loyalty which are trust and commitment, Morgan Hunt (1994). Trust is defined as willingness to rely on an exchange partner in whom one has confidence, Rotter (1967). The literature on trust argues on the confidence of the buyer towards the seller which results from the firm believed to be reliable and has high integrity and is responsible for their actions, Morgan Hunt (1994). Commitment is the variable believed to be central in distinguishing social from economic exchange, Cook Emerson (1978). For a company to achieve commitment from a customer is the most challenging task, as customers are vulnerable towards better quality and price offered elsewhere. To be able to maintain a committed relationship with a customer a firm has to keep updated with attractive return benefits for customers to continuously shop from them, Little and Marandi (2003). The commitment and trust theory (Morgan Hunt, 1994) suggests that RM can be achieved if customer satisfaction is exceptionally high. Customer satisfaction is achieved when all the determinants of RM are applied and practiced well by the firm. Highly satisfied customers will increase customer loyalty as well as spread the word of mouth to their circle of communication which gives a high possibility of attracting new customers. Demographic factors influencing Relationship Marketing Demographic factors such as age, gender, income, location, occupation and education are used to target consumers for marketing purposes, Schmidt Spreng (1996). Consumer behavior differs by demographic factors as Gaurav (2008) argues that significant gender difference in the trust loyalty relationship shows that women are significantly more loyal than men at higher levels of trust. Klein and Ford, (2003) maintained that the age of consumers is positively linked with knowledge and experience, such that older consumers could be more committed than younger consumers. According to Kotler et al. (2009) place or location of a business entity influences the type of target customers it attracts as well as the convenience it delivers to the consumers. Aforementioned demographic factors, such as gender, age and place are clearly linked to RM and therefore are used for this study. Criticism of Relationship Marketing Although there are many marketing theorist supporting the RM concept, however the subject is not without its critics. Blois (1998) has criticized RM by stating that developing a relationship inevitably results in some loss of control over matters such as resources, activities and intentions. Blois continues his argument by stating that a relationship is subject to continuous change, with an uncertain future which is determined by its history, current events and the parties expectations of future events. Other than that effort is required to build and maintain a relationship. This can be viewed as an investment and a maintenance cost. Moreover there is always a need to prioritize the use of limited resources and, hence, it may not be possible to pursue all of the individually attractive opportunities. Additionally, some relationships may be irreconcilable with an existing relationship. Reinartz Kumar (2005) adds that although some companies are happy with the results of their RM prog rams, yet they are unable to identify precisely the factors that explain such success, Summary The literature review enclosed different definitions of RM by various theorists which all proposed three different stages of RM which are establishing, enhancing and maintaining relationships; and the scope of RM which focuses upon stakeholders or customers only, however this analysis will only take customers into consideration. It then continued to discuss on the strategies used by RM which explains tactics to manage the relationship across the different stages of RM aforementioned, which are establishing, enhancing and maintaining relationships. It also includes view and opinions of different theorists regarding the effectiveness of RM. Followed by the views of theorists about the determinants of RM which lead to a discussion on several theorists views and opinions on how a seller-customer relationship is build. In order to test the opinions of the theorists between the relationship of RM determinants, customer satisfaction and word or mouth marketers four hypotheses are drawn out which are illustrated in Figure 2. An overview of the literature review is summarized in Figure 3. Figure 2 Hypotheses drawn from RM statements by theorists Figure 3 Process of Relationship Marketing The effectiveness and values of RM were further elaborated by discussing the relationship lifecycle and customers perceived value which explained the criteria of RM as well as the importance of having it and how do customers perceive it. Although some theorists claimed it as effective others such as Blois condemned the effectiveness of RM.

The Role of Ethnicity and Race in the Way Audiences Interpret Media Mes

The Role of Ethnicity and Race in the Way Audiences Interpret Media Messages According to the sociological definition of race and ethnicity, there is a close interrelation between race and ethnicity. Race has not been defined by the biological difference that it is stood on the social construct. Race does not discriminate the skin color from others which is related to the ethnicity. Race is defined on the social construct which based on physical and cultural features (Fulcher & Scott, 2007). ‘Ethnicity is a general category for describing collective identities’ (Fulcher & Scott, 2007:200). Ethnicity is based on the cultural and historical background that it means the people in this ethnic group is sharing the same language, religion and same experience of life. Ethnicity is the ethnic characteristic for the specific race. Ethnicities represent the role for separating the different race. In terms of race, people might have the racism to the different culture of others which might base on the historical colonization, the control of the western culture and so on (Fulcher& Scott, 2007). This racism also occurs in the media. The western media may intentionally neglect the people of Black or Asian. Media are more likely to use the white people as their main character. Although media has increased the number of the Black and Asian people in recent year on the screen, there is still the inequality in the media product. The Black and Asian people might totally disappear in some scene which is shot in the place with the large number of Black and Asian people (Ross & Playdon, 2001). This phenomenon provokes the anger and dissatisfaction of the Black and Asian people. Also, media may offer the wrong information for those minorit... ...rom you born to die that race is innate for everyone. In this world, everyone is equal that each person might have the same right to stay in this society. Works Cited Fulcher, J. and Scott, J., (2007) Sociology 3rd ed., Oxford : Oxford University Press Ross,K.,(2001) White Media, Black audience: Diversity and Dissonance on British Television in Ross, K. & Playdon, P.(eds.) Black marks : minority ethnic audiences and media, London: Ashgate Dines, G. & Humez, J.M.(eds.) (2002) Gender, race, and class in media : a text-reader London : Sage Dickinson,R., Harindranath, R. & Linnà ©. O.,(1998) Approaches to audiences : a reader, London : Arnold Saltzis, K.(Professor), (2010 February 23) CULTURAL STUDIES AND THE AUDIENCE Lecture 5, University of Leicester, UK Downing, J. & Husband, C. (2005) Representing race: racisms, ethnicities and media, London: SAGE

Communications Journal Essay

Write a 700- to 1,050-word journal entry in the narrative style. Refer to this week’s readings to inform your responses. Describe the flow of information in your company. In your journal, discuss the following: The intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural levels of communication within your company How information travels up, down, and across your organization and how it relates to the basic communications model The functions of the Y hierarchy of managerial communications. Does it apply to your organization’s communication hierarchy? A comparison of at least three managerial communication approaches you have observed in your organization At least three potential barriers to effective communications that exist in your company Format your journal entry consistent with APA guidelines. Information flow within an organization is just one key element to any organizations success. During this entry I will be describing the communication levels of Cubic, which is currently the organization that I work for. How that information flow from top to bottom, and the communication of the upper level management. I will also be comparing three managerial approaches within the company that I have observed, and three potential barriers to the communication within my organization. The intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational and intercultural levels of communications are all on display within the Cubic organization. There are multiple Taff’s within building 990 on Fort Irwin providing the same product for the government. Each Taff is comprised of six to nine personnel who are continuously communicating to provide a product for the government. Interpersonal communication is continuously conducted within each group so that nothing ever falls between the cracks. Indi viduals are always communicating with themselves due to the constant mission changes and be able to adapt to change quickly. There is a very diverse workforce here also, mostly all retirees but from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As mentioned previously we generally work in small groups and communicate like one. It is almost like every Taff is its own little click,  we talk about others and they talk about us. So outside of our Taff we can generally be considered rivals in a matter of speaking. Information travels generally in one direction from our customer (Government) to us. There are occasions when we have a little say so in the actual product but for the most part it is a one-sided show. We have the Government, site manager Paul Zamora, our Taff Lead is Clarence Butler, and then there is the Taff. Generally the government provides Paul with marching orders that are eventually passed to out Taff lead Mr. Butler and we perform the tasks necessary to meet the quota of the government. The channel used is generally internet from the sender (government) to the Taff, via site manager and t aff lead. The feedback would be the product produced by the individuals working in the taff, and as long as the product meets the standards of the sender all is in good working order. The functions of Y Hierarchy of managerial communications do exist within this organization. Our manager is continuously creating and encouraging a wonderful work environment and providing opportunities for employees to take the initiative and self-direction. Management is always looking for new ways for employees to make significant contributions within the organization. Behavioral, empowerment, and contingency are the three managerial communication approaches that I have observed within the organization that I currently work for. Empowerment is the distribution or entrustment of power or authority to his or hers subordinates within an organization. Generally used when upper management is out of work for certain amount of time. Empowerment also encourages the employees to get more involved with the organization. The contingency approach is seen a lot in our Taff, Mr. Butler knows that there is more than one way to skin a cat and whichever way produces the best result is generally the path that is taken. This is probably the approach seen mostly around the Cubic organization because of the results that are produced. Behavioral approach comes with trust and individual character. Managers have been seen trusting and respecting the employees more now than ever due the product that the taffs put out for the military customer. Personality, emotional, and physical are the three potential barriers to effective communication within the Cubic organization. Everyone here has their own personality and that can sometimes create an issue throughout the  business day. Individuals are loaded with many traits that create personal attitudes, approaches, angles, quirks and different views on the world. There are many occasions in which this trait has stalled communication between two individuals and in some case hurt the overall product. Emotional barriers can be the worst. There are many individual at cubic that let things go straight to the head and forget that we are at the workplace. Emotions should not be brought to work with you at all, you should be able to brush things off and move on with the job. Managers are often seen using a softer touch to get through to the individuals with emotional issues. Physical barriers are one of the most common around my work place. There are many occasions that we are working with a wall between co-workers and with communication being the key to our success problem will generally arise on occasions. We have made complaints on many occasions with the same results â€Å"deal with it†.

Rhetorical Definition and Examples Syllepsis

Rhetorical Definition and Examples Syllepsis Syllepsis is a rhetorical term for a kind of ellipsis in which one word (usually a verb) is understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it modifies or governs. Adjective: sylleptic. As Bernard Dupriez points out in A Dictionary of Literary Devices (1991), There is little agreement among rhetoricians on the difference between syllepsis and zeugma, and Brian Vickers notes that even the Oxford English Dictionary confuses syllepsis and zeugma (Classical Rhetoric in English Poetry, 1989). In contemporary rhetoric, the two terms are commonly used interchangeably to refer to a figure of speech in which the same word is applied to two others in different senses. EtymologyFrom the Greek, a taking Examples E.B. WhiteWhen I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes.Dave BarryWe consumers like names that reflect what the company does. We know, for example, that International Business Machines makes business machines, and Ford Motors makes Fords, and Sara Lee makes us fat.Anthony LaneAna... first meets Christian Grey at Grey House, which is home to Grey Enterprises, in Seattle... Ana, ushered into his presence, stumbles first over the threshold and then over her words.Robert HutchinsonVegetarianism is harmless enough, though it is apt to fill a man with wind and self-righteousness.Sue TownsendI searched for a sign that she had witnessed more of Mrs. Urquharts scandalous behavior, but her face was its usual mask of Max Factor foundation and disappointment with life.Charles DickinsMiss Bolo rose from the table considerably agitated, and went straight home in a flood of tears, and a sedan chair.Ambrose BiercePiano, n. A parlor utensil for subduing the impenitent visitor. It is operated by depressing the keys of the machine and the spirits of the audience. James ThurberI finally told Ross, late in the summer, that I was losing weight, my grip, and possibly my mind.Margaret AtwoodYou most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality.Tyler HiltonYou took my hand and breath away.Mick Jagger and Keith RichardsShe blew my nose and then she blew my mind.Dorothy ParkerIts a small apartment. Ive barely enough room to lay my hat and a few friends. Observations Maxwell NurnbergZeugma, syllepsis- even dictionaries and linguists find it difficult to agree on which is which. They agree only that what is generally involved is a verb (or some other part of speech) that is doing double duty. In one case theres a syntactical problem; in the other, a verb has two or more objects yoked together, objects that are not compatible, since for each the verb is used in a different sense; for example, He took his hat and his departure.Kuang-ming WuSignificantly, zeugma or syllepsis is word-yoking often because it is meaning-yoking. In opening the door and heart to the homeless boy, for instance, opening the heart opens the door, for it is the heart that opens or closes the door; to open yokes the heart inside with the door outside. To open performs a zeugma-activity. Or is it syllepsis? In any case, metaphor performs both functions . . .. Metaphor is a zeugma(-syllepsis) yoking two matters under one word (verb), yoking old and alien, past and future. Pronunciation: si-LEP-sis

Civil Action Plan Paper Teen Drinking †Health Essay

Civil Action Plan Paper Teen Drinking – Health Essay Free Online Research Papers Hi, my name is Marshall Mathers, I’m an alcoholic†-eminem, â€Å"I sip a Heiniken brew, for my deceased crew†- Nas. These are just two of thousands of quotes in songs referring to alcohol. This can be very influential towards teens who listen to this music to drink at a young age. But then again, what does not? Alcohol is in movies, songs, advertisemnts, pictures, tv shows, and at home used by parents, or other teens. So, with all of these influences, why do 75% of parents believe that their teen does not drink, when over 80% of high school students have at least once had alcohol? Also, why has the government not stepped in to specifically help out teen drinkers through AA type meetings? There are also no non-profit orgainizations geared specifically towards teen drinkers. The most common and perhaps only influential anti-teen drinking addressing would be a brief lesson in heath class. This is not enough. This then leads to many problems, and my groups civil action plan. Parents, and even the government, seem to be ignorant to the fact that children are drinking which is why my group had come up with a support group for teen drinkers. It is first best to hear the teen drinking statitics before anything. Beware, because these first few facts are shocking. The average age for boys to first try alcohol is 11, and is 13 for girls. The average age at which Americans begin drinking regularly is 16 years old. 60% of high-schoolers drink weekly. 11% of alcohol that is consumed by America is consumed by teenagers. Drinking such large amounts at such young ages can lead to serious problem; both mentally and physically. Teenagers, as everybody knows, can be and are very irresponsible. They think not of the consequences, because they only think of the short term benfits. This is why teens are three times more likely to drive drunk then adults. One leading cause of this is because a designated driver, better know as DD, is never established before hand. When that 12:00 am call from the house arrives, by this point, the een and his friends are all unablke to drive. The most important thing to the teen is making it home on time without getting in truoble; not about driving drunk or making it home ALIVE. This is why in our teen drinking anonymous program a DD will be a big topic. The three leading causes of death for 15- to 24-year-olds are automobile crashes, homicides and suicides alcohol is a leading factor in all three. If teens see the consequenes of drining impaired and the importance of a DD, lives will be saved. It is a proven fact that children that have been informed about alcohol and warned of the dangers by their parents are less likely to drink. This will be another part of our civil action plan. Informing parents to tell their children is very crutial. Sending out fliers to homes stating things such as how many American teens/ high school students drink, how many are in drunk driving accidents, and the statistical benefit of teaching your child, young or old, the harms of drinking will have a great impact.if parents preach at home their dissatisfaction of underaged drinker will make young children less likely to drink, and make already drinking teens think twice about what they are doing. Behavioral and drug problems also come hand in hand with teen drinking. Teens age 12 to 17 who use alcohol are more likely to report behavioral problems, especially aggressive, delinquent and criminal behaviors, according to findings of a new study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The study further revealed that teen alcohol users wether they are heavy or light drinkers report they are more likely to use illicit drugs than non-drinkers. Teens who were current heavy drinkers were 16 times more likely than non-drinkers to have used an illicit drug in the past month. Light drinkers were eight times more likely to have used an illicit drug in the past month than non-drinking adolescents. This is another big problem with take drinking. Many people believe that marijiuana is a gateway drug; once one uses weed enough times theyb want to move on to more â€Å"hardcore† drugs to get a better ad more lasting high, or just for fun. Th is concept can then be applied to alcohol. If alcohol, as it is statistically shown, is in a way a stepping stone to use gateway drugs such a marijiuana, why is alcohol not taken as seriously for teens as marijiuana? The CAP orgainzed group, Teenage Drinker Anonymous or TDA, will show the connection between drugs and alcohol. The task of the Civil Action Plan is to develop solution to a particular issue, and the issue had to be a social issue. Teens who drink are a group in society who suffer from an injustice, because they are unaware of the facts and consequences of drinking. The expert briefly interviwed, Peter Rupert, volunteers a few times a month to work at AA meetings. He agrees that alcohol should be talked about in homes at a young age to prevent teen drinking. He also stated that teens who drink are a group of people who â€Å"suffer from a lack of knowledge†. Setting up the TDA groups will be open to both drinkers, and non-drinkers who would jut like to hear the facts. Fliers will be sent out at school and to homes regarding the amount of teens statistically drinking and what can lead from teen drinking. The fliers and posters will raise a physical awareness. The meetings will be very welcoming and non-judgemental. Hopefully with the TDA orgainization and all the fliers and post ers, awareness of this social injustice will be raised. Research Papers on Civil Action Plan Paper Teen Drinking - Health EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseStandardized TestingThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoWhere Wild and West Meet

Collaborating Community Nursing and Faith Based Nursing Essay

Collaborating Community Nursing and Faith Based Nursing - Essay Example In the same way community based entities offer sensitive patient care and high quality health care to cater for the diverse health care needs in the population. The idea of faith nursing is widely referred to as parish nursing was started in 1985 and has developed immensely to date into one of the most popular forms of the nursing practice in the community setting (DeHaven, 2004). The revolutionary concept works towards incorporating healing and faith and concentrates on promotion of health within the confines of the values, beliefs and practices of the church. More importantly the concept links parishioners to the church through the provision of respect and compassion to the basics of health care. Cooperation between faith-based communities and parish nurses is beneficial to all members of society especially those that are marginalized as well as those that have not been covered by a health insurance cover (Burns and Grove, 2010). To start with this cooperation facilitates access to health care mainly to the individuals that have been isolated in society. This includes the elderly, the homeless and individuals from minority groups in the population (DeHaven, 2004). For instance, a parish nurse visited an elderly woman who was locked up and was ailing from pneumonia and found that no one had visited her or even tried to call her in a period of two months. This is a highly common occurrence especially when dealing with homebound individuals that cannot access health care. This cooperation facilitates the development of a medical schedule through the warm presence of the parish nurses. They go ahead to explain the purpose of the schedule and the anticipated results (Burns and Grove, 2010). At the end of every session recite a prayer. This is important in the overall healing process as well as patient participation (DeHaven, 2004). The current health care

Nation Branding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nation Branding - Essay Example In as much as the country has various setbacks, there are various ways the country can exploit in order to realize positive image overseas. The world economic outlook of a country is a tremendously influential factor, which can either attract or chase investors. It is in this regards that many countries try to maintain an economic outlook, which draws a positive picture, thereby attracting investors. This is an opportunity; Japan can use to brand, the county’s image, considering stability, which the country has, witnessed from the past (Dinnie 10). For example, it is a country in the midst of transforming its tax system from the previous large system tax-free saving accounts to lowered individual marginal taxes. The new system allows a reduction in statutory corporation rate. This is a chance, which investors can make use of in various areas of investment. In as much as the new tax system takes into effect a new income tax, it gets evidenced that it encourages investors. Consequently, Japan is a country endorsed with many tourist facilities, which it can use to collect revenue from tourists. For instance, Kobe tourist attractions spread like a ribbon for a distance of 30 km (Kis 23). The city is endorsed with various facilities including the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and Arima, one of the oldest areas of Japan characterized by many springs and steam jets. Tourism is a sector, which helps in the collection of many funds from tourists and has seen the economic growth of many institutions. This, therefore, is a chance the Japanese government can use to brand the country, hence changing the outlook from the various world perspectives (Jincui 01). Last but importantly, Japan is one of the countries considered secure in terms terrorist attacks, as well as minor security problems. As compared to other countries like the United States of America, Japan does not have political enemies. This makes it a neutral country, which when invest or

Part 3 of Health Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Part 3 of Health Campaign - Essay Example the target population by examining global implications, environmental factors, and disease prevention; and (4) to provide a summary of useful epidemiology or other data models managers may use to make decisions on the ground and to anticipate future trends on obesity. The issues that surround obesity threatening the health condition of the American population cannot be overemphasized. Healthy People 2010 proffered a comprehensive discourse on specific objectives, agencies involved in monitoring and directly addressing obesity related issues, the models and systems used for monitoring this chronic illness and epidemiologic surveillance systems and tools which guide community based health practitioners and ultimately, national agencies in recommending solutions to this dilemma. The scope of the health campaign to fight and prevent obesity on a wide scale level encompassed an evaluation of the target population, as well as the community based response to the issue. Starting from the grass root level of identifying the root causes and enumerating the specific strategies that communities plan to implement as a means of addressing and preventing obesity within their localities, the road to prevention is made more viable and feasible through coordinated efforts of both local and national agencies. The critical roles of leaders in communities and institutions, as well as funding and social marketing which contribute to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and in enforcing strategies to ultimately prevent obesity were previously identified. In this regard, this paper is written with the objective of developing a health campaign on obesity as one of the national issues identified in Healthy People 2010, specifically focusing on the following: (1) to recommend the implementation of a campaign for obesity to improve population health addressing social, economic, and cultural factors; (2) to recommend approaches, such as programs, policies, laws, and environmental aspects,

Computerisation in a business like Craven Plc Essay Example for Free

Computerisation in a business like Craven Plc Essay Plotters: A device designed to produce charts, drawings, maps and other forms of graphical information on paper. The images can be produced by pens, electro-statically, or ink jets. Storage Methods There are two different forms of storage available these are main storage and backing storage. Main Storage: This consists of the Hard disk drive (HDD) and the floppy disk drive. These are storage facilities present within the computer. Information can be saved onto the HDD ready to be opened at some future date. Application software packages and programmes are also stored on the hard disk. The average PC will have an internal HDD of at least 6Gb. The floppy disk drive is another type of main storage. It uses floppy disks to store information in a similar way to a hard drive. Backing Storage: The performance of a computer system can be improved by the addition of more memory. If there is too little memory then more frequent access to the hard disk is required and this will slow down the overall system performance. Therefore many computer applications require quick, direct access to individual records within a file. For this reason, we need backing storage. Backing storage comes in various forms for example compact disks and floppy disks. Backing storage is a portable and convenient way of saving information. To reduce the risk of data loss it is wise to save information on the computers hard drive and make a copy onto a disk or another type of backing storage for insurance purposes. Types of backing storage:   Floppy disks: The most common storage device available, these provide extremely cheap storage and have a capacity of 1. 5 Mb.   Compact Disk (CD-ROM): These have been used for some years as storage devices for computer software. It only accesses information which is already stored on it and is able to store 650 Mb of information.   Zip Drives: A storage device that has become popular over the last few years because it offers the convenience and portability of a floppy disk, combined with a 100 Mb capacity. CD-R and CD-RW:The difference being that CD-R disks can only have data saved to them once, While CD-RW can be used in the same manner as other storage devices having data saved to them on a re-usable basis.   DVD (digital versatile disc) using the same basic principles as the CD, DVD packs the data more densely and can store 4. 7Gb compared with the CDs 650Mg, can hold 133 minutes of video, with Dolby surround sound. Data pens: A new storage device that plugs into the computers USP drive. These are small and compact and have a capacity of 80Mb. Magnetic Tape: Convenient and cheap medium for backing up hard disks onto computers. Mostly used for mainframe computers for storing information for a long duration. Magnetic tapes will not be suitable for a small company like Craven Plc. Data Protection: Craven Plc must comply with the data protection act in order to hold personal information of customers. The data protection act works in two ways. It gives you certain rights. It also says those who record and use personal information must be open about how the information is used and must follow the eight principles for good handling. The eight principles were put in place to make sure that your information is handled properly. They say that data must be: 1. Fairly and lawfully processed. 2. Processed for limited purposes. 3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive. 4. Accurate. 5. Not kept for longer than is necessary. 6. Processed in line with your rights. 7. Secure, and 8. Not transferred to countries without adequate protection. Micro computers: Micro computers include personal computers and laptop computers, they are usually equipped with hard disk, floppy disk drive, between 1 and 32 megabytes of memory, a keyboard and a VDU unit. Microcomputers will be suitable to fulfil the needs of Craven Plc. Mainframe Computers: These are large systems that can hold vast amounts of data. Mainframe computers occupy a whole floor of a fair sized building. These powerful mainframe computers are present in very large companies storing huge amounts of data on to disk. Mainframe computers cost tens of thousands of pounds, therefore they are not suitable for a small business like Craven Plc. File Server: This is a specially configured microcomputer to control the exchange of files between network users. A file server also has more memory and disk storage than normal microcomputers. These classifications of computers are usually based on physical size, speed, processing capabilities, memory size, disc storage, capacities and cost. Direct and Sequential Access: Direct access devices can go directly to the file or record. For example a CD can go directly to track number 10. Sequential access devices have to run through the file sequentially, for instance, if we want track 10 on a cassette, The cassette moves from the beginning from track 1 to 9 until it comes to track 10. 4) Proposed purchases and prices of equipment 2x Sony Intel 2. 6GHZ DVD CDRW Laptop   256Mb RAM, 40Gb Hard Drive   DVD/CDRW Drive   15 inch TPT screen i 899 each = i 1798 4x Packard Bell 6111 Intel Pentium 42. 8GHZ processor and 15 TFT monitor   Intel P4 2. 8 GHz processor 512 Mb RAM   160 GHb Hard Drive i 1199 each =i 4796 4x PacKard Bell 5050 and Xp2600+ PC and 17 CRT monitor   Athlon Xp 2600 processor   256Mb RAM. 60 Gb hard Drive i 549 each =i 2196 4x Hewlet Packard DJ 9300 A3 Desktop printer i 279 each =i 1116 3x Hewlet Packard scanner i 99 each =i 396 Network- Windows 2000 professional i 3449 Web Designer Approx 3000to4000 Training costs i 2000 Specialist soft ware Sage Accounts i 2000 Web Train Video Conferencing i 1000 Total cost i 22751 5) Proposed method of change over from manual to the new computerised systems Before the change over can take place an extensive training programme needs to take place. This may take several months to train the current workforce in the correct operating procedures of the new system. To ensure information will not be lost in transition the old manual method needs to be in place for the first 2 months along side the new computerised system. In the unlikely case of system collapse information and data will still be on hand. This change over will inevitably endure a small cost of training and staff development. 6) Procedure to transfer the payroll from the old to the new system Payroll is something Craven Plc cannot afford to get wrong. Therefore manual systems need to be in place for 3-4 months along side the new computerised sage accounts system. This will again ensure against loss of data.

Customers Satisfaction Services

Customers Satisfaction Services INTRODUCTION Organizations have been increasingly interested in retaining existing customers while targeting non-customers; measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products. Because satisfaction is basically a psychological state, care should be taken in the effort of quantitative measurement, although a large quantity of research in this area has recently been developed. Work done by Berry, Brodeur between 1990 and 1998(1) defined ten Quality Values which influence satisfaction behavior, further expanded by Berry in 2002 and known as the ten domains of satisfaction. These ten domains of satisfaction include: Quality, Value, Timeliness, Efficiency, Ease of Access, Environment, Inter-departmental Teamwork, Front line Service Behaviors, Commitment to the Customer and Innovation. These factors are emphasized for continuous improvement and organizational change measurement and are most often utilized to develop the architecture for satisfaction measurement as an integrated model. Work done by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry between 1985 and 1988 provides the basis for the measurement of customer satisfaction with a service by using the gap between the custom ers expectation of performance and their perceived experience of performance. This provides the measurer with a satisfaction gap which is objective and quantitative in nature. Work done by Cronin and Taylor propose the confirmation/disconfirmation theory of combining the gap described by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry as two different measures (perception and expectation of performance) into a single measurement of performance according to expectation. According to Garbrand, customer satisfaction equals perception of performance divided by expectation of performance. The usual measures of customer satisfaction involve a survey (2) with a set of statements using a Likert Technique or scale. The customer is asked to evaluate each statement and in term of their perception and expectation of the performance of the organisation being measured. To efficiently deal with customer satisfaction, coordination of all departments of a company, from the marketing to the human resources, operations and financial departments is not only critical, but they should also be involved in the process. The aim of this report is to reflect on the customer satisfaction in all the processes and operations at the NIKE, Inc. The focus will be on the numerous systems and activities set up by the company to meet overall customer satisfaction. However, it would be of great relevance to firstly investigate who is a customer in general and what is the nature of customer service. A literature review on customer satisfaction and an assessment of the business environment will then follow. Secondly, an analysis of customer satisfaction through the various processes and systems established at the NIKE, Inc. will be undertaken. In a third chapter, an evaluation of customer satisfaction at the BMW Group in relation to the theories will be carried out. Finally, a conclusion and recommendations will follow. Company Background Nikes Heritage NIKE, pronounced NI-KEY, is the winged goddess of victory according to Greek mythology. She sat at the side of Zeus, the ruler of the Olympic pantheon, in Olympus. A mystical presence, symbolizing victorious encounters, NIKE presided over historys earliest battlefields. A Greek would say, When we go to battle and win, we say it is NIKE. Synonymous with honored conquest, NIKE is the twentieth century footwear that lifts the worlds greatest athletes to new levels of mastery and achievement. The NIKE swoosh embodies the spirit of the winged goddess who inspired the most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) The Swoosh The SWOOSH logo is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00. In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) History Nike was founded in the year of 1968 by Philip H. Knight, who is currently the Owner, Chairman, and CEO of the company.   Phil Knight completed his education from the University of Oregon and the Stanford Business School by 1962, (Moore, 128).   As an aspiring young business man, he decided to travel to Japan and speak to the president of Tiger shoes.   He presented himself as an American distributor of athletic equipment when he actually had nothing.   He was pretty sneaky, however, he got what he wanted and began selling running shoes under the name of Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Once he became bored with selling shoes at sporting events from the back of his truck, he began producing his own athletic apparel, (nike/history.htm).   He renamed his so-called company Nike and hoped for the best to happen.   Within the first year, he sold $8000.00 worth of shoes and only received a $250.00 profit, (nike/history.htm).   After some time, Knight turned to his old coach from sch ool, Bill Bowerman, for advice on what to do next.   Phil Knight wanted Nike to stand out above the rest.   Once Bill Bowerman came up with the idea for having traction on the bottom of shoes, Nike had finally made its mark, (nike/history.htm).   The Nike Waffle Trainer stood out and made Nike the most unique shoe company of the 1970s.    By the year of 1979, Nike was the most well-known shoe company in the world.   They no longer just sold shoes but sporting equipment as well.   However, the joy of being on top came crashing down when Reebok surpassed Nike with the aerobic phase in athletics.   In order to maintain the reputation of Nike, the worlds best shoe corporation, Nike struck back by diversifying their shoes for different kinds of sports activities.   Nike continued to rise in success throughout its prosperity by signing famous sports players ( ex. Michael Jordan) and using intelligent advertising tactics, (nike/history.htm).   Today, Nike is a four billio n dollar business that has had its ups and downs.   As of now, Nike is having difficulties with the publicity it is receiving about its labor practices in China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Chapter 1: Theoretical aspects of customer satisfaction 1. The concept of customer in general A customer refers to individuals or households that purchase goods and services generated within the economy. The word historically derives from custom, meaning habit; a customer was someone who frequented a particular shop, who made it a habit to purchase goods there, and with whom the shopkeeper had to maintain a relationship to keep his or her custom, meaning expected purchases in the future. Customer needs may be defined as the goods or services a customer requires to achieve specific goals. Different needs are of varying importance to the customer. Customer expectations are influenced by cultural values, advertising, marketing, and other communications, both with the supplier and with other sources. Both customer needs and expectations may be determined through interviews, surveys, conversations, data mining or other methods of collecting information. Customers at times do not have a clear understanding of their needs. Assisting in determining needs can be a valuable service to the customer. In the process, expectations may be set or adjusted to correspond to known product capabilities or service. 1.1 Customer Service Customers are the essential to the business. Basically, the business makes profit from the product sales, so it depends how many customers purchase the companys products. Recently, most of firms are not only to focus their products decoration and price, but also pay attention to the those customer whom buy the products. For instance: listen with understanding, ask questions, apologize, take fair and corrective action and remain courteous to the customers.The profit of a business increase markedly the more loyal, long-standing customers it has. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent service to attract and keep the customer. To begin with, a customer who is a person or business buying goods or services from another. And the customer service is helping and supporting the customer before, during and after they purchase the product. Normally, the customers can be broken into to two types categories: external and internal. External customers are who buy goods or services that are not employed by or combined with the business selling the goods or providing the service. Internal customers which means the people within an organization to whom work is passed or to whim a service provided. The four basic aims for the customers are, what they want, when they want, where there want it and what price they willing to pay. Nowadays, the customers service is quite important to a firm, because of the following reasons. First one is to make the business profitable; of course, it is most important principle to a firm. The second reason, it is differentiation with other competitors. In a market, may be have many of firms produce the products almost the same style, same quality and same price. Hence, the customers might depends the which firms can be provided good service, and this can be helped them to make a decision to buy which brand of product. Beside that above two reasons, if the company provides the excellent services to the customer, who will come back. This is the key for a firm to live longer in a competition market. How many customers will do â€Å"repeat business† with company according to how better services they can obtain. Lastly, as the similar reason with second one, which is increasing competition in the market. Especially, currently most of Mutil-company joining into the domestic e conomic, therefore, the firms really needs to keep their good customer service that not going to be eliminated by the market. Customer services are so crucial to any company, hence, there have some ways that to provide an excellent customer service. First of all, responding any questions from customers. Whatever from the customer calls, E-mail and letters. Customers have higher requirement of response time. If the customer will not be answered quickly, they may think that they are not important and have been ignored; and start to move to other company. One example, like UGR company, we have three groups each week and many sales people to do the same job, which is responding the customers E-mails or letters. However, due to the improper manage, lots of letters and E-mails response to one customer too many times, in contrast, other customers have been ignored. As a result, the company will lose the business with those customers. Secondly, understanding the customers need, such as satisfy customers emotional satisfaction. There are 4 main points that the enterprise should achieve to satisfy customers emotional needs. Fist one is making the customers feel to be understood. This depends on the communication between the company and clients, like a good listener, it lets the customer feel nothing is hindering between their and the company. The second one is to feel welcome. They like to feel that you are happy to see them and that they are important to you. Welcome delivery the image about that the company is happy to see them to the customer. Then the customers need to feel to be important. Ensuring that every customer feels that they are attached importance. To feel important can increase the goods that are consumed by every customer, because they feel the company respects them. Finally, the company should supply a comfort environment to the customer, such as good decoration, a nice music, some soft seats to si t and cup of drinks. All of these images not only make the customers have a happy mood, but also give them a feeling of that the company can take care them properly. To be a great people is other point. For example, speak to people, smile, be friendly and helpful, call people by name, enjoy yourself, be genuine ,be considerate, be thoughtful, be willing and be generous. Sometimes, I do not want to buy something from shop, however, the staffs make me feel they are polite and have a beautiful smile. Therefore, I change my mind to buy something. The other point is listening and communication with your workers. A good leader who is always concerns their employees thinking. Workers to understand that their own well-being is affected by providing good customer service. For example, I had a part-time job before, which is selling the earrings and necklaces. In the first few weeks, my boss just told me try to sell them as much as you can, but she did not taught me how to do. Later, I told her I do not how to describe the feature about each style and she taught me how to say, at the end, I sold many products. Hence, the communication is quite important between the boss and work. Lastly, the enterprise attempts to reducing high product in order to reduce the loss in the business. The enterprise needs concern the household in the whole economy. Most of people cannot afford the high price. Therefore, for the firms might be lost some customers that affect the profit into the business. For instance, if I am going to buy a laptop, the first thing I see the price then its function. I think not too many people can afford high price whether it has high-tech. So, the company might be lost that kind of customer who really cares about the price. In conclusion, the keys of keep a high customer loyalty is to provide the service that could satisfy the customers wants, needs and use proper attitude. However, it is the most important to understand that to deliver the excellent service makes more profit to the business. 1.2. SWOT and PEST analyses of the business environment 1.2.1. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis summarizes the key issues from an analysis of the business environment and the strategic capability of an organization. The main objectives of conducting SWOT analysis is to identify the extent to which the current strategy of an organization and its more specific strength and weaknesses are relevant to, and capable of, dealing with the changes taking place in the business environment. It also uses to assess whether there are opportunities to exploit further the unique resources or core competence of organization. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Strengths are internal characteristic that has the potential of improving the organizations competitive situation. Every organization has some strength. A strength could be: * A new product or service * New machinery or equipment. * Strong market share. * Strong financial. * Specialist Hardware and Software expertise. Weaknesses Weaknesses are an internal characteristics that leaves the organization potentially vulnerable to strategic moves by competitors. Every organization also has some weakness. A weakness could be: * Poor reputation. * Lack of marketing strategies. * Location of the business in respect of the market-place. * Poor after-sales service record. Opportunities Opportunities are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for improving an organizations situation relative to competitors. All organizations have some opportunities that they can gain from. These could range from diversification to sale of operations. An opportunity could be: * A new or developing market. * Possibility of purchasing an effective competitor. * Government grants offered for new market development. The possibility of cheaper raw materials. Threats Threats are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for undermining an organizations competitive situation. No organization is exceptional to threats. These could be internal, such as falling productivity. Or they could be external, such as lower priced international competition. A threat could be: * Competitors developing new products or services. * Extra competitors in the main market area. * High bargaining power of suppliers. * Taxation is introduced on the products or services 1.2.2. PEST Analysis A PEST analysis, as defined by David Lines et al is Political, Economical, Social and Technological analysis, a means of analysing the external factors that may present opportunities or threats to a business.'(David Lines et al, 2004:p212 ). It is also known as PESTEL analysis when Environmental and Legal factors are included. It is used to identify external factors which may affect a company. (http://www.marketing-intelligence.co.uk/help/QA/question24.htm) The political factors PEST looks at include government stability, taxation policy, foreign trade regulations and social welfare policies. Foreign trade regulations in particular are important for an organisation planning on opening up in a different country or trading with a different country as their laws may differ from those the organisation already employs. Economical factors include business cycles, interest rates, money supply, inflation, unemployment and disposable income. An organisation planning on breaking into a new market would be well advised to look at the economical factors that may affect their proposed business plans, such as market trends and consumer patterns. Sociocultural factors, such as population demographics, social mobility, lifestyle changes, consumerism and levels of education, should also be monitored closely, and example being the tobacco industry. With people becoming more health conscious and with social pressures on smokers growing in western countries the sales of tobacco have been adversely affected in this market. Anti smoking campaigns, restrictions on advertising and packaging and the banning of smoking in most public places, as well as heavy taxes and court cases, have led tobacco companies to concentrate their marketing efforts mainly on the developing world.(Gerry Johnson and Kevan Scholes, 2002) Technological factors include new discoveries, speed of technological transfer, government spending on research and rates of obsolescence. These are important factors to watch, especially for people in the hi-technology industry which changes constantly. For example in the mobile phones industry new models with bigger memory, new extras and applications and other technological advances have replaced the original mobile. A mobile phone is no longer just a mobile phone but a computer, diary, calendar, and in some cases office. With new models coming out almost every month it is important the mobile phone companies keep up with current trends to ensure their mobiles do not become obsolete. 1.3. Service/ Product quality In its broadest sense, quality is a degree of excellence: the extent to which something is fit for its purpose. In the narrow sense, product or service quality is defined as conformance with requirement, freedom from defects or contamination, or simply a degree of customer satisfaction. In quality management, quality is defined as the totality of characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs. Quality is also rapidly embracing the nature or degree of impact an organisation has on its stakeholders, environment and society. Meeting requirements Specifications are an imprecise means of conveying subjective aspects not everything can be reduced to figures or measurable characteristics. For instance, the characteristics of friendliness or courtesy in a service industry are difficult to measure reliably and repeatedly. Therefore, conformance to requirements is not necessarily all there is to achieving quality. Quality is a result Quality is the result of a comparison between what was required and what was provided. It is judged not by the producer but by the receiver. The judgement can be made of an intention, as is the case when selecting suppliers, or an output, as is the case when purchasing a product or service. Customer satisfaction The only true measure of acceptable quality is customer satisfaction, which takes into account both objective and subjective interpretations of the needs and expectations of customers. If customers are satisfied with the products and services offered, the organisation has not only correctly interpreted customer needs and expectations but it is also providing products and services of acceptable quality. Changing customer perceptions Customer needs and expectations are constantly changing. Awareness of new technology, legislation, problems, competitor products or services creates new wants for customers. Wants turn into demands when these customers begin their next purchase. Therefore, it is vital for organisations to constantly improve quality so that satisfied customers are retained as well as created. Quality and value Value is not a price tag but a measure of the benefits derived from a product or service for what is given in return. A product may well meet physical and functional requirements but be overpriced when compared to others of the same class and grade. Alternatively, the same product may be on offer at another store for 50 per cent less, indicating exceedingly good value for money. In an effort to reduce costs, some organisations have forgotten that it is the quality of the complete transaction that counts. Getting product quality right while ignoring the human relationship between customer and supplier will not lead to satisfied customers. What quality is not? Quality is not perfection, a standard, a procedure, a measure or an adjective. No amount of inspection changes the quality of a product or service. Quality does not exist in isolation there has to be an entity, the quality of which is being discussed. Quality is not a specific characteristic of an entity but the extent to which that characteristic meets certain needs. The value of the characteristic is unimportant it is how its value compares with customer needs that signifies its quality. Why should an organisation be interested in quality? Every business exists not to make a profit, as many would have us believe, but to create and retain satisfied customers. A business would have no profits if it failed to create and retain satisfied customers. Providing products and services which meet customer needs and expectations creates satisfied customers. Anticipating future needs and expectations retains satisfied customers. Therefore, quality is vital to the survival of every enterprise. What does quality apply to? Every product, service, process, task, action, decision can either be acceptable or unacceptable. Hence, there is an intrinsic quality in everything that an organisation does. Everyone must pay attention to quality, from the chief executive to the shopfloor across all functions in an enterprise. It is as important for support staff to pay attention to quality as production staff. Who is responsible for quality? One can only be responsible for doing something relative to quality. Hence a person can be responsible for: specifying quality requirements achieving quality requirements determining the quality of something Assigning responsibility means giving a person the right to cause things to happen and with this right should be delegated the authority to control the processes which deliver the output the quality of which the person is responsible for. One manager cannot be made responsible for quality within an organisation unless that manager is the CEO. All a specialist manager such as a Quality Manager can do it is to enable others to achieve quality by providing encouragement, leadership, training, tools, techniques and performance data. However, it is important for someone in the business to give leadership and results on quality performance and this person needs special knowledge and skills. How can quality be achieved? Several methods have evolved to achieve, sustain and improve quality. They are known as quality control, quality improvement and quality assurance collectively known as quality management. Quality management is not the preserve of one manager but of all managers. Quality is achieved through a chain of processes, each of which has to be under control and subject to continual improvement. The chain starts with top management expressing a firm commitment to quality, then: establishing customer needs and expectations developing and maintaining a management system that will enable achievement of customer needs and expectations reliably, repeatedly and economically designing products and services with features which reflect customer needs building products and services so as to reproduce faithfully the design verifying before delivery that products and services possess the features required preventing the supply of products and services which possess features which dissatisfy customers discovering and eliminating undesirable features in products and services finding less expensive solutions to customer needs making operations more efficient and effective discovering what will delight customers and providing it most importantly, honouring commitments A variety of standards, philosophies, methodologies, tools, techniques and measures have been developed to help organisations meet these goals: management systems ISO 9000, ISO 14000, BS 8800, BS 7799 philosophies total quality management methodologies business process management, continual improvement tools and techniques process charts, failure mode and effects analysis, statistical process control, quality function deployment measures quality awards, best value, ISO 9000 and Investors in People All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. This publication may not be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior consent of the publishers. 3. Literature review on customer satisfaction 3.1. What is customer satisfaction? Customer satisfaction is the provision of goods or services which fulfil the customers expectations in terms of quality and service, in relation to price paid. Customer satisfaction can help the businesses achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It is about understanding the way a customer feels after purchasing a product or service and, in particular, whether or not that product or service met the customers expectations. Customers primarily form their expectations through past purchasing experiences, word-of-mouth from family, friends and colleagues and information delivered through marketing activities, such as advertising or public relations. If the customers expectation is not met, they will be dissatisfied and it is very likely they will tell others about their experience. Why customer satisfaction is important? The organisations should not underestimate the value of customer satisfaction. It is becoming an important area of competition. A high level of satisfaction can deliver many benefits, including: -Loyalty: a highly satisfied customer is a loyal customer. -Repeat purchase: a highly satisfied customer buys more products. -Referrals: a highly satisfied customer tells their family and friends about the product or service. -Retention: a highly satisfied customer is less likely to switch brands. -Reduced costs: a highly satisfied customer costs less to serve than a new customer. -Premium prices: a highly satisfied customer is willing to pay more for the product or service. Not happy Jan Monitoring customer satisfaction is important because we are much more likely to tell our friends and family about a bad experience with a product or service than a good experience. The introduction of blogs and websites such as www.notgoodenough.com.au has provided customers with an excellent platform to spread the bad word about a product or service to thousands of people. And theres always the threat of negative publicity generated from current affairs programs or other media outlets. Dont learn the lesson about customer satisfaction the hard way! Customer satisfaction research Satisfaction surveys are an important method for collecting information about how the customers think and feel about the organisations brand, product or service. A satisfaction survey can help the organisations to understand the expectations of their customers, determine whether the customers believe they are meeting those expectations, identify new customer requirements or trends in the market and determine what areas of the organisations business need investment. A good customer satisfaction survey will also help the organisations to understand the causes of dissatisfaction among their customers. Once the organisations have identified these issues, they will be able to implement new practices to improve customer satisfaction. Many businesses systematically measure customer satisfaction through independent surveys, feedback forms, mystery shopping and focus groups. Some third party surveys also compare the customer satisfaction of major competitors, which allows companies to benchmark themselves in their relevant sector. Measuring customer satisfaction doesnt have to be expensive. It can be as simple as preparing a short feedback form or conducting a brief telephone interview that asks the customer to rate the product or service on a number of criteria. Indicators of customer satisfaction An important indicator of customer satisfaction is the customer retention rate. To calculate the customer retention rate, the organisations will need to capture data about the total number of customers and the number of customers switching brands. If they track this information ove