Failing to Meet Customer Needs -- Letting the Competition in

Sample details Pages: 29 Words: 8740 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? This dissertation examines a service company Advanced Alchemy which engages in providing value-added marketing, recruitment and other services to major companies operating within technology industries. The work examines some major marketing theories in order to frame the discussion of the companys environmental and organisational contexts. These frameworks are then used in analysing how well orientated the company is in terms of its targeted customers through exploiting its internal resources. The report continues with examining the impact of some of the key environmental factors influencing the success of the companys strategies. Research including documentary analysis, a questionnaire ,focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used in a performance evaluation of the companys marketing position and also to explore indetail the attitudes towards the major tensions and challenges facing the company among its staff and customers. The report concludes that while the company has done well historically and may continue to do well in the short term improvement is needed in certain key strategic areas for the company to successfully retain and/or enlargeits market share and retain its competitive advantages within the market given the challenges it faces. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Failing to Meet Customer Needs Letting the Competition in | Marketing" essay for you Create order Marketing is a core concept within modern business theory and operation. It has been widely discussed and it is argued that commercial success follows companies which are able to create and retain customers through providing them with better value than competitors. As such a fundamental conception of marketing is that companies achieve their strategic goals in terms of profitability and corporate growth by satisfying customers, (Houston, 1986). With this then there are many marketing theories exploring the idea of a marketing mix which is viewed as an important marketing tool in marketing planning and evaluation. The 4Ps framework is a basic framework reflecting these ideas. However the 7Ps mix is argued to be particularly vital as a tool in service industries. This framework holds that the elements of product (service), price, place, promotion, physical evidence, process and people are basic ones of consideration for service organisations such as marketing services agencies. In this sense a corporate brand name not only refers to product but also means the process and organisational intangible resources such as people and professional services possessed by the organisation, (Jones, Comfort Hillier, 2004). The early stages of marketing development theory were concerned more with the marketing concept. Authors such as Felton (1959) proposed that the discipline of marketing focus on the integration and co-ordination of all the marketing functions pursued by companies. However due to the intensive levels of competition in the modern business world the marketing function has become closely linked with gaining competitive advantages for a company. Therefore it is unsurprising to note more companies viewing marketing as a strategic planning function which contributes to achieving long term corporate goals. Kotler et al (1996)suggest that the achievement of organisational goals depends on determining the needs and wants of the target market and delivering the desired satisfactions effectively and efficiently. From this perspective it becomes clear that understanding customers as well as market characteristics and then satisfying these needs better than competitors requires an effective linkag e of corporate resources including human resources, financial resources and physical resources. In short a good understanding of the competitive environment and internal strategic resources available is essential for companies choosing between appropriate corporate strategies in order to maintain competitive positions in their respective markets. The competitive strategy proposed by Michael Porter (1998) to some extent depends on an analysis of the industrial environment in which new entrants, substitution, bargaining power of buyers and suppliers as well as rivalry comprise the competitive overview of an industry. It is useful to be aware that competition goes well beyond the established competitors to include various players. In the business information provision industry for example as buyers (partners) have become more concentrated and specific the industry has come under increasing pressure. Flowing from this once the forces affecting competition positions in a certain industry have been identified the firm is in a position to assess its internal strengths and weaknesses. At strategic level these strengths and weaknesses along with driving forces in the environment are the key elements which affect each competitive advantage which can be exploited by a company. Based on the analysis of environment and corporate strategic resources it is also important to understand customers in particular in the modern business world. It is argued that an organisation who knows its customers better is more likely to satisfy their needs more effectively. Therefore strategic customer analysis plays a vital role at the marketing planning level while firms which fail to meet or respond quickly enough to customers demands will lose their competitive position eventually. As Porter (1998) argues the best strategy for a certain firm will ultimately be a unique one reflecting its own circumstances in terms of tangible and intangible elements. As a result it is essential to examine marketing strategies of particular companies bearing in mind driving forces in the environment along with a good understanding of internal strategic resources. In addition due to new consumerist characteristics of global economies it is critical to look at and consider consumer behaviour a t a strategic level. This is particularly the case for service industries such as the business information company Advanced Alchemy which faces challenges from intensive competition as well as pressure from desired customers and internal changing dynamics. The first objective is to define the major environmental influenceswhich have significant effects on the marketing strategy of AdvancedAlchemy. It is important to be aware that environmental factors includeexternal driving forces as well as internal corporate contexts in termsof organisational culture and strategic resources. According toChisnall (1989) corporate performance is closely related to effectivemarketing strategies along with effective human resource management,RD design as well as the financial situation of the company.However due to intensive competition in the industry and internalfinancial problems Advanced Alchemy faces major strategic changes atboth corporate level and business level. Of note here then is thatdifferent strategic planning to a large extent depends on bothindustrial characteristics and corporate competitive capabilities. In addition to environmental forces it is vital to understandcustomer behaviour in particular relating to demands for businessinformation. Consumer behaviour though is a complex phenomenon whichcan be described as a dynamic interaction between affect and cognition,behaviour, and environmental events, (Blythe, 1997). Because of the newcharacteristics of the global economy customers require immediateresponses to their demands in terms of goods and information withtechnology based on e-commerce systems being arguably able to meetthese demands. Therefore the second objective of this work is toexplore the main determining elements on customers choices in terms ofutilising e-commerce based services. The final objective here is to define the competitive strategies forAdvanced Alchemy which assists the firm in exploiting opportunitiesalong with its existing strengths in creating and retaining competitiveadvantages in responding to competition within its market. It isinteresting to mention that in the business information providingindustry differentiation in terms of service and better quality isoften employed by companies as a significant strategic tool nonethelessit is stressed that differentiation does not allow the firm to ignorecosts since price wars often occurs in service industries. According toPorter (1998) cost leadership should be emphasised as a primarystrategic target which contributes to the choices influencing thepicking of the marketing strategy best suited to the firms position inthe industry. Marketing is argued to be an essential ingredient for businesssuccess both in the literature and within the practical business world.As a concept it is concerned with the creation and retention ofcustomers at a certain price namely in the most profitable way fororganisations, (Jobber, 2001). This is because the cost of attracting anew customer is much higher than the cost of maintaining an existingone. Thus firms seek to build up efficient and effective communicationchannels with consumers through the use of an effective marketing mix.However both organisations and individuals have been subject tounprecedented changes in the way they pursue and are involved inbusiness and commercial enterprises in the 21st century, (Kalakota,1999). Characteristics such as the internationalisation of businessand technological development generate increasingly intensivecompetitive environments which require companies adapt to new dynamicswithin marketing structures. While this true for all organisation s itcan be argued to particularly so for service companies, (Chesher Kaura, 1999). One of the most important challenges for businessescurrently is the need to satisfy increasingly demanding customers whoexpect immediate responses to their requests both for goods andinformation. The role of marketing in meeting such a need has continued to increasein response customers expectations regarding the provision of aprofessional service and product at an effective cost. In Grahams(1999) outline the term marketing strategy is often linked with theInternet because it provides a wide range of free communication andmarketing channels such as emails, websites and chat rooms in order togather useful business data and exploit these novel communicationchannels through viral marketing techniques for example. Ofconsideration also is the fact that marketing does not solely concernitself with material things but includes intangible elements such asservice quality, experiences and communication on a number of levels.As a result the choice of an appropriate marketing model is clearlylinked with attaining a complex understanding of consumers and theirbehaviours and preferences, (Moore, 2003). The fact that consumerbehaviour is complex means that an effective marketing mix should seekto learn customer requirements through research and the accumulation ofmarketing data and trends. Such measures are necessary in order for thecompany to be a success in the marketplace. At the same time the use ofan appropriate marketing strategy will in turn be constrained by theavailability of corporate resources and the business structure whichallows for internal strengths to be exploited successfully in takingadvantage of external opportunities. Another important perspective within marketing philosophy is thedistinction between efficiency and effectiveness, (Anonymous, 1989).The essential difference between efficiency and effectiveness is thatthe former is concerned with cost and the latter is customer focused.This can be seen reflected in one of the core features of marketingwhich can be defined as the satisfaction of customer needs in aprofitable way. It is fair to say that the focus on customer needsrequires efficient internal networks in managing the employing ofstrategic resources. This is true in terms of human resources and isparticularly relevant for business models such as Advanced Alchemys.In addition strategies exist and operate at different levels in thecompany. Chisnall (1989) defines marketing strategic planning as marketchoosing, product development, devising effective marketing strategiesin terms of organising marketing resources and forecasting possiblelevels of demand based on customer research. It is obvio us thateffective environmental analysis along with an evaluation of existingstrategies provides a basis for the forecasting element of thisdefinition. Based on the idea of a marketing mix service meaningprofessional delivered and provided services should be considered ascentral to the competitive strategy as well as a cost effective methodof implementing such a strategy. A strategic marketing mix is essentially a conceptual framework whichis able to help companies structure their approach to each marketingchallenge that they encounter within external environments. This meansthat an effective marketing mix should have an overarching focus oncustomers as well as consider the needs of other groups such as thirdparty organisations who may influence the company in terms of product,service and marketing goals. Public relations and engagement with avariety of actors is therefore more and more a particular aspect ofnote in determining marketing strategic considerations, (White, 1991).In the case of Advanced Alchemy the internal financial difficultiesfaced by the company might cause deficiencies and inabilities inmeeting customers needs effectively due to the lack of cash flowprohibiting certain responses to adverse market conditions faced by thecompany. At this stage a clear understanding of the demands ofcustomers tends is an important objective for the com pany so as tominimise the waste of resources and target those resources which areavailable in the most effective and efficient way. Consumer Behaviour Analysis Peter and Olson (2005) argue that an understanding of consumers isessential for marketers and in particular marketers of businessinformation services. This is because the nature of B2B models requiresmarketers understand consumers and deliver the products and servicesthey want and need in the most effective manner as major consumers arecorporate entities themselves constrained by strategic considerationsin operating within their own competitive environments. A B2C modelapplied in such instances provides a means of developing one-to-onerelationships with consumer and establishing consumer databases for thepurposes of online research and collation and analysis of data in orderto satisfy these needs more effectively. Therefore a review andappraisal of consumer behaviour is a vital exercise. Consumer behaviour involves thoughts and feelings as well as actionsthey pursue in the purchasing process. It includes all the things thathave an effect on behavioural patterns such as advertisements, price,product quality and others such as contextual social factors such asincome. As Solomon (2003) argues consumer behaviour is a dynamicprocess which means consumers purchasing decisions are a complexprocess and will be influenced by factors such as technologicaldevelopment, word of mouth and most importantly the perceived value ofpurchases. However the fact that the environment in which consumersfunction is constantly changing means it is important that marketersengage in continuous consumer research and analysis to keep abreast ofimportant trends in this external environment. Influences here includefor example the fact that product life cycles in terms of physicalproducts and the provision of services are shorter than ever before socompanies have to create superior value and attract customers throughproduct differentiation strategies. While such points may seem ofrelevance only at first glance to individual consumers the same traitsand characteristics may be applied in limited manners to consideringcorporate or larger organisational customers who form the main customerbase for Advanced Alchemy. Along with shortening product lifecycles the development of technologyespecially the Internet has had vital influences on consumer behaviourin relation to new e-commerce models. The emergent global culture whichis a major trend due to the predominance of a global economy isexpected to have influences on peoples attitudes, emotions andbehaviours flowing from increased participation in Internet commerce.In the case of the company focused on here the B2B service process isable to compete through adopting online models such as online trainingand e-planning for business level functions at a variety of levels andleverage communication at a variety of levels through for example theuse of corporate intranets. It is useful as such to examine e-commercefrom a global perspective. Also segmentation is very important inconsumer analysis simply because different consumers have differentneeds, (Solomon, 2003). In applying this perspective it is criticalthen to divide consumers into essential groups of concern for thebusiness in which members are as similar as possible to other membersof the same group but differ as much as possible from members of otherdivisions. In reaching such divisions the necessity of research becomesan even more paramount goal. It is also important to mention as Gummerson (1996) suggests thatmanaging relationships is a key ingredient to successful organisationalmarketing. He believes that a related relationship involves customers(organisational partners particularly) and suppliers (the third partyand call centres) in which there is a shift from activities aimed atattracting customers towards being concerned with the retention ofexisting customers. In short the premise of relationship marketing isan addressing or balancing of the benefits of certain long termadvantages among all the linked parties including buyers, suppliers,and competitors in the same industry as well as potential entrants tothe industry. The growth of the business information service industryhas resulted in reasonably high profit margins for all of the companiesoperating in the industry. A healthy competitive environment then isable to enhance service quality through refining strategies exploitedby players in the industry in gaining advant age over other actors. Environmental themes can be grouped into macro and microenvironmental levels. However the influence of each force on a certaincompany varies from one company to the next and varies also across thedifferent levels of environmental concerns. For example managers in thebusiness information company typically note that the pace oftechnological development particularly in e-commerce and the speed ofglobalisation in terms of communications and multinational businessmanagement is influences on their companies but differ from one companyto the next on whether these influences are positive or negative fortheir respective organisations. It is also necessary to be aware thatthe influences of each environmental force may be complex in terms ofisolation and measurement and may also present both opportunities andthreats for the business at the same time. Mintzberg (1994) argues thatenvironmental change is both an emergent and dynamic process andtherefore companies must seek to understand the contex ts in which theyoperate. A means of understanding this is through the use of the PESTELframework which offers one means of examining the external environmentsin which organisations operate in. The elements of this framework aredefined as political, economic, social, technological, environmentaland legal factors, (Johnson Scholes, 2002). In the case ofAdvanced Alchemy it is important to be aware of technologicalenvironmental factors particularly those related to e-Commerce whichaffects its partners, suppliers and customers to a large extent. Forexample its online recruitment service for partners is useful ingathering large amounts of candidate data in a short time and itsprovision of e-training services is useful for multinational partnerswho require effective training models to be deployed rapidly and at lowcost within different countries. The second important factor for thecompany is economic environmental factors within a national context.This is closely linked with customers attitude towards businessinfo rmation services based on economic performance nation wide. Forexample while economic growth has occurred in America it has beenmatched and superseded by a proliferation of entrants within industriesoften amounting to a hyper-competitive market which results in lowerrevenues for companies. These tighter operating margins and marketconditions are true for Advanced Alchemy due to poorer economicperformance generally in the UK and arguably also for its competitorssuch as Harte-Hanks. In addition to macro environmental forces industrial sectors havemajor effects on corporate marketing planning. According to Porters(1980) five forces framework buyers, suppliers, substitutes, potentialentrants and competitive rivalry are significant determinants of thecompetitive capabilities of a company. For service companies buyerbehaviour is more concerned with organisational buying activities. Thismeans those companies buy marketing services to help them achievebusiness goals such as effective training programs, enabling pathwaysto successful product sales as well as improvements to managementmodels. At this stage understanding organisational buying behaviour isabout satisfying their diverse requirements in each single offeringprovided by the company. It is useful to mention that service buyerstake into account lifecycle costs which include maintenance costs andresidual values as well as purchase price when they display preferencesfor business information services. As such a te chnique advanced servicefor example one exhibiting better quality becomes an essentialprerequisite for Advanced Alchemy in maintaining its competitiveposition in the industry. In the industrial five forces frame work asdefined by Porter (1980) rivalry is seen as a central element whichmeans the survival of a company relies on competing in the industryeffectively and overcoming rival operators. It is obvious that the paceof globalisation generates intense competition for companies in avariety of industries including Advanced Alchemys leading to increasedrivalry within the industry. Globalisation also has the effect offorcing Advanced Alchemy to not only compete with local businessservice firms but new international competitors also. Marketing Mix (4Ps to 7Ps) Numerous marketing theories deal with suggesting the correct elementsand attributes of an effective marketing mix. Of particular relevancehere though for marketing services is the 7Ps framework which consistsof product (service), price, place, promotion, physical evidence,process and people. It has been a framework that has been widely usedby service organisations such as business information providingcompanies such as Advanced Alchemy, (Jones, Comfort Hillier,2004). However due to the rapid changes in the external environment interms of technological development and globalisation this company facesmajor challenges. The nature of these challenges and their relationshipwith the companies marketing strategies means it is useful toinvestigate integration of marketing mix in the business informationservice field. Utilising a 7Ps framework means conceiving of product as the first andmost important element for any organisation since the core goal formarketing is to satisfy customers needs by offering right products(services) to the right organisational customer, (Jobber, 2001). In thecase of business information and service provision companies the corebusiness is to provide useful business analysis as well as marketingstrategic planning resources and tools for customers (partners).Differentiation is an important tool exploited by service firms withprice, which is used by customers as an indicator of quality, playing avital role in marketing and in effective implementation of suchstrategies. This is because a pure price war in this industry placesAdvanced Alchemy in a battle for achieving cost effectiveness based onand matched with high or superior quality of service. It is alsoimportant to mention that managing relationships through for exampleword of mouth is increasingly important for compani es in competitivemarkets dealing with organisational customers, (Smith and Taylor,2004). Another key element in a services marketing mix is place. AdvancedAlchemy sells directly from sales people as well as selling andmaintaining physical presences at trade shows. Blythe (2000) points outthat every element in the mix communicates especially through person toperson channels of communication. Also according to the literaturecustomers are more sensitive, aware and willing to take advantage oftechnological developments and new services forms, (Dennis, Harris andSandhu, 2002). Mass business information channels along withprofessional services combine tangible assets and intangible resourcein servicing partners in profitable ways. Promotional tools includingadvertising campaigns, below-the-line promotions as well as onlinepromotions are used by companies as part of a branding strategycapturing the notion that the best kind of loyalty is brand loyalty,(Kapferer, 2004). Last but not the least as mentioned in the former section peopleplay a central role in the services industry however it is also arguedthat the serving process is important as a two-way communication simplybecause it is a direct way for sales people to communicate withcustomers, (Harrison, 1995). Staff whom are able to provide highquality service with a customer-friendly attitude is the hallmark andbenchmark of a consumer responsive company. In todays marketplaceeffective personal communication is a means of achieving success forservice firms such as Advanced Alchemy. Exploiting and capturing theseelements then needs to be a cornerstone within strategic planning forthe company. The methodology used in the course of conducting this researchaimed at employing a case study approach with Advanced Alchemy beingthe object of the case study. In terms of research tools bothquantitative and qualitative methods were deployed towards collectingdata of relevance to the objectives of the research as set out in theintroduction. These research methods concentrated on exploring externalfactors of relevance to Advanced Alchemy and exploring the manner inwhich internal strengths and weaknesses within the company related toor responded to these. The first stage of the research was a detailed horizon scanningincorporating elements for a PESTEL analysis towards identifying themajor environmental challenges which were faced by the company.Material utilised here included nationally sourced statistics relatingto economic performance, market performance within the industry,identification of any regulatory/legal structures of concern to thecompany and an assessment of major technological developments with abearing on the companys business model and modes of providing servicesto its customers. This stage in essence sought to identify themes orconcerns which would serve as the basis for more in-depth researchwithin the company itself, (Bell, 1999). Following on from the documentary analysis and horizon scanningstage preliminary quantitative research was carried out within thecompany in the form a survey. The sample for the survey was drawn fromfour major groups within the company these being sales personnel, humanresource personnel, line management and executive management. Thequestionnaire sought to collect attitudinal and behavioural data whichwas then utilised in conducting a market orientation assessment of thecompany, (Hooley et al, 2004). This data in terms of analysis wasframed in a manner exploring how well human resource was strategicallyexploited and how well in tune employees in the organisation were withthe demands of its organisational customers. Following on from this survey follow up qualitatively based researchwas undertaken. This part of the research included five focus groups,four of which corresponded to the groupings outlined above in relationto the questionnaire and one which was a mixed sample of all of thesegroupings. The focus groups sought to collect data related to thethemes and issues raised by the documentary analysis related toperceptions of the major environmental challenges faced by the company,(Saunders, Lewis Thornhill, 2003). In particular it sought toexplore the different responses to these themes from various levels ofemployees within the company. As well as seeking to collect data inthis regard of interest also to the researcher were the internaldynamics between employees at similar levels or functions within thecompany and with the final focus group between different levels of thecompany. This in particular sought to explore the effectiveness of theflatter communication channels and flatter hierarchi cal managementstructures employed by the company in its deployment of a corporateintranet. This was a particularly useful means of generating data onhow well management mission statements concerning customer needs werecommunicated to personnel dealing with these customers and also howcustomer needs were translated into effective training schemes forsales personnel, (Fern, 2001). Along with focus groups six semi structured interviews were carriedout, four within the organisation and two such interviews were carriedout with two of the companys biggest customers. The use ofsemi-structured interviews allowed for a rich collection of dataallowing for thick explanations of themes and issues highlighted bydata generated by other methods to be gained, (Gubrium Holstein,2002). The interviews within Advanced Alchemy were again divided intothe groupings outlined above with an interview conducted with arepresentative from each. The interviewees were drawn from therespective focus groups. These interviews were conducted where possibleas short a time as possible after the focus groups had been conductedin order that the themes and contents discussed in the focus groupswould still be fresh and thus deeper exploration of the themes easierachieved. The finding from these interviews was used in a comparativesense with the interviews conducted with purchasing representatives oftwo of Advanced Alchemys biggest customers. As such data in theseexternal interviews was sought on how well matched the concerns andissues raised by employees within Advanced Alchemy as well asmanagement mission statements matched with or converged with issues andsentiments expressed by its major customers. Such data was in turncompared with the documentary analysis in order to arrive at atriangulated snapshot of how well the companys marketing plan wasbeing implemented internally and how well it addressed the needs of itscustomers, (Coffey Atkinson, 1996). A number of methodological problems were faced in the conduct ofthis research. First and foremost was the often sensitive nature of thedata collected in terms of business practice related to competitiveperformance, (Chisnall, 2005). In order to gain participation andconsent from the company research findings were discussed in anextensive manner with key personnel in the company with a right of vetobeing offered towards any data deemed to be of too sensitive a nature.In the main however through pointing out the advantages of the researchto business practice internally such fears and considerations wereusually allayed. This problem in turn was connected to and related toethical considerations and problems of participant bias related to morejunior level employees in the company, (Strati, 2000). Both of theseproblems were addressed through the seeking of full informed consent toparticipating in all of the research methods used and the ensuring ofconfidentiality and anonymity over respons es to questions, particularlywithin the interview setting, (Marshall, 1997). The researcheracknowledges however that in the case of the focus groups and inparticular the mixed focus group participant bias may havesignificantly influenced the content of the data due to the internalpower structures of the group reflecting wider organisational powerstructures. Marketing Mix (7Ps) Advanced Alchemy is a leading provider of marketing and salesdevelopment support to IT, telecoms and other technology companies.Thus the major products provided include lead management (inbound andoutbound lead management), consulting based on market research, partnerrecruitment and management, field sales , partner/channel telemarketingas well as sponsored distributor support and ecosystem building,(Advanced Alchemy, 2005). In short the products are based onprofessional services for marketing activities in particular for IT andtechnology related companies. As discussed in the literature reviewevery element in a marketing mix communicates with customers. Productsfor Advanced Alchemy as such are professional services provided fortheir clients in an effective way in terms of cost and quality service.It is important then to look at the service provision process which isargued to be the most important and direct way of communicating withcustomers and attract potential consumers, (Duncan Everett,1993). The servicing process is delivered directly through sales peoplenamely who in this case are professional marketing consultants. Theywork with two types of client, large enterprises and smaller venturecapital funded companies looking to expand and gain rapid market share.During this process the team members discuss with partners continuouslyin order to communicate effectively allowing adjustments to be made tocope with partners requirements. A key finding of the interviewsconducted with the companys customers was the acknowledgement of highresponsiveness in most cases from sales personnel. However dueintensive changes particularly in technology related industries delayeddecisions by clients was identified in the focus groups as causinginefficiency for Advanced Alchemy in terms of human resource costs bychasing unwanted leads for example. A strength emphasised in theinterview conducted with a line management representative was that athorough understanding of the IT market especially in Europe allowedthem to provide useful advice and effective marketing models includinglead generation campaigns, channel support for distributors as well asother marketing initiatives for customers. It is unsurprising to note that people played an essential role in themarketing mix for Advanced Alchemy since a professional workforce withoutstanding marketing knowledge in IT, telecom and technology linkedfields contributed to the achievement of corporate strategic goals andcustomer demands. This was highlighted in particular in the mixed focusgroup but this quality was also confirmed in the customer interviews.Firstly sales objectives were achieved by people along with conductingpromotional activities in order to help partners make a purchasingdecision, (Wernerfelt, 1995). The interview with a sales personre-iterated the positive benefits to sales people in attending tradeshows where up-to-date market knowledge and positive customerinteractions could be achieved. It is fair to say th at the majorcommunication goals were generally achieved by sales personnel. Thisagrees with points raised by Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2002) in thathuman resource is the most important strategic resource for anyorganisation and in particular service based companies who rely ontheir front-line staff to support brand images. Unlike other manufacturers or retailers the major products forAdvanced Alchemy are services thus the most important tool used forpromotion is the provision of quality services in terms of superiorknowledge in technology and marketing fields as well as support from aneffective business model. Therefore Advanced Alchemy utilised acorporate website, public relation campaigns in Planet Hollywood aswell as direct marketing in order develop an integrated promotion mix.In the mixed focus group the response to such promotions was positivehowever in interviews with line management and the sales person a themeexpressed was that the PR activities of the company needed to be bettertargeted to the environments in which its major customers operatedwithin. Public relations as discussed in the literature review havebecome one of the most effective communication channels with consumers.The usage of sponsorship for TBC Advanced Alchemy aimed at establishinggood relations with customers and the general public. In addition topublic relations another promotion tool exploited by Advanced Alchemyis direct marketing at the sales spots. Again in the interviews with aline management and sales person it was felt that certain methods weremore successful than others such as engaging with the public generallyversus pitched sales spots. Price element is often used by customers as an indicator of thequality of products. The price structure used by the company is basedon day rate and risk reward basis generally. However Advanced Alchemyseems to be in a weak position in the price war due to its limitedfinancial resources compared with its major competitors. This point wasrepeated in concerns expressed in customers interviews over therelative inflexibility of pricing offered by the company.Differentiation in the service field is then arguably the mostimportant strategy for Advanced Alchemy in maintaining customers. Thephysical evidence and place support Advanced Alchemys marketingactivities. The corporate website can be seen as important evidencewhich helps existing and new customers acquire useful information andspreads the brand name through viral marketing. As Heyman (1999) arguesviral marketing can be especially effective when a website communicatesefficiently bearing in mind in the value chain each functioncontribu tes and interacts in achieving corporate goals. It isreasonable to say that the physical evidence and marketing place to alarge extent support other elements in the marketing mix. Again incustomer interviews the sophistication of the companys web presencewas highlighted. Environmental and SWOT Analysis Rooted in the environmental analysis literature the PESTEL frameworkallows for examination of the external environment a company operatesin. It is necessary to look at the macro environment which AdvancedAlchemy operates in. The economic situation in the UK has significantinfluences on Advanced Alchemys marketing strategy. The poor economicperformance nationally has limited the budgets for companies onpurchasing marketing services from outside agencies such as AdvancedAlchemy. This has resulted in a price war in the information serviceindustry in order to keep market share through price tooling whichgenerated threats and challenges for Advanced Alchemy. In additiontechnological development has had major impacts on the companysstrategic decisions since customers are more technology sensitive anddemands for technological advanced marketing models showing increasedreturns on investment have increased. The interview with an executivemanagement representative saw the point being made that AdvancedAlchemy saw opportunities in using e-marketing models in satisfyingcustomers as well allowing for expansion of the company. However alsonoted in the interview was that technological development results inmore demanding clients who expect better quality and advanced marketingmodels, channels and support in their service provision, (Ziithaml,Parasuraman Malhotra, 2000). Government support for certainindustries such as IT, telecom and automotive industries alsoinfluenced Advanced Alchemy in terms of potential businessopportunities. Based on Porters (1980) industrial five forces model it is usefulto look at the micro environmental context. It is obvious that rivalryinfluences Advanced Alchemys performance to a large degree. Due toglobalisation they not only have to compete with local companies butalso international companies such as Harte-Hanks. Furthermore the powerof customers has increased to a large degree since how to meetcustomers demands effectively but at a profitable price is a challengefor Advanced Alchemy and one noted in all of the focus groups. At thisstage customer focus should be central to the corporate positionhowever due to the lack of budget Advanced Alchemy fails to meetcustomer needs in some respects. In particular the HR focus groupexpressed concerns over the lack of budget being available for trainingschemes for sales personnel to equip them with the most currentknowledge responsive to customer needs and market conditions. Call centres can be seen as the suppliers for Advanced Alchemy and as aresult it is vital to establish good relationships with them. Due tothe decline in the national economic growth rates it is unclear as towhether new entrants will seek to gain entry into the industry. Howevercompetition based consistently on marketing specialists has becomeincreasingly intense with pressure coming mostly from existingcompetitors locally and internationally. Moreover marketing consultantcompanies face the threat of substitution from professional softwarewhich can set up technologically advanced marketing models forcompanies. However in the HR and Sales personnel focus groups it wassuggested that a possible strategy for the company could be to investin developing these models internally through investment in employeeswhich would allow for the company to maintain a technological edge aswell as a human resource edge over these types of competitors. Table 1 SWOT Analysis Opportunities vertical business opportunities (auto) Growth in areas like Adrenalin potential new clients increasing sales within existing client baseThreats intensive competition substitution volatile market decline of UK economy mature market size Strengths Strong client base Well known brand name within event circuit Strong reference base Successful campaigns Increasing client attrition rate professional workforce strong organisational culture Differentiation strategy Cost Effective Strategy Weaknesses lack of marketing awareness in some field eg. Outside Baptie circle inconsistent branding strategy inconsistency and unreliability in call centre Inconsistent Branding Strategy As discussed in the methodology a questionnaire was employed togenerate broad attitudinal data from employee groups within the companywhich was used in conducting a marketing orientation assessment. Oneclear finding from the questionnaires was a sense of disconnectednessfrom the customers of the company. The impression given from the datawas that the mission of Advanced Alchemy was unclear and un-clearlystated in relation to customer needs and failed to build a strong senseof satisfying customer demands directly. Data from the interviewssuggested that Advanced Alchemy was focused more on the quality oftheir products more than understanding of consumer demands. Table 2 Customer Orientation Strongly agree 5Agree 4Neither 3Disagree 2Strongly Disagree 1Dont know 0 Information about customer needs collected regularly 4 Our corporate objectives and policies are aimed directly at creating satisfied customers 0 Levels of customer satisfaction are regularly assessed and action taken to improve matters 4 We put major effect into building stronger relationships with key customers and customer groups 2 We recognise the existence of distinct groups or segments in ourmarkets with different needs and we adapt our offerings accordingly 3 Total Score13 Information about major competitors was collected by AdvancedAlchemy however evaluation and analysis of their products were notcompleted regularly according to the line management focus group. Thisinefficiency in analysing key competitors resulted in low reaction tocompetition. Also noteworthy is the fact that the differentiationstrategy did not work properly due to the lack of understanding towardskey customers and customer groups. Table 3 Competitor Orientation Strongly Agree 5 Agree 4Neither 3Disagree 2Strongly Disagree 1Dont Know 0 Information about competitor activities is collected regularly 4 We conduct regular benchmarking against major competitor offerings 3 There is rapid response to major competitor actions 2 We put major emphasis on differentiating ourselves from the competition on factors important to customers 2 Total Score11 The ability to meet customer needs in service organisation depends on aprofessional workforce a point highlighted in all focus groups andinterviews. From the survey data it was clear that effective team workcontributed to the companys previous success but that changes in theexternal environment generated major challenges for Advanced Alchemywhich the company was unable to respond to due to budgetaryconstraints. A strong sense of team spirit was highlighted at all ofthe focus groups and was confirmed to lesser degrees in the interviewsconducted. Table 4 Inter-Functional Co-Ordination Strongly Agree 5 Agree 4Neither 3Disagree 2Strongly Disagree 1Dont Know 0 Information about customers is widely circulated and communicated throughout the organisation 4 The different departments in the organisation work effectively together to serve customer needs 4 Tensions and rivalries between departments are not allowed to get in the way of serving customers effectively 3 Our organisation is flexible to enable opportunities to be seized effectively rather than hierarchically constrained 3 Total Score14 It is obvious that a strong organisational culture resulted inskilled human resource including senior management team and employeesbeing available to the company. Their understanding of their role inmeeting customer needs was a central tenet the companys organisationalculture. In both focus groups and interviews as well as the customerinterviews the team values and reflected organisational culture of thecompany was continually highlighted as a positive feature. Table 5 Organisational Culture Strongly Agree 5Agree 4Neither 3Disagree 2Strongly Disagree 1 Dont Know 0 All employees recognise their role in helping to help create satisfied end customers 4 Reward structures are closely related to external market performance and customer satisfaction 4 Senior management in all functional areas give top importance to creating satisfied customers 4 Senior management meetings give high priority to discussing issues that affect customer satisfaction 5 Total Score17 Budgetary constraints drove Advanced Alchemy to focus more on shortterm profits rather than long term market share with possibleramifications for future customer relationships, a concern highlightedin the executive focus group and customer interviews. However thismarket-orientated approach allowed the company to focus on the market.Namely they adopted a market driven strategy in order to maintain longterm competitive position, (Webster, 1994). Generally speaking AdvancedAlchemy performed with a long term framework in mind however their weakfinancial background puts them into a poor position of fundingstrategic plans over the long term. Table 6 Long-term Perspectives Strongly Agree 5Agree 4Neither 3Disagree 2Strongly Disagree 1Dont Know 0 We place greater priority on long term market share gain than short run profits 3 We put greater emphasis on improving our market performance than on improving internal efficiencies 4 Decisions are guided by long term considerations rather than short run expediency 3 Total score10 The total score for Advanced Alchemy using this evaluation too is 65which indicates a moderate market orientation has been made by thecompany. This is an assessment in tune with the qualitative data whichhighlighted the past successes of the company, its ability to performwell certainly in the short term but fear and uncertainty associatedwith longer term strategic ability for the company to competesuccessfully. Definite areas of improvement were suggested in terms oftraining, in more targeted marketing activities and clearercommunication of mission goals and customer needs to all levels of thebusiness. In consideration of the analysis of resources in Advanced Alchemy itcan be argued that human resource is the most important ingredient fora successful service based company. Intensive competition in themarketing service industry forces companies compete in terms ofworkforce rather than products and the efficiency of service processrelies on skilled personnel at all levels, (Pfeffer, 1994). Accordingto Hooley, Saunders and Piercy (2004) any organisation should have aclear understanding of the resources they have but most importantly itis vital to identify the significant resources that can help createcompetitive advantages and can be sustained into the foreseeablefuture. In the case of Advanced Alchemy their human resource is able toovercome their weaknesses in terms of a weak financial position andcontribute to differentiation strategy. However without investment inhuman resource it is doubtful whether this function can be sustained inthe long term a point re-iterated in both the foc us group and interviewinvolving human resource personnel. The lack of up-to-date knowledge related to current customers may alsolead to loss of competitive position and even failure for the companyconsidering the high cost of its services. It is interesting to notethat due to the characteristics of the marketing service industryparticularly in IT and technology related fields there areopportunities for Advanced Alchemy to employ a cost orientated strategythrough utilising an e-commerce model. This was a point which theexecutive management focus group was keen on. It has been suggestedthat the use of e-commerce not only helps companies build up effectivecommunication channels internally but also allows integration withsuppliers and customers as well, (Porter, 2001). The corporate websitedid not work effectively in some aspects such as gathering feedbackfrom partners through questionnaires and attracting new customersthrough strategic web-linking. Blythe (2003) argues that the when adiscrepancy appears between expected performance and actual performancemanagers have to take action. While rhetoric was observable in thefocus group little direct action was taken to rectify this. Blythe(2003) also suggests that criticisms should be communicated asconstructive feedback in order to avoid negative sentiments occurringwithin employees. Market-led strategy to Custom- orientated strategy The results showed that Advanced Alchemy exploited a market-ledstrategy which can easily lose competitive position for the company dueto environmental factors. Bearing in mind the objectives related toobtaining market share good quality products are essential. In AdvancedAlchemys industry the company which meets customer needs is able toobtain a stronger position in competing. A gradual shift away from anemphasis on market or service to an emphasis on customer value requiresAdvanced Alchemy to exploit effective tools to communicate with itstarget consumers and relate this communication to internal networks. Inaddition target segmentation based on the understanding of thecharacteristics of different customer groups means Advanced Alchemyshould concentrate more on how to add value to customers in differentsegmentations. Arguably it is easier to create an initial good position in themarketplace rather than sustaining competitive advantages in a longterm, (Hooley, Saunders, and Piercy, 2004). Human resource and goodreputation in the field as well as having a positive reference groupmeans Advanced Alchemy generated competitive advantages quickly yet thelack of knowledge and reliable understanding of customers allowedcompetitors to re-establish their own positions. This process has beencompounded by the weak financial position of the company. The retentionof competitive advantages requires value products as well as cleartight definition of market targets namely through effectivesegmentation, (Payne, 1993). The more clearly a firm focuses ontargeted markets the more likely it is to serve those targetssuccessfully. This was a point raised in the focus group and interviewsconducted with line management in that in the case of Advanced Alchemythis is significantly vital in developing supporting channels ford istributors. Figure 1 Innovation through marketing, quality and customer service Competition is increasingly intensive thus it is necessary forAdvanced Alchemy to compete through strategic innovation. Innovatoryprocesses can be obtained by human resource where investment in thisresource is of a sufficient level to create an organisational culturefostering innovation. However innovation relies on knowledge ofconsumer behaviour to a large degree and the ability to manage changetends to be important in completing innovation cycles, (Roger, 1962).Innovation also can be generated during the branding process anddifferentiate Advanced Alchemy as a technological advanced andcustomer-orientated caring company. The role of technique relatedsupporting programmes can be provided to customers in terms ofexclusive service and know-how with customer-focused specialistshelping to maintain old customers and attract new customers. It isessential to control the service process thus a feedback system shouldbe established in order to gather fresh data about customer needs andcommunic ate to them and channel this communication to all levels of thecompany. Good relationships with customers and suppliers as well asemployees could be achieved by regular and effective communication,(Ulrich, 1992). Competing through relationship marketing Figure 2 Relationship marketing orientation CS = customer service RM = Relationship Management Relationship marketing has been a topic of lengthy discussion amongacademic and practical marketing executives. In this process humanresource is viewed as the major trend in marketing and a key point insuccessful business management, (Christopher et al, 1991). According toEgan (2001) customer service needs to be placed in a central positionsupported by the seven marketing elements outlined in the literaturereview. However Gummesson (1996) argues that the term mix should bereplaced by relationship since each element interacts thus the maintask is to manage the relationship amongst all the factors effectively.Customer service then is about building long term relationships ofmutual advantage to both parties and the provision of quality customerservice involving understanding about what they buy and the determiningfactors which influence their buying behaviour. In short customerservice is not only a HRM concept but also a marketing principle whichrefers to interactive reflexive relations hips between personnel and thecustomer. However building relationships is time consuming and costlyhence Advanced Alchemy should form a strategic agenda dealing withawareness about consumers to begin with. The goal for continualincrease in benefits obtained by the exchange partners and theirincreasing interdependence is able to add value to integration amongsuppliers, customers and ultimately ensure Advanced Alchemys survivaland continued profitability in the short term and long into the future. Advanced Alchemy (2005) Advanced Alchemy, Anonymous (1989) Fortress Europe, Target Marketing, Vol.12 Issue 8. Bell, J. (1999) Doing your Research Project 3rd edition, OU Press, UK. Blythe, J. (1997) The essence of Consumer Behavior, Prentice Hall, UK. Blythe, J. (2000) Marketing Communications, FT Prentice Hall, London UK. Blythe, J. (2003) Marketing Strategy, McGraw-Hill, London UK. Chesher, M. Kaura, R. (1999) Electronic Commerce and Business Communications, Springer-Verlag London Limited, UK. Chisnall, P. (2005) Marketing Research 7th edition, McGraw-Hill, London UK. Chisnall, P.M. (1989) Strategic Industrial Marketing 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, London UK. Coffey, A. Atkinson, P. (1996) Making Sense of Qualitative Data, Sage, London UK. Christopher, et al (1991) Relationship Marketing, Butterworth Heinemann, London UK. Dennis, C. E., Harris, L. and Sandhu, B. (2002) From Bricks toClicks: Understanding the e-Consumer, Qualitative Market Research AnInternational Journal, Vol.5 Issue4. Egan, J. (2001) Relationship Marketing: Exploring relational Strategies in Marketing, FT Prentice Hall, London UK. Felton, O.C. (1959) Making the Marketing Concept Work, Harvard Business Review, Vol 37 Issue 4. Fern, E.E. (2001) Advance Focus Group Research, Thousand Oaks, Calif USA. Graham, J. (1999) What Does Viral Marketing Really Mean, E-Marketing Strategies, October, Gubrium, J.F. Holstein, J.A. (2002) Handbook of Interview Research: Context Method, Sage Thousand Oaks, London UK. Gummesson, E. (1996) Relationship Marketing and ImaginaryOrganisations: a Synthesis, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 30Issue 2. Harte-Hanks (2005) Harte-Hanks, Harrison, S. (1995) Public Relations: an Introduction, Routledge, London UK. Heyman, D.S. (1999) The Basics of Viral Marketing, Online Marketing Commentary, November, Hooley, G.J., Saunders, J.A. Piercy, N.F. (2003) MarketingStrategy and Competitive Positioning 3rd edition, FT Prentice Hall,London UK. Houston, F.S. (1989) The Marketing Concept: What It Is and What It Is Not, Journal of Marketing, Vol.50. Jobber, D. (2001) Principles Practice of Marketing 3rd edition, McGraw-Hill, London UK. Johnson, G. Scholes, K. (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases 6th edition, FT Prentice Hall, London UK. Jones, P., Comfort, D. Hillier, D. (2004) Developing CustomerRelationships through Fair Trade: a Case Study from the Retail Marketin the UK, Management Research News, Vol.27 Issue 3. Kalakota, R. (1999) E-business: Roadmap for Success, Addison-Wesley, UK. Kapferer, J. (2004) The New Strategic Brand Management: Greeting and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term, Kogan Page Limited, UK. Kotler, P.C. et al (1996) Principles of Marketing; the European Edition, Prentice Hall, Hemel Hempstead. Marshall, P. (1997) Research Methods: How to Design and Conduct a Successful Project, How to Books, Plymouth UK. McDonald, M. (1999) Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them 4th edition, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford USA. Mintzberg, H. (1994) The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall, London UK. Myers, G. (1995) Psychology, Worth, New York. Moore, R.E. (2003) From Genericide to Viral Marketing: on Brand, Language Communication, Vol. 23 Issue 3/ 4. Payne. A. (1993) The Essence of Service Marketing, Prentice Hall, London UK. Peter, J.P. Olson, J.C. (2005) Consumer Behavior Marketing Strategy 7th edition, McGraw-Hill Companies Inc, US. Pfeffer, J. (1994) Competitive Advantage through People, California Management Review, Vol. 36 Issue 2. Porter, M.E. (2001) Strategy and the Internet, Harvard Business Review, Vol.74 Issue 6. Porter, M.E. (1998) Competitive Strategy: Technique for AnalyzingIndustries and Competitors with a New Introduction, The Free Press,USA. Porter, M.E. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Anylysing Industries and Competitor, Free Press USA. Roger, E. (1962) Diffusion of Innovations, The Free Press, New York USA. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. (2003) Research Methodsfor Business Students 3rd edition, FT Prentice Hall, London UK. Smith, P.R. Taylor, J. (2004) Marketing Communications: an Integrated Approach 4th edition, Kogan Page, UK. Solomon, M. (2003) Consumer Behavior: buying, having, and being, Prentice Hall, UK. Strati, A. (2000) Theory and Method in Organization Studies: Paradigms and Choices, Sage Thousand Oaks, London. Ulrich, D. (1992) Strategic and Human Resource Planning: LinkingCustomers and Employees, Human Resource Planning,Vol.15 Issue 2. Webster, F.E. (1994) Market Driven Management, Wiley, London UK. Wernerfelt, B. (1995) A Resource Based View of the Firm: Ten Years After, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 16. White, J. (1991) How to Understand and Manage Public Relations, Business Books, London UK. Ziithaml. V.A, Parasuraman, A. Malhotra, A. (2000) AConceptual Framework for Understanding e-Service Quality: Implicationsfor Future Research and Managerial Practice, Marketing ScienceInstitute, Boston USA.

Reflection - 1787 Words

I will reflect on an incident that occurred during my shift to develop positive attitude towards nursing informatics. In this reflection, I am going to use Gibbs (1988) Reflective cycle. This model is a recognized framework for my reflection. Gibbs (1988) consist of six stages to complete one cycle which is able to improve my nursing informatics and learning from the experience for better practice in future. The cycle starts with description of the situation, analysis of the feelings, evaluation of experience, analysis to make sense of experience, and conclusion of what else I could have done and also action plan to prepare if the situation arose again. However, Siviter (2004) explains that reflection is about gaining self confidence†¦show more content†¦This time round the doctor lost trust in me and decided to charge by himself and gave a health care assistant to take the specimen to the laboratory. Feelings On reflection of the incident, I felt so embarrassed because such things are not supposed to happen to a senior nurse who is supposed to be giving guidance to the junior nurses. I also felt irresponsible for not seeking help from my colleques on charging the patient’s specimen and that I had not taken the initiative to see the team leader to give me the updates that occurred while I was away. I felt empathetic for the patient and blamed myself for not taking the proper action. I also felt at my level I needed to have computer literacy because that is what hindered me from seeking help. The American Nurses Association (2007) states that the experienced nurse builds up on the competencies required for practitioners using basic computer skills to information regarding the patient and has to be proficient in her/his area of specialization. The doctors, and other nurses felt upset for my action. Evaluation Good points. After the incident, it made me think of how I would have handled the situation and how important computer information literacy is to me and other healthcare practitioners. Selvasekaran (2008) defines computer literate health care provider as that who has basic understanding of the computer hardware, common types ofShow MoreRelatedReflection1650 Words   |  7 PagesIan-Bradley Tancred This essay analyses and describes what reflection is and how it supports your personal and professional learning. It elaborates upon how and why recognizing your strengths and weaknesses are important and how they can enhance lifelong learning. It describes what arguments and assertions are, what the differences are between them and which one is better. Debnath describes reflection as a means of self-examination to learn from knowledge and experiences which will help transformRead MoreReflection1479 Words   |  6 PagesReflections Both simple and complex reflections were used. A simple reflection used towards the beginning of the interview transpired into, â€Å"pretty active out doing a lot of things.† Alternatively, a complex reflection used when reflecting on Sarah’s feelings about what her friends think about her not socializing subsisted of, â€Å"it bothers you thinking about them, wondering about your intentions.† I used twice as many complex reflections as simple reflections. Unfortunately, I should have usedRead MoreReflection On The Word Reflection 701 Words   |  3 PagesFor me the word ‘reflection’ means taking time to really dig deep into my thoughts, to contemplate something meaningful and significant, to make a decision that often involves me and my future. It has a personal and emotional connection. Daudelin (1996) uses the word ‘reflection’ to encourage managers to create time to recognise the value of learning from past and current work s ituations (‘experience’) and to adapt this learning to new situations. I would prefer to choose the words ‘thought’ or ‘consideration’Read MoreReflection1218 Words   |  5 PagesReflection on your personal development Reflection is a major factor in developing self-awareness to improve services provided to everyone around me, this is to develop my own understanding in realising the good and bad made previously. Moving forward with a better understanding, as well as rectifying the mistake whilst recognizing the good points, (Horton-Deutsch and Sherwood, 2008). Working in a domiciliary setting and visiting vulnerable adults within their homes, I am constantly tryingRead Morereflection703 Words   |  3 Pageshelpful/ inspiring. Your completed template form and content should be a CRITICAL reflection of the paper/ chapter content but NOT merely summarize what you have read. TEMPLATE FOR REFLECTIONS ON EXPERIENCES DATE: PLACE: The experience 1. What experience are you reflecting on (class session, project group meeting, particular piece of reading, other)? 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It will also demonstrate how reflection enabled me to make sense of and learn from this experience, as well as identify any further learning developments needed to improve my practice and achieve the level of competency needed for when I qualify as an assistant practitioner. While discussing the knowledge underpinning practice, evidence based literature will be reviewed to support my discussion and for the purpose of reflection the essay will be written in the first person. SpouseRead MoreReflection On Self Development Through Reflection1854 Words   |  8 Pagesthrough reflection is a key issue of education and learning (Kennison, 2012), where you learn through experience (Tashiro, Shimpuku, Naruse and Matsutani, 2013), learn to self-evaluate (Duffy, 2013), identify gaps in knowledge and detect where further training or study is required to improve practice (Olarerin, 2013). 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Reflection can be a difficult experience without the support and guidance of an expert (Johns, 2004). This personal reflection presents an exciting opportunity for me to consider how successful my placement in the intermediate care has been in terms of my own personal learning. By reflecting on the positive aspects of the placement, I will be able to make sense

Declining Trust In Our Government Essay Example For Students

Declining Trust In Our Government Essay Declining Trust in Our GovernmentIs the American peoples trust in our government declining? According tomost people, it definitely is. Recent polls make this argument very valid. In1995, the Princeton Survey Research Associates conducted a telephone interviewof 1514 random sample adults. In this interview, people were asked how much ofthe time they trusted in the federal government to do the right thing. Twenty-one percent said most of the time and seventy-one percent said only some of thetime. When asked the same question of their state governments, the resultswere only slightly better. Thirty percent said most of the time and sixty-twopercent said only some of the time (Why Dont). This indicates that amajority of the American people believe that the American government is notdoing the right thing in a lot of the actions it takes. Of course, nobodyexpects the government to operate perfectly with no mistakes, because this isnot a perfect world. These numbers are too high though. What caused thisproblem in the United States, what is the extend of this problem in our country,and is this distrust of our government even a serious problem at all? These arethree questions that need to be addressed in out society today. What really has caused the American people to distrust our government andwhen did this trend actually begin? I do not believe there is any clear answerto these questions and I do not believe it would ever be possible to pinpointany exact reason for the feelings of the American people. One reason cited bysome is that it is the fault of poor leaders. Two commonly blamed leaders arePresident Johnson and President Nixon. Two of the biggest drops in the publicsconfidence in our government occurred in 1964, during the bombing of Vietnam,and in 1972, during Watergate (Nye). Although these two events may havecontributed to the distrust of the American government, I do not believe thattwo events and two leaders can be held totally responsible. For one thing,these things occurred over twenty years ago, why is there still distrust today. Not only does this distrust still exist, but many would say that it hasincreased greatly since then. I do not thing that two leaders can be pinpointedand blamed for destroying the trust in our government. Perhaps though the blamecould be laid on American political leaders in general. In a 1995 poll, thirty-five percent said the main reason that they do not trust the federal governmentis that politicians lack honesty and integrity. Another twenty-four percentcited the reason for their distrust as politicians not being concerned with theinterests and well-being of the people (Why Dont). It makes sense that ifthe Americans do not trust the people who make up our government, then theywill not trust the government as a whole. Just how wide spread is the problem of distrust in the American government?The Post/ABC News polling organization ran seven different polls between 1985-1987 asking, How much of the time do you trust the government in Washington todo what is right? Those saying only some of the time or never ranged fromfifty-six to sixty-two percent (Dewey). A 1994 poll showed that only fifteenpercent of the American public had confidence in our federal government and onlythirty percent had confidence in their state and local governments. Some peoplemay want to believe that distrust of the United States government is limited toonly a small segment of the population, such as the lower class. These pollsindicate otherwise. It appears that a vast majority of Americans have verylittle trust in our political leaders. It is clear distrust of the governmentis wide spread, but is it a serious problem?Does it matter if the people do not trust their government or is itsomething that should be expected? Many pe ople state that the cynicism anddistrust in America are not a problem at all. One opinion is that a mistrust ofgovernment has been around since our countries beginning and is nothing to worryabout. It is even noted that our country was founded with a mistrust ofgovernment, in particular, mistrust of King George of England (Nye). Anotheropinion is that even though Americans do not trust the every day activities ofthe government, there is still a very positive attitude about the underlyingconstitutional principles that this country was founded upon, and that is themost important thing to consider. Eighty percent of Americans consider theUnited States the best place in the world to live and ninety percent say thatthey like the democratic system of government (Nye). Also, not every aspect ofAmerican government is mistrusted by the American people. They military, forexample, has greatly improved its ratings from the time after Vietnam to theperiod after the Gulf War (Nye). Seventy percen t of Americans say that theyhave a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in our military according to a1995 poll (Why Dont). This indicates that there is still hope for citizensto gain back trust is our government. .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .postImageUrl , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:hover , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:visited , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:active { border:0!important; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:active , .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u489351580eb7cb39f15580da46d2006c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Atomic Bomb EssayIt is evident that overall there is a mistrust in our government in theUnited States. This is something that has become very wide spread in the UnitedStates. The majority of people do not trust our government. It is unclear whatcaused this trend, but it can certain be related to the type of politicians thatare being elected in our country and the peoples feelings towards thoseofficials. Although some do not believe it is really a problem, it would benice to be able to place some faith and trust is the people who lead and directthis country. It appears that the only way to do that is to elect individualpeople that we can trust and the only way to accomp lish that is to becomeeducated on the issues and vote.

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes -myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theWorldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. Answer: Report to the client For proper planning and execution of project, council permit must be obtained in accordance with the available regulations. The analysis of the land under consideration must be carried out to enhance proper decision making on the design and implementation of the project on such lands. The analysis of the land has been carried out and the following review has been made. This review will enhance the preparation of proper procedure for the permit obtaining and execution of other details and services which will enhance the execution of the project (Lenahan, 2011). The application of the permits will be done to suit the project which you have described to the architect. In addition, the relevant communication has been done to the relevant stakeholders to ensure that they proceed with the permit application for the project execution. One of the key elements of the land under survey is the bushfire element. The region is prone to the bushfire which has been able to bring different negative effects on the structures in this location. Nevertheless, with proper mitigation measures, the bushfire is not a big thereat which can be able to prevent the execution of the project. The council in Wallington has been able to prepare different legislation measures which can be adopted to ensure that structures are protected against bushfire. The design team will be able to in cooperate these measures in the project execution to ensure that the structure is protected. Major communication has been done by the design team to ensure that they acquire permits to install the key bushfire mitigation mechanisms in the project. The analysis shows that the area has been able to experience different incidents of bushfire. The preparedness on the bushfire effect has shown that proper mitigation measures are able to scale down the negative effects by a large margin. Clear measures and permit obtaining is on the process to ensure that the structure id free from damage by the bushfire effects. Installation of firefighting mechanisms and additional backups will be carried out on the structure according to the design team. The team is working to get the permits for the additional firefighting backups in the structure to ensure that the mitigation plans in case of the bushfire are well done. Bushfire management in this location is anticipated for and it will help to enhance the structure and its durability (Miller, Miller Baker, 2004). From the BMO, it is clear that the risks of bushfire are spread on this location and therefore proper permits to have the control measures are required. The project team is therefore working on the available measures to acquire the permits to ensure that the project is well protected. The council has the key requirements on the way the bushfire management can be achieved to ensure security and durability of the structures. In the design part, the team will be able to include the details on the management of these risks. The council regulations will be used in the design of the mitigation measures (Nova Scotia, 2004). The permits will be acquired and the management of the team will implement the key mitigation plans. Most important, the council has key infrastructure in the region which is used to mitigate the bushfire risks. The team will acquire the key permits to use these infrastructures in order to enhance the proper mechanism to mitigate the effects of bushfire. These resources will be used to enhance the mitigation plan for the bushfire effects (Victoria., Parks Victoria., Forest Fire Management Victoria, 2016). The team will collaborate with the council team to ensure that the best mechanism to mitigate the effect and have clear backup is put in place. The permits acquired will ensure that the team can enhance the completion of the project on time and within the stated budget. Environmental significance is another key factor which was determined through this analysis. The environmental outplay has a great impact on the different aspects of the construction. First, it is related to the stability of the ground which affects the foundation of the structures. The analysis of the environmental significance shows that the area is well suited for the intended project. The foundational stability is good enough to accommodate the project and ensure they are well set up. This aspect is able to offer great and clear message that the execution of the project will be great. In addition, environmental factors will be closely monitored and the effect of the project. This means that the permits with the relevant bodies which deal with the environment will be applied and acquired. The permits will be required to ensure that the environmental issues are well addressed and compensation mechanisms are offered. The project may affect the environment in some way and therefore c ompensation for the environmental issues will be needed. The permits will be able to cater for such issues during the project execution and ensure that the progress of the project is done according to the plan. Issues that the disposal of extra materials which are obtained from the site will also need these permits since they are likely to interfere with the environment (Benson Benson, 2016). The team is working on these applications to ensure that they obtain the certifications on time before the project commences. This will aid proper working of the team on executing the project to the required standards. The protection of the environment is one key aspect which the council of Wallington is concerned with and well monitored. This places the priority on the acquisition of these permits key for the team before any works are done on the site. These issues are well worked in by the team and this will ensure that the execution of the project to achieve the required standards. The permit issues will ensure that the area is being protected in terms of the environmental issues (Johnsson Hager, 2008). The environmental issues will be addressed accordingly to ensure that the project is well done. Future environmental issues will be addressed at the project execution time. The environmental location of the land has been addressed and the major issues are being addressed to acquire the relevant permits to ensure proper execution of the project and enhance creating proper structure which can last. Another key issue and factor in the land in the heritage overplay. Protection of the heritage on the land is a key issue, which is observed in this piece of land (Dioko Teare, 2017). The team is working to acquire the relevant permits to ensure that they are protected while working on the project. These permits will be used to ensure the protection of the heritage factors in the project execution. The team will be trying to put the relevant mechanisms to ensure that the heritage factors are held high and protected as required by the laws (Victoria et al., 2016). The council in Wallington has key measures to protect the heritage factors and the team will be able to acquire the prevention of heritage factors. The address on these issues will be required to conform to the laws which are present. The permits will ensure that the team is able to enhance the protection of the key factors within the location and enhancing its demand. In addition, both the design team and implementation tea m will work to ensure that the project meet the key standards in terms of heritage in the location. In conclusion, the team will be able to acquire the key issues which the council requires through acquisition of the relevant permits. The different issues in the land are being addressed by the team to ensure that they comply with the available regulation. Bushfire issues, heritage and environmental issues are the key issue raised from the analysis. The different respective professionals are working to ensure that they get the permits to ensure that the project will be executed without a hitch. References Benson, M., Benson, M. (July 13, 2016). Environmental groups overplay the role of wind and solar. Prairie Pundit, 2016-7. Dioko, L. D. A. N., Teare, R. (June 12, 2017). Reflections on the theme issue outcomes. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 9, 3, 369-375. Johnsson, M. C., Hager, P. (September 12, 2008). Navigating the wilderness of becoming professional. Journal of Workplace Learning, 20, 526-536. Lenahan, T. (2011). Turnaround, Shutdown and Outage Management: Effective Planning and Step-by-Step Execution of Planned Maintenance Operations. Burlington: Elsevier Science. Miller, M. R., Miller, R., Baker, G. E. (2004). Carpentry construction. New York: McGraw-Hill. New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2008). Yerranderie State Conservation Area: Final fire management strategy, 2008. Sydney: N.S.W. National Parks Wildlife Service. New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service., New South Wales. (2009). Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Fire management strategy, 2009. Sydney: Dept. of Environment Climate Change. Nova Scotia. (2004). Nova Scotia construction activity, July 2004: By county and type of construction. Halifax, N.S.: Nova Scotia. Dept. of Finance, Statistics Division. Victoria. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria., Forest Fire Management Victoria. (2016). Fire Operations Plan Metropolitan District 2016-2017 to 2018-2019. Victoria., Parks Victoria., Forest Fire Management Victoria. (2016). Fire operations plan Macalister District (Southern) 2016-2017 to 2018-2019.

Reversals Essays - Startup Cult, Chitto Harjo, Job Options

Reversals annon Youth is wasted on the young. And if I only knew then what I know now! In my teen years I couldn't be bothered with trying to understand those cryptic phrases; didn't I already know everything I needed to know? I never dreamed that the decisions I made in my relatively youthful years would have such an impact on my future. I always felt that I would never look back upon my life and say I wish I had taken more time in considering my choices. But I have found myself doing just that. If I were able to rewrite history, I would pick a different career when I reenlisted in the Army, I would seek out opportunities to enhance my future job options, and finally, I would have done better while in high school. To begin with, it's understandable that I wouldn't know what I was getting into when I first enlisted into the Army. But when the time came for me to reenlist, I knew to research my options better than what I really did. Instead of choosing a new career in the Medic Corps like I knew I should, I elected to keep the same job. Given a second chance, I would choose to be an X-ray Specialist. After I graduated my class, I would take the Florida State certification exam so I could become licensed to work in Florida; by the time I completed my second enlistment, I would have developed very marketable job experience. Secondly, I would have gone to college more while I was in the service. As I've just begun the long walk toward my goal of a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, I can't help but kick myself for not starting sooner. The military pays for seventy-five percent of a college course; after paying my tuition last term, I realized just what a great deal that really was. I also would have taken all the medical correspondence courses that the Army offers. While the courses aren't of much practical use, the points earned for the completion of each course helps greatly when trying to get promoted to Sargent. Instead of just coasting, waiting for opportunity to come knocking, I would go out and tackle that elusive rascal by the ankles. Finally, if I could do it again, I would do better in high school. As a teenager, I was tired of school; I felt I already knew everything I needed to know to carry with my life. Who cared about English, geometry, or foreign languages? Given the chance, I know that I would perform to the best of my ability. High school is simply a proving ground, those that can attain the goals set for them, move onto college AND BRIGHTER FUTURES. tHOSE THAt can't make it, move onto six dollars an hour at Winn-Dixie. After working for a year in the air-conditioning business, I now appreciate the importance of getting the best education possible. Life goes in one direction only, but I don't have to live in the past. I can't undo any of my history; however, I can keep from making the same mistakes over again. The things said and done are gone and past. I can't get on the Way-Back Machine and change what's happened. I have learned that if I don't leave the past behind, I can never move on with my life. Learn from the past, but CARPE DIEM!

Profile of Students With Existential Intelligence

Profile of Students With Existential Intelligence Existential intelligence is the label  education researcher  Howard Gardner gave to students who think philosophically. This existential intelligence  is one of many  multiple intelligences  that Garner identified. Each of these labels for multiple intelligences... ...documents the extent to which students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways,  (1991). Existential intelligence involves an individuals ability to use collective values and intuition to understand others and the world around them. People who excel in this intelligence typically are able to see the big picture. Philosophers, theologians and life coaches are among those that Gardner sees as having high existential intelligence. The Big Picture in his 2006 book, Multiple  Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice, Gardner gives the hypothetical example of Jane, who runs a company called Hardwick/Davis. Whereas her managers deal more with the day-to-day operational problems, Janes job is to steer the whole ship, says Gardner. She must maintain a longer-term outlook, take into account the conductions of the  marketplace, set a general direction, align her resources and inspire her employees and customers to stay on board. In other words, Jane needs to see the big picture; she needs to envision the future the future needs of the company,  customers, and marketplace and guide the organization in  that direction. That ability to see the big picture may be a distinct intelligence the existential intelligence says Gardner. Pondering the Most Fundamental Questions of Existence Gardner, a  developmental psychologist and a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education,  is actually a bit unsure about including the existential realm in his nine intelligences. It was not one of the original seven intelligences that Gardner listed in his seminal 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. But, after an additional two decades of research, Gardner decided to include existential intelligence. This candidate for intelligence is based on the human proclivity to ponder the most fundamental questions of existence. Why do we live? Why do we die? Where do we come from? What is going to happen to us? Gardner asked in his later book. I sometimes say that these are questions that transcend perception; they concern issues that are too big or small to be perceived by our five sensory systems. Famous People With High Existential Intelligence Not surprisingly, major figures in history are among those who may be said to have high existential intelligence, including: Socrates: This famous Greek philosopher invented the Socratic method, which involves asking ever-deeper questions in an attempt to come to an understanding of the truth or at least to disprove untruths.Buddha: His name literally means one who is awake, according to the Buddhist Centre. Born in Nepal, Buddha taught in India probably between the sixth and fourth centuries B.C. He founded Buddhism, a religion that is based on seeking higher truths.Jesus Christ. The founder of one of the worlds major religions, Christ, pushed back against the status quo in first-century Jerusalem  and put forward the belief in a higher being, God, who possesses the eternal truth.St. Augustine: An early Christian theologian, St. Augustine based much of his philosophy on the teachings of Plato, a Greek philosopher who proposed the idea that there is an abstract truth that his higher and more complete than what we witness in the real, imperfect world. Life should be spent pursuing this abstract truth, bo th Plato and St. Augustine believed. In addition to examining the big picture, common traits in those with existential intelligence include: an interest in questions about life, death and beyond; an ability to look beyond the senses to explain phenomena; and a desire to be an outsider while at the same time showing a strong interest in society and those around them. Enhancing This Intelligence in the Classroom Through this intelligence, in particular, may seem esoteric, there are ways that teachers and students can enhance and strengthen existential intelligence in the classroom, including: Make connections between what is being learned and the world outside the classroom.Provide students with overviews to support their desire to see the big picture.Have students look at a topic from different points of view.Have students summarize the information learned in a lesson.Have students create lessons to teach their classmates information. Gardner, himself, gives some direction as to how to harness existential intelligence, which he sees as a natural trait in most children.  In any society where questioning is tolerated, children raise these existential questions from an early age though they do not always listen closely to the answers. As a teacher, encourage students to continue asking those big questions and then help them to find the answers.

GLOBAL CHANGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

GLOBAL CHANGE - Essay Example He insists that there is no global warming. In his article, he says that there are no known facts about there being a link between concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide with imminent catastrophic global warming only predictions are there. According to him, the whole global warming phenomenon is more of a political issue than a scientific one (Bellamy, 2007). In spite of all the skepticism about the global warming and climate change, there are still those who believe that it exists. One of these people is the writer of an article â€Å"Seven Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense† by John Rennie. He gives seven claims that are contrary to the claims and global warming contradictions provided by the skeptics one of whom is Senator Inhofe. He provides evidence from scientific places like the US Geological Surveys which indicate that human activity is the leading reason for global warming (Rennie, 2009). The evidence is enough to indicate the presence of global warming and hence I support that there is global warming and humans should change their ways. Rennie, J. (November 2009). â€Å"Seven Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense.† Scientific American. Retrieved from:

The political system in Saudi Arabia Term Paper

The political system in Saudi Arabia - Term Paper Example However, in Middle East and Saudi Arabia Islamic rules are prevailing. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Abdul Aziz bin Saud. Since then Saudi Arabia was ruled by somebody from Abdul Aziz bin Saud’s family. Ibn Saud’s son, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been the ruler since 2005, though he had been regent from 1996, due to the illness of his brother King Fahad. The King’s heir apparent is Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who also holds the title of Deputy Prime Minister, and who is a half-brother of the King (The Political System of Saudi Arabia) In political terms one can say that absolute monarchy is prevailing in Saudi Arabia. Absolute monarchy is exists when the ruler has power beyond the constitution and laws of the country. In Saudi Arabia, the King holds supreme power beyond the limits of constitution and law. Political observers are surprised to see the developments in Saudi Arabia even without a democratic or communist government. Many people have the illusion that only democracy or communism like stable political ideologies can bring developments in a country. But the case of Saudi Arabia is entirely different. Even without these political institutions, Saudi taught the external world that a country can develop properly with the help of visionary leadership. This paper compares the political systems in Saudi Arabia with that in other parts of the world. ... In other words, the responsibilities of the Saudi king are extremely large compared to the responsibilities of other gulf political leaders. However, the King appoints a Crown Prince to help him in administrative matters. â€Å"The Crown Prince is second in line to the throne† (About Saudi Arabia). In Iran, President holds the power of the president as well as prime minister. However, a cabinet is there both in Iran to assist the president in administrative matters. In India, all the administrative matters are done by the president and his colleagues. Elections are conducted in Iran once in every four years to elect the president. But in Saudi Arabia, no parliament elections are conducted even though ministries and cabinet are functioning in Saudi also. Saudi ministry and cabinet are nominated by the King. Other gulf countries such as UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman etc also have similar political systems as that in Saudi Arabia. In all these countries absolute monarchy is p revailing and the King holds the supreme power in all administrative matters. â€Å"Saudi legislative council is made up of a Consultative Council (also known as Majlis as-Shura or Shura Council) with 150 members and a chairman appointed by the king for a four-year term† (The Political System of Saudi Arabia). It should be noted that in democratic countries, the legislative council is formulated based on elections. For example, in India, legislative council or parliament members are elected by the people in general elections. It should be noted that Islamic rules are prevailing in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is the most sacred country for Muslims all over the world. Mecca and Medina are the most important