Customer Perception Essay

ABSTRACT Recent advancements in technology have facilitated commerce around the globe. The online medium of commerce has provided and will continue to provide great opportunities for consumers and businesses. However, there are a number of issues that need to be addressed before the advantages of online shopping can be fully realized. One significant aspect is consumer perception of online shopping. The purpose of this paper is to examine the online shopping perception of consumers who shop from traditional stores. A survey was conducted in shopping malls in the southeastern region of the United States. The results show a positive perception of offline consumers toward online shopping. In addition, the results coincide with national trends for online shopping which show many traditional shoppers gather information on products and services online, but still make the purchase onsite in a traditional setting by visiting a store. Keywords: Perception of shopping, Offline shopping consumers, Online increasing numbers of customers. Many traditional businesses are reacting by going online to remain competitive (Schoenbachler and Gordon 2002). Advancements in technology enable apparel stores, for instance, to improve their online services by using personalized virtual models allowing consumers to visualize the product on the model to determine correct sizing and fit (Kim and Kim 2004; for a trend forecast of the online apparel industry, see: Newbery 2004). In general, online businesses such as Dell are able to mass customize because of current technology and offer customers basically a build-to-order service. Retail based e-commerce sites also try to serve customers by providing a personal shopper. As the shopper searches for an item of interest online, similar or complementing products are suggested. This personal one-on-one customized assistance might require more knowledgeable staff in a traditional store and might require an increase in the costs of products to compensate for the increased staffing costs. The internet has influenced the life of everyone in the recent years and has impacted behavior of consumers (Garrett and Parrott 2005). In general, three types of consumers in regard to their shopping habits can be classified (Lepkowska-White 2004): Online shoppers, i.e. those who purchase regularly online Online browsers, who mainly use the internet as a source of information but prefer to conduct their transactions in traditional stores Hard core offline shoppers, comprised of the continuously diminishing group of individuals, who do not use the resources of the internet either for information gathering or for shopping purposes These different groups show different characteristics and will need to be addressed differently to optimize or initiate online shopping behavior. This study focuses on the traditional consumers who prefer shopping onsite. It is important to know their perception toward online shopping and their classifications of online browsers or hard core offline shoppers. In addition, the factors preventing them from shopping online are important to understand. INTRODUCTION The rise in internet access and online commerce possibilities in recent years has made online shopping a major opportunity for businesses and has changed the way that consumers go about acquiring goods and services (Garrett and Parrott 2005; Schoenbachler and Gordon 2002). For consumers, online shopping provides more flexibility and opportunity (Stafford, Turan, and Raisinghani 2004). For example, consumers can shop with increased knowledge of products through online research and place less reliance on salespersons. If they wish to make a purchase, consumers are not restricted by time, distance, or location (Kim and Kim 2004; Schoenbachler and Gordon 2002). Furthermore, online stores do not incur costs such as store staffing, maintenance, and inventory and might be able to specialize in items and extreme sizes that would not be practical for traditional stores to carry. Amazon and eBay are examples of successful online retailers that use low-priced items and large stocks to attract and retain customers. Online commerce is expanding and is attracting Online Shopping Perceptions of Offline Shoppers The findings of this study should help motivating and encouraging more people to shop online. Reasons for not shopping online might include a lack of interest and knowledge about computers or the internet or going online for research purposes only. The foregoing discussion therefore suggests the following research questions (RQs): RQ1: Are offline shoppers computer and internet literate? RQ2: Do offline shoppers go online? RQ3: Do offline shoppers access the internet for purposes other than purchasing? RQ4: Are there certain distinguishing characteristics between online and traditional shoppers (defined as online browsers and offline shoppers) in regard to online shopping? In order to answer the above RQs the following two major hypotheses are tested. H01: Offline shoppers are computer and internet illiterate H02: Offline shoppers do not go online RELATED LITERATURE The number of internet users and online shoppers are increasing significantly every year. U.S. consumers are spending billions of dollars online each year (Preston-Hubbard, 2004). The internet retail sale is increasing rapidly to the extent that this increase is realized and measured by quarter and not year. (Tamini, Sebastianelli, and Rajan 2005). Currently, many Americans have internet access and the number of households to have access to internet will increase significantly in the years to come (Lepkowska-White 2004). An increasing percentage of those who are currently connected, shop online, i.e. use the internet to complete at least one purchase per month (Lepkowska-White 2004). Similar numbers are available for the European market, where, a significant number of internet users are shopping online (Monsuwe, Dellaert, and Ruyter 2004). For example, in Germany, retail sales of textiles, electronic products and durables via the internet has increased significantly in recent years (Reinhardt 2004). A significantly higher number of individuals, sometimes referred to as online browsers in the literature (e.g. Lepkowska-White 2004), avail themselves of the resources provided by the internet to check products or compare prices (Jaillet 2003). A study by Pew Internet and American Life Project suggests that most online browsers need about one to Volume X, No. 2, 2009 23 three years to become online shoppers (LepkowskaWhite 2004). Depending on how many of those individuals can be turned into online shoppers, predictions for online sales vary widely from $81 billion in 2005 (Bellman, Lohse, and Johnson 1999; Monsuwe, Dellaert, and Ruyter 2004) to as much as $269 billion in 2006 (Lepkowska-White 2004). Consequently, there is a huge market to be explored. However, businesses must be aware of perceptions and concerns regarding online shopping of traditional shoppers, and the online browsers. In order to capitalize on this potential in the best possible way, various models and frameworks for analysis have been presented in the recent literature on the topic (Chiang, Dholakia 2003; Zhou, Chiang, Zhang 2004). Monsuwe, Dellaert, and Ruyter (2004) have suggested a framework for consumers’ intentions to shop online which draws on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), popular in the field of Information Systems. According to this framework, utilitarian dimensions such as usefulness and ease of use of the site and hedonic dimensions such as enjoyment together with the consumer’s traits shape the consumer’s attitude towards online shopping. Situational factors trust in online shopping, product characteristics and previous online shopping experience affect the final decision to conclude the transaction online or not. Lepkowska-White (2004) divides variables for the analysis of online shopping behavior into supply and demand factors, with supply factors meaning web design and technical aspects and demand factors referring to consumer factors, such as social interaction, and product/service determinants, such as selection of products available online. Despite different naming conventions, the literature on the topic agrees that the 24/7 availability of products and information about products have changed the retail industry and consumer shopping. Most stores feel they cannot afford not to be online, even if for information purposes only (Schoenbachler and Gordon 2002). Generally, time and location constraints, convenience, availability of products, incentive programs and easy comparison of product information induce shoppers to shop online (Huang, Schrank, Dubinsky 2004; Kim and Kim 2004; Levin, Levin, and Heath 2003). Shoppers are looking for hassle free, accurate transactions, proper display of sufficient information and efficient download times for sites in their online experience (Tamini, Sebastianelli, and Rajan 2005). Regarding price, the literature cites both lower prices as incentives for shopping online (GfK 2004; Girard, Silverblatt, and Korgaonkar 2002; Kim and Kim 2004) as well as a lesser degree of price sensitivity of online shoppers Issues in Information Systems due to the added convenience. In addition, online browsers display a higher degree of price sensitivity compared to online shoppers but lesser degree of time sensitivity (Lepkowska-White 2004). The demographic information on online shoppers is inconsistent in the literature. For example, Kim & Kim (2004), report 43% of their respondents held graduate degrees while 12.41% of respondents in Tamini, Sebastianelli, and Rajan’s (2005) study held graduate degrees. It seems, however, that most online shoppers have a higher level of education and higher incomes, with the average household income of online shoppers expected to be $65,000 by 2006 (Kim and Kim 2004). While currently the majority of online shoppers is aged 44 or under (Kim & Kim 2004), shoppers aged 50 years and over are expected to become a more significant portion of the online shopping population, increasing to 30% by 2006 (Anonymous 2002). Regarding gender, research suggests that while men were early adopters of online shopping behavior, women have caught up and online shopping is starting to display the same gender proportion as offline shopping does (Kim and Kim 2004; Lepkowska-White 2004; Stafford, Turan and Raisinghani 2004; Tamini, Sebastianelli and Rajan 2005; Van Slyke, Comunale, and Belanger 2002). Previous positive experience with online shopping, trust in the company shopped from, and sufficient customer service enhance positive attitudes towards online shopping as well as conviction of one’s ability in one’s computer skills and access to computers and the internet (Levin, Levin, and Heath 2003). Generally, the greatest obstacles to getting individuals to shop online are hedonic dimensions of the shopping experience, security concerns and a lack of confidence in their computer skills (Swinyard and Smith 2003). The majority of those, who value the social components of the traditional shopping experience, such as interaction with sales people, window shopping, meeting up with peers and friends or the benefit of obtaining the product immediately, spend less time engaging in online shopping (Lepkowska-White 2004). Similarly, despite increased attempts at better security, credit card and personal information security are still a main concern for most shoppers: approximately 500 emails per day report online fraud to the Securities and Exchange Commission and average losses from online fraud have risen from $318 per person in 2000 to $638 in 2001 (Sager and Green 2002; Lepkowska-White 2004). Finally, individuals who do not complete transactions online indicated a lower level of confidence in their computer skills (LepkowskaWhite 2004). Volume X, No. 2, 2009 24 In order to retain current and attract new online customers, online stores should ensure sufficient product information, such as displaying price and the product details as well as a well operational, current, user friendly and easy to download web sites (Chiang and Dholakis 2003). Security and accurate and comprehensive cost information positively skew the customer perception of the online shopping experience as well as good customer service and hassle free return policies (Tamimi, Sebastianelli, and Rajan 2005). Providing free shipping might prove a powerful incentive to increase the number of persons who complete an online purchase: a 2002 study found that shipping costs were the deterrent for 53% of individuals in the US who decided against an online purchase in the last steps of the process (Kim and Kim 2004). METHODOLOGY A survey was randomly administered at shopping malls in the southeastern region of the United States. A survey instrument was developed to determine the perception of consumers who enjoy shopping from traditional stores about online shopping. The survey was not conducted online to better target the offline shoppers. 264 surveys were used for the purpose of data analysis. Fourteen surveys had to be discarded since they were incomplete or instructions had not been followed. The survey consisted of components such as demographics, computer and internet literacy, perception which included attitude and behavior. FINDINGS The largest group of respondents was aged 18-30 (35.7%), and the next largest group was individuals aged 61 and over (28.3%). Of the 264 respondents, 32.6% were male. The most common response, given by slightly less than 30% of the respondents, indicated they were shopping online one to five times per year which further confirms the respondents of this study to be primarily offline shoppers. Online shoppers are assumed to shop online more than once a month (Lepkowska-White 2004). The consumers of this study were overwhelmingly computer literate and had access to the internet (84.5%). However, they were shopping in shopping malls (RQ1). Therefore, H01 is rejected and there is evidence that the offline shoppers of this study are in fact computer and internet literate. Many of them indicated they were going online (RQ2) to collect information and do research on products to be better prepared shoppers before purchasing items in Issues in Information Systems Online Shopping Perceptions of Offline Shoppers traditional stores (72.4%) (RQ3). Only a small number of these consumers purchased the product online (1 to 5 times a year) after they found the searched product (32.3%) (RQ4). Therefore, H02 is also rejected and the contention offline shoppers of this study do in fact go online is supported. It is clear that the consumers of this study shop offline. However, a small number of them 32.3% while searching for information on different products online ended up purchasing the product online one to five times per year (29.7%). These individual cited the following reasons for completing the transaction online and purchasing the product they were researching for online: Familiarity with the online stores, No brick-and-mortar alternative (e-Bay, Amazon), Low-ticketed items. In addition, they considered ease of return the online-purchased item, and they thought the design of website was influential in their decision of finalizing the transaction and purchasing the product online. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS Online shopping has already influenced shopping patterns and is expected to influence even more in the future with improvements in technology. Online shopping has made shoppers more knowledgeable than ever before. Consumers are becoming more efficient by shopping online and more effective because of ease of information accessibility online. Many shoppers go online for research purpose rather than purchase purpose. Prices and features of products can easily be compared to make an informed purchase decision. Information on products can be obtained from anywhere at anytime. The purchase is then made online or from a more tradition store. Especially for more expensive purchases, shoppers tend to take advantage of the availability of information online, replacing traditional methods of going from store to store in order to compare prices and look for the best buy. Consumers in this study as expected were mainly offline shoppers who were browsing the internet for information. They were computer literate and had access to the internet. This study reveals a positive attitude toward online shopping by those consumers who still like traditional stores. The consumers of this study are mostly in low and high age groups. It is possible that these consumer groups place a stronger emphasis on the social aspects of offline shopping and have more time to spend in traditional stores and malls and value the offline shopping experience for social reasons, such as meeting with friends. These consumers are technology oriented and take advantage of technology and the inter net to educate themselves about products of interest and then purchase them from traditional stores. CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS, AND FUTURE WORKS Online shopping is a relatively new experience and has greatly impacted the lives of consumers in its short time of existence (Garrett & Parrott 2005). It is expected to grow constantly in years to come with more advancement in technology. Online shopping has made consumers more effective and efficient in their shopping behavior and has driven businesses to a new level, forcing many to make the necessary adjustments and changes to reach the new market of knowledgeable consumers (Lepkowska-White 2004; Schaupp and BÃ ©langer 2005). Tomorrow’s consumers include today’s elementary and secondary school students who grow up using browsers and search tools in order to retrieve information from global resources. The offline shoppers of this study indicated a positive perception of online shopping. These offline shoppers collected the necessary information online to facilitate their offline shopping, and it seems they are not too far away from completing the transaction and making the purchase online. It is important for businesses to find the online analogy of factors that make customers buy in a brick-and-mortar setting (Lepkowska-White 2004). Future studies should look into the factors preventing the current offline shoppers and online browsers from completing the transaction online after they have gained more knowledge about the product of interest. Factors encouraging individuals to complete a transaction online should be investigated. Future studies should also focus on what needs to be done in order to make the idea of online shopping in general more appealing to offline shoppers to turn more offline shoppers into online shoppers. In addition, perception of online shoppers toward traditional stores and onsite shopping should be considered. A perception comparison of online and offline shoppers on the internet and online shopping in general would facilitate understanding of restraining and motivational factors in online shopping. This survey was conducted in one region and future works should focus on different regions and classifications of consumers based on demographic make up such as age, income, and occupation. Cultural differences and online shopping would also be a good factor to examine (see for instance: Bin, Chen, and Sun 2003; Stafford, Turan and Raisinghani 2004). REFERENCES 1. Anonymous, 2002, Online Shoppers Grow Up Marketing Management, 11(3), 4. Bellman, S, G. L. Lohse, and E. J. Johnson, 1999, Predictors of Online Buying Behavior, Communications of the ACM, 42(12), 32-38. Bin, Q., C. Shu-Jen and S. Sun, 2003, Cultural Differences in E-Commerce: A Comparison Between the U.S. and China, Journal of Global Information Management, 11(2), 48-56. Chiang, K. and Ruby R. Dholakia, 2003, Factors Driving Consumer Intention to Shop Online: An Empirical Investigation, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13(1, 2), 98-105. 4. Garrett, G. and G. Parrott, 2005, E-Business: Understanding Key Trends and Applying Best Practices, Contract Management, 45(7), 34-42. GfK Group, 2004, Market for Online Shopping Grows, Retrieved from: http://www.gfk.com/english/presse/pressemeldun g/contentdetail.php Girard, T., R. Silverblatt, and P. Korgaonkar, 2002, Influence of Product Class on Preference for Shopping on the Internet, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 8, 1-22. Huan g, W., H. Schrank and A.J. Dubinsky, 2004, Effect of Brand Name on Consumers’ Risk Perceptions of Online Shopping, Journal of Consumer Behavior, 4(1), 40-51. Jaillet, H.F., 2003, Web Metrics: Measuring Patterns in Online Shopping, Journal of Consumer Behavior, 2(4), 369-382. Kim E.Y. and Y. Kim., 2004, Predicting Online Purchase Intentions for Clothing Products, European Journal of Marketing, 38(7), 883-898. 12. Newbery, M., 2004, Trends in Apparel Online Retailing, Forecasts to 2010, Just in Style, 1-8. 13. Monsuwe, Perea y, T., B. Dellaert and K. de Ruyter, 2004, What Drives Consumers to Shop Online? A Literature Review, International Journal of Service Industry Management, 15(1), 102-122. 14. Preston-Hubbard, H. April 17, 2004, Growth Drives Revival in Internet Shares, International Herald Tribune. 15. Reinhardt, A., 2004, Europe Hits the E-Mall, Business Newsweek, 51-52. 16. Sager, I. and H. Green, 2002, So Where Are All the Bargains?, Business Week, 162-164. 17. Schaupp, L. and F. BÃ ©langer, 2005, A Conjoint Analysis of Online Consumer Satisfaction, Journal of Electronic Consumer Research, 6(2), 95-111. 18. Schoenbachler, D. and G. Gordon, 2002, Multichannel Shopping: Understanding What Drives Channel Choice, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19(1), 42-54. 19. Stafford, T.H., A. Turan and M. Raisinghani, 2004, International and Cross-Cultural Influences on Online Shopping Behavior, Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 7(2), 70-88. 20. Swinyard, W. R. and S. M. Smith, 2003, Why People (Don’t) shop Online: A Lifestyle Study of the Internet Consumer, Psychology and Marketing, 20, 567-597. 21. Tamimi, N., Sebastianelli, R. & Rajan M., 2005, What Do Online Customers Value?, Quality Progress, 38(7), 35-40.

Lead person centred practice Essay

Person centred Practice is very important within the care sector, it ensures that all service users have an equal and a big involvement when planning, developing and assessing their care needs. It means that we put the service user and their families at the heart of the decisions. It means that the service user is able to have more choice and control because they are influencing their own care plan to suit their individual needs. This is a key part of helping support and promotes independence and is effective as soon as we take on a new care package. The supervisor will complete a lengthy care plan prior to any care starting. It often involves the service user and close family members being present, each question within the care plan is answered by the service user and the family members, this means that when the care starts that we are ensuring we are meeting all of the service users needs. I understand that it is very important for service users to have shared decision making as they then feel equal in their care needs and included. At this stage the Supervisors get a chance to build up a trusting relationship with the service user and Person centred practice is providing care and needs which centres on the service user. It’s a way of caring for a person as an individual and putting them and their families at the heart of all decisions. Person centred practice put value to the independence, privacy, partnership, choice, dignity, respect and rights of the service user. 1.2 Critically review approaches to person centred practice The best ways to be person centred is to do the following: Discuss the service users strengths and make the most of them Communicate as well as you can at all times and always explain what you are doing and why you are doing it Always make the service users feel included at all times Help the service user do as much as they can for themselves (supporting independence) Common mistakes that care workers and other professionals often make, at times without realising are the following: Treating a service user like a child or speaking to them in a childlike fashion Use power to control the person. A service user who may have dementia, depression or a learning disability can be very vulnerable; therefore unknowingly a care  worker may slip into a â€Å"parenting† role and try to control situations. For example we have a service user who has learning disabilities; the regular care worker for this service user would always choose the clothes for this particular service user without asking the service user what they would like to wear. Due to the service user having very limited communication the only way the service user was unable to express their frustrations would be through actions. The care worker reported that the service user was showing signs of being angry by pulling things out of the carer’s hands and throwing them. I went to spot check a morning visit and found that although the relationship between the service user and carer was very good the care worker lacked in supporting choice and control. This was evidently frustrating the service user, therefore i asked the care worker to always give options, by taking out several outfits and allowing the service user to make a decision on the day to day activities. This gave the service user choice and control and a feeling of independence and inclusion, which should be supported at all times. 1.3 Analyse the effect of legislation and policy on person centred practice Legislations and policies such as: Mental capacity Act 006 Equality Act Human Rights Act 1998 Are just a few legislations that strongly reinforce choice and control for all service user and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect and treated fairly at all times. At times, due to preventing service users causing any potential harm to themselves, for their best interest certain aspects and choices are made for them. In our company this usually relates to service users that may have mental health issues and dementia. The Mental Capacity Act was implemented in 2007 and seeks to empower and protect people who lack the capacity to make their own decisions. The five core principles that I work very closely with and communicate with all my team are the following: It is assumed that individuals have capacity unless an assessment has taken place that determines otherwise. Individuals must be given appropriate support to make a decision (before a judgement can be made that a person cannot do so) Individuals have the right to make a decision that seems unwise, does not mean that they lack the capacity to do so If it  is determined that an individual lacks capacity, any decision made on their behalf must be made in their best interests. Any actions taken in respect of the individual without capacity should be the least restrictive in terms of their basic rights and freedoms. Therefore at times person centred planning may be made by other professionals in order to maintain the well being and safety of a service user. But even though at times decisions may be made for service users because they lack the capacity to make some important ones, it should never be assumed that that are unable to make any decisions. 1.4Explain how person centred practice informs the way in which consent is established with individuals Person centered practice is also about keeping the choice of the individual firmly in their hands, and supporting and assisting them in taking and keeping control of their own lives. This is why it’s important to know that a client is assumed to have capacity unless it is proved otherwise. He or she must be able to understand the information relevant to the decision, retain the information, use the information as part of the decision making process and communicate the decision. If someone is assessed as lacking capacity, it must be sought elsewhere, from the next of kin or other individual or team responsible for the care of that person and any decision taken on their behalf must be in their best interests. 1.5 Explain how person centred practice can result in positive changes in individuals’ lives Person-centred practice means giving individual valued roles, participation and belonging in the community, freely given relationships, greater authority over decisions about the way they live, genuine partnership between the service, themselves and or their family and allies, individualized and personalized support arrangements. All of these contributes in helping people get better lives, meaning that individual will have a real home, purpose, family, friends and acquaintances, control over the direction of one’s life and future, good health, safety, security and justice which are all essential for both emotional and well being.

Example of Resume and Practical Application Letter Essay

On behalf of the School of Business and Economics, I submit herewith an application for the student mentioned below to conduct his/her industrial training under your esteemed organization. The industrial training program is one of the course requirements for student to complete their Bachelor of Business (with honors) degree at University Malaysia Sabah. For your information, the placement should last for 3 months from 24 June 2013 to 13 September 2013. The main objective of this placement is to expose the student to the working environment in the corporate world, of which can be explained further by the attached â€Å"Program Objectives’’. The following student (enclosed CV) is majoring in Entrepreneurship: 1. BB1011xxxx ALIA UMAIRA BINTI MOHD RAFI (I/C NO: 901228-01-xxxx) For further information, please do not hesitate to contact any number of the practicum coordinator during office hours. In addition, below are few other objectives with regard to practical training: o To brief the trainees the roles and task performed as well as to prepare daily/weekly schedule. o To improve the trainees understanding on the company’s roles and contribution towards the industry. o To provide opportunity for trainees to be involved in the organization operation management and other activities such as briefing/seminars, workshops, exhibition and etc. o To improve communication and public relation techniques in order to enhance better relationship within the company as well as the customers.

Music Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music Report - Essay Example She did a solo piece on her violin which she has been playing for the last three years. Being a student of Dr Rife, and considering that her instructor was present, she had to give a good account of herself. She started out on a pianissimo and the audience held their breath. The performance was quite amazing and by the time she hit the crescendo, the hall was in uproar. She played out the long notes beautifully. However, the student encountered one problem: nervousness. Maybe it was the presence of her instructor, Dr Rife, or the overwhelming audience. The burden of expectation clearly weighed down on her. Nevertheless, she was able to gather courage and improved her performance as the evening wore on. Then came Dr Rife and the Rhythm Kings Band. The band brought together great talents, including Dan Tobias on the trumpet, Pete Reichlin on the trombone, Pat Mercuri on the banjo and guitar and Lenny Pucciatti who was working the drums. Dr Jerry Rife played the clarinet. The various instruments combined powerfully to get the audience on their feet. The accompaniments balanced well with the vocals, especially in the band’s rendition of the spiritual, Down by the Riverside. The performance of the spiritual resonated well with the audience although the band gave it a feeling of jazz. This was something new, listening to hymn played in the jazz style. I loved this version of the hymn as it injected freshness into an otherwise drab song. The performance had its downside nonetheless. There were moments when the percussions were louder than the vocals. Consequently, it was not easy to make out the lyrics of the songs. There were also moments when the crescendos were so high that they were almost deafening. I generally dislike high notes as they interfere with my brain. I also dislike accompaniments that shroud vocals. I prefer music that is cool enough to allow even a conversation to take place. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the performances. They

Review of 'State Crime' Literature Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of 'State Crime' - Literature review Example hat dealing with state crime is inevitable, since there is no state that enjoys immunity from the breaching of human rights and liberties as a way of attaining its goals. Green and Ward (2005, 161) contend that state crime is instrumentally propounded by prevailing structural conditions. To this effect, corruption is factored into this debate as being furthered by two explanatory concepts of patrimonialism and clientelism. Clientelism is seen as referring to an exchange system whereby public officials and patrons accord political favours to their constituents or clients. As such, state-corporate crime, police crime and state-organised crime are the kind of aberrations that may follow clientelism. Green and Ward (2005, 161) also advance the notion that in countries where the government practices clientelism, state violence may surface, but those who are governed readily consent to the system, and thereby making this form of deviance less objectionable. Green and Ward (2005, 161) argue that patrimonialism readily invites the violent forms of state corruption because there are societies that profit through corruption and have thus made corruption their goals. In the instance when the interests of the ruler and the nation become inflated the door is left ajar for all manner and levels of corruption, with war crimes, state terror, torture and genocide being included. Green and Ward (2005, 162) maintain that a state’s predisposition to the use of patrimonialism, corruption or clientelism is underpinned by political and economic factors. Particularly, democratically mature capitalist states may have a predisposition to clientelism, but the heavy presence of civic organisations inhibits the patrimonialism from becoming full-fledged. In another wavelength, these two scholars postulate that proto-states and colonies or former colonies are the worst of predatory states, as far the breaching of human rights and civil liberties is concerned. According to Green and Ward,

Innovation Strategies Description Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Innovation Strategies Description - Assignment Example Therefore, Diamond believes that proximate reason as to why some civilizations came to dominate others through militarily, economically, politically, and cultural landscapes are from the effects of food production, effects of writing, effects of technology, governmental organizations, and effects of religion. He thus went ahead to demonstrate how these issues led to the occurrence of differences among cultures (Diamond, 1998). On the other part, Diamond believes that ultimate reason as to why some civilizations came to dominate others is through geography, but not through biology or race of which some studies have tried to prove. Henceforth, geography produces the cultural disparities of which his friend Yali had pointed out. The concept thus implies that Eurasian colonizers did not gain it power they still hold today through a systematic process, or through having the greatest of skill or mind, but pure geographic chance created this difference. The role of innovation in this process is that it leads to the development of systems of some specialized knowledge that eventually leads to the advances in metallurgy, literacy, and eventually the socio-economic organization. Diamond thus concludes that accidents of geography and environment created the domination of whites of the Eurasian origin over other races. Thus, the Europeans received more favors since they had more starting material and also had more favorable conditions. I agree with Diamond’s conclusion because I believe that all people and cultures have the capacity of doing similar things on the provision that they have the resources and privileges of doing so. Another proximate factor that might cause these differences in availability of advanced resources. These resources could be useful for people in all regions to conduct their own research, hence becoming the ultimate solution to many problems that occur in societies.

The Wal-Mart Effect Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Wal-Mart Effect - Research Paper Example Thought Wal-Mart does not manufacture its products, it attains economies of scope because it has lower average cost in selling one or more products together than separately, thereby offering competitive low-priced products. Some mom-and-pop stores, on the opposite, focus on one type of brand or product alone, which reduces their economies of scope, and they cannot lower their prices without affecting their margins. Moreover, Wal-Mart has large and numerous stores with different product types and brands that allow it to shape critical economic factors that can affect purchasing behaviors. Fishman (2006) depicted the swift expansion of Wal-Mart: â€Å"Ten years later, by the end of 2000, Wal-Mart had opened 888 Supercenters, an average of seven new Supercenters per month, 120 months in a row† (p.8). The more shops that Wal-Mart opens, the more it is able to keep its prices lower due to product and sales volume. Hence, economies of scope is a large advantage that small shops cann ot easily beat; hence, they can die or have died due to lower competitiveness in pricing and variety.Aside from economies of scope, large companies can gain economies of scope. Wal-Mart and other firms generate cost savings because of their size in the industry. Wal-Mart has economies of scale because the average cost of selling falls as the volume of products sold increases. It can negotiate with, though some critics would call it â€Å"force,† suppliers to sell goods to them at a lower price since they can purchase larger volumes.

How Bespoke In The Face Of Challenges Find A New Way To Work Essay

How Bespoke In The Face Of Challenges Find A New Way To Work - Essay Example Considering the attention and time invested to detail while creating a bespoke suit, the costs are justifiable. It is cheaper, compared to a ready to wear garments. Similar services are provided by couture industry, however, the customer pays for a tailored suit at the same time purchasing the glamor of the name o the designer. Bespoke tailoring is moderately priced. In addition, with the increase in prices, many customers realized the convenience of bespoke tailoring. According to Timothy Everest a Savile Row Tailor, women preferred men tailors to haute couture. He further states that bespoke trousers are cheaper in British. (De La Haye, 1997) Savile Row tailors at Hawkes and Gieves can produce a suit that costs up to  £1400. However, there are many small bespoke businesses in the UK that offer affordable prices. In the year 2010, Raymond Andrews, a gent’s bespoke tailor advertised a three piece suit at  £400. Contrary a wool jacket from Yves Winter was sold at  £3174. Modern tailoring originated in the nineteenth century. By then men’s tunics had become short and close to the body in a fitting manner. Since then, the tailoring method of making the fabric to fit the body evolved and still in existence to date. Throughout the centuries that followed, skills developed along with the fashion’s demands. Continuously, the current three piece suit has been reworked. Slowly it evolved from tunic in the fourteenth century, to frock coat in the seventeenth century and in mid-nineteenth century classic form. In the nineteenth century bespoke tailoring became famous and maintained the popularity before being taken over by ready-to-wear in the 1950’s. Through several revivals, the world has recognized its richness in heritage and craft. This is evident in the wardrobes of the respectable Victorian male interpretation, to the attractiveness of Edward VIII and stars in Hollywood. Its’

International Marketing (Qasim) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Marketing (Qasim) - Essay Example The key products offered in Subway include: custom sub sandwiches, salads, soft drinks and some other food items (Ibis Report 2013). Company’s rational behind internationalization The company’s strategy is based on the aggressive international expansion worldwide. Internationalization decision is mainly based on the business growth opportunities offered by rapidly growing markets. Subway will continue to expand internationally, especially in emerging economies as it is likely to be the largest source of profit and revenue growth (Ibis Report 2013). Today, these markets include markets not yet saturated with fast food brands (Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, China, India (Fertman n.d.). Mode of entry-selection of market entry strategy to enter into various countries Subway restaurants chain has chosen franchising option as a mode of entry strategy for starting business in various countries. Initially, the Subway chain did not even select new countries to expand into, as entrepreneurs from these countries contacted Subway (Welch et al, 2008). The original foreign entry in 1986 had a following typical format: individual entrepreneurs contacted the restaurants chain from a country where there were no Subway locations, and then the development team worked together with the entrepreneur, providing assistance in opening a franchise restaurant under Subway brand (Welch et al, 2008, 61). Thus, the company transferred the method of operation to the franchisee and had a much greater degree of control over its marketing efforts in a foreign market (Lecture notes). However, nowadays, Subway is also searching actively for new markets. Business Development department of Subway determines which markets would be appropriate to entry by evaluating a number of factors, including: the cost of doing business, the GDP, fast-food development and some others, etc. By operating as a franchising chain, Subway as a franchisor experiences less risks and is capable t o penetrate various markets very rapidly. Besides the obvious benefits and advantages of the franchise concept, Subway is imposed to certain risks as well. The value of the brand, either increasing or decreasing will have effect on the franchisee competitiveness. Franchisee of Subway has a number of responsibilities, including: initial franchising fee, finding locations, hiring employees and operating restaurants, leasehold improvements and equipment and paying a fee into the advertising fund and 8% royalty to the company (Subway Global Brochure 2013, 4). Subway also has certain responsibilities, such as: providing access to operational systems, guidance on store design and equipment ordering, operations manual, training program, R&D, ongoing support and periodic audits, and informative publications (Subway Global Brochure 2013, 4). The marketing mix strategies adopted by the company There are recognized several key elements of international marketing mix, including: product support , price support, promotion/selling support, inventory support, distribution support, service support, and financial support (Lecture notes). Below are briefly evaluated all these elements with a reference to Subway restaurants chain. Product support. Even though the product line and customer service are standardized among all Subway restaurants as it is common for any franchising chain, there are cultural and local eating habits in particular country that require adaptation

The House of the Scorpion Essay Example for Free

The House of the Scorpion Essay We all grow up at some point in our lives, but when you are forced to make mature decisions before they have all the necessary skills can make your childhood unpleasant as well as difficult. Matteo Alacran, a boy from the nation of Opium, was not brought into this world like the rest of us he was placed inside the womb of a cow, where he grew, until being cut out. This changed the way many people would look at him in his life. He was a clone to many until his world was turned upside down by â€Å"himself†. Growing up isn’t as easy as it sounds, when most people consider you to be a monster, however those people who see the true inner qualities of a person are the ones we should call friend. Matt was raised in the middle of a poppy field, where he learned basic skills such as reading writing and talking. He was raised by his caregiver Celia; she loved him like he was her own. He left home with the Alacran children, this is where he would be outcast and imprisoned before he could say hello. His only friend was Maria, because she was the only one who would talk to him even if he couldn’t talk back. â€Å"Matt was afraid of Steven and Emilia, but Maria was different. She was his size and didn’t make him feel bad† (32). They would learn each other’s ways and Maria would be the only one to give him essential care to grow. Marias companionship leads to Matt regaining his ability to talk. But not before he meets El Patron, an old man with many secrets. His life is now spent in a wheel chair with two body guards, Tam Lin and Daft Donald, to look after his wellbeing. Tam Lin is now Matt’s companion he takes him on adventures to the far-off land, one of which leading to the discovery of eejits. These are brain implanted, walking zombies so to say, who are programed to have no feelings, show no emotion, and/or work till exhaustion. â€Å"‘The man is dead. Heat or lack of water killed him. The cleanup crews at the end of the day will find him’† (78). Learning about troubles that you will face in the real world is a key part of growing, if you don’t know what’s out there you’re bound to get hurt or even killed.

Nepotism in the Workplace

Nepotism in the Workplace Introduction Nepotism can be defined as the practice of making employment decisions on the basis of relationship. It can also be defined as hiring or promoting a relative or friend, even if there are other qualified candidates for the position. Nepotism in the workplace is not uncommon, since this is a practice that does not have any universal law attached to it. However, in recent times, states have passed laws to reduce this practice, since it has many ethical issues involved in it. This paper will seek to define nepotism and it would to the international, regional and local organizations where we have seen suspicions of nepotism. It will be difficult to prove that nepotism does in fact occur in any organization; however, based on the link between persons hired and their relations, we have suspicions of the occurrences of nepotism. Nepotism is both seen in the private and public sector. However, based on research, it is more prevalent in the public sector. This paper will also show how nepotism can be detrimental the company on a whole, because there are many consequences which result in nepotism. Some consequences that will be examined include, family conflict in the work place, low staff morale, loss of competent employees, use of the job to carry out unethical acts, use of position to serve their own interest and to the detriment of the company and breach of confidentiality. Nepotism is evident in family owned businesses for the obvious reasons. Families would want to pass the business from generation to generation and this means that the profit will stay within the family and will be inherited by family members. Consequences of Nepotism Although there are consequences of nepotism a pro of this act can create stability and continuity in the organization and this will refer to more family owned businesses. Continuity because if it family owned, the business will continue by passing from generation to generation. Stability because, there will be succession planning which can result in the company being successful. On the flip side of the coin, the consequences out weigh the pros of nepotism. It creates dissatisfaction among employees. When employees are dissatisfied they may have a feeling that their hard work and dedication are not accepted or recognized by the organization. Nepotism can also result in the company losing proficient employees. This can in turn affect the organizations goods and services. Nepotism can also cause fraud in the organization. In addition, family members may bring their conflict into the workplace. Employees may not be able to separate home and work life. This is most seen in cases where hus bands and wives work together and may find it difficult to work together. This may cause a decrease in the morale among staff members. A total breakdown in communication can result because of this, which will trickle down to other employees within the company. Inequity of employees is another issue resulting from Nepotism. Because of this factor, employees tend to show their dissatisfaction by low production of work which has attributed to issues in the work place in terms of upholding discipline among employees. Discipline is an issue because employees believe that since there is no justice in the organization there is no need to follow any policy or procedure. Breach of confidentiality is another consequence of nepotism. This will occur because of the lack of loyalty among employees. Employees may see this as an opportune time for them to practice unethical acts, because they believe because they were hired by a close or relative any practice is appreciated in the organization and they may use this to their advantage to get involved in any kind of unethical behaviour. Where nepotism is prevalent For obvious reasons nepotism is common in family owned businesses and this can be viewed in the more positive terms. Nepotism in family owned businesses can result in continuity in that the business will be passed on from generation to generation. There may be no ethical issues involved in the hiring family members within a family owned business. Nepotism is prevalent in the government offices. For example in the United States of America, Vice President Cheneys wife and his son-in-law Phillip Cheney were hired by President George Bush and were given high level position with the government. The positions given were Assistant Secretary of State and Chief Counsel for the Office of Management and budget respectfully (Congress, USA Today, 2007). President Bush was highly criticized for this, because many believe that were more qualified individuals who fit the job. In Cuba Fidel Castro was President of Cuba for over forty years. His brother Raul Castro is now President and has been in the position from since 2008 to present. Raul was given the position of President without any elections by the people of Cuba. Because of the autocratic leadership style displayed by Fidel and his brother Raul. Many see this as an act of nepotism. In relation to Grenada, we have seen evidence nepotism in the government sectors, in that persons have been employed because of their affiliation and relation to government officials. Research was conducted on some private owned companies in which we saw, a father, wife, daughter and son-in-law were employed within the same organization. Staff members are of the opinion that these individuals were hired because of the family relation. Test Violation The regulations test This test deals with the reaction of your colleagues, if someone made a decision in the presence of an employee, for example to employ your sister-in-law to take up the position of manager of sales. There will be no suspicion or concern, if the business is a small family run business. Since the decision would work and be perfectly understandable considering family owned businesses are normally passed from generation to generation and the continuity relies on the emotional ties within the family. However within any government organization, if the same decision was made some colleagues may start feeling insulted. They may start thinking if there is a fraud plot in the making, and will surely voice their opinion and this will create dissatisfaction. Front page test: What would it look like if we read about it in a newspaper, blog, and twitter? What if the headlines read President of Wal-Mart promotes his nephew as C.E.O. This will no doubt create suspicion in the minds of stakeholders. Also if there is some level of shame or awkwardness about the news, one can assume there is some level of nepotism involved. Exception test: This test seeks to answer two questions. 1. What if everyone did it? If every business owner decided to employ persons that are related to them or persons that are friends, that would cause many implications, for example the skills or qualifications that may be needed at a particular time, a friend or a family may not possess them, which will result in inefficiency. Also that would mean that the main requirement to obtain a job would be on economic terms who you knew, as opposed to being judged on ability or merit. 2. What if they did it to us? There is no doubt that if someone was denied a job because he is not a friend of the employers son, but had all the qualifications and skills necessary to carry out the job would be considered to be nothing short of ludicrous. And this would be impossible for anyone to sit and make sense of. Ethical Approach The utilitarian approach This approach deals with proving the greatest good with the least possible harm. As it relates to nepotism this approach is greatly violated, since nepotism is specifically linked to benefiting only the family members or to close friends of a particular individual and normally causes dissatisfaction to the majority of stakeholders. For example, in a firm where the present Vice President may be contradicting the decision made by the president of that organization, the President may seek to get the Vice President fired so that his friend may become the new Vice President so that the decisions now made by the President can get the go ahead quite easily. (this only benefits the President and the new Vice President) Justice and fairness approach This approach deals with the question, Are we recognizing the rights of those affect? There is no doubt that each employee should be treated equally; there should be no sign of favoritism in the work place. Therefore it would not be ethical for an employer to grant a job to a fishing buddy instead of promoting an employee that is skilled, competent and filled with experience that can confidently fill the vacant position. It is important to note in this case, there will be a chain reaction involved because another employee may be looking forward for the person above him to be promoted, so he will then fill the new vacant position. Therefore when someone on the outside is used to fill the position, there will be a chain reaction of disappointment within the organization. Types of Nepotism Credentials nepotism: This form of nepotism is sometimes concealed but could be very dangerous to both an individual and an organization. In this situation people are given more credit for attending a class and passing but cannot apply what they have learnt. In short credential nepotism means giving someone more credit because they are certified (Young, 2008). They were with us through thick and thin nepotism: This form of nepotism is for the most part perverse and could create a lot of chaos. New performers in an organization tend to realize that old performers (those who have been with organization from inception) are given preferential treatment by management. This clearly shows that old employees are not held to the same employee accountability standards as the new ones (Young, 2008). Referral nepotism: Referral is an employment which is said to be natural. In this case, management asks high performers within the organization to recommend someone for a job opening that needs to be filled. Management hiring someone who turns out to be a poor performer but is tied to a high performer through friendship could lead to chaos in that trying to terminate that poor performer without upsetting the high performer is almost inevitable (Young, 2008). Contribution nepotism: This is a situation where persons within an organization receives preferential treatment because of a one-time contribution that made the organization more successful even though their subsequent performance has been poor or unsatisfactory (Young, 2008). Connection nepotism: is a connection which comes about by virtue of a shared experience such as attending the same school, attend the same church, from the same community, are members of the same sports club or were in the same fraternity. Connection nepotism is inclined to turn a blind eye to low employee performance and poor job fit (Young, 2008). Favoritism: The different types of nepotism mentioned above results in favoritism which is considered to be a killer of the morals o employees (Young, 2008). Ethical Issues Involved Illegal employment discriminations/ inequality Employment discrimination transpires when an employee or applicant is singled out by an employer or their representatives based on factors such as gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability and several other reasons. For example, an employer who hires only relatives of a particular gender and race oppose to hiring persons who are not relatives and are of a different races and gender (Employeeissues.com, 2010). Wrongful termination Illegal discharge Constructive discharge Wrongful termination is the termination of employment because an employee is a certain age, religion, nationality, gender or sexual orientation. For example, an employer dismisses an employee to hire his or her relative because they share the same religious belief and are of the same race. In this instance, the employer has engaged in illegally discharging employees based on the issue of religious beliefs and race (Employeeissues.com, 2010). Constructive discharge is a form of wrongful discharge which occurs when an employee relinquishes his or her job because of nepotism in the workplace which makes working conditions unbearable (Employeeissues.com, 2010). Stakeholders A person, organization that has a direct or indirect interest or involvement in an organization is known as a stakeholder. A stakeholder can affect or be affected by the actions objectives and policies taken by the organization. Different stakeholders are entitled to different considerations since they are not all equal (Gitman, 2009). The key stakeholders who are affected by nepotism are employees, families, management, companies and institutions, shareholders, society and customers. Research has shown that nepotism has a negative effect on job satisfaction, job turnover and Human Resource Management. Any undesirable decision made by any organization impacts heavily on management. Nepotism paralyzes and exposes a company or institution as it undermines their competence, intentions and level of fairness. This could lead to reduce revenue, production, quality of goods and services and company ratings (Arasli, Bavik, Ekiz, 2006) . The stakeholder who is mostly affected by nepotism is the employees. The employees as stakeholders are those who ought to see the direction in which the business is heading. They are the ones who are supposed to point to little changes that have been made that aroused their suspicions. Nepotism is considered to be a practice which is inequitable to workers who are more competent and qualified. Nepotism directly affects an employee level of job satisfaction in such a way that management does not recognize their commitment and effort made to the organization (Arasli, Bavik, Ekiz, 2006). Nepotism created dissatisfaction, makes workers feel offended, lowers employees moral and also low level of discipline (workers who sense unfairness question whether rules should be followed or not) in an organization. This could lead to workers producing unsatisfactory output, breach in the organizations confidentiality and lack of loyalty among employees. Nepotism could also lead to companys reputati on being tarnished since unsatisfied workers could use negative word of mouth to express their dissatisfaction. Company could suffer from reduced revenue, profits and may increase fraud (Bush-Bacelis, 2010). The negative effects of nepotism on the employees could be reflected on their families and subsequently societies. Low morale, poor job satisfaction, job turnover are issues which arise from the work place and could contribute instability within the home. Nepotism could affect a family psychologically (e.g. disgruntled parents taking it out on children) and financially (quitting job because of nepotism, therefore not being able to provide for family). Nepotism could lead to discrimination among community members and those who have suffered from the repercussions of nepotism tend to dislike those who benefited from it, race, sexual orientation and religious beliefs (Morris, 2005). A shareholders main goal is to maximize their return on investments. With an issue such as nepotism which could lead several negative effects which have been mentioned above, investors would become very interested in the issues at hand. This issue could determine the amount of return a shareholder receives on his or her investment. Unhappy share holders may seek to replace management and might even consider taking their investments elsewhere. Executives especially Human Resource Personnel should definitely avoid such situations and should always take into consideration the feelings of the shareholders when making decisions (employment decisions) within the company (Morris, 2005). Customers are primarily concerned with price, quality, or services of product. Customers recognize and evaluate quality based on the behaviour and tone of voice and in particular the attitude of the employees who serve them. Poor service and repugnant attitude could lead to a customer changing their buying habits or choosing another place which provides better service. Dissatisfied and furious customers would lead to decrease in profits, increase job turnover and reduction on returns on investments. Therefore, management has to place job satisfaction for employees at the top of their list so that employees could better serve customers which would lead to increase revenue, profits, production and quality (Bush-Bacelis, 2010). Nepotism, although could benefit an organization but it could easily destroy it. Family members could bring in conflicts into the work place which could hamper the effective functioning of the workplace hence changing the companys main purpose from production of quality goods and services and profitability to love and nurture of one another. Nepotism could create disagreements within an organization that could lead to hatred among employees and management. Loss of valued personnel who contributed significantly to the day to day operations and success of the company could be a severe repercussion of nepotism in the work place. This could to a companys inability to maintain its main goal which is profit and quality of goods and services (Ezhel, 2010). Ethically Correct Actions If Human Resource decides to employ family members either that of Executives or any other positions, they should ensure that they meet the following requirements; Appropriate education for job Work experience between 3-5 years outside of the company Pay and performance should be determined by the position which is being filled. Implement and enforce federal laws relating to nepotism. Anti-nepotism laws have only been implemented in some parts of the world like the United States and it needs to be enforced in places where it is not part of their culture. Anti-nepotism laws will be useless in countries like Saudi Arabia since it is part of their culture (Bush-Bacelis, 2010). Implement and enforce anti-nepotism policies which will differ based on the country. Certain states in the US have implemented policies that prevent qualified couples from working under the same company while some believe that it is merely discrimination (Bush-Bacelis, 2010). Managers should try to go all out to not to play favorites and must also ensure that managers under them do the same (Young, 2008). Human Resource Personnel could start periodic employment surveys (every quarter) which would seek to help employees voice their concerns about potential or actual nepotism acts within the organization (Young, 2008). Conclusion Nepotism is an issue that can be very difficult to control once there are relatives or family members who hold key positions in organizations and who have influence of who is hired and who is not hired. In a small population like Grenada, it will be a difficult task to alleviate the problem, since everybody knows everybody in Grenada. The term pull string will always be an issue in our society. Even in the more developed countries, it could be a difficult issue to combat, since there are also family members and friends employed in high level positions who can be very influential in the recruitment process. However, if policies and procedures are implemented, the practice of nepotism can be decreased, and person will be hired for their qualifications and skills as opposed to being hired because of a friendly or a family relation. It is important that organizations avoid the practices of nepotism. Based on our research conducted, nepotism could be very detrimental to an organization and could cause a loss of profit and this could also tarnish the reputation of the organization.