Challenges, Opportunities. Problems Analysis and Emerging Conflicts - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2475 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Challenges, opportunities. Problems analysis and emerging conflicts: The case studies presented demonstrates several challenges and opportunities. The common ones are summarized in the below table for easy reference prior to elaboration. Common Challenges Opportunities Case I limited resources managing expectations managing change + small institute, potential growth + ability to select suitable track + exposure and qualifications Case II Case III Firstly, the limited resources can be referred at the rightful allocation of resources and the proper distribution of work load and duties among individuals. To illustrate, all three cases show a limited number of faculty members handling various functional tasks, including administrative, educational, researches, et cetera. Secondly, in managing expectations, leaders and managers respectively in each situation have failed to recognize the future aspiration of their staff, while they were mostly concerned in the pursuit of balancing between the needs and the expectations of their institutions. Thirdly, the most significant challenge can be traced to managing change in context. This is a crucial element, since it is a must-have attribute associated with being a leader and or a manager to be able to anticipate future change and being prepared with a contingent plan, as to cope with the unexpected and maintain a smooth and effective operation of the institute. On the other ha nd, opportunities can originate from different areas. To exemplify the cases, the first shows a new small faculty, the second refers to a newly established department, while the last is concerned with new mission. The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"newà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ situation proposed can therefore be associated with ample of opportunities, such as potential career growth, better income, increased experience and qualifications. Moreover, all the case provide in a way a choice for choosing a suitable track that fit individual goal, provide exposure and possible promotion. It is commonly known that problems occur when a gap exist between a required situation and the actual one, or when expectations have changed. Alternatively, problems often lead to conflicts that emanate from different expectations between individuals. In the first case, the problem occurred as a result of budget cut. This unexpected change, led the Associate Dean to reconsider his plan of recruiting additional faculty mem bers and invest in a fully equipped laboratory to enable researches and development. Subsequently, this change affected directly the junior faculty member, first since work-shedding for some of the tasks performed is no more an option, and by the lack of basic equipment needed to conduct her researches. These fact led to a conflict, since either she would have to compromise and sacrifice her own private time to obtain the promotion she aims or she might lose her job. While in the second case, the problem took place when a faculty member was transferred to a new department and under a less cooperative, less guiding department head. The faculty member had collaborated and contributed to the overall mission of faculty in studies and publications, but her new manager did not recognize her efforts and instead accounted her for what her job description. The conflict aroused when the faculty member was subject to either succumb to pressure of new role or resign from her post. As for the third case, the problem originates as a result of large-scale change in faculty mission, to focus on practice dentistry to generate income and reduce costs. This fact has led to a perception of inequality in compensation between the two teams; tenure tack and clinical track faculty members. Conflicts emerged when tenure members believed that their counterparts would benefit more from this new approach considering that they are limited to one day in practice, while the clinical member complained about the lower base salary and the less flexible hours in comparison. Case studiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ central issues and relevant management concepts: (Word count: 964 without headings) To better comprehend each case, it is essential to analyze and identify the related central issues prior to identifying a management theory that could be applied and or assist for each context Referring to case I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the frustrated faculty memberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , the main issue dwell in managing resources, in particular the human element. Peter Drucker (2004) suggests that effective managers will follow certain practices, such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"what is right for the enterpriseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. This fact is visible since both the dean and his associate did their best to get in hold of Dr. Orsten à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a periodontist, which is considered as scarce resource for the faculty. However, this is not sufficient. An institute that faces shortage in faculty members shall consider effective ways in developing their staff. Many techniques are presented in this regards, including mentoring, motivating and performance counseling. Retrieved from the Journal of Dental Education, Kotter presented certain complementary activities associated with management includes recruiting, allocating resources and coping with complexity. Apparently, the dean and his associate have succeeded in recruiting, but they failed on other counts such as mentor ing. Alternatively, what seems to be a drawback in leadership here, may in fact be related to other factors. Rosemary Stewart (1982) suggested that in certain context, managers effectiveness may reside on key factors, and this case, the constraints imposed on Dr. Hightower by the resource limitations and perhaps the legal regulations pertaining the promotion committee and requirement for tenure, did not leave room for negotiations and forced their behavior that way. This can be confirmed by his sympathy towards to Dr. Orsten and his appreciation to her work performance through the given bonus. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ As for case II à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the misdirected faculty memberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  the central issue stems from lack of communication between the Dean and the different departmentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Chairs. The lack of discussion and feedback among them may have resulted in an unnoticed conflict. For example, the direction of the deanship towards more rese arches and studies, was not communicated across the board and notably did not obtain feedback from all participants. Instead, they may have used existing skills of some members without considering their future aspirations. Supplemented with further internal re-shuffle of faculty members, both facts have led to a different expectations, and lack of compatibility. Dr. Forester à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a motivated member, has had to struggle to obtain guidance from the head of the newly established department where she was transferred at. This fact had spilled its impact on de-motivation. Thus, during the process of reengineering tasks between tenure and the clinical, and the changes in faculty bylaws, none have considered the impact for such a change. One way that could have helped the leaders and managers to identify such a conflict, could have been attained trough a proper feedback of all involved and the expectancy theory. The course study materials suggest that when app raising a subordinate, a manager should not only provide feedback, but also consider receiving feedback. Perhaps that what Dr. Marino failed to do, irrespective of whether he had load of other duties. Moreover, the failure to understand the individual and provide a constructive feedback, has meant that the appraisal of Dr. Forester led to a destructive feedback. As a result, Dr. Forester who had high expectations for promotion and motivated by her contribution to the school is now left wondering whether to remain or leave the school. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ As for the case of the faculty stuck in the middle, the fundamental issue is how to address conflicts when dealing with limited resources create a conflict between individuals and different groups of faculty members. To start with, the new direction of the deanship as to focus on income generating centers, that is the clinical practice whereby additional income may be generated, and reducing expenses may sound crystal clear. How ever, this decision as the case implies was neither communicated nor transparently conveyed to all stakeholders , in specific all faculty members regardless of their track. This major flaw in Leadership and management is the source of rift that created the conflicts between the school faculty members. To epitomize, the new strategy proposed stirred up the differences between the tenure and clinical tracks members. On one hand, those in tenure found their counterpart would more benefit from incentives from the practice of dentistry, while themselves are imposed limitations for one day practice. On the other side, the clinical members raised the issue of compensation gap between both tracks, and the less flexible weekly schedule. The perception of unfair practice could have been avoided, if for example the leadership encouraged open communication, being transparent about the reason of change, and encourage all members to discuss freely among them. Instead, they have list ened to each individually. Hence, what appeared to be a positive conflict, that is enabling recruitment of clinical track at low base salary with higher incentives from practice, have resulted in negative conflict by the different perception of inequality that both team have held on each other. Addressing these conflicts after its occurrence, may be harder and perhaps a better way to avoid it was to accommodate it as the case study showed that Dr. Middleman had nothing to offer except to listening- that is accommodating à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" and was forced to deal with non-cooperative team, and a vacant position in his department. In similar situations, literature suggests that dealing with complexity and managing conflicts, require finding a resolution and a compromise. This can be achieved through negotiation. It involves joining people together, agree on a fair solution à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"holding the stick in the middleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, make concessions and achieve compromises on both sides. Action alternatives and proposed recommendations: (word count: 650- without heading) The action alternatives proposed in Case I, an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"up or outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ option cannot be the right approach. To justify the statement, we shall consider different assumptions: If Dr. Orsten, unable to cope with responsibilities, did not allocate further time to pursue requirements, demonstrate skills needed for promotion, therefore she would fail to qualify for the tenure, hence forced to go out. Moreover, if Dr. Langley with no intention to continue at the new school, also left upon his contract expiry, the result would be catastrophic. Reason is the shortage of periodontist. A better approach to overcome this negative situation would consider different ways in which the deanship may conserve their human assets. Dr. Hightower could re-negotiate an incentive plan, alleviate and balance teaching tasks. Consequently shreddin g some obligations from the frustrated member. This would enable better time management and allow opting for researches and publications. As a matter of fact, setting direction is the essence of Leadership besides aligning people, motivating and inspiring them. Accordingly, these clues could lead to a favorable situation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ From what has been advanced in Case II, Dr. Forester is set to work after hours to attain excessive requirements of the new department, obtain a positive performance review and gain a promotion. Giving no options may not be the best solution. Simply because what has worked for Dr. Marino may not work for Dr. Forester, i.e. due to her personal family situation, she might not be able to commit to additional late night working hours. A better approach to tackle the situation, is reconsidering other clinical members who may willingly be interested in this department, and match the traits of Dr. Marino, i.e. sharp with no familial obliga tions. Moreover, exploit Dr. Foresterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capabilities and skills that was found useful and needed in restorative department. The focus here will be on keeping all staff motivated, feeling secure and appreciated. One way to measure effectiveness of the Leaders is how well they manage to ensure harmony among their staff while maintaining the direction towards achieving objectives derived from the mission. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ When reviewing case III, addressing limited resources via proposal of recruiting clinical members at lower salary base with higher incentive plan for dentistry practice, may not yield to wishful result. This has created conflicts between different groups. Accordingly, consequences could be catastrophic if a contingency plan is not initiated to contain this rift. An alternative approach is to consider what explicitly was mentioned within case abstract, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"having transparent, open communication and confronta tionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ but under the leadership guidance. Instead of avoidance, the best strategy could be a collaborative approach. By transparently considering the whole package of benefits in front of all concerned, considering all factors such as years of tenure and experiences as well as other benefits openly would help bridging the gap and perhaps reaching agreement on sharing incentives adequately between tracks. In short, the school would need both team to achieve its mission. Subsequently, it needs to address incentive sharing generated by the additional income, then flexibility given to both parties, which would lead to a perception of equality. Furthermore, the committee should include an equal ratio from both sides. Conclusions list with explanation: (word count 310 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" excluding headings) To manage people requires more than aligning interests of individuals with the faculty expectations. Empathy and financial motivation are not conclusive in d ealing with change. Additionally, changes are part of our daily life and successful leaders shall always consider all possibilities and not be limited to what is set. In fact, the simple scheme of management skill as presented by Robert L. Katz (1986), include a related part of conceptual skills, and involves visualizing the enterprise as a whole. That is considering the relationships between its various parts, understand interdependence of human asset and recognizes that changes in once part impact other parts. Furthermore, when managing a new department implies transferring human resource, it is very essential to understand individualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ career expectancy, obtain feedback from their previous superior and set a clear direction to them before they move onto their new role. Failing to do so, could result in losing a well performing member, and denying opportunities for those who may be well suited for new positions. In other words, there must be an analysis o f all potential candidates that specifically fit the required job, but not making a transfer without considering consequences that result in negative conflicts among participants, as implied in case II. Finally, in order to manage a limited resource, good leaders shall consider the potential impacts of their proposed solution on all parts of the institute. An ideal change, is a solution that serve the immediate problem and have positive impact on the overall organization. Hence, a solution has to consider the different stakeholders. In other words. not only the interest of the university to be looked at alone, but also the interests of all members including the clinical and tenure track faculty members. Only then, conflicts can be avoided and potential threats from mass exodus can be eradicated, as it was demonstrated in case III. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Reference list: Comer, Robert W. et al (2002) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Leadership Strategies for Department Chairs and Program Dire ctors: A case Study Approachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Journal of Dental Education, vol. 66, no. 4 Drucker, Peter F. (2004) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"What makes a good executive?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Harvard Business Review, pp. 58-63 Katz, R. (1986) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Skills of an effective administratorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Harvard Business Review, March/ April, vol. 64, issue 2, p. 198 Kotter, J.P. (1999) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å" What effective general managers really doà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Harvard Business Review, March/ April, vol. 77, issue 2, pp. 145-59. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Challenges, Opportunities. Problems Analysis and Emerging Conflicts" essay for you Create order

How Natural Harmony Was A Key Characteristic Of Economic...

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The Great Gatsby Film Critique free essay sample

The Great Gatsby, 2013 Film Critique This past spring, Hollywood released the quite controversial adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgeralds great American novel, The Great Gatsby. The film is directed by Baz Luhrman, known for his extravagant, visual style, with none other than legendary Leonardo DiCaprio as title character, Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as narrator Nick Carraway, and Carey Mulligan is cast as Daisy Buchanan. Set during the summer of 1922 on Long Island, New York, Nick gets caught up in the world of millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, who throws fabulous parties each weekend to capture the ttention of his first love, the old-moneyed, married Daisy, who happens to be Nicks cousin. Throughout the story, the characters are faced with discovery, betrayal, and tragedy, in both the novel and film. Of course, Luhrmans adaptation is Just that, and because the novel is so widely thought of as un-adaptable, the director has undergone heavy criticism. 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A Sample Back to School Night Agenda Back to School Night is your opportunity to make a strong, positive first impression on your new students parents. Time is short, but theres a lot of information to cover so its important to make a schedule of Back to School Night activities and follow it as closely as possible. That way, you can feel confident that you will address all of the most important points, while the parents will get all of their questions answered in a friendly and orderly manner. Sample Back to School Night Schedule Use the following sample schedule of Back to School Night activities as a road-map of key points you might want to cover during your own presentation. Distribute (or display via presentation) the evenings agenda so that parents know what to expect.Briefly introduce yourself, including your educational background, teaching experience, interests, and a few friendly pieces of personal information.Give an overview of the scope and sequence of the curriculum you will be covering with the students over the course of the school year. Show textbooks and give a thumbnail sketch of what the students will know by the end of the year.Describe a typical day in your classroom as exhibited through the daily schedule. Be sure to mention which days of the week are for special activities such as physical education class or visiting the library.Mention a few important dates in the school calendar, perhaps the major vacation dates, field trips, assemblies, carnivals, etc.Review the classroom and school rules and procedures. Consider asking the parents to sign a slip that indicates their agreement to the classroom rules and corresponding consequences.T ell the parents about opportunities to volunteer in the classroom. Be specific about what you need and what various jobs entail. Let them know where the volunteer sign-up sheet is located. Allow a few minutes for the parents to ask you questions in a whole group setting. Only take time to answer questions that apply to all or most of the students. Child-specific questions should be addressed in a different format.Distribute your contact information, how you prefer to be contacted, and how the parents can expect to hear from you on a weekly or monthly basis (class newsletter, for example). Introduce the Room Parent, if applicable.Let the parents meander around the classroom for a few minutes, exploring bulletin boards and learning centers. You can even conduct a quick scavenger hunt for a fun way for parents  to explore the classroom.  And remember to encourage them to leave a little note for their children.Smile, thank everyone for coming, and relax. You did it!

Your LinkedIn Profile 10 Most Common Errors and Omissions

Your LinkedIn Profile 10 Most Common Errors and Omissions Your professional image is largely determined by whats on your LinkedIn profile. Dont think for a minute that any and I mean any employer who considers hiring you wont Google you and vet your LinkedIn profile. What would you like them to find there? I recently offered to review 20 peoples LinkedIn profiles for free, and I got an overwhelming response to my offer. What I learned through the process of conducting these reviews rather astounded me. Heres what potential employers and clients will see in most profiles: 1. Spelling, grammar and punctuation errors in the main profile. Dont let this happen. Find a good editor to review your profile! 2. Recommendations containing spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Have someone check these and if there are errors, ask your recommender to replace the recommendation. Most people are very cooperative Ive made these requests myself! 3. No picture, a blurry picture, a picture with 2 people in it, or a picture with a busy background. I understand some people have privacy considerations that raise concerns about posting a picture on LinkedIn. If you do choose to post a photo, however, make it a head shot with a plain, light background. Were shooting for the professional look here! 4. Websites like My Company and My graduate school. These titles dont provide much information. Thankfully, its easy to personalize your URLs just choose Other and write in your specific website description. 5. Public profile URLs with lots of numbers, letters and slashes at the end. You can customize your URL to end with your name. Is that name taken? Try last name followed by first name, or use an initial or two, or insert dashes you can figure this one out. (Read more about this in my post Should I Include My LinkedIn Profile URL on My Resume?) Heres what potential employers and clients will NOT see in many cases: 1. Consistency. From one job description to the next, there are often discrepancies in format and structure. Consistency is extremely important in any resume-like document! If you have a heading that says Major Accomplishments, use it in all positions where you had major accomplishments. If you are writing in the third person, write everything in the third person. If you use periods at the end of your bullets, do it everywhere. Capisce? 2. Recommendations. If you own a business or are looking for work, it is especially important to use this opportunity to have people sell you! 3. Descriptions of your job duties and accomplishments why would you leave these out? Its okay on your 10th job in the list to leave out the bullets, but make sure you provide a description of what you did at your jobs. Start your phrases with verbs (past tense verbs for past positions, present tense verbs for present positions). Let us know not just what you did but what you accomplished. The more concrete and quantifiable the better. You can also attach a resume for this purpose if you download the application Box.net. 4. School activities and sometimes degrees. If you got a degree or participated in activities while in school, list them! 5. Applications. I recommend checking out the partner applications available through LinkedIn. You can attach documents, recommend books, and do many other things with these useful tools. Find out whats available and use it! If you avoid these errors and omissions in your LinkedIn profile, you will stand out in a positive way to the people reading it. Why would you take a chance by doing anything else? Are you getting the results that you want from your LinkedIn profile? If not, this book is for you. In my do-it-yourself Kindle book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile And 18 Mistakes to Avoid! I provide you with 18 detailed strategies and writing tips that other â€Å"LinkedIn experts† don’t cover. First I tell you how to get found on LinkedIn, and then I tell you how to keep people reading. Click here for more info and to order. Category:Archived ArticlesBy Brenda BernsteinMay 22, 2009 2 Comments Irene Castillo says: May 25, 2009 at 5:14 am I am interested. How would I pay the $25? Thank you. Log in to Reply admin says: May 29, 2009 at 4:12 pm Here is the link to the profile review offer on my website: LinkedIn Profile Review Click ?add to cart? and you will be brought to a PayPal window where you can purchase the profile review. If you would prefer, we can send a PayPal request by email, or an invoice for payment by check. What you get in a LinkedIn Profile Review by The Essay Expert: ? Overview of your presentation, including strengths and weaknesses ? Detailed commentary on every section of your profile ? Substantive and technical suggestions for improvement Thank you for working with The Essay Expert. Log in to Reply

Should the Death Penalty be legal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Should the Death Penalty be legal - Essay Example Those who are against the use of capital punishment do not think that the government should be given the authority to subject any of its people to death. They also say that this practice is overtly costly, racially partial and does not realize the intended result. The vast majority of Americans consider the death penalty to be neither cruel nor unusual, quite the opposite; they think it’s a fair and just punishment. They not only accept but stridently insist that the â€Å"ultimate punishment† be sustained for several reasons which will be thoroughly covered in this paper. It will also take into account the opponents’ logic concerning why it should be ended in an effort to show an inclusive summary of the contentious death penalty debate. History of Punishment Historically speaking, the justification for punishing offenders has been to â€Å"avenge the crime, to protect society by imprisoning the criminal, to deter that person and other potential offenders from the commission of crimes and to obtain reparations from the offender† (Wolfgang, 1998). All through the history of civilization, this rational has not altered appreciably. The four fundamental reasons humanity punishes criminals can be classified by two basic motivations. One is to obtain the desired outcome which includes protecting society, deterrence and seeking compensation. The other, retribution or vengeance involves reprimanding those who have committed a crime on society. For thousands of years people have subscribed to retribution as validation for using the death penalty which can be found in the Biblical reference ‘an eye for an eye.’ In other words, aggressive actions against society must be confronted with an aggressive punishment (Olen & Barry, 1996: 268). This use of any type of punishment is humanity’s method of striking back at a person or persons who have disturbed the ethical and emotional sensibilities of a society. The ‘eye for an eye’ justification continues to be used by many people and nations today. Those who embrace this viewpoint are undoubtedly correct when they state that capital punishment assures that the offender will not be able to commit another transgression against society. The death penalty is the definitive preventative measure (Olen & Barry, 1996). Opponent Position Persons who oppose use of the death penalty think that all life no matter how despicable should be considered of value and that putting a person in prison for life without the opportunity for parole is sufficient punishment. Opponents also believe that revenge as justification is wrong and in the end more harmful to the values of society than is the crime of murder itself. Additionally, opponents think that banning the death penalty will â€Å"allow opportunities for confronting those who had been hurt most and possibly encourage remorse or reconciliation (and) suggest those that have killed be made to service the commun ity as a way of partially making amends† (Olen & Barry, 1967: 272). According to opponents the death penalty is morally and ethically objectionable in modern society. Some are against it based on religious reasons referring to morality as the primary issue; however, differing religions and the faithful within those religions have conflicting opinions. For example, Christians who live in America overwhelmingly support it while Christians in Europe tend to oppose it. Legal Interpretations The U.S. Supreme Court has maintained that use of the death

Data Recovery Software Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Data Recovery Software - Term Paper Example Judging by job websites such as Monster.com Computer Networking professional administers, maintains, and troubleshoots personal computers, printers and associated peripherals in a managed network environment to ensure a reliable computing system for other company staff, assists users as needed, administers, maintains, and troubleshoots telephone and voice mail systems. Mitchell names following basic job titles for computer networking and networking-related positions: Network Administrator, Network (Systems) Engineer, Network (Service) Technician, Network Programmer/Analyst, and Network/Information Systems Manager. By the data from US Department of Labour computer support, specialists and systems network administrators held about 758,000 jobs in 2002. 813,000 jobs were forecasted for 2003, so demand for Computer Networking professionals is growing. Judging by job websites, such as Monster.com following technical skills are required for Computer Networking professionals: Strong working knowledge of installing, configuring, and troubleshooting personal computers in a network environment. In-depth technical knowledge of popular software: Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Administration tools / Ping & trace utils, Backup software, Data recovery software, Help desk software, Network inventory software,   Network monitoring/management, Remote control software, Software distribution, and metering and Storage software. Understanding needs, identifying root causes of problems, and development and implementation creative and pragmatic solutions. Ability to diagnose and resolve hardware and software problems for end-users, such as difficulties accessing and utilizing network-based resources. Monitoring virus infection notifications. Monitoring and responds to alerts and other observed troubles with network servers, infrastructure, print queues.   

Cranialfacial reconstruction - pre op surgical technologist tech Research Paper

Cranialfacial reconstruction - pre op surgical technologist tech - Research Paper Example In such cases, the reconstruction is carried out immediately once the problem is analyzed. The need for craniofacial reconstruction depends on the complexity of the patient. The other situations may arise when the patient has met with an accident where the facial bones or skull is broken. In certain cases it may be done to reconstruct the facial and skull bones for cancer patients if they have undergone any bone removal during cancer treatment. Another possibility of facial reconstruction is when the patient suffers from cleft lip disorder. (Hardt, 2007).In this case, the patient’s bones of the upper lip do not fuse properly with that of the lower lip. In any case, this option is preferred only if the patient’s skull or face cannot be modified using any other surgery. It is done to modify a child’s skull if the child is detected with abnormalities during the birth. The abnormalities may be due to genetic problems or disorders. This surgery is done keeping in mind the future problems and issues. Depending on the growth of bone, the original bone must be restructured. Since craniofacial surgery involves more risk, doctors opt for it only when there is no other way to treat the patient. Craniofacial reconstruction involves various pre-operative procedures. The reconstruction surgery is done based on these reports. The initial step in the pre-operative process is skull examination. This is done based on the x-ray and scan report of the patient’s skull. The patient’s skull is examined to analyze its shape and dimensions. (Barone, 2004).This helps in easy reconstruction of the damaged skull. Once the skull is examined, the reconstruction plan is implemented. In the reconstruction plan, the dental and facial structures are analyzed. The next step is to match the tissues of the patient. The tissues are tested and then selected in equivalence with the patient’s skull and facial tissues. This will ensure that the

Soldiers Home And How to Tell a True War Story Analysis

Soldiers Home And How to Tell a True War Story Analysis War can be defined as a situation in which competing enemies are involved in an active struggle. Different authors have over time written war stories and their effects on individuals. Tim OBrien wrote How to tell a true war story while Ernest Hemmingway wrote Soldiers Home. Both stories illustrate to readers the effects of war on an average person. Both stories are the same in many aspects because both authors had a stint in the army. OBrien served in the Vietnam War and he chooses a narrator in his story who is the same as him. This makes the reader believe in OBriens stories as if they actually happened. Hemmingway, on the other hand, served in the World War I and bases his story on real life experience such as lies, relationships and death. In both stories, we are told that soldiers in a war do whatever that they like. This is supported in Soldiers Home when Krebs does nothing to get a job or make money throughout the day. In How to tell a true War Story OBrien is of the opinion that a soldier yearns for a perfect world while in the battle zone. On his return home, Krebs is truthful and blunt on his answer not caring how others take it. Themes can be referred to as the fundamental ideas that have been explored in a piece of literature. Both stories have the theme of physical and emotional burden in which the characters are both figurative and literal. Both OBrien and Krebs carry loads that are emotionally heavy. The load is composed of terror, grief, longing and love. Each mans burden is related to their emotions. After the end of the war, both men have psychological burden which continue to haunt and define them. They survived the war but continue to carry grief, and confusion. Fear of shame as a motivation is delved in both stories. OBrien experiences in war shows that the motivating factor in war is the fear of feeling ashamed before peers. Krebs also has the fear of relating to the towns people and even his own family. Both stories explain the complexities of relating war experience to story telling/narration. Tim OBrien chooses to have a fictional narrator who is also known by his name Tim OBrien. He shows that the narrator has the power to shape the opinions of his listeners. In both stories, the authors use the stories to allow the listeners tackle the past experiences .They use narratives to pass their message. Loneliness and isolation features prominently in both stories. OBrien explains that there is loneliness and also isolation in Vietnam during the war. He says that loneliness and isolation are destructive the same way as ammunition. Krebs on the other hand is isolated and lonely in his home town since returning from war. He is disillusioned and is unable to fit in his society or even his family. Both titles Soldiers Home and How to Tell a True war story are both ironical. Soldiers home in real sense refers to a place of rest, a place of retirement but in the story, Krebs does not find rest in his home town, in fact he suffers from post traumatic stress and isolation. In How to Tell True War Story, it is ironical that OBrien starts by saying the story is true only to argue later at the end that one should not believe a true war story since it is even impossible for one to tell a war story that it is true. In Soldiers Home, we find that Krebs lies so much to the extent that when he returns home, lying makes him sick. OBrien backs this theme when he says that one Hs to stretch the truth and lie so as to make the public believe ones war story. Krebs tells his stories of war with other war veterans assembled at the pool room. In the same way, OBrien tells others about his war experiences. Readers of Hemmingway story are told that people do not want to hear Krebs stories while on the other hand OBrien also thinks that war stories are meant for people who do not listen. How to Tell a true War Story is not straight forward and does not follow chronological paths from the start to the end like a traditional story. Instead it has a collection of various small stories that have been interspersed with instruction on war stories. The story also has commentary whereby the narrator says that a war story which is true is never moral. The narrator through commentary also argues that distinguishing on what really happened from what seemingly happened in a true war story is difficult. . The protagonists in both How to Tell a True War Story and A Soldiers Home tell the stories of their lives and also about war and its effects on their lives. This can be seen in the modifications of war stories by OBrien and the social isolation of the protagonist in Hemmingways story. In both stories, the protagonists are traumatized by their time in the military service. OBrien accepts that fabrication is essential and relevant to his stories. He agrees on his stress that is post traumatic and admits to telling lies through his literature. Hemmingways depiction on stress occasioned by war differs from that from OBrien because his war veteran, Krebs is recovering from the effects of war on him. Krebs does not like remembering his time in the military. While OBrien likes embellishing and talking about the truth, Krebs was sick of it. Krebs depicts negative effects of war by emotionally alienating himself from the society. He still lives in his parents home and is not married or has any career. Ernest Hemmingways Soldiers Home is not a story about an old soldier in an old peoples home waiting to die, but it is a story of a young man called Harold Krebs who has just returned from war and is unable to figure out what he wants in life. Although he is at home, he does not feel at home. It is like he did not want to come home. Krebs knows that he has changed but everything else in his hometown seems the same. He is expected to pick up and continue with life from where he had left while going to war but he does not know how to do that. He is confused. He feels no one understands what he is undergoing, the turmoil that is within him. The many atrocities he witnessed in the war zone have made him not to believe in God anymore. One feels sorry and sympathy for Krebs. His troubles can be compared to what other war veterans went through when they arrived back home from war. Krebs is timid and uncomfortable in the company of women except his immediate family members. He depicts a picture on how hard it is to be assimilated back in to ones society after military service. Social acceptance as a theme in Ernest Hemmingways Soldiers Home and OBriens How to Tell a True War Story is significant in both stories. Both major characters are isolated socially and are unable to relate well with all those who are around them. It is fair to conclude that neither Krebs nor OBrien is no better off at the end of these stories than when they started. It is understandable that both writers of these stories- Soldiers Home and How to Tell a true war Story were both scarred in the wars. These stories are therefore very personal and the experiences offer us glimpses into the lives of both the authors, their many trials and tribulations that they faced.

Breakthrough Perspective on Green and Sustainable Architecture Essay

Buildings have been part of human life since the beginning of time, we depend of them to live, learn, grown, for protection and shelter. The decisions we make today will not only affect our future but our surrounding as well. We need buildings to survive the climates of the earth and to live our own lives. Architecture is what nature cannot make, yet it is influenced by the rules of nature, as humans evolved so did our way of thinking, and so did our architecture. Green architecture is a breakthrough in human history, Green Architecture is more a more advanced way of building, it has if the building as a life. The purpose of this essay report is to identify the advantages of green Architecture in Canadian Society and its positive effects on our economy. By illuminating the advantages of these green buildings, we will clarify that green building as opened many doors and new possibilities into the human world. What is Green/Sustainability Architecture? Green architecture is a method of design that reduces the negative impact that buildings have on the environment. â€Å"It’s a harmless approach to building that minimizes harm on human health and the environment† (Jackie Craven, What is Green Architecture† and â€Å"Green Design, About.com Guide, 2009http://architecture.about.com/od/green concepts/g/green.htm) It helps people to live in a safer and healthier environment as well as contribute to the well being of the planet. A building is considered green when it has a positive approach on all area of its focus, which includes sustainability, materials efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, land use and waste reduction. All of these criteria are based on the Canadian LEED rating system, which is applicable to new building, and ba... ...rcialnews.com/article/id22421 2 Williams, Patricia (2007). Concrete makes perfect choice for Toronto’s St. Gabriel’s Passionate Church. Retrieved Dec 5, 2009, http://www.dailycommercialnews.com/article/id25465 3 Green Church Applauded (2006). Presbyterian Record. Retrieved Dec 5, 2009,http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-155664452.html 4 St. Gabriel’s Passionate Parish. Retrieved Dec 6, 2009, http://www.stgabrielsparish.ca/index.php 5 â€Å"Businesses Gain Interest in Sustainable Buildings,† Design News 62.9(2007): 28, Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web 14 Dec, 2009†). 6 Jackie Craven, What is Green Architecture† and â€Å"Green Design, About.com Guide, 2009http://architecture.about.com/od/green concepts/g/green.htm 7 (Kirthy Shetty, Green Building and its Advantages, exinearticles.com, 2009, http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Building-and-Its-Advantages!&id=1861902)

Greed for Money Essay

Today, greed for money, together with greed for power, is one of the chief causes of human misery. No wonder our Lord put as his first beatitudes;† Blessed are the poor in spirit. † Poverty in spirit is the opposite of greed for money, for it means detachment from material things coupled with trust in God as the only Savior. People cheat other people for money. They betray friends for money. Members of the same family – sometimes parents and children quarrel and sue each other in court over money. Jesus was very well aware that money would rival God in the eyes of many people. That is why he warned â€Å"No man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and money†. He himself was the victim of greed. In the end, He was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by Judas. It takes real grace to see the seduction of money and the emptiness of its promises. Aspiring politicians have heard of the sad end of Ferdinand Marcos, and other dictators whose billions benefit only the Swiss banks but not those who robbed their own people. And yet given the opportunity, how many will resist the temptation to take advantage of one’s public trust? In the song Hello Dolly, it says â€Å"Money my dear is like manure. It is good for nothing unless it is spread around to make your things grow. † Many of us are rather more fascinated by the manure and love to store it, more than to share it.

The Many Cognates of Cede

The Many Cognates of Cede The Many Cognates of Cede The Many Cognates of Cede By Mark Nichol The word cede and words with the syllable -cede share an origin with other similarly spelled words that in some sense refer to withdrawal. This post lists and defines those terms. Cede, meaning â€Å"assign,† â€Å"grant,† or transfer, is just one of multiple words descended from the Latin verb cedere, meaning â€Å"go† or â€Å"yield.† The term cession, which refers to an act of ceding, or yielding is rare. Concession is more common in that sense; the verb form is concede, and concessional and concessionary are the uncommon adjectival forms. (â€Å"Concession stand† and the plural form of the noun describe business operations in which one party grants another party the right to sell goods on the first party’s property.) Accede (â€Å"go to†) means â€Å"agree,† â€Å"approve,† or â€Å"consent,† with the sense of doing so reluctantly, or â€Å"take an office or position,† and the noun form is accession. To intercede (â€Å"go between†) is to intervene or mediate; the act of doing so is called intercession. Precede (â€Å"go before†) can refer to being ahead of or in front of, earlier, or more important. The noun form precedence applies to the quality of priority; another noun form, precession, is rare but is seen in â€Å"precession of the equinoxes,† a reference to an astronomical phenomenon. To recede (â€Å"go back†) is to move away or slant backward, or to decrease (it can also mean â€Å"give something back to the former owner†); most references to the noun form recession pertain to a general decline in economic prosperity. Recedence is a rare term for the act of going back. To secede (â€Å"go apart†) is to separate, as part of a nation from the whole; the noun form is secession. Several other words share the root -cede, but with altered spelling, such as proceed (â€Å"go before†), which means â€Å"advance,† â€Å"come forth,† or â€Å"continue.† The noun procedure describes a set of steps, or a way, to accomplish something, and proceeding can be both a form of the verb or, in plural form, a noun describing a sequence of events. The noun proceeds refers to money brought in, and procedural serves both as an adjective and as a noun describing a work of written or recorded fiction that focuses on a sequence of procedures such as the steps taken in solving a crime. Two other nouns derived from proceed are process, a synonym, as a verb, of proceed and, as a noun, of procedure (in addition, the noun process refers to a prominent part of an organism), and procession refers to a forward movement, especially an orderly, often ceremonial parade of people. (It can also be a verb referring to such a movement.) Processable and processability, meanwhile, refer to the capability or suitability of something to be processed. Succeed (â€Å"go after†) means to do well (and the act of succeeding is called success), but it also pertains to inheriting from or following another person in order; this action is known as succession, and one who follows is a successor. To exceed (â€Å"go from†) is to go beyond or extend outside of or to be greater than; excess refers to the act of going beyond but has a negative connotation. Words that don’t seem at all related but are include abscess (â€Å"go away†), which refers to pus collecting in a cavity within inflamed tissue, and ancestor (â€Å"one who goes before†), which means â€Å"one from whom one is descended†- the adjectival form is ancestral, and the noun ancestry refers to one’s forebears- and antecedent (â€Å"go before†), which means â€Å"something that precedes.† To cease (â€Å"hold back†) is to stop (and cessation refers to the act of stopping), and decease (â€Å"go from†) means â€Å"death,† though it is much more often used as a verb to mean â€Å"die.† (One who dies is a decedent.) Predecessor (â€Å"one who goes before†) refers to someone who has preceded another person in a position; it is an antonym of successor. Necessary (â€Å"not go†), too, derives ultimately from cedere; it means â€Å"inescapable† or â€Å"required.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1The Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetOne "L" or Two?

Ecological System essays

Ecological System essays Our planet is distinct form any other in our galaxy because of its uniquely habitable atmosphere. Its seas and land masses are home to an abundance of creatures. Both human beings and wildlife belong to the larger group of living things called animals. Animals are dependent on both their habitat and each other for survival. The preservation of wildlife is both vital and meaningful for human beings and can be justified from a moral, an ecological and an economic standpoint. From a moral aspect, everything has the right to survive. Wild animals have their own society and we have ours and to a larger extent, these societies' are interdependent. Yet the human instinct has become increasingly destructive to the point where the natural world is threatened. How would we feel if some powerful creatures from another planet came to destroy the earth? It is immoral for one community of animals to stamp out another. From an ecological point of view, the extinction of wild animals adversely and significantly affects the ecosystem. Destruction of one group of animals enrich the soil, making it fertile for plantlife which may be the food source of another animal group. If the primary level of life is destroyed, starvation may well threaten the secondary level. Our ecosystem is based on this type of 'chain': extinction of one level might trigger a whole series of ecological calamities. From an economic perspective, the extinction of wild animals can be a blow to business. Suppose a lack of fertile land meant that sheep were unable to graze and consequently faced extinction. Many important commodities are produced as a result of sheep farming and these businesses would also be threatened. In such a case, the etinction of a species is akin to throwing money away. There is no doubt that this valubale world of ours is under threat. We should think about the ways in which we can preserve and nourish all earthly life forms in...

Internet Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Internet Strategies - Essay Example Drawing upon this idea, Treese and Stewart (1998) assert that the internet offers two key sources of value – the ability to transform customer relationship and the ability to displace traditional sources of business value. They suggest four key competitive internet-marketing strategies – the Channel Master, Customer Magnet, Value Chain Pirate, and the Digital Distributor. Channel Master strategy opens up new channels to the customers on the internet. It facilitates better customer service including delivery of products. The customers are directly connected to the companies offering the products and the services. Amazon.com is an example of how a virtual storefront is available to the buyers (Webonomics). Customers have the flexibility to choose the hours of business. Ghosh emphasizes that companies can master their internet channels by providing the same level of service as they would in person. This strategy helps the customer to track the status of delivery too. The Customer Magnet helps the companies to focus on a specific type of product or service. They then become dominant players in the field, have controlling access to customers and define the business rules. Customers are attracted through meeting knowledge needs and then a virtual community is formed of the people who share similar interests. Tripod has used this strategy and is able to provide online sales to its customers. The Value Chain Pirate on the other hand, is very useful in eliminating the intermediaries or the cybermediaries or the existing distributor chain. It helps fight competition. The costs are lowered because the agents’ remuneration can be done away with. The travel trade benefits immensely as most airlines have reduced their agents’ commissions. As Ghosh states, in pirating its value chain, publishers can bypass retailers or distributors

Contract law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract law - Essay Example Legal Status of the Advertisement The advertisement has been issued to public at large. Akono has given his email address and telephone number in the advertisement for this purpose. Generally, advertisements  are invitations to treat. In  Patridge v Crittenden [1968], Lord C. J. Parker said, ‘when one is dealing with advertisements and circulars, unless they indeed come from manufacturers, there is business sense in their being construed as invitations to treat and not offers for sale’. Also, consideration is an important constituent in a valid contract. The expression ‘willing to pay ?100 or more’ in the advertisement shows that the consideration is undetermined. In Harvey  and Anor v  Facey  and Ors  [1893], it was held that the mere statement of the lowest price at which the vendor would sell contains no implied contract to sell at that price to the persons making the inquiry. Similarly, in this case Akono is not bound to buy at any particular price. The advertisement is given with the intention to induce people to respond with their offers. Any response to the advertisement cannot be treated as an acceptance, though it is stated as ‘Please phone or email to accept’ in the advertisement. The advertisement is an invitation to offers in this case. ... In Hyde v Wrench (1840), it was held that the counteroffer rejected the offer previously made, and it was not competent afterwards to revive the original proposal. In this case, Akono states, ‘If you want to sell it to me, I need to receive your response on paper by the morning of Friday 5 October’, which is a counteroffer. This should be treated as rejection of the original offer. On Tuesday evening, Ju posts a letter to Akono, agreeing to take the ?100 for her Dumbledore costume. Her letter does not arrive until Saturday, 6 October. Akono did not receive any valid acceptance from Ju within the stipulated time. In Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893],   L. J. Bowen said, ‘where a person in an offer made by him to another person, expressly or impliedly intimates a particular mode of acceptance as sufficient to make the bargain binding, it is only necessary for the other person to whom such offer is made to follow the indicated method of acceptance...’ I f the statement ‘I’ll only pay ? 100’ by Akono is treated as an offer, it is a conditional offer, the condition being receipt of Ju’s acceptance on paper by the morning of Friday, 5 October. It was held in Holwell Securities v Hughes [1974] that the words ‘notice in writing’ mean notice received by the offeror. Since the conditionality with regard to ‘acceptance on paper’ is not met by Ju, the acceptance is not valid. On Wednesday, 3 October, Akono posted a letter to Ju, stating that he no longer wanted her costume. The offeror can revoke his offer any time before its acceptance (Ramsgate Victoria Hotel Co v Montefiore 1866) and hence, this revocation is valid. Akono v Bob Ju gets her friend Bob to telephone on 4 October to ascertain the receipt of the letter posted by

Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 74

Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt - Essay Example Only the most cynical would refuse to admit the truth that such commercials have a negative effect on girls, especially on the ones who are overweight. Such ads subtly convey that it is only thin girls who would be successful in getting male attention! Countless girls are deeply influenced by such advertisements even to the extent of getting severely disturbed psychologically. The fact that such disturbances almost invariably lead to eating disorders warrants no special mention! (1) As a result of getting carried away by the ads pertaining to the aforementioned category, the girls become obsessed with the idea of becoming as slim as the girls who are seen in those commercials. They start consuming less food with the intention of losing the body weight as quickly as possible. This misdirected endeavor can be termed as being an eating disorder. And, it is a fact that such disorders gravely impact the health, over the long run. (1) It cannot be disputed that when a girl goes on to develop an eating disorder, there could be several causative factors, apart from the above-mentioned ads. But several studies on this aspect have clearly shown that such negative advertising is amongst the primary reasons as to why young girls develop abnormal dietary patterns- the patterns that are in no way suitable for the overall well-being of the body! As a matter of fact, such advertising indirectly communicates to girls that the chief goal of life is to develop a thin and attractive body and that all other matters related to human existence are of secondary importance!  

The Bhagavad Gita Essay Example for Free

The Bhagavad Gita Essay An individual should perform his duty even if such performance is imperfect rather than performing some other person’s duty with perfection. Each individual has unique abilities and characteristics. These qualities are termed as the swabhava or nature of that individual person. Moreover, the form of his external life is based on his swabhava which ultimately becomes his swadharma. The normal life of humans and their duties are based on their samskara or behavior and their karma or fate. The Swabhava and swadharma of humans are the consequence of their deeds in their previous births, which are naturally bestowed upon them, and determine their present status. They constitute the inner nature of humans which is known as their prakriti (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). The Bhagavad Gita teaches the ways and means of attaining freedom from earthly desires and material issues. However, in order to attain such freedom one should not forsake the performance of one’s fundamental duties or swadharma. One should try to attain the divine freedom, while performing one’s duties without any deviation and with complete dedication. The central theme of the Bhagavad Gita states that an individual shall perform his bounden duty without seeking the result that comes from performing that duty. This is essential for purifying the heart. This is a very important requirement to attain liberation or Moksha. The Bhagavad Gita consists of the teachings of Lord Krishna to prince Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra (Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Swarupananda). Lord Krishna specified three principal paths for humans. These are the Path of Action or Karma Marga, the Path of Knowledge or the Dhyana Marga, and the Path of Devotion or the Bhakthi Marga. Any one of these paths lead the aspirant to God, and are meant for achieving divinity and moksha. The Bhagavad Gita was granted by God, and it was stated by Lord Krishna that human birth was an invaluable. Accordingly, a human being should utilize this birth to attain liberation. Therefore, every human being must attempt to reach God and to attain moksha, in this birth itself. Consequently, humans should refrain from the earthly desires and develop detachment for worldly matters (BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA ). He motivated Prince Arjuna to perform his duty without any indecisiveness. He also exhorted Arjuna to discharge his duty as a Kshatriya or member of the warrior caste, in other words He directed Arjuna to follow the Dharma of a Kshatriya. This constitutes the swadharma of an individual, which directs that person to attain moksha. Although one has performed one’s duty imperfectly, it is deemed to have been performed. One should not perform another person’s duty, as this constitutes a sin, irrespective of the perfection attained while doing so. Thus, swadharma has been given greater prominence in the Bhagavad Gita (Verse 46, Chapter XVIII. The Bhagavada Gita). According to it, one should not abandon one’s swadharma, which is both internal as well as external. The internal variety of swadharma is perceived by the performer, while the external swadharma is enjoined upon a person by the society in which the performer lives. Moreover, the Varnasrama Dharma or caste system, establishes the swadharma of an individual. As such, the temperament and attainments of a person derive from that person’s parents; hence, birth plays an important role in determining the swadharma of a person. This is borne out by the science of genetics. It is mandatory for human beings to perform their swadharma. Children inherit the qualities of their parents, and these constitute their swadharma (SWADHARMA). Attraction towards material issues implies that a person is deviating from the right path. Worldly matters bind humans to several births and deaths. Those who are attached to them will have to born again and again. This cycle of births and deaths continues till the person detaches himself from worldly matters. The Lord declares that humans have to surrender the fruit of their actions to Him, if they wish to reach Him. One must refrain from desires as they generate anger on being unfulfilled. Anger in turn, results in jealousy. Therefore, desires are the root cause for all evils. The quintessence of the Bhagavad Gita lies in the understanding that a person’s existence is principally in order to perform one’s duty or karma. Therefore, all the persons on earth are under a duty to perform the karma that falls to their lot; and while doing so they have to follow the principles of dharma or righteousness. One should uphold dharma and preserve it. It is the most important thing to remember, that while performing karma one should not await the result. What is required is surrender of the result of the action to God. This is clearly stated in the hymn Narayanayethi Samarpayame, which connotes that everything is to be surrendered to Lord Narayana, the ultimate and the supreme (BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA ). The Bhagavad Gita says that one should perform one’s duty without anticipating the fruits of the results and without attachment. Performance of duty with detachment is an easy way to reach the ultimate goal of life, moksha. It is the only scripture that proclaims the philosophy of Karma Yoga. This philosophy was not described anywhere, prior to the Bhagavad Gita. Karma Yoga is devotion without selfishness. The Bhagavad Gita described it in a simple and beautiful manner; and it had been expounded by Lord Krishna, who had upheld the notion of unselfish devotion for the common good of all. He had stated that altruism was the ultimate worship and ultimate spiritual reality. The practice of altruism bestows grace upon the practitioner, and subsequently, it develops into faith, which is the only way to witness the absolute truth. An individual would be elevated mentally if he helps others. This is an immediate effect of helping others, and such an individual would achieve perfection in all matters. The intellect and senses of a person are responsible for attachments and detachments towards material things and material issues. Therefore, the senses must be controlled and no one should fall prey to their wiles. The intellect and the senses act as barriers to spiritual development and the attainment of divinity. Consequently, one should be devoid of them to attain self – realization. Self – analysis is based on the intuition and intellect of the people. Thus, people should develop their intellect and intuition. Meditation is the only means for developing intuition and intellect. The former is a powerful method of yoga practice or yoga sadhana, which guides people and helps them to succeed in their attempt to attain moksha. Individuals must discover their swabhava by practicing swadharma, which engenders peace and harmony in their lives (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). People should ascertain their swadharma through their intellect. Self – analysis, or self – introspection are instrumental in perceiving one’s swadharma. This method is termed as swadhyaya, which had been propounded by Maharishi Patanjali in his great work The Yoga Sutras. Self – analysis is the only method to determine the duties of humans. The best way to achieve such self – analysis is by practicing yoga, which is an important component of Hindu tradition and which allows people to lead a meaningful life (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). Works Cited BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA . 14 June 2008. 15 September 2008 http://groups. yahoo. com/group/gita-talk/message/1353. Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri. 15 September 2008 http://www. atmajyoti. org/hi_gita_commentary_30. asp. Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Swarupananda. 1909. 15 September 2008 http://sacred-texts. com/hin/sbg/sbg03. htm. SWADHARMA. 03 February 2006. 15 September 2008 http://www. advaita-vedanta. org/archives/advaita-l/2006-February/037531. html. Verse 46, Chapter XVIII. The Bhagavada Gita. n. d.

martin luther king :: essays research papers

History is indeed made up of significant events which shape our future and outstanding leaders who influence our destiny. Martin Luther King's contributions to our history place him in this inimitable position. In his short life, Martin Luther King was instrumental in helping us realize and rectify those unspeakable flaws which were tarnishing the name of America. The events which took place in and around his life were earth shattering, for they represented an America which was hostile and quite different from America as we see it today. Martin Luther King, Jr. catapulted to fame when he came to the assistance of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery, Alabama Black seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus to a White passenger. In those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second class citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean subjugation and humiliation by the police and the legal system. Beatings, imprisonment and sometimes death were waiting for those who defied the System. Black Americans needed a Martin Luther King, but above all America needed him. The significant qualities of this special man cannot be underestimated nor taken for granted. Within a span of 13 years from 1955 to his death in 1968 he was able to expound, expose, and extricate America from many wrongs. His tactics of protest involved non-violent passive resistance to racial injustice. It was the right prescription for our country, and it was right on time. Hope in America was waning on the part of many Black Americans, but Martin Luther King, Jr. provided a candle along with a light. He also provided this nation with a road map so that all people could locate and share together in the abundance of this great democracy. We honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. because he showed us the way to mend those broken fences and to move on in building this land rather than destroying it. He led campaign after campaign in the streets of America and on to the governor's mansion - even to the White House - in an effort to secure change.

Network factors :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shape of a network can take many different forms and these topologies can be connected by a variety of means. The differing topologies are Mesh, Bus, Ring and Star and each one will be examined and the advantages and disadvantages explored. These networks can be connected via Ethernet, Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) or wireless. Each of the connection methods will also be analyzed and the differences will be explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term network topology refers to the physical layout of computers, cables, and other components that make up a network. The choice of one topology over another is important for the network professional and will have an impact on the type of equipment the network needs, the capabilities of the equipment, the growth of the network and the way the network is managed. The different types of topologies each require different communication methods and these will also have an influence on the network.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first topology to be discussed is the bus topology. It consists of devices that are connected to a common shared cable. The bus topology is the simplest and most common method of networking computers with the computers set up in a straight line. The single cable that feeds all of the computers is known as the trunk (also called backbone or segment) and connects all of the network computers in a single line. The computers communicate by addressing data to a certain computer and sending out the data onto the cable via electronic signals. The signal is sent out on the bus and only the computer whose address matches the address encoded in the original accepts the information. A disadvantage of the bus topology is that only one computer can send data at a time and this limits the number of computers that can be on the network. The more computers on the bus, the more computers will be waiting to put data on the bus and slow down network performance. Another disadvan tage is that if the trunk breaks or is becomes un-terminated, the network will cease to function since the signal will bounce. The advantage to a bus network is that if one computer on the bus fails, it will not affect the others on the bus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A star topology has cable pieces from each computer connected to a central hub. The signals are transmitted from the sending computer through the hub to call computers on the network.

Resume Marketing Management, 14th Edition – Kotler & Keller

KOTLER RESUME Marketing Management Philip Kotler – Kevin Lane Keller SUMMARY PART 1 Understanding Marketing Management4 Defining Marketing for the 21st Century4 Developing Marketing Strategies and Plans5 PART 2 Capturing Marketing Insights13 Collecting Information and Forecasting Demand13 Conducting Marketing Research16 PART 3 Connecting with Customers18 Creating Long-term Loyalty Relationships18 Analyzing Consumer Markets21 Analyzing Business Markets25 Identifying Market Segments and targets28 PART 4 Building Strong Brands31 Creating Brand Equity31 Crafting the Brand Positioning34Competitive Dynamics36 PART 5 Shaping the Market Offerings39 Setting Product Strategy39 Designing and Managing Services41 Developing Pricing Strategies and Programs46 PART 6 Delivering Value53 Designing and Managing Integrated Marketing Channels53 Managing Retailing, Wholesaling, and Logistics58 PART 7 Communicating Value60 Designing and Managing Integrated Marketing Communications60 Managing Mass Co mmunications : Advertising, Sales Promotions, Events and Experiences, and Public Relations63 Managing Personal Communications : Direct and interactive Marketing, Word of Mouth, and Personal Selling68PART 8 Creating Successful Long-term Growth72 Introducing New Market Offerings72 Tapping into Global Offerings86 Managing a Holistic Marketing Organization for the Long Run93 PART1: UNDERSTANTING MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1: DEFINITNG MARKETING FOR THE 21st CENTURY THE IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING Marketing is a significant dimension of any business in today’s highly competitive environment and financial success is often dependent on marketing ability. Marketing is crucial for business success. THE SCOPE OF MARKETING Marketing is about identifying and meeting human and social needs.One of the shortest definitions of marketing is the process of meeting needs profitably. Marketing management is the art and the science of choosing target markets and getting, keeping and increasing customers though creating, managing, communicating and delivering superior customer value. UNDERSTANDING MARKETS Marketing can be used for: Services, products, services and products, events, experiences, people, places ideas Marketing managers seek to influence the level, timing, and composition of demand to meet the organization’s objectives. Eight states of market demand are possible: Full demand: consumers buy all services or products brought to market. – Overfull demand: there are more consumers demanding the service or product than can be satisfied. – Irregular demand: consumer purchases vary on a seasonal, monthly, weekly†¦ – Declining demand: consumers begin to buy services or products less frequently or not all. – Negative demand: consumers dislike the service or product and may even pay a price to avoid it. – Nonexistent demand: consumers may be unaware of or uninterested in the product or service. – Latent demand: consu mers may share a strong need that cannot be satisfied by an existing product or service. Unwholesome demand: consumers may be attracted to services or products that have undesirable social consequences. In each case, marketers must identify the underlying causes of the demand state then determine a plan of action to shift the demand to a more desirable state. HOW IS MARKETING PRACTICED? Marketing practice can be viewed in many perspectives. The traditional view is the KOTLERIAN marketing management view of managing the marketing mix after selecting target market and positioning. TRANSACTIONAL, RELATION AND SERVICE MARKETINGTransaction marketing is defined as attracting and satisfying potential buyers by managing the elements in the marketing mix. Interaction marketing: implies face to face interaction between individuals. Network marketing is with the consumers but occurs across and among organization. The concept was developed by the Nordic school from northern Europe and developme nts from the USA. Relationship marketing in its simplest form is a progression from the dominant and often criticized the 4 P focus. The relational is focus on building long-term relationships with consumers CHAPTER 2 : DEVELOPING MARKETING, STRATEGIES AND PLANMarketing is about satisfying consumers' needs and wants. The task of any business is to deliver customer value at a profit. I. The value Delivery Process The traditional view of marketing is that the firm makes something and then sells it. Companies that subscribe to this view have the best chance of succeeding in economies marked by goods shortages where consumers are not fussy about quality, features, or style-for example, basic staple goods in developing markets. There, the â€Å"mass market† is actually splintering into numerous micro markets, each with its own wants, perceptions, preferences, and buying criteria.The smart competitor must design and deliver offerings for well-defined target markets. II. The value C hain Michael Porter of Harvard has proposed the value chain as a tool for identifying ways to create more customer value. According to this model, every firm is a synthesis of activities performed to design, produce, and market, deliver, and support its product. The value chain identifies nine strategically relevant activities-five primary and four support activities-that create value and cost in a specific business. He firm's infrastructure covers the costs of general management, planning, finance, accounting, legal, and government affairs.The firm's task is to examine its costs and performance in each value-creating activity and to look for ways to improve it. Managers should estimate their competitors' costs and performances as benchmarks against which to compare their own costs and performance. The firm's success depends not only on how well each department performs its work, but also on how well the company coordinates departmental activities to conduct core business processes. †¢ The market-sensing process. †¢ The new-offering realization process. †¢ The customer acquisition process. †¢ The customer relationship management process. The fulfilment management process. To be successful, a firm also needs to look for competitive advantages beyond its own operations, into the value chains of suppliers, distributors, and customers. III. Core competencies Many companies today outsource less-critical resources if they can obtain better quality or lower cost. The key, is to own and nurture the resources and competencies that make up the essence of the business. A core competency has three characteristics: 1. It is a source of competitive advantage in that it makes a significant contribution to perceived customer benefits. 2.It has applications in a wide variety of markets. 3. It is difficult for competitors to imitate. Business realignment may be necessary to maximize core competencies. It has three steps: 1. Defining the business concept or à ¢â‚¬Å"big idea† 2. Shaping the business scope 3. Positioning the company's brand identity. IV. A holistic marketing Orientation and Customer Value A holistic marketing orientation can also help capture customer value. The holistic marketing framework is designed to address three key management questions: 1. Value exploration- How can a company identify new value opportunities? 2.Value creation- How can a company efficiently create more promising new value offerings? 3. Value delivery—–How can a company use its capabilities and infrastructure to deliver the new value offerings more efficiently? A. Value exploration Understanding the relationships among three spaces: – The customer's cognitive space – The company's competence space – The collaborator's resource space. B. Value Creation To create new customer benefits, marketers must understand what the customer thinks about, wants, does, and worries about and observe whom customers admire and i nteract with, and who influences them.C. Value Delivery The company must become proficient at customer relationship management, internal resource management, and business partnership management. Customer relationship management allows the company to discover whom its customers are, how they behave, and what they need or want. V. The central role of the strategic planning Successful marketing thus requires companies to have capabilities such as understanding customer value, creating customer value, delivering customer value, capturing customer value, and sustaining customer value.To ensure that they select and execute the right activities, marketers must give priority to strategic planning in three key areas: managing a company's businesses as an investment portfolio, assessing each business's strength by considering the market's growth rate and the company's position and fit in that market, and establishing a strategy. For each business, the company must develop a game plan for achi eving its long-run objectives. The marketing plan is the central instrument for directing and coordinating the marketing effort. The marketing plan operates at two levels: strategic and tactical.All corporate headquarters undertake four planning activities 1. Defining the corporate mission 2. Establishing strategic business units 3. Assigning resources to each SBD 4. Assessing growth opportunities I. Defining the corporate mission To define its mission, a company should address Peter Drucker's classic questions:What is our business? Who is the customer? What is of value to the customer? What will our business be? What should our business be? These simple-sounding questions are among the most difficult a company will ever have to answer.The good mission statements have five major characteristics. First, they focus on a limited number of goals. †¢ Industry. Some companies will operate in only one industry; some only in a set of related industries; some only in industrial goods, c onsumer goods, or services; and some in any industry. †¢ Products and applications. Firms define the range of products and applications they will supply. †¢ Competence. The firm identifies the range of technological and other core competencies it will master and leverage. †¢ Market segment. The type of market or customers a company will serve is the market segment. Vertical. The vertical sphere is the number of channel levels, from raw material to final product and distribution, in which a company will participate. †¢ Geographical. The range of regions, countries, or country groups in which a company will operate defines its geographical sphere. II. Establishing Strategic Business Units Large companies normally manage quite different businesses, each requiring its own strategy. General Electric has classified its businesses into 49 strategic business units, SBlls. An SBU has three characteristics: 1.It is a single business, or a collection of related businesses, that can be planned separately from the rest of the company. 2. It has its own set of competitors. 3. It has a manager responsible for strategic planning and profit performance, who controls most of the factors affecting profit. III. Assigning Resources to Each SBU Once it has defined SBUs, management must decide how to allocate corporate resources to each. Management would want to grow, â€Å"harvest† or draw cash from, or hold on to the business. IV. Assessing growth Opportunities A. Intensive GrowthCorporate management's first course of action should be are view of opportunities for improving existing businesses. B. Integrative Growth A business can increase sales and profits through backward, for- ward, or horizontal integration within its industry. Media companies have long reaped the benefits of integrative growth. C. Diversification Growth Diversification growth makes sense when good opportunities exist outside the present businesses-the industry is highly attractive a nd the company has the right mix of business strengths to be successful. D. Downsizing and Divesting Older BusinessesWeak businesses require a disproportionate amount of managerial attention. Companies must carefully prune, harvest, or divest tired old businesses in order to release needed resources to other uses and reduce costs. VI. Organization and Organizational Culture Five key strategies for managing change in an organization: 1. Avoid the innovation title-Pick 2. Use the buddy system-Find 3. Set the metrics in advance- 4. Aim for quick hits first- 5. Get data to back up your gut-Use testing to get feedback and improve an idea The Business Unit Strategic Planning I. The Business MissionEach business unit needs to define its specific mission within the broader company mission. Therefore, a television-studio-lighting-equipment company might define its mission as, â€Å"To target major television studios and become their vendor of choice for lighting technologies that represent the most advanced and reliable studio lighting arrangements. † II. SWOT ANALYSIS The overall evaluation of a company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is called SWOT analysis. It's a way of monitoring the external and internal marketing environment. A. External Environment (opportunity and threat) AnalysisThe business unit should set up a marketing intelligence system to track trends and important developments and any related opportunities and threats. Good marketing is the art of finding, developing, and profiting from these opportunities. A marketing opportunity is an area of buyer need and interest that a company has a high probability of profitably satisfying. Opportunities can take many forms, and marketers need to be good at spotting them. To evaluate opportunities, companies can use market opportunity analysis (MOA) to determine their attractiveness and probability of success by asking questions like: To articulate the benefits convincingly to a define d target market(s)? – To locate the target market(s) and reach them with cost-effective media and trade channels? – To possess or have access to the critical capabilities and resources we need to deliver the customer benefits? – To deliver the benefits better than any actual or potential competitors? 5. To rate of return meet or exceed our required threshold for investment? B. Internal Environment (strengths and weaknesses) It's one thing to find attractive opportunities, and another to be able to take advantage of them.Each business needs to evaluate its internal strengths and weaknesses. C. Goal Formulation This stage of the process is called goal formulation. Goals are objectives that are specific with respect to magnitude and time. The unit's objectives must meet four criteria: 1. They must be arranged hierarchically, from the most to the least important. 2. Objectives should be quantitative whenever possible. 3. Goals should be realistic. Goals should arise from an analysis of the business unit's opportunities and strengths, not from wishful thinking. 4. Objectives must be consistent.It's not possible to maximize sales and profits simultaneously. III. Strategic Formulation A. Porter Generic Strategies – Overall cost leadership. Firms pursuing this strategy work hard to achieve the lowest production and distribution costs so they can price lower than their competitors and win a large market share. – Differentiation. The business concentrates on uniquely achieving superior performance in an important customer benefit area valued by a large part of the market. – Focus. The business focuses on one or more narrow market segments. B. Strategic Alliances Product or service alliances-One company licenses another to produce its product, or two companies jointly market their complementary products or a new product. – Promotional alliances One company agrees to carry a promotion for another company's product or servic e. – Logistics alliances One company offers logistical services for another company's product. – Pricing collaborations One or more companies join in a special pricing collaboration. Hotel and rental car companies often offer mutual price discounts. D. Program Formulation and ImplantationThe unit has decided to attain technological leadership, it must plan programs to strengthen its R department, gather technological intelligence, develop leading-edge products, train the technical sales force, and develop ads to communicate its technological leadership. Businesses are also increasingly recognizing that unless they nurture other stake- holders-customers, employees, suppliers, distributors-they may never earn sufficient profits for the stockholders. E. Feedback and Control The company has to point out that it is more important to â€Å"do the right thing†-to be effective-than â€Å"to do things right†-to be efficient.The most successful companies excel at b oth. Product Planning: The Nature and Contents of a Marketing Plan What, does a marketing plan look like? What does it contain? – Executive summary and table of contents. The marketing plan should open with a brief of the main goals and recommendations. A table of con- tents outlines the rest of the plan and all the supporting rationale and operational detail. – Situation analysis. This section presents relevant background data on sales, costs, the market, competitors, and the various forces in the macro environment.How do we define the market, how big is it, and how fast is it growing? What are the relevant trends? What is the product offering and what critical issues do we face? Firms will use all this information to carry out a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. – Marketing strategy . Here the product manager defines the mission, marketing and financial objectives, and groups and needs that the market offerings are intended to sati sfy. The manager then establishes the product line's competitive positioning, which will inform the â€Å"game plan† to accomplish the plan's objectives.All this requires inputs from other areas, such as purchasing, manufacturing, sales, finance, and human resources. – Financial projections. Financial projections include a sales forecast, an expense fore- cast, and a break-even analysis. On the revenue side, the projections show the forecasted sales volume by month and product category. On the expense side, they show the expected costs of marketing, broken down into finer categories. The break-even analysis shows how many units the firm must sell monthly to offset its monthly fixed costs and average per-unit variable costs. – Implementation controls.The last section of the marketing plan outlines the controls for monitoring and adjusting implementation of the plan. Typically, it spells out the goals and budget for each month or qU31ter, so management can review each period's results and take corrective action as needed. PART 3 : CAPTURING MARKETING INSIGHTS CHAPTER 3 : COLLECTING INFORMATION AND FORECASTING DEMAND Three developments make the need for marketing information greater now than at any time in the past: – Rise of global marketing – New emphasis on buyers’ wants, preferences and behaviour – Trend toward non price competitionTo carry out their analysis, planning, implementation, and control responsibilities, marketing managers need a Marketing Information System (MIS). The MIS’s role is to assess the managers’ information needs, develop the needed information, and distribute that information in a timely manner. It is really easiest and effective with this method to collect information of various countries as it gives: – Quick information – Competitive advantage – Guides the marketing decision It relies on internal company records, marketing intelligence activities & res earch. INTERNAL RECORDS & MARKETING INTELLIGENCESpot important opportunities & problems THE ORDER-TO-PAYMENT CYCLE = the heart of the internal records system Favored firms are those which can promise timely delivery so they have to improve: o Speed o Accuracy o Efficiency This will save costs as well and it is the MIS role! SALES INFORMATION SYSTEMS Reports on current sales are indispensable for marketing managers. Inventory data warehouse is a great tool to capture all important data This will help to be aware of every kind of situation and manage it! Cookies are also a useful tool to provide information to companies.Technological gadgets are revolutionizing sales information systems but sales dta must be carefully interpret. DATABASES, DATA WAREHOUSING, AND DATA MINING Databases are essential to companies to organize their information. This is used in several areas for different information: customer, product, sales person†¦ Advantages: Save mailing expenses Help and make eas y access to decision makers Can be used for statistical methods for usefukl information Managers can yield still deeper insights using its own in-house technology THE MARKETING INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMIt is a set of procedures and sources used by managers to obtain everyday information about pertinent developments in the marketing environment. It can also be called HAPPENINGS DATA. Several steps can be taken by companies to improve the quality of its marketing intelligence: – Train & motivate the sales force to spot and report new development – Motivate distributors, retailers, and other intermediaries to pass along important intelligence – Network externally: giving an immediate competitive advantage – Set up customer advisory panel – Take advantage of government data resources Purchase information from outside suppliers: lower costs – Use online customer feedback systems to collect competitive intelligence Competitive intelligence function work s bests when intelligence operations collaborate closely with key users in the decision-making process! Needs and Trends A trend is a direction or sequence of events that have some momentum and durability. We can draw distinctions among fads, trends, and megatrends. Trends are more predictable and durable. A trend reveals the shape of the future. Trends and megatrends merit marketers’ close attention.Identifying the Major Force In the economical arena, companies and consumers are increasingly affected by global forces. Substantial speedup of international transportation, communication, and financial transactions, leading to the rapid growth trade and investment, especially tripolar trade. – The rising economic power of several Asian countries in world markets. – The rise of trade blocs such as the European Union and the NAFTA signatories. – The severe debt problems of a numbers of countries, along with the increasing fragility of the international financi al system.Successful companies realize that the marketing environment presents a neverending series of opportunities and threats. The major responsibility for identifying significant changes in the macroenvironment falls to a company’s marketers. More than any other group in the company, marketing managers must be the trend trackers and opportunity seekers. 1. Within the rapidly changing global picture, marketers must monitor six major environmental forces: demographic, economic, natural, technological, political-legal, and social-cultural. 2.In the demographic environment, marketers must be aware of worldwide population growth; changing mixes of age, ethnic composition, and educational levels; the rise of non traditional families; large geographic shifts in population; and the move to micromarketing and away from mass marketing. 3. In the economic arena, marketers need to focus on income distribution and levels of savings, debt, and credit availability. 4. In the social-cult ural arena, marketers must understand people’s views of themselves, others, organizations, society, nature, and the universe.They must market products that correspond to society’s core and secondary values, and address the needs of different subcultures within a society. 5. In the natural environment, marketers need to be aware of raw-materials shortages, increased energy costs and pollution levels, and the changing role of governments in environmental protection. 6. In the technological arena, marketers should take account of the accelerating pace of technological change, opportunities for innovation, varying R&D budgets, and the increased governmental regulation brought about by technological change. . In the political-legal environment, marketers must work within the many laws regulating business practices and with various special-interest groups. CHAPTER 4 : CONDUCTING MARKETING RESEARCH The components of a modern marketing information system A marketing informatio n system (MIS): consists of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, short, analyze, evaluate and distribute needed, timely, and accurate information to marketing decision makers. Internal Records System It is the most basic information system used by marketing managers. (Sales, prices, inventory levels†¦)The order-to-payment cycle Sales reporting system MARKETING INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM Is a set of procedures and sources used by managers to obtain their everyday information about pertinent developments in the marketing environment? MARKETING RESEARCH SYSTEM Are the systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data and findings relevant to a specific marketing situation facing the company? SUPPLIERS OF MARKETING RESEARCH Many ways: engaging students or professors to design and carry out marketing research projects; using online information services; checking out rivals.THE MARKETING RESEARCH PROCESS Step 1 : Define the problem and research objectives Step 2 : devel oping the research plan. Decisions on the data sources, research approaches, research instruments, sampling plan, and contact methods Step 3 : Collect the information. The data collection phase of marketing research is the most expensive and the most prone to error. Step 4 : Analyze the information. Extract pertinent findings from the collected data. Step 5 : Present the findings. Major findings are pertinent to the major marketing decisions facing management.MARKETING DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM Is a coordinated collection of data, systems, tools and techniques with supporting software and hardware by which an organization gathers and interprets relevant information from business and environment and turns it into a basis for marketing action? FORECASTING AND DEMAND MEASUREMENT †¢ A VOCABULARY FOR DEMAND MEASUREMENT Market demand Market demand for a product is the total volume that would be bought by a defined customer group in a defined geographical area in a defined time period i n a defined marketing environment under a defined marketing program.Market potential Is the limit approached by market demand as industry marketing expenditures approach infinity, for a given environment? Company demand Is the company’s estimated share of market demand at alternative levels of company marketing effort? Forecast Is the expected level of company sales based on a chosen marketing plan and an assumed marketing environment? A sales quota Is the sales goal set for a product line, company division, or sales representative? It is primarily a managerial device for defining and stimulating sales effort. A sales budgetIs a conservative estimate of the expected volume of sales and is used primarily for making current purchasing, production, and cash-flow decisions. Company sales potential ESTIMATING CURRENT DEMAND Total market potential Area market potential †¢Market-build-up method †¢Multiple-factor index method 3. Industry sales and market shares Estimating i ndustry sales and market shares (Identifying competitors and estimating their sales ESTIMATING FUTURE DEMAND Survey of buyers’ intentions Composite of sales force opinions Expert opinion Market test method PART 3 : CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS CHAP 5 CREATING LONG TERM LOYALTY RELATIONSHIPSBuilding customer value, satisfaction and loyalty Customer-perceived value (CPV) is the difference between the entire perceived customer’s evaluation of all the benefits and all the costs of an offering and the perceived alternatives. Applying value concepts The customer value analysis reveals the company’s strengths and weaknesses relative to those of various competitors. Delivering high customer value Loyalty is a deeply held commitment to rebuy a preferred product and service in the future despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behavior.The value proposition consists of the whole cluster of benefits the company promises to deliver. The value delivery system includes all the experiences the customer will have on the way to obtaining and using the offering. Total customer satisfaction Satisfaction is the difference between expectations and the product’s perceived performance. Product and service quality Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service which satisfy explicit or implicit needs. Maximizing customer lifetime value Customer profitabilityA profitable customer is a person, household or company that revenues are higher than the company’s costs for attracting, selling and servicing that customer. But it is a very difficult task, even for banks. Customer profitability analysis is an accounting study which estimates all revenue coming from a customer less all costs (distribution, phone calls, traveling to meet the client, gifts). Measuring customer life time value Customer lifetime value estimates future profits over customer’s lifetime purchases . You can find it p. 172. Cultivating customer relationshipsCustomer relationship management (CMR) Customer relationship management is the process of carefully managing detailed information about individual customers and all customer â€Å"touch points†to maximize customer loyalty. A touch point is any occasion on which a customer meets a brand and a product. One-to-one marketing Identify your prospects and customers, don’t go after everyone. 1. Differentiate customers in terms of (1) their needs and (2) their value to your company. Spend more efforts on the most valuable customers. Do the customer profitability analysis. 2.Interact with individual customers to improve your knowledge about their needs and build a stronger relationship. 3. Customize products, services, and messages to each customer. Increasing value of the customer base †¢ Reducing the rate of customer defection. †¢ Increasing the longevity of the customer relationship. †¢ Increase sells with new offerings and opportunities, like accessories for motorcycles if you sell Harley-Davidson. †¢ Making low-profit customers more profitable or terminating them. Like low-cost flying companies which charge customers for drinks or food. †¢ Focusing disproportionate efforts on high-value customers.Building loyalty Developing loyalty programs Frequency programs are design to provide rewards to customers who buy frequently and in substantial amounts. Many companies have created club membership programs. Customer databases and database marketing A customer database is an organized collection of comprehensive information about individual customers and prospects that is current, accessible and actionable for marketing purposes (sells, maintain relationships). Database marketing is the process of building, maintain and using customer databases to contact, transact and build customer relationships. Customer databasesCustomer database contains customers past purchases, demogra phics (age, birthday, and family members), psychographics (activities, interests), media graphics (preferred media) and other useful information. A business database contains past purchases, volumes, prices, profits, buyer team member names, assessment of competitors their strengths and weaknesses. Data warehouse and dataminig Companies use databases to: 1. Identify prospects 2. Decide which customer should receive a particular offer 3. To deepen customer loyalty 4. To reactivate customer purchases 5. To avoid serious customer mistakes CHAP 6 ANALYZING CONSUMER MARKETSWhat influences consumer behavior? Consumer behavior is the study of how individuals, groups and organizations select, use, and dispose of goods, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants. Cultural factors Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior because of values. Subcultures provide more specific identification and socialization for their members. Subcultur es include nationalities, religion, racial groups†¦ Social classes are relatively homogeneous and enduring divisions in a society, hierarchically ordered and with members who share similar values, interests, and behaviors.Reference groups A person’s reference groups are all the groups that have a direct or indirect influence on their attitudes or behavior. Membership groups have a direct influence. Primary groups are in constant contact with the person (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers). Secondary groups are religious, professional, trade-union groups. Aspiration groups are those a person hopes to join. Dissociative groups are based on individual reject. Opinion leader is the person who offers informal advice or information about a specific productor product category. FamilyFrom family a person acquires an orientation toward religion, politics, and economics and a sense of personal ambition, self-worth, and love. It is a more direct influence on everyday buying beha vior. Role and status A role consists of the activities a person is expected to perform. Each role carriers a status Personal factors Personality is a set of distinguishing human psychological traits that lead to relatively consistent and enduring responses to environmental stimuli (including buying behavior). Brand personality is defined as the specific mix of human traits that we can attribute to a particular brand.Lifestyle is person’s pattern of living in the world as expressed in activities, interests, and opinions. Key psychological processes Motivation  : Freud, Maslow, Herzberg A need becomes a motive when its intensity drives us to act. Perception Perception is the process by which we select, organize, and interpret information inputs to create a meaningful picture of the world. Selective attention is the screening of stimuli and marketers must work hard to attract consumers’ notice. People are more likely to notice stimuli that relate to a current need Peop le are more likely to notice stimuli they anticipateSelective distortion is the tendency to interpret information in a way that fits our preconceptions. Because of the selective retention, we are pore likely to remember good points of a product we like and forget good points about competing products. Learning Learning comes from experiences and makes us changing our behavior. A drive is a strong internal stimulus impelling action. Cues are minor stimuli that determine when, where, and how a person responds. Discrimination means that we have learned to recognize differences in sets of similar stimuli and can adjust our responses accordingly.The hedonic bias says people are more likely to attribute failure to external causes and success to themselves. Memory Associative network memory model explains that information are stored and linked with a different level of strength. Brand associations consist of all brand-related thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, experiences, beliefs, at titudes, and so on that become linked to the brand information stored. Memory encoding describes how and where information gets into memory. Memory retrieval is the way of the information gets out of the memory.The buying decision process Marketers must identify who makes the buying decision: people can be initiators, influencers, deciders, buyers, or users. Problem recognition Information search Personal: family, friends, neighbors. Commercial: advertising, web sites, salespersons, packaging, displays. Public: mass media. Experiential: handling, examining, is using the product. Market partitioning is the process of identifying the hierarchy of attributes that guide consumer decision making for the marketer to understand different competitive forces and how this various sets get formed.Evaluation of alternatives Belief is a descriptive thought that a person holds about something. Attitudes are a person’s favorable or unfavorable evaluations, emotional feelings, and action ten dencies towards some object or idea. Expectancy-value model of attitude formation shows that consumers evaluate products and services by combining their brand beliefs according to importance. Purchase decision Heuristics are rules of mental shortcuts in the decision process. With the conjunctive heuristic the customer looks for every attribute and chooses the irst alternative that meets the minimum standard for all attributes. With the lexicographic heuristic the customer chooses the best brand on the basis of its perceived most important attribute. With the elimination-by-aspects heuristic the customer compares brands and eliminates those which don’t correspond to the minimum acceptable cutoffs. The perceived risks can modify, postpone or avoid a purchase decision. Functional risk: the product does not perform up to expectations. Physical risk: the product could threat health or well-being of the user or others.Financial risk: the product is not worth the price paid. Social risk: the product results in embarrassment from others. Psychological risk: the product affects the mental well-being of the user. Postpurchase behavior Other theories of consumer decision making Level of consumer involvement Consumer involvement is the level of engagement and active processing responding to a marketing stimulus. Decision heuristics and biases The availability heuristic means that for example a customer who had troubles with a product would be more likely to purchase a future product with warranty.The representativeness heuristic means that the customer buy a product to be seen as representative of a whole category. The anchoring and adjustment heuristic means that the first impression determines the interpretation of the further information. That is why it is very important to make a first good impression for a salesperson, for instance. Mental accounting Mental accounting refers to the way consumers code, categorize, and evaluate financial outcomes of choices. Pro spect theory maintains that the consumers frame their decision alternatives in terms of gains and losses according to a value function.CHAPTER 7 ANALYSING CONSUMER MARKETS A The study of consumer behavior Consumer behavior is the study of when, why, how and where people do or do not buy products. It tries to understand the buyer wants and decision making process both individually and in groups. It also attempts to evaluate influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and society in general. Its can be divided into three interdependent dimensions: – The study of culture – The study of social group – The study of the individual CultureCulture is the essential determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. Every culture can be divided in subcultures that include nationalities, religions, geographic region etc and offer more precise identification for their members. Multicultural marketing appear to satisfy the different su bcultures. We can also observe different social classes with people who have the same values, interests and behavior. Each social class show diverse product and brand preferences on different level. Social groups a. Reference group A reference group is a group that influences people attitudes and behavior.There are different categories of groups: – Membership groups: have a direct influence on people (family, friends, colleagues†¦) – Aspirational groups: are thosea person wish to join – Dissociative groups: are thosea person, does not belong b. Family Family is the most influential primary reference group. There are two families: – Family of orientation: parents and sibling – Family of procreation: wife /husband children The individual consumer A consumer’s decisions are influenced by personal characteristics such as the age and stage in the life cycle, the occupation and economic, the life style and values and the buyer’s person ality.So to study and understand consumer behavior it’s really important to start with the consumer herself or himself. Explore into all these factors can provide clues to attain and serve consumers more effectively. B Key psychological process Motivation: Freud, Maslow, Herzberg a. Freud’s theory For Freud people ‘s behavior are unconscious. People not only react to their affirmed aptitudes, but also to other. b. Maslow’s theory c. Herzberg’s theory For Herzberg there are two different factors: – Dissatisfiers: factors that cause dissatisfaction – Satisfiers: factors that cause satisfactionThe sellers should try to keep away dissatisfiers’ factors and identify the principal satisfiers or motivator of purchase in the market and then provide them. I. Perception Perception is the processes by which we select organize and interpret information. People have different perception of the same object because of three perceptual processe s: – Selective attention – Selective distortion: tendency to interpret information in a way that fits our preconception – Selective retention: only preserve information that support our manners and beliefs II. Learning People learn from their experiences and change their behaviour.Marketers should build demand for a product by associating it with strong drives (internal stimulus pushing action), cues (minor stimuli) and providing positive support. III. Memory Memory is distinguished between to type of memory short-term memory and long-term memory. Marketing is a good way to be sure that consumers have the right type of products and services experiences to build the good brand knowledge and keep it in memory. Four main psychological processes affect consumer behavior r motivation, perception, learning, and memory. C Perspectives on consumer behaviorNumerous perspectives on consumer behavior can be considered: – The behaviorist perspective: focus on the imp act of external influences on consumer behavior – The information processing perspective: appeared in the 60’s and 70’s thinks about how consumers mentally process, store, retrieve and use marketing information in the decision process – The emotional perspective: consumers affections should be included in the explanation of consumer decision making – The cultural perspective: culture show consumers view – A multiperspective approach: consumers do not have unlimited mental resources D The buying decision process the five stage modelTo understand how consumer make buying decisions, marketers should identify who makes and has contribute into buying decision. People can be initiators, influencers, deciders, buyers or users. The classical buying process consists of the following succession of events: 1. Problem recognition (the buyer recognizes a problem) 2. Information search 3. Evaluation of alternatives 4. Purchase decision 5. Post purchase be havior (post purchase satisfaction, action, use and disposal) Marketers’ have to understand the consumer behavior at each stage. It’s not always easy because many different factors influence the diverse behavior.CHAPTER 8 : IDENTIFYING MARKET SEGMENTS AND TARGETS I. The business market versus the consumer market Business marketers have numerous characteristics that contrast with those of consumer markets: – Fewer larger buyers: deal with much bigger buyer than the consumer market – Close supplier customer relationship: suppliers adapt their offering to individual business customer needs – Professional purchasing: goods are bought by trained purchasing agents – Multiple buying influence: more people typically influence business buying decisions – Multiple sales calls Derived demand: the demand for business goods resulting from the demand for consumer goods – Inelastic demand: the demand for goods won’t change even if pric es change – Fluctuating demand: the demand for business goods and services tend to be more unstable than the demand for consumer goods and services – Direct purchasing: business buyers buy directly for manufactures II. Buying situations The business buyer faces many decisions in making a purchase. The number depends on the buying situation: complexity of the problem being solved, newness of the buying requirement, number of people involved and time requirement.There are three types of buying situations: – Straight Rebuy: The purchasing department reorders supplies and chooses from suppliers on an approved list. The suppliers’ effort to maintain service and product quality. Their goal is to get a small order and then enlarge their purchase share over time. – Modify rebuy: the buyer wants to change products specifications – New task: the buyer buys the product for the first time III. Systems Buying and Selling Originally,  «Ã‚  system buying   Ã‚ » is a practice about government purchases of major weapons and communications systems.Thus, many business buyers prefer to buy a total solution to a problem from one seller. A system selling is a key industrial marketing strategy in bidding to build large-scale industrial projects, such as dams, steel factory, irrigation systems, sanitation systems, pipelines, utilities and even new towns. B. Participants in the business buying process I. The buying centre The buying center consists of all those individuals and groups who contribute in the purchasing decision making process. Its include all members of the organization who take part in any roles in the purchase decision process. Initiators: request something be purchased – Users: use the product, initiate the buying proposal – Influencers: people who influence the buying decision – Deciders: decide on product requirements or on suppliers – Approvers: authorize the proposed actions – Buyers: have formal authority to select the supplier and arrange the purchase terms – Gatekeepers: have the power to prevent sellers or information from reaching member II. Buying centre influences Buying center typically include several participants with diverse interest.If the business marketers want to influence these participants they should try to be attentive to many factors such as environment, organization, individual, motivations and interpersonal influences. III. Buying centre targeting Business marketers should answer at some questions to target their efforts appropriately. Who are the major decision participants? What decisions do they influence? What is their level of influence? The small sellers focus on reaching the key buying influencers and larger sellers the multilevel in depth selling to attain many participants. C. The Purchasing/Procurement Process a. Purchasing Department PerceptionsRecent competitive pressures have led many companies to upgrade their purchasing departments and elevate administrators to vice presidential rank. These new, more strategically oriented purchasing departments have a mission to seek the best value from fewer and better suppliers. b. Purchasing Organization and Administration Some companies have started to centralize purchasing. Headquarters identifies materials purchased by several divisions and buys them centrally, gaining more purchasing clout. At the same time, companies are decentralizing some purchasing operations by empowering employees to purchase small-ticket items.D. Stages in the buying process The buying process consists of: 1. Problem recognition: the company recognizes a need that can be fixed by purchasing a good or service. 2. General need description and product specification:general characteristics and required quantity 3. Supplier search: identify the most appropriate suppliers 4. Proposal solicitation: invite the qualified suppliers to suggest proposals 5. Supplier selection: the buying center usually use a supplier evaluation to identify the most attractive suppliers 6. Order-routine specification: negotiations 7. Performance review: review of the chosen supplierE. Managing business to business relationship Business marketers must form strong bonds and relationships with their customers and provide them added value. Some customers, however, may prefer more of a transactional relationship. a. The Benefits of Vertical Coordination Much research had advocated greater vertical coordination between buying partners and sellers, so they can transcend merely transacting and instead engage activities that create more value for both parties. Building trust is one prerequisite to healthy long-term relationships. b. Business Relationships: Risks and OpportunismResearchers have noted that establishing a customer-supplier relationship creates tension between safeguarding and adaptation. Vertical coordination can facilitate stronger customer-seller ties but at the same time may increa se the risk to the customer’s and suppliers specific investments. Specific investments, however, also entail considerable risk to both customer and supplier. Transaction theory from economics maintains that because these investments are partially sunk, they lock the firms that make them into a particular relationship. I. Transactions cost economics F. Institutional and government marketsPART 4 : BUILDING STRONG BRANDS CHAPTER 9 CREATING BRAND EQUITY I. What is a brand equity A. Role of brand Permit to consumers evaluate products (of specific brands), in order to find their needs. Brand signal a certain level of quality. Brand offer security for customers and firms B. The scope (ampleur) of branding A brand resides in the minds of consumer as an identity One of the first branding strategy is: consumers must be convinced their meaningful differences among brands in products or services C. Defining brand equity -is the added value endowed on product and service customer based br and equity: the customer brand knowledge is + when he reacts more favorably to a product and –when reacts less favorably 3 keys for favorably react: different responses about consumer needs associated the brand of something (image†¦), and ensuring consumer has great experiences with products. D. Brand equity as a bridge -brand knowledge (decide by customer) dictates future direction of the brand – Brand promise: is what the brand is and must do for consumers So, money spend for marketing is an investment for consumers’ brand knowledge E. brand equity model 4 models of B. equity models brand asset valuator (p 283) 5 categories: differenciation,energy, revelance, estum, knowledge -brandz: (p 284) relationship with brand (pyramid) -AAKER model: typically elements (value, uses, meaning, origin country, personality, symbols) -brand resonance model (p 285): development, building objectives II. Building brand equity This is the creating to have the right brand kno wledge of consumers F. Choosing brand elements -It’s that identify and differentiate the brand -6 criteria: memorable, meaningful, likable, adaptable, transferable (for a new product, geography), protectable (not become generic as Kleenex, scotch).G. Designing holistic marketing activities Brand contact with the consumer, there are 3 phase: Personalization: -stop mass market, throwback to personalizing marketing. – Each customer is unique: one to one marketing -build a strong consumer’s relationship Integration: -traditional mix marketing isn’t adequately, now we need variet of marketing to reinforce the brand. (Sponsoring, communication, promotion, events†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ) Internalization: -companies must adopt an international perspective Choose the right moment, link internal and external marketing and bring the brand alive for employees H.Leveraging (influence) secondary association Linking the brand with others information (p290), a brand can build equity by linking with others entities. III. Measuring brand equity 2 basic approaches: -Brand audit: uncover sources of brand equity, suggest way to improve its equity. Brand audit is use to prepare marketing plan -brand tracking studies: understanding thank to quantitative data from consumers, to facilitate day to day decision marketing. IV. Managing brand equity Brand management requires a long term view of marketing actions I. Brand reinforcement -Brand need to be carefully managed to surviveImprove product, service, and marketing Needs innovations/relevance throughout marketing program (p295) -marketing need some change to be competitive -brands need activities to awareness (new products, creatively design, ad campaign†¦) J. Brand revitalization New competitors can affect a brand, so brand have to be refresh Solution: -understanding the source of brand equity -bad association loosing the brand -create new positioning -change marketing program -come back to basic ima ge V. Devising (concevoir) a brand Strategy -Brand extension: establish brand with introduce a new one sub brand: new brand combine with existing brand -brand line: all product -License product: brand name has been licensed to make the product K. Branding decision Develop a brand name for a product: 4 strategies Individual name:(old el Paso) advantage, if the product is low quality brand is not hurt Blanket family name: development cost is lower because we don’t need research/add, to create recognition Separate family name for all products: ex: craftsman for tools Corporate name combined with individual product name: Kellogg: kellogg’scorn flakes L. Brand extension Advantages: -customers know parent brand don’t need to create awareness for marketing, communication Feed back effect: knowledge Disadvantages: -confusion with new product -harm, hurt parent brand with bad a product (Success characteristic f 9. 8 p301) M. Brand portfolio Marketers need multiple brands to pursue these segments. Aim goal of brand portfolio is maximize brand coverage. -low end entry: attract customers to brand franchise -high end prestige: prestige of brand with adds CHAPTER 10 CRAFTING THE BRAND POSITIONING SEGMENT MARKETING A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar needs and wants.Rather than creating the segments, the marketer’s task is to identify them and to decide which one to target. Market segments can be characterized in different ways, one approach is to: Identify preference segment categorized them by: Homogeneous preferences: if the customers have the same preferences Diffused preferences: the customer preference vary greatly in their requirement Clustered preferences: when natural market segment emerge from groups of customers with shared preferences NICHE MARKETING A niche is marketing is narrowly defined customers group seeking a distinctive mix of benefits or values.Marketers usually identify niches by dividing a m arket into subsegments. Niche markets are generally fairly small is term of volume but constitute a sufficientetly attractive size, profit and growth potential. Also they are less likely to attract many other powerful competitors †¢ Focusing their resources to gain economies though specialization LOCAL MARKETING Customizes merchandise to match the perceived demand of local areas The risk associated with localized marketing includes: †¢ A tendency to drive up the manufacturing costs and to reduce economies of scale Grassroots marketingINDIVIDUAL MARKETING Marketing one to one The researches seek to define segment by looking at descriptive characteristics: geographic, demographic and psychographic. GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION Divide the market into different geographical units such as nations, states, regions†¦ DEMOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION The market is divided into groups on the basic of variable such as ages, family size, occupation, race†¦ PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION Psy chographic profiles are typically developed with reference to three variables know as the AIO factors that describe individual lifestyle: 1. Activities 2. Interests . opinions BEHAVIOURAL SEGMENTATION Marketers place buyers into groups on the basic of their knowledge of, attitude towards, use of or response to a product. To compete more effectively many companies are now adopting target marketing. Instead of scattering their marketing efforts they are focusing on customers they have the greatest chance of satisfying. Target marketing includes three activities: market segmentation, market targeting and market positioning. STEPS IN SEGMENTATION PROCESS 1. Needs-based segmentation Group customers into segments based on similar needs 2. Segment identificationSegment by behavior, psychographic, individual, demographic and geographic 3. Segment attractiveness: Determine the attractiveness of each segment 4. Segment profitability: Determine segment profitability 5. Segment positioning: for each segment create a value proposition and product-price positioning strategy based on that segment’s unique customer need and characteristics 6. Segment â€Å"acid test†: create segment storyboard to test the attractiveness of each segment’s positioning strategy 7. Marketing mix strategy: Expand segment positioning strategy to include all aspects of the marketing mix: the 4PEFFECTIVE SEGMENTATION CRITERIA An effective segmentation must be: 1. Measurable: size, purchasing power†¦ 2. Substantial: the segment are large and profitable enough toserve 3. Accessible: the segment can be effectively reached and seved. 4. Differentiable: the segment are distinguishable 5. Actionable: effective programs can be formulates for attracting and serving the segments Positioning is the act of designing the company offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of the target market. The goal is to establish the brand in the mind of the consumers.The result o f positioning is the successful creation of a consumer- focused value proposition CHAPTER 11 : COMPETITVE DYNAMICS Without customers, you don’t have business Creating loyal customers is at the heart of every business, the only value your company will ever create is the value that comes from the customers. Managers who believe that costumer is the company’s only true â€Å"profit center† consider the traditional organization chart (first figure), successful marketing companies invert the chart (second figure) At the top the customer, the front line is the people who meet, serve and satisfy customersMany companies recognize the importance of satisfying theirs consumer in order to develop brand reputations that can deliver a sustainable competitive advantage The concept of costumer-perceived value enables marketers to discover what consumers want though the medium market research CUSTOMER-PERCEIVED VALUE (CPV) The CPVis the difference between the prospective custom er’s evaluation of all benefits and all the costs of an offering and the perceived alternatives. Total costumer benefit is the perceived monetary value of the bundle of economic, functional and psychological benefits consumers expect from given market offering.Total costumer cost is the perceived bundle of costs costumers expect to incur in evaluating, obtaining, using and disposing of the given market offering BUILDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Customers want loyalty, not perfection Customer can sense when a companies are consistently more loyal to investors, employees and regulators than to people who buy their products and services, customers are not being disloyal; they are being discriminating. The question is not how can we radically increase customer loyalty, but how can we radically increase our own loyalty to customers.To increase our sellers, we need to develop consumer’s loyalty Total customer satisfaction Whether the buyer is satisfied after purchase depends on the offer’s performance; if the performance falls short of expectations, the customer is dissatisfied, if the performance match the expectations, the customer is satisfied, if the performance exceeds expectations, the customer is highly satisfied or delighted. Customer assessments of product performance depend on many factors, especially the type of loyalty relationship the customer has with the brand.Although the customer-centre firm seeks to create a high customer satisfaction, that is not only his ultimate goal. Company might be able to increase its profitability by means other than increased satisfaction. Monitoring satisfaction Many companies are systematically measuring how well they treat their customers, identifying the factors shaping satisfaction and making changes in their operations and marketing as a result Customer satisfaction Companies should measure customer satisfaction regularly, because an important key to customer retention is customer satisfaction.A hig h customer satisfaction brings high profits, the customer stay longer; the customers are less sensitive to the price and pay less attention to the competing brand. Measurement techniques A number of methods exist to measure customer satisfaction for example periodic surveys, customer loss rate. Influence of customer satisfaction For customer-centre companies, customer satisfaction is both a goal and a marketing tool. Companies need to be especially concerned today with their customer satisfaction level.MAXIMIZING CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUE Customer profitability A profitable customer is a person, household, or company that over time yields a revenue stream that exceeds by an acceptable amount the company’s cost stream for attracting, selling and servicing that customer. CULTIVATING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS Maximizing customer-perceived value means cultivating long-term customer relationship. Companies are now moving away from wasteful mass marketing to precision marketing designed to build strong customer relationships.Customer relationship management Customer relationship management (CRM) is the process of carefully managing detailed information about individual customers and all customer â€Å"touch point† to maximize