Monday, September 30, 2019

Consumer Preception Towards Online Shoping

Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. com International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION TOWARDS ONLINE SHOPPING- THE CASE OF PUNJAB Pawan Singh Rathour ABSTRACT India has more than 100 million internet users out of which one half opt for online purchases and the number is rising sharply every year. The growth in the number of online shoppers is greater than the growth in Internet users, indicating that more Internet users are becoming comfortable to shop online.The capability of purchasing without leaving your place is of great interest to many consumers. Not only does online shopping offer really good deals, but also brings optimum convenience to the consumers. Moreover, the use of Internet tools for price searching and comparison provides an additional advantage in consumers’ final decision, as they can purchase their desired products in the lowest available price. This paper focuses on the unders tanding of demographic profiles of adopters and non-adopters of online shopping.For this purpose the data from 400 respondents was collected in the form of questionnaires. The study has been conducted in 3 cities of Punjab, a sample of urban respondents were selected from the Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar The paper also analyses the various reasons for adoption and non-adoption of online shopping. KEYWORDS: Online Shopping, Consumer Perception, Factor analysis, Adopters and Non-Adopters of online shopping REVIEW OF LITERATURE Bellman et al (1999) investigated various predictors for whether an individual will purchase online.These authors concluded that demographic variables, such as income, education and age, have a modest impact on the decision of whether to buy online, whereas the most important determinant of online shopping was previous behaviour, such as earlier online purchases. Standing (1999) stated that traditionally retail travel agencies have acted as intermediaries be tween airline companies and wholesale travel companies and the consumer. The Internet and the World Wide Web provide a whole new set of challenges and opportunities for this business sector.The major threat stems from airlines and wholesale travel companies offering their products and services directly to the customer without the assistance of travel agencies. Large online agencies have gained significant attention in the travel industry and provide some evidence of a restructuring of the travel industry sector. Leong (2001) examined the marketing strategies adopted by local hotel establishments in the competitive hospitality industry. It also analyses the adoption and role of information technology in strategic marketing.It was found that most hotels seemed to have embraced the marketing concept, given the existence of extensive marketing plans. Although most hotels appeared to have successfully incorporated information technology into their marketing campaigns, the level of commit ment seemed to be insignificant. Following a brief comparison with a similar US study, the paper concludes that there are only minor differences between US and Singapore hotels in terms of their marketing practices. Parasuraman (2002) stated that the motivations for this special issue and propose a conceptual framework pertaining to the issue’s theme.Using this frameworks a backdrop, they then offer an overview of the remaining articles by segmenting them into categories and discussing their relationship to the framework. They conclude by highlighting research avenues for augmenting our understanding of marketing to and serving customers through the Internet. Sigala (2003) stated that despite the exponential growth of e-commerce on the Internet, little is still known on how the new medium is transforming marketing concepts/practices and their effectiveness.This empirical study aims to fill in this gap. This article first analyzes the Internet's capabilities and features as we ll as the new virtual market space that Internet advances have fostered. After reviewing models and strategies for Internet marketing, an Internet marketing mix is proposed based on the Internet strategies of hotels in Greece that were investigated. Know and Lee (2003) explored consumers’ concerns about payment security and its relationship to online shopping attitude and actual purchases.They observed a negative relationship between attitude towards online shopping and concerns about online payment security. Consumers with a positive attitude seem to be less concerned about payment security. Bechrer (2004) stated that Internet marketing is a field that is continuing to grow, and the online auction concept may be defining a totally new and unique distribution alternative. Very few studies have examined auction sellers and their INTRODUCTION With nearly half of the Indian population being young and net savvy, there has been an extra ordinary rise in the numbers of online shopp ers.The recent growth in the mall culture in the country has in fact made consumers more aware about different options and encouraged them to search and eventually purchase online. India has more than 100 million internet users out of which one half opt for online purchases and the number is rising sharply every year. The growth in the number of online shoppers is greater than the growth in Internet users, indicating that more Internet users are becoming comfortable to shop online.Until recently, the consumers generally visit online to reserve hotel rooms and buy air, rail or movie tickets, books and gadgets and gizmos, but now more and more offline product like clothes – saris, kurtis, T-shirts – shoes, and designer lingerie, consumer durables are being purchased online. At present the market is estimated at Rs. 46000 crore and is growing at 100 percent per year. The two most commonly cited reasons for online shopping have been convenience and price. The capability of purchasing without leaving your place is of great interest to many consumers.Not only does online shopping offer really good deals, but also brings optimum convenience to the consumers. Moreover, the use of Internet tools for price searching and comparison provides an additional advantage in consumers’ final decision, as they can purchase their desired products in the lowest available price . On the contrary, privacy and security have been the great concerns, resulting many people to browse the Internet for informational matters than for buying online. 1|Page www. ijmit. com Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. om International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 internet marketing strategies. This research examines the internet auction phenomenon as it relates to the marketing mix of online auction sellers. The data in this study indicate that, whilst there is great diversity among businesses that utilize online auctions, disti nct cost leadership and differentiation marketing strategies are both evident. These two approaches are further distinguished in terms of the internet usage strategies employed by each group.Ryan (2004) conducted a research on the mosaic of institutional issues associated with gaining credibility for internet marketing standards. Strong claims for a predominantly self-regulatory approach are reviewed in conjunction with other factors that inhibit credibility, namely: competing internet worldviews, weak moral coherency and offline ambiguity about respective institutional roles, especially as regards moral dimensions of notions of regulation and self-regulation. Wang (2006) conducted a research to examine the current use and predict future Web-based marketing activities of U. S. onvention and visitor bureaus. A survey was sent to 600 randomly selected American convention and visitor bureaus with a focus on assessing the applications included in the bureaus’ Web sites, their Web site promotion techniques, and customer relationship management programs in relation to these Web sites. The results indicate that most bureaus’ Internet marketing activities are relatively limited, focusing on providing travel information to prospective visitors. Bengtsson (2007) stated that adopting the Internet for advanced marketing operations opens up challenging opportunities for firms of all sizes.However, such adoption might destroy investments in present market channels and thus has the characteristics of radical innovation. The results of analysis show that composition of factors on which firms base their decision to adopt advanced Internet-based marketing operations varies significantly with firm size. Chin ting (2010) stated that few school or educational studies have simultaneously explored both internet marketing and organizational commitment, and of those that have, only direct effects were examined. This study clarifies the relationship between school organiz ation’s internet arketing and teachers’ organizational commitment by examining the mediating role of teachers’ job involvement and job satisfaction. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The study has been conducted to identify the consumer’s perception towards online shopping in Punjab. The specific objectives of the study are: ? ? To identify the demographic profile of adopters and non-adopters of online shopping in Punjab. To identify the various reasons for adoption and non-adoption of online shopping by the consumers of Punjab DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY The research is primarily descriptive in nature.The data was collected in the form of questionnaires. The study has been conducted in 3 cities of Punjab, a sample of urban respondents were selected from the Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar. The survey was carried out on 450 respondents. However, 31 Questionnaires were found to be incorrect or irrelevant, so a total of 50 questionnaires were deliberately rejected. Hence, the study sample was reduced to 400 respondents. The data was collected personally (and via emails) in the months of January 2012 to March 2012. The questionnaire was pretested in order to identify possible problems in terms of clarity and accuracy.Thus, several changes were made in order to improve the presentation of the items, based on comments and feedback. Apart from demographic-related questions, fivepoint Likert scale was used for all the questions concerning consumers’ expectations and perceptions about the online shopping. Most of the Respondents of the age group 36-45 years (44. 6%) were found to be adopters of online shopping (Table 1). Most of the Males (55. 3%) were the adopters as compared to females, where 53. 7% were non-adopters. The adopters were mostly post graduates (48. 9%) with monthly income in the range of Rs. 0000-Rs. 30000. The respondents those who use internet from 5 to 7 hours a day were found to be adopters of online shopping. The consumer respon ses ranked the retail websites at Number 1 with Electronics and comparison shopping websites at Number 2 and 3 respectively. Home items were ranked at Number 10 by the Punjab consumers (Table 2) Table 1 : Demographic profile of Adopters and Non Adopters Demographics Adopters No. Age: 15-25 26-35 36-45 Above 46 Gender: Female Male 84 104 44. 6% 55. 3% 114 98 53. 7% 46. 2% df=1 chi-square=53. 892 p=0. 000 34 67 84 03 18. 0% 35. 6% 44. % 1. 5% 45 72 91 04 21. 2% 33. 9% 42. 9% 1. 8% df=3 chi-square=48. 241 p=0. 000 % Non Adopters No. % Chi – square 2|Page www. ijmit. com Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. com Education: Under Graduate Graduate Post Graduate Any Other Monthly Income: Under Rs. 10000 Rs. 10000-Rs. 20000 Rs. 20000-Rs. 30000 More than Rs. 30000 Not Employed Daily usage of the Internet 1 hour and below 1-3 hours 3. 1-5 hours 5. 1-7 hours 7 hours and above 21 38 56 65 08 18 37 78 55 00 31 43 92 20 International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 6. 4% 22. 8% 48. 9% 10. 6% 56 62 86 08 26. 4% 29. 2% 40. 5% 3. 7% df=3 chi-square=72. 452 p=0. 000 9. 5% 19. 6% 41. 4% 29. 2% 0. 0% 42 51 69 45 05 19. 8% 24. 0% 32. 5% 21. 2% 2. 3% df=4 chi-square=67. 453 p=0. 000 11. 1% 20. 2% 29. 7% 34. 5% 4. 2% 47 53 71 39 02 22. 1% 25. 0% 33. 4% 18. 3% 0. 94% df=4 chi-square=77. 344 p=0. 000 Table 2: Most visited category of websites: Category of Websites Retail Consumer Electronics Comparison Shopping Computer Hardware Apparel Movies Books Flowers/Gifts/Greetings Jewelry/Luxury Goods/Accessories Home itemsRank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean 3. 45 3. 12 2. 98 2. 87 2. 64 2. 55 2. 03 1. 76 1. 46 1. 55 Reasons for adoption or non-adoption of online shopping The factor analysis was applied on the responses provided by respondents. Factor analysis is a good way of identifying latent or underlying factors from an array of seemingly important variables. In a more general way, factor analysis is a set of techniques, which, by anal yzing correlations between variables, reduces their number into fewer factors, which explain much of the original data, more economically. (Malhotra,2002).In the present study, the factor analysis was applied in order to identify the various reasons for online shopping by the consumers, the responses obtain were put to factor analysis and the result so obtain were Table 3 : KMO and Bartlett’s test subject to Kaiser- Meyer- Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. The approximate chi-square value is 621. 103 with df 290, which is significant at 0. 000 level. (Table 3). The value of KMO statistics (0. 783) is also large (; 0. 5). Hence, all factors are not considered equally important for Television viewing.From table 4, it is evident that the first four variables represent the 62. 092 % of variance. Therefore, only these four factors with the variance greater than 1. 0 are retained and the other factors are not included in the model. T hus, from eigen values in table 3, we extract only 4 factors from the 13 variables. 3|Page www. ijmit. com Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. com International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx.Chi-Square Degree of Freedom Significance .783 621. 103 290 . 000 Table 4: Total Variance explained Initial Eigenvalues Component 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Total 4. 150 3. 144 2. 718 1. 411 0. 892 0. 789 0. 618 0. 601 0. 590 0. 449 0. 332 0. 217 0. 189 % of Variance 27. 823 14. 230 10. 783 9. 256 6. 068 5. 130 5. 003 4. 781 4. 350 4. 263 2. 963 2. 788 2. 562 Cumulative % 27. 823 42. 053 52. 836 62. 092 68. 160 73. 290 78. 293 83. 074 87. 424 91. 687 94. 650 97. 438 100. 00 Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Total 4. 150 3. 144 2. 718 1. 411 % of Variance 27. 823 14. 230 10. 783 9. 56 Cumulative % 27. 823 42. 053 52. 836 62. 092 Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings Total 3. 921 3. 101 2. 318 1. 290 % of Variance 27. 823 14. 230 10. 783 9. 256 Cumulative % 27. 823 42. 053 52. 836 62. 092 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis Factor loadings are simple correlations between the variables and factors. The most commonly used method is the Varimax Table 5:Rotated Component Matrix rotation procedure. This is an orthogonal method of rotation that minimizes the number of variables with high loadings of a factor, thereby enhancing the interpretability of the factors.Orthogonal rotations results in factors that are uncorrelated. Component S. No. Statements 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 I prefer to purchase online due to heavy discounts available online It is easier to buy online rather than going on to shop at store Shopping online gives you larger options to choose from It is easier to pay online through credit card or direct bank transfer The quality of products purchased online from trusted sites is very good and are available at economical pri ces Shopping online saves my time and money as I don’t have to go through heavy traffic besides saving fuel 609 . 361 . 212 . 341 . 425 . 380 .427 . 521 . 517 . 489 . 336 .379 . 389 . 412 . 656 . 316 .235 . 260 . 352 . 419 . 296 6 .552 .272 .461 4|Page www. ijmit. com Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. com 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 . 402 . 642 . 285 . 403 . 502 . 325 . 580 . 326 . 561 . 223 . 326 . 346 . 436 . 352 . 561 . 452 . 311 . 262 . 663 . 516 . 431 . 613 . 497 . 591 . 570 . 371 . 696 . 280I am a bit concerned about the security and privacy of my payments online I cannot buy all the products on discount but some selected products only There are some shipping delays in getting the product I do not use the credit card so I cannot often shop online I prefer to purchase online due to easement of online buying procedures I physically need to check the products before purchasing it I ca n read the reviews also before purchasing online which helps me to select the right product at economical pricesPrincipal Component Analysis under the rotation method (Varimax with Kaiser Normalization), rotation converged in 15 iterations. The following four components (Table 6) may be extracted: Component 1: Factor 1,5,8,13 (Price Consciousness) Component 2:Factor 2,3,6 (Convenience and Variety) Component 3:Factor 4,11 (Easy payment options) Component shopping) 4:Factor 7,9,10,12 (Challenges of online The rotated component matrix suggests presence of the four interrelated factors.Table 6: Naming of Factors Factor No. F1 Name of Dimension Price Consciousness Item No. 1 I prefer to purchase online due to heavy discounts available online Variables Factor loading . 609 5 8 13 F2 Convenience and Variety 2 3 6 F3 Easy payment options 4 11 F4 Challenges of online shopping 7 9 10 12 The quality of products purchased online from trusted sites is very good and are available at economical pr ices I cannot buy all the products on discount but some selected products only.I can read the reviews also before purchasing online which helps me to select the right product at economical prices It is easier to buy online rather than going on to shop at store Shopping online gives you larger options to choose from Shopping online saves my time and money as I don’t have to go through heavy traffic besides saving fuel It is easier to pay online through credit card or direct bank transfer I prefer to purchase online due to easement of online buying procedures. I am a bit concerned about the security and privacy of my payments online There are some shipping delays in getting the product.I do not use the credit card so I cannot often shop online I physically need to check the products before purchasing it .425 . 642 . 580 . 521 . 517 . 552 . 656 . 663 . 613 . 591 . 570 . 696 Price Consciousness: It is the most significant factor with 27. 823 percent of total variance explained. T his explains the intent of Punjab Consumers being price sensitive. Most of the consumers prefer to buy some selected products online because they will get heavy discounts in comparison to store purchases. Also, the consumers feels that there are good websites available which can be trusted for purchases. |Page www. ijmit. com Council for Innovative Research www. cirworld. com International Journal of Management & Information Technology Volume 1, No 1, May, 2012 Convenience and Variety: It is the second most significant factor with 14. 230 percent of total variance explained. The consumers perceive that shopping online gives them larger options to choose from. Shopping online is very convenient as one has to just open a laptop or PC to shop rather then getting ready and pass through rush hour traffics. Easy Payment options: It is the third most significant factor with 10. 83 percent of total variance explained. Consumers feel that carrying cash or credit cards all the way to the stor e is meaning less if one can purchase the same product from their home. Challenges of Online Shopping: It is the fourth most significant factor with 9. 256 percent of total variance explained. The only worry of consumers is regarding the trustworthiness of some websites, since they have to give their credit card details to shop online. REFERENCES ? Bechrer C. (2004). Characteristics and internet marketing strategies of online auction sellers.International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising. 24(1), 24-37 Bellman, S. , Lohse, G. and Johnson, E. (1999) ‘Predictors of online buying behaviour,’ Communications of the ACM, 42 (12), 32-38. Bengtsson M. (2007). Integrating the Internet and Marketing Operations: A Study of Antecedents in Firms of Different Size. International Small Business Journal. 25(1), 27-48 Chin ting S. (2010). The Effect of Internal Marketing on Organizational Commitment: Job Involvement and Job Satisfaction as Mediators. Educational Administrati on Quarterly. 9(4), 65-74 Know, K. and Lee, J. (2003) ‘Concerns about payment security of Internet purchases: a perspective on current on-line shoppers,’ Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 21 (4), 174-184. Leong C. (2001). Marketing practices and Internet marketing: A study of hotels in Singapore. Journal of Vacation Marketing. 7(2), 179-187 Parsuraman A. (2002). Marketing to and Serving Customers through the Internet: An Overview and Research Agenda. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 30(4), 96-105 Ryan P. (2004).Internet marketing standards: institutional coherence issues. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising. 15(4), 84103 Schiffman L. (2007) Consumer Behavior , New Delhi: Prentice Hall India Sigalla M. (2003). Developing and Benchmarking Internet Marketing Strategies in the Hotel Sector in Greece. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 27(4), 375-401 Standing C. (1999). Internet marketing strategies used by travel agencies in Australia. Journal of Vacation Marketing. 6(1), 36-42 Wang Y. (2006).Futuring Internet Marketing Activities Using Change Propensity Analysis. Journal of Travel Research. 45(2), 158-166 ? ? ? CONCLUSIONS It was seen from the study that most of the Respondents of the age group 36-45 years were found to be adopters of online shopping. Most of the Males were the adopters as compared to females, where 53. 7% were non-adopters. The adopters were mostly post graduates with monthly income in the range of Rs. 20000-Rs. 30000. The respondents those who use internet from 5 to 7 hours a day were found to be adopters of online shopping.Further, the factor analysis was applied to understand the various reasons for adoption and non-adoption of online shopping by the respondents. The following four factors were found to be significant Price Consciousness, Convenience and Variety, Easy Payment options and Challenges of Online Shopping. Most of the consumers prefer to buy some selected products onli ne because they will get heavy discounts in comparison to store purchases. Also, the consumers feels that there are good websites available which can be trusted for purchases.The consumers perceive that shopping online gives them larger options to choose from. Shopping online is very convenient as one has to just open a laptop or PC to shop rather then getting ready and pass through rush hour traffics. Shopping online saves time and money along with lesser effort is required in comparison to store purchases. Consumers feel that carrying cash or credit cards all the way to the store is meaning less if one can purchase the same product from their home. The educated consumers are aware of the buying procedures online which they feel are pretty simple.The only worry of consumers is regarding the trustworthiness of some websites, since they have to give their credit card details to shop online. Many of the consumers are aware of the various online scams due to which they are very concern ed and reluctant while providing their credit card information online. Also the online purchases take a longer time in shipments and deliveries. The psychology of an Indian consumer is still the same of checking the product physically before purchasing it, which creates a mental hurdle for online shopping. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 6|Page www. ijmit. com

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Quality Management and Answer A.

MGC1 Principals of Management Assessment Correct Answers are in RED I Scored 64% ( 33/51 ) 1. A value chain is the sequence of activities that begins with raw materials. What result does a value chain end with? Choose 1 answer A. Outsourcing or insourcing B. Supply and demand C. Delivery of products or services D. Operations and logistics C 2. What happens when an effective value chain is created? Choose 1 answer A. Total quality management is not required. B. Profit margins are increased. C. Customized products are standardized. D. A mission statement is developed. B 3.Industry and market analysis, competitor analysis, and social analysis are examples of which step in the strategic planning process? Choose 1 answer A. Analysis of internal strengths and weaknesses B. Analysis of external opportunities and threats C. Analysis of mission, vision, and goals D. Analysis of management implementation B 4. Skilled management, positive cash flow, and well-known brands are examples of which c omponent of the SWOT analysis? Choose 1 answer A. Opportunities B. Strenghts C. Threats D. Weaknesses B 5. What denotes skills or expertise in an activity that constitutes the roots f competitiveness in an organization? Choose 1 answer A. Strategic values B. Opportunities and threats C. Products and services D. Core competencies D X 6. According to Michael Porter's competitive environment model, how can suppliers influence strategic planning? Choose 1 answer A. Suppliers can reduce the numbers of new entrants in the market. B. Suppliers can reduce the threat from substitute products. C. Suppliers can reduce manufacturing time and increase product quality. D. Supplier can reduce technological, demographic, and legal threats in the environment. X B 7.A company offers unique products in its industry to create a competitive advantage. Which type of strategy is the company using? Choose 1 answer A. Standardization B. Valorization C. Customization D. Differentiation D X 8. Happy Inc. is a leading provider of family entertainment and BCD is a broadcasting company with news, cable, and entertainment networks. Happy Inc. recently acquired BCD in hopes of boosting its primary business of family entertainment. Which type of corporate strategy is represented by Happy Inc. ‘s purchase of their distribution network? Choose 1 answer A. Horizontal benchmarking B. Vertical integrationC. Networking D. Strategic alliances X C 9. A local business has provided services to its customers for 40 years. The business's mission is â€Å"To give our customers the best service in town. † The owner of the business has had a long-standing dream to franchise the business and become the best provider of its service in the United States. What describes the owner's dream? Choose 1 answer A. Strategic management B. Strategic vision C. Strategic mission D. Strategic planning B 10. What is the first step of organizational strategic planning? Choose 1 answer A. Developing a strategic m ission B. Developing internal strengthsC. Developing operational goals D. Developing external opportunities A X 11. The introduction of statistical tools to analyze the causes of product defects is associated with which quality improvement approach? Choose 1 answer A. Flexible Process B. Six Sigma C. Quality Customization D. Customer Process X C 12. What is the principal idea of reengineering? Choose 1 answer A. To analyze system failures B. To focus on creating two-way exchanges with customers C. To improve total quality in all businesses for the benefit of producers and consumers D. To revolutionize key organizational systems and processes C 13.How many defects per million are there at Six Sigma, assuming a product or process is defect-free 99. 99966% of the time? Choose 1 answer A. Less than 6. 6 B. Less than 3. 4 C. Less than 4. 4 D. Less than 5. 3 B 14. What is the last step to Deming's 14 points of quality management? Choose 1 answer A. To evaluate options provided by manageme nt B. To break down barriers among departments C. To take action to accomplish the transformation D. To cease dependence on mass inspection C X 15. Process checklists and project audits are components of which management process? Choose 1 answer A. Quality Assurance B. Quality Control C.Quality Cooperative D. Quality Collaboration X B 16. What is the main objective of an internal quality audit? Choose 1 answer A. To determine the quality of an organization's executive management B. To measure effectiveness of an organization's quality management system C. To gauge the quality of human resources D. To assess the quality of control process failures B X 17. A company is trying to systematically improve processes by eliminating nonconformity of their products to product specifications. The company believes their continuous effort to reduce variation in their process outputs is key to their business success.Which quality process is the company utilizing? Choose 1 answer A. Six Sigma B. I SO 9000 C. Continuous processing D. Reengineering X C 18. Which concept entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its customers in both sales and service-related environments? Choose 1 answer A. Customer association organization B. Customer liaison administration C. Customer connection society D. Customer relationship management D 19. Dr. Ohmae indicates that customer, corporation, and competitors should be integrated in a strategic triangle. What does Dr. Ohmae indicate that an organization can obtain by doing this?Choose 1 answer A. Sustained competitive advantage B. Time-based competition C. Decentralization of the organization D. Coordination of mutual adjustment A 20. What designates those who take hands-on responsibility for creating innovation such as new ideas, products, or methods within an organization? Choose 1 answer A. Controller B. Pacesetter C. Intrapreneur D. Franchiser C X 21. Why is innovation an important element of entrepreneurship? Choose 1 answer A. Allows the company to meet industry benchmarks B. Creates unique and different products or services C. Buffers the impact of changes in the legal environmentD. Reduces marketing costs for the company X A X 22. Most successful entrepreneurs exhibit certain characteristics. Some entrepreneurs are open-minded, able to learn quickly, and skilled at conceptualizing. Which entrepreneurial personality trait is this? Choose 1 answer A. Competitive intelligence B. Tolerance of risk, ambiguity, and uncertainty C. Creativity, self-reliance, and ability to adapt D. Opportunity obsession X A 23. Which personality characteristics are believed to contribute to an entrepreneur's success? Choose 1 answer A. Status quo obsession B. Risk aversion C.Determination D. Motivation to delegate C 24. Why would an entrepreneurial business choose to use its own resources versus seeking outside resources in financing a business venture? Choose 1 answer A. To go public B. To spread the risk C. To maintain contr ol D. To fuel large growth C 25. Which activity should management use to encourage intrapreneurship within an organization? Choose 1 answer A. Motivate employees by giving extra time off B. Encourage employees to work on informal job assignments C. Provide employees extra training opportunities D. Allow employees to form a unionB X 26. What can managers do to encourage useful conflict during a meeting to lessen inhibition about disagreeing and make the conflict less personal? Choose 1 answer A. Involve others in collaboration B. Promote affective conflict C. Provide a devil's advocate D. Evaluate leadership style X C 27. Why is consideration of intentions important in conflict situations? Choose 1 answer A. People have habitual patterns of response to conflict situations. B. People tend to think before they act in some situations. C. Selfish intentions of people often leads to poor decision making. D.People respond based on their interpretation of others' intentions. D 28. What desc ribes dimensions of conflict-handling intentions? Choose 1 answer A. Comparativity and associativity B. Cooperativeness and assertiveness C. Collaboration and aggressiveness D. Competitiveness and acquiescence B X 29. A supervisor assigned office space to three new employees. The employees were upset by the offices they were given. The first had a large office but wanted a window, the second had a new computer but wanted room for some plants, and the third had a window but needed high-speed computing to perform the job well.Which conflict resolution technique can the supervisor use to create a win-win solution for these employees? Choose 1 answer A. Expansion of resources B. Problem solving C. Altering the human variables D. Authoritative command X B 30. A corporation is experiencing dysfunction in their work teams. The team leader plans to realign work groups based on employees' work locations, and also to alter rules and regulations in the groups and make additional changes to â⠂¬Å"shake things up a bit. † Which conflict-stimulation technique is the team leader applying? Choose 1 answer A. Knowledge managementB. Restructuring the organization C. Avoidance D. Communication B X 31. Which type of control system is being implemented when management uses prices, profit centers, and exchange relationships as a control? Choose 1 answer A. Bureaucratic control B. Market control C. Clan control D. Dynamic control X A 32. What is the fourth step of the control process which ensures that operations are adjusted to achieve planned results? Choose 1 answer A. Setting performance standards B. Taking corrective action C. Comparing performance against standards D. Measuring performance B X 33.A corporation recently disbanded its flex time schedule for employees and now requires that all employees work 9:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m. Monday through Friday. The employees banded together in opposition of the change. What were the employees of the corporation experiencing? Cho ose 1 answer A. Apathy B. Peer pressure C. Abilene paradox D. Timing X C X 34. The manager of the human resources department at a corporation agreed to authorize one-hour lunch breaks for all employees of the organization as long as the production manager agreed to shorten the morning and afternoon breaks of all employees to 15 minutes.Which approach were the managers using to enlist cooperation for the change? Choose 1 answer A. Education and communication B. Participation and involvement C. Negotiation and reward D. Facilitation and support X D X 35. A corporation offers concrete incentives such as higher wages for cooperation with change. Which strategy is the corporation using to overcome resistance to change? Choose 1 answer A. Participation and involvement B. Education and communication C. Negotiation and reward D. Facilitation and support X A 36. During a final job interview, the hiring manager asks candidates about age and national origin.Some of the rejected candidates susp ect they did not get the job because of their age. Which law covers this type of discrimination? Choose 1 answer A. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) B. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) C. Fair Hiring of Employees Act (FHEA) D. Employment Without Boundaries (EWB) A 37. After a major budget increase, a company finds itself in a position to hire 50 new employees. How can strategic human resource planning benefit the company in this situation? Choose 1 answer A. By initiating termination interviews to release unproductive employees B. By coordinating companywide continuing educationC. By providing annual reviews of staff performances D. By organizing staffing needs and looking for people with the right skills D 38. In the five dimensions of Hackman and Oldham's model of job design, what does autonomy describe? Choose 1 answer A. Information about job performance B. Different job activities involving several skills and talents C. Independence and discretion in making decisions D. Important and positive impact on the lives of others C 39. A store that has had a high rate of employee theft wants to use an employee selection technique to hire new employees who are less likely to steal from them.Which type of employee selection instrument is most appropriate in this situation? Choose 1 answer A. Validity test B. Reliability test C. Integrity test D. Personality test C 40. Which entities protect the rights of employees and potential employees from discrimination in the workplace? Choose 1 answer A. Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action B. Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure and Labor Management Relations C. Fair Labor Standards and Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification D. National Labor Relations and Labor Management Relations A X 41.During an international executive meeting, an executive used a word that did not translate into English. What type of cross-cultural communication barrier is this? Choose 1 answer A. Barrier caused by word association B. Barrier caused by tone differences C. Barrier caused by differences among perceptions D. Barrier caused by semantics X C 42. A younger employee becomes irritated by the sound of an older employee's voice and finds it difficult to work on projects with the older employee. This has caused conflict in the department. What is the source of conflict between the older and younger employees?Choose 1 answer A. Differing values B. Personal variables C. Communication D. Structure B 43. In which situation does religious preference inappropriately affect decision making? Choose 1 answer A. A member of a particular religion starts a business that benefits members of the religion in the area. B. Management provides two religious holidays per year for every employee regardless of religious affiliation. C. A publicly-held company has a policy limiting financial donations to one religious group. D. Management approves a religious endorsement that makes claims the company supports. C X 44.A visually-impaired person has been hired to work in the human resources department of a small company. Which workplace accommodations would be reasonable in this situation? Choose 1 answer A. The company will provide an interpreter for all face-to-face interviews. B. The company will purchase a large computer screen and a Braille keyboard. C. The company will hire a person to read all documents for the visually-impaired person. D. The company will purchase a Braille reader and convert company documents to Braille. X C 45. What is a common component of effective diversity training programs? Choose 1 answerA. Building awareness B. Revealing concerns C. Identifying informal networks D. Completing a skills inventory A X 46. When selecting an organizational structure, which key elements should be considered? Choose 1 answer A. Diversity and dynamics B. Economics and ethics C. Job specification and segmentation D. Differentiation and integration X A 47. What is the best way to succe ed in a matrix organizational structure? Choose 1 answer A. Centralized decision making B. Collaboration C. Unity of command D. Top-down communication B 48. What is a reason to create a boundaryless organizational structure?Choose 1 answer A. To make information available as needed B. To limit the amount of collaboration C. To differentiate position titles D. To allow for the delegation of tasks A X 49. Four small, independent organizations, each with its own type of expertise, plan to work together for six months for the sole purpose of developing a new product that will help each of them improve their ability to compete with larger organizations. Which type of organization does their relationship characterize? Choose 1 answer A. Matrix organization B. Functional organization C. Bureaucratic organizationD. Virtual organization X B X 50. Which formal structure allows job holders to have broad responsibilities, accommodates decentralized and informal decision making, and values exper tise? Choose 1 answer A. Modern B. Flexible C. Organic D. Mechanistic X B 51. One manager is responsible for all functional areas allowing the company to sell Product A, and another manager is responsible for all functional areas that allow the company to sell Product B. Which type of design does this corporation use? Choose 1 answer A. Network B. Horizontal C. Divisional D. Virtual C

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Acesite Corporation vs. Nlrc

* Gonzales took several leaves (sick leave, emergency leave, and vacation leave), thereby using up all leaves that he was entitled for the year. * Before the expiration of his 12-day vacation leave, Gonzales filed an application for emergency leave for 10 days commencing on April 30 up to May 13, 1998. The application was not, however, approved. * He received a telegram informing him of the disapproval and asking him to report back for work on April 30, 1998. However Gonzales did not report for work on the said date. * On May 5, 1998, Acesite sent him a final telegram in his provincial address containing in order for Gonzales to report back to work. * Gonzales, who claims to have received the May 5, 1998 telegram only in the afternoon of May 7, 1998, immediately repaired back to Manila on May 8, 1998 only to be â€Å"humiliatingly and ignominiously barred by the guard (a subordinate of [Gonzales]) from entering the premises. * It appears that on May 7, 1998, the issued notice of termination was thru an inter-office memo. * Gonzales thus filed on May 27, 1998 a complaint against Acesite for illegal dismissal with prayer for reinstatement and payment of full backwages, etc. * Acesite claims, Gonzales â€Å"showed no respect for the lawful orders for him to report back to work and repeatedly ignored all telegrams sent to him,† and it merely exercised its legal right to dismiss him under the House Code of Discipline. LA – the c omplaint for lack of merit, its holding that Gonzales was dismissed for just cause and was not denied of due process. * NLRC – reversed that of the Labor Arbiter. * CA – finding that Gonzales was illegally dismissed, affirmed with modification the NLRC decision. Issue: * WON Gonzales was legally dismissed for just cause. Held: * No. there appears to have been no just cause to dismiss Gonzales from employment. As correctly ruled by the Court of Appeals, Gonzales cannot be considered to have willfully disobeyed his employer. Willful disobedience entails the concurrence of at least two (2) requisites: the employee’s assailed conduct has been willful or intentional, the willfulness being characterized by a â€Å"wrongful and perverse attitude;† and the order violated must have been reasonable, lawful, made known to the employee and must pertain to the duties which he had been engaged to discharge. In Gonzales’ case, his assailed conduct has not been shown to have been characterized by a perverse attitude, hence, the first requisite is wanting. His receipt of the telegram disapproving his application for emergency leave starting April 30, 1998 has not been shown. And it cannot be said that he disobeyed the May 5, 1998 telegram since he received it only on May 7, 1998. On the contrary, that he immediately hied back to Manila upon receipt thereof negates a perverse attitude.

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Developing Manager Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The Developing Manager - Assignment Example Instrumentl ledership: when generl rules nd types of behvior re creted where it is written wht is expected from subordintes. Encourgement ledership : is bsed on interpersonl reltionships more thn on orgniztionl processes Prticiptive ledership: implies consulttive pproch to mnging people. Decisions re mde by the group tht is working on certin project. Oriented ledership: is imed t reching success by employees through following the set objectives nd building the trust between employees. ii. pplied knowledge (Your mnger's ledership skill in the orgniztion) I think tht my mnger's ledership skills tht help him to effectively mnge the hotel I work in re s follows: The bility to drw others to them not just becuse they hve vision but becuse they communicte n extrordinry focus of commitment Mening through communiction: mking drems pprent to others nd to lign people with them, leders must communicte their vision. Communiction nd lignment work together. Trust through positioning: Trust is essentil to my orgniztion orgniztions. The mnger mnges trust through relibility. Deployment of self: the mnger knows his skills nd deploys them effectively. The mnger relized tht without mngement of self, he cn do more hrm thn good. c) Evlute communiction processes i. Wht is communiction Communiction is the process of sending nd receiving informtion or communiction with nother person. In simplistic form, informtion is sent from sender or encoder to receiver or decoder. In more complex form feedbck links sender to receiver. This requires symbolic ctivity, sometimes vi lnguge. Communiction development is the development of processes enbling one to understnd wht others sy (or sign, or write) nd spek(or sign, or write), trnslte sounds nd symbols into mening nd lern the syntx of... My orgniztion pplies neither of in-bove described styles. It is rther something in the middle of exploitive - uthorittive nd prticiptive-group which cn be referred to s consulttive. Mngers within my orgniztion hve substntil but not complete confidence nd trust in subordintes, usully try to mke use of subordintes' ides nd opinions, use rewrds for motivtion with occsionl punishment nd some prticiption, engge in communiction flow both down nd up, mke brod policy nd generl decisions t the top while llowing specific decisions to be mde t lower levels nd ct consulttively in other wys. Communiction is the process of sending nd receiving informtion or communiction with nother person. In simplistic form, informtion is sent from sender or encoder to receiver or decoder. In more complex form feedbck links sender to receiver. This requires symbolic ctivity, sometimes vi lnguge. Communiction development is the development of processes enbling one to understnd wht others sy (or sign, or write) nd spek(or sign, or write), trnslte sounds nd symbols into mening nd lern the syntx of the lnguge. Communiction is bsed on the ide of respect, promises nd the wnt for socil improvement. Nonverbl communiction dels wit

Thursday, September 26, 2019

A Petition to The President Of The United States Research Paper

A Petition to The President Of The United States - Research Paper Example This is not limited to the adversaries, but the future of Americans owing to their lack of adequate information (Gabor 52). Hence, the scientists besides their recognition of the president’s power, regarding its usage, they are using their expertise stand to dissuade him from applying it in attacking the Japanese. Since, they are acquainted with the impacts to their adversary where in retaliation, Japanese will hit back to the detriment of the common people who are unaware. Consequently, yield to utter destruction of both the property and human life (Gabor 51). This is ethos approach where its argument emanates from expertise the experts possess besides then foreseeing adverse effects that would befall Americans (Brown, Mullen & Mullen, 2009). Szilard, Leo and Cosigners efforts meant to dissuade atomic power application entailed emotional approach (pathos). This is evident when by their stating, â€Å"We feel, however, that such an attack on Japan could not be justified in the present circumstances† (Szilard & Cosigners, 1945). This aroused the president’s concern regarding to what the state had done by attacking, and destroying Japanese’s cities and planning to continue if it fails to comply with instituted conditions. Hence, somehow incline withdraw the state’s stand concerning the Japanese verdict of utter destruction. This is because of the experts’ displeasure regarding the whole idea of annihilation, which according it will result to their detriment once the adversary decides to adopt the similar method. Additionally, the emotional approach (pathos) coupled with tone evident in the work, unveiled the adverse effects if America maintained its verdict, which moved it to termination a ction of the atomic use. This is via prompting the president to reflect on the previous decisions that the state had taken by enacting a law that forbid it from utilizing atomic bombs. The arguers in this essay are trying to have the president’s attention regarding the devastation that would yield from the inception of the state’s verdict of utter annihilation of Japanese (Szilard, 1960). Since, the America would then bear the responsibility of marshalling in the era of devastation globally where it is inclusive. Besides, it has the power to either make the world be at peace or disrupt it by using atomic power against its already enacted law. Besides minor aspects meant to dissuade the president from using the atomic power, the arguers of this literature comprehensively utilize the skill of appealing. Primarily, this is via acknowledging that the decision regarding either to use or not lies with the president. The arguers contented that, the president possessed utter p ower as the Commander-In-Chief meant to sanction the application of atomic power on Japanese (Szilard & Cosigners, 1945). Additionally, the tone is that of a junior addressing a senior person from an advisory perspective, where the authority lies with high-ranking individual (Bernstein 40). This perspective owing to its non-authoritative nature and urging have made the literature attain its intention

Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Genetically Modified Foods - Essay Example   Currently, a broad-based scientific consensus exists over foods in the market, which have been derived from genetic modifications that they have no threats and health concerns on the life of humans and other beings that consume them. However, some opponents to the idea of genetic modification have refuted these concepts, basing their arguments on various safety issues, economic and environmental concerns. They have emphasized that the economic concerned raised about these foods emanate from the fact that the genetically modified seeds are foods sources, which are subject to the intellectual property rights as owned by the respective corporations that make them (Rotman, 2014).Plants that have been genetically engineered are often generated from the laboratory through alteration made in their genetic compositions and tested effectively if they contain the desired qualities. In most cases, this happens through the addition of one or many genes in their particular genomes by use of g enetic engineering methodologies. Some of the plants that are genetically modified are done in certain controlled ways through the addition of more genes in a process called cloning or some genes are subtracted from them.Nowadays, genetic modification is often carried out in order to make plants resistant to insects, viri, fungi and herbicides. Additionally, these modifications are also aimed at changing the nutritional content of these plants, improving their taste and duration for storage after harvest.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Clean Air Act Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Clean Air Act - Term Paper Example The 1990 amendment also addressed requirements for gasoline reformulation to control its evaporative emissions (Jacobson 2). This paper will discuss the emission regulations contained in the Clean Air Act and how it has helped the environment. The Act contains several emission regulations as listed in the below description. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) These are regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Act to set up primary and secondary NAAQS which define the standards of air quality permitted (Martineau and Novello 12). The primary standards aim at providing public health protection, which include protecting the sensitive population like the elderly, children and asthmatics. On the other hand, secondary standards provide protection to public welfare such as crop, buildings and animal damage, and poor visibility (Jacobson 4). New Source Review (NSR) Permits They govern regulations requiring new stationary sources of emissions of air pollutants to be permi tted prior to construction (Turner 36). It incorporates three types of permits, which are Nonattainment NSR, Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Minor NSR permits. The Nonattainment NSR permits apply to new sources or modifications of sources that already exist in areas that do not meet the attainment requirements of NAAQS. The PSD permits apply to significant sources or modifications of sources in areas meeting attainment requirement and also areas unclassifiable by the NAAQS. Thirdly, Minor NSR permits apply to sources that do not require a PSD or Nonattainment permit (Martineau and Novello 12). New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) They are regulations issued by the EPA that establish air pollution standards to be met by new stationary sources (Turner 40). They encompass categories related to development of energy like gas and oil producing facilities, petroleum refineries and onshore processing plants for natural gases, coal preparation plants and bulk gasoline t erminals. The NSPS regulations have two elements, the Clean Air Interstate Rule that caps nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emissions in the eastern part of the United States, and the Clean Air Mercury Rule that reduces emissions of mercury from power plants powered by coal (Martineau and Novello 14). National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) These are regulations that govern emissions of hazardous air pollutants that are not covered under the NAAQS, and they are issued by the EPA. They contain standards for categories of sources that emit significant quantities of air pollutants (Martineau and Novello 14). The environment has benefited from the Clean Air Act in various ways. There has been a 25 percent reduction in ground level ozone, a hazardous component of smog, from 1980 to 2011 (Turner 39). Mercury emissions into the environment have also gone down by 45 percent within the past two decades. In the same period, rules enforced by law have facilitated a reduction in emissions of sulfur and nitrogen dioxide, the key pollutants that cause acid rain, by 71 percent and 46 percent respectively (Sperling and Deborah 191). The ozone layer has also seen the phasing out of production and use of chemicals contributing to its depletion. The reduction of acid rain due to a cut of emissions that cause it has led

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Japanese Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Japanese Economics - Research Paper Example Most of the workers on the short-term basis worked hard to get long-term employment. This helped in post war Japan takeoff in terms of economics (Ohno, 2006). The transition from 1970 to 1980 saw Japan catch up with the other industrial economies of the world. However, this trend was not to remain due to unchanging policies. There was a lack of modern investment opportunities and poor management (Sakisaka & Gaimusho, 2007). This led to business firms, real estate and financial institutions falling prey to speculation. This finally led to the ‘bubble’ economy (Ohno, 2006). The effects were to be felt in the 1990s. Japan continues to struggle to get out of these effects until now. This will only be possible through sweeping reforms. This paper seeks to focus on the Japanese economy. Japanese Geography, Language, Population Japan is one of the countries of East Asia. It is made up of thousand of islands. However, there are crucial islands. They include Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyu shu and Shiloku. These are the largest of those islands that make up Japan. Japans neighbors are Korea, Russia, and China. It has a size equal that of Germany or California (Japan Guide, 2013). The language of most of the population is Japanese. However, there has been infiltration of foreign languages. The population is estimated to be 125 million (Japan Guide, 2013). In this estimate, two million are foreign residents. Most of the foreigners are the Korean. This place is also vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanoes. This is because this country is mostly mountainous. There is also variation in climate due to different islands that make up the country. Economy Japan economy ranks high in the world. In fact, Japan rank second among the most... Japan has been struggling with inflation for a long time. However, inflation is expected to slow down. For example, the central bank has introduced an inflation target of 2 percent (Einhorn, 2013). Various initiatives have been taken to curb inflation are already in place. The current one has been buying Yen to issue bonds. This will help by weakening the Yen and hence reviving inflation rate. However, Japan trade deficits have declined significantly. It stands at 362.4 billion yen that is half of what was reported at the beginning of the year (Einhorn, 2013). Moreover, in Japan there has been an increased in the number of unemployed individuals. For example, in March the unemployment rate was 4.10 percent as compared to the onset of the year when it stood at 4.3 (Trading Economics, 2012). For the last six decades, unemployment rate in Japan has averaged 2.68 percent. However, it was at its highest level in July of 2009 at 5.60 percent (Trading Economics, 2012).Japanese Openness, Cur rency, Current Exchange Rate, Primary Exports, Imports, Current Account Balance, Major Trading Partners, AgreementsThe rate of openness of a country influences its economy in myriad ways. There is a role and importance of this trend to economic growth. This openness is reflected in terms of international knowledge streams and international movement of people, resources and technology (Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, 2011). Openness can also lead to failure of some key sector of the economy.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Women and Men's Shared Responsibility in Contraceptives Research Paper

Women and Men's Shared Responsibility in Contraceptives - Research Paper Example   As Jinxia (89) points out, the modern woman has a very big contribution to both social and economic development. The structure of the society has changed and the modern woman is more than just a reproductive being. They contribute economically to not only their families but also to the whole economy at large. The modern woman provides for her family almost as much, and sometimes as much as their male counterparts (Chadwick 45). In this regard, their need to be able to control their reproductive processes is inherent given that this affects the way they are able to contribute to their families and the economy at large. A woman should then have the right and ability to control when to get pregnant and become a mother, and when not to. Denying them this right would hinder their ability to contribute to the economy and to the social life. Those who say that women must not be given this right are those who have a low regard of a woman and regard a woman as nothing more than a domestic being whose work is to bear and rear children. Unfortunately, this is a practice of the past and does not apply in the modern world. It is necessary to apply this issue to Kantian ethics. Given that this is a moral/ethical issue to most people, it is necessary to apply the Kantian ethics to identify whether it is good to give women the right to access contraceptives. According to Emanuel Kant, an action is aid to be moral if it is intrinsically based on goodwill. Kant argued that there is no action that can be said to be good or bad on its own, but rather what makes an action good or bad is the good or bad will behind it.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Plato and Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Plato and Aristotle Essay Plato and Aristotle were two philosophers who made an impact on philosophy as we know it as today. Plato is thought of as the first political philosopher and Aristotle as the first metaphysical philosopher. They were both great intellectuals in regards to being the first of the great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to better life by improving the societies in which they were part of during their lives. The views of Plato and Aristotle look different but they do have some similarities to them. Plato is mostly known for his Theory of Forms and Aristotle is known for his thoughts in universals. Even though they both thought a bit differently they did agree in a few things. Plato and Aristotle not only had an impact on society in the past but today’s society as well. Plato was a teacher to Aristotle and lived during the Peloponnesian War, which lead to the end of the Athenian democracy. He had eyewitness account of Socrates, his mentor, trial and execution. Unhappy with the political corruption that plagued the Athenian democratic government, he removed himself from politics. He strongly felt that neither a moral individual nor a state could be established in a democratic environment. Plato felt that the common man was not intelligent enough to deal with concepts that influence the state such as economics, policies and other relative matters. He thought of philosophers as being the most intelligent among men. He viewed political incumbents in the Athens government basically as bought individuals in office for the good of themselves and not society as a whole. Another danger was that extreme liberties given to the people in the democratic society could potentially lead an anarchy. Aristotle was a student of Plato’s and teacher of Alexander the Great. He created his own school in Athens. He thought of metaphysics to be the first philosophy, which was a large interest to him. Aristotle’s stated that forms were universal. According to Aristotle, notion of Essential properties makes something what it is, and accidental properties are the differences of that item. Aristotle believed the state and the individual are similar and democracy would be the better government. In Book VII of The Republic by Plato, Socrates describes the Allegory of the Cave. It is a metaphor to illustrate the effects of education on the human soul. It can also be understood as what is real and what is believed to be real in life. Eventhough Plato had his ideal city, the forms was really what people could connect with. There is so much one can take from his thoughts on the forms that could be applied to society today. Plato starts out comparing people that are uneducated to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their head. All they can see is the wall of the cave in front of them. A fire behind them burns bright. Between the fire and the prisoners, there is an area for puppeteers to move around and hold up the puppets to cast shadows on the wall that is in front of the prisoners. This is what the prisoners see every single day. This is all they know; shadows, echoes, the smell of the fire, and darkness. They believe that that shadows are reality. One of the prisoners is allowed to go outside of the cave. Once they reach the outside of the cave, they are blinded by the light because they have not seen such. Once their eyes start to adjust, they start seeing shapes and objects around them. They see that the sun is what creates light and that the tall objects with leaves are trees. They are colorful with moving parts. They go back outside to tell the prisoners, but they are not believed. Those still inside of the cave thinks the person just came in from the outside ill because that is not what they see in the cave, they did not see the outside for themselves, so therefore, it does not exist. So now the person that just came in from the bright sun light cannot see very well in the darkness of the cave, their eyes have not adjusted to the darkness, and people think they are crazy. This is where this view fails for Aristotle because it is not realistic. Aristotle rejects Plato’s Theory of Forms, and makes the way for his realistic approach, which underlines observation first and abstract reasoning second. Being a student of Plato’s, I believe he was indebted to justify at lengths why he disagrees with doctrines of his teacher. He provided detailed arguments against many of Plato’s doctrines, a lot of his major works, focusing in particular on the Theory of Forms. In Aristotle’s critique he thinks this theory is essentially an assertion of the superiority of universals over particulars. Plato argues that particular instances of beauty or justice exists only because they participate in the universal Form of Beauty. Say a there are two objects, one is colorless and the other one is red. The colorless one goes where the red on is located. Since the colorless object and the red object are participating, they areboth red objects. They have a certain nurture and nature. However, Aristotle argues that universal concepts of beauty and justice derive from the instances of beauty and justice in this world. We only arrive at an idea of beauty by observing particular instances of beauty. This universal quality of beauty has no existence beyond this idea that we build from particular instances. He is staying that the particulars come first and the universals come after and therefor, Aristotle places emphasis on the importance of observing the details of this world. Which leads me to understand his thoughts on happiness a little more. With putting the weight on observing happiness can measured by a person’s life. Aristotle lays out in Book X in the Nicomachean Ethic’s, the continuation of his thoughts on pleasure, happiness and the end of life, and ethics and politics. His view on happiness and the end of human life really made me question his way of thinking. Aristotle suggests that happiness is the final end of life because nothing is greater than happiness or the good life and it goes against his universal theory. Aristotle proposes that happiness, or the good life, is taken to be a most final end. â€Å"We said, then, that happiness is not a characteristic, for in that case it could be present even to someone asleep thought his life, living the life of plants, and to someone undergoing the greatest misfortunes. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1176a-1176b). The good life for humans is the life of choosing to life the life according to the virtues. â€Å"For we choose everything, so to speak, for the sake of something else-except happiness, for it is the end. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1176b). Also, it seems that only humans can be happy because the happiness is an important nature of every individual human and it is unique to humans in that the function of humans is what distinguishes them from other kinds of things. Happiness is a self-sufficient activity desirable for its own sake. One seeks nothing from happiness beyond the actual experience or performance of it as an activity. Activities that are desirable in themselves are activities in conformity with virtue and indicates that the greatest happiness must be activity in conformity with the highest virtue. It is wrong to confuse happiness with various kinds of amusements involving bodily pleasures, as many people do. Such amusements are neither virtuous nor ends in themselves,but are merely relaxing diversions in which one occasionally engages for the sake of future activity. The greatest happiness is activity in conformity with the highest virtue is excellence. Intelligence is mans highest possession and the objects of intelligence are the highest objects within his grasp. It is clear that the life of contemplation and theoretical wisdom must be the greatest of human virtues and the highest form of happiness. The objects of the contemplative life are the unchangeable and eternal verities that underlie and govern the universe. From contemplation of these truths the soul derives a feeling of purity and stability. â€Å"Further, this active is most continuous, for we are more able to contemplate continuously than we are to do anything else whatever. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1177a). Also, the wise person is able to contemplate by himself, the wiser he is the more adept he will be doing so. Contemplative happiness is not dependent on other men. It is the form of life in which human beings come most nearly to being divine, the life that harmonizes with intellect, and that life seems to be the happiest, according to Aristotle. There is another kind of happiness, based on moral virtue and practical wisdom, which is concerned with feelings that spring from mans bodily nature. It can be defined as the harmonious coordination of all parts of mans complete being. This kind of happiness is not as exalted as the contemplative, but it helps prepare us for the higher happiness and, since man is not all mind and reason, gives us something to fall back upon when we are unable to remain continuously at the higher level. â€Å"For if there is a certain care for human things on the part of gods, as in fact there is held to be, it would be also reasonable for gods to delight in what is best and most akin to them – this would be the intellect – and to benefit in return those who cherish this above all and honor it, on the grounds that these latter are caring for what is dear to gods as well as acting correctly and nobly. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1179a). This person is the happiest and a wise person would be extremely happy. I believe this idea has some hints of Plato’s forms. The one person who went outside of the cave and saw it all was brought down by all the people in the cave that didn’t see the outside. Aristotle states that you cannot be happy with a lot of friends because they are not true friends. I believe those excess friendships would be a similar situation in the cave. They would not bring your happiness, only suffering. Aristotle and Plato have similaritiesin their city states as well. Plato gives a place to women, but Aristotle does not seem to care for women. When reading Plato, the texts are in Socrates’s voice. It makes it hard to connect what he is saying, especially in the Republic since it is a play. Also, one cannot tell if Socrates, Plato, is being serious or straightforward or if it’s Socrates’s thoughts or Plato’s. In Nicomachean Ethics, the text is Aristotle’s lecture notes and he is the author of them. While reading, it seems that Plato comes out and gives his opinion on matters, but Aristotle presents them, but does not come out and say what his thoughts are. Plato and Aristotle were two philosophers who made a huge impact on philosophy. They were both great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to better life by improving the societies in which they were part of during their lives. Although they are thought to have completely different views, when laid out, their views have some similarities.

Friday, September 20, 2019

A study of knowledge management leadership

A study of knowledge management leadership For the purpose of the assignment, the telecommunication industry was chosen from the services industry from Great Britain. Vodafone Group plc. (LSE: VOD, NASDAQ:  VOD), being a British multinational mobile network operator headquartered in Newbury, England has established prominent state within the business world. Vodafone is the worlds largest mobile telecommunication network company, and has a market value of about  £71.2 billion (November 2009). A multinational corporation (MNC) or transnational corporation (TNC), also called multinational enterprise (MNE), is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation. The first modern multinational corporation is generally thought to be the East India Company. It currently has operations in 31 countries and partner networks in a further 40 countries. It is the worlds second largest mobile phone operator behind China Mobile a nd over Telephonic based on subscribers, with over 427 million subscribers in 31 markets across 5 continents as of 2009. In the UK, its home ground, Vodafone has badly underperformed in the last few years due to brisk change in administration. It has slipped from first to third largest telecom operator generating revenue of  £4.9 billion from its 18.7 million customers in 2008-09. As of March 31, 2009, the company employs more than 79,000 people worldwide. The name Vodafone comes from voice data fone, chosen by the company to reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones. (BBC, 2009) Vodafone has been working and operating within many countries and have created several opportunities of working with local companies. February 2010, Vodafone announced that it is bringing M-PESA, one of the worlds most successful mobile money transfer services, to South Africa, to be deployed by its subsidiary, Vodacom South Africa and its South African banking partner. With approximately 26 million people in South Africa without official bank accounts, M-PESA will enable millions of mobile phone subscribers who have access to a mobile phone, but do not have or have only limited access to a bank account, to send and receive money via their mobile phones. The M-PESA service was developed by Vodafone and has already been deployed by Safari com in Kenya, Vodacom in Tanzania and Roshan in Afghanistan (branded M-Paisa). More than 11 million registered customers now rely on their mobile phones for money transfer, airtime top-up and bill payments. Vodafone takes an unusual tack with success ful candidates. Vodafone feeds back information on how people performed into their development plans as no one is ever a 100 per cent fit. The assessment process is constantly re-evaluated, with employees being assessed regularly on their background and personality. It also tracks new hires on attrition, sickness absence, performance in training and performance in the job. The process clearly works. They recruit fewer people than before because there assessment process has had such a positive effect on both attrition and performance. Theres a key attrition measure in call centres at 13 weeks into the job. Its the first pinch-point. Theyve improved there dramatically by selecting the right people at the outset. There are several factors that influence the working of multinational companies such as market imperfections and international powers. For the company under consideration, the market imperfections are the possibility of not knowing the local laws, local customers or businesses. The international power factors could be tax exemption, market withdrawal, lobbying, patents and government powers. The SECI model (the acronym stands for Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) was first proposed in 1991 (Nonaka 1991), though was refined and expanded for a broader audience in the popular book The Knowledge Creating Company (Nonaka Takeuchi 1995). The SECI model met with broad acceptance, especially among management practitioners, due to its intuitive logic and clear delineation of knowledge types between tacit and explicit knowledge-utilising this knowledge delineation first espoused in management theory by Polanyi (1958). The core behavioural assumption in the model is that knowledge creating companies continually encourage the flow of knowledge between individuals and staff groups to improve both tacit and explicit knowledge stocks. Thus, knowledge value is created through synergies between knowledge holders (both individual and group) within a supportive and developmental organisational context. Figure (The Key Elements of the SECI Model, In the above diagram, the I, G, and O symbols represent individuals) group and organization In 1998 a third, more challenging, cultural assumption was added to the SECI discussion. Nonaka and Konno (1998) introduced the Japanese concept of Ba, a philosophical construct rooted in Japanese society that relates to the physical, relational and spiritual elements of place, or perhaps more expansively context. In the strategic management and organisational theory literatures, organisations are increasingly conceptualised in terms of their knowledge and capabilities (Poppo Zenger 1998), and less in terms of their physical and financial assets. Further, organisational alliances that draw together firms are being viewed as conduits for information and knowledge flows between organisations (Grant Baden-Fuller 2004). Trans-National Corporations (TNCs) sometimes referred to as multinational companies, are enterprises that control economic assets in other countries generally this means controlling at least a 10% share of such an asset. These companies command enormous financial resources, possess vast technical resources and have extensive global reach. In 2002, the most recent year for which full data are available, FDI made throughout the world totalled some $651bn. While most FDI goes to developed countries; for developing countries it is by far the largest source of external finance. The figures are striking: In 2002 $162bn in FDI went to developing countries. By comparison, official development assistance (ODA) amounts to some $58bn annually and remittances, another significant source of funds for poor countries, totalled $93bn in 2003. Above mentioned picture shows that Developed market multinationals gives more emphasis to Process Technology and Organizational Architecture. Their operating model is process technology driven and results were judged on the basis of performance metrics. They give very less importance to Leadership skills Inter-personal relationship between people however opposite is true for Emerging Market multinationals where more emphasis is given to Leadership Inter-personal relationship between people and less importance is given to process technology, organizational Architecture metrics. For Example: In the oil and gas industry, for instance, emerging-market NOCs do not seem to rely as systematically on the strict net-present-value metric that IOCs use in their decision-making process-which is consistent with a more-risk conscious leadership style. Rather than adopting this metric, NOCs change the game by creating deals that involve aid and infrastructure packages. This signals a market development mind-set as opposed to a market-exploitation mind-set. Knowledge Management plan: Overview Knowledge Management (or KM) refers to the processes and/or tools an organization uses to collect, analyse, store, and disseminate its intellectual capital. Besides deployment of appropriate technology and processes by a business enterprise in order to maintain and retain its intellectual capital, effective KM also refers to making optimum use of experience and understanding of organizational knowledge, in general. This includes a wide range of information artefacts, such as inherent knowledge-based documents (reports) available internally within the organization, as well as related information from the external resources. Definition A logical extension of this concept is into the entire organization, in the form of Enterprise Knowledge Management (EKM). Among the areas of greatest concern for the modern knowledge worker (from CIO down to the Content Manager), is identifying, collecting, securing and maintaining the information (aka knowledge base) of the organization. Without a process to ensure this systems usefulness, there are invariably holes which are only found when a user tries to obtain that (missing) information. As Intellectual Capital This intellectual capital can include training materials, processes, procedures, documents, ideas, skills, experiences, and much more. An effective Knowledge management plan allows a company to quickly and easily share this intellectual capital among the organization so it is available on-demand at any time it is needed. (EEC) KM Types KM can take many forms, depending on the purpose and requirements. The following is a partial list of related types of KM from which an organization may select one or many: Content Management Data Management Records Management Document Management Portal Online Education Information Architecture Knowledge Discovery Knowledge Retrieval KM Storage Methods of storing and sharing this intellectual capital include searchable knowledge bases, Learning Management Systems, other types of databases, enterprise portals, groupware tools, and email. KM Leadership Knowledge management leadership, in terms of position types and their associated titles, covers a broad category of positions and responsibilities. Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO), like any executive-level corporate leader, handles for enterprise-wide coordination of all KM-related issues and projects. Few corporations maintain a CKO or equivalent officer within their organization. More likely, this responsibility would fall either within the scope of the CIO or a director-level Knowledge Manager. Various categories within the lower-level Knowledge Management career field may be: Knowledge Analyst (Content Manager), Knowledge Engineer (Software Specialist), or, Knowledge Steward (Librarian). These are general career titles, since a specific taxonomy does not currently exist which applies to all organizations or positions within the emerging field of KM. Most of the challenges in knowledge management primarily stem from the types of knowledge reuse situations and purposes. Knowledge workers may produce knowledge that they themselves reuse while working. However, each knowledge re-use situation is unique in terms of requirements and context. Whenever these differences between the knowledge re-use situations are ignored, the organization faces various challenges in implementing its knowledge management practices. The Knowledge Management system enables employees to have ready access to the institutional documented base of facts, information sources and solutions. A typical claim justifying the creation of a KM system might run something like this: an engineer could know the mobile applications can help in transferring money to other countries without any security concerns. Sharing these informations widely could lead to more valuable money transfer plan leading to ideas for new or improved equipment. Following factors incorporate manag ement system such as Purpose: the Knowledge Management System depends upon explicit knowledge management objectives towards collaboration, effective practice and team work. Context: Knowledge is information that is significantly well thought-out, accumulated and embedded in a framework of creation and application. Processes: Knowledge Management System are always developed to sustain and extend knowledge-intensive processes, tasks or projects of e.g., designing, construction, identification, capturing, acquirement, variety, valuation, organization, linking, structuring, formalization, evolution, accessing, visualization, transfer, distribution, retention, maintenance, refinement, revision, retrieval and last but not least the application of knowledge, also called the knowledge life cycle (KLC). Participants: KMS designs are held to reflect that knowledge is developed collectively and that the distribution of knowledge leads to its continuous change, reconstruction and application in different contexts, by different participants with differing backgrounds and experiences. Although this is not necessarily the case. Employees can engage in recreation the roles of active, involved participants in knowledge networks and communities fostered by Knowledge Management System. Instruments: KMS support KM instruments, e.g., the capture, creation and sharing of the modifiable aspects of practice, skill management systems, collaborative filtering and handling of interests used to hook up people, the creation and fostering of communities or knowledge networks, the creation of corporate knowledge directories, taxonomies or ontologies, expertise locators. KM systems are being used within many transnational organizations with many success stories. The advantages claimed by the KM systems are: Sharing valuable institutional information throughout organizational hierarchy: Knowledge and information sharing are regarded as means to use resources more effectively in order to reduce costs and gain a competitive advantage (cf. Chuang, 2004; Johannessen and Olsen, 2003; Ringel-Bickelmaier, 2000; North, 2005). As a common feature, all international organizations work within the restraint of a tight regular budget that needs to be managed as effectively and ef ¬Ã‚ ciently as possible. Almost all international organizations have accordingly installed controlling systems or rede ¬Ã‚ ned their tasks as business cases. It includes creating plans such as helping in identifying, create, capture and share knowledge systematically in order to assist working smarter rather than harder. Modern strategies for improved reputation advertising capabilities and getting resource returns for further enhance development agenda; Widened pool of targeted knowledge makes organizational learning more strategic as Efficiency gains though improved results. Through the systematic system, the companies can avoid re-discovering the wheel, reducing outmoded work as well as committing same mistake again and again. It helps the businesses to improve the cost; time spent as well the better risk management. May lessen new employees training time. After the employee leaves, retention of Intellectual Property if knowledge can be codified. Knowledge sharing behaviours and facilitate knowledge transfer This study aims to examine the factors affecting knowledge sharing behavior in knowledge-based communities because quantity and quality of knowledge shared among the members play a critical role in the communitys sustainability. Past research has suggested three perspectives that may affect the quantity and quality of knowledge shared: economics, social psychology, and social ecology. In this study, we strongly believe that an economic perspective may be suitable to validate factors influencing newly registered members, knowledge contribution at the beginning of relationship development. Accordingly, this study proposes a model to validate the factors influencing members knowledge sharing based on Transaction Cost Theory. By doing so, we may empirically test our hypotheses in various types of communities to determine the generalizability of our research models. Benefits to sharing knowledge include: Enhancement of effectiveness and efficiency by spreading good ideas and practices. Cost effectiveness knowledge is developed and then re-used by many people. Time savings Professionals learn from their mistakes and those of others. Emotional relief and decreased tension are experienced when problems are shared. Bonds and connections between professionals are strengthened; solving problems brings people together. More sophisticated ideas, insights and information sources are applied to problems resulting in better solutions. Innovation and discovery increase as does: excitement, engagement and motivation. A feeling of satisfaction from sharing knowledge, much like giving charity, results from making a contribution to society. Respectful ways of using knowledge with attribution and permission benefit the person who generates the knowledge and the person who shares it. Management Development plan Management Development is the process by which managers learn and improve their expertise not only to benefit themselves but also their employing organisations. There are various approaches to management development programmes such as follow. Mentoring Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.  Eric Parsloe, the Oxford School of Coaching. Mentoring is a technique for allowing the transmission of knowledge, skills and experience in a supportive and challenging environment much like coaching. The same skills of inquiring, listening, clarifying, reframing and many of the same models are used. Mentoring can also work as a way of inducting employees, as a form of employees development across departments and as a means of simple skills transfer. However, mentoring relationships can be much more long term, for example in a sequence planning scenario a regional finance director might be mentored by a group level counterpart where they might learn the basics of dealing with the boardroom, presenting to analysts, challenging departmental budgets, etc. all in a supportive environment. This is particularly productive when there is a gender or ethnic dimension to the relationship. An effective mentoring liaison is a learning opportunity for both parties.  Mentoring relationships work best when they move beyond the directive appr oach of a senior colleague telling it how it is, to one where both learn from each other. Management Coaching and Development The challenge of maintaining competitive advantage, delivering growth plans, restructuring and downsizing has never been greater. Developing people to deliver to their maximum potential can mean the difference between success and failure. And successful organisations know that developing their people not only leads to increased business performance, but that it is also a key factor in staff engagement and retention. In tough times, organisations that axe development activity do so at their peril. Coaching Although there is a lack of agreement among coaching professionals about precise definitions, in this service company, Coaching as developing a persons skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives. It targets high performance and improvement at work, although it may also have an impact on an individuals private life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and goals. There are some generally agreed characteristics of coaching in organisations: It is essentially a non-directive form of development. Coaching assumes that the individual is psychologically well and does not require a clinical intervention. It provides people with feedback on both their strong point and their weaknesses. It is a skilled activity which should be delivered by trained people. It focuses on improving presentation and developing individuals skills. Personal issues may be discussed but the emphasis is on performance at work. Coaching activities have both organisational and individual goals. Job rotation Job design  technique  in which  employees  are moved between two or more  jobs  in a planned manner. In Vodafone the objective  is to expose the employees to different experiences  and wider variety of  skills  to enhance  job satisfaction  and to cross-train them. Job rotation is a great way to discover your strength and interest in different areas of the Vodafone. On the job training This will be for the assistants who join fresh to help managers. A mapping procedure will be followed by the HR, to place the new assistant with a manager that has expertise in the field that the assistant aspires to enhance his/her skills. This will help reduce the training cost of the company and help the fresher become confident and be integral to the company Business Workflow Analysis In Vodafone Company the workflows is to diagram the way that a company works in an easy-to-read format. This chart allows managers to assess the way the company is performing and determine how productive its methods are. Flaws in the process where time or resources are wasted can often be identified quickly in format of a  workflow. These issues can then be addressed by preparing a new, more efficient business  workflow  to demonstrate the changes that need to be made. Upward feedback In leadership development and management development, upward feedback (also known as manager feedback and subordinate appraisal) is a structured process of delivering feedback from subordinates to managers, intended to identify ways to increase management effectiveness and enhance organizational performance.   Supervisory training This training provides an opportunity to learn about the transition to leadership so that new managers and supervisors can be more successful in their new role. For more experienced managers and supervisors, the training offers an opportunity to reflect on the style they have adopted in performing their duties, and it shows where they can make improvements. This is particularly true for those who have come up through the ranks over the years and now face a very different workforce, workload, and set of community expectations. This training is intended to help you better understand your role and provide strategies to enhance your effectiveness as a leader. Management Development Theories: The human relations and human factors approaches were absorbed into a broad behavioural science movement in the 1950s and 1960s. This period produced some influential theories on the motivation of human performance. For example, Maslows hierarchy of needs provided an individual focus on the reasons why people work. He argued that people satisfied an ascending series of needs from survival, through security to eventual self-actualization. In the same period, concepts of job design such as job enrichment and job enlargement were investigated. It was felt that people would give more to an organization if they gained satisfaction from their jobs. Jobs should be designed to be interesting and challenging to gain the commitment of workers a central theme of HRM. Scientific Management Theory (1890-1940) At the turn of the century, the most notable organizations were large and industrialized. Often they included on going, routine tasks that manufactured a variety of products. The United States highly prized scientific and technical matters, including careful measurement and specification of activities and results. Management tended to be the same. Frederick Taylor developed the :scientific management theory which espoused this careful specification and measurement of all organizational tasks. Tasks were standardized as much as possible. Workers were rewarded and punished. This approach appeared to work well for organizations with assembly lines and other mechanistic, routinized activities. Bureaucratic Management Theory (1930-1950) Max Weber embellished the scientific management theory with his bureaucratic theory. Weber focused on dividing organizations into hierarchies, establishing strong lines of authority and control. He suggested organizations develop comprehensive and detailed standard operating procedures for all routinized tasks. Human Relations Movement (1930-today) Eventually, unions and government regulations reacted to the rather dehumanizing effects of these theories. More attention was given to individuals and their unique capabilities in the organization. A major belief included that the organization would prosper if its workers prospered as well. Human Resource departments were added to organizations. The behavioural sciences played a strong role in helping to understand the needs of workers and how the needs of the organization and its workers could be better aligned. Various new theories were spawned, many based on the behavioural sciences (some had name like theory X, Y and Z). Points to consider *. What is the value of theory? Specifically, what is the value of a theory that has gone out of fashion? Most theories are not entirely new they adapt or develop older concepts as a result of perceived inadequacies in the originals. Management thinking is like an incoming tide: each wave comes further up the beach, then retreats, leaving a little behind to be overtaken by the next wave. You can also consider the limitations of common sense and the fact that most problems have been experienced already, in some form, by someone else. We can learn from that wider experience, whereas common sense is essentially individual. Conclusion: The SECI models help the business to improve the business turnout through traditional strategies such as emotional and regional factors. The Vodafone are employing all these strategies in order to strengthen their roots within those communities through the theses money transfer campaigns and employing people from those countries to introduce the desired factors within Knowledge system. Also thorough the management development schemes, Vodafone are getting the best out of them by educating and empowering them with the modern techniques. Nonaka, I Takeuchi, H 1995, The knowledge creating company. How Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation, Oxford University Press, New York. Nonaka, I 1991, The Knowledge Creating Company, Harvard Business Review, (November-December), pp. 96-104. Nonaka, I, Toyama, R Konno, N 2001, SECI, Ba and Leadership: a Unified Model of Dynamic Knowledge Creation, in I Nonaka DJ Teece (eds.), Managing Industrial Knowledge: Creation, Transfer and Utilization, Sage, London, pp. 1-43. Poppo, L Zenger, T 1998, Testing alternative theories of the firm: transaction cost, knowledge-based, and measurement explanations for make-or-buy decisions in information services, Strategic Management Journal, 19 (9), pp. 853-877.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Blockbuster Video Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

The video rental industry was one of the more growing services retailers in the mid-1990s. However, due to Blockbuster, many rental video companies have failed to compete against this category killer. West Coast Video, Video City, and Hollywood Video, which are among the few and only large competitor’s of Blockbuster in the tri-state area. Many family-owned video rental stores could not compete against Blockbuster’s assortment of videos. Blockbuster opened its first store in 1985 and has grown to become the world’s number one video chain. Blockbuster is open 365 days a year with 9,800 stores worldwide. Customer base has risen above 50 million in the United States as well as several million more worldwide. The Gallup Organization, known for the Gallup Polls, declared that Blockbuster has 100 percent recognition. Most importantly, 70 percent of the population in the United States lives within ten minutes of a Blockbuster store. Category killers, however, usually attract customers from far distances. Because most customers are ten minutes away, small businesses in competition will fail. A recent marketing campaign has been the promotion of DirecTV, a digital satellite service alternative to cable television. Also, an alliance with Radio Shack has been in effect promoting new technologies. To compete against the up rise of online rental services, Blockbuster has been testing online rental services which allow customers to reserve and rent videos from specific stores. The other services retailer is West Coast Video, a Philadelphia-based company that was once a supreme challenger to Blockbuster. West Coast Video was at one point, New Jersey’s largest video rental chain in 1997. That preceding year, the company acquired stores from Palmer Video, Super Video, and Great American Video. It became the fourth largest video chain with close to half of its 568 stores in New Jersey. However, the company has approximately 225 stores to avoid going out of business. This year, West Coast has closed most of its North New Jersey stores, including this analyzed store. The West Coast store has been bought out by Video City, a recent competitor trying to tackle the Northeast market. However, they only operate a small number of stores in the area and specialize in e-commerce. They have no marketing strategies as of yet. The Blockbuster store is located in Nutley, New Jersey, a... ... may become a nuisance to a customer. Overall, Blockbuster, is very appealing, especially the Nutley store. It’s large location is very attractive comparable to East Coast Video location. Blockbuster’s overall domination has 3 Blockbuster locations within ten minutes of each other; the other two are located in North Arlington and Clifton. Another advantage is that Blockbuster members can rent at any location because the stores are all linked together. Movies, however, must be returned to the store where it was originally rented. East Coast Video, on the other hand, has only one other location in Kearny and the stores are not linked. Blockbuster’s strength has been great service, family values, and moderate pricing as opposed to East Coast Video. However, they are a fairly new company. Video City’s strategy is to control the adult film rental category and attract loyalty within these customers. Their website, however, offers only the sale of videos and does not provide information about the company’s history whereas Blockbuster takes pride in their socially responsible efforts. It’s very hard to avoid Blockbuster because of the availability of products, service, and convenience.