Failure Analysis/Change Strategy Essay

While there is no guarantee of the success of a business, there are indicators that can be learned from analyzing organizations that have failed to those that succeed. In this paper, we compare two organizations, Blockbuster Video and Netflix that exemplify effects of leadership, vision, strategy and planning, and the importance of customer satisfaction that influence the success or failure of a business. Mission, Vision, and Objectives The mission, vision, and values statement defines an organization’s brand, culture, and customer experience. Blockbuster was founded by David Cook in 1985 and quickly went public a year later. In 2004, Blockbuster had up to 60,000 employees and over 9000 stores that provided home movie and video game rental services through video rental shops (Forbes, 2011). It’s mission and vision was to â€Å"provide our customers with the most convenient access to media entertainment, including movie and game entertainment delivered through multiple distribution channels such as our stores, by-mail, vending, and kiosks, online and at home† and to â€Å"offer customers a value-priced entertainment experience, combined with the broad product depth of a specialty retailer with local neighborhood convenience† (Farfan, 2015). Its objectives were to provide a large number of copies and broad selection of movie titles, operative conveniently located highly visible stores, offe r superior and consistent customer service, optimize pricing to local market conditions, and nationally advertise and market the brand name (Farfan, 2015). Netflix was founded by Reed Hastings in 1997 is now the world’s leading  entertainment network of streaming movies with over 57 million members in 50 countries (Netflix, 2015). Its mission statement is to â€Å"grow our streaming subscription business domestically and globally. We are continuously improving the customer experience, with a focus on expanding our streaming content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices, while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income and operating segment contribution profit targets (Netflix Company Profile, 2015). Co-founder and CEO expressed Netflix vision for the future and objects to become the best global entertainment distribution services, license entertainment content around the world, create markets that are accessible to film makers, and help content creators around the world to find a global audience (Netflix Company Profile, 2015). Indicators of Business Failures and Success Comparing successful organizations, such as Netflix, to a failed organization, such as Blockbuster, allows us to identify predictors and understand critical elements that lead to the success or failure of a company. In our case, the role of leadership, strategy and planning, vision, and customer service played a role in the failure and success of both companies. A recent survey by the Turnaround Management Society indicates that most crises are caused by top management and include management continuing with a strategy that was no longer working for the company, underestimation of changes in the market and lack of adaptation, a loss of vision and a disconnect with customers (Lymbersky, 2014). The Blockbuster Board, made several poor choices in hiring incompetent leadership who did not understand their business. The company had a lack of vision and could not decide whether they were in entertainment or retail. Most detrimental to the Blockbuster brand, was the refusal to recognize and adapt to changing technology that affected their market. All these poor choices compounded on Blockbusters problem of disengagement with their customers by not attending to customer demand and their un-customer friendly policies of charging late fees. During the same period, Netflix provided continuity in leadership, had a strong strategy built around adapting to rapidly changing technology that supported video streaming, created a strong  sense of vision and connected intimately with its customer’s demands and incorporated customer friendly pricing strategies of fixed monthly pricing with no late fees. Organizational Behavioral Theory Netflix and Blockbuster were companies with a vision one that had a vision of the future and one that did not understand how fast technology was vastly approaching. Netflix saw that technology was coming and wanted to stay ahead of the game with video streaming, DVD-By-Mail, and producing popular series only seen through Netflix similar to a cable network. Blockbuster started with video rentals and ended with video rental, and expanded their stores into outlets for books, toys, and other merchandise. When YouTube erupted in 2005 Netflix realized that they need to jump on the video streaming and allow customers to get the movies they wanted directly to TV’s, computers, mobile phones, and other devices. Blockbuster did try a similar outlet as Netflix but failed to understand customers did not like late fees, are hidden costs. Blockbuster forgot to adapt to the changes in technology, and this is what ultimately caused the company to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy and close its doors. Technology within the movie and movie rental industry has been a significant factor since VHS tapes, and Netflix saw an opportunity and ran with it. With the ability to see the future and adapt to changes within their industry they are succeeding. With Blockbuster not understanding technology, consumers wants, and industry changes they failed. Decision making of management and leaders with in an organization is how Netflix succeeded and how Blockbuster failed. When a business loses focus on what business they are in they are doomed to fail. Blockbuster did not keep its focus on movie rental they started to think and make decisions like a retailer and that was the beginning of an end of the blockbuster era. Netflix knew the future of DVD-By-Mail was going to short lived and decided to focus on the internet and technology to succeed in the industry. If Blockbuster would have stayed focused on movie rentals and not retail they would still be in business. The Role of Leadership The leadership and corporate structure of Blockbuster and Netflix were identical however each organization demonstrates the critical component of an organization to adapt and change its strategy and build a culture that supports a clear vision. When leadership makes decisions, or neglects to make the right choices, then the company will fail. Blockbuster’s leadership was dysfunctional and refused to adapt their strategy or have a clear vision of their business. Netflix Netflix organizational structure is the same as a matrix and consists of the board of officers. The key component that made Netflix a success was the leadership and their ability to take risk, adapt, and have a solid vision that understands consumer demands. â€Å"We compete very broadly for a share of members’ time and spending, against linear networks, pay-per-view content, DVD watching, other Internet networks, video games, web browsing, magazine reading, video piracy, and much more. Over the coming years, most of these forms of entertainment will improve.† (Netflix, 2015). As a company grows, their culture allows freedoms in leadership, management, and innovation. Evidence of this is displayed in Netflix’s insight to move from mailing out DVDs to embracing the streaming world, on the World Wide Web. The introduction of this opened profits for Netflix that Blockbuster refused to embrace. Blockbuster â€Å"The irony is that Blockbuster failed because its leadership had built a well-oiled operational machine. It was a very tight network that could execute with extreme efficiency, but poorly suited to let in new information† (Satell, 2014). As a company grows it’s business and a great customer base, there is always a need for growth and adaptation. Netflix even gave Blockbuster a chance to merge with them when the internet streaming hype hit, but Blockbuster declined. Better and faster connections, transactions, and easier purchases on-line, are what made Netflix blossom and Blockbuster fail. Blockbuster refused to adapt or take advantage of opportunities that would have aligned them for the future. The Change Process Vital Areas of Change Vital areas of change include strategy and planning that supports a growth platform, establishing a strong sense of vision, and reconnecting with the  needs of the customer. The first vital area of strategy and planning includes embracing innovation and adapting to a changing business environment. When the advent of something new, such as the Internet, introduces itself into the business world, all businesses must be able to manage their existing business force and integrate the new concept. The company should be keeping stores open in areas that are profitable, while leveraging its marketing and brand to introduce new streaming distribution channels. The second concept of change is to establish a strong vision and culture that supports the vision of the organization. When a company fears growth in any direction, whether it is expansion or introduction of a new idea, it will only lead to failure. The company needs to examine its market space and see where some finely tuned execution might provide another business opportunity for growth and success. One must analyze the impact the change is going to have on the organization as a whole and embrace that change. One must incorporate into the business all changes that will positively affect the future successes of the company. Finally, is to never forget about the customers and their demands. Policies should be implemented that are customer friendly and meet customer demands. For example, a better pricing strategy would be something to initiate immediately and the organization should make changes based on customer desires. Customers will end a relationship with a company who does not supply or cater to their needs and wants. All businesses need to realize that a growing customer base leads to success. Power and Political Issues (Whitney) John Kotter’s 8-Step Plan (Mirsada) Conclusion (Melody) Reference Baskin, J. S. (November 8, 2013). The Internet Didn’t Kill Blockbuster: The Company Did It To Itself. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2013/11/8/the-internet-didn’t-kill-blockbuster-the-company-did-it-to-itself/ Farfan, B. (2015). Blockbuster Company Mission Statement. Retrieved from

Conflient

In the text, the authors state, â€Å"collusion occurs when two or more people ‘agree’ subconsciously to ignore or deny some existing state of affairs or situation† (p. 44). This is somewhat different than another definition of collusion from the investments industry (where collusion signifies insider trading between parties, which is illegal and immoral). In our â€Å"conflict† definition of collusion, we are signifying a state of affairs where people do not recognize a reality that is readily apparent to other people.This can take an unlimited amount of forms. For example, in a family setting, the larger family may â€Å"subconsciously agree† to avoid discussing or helping another family member with a substance abuse problem. In a workplace setting, a top-performing employee may have an infectiously negative attitude and regularly degrade co-workers through verbal aggressiveness. In these scenarios, the reality that is obvious is overlooked because it is either perceived as â€Å"easier† to ignore the real problem or because of power or status issues.When collusion occurs, a conflict (which may have begun as a relatively minor issue) can grow into a â€Å"life of its own†. The conflict then becomes part of a person’s identity and is continued subconsciously to benefit that identity. So for instance, the negative and verbally aggressive co-worker may develop some type of â€Å"accepted identity†. For example, people may say, â€Å"oh, that is Pat just being Pat†. This type of identity is then used to hide away the problem that is subconsciously avoided. QUESTION #2 Staw, Sandelands, and Dutton's threat-rigidity cycle is explored in the text on pp. 6-70. The cycle works in this order. First, when individuals feel threatened, they experience and increase in stress and anxiety. Second, this increased stress and anxiety fosters emotional reactions like fear, anger, and physiological arousal. Thir d, these emotional reactions result in restricted information processing (i. e. , an inability to view the situation at hand in a composed manner) and constriction of behavior (i. e. , we are unable to process a full range of appropriate behaviors mentally due to our emotions taking over).As we discussed in Chapter 2, we are essentially   â€Å"flooded† with emotion, often leading to some type of knee-jerk reaction that in turn leads us to rely on our hastily made (and often incorrect) attributions. Now, the threat-rigidity cycle can take two different routes. First, if habitual responses (e. g. , verbally attacking the other person, avoiding the situation, stonewalling in silence, etc. ) do happen to be appropriate, the results will be positive and we are more prone to rely on this habitual response in the future.Conversely, if the habitual response is inappropriate, the situation will consequently worsen and the perception of threat, stress, and anxiety cycles back all ov er again (i. e. , we return to the first stage, thus the â€Å"cycle†). Because the threat-rigidity cycle underscores our tendency to fall back on habitual responses and attributions when confronted with a threatening situation we do consider these as â€Å"trained incapacities† (see pp. 68-69). Trained incapacities are important because we become so well trained (subconsciously) in our knee-jerk reactions that we believe we understand what is coming next in the conflict.Human beings famously believe that we can â€Å"predict† others behavior, but in reality, we are really bad at it. So what happens is that we become â€Å"blind† to the nuances of a particular conflict situation (often due to the emotional flooding cited above) and then rely on our â€Å"standard reaction† (i. e. , our trained incapacity) that we apply it whenever we are upset. This makes trained incapacities hard to detect, and in turn makes trained incapacities a very important a spect of behavior to understand, both for ourselves and for others. QUESTION #3The confrontation episodes theory outlined on pp. 29-31 is a good guide in many situations for us to go through a â€Å"sense making† process regarding conflicts. Of course, if it was fail-proof, we wouldn’t need the rest of this course. The theory, in general, explores co-created rules of conduct that are implied in relationships (i. e. , our generally agreed upon â€Å"rules of engagement†). My hope here is that you are able to frame a conflict that you have had in a meaningful way with this guide. Naturally, it will be enlightening for many of you or give you a new perspective.Conversely, it may already inform some of you as to what you already know or may serve as reinforcement that you â€Å" did things right† in a conflict. I won’t rehash the terms that were in the guide in each step, but I do want to acknowledge the vital importance of understanding the options we are left with at the end. First, reaffirmation is a good outcome because the parties reaffirm importance of rule being questioned (but as a side note, may simply do this to â€Å"avoid conflicts†. On the other hand, an outcome with no resolution leads us toward a path where conflict is continued and may expand.Legislation and reaffirmation may serve as the two most positive outcomes, in my estimation. I say this because in legislation, parties rework or reinterpret the rule in question, coming to a shared, agreed upon meaning for the rule. Also, in reaffirmation the parties reaffirm importance of rule that is being challenged. This then provides a clear understanding (hopefully) of what that rule entails. This is a classic example of why conflict is often good, as it serves as an opportunity to clear the air about simple misunderstandings that can fester into giant problems rapidly. QUESTION #4Central to this question are attribution processes; my overall goal with this ques tion was to see how well you could explain the interactions of these processes as they relate to conflict. Overall, these processes included how dispositional or situational factors are used by people to draw conclusions about their own behaviors and the behaviors of others, the fundamental attribution error, and the self-serving bias (beginning on p. 61 through the middle of p. 62). Then, beginning at the bottom of p. 62, Sillars notes that attributions influence conflict in at least three major ways.First, due to the self-serving bias, people are more likely to attribute negative effects of conflict to partners rather than to themselves. This heightens resentment of others as negative effects increase, leading to distributive strategies that are damaging to conflicts. Second, again because of the use of a self-serving bias, people often think they use integrative strategies while others use distributive or avoidance tactics. This leads people to believe they are doing more to reso lve the conflict than others are, while this may not actually be true in reality.Third, the fundamental attribution error heightens conflict by encouraging people to see others behavior as planned and intentional (negative attribute) and their own behavior as driven by the situation at hand (positive attribute). In short, we believe act socially desirable in conflict and others act in more negative ways, based on these attribution concepts. It is also vital to note that the self-serving bias and fundamental attribution error are impacted by perceptions of other people’s gender, ethnicity, or other demographic traits and that these two elements are also evident in our relationships with people we already know well (i. . , like the adage that suggests people are often â€Å"well informed and well biased†). Lastly, on p. 64, the authors summarize three propositions in this area of research regarding conflict: (1) people choose conflict strategies based on the attributions they make regarding the cause of the conflict, (2) biases in attribution processes tend to lead to noncooperative modes of conflict, and (3) the choice of conflict strategies influences the likelihood of conflict resolution and the degree of satisfaction with the overall relationship.The correct answer here is really more of a judgment of how well I felt you described the associated concepts and findings above more so than a judgment of whether or not each and every piece of information above was provided in your response. QUESTION #5 This response is fairly cut-and-dried, if you will. The procedure I was looking at here is in Exhibit 4. 1 (pp. 128-131). In your response, I was hoping to see a full discussion each of the 5 â€Å"questions† as they related to your example than a quick rundown of the selections you made.The answer to each question then guides you along the model, ultimately leading to a â€Å"recommended† or â€Å"prescribed† conflict style. So i n reality, this response had dozens of â€Å"correct responses† based on where the style selection tree led you to. Lastly, I was looking for you to evaluate the quality of the style (or styles for some of you) that you were guided to in your example. Would it have worked out in your estimation? Did you try that style (without knowing this information, of course)? QUESTION #6After a fairly thorough discussion of conflict styles in Chapter 4 of the text, the authors describe pairings of conflict styles and how they interact with one another (section 4. 5 on pp. 123-124). They noted, that some conflict style pairings are â€Å" asymmetrical patterns† that did not match each other, such as a demand (compete) / withdraw (avoidance) pattern,   a supervisor / subordinate pattern at work, or a competing / collaborating pattern (which interestingly has great potential to work well together).While at first many of these styles seem â€Å"unhealthy†, leading us to belie ve they are unstable, some are actually quite stable in the short term (e. g. , one dominant role/one submissive role). Although it is noted that these roles may not always be stable in long run due to unhappiness among the submissive individual. Likewise, examples of â€Å"asymmetrical patterns† were also noted, which we often believe are stable because of â€Å"agreement† among the individuals.For instance, a relationship often has two â€Å" avoiders† that facilitate conflict denial/collusion, two collaborators that are more productive, but are not perfect, or two â€Å"competers† that often reinforce a cycle of escalating conflict or reach a stalemate. What we can see from both symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns is that both types of patterns can be either healthy or unhealthy based on the context in which they occur or the type of pattern being used; in other words, the pairing of styles is not a way to determine the health of a relationship.Symme trical patterns of two competers may be great as workout partners, but bad as romantic partners. As many of us know, a competer and an avoider often work poorly because of the attack/withdrawal pattern, but a competer and a collaborator may work out wonderfully because the book notes how competers (that openly air out concerns) give collaborators tools to work with to find a â€Å"win/win† solution in many cases. QUESTION #7 This final question provided an applied conflict management scenario that revolved around the use of reframing/issue framing tactics in the textbook (p. 9 through p. 92). Just to be clear, the discussion of framing in Ch. 2 (pp. 57-59) is secondary for this question and was not the intended area of focus. In other words, I am seeking explicit reframing/issue framing tactics that would help to resolve the issue at hand (pp. 91-92). That is not to say the definition and discussion of framing in Ch. 2 is not important; in fact it is vital to acknowledge that conflict frames are a â€Å"cognitive structure based on previous experience, which guides our interpretation of an interaction or event† (p. 57).So in other words, framing provides the perceptual framework for how we view the conflict itself and the people involved. This is precisely why I created two groups of people in this fictional question that are affiliated with very different â€Å"organizational in-groups†; so it is expected that the accountant and sales person will have very (or use) different â€Å"frames†, based on what is happening. So this creates a scenario where we must â€Å"reframe† to be able to get anywhere in a conflict setting, otherwise we will constantly run into the issue of two people working in two different frames.Reframing/issue framing tactics are then a part of a â€Å"dance† (p. 90 – top). Because each reframing/issue framing tactic will likely produce a different outcome, there is more than one â€Å"right answer† here. To be clearer, a correct answer here is one that explains a reframing/issue framing tactic and reasonably explains why that tactic would make sense to use to manage the conflict in the hypothetical scenario. With that being said, here a few thoughts that I had regarding each reframing approach.Umbrellas: This approach would seem to work poorly here, as the sales staff member already believes the accountant is using this tactic (i. e. , sales person believes the accountant is jealous and is using this â€Å"petty† thing to air jealousy) Issue Expansion: This is an interesting approach overall; it is high-risk, high-reward in nature. Given the status of the growing in-group nature of the conflict, I would think the issue expansion approach may actually serve to drive a deeper wedge between the sales staff and the accounting department.I am open to different interpretations, but this appears to be the most likely outcome. Negative Inquiry: This may provide s ome traction toward conflict resolution. For example, if the sales staff member is convinced the accountant is jealous of their success, perhaps they need to expand on that thought as it is very vague. Also, it could be asked why the sales staff avoided phone and email communication. It may have simply been a case of having a viable excuse for not replying rapidly, instead of the accounting departments’ perception of ignorance/avoidance.Likewise, the sales staff could ask why did you â€Å"call out† someone in a face-damaging way? The answers here may get the two groups and the two main conflict parties on the right path. Fogging: On one hand, fogging may be dysfunctional as it opens up the door for avoidance issues. However, it also may create a situation where the two parties and the two in-groups can simply work towards the issues that relate to company policy here. Conflict is rarely â€Å"forgotten†, but if the accounting department and sales staff find a w ay to change the protocol to allow for a smooth work environment, time may heal some of the wounds.Fractionation: Although more than one approach can be right here, as I care more about the way you apply a solution to the problem, fractionation jumps out as the most helpful tactic at first glance. Here, both the accountant and the sales person (or their entire departments) may be able to break down the larger issues into fractioned pieces to address individually. So this means instead of looking at the big issue (inter-group conflict between sales staff and accounting department), the parties would look at each component.One thing the book does not mention, and this is generally true of all â€Å" textbook† conflict resolution tactics, is that fractionation would probably be very time consuming (especially if you are talking about long-standing, deeply ingrained conflicts). However, this is sometimes the only way to put conflicts to rest; which is something that should be ver y appealing for two departments in an organization that really need to cooperate with each other. The long term gains would seem to outweigh the short-term productivity losses.

Jane Cazneau Essay

Hudson posits a Native American grandmother, although there is no solid evidence of this. Her first marriage apparently dissolved, but there is no divorce record. She may or may not have had an affair with Aaron Burr, an early mentor. Hudson’s most significant claim is that Jane Storm is the journalist who coined the phrase â€Å"manifest destiny† (pp. 60-62). Hudson argues that later historians have simply assumed that John O’Sullivan wrote the Democratic Review’s many unsigned editorials. But Hudson’s computer analysis (Appendix B) of O’Sullivan’s and Storm’s signed works shows that the grammatical errors in the famous editorial that first contained the phrase exhibit a much closer correlation with those commonly made by Storm than with those made by O’Sullivan. What is certain is that she migrated to pre-revolutionary Texas and speculated in land grants and immigration schemes. Writing under the pen name â€Å"Montgomery† (later, â€Å"Cora Montgomery†), Storm became a regular correspondent of Moses Y. Beach’s New York Sun. When war broke out, Storm accompanied Beach and his daughter on a covert peace mission to Mexico in late 1846. The Beach mission has long been clouded with uncertainty about its purposes and accomplishments, and so Storm’s role in it is similarly in doubt. Nonetheless, she was clearly an important element, as neither of the Beaches knew Spanish and President James K. Polk had a private interview with her after her return. After the war, Storm continued to favor U. S. xpansion into Latin America and the Caribbean, especially through annexation. Although Hudson maintains that Storm was not a strong proponent of â€Å"All Mexico† during the U. S. -Mexican War, some have credited her with leading the movement. She had contact with Cuban, Mexican, and Nicaraguan filibustering groups. She married diplomat Williams L. Cazneau in 1849 after a long acquaintance but still worked as a journalist for numerous publications, wrote about her travels, and r emained active in Democratic Party politics. She secured a diplomatic mission to the Dominican Republic for her husband and worked with him to gain U. S. access to Samana Bay. Jane Storm Cazneau died in a shipwreck during a storm at sea in 1878. Many questions about her activities and the extent of her influence remain unanswered. Barring the emergence of new documentary collections, Hudson’s biography is the most complete picture of her life we are likely to have. As such it is a useful addition to the literature on nineteenth-century U. S. expansionism.

Impact of Personal Finance on UK Housing Market Essay

Impact of Personal Finance on UK Housing Market - Essay Example The measurement concept is vital in understanding the future prospects of the housing market because it provides a rough estimate of the income and the disposable income of the household and the tenants. In UK, the residual income concept is used for estimating the monthly disposable income, after the payment of the monthly mortgage system. The affordability factor is largely triggered by the average income of the household individuals and tenant owners by computing ratio. However, huge crisis was seen in both the household and rental category during 1999 to 2003 due to factors like low income of the individuals, legal inability to purchase the housing property, instability in the tenure of security ownership and also the highly geared financial exposure caused by the price variations. Therefore, it is observed that the UK housing prices was largely affected by the hike in the customer prices and the household incomes (Macgregor, Lizieri and Ball, 2008).The UK housing price grew by 4 7 percent, consumer price by 12 percent and household sector by 33 percent during the tenure 1996 to 2003 (Macgregor, Lizieri and Ball, 2008). The high income elasticity of the individuals with respect to the increase in the price valuation of the household property is responsible for the growth in housing market. The level of mortgage debts on the household balance sheet which is relative to the disposable income of the consumers is also a major factor for the development in the housing market (Poon and Garratt, 2012). During the tenure 2000 to 2003, the growth in the housing market depicted variability and stability in the varying rates of the price... This report stresses that in UK, the procurement of the housing facility is largely facilitated by the financial risk and the structural pattern of the housing market. Apart from the traditional banks, UK housing market is financed largely by the large amount of investors from other countries. The requirements for the strong growth in the UK housing market were largely dependent on the pricing of the residential and non-residential property. The UK housing market then consisted of submarkets and the quantitative analysis was the most common method to determine the market issues and segmentation. The UK housing market consists of owner, rental and industrial owners and the affordability concept is measured through econometric concept. This essay makes a conclusion that the housing scheme not only helped in decreasing the housing prices but also increased the repossession in the rental property land. The decrease was also due to the fact that the lenders were asked to pay only the capital sum at the end of the repayment term and tenure. The government has also increased the process of facilitation of the housing loans which have increased and doubled up to 15 percent in the last tenure. It is also observed form the graph that the government’s mortgage guarantee scheme of  £12 billion helped in stoking the bubble to a large extent. With the emergence of the Household Guarantee scheme proposed by the UK government, an increase in the supply of the individual and rental property was witnessed in the following areas.

Deutsche Bank Ag (DB) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Marketing project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sarbanes-Oxley Act - Essay Example Based in Houston, Texas Enron has moved from its modest position to be the tagged as the 7th largest company in the United States and was expected to climb higher and stand out in the power and electric industries. In 2001, the company has 21,000 employees, believed to be in its peak operations. But there was no power shortage in California, hungry to profit more; in a tapped conversation, investors were discovered to have called the plant managers, asking them to shut down the power plants for ‘repairs’ even if there were no technical problems or such. With this ‘technical problems’ prices of electricity rose up to nine times. Enron was a blue chip stock, sold at 90 dollars per share; conniving with its accounting firm, the Arthur Andersen, it has carried out illegal accounting practices since mid 1990’s. It took the plunge when it was found out that its revenues were from trading with special purpose entities. It has at the same time anomalously not declared its losses and debts and from the 90 dollar per share, it has slipped down a 50 centavo per share in a matter of months after the scandal was made public. What made it more devastating was that the same modus was used by other companies such as the MCI-World com, Global Crossings and Tyco among others. The accounting firm that figured in the Enron scandal has handled some of the financial reports of these erring companies. From this economic mess, people feared to invest their money in the market. The government was expected to do something drastic. To make measures to combat the public’s fear to do business with the market. Thus Congressman Paul Sabanes from Maryland, former senator and the longest serving Congressman of Maryland with Michael Oxley from the 4th district of Ohio sat down and authored a bill to respond the problem. They designed a bill that will implement stricter policies for public companies to follow, professional and ethical guidelines for certified public accountants,

Interest Rate Options Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interest Rate Options - Essay Example As the paper delcares a common example of this bond is, the Treasury Bond Futures Option. Others are Treasury Notes Futures Options and Eurodollar Futures Options. The Treasury Bond Future Options is priced at 1/64th of 1% of the Treasury Bond face value; the Eurodollar Futures Bond is calculated at 0.01 basis point value being equivalent to $25. It is to be noted here that the interest rate futures prices are indirectly proportional to the bond price increases or decrease. This report discusses that Black’s model is a mutation from the Black Scholes Model, which uses the rate of interest as the base for pricing the options. The most important factor is that it functions on the assumptions that â€Å"a key market variable will be lognormally distributed at a future time†. When Black's model is used to value the price of European interest rate options, the worth of future price of V for a contract maturing at time T, is usually set equal to the forward price of V rather than its futures price. This is more theoretical than practical since in this case you will have to assume that the rates of interest also remain constant while discounting over the same period of future, which is definitely not the case. This is an option which has pre-determined selling price and time. This value is determined based on the Black’s Model assumptions, that the price is lognormal at the pre-fixed time in the future. The value of the bond option can be worked out with the following equations using the Black’s model which sets Fo equal to the forward bond price.

Pre-1924 U.S. Economic History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pre-1924 U.S. Economic History - Term Paper Example In 1800, a quarter of the American population was in the labor force. Between 1800 and 1900, the labor force increased at an annual rate of approximately 3 percent. This growth was unprecedented although the civil war slowed it down. The arrival of immigrants in America affected the growth of the nineteenth century labor force. Majority of the immigrants came from East and South Europe. The composition of the work force included more males than females. However, males below the age of fifteen did not work since they needed to attend schools at the time. Those above the age of fifteen were however the largest percentage in the labor force. Females also accounted for a proportion of the labor force although they were not as many. However, their rate of participation kept increasing throughout the century. Majority of these women were single and young, since most of the married ones stayed at home. Slaves also accounted for the overall amount of those in the labor force. At the close of the civil war, slavery was abolished and this is among the reasons why there was a decrease in the overall labor force. Since majority of black women and children had forcefully worked as slaves, when slavery was declared illegal, they ceased to work. The proportion of men however remained the same as most of them continued to work to sustain their families. It was during this time that craft workers in the workshops were replaced by the large industrial working class people. At the end of the 19th century and the start of the Second World War, the labor market entered in a phase of labor homogenization. This meant that the market was divided as either primary or secondary labor market. The primary labor market was disproportionately composed of highly skilled or the well-educated white male. In this category, the employment was secure, the earnings were high, and the edging benefits were generous. The secondary labor market was disproportionately composed of a large number of wome n, racial minorities, Africans, and Hispanics. These people were unskilled and lacked education. They worked in small enterprises that had low investments, employment was insecure, the earnings were low, and edging benefits were insufficient. In the 19th century, most of the American businesses were categorized as a monopoly. As other businesses continued to emerge, others such as the petroleum, sugar, and tobacco industries took control of the labor market. Due to the monopoly, many firms faced competition from their competitors, and this resulted to lowing of prices and passing of the saving along to the consumer in order to increase sales and make profits. During this period, there was pressure from the competitors, and there was a threat of reduced profits that motivated the US companies to reduce prices and maintain high levels of production. During this era, there was a lot of wasted land that needed to be exploited, yet wealth per capita was increasing at a high rate in Europ e, and all available land was used. The neo-classists explained that there was equilibrium growth in terms of accumulated capital. This had put a lot of emphasis on savings as the main source of growth. Walrasian stated that, the net saving by the wealth-holders was shammed to be exactly balanced by net investment in additional production capacity. During the 19th century, industrial revolutions occurred; these included the invention of long distance transport, the steam engine, and the

Analyzing Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Analyzing Language - Essay Example He therefore succeeds in being both assertive and courteous: firm and polite, and forthright and respectful, all in one breathe. In my opinion, a good citizen is one who puts the interest of society before his own; and is ready to champion a course for the common good, without necessarily seeking for personal profit. Dr King has his objectives set beyond his immediate society to global concerns. Though his primary motivation is the liberation of the African-American, he uses this opportunity to go further to other people’s concerns- Jews, Asians, South Americans, Caribbeans and Africans. This concern for and awareness of global issues makes him a global citizen of sorts. Dr. King is accommodative of other people. Even as he accuses the whites of injustice, he admits that there are some who partner with him in his course. â€Å"Some, like Ralph McGill †¦, have written about our struggle in eloquent, prophetic, and understanding terms.† (King Jr., pg 4). He concedes that some whites have suffered with them in jail, police brutality and being branded "dirty nigger lovers." (King Jr., pg 4). As a good citizen, he does not condemn the entire white race, but wisely singles out the â€Å"moderate brothers† (King Jr., pg 4) whom he addresses. Besides, he condemns the â€Å"white church†, but concedes that â€Å"there are some notable exceptions.† (King Jr., pg 5) Dr. King is a mediator and an advocate for non-violence. He stands â€Å"†¦ in the middle of two opposing forces†. On one end are the complacent and insensitive African-Americans; and on the other, the extreme African American who is at the verge of violence in the course of fighting for their rights. The complacent African-Americans have been so subjected to oppression â€Å"†¦ that they have adjusted to segregation,† (King, Jr. Pg 4) while the extremist African-Americans have been so frustrated by racism that they â€Å"†¦have lost faith in America.† (King Jr. Pg 4). As a good citizen, he

Postgraduate Education Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Postgraduate Education - Personal Statement Example This way I laid the foundation stone for my future career. My immediate future at university was admission to information management course. This step looks like a movement away from my plans. It is not the case! Information and management have become an integral part of any profession; even medical specialists are not excluded although they deal with their patients and are not involved in any other business. Therefore, the professionals dealing with business, accounts, finance and public are in real need of developing excellent skills in information and management. People, who have not received any formal education in a specific field, usually, can learn related skills through their daily experiences while being at work places. But strengthening of knowledge and enhancing understanding of any subject area demands living in an academic environment for quite some time. The importance of a good academic institution in the development of personality and guidance towards a specific direction can never be excluded. Prior to as well as during my university course work, I could find some opportunities to get working experience in my chosen field at the national and international levels. The work I have been involved in has strong associations what I have been learning at university and learnt at my schools. In fact, during these shorter periods of internship I could get orientation related to the practical work of my area of interest. I learnt about working environment of professional organizations, applied my knowledge and skills to carry out prescribed tasks and assessed my abilities to work in such environments. My stay at these organizations provided me a chance to practice what I had learnt in my class rooms; I analysed the information related to the clients using my statistical skills and based on these analyses suggested actions as appropriate as possible. I had a chance to improve my interpersonal communication skills, apply proper negotiation expertise, and develop proficiency in documentation and record keeping. The discussion sessions I had with my senior colleagues especially of the bank staff enriched my knowledge and improved my insight in the subject to a substantial level. In reality, It was a combined effect of taught courses, my short experience in various but related environments and encouraging feedback from my senior colleagues which boosted me up and compelled me to think for higher studies in finance (MA finance & investment), (MSc finance) (MSc accounting & Finance) (Msc investment), think for higher studies in economics and bankging (MSc int economics, banking). Moreover, I could also find an opportunity to talk and discuss with some of the alumni of school (name of the school) who liked the idea of applying to this business school (name of the school) and were optimistic about my admission to the programme (name of prog). Applying to a postgraduate degree course at your business school at the moment seems an appropriate decision. Based on my experience either at my academic institutions or at some professional organizations I reach to the conclusion that I must continue my studies in such a wonderful institution because I find myself to fulfil all the requirements of the course. At postgraduate level a combination of

The witches are the most unsettling example Essay Example for Free

The witches are the most unsettling example Essay To the most extent I do not agree that the witches are the most unsettling example of the supernatural in Macbeth. There are other factors within the play such as the ambition of Macbeth and the wickedness of Lady Macbeth that cast an eerie and shocking atmosphere over the play. The reason I believe this to be the case because as part of a modern society, we have a lot more psychological horrors, and both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are considered to be insane. Whereas witches are seen more as a fantasy for us; compared to the Jacobean period, where they were considered real. It is evident from the beginning that Macbeth’s fatal flaw is ambition. When the witches tell him that he is going to be king, his mind immediately begins to ponder on the possibilities of killing Duncan, â€Å"My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His ambition is unsettling because it sets of the sequence of events throughout the play that lead to his downfall. Clearly Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind Macbeth’s ambition, because she forces him to overcome his guilt by insulting him, â€Å"And live a coward in thine own esteem, letting I dare not wait upon I would, Like the poor cat I’th’adage? † However once his ambition takes over him, it spirals out of control, leading to more murders to cover up all his wrongdoings, and leads him to being tormented by apparitions and guilt. In the end he doesn’t get the chance to enjoy the â€Å"fruits of his labour† and is beheaded by McDuff. A modern audience would view Macbeth’s actions as maniacal and ridiculous, because he became too obsessed with the idea of becoming King, that it lead to the murder of many people; this ended up being futile because he died in vain anyways. It shows that only some aspects of society have changed since the Jacobean period, rather than society as a whole. However, a Jacobean audience would have found Macbeth’s actions more deplorable. A Jacobean audience at the time would frown upon Lady Macbeth’s behaviour in convincing her husband to commit murder, and use the graphic images that she does. â€Å"Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this† This would have especially shocked Jacobean women, because there were certain morals and taboos that they followed. Women of that period were supposed to be pious, follow religion strongly, be against violence, and had to follow demands made by men. Lady Macbeth goes against all of these morals, but commits the taboos. She would’ve also been seen as malevolent because she gives suggestions that are intended to cause harm to others. â€Å"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, women in today’s society would find Lady Macbeth’s behaviour less disturbing than woman of the Jacobean period because females have become largely independent today compared to the restrictions that were placed upon them in earlier times.

E-Commerce Analysis: Online Ticket Purchasing

E-Commerce Analysis: Online Ticket Purchasing CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the background of the research study. It starts by providing an overview of Electronic Commerce, customer satisfaction and service quality, followed by an outline of the current situation concerning â€Å"Online Ticket Purchasing† in Kuwait. The problem of the study is then defined, highlighting the research the study seeks to investigate and its significance alongside the research objectives, questions and methodology used to achieve these desired objectives. The research limitations are then explored and the chapter concludes with an outline of the thesis structure. 1.2 OVERVIEW Unprecedented advances in Information Technology in recent decades, alongside evolving business environments have seen the emergence of Electronic Commerce (E-commerce) as a major economic force. With the increasing number of Internet users and rapid development of network technologies, e-commerce is perceived as an essential application of the computer and communication technologies (Manvi and Venkataram, 2005 cited by Zhang and Tang, 2006). As observed by Gunasekaran and Ngai (2005) e-commerce enhances communication channels and provides a virtual interactive environment where the suppliers and customers can exchange information and products. Moreover, it improves the communications between partners along the value chain and offers an integrated business model by which companies can be more responsive and flexible to the changing markets and customers requirements (Zhang and Tang, 2006). E- commerce therefore replaces or enhances the traditional market channels by opening web-based storefronts, which is known as â€Å"business to customer e-commerce†. Firms present their products and services on the web and generate revenue from the sales of those products and services to their customers (Molla and Licker, 2001). According to Khalifa and Liu (2003) there has been considerable growth of internet based services, both from internet businesses and from traditional companies developing online services. The technology of e-commerce identifies what can be offered to customers, but only customers determine which of those technologies will be accepted (Lin, 2003). As Jamal (2004) has argued, in the last forty years the issue of customer satisfaction has been one of the most important theoretical as well as practical issues for most marketers and customer research. Satisfaction is significant in the success or failure of any business depending on the performance of the perceived service, if the perceived performance is less than customer expectation the customer will be dissatisfied; whereas, if the perceived performance exceeds their expectations then customers will be satisfied. Many researchers agree satisfaction is an attitude or evaluation that is formed by the customer comparing their pre-purchase expectations of what they would receive from the product to their subjective perceptions of the performance they actually experience (Oliver, 1980). Numerous studies on service quality and customer satisfaction present service quality and customer satisfaction as conceptually distinct, but closely related constructs. Satisfaction is defined as the degree of discrepancy between customers normative expectations for the service and their perception of the service performance (Parasuraman et al., 1994; Dabholkar, 1996). Different researchers such as Gronroos (1983) and Parasuraman et al. (1985) have tried to identify features of service more related to quality assessments. The most common measure reveals ten dimensions of service quality: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, communication, credibility, security, competence, courtesy, understanding the customer and access. These were then filtered to 5 dimensions and based on these 5 items a measurement tool for service quality was devised known as SERVQUAL (PUT SOURCE HERE!!!). While Yang (2001) highlighted the rapid growth of online retailing with broadening experiences of consumers online shopping, Santos (2003) believes that e-service quality can increase attractiveness, hit rate, customer retention, stickiness and positive word of mouth. It can also maximize competitive advantages of e-commerce. Numerous researchers have the discussed the dimensions of e-service quality including Cox and Dale (2001), Madu and Madu (2002), Parasuraman (2002), Yang et al. (2003), Parasuraman et al. (2004) and Lee and Lin (2005), yet online retailers appear to fail due to poor quality services provided to their customers. For that reason online service quality is significant for two reasons: (1) it influences customers satisfactions and intentions to shop online and (2) e-service quality plays a major role in attracting potential customers (Cai and Jun, 2003). Zeithaml (2002) points out online companies should focus on all elements of e-service quality before, during and a fter the transaction, as e-service quality is the extent to which a website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchase and delivery. 1.2.1 E-Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a critical element in the success or failure of any business. Web customer satisfaction has been emphasized as crucial by the rising demand for long-term profitability of dotcom companies and traditional companies that are â€Å"Net enhanced† (Pather, Erwin and Remenyi, 2002). An understanding of the factors that influence web customer satisfaction is vital for e-commerce. Satisfaction is a result of an effective evaluation, where some comparison standard is compared to the actually perceived performance. If the perceived performance is less than expected, customers will be dissatisfied. In contrast, if the perceived performance exceeds expectations, customer will be satisfied (Lin, 2003). A broad idea of traditional service quality might not be enough to build the e-service quality dimension, hence amending several variables is important. Santos (2003) discussed the e-service quality dimensions of, ease of use, web-appearance, linkage, structure and layout, content as the incubative dimensions; reliability, efficiency, support, communication, security, and incentive as active dimensions. This paper focuses on achieving a measurement of the service quality of the Jazeera Airways Website as perceived by their passengers, using a conceptual model of e-service quality developed by Santos (2003). 1.3 ONLINE TICKETING Electronic ticketing over the Internet facilitates the buying or reservation of tickets online, by making the process more easily accessible and convenient. Through these services tickets may be purchased from any location and at any time, provided an Internet connection exists. The tickets are ordered from a web site that provides both ticket information and the purchasing or reservation service. Internet booking or online ticketing concentrates on providing a helpful and efficient service to clients. Firms who sell travel tickets, performing arts, game tickets, concerts, movies and many other activities have notably embraced the online ticketing system according to Burford (1998). Convenience is a main advantage of buying tickets via the internet as the service is available at any geographical location, including ones home via laptop and cellular phone and at any time or day. Electronic ticket services have a further advantage by providing relevant information along with the service. This can help purchasing decisions and may encourage future usage (Burford, 1998). Another feature is that apart from maintenance and data updates, no manpower is necessary to offer the service once it has been established. The process of recording the transactions is more automated and overheads are reduced. An essential point is that ticket providers while providing a convenient service are thereby improving their public image and encouraging return customers (Burford, 1998). A number of countries across the globe are already benefiting from electronic ticketing including the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and France. In fact the U.S.A. it has 80% market p enetration, while in Europe it is approximately 40% and in the U.S.A. more than $350 million dollars in event tickets were sold online during 2000 increasing to $3.9 billion in 2004 (Bhatia, 2004). 1.3.1 Online Services and E-Ticketing in Kuwait The internet is a technology with many properties with the potential to transform the competitive landscape in many industries while at the same time creating completely new industries (Afuah and Tucci, 2003). The revolution of the internet continues to excel leading to rapid changes in many fields, at an overwhelming speed. In Kuwait, prior to 1990 internet usage was limited to electronic mail and minor services, however in 1992 a decision was made by the Ministry of Communication to facilitate the public data network. In the same year the National Science Foundation agreed to extend the Internet to Kuwait at a time when it was only available for US institutions and some selected institutions overseas. In recent years with the support of the Kuwaiti government for IT plans, practical steps have been taken in this field with the possibility of payment for mobiles and traffic tickets via the internet and the sale of online airlines tickets for the first time. These advances indicate the growth and development in the IT field in Kuwait as a whole. In 1943, the oil boom opened a new chapter in the modern history of Kuwait as The Kuwait Oil Company Limited (KOC) was founded. By 1947-1948 KOC developed the new Al-Nugra (Al-Mayass) Airport, located in the Nuzha district, operating in daylight only, with airlines opening offices in Kuwait City to handle ticketing and cargo operations for the Arab expatriate community. By 1954, the Kuwaiti National Airlines Company celebrated the arrival of the first airplane, which was called â€Å"Kazma† (http://www.da.gov.kw). The worldwide revolution of low-cost carriers (LCCs) started successfully with Pacific Southwest Airlinesin the United States, which pioneered the concept in 1949. Notable successes which have followed are Irelands Ryanair, which began low-fares operations in 1990, and EasyJet, formed in 1995. These low cost carriers then developed in Asia and Oceania from 2000 led by operators such as Malaysias AirAsia, Indias Air Deccanand Australias Virgin Blue. The low-cost carrier model is applicable worldwide, although deregulated markets are most suited for its rapid spread. In 2006, new LCCs were announced in Saudi Arabia and Mexico (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com). On September 12, 2005 Jazeera Airways owned by Marwan Boodai, Chairman and CEO, announced its first flights were open for booking. Jazeera Airways is the first privately owned airline in the Middle East, established in Kuwait. It offers passengers ticketless flights to Dubai, Lebanon, Damascus, Amman and Bahrain via the web, by phone, SMS or through travel agents (www.jazeeraairways.com). Breaking away from out-dated business models by developing a new model tasked with raising operational efficiency requires incorporating the latest revenue management procedures into the company and installing state-of-the-art technologies. This will ultimately enable travelers to become more independent in their bookings and payment. With tickets sold through a website as the main distribution channel, online booking is a very efficient distribution method for airlines. It reduces the number of back office staff and reduces the payment cycle. Jazeera Airways has worked hard to entice travelers to book through its website by making it the cheapest method to purchase tickets. Many promotional offers made by the company are available only to travelers who book online, therefore Jazeera Airways strategy is rewarding travelers who book online (www.jazerraairways.com) 1.4 PROBLEM DEFINITION Understanding customers requirements is vital to any business enterprise in order for it to remain competitive. Customer satisfaction is of great interest since it has a direct effect on customer retention, loyalty and the prospect of new customers. Retention is a major challenge, as customers can easily switch from one service provider to another considering the internet can facilitate easy access to a wide variety of choices with lesser cost. Acquiring new customers may involve significant cost on the part of the company in terms of marketing, advertising and promotion. Hence it is important to understand the determinants of customer satisfaction and assess the current experience of the customer in order to improve services. Customer satisfaction is a major issue of Jazeera Airways and good online service quality is a key factor that will determine in the long term, whether it will succeed or fail in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. Due to rapid technological advancements in the marketplace Jazeera Airways maintains a close relationship with their customers, as their expectations and perceptions of online service quality may change. This research will therefore be conducted on Jazeera Airways, the first low cost airline in Kuwait. Jazeera Airways offers online ticketing in its website as the main distribution channel. Therefore it is important to take into account the quality of its website and to pay more attention to customer evaluation of the service given. Customers want to make their own bookings in their own time without depending on middlemen; as a result it is necessary that online service quality determinants lead to satisfaction. Dissatisfied travelers may perceive one of the following: Web sites do not seem to have many of the very basic features that experts consider important in forming relationship with customers. Service providers undervalue the attributes that customers use to judge service quality that should be monitored and enhanced to help the service performance. There are other variables of the online service quality that affect the overall travelers satisfaction. Therefore this research aims to address such problematic issues by researching the relevant factors including current opinion of the airline users. 1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES As this research study aims to examine the customer satisfaction of the service of Jazeera Airways in online ticketing through the quality delivered through its website, its main objectives are as follows: To assess the perception of each service of Jazeeras e-service Quality dimensions. To evaluate consumer satisfaction towards e-service quality for online service quality within Jazeera. To determine the important dimensions leading to satisfaction when purchasing online tickets within Jazeera. 1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS In order to fulfill the objectives of this study, the following questions need to be addressed: What key incubative dimensions do online customers perceive as important for their e-service quality? What key active dimensions do online customers perceive as important for their e-service quality? What are the most influential online service quality dimensions of the website as perceived by respondents with a high level of customers satisfaction in the Jazeera Airways website? What are the most influential online service quality dimensions of Jazeera Airways contributing to customer satisfaction when examining the Jazeera Airways website? Are the different socio-demographic variables involved perceiving e-service quality and satisfaction in the same way or differently? 1.7 Research Methodology This research is considered deductive, quantitative, descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory to some extent type of study. The research follows the survey strategy approach and consists of 67 questions composed of a two page questionnaire distributed to the target sample in Kuwait. Data was collected using Arabic and English questionnaires, from a sample size of X passengers who booked online through Jazeeras website. The questionnaire consists of four sections (A, B, C, D). Section A solicits demographic information. Section B evaluates Jazeeras Airways e-service quality using an adapted Santos (2003) model. Section C measures the level of customer satisfaction. Statements of Section B and C are scaled using a Likert type scale from 1 to 5. Section D collects information added by customers that will add value to the research. 1.8 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS Throughout this research conducted in Kuwait regarding Jazeera Airways website service quality a number of limitations were noted as follows: The thesis investigates the customer satisfaction of Jazeeras Airways website service quality and does not include the companys perspective/point of view; therefore the study is limited in its scope to customers and not employees or managers. The study does not include product quality, price, situational factors, personal factors, and other services provided by Jazeera Airways. Using a quantitative approach only towards addressing the research problems, a qualitative approach is lacking. The research scope is limited as it assesses Jazeera online service â€Å"e-ticketing† excluding airport customer services such as check in, luggage, lounge and on board services. There is limited relevant literature concerning service quality in the airline industry in Kuwait and the region, therefore there are no previous findings or frameworks to consult. 1.9 THESIS STRUCTURE This study is composed of five main chapters. Chapter One presents the background details of the selected research area and the experience in Kuwait, followed by the problem definition, the research objectives and questions, the methodology, the studys limitations and the thesis structure. Chapter Two discusses related theories, concepts and models providing a comprehensive review and an insight into the subject area as a whole, followed by an explanation of the research to the country of Kuwait. Chapter Three describes the methodology, research design and techniques used in the collection and analysis of the data. Chapter Four presents the gathered data, their interpretation and analysis. Chapter Five looks at the findings, assessing whether they satisfy the research questions and objectives to draw conclusions from the results. Based on these conclusions, recommendations for management are provided with further suggestions for future research. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION In this chapter a comprehensive review of available related literature is made concerning website service quality and customer satisfaction. In the process various concepts, models and theories covering customer satisfaction, determinants of customer satisfaction, the relationship between online service quality and satisfaction and online service quality dimensions are presented and explored to give the study a wide ranging theoretical basis. In addition the relevance of the research to the country of Kuwait is also addressed. 2.2 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 2.2.1 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Oliver (1980) explains satisfaction as the summary of a psychological state resulting when the emotion surrounding disconfirmed expectations is coupled with a consumers prior feelings about the consumer experience. In other words, satisfaction is an attitude or appraisal that is created by the customer comparing their pre-purchase expectations of what they would receive from the product or service to their subjective perceptions of the performance they actually did receive. Customer satisfaction has become a key intermediary objective in service operations, because of the benefits it conveys to organizations (Ranaweera and Prabhu, 2003). The importance of customer satisfaction results from the generally accepted philosophy that for a business to be successful and profitable, it must satisfy customers (Shin and Elliott, 2001). While many authors have described satisfaction using various definitions, Table 2.1 presents a few notable explanations of customer satisfaction. Table 2.1 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Definition Author Customer satisfaction is a collective outcome of perception, evaluation and psychological reactions to the consumption experience with a product/service. Yi (1990) Satisfaction is function of consumers belief that he or she was treated fairly. Hunt (1991) Satisfaction is a persons feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a products perceived performance (or outcome) in relation to his or her expectation. Kotler et al. (2000) Source: Research based From the above table we understand that satisfaction is the consumers evaluation of the product and service that meet their needs and expectations. According to Parker and Mathews (2001) there are two main interpretations of satisfaction; satisfaction as a process and satisfaction as an outcome. Whereas Gustafsson (2005) argues satisfaction has a strong positive effect on customer loyalty intentions across a wide range of product and service categories. 2.2.2 Determinants of Customer Satisfaction Zeithaml et al. (2005) argued that satisfaction, as shown in 2.1, is influenced by service quality perception, product quality, and price as well as situational and personal factors. Economists differentiate between two categories of properties of consumer products; search qualities and experience qualities. With search qualities consumers determine before purchasing a product like color, style, price, fit, feel, hardness and smell. Experience qualities, are hard to determine; as a result it can be evaluated after the purchase and until the service is received like vacations and restaurant meals (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Keaveney (1995)ppp.jpg point out that a main reason leading to customers switching services is price, as customers, based on prior experience with the service provider, sometimes felt cheated and believed that price increases were unfair or even deceptive. According to (Zeithaml et al., 2005) comparing the price relative to value and state, research reveals that customers of services will make trade-offs among different service features such as price level versus quality. A number of customers, for example, view price as an important element for their satisfaction more than quality. Perceived service quality is only one factor of customer satisfaction (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Consequently to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction, most researchers suggest that a high level of service quality should be delivered by the service provider as service quality is normally considered an antecedent of customer satisfaction (Cronin et al. 2000). Zeithaml et al. (2005) described a consumers emotional state as a personal factor. Satisfaction will vary due to customers biographical characteristics such as age, gender, education, ethnicity and income (Gilbert and Veloutsou, 2006;Van Pham and Simpson, 2006). Customers take partial responsibility for outcomes and describe those negative feelings that influence how a consumer responds to services, causing a person to overreact negatively to the slightest problem (Zeithaml et al., 2005). Situational factors can notably influence purchase decisions such as social environment, physical environment of the purchase place, time influence and the previous states (Vysekalovà ¡, 2004; Nagyovà ¡, 2001). 2.3 The Evidence of Service (3Ps) Services are intangible; therefore customers are searching for evidence of service in every interaction they have with the organization. The three major factors of service experienced by customers are: people, process, and physical evidence. Together these elements are considered as an evidence of the service. Each evidence or subset is present in each service 2.2. Firms should essentially manage the service quality that will lead to satisfying their customers (Bitner, 1993). 2.4 SERVICE QUALITY Numerous researchers have defined service quality their own ways, including Bitner, Booms and Mohr (1994) who described service quality as the consumers overall impression of the relative inferiority / superiority of the organization and its services. Perceived service quality is only one component of customer satisfaction (Zeithaml et al., 2005). According to Parasuraman et al. (1994) service quality is defined as, the degree of discrepancy between customers normative expectations for the service and their perception of the service performance. Gronroos (1982) stated that total service quality is customers perception of difference between expected service and perceived service. Afterward in 1984, he then explained service quality of the service encounter as two different dimensions: one is technical or output quality and the other functional or process quality. Therefore, service quality has become a well-liked area of academic investigation, recognized as a major factor in differentiating service products and gaining competitive advantage (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Table 2.2 presents the concept of service quality from varied authors viewpoints who combined suggest we can understand that meeting the need and requirements and achieving customers expectations depends on delivering the best level of service quality. Notably with time, service quality takes place before and leads to overall customer satisfaction Table 2.2 Definition of Customer Satisfaction Definition Author Service quality as the subjective comparison that customers make between the quality of the service that they want to receive and what they actually get. Gefan (2002) Service quality can be defined as â€Å"the difference between customers expectations for service performance prior to the service encounter and their perceptions of the service received†. Asubonteng et al. (1996) Service quality is determined by the differences between customers expectations of services providers performance and their evaluation of the services they received. Parasuraman et al. (1985,1988) Source: Research based Gilbert and Veloutsou (2006) determined different approaches to measure customer satisfaction, varying between measuring expectations relative to perception or measuring the performance aspect only, without relating it to the desired level of service. Service quality has been found to be an important input to customers satisfaction (Caruana, 2002). 2.4.2 Dimensions of Service Quality Service quality has been the focus of increased study in recent years as many researchers have tried to reveal features of services that significantly relate to quality evaluation in traditional service environments. In 2001 Brady and Cronin presented a model consisting of interaction quality, physical environment quality, and outcome quality. These dimensions draw on, among others, the work of Gronroos (1982) and Rust and Oliver (1994) who suggest that exploring both what is delivered (Gronroos technical quality) and how it is delivered (Gronroos functional quality) are important aspects of service quality. Table 2.3 Dimensions of Service Quality Quality Requirement Description Reliability Reliability Consistency of service/ dependability, i.e. the ability to provide the service on time, accurately and dependably Responsiveness Responsiveness Willingness/readiness of employees, i.e. the ability to deal effectively with complaints and promptness of services Assurance Credibility The extent to which the service is believed and trusted; involves honesty, trustworthiness and believability Courtesy The politeness, respect, consideration and friendliness shown to the customers by the contact personnel Security The freedom from danger, risk and doubt Competence The possession of staff of the necessary skill, knowledge and information to perform the service effectively Empathy Access The ease of approachability and contact Communication Listening to customer and keeping them informed about the service Understanding the customer Trying to understand the customers needs and specific requirements Tangibles Tangibles Appearance of personnel and condition of equipment Source: Parasuraman et al. (1985); Ghobadian et al. (1994); Curry and Herbert (1998) A most widely used and accepted study done on service quality is by Parasuraman et al. (1985). Having developed ten dimensions through focus group studies: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, communication, credibility, security, competence, courtesy, understanding the customer, and access. These ten dimensions were then filtered and extracted to five: tangibles, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy, which constitute the basis of a global measurement for service quality, SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al., 1988). Based on these five dimensions researchers presented a 22-item service quality scale and on an operational level service quality research has been dominated by the SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al., 1985; Curry and Herbert, 1998). Table 2.3 presents a description of the service quality dimensions. 2.4.3 Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality Service quality has been found to be an important input to customer satisfaction (Caruana and Malta, 2002). Cronin and Taylor (1992) examined the causal relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction, and purchase intention. The results suggested that service quality was an antecedent of consumer satisfaction, service quality had less effect on purchase intentions than did consumer satisfaction, and consumer satisfaction had a significant effect on purchase intentions. Customer satisfaction had a stronger effect on behavioral intentions than service quality did (Dabholkar et al., 2000). As a process in time, service quality takes place before, and leads to overall customer satisfaction. Customers loyalty was affected by product quality, service quality, and retailer image. They also suggested that quality of product and service is directly related to customer satisfaction, and then leads to the loyalty of the customer (Cà ¶ner and Gà ¼ngà ¶r, 2002). Based on empirica l findings in service quality and satisfaction literature, service quality is one of the antecedents of satisfaction (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993; Cronin and Taylor, 1992), and loyalty is one of the consequences of satisfaction. Luarn and Lin (2004) indicated that not only customer satisfaction and perceived value directly affected customer loyalty, but also indirectly affected customer loyalty through commitment. 2.5 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN SERVING CUSTOMERS According to Parasuraman (2000), delivering excellent customer service is vital in case customers have to serve themselves by technology-based systems. With quick penetration of technology-based customer-company interfaces such as online banking and e-commerce, employee-delivered service is being replaced by self-service, reducing the need for face-to-face encounters between customers and company personnel. However, this fundamental shift does not mean that companies can afford to ignore customer service. Development of self-service technologies need to emphasize customer service to ensure the customer-technology interface is user-friendly, putting in place an excellent customer-service infrastructure (including properly tr

Is genesis discriminatory towards women?

Is genesis discriminatory towards women? Is Genesis 1-3 Discriminatory Towards Women? The first six chapters of Genesis are about the creation of the universe and the beginnings of humanity. Perhaps more than any other biblical story, those which make up the book of Genesis are considered to embody cultural, religious, and political symbols. Thus, Genesis is significant to this day because it is an etiological text. In particular, the story of Adam and Eve is essential in understanding gender roles and differences today. Discussing the relationship between Adam and Eve and the creation of the two figures by God often brings about controversy. It is obvious that the Bible, in particular chapters 1-6 of Genesis, has an abundance of examples where sexism towards women exists; however, some may interpret these examples with different meaning. Phyllis Trible, for instance, rejects the notion that Eve is an inferior or dependent being, but is rather the culmination of creation. These two opposite views are so frequently argued because Eve represents the fundamental characte r and identity of all women today. By examining the instances in Genesis which, to some, are seen as sexist, one can understand the reasoning behind gender role differences. The notion that women are the inferior sex originates in the Bible at the very beginning. It is in the creation story itself where controversy arises over gender equality. In Genesis 1:26-7, it appears as though equality between the sexes exists: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. The statement male and female created he them denotes equality because both sexes were established at the beginning; however, we later learn that God did not create them at the same time nor did he create them in the same way. Because Adam, representative of all men, was created first, Eve and all women alike, are viewed as the second sex. The order in which God created humankind is significant because it stresses the primacy of man and his superiority while emphasizing that women play a subordinate role. Does this mean that God favors man and intended for this set-up of gender roles? Phyllis Trible writes on this topic in her book, God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality. While many see the book of Genesis as a patriarchal text, proclaiming male superiority and female inferiority as the will of God, Tribles interpretation of Genesis offers a different perspective. She argues that the traditional interpretations of male superiority and female inferiority are inaccurate and they fail to respect the integrity of this work as an interlocking structure of words and motifs with its own intrinsic value and meaning. In short, these ideas violate the rhetoric of the story (73). The way in which Trible argues against the traditional view of the book of Genesis is quite interesting. She is realistic and does not disagree with the fact that the texts are sexist; rather, she states that the Bible is patriarchal and that the literature comes from a male-dominated society. Her point of view is fair; she does not reject the obvious notion that sexism exists in Genesis. She adds that the intention of the Bible is not to create nor perpetuate patriarchy but rather to f unction as salvation for both women and men (73). Trible believes that the Bible is commonly seen as sexist because of the challenge readers face in being able to translate biblical faith without sexism. Chapters one through three contain five points which are the most argumentative in all of Genesis. While there are interpretations for each point that take the sexist approach, Phyllis Trible challenges these interpretations by construing them as non-sexist. The first of these argumentative points that appears in Genesis is the creation of humankind. When God creates humankind he says, Let us make man in our image, after our likenessSo God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (Gen:26-27). Earlier I mentioned how it appears as if God is equally creating the male and female sexes-he creates them in his own image, blesses them, and says unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earthand have dominion overevery living thing that moveth upon earth(Gen:27). At this point-before Adam and Eve are created-the notion that God created the sexes equally is mostly indisputable; however, once we get to the creation of Adam and Eve, controversy arises. The mere fact that God creates Adam first and Eve second implies that the male sex is of greater significance because in general, first means superior and last means inferior. Trible argues against this interpretation by focusing on the language of the text. She notes that the singular word humankind, shows that male and female are not opposite but rather harmonious sexesFrom the beginning, the word humankind is synonymous with the phrase male and female, though the components of this phrase are not synonymous with each other (18). This point can be argued because in some versions of the Bible, the word humankind is replaced with man, which clearly denotes male dominance. She concludes her argument by stating, Thus, the vocabulary of humanity in the poem disallows interpretations of the sexes as either antonyms or synonyms. It recognizes distinction within harmony (18). I find this argument to be weak because actions speak louder than words. The way in w hich something is written and the pronouns used are not half as important as what actually happens. For example, the way in which God creates Adam and Eve goes above and beyond to support the notion that the male sex was created superior. When God created Adam, He formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Gen 2:7). Adams creation is extraordinary and required God to use His divine power to form this being. On the other hand, Eves creation is less significant: the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribsand made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man (Gen 2:21-3). The means by which Eve was created is enough to be extremely suggestive that the woman is inferior to man. To begin with, Eve is a derivative of Adam. She is literally created from the rib (a very small part) of Adam, and thus is dependent on him for life. The words she was taken out of Man emphasize this point and indicate that Eve will occupy a place secondary to Adam. There is no suggestion here that woman mi ght be superior or even equal to man after reading this passage. While it is impossible to argue with the written words that woman was taken from mans rib, Trible challenges the interpretation that man was responsible for womans creation. She states that human life is Gods gift; it is not possession (81). She believes that for both man and woman, creation is an act of God and that when the man says bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh he is not implying that she is derived from him or subordinate to him. Rather, he is saying that he shares equally with the woman the dust of the ground and the origin of their lives. If the order in which man and woman came to life and the means by which they were created are not enough to convince you that Genesis is a sexist text, then perhaps we should observe the reason why woman was created in the first place. After putting man on earth, God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him (Gen 2:18). It is only then that God formed every living creature and subsequently woman is created. When God created Adam, He gave him a purpose on earth and tasks to fulfill: The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it (Gen 2:15). Additionally, Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him (Gen:20). It is only at this point-after Adam accomplished his tasks such as naming the creatures of the earth-that Eve is created. Thus, it is obvious that woman is created for the sake of man, merely t o cure his loneliness. Trible argues this notion that Eve was created for the sole purpose of being Adams helper by discussing the translation of the Hebrew text: The Hebrew word ezer, rendered here as companion, has been traditionally translated as helper-a translation that is totally misleading because the English word helper suggests an assistant, a subordinate, indeed, an inferior, while the Hebrew word ezer carries no such connotation (90). Tribles argument is interesting because one would never know this fact by just reading the King James Version of the Bible. However, I still find that even if Eve were a companion she would still be subordinate to Adam because of her role on earth. If it hadnt been for Adams existence (and loneliness), Eve would never have been created; thus, she is produced for the sake of man. The fourth point I found to be one of the most argumentative in all of Genesis is the naming of Woman. The fact that man names her clearly signifies that he has power over her, which in turn extends to universal male authority. Adam has just finished naming all the other creatures on earth after God brought them unto [him] to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof (Gen 2:19). Immediately after Adam names the creatures, he names the woman: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man, (Gen 2:23). The scene where Adam names Eve demonstrates his authority over her in a way similar to that by which he named the animals. While I feel it is obvious that man named woman in this scene, Phyllis Trible rejects this entire notion. Just as she did with the arguments regarding the order in which humankind was created and the purpose for Eves existence, Trible focuses on the language of the text to support her argumen t. zeroes in on the wording of the text: she shall be called woman (Gen 2:23). She believes that this does not imply Adam specifically named her, but rather she was to simply be called Woman. She explains that the verb call by itself does not mean naming; only when joined to the noun name does it become part of a naming formulaHence, in calling the woman, the man is not establishing power over her but rejoicing in their mutuality (100). I consider this argument to be particularly weak because she unreasonably discards this scene and generalizes that in order for the man to have named the woman, the wording in the text must be altered. While Trible focuses on the rhetoric, I feel that it is not the wording that is so essential to the text but rather the point that gets across. The final point that is necessary to discuss in order to fully understand why the Bible is a sexist text is the notion that women are considered to be responsible for the sin in the world. This belief is a result of the story of the Garden of Eden. When Eve is tempted to eat the forbidden fruit and in turn, tempts her husband to eat it as well, fault is placed on Eve and she is portrayed as the cause of humanitys fall. Both Adam and Eve are punished by God; however, Eves punishment is more severe than Adams: I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee (Gen 3:16). Eve is held responsible for the fall of humanity despite Adams free will; even though he listened to his wife and ate the forbidden fruit, he was not forced to do so. Obedience is the act of a choice. Why is it that, even though Adam and Eve committed the same crime, Eve is punished with pain during child birth and submission to her husband? This can only be explained by the fact that male authority is favored in this misogynist text. However, some, such as Trible beg to differ. She believes that, because God curses the serpent (cursed are you) and the man (cursed is the earth because of you) and not the woman anywhere else in the story, any claim that Yahwehs judgement upon her is the most severe of the three falters at this very point (126). Additionally, she states that at the same time, the lack of a curse does not mean that she is less responsible than either the serpent or the man-or that she is less a human being than the man (126). Trible considers Eves punishment to be equal to Adams and that they are both held accountable for eating the forbidden fruit: At their trial, the questions of God made clear their individual accountability; similarly, their confessions, although given separately, indicated mutual responsibility. Thus in judgement the woman is neither more nor less responsible than man (127). If Tribles perspective is valid, then how can we explain the reasoning behind Eves subordinate role to Adam? The answer is we cannot; it takes a perception such as that of Trible to understand the text in a non-sexist way. By recalling the five scenes I mentioned from Genesis, it is likely that one will perceive them to be obviously misogynistic. However, in order to find the significance behind these scenes, one must relate them to how they affect us now. It is easy to draw parallels between Eve and modern day women due to problems concerning gender equality. Eve is representative of all women because she symbolizes the origin of female inferiority. Although feminist efforts are becoming more and more successful in equalizing gender roles, there has long been discrimination towards the female sex. Not only in the workplace and at home, but the reputation of women has been seen as inferior to that of men. Now that we have analyzed a few crucial points in Genesis, we can draw conclusions as to where and why female inferiority began. Works Cited: The Holy Bible, King James Version. New York: Penguin Group, 1974. Trible, Phyllis. God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality. Philadephia: Fortress Press, 1978.

Resolving Conflicts in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun Essay

Resolving Conflicts in A Raisin In The Sun       A mother is the heart of every home. Mothers try to maintain order within a household while encouraging creativity and idealism. In the play A Raisin In The Sun, Mother understands that her children need to form and strengthen their beliefs as they come to realize their personal aspirations. She is the head of the family around whom the conflicts arise and are resolved.    After the death of her husband, Mother struggles to keep her family together by providing the support and guidance they need, and encouraging them to use good judgment and think of the family as a whole before making their decisions. As the family faces various obstacles, each seemingly more severe than the last, Mother begins to doubt her own abilities to raise her children. Although, while in the process of overcoming these obstacles, Mother's strength as a parent is reaffirmed as her children find themselves returning to the values that were instilled upon them in order to resolve their respective conflicts.    The first conflict, which carries on throughout the dra... ...   Conneticut.  Ã‚   Greenwood Press,1998.    Draper, James P. Black Literature Criticisms. Detroit: Gale Research Incorporated, 1992.    Hansberry, Lorraine.   A Raisin in the Sun.   New York:   Signet, 1988.    May, Elaine Tyler. Homeward Bound. New York. Basic Books, 1988.    Patterson, James T.   Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974. New York. Oxford University Press,1996.    Wilkerson, Margaret B. "The Sighted Eyes and Feeling Heart of Lorraine Hansberry." Black American Literature Forum 17.1 (1983): 8-13.   

Oppression in Jane Campion’s The Piano Essay -- Jane Campion The Piano

Oppression in Jane Campion’s â€Å"The Piano† Jane Campion’s â€Å"The Piano† relates the story of a Scottish woman who is sent to New Zealand, during the Victorian Era, for an arranged marriage with a farmer. Ada voluntarily gave up speaking at the age of 6 and communicates by either signing for her daughter, writing on a small paper tablet around her neck, or, more joyously, through playing her piano. After a long and arduous journey with the piano, Ada is forced to leave it on the beach where her boat landed. Left without her musical passion, Ada must learn to adapt in very male world. A native white man who has adopted the culture of the Maori Indians named Baines quickly discovers what the abandoned piano means to Ada. Baines secures the piano by trading 80 acres of land to the farmer and husband of Ada, Stewart. After getting the piano back to his home, he employs Ada to give him lessons, but really wants to have sex with her in exchange for the piano. Her passion for the music allows for this and an affair is born. The affair is discovered by Stewart and he goes irate eventually cutting off Ada’s forefinger in a backwards attempt to win her love. When he realizes the futility of winning her love, Stewart sends her off with Baines. On the boat to a new home and life, Ada insists of getting rid of the piano and almost commits suicide as the piano sinks to the bottom of the ocean. This movie is beautiful to watch, yet difficult. It is raw, yet the cinematography is breath...