Research Korner

LEADERSHIP

1) What type of power does your colleague appear to be using?             My colleague appears to be using coercive power on me to make me feel bad about the whole situation.   2) What type of influence could you possibly use to gain his co-operation? In order for me to gain his cooperation, I would settle for the bargaining power.   3) If you were involved in a situation like this, what could you do to resolve it successfully yet ethically?               One of the ways is to create a sense of obligation. Allowing him/her to recognize that friendship carries with it certain obligations, from there, we both can then develop friendship with each other. Another way I could use would be for me to try and foster with my colleague’s unconscious identification with them or with the ideas which they believe in. This is because when a person finds a leader or a friend both consciously and more importantly, unconsciously an ideal person, the more he or she will defer to that person. All in all, power and influence are integral components of social interaction which gives life in an organization. The vantage point is to try to understand the organizational behaviour, the politics of it.

LEADERSHIP

1) What type of power does your colleague appear to be using? My colleague appears to be using c oercive power on me to mak...

Cleanair : International Public Relations Campaign

International Public Relations Campaign Introduction Due to the growth of technology and influence of communication, different nations are brought together bearing the same purpose. Through the idea of public relations, different organizational leaders reduce the bridge between them and bringing the purpose of their campaigns. Within the concept of public relations, the campaigns are being stretched into one country to another and gained respects to the foreign land. In exchange, the support of the country will be given to the campaigns in order to continue its journey in spreading the purpose of the campaigns. CLEANAIR Despite of the widespread anti-smoking campaigns, smoking's persistence is high in most of the societies which ends to the government intervention and decisions. And most of the interventions that the government chose to settle is through the taxes and government warning advertisements. CLEANAIR is a non-profit organization that is engaged in drawing the public attention regarding the effects of smoking on the health and environment. In order to emphasize their advocacy and fight against the smoking, the organization created a series of posters that politely, strongly, and humorously deliver the message that non-smoking is the norm. To establish or to raise international awareness and support tobacco-free initiatives, the organization should promote the campaign in the societies in the most effective way as possible. The kind of anti-smoking advertisers combined negative representations of smokers with positive portraits of non-smokers as far more appealing or desirable. In some cases this involves emulating the strategies of tobacco advertisers by using the same glamorization and normalization strategies in the depiction of non-smokers as popular or heroic and smoke-free environments as invigorating or therapeutic. The Essence of Campaign and Achievement The organization wants to create a massive information campaign about the cigarette smoking and help reduce the number of smokers in the country and even in the neighboring countries. The image in the poster signifies an opposition between smoking and health (or smoker and nonsmoker), suggesting a choice for one is a choice against the other. The headline presents the viewer with a choice between tobacco and health, while an abstraction of a human head chooses flowers over a cigarette (environment over smoking). The reason for this kind of campaign is to clear the role of smoking played in culture and the shaping of personal identity. The Advantages and Obstacles There are advantages that can be gained in the use of the techniques such as emphasizing the psychological, social, economic, and health benefits of smoking cessation (or regaining non-smoker status); stressing a sense of personal or social responsibility as motivation for choosing to be a non-smoker; using deglamorization strategies to suggest that the non-smoker is more fashionable; and appropriating idealistic or romanticized environmental images as symbolic representations of health and the decision not to smoke. The advantages that it might realize are to create a language even in different culture. However, the obstacles that can be faced by the organization are the cigarette promotion of the companies. In addition, the cigarette and tobacco organizations have a strategy in producing future smokers through encouraging the young population and promoting smoking within the age range.  The Success Many studies show that the use of advertising and marketing effectively increase the appeals and promotion to the people thus, also increasing the consumption. This same is true to the cigarette manufacturers and making an appeal for the young people. In Kazakhstan, the consumption of tobacco as of 2002 is determined to 46.5% among men and 7.6% on female. While the youth consumes about 17% and 9% for boys and girls respectively, yet rapidly increasing and attributes to the increasing death. Despite the continuous approach of the government to limit the smoking in their country, the advertisements lead to the increase in the consumption of the product. Tobacco advertising also has a powerful effect among young people. And those tobacco promotional activities are causally related to the onset of smoking in adolescents and that exposure to cigarette advertising is predictive of smoking among adolescents. However, the success of the campaign is possible only if the campaign of the organization reach in the society. Therefore, the organization should be responsible for creating and maintaining relationships between clients and customers. One effective way is through the use of management, advertising, media relations and crisis management in which the organization should seek to foster interest, trust and belief in purpose of the campaign. References: Ross, H., (2006) Tobacco and the Economy [Online] Available at: http://www.tobaccoevidence.net/pdf/cee_fsu_activities/Kazakhstan_tax.pdf [Accessed 11 November 2010]. Tobacco Fact Sheet (2000) Tobacco Advertising: Promoting A Future Without Tobacco, 11th World conference on Tobacco OR Health [Online] Available at: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/global/docs/advertising.pdf [Accessed 11 November 2010]. Visual Culture and Public Health Posters (2009) Anti-Smoking Campaigns: The Non-Smoker and Smoke-free Environment [Online] Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/visualculture/nonsmoker.html [Accessed 11 November 2010]. Ziedonis , D.M., Guydish, J., Williams, J., Steinberg, M., & Foulds, J., (2006) Barriers and Solutions to Addressing Tobacco Dependence in Addiction Treatment Programs, Alcohol Research & Health, 29(3):228+

Cleanair : International Public Relations Campaign

International Public Relations Campaign Introduction Due to the growth of technology and influence of communication, ...

Final Proposal_An action plan of Customer Retention Using the distinctive Strategies of IT/IS; A Case Study of Exploration and Production in Oil & Gas Industry

PROJECT PROPOSAL   Student name:                                                                                         Student No:         Email Address:                                                                           Award Name:  MSc in Technology Management   Site Name:      Apiit Malaysia   Title of project:        An action plan of Customer Retention Using the distinctive Strategies of      IT/IS; A Case Study of Exploration and Production in Oil & Gas Industry   Proposed Supervisor:   Please record which modules your topic is related to: Marketing (MKT). E-marketing         Introduction Today the most important business sector in the world is the oil & Gas industry which offers a benefit for every individual, group of people and government sector, given the high commodity prices and increasing the profit of economic. the dependency on oil and gas products, the every day materials and resources from oil and gas are evident in all aspect of our daily lives (University of Aberdeen, 2006) and by exploration and production of oil and gas in order to impact upon many areas of the workforce it will help to sustain the oil and gas industry because without oil and gas exploration and production the world would literally grind to a halt (University of Aberdeen, 2006). Recent rises in petroleum prices have spurred many new exploration activities. Spending on world wide exploration and production is estimated to have risen 30 percent in 2006 by US$ 268 billion (Upstream, 2007). For example crude oil and petroleum products are widely traded and effectively have a single price after allowing for transportation costs and quality differences in more clarification in 1960 would have been worth 6.6 times more in 2005 this mean that the average oil price of $1.9 a barrel in 1960 is equivalent to $ 12.59 a barrel when expressed in 2005 U.S. dollars (World bank, 2007). The reason behind successful oil & gas companies and becoming world wide business is because the ability to provide a clear approach of products, services, advance technology and successful customer feedback which can offer a higher profit for industry and providing a close-loop process for gathering customer feedback to continuous improve business practice (Parasuraman et al, 1985). Customers in Oil & Gas industry should be seen as on-going opportunity, to better understand the rational behind this theory and to face the challenge of building customer loyalty, Hunter (2007) identified five types of customer such as: loyal customers, discount customers, impulse customers, need-based customers, and wandering customers. Ahmad & Buttle (2002) stated that the organization should focus on existing customers because those are the once who can not only provide feedback about products and services, but also work together with suppliers to add-value to a particular service by improving the process. Through successful customer care or creating an effective customer focus, Oil & Gas industry will be able to provide an opportunity to increase the customer satisfaction/retention, increasing the sales and revenue and creating value for Oil & Gas industry shareholder (Greenberg, 2004). Focusing and identifying on customers which is the most important factor in Oil & Gas industry because through it Oil & Gas industry will be able to provide a successful program of customer retention plan and ability to retain its customers and satisfy them.   Project background According to Eriksoon & Lofmarck Vaghult (2000) customer retention is central to the development of business relationships, is specific to the context of each firm, and this is rarely recognized in models for customer retention. Customer retention is important to most companies because the cost of acquiring a new customer is far greater than the cost of maintaining a relationship with a current customer (Ro King, 2005) which have a significant advantages in the form of lower prepayments, increased revenue, improved pricing on securitizations, customer retention has been shown to be a primary goal in firms that practice relationship marketing (Gronroos 1991, Coviello et al, 2002) which mean satisfied and properly served customers are more likely to return to an organization than are dissatisfied customers who could choose simply to go elsewhere (Ovenden, 1995). The main challenge faced by the mortgage industry  is the continued price sensitivity of their consumers as  a result the main objectives for many companies is to employ customer retention and development programs that will serve to reduce this price sensitivity and therefore reduce the flight risk of customers (Davis et al, 2007). In additional customer retention programs allow companies to collect data about their customers, this data can be used to better understand target market, and communicate with customers or to customize future interactions with customers and also can be a relatively inexpensive means of making customers feel special, increase their purchases and recommend prospects (Ro King, 2007). However, successful implementation of customer retention has to be carefully planned, executed, maintained, and measured it also need to be accompanied by customer service, product development, and product deliver strategies that aligned with the targeted customer base (Davis et al, 2007). Globally the major players in the petroleum industry are Exxon and Shell group, who account for roughly 20% of the world’s production (AL-Ghamdi & Suhail, 2006) and according to Passemard & Kleiner (2000) that the competitiveness of some firms arises from macro economic phenomena directed by exchange rate, deficit of the national budget or interest rate.   The major competitors of oil and gas industry had a good leadership, competent project team, willingness of management to take risk and make changes, technology solution and successful implementation of energy management program will lead the oil and gas industry to be more competitors and providing a successful products and services to its customers (Davis, HA. & Chan, EKS., 2001), Petrochemical industry of Saudi Arabia  can be an example of competition in petroleum industries sector which is primarily a petroleum economy with oil revenue representing 90-95% total Saudi export earnings 70-80% of state revenue and around 40% of countries gross domestic product (GDP) (AL-Ghamdi & Suhail, 2006). Besides the competitive challenges, the Saudi Petrochemical industry faces a number of other challenges. Some of the significant ones relate to a high dependence on a skilled expatriate work-force, high costs of technology transfer, low levels of productivity of the Saudi workforce due to a lack of motivation to work, and the emergence of regional competitors (AL-Ghamdi & Suhail, 2006), The key strength of Saudi petroleum industry lies in the low-cost of feed-stocks as well as cost of utilities which make the average variable cost lower than of its competitors (AL-Ghamdi & Suhail, 2006). Ahmad et al (2001) identify the following six economic benefits of retaining customers such as: savings on customers’ acquisitions, a guarantee of base profits, growth in per-customer revenue, reduction in relative operation costs, free of charge referrals of new customers from existing customers and finally price premiums as existing customers do not usually wait for promotions or price reductions before deciding to purchase. Through customer retention plan Oil & Gas industry can achieve its planning by colleting data and information about its customers which can enhance the Oil & Gas industry to enhance its operation and enhance its position in marketplace. Previous research into customer retention has focused on the opinion that retaining customers are easier to work with and that a lot of vital feedback can be gained from these customers (Isaksoon & Suljanovic, 2007) and potential advantages of pursuing strategies for satisfying or retaining customers rather than on the concepts themselves (Eriksson, Lofmarck Vaghult, 2000) which will lead the Oil & Gas industry to gain many advantages such as:: employee retention and satisfaction (Reichheld, 1995) providing a long-term relationship strategy between Oil & Gas industry, opportunities for new business, increasing the sales and creating value  for Oil & Gas industry’s shareholder (Greenberg, 2004). Customer retention can be an important factor in Oil & Gas industry because through customer retention, Oil & Gas industry can increase the opportunities to industry and its customers and ability to increase the customers’ profitability in higher level of performance.   Project Aims The aims of this project are to provide a successful action plan of customer retention plan using the distinctive strategies of IT/IS in Oil & Gas industry, also exploring how individuals and groups in Oil & Gas able to offer a clear structure and ability to provide higher-level of customer retention plan this will lead to an understanding of how the benefits of customer retention plan can drive Oil & Gas industry to be more competitive and to retain its customers.     Project objectives   <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To examine difference customer care program in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To examine the importance of customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To examine the improvement of customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To examine the distinctive strategies of IT/IS that enables Oil & Gas industry measure the customer behavior and attitude.</li> </ul>       Research program   Stage-1 (Duration one month) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Gather an appropriate materials and resources in Oil & Gas industry. This would include journals, articles, and academic research.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Analyzing the case studies such as: Microsoft, BMW, Shell Company and Petronas Company.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Select the customer retention area in case studies </li> </ul>     Stage-2 (Duration one month) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Identifying a development program such as: customer loyalty program, customer retention program and customer satisfaction program.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To identify a development program in order to increase customer loyalty and decrease turnover in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To understand first hand knowledge from specific numbers of customers from the Oil & Gas industry based in overseas industry.</li> </ul>   Stage-3(Duration two month) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Identify the most profitable customer and customer segment.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Exploring how individuals and groups serving the concepts of e-customer retention.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Understanding the process of using the IT/IS strategies in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Exploring how individuals and groups serving the concepts of e-customer retention.</li> </ul>   Stage-4(Duration two month) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Developing the frame work of customer retention plan in Oil & Gas industry through stage-1 and stage-2.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Evaluating the concepts of e-customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Testing the frame work of e-customer retention plan from the interview in Oil & Gas industry.</li> </ul>     Stage-5(Duration one week) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Finish documentation.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Printing document.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Submitting documents.</li> </ul>   Deliverables   <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Deliver a successful frame work of customer retention plan in order to retain customers, and to establish new information and control system.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To deliver a difference customer care program for various industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To analyzing the implementation of customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To evaluating the need of customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> To evaluating the need of IT/IS in customer retention in Oil & Gas industry.</li> </ul>     Commercial/industrial Collaboration   No applicable       Resources   To offer successful project of customer retention plan in Oil & Gas industry the following resource are required: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Oil & Gas company experts.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Experts of customer service.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Marketing experts.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Public and APIIT library.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Online journals </li> </ul>       The list of references   Ahmad & Buttle 2002, Customer retention management: a reflection of theory and practice, [online], Sydney, Australia, Available from http://emeraldinsight.com/0263-4503.htm, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   AL-Ghamdi & Sohail 2006, Sustaining Competitive advantage in the global petrochemical industry: a Saudi Arabian perspective, International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 3(1/2), pp. 4-17.   Ahmad et al, 2001, Customer retention: a potentially potent marketing management strategy, Journal of Strategic Marketing, No. 9, pp. 29-45.   Coviello et al 2002, How firms relate to their markets: an empirical examination of contemporary marketing practices, Journal of Marketing, [online], 66(3), Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Davis, H.A. & Chan, EKS. 2001, Facilities, [online], 19(7/8), Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Davies et al 2007, Customer Retention in the consumer Finance Industry, [online], Available from http://www.pwc.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Eriksson, K. & Vaghult, AL. 2000, Customer Retention, Purchasing Behavior and Relationship Substance in Professional Services, Industrial Marketing Management,[online], 29(4), pp. 362-372, Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Gronroos, C., 1991, The Marketing Strategy Continuum: toward a marketing concept for the 1990s, Management Decision, [online], 29(1), Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Greenberg, P. 2004, CRM at the speed of light: Customer Relationship Management, Essential Customer Strategies for the 21st Century, 3rd ed, McGraw-Hill, United States of America   Hunter 200, The 5 Types of Customer: Increase Your Loyal Customer to Increase Your Sales, [online], Canada, The New York Times Company, Available from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/customerservice/a/customertypesmh.htm, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Isaksson, K. & Suljanovic, M. 2001, Customer Retention in Service Firms: Three case studies of companies in the Transport-Logistic Industry, [online], Lulea University of Technology, Department of Business Administration and Social, Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Ovenden, A. 1995, Keep your customers happy and your competition will slowly fade away, The TQM magazine, [online], 7(1), pp. 46-49, Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com. [Accessed 2 December 2007]. Parasuraman et al 1985, a conceptual Model of service quality and its implication for future research, Journal of Marketing, [online], Vol 49, PP. 41-56, Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Passemard, D. & kleiner, B.H. 2000, Competitive advantage in global industries, Management Research News, 23(7/8), pp. 111-117.   Reichheld, FF. 1995, Loyalty and the renaissance of marketing, Marketing Management, 2(4), pp. 10-21, Available from http://www.ermeraldinsight.com, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Ro King 2004, Customer Retention Programs, [online], New York, The Alexander Group, Available from http://www.saleslobby.com/Mag/0601/FERK.asp, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   University of Aberdeen 2006, Overview of the North Sea Oil and Gas Industry: A key business training event for non-specialists, [online], UK, Available from http://www.abdn.ac.uk/northseaoverview/intor.shtml, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   Upstream 2007, E& P players plan New York firework, [online], Available from http://siteresoruces.worldbank.org/INTOGMC/Resources/cambodia_oil_gas_newsletter_1, [Accessed 2 December 2007].   World bank 2007, Introduction to Oil and Gas, [online], Available from http://siteresoruces.worldbank.org/INTOGMC/Resources/cambodia_oil_gas_newsletter_1, [Accessed 2 December 2007].     Project plan: (refer to appendix for project plan).

Final Proposal_An action plan of Customer Retention Using the distinctive Strategies of IT/IS; A Case Study of Exploration and Production in Oil & Gas Industry

PROJECT PROPOSAL Student name: Student N...

Essay Instructions : Management of Change Coursework Assignment

Management of Change Your should select one organization on which both the analysis you conduct for Coursework Assignment (50%) and End of the Module Assignment (50%) will be based. This need not be a large commercial organization, but should be one on which you can collate detailed information for your assignment. Coursework Assignment (3000 word) Due date 23 Jan 08 1)      Prepare a report for senior management of an organization of your choice acting as a consultant commenting on an organization change process. Your report should be constructed to address the following aspects: (Due date: 30 Jan-08) Diagnosis (70%) -              External Change drivers -              Internal change drivers -              Current State -              Sources of resistance -              Styles of leadership/management Prognosis (20%) Use scenario planning to envisage two alternative future states: -              A no change scenario if organization continues on current path -              A change scenario achieved through organization development Conclusion (10%) -              Identify key issue a change programme will need to address   Notes: -Read the advice in the MAP on structure to adopt in preparing management of change assignments. -Work should be no more than 3000 words (not including appendices) -In determining the correct organization state you need to select and apply appropriate concepts and models such as: l  Environmental Analysis (External Issues) l  Growth Stages (Internal Issues) l  7s framework (current state) l  Cultural Web (Current State) l  Organisational Development Diagnostic (Current States) l  Transition Curve (Sources of Resistance) l  Leadership Theories (Management Style)   -A no-change scenario should be specifically identifying risks associated with strategic drift. -A success scenario should envisage successful organizational learning and adaptation -Ensure that you provide references to acknowledge your sources, and include a bibliography at the end of your work.   MOC-Final Assignment (2500 word) due date 20 Feb 2008 2)      Prepare a report for the senior management of an organization of your choice identifying and agenda for a management of change programme. Your report should be constructed to address the following issues: (Due date: 27 Feb 08) -Prescription for change (30%)             Vision for renewed organization             Direction and Scope of change             Speed of Change -Proposed Action (70%)             Leveraging Change             Renewing System and Structure             Tailoring Culture             Overcoming Resistance             Leadership of Change             Communicating Change -Read the advice in the MAP on structure to adopt in preparing management of change assignments. -Work should be no more than 2500 words (not including appendices) -In preparing a change agenda you should select and apply appropriate models and concepts from the relevant literature, such as:             Matching Objectives and Values to business domain (renewing the vision)             Unfreezing Inertia (direction & scope)             Incremental/Transformational programmes (speed of change)             Force Field Analysis (Leveraging Change)             Organisational form (Structure/Form)             Cultural web (Tailoring Culture)             Managing Participation (Overcome Resistance)             Communication Methods (Overcome Resistance)             Leadership Styles and Methods (Overcome Resistance) -It’s possible you may select a model (e.g. culture web) used for your coursework. If you do ensure you do not duplicate work (e.g. use the web to identify a desired culture, not to map current state)   Preparation of Management of Change Assignments 1)      Both assignments are requested in a report format, which requires a clear structure, and layout and logical progression of ideas-use headings where appropriate. 2)      Your report should be prefaced with an Executive Summary in which you should state and relationship you have to your target organization. 3)      Although in a report format, your work is submitted in partial fulfillment of a degree, and should therefore contain a bibliography-all source you use also fully referenced in a consistent way. 4)      All you work will be assessed according to the following criteria: Research (30%), Analysis (30%), Evaluation (30%) and Presentation (10%) 5)      Research relates both to: l  Engagement with relevant academic literature (including beyond core essential reading and learning materials) l  Depth of information relating to chosen organization (Primary research beyond any published material) 6)      Analysis relates to your skill in selecting and applying appropriate models and concepts. NB-You will gain no marks for simply copying out materials from text without using them. 7)      Evaluation relates to the extent to which critical insights have been gained into: l  Strategic change within chosen organization l  Uses and Limitations of models and concepts l  The process of managing change development 8) Presentation refers to coherence and clarity of your report. Ensure that if you attach appendices they are relevant, and properly answered and referenced with man body of the report.

Essay Instructions : Management of Change Coursework Assignment

Management of Change Your should select one organization on which both the analysis you conduct for Coursework Assignment (50%) and End o...

Sample Analysis on the Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Women’s Advancement in Organizations: A Cross-Cultural Examination

Executive Summary             This is an essay that summarizes the journal article on a research entitled Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Women’s Advancement in Organizations: A Cross-Cultural Examination. Furthermore, in the latter part of the essay, the findings and results of the study are concisely evaluated and analyzed. Summary This journal article gives focus on the efforts of organizations to stamp out the glass ceiling phenomenon. However, due to various difficulties that working women encounter, male domination in the management level has not been fully resolved yet. One fundamental reason behind the glass ceiling phenomenon is the significant influence of the dominant gender in the shaping of an organization’s culture. More specifically, companies that are dominated by males normally possess an organizational culture that gives importance on independence, hierarchy, and top-down communication (Bajdo and Dickson, 2001, p. 399). On the other hand, organizations that are dominated by females typically have a culture that gives emphasis on allocation of authority and interpersonal relations. Hence, this journal aims to find out whether the quantity of female human resources in organizations are affected by the organizational culture, specifically with regard to power distance, humane orientation, power equity, and performance orientation. To do so, quantitative and qualitative research were performed by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Project, on 3,544 middle managers from 114 organizations— telecommunications, financial services, or food services—in 32 nations (Bajdo and Dickson, 2001, p. 399). Analysis of Findings             Based from the research, it has been found out that corporations which practice performance orientation, high humane orientation, low power distance, and high gender equity in their organizational culture are related to the advancement of women with regard to their careers (Bajdo and Dickson, 2001, p. 399). In addition, organizational values that give emphasis on high gender equity and high human orientation are likewise related to the advancement of females in their companies. Hence, the characteristics of an organization’s culture have a significant effect on the opportunities of women in management.             With regard to these findings, it is therefore important for companies all over the world to formulate an organizational culture that would cater to the needs of both men and women. More specifically, in order to attain managing diversity and eventual organizational development and success, corporations should create an organizational culture that promotes variety in thought and practice, and likewise works for all types of human resource that have diverse styles of functioning and leading (Bajdo and Dickson, 2001, p. 399).             Furthermore, it has also been found out that females are more likely to succeed in organizations that give importance on gender equity with regard to training and development opportunities. Likewise, females also have a high probability for success in companies that equally value female-oriented and male-oriented management characteristics. Therefore, change agents who aim to strengthen opportunities for females in organizations should give emphasis on gender equity as a vital and essential factor of organizational culture.           Executive Summary             This is an essay on the journal article on a research entitled The Person/Environment Dynamics of Employee Empowerment: An Organizational Culture Analysis. Furthermore, in the latter part of the essay, the findings and results of the study are concisely evaluated and analyzed. Summary             Nowadays, organizations from all over the world realize the importance of employee empowerment, or what Fawcett (1994) defines as the “process of gaining influence over events and outcomes of importance to an individual or group (as cited in Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997). One such company is called SERVE, a statewide human service organization. SERVE aims to promote the empowerment of its frontline employees, with regard to decision making and regulation formulation, through the use of the Inverted Pyramid Approach (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345).             However, certain cultural factors common to public bureaucracies collides with the employee empowerment promoted by SERVE. This, then, interferes with the company’s confidence-building efforts, which leads to suspicion and misgivings within the organization. Hence, this study’s main goal is to further assess the organizational culture features that contribute to such collision. Moreover, this research also aims to assess how, despite this collision, numerous island for employee empowerment continue to survive and thrive throughout SERVE (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345). With these objectives, the study finally aims to aid managers, for them to understand how and where empowerment programs will be most effective and applicable. In order to do so, interviews, observations, and archival data reviews were performed on the concerned human resources as SERVE. Analysis of Findings             In general, it has been found out that SERVE has two organizational cultures, namely organizational system and local site, which influence the existence of the preconditions necessary for worker empowerment (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345). To be more specific, its public bureaucratic culture possesses traits that are contradictory with the generation of a more empowering work culture, which is why some employees do not feel encouraged with their work conditions at SERVE. Conversely, other workers in the organization still perceive themselves as empowered, and these are the employees who consider themselves as human resources of two organizations—the bigger public bureaucracy and their local, organizational site (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345). The fact that SERVE inefficiently implements employee empowerment at the system level, but effectively employs worker empowerment at the site level leads to the conclusion that efforts by the grassroots may be the best source of successful empowerment endeavors in organizations (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345). Furthermore, the study also found out that when there is a sizeable power differences between the corporate leaders and the local site staff that is assimilated in the company culture, employee empowerment was unattainable (Foster-Fishman and Keys, 1997, p. 345). Alternatively, when a participatory organizational culture exists, employee empowerment is feasible. Hence, it could also be assessed that the organizational culture issues of control, power, trust, and inclusion could also influence the success of an empowerment endeavor.

Sample Analysis on the Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Women’s Advancement in Organizations: A Cross-Cultural Examination

Executive Summary This is an essay that summarizes the journal article on a research entitled Perceptions of Organizationa...

Critical Evaluation on the Concept of Marketing

Introduction             There are two marketing topics to be discussed in this paper.  The first part is a critical evaluation on the concept of marketing as taught to students on a typical marketing course.  In dealing with this, sample universities in the United Kingdom (UK) with marketing courses are used: namely, Lancaster University (LU), University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and University of Lincoln (UL).  In the second part, the importance of being a market-led organization in producing and implementing marketing plans will be discussed.       The Concept of Marketing in (UK) Classroom Situations             Generally, the three universities have similar teaching methods which include lectures, tutorials, simulation, role playing, case analysis and live marketing research ().  With this, they are using partnership approach in teaching ( 2002 ).  In lectures and tutorials, teachers are the center of learning with minimal recourse to student’s motivation while the later coursework are provided for students to express their own interests not on general terms but on specific marketing exercises.  Due to this, this teaching mode suggests that marketing is a social science and a discipline that is also being influenced by other social sciences like economics, psychology, philosophy and management (2003).    There is less need to apply intensive teacher-centered approaches because there is not enough collection of exact cause-effect relationships between marketing strategies and customer responses.  Teachers are not in the position to provide an “enclosed” discussion where their expertise and experience can strictly apply.  Loopholes in such teaching method can be eminent and questioned.  Due to lack of scientific basis rather market research which is affected by numerous factors, the teacher has to give independence to students on how the latter can identify the most significant factors throughout market conditions.  If any, teacher-centered approaches can be most effective when instilling marketing theories and concepts which will form the framework for student’s coursework selection.                              For example, market data can change over time due to changes in population demographics or economic situation.  If students are fixed to learn under strict conditions of lectures and tutorials, their creativity to solve marketing problems that arise with market dynamism may not be fully-developed.  Perhaps, they will rely on theories whose effectiveness is eclipsed by historical as well as abrupt market developments.  However, through simulation and live research, their reactive problem-solving skills can be polished through the direction of real business environment.  Further, as they rationalize marketing concepts and teacher discussions using the lens of market current reality, they can widen their pro-active abilities which can aid in formulating marketing strategies later.               In addition, the annual progress of the marketing courses of these universities is exemplified by an inverted pyramid ( ). This is because at the first year of the course, students are exposed to foundations of marketing which includes theories, principles and their connections to other business-related functions such as management, accounting, law, economics, etc.  As mentioned earlier, they are equipped with the framework for initial market analysis which is polished as they go through the course.  In effect, their prospectus embodies a favorable way for students to improve their long-term memory (LTM) and retrieve past knowledge or experiences through meaningful learning ( 2000).  As LTM is like an organized closet which specifically classifies shirts to pants ( ), initial exposure to theories will build the necessary closet for students to easily grasp, store and retrieve succeeding marketing learning.                For the three universities, the first year implies a marketing concept under the managerial school of marketing of 1950s (2003).  This concept views marketing as the job of a manager.  Since management responsibility highly involves conceptual ability or seeing the whole picture, the first year concerns for wider concept of marketing (in UCLAN), alerting to marketing (in LU) and marketing in context (in UL) are synonymously conceding to the significance of managerial outlook to the course.  On the second year, the three universities are basically in chorus to introduce operational tasks under marketing.  They are offering lectures and simulation in the topics covering consumer behavior (LU), buyer behavior (UCLAN), product development (UL) and other specific marketing disciplines.  In this setting, the concept of marketing under schools of thought from post-1950s onwards are covered which include buyer behavior of , social exchange by and service excellence by (2003 ).               In the third year, which is the last year of the course (except for UL that offers optional work experience adding one year in the prospectus), the operational/ specific nature of the second year is infused in strategic setting.  The third year is generally characterized by dissertation writing.  As students are exposed to live research in their second year, it is conceded that they have enough rationalized tools in preparing meaningful and substantial dissertations.  The concept of strategic marketing is introduced.  This phase of the course necessitates students to prove that they already have enough rationalized tools for analysis as they undergone the second year (operational/ application) that eventually enforces/ redefine the first year (theories).  Without this growth, students may not know when to use several approaches in formulating strategy such as rational (model-based)), flexible (scenario planning), creative (imaginative planning), behavioral (people-based) and incremental (improvement-based) ( 2000).  Due to this, the final year is the ultimate evaluation test for students if considerable learning and understanding about marketing theories and realities become part of the LTM.                      In comparison, on the other hand, these universities also have course specific deviations from one to another making their marketing courses distinct.  In terms of geographical emphasis to customer needs, UL has greater international focus due to the inclusion of exporting and international marketing strategy in its course ().  This makes marketing concept more complex as customer behavior are affected by different macro-, micro- and global factors.  In contrary, this can also improve the tolerance base of students to consider marketing issues in a more detailed and careful analysis.  Unlike LU in which the focus is a general pursuit for customer satisfaction and UCLAN in searching and serving “real” customers (), UL course limits the effectiveness and workability of marketing concepts within a certain locale in which sharing of environmental and social influences including the nature of industries are considered.               However, UCLAN has its own way to brief students in the importance of international marketing and adaptability of strategies.  In the second year, students have an option to spend their operational learning in other European countries ( ).  Although regional rather international exposure is involved, conversing alongside marketers and spending time under consultancy type scenarios make the endeavor to have simulation and practicing environments at the same time.  In addition, unlike other universities like LU that assesses students by at least 50% on examinations (), UCLAN puts no weighing on exams rather results of research papers, presentations and other simulation activities ().  In doing so, UCLAN effectively administers the inverted pyramid type of teaching in which specific/ experiential/ dynamic knowledge are encouraged to rationalize marketing theories and concepts.  This is confirmed by the fact that UCLAN course seemingly is learner-centered because students are given the opportunity to choose to study in other European countries and aspects that they want to be developed whether to an entrepreneur or pursue a career (second year) or choice to be a strategic marketer or specialized one (third year) ().   Conclusion             In summary, the concept of marketing as taught to students in a typical (UK) marketing course is basically described as customer-driven.  The way how universities encourage students to actively participate in actual and practical marketing conditions ultimately leads to a state of dynamic thinking.  The undermining of theories in the later stages of the course also serves as evidence to accept that all teaching strategies, student independence and course progression are intended for students not only to continuously innovate, but more importantly, to angle such innovation in relation to complexities and ever-changing aspects of customer behavior.  The lack of science in marketing is a disincentive for students to passive learning but an incentive to actively impart solutions in what they view is appropriate based from real-life experience, theoretical background and conceptual abilities.  This is why sample universities are teaching effectively under similar course characteristics while varying aspects of their prospectus imply that some are devising ways to boost dynamic thinking.   The Importance of a Market-Orientation in Accomplishing Marketing Plans             According to  (2006), a marketing plan is a highly detailed and heavily researched document.  On the other hand, an organization that intends to produce a plan could be constrained by time, manpower and funding due to the urgency of satisfying customer needs.  In general, this is where the first advantage of being a market-led organization can be seen.  It makes the plan writer/ researcher to focus his attention to the ultimate indicator of marketing factors which is the consumer themselves.  By doing so, the analysis of PESTEL and five forces can be approached with emphasis on key and relevant issues.  The writer can simplify the task.               Most common external issues to be researched would be changes in wage and tax levels (for consumers) or interest rates and industry indicators (for business customers).  Basically, the plan can undermine political, technological and environmental factors except for revolutionary incidences like an corporate oil spill or change in presidency.  Nevertheless, extensive research would likewise not necessary because such occurrences tend to be obvious to all competitors which makes the market knowledge mere industry adjustments and not a value-creating strategy.  With regards to a broader spectrum of customers under social factors, changes in preferences or demographics can be easily understood through a market-led plan preventing redundancy and adopting segmentation strategy.                                         With regards to five forces, activities of potential and current competitors are indirectly resolved within acceptable level in the entire industry markets and within valuable level in specific target markets.  This is possible as market-orientation makes the firm strategies aligned with the requirements of the market as well as attracting/ keeping valuable customers (2003 ).  Due to this, even though the firm is less knowledgeable on the actions of competitors, due to niche marketing it is able to keep its customers.  Alternatively, it will be able to understand the significance and impact of such actions depending on the movements of customer demand and status of market base.  As an example, the inability of Ford models to address the need of customers for extra door cost it $560 million to rectify advantages lost to  ().  The adverse effects of customer shift due to innovation is proved to be costly not solely indicative of competitor action but more significantly on customer response.               Further, as market-orientation is the key in defining the operation of the business (2000 ), the purpose, mission and internal analysis parts of the marketing plan are made consistent to what the organization is capable of doing.  In comparing a product- versus market-led description of the nature of business, the “we run an airline” tagline of the former is expanded to “we transport people and their goods anywhere in the world” by the latter.  As observed, the succeeding statement is more particular in highlighting the capabilities of the firm and suggesting where it positions its competitive advantage.  The preceding, however, sounds less valuable and differentiable to customers due to its generalization and standardization implications.  In this respect, the affected initial and core parts of the plan tends to be straightforward that can immediately call for corporate or departmental attention.               As the plan basically involves market and product compatibility, the inability to satisfy customer needs by the available offerings would only result to a futile strategy, tactics and budgeting.  The weakness tends to be contagious since products are not adjusted to the market or vice versa.  However, when a firm is market-oriented, it can easily identify and act in terms of the difference of B2B and B2C relationships (2003 ).  This inclination has critical role in rationalizing (if not, classifying) effective programs relating to four Ps of marketing.  For example, B2C relationships emphasize more of the pricing aspect of the product (except for high-end, specialty ones) while B2B is on informative nature in promotions.  With such distinction, the plan can avoid misleading analysis and proposals.  For example, there is a statement on the plan that relationship marketing is important to a certain program success.  As B2B largely depends on personal relations not on well-defined product features in B2C, market-led cognition makes the firm aware on the extent of the program and its impact to individual as well as group customers including the associated costs and benefits.                                                On the verge of plan approval, funding requirements to the plan proposals are also resolved by a market-led organization.  Since market-orientation gives the firm the ability to align vertical functions and horizontal processes (2003), the plan is basically prepared under the conditions of value-creating and cost-saving framework.  This is because when the value chain is made lean but mean, it develops integrated links where knowledge can be shared, quality is standardized and inefficient associate is improved.  On the other hand, similar chains can achieve economies of scale when processes are done in a coordinating manner.  Operational defects, wastes and mediocrity are resolved in a choral manner.  The motivation to do so come from the awareness of every organizational member that the end-result of what they do is intended to satisfy customer needs, boost sales and receive benefits from result outcomes.  This scenario makes the market-led plan financially and strategically feasible.               At the tip of the discussion, the post-approval and implementation strengths of the plan are still unknown.  However, it should be clear that the ability of a market-led organization to make the plan simple, straightforward, consistent with organizational competencies and efficient to funding makes the plan effective in the implementation stage as it provides managerial ease to discover SWOT and organizational stance to the validity of the plan.  This not only makes the plan time and financially conscious but more importantly avoids the resistance to changes that would result to implementation on managerial and staff levels.  With a comprehensive plan, it obtains flexibility to allow contingent actions to dominate in the tactical aspects.  It also alters the possibility for the firm to end up in situations being “oblivious to market”, “customer compelled” or “ignoring the customer” ( 2003 ) as it is prepared with relevant and updated market data on hand.  Finally, it saves the firm from being risk-averse due to overly researched conditions of the environment, industry and the entire market.           Conclusion             The organization derives methodological incentives for being market-driven in producing and implementing marketing plans.  However, the extent of the importance being in such cognition is affected by several factors such as the industry the firm belongs (high-end or low-end), product life cycles (highly innovative or commodity-type), among others.  For example, market-orientation in preparing/ executing plans can be more suited in specialty products where customers have already employ loyalty.  This results from high switching cost to change brands enabling the plan to address questions of simplicity by undermining external analysis.  This is because the customer, although affected with economic factors or new competitor offerings, cannot easily shift brands due to experiential and emotional attachment with the current brand.  The firm can focus the bulk of the plan towards product improvement which is more controllable and measurable than external improvements which are hardly possible.

Critical Evaluation on the Concept of Marketing

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