Black Reconstruction Essays - Reconstruction Era, United States

Black Reconstruction The true significance of slavery in the United States to the whole social development of America, lay in the ultimate relation of slaves to democracy. What were to be the limits of democratic control in the United State? If all labor, black as well as white, became free, were given schools and the right to vote, what control could or should be set to the power and action of these laborers? Was the rule of the mass of Americans to be unlimited, and the right to rule extended to all men, regardless of race and color, or if not, what power of dictatorship would rule, and how would property and privilege be protected? (184) This was the dilemma facing the Northern bourgeoisie in the face of the audacious lawlessness of the South. Northern industrialists had their own reasons for pursuing civil war with the South. They looked upon free Negro labor as a source of profit, and considered freedom, that is, a legal doing away with individual physical control all, that the Negroes or their friends could ask. They did not want for Negro labor any special protection or political power or capital, any more than they wanted this for Irish, German, or Scandinavian labor in the North . When, however, the South went beyond reason and truculently demanded not simply its old political power but increased political power based on disfranchised Negroes, which it openly threatened to use for the revision of the tariff, for the repudiation of the national debt, for disestablishing the national banks, and for putting the new corporate form of industry under strict state regulation and rule, Northern industry was frightened and began to move towards the stand which abolition-democracy had already taken; namely, temporary dictatorship, endowed Negro education, legal civil rights, and eventually even votes for Negroes to offset the Southern threat of economic attack. In the Republican Party, both Radical Republicans as well as pragmatic industrialists struggled for control of the party. Eric Foner describes the Radical Republicans as " a self-conscious political generation with a common set of experiences and commitments, a grass-roots constituency, a moral sensibility, and a program for Reconstruction. Radicals had long insisted that slavery and the rights of Blacks must take precedence over other political questions. " 8 These radicals, or in Du Bois ' s words the " abolition-democracy, " took the reins of the Reconstruction process and dashed to the left. Stevens and Sumner led the charge. The pursuit of a Radical Reconstruction reflected these priorities. Congress quickly took three actions to protect the rights of Southern Blacks. Drafting the Fourteenth Amendment as a way to guarantee the r ights of freedmen as citizens. This was necessary because the 1857 Dred Scott decision ruled that Blacks were " property not people. " Moreover, without the rights of citizenship there would be no way for Blacks to protect themselves from the excesses of racist state governments. Congress moved to extend the life of the Freedmen ' s Bureau. The Freedmen ' s Bureau was an agency in the South meant to advocate for newly freed slaves in the transition from slavery to freedom. The Bureau was charged with establishing schools, dividing the confiscated land of Confederate planters, supervising contracts between Black freedmen and their landlords, and mediating other disputes. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Under its provisions ex-slaves became citizens who enjoyed " the full and equal benefits of all laws. " The bill gave federal courts the power to intervene when state and local governments denied full protection of the law. Andrew Johnson, of course, vetoed all of this legislation. But his actions only angered moderate Republicans and pushed them toward the Radicals, giving the Radicals the two-thirds majority needed to overturn a presidential veto. Johnson became more vitriolic in his race hatred and openly campaigned with Democrats to undo all civil rights legislation. This only led to his intense political isolation, resulting in a landslide electoral victory for Republicans in the fall of 1866 helping to usher in Radical Reconstruction. The radicals tied Black suffrage to Reconstruction. Before Congress, Sumner persuasively argued, Without their votes we cannot establish stable governments in

Beowolf and Jesse Ventura essays

Beowolf and Jesse Ventura essays Beowulf and Governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota have many similarities and differences. They are both thought of as heros. Jesse Ventura is a self-created political figure and Beowulf was a made up legend. Jesse Ventura won as a third party candidate for the governor of Minnesota and Beowulf defeated Grendel in a battle, which were two incredible accomplishments. Jesse Ventura and Beowulf are also two very un-modest heros, and they speak their minds. They are both thought of as heros, though they came from different time periods and led totally different lives. Jesse Ventura was a navy SEAL, a movie actor, and a professional wrestler. He created his image to be a larger-than-life warrior type. He worked hard, running as a third party candidate for the governor of Minnesota and won. Beowulf was a made up legend who had super-human qualities. During the Dark Ages Beowulf was an epic that was told by the Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf was brave enough to fight Grendel with his bare hands and the author tells us that Grendel: Saw that his strength was deserting him, his claw Bound fast, Higlac's brave follower tearing at His hands. The monster's hatred rose higher, But his power had gone. He twisted in pain, And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder Snapped, muscle and bone split And broke. The battle was over, Beowulf Had been granted new glory. (P. 21, ln 102-110) Jesse Ventura was a wrestler, but he never harmed his opponent as badly as Beowulf did. Both Beowulf and Jesse Ventura were strong, champion-like figures. Jesse Ventura ran as a third party candidate for the governor of Minnesota even though most third party candidates don't have a chance. Democrats and Republicans have been known to exclude third party candidates from debates. Third party nominees have to make due with less press attention and money. When they do receive...

As She's Walking Away Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

As She's Walking Away - Essay Example The title of the song â€Å"As She’s Walking Away† reflects a song that is inspired by a woman who is walking away from a man in a particular setting that is yet to be determined, but will be determined by the song’s lyrics. From the title, one can gather that it was one of those circumstances where a man saw or was with an attractive woman and something happened that made her to walk away. In order to determine the meaning of the song, one needs to delve into the details of the song’s lyrics. The opening lyrics reveal that the man and woman in this song had never met before and that they were in a room where they could see each other face to face. However, the man seems not to have enough courage to walk over and talk to her. The man admits not to know her name and he blames it to his foolish pride. The meaning of the song is further revealed as one continues to listen to the song. Now that the man has not had guts to walk over and talk to this pretty wom an that he has admired, the woman is walking away as he claims to be falling in love with her. In the chorus of the song, the man admits to the fact that he has lost the battle of approaching this woman because his heart would not tell his mind to tell his mouth what to say to this woman. However, he encourages himself that he lives to fight another day. Subsequent lyrics provides a picture of where the setting is; it suggests it is a bar â€Å"†¦ask her to dance (Go on son).† The man recalls a wise man next to him saying to him about the woman who got away and how he missed his chance. The wise man then advises him not to let regret happen of the dream he has to chase. The further meaning of the song can be obtained as one continues listening to the song and internalizing the content of its lyrics. The song becomes more inspirational as it goes on; it acknowledges that one might fall down on his face but this should not dampen their spirits, but rather it should be the moment of rolling the dice and having some faith. In the second chorus, the song presents an impression that a man should not be falling in love while a woman is walking away because the heart would not tell the mind to tell the mouth what it should say. It calls against falling in love with a woman while she is walking away because a man might fall down on his face. It is for this reason that a man should roll the dice and have some faith about the circumstances. The song concludes by blending the first and the second choruses. It reiterates the need for a man not to fall in love as the woman walks away. It appreciates the fact that the heart would not tell a man’s mind to tell his mouth what it should. It inspires the man that while he may have lost this particular battle, he still lives to fight another day. For emphasis purposes, the song ends by saying that a man should not fall in love as the woman is walking away. The end gives the closing sentiments of the song by rei terating that regardless of the fact that she might walk away, a man should not fall in love because this may let regret take place and that a man might fall down on his face as a result. This song reflects on situations of human life where people get certain chances and fail to take advantage of them and in the process miss those very important opportunities. From the song it can be gathered that because of lack of courage on the part of the man, he was unable to walk over to the pretty woman and

Campbell,mare,and walker study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Campbell,mare,and walker study - Essay Example They feel that more research is needed on the subject. The industrial and internet revolution is continuously creating profound changes in the ethnic areas. There is nothing is fixed about it. The processes of changes, the making and unmaking are ongoing processes.. Ethnic issue needs to be viewed from two contexts. The personal aspect as applicable to the day to day lives as well as the ethnic context exploitation by the politicians, for their vote-bank politics. Campbell etc. found that a strong sense of Zulu as for the personal lives prevailed. The crisis of identify is found in every community on account of rapidity of social change and Zulu community is no exception, the authors point out. The younger generation, especially moves with the social changes, adopts and amenable to modification on account of university education, migration to the cities, inter-community marriages, and several such factors. Fundamental changes are seen in the traditional society. Old family values are rapidly disintegrating. The transition from the joint families to nuclear family also has deep impact on the overall structure of the Zulu ethnic community. The area of survey/research has been cleverly selected by Campbell etc. The majority of the people were adult workers who lived in the outskirts of Durban, twelve men and twelve women, between the age group of twenty and late fifty. They were unskilled or semi-skilled workers. The authors specifically targeted them as they would have been exposed to a wide range of experiences, during their interaction with other workers, involvement in trade union issues, marriage, and education of children—that is to say, they would have been tested on the ethnic identity from every angle. Their education level varied considerably, there was a B.A. Degree holder on the one end, some of them had not entered the portal beyond that of a primary school! Most of them had incomplete

Communication excellence using technology in the work place Essay

Communication excellence using technology in the work place - Essay Example For instance, through the communication technology, services such as video conferencing are essential in revolutionizing the workplace Hinchcliffe (2014). Video conferencing allows for activities such as distance online meetings in which the leadership makes plans over their worker and manages its activities. Another role of technology within the workplace is its utilization for the procedures of communication between the workers and customers of the business or organization, as well as, the leadership at the workplace. By using technology for communication, the workplace relations between the customers, workers and leadership receive a significant boost. Thus, technology plays a remarkably essential role in the process of the workplace establishing its relations with the customers. Moreover, with better communication technology in use between the workplace and the customer base, technology facilitates better customer care services in the organization Hinchcliffe (2014). Thus, technology has a role in establishing and improving the customer care service within the workplace for the advantage of the workplace, as well as, the workers dealing directly with clients. Another notable role of technology in the workplace is the aspect of mobility while at work. Technology entails several aspects, which are mobile and allow mobility Hinchcliffe (2014). Such technological services allowing mobility at workplace include the utilization of portable devices such as the smartphones, tablets and laptops among others. These devices allow workers to work even from the comfort of their homes, a factor that influences the mobility within the workplace. This mobility results in improved service delivery as the worker capitalizes on the aspect of time saving. Additionally, the use of technology within the workplace increases the pace of accomplishing tasks. Technology incorporates the aspect of speed a factor that most organizations consider while selecting the

Customers Satisfaction Services

Customers Satisfaction Services INTRODUCTION Organizations have been increasingly interested in retaining existing customers while targeting non-customers; measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products. Because satisfaction is basically a psychological state, care should be taken in the effort of quantitative measurement, although a large quantity of research in this area has recently been developed. Work done by Berry, Brodeur between 1990 and 1998(1) defined ten Quality Values which influence satisfaction behavior, further expanded by Berry in 2002 and known as the ten domains of satisfaction. These ten domains of satisfaction include: Quality, Value, Timeliness, Efficiency, Ease of Access, Environment, Inter-departmental Teamwork, Front line Service Behaviors, Commitment to the Customer and Innovation. These factors are emphasized for continuous improvement and organizational change measurement and are most often utilized to develop the architecture for satisfaction measurement as an integrated model. Work done by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry between 1985 and 1988 provides the basis for the measurement of customer satisfaction with a service by using the gap between the custom ers expectation of performance and their perceived experience of performance. This provides the measurer with a satisfaction gap which is objective and quantitative in nature. Work done by Cronin and Taylor propose the confirmation/disconfirmation theory of combining the gap described by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry as two different measures (perception and expectation of performance) into a single measurement of performance according to expectation. According to Garbrand, customer satisfaction equals perception of performance divided by expectation of performance. The usual measures of customer satisfaction involve a survey (2) with a set of statements using a Likert Technique or scale. The customer is asked to evaluate each statement and in term of their perception and expectation of the performance of the organisation being measured. To efficiently deal with customer satisfaction, coordination of all departments of a company, from the marketing to the human resources, operations and financial departments is not only critical, but they should also be involved in the process. The aim of this report is to reflect on the customer satisfaction in all the processes and operations at the NIKE, Inc. The focus will be on the numerous systems and activities set up by the company to meet overall customer satisfaction. However, it would be of great relevance to firstly investigate who is a customer in general and what is the nature of customer service. A literature review on customer satisfaction and an assessment of the business environment will then follow. Secondly, an analysis of customer satisfaction through the various processes and systems established at the NIKE, Inc. will be undertaken. In a third chapter, an evaluation of customer satisfaction at the BMW Group in relation to the theories will be carried out. Finally, a conclusion and recommendations will follow. Company Background Nikes Heritage NIKE, pronounced NI-KEY, is the winged goddess of victory according to Greek mythology. She sat at the side of Zeus, the ruler of the Olympic pantheon, in Olympus. A mystical presence, symbolizing victorious encounters, NIKE presided over historys earliest battlefields. A Greek would say, When we go to battle and win, we say it is NIKE. Synonymous with honored conquest, NIKE is the twentieth century footwear that lifts the worlds greatest athletes to new levels of mastery and achievement. The NIKE swoosh embodies the spirit of the winged goddess who inspired the most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) The Swoosh The SWOOSH logo is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00. In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) History Nike was founded in the year of 1968 by Philip H. Knight, who is currently the Owner, Chairman, and CEO of the company.   Phil Knight completed his education from the University of Oregon and the Stanford Business School by 1962, (Moore, 128).   As an aspiring young business man, he decided to travel to Japan and speak to the president of Tiger shoes.   He presented himself as an American distributor of athletic equipment when he actually had nothing.   He was pretty sneaky, however, he got what he wanted and began selling running shoes under the name of Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Once he became bored with selling shoes at sporting events from the back of his truck, he began producing his own athletic apparel, (nike/history.htm).   He renamed his so-called company Nike and hoped for the best to happen.   Within the first year, he sold $8000.00 worth of shoes and only received a $250.00 profit, (nike/history.htm).   After some time, Knight turned to his old coach from sch ool, Bill Bowerman, for advice on what to do next.   Phil Knight wanted Nike to stand out above the rest.   Once Bill Bowerman came up with the idea for having traction on the bottom of shoes, Nike had finally made its mark, (nike/history.htm).   The Nike Waffle Trainer stood out and made Nike the most unique shoe company of the 1970s.    By the year of 1979, Nike was the most well-known shoe company in the world.   They no longer just sold shoes but sporting equipment as well.   However, the joy of being on top came crashing down when Reebok surpassed Nike with the aerobic phase in athletics.   In order to maintain the reputation of Nike, the worlds best shoe corporation, Nike struck back by diversifying their shoes for different kinds of sports activities.   Nike continued to rise in success throughout its prosperity by signing famous sports players ( ex. Michael Jordan) and using intelligent advertising tactics, (nike/history.htm).   Today, Nike is a four billio n dollar business that has had its ups and downs.   As of now, Nike is having difficulties with the publicity it is receiving about its labor practices in China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Chapter 1: Theoretical aspects of customer satisfaction 1. The concept of customer in general A customer refers to individuals or households that purchase goods and services generated within the economy. The word historically derives from custom, meaning habit; a customer was someone who frequented a particular shop, who made it a habit to purchase goods there, and with whom the shopkeeper had to maintain a relationship to keep his or her custom, meaning expected purchases in the future. Customer needs may be defined as the goods or services a customer requires to achieve specific goals. Different needs are of varying importance to the customer. Customer expectations are influenced by cultural values, advertising, marketing, and other communications, both with the supplier and with other sources. Both customer needs and expectations may be determined through interviews, surveys, conversations, data mining or other methods of collecting information. Customers at times do not have a clear understanding of their needs. Assisting in determining needs can be a valuable service to the customer. In the process, expectations may be set or adjusted to correspond to known product capabilities or service. 1.1 Customer Service Customers are the essential to the business. Basically, the business makes profit from the product sales, so it depends how many customers purchase the companys products. Recently, most of firms are not only to focus their products decoration and price, but also pay attention to the those customer whom buy the products. For instance: listen with understanding, ask questions, apologize, take fair and corrective action and remain courteous to the customers.The profit of a business increase markedly the more loyal, long-standing customers it has. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent service to attract and keep the customer. To begin with, a customer who is a person or business buying goods or services from another. And the customer service is helping and supporting the customer before, during and after they purchase the product. Normally, the customers can be broken into to two types categories: external and internal. External customers are who buy goods or services that are not employed by or combined with the business selling the goods or providing the service. Internal customers which means the people within an organization to whom work is passed or to whim a service provided. The four basic aims for the customers are, what they want, when they want, where there want it and what price they willing to pay. Nowadays, the customers service is quite important to a firm, because of the following reasons. First one is to make the business profitable; of course, it is most important principle to a firm. The second reason, it is differentiation with other competitors. In a market, may be have many of firms produce the products almost the same style, same quality and same price. Hence, the customers might depends the which firms can be provided good service, and this can be helped them to make a decision to buy which brand of product. Beside that above two reasons, if the company provides the excellent services to the customer, who will come back. This is the key for a firm to live longer in a competition market. How many customers will do â€Å"repeat business† with company according to how better services they can obtain. Lastly, as the similar reason with second one, which is increasing competition in the market. Especially, currently most of Mutil-company joining into the domestic e conomic, therefore, the firms really needs to keep their good customer service that not going to be eliminated by the market. Customer services are so crucial to any company, hence, there have some ways that to provide an excellent customer service. First of all, responding any questions from customers. Whatever from the customer calls, E-mail and letters. Customers have higher requirement of response time. If the customer will not be answered quickly, they may think that they are not important and have been ignored; and start to move to other company. One example, like UGR company, we have three groups each week and many sales people to do the same job, which is responding the customers E-mails or letters. However, due to the improper manage, lots of letters and E-mails response to one customer too many times, in contrast, other customers have been ignored. As a result, the company will lose the business with those customers. Secondly, understanding the customers need, such as satisfy customers emotional satisfaction. There are 4 main points that the enterprise should achieve to satisfy customers emotional needs. Fist one is making the customers feel to be understood. This depends on the communication between the company and clients, like a good listener, it lets the customer feel nothing is hindering between their and the company. The second one is to feel welcome. They like to feel that you are happy to see them and that they are important to you. Welcome delivery the image about that the company is happy to see them to the customer. Then the customers need to feel to be important. Ensuring that every customer feels that they are attached importance. To feel important can increase the goods that are consumed by every customer, because they feel the company respects them. Finally, the company should supply a comfort environment to the customer, such as good decoration, a nice music, some soft seats to si t and cup of drinks. All of these images not only make the customers have a happy mood, but also give them a feeling of that the company can take care them properly. To be a great people is other point. For example, speak to people, smile, be friendly and helpful, call people by name, enjoy yourself, be genuine ,be considerate, be thoughtful, be willing and be generous. Sometimes, I do not want to buy something from shop, however, the staffs make me feel they are polite and have a beautiful smile. Therefore, I change my mind to buy something. The other point is listening and communication with your workers. A good leader who is always concerns their employees thinking. Workers to understand that their own well-being is affected by providing good customer service. For example, I had a part-time job before, which is selling the earrings and necklaces. In the first few weeks, my boss just told me try to sell them as much as you can, but she did not taught me how to do. Later, I told her I do not how to describe the feature about each style and she taught me how to say, at the end, I sold many products. Hence, the communication is quite important between the boss and work. Lastly, the enterprise attempts to reducing high product in order to reduce the loss in the business. The enterprise needs concern the household in the whole economy. Most of people cannot afford the high price. Therefore, for the firms might be lost some customers that affect the profit into the business. For instance, if I am going to buy a laptop, the first thing I see the price then its function. I think not too many people can afford high price whether it has high-tech. So, the company might be lost that kind of customer who really cares about the price. In conclusion, the keys of keep a high customer loyalty is to provide the service that could satisfy the customers wants, needs and use proper attitude. However, it is the most important to understand that to deliver the excellent service makes more profit to the business. 1.2. SWOT and PEST analyses of the business environment 1.2.1. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis summarizes the key issues from an analysis of the business environment and the strategic capability of an organization. The main objectives of conducting SWOT analysis is to identify the extent to which the current strategy of an organization and its more specific strength and weaknesses are relevant to, and capable of, dealing with the changes taking place in the business environment. It also uses to assess whether there are opportunities to exploit further the unique resources or core competence of organization. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Strengths are internal characteristic that has the potential of improving the organizations competitive situation. Every organization has some strength. A strength could be: * A new product or service * New machinery or equipment. * Strong market share. * Strong financial. * Specialist Hardware and Software expertise. Weaknesses Weaknesses are an internal characteristics that leaves the organization potentially vulnerable to strategic moves by competitors. Every organization also has some weakness. A weakness could be: * Poor reputation. * Lack of marketing strategies. * Location of the business in respect of the market-place. * Poor after-sales service record. Opportunities Opportunities are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for improving an organizations situation relative to competitors. All organizations have some opportunities that they can gain from. These could range from diversification to sale of operations. An opportunity could be: * A new or developing market. * Possibility of purchasing an effective competitor. * Government grants offered for new market development. The possibility of cheaper raw materials. Threats Threats are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for undermining an organizations competitive situation. No organization is exceptional to threats. These could be internal, such as falling productivity. Or they could be external, such as lower priced international competition. A threat could be: * Competitors developing new products or services. * Extra competitors in the main market area. * High bargaining power of suppliers. * Taxation is introduced on the products or services 1.2.2. PEST Analysis A PEST analysis, as defined by David Lines et al is Political, Economical, Social and Technological analysis, a means of analysing the external factors that may present opportunities or threats to a business.'(David Lines et al, 2004:p212 ). It is also known as PESTEL analysis when Environmental and Legal factors are included. It is used to identify external factors which may affect a company. (http://www.marketing-intelligence.co.uk/help/QA/question24.htm) The political factors PEST looks at include government stability, taxation policy, foreign trade regulations and social welfare policies. Foreign trade regulations in particular are important for an organisation planning on opening up in a different country or trading with a different country as their laws may differ from those the organisation already employs. Economical factors include business cycles, interest rates, money supply, inflation, unemployment and disposable income. An organisation planning on breaking into a new market would be well advised to look at the economical factors that may affect their proposed business plans, such as market trends and consumer patterns. Sociocultural factors, such as population demographics, social mobility, lifestyle changes, consumerism and levels of education, should also be monitored closely, and example being the tobacco industry. With people becoming more health conscious and with social pressures on smokers growing in western countries the sales of tobacco have been adversely affected in this market. Anti smoking campaigns, restrictions on advertising and packaging and the banning of smoking in most public places, as well as heavy taxes and court cases, have led tobacco companies to concentrate their marketing efforts mainly on the developing world.(Gerry Johnson and Kevan Scholes, 2002) Technological factors include new discoveries, speed of technological transfer, government spending on research and rates of obsolescence. These are important factors to watch, especially for people in the hi-technology industry which changes constantly. For example in the mobile phones industry new models with bigger memory, new extras and applications and other technological advances have replaced the original mobile. A mobile phone is no longer just a mobile phone but a computer, diary, calendar, and in some cases office. With new models coming out almost every month it is important the mobile phone companies keep up with current trends to ensure their mobiles do not become obsolete. 1.3. Service/ Product quality In its broadest sense, quality is a degree of excellence: the extent to which something is fit for its purpose. In the narrow sense, product or service quality is defined as conformance with requirement, freedom from defects or contamination, or simply a degree of customer satisfaction. In quality management, quality is defined as the totality of characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs. Quality is also rapidly embracing the nature or degree of impact an organisation has on its stakeholders, environment and society. Meeting requirements Specifications are an imprecise means of conveying subjective aspects not everything can be reduced to figures or measurable characteristics. For instance, the characteristics of friendliness or courtesy in a service industry are difficult to measure reliably and repeatedly. Therefore, conformance to requirements is not necessarily all there is to achieving quality. Quality is a result Quality is the result of a comparison between what was required and what was provided. It is judged not by the producer but by the receiver. The judgement can be made of an intention, as is the case when selecting suppliers, or an output, as is the case when purchasing a product or service. Customer satisfaction The only true measure of acceptable quality is customer satisfaction, which takes into account both objective and subjective interpretations of the needs and expectations of customers. If customers are satisfied with the products and services offered, the organisation has not only correctly interpreted customer needs and expectations but it is also providing products and services of acceptable quality. Changing customer perceptions Customer needs and expectations are constantly changing. Awareness of new technology, legislation, problems, competitor products or services creates new wants for customers. Wants turn into demands when these customers begin their next purchase. Therefore, it is vital for organisations to constantly improve quality so that satisfied customers are retained as well as created. Quality and value Value is not a price tag but a measure of the benefits derived from a product or service for what is given in return. A product may well meet physical and functional requirements but be overpriced when compared to others of the same class and grade. Alternatively, the same product may be on offer at another store for 50 per cent less, indicating exceedingly good value for money. In an effort to reduce costs, some organisations have forgotten that it is the quality of the complete transaction that counts. Getting product quality right while ignoring the human relationship between customer and supplier will not lead to satisfied customers. What quality is not? Quality is not perfection, a standard, a procedure, a measure or an adjective. No amount of inspection changes the quality of a product or service. Quality does not exist in isolation there has to be an entity, the quality of which is being discussed. Quality is not a specific characteristic of an entity but the extent to which that characteristic meets certain needs. The value of the characteristic is unimportant it is how its value compares with customer needs that signifies its quality. Why should an organisation be interested in quality? Every business exists not to make a profit, as many would have us believe, but to create and retain satisfied customers. A business would have no profits if it failed to create and retain satisfied customers. Providing products and services which meet customer needs and expectations creates satisfied customers. Anticipating future needs and expectations retains satisfied customers. Therefore, quality is vital to the survival of every enterprise. What does quality apply to? Every product, service, process, task, action, decision can either be acceptable or unacceptable. Hence, there is an intrinsic quality in everything that an organisation does. Everyone must pay attention to quality, from the chief executive to the shopfloor across all functions in an enterprise. It is as important for support staff to pay attention to quality as production staff. Who is responsible for quality? One can only be responsible for doing something relative to quality. Hence a person can be responsible for: specifying quality requirements achieving quality requirements determining the quality of something Assigning responsibility means giving a person the right to cause things to happen and with this right should be delegated the authority to control the processes which deliver the output the quality of which the person is responsible for. One manager cannot be made responsible for quality within an organisation unless that manager is the CEO. All a specialist manager such as a Quality Manager can do it is to enable others to achieve quality by providing encouragement, leadership, training, tools, techniques and performance data. However, it is important for someone in the business to give leadership and results on quality performance and this person needs special knowledge and skills. How can quality be achieved? Several methods have evolved to achieve, sustain and improve quality. They are known as quality control, quality improvement and quality assurance collectively known as quality management. Quality management is not the preserve of one manager but of all managers. Quality is achieved through a chain of processes, each of which has to be under control and subject to continual improvement. The chain starts with top management expressing a firm commitment to quality, then: establishing customer needs and expectations developing and maintaining a management system that will enable achievement of customer needs and expectations reliably, repeatedly and economically designing products and services with features which reflect customer needs building products and services so as to reproduce faithfully the design verifying before delivery that products and services possess the features required preventing the supply of products and services which possess features which dissatisfy customers discovering and eliminating undesirable features in products and services finding less expensive solutions to customer needs making operations more efficient and effective discovering what will delight customers and providing it most importantly, honouring commitments A variety of standards, philosophies, methodologies, tools, techniques and measures have been developed to help organisations meet these goals: management systems ISO 9000, ISO 14000, BS 8800, BS 7799 philosophies total quality management methodologies business process management, continual improvement tools and techniques process charts, failure mode and effects analysis, statistical process control, quality function deployment measures quality awards, best value, ISO 9000 and Investors in People All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. This publication may not be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior consent of the publishers. 3. Literature review on customer satisfaction 3.1. What is customer satisfaction? Customer satisfaction is the provision of goods or services which fulfil the customers expectations in terms of quality and service, in relation to price paid. Customer satisfaction can help the businesses achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It is about understanding the way a customer feels after purchasing a product or service and, in particular, whether or not that product or service met the customers expectations. Customers primarily form their expectations through past purchasing experiences, word-of-mouth from family, friends and colleagues and information delivered through marketing activities, such as advertising or public relations. If the customers expectation is not met, they will be dissatisfied and it is very likely they will tell others about their experience. Why customer satisfaction is important? The organisations should not underestimate the value of customer satisfaction. It is becoming an important area of competition. A high level of satisfaction can deliver many benefits, including: -Loyalty: a highly satisfied customer is a loyal customer. -Repeat purchase: a highly satisfied customer buys more products. -Referrals: a highly satisfied customer tells their family and friends about the product or service. -Retention: a highly satisfied customer is less likely to switch brands. -Reduced costs: a highly satisfied customer costs less to serve than a new customer. -Premium prices: a highly satisfied customer is willing to pay more for the product or service. Not happy Jan Monitoring customer satisfaction is important because we are much more likely to tell our friends and family about a bad experience with a product or service than a good experience. The introduction of blogs and websites such as www.notgoodenough.com.au has provided customers with an excellent platform to spread the bad word about a product or service to thousands of people. And theres always the threat of negative publicity generated from current affairs programs or other media outlets. Dont learn the lesson about customer satisfaction the hard way! Customer satisfaction research Satisfaction surveys are an important method for collecting information about how the customers think and feel about the organisations brand, product or service. A satisfaction survey can help the organisations to understand the expectations of their customers, determine whether the customers believe they are meeting those expectations, identify new customer requirements or trends in the market and determine what areas of the organisations business need investment. A good customer satisfaction survey will also help the organisations to understand the causes of dissatisfaction among their customers. Once the organisations have identified these issues, they will be able to implement new practices to improve customer satisfaction. Many businesses systematically measure customer satisfaction through independent surveys, feedback forms, mystery shopping and focus groups. Some third party surveys also compare the customer satisfaction of major competitors, which allows companies to benchmark themselves in their relevant sector. Measuring customer satisfaction doesnt have to be expensive. It can be as simple as preparing a short feedback form or conducting a brief telephone interview that asks the customer to rate the product or service on a number of criteria. Indicators of customer satisfaction An important indicator of customer satisfaction is the customer retention rate. To calculate the customer retention rate, the organisations will need to capture data about the total number of customers and the number of customers switching brands. If they track this information ove

Market Opportunities for Soft Drink Companies Essay

Companies in the soft drink manufacturing industry are facing intense competition from the domestic and foreign brands,resulting in rising promotional costs and sinking profit margins. The consumers are going for real â€Å"value† for their money ,choosing drinks with better health value. Acurrent ban on sales of carbonates shows in the trend analysis given below:- {draw:frame} COMPANY GROWTH RATE Our company has shown a declining growth rate due to change in value perception and behavioural differences of consumers due to governmental bans all over the country. A public clarification would help us change the consumer perception. We need to make our core value based products to be fresh and relevant. We also need to sharpen our focus in this industry for maximum effect. {draw:frame} The trends of our own product offerings in the market are shown in the graph as below. Here we can notice a declining trend. {draw:frame} This declining trend can also be seen as a loss of our market segment to healthier drink options like fuit juices and water . It is quite evident in the graph given below:- {draw:frame} High sales volume in the water drinking segment and health juice segment shows that customer want better value and there perception is based on the changes in the microenvironment brought about by our competitors. There is a possibility of high â€Å"customer churn† in the future as our company’s sales decline. A 5 percent reduction in the customer defection rate can increase profits by 25 percent to 85 percent. According to the expectancy value model we ned to look into altering the beliefs about our brand which is effected by physical risk perceptions. Here we are seeing intense segment rivalry in our eange of products. Also there is lower entry barrier. The companies point of view needs to be visible on active information search. A customer’s decision to be loyal or defect from buying our products depends upon the large number of small encounters of the company which should lead to memorable customer experience.

Tammy Larson and Mike Brennan

The case study involves a turn to turn talk between Tammy Larson and Mike Brennan on a female who had applied for a job as a housekeeper. The two were discussing the employee's profile. Details on her criminal conviction and drug possession raised a point of contention as the two were debating on whether to employ her. Currently, criminal conviction and drug possession is a subject that is put into considerations while selecting and promoting employees (Hayes ; Ninemeier, 2016, p.130). Ideally, employees ought to consider the nature or circumstances that led to these criminal offenses. Most of the people are pushed towards these offenses because of societal and psychological factors which they have little control over. Characters (functions or behaviors)As for this case, Tammy Larson and Mike Brennan should first identify the nature and circumstances which prompted these behaviors. From the analysis, they should be able to decide on the way forward. Besides, they should be able to identify the connection between a criminal conviction and the work they are supposed to do (Mattke, Van, ; Martsolf, 2014). For instance, substance use after work may have little effect on housekeeping roles. If the convictions involved issues like dishonesty and mistreatment, it would be hellish to employ the candidate. In order for the human resource to be fair and just, there exists the need to consult legal advice. This will help determine the best course of action (Hemming, 2015). Besides, Larson and Brennan ought to identify third parties and their statements on the employee's conduct. If I was the director, I would employ Stephanie. Management and leadership stylesThe federal law does not prohibit employers from seeking to know the criminal history of an employee. However, the same law prohibits employers from discriminating candidates on the basis of their criminal records (Mattke, Van, & Martsolf, 2014). Therefore, employers ought to consider laws and legal decision during the selection process. Some of the most important laws revolve around civil rights acts which determine employment decisions. For instance, we have Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which dictates how employees should be treated following criminal allegations (Hemming, 2015). Criminal history and record are important because they help employers accurately decide on a responsible, reliable and safe employee. Therefore, I recommend employers to request their employees to list recent criminal activity.Recommendation Employers should identify a fair response to criminal records and allegations of those they want to the employee. Ideally, we are all humans, and thus we are subjected errs. Criminal records and substance use are social issues which are propelled by other factors; some of the factors are beyond our control (Hemming, 2015). However, employers ought to consider the legal advice and third-party consultancy before employing or dismissing an employee. For those individuals who have transformed, their criminal record should not pose the challenge of selecting them.Conclusively, Tammy Larson and Mike Brennan should consider many factors while deciding on the response. Most importantly, the selection should consider matching the organizational goals with the skills and qualifications of the employee. In this case study, the applicant has the traits required for the job opportunity; hence, her record should not be an obstacle towards being selected. However, the female applicant should be advised on the best approaches that will keep her away from criminal activities and substance use. Naturally, it is unfair to judge a person based on their records or past engagements. ReferencesHayes,  D.  K., & Ninemeier,  J.  D. (2016).  Human resources management in the hospitality industry.Hemming,  A. (2015).  Criminal Law Guidebook: Queensland and Western Australia. Melbourne: OUPANZ.Mattke,  S., Van,  B.  K., & Martsolf,  G. (2014).  Final report: Evaluation of tools and metrics to support employer selection of health plans.

The Nuremberg Laws of 1935

The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 On September 15, 1935, the Nazi government passed two new racial laws at their annual NSDAP Reich Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany. These two laws (the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law to Protect German Blood and Honor) became collectively known as the Nuremberg Laws. These laws took German citizenship away from Jews and outlawed both marriage and sex between Jews and non-Jews. Unlike historical antisemitism, the Nuremberg Laws defined Jewishness by heredity (race) rather than by practice (religion). Early Antisemitic Legislation On April 7, 1933, the first major piece of antisemitic legislation in Nazi Germany was passed; it was entitled the â€Å"Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service.† The law served to bar Jews and other non-Aryans from participating in various organizations and professions in the civil service. Additional laws during April 1933 targeted Jewish students at public schools and universities and those who worked in the legal and medical professions. Between 1933 and 1935, many more pieces of antisemitic legislation were passed at both the local and national levels. The Nuremberg Laws At their annual Nazi Party rally in the southern German city of Nuremberg, the Nazis announced on September 15, 1935, the creation of the Nuremberg Laws, which codified the racial theories espoused by the party ideology. The Nuremberg Laws were actually a set of two laws: the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor. Reich Citizenship Law There were two major components to the Reich Citizenship Law. The first component stated that: Anyone who enjoys the protection of the Reich is considered to be a subject of it and is therefore obligated to the Reich.Nationality is determined by the Reich and state nationality laws. The second component explained how citizenship would henceforth be determined. It stated: A citizen of the Reich must be of German blood or Germanic origin and must prove by his/her conduct that they are suited to be a loyal German citizen.Citizenship may only be conferred with an official certificate of Reich citizenshipOnly Reich citizens may receive full political rights By taking away their citizenship, the Nazis had legally pushed Jews to the fringe of society. This was a crucial step in enabling the Nazis to strip Jews of their basic civil rights and liberties. Remaining German citizens were hesitant to object for fear of being accused of being disloyal to the German government as decreed under the Reich Citizenship Law. The Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor The second law announced on September 15 was motivated by the Nazi’s desire to ensure the existence of a â€Å"pure† German nation for eternity. A major component of the law was that those with â€Å"German-related blood† were not allowed to marry Jews or have sexual relations with them. Marriages that had occurred prior to the passage of this law would remain in effect; however, German citizens were encouraged to divorce their existing Jewish partners. Only a few chose to do so. Additionally, under this law, Jews were not permitted to employ house servants of German blood who were under the age of 45. The premise behind this section of the law was centered around the fact that women under this age were still able to bear children and thus, were at risk to be seduced by Jewish males in the household. Finally, under the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor, Jews were forbidden to display the flag of the Third Reich or the traditional German flag. They were only permitted to display â€Å"Jewish colors† and the law promised the protection of the German government in demonstrating this right. November 14 Decree On November 14, the first decree to the Reich Citizenship Law was added. The decree specified exactly who would be considered Jewish from that point forward. Jews were placed into one of three categories: Full Jews: those who practiced Judaism or those who had at least 3 Jewish grandparents, regardless of religious practice.First Class Mischlinge (half Jewish): those who had 2 Jewish grandparents, did not practice Judaism and did not have a Jewish spouse.Second Class Mischlinge (one-fourth Jewish): those who had 1 Jewish grandparent and did not practice Judaism. This was a major change from historical antisemitism in that Jews would be legally defined not simply by their religion but also by their race. Many individuals who were life-long Christians found themselves suddenly labeled as Jews under this law. Those who were labeled as â€Å"Full Jews† and â€Å"First Class Mischlinge† were persecuted in mass numbers during the Holocaust. Individuals who were labeled as â€Å"Second Class Mischlinge† stood a greater chance of staying out of harm’s way, particularly in Western and Central Europe, as long as they did not draw undue attention to themselves. Extension of Antisemitic Policies As the Nazis spread into Europe, the Nuremberg Laws followed. In April 1938, after a pseudo-election, Nazi Germany annexed Austria. That fall, they marched into the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. The following spring, on March 15, they overtook the remainder of Czechoslovakia. On September 1, 1939, the Nazi invasion of Poland led to the beginning of World War II and further expansion of Nazi policies throughout Europe. The Holocaust The Nuremberg Laws would ultimately lead to the identification of millions of Jews throughout Nazi-occupied Europe. Over six million of those identified would perish in concentration and death camps, at the hands of the Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing squads) in Eastern Europe and through other acts of violence. Millions of others would survive but first endured a fight for their lives at the hands of their Nazi tormentors. The events of this era would become known as the Holocaust.

How to hire employees who will ensure long-term success

How to hire employees who will ensure long-term success When you’re filling a position, the focus is often very immediate. Gotta fill the vacancy, right? And while the short-term needs are important, it’s also crucial to think about the long game here. Are you hiring someone who’s likely to be successful in this role long-term, or are you likely to be hiring for this same position in a year? Here’s are steps you can take to make sure you’re not wasting time and other resources on a lengthy hiring process again and again.Focus on the future.You know where your company is now, but where is it likely to be in two years? If your company values technology or innovation, are you hiring people with the skills to adapt? Don’t find people who can tackle today’s projects- find people who can innovate for tomorrow’s.  Choosing someone who can jog along, for now, just to fill a position will be a detriment to your company. By staying on top of the trends in your industry, you can help figure o ut which skills are going to be in demand soon, if not now.Build a company-focused job description.True, you want someone to be able to manage the day-to-day tasks of the job right away, so it’s important to make sure tasks and responsibilities are clear. But also be sure to emphasize the skills that mean success in the role, not just basic ability. And it may be that a candidate doesn’t yet have experience that ticks off some of the boxes in the job description, but has shown the kind of adaptability and potential that would let him grow into the role.You want to make sure your job description reflects what the company needs, not just what the role itself demands. This job doesn’t exist in a vacuum, so if you want someone who is going to fit into the team for a long time to come, it’s important to recruit for that fit up front instead of focusing 100% on the day-to-day responsibilities of this one position.Trust your instincts.It’s really okay to go off-book (or away from the job description) if you feel like someone will be a good fit, even if there’s some misalignment with the job description as written. Similarly, if Candidate A technically meets the expectations of the job, but Candidate B, who has less or different experience, feels like a better fit, listen to that too. You’re in your position for a reason- your gut is a good indicator of who will be best for the team and the company. It’s okay to stray from the â€Å"rules† for a candidate who stands out.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Leverage your networks.If you’re looking for someone who would be a good fit for your company long term, that just may not be resume #47 from the slush pile. Instead, see how you can leverage existing employees’ networks, the company’s social media accounts, and other social connections (like college alumni networks) to broaden your recruiting.People wh o already work for your company, or are familiar with the company, will often have great, knowledgeable referrals for open positions. That friend of a friend who’s perfect for a job, or an old colleague from way back when might not even know about the opening except for the tip from their own network. So it’s important to make sure you’re working the social angles as well as the more traditional job boards or recruiting methods.You’re already all about hiring the best people, but if you can get the best people + longevity, you’re setting up yourself and your company for an even brighter future.

Foreign Direct Investment in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foreign Direct Investment in Australia - Essay Example Demand for goods and services in the Pilbara's state, Western Australia, grew by 11% in 2007. Studies have touted the benefits of foreign direct investment. (China Elections and Governance, May 8, 2008). Chinese investment in Australia's iron-ore business is increasing. Gindalbie, an Australian iron-ore miner, and Ansteel, a Chinese steelmaker, agreed to invest A$1.8 billion in a joint venture to develop a mine in Western Australia in 2007. This new investment translates to5,000 new jobs. (China Elections and Governance, May 8, 2008) Foreign direct investment (FDI) should be free from the strict controls which are implemented by host governments. (Main Idea Statement). Foreign direct investment has speeded up the economic development of Australia. If the foreign direct investment in the iron ore and coal mining sector continues, Western Australia will need an extra 400,000 workers within 10 years ding to the Australian Chamber of Commerce. Australia has entered its 17th year of uninterrupted growth. The pace of domestic demand that monetary authorities have pushed interest rates to their highest in close to 12 years in order to combat inflation. Inflation has been identified as the country's chief economic ill. Skills shortage and infrastructure bottlenecks at congested ports continue to hound the growing economy. Due to the massive foreign direct investments, Australia's unemployment record is at a 33-year low, net immigration is at a record high and the prices paid for Australia's most important exports such as iron ore, coal and have risen. Moreover, household wealth has more than doubled in 15 years, the national car fleet is younger than befo re and contains more luxury brands, while homes are replete with high-end consumer electronics. The federal and state governments have registered budget surpluses and A$31bn (US$28bn, 14bn, 18bn) in tax cuts will soon be handed to the twenty one million population. The China-led boom in Australia is expected to last for many years as China is heavily dependent on imported raw materials for industrial production.British foreign direct investment in Australia spans several industries. The UK companies dominate EU direct investment in Australia at about 53 per cent. The UK is the second-largest source of direct investment in Australia behind the United States. The level of the UK's direct investment in Australia was about $51 billion. British firms held substantial investments in Australia, setting up operations in the resources and energy sector (for example, Shell and Rio Tinto-Zinc), telecommunications (Vodafone and British Telecommunications) and food and beverages (Cadbury and Uni lever). (DFAT, 2005). Moreover, Germany has 330 subsidiary companies and 470 branch offices in Australia. German investments are in banking and finance (Deutsche Bank), automotives (DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Bosch, Hella and VDO), telecommunications (Siemens) and chemicals (Boehringer, Schering). These investments have increased the economic growth of Australia. (DFAT Report, 2005) Free trade fosters the inflow of foreign direct investment hence, enhancing competition and innovation. (Heritage website). One of the supporting reasons for free trade is greater access to a greater variety of goods and services.The second argument is that trade generates economic growth. The Asean Free Trade Area registered a growth of 8% per annum due to the influx of foreign direct

Themes in African History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Themes in African History - Assignment Example Based on the country you are focused on for your SPA project, which of those processes applies to your country of study (Akare et al, 2001, P 52). List at least 3 things that led to that country’s independence. 1. Resistance or rebellion 2. International support from the US and UNO 3. Use of diplomacy between the Ghanaians and the British. 4. Even though African leaders would become free of â€Å"European political control†, what sometimes didn’t change in Africa, especially in regards to their ongoing relationships with their former European colonial power? [Especially with the French, but also the British]: With both the French and the British, the use of their language by Africans did not end as it had become the formal mode of communication. They also continued to be direct importers and users of the African raw materials such as gold, rubber and peanut oils (Akare,52). Chapter 14 in your textbook is written by Takyiwaa Manuh, a former professor at the University of Ghana. This chapter as a whole is devoted to theorizing human rights in Africa, and to providing a brief history of Human Rights in Africa. You have been assigned to read a small section called: Human Rights and Nation Building in POSTINDEPENDENCE AFRICA. pp. 298- to the top of page 300. This primarily covers what happened after the colonial period, during the period just following the independence of individual nations. 1. At the beginning of this section (p. 298), Takyiwaa Manuh states that the newly freed governments in the various African nations made many improvements after the colonial powers (the Europeans) left. Paraphrase in your own words what some of those overall improvements were. (List at least four areas of improvements). The major areas of improvement included education, health, poverty and labor rights.