Improving Customer Service in a Nigerian Musical Instrument Company

Nigerian consumers are reluctant to use online shopping carts for local purchases. The main reason for this is the fear of becoming victims of online fraud (Onaiwu KPMG 2013). This means that any company in the country seeking to trade online has the uphill task of creating customer confidence before the successful deployment shopping carts.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Improving Customer Service in a Nigerian Musical Instrument Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An option in this regard is to use shopping carts as an online ordering system, and then to handle payments using mobile money. Mobile money is more reliable because it is possible to trace the owners of a local mobile money account, unlike online payment systems (Onaiwu KPMG 2013). Data Analysis Technique A wide range of options exist for the analysis of qualitative data. The main data collection tool for this exercise was a semi structured q uestionnaire designed to collect quantitative data. The data collection took place via phone interview. The researcher read out the questions and recorded the answers that the respondents gave. Since the interviews took place over the phone, the researcher could not gauge any element of body language. This means that the information gathered lacks the nuances associated with body language in qualitative research. The data analysis method chosen for any research project usually depends on the nature of the project and the objectives of the research. In this case, the objective of the project was to uncover several issues regarding the use of websites as part of the customer care infrastructure for businesses based in Nigeria. The research questions guided the development of the questionnaire and in turn, the specific questions in the questionnaire dealt with the issues associated with the project. The quantitative data collection method chosen to analyse the data collected was induct ion. Induction is an application to qualitative data analysis where the researchers study the responses presented by the respondents and finds relationships in the data (Eriksson Kovalainen 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The number of respondents was not very large to justify elaborate coding (Creswell 2008). In any case, the researcher was open to limited coding in the interest of making the most sense out of the data collected. The exact process applied in the analysis had the following steps. First the researcher studied all the responses presented by respondents to find an overview of the information contained. Unlike quantitative research, respondents participating in qualitative research are free to answer questions in any manner that is sensible to them (Eriksson Kovalainen 2008). In addition, qualitative research is not hypothesis based. Therefore, there is no fixed expectation regarding the specific facts that will arise from the research project. This fact makes quantitative research analysis more challenging. However, qualitative research makes it easier for researchers to pinpoint key issues from the responses provided by the respondents in regards to the research questions. Coding is a very useful method of aggregating responses in qualitative research (Creswell 2008). It involves the categorization of responses into thematic areas, and establishing the relative importance of each thematic area. Criticisms against coding suggest that it is an attempt to turn qualitative data into quantitative data. However, proponents argue that this is the only way of sifting out important issues from trivial ones (Onaiwu KPMG 2013). Qualitative data do not give researchers a simple prioritised method of classifying information. The decision to use coding sparingly in this project arose from the relative ease of analysing the data availed by th e respondents. This situation arose because the number of respondents chosen for the project was small. In addition, the research project was interested in general trends, and not specifics of customer care. Simply put, the ecommerce environment in Nigeria is changing very rapidly hence very exact measures will be obsolete in a very short time. The information needed at this point is only necessary to enable the company to design the website for current use. Anticipated future changes will depend on the dynamics of the ecommerce environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Improving Customer Service in a Nigerian Musical Instrument Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additional Research Question Is ecommerce a viable inclusion in the company’s customer service model? Findings and Analysis This section is divided into two main parts. The first part focuses on the answers given by the respondents durin g the interviews and their implications. The second part focuses on how those responses relate to the research questions. Visibility of Igno Merchandise Company The first question dealt with how the respondents came into contact with the Igno Merchandise Company. The purpose of this question was to find out if there is any correlation between how people find the company, and its current promotion efforts. The most common way of finding out about the Igno Merchandise Company was through fiends. More than half of all respondents mentioned their friends as the link persons to the company. This shows that the strongest method of marketing of the Igno Merchandise Company has been through word of mouth. The implication of this situation is that the company needs to think about developing a robust social media campaign to take advantage of this phenomenon. Other respondents said that they found out about the company through contact with its products, advertisements in mainstream media, and industry events. One respondent found the company randomly while driving. While the company’s promotion potential is in the social media, it needs to maintain a broad based approach to ensure that it makes contact will all potential clients in its reach. A broad based strategy is what will guarantee future business for the company. Perceived Competitors The researchers asked the respondents to list three Igno Merchandise Company competitors. The data collected from this question was very specific hence the possibility of presenting it in qualitative terms. The graph in Table 1 below shows the companies recognised by the respondents as the competitors of Igno Merchandise Company.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From the frequency of mentions, it appears that Igno Merchandise strongest competitor is Fred Nature’s Company, followed by PSV Company and then Goodfellow limited. The implication of this finding is that Igno Merchandise Company should not relax. Rather, the company should keep in mind that it is in direct competition with many other companies of varying appeal to its own customers. Perceived Competitor Number of Mentions Fred Natures Company 4 PSV Company 3 Goodfellow Ltd 3 Max Power Ltd 2 Tony Best Musical 1 New Creation Electronics 1 Steve Com Musical 1 Table 1: The Perceived Competitors of the Igno Merchandise Company Attractiveness of the Company The researchers asked the respondents what attracted them to the company. The objective of this question was to determine what competitive advantages the company had in relation to its competitors. In addition this question was meant to find out whether customer care was a key consideration for the customers of the company. The respondents gave several reasons to explain their interest in buying products from the Igno Merchandise Company. The reasons the respondents gave varied. Some of them came to the company because they were happy with the company’s interaction with its customers. Some customers said that the layout of the stores is what attracted them. Others said that what attracted them to the company was the price of products relative to the prices offered by competitors. There was mention of the range of products offered by the company as well as the special offers given by the company. This analysis reveals that customers come to Igno Merchandise Company for various reasons. While those who mentioned customer service as their main point of attraction were the majority, the company must ensure that all the business elements such as a range of products, shop floor design and a promotional strategy that resonates with the potential clients. Popular Products When asked abo ut the products bought from the company, the respondents gave the responses as shown in Table 2 below. Products Number of Mentions Mixers 4 Megaphones 3 Wireless Microphones 3 Microphone 2 Speakers 2 Guitars 1 Public Address System 1 Table 2: Popularity of Products Sold by the Igno Merchandise Company The most popular products sold by the Igno Merchandise Company were mixers. The product appeared four times from the answers given by the respondents. Megaphones and wireless microphones each mentioned three times among the most popular products. One respondent mentioned â€Å"public address system† as his/her most popular product. It is unclear what the respondent was referring to because a megaphone is also a public address system, just like a unit consisting of microphones, a mixer, and loud speakers. This demonstrates one of the weaknesses of qualitative research. In this case, it is hard to segregate the specifics associated with the public address syste m this respondent mentioned. The impact of this finding on the project is that it is sensible to have the items listed as the most sought-after products as part of a slideshow on the home page of the website. Sources of Competitive Advantage The researcher inquired from the respondents what the company should do to stand out from its competitors. This question sought to establish the sources of competitive advantage that the company needed to leverage in line with the demands of the website. The main issue raised by the respondents was advertising. In this regard, many respondents felt that the company was not doing enough to advertise the products it had on sale. The correlation between this view and the previous question that asked the respondents how they heard about the company confirms that the advertising efforts of the company are not reaching the intended consumers effectively. The specific ideas gleaned from the answers to this question on how to improve advertising include increasing the quantity of adverts, increasing the number of advertising media, and using offers and promotions to attract the attention of customers. This means that the website can be a useful tool for the company as an advertising avenue. Other issues raised that can increase the competitive advantage of the company were increasing product quality, improving service quality (though there is satisfaction with the current levels of services), and making the sales process more convenient for the customers. On this last point, there is little evidence to support robust ecommerce in Nigeria, especially based on first time buyers. However, the company needs to think about a small scale system that can handle small scale sales via the internet. The emergence of Mobile Money in Nigeria can help deal with the security concerns many people have when it comes to ecommerce. Source of Credible Information Credibility is the main ingredient of ecommerce. Clients try to establish the credibili ty of companies in the process of making purchasing decisions. In this respect, the researcher asked the respondents about the sources of information they find credible in order to determine the relative importance of the website. The two main avenues that consumers use to establish credibility were company websites and mainstream advertisements. Table 3 below shows the sources of credible information by the proportion of mentions. Sources of Credible Information Number of Mentions Friends 1 Advertising 3 Company websites and online reviews 3 Table 3: Sources of Credible Information Company websites play a very important role in establishing the credibility of a product. Consumers use them to find out what the company says about its own products before making buying decisions. However, potential customers also look at online reviews of the products from other customers in blogs, forums, and on social media. This amounts to electronic word of mouth (eWOM). eWOM is the vir tual version of word of mouth advertising. In a previous question, the respondents said that they heard about the company through their friends. This shows that eWOM can also play an important role in marketing the company to new clients. This finding shows that an online presence, based on a website and supported by a social media strategy will help to market the company. Online Shopping Habits One of the elements that arose during the literature review was the potential importance of fitting the website with a shopping cart. In markets where ecommerce is mature, online shopping is taking root very fast. When the respondents were asked whether they shop online, an overwhelming majority answered in the negative. The ones who reported that they shop online do not shop in Nigerian websites. The reasons that they gave in this regard ranged from security concerns to obliviousness. The following table summarises the responses. Reasons why Nigerians do not shop Online 1. Security Co ncerns (Online scams) 2. Unproven systems (Perceived poor reliability) 3. Obliviousness Table 4: Reasons why Nigerians do not Shop Online The main concern that the customers had in regards to online commerce was the potential to fall victim to online scams. Nigeria is infamous as a base for online scammers. This made the customers hesitant to participate in online commerce. The second reason given by the customers was that the system is unproven. They have no proof that it will work as planned, or otherwise. Thirdly, some customers were oblivious to the possibility of buying products online. This means that customer education is needed in the country to build a critical mass for ecommerce. This finding shows that there are good grounds for not including an online shopping cart on the website at the moment, until online shoppers reach critical mass. However, there is more promise in the use of mobile money to facilitate online transactions. The website can act as an order plac ement system with payments being handled via the more reliable mobile phone network. In addition, the company can put up a small scale ecommerce platform to support early adopters. This system should be easy to operate, be secure, and should have minimal maintenance needs. Failure to have an ecommerce platform will be a strategic blunder because in time, ecommerce will become a prominent feature of Nigerian commerce. What is not justified at the moment is heavy investment in such a system. Preferred Web Content In order to find out the preferences of the clients regarding the content of the proposed website, the researcher asked the respondents to state the elements they would like to see on the website. The main elements mentioned by the respondents were as follows. First, the respondents would like to see information about the products available in the store. In context, this was thought to be a more convenient way of finding out what the company had in stock, as compared to physi cally going to the store. Secondly, the responds wanted to see information about the company. The sense the customers seemed to communicate is that there is very little corporate information about the company. More information would make it easy for them to identify with the company. Thirdly, the customers wanted to see a page with customer testimonials. This concept is very similar to a forum. The company has the choice of establishing a forum for the customers, or to collect and post testimonials from clients. Forums that are user controlled tend to have higher credibility, but they also carry greater risks. On the other hand, company chosen testimonials may come off as self-praise and choreographed testimony. The final item that the customers would like to see on the website is company contact information to enable them to get in touch with the company whenever the need arises. Top Website Features The researcher asked the respondents to indicate the features that they would like to see on the website. The respondents gave the list of features captured in Table 5. Preferred Website Features Information about the Company’s branch network Ease of contacting the company Ease of navigation Quick loading website FAQ Page Mobile friendliness Table 5: List of Preferred Website Features These features resonate well with the issues unearthed in the literature review. The specific issues tackled in the literature review section included the need to have mobile friendly websites. This arises from the fact that most internet connections in Nigeria are mobile based. Secondly, the slow speeds require design choices that will support the quick loading of the website. The customers also mentioned ease of navigation. It is usually better to have an intuitive design, arranged in a logical manner for easy navigation. The presence of a FAQ page was also tackled in the review. This confirms that it is very important to include a FAQ page as an element o f customer service. The customers also wanted the ability to contact the company easily. This is where ideas like chat and VoIP come in. Finally, the respondents asked the company to consider listing all the store locations on their website because most people were only aware of their head office. A map, based on one of the free maps services can help to resolve this issue. Analysis Based on the findings and discussion presented in the section above, the following is the analysis of the research questions in light of the findings. The three main issues arising from this inquiry are as follows. First, Igno Merchandise Company customers want reliable services. This deduction arises from the responses to the questions regarding their comfort levels with ecommerce, their response to how they found the company, and the features they want to see on the company’s website. The customers who do not buy goods online mainly cited cyber security and a perceived lack of reliability when i t comes to Nigerian websites. This means that if there was an ecommerce system that was reliable, the customers may consider buying goods online. On the question of how the customers found the company, it was clear that the customer felt that the company was not doing enough to reach them. While they all seemed happy with their purchases, there was an undertone suggesting that they wanted to hear about the company from the company itself. This means that they did not find Igno’s promotional strategy reliable. On the questions regarding the features that they want to see on the site, their concerns were based on ease of use, ease of navigation, quick loading speeds and relevant content. What all these customers are looking for is a reliable website, supporting a reliable customer service system. They want the assurance that they can get all the information that they need when they need it. The second main theme underlying the responses given by the respondents was easy access to services. The customers want easy access to information about the company and its products. The respondents spoke of the little awareness among the general public about the locations of the company’s stores across the country. What the customers were asking for was more convenience when dealing with the company. The elements they mentioned include listing all the branches of the company in the website, coming up a quick means of communication, and more contact with the customers through adverts. The third main issue that arises from the analysis is the need to notify customers whenever there are promotions and offers. The customers are essentially looking for the best prices when they shop. This means that if the company want to grow its market share at the cost of narrower margins, the market is waiting. A simple way of doing this would be by developing an email list and sending out information regarding available offers to customers. Email is personal and can support htm l newsletters. In addition, the company can collect phone numbers of customers whenever they shop at the company’s stores in order to send texts to them. The viability of ecommerce in the current business environment is not high. Out of all the people interviewed, the only ones who buy things online do so in non-Nigerian websites. For purposes of strategy, it is not wise at this point to commit resources to ecommerce. At the same time, it is strategically improper to ignore the potential. This means that the company must find an innovative model that will require fewer resources to set up an ecommerce platform. This will make it possible for the company to cash in on the early adopters when the Nigerian market starts accepting ecommerce. In conclusion, this section has made it possible validate earlier design choices made after the literature review, and has also ensured that customer priorities form part of the final design of the company’s website. The following sect ion will explore the features of the website arising from the design issues proposed above. Website Design The analysis presented in the section above formed the basis for the design of the website as shown below. The tool used to design the website is an online web editor available at www.wix.com. This tool allows users to develop websites using templates. The web design component of the project illustrated the ease of designing a website that can respond to consumer needs. The use of the platform developed by wix.com shows that it need not be expensive to develop a website for a company. Wix.com has a free account with certain limitations. However, a paid account makes it possible to get a fully fledged account that has no branding from wix.com. The limitation associated with template based design is that there is a limit to the number of features that someone can apply to a website. However, the range of options offered by wix.com rely more on the skill of the designer, rather th an the limitations of the platform. These options make it possible to develop websites that have a professional appeal. The guidance followed in the design of the website was the set proposed by Jakob Nielsen. The rules he proposed included the need to ensure that the language used is easy for users to understand, the need for consistency throughout the site and making it easy for users to see all the options available, rather than having to recall the options from memory. The technical elements that could not be implemented in this project include error-handling, and error-recovery in a website. The website designed for Igno Merchandise Company has five main pages. These are the Home page, About Us page, Products page, Stores page and a Contact Us page. The Home Page The Home page has a slideshow featuring three images of the most popular products. The research showed that the top three products sold by the company are mixers, wireless microphones and megaphones. This informed the decision to include the three products in the slide show. Each of the photos is hyperlinked to the product page, on the section that shows the full range of products within the representative category. For example, clicking on the mixer as shown in Figure 1 below takes you to the page that has the complete range of mixers in the stores. About UsFigure 1: Screenshot Showing One of the Photos in the Homepage Slideshow Research showed that customers would like to know more about the company. In response, the website design features an About Us page made to enlighten customers and other stakeholders about the history and operations of the company. About us pages serve a very important function in many websites. It shows openness about the company, and it helps external parties to gauge what the company thinks about itself. The page also contains the vision and mission statements of the company. Figure 2 below shows a screenshot of the â€Å"About Us Page†. Figure 2: About Us Pa ge of the Igno Merchandise Company Products The Products page is the major page in the website. This page will require regular updates to reflect changes in prices, and availability of stock. On this page, all the products listed have a product description that allows customers to peruse the features of all the products in the range. The inclusion of the description and pricing is in direct response to the demands made by customers in the research phase. Figure 3 below shows a screenshot of the products page Contact UsFigure 3: Products Page The Contact Us page gives the customers several options regarding how to get in touch with the company. This page has a form that customers can fill if they want the company to send them information. It works like the email system discussed in the literature review section. The page also has the physical address of the headquarters as well as the phone number of the company that enables them to call whenever they need information. These feature s appear as seen in Figure 4 below. This page still requires social media integration and the addition of a chat facility for instant communication. These two aspects should come into play when the company is ready and willing to commit resources to manage the two services fully. Figure 4: The Contact Us page In addition to the contacts, the page also contains a physical map showing the physical location of the company’s headquarters. This will make it easy for clients who want to visit the store to find it. Stores Page The Stores page was developed to answer the concerns about lack of information regarding the stores of the company in other parts of the country. This page will have a list of all the locations as well as their contacts to make it easy for customers to access the Igno Merchandise Company outlets. Evaluation This main achievement of this project was the development of a website that answers consumer needs and meets the business objectives of the Igno Merchandi se Company. The entire project was developed as a means of improving the level of customer service provided by the company. The website will now answer the needs of the clients as unearthed during the research phase. The second achievement of the project was the discovery and clarification of the company’s sources of competitive advantage. The company now has a clear idea regarding customer expectations and what constitute its sources of competitive advantage. The research was not geared towards analysing the business environment. Therefore, there is a need for more research into the competitive climate of the business. The web design phase did not include social media integration and it also did not include ecommerce options for the company. Social media integration is not just a design issue. It requires careful development of a strategy to counter the risks that come with a social media presence. In addition, it needs full time monitoring and management to take full advant age of the opportunities availed by social media. The company did not indicate whether it was ready to make this investment. On ecommerce, there is need to carry out further studies to find low-cost, or no-cost options that can position the company for ecommerce without unnecessary administrative costs. Ecommerce is almost absent in Nigeria, but can become a force to reckon with at any time given the increasing uptake of the internet. It is strategically sound to develop the capabilities before ecommerce takes off in Nigeria. The management of the company was very happy about the insights the whole project gave them in relation to the position of the company. However, they were reluctant to take up the site developed as part of the project citing the need for further thought into the issues raised in order to develop a more effective website. They also mentioned that the site was too basic in terms of graphic layout. They felt that in general, the information provided to them throug h this project was invaluable, but the website component required a professional touch to ensure that they got it right. The management will use the site as the basis for discussions with a professional web developer to decide on the next step. Conclusion The objective of this work has been to investigate which aspect of customer service can be delivered by Igno Merchandise Company through an interactive website. The research carried out showed that customers essentially seek reliable services, ease of access to the services, and notification whenever there are special offers in place. The project shows that a website can help to deliver these aspects of customer service. In addition, a website gives a company many choices such as social media integration, ecommerce options, and an extra avenue for running promotions. The web design component of the project illustrated the ease of designing a website that can respond to consumer needs. The main limitation associated with this work i s that the research was done on a subject that is very evolutionary. Before applying its conclusions to any other business, it is important to check the work for context as time moves on because of the rapid changes associated with the internet. The researcher predicts that ecommerce will become an important part of the Nigerian economy based on current internet uptake trends. There is good reason for companies in the country to position their businesses in readiness for ecommerce. However, heavy investment in ecommerce platforms is not advisable at the moment. Companies should only aim for presence, not dominance. Evaluation This main achievement of this project was the development of a website that answers consumer needs and meets the business objectives of the Igno Merchandise Company. The entire project was developed as a means of improving the level of customer service provided by the company. The website will now answer the needs of the clients as unearthed during the research phase of the project. The second achievement of the project was the discovery and clarification of the company’s sources of competitive advantage. The company now has a clear idea of what its customers expect, and what constitute its sources of competitive advantage. However, it is important to note that the research was not geared towards analysing the business environment of the company. Therefore, there is a need for more research into the full range of competitive advantages of the business. The web design phase did not include social media integration and it also did not include ecommerce options for the company. Social media integration is not just a design issue. It requires careful development of a strategy to counter the risks that come with a social media presence. In addition, it needs full time monitoring and management to take full advantage of the opportunities availed by social media. The company did not indicate whether it was ready to make this investment. O n ecommerce, there is need to carry out further studies to find low-cost, or no-cost options that can position the company for ecommerce without unnecessary administrative costs. Ecommerce is almost absent in Nigeria, but can become a force to reckon with at any time given the increasing uptake of the internet. It is strategically sound to develop the capabilities before ecommerce takes off in Nigeria. The management of the company was very happy about the insights the whole project gave them in relation to the position of the company. However, the management was reluctant to take up the website developed as part of the project citing the need for further thought into the issues raised in order to develop a more effective website. They also mentioned that the site was too basic in terms of graphic layout. They felt that in general, the information provided to them through this project was invaluable, but the website component required a professional touch to ensure that they got it right. The management will use the site as the basis for discussions with a professional web developer to decide on the next step. The specific issues that arose after showing the customers the proposed design for the website were as follows. The customers were pleased with the navigation elements of the website. They said that the navigation was simple to follow, which made finding information on the website relatively easy. The website’s navigation elements were made in a way that it was possible to access all the pages from the home page. In addition the choice of names for the navigation bars made is possible for the customers to navigate through the site intuitively. The customers were happy with the fact that the arrangement of the website reduced the chances of confusion when visiting the site when looking for information. The second area where the customers gave feedback was in the choice of a colour scheme for the website. The main colours for the website were white and red. In general terms, the clients were satisfied with the choice of colours for the website. Some of the clients attributed their satisfaction with the colour scheme to the fact that it matched the corporate colour scheme of the company. The choice of red gave the website a strong brand attribution to the parent company. This consistency between the website and the company’s corporate colours gave the customers greater satisfaction with the work. While there was general agreement among the clients that the use of the red colour was good, some felt that the colour was too bright. They suggested that a deeper shade of red would be more appealing. The customers found the â€Å"About Us† page very helpful. This page contained a brief presentation of the company and its operations. The purpose of this page was to meet the expectation of customers of interacting with the company in addition to the products it sold. This page gave them sufficient information about the co mpany. The information contained in the â€Å"About Us† page was designed to help customers who were seeking reasons to identify with the company to find these reasons. The two main aspects of the â€Å"About Us† page that the customers found useful was the simplicity of the presentation of information and the sufficiency of the information. The language used to develop the content on the page was very simple English. In addition, the issues presented in the â€Å"About Us† section were factual and precise about the company. The third aspect of the website that the customers gave positive reviews was the presence of a map. During the research stage, the customers noted that it was difficult to know the number and locations of the company’s stores around Nigeria. The map now shows exactly where the stores are located. The map is based on the popular Google Maps platform which has other features such as showing the best route between two points. This can he lp a customer to find one of the company’s stores based on his/her location in Nigeria. The customers were happy with the addition of the map on the website because it improved accessibility to the company’s stores. Customer opinions varied regarding the website. Some of them thought that it was good, while some were not fully satisfied with it in the overall sense. The main issues that were raised by the customers who were dissatisfied include the colour scheme. In their view, the colours were boring. They lacked appeal and needed tweaking in order to make the website more attractive. They also felt that the design was boring. The flip side of this view is that the navigation of the site was simple and easy to handle. The customers who found the site boring could have been pleased by a more complicated design. In addition, some customers took issue with the fact that the site was not social media integrated. It lacked fancy graphics, and had very basic web design elem ents. Conclusion The objective of this project was to find out which aspects of customer service can be delivered by Igno Merchandise Company through an interactive website, and to develop a website based on the findings derived from interviews with the company’s customers. In order to achieve these objectives, it was necessary to undertake a qualitative research exercise to find out the aspects of a website that the customers expect to find in the company’s website. The research project was designed to reach a selected number of customers via phone interviews. Based on their responses, a website was developed using a web design portal found on wix.com. Wix.com provides an online web design suite that does not require coding. Rather, it uses a graphical user interface where a web designer uses graphic elements rather than code to develop a website. After the design of the website, some of the customers were asked to review it to see whether it met their expectations. T hey gave very valuable feedback which can be used to enhance the quality of the site. The qualitative research exercise that was carried out showed that customers essentially seek reliable services, ease of access to the services, and notification whenever there are special offers. The need for reliable services arises from the poor services offered by many Nigerian websites. The customers want to have access to web services on demand, and not at the convenience of the business entity. The need for ease of access had two dimensions. First, the customers asked the company to ensure that the company had a website that was mobile friendly to ensure that anyone with an internet enabled phone can access the services. Secondly, the customers wanted all the store locations of the company to be listed on the website to make it easy for them to access the shops. The third main need identified in the research project was that the customers would like the company to inform them whenever they h ave bargains or promotions. This can be done directly on the website and also via other IT tools such as email, short messaging or via the social media. The project shows that a website can help to deliver these aspects of customer service. A website on its own may have limitations because visiting a website is initiated by individual internet users. The company needs to use other strategies of attracting traffic to the website to ensure that it gets the full benefits of the service. Despite this limitation, a website gives a company many choices such as social media integration, ecommerce options, and an extra avenue for running promotions. The researcher learnt several things in the course of undertaking this project. The first lesson was that it is possible to use research to solve practical business problems. The researcher successfully found out what customers needed from the company’s website via research, and then he made an attempt to provide it. Secondly, the researc her learnt that solving business problems require the work of several professionals. The range of skills needed to solve problems effectively cannot be found in one person. In this case, the researcher was better at the research and evaluation, but was weaker on professional web design. Finally, the researcher learnt how to use wix.com to develop a website, a skill that now requires refinement. The actual development of the website was done on wix.com. Wix.com provides a free online editor for web design. The systems rely on templates to enable designers to use a graphical approach to web design. The advantage of such tools is that they do not require someone to learn a programming language before building a website. The main limitation associated with this work is that the research was done on an evolving subject. The development of ecommerce, websites and all accompanying platforms is a work in progress. The most influential social media site, Facebook, is barely ten years old. Th is shows that it is very difficult to predict how the scene will change in regards to the use of the internet for business. Therefore, before applying the conclusions of this project to any other business, it is important to check the work for context as time moves on because of the rapid changes associated with internet technologies. The second limitation was on the web design aspect. The project required the researcher to develop a website based on information received from customers. Web design is a technical skill developed over time. In this sense, it was not possible to develop a high quality website, in terms of graphical layout, on the first attempt. This explains why some customers found the site unsophisticated. While the site was developed following research results, it met the needs of the clients in a technical sense, but without the artistic feel of web design. If this project was to be done again, the main changes that the researcher would introduce would be to solici t for the help of a web designer on pro Bono basis, or with some arrangement with the company to help develop a more professional looking site. Despite the strong grounding in research and theory, the site was not appealing enough for the company to be used as the official site. The alternative would have been to develop competency in web design using wix.com. The time available for the project did not allow for the development of such competency. The researcher predicts that ecommerce will become an important part of the Nigerian economy based on current internet uptake trends. There is good reason for companies in the country to position their businesses in readiness for ecommerce. However, heavy investment in ecommerce platforms is not advisable at the moment. Companies should only aim for presence, but not dominance. Failure by companies to position themselves in ecommerce early enough will impose a stiff learning curve on them which may rob them of competitive advantage in the ecommerce arena. Reference List Creswell, J 2008, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 3rd edn, Sage, London. Eriksson, P Kovalainen, A 2008, Qualitative Methods in Business Research, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Onaiwu, E KPMG 2013, Mobile Money in Nigeria: Identification and Security. Web. This essay on Improving Customer Service in a Nigerian Musical Instrument Company was written and submitted by user Emiliano Gould to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Your Trucker Future Forecast

Your Trucker Future Forecast Wondering what the state of the trucking industry looks like from the vantage point of industry insiders? If so, then keep reading! TruckingInfo.com recently looked at a nationwide GE Capital forecasting survey given to mid-market trucking company execs. The results? Company insiders see a trend towards growth over the coming year, in business, employment, and equipment expenditures. Execs point to growing optimism in the national economy as a key factor.The outlook over the next 12 months isn’t completely rosy, however. Execs also anticipate a number of challenges including key regulatory concerns involving the hours of service regulations, CSA, and reauthorization of the highway bill. Retention of quality staff, fluctuations in oil and gas prices, and commodity costs are also concerns.What should you make of these results? Well, if you’re looking to become a driver, the overall outlook is a good one! An optimistic outlook on hiring means that now could be a great time to make a move if you’ve been thinking of becoming a driver. So make your move and find yourself on the road to a new career!GE Capital Survey Forecasts Expanding Trucking IndustryRead More at TruckingInfo

Using Gene Therapy as a Treatment for Cancer - Developments and Future Literature review

Using Gene Therapy as a Treatment for Cancer - Developments and Future Prospects - Literature review Example Cancer mainly affects human organs including lung, prostate, and bone. Breast cancer is common in females. Although scientists have proposed a series of therapies that can improve patient outcomes, definitive cure for cancer has not been developed yet. Over the last decade, researchers gave more emphasis on gene therapy development as they believed that this treatment method would effectively contribute to cancer prevention. The process of gene therapy is mainly concerned with the modification or alteration of genetic material such as genes and DNA, which play a notable role in determining the characteristic traits of individuals. Different gene therapy methods mainly focus on three basic approaches and they are destruction of cancerous cells, prevention of the growth of cancerous cells, and improvement of normal cells’ ability to fight against the affected cells. In gene therapy, viruses are used to replace cancerous cells instead of inserting genes directly into the patient’s body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of retroviruses since experiments showed that this virus may cause the development of other diseases like leukemia. By the end of 2010, more than 1060 gene therapy protocols have been suggested or practiced for various cancers; this figure constitutes over 64% of all gene therapy experiments in humans in the United States. Although, majority of such trials reported modest therapeutic responses, the clinical efficacy of such practices is still to be proven. The major disadvantage of gene therapy method is the possibility of infection of the healthy cells attribu ted to the viruses used for gene delivery. Introduction The history of gene therapy started during the beginning of the 1960’s. In the opinion of Bettelheim, Brown, Campbell &Farrell (2010, p. 721), gene therapy is a complicated medical procedure by which genes within an individual’s cells and biological tissues are altered, and removed in order to treat diseases. In other words, the gene therapy intends to correct a genetic mutation by the addition, alteration, or removal of specific genes. By the application of gene therapy, the restored cells get the proper instructions for building proteins and thereby the body mechanisms return to the normal state. In 1970, Stanfield Rogers, an American doctor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, tried to apply gene therapy as a method to treat two sisters who had suffered from a genetic disorder called argininemia (‘History of gene therapy’ 2011). Although, Rogers’ effort was unsuccessful, it is considered as a m ilestone in the history of gene therapy development. By the end of 1977, scientists could successfully apply gene therapy techniques to deliver a gene into the cells of mammals (‘Gene therapy/ human genome project/ history of gene therapy/ future of gene therapy’ n.d). As Jain (2000, pp. 3-4) points out, the year 1989 witnessed tremendous improvements in gene therapy development when scientists began to research the scope of gene therapy in cancer treatment. A team of researchers including, Drs. Kenneth Culver, W. French Anderson, Michael Blaese, and Steven Rosenberg conducted a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the gene therapy process in cancer patients. The research team â€Å"grew tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL cells) from people with the deadly cancer malignant melanoma, and then they engineered a virus to put a DNA market into those cells† (‘Gene therapy’ n.d). This experiment assisted the researchers to conclude two things : TIL cells can be applied to treat cancer and the engineered virus can effectively and safely work in humans. (Baruch 2005) tells that in 1990, American doctor W. French Anderson conducted a detailed research on a

Early Chinese Funerary Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early Chinese Funerary Art - Essay Example Excavations at B'ei-li-kang near Luo-yang date materials found at that site to 6000-5000 B.C." (Pearson Education, 2007). In order to understand better about early Chinese funerary art, there are several issues in particular which need to be discussed. The Chinese culture itself, the history of Chinese art, and as well the purpose of funerary art in this regards are all incredibly significant and critical issues, and by thoroughly examining and discussing all of these issues, we will be able to attain a more informed and knowledgeable understanding in regards to what Chinese funerary art is all about. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Chinese art has truly varied throughout history, and it has been divided into certain periods by the ruling dynasties of China in particular, and that includes the Yangshao, Dawenkou, Hongshan, Liangzhu, Longshan, Early Shang, Anyang, Eastern and Western Zhou, Warring States, and the Early Qin Dynasties. The difference in art is remarkable throughout each separate dynasty; the way that the art evolved, and the actual purpose and meaning of it as well, especially in regards to funerary art. In the earliest dynasty periods in China, the forms of (funerary) art were typically made from pottery and jade, "to which was added bronze in the Shang Dynasty" (Wikipedia, 2007). It was in early imperial China when porcelain was introduced into the art forms, and this is in fact why in English the word China has become associated with the most valuable and high-quality porcelain. The Shang Dynasty is actually considered as being the first dynasty of all, and inscriptions are one of the most significant art forms that took place during the time of this dynasty, and this meant inscriptions on bronze artifacts and oracle bones for instance, the oracle bones in particular which date back to the latter half of the dynasty, and these divinations can truly be considered as standing for various different things, including for giving information on the politics, economy, culture, and religion at that time. The Western Zhou Dynasty period was another which held incredible significance, and it was during this period in particular in which inscriptions became increasingly common and significant, and as well lengthier, and these were used to truly extol the achievements of the owner, as well as express the 'poignant wish' that the piece will not only be able to honor his forebears, but as well that he will be able to recall his own merits to his descendants, for 'generations without end'. The Yangshao Dynasty is yet another one of great importance in regards to the Chinese (funerary) art which was created during this time, and one of the most common forms of art in particular was that of swirling spirals and geometric designs, of which were often etched onto pottery wares. During the latter part of this dynasty, brush-painted pottery became incredibly popular, and it also became more sophisticated in regards to the way that it was completed, especially in regards to the handling of the design. The Dawenkou Dynasty is another important time period here for Chinese art, and during this period it was ceramics that were incredibly common and as well significant, and here as well inscriptions were used quite frequently,

Think Global Act Local Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Think Global Act Local - Essay Example Nurses can be involved in the planning of their activities, for example, the ones that promote giving to present voluntary giving without anticipating anything in return. These are the work that most nurses do by helping others voluntarily. Nurses can also be assisted to help others develop their self-esteem by helping them value themselves. The next organization is Philadelphia FIGHT. This is an all-encompassing AIDS service agency, which provides primary care, advocacy on potential vaccines or treatments and consumer care. The main goal is to provide care to HIV/AIDS through offering a wide range of prevention, education, as well as information services such as AIDS Library, Project TEACH, Critical Path AIDS Project and the Youth Health Empowerment Project. These missions are also how its goals are being achieved and the agency can be really assisted a lot with the introduction of nurses into their program. For instance, a nurse can be brought in to assist in the Project TEACH, whi ch basically teaches people who to live after developing AIDS and also how to prevent themselves from catching the virus. The final organization is the American Association of University Women. This organization promotes equity and education for girls and women. What the organization has done to realize its mission is spreading itself into different universities in the United States and areas where education is not female education is not widespread to advocate for the education of more female adults and young ones.

Why Did The Soviet Union Not Invade Poland History Essay

Why Did The Soviet Union Not Invade Poland History Essay This essay will primarily analyse the factors that prevented the Soviet Union from intervening in Poland in 1981, when faced with political opposition by the Solidarity movement. There are four main reasons as to why the USSR decided against the invasion of Poland: StanisÅ‚aw Kanias involvement in the decision making process, the USAs pressure on the Soviet government, domestic factors affecting the Soviet Union and Wojciech Jaruzelskis successes in crushing the opposition. When combined, these factors worked as obstacles to the Soviet Unions decision to invade Poland. The Polish crisis officially burst onto the scene in August 1980. Under the leadership of Lech Walesa, some 10 million poles joined the solidarity movement which immediately set off alarm bells for the communist government in charge. Solidarity was an umbrella organisation which consisted of political and social organisations that wanted a change in the state of affairs in Poland. Solidarity aimed to hold the regime to its communistic promises of government by the people and less work for more pay. Furthermore it demanded free elections and called for a referendum on the replacement of the communist government. Solidarity was so influential that it was allowed to register as a political organisation which encroached on the monopoly of power that the communist government had normally enjoyed. The sheer numbers in Solidaritys ranks and position of relative power it held as a political opposition group caused panic in the Moscow Kremlin. The Soviet military reserves were called up and w arships were sent to ports in Poland. Furthermore a special commission was set up by the Kremlin headed by Mikhail Susolov to investigate the roots of the crisis as well as a remedy to tame the uprising. This background to the Polish crisis gives a solid foundation upon which analysis can take place as to why the invasion of Poland did not take place. StanisÅ‚aw Kania played a crucial role in delaying the intervention till a time when the Polish government had proved itself incapable of handling the political opposition. In the early days of 1981 the Soviet Union had drawn up plans for military intervention in Poland. Soviet, East German and Czechoslovak troops would enter Poland, with 18 divisions remaining in close proximity to the city. The short but effective campaign was set to crush the solidarity movement and restore the communist governments supremacy in Poland. This campaign would have no doubt been complete humiliation for the Polish regime and its leaders, who would be viewed by the rest of the world and, Warsaw pact member alike, as a government incapable of controlling its own people. Furthermore this intervention would have left the Polish government with few supporters and a huge loss of faith from the general population. Kania, being a member of the ruling class in Poland, was determined not to let this h appen and thus played a vital role in delaying the Soviet intervention. On December the 5th during the Moscow summit Kania addressed Brezhnev and fellow Warsaw pact leaders of the critical condition of administrative affairs in his country. He acknowledged the threat that Solidarity posed to communist power in Poland however he emphasized that intervention was not the answer. He stated, If there were to be an intervention there would no doubt be a national uprisingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ which would leave socialist ideas swimming in blood. His open and truthful manner of addressing his countries problems gained the confidence of Leonid Brezhnev. At the end of the summit Brezhnev concluded that the intervention would be postponed in order to give Polish officials a chance to regain the confidence of the public and tame the political opposition. Hence Kanias influence proved a crucial obstacle to the Soviet intervention of Poland in 1981. The USA used its influence as the other global hegemony to great effect in deterring the Soviet Union from invading Poland. The USAs constant threats to the Soviet Union, under the Carter administration, leading up to 1980 are often seen as rather inadequate. Upon hearing that the Soviet Union planned to intervene in Poland, Jimmy Carter put out a press release stating that non intervention of Poland would have clear benefits for the USSR and US- Soviet relations. The Carter administration also had an informant within the Polish borders, who updated them on all Soviet military advancements. When informed of the Warsaw Pacts build up of troops around the Polish border, Carter promptly disclosed the information to the press and the Solidarity movement, thus denying the invaders the element of surprise. Although these threats and actions did have some effect on the Soviet decision making process, they were more useful as a foundation upon which the Reagan administration were able to bui ld their own intimidating tactics. Upon its inauguration into office the Regan administration stated that Soviet intervention in Poland would have dire consequences on US- Soviet relations and strongly advised them to stay out of Polish affairs. Furthermore Reagan emphasised that if Polish forces were to intervene in Poland it would be a, Polish matter in which the US would stay out. Rather than just target threats at the Soviet Union, the USA also provided economic incentive to make the Polish crisis a solely Polish affair. Regan ordered the rescheduling of Polands enormous debt to its creditors in order to enable a relatively peaceful political solution, as opposed to a violent military one. This debt postponement meant that the Polish regime could not focus more resources towards crushing the political uprising thus giving Soviet officials a major reason to leave the Polish crisis to Polish officials. Reagans tactics worked in intimidating the Soviet Union; the Soviet Union would ultimately factor in US relations as a big reason to stay out of Poland. The state of domestic affairs and the importance of public opinion are quite naturally seen as the biggest reasons for the Soviet decision to not intervene in Poland. In the 1980s Soviet leaders had a new found sensitivity towards public opinion. In order to continue the spread of communism, especially in the third world, the Soviet Union needed to portray itself as a progressive nation with the peoples best interest at heart. The Polish crisis had cropped up at a time when the USSR was engaged in a failing war in Afghanistan, with a faltering economy based on deteriorating terms of trade and the dà ©tente having all but ended. Yuri Andropov addressed the politburo on the 10th of December stating that it was an enormous risk to go into Poland that would most likely end in catastrophe. He stated that the USSRs priorities had changed since the 1950s and that they no longer needed Poland to maintain their influence. In addition he addressed the economic and political sanctions that the West would surely impose upon them which would prove an even greater strain on the already waning Soviet economy. On the other hand public opinion was of great importance to both the USA and the USSR and whichever side was deemed to be winning the battle would no doubt be in a better position to influence world affairs. Andropov addressed this point as well by clearly stating, that an invasion in Poland was out of the question because, World public opinion will condemn us [USSR]. These claims by Andropov were well found because the USSR was at a crossroads where they needed to focus on their own countries interests above all others. Ultimately the communist regime being replaced by Solidarity would have only proved a small obstacle for the USSR. The USSRs position of power and influence would have been enough to prevent the downfall of communism in Poland to be mirrored in the rest of the empire. In bordering East Germany and Czechoslovakia the polish crisis was received with relat ively neutral opinions. Their firmly rooted conservative regimes did not fear their respective populations to follow suit. This was mainly due to the fact that the populations of the two countries looked down on Poland for their massive debt and economic backwardness. If a large scale war were to have broken out between communism and capitalism, the USSR would have had no trouble in marching through Poland and reclaiming it and thus the leaders of the politburo concluded that there would be no immediate intervention in Poland. In making this decision Brezhnev remarked, Okay we wont go in, although if severe problems occur we would. Hence in this way the Soviet Union proved to be more concerned with long term western pressure and world public opinion than short term loss of a Warsaw pact member. Jaruzelskis success in imposing martial law is, in my opinion, the most crucial reason as to why the Soviet Union did not invade Poland in 1981. In the final weeks of 1981 it seemed as though the Soviet Unions decision not to invade Poland rested solely on the success of martial law in Poland. In the early days of December Jaruzelski held a conference directed towards Solidarity and other opposition groups where he said, If Polish forces do not manage to break resistance by Solidarity they [the public] could expect other countries to introduce armed forces in Poland. On December the 12th, the night prior to the proclamation of martial law, Warsaw Pact forces in neighbouring countries were put on alert in the case of a large scale public uprising that the Polish authorities would be unable to manage. The imposition of martial law on December 13th 1981 caught Solidarity and other opposition groups off guard. All political organisations, such as solidarity, were banned, a curfew was put in place and all telephone and postal mail were subject to censorship. The initial resistance to martial law proved to be weak and no match to Jaruzelskis military patrols that roamed the streets. Over 90 people were killed in the initial uprising which showed that Jaruzelski was liable to resort to extreme brutality in order to ensure that the nation was once again firmly under the grip of the communist regime. Furthermore in order to further hamper the opposition, all known solidarity members were rounded up for interrogation and Lech Walesa, Solidaritys leader, amongst other opposition leaders was arrested. Jaruzelskis tactics were working in the mere weeks after martial law was imposed. Special military courts were set up which had an outstandingly high rate of conviction. Jaruzelski instilled fear within the population to the magnitude that they refused to go on strike because they were likely to lose their jobs and be detained without trial. Underground Solidarity leaders att empted to rally the population to go on strike at their places of work, in response to this water tanks and armoured cars were sent to large factories and mills to combat any opposition. An underground Solidarity leader said, It was too much to ask of workersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ without specific strategy it was unfair to ask workers to risk their jobs. The public began to fear assembling in opposition to the government because they feared the over used police brutality and were no longer certain about receiving a free and fair trial. Lack of strong and organised opposition put Soviet intervention in Poland out of the question. Brezhnev no longer saw the need to intervene in a country where the communist regime had seemed to, at least temporarily, have the public and opposition under control. In the early 1990s Jaruzelski gave an interview to justify his proclamation of martial law in Poland, where he stated that martial law was the lesser evil in the given scenario. Had he not imposed it the Warsaw pact forces would have inevitably invaded the country. Thus the success of martial law stands as the biggest reason for Soviet non-intervention of Poland in 1981. The four main reasons that stood in the way of the Soviet Union intervening in Poland, all have their respective merits. However it is in the last two reasons, internal problems in the Soviet Union and Jaruzelskis success in crushing the opposition, that stand out as the most crucial. Had Solidarity taken power in 1981, all obstacles preventing the USSR from invading Poland would have vanished and an army would have ultimately been sent into Poland. However in my opinion Jaruzelskis success in imposing martial law was the only factor that gave the Soviet Union a finality about their decision to not invade Poland and must thus stand as the main point of analysis when considering the given question.

ed philosophy re: history :: essays research papers

To understand history, you must grasp how your everyday view of the world developed, how it was created by the reality of the people who lived before you. It took 1000 years to evolve the modern way of looking at things, and to really understand where you are today, you must take yourself back to the year 1000 and then move forward through the entire millennium experientially, as though you actually lived through the whole period yourself in a single lifetime.† (Redfield, 1994) I have chosen to become a history professor to open the minds of college students who have despised history, not because of the contents of what they are taught, but because of the way that they were taught. With an existentialist point of view on education, my teachings will be based on how individuals influences and reacted to certain events in history, not the events themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to fully explain why I agree with the existentialist philosophy, I should point out why I feel this will help my ability to teach my students. Existentialists rely on self-reflection as a major tool. I can’t think of a better way to show a student what happened throughout history than by asking how he or she would react in that time period. Imagine being a journalist trying to capture the feeling of a nation on November 23, 1963, the day after President John F. Kennedy was shot. Take your imagination further to capture the torn emotions felt by Mary Todd Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln‘s wife, who’s half-brother Ben Hardin Helm was killed as a Confederate General in the Civil War (Find A Grave, Retrieved 2002). By throwing yourself into a situation and expressing those emotions you feel about that situation, your reactions will bring about a deeper meaning; one not so easily tossed aside after an exam is taken or the course is compl eted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Existentialists also believe that a classroom should be an open forum for discussion. I plan on lecturing for the first half of my class and letting the students share their thoughts in the remaining half of the class. Knowing that all individuals think and act differently, this help to explain all sides of an event. One student may feel that our current situation warrants military action against Iraq while another student may be strongly opposed to America‘s use of force. By letting these individuals express their true feeling without judgment, I believe other students will better understand the situation at hand. ed philosophy re: history :: essays research papers To understand history, you must grasp how your everyday view of the world developed, how it was created by the reality of the people who lived before you. It took 1000 years to evolve the modern way of looking at things, and to really understand where you are today, you must take yourself back to the year 1000 and then move forward through the entire millennium experientially, as though you actually lived through the whole period yourself in a single lifetime.† (Redfield, 1994) I have chosen to become a history professor to open the minds of college students who have despised history, not because of the contents of what they are taught, but because of the way that they were taught. With an existentialist point of view on education, my teachings will be based on how individuals influences and reacted to certain events in history, not the events themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to fully explain why I agree with the existentialist philosophy, I should point out why I feel this will help my ability to teach my students. Existentialists rely on self-reflection as a major tool. I can’t think of a better way to show a student what happened throughout history than by asking how he or she would react in that time period. Imagine being a journalist trying to capture the feeling of a nation on November 23, 1963, the day after President John F. Kennedy was shot. Take your imagination further to capture the torn emotions felt by Mary Todd Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln‘s wife, who’s half-brother Ben Hardin Helm was killed as a Confederate General in the Civil War (Find A Grave, Retrieved 2002). By throwing yourself into a situation and expressing those emotions you feel about that situation, your reactions will bring about a deeper meaning; one not so easily tossed aside after an exam is taken or the course is compl eted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Existentialists also believe that a classroom should be an open forum for discussion. I plan on lecturing for the first half of my class and letting the students share their thoughts in the remaining half of the class. Knowing that all individuals think and act differently, this help to explain all sides of an event. One student may feel that our current situation warrants military action against Iraq while another student may be strongly opposed to America‘s use of force. By letting these individuals express their true feeling without judgment, I believe other students will better understand the situation at hand.

The business environment. PEST Analysis Essay

Logica is an innovative IT services organization which brings technologies, people and business together. It has clients globally in various industries; automotive, gas, oil and manufacturing. Its aim is to add value for clients via, for instance, reducing waste or improving productivity and efficiency. Political factors                  This refers to the various ways and to what degree does the government intervene in the business economy. Logica has to adhere to all government tax policy; when the government increases the tax levied on a particular product in the business, price adjustment should be done so as to ensure that the business does not run at a loss especially pertaining that certain product. The company will hire personnel and the working terms and conditions must conform to the labor laws. The environmental law should be followed by the company and all the activities must be friendly to the environment. Trade restrictions and quotas are very eminent in most nations. The government will restrict trading of some commodities which are illegal n the country. The company must ensure that it trades with those products which are legal and have minimal negative effects. Political stability influences determines the operations of most businesses. A positive business growth is facil itated by a politically stable environment; while political instability discourages business growth. When the UK government increased university fees, (this affected the education sector) the academic providers had to address the challenges of generating income; Logica noted that this educational landscape alterations could impact on the number of potential employees with the skills and competencies required. The increasing academic cost may restrict the social mobility of talented people hence may consider alternative routes to gaining experience and qualifications. Logica has reviewed its workforce planning to have effectively skilled workers now henceforth. To cater for the changes, it has introduced apprenticeships and enhanced its graduate scheme thus provides the company with a new pool of talents especially IT and Computer Science specialists. About government initiatives on climate change and reducing emissions, Logica responded by being involved in the government’s new Cycle Hire Scheme in London. Logica’s role is central and focuses on the design and build of the simple-to-use payment system which is supported by a back office function (Palmer, & Hartley, 2006, p.18). Environmental factors                  The environment of logical has many elements which are paramount for thrive of the business. The customers of this business are key, and should have their needs met. The company should offer high quality products at reasonable fee. The creditors and suppliers of the business should be paid on time for their supplies. Technology is very critical for all the services offered by the company. The company must acquire the latest technology so as to meet all the needs of the customers. The government is another environment which the company will operate in. it should follow all the government regulations set up for the industry. Last but not least are the competitors. The company will face stiff competition from other firms. The company must come up with strategies that will make it have a competitive edge over the competitors. The company can be more competitive if it provides quality products, offer competitive prices, and respond positively to the needs of t he creditors and suppliers (Cherunilam, 2010, p.38). Conclusion                  Effective knowledge of the aspects that affect the business operations will enable the business to make appropriate decisions that can facilitate its survival in the new environment without undergoing losses. References Cherunilam, F. (2010). Business environment. Mumbai [India: Himalaya Pub. House. Palmer, A., & Hartley, B. (2006). The business environment (5th ed.). Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education. Source document

Science Fiction Book Report Essays - Frankenstein, Free Essays

Science Fiction Book Report Essays - Frankenstein, Free Essays Science Fiction Book Report In the story Frankenstein, written by the author Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein decided that wanted to create a being out of people that were already dead. He believed that he could bring people back from the grave. Playing with nature in such a way would make him play the role of God. With Victor Frankenstein feeling that he had no true friends, the only relief he had of expressing his feeling was through letters to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was not Victors true sister but he loved her very dearly, making sure to always write her when ever he had the chance. Yet, when Victor left something strange came over him. Already being interested in subjects such as natural philosophy and chemistry, he fall upon the question of how to bring someone back to life. He became very involved in this project and worked on it for days on end. The project had to do with defying the laws of nature. Victor believe wholeheartedly that he could bring the dead back to life. He felt that the dead were not ready to die and they were just resting. Victor became so self absorbed into his project that he seem to forget all that was important to him. He even disengaged himself from all the people he loved in his life. People like his father, Elizabeth, and other loved ones. Victor began to write less and less. Yet, it was not until Elizabeth got a discouraged letter from Victor, did his love ones start to wary about him. Though, the letter was full of words, it gave no relief to Elizabeth, because the words meant nothing to her. However, they meant a lot to Victor, because he felt the project in which he was working on was so important to him, in his own delirious world. He felt that with bring people back to life he would not only better man kind, but also establish a name for himself. With this type of attitude, he did not even take into consideration that he might make the world a worse place. This part in the story shows the irony. The irony being that Victor Frankenstein feels he is doing something good for the world, but we later find out just how bad this creation could be. Though Elizabeth wanted to pull Victor away from his project, he was unwilling to leave until it is complete. After Victor found how to bring his creation to life, he also found out just how evil his invention could be. His creation was strong and evil. With the escape of the monster, Victor Frankenstein had to come to realization of what his creation might do and the consequences that Frankenstein, himself would have to deal with. With the murder of his brother weighing the guilt on his shoulders, Frankenstein know he had to do something. So he went looking for the monster. Upon their meeting each other, the monster confessed that when he found out that William as Victors brother he killed him. He then proceeded to tell him that he killed his brother due to the fact that he was trying to get back at his creator for bringing him to life and allowing him to be an out cast in society. This killing prove to Victor that the monster did not know right from wrong or how to cope with his anger. This aggression made Frankenstein's creation violent. While talking with the monster, the monster demanded from Frankenstein to create a partner that he could be able to live with away for society. At first, agreeing to the demand, but later realized that if his first creation came out to be a killer so could the second one. With this in mind Frankenstein revoked his agreement and decided against creating another monster. Though, knowing that this decision could be dangerous to him and his loved ones. Yet, he had to think of what was truly best for man kind. Bringing the dead to life or saving the lives of the living. Another peace of irony in this story is, just like Victor Frankenstein who had no friends and was different from the rest of society so was the monster. Also, when Frankenstein decided to play God and bring the dead to life, his creation took on the same role when he decided to take away some ones life. All

Definition of Void in C and C

Definition of Void in C and C In computer programming, when  void  is used as a function return type, it indicates that the function does not return a value. When void appears in a pointer declaration, it specifies that the pointer is universal. When used in a functions parameter list, void indicates that the function takes no parameters.   Void as a Function Return Type Void functions, also called nonvalue-returning functions, are used just like value-returning functions except void return types do not return a value when the function is executed. The void function accomplishes its task and then returns control to the caller. The void function call is a stand-alone statement.   For example, a function that prints a message doesnt return a value. The code in C takes the form: void printmessage ( ) {   cout Im a function that prints a message!; } int main ( ) {   printmessage ( ); } A void  function uses a heading that names the function followed by a pair of parentheses. The name is preceded by the word void, which is the type. Void as a Function Parameter The void can also appear in the parameter list part of the code to indicate the function takes no actual parameters. C can take the empty parentheses, but C requires the word void in this usage.  In C, the code takes the form: void  printmessage  (void ) {   cout   Im a function that prints a message!; Note that the parentheses that follow the function name are not optional in any case. Void  as a Pointer Declaration The third use of void is a pointer declaration that equates to a  pointer to something left unspecified, which is useful to programmers who write functions that store or pass pointers without  using them. Eventually, it must be cast to another pointer before it is dereferenced. A void pointer points to objects of any data type.

Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Planning - Essay Example It can be an interesting place to spend holidays, to relax, to enjoy with friends and rejoice. Capital invested should be forty percent of the self-investment and the rest of the capital should be acquired from other financial sources like state owned financial organization or private organizations. Once if the resort is a big hit and is full with memberships the designing of the facilities in the resort should be in manner that will not be congestive for the members. Advertising plays a crucial role in developing the resort and keeping up its reputation. A resort is equipped with a wealth of relaxing and recreational offerings throughout. A spacious garden A swimming pool A hall for parties Hotel & Lodging and Boarding A lobby for sitting and Lunch. A Disco Tec with attached pub. To make the resort a dream vacation which gives little retreats to our eyes. A small bird sanctuary or animal section for Time pass. A flowers garden or Butterfly park for nature enthusiasts. A tot-lot for playing little kids. A small pond with aquatic animals such as Dolphins, Swans etc. A sand park that has play tools for children. A place hosting a rural look with grass and huts and ethnic pots. A resort can also be equipped with a spa where women can get refreshed and relaxed. As a special feature it can also present a Horror-Show room with skulls and Skeletons to scare the Adults just for fun. The garden can be decorated with sculptural architectural beauty. It can also embrace the customers with Golf Court. Special Holiday packages are offered for families and newly wed couples. Special benefits can be offered to those who apply for membership. Imagiantive layout for a resortReferences Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (2006) development hetelier. [online]. Available from:

Traditional Budget Is a Rigid Tool and Should Be Discarded In Practice Essay

Traditional Budget Is a Rigid Tool and Should Be Discarded In Practice - Essay Example The paper tells that the extensive use of budget in corporate organizations is rooted in the fact that it is a comprehensive tool for monitoring organizational activities and addressing critical factors in business. The concept of using models of a traditional budget is now under extensive debate owing to the restrictions that they impose on managers. The main proponents who describe the idea of a budget as a highly rigid one complain that discarding the budget for a corporate organization will ultimately change the organization from being a central hierarchy to a well-developed network that can more readily adjust itself to the market forces. In order to explore this argument, factors which cause researchers to challenge the concept of formal budgets in the organization are discussed. The impact of capital markets on organizations and the redundancy of the budgetary controls are to be focused. One of the biggest supports of strict budgetary controls can be found in the works of Otle y who had established that maintaining strict budgetary control is not essentially expensive for an organization. This is because; focusing strongly on the budget ultimately results in obtaining stipulated results. Others who have supported the notion of strict budget control in an organization are of the view that formal budgets are likely to perform in an efficient manner only when the external environment is relatively stable and there are no fluctuations. The business environment is no longer stable and is actually shaped by the interaction of multiple forces which are dynamic and are constantly evolving. The interactions of business organizations have increased with the capital market. Money flows from the capital markets into the projects of any organization and the project, in turn, generates income for the firm. The money that is generated by the organization is used by the firms in order to repay the loans and provide returns to the shareholders. This makes the firm liable to the capital market. The concept of creating capital budgets is related to investing of the firm’s surplus in projects which have a net present value.