Gender Communication Essay

Women are continually hammering against a glass ceiling and also their advancement is usually hindered by a promotion bottleneck in the middle management and a sticky floor. According to a recent research on an analysis of careers from a number of employees, it was found out that the rates of promotion for men from the start of their careers to senior management was higher as compared to women who started at the same level. Majority of men were promoted as compared to women who had equivalent experience and education. This has adversely affected gender communication by way of intimidation whereby the women are left feeling inferior (Ivy, 28). I picked this topic so that I can comprehend deeply on the effects of glass ceiling and sticky floors approach to communication, and how it is related to gender communication. Knowledge about this topic would adequately prepare me for the world since I would be knowledgeable on how to handle various aspects of my life which include my workplace and my relationships. I came to discover that the glass ceiling and sticky floors issues had only been studied at a high level especially at the top of the management. Women are only promoted to very top positions only if they have successfully made it through at the middle management level (Wood, 157). From my conclusive research I discovered that there is usually a floor that is men dominated by the men in regards to promotions. Unfortunately for women, it is extremely difficult to penetrate through this floor due to the fact that there is a lot biases towards women promotions. Men are easily promoted whereas for women, they have to demonstrate capabilities beyond reasonable doubt that they deserve a promotion. I learnt that there is also the challenge of a mid- level bottleneck towards women which ideally favored men. This concept ensured that few women were promoted from the mid-level management to senior management. This meant that a lot of women were stuck at the mid-level management and they did not progress further from this level. However, this was not same case with men who had similar credentials to the women regardless of both sexes having similar qualifications academically and  experience (Krolokke and Ann, 58). I was deeply surprised by the aforementioned findings and I had to ask myself various questions about the topic. I still have not understood where there should be that prejudice towards women yet there is an affirmative action regarding women. I am yet to establish effective solutions to the link between challenges of gender communication in relation to the glass ceiling and sticky floors approach to communication. A number of areas need to be researched thoroughly so that the relation of the two aspects are understood and practice to the letter. Challenges that face the two aspects should be dealt with through consensus so that there can be a win- win solution where both parties, that is the male and female live and work in harmony (Wood, 159). In conclusion, I wish to strongly suggest that the gender equality aspect should be practiced and women should effectively be given equal opportunities like their male counterparts. Gender communication needs to be a two way traffic and both the male and female should have equal opportunities to express themselves. The barriers that create the glass ceiling and sticky floors approach to communication should be eradicated. Everyone should be given equal opportunities for harmony between both sexes to prevail. Works Citied Ivy, Diana K. Genderspeak: Personal Effectiveness in Gender Communication. Boston: Pearson Education, 2012. Print. Krolà ¸kke, Charlotte, and Ann S. Sà ¸rensen. Gender Communication Theories & Analyses: From Silence to Performance. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.: SAGE, 2006. Print. Wood, Julia T. Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. Belmont, CA: Thompson/Wadsworth, 2008. Print. Wood, Julia T. Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage, 2013. Print.

Interview: Occupational Therapy and Child Essay

The current interview process is in regards to a child who is four years old and was diagnosed with autism when he was two years old. Children with autism often display deficits in language, social interaction, behaviors, and sensory and perceptual processing (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010). Therefore, the purpose of the current interview is to investigate the child’s overall needs, strengths, and weaknesses in regards to the child’s specific condition to gain an in-depth understanding of the child. The goal of the interview is to collect thorough information about the child to allow the practitioner to gain an understanding of the child and parent’s needs for therapy. Furthermore, the interview facilitates rapport between the practitioner and the child and parent and expresses the practitioner’s desire to understand and empathize with the child. It is important to establish a relationship with the child and the parent to allow for an open discussion and a successful intervention. The practitioner should establish proper eye contact and engage with the child properly to gain the child’s trust during the interview process. Structure of interviewing The structure of the interview is made available so there are smooth transition within the interview. The questions are phrased in an open-ended form to promote more conversation with the client and allows the practitioner to gain more information about the client. The questions in the interview are directed to the parent due to the young age of the child and the child’s diagnosis of autism. Furthermore, according to Stone and Hogan (1993) â€Å"parents offer an unique perspective on the child’s behaviors, one that is acquired over time and across different contexts and input from parents provides an invaluable supplement to clinical observations.† The intake form is formatted in a style where the practitioner may easily ask the questions and transcribe the information from the client. The typical sections of the interview are the opening, body, and closure (Sommers-Flannagan,J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). The intake form contains information regarding demographics, medical history, treatment history, and developmental history in the opening section. In the body section of the interview, information about the occupational performance areas, performance skills, and performance patterns are addressed. Lastly, the interview concludes by requesting the personal goals and major concerns for the client and parent. Opening In the beginning of the session, the practitioner introduces oneself to the client by stating the practitioner’s name, qualification and role in the setting (Crepeau, Cohn, &ump; Schell, 2009). In the opening of the interview, the practitioner needs to inform the client of the purpose of the interview and the type of questions that are going to be asked (Crepeau et al., 2009) and discuss about confidentiality (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). Confidentiality is an integral aspect of the interview process and is important to the client and practitioner. Establishing confidentiality encourages the client to participate with a healthy attitude and lead to effective sessions in the future. According to Sommers-Flannagan, J. and Sommers-Flannagan, R. (2003), practitioners in the opening of the session have a duty to make a positive first impression or they will lose their client’s trust. Practitioners need to relay that they care about their clients both with verbal and non-verbal cues (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). In the current case, the practitioner seeks information about the client’s demographics, medical history, treatment history, and developmental history. Although the goal in the beginning is to create a warm setting (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003), it is important to learn about the client’s background information. In order to develop a proper treatment plan for the future, it is essential to know about the client’s history. Demographics questions are posed to gain general information about the client’s age, contact information, and caretaker’s information. Questions regarding medical history are present to help provide information regarding any medical disability that may affect the client’s current condition. Treatment history questions provide how effective the previous interventions were for the client and a framework for future interventions. Information regarding the client’s developmental history are asked to understand the client’s milestones and areas that the child may display delays. These questions provide the practitioner with a thorough background about the client and enables the practitioner to formulate a direct and specific treatment plan for the client. Body The body of the interview incorporates the development and exploration phase, which is the time when the practitioner and the client collaborate together to develop the personal story (Crepeau, et al., 2009). Moreover, during this stage of the interview process, the practitioner asks questions that are related to the client’s occupation and the factors that may hinder or promote the client’s occupations. The questions in the current interview are formatted according to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) (American Occupational Therapy Association, AOTA, 2008). Within the body of the interview, the following topics are addressed: areas of occupation, performance skills, and performance patterns. Areas of occupation According to AOTA (2008) the areas of occupation are: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, education, work, leisure, play, social participation, and rest and sleep. In the interview, the practitioner poses questions to investigate the child’s independence regarding activities of daily living, which are bathing, eating, dressing self, and grooming. It is important to know how independent the child is in these areas to have an understanding regarding the child’s personal needs. Children with autism often are capable of learning tasks such as self-care, but it is important to know the child’s level of functioning. Due to the client’s age and diagnosis, the client is reliant on the care taker or parent to assist with instrumental activities of daily living. Education and play are the child’s primary occupations, therefore, it is important to recognize the child’s needs and capabilities in these areas. The intake interview asks questions regarding the child’s experience in school to help describe the child’s learning abilities. Children with autism often have developmental delays which impact the child’s abilities to grasp or process information (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010). The level of functioning vary for each child on the autism spectrum, therefore, it is essential to know the specific academic experience of the individual child. Moreover, children with autism exhibit disturbances in behavior which often impacts their progress in education (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010), therefore it is imperative to inquire about the child’s behavior issues. It is difficult to work with individuals who display behavioral issues, and therefore, children who have autism may often be refused for services, such as education. Other difficulties children with autism often experience are with social interaction and appropriate play. Practitioners need to inquire about the child’s interaction with other individuals their age and family members (Stone &ump; Hogan, 1993). It is important to have an idea of how the child interacts, if any, and what specific activities are motivators. Children with autism may react to strange settings and activities negatively, therefore it is essential to seek information regarding tasks that may offset these behaviors. Furthermore Lord, Rutter, and Le Couteur (1997) states that it important to ask questions regarding social interaction and avoidance to differentiate between children diagnosed with fragile X from those who are diagnosed with autism. Performance Skills According to AOTA (2008), performance skills are part of the occupational therapy domain and include: sensory and perceptual skills, motor and praxis skills, emotional regulation skills, cognitive skills, and communication and social skills. These areas within the performance skills are integral information that are relevant in children diagnosed with autism. The child diagnosed with autism may display difficulties in these areas. In this section of the interview, the practitioner seeks information regarding the child’s communication skills. Children with autism may not have spoken language, but may exhibit various communicative skills with the parent. According to Lord et. al (1997), questions regarding communication, such as directing attention, expressing interest in others, social interaction and imitating responses should be asked because children with autism often display disturbances in these areas. Also these forms of questions help differentiate between a child who has intellectual disability and autism (Lord et al., 1997). Other questions directed to children with autism are in regards to sensory processing skills. Children who are diagnosed with autism often haven an aversion to sensory stimulations and may over or under react to sensory input such as touch, sound, taste, and sight. Children with autism may display difficulty processing sensory information (Zager, 2005). Since children with autism often display issues with sensory processing and over stimulation, it is important to identify what specific form of sensory difficulties the child experiences. Difficulties in these areas may also pose problems with child’s ability to regulate their emotions, which leads to disturbing behavioral problems. Therefore, questions regarding these issues are pertinent to identify in order to have a successful intervention. Another focus within the performance skills domain is motor skills. Children with autism have developmental delays (Stone and Hogan, 1993) and this results in the child’s difficulty with motor and motor planning skills. Children with autism often have difficulties with praxis and therefore are often unable to perform novel tasks. Questions directed towards investigation of child’s praxis is important to identify because this provides the practitioner with an understanding of what the child is capable of doing. Understanding the child’s capabilities will allow the practitioner to have a foundation to establish proper therapeutic interventions. Performance Pattern Within this domain of the occupational therapy practice framework (AOTA, 2008), the different areas include: routines, roles, and habits. This area is relevant to children with autism because of the child’s high tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors (Zager, 2005). Therefore, it is encouraged for practitioners to inquire about the child’s daily routines, habits, and roles. Some of the habits (or behaviors) children with autism exhibit are unhealthy and practitioners should seek information about the specific behaviors that are harmful to the child. Often, children with autism display tantrums due to change in routine. If the practitioner does not seek information regarding these types of behaviors, then it may halt progress in the intervention. Closing In the last section of the interview, the practitioner needs to transition smoothly to the end the session (Crepeau et al., 2009). It is important for the practitioner to identify the child and parent’s goals and clear up any questions the client may have regarding the interview and the future sessions. The practitioner and client collaborate together to establish goals that are of primary to the needs of the client. Practitioners need to clarify any questions the client may have and provide information about the future sessions.

Social Media and Freedom of Speech

Survey This survey is designed to authenticate for the designation of an industrial psychologist. It will just take 3-5 minutes. You are free to leave it at any time. Name: ________________________ Gender: * Male * Female Age: ______ Education: * Under Graduate * Post Graduate * Graduate Q1. What is your Qualification? _________________________________________________ Q2. Do you think you’re well qualified? * Yes * No Q3. What made you want to pursue a career in Industrial Psychology? ______________________________________________________________________________Q4. What are your goals and future plans as an Industrial Psychologist? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Q5. How do you judge people by their history appearance or some other things? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________ ________________________________________ PROBLEM SOLVING: Q6. What common workers anxieties are you aware of? Unrealistic or excessive worry * Sleep Disturbance * Jitteriness * Fatigue * Other (Please Specify in the provided area below). ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Q7. What will you do if such a situation occurs? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Q8.If a worker or an employee asks help regarding anything will you help them as well as keep things secret? ___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Q9. If a worker is stressed out or have any mental problem how will you treat him? ___________________________________________________ _______________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ COMMON SITUATIONS: Q10.Will you hang out with a famous football player or a fundraiser? * Football player * Fundraiser Q11. Will you hang out with 10 years old boy or a solider? * 10 years old boy * Solider Q12. Will you hang out with a rapper or an Islamic member of the UK Muslim Organization? * Rapper and songwriter. * Islamic member of the British Islamic community. Q13. Will you hang out with a world class bowler or a person with physical defect? * World class bowler * Person with physical defect in arms FOR FURTHER INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT RESEARCHER

Resolving Conflicts at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Resolving Conflicts at Work - Essay Example This paper is a review targeted at analyzing the following statement: â€Å"Taking off masks and revealing hidden emotions†.   Hiding emotions can very often lead to a build-up of anger, or also make an individual lie or avoid the truth.   Doing this distorts the behavior of an individual, and an individual may even begin to believe that this â€Å"mask† is, in fact, really who he or she is.   Hiding emotions can result in several unsatisfactory actions.   One of these actions is known as â€Å"blowing up,† what this, in fact, means, is that anger has been allowed to build up within the individual, and then something sets the individual off, and everything that has been hidden comes out at once.   When the anger comes out, it may often be lashing out at something that really did not seem to be a serious concern in the first place, which may confuse the individual that is actually the target of the anger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another concept brought up in th e chapter is â€Å"Behaviors that Trigger Anger.†Ã‚   For many, anger can be difficult to understand because many do not often understand what the true source of that anger was. Responding logically to anger can sometimes make anger even worse.   Therefore, in a working environment, it may be important to bring a team together if somebody has become angry, and try to figure out what is not working for everybody.   Meetings like this can often be helpful because they can establish ground rules.

Ecnmic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ecnmic - Essay Example Again the prices fell during 2008, which reported a massive drop since the start of the year. These changes are due to the factors of recession that emerged during the last few years. The reasons for such change can be attributed to the demand and supply theory which states the relationship between demand and change in prices. The lower prices during 2008 are due to credit crunch that resulted in scarcity in availabilities of mortgages. The buyers could not purchase because they could not borrow money, thus, a fall in demand was seen in the housing sector. In order to boost the market, prices were lowered down to increase demand. According to certain forecasters, they will continue to remain slow because of rising inflation, unemployment and slow pace of growth. The interest rates during 2007 affected consumer spending. As in the theories of demand and supply, interest rates play a major part. Thus, the impact of interest rates on the house price will have to be established. As the interest rates rose, the number of mortgage approval also fell due to its effect on the consumer’s capacity to spend. When this ability decreases, the demand also decreases accordingly. It was also seen that with an increase in interest rates during 2007, a rise in sales of houses was recorded. Due to the rise in inflation, first time buyers of house felt the necessity of fund as they found themselves incapable to afford prices. Thus, with a thrust in the rate hike, the prices of house were also increased to maintain break-even as people were forced to take loan, despite the fact that interest rates were still high. Growth of real incomes: As there is a rise in an average standard of living, the demand for housing as well as for luxurious properties increased. As people in UK showed a trend to move to exclusive houses, the demand for housing increases with high prices which increased the growth of incomes

Sports, Leisure and Coaching Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sports, Leisure and Coaching Law - Essay Example The initial outlines for the concept contained provision for the arbitration procedure to include an attempt to reach a settlement beforehand. It was also intended that the IOC should bear all the operating costs of the court. Right from the start, it was established that the jurisdiction of the CAS should in no way be imposed on athletes or federations, but remain freely available to the parties.†i The main reason for setting up such an arbitral institution was the need to create a specialized authority capable of settling international disputes and offering a flexible, quick and inexpensive procedure. The CAS is also known by its French name, Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS). The CAS has its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland but has two other courts in Sydney, Australia and Denver, Colorado. The CAS also has the authority to set up courts in other countries, which it does during the Olympics. The language for the CAS is either French or English. Until 1991-92, a wide range of cases involving issues such as the nationality of athletes and contracts concerning employment, televisions rights, sponsorship and licensing were submitted to the CAS. Subsequently numerous doping cases were also brought before the CAS.ii After that a new development occurred wherein the structure of the CAS was evolved. The CAS became more independent of the IOC, both in organization and financial terms. The International Council of Arbitration (ICAS) is the supreme body of the CAS. The main task of the ICAS is to safeguard the independence of the CAS and the rights of the parties. It is concerned with the administration and financing of the CAS. The ICAS is composed of 20 members who are all high level jurists well-acquainted with the issues of arbitration and sports law.iii The CAS is an institution that is independent of any other sports organization and was

Collaboration in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Collaboration in Business - Essay Example Effective leadership steers the community towards achieving the set objectives of which can be customer satisfaction, profit maximization, market dominance among other business objectives. The goals and objectives of the business community will provide a frame work for laying out the policies and guidelines that will be used for running the community. Collaborative business communities employ collaborative problem-solving techniques to enhance their performance. The individual business goals and objectives of each member have to be put into consideration when formulating the overall goals of the business community (Welborn & Kasten, 2003). In order for a business to successfully collaborate with external partners it should have the ability to successfully collaborate internally. A business firm should develop strategies and practices that enable the culture of collaboration internally (Welborn & Kasten, 2003).This may be done in various ways such as inter departmental collaboration w here each department has mechanisms for dealing with their other counterpart departments effectively. Collaborations can also be exercised within the firm’s management structure whereby at each level of management there are effective methods of collaboration that ensure the smooth running of activities within the business. Barriers that may be encountered in collaborations such institutional, legal and psychological barriers should be anticipated and preventive measures taken in advance. Institutional barriers involve the internal activities of the individual potential member. These barriers may arise due to the internal policies of the potential member of the community such as their policies on expansion whereby they might not be interested in expanding to the level that will result from the collaboration. When it comes to legal barriers, these are barriers that may arise due to the legal framework of the country that the company is. For instance in for the multi – na tional firms, the firms intending to form the collaboration might be located in different countries with different set of laws regarding the activities they intend to engage in as a collaboration. The psychological barriers are related to the mindsets of the potential customers of the collaboration, the present customers of the individual members, their employees and other stakeholders. Some might have a negative attitude towards the company that is being brought into the collaboration and these might have an impact on issues to do with sales, worker motivation incase of the employees. The legal framework of the countries intending to form the collaboration should be studied especially concerning the practice of business collaborations and measures should be put in place to ensure that the potential collaborators do not contravene the law. For institutional barriers between the members intending to form the collaboration, they should be both prepared to cede some ground regarding th eir internal policies so as to successfully build the collaboration. Finally, the potential collaborators can carry out consumer and employee education in order to inform them of the potential impact that the collaboration will have (either directly or indirectly) on their lives in order for them to make informed decisions (Welborn & Kasten, 2003). The collaborative communities should deliver tangible value to each member, to ensure engagement and commitment to the common goals, and

Why we should have a Black President Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why we should have a Black President - Essay Example The United States should have an African, or Black President, because it's the only way to demonstrate principles of equal human rights in actual fact. All the history of the United States has never been anything but a chain of white male presidents. Oddly, little has been said about this embarrassing subject. Of course, America probably has to break a few more social barriers before a black president could be elected. To be frank, a lot of people are not ready to have a black man or woman as President. On the other hand, there are a lot of progressive people, black and white, concerned that democratic principles should be implemented in the real life indeed.Electing of African President in 2008 will help to attract an attention of publicity to the problems of black community, such as educational, health, social, political and other issues. According to the recent Gallup Survey on "Black-White Relations" cited in Cronc, seven out of ten whites believe that blacks are treated equally in their communities: an optimism with which only 40 percent of blacks agree. Eight in ten whites say blacks receive equal educational opportunities, and 83 percent say blacks receive equal housing opportunities in their communities. Only a third of whites believe blacks face racial bias from police in their areas. If a Black President is elected in the United States in 2008, these problems will more likely to be solved. (1999)I think that the main benefit of Black President is providing the United States with the real equality in all areas of life. Also it will show to every black person that there is nothing impossible for him or her in self-development. Self-confidence of colored people will serve as a powerful tool for further development of democracy in the United States. Also, Black President will stimulate black people to get involved in the political process. If we have a black woman as a President, feminist's movement will also become more politically active and more significant. The idea of America having its first Black president has resonated with many African-Americans over the years, especially with the emergence of Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Obama is the third African American since the Reconstruction Era to serve in the United States Senate. He is also the only African American currently serving in the Senate. Obama showed he had national appeal last year, when he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Though he was not even elected into office yet, dreams of a black President popped into the heads of many African Americans who watched as Obama electrified an audience of all races. Obama is not the first African American to show national appeal as a potential presidential candidate. The Rev. Jesse Jackson ran twice in the 1980s, and though he did not win the White House Jackson showed that he had enormous appeal outside of the African-American community. Jackson managed to attract 6.9 million votes from Urban Blacks, Hispanics, poor rural whites, farmers, factory workers, feminists, homosexuals and white progressives. One more step to an African President is Bill Clinton, who often is referred to as the "black president" because he was so receptive to the needs of African Americans and because he worked to include them in the political process more than any other president. Reasons cited here for Clinton's popularity among blacks include his poor Southern upbringing and underdog status, the fact that he appointed more blacks to his cabinet and other federal posts than any other president, and good timing (he came into office after three consecutive Republican administrations). But perhaps the biggest factor discussed is the genuine ease with which Clinton relates to black Americans. Blacks trust him to consider their perspective and do not view him as just another white politician who appears only during election years. This is not to say that Clinton always did their bidding; he often disappointed them. But they also shared common enemies and a common outlook that brought

The Graduate Labor Market of The Banking Industry Of The United Essay

The Graduate Labor Market of The Banking Industry Of The United Kingdom - Essay Example cruiting fewer graduates now after a consistent increase over the past three years but it seams this trend has peaked and they are recruiting lesser numbers than was the trend before. They continue to point out that the UK’s leading graduate absorbers including the banking sector have had their intake vacancies increased by only 0.9% in the year 2012 unlike in 2011which witnessed an increase of 2.8% or 2010 which grew by 6.7%. Despite the slowdown, it is still plain to see there has been a steady increase of employment for graduates for three years in a row (King, 2012). The total number of graduates in 2011 rose but a third of all the available positions for most employers including the banking sectors; was taken by graduates that had prior association with working for the employers in question (King, 2012). This was either through sponsorships, industrial placements or vacation work. This trend meant that those that failed to secure these opportunities early ended up being l ocked out of these companies (Butcher, 2010). Big traditional banking graduate recruiters are not the only companies that graduates can work for. Smaller and medium sized banking related companies (SMEs) make up about 99% of UK businesses which is true for the banking sector as well and they offer a chance for graduates to secure employment as well. Another way out is to look for avenues where the graduates can put their skills into work for themselves and to make the most of their qualification and skills (Glen, 2007). Butcher, S 2010, ‘Yes, the Future of Banking Commission’s report is crazy, but it could be VERY good news for some jobs’. eFinancial Careers [Available Online] http://news.efinancialcareers.com/19711/yes-the-future-of-banking-commissions-report-is-crazy-but-it-could-be-very-good-news-for-some-jobs/ accessed on 25 October,

Public Presentation Speech on Hofstra UNIVERSITY Baseball Essay

Public Presentation Speech on Hofstra UNIVERSITY Baseball - Essay Example The Hall of Fame was introduced in 1939 with Dale Petroskey as the president (Vaccaro, 73). This gesture by the university has been forceful in encouraging students to participate in sports. It seeks to appreciate the University’s alumni who did their best to take their respective sports at higher levels. The hall of fame includes students who have shown their prowess and alacrity in sports. Each year the University’s department of sports, though a high caliber panel selects candidates for this hall. This year Greg Polli who played baseball for the university in 1983 was selected for the hall of fame. The History of Hofstra baseball is one that is remembered with nostalgia that is drawn from the memories of the university’s pioneers of fame, pride and dominance. The Hafstra baseball course was initiated in 1938. According to (Vaccaro, 73) an online sports news desk, Brant Alyes who played in1959-1961 was the first baseball player from Hafstra University to make it to a major league level. Ken Singleton 1966-1966 is another baseball icon who made it to a major league. It is almost inevitable to mention the baseball players of Hafstra University who have gone professional in Hafstra baseball discourses. Greg Polli is a former All- American player who was also ranked third in the nation. Lance Schulters who played soccer for the university between 1996 and 1997 went professional. His professional soccer was at its prime when he was picked for the fourth time in 1998 by NFL in Francisco where he played for a decade (Vaccaro, 73). Finally it is commendable of the university to see the efforts put in all aspects of the university. Hafstra has become not only an academic giant but also a center of producing all round, disciplined and focused citizen of our republic with sports proving to be the best tool for its ambitious endeavors

Commiuncation in business - case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Commiuncation in business - case study - Essay Example Also, workers belonging to different cultures may have different reasons for lack of motivation and may require different measures to be motivated. In fact, every individual has his/her own needs that need to be satisfied to motivate him/her. In this paper, one such project has been discussed as a case study, which suffers from a lack of motivation in the workers. This multi-billion project involves construction of a condominium. Star Construction Company (SCC) has been hired by Unique Lead Builders (ULB) to construct the condominium. In this paper, I have proposed a framework to SCC which it can apply in its organization to improve the workers’ motivation and hence productivity so as to finish the project within the deadline, and avoid imposition of liquidated damages. 2. Terms of Reference – state clearly: Who am I? I am a Business Consultant. I have formerly done Masters in Business Administration (MBA). I have my own firm that offers consultancy to the clients and/o r contractors for a fee. I have provided my services on a number of projects, and have done good business. My firm is quite popular in the market, and I am considered as one of the top business consultants in my region. Who is my client? My client is Star Construction Company (SCC). SCC is a Contractor that takes building contracts. Currently, SCC is busy constructing a condominium in the centre of the city. It is a multi-billion project, which requires SCC to retain a minimum of 2000 workers for the whole period of construction. Currently, SCC is lagging 5 months behind the schedule it was given by ULB in the start of the project. In order to identify the root cause of delay, SCC has conducted a self-audit of its performance. The biggest issue that the auditing team has come up with is lack of motivation in the workforce. Workforce’s reluctance to take interest in the work has declined its productivity, which has directly affected the schedule. The auditing team has suggeste d the General Manager (GM) of SCC to take measures to improve the workforce’s motivation so that their productivity may be enhanced and the project can be sped up. Why has SCC consulted me? In order to devise a strategy to improve the workers’ productivity, it is imperative that the issues workforce commonly encounters are identified. Unless the workers’ concerns are satisfied, they can not be made to work hard. SCC has, therefore, asked me to prepare a briefing paper which SCC may consult in order to solve its workforce related problems and increase their productivity. 3. Overview of the situation: SCC was given a work schedule by the client at the start of the project. The whole project schedule covers a period of 3 years. As of now, eight months have passed since the commencement date, and the productivity has been considerably lower than what was the demand of the original schedule. SCC lags behind the schedule to such an extent that the goal of no more than 3 months has been achieved in 8 months. The client has stipulated very strict rules against the delay. The liquidated damages will be charged at the rate of 1 per cent of the project’s cost per week of delay. Therefore, SCC can not afford to delay the project as a delay of only a month will consume 20 per cent of its profit. Accordingly, a delay of 5 months will leave

Parsley Garden Book Essay Example for Free

Parsley Garden Book Essay The qualities of carelessness and anger can be just as destructive as excessive pride. In Parsley Garden, Al Condraj has made many significant blunders due to his self-pride. In fact, his arrogance has gone straight to his head; Al thinks he is so great and is always right. Unfortunately, due to this absurd thinking, he makes many errors in judgment and doesnt fully think his ideas through before acting on them. Hence, this destructive frame of mind ends up being extremely hazardous to Al. Due to Als smugness, he makes large errors in judgment. When Al wanted the hammer, he didnt consider the consequences of stealing it. Because he is so arrogant, he automatically assumes he is the best thief in the world and that he would never get caught. However, even after getting caught the first time, Al goes back to the store and contemplates whether or not he should steal the hammer again. Al already knows that the workers at the store have a heightened awareness of his actions and that there is a good chance he wont succeed in stealing the hammer a second time. However, he still doesnt care and wants to steal it again. One can now see Als detrimental thinking pattern. Another pitfall in Als judgment is that he doesnt think his ideas through before acting on them. When Al went back to the store to work for the hammer, he did a fantastic job and was even offered one dollar and the job. However, he refused to take the money and job, even though he could have used the extra cash. Al is too arrogant because he doesnt want to work for people he despises. His pride blocks his thoughts so that he doesnt even consider new options. The last damaging cycle caused by Als excessive pride is that Al refuses to do anything when there is a chance for humiliation. For example, he watched Johnny Gale nail boxes for ten minutes, but Johnny was too busy to notice him or talk to him. Al went home because he didnt want somebody working hard to notice that he was being watched and maybe say, Go on, and beat it. Al didnt want to invite a humiliation. As one can see, Als pride is  so great that he will leave an opportunity when there is even a slight chance for embarrassment or humiliation. Overall, Als pride is extremely destructive. He is afraid to perform certain activities when he fears that he could be humiliated. Also, he makes large errors in judgment and does not fully think his ideas through. Hence, Als frame of mind is created by his excessive pride and it largely affects and changes Als life for the worse.

Quality Services Improvement

Quality Services Improvement The Quality of Services in Emirates Airlines: The Challenges of Continuous Improvement Summary This study examines quality of services at Emirates Airlines and reflects on the associated market orientation. The study also examines challenges and avenues for continuous improvement. These inter-connected objectives shape three research questions that are addressed based on customer responses to a structured instrument. This instrument has its origins embedded in the wealth of developments in methodological aspects to do with service quality assessment. The ‘perception- expectation gap and the gap with respect to ‘service delivery are reviewed across a multitude of research studies that are pegged around the central conceptual feature of SERVQUAL. This concept is discussed in detail including instances of its use in examining the airline industry. A structured close ended questionnaire informs this study that uses data generated from 250 respondents. The study is limited in methodological rigor due to use of descriptive statistics alone but at the same time provides a rich narrative using the data that is often not possible unless results are very strongly skewed in the case on inferential statistics. The lack of robustness has arisen due to data gaps which the study acknowledges. Findings suggest that staff training on understanding the scope of service quality, and continuing with modernization and infrastructure upgrade- should be on top of the agenda at Emirates. The results also show that personalized attention provided to customers is a key selling point in why customers choose Emirates, but that there is lack of understanding related to proper customer relations management. Some conflicting results also tend to suggest that the dichotomy between customer expectations and perceptions is influenced by the relative offerings competitor airlines make. There is also a hint that short term resource impetuses like frequent flyer schemes do not do much to improve service quality perceptions. It is the long term embedded development of staff capabilities and understanding about the holistic nature of service quality that may prove to be ‘the competency for sustained competitive advantage. The study posits a need for further research in developing comparabl e service quality metrics across international airlines that are available only in the US at present (AQR), and also a need for comparative case studies in the industry to inform globalization intentions. Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1. Background Emirates airlines is one of the largest and probably the most consistently profitable airlines of recent times. Since its inception in 1985 it has grown astronomically and in the last couple of years it has embarked upon a fleet upgrade and expansion that dwarfs other major airlines. It sailed through the 9/11 related downturn in aviation business, and the disturbance in the gulf to become an airlines whose success formula mystifies management wisdom. Off the cuff solutions to issues and problems as they arise seems to have worked exceedingly well for the airline. The airline claims to have an open culture and an open agenda where the need of privacy does not subsume the need to deliver from individual competencies under what can be termed a ‘fluid strategy process (Sull et al, 2006). The focus on fine issues and macro aspects alike are shared across all management levels comprising a multi-cultural workforce like no other airline. The company is used to making leaps whether it is by using the recognition from airline of the year award in 1994 to establish itself among the giants, to the massive fleet expansion in 2004-2005- to become the envy of even the giants. Surviving the 9/11 depression clearly points to the merits in Emirates approach. The key issue seems in operating as a family, where when other airlines were downsizing and cutting staff, Emirates kept status quo on these fronts and communicated a feeling of belonging in its staff. This was the crucial lever that kept Emirates going- and in fact even prosper in times that were so trying for the industry. As Carlzon (1989) notes in his aft cited work ‘Moments of Truth this is flattening of structure in the true sense so that messages get across quickly and effectively makes for a â€Å"powerful organisation that serves customers better and unleashes the energy in employees†. However, putting both these together to fine tune the market orie ntation through service quality is a challenge especially in times of growth and high momentum in external factors affecting the industry. Other beliefs at Emirates like around the prosperity of Dubai that it keeps as the nerve centre of its network, and keeping a rather conservative outlook towards alliancing with other airlines are not conventional. These shape a flexible core around which other attitudinal and behavioral aspects of the business model emerge. This emergence has often been punctuated with imposed or deliberated change this study takes place at a time of deliberated change that of rapid expansion of Emirates airlines across the globe (Leckic, 2007). The openness also transcends into the beliefs the airline has. The airline now seeks to grow more aggressively and reduce overt centering on Dubai. Creating a global brand based on current success is on the agenda. The airline realizes that reputations in a service industry are leveraged around service quality. In this light as it stretches out to routing across the globe and hiring more staff and acquiring physical infrastructure, that service quality does not get compromised remains a concern close to heart (Sull et al, 2006; Byles, 2007, Leckic, 2007; Sending 2008). 1.2. Motivation The international airline industry has seen a struggle to deliver profitability alongside ‘truly satisfying the flying public (Van Pham and Simpson, 2000). The alliancing arrangements, route mapping and offering packaged services through such alliances have tried to affect industry standards of service quality- which may not be the true reflection of customer expectations. The perception of customers about what is central to service quality vis-à  -vis the state of affairs in crucial for informing service quality initiatives and the market orientation of a firm. Needless to say given the dynamic nature of offerings that exist across industries including the airline industry, such expectation-perception balances are continuously shifting, and are even more fast moving for an airline that is growing rapidly and encountering new customers around the globe. The challenge also thus extends to one of continuous improvement (Emirates, 2005-2007). Given the success of Emirates and its unprecedented growth and plans for growth, it is clear that customer perceptions will be central to deciding performance in the future. In times of growth and expansion to new routes the probability of variation in service quality levels and variation in customer expectations is likely to be higher. How the airline can absorb such feedback to modify and fine tune its strategic marketing in the global environment is intriguing for managers, academics, and the wider industry -all having been amazed at the Emirates story so far. This study examines customer perceptions about service quality and relates it with market orientation to ponder over the way forward for Emirates, clearly something very central to research and practitioner interests in Emirates. The recommendations may also have some food for thought for the airline itself as it seeks continuous improvements for a story that is already a bestseller. From a methodological perspective the use of service quality assessment approaches like the SERVQUAL and its interface with the market orientation of the company has been a motivation (Webb, 2000; Engelland, 1998; Devlin et al; 2002; Van Pham and Simpson, 2006). That these have informed the airline industry among others on service quality, customer and market orientation among others make this research founded on robust theoretical and methodological grounds. 1.3. Research Questions This dissertation seeks to examine service quality at emirates, and examine the way forward as the airline seeks to market its image in times of rapid investment and growth. The first builds upon the second as it is service quality perceptions as customer views that need to be the focus when shaping marketing strategies. This is in particular for a business model that is well resourced as in the case of Emirates and the main concern seems to be of monitoring and improving customer uptake of service quality as the airline grows. This is to be contextualized with the market orientation of the company so far for shaping key initiatives that can augment the alignment between customer perceptions of service with their expectations of the same. Thus three central questions that inform this dissertation are: What factors affect service quality perceptions about Emirates airlines? What factors are perceived to be central in informing continuous service quality improvement initiatives? How do these perceptions associate with the market orientation of the airline from past initiatives? 1.4. Dissertation Outline The dissertation starts with an introduction to the context, scope and potential contributions from this study as here. The next chapter examines the literature in detail examining the concept of quality before leading on to the idea of service quality and research to develop methodological and conceptual paradigms around it. The idea of market orientation as a complement and associated aspect is also dwelled upon before closing the literature review that also uses research evidence across industries including the airline industry. The hypotheses development chapter links the research questions to the backdrop of service quality drawing upon the research site of the airline industry and the conceptual orientation from the literature review. The Hypotheses are aligned closely with a structured instrument that is discussed in the approach and methodology chapter. The approach and methodology chapter also provides for a rationale for selection of methodology, issues in conducting the study, limitations, and a time plan based narrative of how the study has been conducted. The sample profile, data and methods in analyses description here is carried forward in the findings chapter where results associated with each of the hypotheses are presented. A discussion chapter connects the results for a further discussion on implications and then leads on to conclusions. Here the recommendations are once again highlighted as study deliverables under each of the research questions. This is followed by a discussion on study li mitations that include revisiting methodological limitations discussed before. The final chapter closes by some focused suggestions about future research in the area of service quality that are argued to be of much use for the industry and for globally expanding firms like the Emirates Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This comprehensive literature review builds up the agenda of examining service quality in extant literature by starting off in the realm of Quality itself. In discussing TQM and consumer expectations it opens up a window to start examining the specialized concept of service quality. This concept is discussed in all its nuances especially around SERVQUAL definite leap both conceptually and methodologically in this area. This is linked up with the idea of market orientation to extract a conceptual backdrop relevant to the investigation under this study. The use of extant research both in the airline industry and in other industries provides for resources to adapt the concept of ‘gaps and dichotomy between service expectations and perceptions to shape hypotheses and instrument to collect data for this study. 2.2 The concept of Quality Quality has always concerned the societal intent of consumption. The reasons are fairly colloquial at one level where lack of quality can result in insufficient and unsatisfactory delivery of requirements from a product or service. At another level given the growing complexity of the business processes over the last century quality has evolved into a discipline characterized by an equally intertwined interface between control, assurance, and management in general (Dooley, 2006). Broadly speaking in the business context quality is the ‘perception of the ability of a product to satisfy its users. By extension it also applies to the processes and management of the processes that shape the product. However, the satisfying paradigm underpinning quality has multiple manifestations: â€Å"conformance†, â€Å"fitness for use†, â€Å"basic minimum requirements vs. attractiveness†, and as a matter of â€Å"interest and individual disposition† to name a few (e.g. Juran, 1945; Pirsig, 1974; Corsby, 1981; Kano, 1984; Reeves and Bednar, 1994). The definition of quality is rather difficult to come by because of the sheer nature of its wide applicability and strands of origin- ranging from the practical business origins to metaphysical origins. The American Society for Quality aptly captures this subjectivity in understanding quality by stating it as †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"a subjective term for which each person has their own definition† (Wade, 2005; ASQ, 2007). Quality management is made up of two complementary aspects one is quality assurance and the other is quality control. The former is about ensuring a basic minimum standard through upfront production process design. The latter is about reviewing and monitoring output to wean out the ‘defectives. Assurance is thus inherently preventive and control is mainly curative in a functional sense (Gunter, 1998). Irrespective of the disparate origins, quality management can be safely said to be largely associated with the idea of excellence. A range of concepts and their operationalisation stem from this broader view of quality and mark the growth in research and practice of quality management. Six Sigma, Quality Circles, and Total Quality Management- are but a few from amongst numerous such frames of reference (dti, 2007). The idea of quality at the advent of the century had been around as a selection paradigm- accepting the superior and rejecting the inferior and biased towards ‘control at best- most of the time the evaluation came from the end user. Along the business value chain as production became large scale after the 1st World War- quality assurance procedures started becoming formalized. It was not only the ‘end of the road customer assessment but also a series of filters ensuring only the better quality output being delivered to the customer made control and assurance an important in house practice . The inspection oriented quality control schema had its problems mainly in terms of competent individuals that could ensure monitoring despite not being the ‘know all skill set champions. Formalized roles of inspection and quality manager thus emerged and along side assurance models provided a great lift to quality management as a capability. Generic tools for quality management l ike the control chart emerged in the 1920s and statistical process control matured towards the middle of the century. The revival of the manufacturing of war torn Japan on mature principals of quality control and management finally brought quality management into the forefront. By the end of 1970s it was a global pre-occupation with everyone trying to imitate the success of Japanese low cost and high quality products (dti, 2007; Dooley, 2006). When the word total quality came to the fore in 1970s and finally pinned quality management as a fundamental capability that ran through the organization. The Wests take on quality management was more about ‘standards than ‘culturalisation-but based around the same operational frameworks as in Japan. These gave rise to national standards in response to the need to have a quality association with the national economy as a whole. At the business level quality is now a key management responsibility and a functional paradigm that has continuous improvement at its very heart (Gitlow et al., 1989). Aside from the generalized profile of emergence of quality management above there are a few key landmarks that need to be noted. The first is probably the statistical developments in the 20s and 30s and the emergence of concepts related to probability of acceptance, risk, tolerance levels, and sampling aspects (Shewart, 1931; Dodge and Romig, 1959) establishment of standards and societies also marked the 1930s and 40s (Hutchins, 1995; Dooley, 2006). Industrial production was never under as much pressure as in the II world War. While quality assurance could not keep up with the pressure control came to the forefront to ensure acceptable working products. The maturing of the statistical processes and standards in this regard was a key development. The large scale transmission of these standards to the then military suppliers ensured that the War provided an acceleration to the diffusion of quality management standards and systems (Dooley, 2006; Grant and Lang, 1991). With the end of the war in the formative phase of reconstruction quality was again given a ‘less rushed attention. The role of top management, the interface between organisation wide processes, among others found attention. Total quality control came to the fore as a holistic concept with a stage gate approach right from design to delivery to consumer (Fiegenbaum, 1951, 1957, 1961). As mentioned, the post war Japanese revival is a key factor in development of quality management. Over the 1950s and 1960s the ideas of cultaration of quality with pride in workmanship, top management support, liberalized communication and quality circles took hold stemming from Japanese success. The good practice concepts like quality circles emerged as competencies that were tightly woven into the culture of business unique to Japan and required some effort when it came to imitation by the west (Koyangi, 1964; Deming, 1967; Juran, 1967). Quality became integral to organisational behaviour, goals, and associated personnel development. 2.3 Total Quality Management, Consumer Expectations and Continuous Improvement The coining of ‘Total Quality Management (TQM), encapsulates this coming of age of quality management as an indispensable competency in the competitive arena that is augmented by increasing customer expectations (Deming, 1986; Anderson et al., 1994; Akers; 1991; Stratton, 1990). The main characteristics-changes and developments though numerous can be safely said to be around making quality: -a responsibility for everyone, -a necessity rather than a differentiator, relate better to services and information, and ever increasing set of non-manufacturing industries. relate to best practices, dissemination and learning -recognized a key function and accordingly resourced in organizations reinforce the primacy of the customer (Green and Welsh, 1988; Marquardt, 1991; Dooley, 2006) As TQM goes from strength to strength the balance between assurance, control, and the new fangled third strand learning is becoming vital given the dynamic nature and complex requirements that are associated with quality (Green and Welsh, 1988). The standardized tools need to be customized for organisational applications with a sense to create the competitive edge-because the omnipresent paradigm itself is tending to defeat the objective to seeking the competitive edge through quality (Dean and Bowen, 1994). Context specificity or in other customization of model and tools is the call of the day for research and practice alike The generic nature however needs to be preserved in the background given wider economic and societal association of quality management. For instance, as new frontiers like e-commerce open a fertile bed of quality concepts and models will be very valuable for learning and adaptation to the economic and social context (Doty et al., 1993; Dooley, 2006). . However, having an adaptable bed for quality management across diverse industries to draw from is not sufficient. The societal realties have also undergone transition quality needs to broaden its founding grounds to reflect on new aspects like information management and the virtual realm where quality may have to question its own foundations that are deeply rooted in manufacturing. The successful adaptation to non-manufacturing i.e. services however, is evidence of the emergent nature of quality management that can take on fresh challenges that include alignment to ever changing marketing and consumer orientation needs. 2.4 Service Quality Service quality is a subjective concept that remains challenging to define and to measure (Cronin and Taylor, 1992). This associates itself and can be understood as the application of total quality in the service sector in the main and also implying the service function in frontline delivery of product in other industries. The understanding of service quality has been synthesized from extant literature by Jennifer Rowley (1998). In her work it is seen as a â€Å"perception judgment from a comparison of what they feel service organizations should offer and the performance of the organisation offering the services†. There is no dearth of definitions that try to pack in comprehensiveness to this abstract concept. For instance, Hedvall and Paltschik (1989) refer to ‘willingness and ability to serve with a mention of ‘access, Lehtinen and Lehtinen(1982) view service quality in a three-dimensional space that looks at ‘interactive, physical and corporate quality fac ets. Furthermore Gronroos (1984) simplifies the idea by seeing service quality as shaped by ‘technical and functional aspects of quality (Rowley ,1988). The link between service and performance and by extension satisfying the customer is challenging because services have a unique combination of characteristics. The first of these combinations is their intangibility- causing issues in measurement as they are a function of the ‘experience of the customer. The next is their perish ability -meaning that they cannot delivered from existing stock and thus lending a dynamic nature to service delivery that is difficult to condition. The third is inseparability between production and consumption of service and the last is heterogeneity or customizability as each end user receives a different level-nature of service partly owing to individualized perceptions that are involved in assessment (Zeithaml et al., 1985; Rowley, 1998; Engelland, 1998; Webb, 2000;; Devlin et al; 2002). The need is thus to work on ‘perceptions to assess quality given the cognitive frame of reference that dominates the characteristics of service. The associated requirement is to be able to classify services so as to peg a cognitive frame on a type of service. Such an attempt has provided for groupings within the service industry as a starting point to deliver customized measurement models (Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). The influences on consumer expectations have also been classified to augment such efforts (Gronroos,1994) . While the seminal work towards generic developments like SERVQUAL (Parasuram et al., 1988), provide founding grounds to service quality measurement- literature sees several issues in the applicability of this generic framework. This also relates to the inclusion exclusion and reconfiguration of the understanding of service attributes and the industry categories discussed before (e.g. Sasser, 1978; Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). A critical perspective on SERVQUAL comes later but upfront it is of essence is to recognize the importance and complexity in measurement given the sheer abstractness of the idea of service and its quality. The customization of measurement efforts and models in light of different service industry groups has been key to efforts at improving measurement (Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). In SERVQUAL the conceptualization of satisfaction has been found to be too simplistic and the multiplicity of the ‘total experience is arguably not captured this is in addition to the non-customized generic nature of the SERVQUAL. A longitudinal and sometimes phenomenological analysis is suggested to capture these nuanced but important characteristics of service quality (Singh, 1991; Rowley, 1994). However, the difficult in devising a comprehensive tool still disposes wider practice of measurement to simplistic methods. Important adjustments and realizations like the use of ‘importance and satisfaction grid (Harvey, 1995) provide a very useful feedback and prioritization. For instance, high importance and poor satisfaction is a combination that merits urgent management attention. Another important variable in the service quality metric that needs to be accounted for is the nature of the contract. Again this is because of the attribute of ‘psychological contracts that is unique in nature to services (Thornrow, 1998). This has found particular appeal in measurement related to provision of public services. Having formal, informal and psychological components in service contracts provide a platform for balancing expectations and perceptions. These are otherwise very difficult to manage given the basic characteristics of service discussed at the onset of this section. Finally the perceptual plane needs to be also looked at with a balance though by classical definition the perception of the customer is the defining feature of quality-for service quality in particular the perception of the provider and the resultant psychological interface is also key to the metric. The role of customers is also not to be taken uni-dimensionally. There are different stakeholde r brackets eg. users, influencers, deciders, approvers that associate with a service category and also vary in their significance (Rowley, 1988). These influence the generic satisfaction and associated performance variable. Given this multiplicity and the psychologically complex nature of interactions, the ‘relationship exchange process (Morgan and Hunt, 1994) is key to providing some cognitive stability to overtime service quality measurement. It is also a suitable conduit to ensure that feedback is smoothly translated into strategic action for improvement. Such relationships can be supported by associating service with some ‘bonds (Chu and Lin, 2004). For instance, providing unique services, incentives, and even building social ties between provider and customer. However, on the other hand, the impact of such relationships on service quality needs to be moderated for a reliable assessment. They provide grounds for stabilizing the psychological map to better associate performance and expectations but at the same time bias it. 2.5 Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality Perceptions Broadly speaking customer satisfaction is a performance indicator of the extent to which a firm has managed to meet customer expectations through its business deliverables. Having formed the foundation of the marketing concept for nearly half a century the attempts at harnessing the good practices and measurement approaches is a much explored realm when it comes to customer satisfaction (e.g. Drucker, 1954; Levitt 1960; Gronroos, 1990). Over the last few years customer satisfaction has received a reinvigorated interest. Possible reasons for this have been seen as the after effects of a maturing TQM paradigm that is linked with several recognition awards, and also, arrival of national customer satisfaction barometers (Garvin, 1991; Johnson et al., 2001; Helgesen, 2006) The associated concept of customer relationship orientation is posits a strong link between customer loyalty and profitability with customer satisfaction (Zeithaml, 1988; Oliver, 1996). While customer loyalty has been referred to as central to ‘competitive advantage (Porter, 1985; Chao, et al., 2007)- this is delivered through customer -satisfaction. This is the basic rationalization behind customer satisfaction being so central to both short term and long term performance assessment. That the ‘ultimate aim of any firm is to achieve customer satisfaction remains the central thesis of market orientation (Levitt, 1960). Customer orientation seeks to align â€Å"organizational values, beliefs, assumptions and premises† to deliver a mutually enabling relationship between the customer and the firm (Day, 1994; Strong and Harris, 2004). Strong and Harris ( 2004), define a set of tactics that can deliver customer orientation. They define three sets of tactics. The first define relational tactics (essentially relationship marketing) that engages a nurturing philosophy for long run gains. The second tactic as human resource tactic is more about the direct interface with frontline of the customer and rest of the organisation -essentially empowering the front line through training and support to reap rewards of realized quality of experience of the customer. The final tactic relates to procedural aspects that routinise and systemize customer care and support systems. The study posits that there is a strong interaction and dependency between the three tactics. This key work that examines customer satisfaction and its manifestations under the customer orientation paradigm shares ground with some key extant literature (Narver and Slater, 1990) However, other studies tend to put one set of such aspects though differently labeled as more important than the others. For instance, Chao et al. (2007) say that while satisfaction remains an abstract idea sometime there is an overt component of interpersonal relationship building that because of over emphasis- instead of complementing customer orientation tends wean resources away from conditioning deliverables to meet consumer expectations. Research suggests that such a lopsided drive is ill-found in the long run While relationship marketing remains important it has to be pegged on consumer satisfaction from products and services for sustainability (Chao et al., 2007). Businesses need to focus attention on relationship building. This however has to be conditioned for long run profitability. Customer satisfaction through meeting expectations from goods, transaction services and pure services, and a sustained follow up and support culture has to be the basis for relationship building. For instance, financial incentives/offers are likely to be ineffective and short lived if quality is undermined. As most of the research in customer orientation gets focused on relationship building this is an important consideration to use as a moderator. Value to the customer can never be undermined for seeking short term profitability. This is because such profitability is not suitably tied in with satisfaction which in turn guides customer loyalty. Views to the contrary also exist mainly from some practitioners. Bruce Clapp (2007) of the Carlson marketing group says that â€Å"relationship strength is more important than satisfaction as a true indicator of loyalty. Customizing the experience of our customers, in-branch and in home, impacts the strength of relationship as it builds. In the experience, ensuring our message is relevant requires that we be closer to our customer. The communication we use, whether direct mail, e-mail or in person, must be tailored to the needs of the customer at an individual level. The term mass customization has gained ground as we look for ways to become partners with our customers and be there when they have a financial nee

Retail Services Marketing Of Uniqlo In Hong Kong Marketing Essay

Retail Services Marketing Of Uniqlo In Hong Kong Marketing Essay Chapter 1. Introduction Many businesses exist and flourish because they are successful in satisfying a need in the market. These needs are determined by the consumers who are considered an important component of any business endeavour. The primary reason for a business existence is to continue identifying consumer needs and then come up with tangible responses to address these needs. This requirement makes business companies spend a considerable amount of effort and intellect in analysing the behaviour of the consumers in order to effectively formulate appropriate marketing strategies that would assist the firm in effective production and delivery. Smart, D. T., Martin, C. L. (1992) argued that the study of consumers makes companies and organisations recognise and internalise consumer issues that would help strengthen their marketing strategies. In this paper several issues are discussed pertaining to fashion and clothing products and services offered by UNIQLO in Hong Kong. UNIQLO Co., Ltd. was originated in Japan. The companys business line is about clothing and fashion. But basically, the company is one of the leading clothing and fashion business in Japan that design, manufacture and retail casual wears. Initially, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. was only a division of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. but by November 1, 2005, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. come into the picture through corporate restructuring and currently existing as a 100% consolidated subsidiary of Fast Retailing. UNIQLO was now listed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In Japan, UNIQLO is the leading clothing retail chain in terms of both sales and profits. And as of 2010, the company are also operating in Hong Kong, China, United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Singapore and United States. UNIQLO formed the idea of blending of unique and clothing as an symbol of originality and uniqueness of the apparel industry in Japan. UNIQLO offers fashionable and high quality clothing at reasonable prices, and was seized as an opportunity to establish a brand position domestically and internationally, combining all the facets of the business from product design to final sales and the operation of the 790 stores around the globe. Primarily offing for a highly brand conscious consumer group, UNIQLO envisions itself as a leading global casual wear company targeting high sales and profitability growth. For UNIQLO, such aim could materialise based on the established strategies such as low cost management, cheapest manufacture and marketing schedules and prioritising customer requirements. Nowadays, UNIQLO is described as the apparel giant Gap, Inc.s counterpart based on the 4, 000% share price increase, making UNIQLO as Japans third largest clothing retailer. However, it is not always victory for UNIQLO; the subsidiary also has its own share of downturns especially on its international expansion. For instance, expansion programmes in the United Kingdom (UK) saw a tumultuous stumble in profits, forcing Fast Retailing to shut down 16 of the 21 UNIQLO stores opened, because of competition. Most recently, three UNIQLO stores in New Jersey were also closed because of economic slumps. Despite these facts, UNIQLO maintains the spirit and still believed that the brand has only but way forward. How UNIQLO will going to do such is central to this paper, focusing on the companys strategic management. External, industry and competitor analysis as well as the internal environment will be addressed. In fashion and clothing business in Hong Kong, the products and services offered by retailers that have strong brands are flourishing because they are easier to remember or they are already popular and are known for the quality. Companies like UNIQLO, HM, and Giordano are giving their best to build their brand name or brand identities because it helps consumers easily identify the product as well as acquire a rich set of symbols and meanings embodied by products. For successfully developed and managed brand names, the connections that patrons make with the brand name creates value, or brand equity, that can be a highly valued asset to the firm that develops the brand (Meyers-Levy, Louie, Curren, 1994). Chapter 2. Literature Review Environmental Analysis (PESTEL) Political Analysis In the context of UNOQLO, political factors have direct effect on business conducts and operations. Decisions made by the affects the decision-making of retailers and could come in the form of policy or legislation. In Hong Kong, the one country, two systems is the prevalent governance philosophy which endows the special administrative region with a high degree of autonomy and its capitalist economic system. Within a capitalistic and free market-oriented economy, retail companies make the majority of microeconomic decisions but they have to conform to specific agreements. Mainland and HK Closer Partnership Economic Arrangement (CEPA) and the US-China Textile Memorandum of Understanding are two examples of this. The former provides UNIQLO with a tariff-free treatment, stating that products which have no existing CEPA rules of origin will enjoy tariff-free treatment upon applications by local manufacturers. The latter could provide UNIQLO with an opportunity for an annual growth of 8-17% in 21 categories of Chinese textiles and clothing exports to the US. Labor and customary regulations as well as code of conducts are also complied into including China Social Compliance 9000 and US and EU quotas (RSCA 2006; Doshi 2006). Economic Analysis Domestically and globally, businesses are also being affected by economic factors whereby a strong economy indicates positive results and weak economy signifies the opposite, affecting both businesses and consumers. Hong Kongs gross domestic product is estimated at US$206.7bn with the service sector that contributes 90% of the total GDP. The region is also named as the worlds eleventh largest trading entity. Almost 50% of the total population is employed full-time and the unemployment rate has a continuous average decline by 4.1%, making disposition of income a possibility, a lower cost of living that is (Monthly Digest 2008). Spending is generally devoted for food, housing, healthcare, transportation, amusement, services and apparel. People nowadays are very particular with investing in quality clothing thereby resume spending with premium apparel finds (Doshi 2006). Realising this, the price and quality characteristics of UNIQLO has a strategic fit; UNIQLO makes people look fashionable and confident in world-class clothes at a reasonable price through the company-wide integration of the Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel (SPA) model, a low-cost but effective operation model. Social Analysis Demography or the population characteristics may determine buying patterns and that understanding demographic changes within a particular region or place facilitates determining whether products and services would appeal to customers as well as the number of potential customers (Barney and Hesterly 2006, p. 35). Hong Kong has a total of 6, 985, 300 population based on 2008 estimate and is continuously growing due to immigrant influx from Mainland. According to Doshi, people in HK and elsewhere have a growing interest in private labels. Consumers aspired for having private levels on everyday garments. Casual wear from HK which is known for good design and quality has a positive image on global consumers. Nevertheless, international brands are concentrated in high-end consumers while domestic brands are for low-end consumers (Doshi, 2006). In taking advantage of the wealth of the demography, UNIQLO makes effort on providing high-quality merchandise and generating value s to the society by taxes. Further, UNIQLO is a company that is committed in creating positive reputation as manifested in its vision and mission, styles of management, ways of doing business and requirements to employees. Technological Analysis Technological innovations are a priority for the apparel retailing industry but it will remain as labor intensive as it is today. Boosting the industrys productivity, increased in automation has been the recent trend but it is limited on specific functions, to which mostly require human intervention such as sewing and making patterns. Although there are computerised sewing machines that increase the productivity and reduce training time. Further, the uses of computer system software intended for the industry will be on making rough sketches, printing detailed designs and storing of information for easy retrieval. The customer orientation of UNIQLO was basically construed from its website in which customers can give feedbacks by email and discussion board. Hong Kong Productivity Council made a report disclosing that the apparel industry could make sense of information technology (IT) if utilise for order processing, costing analysis, order tracking, material ma nagement, reporting and connectivity (2004). Legal As with any other business industry of the world, there are rules and regulations that restrict or support the facilitation of the business in the clothing and fashion market in the areas where UNIQLO operates. Environmental There are currently no major environmental issues faced by the UNIQLO in Hong Kong, except for the ever-present textile and silk production issue which catch environmentalists attention die to the fact that some of its raw materials and from the skin of rare animals. Industry Analysis (Porters Five Forces) Threat of Entry Barney Hesterly (2006, p. 43) point out that new entrants are the firms which have either recently begun operations or those that threaten to begin operations within an industry soon. Notably, the apparel industry is a buyer-driven industry where producers are considering buyers decision-making especially when brand names enter the picture. These buyer-centric industries have low barriers to entry mainly because of intense competition. Utilising brands as a market power source; however, this is a challenge for every clothing company. In the clothing business, mass customisation has seen to be the most effective strategy. Putting strategises into action remains to be in resilience today (Culpan 2002). Therefore, the focus must be on minimising the costs without sacrificing quality and to do this, managerial know how is a must in order to understand interactions with suppliers and consumers, to facilitate creativity and innovation and to maintain mobility in adapting to new market demands (Kincade, Regan and Gibson 2007). Building brand awareness and consumer loyalty is a costly endeavor since it involves advertising needed not only to promote the brand but also on sustaining awareness and loyalty. Strengthening brand names also requires that there are quick response programs to increase revenues and manage risks. One of UNIQLOs major resources is its brand name, which is now synonymous with comfortable, high quality and cheap clothing merchandises. Although brand awareness outside the home country is a challenge, it is of intangible value to UNIQLO as a business asset. Brands are valuable and rare and reputable brands are acquired through the impressions one has of the company, and its products or services. Since a brand name is built overtime it becomes costly to imitate thereby providing a sustainable competitive advantage in the apparel industry (Groucutt, Lydley and Forsyth 2004, p. 285). Threat of Rivalry Either in home or host countries, apparels, accessories and merchandise will always have a competitor which usually fluctuates in size. The modern market trends for the apparel industry are globalisation and intensified competition, increasing price and lower profit margin pressures, small quantity with high complexity orders, shorter lead times, multiple location operation, changing customer requirements and liberalisation on textile and clothing quota that creates new market dynamics. Being responsive to these market trends shifts the focus of the apparel industry for more extensive product development and improvements at the least possible cost. Such condition forces companies to divert on product differentiation because of high switching cost. In an industry where products are deemed to be equal, the key sources of differentiation are brand image, reputation and prior existence (Byoungho 2004b). For UNIQLO, the products themselves are an important source of com petitive edge. UNIQLO strives at developing products of high quality, in various collections to enable the company to reach the highest possible number of customers. As such, the rivals would be endangered when it comes to introducing innovative products. UNIQLO is positioned in the fashion capitals of the world for the purpose of taking advantage of the new information about fashion trends. UNIQLOs ability to quickly adapt to trends and new markets has helped them develop product differentiation, something that is key to the companys success in the apparel industry. According to Tokle (1990), product differentiation is what separates the top competitors from the rest, but it something that is not costly to imitate. This is why their product differentiation is only a temporary competitive advantage. Competitive advantage could be achieved once the organisation learns to manage its capabilities that the end consumers could appreciate and competitors would find difficulties imitating (Porter 1985; Roney 2004). Threat of Substitutes Casual wear is very particular with loose-fit, comfortable and relaxed fit. Athletic or active wear was perceived to be the closest substitute to casual wear as manifested by the booming athletic wear industry. Typically worn as casual fashion clothing, active attires could provide deterrence in the industry. Moreover, the blurring demarcation on the casual clothing family could be also seen as an opportunity for substitutes. Specialised stores offer semi-casual, smart casual and business casual lines. Semi-casual clothes are less presentational than informal but are not as loose as casual dresses. Smart casual purports conservative looks but with harmony on colors, fabrics, shoes and accessories. Business casual, on the other hand, varies in definition but the common element is the collar. Realising this, the bottomline now is the price. Moreover, based on the SPA business model, all the necessary functions at UNIQLO falls under a single umbrella especially th e inbound logistics and the production. UNIQLO is an example of a cut-make-trim company in which in which the company purchase the fabric and retain ownership of the raw materials and work-in-process, and so making it hard for rivals to imitate or produce substitutes for UNQILO brands. Threat of Suppliers The prices and availability of commonly used fabrics such as cotton, blends, synthetics and wools might fluctuate significantly due to its dependence on demand, crop yields, weather, supply conditions, transportation costs, government regulations and economic condition among others (Byoungho 2004a). Quota is the major factor that affects the demand and supply of textile and fabrics. Even though the sale of raw materials is standardised, independent contractors, raw material suppliers, importers and apparel manufacturing firms could not isolate themselves from such scenario because of the prospective unsteadiness in the supply chain (Chetty 1999). As well, because of forward vertical integration, coupled with the low barrier to entry, suppliers could easily become rivals. In becoming threat of entry, suppliers could be also become a competitor to already established apparel manufacturers. In addition, contractors is also one of the threats when the demand of the l abor increases, it will cause labor costs price inflation. Laszlo (2008) stress that there are five main parts of the apparel value chain including raw material supply, provision of components; production networks; export channels and marketing networks at the retail level. Through the process, UNIQLO has an ownership on production and thereby a complete control on the supplies procurement. UNIQLO insources its production and handles the majority of the operational details. Sourcing is a go-to in the apparel industry but it is not rare although it can add value to UNIQLO. Threat of Buyers Reaching more and diverse consuming group, the apparel industry is both a stable and unstable industry. Stable because quality price and quality products are the main element and unstable because there are many factors that affect both price and quality. In the point of consumption, for instance, there are middle men such as the retail stores that offer an array of brands. In purchasing manufactured apparel, retail stores could have influence on making significant requirements and demands on their purchase, affecting prices. Though quality is inherent, prices would not be reasonable at all, and alternative clothing is readily available. This explains why apparel manufacturing companies are setting up their own stand along stores which will cater to their own produce. Important is that apparel stores must not fall dependent on s specific class of customer. Buyers are increasingly appearing to prefer above standard apparel with a much lower cost, making apparel less d ifferentiated. When selling directly to consumers, buyers would incur a significant portion of their dispensable cash. Same goes with retail store, they purchase apparel at the least possible final cost, but adds up to prices of apparel. UNIQLO is involve in selling to the customers through specialty store marketing, with a minimalist strategy of pile em high, sell em cheap concept that is. In addition, the unbranded fashion or the no-logo concept was perceived to be the main reasons for peoples warm attention (Williamson 2007; Parrish, Cassill and Oxenham 2006). Competitors Analysis Local Competitor: Giordano According to companys website, Giordano was established in 1981 as one of the most well-known and established apparel retailers in the Asia Pacific region. The company employs 11,000 staff with over 1,700 shops operating in 30 territories worldwide. The companys vision aimed to be the best and the biggest world brand in apparel retailing with a remarkable mission i.e. To make people feel good look great. From the companys website, they are stating that Giordano is committed to being a successful and responsible corporate citizen. Meaning, they are committed not only to delivering quality products and service to their customers and strong and sustained financial performance to their shareholders, but that are also committed in creating a positive impact in the communities where they do business. The current CEO since 1996 is Peter Lau, a Canadian Chinese. Basically, Giordano is based in Bermuda and trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as 709.HK. Giordano concentrates in creating and delivering economic quality clothes such as Long Sleeve Shirts, T-Shirts, and denim jeans. On the other hand, Giordano Ladies, a sub-brand was only established in 1996. It has been instrumental to upgrading the unisex brand from a budget image to a more fashion oriented apparel retailer similar to The Gap. International Competitor: HM It is now a widely held view that the world economy has entered a much more complex phase where individual national economies have become inextricably linked. In this new world economy, resources and markets have ceased to have the indelible national identity of the past (Jones, 2002). Restricted resources and markets that were once legally isolated have become much more accessible to enterprises that have acquired a global strategic vision. To the more visionary global enterprises, the world is but a borderless environment with homogeneous consumers who have developed an unforgiving taste for the most sophisticated and high-quality products. In response to the needs of these global consumers, the enterprises have developed global products. How such homogenised consumers are served, however, is a question of the strategic orientation of the enterprises and their ability to exploit the ever-evolving global economic environment (Jones, 2002). With this regard, HM, a company in Sweden e ngaged in clothing and a leader in fashion business shows significant impact to their consumers in accordance to their brand and branding strategies. HM is considered as one of the worlds favourite and preferred designer of apparels and clothing for man and women. In addition, HM is also known not only for their fashion cosmetic but because of the quality of the clothes designed durability and the funkiness of its clothes. Through the online stores, HM provides the US, UK and European Market exclusive clothing designs. The main goal of this company is to provide innovative designs of apparels and clothes for different types of people in different countries all over the world. The company has been known because of its strategy of providing clothing designs exclusively for each countrys preferences and needs. HM is considered as one of the worlds favourite and preferred designer of apparels and clothing for man and women. In addition, HM is also known not only for their fashion but because of the quality of the clothes designed durability and the funkiness of its clothes (HM, 2009). The HM mission, Fashion and Quality at its best price. In addition, their handbags, shoes and accessories are also creating big sales and positive reactions from consumers. Through the online stores, HM provides the US, UK European Market and Asian Market exclusive clothing and even handbag designs. HM also offers perfumes and watches. The main aim of this company is to provide fast fashion goods (haute couture, ready-to-wear, handbags, perfumery, and cosmetics among others) in different countries all over the world (HM, 2009). The company has been known because of its strategy of providing fashion designs exclusively for each countrys preferences and needs which was positively accepted and loved by consumers. CPM Matrix Table 1. CPM Matrix UNIQLO Giordano HM Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Advertising 0.20 4 0.80 5 1.00 4 0.80 Product Quality 0.15 4 0.60 4 0.60 4 0.60 Price Competitiveness 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 4 0.40 Management 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 4 0.40 Financial Position 0.15 4 0.60 3 0.45 3 0.45 Customer Loyalty 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.30 3 0.30 Global Expansion 0.15 3 0.45 4 0.60 4 0.60 Market Share 0.05 3 0.15 3 0.15 3 0.15 Total 1.00 3.80 3.70 3.70 With regards to the discussion of the local and international competitors of UNIQLO, the CPM matrix describes the edge of UNIQLO over Giordano and HM. As seen in the critical success factor, UNIQLO dominates the Product Quality, Price Competitiveness, Management, Financial Position and Customer Loyalty. Despite of this, it seems that UNIQLO was lacking in advertising which was dominated by Giordano. In addition, UNIQLO also needs to consider their efforts in global expansion and market share in order to become successful in Hong Kong. Extended Marketing Mix 8Ps of Services Marketing Furthermore, since the UNIQLO as a brand concept be similar to or is associated with service stipulation, the 8Ps method adopted for service marketing may be competently espoused for its advertising. The 8Ps are: Product This refers to the stuff or services to be offered by the company. In the case of UNIQLO, their products and services are mostly related to clothing and fashion, thus the need for constant review should be bear in mind in order to meet the changing customer expectations. Place In UNIQLO, the place in which this product was manufactured and distributed was somewhat accessible to both suppliers and customers. Actually, UNIQLO are considering the issue regarding product availabily at the most convenient places for the target market, i.e., current and prospective clients. Price In terms of price, UNIQLO produce were priced competitively. Promotion UNIQLOs most effective ways to communicate to the various target groups to stimulate greater awareness, interest and patronage are somewhat good but not exceptional. UNIQLO are now using TV advertisement, Internet marketing, and billboard advertising. Physical Evidence In terms of presentation, UNIQLOs products are exceptional. In addition to these, the services offered by the company were also outstanding. As seen in their shops UNIQLO are known with their well-dressed staff/consultants, logos on office doors/ business cetres, letter heads, brochures, complimentary cards, consultancy reports, etc. Process With regrds to the process, the business of UNIQLO are well management in which makes their business system flawless and customer complaints are easily handled. People When it comes to people, UNIQLO chooses the best suitable person needed by the company. This means that UNIQLO expertly indentify the capabilities of a person that will reflect the value of UNIQLO products and services. Promise UNIQLO with their consultants are delivering their promises. In terms of quality of products and services, UNIQLO are giving it to their customers at utmost quality. Public Relations UNIQLO stakeholders carefully identify the various publics that can impact on UNIQLO to which PR communications can be directed. Such publics include individual consultants, clients, big practices, small practices, other related professional associations, relevant agencies of the United Nations, financial institutions, etc. Developing the Concept of Servicescape and Blueprinting Servicescape- Servicescape is a concept that was developed by Booms and Bitner to emphasize the impact of the physical environment in which a service process takes place. If you were to try to describe the differences a customer encountered when entering a branch of say like McDonalds compared with a small family restaurant, the concept of servicescapes may prove useful. Booms and Bitner defined a servicescape as the environment in which the service is assembled and in which the seller and customer interact, combined with tangible commodities that facilitate performance or communication of the service (Booms and Bitner, 1981, p. 36). Servicescape may be likened to landscape. It includes facilities exterior (landscape, exterior design, signage, parking, surrounding environment) and facilities interior (interior design decor, equipment, signage, layout, air quality, temperature and ambiance). Servicescape along with other tangibles like business cards, stationary, billing statements, reports, employee dress, uniforms, brochures, web pages and virtual servicescape forms the Physical Evidence in marketing of services. Servicescape is not defined as above. The definition above is the definition for physical evidence. Physical evidence consist of servicescape combined with the tangible elements, so servicescape is a part of physical evidence. Blueprinting Service blueprinting was initially introduced as a process control technique for services that offered several advantages: it was more precise than verbal definitions; it could help solve problems preemptively; and it was able to identify failure points in a service operation.24 Just as firms have evolved to become more customer-focused, so has service blueprinting. One early adaptation was the clarification of service blueprinting as a process for plotting the customer process against organizational structure.25 Service blueprinting was further developed to distinguish between onstage and backstage activities. These key components still form the basis of the technique and its most important feature, that of illuminating the customers role in the service process. 26 In addition, it provides an overview so that employees and internal units can relate what they do to the entire, integrated service system. Blueprints also help to reinforce a customer-orientation among employees as well as clarify interfaces across departmental lines. Chapter 3. Research Methodology The aim of the study is to once again, seek the various sides of economic impact in London after winning the title to be the host of the 2012 summer Olympics. It is a big challenge for the hosting country to facilitate a mega event and the industry that is in the center of the issue is the tourism. The continuous development of an industry is possible if there are factors that can affect its growth. In the existence of the Olympic event in London, there should be an appropriate investigation that might lead in determining the economic impact of Summer Olympics. Along with the complexities defined in the countries of UK, London remains the center of attention because of the opportunity in hosting the prestigious Olympic Games. After the years of 1908 and 1948 in hosting the previous Olympics, London finally acquired the honor in hosting the mega event. Obviously, years can be evidence the world is changing and with that, London must be prepared on the various effects resulting to the Olympic Games. With the help of the appropriate method, the study can gain the chance in meeting the objectives and goals. Research Methods to be Used Since the study is concern regarding the empirical ground and current situations of Londons preparedness in the upcoming Olympics, the proposed primary method is through the use of surveys and interview. There are many types of primary research available based on the purpose of the researcher/s. The design of the method can create the accurate result and overview on the concern of the study. It is expected that survey methods are more efficient in terms of gathering the primary data therefore; it is utilized in the study. Through the form of questioning the people or groups, the study can gain the limited amount of information which is also useful in understanding the subjects point-of-views. On the other hand, the use of interview helps the research in providing the ideas of a small group similar to gathering their opinions. After the essential data had been collected, the information was analyzed and organized according to a comprehensive fashion. Subjects The survey data was taken in the participation of 200 district residents who are deemed to be affected by the Olympic event. The responses of the participants are gathered and then, analyzed based on the five-point Likert scale. On the second phase of the method, an interview was conducted in among the five respondents in order to achieve the qualitative dimension alongside the gathered statistic data. The respondents of the interview includes the officials in London as well as the businessmen that took participation in the pre-Olympics, during Olympics, and post-Olympics. Sampling Design It is impractical for the study to conduct a survey in the entire population within the community