Disaster Management of JohnsonJohnson and Coca

Disaster Management of JohnsonJohnson and Coca Introduction On 30th September 1982, Johnson Johnson Company’s boss received news that seven people had died after consuming cyanide-laced capsules of Tylenol in Chicago. The news spread expressly through the media to the extent of causing countrywide panic.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Disaster Management of JohnsonJohnson and Coca-Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company launched investigations to find out the causes of the deaths and ascertain the association of their product to the deaths. The outcome proved that an individual had maliciously replaced the Tylenol extra-strength capsules with cyanide extra strength in the company’s packages and sold them to consumers to bring down the business reputation. The company had a hard time trying to explain the situation to the public and its customers and convince them to continue trusting its merchandise. Although the strategy worked, the cor poration lost many revenues. Even with such a scenario, the company did not prepare for the eventuality of another such attack. In 1986, a similar attack took place. However, the company was more prepared and was able to deal with the problem. This occurrence redefined the rules of crisis management. Scholars have strengthened their thesis concerning this fact. A different scenario in Europe put Coca-Cola in the same spot, making it lose market control to the level of banning its products and rights from markets. Unlike the Johnson Johnson Company’s crisis, Coca-Cola had poor public relations, which cost it more to re-enter the market. The scenarios in these two companies have given crisis control scholars two different points of view and allowed them to analyse the approaches in a manner that determines the method that is most appropriate for a particular scenario.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first pape r with 15% OFF Learn More Every company must have crisis management embedded in its managerial strategy. Companies must learn to study the market and determine the threats as they occur so that they can do away with them as soon as they pop up to avoid losing business or tarnishing their brand names. This paper will focus on these two crises to bring out the key points that determine the effectiveness of a response to a crisis and the failures that are associated with poor handling of such scenarios. Crisis Management for the Two Companies Johnson Johnson Crisis By 1982, Johnson Johnson Company had commanded about 35% of the US counters analgesic markets. This accomplishment translated to about 15% of the total national revenues in over-the-counter drugs. By far, it had the controlling power. Thus, it acted as the price giver. According to Rehak (2002), the results of cyanide incorporation in the Tylenol were catastrophic. Seven people died in the US. The situation resulted in a market-wide panic and reduction in the consumption of the company’s products. The information turned the population against the drug. For a large period, the company’s drugs lost value. From another viewpoint, the company shares too went down almost to a recess. The events must have taught the company a major lesson. Following the end of this crisis that was poorly managed, another similar crisis faced the company in 1986. One might wonder whether the company had no hint concerning catastrophe preparedness. The company was not ready to lose any more value in stock. It made a quick response to the crisis by recalling its products both in the home market and in the international front. This move was consumer-friendly. It would go a long way in its future. Although the company had to spend over one billion dollars in correcting this mistake, it was recognised as the most consumer responsive company (Rehak, 2002). This achievement swayed the population to tr ust its products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Disaster Management of JohnsonJohnson and Coca-Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Clients were assured that the company was readily responding to their call in case of a crisis. As Rehak (2002) says, â€Å"It placed consumers first by recalling 31 million bottles of Tylenol capsules from store shelves and offering replacement product in the safer tablet form free of charge† (Para. 3). Most painkiller consumers shifted their loyalty from other brands such as Perrier to Johnson Johnson. This move by the corporation was a calculated one. The risks were too high. The business would have faced a criminal impeachment that would have cost it more billions while at the same time losing the client base, products, and the market for future production. The reader might want to predict what would have happened if the company did not implement such a response mechanism . The company’s well-calculated response saved it from this loss because any more deaths would have resulted in the company’s products being banned from many of the markets. This crisis would not have been controlled at this level. The quick response created trust between the manufacturer and the consumer. By observing the consumer characteristics of wanting to consume nothing but the best, the firm understood that the shopper would shift to another product unless there was a compensating factor. The recall was smart, as the consumer felt cared for and thus convinced to remain loyal (Curtin, Hayman, Husein, 2004). The company’s management forewent the short-term goals for the long-term ones by losing the billion dollars in recalls as a way of restructuring the company’s strategy (Rehak, 2002). Its ability to achieve the long-term goals at that moment entirely depended on how it would handle the situation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although silencing the problem came at a cost, the company assured customers of safety when enjoying its products. Since the clients were the same target bases for the company’s longer goals, it secured their returns in the end. The reader can confirm that the move was a game changer that had not been tried before. Any backfiring would have cost the company more resources. The outcome was unpredictable and open to market forces. For crisis managers to undertake this method, they must have studied the market to know which move to play. Coca-Cola’s 1999 Crisis Coca-cola is a globalised company whose financial assets are estimated at 160 billion dollars. It controls most of the world soft drink market. In Europe alone, its market share is about 60% (Johnson Peppas, 2003). This figure implies that it has the majority market share and thus a price setter. Given that Europe acts as one trade bloc in most of its economic decisions, any crisis that hits a single nation can be felt in all the 15 nations in the union. A company such as Coca-Cola must thus be careful in its response to the crisis to ensure that it remains at the same controlling position of retaining its profits constant. Confirming this assertion, Business Monitor International (2014) says, â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company (Coke) has been behind PepsiCo (Pepsi) in addressing the weakening industry structure† (p. 168). Unfortunately, this happening was not the case in 1999. According to Johnson and Peppas (2003), while it tried to respond to the issue of drink contamination in its own approach, the company was unable to convince the nations that it had everything under control. Managers had to face the challenge of explaining the contamination of imported drinks. Countries such as Germany were unhappy with the situation. Reporting in New York Times, Andrews (1999) confirmed how, â€Å"a growing number of consumer groups in Germany and elsewhere complained that Coca-Cola had been opaque and unreassuring in its public explanations† (Para. 4). They demanded the company to be receptive. In response, the company sent crisis managers to curb the spread of the disaster, as well as its return to its former position. The reader might want to know whether the goods were recalled as witnessed in the previous case. However, unlike Johnson Johnson Company situation, Coca-Cola did not recall the products. For instance, as Blanding (2010) reveals, steered by its Indian subsidiaries, the company placed an advertisement saying, â€Å"We can safely assert that there is no contamination or toxicity whatsoever in our brand of beverages† (p. 242). Instead, it pushed to see that the products were sold citing that the drinks were not contaminated and that they could not affect the consumers’ health. As a result, some of the trustworthy consumers remained loyal to the brand, although many nations and consumer protection groups pushed for the withdrawal of the product s from the market. The result was some nations banning the use of the products in some countries. For instance, Belgium-manufactured products were banned from German markets. Andrews (1999) confirms this assertion by showing how, â€Å"German authorities began checking the origin of Coke products and removing any that had been bottled in France or Belgium† (Para. 4). Spain and Italy followed suit. Implication Following the extensive business and ecological problems that arose during the 1980s, disaster administration was introduced. GAO was in the forefront to bring the subject of crisis management on the table. This body â€Å"focused on three phases of the financial crisis management† (GAO, 1997, p. 1). The aim was to assess damages that occur in case of a disaster and create mechanisms to deal with them while maintaining the companies’ financial status as close as possible to its former position. From these expositions, the industrial crisis that hit the John son Johnson Company had repercussions in terms of how it was handled. However, a similar crisis in 1986 redefined the company’s position and crisis management approaches. In 1999, Coca-Cola was hit by the same kind of crisis. However, its slowness in response deteriorated its position, thus leading to major losses in the European region. In terms of loss of market control, Coca-Cola lost market since its products were banned from these major markets (Lyon, 2004). Confirming this situation, Johnson and Peppas (2003) say, â€Å"the Belgian Health Ministry ordered that Coca-Cola trade-marked products be withdrawn from the Belgian market† (p. 18). Considering that it controls 60% of the European soft drinks market, the company lost billions in dollars after consumers lost their trust in the company’s products. In terms of investment loss, while the products were not recalled in some regions such as Germany, the company was unable to sell the products, despite sendi ng administrative official to confirm to consumers that the products had, â€Å"no signs of contamination† (Andrews, 1999, Para. 14). This observation means that it lost both the short-term and long-term investment. Since the products remained in stall, the production was slowed. Hence, the future of its sales was uncertain. According to Johnson and Peppas (2003), the business was finally recalled from the market following the push from the Belgian Health department because of two unconnected reasons. Firstly, customers protested of irregular flavour and aroma in the company’s bottles. Secondly, one hundred people became unwell following the consumption of the drinks (Johnson Peppas, 2003). An approximate of fifteen million packaging containers was returned to the company. Although Coca-Cola had existed for over one hundred and thirteen years before this event, it experienced decrease in consumer loyalty. It had gained massive consumer loyalty. Most consumers regarded its products to have the highest quality in soft drink manufacturing. How the Crises were Well Managed Following the identification of the crisis and an overview of the course of action of the two scenarios, this section will make a chronological review of the management of the crisis. It also presents short-term and long-term outcomes in an attempt to see the effect of their approaches. The section will also define a working plan that will compare the approaches of theories of crisis management and conclude on their effectiveness. Which is the most effective crisis management approach? To answer this question, it will work to investigate, determine, and analyse the approaches to give a detailed conclusion and suggestion as to the most effective approaches. Following the lift of the ban in Belgium, the company had to discuss the way forward. For instance, it was â€Å"to take immediate steps to remedy those problems† (Johnson Peppas, 2003, p. 18). He announced that the comp any would embark on aggressive marketing campaign in Europe to regain consumer trust. He held forums, giving samples, and holding dances and music parties where the attendees were given free drinks (Johnson Peppas, 2003). The company also held a summer tour around Europe to promote the brand. A competition around Europe in which 72,000 customers would win different prices was undertaken Johnson Peppas, 2003). This strategy was very effective since consumers had to guzzle many of the products to participate and win. The products regained their popularity throughout Europe in this promotion. From this plan, the key role of crisis management as part of every management strategy became evident. Coca-Cola Company may have failed to foresee this crisis. However, it was not prepared to deal with the crisis. What it did was to solve the aftermath of the crisis. Did it have a team that was ready to respond to the problem immediately before it escalated? Controlling the aftermath became mor e expensive than it should have been if such a team were in place. As Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2010) assert, perception becomes a reality and that unless a situation is curbed as it emerges, it escalates to bigger issue. The governments finally lifted the ban, which was a reassuring point to the people upon considering that the community respected and expected them (governments) to protect their interests. As Johnson and Peppas (2003) confirm, â€Å"the Company began moving to resume production of high-quality products while maintaining efforts to recover and destroy all existing products† (p. 19). Brand image preservation was a key requirement. Using its website, the company initiated public education (Johnson Peppas, 2003). The factors were generalised to fit all countries. The brand was also more informative on the containers. This information assured the public that the company was taking steps to ensuring that such incidents were outdated. In terms of value-adde d components, the company was able to convince the public that its product had value-added components that could make it out win its competitors (Johnson Peppas, 2003). For instance, it embarked on quality merchandise whose prices were affordable. The company built public confidence in its leadership. For instance, with the coming of the vice-president to assess the situation in Belgium, the corporation showed a lot of care on the side of its clients and management. This outcome was a positive social responsiveness. Tylenol had dominated the over-the-counter bazaar in America for years. In fact, as Markel (2014) says, â€Å"Before the 1982 crisis, Tylenol controlled more than 35 percent of the over-the-counter pain reliever market† (Para. 10). However, the company chose to withdraw it from the market to show that it was not ready to risk public lives. Kaplan (n.d) presents the role that public relations played in the process of addressing this disaster. This move reversed th e public view. Instead of seeing Tylenol as the cause of its issues, esteemed clients and stakeholders regarded the company as the victim of the disaster. Thus, they remained loyal to Johnson Johnson Company’s brand. This move was significant and effective. It allowed the company to forego its short-term goals while at the same time re-emerging to fulfil and achieve its long-term goals as Johnson and Peppas (2003) confirms. This move that cost the company millions of dollars also saved it more billions that would have otherwise been incurred while struggling to join the market a new after the crisis. In response to the crisis, the company engaged in informative advertisement plans. Using the media, the company communicated to the public concerning its plan to produce quality and standard. For the Coca-Cola Company, this strategy reduced and eliminated the possibility of further casualties. Confirming the above achievements, Johnson and Peppas (2003) assert, â€Å"By the beg inning of August, research indicated that core users of Coca-Cola brand products reported the same intent-to-purchase levels as before the crisis† (p. 20). For Johnson Johnson, the move also reduced the cost of repaying and compensating the victims. Introduction of the triple packaging seals for commodity safety purpose was also an excellent strategy. Reporting for the New York Times, Pace (1982) says, â€Å"The business stock rose from $1.50 yesterday, to $47.25, in trading on the New York Stock Exchange† (Para. 8). This parcel had a fastened container, a synthetic material, and a close up that guaranteed safety of the content. Using multiple conferences at corporate headquarters, the company advertised the new plan of securing its packaging materials and immediately gained public, despite the move amplifying the business operations costs (Pace, 1982). Scholars such as Pace (1982) and Markel (2014) have viewed the strategy that Johnson Johnson Company adopted as the forgiveness and sympathy method. It reacted in a manner that depicted how it was sorry for the mistake. This strategy worked perfectly. Soon after, the company was the best performing. Rectification was witnessed based on the steps the company took to ensure that this event did not happen again. By introducing the three-seal package, the company showed the public its willingness to change the scenario and continue doing business with its venerated clientele. The sympathy strategy was such that the public viewed the crisis as a deliberate attack by an outside force. This tactic won sympathy for the company from the public, which meant that it (the public) would help it (the company) to regain its position and thus disassociate it with poor drugs. Changes to be made for Future Resilience Evaluating the two approaches, both companies were able to deal with the crisis at hand in different ways to achieve the same objective. The difference was only witnessed in the cost of averting the c risis. The whole study on Coca-Cola revolves around the fact that the company was not quick enough to solve the issues as compared to Johnson Johnson Tylenol Company. The ease at which one company discovered the problem determined the incurred costs. Both companies failed to put in place a crisis management team before the crisis happened. They should have put up this department in their management strategies to ease the response. If this plan were in place, the number of casualties in both scenarios would have been less. The companies have ever since considered having a crisis response team following the lesson they got from the two events. Coca-Cola Company should have considered consumer protection a priority over profits. It did not withdraw its products from the market until its brand was banned. This step was only a control measure, rather than a management strategy. It only responded to the crisis while not addressing its consumers or issuing a statement that would have crea ted a sympathy situation. On the other hand, Johnson Johnson Company accepted it fault given that this incident was the second crisis of the similar manner. With reference to the 1982 case, the company waited without issuing a control mechanism until the occurrence of the second problem to initiate the protocol. The company was profit conscious and hence the reason why it did not want to recall its products because that move would have reduced its returns. Conclusion Coca-Cola is among the most recognised businesses in the world for its sale of soft drinks. However, the paper has made it clear that the company did not attain its excellent global rank in a day. It has had to learn from the many crises that have come its way. Many scholars who have been studying this company for decades have associated the turbulent experiences as the root behind the company’s social responsiveness, better customer services, and the globally-recognised brand name. Similarly, Johnson Johnson C ompany remains the best business in terms of social responsibility. With reference to the crisis under study, the company adopted the right procedure by choosing to recall its products, irrespective of the cost. It did the right thing by accepting that it was in the wrong and that the consequences it faced were short-lived. Thanks to these companies, the public is aware of the step it should take if such a situation re-emerges. It is best to remain objective in solving the situation, regardless of the cost since every company works for its consumers. All companies’ interest should be to make the lives of the consumers better. These tips proved efficient in dealing with the management of Johnson Johnson and the 1982 and 1999 Coca-Cola crises. Reference List Andrews, E. (1999, June 17). International Business; Cokes Chief Apologises for Response on Contamination. The New York Times. Retrieved from nytimes.com/1999/06/17/business/international-business-coke-s-chief-apologises-f or-response-on-contamination.html Blanding, M. (2010). The Dirty Truth Behind The World’s Favourite Soft Drink. New York, NY: Penguin Group. Business Monitor International. (2014). The United Kingdom Food Drink Report Q1 2015. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3sid=6e4c0d98-000c-40a8-a269-abd4a8d130a6%40sessionmgr4004hid=4105 Curtin, T., Hayman, D., Hussein, N. (2004). Managing a Crisis: A Practical Guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Ferrell, C., Fraedrich, J., Ferrell, L. (2010). Business ethics: Ethical decision-making and cases: 2009 update. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. GAO. (1997). Financial Crisis Management: Four Financial Crises of the 1980s. Retrieved from gao.gov/archive/1997/gg97096.pdf Johnson, V., Peppas, S. (2003). Crisis Management in Belgium: The Case of Coca-Cola. Corporate Communications: An International journal, 8(1), 18-22. Kaplan, T. (n.d). The Tylenol Crisis: How Effective Public Relations Save d Johnson Johnson. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University. Lyon, T. (2004). Crisis Management: Coca-Cola in Europe. Michigan: University of Michigan. Markel, H. (2014). How the Tylenol murders of 1982 changed the way we consume medication. Retrieved from pbs.org/newshour/updates/tylenol-murders-1982/ Pace, E. (1982, Nov 12). Tylenol Will Reappear In Triple-Seal Package. New York Times. Retrieved from nytimes.com/1982/11/12/business/tylenol-will-reappear-in-triple-seal-package.html Rehak, J. (2002). Tylenol made a hero of Johnson Johnson: The recall that started  them all. Retrieved from nytimes.com/2002/03/23/your-money/23iht-mjj_ed3_.html Simpson, M. (2013). Case Study: Coca-Cola. Retrieved from https://crisiscomms.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/case-study-coca-cola/

A Few Obvious Grad School Essay Mistakes To Avoid

A Few Obvious Grad School Essay Mistakes To Avoid A Few Obvious Grad School Essay Mistakes To Avoid Failing To Answer The Essay Question This is perhaps one of the most common mistakes that students will make when they are composing an essay. The point of an essay is to address and expound upon a certain proposition. The mistake that students will often make is to generalize the proposition and prattle on about the general thoughts that they have. This is a problem because essay questions are very specific and nuanced. Professors notice that sort of thing. They are trained and can deduce if the essay questions have been answered. So, when you are preparing to rough draft of your essay, ensure that you are being very specific and respond to the question that the essay is posing. Proofreading After you have spent all night writing an essay, you have finally finished and all you want to do is go to bed. It is time to shut your brain down and get ready for the next day. But despite the effort that you have put into the essay, you could still receive some negative feedback because there are a few glaring errors. Of course, these are errors that you would have noticed had you read through the essay. This is why the process of proofreading is so important. You will catch the mistakes that you made before you submit it. Further, if you have somebody else to proofread it for you, then they can give general feedback about the essay so that you can edit it. Do Not Procrastinate If you have a week before the essay is due, you might tell yourself that you will spend the last few days working on it. If you have two days, you will say that you will spend tomorrow working on it. If you have one day, you will tell yourself that you will stay up all night working on it. When night comes, you will wish that you did not procrastinate so that you could sleep. If you procrastinate composing your essay, it will be of much lower quality than it would have been if you had taken the time to think about it. Rushing through the essay will leave room for a lot of errors and could result in your missing the central premise of the essay question. Fluff If you are trying to reach the word count without worrying about the quality of the content, then you are likely to add fluff to your essay. This will manifest in different ways, including long and drawn out quotes from outside sources. Quotes generally should be paraphrases and should only be supplementary. Second, repetition is another maneuver that students will take in an effort to fill the word count. Anybody who is trained to grade essay papers will see through these tactics. If you want to write a high-quality paper, you will have to sit back and think about the topic at hand so as to provide legitimate insight. If you struggle with writing essays, perhaps you should consider contacting for actionable solutions to your writing problems. They will provide a hand when you are overwhelmed.

Making Decisions in a Legal Context Research Paper

Making Decisions in a Legal Context - Research Paper Example Answer: Not all of the employees of a registered BAS agent need be registered with the Board. However, any parties (including individuals or groups) contracted for BAS related work need to be registered with the Board to ensure compliance with relevant legal provisions. Typically, it is common for a BAS service to register some of its employees with the Board in order to meet a â€Å"minimum numbers† requirement and to demonstrate the competence of the BAS agent (TPB, 2012a). In order to manage the personal information of employees, Sophie Tiller will store information in personal records. A similar approach will be used for contracted BAS agents. Access to these records would be restricted except for Sophie Tiller or relevant authorities for auditing and compliance checks. Q2. Describe the process for managing the personal information, particularly the police checks and other personal information including Tax File Numbers, Bank Account details, personal and contact information. Answer: At the time of induction, both employees and contractors would be required to provide or sign a consent form for criminal history record check. For most general purposes, this form is the NAT 16358 that is available at the Australian Taxation Office website (ATO, 2012a). This form will then be attached to the particulars of the employee or contractor and sent to the local police authorities for verification. Once verified character certificates are received from the police, the employee or contractor would be cleared for work. In a similar manner, employees and contractors would be required to provide details pertaining to their bank accounts, personal taxation details etc. voluntarily. These details will be verified by correspondence with the relevant authorities, for example, bankers, tax authorities etc. Once replies regarding the clearances are received, these will be entered in personal record files. The records will be updated with the frequency of one year in order to ensure that they are current. Moreover, records will be kept in personal files for a period of five years before they are removed as being obsolete. Q3. Legislation guiding the business: Describe the legislation guiding this particular case study business – Sophie Tiller Bookkeeping Services. Answer: The BAS service was not required to be registered before March 2010, but new legislation has made it mandatory for BAS and tax practitioners to register themselves. The Tax Agent Services Act of 2009 (TASA) covers the area of BAS service or agent registration (ATO, 2012b). Previously, BAS agents or services did not have any defined prerequisites or other registration requirements. However, since the adoption of this new piece of legislation, BAS agents need to be furnished with minimum education requirements of either a Cert IV in Bookkeeping or a Cert IV in Accounting. Since Sophie Tiller is experienced but does not meet the minimum educational requirements, she must upgrade her educational qualifications in order to proceed with a new BAS business service. Moreover, new BAS agents are required to demonstrate a minimum of 1,400 hours of work experience while older BAS agents working under the umbrella of certified accounting and bookkeeping regulators such as ACCA are required to display around 1,000 hours of work experience. Sophie Tiller can gain an advantage since she has over 3 years of experience in the BAS service industry under this piece of legislation (ICB, 2012a). Q4. Consumer protection: How the business ensures that it does not engage in any conduct that is misleading or deceptive. Answer: Previously there were little restrictions on who could act as a BAS agent, but this has recently been changed under legislative changes. BAS agents must be registered

Proposal to build a nuclear power plant Research Paper

Proposal to build a nuclear power plant - Research Paper Example Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2014). Nuclear power confers several benefits over electricity that is generated from fossil fuels. In spite of these benefits, no new nuclear power plants have been built in the U.S. since 1996. This paper proposes the development of a nuclear power plant by the Eaton Corporation. While there are a number of environmental and safety concerns over nuclear power plants, their benefits far outweigh the costs. Nuclear power has several clear advantages over fossil fuel that currently accounts for the bulk of the nation’s energy. Nuclear energy produces an insignificant amount of carbon dioxide and no sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (Comby, 2001). These gases are produced in large quantities when fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity or other forms of energy. Carbon dioxide plays a part in global warming while nitrogen oxides form acid rain that is responsible for corroding man-made structures such as buildings. Besides the gases, compared to fossil fuels, nuclear reactors produce very small quantities of waste. For instance, about a ton of coal is required to generate the same amount of energy as a gram of uranium. Correspondingly, nuclear waste is a millionth of the waste generated from fossil fuel. In addition, if the nuclear reactor is well-designed, the nuclear waste is confined throughout the power generation process. Nuclear power has been produced commercially for half a century now. It has proven to be safe (Comby, 2001). To date, there have occurred only three major nuclear plant accidents: Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, USA in 1979, Chernobyl in 1986 in present-day Ukraine and Fukushima Daiichi in Japan in 2011. Of the three, the TMI was the worst: the entire core of the reactor melted completely. Fortunately, almost all the radioactivity that was released was confined within the reinforced concrete structure that contained the reactor. The amount that escaped into the surrounding was

Measuring Customer Satisfaction at ImageStream Essay Example for Free

Measuring Customer Satisfaction at ImageStream Essay ImageStream Internet Solutions, Inc. is a privately held company in its 9th year of operation. ImageStream engineers, manufactures, and distributes Linux-based routing products for network and Internet applications. ImageStream products are used by Internet service providers (ISPs), governments, schools, and businesses in more than 75 countries around the world. As ImageStream moves toward its next decade, market forces require it, like most high technology companies, to be fast and responsive. The company faces constant change in demands and needs along with the pressures of mission creep in the face of limited resources. It is against this backdrop that ImageStream started its ISO 9000:2000 certification process. This process requires not only the implementation of quality processes, but measurement of their efficacy as well. ImageStream conducts key manager meetings twice monthly, and a company-wide review on a semi-annual basis. During these managerial and company reviews, the senior executives identify key metrics driving the success of the companys mission, including those metrics that would benefit most from significant improvement. This proposal outlines the use of a customer satisfaction survey and seeks to answer the management question: What is the current customer satisfaction with the level and type of customer service provided by ImageStream? The study will explore the conceptual framework of service quality, the positive and negative impacts of service quality on ImageStream, and the effect of favorable and unfavorable customer intentions on perceived quality using survey research. Armed with the statistical analyses outlined below, the operations management team will identify current trends in customer satisfaction in a proactive attempt to resolve to any issues. Background and Literature Review The study and development of customer service techniques and customer  retention management programs has blossomed into its own industry. This increasing focus on customer satisfaction is not surprising, given the positive correlation between happy customers and successful companies illustrated in countless marketing research studies. This study will outline the relationship between customer satisfaction with service and customer retention at ImageStream. To support the findings, we will conduct an empirical study focusing on the relationship between perceived service quality and customer intentions. Weinstein and Johnson (1999) recommend that companies like ImageStream should spend 75% of its marketing budget on customer retention strategies and to strengthen these relationships. Once customers commit to a product platform, and the longer they use and deploy that platform, the more profit ImageStream can realize. Longstanding, satisfied customers will generally continue, or often increase, purchasing, require less operational and customer service support, and be more willing to pay price premiums to remain with the companyall without incurring new customer acquisition costs (Pine, Peppers, and Rogers, 1995). This paper will analyze how ImageStreams service relationship with its customers produces customer behaviors indicating whether or not a customer will remain an ImageStream customer. The methodology used will follow Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuramans study on this topic (1996). Since replacing lost customers requires new customer acquisition costs, customer retention should be a fundamental performance measure for ImageStreams executive staff and a key component of the companys incentive programs (Zeithaml et al., 1996). According to the American Management Association, acquiring a new customer can require five times the investment needed to keep an existing customer (Weinstein et al., 1999). Literature Review Customer service, not surprisingly, has been researched extensively: from the conceptual framework of service quality, to the positive and negative impacts of service quality, to the effect of favorable and unfavorable  customer intentions on perceived quality. We review these concepts in recent literature, and investigate an empirical study focusing on the relationship between service quality and customer behavioral intentions (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman (1996) offer a conceptual model of service quality. The researchers postulate that the quality of customer service will determine whether a company retains its customers or loses them to defection. Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman (1996) highlight seven key points: 1.Customer defection has a negative relationship with an organizations profitability. 2.Retaining current customers costs less than acquiring new ones. 3.Customer retention should be a fundamental component of incentive programs. 4.Companies must advertise not only to attract new customers, but to replace lost customers. 5.Advertising, promotion, and sales costs are required expenses when attracting new customers. 6.In general, at the beginning of a customer/vendor relationship, the customers do not generate a profit for the company. Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman estimate that acquisition cost recovery can take as long as four years. 7.Positive customer assessments of service quality lead to positive behavioral intentions, strengthening the relationship between the customer and the company. Negative assessments, on the other hand, create unfavorable customer behavioral intentions. The unfavorable conditions weaken the customer/vendor relationship. Based on their research and observations, Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman  (1996) believe that expressed or observed behavioral intentions can indicate whether or not customers will remain with an organization. Reinartz and Kumar (2000) challenge Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuramans assertions that customer retention always leads well-managed companies to profitability. Reinartz and Kumar (2000) argue that long-term customers are not always the most profitable customers, and dismiss research assuming that loyalty equates with profitability as a gross oversimplification. Reinartz and Kumar (2000) contend that managers should not automatically assume increased lifetime spending, decreased costs of service, and decreased price sensitivity for long-term retained customers. Reinartz and Kumar (2000) go further in also disputing the idea that long-term retained customers require lesser marketing investment by companies. Their research concluded that long-term customers often have inactive purchasing periods unrelated to their retention by an organization (Reinartz and Kumar, 2000). During these dormant periods, these customers are at best a break-even proposition for organizations, and often consume marketing and service resources resulting in net losses during periods of inactivity. Reinartz and Kumar (2000) found that short-term customers may be as significant to customers as longtime clients. Other research indicates that organizations struggling with a single approach to satisfy all customers can end up with inefficient and inappropriate levels of service (Cohen, Cull, Lee and Willen, 2000). Cohen, Cull, Lee and Willen (2000) conclude that organizations must customize their service to meet each customers individual needs. Superior service generates favorable behavioral intentions in customers, including increased future spending, acceptance of price premiums, word of mouth referrals, and, ultimately, customer retention (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Research suggests that most employees have a true customer orientation in that they understand their customers needs, and possess empathy and respect for their customers (Bitner, Booms and Mohr, 1994). Quality service builds customer faith in the organization, and is essential for maintaining competitive advantage (Berry, Parasuraman and Zeithaml, 1994). Since quality customer service can generate positive behavioral intentions, quality service strategies are effectively profit strategies for organizations. Research illustrates this link between service and profitability, as Keaveney (1995) found that customer defections can cost an organization future revenue stream. As customers intentions toward a company improve, the results include new customers, increased business with existing customers, fewer lost customers, and added pricing power (Berry et al., 1994). Berry and Parasuraman (1997) stress the creation of customer feedback channels as a component of quality service. Listening and responding to the customers needs in a quality way has a direct effect on the quality of service provided (Berry and Parasuraman, 1997). This focus on customer feedback drove the purpose of this series of papers. Evidence, such as Keaveneys study, highlighting the role customer loyalty plays in making an organization more profitable makes it imperative that companies quickly and proactively address concerns, complaints and other unfavorable behavioral intentions among their customers (Tax, Brown and Chandrashekar, 1998). Tax, Brown and Chandrashekars point also applies in a comparative sense as well. Organizations can potentially provide satisfactory service that nonetheless lags other competitors service offerings. In these cases, customers may defect because of the attraction of comparatively superior service offerings from a competitor. Managers of service departments and service companies must recognize this comparative measure, and realize that some customers will defect even when they are satisfied with a former provider (Keaveney, 1995). Customers display favorable intentions such as praising the company, expressing a preference for the company to the company or to other consumers, continuing and/or increasing purchasing volumes, paying price premiums, and making recommendations to others based on their satisfaction with the company (Zeithaml et al., 1996). Satisfied customers stay loyal to an organization longer, pay less attention to competitive products, exhibit less price sensitivity, offer service improvement or expansion ideas to the organization and cost less to service over time than new customers (Weinstein et al., 1999). When dissatisfied, customers display unfavorable intentions such as expressing an eagerness to leave the organization, decreasing purchase patterns, voicing complaints to the vendor, complaining to others, or taking legal action against the organization (Zeithaml et al., 1996). When customers do leave an organization, many choose to do so quietly with the intention of getting even by making negative comments to others about the organization (Tax and Brown, 1998). Since defecting customers can impact current and future revenue streams, properly identifying dissatisfied customers and understanding why customers defect can be valuable tools in improving customer retention management programs. Companies must implement strategies to overcome potential customer defections. Retention efforts should begin as soon as organizations acquire new customers. The organization should proactively attempt to learn and address customer needs and resolve any complaints or concerns quickly (Weinstein et al., 1999). Weinstein et al. (1999) suggest several ways to build loyalty and increase favorable behavioral intentions in customers. They suggest that organizations could embed sales staff at the offices of their best customers, participate in their customers events or promotional efforts, interview their customers customers, conduct retreats with major customers to share best practices and to train customers on company products and services, develop a preferred customer pricing strategy, reward customers for referring new business, solicit feedback on product development roadmaps, and even partner with key accounts on industry research projects (Weinstein et al., 1999). SERVQUAL Among the most popular assessments tools of service quality is SERVQUAL, an instrument designed by Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml (1994). Through numerous qualitative studies, they evolved a set of five dimensions ranked consistently by customers as central to service quality, regardless of the  service industry. Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml (1994) defined these dimensions as: *Tangibles: the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials; *Reliability: an ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately; *Responsiveness: a willingness to help customers and provide prompt service; *Assurance: the knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence; and *Empathy: the caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers. Based on the five SERVQUAL dimensions, the researchers also developed a survey instrument to measure the gap between customers expectation for excellence and their perception of actual service delivered. The SERVQUAL instrument helps service providers understand both customer expectations and perceptions of specific services, as well as quality improvements over time (Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml, 1988). Analysis of customer responses to a SERVQUAL questionnaire presents numerous potential practical implications for companies and their customer service teams. Scope We will conduct a study of all ImageStream customers (the population) by e-mailing or mailing a questionnaire to companies listed in ImageStreams internal records. The study will take less than one month to complete. We will contact all customers and direct them to the on-line survey, and follow up with customers who have not responded after two weeks. We will end the study after four weeks, and expect 25%-30% participation. We base this estimate on the response rate of similar studies mentioned above. A response  rate of at least 10% will yield a significant sample, enabling us to make conclusive findings and recommendations. Methodology We identify three determinants of customer satisfaction with ImageStream: service quality, solution quality, and price (through a measure of perceived value). Data on customer satisfaction, service quality, solution quality and price will be collected through the attached questionnaire survey. The questionnaire adapts the SERVQUAL instrument developed by Berry, Parasuraman and Zeithaml (1998) and uses a combination of Likert-scaled, dichotomous and unstructured questions. The use of both bipolar Likert/dichotomous and unstructured questions allows us to benefit from the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research. The use of quantitative questions allows us to obtain a high degree of reliability and validity using the scientific method, and enables others to more easily repeat or replicate our study. The qualitative questions provide background for customer responses, and help to identify any underlying issues highlighted by the quantitative research. Triangulation, in this case the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, allows us to overcome the weakness of using only one research technique. We do not assume that there is only one reality and believe that different research methods will reveal different perspectives. Using quantitative and qualitative triangulation allows us to use different sets of data, different types of analyses, different researchers, and/or different theoretical perspectives to study customer service. The quantitative question results will provide data that we can subject to complex statistical analyses. We will combine the quantitative question responses to determine central tendencies and dispersion of the data, including measures of mean, standard error, median, mode, standard deviation, variance, kurtosis, skewness, and range. We will analyze the  results of each question and of the study as a whole. Based on the results of the analysis above, we will develop regressions to identify potential relationships between past service experiences, perceived quality, future purchasing behavior, and loyalty. A possible research design for the regression analysis follows. H1: There is a positive correlation between the level of superior customer service and positive future customer behavior. H2: There is a negative or no correlation between the level of superior customer service and positive future customer behavior. H3: There is a positive correlation between the level of inferior customer service and negative future customer behavior. H4: There is a negative or no correlation between the level of inferior customer service and negative future customer behavior. Using these results, we can make conclusions about the management problem defined above. Development of these findings will include the use of anecdotal evidence from the qualitative questions in the survey. We will use the responses to the qualitative questions to support the quantitative findings, and to highlight key issues not covered by the quantitative portions of the survey. Possible Findings Following Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman (1996), we believe that a positive relationship exists between quality service and positive customer behavior as defined above. Additionally, we believe that our research will show that favorable customer behavioral intentions will be higher among customers experiencing no service problems. Customers who have experience problems, but received service to resolve them will show the next highest level. Customers with unresolved service problems will show the least favorable  behavioral intentions. Conclusion Customer service and its effect on customer retention in an organization is a growing area of research, and one that is vital to maintaining quality at ImageStream. This paper examined customer retention and defection from an organization in the context of customer service quality, exploring four areas: 1.A conceptual framework of how service quality affects particular customer behaviors and the consequences for ImageStream, establishing the purpose for this study, 2.Empirical studies that focused on the relationship between service quality and customer behavioral intentions, 3.A triangulated quantitative and qualitative survey to study perceived service levels among ImageStream customers, 4.Follow-on research based on the survey results and statistical analysis, including a summary of expected findings Customer retention branches off into many other significant areas such as value-added services, supply chain relationships, use of information systems to service customers better, and very importantly perceived and expected performance. Organizations have a chance to learn from their customers. The more customers teach the company the more effective it becomes at providing exactly what they want and the more difficult it is for competitors to lure them away from the organization (Pine II et al., 1995). Learning about customers is what this whole retention topic is about. The customers tell the organization what to do to keep them. The strategy is for the organization to learn how to listen and respond. References Anton, J. (1996). Customer Relationship Management: Making Hard Decisions with Soft Numbers. New York: Prentice Hall. Berry, L., Parasuraman, A. and Zeithaml, V. (1988). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and its Implications for Future Research. The Academy of Management Executive, 8, 32-52. Berry, L. and Parasuraman, A. (1997). Listening to the Customer: The Concept of a Service-Quality Information System. Sloan Management Review, 38, 65-76. Berry, L., Parasuraman, A. and Zeithaml, V. (1994). Improving Service Quality in America: Lessons Learned. The Academy of Management Executive, 8, 32-52. Bitner, M., Booms, B. and Mohr, L. (1994). Critical Service Encounters: The Employees Viewpoint. Journal of Marketing, 58, 95-106. Chase, R. and Stewart, D. (1994). Make Your Service Failsafe. Sloan Management Review, 35, 35-44. Cohen, M., Cull, C., Lee, H. and Willen, D. (2000). Saturns Supply-Chain Cooper, D. and Schindler, P. (2002). Business Research Methods (6th ed.). Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Cronin Jr., Joseph J. and Taylor, S. (1992). Measuring Service Quality: A Reexamination and Extension. Journal of Marketing, 56, 55-68. Heskett, J., Jones, T., Loveman, G., Sasser, W., and Schlesinger, L. (1994, March-April). Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work. Harvard Business Review, 164-174. Innovation: High Value After-Sales. Sloan Management Review, 41, 93. Joppe, M. (n.d.). The Research Process. Retrieved January 12, 2004 from http://www.ryerson.ca/~mjoppe/rp.htm Keaveney, S. (1995). Customer Switching Behavior in Service Industries: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Marketing, 59, 71-82. Pine II, J., Peppers, D. and Rogers, M. (1995). Do You Want to Keep Your Customers Forever? Harvard Business Review, 73, 103-114. Pitt, L., Watson, R., Kavan, C. (1997). Measuring Information Systems Service Quality: Concerns for a complete canvas. MIS Quarterly, 21, 209-221. Reinartz, Werner J. and Kumar, V. (2000). On the Profitability of Long-Life Customers in a Noncontractual Setting: An Empirical Investigation and Implications for Marketing. Journal of Marketing, 64, 17. Tax, S. and Brown, S. (1998). Recovering and learning from service failures. Sloan Management Review, 40, 75-88. Tax, S., Brown, S.and Chandrashekar, M. (1998). Customer evaluations of service complaint experiences: implications for relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 62, 60-76. Van Dyke, T., Kappelman, L., and Prybutok, V. (1997, June). Measuring Information Systems Service Quality: Concerns on the use of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. MIS Quarterly, 21, 195-208. Weinstein, Art and Johnson, W. (1999). Designing and Delivering Superior Customer Value: Concepts, Cases, and Applications. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Whyte, G., Bytheway, A., and Edwards, C. (1997). Understanding User Perceptions of Information Systems Success. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 6, 35-68. Zeithaml, V., Berry, L. and Parasuraman, A. (1996). The Behavioral Consequences of Service Quality. Journal of Marketing, 60, 31-46.

Contrasting the Gods in Homer’s Odyssey and the Biblical Book of Exodus

Contrasting the Gods in Homer’s Odyssey and the Biblical Book of Exodus Many authors have employed the religious beliefs of their cultures in literature. The deities contained in Homer’s Odyssey and in the Biblical book of Exodus reflect the nature of the gods in their respective societies. Upon examination of these two works, there are three major areas where the gods of the Greek epic seem to directly contrast the nature of the God of the Israelites: the way problems are solved, the prestige and status that separates the divine from the masses, and the extent of power among the immortal beings. Before any logical argument regarding the contrasting of two works can begin, a foundation must be established that in some way links the two narratives, so that there is a basis for that argument. For the purpose of seeking out the differences that lie between the gods of Homer’s The Odyssey and the God of Exodus, there are two major links that provide the groundwork. First, each work includes a system of divine power, which is recognized as having authority above men. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Nestor of Gerenia tells Telemakhos, "I can have no fears for you if, at your age, the gods are your companions" (3.403, 405). This statement echoes the sentiments displayed throughout the book, and it reveals the power ascribed to the pantheon of Greek gods. If Nestor has no fears for Telemakhos simply because the gods are with him, then that implies that the gods have the authority to keep Telemakhos from harm. The God of Exodus, who is known also as Yahweh and Jehovah, is r ecognized as Deity by the Israelites. A small, seemingly insignificant verse in Exodus reflects the authority of Yahweh, when, immediately following the Passover... ...ogical Commentary. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1974. Dinsmore, Charles Allen. "Homer: What He Believed and What He Valued." 1937. Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism. Vol. 1. Ed. Dennis Poupard et al. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1988. pp. 326-329. Durham, John I. World Biblical Commentary. Vol. 3. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1987. Exodus. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. Grant, Robert McQueen. Gods and the One God. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1986. Guthrie, W.K.C. The Greeks and Their Gods. Boston: Beacon Press, 1950. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. 1. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991. Homer. The Odyssey. Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Vol. 1. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.

Persuasive Essay on Gun Rights Essay

Gun Control Have you ever been involved in a home invasion? How did you protect yourself, or if this would happen have you thought about how you would protect yourself? This is a real concern in families’ minds across the nation. When I think of having a future family I think about how I would keep them safe. Growing up I never had to worry about this, because I knew that my parents would be able to protect me. The way my parents would and have protected me was with a gun. Today, gun control is a major concern in political campaigns across the nation. I will be talking about why we should keep our gun rights based on: home safety, illegal guns and the second amendment of the constitution. We would agree that home safety is in the minds of most Americans, but no matter how hard we try to protect our homes it’s not always a realistic fact. According to fbi.gov, nationwide in 2010, there were an estimated 367,832 robberies. According to Gary Kleck, Ph.D. a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University in Tallahassee and author of â€Å"Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America† conducted a survey by random telephone sampling of 4,978 households in all the states except Alaska and Hawaii. Results indicating that American civilians use their firearms as often as 2.5 million times every year defending against a confrontation with a criminal, and that handguns alone account for up to 1.9 million defenses per year. My family and I had a personal experience with a home invasion. It was a normal Wednesday night; I was finishing up some late night studies while I heard something from down stairs. Someone had decided to rob our house. I went to my parent’s room to tell them about the intruder. My dad went and unlocked his gun safe and pulled out his twelve gauge shotgun. He exited the room with a loud pump of the forestock. The intruder was quick to run out the door after hearing this. We never had to fire a shot and our guns saved are possessions from being stolen and are family from being harmed. Gun control that is proposed isn’t stating that all guns should be taken away, but that restrictions should be put on guns. Well this does sound logical and does sound like it should work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean  it will. Almost all drugs are illegal except for marijuana in few states, but how many in this room knows someone who could provide them with illegal drugs? Almost everyone. This is the same with guns. Criminals find ways to get drugs just as easily as they could find ways to get illegal guns. According to a recent Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) report, there is a significant diversion to the illegal gun market from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL). The report states that â€Å"of the 120,370 crime guns that were traced to purchases from the FFLs then in business, 27.7 % of these firearms were seized by law enforcement in connection with a crime within two years of the original sale. This rapid `time to crime’ of a gun purchase d from an FFL is a strong indicator that the initial seller or purchaser may have been engaged in unlawful activity.† No matter if gun restrictions have been risen or not this is only restricting the people that are lawful with their guns and restricting the people that are responsible with their guns. Criminals are not affected by gun restrictions, because due to criminal records most can’t buy guns legally anyways, but they still find them through black markets and criminal acquaintances. Taking away the gun rights of law obeying citizens is unfair and is violating our constitutional rights. According to the second amendment of the United States constitution states â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† I think this says it all. The constitution is what our country was built upon; it is what our founding fathers had set for us to follow in order to become a better society than the one they came. Myself, being very patriotic, I find it hard to see why someone would want their rights that they are given as a free, American citizen, taken away. These amendments have kept us as a reigning world power for so long and why would anything change now? We have been so fortunate to be founded on such morals and freedoms that we have perfected a functioning society within law. Yes, the United States has been in slump lately, but we are still considered a world power and in most eyes we are still considered top dog. So, why change something if we are already on top ? If it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Guns save lives, not takes them. Education is the big problem with guns in today’s society. We have been raised to fear guns, but in reality guns have been something that has so much as freed our nation from England’s reign. Guns have been a part of negative outcomes, but with these outcomes a bad person stands behind this gun. Bad people will always be bad, whether you stick them behind bars or if you put a bracelet around their ankle. We shouldn’t let these bad people determine how all the good people live. We should stay above the bad people and show them that they have no control in our great nation. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Thank you. Bibliography: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Title: Bill of Rights, Second Amendment, Charters of freedom Publishing: National Archives; last revised 1791 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/procon/guns.html Title: â€Å"How criminals get guns†, Hot guns Publishing: pbs.org, Dan Noyes http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/violent-crime/robberymain Title: The fbi federal bureau of investigation, robbery Publishing: U.S. Department of Justice; last revised 2010 Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America Author: Gary Klerk Publishing: A. de Gruyter, New York, 1991

Poem appreciation – A Poem should not mean but be

In the poem ‘A Poem should not mean but be' the poet causes the reader to question themselves over how they read a poem, how they see it. ‘A Poem should not mean but be' the Poet here from the title is saying a poem should not be looked upon by people as just words on paper, seeing them as empty and meaningless, but experience the feeling and emotion that has been expressed in poems. A poem is a verbal composition designed to convey experiences, ideas, or emotions in a vivid and imaginative way, characterized by the use of language chosen for its sound and suggestive power and by the use of literary techniques such as meter, metaphor, and rhyme. This is what the Poet is trying to get across to the reader of this poem ‘Does it work when the word happiness is pronounced?' here right from the start of the poem the Poet asks the question ‘Does it work when the word happiness is pronounced?' he is putting this question to the audience forcing them to think does it make it happen?, does it bring it to life?, happiness?. In this quote from the poem the Poet is asking the reader are they really feeling the feeling and emotion which is being expressed in poems when they read them rather than just seeing the words. ‘Never is the happiness because orgasm and orgasm are worlds apart', in this quote from the Poet it shows him expressing his view when he says ‘Never is the happiness' meaning not ever, on no occasion, at no time is it felt in the poem. The Poet uses the word orgasm to represent the strong feeling of emotional excitement which he obviously feels has been put in poems should be conveyed to the reader. The Poet does not feel that these feelings of emotional excitement expressed in Poems are being picked up by the reader, this is shown when he says ‘orgasm and orgasm are worlds apart' this shows just how often the Poet feels the readers of poems are on the same wavelength, way of thinking as the one who wrote the poem. ‘At times I see it – words that are pulled from the depths of unknowing', here the Poet is telling the reader on occasion he sees the words from Poems rely being fully felt for what he believes they should be, the true feeling and emotion ‘from the depths of the unknowing' I quote from the Poet.  Read also Critical appreciation of the poem â€Å"Old Ladies’ Home†. ‘The secret of life in a sudden line of poetry through the washed rooms of the simple senses', here the poet is once again speaking about how he feels the readers are seeing the poems. ‘The secret of life in a sudden line of poetry', here when the Poet says ‘the secret of life' he is telling us just how much feeling he thinks is put into poems. ‘The secret of life' refers to the feelings and emotions inside of the Poet who has written the poem . ‘In a sudden line of poetry', in this quote the Poet uses the word ‘sudden' to relate to the unforeseen feeling and emotion that has been put into any poem it is unforeseen by the reader because it is coming out of the Poet. ‘Through the washed rooms of the simple senses' here the Poet once again tells us how he feels readers are not feeling the fullness of poems. This quote from the Poet tells us he feels that the feeling and emotions in poems are passing through the mind, as ‘washed rooms' he refers to it in the poem. The Poet believes the reader is unaware of how to feel the of the depths of the poem by not seeing past the words on paper, using their ‘simple senses' I quote from the Poet. A Poem should not mean but be is an exceptionally well written composition which really conveys the feelings of the Poet onto the reader through by the literature used in the text. This Poem really shows the reader how much feeling and emotion is put into a poem and acknowledge the hidden depths of a poem. I found it a compelling ballad which causes much cerebration.

How to write winning proposals - Emphasis

How to write winning proposals How to write winning proposals Rob Ashton explains how developing your writing skills can help you to win sales. Whether you love them or hate them, you can’t deny that reality TV shows such as The X-Factor provide contestants with honest feedback about their performances. After the tone-deaf wannabes are swiftly weeded out, the ones with raw talent are prodded and guided by Simon et al before being transformed into marketable acts. But when it comes to your sales proposals, the only critics you have are your prospects. There’s usually no training ground before you’re let loose on your public. So if they like what you have to offer, the chances are you’ll get a sale. If they’re uncertain, they may well give you little idea of where you went right or wrong. Imagine that you meet a client and build a good relationship before promising to email over a proposal later in the week. But by the time it comes to putting pen to paper, you’ve forgotten the conversation and struggle to get back into the groove. Instead, you simply send out a standard proposal that leaves the prospect cold and you without a sale. In this case, the client gives some helpful feedback, but it skirts around the real issue. You don’t get the witty one liner that says: ‘great in person, but sounded like a robot on paper’. Most salespeople haven’t been taught how to develop a fresh, personable writing style. But proficient sales writing is a skill that can be learnt. And once you have, your proposals can act as a ‘silent sales force’ that is out there winning business for you while you’re busy pursuing other opportunities. So, become your own judge by learning and applying some simple tips and techniques to your written work. Switch off your computer We tend to live in the virtual world of our computer screens. But at the beginning of the writing process, it’s helpful to get away from the screen and use a pencil and paper to gather your thoughts. So before you type a word, ask yourself the following six questions: What is the proposal about? Who will read it? How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject to them? How interested are they in the subject (which is not necessarily the same thing)? Doing this allows you to home in on the main ideas and messages you want to communicate. Keep asking yourself: What do you really want to say? Then jot down all the ideas that are essential and important to your proposal. Build a persuasive structure Next, focus your proposal by using the Four Ps technique, which stands for: position (where they are now), problem (why they can’t stay there), possibilities (where they could go) and proposal (where they should go). This approach turns conventional wisdom on its head and is surprisingly effective. It allows you to begin with the client’s situation and needs, and to recommend solutions, while building your credibility in the process. Only then do you write about your pedigree – by which point you’ll just be confirming what they’ve already concluded. Get personal One of the best ways to show your personality through writing is to use words such as ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’. These words help to connect you to your readers. Similarly choose the active voice to make your sentences livelier. For instance, you can write ‘I [or we] guarantee that you’ll notice a difference in three days,’ rather than ‘a difference has been guaranteed within three days.’ Short and sweet Finally, no-one wants to wade through the sales equivalent of War and Peace. Keep sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words and edit ruthlessly until you have a compelling document that begs to be read. Mastering these skills will help you to tailor your writing so that it meets the needs of each particular client. Don’t worry if you don’t hit gold on your first go. For every one-hit wonder in the record business, there are those who’ve created a long, successful career by making constant adjustments to their performance, until they develop that certain something that sets them apart from the rest. For proposal-writing training, see our course for teams and our course for individuals.

The Most Common Injuries in a Chemistry Lab

The Most Common Injuries in a Chemistry Lab There are a lot of hazards in a chemistry lab. Youve got chemicals, breakables, and open flames. So, accidents are bound to happen. However, an accident doesnt necessarily have to lead to an injury. Most common injuries can be prevented by minimizing accidents by being careful, wearing proper safety gear, and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency. OSHA keeps track of reported injuries, but most of the time people get hurt, its either not something they admit to or else not a life-threatening event.  What are your biggest risks? Heres an informal look at common injuries. Eye Injuries Your eyes are at risk in the chemistry lab. If you normally wear contacts, you should wear glasses to lessen chemical exposure. Everyone should wear safety goggles. They protect your eyes from chemical splashes and errant shards of glass. People get eye injuries all the time, either because they are lax about wearing protective eyewear, the agent causing the injury gets around the edge of the glasses, or they dont know how to use the eyewash properly. While cuts are more common in the lab, eye injuries are probably the most common serious wounds. Cuts from Glassware You can cut yourself being stupid, trying to force glass tubing through a stopper with the palm of your hand. You can cut yourself breaking glassware or trying to clean up a mess. You can cut yourself on a sharp edge of a piece of chipped glassware. The best way to prevent the injury is to wear gloves, yet even so, this is the most common injury, mainly because few people wear gloves all the time. Also, when you do wear gloves, you lose dexterity, so you may be more clumsy than usual. Chemical Irritation or Burns Its not just the skin on your hands that is at risk from chemical exposure, although this is the most common place to get hurt. You can inhale corrosive or reactive vapors. If youre extra-stupid, you can ingest harmful chemicals by swallowing liquid from a pipette or (more commonly) not cleaning up well enough after lab and contaminating your food with traces of chemicals on your hands or clothing. Goggles and gloves protect your hands and face. A lab coat protects your clothing. Dont forget to wear closed-toe shoes, because spilling acid on your foot is not a pleasant experience. It does happen. Burns from Heat You can burn yourself on a hot plate, accidentally grab a piece of hot glassware, or burn yourself by getting too close to a burner. Dont forget to tie back long hair. Ive seen people set their bangs on fire in a Bunsen burner, so dont lean over a flame, no matter how short your hair is. Mild to Moderate Poisoning Toxicity from chemicals is an overlooked accident because the symptoms may resolve within minutes to days. Yet, some chemicals or their metabolites persist in the body for years, potentially leading to organ damage or cancer. Drinking a liquid accidentally is an obvious source of poisoning, but many volatile compounds are dangerous when inhaled. Some chemicals are absorbed through the skin, so watch spills, too. Tips to Prevent Lab Accidents A little preparation can prevent most accidents. Here are some tips to keep yourself and others safe: Know the safety rules for working in the lab (and follow them). For example, if a certain refrigerator is labeled No Food, dont store your lunch there.Actually use your safety gear. Wear your lab coat and goggles. Keep long hair tied back.Know the meaning of lab safety signs.Label containers of chemicals, even if they only contain water or other non-toxic materials. Its best to put an actual label on a container, because grease pen marks may be wiped off during handling.Make certain safety gear is maintained. Know the schedule for purging the line of an eyewash. Check the ventilation of chemical fume hoods. Keep first aid kits stocked.Quiz yourself to see if youre safe in the lab.Report problems. Whether its faulty equipment or a mild accident, you should always report an issue to your immediate supervisor. If no one knows there is a problem, its unlikely to get fixed.

Audit and Internal Control Issues Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Audit and Internal Control Issues - Coursework Example In the next section, the report identifies the tests of controls to be performed for obtaining sufficient appropriate audit evidence in relation to purchases made during a year. Lastly, the report discusses the substantive procedures, which are to be carried out for the purpose of obtaining reasonable assurance as to the reliability and correctness of the information pertaining to inventory in the financial statements of the company. A. Key Business Risks, Possible Consequences and Risk Mitigating Strategies Since the company is going through a declining phase as far as profitability and sales turnover is concerned, it is pertinent to consider areas which require management’s attention. The increase in the employee turnover rate and the fact that there are few experienced professionals left in the accounts department of the company pose significant risks in relation to the operations of the company and the preparation and presentation of financial statements which are free fro m material misstatements. Apart from this, the increase in competitors of the business also poses a significant threat in future. All these risks can act together to result in a risk related to going concern of the business. From an auditor’s professional skepticism point of view, these risks and developments can have serious implications on the financial reporting and internal controls maintained by the company, since there is a possibility that management may try to manage earnings and overstate the sales revenue and profits of the business. In addition to this, greater employee turnover reflects that there is a continuous inflow of new inexperienced employees who are expected to be less aware of the procedures and practices followed in the company. Moreover, the company’s automated purchase management system is also regarded by the employees as inefficient due to the complexities and lack of user friendliness and hence the transactions are often recorded manually in the system. This manual practice of recording transactions is another area where fraudulent activities may take place and intentional misstatements may be made by the personnel responsible for data entry. Moreover, there are only two persons in the organization who possess skills to operate the system. Lastly, the composition of the board is also an area of concern; there are different affiliations of board members and there is a risk that the members may have some conflict of interest which may promote unethical practices (Rittenberg, Johnstone and Gramling 2011). Keeping in view these risks and their possible consequences, the company can take several steps to mitigate these areas and overcome these loopholes. First of all, there shall be appropriate measures taken to ensure that employee turnover is brought down to a minimal level in order to ensure that experienced and professional staff members are working in the company and therefore the function of financial reporting, in pa rticular, runs smoothly. On the other hand, there should be a resolution passed for the disclosure of director’s interest in Sucre Delights Limited and other companies, so as to identify and counter any conflicts of interest. The automated system shall be made more user friendly so that the users are able to run the system easily and are inclined to use it. Moreover, the fact that there are only two

Explain how the treatment of internal and external customers is one Essay

Explain how the treatment of internal and external customers is one more important than the other How does this affect "quality" in the organization - Essay Example Internal customers are the human capital that constitutes the factors of production. The expertise of the internal customers determine the quality of the output which the influence the external customers. In a service industry for example, the knowledge and skills of the employees influence the end product which determines the satisfaction of external customers. In Hill & Allen (2007) the external customers also influence the operations of the organization. A service industry like the Insurance industry is usually operated by the needs and wants of the external customers. The needs or complaints of the external customers are normally factored by the organization with great interest. In return, the organization executes their demand with effective conditions in order to suit their tastes and preferences. Martinez & Hobbi (2008) explain that the internal customers facilitate in the marketing of the organizations services. The internal customers through effective communication and delivery of the services influence the customers’ perception. The Insurance Industry in one slippery sector that is entirely operated by the act of faith. The internal customers are required to fully disclose the benefits and terms and conditions of the policy so as the external customers can be convinced in order to purchase the product. Hill & Alexander (2006) explain the external customers act as a measure of the organization’s performance. The effectiveness of an organization’s operations can be evaluated based on the external customers’ feedbacks. A company that pollutes the environment can receive negative comments regarding activities and vice versa. In addition, the quality of its services and products can be evaluated based on their numbers (sales), feedbacks and support. The services or products delivery of the internal customers is highly on the organization’s support. The health sector for example, is a vital