Reasons for the failure of Germany in World War II Essay Example for Free

Reasons for the failure of Germany in World War II Essay Backing to the year 1933, National Socialist Adolf Hitler became the leader of Germany and began a massive rearming campaign. This worried France and the United Kingdom, who had lost much in the previous war, as well as Italy, which saw its territorial ambitions threatened by those of Germany. Hitler was convinced that fate had chosen him to rescue a humiliated nation from the shackles of the Versailles Treaty, from Bolsheviks and Jews. Thus he wanted to wage war in order to recover Germany. Eventually, in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, the World War II’s European battleground began. On September 1st 1939, German armies invaded Poland and henceforth Hitler’s main energies were devoted to the conduct of a war he had unleashed to dominate Europe and secure Germanys living space. The first phase of World War II was dominated by German Blitzkrieg tactics: sudden shock attacks against airfields, communications, military installations, using fast mobile armor and infantry to follow up on the first wave of bomber and fighter aircraft. Poland was overrun in less than one month, Denmark and Norway in two months, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg and France in six weeks. After the fall of France in June 1940 only Great Britain stood firm. Just as what he had prophesied at the end of January 1939, that if the international financial Jewry within and outside Europe should succeed once more in dragging the nations into a war, the result will be, not the Bolshevization of the world and thereby the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.(Evans, R. J., 2005 ). For many points to the reparation payments that Germans had to pay after the first world war as the cause of this downturn. Both through envy and despise, he and many other Germans began to scapegoat the Jews as the cause of all their suffering. Jews were slaughtered during the World War II by German armies. Exactly as the film Schindlers List (1993) directed by Steven Spielberg showed that the figure for the number of Jews who were killed in t he Holocaust is about 5.7 million to 6.0 million. However, it was still the same country which was always be regarded as the strong during the whole process of World War II, Germany was one of the vanquished countries of WWII. It was concluded from the army strength and the historical evidence of the condition of the WWII that although Germany was powerful during the World War II, Germany was defeated by its vanity, without people’s support and Hitler’s dictatorship. According to Lowe, K (2012), by Ian Locke’s examining the British attainment of German industry. Although German economic was better than any other European countries at that time, German was still not enough powerful to wage the war. The advanced science and technology might help Germany equip its army well. Which leads to most of the German tanks and other weapons were way ahead of anything their opponents had to offer. Their tanks were faster, better armored and had a longer range than anything the allies had available. However, after America joined the war and supplied the British and Russians with armaments, the flood gates were opened and the battlefields were swamped by technically inferior but numerically superior weapons. Once overview the domestic ground condition of Germany in 1945. It was obviously that Germany made too many enemies. Germany during World War II, focusing particularly on the evidence gathered from archival sources at the Russian Federations Foreign Ministry Historical Documents Department. On April 27, 1945, the Soviet 70th Army of the 2nd Byelorussian Front under the management of Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky held the town of Prenzlau as part of the Soviet process to take Berlin, Germany. The reason to this tragic historical event is that Germany had not been fully focused on the defense for the camp. Meanwhile, Germany was also fighting against Great Britain. (Zaleeva, A. A., 2010) During the World War II, it was the period that airpower was the element of crucial importance. Losing airpower usually means losing the victory. Based on the record of the history by Harvey, A. D(2012). German Luftwaffe battled against the British Royal Air Force during the Air Battle of Britain in 1940. The Luftwaffe failed to properly identify their numerical advantages over the RAF within their missions. Including Nazi military leader Hermann GÃ ¶ring, German Messerschmitt Bf109 military fighter planes, and U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant James Doolittle. After the losses of the Air Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe never fully recovered. By 1944, they had lost control of the skies over most of Europe and were subject to 24hour bombing. It was because lack of airpower meant lack of photo reconnaissance, so the German high commands were making decisions without proper intelligence. Since losing the resource gates in the previous battle and having blind confidence about the airpower itself. The air warfare strategies used for bomber and fighter aircraft during both events. It was because German looked down upon the Royal Air Force, leading to the lack of airpower so that lacking of photo reconnaissance. Eventually it resulted in German failure of WWII. Moving to the reason why Nazi government could not gain people’s support. From the career of Albert Speer, principal architect of the Nazi regime, who played the role in the atrocities committed by Germany in World War II. Among his major responsibilities was the procurement of manpower to keep the Nazi factories in operation which played an important role in the organization of the Nazi forced-labor programs. Since labors were forced to work, they were not willi ng to do it, so German domestic residents were not support the war. They were working without their own willingness. In this case, not even to mention to gain any support from allies. Only the country who had the same objective by waging the war made friendship with Germany, most of other countries were standing against Germany, it also indicate that only through following peoples heart, can they lead a strong army. And Germany made too many enemies all over the world was another reason for its failure. (Forsgren, R. 2012) Last but seems to be the most general one is the system of organization. Looking back to Adolf Hitler’s biography, Strategy used by him to strengthen the violence on the roads; Purpose of the government for not legally banning communists; Connection between social democrats and communists; Reason behind the firing of judges, state prosecutors and judicial officials in Germany. Diplomatically, his style of leadership involved him personally taking all the major decisions, with little delegation. Under the circumstances, his dictatorship dominated Germany. Leading to a dictatorial government in which one person has absolute power, often backed by the military, over the entire country and its people. What is more, he removed certain rights from people, most of the time trespassed certain human rights.(Zaleeva, A. A. 2010) The mental state of general Germans at that time was blind and lack of personal thinking. The way they followed was the responsibility which was given by their nation, no matter it was right or not. Under this situation, the wrong war was waged. It could be concluded from the personal diary of August TÃ ¶pperwien, a German Protestant, who was not a Nazi and however maintained a loyal nationalism to the end. In so doing, it probes the troubled morality of someone whose conflicting senses of personal duty and political obligation found their vent in pages of silent self-reflection, and so reveal with an unusual simplicity of the underlying frames of moral refe rence, which so often remain implicit and argued in the short-hand and rational of other diaries and family letters, let alone macro-level surveys of widely held attitude. From his personal feeling, the responsibility that led to Germanys failure is that Germans soldiers wrongly regarded the support for the Nazi regime and for the war were the same thing then overrated their power to against the rest of the world. (Stargardt, N. 2010). World War II is the largest war in humans history, which causes the most losses, either the number of casualties or economic losses, and brings human being disasters. It lasted for 6 years, more than 60 countries or regions took part in the war. The immediate cause of the outbreak of World War II is fascist regime, the rapid rise. Fascist rulers head of Germany, Italy, Japan in order to achieve the re-divide the world and expand their areas attempted to cause the War. With Germany was defeated in North Africa and Stalingrad. In 1943, with a series of German defeats in Eastern Europe, the Allied invasion of Fascist Italy, and American victories in the Pacific, the Axis lost the initiative and undertook strategic retreat o n all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. In April 1945, the Soviet Union occupied Berlin as Hitler committed suicide. Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 7th, 1945. The war in Europe ended. Later 1945, World War II was completely ended with Japan’s unconditional surrender. Fortunately, this costed more than six years’ war eventually ended with the victory of the world anti-fascist alliance. Looking back to the history, by summing up the reasons why the result was occurred, it is reasonable that Germany would fail in this war obviously. Under Hitler’s dictatorial domination and the excitation with their early victory, Germany became more and more arrogant. Regarding they could achieve whatever they wanted to come true. Dreaming to dominate the other nations all over the world even without their domestic support. History was correct, it chose the victory deserved to win. Peaceful Americans, grieved British, tough and tensile Soviet and Chinese made great contribution to international public. No matter how it was negative at the beginning of the war, they never gave up. By taking up the vital point of Germany, international public finally made the gorgeous reversal come true. How foolish that German looked down upon such opponents! Although Germany was powerful during the World War II, Germany was defeated by its vanity, without people’s support and Hitler’s dictatorship eventually. References 1. Evans, R. J. (2005). Hitlers Dictatorship. (Cover story). History Review, (51), 20-25. 2. Forsgren, R. (2012). The Architecture of Evil. New Atlantis: A Journal Of Technology Society, 3644-62. 3. Harvey, A. D. (2012). The Battle of Britain, in 1940 and Big Week, in 1944: A Comparative Perspective. Air Power History, 59(1), 34-45. 4. Lowe, K. (2012). From the Archive. History Today, 62(2), 72. 5. Steven, S. (1993). Schindlers List 6. Stargardt, N. (2010). The Troubled Patriot: German Innerlichkeit in World War II*. German History, 28(3), 326-342. 7. Zaleeva, A. A. (2010). Freeing Belgian Generals from the Prenzlau Nazi POW Camp. International Affairs: A Russian Journal Of World Politics, Diplomacy International Relations, 56(4), 242-246.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Market in Southeast Asia Essay Example for Free

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Market in Southeast Asia Essay An electric vehicle charging station, also called an electric recharging point, or charging point, supplies electric energy to charge PEVs, including all-electric cars, neighborhood EVs, and plug-in hybrids. Two technologies are used in charging stations, wired AC charging and DC charging. Depending on the type of charging station, these are segmented into Level 1 Charging Station, Level 2 Charging Station, and Level 3 Charging Station. The performance of the equipment is measured in terms of the charging time, input power supply, voltage, and maximum operating current. Covered in this Report. This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station market in Southeast Asia for the period 2014-2018. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated through the sales of level 1, level 2, and level 3 charging stations. The   report also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the five key market vendors. In addition, it discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the market and the challenges faced by the vendors and the market at large. The report also outlines the key trends emerging in the market that will contribute to the growth of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station market in Southeast Asia during the forecast period.

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen A Critical Evaluation of Customer Relationship Management in the Volkswagen Group Introduction Regardless of what industry or business one would elect to select, the one key as well as critical component that is present as well as common to all is the ‘customer’. Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) expressed the foregoing when he stated that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The preceding might seem all too obvious, yet it is a concept that repeatedly seems to become lost in terms of a company’s marketing focus. The resources spent in terms of advertising budgets to create consumer awareness, trial and to win them over represents the beginning rather than the objective of marketing. Initially, marketing might not seemingly represent a consideration with regard the management of a customer relationship at Volkswagen, until one views it in context. Referring back to Peter Drucker’s (1954) statement, the process starts at the very beginning, and this entails the marketing of the product, goods or service to the prospective customer. This is in terms of whether the customer is presently with the company or not as competing brands are consistently on the hunt for customers outside of their existing base and this represents those that are presently within your company’s fold. Thus, the examination of the management of a customer relationship in the context of Volkswagen shall look at the entire environment in which the preceding occurs, and refer to an example within this genre. The process shall endeavor to critically evaluate the example from an historical context and then make recommendations as to how that process might have been improved or enhanced utilizing the contemporary understandings of customer relationship management practice and theory. In order to understand the process of managing a customer relationship, it is imperative that one has a grasp of the environment in which that context lives. Marketing is defined as a process which entails the â€Å"†¦ planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Marketing on the Internet, 2006) of products, goods and or services, and via which a company seeks â€Å"†¦ events to create and maintain relationships that †¦ satisfy individual and organizational objectives† (Marketing on the Internet, 2006). The preceding provides an understanding of the broader conceptual ramifications that entail the marketing process. (Morris et al (2001, P. 98) have upgraded this definition in consort with contemporary views and applications whereby the function has been defined and equated as a set of activities that create value. They indicate that today’s understanding and application of the marketing process is more complex as well as complicated, and state that â€Å" Organizations must make fundamental decisions regarding how to approach different market segments and individual customers† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Their expanded definition goes on to add â€Å"The conventional wisdom is that the marketer is no longer interested in making a sale or achieving a transaction, but instead must focus on relationship marketing† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Buttle’s (1996) overall view is that relationship marketing is yet to prove itself, but that vision was almost a decade ago. According to Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University, (2003) there has been research that has been conducted that indicates that just a five percent (5%) increase with regard to the retaining of customers represents a net profit yield in the range of twenty percent (20%) to one hundred and twenty-five percent (125%) (Payne, 2003). The foregoing is slightly more conservatively calculated by Reichheld et al (1990, Pp 105-111) who indicate that a five percent (5%) improvement with respect to customer retention yields a profitability increase of between twenty-five percent (25%) and eighty-five percent (85%), which they state depends upon the particular industry. The value of customer retention, and thus efforts directed at maintaining such, customer relationship management, has been equated by Buchanan et al (1990) who indicated that the foregoing results in an increase in profitability as a result of: The fact that the cost to acquire a customer occurs at the inception of the relationship, therefore the longer said relationship remains in force, the initial cost becomes amortized. The costs of maintaining the customer declines in terms of a percentage of total revenue. Research has indicated that the longer a relationship is maintained with a customer, the less inclined they become to switch. In addition to the foregoing, they also tend to become less sensitive to price. The foregoing translates into a more stable base of unit sales volume as well as an increase in terms of revenue sales volume. Longer-term customers are more likely to engage in word-of-mouth discussions regarding the product or company, thus potentially resulting in referrals. Longer term customers are also more likely to wind up making purchases of other products, services or goods offered, as well as trading up or purchasing higher profit products, goods or services. Longer-term customers, on average, tend to be more satisfied with the company and as a result are less inclined to switch to competing brands. The foregoing makes it increasingly difficult for competitors to make inroads in a company’s customer base the longer the relationship lasts. Longer-term customers are usually less expensive in terms of servicing as they are familiar with the processes within the company and thus require less indoctrination and or education. The benefits of a longer-term customer relationship results in easier job related tasks for employees and higher degrees of satisfaction in dealing with customers who have a long relationship with the firm. The foregoing view is also shared by Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) who state that Customer Relationship Management is the method via which to develop customer relationships. They define Customer Relationship Management as â€Å"†¦ the process of predicting customer behavior and selecting actions to influence that behavior to benefit the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Chye et al (20002, Pp. 18). They further state that the Internet has greatly increased the performance and enhancement aspects of Customer Relationship Management as it provides database information and is available as an additional avenue via which to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and segmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Through the preceding, the Customer Relationship Department as well as employees can strategize the appropriate courses of action to be in advance of customer needs, or have the appropriate solutions or responses prepared and waiting. The preceding also increases the relative performance of individual employees within the function thus making its overall effectiveness in terms of customer satisfaction enhanced, thus further aiding bottom line performance. Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) sum up the Customer Relationship Management practice in the following statement â€Å"The aim of CRM is to develop a common process, the idea being that when the relationship is developed, both sides win.† The relative similarities between competing products in the automotive industry provide a perfect example of the importance of effective and well-planned Customer Relationship process. With the right strategies in place an automotive company can create an effective differentiation with respect to competitors through providing extraordinary service. The preceding is made possible through new technologies, such as the Internet, whereby personalized service can be provided as well as anticipated as a result of the warehousing of customer information, prior contacts and original order data (Jackson, 2003, P 71). And with information technology as well as the Internet are providing new dimensions to the Customer Relationship Management practice, the importance of personal contact as well as personal service are and remain the critical components in achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction. â€Å"†¦ the increasing availability of modern technology †¦(makes)†¦it relatively easy to compete on product. What they find more difficult to do is compete on service†¦Ã¢â‚¬  states Freemantle (1992, P 15). He adds that â€Å"†¦ service not only depends on modern technology, but also the attitude of its people, and therefore the capability of its managers.† (Freemantle, 1992, P 15). The Value of Customer Relationship Management Drawing on a consultancy relationship that existed between the advertising agency for the Volkswagen company, the opportunity to see as well as be involved in the first hand observation as well as participation of the importance of Customer Relationship Management was provided as a result of research being conducted to gather the views and opinions of customers with regard to the service aspect of the company’s business. In so doing the task was assigned of managing a small base of customers who had just purchased vehicles in consort with the company’s policies at the time. The objective was to equate the reactions as well as attitudes of customers and their viewpoints along with positive and negative reactions to the company, its policies and the product. The period of time that the preceding was undertaken, which can be commented upon from an historical perspective, was when Volkswagen was experiencing problems in integrating a new model into its line up. The year tha t the preceding customer relationship consulting arrangement occurred was in 2000. The customer relationship example shall be referred to as Mr. Smith. He was a 52-year-old schoolteacher, married with two children who had graduated college. He lived in a modest one family home in the suburbs and represented the average VW customer profile. The 2000 Volkswagen Jetta was his first experience with any foreign vehicle, having previously owned Ford and General Motors products. Mr. Smith represented one of the portfolio of customers assigned as part of the afore indicated marketing analysis observation. Mr. Smith’s first contact came within the first month of his Volkswagen Jetta purchase as he called to schedule a service appointment to fix the air conditioning system that was not working. He also indicated that there was a problem with the driver’s side rear door latch. Mr. Smith’s appointment was scheduled for free warranty service for the following day, as a result of the air conditioning emergency. Mr. Smith was called the next day after the ser vice appointment as asked about his rating of the visit in terms of his issues being resolved, promptness in handling, his rating of the service done and satisfaction. Mr. Smith indicated that all the areas asked were satisfactory and that the car was working perfectly. The next contact with Mr. Smith came approximately three (3) weeks after the initial call. The contact was to express his dissatisfaction with the air conditioning system as the cooling level since the repair was average on warm days and barely adequate on hot days. He indicated that he did not pay much attention to the foregoing as he primarily drove the car to work in the mornings and by the afternoon the temperatures were cooler. His compliant came about as a result of a weekend trip where he was subject to 95-degree temperatures and stated he was perspiring the entire time. Mr. Smith also stated that the car exhibited severe hesitation during the hot drive and stopped functioning entirely on two occasions whereby he pulled over and after the car cooled down, it restarted. He was particularly unhappy that a local Volkswagen dealership could not assist him as he was on the road and asked that we schedule a service appointment. Mr. Smith’s extreme displeasure was a result of being under a new car warranty and unable to get any assistance which he claimed was never a problem with his former Buick LeSabre. He requested an immediate service appointment and a loaner vehicle so that he could get back to work. Under the terms of his Volkswagen warranty, Mr. Smith had not purchased the Road Side Assistance option and his warranty also did not have a provision for a loaner vehicle. I informed Mr. Smith of the foregoing, which was not received well and asked if I could make some inquiries regarding getting his vehicle scheduled for an emergency service appointment as well as what I might be able to do concerning the loaner vehicle, which temporarily calmed him down. In conferring with personnel at Mr. Smith’s dealership, I was informed that as a result of his warranty coverage that did not include roadside assistance, future problems could not be handled any differently unless he took the option. After considerable discussion with the dealership management and service department we arranged an immediate service appointment and under the circumstances I was able to secure a dealer vehicle for Mr. Smith to utilize. Mr. Smith was called back and advised of the preceding points, he was pleased to hear of the loaner vehicle and immediate service appointment request, but indicated that road side assistance for a new car should be an included item and not one subject to additional purchase. Mr. Smith’s visit went according to plan and when he was called the next day after picking up his vehicle, I was thanked for resolving issues he came to find out were not a part of his service contract. He indicated that despite the problems, getting h im service for non-covered items was changing his mind about a car company that he thought he had made a mistake on. Subsequent investigation into the problems encountered by Mr. Smith uncovered that Volkswagen was having quality control problems resulting from the new facility located in Puebla, Mexico. Globalisation, as well as newer technological aspects included in their vehicle had upped the manufacturing degree of difficulties with respect to including features such as cruise control, automatic windows with multiple settings, variable speed air conditioning and automatic temperature control settings, fuel injected engines and other features that are commonplace fixtures in the American vehicle market. It was subsequently uncovered that Volkswagen’s J.D. Power and Associates quality rating for that model year reflected the problems associated with incorporating this new plant into the production line, as well as the fact that the model was a new design. In that year, the average number of problems that were reported in the J.D. Power survey per one hundred vehicles averaged 158 (The Car Connection, 2000). The survey was conducted among a sampling of 47,000 owners representing 2000 model year cars and light trucks showed that the Volkswagen Jetta scored 238, compared to the average of 158, with the largest Passat ranging in at 162, and the new Beetle hitting 170. Only the Jetta was being manufactured at the Mexican facility during that period (The Car Connection, 2000). Inquiries into the company’s warranty and roadside assistance program indicated that the requirement for this aspect had not been an issue in prior models as reliability had always been a model strong point. Historically, Volkswagen had manufactured vehicles in Germany and the reliability factor was insignificant in terms of assuming the internal costs for such warranty features as road side assistance, which at the time was a feature generally reserved for higher priced vehicles such a GM Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac models, as well as Mercury, BMW, Mercedes and similar vehicles. The company’s service department was converting to a nationalized computerized program whereby service request projections could be correlated against last visits, new car purchases and scheduled appointments. The lack of a finished system left the service department vulnerable to service request overloads owing to unforeseen events or occurrences. The Aftermath The customer relationship example indicated represents a situation in which Volkswagen was apparently unprepared for the ramifications of quality control issues at its new Mexican assembly plant which was possibly further exacerbated by the initial shake out problems traditionally associated with new model introductions. The resulting spike in quality complaints and the lack of traditionally expected resolution procedures and remedies expected in the American market, as suggested by the example utilized, pointed to an instance whereby Customer Relationship Management offered the solution that was outside of company policy and procedures. It clearly indicates the importance of a personalized relationship with the customer and working with them to resolve issues. The focus in modern day business enterprises is the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is an important tool in understanding what customers want (Lin et al, 2003, Pp 715-732). The preceding manifested itself i n the example utilized. The relationship described with Mr. Smith represents a summary look into the fundamental internal changes and external customer ramifications that increased competitive levels have created. Christopher et al (1991) overall view is that relationship marketing can help to forge a synthesis with quality management, marketing and customer service management, that the processes are basically inseparable, and that the concept is becoming a trend in terms of modern business practice. The six forces model they proposed has gained wide acceptance, and it includes customer markets, internal markets, which are the individuals and departments inside the company, referral markets, supplier markets, potential employee markets and influence markets as within the grand scope of the practice (Christopher et al, 1991, Pp 21-31). The indicated example called upon the Customer Relationship Department to engage assistance from other quarters of the operation which included no marketing individuals to see to fulfilling the customer’s concerns, the foregoing has been pointed out by Barnes (1989, Pp 11-21). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) support the foregoing analysis and add that the popular as well as more important utilizations of Customer Relationship Management can be found among; Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints Of the preceding list, new customers, customer turnover, service time and customer complaints were the issues addressed as a result of Mr. Smith, clearly 50% of the list. The aspect of the important to achieving operational efficiencies as well as improved bottom line performance and increased customer satisfaction has also been addressed by Bruhn (2003, Pp 178-197). He further stated that the development of these relationships over time represent the foundation for customer loyalty as well as retention (Bruhn et al, 2004). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) study of Customer Relationship Management identified ten behavioural dimensions that help to identify the effectiveness of the process, and which serve as a model as well as basis for evaluating as well as recommending an approach for implementation and utilization : Attitude geared to serve: The aspect of Customer Relationship Management refers to the importance of employees having the right attitude with regard to the handling and listening to customer concerns, calls and requests. The foregoing provides clear signals to the customer that the company is interested in resolution. An understanding of expectations: Customers have certain expectations regarding the company they have purchased a product from as gathered either from acquaintances, reputation, advertising or sales personnel. Meeting or better still exceeding these expectations is an importance variable in winning them over. Perceptions of quality: The company’s marketing, advertising, word of mouth and other claims provide customers with a certain level of expectation with regard to quality. Reliability: The performance of the product must be equal to or exceed other like products in terms of reliability, and when this fails, superior service and Customer Relationship Management can balance the perception. Communication: The better the representatives of the company listen as well as communicate with the customer, the higher the level of esteem they achieve in terms of the important aspect of interaction. The content, style, manner, timing, effectiveness and rapidity of response as well as anticipation of needs are all aspects of this category. Customisation: The delivering of either products or services to meet the needs and expectations of customers is a critical component in Customer Relationship Management. Recognition: The customer represents the reason why any company is in business and thus providing them with the proper respect is an important aspect in building a successful customer relationship foundation. Keeping promises: The advertised, written or stated claims of a company represent its public face of trust. The keeping of those commitments and promises immediately is a factor in building and maintaining a successful customer relationship. Satisfaction audit: A key aspect in gauging the performance the company is having in terms of customer satisfaction is obtaining direct feedback in the form of follow up calls surveys and questionnaires. These areas are critical in determining the after effects of actions taken as well as serving as guides to further policy and behavioural processes. Retention: Retaining customers is the cornerstone of the purpose of Customer Relationship Management. The preceding aspects clearly point to the importance of ‘relationships’ (Ford, 1999, Pp 137-148) in the process of CRM as well as interpersonal interaction, reaction and anticipation in listening to, seeing to and expecting customer needs. The foregoing would have served Volkswagen well of it had utilized the proper forecasting models with regard to the incidents of problems in bringing a new model on line at a new assembly facility as well as tracking initial customer complaints and heading these off through advance communications such as letters and customer relationship telephone calls to alert customers of potential trouble spots. Gronroos (1997, P 327) refers to the foregoing as one of the prime objectives of relationship management, which he stated is â€Å"To establish, maintain and enhance relationships with customers†¦ by mutual exchange and fulfilment of promises.† Suggestions to Volkswagen, in addition to those already indicated, included the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is a proactive tool that focuses on customer retention (Little et al, 2003, P 26). The heart of the process is what Peppers et al (1995, P 48) refer to as a â€Å"†¦one-to-one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  marketing process whereby customers are treated as individuals which thus provides the company the opportunity to develop a relationship with them. The example of Mr. Smith is a singular, yet potentially universal customer encounter in that the aspects of the complaints or service requests will change, but certainly not the underlying principles. Volkswagen’s poor quality showing in 2000 as reported by J.D. Power’s ratings should have been forecast through advance vehicle testing sessions as well as having the appropriate customer relationship contact reviews and correlations in place to see a pattern developing. In making recommendations to the company, attention was called to the following: Model Forecasting This aspect entails correlating the potential for part problems based upon the newness of introduction, as well as results encountered in vehicles test sessions. Where a part indicates the propensity for a higher than acceptable norm, it should be brought to the attention of the engineering as well as Customer Relationship Department and procedures developed to either head off the problem or have set procedures in place for calls and complaints Alternative Strategies While there are set procedures as well as warranty and other guidelines in place, there will be instances whereby some customers will take exception to aspects they should have known, or that were clearly stated in literature and other materials. In these instances exception resolution could be employed to make allowances for those customers while the stated points are gently pointed out for future reference and knowledge. The foregoing can apply to warranty and other coverage’s Advance Resolution The Internet provides a perfect means to inform as well as advise customers regarding aspects of their vehicle maintenance as well as warranty coverage’s. The tool can also be utilized to interface with an interactive web site that permits them to click on or scroll across areas rather than the traditional FQ format that few people read or engage in. The utilization of an interactive tool will be more entertaining as well as informative and useful Road Side Assistance If economically feasible, this feature should be clearly pointed out as an option or made an integral part of the vehicle warranty, with the terms of loaner and other aspects clearly presented. It should be noted that this provision presently exists in Volkswagen warranty coverage’s included as standard, with the loaner provision based upon customer inconvenience. The preceding suggestions are a result of the example utilized and are borne out of the theories represented by varied authorities on Customer Relationship Management. Taylor (2002, Pp 9-10) supports the preceding as he states that there are seven key skill categories that are a part of the successful implementation of a Customer Relationship Management process: It should seek to be in harmony with the overall business plan It should be seen as a strategic business process Its purposes as well as objectives should be defined clearly and be communicated to all departments It needs to be measurable Realistic goals and objectives need to be set It needs to be adapted to specific requirements If needed, the culture of the company might need changing to comport to the Customer Relationship Management initiative The preceding demonstrates that the implementation and utilization of a well planned, thought out and fluid Customer Relationship Management process that redefines itself on a consistent basis can aid a company in an enhanced reputation, bottom line profitability and customer retention. Ahmed et al (2002, Pp 29-45) stated that it is important that the internal staff also be treated as groups with their own needs as well as demands in crafting a Customer Relationship Management process. This enables their views, goals and objectives to be considered and where feasible, incorporated. The example utilized was before the prevalence of Internet based Customer Relationship Strategies and thus this technology represents a means to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and se gmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Conclusion Given the period of time since the pronouncement by Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  his vision has proved to be true. Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) and a litany of others have concluded the importance of Customer Relationship Management in having an integral part in the achievement or enhancement of Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints (Jain et al, 2003, Pp 17-22) Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) observations synthesized the foregoing into ten behavioural dimensions to identify the process effectiveness that clearly illustrates the organization wide dimensions involved: Attitude geared to serve: An understanding of expectations: Perceptions of quality: Reliability: Communication: Customisation: Recognition: Keeping promises: Satisfaction audit: Retention: The customer has, is and remains as ‘king’ and in order to keep him in the realm a company’s overall strategy must be in consort with doing all that is possible inconsideration of bottom line objectives. The foregoing illustration that utilized the Volkswagen company provided an example that incorporated a goodly percentage of the aspects as indicated by Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22), Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) and Storbacka et al (2001, P 8), among others. With the understanding that the customer is the purpose as well as reason for being of any enterprise, then the application of Customer Relationship Management strategies no longer is a problem, it represents an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the company. Little et al (2003, P 21) sums up the foregoing by stating states that relationship marketing represents â€Å"†¦ an alternative strategy to the traditional marketing mix approach â₠¬ ¦ (as) †¦ a means of obtaining sustainable competitive advantage and the best way to retain customers in the long run†. Bibliography Ahmed, Pervaiz, Rafiq, Mohammed. (2002). Marketing Tools and concepts for customer focused management. Butterworth Heineman, ISBN: 0750648384 Barnes, J., G. (1989). The Role of Internal Marketing: If the Staff Won’t Buy It, Why Should the Customer. Vol. 4, Issue 2. Irish Marketing Journal Buchanan, R., Giles, C. (1990). Value managed relationship: The key to customer retention and profitability. Vol. 8, Issue 4. European Management Journal Buttle, E. (1996) Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice. Paul Chapman Publishing, London, The United Kingdom Bruhn, Manfred, Frommeyer, A. (2004). Development of relationship marketing constructs over time. Vol. 3, Issue 4. Journal of Relationship Marketing Christopher, M., Payne, A., Ballantyne, D. (1991). Relationship Marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, The United Kingdom Chye, K.H., Gerry,

Spanking is Positive Essay -- Children Obedience Discipline Essays

Spanking is Positive Have you ever been spanked, when you were a child? Do you remember how it felt? Did it have an effect on your attitude as you grew older? Now, when you look back at it, do you think it was a good thing? I have interviewed three random college students that have been spanked when they were a child. Even though spanking may be an example of physical abuse, I believe it is positive and not as serious as hitting with a fist or object. The following gives examples of how students felt during the time being spanked, how their behavior was after being spanked, and how being spanked affected his/her life. At the time of being spanked NAU student Lindsey Richardson said, â€Å"being spanked was an embarrassment for me at the time, mainly because my parents would spank me in public, so I could feel embarrassed to show how embarrassed they felt when I put on a tantrum.† For Lindsey, being spanked was to embarrass her, not to feel pain for what she has done, but to feel how her parents did when they would get embarrassed. As for Megan Marlatt, also a NAU student said, â€Å"at the time of being spanked it was pain, it was for punishment and feeling of regret for doing what I did†. When Megan was being spanked her parents had to show her how it would feel if she misbehaved the next time. While doing these interviews I have also done research to why parents would chose to spank their child. And according to Abraham Andero and Allen Stewart who conducted a survey in the fall and summer of 2001, of 500 parents on why they spank their child, 100% of the parents responded with, â€Å"for disobedience.† Therefore, Andero and Stewart said, â€Å"parents saw corporal punishment as a connective measure and ha... ...ng about people’s stories of when they were spanked, do you think you can remember how you felt when you were spanked and how it affects you now. In the way you represent yourself as a person and represent your family as well. As a result, we students never knew spanking was an example of physical abuse, until we grew older. Back then, spanking was a sign of punishment not abuse. Now, that these students and myself know, we still believe it was a good idea and a good way to discipline us. This worked affectively for the parents and made their child learn to obey their elderly and have respect for others. â€Å"So what would you do? Would you have a child disobey you as young as they are? Or have a child respect you and know what you’re doing is out of discipline and love for the child, in trying to raise that child in knowing what is appropriate and what’s not. Spanking is Positive Essay -- Children Obedience Discipline Essays Spanking is Positive Have you ever been spanked, when you were a child? Do you remember how it felt? Did it have an effect on your attitude as you grew older? Now, when you look back at it, do you think it was a good thing? I have interviewed three random college students that have been spanked when they were a child. Even though spanking may be an example of physical abuse, I believe it is positive and not as serious as hitting with a fist or object. The following gives examples of how students felt during the time being spanked, how their behavior was after being spanked, and how being spanked affected his/her life. At the time of being spanked NAU student Lindsey Richardson said, â€Å"being spanked was an embarrassment for me at the time, mainly because my parents would spank me in public, so I could feel embarrassed to show how embarrassed they felt when I put on a tantrum.† For Lindsey, being spanked was to embarrass her, not to feel pain for what she has done, but to feel how her parents did when they would get embarrassed. As for Megan Marlatt, also a NAU student said, â€Å"at the time of being spanked it was pain, it was for punishment and feeling of regret for doing what I did†. When Megan was being spanked her parents had to show her how it would feel if she misbehaved the next time. While doing these interviews I have also done research to why parents would chose to spank their child. And according to Abraham Andero and Allen Stewart who conducted a survey in the fall and summer of 2001, of 500 parents on why they spank their child, 100% of the parents responded with, â€Å"for disobedience.† Therefore, Andero and Stewart said, â€Å"parents saw corporal punishment as a connective measure and ha... ...ng about people’s stories of when they were spanked, do you think you can remember how you felt when you were spanked and how it affects you now. In the way you represent yourself as a person and represent your family as well. As a result, we students never knew spanking was an example of physical abuse, until we grew older. Back then, spanking was a sign of punishment not abuse. Now, that these students and myself know, we still believe it was a good idea and a good way to discipline us. This worked affectively for the parents and made their child learn to obey their elderly and have respect for others. â€Å"So what would you do? Would you have a child disobey you as young as they are? Or have a child respect you and know what you’re doing is out of discipline and love for the child, in trying to raise that child in knowing what is appropriate and what’s not.

The Watergate Scandal :: President Richard Nixon

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seems as if from the moment he was born, Alexander the Great was destined for extraordinary power. On July twentieth, 356 BC., Olympius and King Philip the Second of Macedonia, gave birth to a son and named him Alexander. The actual date of his birth still lies in question though but July twentieth seems to be the most widely accepted one. Alexander developed into quite an individual. He was a very generous man who demonstrated extreme loyalty toward his friends, though at the same time he was very cautious and smart. His great character and values were two of the things that made Alexander the Great a significant individual in history. Another, of course, being that he conquered a very large amount of territory in a relatively short amount of time. His empire seemed to promise a newer, brighter age in which the nations of the world could join together as equals. Through conquering Asia and India, defeating King Darius of Persia, and establishing different col onies, Alexander proved his magnificence. Arguably, there is no other leader in history who could inspire and motivate his men like Alexander the Great did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Alexander was a child, he would at times get discouraged when news came home that his father had conquered another territory. This was because he was worried that there would be nothing left for him to do. Alexander grew up around his father's army for a good portion of his childhood and by the time he was thirteen, he was quite mature. Alexander's maturity is illustrated through a famous story. His father had just bought a beautiful horse named Bucephalus. Much to Philip's disappointment, no one he knew could ride it. Just about to get rid of it, Alexander decided to make a wager on whether or not he could ride it. Alexander calmly approached the horse and found that the horse was afraid of its own shadow. Thinking, Alexander faced it toward the sun to keep the shadow behind it, got on Bucephalus and rode him. Alexander got to keep Bucephalus and later rode the same horse all the way to India. When the horse died there, Alexander founded a city and named it Bucephala after his beloved horse. Alexander's parents wanted the best for their son, so they hired the best tutors around to give him a good education. When Alexander reached thirteen, he began learning from Aristotle.

Muhammed Ali Essay examples -- essays research papers

Muhammed Ali Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest heavy weight champions. His natural abilities were complemented by his flashy flamboyant personality. It was his ability that won him the heavy weight championship on three separate occasions, but only his â€Å"Float like a butter fly sting like a bee† antics won him the title of the â€Å"people’s champ† (â€Å"Ali† 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born Cassius Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville Kentucky, he was far from over privileged. His father Cassius Clay Sr., worked to support the family as a sign and mural painter. His mother Odessa Clay, worked part time as a domestic. He attended school at Duvalle middle school with his brother Rudolph Clay. After this, he went on to high school at Central High in Louisville Kentucky. Though devoted fully to nearly every aspect of life, he was a rather poor student. He blames this mostly to his preoccupation with boxing. His studies in school reflected the fact that he started training to be a boxer at a young age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Ali was a mere twelve years old, his bicycle was stolen from his home in his criminally active neighbor hood in Louisville Kentucky. He reported the theft to a near by police department, which appointed Joe Martin to handle his case. Joe Elsby Martin supervised the training of young boxers, and invited Ali to join the gym. He arranged for Ali to train with Fred Stoner who taught Ali the basics of moving with speed and grace. He motivated Ali to be like a dancer in the ring. Even at his young age, he was able to develop the skills needed to become a powerful yet skilled boxer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ali had a lot of success even in high school as an amateur. He claimed a victory in 100 out of 108 matches. The hardware he collected was unheard of for someone his age. He claimed six Kentucky and two National Golden Gloves championships. In addition, on his way to greatness, he won two Amateur Union championships. His accomplishments were numerous throughout his young career but the most impressive was probably the Gold Medal he won at the Olympic Games in 1960. He competed in the light heavy weight division, in which he would later admit, is where he mastered his renowned skills of ring chatter. He would use degrading remarks to distract and frustrate his opponents. This woul... ...e helped negotiate for the release of four kidnapped Americans, who were being held in Lebanon. He later met with the leaders of the Soviet Union and Africa and founded the World Organization for Right, Liberty, and Dignity (WORLD).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1996, he was given the esteemed honor of lighting the torch at the Olympic Games in Atlanta (â€Å"Ali† 1). Then in 1999 he became the first boxer to appear on cover of a Wheaties box. These awards came years after his boxing career. He now lives in Berrien Springs, Michigan, where he is married to his forth wife. Spread between these women are nine of his children. His oldest daughter Khaliah Ali is currently pursuing a career in boxing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muhammad led an illustrious career as a boxer. Through the ups and downs and all of the adversity, he managed to keep his optimistic outlook and his diligent work ethic. He overcame his legal matters, and survived through the persecution of his religion, he still managed to accomplish more than any boxer, and a majority of any athletes. Though it was just self-proclaimed confidence, he turned out to be just what he told the world, â€Å"The Greatest†

Difficult Transition Essay

Q1.Identify different several concepts and characteristics from the field of organisational behaviour that this case illustrates. The Organizational Behaviour between the two firms were very different and identifiable. Tony Stark started working at O’Grady and things had been great there. The firm made sure that people who worked there, their personal goals be met and broadened their perspective towards work thereafter. O’Grady was a decentralized firm giving everybody a chance to grow and feel like a part of the firm as their opinion would be incorporated while the managers did decision making. The surroundings were very friendly and socially psychological. There was a lot of freedom given to the workers in terms of the work they did. The firm practiced managing workforce diversity. Tony Stark had a sense of job satisfaction and would have continued working there if the firm did not shut down. Now if we look on to the firm that Tony Stark had to take up after the closure of O’Grady was the Reece Enterprise. This firm had an entirely different way of operation. There was reward based on how long they had been there and played the politics. Top managers only were concerned about the work being complete and not how it was done or who did a good job. Even though Reece was a much more organized and structured organization, it still failed to be practicing a decentralisation. There was a requirement of three signatures from the higher authority without which any decision making would not have proceeded and therefore made the entire process really slow as reaching the top managers wasn’t easily accessible and interoffice memos had very low priority. The environment among the workers wasn’t very pleasing either. They did not accept anyone new which was appointed at the same stature. This not only was ignorant but also very demeaning. Tony Stark regretted accepting the offer without researching about the firm. Q2.what advice can you give tony? How would this advice be supported or tempered by behavioral concepts and processes? Tony Stark could look for another job and perhaps this time research about the company and then join it or he could make a difference in the firm he was working and bring about a change. Changing working situations in such a huge firm is very difficult but its not impossible. He probably is not the only one facing the problem. There might be a few others and would join him to help him take the decision of change. This change could be bought about by effectively talking to the high authority. Letting them know that people don’t have a job satisfaction nor are they excited about the work, which would eventually lead to the downfall of the firm and further shut down. This could be avoided if decision making was made more efficient and incorporative. If there was an introduction to a suggestion box or if any other form of easy communication with higher authority, making the work more target attached. Q3. Is it possible to find an ‘ideal’ place to work? Explain. It is not easy to find an ‘ideal’ work place or maybe possible. You have to make a place ideal according to your goals and perspective. The definition of ideal will vary from person to person. It may mean friendly environment for someone and work oriented for the other. It may be too philosophical but that’s how human behaviour works. Its unpredictable. It will vary from person to person. Humanized Robots Q1.How successful do you think helen bower’s new plan will be ? Helen Bower was a young lady who had a very different way of running the business as compared to her father from whom she inherited it. She was a very business oriented woman. She knew where she wanted her company to be in the next few years. She knew her competitors and was aware of the market conditions. The problems that came along with the way she handled business was workers  not being satisfied or involved in the process. She treated them like hired help or rather as machines, who were paid to work for her. She paid them average wages and expected them to work to their full capacity and produce as much as they could. She didn’t think of herself as a leader but as a boss. She was interested in the profit and not sharing the profit among the workers who made her earn that profit. This sort of behaviour led to marginal changes in production and the growth of the corporation. To understand the reason as to why the company wasn’t growing enough she hired a consultant. He carefully researched the organization and recommended to go back to his fathers way of supervision which she thought was ‘humanistic nonsense’. She took steps that she thought were the best for the company from her point of view and announced a 10 percent cut for those who failed to increase their productivity. She did not realise that this would worsen the condition. Workers might start a protest or even worse quit. Worker satisfaction should be the utmost priority of any company or firm. Q2.What challenges does helen confront? Helen was a very straight forward person. She knew what she was doing and knew what steps would help her company grow. She never treated the people working for her as humans. Since she was paying them the average wage she thought she was doing more than enough for them. But she had to realise that at the end of the day they also had some desires to fulfil and a family back home. They needed to be paid more than average and treated more than as merely machines. Her behaviour towards workers led to problems. She had to face challenges like keeping them motivated to work, reach the target, retain in the competitive market. Q3. If you were helen’s consultant, what would you advice her to do? If I was Helen’s consultant I would have advised her to change the way she approaches her target. She has to not only focus on the global market but also the work that’s being conducted in her business. She needs to built a more systematic way of functioning in which workers also have a say. They need to be heard and given a choice to voice their opinion. It should be like how the government works- Democratically. Being like Hitler would only help you keep power in your hands but not earn respect from people. As a consultant I would also advise her to be like her father just as the consultant in the case study does. Maybe that path would lead to a slow growth of the company but it will be an everlasting growth. A growth with very strong pillars. Also being a businesswoman and always thinking about workers well being would also lead to too much pampering of the workers. They should be handled with a lot of attention. They need to be focused on the targets and help you reach the productivity with low cost. They should be understanding enough.