Monday, August 24, 2020

See instructions below in description Case Study

See guidelines beneath in depiction - Case Study Example This means 75 pennies as the per unit variable products prompting benefits of per pack benefit of $ 5.50. In spite of the high fixed costs the option is foreseen to offer the item to increment both piece of the pie and improved deals. Furthermore, the firm considers to utilize coupons and unconditional presents to advance the cigarette so as to accomplish the value cut choice. In any case, choice isn't the best since it is inclined to implausibility of meeting the focused on cost in the market. Variable expenses underway might be a test in accomplishing value cuts. It might even cause the firm to work at a misfortune (Nagle, Hogan and Zale, 2014). Philip Morris may consider rebranding its Marlboro cigarettes and market it as another brand. This may include changing the brand name, structure, flavor and different ascribes of the cigarettes to carry a separated intrigue to the clients and contenders. Changes in the logo, name and kinds of the cigarettes are the key properties that the firm should consider. Also, its bundling may coordinate a brilliant wrappings and parcels that carry an additionally drawing in request to the clients. Various flavors might be utilized to draw various clients to various kinds of decision. On another hand, the firm may consider rebranding its corporate name to shed its name against its opponent firms. Value cuts are powerful in drawing in more clients of a ware. It is a showcasing methodology that offers a superior opportunity to a firm that is working under a huge scope. Lessening its costs when contrasted with its rivals empowers the firm selling more and arriving at a greater number of its convincing clients (Clow and Baack, 2012). In such a case, the firm advantages from economies of scale and since quite a while ago run benefits. This procedure might be disadvantageous to contending firms as they might be bolted out of the market. What's more, it might instigate syndication in an industry that might be not advantageous to

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Homework Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Schoolwork - Coursework Example The cloud vanishes when the air temperature is raised by pressure. The adjustment in temperature brings about vanishing of the cloud beads. 9. It tends to be construed from this examination that in the open air where it is shady, air is commonly rising and cooling. Burgan (123) declares that where the climate is clear, the air is commonly moving the other way. 10. By and large, high weight territories in the climate will in general be clear since air in them encounters descending movement. Low weight zones will in general have mists since air in them encounters movement the opposite way. 13. In the eastern U.S., the front that had gradually been moving eastbound was situated close to Buffalo, New York. The temperature and dewpoint at Buffalo at map time were 62 F and 61 F, individually. Since the temperature and dewpoint at the surface were not equivalent, it showed the air in Buffalo was not immersed. 19. On the Steve outline, the strong unpredictable bend to the privilege is the temperature profile while the intense bend to one side is the dewpoint profile. Where the bends are superimposed, the temperatures and dewpoints are equivalent. The partition of the temperature and dewpoint values at and close to the surface shows that the surface air was not soaked. (From the radiosonde content information, not appeared, there is a 1.7 C contrast between the temperature and dewpoint at the surface.) 23. The temperatures were equivalent to the dewpoints from 975 mb up to around 600 mb. These equivalent temperature-dewpoint conditions do recommend there was a broad, thick layer of mists over Buffalo (Bunch,

Friday, July 17, 2020

How to Use Eye Tracking to Learn about Your Customers

How to Use Eye Tracking to Learn about Your Customers Starting a business and running it successfully entails a lot of planning and preparation, and a great bulk of that is devoted to gathering information and data. What is worth noting, however, is that this data-gathering activity is not something that is conducted only when a business is about to start, all the way to its initial phases of operation. It is a continuous process.One of the vital information that businesses have to keep constant track on is their customers. Change is inevitable, and the landscape that businesses operate on is not constant. If we are to liken it to a scenery, it is an ever-changing one. Therefore, there is a need to be kept up to speed and updated about the customers since they are the ones who support the business.There are several ways that businesses and marketers go about gathering the required information about customers. In fact, there seems to be no shortage of such tools, because businesses can pretty much take their pick among the several inform ation gathering and measuring tools that are available to them. One method that has been garnering a lot of attention and positive feedback in marketing and consumer research is eye tracking. © Shutterstock | Max GriboedovIn this guide, we explore 1) what is eye tracking, 2) how to use eye tracking for understanding consumers and market research, and 3) how to use eye tracking to gain the most insights.AN INTRODUCTION TO EYE TRACKINGSo what is “Eye Tracking”?As the phrase implies, eye tracking is the monitoring and measurement of eye activity. Using an eye tracker or an eye tracking device involves the measurement of the point of gaze (or the point where a person is looking) or the motion or movement of the eye in relation to the head. In short, it measures the positions of the eye, and the movements or motions it makes. The phrase “eye tracking” is also interchangeably used to describe the sensor technology used in measuring eye movement.But what is so important about measuring eye movements and positions?You can tell a lot about how a person feels just by looking at them â€" their facial expressions, some distinctive facial tics, even the slightest smile or fro wn. In the same way, you can also deduce a lot of things by monitoring how their eyes move.The cool thing is that eye tracking can be even used to analyze Christiano Ronaldos play style. To get a better understanding of the whole concept of eye tracking, let us first learn some key points about the human eye.There are more than 10 different eye movements, but for purposes of discussing eye tracking, let us focus on two of them.Fixations refer to when the eye stops moving and focuses on a point. Within the duration of the stop or fixation, the image or visual information seen by the eye is communicated to the brain, which then processes it into something meaningful. The length of these stops usually last no more than 600 milliseconds.Saccades refer to the movements between fixations, or the jumps from one fixation to another. No visual information is received or processed, because the duration is usually very brief, around 30 milliseconds on average.EYE TRACKING IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND RESEARCHEye tracking is not solely applicable to marketing and consumer research. Since its development in the late 1800s, one of its earliest applications was in the field of psychology.Later on, eye tracking has become very useful in various fields of research, including psycholinguistics, product design and development, education, medicine, and marketing. In marketing, eye tracking has proven to be an excellent tool for studying the behavior of customers.It was in the 1980s when researchers first realized the usefulness of eye tracking in understanding how customers read, view and process advertisements on magazines. Soon, it was also used to understand how consumers view the internet.In order to effectively design marketing messages and communication that is guaranteed to catch the attention of customers, marketers are keen on measuring how their attention is engaged, and how they respond. That is where eye tracking comes in.With so many tools available, why eye tracking, th ough? Why not just stick to explicit methods, where you can sit down with customers and ask them directly the questions that you want answered, or solicit information that you require through letting them fill up a form?We can identify several main advantages of eye tracking over other traditional, explicit methods of consumer behavior research.Eye tracking provides objective, unbiased and accurate dataThe one stumbling block that marketers often encounter is the potential lack of objectivity. Some tools are simply not designed with objectivity, which is why there is a tendency that the data is prone to a lot of biases. There is no assurance that the information that customers will readily provide is accurate.Eye tracking is seen as a way to capture data that is unbiased and difficult to manipulate. The actual and real behaviors of customers are measured objectively. Between asking for their opinions and recording the number of actual purchases they’ve made or the amount they spen t on their purchases, it is clear that the latter is more reliable of being recorded and measured. These are then used to gain a deeper look into their behavior and decision making processes.Eye tracking gives you an insight on how customers react to different marketing messages. And their reactions will be different, that’s for sure, depending on how the marketing messages are crafted, and how they are delivered. The behavior being measured and monitored through eye tracking is more reliable, because they are considered to be more authentic, as they are perceived directly from the point of view of the customer.Eye tracking allows marketers to understand the cognitive engagement of consumers. Consumers tend to behave according to a certain pattern. How they usually react to one marketing message tends to have similarities with how they behave or react to others. Through eye tracking, marketers will have an easier time coming up with generalizations about their customers, because t he focus will be on their natural, subconscious and habitual behavior. Customer profiling becomes an easier task.Eye tracking provides results in real time, measuring the reaction or behavior of customers in the exact moment that they happen. This is true whether a customer is browsing a website of a store or physically moving along a length of shelves in a brick-and-mortar store.Eye tracking does not require sample sizes to be large for its results to be considered reliable. Tracking tests can be performed even with a small sample size, and the results may be used for planning purposes. This results in a more cost-effective and efficient way of researching consumer behavior and coming up with customer profiles that can be used for the company’s marketing programs.Eye tracking aids in ensuring marketing campaign effectiveness. Marketers need a yardstick to measure whether the marketing strategies they have employed are actually working, or if they need more workThe major areas tha t eye tracking can look into in consumer research include:The marketing elements of an advertisement or campaign that capture the consumer’s eye. In a storefront, there are various items that draw the customer’s eye: a sign announcing the new products for sale, the color theme used in the storefront decoration, or the use of audio-visual elements in their presentation. Which among these elements are most effective in grabbing the customer’s attention the longest?The parts of the marketing message or communication that the consumer focuses on. Say, for example, that a customer is looking at a poster of a new product. What parts of the poster did his gaze linger on the longest? What words written on the product poster did he spend more time looking at?The parts of the marketing message or communication that they ignore. Of course, you also have to take note of the areas that they give noncommittal responses to. This is so that you can find ways to make adjustments. Do they ignor e a certain line or slogan? Perhaps you can rewrite it to something catchier or more effective in capturing their attention.The drivers of the consumer’s decision-making process. Eye tracking can also help you determine the factors that drive the customer’s decision to purchase a product or service. What finally convinced him to buy it? Is it the choice of words you used in your product poster, or is it the image you used on the label or packaging of the product itself?The overall user experience of customers. The satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) of customers with the overall experience with a company or business may also be measured through eye tracking.HOW TO USE EYE TRACKING FOR CONSUMER RESEARCHNow let us try to look into deeper detail on how eye tracking is useful in learning about your customers. The customer information obtained through eye tracking can be used in various aspects of marketing, including, but not limited to:Positioning of products in the market, or in th e consumers’ minds. This could have an impact on what advertising techniques you employ or what marketing campaigns you put into motion (and how you will put them in motion).Physical positioning of products in a physical or virtual store. Basically, this will have an impact on your store planningPhysical placement of signage, displays and other marketing visuals. Just like how you will pay attention on how you arrange items on your shelves or on your store, you also have to consider where to put signage, standees, and the like.Design and layout of a store website. Businesses invest on the creation of websites that are designed to increase customer engagement and drive sales.Ultimately, however, the end goal of using eye tracking in studying customer behavior is to drive sales.See how a computer game uses eye tracking to enhance the look and feel. The principles of eye tracking hold that the fixations and saccades, as well as the other eye moments, can be indicative of a customer†™s behavior. Say, for example, that there are two products on a shelf, positioned side by side. They are essentially the same products with the same usage, but they are different in their design or packaging.If a customer comes by and is made to look at the two products, it may be established through eye tracking that he looked at Product A longer than he did at Product B. In short, he had a longer duration of fixation on Product A. This behavior can be interpreted as the customer found the packaging of Product A more appealing or visually pleasing, which is why she was fixated on it longer.In another example, let us say that a customer is looking for two specific products on a very long shelf filled with various goods. If the amount and duration of fixations while searching for Product A is higher and longer than when he was looking for Product B, this could mean that the physical positioning of Product B on the shelf was less user-friendly, because she took a longer time trying to locate it.Eye Tracking in Interactions with WebsitesAs mentioned earlier, eye tracking is not limited to the usage of customers in a physical setting, using a wearable eye tracker while moving around a store. It can also be applied in the case of a customer doing his or her shopping online.Website user behavior and its consequent feedback can be obtained through eye tracking. Basically, eye tracking lets you know how your visitors interact with your website.What did the visitors look at on your website? Which products got the most views? What pages on your website were visited by the customer for information? Maybe they looked at your page where you talked about the shipping fees and return policy.When did the visitors look at a specific page on your website? You may notice that a specific product had more visits or views during the weekend, or on a specific holiday.How long did the visitors stay on that page or look at it? If they looked longer at one product, it means that produc t is more interesting than the others. Or it could also be that there were some vague information on that page, which is the reason why they spent more time on it.What is the order in which the visitor looked at (or fixated) on pages on your website? Did they start by checking out the additional fees? Did they look at product images first before they read the product description or specifications? Did they read the testimonials or reviews before placing an order? Getting a glimpse of the order of their attention will also give you an idea of what they prioritize during the buying process.In a typical eye tracking test of a customer’s experience while buying on a website, the visitor will be asked to perform the whole process from the beginning. He will shop for products or items that she would like to buy. Once she has made her choice, she will buy it by adding it to the cart, after which she will proceed to the checkout process.Throughout the whole process, she will be eye tracke d, so even the smallest nuance will be captured: when she found the product he likes, when she scrolled through its details and specifications, when she clicked on the “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” button, when she clicked on “Checkout” and saw the final rundown of costs she will pay.Application of Modern TechnologyThanks to technology going further, eye tracking has also become more advanced, compared to when eye tracking was first introduced. Today, the application of eye tracking is mostly done through wearable eye tracking devices. Out of the several eye-tracking systems and service providers today, one of the more recognizable names is Tobii. They have developed products and services purposely for eye tracking.In most cases, the device comes in the form of a pair of eye tracking glasses that will be used by customers, just like how they would wear a regular pair of spectacles. This is not limited to physical stores and physical marketing items, however, because there a re also systems that can be used to track which part of a website a user looks at, and what they basically ignore.So, how does it work, in general?Eye tracking systems, depending on the developer and manufacturer, have their own patented technologies. However, generally, eye tracking systems are based on infrared technology, and are designed with cameras that capture images of the eyes of the customer or user. The cameras are not your ordinary cameras, either, since they are capable of capturing images at high frame rates. These systems are also equipped with software for image processing, to interpret the movements and patterns of the eyes.Eye tracking, by itself, is a very powerful research and data gathering or collection tool. However, if you want to make the most of eye tracking, it would be a good idea to use it with other tools or forms of research designed primarily for conversion optimization. One prime example is Google Analytics, which is used by many businesses in combin ation with eye tracking.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Social Learning Theory, Feminist Theory And Patriarch Theory

Social Learning Theory, Feminist Theory and Patriarch Theory Observing and learning behaviors are key components of Social Learning Theory (Hanna, Crittenden Crittenden, 2013). The theory focuses on how individuals learn social context from their environment and apply it to their life. An individual’s environment provides the opportunity for observational learning, imitation, and modeling that helps him or her adapt to and control different aspects of his or her life. Thus, shaping a person’s behavior in a healthy or unhealthy way. Environments and behaviors in which people most frequently observe become the most thoroughly learned (Hanna, Crittenden Crittenden, 2013). Gender inequality continues to be a pervasive problem in†¦show more content†¦Social Learning Theory behavior is resonated in both Feminist Theory and Patriarchal Theory because it focuses on how societal behaviors have created an environment of inequality (Hanna, Crittenden Crittenden, 2 013). Understanding that Social Learning Theory is a major component of both Feminist Theory and Patriarchal Theory there is also a correlation of both theories the eradication of inequality towards men (Hanna, Crittenden Crittenden, 2013). Feminist Theory does not attempt to understand male domination in a patriarchal sense, but rather empower women to overcome the behaviors of male domination. Patriarchal Theory breaks down the significant of male domination and how it has shaped our society which provides an opportunity to change patriarchal ideations (Turner Maschi, 2015). Understanding how the perception of men and women collectively shape behaviors towards dominance in society (Hunnicutt, 2009). Women that buy in to the ideation of patriarchy often feel less than and that they should be treated as property rather than human beings. Feminist Theory can help a woman overcome the feeling of being less than by empowering to embrace their femininity. Further both Feminist Theory and Patriarchal Theory both promote the domination of both genders. Although Feminist Theory focuses on equality many forms of the theory have anShow MoreRelatedEssay on A Male Dominated Society During the 19th Century952 Words   |  4 Pageshuman could feel lonely, empty, confounded and miserable. In this time period, women’s role in society was to be simply mothers and wives. A world where women had rights, control, and power was a fantasy. According to Hall, he states, â€Å"Key to all feminist methodologies is the belief that patriarchal oppression of women through history has been profound and multifaceted† (Hall 202). In other words, it is known that the male takes complete cruel supremacy over the years in our history. In The AwakeningRead More Theme of Entrapment in The Awakening and The Yellow Wallpaper1239 Words   |  5 PagesYellow Wallpaper Topics of great social impact have been dealt with in many different ways and in many different mediums. Beginning with the first women’s movement in the 1850’s, the role of women in society has been constantly written about, protested, and debated. Two women writers who have had the most impact in the on-going women’s movement are Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The Awakening and The Yellow Wallpaper are two of feminist literature’s cornerstones and have becomeRead MoreThe Role of the Social Worker Helps Clients Improve Their Social Functioning1784 Words   |  8 PagesSocial Work is a discipline that can be a very rewarding experience for both the worker and the client. The practice involves working with individuals, families, or groups who are struggling to cope with life`s challenges. The social worker must combine his or her personal qualities, creative abilities, and social concerns with the professional knowledge in order to help clie nt’s social functioning or prevent social problems from developing (Bradford W. Sheafor, 2008, p. 34). 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They propose that â€Å"familiesRead MoreMary Wollstonecraft and Education for Women Essay1742 Words   |  7 PagesMary Wollstonecraft was a participant in and observer of a significant range of social changes; firstly was the Enlightenment thought which regarded institutions as out-dated, and in need of review, along with changes in religious beliefs, educational theory and domestic structure. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman closely associates itself with the Enlightenment thought which aimed to give reason behind identity and rights, by giving reason to these essential human rights society begin to think

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Belonging Essay - 4112 Words

HSC Subject Guide Belonging 2009 HSC: Area of Study – English - related material English HSC 2009 - 2012 is Belonging. What does belonging mean? From the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus: belong, verb, 1) to be rightly put into a particular position or class; 2) fit or be acceptable in a particular place or environment; 3) belong to be a member of; 4) belong to be the property or possession of. Belonging, noun, affiliation, acceptance, association, attachment, integration, closeness, rapport, fellow feeling, fellowship. Antonym: alienate, verb 1) cause to feel isolated 2) lose the support or sympathy Synonyms for alienate, verb, estrange, divide, distance, put at a distance, isolate, cut off, set against, turn away, drive apart,†¦show more content†¦You do not have to read a full book; a story from an anthology can be enough. You can also choose a poem, a picture book, film or photographs. Remember though that you will need to discuss at length the relevance of the chosen piece to write about how belonging is represented in the text, how are the ideas abo ut belonging brought out, how does the language of the text develop/convey those images? Suggestions for related or supplementary material Fiction – filed alphabetically by author (AF filed in the adult lending section and YA filed in Young adult section). †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Abdel-Fattah, Randa Does my head look big in this? AF YA Abdel-Fattah, Randa Ten things I hate about me YA Achebe, Chinua Things fall apart AF Ali, Monica Brick Lane AF YA http://www.themanbookerprize.com/search Alcott, Louisa May Little women JF Anderson, Laurie Twisted YA Anderson, M.T The astonishing life of Octavian nothing YA Atwood, Margaret The handmaid’sShow MoreRelatedBelonging1049 Words   |  5 PagesBelonging can be a possible path to an individual’s self-actualisation. 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So what does Belonging mean, although a sense of Belonging may vary from person to person a universal meaning of belonging may be a way of acceptance,having security, fulfilment and a connectionRead MoreIdentity and Belonging758 Words   |  4 Pagesbelong is a confusing and unfortunate case, where one can find themselves lost and frustrated, as they do not have a safe zone. Through the use of text and film, it can be explored that this concept if difference hinders one from feeling a sense of belonging. Whether it be a persons inability to adapt or their lack of confidence. As we progress through life we discover that our differences make it harder for us to belong. As shown in ‘growing up in australia’, tormenting young adolescents is somethingRead MoreBelonging Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesBelonging Essay Concept, perceptions and ideas to belong or not to belong differ from person to person. This is due to experiences that shape ones personality that come through personal, cultural, social and historical context. The idea of belonging allows one to have some sort of connection and communal with people, places, groups, communities and the wider world. In contrast not belonging causes one to suffer from alienation, exclusion and marginalisation. As a result these factors can cause anRead MoreBelonging Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesPeter Skrzynecki Belonging Essay Significant moments in time shape an understanding of belonging. Explore how this is evident in you prescribed text and at least ONE other related text of your own choosing. Belonging is defined as fitting in to a particular environment or having the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group. Our belonging to or connections with people, places and groups allows one to develop a distinct identity characterised by affiliation, acceptanceRead MoreBelonging Essay1279 Words   |  6 PagesBelonging consists of a struggle with opposing pressures. A desire to belong also consists of emotional conflicts and struggles between being acknowledged while also remaining as an individual and retaining personal ideals which may ultimately result in a connection. This is explored in Emily Dickinson’s selected poetry I died for beauty, but was scarce and I had been hungry all the years , as well as Scott Westerfeld’s novel Uglies. These texts all depict a struggle between being recognised andRead MoreBelonging Essay.1303 Words   |  6 Pagesexperience of belonging.† Discuss this view with detailed reference ( 2010 HSC Question) Considered a fundamental aspect of being human, belonging is an ambiguous concept which can offer individuals a sense of identity, security and connectedness. Experiences of belonging are closely related to a person’s interaction with others, as positive experiences can enrich their sense of belonging, and negative experiences can limit their sense of belonging. An individual’s limited experience of belonging throughRead MoreBelonging Place2198 Words   |  9 PagesFinding a sense of belonging to a place can influence an individual’s sense of acceptance within the community and culture or opposingly can enhance their sense of isolation and alienation from society.This is reflected through Raimond Gaita’s memoir Romulus My Father and Manfred Jurgensen’s poem Bonegilla 1916 through extensive literary devices.We learn individuals perceptions of place and their ability to adjust to new places governs their ability to belong and feel at home with new cu ltures. Read MoreBelonging Essay2272 Words   |  10 Pages  ENGLISH   CONTENTS    PAGE:   BELONGING    BELONGING   ESSAY   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   PAGES   2- ­Ã¢â‚¬ 3    BELONGING   SHORT   STORY   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ   PAGES   4- ­Ã¢â‚¬ 5       1       BELONGING   ESSAY    Perceptions   of,   and   attitudes   towards   belonging   are   varied   and   complex,   with    individuals   shaped   by   their   social,   historical   and   cultural   contexts.   Despite   being    inherent,   a   sense   of   belonging   may   be   experienced   throughRead Morebelonging speech1151 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Belonging speech Good morning/Afternoon teachers and students today I will be showing you how a sense of belonging or not belonging greatly influences an individual’s identity. A change in identity occurs when belonging is found through meaningful, intimate relationships, with senses of place, community, safety and familiarity. The free verse novel, The Simple Gift, composed by Steven Herrick, the dramatic fairy tale film, Edward Scissor hands, directed and created by Tim Burton and the novel

The Concepts of Leadership Theories Free Essays

This essay begins with how the concept of leadership starts with understanding what leadership means. According to Robbins and Judge, Organizational Behaviour, 15th edition states that leadership is the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of a vision or set of goals (p, 402). A good leader is more likely to accomplish this task through knowledge and skill. We will write a custom essay sample on The Concepts of Leadership Theories or any similar topic only for you Order Now Knowledge to know about how to use what is known to influence workers in an organization to reach the goals of a company and skill to put in the effort to actually do what is meant to be done well to achieve organizational goals. In other words an effective leader should be capable of inspiring and motivating even the most inefficient employees to strive towards attaining the goals of the organization. Organizational effectiveness is critical to success in any business. In order to achieve increased and sustainable business results, organizations need to execute strategy an engage employees. T he validity of the statement ‘’an organisations performance and effectiveness are directly related to its leadership,† can be further explained by drawing a little focus on the theories of leadership. These theories include situational theory, participative leadership model, the path-goal theory and the transformational leadership theory. Situational theories focus on the followers. Situational theories propose that the effectiveness of a particular style of leadership is dependent on the context in which it is being exercised. For example, in a situation where the leader is the most knowledgeable an experienced member of a group, an authoritarian style might be most appropriate but in other instances where group members are skilled experts, a democratic style would be more effective. Fieders situational theories identify effective leadership style under changing situations (Fieder, Chemers and Mahon, 1977). These can be either relationship motivated or task motivated. A leader participative model is a leadership theory that provides a set of rules to determine the form and amount of participative decision making in different situations. These leaders encourage participation and contribution from groups members and helps members feel more relevant and committed to the decision making process. Persons are less competitive and more collaborative when they are working on joint goals. It has been proven that when decisions are made together, the social commitment to one another is greater and increases the commitment to he decision rather than when decisions are made by one person alone. Participative leadership can be effective in unstructured situations because it can increase role clarity and it can also be very effective for people who have a high need to control their environment. The path-goal theory which was developed by Robert House is a theory that states that it is a leader’s job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to pro vide the necessary direction and support to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization. Robbins and Judge 15th Edition) Effective path-goal leaders must recognize the needs of those they manage and try to satisfy their needs through the workplace by rewarding persons for achieving their goals, helping subordinates to identify the most effective path they need to take to reach their goals and clear the paths so that these subordinates can reach their goals. The transformational leadership theory focuses on the connections formed between leaders and followers. Transformational leadership is a process in which the leaders take actions to try to increase their associates’ awareness of what is right and important, to raise their associates’ motivational maturity and to move their associates to go beyond the associates’ own self-interests for the good of the group, the organization, or society. Such leaders provide their associates with a sense of purpose that goes beyond a simple exchange of rewards for effort provided. The transformational leaders are proactive in many different and unique ways. These leaders attempt to optimize development, not just performance. Development encompasses the maturation of ability, motivation, attitudes, and values. Such leaders want to elevate the maturity level of the needs of their associates (from security needs to needs for achievement and self-development). They convince their associates to strive for a higher level of achievement as well as higher levels of moral and ethical standards. Through the development of their associates, they optimize the development of their organization as well. High performing associates build high performing organizations. A transformational leadership is more effective when in a smaller, privately held firm than in a complex organization because the personal nature can directly interact with the workforce and make decisions than when they report to an external broad of directors or deal with a complex bureaucratic structure. I conclude that each of these theories offers some insights into the qualities of successful leaders. The different leadership styles will differ depending on the type of organizational structure being used but they are all important for the effectiveness and performance of any organization. Bibliography Bass, B. M. (2005). Transformational leadership theory, In J. B. Miner. Organizational behavior Fiedler, (1967) A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness. NewYork: McGraw-Hill. Langton, N. , ; Robbins, S. (2007). Leadership. In N. Langton ; S. Robbins. Organizational Behavior: Concepts, controversies, applications Toronto: Prentice Hall Canada How to cite The Concepts of Leadership Theories, Papers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

The Boys and Girls Club Essay Example

The Boys and Girls Club Paper The Boys and Girls Club in Billerica is more than a place, its a movement to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive caring and responsible citizens. By reaching children at an early age and providing positive activities and encouragement, the club provides a compelling alternative to youth crime, gang membership, drugs, and other negative influences that affect youth today. The club promotes the development of young people by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, influence, and belonging with a goal towards enhancing self-esteem and helping youth achieve their full potential. It is a not-for-profit organization that is continuously trying to raise money to fund its many programs. In addition, it is running a capital campaign to raise $3.5 million for a new facility. Included in the project are new locker rooms, learning center, technology center, expanded kindergarten and games room, the centerpiece being a state of the art gymnasium. When completed, the community will have a facility to be proud of for generations to come. While the organization serves a great purpose and mission, its Internet marketing strategy requires a lot of upgrades. The Boys and Girls club of Billerica should instill a sense of ownership and pride within the community through the new Internet strategy that we are proposing. While the children and youth are the target demographic, the new Marketing strategy will attempt to bring families into the fold. I. Overall Business Objective We will write a custom essay sample on The Boys and Girls Club specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Boys and Girls Club specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Boys and Girls Club specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The following are the three overall business objectives for BGCB: 1. Accelerate fund-raising to meet the $3.5 million capital that needs to be raised for the new building. The strategy should be able to increase donations to the capital campaign and general donations by 12 to 15 percent by February 2010. 2. Increase volunteer enrollment across the board. The strategy should be able to increase volunteer enrollments by 17 to 20 percent by October 2009. 3. Inform target audience about the programs and facilities offered by the Boys and Girls club of Billerica, leading to a 20 percent increase in membership enrollment by February 2010. II. Overall Marketing Objectives The marketing objectives to achieve the above business objectives include: 1. A comprehensive online and offline strategy to generate awareness about BGCB through a targeted print and email campaign using the existing member database. 2. Using social media and other Web 2.0 features to bring youth and their parents into the BGCB fold and generate a sense of ownership with the club 3. Provide a website that encourages repeat visitations through a local online community and enhancing Acquisitions and reinforcing retention. 4. Target local businesses and corporations and their employees to encourage them to donate and make a difference in the local community III. Business Situation /SWOT Analysis III.1. Internal Situation Performance Analysis The performance analysis for the Boys and Girls Club is based on the following factors: The aspect that we need to focus on is Donation and Volunteering. It is ok to talk about these other things, but since our paper deals with those two topics we should add those as factors. * The number of members added each year and total numbers of members. * Participation of the members, including hours each member spends per week/month in the club. * Access the percentage of kids in the community who are in need of these kinds of clubs. * Analyze the nature of the programs offered in the club. Try to improve the existing programs or add new ones. * Concentrate on the traffic in peak hours and implement the Divide and conquer strategy by providing more programs during the peak hours. * How many hours the club is open on weekdays and weekends. Relax the restriction of time constraint by providing extended hours. * How strong the relationship is between the staff and the parents. * Provide online survey to the members. This collects feedback from the kids as well as the parents, which can be channelized to improve the club performance. The survey should be a simple Yes/No 10 questions with a comments section. The survey can be distributed to the email list. The management Strategy will change depending on the activities and workers. The more activities and workers, the more the structure needs to be managed1. Data on Programs of a Similar Nature We need to also add some Capital campaign examples. Capital Campaign is what pays for the building Website Sponsorship Program: This program displays the advertisement for the sponsor website with a membership cost per year. The advertisement also provides direct link to the sponsor website. Cars for Kids Program: This program accepts donation of the vehicles. The vehicles are transported free of charge. The proceeds are utilized for the youth programs. The club will provide receipt, which can be used for tax deduction. Resource Availability and Allocation The club is overseen by a group of concerned community leaders from all walks of life. Lawyers, accountants, architects, insurance agents, bankers, parents of members and other professionals make up this group3. Brainstorm the ideas for fundraising within the volunteers and the staff. This brings out many new ideas that can implement with ease, since the ideas originated from them instead of being forced with an idea. The professional maintenance like website management and money management can be allocated to paid employees. Other tasks related with building design, contractor maintenance, fund raising for the building, material management can be allocated to volunteers who has experience in the related fields. III.2. External Situation Markets Kids Programs Demographics Age group for the programs Town of Billerica and surrounding areas. Competitors * YMCA in Woburn, Lowell Reading YMCA has good reputation and brand name, which attracts members. YMCA has high reliability, which leads to more funding turnovers. * Other Boys Girls clubs in nearby towns like Reading, Lowell. * Private gyms: Golds GYM, Bally Total Fitness, Fitcorp Getronics Fitness Center, Nautilus Plus, Best Fitness, The Club Fitness Health Sport Inc. The private gyms collect expensive fees from the members and hence they have more money to spend for marketing. They also host high standard websites maintained by professional resources. Technological Infrastructure The Website Grader service provided by HubSpot graded the website for Boys and Girls Club of Billerica as 19/1004. The grading depends on various parameters including search engine data, website structure, site performance and traffic. The Search Engine Optimization for the website presents these potential problems existing in the Clubs website: * Very few metadata keywords present in the website available for search engines. * No headings found. This prevents the signal to the search engines, what the website is about. * Most of the images in the Clubs website do not have the alt attribute. The Alt attribute provides the alternative content for images, which can be used by the search engine crawlers. * Interior page analysis provided the same keyword and description for 3 different pages within the main page. * The readability level is Secondary/High School, which is good in perspective of the members. But the readability level should be in much higher level in order to impress all level of target audience. * The time of expiration for the domain of the Clubs website is set to expire in 7 months. In general the search engines penalize the website with domains which are set to expire soon. * Permanent redirect for the website is missing, which reduces the credit from the search engines. * Google Page rank is 3, Google indexed page is 56, Traffic rank is not rated, Inbound links to the website is very less, and the website is not listed in major online directories. * RSS feed is not found. Poor quality website will lead to serious drawbacks to the Clubs growth. The members visiting the website will not take the clubs mission serious if the website doesnt appeal to them. The Clubs website is definitely in need of content management system. Redundant use of the logos, images and information across the pages should be reduced. Content Management System also provides a single access point for the standard templates, newsletters etc. Vinay do u have any feedback on Content management system for this website? Value Chain The Boys and Girls Club is a Non-profit Organization run by few staff and volunteers. This leads to unorganized programs and inconsistent online marketing plans. The club can be focused to function within the value based framework by making it more entrepreneurial in how it manages social programs, recognizing and measuring social value in the delivery of services and products, using logic models for assessment and measurement, and making the connection between emotional intelligence and effective leadership5. These are the external factors, which affect the value chain for any Non Profit Organization, and they apply to the Boys and Girls Club of Billerica: Reference: http://www.exinfm.com/training/pdfiles/course15.pdf The strategic planning for the Internet marketing is portrayed in the following logic model: The strategic plan for the online marketing should have a well-defined mission, an outline for the goals, objectives and activities, assessment of current resources and a strategic analysis. The club should set its mission of increasing the funds inflow through online marketing, increase number of volunteers to work on the marketing objective. III.3. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: * The club has nationwide network, which proves its brand name popularity. * The club serves as a secure place for the kids to spend after school hours. * The club serves as a second home for the kids. * Inexpensive fee structure provides opportunities to the low to mid income people. * Community based, which makes kids and their parents more connected to the community. * The technical infrastructure already exists, which maintains the clubs website. * The location is accessible by public transportation, and pick up service is available from the Billerica public schools which makes it convenient for kids and low income families. * Local business support the club to improves the community. * Good relationship between parents and staff members, which improves the quality of service. * The club attracts members with special events like Elementary School Dance, Movie Night and Family Swim Night. * Board members are diverse in age, gender, religion, occupation, skills and background. * Board members share passion and have strong ties to the community. * Good relationship with the administration in the target schools. Weakness: * Board Members dont attend the meetings on a regular basis. Some of them dont contribute either money or time. * Outdated website design with poor navigation between the pages. * Fundraising is very critical. * Fewer programs offered to the kids in peak hours. * Historically challenged in identifying grants from government organizations and local and corporate businesses * Deficit of experienced people resource allocated for marketing. * Inadequate online and offline communication with parents. * Data captured through online database is not being effectively utilized to improve volunteering and philanthropic performance. Opportunities: * Availability of long-term grants provided by large corporations and Universities. * Teenage kids have afterschool hours which need to be utilized in a useful and secured place like the Boys and Girls Club. * Build a relationship with local school districts to introduce innovative programs to help teenagers in the community. * Volunteers from the local community who get personal involvement in improving the club. * A large talent pool of qualified software professionals who can be signed up to volunteer with building a new website and email distribution program. Threats: * Fundraising is becoming increasingly difficult in the current economic climate. * The private gyms and YMCA in the town offer more activities and choices to the kids and parents combined. * Bad reputation created by improperly trained staff. * Higher risk of personal injury claims. * Resistance from parents and families. * Competition from other non-profit organizations. The Boys and Girls club should focus on its weakness and threats to decrease them and concentrate on its opportunities available and utilize them to improve the Marketing Strategy. IV. Marketing Problems and Opportunities Problems related with volunteer programs: * The volunteer program plan for any marketing idea is not consistent. * The volunteers need to be screened before they are in charge for sensitive data or given any responsibility. A simple background check and reference from others will add to the reliability of the person. * Volunteers need to be supervised for a particular period, so that * Training should be provided to the volunteers until they get accustomed to the program. This requires additional resource. Marketing Opportunities: * Search Engine Optimization The technique used to make the website attractive to the search engines6. This includes: adding keywords in the websites title or in link, link popularity based on how many sites linked to the Clubs website, developing content that others want to link to which is called link-baiting, get listed in the online directories. * Attract the offline members to clubs website through FAQ section and support questions. * Banner advertisements are available free of cost which increases click through traffic. * Simple bookmark reminder pop-up window will request visitors to bookmark the website. * Promote volunteer programs for high school kids. This can be added to their community volunteer hours for their school curriculum. The club provides certificates for their volunteer service. * Select board members who currently work in media like newspaper, television or radio. This helps to market the new campaign launched in the club. * Advertise the benefit for the donors when they donate like Tax deduction in bold. This attracts large corporations and wealthy donors. * Local business which is willing to advertise in the Clubs website. * Whenever the club related members interact with outside people, they should encourage them to visit the clubs website. * Offline marketing is to include the website address in all the club related material and communication like brochures, business cards, letterhead, T-Shirts, Coffee cups, press releases, event announcements and invitations.