Organizational Buyer Behavior and Buyer-Seller Relationships Essay

Business to business marketing also known as Industrial marketing is the marketing of goods & services to organizations including commercial enterprises, government and other profit & non-profit institutions for use in the goods & services they in turn produce for resale to other customers or to facilitate the operation of their enterprise (Reeder, & Brierty, 2002). Business to business market is characterized by few customers who buy in very large quantities and are geographically concentrated. The customers are professional and rational in their purchase approach. The nature of demand is derived demand, which is usually customized. The channels of distribution are shorter and there is more emphasis on personal face-to-face communication. In this era of globalization the business environment is characterized by intense competition. To sustain and grow in such a competitive economic environment, business organizations are under tremendous pressure to manufacture a product or provide a service that is of optimum quality, is customized to individual customer requirements and is delivered on time at minimum possible price. The role of the suppliers is crucial in helping the business organizations to achieve this objective. To succeed and grow in such business to business markets business marketers need to understand the Business Buyer Behavior and evolve close, enduring and long-term relationships. Business Buyer Behavior Understanding the dynamics of business buying behavior including the organizational buying process, the types of buying situations, forces influencing the organization buyer behavior, the composition of the buying center and the motives and the roles played by each member of the buying center is crucial for business marketers to identify profitable market segments, locate the various buying influences within these segments and reaching these buyers efficiently and effectively with product or service offerings that satisfy their needs. The Organizational Buying Process The organizational buying behavior is a process rather than an isolated program. It involves comprehensive phases or stages. The process begins with the recognition of a need for a product or service by someone in the company. Broad parameters for the desired product/service are then worked out. Detailed specifications and description for the desired product or service are developed. Once the company has defined the product /service it needs then the search for potential suppliers who can meet the needs begins, alternative suppliers are identified, asked to submit their proposals and the proposals analyzed. The short-listed suppliers are invited for negotiations and the final suppliers are selected. The order is then placed with the selected suppliers on the agreed terms. Finally the performance of the firms supplying the required products/ services is reviewed periodically. The buying process stage of the potential buyer for the seller’s product or service will have a major implication on the marketing approach to be adopted by the seller. Types of Buying Situations There are basically three major types of buying situations, namely the straight rebuy, modified rebuy and new-task buy. In a straight rebuy situation the buyer reorders a product or service without any modifications on a routine basis through the purchase department. In a modified rebuy situation the buyer may wish a modification in product/service specifications, prices, terms of supply etc. This situation usually involves more number of participants in the buying decision process. In a new task buying situation the company is buying a product or service for the first time. In such a situation the organization buying process is more complex and involves many more number of participants from different departments in the organization. The buying company also needs to decide on the product/service specifications, prices, delivery terms, order quantities, service terms etc. Forces Influencing Business Buying Behavior The organization buying behavior is influenced by environmental forces like changes in the domestic and global economy and changes in the technologies. The rapid strides made in information technology especially Internet technology has had a major influence in the way businesses buy. For example most of the small and large business organizations buy computer systems from Dell through its well developed website www. ell. com. Organization buying behavior is also influenced by the organizational forces like centralization and decentralization of purchase and strategic role and priorities of purchase prevalent in the given organization. The group forces influencing behavior include the composition, motives and the roles played by each member of the buying center. Buying Center It is the decision-making uni t of a buying organization and comprises of all members of the organization who are involved in the buying decision process. The members of the buying center will change depending on the product/service being purchased and the buying situation in which it is being purchased. The buying center members may play any one or a combination of the five roles namely, users, influencers, buyers, deciders and gatekeepers. Users are the members who will actually use the product being offered. Influencers are members who influence the purchase. Buyers are members who have the formal authority to make the purchase. Deciders are members who have formal or informal power to select/approve the final suppliers. Gatekeepers are members who control the flow of information from the seller to other members of the buying center. The buying motives/objectives of each member of the buying center through which the members evaluate potential suppliers may differ. The motives may include task oriented objectives such as price, quality, service and Return on Investment and non-task oriented objectives such as recognition, promotion, increments and job security. Companies involved in business to business marketing need to clearly identify the buying situation, the stage or the phase in the buying decision making process for the product being offered, the various forces influencing the buying organizations behavior, the composition of the buying center, the role played by each member of the buying center and the criteria on which they evaluate the suppliers for each individual customer. Based on such an understanding they should evolve suitable marketing strategies for success. For example Unilever the British FMCG major may need new high-speed packaging equipment for its innovation in detergent ‘small & mighty’. Companies in the business of packaging equipment need to understand that it is a new task buy situation for Unilever. And the company may be in the need identification stage of the buying process. They need to have closer relationship with the members from different functional areas like operations, engineering, design, finance and purchase who may comprise the buying center, understand the motives of purchase and the role played by each member. This is crucial because each of this buyer behavior characteristic will have an implication on the buying decision process at Unilever. This will help the supplier to evolve suitable marketing strategies to be the favoured supplier of Unilever. Relationship emphasis in Business to Business Marketing In the highly competitive environment that is prevalent today, suppliers have evolved into business partners. There is a major emphasis on close and long-term relationships in the business to business markets. To maintain the relationships, business markets must develop an intimate knowledge of the customers and add value to it. Relationship marketing centers on all marketing activities directed towards establishing, developing and maintaining successful exchanges with customers (Morgan, & Hunt, 1994). A strong relationship between the buyer and the seller is a win-win situation for both. The seller will have a competitive advantage over his competition and the buyer will have effective business solutions to his problem. The relationships between the buyer and the seller in the business to business setup are positioned on a spectrum with transactional exchanges on one end and collaborative exchanges at the other extreme with value-added exchanges in the middle. Transactional Exchanges focus on timely exchange of a product/service for a competitive price. Economy and necessity are the main motivational factors of such exchanges with little interest on the part of the buyer or the seller to extend the relationship. Such types of exchanges may be preferred by the buying organization when the purchase decision is not complex, the purchase is considered to be less significant to the achievement of its objectives, many suppliers are available and the supply market is stable. Here the business marketer need not make any specialized investment in building relationships. For example the supply of office stationery and cleaning services may call for a transactional relationship. Value added exchanges focus on complete understanding of the present and future needs of the customer and meeting those needs better than the competitor by customizing the firm’s offerings to the needs of individual customers. For example Intel Corporation, a leading player in the semiconductor industry has understood the changing computer server needs of it corporate clients and has developed and introduced a new chip that lowers electricity consumption to a very great extent. This has drastically reduced the huge electricity bills of its customers like Google Corporation that maintain thousands of servers world wide (Edwards, 2006) Collaborative Exchanges focus on building a strong social, economic, service and technical ties over a long period of time for mutual benefit through reduced costs and increased value. Such exchanges are very crucial when the market is very dynamic, the complexity of purchase is very high and the product/service being purchased is very crucial for the performance of the end product of the buying organization. In such situations the switching costs involved in changing a supplier are also very high for the buying organization. For example Asin is the sole supplier to the Japanese car manufacturing major Toyota Motors for â€Å"p-valve†, a critical brake part used in all Toyota vehicles worldwide. Aisin works in very close collaboration with Toyota Motors and is highly involved in the product development process at Toyota Motors to keep pace with the innovations being made in the Toyota vehicles and meet the JIT production requirements of Toyota (Liker, 2004). Business Marketers have some flexibility in deciding where to participate along the relationship continuum. It basically depends on the characteristics of the market, the type and price of product/service being offered and the significance of product/service being offered to the buying organization. However rival companies are continuously working towards taking away the best accounts and so also the requirements, expectations and the preferences of the individual customers keeps changing continuously. To meet these challenges business marketers must develop mutually beneficial relationships with individual customers by developing a deep understanding of their needs. Information should be openly shared to benefit both the buyer and the seller. The systems, procedures, and routines of the buyer and seller should be connected to facilitate operations. There should be very good cooperation between the buyer and seller and both should treat the buying situations as joint responsibilities. Both the buyer and seller should invest in processes and procedures that are necessary to meet the specific needs of the exchange partners. Such mutually beneficial relationships between the buyer and the seller will result in better service to the business customer as the seller will be able to provide customized product/service solutions that precisely meet the individual customer needs. Conclusion Business to business markets are growing in volume as compared to consumer markets. The characteristics of the Business to business markets call for closer buyer seller relationships. Companies operating in the Business to business markets should clearly study the organizational buyer behavior with respect to the product or service they offer. They should decide on the type of relationship, ranging from transactional exchange to collaborative exchange, which they should adopt with each customer to gain competitive advantage in the intensively competitive business environment.

The Secret River Essay

Belonging occurs when individuals understand the people and the world around them. How is this evident in two of the texts you have studied? Belonging, that is, the connection an individual feels to the world he or she inhabits often comes down to the specific factors and forces that shape their experience. In the text The Secret River, author Kate Grenville illuminates a number of key issues in regard to belonging, none of these more poignant that place, location and locus often functions as a key determinant of belonging. This concept of belonging is also highlighted in Shaun Tan’s pictorial narrative, The Arrival, in which the importance of home and family and the sense of harmony and happiness that comes with understanding relationships with the people we love. The determinants of belonging vary depending on an individual and their views and experiences; ones sense of belonging may come down to who they are with without the location being a factor, where they are located and the physical environmental features and one’s culture and traditions. These varying determinants of ones belonging are represented in The Secret River and The Arrival in which each protagonist has different approaches to their ideal conclusion of belonging. Australian author Kate Grenville’s 2005 novel, The Secret River, explores the concept that place and geographical context and circumstance will often play a key role in determining one’s belonging. The opening pages of the novel introduce William Thornhill, a convict, transported to New South Wales in the year 1806. Thornhill’s journey tells of the great physical distance that now separates Thornhill from the warm familiarity of life at home in London; Thornhill’s new world is foreign, inhospitable place, disorientating in its otherness, and becomes a metonym for the great yearning Thornhill now has for his erstwhile life in England. To express this idea of one’s understanding and connectedness with their world being a determinant to their sense of belonging, Grenville uses a number of techniques such as hyperbole and simile. Grenville’s third person narrator describes the Alexander, Thornhill’s ship, as having â€Å"fetched up at the end of the Earth. This hyperbole creates an image unassailable distance, of diametric extremity and in so doing dramatizes the concept of distance which, in turn, comes to represent Thornhill’s alienation from the world he knows and loves. Grenville uses figurative language to bring into focus her main character William Thornhill’s attachment t, and ultimate dislocation from the two places he calls home: A New South Wales penal colony, and London. London and the themes are represented in the simile, â€Å"as intimate to him as breathing. In this case, the simile takes the idea of breathing which is both natural to us and essential to our being. This idea of intimacy then extends to Thornhill’s essential attachment to home and his understanding and recognition of its world. Like breathing itself, Thornhill’s London life is a giving force. When it comes to describing Thornhill’s antipathy to his new life in New South Wales, Grenville’s simile describes a disconnect, a non-relationship. Whereas Thornhill is closely familiar with the London night sky in his new life the stars are â€Å"meaningless as spilt rice†. This simile neatly captures Thornhill’s disorientation. The image of â€Å"split rice† suggests something both random and accidental. This reflects his emotive alienation of moving and not belonging in his new world. The idea that one must understand and be familiar with their environment and its individual traits that are only recognisable and known if you have a personal sense of belonging to our world. One of the main ideas that emerges In Shaun Tan’s, The Arrival is that belonging is often influenced and shaped by family and the personal intimacies family offers. Tan develops this theme through the use of a number of specific visual devices. In chapter one of the narrative Tan describes a situation where the husband of the family unit must leave his family for another, distant nation. Tan stresses the significance of family through the use of vectoring and shot size. Tan presents a close up shot of the father-daughter hand clasp emphasising not only the physical bond that unites the family but the emotional connectedness they share. The hand clasp is effectively a metaphor for connectedness and the close up emphasises the significance of family. In addition to this Tan uses vectoring. Strong vectors direct the reader to the hand clasp which is positioned precisely at the centre of the page; this central placement of the image then becomes a metonym for the central significance and place of family in the fathers life: To further accentuate the significance of family in determining belonging, Tan again employs shot size in a subsequent image, the hand clasp is replaced by a broken hand-clasp, the close up and the tiny interstice that now separates the hands becomes a key signifier of the separation the ather must now endure. The belonging once evident in the intimacy of the hand clasp is replaced with the separation and the emptiness of the broken embrace. As a final and consolidating reminder of the fathers separation from family, Tan uses and extreme close long shot of the father’s departing train. the train is a remote presence on the horizon, the horizon itself a symbol of distance. The warmer physicality of earlier imagery is now replaced with the distant train, visible more as a puff of soon to be extinct smoke on the horizon- thus the once tangible presence of the family is replaced with the immaterial image of a train quickly travelling past the sight of the eye. The contrast demonstrates the obvious way in which the understanding family members have with each other results in a strong sense of belonging. Once separation takes place- belonging itself starts to fade, and an individual must than consider the effects of alienation and unfamiliarity. Belonging, that is, the connection an individual feels to the world he or she inhabits often comes down to the specific factors that shape their experience. One’s world is made up of their individual cultures, location, experiences, familiarity, relationships and environments. This idea is represented in The Arrival and The Secret River, in which each protagonist’s sense of belonging comes down to several of these factors of belonging. For some, time will result in a once unknown and alienated sense or place, to a comfortable and evolving feeling inhabited by an individual, and for others, belonging is concrete mindset in which they need to experience the sense of belonging.

African American Retribution

As she looked outside to see what all the commotion was about, invaders were raiding her village slaughtering and kidnapping her countrymen and women in front of her eyes (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 13). By the end of the raid her father, uncle, and other relatives were dead and she and her mother became prisoners Of war. Her apprehender were people from her own country, warrior slaves who invade rival villages and seized captives to trade to European slave dealers in return for fine fabrics, wines, and weapons (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 13). Once traded she was branded with her masters logo and shipped like cargo on vessels under intolerable conditions (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 13).Such events occurred millions of times in Africa, resulting in millions of Africans being kidnapped from their homeland and relatives, and then sold and traded like cattle to foreigners. Anne Barrow, Joel Lang, and Jenifer Frank, veteran ruinations for The Hartford Currant, indicate that European ships transported nearly all the estimated 1 1. 5 million Africans sold over three centuries into New World slavery, including the approximately 645,000 sent to the American colonies (Barrow, Lang, Frank 2005, p. 5). African slaves were brought to America in 1 619 to help with the production of lucrative crops. In the article Slavery in America, it is written that In the early 17th century, European settlers in North America turned to African slaves as a cheaper, more plentiful labor source than indentured servants ( 2011 By 750, nearly a quarter million African slaves populated the mainland colonies of British North America, while 30,000 were held in the southern colonies (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 41).In the article Slavery in America, it is reported that Slavery was practiced throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, and African-American slaves helped build the economic foundations of the nevus nation (Slavery in America, 2011). The African Americans who were enslaved by America deserve reparation. First they deserve reparation because America was built by slavery. African Americans were the primary force in the production of lucrative crops. Secondly, they deserve reparation because of all the horrific experiences they had to endure.Millions of Africans were kidnapped from their homes and land, tortured, brutalized and treated as less than human. Finally, they deserve reparation because other races of people who America enslaved and mistreated receive compensation. Native Americans were enslaved and mistreated to a lesser degree than African Americans and they receive reparation. Slavery played an extremely important role in the construction of the United States. James Oliver Horton, Professor of American Studies and History at George Washington university, and Lois E.Horton, Professor of History at George Mason University, indicated that The slave trade and the products created by slaves labor, particularly cotton, provided the basis for Americas wealth as a nation, underwriting the countrys industrial revolution and enabling it to project its power into the rest of the world (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 7). Once the nation started expanding westward, so did slavery increasing the cotton kingdoms of Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, andLouisiana. These states soon became the center of importance for American Slavery (Fonder, 2005). Eric Fonder, a winner of the Bancroft Prize and Francis Parka Prize, and Professor of History at Columbia University and a member of the American Academy of Arts confirmed that as a result of the increase in African American slaves Cotton production grew from fewer than three thousand bales in 1790 to nearly five million bales on the eve of the Civil War.By then, cotton Was by far the most important export Of the United States (Fonder, 2005 p. 11). Many of the African American slaves in South Carolina used the knowledge that they brought from the rice growing regions of central Africa, to grow rice in the American colonies for their own consumption. Seeing that it was another cash crop, European settlers began to adopt the process and demand the production of it on a large scale (Horton Horton, 2005).Authors James Horton and Lois Horton noted Rice became so critical to South Carolina that slaves from rice growing regions of Africa were especially prized. Some traders, realizing the marketing advantage, claimed to be able to supply Africans from what was advertised as he Rice Coast in return for premium prices. (Horton Horton, p. 33) Not only did African Americans helped build America by being the main producers of lucrative crops. They also helped in the construction of America by changing the ways Americans lived their everyday lives.Authors James Horton and Lois Horton confirm, The cultural traditions, skills, and sensibilities that Africans brought with them helped shape the lives of all Americans (2005). The Africans in South Carolina who worked in the rice fields brought the agricultural methods with them that were used in their mom land. They created the large round shallow-sided reed winnowing baskets used in the rice fields of their country. In Virginia the slaves who were ironworker forged the axes and hoes that were used on local farms (Horton Horton, 2005).African Americans also greatly influenced American cuisine Author James Horton and Lois Horton detailed that Slave cooks introduced African cooking methods and tastes to the American diet, often emphasizing corn in the form Of bread or hoecake, mush, hominy, and roasted ears, stews, fried meat, rice, yams, fruits, and groundnuts were moon in Afr ican diets, and when available were enjoyed by African Americans as well. Much of what has become identified as southern cuisine in America had its origins in kitchens presided over by African American cooks. Horton Horton, 2005, p. 42) African American slaves deserve reparation because they suffered horrendous circumstances. The way they were treated is shameful. From the time they were abducted and sold, the conditions they were forced to live under were inhumane. Authors Anne Barrow, Joel Lang, and Jenifer Frank reported the cruelty, Upon purchase in Africa, slaves routinely were branded. Their owners mark might be sketched with a hot iron ( 2005, p. 100). Additionally conditions which the captured Africans had to endure once they were sold and transported to American were horrific. In a few accounts, slaves documented or were documented telling their horrifying experience of the middle passage to America. Aloud Quinoa an educated African American slave who bought his freedom was the first American slave to write an autobiography about his experience on the middle passage to America: The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably toothsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time.The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. (Horton Horton, 2005, p. 22) Many Africans died on the voyage back to America. Captains of the ship routinely ordered the sick slaves to be thrown overboard out of fear that they may contaminate the whole cargo. In some instances, the captain would tie a slave to a chair and throw him/her overboard and be said to regret losing the chair (Barrow, Lang, Frank 2005).Veteran journalist for The Hartford Currant Barrow, Lang, Frank detailed incidences of actual cannibalism on a slave ship reported in the New-York Gazette in May 1 766: The crew and slave cargo of a sloop bound for North Carolina began to starve after the ship lost its sails and drifted for six weeks. In want of provisions, they were put to the necessity of eating one of the dead negro children, which so exasperated the Negroes on board that they fell on the crew. (Barrow, Lang, ; Frank 2005, p. 107) The environments that African slaves had to live in once they made it toAmerica were appalling. It is reported that, They were housed in unheated attics and basements, in outbuildings and barns. They often slept on the floor, wrapped in coarse blankets. They lived under a harsh system of black codes that controlled their education, and limited their social contacts. (Barrow, Lang, Frank 2005, p. 63) The natural tendency of slavery was to convert the master into tyrant, and the slave into a victim of tyranny (Bordering, 2005, p. 14). In any incident in which a slave would threaten his/her master, the punishment would be severe Versus M.Bordering, writer for New York Times, Smithsonian, American Heritage, Atlantic Monthly, and Readers Digest and author of Killing the White Mans Indian and My Mothers Ghost detailed the punishment of a slave who did such a thing: For a slave to lift his hand against the sacred temple of a white mans body/ even in in self-defense, was an act of rebellion. Slaves from surrounding plantations were ordered to witness his punishment for their moral improvement. One hundred lashes were laid on by a local blacksmith, fifty lashes at a time.Bleeding and faint, the victim was then held p against the whipping post and his right ear fastened to it with a tack. The blacksmith then sliced the ear off with a knife, to the sound of cheers from the crowd. (Bordering, 2005, p. 1 2) Slave masters had to develop different strategies to punish their slaves and in some situations the punishment did not fit the crime. Since slaves could not be fired, fined or jailed without losing the value of their work the slave owners had to turn to physical punishment as a resort (Bordering, 2005, p. 23). Versus M. Bordering detailed a few incidents in which a slave was being disobedient and needed to be punished In the late 1 sass William Dunbar, a sophisticated Mississippi settler condemned two runaways to five hundred lashes each, spaced out over time, and to carry a chain ; log fix to the ankle. In 1 736 a Methodist minister heard a South Carolina slave owner recommend that one first nail up a Negro by the ears, then ordered him to be whipped in the severest manner, and then to have scalding water thrown over him. (Bordering, 2005, p. 4) Finally African Americans deserve reparation because other ethnicity groups who were mistreated receive reparation what is done for one group should e done for the other. Native Americans were mistreated by the united States, unlike African Americans they receive reparation. Until the sasss Native Americans were a significant proportion of slave labor on southern plantations working alongside African Americans (Purdue, 2009). The Colonists, however, feared an uprising between the two groups, so they worked to divide them by employing Indians as slave catchers and terrifying African slaves with the tales of Indian savagery (Purdue, 2009).Eventually Native Americans were freed from slavery and granted their own and and other forms of reparation in America. The Cherokee Nation signed a treaty with the United States at the end of the civil war granting the ex-slaves, or Freedmen, all the rights of Native Cherokees (Hirsch, 2009, pig. 118). Mark Hirsch stated in the book Indivisible Thousands of former slaves received citizenship in the Cherokee Nation after the Civil War. These citizen Freedman enjoyed the right to farm tribal lands as well as vote in tribal elections and hold tribal office. Ender the Treaty of 1866, Freedman who resided in Cherokee territory before the war, and who remained there in 866, were to be considered citizens. Cherokee Freedmen living outside the nation were granted six months to return to claim tribal citizenship (Hirsch, 2009, pig. 118). Some Southern States began to provide schools for Native Americans. In the sasss an Indian school system was established for the Mississippi Choctaws, Alabama-Cutthroats, and the South Carolina Castaways (Purdue, 2009, pig. 26).Richard Leister a Washington Correspondent stated in his article Native Americans regain land The United States Government has promised to return more than 3,000 sq km of desert land to a Native American tribe. The government had promised in 1 882 that native people in Utah would own the area for all time (Leister, 2000). Some feel African Americans are not entitled to reparation because they are not native to American. However, African Americans were forced from their homeland, mistreated, slaughtered, and enslaved on an extremely larger scale than Native Americans. African Americans were even enslaved by Native Americans.Michael Couscous stated in his Article Native American Slavery By the 19th century, many Native American peoples, most famously the Cherokees, embraced racial slavery and began to own African American slaves (Couscous, 2007). Others feel that African Americans were better off in the United States than they were in Africa so they do not deserve reparation. This is simply not true. In their homeland, they were free people, free to pursue their traditional lifestyle established centuries before. In America, they Were tortured, and forced to work countless hours without pay just so this country can be what it is today.Authors Anne Barrow, Joel Lang, and Jenifer Frank reported that Slaves became so depressed they had to be forced to exercise and sometimes even to eat (2005, pig. 107). In conclusion African Americans deserve reparation for what America did to them. First they deserve reparation because America was built by slavery. African Americans helped bulled this country in many ways. Secondly, they deserve reparation because of all the horrific experiences they had to endure. African American were enslaved and mistreated for hundreds of years in America. Lastly, they mistreated receive compensation.If one group receives reparation so should the other. The great late Martin Luther King stirred the hearts of Americans lack and white, with his hope for America. Like Martin Luther King have a dream. I have a dream that one day American will stand up and take responsibility for all the hundreds of years that millions of African Americans were slaughtered tortured and enslaved. I have a dream.

The Potential for Performance Management to Contribute to Essay

The Potential for Performance Management to Contribute to Organizational Effectiveness - Essay Example (Kazemek, Edward A. Glime, Rebecca, 1989) A performance management process is a process by which these things will take place in a systematic, consistent, persistent, patient, and comprehensive fashion throughout the organization. An organization's management process must both manage what gets done, as well as how those things get done (Sink, D. S. 1987). For example, the management process must make sure plans are developed, and that the process by which plans are developed is constantly improving; the management process must make sure services and products are delivered on time, and that the processes by which those goods and services are developed is constantly improving. The process by which an organization's management team accomplishes constant performance improvement in all aspects of the business must be given at least equal emphasis to the process by which the organization gets products and services out the door on time.

The Moral High Ground of Wars in American History Essay

The Moral High Ground of Wars in American History - Essay Example The moral grounds for the Spanish American war were the support the American people had for the people and rebels in Cuba against the Spanish rule. The ideals behind the intervention of the United States in World War I were to ensure that the world would be safer for freedom and democracy to prosper. Similarly the United States had to intervene in World War II because of the aggressive expansionist policies and the atrocities of Germany. The Korean War was waged to counter the communist influence of China and Russia, however, this was eventually split Korea in the two states. The Vietnam War involved the United States as its forces had continued staying in Vietnam to replace the French forces after World War II as America perceived itself as the protector of democracy and freedom. Thereafter the Kuwait war was for the liberation of this tiny state from Iraq and finally the present war in Iraq was to free the people there from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein. The other continuous war th at the United States is involved in is against terrorism which had become a threat to world peace. (Americas Wars & The Politics of American Wars, How fascists became the "victims" in the current war, National Review Online) The General Situation in Southeast Asia and its Influence on the World In the last few decades, China has internationally become a very strong economic and military powerhouse and strongly influences the diplomatic activities the world over. China is thus a source of challenge to the United States and a threat to specifically to the Taiwan, which it claims as being a part of mainland China. Its relations in Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and specifically in African has boosted its industrial capacities and it currently is amongst the largest importers of steel, oil and other raw materials from the third world countries. Besides the advances China has made in the fields of advanced technology including space technology, China has become a fierce competitor for all products in the world market because of the edge it has in cheap manpower. On the other hand, the pariah and unpredictable state of North Korea threatens to be a source for causing further instability to the security of its neighbors because of its recently developed nuclear capabilities. (Larry M. Wortzel, Ph.D., 2006, Risks and Opportunities of a Rising China) Furthermore in South Asia with the development of nuclear technology and an arsenal of nuclear weapons the Southeast Asia neighbors of Pakistan and India continue to be a source of worry for the world community as they could be a flashpoint for a nuclear war that could eventually engulf all their neighbors and lead to consequences that might even lead to World War III. Following the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan authorities had to decisively align themselves with the United States against the war with terrorist forces by providing strategic and logistic support and prior to the invasion of Afghanistan by Russia and the consequent war, which eventually forced the Russians to

Analysis of the culture of the UAE and its implications on companies Essay

Analysis of the culture of the UAE and its implications on companies wishing to do business in the UAE - Essay Example The UAE culture is very diverse, with elements from the traditional Arab, Islam and contemporary elements. The country is endowed with a rich natural environment that is very attractive to tourists, especially its coast line. Its infrastructure is also up to date, particularly its information and communications technology platform. UAE’s political and legal system makes it among the most politically stable countries in the region and indeed in the whole world. UAE high number of immigrants further attests to the fact that it is very friendly to foreigners. Moreover, UAE’s location puts in almost a central position, hence is easily reachable from many parts of the world including Africa, the rest of the Asian continent and Europe. The various aspects of this culture such as aesthetics, attitudes and beliefs, religion, material Culture, language, societal organization, legal characteristics and political structures all contribute towards a conducive environment for busine ss.

The History of the Computer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of the Computer - Term Paper Example The history offers chronological events as per the technological advancements commencing with the first computer to the recent computers that have been utilized progressively in the contemporary world. The technological advancements that transpired during the computer age have substantially influenced social and economic developments through faster undertaking of various tasks in dissimilar sectors. In the computer history, computers have various classifications as per evolution from large size to small size including various contributors to these developments. Classification of computers Computers are classified through utilization of diverse criteria with the classification centering on functionality and other related concepts. Computer classifications can be undertaken with regard to technology utilized, uses, capacity or size, period or computer era, operation principle or data types that they utilize (Raum 2). Technological classification This classification concentrates on the technological skills that allow the computer to perform certain functions. The initial classification was regarded as flesh where humans utilized their bodily parts to carry out computations. Wood later turned into a computing appliance with the initial utilization being in the design of abacus. Various scientific inventors then utilized metals in the development of early machines leading to the utilization of electromagnetic appliances in various machines by Zuse and other persons. Electronic rudiments were utilized in ABC and computers that utilized stored programs. However, this classification never considers developments that transpired recently with the development of fresh electronic devices that have considerably boosted computer advances. Classification by capacity Computers have become categorized in accordance to their capacity with the word demonstrating the amount of work as well as the information processing abilities. The operation of these computers can be established through the quantity of information contain within the memory, internal speed, quantity and variety of peripheral components, as well as, the quantity and variety of software present for utilization within the computer. In the initial period, capacity was established through physical size although this has noticeably changed in the recent time allowing smaller computers to have huge capacities. Presently, computer capacity is ascertained as per the applications that certain computer can contain instead of the quantity of information a computer can process. Under this categorization, microcomputers are considered, to contain the lowest capacity. Their memories were made through the utilization of semiconductors that were contained on silicon chips. The microcomputer was considered digital managed through utilization of stored program that made use of the microprocessor with programmable ROM and RAM. They had 4k-64k storage location and had the ability to contain miniature applicatio ns. Minicomputer was then developed in 1960 owing to the demand for computing appliances that could carry out tasks effectively and economically in comparison to large computers. Minicomputers possessed higher operating speeds and extensive storage capacities judged against microcomputers. In this era, operating systems were created in order to contain multiprogramming as well as virtual storage allowing

Critique Article - Math for the young child or any math critique Essay

Critique Article - Math for the young child or any math critique article that deals with children - Essay Example There is immense value to the content of the article as it summarizes the results of the four year long researches on developing  the  Ã¢â‚¬ËœBig  Math  for  Little Kids’ pre-kindergarten and kindergarten mathematics program. The authors present ‘Big  Math  for  Little Kids’ as the  product of their effort from 1998 to 2002, to develop â€Å"a research-based and developmentally appropriate early childhood mathematics program  for  all pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children.† (Balfanz, Robert. et al, 2003, p. 264). The program consists of an all-inclusive set of sequenced learning activities and the lesson units of this program includes numbers, shapes, patterns and logic, measurement, operations on numbers, and spatial relations. The program, as the authors claim, combines mathematics into the daily routines and other early learning areas of the children such as music, art, movement, reading, writing, and science. It also presents mathematical symbols and words in the most cautious and meaningful ways aiming at the children’s lighthearted but purposeful learning of Mathematics. In their article, the authors not only provide the theoretical and research based evidences to the effectiveness of the program, but more significantly the evidences of the practical success of the ‘Big  Math  for  Little Kids’ from their observed results. After introducing the program the ‘Big  Math  for  Little Kids’ in detail, the authors deal with its research base which includes psychological and educational research as well as the design principles. They maintain that every child is capable of learning mathematics at a  young  age based on their researches. According to the authors, it is important to provide the children with adult guidance along with opportunity for play and they also specify that low-income children should

Humanitarian Aid as a Strategic Response Assignment

Humanitarian Aid as a Strategic Response - Assignment Example From this paper it is clear that  any tragedy that is as big as that experienced in Japan that involves shocking destruction, homelessness, relocation, sudden loss of life as well as profound uncertainty concerning the future comes with severe risks of short and long term effects psychologically. The population of Japan is among some of the oldest in the globe since more than twenty percent of its people are older than sixty-five. This people have a higher vulnerability in regards to medical services, food and water being disrupted as well as regular schedules of critical medications.  This study discusses that the people of Japan have a culture of preparedness which is considerably different from that found in the US. Additionally, Japan is a relatively small country, so in the event that disaster strikes; it usually affects the entire nation. Japan is frequently hit by disasters which usually have uniform characteristics with all the people in the country being apprehensive abo ut earthquakes. Consequently, this has facilitated the establishment of a common culture of preparedness compared to other places such as the US that has a higher diversity of disasters that can be faced by particular communities as well as the people making up the population.  Experts in emergency preparedness have shown that the people are likely to prepare for any kind of disaster only when they have experiences that convince them that the disasters are likely to affect them.

Principles of Insurance Essay Example for Free

Principles of Insurance Essay 1. Principle of Uberrimae fidei (Utmost Good Faith) Principle of Uberrimae fidei (a Latin phrase), or in simple english words, the Principle of Utmost Good Faith, is a very basic and first primary principle of insurance. According to this principle, the insurance contract must be signed by both parties (i.e insurer and insured) in an absolute good faith or belief or trust. The person getting insured must willingly disclose and surrender to the insurer his complete true information regarding the subject matter of insurance. The insurers liability gets void (i.e legally revoked or cancelled) if any facts, about the subject matter of insurance are either omitted, hidden, falsified or presented in a wrong manner by the insured. The principle of Uberrimae fidei applies to all types of insurance contracts. 2. Principle of Insurable Interest The principle of insurable interest states that the person getting insured must have insurable interest in the object of insurance. A person has an insurable interest when the physical existence of the insured object gives him some gain but its non-existence will give him a loss. In simple words, the insured person must suffer some financial loss by the damage of the insured object. For example :- The owner of a taxicab has insurable interest in the taxicab because he is getting income from it. But, if he sells it, he will not have an insurable interest left in that taxicab. From above example, we can conclude that, ownership plays a very crucial role in evaluating insurable interest. Every person has an insurable interest in his own life. A merchant has insurable interest in his business of trading. Similarly, a creditor has insurable interest in his debtor. 3. Principle of Indemnity Indemnity means security, protection and compensation given against damage, loss or injury. According to the principle of indemnity, an insurance contract is signed only for getting protection against unpredicted financial losses arising due to future uncertainties. Insurance contract is not made for making profit else its sole purpose is to give compensation in case of any damage or loss. In an insurance contract, the amount of compensations paid is in proportion to the incurred losses. The amount of compensations is limited to the amount assured or the actual losses, whichever is less. The compensation must not be less or more than the actual damage. Compensation is not paid if the specified loss does not happen due to a particular reason during a specific time period. Thus, insurance is only for giving protection against losses and not for making profit. However, in case of life insurance, the principle of indemnity does not apply because the value of human life cannot be measured in terms of money. 4. Principle of Contribution Principle of Contribution is a corollary of the principle of indemnity. It applies to all contracts of indemnity, if the insured has taken out more than one policy on the same subject matter. According to this principle, the insured can claim the compensation only to the extent of actual loss either from all insurers or from any one insurer. If one insurer pays full compensation then that insurer can claim proportionate claim from the other insurers. For example :- Mr. John insures his property worth $ 100,000 with two insurers AIG Ltd. for $ 90,000 and MetLife Ltd. for $ 60,000. Johns actual property destroyed is worth $ 60,000, then Mr. John can claim the full loss of $ 60,000 either from AIG Ltd. or MetLife Ltd., or he can claim $ 36,000 from AIG Ltd. and $ 24,000 from Metlife Ltd. So, if the insured claims full amount of compensation from one insurer then he cannot claim the same compensation from other insurer and make a profit. Secondly, if one insurance company pays the full c ompensation then it can recover the proportionate contribution from the other insurance company. 5. Principle of Subrogation Subrogation means substituting one creditor for another. Principle of Subrogation is an extension and another corollary of the principle of indemnity. It also applies to all contracts of indemnity. According to the principle of subrogation, when the insured is compensated for the losses due to damage to his insured property, then the ownership right of such property shifts to the insurer. This principle is applicable only when the damaged property has any value after the event causing the damage. The insurer can benefit out of subrogation rights only to the extent of the amount he has paid to the insured as compensation. For example :- Mr. John insures his house for $ 1 million. The house is totally destroyed by the negligence of his neighbour Mr.Tom. The insurance company shall settle the claim of Mr. John for $ 1 million. At the same time, it can file a law suit against Mr.Tom for $ 1.2 million, the market value of the house. If insurance company wins the case and collects $ 1.2 mi llion from Mr. Tom, then the insurance company will retain $ 1 million (which it has already paid to Mr. John) plus other expenses such as court fees. The balance amount, if any will be given to Mr. John, the insured. 6. Principle of Loss Minimization According to the Principle of Loss Minimization, insured must always try his level best to minimize the loss of his insured property, in case of uncertain events like a fire outbreak or blast, etc. The insured must take all possible measures and necessary steps to control and reduce the losses in such a scenario. The insured must not neglect and behave irresponsibly during such events just because the property is insured. Hence it is a responsibility of the insured to protect his insured property and avoid further losses. For example :- Assume, Mr. Johns house is set on fire due to an electric short-circuit. In this tragic scenario, Mr. John must try his level best to stop fire by all possible means, like first calling nearest fire department office, asking neighbours for emergency fire extinguishers, etc. He must not remain inactive and watch his house burning hoping, Why should I worry? Ive insured my house. 7. Principle of Causa Proxima (Nearest Cause) Principle of Causa Proxima (a Latin phrase), or in simple english words, the Principle of Proximate (i.e Nearest) Cause, means when a loss is caused by more than one causes, the proximate or the nearest or the closest cause should be taken into consideration to decide the liability of the insurer. The principle states that to find out whether the insurer is liable for the loss or not, the proximate (closest) and not the remote (farest) must be looked into. For example :- A cargo ships base was punctured due to rats and so sea water entered and cargo was damaged. Here there are two causes for the damage of the cargo ship (i) The cargo ship getting punctured beacuse of rats, and (ii) The sea water entering ship through puncture. The risk of sea water is insured but the first cause is not. The nearest cause of damage is sea water which is insured and therefore the insurer must pay the compensation. However, in case of life insurance, the principle of Causa Proxima does not apply. Whatever may be the reason of death (whether a natural death or an unnatural death) the insurer is liable to pay the amount of insurance.

The Recessions Effect On Consumer Behaviour Commerce Essay

The Recessions Effect On Consumer Behaviour Commerce Essay A recession is a negative decline in economic activity over a period of time. This is usually defined as a decline in Gross domestic product for two or more consecutive quarters. GDP is a measure of the countrys overall economic performance over a period of time. It is made up of consumption, investment, government spending, and exports minus imports. Consumer behaviour is the study that looks at all the reasons why people purchase products and where and when they purchase them. The credit crunch first started with the USA mortgage market and the collapse of the global housing bubble. Individuals were taking out mortgages that they could never afford to pay back. It all went wrong when the house prices in the USA started to fall. This in turn caused the value of securities connected to house prices to fall. The financial institutions all over the world were damaged. This put uncertainty regarding banks ability to pay its debts. The banks panicked and there was a rapid decline in credit availability. The investors confidence also declined and this had an impact on global stock markets. It was argued that investors did not accurately put a price on the risk involved with mortgage-related financial products. This causing the whole finance market to fail. The recession has caused banks to tighten credit availability. This has caused massive problems to secure credit for big ticket items such as cars and holidays. [1] The recession has had a major effect on many peoples consumer behaviour. There are many industries that have been hit by the recession. One important sector hit by the recession is the car industry and a knock on effect to companies that supply the car industry. Due to people finding it hard to secure finance they are unable to purchase new cars. So the sales of new cars have dramatically declined. An example of this is the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota. It has always been at the top of its game for many years. It has been producing exceptionally reliable cars and always at the cutting edge of technology. While in the recession the chief of Toyota Mr Katsuaki Watanabe produced the final annual figure which showed a loss of $4.4 billion. This was the companies first loss since 1950. This shows just how bad the car industry has been hit by the recession with many other firms in the industry achieving even bigger losses. [2] Another area that has been hit is the trade associated with the housing market. Due to problems with getting a mortgage people are unable to purchase new houses. So the development of new properties has fallen. Many house building companies such as Redrow and Barretts actually stopped building new houses on their sites when they realised they could not sell them. So all the labour associated were now unemployed. The Steel industry has also been hit hard. This is due to the car industry and house industry not needing the amount of steel they used to demand. With the recession affecting the whole economy the government has tired to use monetary policy to fix our situation. The government has tried to alter the supply of money by lowering the interest rate. But in doing this it has affected other sectors of the population. It will have a massive effect on people who rely on good returns from money they have invested. An example of this is the older population using their savings to give them an income to live on. At the moment the interest rate is at 0.5% compared to 4.5% in 2006. So the return they will receive on their investment has declined. The consequence of this is that their disposable income will fall causing them to purchase less. The government has also reduced Value added tax from 17.5% to 15%. This is a monetary policy that aims to increase the purchasing of consumers in the economy. The recession has also caused the exchange rate to fall against the pound. This means that the price of imports increase and price of exports de crease. This in turn has caused the import of raw materials for manufacturing to increase for many businesses. Due to the fact that the UK does not produce a lot of goods we rely heavily on imports. These now cost more than what they did before. This means that the consumer is getting less value for their money. The recession has had varied effects on different demographics within the economy. How people are affected depends on age, gender, occupation and location. The highest unemployed age appears to be the 18-24 category. This may be due to their lack of experience. A company would prefer to employ people who are skilled in doing their job. The older workers (45-64) will find it harder to obtain a new job if they are made unemployed. The current unemployment rate is at 7.8%. During a recession unemployment is a serious factor that affects consumers behaviour. Even if the individual consumer is not facing unemployment themselves they will still be affected psychologically. This is because other people around them such as family and friends may be affected. It will give them a thought that it may actually happen to them soon. It will affect their consumer confidence. With people having less consumer confidence they are more likely to save money rather than spend. So this makes the recession worse because it will reduce GDP more if consumers are not spending. Consumer behaviour is related to consumer motivation. Motivation is a basic concept in human behaviour. There is believed to be tension that arises as a result of unfulfilled needs that we have. The needs that are unfilled will move a consumer away from homeostasis balance. The Homeostasis See-Saw shows that a consumer needs a balance between Need satisfaction and Deprivation. The balance between these two is believed to be the homeostasis state. There are four drives that take us away from this equilibrium. Biogenic drives are such things as hunger and thirst that we automatically think we need. Psychogenic drives which drive us to achieve a certain status. These will depend on social and cultural environment that a person is used to. Cognitive motives are those that stimulate people to adapt to the environment and achieve a sense of meaning in society. Affective motives are associated with the need of obtaining emotional goals and the ability to achieve a satisfying feeling state. In a recession all these motives would be affected. Peoples purchasing pattern and ability to purchase certain products would follow a different pattern. In a recession when times are hard it could be potentially difficult to reach the homeostasis balance.[3] An impact the recession can have on consumer behaviour is the Lipstick Effect. When times are hard within an economy a consumer will stop spending money on big ticket items such as Expensive holidays or a new car. In order to achieve the feeling shopping brings consumers simply trade down to cheaper items to make them feel happy and content. The recent sales figures from cosmetic companies such as LOrà ©al and Revlon show that the lipstick effect is in operation within our economy at the moment. LOrà ©al showed sales growth of 5.3% in the first part of the year when the recession started. It shows that when consumers budgets are tightened that people just substitute larger luxury goods such as a new fur coat for small luxuries such as expensive makeup. [4] Some consumers in the recession are choosing to drop a brand level in their weekly shop. This means that rather than purchasing the brand products such as Heinz and Kelloggs they are choosing to purchase supermarkets own brands or no frills brands. It is said to save on average 33% on your weekly shop by dropping one brand level.[10] Brand loyalty has less effect in a recession due to consumers not being able to afford to be loyal if there is a cheaper close substitute. While in a recession there are many consumer behaviour trends that start to emerge. One example of this is Sellsuming. This is a trend where Consumers are very creative in selling products or services that they have to offer. With need to generate extra income consumers become inclined to sell things they dont need or want anymore. An example of this is the use of eBay the online auction site to sell unwanted products. Some consumers may even go as far as renting out parking spaces. Another trend is the Increase of  online services and social media usage. With the unemployment rate increasing and jobs not being very secure, people spend more time looking for job advertisements on the internet. Consumers are also being sensible when they are shopping. The consumer is continuously looking for very good deals both online and offline. Consumers are looking for the best price and the best value available to them. Internet shopping has become the best channel for a consumer to achieve this with price comparison websites such as kelkoo.com and comparethemarket.com. Kelkoo is a shopping portal that compares many retailers and shows the best place to purchase a product depending on the cheapest prices found. Another trend in a recession is skills enhancement and  training. When people feel unsure about the future they believe that increasing their knowledge and skills is a good way to keep in them employable. The younger generation are also not entering the jobs market and choosing to increase their prospects for the future. Examples of this are the figures that show almost an 8% increase in applications for full-time study at universities in 2009. This is the biggest growth in eight years. The recession and rising unemployment have been blamed for this substantial increase.[6] While the economy has been in recession there has been an increase in the number of people searching dating agencies. According to the New York Times Online and offline matchmakers are reporting that dating interest is up, way up. Match.com, for instance, had its strongest fourth quarter in the last seven years. There may be a few reasons for this increase. People may now have more time on their hands due to being unemployed. Also meeting a potential partner on the internet is easier and more affordable than socialising in other ways such as going to the pub. A major trend of consumer behaviour in a recession is Escapism. Consumers are said to be spending money on products and services in order to distract themselves from the economic hardship. The entertainment industry should in theory be experiencing an increase in attendance. This would be such services as bowling and cinema. The figures show that in 2009 cinemas are up 13% year on year. Fast Furious tore up the record for the most lucrative opening weekend for a movie released in April 2009.[7] But this can also be seen in related companies such as the American-based chain of DVD and video game rental company Blockbuster. Their sales have increased over the recession with people choosing to rent. This may be due to the reduction in layout cost of actually purchasing the DVD yourself. It could also be another form of entertainment for people. Another business that is doing very well in the recession due to a change of customers behaviour is Dominos pizza. They are benefiting from con sumers trading down on their choice. A consumer who would have usually gone out for a meal now stays in and purchases a dominos pizza. [8] Consumers in recession also tend to talk more about their purchases and experiences. The OTO Research confirms 54% of consumers say that their primary source of information when choosing a brand is the Consumer Generated Content about the product and brand experience. Due to people being careful with their money they want to make a good purchase that will satisfy their needs. In a recession people will be more likely to tell their family and friends about good deals. This is compared to in a boom consumers tend to boast how expensive a product they purchased was. Consumers are also taking out more insurance policies during the recession. It appears that the desire to protect property becomes a high priority in a recession. This may be due to the fact that people are worried about replacement or repair costs if something does go wrong.[9] People are more likely to repair items if they break when the economies in recession. Such businesses as cobblers are seeing more and more people bringing in worn shoes. Before the recession consumers would of thrown them in the bin and purchased a new pair [12]. In order to try and reduce the effects of the recession the government introduced a scrappage scheme. It aims to increase the purchase of new cars. The consumer is offered a  £2000 incentive if they have a car that is over 10 years old and are willing to scrap it. The government has also tried to increase the money in the economy by offering lower vat of 15%. This is not really much of an incentive unless you are purchasing big ticket items. They have also dropped interest rates down to 0.5%. This provides people with mortgages lower repayments. This gives them more disposable income which they could potentially spend in the economy. In the recession not all companies are being affected. Some companies are actually doing better than they did before. Examples of people doing well in the recession are supermarkets, Amazon, dominos, cinemas, pawnbrokers. The best strategy to follow in a recession is cost leadership. By keeping your costs to a minimum you can maximise profit and be competitive. The best way to get consumers to purchase your products is by giving them an irrefutable offer. During a recession companies should try to increase positive motivation in a consumer. You can do this with a good use of advertising. If a consumer has increased positive motivation they are more likely to want to purchase your products. Overall it is important to realise that consumer behaviour and the recession are linked and have an effect on each other. But the effects will depend on the industry, products and the people it involves. Businesses need to be proactive in a recession in order to be successful. They must be able to change their strategy quickly and efficiently. 1 His journal 2 Ian Rowley (May 8th, 2009) Toyotas Loss Is Worse Than Expected, Available at http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2009/gb2009058_991777.htm , [Accessed 16th December 2009]. 3 book- SEE SAW 4 Larry Elliot (December 22nd 2008) Into the red: lipstick effect reveals the true face of the recession,http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/22/recession-cosmetics-lipstick , [Accessed 16th December 2009]. 5 Yulia V Smirnova (June 16th 2009) Top 10 Emerging Consumer Behavior Trends in Recession, http://www.memesponge.com/2009/06/top-10-emerging-consumer-behavior-trends-in-recession/, [Accessed 21st December 2009]. 6 Nicola Woolcock (February 16th 2009) University applications rise by 8% as recession bites,http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article5741496.ece, [Accessed 21st December 2009]. 7 Alain Portmann (April 16th 2009) Consumer Behavior During the Recession, http://webliquidgroup.com/knowledge/consumer-behaviour-during-the-recession-four-key-consumer-trends/, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 8 Chris Moore (17 February 2009) Recession hots it up for Dominos Pizza, http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450HYPERLINK http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450in_page_id=3HYPERLINK http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450in_page_id=3in_page_id=3, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 9 Nick Elliman (September 1 2009) Consumer behaviour in the recession, http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising-measures/13183075-1.html, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 10 Martin Lewis (January 2 2010) Supermarket Shopping Downshift more, halve weekly bills, http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cheap-supermarket-shopping, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 11 CBI (June 2009) Employment trends 2009 Work patterns in the recession,http://www.cbi.org.uk/ndbs/press.nsf/38e2a44440c22db6802567300067301b/56ebefb25149a68b802575da00308471/$FILE/CBI%20-%20Harvey%20Nash.%20Work%20Patterns%20in%20the%20Recession.%20June%202009.pdf, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 12 Sunday Times (November 23, 2008) Riding the recession: how some businesses are doing well in the downturn, http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/article5213280.ece, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 13 Charlie Makin (December 23, 2009) 10 key pointers of consumer behaviour in a recession revealed http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/e_article001261803.cfm?x=b11,0,w , [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 14 Philip Atkinson (2009) Customers Consumer Behaviour in 2009 http://www.philipatkinson.com/change-customer-consumer-behaviour-millennial.htm, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 15 16