Okonkwo as Morally Ambiguous Character Essay

â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe describes tribal life in the jungles of Africa and speaks about Ibo community before the arrival of a white man. The main character of the story, Okonkwo, can be described as morally ambiguous because, on the one hand, he is a man of greatness, although, on the other hand, such qualities as violence and gender discrimination are inherent to him. Certain aspects of novel, as, for example, his suicide at the end, show that his character is of ambiguous nature. Moral ambiguity is important for the overall theme of the story as the author is willing to prove that people are very rarely purely good or evil. Thus, Achebe tends to create characters that are more applicable for the readers, not to create moral standing images. (Leach, p. 1053) Okonkwo is morally dynamic character. On the one hand, he is sensitive to his family, children and friends, but, on the other hand, he attempts to rebel his father exhibiting the tendency to violence and power of physical strength. The author shows that his character is developed by the situation he is presented with. Thus, the character has to respond to swiftly changing situations and to act depending on them. In the beginning of the book we see that Okonkwo is respected and he is satisfied with his success. He works hard towards his goal to become rich and famous. He is a man of great physical and moral strength. The issue of moral ambiguity arises, when Okonkwo simply discards his father not respecting and following the qualities he exhibits. Lack of self-discovery and moral resolution shows ambiguous nature of the character. (Noromele, 200) The main character flaw is presented by Achebe as: â€Å"But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness†¦It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father†. (Achebe, p. 13) Okonkwo’s reflections about tribal order, family members and social status prove that Ibo society associates men only with strength. Okonkwo’s son by his first wife is described as a woman-like being a serious insult. After Ikemefuna’s death main hero can’t understand his sorrow asking himself: â€Å"When did you become a shivering old woman? † (Achebe, p. 62) The fear not to become fragile makes Okonkwo work hard accumulating material possessions and justifying his manhood – good harvest, wives and honors. His fear suppresses him to express the feelings of sympathy, gentles, empathy and compassion. Instead, he refers to violence to escape from frustrated emotions. For example, he prefers â€Å"wrestling during his youth and later becoming a renowned warrior†. (Achebe, p. 69) Achebe shows that Okonkwo is man of action rather than a man of thought. Okonkwo earns respect of villages due to his violence, but he doesn’t realize that violence will lead him to moral destruction, exile and ultimate death. Achebe illustrates that Okonkwo’s fear to become weak and fragile makes him commit numerous transgressions against social laws in community. Okonkwo beats his third wife during the Weak of Peace as the week is dedicated to the Earth goddess Ani. Achebe writes that Okonkwo â€Å"is not the man to stop beating someone half-way through, not even for fear of goddess†. (Achebe, p. 30) Okonkwo thinks that showing personal strength values more than displaying deference to goddess. The turning point in the story is when Okonkwo kills a young clansman at the funeral. He is exiled for seven years. When Okonkwo returns to his village, he sees the presence of white men and establishment of the new law. Instead of being supported to take revenge, Okonkwo faces hesitation and doubt realizing that the spirit of clan is dead. Summing up, Okonkwo is morally ambiguous character presented as a man of greatness, although being ready to violate social and natural laws. Okonkwo works hard to become rich and famous, but he permits violence and intolerance to justify his manhood. It is Okonkwo’s fear of weakness that leads him to moral destruction. In the end Okonkwo faces what he fears the most – weakness and inability to take action. In the image of Okonkwo the author shows that there are no purely good or evil personalities. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. London: Heinemann, 1958. Leach, Josephine. A Study of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart in mid-America. The English Journal, 60, 8 (1971): pp. 1052-1056. Noromele, Patrick. 22 March 2000. The Plight of A Hero in Achebe s Things Fall Apart. College Literature, available at http://www. highbeam. com/College+Literature/publications. aspx

The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior

The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior: Kingdom of Bahrain as a Case Study Durra Mansoor & Akram Jalal January 2011 Summary: This research aims to learn how Bahrain consumers affected by global financial crisis since 2007. Additionally, it focuses on changes in consumer behavior after global crisis. The result of this research is based on questioner analysis which tries to measure knowledge about global crises to randomly selected consumers in Bahrain. The World is facing with economic challenges. America, powerful Europe and Asia affected by financial crises in some different levels.The global financial crisis affected all consumers in the World not only economically but also psychologically. This new financial situation increased panic and uncertainty on consumers in globe. In hard and stressful times such as economic crises, consumer behavior changes have occurred. Because of FC, consumers changed their behaviors by reducing their consumption. People became money-minded and they don’t want to spend money for premium products anymore, and they prefer cheapest products. They redefine â€Å"necessities† and â€Å"luxuries†. Also you can read  Business Ethics ComprisesSo, they only buy the things which are taking place on their shopping list. They’re comparing products and making their choices by compromising quality. Some of them started to manage their income by searching on e-commerce websites to catch best price. They are planning their purchasing by postponing expenditures like discretionary expenditure to make savings. Thus, their total expenditure amount decreased because of global crisis. According to Mansoor and Jalal (2011), the role that consumers play in these days is very crucial to business’ survival.It is driving force behind the success of many businesses, because most of the contemporary consumers spend major time on buying decisions. Consumers buying decision is changing person to person. However, after economic crises, consumer started to spend much time for information and decision making. By predicting consumer’s behavior, a business can understand consumerâ₠¬â„¢s needs, and can work on fulfilling the needs and meeting the expectations of their customers (Mansoor and Jalal, 2011). Businesses should work hard for success of their businesses and try to strengthen their long-term strategies.They should personalize their products to earn consumers’ loyalty. Making investment to their brand and differentiating themselves against to their competitors are also crucial. Businesses should add new and irreplaceable products to their portfolios and build tight relations with their consumers to survive in financial crisis. Consumers in Bahrain adapted to new trends after financial crisis. They preferred to purchase less priced and substitute products compared by expensive products. They though that expensive products are not that much worthy by considering their high prices.

Crm of Pizza Hut

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BRAND PERCEPTIONS: THE CASE STUDY OF ESTEE LAUDER DISSERTATION By PALESA MAHLOELE Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc Marketing University of Wales APRIL 2011 ABSTRACT Social media has evolved through many generations and eras, it has been defined in various ways by different authors, researchers as well as academia. Some argue that it stems from the very early forms of interpersonal communication via email, while others solely accept it as the more recent form of social interaction on social media sites.Despite all the different arguments that exist regarding social media, extant academic literature on the topic is rather sparse. That being said however, the topic of brand perceptions has been studied and researched in depth in both the academic and corporate worlds. The understanding of brand perceptions has been the source of many debates which has resulted in a wealth of literature to draw o n for this research study. This research study sought to assess the impact that Social Media has on brand perceptions of consumers, with a specific focus on Facebook and the Blogosphere.In order to add structure and guidance to the research study, three research objectives were set. The first objective was to review extant conceptual models and theoretical frameworks related to social media and brand perceptions. The second was to evaluate Facebook and consumer blogs in their role as reference groups on consumers. The final research objective was to determine optimal strategies to improve sales and brand reputation of cosmetics through an increased presence on social media platforms; specifically Facebook and blogs.The researcher deemed it appropriate to conduct this investigation from a qualitative research paradigm. Given the nature of the topic under investigation, qualitative research would allow the researcher to delve deeper into the subject matter. Consequently, the study was carried out in an inductive approach using a case study strategy where data was collected from Estee Lauder and using multiple sources of evidence. This data collection was coupled with online survey in-depth as well as semi-structured interviews for both employees of the company understudy as well as regular consumers of cosmetics products.For the purposes of analysis, thematic data analysis method was chosen based of the fact that it would be most appropriate for qualitative analyses. This method of data analysis allowed the researcher to draw major themes that arose from the data collected as well as the few permeated themes that came through. The findings from this research study revealed that in principal, consumers and management accept and appreciate the importance of the impact that social media has on brand perceptions. It would seem, based on the results that the challenges boil down to the execution of social media marketing activities.Essentially, Facebook and the blogo sphere fulfil distinctive roles in communicating marketing messages, both consumer and company generated. Where Facebook is considered to be a social interaction space, blogs are seen to serve an information providing role. Based on the results of this research study, cosmetics companies have failed to recognise these critical differences. Despite the fact that Facebook is considered a private interpersonal communication space, the findings suggest that adding tangible value in holding a presence on Facebook can yield positive results on brand perceptions.Results from this study reveal the untapped potential residing in social media provided strategies that have consumer needs and desires are critically considered. Chapter One Introduction 1. 1Enquiry Overview The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of social media on brand perceptions using Estee Lauder as a case study. Social media in the context of this research study specifically refers to Facebook and Blogs. This research is qualitative in nature and is largely focused on proving the feasible solutions for Estee Lauder concerning leveraging social media.This enquiry overview seeks to provide the reader with an outline of what to expect from the rest of the paper. Each chapter of the study is concisely summarised to as to achieve this. The first chapter of the study opens up with a comprehensive introduction to the study. This section leads the reader into the study by providing the essential background and justification of the study. Moreover, the aims and objectives without which the paper would have no direction are laid out in this chapter and equally important are the research questions which the research seeks to answer.The subsequent chapter then delves into literature review of existing material on the subject of social media and brand perceptions, and where possible, literature on cosmetic marketing was also investigated. The purpose of this chapter was to build solid theoretica l foundation from which the rest of the study could be built. Additionally, chapter two is aimed at ensuring that the ‘wheel is not re-invented’ where certain relevant subjects had previously been researched and could therefore enhance this study. Chapter is primarily concerned with research methodology utilised in the study.Importantly, chapter attempts to rationalise the chosen research path. Further on to this, the research paradigm, the selected research instruments as well as the sampling methods, ethical considerations and pilot study are discussed in this chapter. This chapter provides the reader with a full understanding of the way in which the research aims and objectives are bridged with the direction the study takes. Chapter four is essentially focused on presenting the data and then analysing it. More interestingly, in chapter four the reader is taken through the data collection and analysis process.It is in this section that the research questions are mainl y addressed. Thematic analysis, which is the selected data analysis tool for this research study is discussed and justified at the same time; alternative analysis tools deemed to be unsuitable for the study are discussed therein. The study concludes with a chapter which proposes feasible recommendations to Estee Lauder concerning the way in which social media can be realistically leveraged in order to positively impact brand perceptions among its target audience.These recommendations are based on the empirical findings from this research study, discussed in the preceding chapter. Importantly, chapter five seeks to examine the findings of this research in relation to the research aims and objectives set out at the beginning of the study. 1. 2Research Aims and Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Social Media sites on brand perceptions, with specific focus on the cosmetics industry using Estee Lauder as a case study.This study will have a two-facet appr oach. It will analyse the impact of exposure of cosmetics brands, on Social Media sites from the influence of content generated by consumers or general members on Facebook and blogs; and on the other hand, this study will investigate the impact of content generated by cosmetics companies. Consumer generated content, in particular through blogs and ‘conversational’ interactions on Facebook by way of individual or private comments, status updates and photographs.Company (brand) generated content will specifically be focussed on fan pages created by cosmetics companies; using Estee Lauder as a case study. This research aims to achieve the following objectives. 1. To review extant conceptual models and theoretical frameworks related to social media and brand perceptions 2. To evaluate Facebook and consumer blogs in their role as reference groups on consumers 3. To determine optimal strategies to improve sales and brand reputation of cosmetics through an increased presence o n social media platforms; specifically Facebook and blogs. 1. 3Research QuestionsIn order to assess the effectiveness of social media platforms as a means of influencing brand perceptions of cosmetics, using Estee Lauder as a case study; the following questions must be answered through this research study. 1. What role do reference groups play in the purchase decision-making process of cosmetics? 2. Is there a link between exposure of brands on Facebook and blogs the consumer’s propensity to purchase cosmetics? 3. Are social media sites, specifically Facebook and blogs effective marketing tools when used in isolation in the absence of monolithic marketing programs? 1. rationale of the study Marketers are presently faced with the ever-increasing challenge of creatively developing communication techniques that will effectively reach their target audience. Where in previous years, consumers did not have access to a wide array of product information or choices, today; consumerism is dominating all aspects of life (Rahman and Rahaman; 2008). Industry expert, Raphael Viton (2009) postulates that social media marketing strategies work best for â€Å"high involvement† categories where information, feedback and testimonials from trusted sources play an important role in buying decisions.He further posits that this being the case for beauty products makes social media â€Å"perfect for cosmetics† Viton (2009). What has been clearly evident over recent years is that although numerous cosmetics companies have made efforts to have some presence on social media sites, very few are truly committed and many are unsuccessful in their approach. Many such companies embarked on a social media marketing campaign in the height of digital euphoria but did little to nothing in order to maintain these campaigns.According to research conducted by Forrester Research (2009) traditional advertising is on the decline with the rise of social media in the UK and the USA. This research further indicates that Social Media spending will increase to $3,113 (in millions) in 2014 from $716 in 2009 representing a compound annual growth rate of 34% – the highest percentage gain in the marketing mix. This spending activity also ranks it as the third most prominent program behind search marketing and display advertising.Edelman (2010) proposes, â€Å"Though  marketing strategies that focused on building brand awareness and the point of purchase worked pretty well in the past, consumer touch points have changed in nature. For example, in many categories today the single most powerful influence to buy is someone else's advocacy. Social Media presents marketers with a less costly means of micro-targeting their audience effectively. Whereas as previously, exorbitant budgets were required for mass reach, social media is able to achieve the same at a fraction of the cost.A paradigm shift has occurred where consumers are getting product information and in teracting, this revolution calls for an appraisal on the part of companies wishing to remain salient. Whereas more traditional promotional techniques, specifically, television, radio and print advertising once dominated product promotions; offline channels are now taking over. Owen (2010) claims that, â€Å"It's important to realise that an expanding audience in one channel does not automatically mean a decline in another. â€Å"As much as social media marketing is on the rise, evidence proving the effectiveness of these platforms used in isolation is scant.Social media is a fairly young discipline and many marketing managers are uncertain on how to effectively approach it in terms of coupling it with traditional marketing methods. Evidence is equally meagre with regards to how brands’ exposure on social media platforms affects their image either through brand fan pages or friend’s communication Galak and Stephen (2010) put forth that while social media was once the domain of younger, tech-savvy, early adopter consumers who were faster to adopt new technologies, it has now evolved into mainstream and covers a broad demographic spectrum.Today, 75% of Internet-using adults in the United States are active on such social media Bernoff et. al. (2009). This large number of users makes it critical to understand not only how social media influences consumers, but also how it operates alongside traditional media. Findings from this research study will add value to the development of effective social media marketing strategies for cosmetics companies (brands) going forward. 1. 5Scope and Limitations The generally accepted definition of Social Media spans to cover a wide spectrum of innumerable online tools.The extensiveness of existing social media platforms spans further than this research is able to cover. Financial restraints as well as time constraints inhibit this research study to cover the entire scope of social media platforms available today. Th is research will strictly concern itself with investigating social media in as far as it includes Facebook and beauty blogs. The study will also be purely focussed on the impact of brand perceptions on Facebook and blogs on the cosmetics industry using Estee Lauder as a case study.Moreover, data collected for this research will be limited to what is accessible through Estee Lauder company reports and secondary information that is publically available. Lack of access to internal marketing and sales data may limit the robustness of the Estee Lauder specific information. In addition to the above stated restraints, in order to achieve a more focussed study, it was deemed necessary to exclude the plethora of demographics that are also active on Facebook and blogs; consequently, this study will only focus on the female consumers between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five that purchase cosmetics at least once a month.Consequently, some may regard the generalisation of these findings as i nconclusive or rather narrow. There may be product specific factors that affect the outcome of these results as pertaining only to the cosmetics industry and not necessarily to other product categories across the board. There may also be factors that may uniquely affect people within that specific age group that will impact the outcome of the results of this research study. However, the findings of this study will contribute the understanding of social media on brand perceptions albeit for a specific industry.Notwithstanding the above-discussed limitations, this study will establish a foundation on which to build on when organisations embark social media marketing strategies to enhance their brand reputations. 1. 6Background of the study Boyd and Ellison (2008) define social media sites as â€Å"web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, a nd (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site. † For the purposes of this research study, all mention of social media sites refers specifically to Facebook and Blogs. The research will consider both consumer and company (marketing) generated content on these sites. An increasing number of people across the race and age spectrum are spending significant amounts of time online, socialising with friends through a variety of social networking sites.Traditionally, visitors to these social networking sites visited such sites primarily for the purpose of interacting with friends and publicly sharing details, comments and photographs of their lives. Human beings are social and have an innate need or desire to feel accepted and to fit in. Accordingly, they tend to be heavily influenced by the people around them or with whom they spend the most time on making purch ase decisions. Such people range in the type or relationships, including- family, friends, colleagues or even just casual acquaintances.Such groups of people help form and shape perceptions of brands. The word used to define this group of people is reference group. Solomon et. al (2010) define a reference group as â€Å"an actual or imaginary individual or group conceived of having significant relevance upon an individual’s evaluations, aspirations, or behaviour. † These are the people that consumers often rely on for product information they can trust. Stallen et. al clarify this concept further by explaining that, â€Å"decision-making is often influenced by the behavior of others.For instance, people frequently make similar decisions as their friends do (e. g. teenagers may choose to wear clothing that is identical to that of their buddies); while they also often choose differently than the ones they do not like (e. g. the clothing should not be identical to what i s worn by â€Å"uncool† kids). † As social media sites are where many people are now spending most of their time, these interactions are now taking place on such platforms. Over time, the social media landscape has evolved into a space where a broad range of information is disseminated.Consumers are now looking to these sites for product information that they can rely on from trusted sources-friends and family online. Thus, social media sites have in themselves, evolved to become a â€Å"reference group† as such. Casteleyn et. al (2008) suitably notes that the information that people display on their Facebook pages is constructed to communicate their personality to their friends and to the rest of the world. More often than not, these are the ‘desired’ perceptions that people would like others to have of them.Nonetheless, a myriad of information is propagated through these channels and reaches a wide spectrum of people beyond any geographical borders . This type of information dissemination is known as online Word of Mouth (WOM). WOM is commonly defined as an unpaid form of promotion in which a satisfied customer tells other people how much they like a product or service or even sharing a positive experience. The same is applicable in a negative sense, in which case a customer may have had a distasteful experience with a business, product or service and shares that with their online network.Cheema and Kaikati (2010) propose that word of mouth (WOM) communication is central to the exchange process as consumers often rely on others for assistance with purchases, especially for products with high financial or psychological risk. Several studies have empirically demonstrated that WOM is more persuasive than traditional media channels Godes et. al. (2005) WOM is considered to be one of the most credible forms of promotion because a person puts their reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation and that person has noth ing to gain but the pleasure of being heard.Traditionally the spread of WOM was limited to those within one’s geographical area and was bound to a close network of people with whom a relationship was shared. In modern times, the proliferation of the Internet has expanded the network exponentially. The growth of the Internet and particularly the rapid increase in popularity of social networking sites as a preferred medium of communication has broken down the boundaries that once limited WOM communication.As a result of this, coupled with the recent surge in technological developments worldwide, particularly pertaining to the Internet and continuously advancing social media sites- traditional marketing seems to be losing power and space with a majority of companies. The cosmetics industry is one that has had a significantly increased presence on social media sites. Extensive fan pages have been created on Facebook by both companies and consumers; wishing to share new product in formation, product experiences and recommendations. Similarly, there has been an equally considerable growth of beauty and cosmetics blogs.The definition of cosmetics is considered to comprise of skincare products (body and facial), make up, personal care products including deodorants, body washes and soaps. From this point on, for the purposes of this research study, all reference to cosmetics includes only skincare products (body and facial) and make up. Typically, cosmetics are advertised in glossy fashion and beauty magazines as well as on television. However, at present, beauty product marketers are searching for new ways to expand their consumer reach beyond the traditional avenues of fashion and beauty magazines.According to Decoursey and Sloan (2009)  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Concerns, particularly for smaller companies, include magazine clutter, increased ad rates and policies concerning rotation of advertisers in prime space. And virtually all marketers worry about harried consumers, who have less spare time to pore over fashion and beauty books. † As a result of the above, social media sites have emerged as an increasingly popular avenue for beauty product marketers to explore as a medium to reach their consumers, where social media sites form part of the consumers’ reference group.Consequently, the following research study aims to assess the impact of social media sites on brand perceptions of cosmetics products, using Estee Lauder as a case study. Further to this, the changing role of social media sites as consumption reference groups for brand exposure and product sales of cosmetics brands will be analysed. 1. 8 SUMMARY This chapter comprehensively introduced the research study. It provided an overview of the study by stating the aims and objectives of the research and providing the rationale of the work.Finally the chapter closed with a discussion of the scope and limitations and the background of this study. Chapter Two seeks to systematically inv estigate extant literature on the topic. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1INTRODUCTION The focus of this section of the paper delves deeper into present research that has been conducted in fields related to the area of focus of this study as laid out in the preceding chapter. The purpose is to gather theoretical literature to make for a solid study together with the data that will be collected in this investigation.Research in the area of social media sites and consumer behaviour has only recently become of great interest to researchers in the past three to five years. The reason is two-fold 1) although social media sites have been around since the late nineties; they’ve only recently started to truly flourish in the past few years. 2) Brand marketers started identifying such sites as a suitable channel to communicate with their consumers over approximately the same period. To begin with, this chapter will explore a conceptual clarification of the terms social media in the w ay it is intended for this paper.Following that will be an interpretation of brand perception in the way that it relates to and will be studied in this research. In addition to this, further relevant literature on the topic will provide a broader scope into the subject under research will also be considered and examined. 2. 2Conceptual Clarifications Although social media is a relatively new construct in the communication world, a great many researchers and authors have provided their own interpretations of what it can be defined as (Chung and Austria, 2010; Dutta, 2009; Hoffman, 2004; Cova & Pace, 2006 Jones, 2009).As varied as the understandings may be from author to author, one thing remains consistent; social media is growing at a phenomenally rapid pace. Furthermore social media has revolutionised the way in which people communicate and that brands communicate with their consumers. Chung and Austria (2010) postulate that Social media includes various methods of online communica tion such as social networking, user-sponsored blogs, multimedia sites, company-sponsored websites, collaborative websites as well as podcasts.This definition includes just about the entire scope of the activities that a majority of individuals who participate in online communications would be involved with. Dutta (2009) further reiterates this point by stating â€Å"it’s no secret that social media—global, open, transparent, non-hierarchical, interactive, and real time—are changing consumer behaviour and workplace expectations. † It is becoming increasingly difficult and in some cases, impossible to follow traditional communication structures of non-transparency and hierarchy when people communicate via social media platforms.This is particularly true of business communication. Consumers now have more access to information than they ever had before. Hoffman (2004) supports the above statement, â€Å"the Internet makes available numerous information sour ces that consumers may draw on as they search for information and construct choices about commercial offerings. These information sources include social media sites, online product reviews (either by peers or experts), and uncensored in-depth product information on a variety of Websites, among many other sources. Cova & Pace (2006) put orth that â€Å"consumers in consumer-generated brand communities want to become influential participants and regard brands as ‘belonging to us’ and not as companies that supposedly own them. They are driven by a similar passion or ethos to form and engage in online brand communities, thereby producing their own cultural meanings around brands. Social media is a fundamental shift in the way we discover and share information. It provides individuals and particularly retailers with the ability to cultivate and have ongoing conversations and touch points with their customers and potential customers.Every retailer has a unique tribe of custo mers or a niche group of consumers. Social media helps broaden that group and engage with them like never before. Jones (2009) summarises it well in stating that â€Å"Social media essentially is a category of online media where people are talking, participating, sharing, networking, and bookmarking online. † From the above, it is evident that social media sites as a construct have evolved over time to encompass a considerably wider scope of the consumers’ online experience. When consumers make a purchase, they are buying more than just the product; they are buying into the brand.Keller (1993) maintains the above statements by putting forth that brand perceptions are attributes in consumer memory that are linked to the brand name. Solomon et. al (2010) defines perception as the process by which stimuli are selected, organised or interpreted. Marketers play a crucial role in shaping and defining brand perceptions in consumers. Findings from several research studies prev iously conducted indicate that brand perceptions play a pivotal role in the consumer purchase experience because they are said to influence consideration and evaluation, and therefore ultimately, purchase (Nedungadi 1990; Keller 2003).Several factors may influence brand perception, the factors include but are not limited to elements such as; price of the product, the way in which the product is packaged, where the product is sold, reviews and feedback by reference groups on the product, and indeed how product information is disseminated or advertised. This research study will explore the impact of social media sites, namely Facebook and blogs on brand perceptions- including but not exclusively the above-mentioned elements that often shape it.This review will be focussed on three aspects of the impact of social media on consumer purchasing behaviour as researched in previous studies: 1) The History of Social Media 2) The impact of WOM through social media sites 3)The role of opinion leaders and opinion seekers on social media sites as reference groups 4) Shopping as a social activity on social media sites 2. 3history of social media There are opposing schools of thought as to when social media was born. Some argue that social media did not begin with computers, and that it was born on â€Å"line† specifically on the phone.The era of Phone phreaking or the Rogue exploration of the telephone network of the 1950s was a period when techno-geeks-people who were very clued up on technology- began to investigate ways to allow them to make free or cheap calls. â€Å"These early social media explorers built â€Å"boxes† which were homemade electronic devices that could generate tones allowing them to make free calls and get access to the experimental back end of the telephone system. Borders (2009) While on the other hand, others argue that social media came in considerably more recent years.Boyd and Ellison (2007) claim that â€Å"the first recognizable social network site launched in 1997. SixDegree. com allowed users to create profiles, list their Friends and, beginning in 1998, surf the Friends lists. Each of these features existed in some form before SixDegrees, of course. For instance, profiles existed on most major dating sites and many community sites. Classmates. com allowed people to affiliate with their high school or college and surf the network for others who were also affiliated, but users could not create profiles or list Friends until years later. SixDegrees. com was the first to combine these features. As defined by Boyd and Ellison (2007), the generally accepted present-day understanding of social media and what it has become would however suggest that these platforms as we interpret them today, concurs with the latter date of origin. 2. 3. 1ORIGINS OF FACEBOOK Facebook was originally born out of the trivial concept of allowing students to judge each other based on their facial appearance. Over a relatively brief period, Mark Zuckerberg-founder of Facebook evolved the platform and introduced innovative ideas into the network, and added some useful features like a comments section, amongst other things.Within a few months most of the schools and universities in the United States and Canada were on board, and a surprisingly large number of people had joined Facebook. In September 2006, the network was opened to any individual who had an email address and was over the age of 13. Subsequently, Facebook rapidly grew into the most popular social networking website. 2. 3. 2ORIGINS OF BLOGGING Miller and Pole (2010) define a blog as a website containing dated entries, or posts, presented in reverse-chronological order.Blog features commonly include archives (previous posts, typically grouped by month and year), a blogroll (a list of recommended blogs), and a reader comment section. Today, most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the b logs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. Brown et. al (2007) acknowledge that word of mouth (WOM) communication is a major part of online consumer interactions, particularly within the environment of online communities.The relative simplicity required to set up and participate in a blog allows for any individual that has a basic understanding of how a computer works to be involved in this online activity. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Increasingly, blogs are now emerging as a new form of interactive advertising tool on the Internet.Cho and Huh (2008) The origins of modern blogging are often a point of great contention. There is a school of thought that believes that the ‘Mosaic's what's new’ page in 1993 was the first weblog. The ‘Mosaic's what's new’ in 1993 a list of links some people passed onto others. However, it wasn't until December 1997 that Jorn Barger coined the term â€Å"weblog† in his Robot Wisdom Weblog. In 1998, only a handful of blogs existed, and many of the bloggers knew each other and linked to each other's sites. Rebecca Blood, author of The Weblog Handbook, notes that one preeminent site listed only 23 blogs in existence at the beginning of 1999.The media started noticing blogs later in 1999 and drew attention to the phenomenon. But it was the proliferation of free weblog-creation programs in 1999 that made blogging into a hugely popular pastime. Before this software was widely available, most weblogs were hand-coded by web developers and others who taught themselves HTML. The new programs made it easy for anyone to create their own weblog. Blogger was released in August 1999 and was an immediate hit. This simple weblog application allows users to create any kind of weblog they desire.By October 2000, Blogger users were creating 300 new blogs a day, and the Blogger directory had over 5,500 blogs listed. In November of the same year, the 10,000th Blogger weblog was created. As of 2002, Blogger claimed over 750,000 users. The rise of tools like Blogger also changed the content of weblogs. While they had begun as link-driven sites offering alternative viewpoints on news and other subjects, weblogs began to collide with online journals. Blogger-style tools allowed links and commentary to quickly grow into longer essays and diaries on the Web.Online journals had existed before this, but weblog applications made journals easier to manage for those who didn't know HTML. 2. 4The impact of WOM through social media sites Both scholars and practitioners of marketing are particularly interested in WOM communication behavior in the context of online communities because of the extraordinary popularity, growth, and influence of such communities. Arndt et. al (1967) defines WOM as a consumer-dominated channel of marketing communication where the sender is independent of the market.It is therefore perceived to be more reliable, credible, and trustworthy by consumers compared to firm-initiated communications. Some literature reviews of studies in the field of social media sites reveal that the rapid spread of WOM on such sites concerning products and brands is one of their most distinguishing benefits. â€Å"A key finding from research indicates that 10% of new consumer packaged goods (CPG) account for 85% of viral buzz, but this does not necessarily indicate a direct link with sales generation. Niederhoffer. (2007) Furthermore, the once accepted belief that word of mouth influence comes only from the elite, highly connected few has been challenged. Consumption-related online communities essentially represent WOM networks, where individuals wi th an interest in a product category interact for information such as purchase advice, to affiliate with other like- minded individuals, or to participate in complaint or compliment interactions (Cothrel, 2000; Kozinets, 1999; Hoffman and Novak, 1996).While it can be argued that the WOM communication going on within these online communities has limited social presence in the traditional sense, these communities provide information and social support in both specialized and broadly based relationships, and are becoming an important supplement to social and consumption behavior. Wellmanet. al. (1996) A study conducted by Cyber Atlas (2001), for example, cited 84% of Internet users having contacted at least one online community.The popularity of these emerging consumption-focused online communities, and the WOM communication going on within them, highlights a need for increasing scholarly attention to be paid to online WOM communication. Smith et. al (2007) state that â€Å"Research s uggests that most people are moderately connected and are as willing as the highly connected to share marketing messages. † Increased accessibility to the Internet and thus, social media sites has exacerbated the connectivity of people through an increased number of touch points such as mobile phones.Whereas previously people who did not own or have access to personal computers or home Internet connectivity, were not able to access social media sites, now through their cell phones they are active participants on such sites. This research proposes that people have an innate desire to share messages with one another-including marketing communications. Social media sites have a unique distinguishing factor that traditional marketing methods lack and that is an ability to stimulate and enable two way dialogue between companies and their consumers and vice versa.An added advantage of this two-way dialogue is that it is possible for it to take place in real time and instantaneously. Consumers on these platforms are able to engage with companies that were traditionally out of reach to them on matters concerning their brands or products. Likewise, companies (brands) are able to gain insights into their customers and customers’ perspective, as well as directly address any issues or concerns at hand. In some cases, consumers engage with one another without the brand intervening at all; sharing opinions and experiences.In the same breath however, John Marshall Roberts, communications strategist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Worldview Learning, training and Research Company for change makers,  highlighted the importance of the need for transparency and honesty, he warns that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"half-truths and ‘green washing’ are quickly exposed on today’s social media networks. † It is imperative that companies with a presence on social media sites maintain an uttermost level of integrity in their communication with consumers, as the truth can almost always be uncovered.In such cases, a positive reputation that a brand may have built over many years can be destroyed in a matter of days and indeed in an instant. Katz and Lazarsfeld (1955) in one of the earliest research studies on WOM concluded that WOM two times more effective than radio advertisements, four times more than personal selling, seven times more than print advertisements. This research, was investigating traditional WOM in the absence of social media and indeed the Internet. Such WOM was bound by geographical location, as people were limited to the people that they were physically able to interact with.The Internet and indeed, the exponential growth of social media sites, have eradicated this constraint. Trusov et. al. (2009) find that WOM referrals have a strong impact on new customer acquisition. In their research, they conclude that the effectiveness of WOM referrals on social media sites have resulted in a direct positive effect on sales of pro ducts. The creation of social media has meant that WOM can be directly tracked in relation to its impact of consumer behaviour with regards to individuals’ decision-making process. There are several motivations that lead consumers’ WOM referral behaviour.These two motivating factors have found to be the primary drivers such as extreme satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Dichter 1966; Richins 1983; Yale 1987), commitment to the firm (Dick and Basu 1994) and novelty of the product (Bone 1992). When a consumer has had an exceptionally pleasing experience with a brand, or on the other hand, a particularly unpleasant one they are more likely to share this with as many of their peers as possible. Depending on the experience, this could lead to extreme benefit on the part of the company behind the brand or it could be detrimental to its image.Equally significant is the level of loyalty that a consumer may have to a brand or company. Once a consumer has a reached a stage of extre me brand loyalty, they develop a deep connection with the brand as they would with a person. There have been various schools of thought on the motivating influences on spread of WOM. One of these was that consumers who communicate marketing messages to other consumers were previously assumed to engage in this behavior as a result of altruism or reciprocity or to attain higher status (Dichter 1966; Engel, Kegerreis, and Blackwell 1969; Gatignon and Robertson 1986).However, according to findings conducted by Kozinets et. al. (2010), the motivators are more multifaceted including the individual’s personality, specifically at whether they are opinion leaders or opinion seeker; this topic will be discussed in greater detail further on in the next section of the literature review chapter. Additionally, their research study suggests that the sharing of WOM marketing messages is â€Å"personal in a communally appropriate manner. † Therefore, advocating that WOM is heavily infl uenced by personal characteristics of an individual in a communal setting.Wiedmann et. al. (2007) address the question of why certain personal sources of information have more influence than others to identify general market-place influencers and use them for more effective product and message diffusion. They support that factors such as source expertise (Bansal and Voyer 2000; Gilly et al. 1998), tie strength (Brown and Reingen 1987; Frenzen and Nakamoto 1993), demographic similarity (Brown and Reingen 1987), reference group influence (Bearden and Etzel 1982) and perceptual affinity (Gilly et al. 998) have been identified as important antecedents of WOM influence. 2. 5The role of opinion leaders and opinion seekers on social media sites as reference groups Bearden et. al. (1989) state that the pervasive use of spokespeople in product and service endorsements reflects the widely held belief that individuals who are admired or who belong to a group to which other individuals aspire c an exercise an influence on information processing, attitude formation, and purchase behaviour. Consumers influence other consumers in numerous ways.They act as models that inspire imitation among those who observe their purchase and consumer behaviour, either directly or indirectly. Flynn et. al (2001) propose that consumers spread information through word of mouth, as consumption is a major topic of social communication. They further influence one another by directly giving out advice and verbal direction for search purchase and use. Research reveals that the time spent online and the benefits pertaining to product information and brand awareness for consumers are impacted on by individual personality traits.Personality traits in this context are discussed as they pertain to â€Å"opinion leaders† and â€Å"opinion seekers†. Solomon et. al (2010) clarify the term opinion leaders by defining them as â€Å"people who are knowledgeable about products and whose advice i s taken seriously by others. † These people tend to be respected in their knowledge of specific products and hold great social power, as people tend to go to them for recommendations and advice. Opinion seekers on the other hand â€Å"are more likely to talk about products with others and to solicit others’ opinions as well. Solomon et. al (2010) Research conducted by Acar and Polonsky (2007) reveal that â€Å"gender and extroversion predict online social network size and time spent online; that opinion seekers spend more time online and have larger networks relative to opinion leaders; and that opinion leaders are more likely to communicate their brand use online† This research further found the â€Å"mediating role of opinion leadership and opinion seeking in explaining the impact of general personality traits online brand communication and social networking. †From this definition it is established that although people may seek information from various sources, there are certain individuals whose advice carries more weight than others. Opinion leaders also tend to be socially active and highly interconnected in their community. Opinion seekers on the other hand, are often seen to be followers of opinion leaders. They are constantly in search of information from others. This could explain the reason that they would be most active online as revealed in research discussed above by Acar and Polonsky (2007).Research conducted by Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993) concurs that the set of associations consumers have about a brand is an important component of brand equity. According to the findings from this research, consumers gain a certain level of psychological benefit from using or associating with certain brands. Consequently, the way in which the opinion leader is perceived will have a bearing on the brand perception to those that interact with him.Escalas and Bettman (2003) found that â€Å"students are more are more likely to develo p a self-brand connection when there is a strong usage association between a reference group and the brand and there is a strong connection between the reference groups and the consumer’s self-concept. † Therefore, in this research, if a student has aspiration or actual associations with a certain reference group, whichever brand(s) that are popular within that group or have a high usage rate within that group will in turn have a level of appeal to that student.It stands to reason then, that with the copious amounts of time spent online by consumers, and the loads of information imparted particularly by opinion seekers, that social media sites would now form a pivotal role of this brand reference and purchase decision making construct. Social media sites have in themselves evolved dramatically over recent years, occupying a more extensive space in today’s society. The advancement of social media has allowed it to reach a point where it could be considered to play a pivotal role in consumer interaction with reference groups.Childers and Rao (1992) put forth that the reference- group construct has supplanted the notion of group membership as one that explains group influence on individual behaviour. An important point to note is that the relationship between an individual and a reference group should be motivationally and psychologically significant for the influence to be considerable. Lessig and Park (1978) identified and examined three motivational reference group functions (RGFs) that lend themselves easily to the proposition of social media sites as reference groups.The functions are: informational, utilitarian, and value-expressive. These two researchers defined the terms in the following way. â€Å"An informational reference group imposes no norms on the individual. Instead, an influence is internalized if it is perceived as enhancing the individual's knowledge about his environment and/or his ability to cope with some aspect of it. T hus, the likelihood that an individual will accept information from this reference group as evidence of reality increases if he feels uncertainty associated with the purchase and/or lacks relevant purchase related experience. In line with this thinking, consumers in the process of purchasing products may visit Facebook or a blogging site in order to get product information, often from people with whom they have a personal relationship or connection. The influence of a utilitarian reference group on the other hand as outlined by the research conducted by Lessig and Park (1978) refers to â€Å"influence on individuals from a different approach from the informational reference group, these groups are seen to motivate an individual to realize a reward or to avoid a punishment mediated by some other individual or group or is expected to conform to the other's influence. The success of this phenomenon is achieved only if the individual feels that his actions are visible or will be known. Individual profiles are visible to everyone that participates on Facebook as well as blogs other than those with a private setting. Individuals subscribing to this form of reference group would tend to want as many people as possible to see their profile and thus display their group associations. The third motivational reference group function explored by Lessig and Park (1978) is the value-expressive reference group. An individual utilizes a value-expressive reference group for the purpose of expressing himself and/or bolstering his ego to an outside world. The degree of cohesiveness or norm specificity of the reference group is irrelevant for this function. What is important is the psychological image associated with the group whether the group is real or imaginary. A number of well-known cases exist in which attempts have been made to use the value-expressive reference group function in promotions.Consider the following examples: the â€Å"young generation† promoted by Pe psi, the ‘seaman image† promoted by Schlitz and the â€Å"sophisticated and liberated woman† concept promoted by Virginia Slim cigarettes. † Social media sites have now created a platform whereby people are enabled to create, aspire and join certain group. This information is more readily accessible and visible to the general public, thereby allowing individuals to display their affiliations with much more ease and higher reach.Childers and Rao (1992) further establish that from marketing and consumer- behaviour perspectives, the influence of reference groups on individual behaviour is often manifested in the types of products and brands purchased by individuals. 2. 6SHOPPING AS A SOCIAL ACTIVITY ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES A third view into social media sites and consumer buying behaviour show that these two concepts are intrinsically connected as shopping or sales in themselves are a social activity based on mutual trust.According to Shih (2009), â€Å"relation ships can sometimes even trump price as the deciding factor in purchase decisions. † Product information from a trusted source like friends, family or other people that may form a part of one’s reference group could result in the purchase of a product just from the mere fact that the information is coming from that specific person. It has been accepted for decades that shopping is more than the mere acquisition of products but rather it is more about the enjoyment, experience and entertainment.Dennis et. al (2009) state that â€Å"as well as its functional role it includes the pleasure of browsing, impulse buying, discovering new shops, topic for casual conversation, focal point for planned and unplanned activities with other people. This statement is particularly true among women. Researchers have drawn attention to the importance of social and affiliation motivations for shopping. Shim and Eastlick (1998) Social networks lend themselves as an ideal platform for the a bove-mentioned motivations for shopping.These networks have drastically revolutionised society in the way people engage and socialise. â€Å"Nearly half (49%) of the thirty million Internet users in the UK have used social networking at least once in the last year and 70% of people and households are Internet users. Dutton et. al. (2009) Young females are over-represented as users of social network websites. Research carried out by Lenhart and Madden (2007) reported that 70% of females use social network sites and 48% of teens visit social network websites like Facebook daily.Findings from research conducted by comScore (2010) reveal that social media users spend, on average, one and a half times more time online than the typical web surfer. In fact, heavy Facebook users spent an average of $67 online during the first quarter of the year—compared with less than $50 for the general netizen. Social networks essentially facilitate social shopping or social commerce as the terms tend to be used interchangeably to take place among users. Social Shopping is a method of shopping where shoppers' friends and family become involved in the shopping experience.Social shopping attempts use technology to mimic the social interactions found in physical malls and stores. 2. 7cosmetics and social media Estee Lauder has demonstrated willingness and innovation within the cosmetics category in terms of exploring social media sites to enhance brand perceptions and ultimately increase its sales. In 2009, Estee Lauder launched a business to consumer (B2C) social media marketing campaign for their cosmetics division, with their â€Å"Lets Play Makeover† initiative.As a prestigious and global skin care and Cosmetics Company, Estee Lauder saw an opportunity to tap into the increasing share of older women – mothers in particular – who were using social media. They thus created the Estee Lauder â€Å"Let's Play Makeover† Facebook application, which in essence is a virtual makeover tool. Women could upload their photos and use Estee Lauder products to create virtual make-up. This is a significant change to cosmetics marketing because it allows potential consumers to test and trial make-up in the privacy of their own homes before making purchases.This innovative application saves time and also lets them experiment with make-up at their own leisure. The effectiveness of this application is underscored by how it also integrates the full shopping experience by indicating to users which specific makeup they are using, from the eye-shadow to foundation colour – and seals the deal by allowing them to purchase their chosen products online, thus making the purchase experience more convenient for the consumer. The sharing aspect of social media is also encouraged, as the application lets users share their makeovers and before/after shots with friends.Social media campaigns should not just be considered as a separate entity. It's effe ctiveness in B2C marketing especially can be enhanced with other marketing methods. This example in particular shows how to effectively tie in offline promotions with social media marketing. The underlying strategy with Estee Lauder's â€Å"Lets Play Makeover† campaign is thus to use social media as the major point of purchase, but at the same time, offer alternatives for users to make purchases, ultimately allowing them to fully engage with their products and services whichever way they prefer.Proctor & Gamble’s Olay brand was another successful story in pioneering of cosmetics category of products to explore the use of online interactions through such sites. It rolled out an online interactive diary for the Olay Regenerist anti-ageing skincare brand in 2006. The diary provided detailed information on the skin each week for the first eight weeks of product use, taking the consumer through the process, as the effects of the product were not immediately visible.Research conducted post this activity revealed that Olay had produced a four to six times higher intent to purchase among the target group, with 78% of the sample saying they had purchased the brand within the last year. According to a report by Stylophane (2010) â€Å"if a user joins the fan page as a result of viewing an advert, this action is logged on the advert itself, which means friends of the user can see this action, prompting them to also become a fan of the brand. † Thus highlighting the effectiveness of the spread of WOM on such sites even in the most passive or subtle situations.Another successful cosmetics brand that has seen great success through its presence on Facebook is MAC. As at March 2010, MAC had the greatest number of fans (542,613) – more than double that of the second most popular brand, Carol’s Daughter. Nichol (2010) 2. 8SUMMARY This chapter was dedicated to the clarification and expansion of existing theoretical studies on the topic under re search. The terms Social media and Brand perception were defined and clarified in the way in which they are intended for this study.Additionally, further research that offers a robust consolidation of theories to support the research at hand were examined and discussed. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1INTRODUCTION The previous chapter comprehensively explored extant literature on the topic under research. Focal points of discussion in the preceding chapter were on conceptual clarification and literature most pertinent to the topic in this study. The core purpose of this chapter is to expound and justify the chosen methodology of collection of primary data for this research.This chapter identifies research aims and objectives in relation to the research methodology employed. Moreover, this chapter discusses the chosen research paradigm or philosophy as well as its motives. Following onto this, the chapter explores the research approach, research strategy options as well as the selected data collection methods. Finally, this chapter deliberates the strengths and weaknesses of the research methodology for this study. 3. 2RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVESIt is imperative that the research aims and objectives mentioned at the beginning of the study are reiterated at this stage of the study as they form a crucial basis of the work going forward from this point. The research aims and objectives feed into the research methodology selected for the research. Therefore, at this point, it is prudent to reaffirm that the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Social Media sites on brand perceptions, with specific focus on the cosmetics industry using Estee Lauder as a case study.This research rests on the following aims and objectives; firstly the study set to review extant conceptual models and theoretical frameworks related to social media and brand perceptions. The following objective was to evaluate Facebook and consumer blogs in their role as referenc e groups on consumers. The final objective is to determine optimal strategies to improve sales and brand reputation of cosmetics through an increased presence on social media platforms; specifically Facebook and blogs. The above mentioned aims and objectives guide the researcher in the formulation and design of the research methodology.It is paramount that these aims and objectives are assiduously concomitant with the methodology employed in order to ensure the success of this research study. 3. 3RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY Galliers (1991) defines research philosophy as a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon should be gathered, analysed and used. Epistemology which is, what is known to be true, is contrary to doxology, what is believed to be true encompasses the various philosophies of research approach. Latu (2007) elaborates this rationale in stating that the purpose of science, then, is the process of transforming things believed into things nown: â€Å"doxa to episteme †. As discussed by Hussey and Hussey (1997), there are two key research philosophies that have been identified in science and those are positivist (scientific) and interpretivist (antipositivist). According to Weber (2004), positivists attempt to build knowledge of a reality that exists beyond the human mind. Their research is based on a belief that human experience of the world reflects an objective, independent reality and that this reality provides the foundation for human knowledge.On the other hand, interpretivists are attuned to the belief that knowledge they build reflects their individual structure of interpretation that is based on distinct human experience, background, culture and other such divergent factors that may impact the way in which they interpret results from their studies. Interpretivists in other words, try to make sense of the world, acknowledging that their sense-making activities occur within the framework of their life-worlds and the particular goals they have for their work.Knowledge is built through social construction or interpretation of the world. This research study is conducted from an interpretivist point of view. The results and findings of this study rely heavily on human interpretation as it relates to human perception which is essentially, the way people psychologically organise the world around them. There is a significant human socialisation interpretation involved in the analysis of the way in which social media sites impact on brand perceptions of individuals.The term perception by its very definition is based on an individual’s interpretation of the world around them. It would then stand to reason that an interpretivist research philosophy would be employed in the conducting of this research study. As is stated by Levin (1998), positivists believe that reality is stable and can be observed and described from an objective viewpoint; it would seem a fundamentally flawed approach to take on a positivists vie w when conducting this research-considering the subjectivity of the topic under research of human perception.This study is involved with the interpretation of brands exposed on Facebook and blogs by various individuals. The way in which one individual construes the presence of cosmetics brands on Facebook and blogs will invariably be different from the way another may view it- based on their differing understanding of the world. The human element which is inextricably associated with the topic under research could be overlooked in the investigation were it to be conducted from a positivist philosophy.Therefore, in investigating the impact of social media on brand perceptions, the research philosophy germane and most appropriate is interpretivism. The two principal disadvantages of a positivist application to the study at hand are these; firstly, its quest for rigid laws and perfect standards of scientific methodology and analysis are improbable when dealing with social phenomenon. P ositivism standards are meant to be applicable repeatedly overlooking the variations in human behaviour. The second drawback is positivism’s inconsideration of the subjective and unique aspects of social phenomenon.Whereas, in dealing with the interpretation of individuals’ brand perceptions, the researcher must factor in varying social backgrounds, brand and brand communication preferences, natural scientists w

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The accidental investment and Mans search for meaning compared - Essay Example These themes revolve around ethics, morality, values and motivation. Ethics is the differentiation of good and bad and so is morality. Morality however has an aspect that revolves around the background the individual or people have been brought up in and the morals that were instilled in such individuals. It is therefore not a wonder then that in the first book which solely deals with bankers, the author describes in detail how some bankers shamelessly and in most cases surreptitiously swindle their clients finances by lying about investments and especially those made through the internet. The author who was also in that business but later due to the lack of ethics and morality of the colleagues left explains how those bankers are self-centered thinking only about their future and not of those clients. This may be termed as a lack of morality, self-value and even ethics. The theme of motivation in this book becomes evident where it the motivations of the bankers to make ends meet and avoid having a poor future that make them swindle and lie to clients about investments. The same can be said about the second book whose concept of lack of morality, values and ethics revolves around the Nazi soldiers whose lack of the above mentioned themes led to them treating the Jews inhumanely and subjecting them to unbearable torture. It is this torture that made the author of the book decide to introduce a motivator through counseling the rest of the prisoners to keep their hopes and dreams alive and avoid them losing touch and giving up in life despite them being in the concentration camp. In the first book about investment, the author gives first-hand experience of what really goes on in the investment business that the rest of the population do not know are simply too ignorant to understand. The ethics and morality by bankers in the investment business has simply evolved from being that based on truth and deep care for the client to that of making money and generating rev enue regardless of how they will do it. Their values are not in customer satisfaction or benefit like it used to be the case in other previous decades, they simply think about themselves and their future which is uncertain and hence will fleece the innocent investors of their money without flinching an eye. Their motivation relies on internet and it superb working to connect many investors and at the same time remain faceless hence avoiding feelings of guilt in the end. The other book â€Å"Man’s search of meaning† is simply a personal experience about the author’s time spent in Nazi’s concentration camp, the hardships they faced, the inhumane treatment, the lack of morals and values by the guards running the camps and in the end the motivation behind survival in the camps and not giving up hope in spite of all the mistreatment. The theme of the first part of the book is about ethics and morality and how the guards in the concentration camp just like the bankers in the above book think about only themselves and hence step down harder on the rest of the people to achieve their goals and objectives at the end of the day. The motivation in the second part where logo therapy is employed by the author in a bid to keep alive and survive all that is interconnected with the motivation behind the banker’s use of internet to benefit themselves and feel less guilt or sad emotions for what they are doing. 2 How do the themes connect with my own ethics, values, interests and motivators? Ethics enable a person differentiate between the good and the bad and therefore make one avoid or correct the things that are deemed bad by the individual or society and concentrate on the good or work towards the good. The

What is the Status of Moral Claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is the Status of Moral Claims - Essay Example f is fundamentally and diametrically opposed to such a practice and does not consider any argument for it as being ethically or morally convincing (Nussbaum 1). As such, Nussbaum presents a very simple yet well reasoned approach that defines the process of FGM as reprehensible regardless of the cultural determinants that claim to the contrary. It is this author’s belief that the strong position that Nussbaum takes is absolutely defensible. Firstly, it should be a commonly held view across humanity that violence is not the solution to any perceived problem and that humans should most certainly not be subjected to a violent form of clitoral mutilation; especially prior to the age where they can make a determination for themselves how they would like their bodies to develop and represent their own unique understanding of culture. Whereas this view may be seen as xenophobic, the truth of the matter is that it should be understood across culture as patently wrong to inflict willful damage on any member of society; especially those that are unaware with regards to the pain and trauma that such a situation will effect later in their

Term paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Term - Research Paper Example It is firmly attached using screws through already drilled holes. Its front usually contains ports used to connect all the other internal components. In this case, one slot contains the central processing unit (CPU), while multiple slots allow for attachment of more memory modules. Other ports found on the motherboard allows for optical drive, floppy drive, and hard drive to connect through a ribbon cable. In addition, the computer case has some small wires that connect to the motherboard allowing for reset, power and LED lights to function. There is also a specially designed port on the motherboard through which power is supplied2. Part of the motherboard facing the back end of the case also has some ports. These ports are said to allow most external peripherals of the computer to connect to the monitor, keyboard, printer, mouse, phone lines, speakers and other external devices. Majority of motherboards also has FireWire and USB ports to enable compatible devices such as video camer as to connect to the computer when needed3. In fact, on the front side of the motherboard also exists quite a number of card slots. It is reported that these slots are where sound cards, video cards, and other expansion cards are connected to the motherboard. Functions of the motherboard System communication: It is through the motherboard that all forms of communication between the PC, its peripherals and other PCs plus the user go through4. Organization of devices: Is it has been elaborated everything within the computer are connected to the motherboard. In this way, its design dictates how the entire computer system is to be organized. Processor support: It is the motherboard socket that dictates the choice of processor that can be used in the system. Device control: The BIOS and chipset programs are usually built into the motherboard, which controls most data flow throughout the computer system. Support of peripherals: The motherboard components have a powerful function in determ ining the type of peripherals that a user can use in the PC of the computer. For instance, one cannot use AGP cards if the motherboard only has PCI slots. Upgradability: With the advancement in technology which see the emergence of new motherboards, it is a mater of fact that newer processors may experience compatibility problems with the hardware due to limitations of circuitry built-in to the board, which may not allow them to function. As a result, one may look for an upgrade at the manufacturer’s website or do upgrading5. System performance: The motherboard determines a great deal the performance of the computer since it dictates the type of memory, processors, system buses as well as hard disk interface speed that a computer system can have via BIOS settings or connectors. It is for this reason that in case a user upgrades after several years it is advisable to replace CPU, board and the memory6. 2. Central processing Unit (CPU) The CPU is arguably the brain of the compu ter, which is responsible for fetching, decoding, executing programs and performing mathematical and logical calculations7. In fact, without the CPU, the computer is just a nutshell. The CPU is made of numerous thin layers of transistors. The transistors are extremely tiny that blocks weak electricity when the charge is weak, but allows the same electricity to pass through when the power is strong enough. Since CPUs are small in size, they are sometimes referred to as microprocessors. Modern CPUs are

Silent films VS films from our time Research Paper

Silent films VS films from our time - Research Paper Example Sound design is one of the most noticeable and transformative elements of film art due to its capacity to heighten the emphasis of other film elements such as the Mise-en-scene and Editing. Accordingly, this research studies the sound design of Metropolis and LOTR with the intention of identifying the influence of sound design on the overall structure of the films. Basically, this research contends that Metropolis and LOTR have similar usage of sound film as a supporting aspect of the action-filled characters and events in the two films. 2.0. Film Sound In filmmaking, film sound includes the process of creating and manipulating sounds; it covers both the technical and creative aspects of audio presentation that may contribute to the overall effect of the film (Dakic, 2009, p. 1). For instance, filmmakers may create new sets of sounds that could backup their preferred videos and images appropriately while they could also alter existing sound to achieve their desired effects. In discus sing the significance of sound design, Pramaggiore and Wallis (2005) state that sound design is a vital aspect of filmmaking, both in the Silent and Contemporary film periods, because of its capacity to extend the story of the film even without lengthening the dialogues of the characters (p. 209). For instance, any subtle, or explicit changes in the sound effects either corresponds to changes in the mood of the characters, or even signals a forthcoming, unexpected event in the film. Consequently, Dakic (2009) mentions that such an influence of sound design in cinemas contributes to the overall interplay of cinematic elements such as dialogues, characters, and events while maintaining little attention to itself as a cinematic element, as well (p. 1). According to King (1996), silent films still use sounds, regardless of the misconceptions about the lack of sound effects of the said film genre (p. 31). In addition, King (1996) explains that such misconceptions are rooted in the preval ence of synchronized audio-visual imagery in today’s contemporary films wherein audio recordings and videos are successfully edited and integrated to form the overall visual and auditory reality of the film. Instead, King (1996) contends that Silent Film uses sounds as the primary aspect that helps audience understand the emotional impact of the film, considering that the conversations of the characters are not audible enough for the audience to hear. Relatively, Silent Films rely heavily on the expressionist actions of the actors, as well as the live performances of the musical ensembles in the cinema. Contemporary action films also highlight the role of sound film in the overall impact of the movie. In the words of Sergi (2005), the significance of sound film rises to prominence along with the invention of digital audio technologies wherein the audience derive insights from the subtle changes in the sound effects, as much as changes in the personalities and actions of the c haracters (p. 3). In modern films, film sound functions as an integral part of the movie; it fills the silence and gaps while it also supports the transitions of videos. It also has a significant emotive impact that is similar to its usage during the Silent Film period. For instance, modern filmmakers emphasize the interplay between videos and sounds, particularly in foreshadowing certain cinematic events, as well as aiding the visual

Different Cusines I Eat Essay Example for Free

Different Cusines I Eat Essay Eating with the people you love is the most blissful moments you could ever have, and eating your favorite kinds of ethnic cuisines with the people you love†¦ now that’s the best moments you could ever have. One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends. said by Laurie Colwin. Every cuisine had its own taste, culture and history behind every cuisine we eat. My 3 favorite ethnic cuisines are Mediterranean, Far East Asian, and Indian. First kind of ethnic cuisine is Mediterranean. Which gain its name from the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. The important aspects of the Mediterranean diet are high intakes of grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, onions, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood, and cereals, such as nuts, seeds, and dried beans. Cheese, yogurt, fish, and poultry are consumed in low to moderate amounts, and little red meat is eaten. Some of the common/my favorite foods that you might have heard are hummus, pita, chicken/ beef/ lamb kabobs, chicken/beef/falafel shawarma and baklava. Second kinds of ethnic cuisine are the Far East Asian cuisines. Food is an important part of their history and culture. Rice and noodles compose of the important part in the Asian cuisine. Besides, Asians’ daily meals consist of six food groups: grains (or starch staples), vegetables, fruits, legumes, meat, and spices. Asian cooking has developed into a very sophisticated art because Asian food also focuses on the harmony of sight, smell, taste, and texture. Moreover, color, aroma, and flavor are not the only the key elements in Asian cooking; nutrition is also highly concerned for most Asian dishes are cooked with meat and vegetables together, so the foods are low in calories, high in nutrients, invariably well balanced. In addition, the different climate and agriculture from East to West and North to South, and various cooking methods, such as roasting, boiling, steaming, stewing, and stir-frying create several kinds of Asian cuisine. Third kind of http://componchu. blogspot. com/2005/06/my-final-essay-for-this-semester. html http://jpgmag. com/stories/18131.

Competitive Forces And Value Chain Models Information Technology Essay

Competitive Forces And Value Chain Models Information Technology Essay In order for a company to survive in its area of business it must be superior compared to its competitors and therefore strive for competitive advantage. According to Bocij et al (2006 pg 57) competitive advantage is when a organisation or business strives to be the market leader in the area they offer their business or service. Competitive advantage can be achieved by a organisation in a variety of ways such as implementing some of the following techniques; restructuring the business, processes to reduce overheads, offer extra services to existing customers as well as looking for new customers and always looking at the changes in the internal and external environment and respond to changes that may affect the businesses profitability. By implementing some of these techniques this will allow the organisation to increase its profitability and increase its market share. For a company to be achieving competitive advantage the organisation can be analysed in two ways. These two ways are Porters Five Forces and The Value Chain Model. Both of these analysis techniques look at different aspects of the business. In this case Panasonic will be analysed using both of these techniques. According to Laudon and Laudon (2005 pg 102) Michael Porter developed the five forces in 1979. Michael Porter says there are five forces that influence the competitive advantage of a firm. The five forces that that Michael Porter has come up with looks at what influence the external environment (macro environment) has a affect on the internal environment (micro environment). These are the five forces that Michael Porter came up with: Traditional competitors every business has a share in the market they specialise in. with this share of the market the organisation develops their brand and identity and devise new ways of offering extra services that other businesses in their market do not offer. This will attract new customers so and the extra cost of this will be past on to existing customers. New market entrants this is when a organisation or a individual person is able to set up and offer a service or product that will have a large customer base that is able generate profitability for offering a service or product. Substitute products these are alternative products that are available on the market that people may be inclined to use as these products are cheaper compared to others. Customers a organisations profitability is determined how it keeps hold of existing customers and how it attracts new customers. The customer holds the key power of determining how successful a organisation is as customers can easily switch to another brand if the current organisation does not match or beat the price of the product or service they are receiving. Suppliers the supplier has a big impact on how the end product is marketed as the organisation is able to offer its product to the end customer at a competitive price compared to its rivals. So if a organisation has more than one supplier the organisation can have more control over the pricing of the product, replenishment and availability. Above: shows Porters Five forces that affect the stability of a organisation and what are responsible for any actions that may be taken to keep the organisation at a competitive advantage and keep it in profitability. The five forces are Traditional rivals , Customers , Suppliers , New market entrants and Substitute products. (Essentials of Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm, Laudon and Laudon 2005 pg 103) Value Chain Model Laudon and Laudon (1995 pg 53) the Value Chain Model was developed by Michael Porter in 1985. The Value Chain Model highlights specific activities within the business where competitive strategies can be applied and where information systems are likely to have a strategic impact. The Value Chain Model identifies precise, critical leverage points where a organisation can use information technology most effectively to increase its competitive advantage within its market share. The increase in the market share will allow the organisation to become more profitable, reduce operating costs and improve communication within the organisation internally and externally. The Value Chain Models looks at a organisation as basic set of chain activities that add a margin of value to a firms products or services. These activities are categorised in to two activities. These activities are known as Primary and support activities. Primary activities Laudon and Laudon (1995 pg 54) says the primary activities of a organisation are related to the production and distribution of the final product or service that a organisation provides. Primary activities include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service. Inbound logistics includes the receiving and storing of materials ready to distribute to the appropriate department for the end product to be mage. Operations create to the materials in to the final product. Once the product has been created outbound logistics distributes the made products to the correct sorting point. Once the product has been sorted and stored sales and marketing promote the organisations products and sell them when they receive orders for them. The service activity makes sure that the organisations products are repaired (when needed) and are maintained to make sure any future problems (if any) cause the minimal amount of disruption. Support activities Laudon and Laudon (1995 pg 54) to make sure that the Primary actives are delivered to the highest standard support activities are in place to make sure the infrastructure is functioning. Support activities include administration and management, human resources, technology and procurement. Administration and management is in charge of how the organisation functions on a day to day basis and is in charge of how the organisation is structured. Human resources take care of the welfare and benefits of the employees within the organisation in terms hiring, training and retaining its employees. Technology allows the organisation to improve the production of goods and procurement supports by purchasing inputs. Above: shows Porters Value Chain showing the primary and secondary activities of a organisation and which department adds value to the organisation.(Essentials of Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm, Laudon and Laudon 2005 pg 96) Porters Five forces: Panasonic analysis Traditional competitors Since Panasonic was founded in 1918 it has steadily become the largest Japanese electronics maker. Panasonic owner Konosuke Matsushita first started the company selling lamps for bicycles and then diverse to sell other electronic products. Later in 1961 after being rebranded under different names the Panasonic brand was formed in 1961 when it started the produce televisions (TVs ) for the American market. From than it has become one of the most competitive and leading companies for research and development in the electronic sector. As the competiveness in the electronic sector is so reliant on technology it is important for a organizations to innovate new ideas in to products. Panasonic is based in North America, Asia and Europe. As mentioned before Panasonic has found success on the TV industry. The global sales figures for Plasma TV s show that Panasonic ( 40.7%) is the leading supplier in terms of shipping volume around the world closely followed by Samsun g on (33.7%), LG on (23.3 %) and other brands accommodated for the (2%). (HDV TEST ,2011) New market entrants There is no threat of any other brand entering the market and become dominant. This is due to the barrier entry system of some one entering the market with a product or service. These two barriers are known as high barrier and low barrier entry products / services. High barrier service / products is for high end products or services for example if somebody wanted to open a new bank the interested party will have to go through tough regulation and be approved and regulated by a outside firm for example FSA to make sure they are operating within the guidelines set by the government. The other barrier is known as low entry barrier markets. This entry barrier is for a low entry product or service. A example of this is if somebody wanted to open a corner shop little government regulation is needed and there is little set up costs. Along with the barrier entry system the new entrant must have the technology know how that will allow them to develop their products furthe r. Substitute products The threat from substitute products is fairly low as people are more inclined to use brands that they are familiar with so if they wanted to switch brands for a alternative cheap brand the costs are low but they can be high if they wanted to switch to a much alternative brand such as Sony which is generally seen more expensive. Technology can also be a factor for example now people can watch TV on mobile phones and laptops. Another example is when Sony In 2005 Panasonic has reacted well to change and development in technology this was seen when Sony, Panasonic and Philips launched Bluray technology against the HD DVDs that were launched by Toshiba, Microsoft and Hitachi. Much of the success of the format was dependent on which retailers favoured and marketed products their products. Customers Panasonic is a international brand and is recognisable all over the world. It has posted respectable results. In 2010 Panasonic posted the following sales Japan 54% Asia 23% , North America 12 % and Europe 11% .(These figures accommodate for Panasonic products only). As technology evolves Panasonic has kept up with the pace for example 3D films produced by Hollywood such as Avatar has enabled Panasonic to develop their 3D LCD TV that enabled them to obtain (50.5%) of the market share from 230,000 units sold all around the world. Samsung came second with a 3D market share of 41.7%, followed by LG with less than 10% at the end of 2010.(HDV TEST ,2011)Panasonic has ensured that the end customer is able to understand the end product having a strong relationship with its retailing outlets that sell its products. This is very important because loyal customers that use and buy the Panasonic brand and do not switch to a alternative brand. Consumer demand for electric products is b roken in to two segments. People who will have a more disposable income will go for products with good quality such as high definition and wide screen plasma technology and people who do not have a less disposable tend to stick with less expensive products that are easier to use. Suppliers Panasonic has a intimate relationship with its suppliers. This is due to how the business structure is set up and operates. The Panasonic brand is under the brand of the parent company called Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd under this band there are another 15 subsidiary companies for example SANYO and Technics that specialise in their own department. With each company specialising in their own department Panasonic understands what they can offer to the new product that is being developed. Value Chain model: Panasonic analysis Primary activities / support activities As the Panasonic brand comes under the parent company of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd, when it became a global company it had a decentralized strategy as none of the offices outside of Japan had a centralized database that they could retrieve information from. Altogether Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd had set up 13 major labs in foreign countries -in the US, three in Asia and three in Europe. Many of these labs were established to modify and customize products for the local markets. They also took advantage of locally available technological information and skilled personnel so only catered for the country they operated in instead as a company as a whole. Components that were to be manufactured and used in Panasonic products are internally outsourced to the other brands it owns so the relationship between all of its suppliers is strong. This relationship is also important as Panasonic as a company can relay on that the components needed to make its products are of t he highest standard and there are minimal chance of defects within its products and it a defect occurs they can locate the problem quickly and solve the problem causing minimal negativity about the products. The distributors who sell Panasonic are well educated and informed by Panasonic to make sure that their product stands out when the end customer is purchasing the end product. Provide a critical analysis of how Panasonics information management problems affect its business performance and ability to execute its strategy. Panasonics information problems affected its business performance and ability to execute its strategy. Panasonic was enjoying the number of successes factors however this success did not take in to the account on what Panasonic was spending on its administration costs. A information system would have allowed Panasonic to access and centralize its information so it could be easily retrieved when needed. A information System (IS) is defined by Avison and Fitzgerald (2003 pg 20)is when a organisation collects and stores key business processes on a single database and saved on a computer network and information can be accessed and data can be manipulated to create a series of reports and queries. This usually helps a organisation when it spreads its business dealings around the globe and therefore trades on a international platform which allows the organisation to expand in new markets which in turn will increase the profitability of the company. This is known by the term of Globalisation. (Avison and Fitzgerald 2003 pg 8). This is seen when Panasonic expanded its operations throughout Europe, Asia and North America. This included 15 subsidiaries, 14 manufacturing facilities, and five research and development centres, and seven administrative offices. A Management Information System (MIS) was also needed as this would have combined different sectors of the business and will help it to make different decisions at different levels. A typical system has four processes that work on three levels and have certain characteristics an is used by the appropriate level of management. They only see the data that may affect their area of the organisation they are looking at. A Executive Support Systems (ESS) produces reports and responses to queries a Decision Support Systems (DSS) helps the organisation to make decisions on important decisions that the organisation may face these two systems are used by senior management, a Management Information Systems (MIS) allows the organisation to access past records and view current performance of the organisation this will allow the organisation to find any trends or patterns to make any decisions these decisions are made by middle management and a Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) records transac tions and events these records are seen by operational management. ( Laudon and Laudon 2004 , pg 53) As Panasonic was also experiencing problems managing its data efficiently as product and customer data was inconsistent, duplicate, or incomplete. Different segments of Panasonic used their own data management operations that were isolated or different from other locations within the company. Panasonic also had problems when it launched a new product as each product included photos, product specifications and descriptions, manuals, pricing data and point of sale marketing information. When this information was sent out to the various locations each location adapted this information for the region and country they resided in. this resulted in problems when Panasonic launched a product globally as information about the product had to be condensed to a common set of data for launching the product globally. This problem delayed the launch of new products so competitors seized upon this opportunity to seize infiltrate in to markets did not reach in its first phase of the launch. Analyse the management, organisation, and technology factors that were responsible for the problems identified in the previous question. A IS system is just more than inputting and outputting business processes to consolidate information together. From a business point of view a IS system also looks at other environmental factors within the organisation. From a business perspective a IS system is a organisational and management solution based on information technology to a challenge based on the environment it is in. to understand how a organisation operates and what obstacles it may face a manager must understand the environment it is in a organisation is much more than computers it also has to understand the broader organisation, management and information technology. Above: a diagram showing that information systems are more than just computers. Using Information Systems effectively requires and understanding of the organisation, management and technology. (Essentials of Management Information Systems, Laudon and Laudon 1995 pg 9) Organisation IS systems are a major part of a organisation structure and without this they may not able to exist at all for example a credit reporting firm without this system they will not be able to operate at all. The major elements of a organisation are its people, structure and operating procedures, politics and culture. Formal and large organisations are different as they are divided in to hierarchal structure. This structure is a pyramidal structure with management being at the top middle management in the middle and operational staff at the bottom. There are different types of employees within a organisation and work at different levels. Knowledge workers are people such as engineers and architects who innovate ideas for the organisation. These people work at the top of the organisation, data workers such as secretaries and bookkeepers who work with the middle management and at the bottom level are the production or service workers who work on providing the service or creating the final product. (Laudon and Laudon 1995 , pg 9) Management Managers are responsible for innovating new ideas so that the organisation is always developing new products or delivering new service. The three type of managers are senior management who are responsible for making long term decisions, middle management who are responsible for helping the senior management to make these decisions and operational management to take of day to day running of the organisation and tackle any short term problems. (Laudon and Laudon 1995 , pg 9) Technology IS systems are one of the tools that a organisation uses to deal with change and more importantly it holds the organisation together. This is done through a number of different technologies such as computer hardware that enables the organisation to input, out put and process information throughout the organisation. A example of computer hardware is monitors, keyboards and printers. Computer software is a sequenced programming instruction that allows the hardware to function. Storage technology allows the data to be stored and can be transferred between computers a example of storage technology is disks, tapes and pen drives. Telecommunication technology allows all of the physical hardware to connect together. This also includes out put components such as printers. This allows programs and information to be accessed anywhere within the organisation. (Laudon and Laudon 1995 , pg 9) As Panasonic was not managing its data within the organisation properly. This is shown when the different divisions of Panasonic (Europe, North America and Asia) did not share a single platform as they should have because of the size of the company and the different countries and time zones they were in for example they had inconsistent data on its products and customers. This problem in turn affected the culture of the organisation as each office in each time zone were not working towards the same goal and objective set out by Panasonic instead they were totally focused on their own region on a product launch instead. this resulted in a decrease in operational efficiency and higher costs from the company. This shows that Panasonic did not have any control over the data it possessed and therefore was useless possessing this data as it was not in any logical order to use. The management of Panasonic had changed the CEO in 2006 to a person called Fumio Otstubo. In 2006 Panasonic was operating margin was only 5% and the goal for 2010 was 10%, in the industry where consumers expect the price of new technology to decrease over time. It was impossible to expect to increase profit margin by increasing prices, instead there was a need to reduce costs and increasing sales. To achieve this target he decided on the strategy was reducing the cost and increasing sales. To solve the problem Panasonic decided to collect their data pursue a single vision of truth. This information gathered came through a variety of formats for example fax machines, mail, e-mails and phone calls. How ever using this system also had a risk of inaccuracies and inefficacies. Evaluate how the master data management address these problems and discuss the effectiveness of this solution. Panasonic decided to change the strategy of how it obtained its data from within the company. The strategy that Panasonic was using was the pull model and replace it with a push strategy. These models differ in how data is obtained and affects how a organisation is run. The push model is also known as the build to stock model. In the push model production within the organisation is based on forecast sales it has made. The forecast are guesses and demands for the actual product or service that the organisation is going to provide. (Bocij p et al 2006, pg 170) Above: a diagram showing the push model. Note that the suppliers production is based forecasts throughout the chain except from manufacturer pulls from the supplier. . This goes from the supplier, manufacturer, distributor and retailer. (Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm, Laudon and Laudon 2006 pg 366) , The pull model is also known as the demand driven model or made to order model. A actual product or service is only manufactured once a ordered. The main difference between both of the models is a organisation only makes what they sell, not what they make. (Bocij p et al 2006, pg 170) Above: a diagram showing the pull model. Note that each process is pulled from the customer through each process to the supplier. A product is only made when a customer orders the product to reduce costs in wastage.(Management Information Systems Managing The Digital Firm, Laudon and Laudon 2006 pg 367) When Panasonic implemented a push model to replace a pull model to interpret and sort data as previously when employees in marketing looked for specific information they had to look in many different locations. Using the push model allowed Panasonic to create a centralized data bank then this sends the requested information to employees in marketing and sales immediately and constantly. Retail partners such as Wal-Mart who are recipients of the data can view the data at all phases of a product rollout. Therefore, specific employees can have better visibility of their products and services. The outcome of this push model is that customers are less likely to become confused while researching Panasonic products. Panasonics Europes data management was upgraded with master-data-management (MDM) software and this was provided from IBMs Web Sphere line. The software enabled Panasonic Europe to gain better control of their data and better streamline the business process. The MDM implementation included the business process analysis, data assessment, data cleansing, and a master data service layer. The MDM allows employees with access to view the companys data and activities throughout the organization. The aim of the MDM was integrate all of the various departments and consolidate them so any information can be accessed from the master file. Within a year and a half, Panasonic Europe was getting products to market faster and spending 50 percent less time creating and maintaining product information. Time-to-market for a product was reduced from five to six months to one to two months. Critically analyse the challenges Panasonic faced when implementing this solution. During the installation stage Panasonic faced some problems when they implemented the new system. When Implementing MDM system it is a multi-step process that includes business process analysis, data assessment, data cleansing, data consolidation and reconciliation, data migration, and development of a master data service layer. The MDM bought together all of the business processes this required information from all of the departments to come together. There was the issue of levels of authenticity of accessing data at different levels. Another problem that Panasonic faced was at its North America that it had to confront a number of countries that spoke different languages and each country had its own currency. Each country would have its own culture and therefore would have contributed more problems for Panasonic. The culture within a organisation or country is defined as being shared values, in written rules an assumptions within the organisation and how the organisation works. This problem was also faced by its European arm had to do when implementing its system. (Laudon and Laudon 2004 , pg 390) Panasonic also faced another problem this was reorganising and consolidating data information for its products for Wal-Mart. Then Panasonic stated to look closer on what information was needed for Wal-Mart and looked at what was adhered by the industry standards. Panasonic decided to look in its legacy systems for this data. Panasonic then turned to IBM to help them to create an interface apparatus to collect the required data for a repository. Bob Schwartz made a strong case to the corporate office in Japan that integrating a data management strategy globally would be a major benefit to the companys infrastructure. This was going to be hard as traditionalists would have resisted change. This is due the culture of fear that is within a organisation when implementing change as employees fear that the way they are working is fine and there is no need for change as new change within the organisation will be a threat to their jobs. Bob Schwartz also realised that Panasonic needed to integrate their new system with MDM technology. Bob Schwartz increased profits by integrating shared data inventory among the vendors such as Best Buy and Circuit City. As a result of them implementing MDM, Panasonic had become more competitive and could produce new products for the global market.