Knowledge Management at Etisalat Corporation

Knowledge management is an array of procedures that control the formation, distribution, and use of information. Knowledge management value chain comprise of four stages these are, knowledge acquisition, storage, dissemination, and application. Knowledge is an intangible firm’s asset. Therefore, its use requires adequate control (Wake, 2010). This paper discusses knowledge management at Etisalat Corporation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Knowledge Management at Etisalat Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Knowledge creation Reflectively, â€Å"knowledge acquisition or creation is the first step of knowledge management. Knowledge acquisition comes about after interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge in individual human minds† (Wallace, 2007). Knowledge moves from human mind to the organization. Team work is essential in creating knowledge. Since in these forums, companies acquire k nowledge from employees. At Etisalat Corporation relies on data mining for creation of knowledge. It uses data mining techniques and software to obtain customers information. Also, the company also uses neural networks in speech recognition and image analysis. The company makes use of experts in knowledge management to help in knowledge discovery. In addition, the company creates knowledge using knowledge work systems such as CAD and VRML. These systems aid employees in creation and integration of new knowledge in the organization. Finally, the company owns Etisalat Corporate Social Responsibility Centre. The objective of this center is â€Å"knowledge creation in areas of areas of corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, business ethics, and work life balance through research† (Etisalat CSR Centre, 2012). Knowledge storage Knowledge storage takes place in different ways. It can either be in soft or hard copies. Storage can be as simple as keeping information in books. Etisalat Corporation stores information in databases. At the company, storage keeps knowledge created visible. Besides, it enhances resource base of the organization. This improves competitive advantage of Etisalat. In addition, storage supports the company with up to date and accurate market intelligence for other departments. This ensures that they have the best sources for investment decisions. Finally, storage helps the company in handling vast information they receive on a daily basis. This ensures smooth running of the business.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Knowledge dissemination Companies use various ways to distribution information across the organization such as search engines, collaboration tools, e-mails, and portals. Dissemination of information need should be properly managed so that correct information is directed to the intended staff members (Wall ace, 2007). Etisalat Corporation uses intranet and groupware tools to disseminate information. In addition, the company makes use of seminars and workshops. Knowledge from management is received in a number of ways such as intranet, staff meeting forums, employees meetings. Often, â€Å"some of the information management disseminate are changes in procedures and policies, changes in daily routines and major changes in the organization that affects employees and the business as a whole† (Wallace 2007). Etisalat Corporation has a knowledge management department. The department controls dissemination of information using security controls. This ensures that employees access what is relevant for their line of duty. Knowledge application Knowledge application is the use of knowledge in decision making process. It aims adding value to the organization by coming up with new products, new business practices and new markets. Etisalat gains a lot from the knowledge management departmen t. The department provides adequate information on market surveys and customer information. It facilitates growth of the company. Currently, the company has appearance in 18 countries across Africa, Middle East and Asia. The company is also a leader in provision of new products in the market. For instance, the company is â€Å"pioneering the launch of the first commercial 4G service on its nation-wide LTE network and promises to deliver a compelling mobile broadband experience to customers† (Etisalat Corporation, 2012). Based on innovation, the company is ranked tenth in the world. It indicates that the company is successful in making use of knowledge. References Etisalat Corporation. (2012). Company profile. Retrieved from https://www.etisalat.com/en/about/profile/company-profile.jspAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Knowledge Management at Etisalat Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Etisalat CSR Centre. (2012). Overview. Retrieved from https://www.lbs.edu.ng/ Wake, W. (2010). Knowledge creating company. Retrieved from https://xp123.com/articles/tag/xp/ Wallace, D. (2007). Knowledge management: Historical and cross-disciplinary themes. United States of America: Greenwood publishing Group. This essay on Knowledge Management at Etisalat Corporation was written and submitted by user Abby Hines to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Buddhist

like Spanish or Italian. For the language itself, the Chinese language is very different then any other language in the word. But u can say the same thing for every other language in the word because not one language is the same. But still the Chinese language is still very strange. The Chinese language is spoken in a lot of smaller Chinese languages but not as well known like mandarin and Cantonese. For example most people from Taiwan, which is the republic of china, speaks Taiwanese also. But still most Chinese peopl... Free Essays on Buddhist Free Essays on Buddhist The country being studied now is China. China’s culture is very different from the other types of cultures of the world. I picked this country because it is where my parents and family was born, this is giving me a chance to explore my roots and see where my family had experienced while they were there growing up. The Chinese language is very different from English or Spanish or most countries around the world. Because even if you have the word on a piece of paper you might not even know what it means. But if someone says the word out loud then people might know how to say it. The form of writing is very complex to write, there are a lot of lines and curves you must write in order to write one word in Chinese. It is even hard to pronounce the Chinese words because some words can sound the same but also mean something completely different. The numbers ancient Chinese people used were not the ones we use in our western civilization, the numbers even looks like the words except t he number of lines drawn to show the number is a lot less. There are actually two types of Chinese characters, the first is the way to pronounce the word itself and this form of Chinese writing is a lot similar to the western civilization’s way of the alphabet. The other form of Chinese writing is the words itself, the words are written very differently then in the western civilizations. The writing doesn’t use our alphabet to make up the words like Spanish or Italian. For the language itself, the Chinese language is very different then any other language in the word. But u can say the same thing for every other language in the word because not one language is the same. But still the Chinese language is still very strange. The Chinese language is spoken in a lot of smaller Chinese languages but not as well known like mandarin and Cantonese. For example most people from Taiwan, which is the republic of china, speaks Taiwanese also. But still most Chinese peopl...

An analysis of the United Arab Emirates banking sector Research Paper

An analysis of the United Arab Emirates banking sector - Research Paper Example In the present day context, the role played by the UAE banking sector can be observed as quite significant for the country’s elevating economic growth rate, both in the micro and macro environments. The banking sector of UAE offers a range of financial products and services targeting both the domestic group of customers and the international clients. Additionally, the recent banking scenario of the country has been witnessed to experience an increasing competition owing to enhanced product innovation requirements and availability of various substitute products/services (Arab News, 2012). Concerning the recent alterations of the industry scenario owing to the impact of the recent global financial turmoil, continuous influence of globalization and altering customer preferences, it can be assumed that the strategies considered by the banks in UAE have changed dramatically towards gaining better flexibility, competency and sustainability. With this concern, the discussion of this report will be focused on comparing two major banking corporations operating in UAE, i.e. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) and Commercial Bank International (CBI). Hereby, the discussion will emphasize on five most common banking services, i.e. savings account, travel loans, car loans, education loans as well as home or construction loans to comprehensively explain the differences in both the banks’ strategies. Comparison between Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) and Commercial Bank International (CBI) Savings Account The banking corporations have been highly focused on delivering a range of financial products and services to an extended number of consumers in order to provide financial benefits. With this concern, the services rendered by today’s banking industry through savings account has been one of the common and most successful services to gain customer satisfaction by dealing with the client’s deposit amounts. The service is also identified to facilitate the cus tomers in obtaining a security assurance of the deposited balance providing the partial benefits of a fixed account along with the benefits of a current account to withdraw any specific amount at frequent intervals through an easier transaction process (Ayub, 2008). GhinaSaving Account (ADIB) In the context of ADIB, the banking institution focuses on offering effective and beneficial services for the clients. Ghina’s savings account service offers secure and safe access to the account by the authorized person in terms of making any transactions. To open Ghina saving account, the customer must deposit minimum of AED 20,000 and directly the customer will receive a welcome entry coupon (electronic coupon). The electronic coupon will enter the client to two monthly draws of AED 10,000 prizes to 20 winners which held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. After collecting four coupons the customer will be able to enter the grand draw of AED 2 million and AED 500,000 every fou r months. The client can receive extra electronic coupon for every deposit of AED 20,000 and maintain it for a calendar month. If the account balance is less than 20,000 the customer will lose all his coupons. The profit on Ghina saving acc

The Return of Depression Economics and The Crisis of 2008 Essay

The Return of Depression Economics and The Crisis of 2008 - Essay Example The book draws parallel between the great depression and 2008 financial crisis and it explores depression economics through lenses of the Japan’s Lost Decade and 1997 Asian financial crisis (Krugman, 45). In the book, he analyzes the history of market crashes, like the panic of 1907 and the Tequila Crash in the mid-1990s; through demonstrating how banks exposed themselves too much risk, hence resulting to loss of confidence thereby causing capital fight and panic. In The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008; Krugman warns that, just like a disease can become resistant to a vaccine, the economic difficulties that lead to great depression have made a comeback in the global economy. He argues that the 2008 financial crisis is because of the failure to properly regulate the financial sector thereby turning around the world economy hence deep recession. Through this book readers can understand the history of financial crisis, its effects and possible resolutions th e current financial problems. There were major financial crisis prior to 2008 financial crises. These include: the 1907 panic, the Great Depression, the Latin American Crisis of mid 1990s. The Savings and loans problems of the 80s, the Japan’s lost Decade and the Asian flu of the late 90s. ... Loss of confidence played a big role in fueling these financial crises. To get the economy moving especially during economic booms, the economic agents have a great deal of confidence, so much that large bets are placed on the prediction of continued success during the economic expansion. But a financial crisis starts with a minor change that reduces the level of confidence, hence leading to economic panics. The power of speculators can be felt in all aspects of the economy especially when there has been a collapse in confidence. Krugman demonstrates that speculators always hedge funds; however they rarely do much in the way of equivocation. Their main focus is to make profit and they are willing to do so whenever such opportunity presents itself even if it means sacrificing the welfare of the entire community. They leveraged their positions up to 100 to 1 with an aim of devaluing the country’s currency for their own benefit. Their basic strategy is to exploit markets by short ing safer assets and then buying the riskier assets. However, when the market faces a financial crisis, these hedgers and speculators will create trades that will alter the stability of a nation’s financial markets with the local currency being the targeted element. The devaluation of the currency will cause great pain and hardship to the citizens but this social cost is not relevant to the speculators. According to Krugman, the hedge funds are in most situations unregulated and the speculators take the necessary actions to stay away from the regulators (Krugman, 108). The shadow banking system also parallels the speculators in fueling the financial crisis. In both cases, the profit maximization was the motivator. Leverage was used at mind boggling levels each

Nora therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is cultural consideration Essay

Nora therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is cultural consideration - Essay Example In the case of Nora, the most important determinants of the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship would be cultural considerations and the nature of the nurse-patient rapport, which is dependent on effective communication. Communication between the nurse and the patients facilitates the transfer of information, concerns, queries and expectations between the two parties. If knowledge regarding the disease course, the treatment modalities available, and the post-hospitalization course is transferred effectively to the patient, it can result in greater patient satisfaction as the patient is well informed about what to expect (McQueen, 2000). Moreover, it also enables the patients to develop their trust in the nurses and helps in mitigating any existing anxiety or stress on the part of the patient (Kirk, 2007). Such communication can be achieved if the nurses posses effective communication skills, such as displaying empathy, active listening and use of non-verbal gestures in order to ma ke the patient comfortable and to establish a good rapport (Jasmine, 2009; Chant, Jenkinson, Randle, & Russell, 2002).

Directors Duties Problem Question

Directors Duties Problem Question The establishment of Shine Ltd was with the sole intent to produce industrial solvents and cleaning solutions. Appointment of the office of managing director was given to John to cover that post. During this course, the company acquired an agreement with XYZ plc a conglomerate. While still under the directorship of John the company came up with a new super glue. In his capacity as a director, he presented this to the manager with the hope that it would be supported, and the production would continue since he felt it would be a lucrative business. The board of trustees were however of a different opinion, and they ended up rejecting the project. The managing director of XYZ plc is a friend of John, and so he disclosed their intentions not to renew their contract with Shine Ltd. Their reason was that the partnership had not born as much success as they had hoped. He would, however, continue his dealings with John if only he were not attached to Shine Ltd. With this in mind, he resigned and instead formed his company, Flush Ltd. A company that later partnered with XYZ plc. The company also took up the project of manufacturing the glue Shine Ltd board of directors had rejected, and it has proved very profitable. The corporate opportunity dictates that the director is not allowed to take for themselves any business opportunity that otherwise would have been beneficial to the corporation. It falls within the fiduciary duty of loyalty applications. The conditions in the act are clearly stipulated. It becomes limited to the Director, officers, and controlling shareholders (Esser, 2007). The act specifies that it is applicable whether the transaction harms the corporation. That is to say should the director go against this rule in the process make the cooperation benefit it does not mean he gets exempted from having broken particular law. The other part of this rule is that the corporation should not have obtained information regarding the opportunity that was presented. In the case where the board is aware and declines to take the opportunity then the fiduciary would take the opportunity for himself. Should the rule apply however the corporation becomes entitled to the profit earning for the fid uciary from the transaction? Having considered all the activities that took place in case study this particular rule might not apply to John. While being the director of Shine Ltd, he took the idea to the board of trustees and following the rules stipulated in the Company act that would have been his responsibility. In this case, both John and the board of directors were aware of opportunity yet the board choose to ignore. With this in mind, it then becomes apparent that the opportunity would now belong to John. However, that does not mean that he gets to walk (Lowry, 2009). Section 170 deals with the responsibility of the director of an organization. In as much as they are given the top most job, this section dictates what is expected of them from the daily operation of the group. Section 174 deals with the responsibility of the director to exercise care, skill and diligence. Their knowledge needs to be such that they are helpful to the organization. The manager has to handle the activities of the organization about his or her skills in that position. A factor also emphasized in Section 175. The part worth highlighting would be the second rule that specifies that it would be in conflict of interest to exploit information or opportunity gotten as a result of the position they hold in the company. Section 176 talks about Duty not to accept benefits from third parties. Of note is the second part where the aspect of the third party gets explained into details. Anyone who falls within the organization as a partner of an associate falls within this section. S ection 177 deals with the responsibility of the organizations director who might find himself in a conflict of interest. He has to offer the board with a declaration letter to announce the presence of a conflict of interest before they get to discover on their own. Section 178 deals with the consequences of a breach of duty. It highlights that the section 171 to 177 having the same kind of punishment should the director have breached that contract. However, section 174 makes the management have an open idea concerning what can pass as a breach of contract since it is a section open to interpretation. Section 180 deals with the parts that can be considered to be in a position to assume. Having examined the effects and the position that they take make them be applicable or be ignored depending on the location. Examining the case studies the duties mentioned above of the director were never fulfilled by John in his capacity as director of the organization. He stands liable for all accounts of the negligence of functions of the Director. He exploited the chances that they had to make better the body and instead used this privilege to gain as an individual. The company is on the right to take legal action concerning the negligence of duties as director. The seems to be a violation of the equitable principle. That means that the data collected from the manager was wrongfully acquired. The breach of confidence in the English law gives room for a person to claim compensation for the violation of trust. The responsibility of the manager to have the clause of confidence falling within his doctrines translates to having a civil complaint. The rule applies specifically to situations where it would be unfair should the information be revealed. There exist three very fundamental aspects that would determine if a breach has taken place. Before ruling out that the case is worth being given a civil claim the three rules need to get approved to have existed. The information that is being shared should contain a certain degree of confidence. That is to say, it gets classified as being confidential. The provision of the information falls into the category of imposing on the application of obligation confidence. The information received was unautho rized when being used (Payne, 2008). Considering the case study provided it is clear that the above conditions were all fulfilled. Working as the director of Shine Ltd the information that he shared with his friend would best fit this category. The information should not have been disclosed to anyone since the company owned it. While the information was being given he was working as the director of Shine. While there seems to be no documentation on the issue of permission to use this product for profit. Lack of proper authority to present the solution in this case ruling out the possibility that the process was ever legal (Payne, 2008). Section 178 talks about the enforcement of the laws that govern the directors duties. In cases where the company has incurred losses due to the actions of the director then he becomes liable as a person. The director is to be made to restore the property of the company should he have lead to the destruction of any other property under his care. The director will have to account for any of the other profits they might have made while using the secrets acquired from the organization. It, therefore, becomes necessary for the board of directors to take into account section 178(2) when dealing with John (Sheikh, 2013). The director should defend himself on the grounds that he had presented the idea to the board and he had been told it would not be approved. In as far as production of the product it was well in his duty in accordance with section 174, and 175 to take up the deal for himself. When coming up with the verdict for the case study it will be prudent to consider the case of Cooley. In his capacity in the company, he exploited the information he got from the company for personal gain. His conditions, as presented, make a clear example of the exact position that John is in with his company. Following the verdict passed in the case of IDC v Cooley (1972), John should be found guilty of misuse of office and as such ought to pay the profits from the contract. It becomes irrelevant that his actions were not causing the company to lose the deal. The rule of conflict of interest stems from the fact the one might have exploited an opportunity that was rightfully in breach of his position. The opportunity might have gotten it in a way that is legal. The position John held concerning the company gave him the upper hand in the acquisition of the project. He is liable for damages regarding the section of the act that touches on conflict of interest. Following the verdict of Regal (Hastings) v Gulliver, (1942) John should be held liable for his choices. He should pay the company for the damages he inflicted using his profits he accumulated in the project that he got from the deal. The formation of Flush Ltd was for the sole purpose of making sure that the start of the contract with XYZ plc. John created a legal person as a shield against the legal actions with his former company. The action he took the lead to the company losing some of its clients and its long-time partner. All this he did knowing full well that his responsibilities to Shine Ltd would not allow him do what he was doing. The board of shine Ltd should also look into pursuing a lawsuit against Flush Ltd. The reason being that they have violated their position and in the process acquired some of its clients in the process. Following the case of Gilford Motor Co v Horne (1933), the court should grant an injunction against the company from soliciting Shine Ltd clients. References Ashraf, T. (2012). Directors duties with a particular focus on the Companies Act 2006. International Journal of Law and Management , 125-140. Esser, I. M. (2007). The stakeholder debate and directors fiduciary duties. SA Mercantile Law Journal= SA Tydskrif vir Handelsreg , 346-363. Keay, A. (2007). Tackling the issue of the corporate objective: an analysis of the United Kingdoms enlightened shareholder value approach. Sydney L , 577. Lowry, J. (2009). The duty of loyalty of company directors: bridging the accountability gap through efficient disclosure. The Cambridge Law Journal , 607-622. Payne, J. (2008). Legal Capital and Creditor Protection in UK Private Companies. European Company Law , 220-228. Payne, J. (2008). Legal Capital in the UK Following the Companies Act 2006. Sheikh, S. (2013). A guide to the Companies Act 2006. Routledge.

Comparative Essay: The Frog Prince Vs The Princess and The Frog

Produced in 2009, The Frog Princess is a Disney animation inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ fairytale, The Frog Prince. Both The Frog Princess and The Frog Prince deal with a multiplicity of issues, all of which contribute to supporting positive messages and morals (Ceaser, 2009). However, though The Frog Princess is based on a classic fairytale, it is far from being the same. The writers at Disney have taken a classic fairytale and created a â€Å"Monster† (Prince, 2001). This essay will examine the evolution of the original Grimm Brothers’ fairytale, the messages both main characters represent, and how the adaptation to fit a modern child readership diminishes a classic fairytale. Through discussing these arguments, this paper will prove that Disney’s adaptation into The Princess and The Frog is counter-productive in representing the original story’s messages, morals, and values. Fairytales express the creative fantasies of the rural and less educated layers of common man (Cuban, 1984). They are characteristically full of magic, often involving upper class characters (Cuban, 1984). In short, Fairytales are organically grown with the creative material of a collective group. The Grimm Brother’s fairytale, The Frog Prince, is no exception. The Grimm Brothers’ fairytale is about a handsome prince trapped in the repulsive body of a frog, but who nevertheless overcomes and transcends this bewitched state through his wit, perseverance, and magic (Prince, 2009). Until the seventeenth century, it was the adult population that was interested in fairytales (Cuban, 2009). Their allocation to the nursery was a late development (Cuban, 2009). This allocation can be credited to the rejection of the irrational, and development of the ra... ...ntersection of Race and Pop Culture. 13 May 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2011. . 7. Alexandrova, Marina. "Disney and The American Princess: The Americanization of European Fairy Tales." America: The New Society (2010): 1-77. Print. 8. Tartar, Maria. The Classic Fairy Tales. New York: Norton &, 1999. Print. 9. Ebert, Roger. "The Princess and the Frog." Chicago Sun-Times [Chicago] 9 Dec. 2009: 1-3. Print. 10. Stone, Kay. "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us." The Journal of American Folklore (1975). Print. 11. Barnes, Brooks. "Her Prince Has Come. Critics Too." New York Times [New York] 29 May 2009: 1+. Print. 12. Lester, Neal A. "Disney's The Princess and the Frog: The Pride, the Pressure, and the Politics of Being a First." The Journal of American Culture (2010). Print.

An Analysis of Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd and the Effect of the Credit Crunch on Its Performance

|Dissertation Proposal | |An analysis of Sainsbury’s supermarkets Ltd and the effect of the credit crunch on its performance | |Year: 1 | |Course code:MN5251 | |Assignment No: 1 | |Programme Title: MSc International Management | |Candidate No: 0901143 | | | TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 AIMS OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 LITERATURE REVEIW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 METHODOLOGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 PROPOSED CHAPTER HEADINGS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 REFERECES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 APPENDIX†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 1. Introduction This dissertation seeks to examine Sainsbury’s supermarkets plc (Sainsbury’s) as a company and how they can use their established brand to branch out and gain potential growth in the industry, and to explore how they are coping with the recent credit crunch. Sainsbury’s has come a long way from being the market leader to dropping to the third position which it is struggling to maintain. This can be attributed to a series of wrong decisions and lack of foresight leading to their current struggles. They suffered from poor management in the past and this has reflected on their effort to catch up with the industry leaders. In addition, because of the recent credit crunch, banks have cut back on lending to both individuals and firms thereby swaying consumers to demand cheaper products and curb their expenditures. A question springs to mind: prior to the crisis, supermarkets have passed on rising food prices to consumers but now more than ever prices are low, so why the sudden change in tactics? Small businesses are going under due to lack of finance which hinders them from competing and offering low prices but this loss to society becomes a gain to the big supermarkets. Does this mean that the supermarket industry has less risk than other industries or has the supermarket industry adjusted strategically to cope with the global downturn? 2. Background of the study Sainsbury’s supermarket, a subsidiary of J Sainsbury plc was first opened in 1869 and is one of UK’s most reputable stores. They own 509 supermarkets and 276 convenience stores around the UK according to their website and are best known for their quality products that are priced fairly. It operates as an oligopoly where only few firms in the industry have majority of the market shares. Historically they have had the advantage of been in the industry a lot longer than its competitors who have now taken over in both performance and market share. Over a consecutive three month period ending in June 2008, Sainsbury’s reported 3. 4% increase in like-for-like sales which exclude fuel. They have recently boosted their ‘basics’ range in order to meet the growing demand and attract new customers. They have promoted their brand with the help of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver In the current economic climate, the supermarket industry seems not to be affected financially by the lack of global credit but they have had to change their operations strategically to meet the demand of customers in the recent economic downturn. The food industry runs a low risk trade because majority of its products are necessities unlike other industries such as the banking sector who have suffered greatly from the credit crunch e. g. Lehman brothers. Across the continent and the UK, supermarkets have not been adversely affected by the economic crisis. Contrary to the recent events, the supermarket industry has in general employed more staff globally than any other sector. E. g. Asda has pledged to employ 7000 new workers in 2009 (BBC), Tesco also plans to take up 10,000 new workers (Sky News). Some of the supermarkets are making plans to expand and open new stores in the current economic climate impaired with lack of credit. Companies have had to improve efficiency in order to minimise their cost and to increase profitability. 3. The Aims of the research project are to: †¢ Provide an assessment and summary of Sainsbury’s supermarkets plc: -using financial, operational and business performance analysis to compare them against their competitors. †¢ Analyse its position in the industry before and during the credit crunch: – they are currently experiencing increased sales during a recession. †¢ Investigate the reasons why Sainsbury’s is not the market leader: – they were the pioneers of the industry and now they are struggling to maintain third position ranking. Put together recommendations for Sainsbury’s on opportunities available to them that could lead to potential growth and increase customer loyalty: – suggest poss ible solutions and strategies that could help rebrand and reposition them in the industry. Personal aims include: †¢ Gaining more knowledge and skills in performing research through various techniques. †¢ Complete a compulsory component to secure an MSc degree in International Management. The objectives of the research project are to: †¢ Evaluate the supermarket industry. †¢ Examine the role of Sainsbury’s in the industry. †¢ Establish if there are still market growth opportunities. †¢ Accessing the impact of the credit crunch on the industry. Reason behind the recent increase in sales during the credit crunch. †¢ The effectiveness of their marketing strategy and its impact on their sales. †¢ The role and contributions of operations to Sainsbury’s. 4. Literature Review and limitations of the study Sainsbury’s has recently been losing customers to discount stores like Aldi and Lidl who offer lower value products at cheap pr ices and since then the company has rebranded and improved on its financial and operational performance but has still not caught up with the market leader. Their own brand ‘basics’ is a core strength to the business but they seen to be losing the battle of drawing consumers to purchase upscale and premium products from them. Sainsbury’s grew rapidly after its first store was opened but suffered great losses after the Second World War when turnover fell drastically but the company evolved and grew once again till they experienced a change in management style in 1992. David Sainsbury and his successors made great decision mistakes under their administration including the rejection of branching into non-food retailing amongst others. During this downturn, their competitors grew rapidly. An opportunity that needs s to be explored is the increase in demand for organic products while striving to minimise the threat of their lack of international market exposure. It is important to point out that porters 5 forces has some weakness of been static, lacks guidance on how to define an industry and not forward looking. With these flaws, it is also considered to be a useful tool in identifying threats to profitability, strategic planning to outperform rivals and helps to identify less competitive segments. A limitation to the report will be the sample size used which will be small compared to the total population and maybe income, age and taste sensitive. The result from the survey will be biased because it will be focused in the south west region of the UK and only few stores will be used. 5. Methodology and methods The research aims will be achieved with a combination of primary and secondary research 5. 1 Literature review The research method will be reviewing the literature on the supermarket industry with its focus being on Sainsbury’s. This will be achieved from the use of secondary data collected from textbooks and journals through Royal Holloway university library and other relevant resources including the use of commercial databases and internet search engines. The dissertation will adopt a case study method. 5. 2 Data collection and sample This report will use qualitative and quantitative data as sources of primary research. An analysis of original documents will be utilised including carrying out a small sample survey of 30 individuals each for Sainsbury’s and its competitors. This will entail the use of questionnaires with closed questions imputed into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Telephone and face-to-face interviewing techniques will also be used based on having good and reliable contacts within the companies. Data will also be gathered from electronic sources, books, journal articles; news achieves and interviews to. 5. 3 Data analysis A categorisation approach will be adopted where all data collected are grouped according the topic area best suited for its analysis. This report will examine the financial and operational performance of Sainsbury’s in comparison with its competitors. The use of financial information gathered from secondary research, Sainsbury’s and its competitors (such as audited reports) which are less biased will be used to measure the performance of the business. The financial performance will be evaluated using the following: Ratio analysis, Competitor analysis and Financial statements. The operational performance will be analysed by studying the following: Distribution networks, Product quality, Pricing strategies, Promotion strategies and Store location. The report will use the 4-stage model theory to rate the position of Sainsbury’s operation. This will determine where they fit into the model and how to further develop other aspects of their processes which could act as a support to gaining competitive advantage. Strategic analysis theory will be used to evaluate the strategic position of Sainsbury’s in the supermarket industry. These theories will include: Swot analysis, Pest analysis, Porter’s five forces and Risk analysis. The Sources Sainsbury’s website, Tesco, Asda and Morrison’s website, Textbooks, Journals, The World Wide Web, Databases, Royal Holloway University, News achieves and MINTEL. 6. Proposed chapter headings Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Background Chapter 3: Literature review Chapter 4: Methodology Chapter 5: Research results and analysis Chapter 6: Conclusion and recommendations References and appendices References Collin Fisher 2007. Researching and Writing a Dissertation: A Guidebook for Business Students. Prentice Hall BBC online Asda creating 7,000 new UK jobs http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/7855482. stm Accessed 28/01/2009 Datamonitor, August 2008. Company Spotlight: Sainsbury’s http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdf? id=22&hid=16&sid=fc656bea-c31c-4043-bbc3-82640ca0cf52%40sessionmgr7 www. sainsburys. co. uk Wheelwright, S. and Hayes, R. (1985) Competing through manufacturing in Harvard Business Review, (Jan-Feb), pp. 99-109. Sky News Tesco to create 10,000 new j obs http://news. sky. com/skynews/Home/Business/Tesco-To-Create-10000-Jobs-But-Posts-Poor-Christmas-Sales-Figures/Article/200901215202210. Accessed 20/01/2009 Appendix Timetable of dissertation 30th of January, 2009: proposal deadline February 2009: – week 1-2: collect literature papers – week 3-4: review research methods literature and research strategy March 2009: – week 1-2: design questionnaires forms – week 3-4: examine literature review April 2009: week 1-4: contact company to make appointment schedules – week 3-4: revise the questions of questionnaires May 2009: – week 2-3: formal proceeding with questionnaires – week 4: final collection of questionnaire and analyse of primary data from the case company June 2009: – week 1-4: start writing dissertation – week 1-4: keep refining dissertation writing and start to finalise dissertation write up July 2009: – week 4: start proofreading, finalise dissertation wri te up – week 4: buffer for contingency and start up the plan of dissertation binding August 2009: – week 1: finalise dissertation binding – week 2: preparation for submission deadline

Nobody Makes Bad Progress

Nobody Makes Bad Progress Nobody Makes â€Å"Bad Progress† Nobody Makes â€Å"Bad Progress† By Maeve Maddox Three times during a radio interview, a White House spokesman stated that something was â€Å"making good progress.† It occurred to me how often I hear the expression â€Å"good progress† uttered by politicians and administrators of various stripes. We are making good progress towards introducing a bill that will advance that goal.- A US senator. U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan acknowledged that [our state] is making good progress on our Race to the Top plans.- A state governor. We have been making good progress in three important areas.- A school principal. FTA is making good progress on developing more detailed guidance on which we will seek comment in the near future.- An FTA spokesman. The word progress, both noun and verb, derives from the Latin verb progredi: â€Å"to go forward, proceed, advance.† The English noun progress is defined as â€Å"the process of a series of actions through time.† As a verb, progress means, â€Å"to proceed, advance,† â€Å"to follow an expected course or pattern.† â€Å"Good progress† is bureaucratic-speak. It sounds good without meaning anything. It’s enough to say, â€Å"The FTA is making progress on developing more detailed guidance.† Progress may be rapid, slow, encouraging, delayed, or uncertain, but to say it is good is to pad language. â€Å"Good progress† is often accompanied by other meaningless phrases like â€Å"in the near future,† and â€Å"grounds for optimism.† Ordinary speakers may be forgiven for using the occasional clichà ©, but politicians and others who wish to advance themselves by swaying public opinion should be aware that coming from them, â€Å"good progress† signals a desire to avoid specifics. Note: The pronunciation of progress differs, according to whether it is used as a noun or as a verb. progress (noun): PRAH-gres (American); PRO-gres (British) progress (verb): pruh-GRES Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†Homogeneous vs. HeterogeneousPersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

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