Definition of Research - 1639 Words

RELATOR, RUE BERYL DS. DEFINITION OF RESEARCH Research has been defined in a number of different ways. * A broad definition of research is given by Martyn Shuttleworth - In the broadest sense of the word, the definition of research includes any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge. * Another definition of research is given by Creswell who states - Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue. It consists of three steps: Pose a question, collect data to answer the question, and present an answer to the question. * The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines research in more detail as a studious inquiry or†¦show more content†¦* The Panel Study – the researcher observes exactly the same people, group, or organization across time periods. * A Cohort Analysis – is similar to the panel study, but rather than observing the exact same people, researcher collects information from people who have same nature, same characteristic etc. 4. The research (data collection) techniques used in it * Quantitative * Qualitative CHARACTERISTIC OF RESEARCH * GEOGRAPHIC RELEVANCE - Geographic relevance will affect the programs to which you submit your research statement, and will also affect the details that need to be included in the statement. National research programs, such as the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, focus on research statements that address problems experienced in a majority of the states. However, a research statement focused on a more localized problem while explaining how the research product could benefit a national audience can be successful. * TRANSPORTATION MODE OR TOPIC - If your research focuses on a specific mode of transportation, your decision about the funding source may be simplified, because many research programs focus on such modes. If, on the other hand, your research need focuses on policy, administration, or other non-modal transportation issues, the appropriate program may be less clear cut. In thisShow MoreRelatedDefinition of Business Research6895 Words   |  28 PagesDefinition of Business Research Business research is an important management activity that helps companies determine which products will be most profitable for companies to produce. Several steps are necessary when conducting business research; each step must be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that the best decision is made for the company. * Product Analysis Product analysis is the first step of business research. Companies must find a product that meets or exceeds consumer demand, or the productRead MoreResearch Definition of Terms5398 Words   |  22 PagesDEFINITIONS OF COMMON RESEARCH-RELATED TERMS Abuse-liable: Pharmacological substances that have the potential for creating abusive dependency. Abuse-liable substances can include both illicit drugs (e.g., heroine) and licit drugs (e.g. methamphetamines). Adverse Effect: An undesirable and unintended, although not necessarily unexpected, result of therapy or other intervention. Anonymity: Anonymity exists when there are no identifiers on project materials that could link the data with individual subjectsRead MoreThe Definition Of Science And Research Methods1189 Words   |  5 Pagesbrief elaboration of the definition of science and research methods INTRODUCTION Science is a complex activity, which may be defined in a number of ways. To unite both the process and the product of science, one way to define science is as a process of constructing predictive conceptual models (Gilbert, 1991). Gilbert (1991) states, when referring to Kuhn (1970, Lunetta Hofstein (1981), Miller (1978) and Stevens Collins (1980) that in essence, ‘’the definition of science includes virtuallyRead MoreCareer Definition : Clinical Research1587 Words   |  7 PagesClinical Research Associates Career Definition: Clinical research associates work in a research facility setting and are included in a wide assortment of lab investigations and undertakings. Their run of the mill obligations incorporate running or helping with the running of examinations and clinical trials, making vivd observations ,objective facts, translating and breaking down information, and framing results and conclusions. Clinical exploration partners may likewise be in charge of definingRead MoreDefinition Of Quantitative Research Methods944 Words   |  4 PagesQuantitative research methods are most generally worried with weighing criminological or criminal justice existence. In order for this method to be understood, there are numerous amounts of conditions which must be initially recognized. Concepts are hypothetical labels assigned on reality that are appointed binary characters, hence making them changeable. Variables are then investigated to inspect designs of affiliation, as well as a chain of reaction. At the most basic level, there exists at leastRead MoreStructure Of The Research: .Definition Of Brand Trust1494 Words   |  6 Pages Structure of the research: Definition of brand trust; Reasons for low brand trust in the marketing channels. What is brand misconduct according to the consumers? Brand equity’s and brand credibility’s role in building and maintaining brand trust; Negative publicity ; Reputational capital; Conclusion; Definition of brand trust: The human beings naturally seek fellows to trust, moreover the trust is the only bridge toward building any kind of relationship. The definition of trust, accordingRead MoreClassification And Interpretation Of Information Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesDefinition 1 Research (Text Book) = The systematic collection and interpretation of information with a clear purpose, to find things out (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2009) Definition 2 Research (Internet) = The strict definition of scientific research is performing a methodical study in order to prove a hypothesis or answer a specific question (Shuttleworth, 2008) Definition 3 Research (Oxford Dictionary) = The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establishRead MoreA Systematic Process Of Gathering, Interpreting, And Reporting Information822 Words   |  4 Pages 1. Research (McMillan, pg.5) Book Definition: â€Å"a systematic process of gathering, interpreting, and reporting information.† Technical Definition in my words: a recognized and orderly manner of obtaining data and organizing, analyzing and explaining the data so others can understand it and base decisions on it. Example: The survey provided a voluminous amount of data that was only useful after effective research efforts were performed to make it meaningful. 2. Quantitative (McMillan, pg. 11)Read MoreThe Problem With Mental Toughness Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagesnot the only component that can lead an athlete to success (Gucciardi, Gordon, Dimmock, 2008). The main problems with mental toughness are the inconsistency of its definition, and a lack of research into clearly defining mental toughness and what attributes are required to be mentally tough (Jones et al, 2002). The earliest definition of mental toughness was provided by Cattell (1957), suggesting mental toughness was an important personality trait, supported by Kroll (1967). Loehr (1982, 1986, 1994)Read MoreEssay on Defining Research with Human Subjects948 Words   |  4 PagesQuestion 1 Question : According to the federal regulations, which of the following studies meets the definition of research with human subjects? Your answer : A researcher conducts a linguistic study of comments posted on a local public blog. Correct Answer : A developmental psychologist videotapes interactions between groups of toddlers and their care givers to determine which intervention methods most effectively manage aggression. Comment : The study of passenger lists is a study of individuals

Ideology ; Discourse Free Essays

Ideology, what is that? There are hundred answers and none of them is right or wrong. Most of ideology definitions are not compatible with each other, but I have found one that I like the most: An  ideology  is a set of  ideas  that constitute one’s goals,  expectations, and  actions. An ideology is a comprehensive vision, a way of looking at things as in several  philosophical  tendencies, or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to all members of this society. We will write a custom essay sample on Ideology ; Discourse or any similar topic only for you Order Now Ideologies are systems of abstract thought applied to public matters and thus make this concept central to politics. Implicitly every political or economic tendency entails an ideology whether or not it is propounded as an explicit system of thought. 1 So ideology is a system of conceptualized views and ides, expressing the interests of different social classes, groups and societies, to evaluate relationships between people and reality, as well as authorized on a community form of domination and power (conservative ideology) or settle their transformation (radical, revolutionary ideology). It`s not a science, but it includes scientific knowledge of social and politic life, as well as assessing it. Good example of bad ideology was Nazi in Germany, when Hitler wanted to â€Å"clean† the Aryan race from â€Å"sub-human† – Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and handicapped people who were at the bottom of racial hierarchy by Nazi studies. Now let`s move on discourse. What is that? Discourse is the term that describes written and spoken  communications; the â€Å"language in the language,† a certain vocabulary, semantics, pragmatics and syntax, manifesting itself in actual communicative acts, speeches and texts. â€Å"Discourse constitutes the social. Three dimensions of the social are distinguished – knowledge, social relations, and social identity – and these correspond respectively to three major functions of language †¦ Discourse is shaped by relations of power, and invested ideologies. † (Fairclough 1992:8). 2 Example: Discourses are seen to affect our views on all things; it is not possible to avoid discourse. For example, two notably distinct discourses can be used about various  guerrilla  movements describing them either as â€Å"freedom fighters† or â€Å"terrorists†. In other words, the chosen discourse provides the vocabulary, expressions and perhaps also the  style  needed to communicate. 3 So how ideology and discourse works together? Actually they both are inextricably connected to each other, because both are elements of human thoughts and communication. Some people say that ideology affect discourse, other say that discourse is used as a way to deliver an ideology. 4 It`s very important to remember that when analyzing media texts, because the interpretation of the text will depend on person who wrote it and his opinion on the subject and the person who is reading it. For example some political articles in newspapers in the UK have political alignments, some support Labours, some support Democrats. So when one of the parties wants to write a press release or something their ideological discourse will be organized by a general strategy of positive self-presentation (boasting) and negative other-presentation (derogation). This strategy may operate at all levels, generally in such a way that our good things are emphasized and our bad things de-emphasized, and the opposite for the Others—whose bad things will be enhanced, and whose good things will be mitigated, hidden or forgotten. How to cite Ideology ; Discourse, Papers

Defining My Role Essay Example For Students

Defining My Role Essay If youre like me then you hate being told how to do something; especially if its something you are good at. Theres probably not a single person on this planet who enjoys being told in meticulous detail how to perform a task, and yet despite this there are so many people who are content to do just that. Well let me tell you something: you dont need to tell a surgeon how to fix internal organs, you dont need to tell a fireman which way water comes out of a hose, and when it comes to video games; you dont need to tell a field medic how to keep his team alive! My role in games is not particularly difficult. I focus on keeping my enemies in sight, and my allies in the fight. There are many different names for those who undertake this passive yet vitally important role, but there is one name that spans every genre of game, and every jargon of in-game vocabulary. I am a support, and while I prefer to maintain an air of modesty, I can say with great pride and confidence: â€Å"there is no one better to have at your back! † Yet despite the satisfaction I get from my role, it is not without its trials. The games I partake in are merciless, and a single accident could land you within the cold heartless void that is the respawn room. Naturally the average players will deflect their rage against the machine at players like myself, and honestly I do not blame them. After all my teammate is no longer alive, and it is my duty as a support to keep him alive. However as any support (myself included) will tell you: â€Å"if youre not helping the team, youre not worth helping. A cruel motto to be sure, but one that we must abide by lest we find ourselves lulled to the eternal slumber ourselves. By following this mindset you quickly learn to drown out the noise that is your teammates red hot aggression. If anything giving your teammates a source of anger ventilation is simply one more job on your ever growing list of duties. None the less it is all too possible for your allies to cross the line. For some its easier than others, but for me personally theres only one thing you could do. The game was going well enough. My team had suffered a few hiccups early on, but everyone was covering their losses and even making it up with interest in some cases, but after half an hour of reacting to the enemy, and no time spent calling the shots, my team was growing weary. A bad call was made, and my team and I fell victim to the enemies ingenious rouse. As a result we were all wiped out, and left with several seconds of lamenting over what we did, and what to do next. Our self-appointed play maker, whom had more or less been calling the shots up until this point suggested a passive approach. Spreading out and securing defensive positions to make up for lost time. I on the other hand had found a golden opportunity for an aggressive tactic that could turn the fight around. I suggested the strategy, but our â€Å"lead strategist† would have none of it. â€Å"You are just a support,† spatted the ignorant fool. â€Å"It is not your job to think, it is your job to listen and react. You just keep us alive and leave the rest to me. † Im not sure where this one sided mindset came from, but obviously I had better things to do than be strung around like a lapdog. I protested the statement of my companion to which he replied with three enraging, infuriating, inconceivable words: â€Å"Learn your role. † This was the final straw. There is nothing more disheartening to me then being told I dont know how to play the role I have spent my entire life pursuing. My whole body burned with irritation as if stung by the worlds largest wasp. I wanted to reach through my computer and drag this fool out by the other end. .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .postImageUrl , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:hover , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:visited , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:active { border:0!important; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:active , .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u99b0bb67e2d1a8197a6d28d040be2eaf:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Deterioration of the american- EssayIn the span of a few seconds this had ceased to be the enjoyable challenge it had begun as, and in my eyes the one who slithered out those three pestilent words was no longer helping the team. After exchanging a few choice words with the jerk, the team as a whole fell silent. We didnt communicate, we didnt coordinate, and in the end there was no one I could help. Defeat swiftly followed. It was game over for us. Everyone has something theyre good at. It maybe a minor talent, or something they dedicate their life to, but no matter how minor the skill may be, no one should ever tell you youre not good at it.

Richard B. Sewall Claims That Melvilles Vision In Moby-Dick Is A Cruel

Richard B. Sewall claims that Melville's vision in Moby-Dick is a cruel reminder of the original terror, in which all moral judgements are accompanied by tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities. In response to this statement, I agree that all moral judgements are fraught with tensions, paradoxes and ambiguities. Much of Ishmael's experiences while on land and at sea deal with making moral judgements; the act of forming an opinion by discerning what is right and wrong. Melville uses Ishmael to prove his vision that moral judgements are derived from (life) experiences directly affected by tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities. Melville uses excellent representations of how tension can impact moral judgement making. Ishmael undergoes a particular situation in which tension directly affects his process of analyzing and judgement making. There is an obvious tension between Captain Ahab and the crew of the Pequod due to Ahab's silent intensity and self-concentrated desire to kill Moby-Dick. Ahab seems to be in his own world, loosing himself to the temptations of getting revenge on the White Whale. Ishmael makes note of this unspoken tension while looking for him during his watch. ...I instantly gazed aft to mark if any strange face were visible; for my first vague disquietude touching the unknown captain, now in the seclusion of the sea, became almost a perturbation...but whatever it was of apprehensiveness or uneasiness-to call it so-which I felt...(Melville, 109). Although Ishmael had not seen Ahab yet, he found it peculiar that he remained secluded in his quarters below the deck. This instance creates tensi on in Ishmael's mind, making him second-guess his attendance aboard the Pequod. This tension was the perfect recipe to help Ishmael decide how much he would want to interact with Ahab. In other instances, Melville uses the whale to show how paradoxes can affect judgement. When Stubb kills a whale in Chapter 61, Ishmael lingers around the incident, explaining first exactly what the dart is and what the crotch is. When Ishmael wants to examine representations of whales, he looks at monstrous and less erroneous pictures of whales and then depictions of whales in paint, teeth, wood, sheet-iron, stone, mountains, and stars. This commitment to analyzing the whale in general creates a paradox in that Ishmael either underestimates or overestimates the whale and its characteristics. It is a constant contradiction that affects Ishmael's judgement in a way that makes him feel either at ease or unrest with the whale. Melville states the ambiguity of experience in the chapter Queequeg in his Coffin. When Queequeg is seized by fever, he orders his coffin in the shape of a canoe. When he recovers, he uses it as a storage chest and an object of art. Later, the coffin is used as a life preserve/buoy for Ishmael. The general idea Melville portrays is that the meaning of an object is determined by an individual, and not in itself. Melville uses Ishmael as the direct link to Queequeg and his coffin when the ship sinks. The different perceptions of the coffin more or less deal with foreshadowing, and Ishmael's desire to analyze the future and judge for himself what is best for him. Melville had many ways of portraying how moral judgements can be impacted. I believe Sewall's claim that all moral judgements are fraught with tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities to directly apply to moral judgement, as Melville portrayed this through Ishmael and particular events that took place in the novel. Sewall was accurate in his statement in that these three elements can greatly affect a person and their moral sense of judgement. Richard B. Sewall claims that Melville's vision in Moby-Dick is a cruel reminder of the original terror, in which all moral judgements are accompanied by tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities. In response to this statement, I agree that all moral judgements are fraught with tensions, paradoxes and ambiguities. Much of Ishmael's experiences while on land and at sea deal with making moral judgements; the act of forming an opinion by discerning what is right and wrong. Melville uses Ishmael to prove his vision that moral judgements are derived from (life) experiences directly affected by tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities. Melville uses excellent representations of how tension can impact moral judgement making. Ishmael undergoes a particular situation in

RwandaGenocide or Civil War essays

RwandaGenocide or Civil War essays The current state of affairs in Rwanda constitutes a catastrophe that never should have happened. Unfortunately, it has happened, but do the circumstances and outcomes warrant using the term "genocide"? Based on facts about the ethnic make up of Rwanda, there is abundant proof that this is actually a case of violent, ongoing civil wars, and the use of the term "genocide" is not justified. The major crime problem in Rwanda since 1994 has been mass murder, officially know as genocide, which has been prevalent in this country in the mist of years of civil war. Genocide is defined as the methodically planned eradication of a racial, political, or cultural group. The United Nations (1998) has declared in the Convention on the Punishment and Prevention of the Crime of Genocide of 1946, that "genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group..." (p. 1). Genocide represents a horror so special that the term has previously been used to described only two events in the twentieth century: the massacre of Armenians by Turks in 1915, and the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews. The United Nations (1998) stated that any "persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be punished..."(2). The Convention on the Punishment and Prevention of the Crime of Genocide hammered out the statutes concerning genocide, which went into force January 12, 1951. These are still considered law. How or what the specific punishment is or should be is not defined in these articles. Since most members of the United Nations do not practice the death penalty, the most common punishment for genocide is life in prison without parole. The population of Rwanda is estimated at 8,154,933 (Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 1999, p.2). Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, with the approximate population density ...

The Definition of an Angle

The Definition of an Angle In mathematics, particularly geometry, angles are formed by two rays  (or lines) that begin at the same point or share the same endpoint. The angle measures the amount of turn between the two arms or sides of an angle and is usually measured in degrees or radians. Where the two rays intersect or meet is called the vertex.   An angle is defined by its measure (for example, degrees) and is not dependent upon the lengths of the sides of the angle. History of the Word The word angle  comes from the  Latin  word  angulus, meaning corner. It is  related to the  Greek  word ankylÃŽ ¿s  meaning crooked, curved, and the  English  word ankle. Both Greek and  English  words come from the Proto-Indo-European  root word ank-  meaning to bend or bow.   Types of Angles Angles that are exactly 90 degrees are called right angles. Angles less than 90 degrees are called acute angles. An angle  that is exactly 180 degrees is called a straight angle  (this appears as a straight line). Angles that are greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees are called  obtuse angles. Angles that are larger than a straight angle but less than 1 turn (between 180 degrees and 360 degrees) are called  reflex angles. An angle that is 360 degrees, or equal to one full turn, is called a full angle or complete angle. For an example of an obtuse angle, the angle of a typical house rooftop is often formed at an obtuse angle. An obtuse angle is greater than 90 degrees since water would pool on the roof  (if it was 90 degrees) or if the roof did not have a downward angle for water to flow.   Naming an Angle Angles are usually named using alphabet letters to identify the different parts of the angle: the vertex and each of the rays. For example, angle BAC, identifies an angle with A as the vertex. It is enclosed by the rays, B and C. Sometimes, to simplify the naming of the angle, it is simply called angle A. Vertical and Adjacent Angles When two straight lines intersect at a point, four angles are formed, for example, A, B, C, and D angles. A pair of angles opposite each other, formed by two intersecting straight lines that form an X-like shape, are called  vertical angles  or  opposite angles. The opposite angles are mirror images of each other. The  degree of angles will be the same. Those pairs are named first.   Since those angles have the same measure of  degrees, those angles are considered equal  or  congruent.   For example, pretend that the letter X is an example of those four angles. The top part of the X forms a v shape, that would be named angle A. The degree of that angle is exactly the same as the bottom part of the X, which forms a ^ shape, and that would be called angle B. Likewise, the two sides of the X form a and an shape. Those would be angles C and D. Both C and D would share the same degrees, they are opposite angles and are congruent. In this same example, angle A and angle C and are adjacent to each other, they share an arm or side. Also, in this example, the angles are supplementary, which mean that each of the two angles combined equals 180 degrees (one of those straight lines that intersected to form the four angles). The same can be said of angle A and angle D.

Contrasts on the Topic of Eros Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contrasts on the Topic of Eros - Essay Example In a discussion of eros through the insights of Socrates and Phaedrus, the nature of the quest and the object of those desires are discovered in relationship to the framework of Plato. Within the speech that Socrates made in Phaedrus, he defined the meaning of the term eros as â€Å"a certain desire† (Rhodes 3). In this, it is suggested that the desire is without hesitation, a feeling in which the individual is driven towards the object of the desire without deviation. The desire is certain, it is clear with purpose of connectivity, both physical and mental. However, in the second speech, he begins to call it a yearning, which suggests that it is a pull towards something, a feeling based on the envy of want and without that same certainty that he has suggested in his first description. Eros, through its certainty or its capacity of yearning, is manifested in passion. If desire is the look towards fulfillment, then passion is the fulfillment of that anticipatory event of desire . The nature of eros, as it is associated with the god from whom it was given its context, eros is a potential that was placed within the human frame of emotions. It is the potential of developing feelings for others, the potential for the experience of connection. The placing of eros within the human framework was the work of the god Eros, but he use of it was left to the discretion of the individual. Therefore, an important part of the concept of eros is that it is potential, a intent that is defined by its affect on what will be, rather than what is (Phillips 21). Socrates describes the nature of the god Eros as the child of Poverty and Plenty, a descendent of extremes, and born with wisdom and a love of beauty. However, human beings do not have the innate benefit of wisdom, therefore it is the seeking of the object of desire that the gift of Eros exists. As a human being, love is not given automatically, but is the eventual outcome of the pursuit of love (Phillips 21). This also places eros as an intention, an outcome that is the event of hope in which within that hope is placed a pursuit that will end in love. It is the quest that each human being attends towards finding a way to be consumed in the human experience of extension into partnership with another human being, which then spreads to interconnections of family and procreation of life. Socrates also connects eros to the love of wisdom. Phillips quotes Socrates for having said â€Å"wisdom is a most beautiful thing, and love is of the beautiful† (21). Phillips states â€Å"The most beautiful thing one can love, according to Socrates, is wisdom. We demonstrate this most beautiful love in our striving to become wise† (21). This leads to the quest for the human excellence in the form of arete. While some definitions of arete are centered on the notion of being an expert and highly skilled in a vocation, it can also define attaining a level of excellence as a human being (Dominik 206). The refore, eros can be seen outside of the realm of the erotic, as a pursuit of wisdom and within the pursuit of the nature of the self. However, eros more often involves an object of the pursuit, as eros is the quest, the object is the target of that quest. Once again, the definition of the object becomes the subject of concern. It would be considered most obvious to place the concept of the object on a person

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay - 2

Effective Team and Performance Management - Essay Example . Precisely, this discussion demonstrates personal and interpersonal awareness in addition to skill formation and development. The main reason for describing the personal and interpersonal awareness within a given team is to attempt explaining or creating an understanding of the effective management and performance of such groups. Effective team and performance management are the main epicenters of this discussion. In order to obtain the objective of the discussion, this paper is divided into three main parts excluding the introduction. The parts include reflection, alternative action, and overall learning. Reflection section of the discussion attempts to identify the key issues besides describing each of mentioned issues. In addition, the section provides an analysis of key issues involved while carrying out the activities of the team within the three contexts; investigating crime, lost on the moon, and egg challenge. Alternative action section identifies the recurring/overarching problems within the team whilst conducting its specific activities, avoidance of such problems, and impact of team members in ensuring that activities of team were effectively achieved. Lastly, the overall learning (conclusion) section identifies aspects learnt in the tasks and their relevance to future professional life. Team The team comprising of 6 members, 4 ladies and 2 gentlemen was formed on the basis of persons from different nationalities from Africa and Asia. Three main activities formed part of the seminar activities for purposes of understanding personal and interpersonal characteristics. The activities included lost on the moon, crime investigation in Park near Cambridge City Centre, and the egg flying contest. All these formed the seminar activities, which were aimed at evaluating effective management of teams or groups. Reflection During formation of the team of the four ladies and two gentlemen, I realized that there was so much potential not only in me but also other team members. Though anxious, I found it enjoyable and exciting to engage with people that were like strangers to me. Anxiety is one of the indicators within a person as described by Myers Briggs (Elwyn, Greenhalgh, and Mcfarlance, 2001, p.119). The first step was to introduce each other. In this process, team members wer e uneasy given the fact that they did not know each other. The idea of introduction to get to know each other was borrowed from Tuckman’s (1965) group forming stage. During the forming stage, Tuckman (1965) identifies that team members are always anxious due to being strangers. Other than problems of introduction, the team within its introduction stage had no clear specific individual roles and responsibilities, chain of command, and hierarchy of authority. What’s more, it is difficult to explicitly define roles and responsibilities of every member during the formation stage (Tuckman, 1965; Landale, 1999, p38). As Goleman (2002, p.253); Irvine et al (2002); and Kilman (1974) identify, there was a possibility of diversity conflict especially following that members of the team came from diverse backgrounds. The second activity within the formation stage involved identification of a team leader. Without a team leader, a group will not be spearheaded to the right direction since no one particular person will be responsible for initiating and directing activities

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel is said to be the â€Å"Father of the Kindergarten† for his huge involvement, and devoting his life to the development of a system of education for young children. In German, the word kindergarten means children’s garden, and he thought that this was best in the age of six and younger. He spent his entire life helping with the development of the young and early childhood development. Wilhelm Froebel was born in the Thuringia region of Germany. He had a childhood that was not so fond for remembrance because of how terrible it had been for him. This is what shaped him to be able to come up with the idea of kindergarten. Froebel lost his mother before the age of one, and this meant that he had been left with this father who had to take care of three boys because Froebel had two other brothers. Their father never had much time for any of them. As a boy that would be hard for any child, and this caused him to have to spend most of his time alone at his home. He spent a lot of that time in the gardens by his home, and would play there for most of the day (Coron 4). Exploring all day was what he loved to do the most, and this would make a major influence on what he would do for the rest of his life. He started teaching at a school when he was a young man at Frankfurt Model School, and this school was a school that was focused on the teachings of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who was a very well respected teacher of his day. This school accepted poor children, and orphans. He believed that children needed to be involved in very active ways. As he left this school, he left it with his very hands on learning approach, and went to privately tutor children. The parents of the children that he tutored were very kind in giving him space in their garden to use to help teach the children. In 1837 Froebel founded his first school, and called it Kindergarten, or the children’s garden (Coron 4). This was a very exciting thing because before he opened this school, if you were under the age of seven, you did not attend school. At the age of seven, you then could go to school. Now that Froebel opened his school, children at the age of two were able to go to school (coron 3). Froebel was very free with the children, he allowed them to have a lot of activity time to be free with themselves, and figure things out. He believed that this was the best idea for them to have their own space, and time to figure out, as he did as a child. The mot that Froebel gave the children was a classroom, he believed that giving children a place to create, and imagine freely was the best gift anyone could have given them. Froebel wrote books, and in his book â€Å"Education of Man† he wrote â€Å"Play is the highest phase of child development-the representation of the inner necessity and impulse.† (coron 5). He thought that teachers should be friendly people who are helpers, not discip linarians. In his classroom there were blocks, pets, and finger plays. (Coron 5). He was inspirational to all. Froebel designed his classroom to have the following things as meeting a child’s needs; Physical activity, because it is important for a child to move, the development of sensory awareness and physical dexterity, creative expression, exploring of ideas, the pleasure of singing, the experience of living among others, and satisfaction of the soul. (Coron 4). These are all things we teach today to our children, and encourage our children to do. I think going back and looking at the bones of things could really help our society as a whole. Froebel was a very inspirational man to a lot of other great theorists such as Maria Montessori, who started Montessori schools. (Coron 2). I am in great belief of how much of a influence Froebel had on the early childhood education as a whole. He really was the father of kindergarten. I think that him having such an influence, really helped us shape the early education now. Froebel believed that â€Å"Humans are essentially productive, and creative† (coron 1.) I believe he is right, no matter what age you are, you are creative in your own way. It starts out at birth, even with how you relate to your mother, and father is creative, and how you interpret things as a young child is important. I know that if Froebel had not been involved, that what we call early childhood now, would not be the same as it is now. I am a firm believer in how he started to do things, letting children develop their own ideas about who they are, and how to do things in the world around them is really all a part of life.

Smitty :: essays research papers

Hello my name is R, I had been running track all through high school and am just about to start my senior season. I had never been great, but good enough to make states last year in the 100 meter dash. Up until this year (When I transferred to Newark after 3 years at Hodgson) our only coaches were only temporary or who only coached track because they needed some more spending money on their paycheck. Some were even athletes themselves before they let themselves go and now wanted to relive their fantasies of victory through our hard work and sweat. This winter though, events will change. I have an experienced track coach who has championships to prove it and also cares of his athletes as if they were his children. He had run track in both high school and college but chose to be a coach for the love on the sport. His name is â€Å"Smitty† (as though we call him) and he was my ideal coach and person since he obviously was better at it than any of my other coaches. Not only that, but he has more passion than anyone else on the team and all my other coaches. Add to that the fact that he was more successful than most of the coaches in the state in sending athletes to college. He is also a very stern coach that comes with extremely hard workouts. If he hadn't been one of the nicest and most helpful people in the world things might have gotten ugly between him and I very quickly because at Hodgson I didn’t practice much. Instead, he became one of my best friends, as well as part of my family. I don't know exactly why, but Smitty seemed to make me his special project for the season( Calling me the next Brandon Reeves). From the first day of meeting him he pushed me harder than anyone else, spent more time with me and made sure that I pushed myself. Maybe it was because I ran the same distances he ran, but then again so did a few of the other guys. Maybe it was because he saw something in me that none of the other coaches had. I wasn't sure what it was, but at times I enjoyed the extra attention, on the other hand I am sure that I will hate it when he makes me run the extra distance or work extra hard.

Admission Statement

Every action that we do serves as an opportunity for us to develop and achieve our particular goals and interests. This in turn, motivates us to perform on our optimum capabilities. Despite the occurrence of challenges and hurdles along the way, it serves as our guide and inspiration to do better in life.With the emerging opportunities happening in our current environment, one must have the appropriate foundation and education to become competitive in their respective fields. Realizing this, I wish to present to the admissions committee to apply for a degree in Gonzaga College.My passion for sustenance and development do has always been evident in the things I do. I treat every activity as a chance to learn and acquire new principles that I can use later in my life. In addition, consider the student life to be a holistic undertaking. One must not only dwell into the realm of academic study but at the same time establish interpersonal relationships and engage into sports to keep a bal anced way of living.In detail, I have been involved in lacrosse for the past year and I can say that I had shown growth and improvement in the way I play the game. I consider these skills to be at par or better to be accepted in a division 1 school.Being a player on the JV team for The McLean School, I know what to expect and what obstacles I must overcome to be an even better and more valuable lacrosse player. It instilled in me the values of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and teamwork – facets that are equal determinants of survival in a collegiate environment.Also, I had the adage that you must not sacrifice your educational objectives among other things. It is an integral reason why you are enrolled in an educational institution in the first place. That is why academically, I had made it a point to excel in the things that I do. I see every meeting and lessons as an opportunity to learn and acquire new ideas.I continuously enjoy learning Math, Science, and History because of the relative satisfaction and fulfillment it brings to my day. I know that my hard work to get good grades since the 8th grade will pay off in due time.On the other hand, my inclination to music has always been a part of my life. The enthusiasm to play an instrument during my spare time has grown through the years. With the help of my tutor, I was able to enhance my skill and proficiency in guitar and bass guitar for the past two years. Now, I am proud that my sacrifice has paid off. I am now capable of composing and producing my own songs.With these, I can contribute my talent to the community engaging in a particular band group that is available in Gonzaga. Not only shall I showcase my creative side for the group I may belong to, at the same time I can inspire others that achieving something need to be made by effort and continued persistence.With all of these, I feel that I am capable of achieving anything given that I strive and work hard for it. The abilities that I have right now is only the beginning chapter of my life, I will still continue to face difficulties and hurdles. However, these incidents can be used to shape who I am and at the same time inspire others to become better individuals.I believe that this mindset can help the Gonzaga College High School achieve its desired goals and objectives. It does not only seek to see its students graduate with the academic expertise. On the other hand, it aspires to promote a holistic opportunity for its students to grow and be effective in the professional environment. It is in this that I feel suitable to be included and mature at this educational institution.

Shopping Behaviour: Bangladesh

2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy Determinants Of Grocery Store Loyalty Of Consumers In Bangladesh Plato Ranjan Datta, London College of Management Studies, United Kingdom Bonya Rani Chakraborty, London College of Management Studies, United Kingdom Abstract Due to the belief that customer retention is a much cost-effective strategy than attracting new customers, the customer loyalty subject has become of increased interest to most businesses over the last few years. Loyal customers always bring more profit for the organisation as they are more likely to recommend their friends and family, ready to pay premium prices and have increased repurchase intention. This study sets out to examine the degree of consumer’s loyalty in Bangladesh among consumers who shop from various superstores. The main objective is to empirically investigate the strength of loyalty of Bangladeshi food consumers on the basis of their shopping behaviour and store-level service provision, and thus provide evidence which demonstrates a model of consumer loyalty based on these factors. In order to understand consumer loyalty in Bangladesh Oliver’s four stage of loyalty model were adopted. A total sample of 150 food shopping consumers from three leading stores in Bangladesh were selected randomly and interviewed in March by trained interviewers. The survey results indicate that Bangladeshi food consumers are conscious of the cost and benefit (Cognitive loyalty), are conscious with satisfaction (Affective loyalty), satisfied consumers are likely to recommend their primary super store to their family and friends (Co-native Loyalty) and also they have frequencies of visit (Action Loyalty). The findings of research can be used to offer a sound basis for retailers to improve their operations in all the areas, so increasing their profits and to provide the first such survey in this particular (and extremely important) field in the Bangladeshi context and thus offer a foundation and direction for future research. INTRODUCTION The retail industry is dynamic, huge and change is a constant phenomenon. Over the last few decades in both Europe and North America one as seen the emergence of supermarkets as the dominant retail form. This is due to the fact that consumers’ behaviour has changed and shifted towards convenience, high quality produce, provision for customer care, flexible payment methods and sophisticated channels of distribution. To cope with consumer demands retailers are constantly shaping their business strategies and striving to offer the right products and services. Determinants of store choice, customer loyalty and patronage behaviour have been widely studied across the globe. Therefore, a sheer volume of literature exists regarding food retailing. However, there is still vast scope for research in this field as the environment of retailing is in a constant phase of change and the emergence of new store formats in USA and Europe have led to dramatic changes in consumer behaviour. This is particularly true and has significant effect on middleclass consumers in Bangladesh with the newly introduced ‘so-called’ supermarkets which are providing a completely new experience for those consumers offering sophisticated customer service, a wide and assorted variety of goods, pleasant ambience, spacious layout, quality imported and branded products and provision for other western life style facilities. Although there is some research on retailing in other Asian counterparts, there has been very little research in Bangladesh. The retailing industry in Bangladesh is very fragmented and underdeveloped. The so called European 1 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy style new superstore format has emerged in this sector only in the last few years so this sector of retailing is in an early phase. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for retailers in Bangladesh to know the attributes that appeal to their customers in order to satisfy them. Thus, this study sets out to examine the degree of consumer’s loyalty in Bangladesh among consumers. RETAILING IN BANGLADESH Bangladesh is predominantly a traditional, poor society, where about 90% of the population is Muslim; other groups represented are Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, and other minorities. Per-capita income is about US$ 380 (Gain Report, 2004). The population has grown from 42 million in 1941 to133 million in 2002 (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2003) making it the 9th most populous country in the world (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Dec. 2002). Retailing industry in Bangladesh is fragmented and undeveloped. Even compared to its South Asian counterparts, Bangladesh is behind in terms of development, structure and organisation. However, the last several years has witnessed dramatic changes, especially in food retailing industry. This is due to the effects of globalisation, economic and trade liberalisation, changing patterns of consumers’ shopping behaviour, substantial increase of middle class consumers and the government’s liberal attitude towards foreign imported food products and growth of organised superstores. Bangladeshi food retail sector is dominated by traditional shops, and this traditional food distribution system is through so called `wet markets` which sell fruits, vegetables, meat and fish together with small food stores which sell dry foods. The traditional retailing has been established for some centuries. But its expansion is keeping pace with rapid growth of economy, intense competition, population growth and changing consumption patterns. All these changes led to dramatic changes in the structure of the food retailing sector. Thus modern superstores, supermarkets, convenient stores, one stop stores and multi-store complexes developed to service the growing middle class with their demand for more sophisticated food stores and greater varieties of products, many of which were imported, especially in major cities. Thus organised retail sectors are facing competition from traditional unorganised huge retail outlets. This is due to their distinctive characteristics which are not quality related but rather price related. Most of the traditional shops are unorganised, do not have proper employee structure (normally â€Å"mom and popâ€Å" shops run by family members), have negligible real estate, no external or underpaid labour costs and no or little taxes to pay. Consumer’s familiarities run from generation to generation and thus they have a strong relationship with most of the customers who are normally local. Therefore customers may have the opportunity to buy any products on credit and pay every month or every week. Thus prices are always less, although quality is not guaranteed and no or few imported products are available. This is again due to the socio-economic group of the middle and lower class which is more sensitive to price rather than quality. On the other hand the organised retail sector is incurring higher costs due to various cost pressures. A substantial proportion of their products are imported and good quality, they employ high calibre employees with consequently high labour costs, have bigger premises and so offer more comfort and value for the customer. However, this growth and expansion was not structurally organised due to lack of attention from government and public. The retail industry in Bangladesh was never before perceived positively as a sector until recently. Therefore there is no or very limited market data available on this sector, but various secondary sources indicate that the turnover of the food retail sector in Bangladesh could be US $ 12-14 billion and the number of retail grocery shops could be around 1 million (Gain Report, 2004). According to the same report, Retail is one of the biggest sources of employment (12%) and it contributed 13% to Bangladesh’s GDP in 2001 / 2002. The organised retail sector (i. e. arge supermarkets) is new in Bangladesh and started to appear less than 5 years ago. Within this short time period it has attracted investors, developed positive perceptions among the public and created government attention. Now it is growing dramatically. The share in terms of volume and value in the organised retail sector of Bangladesh is 49. 60% and 18. 5% in 2003 (post market survey, 2003). To date there are 2 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy about 30 stores of this kind operating in the country, the majority of which are located in Dhaka and this sector makes up 1% of the total retail sector in Bangladesh. Ownership of all major superstores is private and limited, owned by local retailers except one which is a joint venture and another in Australian ownership. However, the concept of international retailing is at a very early stage in Bangladesh. According to Alexander (1997) â€Å"international retailing is commonly assumed to concern retail operations, owned by a single company in more than one countryâ€Å". There is no evidence of the physical presence of international large retailers in Bangladesh except one or two of medium size. Traditional shops like small roadside shops accounted for 75% of the retail sector and these shops are visible throughout the country (Gain Report, 2004). They are very small and no foreign or imported products are available except in some shops located in urban or suburban areas where consumers can buy relatively high quality products from neighbouring countries (i. e. India and Burma). These products are imported through mainly unauthorised channels. As these types of small shops are mainly family owned and run, they do not incur huge costs and also are not high quality. Shop sizes are normally 30-100 sq. feet. They open for long hours and consumers can bargain with the sellers in order to lower the price. Other types are typified as Municipal Corporation Mini-Market and mainly found in semi-urban or urban areas and these are under Municipal Corporation ownership. Shops are generally arranged by product or service categories such as fish market, meat market, vegetable market, groceries etc. This category represents 20% of the retail market (Gain Report, 2004). Most of the shops sell imported and quality products although their appeal is limited to only the middle-class or high class consumer market due to the cost factor. Products are acquired by wholesalers and importers. The third category of shops is convenience or departmental stores. These stores are relatively large and offer good quality domestic and imported products. Normally visible in urban areas they represent 5% of the retail sector (Gain report, 2004). Due to their quality and brand name these stores are always expensive and a large proportion of the population cannot afford their products. They are therefore strictly limited to upper-middle or upper class Bangladeshis and foreigners residing in major cities, especially Dhaka. Their products are acquired from importers and distributors with adequate storage facilities and sometimes topped-up by local suppliers. Finally, over the last few years another sophisticated retail format has appeared in the retail sector in Bangladesh; these are organised, developed and more structured which are supermarkets or the organised retail sector which at the moment represent less than 1% (Gain report, 2004). This sector is very young and is in its early stage of development, mainly visible in major cities (i. e. Dhaka, Chittogong). These are large retailers and sell very high quality products, mainly imported goods. Less than 5% of total food consumption comes from this outlet. There are at the moment around 30 superstores and most of them have only 1 outlet except AGORA and PQS with 2 outlets. GROCERY STORE LOYALTY: A LITERATURE REVIEW In today’s competitive environment to compete with competitors and sustain in business all organisations are investing resources to create loyal customers by offering superior products, superior services to increase customers repurchase intentions, their commitment towards the organisations and satisfy customers needs and wants. A satisfied customer has positive post-purchase behaviour which leads to him/her positive attitude and commitment towards the organisation. A committed customer is always remaining with the company for longer term. An unsatisfied, non-committed customer defect from the company. This is more paramount case in retailing scenario where organisations are making paper thin profit. As Huddleston et al (2003) pointed out that â€Å"to survive in today’s competitive markets food retailers must create and maintain a loyal customer base. Omar (1999) has emphasised that store loyalty is the single most important factor in retail marketing success and store longevity. A review of literature by Jacoby & Chestnut (1978) indicates that much of the initial research emphasizes the behavioural aspect of loyalty, after a period when the majority of researchers measured loyalty as a pattern of repeat purchasing (Oliver, 1997). However, Cunningham (1956) in early stage of behavioural aspect of loyalty stated that store loyalty concept derived from brand loyalty with respect to tangible 3 006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy goods. Current loyalty literature indicates that there are two dimension of store loyalty: Attitudinal and behavioural dimension. Behavioural dimension is measured by proportion of purchase of a specific brand, while attitudinal loyalty dimension is measured by psychological commitment to the target object (Caruana, 2002). There are various advantages for retailers to have loyal customers. As stated by Huddleston et al (2003) customers loyalty can yield favourable operating cost advantage for retailers. Further they have stressed that obtaining new customer costs five to six times as much as retaining current customers. Loyal customer can increase their purchase spending, low costs for retailers for obtaining new customers, price premiums and customer longevity. Dick and Basu (1994) proposed that brand plays a special role in generating repeat purchase. Food Business News defined customer loyalty more concisely as `creating the strongest possible relationship between the retailer and customer, so that people feel they will miss something if they go to another store. However, Sivadas and Baker-Prwewitt defined loyalty as â€Å"to get customers to recommend a store to othersâ€Å". Odekerken-Schroder et el (2001) defined store loyalty as â€Å" the conscious buying behaviour of a consumer expressed over time with respect to one store out of a set of stores and which is driven by commitment to this store. Huddleston et el (2003) have conducted a study in mid-western US city with six focus group in order to define store loyalty by respondents and also they have investigated respondents likes and dislikes of a preferred food store. Respondent’s likes and dislikes relate to identify factors associated with repeat and loyal purchase behaviour. The conceptual framework of this study was based on Dick and Basu (1994) which conceptualises loyalty as the relationship between relative attitude towards a brand and patronage behaviour. The study identified preferred convenience attributes such as store location, familiarity with store layout, one-stop shopping and being able to get in and out in a hurry. Product related attributes are: product variety, good store brand, fresh produce and meats, making bulk item available and carrying general merchandise. The study also identified environmental attributes such as cleanliness, aisle width, layout and friendly clientele. Noise from announcements and music, small or narrow aisles, too hot or too cold temperatures, bad odours from bottle returns, big size of store, too busy and crowded and layout changes been selected by respondents as negative attributes. Huddleston et al (2003) pointed out that store commitment as a necessary condition for a store loyalty. Without commitment customers are spuriously loyal. Another study conducted by Koo (2003) among Korea Discount retail patrons to examine the interrelationships among store Images, Satisfaction and Store loyalty. How store images can influence consumers satisfaction and how consumers satisfaction can influence store loyalty. The conceptual model developed by Koo (2003) indicates that various discount retail characteristics have positive influences on attitude towards a discount retail store which leads to store satisfaction and this leads to store loyalty. Also it stresses that Discount retail store (DRS) attributes have a positive impact on store satisfaction. Thus create store loyalty. He developed six hypothesis based on his conceptual model. The research identified four store images such as Store atmosphere, employee service, merchandising and after sales service have significant impact on attitude, while location, convenient facilities and value have no impact on attitude. The research findings support Bloemer & Ruyter (1998), but it is contradictory to You et al (1998) who in their study showed that only location has a significant effect on attitude. Findings also partially support that store images (i. e. tore atmosphere and value) have a positive impact on store satisfaction, while location, convenient, after sales service and merchandising have not significant impact on store satisfaction. This support Bloemer & Ruyeter (1998), Kumar & Karande (2000), Thang & Tan (2003). Study further have identified Location, after sales service and merchandising have significant impact on store loyalty which contradict Bloemer & Ruyeter (1998) wh o identified that there is no direct relationship between store image and store loyalty, but an indirect impact on store loyalty through satisfaction. Koo 92003) concluded that the overall attitude towards discount retail has the greatest impact on store loyalty, followed by location, after sales service and merchandising. In Korean discount retail store environment his study indicates that store image and location are important factors in attracting patrons to the store. Furthermore, it indicates that satisfaction has an insignificant positive effect on store loyalty. 4 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy Jacoby and Chestnut (1978) defined store loyalty as â€Å"the biased (I. e. non random) behavioural response (I. . revisit) expressed overtime, by some decision making unit with respect to one store out of a set of store, which is a function of psychological (decision making and evaluation) processes resulting in brand commitment. However critical part of store loyalty is seen by Bloemer et al (1998) is store commitment which is a necessary condition for store loyalty to occur. They further stresses that a loyal customer is committed and that commitment arises from sharing explicit and extensive decision making as well as evaluative processes. Limited and non explicit decision making and evaluation process can leads to consumers not become committed to the store. Therefore they are not loyal. Based on store commitment they have defined a degree of store loyalty as true store loyalty and spurious store loyalty. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TO CUSTOMER LOYALTY Customer satisfaction can be defined in many ways, one of which is â€Å" a person’s feeling of pleasure or disappointment from comparing a product’s perceived performance (or outcome) in relation to his or her expectations (Kotler, 2000). Bloemer et al (1998) also support this definition which states that satisfaction is occur through a matching pf expectation and perceived performance. Bloemer et al (1998) have identified two different types of satisfaction: manifest and latent satisfaction. Manifest satisfaction is the result of an evaluation which is well elaborated on where as latent satisfaction is the result of an implicit evaluation which is not elaborated on (Bloemer et al, 1998). Customer satisfaction positively influences customer retention, and increasing repeat sales (Anderson, Claes & Lehman, 1958). Moreover, `satisfaction level is a function of the difference between perceived performance and expectations` (Kotler, 1994). If the performance falls short of expectations the customer is dissatisfied. If the performance is exceeds expectations, the customer is highly satisfied. `High satisfaction may create an emotional affinity with the brand, not just a rational preference and this creates high brand loyalty (Kotler, 1994). Even if the customer is not highly satisfied, still from behavioural aspect of brand loyalty, the customer can be brand loyal. This can occur if no other alternative is available or may be alternatives are of a higher price which the consumers can not afford or if the customer’s purchase power is limited. Bloemer et al (1998) were conducted an empirical study in major Swiss city in the German-speaking part of Switzerland to establish relationship between Image, satisfaction and loyalty by developing three hypothesis. Hypothesis 1 examine whether positive relationship between manifest satisfaction and store loyalty is stronger than the positive relationship between latent satisfaction and store loyalty. Hypothesis 2: store image has a direct positive effect on store loyalty and hypothesis 3 examines the indirect positive effect of store image on store loyalty through store satisfaction. Their findings indicated that the relationship between store satisfaction and store loyalty depend on the type of satisfaction and tested all three hypotheses positively. However, the study conducted by Huddleston et al (2003) indicates that satisfaction does not imply commitment to a store either; many respondents stated that they could be persuaded to shop elsewhere. However, Heskett (2002) suggests that customer satisfaction is the lowest level from the five levelhierarchies of customer behaviours. Others customer behaviours are: mere loyalty (repeat purchase), commitment (willingness to refer others to a product or service), apostle-like behaviour (willingness to convince others to use a product or service) and ownership. Nevertheless, Sivdas and Baker-Prewitt (2000) pointed out that satisfaction influences relative attitude, repurchase and recommendation but has no direct effect on store loyalty. According to Sivdas and Baker-Prewitt (2000), service quality directly affects both relative attitude and satisfaction and that satisfaction affects relative attitude. Both relative attitude and satisfaction influence the likelihood of recommending but only satisfaction plays a part in influencing repurchase. Study further indicates that there is no direct relationship between relative attitude and repurchase and both relative attitude and satisfaction have no direct impact on royalty. Thus, it appears that relative attitude and satisfaction which is influenced by service quality can influence customer recommendation which leads to both customers repurchase and loyalty. Sivadas and baker-Prewitt (2000) study support Oliver’s model of loyalty in a store loyalty context. 5 2006 EABR & ETLC STORE IMAGE AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY Siena, Italy Existing literature indicates that store images have critical impact on store loyalty (Bloemer & Ruyter, 1998). Theoretical foundations of store images are found in theories of brand images (Koo, 2003). Store image or store attributes have significant influence on satisfaction. Store image is defined as the complex of a consumer’s perceptions of a store on different (salient) attributes (Bloemer and Ruyter, 1998), or a given consumer’s or target market’s perception of all of the attributes associated with a retail outlet to create and maintain a level of storeservice provision or quality for the store loyalty (Keaveny and Hunt, 1992; Lascu and Giese, 1995). The competition and increasing customer expectations have created a climate where â€Å"quality is concerned to be a major strategic variable for improving customer satisfaction (Smith, 1990). Lucas, Bush and Gresham (1994) said that decision to visit a particular store can be influenced by many factors, understanding such factors and building them into store operations can increase the profitability of gaining customer loyalty. They had identified the nine basic motives for the store selection includes: general store characteristics, physical characteristics of the store, convenience, merchandise, prices, store personnel, in-store effects, customer service and advertising. They had also identified the five motives for patronising ervices which include: quality of service provided, appointments, reasonable fees, waiting areas, attitude of service provider. Early studies of store images are closely related to the multiattribute model. Lindquist (1974) defines store images as a â€Å"structure of some sort that is tying together the dimensions that are at workâ€Å" and conceptualises store images as nine key attribute categories: merchandise, service, clientele, physical facilities, transaction satisfaction, promotion, store ambience, institutional factors and post transaction satisfaction. By combining retail marketing mix elements Ghosh (1990) identified eight elements of store image. These are location, merchandise, store atmosphere, customer service, price, advertising, personal selling and sales incentives programs. Customers may have different perception for different stores and different store may apply different attributes to attract different types of customers in different times and in different locations. Store images may differ between smaller and larger stores. A study conducted by Mitchell and Kiral (1998) found that there are differences between primary store loyal customers perception of their store and secondary store loyal customer perception of that store. This view is support to Hansen and Deutscher (1978) proposition that store attributes vary by store types. Mitchell and Kiral (1998) in their study they have asked 30 shoppers to identify which store attributes they use in Manchester at two grocery stores (e. g. Tesco and Kwick-save). They have identified three factors associated with customer perception and these are: Quality, Time and convenience, value. Tesco customer perceived quality, convenience and value factors in that order of importance while kwick-save customer perceived quality, value and convenience when considering Tesco. Theoretical base for modelling the grocery store loyalty After behavioural perspective on loyalty majority researchers measured loyalty as a pattern of repeat purchasing. The most relevant of the models for measurement the grocery store loyalty is Oliver’s four-stage loyalty model (Oliver, 1997). Oliver’s four-stag loyalty model produced in 1997 in a simplified form and suggests that customer loyalty progresses in four phases, with each phase representing a greater degree of loyalty. Four stages are: cognitive loyalty, affective loyalty, conative loyalty and action loyalty. Figure: The Oliver’s four stages of loyalty model COGNITIVE Cost and benefits AFFECTIVE CONATIVE ACTION *Frequency of shopping Relative attitude *Recommendation *satisfaction *Repurchase intentions Cognitive Loyalty: At this stage consumers are more concerned about quality and prices of the products and services and this is why they patronise the store rather than other stores. However, at this stage loyalty may not be that strong because consumers can defect from that store and move to another store if they perceive it as a better 6 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Ita ly option. So, service quality evaluation can be taken as a good indicator of their cognitive loyalty. To understand Bangladeshi consumers’ cognitive loyalty three questions were selected to measure this category of loyalty. Affective Loyalty: At this stage consumers’ loyalty is based on relative attitude towards the store and satisfaction gained. The relative attitude is the result of their previous loyalty based on cognitive loyalty. Therefore relative attitude and satisfaction were used as independent variables to measures consumers’ affective loyalty towards the store. There are 26 question in nine categories selected to measure affective loyalty. Categories are: convenience of store location, convenience of service provisions, congestion, cleanliness and store atmosphere, variety of ranges, shopping difficulties, travel difficulties, unfamiliarity and degree of customer service from sales personnel. Co-native Loyalty: Having a relative attitude towards the store and being satisfied with the store a consumer will hold a commitment to buy there, so repurchase intentions will be increased and consumers are willing to recommend to others. Two questions were selected to measure a consumer’s co-native loyalty towards the store. Action loyalty: This is the final stage of a consumer’s loyalty. With this loyalty a consumer will be retained with the store thus leading to frequency of shopping there. Therefore, one simple question was asked to consumer to measure this loyalty. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The research was based on selecting three (3) leading grocery retailers from Bangladesh. Stores were selected based on market share and length of operation. In order to understand consumer loyalty in Bangladesh Oliver’s four stage of loyalty model (Cognitive loyalty: consumers consciousness with cost and benefits; Affective loyalty: Consumer conscious with satisfaction; Co-native loyalty: consumers recommendation to other people and repurchase behaviour and Action loyalty: consumers’ frequencies of store visits) were adopted. Data were colleted using a random sample of consumers. The data and information were collected from selected grocery stores in Bangladesh. Consumers who have significant knowledge of the topic were identified and selected at random for questioning. Interviews were conducted face to face on exit from three selected superstores to capture the attitude and experience of consumers who had just purchased grocery items. The choice of face to face interview was in order to get high response rate and reduce the response bias. A low response rate is a common problem with self-completion questionnaires and can be subject to response bias, especially in that people with reading and writing difficulties are less likely to respond (Robson, 2002). Furthermore, the refusal rate for face to face interviews is very lower than the non-response rate for postal questionnaires. A sample of 50 consumers in each store (3*50) making a total of 150 food shopping consumers from the three (3) selected stores in Bangladesh were selected. However, 10 subjects were not included due to incomplete answers. It is logical that the larger the size of the sample, the greater is the precision or reliability when research is replicated (Saunders et al, 1997). But constraints on time, manpower and costs influenced decisions on sample size in this study. The sample size was found to be representative for the store population. A study conducted by Bloemer and Ruyter (1998) in a major Swiss city in the German-speaking part of Switzerland used only 153. The current market leaders in grocery retailing in Bangladesh include-Agora, Nandan, and Value Plus were selected as samples for investigation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data were collected in early March 2005 by trained interviewers throughout the week. In order to reduce possible shopping patterns biases all interviewers used stratifying interviews across the time of the day (morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon) (Odekerken-Schroder et al, 2001) and weekend (Thursday and Friday). As a Muslim populated country Friday is the official holiday and Thursday normally half-day off. But special consideration were placed on weekend and evening when most of the people are going for shopping and this time always busy. All interviews were last for maximum of 12 minutes. 7 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy After collecting data from the field data were coded and analysed by using SPSS version 11 software programmes. Quantitative analysis was used to understand the degree of store loyalty. RESULTS The main findings were: Cognitive Loyalty Cognitive loyalty factors are associated with cost and benefits and three statements were asked to consumers concerning cost and benefits. The mean average of consumers was 3. 94 and SD was 0. 929. These refer to the grocery consumers in Bangladesh conscious with cost and benefit when they were shopping (on a scale rating from one to five). In this category, the first question was ‘If a store provides a better price, I am going to buy from the store’, the mean averages and SD of the consumers replies was 3. 77 and 0. 876. The second question was `If any store provides better quality, I am going to buy from that store`. The mean average and SD was 3. 92 and . 953. The third question to understand the degree of consciousness towards cost and benefits was `I am always concerned about price and quality`, the mean and SD for this was: 4. 13 and 0. 958. Table: Cognitive loyalty Cognitive loyalty factors If a store provides a better price, I am going to buy If any store provides better quality, I am going to buy I am always concerned about price and quality Total Mean 3. 77 3. 92 4. 13 3. 94 Std. Deviation . 876 . 953 . 958 0. 929 Affective loyalty The mean average was 3. 98 and SD was 0. 892 . These results indicate that consumers in Bangladesh conscious with satisfaction when they did shopping. In this category total 25 statements were asked to consumers with nine specific factors. These factors were: convenience of store location, convenience of service provisions, congestion, cleanness and store atmosphere, variety of ranges, shopping difficulty, travel difficulty, unfamiliarity and customer service by sales personnel. These factors were chosen to understand consumer’s relative attitudes the store and satisfaction 8 2006 EABR & ETLC Table: Affective loyalty Affective loyalty factors Parking facilities Convenient location Inside the store temperature Good place for shopping with children Credit card payment Opening and closing times Visually appealing interior Good customer service Duration of checking out time Convenient to move around Atmosphere of the store is good Cleanliness of the store Pleasantness of the place Variety of items Variety of branded items Quality & variety of imported products Overcrowded in the store Long waiting time at the checkout Transportation is inconvenient Much time & effort for parking a car I am familiar with store layout Familiar with the store since I used to shop here Has presentable sales personnel Has sales personnel who show a sincere interest Has sales personnel who are willing to help Total Mean 3. 89 4. 06 4. 21 3. 86 3. 66 3. 86 4. 02 4. 46 3. 46 3. 89 4. 46 4. 60 4. 59 4. 51 4. 49 4. 37 3. 12 3. 8 3. 21 3. 29 3. 32 3. 49 4. 37 4. 37 4. 37 3. 98 Std. Deviation . 874 1. 09 8 . 747 . 878 . 845 . 878 . 809 . 723 . 932 . 972 . 661 . 644 . 710 . 735 . 791 . 924 1. 042 . 916 . 956 . 834 . 984 1. 083 . 733 . 743 . 752 0. 892 Siena, Italy Co-native loyalty Two questions were selected to measure consumers’ co-native loyalty towards the store. At this stage consumers must have a positive attitude and commitment towards the store and thus create repurchase intention. Based on customer’s satisfaction they tend to recommend their friends and relatives. Findings indicate that satisfied consumers are likely to recommend their friends and repurchase. The first question was `how likely would you be to recommend`, where the mean average and SD were: 4. 35 and 0. 709. The second question was `how likely would you be to purchase at this store`, giving a mean average and SD of: 4. 17 and . 831 respectively. Table: Co-native loyalty Co native Loyalty factors How likely would you be to recommend How likely would you be to purchase at this store Total Mean 4. 35 4. 17 4. 26 Std. Deviation . 709 . 831 . 776 Action loyalty This is the final criteria of Oliver’s loyalty model which indicates that having fulfilled all previous stages at this stage consumers tend to retain their connection with the store so leading to continued frequencies of shopping. Only one simple question was asked to measure consumers retention and that was `how often do you purchase at this store`. The mean average and SD were 3. 47 and 1. 305 9 2006 EABR & ETLC Table: Action loyalty Action Loyalty factor How often do you purchase at this store Total Mean 3. 47 Std. Deviation 1. 305 Siena, Italy DISCUSSIONS The survey results indicate that Bangladeshi food consumers are conscious of the cost and benefit (Cognitive loyalty), are conscious with satisfaction (Affective loyalty), satisfied consumers are likely to recommend their primary super store to their family and friends (Co-native Loyalty) and also they have frequencies of visit (Action Loyalty). Table: Level of food consumer loyalty in Bangladesh Stages of loyalty Cognitive Affective Co-native Action Store loyalty Conscious with cost and benefits Conscious with satisfaction Likely to recommend to their family and friends Have frequencies of visit Consumers respond differently in every country (Child, Heywood and Kliger, 2002), as international retailing has become an important feature of global distribution systems. This has been brought about through changing socio economic patterns, favourable political and cultural environments and a shift from manufacturing to service based economies (Quinn and Alexander, 2002). Although in Bangladesh the retailing environment is totally different from its counterparts the results indicate that Oliver’s four stages of consumer store loyalty model is still applicable. Consumers’ loyalty can be measured through cognitive, affective, co-native and action behavioural patterns. From the findings it is clear that consumers are very conscious with cost and benefits (cognitive loyalty). This is the basis to create a favourable attitude towards the store and through the process of providing store and service attributes consumers will be satisfied, thus indicating that consumers are conscious with satisfaction (affective loyalty). A satisfied consumer will tend to recommend to their friends and family the product and service they tend to buy from (Co-native loyalty) and at the same time their repurchase intention tends to increase (Action loyalty). CONCLUSIONS Store loyalty is a very important phenomenon for retailers to understand the underlying principles and antecedents in order to retain and acquire more customers. Loyal customers spend more money and at the same time recommend the store to their family and friends, thus bringing more customers and profit for the retailers. It is of paramount important for managers to identify the specific characteristics which can influence consumers to shop from their store. As characteristics of retailing environments are changing, along with consumer’s behaviour, patterns of choice and mode of shopping, retailers must respond quickly to those changes in order to sustain and achieve competitive advantage. The study looked at the degree of store loyalty by applying Oliver’s four stages of store loyalty model. The implications for management and retailers are that they must look closely at the kind of price and quality they are offering, as customers are more conscious with cost and benefits. Although this cognitive stage of consumers’ loyalty will not create a strong association with their commitment or favourable attitude, it does have positive impact on their next stage of loyalty behaviour which is the affective stage. To create a favourable attitude amongst consumers’ towards the store retailers must use specific service or product attributes. The research indicates that convenient location, good customer service, atmosphere of the store, 10 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy cleanliness, quality and variety of imported products and good sales personnel are the major attributes to satisfy customers. Thus, to create consumers relative attitude and satisfaction which leads to co-native loyalty of consumers, where consumers tend to recommend to their family and friend and increase repurchase intention. If these three previous stages can be implemented appropriately, consumer’s frequency of shopping will increase. Organised retailing in Bangladesh is in the introductory phase of development. Competition is virtually non-existent. However, growing health awareness is making consumers more quality conscious and imported food items are considered good quality, also a growing number of middle class consumers, due to their high income capacity can afford to purchase good quality imported products. Therefore, our results thus provide strategic justification for major retailers for continued investment in store image and targeting specific consumer groups with the right demographic variables. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Alexander N (1997), International Retailing, London: Blackwell Anderson, E. W. , Fornell, C. , and Lehmann, D. R (1994), â€Å"Customer satisfaction, market Share and profitability: Findings from Sweedenâ€Å", Journal of Marketing, Vol. 58, July, pp. 53-66. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2002 Bangladesh Bureau of statistics, 2003 Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2003). Post market survey Bangladesh Retail food sector report (2004), USDA, Foreign Agriculture Service, Gain Report, Report number BG4001 Bloemer, J. nd Ruyter, K (1998), â€Å"On the Relationship between Store Image, Store Satisfaction and Store Loyaltyâ€Å", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 32, No. 5/6, pp. 499-513 Caruana, A. (2002), â€Å"Service Loyalty: The Effects of Service Quality and the Mediating Role of Customer Satisfactionâ€Å", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 36-37, No. 7, pp. 811-828 Child, P. N. , Heywood, S. , and Kliger, M. (2002), â€Å"The Grocery brands include hypermarkets, supermarkets and discounters, the clothing brands, both specialists and department storesâ€Å", The Mckinsey Quarterly, No. 1 Cunningham, R. M. (1956), â€Å"Brand Loyalty –What, Where, How Much? â€Å" Harvard Business Review, Vol. 34, January-February, pp. 116-128 Dick, A. S. and Basu. K. 1994),â€Å"Customer Loyalty: Towards and Integrated Frameworkâ€Å", Journal of the Academy of marketing Science, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 99-113 Ghosh, A. (1990), Retail Management, 2nd Ed. , The Dryden Press, Chicago, IL. Heskett, James L (2002), â€Å"Beyond customer loyalty, Journal of Managing Service Quality, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 355-357 Huddleston, P. , Whipple, J. , and VanAuken, A. (2004), â€Å"Food Store Loyalty: Application of a consumer loyalty framew orkâ€Å", Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 213-230 Jacoby, J. and Chestnut, R. W (1978). Brand Loyalty: Measurement and Management, New York: John Wiley and Sons. Jarnow, J. , and Guerreiro, M (1991). Inside the Fashion Business. New York: Macmillan. Keaveny, S. M and Hunt, K. A (1992), â€Å"Conceptualisation and operationalisation of Retail Store Imageâ€Å", Journal of the Academy of Marketing Sciences, spring, pp. 165-176 Kotler, P. (1997), Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Koo, Dong-Mo (2003), â€Å"Inter-relationships among Store Images, Store satisfaction and Store Loyalty among Korea Discount Retail Patronsâ€Å", Asia pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 15, No. 4 Kumar, V. , and Karante, K. (2000), â€Å"the Effects of Retail Store Environment on Retailer Performanceâ€Å", Journal of Business Research, Vol. 49, pp. 167-181 Lascu, D. N. and Giese, T. (1995), â€Å"Exploring Country Bias in Retailing Environmentâ€Å", Journal of Global Marketing, Vol. 9, PP. 41-58 Lindquist, D. J (1974), â€Å"Meaning of Imageâ€Å", Journal of Retailing, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 29-38. Lucas, G. H. , Bush, R. P. , and Giresham, L. G (1994). Retailing, Boston: Ho ughton Miffin Company. 11 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 2006 EABR & ETLC Siena, Italy 24. Mitchell, V. W. , and Kiral, R. H. (1998), â€Å"Primary and Secondary store-loyal customer perceptions of grocery retailersâ€Å", British Food Journal, Vol. 100/7, pp. 312-319 25. Odekerken-Schroder, G. , Wulf, K. D. , Kasper, H. , Kleijnen, M. Hoekstra, J. , and Commandeur, H. (2001), â€Å"The Impact of quality on store loyalty: A Contingency Approachâ€Å", Total Quality Management, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 307-322 26. Oliver, R. L. (1997), Satisfaction: A Behavioural Perspective on the Customer, McGraw-Hill, Singapore. 27. Omar, O. E (1999). Retail Marketing, Harlow, England: Pearson Education 28. Quinn, B and Alexander, N. (2002), â€Å"International Retail Franchising: a conceptual frameworkâ€Å", International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 264-276 29. Robson Collin (2002). Real World Research (2nd Eds). Blackwell Publishe r, London 30. Saunders, M. , Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A (1997) Research Methods for Business Students. Pitman Publishing, London. 31. Sivadas, E. , and Baker-Prewitt, J. L (2000), â€Å"An Examination of the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and store loyaltyâ€Å", International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 73-92 32. Smith, A. M. (1990), â€Å"Quality Aspects of Service Marketingâ€Å", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 8, No. 6 33. Tahng, D. C. , and Tan, B. L. B. (2003), â€Å"Linking Consumer Perception to Preference of Retail Stores: An Empirical Assessment of the Multi-Attributes of Store Imageâ€Å", Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 10-4, pp. 193-200 12

Free Essays on Japanese Geisha

Japan, located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Asian Continent, is a nation composed of almost 7,000 islands, many are small. The four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Japan has the seventh largest population in the world. With approximately 125 million inhabitants, the only countries with a higher population are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. The population which is about half of the United States, lives on only 1/25 as much total land mass, this computes to being one of the highest population densities in the world. These conditions reflect in the Japanese cultural values and their desire for being a collective society. The Japanese style of conducting business differs greatly from the western model. It has grown out of the nation’s unique history cultured philosophy. The Japanese people are isolated in an island nation’s unique history, culture, and philosophy. The island nation is under constant bombardment by the harsh forces of nature, have traditionally placed a strong emphasis on working together as a group in order to survive. Their culture is deeply influenced by Confucianism, with its rigid rules governing conduct and its emphasis on trust, consensus, and hierarchy. These ancient roots have influenced every aspect of Japanese business; from the way formal meetings are conducted to the importance placed on after-hours socializing. It has shaped a business culture in which long-term, mutually beneficial relationships are of paramount importance. By understanding and adapting to this business culture, Western executives eager to do business in Japan will be able to be enlightened to be ! more productive associations with their Japanese colleagues and will increase the probability of achieving the goals of their meetings there. It is important to understand the role of the female entertainer in Japanese culture. That is why the Geisha has a specific role. The g... Free Essays on Japanese Geisha Free Essays on Japanese Geisha Japan, located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Asian Continent, is a nation composed of almost 7,000 islands, many are small. The four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Japan has the seventh largest population in the world. With approximately 125 million inhabitants, the only countries with a higher population are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. The population which is about half of the United States, lives on only 1/25 as much total land mass, this computes to being one of the highest population densities in the world. These conditions reflect in the Japanese cultural values and their desire for being a collective society. The Japanese style of conducting business differs greatly from the western model. It has grown out of the nation’s unique history cultured philosophy. The Japanese people are isolated in an island nation’s unique history, culture, and philosophy. The island nation is under constant bombardment by the harsh forces of nature, have traditionally placed a strong emphasis on working together as a group in order to survive. Their culture is deeply influenced by Confucianism, with its rigid rules governing conduct and its emphasis on trust, consensus, and hierarchy. These ancient roots have influenced every aspect of Japanese business; from the way formal meetings are conducted to the importance placed on after-hours socializing. It has shaped a business culture in which long-term, mutually beneficial relationships are of paramount importance. By understanding and adapting to this business culture, Western executives eager to do business in Japan will be able to be enlightened to be ! more productive associations with their Japanese colleagues and will increase the probability of achieving the goals of their meetings there. It is important to understand the role of the female entertainer in Japanese culture. That is why the Geisha has a specific role. The g...

Boucheron Luxury Brands Market Research

Legend has it that he chose 26 Place Vendome, where Boucheron remains to our days, because it was sunniest corner of this square. He believed that the diamonds in the windows will sparkle all brilliantly. Czar Alexander III was a client, as was his son, the doomed Nicholas II. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was especially fond of Boucheron tiara which she inherited from Lady Greville, who originally purchased it from the House. Her grand son Prince Charles passed the tiara onto his wife Camille, Duchess of Cornwall as a wedding gift. Queen Elizabeth of England also has a collection of Boucheron jewels as did Wallis Simpson the Duchess of Windsor. American royalty are also collectors of Boucheron creations. Household names like Astors, Vanderbilts and Rockefellers have returned again and again to this jeweler for exceptional pieces of High Jewelry. Actors and artisits have also been fans of Boucheron since it opened its doors 150 years ago. Caroline otero, the temptress known as La Belle Otero, when she was a cabaret dancer at the return of the 19th century was a Boucheron enthusiast as was the famed theater actress Sarah Bernhardt and the writers Oscar Wilde and Marcel Proust. Why film stars including Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rachel Weisz and Diane Kruger have all come under the Boucheron spell of spectacular creations. TIMELINE: 858- Frederic Boucheron opens his first store in the Galerie de Valois at Palais Royal, during the heyday of the Second Empire. 1866- Boucheron creates its atelier. 1867- Paris Universal Exhibition: Frederic Boucheron wins his first Gold Medal only 9 years after opening his firs boutique. 1878 – Paris Universal Exhibition: The Foliage necklace, a sapphire and diamond set with a central sapphire of 159 carats, created for Mrs. H. Mackay, wins the Grand Prize. 1883- The Russian Prince Felix Yousoupoff purchases a corsage decorated with 6 detachable diamond bows during one of his visits to Paris. 893- Frederic Boucheron moves to 26 Place Vendome in the residence of the Countess of Castiglione. He opens the largest boutique on the square. 1898- Boucheron opens a store in Moscow, later transferred to St. Petersburg in 1911. 1902- Frederic Boucheron dies, his son Louis cucceeds him. 1921- Boucheron is commissioned to make tiara for Lady Greville; it was later given to England`s Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. 1928- Louis Boucheron is asked by the Maharajah of Patiala to Set the stones of his treasure, which are brought to the Place Vendome boutique by the private guards of the Prince. 930- The Shah of Iran asks Louis Boucheron to assess the Imperial Treasure of Persia and issues a decree naming him Official Curator and Guardian of the Treasure. 1959- Louis Boucheron dies, leaving his sons Fred and Gerard in charge of the business. Edith Piaf, the most popular French Singer of her time, purchases a Boucheron watch for the love of her life, Marcel Cerdan. 1962- Fred Boucheron retires, leaving his brother Gerard as head of the establishment. 1970- In the 1970s the best selling snake line was created. 1973- Boucheron`s first boutique opens in Japan. 980- Gerard Boucheron retires and Alain Boucheron becomes a president and General Director. 1988- Boucheron launches its first women`s fragrance in a ring shaped bottle. 1994- Boucheron takes of a new development in the sector of fashion accessories: The Boucheron Eyewear Collection. Boucheron sells to Schweizerhall. 2000- Gucci Group acquires the House of Boucheron. 2002- Boucheron launches the â€Å"Beaute geois† collection. 2003- Boucheron launches the â€Å"Not Bourgeois† collection 2004- Gucci Group is fully acquired by PPR. Jean-Christophe Bedois is appointed CEO. The â€Å"Jaipur† High Jewelry line and the â€Å"Dechainee† collections are launched. 2005- Launch of four new jewelry lines: Trouble, Quatre, Diablotine, Vingt-Six. Boucheron opens its firs boutique in Shanghai and its first flagship in Dubai. The start of the â€Å"Trouble Desir† High Jewelry Collection. 2006- Boucheron and Alexander McQueen collaborates together to create a limited edition Novak bag that incorporates the snake motif of Boucheron`s Trouble line. Boucheron opens its first boutique in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Launch of the â€Å" Exquises Confinces† line. 008- Boucheron marks its 150th anniversary with a yearlong celebration. CONCEPT AND UNIQUENESS The concept of Boucheron is to appeal to high-end customers who look for something unique in their jewelry. Through meeting target customers standards about design, materials, price and brand Boucheron has created a market for luxury haute couture jewelry. Customers also appreciate the fact that all collections are manufactured in small quantities and that stones of the highest quality are used; in addition to diamonds, also sapphires, amethysts, emeralds, coral, onyx, and jade. We wanted to develop innovative and creative way to introduce our rich heritage and approach to fine jewelry in way that enchants, amazes and amuses. We have a rich history that is beautifully brought alive. † Jean Christophe-Bedos, President, Boucheron The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced in 2011 that Boucheron has achieved certification by meeting the ethical, human rights, social and environmental standards as established by the RJC’s Member Certification System. â€Å"RJC warmly congratulates Boucheron on its certification. The successful verification assessment of Boucheron was conducted by Philippe Arnaud from KPMG France, one of the independent third-party auditing firms accredited to the RJC’s Member Certification System† Michael Rae, RJC’s Chief Executive Officer. â€Å"Since 1858, Boucheron has adhered to the highest standards not only in the spectacular designs of its creations but also in upholding its strong ethical code. The RJC certification corresponds to the House’s continued endeavor to embody excellence and responsible business practices both internally and externally; a commitment we share across the PPR Group† Pierre Bouissou, Boucheron’s CEO BUSINESS STRATEGY With the understanding that the conservative way was not an option, Boucheron plays on its long history of rousing the passions of sensual desire. This attitude has driven Boucheron’s design and delicate craftsmanship and resulted in a heritage of enthusiastic stories and myths. Today it could motivate an entirely new approach to the market. The House’s individual legacy sharped a way to connect the new luxury consumer on a essentially more personal, more passionate and less superficial level. Boucheron has formed a marketplace approach that brings many industry innovations – a new service that redefines how the HNWI can experience and enjoy luxury jewelry; an exclusive retail concept that can voyage to the client rather than sit and wait for them; and product idea that raises the craft of the brand to the peak levels of art and business When Boucheron has entered the US market the first element of the strategy was a â€Å"Desir†, a collaboration with the creators of Spiegelworld, that brings alive the rich history of Boucheron in an personal and inspirational 100 year old hall of mirrors. It was launched in New York in August 2008 and was set to benefit from a sellout three-month run at the South Seaport before opening two-year tour of US’s most significant Luxury markets. â€Å"Set in a turn of the fin-de-siecle nightclub, Desir is meeting place for showgirls and soldiers, bejeweled courtesans and maharajahs, a carnival world devoted to the pursuit of beauty, clever seductions and breathtaking displays of acrobatic wonder. It is a sparkling merry-go-round where the last love affair is merely an entree to the next encounter. More than any show in New York I can think of, Desir, with its cavalcade of professional beauties, does inspire thoughts of a time when well-dressed admirers queued up at dressing-room doors bearing gifts of flowers and jewelry. As for me, I’m thinking of coming back with a bouquet of catnip for that charming, fluffy-haired Persian who stopped the show when it walked a tightrope. † Ben Brantley, New York Times. Additionally to the show there was the Boutique Desir, a traveling boutique where, guests can find out Boucheron’s universe and its creations; can touch, try and familiarize themselves with the pieces in a private ambiance. Clients were then invited to the exclusive Bar Vendome, a VIP lounge where they could get pleasure from an memorable evening under the stars. Boucheron chose to launch their products in the BRIC countries as well, which consists of some of the most emerging markets in the world today. Additionally, the Middle East and India are also two extremely important markets for Boucheron, partly due to the strong responsiveness for jewelry. The sales in these countries are larger than in the western countries and the luxury company is exploiting the new wealth of the generations with high luxury awareness and taste. MARKETING MIX Product: Boucheron sells hand-made haute-couture luxury jewelry made from fine materials like gold, platinum, diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. Along with every purchase the buyer receives superior service and is entitled to service which assists users with exclusive services like delivery and customization. One of the Boucheron`s specialties is color. Clients easily can distinguish  Boucheron’s line of jewelry  by its designs. Its signature is visible in the form of motifs like floral, peacock feathers and snakes. Boucheron produces: * Necklaces * Pendants Bracelets * Brooches * Cufflinks * Earrings * Rings * Wedding Jewelry * Watches * Perfumes (18 editions) * Sunglasses Price: Boucheron prices range: Rings from 2. 000 eur up to 30. 000 eur Earrings from 4. 000 eur to 41. 800 eur Necklaces from 12. 000 eur to 1. 000. 000 eur Brooches from 5. 000eur to 10. 400 eur The prices vary with the different collections and the materials that are used in them. Place: Boucheron jewelry is very selectively distributed. It is available at company-owned boutiques and flagship stores like London Jewelers, Goldsmiths, and Colette. They recent store was opened in Doha`s West Bay community in Middle East. In keeping with its global design concept, the space is decorated using its signature aubergine and gold colour palette and affluent wooden decor. The Doha boutique domiciled Boucheron’s iconic most collections, along with a range of exquisite high jeweler’s creations. Boucheron locates its stores in luxury shopping districts, famous â€Å"Golden Triangles† of large metropolitan areas and opens relatively few stores. Today, Boucheron operates more than 50 boutiques and over 100 certified retailers worldwide in addition to an online sales website. The boutiques are, intimate and have a luxury feeling. All sale locations can be found on www. boucheron. fr . Promotion: Boucheron acquires much publicity from sales to celebrities like: * Chanel Iman * Diane Kruger * Natalia Vodianova * Kira Knightley * Julianne Moore * Raquel Zimmermann * Anne Hathaway * Mary-Kate Olsen * Natsha Poly * Lily Donaldson * Salma Hayek * And many others As well Boucheron has collaborated with Vertu. Boucheron launches diverse collections at different times and only makes a certain number of some jewels in order to keep a prestigious image and be a focus for HNWI. Boucheron has an own website for publicity which features product descriptions and prices. Mostly promotion is running in Fashion Magazines like Vogue. POSITIONING Seeking to embody the opulence and grandeur of Parisienne life, Boucheron draws often upon iconic French women, each epitomizing a facet of the golden age, to act as muses in the creation of distinct sets of jewelry. Each woman has its own distinctive way of wearing jewelry, which is the privilege of a woman, but she can vary own excitement strategy. Blink of an eye, the center will become a decorative pattern of brooches, pendants into earrings, necklace, or a deduction into a multifaceted hairpin. Boucheron blends the art of seduction and a charm with a woman`s desire to wear jewelry. Boucheron has positioned itself as the top-of-the-line targeting HNWI. Boucheron achieving this by using only the finest materials to create their products which are all handcrafted ensuring that every product is of perfect quality. Boucheron will launch different collections each featuring different materials and designs which make the collections unique and prestigious; their most expensive line ever was a necklace Julia which cost 800,000eur and Boucheron snake necklace for Maison du Chocolat which costs 900. 000 eur. Boucheron collaborated with VERU luxury mobile phone maker, to extend their success and increase awareness in the luxury product world. Boucheron offers superior and personalized service to its clients, guaranteeing customer satisfaction and loyalty. They also position hemselves by showcasing the celebrities who own their products as an indication that their products are for the rich and famous. Boucheron has flagship stores all over the world in 50 countries however they open relatively few boutiques solely in luxury shopping districts of large cities and thus are considered selectively distributed. Boucheron boutiques are decadent, small, intimate venues which offer personalized service to cli ents wishing to make a purchase. Boucheron house very successfully preserves a prominent image with its ultra-luxurious products and superior service through its positioning. TARGET CONSUMER The Boucheron jewelry is a highly luxurious product, which doubtlessly is made to fit the extremely wealthy population of this world. The main customers are rich and found in the urban areas, who are constantly searching for the extraordinary products. Furthermore, their flagship stores are situated in the finest areas, in order to attract the highly rich international shoppers. CONSUMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY PYRAMID Brand Salience For Boucheron achieving right brand identity involves brand salience. Only richest people are aware of Boucheron because promotion is quite narrow. However their target consumer for sure can recall and recognize this brand. So conclusion here is that Brand salience is more depth than breadth. This basically means that even thou there are not yet many people knowing Boucheron, but those who do, they know all insights of it, can easily remember it and realize what this brand is about. Brand Performance The product itself is at the heart of brand equity, as it is the primary influence of what consumers experience with a brand, what they hear about the brand from others, and what the brand can tell customers about the brand in their communication. Brand Performance relates to the ways in which the product or service attempts to meet customers` functional needs. This is on top level for Boucheron brand. It is crucial to contribute to customers` desires, wants and needs. Boucheron brand highly represents all what their HNWI customers want to have for paying a high price. The product is highly durable; it has distinctive logo, premium pricing and quality handcraft. All customer services provided for clients by Boucheron also attributes to brand`s performance. Brand Imagery Another variable CBBE Pyramid is second type of brand meaning which involves brand imagery. Imagery deals with such a properties of a product, which meets customers` psychological needs. It is more about what people think of it, how they see it. Boucheron imagery is extremely individualistic and stylish. When customer is buying Boucheron cell he/she buys a beauty of it. As of Boucheron customer has a strong judgment of a brand as high quality luxury product. Credibility is high and customer see Boucheron as superior, advantageous brand. Brand Judgments Brand judgments focus upon customers` personal opinions and evaluation with regard to brand. This involves how consumer put together all from performance and imagery association to make kind of an evaluation. Boucheron clients evaluate this brand as a high quality luxury brand. Brand Feelings This variable shows emotional response with respect to Boucheron brand. It shows what feelings are evoked by the marketing strategy for the Boucheron and how does it affect feelings about themselves and relationships with others. Customer of Boucheron is for sure status-conscious person. Customers of Boucheron have a unique and warmth feeling about the brand. It can be exciting due to special relationship of beauty and handcraft in brand`s products. Customer feels it is trendy and relates to special status and therefore social approval. Customer feels high security within this brand due to all advantages provided. As Boucheron makes consumer feel better self-respect, pride, fulfillment and accomplishment also occurs. Brand Resonance Final variable of pyramid shows brand relationships with a customer based on Salience, Performance, Imagery, Judgments and Feelings. As for Boucheron even if general awareness is low the behavioral loyalty is very high, customer want to get back to this brand, consequently repeat purchase is possible. Brand loyalty is necessary but not sufficient for resonance to occur. Within Boucheron brand customer is not returning to this brand again due to, for example, scarce of substitutes. Boucheron attained their main goal- strong personal attachment to brand. SWOT ANALISYS FOR BOUCHERON STRENGTH * Masterpiece of design and craftsmanship * Innovative brand Strong reputation (Products have established strong reputation in their field) * Global expansion (Includes significant growth over last 10 years) * Customer service * Control of Quality WEAKNESSES * Extremely high production price (which leads to high product price) * Limited access as distribution is exclusive and limited * Not enough practical promotion and advertising OPPORTUNITIES * Emerging markets * Mix Boucheron styling with some big Fashion Brand like Gucci * C hange of consumer lifestyle (growing demand from young and senior people) THREATS Increasing Quality of Competing Products and Number of those * Importance of counterfeiting COMPETITORS * GRAFF * VAN CLEEF ; ARPELS * PIAGET REFERENCES http://luxurysociety. com/articles/2012/01/the-latest-boutiques-burberry-bally-boucheron http://www. luxury-insider. com/luxury-news/2010/03/boucheron-jewellery-show-at-mandarin-oriental-hk http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Boucheron http://www. verybest. com/cat/49/jewelry/235/2/ http://jewelhistory. com/2010/10/27/in-and-around-town/ http://www. mycompanion. cz/en/list/boucheron-paris-boutique Boucheron Luxury Brands Market Research Legend has it that he chose 26 Place Vendome, where Boucheron remains to our days, because it was sunniest corner of this square. He believed that the diamonds in the windows will sparkle all brilliantly. Czar Alexander III was a client, as was his son, the doomed Nicholas II. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was especially fond of Boucheron tiara which she inherited from Lady Greville, who originally purchased it from the House. Her grand son Prince Charles passed the tiara onto his wife Camille, Duchess of Cornwall as a wedding gift. Queen Elizabeth of England also has a collection of Boucheron jewels as did Wallis Simpson the Duchess of Windsor. American royalty are also collectors of Boucheron creations. Household names like Astors, Vanderbilts and Rockefellers have returned again and again to this jeweler for exceptional pieces of High Jewelry. Actors and artisits have also been fans of Boucheron since it opened its doors 150 years ago. Caroline otero, the temptress known as La Belle Otero, when she was a cabaret dancer at the return of the 19th century was a Boucheron enthusiast as was the famed theater actress Sarah Bernhardt and the writers Oscar Wilde and Marcel Proust. Why film stars including Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rachel Weisz and Diane Kruger have all come under the Boucheron spell of spectacular creations. TIMELINE: 858- Frederic Boucheron opens his first store in the Galerie de Valois at Palais Royal, during the heyday of the Second Empire. 1866- Boucheron creates its atelier. 1867- Paris Universal Exhibition: Frederic Boucheron wins his first Gold Medal only 9 years after opening his firs boutique. 1878 – Paris Universal Exhibition: The Foliage necklace, a sapphire and diamond set with a central sapphire of 159 carats, created for Mrs. H. Mackay, wins the Grand Prize. 1883- The Russian Prince Felix Yousoupoff purchases a corsage decorated with 6 detachable diamond bows during one of his visits to Paris. 893- Frederic Boucheron moves to 26 Place Vendome in the residence of the Countess of Castiglione. He opens the largest boutique on the square. 1898- Boucheron opens a store in Moscow, later transferred to St. Petersburg in 1911. 1902- Frederic Boucheron dies, his son Louis cucceeds him. 1921- Boucheron is commissioned to make tiara for Lady Greville; it was later given to England`s Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. 1928- Louis Boucheron is asked by the Maharajah of Patiala to Set the stones of his treasure, which are brought to the Place Vendome boutique by the private guards of the Prince. 930- The Shah of Iran asks Louis Boucheron to assess the Imperial Treasure of Persia and issues a decree naming him Official Curator and Guardian of the Treasure. 1959- Louis Boucheron dies, leaving his sons Fred and Gerard in charge of the business. Edith Piaf, the most popular French Singer of her time, purchases a Boucheron watch for the love of her life, Marcel Cerdan. 1962- Fred Boucheron retires, leaving his brother Gerard as head of the establishment. 1970- In the 1970s the best selling snake line was created. 1973- Boucheron`s first boutique opens in Japan. 980- Gerard Boucheron retires and Alain Boucheron becomes a president and General Director. 1988- Boucheron launches its first women`s fragrance in a ring shaped bottle. 1994- Boucheron takes of a new development in the sector of fashion accessories: The Boucheron Eyewear Collection. Boucheron sells to Schweizerhall. 2000- Gucci Group acquires the House of Boucheron. 2002- Boucheron launches the â€Å"Beaute geois† collection. 2003- Boucheron launches the â€Å"Not Bourgeois† collection 2004- Gucci Group is fully acquired by PPR. Jean-Christophe Bedois is appointed CEO. The â€Å"Jaipur† High Jewelry line and the â€Å"Dechainee† collections are launched. 2005- Launch of four new jewelry lines: Trouble, Quatre, Diablotine, Vingt-Six. Boucheron opens its firs boutique in Shanghai and its first flagship in Dubai. The start of the â€Å"Trouble Desir† High Jewelry Collection. 2006- Boucheron and Alexander McQueen collaborates together to create a limited edition Novak bag that incorporates the snake motif of Boucheron`s Trouble line. Boucheron opens its first boutique in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Launch of the â€Å" Exquises Confinces† line. 008- Boucheron marks its 150th anniversary with a yearlong celebration. CONCEPT AND UNIQUENESS The concept of Boucheron is to appeal to high-end customers who look for something unique in their jewelry. Through meeting target customers standards about design, materials, price and brand Boucheron has created a market for luxury haute couture jewelry. Customers also appreciate the fact that all collections are manufactured in small quantities and that stones of the highest quality are used; in addition to diamonds, also sapphires, amethysts, emeralds, coral, onyx, and jade. We wanted to develop innovative and creative way to introduce our rich heritage and approach to fine jewelry in way that enchants, amazes and amuses. We have a rich history that is beautifully brought alive. † Jean Christophe-Bedos, President, Boucheron The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced in 2011 that Boucheron has achieved certification by meeting the ethical, human rights, social and environmental standards as established by the RJC’s Member Certification System. â€Å"RJC warmly congratulates Boucheron on its certification. The successful verification assessment of Boucheron was conducted by Philippe Arnaud from KPMG France, one of the independent third-party auditing firms accredited to the RJC’s Member Certification System† Michael Rae, RJC’s Chief Executive Officer. â€Å"Since 1858, Boucheron has adhered to the highest standards not only in the spectacular designs of its creations but also in upholding its strong ethical code. The RJC certification corresponds to the House’s continued endeavor to embody excellence and responsible business practices both internally and externally; a commitment we share across the PPR Group† Pierre Bouissou, Boucheron’s CEO BUSINESS STRATEGY With the understanding that the conservative way was not an option, Boucheron plays on its long history of rousing the passions of sensual desire. This attitude has driven Boucheron’s design and delicate craftsmanship and resulted in a heritage of enthusiastic stories and myths. Today it could motivate an entirely new approach to the market. The House’s individual legacy sharped a way to connect the new luxury consumer on a essentially more personal, more passionate and less superficial level. Boucheron has formed a marketplace approach that brings many industry innovations – a new service that redefines how the HNWI can experience and enjoy luxury jewelry; an exclusive retail concept that can voyage to the client rather than sit and wait for them; and product idea that raises the craft of the brand to the peak levels of art and business When Boucheron has entered the US market the first element of the strategy was a â€Å"Desir†, a collaboration with the creators of Spiegelworld, that brings alive the rich history of Boucheron in an personal and inspirational 100 year old hall of mirrors. It was launched in New York in August 2008 and was set to benefit from a sellout three-month run at the South Seaport before opening two-year tour of US’s most significant Luxury markets. â€Å"Set in a turn of the fin-de-siecle nightclub, Desir is meeting place for showgirls and soldiers, bejeweled courtesans and maharajahs, a carnival world devoted to the pursuit of beauty, clever seductions and breathtaking displays of acrobatic wonder. It is a sparkling merry-go-round where the last love affair is merely an entree to the next encounter. More than any show in New York I can think of, Desir, with its cavalcade of professional beauties, does inspire thoughts of a time when well-dressed admirers queued up at dressing-room doors bearing gifts of flowers and jewelry. As for me, I’m thinking of coming back with a bouquet of catnip for that charming, fluffy-haired Persian who stopped the show when it walked a tightrope. † Ben Brantley, New York Times. Additionally to the show there was the Boutique Desir, a traveling boutique where, guests can find out Boucheron’s universe and its creations; can touch, try and familiarize themselves with the pieces in a private ambiance. Clients were then invited to the exclusive Bar Vendome, a VIP lounge where they could get pleasure from an memorable evening under the stars. Boucheron chose to launch their products in the BRIC countries as well, which consists of some of the most emerging markets in the world today. Additionally, the Middle East and India are also two extremely important markets for Boucheron, partly due to the strong responsiveness for jewelry. The sales in these countries are larger than in the western countries and the luxury company is exploiting the new wealth of the generations with high luxury awareness and taste. MARKETING MIX Product: Boucheron sells hand-made haute-couture luxury jewelry made from fine materials like gold, platinum, diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. Along with every purchase the buyer receives superior service and is entitled to service which assists users with exclusive services like delivery and customization. One of the Boucheron`s specialties is color. Clients easily can distinguish  Boucheron’s line of jewelry  by its designs. Its signature is visible in the form of motifs like floral, peacock feathers and snakes. Boucheron produces: * Necklaces * Pendants Bracelets * Brooches * Cufflinks * Earrings * Rings * Wedding Jewelry * Watches * Perfumes (18 editions) * Sunglasses Price: Boucheron prices range: Rings from 2. 000 eur up to 30. 000 eur Earrings from 4. 000 eur to 41. 800 eur Necklaces from 12. 000 eur to 1. 000. 000 eur Brooches from 5. 000eur to 10. 400 eur The prices vary with the different collections and the materials that are used in them. Place: Boucheron jewelry is very selectively distributed. It is available at company-owned boutiques and flagship stores like London Jewelers, Goldsmiths, and Colette. They recent store was opened in Doha`s West Bay community in Middle East. In keeping with its global design concept, the space is decorated using its signature aubergine and gold colour palette and affluent wooden decor. The Doha boutique domiciled Boucheron’s iconic most collections, along with a range of exquisite high jeweler’s creations. Boucheron locates its stores in luxury shopping districts, famous â€Å"Golden Triangles† of large metropolitan areas and opens relatively few stores. Today, Boucheron operates more than 50 boutiques and over 100 certified retailers worldwide in addition to an online sales website. The boutiques are, intimate and have a luxury feeling. All sale locations can be found on www. boucheron. fr . Promotion: Boucheron acquires much publicity from sales to celebrities like: * Chanel Iman * Diane Kruger * Natalia Vodianova * Kira Knightley * Julianne Moore * Raquel Zimmermann * Anne Hathaway * Mary-Kate Olsen * Natsha Poly * Lily Donaldson * Salma Hayek * And many others As well Boucheron has collaborated with Vertu. Boucheron launches diverse collections at different times and only makes a certain number of some jewels in order to keep a prestigious image and be a focus for HNWI. Boucheron has an own website for publicity which features product descriptions and prices. Mostly promotion is running in Fashion Magazines like Vogue. POSITIONING Seeking to embody the opulence and grandeur of Parisienne life, Boucheron draws often upon iconic French women, each epitomizing a facet of the golden age, to act as muses in the creation of distinct sets of jewelry. Each woman has its own distinctive way of wearing jewelry, which is the privilege of a woman, but she can vary own excitement strategy. Blink of an eye, the center will become a decorative pattern of brooches, pendants into earrings, necklace, or a deduction into a multifaceted hairpin. Boucheron blends the art of seduction and a charm with a woman`s desire to wear jewelry. Boucheron has positioned itself as the top-of-the-line targeting HNWI. Boucheron achieving this by using only the finest materials to create their products which are all handcrafted ensuring that every product is of perfect quality. Boucheron will launch different collections each featuring different materials and designs which make the collections unique and prestigious; their most expensive line ever was a necklace Julia which cost 800,000eur and Boucheron snake necklace for Maison du Chocolat which costs 900. 000 eur. Boucheron collaborated with VERU luxury mobile phone maker, to extend their success and increase awareness in the luxury product world. Boucheron offers superior and personalized service to its clients, guaranteeing customer satisfaction and loyalty. They also position hemselves by showcasing the celebrities who own their products as an indication that their products are for the rich and famous. Boucheron has flagship stores all over the world in 50 countries however they open relatively few boutiques solely in luxury shopping districts of large cities and thus are considered selectively distributed. Boucheron boutiques are decadent, small, intimate venues which offer personalized service to cli ents wishing to make a purchase. Boucheron house very successfully preserves a prominent image with its ultra-luxurious products and superior service through its positioning. TARGET CONSUMER The Boucheron jewelry is a highly luxurious product, which doubtlessly is made to fit the extremely wealthy population of this world. The main customers are rich and found in the urban areas, who are constantly searching for the extraordinary products. Furthermore, their flagship stores are situated in the finest areas, in order to attract the highly rich international shoppers. CONSUMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY PYRAMID Brand Salience For Boucheron achieving right brand identity involves brand salience. Only richest people are aware of Boucheron because promotion is quite narrow. However their target consumer for sure can recall and recognize this brand. So conclusion here is that Brand salience is more depth than breadth. This basically means that even thou there are not yet many people knowing Boucheron, but those who do, they know all insights of it, can easily remember it and realize what this brand is about. Brand Performance The product itself is at the heart of brand equity, as it is the primary influence of what consumers experience with a brand, what they hear about the brand from others, and what the brand can tell customers about the brand in their communication. Brand Performance relates to the ways in which the product or service attempts to meet customers` functional needs. This is on top level for Boucheron brand. It is crucial to contribute to customers` desires, wants and needs. Boucheron brand highly represents all what their HNWI customers want to have for paying a high price. The product is highly durable; it has distinctive logo, premium pricing and quality handcraft. All customer services provided for clients by Boucheron also attributes to brand`s performance. Brand Imagery Another variable CBBE Pyramid is second type of brand meaning which involves brand imagery. Imagery deals with such a properties of a product, which meets customers` psychological needs. It is more about what people think of it, how they see it. Boucheron imagery is extremely individualistic and stylish. When customer is buying Boucheron cell he/she buys a beauty of it. As of Boucheron customer has a strong judgment of a brand as high quality luxury product. Credibility is high and customer see Boucheron as superior, advantageous brand. Brand Judgments Brand judgments focus upon customers` personal opinions and evaluation with regard to brand. This involves how consumer put together all from performance and imagery association to make kind of an evaluation. Boucheron clients evaluate this brand as a high quality luxury brand. Brand Feelings This variable shows emotional response with respect to Boucheron brand. It shows what feelings are evoked by the marketing strategy for the Boucheron and how does it affect feelings about themselves and relationships with others. Customer of Boucheron is for sure status-conscious person. Customers of Boucheron have a unique and warmth feeling about the brand. It can be exciting due to special relationship of beauty and handcraft in brand`s products. Customer feels it is trendy and relates to special status and therefore social approval. Customer feels high security within this brand due to all advantages provided. As Boucheron makes consumer feel better self-respect, pride, fulfillment and accomplishment also occurs. Brand Resonance Final variable of pyramid shows brand relationships with a customer based on Salience, Performance, Imagery, Judgments and Feelings. As for Boucheron even if general awareness is low the behavioral loyalty is very high, customer want to get back to this brand, consequently repeat purchase is possible. Brand loyalty is necessary but not sufficient for resonance to occur. Within Boucheron brand customer is not returning to this brand again due to, for example, scarce of substitutes. Boucheron attained their main goal- strong personal attachment to brand. SWOT ANALISYS FOR BOUCHERON STRENGTH * Masterpiece of design and craftsmanship * Innovative brand Strong reputation (Products have established strong reputation in their field) * Global expansion (Includes significant growth over last 10 years) * Customer service * Control of Quality WEAKNESSES * Extremely high production price (which leads to high product price) * Limited access as distribution is exclusive and limited * Not enough practical promotion and advertising OPPORTUNITIES * Emerging markets * Mix Boucheron styling with some big Fashion Brand like Gucci * C hange of consumer lifestyle (growing demand from young and senior people) THREATS Increasing Quality of Competing Products and Number of those * Importance of counterfeiting COMPETITORS * GRAFF * VAN CLEEF ; ARPELS * PIAGET REFERENCES http://luxurysociety. com/articles/2012/01/the-latest-boutiques-burberry-bally-boucheron http://www. luxury-insider. com/luxury-news/2010/03/boucheron-jewellery-show-at-mandarin-oriental-hk http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Boucheron http://www. verybest. com/cat/49/jewelry/235/2/ http://jewelhistory. com/2010/10/27/in-and-around-town/ http://www. mycompanion. cz/en/list/boucheron-paris-boutique