Near field technology (NFC) is a form of technology that allows wireless communication between two devices over short distances. This form of communication usually involves a target and a reader. The distance between such devices is limited to just a few centimeters. For the process to occur, a reader needs to have a power source. On the other hand, the target does not necessarily need to have a power source. NFC technology is closely related to Radio frequency identification technology.
These two technologies share similar standards. NFCs standards are defined by the NFC forum that was initiated as a joint effort by Nokia, Phillips, and Sony corporations (Want 5). This technology is mostly used in smart phones and other similar devices. NFC technology uses tags that contain information that can be interpreted by NFC enabled devices. These tags are mostly small stickers that can be put on products or even documents.
Use of NFC technology has increased around the world. In countries such as United States and China, NFC technology has been incorporated in various sectors of those economies. An example of such is the use of contactless mobile payment. It is for this reason that NFC has become a tool of interest for businesses around the globe. In 2011, the number of mobile users in the world was estimated to be five billion.
This number is still expected to rise in the next five years. The incorporation of NFC into mobile phones makes this technology a viable business tool. Henceforth, NFC can be used to serve and communicate with customers even in remote places. Recently, some mobile application developers in conjunction with mobile phone manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their devices. Phones like Samsung Galaxy, Nexus S, and Nokia C7 have this ability to scan and read passive tags.
Architecture
NFC operates on three different interfaces. These are NFC-A, NFC-B, and NFC-F. Interfaces A and B are based on the ISO18092 standard. Type F operates on ISO-14433 standard. NFC operates under a protocol suite that has been defined by the NFC Forum.
This technology operates under the data link and physical layers of the OSI reference model. When a device is NFC enabled, it contains an interface for managing tags. Such a device can also create a tag as well as read one. A tag stored in one device can also be read by another NFC enabled device.
Applications of NFC
One of the strong points of NFC technology is that one enabled device can accomplish various tasks using different applications. One of such applications is E-Passport. This where passports are equipped with a contactless smart card that incorporates a digital signature. The data stored in this chip is used for authentication purposes.
Another application is when making mobile payments. With NFC technology, it is possible to carry out cashless transactions. Cashless transactions are easy to document and track. This makes it easy to keep records. NFC can also act as a better alternative to the conventional barcode.
This has been one of the most popular applications of NFC yet. Barcodes have various shortcomings. For instance, they have to operate on a clear line of site. They are also easily obstructed by dirt. This makes NFC a viable replacement for barcodes. NFC does not necessarily require a clear line of site for its operation. For instance, this replacement has occurred during marathons where a competitors shoe is tagged in order to establish the start and stop times of the race.
NFC technology is widely applied during sorting procedures. It is mainly preferred because it saves time and eliminates chances for errors. This sorting procedure is incorporated in hospitals, airports, and during sporting events.
Uses of NFC in business
One way in which businesses can make use of NFC is by turning it into an information-sharing tool. This ensures seamless transfer of files on demand. Lately, smart phones and tablets have been replacing computers. Most businesses prefer using hand-held devices as opposed to laptops and computers. This means this technology can be used to exchange ideas or even prepare for presentations.
NFC is a tested and proven payment tool. Mobile payments are being preferred over card payments. This means businesses can use NFC to accept payments from clients. The vice-versa can also apply where businesses can use NFC to make payments. The main advantage of using NFC is because it incorporates robust security standards.
In addition, only a short distance is required for a transaction to occur between two NFC enabled devices. This is also an added advantage in terms of security. Some of the credit card companies that have incorporated this payment system in their regiment include PayPass and MasterCard. The latest Blackberry models can access applications that can work in tandem with these companies.
One of the more recent uses of NFC technology is in advertisements and promotions. This is where promotional campaigns are expected to be more interactive. For instance, using NFC it is possible to put a tag that enables targeted audience to respond instantly. This response may be concerning further information on the product or even general responses. An example of this is a tag put on an advertisement poster on the street.
By scanning such a tag, a prospective customer can be able to purchase a ticket instantly. The main advantage of using NFC in promotions and advertisements is because its response system is instant. Other methods of advertising offer unreliable avenues of gauging customer or user experiences. NFC can also help merchants rate the conversion rates of their campaigns.
Displaying product information is sometimes a tedious task for most businesses. Most product information is often displayed on the product. Some products lack adequate space for displaying this information. At other times, too much product information makes a products package unattractive.
Other information can be concerning matters such as product improvement. In other scenarios, a company might want to clear up some controversies surrounding their products. These tags can also be included in important documents such as invoices. For instance, a tag in an invoice can offer a direct link to a payment mechanism. Some of these uses of NFC are opening up new frontiers for businesses. This is because most of them are providing businesses with a simplified way of conducting business.
Challenges Associated with NFC Use
Currently, NFC use is one of the newest trends in business. This technology has also simplified various business applications. However, its use is also associated with various challenges. Some of these challenges are arising as NFCs use progresses. One of the main challenges associated with NFC use in businesses is security.
Because NFC operates on a short-range distance, it is secure from a number of threats that are commonly associated with other communication technologies. However, NFC is still vulnerable to Eavesdropping, data-modification, and man in the middle attacks.
Eavesdropping refers to scenarios where unintended recipients can be able to read data through interception. This data is intercepted when it is moving from a sender to a receiver. In this attack, someone with a stronger modulation radio signal is able to retrieve a useable signal during the transaction. This attack can be prevented by ensuring that a chip that is storing data is in a passive device.
Another form of attack involves data modification. In this case, attackers are able to intercept and modify data before it reaches its destination. This attack can easily be prevented by putting strong authentication measures in place. Most payment systems ensure that there are strong authentication measures. Data can be modified in a number of ways including corruption and insertion.
Man in the middle attack is a common threat to various communication applications. NFC is one of them. In this scenario, communication is intercepted by an attacker. The attacker then manipulates the system to simulate a private connection (Finkenzeller 34).
This attack is usually used to solicit information from unsuspecting users. This information can then be used to conduct fraudulent transactions. Due to the close proximity of devices using NFC, it is almost impossible to accomplish this attack. This attack can be mitigated by making sure that only one terminal has an active radio frequency during a transaction.
Conclusion
The rising number of hand-held device users is on the rise. This means it is imperative for businesses to embrace NFC. The technology has changed the consumer experience and benefited most businesses. Almost all hand held device manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their products. With time, this technology will dominate commercial activities. However, there are security threats associated with NFC that still need to be addressed.
Works Cited
Finkenzeller, Klaus. RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless
Smart cards, Radio Frequency Identification and Near-field Communication, New York, New York: Wiley, 2010. Print.
Want, Roy. Near Field Communication. Pervasive Computing 10.3 (2011): 4-7. Print.
The chapter selected for the purpose of summarizing the overview and adoption of the book is Achieving Success through Effective Business Communication . The chapter is an excerpt from the book Business Communication Today written by the author Courtland L. Bovee and John V Thrill. The chapter introduces some of the most important concepts of communication that can considerably provide opportunities for development in businesses.
This Chapter is superbly written, brief, and has a tough academic foundation. The author had used variant sources while writing this chapter. The author of this book has mentioned contents including different forms of communications such as communicating in office, remote communication, communicating about products and services, communicating with customer, and etc (Bovee & Thill, 2009).
The main content of this book is the process of communication which includes six steps and they are; sender has a source, sender encodes the idea, sender transmit the message, receiver gets the message, receiver decodes the message, and in the end receiver sends the feed back.
The authors had affirmed the use of effective communication for the introduction of business services and products. Effective communication presents practical information. It give facts to a certain extend than imitation. It also states strict responsibility, convinces others and gives proposals (Bovee & Thill, 2009).
The authors Courtland L. Bovee and John Thrill have stated communication along with its types. Types of communication are categorized in internal communication and external communication.
Basically internal communication includes formal channels in which communication reflects on companys information, or in other words its a major content through which different kind of information exchange within the company or organization. On the other hands external communication is a process which connects an organization to the outer world. Marketing, public relations are done under this content (Bovee & Thill, 2009).
Further in the chapter, Courtland L. Bovee and John Thrill explained about the communication barriers. Communication barriers are another main content in this chapter by which it is clear that barriers are made while communicating. There are perception and language differences, restrictive environments, distraction, deception tactics, and information overload.
In this chapter author has also stated the tips to overcome these communication barriers, these guidelines have been used by numbers of business men (Bovee & Thill, 2009). So the main contents of this chapter carry great tips and information which makes it brilliant. It is a book full of instructions to learn how to communicate better.
The organization of the chapter had been by the author on the basis of significance of concepts. The chapter beholds the process of information at the first place. Following the elaboration pattern, the chapter describes how the process of communication is lead.
Courtland had organized all the elaborating on concept at the first place and then following the division of types and categories (Bovee & Thill, 2009). The organization of content then includes some of the issues which are coming ways of business. The methods have also been introduced between the lines of the chapter that are helpful for business executives.
The authors had also included some of the issues which are most observed in terms of communication. Errors in communication that could be most problematic in business dealings have also been addressed in this chapter. The errors include communication factors as well as semantic and environmental factors.
There are some other aspects which are associated wit the communication in corporate business world. Such concepts include decision-making, productivity ratio etc. which are directly related to the communication process (Bovee & Thill, 2009). It is expected that the business executives should also comply decision making and other corporate factors which are most important and required for effective communication.
The tone used in the elaboration of communication process is very practical and does not exaggerate or overdo concepts. Other researches and books which had been so far conducted on the topic of business communication overdo subject and include issues which are not at all practical and eligible for corporate business use as a reference (Bovee & Thill, 2009).
The chapter could be very effective and helpful for business schools and institutions where communication patterns are practically employed and learned. The training workshops could also employ the chapter to create theoretical based activities for better understanding. There are many books which have been written in the same area of interest but this chapter which is an excerpt from the book Business Communication Today is a very interesting and easy to understand material regarding communication interest.
It is suggested that business schools and institution must make use of the book especially due to the chapter Achieving Success through Effective Communication. In the contemporary world of corporate dealings and globalization, it is most important that relationships are built on the basis of communication.
Successful business executives understand and consider communication as the most important aspect of business world. This chapter can be used as a reference for clientage dealing as well as workplace environment to stay in touch with the effective elaboration on communication. I would recommend the use of chapter in publishing companies and databases for business communication research. The research could be adopted to achieve success through effective business communication.
Reference List
Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (2009). Business Communication Today. Chicago: Prentice Hall.
When one company has monopoly in the market there are high chances of antitrust claims from equivalent competitors in the industry. With monopolistic behaviors, customers continue to buy products from the company despite the high prices. Sellers in such a case exploit the monopoly to increase their profits and market share.
In the business world, competition is permitted only when the agenda is to bring success to the business as well as when it grants the competitor an advantage (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, & Langvardt, 2010, p. 214). Microsoft Company has a record of anti- competitive practices (Economides, 2001, p. 11).
This paper gives my opinions as well as facts about the antitrust claims filed against Microsoft by Netscape Communication in 2002 on behalf of AOL. I argue that the claims were valid and not a mere competition strategy for success as some may think.
Discussion
The case filed against Microsoft by Netscape Communication for AOL, an online internet division in America, claimed that Microsoft had inflicted significant harm on Netscape Communications Corporation. The anti- competitive practices of Microsoft had affected competition in web browsers market. This made the U.Ss District Court intervene so that Microsoft would compensate for the injuries and therefore enhance competition in operating systems market (Economides, 2001, p. 4-7).
From the antitrust claims faced by Microsoft, I think that Microsoft had used anti-competitive practices in order to control browsers market. The bundling of web browser software (Internet Explorer) with the operating system, (Microsoft windows) shows that Microsoft was exploiting its monopolistic power in order to control the sale of operating system and the web browser. Microsoft is alleged to bundle them together so as to benefit itself in the browsers market.
By so doing, every user of Windows would also have Internet Explorer copied to the Windows. This was seen from the U.S Court judges rulings that this practice would severely affect the market hence adversely hurting competing web browsers Netscape Communicator.
More so, when Microsoft accepted to collaborate with AOL, the aim was to widen its market share, hence validity of the antitrust claim. Analysis of the case shows that Microsoft aimed at penetrating AOLs market segment by accepting to jointly operate with AOL. This is for the fact that AOL has over 32 million subscribers allover the world. The collaboration would therefore form a platform for Microsofts access into the audiences.
Apart from the payments for antitrust claims that AOL received from Microsoft, It also received a nonexclusive license over the windows media software from Microsoft (Economides, 2001, p. 4-6). This also meant collaboration in software distribution as well as in digital media between the two giants in the industry.
Microsoft conducted anti- competitive practice to extend its monopoly in software. Although Microsoft claimed that Internet Explorer and Microsoft Windows were inextricably linked, the two browsers were separate products and did not have to function together. Other versions of Internet Explorer would alternatively be found- Mac OS.
In other words, Microsoft was attempting to kill off market for web browser. More so, the marketing and development of the Windows would come from profits of other unrelated sectors hence creating unfair competition and abuse of monopolistic powers (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, & Langvardt, 2010, p. 214- 216).
Through such anti- competitive practice, Microsoft would make a lot of money at the expense of its competitors in the market. Anti- competitive practices mostly occur when a company has a significant market power, (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, & Langvardt, 2010, p. 214) like Microsoft has.
From this case it is clear that companies were beginning to enjoy large audiences through other software applications like search engine and bookmarks in Internet Explorer (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, & Langvardt, 2010, p. 214).More so, the interoperability in instant messaging can be critiqued as mere discussions instead of a road map in technology.
Conclusion
American companies must work at avoiding monopolistic practices as it has been seen in the recent past. This is because a healthy competition in the market works for the good of consumers. Anti competitive practices benefits particular companies as well as negatively affecting the overall economy (Economides, 2001, p. 13-14). The intervention of U.S government was meant to end the unfair advantage of free market through coercion.
Communication is the act of passing messages from one person to another through a given medium. Communication in an organization is vital because it facilitates how decisions are passed from the top level management to the lowest level management. Communication is used to facilitate the delivery of guidelines and policies that necessitate the proper management of any given organization.
Thus, communication is a crucial process in any organizational operation. In this case, it determines how guidelines are followed. It also establishes new ways to manage the resources and the human power in the organization (Murphy & Hildebrandt, 1988). This paper discusses communication and its impact on building relationships, professionalism, and motivating employees in an organization.
Building relationships with employees
For effective communication to be achieved in an organization, the management should create good relationships with the employees and clients. Good relationships create a clear environment to make appropriate decisions. An organization deserves an excellent leader so that the decisions made are accurate.
Therefore, the qualities of a leader are important in encouraging employees to perform their tasks. Leadership also helps to execute a plan to make decisions and pass them to employees. Effective communication plays a major role in improving the performance and morale of employees in any given organization. A leader should possess effective communication skills that he or she uses to pass a message to the followers.
Communication skills are a necessary tool for a leader because people are influenced by the ability of the leader to express himself or herself to the people. A leader should communicate about the issues arising in an organization effectively and give proper advice on how to meet the set goals and objectives (Roodman & Roodman, 1973).
A leader should possess management skill in the sense that the leader can manage human skills and talent. The leaders should inspire the followers to work towards achieving the goals. A manager should possess a good attitude to facilitate a respectable leadership of people.
A leader should possess business skills in the execution of duties because they set how each decision plan is applied in the organization. Business skills help in the management of finances and how to draw viable plans that are of great help to the whole team. Harnessing business skills help the leader to assign and delegate duties and responsibilities to the subordinates.
An excellent manager should create a working relationship with people within and outside the organization. They should create friendship with all stakeholders so that people can approach the leaders for consultation (Adair, 2009). An example of a leader is Steve Jobs, the former CEO of the Apple Company. He built strong relationships with the employees. This empowered employees to develop innovative products.
Creating a strong relationship with employees is of paramount importance as it helps the organization to operate well and effectively without many interruptions, which delay the operations. The creation of a good working environment through proper communication helps the employees to perform better as their concerns are heard and addressed.
The employees feel recognized and motivated to work, and thus their performance is greatly improved. Communication channels should be improved in order for employees to contribute and be a part of the decision making process.
Motivation
Motivation is the drive that an employee has to achieve the goals of an organization. Motivation increases the efficiency of employees in any given organization. Motivating factors do not only have to be financial incentives. Therefore, non-monetary incentives may be offered to the employees to improve their performance.
A good manager should improve the working conditions of employees in the workplace. Effective communication in the organization enables the leaders to know about the complaints from the subordinates. In addition, communication facilitates effective decision making because the employees contribute towards making appropriate decisions. When employees are trained in effective communication, they improve their communication in the workplace (DelPo, 2007).
A leader should empower team members by setting attainable objectives for individuals and the whole team. A leader should ensure that team members have access to facilities and resources that help to attain the set goals and objectives. Rewarding employees who have effective communication encourages other employees to improve on their communication processes (Nelson & Quick, 2008).
An example where motivation affected the performance of employees is the case of Wal-Mart. The company does not motivate its employees, and this has caused many strikes. The company has experienced lawsuits because employees have sought to get better working conditions. Wal-Mart is one of the world largest retailers.
The company is incorporated in the United States. In addition, the company operates international outlets in a number of countries worldwide. It is one of the largest employer in the world through its numerous facilities in the United States and other nations.
An example of an entrepreneur who motivates the employees is Richard Branson, the president of the Virgin group of companies. Branson approaches each activity of the company with a lot of smartness and manages to attain leading business goals. Branson has encouraged the employees to improve their performance to achieve the goals of the company.
The company operates in several countries, and there are people from different cultures. Branson has been successful in managing people from the different cultures effectively. Richard has good communication skills because he can intermingle with people from different cultures. The company has achieved a lot of success because it has created a good relationship with customers globally.
Developing professionalism
Professionalism is the process of achieving goals of an organization according to the standards of the organization. It involves adhering to the standards of a certain work. Managers should be encouraged or trained to learn the emotions of their subordinates and the senior managers.
Therefore, managers should have emotional intelligence in the workplace. They should apply this strategy when interacting with various people in the organization. Passing information in an organization is crucial because it helps to increase the productivity of the firm.
When decisions are to made in the firm, managers should know how such changes affect the work ethics of the employees. This is important because it helps to lower the possibility of encountering resistance by fellow employees when the changes are implemented. Communication is an integral part of management because it incorporates changes in the organization. Professionalism is evident when the management chooses to use modern forms of communication that are effective.
Modern communication methods have improved the way people in an organization communicate and pass information. This is crucial because it establishes clear plans and goals for the organization. Information in the organization is critical because leaders and managers need to have a clear feedback of operations at the lowest level, and this helps in the continuation of services (Kozminski & Cushman, 1993).
Feedback system will guide the employees on areas of weakness, and this helps them improve on the communication process. Providing feedback is important in solving the communication problems facing the workers. As a manager, one should formulate a good way to solve problems facing employees at the workplace. A leader may install suggestion boxes that act as information gathering tools in the organization.
A leader may open a joint email where employees can send their suggestions and the leader should reply to mails. As a manager, one should exercise professionalism when passing information across the organization. This facilitates proper decision making and execution of plans and goals for the organization. This strategy ensures that the business is monitored, and the performance of employees is improved over time (Garber, 2008).
Conclusion
The power of communication cannot be ignored. Communication is an important process in an organization because it links various stakeholders. People understand the processes of an organization through communication. In addition, decisions are made through communication. The management of any organization should account for the economic importance of its workforce and the role that employees play in attaining organizational goals and objectives.
This ensures that the performance of employees is improved. Motivation of employees may take the form of non-monetary incentives through recognition and offering training facilities. Communication can also be used to motivate employees. When communication is improved in an organization, the employees interact well. This helps to motivate employees, and the performance is improved. Therefore, managers should embrace good communication strategies to improve the performance.
References
Adair, J. E. (2009). Effective communication: The most important management skill of all. London: Pan Books.
DelPo, A. (2007). The performance appraisal handbook: Legal & practical rules for managers. Berkeley, Calif: NOLO.
Garber, P. R. (2008). Performance feedback. Amherst, Mass: HRD Press.
Kozminski, A. K., & Cushman, D. P. (1993). Organizational communication and management: A global perspective. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Murphy, H. A., & Hildebrandt, H. W. (1988). Effective business communications. New York [etc.: McGraw-Hill.
Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. C. (2008). Understanding organizational behavior. Mason, OH, USA: Thomson/South-Western.
Roodman, H., & Roodman, Z. (1973). Management of communication. Toronto [usw.: Methuen.
A unique thinking Cap is a company that deals in different kinds of head covers and wigs. As a mater of fact, it specializes in hats, turbans, and other types of head ware.
This head wares can be used by people who are suffering from hair loss as well as cancer patients. The market for head wares and wigs has been experiencing a lot of competition in recent years. This competition has been brought about by changing market trends in fashion. To respond to such market changes, the company has continually come up with good hat designs.
Advertising strategy
To enhance its operations, the company has been forced to come up with good advertising strategies for sustainability. A unique thinking Caps marketing goal is to increase sales and awareness about the companys products.
In addition, the company aims to increase the number of repeat clients and enhance its presence in the market through marketing. Therefore, the company will employ a good advertising strategy to reach a wide market base (Joshi, 2005, p. 11). As much as its products have a broad market appeal, more attention will be focused on women.
In addition, it will also focus on cancer patients and holiday goers. This approach will see the company increase sales in these market segments. Because there is a lot of competition, the company will use its unique designs to suit different market tastes and preferences (Petley, 2002, p. 9).
Through this, the company will be in a better position to increase the number of repeat clients. More attention will focused on city and urban dwellers within the age bracket of 20-40 years. Because this target market has more access to the internet, the company will rely on online advertising to reach a wide base.
Measuring advertising
The main aim of advertising will be to increase sales and build the companys brand. Because the company will spend money on advertising, it is important to measure its effectiveness (Petley, 2002, p. 12). In this case, the company will carry out an audit and analysis to see if there is any increase in sales (of products that are promoted like hats). A unique thinking Cap will also come up with a good customer feedback program for consumers to tell the company how they learnt about its products.
Since the company will also use its website for advertising, the number of visitors will be critically analyzed to see their movements. Any increase in the number of visitors will imply that the companys advertising strategies are effective (Petley, 2002, p. 23). The company will come up with a toll free line for orders from customers.
The number of calls will be monitored to see if there is any increase in orders. In this case, the company will be able to tell if its advertising approach has reached the right market. Consumer surveys will also be used to evaluate the effect of the companys advertising activities in the market.
Promotional strategies
It should be known that the company will use various approaches to advertising. In this case, advertising will take various forms like TV commercials, Print advertising, direct mail, yellow pages and Web Ads (Petley, 2002, p. 8). As much as the company will use various forms of advertising, it will also use different promotion strategies for success and sustainability. Most of these promotional strategies will be aimed at different market segments to give them a personal touch and attention.
The company will use media releases to give out more information about its products. This will enable it to reach a large number of potential customers. Since the products will target a broad market base, the company will also use events. These events will be made memorable to leave a lasting impression to different customers like the youthful group (Joshi, 2005, p. 23). Since our product line includes different hats, networking will be used to reach new customers.
This will be done within the industry and clients. Promotional products will be used to target specific segments like cancer patients and people who are suffering from hair loss. In this case, the company will be able to thank its other loyal customers apart from this segment. To enforce this, the company will be periodically coming up with promotional hats to entice the market.
Measuring customer satisfaction
The companys prime goal is to ensure that customers are satisfied through its broad range of products. This will guarantee it a large customer base and market position (Petley, 2002, p. 43). As long as customers are satisfied, the company will continue registering an increase in sales and profitability. In this case, there will be a good approach of measuring customer satisfaction in relation to its products.
A unique thinking Cap will come up with different consumer surveys to determine customer satisfaction in relation to its products. This will give the true picture of the companys products in the market place. Through direct communication, the company will personally get information from consumers. This will be done through toll free calls. Feedback from customers will give the true market position of the companys products and tell if different customers are satisfied (Petley, 2002, p. 16).
Sales will also be evaluated to see if there is an increase or decrease from previous figures. An increase or decrease in sales speaks volumes on consumer perceptions about the product. If customers are satisfied they will continually buy the product hence an increase in sales. The companys market position in relation to other competitors will also be evaluated. This will explain its performance as far as customer satisfaction is concerned.
Gaps in consumer experiences and expectations
Consumers always have their own expectations in relation to a companys products and services (Joshi, 2005, p. 31). After evaluating customer satisfaction, the company will come up with various mechanisms to address gaps in their experiences and expectations. For instance, it will continually come up with new designs to keep up with current trends in the market.
This will be done after an extensive marketing research has been done to know their tastes and preferences. In the long run, the company will satisfy different market needs.
Gaps can be brought about by misinformation in relation to the companys products (Joshi, 2005, p. 17). In this case, the company will continually advertise its products to create more awareness. Through feedback, the company will be able to tell what customers want as far as its products are concerned.
This means that their input and concerns will be put into consideration in the production of goods. In addition, consumers can be welcomed to give their suggestions in relation to their individual experiences. This suggestions will be highly considered in redesigning products to give them a new look and lease of life in the market.
Conclusion
Although there is high competition in the market place, the company will continually review its marketing strategies to increase profitability. This will enable it to build a good brand position and image in the market. Because of changing market trends in relation to fashion, the company will redesign its products to suit different market tastes and preferences.
Reference List
Joshi, R, M. (2005). International Marketing. New York: Oxford University Press.
Petley, J. (2002). Advertising. North Mankato, Minnesota: Smart Apple Media.
Kentucky Harvest needs to improve its internal processes to ensure senior managers do not misuse their authority. The firm needs strong human resource policies that prevent ethical malpractices done by senior managers. All workers need to be encouraged to report incompetent senior employees to the board to ensure speedy action is taken against employees who abuse their authority.
The firm needs to establish proper work procedures that outline steps all employees are supposed to follow whenever they perform their duties. Stan Curtis did not observe high standards of integrity during his time in the organization. He easily took advantage of weak human resource policies to engage in actions that were not beneficial to the firms interests (Aula & Siira, 2010, p. 130). Therefore, Kentucky Harvest needs to ensure that remaining senior managers do not engage in activities that tarnish its reputation.
The firms board of directors needs to show all workers that no one will be favored by new policy changes. They need to create new departments which specify how different responsibilities in the firm are performed. Each department needs to have its own manager to ensure workplace functions are performed in the right manner. The firm needs a new Chief Executive Officer working closely with the board to ensure all operations in the firm run smoothly without any hitches.
The firm needs to inform workers the importance of restructuring and how this will improve the way they perform their duties. This will make it possible for them to support the new system without any misgivings. This will help strengthen employees confidence in the firm. This will also improve the way they perform different workplace functions, which will enable the firm achieve positive results in its operations (Aula & Siira, 2010, p. 133).
The firm does not have a strong accounts department and this made it possible for Curtis to embezzle funds. The firm needs to establish an effective internal financial system to make its operations more transparent. It also needs to establish an independent accounts department that records all financial dealings it transacts.
A strong financial system will help the firm regain its reputation which has been severely damaged by Curtis malpractices. The firm needs to rely on external auditors to audit its records after every three months to ensure all financial records are accurate (Rahim, 2001, p. 79). The financial department will work closely with other departments to determine priority areas in the firms strategy that need more attention. This will enable the firm set long term objectives that guide the way it operates.
Kentucky Harvest needs to change its organizational values and practices to regain its reputation. The firm needs to encourage managers and employees to interact freely to enable them exchange information related to different activities they are doing. Curtis exploited ineffective communication channels to defraud the firm. Senior managers and other employees in the firm did not know Curtis was squandering the firms funds. Constant communication between managers and employees in the firm will reduce such incidents in future (Moffitt & Bordone, 2012, p. 84). This will ensure all employees in the firm are accountable to effective control systems to ensure they satisfy internal quality benchmarks.
In conclusion, Kentucky Harvest needs to improve its internal structures to ensure all employees meet and satisfy the organizations expectations. This will help the organization carry out its objectives effectively.
References
Aula, P., & Siira, K. (2010). Organizational communication and conflict management systems. Nordicom Review, 31 (1), 125-141.
Moffitt, M.L., & Bordone, R.C. (2012). The handbook of dispute resolution. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
Rahim, M. A. (2001). Managing conflict in organizations. Westport, CT: Quorum Books.
One of the most beneficial sets of information received by managers comes from employees by means of individual reports on the errors occurring in the process of working activity, certain difficulties, and recommendations and suggestions for improving the ways of communications within the organization, and methods for solving problems.
As suggested in the study by Adler-Milstein, Singer, and Toffel (2010), information campaigns within organization can be as useful as public information campaigns aimed at reducing the number of smokers and other different issues that can be discussed in public.
Pros of Information Campaigns and Management Engagement
The importance of management engagement is very high because a manager should know about the difficulties experienced by employees in the workplace while performing a particular task. Adler-Milstein et al. (2010) report about opportunity given to managers by employees via reports about errors and certain suggestions on possible ways for improvement.
For instance, Quinlan and Sokas (2009) provide a thorough analysis of the public information campaigns in different countries and a right of employees to know about certain harms. In this respect, a manager is the first person to learn about some errors occurring in the organisation and take measures to fix everything.
Every employee should know his/her responsibilities in detail and be able to explain the necessity of making some decisions that could have caused some errors and difficulties. In this respect, an employee should not be afraid to speak up and report directly to the supervisor, manager, or another person who is responsible for the team work (Ruskin, 1993, p. 78).
So, the employee should not fear the reaction due to his/her immediate response to the error in the form of a report. Though some employee rarely happen to report about their failures to the supervisors, it should be a must-to rule for every employee because it facilitates the development process guided by managers who state the research and development objectives based on the reports of employees about errors and difficulties.
Cons of Information Campaigns and Management Engagement
The disadvantages of the speaking up in the workplace include the fear of aggression and occurrence of other stress factors that can contribute negatively to the effectiveness of performance and the working environment. As suggested by Barling et al. (2005), employees can be afraid of workplace aggression caused by exposures to representatives of the managerial.
In other words, aggression of colleagues or supervisors can be the stress factor for the employee who reports to managers about errors occurrence and difficulties experienced and those who work with him/her. So, reporting can be one of the most influential disadvantages hence leading to inability of managers to build an objective picture of changes to be implemented.
Conclusion and Recommendations
An employee should report about certain failures when he/she believes this absolutely necessary, especially when employees are demanded to report about the slightest errors occurring in the organisation in their individual tasks or during performance of team tasks.
Each employee has a right to make suggestions of possible methods and techniques that can be applied to certain areas of the working process to improve the management or facilitate certain operations. In other words, reporting can be effective though employees can be afraid of immediate egression experienced in the workplace and other negative consequences of reports.
Reference List
Adler-Milstein, J., Singer, S. J., & Toffel, M. W. (2010). Speaking up constructively: Managerial practices that elicit solutions from front-line employees. Harvard Business School. Working Paper 11-005.
Barling, J., Kelloway, E. K., & Frone, M. R. (2005). Handbook of work stress. London: SAGE.
Quinlan, M., & Sokas, R. K. (2009). Community campaigns, supply chains, and protecting the health and well-being of workers. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 99, No. 3: pp. 538-546.
Ruskin, M. (1993). Speaking up: what to say to your boss and everyone else who gets on your case. Avon, Mass.: Adams Media.
Eurotunnel has other many names which are Channel Tunnel and Channel. The name Eurotunnel came from the company which controls it and who won the tender. This is a 50.450 km rail that connects France with England. Its starts from Strait of Dover and ends in Coquelles in France and passes through Folkestone and Kent. Its the second largest rail tunnel in the world and the longest undersea tunnel with a distance of 37.9 km.
Brief history
In 1751 this period Napolitic engineers looked for new ways of crossing the sea to the other side which led to the competition which was supposed to show the best initiative and creativity. In 1752 , Albert Mathieu proposed a horse drawn traffic, this was after the signing of the Treaty of Armenians. 1974 saw a tunnel in the UK which was started and after construction of 250 meters it was abandoned due to financial constraints.
Also within this period France tried but also they stopped. In 1984 the idea was supported by both Margaret Thatcher and Francois Mitterrand and it was put under consideration. Eurotunnel Group which was later to manage the project was formed in 1986. In 1987 the excavation began and early 1991 a breakthrough was achieved and they begun equipping and finishing the line. Late 1994 saw its completion. There was big celebration witnessed by both head of states; UK and France.
Structure of Eurotunnel
The structural data of Eurotunnel was considered important for the stability of the excavations and against external factors like the earth quakes. Since these region had various kinds of rocks like the Mesozoic and Paleogene it was considered well documentation was necessary both in terms of seabed topography and its geology.
The seabed of Strait was a result of Quaternary erosion after several periods of emergence. The seabed reaches a maximum of 60m along the tunnel alignment. The Strait can be divided into two parts that is the UK part consisting of the undisturbed structure and the French part which is deformed.
The construction of the tunnels was mostly done in the Chalk Marl, this was the basal unit of the Chalk. Chalk Marl is a marine deposit that is mainly a mixture of small fossils which because of its high clay content is relatively impervious to water. Chalk is porous hence its risky for the tunnel. More than 85% of the tunnels were constructed within the Chalk Marl. The Chalk is of the Cretaceous age while the Chalk Marl is about 100 million years old. This means that dinosaurs were still wandering on the landmasses when the Chalk Marl was deposited.
The re activation of faults that were there in Jurassic and basement rocks caused the fracturing of the Chalk formations in which the tunnels were driven in. The tunnel is situated in the areas that has most highly tectonised zone. This is so because in the French side the route intersects only a few major faults compared to the UK side no major fault with a throw was noticed during tunneling.
Between Folkestone and Dover the discontinuities dip steeply with degrees of between 60 and 70.
Mott MacDonald who ere the design management employed 500 technical personel. The collective design input was over 1.3 million man hours.
Running tunnels and caverns
he design of Channel Tunnel comprised of three tunnels; two of which were 7.6m in diameter bored running tunnels, a central tunnel which was 4.8m diameter used for service, this were connected by cross passages at regular intervals. This service tunnel acts as an emergency escape route with its own transportation system provides access for maintenance and carries the ventilation system. The aerodynamic drag from the speedy trains is reduced by 2m diameter pressure relief ducts which are connected to the running tunnel.
There are two vast undersea caverns each in UK section and the other in France which are scissor cross-overs linking the main running tunnels which acts has a precaution measure if a section of tunnel should be closed. The New Austrian Tunneling Method was used to construct the UK cross-over cavern which is the worlds largest subsea excavation with dimensions of 156m in length by 18m breath and 10m in height internally. With the help of some 200 stations was used to monitor the movement of the cavern excavation.
UK cut-and-cover
The UK land sections of the Channel Tunnel involved various cut-and-cover construction techniques which included; multi-propped walls, embedded cantilever diaphragm walls, deep open cut and piled chambers. Near the portal the Castle Hill, an extensive section of cut-and-cover had to be constructed fully within an existing landslip, which called for close control of groundwater movements and levels plus a carefully phased sequence of top-down construction, which included use of heave reducing piles.
Folkestone terminal
Where the tunnel emerges to the west of Castle Hill high-speed turnouts connect the tunnel tracks to the new terminal at Folkestone which houses all the services and interchange facilities for the Channel Tunnel trains.
To prevent interference between incoming and outgoing trains the railway layout takes the form of a loop within the terminal, with the assistance of three arrival lines and two in departure lines which earlier served ten parallel platform tracks where vehicles drive on and off the shuttles. This layout is such that it allows for future extensions of the platforms to 16. A total of 54 km of both ballasted and non-ballasted track is provided with turnouts of 100 which includes maintenance sidings and stabling. The UK tunnel had concrete expanded segmental lining while the voids were grounted to control water ingress.
Road infrastructure beside the terminal includes new links with the M20 London-Dover motorway and the re-routed A20 trunk road which was also designed by Mott MacDonald. Seven new bridges and viaducts were constructed with the intention of keeping motorway traffic flows moving during construction.
Since the use cooling of the tunnel through circulation of air from one end to the other was not possible they decided to use two chiller plants. These chiller plants were put at each end. The chiller plants cool 54 million gallons of water in a 150 mile pipe with a diameter of 24 inch. The tunnel is usually kept dry by five pumping stations and sumps. Three were built under the sea and one on each shore.
In France, construction began at Sangatte on Calais coastline around 3 km from Coquelles. A concrete wall was built after the excavation of a hole of 70 meters deep and 55 meters in diameter. A shed was built to shelter the shaft in the middle of the large construction site which housed offices and a lining segment manufacturing factory. The workers, materials and equipments were lowered through the shaft down to a distance of 47 meters. This place was dry and it made possible the assemble of boring machines. Three machines were used to excavate the three tunnels and two machines began to drive inland towards the terminal site.
When excavation began in France the TBMs encountered water inflows. Since the cutter head was sealed the tail shield were fitted with multiple rows of wire brush which pressed the outside diameter of the concrete lining. In the space between the metallic brushes and the lining of the tunnel grease was injected. Between the tunnel lining and the ground, grout cement was injected after grout lines had being fitted in the tail shield. This method sealed the lining from water.
Five machines were used in the French side while six machines were used in the UK side. The end part of France was reclaimed with an outcome of 480 hectares for the terminal complex. The French tunnels which were undersea had water tight bolted and gasketed segmental concrete lining.
69 km of tunnel were constructed in the France side while 84km was constructed in the English side. In France the construction took an average of 110 meters per week while in the English side was it took 150 meters per week. The best performance was 426 m a week in UK and 322 meters in France.
It took 13,000 workers to complete the digging in seven years. Tunneling operations began from both ends. The contractors were the Anglo-French Transminche Link (TML) and a group of ten companies and five banks from the two countries. This companies used heavy machines know has tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The TBMs were 200m long and were telescopic, this allowed the construction of the concrete segmental lining.
Five TBMs were constructed with each dedicated to a certain region in terms of geology. The high pressures of water also dictated the conditions of the machines. The French side required three Earth Pressure Balance machines (EPBMs). The characteristics of these machines were sealed cutter chambers to withstand water pressure and conveyors to carry the cut material away. Two EPBMs were built for each rail tunnel with a diameter of 8.8 m and 1100 tonnes in weight. The head had a thrust of 39,227 kN and torque of 12,748.645 Nm.
The EPBM for the service part were 5.6m in diameter cutter head, a thrust of 39,227kN and a torque of 3,510,781Nm. The water flow in the UK was predicted to be small hence two double shielded TBMs were built. These machines were constructed such that it could be able to withstand unstable and faulted rock conditions. These TBMs had a diameter of 5.6m cutterhead, a thrust of 65,871kN and torque of 5,727,084Nm.
This companies were divided as follows:
one French TBM driving the service tunnel from Sangatte cofferdam to the French portal,
three French TBMs driving from Sangatte to under the Channel,
one French TBM driving one running tunnel from Sangatte cofferdam to the French portal, then the
three British TBMs driving from Shakespeare Cliff to the British portal,
other running tunnel from the French portal back to Sangatte cofferdam,
three British TBMs driving from Shakespeare Cliff to under the Channel.
December 1, 1990 the services tunnel was drilled through. While the rail tunnels met on June 28, 1991 and May 22, 1991.This was witnessed by many people, the media and jubilation. The British TBMs were diverted to the rocks and it was sealed with concrete while the TBMs of France were dismantled. Between 1991 and 1994 there was refining, putting of equipments such as electricals and finishing. In the British side about 5 million cubic yards of chalk were excavated and much of it was dumped In the Shakespeare Cliff to reclaim 90 acres of land from sea which was then called the Samphire Hoe.
The two rail tunnels are 30m apart each measuring 7.6 meters in diameter which carry trains north west and south east. The service tunnel is 4.8 meter in diameter and is normally connected to the rail tunnels at intervals of 375 meters. This service tunnel is served by narrow rubber tyred vehicles which are used for minimal access of facilities. The service tunnel is used for access to workers for maintenance and emergencies exit.
There are 2m diameter pressure relief ducts (PRDs) that are normally above the service tunnel but they dont connect. This PRDs are connected to the two rail tunnels at an interval of 250 meters. PRDs are used to alleviate piston effect of trains to allow free movement of the air to flow into the other running tunnel.
Public Transportation
It was opened in 1994 after seven years of construction. This railway network offered three kinds of services. That are freight trains, shuttle for vehicles and Eurostar passenger.
Eurostar passenger: this is a train service that connects London and Kent in Britain, Lille and Paris in France and Brussels in Belgium. There are limited or seasonal services to Disneyland and other major cities in France. Its accomplished by eighteen carriage class 373 trains with speeds of 300 km/h. There as being development and construction of new lines to join the LGV Nord which are of high speeds. This kinds of speed enabled the change of terminus from Waterloo International to St. Pancras International Station. It takes between 20 minutes to 35 minutes to go through the tunnel.
Eurotunnel Shuttle: this is a shuttle service that is provided between Calais in France and Folkestone in the UK. It transports vehicles and passenger vehicles in enclosed wagons. Cars and other low vehicles in double deck wagons are carried in the rear rake. The first and last two carriages contains the access ramps. In front of the train heavy and high vehicles are carried such as the coaches and buses. If its busy sometimes cars can be carried in this section. Sanitary facilities are provided in every third carriage in the double deck and the first and last carriages in the single deck. This carriages are normally fire proof and are pressurized.
Eurotunnel freight shuttle trains carry lorries on open rail cars, and the drivers traveling in the passenger coaches. Eurotunnel rail freight service normally carry convectional rail loads between stations with capabilities of moving the containers.
Reference
Colin J. Kirkland, Engineering the Channel Tunnel, 1999.
Anderson G. at el. The Channel Tunnel Story, 1994.
Darian-Smith E. Bridging Dividens: The Channel Tunnel.
Bent F. Megaprojects and Risk: An Anotomy of Ambition. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Communication is arguably the corner stone on which any successful relationship, be it business or personal, is built. The importance of effective communication has been acknowledged and as Bedell and Lennox demonstrate, a lot of research has been taken on the subject and numerous books written so as to help people hone their communication skills (7).
In the work place, good communication skills are mandatory since they increase the likelihood of increased productivity which is desirable for all organizations. As such, communication is at the heart of any business endeavor and good communication skills are very important for people at the work place. This paper shall give a detailed discussion on what constitutes good and poor communication in the workplace.
The paper will begin by defining communication in the work setting as well as the basic communication model. The benefits that may be reaped from good communication will be articulated and effects of bad communication in the workplace highlighted as well. All this will be in a bid to demonstrate that good communication is necessary in the workplace.
Communication in the Workplace
Communication involves the sending and receiving of messages and it forms an integral part of any culture. It is through the communication process that ideas are shared and information exchanged between parties. This activity is vital for the well being of any organization and a lack of communication mostly results in negative outcomes.
Communication in the workplace includes communicating with ones colleagues and supervisors. Johnson asserts that this communication may be in various ways including but not limited to: writing, talking, nonverbal communication (such as body language and gestures), visual communication and electronic communication (3).
The particular communication means that one chooses to use is the one that is deemed most appropriate for a given message. Sending of a message using an appropriate channel is very important since if an inappropriate channel is use, the message might fail to reach the receiver, or if it does, the receiver might fail to understand it.
The Communication Model
The communication model includes various major components which together make up the communication process. The first component is the sender who is responsible for coming up with the message. The message which the sender intends to come up with is the other major component.
Ideally, it should not be muddled which means that it should be clear to understand. The third component is the channel which can be defined as the means through which the message is to be passed across. The fourth component is the receiver who is the person that the message was meant for. On receiving the message, the receiver givers feedback which is a response to the message sent. Feedback is the receivers way of telling the sender if the message was received as it had been intended or not.
For effective communication to have been accomplished in the workplace, the communication process as outlined above must run through with the message having the desired effect that the sender wanted on the receiver. Greene and Burleson assert that to establish yourself as an effective communicator in any circumstance, you should know your audience which is to say that you should know the people you are sending the message (13).
Effective communication results in minimal misunderstanding between the parties involved. This being the case, if the communication fails to have the impact that the sender wished to make, then it can be said that communication failed. This failure is normally caused by various factors which are known as barriers to communication. These barriers include; ambiguous messages, use of wrong channels, poor listening skills, interruptions during the communication process and physical distractions.
Effects of Good Communication in the Workplace
Effective communication can be used to make the employees in the workplace align their goals and objectives to that of the organization. This is because communication can have the effect of making the employees more focused on achieving the objective of the organization. This is especially so when communication is used in the workplace to let the employees know of the vision of the organization. A vision can be loosely defined as the detailed mental image of things to come.
Communication of a vision not only helps to establish the character of the key personnel in the workplace but it also provides meaning and a sense of belong to the workers and other stakeholders as they deem themselves as part of something greater Rees and Porter 182). Communicating a vision to the employees gives them a glimpse of what to expect and as such, people can work towards achieving the same.
Good communication skills such as active listening result in people gaining profound insights into the other parties view point and hence fostering better relationships. This is because active listening is characterized by giving verbal affirmations to demonstrate that you understand what the speaker is saying as well as nudge him to proceed.
Rees and Porter suggest that in addition to what is being said, non-verbal cues must be taken into consideration in active listening (71). Non-verbal signals include the signals that one is sending as well as the ones they receive. By being an active listener, one makes a conscious effort to avoid sending signals that suggest boredom or disinterest in the speaker or his message. This results in better workplace relationships which translate to increased productivity.
In the workplace, there are various people who take up leadership roles. Leadership most often refers to a process through which one person uses the help and support of others towards achieving a particular goal or task. The success of a leader in the workplace depends on his ability to inspire his/her followers.
This can only occur if the leader is able to exude personal character traits such as self confidence, honesty and trust. These traits can only be seen through their actions and ability to communicate with others. As such, a persons ability to communicate effectively with others in the workplace will ensure the success of his/her leadership role.
Language plays a very significant role in communication since words are the primary means through which we communicate with others. In the workplace, the employees may have a certain form of language which consists of terminologies that are basic to the field of operation. This may be what outsiders may refer to as jargon . In the workplace, most people understand this jargon since they are all trained for the particular profession. This makes the communication process very effective since everyone understands each other.
Poor Workplace Communication and Their Effects
Having poor listening habits can hamper effective communication in the workplace. One of the poor listening habits is interrupting a speaker while he is making his point (Johnson 23). This leads to a disruption of the flow of ideas as well as a lack of understanding by the listener since in most cases they cut the listener short before getting the entire point. Having poor listing habits can also make one appear as inattentive or unreceptive to information if you are communicating with a colleague.
If you are communicating with a senior member of the organization, poor listening may be seen as a sign of disrespect which may have negative consequences for the individual. To acquire effective listening skills, one is therefore called upon to be patient and to listen to what is being said with an open mind. A person can only talk when the speaker has completed delivering his message.
Another common problem that is observed in workplace communication is unclear communication. This unclear communication may result in numerous errors or even missed deadlines as a person wastes time either trying to decipher the message or request for confirmation on the same. Such occurrences if frequent may be the root of other issues in the workplace such as low productivity or even low morale by the employees if it is the top management which is responsible for the unclear communication.
The workplace is mostly a place where there exist various people who might have various cultural backgrounds. In this workplace scenario, effective listening can be greatly hampered by the stereotypical perceptions we harbor (Cleary 56).
This is because stereotyping leads to disassociation from other people and disregard for their opinions since the other people are in most cases not regarded as equals. Stereotyping in the workplace will invariably result in a decrease in productivity since each person in the workplace needs to feel that their ideas are being given due merit and they are being treated with respect.
To overcome the barrier to communication that is presented by stereotyping, one needs to be aware of any stereotypical views or bias they may have. After that, a person can try to ensure that these preconceived notions do not cloud his opinion in the workplace.
Most workplaces are structured around the rigid hierarchical organization structure which is based on the high-level having more authority over the subordinates. In such a setting, the effectiveness of communication is greatly reduced since employees are given messages without being expected to respond in most cases. The reason why such an environment results to poor communication is because it does not utilize feedback.
Without feedback, Cleary reveals that communication is not truly two-way and as such, its effectiveness cannot be guaranteed. In addition to this, employees are not encouraged to speak out (121). The workers are therefore content to do what they are told without automatically and with little enthusiasm. This lack of a healthy communication results in decreased productivity since the employees may fail to identify with the goals of the organization.
Improving Workplace Communication
Both verbal and nonverbal behaviors are important in interpersonal communication and a balanced use of the two can greatly boost communication. In the workplace, one should ensure that they use both these for effective communication to be achieved. Greene and Burleson assert that virtually any behavior or skill is incompetent at the extremes of disuse or excessive use (119).
In many face to face interactions, most people are guilty of focusing on what is being said (verbal communication) at the expense of non-verbal communication cues. This may result in poor communication since a person may miss out on signals that could help them gauge the mood or how receptive the other person is to the information being communicated.
One of the means through which the communication process in the workplace can be enhanced is through the use of assertive communication. This is because assertiveness is one of the styles of communication that is believed to greatly enhance a persons effectiveness in the communication process therefore leading to the most desirable outcomes.
Bedell and Lennox articulate that assertiveness promotes interpersonal behavior that attempts to maximize the persons satisfaction of wants while considering the wants of other people (22).
Listening is the most basic communication activity that man undertakes. However, most people fail to recognize what it is or its potency in the communication efforts. The frequent use of the terms hearing and listening interchangeably highlights the common misconception of what listening actually is.
Cleary states that hearing is a natural ability which most people are born with and it only accounts for part of the listening process (125). She goes on to articulate that hearing is passive and entails sound waves stimulating the sensory receptors of the ear in a predominantly biological function. Hearing is therefore an innate ability in most human beings requiring no active input from a person in the communication process.
Listening is a complex endeavor and it involves a hearing and understanding what is said, forming an opinion on what is said and finally committing the message to memory for future retrieval. Only after his has been done can the listener respond to the speaker so as to provide feedback as to his/her perception of the message.
In the workplace, people have differing personalities and while some are confident of themselves and their abilities, others are shy and unsure. The confident person will be willing to make his point be heard by others since he considers it worthwhile. The shy and unsure person may keep silent since they do not consider their opinions worth to be expressed or responded to by others.
This hurts communication in the workplace since the input of every individual is important. To reverse this situation, people should be taught how to be assertive. This training increases a persons self-esteem since assertive communication is based on the understanding that we all have a right to be afforded respect and we also bear the responsibility to reciprocate this respectfulness to others (Wilson and Gallois 221).
Conclusion
This paper set out to give a detailed discussion on the effects of communication in the work place. To this end, this paper has discussed what makes up the communication model and the effects that good and bad communication habits can have in the workplace setting.
From the discussions presented herein, it is evident that habits such as consistent inattentiveness, poor listening habits and stereotyping can have a negative effect on the productivity of people in the workplace. This paper has argued that effective listening skills as well as assertiveness can play a great role in increasing the effectiveness of communication in the workplace. From the discussions offered in this paper, it can be authoritatively stated that effective communication is hugely beneficial for all parties involve in the workplace.
Works Cited
Bedell, Jeffrey and Lennox, Shelley. Handbook for Communication and Problem-solving Skills Training: a Cognitive-behavioral Approach. Los Angeles: John Wiley and Sons, 1997. Print.
Cleary, Sandra. The Communication Handbook: A Student Guide to Effective Communication. Juta and Company Ltd, 2004. Print.
Greene, John and Burleson, Raney. Handbook of communication and social interaction skills. Routledge, 2003. Print.
Johnson, Simon. Communicate in the Workplace. Max Johnson, 2002. Print.
Rees, D and Porter, C. Skills of Management. Cengage Learning EMEA, 2008. Print.
Wilson, Klaus and Gallois, Charles. Assertion and its Social Context. USA: Routledge, 1993. Print.
Marketing communication entails pushing products and services to customers and the customers response towards these products and services. It involves many elements such as advertising, publicity, sales promotion, and direct marketing. Marketing communication appears mostly in form of promotions and advertisement.
At times the process of communication may be complex but if all the models used are cooperative then it becomes an easy process. The models used in marketing communication are the sender, the medium, the message, receivers and sometimes feedback (Yeshin 127).
Effective marketing communication is necessary in all business. One advantage of communication is that it assists a company in achieving its sales target. Communication provides information which tells a consumer that there is a new product in the market. Without communication a customer can not be assumed to know the availability of certain product in the market.
In todays market there are so many products most of them being substitute and therefore it is the work of every company to make sure that proper communication channels are used to inform the user about a new brand in the market.
From the view of the Marketing Communications Director of the new Brand Poppy which will be launching a new beer brand called bull cane this report will aim to assess the beer market and identify the communication strategies of two major competitors for Poppy. It will produce a marketing communications plan for the launch of the new brand and consider the factors involved in launching the brand internationally
Market Analysis
Over the years, the beer industry has been undergoing a substantial change. This has been as a result of the increase in competition globally and the change toward global supply sequence. The end users play a major role in terms of selection of suppliers and in decision making of products which is changing from being operational to being strategic.
The increased number of producers resulting from emergence of new entrants in the market has led to increased competition. Consumers have become choosy due to the increase in the number of product options in the market (Hines & Bruce 2007). They now desire for an exciting shopping in innovative stores. This has led to increased operation cost on the side of producers trying to match up with the customer need. It is the work of the operation management to utilize the scarce resource and maximize returns.
In striking for the right opportunities, Poppy will have to analyze its main market rival as this is the major threat it has to face. The strategies being employed by the competitor should be critically assessed and evaluated for necessary counter action. In addition, the general plan of the competitor in a bid to control the market is a vital toolkit which this company can use to estimate the competitive edge of the market.
Similarly, the product being offered to the market at lower price should be investigated to determine its type and nature. Why, for instance, is the company lowering the price of this commodity? Do they have access to cheaper raw materials or is it that quality of the product has been compromised and can be offered at a lower price than normal market value?
Finally, on opportunities, the marketing department will have to investigate the companys managerial structure both current and in the past and give a detailed finding as well as possible conclusions on the same.
The market place can be analyzed further by use of a PESTEL analysis. PESTEL analysis is a management tool that assists in making informed decision about the influence that the company is going to get from the outside environments as the technology and other variables change. Its analysis is applicable in start-ups and ongoing business. The beer industry in Australia is highly competitive. Introducing a new brand into the market can be difficult due to the number of well known brands which are already in existence.
It is therefore important for Poppy to analyze its major competitors by looking at their communication strategies, Poppys two major competitors are Coopers Pale Ale and Coopers Sparkling Ale. Coopers pale Ale is brewed in South Australia and its known for its cloudy appearance. It is produced from fruity characters and it has a fresh crisp bitterness ideal for any type of occasion. Similarly, Coopers Sparkling Ale has cloudy sediment and is produced from fruity, and malt characters (Anon 1).
PESTEL Analysis
Political
free and fair government which promotes equality
Fair Trade Practices
Consumer Protection
taxation policies
Economic
Factors affecting the GDP- for instance employment, inflation, and government spending
More disposable income
Seasonality issues
Developed economy
Socio-cultural
Lifestyle trends and consumer preferences
Demographic changes
Increased consumer spending
Multi-cultural society
Technological
Innovation capacity
Improved infrastructure
The forces described above help in the determining the market growth (or decline) of Poppy and the implication of its strategic business unit. If an economic recession occurs, the economic forces would have a considerable bearing on the future market strategies through ripple effects on the political and socio-cultural factors. Political factors put a restriction on the development of the industry by putting tough taxes and regulation requirements. Australia has been experiencing low tariffs barriers which have led to an expansion in the international trade thereby resulting in increased demand for food products.
Australias economic growth potential is facilitated by its demographic advantage and could therefore open up opportunities for industry development. Although the economy has been doing well and the future is promising, Poppy has to overcome some obstacles before it realizes its full potential.
First, there is the government requirement which it has to adhere to before being allowed to operate, increased capital costs, requirement of skilled labour force, and rivalry from other firms. To add to these risks, the product is not guaranteed of a ready market in the new market making it a risky undertaking.
Communication Strategies
Global marketing strategies call for developing strategies to develop and build brand image and loyalty among customers. This includes developing the positioning strategies as compared to competitors worldwide. Branding and positioning strategies must fit the product and the company across multiple countries. Because Poppys primary customer base is global customers, advertising campaigns must be similar.
Before choosing a business strategy, one has to evaluate different options and only chose the best (Earl 54). There are many different strategies that can be used in a business but all of them do not give equal results. It is upon the management to make a choice in which is the best taking into account the business operations and the needs of the market.
Market Segmentation
A customer is the backbone of a company; the main decision that a marketing manager should make is on a companys market segment. A market segment is a homogenous subset of the main market, which share similar characteristics, which make it demand similar goods.
A segment is also stimulated by similar innovations. After developing a marketing segment the next step is to develop mechanisms that will enable one to sell in the target market. Market segmentation will help the company in meeting its needs through a marketing mix. It will also help in reducing costs as money for advertising and promotion is concentrated on the correct segment.
For both Coopers Pale Ale and Coopers Sparkling Ale segmentation on age takes place by focusing on the adults aged between 20 and 26 years. Both markets for the competitors are also segmented by consumer purchasing behaviour for instance whether the products are consumed every day or during occasions (Anon 2).
Consumption during occasions can be seasonal for example if there is an increase in purchases during Christmas or other public holidays this would be a good time to target this segment. These competitors have also taken into consideration income distribution within the country and have identified areas where consumers have high disposable income and are also willing to spend on beers.
Targeting
Marketing targeting is a vital element in developing the marketing strategies since it helps in evaluation of segments in order to decide which market to target.
Coopers Sparkling Ale target market is more towards the 30-45 age brackets with a high disposable income or real appreciation of real ales. These are people who enjoy the Premium ale and are prepared to pay a higher than average price to enjoy it.
They take pleasure in the fact this ale does not have additives or preservatives. Although Coopers pale ale captures the same age brackets as Sparkling Ale, this product also has the propensity to be more well-liked within the 18-30 year old bracket, and also women (owing to its sweet flavour).
The Pale drinker takes pleasure in taking new things, is happy to try out, and gets pleasure from spending time with friends.
Positioning
Positioning is the choice of a target market and how to reach this market segment after market targeting; the next step in developing the marketing strategy is to create a positioning strategy for the product. Both products are luxury Brands with well known brand names, the products are similar in how they are positioned also, both of high price and high value.
Promotions take the form of On & Off pricing strategies, value add products (giveaways) to consumers, trade discounts and the like. Coopers have a range of agencies that they use to make their marketing and advertising strategies come to life.
KWP! Is the advertising agency that creates new advertising material, researches the target markets, books in all of the media (cinema, TV, radio, print, magazines). This is evaluated annually and all mediums, costing and individual publications are looked into and reviewed. Other agencies such as On Creative and Show pony cater for coopers packaging designs, branding elements, point of sale, and design of logos, re-branding and the like.
Marketing Communication Plan
Conceptual analysis
The plan aims to bring together all the elements involved into a process which puts activities into a sequence of decisions which need to be made. Poppy will use a focused target marketing strategy, which develops a single marketing mix aimed at one target market. Although the product may be used by different ages, the target group will be aged 20-26 this is because this age group likes experimenting new products and it takes pleasure in hanging out with friends especially during occasions.
Lifestyle is a very significant way of segmentation as it reflects a consumers interests, opinions and activities (Jobber 285). Poppys target market will be males who take pride in themselves and enjoy spending time with their friends. They will be men with high disposable incomes as not every one can afford to spend on beers.
It is important to create a high level of awareness during the product launch in order to be competitive among the well known brands within the market. Financial constraints involve the costs involved in research and development, also the high level of advertising used by competitors may create a challenge to keep up with especially as the new brand Poppy is not yet established in the beer market.
Marketing Communication Objectives
The new brand is in the introduction stage of its life cycle and there is need to create awareness among the target consumers. To attain this noble general objective, the company aims at analyzing the market, and segmenting the market into smaller units.
From its positioning statement, the company aims at creating a human-technological interface where it approaches its strategies from a psychological angle. It poses to give solutions to people and by so doing it is able to market its product effectively.
Market leadership
Poppy aims to be Australian largest beer manufacturer. To attain this, it has to improve its bull cane with the needs of customers. It has a research department which advises the company on the kind of products it manufactures for better customer satisfaction.
Marketing Communication Strategies
Marketing mix
An effective marketing mix ensures that goods are available to the target customer, when they need them and at an affordable price. In Australia before Poppy decides on how to reach the target market, the first point is to collect adequate market data and analyze the data.
The company uses business intelligence tools to collect a wide range of data essential for its operations. The data is interpolated in terms of age, sex, region, education, income, and lifestyle. Its research centres offer great assistance in ensuring that all is set in terms of data available for decision making
Pricing strategy
The price of a commodity is an element of total cost plus a profit margin. When a target market has been established, there is need to determine the price that the target customer will afford comfortably. A marketer should be aware of the consumer treads and their potential.
The social class that the product is targeted will influence the price of the products (Reid, 20). The price parameter can be approached from the actual product price or the possibility that the product can be divided into smaller parts, not necessarily cheap, but the need for this is to enhance affordability
Promotion
Poppy will use different modes of promotion such as newspaper, TV, and internet to launch its products in the new market. Poppy will use the push, pull, and profile strategies to introduce bull cane to the target market. The push strategy aims at using the available channels of distribution to its maximum trying to push the product in the market. Push strategy requires the offer of discounts in order to motivate the promoting channel. It aims at launching new products into the market.
By offering discounts to wholesalers and distributors it means that the retailers will also get a discount from the wholesalers who in return sell poppy new product, bull cane, at reduced cost to the target consumers. These discounts are offered for a short period of time which means that wholesalers will purchase in large quantities in order to enjoy the discount and this flows to the end users. Once the end users become used to certain products they will not be able to restrain themselves from using them even when the offer of discount is over (see appendix two for an example of a push strategy that can be used by Poppy).
In pull strategy, there is direct contact with the user of the product. The use of channels of distribution is minimized and more emphasis is put on advertisement. The major objective of the pull strategy is to pull the forecast on distribution channels forcing a demand to them which they cannot ignore (see appendix three for example of a pull strategy).
The use of the profile strategy aims at giving an overview of the business activities. By use of the profile strategy the company realizes that it has a social responsibility to the public and all the stakeholders (the shareholders, the customer, staffs, society, government, etc). The company aims at ensuring that all stakeholders are satisfied (Moschis 12).
Shareholders are the owners of the company and it is the obligation of the management to make sure that the shareholders get returns that is in proportion to their share in the company. The company will not be able to guarantee shareholders returns if it does not engage in effective information communication.
Through communication, the companies sale revenue increases leading to increased profits and thus shareholders returns. It is the duty of the company to ensure that the end users get products of good quality and to provide employees with good working conditions and this can only be possible through communication (Peter 20) (appendix four shows a profile strategy that can be used by Poppy).
Poppy will also use Magazines to advertise, using magazines allows more information to be communicated as the consumer will spend more time browsing. By using magazines it will enable Poppy to target their audience more closely. The particular Australian magazines which will be used are Heat Magazine because it is well known and highly advertised because it targets the same target audience as Poppy beer, both will feature double sided adverts. If this method proves to be a success for Poppy then more magazines will be used to raise awareness.
Poppy will also use the internet to advertise this new product since the target audiences are young people who use the internet on a daily service. The most appropriate company to use is the Google which is used by more than 50% of all internet users.
Public Relation Strategy
In discussing the Public Relations (PR) Strategy as it relates to companys BCP, Good earth coffee will have to mitigate any damages during a PR crisis. They must first make a note of, and understand the potential threats that give rise to a PR Crisis. All types of discrimination practices, which do not follow the Standard Operating Procedures and ignoring the quarterly testing the viability of the Business Continuation Plan (BCP), will eventually lead to a PR Crisis.
The standards operating procedures include the use of the highest ethical and moral standards while manufacturing their product and selling it to the customer in Australia. If crisis expectation is to remain a documented function for PR, ignorance of law cannot be used as a good excuse.
Today, the world is changing into a global village where more and more companies are trading with each other internationally. Australian population is also in the rise; according to Australian bureau of Statistics, Australian population stands at 22,431,468. The population is mostly concentrated of the young; these are people who are below the age of fifty years (United Nation 2).
Resources and Scheduling
To provide some central control, but allow specialization as required to penetrate the market, Poppy will assign product managers. The product managers are the trouble shooters to resolve production, supply chain, quality, and efficiency. They have the authority to work across all operating companies to achieve goals. To meet the special needs of its target consumers, Poppy will hire, and assign global account managers based on industry.
The global account manager will serve as the single point of contact for the client. Industries to target would be consumer sales companies for drinks and food products. Appendix five shows the report structures. The blue line reporting of product managers to the vice president of marketing means theyre to coordinate with marketing personnel for brand and company image but remain primarily operations focused.
The green line between global account managers and product managers is to show both are expected to communicate with each other regarding customer needs and expectations.
The chart in appendix six is the Gantt chart and Work Breakdown Structure describing specific activities required for full implementation of poppys strategy in Australia. Each task takes into consideration factors such as objectives, resource allocation, deadlines, milestones, and the department responsible for its execution.
Figure 1. Budgetary Requirements.
Evaluation and Control
According to Brannan (5), strategic management involves formulating and implementing strategies that enable the organization to reach its objectives. Therefore it is important that an organization measures its success in the formulation and implementation of its strategy and this is called strategy evaluation..
The factors that are likely to have an impact on reaching these goals are the size of the organization, management styles, complexity of the environment, nature of the production processes, nature of the problem and the purpose and planning system, Strategy evaluation is important to ensure these factors do not hinder the achievement of strategic goals and evaluation should be followed by continuous improvement.
Evaluation is a continuous process, which should be included in each stage of communication plant
Feedback
Once feedback is received the planning process comes to an end, feedback should be received at the end regarding the overall launch success of the product both internally and externally but it is also important to gather feedback during the process to pick up on activities which were particularly successful and those that could be improved.
Conclusion
To meet customer needs more closely Poppy will target males aged 20- 26 who have a relatively high disposable income to spend on luxuries drinks. The launch aims to inform and differentiate by raising awareness of the product and encouraging trial among the target audience.
Poppy is positioned as high priced and high value and sits between its two major competitors on the perceptual map. Poppy will generate brand awareness through mass advertising and celebrity endorsements which will be increased over public holidays.
Works Cited
Anon. Coopers brewery history. Coopers, Web.
Brannan, Tom. A practical guide to integrated marketing communications marketing in action series. London: Kogan Page Publishers, 1995. Print.
Earl, Peter. Management, Marketing and the Competitive Process. Williston: American International Distribution Corporation, 1996. Print.
Jobber, David. Principles & Practice of Marketing (5th ed) London: McGraw Hill, 2007.
Moschis P. George. Marketing Strategies For The Mature Market. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1994. Print.
Oster, Sharon M. Modern Competitive Analysis. New York: Oxford University, 1994. Print.
Peter, Dsena. Marketing Management and Strategy. London: Post & Telecom Press, 2006. Print.
Reid A. David and Plank E. Richard. Fundamentals of Business Marketing Research. New York: Best Business Book, 2004. Print.
Yeshin, Tony. Integrated marketing communications: the holistic approach The Chartered Institute of Marketing/Butterworth-Heinemann marketing series. London: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998. Print.