Digital Business Environment

Introduction The scientists who developed the Internet probably did not realise their invention completely changed our world today. From how people communicating, connecting with social network, to how and where people work, Internet is now affecting our daily life in every dimension. Internet still and will continue change our life and behavior, according to data, nearly a third of world population are Internet user, and this number is still growing at an unprecedented speed (IWC, 2012).Internet affects almost every aspect of people daily activities, thanks to the Internet, people can virtually shopping without going out and get their items delivered to the doorstep in a matter of days. Information is now much more accessible over the Internet, people can share their life using blogging, and not to mention that business world has expanded to a whole new dimension. Company or individual can now target a much more wide consumers around the world. As much as the Internet has changed ou r personal lives, the business world has revolutionsied almost beyond recognition since the Internet era.Jeremy (2011) states the rise of Internet and other technologies is the start of Third Industrial Revolution. Although there is still ongoing debates about this theory, that the Internet has changed the face and pace of our modern business world. Hosted on the server, accessed using the Internet, the website or simply known as the site or web page, is one of the fundamental elements that forms the Internet we use today. It is also the most common way that a company or individual promote and conduct their business.This paper will thoroughly analyse and discuses a chosen website, the purpose is to take an insight to the digital business environment. Terms such as E-commerce, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) will be mention and discuss. The technical details of how to build and maintain a website will not be discussed in this article. Overview The website chosen in this pa per is Oki-ni, before further analyse the company and the website, it is essential to understand some of the basic about website.Organised by function, a website may fall into one of these catalogue (Yuan, 2005) * A personal website, e. g. blogging * A commercial website, e. g. company website, such as Microsoft, Apple * A government website, e. g. NASA website, City Council website * A nonprofit organisation website, Greenpeace, or RedCross website According to this catalogue, Oki-ni is a commercial website. Another terms that need to understand is Electronic commerce, or commonly known as E-commerce. There are many different definition of E-commerce from different perspectives in different discipline.Mamta (2005) summarised that E-commerce is the process of buying and selling or exchanging of products, services and information via telecommunication and computer networks including Internet. Mamta (2005) further generalised that based on the types of parties (business, consumer, etc ) involved, E-commerce may be of the following types: * Business-to-Business (B2B) * Bsuiness-to-Consumer (B2C) * Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) * Consumer-to-Business (C2B) * Intrabusiness Based on that definition, Oki-ni is a B2C type of E-commerce, different from other B2C website, the Britain based company focused on high-end menswear.The name originated from a Japanese dialect, means ‘Hello’, Oki-ni was created to work with established brands and progressive designers, to offer innovative products to knowledgeable fashion consumers. In another words, Oki-ni sells more than clothing, but a life-style. The company also collaborated with other fashion brands such as Paul Smith, Adidas, to produce unique pieces. This paper will focus itself on evaluating the use and implementation of digital information system on the chosen website, applications on the website will be paid extra attention and thoroughly analyse, such as inventory system, newsletter, multimedia applications .Furthermore, the OVP (Online Value Proposition), Online revenue models and other factors will be critically reviewed. Using researcher’s extensive knowledge, the concept and application of CRM on the website will be analyse. Lastly, researcher will proposed some recommendations to improve the website followed by the digital business strategy. Analyse of The Website For E-commerce site, the primary purpose is to sell. However, most online retailers fell to the wrong direction when even building their website.They spent heavily on how to attract more visitors to the site and simply forgot what is the point if the consumer visited the site but not buying anything. There may be many factors that contribute and affecting consumers’ buying behavior, but the inappropriate implementation of information system is more often seen in business operation. Customer cannot locate the item they want, or found themselves cannot checkout with the system, modern information technology b rings a great convenient, however, sometimes it can be chaos without properly used.For an enterprise, it is critically important to aware its organisational goals and objectives as well as the implementation of information system. (Mehdi, 2006) For the company of Oki-ni, the website serve the purpose of sales and providing customer service. Thus, the inventory information and customer information are vital to the company’s lifeline. Furthermore, to provide an enhanced online shopping experience, the supply chain management, online information security, and multimedia interactive applications are equally important. Inventory ManagementWhen running an E-commerce, it is very easy to get caught up in other aspects and neglect the importance of inventory management. Ritendra (2008) emphasis that its crucial to run inventory management effectively for the business to be profitably. For Oki-ni, there are thousands of items and new items in stock everyday, how to manage it efficientl y become vital to the company, what’s more, it has two layers of meaning. Firstly, for the staff, effective inventory system should allow them to locate specific item easily, and overview the whole inventory to see which items are running low on stock, and which are the best selling.Secondly, for customer, the inventory system should provide an easy accessible. Oki-ni website provide a simply and minimalism searching interface for the customer, customer can search the items they looking for by their preferable method, such as, using keywords, sort it by color, price range, sizing, or different part of garment, or using alphabet-order brand list. On the top page of Oki-ni site, customer can easily find new arrivals or discount information. Customer Information Comparing with tradition in-store shopping, online retailer has the advantage on tracking, storing and anaylsing customer data.Oki-ni gathering customer information by encouraging customer registered with their e-mail ad dress. By using these e-mail addresses with the concerns of customer, Oki-ni sends out newsletters to customer. Newsletters are an effective way to build goodwill and keep in touch with potential customer (Janice, 2004). Customer received promotion, new arrivals and other information from the website. When comes to place order, for security and privacy concern, the company only takes the minimum information that required for delivering, such as address, telephone number.Internet is an ever-changing, competitive-intensive environment, the recently raise of new social network drew a lot attention. As a company aiming itself not only sales, but to promote a lifestyle, Oki-ni has extended its content to other different social-network, such as Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, customer can find sales information, new product on these social network. Also, Oki-ni can gather customer information on other platforms, it’s a win-win situations. Multimedia InteractiveOne of the major adva ntages of E-commerce comparing traditional retailing is convenience; customer can search for product and compare it, finally checkout in a short amount of time by just clicking the mouse, however, E-commerce has deprived its users of the reality (Vincent & Franck, 2004). Material color, texture, tactile impression, those physical details cannot be display or feel by the two-dimensional images and texts on a computer screen. Most people have on-line shopping experiences have those situations that sometimes the products they received are different from their expectations.In order to provide better shopping experiences, Oki-ni provide an enhanced multimedia interface. In every product description page, the website provides high-resolution photos of the products, customer can click zoom-in to see the details of the texture, and a short video to demonstrate the product. For music product, such as CD, preview services are provided. Critical Review In this part, the website’s OVP (O nline Value Proposition), ORM (Online Revenue Model) and target audience will be critically reviewed. Online Value Proposition What’s the Online Value Proposition?It is a statement of the benefits of e-commerce services that ideally should not be available in competitor offerings of offline offerings (David, 2006). Michael & Susan (2012) further states that in an E-commerce context the differential advantage and positioning can be clarified and communicated by developing an online value proposition. Simply speaking, OVP is the USP of the brand or the website, a strong OVP is a crucial way to attract new visitors into the site and decided to stay or leave, the decisions often made in minutes or even in seconds.Developing an OVP, involves: * Developing messages that reinforce core brand proposition and credibility * Communicate what a visitor can get from an online brand that other competitors can not offer or they cannot get offline (Micheal & Susan, 2012) Translate these theo ries into simply language, a good OVP should answer the questions ‘Why am I here? ’ ‘Does this site offer me what I need? ’ In the digital business environment, the competition is much fierce and intensive then ever before. How to stand out from the crowd in a matters of seconds when visitor first open the site become vital to success.There a great numbers of online clothing retailer, from high-street brand, such as Topshop, ASOS, to luxury brand, e. g. Net-a-porter, Browns. Being good is not enough to win the competition, a good OVP is essential for Oki-ni to survive in the competition. More than ten years passed the establishment of Oki-ni, the website is still focusing on menswear, more specifically, they aiming to discover and break the most inspiring brands and products available, while hosting them in an rich, inspiring and innovative environment. The home page of Oki-ni featuring a simplicity style filled with inspiration contents.Existing customer c an easily find what they want in a few clicks; in the meanwhile the video and music can attract the attention of new customer. The website keep updating its FEATURES section with vibrant and forward-thinking videos and music. There is no differentiated of so call ‘high-street’ or ‘luxury’ on Oki-ni’s product, customer can find shorts cost 20 pounds to a coat valued a few hundreds. But there is one thing in common, all product were carefully selected. Featuring more than cloth, customer can also buy books, CDs on the website.In order to keep a fresh look, Oki-ni redesign the website every six month, from layout to the content. To sum up, Oki-ni’s strong OVP is that they not only sell cloth, but the promote an innovation life-style. Online Revenue Model In the article, Business Models on the Web by professor Micheal Rappa (2006). He suggests that ‘business models are perhaps the most discussed and least understood aspect of the web. â€⠄¢ In this regards, he summarised the business model into the following * Brokerage * Advertising * Informediary * Merchant * Manufacturer * Affiliate Community * Subscription * Utility The revenue model may be different in these business model, some website get paid by doing advertising, some website generated income by subscription. In the case of Oki-ni, the revenue model is easy to identify, the company produce service and sell it to customer. When the revenues from sales exceed the operational cost, then the company gets profit. Comparing to store retailer, the website is relatively easier to operate. No rent, less labor cost, means the website can provide a much more competitive price than physical store.However, on the other hand, the maintaining of website post a great challenge to the company. Target Audience The company target a niche market of luxury product segment. Focusing on menswear only, the website sells a wide range of product from selective clothing line from Jap an, Italy, to limited edition CDs. There is no particular age range on the Oki-ni’s customers, the company targeting a small group who required a innovated and forward-thinking life-style, and willing to the pay a premium price for that.Customer Relationship Management The term of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is now much more frequently seen in the E-commerce article, what’s CRM? The followings are different CRM definitions by scholars CRM involves various different elements, which includes customer-prospecting, relationship with customers; interact between customer and business, understanding customer expectations, empowerment, partnerships, and personalisation, and son on. (Fjermestad & Romano, 2006).CRM is an enterprise approach to understanding and influencing behavior through meaningful communication in order to improve customer acquisition, customer retention, customer loyalty, and customer profitability. (Swift, 2006) So far, there is no universally ac cepted definition of CRM. It not a software or a service, it is an overall business strategy. Shanmugasundaram (n. d) identified that the three main components in CRM system, namely * Operational * Analytical * Collaborative Nowadays, not only global companies seeking helps from CRM, more and more SMEs (Small and Medium Size Enterprise) were implemented with CRMs.Oki-ni is no exceptional, the company used the first hand data not only to promote its product, but to provide a better service. From time to time, Newsletters were sent to customer, the content of those newsletters were not just about product information. Featuring styling tips, or invitations to special events, the company always try to encourage customer come to visitor site. Recommendation Running an E-commerce is far more complicated than just setting up a website, other than the business and the customer, it involves many their parties, such as vendor, supply chain, banking.Researcher found a rather interesting phenom enal when customer rated Oki-ni’s service, some customer give top rate on both delivery speed and money transaction. However, on the other hand, some customer extremely disappointed on their service quoted ‘the clothes arrived and were excellent although delivery is very slow’ (Ciao, 2007). The inconsistence performance may due to the delivery company and Oki-ni should try to avoid in the future. Moreover, there is more potential of the CRM waiting to be discovered. Oki-ni using CRM mainly on providing customer ervice and promoting products, CRM is much more than customer service, researcher suggest the company analyse the customer’s shopping behavior, such as what kind of brand they like the most, how frequently they shopped on the site, etc. to improve customer shopping experience. The company can also use the data to collaborative with other parties, such as bank, to improve online payment security, or delivery company, to improve performance. Lastly, t he competition of digital business environment is much more intensive than ever before.The OVP (Online Value Proposition) may be seems strong and unique at this moment, with successful of Oki-ni, more and more website will try to follow the same model. How to maintain the competitive edge is vital for the company’s future. Conclusion By discussing and critically reviewed the Oki-ni’s website, this paper take an insight into the digital business environment. In the Internet era, trading become much more easier, even individual can set up a website with the know-how and the equipment. However, the competition is much more intensive.E-commerce is a complex term that involved many aspects, the terms and concepts researcher discussed in this paper barely scratch the surface. with the fast advancing technology, new issues now raised, such as legal issue and Internet security. Concepts of CRM, Online business model may need further investigation in the future. Reference: Ciao . (2007). Review of Oki-ni. com. Available from: http://www. ciao. co. uk/Reviews/Oki_Ni_com__5315436 [Accessed 10 Nov, 2012]. Fjermestad, Jerry, and Nicholas C. Romano. (2006) Electronic Customer Relationship Management. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe,. Print. pp. 121-65 Internet World Stats, 2011. World Internet Usage Statistics News and World Population Stats. Available from: http://www. internetworldstats. com/stats. htm [Accessed 12 Nov. 2012]. Janice,Reynolds (2004). ’The Complete E-Commerce Book: Design, Build & Maintain a Successful Web-Based Business’. NewYork, Taylor & Francis. Print. pp. 268+. Jeremy, Rifkin. (2011). ‘The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World’. London, Palgrave Macmillan. Mamta, Bushry. (2005). ‘E-commerce. New Delhi, Firewall Media. Print. pp. 69 Mehdi, Khosrow-Pour. (2006) ‘Cases on Electronic Commerce Technologies and Applications. Hershey’, PA: Idea Grou p. Michael, Rappa (2006). ‘Business Models On the Web’. Available from: http://digitalenterprise. org/models/models. html [Accessed 9 Nov, 2012]. Ritendra, Goel. (2008) ‘Electronic Commerce Technology and Prosecpts. ’ E-commerce. New Delhi: New Age International Pvt. Swift, Ronald S. (2000) ‘Accelerating Customer Relationships: Using CRM and Relationship Technologies. ’ Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR. Print. pp. 25+Shanmugasundaram, S. (N. d) ‘Customer Relationship Management: Modern Trends And Perspectives’ New Delhi. PHI learning, Ltd. Vincent, Roca & Franck Rousseau. (2004). ‘Interactive Multimedia and Next Generation Networks: Second International Workshop on Multimedia Interactive Protocols and Systems’. Springer. Available from: http://www. springer. com/computer/information+systems+and+applications/book/978-3-540-23928-4? cm_mmc=Google-_-Book%20Search-_-Springer-_-0 [Accessed 8 Nov 2012]. Yuan, Gao (2 005). ‘Web Systems Design And Online Consumer Behavior’. London, Idea Group Inc. Digital Business Environment Introduction The scientists who developed the Internet probably did not realise their invention completely changed our world today. From how people communicating, connecting with social network, to how and where people work, Internet is now affecting our daily life in every dimension. Internet still and will continue change our life and behavior, according to data, nearly a third of world population are Internet user, and this number is still growing at an unprecedented speed (IWC, 2012).Internet affects almost every aspect of people daily activities, thanks to the Internet, people can virtually shopping without going out and get their items delivered to the doorstep in a matter of days. Information is now much more accessible over the Internet, people can share their life using blogging, and not to mention that business world has expanded to a whole new dimension. Company or individual can now target a much more wide consumers around the world. As much as the Internet has changed ou r personal lives, the business world has revolutionsied almost beyond recognition since the Internet era.Jeremy (2011) states the rise of Internet and other technologies is the start of Third Industrial Revolution. Although there is still ongoing debates about this theory, that the Internet has changed the face and pace of our modern business world. Hosted on the server, accessed using the Internet, the website or simply known as the site or web page, is one of the fundamental elements that forms the Internet we use today. It is also the most common way that a company or individual promote and conduct their business.This paper will thoroughly analyse and discuses a chosen website, the purpose is to take an insight to the digital business environment. Terms such as E-commerce, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) will be mention and discuss. The technical details of how to build and maintain a website will not be discussed in this article. Overview The website chosen in this pa per is Oki-ni, before further analyse the company and the website, it is essential to understand some of the basic about website.Organised by function, a website may fall into one of these catalogue (Yuan, 2005) * A personal website, e. g. blogging * A commercial website, e. g. company website, such as Microsoft, Apple * A government website, e. g. NASA website, City Council website * A nonprofit organisation website, Greenpeace, or RedCross website According to this catalogue, Oki-ni is a commercial website. Another terms that need to understand is Electronic commerce, or commonly known as E-commerce. There are many different definition of E-commerce from different perspectives in different discipline.Mamta (2005) summarised that E-commerce is the process of buying and selling or exchanging of products, services and information via telecommunication and computer networks including Internet. Mamta (2005) further generalised that based on the types of parties (business, consumer, etc ) involved, E-commerce may be of the following types: * Business-to-Business (B2B) * Bsuiness-to-Consumer (B2C) * Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) * Consumer-to-Business (C2B) * Intrabusiness Based on that definition, Oki-ni is a B2C type of E-commerce, different from other B2C website, the Britain based company focused on high-end menswear.The name originated from a Japanese dialect, means ‘Hello’, Oki-ni was created to work with established brands and progressive designers, to offer innovative products to knowledgeable fashion consumers. In another words, Oki-ni sells more than clothing, but a life-style. The company also collaborated with other fashion brands such as Paul Smith, Adidas, to produce unique pieces. This paper will focus itself on evaluating the use and implementation of digital information system on the chosen website, applications on the website will be paid extra attention and thoroughly analyse, such as inventory system, newsletter, multimedia applications .Furthermore, the OVP (Online Value Proposition), Online revenue models and other factors will be critically reviewed. Using researcher’s extensive knowledge, the concept and application of CRM on the website will be analyse. Lastly, researcher will proposed some recommendations to improve the website followed by the digital business strategy. Analyse of The Website For E-commerce site, the primary purpose is to sell. However, most online retailers fell to the wrong direction when even building their website.They spent heavily on how to attract more visitors to the site and simply forgot what is the point if the consumer visited the site but not buying anything. There may be many factors that contribute and affecting consumers’ buying behavior, but the inappropriate implementation of information system is more often seen in business operation. Customer cannot locate the item they want, or found themselves cannot checkout with the system, modern information technology b rings a great convenient, however, sometimes it can be chaos without properly used.For an enterprise, it is critically important to aware its organisational goals and objectives as well as the implementation of information system. (Mehdi, 2006) For the company of Oki-ni, the website serve the purpose of sales and providing customer service. Thus, the inventory information and customer information are vital to the company’s lifeline. Furthermore, to provide an enhanced online shopping experience, the supply chain management, online information security, and multimedia interactive applications are equally important. Inventory ManagementWhen running an E-commerce, it is very easy to get caught up in other aspects and neglect the importance of inventory management. Ritendra (2008) emphasis that its crucial to run inventory management effectively for the business to be profitably. For Oki-ni, there are thousands of items and new items in stock everyday, how to manage it efficientl y become vital to the company, what’s more, it has two layers of meaning. Firstly, for the staff, effective inventory system should allow them to locate specific item easily, and overview the whole inventory to see which items are running low on stock, and which are the best selling.Secondly, for customer, the inventory system should provide an easy accessible. Oki-ni website provide a simply and minimalism searching interface for the customer, customer can search the items they looking for by their preferable method, such as, using keywords, sort it by color, price range, sizing, or different part of garment, or using alphabet-order brand list. On the top page of Oki-ni site, customer can easily find new arrivals or discount information. Customer Information Comparing with tradition in-store shopping, online retailer has the advantage on tracking, storing and anaylsing customer data.Oki-ni gathering customer information by encouraging customer registered with their e-mail ad dress. By using these e-mail addresses with the concerns of customer, Oki-ni sends out newsletters to customer. Newsletters are an effective way to build goodwill and keep in touch with potential customer (Janice, 2004). Customer received promotion, new arrivals and other information from the website. When comes to place order, for security and privacy concern, the company only takes the minimum information that required for delivering, such as address, telephone number.Internet is an ever-changing, competitive-intensive environment, the recently raise of new social network drew a lot attention. As a company aiming itself not only sales, but to promote a lifestyle, Oki-ni has extended its content to other different social-network, such as Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, customer can find sales information, new product on these social network. Also, Oki-ni can gather customer information on other platforms, it’s a win-win situations. Multimedia InteractiveOne of the major adva ntages of E-commerce comparing traditional retailing is convenience; customer can search for product and compare it, finally checkout in a short amount of time by just clicking the mouse, however, E-commerce has deprived its users of the reality (Vincent & Franck, 2004). Material color, texture, tactile impression, those physical details cannot be display or feel by the two-dimensional images and texts on a computer screen. Most people have on-line shopping experiences have those situations that sometimes the products they received are different from their expectations.In order to provide better shopping experiences, Oki-ni provide an enhanced multimedia interface. In every product description page, the website provides high-resolution photos of the products, customer can click zoom-in to see the details of the texture, and a short video to demonstrate the product. For music product, such as CD, preview services are provided. Critical Review In this part, the website’s OVP (O nline Value Proposition), ORM (Online Revenue Model) and target audience will be critically reviewed. Online Value Proposition What’s the Online Value Proposition?It is a statement of the benefits of e-commerce services that ideally should not be available in competitor offerings of offline offerings (David, 2006). Michael & Susan (2012) further states that in an E-commerce context the differential advantage and positioning can be clarified and communicated by developing an online value proposition. Simply speaking, OVP is the USP of the brand or the website, a strong OVP is a crucial way to attract new visitors into the site and decided to stay or leave, the decisions often made in minutes or even in seconds.Developing an OVP, involves: * Developing messages that reinforce core brand proposition and credibility * Communicate what a visitor can get from an online brand that other competitors can not offer or they cannot get offline (Micheal & Susan, 2012) Translate these theo ries into simply language, a good OVP should answer the questions ‘Why am I here? ’ ‘Does this site offer me what I need? ’ In the digital business environment, the competition is much fierce and intensive then ever before. How to stand out from the crowd in a matters of seconds when visitor first open the site become vital to success.There a great numbers of online clothing retailer, from high-street brand, such as Topshop, ASOS, to luxury brand, e. g. Net-a-porter, Browns. Being good is not enough to win the competition, a good OVP is essential for Oki-ni to survive in the competition. More than ten years passed the establishment of Oki-ni, the website is still focusing on menswear, more specifically, they aiming to discover and break the most inspiring brands and products available, while hosting them in an rich, inspiring and innovative environment. The home page of Oki-ni featuring a simplicity style filled with inspiration contents.Existing customer c an easily find what they want in a few clicks; in the meanwhile the video and music can attract the attention of new customer. The website keep updating its FEATURES section with vibrant and forward-thinking videos and music. There is no differentiated of so call ‘high-street’ or ‘luxury’ on Oki-ni’s product, customer can find shorts cost 20 pounds to a coat valued a few hundreds. But there is one thing in common, all product were carefully selected. Featuring more than cloth, customer can also buy books, CDs on the website.In order to keep a fresh look, Oki-ni redesign the website every six month, from layout to the content. To sum up, Oki-ni’s strong OVP is that they not only sell cloth, but the promote an innovation life-style. Online Revenue Model In the article, Business Models on the Web by professor Micheal Rappa (2006). He suggests that ‘business models are perhaps the most discussed and least understood aspect of the web. â€⠄¢ In this regards, he summarised the business model into the following * Brokerage * Advertising * Informediary * Merchant * Manufacturer * Affiliate Community * Subscription * Utility The revenue model may be different in these business model, some website get paid by doing advertising, some website generated income by subscription. In the case of Oki-ni, the revenue model is easy to identify, the company produce service and sell it to customer. When the revenues from sales exceed the operational cost, then the company gets profit. Comparing to store retailer, the website is relatively easier to operate. No rent, less labor cost, means the website can provide a much more competitive price than physical store.However, on the other hand, the maintaining of website post a great challenge to the company. Target Audience The company target a niche market of luxury product segment. Focusing on menswear only, the website sells a wide range of product from selective clothing line from Jap an, Italy, to limited edition CDs. There is no particular age range on the Oki-ni’s customers, the company targeting a small group who required a innovated and forward-thinking life-style, and willing to the pay a premium price for that.Customer Relationship Management The term of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is now much more frequently seen in the E-commerce article, what’s CRM? The followings are different CRM definitions by scholars CRM involves various different elements, which includes customer-prospecting, relationship with customers; interact between customer and business, understanding customer expectations, empowerment, partnerships, and personalisation, and son on. (Fjermestad & Romano, 2006).CRM is an enterprise approach to understanding and influencing behavior through meaningful communication in order to improve customer acquisition, customer retention, customer loyalty, and customer profitability. (Swift, 2006) So far, there is no universally ac cepted definition of CRM. It not a software or a service, it is an overall business strategy. Shanmugasundaram (n. d) identified that the three main components in CRM system, namely * Operational * Analytical * Collaborative Nowadays, not only global companies seeking helps from CRM, more and more SMEs (Small and Medium Size Enterprise) were implemented with CRMs.Oki-ni is no exceptional, the company used the first hand data not only to promote its product, but to provide a better service. From time to time, Newsletters were sent to customer, the content of those newsletters were not just about product information. Featuring styling tips, or invitations to special events, the company always try to encourage customer come to visitor site. Recommendation Running an E-commerce is far more complicated than just setting up a website, other than the business and the customer, it involves many their parties, such as vendor, supply chain, banking.Researcher found a rather interesting phenom enal when customer rated Oki-ni’s service, some customer give top rate on both delivery speed and money transaction. However, on the other hand, some customer extremely disappointed on their service quoted ‘the clothes arrived and were excellent although delivery is very slow’ (Ciao, 2007). The inconsistence performance may due to the delivery company and Oki-ni should try to avoid in the future. Moreover, there is more potential of the CRM waiting to be discovered. Oki-ni using CRM mainly on providing customer ervice and promoting products, CRM is much more than customer service, researcher suggest the company analyse the customer’s shopping behavior, such as what kind of brand they like the most, how frequently they shopped on the site, etc. to improve customer shopping experience. The company can also use the data to collaborative with other parties, such as bank, to improve online payment security, or delivery company, to improve performance. Lastly, t he competition of digital business environment is much more intensive than ever before.The OVP (Online Value Proposition) may be seems strong and unique at this moment, with successful of Oki-ni, more and more website will try to follow the same model. How to maintain the competitive edge is vital for the company’s future. Conclusion By discussing and critically reviewed the Oki-ni’s website, this paper take an insight into the digital business environment. In the Internet era, trading become much more easier, even individual can set up a website with the know-how and the equipment. However, the competition is much more intensive.E-commerce is a complex term that involved many aspects, the terms and concepts researcher discussed in this paper barely scratch the surface. with the fast advancing technology, new issues now raised, such as legal issue and Internet security. Concepts of CRM, Online business model may need further investigation in the future. Reference: Ciao . (2007). Review of Oki-ni. com. Available from: http://www. ciao. co. uk/Reviews/Oki_Ni_com__5315436 [Accessed 10 Nov, 2012]. Fjermestad, Jerry, and Nicholas C. Romano. (2006) Electronic Customer Relationship Management. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe,. Print. pp. 121-65 Internet World Stats, 2011. World Internet Usage Statistics News and World Population Stats. Available from: http://www. internetworldstats. com/stats. htm [Accessed 12 Nov. 2012]. Janice,Reynolds (2004). ’The Complete E-Commerce Book: Design, Build & Maintain a Successful Web-Based Business’. NewYork, Taylor & Francis. Print. pp. 268+. Jeremy, Rifkin. (2011). ‘The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World’. London, Palgrave Macmillan. Mamta, Bushry. (2005). ‘E-commerce. New Delhi, Firewall Media. Print. pp. 69 Mehdi, Khosrow-Pour. (2006) ‘Cases on Electronic Commerce Technologies and Applications. Hershey’, PA: Idea Grou p. Michael, Rappa (2006). ‘Business Models On the Web’. Available from: http://digitalenterprise. org/models/models. html [Accessed 9 Nov, 2012]. Ritendra, Goel. (2008) ‘Electronic Commerce Technology and Prosecpts. ’ E-commerce. New Delhi: New Age International Pvt. Swift, Ronald S. (2000) ‘Accelerating Customer Relationships: Using CRM and Relationship Technologies. ’ Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR. Print. pp. 25+Shanmugasundaram, S. (N. d) ‘Customer Relationship Management: Modern Trends And Perspectives’ New Delhi. PHI learning, Ltd. Vincent, Roca & Franck Rousseau. (2004). ‘Interactive Multimedia and Next Generation Networks: Second International Workshop on Multimedia Interactive Protocols and Systems’. Springer. Available from: http://www. springer. com/computer/information+systems+and+applications/book/978-3-540-23928-4? cm_mmc=Google-_-Book%20Search-_-Springer-_-0 [Accessed 8 Nov 2012]. Yuan, Gao (2 005). ‘Web Systems Design And Online Consumer Behavior’. London, Idea Group Inc.

6 Ways Grief Counseling Can Help You

6 Ways Grief Counseling Can Help You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you considering grief counseling or grief therapy, but you don’t know what to expect? In this guide to grief counseling and other kinds of professional grief support, we’ll provide a brief overview of grief and discuss what grief counseling is and what it entails. We’ll also help you figure out if you could benefit from grief therapy and how to choose a grief counselor. Finally, we’ll provide some grief and loss counseling resources. What Is Grief? Grief is the process of coping with a loss of some kind. Many people think primarily of bereavement or mourning: grieving the death of a loved one. However, you can grieve any kind of loss. This includes the loss of a pet, the loss of a beloved job, a serious illness in you or someone close to you, or the end of a friendship or relationship. People may also feel grief during a time of major life change- moving out of a family home, ending a graduate program, moving to a new city- even if they are excited about the transition. There are lots of ways to conceptualize the grieving process. One of the most common ways, created by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, is the five stages of grief model. This model posits that a grieving person goes through five emotional states throughout the grieving process: #1: Denial- the feeling that the loss can’t be real#2: Anger- rage at the loss#3: Bargaining- the impulse to try to â€Å"trade† away the loss (or the feelings of loss). May involve ruminating over what you could have done differently. With bereavement, often accompanies the feeling that â€Å"it should have been me instead†#4: Depression- feeling hopeless and sad about the loss#5: Acceptance- accepting that the loss has happened and that life will continue Another common grief model is the â€Å"Four Tasks of Mourning† created by William Worden. Per this model, grievers must accomplish four tasks: #1: Accepting that the loss has really happened#2: Working through the pain of the loss#3: Adjusting to the new environment#4: Maintaining a connection to the lost person/relationship/etc while moving forward with life There are also grief models that attempt to describe grievers. One notable one is the â€Å"grief styles† model by Terry L. Martin and Kenneth J. Doka. This posits that there are three styles of grieving: Intuitive grieving is very outwardly emotional and involves expressing inner emotions in a very visible way. We commonly expect people to grieve this way in our society. This grief style is often stereotyped as the â€Å"feminine† style of grief. Instrumental grieving is less outwardly emotional and more action-based. It often involves doing lots of projects or completing physical or cognitive tasks as a way to process the grief. People may think instrumental grievers are just not â€Å"dealing with† their grief, but they are just addressing it in a different way. This grief style is generally stereotyped as the â€Å"masculine† style of grief. Blended grieving involves a combination of the above styles. The truth is that most people are blended grievers to some extent or another. It’s very important to note that not everyone grieves in the same way or according to a particular set of â€Å"steps† or â€Å"tasks† laid out in a given order. People who are grieving who don’t feel any grief model describes their experience should not feel that anything is wrong with them. Grieving is an incredibly complicated process emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Many experts (and grievers) describe grief as a â€Å"roller coaster.† You may be disoriented, exhausted, and confused by all of your (sometimes contradictory) reactions to the loss. You may consider pursuing grief and loss counseling to help you address your feelings of loss. While many grievers do not necessarily need professional help, many find it helpful. Grief is a normal part of life and is not a medical or mental health condition per se. However, it is typically a difficult experience, and a professional can offer valuable support and advice. We can all use some support when we are grieving. What Is Grief Counseling/Grief Therapy? Grief counseling (also called â€Å"grief therapy,† â€Å"bereavement counseling,† and â€Å"grief and loss counseling†) refers to seeing a professional in a one-on-one or small group setting to help you cope with your grief. The overall purpose of grief counseling is to provide support in a nonjudgmental environment as you move through the mourning process. In this section, we’ll discuss what grief counselors can do for you and what typically goes on in a grief counseling session. Note that many people use the terms â€Å"grief counseling† and â€Å"grief therapy† interchangeably, to refer to any session-based grief support. Others draw a slight distinction and use the term â€Å"grief counseling† to refer to session-based grief support offered by people who are not primarily mental health professionals (like pastors or nurses), while using the term â€Å"grief therapy† to refer to grief support services offered by mental health professionals like therapists and psychiatrists. Even with this distinction, in most cases, grief counseling and grief therapy will involve many of the same things. In this article, we’ll mostly use the terms interchangeably. What Can a Grief Counselor Do for You? There are six major things a grief counselor can do for you. Address your feelings: A grief counselor or grief therapist will help you identify, express, and productively manage all of the emotions you are feeling. For example, you may find yourself feeling profound anxiety or experiencing panic attacks; a grief counselor can aid in anxiety management. Identify coping mechanisms and support systems: a good grief counselor will help you identify your personal coping mechanisms and aid you in replacing unhealthy ones (like substance use) with healthy ones (like exercise). They will help you identify support systems and resources in your own life that you can access. Address your particular needs: Grief counselors can also help you deal with grief issues specific to your particular grief situation. For example, if you are a spiritual or religious person, you may find yourself questioning your beliefs or feeling angry with higher powers. A grief counselor can help with your spiritual struggles. Deal with the impacts of the loss: Grief counseling techniques help the griever come to terms not only with the loss itself, but with the impact of the loss. A major loss can change you as a person, so you may also find yourself also mourning your old self in addition to the loss. A loss may also cause a dramatic change in your financial situation or plans. A grief counselor can typically connect you with other resources you may need, like support groups, financial advisors, and so on. Set goals: Grief counselors can help you set manageable goals in your life and create schedules that help keep you moving forward and returning to regular tasks, but provide enough allowance for you to manage your grief. Help you manage setbacks: A grief counselor will help you manage any setbacks in the grieving process and reassure you that what you are going through is normal. It's okay to have setbacks. A counselor can help. Grief Counseling Techniques: What to Expect So what goes on in a grief counseling session? When you go to a grief counselor, you may not be sure what to expect. In initial sessions, you’ll most likely spend most of the time talking about the loss and how you are managing. Eventually, you’ll probably start doing â€Å"homework† and completing tasks between sessions. Grief counselors often have clients complete exercises in sessions, too. Common grief counseling techniques for both in-session and between-session work include journaling or other writing projects, completing creative projects, reading and discussing relevant books, meditation, yoga, relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and role-playing potentially uncomfortable situations. A grief counselor may also have you fill out grief therapy worksheets. Common grief therapy techniques specifically for bereavement include addressing the deceased person as though they were in the room (the â€Å"empty chair technique†), incorporating possessions or photos of the loved one into sessions, reflecting on the relationship with the deceased, and creating rituals to help commemorate the deceased. Grief counseling sessions for children will usually incorporate play therapy and creative activities to help the child express their feelings. If they are a trained mental health professional, your therapist may also introduce techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. Grief therapy after a particularly traumatic loss may include EMDR (eye movement desensitization therapy), an evidence-based therapy modality for processing trauma. Get ready to bust out that journal. Do You Need Grief Therapy? Not all grievers need grief counseling. However, if you feel you would benefit from grief counseling or grief therapy, whatever your circumstances, you should feel free to pursue it. While grief is a normal reaction to a loss, it can still help to have a trained supporter who is not also dealing with the loss to help guide you and support you through the process. Grief counseling may be especially helpful in the following situations: Hidden or misunderstood grief: if you have experienced a loss that is not acknowledged or is considered trivial by others, like the loss of a beloved pet, you may be unable to grieve as openly as you would like. In this case a grief therapist can help you process your grief in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment. Sudden loss: If your loss was very sudden and unexpected, you were not able to prepare yourself for the loss in any way. This means you are at a higher risk of developing complicated grief (see below), or grief that does not abate with time. Grief therapy can help prevent (or manage) complicated grief in this situation. Low social support: Even the most well-meaning collection of friends may not know what to do when you are facing a loss. And while friends and family often mobilize in the first weeks after a sad event, you may find that after the first month or two others have moved on from your loss, while you have not. If you aren’t getting the support you need from your social network, grief therapy can help fill the gap. Family grieving: A death in the immediate family can cause strain in immediate family relationships. This is natural; everyone is grieving the loss differently. Additionally, because everyone is grieving, they may not be able to provide support to the other grievers. In this case, meeting as a family with a bereavement counselor can help family members understand each other’s feelings and reactions and lift strain in the relationship(s). Anniversaries and events: You may experience renewed grief around the holidays, birthdays, and the anniversaries of the loss. If you are struggling during these times, you may wish to see a counselor or therapist for a few sessions. Persistent grief: In general, grief is not considered a mental illness or psychological condition, as it is a normal reaction to a difficult event. However, if severe grief persists for many months (more than about six) without any abatement, you may be experiencing complicated grief or prolonged grief. Significant changes in behavior that persist for more than six months, substance abuse, and a continued preoccupation with loss are signs that grief has become complicated. If you are experiencing complicated grief, you should see a trained mental health professional (like a psychiatrist or therapist) who specializes in providing complicated grief therapy. Complicated grief therapy involves specific grief therapy techniques to help you face the loss and move forward in the grieving process. Additionally, though medication is not typically indicated for non-complicated grief, medication is sometimes useful to help manage complicated grief, which may co-occur with depression or other ps ychological conditions. Grief can get complicated. How to Find the Grief Support That’s Right for You Once you decide that you would like some additional support in your grieving process, there are a variety of considerations for selecting the grief support that’s right for you. We’ll review the three main considerations here: convenience, cost, and fit. The next section (grief counseling resources) will offer you some additional resources for finding grief counselors. Convenience You may think that you’re willing to travel far and wide for the support you need, and when the grief is fresh, this might be true. But as time goes on and your grief becomes less acute, you’ll be frustrated if you choose a grief counselor that is very inconvenient for you to meet with. So try to find someone who is reasonably close to you, and who can meet at times that are realistic for your schedule. If you are in a very remote area where in-person meetings are difficult, you may be able to find a counselor who will meet with via video. There are also online grief support groups that you may find helpful. Cost Cost is usually a factor when selecting a grief counselor. If your insurance covers mental health services, it will typically cover grief counseling with an in-network provider. If it doesn’t, many providers offer a sliding scale. Maybe you're looking for free grief counseling. Sometimes you can find hospice grief counseling or hospital grief counseling services that offer a certain number of free sessions for patients and/or surviving family members. Grief counseling provided by clergy members is also usually free because it is considered part of their ministerial duties. Additionally, grief support groups are often free, or require only a small per-session cost. Fit There are two main aspects to finding a grief counselor who is a good fit for you. You’ll want to consider who is offering the counseling and the format of the counseling. Many types of professionals provide grief counseling, including members of the clergy, trained nurses, social workers, therapists, and psychiatrists. Additionally, trained volunteers sometimes lead grief support groups. You’ll want to consider who you will be most comfortable with and who can best meet your needs. Think about the following: Would you rather speak with someone you already know, or would you prefer someone you don’t know? Would you be most comfortable with someone with advanced training in offering therapy and mental health services? Then consider a therapist, social worker, or psychiatrist. Are you looking for a counselor who focuses on a particular kind of grief, like pet grief counseling? Or maybe someone who can address specific issues, like Christian grief counseling or grief counseling for children? Is it important to you that your grief counselor is specially certified in grief counseling? The Thanatology Association offers professional certification. Note that the American Institute of Healthcare Professionals claims to certify in grief counseling, but it’s actually a sham accreditation organization propping up degree mills- beware! Do you want your grief counselor to be trained in a particular therapeutic modality, like EMDR or complicated grief therapy? The other thing to consider when considering fit is the format of the counseling. Are you looking for counseling for just you? Family sessions? Or are you looking for a support group with other mourners? With all this in mind, you’ll also want to make sure that you have a good rapport with your grief counselor. You may want to speak on the phone before committing to a session to get an idea of whether you’ll feel comfortable with this person. A good fit is important. Look how comfortable these two are! Grief Counseling and Grief Support Resources There are lots of resources available out there for finding the right grief support for you. We’ll go over resources for finding a grief counselor and for finding support groups, as well as a few other miscellaneous grief support resources that might be useful for you. Resources for Finding a Grief Counselor or Grief Therapist These resources will help you locate and select the right grief counselor or grief therapist to meet your needs. Find a Grief Therapist- Psychology Today: The magazine â€Å"Psychology Today† hosts this database of grief therapists, searchable by zip code and metro area, for the United States and Canada. Find a Specialist- Thanatology Association: This database can help you find a variety of ADEC-certified specialists in different sub-areas of grief and death education and counseling, including counselors and therapists. Grief Counseling- TAPS: This page has information on being connected with grief support specifically for those who are grieving the loss of a military personnel member. Finding a Grief Counselor- What’s Your Grief: This article from What’s Your Grief describes a nine-step process for pursuing professional grief support. How to Find a Therapist- Terry Wise: This helpful document by Terry Wise provides guidance and suggestions for selecting a therapist. It’s not grief-specific, but most of the advice applies. Resources for Finding Grief Support Groups Here are two resources to help you connect with support groups: GriefShare: The GriefShare program combines video seminars, support groups, and personal work to help individuals with grief. You can find grief support groups online using their website that meet near you. Support Groups- Hospice Foundation of America: HFA has gathered several sites to help you find the appropriate grief support group for you. Other Grief Resources Finally, here are three other grief resources you may find useful: GriefLink: GriefLink is a comprehensive resource for grieving individuals. It provides information on grieving, links to professional help of all kinds, and a database of support groups. Resources- Hello Grief: This page from Hello Grief compiles resources available in every state for grieving individuals. Center for Complicated Grief: This page from Columbia University offers information on complicated grief (also known as persistent grief or prolonged grief). Dogs are also valuable resources when you are grieving! Review: What Is Grief Counseling? How Can It Help You? In this comprehensive guide to grief counseling, we provided a brief overview of grief. It’s very normal to want support after grief, and grief and bereavement counseling can provide additional support during a trying time. Grief counseling techniques are designed to help you process your feelings and move forward in your life. While anyone who wants grief counseling could benefit from it, grief counseling may be especially helpful for those who faced a sudden loss, don’t have much social support, or who are experiencing complicated or prolonged grief. When you are trying to find a grief counselor, there are three main things to consider: Convenience: Is the grief therapist located in a place that’s easily accessible? Does their availability line up with your schedule? Cost: Does your insurance cover the counseling? If not, do you need free grief counseling? Fit: Is the grief counseling offered in a format that’s right for you? Do you get along with the grief therapist? Finally, we presented some resources for finding grief counselors and grief support groups along with some other grief support resources. You can get through it! What's Next? The stress of grief can impact your health in all kinds of ways. You might start feeling chest pain in your left breast due to anxiety. Stress can also depress your immune system, which can cause a latent shingles infection to come to the surface. If you do have shingles, here are some common shingles treatments you might consider. Self-care is critical when you are going through a hard time. Consider a nourishing coconut oil treatment for your hair to help you relax.

Free Essays on Road Rage

Road Rage: Causes and Solutions Almost all drivers have experienced some occurrence of road rage. Most of these occurrences are as innocent as a rude gesture, but some drivers have lost their lives because of them. â€Å"Traffic is a cooperative activity†, when a driver decides to take control of the road, the consequences can again be fatal. Almost every driver on the road has been involved in one incident or another, no one is immune from road rage, and therefore it affects us all. Road rage is an act of aggression that can destroy the life of an innocent driver, but current research is helping drivers cope with the stress of everyday life on the road. Many cases of road rage are by simple misunderstandings. Whether it is that, a driver was not looking before he turned, or a he forgot that he forgot turn signal the signal on, people tend to take things the wrong way. Because of this, the term â€Å"road rage† was born. There are thousands of recorded accidents every year as a result from a simple mi sunderstanding on the road. For example, â€Å"an average of at least 1,500 men, women, and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of aggressive driving† .The number 1,500 may seem like a lot, but that statistic taken from a report back in the mid 1990’s. Today, studies estimates that there were about 84,000 road rage incidents last year alone. That is exactly 56 times greater than what it was a few years ago. Not all of these incidents involved physical injuries, but they recorded all as aggressive incidents. Anyone can be at fault in a road rage situation. Race, sex, religion, age, or any other human characteristics, play no role in determining a common offender. Frequently, accidents of aggressive driving have tended to involve more than a simple rude gesture or a vile word. On many occurrences, drivers used weapons to vent their frustration on the road, â€Å"Without exaggeration, millions of... Free Essays on Road Rage Free Essays on Road Rage Road Rage What is causing people to act out in violence towards one another when poor judgment is used on the nation’s highways? Drivers of today experience a daily lesson in defensive driving while trying to maintain a polite reserved attitude. When careless drivers cut someone off, the â€Å"normal† reaction is to honk the horn, flash the lights, and in some cases, flip the old faithful finger. Nowadays, there are an alarming number of violent retort towards tailgaters and otherwise reckless drivers. The major cause of road rage stems from traffic congestion, and the lack of people’s patience. With the population growing at a faster rate than our roadways, major traffic jams are more frequent. This in itself is a big stressor. When this is accompanying a driver with the typical overstressed day, patience begins to fade rapidly and tensions may rise beyond control. This is the birth of road rage. Cases of road rage are reported not only nationwide, but also worldwide. Dominic Connell, a psychologist with the Automobile Association (AA) in Britain and author of a 1995 study titled â€Å"Road Rage,† states, â€Å"It is very difficult to communicate with someone in another car.† Occasionally it is difficult to determine the intentions of reckless drivers. Whether the driver’s recklessness is derived from poor driving skills, traffic induced stress or just plain rudeness, the retributions of victims are steadily becoming more violent. (38-41) On today’s busy highways, road rage has become a serious epidemic. A report recently published by the AAA foundation for traffic safety in Washington D.C., shows evidence of the serious incidents that occurred in the East Bay of California. It says, â€Å"A good Samaritan stops to help a stranded motorist during the morning commute, then tries to get back on the freeway in front of a creeping truck. The pickup driver would not let him in. The good Samaritan becomes violent and p... Free Essays on Road Rage Road Rage: Causes and Solutions Almost all drivers have experienced some occurrence of road rage. Most of these occurrences are as innocent as a rude gesture, but some drivers have lost their lives because of them. â€Å"Traffic is a cooperative activity†, when a driver decides to take control of the road, the consequences can again be fatal. Almost every driver on the road has been involved in one incident or another, no one is immune from road rage, and therefore it affects us all. Road rage is an act of aggression that can destroy the life of an innocent driver, but current research is helping drivers cope with the stress of everyday life on the road. Many cases of road rage are by simple misunderstandings. Whether it is that, a driver was not looking before he turned, or a he forgot that he forgot turn signal the signal on, people tend to take things the wrong way. Because of this, the term â€Å"road rage† was born. There are thousands of recorded accidents every year as a result from a simple mi sunderstanding on the road. For example, â€Å"an average of at least 1,500 men, women, and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of aggressive driving† .The number 1,500 may seem like a lot, but that statistic taken from a report back in the mid 1990’s. Today, studies estimates that there were about 84,000 road rage incidents last year alone. That is exactly 56 times greater than what it was a few years ago. Not all of these incidents involved physical injuries, but they recorded all as aggressive incidents. Anyone can be at fault in a road rage situation. Race, sex, religion, age, or any other human characteristics, play no role in determining a common offender. Frequently, accidents of aggressive driving have tended to involve more than a simple rude gesture or a vile word. On many occurrences, drivers used weapons to vent their frustration on the road, â€Å"Without exaggeration, millions of...

7 Essential Details to Include in Your Research Proposal

7 Essential Details to Include in Your Research Proposal 7 Essential Details to Include in Your Research Proposal What’s that? You’re planning to study a PhD and you have a great idea for some groundbreaking research in the field of [insert subject of choice here]? But you’re not sure what to include in your research proposal? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In the following, we set out the seven essential elements of a research proposal. 1. Title Are we stating the obvious by saying you need a working title? Maybe. The point is that your title should be clear but memorable, quickly telling your reader what your research is about. 2. Introduction Every research proposal should begin by introducing the subject area and the specific problem your research will address. This sets the tone for the rest of your proposal and is therefore your only opportunity to make a good first impression, so make sure it’s well organized and informative. 3. Literature Review A research proposal doesn’t usually include a full literature review, but you should provide an overview of key studies in your field. Doing this supplies the reader with vital background information, helping them understand how your study will add to existing research. Following in the footsteps of Ben Franklin, my study will involve tying stuff to kites and angering Zeus. 4. Aims and Objectives Once you’ve established your research problem, your proposal should outline a set of aims and objectives. The distinction here is as follows: Your research aim is the broad expected outcome of the study and what you hope the research will achieve overall; Your research objectives are narrower and more focused, with each one detailing how you will meet the overall study aims. If required, you should also state the hypotheses your research will test. 5. Methodology Make sure to identify the methods you intend to use in the study, especially if you’re conducting experimental research. This will include things like whether you’re using a qualitative or quantitative approach, equipment, ethical concerns, and sampling and analysis techniques. Try to be as descriptive as possible, which may include justifying why you’ve chosen to use certain methods over alternative options. I chose to use lasers because lasers are awesome, dude! Science Bro, shortly before a laser-related injury. 6. Scope of Research A common mistake when writing a PhD proposal is failing to consider the scope of the research. Remember that you’ll be working with limited time and resources, so your study should be something you can realistically complete within these constraints. The proposal should therefore include something about what your work will focus on and what it leaves unaddressed, as well as any limitations to the methods adopted. 7. Outline and Timetable Finally, a good research proposal will also include a chapter outline and a timetable. The chapter outline sets out how you intend to structure the final dissertation, noting what each section will cover and how it fits into your overall argument. The timetable, meanwhile, will set out a step-by-step plan of when you expect to finish each stage of your study, including everything from initial research to writing up your results. Try to be a bit more specific than this. Doing this shows that you’ve considered the practical side of conducting research, making your proposal more convincing as a result.

Quantitative Decision Making-Transportation Essay

Quantitative Decision Making-Transportation - Essay Example An innovative approach namely the dual-matrix approach will be used to address the transportation problem. This approach will judge the transportation model beginning from a good realistic solution and using a matrix in order to get the subsequently improved solution until the most advantageous solution is attained. In this approach, the linear form of algebra will be adopted in order to work out the transportation problem. There will be the introduction of an innovative concept known as virtual cells in this approach (JI and CHU, 2002). This approach will attempt to be functional on both unbalanced and balanced transportation problems. There will no need to convert the unbalanced transportation problem to a balanced transportation problem as in the case of other approach named as stepping-stone method. In addition to this, the method of dual-matrix does not imply the problem of degeneracy. Furthermore, this approach entails the characteristic of no tracing of the path. On the contrary, it also absorbs a disadvantage that is, it requires an (m+n)x(m+n) matrix. However, this problem is not considered to be serious enough towards the enhanced computers of today and for a big level of transportation problem (JI and CHU, 2002). With the purpose of testing the effectiveness of the dual- matrix technique, numerous numerical instances will be performed. When these examples will be compared to the stepping-stone technique, the consequences will always determine and signify dual-matrix to be better relative to the stepping-stone. The degeneracy and tracing of path perhaps prove to be serious for a major transportation problem (JI and CHU, 2002). Major logistics companies have increasingly devoted their attention towards transporting issues of their businesses. This is mainly due to two aspects which include a reduction in cost and enhancement of customer service. There is a remarkable example of FedEx which offers a variety of logistics solutions to its customers. These services are categorized on the grounds of numerous kinds of customer requirements.  

Role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in contributing to the Essay

Role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in contributing to the strategy of a company. if you were in a CFO position at your ch - Essay Example The supervision of the financial functions of the department is an integral part of the responsibilities of the CFO. In cases of public statements to be given on behalf of the company in the areas of financial performance, the Chief Financial Officer is the designated person to perform this task. A study of the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer of the organization in detail would reveal that the Chief Financial Officer needs to supervise the activities of record keeping, financial planning and reporting the financial performance to the top management that includes Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors. ... ng essential inputs on the formation, evaluation and implementation of the strategy of the company that could be driven by the financial resources by the organization. After the strategy is formed with due consultation among the senior corporate officers of the top management, the Chief Financial Officer plays the vital role in supervising the financial performance of the company in order to meet the strategic objectives. Based on the strategic objectives of the organization, the role of the Chief Financial Officer could be broadly divided into the three areas as explained below. These could be named as the treasury function, control function and the strategy based forecasting function performed by the Chief Financial Officer. The effectiveness of the Chief Financial Officer in these areas helps in meeting the strategic objectives of the company (Handlechner, 2008, p.73). Thus the contribution of the Chief Financial Officer is extremely important in the strategic growth of the compan y. Treasury function The treasury management of the company is one of the main financial areas based on which the financial performance of the organization is determined. The treasury management of the organization deals with the managements of funds available with the organization in order to satisfy the areas if interests like investments, credit, debts, etc. so that the short term and long term goals of the company could be fulfilled. The treasury function of the Chief Financial Officer involves supervision of the performance of the treasury management, plan initiatives to address the identified gaps in the management of funds of the organization so that optimum return could be achieved in the areas of investments, and finally reporting the financial performance of the treasury

Radio sounds Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Radio sounds - Research Paper Example ENSO is a periodic climate pattern that occurs across the Pacific Ocean, primarily on the tropical band. The southern oscillation refers to the differences on the tropical part of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The cooling down of the southern oscillation (or oceanic phase) is termed La Nià ±a and the warming up is called El Nià ±o. Southern Oscillation also refers to air surface pressure on the tropical part of the Western Pacific Ocean. These two variations occur by pairs: El Nià ±o, or the warm oceanic phase, is accompanied by high air surface pressure in the Western Pacific and the La Nià ±a, or the cold oceanic phase, is accompanied by low air surface pressure, also in the Western Pacific. These differences and oscillations can cause extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts. This occurs in different parts of the world. The countries that are mostly agricultural, like most Third World countries along the Pacific Ocean that depend of crops for food and fishing, are the ones that are mostly affected. However, the popular term of ENSO is just El Nià ±o, or Little Boy in Spanish. This is because the people in South America observed that the phenomenon occurs around Christmas, and the Little Boy refers to Jesus Christ. La Nià ±a is called so because it is opposite the meaning of El Nià ±o. La Nià ±a means Little Girl in Spanish. Sometimes, it is called the â€Å"anti-El Nià ±o.† The La Nià ±a phenomenon is usually preceded by El Nià ±o. During La Nià ±a, the sea surface temperature in the tropical part of the Eastern Pacific Ocean would be lower than the normal value by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius (as opposed to El Nià ±o having high surface temperatures, in which the temperature of the waters increases by 0.5 degrees Celsius). If the temperature drop occurs for five months straight, that can be called La Nià ±a. The El Nià ±o phenomenon occurs longer from nine months to two years! La Nià ±a is not as famous