Nobody Goes Through Life without a Scar free essay sample

â€Å"Want to see a cool trick?† my fourteen year old brother, Jeff asked, swinging a plastic coated metal broomstick in the air. â€Å"I can be just like a Ninja. Just watch.† â€Å"Okay!†, I exclaimed, sitting down on the hardwood floor across from him expecting some kind of spectacular show to take place. He started spinning the broom in the air between his fingers. Then he switched the broom from his left hand to his right hand and started twirling it behind his back. I giggled and clapped in amazement at my big brother’s tricks. Impressed by my amusement, Jeff smiled and started spinning the broom a little faster and began walking around the room and parading around me in a circle. Before I knew it, the tip of the broom hit me in the face and I fell back onto the floor and began crying. My brother looked at me strangely as I wept on the floor and then looked at the broom to see that the plastic cap on top of the broom was missing and that it was nothing but a razor sharp edge on top. We will write a custom essay sample on Nobody Goes Through Life without a Scar or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He dropped the broom and quickly came to my side. â€Å"I am so sorry! Are you okay? You won’t tell Mom will you?† he asked, frantically, as I continued to sob. I shook my head and raised my eyes. My brother gasped and looked at me with widened eyes. I looked at the ground in shock to see a little puddle of blood slowly seeping into the cracks in the floor. I felt a stinging pain by my eye that continued to throb and ache. I lifted my hand and touched the source of the pain to feel warm blood trickling along side the right portion of my face from my eyebrow. I had never seen so much blood before. Warm tears came to my eyes again as blood continued to flow down my cheek. â€Å"Please don’t cry! I am sorry†, he said, as he tried to cover my mouth before I cried. â€Å"I’ll let you play Sonic on my Sega Genesis all you want.† he offered. I shook my head and pushed him away. At that moment I heard the jingle of my mom’s house keys and the creak of the front door open. Voices quickly filled the air as she and my dad began a conversation. At that moment, Jeff ran off to find a place to hide because he knew he would be punished for what he had done. I continued to sit on the floor and weep as the blood mixed in with my tears. I picked myself up and slowly made my way into the hallway and down the stairs to the area where my mom and dad were talking. M-mommy, I stuttered, standing in the middle of the stairs. She turned and looked at me in horror. With her motherly instincts she picked me up off the few remaining steps and pulled me close to her as her eyes followed the gash in my eyebrow to the drops of blood on my shirt. What happened to you? Who did this to you? she asked me in Creole, choking on her words. J-Jeff I stuttered as I pointed to the stairs indicating that he was somewhere in the house hiding. She frowned. She pulled out a handful of tissues and tried cleaning up the blood, but no matter how many times she wiped it, the wound continued to bleed. She decided to take me to the doctor. We left Jeff at home alone because he wouldnt come out from wherever he was hiding; my mom and dad had no time to look for him. Upon arriving at the doctors, they rushed me into the examination room and examined me and bandaged my wound with a gauze pad that was glued on so my eyebrow would heal in the next few days. I never had such a terrifying doctor visit before. Arriving back at home, my brother was scolded for doing something so childish and quickly apologized to me and I took up his offer to play his video games for the next few days. The next day at school I expected my friends and classmates to make fun of me but to my surprise they were all concerned about what happened and wanted to know my story. I never had a story to tell before so I decided to share it. I never talked so openly before about something so personal that happened to me. That day, I might have walked around feeling a little embarrassed about wearing a huge pad on my face, but I wore it with a smile and pride. After a few days, the bandages were removed. I examined my face in the mirror and noticed a thin scar. The hair in my eyebrow on that scar line never regrew. Through the years, I have continued to explain the story behind my scar to whoever I meet. I am reminded of the accident that I went through because of something Carol Brunett once said, Nobody goes through life without a scar. I look in the mirror and admire my thin scar because it reminds me of how much people care about me. Through my story, I was able to open myself up a bit more to the people around me and break out of my shyness into the outgoing person I am today. I realized how fortunate I am to have a family that can help me when I need it. Not many children and teens a kind and loving family like I do. Even when you think that something terrible has happened, it can have a great outcome. Every scar has a story; and my scar is one of the many things that make me who I am.

Catch 22, Close reading of Chapter 24 Essays

Catch 22, Close reading of Chapter 24 Essays Catch 22, Close reading of Chapter 24 Paper Catch 22, Close reading of Chapter 24 Paper Essay Topic: Literature Catch 22 is a novel set in World War 2. The universal phrase Catch 22 simply means a situation whereby one is destined to lose. The passage is placed in the setting of Milo and Yossarian engaged in a conversation concerning Milos investment, Egyptian cotton. Milos character is symbolic of what is wrong with capitalism; he lacks morals and consideration for other people and is tremendously selfish. Earlier in the novel, Milos sleeps in luxurious hotels whilst Yossarian and Orr sleep in the plane, which is representative of Milos self centred characteristics, as is this passage. The passage opens with Milo persuading Yossarian to eat the chocolate covered cotton. He declares that he would like to serve it to the men suggestive of good intentions. However, the later account that the men have got to swallow it is a contradiction and serves to illustrate more of Milos forceful and corrupt power. In the passage, Heller directs the reader towards symbolism that denotes Milo as sinful. There are outstanding similarities to the story of Adam and Eve, with Milo sharing similar characteristics to Satan. Both Satan and Milo are corrupting man for their own benefit, Satan to corrupt humankind and Milo to increase his profit. Heller employs a vast amount of biblical references to highlight the connection to the Book of Genesis. Satan uses the tree of life to tempt eve with the apple, whilst Milo stroked the tree affectionately with close inspection suggesting that there is profit to be made. A financial endeavour is central to the character of Milo, signified by the symbolic connotations of the chocolate covered cotton. Milos concern is more about forcing the men to eat the cotton than whether or not they will enjoy it, thus proving Milo as a shrewd businessman caught up in greed. The chocolate covered cotton symbolises the lack of morals in both the military service and the world, hiding corruption beneath an exciting exterior. Milo deceitfully disguises the cotton with chocolate. Similarly, Satan disguises himself as a serpent to deceive Eve. The idea that appearance is deceptive creates another resemblance between Satan and Milo. Whilst Satan preyed on Eves weakness to flattery, Milo heightened the excitement of the cotton by covering it with chocolate. The biblical references in this passage are interesting as there is a lack of religious beliefs in the novel. Yossarian focuses on the bad occurrences in the world and questions God, therefore representing his character as being one of rebellion. His imagination that the chestnut tree is the knowledge of good and evil affords a level of sarcasm. The reader learns a lot about Yossarians character in this passage. Yossarian removes his uniform as he despises all that it symbolises. Sitting naked in the tree could denote Yossarian as crazy, however, there is a suggestion that with his uniform on he is simply another poor kid with a lost identity. Furthermore, the rarity of his Assyrian name represents his alienation, whilst also proposing the idea that he has been dehumanised by the war. In comparison, Milo patriotically wears the coarse olive drab uniform, with the interpretation that due to his corruption within the military service he may aspire to be unknown. However, the language Heller uses to describe the uniform suggests restriction, thus Milos tie knotted tight metaphorically signifies the restrictions that war inflicts. The contrast between Yossarian and Milo sitting in the tree is representational of their characters. Yossarian is defiant, refuses to participate in the war, and does not hide that fact. However, Milo conforms to the war and wears the uniform because he can financially benefit from such tragedies. Milo, like the chocolate covered cotton hides flaws and immorality behind a fai ade to connote oneself as trustworthy. He, like the officers exploits the name of the country to further his own profits. The latter part of the passage is a build up to the scene where Yossarian and Milo witness Snowdens burial. Heller employs the scarlet crested bird to create a metaphor for death. Scarlet denotes danger and blood, whilst the movement of the bird who shot by generates the idea of the gunshot. Finally, the quivering bush represents the fear and death of the soldier. This metaphor may represent Snowdens death and foreshadows the burial, as does the description of inactive nature as the leaves hung motionless. Yossarian and Milo witness the funeral and their dissimilar reactions are significant in displaying their experiences of the war. Whilst Milo points excitedly showing a level of naivety, Yossarian answered slowly in a level voice, thus signifying his remorse that returns. The death of Snowden entirely transformed the meaning of war for Yossarian and it troubles him to watch the burial. For a short while, Milos brown eyes filled with tears but immediately he only mourns the loss of his cotton, communicating that money is more important than life. Yossarian uses the opportunity of Snowdens burial to strengthen the grudge he holds upon Milo for Mudds death. Mudd was killed before he even got into the squadron due to Milo bombing the site to be rid of the Egyptian cotton. The very fact that Milo refuses to take responsibility of Mudds death reinforces him as a greedy, selfish Lieutenant. Mudd is referred to as the dead man in [Yossarians] tent, which reiterates the suggestion that the war dehumanises a person. This is a typical theme of war literature and supports the argument that capital is more imperative than life. In conclusion, this passage contains an interesting amount of themes and ideas that Heller incorporates into Catch 22 to create the dissimilar views and experiences of men at war; we must not assume men at war are homogeneous. Heller seems to be using humour to highlight the futility of war and the way in which it changes a man. Heller touches on events that are significant in displaying both ones character and their experiences. The passage continuously draws dissimilarities between Yossarian and Milo to create a distance of morals amid them.

The varying role of IHRM in different MNCs Essay

The varying role of IHRM in different MNCs - Essay Example IHRM related learning and training â€Å"The overall purpose of human resource management is to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve success through people† (Armstrong, 2006, p.14). Human capital development, then, should be the focus of the definition of international human resource management, a difficult objective in a multi-national organisation that deals with customers and employees with varying values and different operational standards in environments that demand different regulatory compliance. Human resources involves maintaining flexibility and focus on the internal dynamics that drive or hinder organisational success as it relates to people development. â€Å"It emphasizes teamwork and employee commitment through the development of a strong value system that promotes corporate identity† (Panayotopoulou & Papalexandris, 2004, p.499). The main goal of IHRM is to establish a highly motivational environment and employee support related to merit awards, equal opportunities, involvement , empowerment, communication and individual or group development (Panayotopoulou & Papalexandris). This is especially true in an MNC where cultural values often conflict and a system is required to gain unity and harmony among differing employee attitudes and motivational preferences. It was first necessary to define the objectives of international HRM in order to determine best practice methodology for the MNC as it relates to people development and/or job satisfaction. In relation to organisational learning, especially as it pertains to training, conflict is a major consideration of the HR manager. van Dam, Oreg & Schyns (2008) identify that there are many psychological mechanisms that drive employee attitude as it relates to change leadership. It is leader-member exchanges and the perceived development climate that are the major concerns of IHRM leadership especially in an environment where a merger has just occurred where participation and trust in management require intensive focus (van Dam, et al.).In the MNC, especially a recently merged entity, change is constant and evolution of business practices are on the forefront of business development. Thus, in order to provide training that will be embraced by diverse employee or management groups or ensure organ isational learning, removing the barriers to success that are caused by change resistance are of considerable concern. For instance, one of the most fundamental issues arising in a recent merger or acquisition at the MNC is the restructuring of technology either through

American Vision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Vision - Essay Example Tom Cruise may be really interested in his acting that it may seem like he is just playing. But nevertheless, he is paid for it. The teacher on the other hand, may hate what he is doing. As such it may be considered as labor. However, for the purposes of this discussion, let us assume that he loves teaching as much as Tom Cruise loves his acting. Since we have stated that both actor and teaches is both working and loving what their doing, let us compare their earnings. The teacher earns $25,000 in a year. The movie actor could earn $15 million in three weeks. Obviously, being an actor is more lucrative. Hence the question now presented to us is whether or not this inequitable distribution of wealth is just. To answer this question, we must determine the factors that contribute to why each is paid that way. Firstly, we must look at the nature of their work. The work of the teacher has a more lasting and significant effect as it shapes the mind of the children. It is very important that they do their jobs well as the future of the kids and consequently of this nation, lies on their hands. On the other hand, the work of the actor only has an aesthetic and entertainment value. While "The Arts" is important, it is not as crucial as the work of an educator. The influence of the teacher on the lives of their students is direct, immediate and enduring. The teacher has the power to shape an individual, while the actor is not. We can see here that the disparity in their earnings does not depend on the effect of their jobs. Thus, we move on to looking at the skill required to perform their work. The teacher studied for years to be able to do what he is doing. The actor on the other hand, need not attend formal education. But this does not mean that he did not engage in activities to improve his acting skills. An actor may attend workshops or take on smaller roles for smaller pay. An actor may undergo painful cosmetic surgeries, take in cruel criticisms for his work and sacrifice their private lives. Though their efforts may be different, it would be unfair to suppose that, compared to the teacher, the actor worked less to get to where he is now. Thus, it would be safe to assume that they worked just as hard. However, an actor like Tom Cruise does not only depend on his acting skills. Most of his earnings are attributed to the fact that he is who he is. If a producer requires Tom Cruise to star in the movie, no one else can fill that spot. If an advertiser wants Tom Cruise to endorse their product, no one other than Tom Cruise can do the job. As such, the work of Tom Cruise requires a special skill, talent and personality. On the other hand, the job of the teacher is less unique. While it takes a lot of study to become one, as long as one is diligent enough to finish one's studies, get the proper licenses and qualifications, one may become a teacher too. As such, the teacher in our example may be replaced by another teacher with the same qualification. Joseph A. Schumpeter said that competition is a factor that may dictate prices. To apply it in the case presented, Tom Cruise has no competition in his field as there is no other Tom Cruise. This allows him to dictate the price of his service. He can demand as much as $15 million dollars for three weeks work in a movie. On the other hand, our teacher has lots of competition. Even if he is really good in his work, there is only so much that he can demand. Otherwise, he would be replaced by

My Intellectual Development Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My Intellectual Development Up - Essay Example Frankly, my intellectual development up to where I am today would not have been successful without the unreserved guidance and support from my father, a successful businessperson whose relentless passion and dedication for success have always inspired me to achieve and be more like him in future. My own father is my role model and I always look up to him for not only love, guidance, and approval, but for inspiration in life as well, especially because I consider him a significant authority in matters regarding my personal growth and development. In all these years of my growth, from a small boy to the young adult I have become, I owe all gratitude to this amazingly great father, whose kind words of wisdom have catapulted me to where I am today. My father always encourages me to strive to be exceptional because being average alone is not good enough, especially in today’s era of globalization, where opportunities are increasingly becoming scarce by the day. Above all, my father has made it clear that I can always achieve everything I set my eyes upon in life with the right kind of positive attitude, and that nothing can stop me from doing so if I really purpose too. Every day I remember my father’s words that success begins by establishing a positive attitude I feel reinvigorated not just to succeed, but also to succeed exceedingly since nothing can stop me from doing so with the right attitude. Reading this amazing article titled â€Å"Gaining a sense of self-worth† from Deepak Chopra, a spiritual leader who responds to Oprah.com users’ questions with enlightening advice to help them achieve their optimum potential, has  really transformed my sense of self and how I approach life in general (Deepak).

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen A Critical Evaluation of Customer Relationship Management in the Volkswagen Group Introduction Regardless of what industry or business one would elect to select, the one key as well as critical component that is present as well as common to all is the ‘customer’. Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) expressed the foregoing when he stated that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The preceding might seem all too obvious, yet it is a concept that repeatedly seems to become lost in terms of a company’s marketing focus. The resources spent in terms of advertising budgets to create consumer awareness, trial and to win them over represents the beginning rather than the objective of marketing. Initially, marketing might not seemingly represent a consideration with regard the management of a customer relationship at Volkswagen, until one views it in context. Referring back to Peter Drucker’s (1954) statement, the process starts at the very beginning, and this entails the marketing of the product, goods or service to the prospective customer. This is in terms of whether the customer is presently with the company or not as competing brands are consistently on the hunt for customers outside of their existing base and this represents those that are presently within your company’s fold. Thus, the examination of the management of a customer relationship in the context of Volkswagen shall look at the entire environment in which the preceding occurs, and refer to an example within this genre. The process shall endeavor to critically evaluate the example from an historical context and then make recommendations as to how that process might have been improved or enhanced utilizing the contemporary understandings of customer relationship management practice and theory. In order to understand the process of managing a customer relationship, it is imperative that one has a grasp of the environment in which that context lives. Marketing is defined as a process which entails the â€Å"†¦ planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Marketing on the Internet, 2006) of products, goods and or services, and via which a company seeks â€Å"†¦ events to create and maintain relationships that †¦ satisfy individual and organizational objectives† (Marketing on the Internet, 2006). The preceding provides an understanding of the broader conceptual ramifications that entail the marketing process. (Morris et al (2001, P. 98) have upgraded this definition in consort with contemporary views and applications whereby the function has been defined and equated as a set of activities that create value. They indicate that today’s understanding and application of the marketing process is more complex as well as complicated, and state that â€Å" Organizations must make fundamental decisions regarding how to approach different market segments and individual customers† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Their expanded definition goes on to add â€Å"The conventional wisdom is that the marketer is no longer interested in making a sale or achieving a transaction, but instead must focus on relationship marketing† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Buttle’s (1996) overall view is that relationship marketing is yet to prove itself, but that vision was almost a decade ago. According to Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University, (2003) there has been research that has been conducted that indicates that just a five percent (5%) increase with regard to the retaining of customers represents a net profit yield in the range of twenty percent (20%) to one hundred and twenty-five percent (125%) (Payne, 2003). The foregoing is slightly more conservatively calculated by Reichheld et al (1990, Pp 105-111) who indicate that a five percent (5%) improvement with respect to customer retention yields a profitability increase of between twenty-five percent (25%) and eighty-five percent (85%), which they state depends upon the particular industry. The value of customer retention, and thus efforts directed at maintaining such, customer relationship management, has been equated by Buchanan et al (1990) who indicated that the foregoing results in an increase in profitability as a result of: The fact that the cost to acquire a customer occurs at the inception of the relationship, therefore the longer said relationship remains in force, the initial cost becomes amortized. The costs of maintaining the customer declines in terms of a percentage of total revenue. Research has indicated that the longer a relationship is maintained with a customer, the less inclined they become to switch. In addition to the foregoing, they also tend to become less sensitive to price. The foregoing translates into a more stable base of unit sales volume as well as an increase in terms of revenue sales volume. Longer-term customers are more likely to engage in word-of-mouth discussions regarding the product or company, thus potentially resulting in referrals. Longer term customers are also more likely to wind up making purchases of other products, services or goods offered, as well as trading up or purchasing higher profit products, goods or services. Longer-term customers, on average, tend to be more satisfied with the company and as a result are less inclined to switch to competing brands. The foregoing makes it increasingly difficult for competitors to make inroads in a company’s customer base the longer the relationship lasts. Longer-term customers are usually less expensive in terms of servicing as they are familiar with the processes within the company and thus require less indoctrination and or education. The benefits of a longer-term customer relationship results in easier job related tasks for employees and higher degrees of satisfaction in dealing with customers who have a long relationship with the firm. The foregoing view is also shared by Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) who state that Customer Relationship Management is the method via which to develop customer relationships. They define Customer Relationship Management as â€Å"†¦ the process of predicting customer behavior and selecting actions to influence that behavior to benefit the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Chye et al (20002, Pp. 18). They further state that the Internet has greatly increased the performance and enhancement aspects of Customer Relationship Management as it provides database information and is available as an additional avenue via which to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and segmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Through the preceding, the Customer Relationship Department as well as employees can strategize the appropriate courses of action to be in advance of customer needs, or have the appropriate solutions or responses prepared and waiting. The preceding also increases the relative performance of individual employees within the function thus making its overall effectiveness in terms of customer satisfaction enhanced, thus further aiding bottom line performance. Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) sum up the Customer Relationship Management practice in the following statement â€Å"The aim of CRM is to develop a common process, the idea being that when the relationship is developed, both sides win.† The relative similarities between competing products in the automotive industry provide a perfect example of the importance of effective and well-planned Customer Relationship process. With the right strategies in place an automotive company can create an effective differentiation with respect to competitors through providing extraordinary service. The preceding is made possible through new technologies, such as the Internet, whereby personalized service can be provided as well as anticipated as a result of the warehousing of customer information, prior contacts and original order data (Jackson, 2003, P 71). And with information technology as well as the Internet are providing new dimensions to the Customer Relationship Management practice, the importance of personal contact as well as personal service are and remain the critical components in achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction. â€Å"†¦ the increasing availability of modern technology †¦(makes)†¦it relatively easy to compete on product. What they find more difficult to do is compete on service†¦Ã¢â‚¬  states Freemantle (1992, P 15). He adds that â€Å"†¦ service not only depends on modern technology, but also the attitude of its people, and therefore the capability of its managers.† (Freemantle, 1992, P 15). The Value of Customer Relationship Management Drawing on a consultancy relationship that existed between the advertising agency for the Volkswagen company, the opportunity to see as well as be involved in the first hand observation as well as participation of the importance of Customer Relationship Management was provided as a result of research being conducted to gather the views and opinions of customers with regard to the service aspect of the company’s business. In so doing the task was assigned of managing a small base of customers who had just purchased vehicles in consort with the company’s policies at the time. The objective was to equate the reactions as well as attitudes of customers and their viewpoints along with positive and negative reactions to the company, its policies and the product. The period of time that the preceding was undertaken, which can be commented upon from an historical perspective, was when Volkswagen was experiencing problems in integrating a new model into its line up. The year tha t the preceding customer relationship consulting arrangement occurred was in 2000. The customer relationship example shall be referred to as Mr. Smith. He was a 52-year-old schoolteacher, married with two children who had graduated college. He lived in a modest one family home in the suburbs and represented the average VW customer profile. The 2000 Volkswagen Jetta was his first experience with any foreign vehicle, having previously owned Ford and General Motors products. Mr. Smith represented one of the portfolio of customers assigned as part of the afore indicated marketing analysis observation. Mr. Smith’s first contact came within the first month of his Volkswagen Jetta purchase as he called to schedule a service appointment to fix the air conditioning system that was not working. He also indicated that there was a problem with the driver’s side rear door latch. Mr. Smith’s appointment was scheduled for free warranty service for the following day, as a result of the air conditioning emergency. Mr. Smith was called the next day after the ser vice appointment as asked about his rating of the visit in terms of his issues being resolved, promptness in handling, his rating of the service done and satisfaction. Mr. Smith indicated that all the areas asked were satisfactory and that the car was working perfectly. The next contact with Mr. Smith came approximately three (3) weeks after the initial call. The contact was to express his dissatisfaction with the air conditioning system as the cooling level since the repair was average on warm days and barely adequate on hot days. He indicated that he did not pay much attention to the foregoing as he primarily drove the car to work in the mornings and by the afternoon the temperatures were cooler. His compliant came about as a result of a weekend trip where he was subject to 95-degree temperatures and stated he was perspiring the entire time. Mr. Smith also stated that the car exhibited severe hesitation during the hot drive and stopped functioning entirely on two occasions whereby he pulled over and after the car cooled down, it restarted. He was particularly unhappy that a local Volkswagen dealership could not assist him as he was on the road and asked that we schedule a service appointment. Mr. Smith’s extreme displeasure was a result of being under a new car warranty and unable to get any assistance which he claimed was never a problem with his former Buick LeSabre. He requested an immediate service appointment and a loaner vehicle so that he could get back to work. Under the terms of his Volkswagen warranty, Mr. Smith had not purchased the Road Side Assistance option and his warranty also did not have a provision for a loaner vehicle. I informed Mr. Smith of the foregoing, which was not received well and asked if I could make some inquiries regarding getting his vehicle scheduled for an emergency service appointment as well as what I might be able to do concerning the loaner vehicle, which temporarily calmed him down. In conferring with personnel at Mr. Smith’s dealership, I was informed that as a result of his warranty coverage that did not include roadside assistance, future problems could not be handled any differently unless he took the option. After considerable discussion with the dealership management and service department we arranged an immediate service appointment and under the circumstances I was able to secure a dealer vehicle for Mr. Smith to utilize. Mr. Smith was called back and advised of the preceding points, he was pleased to hear of the loaner vehicle and immediate service appointment request, but indicated that road side assistance for a new car should be an included item and not one subject to additional purchase. Mr. Smith’s visit went according to plan and when he was called the next day after picking up his vehicle, I was thanked for resolving issues he came to find out were not a part of his service contract. He indicated that despite the problems, getting h im service for non-covered items was changing his mind about a car company that he thought he had made a mistake on. Subsequent investigation into the problems encountered by Mr. Smith uncovered that Volkswagen was having quality control problems resulting from the new facility located in Puebla, Mexico. Globalisation, as well as newer technological aspects included in their vehicle had upped the manufacturing degree of difficulties with respect to including features such as cruise control, automatic windows with multiple settings, variable speed air conditioning and automatic temperature control settings, fuel injected engines and other features that are commonplace fixtures in the American vehicle market. It was subsequently uncovered that Volkswagen’s J.D. Power and Associates quality rating for that model year reflected the problems associated with incorporating this new plant into the production line, as well as the fact that the model was a new design. In that year, the average number of problems that were reported in the J.D. Power survey per one hundred vehicles averaged 158 (The Car Connection, 2000). The survey was conducted among a sampling of 47,000 owners representing 2000 model year cars and light trucks showed that the Volkswagen Jetta scored 238, compared to the average of 158, with the largest Passat ranging in at 162, and the new Beetle hitting 170. Only the Jetta was being manufactured at the Mexican facility during that period (The Car Connection, 2000). Inquiries into the company’s warranty and roadside assistance program indicated that the requirement for this aspect had not been an issue in prior models as reliability had always been a model strong point. Historically, Volkswagen had manufactured vehicles in Germany and the reliability factor was insignificant in terms of assuming the internal costs for such warranty features as road side assistance, which at the time was a feature generally reserved for higher priced vehicles such a GM Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac models, as well as Mercury, BMW, Mercedes and similar vehicles. The company’s service department was converting to a nationalized computerized program whereby service request projections could be correlated against last visits, new car purchases and scheduled appointments. The lack of a finished system left the service department vulnerable to service request overloads owing to unforeseen events or occurrences. The Aftermath The customer relationship example indicated represents a situation in which Volkswagen was apparently unprepared for the ramifications of quality control issues at its new Mexican assembly plant which was possibly further exacerbated by the initial shake out problems traditionally associated with new model introductions. The resulting spike in quality complaints and the lack of traditionally expected resolution procedures and remedies expected in the American market, as suggested by the example utilized, pointed to an instance whereby Customer Relationship Management offered the solution that was outside of company policy and procedures. It clearly indicates the importance of a personalized relationship with the customer and working with them to resolve issues. The focus in modern day business enterprises is the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is an important tool in understanding what customers want (Lin et al, 2003, Pp 715-732). The preceding manifested itself i n the example utilized. The relationship described with Mr. Smith represents a summary look into the fundamental internal changes and external customer ramifications that increased competitive levels have created. Christopher et al (1991) overall view is that relationship marketing can help to forge a synthesis with quality management, marketing and customer service management, that the processes are basically inseparable, and that the concept is becoming a trend in terms of modern business practice. The six forces model they proposed has gained wide acceptance, and it includes customer markets, internal markets, which are the individuals and departments inside the company, referral markets, supplier markets, potential employee markets and influence markets as within the grand scope of the practice (Christopher et al, 1991, Pp 21-31). The indicated example called upon the Customer Relationship Department to engage assistance from other quarters of the operation which included no marketing individuals to see to fulfilling the customer’s concerns, the foregoing has been pointed out by Barnes (1989, Pp 11-21). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) support the foregoing analysis and add that the popular as well as more important utilizations of Customer Relationship Management can be found among; Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints Of the preceding list, new customers, customer turnover, service time and customer complaints were the issues addressed as a result of Mr. Smith, clearly 50% of the list. The aspect of the important to achieving operational efficiencies as well as improved bottom line performance and increased customer satisfaction has also been addressed by Bruhn (2003, Pp 178-197). He further stated that the development of these relationships over time represent the foundation for customer loyalty as well as retention (Bruhn et al, 2004). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) study of Customer Relationship Management identified ten behavioural dimensions that help to identify the effectiveness of the process, and which serve as a model as well as basis for evaluating as well as recommending an approach for implementation and utilization : Attitude geared to serve: The aspect of Customer Relationship Management refers to the importance of employees having the right attitude with regard to the handling and listening to customer concerns, calls and requests. The foregoing provides clear signals to the customer that the company is interested in resolution. An understanding of expectations: Customers have certain expectations regarding the company they have purchased a product from as gathered either from acquaintances, reputation, advertising or sales personnel. Meeting or better still exceeding these expectations is an importance variable in winning them over. Perceptions of quality: The company’s marketing, advertising, word of mouth and other claims provide customers with a certain level of expectation with regard to quality. Reliability: The performance of the product must be equal to or exceed other like products in terms of reliability, and when this fails, superior service and Customer Relationship Management can balance the perception. Communication: The better the representatives of the company listen as well as communicate with the customer, the higher the level of esteem they achieve in terms of the important aspect of interaction. The content, style, manner, timing, effectiveness and rapidity of response as well as anticipation of needs are all aspects of this category. Customisation: The delivering of either products or services to meet the needs and expectations of customers is a critical component in Customer Relationship Management. Recognition: The customer represents the reason why any company is in business and thus providing them with the proper respect is an important aspect in building a successful customer relationship foundation. Keeping promises: The advertised, written or stated claims of a company represent its public face of trust. The keeping of those commitments and promises immediately is a factor in building and maintaining a successful customer relationship. Satisfaction audit: A key aspect in gauging the performance the company is having in terms of customer satisfaction is obtaining direct feedback in the form of follow up calls surveys and questionnaires. These areas are critical in determining the after effects of actions taken as well as serving as guides to further policy and behavioural processes. Retention: Retaining customers is the cornerstone of the purpose of Customer Relationship Management. The preceding aspects clearly point to the importance of ‘relationships’ (Ford, 1999, Pp 137-148) in the process of CRM as well as interpersonal interaction, reaction and anticipation in listening to, seeing to and expecting customer needs. The foregoing would have served Volkswagen well of it had utilized the proper forecasting models with regard to the incidents of problems in bringing a new model on line at a new assembly facility as well as tracking initial customer complaints and heading these off through advance communications such as letters and customer relationship telephone calls to alert customers of potential trouble spots. Gronroos (1997, P 327) refers to the foregoing as one of the prime objectives of relationship management, which he stated is â€Å"To establish, maintain and enhance relationships with customers†¦ by mutual exchange and fulfilment of promises.† Suggestions to Volkswagen, in addition to those already indicated, included the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is a proactive tool that focuses on customer retention (Little et al, 2003, P 26). The heart of the process is what Peppers et al (1995, P 48) refer to as a â€Å"†¦one-to-one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  marketing process whereby customers are treated as individuals which thus provides the company the opportunity to develop a relationship with them. The example of Mr. Smith is a singular, yet potentially universal customer encounter in that the aspects of the complaints or service requests will change, but certainly not the underlying principles. Volkswagen’s poor quality showing in 2000 as reported by J.D. Power’s ratings should have been forecast through advance vehicle testing sessions as well as having the appropriate customer relationship contact reviews and correlations in place to see a pattern developing. In making recommendations to the company, attention was called to the following: Model Forecasting This aspect entails correlating the potential for part problems based upon the newness of introduction, as well as results encountered in vehicles test sessions. Where a part indicates the propensity for a higher than acceptable norm, it should be brought to the attention of the engineering as well as Customer Relationship Department and procedures developed to either head off the problem or have set procedures in place for calls and complaints Alternative Strategies While there are set procedures as well as warranty and other guidelines in place, there will be instances whereby some customers will take exception to aspects they should have known, or that were clearly stated in literature and other materials. In these instances exception resolution could be employed to make allowances for those customers while the stated points are gently pointed out for future reference and knowledge. The foregoing can apply to warranty and other coverage’s Advance Resolution The Internet provides a perfect means to inform as well as advise customers regarding aspects of their vehicle maintenance as well as warranty coverage’s. The tool can also be utilized to interface with an interactive web site that permits them to click on or scroll across areas rather than the traditional FQ format that few people read or engage in. The utilization of an interactive tool will be more entertaining as well as informative and useful Road Side Assistance If economically feasible, this feature should be clearly pointed out as an option or made an integral part of the vehicle warranty, with the terms of loaner and other aspects clearly presented. It should be noted that this provision presently exists in Volkswagen warranty coverage’s included as standard, with the loaner provision based upon customer inconvenience. The preceding suggestions are a result of the example utilized and are borne out of the theories represented by varied authorities on Customer Relationship Management. Taylor (2002, Pp 9-10) supports the preceding as he states that there are seven key skill categories that are a part of the successful implementation of a Customer Relationship Management process: It should seek to be in harmony with the overall business plan It should be seen as a strategic business process Its purposes as well as objectives should be defined clearly and be communicated to all departments It needs to be measurable Realistic goals and objectives need to be set It needs to be adapted to specific requirements If needed, the culture of the company might need changing to comport to the Customer Relationship Management initiative The preceding demonstrates that the implementation and utilization of a well planned, thought out and fluid Customer Relationship Management process that redefines itself on a consistent basis can aid a company in an enhanced reputation, bottom line profitability and customer retention. Ahmed et al (2002, Pp 29-45) stated that it is important that the internal staff also be treated as groups with their own needs as well as demands in crafting a Customer Relationship Management process. This enables their views, goals and objectives to be considered and where feasible, incorporated. The example utilized was before the prevalence of Internet based Customer Relationship Strategies and thus this technology represents a means to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and se gmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Conclusion Given the period of time since the pronouncement by Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  his vision has proved to be true. Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) and a litany of others have concluded the importance of Customer Relationship Management in having an integral part in the achievement or enhancement of Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints (Jain et al, 2003, Pp 17-22) Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) observations synthesized the foregoing into ten behavioural dimensions to identify the process effectiveness that clearly illustrates the organization wide dimensions involved: Attitude geared to serve: An understanding of expectations: Perceptions of quality: Reliability: Communication: Customisation: Recognition: Keeping promises: Satisfaction audit: Retention: The customer has, is and remains as ‘king’ and in order to keep him in the realm a company’s overall strategy must be in consort with doing all that is possible inconsideration of bottom line objectives. The foregoing illustration that utilized the Volkswagen company provided an example that incorporated a goodly percentage of the aspects as indicated by Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22), Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) and Storbacka et al (2001, P 8), among others. With the understanding that the customer is the purpose as well as reason for being of any enterprise, then the application of Customer Relationship Management strategies no longer is a problem, it represents an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the company. Little et al (2003, P 21) sums up the foregoing by stating states that relationship marketing represents â€Å"†¦ an alternative strategy to the traditional marketing mix approach â₠¬ ¦ (as) †¦ a means of obtaining sustainable competitive advantage and the best way to retain customers in the long run†. Bibliography Ahmed, Pervaiz, Rafiq, Mohammed. (2002). Marketing Tools and concepts for customer focused management. Butterworth Heineman, ISBN: 0750648384 Barnes, J., G. (1989). The Role of Internal Marketing: If the Staff Won’t Buy It, Why Should the Customer. Vol. 4, Issue 2. Irish Marketing Journal Buchanan, R., Giles, C. (1990). Value managed relationship: The key to customer retention and profitability. Vol. 8, Issue 4. European Management Journal Buttle, E. (1996) Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice. Paul Chapman Publishing, London, The United Kingdom Bruhn, Manfred, Frommeyer, A. (2004). Development of relationship marketing constructs over time. Vol. 3, Issue 4. Journal of Relationship Marketing Christopher, M., Payne, A., Ballantyne, D. (1991). Relationship Marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, The United Kingdom Chye, K.H., Gerry,

My Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Deciding to become a teacher was a tough decision for me to make. I originally was a business administration major and hoped to become an accountant, but I was unhappy in this field. After a few years of college in this field and taking these classes I got married and started my family. After I had my beautiful baby girl over two years ago I realized a nine to five job every day with just a hope of a two week vacation once a year to spend time with my family was not for me. The money aspect of an accounting degree sounded great but it just was not worth the amount of time I would be spending away from my family. This is when I realized the teaching profession is perfect for someone who wants to juggle a family and career. On top of all, this I have always loved children and spending time with all types of children, even challenging ones. I love the possibility of influencing and affecting a child in a positive way. Our children is what the future will be made up of, so it is extremely important that the education our children receive is top of the line But I believe it is equally important they receive a good teacher with high morals that can pass on these high morals just by their all around attitude. I believe it is important to always be positive as a teacher and to encourage your students. A teacher always needs to be caring so the children know their teacher is there because he or she wants to be there, not because they have to be there. If the teacher is caring I believe he or she may touch more lives. I hope my students feel they can come to me no matter what the problem is, whether it is personal or about a subject in school. I will always try to be there for my students and make special time for my students, during school or after school and on weekends. Being a teacher is a very special job and in order to be a good and affective teacher you must be a special person . My Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays My Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Deciding to become a teacher was a tough decision for me to make. I originally was a business administration major and hoped to become an accountant, but I was unhappy in this field. After a few years of college in this field and taking these classes I got married and started my family. After I had my beautiful baby girl over two years ago I realized a nine to five job every day with just a hope of a two week vacation once a year to spend time with my family was not for me. The money aspect of an accounting degree sounded great but it just was not worth the amount of time I would be spending away from my family. This is when I realized the teaching profession is perfect for someone who wants to juggle a family and career. On top of all, this I have always loved children and spending time with all types of children, even challenging ones. I love the possibility of influencing and affecting a child in a positive way. Our children is what the future will be made up of, so it is extremely important that the education our children receive is top of the line But I believe it is equally important they receive a good teacher with high morals that can pass on these high morals just by their all around attitude. I believe it is important to always be positive as a teacher and to encourage your students. A teacher always needs to be caring so the children know their teacher is there because he or she wants to be there, not because they have to be there. If the teacher is caring I believe he or she may touch more lives. I hope my students feel they can come to me no matter what the problem is, whether it is personal or about a subject in school. I will always try to be there for my students and make special time for my students, during school or after school and on weekends. Being a teacher is a very special job and in order to be a good and affective teacher you must be a special person .