Sales Promotion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sales Promotion - Research Paper Example A hypothetical budget and return on investment calculation is done in the final part of the study. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Sales Promotion 4 Theories of Sales Promotion 7 Sales Promotion Objectives 8 Creating Inquiries 8 Product Trial 8 Building Traffic 9 Rate of Purchase 9 Loyalty 9 Awareness 9 Tactical Reason 10 Comparative Analysis Product Profile and Sales Promotion Activity 11 Sales Promotion Budget 13 Return on Investment 14 References 16 Bibliography 17 Sales Promotion Sales promotional techniques like free gift item on each purchase, free movie ticket, holiday tour and free dining invitation are used to increase the brand awareness among customers. They use exchange offers (exchange the old TV set and get a new TV set at reduced price) to push the sales. Sales promotion can be done by using seasonal sales technique. The technique can be summarized in the following manner. Winter sale, autumn sale, summer sale and discount of 50% on particular product are few exa mples of seasonal sales technique. These are all incentive program offered by companies to boost up the sales. Incentive program may come in the form of gifts, free samples, demonstrations, discount coupons, trade shows, contests etc. Retailer uses all these techniques as a part of sales promotion to motivate customers to purchase more and in this way they can increase sales volume. This type of sales promotion is known as consumer promotion (Kenneth, 2007, p. 330). Many companies use personal selling and advertising as a promotional tool to increase the brand equity in the mind of consumer. Personal selling deals with face-to-face interaction with customer or target segment but advertising is use to communicate brand massage to large number customers. Advertising and Sales promotion are useful tools to increase sales of product. Advertising can be integrated with sales promotion to communicate incentive program on each purchase. Companies can use advertising to create awareness abo ut sales promotional schemes and offers to target customers. Personal selling can also be used for the same purpose but sales promotion and personal selling is not the same thing. They differ in terms of objectivity and technique. Sales promotion uses short term and non cohesive model to increase the sales with various incentive schemes. Generally the incentive program is not valid throughout the whole season. Companies use sales promotion during end of seasons or during festive seasons. Sales promotion is more occasion dependent. The promotional technique differs from personal selling and advertising in terms of process and application techniques (Pauwels, Risso, Srinivasan and Hanssens, 2003). Sales promotion is a part of integrate marketing communication (IMC) strategy. Company uses sales promotion to increase the brand visibility among customers. Manufacturer companies use sales promotion for two reasons. 1- Increase product sales to retailers (trade promotion) and 2- increase p roduct sales to customers (consumer promotion). Retailers also use sales promotion to increase the sales of a particular product. Sales promotions have an important role in the marketing programs adopted by retailers (Gedenk, Neslin and Ailawadi, n.d.). Sales promotion contributes a large percentage of advertising budgets for a company. Companies use at least seventy percent of total advertising budget on sales promotion.

Coke as a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC Personal Statement

Coke as a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC - Personal Statement Example Ever since I was a child, I remember drinking Coke every time I want to get instant refreshment. Coke is there during special occasions like parties and lunches. Furthermorer, it accompanies me even in my everyday undertakings. In fact, Coke is synonymous with refreshment to me. I just love the invigoration that consuming a can of Coke brings me. I drink it whenever I can-when I am stressed out, when I get too exhausted, and when I need an extra dose of caffeine to get me going. I associate Coke with words such as thirst quenching and more recently, with my quest to live a healthier lifestyle. No kidding. I have seen how Coke evolved. Starting from its claim of being a healthy and medicinal drink, it became a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC. The intense competition with Pepsi pushed it to reinvent itself to the protest of its loyal patrons. Thus, the new Coke was rebranded while the original formulation was fortunately retained in the market. The growing health consciousness among consumers urged Coca-cola to reinvent itself by offering better-for-you variants which utilized artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. Coke Diet, Coke Light and Coke Zero were launched in the market to the amusement and support of customers like me. Aside from getting rid of unhealthy sugar, this variant is fortified with vitamins, minerals and infused with green tea which suits my lifestyle. The evolution of Coca-cola did not change its promise of providing refreshment to its customers-in fact, it now gives more than that. After my decision of shifting to and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I thought I would have to give up drinking Coke my whole life. However, it seems as if the brand knows my needs that it is willing to adapt and reinvent itself so that I could still drink it whenever and wherever I want. The added vitamins and minerals is really a huge plus for it. I have read somewhere that green tea aids in weight loss by speeding up an individual's metabolism. Yes, instead of making me fat, Coke might actually enable me to lose weight by burning calories at a faster rate. These reasons make Coca-cola the top brand of soft drink for me. Actually, I don't see it as a soft drink now-I perceive it as a health drink. My passion for Coke influences my other purchase decisions especially in choosing which fastfood to dine in. I definitely don't dine out at KFC and Pizza Hut noting that they don't serve Coke but only Pepsi. Yes, sometimes I just get so choosy with the drinks while others see them as minor part of the meal. For me, it makes a lot of difference-I can actually tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. The taste is never the same Yes, I am a self-confessed Coke addict who can't live a day without having a can of this refreshment. Coke does not only add life, for me, it is life itself. Blame it on marketing gurus who worked to formulate a good product which commands global acceptance. Blame it on the intensive and very efficient marketing campaign. Blame it on the proper pricing which made it affordable even with the current recession. Blame it on its wide distribution network which makes it available anywhere I go. I will always consider Coca-cola to be one of the best brands in the world. With the current quest of its company

Ethical Enalysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Enalysis - Essay Example AFP solved the issue by superimposing a digitally created AFP logo over the VyT sign, thereby blocking it out. This paper analyses the above case study with respect to different ethical theories, like Kantianism, Utilitarianism and Social contract theory. Kantian views of ethics can be summarized as follows; â€Å"What a person should do and what a person wants to do are often not compatible. Doing what one wants to do would usually bring immediate gratification/happiness, but might not benefit the person in the long run. On the other hand, doing what one should do may cause immediate discomfort/unhappiness, even if it is good for the person† (Maccarelli, 2006) Kant identifies imagination as the very root of finite reason. He believed that reasons are subjective in most of the cases. (Rockmore, 2000) It is not necessary that the â€Å"rights† of a person might be the â€Å"right† of other as well. We are living in a society which consists of different people engaged in different activities having different beliefs as well. But in order to live in a society, man should follow certain norms of the society. These norms may not be always viable for a person for his own selfish interests. The society can think in term s of the general well-being of the communities rather than the individual comfort. In the given case study, AFP’s action may bring immediate success to the company. But in the long run such things may not provide any goods either to the company or to the society in which the company is operating. AFP has given the right of telecasting the actual things happened on the specific location during the occasion. In a live show, they have no moral right to alter things or the environment. Editing can be done in television programs but not is reality shows or live programs. If the television companies try to manipulate things in their

Revenue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Revenue - Essay Example Income encompasses both revenue and gains.† (ec.europa.eu, p. 2) Revenue: â€Å"IAS 18 defines revenue as ‘the gross inflow of economic benefits during the period arising in the course of the ordinary activities of an entity when those inflows result in increases in equity, other than increases relating to contributions from equity participants† (ACCA, 2013.) Gain: â€Å"An increase in the value of an asset or property. A gain arises if the selling or disposition price of the asset is higher than the original purchase or acquisition price† (Investopedia, n.d.) Normally the word ‘profit’ is used in business context in the place of gain. It is also very important that that revenue and the related expenses should be matched with the accounting period, and this is called matching principle. â€Å"When the selling price of a product includes an identifiable amount for subsequent servicing that amount is deferred and recognised as revenue over the pe riod during which the service is performed. The amount deferred is that which will cover the expected costs of the services, together with a reasonable profit on those services† (ACCA 2013). ... sale and repurchase should be dealt with together. Section 14 of IAS 18 stipulates the conditions for revenue recognition in respect of sale of goods. These following two conditions are relevant for discussion in respect of accounting of transaction related to Witney. (a) the entity has transferred to the buyer the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods; (b) the entity retains neither continuing managerial involvement to the degree usually associated with ownership nor effective control over the goods sold; Section 20 states â€Å"When the outcome of a transaction involving the rendering of services can be estimated reliably, revenue associated with the transaction shall be recognised by reference to the stage of completion of the transaction at the end of the reporting period.† This principle is relevant for discussion in respect of support services to PC4U. Case Study Sale of electrical goods When sale has been accounted properly, the goods covered should no t be treated as stock; and the sale is not treated as stock by the company. Snowfall and delay in delivery cannot alter the position. Once the goods are despatched to the buyer, the seller has no control over the same. The following conditions u/s 18 are important in this respect (a) the entity has transferred to the buyer the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods and (b) the entity retains neither continuing managerial involvement to the degree usually associated with ownership nor effective control over the goods sold. Therefore, no adjustment is required on account of this transaction. Contract with Witney The total amount owing to Ibi Ryan from Witney is ?600,000 at 31st March. It is assumed that includes the sum

Sunset Grill at Blue Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Sunset Grill at Blue - Case Study Example Melhuish recognized that during the first year of operations and even when his franchise managed to break even, he was struggling and leaving money on the table. With new ideas, ready to implement before the summer will help reduce queues and get the operations fully on track. Data collection shows that the most burdensome queues are during the weekends. To alleviate this, Melhuish is planning on hiring a part timer food runner. The food runner will deliver the food from the kitchen directly to the table, saving the servers time and energy. This addition to the staff, even on a part time basis, would increase daily table turn over by five to ten percent. Melhuish is considering on adding a menu boards around the restaurant. One would be above the open concept kitchen and the other would be electronic near the front entrance. Both boards would be strategically placed so that those waiting would have the option of looking over the menus prior to sitting down. By the time the customers were seated, they would know what they wanted to order. This would reduce the amount of ordering time by up to 10 minutes. Melhuish believes the electronic menu boards could also be useful in promoting a few high-margin items. In response to customer complaints, Melhuish brainstormed the idea of allowing substitutions to certain menu items. Currently, the policy of no substitutions is strictly enforced. Data shows that allowing substitutions on certain menu items or during shoulder seasons would increase the preparation time from 5 minutes average to 6 minutes average. This small amount of time, is not a very big change in comparison to the advantages of allowing certain substitutions and satisfying customers requests / complaints. Another way to help reduce wait times is to add additional seating to the restaurant. Melhuish is considering increasing capacity by converting the

Write a 4 page essay based on the question provided

Write a 4 page based on the question provided - Essay Example There are many in the â€Å"hard† scientific communities that argue that philosophy is obsolete as a whole and has been essentially unchanged for 2000 years (Andersen 1). They feel the considerations of philosophy as a science are rendered useless in the face of modern scientific awareness and technological advancements. They no longer see a place for philosophers like, Machiavelli, Socrates, Locke, and Hobbes. However, there are others who feel quite differently. Philosophy is still relevant and perhaps even more relevant in this modern technological age. Each of the philosophers mentioned has contributed greatly to the discussion of the human experience and remains relevant today. Machiavelli, for example, was a reluctant philosopher, perceiving himself as a historian and an academic. All the same his writings, concepts, perspectives, and ideas have sparked many a philosophical debate, be it to support his perspectives or to refute them. The term â€Å"Machiavellian† was coined in his honor to reference someone who cleverly excels in Machiavelli’s preferred areas; ethics, politics, and psychological phenomena (Nederman ). Socrates is a fascinating character of philosophical history; he remains somewhat of a mystery to scholars. He was an oral philosopher who wrote nothing in his lifetime, but developed and changed philosophy forever. Socrates was the first to openly discuss the possibility that the pantheon of Grecian deities might not be responsible for all of the events that occur in the world. This non-theological a pproach to philosophy was considered heretical to the Athenian courts. Socrates was found guilty of crimes against Greece and sentenced to death for his philosophies. It was this sacrifice in the name of free thinking that spawned much philosophical debate and discussion over the years (Nails). John Locke focused much of his

Introduction to People, Organization Andmanagement Essay Example for Free

Introduction to People, Organization Andmanagement Essay 1. Key Information Module title: Introduction to People, Organisations and Management Module Leader: Hermione McIntosh Chelmsford/Michael Ashcroft Building/ Room MAB 301 Every module has a Module Definition Form (MDF) which is the officially validated record of the module. You can access the MDF for this module in three ways: * the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) * the My. Anglia Module Catalogue at www. anglia. ac. uk/modulecatalogue * Anglia Ruskin’s module search engine facility at www. anglia. ac. uk/modules All modules delivered by Anglia Ruskin University at its main campuses in the UK and at partner institutions throughout the UK and overseas are governed by the Academic Regulations. You can view these at www. anglia. ac. uk/academicregs. A printed extract of the Academic Regulations, known as the Assessment Regulations, is available for every student from your Faculty Office (all new students will have received a copy as part of their welcome pack). In the unlikely event of any discrepancy between the Academic Regulations and any other publication, including this module guide, the Academic Regulations, as the definitive document, take precedence over all other publications and will be applied in all cases. 2. Introduction to the Module This 30 credit module covers four key areas. The organisational context: This module allows students to explore the organisational context and will furnish students with tools to analyse the organisational environment and the degree of dynamism and complexity in which organisations operate. Students will be encouraged to examine organisational responses to environmental turbulence. The development and impact of organisational culture will also be assessed. Organisation structures and approaches to management: Students will analyse the changes to organisational structure and architecture and the evolution from self-contained structures to boundaryless organisations. Approaches to management from scientific management to postmodern organisations will be evaluated and the way groups and teams are formed and structured. Motivation will also be examined as a motivated workforce can be a sign of a successful organisation and students will be encouraged to reflect critically on theories of motivation and apply them to real life situations and case study scenarios. Management processes: Intensified competition, technological innovation and increased knowledge intensity has resulted in a pattern of ‘repeat change’. The results of change programmes are often disappointing and students will examine the triggers for change, why change is resisted and organisations’ approaches to change management. This module will also investigate the difference between leadership and management and critically evaluate classical and contemporary approaches to leadership theory and the role power and politics play in organisational life. Individuals in the organisation: This part of the module focuses on individual differences. The ability to learn, and to continue learning, for individuals and organisations, is crucial in the 21st century. Students will be introduced to a number of learning theories which affect management practices and will have an overview of the learning organisation. Students will examine the role that personality and perception play in shaping and directing our own and other people’s behaviour. The role of communication will also be investigated as communication affects organisation performance and also individual career prospects. Students will therefore be equipped with a robust intellectual framework for analysing and understanding the past, present and future influences on their own thinking, attitudes, values and behaviours and to reflect on how these might impact their effectiveness and performance in practice. Please also refer to Sections 6a and 6b of the MDF. 3. Intended Learning Outcomes. Anglia Ruskin modules are taught on the basis of intended learning outcomes and on successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to demonstrate that you have met these outcomes. On successful completion you will be able to: 1. Understand and critically evaluate the underlying principles and concepts of the nature of organisations. 2. Understand and appreciate the contribution of effective people management to the success of organisations. 3. Explore a range of theories developed to aid the understanding of learning and human behaviour, reflecting on their learning experiences and career development. 4. Examine the application of theories in real world organisational settings. 5. Apply a range of theories and concepts on organisational design, structure and management in the analysis of managing employees with specific reference to leadership, power, motivation and teamwork. 6. Use simple psychometric and related instruments for self-analysis and learning tools for goal-setting, problem-solving and personal reflective practice within a framework for personal and career development. 4. Outline Delivery. Wk| Lecture A People| Lecture B – Organisation Management| Reading (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010)| 1| Introduction to Part A of the module. Individual behaviour and personality| Introduction to Part B of the module. What is an organisation? Introduction to organisational behaviour. Orientation to work and the work ethic.. | Chapters 1 and 6| 2| Personality theories in the workplace. | The organisation’s environment. Business ethics and corporate social responsibility. | Chapters 2, 3 and 6| 3| Perception. | Organisational culture and socialisation. | Chapters 4 and 8| 4| Attitudes and values. | Organisational structure and architecture. | Chapters 15 and 17; Brooks Chapter 3| 5| Learning as a process. The Behaviourist and Cognitive approaches. | Approaches to organisations and management. (1)| Chapters 5, 14 and16| 6| Learning in practice and the Learning Organisation| Approaches to organisations and management (2)| Chapters 5, 14 and 16,| 7| Motivation: content theories| Groups and teams at work. | Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13| 8|. Motivation: process theories| Organisational change| Chapters 9 and 18| 9| Communication| Leadership (part 1)| Chapters 7 and 19| 10| Career management and choices| Leadership (part 2)| Chapter 19| 11| Reflective practice and managing self. | Power in organisations| Chapter 22| 12| Module review. | Module review| | 4. 1 Attendance Requirements Attending all your classes is very important and one of the best ways to help you succeed in this module. In accordance with the Student Charter, you are expected to arrive on time and take an active part in all your timetabled classes. If you are unable to attend a class for a valid reason (eg: illness), please contact your Module Tutors. Anglia Ruskin will closely monitor the attendance of all students and will contact you by e-mail if you have been absent without notice for two weeks. Continued absence can result in the termination of your registration as you will be considered to have withdrawn from your studies. International students who are non-EEA nationals and in possession of entry clearance/leave to remain as a student (student visa) are required to be in regular attendance at Anglia Ruskin. Failure to do so is considered to be a breach of national immigration regulations. Anglia Ruskin, like all British Universities, is statutorily obliged to inform the Border and Immigration Agency of the Home Office of significant unauthorised absences by any student visa holders. 5. Assessment This module will be assessed through two pieces of coursework which will allow you to evidence the demands of this module and meet the learning outcomes (see sections 7 and 9 of the MDF). Both pieces of coursework have a word limit of 3,000 words and have a 50% weighting. The assignment hand-in date is Tuesday, 8 May, 2012. All coursework assignments and other forms of assessment must be submitted by the published deadline which is detailed above. It is your responsibility to know when work is due to be submitted – ignorance of the deadline date will not be accepted as a reason for late or non-submission. All student work which contributes to the eventual outcome of the module (ie: if it determines whether you will pass or fail the module and counts towards the mark you achieve for the module) is submitted via the iCentre using the formal submission sheet . Academic staff CANNOT accept work directly from you. If you decide to submit your work to the iCentre by post, it must arrive by midday on the due date. If you elect to post your work, you do so at your own risk and you must ensure that sufficient time is provided for your work to arrive at the iCentre. Posting your work the day before a deadline, albeit by first class post, is extremely risky and not advised. Any late work (submitted in person or by post) will NOT be accepted and a mark of zero will be awarded for the assessment task in question. You are requested to keep a copy of your work. Feedback. You are entitled to written feedback on your performance for all your assessed work. For all assessment tasks which are not examinations, this is provided by a member of academic staff completing the assignment coversheet on which your mark and feedback will relate to the achievement of the module’s intended learning outcomes and the assessment criteria you were given for the task when it was first issued. Examination scripts are retained by Anglia Ruskin and are not returned to students. However, you are entitled to feedback on your performance in an examination and may request a meeting with the Module Leader or Tutor to see  your examination script and to discuss your performance. Anglia Ruskin is committed to providing you with feedback on all assessed work within 20 working days of the submission deadline or the date of an examination. This is extended to 30 days for feedback for a Major Project module (please note that working days excludes those days when Anglia Ruskin University is officially closed; eg: between Christmas and New Year). Personal tutors will offer to read feedback from several modules and help you to address any common themes that may be emerging. At the main Anglia Ruskin University campuses, each Faculty will publish details of the arrangement for the return of your assessed work (eg: a marked essay or case study etc. ). Any work which is not collected by you from the Faculty within this timeframe is returned to the iCentres from where you can subsequently collect it. The iCentres retain student work for a specified period prior to its disposal. To assure ourselves that our marking processes are comparable with other universities in the UK, Anglia Ruskin provides samples of student assessed work to external examiners as a routine part of our marking processes. External examiners are experienced academic staff from other universities who scrutinise your work and provide Anglia Ruskin academic staff with feedback and advice. Many of Anglia Ruskin’s staff act as external examiners at other universities. On occasion, you will receive feedback and marks for pieces of work that you completed in the earlier stages of the module. We provide you with this feedback as part of the learning experience and to help you prepare for other assessment tasks that you have still to complete. It is important to note that, in these cases, the marks for these pieces of work are unconfirmed as the processes described above for the use of external examiners will not have been completed. This means that, potentially, marks can change, in either direction! Marks for modules and individual pieces of work become confirmed on the Dates for the Official Publication of Results which can be checked at www. anglia. ac. uk/results. ASSIGNMENT ONE Module Title: Introduction to People, Organisations and Management Module Code:BB130020SLevel: 1 Academic Year: 2011/12Semester: Two Module Leader:Hermione McIntosh. Instructions:See below Word Limit: 3000 words % Weighting:50% Written assignments must not exceed the specified maximum number of words. Assignments will not be accepted without a word count on the cover sheet. Submission Date:Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Work submitted after this date will receive a mark of 0 unless an extension has been approved in advance of this deadline. Requests for short-term extensions will only be considered in the case of illness or other cause considered valid by the Student Adviser. These must normally be received and agreed by Student Adviser in writing at least twenty four hours prior to the deadline. Please refer to the Academic Regulations or your Student Handbook for full details. Further details:This assignment must be completed individually. This assignment must be attached to a completed University Assignment Cover Sheet and accompanied by a completed University Assignment Receipt before submission. Any attachments (such as computer discs) must be marked with your SID number(s) and securely attached to your assignment before submission. Do not submit your work in a plastic sleeve. TASK Read the two organisational case studies attached and provide a critical comparative analysis of them in academic report format. You should consider how the two organisations differ in the way they operate and in the way they are managed. In particular, you should focus on the following areas: * Organisational design and structure * Teams and teamworking * Approach to leadership and management * Organisational culture Your analysis must be supported by relevant theories and concepts that have been covered in the module and you must demonstrate that you have read widely around the subject area and used this reading to support the arguments you are making. Do not rely solely on the key text but use a range of academic texts and journal articles. Refer to the reading list in your module guide for further guidance. It is essential that you use the Harvard Referencing System and it is recommended that you download the University’s Guide to the Harvard Referencing System from the library website. Assessment weighting for written assignment The following assessment weighting is provided for guidance: Introduction| 10%| Analysis of issues including use of the literature to support arguments| 60%| Conclusion and recommendations| 20%| Presentation and structure of the report including written expression and referencing| 10%| Case Study One Case study 1: Biogenta plc. Biogenta is a world-leading business, producing crop-protection products (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides). It currently employs 15,000 employees in over 80 countries and has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries. It is organised into four major functional areas: Research and Development, Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing and, finally, Support (covering financial services, human resources and legal services). Jane Morgan, the Chief Executive Officer of Biogenta, is a strong role model for her staff and has developed a mission and a set of values based on extensive consultation with Biogenta’s stakeholders. Biogenta’s mission is to be the most trusted provider of crop-protection products in the world and their values include: Be adventurous, creative and open-minded Pursue growth and learning Be passionate and determined Build open and honest relationships Create fun These values have been embedded in the culture of the organisation. Jane is deeply respected and many of her staff have even called her inspirational. She is very motivational and communicates high expectations of all staff. Her aim has always been to empower her staff and to stimulate staff to be  creative and innovation so that they try novel approaches and develop ground-breaking new products. Biogenta is committed to innovation and sees this as a major strength. It has a strong focus on recruiting extremely able and highly motivated employees. It is also committed to investing heavily in their development. As well as recruiting highly educated staff, many of whom are educated to doctorate level, the company offers numerous in-house training courses covering both technical and personal development issues. As a global organisation Biogenta wants to recruit the brightest and the best from all over the world. In Cambridge, alone, one of its four research and development ‘hubs’, it employs people of 20 different nationalities. It offers generous support to employees who want to further their education and training by paying fees and giving time off to attend courses. It also offers generous perks, such as opportunities for sabbaticals or gap years and subsidising gym membership. Office environments and even factories are designed to be light, pleasant places to work, with the company sponsoring a large amount of art work and landscaping to enhance the environment. It is also a major sponsor of a number of exhibitions and museums around the world with a ‘biological science’ theme. Staff are encouraged to contribute to community work, and the company sponsors a number of projects working with schools in a number of countries on biological science projects. Although Biogenta has a traditional structure, as would be expected of an organisation of this size, Jane believes that structures, job titles and power can put barriers up between people and inhibit innovation and performance. She believes it is far more effective to put her faith in people and in teamwork and there is minimal hierarchy. Although almost all employees work in one of the four functional areas mentioned above, the organisation also promotes cross-functional working in project teams, some of which are virtual teams. Project working is seen as essential to achieving constant product improvement and innovation. These teams can be large or small, short term or fairly long in duration. It recognizes that getting people from different functions to work effectively together can be a challenge and it has a number of ways of trying to minimise these, including the use of technology. Many of the support staff have at least undergraduate degrees in science subjects. For example Jacqueline Baryomunsi works in the marketing team but she has a degree in Biology, although she was later sponsored by Biogenta to do an MBA. Although originally based in Cambridge, she was recently posted to a nine month international assignment in South Africa where she worked on a project to develop a new herbicide, working with a team of four others. This included Jonathan Etherington, who has a PhD in chemistry from the USA and has been working on production in one of Biogenta’s manufacturing bases in Italy until recently. The other team members included two people from Biogenta’s research and development function (both based in South Africa) and the team was led by Kathryn Tate, originally from Australia, who has a PhD in molecular biology and is based within Biogenta’s support function as an IT specialist. This project involved long working hours but Kathryn Tate also made sure the team had time for some fun: team members spent quite a lot of time together outside work, even, on one occasion managing to go shark-fishing as well as regularly sampling the night life of Durban. (This is a fictional case study.) Case Study Two OUTBACK INC. Setting Tourism is a strong contributor to Australia’s economy, with over a half million people employed in the sector, and tourism spending reaching over $85 billion a year. The country promotes its beautiful landscapes, Aboriginal art and cultures, coastal lifestyles and the outback as the main attractions for visitors. Australia’s top five international tourism markets are New Zealand, the UK, Japan, the USA and China. Visitor numbers from China and India have grown strongly, while the number of Japanese and Korean tourists has declined in the last few years. China is now Australia’s fifth largest international tourism market, brining it into second place with New Zealand, and this is set to grow over the next decade. However, Australia’s share of global tourism continues to drop, with a decrease of 14 per cent between 1995 and 2008. Since its peak in 2001, it has also declined as a proportion of Australia’s gross domestic product. The Australian tourism industry continues to struggle from the effects of a series of crises, starting with a pilot strikes in 1989 and the worldwide economic outfalls of the Iraq War and the SARS outbreak. More recently, after four strike free years at Qantas, there has been a bitter pay dispute which closed the airline down in October this year. Qantas passengers could face further delays and cancellations after one of the unions locked in a wage dispute threatened more strikes and legal action if the airline did not improve its pay offer. Skilled staff shortages are also contributing to Australia’s tourism industry troubles, with an estimated 42,000 employees needed by 2015. Outback Inc Established in the early 1990s, Outback is an adventure-based tour company located in Sydney, Australia. The company offers a variety of services, including guided tours, accommodation and meals, to those wishing to visit remote and regional areas of Australia. Outback’s comprehensive packages of services have traditionally appealed to travellers from all over the world, particularly visitors from Japan, who typically make up over 80 per cent of their client base, but its product offering has not been updated for a number of years. Profitability has now been on a downward trend for some time and there is no clear vision or detailed strategy to move the company forward. Despite increased marketing efforts aimed at the general Asian market, the company has seen a decrease in bookings from its traditionally reliable Japanese sector. The poor exchange rate has negatively affected tourist numbers from the U. K. and Outback has yet to attract new clients from China or other Asian countries experiencing more favourable economic conditions. Although Outback grew from a small, family-owned business in the early 1990s to a moderately sized company with sales of several million dollars a year, it still retains its original functional organisational structure. Its Chief Executive Officer is a son of the original founder and his autocratic style of leadership, although dressed up in paternalism, has meant that he is not prepared to listen to staff members, particularly those at the lower end of the hierarchy. Outback’s managers, typically members of the company’s founding family, head up the various departments, which are structured around traditional functions such as marketing, finance and human resources. In order to satisfy the needs of family members, there are a number of hierarchical levels within the organisation which often negatively affects the organisation. There is limited teamwork and virtually no cross-functional working with each of the functions operating in a silo. At times this has resulted in a poor service to clients where their expectations have not been met, and the company has recently received some bad press in the Asian tourist magazines and newspapers. Although this is an adventure-based tour company, it is not a fun place to work and the culture and leadership style stifle creativity. As with most organisations in the hospitality field, the Outback management uses a traditional leadership style, with decisions made at the top levels of management and communicated downwards. The majority of Outback’s employees are young, highly motivated and eager for learning opportunities, but the company struggles to regain them, facing a turnover rate higher than even what is expected in an industry with a notorious turnover culture. Although the company does have its own website, management has been hesitant to move away from using standard travel agencies for their client booking purposes, which is relatively costly. Many of the younger staff have ideas on how to improve the product range, the service offered to clients and how to target the all important Asian market, but have given up voicing their ideas as these have not been listened to in the past and they are concerned about being blamed for the rise in client complaints. (This is a fictional case study which has been adapted from Bratton et al. , 2010) Specific assessment criteria for assignment one 70% + Extensive knowledge and understanding surrounding organisations and management is evident. A deep level of critical analysis has been provided throughout with coherent and convincing arguments made. Theory and practice (case studies) have been integrated convincingly. Analysis is supported by extensive reading (academic texts and journal articles). Conclusion is convincing, relevant and holistic. Written expression and referencing are excellent resulting in a credible assignment which is well-structured, concise and demonstrates clarity of thought. 60 – 69% Good knowledge and understanding surrounding organisations and management is evident. A good level of critical analysis is demonstrated and arguments are clear and structured. Theory and practice (case studies) have been integrated well. Analysis is supported by significant background reading (academic texts and journals). Conclusion summarises the key issues convincingly. Good referencing with consistent citation and listing. Written expression is good resulting in an assignment which is well-structured, clear and concise. 50 – 59% Sound knowledge and understanding surrounding organisations and management is evident. Generally good analysis is demonstrated and arguments are clear and structured. Theory and practice (case studies) have been integrated. Analysis is supported by background reading (academic texts). A satisfactory conclusion is included. An appropriate structure is used and style of writing is satisfactory. Referencing is to satisfactory standard. 40 – 49% Some knowledge and understanding surrounding organisations and management is evident. The assignment is more descriptive than analytical, but arguments are sufficiently identifiable and free of obvious contradiction. Limited integration of theory and practice (case studies). Limited background reading from academic sources to support the work. Conclusion is drawn, but not all key issues are included. The assignment is adequately referenced with an appropriate structure. Written expression is satisfactory, but there are weaknesses in the presentation. Fail – 39% and below Very limited knowledge and understanding surrounding organisations and management is evident. The assignment is very descriptive with poor application of relevant theories, concepts and models. Minimal evidence of further reading. No or limited conclusion. The report is weakly referenced and the structure is inadequate. Written expression is poor resulting in an assignment which lacks clarity. Overall the task is poorly presented and argued and does not achieve an adequate standard. ASSIGNMENT TWO Module Title: Introduction to People, Organisations and Management Module Code:BB130020SLevel: 1 Academic Year: 2011/12Semester: Two Module Leader:Hermione McIntosh Instructions:Answer all four questions Word Limit: 3000 words % Weighting:50% Written assignments must not exceed the specified maximum number of words. Assignments will not be accepted without a word count on the cover sheet. Submission Date:Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Work submitted after this date will receive a mark of 0 unless an extension has been approved in advance of this deadline. Requests for short-term extensions will only be considered in the case of illness or other cause considered valid by the Student Adviser. These must normally be received and agreed by Student Adviser in writing at least twenty four hours prior to the deadline. Please refer to the Academic Regulations or your Student Handbook for full details. Further details:This assignment must be completed individually. This assignment must be attached to a completed University Assignment Cover Sheet and accompanied by a completed University Assignment Receipt before submission. Any attachments (such as computer discs) must be marked with your SID number(s) and securely attached to your assignment before submission. Do not submit your work in a plastic sleeve. Complete ALL four of the following tasks. 1. What is personality? And what relevance has this concept to understanding behaviour in the workplace? 2. â€Å"Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge through experience which leads to an enduring change in behaviour. † (Huczynski Buchanan, 2010, p. 732) Explain this statement, showing how it relates to a learning theory that you have studied on this module and to your own approach to learning. 3. One way to understand different motivation theories is to interview your peers on what is important to them when choosing a job. Form a diverse study group, and discuss the following: How important is pay in choosing a job when you graduate? Is personal autonomy important in your work motivation? Explain your findings and discuss them in relation to appropriate motivation theory. 4. Choose FOUR barriers to communication and suggest, as a manager, how you might overcome such barriers. Within the 3,000 overall word limit, you should allocate words equally to each of the 4 tasks above. You should also illustrate your answer by referring to relevant literature, theory and experience. Each question is equally weighted in terms of the assessment marking. Specific Assessment Criteria for these written tasks: 70% + Extensive knowledge and understanding of the literature is evident. A considerable depth of application has been achieved with the literature and examples of practice. A high level of insight and thought is evident throughout the arguments made and the findings presented. Analysis is supported by extensive reading. Written expression and referencing are excellent; ideas are well structured, balanced, and succinct and demonstrate clarity of thought. 60-69% A good grasp of knowledge and understanding of the literature is evident. A very good depth of application has been achieved with the literature and examples of practice. A significant level of insight and thought is evident throughout the arguments made and the findings presented. Analysis is supported by good background reading. Written expression is of a very good standard and referencing is strong with consistent citation and listing. The ideas are well structured, balanced, and clear and concise 50-59% Sound knowledge and understanding of the literature is evident. Generally good application has been achieved with the literature and examples of practice. There is evidence of insight and thought throughout the arguments made and the findings presented. Analysis is supported by background reading. Written expression and referencing is of a satisfactory standard. The ideas are fairly well structured, and clear and concise. 40-49% Some knowledge and understanding of the literature is evident. Generally the work is more descriptive than applied. Limited evidence of insight and thought throughout the arguments made and the findings presented. Analysis is limited, and not all the key issues are addressed. Written expression and referencing is of a satisfactory standard, but there are weaknesses in the presentation. Fail 30-39% Very limited knowledge and understanding of the literature is evident. The work is very descriptive with poor application of relevant theories and concepts. Minimal evidence of insight, thought and analysis. Written expression is poor resulting in writing which lacks clarity. Poor presentation overall, and does not achieve an adequate standard. 6. Assessment Criteria and Marking Standards ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND MARKING STANDARDS LEVEL 1 GenericLearning Outcomes(Academic Regulations, Section 2)| Assessment criteria by level| Marking standards (by mark band)| | | 70%+| 60-69%| 50-59%| 40-49%| 30-39%| 1-29%|. | Characteristics of student achievement per mark band | Achieves module outcome/s related to this GLO at this Level of Study| Achieves module outcome/s related to this GLO at this Level of Study| Achieves module outcome/s related to this GLO at this Level of Study | Achieves a marginal pass in the module outcome/s related to this GLO at this Level of Study| Fails marginally to achieve module outcome/s related to this GLO. MDF may permit compensation | Fails to achieve module outcome/s related to this GLO and is not eligible for compensation | Knowledge and Understanding | Level 1 (FHEQ level 4) intr.